We immediately head for the area where I had encountered the first amalgam with Stanton. Hopefully, if something dangerous did happen with that tree, Stanton got away safely. In the end though, it is too far for all of us to travel before it becomes dark. It is decided that if the resulting creature is likely to further the darkness, then it would be far better to camp the night and approach in the morning light.
Seeing the Lords and Ladies start to unpack their camping gear, Lady Averdine stops them and says, “Don't bother, I can do us better.”
With a few moments spent chanting and a few arcane gestures, a door appears. It stands freely, with its bottom a few inches from the forest floor. Turning the handle she, swings the door open, though there is no visible hinge that it attaches to. Behind the door, instead of the forest, is a well furnished room with several other doors leading out of it. She walks in and looks around the room for a bit, “Well, come on in.”
We all enter, the magical room. A lit fireplace sits along one wall, while almost all of the rest of the wall space is taken up by further doors leading out. What small portions of wall are left over are concealed behind statuary or paintings. Large comfortable looking chairs are arranged around a fine oaken table. Behind one door is a kitchen space, well stocked. The rest have bedrooms, too large to be next to each other in this small space. I don't think I could ever make it as a wizard, I'd spend too much time thinking about how all of these impossible things work...
Everyone in armor picks a room to unsuit in before coming back to the common room. It takes me a while to redetermine who is who now that the armor is off. Sephram offers to prepare a meal for us before we go to bed, Kenneth follows him offering to help. Hopefully the rookie knows how to cook. He quickly brings out several cups, bottles of wine and a bucket with chunks of ice inside. “This kitchen has everything,” excitement is clear on the rookie's face as he heads back into the kitchen.
Everyone else starts to drink, and after a short while Zilo starts up a tale from when he was working with a different group. I start to lose focus. I hope Stanton is doing okay, and Melanie is sure to be worried that I didn't come home this evening.
My distraction must have been apparent, even though I sat in a chair nearer to the fireplace. Lady Averdine walks over to me, “You don't seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“I know everyone decided it would be safest to wait until dawn, but I feel like I should be going as fast as I can, what if Stanton is in trouble.”
“Do you know him particularly well?”
“No, but even though we just met this morning we've already saved each other's lives at least once.”
“Oh, that's too bad. I have a spell that allows you to speak with someone far away, but it only works if you know them very well.”
“Really, do you think I could talk with my wife? She's probably worried sick that I never came home today.”
“Certainly, just focus on the thought of her, while I cast the spell. You'll only have a few sentences to say, she'll be able to say a few back.”
Focusing on the thought of her isn't hard, she's already on my mind. The Lady chants a few words and taps my cheek and then my ear. A strange tingling sensation passes through my head, and suddenly I feel like I'm at home, right next to her.
“Melanie?”
*Nivar? You're home! Wait, where are you?*
Her voice sounds like I'm right there. Nothing is more calming than her voice, except for looking into her eyes.
“Sorry, I won't be able to make it home tonight. I'm camped out with some of the watchmen, and, you won't believe this, our Liberators. They had particular interest in something I was investigating. I'm talking to you through a spell. I don't know how long it will last, but I wanted you to know I was fine, and I'll be back tomorrow.”
*That's good, we were worried that something had happened. It's not like you to come home late. Be sure to tell us all about it.*
The tingling passes. The spell must have ended. “Thank you, milady.”
“It's no trouble,” a smile crosses Lady Averdine's face, “It's nice to see a man as concerned about his wife as you are.”
I follow her back toward the rest of the group just as a meal consisting of roast chicken, bread, and salad is brought in from the kitchen. Zilo is just wrapping up a story where a dragon, purported to be a vicious man slayer, scared off his companions and then proceeded to talk with him for hours on end. Turned out the beast hadn't left his cave for years upon years, and was feeling quite lonely.
When the meal ends, everyone starts heading into the bedrooms. Lady Averdine stops and counts the doors, “Oh no! I seem to have made one room to few... Sephram, I guess you'll just have to share my room tonight.”
Mischief is clearly played out on her face as Sephram straightens out and salutes. “Yes milady.”
His face is nearly as red as the wine. The watchmen that haven't left the room yet share knowing looks. We all go to bed. One skill I've learned since the city started growing, and my workload with it, is falling asleep immediately. The skill doesn't fail me now.
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