Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

To say Essek was thrilled, would be an understatement. After months in nothing but forest and ocean, the party had finally managed to make it to a proper city, a city with one of the best magical teachings at that. He split off from the group with Beau (him now looking like an orange tiefling) in tow as they made their way to the Soltryce Academy, gaining entry with just a hint of trouble before they abused Beau's new status enough to get in.

The library was massive, it felt so nice to be in a library like this again. Prim, proper, oh how he missed his own personal library…

Beau and him immediately jumped into reading, they needed to get as much information as they could about the Cerbruce assembly, but even here they doubted they would learn anything important.

It was their fifth day now and they still hadn’t found anything new, Beau was currently looking at a book on the Archmage of Civil Influence Master Trent Ikithon, Essek leaning lightly on her side peering at the book as well. “Oh hello” an accented voice said, breaking the ever quiet silence. Essek jumped a bit, clearly startled. Beau on the other hand swung her staff (a wonder how she managed to convince them to let her keep it) around to the stranger's throat, the stranger simply smiled petting an orange cat on his shoulder.

He was quite beautiful in Essek’s opinion, he was wearing a white blouse with long puffy sleeves and long dark brown pants, his long orange hair was tied up in a small messy bun, his blue eyes glittering like sapphires. A ring adorned his ring finger, it looked more like two that had been twisted together, one gold the other silver both encircling a greenish gem.

“My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you.” the stranger spoke once more, “I had not seen you both before until recently, and my curiosity just simply got the better of me. I was hoping I could inquire a name or two.” He said tilting his head a bit, his cat immediately rubbing its head on his, Beau’s glare hardened. “You first, the fuck are you?” She growls pushing her staff a bit higher, he just kept smiling.

“Caleb. Caleb Widogast.” Beau quirks an eyebrow “and what is it you do mr. Widogast.” Caleb’s smile was still the same, but Essek barely caught a glimpse of his eyes narrowing, ever so slightly. “I’m..A researcher of sorts. And you are.” He leans in a bit “Beauregard. That’s Essek.” Caleb straightens up “a pleasure meeting you both, if you need any help finding something, please let me know.” He turned around, seemingly to walk away.

“Oh um actually!” Essek quickly says “you wouldn’t happen to know much about the Assembly, would you?” earning him a kick from Beau, “I do..may I ask why?”. Essek and Beau both looked at each other “Maybe over a cup of tea?” That earned him a small chuckle from the red head, “Ja, sure”.

- - - - - - - - - - A few weeks later - - - - - - - - -

Caleb was actually quite a nice guy, he loved cats, was incredibly knowledgeable and was mesmerised by magic. Even Beau started warming up to him, “so you’re an adventuring party?” Caleb asked as they strolled through the courtyard of the academy, “Ya we are, there are eight of us despite what our name might say” Essek said looking pointedly at Beau, “And your name just so happens to be?” Beau goes to elbow Essek as she speaks “The mighty nein. But like n-e-i-n.” Caleb softly laughs at that.

“You know why don’t you come meet the rest of our party? I’m sure they would be just delighted to meet you.” Caleb’s glossy blue eyes turned to him “I’m not too sure if I should. Research and all.” Caleb said, his eyes gazing up at something, he seemed uncomfortable, wary. “Well” Beau said, crossing her arms and taking note of it. “we might actually need your help with a little magic, something.” The red heads brow rose in question, “Oh?” “You’ll just have to come and see.” Essek said with a smile, “Well, I might just take you up on that offer.” Caleb said with a small smile.

- - - - - - - - The following morning - - - - - - - - -

“What is it exactly you want my help with?” Caleb asked as they neared the tavern the nein were staying at, Essek was the one to answer as Beau led them in and up to their room, “it would probably be better for her to explain it.” As he finished answering the door flew open and out came jester and nott, “omg, where have you been for so long,” one of them cried, it was a mystery which one did but notts eyes shot up almost immediately looked at Caleb, “who are you?” She said, narrowing her eyes.

A smile formed on Caleb’s face, “Caleb, little one. I am guessing you’re the one with the magic problem?” Jester’s eyes widened, Notts did too, a little hope mixed up in the surprise as she turned her head to Essek. “Oh um, Caleb here might be able to help bring you back to yourself.” Essek said with a smile of his own, Jester happily jumped up and ran in pulling Caleb along with her, nott close behind.

Essek was helped up by Beau and they too went in, Caleb was now seated in the middle of the nein being bombarded by questions, Beau interjected. “So Caleb, the blue one is jester, the purple one is Molly, the green guy over there is fjord, giant goat is caduceus, little ones Nott, and the giant lady is yasha.” The relief in Caleb’s eyes was clear “ah yes, danke-” jester immediately jumped in his face “hiya, I’m jester! Well you already know that, what’s yours!?” Nobody could resist Jester’s charm, and it seemed to leave Caleb in a mixture of amusement and confusion as he tilted his head a bit with a smile, “my name is Caleb widogast, a pleasure to meet you.”

As the day went on the nein and Caleb became closer, each taking turns to ask questions, “so, Caleb” Fjord starts “who is it you work for anyway?” Caleb seems to think for a second “well, if we’re being technical, I work for the carbures assembly, more specifically..In Master Trent ikithon’s area.”

Beau and Essek both exchange looks “so..you can do something about notts form?” Essek asks, trying to break the growing silence from that new information, “oh um, I believe I might be able to.

Come by my house sometime this week, all of you, we can have a better look at what magic it is then.” He said as he got up, handing Essek a beautiful blue crystal, almost as blue as his eyes, “This should get you close by, till then.” Caleb walked to the door waving a bit before he disappeared in a flash of light.

In a swirl of blue and white the nein were now in an upper district of the city, ikithon’s territory…huh. As they walked the obsidian path as a immaculate building grew in front of them, it seemed to go up forever in its height or at least that’s what jester said. As they got to the door a lion door knocker knocked itself on it and a woman wearing a uniform opened it before quickly being dismissed, as Caleb appeared from the top of the stairs.

He was wearing a easy smile, as he walked down “Hello, everyone I am most grateful you could make it.” Beau stepped forward “please. We should be the one graveling at your feet, you are helping Nott after all.” He gave a nod “ah yes that is correct, why don’t you Essek and Nott follow me up to the laboratory the rest of you can venture as you please, just try to stay on the main floor if possible.”

Molly's tail flicked a bit and then curved in what might have been curiosity, but caduceus was the one to ask. “If I may ask why, out of curiosity?” Caleb’s smile seemed to twitch a bit, “well let’s just say there is a lot of magic things and items that are quite…dangerous.”

“Now come along.” He quickly said before walking up the stairs, Beau and Essek exchanged glances thinking the same thing ‘there is something he’s scared of, like he was in the park.’ And then followed a moment later, Nott was right by Caleb’s side already making small talk. The house was breathtaking, emerald had been mixed into the wood of the walls giving off a hint of green light, books and shelves were everywhere, some even flying around going on and off shelves.

At the end of a long hall was a red door with gold details, And some sort of rune-like design in the centre. As they entered, the rune glowed softly before dimming again, the inside seemed to be even bigger than it had first appeared, the room was covered in dark brown wood mixed with what looked like opal, books and pages were scattered across the room as if in some kind of order but still managing to look dysfunctional. Silk curtains were lightly drawn leaving cracks for moonlight to seep in. ‘Wait a moment, moonlight? Perhaps an enchantment.’

They started working almost immediately, hours went by, and a vague idea of what this spell would entail. Caleb was so focused in fact that he hadn’t seen a figure stalking up behind him, until he was already in the air, “wolf!” Eadwulf smiled (You are always so focused on your little books, aren’t you kitten?)”

Essek was in shock for a moment, the size of this man was overwhelming, he was muscular and well built but had a flair of arcana as if magic was second nature to him, he had dark almost black hair and fine features, but what had caught his eye was the man’s arms.

Eadwulfs cuffs were rolled up to his elbows, allowing the thick black lines of his tattoos to show, something about them seemed familiar, they set Essek on edge. A small voice brought him out of his thoughts “Umm Caleb? Who is this?” Nott asked pulling a bit on his shirt after the man put Caleb back on the ground, Eadwulf raised an eyebrow, “(playing a new game are we?)” he asked, smirking a bit, and Caleb looked as if he was about to set the man on fire.

“(Eadwulf. You wouldn’t dare.)” he said clearly glaring “(wouldn’t I?)” he said as he grabbed Caleb’s chin in hand. (I am just helping, so no need to test it)” Caleb shot back, flames licking his hands. Eadwulf let go and walked to the door, “(now, now no need to be so rude. We’ll need to teach you a lesson won’t we?)”

Caleb’s frown only deepened “(I’m not in the mood for your games Eadwulf)” Eadwulf was now at the door, “(we’ve been playing this game far too long to quit, that ring is proof, now isn’t it?)” With that final remark he left the room, leaving Caleb blankly staring at his ring before clenching his fist, arcane sparks flying as he did so, causing the door to close with a ‘slam!’,

“(the nerve of that man).” He hisses slowly breathing in and out until the candles along with most of his anger are extinguished. “Um Caleb..are you..alright?” Nott says very quietly as if she’s scared she might get burnt, Caleb immediately tries righting himself as he puts on a reassuring smile, Beau narrows her eyes.

“I'm fine.” he says a bit harshly but as nott slightly flinches back, he forces his mask to replace his face once more. He smiles a bit sadly at the little goblin underneath him, “i'm sorry” he breathes out “I’m fine. Don't worry.” The ginger says much softer even though it seems to calm Nott a bit. None of them are very convinced.

“It might be best for us to stop here for today.” “Who was that anyway?’ Beau says leaning on a table nearby making no move for the door, making it clear she is not leaving without some kind of answer. Caleb cliches his fist and the cooling candle lights once more before he takes a deep breath until smoke begins to pool around it again.

Essek speaks up for the first time since the little interruption, “He had a ring on that matched yours.” he said softly and Caleb sighs “Are you two married?” The tiny goblin asks, concern clear in her big glossy eyes. “You all aren't going to let this go are you?” Nott shakes her head while the other two just stare in confirmation, the ginger hums in recognition making his way to the door opening it before stopping in the doorframe “He is, Eadwulf is…my fiancé.”

Chapter Text

Caleb silently leaves the room, Nott turns her head to Essek “It..it doesn't look like a happy relationship.” she says gloomily. “It’s not our place to intervene, I doubt we could really do anything.” He says sombrely, walking up to her. “But did you see how upset he was? The candles kept going out.” She said sadly, her little green ears drooping down.

“Well we don’t really know what was happening, so we don’t really know if it’s necessary.” Essek told her, patting her head in hopes of cheering her up a bit. “Well, it didn’t sound good.” The little goblin protested, “we can’t really know.” He simply replied.

“Doesn't Beau know a lot of languages? She has to know.” Nott said like she was trying to convince herself she could help just as much as Caleb was helping them, Essek tilted his head, right she should know should she? He turned to her. “Beau? Do you know what they were saying?” He asked, turning to Beau who had not moved since Caleb had left, she didn’t give him an answer however she stood up properly “Let’s go.” She says in a more commanding tone as she stomps out of the room, Essek and Nott both share a look before trailing on behind her.

The two walk downstairs was a long and silent one, the Drow and Goblin both mildly concerned for the angry human in front of them. As they got to the bottom of the stairs they could now see that Caleb was in conversation with the rest of the nein, “I truly am sorry for asking you all to leave like this but something has come up.” He says with a saddened smile, but as she heard his voice she immediately stopped making Nott bump into her “It’s quite alright, we’ll just stop by some other time.”

Fjord's unmistakable accent sounded out as Essek walked up beside the brown monk. She seemed to be looking for something, but when she couldn’t find it her scowl deepened as she made her way to the group. “-so like it would just be ok if I messaged you?” Caleb nodded “Ja of course.” As the three came closer the others started to move towards the door, caduceus making small talk as the others gathered their things.

“Are you coming unpleasant one?” Molly asks as he stands in the door frame, mostly everyone had left and were now standing in front of the huge house except for Essek and Beau herself. “Ya, ya just wait a dame minute.” She sneered, the purple tiefling shrugged and walked out to join the rest, the door softly clicking behind him “Is everythi-” Caleb began but Beau cut him off “Do you know anything about his tattoos?” She said arms crossed. Caleb turned to her clearly tired, “Who? Eadwulf’s? What about them?” The ginger replied, seemingly confused as Beau stood there quietly scanning his face for something before sighing in relief or frustration after not finding it.

“Its nothing, thanks for having us.” The monk said before opening the door and leaving rather quickly, not bothering to close it behind her. Essek started to make his way out as well, turning to Caleb apologetically “I’m sorry for her, she’s just bitchy.” Which earned him a small laugh from the shorter human, “we’ll see you later.” The drow said as he stood at the door.

“Thank you again.” The ginger followed him to the door to see him out, “think nothing of it.” The human replied putting a hand on the door allowing Essek, as Caleb’s sleeve slid down, to see a few large and angry vein like scars that crawled down his wrist and travelled under his sleeve, he seemingly didn’t hide his surprise well as Caleb gave him a quick and polite “good night.” Before closing the door, he mentally slapped himself for it.

He hadn’t realised he was that out of practice, but there was nothing he could do about it now he just wondered what possibly could have made those scars? Thinking back to it Eadwulf had had some pretty bad scars himself, marking his skin like thunder bolts only most of them were masked by those thick black tattoos.

Essek had a few nasty ones of his own, some from his job and others…he had no scar on his body like any of them, nothing like that. “-llo? Earth to Essek?” What could have happened to them for the scarring to be that bad? Better yet, who did that? “Essek?” And those tattoos.

They felt so familiar, but from where? “Essek! Are you there?” Essek snapped out of his thoughts as Molly wagged his hand in front of his face, Yasha standing protectively behind him. When Essek’s hand instinctively starts to glow Molly starts to laugh, “calm down there hot boy. You were just dragging back.” Now that he looks around he was quite far from the rest of the group, them being almost indistinguishable smudges in the darkening night. “Oh, My apologies, I hadn’t realised.” The purple tieflings tale swung back and forth methodically “ya, the unpleasant one’s been doing the same thing. Only she won’t stop walking, almost ran straight into a wall.” What? Now that was strange.

He peered down the road and from the disappearing forms he guessed they had just gotten back to the inn, “thank you for telling me. …..and for checking in on me.” Essek said turning to Molly and Yasha “no worries.” The tiefling flashed him a smile and Essek turned to leave once again, “oh Essek.” He turned to Yasha who had spoken for the first time since they found him.

“She's been mumbling to herself about something.” That doesn’t seem like a good sign. “Think she might blow a fuse.” He nods, and then bows as he says “thank you both.” And heads to the inn. He knows now that there is something, maybe she knows something about those black tattoos? He shakes his head, it doesn’t matter. There is something troubling the monk, enough for her to almost run into a brick wall. Not even all the alcohol in all the cosmos could do that. Just what on Exandria was going on?

Chapter Text

Essek glides up the stairs internally slapping himself at the bad habit since it is something that could easily get him caught as he rushed to the door of jester and beau’s shared room before correcting himself as he appeared in front of it, he slowly took his hand out of his long coat ready to knock but he hesitates as he sees the shaking of his pale purple hand.

They had never really been the same after the “accident”, it’s a wonder how on the best of days he can still manage to get a spell out.

The Drow’s eyes narrow, tracking the lines of scars as he tries to stop the involuntary movement, but of course it does nothing.

He doesn’t do much other than stare at it as annoyance and anger mix before he breathes and allows his hand to finally make contact with the worn out wooden door.

“Doors open!” Comes the unmistakable cheery voice of Jester and a grumpy grumble from beau as he twisted the knob and entered the room.

Jester was seated on one of the small creaky wooden beds brushing sprinkle as she hummed a little tune while Beau practised her martial arts by punching a makeshift dummy with a pillow as a body.

“Beauregard, Jester. Hello.” Essek said a bit stiff “Heyyyyy Essek!” Jester quickly replied but beau just grunted in his direction “there something you need?” The human asks a bit harshly as she sends a particularly hard punch the dummys way. “If it is alright, I would actually prefer to speak to you in private.” Beau stops for a second, with a slightly raised brow she rubs her face with a small towel that rests on her shoulders before turning to jester.

“You alright with that Jes?” The tefling was already picking up her dishevelled ferret as she jumped off the bed “ohhh yaaa, that is fine. I actually wanted to find Fjord to make sure he got all that sea water out of him.” She starts rambling as she heads to the door “OMGS! What if he has like an ocean inside of him! Wouldn’t that be crazy!” She laughs a bit before closing the door behind her.

“So” beau begins as she starts punching the dummy again “what do you want?” She asks as Essek moves to sit on the bed “Mollymauk had told me you were a bit out of it.” A hard punch was once again delivered to the dummy “did he now”

“He did, he informed me you ran into a wall? Are you alright?” He asks as calm and non accusing as he can “I’m fine.” Comes the humans quick response before another hit to the dummy. “Are you sure because that’s not like you.” Beau grits her teeth and punches harder “I told you I’m fine.” She grits out “Beau-”

“I SAID IM FINE.” She spits out as she sends the dummy across the room, Essek stares at her with worry as her hands form into tight fists “Beauregard, you and me both know something happened back in that manor, and it obviously is affecting you so please tell me.” The Drow says as calmly as he can.

Beau sighs taking the towel in her hand and bearing her face in it for a second before throwing to the side and picking up a roll of fabric bandage and begins wrapping her hands “Back in the Dynasty have you ever ran into Empire operatives?” She asks and he immediately straightens at the mention of his homeland “I did..” he says cautiously “Tell me about them.”

He tilts his head a bit “alright. Empire operatives are all quite different but they have one thing in common, determination.” He begins “they love and hold their home to great heights and think it a great crime to leave a job unfinished. They are all deadly, extremely so. But non as much as the Valstruckers.” Beau nods “so you know about them?” She asks but he shakes his head “I know very little, I’ve only met one in all my time.”

“A few years ago when I was still new to the sole, I had met one.” Beau slowly began “it was a simple mission to get information and leave, hadn’t expected her to be there. she was dangerous and well trained, her magic was something else.” The human started to walk towards the bed “she was strong, but that’s not what caught my eye, it was the thick black tattoos that lined her arms.” She said stopping in front of him with her arms on her hip “when I got back I delved into researching those marks, didn’t find much, they are good at hiding but all the people who had been seen with them seemed to be powerful and trained.” She finished with a bite of her lip as she let Essek think.

He thought back to when he had met the man, his black attire, blond hair, scared skin, and..thick black tattoos. Tattoos he had seen before not but on hour or so ago, “Eadwulf.” He said as his eyes widened and beau nods “I don’t know if he’s one of them but whoever he is, he’s powerful.”

Essek sighs bearing his head on his hands as a orange songbird flys from a nearby tree, “I’m guessing that him being here is not good.” He says “from what we know and don’t know, very much so.” Essek sighs again, we have our work cut out for us.”

Chapter Text

Essek was not doing well in any capacity, the pain in his legs had flared up today and was eating away at him as he walked around in Caleb’s lab, Beau was by the window facing inwards with Caleb’s cat laying on the window sill, nott and Caleb were in a hushed conversation over a pile of papers.

Both Caleb and nott had almost instantly gotten along as if they had known each other for years, they just clicked somehow.

“Hey, Caleb?”

Beaus' voice seemed to startle everyone in the room, and the ginger gave a small smile “Ja, Beauregard?” He said in his soft calming voice “I was wondering, about your fiancé that is.” Caleb seemed to shift a bit uncomfortably “oh?” Beau crossed her arms as she rested on the window “I was just curious, does he work for the Assembly as well?”

“I suppose he does, yes.” He responds as he supports himself on the table and Beau nods her head a bit, “where did you both meet?” Essek says worried that she will jump straight into prying too far jumps in trying to ease into whatever she wants to ask.

“We grew up together.” Was Caleb’s easy and quick response “that’s sweet.” Nott says smiling up at the ginger and him giving a soft smile of his own.

“Do you know what exactly he does for work?” The monk asks, “Is he a researcher like you?” Essek adds “um” Caleb raised a brow in question “what about his tattoos? He seems to have a lot.” Frumpkin hisses at the dark skinned monk before jumping down and getting on the table to flop on the papers in front of nott and Caleb.

“What’s with all the questions?” Caleb says not very amused, or at least he thinks? The ginger is always hard to read and anything he can guess or gain he feels as if the other man allows it to be shown.

“Just want to get to know you better.” Beau says a bit lowly “if that were the case you would be asking about me not my lover, ja?” Caleb says tilting his head to the right.

Beau scowls a bit and Essek bits his lip “don’t mind her, she just gets a bit suspicious of people that’s all.” He quickly says laughing a bit awkwardly “mhm I’m sure.” Caleb says eyes locked on the monk.

“Sorry Caleb, let’s just get back to-” Essek starts

“I’ll get us all some tea, I think we deserve a small break. We have all been working so hard after all.” The ginger says smiling, absently petting Frumpkin, eyes still locked on beau. “Would you like to join me Nott? It looks like these two have a lot to discuss.” Caleb says with amusement as he walks to the door “oh um ya ok.” Nott says before training behind the ginger when the door closes there is a long moment of silence just waiting to make sure they are really gone.

“Beau! What in the nine hells were you thinking!” Essek shouts moving around the table and piles of papers and books littering the floor, “I was just ask-” she starts “that was not questioning. That was interrogating.” He sees her rolls her eyes and scowls “he could and probably does know that we have more knowledge then we should or at least are poking around for it.”

“You're being paranoid.” She bits “really. Because I don’t think so. Caleb is a man that works for the Assembly and is betrothed to a man who could very well be a valstruckr!” The drow scolds and the monk scrunches up her face in annoyance and anger.

“ya ya ya, I get it. Ok?” She says a bit gruffly and then quickly turns her head away, but there’s some strong emotion playing in her eyes.

“….are you..worried?”

-silence-

“You are…your worried for Caleb.”

She stands still silent but Essek tries giving her a small smile “beau, he’ll be fine. I don’t think his lover would hurt him.” He said softly, “you obviously don’t know how far Empire soldiers are willing to go.” Beau says bitterly before walking to the door, hitting Essek’s shoulder on her way out.

…he did know

Maybe a little too well.