An Invitation, chapter 2
Fandom: Baldur's Gate 2
Characters: Imoen, Keldorn
Location: Hall of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, Athkatla
Rating: PG
Ch. 2 Keldorn
Imoen had found the paladin at the Hall of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, not as before, planning campaigns or quests, but outside in the garden, telling stories of his adventures to a group of young pages, who listened to the old paladin, rapt. Imoen smiled slightly and sat herself down near the back of the group.
“He’s pretty good at telling stories, huh?” Imoen asked one of the kids, with a warm smile on her face.
“SHHH!” Another one of the pages, a young redheaded girl, turned around at her, looking annoyed. “We’re listening to the story!”
“Cass … remember to always be polite.” Keldorn stopped the story for a moment, seeing Imoen and smiling. “The young woman in the back is an old friend of mine. Imoen, if you’ll wait for just a few minutes. I promised the children I’d tell them a story if they did their chores without complaining. I’m almost done.”
“No, that’s fine. Please. Go on.” Imoen replied, sitting back and listening to Keldorn tell a story that she recognized as being from their own adventures together. As always, he was modest about his own role. They would not have had survived that battle against the lich at all, were it not for Keldorn’s might.
About an hour later, they found themselves at a beer garden set up in the park, playing chess and chatting.
“Gee, Keldorn, I would’ve thought you’d be all opposed to sitting around and drinking ale while playing idle games.” Imoen teased as she made her move. “And you’re in check, too.”
Keldorn laughed. “I doubt anyone would blame an old man for enjoying a cool ale and a leisurely game with an old friend.” He made his move. “And you’ll have to make a better move than that, Imoen. Now you’ve lost your queen.”
Imoen considered her move for a moment before making hers. “So … how’s your queen? And your little, ah, knights?”
“They are well.” Keldorn replied. “I owe Xavin a huge debt, for helping me reconcile with Maria. Our marriage is happier than ever. And now she expects me home every evening, rather than three or four times a year. The girls are growing up.” Keldorn smiled slightly. “My eldest, Vesper, is actually engaged to be married to a fine young gentleman.”
“Wow. They sure do grow up fast.” Imoen replied. She wondered, idly, how strange it was that she’d never really given a whole lot of thought to relationships. To be honest, she’d simply just been too busy to think about it. “So … two months from now is the fifth anniversary of when Xavin left us.”
“… yes, it is, isn’t it?” Keldorn looked more serious for a moment. “I had some very serious disagreements with him, but I sense that he and Torm have, at the very least, an understanding. I cannot say that I approve of his priesthood, though.” Keldorn sighed and moved the piece. “I know that Xavin thought that he’d brought Viconia into the light- but, surely-“
“Keldorn.” Imoen stopped him for a moment. “I’m not friends with Viconia either, but please, if you don’t trust her, at least trust me when I say that she has changed. I know that you hate the drow, and honestly, I can’t blame you much. But I’m going to have a party with everyone at the Copper Coronet. She’s going to be there, and it’s going to break my heart if you don’t come too. You don’t have to say a thing to her or even look at her. Just come, Keldorn. Please.”
Keldorn nodded solemnly. “I will go. For the memory of Xavin, my friend. And for you as well.” He took a breath. “It will be good to see some of the others again. Miss Fentan, Jaheira. With luck, Anomen will be back from his latest campaign in time for that gathering. He’s grown into a fine young man. Still more than a little headstrong, but much more considerate.”
“You sound like you’re trying to set me up with him.” Imoen countered, rolling her eyes playfully. “He tried to woo me once, a few years ago. It was a lovely evening, really, but all I can think about is the silly poetry he wrote. Apparently my eyes are like an endless waterfall.” She grinned. “And … that’s a checkmate.”
“… and so it is. You’ve become much better at this game, Imoen.” Keldorn laughed slightly. “And, well, actually even if I wanted to play matchmaker with you two, there is a dear lady in his life as well.”
“… your daughter?” Imoen asked.
“Heavens above, no.” Keldorn smiled. “I like the boy. Not that much.”
“So I’ll see you in two months?” Imoen grinned brightly in response, twirling his king between her fingers.
“Before that, I hope.” Keldorn replied, with a stern voice but a small smile tugging on his lips.
Characters: Imoen, Keldorn
Location: Hall of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, Athkatla
Rating: PG
Ch. 2 Keldorn
Imoen had found the paladin at the Hall of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, not as before, planning campaigns or quests, but outside in the garden, telling stories of his adventures to a group of young pages, who listened to the old paladin, rapt. Imoen smiled slightly and sat herself down near the back of the group.
“He’s pretty good at telling stories, huh?” Imoen asked one of the kids, with a warm smile on her face.
“SHHH!” Another one of the pages, a young redheaded girl, turned around at her, looking annoyed. “We’re listening to the story!”
“Cass … remember to always be polite.” Keldorn stopped the story for a moment, seeing Imoen and smiling. “The young woman in the back is an old friend of mine. Imoen, if you’ll wait for just a few minutes. I promised the children I’d tell them a story if they did their chores without complaining. I’m almost done.”
“No, that’s fine. Please. Go on.” Imoen replied, sitting back and listening to Keldorn tell a story that she recognized as being from their own adventures together. As always, he was modest about his own role. They would not have had survived that battle against the lich at all, were it not for Keldorn’s might.
About an hour later, they found themselves at a beer garden set up in the park, playing chess and chatting.
“Gee, Keldorn, I would’ve thought you’d be all opposed to sitting around and drinking ale while playing idle games.” Imoen teased as she made her move. “And you’re in check, too.”
Keldorn laughed. “I doubt anyone would blame an old man for enjoying a cool ale and a leisurely game with an old friend.” He made his move. “And you’ll have to make a better move than that, Imoen. Now you’ve lost your queen.”
Imoen considered her move for a moment before making hers. “So … how’s your queen? And your little, ah, knights?”
“They are well.” Keldorn replied. “I owe Xavin a huge debt, for helping me reconcile with Maria. Our marriage is happier than ever. And now she expects me home every evening, rather than three or four times a year. The girls are growing up.” Keldorn smiled slightly. “My eldest, Vesper, is actually engaged to be married to a fine young gentleman.”
“Wow. They sure do grow up fast.” Imoen replied. She wondered, idly, how strange it was that she’d never really given a whole lot of thought to relationships. To be honest, she’d simply just been too busy to think about it. “So … two months from now is the fifth anniversary of when Xavin left us.”
“… yes, it is, isn’t it?” Keldorn looked more serious for a moment. “I had some very serious disagreements with him, but I sense that he and Torm have, at the very least, an understanding. I cannot say that I approve of his priesthood, though.” Keldorn sighed and moved the piece. “I know that Xavin thought that he’d brought Viconia into the light- but, surely-“
“Keldorn.” Imoen stopped him for a moment. “I’m not friends with Viconia either, but please, if you don’t trust her, at least trust me when I say that she has changed. I know that you hate the drow, and honestly, I can’t blame you much. But I’m going to have a party with everyone at the Copper Coronet. She’s going to be there, and it’s going to break my heart if you don’t come too. You don’t have to say a thing to her or even look at her. Just come, Keldorn. Please.”
Keldorn nodded solemnly. “I will go. For the memory of Xavin, my friend. And for you as well.” He took a breath. “It will be good to see some of the others again. Miss Fentan, Jaheira. With luck, Anomen will be back from his latest campaign in time for that gathering. He’s grown into a fine young man. Still more than a little headstrong, but much more considerate.”
“You sound like you’re trying to set me up with him.” Imoen countered, rolling her eyes playfully. “He tried to woo me once, a few years ago. It was a lovely evening, really, but all I can think about is the silly poetry he wrote. Apparently my eyes are like an endless waterfall.” She grinned. “And … that’s a checkmate.”
“… and so it is. You’ve become much better at this game, Imoen.” Keldorn laughed slightly. “And, well, actually even if I wanted to play matchmaker with you two, there is a dear lady in his life as well.”
“… your daughter?” Imoen asked.
“Heavens above, no.” Keldorn smiled. “I like the boy. Not that much.”
“So I’ll see you in two months?” Imoen grinned brightly in response, twirling his king between her fingers.
“Before that, I hope.” Keldorn replied, with a stern voice but a small smile tugging on his lips.