Disclaimer: Not mine.

C

Lord Liral

C

When we part I know by the peculiar glittering of his eyes that I have him hooked. Now it's only a matter of keeping his interest. I'll still have to go on reminding myself though that this boy is not what he seems or I'll end up underestimating him again and the next time I might not get away with it.

"I've seen him in the cells." Kofyr tells me, which causes a sudden flash of anxiety to tear through my heart. Is he talking about Andy? What has happened to him and even more important: "What have you seen?"

My face and voice must somehow betray the depth of my feelings although I try to hide it, for he gives me an utterly condescending look and while leisurely stroking along my cheekbone replies offhandedly: "Oh nothing much. He's still alive as far I as I could tell and to your great luck he was even stuck in one cell with Ufrelyn and only three other guys."

Ah I can see where this is going.

"And this Ufrelyn was using a disguise just like yours?"

"Indeed. Not quite as nice as mine though." He grins.

"When does it wear off?" I want know. Maybe this presents me with an opportunity to stay silent about the keys.

"Depends." He appears a bit frustrated by his lack of information and surprisingly he lets it show. Perhaps Ufrelyn means more to him than he realizes. "If they took his ring the enchantment will only last until some time this night, if they didn't... well indefinitely."

"So if you're not sure that means we had better do something fast."

I'm all for that and to my great relief he nods! One major problem solved without any effort at all. This is how life is supposed to be. I take another sip of my beer and start to relax slightly. Maybe everything will turn out all right.

Sadly the next moment turns out to not be all right but presents the beginnings of another crisis. At least that is my first impression when I become aware of the Elflord with the six city guards in tow who's currently heading our way with an expression that could turn milk sour in an instant. Kofyr doesn't take long to react to my immediate change of expression, turns briefly and starts swearing softly. Only now I notice that most of the anger seems to be directed at him and not at me. That certainly makes a nice change to the usual routine! With one quick and hopefully inconspicuous movement I scoop up my precious keys and put them safely away. If there is going to be any trouble I don't want to loose them.

"Who in the nine hells is that?" I ask in an urgent whisper. I'm actually worried now, because they even brought someone in long flowing robes who can only be a mage. Kofyr has paled slightly and hisses back: "Lord Liral. I think he is very angry."

No really? I'd never have guessed.

"Why?"

The damned Drow only mutters something nearly unintelligible about cheating in business and a change of plan, but doesn't explain himself clearly. How am I supposed to deal with somebody else's problems if I don't know the details? I have quite enough of them myself in any case. Now I know how other people feel when I get them into trouble. Maybe I should start working on my lifestyle.

I don't think running away would be a good course of action right now. It makes you look guilty and this guy gives the strong impression of having that kind of self-righteous determination which makes people chase after you for years when you show even the slightest hint of guilt.

Instead I do my best to look as surprised as possible. I flatter myself that I'm quite good at pretending innocence. I just hope I'll be utterly convincing this time. The feeling of being surrounded, that follows shortly afterwards, when the guards close in on us is not a nice one. It's nothing though compared to the way I felt when my Master stood behind me contemplating in which way to hurt me next.

"There you are you dirty rat! Now that I have finally found you, you are going to pay."

These words accompanied by a generous amount of spittle are spat in Kofyr's direction. I don't envy him in the least! This is like facing an angry dragon. Not that I've ever seen one, but hey I've got an active imagination that helps me fill in all the blanks.

"And your sneaky partner as well! Must be my lucky day today."

Partner? Me? Oh shit! You could cut steel with this voice. I need to do something, plain innocence won't really help me much in this situation.

"You have a partner?" I ask dumbly, already knowing that I'll have to do better than this, even before I catch the sharp, cold smile of the enraged Elflord.

"Ha, ha." He says icily. "Don't think you'll be able to get away this easily!"

"I don't know him!" I try again, but before I can say more I'm interrupted by a sharp: "I don't appreciate being cheated. Much less so if it is done by a thrice cursed Drow, so If you value your tongue you had better shut your filthy mouth."

"A Drow?" I repeat in a last desperate attempt to get out of this. "I'm not a Drow."

"I don't care!" He shouts and simply turns around, dismissing my presence as appropriately dealt with. Nobles! Sometimes I'm inclined to believe that they are even worse than Drow! I'm quite sure they're at least twice as arrogant. If that is even possible.

"Take them and put them into a cell until the trial can be held."

Kofyr doesn't even try to resist when they seize us, which makes my eyes narrow in distrust. He must be planning something. Argh this is all happening much to fast! I feel like getting run over by a cart. No time to think. The hard grip on my upper arms is very uncomfortable and forcefully distracts me from my musings. Usually when I'm thrown into prison it's night and I'm so drunk that I don't notice these irritating details, but today I'm painfully sober despite the two beers I've had until now and have to go through the whole procedure in possession of full consciousness. To be dragged along the street in plain sight of anybody who cares to look is not something I want to do more than once in my life. People unnecessarily tend to voice their totally superfluous opinions on how prisoners should be treated and most of them involve rather painful procedures I certainly don't want to have used on me.

Of Lord Liral I only get to see a green, silk clad back for the rest of the way. Bloody Bastard! I'm glad when he parts ways with us at the entrance of the prison. Doesn't want to submit himself to the disgusting presence of petty criminals I guess.

With a laconic: "Here Carl, two to search and put away. Best to throw them in with the Drow if the Lord is right and this one is one of them black fiends as well." We're deposited unceremoniously in front of my guardsman. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse. He's the last fucking person I want to see right now! Luckily he pretends not to know me, which at least spares me the whore- or- not discussion I was fearing.

"Any weapons?" He asks showing a distinct lack of interest, after which I promptly hand over my one long hunting knife. The sword has unfortunately gotten lost somewhere around Giciels tower. My guard, Carl, seems to be content with a very brief body search after this display of friendly cooperation. Well he's probably seen everything I have or don't have on me last night anyway, so why bother?

Kofyrs de-arming takes quite a bit more time. With growing annoyance I regard the small pile of weapons. How can he still move with this much metal concealed on his person? It certainly takes far to long to get rid of it. After ten minutes he spreads out his arms in a ridiculously inviting fashion. His search is much more thorough than mine and I smirk at him, but he only shrugs unperturbed. Nothing else is found in his various pockets, but the guards still regard him with a good measure of suspicion. The human-drow is still as complacent as before when we're led to the cells, which irritates me to no end, because I can't stop worrying about Lord Liral's wish for retribution.

Only when I step through the heavy iron bars I realize what they meant when saying "the Drow". Andy! Of course he'd be here. I must be really slow today. Maybe the beer was off. His eyes grow big at my sight.

"Toren!"

Immediately an insistent hand drags me down to where he's sitting cross legged on the cold stone floor. I shiver when I feel the damp coldness through my garments, but Andy seems unaffected.

"Yes it's me. Let's have a party. Nice to see you're still alive though."

He grins the white, sparkly grin that only a Drow can produce.

"It's like the first time we met don't you think darling?"

"Please don't remind me of that!"

I grimace. That hangover was one of the nastiest I've ever had in my whole life and the following events did nothing to improve the situation either.

"You met in a prison cell?"

For once Kofyr seems at least a little bit surprised.

"Don't ask!" Says a human looking guy somewhere to the right, who must be his partner, the mysterious Ufrelyn. Their welcome consists merely of a curt nod and nothing else. The three other occupants of this cell are all human as far as I can tell. They stay mercifully silent and restrict themselves to miserable stares or in one case snores

"Why are you here?" Ufrelyn and Andy want to know almost simultaneously.

"It's his fault." I say quickly pointing at Kofyr before he can reply in any way. "I didn't do anything."

He glares at me and snaps: "You shut up Elf!" Then he turns to his partner to explain.

"Lord Liral is here. He thinks he", the expression he's wearing while pointing at me is not flattering "is you and simply dragged us both here."

"Toren", Andy says softly "I had a really awful hangover this morning."

I grin, so at least I wasn't the only one who felt like shit.

"And I didn't get any breakfast."

Hands slip into my pockets from behind and rummage around without a single thought for decency.

"Do you have something to eat?"

I shake my head. A nice meal really wouldn't be bad, but I don't think anybody is going to come and serve it to us any time soon.

"No. Stop whining."

"What's this?"

Andy pulls out something that clinks.

"Oh that are the keys."

"Which keys?"

Hey the Keys! I'm sitting in a cell I can open on my own and just walk out of. Now that's great. Why did I forget about something so convenient? I'm really not my best today.

"The keys for..." I stop talking when I become aware of the rather interested looks of our cellmates. Andy quickly puts them back where they came from.

"So you do still have them." Kofyr says dryly. "I thought they might have dropped under the table. Very well, I suggest we wait until tonight before we leave. What do you think?"

I shrug, yawning.

"Whatever you deem best. I don't care."

I could do with a bit of sleep now. These surroundings can nearly be called peaceful compared to all the other things I had to see today and I do feel the strain of being bullied, harassed and pushed around all morning. Unfortunately Andy has other ideas.

"Toren what happened to you after I got arrested?"

I can't really talk about this morning, because I don't think Kofyr would approve of my revelation of his true heritage, but I know that Andy won't shut up until I have told him at least a bit. Well he'll have to be satisfied with the shortened and censured version of today's events.

"Fine. I woke up next to Carl, ran away to have breakfast with an old friend who said he'd get someone to help me to get you out of prison. Then I got arrested, which means we're now both arrested together and I'm really tired so I'll tell you about the rest when I have slept for at least four hours."

"You were going to get me out?"

"After I had managed to become aware of your tragic fate and sort out what had actually happened, yes."

So he obviously didn't really expect me to help him. I shouldn't be surprised. Guess that comes with being a Drow. Would I expect him to do the same for me? I can't quite tell and that worries me. I mustn't let myself think of him as someone who was raised with the same values I was, because I know for a fact that this was not the case.

"Thank you."

I don't think anybody except for me was able to hear that, but it puts my worries to rest for the time being. We'll just see how everything develops. Maybe even a Drow can develop a conscience. There's no point in jumping to conclusions I decide and lean back into his warm embrace hoping to catch a bit of sleep.