AN: Sorry, sorry. Yes, I'm still here. No, Tide of Destiny is not over. I've just recently been struggling with January exams, and have been trying to get my smaller project, Those Who Harp, finished. Once it is, and once I can breathe in life (think from about Feb 15th, and half-term), I'll be returning to ToD.

For now, here is an extra-long taster of a chapter. Edwin's integrated, and here's a little something on everything we missed during a month out. Not much has changed, but things have… developed.

Chapter 92: Dropping Eaves

"Tents?"

"Check."

"Supplies?"

"Check."

"Supplies? That's a bit vague, isn't it, Harrian? What sort of supplies?"

"They're supplies; you'll eat them. Cooking equipment?"

"Of course I'll eat them, it's simply that you have a tendency to rely solely on the local wildlife to help supplement whatever supplies we bring. I don't think we'll be too inclined to dine on mind flayer when we're down there."

Silence.

"Cooking equipment?"

"Hmm? Ah, check. Imoen has a point, my friend. We don't know what we'll be confronted with down there. I assume that the Drow eat meat, but what meat is quite unknown. It would be foolhardy to assume that we shall find suitable supplies."

Silence.

"Extra supplies?"

"Ah, we don't –"

"Anomen's not going to say 'check', Harrian, so stop glaring at him. We'll get on it; do some shopping. I'm sure it'll be… lovely… to cart a deer around the Underdark with us. Maybe we can –"

"Shut up! In the name of all the gods, by everything that is unholy, will you all just shut up?" Edwin Odesseiron shrieked as he looked up from the slim arcane volume he was studying in a corner of the Delryn estate's lounge, his gaze flickering from Harrian to Anomen to Imoen, regarding them all with equal venom.

Harrian paused, frowning a little. "Ugh, alright. We'll continue this later; there are some other items I'm sure we don't have," he declared, waving a pathetic scrap of paper with his scrawl of a handwriting all over it in the air.

The new door to the cellar swung open noisily, and Jaheira marched in, looking, unsurprisingly, in a foul mood. She gave each of them a glare which seemed more for show than anything else, and there was a resigned glint in her eyes. "What," she breathed wearily, "are you all doing?"

Harrian shifted a little uncomfortably, pocketing the list. "Just checking we have everything in hand and ready," he replied, everyone else suddenly seemed to become interested in the wall decorations as his eyes met Jaheira's. "We're done for now. I'll just go… do… something," he finished weakly, before turning and hurrying out of the room.

Jaheira raised an eyebrow, a pained expression crossing her face for a moment until she slipped the mask back on and looked inquisitively at the others. "I assume you three were helping him check? Edwin, you look particularly productive with that book. I'm sure Harrian appreciated your help."

Edwin stood slowly, glaring back at the druid. "I have done everything that I have been contracted to do. In return, I get a free trip to the Underdark and all its secrets and gold. I confess, there are times when I rather wonder if this is a fair exchange, for it means I have to put up with all of you, but do not accuse me of not helping (at least their leader can stand to be in the same room as me without fleeing within seconds)," he declared, his final mutter not being missed by Jaheira, and he was rewarded by a momentary flash of emotion from her as he turned on his heel and strode out the door in Harrian's wake.

The Bhaalspawn was sitting on the stairs, staring into space as the Red Wizard emerged from the lounge purposefully. Edwin's appearance jerked Harrian back into the realms of consciousness, however, and he gave the Thayvian a considerate look. "You probably shouldn't have said that to her," the swashbuckler rebuked him quietly.

Edwin paused, not looking at Harrian, and took a deep breath to give his employer a piece of his mind as he turned around. The expression on the thief's face stopped him in his tracks, however, for the exceedingly dejected and defeated look rather made Edwin's venom turn sour.

The Thayvian shifted slowly, shrugging. "I think you, of all people, are not in a position to criticise others for hurting the druid's feelings," he replied dryly, still with a little sharpness in his voice as he regarded the thief.

Harrian paused, tilting his head a little as he considered this. "A fair point. But it was a rather harsh and unnecessary shot. You've seen much of this party in the last month; you know what we are like. Why do you delight so much in making trouble wherever you go?"

Edwin frowned a little. "What would you have me do? Stoop to your level and force myself to pretend to enjoy your company?" he scoffed with certainty. "Do not assume that I am another happy member of this dysfunctional family you have gathered around you, simian. My purposes are my own, for my own advancement, and most certainly do not take the feelings of others into account."

Harrian smiled infuriatingly at Edwin's words. "Ah, but I think they do," he commented quietly, standing up and stretching a little. "You say you do not care one jot for us, but what have you been doing the past month? Watching. You're an intelligent man, Edwin, and you've been watching us all, evaluating us all. Don't play apathetic with me; this has been your entertainment all the time you've been with us. Watching, interfering when necessary, pulling strings as it amuses you, and generally overseeing the entire goings-on of the party. You may not have formed any individual bonds with anyone in the group, but you know exactly what has been going on. You know how many, and which, plays Imoen and Haer'Dalis have seen together, and you know how much that infuriates Anomen. You know, and wish you didn't, Minsc's daily routine, including Boo's bath. You know… you know what to say to make irritate Jaheira and I when we find ourselves face to face. You know exactly what goes on in this group, and you try to keep things interesting."

Edwin shrugged, sighing a little. "And so you somehow believe that my interference suggests that I have a modicum of fondness for any of you?" He paused, leaning casually against the wall. "Once upon a time, my travels and my work took me to Chult. Quite a distant land, but I had my reasons for being there. During a moment's peace, I took some time to go on a trip to see the creatures of the land; something of a tour. They were exotic, and fascinating, and to see them going about their daily routines was quite entertaining." He paused, and gave one of his little smirks. "I believe several of these beasts were on the dinner table each night of that tour."

Harrian grinned yet again, incensing the Red Wizard no end as he turned and started up the stairs. "We'll see. You interfere for a reason – you care about the outcome. Whilst you may think this is solely for your entertainment, you can't deny that there is a bond; that you're already a part of this group."

Edwin glared at the back of Harrian's head as the thief disappeared up the stairs, irritated by his dogged determination in the pursuit of stupid ideas, then turned towards the corridor leading to the kitchen, hoping that there might be a chance to seize one of the cakes the cook had been baking earlier for the party's dinner that night.

This was a bid which quickly failed as he was unceremoniously hounded out of the kitchen by the shrew of a cook, winning little more than burnt fingers and a bruised ego. As he returned, he saw Anomen climbing the stairs, having doubtless been chased from the discussion with Imoen and Jaheira, and Edwin started towards the door to the lounge, hoping to continue his reading without the previous racket. As pieces of conversation drifted to his ear, however, he halted at the entrance, listening without even realising he was doing so, one eye to the small gap in the doors.

Jaheira was pacing slowly, her stance speaking of her irritation. "I don't see why you assume that this is a matter which can be dealt with after a handful of conversations and the twisting of some arms. This has been going on for a month. It is not about to stop now."

Imoen shrugged. "Of course it's not going to stop now; the two of you have barely spoken a word to each other which wasn't 'party business', and I don't think you've stood alone together in the same room since whatever the hell was going on that morning at the Five Flagons Quint turned up." A pause as glances were exchanged. "We do know what was going on that morning. It's been rather left unspoken what happened between you, but you've done an excellent job of trying to forget it ever happened."

"And I intend to carry on that way," Jaheira replied staunchly. "Harrian has made his stance on the matter quite clear; it was a mistake, plain and simple. There is no need to bring said mistake up on regular occasions."

Imoen frowned a little, brushing a pink lock of hair behind one ear. "I think you've told me many times that the way to deal with a mistake is to deal with it head on, rather than to try and forget about it."

Edwin could almost hear Jaheira's glower. "Child, this is a little different. We have quite learnt from this mistake, and we are not exactly about to repeat it, are we? Relations may be… strained… between Harrian and I, but we are still carrying on well together. Simply… once Harrian's soul is restored, and Irenicus has fallen, there is no need for me to carry on by his side. He was my charge, but he is quite old enough to live his own life now."

Imoen sat down, still plainly a little confused and challenging. "But once Harrian's soul is restored, won't the problem that's keeping you apart be gone? Besides, you know as well as I do that Harrian is simply doing what he does – gets all self-righteous and insists on carrying the burdens by himself; refusing to allow anybody else to infringe on his problems. Thinks he's helping us." There was a humourless laugh.

"It is not as simple as that, child. All matters have complications beyond what you initially see. I am sure that you and Haer'Dalis shall be encountering such problems within a short while; such is the nature of things." There was a pause as Jaheira smirked and Imoen shifted under the sudden change in the conversation.

"There really is nothing going on between Haer'Dalis and me!" Imoen insisted firmly. "You're becoming as bad as my brother with all of this, you know. He keeps on giving Haer'Dalis glares, acting all… concerned. As if he really has a right to direct my life. There's nothing for him to direct here."

"You'd think not, wouldn't you," Jaheira mused. "And at a glance, no, there are no problems. But future complications are already in sight. Take Anomen, for example," the druid offered lightly.

Although Imoen had her back to Edwin, he could imagine the frown on her forehead. "What about Anomen?"

Jaheira gave her an appraising glance, a look of surprise on her face. "You don't know?" she asked, her tone bemused and possibly with a slight touch of amusement. "You really don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Anomen is… well… he's Anomen. What does he have to do with me and Haer?" Imoen continued, still confused.

Jaheira stepped forwards and grasped Imoen by the shoulders. "You don't see the glares? The tension? Look, child. See, child. There is more to this than meets the eye. You shall call me an angel of doom, I'm sure, but I anticipate something marring this little hope you have now. However, it is quite likely that this is a blemish you shall be able to recover from, and emerge stronger than ever. If you look and see what could be to come." The druid turned, and started towards the stairs where she had come from. "And if you keep honesty in the forefront. Don't keep secrets from those who care about you. Because they do care about you, which is why those secrets will not make them turn away from you."

Edwin pulled away as Jaheira opened the door to the cellar and Imoen started to pace in the room, looking confused and lost all at once, doubtless wondering what Jaheira was talking about, and how she had worked it all out. Edwin, of course, knew exactly what Jaheira referred to, including the secret bit… for Haer'Dalis had a slightly looser tongue than the pink-haired thief liked to believe.

The Thayvian straightened his robes and started up the stairs. Where was that bard, anyway? Doubtless trying to have another pointless conversation with that obtuse Rashemani ranger and his pet furball. He had thought it amusing a few days ago to filch one of Edwin's more valued tomes, and he'd see the tiefling hang unless he got it back. Foolish extra-planar being…

The corridor at the top of the stairs was quite empty, both Harrian and Anomen having disappeared. Doubtless they had got together with the other two and were busy running a checklist on useless equipment to cart around the Underdark. In the face of their incompetence, Edwin had gathered his own gear for the expedition, not trusting them.

He paused as he passed what had once been the butler's room in the house, but was now inhabited by Haer'Dalis. A quick listen at the door assured Edwin that there was nobody inside, and he pushed it open and strode in, intent on retrieving his book, with or without the bard's permission.

The room was small and tidy, but elaborately decorated, with exquisite pictures and garish flags adorning the walls in true troubadour style. Edwin had expected nothing less from Haer'Dalis, but to be fair, he did not care about the decorating of the place. His eyes had settled on a small book that lay on the chest of drawers across the room.

Boldly he wandered over, grabbed it, and slipped it inside his robes, eyes furtive in the hunt for anyone who might dare appear and challenge him. He saw nobody, but, as he turned to go, began to hear somebody instead.

Two sets of footsteps – one delicately light, one moderately heavy. Haer'Dalis… and Anomen? Spitting a Thayvian curse under his breath as he heard the steps approach the room, Edwin darted into the bard's closet and buried himself behind the exotic clothes the tiefling had collected, pulling the door to.

"…I don't see why it is any business of yours, my hound," Haer'Dalis was saying as he entered the room, the Helmite cleric in tow. "It is not something that matters particularly to the integrity of the group, and if it did, does Harrian not have more of a right than you to be aware of it, as both leader and brother?"

"Foster brother," Anomen replied tersely, and as Edwin guessed the subject of their conversation, he smiled wryly at just how wrong the former squire was. "And just because I am not leader of the group does not mean that I do not have a right to know of any possible internal dangers there are, any unbalances or unexpected issues that could arise."

Haer'Dalis sounded amused, and Edwin could almost imagine the bard's entertained expression. "If any do arise, they shall not be your problem. Besides, I shall deal with them quite competently, I assure you." There was a long pause, Anomen's glare almost audible. "Do not try to fool me, my hound," the bard carried on at last. "It is quite evident that you want to know of myself and Imoen for your own purposes."

"That's preposterous," Anomen declared flatly, and, to his credit, did not sound too excessively in denial. "Why should I care what you and Imoen are to each other, or what you do in each others' company? It makes no difference to me."

Haer'Dalis laughed. "Then I need not answer your question, do I?" Edwin sighed with relief as he heard the door to the room open up, but grimaced in irritation as the footsteps came to a halt. "Or do I?"

Anomen sounded resigned, but particularly angry at the same time. "You enjoy this, don't you, braggart," he spat. "Be aware that I'm watching you, tiefling. I know you; I know what you are like. I know you will use Imoen for your own means and then dispose of her once you are done. I know that this shoulder to cry on is simply another role for you to play, then you will cast her to one side and hurt her." There was a dangerous silence. "If you cause Imoen any harm, I shall ensure that the pain you inflict on her shall be returned tenfold."

Haer'Dalis seemed particularly unimpressed by this declaration. "You read much into me, my hound! Surely there is nothing wrong with two young spirits enjoying life for a time, for a blink in life's eye? These are hard times and my wildflower needs comfort and company. I do not see you offering either of those things."

Edwin heard the cleric shift around, and whether it was an uncomfortable fidget or a threatening step forwards, he couldn't tell, for Anomen's voice was bland when he spoke at last. "You see the barrier between us. You erected this barrier." There was a long pause. "Fine. I shall leave you, tiefling. But I hope you keep my warning in mind, for it is not an idle threat. Use her, and I will kill you."

Edwin waited until he heard Anomen's footsteps fade off into the distance, then paused, anticipating Haer'Dalis' following. This didn't happen, however, for there was a small scatter of foot beats, then the door to the closet was thrown open noisily to reveal Haer'Dalis standing there with an amused expression. "My little sparrow-hawk, I did not know you had taken so kindly to my clothing!"

The Thayvian grimaced as he emerged, straightening his clothing. "I was simply retrieving the tome you so politely… borrowed yesterday," he retorted sharply. "Then I heard your conversation with the Helmite and decided to gracefully retreat, as it sounded as if he was quite willing to split your skull in two (and now I'm starting to wish that he indeed had)."

Haer'Dalis looked considerate for a moment. "Indeed, he did seem rather irate. I wonder why that is," he mused, sighing deeply. "He can be such a very tormented soul at times, our Anomen. His troubles often grieve me."

Edwin snorted. "Tiefling, I am not blind; I am quite aware of the situation. Although you both may have inexplicably developed a fondness for the excessively bright and bubbly, soul-deprived pink-haired one, this is not a matter which shall exactly bond the two of you for life."

He wasn't too sure why he cared about this situation, and he wasn't too sure if he did. He knew he was rather irritated by the tiefling's self-assured attitude, amongst other things, and rather hoped Anomen would lose his temper and actually grow a backbone. It was not that Edwin supported Anomen in this ridiculous pursuit of Imoen; it was simply that Anomen could be entertaining, could be baited, and could serve some purpose to making Edwin's stay with the party more bearable. Haer'Dalis could not, and was most certainly one of the reasons why the stay was so unbearable. Edwin would delight on seeing the arrogant bard taken down a notch by the slightly clueless cleric, and he ignored how hypocritical this desire was.

The blade grinned a slightly unnaturally broad grin. "You see much, my sparrow-hawk. Besides, 'tis not my fault if the lady finds my attentions more worthy than Anomen's. 'Tis an open gaming ground, and if he is not ready to set out on the hunt, then he can hardly blame me for pursuing my prey quite tenaciously." There was a pause, and Haer'Dalis cocked his head to one side as he regarded Edwin. "You seem to have settled in quite well with the party to be this aware of circumstances."

"Too aware," spat the Thayvian irritably. "I know too much of you people than pleases me. Anomen shall next go and sulk in his room, and will, of course, do nothing to enter the gaming ground you spoke of. Jaheira has just returned to the cellar, and will be scrutinising my work as if she actually knows of what she studies and could possibly find an imperfection in my creation (a delusional task at best). Imoen has just been shaken by the aforementioned Jaheira, and thus shall deal with this problem by completing Harrian's check-list for him. Harrian, meanwhile, shall be getting ready a new list, and thus will end up in an argument with Imoen, an argument she will win. Minsc is currently getting ready for Boo's bath."

As if on cue, there was a loud footstep from outside, and the sound of rushing water, accompanied by a deep yell and an indignant, high-pitched squeak. Edwin sighed.

"That would be Minsc tipping over the unnecessarily large tub of water for cleaning his rodent. Anomen shall emerge from his sulking, livid, and yell at Minsc. Harrian shall attempt to play peacemaker, an effort which shall be interrupted by the arrival of a soaking wet Imoen, who has benefited from water seeping through floorboards." Edwin sighed again, fixing Haer'Dalis with an impassive expression. "Do you wish me to go on, or have the depths to which I have sunk at the hands of this party become quite clear to you?"

Haer'Dalis grinned another unnatural grin, patting the wizard on the shoulder lightly. "My sparrow-hawk, you have not sunk to depths. You have simply become a part of this foolish flock of birds," he declared, then walked out to join in the delightful chaos.

Edwin sighed once more to the empty room, his eyes rolling skyward. He didn't know what to make of himself.