Winter…
Snow, Ice, cold; farmers taking their busy hands indoors, and the half ominous, half calming silence of nature taking a nap.
Business going down in all places depending on a steady flow of customers, Negrath had closed up shop and returned to where he had originally planned to stay, before he found out that the nearby "farmer's village" were in need of a new tavern; de'Arnise Keep…
-"Hey, Domo!" he saluted, walking briskly into the main "hall", "Any news for me?"
-"None, My Lord," were the answer, as the aging man rose from the head table, reaching out to shake the Bhaalspawn's hand;
-"And may I say we are all glad to once again have someone to serve in person," He smiled.
-"…why? Where's Nalia?"
-"She set out anew a good few months ago, my Lord. As she was the true ruler after all, I gathered I couldn't very well stop her, however much I feared she might be too brave…or, the gods forbid, follow her mother's mistake…" noticing the flare of cold in Negrath's eyes, he quickly added; "…in going too far, of course, not the "going" in itself. I simply hope for her to know when there can be no rescue, and that she is more valuable to us all alive than dead."
After a considering pause, the Kensai nodded;
-"So do I. Of course she did not mention when she would be back?"
After his own little pause, the Major Domo managed a very commendable grin;
-"Are you afraid she will come back and take the weight of leadership of your hands?"
Chuckling, Negrath shook his head;
-"The day that occurs, she is no longer the Nalia we all know and love; her take over here, and effectively have to stop doing her benevolent deeds? Not while that chair can continue to support me."
-"Then," the Domo replied with a confident smile, all but falling onto the seat he had abandoned, "she will continue her good deeds long enough to not see the difference between me and my replacement by the time she stops."
-"Benevolent deeds, Domo, does not always turn out to have been as good ideas as originally planned…" The Bhaalspawn cautioned silently.
Smile gone, the Major Domo stood once more, almost casually offering the chair to his Lord;
-"That, I believe, is the main difference between us…I'm too old for seeing the bare truth anymore."
-"Nonsense!" the Kensai protested as he swung over the table and sat, exhaling as his body informed him that such stunts were frowned upon after so long away from the life of adventure…and proper youth.
Nevertheless, he turned mischievous eyes on his number one servant;
-"besides, the older and more intimidating a right hand man can be, the better for the ruler lending him their ear.
And you, my friend, can be very intimidating indeed, when you want to."
-"Can't everyone?" the man replied, seeming surprised that he should have any sort of special talent.
-"Well, not if we don't go underground…or to see my wife."
A companionable chuckle later, the godchild added; "of course, I seem to have come across more intimidating folk than most others I served in the tavern, but then one has to think of -what- I met as well as -who-;
Every kind of beast in the book, and any number of humanoid curiosities; a berserk ranger protecting a Rashemite witch, and then a wingless Avariel, a half-elf Harper married to a courageous wimp, and any number of fellow Bhaalspawn.
…but I can't say I've been very intimidated by your everyday townsman." He concluded, as though he should have reason to fear anyone not pointing a finger of death at him…
-"Lord! Come quick!"
-"What is it?" Negrath queried, putting down his knife and fork a little to quick.
Idly hoping no irreparable damage was done, he followed the servant that had already returned from where he had come, from his wet appearance to be presumed as the roof or courtyard.
Going for the easiest solution, he ran for the stairs to the roof, hearing Viconia in close pursuit, and Imoen at her heels.
Once he had stepped over to the balcony, he gazed through the falling snow, seeing a mass of violent motion just the other side of the drawbridge.
Feeling a timid tap on his shoulder, he turned to find the messenger standing behind him, appearing confused as to why he was on the roof.
Disregarding the young man's confusion, the Kensai pointed to the half- obscured mass of motion outside the gate;
-"Any of ours in that?"
-"Well, yeah, the guard turned out to fight it, all who could be gotten on their feet and into their armor is out there, fighting…whatever it was called. I do not remember. Sorry, the confusion…"
-"That's all right. Any chance whatever it is will turn on the farmers nearby if we call back our boys and close the gate?"
-"I heard that was another part of the reason they attacked it."
-"ANOTHER part? Is there more than two?"
Looking at the Bhaalspawn in puzzlement, the young servant slapped a hand to his face with a groan; "I -KNEW- I forgot something!"
Removing his hand, he stared at his master as though trying to will him to move before he said where to;
-"There were a woman that were fighting them before. She seemed to be loosing badly, despite some pretty impressive moves. Likely a good ally, sir." He smiled, before blinking, and taking Negrath by the arm;
-"Sorry, sir, but I was meant to take you directly to her, and, well, I…"
-"Lead on." his Lord shooed him off, preparing to run ahead if he didn't get running right away.
Taking the hint, the man simply stepped aside, watching as the three former adventurers hurried downstairs, before following a tad more sedately in his wet boots.
…
-"How is she?" Negrath queried, stepping inside the recently occupied guestroom and seating himself on a stool by the fireplace.
-"I don't get it!" Imoen huffed, rarely having left the strange woman's side since they all but stumbled over her unconscious form in the hallway, any other servants that could have made her repose a little more comfortable having settled in their quarters 'til the battle outside were over; "I have spent more restorative magic on her these three days than I have seen spent on the entirety of our group back when we tried to take out those green groundworms…you know what I mean." She bit him off as he motioned to correct her, and went right ahead; "…and she could as well be Drow for all the good it does her!
I had to use herbs to get any result at all!!!"
Quite evidently, the mage, so connected to the ways of magic, did not like that fact one bit.
-"Then perhaps Jaheira would be the one to call?" her brother carefully suggested.
-"Too late now." The woman grinned, almost wickedly; "I got her sleeping with what I had, which seemed to slacken her resistance. Not enough for my spells to do all they might have been able to on yourself, for instance, but more than enough to ensure her survival…now her resistance is back up, and I can't even give her a bruise with my airhammer!"
grinning ironically at his surprised look, she warned him; "don't ever think I would use that on a patient unless I was sure nothing short of it would work!"
-"What about enchanted weapons?"
-"Ordinary ones, such as a knife, are able to cut her skin, with some pressure, so I think enchanted weapons will work…insofar as they would without the enchantments, mind you."
-"I'll mind." Her fellow orphan nodded, smiling.
-"How long?" he then asked, standing to go.
-"Sometime today, bro. Not right yet, though." She added with a chuckle as he moved to sit back down.
-"Come back in the evening, and you'll probably be able to have a chat with her."
-"As long as she's aware he's mine." The Drow stated mock(?) possessively as she leaned against a bedpost at the foot of the bed.
The two Bhaalspawn blinking in unison, the three of them shared a brief chuckle.
-"It wouldn't have mattered whether I were or not." It came from the bed, the resulting shocked turning of three heads toward the patient, she chuckled, sounding as if she was fighting a tone of derision from becoming too evident.
Moving to stand opposite Imoen, Negrath looked down at the woman that had caused the mage so much irritation.
Gazing back with supreme calm, despite her prolonged stay in bed, and previous woeful state, she simply waited for him to talk.
Instead, Viconia leaned over the foot end to speak first;
-"How so!?"
The other woman simply looked back at her, as though trying to decide whether she knew herself or not.
-"It just wouldn't." She finally replied.
Turning to Negrath, she gave a slight smirk, as though quoting a line too often repeated;
-"Sorry, but you're really not my type."
This supplying her first proper look at him, she seemed to briefly reconsider, before, with a quick glance at Viconia, dismissing the whole discussion.
Her casual dismissal had the air of one not avoiding trouble for the trouble's sake, but because she could not be bothered to deal with it.
-"And you," the Drow then stated, rising to look at her Lifemate; "had better not adapt into her "type". Am I clear!?"
-"As the night sky on a cloudless night." he chuckled.
-"Boo says…" a familiar voice boomed through the hallway, before a large shape filled the door, and stopped.
With a low, rumbling chuckle, Minsc looked to his fist, as though conversing briefly with the small creature that rested in it, before turning back to the others in the room, grinning;
-"Boo says he glad friend Negrath's luck stays true."
-"…"
As if to explain, the ranger lifted his free hand, counting off the females in the room;
-"one…two…THREE! And you the only boy! Dynaheir would have something to say about that, yes she would…Boo?"
Trying to ignore Viconia's suspicious glare at him, "the rooster" found himself once again sensing the distinctly uncomfortable feeling that he knew what went on between the two never-apart companions, as he saw what appeared to be the rodent agreeing with the berserker's assessment of Dynaheir's observations, and then appeared to remind the large man of something…the image only enhanced by the same man's head bobbing in slightly shamed agreement.
Negrath shivered.
-"Boo first wanted to say that we heard there was a brave woman warrior in the castle, set upon by grim creatures beyond comprehension, and single- handedly slew half of them!?!"
-"Yes, I guess you could put it that way." Negrath acquiesced, just as Viconia huffed;
-"She took on a veritable army of Ogres that just happened to be itching for a fight. Guess they got their due for fighting on our land, but I hardly think she did all that much in actually taking them out herself…am I right?" she queried, turning back to the patient in the bed, professional interest taking over as real curiosity made its presence known on her face.
-"Yes." Were the simple answer, before she continued, Viconia's expression of interest fading by the word; "they mostly took out each other as long as they were many enough to crowd me.
Seeing how they disregarded that fact, though, I found it refreshing not to have to hold back, and took out some five or six of them before those dung- beetles stole my sword!"
-"Five or six? But Boo heard…"
-"What "Boo" heard was probably right," the stranger nodded slowly, sending the giant an odd look, before continuing; "it has been a very long time indeed since I could fight without caring whether I hurt or kill. That little skirmish actually spurred me on for a while. Grounded another four."
-"With bare hands?!?!?"
Suddenly brimming with interest, the Drow shoved her husband aside, to kneel beside the other end of the bed.
-"Well, my tailbiting snake took at least two of them, and severely hurt a few others I heard, but I got knocked aside as I tried to catch it again.
Four pairs of eyes sending her confused looks had her fighting not to laugh;
-"My round killing thing. Most effective when the enemy thinks I've played my last card…"
Sighing, she seemed to fall in on herself; "I'm not whole without it, strange as it may sound…it's just a weapon, after all…"
-"Not feeling whole without a thing of some importance in a fight? Join the club. I'd show you why, but I'm not particularly murderous right now. Sorry."
Looking like she tries to find out whether or not she's the victim of some odd joke, she judges the others amused, slightly sad reactions, and replies; "I'm sorry for your loss, then."
-"Oh, it's not lost…almost wish it were, but it's not…it were once, and that was plenty enough!"
-"Then you know what I'm talking about. Think you could help me find it?"
-"Think I already have. I'll speak with the Domo, see what they found out in the "battlefield"."
-"…thanks."
-"No problem. And I'm Negrath…just Negrath."
-"Imoen." Added Imoen, as sprightly as had they yet to leave Candlekeep.
-"Minsc, and Boo." The ranger introduced, holding out his arm for his friend to say hello;
-"Squeak."
-"And I'm Viconia. Ask for my last name, and you won't get out of that bed for another week. There's plenty of other amusing folks for you to meet, but I daresay we are the ones you are best served knowing. Mention mine or my husband's name, and there will be little that is blocked for you. You may have to wait for a servant to check with us, but with a bit of patience, that should go fine. Any questions?"
-"…What are you?"
-"I could show you…?" Viconia deVir snarled, before reining herself in…with an effort;
-"I'm…sorry. You are not from around here, are you?"
-"Can't say I am. Never saw such ugly mugs in my life…past or future." The other woman grinned ironically.
-"By the way, I'm Xena."
………………………………….
-"No doubt you would need a bit of proper rest now, though, right?" Imoen queried, giving the rest as stern a look as she was able, clearing a slight space around the bed.
-"No," Xena replied, sitting up.
The cover held up with one hand she looked at the mage with a slight smirk;
-"But I would like to know where my clothes are…and a chance to get into them."
-"Sure, they're in the cabinet." Her 'doctor' replied, hurriedly conjuring an aerial servant to 'guide' the others out, and guard the door, as she followed her own instructions…
Opening the wooden container, she extracted a well-kept set of leather body- armor, huffing at the full weight of it as she leaned it against a nearby wall.
-"I wore more than that, didn't I?" the warrior woman queried, sounding genuinely puzzled.
Chuckling, Imoen grinned as she nodded;
-"Not much, though."
As the mage turned to look at her, not very surprised to see her patient standing right behind her, Xena smiled thinly, gesturing at her legs;
-"Any more, and I wouldn't have been able to get the most out of these."
Though the limbs in question seemed plenty strong to present a threat, Imoen told herself she 'had seen better'…a mental chastisement later, she silently added '…mostly on men, though…'
-"You sure they're worth the lack of proper protection?"
-"Girl, these are more 'proper' protection than a some sheets of metal would ever manage to be," were the grinning reply, the warrior maneuvered around the mage, to get the rest of her clothes.
Making a silent promise to herself that what she had seen during the last few minutes would never be reproduced in her 'illustrated tales' down at the tavern, Imoen sat down on the bed to watch and, if necessary, aid in the equipping of the woman's armor.
By the time she stood to offer her assistance, Xena had already turned back, evidently judging the job done.
-"I thought I saw some that would also need to be arranged…"
Walking around behind her patient, she made a few hook-ups that appeared as though they had not been together in ages.
-"You must have known they were there?" the mage wondered as they faced each other once more…
-"It's long since I found I didn't strictly need them done."
-"But why then keep them, other than to risk unnecessary problems?"
-"For when I need to make someone feel useful." The other woman smiled, a sad glimmer in her eyes.
Figuring that the guest was not of the sort to take well to forced confessions, Imoen decided to distract the warrior by having another aerial servant close the cabinet for them.
As the container bumped closed, Xena gazed levelly at the mage;
-"Any other tricks up your sleeve?"
-"Tricks up my sleeve?" The lesser Bhaalspawn grinned, arms extended;
-"I've been told that of those, there can be no end!"
At the end of her "proclamation", seemingly unending streams of tiny, humanoid figures literally flowed from the sleeves of her many-colored mage- robes, hit the floor, and took to running all over the place;
Climbing the furniture, playing practical jokes on each other, engaging in smaller fights, and gathering in small flocks that occasionally emitted a barking, high-pitched laugh.
All intended for the production of immense amusement…for those who were aware of what her sort -could- have done…
-"Keep your underlings to yourself!" Her patient exclaimed, backing away from her, toward the cabinet; "They come near me, and they die!"
Pointing wordlessly, Imoen directed her attention to the trio currently busy scaling the cabinet doors.
In a matter of seconds, they were piles of flesh and blood dripping to the floor…or would have been, had they not disappeared in a puff of illusory smoke upon encountering forceful contact.
Looking over her shoulder, the mage guided the other woman's gaze toward the growing group of combatants at the foot end of the bed, drawing participants from every corner of the room, yet steadily decreasing in size…
As the numbers decreased to one, the 'victor' lifted it's arms in the air, emitted a triumphant yell…and 'poofed'.
Turning back to her guest, Imoen found one very still, most speechless warrior princess still staring at the point the little fellow had vanished.
-"A simple illusion, nothing more." The merry mage explained, reaching out a hand, palm up.
The 'victorious one' popping into existence on it, she added;
-"A good deal more detailed than your average disguise, though…wouldn't you agree?"
At Xena's unblinking gaze, the little creature blinked, as though wondering what she was staring at.
Sniffing it's armpits quizzically*, it retched, and disappeared.
Jumping slightly, the warrior woman gave a snort of amusement.
-"And that," Imoen immediately pointed out, "would be the intended reaction, the only point to their existence."
With a grin, Xena pointed out;
-"Pretty good distraction, though, isn't it?"
-"Nah." The mage shook her head as her exact replica appeared beside her;
-"For distraction," the copy appeared to say, "I would do something like this:"
As the two of them made a slight gesture, The warrior princess found herself almost nose to nose with a small, draconic head that seemed to be hanging upside down…
Waiting for it to go 'poof', she almost fell flat on her backside when it bit her nose!
-"Shame on you!" the mage shouted at the little dragon as it took off from Xena's head to land on the shoulder of it's keeper.
Smiling apologetically as her copy(having traded places with her while the dragon distracted Xena) went up in the familiar puff of smoke, causing the warrior to blink in confusion even as she rubbed her nose, Imoen shrugged;
-"He wasn't supposed to do that…sorry."
I seem to have trouble getting the visitor out into the rest of the Keep…Will do my best for the next part, which probably won't be all that long… :P
*: Those who know what I'm talking about, think "Sim in need of a bath"…
Snow, Ice, cold; farmers taking their busy hands indoors, and the half ominous, half calming silence of nature taking a nap.
Business going down in all places depending on a steady flow of customers, Negrath had closed up shop and returned to where he had originally planned to stay, before he found out that the nearby "farmer's village" were in need of a new tavern; de'Arnise Keep…
-"Hey, Domo!" he saluted, walking briskly into the main "hall", "Any news for me?"
-"None, My Lord," were the answer, as the aging man rose from the head table, reaching out to shake the Bhaalspawn's hand;
-"And may I say we are all glad to once again have someone to serve in person," He smiled.
-"…why? Where's Nalia?"
-"She set out anew a good few months ago, my Lord. As she was the true ruler after all, I gathered I couldn't very well stop her, however much I feared she might be too brave…or, the gods forbid, follow her mother's mistake…" noticing the flare of cold in Negrath's eyes, he quickly added; "…in going too far, of course, not the "going" in itself. I simply hope for her to know when there can be no rescue, and that she is more valuable to us all alive than dead."
After a considering pause, the Kensai nodded;
-"So do I. Of course she did not mention when she would be back?"
After his own little pause, the Major Domo managed a very commendable grin;
-"Are you afraid she will come back and take the weight of leadership of your hands?"
Chuckling, Negrath shook his head;
-"The day that occurs, she is no longer the Nalia we all know and love; her take over here, and effectively have to stop doing her benevolent deeds? Not while that chair can continue to support me."
-"Then," the Domo replied with a confident smile, all but falling onto the seat he had abandoned, "she will continue her good deeds long enough to not see the difference between me and my replacement by the time she stops."
-"Benevolent deeds, Domo, does not always turn out to have been as good ideas as originally planned…" The Bhaalspawn cautioned silently.
Smile gone, the Major Domo stood once more, almost casually offering the chair to his Lord;
-"That, I believe, is the main difference between us…I'm too old for seeing the bare truth anymore."
-"Nonsense!" the Kensai protested as he swung over the table and sat, exhaling as his body informed him that such stunts were frowned upon after so long away from the life of adventure…and proper youth.
Nevertheless, he turned mischievous eyes on his number one servant;
-"besides, the older and more intimidating a right hand man can be, the better for the ruler lending him their ear.
And you, my friend, can be very intimidating indeed, when you want to."
-"Can't everyone?" the man replied, seeming surprised that he should have any sort of special talent.
-"Well, not if we don't go underground…or to see my wife."
A companionable chuckle later, the godchild added; "of course, I seem to have come across more intimidating folk than most others I served in the tavern, but then one has to think of -what- I met as well as -who-;
Every kind of beast in the book, and any number of humanoid curiosities; a berserk ranger protecting a Rashemite witch, and then a wingless Avariel, a half-elf Harper married to a courageous wimp, and any number of fellow Bhaalspawn.
…but I can't say I've been very intimidated by your everyday townsman." He concluded, as though he should have reason to fear anyone not pointing a finger of death at him…
-"Lord! Come quick!"
-"What is it?" Negrath queried, putting down his knife and fork a little to quick.
Idly hoping no irreparable damage was done, he followed the servant that had already returned from where he had come, from his wet appearance to be presumed as the roof or courtyard.
Going for the easiest solution, he ran for the stairs to the roof, hearing Viconia in close pursuit, and Imoen at her heels.
Once he had stepped over to the balcony, he gazed through the falling snow, seeing a mass of violent motion just the other side of the drawbridge.
Feeling a timid tap on his shoulder, he turned to find the messenger standing behind him, appearing confused as to why he was on the roof.
Disregarding the young man's confusion, the Kensai pointed to the half- obscured mass of motion outside the gate;
-"Any of ours in that?"
-"Well, yeah, the guard turned out to fight it, all who could be gotten on their feet and into their armor is out there, fighting…whatever it was called. I do not remember. Sorry, the confusion…"
-"That's all right. Any chance whatever it is will turn on the farmers nearby if we call back our boys and close the gate?"
-"I heard that was another part of the reason they attacked it."
-"ANOTHER part? Is there more than two?"
Looking at the Bhaalspawn in puzzlement, the young servant slapped a hand to his face with a groan; "I -KNEW- I forgot something!"
Removing his hand, he stared at his master as though trying to will him to move before he said where to;
-"There were a woman that were fighting them before. She seemed to be loosing badly, despite some pretty impressive moves. Likely a good ally, sir." He smiled, before blinking, and taking Negrath by the arm;
-"Sorry, sir, but I was meant to take you directly to her, and, well, I…"
-"Lead on." his Lord shooed him off, preparing to run ahead if he didn't get running right away.
Taking the hint, the man simply stepped aside, watching as the three former adventurers hurried downstairs, before following a tad more sedately in his wet boots.
…
-"How is she?" Negrath queried, stepping inside the recently occupied guestroom and seating himself on a stool by the fireplace.
-"I don't get it!" Imoen huffed, rarely having left the strange woman's side since they all but stumbled over her unconscious form in the hallway, any other servants that could have made her repose a little more comfortable having settled in their quarters 'til the battle outside were over; "I have spent more restorative magic on her these three days than I have seen spent on the entirety of our group back when we tried to take out those green groundworms…you know what I mean." She bit him off as he motioned to correct her, and went right ahead; "…and she could as well be Drow for all the good it does her!
I had to use herbs to get any result at all!!!"
Quite evidently, the mage, so connected to the ways of magic, did not like that fact one bit.
-"Then perhaps Jaheira would be the one to call?" her brother carefully suggested.
-"Too late now." The woman grinned, almost wickedly; "I got her sleeping with what I had, which seemed to slacken her resistance. Not enough for my spells to do all they might have been able to on yourself, for instance, but more than enough to ensure her survival…now her resistance is back up, and I can't even give her a bruise with my airhammer!"
grinning ironically at his surprised look, she warned him; "don't ever think I would use that on a patient unless I was sure nothing short of it would work!"
-"What about enchanted weapons?"
-"Ordinary ones, such as a knife, are able to cut her skin, with some pressure, so I think enchanted weapons will work…insofar as they would without the enchantments, mind you."
-"I'll mind." Her fellow orphan nodded, smiling.
-"How long?" he then asked, standing to go.
-"Sometime today, bro. Not right yet, though." She added with a chuckle as he moved to sit back down.
-"Come back in the evening, and you'll probably be able to have a chat with her."
-"As long as she's aware he's mine." The Drow stated mock(?) possessively as she leaned against a bedpost at the foot of the bed.
The two Bhaalspawn blinking in unison, the three of them shared a brief chuckle.
-"It wouldn't have mattered whether I were or not." It came from the bed, the resulting shocked turning of three heads toward the patient, she chuckled, sounding as if she was fighting a tone of derision from becoming too evident.
Moving to stand opposite Imoen, Negrath looked down at the woman that had caused the mage so much irritation.
Gazing back with supreme calm, despite her prolonged stay in bed, and previous woeful state, she simply waited for him to talk.
Instead, Viconia leaned over the foot end to speak first;
-"How so!?"
The other woman simply looked back at her, as though trying to decide whether she knew herself or not.
-"It just wouldn't." She finally replied.
Turning to Negrath, she gave a slight smirk, as though quoting a line too often repeated;
-"Sorry, but you're really not my type."
This supplying her first proper look at him, she seemed to briefly reconsider, before, with a quick glance at Viconia, dismissing the whole discussion.
Her casual dismissal had the air of one not avoiding trouble for the trouble's sake, but because she could not be bothered to deal with it.
-"And you," the Drow then stated, rising to look at her Lifemate; "had better not adapt into her "type". Am I clear!?"
-"As the night sky on a cloudless night." he chuckled.
-"Boo says…" a familiar voice boomed through the hallway, before a large shape filled the door, and stopped.
With a low, rumbling chuckle, Minsc looked to his fist, as though conversing briefly with the small creature that rested in it, before turning back to the others in the room, grinning;
-"Boo says he glad friend Negrath's luck stays true."
-"…"
As if to explain, the ranger lifted his free hand, counting off the females in the room;
-"one…two…THREE! And you the only boy! Dynaheir would have something to say about that, yes she would…Boo?"
Trying to ignore Viconia's suspicious glare at him, "the rooster" found himself once again sensing the distinctly uncomfortable feeling that he knew what went on between the two never-apart companions, as he saw what appeared to be the rodent agreeing with the berserker's assessment of Dynaheir's observations, and then appeared to remind the large man of something…the image only enhanced by the same man's head bobbing in slightly shamed agreement.
Negrath shivered.
-"Boo first wanted to say that we heard there was a brave woman warrior in the castle, set upon by grim creatures beyond comprehension, and single- handedly slew half of them!?!"
-"Yes, I guess you could put it that way." Negrath acquiesced, just as Viconia huffed;
-"She took on a veritable army of Ogres that just happened to be itching for a fight. Guess they got their due for fighting on our land, but I hardly think she did all that much in actually taking them out herself…am I right?" she queried, turning back to the patient in the bed, professional interest taking over as real curiosity made its presence known on her face.
-"Yes." Were the simple answer, before she continued, Viconia's expression of interest fading by the word; "they mostly took out each other as long as they were many enough to crowd me.
Seeing how they disregarded that fact, though, I found it refreshing not to have to hold back, and took out some five or six of them before those dung- beetles stole my sword!"
-"Five or six? But Boo heard…"
-"What "Boo" heard was probably right," the stranger nodded slowly, sending the giant an odd look, before continuing; "it has been a very long time indeed since I could fight without caring whether I hurt or kill. That little skirmish actually spurred me on for a while. Grounded another four."
-"With bare hands?!?!?"
Suddenly brimming with interest, the Drow shoved her husband aside, to kneel beside the other end of the bed.
-"Well, my tailbiting snake took at least two of them, and severely hurt a few others I heard, but I got knocked aside as I tried to catch it again.
Four pairs of eyes sending her confused looks had her fighting not to laugh;
-"My round killing thing. Most effective when the enemy thinks I've played my last card…"
Sighing, she seemed to fall in on herself; "I'm not whole without it, strange as it may sound…it's just a weapon, after all…"
-"Not feeling whole without a thing of some importance in a fight? Join the club. I'd show you why, but I'm not particularly murderous right now. Sorry."
Looking like she tries to find out whether or not she's the victim of some odd joke, she judges the others amused, slightly sad reactions, and replies; "I'm sorry for your loss, then."
-"Oh, it's not lost…almost wish it were, but it's not…it were once, and that was plenty enough!"
-"Then you know what I'm talking about. Think you could help me find it?"
-"Think I already have. I'll speak with the Domo, see what they found out in the "battlefield"."
-"…thanks."
-"No problem. And I'm Negrath…just Negrath."
-"Imoen." Added Imoen, as sprightly as had they yet to leave Candlekeep.
-"Minsc, and Boo." The ranger introduced, holding out his arm for his friend to say hello;
-"Squeak."
-"And I'm Viconia. Ask for my last name, and you won't get out of that bed for another week. There's plenty of other amusing folks for you to meet, but I daresay we are the ones you are best served knowing. Mention mine or my husband's name, and there will be little that is blocked for you. You may have to wait for a servant to check with us, but with a bit of patience, that should go fine. Any questions?"
-"…What are you?"
-"I could show you…?" Viconia deVir snarled, before reining herself in…with an effort;
-"I'm…sorry. You are not from around here, are you?"
-"Can't say I am. Never saw such ugly mugs in my life…past or future." The other woman grinned ironically.
-"By the way, I'm Xena."
………………………………….
-"No doubt you would need a bit of proper rest now, though, right?" Imoen queried, giving the rest as stern a look as she was able, clearing a slight space around the bed.
-"No," Xena replied, sitting up.
The cover held up with one hand she looked at the mage with a slight smirk;
-"But I would like to know where my clothes are…and a chance to get into them."
-"Sure, they're in the cabinet." Her 'doctor' replied, hurriedly conjuring an aerial servant to 'guide' the others out, and guard the door, as she followed her own instructions…
Opening the wooden container, she extracted a well-kept set of leather body- armor, huffing at the full weight of it as she leaned it against a nearby wall.
-"I wore more than that, didn't I?" the warrior woman queried, sounding genuinely puzzled.
Chuckling, Imoen grinned as she nodded;
-"Not much, though."
As the mage turned to look at her, not very surprised to see her patient standing right behind her, Xena smiled thinly, gesturing at her legs;
-"Any more, and I wouldn't have been able to get the most out of these."
Though the limbs in question seemed plenty strong to present a threat, Imoen told herself she 'had seen better'…a mental chastisement later, she silently added '…mostly on men, though…'
-"You sure they're worth the lack of proper protection?"
-"Girl, these are more 'proper' protection than a some sheets of metal would ever manage to be," were the grinning reply, the warrior maneuvered around the mage, to get the rest of her clothes.
Making a silent promise to herself that what she had seen during the last few minutes would never be reproduced in her 'illustrated tales' down at the tavern, Imoen sat down on the bed to watch and, if necessary, aid in the equipping of the woman's armor.
By the time she stood to offer her assistance, Xena had already turned back, evidently judging the job done.
-"I thought I saw some that would also need to be arranged…"
Walking around behind her patient, she made a few hook-ups that appeared as though they had not been together in ages.
-"You must have known they were there?" the mage wondered as they faced each other once more…
-"It's long since I found I didn't strictly need them done."
-"But why then keep them, other than to risk unnecessary problems?"
-"For when I need to make someone feel useful." The other woman smiled, a sad glimmer in her eyes.
Figuring that the guest was not of the sort to take well to forced confessions, Imoen decided to distract the warrior by having another aerial servant close the cabinet for them.
As the container bumped closed, Xena gazed levelly at the mage;
-"Any other tricks up your sleeve?"
-"Tricks up my sleeve?" The lesser Bhaalspawn grinned, arms extended;
-"I've been told that of those, there can be no end!"
At the end of her "proclamation", seemingly unending streams of tiny, humanoid figures literally flowed from the sleeves of her many-colored mage- robes, hit the floor, and took to running all over the place;
Climbing the furniture, playing practical jokes on each other, engaging in smaller fights, and gathering in small flocks that occasionally emitted a barking, high-pitched laugh.
All intended for the production of immense amusement…for those who were aware of what her sort -could- have done…
-"Keep your underlings to yourself!" Her patient exclaimed, backing away from her, toward the cabinet; "They come near me, and they die!"
Pointing wordlessly, Imoen directed her attention to the trio currently busy scaling the cabinet doors.
In a matter of seconds, they were piles of flesh and blood dripping to the floor…or would have been, had they not disappeared in a puff of illusory smoke upon encountering forceful contact.
Looking over her shoulder, the mage guided the other woman's gaze toward the growing group of combatants at the foot end of the bed, drawing participants from every corner of the room, yet steadily decreasing in size…
As the numbers decreased to one, the 'victor' lifted it's arms in the air, emitted a triumphant yell…and 'poofed'.
Turning back to her guest, Imoen found one very still, most speechless warrior princess still staring at the point the little fellow had vanished.
-"A simple illusion, nothing more." The merry mage explained, reaching out a hand, palm up.
The 'victorious one' popping into existence on it, she added;
-"A good deal more detailed than your average disguise, though…wouldn't you agree?"
At Xena's unblinking gaze, the little creature blinked, as though wondering what she was staring at.
Sniffing it's armpits quizzically*, it retched, and disappeared.
Jumping slightly, the warrior woman gave a snort of amusement.
-"And that," Imoen immediately pointed out, "would be the intended reaction, the only point to their existence."
With a grin, Xena pointed out;
-"Pretty good distraction, though, isn't it?"
-"Nah." The mage shook her head as her exact replica appeared beside her;
-"For distraction," the copy appeared to say, "I would do something like this:"
As the two of them made a slight gesture, The warrior princess found herself almost nose to nose with a small, draconic head that seemed to be hanging upside down…
Waiting for it to go 'poof', she almost fell flat on her backside when it bit her nose!
-"Shame on you!" the mage shouted at the little dragon as it took off from Xena's head to land on the shoulder of it's keeper.
Smiling apologetically as her copy(having traded places with her while the dragon distracted Xena) went up in the familiar puff of smoke, causing the warrior to blink in confusion even as she rubbed her nose, Imoen shrugged;
-"He wasn't supposed to do that…sorry."
I seem to have trouble getting the visitor out into the rest of the Keep…Will do my best for the next part, which probably won't be all that long… :P
*: Those who know what I'm talking about, think "Sim in need of a bath"…