The Court of the First Day - 05/11/2024 - Rae Reports

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Morning. Hope you are well. Meet in New Hillborrow? Got some info I think you would like to hear about. Please, can you bring eggs?

How many eggs?

At least three. Chicken eggs, preferably. Nothing fancy.

Very good. I’ll see you soon.

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The quiet little village watches as a black phaeton carriage drawn by a black destrier pulls up in front of the Cat and Badger. As the driver of the carriage, a tall drow man with long white hair and dressed in dark silken robes, steps off, his glare is enough to get loiterers to leave and nosy neighbours to draw their curtains in a hurry.

Jaezred strides into the small tavern with a basket of a dozen eggs hanging off one arm. A friendly-looking halfling — older, greying receding hairline, and lines under his eyes — greets him at the door. The halfling looks the drow lord up and down and seems to nod with some recognition, and guides him towards the kitchen.

Once inside, the scent of garlic and onion is strong in the air. Jaezred sees an empty pub kitchen, save for one familiar earth genasi. They are wearing a vest top and an apron, and their hair is tied up to stay neat as they slide some chopped tomatoes into a frying pan and continue to stir them in. Their back is turned to the door and they have not noticed his arrival.

“Good morning, Rae.”

They jump a little at their name being called, but they turn their head and smile. They look much brighter than last time Jaezred saw them, both in attitude and in physical health.

“Good morning!” Their eyes scan the eggs and they smile a little brighter. “Thank you so much, I’ll need them soon. I’m afraid I haven’t got a new recipe for you, I haven’t stopped making this since you showed me.”

Jaezred peers into the pan and takes a good sniff of the spicy fragrance as he places his basket on the kitchen counter. He can’t help but crack a smile, a little proud. “Shakshuka.” He looks at Rae next. “You look hale. The country air has done wonders for you.”

They smile softly in response. “Thank you. The country air and plenty of pastries.” They chuckle a little and look him up and down properly now that he’s closer. He’s dressed in a manner that Rae has never seen him in before: his hair is down and his body is draped in expensive-looking silk spider fabrics in obvious drow fashion. “Nice robe. Have I pulled you from something fancy?”

“I’ve just returned from Aeschira. Imryll and Sarin and I were summoned there by the new Matron Zola to stay at her fancy new manse for a few days. Now, I’ve been letting you get away with not using my title, but the next time you see her, you must address properly as ‘Your Grace’ or ‘my lady’, do you hear me?” Jaezred gives a chuckle, uncorking a jar of paprika powder and sprinkling a few pinches over the pan.

“Ah, quite right. I do hope Her Grace is doing well! I doubt her new schedule allows for visits from the common folk all too often, so give her my best next time you see her.” Rae leans across past him to fetch a couple pinches of cumin seeds and drop them in the mix. “And bring me back some of this silk if there’s any going spare.” They glance idly at the quality of the material.

Jaezred arches a brow. “Well, a little spider told me they’re looking to expand their business to the Dawnlands soon… Why? Are you looking to get into the world of fashion?”

“Can’t a penniless wizard long for some nice clothes every now and again?” They grin a little.

“Well now, it seems I really must teach you the value of frugality and financial planning,” he says with a laugh. He lifts a hand as if about to ruffle Rae’s hair, but then stops, pretending instead that he’d meant to scratch a spot on his back and coughs awkwardly. “Right. So, what is this ‘info’ you lured me in here with?”

Rae doesn’t notice the hand, and carries on while focusing on their pan. They take a small spoon and scoop a little bit of the mix to taste. They think for a moment, then add another pinch of salt. “I was in the Shadowfell yesterday, providing aid with some others to one Court of the First Day. I know your expertise is moreso in the Feywild, but you must have had some experience with the Shadowfell?”

Jaezred looks pleased when he sees them tasting their cooking, but drops the expression from his face the moment they turn to look at him. “A little. Not my favourite place. I didn’t know they had courts there too.”

“The reason they were asking for help was some kind of a cult that wanted to bring about an ‘Eternal First Day’.” Rae raises their hands and makes a little mock scared face and spooky oooh noise. “While the court is all about the cycle, anticipating the First Day, the relief of getting through it, these nutters wanted to keep the First Day going forever. An eternal state of fear and dread. I would’ve laughed at it, if I didn’t look out of the window and see they’d summoned a fifty-foot tall fiend to help bring this about.”

“…You’re being serious?”

“Absolutely. And two others that were roughly…thirty feet tall? The name I heard referred to them were Daemogoths. Six arms, three eyes, powerful fear magic. Ever heard of them?” They go for another spoon scoop and offer it to Jaezred, eagerly awaiting his input.

“No, never heard. Could it be a kind of yugoloth? No, they don’t tend to grow that huge, that sounds more like a devil or demon…” He takes the spoon and tastes the mix, nods, and then adds a touch more salt into the pan. “There. Perfect.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Unfortunately, it was quite impossible to question a rampaging massive fiend. But we were able to destroy them entirely, so hopefully they do not regenerate. Or if they do, that they think twice before challenging the court again. Hopefully I can keep an ear out for any more rumblings from similar beings.”

Using a spatula, Rae makes three holes in the tomato mix and looks to Jaezred for the eggs.

He takes three eggs in one hand, cracks them on the edge of the stove in quick succession, and deftly pours each into the exposed circles of hot cast iron. “Well done. Does the court have a sovereign?”

Once the eggs are settled in, Rae adds some recently crushed black peppercorns from a mortar onto each of the eggs before they solidify. “Not a sovereign… We spoke with a ‘Director of Being’? One Almon D’Latay. Very strange place, but I suppose the man meant well, and didn’t deserve a rampaging fiend through his court.”

“Freshly ground black pepper? Good addition,” Jaezred says approvingly. “So this is your new project, then?”

“The Shadowfell? Not in particular, but it’s been good to help in an…uncomplicated situation. A clear enemy to fight, a place where my skills are needed and easily applicable. It can’t always be like this, I know, but…I needed something like it.”

They pinch their left index finger and thumb together, and the fire beneath the pan dims to a low heat, then they cover the pan with a lid. Jaezred leans against the counter and folds his arms as the two of them wait for the eggs to poach.

“I’m glad you found…something. And that you’re doing better,” he says, awkwardness straining the tone of his voice.

Rae turns around and hops up to sit on the countertop to the other side of the pan. “Thank you. You should also be pleased to know I met with some newer adventurers who took it upon themselves to aid in beginning the process of healing the site of my Folly. A paladin guided by Torm who wants them to heal damage in The Weave. They were able to stabilise the site and stop the spread of the unstable arcane energy.”

“Your Folly.” Jaezred chuckles. “That’s good, Rae. That’s very good.”

They manage a chuckle, scratching the back of their neck with a little shame. “Not my choice of name, but it is what I hear the cartographers are labelling it. Which is not inaccurate, I suppose.” They fiddle with their thumbs a little before carrying on. “It’s been good, staying here. I’ve been talking about what happened a lot with Marto. Which is good, talking to someone who was…relatively separate from the whole situation, but understands.”

Jaezred nods. “I’ve been…wondering how you’re doing…”

He holds his tongue there, despite wanting to say so much more.

Yet Rae cannot hide the smile that forms on their face at hearing his words. They look over at him and take in his demeanour, a swell of pity forming inside them.

“I’ve been thinking of you too, and Keros. I got very…scared when my mind became my own again. I wanted to hide away, and I sort of did.” They look out of the window at the cold wind whistling through the grass of New Hillborrow. The sight relaxes them, and their breathing steadies. “But one of the biggest problems the diary gave me was hiding me away from everyone. It wouldn’t let me connect to everyone, or ask for help.”

“Well, you know, not asking for help isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It enables one to solve problems on their own…”

“But forcing solitude upon oneself denies them the necessary support of others. I needed time to process my own thoughts, but without Marto to support me, those thoughts could have easily spiralled.”

A concerned look flashes through Jaezred’s face for the briefest of moments, before he schools his expression to something more solemn. Spiralled, the word lingers in his head. “Ah… Well… I see. So, you have got Marto Copperkettle at your side now. That’s good. I’ve never met him personally, but his reputation as an adventurer is sterling.”

“He’s a great guy. He recently built a home not far from here for him and his partner. They threw a big party for it, lots of people came… And he suggested that I personally invite Keros.”

“And did you?”

“I did.” Rae peers at the eggs from under the lid, perfect. They hop off the counter and turn away to try and hide their smile as they fetch a handful of spinach and add it into the pan.

The drow’s eyes widen. He smells gossip in the air. “No… Did you…?”

“We talked…about a lot of the same things I’ve just told you.” They turn a darker shade of pink. “And he told me he still loves me. And I told him I felt the same.”

Jaezred’s face breaks into a joyous grin. He opens his mouth, a teasing quip already on the tip of his tongue, and then: “That’s…great! I’m happy for you both. Truly, I am.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I would’ve done so if he didn’t say it first. He’s always taught me to be brave.” Rae smiles fondly as they turn the heat off. “Which is why I had the bravery to summon you here. And talk to you. And I only want to be honest.”

“I had guessed that you invited me here not just to gossip. What is it you want to say?”

They take a deep breath and steady themselves before looking Jaezred in the eyes.

“I am still sorry…for putting a role onto you that you were maybe not prepared for… But when I chose to leave home, I left behind both of my parents. I thought, being an adult now, that I didn’t need them anymore. Certainly not parents who could be so hateful and closed minded… And I don’t need raising anymore, but I—” They falter a little, struggling with so much vulnerable honesty in front of him, but they steel themselves and carry on. “Things were so much easier when I knew you were there for me. Like a dad.”

Jaezred’s mouth opens and closes a few times, before he sighs and pursues his lips. “Wait here,” he says, and walks out of the kitchen.

A few moments later, he returns with another basket on his arm, filled with bread, jam, Underdark mushrooms, sugar, salt, cheese, and a scarf. It is spider silk dyed a royal purple, soft to the touch, with tiny amethyst crystals embedded along its fringe which glimmer in the morning sun.

“When you asked for some distance, I felt like I’d failed you. I thought the best thing I could do for you was to never act like a father to you ever again. But not a day goes by without me wondering if you’re eating well and taking care of yourself…”

His voice trails off. He turns away, frowning and blushing, thoroughly embarrassed.

Rae says nothing else. As tears form in the corners of their eyes, they rush over to Jaezred in the blink of an eye and wrap their arms around his torso to hug him tightly, the impact almost knocking him off his feet. They feel his arms embracing their body in return, his nose burying in their hair.

“…And I’m certainly glad you and Keros got back together so quickly. I don’t think my heart could take another diplomatic incident caused by mutual pining.”

Jaezred feels a balled-up fist thump playfully on his back. “Shut up.”

“Never. If you want me as your father, this is what you must endure.” He laughs as he pulls back and ruffles their hair at last. His body feels relaxed in their embrace, like a weight has been lifted off him, and the roguish twinkle has returned to his eyes. “I love you, kiddo.”

They look up at the man in front of them with nothing but admiration and affection, smiling brightly. “I love you too, Dad.”

Jaezred claps his hands. “Right, that’s enough sentiment for one day. Let’s go devour this shakshuka. You’ve no idea how proud I am of you for being able to cook now.”

“Wait, I haven’t added the salad cheese, don’t rush!” Rae breaks away to fetch a block of pale cheese that they then take a knife to and start cutting up into small blocks.

“Heh, you really are growing into a little chef. Have you considered dropping the wizard thing and finding an opening at the Winds or the Mirror? Or you could open your own place. I have just the perfect name: Rae’s Foie-lly.”

They groan loudly as they take the chopped cheese and add it to the top of the shakshuka. “If I have consigned myself to a life of dad jokes, I take back every nice thing I said about you.”

“Oi, it’s a life of dad jokes and delicious food.”

“You know what? I think I can stomach that.” Rae grins widely as they turn around holding the whole pan. “Let’s eat.”