Scene 15: Forever Beyond


“Now that was a battle,” Lucretious beamed, “best I’ve seen since the Hellgate Harlequins thrashed the Luskan Lumberjacks at checkers. I’d say you dragged it on a little longer than you needed to, but for heightening the drama you get ten out of ten.”

Aerie hadn’t realized she was being scored, which was definitely for the best as the extra pressure might have led to a very different outcome. “Um, thank you?”

“Of course it wouldn’t have been possible without the little pep-talk I gave you in the church.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Oh, of course you do, dearie; you must remember me giving you the puppet then telling you exactly what you needed to do.”

“I remember the puppet.”

“Well you’ve had a busy couple of days; I suppose it’s not surprising you’d be fuzzy on some details,” Lucretious stood tall, hand on hip as a folded tapped her lip, ideas almost visibly swirling in her eyes. “Don’t suppose you’d change your mind about the show? I think this might make the news, so now that you’re current again it might be worth cashing in after all.”

“Just,” Aerie wearily rolled her eyes, “do what you want. We both know you’re going to anyway. You don’t need me.”

“Oh, a witch of your skill would have been great to have on the roster,” Lucretious sighed, “but I can tell your heart is set on continuing your little adventures. So good luck, Aerie of Anywhere.”

Lucretious fell into her chaise, lounging there her skeletons creaked and lifted her up. Aerie took the reins of her gray mare - which she had been allowed to keep - leading it away, tail swishing happily. It was a clear day, nary a cloud in the sky. She could have flown, of course, but she had supplies and things to carry and honestly, she was in no rush.

Ervir nodded to her, Thyneus hanging his head next to him, the little boy the saddest to see her go. She knelt by him, holding out her balled fists, inviting him to choose one. He tapped the left, so she turned it over and opened it… empty. She then unveiled the right… also nothing. She raised her hands, palms facing him, making sure he could see there was nothing up her sleeves, then with her hand she covered his ear, fingers rustling as if she were trying to wriggle something out. Then she pulled it back, the little pink owlbear necklace dangling from her fingers.

“Here,” she said, dropping it into his hands.

Thyn squinted uncertainly, “wasn’t this a present your friend gave you?”

“I don’t need it. If I ever need to talk to my friend, she’s here,” Aerie tapped her chest, “so, you look after it for me, okay?”

“Okay!” He grinned. But his smile turned a bit as he looked up and pleaded, “promise you’ll come visit us some day, all right?”

That, Aerie just didn’t know. “My life,” she sighed, “is always seeking something that’s forever just beyond the next hill. I don’t really know what it is, or if it’s possible to ever reach. But in striving sometimes I will see wonders, and the road there can be thrilling, and very dangerous. So, I’m afraid I can’t promise, but I hope I see you again. One day.”

Aerie led her horse to the side of the road, allowing all the circus wagons to trundle by, Lucretious waving her fan and blowing kisses to each of the villagers who lined the road as they left. “So long! Farewell! Until we meet again! Mwah!” Aerie watched them for a while, the wagons disappearing one by one over a hill. She supposed the circus wasn’t quite as bad as she remembered. Still horrible and exploitative and she was glad to be out of it.

She mounted the horse, leaving the village by a different road, enjoying the breeze in her hair. It was soon very quiet, save the chirping of a nearby sparrow.
A little further along the road split, and there was a group of riders waiting for her there led a by a silver haired half-elf.

“Jaheira!” Aerie gasped, genuinely surprised; she thought she was still recovering in the church. “You’re okay!”

The Harper answered haughtily, “did you think I would let you just slip away without a word?”

“I’m sorry,” Aerie felt herself wilting under her gaze, “I’m not very good at saying goodbye.”

Jaheira huffed, bringing her horse alongside. “Listen to me carefully, child, for I will only say it once.”

“Okay…”

“I’m,” her lips squished as if tasting something very unfamilar, “I am proud of you.”

Aerie’s eyes glistened, a very wide smile on her face. “I-I… thank you.”

“Do not get sappy about it,” Jaheira slowly exhaled, “but know that you would be welcomed in Baldur’s Gate, should you ever decide to stop anywhere, or just visit.”

Baldur’s Gate… Aerie had been there once before, to visit the Hall of Wonders. Perhaps there would be new wonders now. But there were so many wonders everywhere. She touched the symbol of Baervan Wildwanderer under her tunic before deciding, “I might take you up on that, one day. But for now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen where that road goes.”

NOTES: Well, that really is the end for now. Will there be more adventures in the future? Maybe. Now, if I was doing this properly what happens when I finish a first draft is I leave it for a bit, then come back and write the whole thing again, now knowing what the story and themes are. Then corrections, edits, prettifying the text. So maybe I’ll do that at some point and post it to one of those sites like AO3 or Wattpad or whatever it is kids use now.
‘Six years in the making, more than twenty years in the waiting’. The later part of that promise is probably one of BG3’s biggest failings to a lot of people. Although I do think it is a very good game overall, and would have previously said that all the classic characters should have been left completely out of it. But as it is too late for that, it really might as well have done properly.
Of course it would be silly if every classic companion got turned to stone to be revived a century later or some such nonsense. But with Aerie there’s a popular - and whether you love or hate her in BG2 undoubtedly very memorable - character, who is still a young elf, is very close to Minsc & Boo - in fact the most important person in the series to them besides Dynaheir - who actually fits the themes of abuse, trauma, identity. Larian completely flopped and missed an open goal there. Though obviously less egregious than adding characters and doing them very poorly.
Maybe one day fans of the series will get a Picard Season 3, but Baldur’s Gate. Who knows.

Last edited by JPCoutelier; 26/03/24 09:41 PM.