Author's Note: This story was inspired by Mirrabo's Imoen Romance mod. Talon is my creation; all other characters belong to BioWare.


Talon followed Yoshimo through the crowded Bridge District; the Kara-Turan had made good use of the time that the warrior had been bedridden, reacquainting himself with the City of Coin, and he maneuvered them confidently in the direction of the Government District.

"It would be best to begin there," he had told Talon over breakfast that morning. "The Cowled Wizards are headquartered there, as is local law enforcement."

"You're not wanted here for anything, are you?" Talon had asked him with a faint smile that he hoped hid the very real concern underlying the question. The older man had been vague as to his occupation, but it was plain that his skills lay in areas traditionally frowned on by the majority of society.

Yoshimo had returned the smile with a sly one of his own. "That would mean that I had been caught, my friend, and that is something that has not occurred since I was much younger than you!"

Talon glanced around as he walked, alert for trouble. As a child in Candlekeep, cities had seemed to him to be glittering realms of activity and adventure; two years of travel had dispelled all his illusions. Baldur's Gate had been a hive of corruption and intrigue, with the upper classes living comfortably off the backs of the laboring poor, and he had quickly decided that he preferred the smaller towns: Nashkel, or even Beregost. The different class divisions were still present, but the lines were not so starkly drawn, and rarely was there the crushing poverty that was seen in the slums of the cities. The people were friendlier, the taverns places to relax and enjoy the tales and songs of the locals.

The Mithrest Inn had been filled with bustling people, all of them too intent upon their own business to pay any mind to the person at the next table, let alone the droning bard at the back of the common room, whose lackluster delivery made it plain that he knew full well that no one was paying attention to his performance. The overall atmosphere had done nothing to improve Talon's mood, and he was determined to find another place to stay as soon as possible.

Someone in the crowd jostled him, and he dropped his hand instinctively to check his belt pouch, only to realize that he had automatically secured it beneath his tunic, as Khalid had taught him.

Khalid. The weight of loss threatened to crush him, and it was willpower alone that kept him walking behind Yoshimo instead of dropping to his knees and howling his anguish to the skies like a wolf. There had been others that had traveled with him and Imoen; he had parted with some regretfully, others eagerly. Kivan, Branwen, Xzar and Montarron, and many others in the time since he had left Candlekeep, but four had been with them from the beginning. Khalid and Jaheira: an unlikely-seeming pair, but unquestionably devoted to each other and to the promise they had made to Gorion. Jaheira's sharp tongue and acerbic demeanor had daunted him at first, but her criticisms had eased as he had shown himself willing to accept her counsel. She had looked less favorably on Imoen's irrepressible merriment, but the little rogue proved immune to her scathing comments, and the druid had eventually settled into weary resignation…tinged with an affection that she was careful never to display too openly.

Khalid had been as patient and tolerant as his wife was opinionated and abrasive, working tirelessly with Talon, teaching the young warrior not to rely solely on his strength in combat. The stutter that slowed his speech did not extend to his mind; it was he who had provided instruction on the intricacies of tactics and strategy, as well as the importance of vigilance and observation, and knowing how to avoid a fight, as well as win one.

The two half-elves had been their only companions when they had encountered Minsc outside of Nashkel and helped him to rescue Dynaheir from the gnolls that had captured her. The two Rashemi had been as oddly matched as Khalid and Jaheira, though their bond was one of friendship and duty, rather than romance. Minsc, as good-hearted as he was simpleminded, had been the first man Talon had met who exceeded him in height, and he had been an enthusiastic sparring partner, as well as knowing techniques with the two-handed sword that Khalid was unfamiliar with. The massive blade strapped to his back now had been a gift from the ranger.

"Boo says that you have need of a blade to match your skill," Minsc had announced, beaming as he presented the sheathed blade to Talon. "The butts of evil cannot be properly kicked with a blade that breaks!"

Talon did not know whether the hamster had truly helped Minsc select the sword from a smith in Baldur's Gate, but it was a magnificent weapon, simple in appearance, but masterfully crafted: perfectly balanced, razor sharp and enchanted to protect it from the iron rot that plagued the Sword Coast. Reaching a hand over his shoulder as he walked, he touched the hilt of the sword, wrapped in a soft leather that drew sweat away from his hands, as though it were a talisman, the ranger's booming laugh echoing in his memory.

Dynaheir had possessed the regal dignity of a queen, even standing at the bottom of the bone-strewn oubliette where the gnolls had imprisoned her. She had watched the enthusiastic antics of her massive protector with the fond indulgence and occasional impatience of a mother, and this attitude had quickly extended to the two youngsters from Candlekeep. She had taught him to dance, guiding him through the steps of a stately promenade to the accompaniment of Khalid's reed flute and Imoen's giggles, and had begun instructing the girl in the arts of magic after they had killed Sarevok.

He would never have defeated Sarevok Anchev without the aid of Imoen and the others, would likely have never survived the revelation that he was a Bhaalspawn, the brother of the man who had killed Gorion and come perilously close to bringing the whole of the Sword Coast under his domination, had it not been for their support and friendship. They had become his family, all that he had after Gorion's death, and that they could have come so far, done so much together, only to be captured and killed by a total stranger, one whose motives were as unclear as his origins…

I didn't even get the chance to try to save them, he thought miserably, for at least the thousandth time since he and Imoen had stood over the first body. That he had lain in his cage, consumed with his own pain, giving no thought at all to the fate of the comrades who were being tortured and killed, was a knowledge that gnawed at him relentlessly. Only the awareness that Imoen was alive and in danger kept him from simply curling up and waiting to die.

The narrow path of the bridge was overshadowed on both sides by buildings that were built not only up, but out, overhanging the river below to a degree that in some cases seemed outright perilous, and crushed together with only the narrowest of alleyways between.. They passed by vendors advertising their wares in loud voices: produce, meat, trinkets and baubles of every imaginable kind. Despite the fact that it was midmorning, a few whores lingered on the street, offering their own wares; Talon came in for more than his share of such propositions; tall and broad shouldered, with hazel eyes, a comely face and thick, dark brown hair that had grown out from his preferred close crop during his captivity, he was no stranger to female attention, but some of the offers were couched in terms direct enough to make him blush, which of course only served to amuse them and incite even more explicit comments.

Yoshimo glanced back at him in amusement. "Do we need to stop for a few minutes to let you get to know your admirers?"

"No!" Talon's emphatic refusal was accompanied by a shake of his head. In his mind, he could see Jaheira's scowl of disapproval, Dynaheir's expression of dignified disdain, hear Imoen's teasing laugh. These were the things that had kept him from indulging his curiosity about such women in the past, and the memory of them now was an even stronger restraint.

"You are sure?" the smile on the Kara-turan's face faded at Talon's look of bleak determination.

"I'm sure," Talon replied curtly. "Keep going."

They continued on in silence as the road widened at the end of the bridge. As they reached the wall and the arched tunnel that marked the end of the district, Yoshimo spoke at last. "I am sorry, Talon. I spoke without thinking of your loss. Were you…involved with one of them?"

Talon blinked at Yoshimo's delicate phrasing, then shook his head again. "No, it was nothing like that. It's just…" he hesitated, searching for the words to explain. "They were like my family. I don't want to do anything that would disappoint them."

Sorrow flashed briefly across Yoshimo's face and was gone as he nodded. "The desire to honor the fallen is both understandable and admirable, my friend," he said, giving the younger man's shoulder a friendly squeeze, "and I promise you that Imoen will not join them."

There was no way that the thief could make such a guarantee with surety, but the sincerity of his words, the resolution in his voice, comforted Talon nonetheless. He gave the Kara-turan a grateful nod as they passed through the gates of the Government District.

The buildings here were set farther apart: grand structures with neatly landscaped lawns, all surrounding a spacious park with fountains, trees and flowers. Though there were noticeably fewer people, and no evidence of crime, the guards were more numerous, their uniforms and armor in better condition and their attitude more overbearing than the handful of soldiers that Talon had seen in their trek across the Bridge District. One of them eyed the newcomers with open suspicion; Talon returned the look with a level one of his own. Part of him itched for someone – anyone – to take out his pain and frustration on, but he knew that a brawl with the local militia would only hinder their efforts to find Imoen.

"The Council Building," Yoshimo murmured, nodding toward a massive, marble-faced edifice. As they approached, a man clad in wizard's robes reached out a hand, touching Talon lightly on the elbow.

"A moment, if you please," the wizard said, politely but with an unmistakable air of superiority. "You are Talon, son of Gorion, hero of the Sword Coast, are you not?"

Talon eyed him warily. "Yes to the first two," he said, "but the last is open to interpretation."

"No need for modesty," the wizard chuckled. "You are well known to me, or rather, your deeds are well known to those I serve. I am Madeen. I represent one of the masters of the Athkatla order of the Cowled Wizards. He seeks to employ you in a matter of some urgency."

Talon exchanged a glance with Yoshimo, then turned his eyes back to Madeen. "Your order has imprisoned a companion of mine; I came here to speak with them about her release."

Madeen shrugged, his expression plainly declaring such matters beneath his notice. "I do not know anything about that. I represent one of the wizards, as I said, a Master Tolgerias. Perhaps you could speak to him of this companion?"

"It looks as though I'll need to," Talon sighed. If this lackey was so arrogant, it did not bode well for the master. "Where do I find this Tolgerias?"

Madeen frowned. "Master Tolgerias," he replied, stressing the title, "may be found within the Council Building. You may go within, and do not tarry overlong. Master Tolgerias does not like to be kept waiting."

"The gods forbid," Talon muttered under his breath as they moved on, but he knew he could ill afford to antagonize the order by insulting their members.

"Patience, my friend," Yoshimo counseled him as they arrived at the heavy bronze doors. "Console yourself with the knowledge that such sycophants rarely achieve the status that they crave and are doomed to eternal dissatisfaction."

"It'd still be more satisfying for me to tie his beard in a knot," Talon grumbled, though the thief had a good point.

The interior of the Council Building was crowded: armored soldiers, neatly dressed bureaucrats and richly robed wizards, along with a mixture of citizenry seeking audiences with one official or another. A few brief questions directed Talon and Yoshimo to a tall, thin man with neatly trimmed, iron grey hair and beard and pale blue eyes, wearing an elaborately embroidered robe with a deep hood folded neatly over his shoulders and trailing down his back.

"Ah, yes, I see Madeen has proven to be his faithful self, as usual," Tolgerias said, his tone that of one speaking of a favorite hound, "though I rather suspect that you would have located me even without his summons." His eyes watched Talon shrewdly, gauging the reaction to his words.

"Then you already know that your order has my companion, Imoen," Talon replied, keeping his expression controlled. "Where is she?"

"The girl taken along with the wizard?" Tolgerias asked. "They have both been detained in Spellhold, an asylum that the order uses to protect society from the magically deviant."

Talon felt his control slip a notch. "Imoen is no deviant!" he said heatedly, aware of Yoshimo's eyes on him, urging caution.

"She was observed in the unauthorized use of magic, a serious crime here in Athkatla," the wizard informed him. "She was defending herself against the bastard who kidnapped and tortured us, killed our friends!" he exclaimed, his voice beginning to rise in spite of himself.

"They knew nothing of the laws here, my lord," Yoshimo put in placatingly, laying a restraining hand on Talon's shoulder. "They were brought here without their consent or knowledge; surely that would be cause for leniency?"

"Ignorance of the law is no defense," Tolgerias intoned pompously. "It may, however, be considered as a mitigating factor in the matter of sentencing. You have my word that I will make inquiries into the issue. In the meantime," he continued, "if you were to attend to the problem that Madeen referred to, I would be able to argue more effectively that you – and by extension your companion – are indeed law-abiding citizens."

His meaning was not lost on Talon. "I still don't know what that problem is," he said tersely, hating the feeling of coercion, but knowing that the wizard had the advantage in this bargaining.

"It is a matter which must be handled with discretion and expediency," Tolgerias warned him. "There is something that has been plaguing us for more than a week, now, and has become quite alarming. You know of the prevailing attitude against magic here in Amn, yes? Well, amongst some it is even worse than that…a burning, palpable hatred. One particular man here in Athkatla has murdered two of our number in cold blood. He is currently in hiding, and we need you to track the fellow down. We have been unable to do so, much to our frustration. Cowled Wizards cannot be assaulted without repercussions or it will lead to…serious problems."

Meaning that you will no longer be able to snatch the innocent from the street with impunity. The thought came to him in Jaheira's bitingly sarcastic voice, so real that he nearly turned to see where she was. Concealing the sudden wash of pain at the realization that it was simply his memory giving her voice to his thoughts, he asked, "Who is this murderer, and how are we expected to track him down when your order has failed? Why not use the city guard?"

"The order prefers to handle its affairs internally," Tolgerias replied smoothly, but the guarded manner in which his eyes slid over the armored men nearby made it clear that there were tensions between the military and magical branches of the Athkatlan bureaucracy. "His name is Valygar Corthala, last son of a wealthy family and a true brute. He is prepared to defend himself against mages; it is our hope that he will not be expecting a more mundane attack. Ask around and you may discover if he is hiding within the city or someplace else. We know that he has a home in the Docks district, but he has not been seen there in several days. His friends and servants will not speak to us, but they may to you."

"And if we find him?" Talon asked, opting not to point out the obvious inconsistency between the stated desire of the order to handle problems internally and their hiring of outsiders. If Tolgerias thought him a fool, he was willing to indulge the misperception. Khalid had never objected when strangers mistook his stutter as a sign of cowardice; those who marked him as an easy target quickly learned their error, and the warrior had possessed honor enough that the majority of them had survived the experience.

"We do not ask that you commit any murder," the mage assured him. "We wish Valygar be delivered to us, that is all. He will likely resist, so if you must kill him so be it. But if you do kill him, I simply must have his body. Valygar must be delivered to us whether he is dead or alive, you understand, yes?"

"I understand," Talon answered blandly. He understood that there was more to this than bringing a murderer to justice. "And if I make the attempt and do not locate him?"

"Your honest efforts will be taken into account," Tolgerias said, "but, of course, a successful outcome would make it easier for me to argue your case with the rest of the order. In addition, there would be a reward of gold and a few choice magical items upon delivery."

Talon nodded, accepting the blackmail for what it was. "I will make every effort to locate him."

Tolgerias looked pleased. "I have great confidence in you," he said. "Your exploits along the Sword Coast were most noteworthy."

"And probably highly exaggerated by the time word of them reached here," Talon shrugged. The last version that he had heard of the battle with Sarevok had him alone, wielding a blazing sword and casting lightning bolts with his free hand.

"I pride myself on being able to separate myth from substance," Tolgerias replied. "I have no doubt that you are more than up to the task."

As they left the building, Talon muttered, "Why do I have a strong urge for a bath?"

Yoshimo chuckled. "The lowest ranking of government officials make the worst of thieves seem pristine by comparison, and it only worsens as you go up," he said. After a pause, he continued. "We will in all likelihood need allies to better our chances of capturing this man without killing him. Mercenaries may frequently be found in the less expensive taverns and inns, seeking employment. "

Talon hesitated. Part of him rebelled at the notion of replacing his trusted friends with hired blades, but anything that improved his chances of getting Imoen back could not be ignored. "All right," he agreed. "Where should we start?"

"The Copper Coronet in the slums is well known," Yoshimo replied. "There is an arena in the common room where warriors display their skills in fights to first blood."

"Guess we start there, then," Talon decided. "Lead on."