"A woman may very well form a friendship with a man, but for this to endure, it must be assisted by a little physical antipathy."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
The protection of the greater balance comes first before all else. If there is a forest fire, I will douse the flames. If a tree is cut down by some "civilized" bastard for firewood, I'll kill that bastard. If anyone harms Khalid, I'll kill him too. That has already happened, however. That damn Irenicus will pay for taking Khalid away from me! Though Khalid and I had a few moral differences, he was an honorable, kindhearted man. But, I shouldn't dwell on the past even though it torments me so. I must find a way to move on. Aerie thinks of me as a callous, cold hearted woman for trying not to drown in my sorrows over Khalid, but the child doesn't even understand that no matter how long you weep and sob, no matter how often you pray to your patron deity, no matter what resurrection spells you know, nothing will bring a dead loved one back when there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Life is harsh, and the only way to continue living is to find something new to keep living for.
What am I living for? I doubt I have found the answer to that yet. This Abdel Adrian, Ralis's adopted brother, however, intrigues me for some odd reason. We have more in common than Khalid and I ever did, yet I struggle to accept the feelings I have towards this tall man. I shouldn't be afraid, it is only natural that I continue living and find someone else to take Khalid's place. It is what he would want, I'm sure of it. He would not want me to spend every night dreaming about what I could have done to save him. What's done is done, I know that all too well, but somehow, I sometimes have trouble living by what I know. Abdel is the only safe port for me, a bruised and battered ship in the middle of this torrential storm out at sea, and I... Oh, what am I talking about? I am not myself today, babbling like an insane woman. I should keep my eyes on the task at hand, assisting his stepbrother and maintain the greater balance.
-Jaheira
Later that morning, Ralis and the others returned to the Fentan family home. Ralis saw that Pala is back in good health and eating porridge in the kitchen with Vara, Mazzy and Danno.
"So, it worked, I see," Ralis announced as he stepped into the kitchen.
"Yes, it did. Pala is in good health. I thank you for your assistance in such a difficult time, and I am ready to leave when you are."
Ralis nodded. "How are you feeling, Pala?" he asked her.
"Much better now, thank you. Mazzy has told me much about you Ralis. She told me that you and your companions are the ones who saved Trademeet from the animal attacks. Nothing could make me more happier than knowing that she does great things amongst you," Pala replied.
"Your sister is a brave warrior. You should be proud of her," Ralis said.
"I am. Mazzy?" Pala called after Mazzy jumped off her chair leaving the remaining porridge in her bowl steaming.
"Yes, Pala?" Mazzy replied.
"Be careful out there, and be safe," Pala said.
"You too, Pala. Take care of yourself too, Danno. And get plenty of rest, too. It must have taken a heavy tool on you, riding to Arnise Hold to come get us and coming back here with us," Mazzy said.
"It was tiring, I admit, but I couldn't stop knowing that the life of my betrothed was at risk," Danno said.
"Good luck Mazzy. Ralis, please look after her for me," Vara said.
"Don't worry, I will," Ralis said before leaving the house with Mazzy.
On the way back to Arnise Hold from Trademeet, Ralis sat on top of the stagecoach with Sam and Cernick, trying to find solace in the cool spring wind breezing against his face as they headed north towards the Sharp Teeth mountains 22 miles ahead. He couldn't wrap his head around it. What in the world did he do to earn Viconia's scorn? After their intimate activity that night, Ralis hoped that he had developed a romantic relationship with her, besides, he does find her attractive, and she admitted once that she found him desirable too, but after they've finally got each other in bed, Viconia is trying to brush him away. Why? It makes no sense! Ralis sighed, wondering if there was any way to turn back the hands of time so he can have avoid having sex with her now that he knows she would end up treating him like this.
It shouldn't have been hard to figure out, I mean, its no secret that she has been acting fickle recently, degrading him as a male like she would to any male dark elf, and then later on apologizing to him for her rude words, fantasizing about a child of Bhaal caressing her dark skin, and after that actually happened and more, she regrets doing the deed. What makes her so bipolar? Ralis hoped that she would be the first and only woman he'd have sex with, but the way things are going, that is unlikely, and that depresses him because he is a loyal man by nature, he prefers to build up his romantic relationship with the woman he lost his virginity to instead of moving on to another woman. Her unexpected outburst this morning really puzzled him and made him feel blue all at the same time.
"Hey, Ralis, what's the matter?" Sam asked.
"Huh?" Ralis woke up out of his deep thought and turned his head to the left and saw Sam looking at him in concern.
"You've been looking very depressed ever since this morning. What's troubling you?" He asked.
Ralis shook his head. "I... uh..."
He couldn't look into Sam's eyes, and he couldn't think of an answer either, but Sam was still waiting on an answer. Then in seconds, Ralis had an answer to give him that didn't reveal too much.
"Sorry to throw this personal question on you, Sam, but, have you ever had problems with a woman before?" Ralis asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Sam laughed, and so did Cernick, much to Ralis' confusion.
"Oh! It's about that, huh?" Sam chuckled.
Ralis sighed, looking up at the blue noon skies, and he felt Sam patting his back to comfort him.
"Hey, don't feel bad, okay? I meant no offense, I sympathize with you. And to answer your question: Yes, I have. Why?" Sam admitted.
"Because... There's this woman I met who is... very fickle with her feelings. One minute, she likes me, the next minute she hates me so much, she doesn't want to be near me. You understand?" Ralis asked.
"Eh... I think so," Sam replied with a shrug. "Your predicament resembles my own. See, there was this Chondathan woman I met about 5 years ago in the markets of Imnescar- I can't remember her name. Anyway, she was beautiful, but she looked sad, distraught, vulnerable, with no one to call a friend. So, being the gentleman I am, I decided to approach her and ask what was wrong."
"What did she say?" Ralis asked.
"Nothing," Sam said.
Ralis frowned. That was not the answer he was expecting.
"Nothing?" He echoed, finding that answer that hard to believe.
"She slapped me across my face, and accused me of taking advantage of her plight to become a close friend to her when I'm really after one thing," Sam said, his voice fraught with depression.
"And what was that?" Ralis asked.
Then he heard Cernick clear his throat to get Ralis' attention, then when Ralis turned to look at him, he saw Cernick making a slow fist pumping motion with his left arm near his crotch, while holding on to the horse reins with his right hand.
Ralis blinked in surprise. What in the world made that Chondathan woman think that was what Sam is after?
"I tried to convince her that I am not talking to her for that reason, but she didn't believe me, she threatened to call the guards to arrest me for sexual harassment, so I decided to turn around and leave, and when I was about to leave, she called me back, apologizing to me and begging me to stay with her for a while," Sam continued his story.
"What the Nine Hells...?" Ralis realized that this woman is like Viconia by personality- very fickle and confused.
"I thought the same thing," Sam nodded with a smirk. "As days passed, we grew to know each other more and more. She told me that her parents have had a bad relationship, her father is drunk, abusive and ungrateful to his wife, and..." Sam paused there, looking sad.
"And what?" Ralis pressed him to continue the tale.
"She told me that he raped her once. Can you believe that? What kind of a man rapes his own daughter?" Sam asked with disgust in the tone of his voice, looking very repulsed at the thought.
"A sick and twisted man, that's what," Ralis replied.
"Anyway, that's the reason why she didn't trust men so easily. A part of her broken personality desires companionship with a man she can trust, but another part of her is afraid of it, so why she lashed out at me when I tried to comfort her with no ulterior motive in mind," Sam said.
Ralis frowned. "So you're saying the reason why the woman I am dealing with is so frigid is because she had a bad experience of some kind?"
"I don't know, maybe, maybe not. You should obviously know your woman better than I. What is it about her past that makes her warm towards you one minute, then cold as ice towards you the next minute? Did she tell you anything?" Sam asked.
Ralis tried very hard to think about what he has learned about Viconia's personality these past few months, but he couldn't remember anything useful. All he could recall is like the Chondathan woman Sam mentioned, Viconia has some serious trust issues. She seems to understand that it is important for her to find someone to trust, which is why she revealed to the Midfallow family that she is a drow, but her upbringing as a drow taught her to never trust anyone, most likely not even lovers. How can Ralis possibly get someone who is so conflicted? It seems as if that romance with Viconia is doomed to fail from the start.
Great. I lost my virginity to an emotionally confused elf woman. This is not how I expected my romance life to go, Ralis silently commented to himself as he hunched forward, looking down at the horses pulling the stagecoach, running north towards the Sharp Teeth mountains in the distance.
"If you ask me, you should forget about her," Cernick said to Ralis, breaking him out of his daydream. "Try to find someone else. Why not go for Aerie or Tashia? They are definitely cute," he suggested.
Ralis sighed. "I'll try..." he said sullenly.
He didn't like the idea of moving on to another woman after the intimate night he had with Viconia, because he is the type of man who would remain loyal to one woman after intimacy and before marriage, unlike some men. In other words, to him, giving up on a woman he recently had sex with to move on to another woman would feel like an act of infidelity or betrayal even though it wouldn't be because he has done nothing to betray Viconia. She is the true betrayer, she took advantage of his compassion just to get close to him then use her feminine charms to get his manhood inside of her, and that was all she wanted, not his love or compassion, only the pleasure his manhood could offer, nothing more, it seems. Like Aerie once said, Viconia saw him as nothing more than a piece of steak meant to satisfy her hunger. Now that her hunger has been satisfied, she has tossed him aside like an object she no longer needs. He sighed again, feeling as confused and torn as Rasaad.
Is it that simple to move on to someone else when it isn't clear that the relationship won't work out? Ralis asked himself as he sighed and tried to enjoy the view of the trees on both sides of the road and the farmlands they passed by as they neared closer to the Sharp Teeth mountains.
A couple days later, when they were on the road between Purskul and Imnescar, something unexpected happened. Just when it seemed like the road seemed clear, with no sign of bandit activity or anything, an arrow came flying out from the forestation to the left and struck one of the horses pulling the caravan! The horse collapsed dead and the other one, horrified by the sudden attack neighed in a frightened manner, turning west trying to run the opposite direction form where the arrow came form, but the caravan's left wheels hit the body of the dead horse and tipped over!
"Whoa!" Ralis and everyone else yelled.
Then, the next thing they knew, they were knocked out cold after the caravan was toppled over, and the last living horse broke free from its reins and ran off into the forest.
Ralis was unsure of how long he had been unconscious when he slowly became aware that he had been knocked out when the caravan was wrecked, but he slowly lapsed back into unconsciousness. Sam, Cernick, Jan, Tashia, Mazzy, Viconia, and Aerie were still unconscious, either in the caravan or lying unconscious on the road near the caravan. Abdel, however, had been thrown out the caravan door when it crashed, and unlike everyone else, he had a very bad headache as he slowly came to.
"Pssst... pssst. Hey. Hey there," a voice near Abdel's face said.
"Ralis...?" Abdel muttered, wondering if Ralis is trying to wake him up.
It wasn't Ralis who was trying to wake him up, but Abdel didn't know that. He groaned and shook his head, trying to regain full consciousness, but his eyelids felt a little heavy. Through his partially open eyes, he saw a blurry figure looking down at him and the blue, blurry sky behind the blurry head.
"RISE AND SHINE!" The blurred figure shouted, causing Abdel to shoot up wide awake!
The man stepped back when Abdel's torso immediately shot up straight in a sitting position on the ground, Abdel blinked his eyes and looked at the man standing near him. This man is most definitely not Ralis. His name is Ertof Dand (pronounced "Urr-toff"), and he is not alone. Behind him are five of his friends, all men, two half elves, three humans. Ertof himself is a human, about two years younger than Abdel, standing 5'8 feet tall, short red hair mostly covered by the hood of his dark green cloak except the bangs of his hair over his forehead, bright brown eyes, stubble facial hair, and he wore body armor made of animal hide rather than leather or metal, which helps him move silently without the noise of the leather or metal parts brushing against each other as he moves. As for weapons, Abdel could see Ertof's shortbow wrapped around his body, and attached to his waist is a short sword +2 with a beautifully designed handle and cross guard, giving the hilt a distinctive "Y" shape.
"Oh, I hope I didn't disturb ye. My, but yer a bunch of sound sleepers. Did'nay hear the approach of us wee little bandits, now look at the mess yer in," Ertof taunted Abdel, and his friends laughed.
Abdel stood up on his feet, his height temporarily surprising Ertof and his friends, and at that moment, he saw one of Ertof's buddies, the tall, buff human, holding Jaheira with a knife to her neck!
"Jaheira?!" Abdel gasped, wondering how the bandits got ahold of Jaheira, and what is she doing so far away from Arnise Hold.
"Give her to me!" Ertof commanded to his friend holding Jaheira. Then the man kicked Jaheira in the buttocks forcing her to stumble towards Ertof. He quickly grabbed Jaheira with his left arm as he pulled his short sword out of its scabbard and held the blade at Jaheira's neck. Feeling the cold steel at her neck discouraged Jaheira from head-butting the man.
"No! You..." Abdel was about to charge at Ertof in anger, but Ertof stopped him saying:
"Uh uhh, stay right where you are. Wipe the sleep from yer eyes and you'll see me little friend, a sharp little number right at this here lassie's throat. I would'nay want to... slip," he said with a smug grin, holding Jaheira close.
Abdel bared his teeth, wishing that Ralis and the others would wake up at a convenient moment.
"Don't you dare harm a hair on her head, or I'll-"
"Or ye'll hunt us down across the Realms and exact yer bloody revenge. Yes, yes, I know," Ertof said with bored sarcasm as he nodded. "Can't say I blame ye, she is a fine lass. No matter. Ye turn over whatever valuables you might be carrying- we've heard ye got some nice trinkets- and soon you'll be on your way. We get what we want, and ye get... well, perhaps we just get what we want, that's good enough for me," Ertof said then chortled at his joke.
Neither Abdel nor Jaheira liked his humor, obviously. Part of him wanted to rip this man's head off his body, but the other part of him knew that brute force won't win Jaheira back alive. Abdel sighed. After all his years working as a hardened mercenary, he has realized that there are people he cares about besides Gorion that were once complete strangers to him, Kirik and now, Jaheira.
"Leave her be. Take me hostage instead," Abdel offered, unbuckling his sword scabbard and letting them fall to the ground.
Ertof's friends erupted into uproarious laughter, even Ertof himself smiled.
"Well, I see we've done come to the self-sacrifice portion of this little stage play. I wonder what our little lassie has to say about such a proposition. Speak, girl."
"Don't make deals with this scum! He won't keep his- Mmmph!" Jaheira couldn't say anymore because Ertof brought his left hand up over Jaheira's mouth.
Abdel sighed. Normally he wouldn't do this, but he cared about Jaheira as much as he cares for Gorion, Kirik, Ralis and Imoen.
"Take all the gold I have, and my sword, everything, except her, I beg of you," Abdel said in defeat as he prepared to open the coin bags on his belt.
Ertof raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Well, you're certainly being reasonable about all this. Mind you, I'll just keep a grip on the lassie here until my boys have finished their work. Stand still, will you?" Ertof then nodded his head towards Abdel to signal to his friends to confiscate his money.
The tall, buff man in Ertof's group is not as tall as Abdel, but muscular, and Abdel find that strangely funny.
"No sudden moves, buddy boy, or yer lass gets a shave in the neck!" One of the half-elven men warned Abdel.
Abdel gave the buff man 500 gold pieces and 200 silver pieces of his coins, then he hand his buddies approached Eartof and Jaheira, standing by their sides.
"Hey Ertof, this man only got 500 gold and 200 silver! I expected a bit more from one of Ralis Rutela's mercenaries!" The buff man told Ertof.
Ertof wrinkled his nose in distaste. "It don't matter. Now then, with this unpleasant business out of the way it's time for some more unpleasant business. I'm sorry, but it's for the best. Well, the best for us."
Jaheira and Abdel were outraged at Ertof's lack of honor.
"You lying son of a- Mmmph!" Jaheira began to shout but Ertof covered her mouth again.
"Hush now, lassie. Yes, I stand before ye as a liar. Go figure. Now we'll just finish ye and-"
Before Ertof could finish his sentence, Jaheira raised her right leg a foot off the ground and brought the heel of her boot down on Ertof's right foot as hard as she possibly could. Ertof screamed in pain, and as he did, Jaheira threw her head back, the rear of her skull hitting Ertof's chin, stunning him, then she brought her hands up to Ertof's sword arm and pulled his arm down quickly so he won't try to cut her neck. She still held on to his arm tightly and immediately leaned forward, causing Ertof to lunge with the momentum of Jaheira's torso, causing him to fly inches over Jaheira's body, then somersault and roughly land on his back on the road, knocking the air out of his lungs. Before Ertof's friends could react, Abdel quickly kneeled down and grabbed a hand full of dirt in both of his arms and threw the dirt, blinding two of Ertof's buddies, but the other three dodged away.
"RUN!" Jaheira shouted at Abdel.
Grabbing his sword, he followed Jaheira to the west side of the Trade Way road, disappearing into the forest.
"Get those bastards!" Ertof ordered to his group as he struggled to stand up, the pain in his spine made standing up on his feet very painful.
His friends ran after Abdel and Jaheira, but it took a while for the pain to subside enough for Ertof to straighten up and run after them.
Two minutes after they left, Ralis finally woke up, and so did everyone else.
"Ow, my head..." Ralis groaned, slowly sitting up while holding his head with his right hand.
"Is everyone all right?" Cernick called.
One by one everyone said they were okay.
"Wait. Where's Abdel? I didn't hear his voice," Sam said.
Ralis looked around. "You're right. He's not here, he's gone!"
"He couldn't have gone far. We should split up," Aerie said.
"You're right," Ralis nodded in agreement. "All of you check the forest on the east side. I'll go to the west alone with Aerie."
"You do realize that you're crazy for going off into the woods alone with just a cleric by your side, right?" Sam asked.
"I can handle myself, thank you," Ralis said, then ran off in the same direction Abdel, Jaheira, Ertof and his gang went minutes ago.
"Serves him right for being foolish..." Viconia muttered.
Rasaad frowned, wondering why Viconia is speaking so bitterly about Ralis.
"What troubles you, Viconia?" He asked politely.
"None of your business, human! Just stay out of my way!" Viconia growled.
Rasaad didn't say anything as he followed the others into the forest on the east side of the Trade Way road, but he couldn't help wondering why Viconia spoke so negatively about Ralis when a few days ago she constantly spoke to him more than anyone else has.
Meanwhile in the forest, Jaheira and Abdel ran side by side, running past tree after tree in a zigzag pattern trying to put enough distance and obstacles between Ertof and his buddies so they won't have a clear shot with their crossbows. That didn't stop them from trying to shoot them, though.
"Shoot 'em!" Ertof commanded, catching up to his friends, in an awkward run, his upper body slightly hunched forward to lessen the pain, giving him appear like a hunchback.
One of the half-elves took aim at Jaheira about 16 yards ahead and fired, but fortunately she moved away in time not to get shot, and instead the Bolt of Stunning hit the tree that is in front of her when she moved aside.
"Damn!" The half-elven man cursed, then lagged behind his friends and Ertof as he tried to reload his crossbow.
Jaheira and Abdel made it out of the forest, entering a clearing with tall grass that covers their feet. They scared away a few deer when they entered the clearing, and they kept going.
Ertof and his friends entered the clearing 6 seconds after Abdel and Jaheira did. Jaheira knew that coming out here is a bad idea- they are completely exposed now.
"We got them now!" Ertof grinned menacingly.
Abdel looked over his shoulder and saw one of Ertof's buddies, one of the humans, aiming a crossbow at him!
"Down!" Abdel shouted, even though he didn't know when the man would pull the trigger.
Abdel and Jaheira jumped down into the grass to avoid getting shot, and Abdel hear the crossbow bolt whoosh over his head, then immediately after, he and Jaheira got up on their feet and continued running, with Ertof and the others in hot pursuit.
When Abdel and Jaheira reached the center of the clearing, Ertof grew more impatient with this chase.
"Gimme that, dammit!" He snapped at the half-elven man with the crossbow as he reached out and snatched it out of his hands.
"Hey! What the?!" the half-elven man looked at Ertof confused.
Ertof ignored him and took aim at Abdel. However, instead of aiming for his head or back, he aimed low, for his legs, then pulled the trigger before he and Jaheira moved too far out of range. The bolt flew through the air and lodged itself into Abdel's left thigh. Abdel cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground, unable to move because he is hit with a Bolt of Stunning. Jaheira came to a stop near him.
"What's the matter!?" She demanded.
"I've been shot!" Abdel exclaimed through gritted teeth, trying to move his arms and legs, but he could barely move them while under the stunning effect of the crossbow bolt.
"Bull's-eye!" Ertof grinned triumphantly, and as if on cue, the pain in his spine has faded to a more tolerable painful throbbing that made him comfortable to so stand up straight.
"Get 'em, boys!" The tall, buff man exclaimed.
Instead of wasting time healing Abdel, Jaheira decided to do something else. She faced Ertof and his friends as they came towards her, Ertof reloading the crossbow as he jogged.
"Nature, show these uncivilized savages your power!" Jaheira exclaimed, then used a spell that caused vines to shoot up out of the ground near Ertof and his friends and try to grab them.
"What in the Nine Hells?!" Ertof gasped when he saw the vines writhing around him like giant snakes.
He dropped the crossbow, pulled out his +2 short sword and started hacking away at any vines that tried to wrap itself around his neck or body. One vine wrapped itself around the neck of one of the half-elves and flung him around, killing him with whiplash. The other members of Ertof's group besides the tall buff man weren't so lucky. Once the vines got ahold of them, they were tossed around like rag dolls. The buff man, using his strength, snapped apart each vine that tried to attack him, but he never saw the two vines that grew out the ground behind him and wrap themselves around his neck, choking him to death.
Ertof managed to hack his way out of the area of the killer vines then he charged at Jaheira. She is unsure if she had enough time to use the Shillelagh spell to summon a magical cudgel to use as a weapon, but she tried to cast the spell anyway, but when Ertof got 6 feet close to Jaheira, she realized she never had time at all and ceased doing the arm gestures and verbal chant needed to conjure up the weapon.
Ertof came swinging at her wildly as she backed away from him and dodging his slashing blade. Ertof, overcome with rage, tried his hardest to hit Jaheira, but she is too nimble for him, as if his moves were predictable.
"Stand still, damn you!" Ertof snarled, then he lunged forward with his sword attempting to stab Jaheira in the chest.
Jaheira smirked when she dodged aside and the sword blade lunged past her, because this is the moves she was waiting for him to make. Grabbing his outstretched sword arm, Jaheira held it, surprising Ertof, then she kicked him in the chest.
Abdel, still laying on the grass, unable to move, watched as Jaheira beat down Ertof mercilessly, she disarmed Ertof first, then when he tried to hit her with a left hook, she crouched, dodging the blow, then uppercut Ertof in the chin, causing him to stagger back a few inches, then Jaheira relentlessly punched him in the fact five times, then she jumped up, sweeping her right leg towards Ertof's head, hitting him and knocking him down to the ground.
Ertof made no move to attack after getting kicked down. He lay in the grass, groaning, his skull, arms and robs pounding with excruciating pain.
"By Torm, Jaheira, that was impressive!" Abdel exclaimed, still trying to move his numb body.
Jaheira ignored him, keeping her scowling eyes glued to her former captor groaning near her feet. She knelt down and grabbed him by his ear, tugging it roughly, causing Ertof to scream in pain.
"Who sent you after me? Who sent you, you filthy bogslime?!" Jaheira demanded.
Ertof didn't reply, he just continued groaning after his throat grew dry and itchy from crying out in pain.
"Jaheira, what are you talking about? Why are you asking him this?" Abdel asked, wondering if Jaheira's question has anything to do with why she is so far away from Arnise Hold.
Jaheira stood up. "The Harpers are after me. I left Arnise Hold without telling anyone where I am going so the Harpers mightl ose track of me. I fear it is no coincidence this bogslime had a vested interest in capturing me alive, then bringing me to you and trying to kill us both," she told Abdel without taking her eyes off Ertof.
Then she kicked Ertof in the ribs, and he immediately clutched his ribs, his groans becoming more intense.
"Who sent you?! Don't make me ask you again. If you fail to answer my question one more time I will leave your soon-to-be decomposing corpse to feed the earth!"
Ertof tried to speak, but no words came out of his moving lips at first.
"What was that?" Jaheira knelt down closer to him. "Speak clearly, fool!"
"Harp..." Ertof gasped.
"Did... he say Harpers?" Abdel asked Jaheira, trying to sit up on the ground even though his arms and legs still felt numb.
"The... Harpers..." Ertof gasped again.
Growing impatient, Jaheira grabbed Ertof by the collar and hoisted him up, then shook him twice.
"Speak up! What do the Harpers have to do with you?!"
"They... They... hired us to..."
Jaheira then had a clear idea why they hired Ertof and his gang, so instead of waiting for him to give more information, she dropped him down to the ground, put her boot to his neck and crushed his neck, killing him. Then she turned her attention to Abdel and knelt down beside him preparing to remove the bolt form his wound,
"Hold still, this will sting a bit," Jaheira said.
Abdel nodded and he winced when he felt Jaheira use her thin fingers to pull the crossbow bolt out of his wound, then she used a Cure Minor Wounds healing spell to heal the crossbow bolt wound, and once his wounds were healed, Abdel felt the numbness and pain disappear altogether.
"You were pretty quick to give up your equipment, Abdel," Jaheira noted as she stood up.
Abdel shrugged and sighed after he got up on his feet, towering over Jaheira. "Material things; there are always more. I've gotten by with less. People are harder to replace, some more than others."
Jaheira nodded. "Regardless, I really appreciate what you did... what you tried to do. I was worried that I was..." Jaheira shook her head. "I mean, I've already lost... um... *ahem* ... I lost Khalid... to a pointless death, I'm not going... to lose you too."
Abdel felt touched by Jaheira's words. He didn't know what to say.
"Jaheira? Jaheira, I..." Abdel started to say but she interrupted him.
"Oh shut up and let's get out of here. We'll... we'll talk more later..." she said and they left the clearing, heading east back towards the road.
Meanwhile, Ralis and Aerie trudged through the forest, constantly calling for Abdel, then falling silent for a minute, listening for his voice among the chirping of birds, and other noises of the wildlife around him.
"Abdel!" Ralis called five minutes later, and after he walked past a tree with fungus growing at the base of the tree, he turned and headed south. If he continued going west for a couple minutes more, he would have come to the clearing that Abdel and Jaheira were once.
"Do you think he is okay?" Aerie asked Ralis.
"Abdel maybe taller and stronger than me, but that doesn't mean he isn't helpless," Ralis reminded her.
"Oh..." Aerie nodded slowly. "I-I-I meant no offense..." she then apologized.
"Hey, you have no reason to apologize, Aerie," Ralis said as he gave her a comforting pat on her back. "All you asked was a simple question."
Keeping his hands on the hilt of his swords, he continued moving through the bright forest, turning his head left and right, being alert for Abdel or any predator that is seeking to catch him by surprise.
"Abdel!" Ralis called one more time, then he headed west again.
A few minutes later, he came out at the same clearing where Abdel and Jaheira fought Ertof and his gang, but he emerged 120 yards south from where they entered the clearing. He and Aerie walked through the clearing, heading northwest. They were going in the right direction, but they were coming from a direction that doesn't take them directly to the spot where the bodies of Ertof and his group lay, so Ralis and Aerie never noticed them.
A couple minutes later after leaving the clearing, Aerie grew more and more depressed, but Ralis didn't notice. She started thinking that if she had her wings, she would be more useful than this, she would be able to fly up in the sky overhead and try to spot Abdel form the sky. But now, here she is, on the ground with Ralis, feleing useless. Aerie looked down at the ground as she walked alongside Ralis, beginning to cry.
"You must be getting tired, Aerie. We should take a break a minute before we move on," Ralis said then he stopped walking and sat down near the base of a tree.
A split second after sitting down, he sat up and looked down at the spot he chose to sit down at and checked it to see if there aren't any insects that might crawl up into his body armor and clothing. The last thing he wanted to do is pull off his armor and clothing to get the insects off of him and embarrass Aerie by showing her his body. Aerie, however, wasn't listening to him at all, she still walked forward with her head lowered as if she were ashamed of something. In truth, she is still sad about being useless in their search for Abdel.
"Aerie! Hey! Hello?" Ralis called to get her attention when he noticed that she is still walking forward.
After moving a few paces away from the tree Ralis is resting on, Aerie snapped out of her trance, turned around and looked at Ralis with her bright blue eyes moist with tears.
"W-we're stopping?" She asked, her melodic voice breaking up with grief.
Ralis didn't nod, but he stood up, wondering why Aerie is so sad. She dropped to her knees, sobbing.
"Oh... I... I just feel like collapsing here and dying!" She whined.
"Aerie! What's the matter?" Ralis asked with concern as he slowly approached her.
Aerie looked up at him and her sad puppy dog eyes made him feel guilty for some reason.
"I just... don't think I can go on. Perhaps it is better and more fitting if I just... just die. Like a bird whose wings are broken, I am useless, Ralis, utterly useless!" Aerie lowered her head to the ground, her long blond hair draping around her face like curtains as she sobbed.
"Aerie..." Ralis said as he knelt down beside her, unsure of what to say.
Aerie looked up into his face, her face wet with tears and her eyeballs very moist with water.
"I've had enough of this life!" She sobbed. "P-perhaps it would be better if I... went back to the circus..."
"Go back to the circus? What for?" Ralis asked incredulously. "In case you haven't noticed, Quayle died from old age, there is nothing for you back at the circus! Everyone you've known there is gone, replaced by new people! And the circus is no longer in Athkatla anymore! Pull yourself together, Aerie! You haven't even tried to face this!"
"But I have, Ralis! I have!" Aerie shot back both angrily and sadly. "I... I just don't have the strength! I'm so useless..."
"You're not useless, Aerie! and you do have the strength! You just don't give yourself enough credit! All you have to do is reach down into yourself and find your potential, like I did!" Ralis shouted, not caring that he might sound harsh and cruel to her ears anymore.
Aerie lowered her head and continued sobbing. "I... I can't!" She exclaimed.
Ralis had enough. Putting both hands on both sides of her head, he forced Aerie to look up at him in his eyes. He tried not to frown at her, but part of him is sick and tired of her tantrums and complaints, he kept his expression neutral but compassionate as possible.
"Yes you can! You have a choice, Aerie: either be strong, or lay down and die! Those are the only two choices you have! Do you really want to die?" He asked her.
Somehow Aerie managed to gather her senses back when she gazed into Ralis's brown eyes as he spoke. When Ralis released both of his hands from the sides of Aerie's face, she blinked twice then said:
"N-no, no, I don't want to die. Maybe... maybe I will think on what you have said. Let me rest for now."
"Okay. Five minutes, and we move on," Ralis nodded.
Meanwhile, three miles west from where Ralis and Aerie were, Abdel and Jaheira were resting too, although unlike Ralis and Aerie, they were resting near an abandoned bear cave that they found recently, and plan on using if it starts raining or anything.
Abdel sat on a boulder near the cave. He would have been sharpening his sword at this moment if he had taken it with him when they were chased by Ertof and his gang.
"That brigand bastard was hired by the Harpers to come after me and you, I know it," Jaheira said inquisitively, pacing back and forth in front of Abdel. "They paid those bandits to capture me then find you as if they were simply looking for gold to rob, but in reality, they were paid to find us and kill us, obtaining our gold and the gold the Haprers promised to pay to them when the job is finished."
Abdel shook his head. "I don't know much about the Harpers, but I know that they don't stoop down to the level of the Zhentarim- they don't hire bandits to hunt down their targets."
Jaheira stopped pacing and looked at Abdel with a sharp scowl. "Harpers will do what they must to spread and preserve justice. But now, for the first time in my life, I find myself asking whether Harper justice really is justice, or is it a justification to pursue higher positions of power..."
"The world is more gray than most people care to admit, Jaheira. I've never known the Zhentarim to do any good deeds, but methods aside, they, like the Harpers, also seek higher positions of power," Abdel said.
Jaheira felt that Abdel's words had some truth to it. The Harpers and Zhentarim may be different, constantly in conflict with each other, but one thing they do have in common is that they do value power.
"We have many people seek our deaths so far. Some would have been friends if things had been different. This weighs on my mind," Jaheira said, softly this time.
"There is little we can do about the past, The best must be made from it. Galvarey is dead, the Harpers are after us, nothing can change that now, all we can do is find a way to survive this.
Jaheira sighed. "I do not know what to suggest. I would follow you and Ralis, because I know that you will ultimately do good by his side, but the Harpers have been my kin for years, and now they seek my head. I don't know what to do."
"You can only do as you must, whatever that might be," Abdel said.
Before Jaheira could say anything to Abdel, someone nearby quickly blurted out:
"Hold! And let justice take its rightful measure!" Jaheira quickly turned around and saw three people, two humans and one half-elf coming towards them with their shortbows trained at their hearts.
"What is this? Reviane! What are you doing here? It is I, Jaheira!" Jaheira exclaimed to the half-elven woman in the middle.
Reviane frowned for a second, wondering why Jaheira is greeting her like old friends who haven't seen each other in months.
"So I can see. It pains me to do this, but a traitor's death is what you deserve!" Reviane said, pulling the arrow back on the shortbow even tighter, aiming it at Jaheira's chest instead of Abdel now.
"What?" Jaheira looked confused. "If this is about the attack on the Harper Hold in Athkatla, you know I would do no such thing if I had any alternative! They left me no choice!"
Reviane lowered her shortbow a little, looking at Jaheira with a confused expression. "I know not of what you speak, Jaheira. Explain yourself!"
"It was Galvarey, he had me bring my companion there on the pretense of determining his danger, but he had no intention of letting Abdel leave once there."
Abdel was surprised to see that Reviane looked confused. Don't the Harpers keep up with all activities that go on in their ranks?
"The Harpers know only that there was an attack, and Galvarey is dead. The loss of such a promising person sent waves through the ranks and..." Reviane started to say but Jaheira interrupted her.
"Bah! He was a fool bent on advancing his own station! His intent was to use Abdel as a trophy, hoping to gain enough influence to become a Herald!"
As Abdel expected, Reviane and her two human Harper companions didn't seem to believe the truth.
"This seems far-fetched, Jaheira. You are well known to have hated Galvarey... and why should this man command such value?"
"I... I do not know. All I do know is that Galvarey had an unhealthy interest in my compatriot. You must trust me in this matter, I would not attack a Harper, but Galvarey gave me no other choice, you know me better than this, Reviane."
"How can I, Jaheira? You are not the same Jaheira I knew. Your presence at the Harper Hold resulted in the deaths of many. For that I can but assume you are no longer one with our cause."
Jaheira sighed in defeat, not that she had any intention of surrendering. "You must do as you will, Reviane. I have told you my circumstance, there is little more for me to say," she said.
Abdel looked down and noticed near his right boot is a stone small enough to kick, and he had an idea. If a fight breaks out, he'll try to kick that rock at Reviane to distract them so that they won't be able to hit her with their arrows at point blank range.
"If you attack us, you are no better than Galvarey. Do not do this. Harpers don't just seek justice, they seek truth," Jaheira tried to reason with Reviane.
"Harpers do not kill their own, either!" Reviane snapped. "You will feel my wrath, and if I fall, more will come!"
Abdel immediately kicked the rock near his foot! His intent is not to strike Reviane nor her fellow Harpers in the face with the rock, he was merely hoping the rock would distract Reviane and her fellow Harpers at least, it takes a lot of practice kicking rocks to be that accurate. The rock flew at Reviane, and when she saw it coming from the corner of her eye, she dodged it impulsively even though it barely came close to hitting her in the chest, giving Jaheira enough time to jump at Reviane, disarm the shortbow from her hands and use Reviane as a shield to discourage one of the Harpers form shooting her.
While Jaheira sprang to action disarming Reviane, Abdel charged at the harper woman to Reviane's right flank, and when the Harper saw him coming, she fired an arrow at his head, and Abdel was lucky to attempt to slide towards the Harper, kicking up dirt as he slid towards her, the arrow breezing over his head. Then he got up to his feet and charged at the woman. She discarded her shortbow, reaching for her short sword, but she never had the chance to draw it because Abdel kicked her before she could pull it out her scabbard, and the force of Abdel's kick sent her flying towards a tree and she slammed into it, knocking her unconscious.
Jaheira made sure her head remained behind Reviane's head and her arms clutching Reviane's wrists to stop her form reaching her sword or daggers she held Reviane between her and the human man pointing a shortbow at them, trying to find some way to shoot Jaheira without harming Reviane.
"Cowardly act, traitor," The human man growled.
"Speak for yourself, trying to kill an unarmed opponent," Jaheira retorted.
Jaheira knew that she had to act fast before Reviane gets the idea of head-butting her or stepping on her feet, so acting without thinking, she shoved Reviane towards her fellow Harper! This surprised the human Harper and Reviane fell on top of him, and Jaheira spun around on her heels running.
"Run!" Jaheira yelled at Abdel as she ran past him, and Abdel quickly followed her, heading east.
Reviane quickly climed off the human man Harper, and grabbed her shortbow, but she saw that Abdel and Jaheira ran around trees for cover, hitting them would be difficult.
"After them!" Reviane exclaimed, running after Abdel and Jaheira alone, leaving the Harper man behind to try to wake up the unconscious human Harper woman.
"*pant, pant*... I haven't ran so much in my entire life!" Abdel said as he darted with Jaheira through the forest.
Jaheira didn't reply to him, she saved her breath for talking rather than running. Abdel wanted to look back and see if Reviane and the other Harpers are chasing them, but he was afraid that he might run into a tree if he looks back. When he got to a part in the forest where the trees are not so close together, he glanced back and saw that he didn't immediately see Reviane or anyone else, then he looked ahead, following Jaheira. After passing by a tree with chewed off bark at forehead level with Abdel's face, he saw an arrow pierce into the wood, causing him to gasp in shock, and he didn't need to look back to know that Reviane is a few yards behind him.
Meanwhile, Ralis and Aerie were back on their feet again, trudging through the forest and calling for Abdel.
"Abdel!" Aerie called with him.
After Ralis called for Abdel the fourth time, they encountered a black bear.
Ralis and Aerie stopped in their tracks.
"Don't... move..." Ralis whispered to Aerie hiding behind him.
The bear stood up on its hind legs and roared.
Ralis and Aerie made no moves to attack it or run away, they just stood there.
"What do we do?" Aerie whispered to Ralis.
"All we have to do is let it know that we mean it no harm..." Ralis whispered back.
The bear stood up on its hind legs for a few seconds, snorted and fell back down on all fours, looking at Ralis and Aerie with curiosity, but they didn't know that.
"Why isn't it attacking us?" Aerie whispered.
"I don't know. I think it's trying to figure out what we are doing here in its territory..." Ralis whispered back, trying not to break a sweat. He heard that if a bear senses that you are nervous, then the chances of them attacking you increases.
However, before the bear could do anything, Ralis and Aerie saw Abdel and Jaheira running towards them from behind the bear!
"What the...?" Aerie frowned in confusion.
"Abdel? Jaheira?" Ralis was confused too.
Jaheira said nothing when she ran past Ralis and Aerie, but Abdel did. He said:
"Run!"
Wasting no time, Ralis and Aerie turned around and ran to catch up with Abdel and Jaheira, and just in time because Reviane ran past the the bear coming after them in hot pursuit, causing the bear to make a startled roar. Then when Reviane's two fellow Harpers attempted to run past the bear, the bear showed its hostility and attempted to attack them, taking them out of the chase.
Ralis and Aerie caught up with Abdel, but Jaheira remained ahead.
"What's going on here, Abdel?! Why is Jaheira with you?!" Ralis demanded.
"It's a long story! Now is not the time when we got an angry Harper on our tails!" Abdel replied.
Ralis looked behind him and saw a half-elven woman with flowing black hair and in splint mail body armor with a shortbow in her hands chasing after them. Occasionally she would try to shoot an arrow at them but every time she would instead hit a tree or an arrow would simply fly past them.
Eventually they made it back to the field where Abdel and Jaheira defeated Ertof and his companions before.
"Why is she after you and Jaheira?" Aerie asked Abdel.
"Less talking, more running!" Abdel shot back.
Ralis had an idea of how to get rid of Revaine without killing her.
He stopped running and turned around to face her, then he used one of his Bhaalspawn powers, casting Horror. Revaine didn't know who this young man running with Abdel and Jaheira was, but she didn't care, but before she could fire an arrow at him, the Horror spell Ralis cast on her took effect with no problems, and suddenly she felt horrified at the sight of Ralis.
"Oh gods! Run!" She gasped.
Quickly turning around, she ran back into the woods as if hounds from the Nine Hells are chasing her.
Ralis sighed in relief, then ran to catch up with Abdel and the others.
It took them a while to get back to the site of the wrecked carriage on the road, where they regrouped with Sam, Cernick, Jan, Tashia, Aerie, Viocnia and Mazzy.
"Jaheira? What are you doing here?" Rasaad asked.
"I had to leave Arnise Hold after you left. The Harpers are after me and Abdel."
"Why?" Ralis asked.
"Remember that time when that woman showed up to escort Abdel and I to the Harper Hold in Athkatla?" Jaheira asked Ralis.
"Yeah," he nodded.
"The man who wanted to meet us there, Galvarey, had an unhealthy obsession with Abdel. I don't know why, but he wanted to imprison him to improve his station enough to officially become Athkatla's local Herald. Abdel and I had no choice. We killed him and the Harpers there. And now, the Harpers are doing all they can to hunt us down," Jaheira explained.
Ralis rubbed his chin thoughtfully, knowing that being targeted by the Harpers is bad news indeed.
"This is not good. We should get to a town or city as soon as possible and think of a plan. We're sitting ducks out here with our stagecoach wrecked," he said in all seriousness.
We should continue heading for Purskul. We are too far north to walk back to Imnescar," Cernick suggested.
"Then we walk to Purskul," Ralis said.
"We are in for a very long walk, then," Tashia said.
"Yes, dearie, we certainly are. I haven't walked on a road this long since Uncle Sven's carriage broke down, and we were forced to carry 20 pounds of equipment for constructing turnip beer blenders to Crimmor. Have you ever had a leg rash, dearie Tashia?" Jan asked.
"No, Jan, I haven't," she replied.
"Well, your legs can get pretty itchy walking such long distances. Makes you want to scratch up your legs as if you're a dog with fleas. And speaking of fleas, I happen to have a flea remover right here with me."
"Sorry, Jan, I'm not interested," Tashia said.
They walked up the Trade Way road for many hours as Jan rambled on and on, annoying Ralis, Tashia, Viconia, Cernick and Mazzy. Many caravans passed by them, some coming from Purskul going to Imnescar, others coming from Imnescar going to Purskul. No one bothered to stop and ask them why they are walking in the middle of the road without a ride. As far as they knew, Ralis and his party could be brigands acting like travelers in desperate need. They eventually stopped to rest at the tavern/inn known as The Battlescarred Bard even though it is not the best inn in Amn to rest at. The signboard of the inn consists of a lifelike wooden figure hung upside down from its right ankle. The signboard figure depicts a male human bard, lute in one outstretched hand and the other clasped to his chest.
The figure's mouth is agape as if singing, and a huge mock axe is buried in the crown of his head. The effigy hangs from a 60 foot pole to keep it from being stolen by money hungry adventurers and is surrounded by a ring of lanterns which are lit from dusk to dawn. The building's roof is old, water leaks from the ceiling inside, but despite the ramshackle appearance of the tavern/inn, the food is great, Ralis and his party learned that the easy way. With enough coppers and silvers, the innkeeper, a balding man tall as Abdel named Halden Bellovar and his serving wenches treated them with great hospitality, giving them the most decent ale available, and a decent plate of sliced vegetables fried in a highly salty golden batter flavored with fish, doused in honey syrup laced with lemon juice. They didn't stay at the inn long, they left after getting a good meal and three hour rest, because they wanted to make sure they don't catch a sickness from staying in such a decrepit place.
As time passed, the sun slowly fell from the sky, and when the moon rose up in the night sky, Ralis was disappointed that they were still many miles away from Purskul on foot still. Everyone is tired of walking, and Abel wished that Ertof Dand and his goons never wrecked their stagecoach.
"I really hate walking long hours..." Sam said.
"It could be worse, Sam. It least we got a decent meal and a few hours of rest. Try to look at the bright side of things," Mazzy said.
"Like what?" Sam looked down at Mazzy skeptically.
"Well, we are alive and breathing, for one," Mazzy said.
"I wonder how long that will last..." Viconia blurted out.
Mazzy didn't bother replying to Viconia.
Jaheira looked up at the night sky. There aren't many stars showing, most of them are obscured by the gray clouds.
"Skies are a bit gray no matter where we go, aren't they? Or perhaps it's just my mood. Yes, that must be it. No wonder, I suppose," Jaheira said to Abdel then sighed. "I cannot help but think of Reviane."
"We did no wrong. How were we supposed to have reacted?" Abdel asked her.
Jaheira continued forlornly looking up at the night sky.
"I don't know. I begin to wish we had been wrong. It would be so much simpler. I want to believe as they do, and I wish I didn't feel like I..."
Abdel got the feeling that she is about to drown in her sorrows, but he also sensed that she isn't fully expressing her feelings.
"How is it you feel, Jaheira? What is it you are saying?" He asked.
Jaheira didn't reply for a few seconds. "... I don't know. I want to stay with you, but we will need to avoid my former kin. I will have to tell you about them. What if you betray... what if you turn..." Jaheira stopped speaking and shook her head for a second. "I am sorry, Abdel, I didn't mean to suggest anything."
"Jaheira, if you don't trust me, then you should do me the courtesy of saying so," Abdel said.
"No!" Jaheira vehemently said, then she paused to calm down. "I just... this is so damn difficult to get straight. We should... we should speak of this later. Things will be said in anger. Let's just move on."
A couple hours later they stopped in the forest not far from the road and made camp there, resting for the night, resting in their bedrolls that they always take with them on outdoor journeys. The continued walking up to Purskul the next morning. Abdel couldn't help wondering why Jaheira still hasn't told him every secret she knows about the Harpers. If they are all against her now, then she owes them no loyalty. But then he recalled that even though she is supposedly branded a traitor, she is still loyal to their goals, they help maintain the balance and whatnot. And, as if on cue, Jaheira spoke to him as she walked alongside him, following everyone else.
"This may be a bad time or not, but I think we should speak."
"Very well," Abdel nodded.
Jaheira cleared her throat. "Yes, well, I wished to apologize for our argument before. I wanted... I wanted you to know why I can't speak of the Harpers. There is much harm I could do to them if I did."
Abdel looked down at Jaheira incredulously. "This isn't a question of harm, this is a question of trust," he told her.
"And I do trust you, I just don't trust myself. I am no traitor, of that I am sure, but what if I am to indefinitely hide from my brethren? What am I then?"
Abdel didn't know what to say when she threw the question at him.
"If I am in the right, why must I tell their secrets? If I am in the right, why must I run and hide? I do not have answers for these questions, and they worry me," Jaheira said with somber guilt in her tone.
Abdel sighed. "Believe it or not, the choice is simple in my mind. Defend yourself or die. Kill or be killed. Our predicament is similar to the animals of the wild. We are prey to the Harpers, and we must fight for our survival."
Jaheira shook her head, looking up at Abdel with a disbelieving expression.
"I'm beginning to think that most things are simple to you. You've helped nothing with this comment. I... I do not wish to continue this conversation," she said.
"As you wish," Abdel said with a courteous nod.
The next day later, they reached Purskul at nightfall. The streets are quiet, and not a single guard is patrolling the streets. They are heading for The Black Sheaf, but it is a few blocks away form where they are, and Jaheira felt very uneasy walking through these empty streets even though she isn't alone. It's almost as if someone in the shadows of the alleyways are watching her.
"There is an ill wind in the air. Do you feel it? I feel a storm inside, in the distance," Jaheira said.
Everyone stopped walking and looked around.
"I don't see anyone," Viconia curtly said.
"What storm? The skies are cloudy, but not cloudy enough to be rain clouds," Tashia said, looking up at the night sky.
"And what ill wind are you talking about? This breeze feels good to me, like the cool breeze of indoor air back at my home, I might add," Jan said.
"I guess you are more sensitive to the weather, being a druid and all," Ralis said.
"It's not the weather. I just... something is coming and I do not like how it feels. I don't know what it is, but I do not like how it feels," Jaheira said, a bead of sweat falling form her forehead down between her eyebrows to the bridge of her nose.
"You mean you don't know what it means?" Aerie asked.
"No. They say you shiver when someone walks over your grave. I feel as though someone were marching back and forth across mine," Jaheira replied.
"It could be a parable for a change, who knows?" Abdel guessed with a shrug.
"I don't know. Let's get going to an inn and it will pass. If you don't mind, Abdel, I would walk in step with you. I... just need someone near me."
Jaheira walked alongside Abdel, so close that she put her left hand into Abdel's right hand, urging him to hold it. Abdel realized that she is terrified about something, but is trying to stay calm.
Two minutes later, ahead of the group, emerging from an alleyway up ahead, Ralis and the others saw a tall, elderly, but physically fit man with long gray hair and thick beard appear and stop ahead of them as if he intends to stop them and speak to them. He only has a long sword strapped to the left side of his waist over his beige robes, so Ralis, Abdel and Mazzy quietly assumed he must be a dual classed fighter and mage, and Jaheira stepped forward, recognizing the man. The man's name is Dermin Courtierdale, and he is a member of the Harpers that Jaheira personally knows. He is the man who recruited Jaheira into the Harpers nearly two decades ago, so in a way, he is Jaheira's mentor.
"Der... Dermin? Is that you? It has been some time," Jaheira said almost in a warm greeting.
"Indeed. It has been a very long time," Dermin said, looking emotionless as his voice sounded hollow.
"You know this man?" Ralis asked Jaheira.
"This is Dermin Courtierdale, he is the man who introduced me to the Harpers years ago," Jaheira said, then she turned her attention to Dermin. "What is the matter, Dermin? You would not have me walk on by, would you? I know that we did not always see eye to eye, but I assure you the respect."
"I may well have let you pass, for there is no joy in my visit today. Jaheira, do you remember the lessons I've taught you?" Dermin asked.
"Of... of course, you were the one who introduced me to the Harpers," Jaheira reluctantly said.
"Yes, yes, but the lessons?'" Dermin nodded, calmly prodding her to cut to the chase.
"What... what are you getting at Dermin?" Jaheira asked with a confused frown.
"I am not here to rehash our relationship, Jaheira... I have been sent to kill you, or otherwise seek your downfall, and I do not relish the duty."
Jaheira nodded. "I see. And what power has decided that I should be killed? I serve nature are protect the good of the land through my work as a Harper. Who have I offended?"
Dermin looked confused now. "Who...? Jaheira, you travel with a killer of Harpers. I do not wish to think you had and complicity in those acts, but here he is, and he is still alive," he said, pointing at Abdel.
"I have washed my hands of the incident at the Harper Hold. Galvarey was in the wrong and brought his fate upon himself," Jaheira counter argued.
"We know nothing of this. There is only the fact that you... you and your friend Abdel Adrian were the cause of many deaths. This cannot be ignored," Dermin argued back calmly.
"He was in the wrong! Of that I am certain! Galvarey sought to imprison Abdel for his own gain and I took the side of right. I could do no other!" Jaheira erupted almost angrily.
"It is not seen that way, Jaheira. Exact the necessary justice. That is the only route to redemption for you. The others... will not accept you otherwise," Dermin replied.
"This is wrong, Dermin. This is not the right solution," Jaheira said, trying not to lose her patience and temper, at the same time, she looked confused and conflicted.
"Don't let this fool scare you, Jaheira! If this Galvarey really sought to imprison Abdel for personal gain, then it is they who are in the wrong!" Ralis said.
Jaheira found that Ralis is right, all her doubts have been swept aside. Harpers or not, imprisoning a man for personal gain makes the Harpers fall close to the level of the Zhentarim.
"Dermin, I... Dermin, I cannot do as you ask. You are in the wrong, as was Galvarey. I was right to choose Abdel's side, and it is your loss that you cannot see this," Jaheira said as a couple tears fell from her eyes.
"Consider carefully what you are saying, child. You have a duty to justice," Dermin warned her calmly.
"This is not justice. This is revenge for a lie, a falsehood that none seem bothered to find the truth behind. If this is Harper justice, then I..." Jaheira said, swelling with strength and conviction at first, but calmed down a little towards the end.
Dermin frowned. "What are you saying, Jaheira?"
Jaheira hesitated for a moment.
"If this is the justice you represent then I... I renounce you. I renounce...I renounce my life as a Harper," she said with finality.
Dermin looked more confused than ever before.
"Jaheira, you cannot mean...Think this through," he urged her softly.
"It would seem I am the only one that has thought any of this through. You do not, Galvarey did not, and now the Harpers out for blood do not. I mourn many fellows of the Harp, but they died fighting for balance and truth. Galvarey did not, and this matter cheapens their loss. I will not be party to it," Jaheira said unwaveringly.
Dermin lowered his head slightly in disappointment. "So be it then. I will take your words to those that will listen. Do not expect your life to be peaceful with this choice."
"It shall not be peaceful, but it is clearer than the course you are on. Goodbye, Dermin."
After Jaheira said her goodbye, Dermin disappeared back into the alleyway he emerged from. When ralis and the others continued moving down the side of the road towards the spot where Dermin had been standing, Ralis and Mazzy looked down the dark Alleyway and couldn't see Dermin anywhere. It's as if he disappeared without a trace.
"Are you certain of this, Jaheira? I did not want to be a burden," Abdel said with concern and worry.
Jaheira looked up at him. "You are no burden, Abdel, you are why I go on. I have friends to avenge, but life is also for the living. My life is worth pursuing. I... I hope you agree. Come, enough sadness for the day. We have much to do and...and together we will not fail," she said reassuringly.
After reaching The Black Sheaf Inn, they paid for foods, drinks and hotel rooms and rested there for the night.