“So, how do you know he bears this blessing from Sune?” Mistale challenged Tessele as she settled into one of the chairs which she had turned to face the self-professed heartwarder. “Surely you’ve felt it,” Tessele exclaimed, eyeing Coran with the hungry look of predatory cat stalking her prey, “the magnetism… the draw to be with him. I felt it so strongly that it was hard to concentrate on my performance. Which is why I sought you out.” Then she turned her eyes to Mistale and quired; “Didn’t you say that beautiful woman… how did you put it… ‘tumble into his company’”? “Yes I did,” the beautiful half-elven bard admitted, “and yes they do. Just yesterday we were guests at the temple of Eilistraee in the Velarswood, where we had escorted one of their priestess home from a pilgrimage, and the others there couldn’t keep their hands off him. A few days prior to that we met a ranger by the Cold Fields who became enamored with him overnight, not to mention the daughter of the Dark Maiden who we were escorting, who apparently confessed to her high priestess that she was considering abandoning her duties at the temple to remain in his company… and all this was just in the last ten-day.” Then she paused for a deep breath to steel herself before she admitted with a heavy sigh; “I’ve more than willingly shared his bed every night we’ve traveled together, both when we first met a few years ago and now.” “What more proof do you need,” Tessele announced, turning her eyes from Mistale to Coran. “You have to admit that Lady Firehair has given you a great blessing. So, what has the Moonmaiden done to secure you faith?” “It was the lure of her mysteries that lead me from the school and out onto the open road,” Coran countered defensively, but his voice was tainted with doubt. “If not for that, I’d still be cloistered there like the other monks and wouldn’t have met any of those beautiful women, had any of the adventures I have or learned any of the things that have lead me along the path to enlightenment.” “Really,” Tessele smirked knowingly, “are you sure it wasn’t the passion instilled in you by Sune for learning those things that would lead you closer to the enlightenment you seek that lured you away from that sanctuary?” Recognizing the logic in her argument, Coran dropped down to perch on the edge of the table, questioning the very foundation of his motivations for the first time in his life. Had it really been a desire inspired by Sune that he had been following all these years? He was passionate about life and embracing all its delightful and beautiful variety, but he had always viewed the world as an endless series of mysteries to be explored and deciphered. Had he been mistaken in his philosophy all this time. Sensing his inner conflict, Mistale took his hand in hers supportively and suggested; “This isn’t a decision you can’t take lightly… maybe you should sleep on it and consider all the repercussions afresh tomorrow?” “She’s right,” Tessele agreed in a compassionate tone, “you should consider your choice carefully… but also bear in mind that choosing one patron deity over another doesn’t mean abandoning all others, just because you declare yourself for Sune doesn’t mean you cannot still seek Selune’s guidance.” Nodded his head in agreement, he confessed with a heavy sigh; “You’re right, I should sleep on it.” Then he looked up to let his eyes roam over the gorgeous red-head’s nearly naked magnificent body, before glancing toward Mistale for her consent, as a sly smile spread across his face, and smirked; “So, that begs the question, will you be joining us?” “If that’s an invitation,” she cooed with a wicked grin, “I could hardly refuse… considering that it is obviously Sune’s will… not to mention that I have been fighting the draw of her blessing since I first saw you in the tavern!”