The Shardbearer's Birthday

NOTE: This is weeks after Raven's visit to West Harbor

Raven groaned as she forced herself out of bed. She looked at herself in the mirror. She starred back at her reflection. Her black hair looked as if it was in a tornado. Oh well… she thought. Raven's eyes were yellow and her skin would be flawless except for the scars on her body. She rubbed the one on her left breast, close to the heart, where the shard lays. It's flashed a light blue glow in response. Ever since her fight with Zeeriare, it seemed to glow every once in a while. Her skin was pale when she left West Harbor but now it seemed to be a light tannish. Her voice elegant but a little deeper than normal human women, like Shandra. But then she wasn't human… she was teifling. She was packed with muscles and skinnier than everyone else. Her clothes black. She enjoys the color of black and blended in with shade better that way, even if it make the "nobles" glare at her and speak of how "unlady-like" it was. She had a right, lower lip piercing and a left eyebrow piercing. Her skin had some tattoos on it. Demonic wings on her back, the words "Bite me" on her neck along with vampire marks above it, a small pentagram around her belly-button ,and just random marks and writings covering her right arm. She didn't care what she looked like and just pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans with lace all the way down both thighs and a tight black belly shirt that she wore almost every day. She pulled on her black leather boots that had 5 throwing daggers and one hidden dagger in each. She loved her knifes.

She walked and gazed through the small crack to the door to the Sunken Flagan's bar. Every one was standing around a table with a cake in the center.

"I made it when I recovered." Shandra said to Casavir. Black frosting with blood red and pure white roses where on the cake. It was surrounded with wrapped presents of different sizes.

"Are you sure it's even safe? Don't want everyone to get sick from you." Bishop said from the behind the crowd, he sat with his feet on the table and a tankered of ale in his right hand. He wore brown boots, greenish-brown trousers, a white shirt, with a black leather vest over it, and leather gauntlets Raven crafted for him.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Shandra scowled at him. Her armor gleaming in the candle light.

Bishop made a snorting noise and said. "Whatever but I'm not eating it first!"

"Silence, Bishop." Casavir said. "Shandra worked hard on making and hiding this cake, have a little faith."

"You're eating it first then and we'll see how you do in a couple of minutes." Bishop took a sip of his ale and placed it back on the table.

"So what's the plan when she finally wakes up." Quara said.

"I thought we would surprise her." Shandra said.

"More like she would surprise us." Bishop snorted then took another sip. Annette rubbed against Raven's leg as she looked through the door crack. Annette was Raven's familiar, a black panther with green, intimidating eyes. Raven found her one day in the swamp when she was young and kept her ever since. Raven had an idea.

Shandra looked down at the cake and smiled. It's perfect… She thought. Ever since the trial, Raven and Shandra were close friends, this was something important to Shandra. The door creaked open and every one turned around to scream surprise but only saw Annette walking through the doorway.

"Oh. Blast you, Annette!" Shandra shouted at her.

Shandra then heard to chuckling behind her. She turned to see Raven sitting next to Bishop in the booth.

"Surprise!" She chuckled, mocking them with a scared wavy motion with her arms. Bishop then made the "I told you so" look at her. Raven then seized Bishop's tankered and chugged the whole thing, making an awe noise when she was done, then put it back in Bishop's hand, earning herself a glare from him. "You guys should have seen your faces!" She started laughing and pounding the table with her fist.

"About time you woke up, sleeping beauty!" Quara sassed, angry of how foolish she looked.

"Do you remember the last time someone tried to wake me up?" Raven asked, glancing at Shandra.

"Yah…" Bishop said, rubbing his cheek.

On the day of the trial, Shandra sent Bishop into Raven's room to wake her up, even though Kelgar warned Bishop and Shandra not to. In response to being touched, she instinctively slapped Bishop and it left a red mark for the whole trial. Raven still laughs about it to this day.

She began laughing even more and Shandra blushed in response.

"I made your cake." Shandra said, changing the topic. When Raven finished her laughing fit, she nodded and smirked.

"It looked great." She said.

The others move towards Bishop's table along with the cake and presents. Raven grabbed the first one to catch her eye. It wasn't wrapped; it was a dagger in a sheath that was neatly made with no designs on it. The hilt was black with golden vines and designs upon it. A black feather had been tied to it and dangled and danced as Raven moved it to inspect it. She pulled it out and made every one slightly jump. The dagger's metal was a dark purple, obviously made of dark steel, and had the name "Raven" engraved on the lower, more closely to the hilt on it. She smiled, it was unique. Kelgar cleared his throat.

"I made that for you." He said.

"Thanks, Kelgar, it's very neat." She gave him a light kiss on the forehead and grabbed the next gift. It was a white bow, unstrung at the moment, with Black curves all over it. It was made of Duskwood, she could tell by how light it was and knew only one person who makes bows here. She turn to make eye contact with Bishop.

"Nice, Bishop." She said. He just sat there, looking at her. They held gazes for a moment when Shandra cleared her throat. Raven snapped out of it. She laid it aside and grabbed the next one. It was a small box, covered in velvet. Raven looked at it, then opened it slowly.

Inside revealed a ring. It was silver, with a 4 karat black diamond on it. There was designs of ravens flying around and the name "Raven" was inside of it. It was simple yet precious. She looked up at Casavir, stunned at the great gift. Raven opened her mouth to speak but Bishop spoke first.

"Well now, Casavir, I didn't think you would propose. Not even a dinner at least?" Bishop said with a smug look.

"Silence, Bishop. It's only a-"

"Oh, yes. Right. Right. You're the slow type… you know… the kind that takes his whole life sorting out his feelings for a women."

Before Casavir or Bishop could respond, the door open to reveal a young man. He was sweating badly and looked ready to collapse. He staggered to Raven's table and spoke.

"Raven… Farlong… my… my village… sent me to…" He panted. "We… need help…"

Raven studied the man, obliously this was urgent or he wouldn't be dying right about now.

"Mark the location on my map and I'll see what I can do." She said.

The young man nodded and pointed a small town just a two day travel there.

"Redfell," Raven muttered to herself. She knew that town, it had multiple problems but was made of sturdy people, so whatever the problem is, it must be bad. The young man nodded and gave a smile. "Duncan!" Raven yelled. "Give this young man what he needs… I'm heading out!"

And so the journey begins….