Chapter 4

After a long week of traveling, they had finally reached the Luskan border. The sun was going down and everybody felt it would be best to make camp while still in Neverwinter territory. Natheran was so tired by now that she didn't care, and all she wanted was to just go to sleep and not think about why they were out here. But, she couldn't stop her thoughts from going back to the cause of this latest jaunt.

Waking up in the middle of the night to the sounds of fighting, she had barely had time to grab her sword before her door crashed open and a githyanki had charged at her. "Kalach-cha," he hissed as he swung his blade at her head which she barely managed to block. The clash of their swords had brought her fully awake and not long after the creature collapsed with her blade buried in his chest. Grabbing her shield, she wrenched her sword free and ran out of her room to find more of them in the halls. Quickly dispatching them, she ran to the common room and saw even more of them fighting with her companions. Without hesitation, she plunged right into the fight and lost herself in the fury of battle. After several long minutes the fighting stopped and she stood still trying to catch her breath. Just as she had managed to calm her racing heart, she saw her uncle come running down the stairs, and his next words set her heart to racing all over again.

"That lass Shandra has been taken," yelled Duncan. "How in the hells did those githyanki get into the city?"

"Does it matter, you'd best hurry if you want to get her back," Bishop retorted as he leaned down to look at the corpses. "One of them has a sprig of Duskwood in his boot. That means they came from deep within Luskan and that is where they'll be returning to."

"Luskan? That's your territory Bishop," Duncan said sharply. "You'd be able to track them down easily."

"Yeah but it's not my problem. I'm not going into Luskan for some stupid farmgirl, and certainly not with any "kin" of yours Duncan," he sneered.

"How about in exchange for your worthless hide ranger?" Natheran snarled at him. He was such an ass, she thought, but if he knew the area she could use his help.

"Is that what passes for a threat from a Harboman?" Bishop retorted, sounding amused. "Like I said not my problem."

"You'll help them whether you like it or not Bishop," stated Duncan in a threatening tone.

Natheran saw the man's back stiffen and an ugly look entered his eyes. If she didn't know better, she would have said it was hatred, but he was supposedly Duncan's friend so that didn't make sense, did it?

"Calling it due are you Duncan? Are you sure?" Bishop growled menacingly as he stalked forward toward's the inn keeper.

"A woman's life is at stake, and if that's what it takes to make you do the right thing, so be it!" Duncan nodded firmly, returning the other man's glare.

"Fine! It'll be worth it to just be rid of you. You always were a drunken fool," he sneered. "All right everyone, grab your things and let's go. Follow my lead and don't do anything stupid or you'll get us all killed," commanded Bishop, heading for the door.

"I give the orders around here, I say when we leave not you," Natheran snapped at him, which caused him to come to a dead stop right in front of her. As they stood glaring at each other, she realized that he was slightly taller than she was and that was saying something. As an Aasimar, she was taller than other women and many men as well. The only other person she had needed to look up to was Casavir. Looking in his eyes she saw an almost feral gleam in them as he raked her up and down with his gaze.

"You're alot like your "uncle," calling shots, giving orders. That kind of behavior will get you killed," he sneered at her. "Don't keep me waiting too long, I might just change my mind." With that, he turned and left the inn slamming the door behind him. Dead silence filled the room and everyone looked at her, waiting for her to tell them what to do. Taking several deep breaths she tried to calm herself. Suddenly she became aware of a pain in her side, and looking down she saw a tear in her shirt. Lifting it up she realized she had a long scratch running across her waist. Well, she hadn't had time to put on her armor so she shouldn't be surprised she'd gotten cut. Actually it amazed her that she didn't have any other wounds. However, before she could move to heal it, Casavir spoke up.

"You're hurt," Casavir said as he came over to her side and placed his hand upon the wound whispering the words of a prayer. His touch made her skin grow warm and her breathing quickened. She felt the pain ease and he was pulling away from her. As he did she looked into his eyes and suddenly couldn't look away. There was a softness there as he looked at her. She felt herself flush at the thoughts going through her head. She wanted to feel the touch of his hand on her again and wondered what it would be like to kiss him. He quickly moved away from her and she tried to gather her composure. She saw Neeshka watching her with an amused smirk on her face and quickly turned away.

"All right, we don't have time to waste. Everyone get your gear packed up and gather all the healing and food supplies you can. We have to be prepared for anything. We can't count on being able to resupply once we leave," she ordered. Seeing Grobnar about to scamper off she stopped him and told him that he would have to remain behind on this trip. When a look of deep disappointment crossed his face she told him that they would have to move quickly and quietly and he tended to get too distracted at the wrong time. She promised to make it up to him at a later time and smiled when he nodded and then went back to tinkering with his newest mechanical project.

"Hold on a minute lass," Duncan came over to her, keeping his voice low. "Bishop is the best tracker I know and he'll be able to get you in and out of Luskan safely. But his interests are his own and he only sticks around for as long as your gold or his debt to you lasts. Watch your back."

"I thought you said he was your friend uncle," Natheran puzzled. "You don't make it sound like he is." She was really confused now.

"Like I said, I trust him far enough in this matter, but no farther," Duncan replied, not meeting her gaze. "Just watch your back, okay?" He saw Natheran nod at him before going to her room to get ready. He hated having to expose her to the man but knew she would never make it into Luskan and back without him.

Natheran tried to make sense of everything Duncan had said and Bishop had done, but ended up just confusing herself even more. As she put on her armor she remembered the look of hate in the ranger's eyes and shivered a little. Going to the mirror she worked on her hair, pinning it up so it wouldn't get in the way, and then stared at her reflection for a moment. The ranger was trouble, she could sense the malevolence in him, something that Merring had told her all paladin's could sense. She would just as soon not deal with the man, but she needed to save Shandra, and her chances of doing that were better with his help than without it. She supposed this was a case of doing something for the "greater good", but it still irked her that she would have to be around that jerk. Sighing, she checked once more to make sure she had everything and then went to join her companions.

So now here they were, sitting around the fire, exhausted. Bishop had set a furious pace, and even Khelgar, who so often bragged about the hardiness of dwarves, looked tired. Just two days out of the city Neeshka had complained to her about how fast they were going, and begged her to say something to the ranger. The last thing she wanted to do was have any more contact with the man than was absolutely necessary, but she figured that Neeshka would pester her until she did. When she inquired about the pace he was setting he said he was trying to close the gap between them and the githyanki, unless of course she didn't care if they got the girl back in one piece or not. She had dropped the subject then and there, but what disturbed her the most was that he didn't seem to care if Shandra lived or died. She just couldn't understand how someone could be that cold and callous.

She leaned back against the tree she was under and wrapped her cloak about her. Bishop had decided to take first watch, and before she could say anything Khelgar had claimed the second watch and Casavir the third. She decided not to contest their decisions for she was too tired, and figured she might as well try to get some sleep. She had gotten used to sleeping in her armor some time ago, but it still wasn't comfortable and she always ached when she first awoke. Neeshka was already fast asleep on her right side and Khelgar had settled down on her left. It was almost like they were trying to protect her, but from what or whom? She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.