***
Chapter 10:
Jealousy, Revenge and the Bonds of Friendship
***
Things were quiet in Athkatla, a little too quiet for Brynn's tastes. She couldn't get the gold she needed together unless there was some sort of trouble going on, the sort that people could pay her good money to prevent. A good portion of the gold retrieved from Firkraag's hoard had gone to getting the dragon scales made into armor for Minsc and almost all the rest of it had gone to repairing the dikes at the De'Arnise keep and compensating the farmers on the keep lands for their lost crops and property after a recent flood. Such were the trials and tribulations of adventuring; most of what was earned went to cover costs, get better equipment -a necessity, Brynn had discovered quickly enough- and to pay for all sorts of other unforeseen expenses, and whatever was left was generally only a fraction of the take.
There were good things about lulls between missions and quests though too. For one thing it gave her a chance to get a bath, something she missed terribly when she was out on the trail or crawling through a decrepit ruin, and for another it gave her a chance to relax, socialize, and resolve any unresolved issues that might have come up.
Anomen, for instance, he was one huge tangle of unresolved issues on legs. If ever a more confused young man had walked the face of the world Brynn would have been surprised. She felt sorry for him and she wanted to help him because he was her friend, and she sort of looked at him like the brother she'd never had when she was kid. The trouble was he was smitten with her and she had no clue how to tell him she didn't feel the same way. She had to tell him though, and it had to been done in a way that kept her from further unraveling the delicate balance that was his sanity.
Brynn mulled over her problems over a mug of ale at the Copper's bar one night a week after they had gotten back from Windspear Hills, and as luck would have it, she spotted Anomen as he went up to headquarters. Since it was still pretty early everyone else was still down in the common room, joking, telling stories, and in Haer'Dalis' case, flirting with the pretty girls. It was the perfect chance to deal with her Anomen issues while no one else was around.
"Put the ale on our tab, Bernard," she told the Copper's portly bartender.
Bernard nodded amiably, he really was nice guy, and Brynn slid off her stool and went upstairs., shutting the door quietly behind her.
"Good evening, my lady," Anomen said from his seat at the table in the center of the main room. "How has your day been?"
Brynn shrugged. "A little dull, but otherwise okay. I'm really glad we were able to clear things up with the Order after what happened out at Windspear Hills."
"Aye," Anomen agreed heartily, "so am I."
Brynn stood awkwardly for a moment before she sat down across from him at the table. "Listen, Anomen, we've really got to talk," she said. "About you and me."
Anomen's eyes lit up. "Ah yes, my lady. I have been longing to speak with you as well. Mayhap before I seemed most urgent in my admission to you. So eager was I to get my feelings off my chest that I fear I may have put pressure on you to decide quickly. Let me assure you now that I meant to do no such thing. Please, take as long as you wish."
Brynn winced inwardly. "Oh... I don't need anymore time," she said. "I've um... come to a decision."
"You have?" Anomen spoke up eagerly. He looked so excited that Brynn hardly had the heart to squash his hopes.
"Yes, I have," she told him. Knowing that there was no backing out now she pushed onward. "I've been thinking about this a lot, and I just don't feel the same way about you. I love you dearly, Anomen, but more as a brother and as a friend." Brynn watched with morbid fascination as the high hopes in Anomen's eyes crashed to the ground like a gnomish flying machine.
"Oh," he said quietly. "I see..." He hesitated before saying, "May I ask why? Is there aught I can do to change your mind?"
Brynn shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Anomen, but you and I... well, it just wouldn't have worked." She looked at him apologetically, praying that he would understand what she was saying to him. "You and I are guided by two separate principles. You live your life for the Order, that's where your dreams have always lain, and that's where they always will lie. On the other hand, I... well, I don't work like that. I can't dedicate my life to something as concrete as the Order or the law like you. I'm a follower of abstracts and ideals. If it were a simple thing then I probably could have loved you like you want me too, but..."
"My lady, things change," Anomen protested earnestly, "one day you may be able to give your life to something concrete..." he paused uncertainly, "...or I might be able to follow your abstract ideals." He seemed to throw that last in to help persuade her.
"I won't Anomen," Brynn said firmly. "I have to be honest with you and tell you that I think blindly following the law is... well, as likely to do as much, if not more, evil as good, and I can't sit by and say 'well that's the law' if the law is hurting good people. There's no way you can persuade me to your way of thinking, and no way I can persuade you to mine. I wouldn't want to. If either one of us changed for the other we would both be unhappy, you must know that." She looked at him and saw a flicker of understanding, but not much more. She knew that deep down he must know what she meant, he just had to.
"I... I do not know what to say," Anomen murmured, his voice a little tight. "There is... no... chance that you will change your mind?"
Brynn shook her head again. "I'm sorry, Anomen, but there just isn't. We're just not right for each other, you and I."
"I see," Anomen said shortly. He stood up. "Well... goodnight, my lady, I... I will see you in the morning." And with that he turned away and went back to his quarters, his gait stiff and his shoulders a little slumped.
Brynn watched after him, feeling like at the same time a terrible weight had been lifted off her shoulders a new one had been put on. She sighed and slumped forward on the table, leaning her head in her hands. "I hate this," she muttered into her palms. "Gods and stars do I hate it."
"Hate what?" Yoshimo asked, coming up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulders.
Brynn sighed. "I just talked to Anomen," she replied. "Poor guy looked like I ripped his heart out of his chest and stomped on it right there in front of him."
"Took it well did he?" Yoshimo asked, a little sarcastic.
"Hush you," Brynn told him, reaching up and lacing her fingers in his. "I just wish things weren't so damn complicated, you know?" She stood up and turned around to face him, scooting the chair out of her way with one foot. "I'd like it if I didn't have to worry about stuff and it could be just you and me for a while... a long while."
Yoshimo squeezed her hands gently and nodded. "As would I."
***
The next afternoon, while the Blades discussed their plans for looking for work for the rest of the week, a messenger arrived bearing a letter for Anomen from the council building. Brynn watched as he carefully pealed off the wax seal and as he read she saw his face turn white as a sheet, then red with anger. He clenched his hands into a fist, crumpling the paper and then threw the letter to the ground. There was something in his eyes, a fire, a hate, that Brynn had never seen before.
"What's wrong?" she asked cautiously.
Anomen seethed for a moment before he said in a tight voice, "My father is dead. Saerk killed him."
"Oh no," Aerie whispered.
"What happened?" Mazzy inquired.
Again it took Anomen a moment to collect himself before he could answer. "New evidence was discovered linking Saerk to my sister's murder. My father went to avenge her." Quietly he added, "As I should have done months ago."
"This is terrible news," Minsc said sympathetically. "Boo weeps for your loss."
"Shut up you imbecile," Anomen roared.
"Calm down!" Brynn insisted, getting out of her seat. "Lashing out at Minsc isn't going to help."
"Indeed it will not," Anomen agreed coldly, not looking in her eyes. He left the table, went back to his room and not long after returned with his mace in hand and his sling tucked into his belt.
"What do you intend to do?" Jaheira asked. The rest of the Blades stood up and the room was filled with the sound of wooden chairs scraping against wooden flooring.
"I intend to do my duty," Anomen answered, heading toward the door.
It didn't take more than a moment for Brynn to put two and two together. "No, Anomen, you can't!" she protested.
"So you told me before," Anomen bit out. "You also said that the law would take care of Saerk, but that was not the case, was it? I should not have listened to you. Then Saerk would already be dead and my father would still be alive!"
"You hated your father!" Brynn snapped. "You said often enough that he was a worthless man, a drunkard who tried to ruin your life. Why are you going out to avenge him now?"
"Because it is what I should have done before! Get out of my way!" Anomen pushed past her and tried to open up the door, but Brynn pushed her hand against it and slammed it shut again.
"No," she said shortly. "I'm not going to let you do this Anomen."
"I said get out of my way," Anomen growled through clenched teeth. He tried to push past her again.
"I said I'm not going to let you do this and I mean it, Anomen," Brynn told him again, standing firmly in his way.
"Who are you to stop me?"
"I'm your friend you moron! I'm not going to let you ruin your life!"
"How dare you pretend to care now!" Anomen raged, his face contorted with anger. "You reject my love, and now you say you do not want to see me ruin my life? That has already been done. By you, my lady!"
Brynn's eyes went wide for a moment before they narrowed down, sparkling blue between her dark lashes. She drew back her fist and punched Anomen square in the face, making his stagger backwards for a moment. Brynn knew she was small, but she was far from frail and she packed a real wallop when she wanted to. "How dare you say that I don't care? How dare you? I care more about you that you yourself do right now! I may not be able to love you like you want me to, but I'll be damned if I don't care!" She glared, as furious with him as he was with her. "If I didn't care I'd let you go and kill Saerk, but you're my friend, and I even if it means knocking your head against the wall and locking you in your room I'm going to make sure you don't do anything stupid!"
"You think I am being stupid?" Anomen demanded, rubbing his nose gently and glaring daggers at her above his hand. "I am doing my duty!"
"Your duty?" Brynn said, rounding on him. "What about your duty to the Order? Or have you forgotten that already?"
Anomen's face fell for a moment. "I have not forgotten," he said firmly.
"Oh? Then what the hell do you think you're going to do?" Brynn demanded. She continued on before she got an answer. "Let me tell you something, you hotheaded, self-righteous buffoon, if you go out now and 'avenge' your family you'll destroy more than Saerk, you'll destroy yourself. What good will your vengeance do you when the Order has stripped you of your knighthood?"
"I do not know!" Anomen shouted. "Nor do I care! Something has to be done, justice has to be served."
"Well fine then," Brynn replied, cold as ice, "but if you want to kill Saerk you're going to have to kill me first. He may not be an innocent man but vengeance is not justice, and I'm not going to let you have it!"
Anomen seemed staggered, and Brynn hoped she was getting to him. "My lady I... I could never harm you..."
"What the hell do you think you're doing right now?" Brynn asked sharply. "You're my friend Anomen, I don't know how many times I have to say it to get it through your thick head but you are. I can no more let you do this than I could Minsc, or Jaheira, or Yoshimo. If you go and kill Saerk you might as well me too, because I'll have to live with his death on my conscience for the rest of my life because I couldn't stop you." She looked at him imploringly. "Don't do this to yourself, Anomen, and don't do it to me either."
Anomen's grip on his mace loosened and it slipped from his fingers to crash loudly into the wooden floor. He sat down heavily on one of the vacated chairs, his face contorted with pain, loss, and guilt. "I... I am sorry, my lady," he murmured.
Brynn gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry too, Anomen."
Nalia came over and put an arm around Anomen's shoulders. "Come on," she said gently. "Why don't we go talk for a while? I can't say I know how you feel, but I'll listen to you if you like."
"Aye... I would like that," Anomen replied a little absently. Nalia guided him back to his room, shooting a look of concern to Brynn, who gave her a grateful smile in return, and mouthed, 'thank you' to her.
Silence reigned in the room for a while after Nalia and Anomen left, and then Jaheira sighed loudly and said, "Well, that was certainly interesting. You did well though, Brynn, you were more patient with him than I would have been."
"You have a nice right hook as well," Haer'Dalis commented.
Brynn exhaled slowly and sat down in a chair, her knees feeling like jelly. "Thank you," she said, feeling a little worn out. "Poor guy, when it rains with him it pours. Why don't you guys see about poking around town for a while? Nalia will probably stay here with Anomen, but there's no reason why the rest of us can't see about getting something accomplished."
The others nodded quietly, and after gathering their gear together, left the headquarters and the inn. Brynn caught Yoshimo by the arm before he left.
"I want you to come with me on a special errand," she said quietly.
"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," she replied. "We're going to pay a visit to Renal Bloodscalp and get a little information. This time I'm going to make sure Saerk can't come back to haunt us."
Yoshimo smiled slowly and nodded. "You grow ever more devious, aijin," he said.
"Thank you," Brynn said. "People like Saerk need to know what happens when they mess with the Blades, and more importantly, when the mess with my friends."
***
Brynn ducked inside the badly lit bridge district tavern, the Silver Sword, and looked around. Behind her Yoshimo closed the door and she could hear him put a hand on the hilt of his katana. The Sword was a rat hole if there ever was one. The low ceiling was obscured by smoke that rose up from the table candles and the tavern patrons' pipes. Aside from the smoke the air was filled with the constant din of conversation as the less than savory men and women shouted threats of death and promises of things that made Brynn's ears turn red. At the far side of the room, almost invisible behind the crowd of street toughs and tabacco smoke, were a group of six men at a table near the bar, all wearing a red band tied around their left biceps. Brynn nodded her head toward them and she and Yoshimo made their way through the sea of people, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.
One of the men called out as they came near, "If it ain't little miss goody-two-shoes Trueblade," he laughed at his own joke and his cohorts followed. "Whatcha doin' in the Sword? Lookin' for a real man? Slanty-eyes over there can't do a lady like you right 'tween the sheets." The man and his lackeys laughed again.
Brynn smiled coldly. "Are you the Blood Red Band?" she asked.
The man grunted an affirmative. "Yeah, that's us. Name's Beckt Grunheld and these is my merry men. Whatcha want with us?"
"I hear that a few months back you were hired by a fellow by the name of Saerk to rob a house."
"Ain't never heard of the guy," Grunheld replied, leaning back in his chair and grinning. He was missing four teeth, one on the top and three on the bottom.
"Oh, but my sources say you have," Brynn persisted.
"Well they say wrong then," Grunheld snapped. He sat up straight. "We don' welcome your goody-goody attitude here in the Sword," he said threateningly. "Maybe you should just get outta here before we gut you."
"Maybe you should answer the lady's questions," Yoshimo said, drawing his katana half way. "I would hate to have to dirty my blade with your blood. The taint of stupidity and incompetence would be hard to wash out."
"Shut up your damn dog, Truebitch," Grunheld growled. "I said you're not welcome here, so get out or I'll make you get out." He stood up and went for his sword, but Brynn was far quicker. In the blink of an eye she had both of her katanas out and had cut through the ratty leather belt that held up Grunheld's trousers. Grunheld tried to catch his pants, but his sword got in the way and left him with his trousers around his ankles.
Brynn suddenly noticed three things. One, the rest of the Blood Red Band had gotten up and drawn their weapons. Two, that the whole tavern was silent, their pints going unnoticed halfway to their lips. And three, Grunheld didn't wear underwear, nor was he the most... hygienic man. "Tell your men to drop their weapons or the next thing you lose will be the family jewels," she ordered.
"Hey, uh, you heard the lady," Grunheld said nervously. "Put 'em down." The rest of the Band dropped their weapons on the ground, making a loud clattering sound that echoed through out the quiet tavern.
"Now," Brynn continued, "You'll answer me truthfully. Did Saerk hire you to rob the Delryn's home?"
Grunheld nodded. "Yeah... yeah, he wanted that Delryn guy to get the heavy end of the hammer, but he wasn't at home. Out gettin' drunk or somethin'." He went on frantically. "We didn' know that the girl was goin' to be there..."
Brynn frowned. "Scum," she hissed. "Which one of you lowlife bastards killed the girl?"
"Wasn't any of us," Grunheld protested. "Saerk came with us, wanted to kill Delryn himself, but since Delryn wasn't there he killed the girl instead, said it was 'good enough'."
"Grab your damn pants, asshole," Brynn ordered. She kept an eye on Grunheld's men as Grunheld snatched for his trousers and pulled them up. "All right, you dirt bags are coming with us."
"Where?" Grunheld asked, holding his trousers up with one hand.
"To the council building. You're going to tell the guards what you just told me."
"We ain't goin' to do that!" one of the men protested. "We'll get put in prison!"
"That's the idea," Brynn said evenly. "But then again so will Saerk. Who knows, maybe they'll go easy on you since you turned yourselves in."
"We ain't goin' to do that!" Grunheld said, echoing the other man.
Brynn snarled and lashed out, bringing her blades down on the table the men had been sitting at. The table was cut cleanly in two before the men could even flinch. "You're coming with me to the council building, or next time that will by one of your skulls instead of a table, got that?"
The Blood Red Band made a collective noise of terror and then in utter silence as Brynn bound their hands and she and Yoshimo led them to the government district.
"Quite the show," Yoshimo said confidentially as they walked.
"What?" Brynn asked. "The pants or the table?"
Yoshimo shrugged. "Both, though the table was less... disgusting."
Brynn chuckled. "True enough," she agreed. "I wish he had tried something though, just so I could maybe slice his hand off."
Yoshimo looked at her with a curious expression. "You must be angry indeed," he said.
"Yeah, well these bastards just stood there and watched while Saerk killed an innocent girl, and in doing so nearly ruined Anomen's life. They don't get any mercy from me. Nobody messes with my friends and gets away without being punished." She turned to the six tied men that followed obediently behind her. "Isn't that right?" she asked.
The men made another collective noise of terror and nodded emphatically.
Brynn laughed. "Come on, we may not get gold for this, but the look on Saerk's face when they put him in a cell is all the reward I'm going to need."
***
To Be Continued
***
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The stage lights are already up and your favorite grump is already on stage by the time you get there. Chryseis looks at you with an impatient expressions and says, "Took you long enough. I've been here forever. Let's get this over with huh?" She reads:
"'Dear readers,
Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, especially those of you who have been kind enough to leave longer ones. I've had two people comment that the fight with Firkraag didn't seem difficult enough (Irenicus and DeadGhost thank you extra for your comments on that) and they're probably right. I was trying to keep things going and not stretch the battle out too long so I didn't cover what everyone was doing all the time so that may have been part of it. The other part is that I didn't have all that much trouble with Firkraag, I was lucky when I went in and I had the right sorts of spells memorized for the occasion (have a lower level druid or cleric cast magic resistance and then a higher level mage cast lower resistance and the previously magic-impervious beast will be taken out by Aerie and Haer'Dalis and their never-ending volleys of magic missile... no really, that's what I did ^-^) Anyhow, thanks again to everyone.
Sincerely,
The Blue Sorceress'"
Chryseis rolls her eyes, sighs and walks away as the stage lights go down. "Dragons," she mutters to herself, "I'd be able to take one in a second!"