Chapter Six

(A/N: I'd like to thank God for reviewing this story and liking it.  Cuz NOBODY SEEMS TO READ IT AT ALL.  Being the Supreme Being, it's nice to see that my children read my work.  As a private note to God, you suck at taking care of this world I gave you…*grin*)

            "I'm bored."

            "What?"

            "I'm bored."

            "What do you mean, you're bored?"

            "I mean I'm bored."

            "So…"

            "So I'm bored.  Bored bored bored."

            "Boredom is a state of mind."

            "Shut up mom."

            "So clean you're room." 

"Who are you?  My father?  I don't wanna clean my room.  I can find everything just fine.  Jesus!"

            "Really?  I don't believe you."

            "Then tell me to find something."

            "All right, go find that book you showed me the first time I was here."

            Nire dropped to the floor and reached under her bed, and pulle dout a dusty copy of the book, and dropped it on Jander's lap.

            "Happy?  I'm still bored."

            "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

            "I don't know.  Come up with something interesting to do?  Or talk about?  Or something?"

            "Well, why can't you come up with something?"

            "Cuz I have no imagination.  Come on, Jander," she whined.

            "So I've been here five minutes and you're already bored?"

            "No, I've been bored all day.  But now, you might be able to do something about it.  C'mon.  Please think of something.  Or next time you come, I won't be here because I'll be six feet under, dead of boredom."

            "Okay, okay, let me think.  It's summer, so places will be open for a while after dark.  We can walk around Waterdeep for a while, okay?  Will that provide enough entertainment for you?"

            Nire cocked her head, thinking.  "Okey dokey.  Let me change."

            She opened her closet slowly and carefully, moving the clothes aside without a noise and seemingly taking out a pile of air.  Then the illusion dropped, and she was holding a tunic, pants, and soft boots.  Jander watched, impressed, as she skipped to the door, somehow managing to avoid stepping on anything.  The route was haphazard, all the way into her bathroom, because she knew where all the creaky floorboards were, and took great pains to avoid them.  A few minutes later, she was back, looking for all the world as if she really did come from Faerûn. 

            "Ready, kiddo?"

            "Yeah.  C'mon.  I'm bored."

            Jander laughed as they went through the gate.  It was summer now, and it was a hot summer.  Nire, who hated summer, was already sick of all the 'fun' summer activities.  That morning, she had been told by her mother not to come out of her room until it was clean.  So, she had been in there since about 10am, it now being around 10pm.  She could read only so much before she was bored out of her mind, but by then, it had become a contest of wills.  And Nire was winning.  They came out of the gate in some woods outside Waterdeep.

            "It's safer to stay in a city, because there are more odd people there, so I blend in just fine."

            "So how long are you planning on staying?"

            "Oh, a while.  I just got here.  So why were you oh so bored today, little one?"

            Nire related to him the story of the room cleaning as they passed through the gates and into Waterdeep.

            "So why didn't you just clean your room?"

            "Because then my mother would have won," Nire said slowly as if speaking to a child.

            "Oh, of course.  How silly of me not to think of that part."  Jander grinned at her, eliciting a faint grin in return.  True enough, Nire did not smile much, but she certainly did more after Jander had come into her life.

            They wandered through the lit streets of downtown Waterdeep, going into almost every shop that was still open.  Luckily for Jander, she was not interested overmuch in clothing, so he did not have to wait long as she looked through those shops.  Of course, he wouldn't have minded because it was Nire.  If she wanted to spend the entire night in a shop that sold only dresses, he would have happily waited for her.

            No, Nire was more interested in weapons.  She spent a long time looking at the swords in the windows of the blacksmith shop.  After she was done there, they continued walking down the street.  It was getting very late, now, and few shops were still open.  There was one far down the street with a light shining out.  They were in the middle class section of town, but the light was so far down, that it was well into the wealthy section.

            "If it's closed by the time we get there, it's not my fault," warned Jander when Nire turned puppy=dog eyes to him.

            "Sure it will be," she said happily as they started to walk.  "What do you think it is?"

            "Well, seeing as how it's so far away, it'll either be a bar, a 'pleasure' house, or a dress shop."

            "A 'pleasure' house?  Why can't you just call it a whorehouse, like a normal person?"

            "Because, in that end of town, that's what it's called.  May the gods help you if you call it anything else to someone's face."

            "Damned politics."

            As they got closer, Jander was proven wrong on all three guesses.  It was a music shop, selling instruments and sheet music and the like.

            "Do you play any instruments?" Jander asked.

            "Sure.  Piano, flute, and a little bit of violin and guitah.  And handbells.  And, of course, recorduh.  And a little bit of my sistuh's clarinet.  And voice, if ya count that as an instrument."

            "Anything else?"

            "Not that I can think of at the moment.  If ya don't believe me, then why not look?"

            Nire dropped her shields for him, to prove her point.  After a quick peek, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.  "You really can play all that.  The capacity of humans to learn that fast will never cease to amaze me."

            "Ah, but only a few, lucky humans.  C'mon.  Let's go in."

            Inside the shop, it was dimly lit to protect the valuable instruments.  There were only two others in the shop, the shopkeeper and a blonde-haired client.  Even from viewing him from the back, he appeared to be a dandy, a rich one, at that.  Nire only paid enough attention to them to ascertain that they were arguing over the price of a harp.  She immediately made a beeline for a section of flutes - that was her instrument of choice.  Jander followed, being a flutist himself.  Nire examined them with her hands behind her back, looking but not touching, with Jander standing behind her.  They were all fine instruments, as only befit the location of the shop.  She scrutinized each one carefully, not noticing the way the shopkeeper and the arguing man had wandered closer to where she was standing. If she had, she surely would have been pissed off royally.  It was extremely lucky for the owner that she was so intent on the musical instruments.

            They were al beautiful instruments, finely made.  Nire looked closely at each one, admiring their beauty, but keeping her hands away.  Her 'sticky fingers' would not bode well for the shop, if Jander were not right there, watching her.  Still, there was nothing that really made her eyes stop until they lit upon the last flute.  As soon as she saw it, her hand went instinctively out to touch it, but she jerked it back before anyone could warn her not to.

            And truly, Jander had to agree with her initial reaction.  It was a finely polished wooden flute, gleaming in the soft lighting.  Fine engraving twirled its way up the body, barely visible.  Jander could tell just by looking at it that it cost a fortune - he did not need to play it to find that out.  But by the way Nire's fingers were twitching, that's exactly what she wanted to do.  So, being a good friend, he asked for her.  Just by the look on the man's face, he could tell he was trying to find a good reason to say no.  He did not want the child to be 'playing with' such an expensive instrument.

            "Oh, do let her try it, Fandraco.  If she breaks it, I'll pay for it."  That last part, the blonde man said with a charming smile to Nire, so her quick glare withered and died.

            Carefully, almost reverently, she lifted it from the black stand after glancing at Fandraco to make sure it really was okay.  She lifted it to her mouth, her lips pursing and yet drawing back in the tight smile that was the correct embraceor of a flute player.  The sound that came from it was like liquid silver, a haunting melody.  A look of pure rapture and joy suffused her usually morose face as she played, becoming lost in the music.  It was truly a beautiful sound, lilting through the air.  The melody flowed, rising and falling like a river of music, entrancing those who listened.  It was not just the tune, although that in itself was hauntingly beautiful, but the way Nire handled the instrument.  She even managed to coax the middle C out of the instrument, which was lower than most people could get.

            When she was done, the last wavering note fading away into silence, she out the flute sadly back on it's stand.

            "Thank you," was her quiet comment.  But Jander heard her thoughts screaming, projecting to those attuned to her, although she did not realize it, I want it, I want it, I want it so bad.

            "I don't have enough for it, little one."

            "Yeah, I know.  'S why I didn't ask."

            "That was a beautiful tune," the blond man said excitedly, scribbling things down on a scrap of paper.  "What's it called?"

            " 'Henry's Dream'," was Nire's short answer.  "More commonly known as 'Greensleaves'."

            "Did you write it?"

            Nire barked out a short burst of laughter.  "I can't write anything anywhere near that good.  No, it's a carol from my world."

            "Your world?"  The man jumped on that phrase.  "What do you mean?"

            Jander could actually see the euphoric mood that playing the flute had put on Nire begin to fade.  He watched as she closed off the world and became more guarded.

            "Why d'ya wanna know?" she asked suspiciously.

            Easy there, little one, Jander told her.  'Twas an innocent question.

            Maybe, and maybe not.  Man, you would never survive in my world.

            The man smiled self-deprecatingly.  "Well, my uncle has been trying to make a gate spell.  My apologies.  We tend to jump on phrases like that, lately."

            "Who's yer uncle?" Nire asked, a bit more civil.

            The man was obviously trying to win Nire over, not used to having children suspicious of him like that.  "My uncle is Khelben Arunsun.  I'm Danilo Thann."

            "Nire," was her short answer to the obvious question.  "An' that's Jander."  They both shook his proffered hand, then Nire said, "Khelben Arunsun, the greatest mage of Waterdeep, can't figure out how to make a stupid little gate?  That's just sad."  She started to laugh.  But, when she noticed Jander's disapproving gaze, she let it taper off, seemingly naturally.

            "So you know how to make a gate?" Danilo asked, disbelievingly.

            "Yeah," Nire said, like that should be obvious.  "Ya gotta problem believin' that?"  Anyone from Earth would have immediately recognized her tone as that of a stereotypical, black street punk about to 'take it outside'.

            Unfortunately, Danilo did not know that.  For one who was a people person, he did not seem to notice her tone as anything different than normal, either.  "Well… You have to admit…"

            "Ugh.  He's just making it harder than it has to be." Nire said this as though anyone should have known it.  Jander was busy trying to figure out how to intervene diplomatically without causing any bloodshed, which was what Nire was heading to.  Danilo was oblivious to the fact that Nire was pissed, royally.

            "Really."  This was said by Danilo in the condescending tone of an adult talking to a know-it-all child.

            "Asshole," Nire muttered, eliciting a shocked face from Danilo and Jander.  "Ready to go, Jander?"

            "Just waiting for you," he said, thanking his lucky stars that she had ended it herself.

            Just as they had gotten out the door (to the relief of the poor shopkeeper), Danilo came running up behind them.  "Waitwaitwait!"

            Jander oculd clearly see Nire considering keeping on walking.  But her curiosity (and hope that she might get to meet Khelben Blackstaff) made her stop and sanp, "What?"

            Gently.  Maybe he's going to apologize.

            "My apologies for offending you."  Daniloy bowed low, sweeping out his fancy cape behind him.  When he straightened up, he said, "Do you really know a spell to make a gate?"

            "Many of them.  Why?"

            "How old are you?"

            "Old enough.  Why?"

            "Would you be willing to teach this spell to me?"

            "Nope."

            Shocked silence.  "Why not?"

            "Cuz I don't like you one bit."

            At this point, Jander slipped away and back into the shop right before Fandraco locked up.

            "How much for the flute?" he asked.  The look in Nire's eyes…she actually looked truly happy for once.  It would probably take him a while to sell enough carvings, but it would be worth it.

            His eyes popped wide open at the named price, but he didn't try to haggle it down.  "Hold it for me, please."

            Fandraco agreed, wanting to close up[, and Jander made it back out before Nire noticed he was gone.  From what he heard as he came back,m he assumed the noble had been trying various persuasive methods on Nire.

            "Well, what if I take you to meet Uncle Khelben?  Will you teach him?"

            "Maybe.  I don't know.  Is he as much of an ass as you?"

            "Nire!"

            "Bug off, Jander.  I'll say whatever the hell I please."

            "Some say he's more of an ass," Danilo said with an easy smile, "some say he's less.  It would be up to you to decide."

            Nire considered this for a moment, then glanced at Jander and answered.  "T'morrow at ten?  Both of us?"

            "Absolutely wonderful.  Do you know where his tower is?"

            "No," was Nire's scathingly sarcastic reply, "I don't.  Wait!  Could it be that tall, tower-like building?"  Of course, she was pointing to the Blackstaff tower.

            "I'll meet you outside the gate, all right?"

            "Sure, whatever.  See ya then."  Showing off, Nire created a gate with a thought (she had discovered that, although extremely dangerous, that was all it really needed) and stepped through.  Jander, after giving Danilo an apologetic smile, followed her and closed the gate.

*  *  *  *  *

            "Do you have to be so rude to everyone?"

            "Shove off."

            "Well, did you know him?  Like you know me?"

            "Nope.  Knew his uncle like that, though.  I'd like to meet 'im."

            "So if you didn't know him…?"

            "He rubbed me the wrong way, okay?  Too god damned cheerful.  I don't like perky or peppy people.  Or preppy, for that matter."  She laughed at what was (to her at this hour of the night) a joke.

            Jander sighed.  His newest mission would be to get this rudeness, the scathing tongue, out of Nire.  His original one, to get her to smile at least once every time he saw her, had become too easy (except for the fact that they were usually sarcastic or sardonic smiles…).

            "I'll be here when the sun goes down, little one.  Okay?"

            "Thanks, Jander.  I know I kinds pulled you into that without asking…"

            For a moment, Jander was shocked into silence.  That was the closest Nire had ever come to an apology.  As his shocked silence prolonged, Nire began to worry that he was really pissed at her.  She did not care if anyone else was mad at her - they would all eventually come around, and if they didn't, then they weren't worth it - but she genuinely enjoyed the time she spent with Jander.  She truly did not want him mad at her; he was the only true constant in her life, one she could count on.

            "Really.  I'm sorry.  I mean, you didn't have something planned, did you?"

            Jander realized what she was thinking (what he would have been thinking, if he had been in her place) and quickly shook himself out of his stunned stupor.  "No, no.  I don't mind.  Did this relieve your boredom enough, little one?"

            "For today, I guess."  She climbed under her covers, having changed as soon as she got back, and smiled at him.  "Thanks for taking me."

            "I was glad too, little one." He sat on the end of her bed, the chair that he usually sat in being covered with papers again.  "I hope you had fun."

            "Sure as hell did.  Much more fun than being stuck in here for the entire night."  Nire did not want him to leave - she was still sick to death of being stuck in her room, alone - but wasn't sure on what pretenses she could get him to stay until she fell asleep.

            "Sleep tight, little one."

            She grimaced.  "You better get back here tomorrow as soon as you can.  I have a feeling I'm going to be stuck in here again."

            "Why do you say that, little one?  Will you parents be making you stay in your room 'till it's clean?"

            "Yeah.  My father's on vacation, which means he's in 'one of those moods' where the house hgas to be perfectly clean, thus my mother is, too.  So, I'll probably be in here until he goes back to work.  Or, until one of us breaks."

            "You should just clean your room, little one."

            "Yeah, I s'pose I should, but I won't.  Then they will have one, if I do.  Plus, it pisses off me da that I don't do it."

            Jander took that statement for what it was - an unusually subtle warning - and didn't offer to help her clean it.  Instead, he asked her if she wanted him to keep her company until she fell asleep.  Ow, in his self-pitying way, he expected her to refuse.  To him, that refusal would make perfect sense.  After all, he was a vampire.  Nobody in their right mind would be stupid enough to fall asleep when he was around, not if they knew what he was.  That would be showing too much trust, allowing him to do whatever he wanted, leaving the person defenseless.  And who would trust a vampire that much?  Nire, that's who.

            "Would you really?"

            A surprised blink.  "Of course."

            "Do you know any good stories you could tell me?  That I haven't heard?"  She gave him a sad look, not meaning to.  She had learned to read when she was three, and since then, nobody really read to her or told her stories.  Except for the long chapter book series that her father had used to read to her and her sister.  But even that had stopped a while ago, when she was five.  Even though she was technically too old now to listen to a bedtime story, she still enjoyed them.

            "Let me think for a minute, little one."

            He turned off the light for her and told her stories until she fell asleep - and either she was really asleep, or she was a very good shamming things like that.  Once he was certain she was asleep, and not going to wake up again, he quietly left.