Chapter Two

Though Aerie was early to bed, she was always the soonest to arise as well. By the time Discord and Anomen left their tent, the elf maiden was standing by the fire, stirring a pot of boiling spiced tea, and ladling portions into light tin mugs for her companions.

"Morning, Aerie, Imoen. Haer'Dalis and Minsc, are they up yet?"

Imoen squinted grumpily at her sister. "Naw. They had the good sense to stay asleep."

"Morning, 'Cord," Aerie chirped, and her bright morning demeanor contrasted violently with Imoen's cantankerous one. "Haer'Dalis will be up in a few minutes. He's not much of a morning person. He was quite cranky when I woke him up."

"No doubt," Discord laughed, shaking the sleep from her eyes. She gratefully accepted some tea, and pulled some breakfast from her pack. Her usual meal awaited her; a few small wafers of dry crispbread. She crunched them down quickly without complaint.

Minsc and Boo burst from their tent in an explosion of fur and fury. "What a glorious day, full of good and righteous boots ready to meet the various backsides of evil! We cannot delay! Boo is getting ancy." He held up his hamster to illustrate his point.

"Boo can wait, you mad fool." Imoen snarled. "Let us at least wake up first."

"You are really down this morning, 'Moen. What's wrong, didn't you sleep well?" Discord inquired hoarsely.

"Dreams," her friend answered shortly. Discord raised an eyebrow, but before she could inquire, Haer'Dalis, last to awake as usual, stumbled from his tent.

"Blast this quest, this wilderness and this morning!" He growled.

"Good morning Haer'Dalis!" Discord said brightly.

"Feh! Morning perhaps, my Raven, but never good."

"Amen," Imoen muttered.

"What is wrong with you two?" Aerie said crossly. "We're alive and well, aren't we? We have retrieved Imoen and defeated Irenicus. What more could you ask for?"

"That reminds me," Discord said hesitantly. "I have something to say to all of you, now that you're all awake."

Her friends seated themselves around her, but casually, as they didn't understand the importance of Discord's upcoming announcement.

"I wanted... to ask you all if... if you wanted to continue to travel with me," she blurted out. Her company looked up, astonished, and she quickly went on. "As Aerie says, we have finished our quest. Imoen is safe, and Irenicus done with. You have all fulfilled your obligation to me tenfold, and I cannot thank you enough. Now, you may, if you wish, go your separate ways. For my part, I would love to have you with me, but as we all know, my... unusual blood and inconvenient fame lead me into danger and trouble, and those close to me often suffer from my association. One can not adventure forever. Maybe some of you would like to settle down, or move on to other endeavors. Anomen, I am sure you are eager to join the Radiant Heart, now that you have earned your knighthood," she tried hard to meet his betrayed eyes, but couldn't, staring instead at her linked fingers. "Imoen, you always said that you would love to find a home again, after Candlekeep. If any of you wish to leave me, I shall be sad, indeed, but I will hold no grudge against you, and hope to remain your friend in the future. The choice is yours."

A shocked silence followed this small speech, each member considering his reply. Anomen was the first to speak, and his voice stung her with its anger and venom.

"That you would even think... I thought you thought better of me than this, my lady. How long have I loyally stood by you, working hard and risking everything for your cause? How many times have I told you how grateful I am to simply fight by your side? And now, now that we have finished one quest, you insult me by suggesting that I have been lying all this time, that I would like to leave you. How... how dare you!"

"Please don't be angry, Anomen... I didn't think you would see it that way."

"Anomen is right," Imoen said coldly. "You are my best friend and my sister. My home is with you. And have you forgotten, Discord, that we share the same blood? Your fate and mine are linked. I will not betray you, and it is unfair to suggest that I would."

"Imoen, it was through your association with me that you were captured by that creature we call Irenicus. Surely you realize what I was trying to do..." But Imoen simply looked stubbornly away and refused to speak. Discord turned to Minsc.

"What about you, Minsc? Would you like to return home to Rasheman, perhaps? I would not begrudge it to you."

"Minsc and Boo belong on the battlefield, wherever that field may be," said Minsc, and Discord was relieved that his words were amiable and calm. "My duty is first to my witch, and second to my friends. I will not leave you. Let evil tremble in fear at the coming of Minsc and Discord!"

"Thank you, Minsc," Discord smiled. "Aerie? Do you miss Quayle? Would you like to return to the circus?"

"Of course not!" Aerie, timid as always, stared as her feet as she spoke, but her voice carried some weight. "You... you saved me and Quayle, and I promised I would help you all I could. I'm happier here than... than I've ever been in my life. I will not leave until you drive me away!"

"I could never do that, Aerie. I am happy you will remain." Discord smiled. "Haer'Dalis?"

"I owe you my life as well, Raven, and I would prefer to remain on the open road with you, if you would have me."

"Of course." Discord took a deep breath and looked up at her companions. "I am... so happy at your decisions. I simply wanted you to be aware of your options. Please don't be angry." This last comment she directed at her sister and her lover, both of whom were avoiding her eyes. "We should pack."

They mumbled noncomittally and each busied themselves with the various duties. Anomen left the group to go take down the tent. Hesitantly, Discord followed.

"Anomen?" her voice was calm, but her hands nervously fidgeted as she anxiously tried to gauge his temper.

"Mm?" he grunted, not looking at her.

"Look, I wasn't trying to say that you were disloyal. I really wasn't. I just don't want you to give up your work in the order on my account."

"As though I wouldn't willingly give up anything to be with you!" Anomen snapped. He still didn't glance back at her.

"I know, and that's why I asked. I would rather you be happy without me than miserable with me just because you feel you have a duty here."

"I couldn't be happy without you," he said simply, but some of the fire had gone from his voice. "You should get your armor on, we're leaving soon."

Discord nodded silently, and lent her hands to helping the others pack up camp. Their packs secured on their backs, the troupe set off for Athkatla, a song led by the bard on their lips.

"We make for Athkatla. We can find work there, a quest is never far from the slums district."

The troupe had been stationed just outside of the Windspear hills, and so the journey back to the city was a long one. The terrain was slick and wet, given the recent spell of heavy rain which had plagued Amn lately. As they travelled, they were beset by several light showers. They had not lasted long, but even their brief appearance had been enough to dampen the group to a clammy misery. They set up camp by a thick forest as the sun began to sink behind the distant silhouette of Athkatla, and even that task had been trying. The rain softened ground made it near impossible to hammer in tent pegs, and any firewood they could find was damp and difficult to kindle. Irritable and miserable, the group huddled around their sputtering, makeshift fire in a vain attempt to dry out their soggy clothes and bodies.

"How are we doing for food?" Discord asked, and Imoen obligingly rummaged through several supply pouches.

"The rain has ruined a loaf of travellers bread and some of the crispbread. The dried meat is mostly okay, and we still have the dried beans and lentils."

"Then we need to go hunting for dinner tonight. Any volunteers?" Discord rasped, to moans and excuses from her friends. "Fine, I'll go, but I warn you, I'll catch little on my own."

"Oh, I'll come too, but I doubt we'll catch more than a couple of scrawny hares." Imoen sighed. She discarded her sword and pack, and took up her bow and some regular, non-enchanted arrows. (She always kept a few around specifically for hunting. It didn't do to burn your prey with acid or taint the meat with poison, and anyway, it was a waste of resources, and magical arrows were expensive.)

"I'll see if I can find any plant food," Aerie volunteered and Minsc agreed to accompany her, partly out of his own affinity for nature and partly from his overprotective instincts towards his witch. Anomen and Haer'Dalis stayed back to tend the fire and finish setting up camp.

Discord was not much of a hunter. She was a decent shot with a throwing axe, (Discord fought almost entirely with axes. Even when she hunted, she could not leave her love of the weapon, and she kept some small, quick throwing axes for that purpose) but she was clumsy and heavy-footed, alerting much of her prey of her presence before she got close enough for a clear shot. Imoen, however, was light and agile, and as she hunted with a bow, she had a wider range, so it was easier to get a clear shot. The sisters headed into the foreboding woods, and split up to make themselves less conspicuous to their prey.

Discord tried her hardest to keep noise down to a minimum, but in her clumsiness scared away a large and particularly well fed rabbit. Cursing herself, she moved on, and spotted a congregation of four or five fat guinea fowl, scratching and pecking at the forest floor. She had not been quick enough to catch more than one, but her slim axe buried itself into a fine fat bird's chest, sending up a flurry of squawking, excited fowl. Grinning to herself, Discord picked up her prize by its feet and headed back to camp. Given her own abysmal hunting skills and the fuss which the alarmed guinea fowl had kicked up, she did not expect to catch more than one. On the way back, she met Imoen, who held up her catch: two lean hares.

Aerie had found some watercress growing in a pond nearby, and had come back with great bunches of the green leaves and stems cradled in her cloak. Minsc had some great strips of cherry birch bark, which had a sweet flavor and fibrous construction, which was better than nothing to a hungry adventurer.

All these ingredients were laid out on a cloak for appraisal and consideration. Then Discord took charge. In a proper kitchen, with herbs and spices and other subtle flavorings, Discord was lost, but out here in the wilderness she had a talent for making a hearty, satisfying, deliciously simple meal from mere scratchings and leftovers. She set Haer'Dalis to plucking and butchering the guinea fowl, and had Imoen skin and prepare her hares. Then, in a pot, Discord combined water, the cress, the dried meat, beans and lentils, and simmered it over the fire, adding the rabbit meat when it was prepared. She then took the finished guinea fowl and roasted it simply on a spit. The meal was superb, with juicy slices of the gamey poultry served with the hearty stew and what was left of the bread, and there was plenty to go around. After the meal, the cold and damp dissipated a little from their bones, the group sat back with a heavy sigh of relief, chewing strips of sweet cherry birch bark.

"Is there enough food left for breakfast?" Discord asked.

"Barely," Anomen answered, "but after that, we will have nothing left."

"That's fine. We can purchase new supplies in Athkatla. It's only a few hours away now."

"Well, I'm tired out for now." Aerie sighed. "I'm going to bed."

They all bid her good night, and watched her leave to settle into her bed. Discord didn't wait very long before taking out her smokeleaf pouch. She took several generous pinches of the leaf and filled her pipe, lighting it eagerly and taking a long pull, before her features contorted with surprise and distaste.

"I think the damp has gotten to my leaf," she observed. "It tastes odd. What a pity, it was the quality stuff from Trademeet." She took a second drag, rolling the smoke experimentally along her tongue.

"It smells different, too," Anomen noted. "I suppose you had better throw it out."

"Not a chance!" Discord laughed. "Its just a bit tainted, it's still good dark leaf. Its just a little odd, is all." she punctuated her comment with a long mouthful of smoke blown insolently in her lover's direction.

"Anyway, we shouldn'y have more than three or four hours trek tomorrow," said Anomen, continuing an earlier conversation. "We should probably trade our spoils for new equipment. Well, what little of it Discord doesn't spend on drink and smokeleaf."

"Now that's not fair!" Discord laughed. "I spend money very wisely."

"Aye. You know just how to sweet talk the barkeep to make your gold go farther, but I was talking about important investments," Anomen teased. Discord stuck her tongue out at him, but didn't pursue him with a lengthly arguement. She was beginning to feel a bit sick, and she couldn't think why. She took another drag off her pipe.

"We're running low on healing potions," Haer'Dalis pointed out.

"Yes, and I'm running out of arrows, as well," Imoen said.

"Boo needs more seed, and my armor could use a blacksmith's help," MInsc announced.

Discord tried to focus on Minsc's words, but her head was pounding and her nerves were on edge. She took a calming puff of smoke, but that only made her feel worse.

"Yes, I'm sure all our weapons and armor could use some sharpening or other treatment from a smithy," Anomen nodded. "Discord, do you need anything else, besides drink and leaf and whatever other filthy habit you wish to indulge?" he grinned impishly.

"I...I am..." Discord faltered. Her hands were shaking, and she dropped her now empty pipe to the ground. Her vision blurred and she squeezed her eyes shut. "I am cold." she whispered.

"My love, you are shaking!" Anomen flew to her side, and put his arms around her shoulders. He placed the back of his fingers against her cheek. "You have a fever, my love. Perhaps all this travelling has taken its toll on you. I shall put you to bed."

"N..No!" This didn't feel like a normal fever. She felt wrong inside. Every nerve of her body was screaming and yet her muscles would not obey her. She gripped Anomen's shoulder so tightly he winced in pain at her fierce strength.

"Something is really wrong here," Imoen murmured. Disturbed by the commotion, Aerie burst out of her tent and took one glance at the alarming scene.

"What's going on?" she asked, kneeling by Discord and touching her face gently.

"I'm not sure. Discord seems sick. I think she just needs some rest."

"I don't think this is a normal sickness, Anomen," Aerie murmured, laying her cool healer's hands on Discord's sweaty brow. Her magical healing skills allowed her to sense abnormalities of the body. "I don't sense any of the body's natural reactions to sickness. It feels almost like a poison, but not quite. I... I am not sure. It feels like..."

"A drug," Anomen said suddenly, his similar talents also probing for problems. "How could Discord have been drugged? We all ate the same food as she did."

"Oh Illamater" Discord cried out in a frenzy, as a wave of vile sickness and pain washed over her. She arched her back and let out a soft moan. Anomen cradled her body in his arms, whispering anxious words of comfort.

"Her smokeleaf! That must be it!" Imoen cried, flying to her sister's side. Anomen reached out and grabbed the pouch, taking a handful of its contents into his fist. He smelled the leaves, and the scent was horribly familiar. He tipped the leaves from his hand and observed the black powder which clung to his palm. When he rubbed his fingertips together, the powder combined to form a sticky resin.

"This is black lotus!" He cried in terror. "She could die from too much of this!"

"Discord, you must stay awake," Aerie said, surprisingly the calmest of all of them. "Minsc, go and get some water from the spring to the south." Minsc, looking worried and confused, nodded, happy to be able to help his friend.

"Look at me, Discord." Imoen commanded, and Discord's eyes focused for a moment before sqeezing shut as another growl of agony escaped through her clenched teeth. She opened them again as she could feel Aerie slapping her cheeks, forcing her to stay awake.

"What's... what is hap-" The worst pain yet hit her and she went rigid and tense as it passed.

"My dear love, you must try and concentrate..." Discord's bloodshot eyes opened again, but Anomen's image swam in the air in front of her, and his words made no sense to her confused mind.

"Am I dying?" She asked in a voice of unsettling calm.

"No, my love." Anomen said forcefully. "Never."

Another strong wave of sickness and pain struck her, threatening her life with its severity. She could bear no more. Her drug tormented brain flailed for salvation, confused and disoriented and illogical.

"Bhaal! Father! In the name of our blood, help me!" Discord screamed, her back arched and her eyes squeezed shut. Her companions froze for a few long seconds, as though fearful that her frantic call would summon the dead god. The silence was

punctuated only by Discord's frantic panting. Breaking the fearful moment, Minsc came crashing through the undergrowth, a pan of cold water in his hands. Discord, delirious and confused, was slipping further down into the seductive darkness of sleep, when she was jerked awake as a cloth soaked in the icy water was pressed to her brow. She yelped, and tried to sit up.

"Shh, my love, lie still." Anomen tried to sound soothing, despite his own worry. He dipped his carved wooden bowl into the pan of water, and put it to Discord's lips. She drank a few gulps before turning her head away, sickened.

"It is blood," she murmured. "he wants me to drink blood but I am not like him!"

"Who?" Imoen asked tentatively.

"My father." Her dilated eyes looked up, straight into Imoen's cool blue ones. "He lives behind my eyes, always watching, slaying he tears at my insides but NO! No, I will not let him win! I will fight until I have no breath, his hands are closing around me and I have no breath. I cannot breathe! Oh, father, help me!"

"Loosen her armor." Anomen said, undoing the buckles that fastened her breast and back plates together. Discord was clutching madly at her throat and making choking noises. With the armor gone, she managed to take a halting, shuddering breath. She pressed her cheek against Anomen's chest, her eyes closed.

"I think she should be alright. She should have more water, though." Aerie said, staring worriedly at her friend. Anomen raised the bowl to her lips again, but this time Discord's eyes flicked open and she knocked it from his hands with her furious fist. She jumped from her friends' arms, standing alone, her shoulders heaving with the effort of standing.

"My Raven, calm yourself." Haer'Dalis approached from behind, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "He cannot touch you here, you are among friends."

Discord whirled around and struck the bard a whiplash quick blow to the face with her closed fist. He stumbled back, blood beginning to flow from his nose.

"Get away! You all will pay for this! You liars and murderers, you will rue the day you crossed me!" Discord stood tall and proud for a moment, her eyes flashing illogical rage, and then her whole body seemed to sag. She fell to her knees ad vomited into the grass. Anomen came up behind her, and picked her up from behind. She leaned against him, and felt herself slip away into black oblivion.

"Discord?" Her friends worried words fell on deaf ears as Discord lost all contact with the world, going limp and allowing her lover to catch her.

"We should wake her!" Imoen fretted.

"No. She'll be alright now." Aerie said, placing her hand on Discord's fevered cheek. "She'll have quite the headache when she wakes up, though. Haer'Dalis, let me have a look at your nose. It could be broken."

Anomen carried his love to bed and laid her gently in her sleeping furs. She did not even stir as he carried her, so deep was her slumber. He stroked her hair and watched her sleep long into the night.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Illamater would be Discord's god. He is the god of endurance, martyrdom, and righteous suffering.

The next chapter's coming right up. Discord is not going to be too pleased when she wakes up. Also, keep an eye out for dream references.