Light Wrapped in Darkness 3
Taurus frowned suspiciously at the surrounding buildings. They held a certain pompousness that belittled most mortal life in the area. The inhabitants were mainly noblemen and women dressed in fine and fancy clothing that would have cost any hard working decent person a year's worth of lifesavings. The bearers of these clothes had a habit of looking right through the band of adventurers and turning their noses up in disgust at their ragged look. "We're lost aren't we?"
The others either nodded in agreement or sighed in annoyance. "I think we're in the Government district" Yoshimo spoke up. "Most of the wealthy nobles live here. In addition there's also a building where the city's officials gather." The thief raised an eyebrow. "We seem to have missed our mark, haven't we?"
They had been heading for the Slums to look for some work. After an incident with some slavers they had somehow wound up in the rich part of the city, the exact opposite of where they had been aiming.
In a short time, roles had been established in the group. Taurus was the wise-cracker. Yoshimo was the informant. Jaheira was the wise one or the temperamental one, depending on her mood. Minsc was the solemn serious, if slightly cracked, one.
Aerie was rapidly designated the positive one. "Well look on the bright side. Being here now saves us from exploring here later."
Taurus sighed and nodded. "Good point."
Jaheira looked at the large government building. "We may find representatives of the Cowled Wizards inside. Perhaps we could talk with them about where they keep their captives."
"Another good point."
"HELP!" A voice suddenly shouted out in tones of fear and frustration. "They're mad! Someone HELP ME!"
Taurus acted on instinct. He raced toward the sound of the voice, his feet pounding on the paved ground. Startled by his sudden action, the rest of the group followed, Aerie bringing up the rear.
Never being particularly athletic, Aerie was breathing hard by the time she reached the others who had forced their way through a large crowd who was forming. The crowd was yelling things like 'Burn her' over and over again. Aerie managed to slip her lithe form through the figures in the crowd and soon caught up to Taurus and the rest, who were reduced to bowling over those in their way. As a consequence, the elf was the first to see exactly who was crying out for help.
Tied to a wooden stake with more wood piled at its base was a woman. Her hood and cloak had been thrown aside by vengeful fanatics and her dark skin and white hair was visible for all to see. Her dark eyes gazed at the assembled crowd with contempt and hatred.
Taurus shoved one last curiosity seeker aside to stand next to Aerie. His eyes widened in recognition at the sight of the woman. "I know her!"
A middle-aged man dressed in chain mail stood up before the crowd, his hands outstretched. "Hear me people" he yelled, "And look ye all upon this foul drow that we have captured. Look upon this vile creature of darkness that has foolishly come amongst us! Tell me, what should we do with her?"
The crowd began to yell bloodthirstily.
"Burn it!"
"Burn her!"
"Burn the Drow!"
Another man with chain mail strode forward, his face a mask of hatred. "Aye, burn the elf! Her dark and fiendish kin came up from their underground lair and killed my father and brother! They are all evil, all of them!"
The first man smirked. "Then the drow shall burn!"
Aerie saw Taurus' fingers tightening on the hilt of his katana. His pale blue eyes glared balefully and he was slowly advancing.
Aerie stared at him in shock. He wasn't really thinking about rescuing her, was he? She was a DROW for Baervan's sake!
The drow in the meantime had started swearing at the mob in drowish. "You rivvin are mad!" she cried out, her voice panicking as death neared. "I have done nothing to you. I only wish to make my way without molestation! Why have you done this? Why?"
The second man slapped her across the face. "Why?! You are a drow elf, are ye not? That's as good a reason as any!"
The drow glared at her tormentor in fury before letting her head to fall to her chest. "Shar" she murmured in prayer, "My deliverance is in your hands." Hopelessly she lifted her head, her eyes falling by chance on Taurus. "Wait! I recognise you! Taurus! It is I, Viconia Devir. You must recognise me or I am doomed!"
Aerie watched in horror as Taurus' jaw set and he strode forward, exuding fury with every motion. He reached the stake as the mob laughed cruelly and pulled a dagger from his boot. With one smooth motion her jerked the blade under the rope and cut the drow woman free.
Viconia nearly fell forward in relief. She looked up into a grinning Taurus' face. "Thank the goddess!" she said, her voice rapidly gaining in confidence now that she was free. "My thanks to you too for your timely intervention".
Taurus shrugged. "Oh you know. Same old same old".
The fanatics were not nearly so happy. "What are you doing?! Why have ye interfered with the judgement of Beshaba?! Her will must be shown to the people!
The second man hissed and pulled out his mace. "Allies of the foul creature! Allies of the drow! This can never be allowed! The drow will die!"
Viconia looked at the man in disgust and chanted up a firey blade, with which she parried his first blow.
The mob screamed in terror at the sight of violence and began to scatter. This conveniently cleared the path for the rest of the group. The small group of fanatics attacked, screaming. Aerie shrieked slightly as one went after her, but she cracked him across the face with her staff, sending him to the ground, twitching.
From the start, the fanatics hadn't a chance. It all ended when Viconia slammed her flaming blade through the man's throat. She watched him fry dispassionately before turning to Taurus.
The drow smiled. "Once again I owe you my life abbil. I did nothing to provoke them! I was simply passing through when the man guessed my identity under my hood! They are so quick to fear, these rivvin." She shrugged. "But we must away before we draw another crowd. I distrust these barbaric people too much to hang about. Shall I join you?
"That's fine by me" Taurus said. "Though you should know that we're looking for Imoen. She was kidnapped by some wizards."
Viconia snorted. "I remember the insipidly cheerful girl you speak of. Why you would try to rescue her annoying presence is beyond my reasoning however!"
"How would you feel if we hadn't stopped by and cut you down?" There was a slight edge in Taurus' voice now. "I'm sure those fanatics would have been quite the hosts."
Viconia snorted again. "It seems my own circumstances leave me no argument. Very well. We shall travel together and win glory in battle. And perhaps we shall find your Imoen along the way!" With a sudden saucy smile, she winked at Taurus before stooping and pulling the mace from the dead man's grip.
The group set off in fairly high spirits. Viconia made a welcome addition to the group, being another of Taurus' friends from the Baldur Gate incident. While Yoshimo introduced himself with a flourish, Taurus dropped to the back of the group to walk beside a quiet Aerie. He walked alongside her for a minute before talking.
"I take it that you don't really want Viconia to join us?"
Aerie flushed slightly. She hadn't meant to be so easily read. "Well, no."
Taurus smiled. "I know that she's a little rough at times but she's actually quite nice when you get to know her."
"It's not that" Aerie protested. "She's a drow! My people, the Avariel, were murdered by the drow in droves. I just don't trust her."
Taurus nodded. The feeling was understandable. "I'm a drow."
"But you're different! I'll bet you're the only one who would have gone out of their way to help those people and I from the circus without expecting anything in return. Besides, you're only half drow."
"But I'm still part drow and that's the part that people see when they look at me. They've never even wanted to know more about the real me. All they see is a bloodthirsty killer with no soul. Viconia goes through the same thing except that it's worse for her because she was banished from the Underdark." He sighed. The talk had made him uncharacteristically glum. "Please Aerie, try to be better than that. It's the inside that counts. Okay?"
The young elf looked up into Taurus' eyes. They seemed slightly sad and there was no trace of laughter in them. Suddenly she felt very small and petty. She patted him on the arm, trying to comfort him. "I'll try Taurus."
The Crintri smiled again. "That's the way to think! Don't worry about it. Just think of Viconia as a female me."
"Taurus!" Viconia yelled for him from the front of the line. "Come here so I can talk with you!"
Taurus rolled his eyes. "Think of her as me, only a lot more arrogant. Coming Vicky dear!" He headed up to the front.
'Vicky' was waiting for him several metres in front of the rest of them when Taurus walked up to her side, a scowl marring her otherwise beautiful face. "Never call me that ever again," she said by way of greeting.
Taurus bowed slightly. "It's nice to see you too. Where've you been all this time?"
Viconia glared. "'All this time' has been only a few months. And that's none of your business! I did not call you here to talk about me."
"Oh?"
"No". She leaned forward to whisper into his ear. "Are you aware that the elf is an Avariel?"
Taurus inwardly sighed. He hoped he wouldn't have to give the whole speech again. "Yes, she mentioned something about that."
"She is weak and frail. She is also a coward who hasn't the spine of a Mustard Jelly. You should get rid of her," Viconia said with finality, certain that she would be heeded.
"No".
"No?!"
"No". Taurus prepared to be yelled at.
"Why ever not? She can not make a positive influence on the party."
"How would you know? You haven't even talked to her."
Viconia huffed indignantly. "I can tell. There is no way that she would make a good companion and you should leave her now. She is a pathetic, mewling-"
Taurus turned and looked the drow woman right in the eye. "She is an intelligent young woman who is taking her first steps out into the real world! If you want a comparison, then she's just like you on the day that you were banished from the Underdark! I'll bet that you weren't so cocky then, huh? She can stay as long as she wants to and don't go trying to convince her that she's not wanted or you'll be the one out of the party! Got it?"
Viconia's eyes burned with fury to match the ice of Taurus'. Then all traces of rage were gone and she smiled slightly. "Of course" she said her voice little more than a purr. She leaned closer, placing her lips by Taurus' ear. She licked the earlobe with an agile tongue and whispered, "You ARE the leader after all." She stepped back slightly, regarding him with those burning cobalt eyes. Then without a word she turned and walked to the back of the party, positioning herself next to Aerie. The other elf didn't look so happy about this arrangement but she didn't protest.
Taurus managed to keep his composure and continued to walk. He was suddenly thankful that his black skin hid his blush.
***
Magicman: Just out of curiosity, what exactly do 'abbil' and 'rivvin' mean?
***
Once again, while trying to find the government headquarters, the group became lost and found themselves in their original destination, the Slums.
By the time they figured out where they were, Aerie and Viconia had developed an intense dislike of each other. They spent the entire roundabout trip sniping verbally at each other, each insinuating to Taurus that the other was unsuitable for the group.
But the half-drow was adamant. "I'm not kicking either of you out" he said, "So you'd better get used to each other."
Seeing as neither was in the position to just leave on her own, this put the women in an even worse mood, and they were just about to start snarling at each other again when a man jauntily approached the group.
"Coo!" was his first word, causing Jaheira to doubt his sanity. "You be the one's I be looking for if I not be mistaken. Taurus be your name, right?"
Taurus eyed him warily and Jaheira was pleased to see that he was learning at least a little caution. "Exactly what do you want with me?"
The man shrugged and hooked his thumbs in his belt. "It not be what I want, but what I can be doing for you. I've heard something about a friend of yours being taken captive by them Cowled wizards."
Taurus suddenly frowned. "You mean Imoen?"
"Ah, Imoen! Aye, that be her name. A young lass that had the misfortune of casting a spell or two in a city that frowns on such business". The man eyed Taurus shrewdly. "You be thinking that ye wants to find her then?"
"I'd prefer to know exactly who it is I'm dealing with first."
The man laughed like an idiot. "Well bless me for being an idiot if I haven't gone and forgotten me manners! My name be Gaelan Bayle. Ye needn't stretch your brain thinking, I'm sure it's a name ye haven't heard."
"I've heard of him Taurus," said Yoshimo. "At least a little. He's a man with many connections to the underworld of Amn. He's also a man of my word, as far as I've heard."
"You be a different matter." Gaelan continued on relentlessly. "You be renowned enough that someone might be willing to find this Imoen or maybe the wizard who held ye. Either way, they both went to the same place."
A sudden image of Irenicus and Imoen sharing a prison cell on some godforsaken rock at the end of Faerun flashed through Taurus' mind. He grabbed Gaelen's shirt and shook him. "What do you know?!"
Gaelen managed to keep his composure quite well. "Coo! I knows very little myself, milord." He looked about, suddenly nervous. "But this be not the best place to hold such a dialogue. I have a place that be suiting far better. It be just a short walk from here. Why don't I take ye there right now? Unless you have some reason for not coming along."
Taurus hesitated, letting go of Gaelan's shirt in the process. Thinking a moment, he turned to Jaheira and the elves, who had stopped bickering and were listening to the conversation.
"Jaheira" he began, "Take the girls down to the Copper Coronet and save the rest of us a table. We'll be right along once we've had a talk with Mr. Bayle here."
The druid nodded. "Fair enough. And what should I do in the event that this a trap?"
Viconia interrupted. "If it is a trap then I will avenge you Abbil."
"We will avenge you" Aerie added, throwing a nasty look at Viconia who pretended not to notice.
"Fair enough. Do try to have fun once I'm gone, won't you?" And with that Taurus turned and followed the mysterious Gaelan Bayle, who was headed off down the street. Yoshimo followed and so did Minsc, after promising to 'kick evil's butt' if it was a trap.
Sighing in exasperation, Jaheira turned to her charges. "Alright then you two. We're going to the Copper Coronet."
***
The three women were sitting at a table in the middle of the crowd. A full pitcher of ale sat in the centre of the table and each woman had a mug, also filled with ale, seated next to their arm. Jaheira nursed her drink quietly, cursing whoever found it funny to keep throwing her in these miserable positions. She had already fended off three drunks looking for fun and multiple 'assaults' by that idiotic elf at the bar.
Aerie looked about, slightly disgusted with the behaviour of the tavern's patrons, crowding and pushing through each other to get a drink at the bar. "I've never seen the city outside the circus before" she said to herself. "Are they all so crowded like this?"
An amused laugh told her that the drow woman had heard. Aerie turned her head to glare at a smirking Viconia.
"Why of course. Humans seem to feel a need to gather together for protection. Especially from each other. Surfacers can be so stupid". Viconia lifted her mug and swallowed half of its contents smoothly. She set it down and regarded Aerie with a raised eyebrow of challenge.
Aerie hesitated for a moment. At Viconia's mocking smile, she grabbed her mug firmly and threw her head back, chugging it down without pause. Once she'd finished, she glared at her opponent, her cheeks slightly flushed. "What does that say of the drow travelling with the surfacers?"
Viconia glared. "People like these rivvin will cut the wings right off your back." Draining the rest of her ale, she filled her glass from the pitcher and sent that down the hatch too.
"It's almost like being cast out from your home!" Aerie snapped back. She refilled her own mug and gulped it down. She thumped her glass back on the table.
Refilling her glass once again, Viconia tossed it back angrily. "Well you can't stay a slave forever."
"Maybe you can" Aerie shot, pouring and chugging. "After all, the darkest hearts go to Hell!"
At about this point Jaheira pulled herself out of her self-pity and looked at her charges. They were apparently engaged in a drinking contest while insulting each other. The druid was familiar with the competition and would have enjoyed watching (and listening) if they hadn't been spellcasters. Jaheira didn't particularly want one of them to misfire a spell at the other and burn down the tavern. So she decided to interrupt. "Hey girls-"
"Jaheira we seem to be running a bit low". Aerie's voice was only slightly slurred. "Be a dear and get us a new pitcher, won't you?"
"But-"
"Thanks".
Jaheira tried again. "Maybe you two have had enough for a while-"
Viconia snorted, weaving a little. "I've out-drank dwarves before, and we were taking in stuff that makes this look like milk! So just be decent enough to let me humiliate this little girl before Taurus gets back."
Aerie glared. "Says you bitch!"
Viconia growled. "Knows me slut!"
Jaheira sighed in defeat and got up to get them their ale, just to get away from their constant fighting. As she walked toward the bar, that idiot elf (she thought he called himself Salvannas) raced up to her.
"Ah my Goddess!" he cried. "You have returned to me!"
Jaheira made a sound in her throat that sounded like a gnomish machine jamming up. She glared at the ceiling. Somewhere, somehow, some divine being was laughing at her.
Magicman: Hee hee! I've wanted to write something like that for a long time. Poor Jaheira. She always gets the short end of the stick. Anyway, what will happen next? Will getting drunk together cause a friendship to bloom between Aerie and Viconia? Yeah. Right. Anyway, wait until next chapter to find out.
Taurus frowned suspiciously at the surrounding buildings. They held a certain pompousness that belittled most mortal life in the area. The inhabitants were mainly noblemen and women dressed in fine and fancy clothing that would have cost any hard working decent person a year's worth of lifesavings. The bearers of these clothes had a habit of looking right through the band of adventurers and turning their noses up in disgust at their ragged look. "We're lost aren't we?"
The others either nodded in agreement or sighed in annoyance. "I think we're in the Government district" Yoshimo spoke up. "Most of the wealthy nobles live here. In addition there's also a building where the city's officials gather." The thief raised an eyebrow. "We seem to have missed our mark, haven't we?"
They had been heading for the Slums to look for some work. After an incident with some slavers they had somehow wound up in the rich part of the city, the exact opposite of where they had been aiming.
In a short time, roles had been established in the group. Taurus was the wise-cracker. Yoshimo was the informant. Jaheira was the wise one or the temperamental one, depending on her mood. Minsc was the solemn serious, if slightly cracked, one.
Aerie was rapidly designated the positive one. "Well look on the bright side. Being here now saves us from exploring here later."
Taurus sighed and nodded. "Good point."
Jaheira looked at the large government building. "We may find representatives of the Cowled Wizards inside. Perhaps we could talk with them about where they keep their captives."
"Another good point."
"HELP!" A voice suddenly shouted out in tones of fear and frustration. "They're mad! Someone HELP ME!"
Taurus acted on instinct. He raced toward the sound of the voice, his feet pounding on the paved ground. Startled by his sudden action, the rest of the group followed, Aerie bringing up the rear.
Never being particularly athletic, Aerie was breathing hard by the time she reached the others who had forced their way through a large crowd who was forming. The crowd was yelling things like 'Burn her' over and over again. Aerie managed to slip her lithe form through the figures in the crowd and soon caught up to Taurus and the rest, who were reduced to bowling over those in their way. As a consequence, the elf was the first to see exactly who was crying out for help.
Tied to a wooden stake with more wood piled at its base was a woman. Her hood and cloak had been thrown aside by vengeful fanatics and her dark skin and white hair was visible for all to see. Her dark eyes gazed at the assembled crowd with contempt and hatred.
Taurus shoved one last curiosity seeker aside to stand next to Aerie. His eyes widened in recognition at the sight of the woman. "I know her!"
A middle-aged man dressed in chain mail stood up before the crowd, his hands outstretched. "Hear me people" he yelled, "And look ye all upon this foul drow that we have captured. Look upon this vile creature of darkness that has foolishly come amongst us! Tell me, what should we do with her?"
The crowd began to yell bloodthirstily.
"Burn it!"
"Burn her!"
"Burn the Drow!"
Another man with chain mail strode forward, his face a mask of hatred. "Aye, burn the elf! Her dark and fiendish kin came up from their underground lair and killed my father and brother! They are all evil, all of them!"
The first man smirked. "Then the drow shall burn!"
Aerie saw Taurus' fingers tightening on the hilt of his katana. His pale blue eyes glared balefully and he was slowly advancing.
Aerie stared at him in shock. He wasn't really thinking about rescuing her, was he? She was a DROW for Baervan's sake!
The drow in the meantime had started swearing at the mob in drowish. "You rivvin are mad!" she cried out, her voice panicking as death neared. "I have done nothing to you. I only wish to make my way without molestation! Why have you done this? Why?"
The second man slapped her across the face. "Why?! You are a drow elf, are ye not? That's as good a reason as any!"
The drow glared at her tormentor in fury before letting her head to fall to her chest. "Shar" she murmured in prayer, "My deliverance is in your hands." Hopelessly she lifted her head, her eyes falling by chance on Taurus. "Wait! I recognise you! Taurus! It is I, Viconia Devir. You must recognise me or I am doomed!"
Aerie watched in horror as Taurus' jaw set and he strode forward, exuding fury with every motion. He reached the stake as the mob laughed cruelly and pulled a dagger from his boot. With one smooth motion her jerked the blade under the rope and cut the drow woman free.
Viconia nearly fell forward in relief. She looked up into a grinning Taurus' face. "Thank the goddess!" she said, her voice rapidly gaining in confidence now that she was free. "My thanks to you too for your timely intervention".
Taurus shrugged. "Oh you know. Same old same old".
The fanatics were not nearly so happy. "What are you doing?! Why have ye interfered with the judgement of Beshaba?! Her will must be shown to the people!
The second man hissed and pulled out his mace. "Allies of the foul creature! Allies of the drow! This can never be allowed! The drow will die!"
Viconia looked at the man in disgust and chanted up a firey blade, with which she parried his first blow.
The mob screamed in terror at the sight of violence and began to scatter. This conveniently cleared the path for the rest of the group. The small group of fanatics attacked, screaming. Aerie shrieked slightly as one went after her, but she cracked him across the face with her staff, sending him to the ground, twitching.
From the start, the fanatics hadn't a chance. It all ended when Viconia slammed her flaming blade through the man's throat. She watched him fry dispassionately before turning to Taurus.
The drow smiled. "Once again I owe you my life abbil. I did nothing to provoke them! I was simply passing through when the man guessed my identity under my hood! They are so quick to fear, these rivvin." She shrugged. "But we must away before we draw another crowd. I distrust these barbaric people too much to hang about. Shall I join you?
"That's fine by me" Taurus said. "Though you should know that we're looking for Imoen. She was kidnapped by some wizards."
Viconia snorted. "I remember the insipidly cheerful girl you speak of. Why you would try to rescue her annoying presence is beyond my reasoning however!"
"How would you feel if we hadn't stopped by and cut you down?" There was a slight edge in Taurus' voice now. "I'm sure those fanatics would have been quite the hosts."
Viconia snorted again. "It seems my own circumstances leave me no argument. Very well. We shall travel together and win glory in battle. And perhaps we shall find your Imoen along the way!" With a sudden saucy smile, she winked at Taurus before stooping and pulling the mace from the dead man's grip.
The group set off in fairly high spirits. Viconia made a welcome addition to the group, being another of Taurus' friends from the Baldur Gate incident. While Yoshimo introduced himself with a flourish, Taurus dropped to the back of the group to walk beside a quiet Aerie. He walked alongside her for a minute before talking.
"I take it that you don't really want Viconia to join us?"
Aerie flushed slightly. She hadn't meant to be so easily read. "Well, no."
Taurus smiled. "I know that she's a little rough at times but she's actually quite nice when you get to know her."
"It's not that" Aerie protested. "She's a drow! My people, the Avariel, were murdered by the drow in droves. I just don't trust her."
Taurus nodded. The feeling was understandable. "I'm a drow."
"But you're different! I'll bet you're the only one who would have gone out of their way to help those people and I from the circus without expecting anything in return. Besides, you're only half drow."
"But I'm still part drow and that's the part that people see when they look at me. They've never even wanted to know more about the real me. All they see is a bloodthirsty killer with no soul. Viconia goes through the same thing except that it's worse for her because she was banished from the Underdark." He sighed. The talk had made him uncharacteristically glum. "Please Aerie, try to be better than that. It's the inside that counts. Okay?"
The young elf looked up into Taurus' eyes. They seemed slightly sad and there was no trace of laughter in them. Suddenly she felt very small and petty. She patted him on the arm, trying to comfort him. "I'll try Taurus."
The Crintri smiled again. "That's the way to think! Don't worry about it. Just think of Viconia as a female me."
"Taurus!" Viconia yelled for him from the front of the line. "Come here so I can talk with you!"
Taurus rolled his eyes. "Think of her as me, only a lot more arrogant. Coming Vicky dear!" He headed up to the front.
'Vicky' was waiting for him several metres in front of the rest of them when Taurus walked up to her side, a scowl marring her otherwise beautiful face. "Never call me that ever again," she said by way of greeting.
Taurus bowed slightly. "It's nice to see you too. Where've you been all this time?"
Viconia glared. "'All this time' has been only a few months. And that's none of your business! I did not call you here to talk about me."
"Oh?"
"No". She leaned forward to whisper into his ear. "Are you aware that the elf is an Avariel?"
Taurus inwardly sighed. He hoped he wouldn't have to give the whole speech again. "Yes, she mentioned something about that."
"She is weak and frail. She is also a coward who hasn't the spine of a Mustard Jelly. You should get rid of her," Viconia said with finality, certain that she would be heeded.
"No".
"No?!"
"No". Taurus prepared to be yelled at.
"Why ever not? She can not make a positive influence on the party."
"How would you know? You haven't even talked to her."
Viconia huffed indignantly. "I can tell. There is no way that she would make a good companion and you should leave her now. She is a pathetic, mewling-"
Taurus turned and looked the drow woman right in the eye. "She is an intelligent young woman who is taking her first steps out into the real world! If you want a comparison, then she's just like you on the day that you were banished from the Underdark! I'll bet that you weren't so cocky then, huh? She can stay as long as she wants to and don't go trying to convince her that she's not wanted or you'll be the one out of the party! Got it?"
Viconia's eyes burned with fury to match the ice of Taurus'. Then all traces of rage were gone and she smiled slightly. "Of course" she said her voice little more than a purr. She leaned closer, placing her lips by Taurus' ear. She licked the earlobe with an agile tongue and whispered, "You ARE the leader after all." She stepped back slightly, regarding him with those burning cobalt eyes. Then without a word she turned and walked to the back of the party, positioning herself next to Aerie. The other elf didn't look so happy about this arrangement but she didn't protest.
Taurus managed to keep his composure and continued to walk. He was suddenly thankful that his black skin hid his blush.
***
Magicman: Just out of curiosity, what exactly do 'abbil' and 'rivvin' mean?
***
Once again, while trying to find the government headquarters, the group became lost and found themselves in their original destination, the Slums.
By the time they figured out where they were, Aerie and Viconia had developed an intense dislike of each other. They spent the entire roundabout trip sniping verbally at each other, each insinuating to Taurus that the other was unsuitable for the group.
But the half-drow was adamant. "I'm not kicking either of you out" he said, "So you'd better get used to each other."
Seeing as neither was in the position to just leave on her own, this put the women in an even worse mood, and they were just about to start snarling at each other again when a man jauntily approached the group.
"Coo!" was his first word, causing Jaheira to doubt his sanity. "You be the one's I be looking for if I not be mistaken. Taurus be your name, right?"
Taurus eyed him warily and Jaheira was pleased to see that he was learning at least a little caution. "Exactly what do you want with me?"
The man shrugged and hooked his thumbs in his belt. "It not be what I want, but what I can be doing for you. I've heard something about a friend of yours being taken captive by them Cowled wizards."
Taurus suddenly frowned. "You mean Imoen?"
"Ah, Imoen! Aye, that be her name. A young lass that had the misfortune of casting a spell or two in a city that frowns on such business". The man eyed Taurus shrewdly. "You be thinking that ye wants to find her then?"
"I'd prefer to know exactly who it is I'm dealing with first."
The man laughed like an idiot. "Well bless me for being an idiot if I haven't gone and forgotten me manners! My name be Gaelan Bayle. Ye needn't stretch your brain thinking, I'm sure it's a name ye haven't heard."
"I've heard of him Taurus," said Yoshimo. "At least a little. He's a man with many connections to the underworld of Amn. He's also a man of my word, as far as I've heard."
"You be a different matter." Gaelan continued on relentlessly. "You be renowned enough that someone might be willing to find this Imoen or maybe the wizard who held ye. Either way, they both went to the same place."
A sudden image of Irenicus and Imoen sharing a prison cell on some godforsaken rock at the end of Faerun flashed through Taurus' mind. He grabbed Gaelen's shirt and shook him. "What do you know?!"
Gaelen managed to keep his composure quite well. "Coo! I knows very little myself, milord." He looked about, suddenly nervous. "But this be not the best place to hold such a dialogue. I have a place that be suiting far better. It be just a short walk from here. Why don't I take ye there right now? Unless you have some reason for not coming along."
Taurus hesitated, letting go of Gaelan's shirt in the process. Thinking a moment, he turned to Jaheira and the elves, who had stopped bickering and were listening to the conversation.
"Jaheira" he began, "Take the girls down to the Copper Coronet and save the rest of us a table. We'll be right along once we've had a talk with Mr. Bayle here."
The druid nodded. "Fair enough. And what should I do in the event that this a trap?"
Viconia interrupted. "If it is a trap then I will avenge you Abbil."
"We will avenge you" Aerie added, throwing a nasty look at Viconia who pretended not to notice.
"Fair enough. Do try to have fun once I'm gone, won't you?" And with that Taurus turned and followed the mysterious Gaelan Bayle, who was headed off down the street. Yoshimo followed and so did Minsc, after promising to 'kick evil's butt' if it was a trap.
Sighing in exasperation, Jaheira turned to her charges. "Alright then you two. We're going to the Copper Coronet."
***
The three women were sitting at a table in the middle of the crowd. A full pitcher of ale sat in the centre of the table and each woman had a mug, also filled with ale, seated next to their arm. Jaheira nursed her drink quietly, cursing whoever found it funny to keep throwing her in these miserable positions. She had already fended off three drunks looking for fun and multiple 'assaults' by that idiotic elf at the bar.
Aerie looked about, slightly disgusted with the behaviour of the tavern's patrons, crowding and pushing through each other to get a drink at the bar. "I've never seen the city outside the circus before" she said to herself. "Are they all so crowded like this?"
An amused laugh told her that the drow woman had heard. Aerie turned her head to glare at a smirking Viconia.
"Why of course. Humans seem to feel a need to gather together for protection. Especially from each other. Surfacers can be so stupid". Viconia lifted her mug and swallowed half of its contents smoothly. She set it down and regarded Aerie with a raised eyebrow of challenge.
Aerie hesitated for a moment. At Viconia's mocking smile, she grabbed her mug firmly and threw her head back, chugging it down without pause. Once she'd finished, she glared at her opponent, her cheeks slightly flushed. "What does that say of the drow travelling with the surfacers?"
Viconia glared. "People like these rivvin will cut the wings right off your back." Draining the rest of her ale, she filled her glass from the pitcher and sent that down the hatch too.
"It's almost like being cast out from your home!" Aerie snapped back. She refilled her own mug and gulped it down. She thumped her glass back on the table.
Refilling her glass once again, Viconia tossed it back angrily. "Well you can't stay a slave forever."
"Maybe you can" Aerie shot, pouring and chugging. "After all, the darkest hearts go to Hell!"
At about this point Jaheira pulled herself out of her self-pity and looked at her charges. They were apparently engaged in a drinking contest while insulting each other. The druid was familiar with the competition and would have enjoyed watching (and listening) if they hadn't been spellcasters. Jaheira didn't particularly want one of them to misfire a spell at the other and burn down the tavern. So she decided to interrupt. "Hey girls-"
"Jaheira we seem to be running a bit low". Aerie's voice was only slightly slurred. "Be a dear and get us a new pitcher, won't you?"
"But-"
"Thanks".
Jaheira tried again. "Maybe you two have had enough for a while-"
Viconia snorted, weaving a little. "I've out-drank dwarves before, and we were taking in stuff that makes this look like milk! So just be decent enough to let me humiliate this little girl before Taurus gets back."
Aerie glared. "Says you bitch!"
Viconia growled. "Knows me slut!"
Jaheira sighed in defeat and got up to get them their ale, just to get away from their constant fighting. As she walked toward the bar, that idiot elf (she thought he called himself Salvannas) raced up to her.
"Ah my Goddess!" he cried. "You have returned to me!"
Jaheira made a sound in her throat that sounded like a gnomish machine jamming up. She glared at the ceiling. Somewhere, somehow, some divine being was laughing at her.
Magicman: Hee hee! I've wanted to write something like that for a long time. Poor Jaheira. She always gets the short end of the stick. Anyway, what will happen next? Will getting drunk together cause a friendship to bloom between Aerie and Viconia? Yeah. Right. Anyway, wait until next chapter to find out.