We traveled west toward the Sword Coast. Sanise and Nimri wanted to stay with us, Miara followed us for a while and wanted to settle down near us in the Underdark. She wanted to make sure that she's close enough, since we know, that this Ghoul is still alive. Sunih wanted to go back to the farm, although she admitted that she had a lot of fun, but she wanted to take care of her livestock and grain again. Ykril and I left her three-quarters of the bounty that Crane brought, so that she could expand the farm, hire new workers, and increase security. With all the gold, she could do that without any problems, and we also had enough to build or buy a house and live together casually. I would really love to have my own dressmaking shop. Assuming he was right about Luskan.
When we took a rest, I sat down on Ykril's lap and looked him in his eyes while nuzzling his neck.
»I –« I began softly »have to talk to you about something more«
»What about?« it came with interest, gently stroking my sides
»It's about Nimri« I continued while watching at Nimri and Sanise, enjoying a laugh
I sighed softly »He's not the little lizard he seems to be.«
»What do you mean?«
I looked again into Ykril's blue-grey, hopeful eyes and began to tell him about what happened at the end of the year on my way to Menzoberranzan.
He just nodded briefly as I finished my telling, not questioning me once.
»What do you think? Will he be happier as a lizard or as a drow?« he suddenly asked while looking thoughtfully at Nimri, who was squealing happily while he fled from Sanise
»Personally, I would prefer him as a lizard, if he wants to stay with us.«
Ykril laughed softly
»I can understand. May I suggest we wait until the end of the year and ask him what he would prefer? Whether he stays with us or not, will remain your decision!«
»And what do we do with Sanise?« I nodded
He pondered for a moment while seemingly searching for the answer in my eyes
»How about we just adopt her?«
I looked at him in surprise. We and parents? I actually wanted to wait until I was an adult to do so, but when I looked into his eyes, he seemed to be determined and ready to do so.
Suddenly, Miara tapped on my shoulder and held a finger in front of her mouth.
»Something's fishy here!« she whispered.
I drew my staff that Ykril brought and charged it up
»Bandits?« I asked quietly, suppressing laughter as I saw Sanise flailing the other staff.
»Orcs!« Miara roared excitedly and slammed her sword against her shield as one came running toward her with a shout.
Ykril grabbed my dagger and stayed close to me, trying to protect me from the ones sprinting towards us out of the forest, while Miara's thirst for blood seemed hard to satisfy and one could saw that she was having a lot of fun either humping or slaughtering 7 foot tall musclemen.
As Miara fought 3 of these monsters and their swords slashed at her shield, 5 others had cornered Ykril and me. I threw several lightning bolts with a full charge at them, whereupon one collapsed completely, but the others only started to smell like bad fried bacon and came at us even more furiously. As I flipped my staff and prepared for close combat, the Orcs stopped abruptly after a hiss behind us. But before I could take the risk to check what it was, a huge black and purple colored watchspider jumped over Ykril and me and took all the Orcs in front of us with her. With ease, it tore one apart with its claws and impaled two more with its legs.
She faced the last one, hissed loudly, rushed towards him and tore him apart with her fangs. As the spider feasted on the Orcs guts, one of the three who had attacked Miara flew into the tree next to the spider, who pinned him to the tree trunk without any hesitation with a leg.
We looked at Miara and Sanise and saw the last Orcs fleeing in panic, while Sanise stared open-mouthed at the spider.
»What – What the heck is that?« she managed to say shakily.
»A starving watchspider« I replied calmly as I tried to approach it, but Ykril held me back
»Don't worry honey, she won't hurt me« I tried to reassure him
»Please be careful anyway«
I gave him a tender kiss and approached the spider again. She looked so familiar. Those colors and shape of the armor. Even when I touched it, it remained calm and continued to feast on the Orcs flesh. As I sneaked around the creature's legs, not even a peep came from the others.
»We should leave her alone for now« I said quietly and stepped back again
»And she won't eat us when she has finished eating those things?« Sanise said worriedly, hiding behind Ykril peeking out fearfully
»She'll get you first« I laughed sarcastically at Sanise, whereupon she got scared and disappeared behind Ykril
It took a while before the bone cracking behind me stopped and Sanise, who sat down across me, so she could keep an eye on the spider, was scared.
»The monster« she screamed and the spider flinched.
I approached her again carefully and knelt down in front of her face. I still couldn't believe it, but it really seemed to be Arishonna. My little spiderling I thought I would never see again, who approached cautiously and sniffed at me. The armor she was still wearing was very battered and had become way too small. It was also heavily dented and scratched in many places. Leisurely, I loosened her helmet and quietly set it down next to me. Her black eyes looked at me in relief, as if I had taken a heavy burden from her. Gently scratching her head, I also had encouraged Ykril and Sanise to approach her too.
When Sanise reached out a hand to her, she hissed briefly, but let Ykril touch her.
»That's unfair! Why is he allowed, and I'm not?« Sanise asked in a huff
»Probably because he smells like me?« I answered her, with a smirk at Ykril
She looked over at me thoughtfully for a moment before she screwed up her face and retreated to her place by the fire, protesting with an »Ewww!«
»Just be patient, little one. She'll accept you too.«
Ykril leaned against me and gave me a soft kiss on my neck
»Tell me, honey. Are there any other we adopt that I should know about?« he smiled with sarcasm
»Don't worry my prince.« I giggled »Next time we don't need to adopt«
»Maybe a son?« he immediately became enthusiastic
