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The Elfsong tavern was alive with music and laughter, a peaceful turn from the horrors that seemed so distant now. The horror of the mind flayer invasion, and who would be throwing such a party? None other than the ragtag group of heroes who saved the city, and most importantly, their favorite hangout spot.
"Ari, just tell me if you need to go, I see the way you hold your stomach, I don't want La'ria to cause you any discomfort." Lae'zel holds her pregnant wife's hands, Arilda the gith, pregnant through a magical endeavor with her friend Gale. "La'ria? Don't tell me.. you already picked out a name?" Arilda giggles, seeing Lae'zel's face blush.
"Well, chk.. if you like it. I don't just wanna keep calling her Arilda's womb egg." Arilda laughs openly now, Lae'zel's face blushing as she can't help but smile with her adored wife. Their attention quickly turns to the center of the room, where several of their friends are dancing, Arilda's eyes are drawn to her close friend Shadowheart, or Sharty, as Arilda likes to call her.
"Sharty, are you going to save a dance for me?" Arilda yells over the dancing and the loud voices as Shadowheart smiles and walks to sit beside the two gith. "I'm so glad the two of you could be here, and that all is well with your little one Arilda." Shadowheart places her hand over Arilda's baby bump. "I heard you're having a girl?" Shadowheart inquires. "That's always their decision, but yes, that's what Gale's device said." Arilda says her face beaming. Lae'zel has noticed that even with the pain, the risk, this is the happiest Arilda has been since the day they admitted their feelings for one another.
"Arilda! Lae'zel! You both made it, how wonderful." Walking towards the three women was a handsome, dark skinned man, Wyll Ravengard. "I was hoping I might interest the two of you to stay with me for a while, at my estate. You need good lodgings and care for when the baby is due." Wyll sits beside Lae'zel, his charming, and care free smile had always been so calming to those around him.
"Wylly! Arilda exclaims, excited to reunite with her old friend. The foursome laughed and chatted as Arilda scanned the rest of the room. She could see the always charming Astarion, sharing a drink at the bar with his partner Ambrosia. She looked across to the dance floor to see the drow Minthara and Arilda's big sister and reformed bhaalspawn Astryx locked in a passionate slow dance. She also spotted the other two of Shadowheart's throuple, Clarisse the green skinned tiefling, and Rinkah, the burly and exuberant drow.
"Where's Morgan and Karlach?" Arilda asked, before remembering, a sadness and quiet fell over the 4 friends. Arilda thought back to those two stars in the astral plane, and how they burned so bright, their fires extinguished long before their time. "We all wish we could forget Arilda, it's okay." Shadowheart embraced the pregnant gith, who had barely noticed the tears dripping from her own face.
The purple robed wizard approached Arilda later that night, offering his greetings to the two gith as they prepared for bed. "Gale! Charyl!" Arilda exclaimed, as Lae'zel smiled and greeted the married couple who had been so instrumental in giving Arilda her dream.
The four chatted late into the night, sipping some brandy that was provided by the tavern. Gale finally managed to get Lae'zel to herself.
"How is she? This spell, it's never been done.. successfully, I know she was desperate, but I can still undo the spell, if it would save her life." Gale says, looking worried as he places one of his soft hands on Lae'zel's shoulder. "Tsk.. I still blame you for this you know. I don't know if she'll survive.. but I can't take this from her Gale. It would kill her, either way I lose my moon, my light. Why is life so cruel?"
Gale looks at Lae'zel, Lae'zel starts to understand why Arilda always saw him as a father figure, his comforting and warm gaze helping to ease her troubled mind. "I know the pain, Charyl has asked me for the same thing." Lae'zel's eyes widen as she looks at the half drow, sitting next to Arilda. "She is.. I mean.. I'm so happy for you Gale.. friend." Lae'zel hugs Gale, this brief moment of peace was sure to end, as all do.
Arilda yells into the night, Charyl, holding tight to her arm.
Gale and Lae'zel rush over, ready to aid, but once again the pain is caused by the same culprit. "Ari.. Please, please consider it, I don't want to lose her either, but think of yourself."
Arilda grunts, standing up and shrugging off the aid, "I'm fine.. truly!" She says unconvincingly. "Besides, Lae'zy, I have a surprise for you, for all of you.. Wyll helped me."
The four looked stunned and shocked as they read the small invitations. "We never had one, so Wyll felt it needed to be a big event, so many people are gonna be there!"
Lae'zel looks both furious, and excited, as she reads the invitation, "You are cordially invited to the wedding of Lae'zel and Arilda!"