Chapter 17: Surprise attack



"You know, you are so beautiful," Jarlaxle muttered, reaching to touch Isaldora's hair. The elf woman was laying in his arms, her eyes closed. She curled closer, opening her eyes and giving Jarlaxle a quick look. "Why do you keep repeating that?" she asked. "I believe that you feel that way, what need is there to say it again and again?"



"The thing is, my dear," Jarlaxle said, kissing her quickly on the forehead, "that although I know that you are beautiful, you don't seem to think so yourself. So I'll keep saying that until you too believe it."



"You're a strange one," Isaldora laughed, her blue eyes glittering. "But I like it. Those compliments are nice, although they make me feel more uncomfortable than certain of my beauty."



"Then I won't say so anymore," Jarlaxle said, his hand caressing Isaldora's bare side. "After all, there is no need to try to convince the most beautiful creature in the world of her own beauty." The drow enjoyed how Isaldora's body squirmed under his touch, her breath becoming faster.



"We should do something else than lay in here," the woman said blushing because of his words, trying to sound convincing. It was difficult, his touch almost made her forget that there was a world outside the room.



"You've already taught me to dance," Jarlaxle said, remembering the lesson that had ended in bed, and with very delightful results. Isaldora seemed to remember it too; she lowered her eyes smiling, then giving Jarlaxle a quick look that reminded him of Shandara. "There's always more to learn," she whispered, swirling on top of the surprised drow. "You teach me and I teach you."



"What would you like to learn?" Jarlaxle asked, taking hold of her waist. The woman smiled, leaning to kiss him on the lips. "No," she said. "This is the lesson for you. Relax and learn," she said, her lips moving to kiss her neck and then beginning to travel down his body. Jarlaxle was impressed; the woman was so different than what he had expected. I should be more careful when I'm with her, he thought, but then Isaldora lowered her head between his legs, and Jarlaxle moaned with pleasure, forgetting all the troubling thoughts and concentrating on this delightful lesson.





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"You know, I haven't seen Isaldora for days," Mitsu said, sitting to the table where Shandara and Entreri were eating breakfast. "Has she even left her bed?"



"I don't think so," Shandara grinned, looking at Entreri who looked like he was trying to ignore the discussion. "It seems that the drow are good lovers when their not hacking people to pieces. I'm kind of jealous to her," she continued. "At least she can sleep with someone. I've spent the last week planning the damned operation, and I've had no time for any kind of pleasures."



"But you have him, don't you?" Mitsu asked, glancing at Entreri, who put his mug down, looking angrily at the halfling. Shandara noticed the look on the face of the assassin and touched his hand.



"She's kidding, that's just strange humour, don't kill her," she said quickly. "And you, try not to play with your life," she added to Mitsu, who had gone a bit pale under Entreri's stare. "He guards my body, doesn't do anything else with it, alright?"



"I really do not wish to listen to this," Entreri said quietly, looking at Shandara. "And I don't think I need to," he continued, getting up. "I'll be waiting for you in my room, if you wish to go out today."



"I'll come and get you at some point," Shandara said. "You're not going to finish your breakfast?"



"This will do," Entreri replied, taking an apple and heading out of the dining room.



"I don't understand him," Shandara sighed. "I wish I would, but he's... very distant. But still very attractive, which is the most important part," she added smiling.



"You never learn," Mitsu laughed. "Appearance isn't everything, you know that, don't you?"



"Well, I want men just to sleep with me, so appearance is important," Shandara said. "If I wanted to have a relationship, maybe then I would try to look for other things. But no."



"So he guards your body and doesn't do anything else, although you wished he did," Mitsu said and Shandara started to laugh. "You know me too well," Shandara said. "I taught him to dance, and the way he moves... Good god, he's perfect!"



"Except he's a deadly assassin," Mitsu said, wondering how many times he had already said this to Shandara. The woman chuckled, getting up. "As I said, I'm not interested in his mind or soul, just the body. That is perfect," she finished, heading out. "Now I have to go. I've been inside in this place for too long and I need to go shopping. Do you need anything?"



"Not really," Mitsu replied. "But you if you find me something nice, go ahead and buy it."



"Will do," Shandara grinned. "Oh, and about Isaldora... I think she's doing fine. Jarlaxle will probably break her heart one day, but it'll do her good. Don't worry."





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"I'm sorry about Mitsu," Shandara said, sitting on Entreri's bed. He looked at her, putting on his cloak and then sitting on a chair facing her. "But you have to admit, she has apoint," she added, winking at him. "If you're ever interested, just tell me."



"I won't be," Entreri said coldly. "Are we going to leave now?"



"Sure," Shandara sighed. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a long green dress and black cloak. Entreri had to admit that the woman looked beautiful, but he dismissed the thought as soon as it entered his mind. "And I don't want to think about the operation at all," Shandara said. "So we can talk about everything except that. Or I'll talk and you'll just mope like usually," she added, getting an angry look from Entreri.



"Well, you have to admit you're not one of the most talkative people around," Shandara said. "But if you don't talk, then you'll just have to listen. So it's your choice."



"You're..." Entreri started, realizing that many of his conversations of Shandara made him confused in this way. "I wish this would be over soon," he said, in a voice that was even more evil that he had intended. Shandara looked at him, still smiling. "It'll be over soon," she said. "As son as the new guild is destroyed."



"Has Aran found out any new things about it?" Entreri asked when they headed out, cursing that he had to rely on the woman as a source of information. But he had spent most of his time with her, not having any time to do anything else. Whenever she didn't need him, he went to practice, hoping that training would made his desire go away. Because now, in this strange guild, surrounded by whores of whom many had made him quite interesting offers, he had noticed that the desires of flesh he had suppressed for so long were trying to overcome him.



Entreri had never been really interested in the company of women. When he had wanted to sleep with a woman, he had gone to the best harems of rich pashas, and enjoyed the company of beautiful courtesans. This hadn't happened often, because he had known that a perfect warrior couldn't be the slave of any desires, slave of his own body. Perfect warrior had to control himself in every situation. And now the control he had been so proud of was weakening. He had dreams that made him wake up covered in sweat, but not because of horror. And guarding Shandara, who seemed comfortable even changing her clothes in front of him, wasn't helping him at all.



He realized that his eyes were once again turning towards her swinging hips, and tried to control himself. He knew that if his desires overcame him, he would have to sleep with some other whore, not Shandara. He was supposed to guard her, and getting involved with her would be a terrible mistake.



"First we'll go to the Waukeen's Promenade," Shandara said, and Entreri pushed all desires and urges away. It had worked before, it would have to work now as well. Shandara started to explain something about where one should go if ever in need to charms affecting appearance, and Entreri listened absent-mindedly, concentrating more on keeping an eye on the surroundings and possible attacks.





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The attack came when they were returning towards the docks. Shandara had visited one of her friends living in the Government District and they were crossing the bridge when Entreri heard a shout and turned to face a group of men. One of them, a bard, was muttering a spell, and just when Entreri snatched his weapons, raising Charon's Claw and the jewelled dagger, the bard launched a fireball towards them.



Entreri raised his enchanted gauntlet, pushing Shandara away in case it wouldn't nullify the whole effect of the spell. The woman, who was carrying two large bags, fell over, but rolled away quickly, swirling back to her legs. The fireball disappeared, and Entreri, although sweating a bit because of the heat of the fireball, felt content seeing the surprised look on the face of the man. He backed to Shandara, although he would have gladly attacked. But he couldn't leave the woman standing alone without any protection.



"We just want the whore," one man said. "You can always get a new one."



"Unlike you," Shandara hissed to the man. "I remember you, Hoden, and you couldn't get a woman even if you drugged them, like you sometimes did."



"Killing you will be a pleasure, you little bitch," Hoden growled and rushed towards them, waving a warhammer. Entreri didn't bother to use the magical powers of his sword; it would have revealed the attackers too much about the powers of the sword, and also been useless. Hoden's blow was aimed badly, and Entreri ducked it easily. He couldn't begin a proper counter-attack, because another man was firing arrows towards them. He hit Hoden on the neck with the hilt of his dagger and then pushed the choking man towards his friends.



Shandara dived on the ground when an arrow swirled towards them, but Charon's Claw hit it, bursting it into small pieces. The woman stared at the assassin, who met the next attackers, two young men with sword. They clambered over Hoden's body and rushed towards Entreri. The assassin stood calmly, but when the men reached him, he rushed into action.



Entreri somersaulted towards the man who was a bit closer, coming up with Charon's Claw straight in front of him. He didn't need to do much, the man hadn't prepared for this and his movements to block the attack came too late and were too slow. Charon's Claw hit his stomach, and he fell forward. Entreri spun away, twisting the sword and pulling it out. The other attacker managed to block the hit from the jewelled dagger, but he couldn't block Entreri's kick.



Entreri kicked the man on the knee hard, and when he fell, the assassin sliced his throat. Then he stood up, staring at the rest of the men, who were standing still, staring at him. "Back away," the assassin said quietly. "Or die like they did."



"Entreri!" Shandara shrieked when a portal opened next to her. She kicked the first man rushing through it, getting back to her feet and backing away. But there wasn't much space to go to. Between her and Entreri were three men who had come from the portal, and behind her was a long fall from the bridge to the water. She flicked her wrist, releasing a small dagger hidden in her sleeve, staring at the men closing in on her.



Entreri rushed towards them, thrusting his sword through the back of one of the men. He pushed the man from the blade at the same time that another man grabbed hold of Shandara's wrist, twisting it and making her drop the dagger. She kicked him in the groin, using one of the basic skills she had learned while still working in the streets, and he lost his balance. He fell towards her, knocking her back.



There was only a wooden railing on that part of the bridge, and when Shandara hit it, she heard a crack. She tried to get hold of something, but couldn't reach anything except thin air. Entreri watched Shandara and one of the attackers fell through the railing, and rushed to the edge, kicking the final attacker out of his way. He noticed that all the other attackers turned and ran.



"A message to Linvail!" one of them shouted. "Next time you'll die." Entreri put his weapons in their scabbards and tore off his cloak that would slow his movements. Then he draw a deep breath and jumped.



The weight of her clothes pulled Shandara down. She tried to keep her head calm, reaching to open her cloak. As soon as it fell, she gathered all her powers, starting to swim towards the surface. She reached the surface, gasping for breath and trying to find a place where she could get out from the water.



Entreri hit the water and swam to the surface. He noticed the man who had attacked Shandara swimming away fast, and then he saw the woman, fighting to keep her head above the water. He swam towards her, trying to shake off the feeling of fatigue that overcame him. It felt like his clothed weighted a ton, and the water was surprisingly cold, not helping his efforts at all.



"Can you swim?" he yelled to Shandara when he reached her, putting his arm around her upper body. "This dress..." she panted, trying to kick with her feet that were dangled in the heavy wet cloth. Entreri started to swim towards the only place close by where they could get up, a small sandy patch of ground, helping Shandara as best as he could. Some people who had seen the fight and their fall were rushing down there, and they pulled Shandara and Entreri up from the water. Shandara fell on side, coughing and breathing heavily. Entreri got up to his feet, although he wasn't sure whether they would carry him.



"Are you alright?" an old man asked him, while an old woman, maybe his wife, kneeled next to Shandara. "Of you need help, there's a temple nearby, I can go and..."



"No temples and clerics," Entreri said sharply, touching his side and making sure that both of his weapons were still with him. The old man, backed a few steps, but then a determined look appeared in his eyes. "She doesn't seem well..."



"I'll take care of her," Entreri said, walking to Shandara and taking her into his arms. She was heavier than he had expected, but he lifted her anyway. She put her arms around her neck, giving him a grateful look.



"You sure you'll be fine?" the old man asked. Entreri looked at him, and then nodded. "We'll be fine. But thank you for your concern," he added, hearing the words as they came from his own mouth, and wondering how strange they sounded. Artemis Entreri wasn't used to thanking people, but strangely this felt like a perfect time for it.



"I'm cold," Shandara muttered when Entreri headed up the stairs towards the bridge and the docks. She was shivering, Entreri felt it, and her voice was very quiet.



"We'll be there soon," Entreri said to her. The woman shook her head. "We have a guildhouse here. Red-bricked building, go to south a bit. Hurry. Please," she said, starting to cough again. She must have swallowed some water, Entreri thought, hurrying his steps and heading towards the house he could see close by. Shandara pressed her head against his shoulder and he almost forgot his own wet clothes and tired muscles for a moment.