The suns first rays waking them, Negrath opened his eyes to find a fully clothed Jaheira kneeling on the bed beside him, looking at him morosely;

-"I'm sorry about last night…I really need someone to hold onto 'til I can get some distance to the memory…You think Keldorn…"

-"Don't, Jaheira. You know I'd be the first to claim you the driving force of this group. Minsc and Keldorn fights, Aerie casts, Viconia…Viconia comments, basically, and I…I just want Imoen back. Without you, this group would have lost all reason to exist the second Irenicus vanished with Imoen and those cowled fools.

Minsc would have gone about with me, simply since that is what he has done since the Gnoll Fortress, And I would have no interest in anything but getting to know where I could find Imoen…and I would have gone about it in all the wrong ways, too. Please allow me to be your anchor, Jaheira. I'm sure Viconia would do nothing but make a comment or two, once she had the situation explained…and she wouldn't mean either of them."

-"…If I'm the driving force, then I'm the one to make sure you are there to receive the shadow Thief smugglers." The druid commented, her usual manner utterly restored.

Chuckling, Negrath crawled out of the bed, and got into his clothes, slightly uncomfortable as the woman on the bed seemed to study every move he made, as though wondering how he made her do what she did.



Moving with all due haste, they came upon the mornings only delivery-boat, only to be saluted with a hail of arrows from Guild members having expected their arrival.

Momentarily wishing Aerie had had the timestop-spell he had heard tales about, Negrath promptly drew his blades, whirling into the gathering of workers who had just gotten up the stairs from the docks, swords arrogantly brandished.

Aerie tossing Missiles and Orbs at whatever archers she could get a glimpse of, fuelling them with righteous fury at the ambush, and Jaheira having taken up guard beside her, Minsc were only too happy to deal steel to the smugglers close by the Kensai…although not too close…

Where Keldorn was, became evident to Negrath when he heard the first of the battles many instances of wood meeting steel, as the Knight's family blade flew above his head.

-"Ought to get yourself a helmet, son." The armored one grunted, boxing a nearby smuggler in the gut as he got too close.

-"Can't afford the distraction." Were the terse reply.

-"Nor can I." Commented Keldorn, deflecting yet another arrow aimed at the Bhaalspawn's head, before loudly instructing Jaheira to do what she could with her sling, to stop the annoying rain...

By way of response, the druid dropped her staff and, incapacitating a fool who saw a chance with a couple of swift kicks, grabbed her sling from her belt, and started pelting the various shadowy corners and rooftops with glowing red bullets.

Soon, the few that had attempted a run dropped by a sleep spell and terminated, the goods they had been sent to "intercept" were found, and placed in Negrath's pack.

-"We go get Viconia now?" Minsc wondered.

-"No, I doubt we'll be allowed to pick her with us before the Thieves are completely shattered.

-"…Then Minsc wish we could have worked for the thieves instead."

-"So do I, my friend…so do I."



As the group returned to the inn, Minsc and Keldorn went in search of somewhere to sell their excess equipment, while the two remaining women settled in for some lengthy meditation time.

Negrath, on the other hand, found himself wandering the more shady parts of the city, wishing for a quick nightfall, before spending an hour or so of controlled rage in the fighting pit of the Copper Coronet.

After having beaten a number of drunken fools who had decided to take his challenge, he gathered his winnings, a few fists of coin, and went for a drink at the bar.

Being joined by a tired Nalia, he ordered her a Golden Sands, instructing the barkeep to pay her objections no heed, and suggesting that she just might like it.

Making sure a glass of her usual stood ready, she proceeded to drain the proffered mug, smiling contentedly as she slid her back-up over to him.

Sniffing at it, he downed it in a careless gesture of just wanting to get it done.

Looking at him, slightly dazed, she queried about the state of the Keep.

-"Why don't you go home and look?" Negrath wondered.

-"I like it better here."

-"Yeah, sure, you won't get killed back home." He commented.

-"I'm still here, ain't I?"

-"That you are." He smirked; "but only because you are here in the good hours…are you aware that this establishment is probably is the source for all the slaves that is said to be overflowing the city?"

-"The Coronet? Not possible. I have a room here, for Torm's sake!"

-"So does a Knight of two, occasionally. You think they'd let it be that easy to know?"

-"So if you believe them to play in the slavery business, why don't you do something about it?" she hotly pointed out.

-"Because I got a few infinitely more important things to worry about. Viconia is taken as hostage by a bunch of over-the-top arrogant vampires."

-"You let people remain slaves because a Drow has gone missing for a day or two?"

-"I said -vampires-! I met them, I have dealt with them, and got her back, several times over, all by myself…in my head.

I guess you could say that they got me by the Drow."

At that, Nalia, as well as a few other nearby patrons, broke out laughing.

Negrath could naught but smile, chuckling along with them, having a memory of the Dark Elf's voice commenting sourly on the patrons;

*The stink of the collected rivvin. How I despise them -all-!*

He smiled, thinking that he would have to be the exception necessary to prove the rule…