Disclaimer: I do not own 'Baldur's Gate', the 'Forgotten Realms' or any characters therein.
Wizards of the Coast do, at my last check. Lucky them.
I do, however, own Fritha and certain other characters and plot points. Basically, if you don't recognise it from the game, it's probably mine.

– Blackcross & Taylor

Encounters

Fritha squinted as she looked up to the shafts of sunlight that had managed to filter through the canopy as the group made their way northward on the road back to Beregost. After all the rains of the last tenday, Mirtul had finally slipped into a peaceful Kythorn and she was just taking pleasure from being able to look up and see the deep azure of a cloudless sky. At least, she would have been, was it not for the dull anxious feeling that had crept into her stomach ever since her dream last night.

She pulled her light cloak about her slightly, trying to lose the shiver that seemed to have suddenly crept over her skin as she recalled the panic with which she'd woken. The way she had sat there with her heart thundering, the room laying about her, untouched in shades of grey, the stillness broken only by the gentle snore of Imoen asleep next to her. She had had half a mind to wake her too, just for the mere company of it, and had got as far as hissing her name, before guilt stopped her and she'd lain back down to wait for sleep.

Fritha shook her head. Though the dream had seemed so vivid at the time, all she could recall now was a jumble of images and a vague sense that there was something important lurking on the edge of her mind, just out of reach. She stared ahead trying to focus her attention elsewhere; the greens of the trees, the trill of birdsong, the rhythmic crunch of feet on path.
But nothing seemed enough to distract her, and she walked like that, with leaden unease, for another hour or so, until through the trees she saw the red slate roofs of Beregost.

The town was pretty much as they'd left it and it was hard to believe that it had only been a few days since she'd first arrived here. So much had changed in that short time it seemed ridiculous to think how excited she'd been before.
Jaheira stopped to question a small boy on their arrival and he was happy enough to act as a guide, leading them across the southern edge of the town and leaving them outside Feldpost's inn with a wave and a silver coin for his trouble.

Fritha was last as they filed inside, the grey stone walls contrasting pleasantly with the simple wood of the floor and furniture in the main tavern. Dynaheir and Minsc, two extremes in the art of persuasion, were dispatched to the bar and moments later returned with news of their quarry.
'Upstairs, the first door on the right,' said Dynaheir with a glance back to the barman who was gazing after her wistfully, the glare from Minsc keeping him firmly behind the bar, 'apparently we've just caught him; he was planning to leave today.'

They made their way up the stairs behind them, ascending to a wide landing lined with doors and Fritha glanced about before moving over to the right one. The door was ajar and she peered round to see a short man, not quite middle-aged but worn with it. His mousy hair tousled, his face not quite clean-shaven; he held the look of someone who had not been sleeping well for a few days. He was stood behind a table in the centre of the room, hastily shoving things into a bag, a cloak already thrown over his robes.
Fritha smiled to the others and led the way in.

'Knock, knock.'
The man looked up sharply, his eyes glancing to the staff leant by the door before coming back to rest on them.
'Tranzig, isn't it?' Fritha began conversationally, moving into the room while the others fanned out behind her.
He nodded, continuing to try and push things into his already stuffed pack as he spoke.
'Why do ya bother me? Can't ya see that I'm in a hurry to get out of this damn town?'
'But we're here from Mulahey,' she answered, letting just a hint of indignant hurt creep into her voice.
'Mulahey? It's been days since I've heard from…'

He trailed off as a knowing smile spread across her face.
'Ya know what I'm up to, eh?' he confirmed with a scowl, stepping round the table to meet her toe to toe, 'well maybe something ya don't know about is my magic skills. Ya might not believe me but if you ain't out of my face in the next five secon-'
Fritha's fist came out of nowhere, catching him by the scruff of his robes while a well placed kick sent him crashing to his knees.
Her hand still at his throat, she leaned in close to stare into the now wide and terrified eyes.
'Now just you listen!' she spat, giving him a shake for good measure, 'Dynaheir here, is a mage, so if you don't start co-operating…'
The Wychlaran rubbed her hands expressively, static crackling between the long dark fingers.
'No stop, please! Mercy, I beg of you.'

Fritha looked down at him, with no more intention of killing a defenceless man than she had of lopping off her own head, but he didn't know that.
'You will tell us what we need to know?' she asked coolly, finally releasing him.
'My bag,' he gasped, almost tripping over his robes in his haste to stand, 'there are letters.'
He reached out to get them, only to find a long staff barring his way.
'I think that can stay here,' said Jaheira curtly
'But, but my things-'
'You can leave here with your life and your conscience,' said Fritha, smiling as she added sweetly, 'anything more would be a burden.'
He looked for a moment as though he would argue before sighing defeatedly, taking up his own staff and making for the door.

'I wonder if we do the right thing,' said Dynaheir slowly, watching the open doorway as though tempted to follow, 'he could cause more trouble for us alive.'
Fritha shrugged, still rummaging through his pack.
'He won't be in a position to do anything dead, good or bad. Ah, here we are.'
She pulled out a square of slightly dog-eared parchment, unfolded it and glanced it over before handing it to Jaheira.
'It's from the same one as before, this Tazok person. It says if Mulahey hasn't made contact by today, Tranzig's to leave and seek out their base camp around Peldsvale or Larswood. Looks like Tranzig was getting nervous.'
'Dost thou think he will go and tell his masters we are aware of them?'
'Not likely!' snorted Imoen, 'they're probably of the attitude that if we didn't kill him for the information then they'll kill him for giving it up!'
'So we t-travel east then?'

Nerve-wracking though it was, being caught up with all this banditry and intrigue, it was very interesting slowly peeling back the layers of this plot and a gave certain satisfaction to know that soon they would apprehend the real architects and find out the reasons for the scheme. And if nothing else, she considered practically, it served as ample distraction from dark dreams and bounty hunters.
Fritha grinned.
'East, it is.'

But, by the time they left the inn, the idea of travel was distinctly less inviting. The sun was a dark orange globe hanging low in the sky, casting the shadow of the inn over them as they loitered on the path outside planning their next move, and Fritha conceded that, however eager she was to see this mystery solved, it would be best to start travel with a whole day ahead of them.
A second later Jaheira herself vocalised these thoughts, suggesting they find an inn. No one, it seemed, was tempted to stay in Feldpost's place and Fritha let the conversation drift away from her, glancing northward up the street to the town square, happy to let Jaheira and Dynaheir 'fine-tune' the details of this between them. She could see the remains of the market being dismantled; merchants bustling about their stalls eager to get home while a last few patrons haggled over the price of day old wares.

'Fritha! Fritha!'

She turned to see a fair young girl, no older than seven, running up the street from the east towards them, her bare dusty feet slapping on the cobbles, linen apron flapping behind her like a sail. She stopped just in time to prevent herself barrelling into Fritha's legs, gasping as she simultaneously tried to catch her breath and deliver her message.

'S-Someone in the Jovial Juggler gave me a gold piece to come and find you.'
'Whoa, slow down,' said Fritha dropping down to be level with the child, 'how did you know my name?'
The girl looked momentarily surprised she'd asked before she beamed, her eyes gazing about at them all.
'Why, everyone here is talking about you. You're the ones who saved the Nashkel mines.'
'Gods, we're famous!'
'So, who is asking for me, child?'
'Her name's Officer Vai and she's with the Flaming Fist.'
'The Flaming Fist? Maybe they're going to arrest you!' Considered Imoen, looking positively hopeful at the thought.
Fritha frowned slightly.
'Oh, you needn't worry, she's really nice,' the girl piped up, looking concerned that her message was not being well received.
'Yes? And how much did she pay you for that glowing reference?'
The girl gigged brightly as Fritha ruffled her blonde hair before straightening with a sigh.
'Well, you've earned your gold piece, I'll go there now.'

The girl nodded, beaming up at her before turning and skipping northward up the street.
Fritha watched her until she was lost in the crowds, then turned and followed the rest of them as they walked east, their banter carrying back to her on the still evening air.
'Did I not say we should stay at the Juggler? But thou wouldst not listen.'
'Really? I don't remember. What are you whining about now, Imoen?'
'I said, "we're heading too far north". It's this street, not that one.'
'Trust you to know, anywhere that serves food!'
'J-Jaheira!'

xxx

'Are you ready?'

Fritha looked up to her friend, who was beaming in candle light of the small rented room above the Jovial Juggler that they would be sharing for the night, the noise of the pub below drifting through the open window. She nodded, laying down the comb and watching her reflection in the mirror of the dresser as she gathered up her wet hair and secured it with pins.
Being accosted in the street and told the head of a mercenaries' guild wanted to see her had been surprising enough but to run into that mage again; the one whose presence she'd barely registered before, the one who, it turned out, had known Gorion and was one of the most renowned mages in Faerûn!

Fritha shook her head to herself. All Vai had wanted was to enlist their help in eliminating the bandits, not a problem since they were planning to do that anyway. But Elminster? The man spoke in riddles and the meeting with the mage had opened anew old worries to the point where she felt alien in her own skin.

She stared at her reflection, almost a stranger to her with her hair up and dressed in a pale green tunic that Imoen had lent her.
Was it just that, or something else? Something in the eyes…
'Come on,' her friend laughed, mistaking her scrutiny for vanity,' you look fine!'
She nodded again only half-listening and rose to follow her friend out.

Imoen led them down the polished wooden stairs, Vai noticing their decent and smiling to them, raising her cup in greeting before turning back to the officer at her side and leaving Fritha feeling strangely exposed. Jaheira and Khalid were already seated at a table in the corner of the bar not already occupied by soldiers and they made their way over to them through the throng to take seats with their backs to the crowd. She was nervous at first, rigid in her chair as though tensed for any threat, but the easy atmosphere of the bar and two cups of ale later had banished her worries and she sat laughing with Imoen as happy as she'd been since Nashkel.

The soldiers on the table behind them were engaged in some sort of drinking game, and Fritha and Imoen had turned in their seats to watch them. The rules either too complex to decipher or otherwise more than flexible; it seemed to involve a couple of the older mercenaries laughing as their greener comrades got steadily more soused and the girls passed the time predicting who would succumb next, and laughing along when they did.

Fritha smiled to herself, turning back to catch Jaheira and Khalid in the briefest of kisses, swiftly dipping her head to take a drink and pretending not to notice. She sighed. Her fears seemed so trivial now; just born of dark dreams and darker imaginings, unable to survive in the face of such life and laughter.

So, she was caught up in a plot that was affecting the entire Sword Coast?
Merely circumstances.
So, Elminster knew her on sight?
He was just looking out for her as a favour to Gorion.
So, someone was offering up a king's ransom to see her dead?
Well…
Well, some fears were still lingering, but 'every cloud…'

Behind her, a roar from the soldiers signalled another had fallen victim to their drinking game and across the table Jaheira frowned.
'This inn is too noisy.'
Fritha smiled.
'Well, I like the Jovial Juggler,' she said with sincerity, leaning back in her chair, 'it's one of the few inns where no one has tried to kill me.'
Imoen laughed at her flippancy while Jaheira rolled her eyes.
Just then, Vai appeared at her elbow, smiling kindly.
'Ah, Fritha, might I have a word?'

Jaheira smiled to herself as she watched what seemed like the hundredth love-struck young solider go and introduce himself to the copper-haired girl who just seemed to grow more interesting as time went on. Officer Vai had called her over there an hour ago to ask her about an old friend who ended up working as a guard in Candlekeep and since then it seemed every young man in her company had jumped upon the chance to meet with the girl who'd had a hand in the rescue of Nashkel.
And the fact that she happened to be uncommonly pretty?
Well,Jaheira was sure that was beside the point…

When the first couple of men had been introduced, she'd been ready to march over there and put an end to things; swearing to protect Gorion's ward did not just end at bounty hunters. But, surprisingly, it was Imoen who had stayed her, saying that the girl had ways of looking after herself and she wasn't to worry.
The young thief was at her side now, watching her friend with a warm, almost maternal smile, as the girl herself was perched on the table opposite, an older mercenary talking to her, while behind, two cadets were subtly shoving each other, neither willing to be the first to interrupt them.

'Are people always like this?' Jaheira asked, torn between amusement and disbelief at the amount of friends Fritha suddenly seemed to have
'Oh yeah…' she answered without a hint of jealousy,' there's just something about her that people find they can relate to. I think it's all that lore and stuff she knows; she can chat with people about what they find interesting, and she really listens too, people appreciate that.'
'Yeah…' she nodded again to herself, as laughter broke out again from the opposite table, 'most people find Fritha a very easy person to like.'

Jaheira suspected she heard a slight stress on the word 'most' but pretended not to notice as Imoen continued on.
'Though it's easier to see with people like this,' she said with a gesture to the embodiments of chaos and alcohol that packed the rest of the bar. 'One minute they're attempting to drink their own bodyweight in ale, the next they're making polite conversation about the weather, the best way to train hippogriffs, the conjugation of Netherese passive verbs and whatever else Fritha can dredge up from that bottomless mind of hers.'
Imoen just shrugged, grinning at her bewildered expression.
'I don't understand it either but she just brings out the best in people. It's like she expects them to be nice and they don't have the heart to disappoint her.'

'But still,' Jaheira considered gravely, 'with such an attitude, she would be easy to take advantage of.'
'How d'you mean?'
'Well, if they got her drunk-'
Imoen snorted into her beer covering her chin in foam and for a moment the desire to rebuke and the desire to learn more wrestled within her until,
'What is it?'
'You are kidding?' the girl laughed, mopping her chin with her sleeve, 'Fritha never gets properly drunk, and it's not through lack of effort either. I swear, it's like she was weaned on the stuff! Back in Candlekeep, just her and Hull could take Winthrop's scrumpy. The only reason he kept brewing it was because it was great for cleaning the brasses.'

'Hey, Imoen.'
They both looked up to see Fritha beckoning to her friend, the two cadets watching with shy curiosity. Imoen grinned.
'I think I'm about to be introduced.'
Jaheira watched her go, Fritha presenting her firstly to the two cadets, then to Vai who had just appeared again and who, in turn, introduced them both to the younger officer at her side who was now talking enthusiastically with Fritha.

'Ah, I see our young bard is making friends.'
Jaheira turned, her eyes already narrowed at the familiar voice at her shoulder. Sure enough, Dynaheir had at last joined them, looking stunning in well-cut robes of crimson and watching Fritha with interest.
'Really, it all seems perfectly innocent to me, but I suppose if your mind is focused that way…'
It had been meant as an insult and a poorly veiled one at that but the mage just laughed warmly.
'Of course she is innocent, that's half of what makes her so appealing. A very natural girl, never tries to hide anything, even things that are best left buried…'
'What are you talking about?'
Dynaheir finally turned to look at her, her smile fading.

'Thou, thou hast not noticed it?'
'There is nothing to notice,' she snapped, not wanting to give the mage the satisfaction of even pretending to know more than she. Her reaction though was unexpected and Dynaheir looked down at her, her dark eyes grave.
'Truly thou hast not… There is a darkness about the child. Surely, she is swathed in it!'
'Nonsense!' Jaheira scoffed feeling suddenly unnerved.
But Dynaheir just shrugged, moving off to the bar to join Minsc and leaving her with her thoughts.
So, was that it? The reason she had felt so uncomfortable in the girl's presence since she joined them?

Jaheira glanced back to her, now laughing at something Imoen had said, holding this new revelation in mind, but even then, it was hard to associate such things with the warm-eyed, friendly girl that was sat across from her. She considered perhaps the witch was mistaken, but her instinct was telling her otherwise. Dark or not, there was definitely something unnatural about the girl that did not sit right with her.
'Are you well, dearest, you seem a little distracted?'
She turned to see Khalid leaning across the table to her, his eyes worried and it took her a moment to register what he'd said.
'Fine, fine,' she answered, forcing herself to smile before turning back to watch the girl who Gorion had died to save, the girl with a thousand gold pieces on her head.

xxx

Imoen stuffed the rest of bread that was her breakfast into her mouth as she climbed the last step of the inn's narrow stairs. She smiled broadly, causing the passing woman to wrinkle her nose in disgust, as she heard Fritha's voice, raised in song, drifting along the corridor.
'…parted though you are from me, by the vast and heartless sea…'

Imoen opened the door to the room they'd shared to find her friend waltzing about, collecting her belongings and packing them as she went. She glanced up sharply as she entered but, on seeing it was Imoen, her expression softened and she flung her pack on to the bed with a flourish and stepped forward to grab her hand and twirl herself under her arm, while Imoen laughed warmly.
'…every night as one we'll be, while the world is sleeping…'

Fritha finished her song and swept backwards into a curtsey, pulling out the edges of her long tunic like a dress, Imoen applauding exaggeratedly.

'So, where were you this morning?' continued Imoen, while her friend returned to moving back and forth across the room, collecting her belongings. 'By the time I'd woken, you'd already gone.'
'I went to the market, I was running short of a couple of things,' she answered, gathering up the last of her possessions and dumping them unceremoniously onto the bed with her bag.
'Fair enough, but you could have come to breakfast. Minsc let me feed Boo,'she said, hoping to tease a reaction out of her but her friend just shrugged, seemingly distracted.
'I just wasn't hungry…'
She wasn't really surprised, Fritha never did have much of an appetite, but her quietness was unusual.
Imoen grinned.
'Wasn't hungry? No wonder you're like a lat. Breakfast's the most important meal of the day.'
Fritha snorted.
'And I suppose if it was noon now, lunch would be,' she laughed, taking a playful swipe at her belly.
Imoen dodged it easily, laughing too, glad to see her back to normal.
'Well, perhaps if I wouldn't be hungry, I was filled up on luuurve.'
'What?'

Fritha was still smiling but an air of bemusement hung about her. Imoen stopped too, wondering whether her friend was serious.
'Last night? Half the men in the Flaming Fist coming to talk to you?'
Fritha remained unmoved.
'Yes?'
'Well…' spluttered Imoen, frustrated; she knew Fritha could be a bit thick when it came to boys but no one was that dense, 'they liked you!'
Fritha snorted, turning back to her packing.
'Don't be daft. They were only talking to me.'
'Well, that's generally how it starts.'
'I know. But they weren't saying anything, you know, like that. They were just asking about where I was from and what I was doing. In fact…' she considered slowly, a frown creasing her brow, 'it was very similar to the stuff the bounty hunters usually come out with, only without the trying to kill me afterwards.'

Imoen suppressed rolling her eyes with some difficulty, giving up on trying to convince her in favour of examining Fritha's new purchases.
'Cordial of nettle? What's that for?' she asked, just as Jaheira walked into the room, no doubt checking on their progress.
'Ah, here you two are, all packed Imoen?' she questioned sternly, glancing about for Imoen's pack before her eyes came to rest of the collection of bottles Fritha was trying to hurriedly stuff into her bag.
'By Silvanus, girl! What have you got now?'
'Just a couple of balms and such.'
'Yeah and don't worry, Jaheira,' Imoen grinned with a glance to her friend, 'they're all entirely natural, so…'
Fritha grinned too, her eyes sparkling.
'…If we run out a rations…'
The druid snorted, turning her back on the two as they dissolved into giggles.

xxx

Moments later and they were outside the inn and leaving Beregost, travelling northward for a few miles before stepping off the Coast Way and heading out into the eastern forests. The weather kept fine, the trees casting a pleasant amount of shade during the hot dry days as they walked, scouring the land for any mark of large camps or banditry. But the days crept by with no sign there was anything untoward occurring and patience among certain members of the group, at least, was wearing thin.

Last night, things had come to a head, a bit of teasing from Imoen sparking things off between her and Jaheira and from there it hadn't taken long to spiral into a camp-wide squabble. They'd all agreed to an uneasy truce before bedding down for the night but, even so, Fritha was glad to find everyone else still asleep as she awoke to the relative peace of the early morning in the Peldsvale.
A low mist had settled over them as they'd slept and Fritha lay under her blankets watching the patterns it made as it swirled above her, listening to the whispers of the forest. It was about an hour later when nature finally pulled her from her bed and, once up and dress, she felt reluctant to return to the camp to just wait for the others to awaken. The sun had risen by now and with it her vigour and she took only a moment to grab her cloak and check everyone was still a sleep before striking south out into the forest, the mist swallowing her whole.

She had liked mornings like this in Candlekeep, when the sea fret was in and the world outside the keep was transformed to a shadeland; the people around her reduced to pearl-white ghosts, just shapes in the mist. There was something pleasantly isolating about it, and she wandered along caught by the fantasy that she could be the only person left in the world.

She'd lost track of how long she'd walked when she first heard it; the distant clash of metal and a familiar growling tongue that meant only one thing. She walked on, her pace quickened as she followed the sound. The ground was sloping downwards and the mist thinning when she finally came to an open plain and down before her a male drow fighting with half a dozen gnolls.

Of what Fritha knew about drow, especially of one famed individual in particular, she already had a pretty good idea who she had just run into. Still, however probable it was that this was Drizzt Do'urden, the infamous ranger from the North, she really didn't think it would be in anyone's interests that she took it for granted. A high number of the drow race did tend to be a bit on the evil side and so not the sort of people you wandered blithely into conversation with. And even if he was a friendly drow, who had thrown off the dark shackles of his people and fled to the surface, he would be so thoroughly sick of people who happened upon him assuming he was Drizzt he'd probably be quite tempted to return!
She hated being recognised as Fritha, and that was who she actually was.

He didn't appear to be in any immediate danger and so she stopped, leaning against a tree to watch, as he dodged and parried, twin scimitars just flashes of silver arcing about him, vaguely deliberating on whether she should greet him in common or under-common until the decision was taken for her.

'You there!' he shouted, twisting almost acrobatically to avoid a halberd thrust and finally noticing her, 'will you help a stranger in need?'
Fritha shrugged to herself and drew her sword, ambling down the hill to casually run-through the nearest gnoll who had failed to notice her approach. She turned to block a swing from the gnoll next to him, ducking under the next blow to slash the beast across the belly, the drow dispatching the last two in a flurry of blades and at last, it was just her and him in that silent misty field.
'Well met, stranger,' he greeted once they'd sheathed their weapons, reaching out to shake her hand, 'I am Drizzt Do'urden and I appreciate your assistance.'

'It is a long enough trip to the Icewind Dale, even without these constant interruptions,' he continued, stooping to re-shoulder his pack, making for a track that skirted the forest westward, 'I do not recall banditry being of such epidemic proportions in this area; how long has this been so?'
Fritha shrugged, falling into step beside him.
'Ever since the iron crisis, as far as I'm aware. The local iron mines have been poisoned, making the iron worthless. Now, bandits are more likely to take your sword than your gold.' She laughed brightly, but the gesture was not shared. 'My friends and I are looking into the problem. We've tracked them to a camp somewhere, well, around here actually, where we hope to find an end to this mystery.'

Drizzt nodded, his face grave.
'Noble goals and ones I would hold dear myself. But your struggle will be difficult, for the bandits that I have encountered are no mere vagabonds with blades. The humans bear the style of the Black Talon and the hobgoblins that of The Chill, but they are but mercenary groups and unlikely to be the architects of this endeavour. You would do well to infiltrate into their ranks if you wish to determine their masters.'
Shenodded, smiling. They had reached the path by now and Fritha sensed a parting of ways was in the air. She bowed slightly, her hands clasped just under her bust in the traditional greeting of Candlekeep.
'Your advice is sound and I will heed it,' before she grinned widely, softening the gesture, 'know that I think well of you on your journey.'
Drizzt, at last, smiled too, his teeth bright against his dark skin.
'And I, you. Luck be on your side.'

'Where have you been?' Jaheira called, glancing up from her cooking to notice Fritha wending her way through the trees, the remnants of a light mist still swirling at her feet. The others had a awoken by now and the small camp was a hive of activity as everyone moved about, dressing and packing, ready to leave.
'Went for a wander,' she called back brightly, finally reaching the clearing and throwing herself down on her bedding, 'had to stop to help someone with some gnolls.'
'Really?' said Imoen, eyeing her curiously.
Fritha nodded, rooting through her pack to find her comb.

'Yes, we chatted a bit about the banditry problem and he thinks we should try to infiltrate the group rather than a full-frontal assault.'
'Yes, well, we have to f-find them first,' added Khalid, throwing her a smile as he left the camp.
'And who was he, to be giving us advice so freely?' said Jaheira archly, serving the porridge with more than her usual level of belligerence and spattering her tunic in the process.
Fritha shrugged, taking her bowl from the druid to lay it gently beside her pack.
'I don't know, I suppose he's had a lot of experience in that sort of thing.'
'How would you know?' asked Imoen.
'Well, he was Drizzt Do'urden.'

They both stopped mid-action, the gentle drip of porridge from the spoon half way to Imoen's mouth unnoticed by either of them.
'You're lying,' said Jaheira flatly, still staring as though willing her to deny it.
Fritha just shrugged though and continued to brush her hair. Imoen's face lit up.
'She's not!' she squealed, almost dropping her bowl in her haste for an answer, 'oh my gods, what was he like?'
Fritha paused in her brushing to consider this a moment.
'Short, but quite nice… His accent's really posh too,' she added in afterthought.
Imoen nodded slowly, considering these revelations while Jaheira seemed to loom above them.
'Short, but quite nice?' she repeated, looking appalled, 'Fritha, that man is a legend and that's all you bring away from the meeting!'
But Fritha just shrugged, pushing her comb back into her pack and gathering up her own bowl of porridge.

They broke camp only about half an hour later, navigating through the thinning mists as best they could. There were a few moments of disagreement on directions, and Imoen kept swearing blind that she recognised certain trees from before, though Fritha noticed it was in a very quite voice that only she could hear. But Fritha was glad to see everyone's reluctance to argue since last night and when the mist finally burnt off at around mid-morning, everyone seemed heartened to see they had not strayed too far off course.

The day wore on, hot and dry and fruitless as all those that ran before it, but whether it was due to the previous night's falling out, or the fact no one expected anything else after so long, spirits seemed lighter today. And as the sun set on, what turned out to have been, the middle day of Kythorn, the group were already settled around a small campfire sharing food and stories like friends of old.

Fritha finished her diary entry with a flourish, which unfortunately ended up spraying a line of ink across her hand. She sighed, rubbing at it absently as she glanced west to a clear amber sky. She'd been wondering about it all day, this most recent incident just serving to remind her the necessity of her plan. Still about half an hour to go before twilight really set in. That should be quite long enough…
She closed the book with a snap, dropping it in to her bag and rising with a sigh.

'Right, I'm going for a wash.'
'What!' Jaheira cried, head snapping up from the tunic she'd been darning.
'It's been days since we've been near an inn and I really need one,' she whined, though more at the fact she could feel herself blushing than at Jaheira's questions. The druid's exclamation has started the others and now everyone was looking up at her with interest, she had to fight to hold the woman's gaze.
'And where do you plan on committing in this idiocy?'
'In that stream we passed. Don't worry. Imoen will come with me, won't you.'
'Sure,' answered Imoen, grinning widely at Jaheira.
'Even so,' Jaheira continued indignantly, 'the possible danger should negate such vanity.'
'Yes well, should, but doesn't,' she replied, forcing a casual shrug and giving Khalid a small smile, 'besides, maybe I can pull a 'Lydethia'.'
'A what? Lydethia?'

'Yes,' Fritha continued, lowering herself back down, her voice changing slightly, taking a measured, almost melodious lilt as she began the story, 'she was an elven maiden from long ago whose beauty was so intense that if any male were to see her he would drop down dead; his heart would burst, you see.'
Imoen snorted.
'Hah! The blokes I know, it wouldn't be their hearts that burst!'
'Imoen!' the group chorused while the girl in question was lost to giggles.
'What h-happened?'
'Well, Lydethia travelled far and wide in vain, trying to find one with whom she could share her love. One night she came exhausted to a temple of Sune and that kind goddess looked down upon her plight and pitied her. As Lydethia slept, Sune took down some stars and created a man of such beauty that he alone could court her.'
'So it's a happy ending then?' asked Jaheira, interested in spite of herself.
Fritha sadly shook her head.

'Afraid not. You see though Sune had created the man, such were his charms that she herself began to fall in love with him. She tried to ignore it but over the years it just grew worse. She found herself unable to think of anything else and so did it affect her that in the end she had to return him to the stars from whence he came. Here, you can still see him there.'
All followed her hand as she traced the outline of the constellation overhead, just visible in the pale indigo of the eastern skies.
'Wow…' breathed Imoen, utterly enchanted, 'what happened to Lydethia?'
'She shared the fate she had given to so many and died of a broken heart.'
'How sad…' Khalid said with a sigh.
'Still, one thing did come from their union, a child. The first ever half-elf born on Faerûn.
'Really?'
'Yes, a child with the beauty of the stars and the blood of the immortals… a daughter, whom the gods named-' she paused a moment, slyly glancing at their rapt faces, '-Fritha.'

For a second silenced reigned until the group groaned as one, drawing back with much smiling and shaking of heads.
'Fritha!' cried Imoen, her voice wavering somewhere between laughter and dismay, 'you just made all that up, didn't you!'
'No, no,' she placated, grinning, 'just the end bit, the rest is true.'
'Well,' she continued, rising again, bag in hand, 'I'm off for a wash, coming?'

xxx

Fritha smiled to herself as she followed the sandy-haired lad through the trees at a brisk pace, her friends not far behind her. Finally, after almost half a tenday of fruitless searching, their luck had changed that afternoon, and one quick chat with their unfortunate guide, Tevan, later and they were all on their way to becoming members of one of the most notorious bandit groups ever to plague the Sword Coast. The only minor problem being, that they were more likely to find that the First Reader was actually behind the whole thing, than they were to pass themselves of as "dangerously hardened mercenaries".

She watched as Tevan glanced behind him to the party as they followed the bandit through the ancient forests of Peldsvale. With Dynaheir and Jaheira not speaking from yet another argument, Khalid and Imoen playing a game of 'I went to market…' and Minsc announcing loudly at various intervals that his hamster wanted 'bandit blood', she couldn't blame him for looking a little wary. In fact, from the way he was wincing she suspected he was not looking forward to explaining why he'd invited such an odd group to join with them. Not that he'd had much of a choice in the matter; Dynaheir's spell had seen to that, though, if that had failed they could have always employed the Wychlaran obvious natural charms to convince him. Either that or set Jaheira on him…

She snorted at the thought and he caught her eye, clearly hoping that at least a couple of his new recruits were presentable. She gave what she hoped was both a reassuring and yet evil smile which fell disappointedly when he shuddered and returned his attention back to the path ahead. She would really have to work on her 'evil' before they reached the camp…

xxx

The camp was a hive of activity as they arrived, men and hobgoblins milling between the various tents and containers that were stacked about the clearing, other sat outside, by tents and fires repairing armour and checking equipment. A few looked up as they arrived, but most chose to ignore their passing as they followed Tevan to the centre of the camp and Jaheira suspected they were not the first to be recruited ad hoc from this area.

They had reached a space between the tents and Tevan signalled for them to stop, walking the last few paces to the centre of the clearing alone to speak with the broad rough man who was giving orders to the thief next to him.
'Er, R-Raiken?'

He turned his mouth half open to greet the boy when his eyes fell on the group behind him and Jaheira steadily met his gaze.
'Tevan! Who in the Abyss are these eejits? Are you mad bringing them here?'
'I-It's a risk I know but we must think about keeping our numbers up! We'll not have the time to bring more from Iriaebor. Better we recruit here, th-they've already proved themselves to me.'
'Proved themselves to you!' he scoffed, looking livid, 'get out of my sight! As for you,' he snapped, turning back to Jaheira, 'what's your story?'

She moved forward, with the measured but confident strides of someone meeting an equal.
'We are mercenaries from Amn; we heard about the increased banditry to the north and decided it may be time for a career change. Merc or bandit, our line of work needs iron and we're looking to join the only side that controls any.'
'Ah, you know about that, do you?' he confirmed, scratching the few days of growth on his chin, 'fair enough, you've done your homework but that doesn't mean you're what we're looking for.'
'I assure you, we are quite efficient in what we do.'
'Are you now?'

He looked over to where the others were stood quietly, and Jaheira was glad to see they looked neither nervous nor eager. Fritha seemed to be watching something in the trees while Imoen was talking casually with Minsc and Dynaheir, Khalid leaning on his sword and chatting with the bandit sat at his feet.
She glanced warily to Raiken's face and could see he was mulling things over, his eyebrows brought low in a frown.
'Efficient or not, it doesn't mean…'

He tailed off and Jaheira followed his gaze to Fritha, who had turned from the trees and was watching them, her expression unreadable. Jaheira tensed, waiting for the girl to do something ridiculous, but she just stood there, staring back at them. Not curious or expectant, just staring, with eyes as dark and hollow as they'd been when she'd stared at Prism's lifeless body. Then Imoen tapped her on the shoulder and just as suddenly it was gone and she'd turned to smile at her friend, as bright and natural as ever she'd been. Jaheira felt a wave of cold encompass her and fought hard against a shudder while the man at her side seemed to do the same.
He turned to her, the frown still there and nodded once.
'Tazok'll be here later this evening to meet you, until then stay within camp boundaries.'
And with that, he turned and walked off, the sound of Fritha's laughter echoing after him.

Fritha glanced up as Jaheira approached, half-expecting a reproach for laughing before but the druid did not catch her eye, instead repeating what Raiken had said and then pairing them off for scouting.
To her surprise, she and Imoen were placed together, though whether it was an expression of faith or the fact Jaheira did not want to be partnered with either of them remained a mystery. Minsc and Dynaheir were paired, which left Khalid to be with Jaheira, arrangements everyone found to their taste and the group disbanded, agreeing to reconvene in the same place at sunset.

She and Imoen strolled around the camp, relatively unnoticed in the activity around them, the occasional bandit giving them an appraising look every now and then, but most continued on as though they were beneath their interest. The late afternoon was hot now they were no longer had the shade of the trees and they had stopped, discussing whether sitting under a canopy that covered a supplies store on the edge of the camp could be considered as 'scouting', when a loud voice interrupted them.

'Hey you, new blood!'
Fritha looked up to see a tall gangly lad, barely older then she was, standing on the porch of the large wooden hut at the end of the camp and with a nudge to Imoen, who seemed rather reluctant to leave the shade, she stepped forward to speak with him.
'Just you keep in line 'cause I'll be watching you.'
Fritha raised a sceptical eyebrow
'And who might you be?'
'Me? I'm Credus and I'm your boss. I was the newest recruit until you showed up. Now you'll get all the stupid guard duty and I'll be moving up.'
Imoen snorted at her side.
'Oh, yeah? Well, you know what you can do? You can just get stuff-'
The rest of Imoen's retort was lost as Fritha caught her with an elbow, ignoring her friend's glare to ask, 'what needs guarding in a camp full of heavily armed bandits?'
Credus nodded wisely, seemingly pleased they were interested.

'Lots of people say that. "What do we need guards for?" "What's so special about Tazok's tent?" "Must not be very important if Credus can guard it."'
Behind her, Fritha heard Imoen stifle a laugh.
'Well they know nothing! I guards really well and good job too. Not many people know, but Tazok keeps important things in there. Papers and stuff,' he boasted, not noticing as their faces broke into identical grins.
'Wow,' breathed Fritha reverently, nodding, 'that does sound important. We'll be extra careful.'
'Yeah, see you do 'cause I'm going now.'
'Here, Imoen,' she continued, her face earnest, 'I'd better stay here and start my guard duty. You best go find Jaheira and tell her where I am.'
'Right you are!' grinned Imoen, saluting with a flourish.
Credus nodded sanctimoniously and swaggered off into the camp, Imoen throwing her a look and a grin before disappearing herself.

Fritha smiled back and, with a sigh, hopped up on to the porch to sit and wait, watching sun-gilded clouds drift in the western sky.