Vox Machina Book 2: Threads of Fate

Chapter 21: Take the Plunge

Standing over the Gnome bard that was tied to the bed as Kaylie, his daughter was standing over him, hatred in her eyes and her sword pointed right at him as the enormous bombshell was dropped on him.

Scanlan takes a moment and blinks as reality sinks back in, "You're telling me that I... that I..." he stammers.

"You came up here to sleep with your daughter." Kaylie sums up for him, but Scanlan just shakes his head and holds up his tied hands, "N-No. No, I mean... No. I-I-I feel like I wouldn't have let it get that far." he answers.

Her glare narrows and lunges towards him with a shout, "W-W-Wait!" he shouts as he scoots back to the headboard, the blade pointed right under his chin. "I-I had no idea you existed." he admits to her, but sighs as he looks away, "But, look, how that I do, I recognize your eyes, your ears, your hair. So much like your mother," he states.

Kaylie's glare lets up, just a little. Scanlan smiles as he leans his head back, closing his eyes. "I'll never forget meeting her."

~Years ago...~

Scanlan stuffs his hands into his pockets and walks towards the bar, about to take a seat unable another gnome reaches for the same seat as well.

Their eyes meet and he is in awe of the woman before him and smiles at her.

"It was love at first sight."

They both sat at a table and exchanged words, sharing laughs and drinks.

"We talked til sunrise about music and dirty jokes, our hopes and fears."

They webbed their fingers together, until the woman before him, stops laughing and realizes where her hand ended up.

Scanlan opens his eyes, sees their hands, and smiles at her, liking where his hand ended up.

"Every moment with her showed me a new way to be happy."

They ran through the fields and she tackled him to the ground as flowers flew past them.

Both were panting, smiling at one another, he reached up and caressed her cheek.

"I spent my whole life looking for pleasure. I never thought I'd find romance."

Within seconds clothes were flying off and Scanlan was bound and gagged, smiling up at her as she held a whip in her hands.

"She unlocked my soul."

Standing in the room, Scanlan's pack was packed as the whip was on the table. He pulls the pack on and turns to his lover.

"But then, as quickly as it started..."

He held his hand out to her, but she just frowned sadly, shaking her head.

The wagon rolled through the streets of the city, rain was pouring on the cloudy day.

"...the world got in the way."

Scanlan lover stood in the rain as she watched the wagon leave, Scanlan looked back at her, frowning to himself as her figure was getting smaller.