Chapter 9 -:o The wake o:-

The short but poignant ceremony was over.

Gorion had been buried in the small graveyard outside the inn and Ged hoped he was at peace. The gnomish priestess bid the four participants good night and left them to pay their final respects to the fallen.

Her jaw clenched tightly, Jaheira gently placed a small blue flower on the mound.

"I will build a marble mausoleum around your grave one day, old friend. Until then, sweet water and light laughter... And may Mystra see you to your deserved rest or I'll... I'll-" she turned abruptly and walked away.

"P-poor Jaheira." Khalid sighed, looking the other half-elf go with sadness in his eyes.

"She truly loved Gorion, like the fuh-father she never knew."

Ged didn't answer, Khalid's comment only reminded him that he too, was now an orphan. Imoen, acting on a impulse hugged him and held him for a moment.

"Gorion saved our lives once, d-did you know? We suh-swore then we'd help him if he ever needed us." Khalid continued in his soft voice, looking at the two young humans from the corner of his eye.

"Even though he has now p-passed on, I believe I suh-speak for both Jaheira and myself when I say we will accompany you in his stead, as both p-protectors and I hope, as fuh-friends."

Ged contemplated the half-elf's words for a moment, before he gently pushed Imoen away. When he had told them that his two 'companions' intended to take him to Nashkel, Ged had seen astonishment and suspicion flash across their faces. The two pairs had yet to meet, and for some reason Ged dreaded the moment in advance. Something about especially the fiery Jaheira and the manic Xzar felt like a surefire catastrophe for the future.

Fishing around his pouches, he took the scroll he had found from Gorion's back pack and gave it to Khalid, who read through it twice before handing it back.

"Do you know who this 'E' might be, or the 'other side'?" Ged asked as he stuffed the scroll back in his pouch.

Khalid looked nervous and glanced back to the direction Jaheira had gone.

"I... Uh- I muh-mean I might huh-have an uh-idea a-a-about tuh-that 'E'-puh-person, buh-but I really tuh-think wuh-we should wait until muh-my wife sees this." he stammered, and Ged could see he was sweating as if under great discomfort.

"Wife? You're married?" Ged asked, thinking how different the soft spoken Khalid seemed from the hot tempered Jaheira.

"Uh... Oh dear... Yes, we are. Juh-Jaheira didn't mention it for suh-some reason so I... Uh..." the warrior blushed bright red, the exact same shade as his hair, eliciting a giggle from Imoen. This caused Khalid even greater embarrassement and his stutter worsened to the point Ged couldn't make out any real words.

"Uh... Come on O brave warrior, let's head inside!" Imoen said, trying to keep a straight face and leading the stammering and flustered half-elf towards the inn by the hand.

"Coming, Ged?" she asked her friend, her tone somewhat less jovial.

"No. I'll follow you shortly. Order a mug of cider for me and try to get hold of Xzar and Montaron if you can." Ged answered, focused on Gorion's grave once more.

"Sure thing, but don't tarry chum. I heard from one of the guards that there are bandits and humanoid brigands around, robbing and killing." Imoen said as she left with the warrior, leaving Ged alone with his thoughts.

It must have been nearing midnight, the young wizard realized. He stood there in silence for several moments, calling to mind the many happy memories of his childhood.

Gorion had promised to tell him about his real parents, when they had reached this inn. Now he was dead.

"Hello, child."

The voice startled Ged and he spun around in alarm.

But it was only a peasant woman bearing three red roses and carrying a candle. She was youngish and quite pleasant looking, dressed in a brown dress and her hair tied back in a scarf. The woman knelt at Gorion's grave and placed the roses next to Jaheira's flower.

"My lady...?" Ged blurted out, astonished. "Did you... know my father?"

The woman smiled at him enigmatically. "I did, once." she answered.

"How... Please, dear lady, won't you tell me your name?" Ged pleaded. Was this a chance meeting or something else entirely?

The woman considered his question for a moment. "Ragal, that's how he called me." she answered as if the matter had required some consideration. She rose up and swept the dust from her dress.

"'Ragal'..." Ged mused, not recognizing the name.

The woman gave him a small curtsey and started back towards the inn.

"Please stay for a moment, my lady!" Ged shouted after her. The woman disappeared into the gloom. Ged started after her, not about to let this stranger leave so easily.

"Tell me about him, please! I- I will buy you a drink and-" his word trailed off in surprise.

He had run to where she had walked, but the woman had vanished, seemingly without trace.

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"'Ragal'?"

Jaheira and Khalid shared a look. Jaheira shook her head slightly and turned back to Ged.

"I don't recognize the name. How old did you say she was?"

"About thirty, I guess. Listen-" Ged began, but was cut off by the sight of a thrown dagger impaling itself in the middle of their table.

Khalid sprung from his seat and would have drawn his sword if not for his wife coolly gripping his swordarm.

Xzar and Montaron were approaching their table.

"So! These are your old man's friends! Elves!" Xzar thundered, disgust evident in his tone.

"Bleedin' elves it is indeed! Smelled their filth all the way to our rooms, I did." Montaron snarled in response to his partner, spitting to the floor as if sickened by the sight of Gorion's friends.

Ged rose to make introductions, but the surly pair stormed past him, Montaron painfully elbowing Ged into his stomach. The duo joined Imoen and the half-elves at their table.

"Puh-pleased to make your-" Khalid started, but his unfortunate stammering made start Xzar howling his unpleasant laughter.

"P-p-pleased t-t-to m-m-meet y-y-you too, ye pointy eared freak!" Montaron mocked the unfortunate warrior, reaching out to retrieve his dagger.

Jaheira lashed out with her staff, shattering the embedded blade into multiple shards and causing the halfing to jump back with a yelp and a curse. Xzar shrieked and lost his balance, tipping over in his chair and falling flat on his back.

"Shut your pieholes, both of you. I've dealt with your sort of vermin before and I warn you both fairly, attempt any mischief and your skulls will look like that knife after I've finished with you." she snapped.

Xzar rose from the floor, eyeing the half-elf woman murderously.

"Yer welcome to try, witch." Montaron snarled, but sat back in his chair, out of her reach and merely eyed her darkly.

"Gedragon told me of your blackmailing him and the girl. By Silvanus, you are lucky Khalid and I are already heading for Nashkel or I would tan your filthy hides for this outrage! Taking advantage of my friend's child in his most vulnerable moment!" she continued, barely restrained fury making her melodious voice rather tremulous.

"You're going to Nashkel as well?" Ged cut in, incredulous.

"Yes. The... group Khalid and I are belong to are rather interested in this 'Iron Plague'. You saw what happened to the dagger. It didn't just snap, but literally disintegrated. The same apparently holds true for all iron items in the region, from shovels to full plate mail armor. I am a follower of the druidic ways of Silvanus, and I can tell you the phenomenon is certainly not a natural one."

At her mention of 'the group', Xzar's jaw fell open. Montaron's face twisted into a murderous scowl and he started fondling his blade.

"Cuh-careful there, halfling." Khalid warned, his hand straying to his own sword once more.

"Yes. Be careful, Montaron" Jaheira sneered. "It wouldn't please your 'employers' much for you to get yourselves killed before you're even halfway to Nashkel."

"Be silent, THOU MOST SLANDEROUS HARLOT!" Xzar suddenly shrieked, jumping to his feet. The mad mage's face was twisted in a feral snarl and he looked ready to lunge at Jaheira's throat when he tripped up in his own feet and fell down, hitting his jaw on the table's edge with a nasty thump.

The mad wizard sprawled on the floor like a puppet with it's strings cut, unconscious.

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After Montaron had dragged his partner away, the mood of the rest of the group improved somewhat.

Khalid told Ged and Imoen several short stories of his memories about Gorion, Jaheira keeping silent and only correcting her husband in several places. Several names Khalid spoke of were familiar, but he sensed that the half-elf was omitting some details for some reason. Feeling bone tired himself, Ged chose not to press the warrior for further details.

Ged had tried to ask the half-elves about the mysterious 'E' person mentioned by Gorion's letter, or the 'other side' that was obviously after him. Uneasily, Jaheira had told him that she and Khalid could guess who 'E' was, but since he had obviously decided to stay out of this affair, mentioning his identity wouldn't be productive. Ged wasn't very satisfied with the explanation, but decided to resume his inquires later, at a better time.

He rose from the table and excused himself. Imoen had managed to reserve two beds for them, from one of the common rooms. The inn was nearly at full capacity and only the richest nobles currently held private rooms.

"Wait, before you go take a look at this." Jaheira said, grabbing his sleeve. She handed him a note, spattered in blood.

Ged opened it and read the broad writing, a growing feeling dread making him unsteady on his feet.

The note read:

"BOUNTY NOTICE

Be it known to all those of evil intent, that a bounty has been placed upon the head of Gedragon, the foster child of Gorion.

Last seen in the area of Candlekeep, this person is to be killed in quick order.

Those returning with proof of the deed shall receive no less than two hundred coins of gold.

As always, any that reveal these plans to the forces of law shall join the target in their fate."

Ged handed the note to Imoen and looked in horror to his new companions.

"I found it from the corpse of that stinking assassin. I recognize the type of notice, and I'm afraid we will have trouble with his ilk in the future. This kind of information tends to spread far and wide among the scum of society." Jaheira said grimly.

Khalid nodded sadly. "If only Gorion had told you why they're chasing you. Perhaps we should contact-" he said, before Jaheira cut the rest of his words off with a quick movement of her head.

"No, in the future perhaps. Now we have to go to Nashkel and try to make some sense of this 'Iron Plague'. There is some trickery at work here, and no doubt Gorion would have accompanied us on this task."

Khalid nodded, and both half-elves turned to regard Ged once more.

"What do you say? Now that Gorion has passed on, will you accompany us to Nashkel? It might not be the instant vengeance you desire, but I promise you, both Khalid and myself will stand at your side if the identity of Gorion's murderer comes to light." Jaheira said.

"Let's go with them, Ged!" Imoen joined in, her voice eager.

"We can be heroes if we solve this mystery, just like in the stories! Gorion would have approved of that, I'm sure!"

"I-If you like, you can rest and tuh-tell us in the morning." Khalid said, noting that Ged could hardly keep to his feet.

"No need for any more hand wringing, I will follow you where ever you are going. Gorion would wish me to, and I owe you my life already." Ged answered, drawing a smile from Khalid, squeal of glee from Imoen and a satisfied nod from Jaheira.

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For all his tiredness, Ged woke up before Imoen the next morning, feeling rested and somewhat better. He had gone downstairs to re-memorize his spells and was in the process of doing so, when Xzar came to sit in his table. This time the madman was acting very charitable and merely offered Ged a spell from his repertoire in exchange for Sleep. Ged agreed, and was presented with a scroll Xzar had already scribed for the occasion. The tall wizard nearly lost his temper again, when Ged didn't immediatly give him his spellbook but was calmed after eliciting a promise from Ged to give him the opportunity as soon as possible.

After Xzar had gone, Ged looked over the scroll eagerly. It proved to be a necromantic spell called Larloch's Minor Drain, a combat spell capable of draining a small amount of a foe's life energy and giving it to the caster. Ged shuddered a bit at the description, necromancers were usually not the most genial of spellcasters. Could Xzar be a one, or was he merely using necromantic spells like those of any othe school?

Imoen and Jaheira joined him shortly, and Ged could see that his friend had acquired a leather vest, that came with arm and leg guards also made of leather. The half-elf was also armored in leather and carrying a staff similar to his own in addition to her sling and a dagger at her belt.

"Here." Jaheira said, handing him a small amulet. It was a silver disc on a silver chain. On the disc was engraved a tendril of mist rising upwards circled by nine stars, the symbol of Mystra.

Ged held the holy symbol of the goddess of Magic in silence, before putting it on. The silver disc felt cool against his chest.

"It was Gorion's. Keep it as a rememberance, but do not dwell on your loss. He would have you look into the future." Jaheira stated, somewhat frankly, and left him sitting in silence with Imoen.

"I have a present for you too, Ged." Imoen said, glancing around to see no one was close by.

She fished a book from her backpack and slid it over to Ged. Ged stared at the tome in amazement. It was a traveling spellbook.

"What- Where...?" he gasped, at a loss for words.

"It belonged to that gully napper who attacked us. I snuck to where they had taken him and his stuff and took it. He doesn't need it anymore!" she giggled.

Ged opened the book and looked over the multitude of spells contained within. It was a great boon for a beginning wizard such as him to gain such a book, and it would ease his advancement considerably. He resolved to keep the book to himself, not trusting Xzar with the advanced spells it contained.

"Ged..." Imoen said, her voice more restrained than usual.

Ged raised his gaze from the book and saw her anxious expression.

"We will stick together, won't we? What ever happens..." she asked in a small voice.

Ged was astonished at her sudden moodshift. "Of course, you are my best friend Imoen! Come what may/I shall be your friend/to my dying day." he rhymed haphazardly, trying to lighten her mood.

It seemed to work, the girl's face lit in such a smile that a deva might have fallen in love with her just then.

"Ha! You should'a become a bard! Come what may indeed! I'll hold ya to that!" she reached across the table and planted a kiss on her astonished friend's forehead.

"Start packing!" Jaheira's voice carried all the way from across the common room. "We leave before noon!"

-:o Next episode: What ever happened to Silke Rosena? o:-