Chapter Text
Nightal 4 1510
I walked with Karlach and Halsin slowly through the winter market in Reithwin. We were visiting Aylin and Isobel before the Yule celebration at their home. We had a tradition now where we alternated who was hosting Yule. The first year had been Halsin and I, next year had been Astarion as he was in Baldur's Gate, Karlach, Jaheira, Shadowheart and Lae'zel, Wyll, Rolan and Dammon, Minthara, Gale up north with his mother Morena, then back south to Aylin and Isobel. As Karlach was now with us and Shadowheart's and Lae's home was being repaired, Aylin and Isobel had swapped with Shadowheart for this year.
I drifted over to a small little stall with mugs, steaming cauldrons of different varieties and an older half Elf and what appeared to be her daughter, a half Elf as well, manning it. Both smiled when I approached.
"Welcome to Trysa's Cider and Meadery winter shop. We got all kinds of flavors available here of spiced mead and cider, piping hot to chase the cold away. I'm Trysa and this is my daughter Etreya," the older greeted,
"Theorn and this all smells divine. Are the ciders free of alcohol?" I asked,
"Yes. We have apple, cinnamon apple, blackberry apple, raspberry apple, strawberry apple, and blueberry apple," Trysa replied, making me perk up at the mention of strawberry apple.
"I'll take a strawberry apple for myself, hey Karlach! Apple, cinnamon, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, or blueberry?" I called, Karlach looking over.
"Strawberry!" Karlach called,
"Three strawberry apple ciders please," I remarked, Etreya nodding and fetching it.
"Twelve silver," Etreya spoke kindly, before I pushed over two gold coins.
"Keep the change as a tip and blessed Yule to you both," I spoke kindly,
"Oh thank you good sir!" Trysa spoke kindly,
"Oh and here. In case you wish to order from us," Etreya spoke cheerfully, before giving me a paper with all the information and five order forms. I tucked it away, then carefully picking up the mugs.
"Thank you," I spoke kindly, before heading over to Karlach who took one of the mugs.
"Thank you moon spark," Karlach spoke gently, nodding before handing Halsin his when he rejoined us.
"Strawberry apple cider. No alcohol moonlight bear," I spoke gently, Halsin smiling and kissing my forehead.
"Always mindful of me moonheart," Halsin rumbled gently, smiling back at him as I nodded.
"Of course love," I murmured, taking a sip and finding the cider amazing. Karlach had the same reaction as her eyes widened.
"Oh do they do orders?" Karlach asked,
"Yes. Etreya, the daughter gave me five order slips and an information packet, we can go over it later," I replied kindly,
"Excellent," Karlach spoke cheerfully, before Halsin tasted his own, rumbling more as his eyes glowed softly with the bear.
"It is good we just expanded the cellar in our forest home," Halsin mused, making me chuckle as we continued walking through the market. Karlach and Halsin drifted off at one point as I ended up at a small stall with handcarved ornaments, pendants, and rings, looking around in awe.
"Welcome to Sera's Wood and Metal shop, I am Sera, how can I help you?" an Elven woman asked kindly, before I glanced back to see Halsin and Karlach were thoroughly distracted.
"I need to get something for Yule, but it's a gift," I replied softly, Sera smiling before beckoning to me, leading me into the main shop past the stall.
"Do you have sizes?" Sera asked, before I tugged out the metal ring Karlach always wore that I had snagged and the wooden one Halsin liked to wear with oak leaves on it.
"I do, but I'd like pendants and ornaments too please," I replied kindly, Sera nodding before we reached her workstation, handing her the rings and she figured out the sizes before setting out a book of designs in front of me and giving me the rings back. I picked out two designs, Sera taking careful notes.
"Anything I should know?" Sera asked,
"Karlach is a barbarian so any way to make the ring capable of bearing the wear and tear and Halsin does a lot of garden work and bears a staff so same for that one please," I replied softly, Sera nodding and making a note before trading the books out for things she had done for pendants.
"I have these unless you have an idea already?" Sera asked, before I tugged out two drawings I had made of a bear and a moon with an oak leaf and the symbol for an Alpha and a flame and moon with a Beta symbol and the bonding symbols on both.
"Can this be done?" I asked softly, Sera taking both, looking at them before nodding.
"I can do this certainly. May I hold onto these?" Sera spoke kindly, before I nodded.
"Yes," I spoke quietly, before Sera tucked them carefully with the order slip. I picked out ornaments, adding custom ones as well before Sera gave me a copy of the slip and that she'd have everything ready in five days. I thanked her before returning to the outside and finishing my cider. I looped the mug onto my belt before looking around to find Karlach and Halsin, spotting them still at the stall they had drifted to, smiling.
"Enjoying the markets Theorn?" a voice asked, turning to see Isobel, nodding.
"Yes. So many amazingly talented folk from all over, it is incredible to see," I replied, Isobel nodding.
"It has taken a while to restore my old home, but it has been worth the effort," Isobel spoke happily, making me smile and nod.
"Hard to think that almost two decades ago this place was a death trap and the Last Light was a safe haven," I reminisced, Isobel chuckling nodding.
"So much change, but it is necessary to keep the balance," Isobel mused, Aylin appearing with two steaming mugs, smiling when she saw me.
"Hello Theorn," Aylin spoke kindly, handing one mug to Isobel.
"Thank you beloved," Isobel spoke gently, Aylin nodding.
"Are you doing alright Theorn?" Aylin asked gently, before I nodded.
"Shadowheart is still looking for someone for me, but yes, Isobel's salve works miracles," I replied, Isobel smiling.
"That is amazing to hear," Isobel spoke happily,
"What is?", as Halsin and Karlach joined us.
"Theorn was just telling us that my salve is helping with his scars, least until Shadowheart finds someone to help him," Isobel spoke kindly,
"It is and I was truly getting worried. I know my skills as a healer are minor, but I could tell it was starting to not help as much as it had in the past," Halsin spoke gratefully, Isobel beaming.
"That lifts my heart greatly," Isobel spoke happily,
"Though we are low on it," Karlach remarked,
"No worries. I just made a fresh batch, I can give you some," Isobel spoke kindly,
"Excellent, thank you Isobel," Karlach spoke cheerfully, before I noticed some folks walking by with strange shoes, tilting my head, Isobel following my gaze.
"Those are ice skates," Isobel spoke kindly,
"Ice skates?" I asked curious, Karlach grinning.
"Come on!" Karlach spoke excitedly, before bounding off, following along with Halsin, Isobel, and Aylin. We reached a large open building and there was wizards sitting watching folks move around in a strange way with a stall full of the strange shoes on one side and I saw Trysa and Etreya had moved over here as well. Karlach came up to me with three pairs of the strange shoes.
"Thank you Karlach," Halsin spoke kindly, before taking his. Karlach nodding as I looked at them.
"Here come sit," Isobel spoke kindly, as Aylin went over to the strange shoe stall, sitting at the bench Isobel pointed at. Karlach knelt down and started to fasten the strange shoes over my boots then put her own on before standing up and holding her hands out.
"Slowly stand up," Karlach instructed, taking her hands and doing so, feeling a bit wobbly before steadying. Karlach carefully led me to the ice, Halsin joining us then Aylin and Isobel joined as well.
"Just take it slow moonheart," Halsin spoke gently, Karlach gently instructing me until they let me go, but stayed close as I moved, slowly getting the hang of it and moving slowly along the ice. Karlach and Halsin synced up with me and we moved slowly around the ice. I relaxed as well, enjoying the time with my loves.
We finished and Karlach helped me get the shoes off.
"These are ice skates?" I asked,
"Ice skates. I used to do this with Mama and Papa as a little girl in the Lower City. The wizards would freeze the pond outside of Rivington or stabilize the ice on the Chionthar throughout winter," Karlach replied cheerfully, making me smile.
"I'd like to do this again for certain then," I spoke happily, Karlach nodding.
"I'd be down for it," Karlach spoke happily, before returning the shoes. We stopped for a refill at Trysa's little stall before heading home with Aylin and Isobel as fresh snow began to gently fall over the town as lantern lighters began to work through the lanterns along the street, their soft glow painting the surroundings in warmth and light.
The sounds of laughter, music, and joy echoing as we walked. I paused when I saw a statue of Ketheric and Melodia, having come in from a different direction going into town, Isobel looking up.
"It's a memorial to Father before he lost himself entirely to grief driven madness. When his heart lay in the moonlight," Isobel spoke softly, before I nodded, looking down at the plaque.
In memoriam, Ketheric Thorm, beloved general, husband, and father and Melodia Thorm, beloved mother and wife. Gone too soon to illness and madness in the shadows, may they rest in Selûne's Grove.
I smiled before looking at Isobel, noticing the shine to her eyes, wrapping an arm around her shoulders comforting.
"It is beautiful Isobel and I am certain that Selûne made sure to keep Ketheric's soul out of Myrkul's grip," I spoke gently, Isobel nodding, before we turned and caught up with the others.