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Essek had been longing to have a moment alone with Caleb for quite a while now. Sure, they'd had a few moments here and there since they had first met, but those moments were few and far between. Every moment Essek spent in Caleb's presence was special though- no matter how many other people were nearby at the time. However, Essek wanted to have the other wizard all to himself for a little while.
Essek had proposed the idea of dinner several weeks prior and Caleb had agreed. After everything that had happened with the Tomb Takers, he felt that they deserved a quiet moment of peace. They were to meet at Essek's new home. After everything that had happened with the Beacons, he had needed to relocate permanently. He had given his statement to the Cobalt Soul with Beauregard's help several months prior and once the Dynasty had gotten word of what he'd done, he had been banished from Rosohna. Permanently. They let him retrieve his belongings from his tower, but after he had collected his things, he was never to set foot within the Dynasty again. The Nein had come along with him and had helped him to find a new home. For a while, he had lived in Caleb's tower with the other wizard, Beau, and Yasha, while they also decided where they were going to live for the foreseeable future.
Beau and Yasha had decided to move to Zadash, so that Beau could continue her work at the Cobalt Soul Archive there, while Caleb had decided to remain in Nicodranas. Essek himself decided to move into the Plumgrove. It was a beautiful forest that he found to be quite peaceful and the trees shaded him enough from the sun during the day that he was actually able to go out before dusk. He settled within the center of the woodland, though he had to import all of the materials he would need to build his new tower, as the woodland itself was protected territory.
The Plumgroves were stunningly beautiful. They were filled with soft grass, swaying tropical trees, and gorgeous purple flowers. He'd needed special permission to set up his new home there, though, with Beauregard's help, he'd managed that without any major issues. Apparently, due to the abundant resources, poaching was a real problem within the woods. Essek had assured the local Zhelezo that he had no interest at all in hunting and had promised to use his magic to try to help with the poaching issues however possible. That had helped his case immensely. Knowing there were magical wards and an extremely powerful wizard within the forest would certainly help to deter poachers, so the local authorities ended up not putting up too much of a fuss.
The total construction process only took a few weeks, thanks to the help of the Mighty Nein. With their combined magical abilities, they managed to construct Essek's new home rather quickly. Essek had chosen to position his new home in the center of a natural clearing, so that no trees would need to be cut down. The outside of his tower was composed of a deep, black stone while the roof was a dark purple color, keeping in line with the Kryn style Essek had grown up with. The dark tower contrasted beautifully with the white wood of the trees surrounding it. The inside was very reminiscent of his old towers back in Rosohna. It was very empty, for one thing. Essek hoped that, with time, he would find things to fill it with.
He had spent the days leading up to the dinner with Caleb cleaning meticulously, despite the fact that his home was already virtually spotless. He'd also been rearranging quite a bit to try and make his tower look more like a home. The Nein's own homes had always felt so alive they made Essek's tower feel incredibly cold by comparison. Caleb's Tower especially put his new home to shame. Every room was crafted and decorated with love and friendship in mind. Essek's new home was built with more love than his old one had been, but it still didn't quite feel warm. It was still very impersonal.
As the days passed and the day of the dinner rapidly approached, Essek began to regret setting it up at all. Not because he didn't want to see Caleb- no, no he would always want to see Caleb. He just had no idea what he was doing. He'd never set up a dinner before that hadn't been a political affair. He'd never had dinner with a friend before either. Especially not one as special as Caleb. Essek spent the hours before Caleb's arrival pacing and drinking from his favorite bottle of wine, occasionally adjusting the position of a piece of furniture or rearranging the objects on one of his shelves. He knew he was probably overthinking this, but he wanted this night to be perfect. Caleb deserved that. A nice relaxing evening after months of stress and worry.
Caleb had changed three times before deciding on what to wear to dinner. Veth and Jester had both assured him that he looked fine in every outfit he had tried on, but he wanted to find one that felt right. This was the first time in a very long time he'd had dinner alone with someone who wasn't a member of the Mighty Nein and Caleb was rather nervous. He cared deeply for Essek, especially now that the drow had helped them to defeat the Tomb Takers. Essek had put his life on the line in order to help them, but Caleb didn't really know where they stood. He hoped that tonight would help to clear a few things up though. He was definitely looking forward to spending time with the elf again, without the threat of death hanging over their heads.
Caleb teleported himself to the Plumgrove where Essek's new home where was, deciding to walk the rest of the way, as it would give him some time to calm down a little. Hopefully. The woodlands Essek now called home were lovely to walk through. Caleb was glad that Essek had been able to find somewhere so peaceful to settle. The man definitely deserved it after all he had been through. Caleb continued to walk for about fifteen minutes before he crossed the stream that signified that he was nearing Essek's home. As he broke through the next line of trees, there it stood. He'd helped Essek build the tower, so it wasn't a sight that was unfamiliar, but for some reason, he always felt a sense of excitement upon seeing the dark tower that sat in this clearing. It always felt like coming home.
Caleb took a moment to collect himself as he approached Essek's door, his hands trembling slightly as he knocked softly on the deep purple wood. When there was no answer, he knocked again a little louder. "Essek? It's Caleb." He called, a small shard of concern stabbing into his heart as again, there was no response. Essek was always quick to answer the door. This time, he tried the doorknob. He was surprised to find the door unlocked and immediately stepped inside, calling out in hopes of getting Essek's attention. "Hello?" Once again, silence was all that greeted him. Now he was well and truly worried. "Essek?" He asked again, his voice louder this time as he began to search the home. He hadn't been here since Essek had properly moved in, so he didn't really know where to look. Upstairs, perhaps? As he made his way to Essek's beautiful glass staircase, he froze. On the ground near the dining table, lay Essek, curled into himself and trembling violently.
"Essek!" Caleb cried, rushing over to the elf as quickly as his legs would carry him. He carefully pulled Essek into his lap, shaking him gently. For several terrifying moments, Essek remained entirely still in Caleb's arms. Just as Caleb was on the verge of truly panicking, Essek opened his eyes slightly, smiling faintly as he turned to look up at Caleb.
"What happened, Essek?" Caleb asked, not even bothering to ask if the other wizard was alright, as it was obvious that he wasn't. He'd never seen Essek look so out of it before. Essek was looking at him, sure, but his eyes weren't focused and his pupils were far smaller than usual. On top of that, he was still trembling terribly and his face was alarmingly pale, a small bit of sweat beading on his forehead.
Essek simply shrugged at the question, wincing slightly as he moved to do so. "Not sure. Felt fine a moment ago.." He murmured, his words slurred slightly.
Caleb glanced around the room, searching for something, anything, that could have harmed Essek. The room was immaculate, just as Essek's home in Rosohna always had been, apart from a bottle of wine that had rolled underneath the dining table. Caleb had seen Essek drink before and it had never effected him like this. This was more than a little wine could do, certainly. "Essek, how much wine have you had?"
"Not much.. Don't feel good, Caleb.."
Caleb shook Essek roughly as his eyes began to slip closed. They were too far from any sort of civilization and Caleb couldn't teleport again today. Essek also looked far to out of it to cast any sort of spells, so Caleb was on his own.
"Essek, do you have a Sending Stone? We need to get you some help." Caleb wasn't even sure if Essek could still hear him at this point, as the drow was looking worse by the moment.
To his surprise, Essek nodded slowly. "Bedroom.." He murmured, his eyes finally closing.
"Essek, hey. You need to stay awake. Essek!" Caleb shouted, once again shaking the other wizard. This time though, Essek's eyes remained closed. "Scheiße.." Caleb whispered, slowly laying Essek back down against the floor. "I'll be right back. Don't you go anywhere, Thelyss."
With that, Caleb bolted. He rushed up the glass staircase that he assumed would lead to Essek's bedroom. After a moment of searching, he found the room and was relieved to find the stone in plain view on Essek's bedside table. He wasted no time at all in grabbing it.
"I don't know you, but if you can hear me, Essek needs help. We're in the Plumgrove. Please hurry, there isn't much time." Caleb just hoped whoever had the other stone was near enough to it that they would get the message. His fears were eased when a moment later, there was a response.
"Judging by your accent, I'm assuming that you're Caleb. This is Verin, Essek's brother. I'll be there as soon as possible. Please stay with him. "
Caleb sighed in relief upon hearing what he recognized as a Rosohnan accent. This was Essek's brother. He could probably trust him.
As soon as he'd put the stone down, Caleb bolted back downstairs, coming to kneel at Essek's side once more. He carefully pulled the drow into his lap and delicately rested his hand on the side of his neck. Essek's pulse was alarmingly fast, his skin burning hot to the touch. Whatever he'd ingested, it was bad. Caleb wished that Jester or Caduceus were here, as they would have known exactly what to do to help. All Caleb could do for now was wait and hope that Essek's brother arrived soon.
After about five minutes of agonizing silence, the door burst open to reveal a tall male drow in Kryn armor. This had to be Essek's brother- there was no mistaking the physical similarities. He immediately rushed over to where Caleb sat, cradling Essek gently in his arms. "Oh, Essek. What have you gotten yourself into now?" Verin asked, coming to kneel beside his brother. "How long has he been unconscious?"
"Nearing eight minutes. I've tried to wake him, but nothing's worked." Caleb explained, calming slightly now that he wasn't alone. "Do you know Sending? The spell? He needs a cleric, but the closest one I know of is in Nicodranas."
To his relief, Verin nodded. "Essek taught it to me when we were young. Who am I to message?"
Caleb quickly cast Seeming on himself to make himself look like Jester. "Her name is Jester Lavorre. She'll know exactly where to find us."
Verin nodded again, quickly casting the spell. "Miss Lavorre, this is Verin Thelyss. My brother is in desperate need of your help. Caleb and I are with him now. Please come quickly."
Caleb dropped the spell, his gaze shifting back to Essek as Verin waited for Jester's response. He really didn't look well. He was still trembling terribly in Caleb's arms and his breathing was steadily growing more erratic.
"Hang in there, Essek." Caleb pleaded, stroking his cheek softly in hopes of offering a bit of comfort.
Verin nodded and chuckled faintly, likely in response to Jester's reply to his Sending spell, as Caleb could see no other reason for him to be laughing in a time like this.
"She's on her way. How's he doing?" Verin asked, a somber look on his face as he looked at his elder brother.
"Not well. I don't know how much longer he can hold on. If Jester doesn't get here soon.." He trailed off, unable to complete that particular thought.
Verin took a deep breath, seeming to be trying to calm himself. He hesitated for a moment before taking one of Essek's hands in both of his own. Caleb couldn't help but notice how much larger Verin's hands were in comparison to Essek's.
Verin hissed softly as his skin came into contact with Essek's. "Luxon, he's burning up.."
That was concerning in and of itself. Essek was usually cool to the touch. For him to feel so warm- it meant something was very, very wrong.
Verin and Caleb sat in relative silence for several moments, the sounds of Essek's labored breathing the only real sound. Caleb could tell both he and Verin were struggling to keep it together. Verin's violet-blue eyes looked rather watery, as if he could start crying at any moment. Caleb was sure his own eyes looked very much the same. Essek had already been through so much. He didn't deserve this. Besides, there was still so much Caleb wanted to tell him. They had flirted quite a lot while they had been working on building Essek's new home and then Essek had asked Caleb to come over for dinner. It wasn't explicitly a date, but it certainly felt like it could have been, if either of them had bothered to label it as such.
Finally, the sound of large wing-beats broke the stillness. Jester was here.
A large, blue eagle landed in front of Essek's door, shaking off for a moment before its form shrunk down into that of Jester. Caleb and Verin both let out an audible sigh of relief as she rushed into the tower and came to sit down beside them. She immediately cupped the side of Essek's face, her hand glowing with a faint green shimmer as she cast the first of her healing spells. To Caleb's immense relief, Essek groaned weakly, his eyes opening just a bit. He still looked rather terrible, but at least he was conscious again. Jester, on the other hand, seemed less than relieved.
"What is it?" Caleb asked.
"That was Heal. That's a sixth level spell, Caleb, and I don't think it did much at all." Jester looked at him with fear in her eyes as she explained.
"Scheiße.. This is worse than just a simple poison, isn't it?"
"Poison? What was he poisoned with?" Jester asked, now frantically scanning the room, just as Caleb had done when he had first entered Essek's tower.
Caleb gestured towards the table. "The wine, the bottle's under the table."
It was Verin who got up to retrieve it, placing it into Jester's hands when he returned.
Jester spent a moment trying to learn what she could from the bottle and the poison within. The longer she looked, the graver her expression became. "We need to get the others. This is bad, Caleb. I've never seen anything like this before. It's not just poison- there's magic mixed in with it too. Someone really, really bad made this stuff. It almost reminds me of Aeor too. I don't like it."
Caleb nodded, trying to stay calm. This was bad, Jester was certainly right about that. Caleb looked down at Essek, alarmed to find his eyes closed again. He shook him gently, trying to rouse him, though he received no response. He immediately checked Essek's pulse again, finding it to be just as rapid as it had been the last time he'd checked. "Jester, is there anything else you can try?"
Jester nodded, touching Essek's cheek again, seemingly trying to heal him again. This time though, as soon as the spell took effect, Essek clutched desperately at Caleb's coat, crying out loudly as if in intense pain.
"Essek!" The three of the yelled in unison, immediately trying to help. Caleb began softly carding his fingers through Essek's hair, hushing him softly. Verin squeezed Essek's hand tightly and Jester tried a different spell, though it didn't seem to help at all.
"What did you cast?" Caleb asked, pulling Essek closer to his chest, desperately trying to calm him down.
"Greater Restoration. I thought it would help. Oh, Essek, I'm so sorry." Jester looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Essek's cries of pain quickly evolved into full-on screams, despite their best efforts to soothe him. Caleb held him tightly, beginning to rock back and forth slowly.
"Shh, Essek. Shh.. I know it hurts, liebling. I'm so sorry." Caleb murmured, tears beginning to roll quickly down his cheeks. When he looked up at Verin and Jester, he found that they were both crying as well.
"Ca-Caleb.. Caleb, hurts.. It hurts..." Essek whimpered, still desperately clutching at Caleb's clothing. He looked absolutely terrified. A look of terror Caleb had only seen from those about to die.
"I know it does, Essek. I'm so sorry. Jester's trying to help, I promise." Caleb was at a loss. He didn't know what to say other than 'I'm sorry'. Jester was trying to help, though. She was throwing every healing spell she had at her disposal into trying to ease some of Essek's pain, but nothing seemed to be working.
Caleb took a moment to think. Who would have done this? He didn't think it could have been the Dynasty- they had already punished Essek. The only other person he could think of was-
"Jester, message Astrid."
Jester nodded, wasting no time at all in casting Sending. "Astrid, one of our friends was poisoned. Healing isn't working. Do you know what could have done that? Was it one of you guys?"
In his arms, Essek was still trembling violently, whimpering weakly in response to the terrible pain he seemed to be in. Caleb continued to soothe him as much as possible, rocking him gently, his hand still gently petting Essek's soft, white hair.
"Astrid say's it wasn't her of Eodwulf. She thinks it's one of Ikithon's projects and says that she'll help, but that we need to meet her on Gravid Archipelago. Maybe we could get Orly to take the ship down there to meet her?"
Caleb nodded. "Sure. Do that."
Jester cast another sending. "Orly, we need you to go to Gravid Archipelago. There will be a blond, Zemnian woman that will meet you. She has a burn scar."
After Orly's response, Jester sent another message to Astrid. "Our Tortle friend will meet you. Find a ship called the Nein Heroz. Thank you so much. Stay safe. We're trying to track down Ikithon."
Caleb was thankful that they now had a way to save Essek, but there was just one problem- it would take time. Orly and the crew had to get to Gravid Archipelago, find Astrid, and return to Nicodranas. Then there was the matter of transporting whatever antidote Astrid was providing to Essek's home. Caleb just hoped Essek would be able to hang on until they could help him.
Caleb reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Essek and turned towards the other drow in the room. "Verin? Do you think you could help me carry him to his room? I'd like him to be somewhere more comfortable."
Verin nodded and carefully took Essek from Caleb's arms into his own. Essek groaned at the pain the movement cause, a look of surprise crossing his face as he realized who was now holding him.
"Verin..?"
Verin smiled faintly as Essek recognized him. "Hey, brother. I've got you, it's okay."
Essek relaxed a little, leaning his head against his brother's chest, his eyes slipping closed again.
Ten minutes later, they were all settled in Essek's room. Essek rested comfortably (or as comfortably as his condition would allow) on the bed, Jester was speaking quietly with Verin, and Caleb was sitting in a chair at Essek's bedside, gently pressing a cold, damp cloth against Essek's neck. Caleb was worried by the fact that Essek was still unconscious, but at least he didn't seem to be in pain for the time being. Essek was still burning with fever and his breathing was still erratic and labored, but he seemed to be hanging in there. Caleb softly trailed the knuckles of his free hand across Essek's cheek, wishing there was something, anything, more he could do to help. To his surprise, Essek leaned slightly into the touch, his eyes opening ever so slightly.
"Caleb..."
"Ja, I'm right here. I'm here, Essek." Caleb murmured, still softly stroking Essek's cheek.
"'m sorry.."
"You don't have to apologize for anything, Essek. This isn't your fault, okay? You just focus on getting better, ja?"
Essek nodded slowly, his eyes already beginning to drift closed again. Caleb sighed and pulled the cloth away from Essek's neck, as it was already warm again.
Essek raised his hand as if trying to stop him. "Don't...don't go.."
"Shh, I'm not going anywhere, Ess. I'm staying right here, Essek, I promise. I won't leave you." Just the idea that Essek thought that Caleb could leave him when he was in such a dire situation was breaking Caleb's heart. There was no way Caleb was going anywhere. Essek seemed to calm at Caleb's words at least.
Caleb placed the cloth back in the bowl of cold water that now rested on Essek's bedside table, picking up a glass of cold water now instead. "Do you think you can drink some water, Essek?"
"I can try.." Essek began to attempt to sit up, which Caleb immediately stopped, placing his hand gently on Essek's chest.
"Don't try to sit up." He murmured, gently lifting Essek's head with one hand while the other carefully brought the glass of cool water to his lips. "Drink slowly, okay? Don't over do it."
Essek nodded and slowly sipped from the glass, pulling away after just a few moments. Caleb carefully eased Essek's head back onto the pillow, taking a moment to pet his hair for a moment before pulling his hand away completely. He then retrieved the cloth from the water, wringing it out before laying it on Essek's forehead. Within a few moments, Essek was unconscious again.
Thankfully, the rest of the day passed by easily enough. Jester made food for all of them and the three of them spent the rest of the evening sitting with Essek, doing their very best to keep him as comfortable as possible. It was on the second day that things really took a turn. Verin woke Caleb in the middle of the night, saying that Essek's fever was worse and that he was now unable to wake him at all. Caleb immediately had him wake Jester, as she was the most adept at dealing with things of this sort. Plus, Caleb himself was panicking a little. Astrid wouldn't be able to get them whatever she thought might help for at least a few more days and now that he could see just how terribly Essek was doing, he knew that the drow likely wouldn't be able to last that long.
He turned to Jester just as she was waking up. "I need you to message Astrid again. Have her tell us the second she hands this 'antidote' over to Orly. I'll teleport to the ship and retrieve it myself." Caleb didn't want to leave Essek, but this was what needed to be done. He was the only one of the three of them that could teleport and teleportation was the only way they were going to be able to get the antidote to Essek in time to save him. He was just glad that Essek wouldn't be alone while he was gone. He would have Jester and Verin there to make sure he was alright.
Jester nodded and immediately did as Caleb had asked, not wanting to waste any time. Caleb got up from his pallet of blankets on the floor, taking his seat in the chair beside Essek's bed once more. He carefully took the elf's hand, immediately alarmed at just how alarmingly warm Essek's skin still felt. Caleb was used to heat- of course he was, he was a fire wizard, after all, but this was different. No one should ever, ever feel this warm. Least of all Essek, who had always run slightly cooler than everyone else. Caleb jumped as Verin placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Jester just wanted me to let you know that she contacted Astrid and your tortle friend. They expect it to take about two more days to meet up."
Caleb nodded, his eyes still locked on Essek's hand where it rested cradled in his own. Two days. Would Essek be able to hold on that long?
"Jester also wanted me to let you know that she's running him a cold bath- she thinks it might help. I wasn't sure if you wanted to stay or-"
Caleb interrupted Verin before he could finish. "No, I- I have something I need to do. You'll be staying with him, ja?"
"Yeah. I just thought I'd offer. I can see that you care deeply for him." Verin squeezed Caleb's shoulder gently as he spoke, seemingly to offer a bit of comfort.
"Danke." Caleb smiled slightly at Essek's little brother, though he was sure it didn't reach his eyes.
Caleb stayed until Jester had finished preparing the bath. As soon as Verin picked Essek up, he stood up and exited the room. He walked out of the tower entirely and before he knew it, he was sitting beside the stream just before the clearing where Essek's home resided. He sat down, pulling out the components necessary for the spell he wanted to cast, taking a few moments to calm himself before actually beginning the ritual for Find Familiar. He had promised Frumpkin that he would let him go, but to be completely honest, he missed having him around. He wasn't doing this just for himself though. He had experienced just how helpful having a cat around could be whenever he wasn't feeling well, so he imagined that it would likely be beneficial to Essek now as well.
An hour later, there he was, Caleb's oldest companion. Frumpkin seemed just as happy to see Caleb as Caleb was to see him. He leapt into Caleb's arms, nuzzling against his face and purring loudly. Caleb hugged the feline tightly, finally allowing himself to cry. There was still so much he wanted to say to Essek. So many things he wanted to work on with him. He couldn't lose him now. Not like this. Essek deserved better. He had come so far since they had first met him. He'd helped them to expose all of the things the Cerberus Assembly was doing and had lost his home in the process. Ikithon had vanished shortly after. Caleb's former master was wanted by both the Empire and the Dynasty, but neither nation had any idea of where he might be hiding. Caleb had been wanting to get his hands on Ikithon for years now, but now, that need for vengeance burned strongly in his heart once more.
By the time Caleb returned, Essek was resting comfortably in bed once more. Jester and Verin had also apparently changed the sheets he rested on, as well as given Essek a more comfortable outfit to wear. It was Verin who currently sat at Essek's bedside, helping him to drink from a glass of water. Caleb felt a little better now upon seeing that Essek was awake, at least. As soon as he was finished drinking, Essek turned to Caleb with a smile. He looked better, though Caleb knew that likely just meant that Jester had healed him again recently. She'd been needing to heal him at least once an hour to keep him at least somewhat comfortable.
"Verin, Jester, may I have a moment with Caleb?" Essek's voice was much rougher and more raspy than usual, but it still made Caleb happy to hear him speak.
Jester smiled and winked at Essek, already standing up from where she sat on the edge of Essek's bed. "Of course, Essek!"
Jester was doing her best to stay her usual cheery self, but Caleb could tell that she was just as worried as he and Verin were.
Verin, on the other hand, seemed to hesitate a bit. "Essek-"
Essek rested his hand atop his brother's. "Verin, I'll be alright for a few minutes. It's okay."
Verin looked between the two wizards for a moment, before nodding and standing up. "Alright, but have him come get me if you need anything."
"Of course, Verin."
Once it was just him and Essek, Caleb walked over to the bed, hesitating for a moment before deciding to sit down on the bed, directly beside Essek. "It's good to see you awake." Caleb snapped his fingers, summoning Frumpkin. The cat immediately walked over and curled up beside Essek's head, nuzzling him softly.
"Oh. Hello." Essek said, scratching Frumpkin under the chin softly.
Caleb began petting the cat as well. "I figured he might make you feel a bit better. Having him around has always helped me so.."
"Thank you, Caleb. I appreciate that."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better now that you are here. There's something I'd like to discuss with you though, Caleb. I had hoped to have this conversation over dinner, but I guess this will have to do." Essek paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steel himself. "I care deeply for you. I have for quite a while now, actually. Since before you all met up with me in Eiselcross. I wanted to say something sooner, but with the discovery of what I had done and the Tomb Takers, there was never time. And now...now we may be out of time entirely."
"Essek-" Caleb cut in, though was silenced when Essek took his hand.
"No, let me finish, Widogast. I wanted to tell you that I love you, Caleb. More than I have ever loved anything that wasn't magic. I understand if you do not feel the same way, but I wanted you to know. Especially now.."
Caleb spoke without a moment of hesitation, needing Essek to know that he felt the same way. "Essek, it's no secret that I care about you as well. You've been important to me since we first met, though then it was more about what I could learn from you. Since then, though, I've come to love you for who you are. It hurt to find out what you had done, but you've changed so much since then. You helped us save the world and you helped me to expose the Cerberus Assembly. The man I met that first day in Rosohna certainly wouldn't have done that. I love you too, Essek."
"Caleb.. Please don't just say that-"
It was Caleb's turn to stop Essek from cutting in. "No. No, that's not why I'm saying this. I had planned to tell you this over dinner as well, Thelyss. It's a large part of why I was so nervous to come. I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same."
Essek chuckled softly, though Caleb could tell there was no real humor in it. "I wish I'd had the courage to say something sooner. Now we may be out of time."
"What are you talking about? You honestly think we're going to let you go anywhere? No, you're staying right here." Caleb said, leaning down to press a kiss to Essek's forehead. "You're not going anywhere anytime soon, Thelyss."
Thankfully, the next two days passed in relative peace. Jester checked in with Orly and Astrid often. Through her correspondence with Astrid, they were able to learn a bit more about the poison itself. Apparently Ikithon had been developing it for quite a while, using it in its earliest forms for several years now to torture those he considered traitors to the Empire. As it developed, it became more and more deadly. Ikithon merged science and magic using a few of the artifacts they had retrieved from Aeor to further its capabilities. He had given the poison to several Scourgers for use in the field about six months prior. Astrid and Eodwulf were, thankfully, among the few entrusted. Due to its potency, Ikithon had also been sure to give his operatives the antidote, just in case they accidently poisoned themselves along with their intended target. Each Scourger carried their own case of poisons, along with the antidotes for said poisons. Mistakes happened, after all, and it would be easier to trace the executions if the executer themselves died of the same poison as their quarry.
Essek was still, somehow, holding his own. Jester was needing to heal him more and more frequently as the days passed, but he seemed at to be at least mostly comfortable. Caleb wished there was some way to get Caduceus here as well, but he was back home in the Grove, so there was no way he would arrive before they were able to get the antidote from Astrid. They'd been lucky with Jester, as she had been able to convince Yussa to teleport her to the Plumgrove, which had gotten her close enough to Essek's home that she was able to polymorph and fly the rest of the way. Verin, as well, had been able to find someone who was able to teleport him fairly close to his brother's tower.
Caleb stayed by Essek every moment that he was able. After their confession, he had vowed not to leave Essek's side unless he really needed to. And even when he couldn't be there physically, he had Frumpkin there to watch over the drow. Essek spent most of his time now asleep, only waking occasionally, but Caleb still stayed. He didn't want Essek to feel alone. Sure, Jester and Verin were also there, which certainly helped, but having Caleb close by seemed to be the one thing that kept Essek calm. Essek had woken twice without Caleb by his side and had immediately panicked, which had done nothing to help his condition. Caleb had raced back into the room both times to find Essek shaking and struggling to breathe, even more so than usual. Essek had, thankfully, calmed down rather quickly once Caleb had returned, falling back asleep again once Caleb was seated at his side. As soon as Essek was unconscious again, Caleb had broken down, sobbing harder than he had for as long as he could remember. It was Jester who comforted him, though Verin stood close by, his hand on Caleb's shoulder.
It was hard on all of them. Verin and Jester both left the room often with tears in their eyes, only to return a few minutes later, red faced and trying their best to look like they hadn't just been crying. Caleb tried his best to comfort them, but that wasn't really his area of expertise. He let them both cuddle Frumpkin though, which seemed to help a bit.
On the eave of the fifth day, their luck seemed to run out. It was just Caleb and Verin sitting by Essek's side at the time, talking quietly amongst themselves, when they realized that the room was far quieter than usual. Caleb immediately got a sinking feeling in his stomach, his heart feeling like it had been turned to ice. He stood quickly, checking to confirm what he already knew was true. Essek wasn't breathing. Thankfully, he still had a pulse, though it was weak and growing weaker by the second.
"Verin, get Jester." Caleb hadn't really needed to say anything, as Verin was already bolting from the room, calling for the cleric.
"Don't you leave me, Essek. Stay with me, schatz." Caleb pleaded, tears rolling quickly down his cheeks. After a few seconds, Essek drew in a weak breath, seemingly still fighting to hold on. Caleb squeezed his hand tightly, wanting him to know that he was there, that he wasn't alone.
"That's it, liebling. Stay with me.. Please, Essek, I love you."
Jester raced into the room then, Verin close behind her. She cupped Essek's cheek with one hand, furiously casting a healing spell. It took three spells before Essek's breathing returned to something resembling normal. He was still struggling, as he had been since the day he'd been poisoned, but anything was better than nothing. Jester messaged Orly immediately after, relaying that the Nein Heroz should be arriving at the Gravid Archipelago within the next few hours. They just had to keep Essek from slipping away before then.
Caleb slipped into the bed, cradling Essek close. He wanted to be as close as possible for the last few hours of the fight. Essek deserved that much at least. Jester sat on the bed beside them, softly stroking Essek's hair, and Verin sat in the chair beside the bed, holding his brother's hand tightly. They were all crying openly now, though none of them really minded, as they were too focused on Essek.
The next few hours were hell for all three of them. They froze every time Essek paused for too long between breaths, only relaxing upon hearing the next weak, stuttered breath. They all murmured soft encouragements occasionally, hoping to help Essek to keep fighting. Essek remained unconscious the entire time. Finally, finally, Astrid messaged to say that she had given Orly the antidote. Caleb carefully traded places with Verin, letting him hold his brother while Caleb left to retrieve the one thing that could save Essek. He pressed a soft kiss to Essek's forehead, murmuring one last 'I love you' before teleporting to the deck of the Nein Heroz. He wasted no time with conversation, taking the antidote from Orly with little more than a 'thank you' before kneeling down to draw out the necessary teleportation circle on the deck of the Nein Heroz. Essek had entrusted him, and only him, with the teleportation circle that resided on the very top floor of his new tower.
As soon as he landed back in the tower, he bolted down the many flights of stairs, before finally making it back to Essek's bedchamber. Upon arriving, he switched positions with Verin once more, uncorking the bottle of antidote. He carefully cradled Essek's head, pouring the liquid into his mouth slowly, gently massaging his throat until he swallowed. There wasn't any immediate change, as Caleb had hoped there would be. They would just have to wait and see it seemed.
As the hours passed, Essek's breathing slowly became steadier, the color gradually returning to his skin. He still had yet to wake, but at least his condition seemed to be improving at last. At this realization, they all began to cry again, though these were tears of joy. Finally, it looked like everything would be alright. Caleb would get to keep the man he loved, Jester would keep her friend, and Verin would still have his brother. None of them were going to lose Essek.
Jester took up residence in one of the guest rooms after healing Essek a little more, needing to rest after the days of constant magic usage. This left Verin and Caleb, once again, alone with Essek.
"Caleb, I wanted to thank you. Not just for helping to save my brother, though I am immensely thankful for that as well, but for changing him. You and your friends have changed him for the better. He and I hadn't talked for about four years before he met you. Then out of nowhere, I got a letter from him, saying he wanted to try and reconnect. With that letter, was the Sending Stone you used a few days ago. He explained that he'd made a few friends, which was a shock in and of itself, since he'd never had a friend before when we were younger. Over the course of a few weeks, he sent more letters, telling me about all of you. You saved him, Caleb, but not just from that poison. You and the rest of the Nein saved him from a lifetime of solitude, and for that, I thank you."
Caleb smiled softly. "He's an incredible man, your brother. He helped us out quite a lot as well. In the early days of our friendship, he helped to teach me dunamancy, but he also teleported us all over the continent. He didn't like it at first. In fact, I don't know that he liked us all that much at first, but he got there. He's very special to all of us now. To me especially. Now that he's a part of it, I couldn't imagine my life without him."
"I'm glad that he has you all. You especially though, Caleb. He never shuts up about you. Seriously. Half of his letters' contents were about you. How talented you are, how kind you were to him, how incredibly intelligent you are. In the more recent letters and Sending conversations we've had though, he spoke a lot about how attractive he found you. Your eyes, your accent, your kind personality. It was infuriating." Verin took a moment to laugh good-naturedly. "But I've never seen him so thoroughly enraptured with someone before. He really loves you, Caleb."
"I love him too, Verin. More than I ever thought I would ever be able to love another person again." Caleb said, taking a moment to softly stroke Essek's cheek. "I didn't really intend to fall in love with him, but I'm very thankful that I did."
Essek remained unconscious for several hours, which Caleb supposed was understandable after all that he had been through in the last few days. Caleb himself was rather exhausted, but he wanted to stay awake at least until Essek regained consciousness. He would hate for Essek to awake alone. Though, Caleb supposed, he wouldn't really be alone, considering the fact that Caleb was currently holding him. Regardless, Caleb wanted to be awake. Mostly in case Essek needed anything, as both Jester and Verin were now asleep. Frumpkin was also asleep, curled up on Essek's chest with his head nuzzled up under Essek's chin. Caleb hadn't even told him to cuddle up to Essek- Frumpkin had decided to do that all on his own. Caleb felt a little guilty still for summoning Frumpkin again, but seeing how happy his familiar seemed curled up with Essek was definitely making him feel better. It was while he was admiring the cat that Essek began to stir, immediately drawing Caleb's attention back to the wizard he held in his arms.
"Essek? Hey, how are you feeling?" Caleb asked, gently brushing his fingers through Essek's hair.
Essek immediately leaned into the soft touch, a soft smile on his face. "Better. Much better." He murmured, smiling wider as he opened his eyes. "Well, isn't that a lovely thing to wake up to?" Essek's smile widened even further as he reached up, cupping the side of Caleb's face with his hand.
"It's really good to see you awake, Essek. You had us really worried there for a while." It hurt just to think about how incredibly close they had gotten to losing Essek entirely.
"I'm sorry, Caleb. Thank you for staying, I really appreciate it. You didn't have to."
Caleb shook his head. How could Essek possibly believe that he could have left him? "Of course. I couldn't have just left you, Essek. I love you far too much for that."
Essek seemed genuinely surprised by Caleb's last statement. "So that part was real.. I wasn't sure if I dreamed it or not."
Caleb chuckled, leaning down to kiss Essek's forehead softly. "No, it was definitely real."
Essek laughed softly as well, stroking Caleb's cheek gently. "Oh good. I had hoped that was the case."
It was at this point, that Frumpkin decided that he wanted pets. He headbutted Essek's chin, beginning to purr loudly. Essek chuckled and removed his hand from Caleb's face, softly scratching the cat under the chin. "Hello, Frumpkin. It's nice to see you again." The cat continued to lovingly nuzzle the drow until he eventually dozed off again, still purring even in his sleep. Caleb and Essek weren't too far behind him, as they were both still exhausted from the ordeal the last several days had been.
When Jester found them the next morning, she immediately chuckled to herself and pulled out her sketch book to draw them. Caleb was asleep with Essek cradled in his arms, the drow clinging to him tightly, his head resting comfortably on the Zemnian wizard's chest. Frumpkin laid on Essek's chest, lovingly cradled by one his arms. Jester would be sure to show her sketch to the rest of the Nein as soon as she saw them next. They really were cute together.
Two months later, Caleb moved out of his flat in Nicodranas and into Essek's tower. He'd found that there was nowhere else that would ever feel so much like home as Essek's tower did. Besides, by the time he moved, he'd been spending more time at Essek's place than his own anyway.