Chapter Text
The walk from Karsus Hall to his office passed in a blur, Gale finding himself standing inside his own space without really remembering how he'd gotten there. He found himself staring at his desk, feeling disoriented as if he had momentarily slipped through time. It was only then that he noticed his hands trembling, so he clenched them into fists and pressed them firmly against his sides.
Mystra had taught his Advanced Arcane Theory class, a subject often overlooked by students of Gale's age, as most of the student body lacked the necessary prerequisites at sixteen.
Gale had only been two weeks into the semester when Professor Mystra extended an invitation to her office -- not unlike the office Gale now called his own -- and told him that he had remarkable talent. It had been quite some time since anyone had deemed Gale remarkable; he was accustomed to being dismissed or seen as a nuisance striving for special attention. Until that moment, his encounters with adults typically consisted of being ignored, him having to push for his advanced placement, persisting until his efforts bore fruit.
In hindsight, Gale recognised grooming for what it was; Mystra slick in her manipulation, her tactics smooth and calculated. Within three months, she had managed to lure Gale into her bed, all the while allowing him to believe the entire affair was his idea.
The last time he'd seen Mystra was nearly ten years ago, his condition finally stabilised enough to confront her about the disastrously failed ritual. He was still grappling with the lingering pain in his chest and hung up on the woman who would, within the hour, shatter his heart into pieces. At that time, he hadn't fully grasped the entirety of her actions and their impact on him. It took years for him to piece together the fragments, gradually coming to recognise Mystra for who she really was.
And now, she was coming to Blackstaff, quite possibly unaware of Gale's presence as a teacher here -- though even if she did know, it was doubtful she would care. Gale released a steady exhale, unclenching his fists, and strode over to his desk.
His office was one of the bigger ones on the third floor, with a window behind his desk offering a view of a broad canal. Gale liked the space -- enjoyed the occasional sea breeze that drifted in, breaking the silence with its soothing white noise. Shrugging out of his coat, unnecessary now with the change in weather, he casually draped it over the back of his chair. The chair itself, a sturdy yet vintage wooden piece with burgundy cushioning, emitted an ominous creak as he settled into it. Despite its age, it provided excellent support for his knees. Just as he had gotten comfortable, Lae’zel appeared in the doorway.
She entered, carrying the day's mail gathered from Gale's mail slot downstairs, and placed it neatly on his desk before taking a seat in one of the two chairs that faced his desk. Two bookshelves leaned against the far wall, both brimming with books. Despite it only being his first semester as a professor here, the space was already cluttered with paperwork and various personal items.
"Is there anything I can do?" Lae’zel asked. She didn't say much, but when she did it was as though each word was carefully selected, designed to cut to the heart of the matter. Lae’zel seemed acutely aware of the power of language. It was one of the qualities Gale admired about her so much.
"Don’t worry about it. Just some bad news," he said, flipping through his mail. A pale blue envelope from the department drew his attention. Undoubtedly this was the invitation Tav was talking about.
Lae’zel, still observing him intently, nodded knowingly.
Considering his options, Gale hesitated. He hated to ask, knowing Lae’zel wasn't particularly fond of lecturing, but the alternative was cancelling his early afternoon class. Given his current state, he didn't feel capable of teaching right now.
“There might be one thing,” he began, pausing briefly. "Could you take over my Critical Enchantment Methods course this afternoon?" he asked.
Lae’zel nodded, showing no signs of being perturbed by the request. It was unclear whether she genuinely didn't mind teaching, her determination to keep the classes running smoothly overriding any personal preferences, or if she simply wanted to do Gale a favour. Uncertain of her motivation, Gale nodded his thanks nonetheless.
He was still toying with the envelope. He slid out the invitation and stared at it. Despite expecting it, it was still startling to see Mystra's name in bold blue lettering.
Gale lifted his gaze and noticed the attentive scrutiny in Lae’zel's eyes. He recognised that she was waiting for him to confide in her.
Lae’zel wouldn't be the first person Gale had told about Mystra outside of his family; he had confided in one or two mind healers and a select few friends over the years. In those early days, after Gale had pieced together his role in Mystra's life and her role in his, talking about it with someone not connected to the incident had genuinely helped. It had certainly put things into context.
Gale felt like he needed some of that context now.
The second mind healer he ever opened up to had suggested that his fixation -- though he was fairly certain she had wanted to use the word "obsession" -- with Mystra came from never fully processing his father leaving him. Gale supposed there was some truth to that notion. He had briefly mentioned his father to both mind healers he had seen over the years, but the topic always seemed to pale in comparison to Mystra, which, come to think of it, likely revealed a lot about him.
Gale's memories of his father were faint, scattered fragments that made it difficult to piece together a narrative. It was simply easier to focus on his life after -- he remembered the other parts of his life with sharp clarity -- rather than attempt to unravel his early years.
But Lae’zel didn't know about his parents, or any of it.
He picked up a quill to underline Mystra’s name on the list of names and silently pushed the invitation across the desk to her. She accepted it gingerly.
After she read the invitation, Lae’zel set it down on the desk in front of her. She laced her fingers together and gave Gale a searching look.
"Tell me how you know Mystra of Netheril," she prompted.
Gale reclined in his chair, exhaling a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.
"She was my teacher. Our relationship turned sexual when I was sixteen," he said, sounding detached even to his own ears.
Lae’zel, likely anticipating avoidance at first, displayed a momentary flicker of surprise before composing herself.
"So you were in school," she remarked. Gale shook his head.
"I had already started my academic studies. While most begin around eighteen or nineteen, I had completed my schooling early. She introduced me to the advanced manipulation of magical energies."
"How long did this relationship last?" Lae’zel inquired, her tone tinged with… was that hesitation?
"Until I was around twenty or so." Gale had once held onto the hopeful notion that after his graduation, together they would carve out a life. “She enlisted my help in a consuming project, which then left me injured for over a year without any communication from her. When I finally confronted her about it, I discovered her in her office with another boy, likely one of her first-year students. She asked me if I really thought she'd wait for me."
She did not ask him how it made him feel, a gesture for which Gale felt immensely grateful, given he always found it uncomfortable in the past. Instead she looked him directly in the eye and said, "Your anger is justified."
Of course, he knew deep down that his anger had a solid basis, but hearing someone actually acknowledge it out loud had a distinct impact. It was like a weight he hadn't even realised was there suddenly lifted off his chest, making him feel lighter. He responded with a nod.
Gale silently hoped that Lae’zel wouldn't push him to escalate the matter to the Blackstaff, even though he understood it might be the right course of action -- but he couldn't conceive stepping forward and making the admission. The entire thing still filled him with shame.
After a moment, Lae’zel continued, "It's your choice whether you pursue legal recourse. Remember that what she did was wrong. You are not at fault here."
No, thought Gale, but that does not mean I am innocent either.
✧˚ · .
As Tav ventured deeper into the garden, she felt tendrils of her plants reach towards her; one brushed her cheek, as if expressing affection. Originally, Jaheira had predominantly clustered their plants and experiments in the western corner of the greenhouse, while their storage area occupied the eastern side. However, their attempt at organisation was short-lived as Tav began leaving pots of plants scattered everywhere, abandoning any semblance of order.
She wandered through the shelves of supplies, searching for the exact ingredient Halsin had requested just two minutes earlier. The list of ingredients he gave her for the day’s session was long and exhaustive; making her realise, again, how growing the plants was just a small part of the potion making process. Finally locating what he needed, she reached for the bottles on the shelf beside her and pulled down two of them.
As she did so, she leaned over a giant pot of Belladonna she had nurtured during her first year under Jaheira. The plant seemed to reach out for her forlornly, if a plant could be forlorn, before settling back into its pot.
Tav looked at the plant fondly for a second longer, then gathered the bottles Halsin required, cradling them carefully in her arms as she made her way towards him. The air was thick with the earthy scent of soil, always a comforting aroma. Across the room, Halsin was hunched over a magnifying glass, engrossed in his own work.
She approached his workstation and set down the bottles beside him, their contents glimmering in the soft light filtering through the glass panes of the greenhouse. He glanced up, gratitude written on his features as he locked eyes with her.
"Thank you, Tav," he murmured appreciatively, before turning to scribble a note in one of the journals he had opened in front of him. Tav returned to her own spot at the table.
She sat above her own notebook about herbology on her left, a copy of Echoes of M borrowed from the academy library to her right, and an additional notebook opened beside it for jotting down her analysis of each poem. She got started on analysing the third poem of the day, time which she should have been dedicating to experimentation alongside Halsin.
They’d started on their research into the combination of liferoot and starbloom, but Halsin understood that Tav also had other matters on her mind. He was easily her favourite person to work with. He knew her well enough to forgive the occasional distraction. Besides, unlike many of their peers at the academy, Tav had spent most of the summer locked away in the greenhouse to experiment.
She drummed her fingers against the countertop, her elbow propped on the table, hand nestled between her ear and neck as she continued reading the piece called Alone by the sea . When she finished reading, she glanced up, eyes full of excitement as she looked over to him. "Oh, Halsin, you must hear this one!"
Seashore at twilight, her absence keen,
She's left my world, forever unseen.
She's left my world, forever unseen.
On the old bed, she left a flower's grace,
With tears I stroke the spot, a cold embrace,
With tears I stroke the spot, a cold embrace.
Still, the room holds her scent, a cherished dance,
Joyful dancing waves beneath, in a lively prance,
Joyful dancing waves beneath, in a lively prance.
Somewhere a beacon flares through the distance –
"Come to me, love," the sea sings in persistence,
"Come to me, love," the sea sings in persistence.
I listen to the fiercely singing sea
Upon the ageing bed, where dreams flow free,
Upon the ageing bed, where dreams flow free.
She loved me here and gave me all she had –
But never again sings the sea of a past that’s clad,
But never again sings the sea of a past that’s clad.
The painful contrast between love and distance. The atmosphere of twilight and the beauty of the sea. She couldn’t get enough of it.
She was vaguely aware of the frown pulling at Halsin’s mouth as he watched her, and offered him an apologetic smile. Perhaps he was starting to get a little annoyed…
He'd been keen to get started when she had turned up this morning, but instead of working, Tav had spent the bulk of her time analysing poems in a bid to understand Gale better.
"Sorry about that," she said as she made it back over to where Halsin was working.
"So I assume you have not made your move yet?" he asked as he turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
Tav laughed. Halsin understood Gale was the first person to thoroughly attract her attention like this in a very long time -- perhaps ever. She needed the day she asked the question to be perfect. Though, if she were honest, had Gale given her his immediate attention that first day, he'd probably have ended up as just another fling. If there was one thing Tav appreciated, it was a challenge.
"I can't risk it all on a dumb question. He's stunning, and he gets really passionate when he lectures -- the way he gestures with those perfect hands of his and the enthusiasm in his voice when he goes 'yes, yes' when someone gets something right, like he’s in bed.." she trailed off.
Halsin interrupted, his face flushing. "Please, spare me the details. I regret asking." She stopped. It was an amusing sight, Halsin having turned bright red. Tav had forgotten how much he did not want to hear about her love life.
“Why don't you just ask Wyll when his office hours are?" He prompted. He'd turned back to his magnifying glass and was determinedly not looking in Tav’s direction.
Tav froze. "Office hours? Oh, Halsin, you are brilliant. I could kiss you."
The magnifying glass tumbled from his hand with such speed that Halsin nearly shattered it. Hastily, he leaned over the stool he was sitting on, reaching down to retrieve the fallen object before it could suffer any damage from the hard floor. His expression, stuck somewhere between embarrassment and a deep blush, grew conciliatory as he lifted his hands in a defensive gesture. "I believe you should reserve that for Dekarios," he said. Tav laughed.
"I will refrain from smooching you on one condition." Halsin arched an eyebrow. "Loan me your journal?" Despite Tav’s lack of attention until that moment, she still wanted to stay engaged with everything they were working on.
His face changed, bemused. "Ah, it seems I've finally managed to capture your attention this afternoon, if only for a brief moment," He reached for his satchel propped next to the table, took out a leather-bound notebook and began turning the pages with a practised hand. "Very well, consider it on loan for the day."
After he handed it to Tav, she began flipping through his journal. She couldn't help but notice a pattern scattered among Halsin’s notes; sketches of the same brown bear adorned the margins, sometimes accompanied by small descriptions remarking on the freshness of a lush patch of grass or the refreshing coolness of a nearby stream.
"Halsin," she began tentatively, "This brown bear you keep drawing on the margins… it’s not one of your magical creatures, is it?”
His gaze softened with a hint of nostalgia as he regarded her. "Ah, that," he murmured, a wistful smile pulling at the corners of his lips. "It’s a remnant of a past life, a time when my pursuits were not solely confined to the academy.”
Intrigued, Tav leaned in closer, eager to hear more of his story. "A past life?"
He paused, looking at Tav thoughtfully. "You see, I've lived for over three centuries, and in that time, I've explored many different paths. It was during those wanderings that I sought refuge with a group of druids a few years before I started working here; and during my time there I witnessed their unwavering dedication to the preservation and protection of the land. It made me realise that I want to share the study and care of the natural world with others. The bear represents the most profound connection with nature that I had experienced in the druid grove, a connection that lingers in my dreams to this day. In my sleep, I become that bear, and my senses come alive with the sights and sounds of the forest.”
Motioning towards the greenhouse around them, he continued, "This place is where I found my true calling. It's where science and magic come together to study the wonders of the natural world." A thoughtful smile dusted his lips. "But, you know, I actually considered pursuing healer training first, as a result."
Tav nodded, absorbing his words. She realised that Halsin's journey was more than just academic. "I bet you would have made an excellent healer. But this suits you just as well," she remarked, a question suddenly surfacing in her thoughts. "Hold on. Do you really turn into a bear when you sleep?" she inquired, her eyebrows raising.
Halsin's gaze met hers, and she could see the mirth in his eyes. "Only metaphorically," he explained, "It's a connection to the wildness that lingers within me. I don't physically transform into a bear.”
Tav's mind raced with questions, her fascination with her colleague's hidden depths growing with each passing moment. "What is it like?" she decided to ask.
Halsin considered her question for a moment, his gaze distant. "It's... freeing," he began slowly, his words coming haltingly as he struggled to find the right description. "To shed the confines of my human form and embrace the primal instincts of the bear... it's like rediscovering a part of myself that I had long forgotten.”
Tav listened intently. She chose to remain in a thoughtful silence, allowing his words to linger in the air. In moments when conversations turned deeper than she was used to, she often found herself running short on topics, not possessing an abundance of personal anecdotes to share.
"You know, you never told me how you ended up in academia either," Halsin remarked, his voice gentle yet probing.
Her expression flickered with a mix of emotions, memories of her past stirring within her. "It's... not exactly a glamorous tale," she admitted, her tone tinged with a hint of reluctance. "I don't even know where to begin if I'm honest.”
Halsin's brow furrowed inquisitively as he leaned in closer. “Start from the earliest point you can remember,” he suggested.
“I suppose you could say it all started with a name,” she sighed, "Tav is not my actual name. It's not like I can go around using the first name I actually remember being called," she explained, a faint edge of bitterness creeping into her voice. “Both of my parents managed to get themselves killed before I was old enough for what they were actually calling me to stick… I was eventually found by a group of nomads,” — they called themselves nomads, but who were, upon reflection, probably bandits -- “before I could die of exposure. They... they named me Gustav.”
Tav didn’t know it was possible for Halsin’s eyebrows to shoot up to his hairline. Gradually, his features softened into an expression of sympathy as he listened.
"They didn't know about my gender until hours later when I had to be changed," Tav continued, her words coming out in a rush as though she couldn't bear to dwell on the memories for too long. "But by then, the name had already stuck.”
And so she grew up with a group of probably-bandits, that sometimes took and sometimes tricked, and she was raised to trick travellers into thinking she was one of them to prepare the way for an ambush, making distractions and diversions, giving out false names to confuse the rumours and doing whatever it takes to survive.
"I... I fell into a bad way growing up," Tav confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "The group I was with, they settled in Baldur's Gate after a few years of wandering, and I found myself adrift and desperate. Banditry, alcoholism, potions abuse... I... I'm not proud of it."
Halsin reached out, his hand resting gently on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort and support. "You've come a long way since then.”
She glanced up at him, a flicker of gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you, but it doesn’t end there. I... I tried to pickpocket someone. Someone I shouldn't have." Tav took a deep breath, steeling herself to continue. "It was Jaheira," she admitted, "I thought I could make a quick score, but... but she caught me."
Halsin listened in silence, his expression unreadable as he waited for her to finish.
"And instead of turning me in or punishing me, she... she took me under her wing," she said, her voice growing softer with each word. "She saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself. She saw potential. And... and she changed my life."
"That would explain why you're so particular about not being called 'Miss Tav'," Halsin quipped in an attempt to lighten the mood, his tone gentle and teasing. "I can only imagine the headache it must be dealing with paperwork without a surname."
"You have no idea," she replied with a soft laugh, grateful for the moment of levity. She moved back towards the garden, eyeing a row of herbs with her usual confidence back in place after that brief vulnerability, and added, "If you ever want to go down to the Dragon for a pint, just let me know. Wyll and the others are regulars there too."
Halsin blinked in surprise, then nodded.”That sounds great."
"The Gods know," she said, "we could all stand to get out of the academy and away from the students now and again. For sanity's sake."
✧˚ · .
"Gale! Come in, come in! And where’s Tara – oh, there she is! Come on in before you all catch a chill!” Morena's welcome greeted them as they arrived at his mother’s house for dinner on Friday evening.
After his talk with Lae’zel left him feeling particularly wrung out, Gale craved nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep for days. He suspected that would likely be unwise (he still had lectures on his plate), so instead, seeking comfort, he arranged to have dinner with his family at his childhood home. It wasn't often they managed to set up such gatherings, given his typically busy schedule.
Gale noted the lack of any noticeable chill in the air; he had no idea what she was talking about. Tara darted inside ahead of him, making a beeline for a small bowl of fresh fish waiting for her in the kitchen. Gale followed, navigating the crowded hallway cluttered with an excess of decorations, feeling a bit awkward. Morena planted kisses on each of his cheeks before leading them through to the kitchen.
Elara closed the book she was reading as she heard him approach and stood up to greet him. "So nice to see you, Gale! Journey all right?" she asked warmly as he pulled her into a brief hug.
"Yes, it was fine. The autumn chill hasn't quite set in yet," he replied, reaching out for one of the lemon biscuits she always baked so perfectly.
Returning his smile, Elara noticed him already enjoying one of her treats. "Why don’t you go get seated? The peppers should be ready any minute, so dinner is pretty much ready now."
Gale opened the bag he had brought along. "Here, I bought garlic bread," he said, retrieving the item wrapped in cloth. "It’s still warm and freshly sliced."
Without needing any prompting, Gale took the garlic bread to the table as Elara busied herself with a teapot. Sinking into a thatched chair, he observed Morena picking up a plate and a pair of tongs. "Fantastic! We're having stuffed peppers and coleslaw, so the garlic bread will complement it perfectly, sweetheart," his mother exclaimed.
Elara turned back to the table. “Anyone want something to drink?”
Gale silently extended his cup towards her, indicating he'd like some soothing tea. As she poured drinks, Morena retrieved a set of ceramic plates from the top shelf in the cupboard, ready to start plating the coleslaw. Meanwhile, Elara turned to take the peppers out of the oven.
Once every plate looked just about ready, they took their seats on one side of the table, facing Gale who sat on the opposite side. Tara settled herself on a cushioned stool at the head of the table, with Gale on one side and Morena on the other. With everything set, they finally dug into their meals.
Elara had a few bites of her coleslaw before she cleared her throat and gestured at him with her fork. “How's everything at the academy?”
He almost choked on a forkful of pepper. It went down roughly before he could manage an answer. “It’s... going fine. I'm just glad to be back at work.”
Elara hummed and took a sip of her tea. “According to Morena, your invitation to come have dinner with us tonight was a bit sudden. Not that I'm complaining, it's lovely having you here, Gale. But has anything happened for there to be a reason for the impromptu visit?”
He wasn’t very prepared for them to ask him this kind of question, so he took a moment to swallow his bite of stuffed pepper before responding in a relaxed tone. “I took Mother's comments on Brightswords seriously. I'll make an effort to visit more often.”
Morena watched him carefully as he spoke, her maternal instincts probably picking up on the underlying unease in his voice he didn’t mean to let slip. Despite his attempt at brushing off the question, she sensed that something else was troubling him.
Setting down her fork, she reached out to gently place her hand on his. "Gale, sweetheart," she began softly, "I know you well enough to see when something's on your mind. You can't fool your old mother. What's really bothering you?"
“Um –” he started going red in the face and he dropped his gaze. Tara jumped off of her stool to curl around his ankles as he took a deep breath in and out through his nose.
Elara nods encouragingly. “Yes, darling?”
"It's Mystra," he admitted quietly. "She's coming to Waterdeep."
Hazel eyes widened, and every drop of coloured drained from her face in the space of a breath.
“Her? Here in Waterdeep?" Morena exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief and knocking over the fork as she did, “That certainly explains the mood you’re in.”
“My gods, tell me when to give up the Weave and pick up a crossbow,” Tara commented from beneath the table.
Elara glanced between them, confusion evident in her expression.
Morena reached out, placing her other hand on Elara’s elbow and leaned in to quietly explain, “Mystra was Gale’s teacher, the one I mentioned...”
Understanding dawned on Elara, her eyes widening before she schooled her features into a more neutral expression.
Gale swallowed, his face solemn. "She's been invited to the Magic department’s anniversary. It's... unexpected."
Elara's brow furrowed in concern as she exchanged a glance with Morena. "Do you have to attend the anniversary event?" she asked gently.
He mulled the question over. "As a professor, it's expected," he admitted reluctantly. "But with Mystra's presence... I'm not sure."
"Perhaps there's a way to avoid being there," Morena suggested, her mind already set on finding a solution. "Is there someone you could delegate your responsibilities to for the day?"
Gale nodded. "I could speak to some of my colleagues," he mused, thinking of Wyll Ravengard for a second. "Maybe they could cover for me."
He couldn’t really say he’d formed close bonds in the department yet. Most of his interactions with many of his colleagues were limited to "good mornings" and "take cares" as they passed each other in the hallway. However, there was one exception -- Wyll Ravengard.
Since Brightswords, Wyll had made an effort to engage in small talk with Gale whenever they crossed paths, whether it was venting about students struggling with simple spells or complimenting Gale's choice of purple sweaters. He was a friendly and affable man, someone Gale was beginning to consider a friend, even.
"It's worth a try," Elara chimed in, her voice filled with encouragement. "There's bound to be a solution without having to see her at all."
Tara leaped into Gale's lap, curled up and began purring softly. “There's always the crossbow as a last resort,” she remarked with a note of finality. They chuckled softly at that.
Gale released the tension from his muscles, breathing a sigh of relief and squeezed his mother’s hand once before letting go to pick up his fork then pet Tara. Was it odd that he felt like telling them was almost too easy? He had anticipated not being able to get any of it out at all , especially considering how heavily the news had weighed on him throughout the day and leading up to dinner. It was a bit unexpected, but he certainly wasn't complaining. Everyone seemed to be breathing easier now, and that made the conversation start to flow into what turned out to be a very pleasant dinner.
After he’d finished eating, he leaned back in his chair. With a loud and very happy sigh, he placed a hand on his satisfied stomach. “Well, after that feast, I think I'm set for the next week.”
“I'm not surprised,” Morena remarked, resting her cheek on her fist with a playful twinkle in her eye. She gave Gale the same amused look she used to give him when he inadvertently levitated her vases instead of his toys. “You ate two full plates.”
Elara simply shrugged, offering Gale's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she collected his plate and headed back to the sink. “Hey, he needs to keep up his strength after everything he eats.”
That was just one of the many reasons why he loved Elara so much.
Once he felt like he could move without upsetting his stomach, he got up to go help clean. Thankfully, there weren't too many pots and pans to clean, and Elara had finished rinsing their plates already. While she took up the drying cloth, Gale got elbow deep in the sink to finish everything else. Half of the pots required a good soak before they could be scrubbed clean, so he moved onto the ones that could be cleaned right away.
As Gale finished washing the last pan he could manage at the moment, he glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Hmm, I should probably be heading back,” he remarked, a note of reluctance in his voice. “I still have a stack of assignments waiting to be graded.” He retrieved his coat which had been slung around the back of the chair.
“Come, sweetheart,” Morena pulled him into a hug outside of the kitchen with a smile. “I filled a metal tin with some leftover stuffed pepper to take home.”
Of course she did. Gale embraced her tightly, hard enough to lift her off the ground slightly. He couldn't fathom what life would be like without her. After planting a big kiss on her cheek, he gently set her down and made his way to the table to retrieve his bag, containing the metal tin of leftovers.
He next gave Elara a hug before they followed him to the door to say their goodbyes.
Even as he walked down the road after Tara -- who’d run off to find dessert -- Gale couldn't shake the warm feeling spreading through his chest, a sensation he always experienced after spending time with his family. They were some of his favourite people in the world, and he wouldn't trade them for anything. Few others could evoke such a profound sense of contentment within him. In fact, the list of people who could was more or less comprised entirely of family.
He wandered around for a bit after that, mostly because was not entirely sure what to do with himself. He could always head back home, but he wasn't in the mood to grade yet, and if he stayed in the neighbourhood long enough, he could probably catch Tara returning from her little hunting trip and they could walk back together. Gale supposed a walk around the Castle Ward would do him some good until then.
As he rounded a corner, absentmindedly kicking a pebble, he happened to glance up and catch sight of a familiar figure. For a moment he was too stunned to do anything but stare, Tav being the last person he'd expected to see. She was coming out of a stationer, two books clutched in her hand -- and Gale knew the shop, went there often, because they always had the best selection of rare texts. Tav was headed in the opposite direction he was, and before Gale quite knew what he was doing he was following.
She was obviously heading somewhere with a purpose -- and Gods, she navigated the streets of Waterdeep like she did the halls of the academy, as if every inch of space belonged solely to her, as if the entire city existed for her alone. He hadn’t seen such assuredness in a student, a trait rarely seen in someone so young.
By all rights, Tav should still be figuring herself out, exploring what she liked or didn't like. Gale, like most, certainly still grappled with self-discovery. Tav, however, seemed to have it all figured out, as if she were the master of her own domain.
Gale couldn't help but be a little bit impressed.
At the same time it was oddly alarming. The only other person he had encountered with such undeniable charisma was Mystra, and the comparison troubled him. Tav was nothing like her, yet she wore her skin with the same confidence which left him unsettled.
At a crossing, Tav paused. Gale, overwhelmed by a sudden surge of panic, found himself ducking behind a nearby vendor -- a foolish move, given that the posts supporting the canvas roof did little to conceal his whereabouts. A litany of what the hell am I doing? ran through his head even as his heart stuttered -- the cursed weight on his chest growing heavier.
Was he really stalking one of his students? What in the Hells was wrong with him?
Clearly he should have brought Tav up with Lae’zel. She would’ve knocked some sense into him.
It wasn't the least bit surprising to glance up and find Tav staring at him, her eyes wide and a soft smile gracing her face. Gale cursed under his breath, torn between acknowledging her and simply bolting away -- he really, really wanted to run.
However, he remained frozen in place, watching as she closed the distance between them.
"Are you following me?" Tav asked when she got to the side of vendor. She sounded more than a little delighted. Gale wasn't entirely certain what to make of that.
"Um..." There were a dozen ways he could answer that, but he suspected that any attempt to fabricate a response would likely be futile. Instead, he opted for a shrug, unable to formulate a suitable answer.
Tav beamed at him.
It was a really good look on the kid.
"In that case, you can at least buy me a pastry," she said.
And this was not good.
This was really not good, because not only did he want to buy her a pastry, but he rather wanted to invite Tav home with him.
There was something about seeing her alone on the street, outside of a school setting, that made Gale realise just how tempting that sounded.
"I can't," he said, although it took a great deal of effort to do so. "I'm waiting on my companion, and then we have plans."
The urge to run was back again, though mostly because Tav's expression had turned crestfallen and Gale wanted to do everything in his power to change it.
He was really not used to reacting to a student this way. It just didn't happen.
"Well, some other time then," she said, still sounding disappointed. She glanced over her shoulder. "You know, this is the second time I've seen you in this end of town. You must live nearby."
"A couple of blocks," Gale said without really thinking about it. No matter how much his conscience shouted at him, there was an inherent ease in conversing with her. He found himself unwilling to let the conversation end.
At least he managed to stop himself from asking if Tav lived in the neighbourhood as well -- it stood to reason, given their chance encounters -- but it was but it really wasn't his place to pry where his students lived. Tav, who appeared ready to pose another question or steer their surprisingly non-awkward conversation in a new direction, suddenly halted. It took Gale a moment to realise it was because someone from behind had called his name.
He glanced over his shoulder, spotting Tara who looked equal parts exasperated and delighted. She'd reached Gale's side before she registered he was talking to Tav.
"Oh, who might this lovely lady be?" Tara asked in a curious tone.
Not for the first time in Gale's life, he rather wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Instead he cut off anything Tav might have said -- or worse, anything Tara might have said.
“Well, we should get going then. I'll see you on Thursday, Miss Tav," Gale said, ignoring her startled confusion. He also paid no heed to Tara's indignant grumbling as he picked her up and started carrying her in the opposite direction from where Tav had been walking.
Gale very purposely didn't look back, even after Tav called out, "Thursday, then," as if they had just arranged a date.