We had been wandering through these beautiful caverns of the Underdark for several days now, encountering unique creatures that were previously unknown to me. Especially these herds of giant Rothé impressed me especially, as they lived peacefully in such a dangerous environment.
Sunih and Miara also finally stopped their constant bickering. The first days after the departure from Ramshorn, the two squabblers were constantly at each other's throats. One could already mistake it with courtship behavior if one did not know both.
»Sanise, Miara, Sunih!« I called out and continued quietly, »This way. I can feel her.«
»As if you are somehow connected to her« Sunih mocked.
I tried to ignore her comment and continued to follow my feeling. Suddenly a signal horn sounded through the tunnels.
»They're here. Get ready!« I quietly heard a deep voice call militantly
»Quickly, « I demanded excitedly and rushed towards the voice
The reverberation of the tunnels distorted the distance I had estimated, and it took us almost an hour to arrive. We narrowly avoided detection by the soldiers who were cheering a fight on a higher position. There she was. My sweetheart. The future mother of my children and my life, fighting side by side with a Drow I had never seen before, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, against 2 of those Praetorians.
»There she is. Sunih, Miara - I implore you. Please help her.« I begged the two squabblers and saw them merge into one team the next moment as if someone had replaced them.
»Sanise, dear. Please find somewhere a place to hide for you and Nimri« I demanded anxiously, kissing her on the forehead, and followed Sunih and Miara along the path they cut through the soldiers.
I watched in amazement how the two could work together so perfectly when they weren't fighting each other. Miara lifted rocks from the ground where Sunih was standing on, threw them at the praetorians, and before the opponents were hit, Sunih skillfully leaped off with daggers drawn and began to slaughter one soldier after another.
I took the chance of the turmoil they were both causing to get to Naldela. Her scream after the other Drow was stabbed sounded desperate.
»I'm the bone of my staff – Mythral is my body and mana my blood – Have withstood pain to summon the storm – Unaware of loss, nor aware of gain. – I have no regrets. This is the only path.« I heard her whisper as I reached out my hand to her
»I am with you, my darling.« I begged her but got no response at all. Instead, I witnessed something I had never seen before in my life. Her eyes glowed a bright blue. Sparkles jumped out of her body and disappeared into the ground at every place she stepped on. She summoned a whip of pure lightning that left scorch marks on the ground and vaporized any water. The approaching storm made it difficult for me to hold the position and threw raindrops around with a dangerous speed that damaged even rocks. How could it be that it was raining below ground? Did all this power come from her? I watched her, overwhelmed, as she used the whip with ease to sever all limbs of every soldier still alive or just slice them in two with an incredible speed. In only a few minutes, she wiped out the lives of an almost entire battalion and turned the environment into a bloodbath. Even the giant spider with its sharp sword legs was no enemy to her.
As she stood there like rooted on the spot, I tried to brave the storm and keep walking towards her. The storm threw me back a few times, and some lightning also hit me, but I didn't felt them1. I could not give up. I didn't want to give up. She needed me, and I thought it was my responsibility to be there for her. Like she had been for me so many times.
When I reached her, I clutched around her waist with my left arm and pulled her tightly against me.
»I am here, my princess« I began calmly and looked into these bright, furious eyes
»I miss you, my love. Please come back to me.« I continued gently and stroked her cheek softly, fighting back my tears
The pressure slowly released, and we sank together to our knees, where she fell towards me, exhausted, and wrapped her arms around me.
»There you are, my prince – I'm so tired.« she cried softly while her head rested on my chest
»I know, honey. You're safe now! – Get some rest.« I softly mumbled while I enjoyed finally being able to hold her in my arms again. It was indescribable how much I missed that.
Just now, I noticed that my wings had manifested and completely enclosed Naldela. A sharp pain ran through my body, and breathing became more difficult. The iron taste of blood filled my mouth. I wondered if this was the pain she had been suffering for the last weeks. I had to stay strong. For her. For us.
When the pain faded, she lost consciousness.
»Let's leave« I said weakly to the others who were already standing behind me and lifted Naldela.
About half an hour west of the exit, we set up camp, where I gently wrapped her in my sleeping bag by the campfire.
»She'll be fine, brother.« said Sunih surprisingly meekly. I just briefly nodded as I watched Naldela sleep for a bit, softly smirking as she began to drool slightly. As she always does when she sleeps instead of meditating.
While Sanise and Miara dug the grave for the unknown Drow, whom Miara insisted on taking with us, Sunih and I prepared coffee and food.
»I've never seen you like this, Yki.« Sunih began while peeling potatoes
»Like what?« I asked in surprise
»Like this. You seem content and balanced when you're with her and even smile from time to time while you grow beyond yourself. We saw you doing things that no one would have thought you could do. And in addition, you have even ascended to a Protector Aasimar because of her.« she explained
»I hate to admit it since she's a Drow, but she's good for you. You're a wonderful couple.« Sunih noted almost in a whisper
A few hours later, after puzzling over, among other things, what that powerful magic was that Naldela had unleashed, we stood at the grave of the unknown.
»I wonder who she was?« Sanise asked, but no one responded
Suddenly I noticed how I was being hugged from behind, and Naldela's delicate hands settled on my belly. I closed my eyes, smiled, took a deep breath, and enjoyed her touch while I put my hands on hers.
»Her name was Jhanae T'orgh. Slave from Sshamath and mother's close friend. – I owe her my life.« came calmly from Naldela
»She's awake again« Sanise directly squealed, sprinted towards Naldela and me, and threw us to the ground
»And then dressed this sexy. Sorry, Yki babe, but she's mine now« she laughed out loud and began to grope Naldela's belly »We all missed you so much. «
»Why do you have such soft skin? What is that fabric? Did you create your dress by yourself?« she continued to babble without taking a single breath
After catching myself again from the disorientation, I grabbed Sanise and lifted her down from Naldela
»Ohh, Yki sweety. You buzzkill. Please – let me grope her a little longer.« she immediately whined when I placed her beside me and helped Naldela up again.
»I missed you guys too.« Naldela just laughed and smiled at me. A smile, which I had missed way too much.
»You really show a lot of yourself« I scratched the back of my head sheepishly while I eyed her with a broad grin
»But you're the only one who's allowed to do more than just look – much more« she smirked cheekily at me, put her hand on my neck, and pulled me closer to her while she put my hand on her belly
»You – the only one for me« she moaned softly in my ear before she began to kiss over my cheek and guided my hand under her top.
›I'm so in love with her‹ I thought with arousal as I lightly shakily stroked the parts of her breasts that were within my reach.
›So soft and warm. If only we were alone‹, I wished as we were interrupted from our togetherness by Sunih
»Get a room« she grumbled exasperatedly and sat down by the fire.
»What? I'm hungry.« Naldela grinned into the face of the others, who were watching at us, fascinated.
»That's the way, sis. Take what you can! I swear I will not watch.« Miara cheered with crossed fingers
We sat down by the fire with the others, and while we all listened to Naldela tell us what happened, I secretly groped her back under her cloak and top and thus elicited more than one smile. Likewise, she clarified what it was about this enormous power with which she executed hundreds of soldiers in just a few minutes. Better I remembered in the future before I made her angry.
»Can we go back to Ramshorn?« she asked
»I don't think so. When Sanise arrived with Miara, they immediately wanted to organize a burn.« I lamented but continued confidently
»I did a little research on our way, and I think we might be able to drop off at the Sword Coast. Humans and Drow are supposed to live together peacefully in Luskan.«
While I presented my ideas for a future with her, she leaned against me and tenderly stroked my arm. It felt great to see her relaxed, and I enjoyed every smile she gave me.
