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swords then suddenly a mighty roar that shakes cot, room, stairs, and all. A
startled shout amid its thunder and . . . silence.
No! No, I don't want to see this! I never wanted to see this again! It never
happened! Never never NEVER!
[Easy, Narnra. See something else of mine, now. Something happier.]
Laughter and warm firelight, and Marcon pouring a river of gold coins down onto
her body while Bertro and Thloram Flambaer-tyn grin and clink goblets with her, all
of them bare and a-tangle amid the furs. Rimardo hooting with laughter across the
room and springing from the top of an ornate wardrobe newly purchased, every bit
as fine in its carving as her father's best work and priced accordingly, too onto an
unseen Vonda, who shrieks with laughter and mock pain and slaps him energetically.
Umbero intoning solemnly through the midst of all the merriment: "Truly Tymora
smiles upon we of the Brightstar Sash! I make the count to be a full six thousand
full-weight gold coins, not counting what you're playing with in here, and the odd
ones!"
[But enough of my good times. Let's see something of like excitement from you . .
. yes.]
A warm summer night, all the roofs of Waterdeep flooded in full moonlight, and
Narnra in her shift gazing out at it all from her high bedroom window. A ghost of a
breeze from inland, warm and dry and banishing the smells of salt and dead fish. The
stirring excitement of putting one leg over the windowsill something forbidden,
something daring. . . .
The roof-slates rough underfoot but reassuring and standing now right out under
the moon and glorious vault of stars, only a few tiny clouds torn and tattered off to
the north. Nothing between her soft skin and all the warm night but light, gauzy
fabric. Boldly striding down the sloping roof to the edge to get a better view of great
Waterdeep spread out before her and dark Faerun beyond. Looking idly over the
edge, seeing that it was a long, killing way down to the garden but being utterly
unafraid.
Suddenly, in the distance, across the silver vista of roofs, a lone dark figure
darting and leaping a thief? Someone hurrying on the rooftops. Heart suddenly in
throat, Narnra looking around at the roofs nearby, that one so close ... a quick run in
bare feet, a leap, the warm wind in her hair, and landing catlike with a gentle thump
that might just have awakened a servant if the Maurlithkurs forced one to sleep in
their attic. On across their larger, sagging roof tiles starting to go in one place,
sliding askew to the one beyond and perching there amid on an unfamiliar dormer
hidden from her own window by the peak of the roof.
Perching like a carved gargoyle or an owl looking for prey, long legs doubled up,
feeling truly alive, and laughing at the excitement. Castle Waterdeep soaring just over
there and the great dark shoulder of the mountain beyond, with the tiny winking lights
of lanterns where guards were at their lofty posts, looking down on ... her.
Rush of fear, heart hammer-beating, laughter, springing aloft, and turning a
cartwheel on a flat bit of roof ere landing to strike a wide-armed, defiant pose. "Yes!
Here I am! Come and get me!"
Excitement like fire in her veins, leaping from roof to roof, and finally back home
to her waiting sill and in in to wash filthy feet so she'd not be caught come
morning. Looking back at the window knowing a whole new world her world lay
waiting now. every night she wanted it.
[Ah. See then my moment of bold venture.]
Dimmer moonlight and Thloram murmuring, "Easy, now. The rest of us have
come this way before, and returned. 'Tis safe."
Caladnei's hand trembling with fear as she holds it out to him then turns to face the
cold, steady blue fire that bides so impossibly between the two ancient stone pillars.
Cracked and vine-covered, nothing like the splendor she'd envisaged: no glowing
runes on gleaming metal nor sinister guardians . . .
The first portal she'd ever seen, and merely being this close to it left her wet and
shaking in terror.
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