Certain major characters are not mine, though Lon is mine, among many others. Language and other stuff warning, just to be safe...

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Neverwinter, the Sunken Flagon ---

--- Elondra

Our second ball was tonight, and I wasn't especially happy about it. Oh, we had another matched set of clothing. Ordered and collected by Pameran at some point, and I was almost afraid of how much this latest batch of clothing was going to cost us.

Despite, or because of that, Cas and Bishop looked so damn good in theirs. It was an odd choice of a golden, orange fabric for all of our outfits, and my Nine insignia somehow was both prominent and harmonizing.

This time, we were taking a sedan chair again; I wasn't sure if Cas or Sand had ordered it, but after the last ball, I wasn't planning to argue that we needed it. Cas looked over the bearers, and we got inside again.

Our trip to Blacklake was quieter this time, and Bishop had not brought out the booze. That was fine, I wasn't quite as nervous this time. Cas looked serious, and Bishop had a slight glint of humor. We entered the festivities, spilling out over multiple rooms, and there was no real reaction this time from the crowd.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, before we entered further into the ballroom. The bards had finished their tuning before we'd arrived and people had already been dancing; next they started playing something energetic. A bit surprised by him doing it, Bishop towed me to the dancing space immediately.

Concentrating on my steps, I wasn't paying that much attention to things around me. After a bit, though, I noticed there were a few other faces I recognized around the room, from Lady Nerriam to Sir Asymon and our instructors, Nesthen and Wenfra. Looking at Bishop, he was in a very good mood for being in public, with a real smile.

I had to smile back, even if I was still worried about missteps.

He really liked this, and leaned closer to whisper, "Mine," to me.

The song ended and Cas took me out for the next dance, more than a little easier to do now than when we were learning.

When we returned to where Bishop was watching the dancers, I could see he wanted to go out again, but he only sighed lightly and half-smiled, "Not all at once, right? Did Bell say how many was too many if you two want to behave?"

Shrugging, as I didn't know, I could ask later.

Cas suggested, "I think less than a half dozen each would be a reasonable estimate, as there are dozens for the evening."

Looking up, I saw that others of the Nine had all arrived, in their finery as well. Ekkar and his wife Switte, just before the single ones, Valga, Eth, and Nevalle. Nevalle did attract the most covert attention, and I noticed a couple of the matrons pushing their charges a half step in Nevalle's direction when he entered.

Standing close enough to see that Valga was restraining laughter, I saw when she and Eth moved towards the dance floor.

Nevalle spotted me, and was almost hasty in moving over to greet us, "Lady Whyntll, you seem to be adapting. Care to dance?"

I had to grin, even as I heard Bishop snicker, and I said quietly, "I'm safe, right?"

"Yes," he agreed, drawing me out for one of the more formal dances. He looked a little harried, an unusual state for him.

"Are they all that bad?" I wondered, trying to be careful with my feet for a while.

With a frown, Nevalle admitted, "Yes, they are. My aunts have yet to find anyone they think suitable, who isn't brainless or expecting me to hang on them, praising their beauty, wit, family, and shoes, for all I know. I'd like someone competent and understanding that my duties are more important than her hair, dress, and jewels or her great-grandfather's nobility and successes."

All I could think to say, was, "Good luck, I don't have the slightest idea about that."

"Neither have I," he said dryly, "that's why they are now looking more publicly for me. I don't like returning to being the prey, as when I was younger."

There wasn't much more to say, and I concentrated on my dancing until the song ended. Like Bell had, we ended the dance close to where Bishop was watching the crowd.

"Aren't you dancing?" Nevalle asked him.

With an edged smile, Bishop told Nevalle, "Doesn't seem very smart, Casavir will be the polite one."

Nodding, Nevalle moved off, but then more people visited us.

I was surprised when Brelaina introduced herself as Lady Something or other, and her husband, too. I didn't quite catch it, but didn't feel any lack. They didn't seem to have any real affection between them, but I guess she was happy as she had more rank than a mere watch captain. He was from some trading family in Waterdeep, and he kept going on about opportunities in Neverwinter especially in the clocks trade and the hardwood furniture. Neither of these topics were very interesting to Bishop or I, so we went to dance again as soon as I thought we could get away with it.

Lady Nerriam was welcoming when she saw us, and Sir Asymon greeted us civilly. He took me out on the dance floor as well, which was a surprise.

After that, I spent most of the next hours on the dance floor. Of course, I danced with Cas and Bishop, but also Eth, Ekkar, and Lord Genryn. Nevalle I saw on the dance floor with several young women, but he looked annoyed. He was much more relaxed when he danced with Switte, Valga, and myself again.

When there was a longer break, we got some of the elaborate food and drinks set out in another room to sustain us. We were still watchful, especially when Lady Vallis and Lady Phloaud sniffed at us when they saw us, at different times. Lady Bekirr had a nicer smile, when Lady Nerriam introduced us for a brief conversation.

I was more pleased when I heard a familiar cough and I saw it was Sir Grayson, in his usual fine, and more archaic-styled clothing, and leaning slightly on an elaborate cane.

"Ah, my squire shows very well with some dress and a bit of polish," he said with a smile.

A careful curtsey prevented my first impulse of a wise-ass answer, so instead I said, "Dress and polish requires far more time and money than seemed smart for my trials to me."

Bishop added with a smile, "Polish would have ruined the dress, too."

Sir Grayson smiled as cheerily as ever, and said with a wave displaying the gilt on his cane, "This will all pass. It is an amusing pastime for some, but many, myself included, limit these activities to only the two month span after harvest. For too many, this is the peak of their lives."

"That is a sad commentary on your peers," Cas said thoughtfully. "Have any attempted to raise their eyes to the horizon?"

More serious, Grayson said, "Yes, Lord Nasher does that frequently with varying success. Believe it or not, I remember when young Nevalle was trying to live down his... foolish father, through achievement in adventure and combat. He may not have been the best warrior, as a young man, but he kept more more of his men alive through heavy fighting than any had expected in heavy battle. Becoming one of the Nine did not take all that long after the disarray and deaths from the Luskan war."

"He was not always... polite in those days," Cas said with a slight flush.

"No," Grayson said with a slight laugh. "He has never had much patience for others' priorities, as he now had only one. He was, perhaps, too young for those duties." With a sigh, Corett looked at me sadly and added, "Neverwinter has now had to rely on almost children for some of her high offices for disturbingly long. When I was young, Casavir, here, would have almost been considered old enough to be groomed to become one of the Nine. Neither Callum nor Aribeth were more than youngsters for their races, despite their age in years. I hope that we may have years, more years than since the war with Luskan for other more subtle kinds of recovery than just rebuilding."

"I pray that we do," Cas said solemnly.

Shaking his head, and then tapping his forehead with the handle of his cane, Sir Grayson said with a brighter smile, "Don't mind your elder's wandering wit tonight. I have to let it free upon occasion, and the youngsters never wish to listen seriously. Brelaina had the same problem, before she achieved her goals in life. She's here tonight, as her spouse is trying to broker an exclusive deal with the owners of some manufactories in the city."

Smiling slightly, I had to admit, "Bishop and I saw her, she doesn't seem to miss being in the Greycloaks."

"Her parents were not... as wealthy as she wanted. I hope she is happy now," Grayson said carefully.

That cautious statement, from the usually talkative knight, said much. I met Cas and then Bishop's eyes. Cas was looking sadly towards Grayson, while Bishop smugly gave me a small leer. Grayson introduced two young ladies, Marais and Devarda, his granddaughters, along with their mother Redel. I was convinced I'd forget the names by morning. Cas was more polite and he'd remember better than I.

The bards shifted around and it sounded like they were about to begin the dance music again.

This time I pulled my own shining knight closer, and he was smiling as we went out to join the other dancers. We didn't say anything as we moved around. It wasn't needed.

Returning to where Bishop was watching everything, Nesthen and Wenfra arrived even as we did.

Nesthen was smiling when he said, "Congratulations, you are both doing much better, than even a tenday ago. I believe we can officially say your lessons are over."

"Any other variants," his wife continued, "You should be able to acquire as needed. Feel free to contact us if you need any further assistance."

Glad those embarrassing lessons were truly over, I said, "Thank you. It was never you making me reluctant, but this," I waved at the crowd, "costumes and fancy shi...stuff."

"Truly," Cas agreed, looking a little embarrassed, "I fear we are still more comfortable in the field, but thank you for helping to reduce that, greatly."

"That is the usual progress," Nesthen said gracefully, "but I think we will avail ourselves of a last turn with the ones who had to work so hard."

With that he and his wife each took Cas and I out on the floor as Bishop was grinning at us. While we didn't really talk aside from a few bland comments, I enjoyed it far more than any of the previous dancing I'd done with him. When the dance ended, he bowed and moved off to where some lasses were only watching the other dancers.

I didn't know any others of this nobility well enough to bend the 'men ask' rule, so I made my way back to the place where we were usually meeting between dances. There I found Cas was talking to Mother Plenty from the Chauntean temple, while Bishop was looking bored.

"Lady Whyntll," she greeted me with a smile. "We did not get the chance to speak at the other ball."

Cas only smiled at me, taking my hand. Bishop moved closer and put an arm around me.

"That's just as well," I admitted, "I was a bit overwhelmed."

"You are from a village in the Mere, aren't you?" she asked. "Did any of my faith visit there?"

Taking a breath, I said, something I'd rarely had to, before now, "It's gone, only a handful escaped being killed by the Shadowjerk." Another sigh, and I added, "We had a resident priest, Brother Merring, a priest of Lathander, but he did not survive the last attack either."

"Then his soul is at peace with the Morninglord," she stated calmly. "No matter what happened to the material shell. The land will recover, and perhaps survivors will rebuild the farms."

Shaking my head, I admitted, "None of us are farmers as most served in the Greycloaks, but a druid circle is forming for the area."

"That is well then," Mother Plenty smiled, "A healthy land is as much our goal as theirs." With another nod and a gesture of blessing, she moved on.

We stood closely together, as a dance piece filled the air. When the next began, Bishop pulled me out again, grinning. While I wasn't happy to be dancing, dancing with him was better as he enjoyed it that much. After that came a number of other dances with Eth, Sir Bretan, and even Nevalle again. He was edgy, which amused me.

Returning towards the area where we'd met, slowly working our way through the crowd, it was painfully obvious I was still unpopular. All the matrons, trying to get him to talk to their charges, ignored me completely. Not overtly rude, at least, I could live with being ignored at this point. Nevalle was developing a tick of annoyance, though. When we returned to where I was meeting with my husbands, neither of them were there, though a couple of matrons were approaching us with their chicklets.

Nevalle was towed back towards the dance floor by a snickering Valga, as I looked around. Cas was dancing with a young woman, looking as serious as he usually did. And to my surprise, Bishop was dancing with one of the Corett girls. He wasn't grinning as much, watching around them, and met my eyes with a wink.

Realizing that the nearest carved bench was empty, I moved over to sit for a bit and watch the dancers. It was getting late, and I was a little warm, from both the dancing and the wine I'd had throughout the evening. I was looking forward to getting back to the Flagon for the night.

No one was approaching me, so I could enjoy a relatively quiet moment and listen to the music. I hadn't spotted Grobnar this time, so hearing a variation of one of his tunes was a surprise. I'd have to remember to ask him if he had written it, or if someone had copied him. Either way, I think he'd be pleased, so I had to smile.

But then, I felt a clammy hand down inside the front of my dress. Standing, I threw the ass away from me and I swore less than quietly.

He screamed as he hit the wall a bit above a table, and appeared even as he broke the wall mirror, before falling down onto the flowers, the vase, and breaking the table. Some middle-aged man in expensive robes, decorated with expensive fabrics, gems, and couched with gold thread. He made a lot of noise with part of it being the crack of a bone or bones breaking along with the mirror, table, and vase.

Whimpering, he didn't stand, and said, "She just hauled off and attacked me when I complimented her," between gasps for air. "She should be locked, not welcomed out by her betters! The swamp-whore!"

"He was invisible and made no compliment," I snarled.

The crowd, stopping their own activities to watch the show, whispered to each other, and I wanted to beat his face in. I could only bite my lip, even as movement beyond the circle of watchers got closer.

Finishing stepping through the front of the crowd, Valga looked at him critically, and said, "You're lucky she didn't kill you, Miko, you ass. She was alone and intact a moment ago."

Looking down, I saw she was right. The edge of my scar was visible through the damaged and gaping stitching. I was embarrassed, and wanted out, now, pushing my way through the whispering crowd.

Cas and Bishop each rejoined me, looking grim, before I'd gotten more than partway to the entrance. They didn't say anything either, when I stalked out to find the sedan chair. We just held each other on the way back. They were probably angry, I know I was, with the bullshit this Miko spouted.

Once we were back to our home in Neverwinter, Duncan looked up from his conversation with a couple customer-friends, "What happened?" he asked with alarm.

"Some ass with delusions of being a mage, and maybe suave, didn't just say something rude this time," I said through gritted teeth. I had to smile a little when I added, "I'm sure I broke at least one bone."

Bishop snarled into a grin at that, but then he stopped smiling and admitted, "I wasn't watching enough."

I had to sigh, and brushed where his late night stubble was starting to show already, "You can't and shouldn't have to be with me all the time. It's not like he could do much aside from embarrassment there."

"It was an attack, on my mate," he growled. "My pack, by a predator. That makes him my prey."

"There was not enough to try him, as that could be delusions from too much alcohol," Cas said, looking worried. "Please do not go after him until we can try other methods first."

Bishop was simmering, but pulled me to sit in his lap by the fireplace. "It was a pretty dress, you know."

Cas sat beside us, looking a little grim, and I held onto both of them for a few minutes. Duncan brought over some drinks for us, and I downed mine in almost one pull.

"Maybe..." I finally said, looking down angrily at where more was showing than I'd like. Not that much more, but enough to make me uncomfortable. "I don't get it. Aside from you two, I've almost never been pursued in any way. Is this damn dress that much of an invitation?"

"It was a lovely dress," Cas agreed carefully, "but I don't think this was because of the dress. Sadly, I doubt it was you either, so that leaves our enemy trying to discredit you still, perhaps by attacking your reputation."

"That seems likely," Valga said, with Nevalle entering with her. "He had minimal spell training when he was younger, but no real aptitude or dedication according to the rumors then. He was far too fond of his bed sports to be anything useful. I cast a spell that revealed that he had powerful enchantments on him just after you left..."

"I ordered him held," Nevalle said with some satisfaction, "Attacking one of the Nine, bearing false witness, are good places to start until we figure out what happened. He always was an ass, so he probably wasn't that hard to set in motion."

With a small grin, Valga told him, "You are not that upset for an excuse to leave early."

Nevalle nodded with a grim smile, "True, being locked up will be good for him."

"Was this the same... person as at the Harvest Ball, my lady?" Cas wondered.

"No," I had to admit. "Similar ages, both comfortably wealthy and convinced of their superiority, but the other was just rude and more easily threatened."

"Have you seen either, at other times?" Nevalle asked.

Shaking my head, I reluctantly allowed, "No, I haven't, and I don't know who the other one was."

The Captain of the Nine looked peeved, and said, "So we have no leads than that idiot Mikoll Barnict." With growing anger, he growled, "A suspicious gambling house, and no idea who enchanted and used Lord Nasher for their plans. Plans involving attacks on him and his defenders, with tentacles through Blacklake. You will find them, Whyntll."

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A/N: Thanks to my beta reader, who's been kind enough to point out some things. Any typos that remain are not intentional...Reviews or even a PM to let me know what you think would be very appreciated.