The convoy had taken them almost all the way to Baldur's Gate before taking the wrong fork in the road that apparently twisted around forests and city alike, heading north towards Waterdeep. Had Coran not been paying attention to their location, they may well have ended up many miles north of their destination and facing off against some unhappy caravan drivers.
Eldoth had proven to be a very sociable man. A bard, by profession, he'd offered to play them a tune on his lute several times, only to have Coran remind them all that the driver would, more likely than not, wonder why there was music coming from his supposedly empty wagon. Safana had snorted at the elf, causing him to give her a rather hurt look in turn.
A bottle of strong red wine later, which was provided by the now very amiable Eldoth, saw the elf removing the instrument from the bard's vicinity, and retreating to the fore of the caravan, sitting alone in his sobriety as the world rushed past. Lene tried to avoid drinking as much as she could, but it was useless. Upon detecting that she was only sipping delicately from the bottle on her turn, Eldoth insisted that she take a larger share for herself; and proceeded to 'aid' her with the task.
More bottles had followed.
Now they were a little over a half-hour walk from the gates to the city, and Safana -- who had probably consumed the most -- was alternating between giggles and yawns, hanging onto the arm of her elven lover as she protested about the walk. To his credit, Coran's face remained smooth, and he did nothing but encourage her to take small steps by his side, carrying her bag so she didn't have to deal with the weight of it in her unsteady gait, and reminding the older woman that when they arrived, they could seek a room at an inn with magnificent baths and luxurious beds.
"Mmmm, beds," Safana mumbled sleepily, tripping over the uneven cobbles. This led to a snort and yet more giggling.
"You travel very... lightly," Lene noted, the fresh air swimming around her head as she forced herself to walk in a relatively straight line beside Eldoth. The bard seemed little worse for the wear; a satisfied smirk seemed to be plastered to his face, and his eyes were slightly glazed -- but other than that, he was walking and talking fine.
"What is the use in being weighed down in this life?" he mused, managing to close the distance between them in a few short steps. Lene kept on focusing on the road ahead; she just needed a few more moments for the world to stop bouncing around, and then she'd be able to move away from him, to a respectable distance, once more. "But, my treasure, tell me more about yourself. You look so very... unremarkable for one such as you are."
Lene frowned slightly and looked over to him. He wasn't looking at her, but the half-smile was still curling his lips. She quickly shifted her attention back to the road, concentrating on her direction and speed. "What do you mean?"
"You are so very precious," he said smoothly. "Like long-lost treasure that has been hunted for an age. Come -- there is no need to be coy with me! We both know what you are and what you do; although, I will admit that had I met you alone, and not in such cosy companionship with your friends, I would have considered you toowinsome..."
Lene's concentration on her walking was broken, and she managed to slip on a particularly bumpy part of the road. She stumbled and staggered straight into Eldoth's expectant arms, too unbalanced to fight her way free from his embrace immediately. She felt his breath on her ear as his hands roughly caressed her through her clothing.
"I expect that friends have the customary fee waived, hmm? The road is still quite long before us... I'm sure we have plenty of time to establish a beautiful affinity with each other."
And then he let her go, only ensuring that she was steady on her feet before he proceeded along the road and as she lingered behind, staring at him incredulously. She glanced further back; Safana and Coran were quite a distance away, the woman finding the trek a struggle, indeed, and the elf looking strangely worn down and discontent. She wondered how long he'd stick with them when they arrived at the city; she wondered what would happen when they arrived at the city.
Suddenly she was painfully aware that, of the three, she was the only one who had not been there before. If they decided to part ways...
But Safana wouldn't do that to her. Would she?
Lene sighed, and forced herself to march on quickly, catching up with Eldoth. He offered her a satisfied look and nodded as if pleased with her decision to walk with him. She merely gave him a half-smile, deciding to keep her options open until she had her bearings in the Gate. Then, she could always slip away to make her own life.
She wouldn't rely on Safana being around forever. Sooner or later she'd be on her own, again, wouldn't she?
I will always be here for you...
---
They eventually arrived before the city just as the sun began to set. Lene couldn't stop her eyes from widening as she looked across the river to the sprawling city beyond, large wooden gates the only obvious way through the tall city walls, located beyond the parapeted bridge.
"We will wait for Coran and Safana to catch up, if you don't mind," she said, coming to a halt at the bottom of a slight slope and just short of where their track joined with several other routes, amalgamating together in their unity to reach the city.
Eldoth merely nodded, stretching his arms out to the side and standing up on his tip-toes, before allowing his almost empty pack to slip down from his shoulders and onto the ground. Then, he knelt before it, opening it delicately and removing his lute, before examining the dark contents closely. Lene watched; a dark, deep black substance was slipping through his fingers, and he raised them closer to his face before inhaling deeply.
"Is that..." she let the question linger, unasked. He lovingly wrapped his merchandise back up, replaced his instrument and closed his pack, hoisting it up and over his shoulder.
"There is no love like that for the black leaf," he said simply, brushing his hands together and taking a theatrical look at his surroundings. Then he seemed to realise something, and a smile crossed his face as he jaunted over to stand closer to the girl, his arm going around her shoulders.
"Of course, we're both people of commerce," he whispered, his hand playing with her hair as the other crept around her front to nestle on her waist. "You have something I'd very much like to... experience, and I have something for you. A mutual exchange may be beneficial to us both..."
Lene's lips curled into a smile, and she offered him one of her own inviting looks in return. His appreciation seemed to grow -- his lips brushed at her neck, his body was pressed firmly against hers, and she closed her eyes. She knew of black lotus, of course, but had never experienced it before -- perhaps it was time to.
A cough was enough to make Eldoth draw away from Lene, though his hands lingered until the very last moment. She turned to see Safana leaning on Coran heavily, the elf supporting the woman, and almost carrying her as they made their way along.
Lene took the opportunity to remove herself from Eldoth's attention for a while by moving to Safana's other side, hoisting the woman's arm around her shoulder, and sharing her weight with the older woman's lover. To Lene's surprise, he offered her a genuinely warm lop-sided smile, with no obvious flirtation attached to it. She assumed he was just too tired to even try.
They crossed the bridge, and Lene paid the toll at the gate for all four of them. She didn't mind paying for Coran and Safana, overly much -- she could always claim some back from her friend, if nothing else, but she did harbour a tinge of annoyance for Eldoth's assumption that she'd fund his entry to the city. His merchandise better be worth it...
The bard was looking around with a smile, now, obviously delighted to be back in the city. He rounded on the others, quick to step in front of them so they couldn't pass until they'd listened to him.
"I say, there is a devilishly welcoming inn over on the west side of town," he mused, leisurely eyeing up Lene's money pouch as it hung conspicuously from her belt, her haste to find it to pay for their entry meaning her cloak was swept to the side. "Magnificent rooms, wonderful entertainment... well, as wonderful as you can get when you can't have me."
Coran stared at the human coldly. "We'll be going to the Elfsong, for tonight at least," he informed abruptly. "Safana is in no state to travel any further, let alone across the city as it falls dark."
"Where is the Elfsong?" Lene asked quietly. The elf nodded ahead of them. A large, many-floored building, side-on to their position, seemed to dominate the area. It appeared to be predominantly made of timber, with the upper floors overhanging the ground level, the facades decorated with various wooden beams. Several chimneys jutted haphazardly from the roof, and weeds appeared to be sprouting from the eaves. Lene grinned.
"Looks good to me," she said, adjusting herself to take on a little more of Safana's weight as the older woman adjusted her position sleepily. "Let's go."
Eldoth wrinkled his nose. "Are you sure about this? You don't seem to be the sort who'd need to slum needlessly..."
"It'll do for one night," Lene replied firmly, causing the bard to sigh and follow after them. Coran led the way, as well as he could, down the cobbled road and past some ramshackle old houses with doors falling away from the frames and windows broken more often than not. It wasn't the most pleasant of surroundings -- Lene had expected the entrance of such a grand city to be a little more accommodating to the newcomer's eye.
They followed the road around the corner of the tavern and the sound of music drifted through the air to meet them. It was a lively jig, and was soon joined by some raucous singing and chatter. Coran seemed to perk up a little.
Lene carefully sidestepped some puddles in the road as they turned to approach the main entrance of the tavern. Outside looked as if someone had attempted to cultivate the beginnings of a garden, with a small but lumpy expanse of grass, and a tree hanging over the doorway like a canopy. A few benches were set against the walls, and locals were sitting in the warm evening air as they enjoyed their cups, none of them paying much notice to the travellers as they passed.
A handful of women loitered beside the trunk of the tree, their faces heavy with paint and their clothing gaudy and revealing. One of them waved over to Eldoth in apparent recognition and then blew him a kiss.
"I knew you'd be back!" she declared, grinning over to him eagerly. "Oi'm a foine bit o' strumpet, aren't I?"
The bard only smirked, not even pausing in his gait as he followed the elf and the two girls up the three brick steps and into the inn. Smoke and heat immediately blasted them as they pushed their way through the doors, and Lene's breath caught, for a moment, in her throat.
They quickly moved to a nearby table, where Coran deposited Safana into a chair and tossed their bags down beside her.
"I'll see about rooms," he said, much more subdued than before. Lene caught his arm as he turned to go away, and quickly pushed her money pouch into his hands. He gave her a curious look, but then shrugged and disappeared into the crowds. Lene only hoped that he'd bother to return; although most of her coin was safely in her pack, she'd passed him a substantial amount, and she hardly knew how much he could be trusted.
Eldoth took a seat opposite Safana, sighing heavily as he looked at his surroundings with disgruntlement. His fingers began to drum on the smeared surface of the table, but it was impossible for Lene to hear it above the general noise. In the far corner, two men were dressed in colourful clothing, one playing a small drum, and one playing a flute. Their music was loud enough to fill the entire room, and a space had been cleared in the centre to allow people to dance freely; and so they were. Spinning and wheeling at a frantic pace, giggling and laughing as the onlookers clapped and nodded their heads in time.
Lene had never seen such a busy place before in her life.
She turned to check on Safana. The older woman had slumped forward onto the table, resting her head on her arms. She was sound asleep despite everything going on around her, and Lene couldn't help but smile. Safana had always been so... dignified, until now. The wine had certainly gone to her head, and Lene was still feeling the warmth coming from her own consumption, though her control over her instincts and senses was beginning to return as the intoxication slowly wore off.
Coran eventually returned to them with two bronze keys and an apologetic look to Lene. "I asked for three, but there were only two rooms left," he said, being uncharacteristically chivalrous. She just shrugged, and he offered a small, thoughtful frown. "I will share with the bard," he stated decidedly. "You can share with Safana."
But Eldoth overheard. "No need for that, is there my treasure?" he said insistently, snatching one of the keys from the elf's outstretched hand. Lene made sure she received her money pouch, however. "I wouldn't want to keep you from your elegant escort," the bard continued, "and, after all... it's only for one night..."
Lene couldn't understand Coran's muttered words as he heaved Safana to her feet and gathered their bags. He cast one last dark look at Eldoth, who wholly ignored him, and stalked off, dragging Safana along unsteadily behind him.
Eldoth fingered the key in his palm and gave Lene a very feral smile.
---
The music faded out, to Lene's disappointment, less than an hour after Coran and Safana had retired to their room. She'd half expected the elf to resurface, for some reason; the chance to escape Safana's intense scrutiny, she assumed, would have been high on his list. But if he had left the older woman sleeping alone, he'd decided not to rejoin Lene and Eldoth in the common room of the Elfsong Tavern.
The crowds began to thin out, and Lene could make out a little bit more of the establishment. There was still a smoky haze in the air, making it difficult for her to see much of the far side of the bar, but she was able to make out several pretty serving girls bustling around the tables, serving drinks and hot plates of food to the eager customers. The wooden floor was only partly covered with stained and worn looking rugs, and the exposed floorboards were covered with scratches and scuffs.
The tables had also seen better days; several were tilted to noticeable angles due to the absence of a leg. There were few chairs -- and what there were, were basic and hard, like the one Lene found herself perched on. The rest of the seating was comprised of stools, looking every bit as uncomfortable. Oil lamps provided a dull glow which was only intensified by the large open fire nestled into the side wall, the fire providing the majority of the light for the centre of the room, and a stifling heat.
Lene placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her cupped hand. She'd never seen anywhere like this. It stank of sweat from the bodies of the dancers and locals sitting too close to the fire on the already warm evening. The smell of smoke and fat also hung in the air, with the occasional faint whiff of an overly powerful floral fragrance as the waitresses moved past. Everything at Candlekeep, during her incredibly short time there, had managed to smell so...sterile. And if it hadn't smelt clean and fresh, it smelt of dust and neglect.
She'd avoided going up to her room with her bag, aware that Eldoth was managing to keep one eye on her as he sipped at his ale. He'd managed to pay for it himself, though he'd neglected to order anything for Lene. She hadn't minded, though -- the last thing she wanted was the opportunity for him to tamper with her drink, and she ensured that she ordered a very non-alcoholic juice from one of the waitresses, keeping it close to her at all times. She was fully aware of what the bard would want from her later, and she wasn't completely opposed to the idea of having some fun. But it'd be on her terms, and he'd already as good as promised her a sample of his wares. Until she got that...
He was eyeing one of the waitresses, licking his lips slightly as he drank in her figure. Even Coran seemed to be a complete beginner at lechery compared to the bard; but, unlike Coran, she hadn't warmed to him all that much. He was passable company, and she certainly wasn't overly bothered about spending an evening with him after his promise from earlier; but there was something about him that made her feel wary. She leant forward on the table, smiling to him as he looked over to her.
"So, what brought you back to the city?" she asked, running her fingertip around the rim of her glass. "Or was it just your... business, calling you back?"
He smirked, moving around to sit closer, resting his hand on the back of her chair as he leant into her. "The business was one reason, I admit," he murmured, his lips brushing past her ear. "The other was that I simply... missed the city, and longed to return. I have a good friend here, who is expecting me. Perhaps... perhaps I will introduce you both."
"I shall be enchanted, I am sure," she replied. He began to kiss her neck, almost gently at first, then more insistently. She couldn't help but grin to herself; there was something empowering about the effect she seemingly had on him. Yet she ignored his attentions as much as she could, purposefully glancing around the room and then letting a small sigh escape from her lips.
"Are you bored, my dear cheesecake?" His hand was now on her back; his other was lingering on her thigh, making its way higher, very slowly. "We could always retire for the eve, should the entertainment down here not be to your standard."
She peeked around at him. The fuzziness from the earlier wine was almost gone. She looked at the bard and saw fun, mirth, and some escapism. But the longer she looked, the more she saw deception, manipulation, smut and uncertainty. She closed her eyes; he took it as an invitation to let his lips meet with hers, and she didn't resist. His tongue forced a way past their teeth, and she could taste the ale he'd been drinking. Eventually, she pulled away, smiled to him, and nodded.
Wordlessly, they picked up their bags, and she followed as he led the way to the stairs.