CHAPTER 3
The Harper Hold was a clever affair. The first floor was that of a regular house, with the furnishings and layout of an ordinary middle-class sitting room; the only thing even remotely odd about it was the long dozen- seated table at the end of the room near the hearth. This was most likely where the Harpers within the compound gathered to eat or lounge. The second floor, on the other hand, was, at the very least, extraordinarily suspicious. The entire floor -- some thirty-foot long, fifteen-foot wide deal -- was cleared, tiled and polished into a great hall. White marble pillars engraved with winding golden tresses lined the length of the room on both sides, and at the head of the room, suspended over a raised dias, hung a large crest depicting what resembled a sun of sorts. Along the left side of the room, length-wise, ran a series of chambers, the doors to which were accessible only by crossing an entryway at the far end of the main hall that lead to a parallel hallway. Beside the raised dias, to the left, a staircase lead up to the third floor...which the Harpers made clear was strictly out of bounds.
"I bet ye all the goodies are upstairs." Montaron whispered to Xzar as the pair slowly made their way onto the dias at the head of the hall and pretended to be very interested in the gargantuan crest over their heads. Xzar seemed about ten times more uncomfortable now than he did back when Montaron had first knocked on the Harpers' door; his eyes darted about incessantly and he kept ajusting his robes as though they suddenly fit him too tightly. The wizard frowned.
"Let's find this Jaheira woman quickly, yes?" He whispered back, "This place is giving me the creeps." He moistened his lips and jumped about five feet when a smiling Harper appeared beside him on the dias. The man laughed at Xzar's reaction.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He mused. It took a while for Xzar to realize what the man was talking about, but he finally nodded stiffly.
"Exquisite." He agreed and forced a tight smile. His jaw dropped when the Harper clamped a hand on his shoulder.
"Just thought I'd thank you two for taking care of Rayic Gethras." The Harper said, "We really appreciate it." He patted Xzar's shoulder and the wizard stared down at the man's hand as though it was on fire. Xzar managed to widen his false smile.
"You are most...welcome, sir." He replied slowly. The Harper nodded and left, leaving him standing there, wide-eyed and gawking. He blinked a few times and shuddered, "Monty, I am going to kill you for bringing me here." He hissed, whirling on the halfling. Montaron chuckled and strode off the dias.
"Quit yer whinin', wizard." He retorted, "I'm not liking this any more'n ye." He paused, noticing something as he walked by his partner, "Where's yer new staff?" He asked, eyeing the wizard thoughtfully. Xzar paused, stared forward a moment, then brought a hand to his head.
"Upstairs in Gethras' house." He moaned, remembering the blow he'd recieved from the clay golem that had sent him flying across the room. Montaron rolled his eyes.
"Damn it, ye daft wizard!" He cried in a raspy half-whisper, "We're gonna have to get it back! That's some nasty evidence ye left behind, fool!" Xzar nodded glumly, angry at himself for having made such a stupid mistake.
"Agreed. We'll head there once we deliver Jaheira to Ployer." He whispered back. Montaron nodded and motioned with a light tilt of his head for the other man to follow him. They kept a slow gait but made their way determinedly to the other end of the hall, where they peeked past the left entryway and curiously stepped into the quiet hallway beyond. As expected, a half dozen doors lined the wall on the right. Xzar urged Montaron away from the doors and bent to whisper in his ear.
"Either Jaheira is here or she's upstairs." He started; his voice was quavering, "My gut tells me she's upstairs, but she may be here just to spite me." He took a breath, "We can't exactly barge into every room one after the other and see if our druid friend is indeed inside, so I'm going to take a chance and use magic to see what's behind these doors." He paused, "And yes, it's quiet." He stepped away from Montaron and put his hand over his mouth then closed his eyes. He began to chant quietly into his hand, his brow furrowed in concentration; finally, he removed his hand from over his mouth and used it along with the other to perform a few intricate gestures over his eyes. Montaron raised his eyes to the heavens and cringed as Xzar's voice rose ever so slightly as the man completed his incantation. Outside in the main hall, the Harpers moved about. Montaron prayed they weren't coming to see what was going on.
The halfling's gaze moved nervously from the torchlit entryway a little further to the left, to Xzar on the right. The wizard's eyes were still closed, but they moved behind the lids. Montaron had seen this spell a few times before and had ever since then wished he could cast it: it was WizardEye, a divination spell that allowed the caster to see past barriers of almost all kinds. It could be detected, of course, so the user had to be careful. This gave Montaron something else to worry about as he watched Xzar work. Without warning, a Harper appeared by the entryway and signalled to Montaron.
"Is everything alright, gentlemen?" The man asked curiously. Startled, Montaron drew back.
"Oh yes!" He called back, smiling now, "My friend is having an awful headache, that's all." He added, throwing his thumb back at Xzar. Behind him, he heard the wizard curse sharply under his breath, his concentration lost. The Harper looked to Xzar, then back at Montaron.
"Alright then. Perhaps your friend should get some fresh air." He suggested before disappearing back into the main hall. Montaron snorted derisively.
"Ye just want us to get out is what ye want!" He grumbled under his breath at the vacant spot where the Harper had stood. He turned to Xzar and sighed, "Pardon me for startling ye, wizard. The Harper felt he had to stick his nose where it didn't belong." He said apologetically. Xzar looked at him and nodded, then stared at the entryway thoughtfully. A short moment later, he grabbed his partner by the shoulder and bent to his ear again.
"I had the time to see what I needed to see." He whispered excitedly, "Jaheira is in the second room from the end of the hallway; she's reading." Montaron frowned.
"Are ye sure it's her, wizard? I don't want to bring Ployer the cleanin' lady, ye know!" He asked worriedly. Xzar sighed and gripped his shoulder so tightly it hurt.
"I'm positive it's her, Monty!" The wizard replied impatiently, "She looks just like Ployer said she does...pretty girl with pointed ears." He paused, "Come to think of it, she looks...she looks alot like your girlfriend Atma." He remarked then quickly went on with his thoughts as Montaron began to tense up, "But anyhow, onto the important bit. The Harper that so rudely interrupted me in my work gave me an idea. I'm going to walk out of here and return downstairs as though I agreed to get fresh air as he suggested. Once there, I'm going to render myself invisible and come back here." He paused to think, "Wait for me right here and you'll know I'm back when I step on your foot." Montaron sighed and he went on, "Once I'm back, you knock on Jaheira's door -- lightly now, you don't need to make a racket. I will get a silencing spell ready and when she opens the door, I'll set it off on her. You'll subdue the wench as quietly as humanly possible and then I'll cast a second invisibility dweomer on her in order to carry her out of the building. The Harpers will already think I'm gone, so they won't have a second thought about my invisible self carrying my invisible prize out, and all you have to say is goodbye and thank them for their kindness." He took a breath and supressed an excited giggle, "Understand all that, Monty?" He asked at last. Montaron went through it all in his mind before giving the wizard a curt nod.
"Do it fast." The halfling told his partner and the man took off down the hallway and disappeared into the hall beyond. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he could hear Xzar telling a Harper that the whole experience had overwhelmed him and that he was leaving to get some air...he even said thank you, though he choked it. Montaron waited for what seemed like hours before he felt a sharp pain on his toes. He jerked back and clutched his chest, then frowned darkly as he realized that Xzar was finally back. Stealthily, the partially-visible pair moved down the hallway to the second-last door. Montaron paused and rose his hand to knock; beside him, he could just barely make out Xzar's quiet chanting. Thanking the Gods for the power of adrenaline, the halfling knocked gently on the hardwood door; was it just him, he thought ruefully, or had he done something like this not an hour ago?
There was a stirring inside and a woman opened the door. Montaron blinked; she did in fact resemble Atma. As she opened her mouth to speak, Xzar's spell went off and not a peep escaped her throat. Montaron heard the wizard launch into another incantation and he promptly rammed his fist into the taller woman's stomach; it had the effect he was hoping and the druid doubled over, bending down far enough for Montaron to be able to reach the area he needed to. With a deft motion he reached out and squeezed an area at the base of the woman's neck that made her pass out. He proceeded to hold her limp body up while Xzar completed his invisibility spell.
The wizard's voice rose slightly again and it suddenly looked as though Montaron was fighting off the descent of some awfully heavy atmospheric pressure rather than supporting an unconscious Harper. Xzar had just relieved his partner of Jaheira when a female Harper appeared at the door. Montaron whirled around to face her, his mouth an 'o' of surprise. If he wanted to continue breathing, he had to get out of the Harper Hold fast; if Xzar's invisibility spell wore off, they were toast. With the Harper standing at the door, Xzar couldn't get out...invisible or not. Montaron swallowed thickly. Time to lie.
"Hello there," He croaked, "Lovely living quarters ye've got here. Better than any Inn I've ever been to!" He grinned; in his chest, his heart was beating at a thousand miles an hour. He wondered if Xzar had wet himself yet. The Harper looked around the room and frowned.
"These quarters are not open to the public, I'm afraid." She said suspiciously and raised an eyebrow. Montaron moved to leave, hoping to dislodge the Harper.
"Pardon me! The door was open...I thought I'd have a look. Dreadfully sorry, miss." He babbled and shrugged. To his great relief, the woman stood aside and let him pass, then leaned in and reached for the doorknob in order to close the door. Another wave of terror struck Montaron when he saw this; it was impossible for Xzar to have exited the room yet, and he hoped to all the Gods that the wizard hadn't been walking out the door when the Harper's arm reached for the doorknob. The halfling made a face as the woman's hand closed around the doorknob and pulled the door shut. He had to get the Harper away from the door so that Xzar could get out, lest all his spells wear out and he finds himself in a small room with an unconscious Harper in his arms. Had the situation not been life- threatening, Montaron would have found it most comical.
"If ye'd be so kind as to show me out, I'd be much pleased." He asked of the Harper with a charming smile, "I thank ye for lettin' me have a look see around this place. Real enlightening 'twas." He added. The Harper nodded curtly and showed him off towards the main hall. He kept his ears open for the sound of a door sliding open and when he heard it, he breathed a long sigh of relief. The Harper lead him back downstairs and bid him farewell after once again thanking him for doing away with Gethras. He opened the front door and held it a moment.
"Are ye out?" He asked the empty room.
"Yes." Xzar's voice answered from outside. Gladly, Montaron walked out and shut the door at his back, thanking the gods that that mess was over with. Xzar's voice sounded again, but this time it was a tinge impatient.
"We have to return to Ployer quickly!" The wizard warned. Montaron didn't need to be told twice; he took off at a quick stride in the direction of the city stairs. They hurried across the tavern and up to Ployer's house; as they strode down the stone walkway across the garden, they were thankfully not ambushed by the Baron's daughter. They didn't bother to knock at the door; instead, Montaron whipped it open, stepped inside, and slammed it behind him.
"Home free." He declared pointedly. There was the sound of footsteps rapidly poudning down some stairs, and then Ployer burst into the room with his sword in his hand. The dark-haired man stopped, wide-eyed and chest heaving, and stared at Montaron. The halfling waved idly.
"Good afternoon to ye, Ployer." He bid the man cheerily. Beside him, Xzar's invisibility spell wore off; Jaheira's was still active, however, and it made the mage look as though he had locked his arms in a strange position. Ployer blinked.
"Already?" He asked incredulously; his expression was praise to the Zhent pair by the door. With a satisfied smirk, the Baron sheathed his sword and strode towards Xzar, "And you're certain you have Jaheira, now?" He wondered. When the man was within reach, Xzar gingerly dumped his invisible burden into Ployer's arms. The wizard smiled proudly.
"See for yourself!" He replied and took a step back. He raised his hands and performed a few odd gestures, some gibberish-like words flowing from his mouth. Seconds later, the weight in Ployer's arms became visible. The Baron eagerly looked down. Montaron crossed his fingers. A wide grin crept onto Ployer's face and he let out a cheer.
"Yes!" He cried to the heavens, "At last!" He returned his attention to Xzar and Montaron, "You boys have done well! It is beyond me how you managed to get past the Harpers, but by the Gods...this is excellent. GuildMaster Renal BloodScalp awaits you at the Thieves' Guild." He motioned with his chin, "The building is right near the district exit; the windows are barred and there's usually some ruffians loitering about near the door. Tell Renal I sent you and explain your mission to him; he'll help you out." Xzar and Montaron nodded at this and turned to leave; as Xzar's hand rested on the doorknob, it was violently thrown back when the door burst open, young Atma flying in. Her eyes fell upon Montaron.
"Hi Montaron!" She smiled at him and waved, then looked over at her father and pointed at Jaheira, "Who's that?" She asked curiously. As Xzar and Montaron slipped out the door, they heard Ployer's interesting answer.
"No one you need to know, dear...and obviously no one who needs to know you." The Baron replied, his tone going sour on the last bit, as the front door fell shut. Xzar snapped his fingers.
"My staff!" He cried suddenly, "We must retrieve it!" Montaron nodded.
"Yer right. Let's move." He replied. With that, they hurried through the streets under the darkening sky. The morning clouds had grown thick and inky by mid afternoon; it would rain soon. The wind was still strong, but the crisp, cool air was more than welcome after the stressful last few hours the pair had gone through. It had been a good day so far, however, but if they could get Xzar's staff back, it would be a better day.
When they got to Gethras' house, they took a quick look around to make sure they weren't being watched and hurried inside. Montaron bolted for the stairs and Xzar sprinted after him. When they hit the second floor, they were greeted by the delightful sight of Gethras' body, laying still in the middle of the room, and a large, chalky, white mess near the right-hand wall. Xzar moved towards Gethras' corpse and looked left to where he had been swatted by the golem earlier on; there was no staff.
"Damn!" The wizard swore and whirled around, wildly searching the room. Montaron was stalking about, peering under chairs and low tables in case the item had rolled underneath something. The halfling finished his rounds and looked to his partner.
"Nothing." He resumed with a shrug and a deep frown. Xzar stared worriedly back at him. The staff hadn't just disappeared...it had most likely been taken. Taken by whom exactly was what was worrying the duo. Montaron broke the uneasy silence.
"Whoever made off with it, made off with it real quick-like." He declared, assessing the situation as best he could. They had, after all, assassinated Gethras just under two hours ago. He scratched his dark, spunky hair, "Mayhap our pal Gethras was being watched." He added, grimacing at the implications of the possibility. Xzar twitched.
"Let's hope it's friend, not foe." He replied at last; he took a breath, then threw his hands up, "Well! It certainly won't be the first bounty on my head, now will it?" He offered lightly, though he did not have the heart to back his jest up with a smile. Montaron just stared and Xzar decided he couldn't blame him. With a desolate sigh, he turned and started back down the stairs. Montaron followed drearily.
"That was a Cowled Wizard." The halfling mused as they made their way back to the first floor, "We've never played with anything that high up before." He shook his head, "Gods...please let the staff be in anyone else's hands but the Law's!" He prayed fervently. Xzar whimpered.
"Stop it, Monty!" He pleaded, "You're going to make me cry!" Downcast, he followed Montaron towards and out the front door. When they were outside, he looked up at the dark sky and a fat droptlet of rain fell on his forehead. Montaron started off towards the Sea's Bounty.
"I say we call it a day. I'm starved and I need some ale." The halfling grumbled; he realized that the tavern was probably not the best place to be in their current situation, but it was sure as Hell -- in his opinion -- worth the risk. Quietly, Xzar agreed.
***
That night they were only able to rent one room; the Inn was over- crowded because of a caravan stopping in the district to deliver goods to an overseas shipment outfit. Into the night the Sea's Bounty was kept alive with raucous singing, laughing, shouting, fighting and all sorts of other things. Xzar and Montaron allowed themselves a celebration of their own, though not in honour of a return to shore or a good trek through Amn. They celebrated just for the sake of being alive after the day's events.
Two pitchers of Baalor's Ale, one empty and the other well-engaged, sat in a sticky puddle on a low table in front of the couch. Slouching on the couch was Montaron, no longer able to stand, much less walk; he was laughing, though it really wasn't funny, at Xzar's impression of a nearly deaf man having an argument with a priest of Helm. The wizard went on and on with the jest until he stopped, seemingly having confused himself, and sauntered towards his partner.
"I've always wanted infravision like the elves," The wizard mused, nearly stumbling over the carpet; he raised the goblet in his hand as if it would make a difference if he were to fall, "But it's more than just taking their eyes, you know..." He giggled disjointedly and eyed the ale on the table. Montaron snorted and took a long gulp from his own goblet.
"Yer stupid!" He replied, frowning with great effort. Xzar bent and set his empty goblet down on the small table then held hid head as he straightened back up.
"Ha! Stupid enough to send that..." The wizard paused to think, "...golem..." He thought about that some more then went on, "...to Hell when all you you did was stare at it!" He laughed triumphantly and spun around. Montaron threw his his goblet at him after drinking down the rest of the ale in it.
"I couldn't move, ye moron!" He cried angrily. In front of him, Xzar stopped his twirling and just about collapsed to the ground.
"Did...did you see me scare the...liv...living daylights out of that guy, though?" He said, his voice cracking as he made his way towards the couch and plopped down on it heavily beside Montaron. The halfling shook his head.
"Ye looked stupid." He replied dully, "The man laughed..." He paused and made a pointed gesture as Xzar leaned over and dropped his head on his lap, "...laughed!..." He repeated louder, "...at you." Xzar stared up at Montaron and frowned.
"Do you think the Cowled Wizards are after us?" The wizard asked more quietly. Montaron shrugged.
"Wether they be after us now 'cause of Gethras or later 'cause of the man we're supposed to get out of SpellHold, it really makes no difference." He said stoicly. He bent forward to get some more ale from the table, but Xzar's head was in the way. He frowned down at him.
"Monty?" The wizard asked and blinked. Montaron gave him a dull stare.
"What?" He drawled. Xzar's eyes suddenly held him firmly.
"Kiss me." Xzar's voice had dropped to something so soft it was almost a whisper. Montaron froze and his eyebrows shot up; he stared down at the wizard on his lap and blinked. His eyes flicked about, taking in the man's unruly brown hair, his shining emerald eyes and fine, pale lips. Something stirred inside him and he was suddenly very sober.
"No!" He growled and snapped his hands up as though he'd touched something disgusting, "Get off of me, wizard!" Xzar sighed heavily and got to his feet.
"Alright." He mumbled through a yawn and made his way over to the bed at the other end of the room. He climbed onto it, yawned again, curled up right smack in the middle of the sheets and promptly began to snore.
At the other end of the room, Montaron was still quite frozen.
The Harper Hold was a clever affair. The first floor was that of a regular house, with the furnishings and layout of an ordinary middle-class sitting room; the only thing even remotely odd about it was the long dozen- seated table at the end of the room near the hearth. This was most likely where the Harpers within the compound gathered to eat or lounge. The second floor, on the other hand, was, at the very least, extraordinarily suspicious. The entire floor -- some thirty-foot long, fifteen-foot wide deal -- was cleared, tiled and polished into a great hall. White marble pillars engraved with winding golden tresses lined the length of the room on both sides, and at the head of the room, suspended over a raised dias, hung a large crest depicting what resembled a sun of sorts. Along the left side of the room, length-wise, ran a series of chambers, the doors to which were accessible only by crossing an entryway at the far end of the main hall that lead to a parallel hallway. Beside the raised dias, to the left, a staircase lead up to the third floor...which the Harpers made clear was strictly out of bounds.
"I bet ye all the goodies are upstairs." Montaron whispered to Xzar as the pair slowly made their way onto the dias at the head of the hall and pretended to be very interested in the gargantuan crest over their heads. Xzar seemed about ten times more uncomfortable now than he did back when Montaron had first knocked on the Harpers' door; his eyes darted about incessantly and he kept ajusting his robes as though they suddenly fit him too tightly. The wizard frowned.
"Let's find this Jaheira woman quickly, yes?" He whispered back, "This place is giving me the creeps." He moistened his lips and jumped about five feet when a smiling Harper appeared beside him on the dias. The man laughed at Xzar's reaction.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He mused. It took a while for Xzar to realize what the man was talking about, but he finally nodded stiffly.
"Exquisite." He agreed and forced a tight smile. His jaw dropped when the Harper clamped a hand on his shoulder.
"Just thought I'd thank you two for taking care of Rayic Gethras." The Harper said, "We really appreciate it." He patted Xzar's shoulder and the wizard stared down at the man's hand as though it was on fire. Xzar managed to widen his false smile.
"You are most...welcome, sir." He replied slowly. The Harper nodded and left, leaving him standing there, wide-eyed and gawking. He blinked a few times and shuddered, "Monty, I am going to kill you for bringing me here." He hissed, whirling on the halfling. Montaron chuckled and strode off the dias.
"Quit yer whinin', wizard." He retorted, "I'm not liking this any more'n ye." He paused, noticing something as he walked by his partner, "Where's yer new staff?" He asked, eyeing the wizard thoughtfully. Xzar paused, stared forward a moment, then brought a hand to his head.
"Upstairs in Gethras' house." He moaned, remembering the blow he'd recieved from the clay golem that had sent him flying across the room. Montaron rolled his eyes.
"Damn it, ye daft wizard!" He cried in a raspy half-whisper, "We're gonna have to get it back! That's some nasty evidence ye left behind, fool!" Xzar nodded glumly, angry at himself for having made such a stupid mistake.
"Agreed. We'll head there once we deliver Jaheira to Ployer." He whispered back. Montaron nodded and motioned with a light tilt of his head for the other man to follow him. They kept a slow gait but made their way determinedly to the other end of the hall, where they peeked past the left entryway and curiously stepped into the quiet hallway beyond. As expected, a half dozen doors lined the wall on the right. Xzar urged Montaron away from the doors and bent to whisper in his ear.
"Either Jaheira is here or she's upstairs." He started; his voice was quavering, "My gut tells me she's upstairs, but she may be here just to spite me." He took a breath, "We can't exactly barge into every room one after the other and see if our druid friend is indeed inside, so I'm going to take a chance and use magic to see what's behind these doors." He paused, "And yes, it's quiet." He stepped away from Montaron and put his hand over his mouth then closed his eyes. He began to chant quietly into his hand, his brow furrowed in concentration; finally, he removed his hand from over his mouth and used it along with the other to perform a few intricate gestures over his eyes. Montaron raised his eyes to the heavens and cringed as Xzar's voice rose ever so slightly as the man completed his incantation. Outside in the main hall, the Harpers moved about. Montaron prayed they weren't coming to see what was going on.
The halfling's gaze moved nervously from the torchlit entryway a little further to the left, to Xzar on the right. The wizard's eyes were still closed, but they moved behind the lids. Montaron had seen this spell a few times before and had ever since then wished he could cast it: it was WizardEye, a divination spell that allowed the caster to see past barriers of almost all kinds. It could be detected, of course, so the user had to be careful. This gave Montaron something else to worry about as he watched Xzar work. Without warning, a Harper appeared by the entryway and signalled to Montaron.
"Is everything alright, gentlemen?" The man asked curiously. Startled, Montaron drew back.
"Oh yes!" He called back, smiling now, "My friend is having an awful headache, that's all." He added, throwing his thumb back at Xzar. Behind him, he heard the wizard curse sharply under his breath, his concentration lost. The Harper looked to Xzar, then back at Montaron.
"Alright then. Perhaps your friend should get some fresh air." He suggested before disappearing back into the main hall. Montaron snorted derisively.
"Ye just want us to get out is what ye want!" He grumbled under his breath at the vacant spot where the Harper had stood. He turned to Xzar and sighed, "Pardon me for startling ye, wizard. The Harper felt he had to stick his nose where it didn't belong." He said apologetically. Xzar looked at him and nodded, then stared at the entryway thoughtfully. A short moment later, he grabbed his partner by the shoulder and bent to his ear again.
"I had the time to see what I needed to see." He whispered excitedly, "Jaheira is in the second room from the end of the hallway; she's reading." Montaron frowned.
"Are ye sure it's her, wizard? I don't want to bring Ployer the cleanin' lady, ye know!" He asked worriedly. Xzar sighed and gripped his shoulder so tightly it hurt.
"I'm positive it's her, Monty!" The wizard replied impatiently, "She looks just like Ployer said she does...pretty girl with pointed ears." He paused, "Come to think of it, she looks...she looks alot like your girlfriend Atma." He remarked then quickly went on with his thoughts as Montaron began to tense up, "But anyhow, onto the important bit. The Harper that so rudely interrupted me in my work gave me an idea. I'm going to walk out of here and return downstairs as though I agreed to get fresh air as he suggested. Once there, I'm going to render myself invisible and come back here." He paused to think, "Wait for me right here and you'll know I'm back when I step on your foot." Montaron sighed and he went on, "Once I'm back, you knock on Jaheira's door -- lightly now, you don't need to make a racket. I will get a silencing spell ready and when she opens the door, I'll set it off on her. You'll subdue the wench as quietly as humanly possible and then I'll cast a second invisibility dweomer on her in order to carry her out of the building. The Harpers will already think I'm gone, so they won't have a second thought about my invisible self carrying my invisible prize out, and all you have to say is goodbye and thank them for their kindness." He took a breath and supressed an excited giggle, "Understand all that, Monty?" He asked at last. Montaron went through it all in his mind before giving the wizard a curt nod.
"Do it fast." The halfling told his partner and the man took off down the hallway and disappeared into the hall beyond. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he could hear Xzar telling a Harper that the whole experience had overwhelmed him and that he was leaving to get some air...he even said thank you, though he choked it. Montaron waited for what seemed like hours before he felt a sharp pain on his toes. He jerked back and clutched his chest, then frowned darkly as he realized that Xzar was finally back. Stealthily, the partially-visible pair moved down the hallway to the second-last door. Montaron paused and rose his hand to knock; beside him, he could just barely make out Xzar's quiet chanting. Thanking the Gods for the power of adrenaline, the halfling knocked gently on the hardwood door; was it just him, he thought ruefully, or had he done something like this not an hour ago?
There was a stirring inside and a woman opened the door. Montaron blinked; she did in fact resemble Atma. As she opened her mouth to speak, Xzar's spell went off and not a peep escaped her throat. Montaron heard the wizard launch into another incantation and he promptly rammed his fist into the taller woman's stomach; it had the effect he was hoping and the druid doubled over, bending down far enough for Montaron to be able to reach the area he needed to. With a deft motion he reached out and squeezed an area at the base of the woman's neck that made her pass out. He proceeded to hold her limp body up while Xzar completed his invisibility spell.
The wizard's voice rose slightly again and it suddenly looked as though Montaron was fighting off the descent of some awfully heavy atmospheric pressure rather than supporting an unconscious Harper. Xzar had just relieved his partner of Jaheira when a female Harper appeared at the door. Montaron whirled around to face her, his mouth an 'o' of surprise. If he wanted to continue breathing, he had to get out of the Harper Hold fast; if Xzar's invisibility spell wore off, they were toast. With the Harper standing at the door, Xzar couldn't get out...invisible or not. Montaron swallowed thickly. Time to lie.
"Hello there," He croaked, "Lovely living quarters ye've got here. Better than any Inn I've ever been to!" He grinned; in his chest, his heart was beating at a thousand miles an hour. He wondered if Xzar had wet himself yet. The Harper looked around the room and frowned.
"These quarters are not open to the public, I'm afraid." She said suspiciously and raised an eyebrow. Montaron moved to leave, hoping to dislodge the Harper.
"Pardon me! The door was open...I thought I'd have a look. Dreadfully sorry, miss." He babbled and shrugged. To his great relief, the woman stood aside and let him pass, then leaned in and reached for the doorknob in order to close the door. Another wave of terror struck Montaron when he saw this; it was impossible for Xzar to have exited the room yet, and he hoped to all the Gods that the wizard hadn't been walking out the door when the Harper's arm reached for the doorknob. The halfling made a face as the woman's hand closed around the doorknob and pulled the door shut. He had to get the Harper away from the door so that Xzar could get out, lest all his spells wear out and he finds himself in a small room with an unconscious Harper in his arms. Had the situation not been life- threatening, Montaron would have found it most comical.
"If ye'd be so kind as to show me out, I'd be much pleased." He asked of the Harper with a charming smile, "I thank ye for lettin' me have a look see around this place. Real enlightening 'twas." He added. The Harper nodded curtly and showed him off towards the main hall. He kept his ears open for the sound of a door sliding open and when he heard it, he breathed a long sigh of relief. The Harper lead him back downstairs and bid him farewell after once again thanking him for doing away with Gethras. He opened the front door and held it a moment.
"Are ye out?" He asked the empty room.
"Yes." Xzar's voice answered from outside. Gladly, Montaron walked out and shut the door at his back, thanking the gods that that mess was over with. Xzar's voice sounded again, but this time it was a tinge impatient.
"We have to return to Ployer quickly!" The wizard warned. Montaron didn't need to be told twice; he took off at a quick stride in the direction of the city stairs. They hurried across the tavern and up to Ployer's house; as they strode down the stone walkway across the garden, they were thankfully not ambushed by the Baron's daughter. They didn't bother to knock at the door; instead, Montaron whipped it open, stepped inside, and slammed it behind him.
"Home free." He declared pointedly. There was the sound of footsteps rapidly poudning down some stairs, and then Ployer burst into the room with his sword in his hand. The dark-haired man stopped, wide-eyed and chest heaving, and stared at Montaron. The halfling waved idly.
"Good afternoon to ye, Ployer." He bid the man cheerily. Beside him, Xzar's invisibility spell wore off; Jaheira's was still active, however, and it made the mage look as though he had locked his arms in a strange position. Ployer blinked.
"Already?" He asked incredulously; his expression was praise to the Zhent pair by the door. With a satisfied smirk, the Baron sheathed his sword and strode towards Xzar, "And you're certain you have Jaheira, now?" He wondered. When the man was within reach, Xzar gingerly dumped his invisible burden into Ployer's arms. The wizard smiled proudly.
"See for yourself!" He replied and took a step back. He raised his hands and performed a few odd gestures, some gibberish-like words flowing from his mouth. Seconds later, the weight in Ployer's arms became visible. The Baron eagerly looked down. Montaron crossed his fingers. A wide grin crept onto Ployer's face and he let out a cheer.
"Yes!" He cried to the heavens, "At last!" He returned his attention to Xzar and Montaron, "You boys have done well! It is beyond me how you managed to get past the Harpers, but by the Gods...this is excellent. GuildMaster Renal BloodScalp awaits you at the Thieves' Guild." He motioned with his chin, "The building is right near the district exit; the windows are barred and there's usually some ruffians loitering about near the door. Tell Renal I sent you and explain your mission to him; he'll help you out." Xzar and Montaron nodded at this and turned to leave; as Xzar's hand rested on the doorknob, it was violently thrown back when the door burst open, young Atma flying in. Her eyes fell upon Montaron.
"Hi Montaron!" She smiled at him and waved, then looked over at her father and pointed at Jaheira, "Who's that?" She asked curiously. As Xzar and Montaron slipped out the door, they heard Ployer's interesting answer.
"No one you need to know, dear...and obviously no one who needs to know you." The Baron replied, his tone going sour on the last bit, as the front door fell shut. Xzar snapped his fingers.
"My staff!" He cried suddenly, "We must retrieve it!" Montaron nodded.
"Yer right. Let's move." He replied. With that, they hurried through the streets under the darkening sky. The morning clouds had grown thick and inky by mid afternoon; it would rain soon. The wind was still strong, but the crisp, cool air was more than welcome after the stressful last few hours the pair had gone through. It had been a good day so far, however, but if they could get Xzar's staff back, it would be a better day.
When they got to Gethras' house, they took a quick look around to make sure they weren't being watched and hurried inside. Montaron bolted for the stairs and Xzar sprinted after him. When they hit the second floor, they were greeted by the delightful sight of Gethras' body, laying still in the middle of the room, and a large, chalky, white mess near the right-hand wall. Xzar moved towards Gethras' corpse and looked left to where he had been swatted by the golem earlier on; there was no staff.
"Damn!" The wizard swore and whirled around, wildly searching the room. Montaron was stalking about, peering under chairs and low tables in case the item had rolled underneath something. The halfling finished his rounds and looked to his partner.
"Nothing." He resumed with a shrug and a deep frown. Xzar stared worriedly back at him. The staff hadn't just disappeared...it had most likely been taken. Taken by whom exactly was what was worrying the duo. Montaron broke the uneasy silence.
"Whoever made off with it, made off with it real quick-like." He declared, assessing the situation as best he could. They had, after all, assassinated Gethras just under two hours ago. He scratched his dark, spunky hair, "Mayhap our pal Gethras was being watched." He added, grimacing at the implications of the possibility. Xzar twitched.
"Let's hope it's friend, not foe." He replied at last; he took a breath, then threw his hands up, "Well! It certainly won't be the first bounty on my head, now will it?" He offered lightly, though he did not have the heart to back his jest up with a smile. Montaron just stared and Xzar decided he couldn't blame him. With a desolate sigh, he turned and started back down the stairs. Montaron followed drearily.
"That was a Cowled Wizard." The halfling mused as they made their way back to the first floor, "We've never played with anything that high up before." He shook his head, "Gods...please let the staff be in anyone else's hands but the Law's!" He prayed fervently. Xzar whimpered.
"Stop it, Monty!" He pleaded, "You're going to make me cry!" Downcast, he followed Montaron towards and out the front door. When they were outside, he looked up at the dark sky and a fat droptlet of rain fell on his forehead. Montaron started off towards the Sea's Bounty.
"I say we call it a day. I'm starved and I need some ale." The halfling grumbled; he realized that the tavern was probably not the best place to be in their current situation, but it was sure as Hell -- in his opinion -- worth the risk. Quietly, Xzar agreed.
***
That night they were only able to rent one room; the Inn was over- crowded because of a caravan stopping in the district to deliver goods to an overseas shipment outfit. Into the night the Sea's Bounty was kept alive with raucous singing, laughing, shouting, fighting and all sorts of other things. Xzar and Montaron allowed themselves a celebration of their own, though not in honour of a return to shore or a good trek through Amn. They celebrated just for the sake of being alive after the day's events.
Two pitchers of Baalor's Ale, one empty and the other well-engaged, sat in a sticky puddle on a low table in front of the couch. Slouching on the couch was Montaron, no longer able to stand, much less walk; he was laughing, though it really wasn't funny, at Xzar's impression of a nearly deaf man having an argument with a priest of Helm. The wizard went on and on with the jest until he stopped, seemingly having confused himself, and sauntered towards his partner.
"I've always wanted infravision like the elves," The wizard mused, nearly stumbling over the carpet; he raised the goblet in his hand as if it would make a difference if he were to fall, "But it's more than just taking their eyes, you know..." He giggled disjointedly and eyed the ale on the table. Montaron snorted and took a long gulp from his own goblet.
"Yer stupid!" He replied, frowning with great effort. Xzar bent and set his empty goblet down on the small table then held hid head as he straightened back up.
"Ha! Stupid enough to send that..." The wizard paused to think, "...golem..." He thought about that some more then went on, "...to Hell when all you you did was stare at it!" He laughed triumphantly and spun around. Montaron threw his his goblet at him after drinking down the rest of the ale in it.
"I couldn't move, ye moron!" He cried angrily. In front of him, Xzar stopped his twirling and just about collapsed to the ground.
"Did...did you see me scare the...liv...living daylights out of that guy, though?" He said, his voice cracking as he made his way towards the couch and plopped down on it heavily beside Montaron. The halfling shook his head.
"Ye looked stupid." He replied dully, "The man laughed..." He paused and made a pointed gesture as Xzar leaned over and dropped his head on his lap, "...laughed!..." He repeated louder, "...at you." Xzar stared up at Montaron and frowned.
"Do you think the Cowled Wizards are after us?" The wizard asked more quietly. Montaron shrugged.
"Wether they be after us now 'cause of Gethras or later 'cause of the man we're supposed to get out of SpellHold, it really makes no difference." He said stoicly. He bent forward to get some more ale from the table, but Xzar's head was in the way. He frowned down at him.
"Monty?" The wizard asked and blinked. Montaron gave him a dull stare.
"What?" He drawled. Xzar's eyes suddenly held him firmly.
"Kiss me." Xzar's voice had dropped to something so soft it was almost a whisper. Montaron froze and his eyebrows shot up; he stared down at the wizard on his lap and blinked. His eyes flicked about, taking in the man's unruly brown hair, his shining emerald eyes and fine, pale lips. Something stirred inside him and he was suddenly very sober.
"No!" He growled and snapped his hands up as though he'd touched something disgusting, "Get off of me, wizard!" Xzar sighed heavily and got to his feet.
"Alright." He mumbled through a yawn and made his way over to the bed at the other end of the room. He climbed onto it, yawned again, curled up right smack in the middle of the sheets and promptly began to snore.
At the other end of the room, Montaron was still quite frozen.