(OOC: Everyone. This will be the last posts where all of Steve's characters shall be found. I am taking the initiative and formally retiring his characters. Everyone is allowed to add their farewells. Please do so, for I know this is what Steve would have wanted. Thanks everyone. Oh, and if I missed any of his characters, please add them into your posts. I'll make the final post, after everyone has had a chance to say their goodbyes to the characters. Again, thanks.)
They knew that this would be their last time together. Gathering in the tavern, Marsala and Diedra came to spend their last few moments together. Having already said his goodbyes to his children, and giving each a gift to remember him by, he took his wife with him to the walk the path that brought them together and then lead her to the tavern to share one last drink. He looked upon her and smiled.
"You know. It doesn't matter if death comes, I'll always love you and always look upon you and my love will always be with you. That I promise you."
Diedra looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. Deep within her, she knew that she would never see her husband again. Something scary said that he was always going to watch over her, but she would never hold him again. They stood close to each other, and just remained quiet. Then Diedra looked into Marsala's eyes. She smiled sadly, and hugged him close.
"I don't care what happens to you. I will always love you. I will always hold you in my heart, and one day we shall be together again. If not in this plain, than in the next. I promise you this."
She kissed him deeply, knowing that this was one of the last kisses she would ever have from him. She looked into his eyes, and a tear fell down her cheek. She would soon begin to prepare a spot for him next to his sister, where he asked to be buried. She looked at him, and then stood and took a seat at the bar.
Soon, Avon walked into the tavern, looking around. Marsala called to him, and Avon came to join them. Avon looked at Diedra and knew that she knew what was going to happen. He nodded to her.
"Don't worry Diedra. It's an honor to be called, even though sometimes it seems as if I have none, but I promise you, I'll watch out for him, until the very end. I promise you this."
Diedra nodded, the tears streaming down her face. She looked out to the door, expecting the others to come shortly.
Phoebe and Morpheus walked into the bar. Phoebe looked toward the group forming at the bar. She sighed and looked up to Morpheus. She stopped him just before they reached the group and whispered to him.
"You know you don't have to do this. You can back away any time you want. You are not bound by ties of having to honor what you do as they are. You don't have to go."
Morpheus looked at her and smiled sadly. He leaned down and kissed her gently.
"Phebes, you know I love you, but I need to do one thing that brings honor to my name. I've been killing people for money for years, but I think that now is the time for me to do something right. And if it means that I'll die in the process, so be it. It's the right thing to do."
Phoebe pouted, but nodded. She knew what he said was the truth, and she knew that no matter what, the tie that they had would never be broken. She nodded and walked over to the group, resigned and ready to lose the love of her life to the honor that he was searching for. She looked at Diedra, and smiled. She sat next to her, and watched as the rest arrived.
Jericho stood from the corner of the tavern, already finishing his eighth flaggon of the evening. He walked over to the group, nodding to all the ones there. They all looked at him surprised to see him there. He looked at them and gave them a cocky smile.
"What? Don't look so surprised to see me. I may not have had the balls to be a father, but I know when to take the flag and run with it. It's our time men. Let's drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will all be dead. And I don't care. I've left my son in the able hands of this lovely lady, and I know everything will be fine. So drink up men."
He took a gulp of his drink, finishing it off and he ordered another. Jarlosh looked at him and nodded, letting them know that the drinks tonight would be on the house for all of them.
Sirius and Anastasia walked into the tavern. They looked solemn, knowing that both of them would not ever be here again. They quietly remembered when they first came into the town of Elmshade, how they had spent time in the tavern. And now they would spend their last time in Elmshade at the tavern. They walked over to the group that was forming, and just looked at all the others, knowing that their time on this plain was soon to be over, and hoping to enjoy the time. Anastasia smiled to Diedra, thinking that this was quite a woman to give up the love of her life. Anastasia would die next to her husband, for she was link to his soul, and she would never be able to live without him.
They all stood around talking and chatting, drinking and enjoying each other's company. One seemed to be missing from the group, but no one noticed as a cloaked figure entered the tavern. Tremont made his way towards the group, quietly. He ordered a blood wine from the bar, and stood near the group, just listening. Vampires weren't up for being part of the group, but he knew that if he didn't come, someone would have found him, and stabbed him the heart before long. Being killed in battle would be more delicious that anything he could imagine.
It seemed that everyone that was of the group was now there. Diedra hoped that the others would come and say their goodbyes to the group. She knew in her gut that they wouldn't be back, and she hoped that everyone else would trust her and come to say their goodbyes. She sighed, and waited, just trying to enjoy her last moment with the group.
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She slipped into the tavern that evening with barely a whisper to give her presence away. Before she entered, she noted a tall, dark haired man go in ahead of her. Orion, she thought. The one that all the undead called Ashante. The vampire hunter. 
Siannodell did as she was bade and paused in the doorway, looking around at all the fine men who graced Elmshade's only tavern and Inn. She smiled with sadness at the women and sat down at the bar, asking Jarlosh for a mug of his strongest ale. The hefty barkeep raised one of his shaggy eyebrows at her, blinked in surprise and then did as she asked, sliding the foaming mug to her with a reserved look of caution. "It's okay, Jarlosh," she said with a quiet smile. "Mielikki won't strike you down for giving an old woman some comfort this evening. I promise."