Love's Favor (Plot)

[Kender Bard]

Mina had been writing a letter back home--silly, of course. But her son had asked her to write her and she decided to indulge him, writing of the sights and the beautiful weather that Anarlina had been lucky to be graced with the past few days.

A servant knocked at the door. Mina put her quill down and glanced over her shoulder. "Yes?" she called out.

The servant opened the door and bowed. "Priestess Mina, priestess Nalani has been fetched home. Would you like me to escort you to her?"

"Oh!" Mina exclaimed, standing. "Yes, of course. Nathan, would you like to come?"

[Darastrix]

Nathan stood as well and nodded. "I'd like to see how she's been doing," he admitted. It was a little strange, knowing the mother of their adopted son, and he couldn't help but feel some sort of interest.

[Kender Bard]

Mina nodded and followed the servant to the sitting room where Nalani waited. "Nalani," she greeted.

"Mina, Nathan," Nalani replied. She smiled, but it was forced. her mind was still far off, on Ryder.

Mina frowned slightly. "Are you feeling all right."

"I'm just worried about my husband," Nalani murmured, letting the false smile drop since it didn't seem to have worked anyway. "He... Disappeared abruptly while we were in Mentis. I have no idea where he is or if he's all right or... Or anything really."

[Darastrix]

"Could he just be delivering another ring?" Nathan asked. He recalled that Twilight had mentioned Ryder having his own rings to deliver.

[Kender Bard]

"I certainly hope so," Nalani murmured quietly. "But if that's the case, then why didn't he take me... or even tell me?"

"The Forces look after their own, Nalani," Mina assured the other priestess. Nalani frowned, not believing it, but not replying either way. "Just... as they will look after you." She produced one of the rings. "Love has chosen you."

Nalani took the ring and held it lightly between her fingers, staring at it. Rather than put it on, she turned it around a few times, frowning.

"Why?" she finally asked.

"Pardon?"

"Why was I chosen?" Nalani asked. "I know I've come a long way since my early priesthood days. I've grown, come to understand Love on a more realistic basis... But I don't think I deserve this honor."

[Darastrix]

"I don't think I'd look at it that way," Nathan murmured. "Granted, I'm not really religious, so maybe that's why. But I don't think it's something anyone deserves, like getting a new sign or some other sort of blessing. There are demons loose and they need to be stopped. You weren't chosen as a reward, you were chosen because they think you can help somehow."

[Kender Bard]

"That's true, though for the life of me I don't know what's so special ab out me," Nalani murmured. Taking a breath, she slid the ring on.

When the attunement was complete, she clasped her hand close to her chest, moved beyond words. Finally, she managed to whisper, "Thank you." Then she glanced between the two nervously. "Did... Did either of you receive a ring?"

[Darastrix]

Nathan shook his head. "Mina was called to deliver these and I came with her. Neither of us were chosen."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh, thank Love," Nalani sighed softly. "Er... If you don't mind my asking..." Well it couldn't hurt, right? It'd been so long... "How is... Astrophel?"

[Darastrix]

"He's doing well," Nathan told her with a smile. Far from minding, he almost expected her to be at least a little curious about him. "When things settle some from this whole...." He gestured vaguely, trying to think of a word. Mess? Demon thing? "Affair, I think we'll see how he does as a bardic student."

[Kender Bard]

Bardic? Nalani couldn't help but feeling slightly surprised. "I didn't realize he had an aptitude." Not that she should have, really. She twisted the ring on her finger. "What... What is he like?"

[Darastrix]

"He's a pretty happy child," Nathan told her. "Outgoing." He smiled. "Dramatic. Eeeeverything's a big deal or production. I think he may lean more toward acting and maybe oratory than the arts dealing with music."

He just hoped Astrophel wouldn't tend toward melodrama with regards to real life as he grew older. That, Nathan was perfectly happy to do without. He saw enough of it in the guild as it was; to some of the younger bards everything was either wonderful or a tragedy. No middle ground. He didn't want to start coming home to that after he left the guild for the day.

[Kender Bard]

Nalani giggled quietly at that. "That sounds terribly cute."

"It is," Mina agreed.

Nalani hesitated another moment before abruptly blurting, "Would you two like to have dinner at my house tonight?"

[Darastrix]

"I wouldn't mind," Nathan said, looking to Mina. "It's up to you." After all, it was her quest that they were there on.

[Kender Bard]

"Dinner sounds lovely," Mina assured Nalani. "We need time to rest a bit anyway before we move on to the last ring bearer."

"Excellent," Nalani enthused. "I'll see you both in a few hours then. I need time to prepare--and perhaps buy a cake."