"We still need to get new clothes for the ball." Jarlaxle panted. They were sparing in a clearing just outside of the city. Jarlaxle was relieved of most of his magical weapons, and was only sporting his dagger and sword. Entreri also only had his sword and his trademark dagger. Jarlaxle swept his sword towards his partner's legs, only to abruptly switch directions and bring his dagger high. Entreri countered this with a well placed elbow, knocking his dagger hand off course and a small step back.

"I don't need new clothes." Entreri snarled at him as he took a swipe at Jarlaxle. He easily parried it.

"Yes you do. You think anything we own currently will be enough to impress a masked lord? Not to mention the fact that it's a masquerade. We can't just show up in slacks and a random shirt.

"That doesn't mean we have to buy new clothes."

"Abbil. We don't have anything good enough. WIth the extra thousand from Cassalanter we can get some nice stuff. Lets treat ourselves, yeah?

"No." Entreri glared at him before coming at him harder than he had before. Jarlaxle barely parried in time.

"I'm not asking." Jarlaxle turned around and grabbed his belt and eyepatch. "Come on. We have places to be. Jarlaxle could practically hear the eye roll he was receiving from behind him. They walked into a small shop a few streets from their home. A young gnome was sitting behind a counter.

"Welcome to Cahline's wardrobe. What can I get for you two handsome lads?" Jarlaxle didn't miss the way she eyed Artemis, or the way she did a double take at Jarlaxle.

"We need new suits. We are attending a masquerade in a week and must be prepared." Jaraxle pushed in front of Entreri. The gnome scurried behind the counter, before laying out what seemed to be hundreds of fabrics. They spent most of the afternoon picking colors, Jarlaxle taking the longest.

Entreri decided on a simple black suit, with a black and gold mask. It was simple, yet elegant. Jarlaxle had chosen a red and black suit with a matching mask, rubies embedded in the mask. They thanked the small gnome and promised to be back in three days with payment and to pick up the suits.

:Was that so bad?' Jarlaxle turned to Entreri. Entreri just sighed before shrugging. That was as close to an agreement that Jarlaxle was going to get. "Abbil. When will you just accept that I am right about most things?" Entreri chose to ignore him.

"After this ball, I want to go out of the city. We should take some time and go adventuring like we used to." Entreri said suddenly. Jarlaxle was a little bit taken aback.

"We?' Jarlaxle inquired. Entreri scowled at him and turned away.

"It is more practical to travel with a partner who can be just as helpful in battle as to having someone to converse with. It is much more convenient." Entreri couldn't hide the crack in his voice.

"Why Abbil, are you saying you enjoy my company? And conversing with me?" Jarlaxle chuckled at him.

"Of course not- you know what nevermind. You just stay here and play your games."

"Relax, Abbil, I was just joking. Of course I'll come with you. We can converse and battle together as much as you want!" Entreri responded by throwing a pillow at him. Jarlaxle laughed and went over to the washbasin. He took off his shirt and got a cloth, wetting it before dragging it along the exposed skin.
"Why do you do that each night? If only to get dirty again the next day?" Artemis inquired. Jarlaxle sighed, turning around. He didn't miss the way Entreri's eyes lingered on his chest for a moment longer than necessary before moving up to his face.

"Is it a crime not to want to smell like pig shit all of the time?" He laughed, and Entreri's cheeks turned pink.

"Are you telling me I smell?"

"Of course not. I'm just saying that I prefer to go to bed feeling cleaner. Though it would be preferable to go to the bathhouse more than once a week." Jarlaxle chuckled as Entreri grunted. "Come with me. We have much to do in preparation for this ball, and night is the best time to do it." Jarlaxle threw on a black cloak and walked back out of the room. He knew Artemis would follow.

"Why do we need to do this errand?" Entreri sighed as he caught up to him. "Where are we even going?"

"We are going to the Agrivar mansion. They have something I want, and something I know an old face wants." Jarlaxle motioned for Entreri to follow him down a darker alleyway. He didn't miss the momentary look of surprise that passed over Entreri's gaunt features.

"Kimmuriel?" Entreri asked.

"The one and only. While Bregan D'Aerthe is still primarily in Calimport and Luksan, they are retreating back to Menzoberranzan. When I return to them, I will need some level of value to not be killed by him immediately. While he is not malicious for a drow, henwon't want his power threatened, and I have reason to believe most of the band will wish for my return to power when I return." Jarlaxle tipped his hat to a young girl walking by. Her eyes widened at the sight of him and she quickly scurried away.

"When you return?" Entreri asked ridiculously.

"My dear Abbil, I have many centuries left in life. As a human, you have mere decades left, though I admit for a man of your age you do look rather well. When you are gone I have nothing left for me up here, and I will need to go and fix whatever war is happening in Menzoberranzan in my absence." He didn't miss the way Entreri looked pointedly away at the mention of his age.

"Not decades." Entreri muttered. Jarlaxle stopped walking and turned around. Entreri looked as if he was trapped against a wall, and he looked away. He held up his sword, the one and only Charon's Claw. Jarlaxle tilted his hand, before a wave of understanding hit him.

"The sword is killing you." He wasn't sure how to react.

"The opposite, actually. Before my possession of the sword, I could feel myself growing older. My reflexes, while still way above average, were getting worse. I had a pain in my hip all of the time. That is slowly going away. It seems to be putting me back to my prime." Entreri sighed and looked back at Jarlaxle. "You may have to suffer my presence for much longer than you think you will." Jarlaxle wasn't sure how to react.

"Well my Abbil, I can say that it won't be suffering. I happen to quite enjoy your company. As for the matter of your age, at least I don't have to worry about taking care of an old man in a few years!" Jarlaxle laughed as Entreri swatted him on his head with the back of his hand. Jarlaxle chuckled before turning and continuing the trek to the Agrivar mansion.

When they arrived, they switched to the Drow hand code. While not fluent, Entreri knew most of it, and therefore it made for a good use of communication when they were required to be silent. On nights like tonight.

What the hell are we even looking for? Entreri signed. Jarlaxle shook his head. He would know it when he saw it. Besides, he loved to mess with his partner.

They quickly climbed over the wall surrounding the large Estate. The Agrivar mansion was the largest in Waterdeep, the envy of all. Kyriani Agrivar was a greedy man, and was not loved by any. The home was always being robbed by something or another. Tonight was no different, save the fact that it was only being scouted.

Jarlaxle motioned for Entreri to follow him. The padded quietly across the yard. There were guards stationed every hundred yards along the house. Jarlaxle jumped up into the trees above them. There were enough trees that he was sure that he could quietly enough get to the window of the second floor.

He could hear Entreri following him, so he began forward. They twisted and climbed through the branches until the reached a window. Entreri pushed it open, and they carefully climbed inside.

The mansion was a large one, with statues along the walls, and high ceilings. Jarlaxle and Entreri each went one way down the hall. Jarlaxle came across a large room, filled with jewelry. They looked to be out on display. He assumed it was for the ball later that week. Agrivar never missed a chance to show off.

Jarlazle knew to take one would be pointless. The mansion would know by the next day, and he was sure there were ways that the man would track the theft back to him and Entreri. Jarlaxle continued on, going through numerous rooms before he found what he was looking for. It was a small room, with paintings around it. In the center of the room there was a small dagger.

It had sapphires and rubies embedded in the bottom of the hilt, and emeralds and diamonds along the shaft. It was solid silver along the rest of the hilt, with an obsidian blade. Obsidian, he knew, that came from a place darker than Menzoberranzan. He had first come across the blade 300 years prior, in Matron Baenre's home. It was stolen by the Obladora family, and Kimmuriel brought it with him to Calimport a decade ago, when Jarlaxle first began sending scouts to the surface.

It was stolen then, by an unknown guild. Through a book found in Dwhavel's library, he found out it was sold to the Agrivar family. The blade was rumored to have powers that the drow did not understand. Jarlaxle wished to understand these powers, and use them. He inspected the casing around the blade carefully. It was thin glass, but he knew it would be enchanted. To touch it would be to alert Agrivar who he was and that he was there.

The door suddenly swung open. Entreri stood there, drenched in blood. It only took Jarlaxle a moment to realize that it wasn't his blood, and less than a beat to realize that they needed to get out of there. He nodded to Entreri and they shot out towards the window. They crashed through it and tumbled down from the second story. He hit the ground in a roll and shot up before the guards realized what was happening.

He conjured up a globe of darkness and set it around him and Entreri before grabbing him and pulling him towards the wall. They broke out of the darkness and jumped the wall, Jarlaxle using his powers once again to levitate himself. He grabbed onto Entreri and pulled him up with him. They reached the top and jumped down just as the globe expired. They ran down the streets, avoiding the main roads. They slowed just as they reached the street their room was on. They split up, each walking down a different side street.

This was not uncommon for them, for any guards that would make it all this way to follow them would be looking for a pair, not one lone person if they had indeed been soon. It was not long after that they were both in their room, and Jarlaxle knew he would have to face a furious Artemis Entreri.

"What the hell was that?" Entreri rounded on him as soon as he got in the door. It was obvious that he would be mad, Jarlaxle expected him to yell, but the quiet disappointing tone was worse than if Entreri had told him to leave.

"We went for the dagger, we got when we went for. I now know where the dagger is and its defenses. And soon I will know how to counter those defenses." Jarlaxle at least had the decency to be ashamed.

"And why could you not have gone alone, or at least explained to me what your intentions were? Rather than lead me blindly? You wish for me to trust you, yet you pull stuff like this all the time! Is it really so hard to let me know what we are doing ahead of time?" Entreri looked genuinely hurt. Jarlaxle felt another twinge of pain in his heart. Those seemed to be becoming a common occurance the more time he spent with his companion.

"Im sorry," he began quietly. "I did not mean to betray your trust, my Abbil." Entreri looked surprised to hear an apology rather than an argument. Jarlaxle sat down on his bed. "We will go to the bathhouse tomorrow evening. We must be clean before the ball. 'Tis only 2 nights away. I shall go and pick up our suits as well." Entreri merely grunted in response.

Jarlaxle sighed and leaned back. These next few days were going to be hell.