Author's Note: I can't keep any fanfiction going for any length of time. Once it has plot, it dies. So, I just want to warn you that any updates will be slow, but hopefully will happen. I have more written, I'm just not sure if I like it. Please, review and let me know where you think this should go.

A/N 2: This fanfiction is after Road of the Patriarch and does contain spoilers, I'm sure. However, because of this it is also obviously not tied to my other fanfictions as of yet.

Dislaimer: Recognizable characters are of the Forgotten Realms and WOTC, Ed Greenwood, R.A. Salvatore, and Elaine Cunningham. I am not getting paid for this.

Just three days ago he had lost. Just about a month ago he had truly possessed a friend once more.

His eyes were watering. He'd done it intending the best, but this time it had not come out the best. Artemis had played his hand, had chosen his course, but what should have been a win-win situation had merely resulted in loss.

Jarlaxle gazed out of the window and sighed sadly. After Artemis had left he and Athrogate and left the small shack in the poor district in favor of a decent inn.

"Artemis," he whispered softly. His eyes continued to water, refusing to yield to whatever logic he gave.

Athrogate had proven surprisingly sympathetic to the situation and had left Jarlaxle alone since they had arrived. Jarlaxle was grateful for it. He needed to be alone at least as much as he was sure Artemis did.

Had Artemis thrown himself off a roof? Or was he just back to square one? Had he learned anything? Had Jarlaxle really learned anything?

His stomach growled and Jarlaxle blinked, some water spilling from his eyes. It was the first time he had even really noticed his hunger in the two days spent locked in his room. He had barely even eaten dinner the night before that, the night that he lost.

NO! It was not just the night that Jarlaxle had lost. It had been the night that Artemis's mother had been avenged, and when Artemis Entreri had died. Jarlaxle just hoped that at least Artemis was alive.

He had not expected Idala's Flute to be so fast in shaping his friend. He had not expected Callihye's attack on Artemis. He had not anticipated anything he should have, had not even come to an understanding with the person he was influencing!

Jarlaxle's eyes were watering. Then, they became tears. The sun was setting over the sea, but he was in no mood to admire the beauty.
How could he have been so stupid?

There was a slight scratching sound by the door and he slowly turned to regard it. Someone was at the door and it looked as though they were slipping something under it.

Cautiously, Jarlaxle stood and prepared a dagger to throw. No one had disturbed him in his two days of uncharacteristic moping, why would they now?

After was seemed like hours, a piece of parchment was slid under the door and the shadow moved away. The parchment had been very carefully arranged so that Jarlaxle could practically read it from where he was. Just the script of it told him that it was from Gromph.

Jarlaxle lowered his arm and went over to pick it up. It was a long letter and there was probably going to be some on the back. Did he want to read it?

It would be nice to hear from Mehnzobrazzen, without having to face telling anyone about what had happened.

He decided against even considering how Gromph had gotten it sent to him. There were some things, as he'd just been reminded of, that one did not want to know or remember.
So he simply began to read:

To Jarlaxle:

It is rare for me to talk to you, much less for me to write you a letter. There were some things though that I thought Kimmuriel might not know or feel the need to report, but that were undoubtedly important to you. He may know your story, but that does not mean he knows your life.

Svrick's health has improved greatly. Once more he is excitable, suspicious, intelligent, stupid, wise, quick, annoying, and insane. He sends his thanks for what you did through me.

Valas Hune has gone off into the Underdark once more in a near desperate attempt to leave Mehnzobrazzen, and Quenthel, while things return to normal.

The same event which caused this, which we are now referring to as the War of the Spider Queen, had had some other impacts. Some have been small had some have been of a bit more consequence.

Pharaun Mizzyrm is dead.

Jarlaxle smirked somewhat. Gromph had never liked Pharaun and Jarlaxle could just see the Archmage smiling as he wrote those words.

He died in the Demonweb Pits with Jeggred.

Quenthel refuses to say more about the matter, merely that everything that happened was by the will of the Spider Queen. She seems somewhat put off.

Much of this you have already known, but there are some new things which I can nearly guarantee Kimmuriel does not know about.

Lolth made the Demonweb Pits truly her own when she separated it from the rest of the Abyss. Selvetarm is the only one allowed to dwell with her at the moment. Svrick has informed me that all of the other deities were forced to move. Vheraun now dwells in the plane of shadows with the one who watches over thieves' shoulders.

He has not been able to tell me what happened to the other deities. However, I suspect that it is a similar story.

Mithral Hall is being overrun with orcs. From what I can decipher it is a bit more serious than they think, and has to do with Gruumsh. There are bets being placed over what will happen.

Jarlaxle shook his head in some confusion. Was this Gromph's lovely subtle brick method in play or was it something altogether different? He turned the parchment over and glared at the signature for a moment. This letter was not by the Archmage of Mehnzobrazzen.

Jarlaxle seemed to flare up and stormed out into the hallway. There was someone who needed at least something thrown at him. Unfortunately, and expectedly, the hallway was empty. He sighed and went back in his room for his eye patch and hat.

If he was implying that Mithral Hall might fall, and that it would be stupid to go in…well then, Jarlaxle would just have to go in.

He almost felt sorry for Gromph as he headed downstairs to talk with Athrogate. The poor Archmage was bound to hear about this one!