Chapter Text
The wedding’s guests had almost all gone to sleep when Caleb and Essek decided to leave for their room. Jester insisted on giving them one, despite Caleb’s tower, and in the end, they agreed : who are they to deny sleeping in one of the fanciest places on the Menagerie Coast ?
The young drow was savouring the feelings before joining his redhead upstairs. He needed a moment of quiet to register everything that happened today. A part of him still couldn’t believe how he went from his past self to being a member of the Mighty Nein, their chaos and their love. He was still afraid that they might regret accepting him, that they might change their minds. He had grown to trust them, more than he had trusted anyone in his entire life, but sometimes, he still had to fight against the panic of them knowing information that would get him killed if revealed. But he was working on it, and obviously, what happened between Caleb and him earlier has… solidified some things.
Essek placed his hand on the banister, his heart racing at the thought. Late in the party, Caleb took him away from the bustling activities, taking two vials from his jacket. “I need you to be sober for this,” he explained, and Essek accepted the drink, despite his anxiety questioning why. But the tangy liquid cleared his mind nonetheless.
“I… uh… I wanted to do this another time,” Caleb laughed nervously, making Essek even more nervous, “but today made me realize that we must take advantage of every moment we can have together, because we’ve vexed more than hags on our way.”
Essek couldn’t help but chuckle at the sad truth. Although Ikithon was gone, the Bright Queen may never forgive him for his treachery. He had plans for that too, but a wedding was not the right time to announce them.
Caleb knelt down on one knee while maintaining eye contact, then presented a small box from his wristpocket. He opened it, revealing a ring made of silver. Fine metal threads encircled a purple gem, probably a kind of sapphire. “My love for you grows stronger by the hour. You have made me into a greater wizard, and, in some ways, inspires me to be a better man. You always trust me and believe in me, even when we’re surrounded by frost giants. And I know that I will never meet anyone who finds research as seductive as you do, sharing books with you has become one of the things I prefer in my life even if we do not agree on the best variety of peas,” he commented with a small laugh before getting serious again. “You are passionate, kind, interesting and, even though you may frown at that, loyal. I know that if I fall, you will be there for me, allow me to do the same for you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, you have mein herz, so… Will you marry me, Essek Thelyss?”
The shock wore off after a few seconds, he could understand that Caleb wanted a more official relationship. However, that he willed to bind himself to Essek was something the drow's mind couldn’t comprehend, even if it made made his heart swell. “Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d wonder if that vial was actually to charm me, but I know the taste, and I also know you never needed that to invite yourself into my heart. Yes, Caleb Widogast, I will.”
Smiling to himself, the drow touched the ring with his finger. Caleb explained it was enchanted so they could know at any moment where the other was and find their way back. Home is where the heart is.
Essek suspected the ring was hiding more surprises, because his partner was the kind of wizard loving beautifully complicated things. He’d have to study it when the time would allow it.
He let out a contented sigh. He was happy with his life, an emotion he never thought possible before. To consider that he wouldn’t have met him, met them if he had not stolen those damned beacons is so absurd, but it is a reality he came to accept.
At that very moment, he noticed something curious. His breath made no sound as he exhaled. His senses were immediately on alert. He raised a hand to his ear and pretended to adjust his jewelry. Not a sound.
He had a bad feeling about this. He was fully vulnerable without his spells. Could that be an attack, here? Breathe. Stay calm. In case it was indeed, he had to act fast, move out of the area and get to Caleb. So, he let his instincts do the job and ran.
Essek’s footsteps made no noise as he sprinted up the stairs, nor did he hear anyone else. However, at one point, he noticed a regular vibration in the banister, indicating that someone was running right behind him.
Come on, you’re almost there.
According to his calculations, the spell’s effect should end at the top of the stairs, and he was never wrong.
A hand grabbed his ankle, he tumbled headfirst down the stairs. His teeth brutally met his lip, filling his mouth with blood. A sudden sharp pain shot through his knee as it landed on the edge of a step, but he continued.
He spit out blood and kicked to get free. With only a few steps left, he had no time to look at his attacker. He ran, or at least tried to, his leg rebelling against his will. He didn’t stop when something, a dagger maybe, sank into his shoulder, even if a cold feeling was spreading from the wound.
Poison?
His vision became hazy, and his thoughts started to drag.
No… drow poison.
Essek kept going until he heard himself panting. Finally, he collapsed onto the wooden floor, his body betraying him. He just had to scream. He saw their chamber’s door just before falling. The drow took a deep breath, but a knee suddenly pressed into his back. The shout became a whimper, and before he could take another breath, a cold metallic collar closed around his neck.
No, no, no, it can’t be. Anything but that.
Fear iced his veins; he tried to yell, but there wasn’t a sound coming out of his mouth. It was a collar of silence. Fear became terror.
They came prepared; they came for him.
His body was quickly going numb; he fought for consciousness just long enough to see them erase the blood stains, their chitinous boots looking out of place in the Château’s hallway. Then, everything went dark.