Chapter One

Rune ran across the tree branch and leapt to the next one. She was traveling fast and the thought of slowing down had not occurred to her yet. Her lungs and heart were string as were her limbs. Graceful as a cat she made her way through the trees out of sight and mind of those below her all accept two travelers. A human and a drow and even they couldn't truly say that something was following them. In all actuality she wasn't following them, merely traveling in the same direction at that time.

Artemis Entrari glanced up into the trees for what seemed to be the hundredth time. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed and disliked it. Even his horse was uneasy.

Jarlaxle on the other hand was very much at ease. He walked along, leading his horse, contentedly humming a tune, and looking around at the different plants and insets that surrounded him. A light jingle accompanied his movements due to the bangles and rings he wore. Noticing that his companion was continuously looking up into the trees and glancing about with a look of irritation he decided to inquire of his friend as to what was bothering him, "What has you so on edge my friend, is the day not beautiful by human standards?" He asked in his usual light offhanded manner.

"Nothing…I just have a funny feeling," Artemis replied irritated, "I can't seem to shake the idea that someone is shadowing us."

Jarlaxle nodded thoughtfully, "Hmm, I suppose it is possible, but why worry about it?" Jarlaxle queried seemingly unconcerned with the matter when in all actuality it stirred his thoughts.

Night was falling and they scouted out an area and made camp for the night. Artemis sat at the base of a tree on his bed roll puffing on his pipe and watching the trees. Jarlaxle sat on the other side of the fire in the shadow of a tree his wide brimmed purple velvet hat tilted down shadowing his face and smoking a spiced tobacco. He felt more comfortable at night without the glaring sun, which hurt his sensitive eyes.

Rune unknowingly had stopped above the camp of the human and the drow and was working on weaving some branches together to form a sort of hammock to sleep in for the night. This took some time considering she needed to use strong sturdy branches to hold her weight and vines strong enough to tie the branches together.

The two sat in silence enjoying the sounds of the night. Artemis began to doze and had gotten into a more comfortable position. Jarlaxle fell into his own thoughts of as to what had been bother his friend. What could it be? It could be someone from the village we just came through… but they would have remained on the ground. Maybe it is just a large cat that was stalking us from above… His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rushing leaves and cracking branches. Out of instinct he threw a dagger towards the sound barley missing Artemis, who suddenly sat bolt upright with his dagger drawn. A mass of branches, vines and leaves crashed to the ground just a few feet from the fire. A grunt came from within the mass and Jarlaxle and Artemis went over cautiously to investigate. They cut away the vines and broke away the branches to find much to their surprise a female drow.

"Why are you following us?" Artemis asked holding the dagger to her throat. The female only glared at him through gritted teeth.

"Very well, have it your way," Artemis said and prepared to plunge his dagger right through the female's heart, but Jarlaxle stayed his hand.

"Calm yourself, my friend. I'm sure there is an explanation," he said gesturing for his partner to calm down.

"Fine then you can deal with her," Artemis said sheathing his dagger roughly and going back and sitting down.

Jarlaxle grunted at his friend's antics and narrowed his eyes momentarily, then proceeded to help get the woman untangled from the vines and branches. He offered her his hand to help her up, but she refused and got up on her own favoring her right leg. Once upright her hands began moving in the intricate drow language. Jarlaxle held his hands up as a gesture for her to stop and wait.

"Do come and sit down and you can explain everything to me," Jarlaxle said cordially and gestured with a sweep of his arm to where he had been sitting. He spoke more for Artemis's sake than for theirs. Forgive my associate. He can be a bit on the touchy side, he added in the silent drow language. Helping her to the fireside Jarlaxle sat down facing the woman and they began to talk.

What is your name? Jarlaxle asked.

Rune, and I was not following you. I was merely traveling in the same direction. Sense when did that become a crime? Rune asked her hands and fingers seemed to fly through the patterns that formed the words and phrases.

Calm yourself, calm yourself, let me explain, Jarlaxle signed and reached out and tried to still her hands.

Rune pushed his hands away, NO! Since when did falling out of a tree become probable cause to kill someone? She demanded her eyes flaring up.

Take it easy, Jarlaxle signed back, My associate and I aren't use to running across friendly people much less drow out in the open, Jarlaxle explained.

But you are a drow yourself," Rune shot back.

That is correct, but I have left the Underdark and we travel together as companions, Jarlaxle explained then proceeded, Anyways we have learned that to be on the defensive will keep you alive a lot longer than to go around greeting people and passing out daises to all those that we meet.

"USSTAN UIL NAU WAEL, JI XUN NAUT PLYNN USSA IZIL USS! (I am no fool, so do not take me as one)," Rune said audible to express her displeasure.

Artemis jumped at the sudden outburst and glared at her for disturbing his rest. He couldn't deny that she was pretty, but knew how to handle herself. None the less he was still irritated, because he still didn't know why she was here. That was unsettling to him.

Rune glared right back at him without fear and Jarlaxle gestured to him dismissively. He gave a gesture of apology to Rune and continued speaking with her, So what caused you to fall from the trees?

"I was traveling in the tree tops to stay away from confrontations like this. It also poses a welcome challenge. Once you get use to it becomes fairly easy. Anyways I fell when several of the lesser branches snapped before I could tie it off to support my weight. That is why I fell," Rune explained using the common surface tongue so that Artemis could understand her and know her reason for falling into their camp.

"I see, but that does not explain why you were following us," Jarlaxle replied off handedly.

"I wasn't following you just traveling in the same direction. I was hoping to get ahead of you then go west," Rune said conclusively.

"See just like I told you, there was a reasonable explanation," Jarlaxle said to Artemis.

"Yeah, sure, now get rid of her," he growled.

Rune glared at him and began to attempt to leave, but yelled out in pain as soon as she tried to move her leg. She had no intension on staying where she was not wanted. In fact she didn't want company to begin with. Though she had to admit that the drow was charming and very handsome.

Jarlaxle was at her side in an instant easing her back down to the ground. His eyes flared up angrily for a moment then dimmed back down, "I will do nothing of the sort," Jarlaxle said forcefully, "You know as well as I do that she won't make it on that broken leg."

"Fine have it your way, but she is your responsibility, but the first town we come to she goes," Artemis said and turned over.

Jarlaxle shook his head in irritation and moved Rune over onto his blanket and straitened her leg out. He removed his gloves and took out his knife "I hope you will forgive me for this?" He said gripping the hem of her pant leg. Rune stared at him unsure of what he meant until, in one swift movement slit he pant leg all the way up to near the hip. She drew in a sharp breath part in surprise and part for his lack of modesty as he looked over her leg. He then set her leg strait popping the joint in her knee back into place. She twitched and gave a whimper from the pain, but did not cry out. With gentle hands he ran his hands up and down her leg relishing the smoothness of her obsidian black skin as he searched for any further injury. His fingers trailing over minor cuts and bruises and through small trails of blood. He took a wand out of his pack, "this will help to heal the surface wounds," he said waving it over the cuts and bruises making the disappear. Then he put that one back and took out a different one, "This one will heal your leg, but I'm sad to say that you will be put through some pain before the magic is done working," he explained. Rune only nodded and he waved the wand over the major injury chanting softly then put it back into his pack. Rune sat quietly not yet feeling the effects. She suddenly felt a sharp stabbing pain in her knee and groaned. That groan turned into a shout and Jarlaxle was once again at her side. He put and arm around her and allowed her to grip his hand to help bear the pain. She leaned against his broad chest and took comfort at his gentle touch. The pain soon began to dissipate and she was able to relax a little. Once she had relaxed her grip Jarlaxle sewed her pant leg back up, "your leg will still feel tender and you may have trouble walking on it, but that is to be expected," he informed her. She nodded tiredly and yawned. Jarlaxle soon finished and sat down next to her then eased her back so that her head rested in his lap. Rune tensed for a moment a little uncomfortable, "Wait a minute…" She began to protest, but Jarlaxle shushed her.

"Shhh, relax, I'll take care of you," he said caressing her forehead and using his most soothing and reassuring tone. She relaxed and soon drifted off to sleep with him watching over her and the camp.

Despite being a rogue drow and tough as nails she was a woman. Even though she was a drow she was not your typical drow in the sense that she was a power hungry female. Instead she was perfectly happy following a male and taking orders from one. She viewed them as equals not inferiors. Not being raised in the Underdark, but on the surface in an adoptive family. As soon as she was old enough she struck out on her own. She had been shunned by society since the beginning so living a life of solitude was nothing new to her. So meeting a stranger and striking up a friendly conversation wasn't something she was good at and upon meeting Jarlaxle she was quite confused and didn't know what to do. She like him right away, but she told herself that was only because he had stopped Artemis from killing her, but deep down she really did like him.