Baldur's Gate

The Lord of Murder shall parish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos shall be sown in their footsteps.

Disclaimer: I do not own Baldur's Gate, the Forgotten realms or any of the characters from the game or the R.A Salvatore novels. I'm just borrowing them and I'm not making any money off of it. Andromeda, however, is mine, so don't use her without asking first. Come to think of it, so are Noochie and Kalen.

Summery: The story of Baldur's Gate told with a female protagonist.

By: Lhianann-Sidhe

Chapter Two

Here, In Darkness

In her dream she was running, from blood, from death, from her enemies, from her true father's cloudy figure. He was always there, but recently he had taken on a darker form.

In early childhood when she dreamt of her real father she dreamt of the kind and loving figure she had created in her daydreams. Then he had been someone to come to her and tell her that her mother was not really dead, that he was sorry he hadn't been there for his child, and that he loved her. Guilt had later chased these dreams away. She felt that by imagining her real father she was somehow betraying Gorion. Her true father had abandoned her and her mother, or he was dead, or worse, she had heard stories of men who captured woman and… she could never bring herself to complete that thought. Gorion, however, was there for her. Her cared for her, raised her, loved her as a father, and expected nothing more from her then honest effort.

So, she forced herself to stop daydreaming of the father she wished she had. But now her father's figure had become dark and foreboding. His presence frightened her. The love she felt in her childhood dreams was gone, replaced by something cold and calculating.

* * * * * * *

Andromeda woke early that morning. Her dreams had given her no peace. The sun had not yet fully risen and the small clearing that the camp had been pitched in was bathed in an odd grayish light. The healing potion that Catti-Brie had given her had done its work, and she was no longer in any pain. She looked about the camp uneasily. Sometime during the night the large, black, panther, which had for some reason not returned to its astral home, had come to lie next to her. She watched it carefully, wondering if she would waken it if she moved. Drizzt Do'Urden and Catti-Brie were still asleep, Imoen, however, shifted uneasily showing that she was either awake or sleeping only lightly. That, at least, was encouraging, Andromeda thought to herself. It would save her the trouble of having to rouse her.

Andromeda was uncertain when she had decided to leave without telling her rescuers. She stood, careful not to make any noise. As soon as her body left the panther's side, Guenhwyvar turned to look directly at her. She tensed, wondering what the cat would do. Guenhwyvar simply sat there, its yellow eyes unreadable. Andromeda suddenly had the ridicules urge to explain herself to the cat.

She bent down and tentatively placed her hand on the cat's head. Guenhwyvar accepted the touch without giving any signs as to his intentions. Andromeda looked into the creature's oddly intelligent eyes. "I'm sorry Kitty," she whispered, and then decided that the word "kitty" did not suit, or might offend the magnificent creature. She began again, " Guenhwyvar, I'm sorry Guenhwyvar, but I can't stay here with them. They've already given me too much. I have to make my own way." She hugged the great cat on impulse. "Thank you for keeping me company. I wish you could tell Drizzt and Catti-Brie I said 'thank you' as well." Guenhwyvar gave no indication whether he understood; he just watched her move away.

Andromeda lifted her pack and slung it over her shoulder, glad that the pain was gone. She found her sword belt and strapped it on. She then walked over to Imoen's small shape. The moment Andromeda came to stand over her, Imoen's eyes shot open. She started to say something, but Andromeda put her finger to her lips, silencing her. Imoen nodded, as she stood, but gave Andromeda an intent, questioning, gaze.

"Later", Andromeda mouthed, handing Imoen her pack and bow. As the two girls moved away from the encampment, careful not to disturb the other two sleeping occupants, Andromeda reflected that it was too bad she had chosen to leave. It would have been fun to be able to say that she had been given a lesson in fighting by Drizzt Do'Urden himself.

It didn't even occur to her to wonder why, in this dangerous area, no one was keeping watch.

* * * * * * *

"Strange girls." Catti-Brie said to Drizzt the moment that Andromeda and Imoen left earshot.

"Yes" Was all that Drizzt said as Guenhwyvar came to sit next to him.

"They're hiddin' somethin' that's for certain." When no answer was forthcoming she asked "Are you sure that was wise? Lettin' them go off by themselves, I mean."

"It was their choice. We cannot keep them here." Catti-Brie could here his sign. She turned to look at the soft glow of his lavender eyes. "I do not feel entirely easy about it either." He said after a pause.

She changed the subject. "What did Harkle's letter say again?" She asked.

"Something about the prophecies of Alaundo."

* * * * * * *

"I wish you'd tell me why we had to leave." Imoen said. The early morning sun had risen well into the sky. They had not been walking more then half an hour and Imoen was already making a pest out of herself.

"I've already told you, Imoen, I didn't want them to go out of their way for us, they probably have more important things to do." Andromeda told her friend peevishly. She sent a small rock flying across the road with a well-placed kick.

Imoen rolled her eyes. "I meant the real reason." She said as she stopped and turned to look Andromeda in the eye.

"That was the real reason!" Andromeda protested.

"No it wasn't!"

"Yes it was!"

"No it wasn't!"

"Yes it was!"

"No it wasn't!"

"Let's not start this again." Andromeda said with a resigned sigh. She started to walk again, leaving Imoen behind. After a short time Imoen gave up on staring at her friend's retreating back and ran to catch up with her. The two walked in silence for a short time. Imoen kept her eyes locked on Andromeda's face. It was making Andromeda distinctly uneasy. She was fairly certain that was why Imoen was doing it. Not one to give up easily, and feeling ridiculously pig-headed; Andromeda simply ignored her friend.

They walked on like that for another ten minutes before Imoen spoke. "They sort of make me uneasy to." She said simply.

"What?" Andromeda asked, stopping again.

"Well you hear all sorts of stories about them and then they're real, standing right the in front of you, and it's kind of weird." Imoen concluded. Andromeda only stared at her. "I'm right, aren't I?" she asked a gleam in her eye, certain that she had guessed it.

"No, that's not it." Andromeda said. She decided that walking all the way to the Friendly Arms Inn with a determined Imoen would not be very amusing. Imoen could be very annoying when she wanted to be. "I just have to find my own way. I don't want to be indebted to anyone." Andromeda turned away from her friend. "Okay? Are you happy? Now can we just drop it?" she asked as she started walking again.

Imoen considered this briefly. "Okay, I believe you." She declared. "But I also think it has something to do with you attacking him."

"What?"

"You know, after the fight with the gnolls, when he walked up to you and you turned around and tried to attack him, and he disarmed you like it was nothing. He sent your sword flying! And I always thought you wouldn't be beaten, except by Nagayoshi-Sensei, now he sure clobbered you a few times…"

"Imoen?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

* * * * * * *

The sun was setting and Imoen and Andromeda had long since run out of things to talk about. They walked on in companionable silence, comfortable not to say anything. When they had stopped for their midday meal, they had found much to their surprise, that both their bags had been filled with provisions.

Andromeda had not taken time to look at her surroundings earlier; she had been preoccupied with either running or fighting for her life. Now she was amazed by how beautiful the area was. The last rays of the sun shone through the scattered tree cover, sending soft patterns onto the cobbled road and the small beds of bright blue flowers. She thought, that when this was all over, when she had avenged Gorion, she would come and live here, somewhere deep in the forest, in peace. It was an appealing thought, but she doubted that she would ever be able to. She was too restless. Perhaps in her old age, she would come back here, if she made it to her old age. Recent events were making her doubt that she would.

Andromeda lifted her arms behind her head to stretch and was rewarded by a loud crack. As she lowered her arms she noticed a figure standing in the distance. She immediately made for one of her swords before she noticed that it was only an old man. She silently admonished herself for being paranoid.

As Andromeda and Imoen approached the old man, he called out to them. "Ho there, wanderers. Stay thy course to indulge an old man. It's been nigh unto a ten-day since I've seen a soul walking this road, and I've been without decent conversation since." Andromeda stopped to at the old man, thrown off a bit by his use of such archaic words. He continued on, oblivious to her confusion. "Travelling, nowadays, seems to be the domain of the desperate or the deranged; if thou wouldst pardon my intrusion, might I inquire which pertains to thee?" He asked.

Andromeda just stared at him for a moment. He was taller then she was (which was not at all unusual) it was, however, his ridiculously long beard and his odd peaked hat that made him seem to be something out of the ordinary. There was something about his appearance that Andromeda found oddly familiar, though she was unable to tell exactly what it was. He just stood there, waiting patiently for her response.

"Not to imply anything," she began, "but how do you measure up to your own standards? Pestering strangers about their mental state hardly seems all that well adjusted to me."

He looked at her in confusion for a second, as if unused to such candid responses and then started to laugh. Taken back by his laughing, Andromeda could say nothing.

Imoen had already decided that he was probably insane.

"Point well taken, and thou hast answered my query most adequately. I shall think of thee as determined instead. I shall trouble thee no more, as thou art more then capable of the task at hand. North is the Friendly Arm Inn, where I am certain thou shalt find trustworthy friends awaiting. I have said too much and taken too much time from thee. Fare thee well." With that, he wandered off.

"Now that, was really, really weird. Do you think he was nuts?" Imoen commented after a short pause.

"I'm not certain, either that, or very powerful." Andromeda replied, then after a second her eyes went wide. "How did he know that we were going to the Friendly Arm?" The two girls stared at each other for a second, before going off to look for the old man, but he had already disappeared into the darkening night.

* * * * * * *

The Friendly Arm was widely known to be the largest Inn on the sword coast. Andromeda and Imoen knew this. They had been, of course, told about it many times, by Gorion, and whatever travelers they could pester into telling stories about the lands outside their library home. Candlekeep had originally been a fortress, as had the Friendly Arm. Candlekeep, however, couldn't compare to the sight that greeted the two weary travelers. They had grown up surrounded by high walls, though nothing on the scale before them. They loomed up many stories high, dwarfed only by the inner keep its self. Arrow slits dotted the enormous structure. Its sheer size would have been an effective deterrent to potential invaders. Andromeda couldn't imagine the army that would be required to breach those walls.

But, whatever war the fortress had been built for was long since ended, and the massive gates now stood open, welcoming travelers, rather then seeking to deter them. It was most certainly a relief to the two refuges that sought shelter there. Since leaving Drizzt and Catti-brie's company, the two of them had fought off a total of seven gibberlings, two gnolls, one hobgoblin, and two unfortunate young bandits, who had simply made a bad choice in prey. As far as Andromeda knew, the two young outlaws were still hanging upside-down, from a tree, by their belt straps, several miles back. The two girls were both in need of warn baths, hot meals, and a nice long rest.

They stopped briefly to converse with one of the guards before walking through the keep gates. It took the two of them only a moment to spot the staircase leading up to the main entrance. Grateful that this part of their journey was finally over, the two slowly began to climb the staircase to the large door.

At the top of the stairs stood a man in mages robes. He was older then Andromeda by at least a decade. He stood, leaning against the wall, examining his fingernails. A simple wooden staff leaned against his shoulder. Andromeda found something about him unpleasant. He ran his hand through slick, dark, hair. The instant Andromeda placed her foot on the first step, his eyes darted downwards and he smiled. Andromeda did not like that smile at all. It was a hungry smile, as if this man was sizing her up like a piece of meat.

"Hi friend, I've not seen you here before today. What brings you to the Friendly Arm?" He asked as she approached. Andromeda had intended to simply walk past him, but now he moved to block the entire staircase, holding his staff out at an angle from his body. His muscles were tensed, as if he expected conflict. If she tried to walk past him now she would have to step over the staff. It would be very easy for him to trip someone in that position.

Before Nagayoshi had agreed to teach Andromeda any real sword skill, he had first insisted she learned to be observant. To the impatient young girl this seemed like a punishment more then a lesson. Andromeda was a stubborn child and she wanted to be a warrior more then she could even begin to describe. At first she complained about Nagayoshi's lessons in observation, saying that an actual lesson in sword fighting would be much more valuable then staring at stones or birds, or whatever else Nagayoshi had chosen for that day's lesson. But when it soon became apparent that Nagayoshi would teach her nothing of sword fighting until she mastered the skills of observation, Andromeda had thrown herself into her lessons completely. She remembered getting quite a few odd stares from various passers-by as she sat, cross-legged on the ground and stared into a puddle or at the sky.

Even when she had learned to "observe" to Nagayoshi's satisfaction he still refused to teach her to fight with a sword, instead he taught her to fight with her hands. He told her that she could not hope to master a sword until she learned to master her own body. He spent a year training her to fight with her hands and feet, conditioning her body, and teaching her how to watch a warrior's muscles to anticipate an attack.

Looking at the somewhat oily wizard in front of her, Andromeda could tell that he was planning something. Andromeda prepared herself mentally for it. She only hoped that she could avoid falling into the mindless rage that had possessed her while she battled with the gnolls. While in that state of rage she had forgotten her training. She had somehow forgotten all the lessons she had learned from Nagayoshi. Drizzt's words to her after the battle were frighteningly similar to what her sensei had told her after their first confrontation. "It's good to use your strength to your advantage, it isn't wise to relay on it completely." She would not forget those words now. She would not forget those words ever.

Andromeda knew that if this man attacked her, she would kill him. She would not regret killing him. She would enjoy killing him. That last revelation startled her. There were times when she could feel darkness in herself more powerful then any evil she had experienced to that point. She rejected it. She would fight all her battles using only her own skill. She would not submit to the rage, and she would not accept the darkness.

She watched the man only a moment before responding. "I'm here to meet some friends" she told him. His immediate smile told her that was exactly what he wanted to hear. Fully expecting a fight now, Andromeda smiled back and stepped in front of Imoen. She wanted the fight. Catti-brie had told her that she was only a child, but when she fought, Andromeda could be so much more. Drizzt had proven that her skills were incomplete, Andromeda was no fool, and she knew and accepted that they were, but each fight, whether it be with warrior or wizard, brought her closer to perfection.

In those few seconds, something in Andromeda changed completely. She no longer wanted to be a hero; she wanted revenge for Gorion's murder. She no longer cared how other perceived her; she would be a hero but only by doing what she thought was right.

There was one more change she had to make. At her waist, there hung two swords, yet she rarely used more than one at a time. Andromeda had chosen to wield the matching long swords. True, Nagayoshi had suggested that she learn to use two weapons for it was common in Kara-Tur to match a katana with a wakizashi, but Andromeda had insisted on using two blades of equal length. It seemed a waste to her to use what she saw as an inferior weapon in her other hand. She was ambidextrous, so she thought that it would be better to make full use of her skill. She had, briefly, considered using a shield, but she decided against it. Any shield, no matter how small, would slow her down, despite her strength. Shields felt ridicules and encumbering; any truly skilled warrior could use a blade as a shield, by parrying attacks, and would not be forced backwards by and opponent's blows, as a shield wielder would. Two-handed weapons were out of the question. All of Andromeda's strength could not make up for her size, and any large blade or bludgeoning weapon would have been far to awkward in her grip, and would have slowed her more so then even a shield. So she made her final choice: two long swords. Nagayoshi had warned her against it, telling her that it required great skill to use such a fighting style, and he would not be able to teach her much about it. Never the less, Andromeda had made her choice. Yet her lack of confidence with the two blades prevented her from really ever using both.

This was something else she needed to perfect. She would have to learn to use both her blades effectively. Pity she hadn't taken that lesson from Drizzt.

"You must be whom I am to meet then. I will take you to your friends, but first I must be certain that you are the correct person. Is your name Andromeda?" The mage asked, his smile increasing as he felt himself nearing his goal. Andromeda had looked him over and decided that he was not a very powerful mage.

"Sorry, but no. I don't think you're the person I'm supposed to meet." Andromeda told him and stepped froward another step.

Now the man sneered. "Oh really? I would beg to differ. You fit the description, so it would be safe to assume that you are the one I seek. Don't move. I have something for you." The man sneered and called out a command word. A bright pink missile struck Andromeda in the lower arms as she brought it up defensively. The mage hissed and called out a second command word. His form blurred. In an instant there were five mages sneering at Andromeda, their mouths moving in the beginnings of an incantation.

The would-be assassin had not taken Andromeda by surprise as he had planned. She was prepared for his first spell and she was also prepared to counter the second. In an instant she launched herself forward in an attack that no sane fighter would ever have attempted against any ordinary opponent. But this was no ordinary opponent. This was a mage, and he was about to cast another spell.

Andromeda pulled her swords from their scabbards as she lunged. She held them out as far as she could to the sides of her body. She understood the nature of the spell that the wizard had just cast. As soon as it came in contact with solid mater it would be dispelled. She had not spent most of her life surrounded by mages and spells and not learned anything. She would never make a good mage, but she did know enough about spells to be able to recognize them with ease. She not only understood the nature of the spell that the mage had already cast, but she also understood the nature of the spell he was about to cast. It was a spell meant to cause fear. It would effectively take away the recipient's free will and make them into a helpless, quivering, heap. Andromeda could not trust her ability to withstand the spell, so she knew she had to act quickly.

She did not expect to hit the mage, or to do any real damage if she did. Her attack was made solely to cut through the illusions and pinpoint the actual spell caster. The attack, though unorthodox, did exactly what she had designed it for. Unfortunately, not one of the four spell-casting forms that Andromeda slashed through was the real mage. He was the one standing farthest to the right. It made sense that he would chose the position; he could simply leap off the stairs if he thought he was going to lose. Andromeda had at least hoped that her attack would disrupt his concentration. The spell he was casting would not take too long to complete.

Andromeda spun around, a second too late. The mage released his spell. Andromeda felt the force of the magic begin to assert itself on her will. A cold fear began to creep into her mind, threatening to overwhelm her. She barely managed to throw off the spell's effects, before launching herself back at the spell-caster. He released a small brightly glowing arrow at her. The missile struck her squarely in the chest, but she shrugged it off.

The mage, realizing he would not be able to win this battle, tried to jump off the stairs and make a run for it. He was not fast enough. Andromeda placed her blade through his spine. She thought she heard him scream an instant before he fell dead.

The entire fight had lasted only moments. Imoen was still standing at the bottom of the staircase. Imoen had also understood that there was something strange going on, though not for the same reasons that Andromeda had. The man was too tense, standing as if waiting for someone, and it was odd the way he let so many people walk right past him, but the second he spotted Andromeda, his eyes lit up. But it was Imoen's instinct to hang back, not rush in directly the way best friend had. Imoen watched as Andromeda bent over the wizard's bloody form. Andromeda plucked something off the man's belt, but Imoen did not get to ask her what it was because a small group of guards was approaching.

The conversation was brief. A small number of witnesses told the guards that Andromeda was not at fault, for the wizard had attacked first. Andromeda was given a warning. The guards did not want to see her involved in another fight.

* * * * * * *

Once the two travelers were through the oak doors, Andromeda pulled the letter she had found on the wizard out of her pocket and began to read.

Be it known to all those of evil intent that a bounty has been placed on the head of Andromeda, foster child of Gorion.

Last seen in the area of Candlekeep, this person is to be killed in quick order.

Those returning with proof of the deed shall receive no less then two hundred pieces of gold.

As always, any that reveal these plans to the forces of law shall join the target in her fate.

Andromeda folded the note and put it in her pocket. It seemed that her pursuers had chosen a more indirect method of dealing with her. She handed the note to Imoen, who read it and then let out a low whistle.

"Gees! Now what have you done to get someone that mad at you?" The young rogue asked.

Andromeda only shook her head, unable to answer that question. Some part of her thought that this whole mad adventure was the result of a case of mistaken identity.

"Look, Imoen, lets just try to find Gorion's friends. They may have more answers then we do." Andromeda turned away and began to scan the room. She spotted a waitress. The waitress' name was Nessie, and she was most helpful. She pointed out a young couple sitting at a corner table. They were both half-elves. The woman was slightly taller then the man, she had an oddly severe look to her. The man simply sat there and looked nervous.

Andromeda and Imoen approached the pair to ask them whether they were Khalid and Jahira. Before she could get a word out the woman started speaking.

"Good day friend! You are the child of Gorion are you not? I recognized you from his letters, for he writes of you often. Forgive my manners; I am Jahira, and this is Khalid, my husband." She said, smiling at Andromeda.

"G-Good to know you." Khalid stuttered.

"It's nice to meet…" Andromeda began, but was cut off before she could even finish the sentence.

"We are old friends of you adoptive father." Jahira jabbered. "He is not with you? I must assume the worst; he would not permit his only child to wander around with out his accompaniment." Jahira seemed to have a very… forceful personality.

"If… if he has passed then we share your loss." Khalid quickly added before his wife could start up again

"Gorion often said that he worried for your safety, even at the expense of his own. He also wished that Khalid and I would become your guardians, if he should meet an untimely end. However, you are much older now, and the choice of your companions should be your own." Andromeda was beginning to become more then just slightly annoyed. Jahira spoke fast enough that Andromeda couldn't get a word in at all. Only Khalid seemed to have mastered that ability. He would start speaking whenever Jahira stopped to take a breath. Poor Khalid, no wonder he stutters.

"We could t-travel with you until you got settled: help you find your l-lot in life." Khalid managed to get in.

"Yes, well, I do think we should stay with you. Gorion would have wanted us to." Jahira said and then paused, waiting for a response.

Andromeda realized that the whole conversation had passed, not only without her completing a sentence, but also without Imoen getting a word in. Imoen seemed too uncertain of what had just been said to make any comments. Now that, Andromeda thought, was amazing.

Andromeda took a deep breadth before saying, "Yes, I think I would like that."

"Very well, so that is settled. Do you have anywhere in particular you want to go? Or maybe I could trouble you for an account of how you managed to reach this Inn without Gorion?" Jahira stopped talking for a second to look at Imoen. "Who is your friend?" and without waiting for an answer, she started to talk again.

Heaven, help me, Andromeda thought to herself.

Author's Note:

This one was not as long as the last chapter, but close. I've already started writing chapter three, no idea when I'll be done with that. See the little box at the bottom of the page? Your review goes there. If you would like to see any particular NPC in this story, just say so in the review, I'll do my best to oblige. I would really like to know what you thought of my story, my characters, and my writing so please fill the review section out. Oh, by the way, this chapter gets it's name from a poem. You can read it if you like, just go to my author profile.