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A Chance Encounter	By : Revenant Category: +A through F > Dungeons & Dragons Views: 5024 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Dungeons & Dragons or Forgotten Realms. All original characters belong to me. I make no money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
William shivered as the new day greeted him with a chilly blast of air. He tried to sit up, but Kelrynn was stuck to his torso like glue. Reaching up, he stroked her cheek, then brushed his fingers over the hard ridges on her head. He outlined her horns, the tips lightly pricking his palm. The kobold stirred and blinked, then looked at him.
“Morning!” she chirped, nuzzling his chest. She sat up, stretched, yawned. “It’s cold,” she grimaced.
“It is, but wearing clothes helps,” said William. Kelrynn realized she was still naked from the waist down and scrambled back into her pants.
“Thanks,” she said. “Are we… going to Neverwinter?” He knew she wasn’t interested in where they were going, only what he’d said last night.
“Listen,” he said, “don’t worry about me.”
“I want to! You mean a lot to me!” The kobold stopped and looked at her feet, her outburst hanging in the air, raw and sticky. “I mean… more than most.”
“I know.” William dressed and examined his new horse. “I think I’ll call him Ajax.” He gave the gelding a pat on the neck.
“Ajax?”
“It’s a strong name. Always give your horse a strong name.”
Kelrynn wanted to steer the conversation back to her feelings, but she kept silent. He wouldn’t give her a straight answer if he didn’t want to, so all she could do was wait.
They ate and headed back to the road.
###
“Winter comes early this far north.”
“I can tell,” said Kelrynn, tightening her scarf. It didn’t help.
“Of course, this is nothing compared to where I came from. On a bad day you couldn’t go outside without risking frostbite.”
Neverwinter wasn’t far now. William could see it in the distance. He pulled Ajax up just short of the gate. Even outside, Kelrynn heard the loud hums and clatters of the city, a steady stream of people passing in the distance.
Kelrynn grabbed his arm. “Will… you’re not going to --?”
“Just wait,” he said. Hefting his coin purse, he slid off the horse and disappeared through the towering entrance, into the thrumming crowd. Kelrynn fidgeted. Would he still ask for a suicide mission? Didn’t their time together change his mind? What would happen to her? Her scales itched, like her body was trying to distract her, but she couldn’t shake her unease. She wanted to get off Ajax and run after William, tell him he was being stupid, he was wasting his life, but she wouldn’t know where to find him.
Kelrynn decided she’d go with him, wherever he went. If he was going to die at the hands of some hideous abomination, she would die beside him -- that’s what lovers should do. That’s what she would do, anyway. Of course, William would react badly, try to convince her otherwise, but she didn’t care; she’d shackle herself to him if that’s what it took. Hopefully, he’d accept a more moderate approach.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice his return until he was a few feet away. He clutched a piece of parchment, and the look on his face told her whatever it contained was important. This was it. Her tongue felt large for her mouth, but she swallowed and spoke.
“Will, please don’t do this,” she said as he hoisted himself onto the saddle.
“Do what?” William steered the horse east, away from Neverwinter.
“What we talked about last night. Taking one last job.”
“Oh. That. I’m not doing that.”
Any speeches Kelrynn had died in her throat. “I… what?”
“Had a dream last night, of a log cabin. I can remember every detail -- the angle of the roof, the windows, the door hinges, everything. Simple, but beautiful.” He paused for a moment, choosing his words. “I’ve thought about it since I woke up. Maybe I need a change of lifestyle, get away from the constant traveling and all. Settle down a little.”
“You… want to build a nest?” said Kelrynn.
“Nest, house, same difference,” said William, flicking his wrist. “The point is, I want a place of my own, and I want you there with me. It took a lot of coin, but I bought an acre of land near Neverwinter River.”
Kelrynn threw her arms around him. “Tell me earlier next time!” The kobold squeezed until he yelped.
Eventually, they reached a flat area some fifty feet from the river bank. Dismounting Ajax, William inspected the earth, pressed on it in a few places. “Seller was right. Good soil.”
“You know how to build houses?” asked Kelrynn.
William stood there, lips pursed. “Not exactly. Perris taught me some basics, but didn’t get to finish.” The elf’s name felt heavy on his tongue. Kelrynn nodded.
“Still,” he continued, “I think I can do it. The only problem is time.” As if to emphasize, a gust plowed through, the cold prompting Ajax to whinny in annoyance.
“The gods have a sense of humor,” said Kelrynn. William snorted.
“They do. This needs to be finished before Nightal or else we’re stuck at an inn until late Ches. Frankly, I don’t want to do that. My pride’s at stake here, plus I don’t want to think about the coin it would cost.” He kicked the ground, dislodging a clump of grass.
Kelrynn sighed. “So what now?”
William mounted Ajax. “Luckily, I was told of a sawmill nearby.”
They made for the east, towards the imposing Neverwinter Wood. The only sounds were the rushing of the river and muffled hoofbeats. Kelrynn sniffed, the scent of wood entering her nostrils, but it was different -- dry, concentrated.
“Is that… sawdust?” she said.
William nodded. “Exactly.”
Soon, they were at the forest’s edge, the towering trees casting long shadows. A squat building sat nearby. Now the kobold saw the source of the smell: large piles of lumber stacked around its perimeter. Some consisted of squared-off logs, while others had boards of varying sizes. The mill itself was simple: a water wheel powered a long, narrow blade through a series of rods and smaller wheels situated under a roof. Next to that was a roughly-hewn, single-story cabin.
William jumped off Ajax and made for the door. Next to it was a bell above a sign with PLEASE RING written on it. Tugging on the bell cord, he felt a twinge of apprehension -- this was going to cost a lot of money, what if there was a waiting list, what if they laughed in his face? Too late now. Heavy footsteps approached the door and it swung open, leaving him face-to-chest with a mountain of a man.
“Can I help you?” said the mountain. He was as wide as an ox and at least twice as tall, with a bushy chestnut beard.
“Uh…” William stammered. “I was hoping to buy some lumber?” The mountain stared at him for a brief moment, then blew out a sigh.
“Thank Tymora!” he said. “I haven’t had a customer in tendays!” He extended his hand, knuckles the size of onions. “Name’s Olin.” William shook it, biting his lip at the creaking sensation in his bones. “What can I do you for?”
“Well,” said William, ignoring his throbbing fingers, “I did some math and I need sixty-one logs measuring about twelve inches in diameter --”
“Whoa!” said Olin. “Building a house, are you?”
“Yes!” piped in Kelrynn, still sitting on Ajax. Olin raised an eyebrow.
“You’ll need more help than a kobold,” he said. “You ever built a house before?”
“Not exactly,” said William, shrugging, “but I’ll work hard and I’m willing to learn.”
Olin laughed, sounding more like a bear than a man. “It’ll take more than that, friend.” He turned towards the interior of the cabin. “Erik! Olaf! We’ve got a customer!” he roared. A flurry of thuds and stomping, followed by the appearance of two more hulks, each bearing a strong resemblance to Olin.
“My brothers,” he explained. “As it happens, we’ve got a nice stockpile of logs, edged, trimmed, dried and planed. We’re willing to supply the lumber and the labor, for enough coin.”
William smiled. He looked at Kelrynn, who smiled back. “Sounds easy enough!” he said to Olin.
###
It wasn’t, of course. First came measuring the foundation, making sure everything was level and square. Then came laying down large blocks of stone -- those meant coin and waiting. In the meantime, they gathered armfuls of moss from the forest.
“Don’t you worry about elves? Druids?” William asked one day.
“We’ve been careful to take only what we need,” Olin replied.
It was reassuring they wouldn’t be met with a hail of arrows, then.
The blocks arrived and the base was laid, and then came the ordeal of stacking the logs. Even with the help of Olin and his brothers, it was slow and exhausting. William’s limbs ached like he’d been beaten with hammers. He chugged healing brews every day. The moss they collected had to be spread over each log to keep out the elements, holes had to be drilled, notches carved, dowels inserted, along with at least a dozen other things. Kelrynn did her best to help, but there wasn’t much a little kobold could do in lifting hundred-pound tree trunks. They added a chimney, cut holes for the door and windows, began the roof.
Then, the flurries started. At first they were fleeting, then ever-present, the ground turning from green to white. William was down to one elixir, but he persisted, even when his left shoulder started complaining.
“You’re being stupid,” Kelrynn told him. “Stop working so hard.”
“Do you want to sleep in a half-assed cabin?” he said. “This needs to be finished.”
“At least slow down, or drink your last potion.”
“No! Always keep at least one for emergencies,” he chided. She gave him a look of exasperation.
The work continued, though William found himself taking more breaks. The gables and roof were finished, the floor laid, the windows added, a door with wrought-iron hinges nailed into place. A central pillar and an attic were the finishing touches.
William stood in the living room and looked around. The cabin was achingly empty, but solid and warm compared to the outside. His sense of accomplishment was diluted by burning muscles and a sore back, but gods dammit, it was done. A place to call his own… something he hadn’t had in decades.
Kelrynn was there, though he didn’t hear her enter. “Where do you sleep?”
“Give me a moment to savor this. We can hammer out the details later.” The thought of more working triggered a bolt of pain behind his eyes, but she was right.
Olin was happy to build some furniture and throw in a stable for Ajax at a discount while William went to Neverwinter to buy necessary household items. Kelrynn spent the time collecting oddly colored rocks and carving patterns into the cabin walls with her claws -- to make it unique, she said.
The final bill wiped out over two-thirds of his fortune. Kelrynn offered some of her stolen treasure, but William balked. “The last thing we need is someone asking where you got it.”
“You think Rod-dick is still looking for me?”
“Roderick, and I wouldn’t put it past a man like that. He’s the type who doesn’t suffer slights.” The odds of that creeper coming this far north were remote, but he didn’t want to take chances.
One day, William took Ajax and a sled to the forest to gather firewood, so Kelrynn decided to pile straw in a corner of the attic -- “Too soft,” she had complained when she’d tried the bed mattress. Humans had strange sleeping habits. Afterwards, she sniffed the corners of the cabin, taking in the scent of the wood and moss, then she sat by the hearth and warmed her feet.
A noise outside. Hoofbeats. Was it William? No, there was more than one horse. The kobold peeked out the window and saw a quartet of equines stop in front and their riders dismount. They wore chainmail and swords. One had a bow and shinier armor than the others. He looked familiar.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. It was Roderick.
Kelrynn’s throat seized up. William had been right, damn the gods. She grabbed her daggers and edged toward the entrance. A knock.
“I know you’re in there, William of the North,” said a voice. Roderick. Kelrynn’s muscles tensed. “And I know the kobold is with you.” For an instant, she thought of yanking the door open and stabbing him in the balls, but she stayed planted. The seconds stretched into minutes.
“If you don’t come out, I’ll be forced to burn down your house. Shame, because it’s quite nice.”
“Wait!” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Her jaw clenched.
“Come out. Now.”
She climbed down the ladder and stood at the entryway. She hesitated, claws inches from the handle. Would he kill her immediately? Would he make her suffer? She mouthed a quick prayer and pushed it open. The day was gray and storm clouds swirled overhead, and a fine layer of powder dusted the ground. Roderick stood a few yards away, sword drawn.
“Well, if it isn’t the kobold. I hope you enjoyed your little flight from justice.”
“To the hells with you, human. I’ll kill you if you lay a hand on me.”
“That’s cute. However, I think you’ll find me more than a match for something like you. Not to mention --” He jabbed a thumb at the other men. “-- you’re outnumbered.” Kelrynn squeezed her dagger grips. Even if she killed Roderick, the others would slay her in an instant. She was good, but not that good.
“Where’s your master?” he said. His cold eyes didn’t waver.
“I have no master.”
“Your partner, then. It doesn’t matter what he is, he’ll answer for the crime of harboring a fugitive.”
Rapid hoofbeats from the east. Swiveling around, Kelrynn glanced William atop Ajax, blade raised, face contorted into a snarl. Before anyone could react, he was there, slashing the chest of the nearest man.
“Shit!” cried Roderick. “Kill him!” He sprang for a horse along with the others. Kelrynn rushed toward him, jumped, buried her daggers into his back, but his armor blocked the blows and all she had for her effort were broken iron links. Roderick spun around and backhanded her into the snow. “You ugly little maggot.” He swung his sword. Kelrynn rolled out of the way; a swish-thunk echoed in the chill air.
A scream in the distance. William sliced the arm off one of the would-be killers and threw himself off Ajax. Sweat dripped down his forehead. The third man held his weapon high, ready to stab. William parried, feinted, then thrust his sword into the brigand’s face.
“Will!” Kelrynn screamed and ducked under Roderick’s swing, the blade whistled above her head -- too close. He was quick, for a human, and she was trapped on the defensive. The kobold stepped to avoid another cut, but it was a trick -- the blade pivoted and disappeared into her shoulder. She didn’t feel pain at first, just something cold and hard in her body, and then the pain spread like wildfire.
William charged as a howl erupted from his throat, his sanity gone in a blood haze. In a single smooth movement, Roderick dropped his sword, drew his bow, nocked an arrow and launched it at him. Kelrynn’s stomach dropped as the arrow pierced William’s breast, yet he only stumbled, like it was a pebble. Roderick fired another one and it embedded itself below William’s ribcage, with the same result. A third forced him to his knees. A voice inside Kelrynn shouted at her to get up, do something, anything, but her muscles refused to work. Roderick lowered the bow and approached the slumped figure.
“It looks like the better fighter won,” he said, eyeing William with smug satisfaction. “Tell me, William of the North, are you afraid of dying?”
Something stirred inside William’s brain. “What did you say?” Gods, it hurt to talk.
“I asked if you were afraid of dying. Feel free to beg for your life.”
“I’ve heard that before. When I was young. Perris’s killer said the same thing.” Realization and anger flared up: of all the ways to die, it had to be at the hands of this shit stain.
“Wait, that was you?” He barked laughter. “It really is a small world.” He nocked an arrow. “Look at it this way -- you’ll see your friend again after so long. I’ll send the kobold to meet you presently.”
William braced for the killing blow. His hands were cold, but his tunic felt warm and sticky. He closed his eyes and let the sensation wash over. Scuffling. His eyes shot open. Kelrynn clutched Roderick’s face and sank her teeth into his throat, the taste of iron on her tongue.
“Fucking get off me!” he screamed. He tried to pull her off, but her claws were hooked to his cheekbones. She bit harder -- his desperate howls turned to gurgles. His face was a crimson mask. Roderick fell to the ground, rolled around, slammed his fists into the kobold, but she ignored the pain and held on until his flailing slowed and then stopped. His eyes stared at the charcoal sky, blank and glassy. Kelrynn pulled back from Roderick’s mangled throat, spit blood and ran to William, who’d been watching the entire time.
“Hate that cocksucker,” he wheezed. He fell onto his back. She kneeled beside his head.
“You can’t die, Will,” she said. Her voice was hard, sharp. “I know you’ve been through worse.”
“No… this is pretty bad. Something’s punctured. Right here.” He tried to lift his hand to show her, but it refused to move.
“If you die I’ll spit on your grave. We’ve been through so much and now you die? Selfish!” She struggled to keep her voice from quivering. Then, a thought hit her -- something he’d said. “Hold on!” She bounded back towards the cabin.
William didn’t care much. It was kind of nice, lying in the snow, watching the clouds drift. It wasn’t so cold anymore -- in fact, the pain was gone too. His eyelids were heavy. A voice in his head screamed at him to stay awake, but it was pointless. Just a quick nap, he thought. He deserved it after a hard fight. The sky blurred. The light faded. Strange; it was midday.
He heard crunching snow and felt claws being shoved into his nostrils. “Fuggghh!” he barked. Something warm and bitter was poured down his throat. He gagged, but a scaly hand clamped his mouth shut, forcing him to swallow. Instantly, strength surged into his limbs and the arrows popped out of this torso, wounds healed. He coughed and gasped, then blinked
Kelrynn sat next to him, holding an empty vial. “Always keep one for emergencies,” she said. William stared, uncomprehending. Then he embraced her, nearly crushing her ribs. She let out a squeak of surprise and protest.
“Thank you,” he said. He didn’t let go.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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A Chance Encounter