Not a single part of the caravan remained by the time the sun had set over the city of Waterdeep, the sidewalks clearing out, roads emptying of wagons and carriages. Everything had sold decently well, from the horses and wagons, to the more expensive items hidden among the piles of gold; with the ease of an expert, Werond had somehow haggled away everything in the wagon to their employer, convincing the poor worker assigned to them that everything had a price. The only items that hadn’t sold where their new arms and armor, strapped to them or held in tired hands, and the clothes on their backs.

Perhaps more stunning than the ease of the sale was how fast their account was set up. Serena hadn’t a clue how any of it worked, yet Werond ran through it as though she’d opened ten each day. When the correct paperwork had been signed and keys divvied out, each one of them, save Werond, had access to the massive pile of gold, with the agreement that none of them take any unless they clear it with everyone else first.

Werond had told them, quietly, that they were richer than almost half the city now. Serena would have been more excited, had she not been as tired as she was.

Torno had taken off by that point, her payment and coin from the sale of the wagons tucked safely away in a coin purse stuffed into a backpack. She promised to find them and catch up later, though Serena doubted that would happen.

Everyone dragged their feet as they exited the now closed square; not an ounce of energy remained between the four of them. Werond, however, still beamed with energy; she clucked her tongue at the weary group and waved Serena’s staff at them.

“You four tired already?” She asked. “Come on, the night’s just begun, there’s a place I want to take all you!”

“Really?” Jo asked, her eyes drooping. “Do we need to go tonight?”

“You want to eat, right?”

Jo straightened up, her weariness gone in a flash. “Yeah, yeah I do.”

“Are we going straight there?” Serena could barely sign, so heavy were her hands.

“Nope, we can drop our stuff off at my place.” Werond grinned at the group. “Which, of course, you’re all welcome to stay at. Just a short walk away.”

“I uh…think I need to rest my feet a bit before we go do anything.” Pavel said, readjusting the bag on his back, a purchase from earlier. “Just for a moment.”

“Of course, of course.” Werond said. “We’ll be there soon, it’s not too far from here.”

With a spring in her step, Werond lead the way down the empty sidewalk.

The ward looked different at night, the streets now mostly deserted; they and a scant few other bystanders were still on the sidewalk, with not a single wagon rolling anywhere on the road. It seemed odd to Serena that such a busy place could empty so quickly.

She sped up and fell in line with Werond. Perhaps empty wasn’t the right word; the streetlights that dotted the road every odd foot were brightly lit, dispelling all but the darkest shadows between the alleyways. Almost every building was lit up, with magical or torch light bleeding through windows and doors. As Serena passed each building, sounds of laughter and merriment emanated from one, while others carried forth the hustle and bustle of businesses still at work. Occasionally, drunk patrons would step out for a breath of air, and weary looking mothers would lean out an open window, taking a well-deserved break. But none seemed to venture back into the street, as though some force prevented them.

The streets were empty, but the city was awake, toiling away at whatever happened in Waterdeep at night.

Serena glanced at Werond as she caught up; the moon hung brightly in the sky, shining like a beacon.

“Everything seems so empty, but no one’s asleep!” Serena signed to Werond.

Her old teamster smiled, face illuminating with each passing streetlamp.

“You don’t really want to wander around at night in this part of the city.” She said. “Southern Ward is fine during the day, but some…less than reputable businesses operate at night. Don’t want to be out too much. Noticed there aren’t any more City Watch out?”

Serena looked around, at dark alleys and empty corners, and realized with a start that Werond was right; she hadn’t noticed at all.

“Yeah, I was surprised when I noticed that too. It’s too risky for the Watch to be out at night, too many attacks used to happen. They’re still here mind you. You just need to call them if you need their help, they won’t be around.”

“But the streets lit up. Why is it dangerous when everything is lit up?”

“They don’t care,” Werond waved her free hand. “they really don’t. A lot of undesirables operate out of this ward, and if they need something done, they’ll have the backup. Guard chases someone around a corner, he’s likely to get stabbed by ten other knives he didn’t see.”

“Is it even safe for us to be out then?” Serena asked, shuffling closer to Werond.

“There’s, what, five of us? Big group like us won’t get bothered. In fact, you’re supposed to walk with company around here at night. Unless you’ve personally pissed someone off, its mostly crimes of opportunity. We’re not worth it.” She jerked her head across the street, towards another group of four nervous looking dwarves. “They got the right idea, they’ll be okay.”

“Safety in numbers.”

“Yup. No one will mess with you if you aren’t alone.” Werond looped her arm through Serena’s and pulled them together. “I’m especially lucky that I have you with me, with all that fire you throw, huh?”

Nervousness flooded into Serena’s chest. She glanced up at Werond, who glanced back with a smile.

“Y-yeah,” She signed, fingers heavy. “good thing you can cling to me.”

“Oh no, no, no.” Werond said, smile turning devilish; she leaned in and lowered her voice. “You cling to me, that’s how this works darling.”

A wave of heat rolled over Serena, tips of her ears now burning. Acutely aware of her own blush, she looked away, as though the buildings next to her were suddenly interesting.

They remained quiet as they walked the rest of the way, the three behind occasionally quipping about the empty streets. Every topic of conversation died at her fingers, as the very thought caused the blush to return.

As they approached the end of the street, it branched off into an intersection; before Serena could read the signs, Werond turned to the left and pulled her around the corner of the sidewalk, the new street as empty as the one behind them.

“Bit more, and we’re in my home ward.” Werond said. She pointed ahead, gesturing to what seemed like brighter lights through an alley. “Castle Ward might remind you of Daggerford a little bit, you’ll like it.”

“More lively?”

“A bit.”

“Werond!” Pavel said, as the three of them rounded the corner. “We almost there?”

She craned her head around. “Yup, just a little bit further.”

The street and sidewalk narrowed, until they curved to the right around the backs of wide buildings. Werond stepped off the sidewalk, and towards the alley carved out the middle of them. Unlike the alleyways they’d passed, two large streetlamps stood outside the threshold of passage, melting away the shadows and Serena’s anxiety, as they passed through.

When they stepped out the other side and onto a different street, Serena’s eyes went wide.

They were on the curve of a sidewalk, nicer than the ones in the Southern Ward. In front of them, the street continued forwards, while also curving at their feet and continuing to the right. In between the roads stood rows upon rows of buildings, towering over the ones in the Southern Ward. While they appeared similarly built, with the same beige colors and dark, pointed roofs, each one seemed nicer, almost newer, than the buildings behind them. Not one sat at a single story, with some reaching as high as five, their roofs seemingly built to rip open the sky.

Many of them were still open, the patios of restaurants and cafes filled with guests. Even the houses on the street seemed lively, the glow of lamps and fireplaces alive in each window, the sounds of talk and jokes drifting out of each. In fact, every single window, regardless of the level, seemed open to the night air, citizens leaning and talking from them as usual. Not all were occupied however, and many seemed opened to the night, regardless of the danger that that could pose.

But perhaps more startling was the sheer number of people that filled the street at such an hour, acting as though the sun had yet to set. While the crowds that filled the sidewalks weren’t as thick as the ones from earlier, they still filled the air with lighthearted talk, a gentle murmur in stark contrast to the cacophony that deafened Serena just hours before. There was no urgency among those who wandered, many who seemed to be simply enjoying the night life. As though their cares and concerns had disappeared with the sun.

Lamp posts flickered softly, shadows dancing off guards who seemed to stand on each corner, leaned against spears, looking bored. Across the street, in a pattern that Serena couldn’t quite see, hung small lanterns, each giving off a softer glow than the streetlamps, but still providing just enough for the cobblestone road, not a crack in sight, to be illuminated underneath.

The occasional wagon and carriage rolled down the road, the clacking of the wheels on cobblestone echoing through the night, mixing with the gentle hum of conversation; anyone on the road quickly and quietly moved out of the way from passing wagons, with not a sound made from the driver.

Not a soul out tonight didn’t look content with life.

“Castle Ward.” Werond said, waving a hand around. “Bit nicer than Southern Ward, don’t you think?”

Serena couldn’t find the words to respond.

As they continued down the sidewalk, Werond pointed down a narrow street that cut through the buildings. “The ward is set up almost in a grid. Six streets up and down and three streets that go fully across. That one,” she pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the curve behind them. “is the High Road, lot of nice businesses and shops down there. Through that one,” she gestured at another, narrowing street that was coming up. “is a bunch of houses, I think. Don’t go down that one too often. It’s mostly houses in the middle, with businesses and other things on the side. And it’s basically the same for the rest of the streets.”

“And you live here?!” Serena signed in wonder. Werond nodded.

“For a couple of years now.”

“Is it expensive? It looks like it.”

“Well…in a way. But we won’t get into that.”

“Why not?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Werond said; she pointed down the road before Serena could ask. “There’s my place! Gods I’ve missed it, haven’t slept in a decent bed in ages!”

Serena craned her head to see where Werond was pointing; it wasn’t until they’d walked further did she spot Werond’s home.

Standing at a modest two stories, the tan walls of Werond’s house stood out just enough against the beige homes around it. As they drew closer, Serena realized that the home looked as though it was built with giant pale sandstone bricks, in complete defiance to the typical wood and grey stone around it. The roof of the home was flatter, crafted out of what looked like brick shingles, a stark contrast to the pointer roofs that most buildings had. Near the back, on the left side of the home, a tall chimney poked out the top of the roof, a gentle curl of smoke drifting from it. The windows that dotted the walls were all dark, save one, which held the gentle glow of candlelight against the curtains.

Serena stared; it looked nicer than anything a professional teamster could ever hope to afford.

A short wall, taller than Serena, was erected around the perimeter, offering some privacy from the streets, but blocking the view of most of the home. As they finally approached, Werond released Serena’s arm and stepped towards the iron gate built into the wall, the symbol of the city etched onto its face.

“Is this your house?” Pavel asked, as he, Cruck’aa, and Jo caught up and stood behind Serena, much to the irritation of a passing group of elves. Serena glanced back and was relieved to see that she wasn’t the only one surprised by Werond’s house.

“Yes, probably different than what you were expecting.” Werond leaned Serena’s staff against the wall; she reached down, tugged off her boot, and stuck her hand into it. After some rummaging, she extracted a dull iron key, and slipped her boot back on.

“H-how long has that been in there?” Jo asked.

“The entire trip. Can’t be too careful.” Werond slotted the key and swung the gate open. She grabbed the staff and used it to gesture towards the front door of the house, now visible, its massive wooden frame looking more expensive than the house itself. “After all of you.”

“How can you afford this house?!” Cruck’aa balked, attracting the stares of those around him.

“Uh…not really any of your business, I should say.” Werond stared as the group refused to move, the traffic of Waterdeep flowing around them. “Are…are you all coming?”

Pavel went first, grabbing Cruck’aa by his arm and dragging him towards the gate. Jo followed, gazing at the second story, giving them a wide berth as Cruck’aa began to struggle.

Serena stepped forward but stopped at the gate.

“This…looks like a really expensive house.” Serena signed.

“It is. I inherited it, lucky me. I make just enough to cover all the expenses.”

“You inherited it?”

Werond smiled a sweet smile and laid her hand on Serena’s shoulder.

“I’ll fill you in later, I promise. Let’s just relax for tonight, okay?”

Serena nodded, and moved past her through the gate; it clanged loudly as Werond stepped through and closed it behind them, locking it again.

She didn’t know why Werond didn’t want to discuss the house. Maybe it was just fatigue from the day.

Serena grimaced. It wasn’t their business how she lived in Waterdeep, a place that Serena had never been before. It didn’t matter how Werond lived.

It shouldn’t matter.

Pavel, Jo, and Cruck’aa had stopped again, this time stuck gawking at the courtyard. Dark tile had been laid down, a change from the cobblestone road, and not a speck of dust or dirt could be seen on them. To the right of the front door, the house jutted forward, the largest room of the house larger than some of the patios she’d seen on the way over. Glass doors, curtains drawn shut, stood from ground to ceiling on the wall facing the street; in front of them, a small table sat with two chairs, neatly pushed in. A dark red umbrella poked out of the middle, and from its size, Serena knew it could shade the entire patio had it been open.

To the left of the door, the smallest of gardens poked out of tile planters. Succulents and bushes that Serena had never seen before stuck out of them, enough to make one feel as though they were in a forest. A single chair sat in the middle of them all, a tiny table next to it, so that one may sit among the plants and pretend they were actually in a forest, and not in the middle of Waterdeep.

“When the weathers nice, I use the patio all the time,” Werond said, gently pushing Serena through the other three and towards the door. “but it’s Waterdeep. It’s almost always cold here. Damn city.”

Before any of them could respond, the door to the house flung open.

An older looking man stood in the doorway; his white tunic was cinched tight by a thin belt, matching with his black pants, tucked into a pair of heavy work boots. The hair around his head had thinned, and the wrinkles in his kind face displayed a wisdom that Serena was not privy to just yet.

The man bowed deeply.

“Ms. Torohar, a pleasure to see you again.” he said in a rich voice; Serena’s mouth hung open at the sight, and behind her, Pavel muttered in surprise. “I had not received a letter from you in quite some time. I was beginning to worry.”

“Yes, my apologies Graham.” Werond said, giving her own bow. “We had an incident at the city I meant to send a letter in, it completely slipped my mind. I’ll make up for it, sorry to worry you.”

“No, no, no need to apologize ma’am, I understand.” Graham’s blue eyes swept the befuddled group. “Will we be having guests tonight?”

Werond rolled her head. “Oh gods, yes, sorry Graham. They’ll be staying with us for a while. I really hate to ask –”

“I shall prepare the guest rooms at once. Some of the night markets should still be open, I’ll swing by and pick-up breakfast for tomorrow. We’re rather low on eggs, I daresay.” Graham smiled and shook his head. “No words please, always happy to help.”

He turned on his heel and walked back into the house, making sure the door stayed open as he did.

Werond gestured towards it. “After all you.”

“W-Werond,” Serena said, as Pavel and Jo filed past her, their eyes wide; Cruck’aa followed after a moment of grumbling. “who was that? Do you have a servant?”

Werond stared at Serena; her amber eyes went wide after a moment.

“Oh gods, yeah! I do, sorry, should have said. I’m so used to him by –”

“You live in a big house by yourself, and you have a servant?!” Serena said. “Are you rich?! I didn’t think –”

Werond thrust Serena’s staff into her hands, forcing her to grab it, cutting off her signs.

“First rule of the Castle Ward, don’t ask people about their finances.” She said with a wink. “Now, let’s go before they make a mess without us.” Werond released the staff, turned Serena around by her shoulder, and gently pushed her towards the door.

Serena allowed herself to be guided, too distracted to protest. Werond was keeping something from them, that she knew; the job she described what felt like a year ago didn’t sound like one to support such a lavish house, or personal servant. But maybe she was wrong, perhaps it was different in the city.

Those thoughts flew from her mind as she smacked into Jo, all three of them once again stopped.

The front door opened to a warmly lit hallway, illuminated by two lamps bolted to either side of the door. The sound of their boots on the hardwood echoed through the hallway, bouncing off the softwood walls, and into the open living room just some steps ahead. To the right, a stone bench was pressed against the wall, with four hooks and a set of cabinets bolted above it. To the left, a wide set of stairs went up to the second story, dark wood railing adorned with small, magically lit lamps illuminating the way up. A dark green rug covered the steps, the pattern stitched across it not unlike the ones found in the back of Larion’s wagon.

No one moved forward, everyone gawking at the sight; Werond could barely shut the door behind them as she squeezed in.

“Gods people,” she said. “you all act like you’ve never seen a house before.”

“Uh…I didn’t expect it to be this nice.” Jo said, glancing around. “No offense, but I didn’t think teamsters were paid this well.”

“We aren’t.” Werond said flatly. “There’s more to it than just the foyer though. Graham, would you show them around?”

From the archway at the end of the hallway, Graham bowed.

“Of course, ma’am. This way if you will.” He gestured towards the group of them as they filed into the next room.

Serena leaned her staff against the wall, and turned towards Werond, hands raised, questions on her fingers; Werond grabbed her shoulders, flipped her around, and began pushing her after everyone.

“We can talk in a moment, follow Graham. I haven’t had guests in a long time!”

Frustration bubbled in Serena’s chest, but she shoved it away. Maybe she was being too nosey.

The living room proved to be just as nice as the hallway; a thick red carpet was spread out over the hardwood, not unlike the one on the stairs. Two large leather couches flanked either side of a coffee table, carved and polished from a single piece of black rock, with the back of a smaller love seat facing them. At the front of the room, two large windows looked out over a small patio hidden from the outside, and shoved against the left wall, a large, red bricked fireplace kept a comfortable temperature throughout the room.

A chandelier, one made of three floating lights encased by three bands of wood, barely illuminated the room. Graham walked towards the love seat and turned around; he clapped his hands, and the chandelier’s light brightened, casting a warmer glow throughout the room.

“This, honored guests, is the living room.” Graham said, grinning at their surprised looks. “A very lovely room, one that the mistress of the house never uses, on account of never having guests over until now.”

“Graham!” Werond said, as Serena and Pavel burst out laughing.

“Ah, my apologizes ma’am. Regardless, I daresay that this is one of the more comfortable rooms, and one filled with endless amounts of entertainment.” He gestured towards the back corner of the room; hidden from view, Serena craned her head and was surprised to notice a small collection of books, lined in neat rows in a bookshelf that went to the ceiling. “So long as you’re entertained by literature. None of which has been read by the Mis–”

“Graham!” Werond cut him off.

“Ah, of course. All of them have been read by Miss Werond. And to the right, we have the kitchen and main dining room, were I suspect we’ll see each other the most. Coincidently, this is the mistress’s favorite room.”

Graham gestured to archway to the right of the living room, as Jo, Pavel, and Cruck’aa followed him in.

Serena turned towards Werond again, this time uninterrupted; in the dim light, Serena almost missed the blush that had creeped into Werond’s face.

“I swear,” she said, fighting to keep a straight face. “I come back for not even ten minutes, and he’s back to his usual self. I don’t know why I pay him.”

“I like him!” Serena signed.

“Of course, you do darling, he’s not talking about you.” Werond sighed. “Well, can’t say I didn’t miss it. Come on, you’ll probably like the kitchen.”

The remaining tour of Werond’s house turned out exciting, if predictable. Every inch of the place displayed a living far above the paygrade of a teamster. Serena had trouble shoving the questions out of her mind as Graham showed off the upper floor of the house, laid out exclusively for the bedrooms. Every bit of furniture and decoration seemed more expensive than the last, and Serena couldn’t fathom where Werond had gotten the money.

Only three bedrooms were laid out however, three free beds among them, excluding Werond’s room, each one furnished with beds and couches and desks that Serena had never seen before. And as Pavel and Jo fought with one another on who would be forced to share a room with Cruck’aa, Werond had leaned into Serena’s ear, and whispered that she’d still planned on them sleeping together.

Her blushed refused to leave.

Now, they waited, Jo leaning against the front door in the foyer, the rest of them standing around her; Werond had refused to go back out in public with her clothes that she’d been wearing the entire trip and insisted that they wait for her to throw on something ‘better’.

Graham had taken off the moment they’d felt comfortable. He’d only boughten food for himself while he watched the house for Werond, and as soon as they were settled, he’d sped off towards the night markets. Cruck’aa was the most displeased by the news, as he wanted nothing more than to sit down, eat, and turn in for the night. It had taken everyone, Werond included, to convince him to accompany them to the tavern.

“How long do we plan on staying here, by the way.” Jo asked, tapping her palms against the door. “I mean in Waterdeep, if we’re still worried about the cult.”

“Oh, I am still worried.” Pavel said. “I just…I’m not sure what to do. I realized when we were at Woodbridge today, we never remembered to have Larion tell us where the hole outside the walls is.”

“Nice one.” Cruck’aa grumbled.

“Well, Larion wasn’t going to tell us either, so it’s his fault too.” Serena signed.

“Yes, and it’s all of our faults for completely forgetting. We should have asked the moment he mentioned it.”

“Hindsight.” Pavel rubbed his face. “First thing we should do is to find that hole in the wall. Shouldn’t be too hard to work backwards from it.”

“Didn’t you mention that the Thieves Guild operates out of it?” Jo asked.

“I did. Hell, that can be the next step, find them and figure out what we can.” Pavel sighed. “Gods, there’s so many things to do, I’m kind of stuck on it all.”

“Just sleep on it then.” Serena signed. “We can figure it out in the morning. Not like they just started using it.”

“Sure, sure.”

A door opened upstairs, and footsteps began to clack from above. Serena glanced behind herself as they reached the stairs, then turned around completely as Werond descended towards them.

She wore a blue, deep V neck tunic, shoulders cut off, tucked into a pair of black, high waisted dress pants, accented by a pair of dark boots with a thick heel. The clothing was a tighter fit than the usual loose articles that Werond had worn, and the sight of her in the warm, flicking lamp light sent a wave of dizziness through Serena.

Her long, dark hair was combed behind her ears, sticking out just a bit; as Werond stepped off the last step and towards Serena, her thick eyelashes and thin layer of dark around her eyes became apparent.

“Well?” Werond asked, pulling a loose strand of hair back behind her ears. “How do I look? Haven’t played with this stuff in forever.”

“Uhm, I, you…” Serena stammered, fingers fumbling. Werond laughed.

“Speechless, I’ll take it!”

“You look nice Werond,” Jo said. “but to be fair, Serena’s probably never seen eyeshadow before.”

“Eye – that stuff around your eyes?!” Serena asked.

“Oh darling,” Werond giggled, fluttering her eyelashes. “We’ll have fun dressing you up. Anyways, thanks for waiting.”

“Yup.” Pavel said. “Where are we going again?”

“Nice little place, called the Yawning Portal. Take a left as soon as you exit the door.”

Jo turned the handle and slid off the door as it opened to the night, a wave of cold air blowing into the house. Pavel was at her heel, with Cruck’aa behind him, leaving after a moment of glaring at Werond.

“Looks a little cold out.” Werond said, stepping next to Serena. “We’d better walk together, just to be safe.”

Before Serena could argue, Werond slipped her arm through hers again, and pulled her through the door, shutting and locking it behind them. They quickly followed the other three, as they stepped through the front gate.

The lampposts that dotted the streets had brightened, casting a brighter glow about the city; despite the hour, there were still many people that walked the streets.

“Uh, I can, uhm,” Serena stammered. “make a little flame, keep us –”

“You really can’t take a hint, huh?” Werond said with a grin.

“What?”

“Nothing. But now that we have a moment,” Werond nodded to Pavel setting the pace for Jo and Cruck’aa. “wanted to say…I know we’re going to relax and have fun, but don’t get too drunk. I need you sober for later.”

“Uhm, why?”

“Well, if I told you, that’d ruin all the fun, right?” Werond sped up, pulling Serena along, her boots clacking against the sidewalk. “Now, hurry up, they’re going to get lost if we don’t lead them.”

Serena nodded as she kept pace, shoving more questions out of her mind.

After some time, though how long, Serena couldn’t tell, they arrived at Werond’s favorite place.

The tavern itself looked nothing as exciting as the Lady Luck did, back in Daggerford; a giant brick of a building, cobbled together from grey stone, was plopped between two other, more interesting looking buildings. At only three stories tall, the tavern’s dull wooden roof looked as though it weathered a thousand seasons, and dirty windows offered no glimpse of anything that might have been inside. A wooden door, hastily shoved into the brick, sat off center and above it, swinging lazily in the breeze, hung an iron plague with the words THE YAWNING PORTAL etched across it.

Despite her best efforts, Serena couldn’t help but deflate a little.

Werond glanced at her, then smiled.

“What, sad already?” She asked. “You haven’t seen the inside yet.”

“Oh, I know, and I’m sure it’s lovely. I just…didn’t think –”

“This place looks awful!” Cruck’aa squawked; he drew stares from bystanders as he turned around. “Werond, this place better be good. I probably could have eaten better out of the gutter.”

Pavel smacked the Aarakocra upside the head.

“I’m really not in the mood, I’m sure it’s fine Cruck’aa.”

“Did you – ?!” Cruck’aa began.

“I did. Now,” Pavel gestured towards the door as Jo flung it open. “get into the damn pub, I’m hungry.”

Cruck’aa grumbled and rubbed his head, but followed Jo as she walked in, Pavel soon after.

“Isn’t he just a bundle of joy?” Werond sighed. “Oh well, doesn’t matter, come on.”

“Yeah, I’m sure this place is lovely!” Serena signed, as they walked over. “Don’t listen to him.”

“I try not to darling.”

Serena raised her hands, still looking at Werond, who shook her head, and gestured forwards as they walked through the door.

Instantly, Serena’s eyes snapped to the massive open well in the center of the tavern; made of stone, it stood half as tall as she did, and wide enough to fit an entire wagon through it. Pale light flickered from deep within, washing the patrons around the well in a white glow, clashing wildly with the otherwise warm candlelight that illuminated the tavern.

As Serena stepped further in, she realized how deceiving the outside had been. Just as large as the Lady Luck, the Yawning Portal was packed with large circle tables, laid out on the stone floor in a half circle, all facing the well. Each table was crammed to capacity, each person, be they human, elf, dwarf, Tiefling, or half-orc, armed to the teeth in arms and armor, swords and shields, staves and bows. Every one of them tore into the towering plates of food on their tables, plates stacked high with cooked meats, steamed vegetables, and everything in between, including massive tankards of beer and ale that dominated each table. Serving maids, dressed in low cut tunics and dirty aprons, went around dodging groping hands, as they delivered food and drink alike.

Shoved against the walls lay a plethora of private booths, all occupied, and directly across from where they stood in the doorway, a massive stone orc head, mouth open as though it was screaming, sat with a roaring fire in its throat. The flames burned brightly yet the tavern remained comfortably warm, though the smell of sweat still clung to the air.

“Werond!” A voice from the bar, tucked into the farthest corner of the room, somehow shouted over the din. “Werond!”

Serena poked her head around Pavel and Jo, both standing and staring, Cruck’aa hiding behind them; a tall man at the bar, white tunic and leather vest somehow looking pristine, matched only by his handlebar mustache, waved over the forms of hunched patrons.

“Durnan!” Werond yelled from behind her; she grabbed Serena and Cruck’aa and pushed them through Jo and Pavel. “Go to the bar! We’ll get a table in a second!”

Cruck’aa turned and glared but followed them as they wove their way through the crowds; as they did, Serena glanced up and almost stopped in her tracks.

Hidden from view by the door, the tavern extended up the remaining three stories; the top two floors were built with a giant hole that looked directly down the well, allowing those closest to the balconies to peer into its depths, or at the merriment below. Many patrons already leaned against the railing, yelling, and jeering at one another from across, down below, and up above them, the cacophony of their voices sounding like earlier that day. Occasionally, a mug would slip from a fist, and go hurdling down into the well.

“Oh, you brought friends!” Durnan said as they reached the bar; a large wooden circle hung on the ceiling over him, a legion of candles illuminating Durnan in a warm glow, reflecting off his balding head. “Well, welcome to the Yawning Portal!” he bellowed; the patrons at the bar all cheered and smashed their tankards against the hardwood countertop. “Haven’t seen you folks around here before! And it’s not every day Werond brings friends over here!”

“Durnan!” Werond yelled, as laughter erupted from the bar.

“Right, right, sorry! You’re looking nice too, by the way! Now,” he clapped his hands. “You all looking for a place to sit down? Table or bar?”

“Table!” Cruck’aa spat before anyone could speak.

“Right, table for the birdman!” Durnan turned towards the crowds behind them; he leaned forward and gripped the edge of the bar, muscles rippling in his arms. “Oi!” He shouted; the storm of conversation died down slightly, as almost the entire tavern turned towards him. “I need a table for an honored guest! First to get the fuck out eats free tomorrow!”

The scraping of chairs against stone echoed throughout the tavern as a legion of tables fought to stand up first. Durnan yelled and pointed towards a group nearest to the front door.

“I saw you first!” He bellowed over the renewed shouting. “Verena and Autumn’s table gets it! You come in tomorrow and dinners on the house!”

Durnan turned back to them and grinned.

“Best damn policy I’ve ever made. Give the ladies a moment to wipe it all down, shouldn’t take more than a second. Eating or drinking tonight?”

“Both. And I’ll be footing the tab.” Werond replied.

“Works for me!” Durnan pointed towards the now empty table. “Well, have a seat and I’ll be over in a moment!”

“Werond, you know we can pay for ourselves, right?” Jo said, as they turned around and wove their way back through the crowds. “You don’t need to pay for it all.”

“Yeah,” Pavel followed up. “This place looks pricy any –”

“I have a discount, a real one, don’t worry.” Werond waved a hand. “And consider this a thank you for getting me back to Waterdeep. Seriously, don’t mention it.”

Somehow, the serving maids had cleared the table in a flash, not a trace of the former patron’s food or drink left behind. Werond pulled out the chair nearest to her and gestured for Serena to sit, as everyone else filed around the table.

“Thanks!” Serena signed as Werond pushed her in. “What’s the food here like? Is it good?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be taking you all here if it wasn’t!” Werond said, sliding into a chair next to her. “Gods, I just realized how easy it is for you to talk in these places, you sound completely fine in my head.”

“It comes with downsides though. Hold my hands and I can’t speak.”

“True.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t find a way around that,” Cruck’aa said beside her. “what, with all that teaching you had.”

Serena scowled; as she raised her hands to respond, Durnan came swaggering over, five mugs of ale held in one hand.

“Alright, first rounds on us!” He shouted, slamming a tankard in front of everyone.

“Huh?” Werond looked at him, bewildered. “I never get drinks on the house, not after last time. You miss me that much Durnan?”

“Oh no, quite the opposite in fact.” He chuckled. Durnan’s face grew serious, and he leaned in. “Actually, and I apologize if this brings up old wounds, but news travels fast in Waterdeep. Heard about your caravan coming in, and all that happened to it. I can’t begin to imagine how all you are feeling after all that, so I won’t. The least I can do is give you an endless tap tonight, for bringing one of my favorite patrons back. Drink to everyone on that caravan for me. I’ll do the same after I get off work.”

Pavel’s eyes grew hard and he lowered his head and stared into his mug. Beside him, Jo did the same. Her chest tight, Serena quickly followed suit; truth be told, she hadn’t given it much thought since arriving in the city that day, and part of her felt guilty for only just remembering. Werond laid a hand on her shoulder, offering a sympathetic look, as she too looked down. Durnan followed suit, as a small bubble of silence descended on their table.

Cruck’aa turned away from it all.

After a moment, Pavel grabbed his mug and drained half of it in one giant gulp, before slamming it back down on the table, startling everyone.

“Right!” He bellowed. “No more feeling sorry for ourselves! Back in my old regiment, whenever we made it out of something, the sergeants held a feast for those who died! I say we do the same!” He turned to Durnan. “What do you got to eat in a place like this?”

“Oi, that’s the spirit!” Durnan yanked a pad of parchment out from one of his pant pockets and pulled a pencil from behind his ear. “Name something off, we probably have it!”

“Roast pig!” Pavel shouted. “Make sure it has an apple stuffed in its mouth!”

Durnan nodded and scribbled on the parchment.

“Cooked bell peppers.” Werond said.

Durnan nodded and scribbled on the parchment.

“The apple in the pigs mouth.” Cruck’aa said flatly.

“Grilled or regular?” Durnan asked.

“Regular.”

Durnan nodded and scribbled on the parchment.

“Half a sheep leg?” Serena signed.

Durnan eyed her a moment, before he nodded, and scribbled on the parchment.

“Mashed potatoes!” Jo exclaimed.

Pavel shot a look at her as Durnan nodded and scribbled on the parchment.

“Alright!” he said. “Lot on here, let me get the cooks all fired up and get this out for all you. And if you need anything else, hop back over to the bar, I’ll take care of it myself!”

Durnan nodded once more, before turning on his heel, and marching back to the bar, cutting through the crowds with ease.

“Half a sheep leg?” Werond asked, shooting a puzzled look at Serena. She shifted in her seat.

“Ned always cooked that for special occasions.” She mumbled.

“Oh, that’s fine. I just didn’t expect you to be a sheep girl.”

“Well, it tastes good!”

“Hey Werond,” Jo said, leaning onto the table. “you come here a lot? Must have done something for the owner to call you his favorite patron.”

“How’d you know he’s the owner?” Werond asked.

“Oh, come on, a man that walks like that? He owns the place.”

“One way to put it. I just come here a lot, that’s all. And uh…as you probably heard from Graham and Durnan, I don’t have a lot of friends I can bring with me.”

“See, and that’s weird,” Serena signed. “because you’re so outgoing and nice! I’m sure they’re just joking, right?”

Werond laughed and picked her mug up. “Oh, don’t I wish, darling.”

“You know what else we need? A good story! I don’t think I’ve ever told you all about the pig story from my old outfit, have I?” Pavel said, leaning forward on the table. “Because it’s pretty good!”

“Oh gods, Pavel,” Cruck’aa said, rolling his eyes. “no one wants to hear –”

“I want to.” Jo and Werond said together. Serena nodded in agreement.

Cruck’aa grumbled and leaned back in his chair.

Just as Pavel began to launch into his story, Serena picked up her mug and raised it for a sip. As she did, Werond reached out and laid a hand on her arm, stopping her.

“Just a reminder,” she said, leaning in. “don’t get too drunk please. I want you sober.”

Serena’s heart fluttered.

“Why?” she signed with one hand.

“You’ll see.” Werond replied with a wink.