Chapter 3
Caleb returned to his home, to feed the cats and pick up his studies with the proper books. It was a rustic smaller homestead of brick and wood. He was still getting situated to calling the house ‘home’. Really, home was around all the Nein. The Nein-Sided Tower was more of a home, none the less he had started reforming the house after moving in. He was close to filling the first bookshelf, and had bought the essential items needed for a household, like towels, pots and pans, candles, blankets and wood for the fireplace. And of course, spell components in various jars and small spaces. The charm of the place was from things gifted to him by his friends, like lanterns, a quilt, mugs from Caduceus, paintings from Jester, various baubles and decorations gifted from Veth and Kingsley who had told him his place was ‘way too barren’. On several counters and tables were Yasha’s attempts at ceramic sculptures. It seemed in the past months she enjoyed trying every new hobby she came across. Thinking about it brought him warmth, and he remembered the day she invited him to make clay cats. They had sat the tiny figures down on rock and through controlled flame the process of baking them was attempted. It took a few tries of breaking and re-making the clay cats to get it right, to end up with figurines that were not burned and cracked. Now two ceramic cats sat on his dining table.
The wizard was in his armchair, a book in his hands, with lanterns and candles lit around him. Reading as usual. Tolerating his own company was easier with books around. Dusk was settling outside, the sky turning blue and shadowy. Cynja, the long-haired ginger cat had curled up in his lap, purring. Bix, the black cat, was sleeping on the sofa. The third one, Dunstin, was out somewhere. Caleb envied them being so carefree. The fireplace was crackling gently. A hearty stew was cooking on the stove, not yet done.
There was a knock on the door, at precisely 8:13. Caleb lifted his head from his reading. Went through the possible visitors in his head. Not many came to knock this late without word prior. The only one who had indicated that they would visit- anticipation woke in him as he rose to open the front door. It was a hefty wooden door, with three locks. He undid them and turned the sliver of cold evening outside wider. A single figure stood there, pale-skinned, elven, with long black hair. His black eyes met Caleb’s. He recognised the look, the expression. An apprehensive fondness. The ginger took a step back. His hand, at first held out to cast in case the visitor was hostile, dropped and his posture relaxed. He faintly smiled. “Missed you, friend.”
As before, the visitor crossed through the doorway and into the shaded hallway, his disguise melting away. Caleb cast his globes of light. In front of him was the floating dark-elf with his short white hair, his travel clothes revealed to have patterns only found in Rosohna. The trepidation broke, and it took only a second for Essek to join Caleb in an embrace. The drow sighed into his shoulder. Caleb smelled like burning wood, second-hand clothes and old books. He smelled human. Essek pulled back, holding on to his arms and meeting his gaze. “You were never far from my mind.” the drow answered.
“Come in, come in. It’s warmer near the fireplace” he urged Essek.
Hotboy hung his outdoor coat up, took his shoes off and floated on into the house. As Caleb walked past the dozens of candles scattered on tables, counters, shelves and encased in glass on the floor, he reached out his hand slightly and they ignited. Along with the lanterns, it filled the space with a welcoming candlelight. They both settled on the sofa in the living room, Bix now awake and sniffing Essek curiously. The drow was leaning back against plush dark cushions with his feet up in front of him. Caleb handed him a blanket to cover him. The tiredness of living in exile and traveling in the cold showed on him. Once more he met Caleb’s gaze, with intrigue and fondness.
“How was the journey here? Did you pass safely?” the ginger wizard asked.
“This last day, yes. Yesterday, I.. a guard had seen through my form and brought several of them to me. I got away for long enough to teleport from there, so it’s alright, I just-. It’s fine.” Essek explained.
“..Still, a close call. Must have been frightening.” Caleb answered.
“It was maybe 5 mid-tier guards. I could have handled them.” Essek said, looking away and wringing his hands.
“That would have left more of an offense. Well, I’m glad you made it out. Unscathed?” the man answered with a question.
“Yes.” the drow affirmed. He kept his gaze to the side, on different parts of the room. Guilt and shame were still such a constant with him, though he kept it quiet. Didn’t want to burden anyone else with it. Sometimes Caleb wished he could siphon it out of the man like poisonous fumes and have it evaporate. But he knew it didn’t work like that.
“I’m guessing you’re hungry? Care for a late dinner?” the human wizard asked. He then stood up and made his way to the kitchen.
“Certainly.” the drow answered, thankful.
They settled back on the couch, Essek with two drinks set down on the living room table. Caleb with two bowls, one he held out. Essek took the warm meal with a ‘Thank you.’ Still getting used to being taken care of, the unease had not completely faded, but it was diminished. He tried to silence the voice in him saying ‘You don’t deserve this!’.
Big slices of bread and butter were laid out next to them. They dug into the stew. The tomato broth held pieces of several root vegetables and onion, soft, heated with their own slight differences in taste, enhanced by being cooked in oil and spiced. Together with the bread it was, as far as meals go, exquisite. Essek closed his eyes and took it in with indulgence.
“This is incredible" he told Caleb.
“I’m glad you like it.” the man told him with a smile.
“It really is a comforting space you have made here. It’s..beautiful.” Essek spoke.
“Well. ,,I am finding myself enjoying domesticity. And cats. Being without the daily looming threat of death has been…good.” the wizard responded. Essek exhaled sharply at that last sentence.
“Yes, I can imagine. You’ve been out facing danger as a mercenary for a long time.”
“Our…’Adventures’ lasted for over a year, maybe two. Both facing down beasts and political issues, it’s dangerous, and taxing. But there are rewards. You have to believe it’s worth it.” Caleb answered.
Essek nodded. “With the Nein you accomplished a lot.” he put emphasis on the last two words.
The human held out his glass for Essek to toast with him. He did, and they drank.
“To being not quite the worst.” Caleb exclaimed.
With a lopsided smile, the drow answered “You are well beyond that. You are good.”
The human downed the rest of his drink. Their bowls were near empty. He stood up.
Filtering into the room flowed a slow song of strings and lyre, low and with a distinct sultry melody. Caleb stood at first with his back to his friend. His hand moved slightly with the beats. He turned to Essek, and held out his other hand with a gaze asking ‘Join me?’. The drow emerged from under his blanket, and followed the other wizard into a more expansive room. This one lit up with candles as well. His feet were barely touching the ground.
Caleb took Essek’s right hand in his and spread his arm out to the side of them. Lightly he placed his left hand on Essek’s side, and asked “Is this alright?”
The drow looked down, then up again, getting situated to what they were doing. Then he answered “Yes.”
Caleb led them into a slow waltz, integrating spins and lowering the other wizard under his arm. Showing him the dance he had learned as a bright teenager in the taverns of Rexxentrum. But this was different. Blessedly so. The trust they shared was rare given what they were. In their lives they’d both crashed, and learned from it.
After a while the human backed up to give some space between them. Smiling came easier to him nowadays, and he was. “I was wondering, whether you’d teach me a dance of Rosohna? If your people- partake in such activities?” Caleb asked. The music flowed around them still.
“We do. Though I did not, unless there was a political benefit to it.” Essek brought a tone of self-deprecation to the last half of the sentence. “But I think I remember. I could.” he added. To perform it properly and with an equal amount of weight as Caleb, he landed with his feet on the floor, no longer floating.
It involved staying at an equal distance from eachother and moving like round magnets orbiting eachother. At a few moments hands would reach out and clasp to pull the two closer through mutual force. Then their arms would extend. It was a bit like when they circulated in flight down the Aeor dock tunnel, except more intimate. Sudden change of direction was part of it, and at several points Caleb broke the momentum by messing up a step, and apologizing. “Don’t. You’re learning.” Essek responded.
Swinging around eachother, they turned, moved like bodies pulled closer and apart by gravity, but with fluidity, as Caleb connected the steps. He reveled in creating the rhythm with his friend.
They paused, pulling away to settle, breathing with a bit more effort than before. Slowly, Caleb closed in on him again. Held on to his arms. “May I improvise?” he asked the drow. Essek looked at him. Then took the man’s hand. Lifted his chin and said “Go ahead.”. The melody and sound around them rose and fell, with chimes added in. Caleb began twisting them around in more spontaneous movement. The music went on, and they lost track of time for the moment.
When it slowed down, the song faded and they stood there breathing, tousled, roused.
“...That was..um,” Essek began. The elation showed on him.
“...Well, I shouldn’t keep you on your feet all night, you’d rather rest, ja?” Caleb exclaimed.
“Your couch was very comfortable.” the drow answered.
They returned to their cushioned seats. Spoke of studies, history, news of events in Wildemount. Worries, the attempts Essek had made at anonymously rebuilding some of the damage from the war, and Caleb slowly preparing to take up a position as teacher at the Soltryce. Essek encouraged it. The night grew late. Before deciding to turn in, they held an exchange softened by tiredness.
“How long are you planning on staying?” Caleb asked.
“Ah..that depends. How long would you have me? I mean-if you have things you are busy with I do not want to intrude,” Essek expressed.
“As long as you want.” he answered plainly.
The drow drew one of his short sighs.
“Really, though.” Essek asserted.
“Ja, really.” Caleb answered warmly.
The human took his friend’s hand and clasped it once, told him goodnight, and left for his bedroom. Essek easily drifted off in the embrace of Caleb’s home, with a cat at his feet.