Into the Void

He smiled at her. "Save your money. I was just thinking how much Toril looks like… like my home. It's a strange world, an alien world. Shouldn't it look strange or alien?"

Ria

"I can't believe that."

She laughed again. "Neither can I, but I'm sure the stories are good for a few pints at dockside taverns."

They sank back into a comfortable silence. Over the last several days, Teldin and Ria

Or, more correctly, between Ria

The growing relationship-if you could call it that-didn't go u

The Probe's officers were a different case. Ria

Aelfred and Estriss seemed to view the whole thing with what could only be called paternal amusement-which Teldin found patronizing but was unable to complain about. The illithid had reminded him that it was still a good idea to maintain his new identity, no matter how he felt to the contrary. Aelfred's only comment had been that "Aldyn's" face looked great, but that he hoped the illusion was as good all over his body-this said with an expression of studious i

Teldin wanted to argue about the whole thing. He enjoyed Ria

Estriss. That was another interesting issue. Ria

Aelfred had been surprised, but admitted to Teldin that he'd also been quite impressed. He'd immediately arranged a meeting between Ria

"Not too much, I hope," Teldin had replied.

*****

Neither Teldin nor Ria

As they'd drawn closer to the planet, and-presumably-as the Probe's navigator picked the course that would best take them to Rauthaven, the cloud cover had thi

"It's the Great Sea," she told him. She pointed. "See that island? That's Nimbral, called the Sea-Haven. Rauthaven's near the southeast tip."

Teldin moved closer to her so he could sight down her arm. In fact, he could pick out the island she was referring to, but why pass up on an opportunity like this? he thought. Her shoulder was warm against his chest as he lowered his head to sight down along her arm. He took a quiet breath, enjoying the subtle smell of her.

She nudged him playfully. "See it?"

"Oh, there" he responded in feigned surprise. Her laugh told him she knew what he was doing, and-more importantly-that she, too, enjoyed their closeness. "So that's where we're going."

"That's it," she confirmed. "Of course, you won't see the city itself until we get much lower."

Even though she'd lowered her arm, Teldin felt no great desire to move away from her. She leaned in a little more against his chest. After a moment's hesitation, he slipped his arm around her waist and let his hand settle on the point of her hip. She made no movement to pull away or remove his arm. "Where were you born?" he asked, more to simply hear her voice again than from any need for the information.

She laughed softly. "Sorry, I can't point it out to you," she said teasingly, "we can't see it from here. It's called Waterdeep, on the Sword Coast, a long way away."

"But you've been to Rauthaven."

"I've been a lot of places. My father traveled a lot, and then I followed in the family tradition."

"What did he do, your father?"

She shrugged, and he felt strong muscles shift under her soft skin. "He was a merchant, I suppose you'd say," she replied. "But, like me, he dealt more in information than hard goods. There are always people willing to pay to have their messages delivered without having to trust to wizards."