"Did You Miss Me?"

"Did You Miss Me?"

It was one month since the battle of Baldur's Gate, one month since everything. Kethric Thorm lay dead at last, Orin and Gortash were defeated and the crown of karsus lay lost in the Chionthar.

Jaheira still wasn't used to it, being back in the city after so long away. Even before the battle, she'd been camping out in The Elfsong with that merry band of adventurers. She'd grown accustomed to their noise despite not being with them for long. That warm feeling of being part of an adventuring party once more. They were all gone now, back to whatever lives they'd lived before the nautiloid or carving out new ones: Gale back in Waterdeep, Shadowheart searching for a home with her parents and Lae’zel, Astarion doing some sort of vigilante work within the city (she'd met up with him a few times) and Minthara, Wyll and Karlach back in Avernus. Jaheira almost wasn't used to the silence. Maybe that's why she found herself in the Lower City sewers, checking in on an old friend far more often than she had in the past. Sure, Jaheira may have retired from the Harpers so the inner workings of the Guild were hardly any of her concern anymore. But, well, Minsc and Nine-Fingers were working together now (sort of?). She may as well be checking in every so often to make sure they hadn't killed each other.

Jaheira glances over at Astele. They're sat across from each other, Astele behind her desk wading through important looking paperwork and Jaheira on a little stool in front of it. They'd been sitting together like this in silence for what felt like an hour. Comfortable silence. Jaheira had bought a book with her to read (some novel she'd started before leaving for the shadow cursed lands, she hadn't gotten the chance to go back to it until now) just listening to the scratching of pen on paper and Astele's gentle humming.

“Did you miss me?”

Nine-Fingers barks with laughter, not even bothering to look up, “You seriously think I've had the time?”

Jaheira just hums in response. It made sense; between dealing with the Steel Watch, Bhaal's assassins, the Stonelord and a failed coup by the Zhents it was unlikely Nine-Fingers had even had time to think of herself. Let alone her enemy? Ally? Sort-of-friend-maybe-more? Jaheira still wasn't exactly sure what their relationship was at this point.

“Besides,” Astele finally looks up, meeting her gaze, “I knew you'd come back.”

“Ah, your offering to Kelemvor would imply otherwise.“

“Somehow I'm sure not even death could keep you away.”