Having pondered whether or not to brave opposing them, the Bhaalspawn decided better of it, and went downstairs to the pub itself, with the serious intent of drinking 'til the problems the two females no doubt would cause for his inner balance, were utterly forgotten.

Buying himself a Shadowdark, he sat at a table by the door, back to the wall.

Glancing around, he became aware of Minsc looking at him from a table in the corner, as far away from the door as he could come.

As Negrath discovered him, the ranger got up from his table, the little rodent he cared so well for sitting calmly on his broad left shoulder, and alekeg in hand.

Sitting down at Negrath's table, he put the creature down beside his ale, and stared thoughtfully at the Kensai before speaking;

-"Minsc would know if we would need to kill more animals like the poor kittens that were sent against us when we arrived?"

Giving a slight smile at Minsc's description of the large cats that very well could have torn them to pieces had they been but a few hands more, Negrath shook his head;

-"Not if we are careful to avoid them, I should think.

I reckon you would be able to look around on your own, once we get there, if Aerie performs some of her stronger invisibility tricks on you?"

-"Minsc will look under every stone and behind every straw in search of his enemies, and if the witch can make her protector invisible…which Boo knows she can…the faster butts will be kicked!"

-"Glad to hear it, Minsc. Why don't you go tell her of our idea?"

-"Minsc and Boo are on their way, and thanks you for your plan."

Watching the bouncer-candidate exit the building, he turned to see Viconia come sauntering down the stairs.

-"I thought I'd find you here…Males always turn to drink when they think they have problems." Was her comment, upon taking the ranger's vacated seat.

-"You mean I don't?

I have the two of you tossing verbal daggers at each other, more than a few of which is aimed at me, if I'm unfortunate enough to be within your line of sight."

-"I've never thrown daggers at you,…"

-"…But you'd like to try, right?"

She just smiled.

-"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed, realization dawning on him.

-"What?"

-"Now you're with me…and Jaheira is somewhere out in the city…"

-"Forest, more than likely."

-"Forest, then…my point is, as I'm sure yours was as well, that she isn't here…and you are!"

-"It can think!" Viconia stated, feigning surprise.

-"And therefore my value drops, eh?"

Lowering her voice, she leaned across the table, her tone a cat's purr;

-"Far from it."

Keeping her position just -that- much longer, she leaned back in her chair, leaving him momentarily puzzled.

He couldn't help but wonder exactly how her teachers had gone about creating these skills of hers…he knew what she was, what she could do in most respects, and where she was from…and yet he had the hardest of times figuring out when she was purely acting, and when he might just be hearing the real thing.

As a result, he found walking barefoot across lava a relaxing holiday compared to a lengthy discussion with her.

He had, with varying degree of luck, used his Kensai balance of mind to maneuver the reefs of her conversation…as it was, he decided to give honesty another go with her;

-"Viconia, you are an outmost beautiful creature, the color of your skin only enhancing it. I do not know if that's because of my heritage, but it does.

However, I can do well and good without wondering whether you'll tear my head off or drag me in amongst the trees every time you open your mouth!

-"Oh, so the great death-dealer can't handle ordinary conversation?"

-"ORDINARY CONVERSATION???" the Kensai yelled, calm utterly shattered as he realized she might just be giving him facts…

-"You think I'm difficult to figure out, do you? Tell me, human, have you ever talked to –any- Drow before me?"

-"…no…no, I haven't."

-"Then I can tell you that I've known Drow -males- that would make you tear your head of in an attempt to understand them. You wouldn't last a second in the Underdark, if you were unfortunate enough to get into conversation with a single one of our priestesses."

-"I'll take your word for it. Who knows, we might have to go there someday."

-"…"

-"What? Did -I- tongue-tie –you- for a change?"

-"Swear that you will have no intention of ever going there. Swear it, or you'll have a lot more physical things to deal with that verbal daggers!"

-"Any suggestion as to on what?"

-"……Candlekeep! Swear on your childhood in Candlekeep that you will not take me there!"

-"…"

Shooting up from her chair as stung by a bee, she tossed the table aside, and pushed him and his chair flush against the wall an arms length behind him

-"You expected me to make you swear on something that meant nothing to you, didn't you? Making the act of breaking it irrelevant!

Suddenly, the smile was back, albeit briefly:

-"You learn fast."

Getting up, she dragged him with her, bringing him flush with her body, closer than he had ever thought he'd get…and, as he looked into her eyes, he decided it was a tad too close for comfort…

-"Now swear." Was her toneless statement, giving him the idea that her previous outburst definitively had been part of "the real thing".

As he pondered how to avoid this dilemma( his interest in bringing her to the underdark where so multi-layered that he would have trouble explaining them properly, if she asked), he came to notice that her hands were going through motions he had not seen her perform before…but had it been possible for her to cast two spells at once, it would have to be…

**bad news,** he decided, as she lifted them up for him to inspect; one had an ominous red aura, while the other seemed to radiate a serene white, a bizarre sight considering the tone of her skin…

-"Listen, manling." She whispered, although it sounded more like a hiss, no sign of the strain the dual concentration had to put her under, evident;

-"One of these will delay our journey considerably, as we wait for you to recover from your journey to the other side…the other can anchor you on this side for quite some time…which you get to feel, depends on how much I trust your sincerity.

Well, Negrath? Do you intend to ever bring me home?"

**An opening(*1)!** he thought, relief washing through his Kai-enhanced mind.

-"I swear, on my memory of Candlekeep, that I'll never take you home!"

Looking oddly at him, she let her hands drop out of sight, only to rest her arms on his shoulders…

Feeling them both bend, he steeled himself for the punishment,…and looked dazedly at her, as the well-known warmth of the strongest healing spell in her arsenal took effect, the fingers of her other hand gently brushing his hair as she smiled;

-"How can I punish such an ardent pupil?"

Glancing towards the door, she bent his head closer to her own, and gave his nose a flick of her tongue…then she was gone, as far as he could see, mysterious creaking noises rapidly ascending the stairs.

Feeling slightly off-balance, as though just having reached his capacity for alcohol, he slumped back in his chair, looked morosely at the table for a moment, inwardly surprised at the distance it had covered, before following a sudden notion that he should probably see who had sent the Drow running,…or whatever it was she had done…

He was unable to produce any surprise at seeing his ever-faithful, "recently" widowed Druid staring back at him, an unreadable expression on her face.

By the time he had found out that he should probably say something, she had disappeared back outside, nary a sound betraying she had ever been there.





*1: Home; underdark for her, Candlekeep for him… :)