Work Text:
Essek looks around the growing shadows of his office in the Lucid Bastion and realizes the time to go home has long passed. Stifling a yawn, he stretches and winces at the cracking of stiff joints as he stands. Absentmindedly, he gathers up paperwork, a couple of books, his multiple lists of idea and research musings, and tucks them into hidden pockets in his mantle before gliding out the door. No one bothers him on his way through the hallways, and for that he is grateful.
It had been a long week.
The war was officially over, but the shadows he commanded still engaged - a never-ending headache for him. Keeping track of the shadows that report to him, their current positions, tasks, it is a constant game of chess. One he was growing more and more tired of with each passing day. The paranoia of his indiscretions being found out still haunts him at night, and his heart may never stop clenching when he is called into a meeting, but as the weeks trudge on he feels more and more confident that life will return to normalcy.
Breathing in the fresh air for the first time all day, he tries to control his pace to an unassuming one, even though he is anxious to get home. He pointedly ignores the lights on the horizon that twinkle in a large tree, breaking the skyline of Rhosohna.
They’ve only been gone for a few weeks, Thelyss. They’ve gone longer without talking to you.
Yes, but that was before they knew you. That dark voice that haunts his nights whispers to him.
Reaching his home, he gently closes the door and leans his head against the frame, letting the levitation drop. Weekends were the hardest. Knowing many families and his peers were relaxing and letting the stress of the week fall for just a moment while he sat in his empty home didn’t use to bother him. Until he realized how nice it was to have voices echoing off the stone walls instead of his own rare footfalls. Growling at the dueling voices in his head, he gathers the strength to push himself off of the door and stomp into the receiving room. Dumping his books and papers onto a side table, he moves to take off the mantle when he’s startled by a voice.
“It used to be much harder to sneak up on you.”
Without thinking, Essek fires off a blast of energy towards the voice and sees the figure dodge out of the way and prepares another blast when the man raises his hands and head to grin at him. Verin . He lets the energy crackle in his hands for another beat before allowing it to fade, glaring down at his crouching younger brother.
“Brother.”
“What’s up, Esse?” Verin stands and lowers his arms to cross in front of his breastplate grinning down at his older brother.
Essek rolls his eyes and turns around to busy his hands with organizing his papers he’d dropped on the side table.
“How did you get in?” He asks, not looking back at him.
“Ah, your housekeeper? Cook? Eh, someone named Rose on your staff recognized me. Gave me a lovely cup of tea and one of the best pastries I’ve had in a long time.”
“And what makes you think I’d want you here?” He glances at the bronze vase just in time to catch a distorted reflection of Verin’s face fall and Essek closes his eyes.
Why in all of the nine hells are you like this? Can’t you not destroy everything in your path?
He hears Verin drop onto the couch and sigh.
“I had some leave, thought I’d come home, be a dutiful son, and check-in with Mother. She’s fine by the way. Said you hadn’t been around much lately.”
Essek rolls his eyes and moves to the bookshelf where he keeps the strong liquor. This was setting up to be a long evening. He pours and offers a glass to Verin before sitting stiffly in his own chair.
“Mother would say that even if I was having a daily tea with her and sleeping in my childhood bedroom.” He responds, glancing quickly at his brother and catching the quick smile. His heart lifts a notch. “I truly think she would be much happier if I’d stayed home and never left.”
“Oh, but she wants grandchildren,” Verin says, taking a sip of the offered drink, coughing, and squinting down at it.
Essek chokes and coughs on the sip he just took, “Mercy’s sake, Verin we’re barely in our second century. We’d be children having children!”
Verin laughs as Essek tries to regain his composure. “Tell that to the subtle hints she dropped about her friend’s ‘lovely eligible children’. I stopped counting and started plotting my escape after the third.”
He pops up and starts to pace the room. Essek watches, a small smile playing at his lips as he recognizes their father’s stride in the man Verin has become. Always a bit of energy escaping containment. He quickly takes another sip to cover his smile.
Verin continues walking around the room, taking another sip and coughing again, “Gods, Esse, what is this stuff? It’s horrible!”
Essek chuckles, “Got it from an acquaintance. It tastes awful, but does the job.”
Verin shakes his head and sets the glass down before continuing. “I told her I was staying with you. Hope that’s alright. If not, there’s that abandoned family house down the road a bit I can stop in for the night.”
Essek coughs again, this time thankfully without inhaling alcohol, and croaks, “No you can’t stay there. It’s been let to some...friends of the dynasty as thanks. Here is fine. I have plenty of guest rooms for you here.”
Verin turns to look at him curiously. “Mother let it go? I thought she was holding onto it for some political machination later in the future.”
“This is that time.” Essek places his glass down and leans his head on his head. “The current residents are the group that returned a Beacon. Mother saw an opportunity to endear them to Den Thelyss. A gamble that is paying off, seeing as they facilitated the end of the war and the return of the other Beacon.”
Verin leans into the bookshelf, crossing his arms. “The Heroes of the Dynasty are staying in old cousin what’s his name’s house? That’s hilarious. We heard rumors about their splash in the throne room. Wish I could have been there to see that.”
“It was, something alright.” Essek can’t hide his smile. “They are an interesting bunch, for sure.” He notices Verin staring at him and schools his features back into neutrality. “It also helps that I was assigned as their handler during their time here in the Dynasty. Watching them confound and confuse all forms of authority is rather entertaining.”
Verin grins and gets that twinkle in his eye that usually means more headaches for Essek. “You sound...almost fond of them. Didn’t know you were capable of that, Brother.” He moves to sit back down, leg bouncing as he leans over the arm of the couch towards Essek. “Did someone finally break past that stone barrier you keep up?” Essek rolls his eyes. “Melt your frozen heart?” Essek stands, huffing in exasperation. “Take hedge trimmers to your thicket?” Essek turns around, confusion crossing his face. “Oh, that one wasn’t as good, was it? Hm.”
“No, I-” He is interrupted by a sudden familiar voice in his head. He tries not to let his relief show on his face.
“Hi Essek, we’re going to be stopping by the Xhorhouse soon. Dinner? We have so much to tell you, you would not believe the stuff-”
He raises his hand at his brother’s questioning look. “Jester, glad to hear you’re coming to town. Unfortunately, I have a guest tonight, but we can schedule a meeting tomorrow.”
He waits for the spell to send before turning to Verin, “Speak of the devils and they’ll appear in your head.”
Verin slouches back on the couch. “You should have accepted, Brother. I’d love to meet the Heroes of the Dynasty,” he accentuates with a flourish of his hands. “And the group that has apparently stolen the shriveled remains of my dear older brother’s heart.”
Essek is already shaking his head and opens his mouth to retort but is interrupted again by Jester’s voice.
“Well invite your guest too, Essek! Oh no, wait, Essek! Are you on a date? Do not reply to this if you are in the-”
He sighs and rubs his temple. “I am not on a date Jester, my brother has come to visit for the evening-”
“Tell them I want to come!” Verin stands and steps towards him.
“-and you do not want to make his acquaintance.”
“Esseeee, you are the worst!” Verin flops dramatically down onto the couch before popping up again in sudden inspiration and starts gathering his things.
“I was invited, right? I know where the house is, I’ll just head over that way and introduce myself,” Verin says. Essek’s eyes widen. “After all, it’s my duty as a Thelyss, and a Taskhand, and a,” he flounders for a moment, “proud citizen of the Dynasty to thank them for all the work they’ve done for our great nation. It’s just being neighborly. Besides, I’m sure they’d love to hear all about life in the Dynasty, what we were like as kids-”
Essek shakes his head and waves a finger in Verin’s direction, “No, no. You are not going over there without supervision. You have no idea who you are dealing-”
There’s a knock on his door. Both sets of eyes stare at it for a moment, before making brief eye contact and immediately racing pell-mell towards it. A well-placed foot from Essek trips Verin just off-balance enough that Essek is able to reach the door first. Panting slightly, he jerks it open and is met with the sight of half of the Mighty Nein standing on his front porch. He stumbles forward slightly and glares backward as Verin bumps into him from behind, staring over his shoulder.
A confused silence stretches forward for a moment before the tiefling steps forward, arms akimbo.
“We’re back!!! Can I have a hug? We didn’t know you had a brother, Essek!!! Hi, I’m Jester, what’s your name? Would you like to come to dinner?” she scoots closer to Essek arms still out. “Caduceus is getting dinner started and Beau said she’d help him and Veth said something about checking on the housekeeper and Yasha needed some alone time in her room, which, understandable, you know? So Caleb and Fjord came with me to reinvite you over for dinner.” She stops to take a breath. “25 words is just not enough to invite someone to dinner.”
Verin blinks, mouth agape. Essek gently steps into Jester’s hug, tentatively hugging her back. Verin makes a choked noise behind him and Essek rolls his eyes before releasing Jester and stepping back gesturing at his brother.
“This is Verin, my younger brother. He’s visiting for a few days.”
Verin recovers his composure enough to dip into a shallow bow. “Delighted to meet any friends of my brother’s. Anyone capable of,” Essek coughs a warning and Verin smiles wickedly, “earning my brother’s trust is a force to behold.”
The redhead bows in return, “An honor to meet another of your Den. I am Caleb.”
The half-orc sticks his hand out and Verin clasps it in his own, “Fjord. The others are back at the house like Jessie said, but we just wanted to make sure you knew,” he looks at Essek, “any guests of yours are always welcome at our house, especially since it technically is your family’s house”
Verin pushes past Essek into the night air. “I would love to join you for dinner. The stories we could exchange are endless. Plus I would love to see what you’ve done with the place.”
“Great!” Fjord smiles congenially at him. “Your sword is magnificent, where did you get it?”
The two take off talking weaponry. Essek gazes at the sky for a moment and sighs. He turns and stomps a little petulantly into his house and gathers up the papers and books he’d brought home with him. Perhaps he and Caleb could catch a moment alone to discuss a few things. With a wave of his hands, the lights are extinguished and the door locked behind him. Jester and Caleb are waiting patiently for him.
“Forgive my brother, in advance, for whatever shenanigans he pulls tonight,” he eventually says looking at them both.
“Essek, I think you know by now that our group runs on shenanigans only,” Caleb says with a smile reaching for one of the books in Essek’s arms. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
Jester links arms with Essek on the opposite side of Caleb and gently tugs him forward.
“Why didn’t you tell us you had a brother, Essek?”
Essek sighs and starts walking forward. Cursing his sudden penchant for honesty he replies, “Well there are a number of reasons. Chief among them being that he is much more likable than me and I am a selfish man who never learned how to share.”
Jester squeezes his arm, “Essek, buddy. You are stuck with us now. You were kind of a prick when we met you and we still became friends. Just cause someone is more charming doesn’t mean we just drop you like a stinky fish.”
Caleb nods, “And besides, in our experience, the charming ones are the dangerous ones.”
Essek flushes a bit, unable to process his thoughts. The silence grows heavy as he struggles to admit, “I am...also afraid he will do his best to embarrass me tonight. In good fun, I know, but the sting is still there.”
Caleb’s soft voice is soothing and he feels himself relaxing, “It is my impression that siblings are wont to do just that. If it gets to be too much, tell him and if he cares about you, he’ll tone it down.”
“Caduceus has mentioned before that he was a terror around his siblings, yeah plus Caleb and Beau bicker all the time and they’re practically siblings anyways,” Jester says on his other side, patting his arm comfortingly.
Essek nods absently as they turn a corner and see Fjord and Verin ahead of them. Verin’s eyes bugging out at the sight of Essek sandwiched in between a skipping Jester and a book carrying Caleb. He looks over at Fjord and sees the easy smile split across his face at the sight of the trio heading their way. Before they catch up, he touches Fjord’s arm and turns them both away to ask, “Tell me quickly, is Essek truly friends with your little group?” He stares at Fjord’s face looking for any indication of deceit.
Fjord scratches the back of his head. “Essek is a tough one. Some of us are closer to him than others,” he jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “Those two especially. Some of us are a little more, guarded about him. Some are more openly off-put by him. It’s a relationship built on small, but intense pockets of time over the course of a few months. A moment recently placed all cards on the table, as it were, I think gives us the chance to really connect with him. Make a difference. Leave him better than we found him.”
Verin pulls back stiffly. “So he’s a project to you.”
Fjord’s eyes widen and he puts his hands out placatingly, “No, no not at all! We’d just gotten to the point of choosing trust with a few of the contacts we have outside our immediate group and there was a mishap with the trust we placed in him. It has affected different people differently. So for some, yes. That may be the warmest thought they can put towards him right now. You’re kinda catching us at our first moment of privacy since the, uh, confrontation so things may feel strained, a bit.”
Verin stares a moment at the trio walking closer towards them, hearing the laughter from the blue one, sees smile from the redhead, and the content happiness from his brother. Without looking back at Fjord he whispers, “Essek has never once had friends. I was the closest thing to that and we were pitted against each other in some sick version of teaching ambition. This is the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Be patient with him, matters of the heart confuse him and he blusters to make up for it.” He turns back to a shocked Fjord. “Breath a word of this and you’ll regret it.”
Fjord nods, “Understood.”
A flurry of movement is all the warning Fjord had to brace himself as Jester launches towards him. He catches her, spinning her around from the momentum and placing her gently back down, “Heyo Jessie what’s up?”
“Essek has been sampling all of the bakeries in the area to find the best ones,” Fjord nods, glancing over at Essek who is standing a little awkwardly beside Caleb, “and he took notes and filled out a rubric and everything!!!!”
Fjord breaks out a huge smile and turns, arm still around Jester’s shoulders, to Essek who is now smiling sheepishly. “Sounds like we’ve got a list of approved bakeries to sample. Thank you for this valuable research Essek.”
Essek fidgets for a moment, ignoring his brother’s shocked look, and says, “Well, my hope was to find a couple of them that would consider me important enough that when the next middle-of-the-night pastry request comes through, one of them might take pity on me.”
“See!!!” Jester spins out of Fjord’s arm and drags him towards the Xhorhouse. “C’mon, you guys, Beau will think we got murdered or something, let’s go!”
Fjord stumbles along to catch up with her pace as the other three move a little more sedately to follow. As they reach the door, Jester dramatically opens the door, pauses for the chimes, and then says, “Welcome to the Xhorhouse!” Essek pushes Verin forward and follows him through the doorway, bumping into him when Verin stops and looks around the house in awe. A brief scuffle ensues as the two push and shove each other out of the foyer and into the dining area.
Verin jumps when a voice coming from his knees says, “You’re not Essek. Who are you?” a crossbow appears suddenly, “How did you get in!”
He raises his hands as Essek pushes around him, blocking him into a corner. “Veth, this is my younger brother Verin. He’s visiting and Jester insisted on bringing him over. If we are intruding, I can return home?”
The halfing grins and rests the crossbow on her shoulder, relaxing. “I’m just teasing. Make yourself at home Verrel? Verin? Grab a drink, dinner is nearly done.” She trains the crossbow on him again. “Do not touch the sherry, all other drinks are free game, understood?” She relaxes at his startled nod and turns to walk off. “Beau! Caduceus! We have another for dinner!”
“Interesting friends you have, Brother,” Verin murmurs. Essek smiles and moves toward Caleb who is inching towards another room. “I’ll be in the library with Caleb, staying out of the way.” He pulls out the bottle of wine he’d nabbed on the way out of his home. “Veth! Where shall I put this?” There’s a thump behind him as Beau drops a pot of food in the middle of the table and the bottle is plucked out of his hands from over his shoulder.
“Whatcha got for us this time, man?” she asks inspecting it.
“Ah, one of my favorites, though not the fanciest in my collection-”
He’s interrupted by Caduceus poking his head out of the kitchen. “Oh hey there Essek, glad you could make it.” Caduceus looks over at Verin. “And another Thelyss, how nice. Welcome, welcome. Make yourself comfortable, we’ve still got a few more minutes. Some of these roots are being stubborn.”
Essek nods and escapes the chaos into the library with Caleb, stopping only to pull a piece of parchment out of a pocket and tuck it into Jester’s hands on the way out the door.
From the as of yet unexplained tree sticking out of the roof, to the eclectic decorations and furnishings of the once-dull and boring house, Verin is speechless at the sight and energy of this once-familiar house. The redheaded human, Caleb, drifts towards another doorway, smiling over all of the people in the space. Fjord sits on the staircase talking to a smiling Jester who is leaning against his shoulder. After getting threatened by the cross-bow wielding halfling, Veth? He watches as Fjord grunts from the impact of Veth and Jester talking excitedly and bumping him off balance, leading to the halfling climbing a few steps to point a finger in his face and the two start bickering, twinkles in their eyes as Jester doubles over in laugher. The dangerous-looking woman takes the wine from Essek and spins back into the kitchen, dancing out of the way as the firbolg from early brings another plate out holding it high above her head and laughing lowly. Sees his brother slip in and around each of them heading for Caleb. Verin stands in the corner watching this group of colorfully mismatched people move in and out of each other’s space and can’t help but smile. They’re all obviously comfortable with each other.
They’re all also incredibly attractive, gods above.
“So what’s your deal?” Verin startles to find the dangerous-looking woman sidled up beside him, nonchalant pose betrayed by her curious eyes. He looks at her and decides to go with the full truth, sensing this wasn’t the occasion for vagueness and the ingrained nobility truths of his youth.
“I got some leave from my current station, decided to come home. It’s been a while since I’ve been home and checked in with Mother, made sure Essek wasn’t getting into too much trouble. What was your name again?”
“Beau. Where are you stationed?”
“ Bazzoxan .”
“Oh wow.”
He huffs out a small laugh, “That’s the usual reaction. It’s not as dangerous as some people think, but still eventful,” he pauses. “How does a human from the Empire know what Bazzoxan is? Scary stories they tell you at night?”
She snorts, “No, we were there, hmm when were we there? A month ago? No, there was the time in the happy fun ball, time got weird, two months ago maybe?”
Verin stands up straight. “All of you were there?”
“Yeah, why?”
“My guards were commenting on a group of suspicious people that breezed into town, bought a bunch of incense and ivory, questioned the security and ability of my troops, changed their appearances at will, and disappeared as quickly as they came, leaving three halfway domesticated moorbounders loose outside town to terrorize my perimeter guards.”
She laughs, tossing her head back. “Yeah, that was us. Sorry about that, we weren’t operating at our best at that point.”
Verin settles back against the wall and crosses his arms. “This already interesting evening is turning out to be even more interesting.”
“So Bazzoxan . Interesting place. Interesting history.” Beau raises an eyebrow at him.
“It is.”
“Do you have the same position your father did?”
He looks up sharply. “How do you know about that?”
Beau jerks her head towards where Essek and Caleb are barely visible in the other room, looking over a piece of parchment and talking excitedly. “He told us. We’re all pretty bad at making friends here except maybe Jester. He finally accepted our invitation to dinner and as casual dinner conversation, we asked about regrets, you know, as you do. He mentioned your father and Bazzoxan.”
Verin is silent for a moment. “I’ve not heard him speak about Father since…” He trails off and shakes his head. “Anyway, I am more and more intrigued by your group of people by the minute and how exactly Essek has gotten mixed up with you.”
“We’re a group of weirdos that got lucky enough to have a Jester among us who is incapable of bonding with literally anyone we come across.” she shrugs and pushes off the wall. “Get you a drink?”
Verin moves to follow, “Yes please, but I’ve been informed that there’s a crossbow bolt with my name on it if I drink the sherry.”
She laughs, “Well, if you have a sherry inclination, I can catch crossbow bolts so you should be safe, but we do have other stuff as well.”
“Surprise me then.” He hears footfalls on the stairs and watches her eyes train on something behind him. Turning to see what she’s looking at, he revises his earlier assessment. If Beau was the dangerous one, this woman was lethal. Trying to compose his face and tear eyes away from muscular arms, he catches the warmth in Beau’s eyes as she calls out, “Yash, drink?” The mountain of a woman moves to stand close beside her and says softly, “Yes please, thank you Beau.” Her multicolored eyes turn to him. “I’m Yasha,” she says with a small wave.
Verin nods politely, “Verin Thelyss. Esse is my older brother.”
Beau’s eyes go sharp as a giant grin spreads across her face. “Esse??”
Eyes wide, Verin panics, “No no no forget I said that. It’s a habit from youth and contrary to what he probably fears, I am not here to embarrass him beyond belief or ruin whatever friendship is blooming here.”
“You called him Esse when you were kids?” Yasha asks without a hint of mischief in her eyes, only curiosity.
“Ah, yes. I had an issue with the k sound,” he says sheepishly.
Yasha smiles, “That is adorable.”
“Don’t worry man, I won’t tease him in front of everyone else. Maybe Caleb. Essek needs a humbling every once in a while. I’ll keep in on lock until then,” Beau winks and hands him a drink. He takes it with a nod and sigh of relief as Caduceus walks out carrying another plate of food.
“Uhh dinner is ready folks, eat while it’s hot.”
The chaos of everyone finding a seat pushes him to and fro and Verin just follows the flow of chaos until he’s sat between Essek and Jester. Plates are filled and passed and conversation flows between seats, is yelled across the table, laughter collapsed against the person next to them. Jester excitedly talking over him at Essek about his list of bakeries.
When Jester moves on to talk to someone else, Verin leans over and speaks in Undercommon to Essek, “Why am I not surprised you are personally connected to the people who have caused a headache for me up in Bazzoxan?”
Essek looks over at him in surprise. “I never told you what happened. Remind me sometime.”
“Or you can tell him now, is it still classified need-to-know info?” Beau says sipping her wine. Everyone swivels to look at her. She shrugs, “Verin is stationed at Bazzoxan.”
Essek cocks his head to the side, pinning his eyes to Beau. “When did you learn Undercommon, Miss Lionett?”
She smirks, “It’s Expositor Lionett to you, and believe it or not, I study. I learned a bit ago.”
Essek smiles, “Apologies, Expositor. And no, now that the danger of panic has passed, the existence and subsequent release of the Laughing Hand isn’t classified anymore. However, it isn’t the best conversation to be had over dinner.” He darts his eyes over to the woman sitting next to her, studiously ignoring the conversation happening around her. “However Jester did mention in her Sending you had a lot to tell me about?” He relaxes back into his seat as Jester launches into a lengthy explanation of the events leading up to and including Travelercon, with small interjections from other people at the table to fill in gaps. He takes another sip of wine and watches Beau quietly check in with Yasha, getting a smile out of the other woman before scooting closer and leaning back against her, Yasha’s arm resting around her shoulders before loudly rejoining the conversation.
“I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO JUMP IN! WHO RUNS DIRECTLY AT A VOLCANO JUST TO THROW A DICK STATUE IN!”
Yasha agrees, albeit quieter. “None of the others ran at the volcano. The goal was to get everyone through TravelerCon alive.”
Verin’s head has been ping-ponging back and forth trying to rationalize the conversation he was listening to before giving up and just letting it wash over him. He can’t figure out why Essek attached himself to this group. He understands their charm, to be sure, he himself would love to spend more time with them, but this is the opposite of his brother’s normal scene. Leaning an elbow on the table he turns to watch his brother. He’s now in a conversation with Caleb again and they’re talking rather intensely about something. Essek’s focus has sharpened to something Verin is more familiar with and it is an unexpected anchor for his whirling thoughts. A strategic Essek was one he can handle.
As he watches them toss sentences back and forth, each traded thought intensifying the fervor in their eyes, sentences being finished by the other, he thinks, Oh. Oh, this is why. This was the draw to this group. This wizard whose intellect is finally a match to his own and he’s part of a package set. This is the connection he was missing out on all our childhood. Oh, Mother the mistakes you made by isolating us. What wonders could your son have accomplished, given this access? He watches, throat tight with emotion seeing how his older brother blossoms in this loud, chaotic room filled with warmth that used to be another dining hall for silence and manipulative words where children who haven’t experience anamnesis are to be seen, not heard, and even barely seen at that. Essek had mastered that world so easily and it consumed him. Blinking back sudden tears, he schools his face, realizing that the room had fallen relatively silent.
“I’ve dreamed about it most nights,” the firbolg that Verin assumes is Caduceus is saying. “A living city, it breathed and moved. Whatever it is, it was chasing something powerful enough to crash through planes and drag shards with them to create an island. And the Wildmother doesn’t even know what it is.”
“And you all experienced the same vision?” Essek looks around at them.
“As it was dying, yes.” Caleb’s soft accent confirms.
“A living city floating of its own power in the Astral Sea hunting a creature powerful enough to break through planes, create an island around itself, erase the memories of an entire island of people within a week of them arriving, and it will deflect spells?” Essek tosses back the rest of his drink and collapses his impeccable posture into a slouch in his chair absently tapping his empty glass on the chair’s arm. “You all live to complicate my life, don’t you?”
“Look man, you aren’t the only one we told about this. Another arcanist we know and the Cobalt Soul are looking into it too.” Beau tosses out. “Just thought we’d see if the Dynasty also had any writings that would shed a light. Something like this seems bigger than petty squabbles about religious differences and land ownership.”
Essek sighs again, closing his eyes and, tipping his chair on back legs and balancing against the wall. “That’s what I mean, the entire Tharizdun cult also ascended nationalist goals in importance and required a halt to petty squabbles. How exactly do you get yourself into these situations?”
Yasha looks down and places her hands on the table, “Well the first one was my fault. Sorry.”
Jester grabs her hand across the table, “Not true, Yasha. We were finding those portal devices before they took you.” Yasha looks like she’s about to protest but smiles at Jester instead. Jester continues, “This one was 100% on me. We were just there for Travelercon and got involved.” Essek tips the chair upright and squints open one eye at her. Jester jerks suddenly, remembering, “Oh! Also, there was something about the Eyes of Nine.”
“Eyes of Nine,” Essek echos. “I’ll look into it, quietly. I don’t want to stir panic, but this will help keep me occupied.”
Verin again is silently trying to process this group of incredibly powerful people who talk casually about destroying things that would send his troops scattering in moments. And they make powerful look good. Really good. Why are all of Essek’s friends also beautiful? Squinting down into his cup he realizes he’s indulged more than he thought.
Oops. Keep it together Verin. Don’t embarrass Esse. Essek. Esssssekkkkk. No nicknames. No flirting. No nothing.
He nods firmly at himself only to realize someone had asked him a question and now his cup is being refilled.
Oh dear…
Fjord smiles at him across the table, “Beau drags me through hell and back each morning to train. While you’re in town and we’re in town, you’re welcome to join us. Or just watch and laugh as she runs circles around me.”
Verin’s eyes bug for a moment imagining both of them, nope not following that thought. “I’d be,” he croaks, clears his throat, “delighted. Thanks for the offer.”
“We also have a hot tub in the basement,” Jester offers as Verin’s mind becomes a high pitched drone. “You’re welcome to take a soak afterward. Oooo we should all go down there now!”
“Oh, that’s really. Not um,” Verin scrambles to get his inebriated mind to cooperate.
Essek saves him before he makes a complete fool out of himself. “Perhaps not the first night you meet him, Jester.”
The tiefling pouts for a moment but nods, “Next time then?”
Verin nods weakly, mouth resolutely shut.
Essek looks at him oddly but stands. “With that, I think it’s time to bid you all goodnight. Verin’s already had a long day dealing with our mother.”
Verin stands too and starts scooting for the door after Essek. “It was lovely to meet all of you, truly.”
Beau points at him, “Sunrise, training in the morning.”
“Uhh, sure.”
More goodbyes chorus behind them as he follows Essek out the front door. They walk in silence for a bit before Verin explodes. “Esse, where did you find them!?”
Essek looks at him curiously, “I told you, they returned a beacon and I was assigned as their handler.”
“But, but, they’re all so capable and ridiculous and pretty, like, how do you even interact with them?” Verin throws his hands around and stumbles a bit as they approach Essek’s front door.
Essek sniffs delicately at him. “How much did you drink?” he shakes his head. “Nevermind, just get inside.”
He leads Verin to one of his guest bedrooms and helps him get his boots and weapons off. He extinguishes the lights and turns to walk out the door but pauses at Verin’s voice coming softly from the bed.
“Esse? I’m glad destiny or fate or coincidence brought them to you. They’re good for you. Good people. You deserve to have them.” His voice trails off.
Essek turns and scoops up the blanket at the end of the bed and gently tucks it around his younger brother and places a gentle hand to his forehead. “I’m trying,” He whispers. “Perhaps someday I might deserve any of you.”
The door shuts with a soft click and Essek climbs to the study in his tower to begin researching.