Okay, I lied in the last chapter. We really won't be getting the majority
of the torture until the next chapter, or maybe the next, depending on how
the plot pans out. Please review everyone!
Disclaimer: I own plot, Quinn, and Raz. That's it. And there is no point in suing me over it cause I am completely broke. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, this is awkward."
Jaheira was glaring at the black-cloaked elf in front of her, who wore a rather overzealous grin.
"You are much too calm for a fugitive who has just walked into the camp of those who search for her," growled Jaheira.
Raziel shrugged then sat down by the fire, making herself comfortable against the very rock she had slept on earlier. "The way I see it, I'm not in much danger. You did say earlier that you were not planning on handing me over to Anomen and the Order," she said, digging through their packs. She pulled out a loaf of bread and began to munch on it. "And unless you've changed you're mind, I figure I'm pretty safe."
"How did you hear...." Said Jaheira, then stopped. "You've been here the whole time, haven't you?"
"Yep."
"And you knew!" Jaheira said, pointing accusingly at Sarevok.
Sarevok merely glared back at the druid. Jaheira glared back. In the midst of this staring contest of epic proportions, Raziel burst out laughing, waking Imoen.
"Jaheira, what's going....." Imoen murmured sleepily. Her eyes shop open at the sight of Raziel laughing by the fire. "Liae? What are you doing here?"
Raziel turned to her old friend, and it seemed to Imoen that a little bit of the light that had once been in the elf's eyes had returned to her. Merriment danced in them as Jaheira and Sarevok both turned to glare at her.
"Hmmm..... I'm sitting at your campfire, eating your food, and watching these two go at it like idiots. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"But..... why are you here? Shouldn't you be avoiding us?"
"If I was playing by the rules, yes. But I do hate rules, and this is so much more fun."
Jaheira walked over to stand over her. "Is that all this situation is to you? A game with rules that can be broken?"
Raziel looked up at her former mentor, and to Imoen's great sadness she could see the light had disappeared from her old friend's eyes once more.
"Life had always been a game to me, Jaheira. It's just this time someone has raised the stakes." Raziel sighed and stood up, still leaning against the rock. "And as for the rules..... well, if others don't have to play by them why should I?"
"What do you mean, Liaedra?" asked Imoen.
"Will you STOP calling me that!" shouted Raziel, turning on the young thief/mage.
"That is your name, child, no matter how much you wish to forget it," said Jaheira.
Imoen could see that Raziel's impressive rage was rising, and for a moment she feared Jaheira had pushed her too far. But then Raziel unclenched her fists and threw back her head, laughing.
"Oh, I see. You want me to get angry so that I will make some mistake or let loose some secret that I want no one to know about. Very well, I'll play your game."
"What game?" Jaheira sighed, exasperated. "We are not playing games with you!"
Raziel smiled, and at that moment both Imoen and Jaheira wondered if their friend had not gone more than a little mad. "The game was already started by another," said Raziel. "I'm just taking control of this."
"Why are you doing this, Liae? All because Quinn left you?" asked Imoen.
Raziel twitched a bit at the sound of his name. "Not just because he left me. Because he left me repeatedly and did not help even when I begged him to!" She sighed. "But I would not give too much away, not yet. I am, after all, enjoying this little hunt."
She smiled and leapt onto the top of the rock. "So then, let's continue our game. I shall lead. Our field of play will be the temple. Find me there and I'll tell you everything. I swear upon the gods themselves, with one exception, of course."
"You know, you could just make this easy for us and stop playing these stupid little games of yours, elf," said Sarevok, slightly annoyed by all this pointless silliness.
Raziel laughed again, but it was not the sick laughter that had come from her before. It was more of the musical laughter that had so often graced their ears when Quinn was still mortal, and Raziel was still Liaedra.
She smiled, and it seemed to Imoen that the smile was tinged with sadness. "What's a little fun between friends? Besides, I could use a good laugh before I die, my dear Sarevok."
"Who says you're going to die?" asked Imoen. Her old friend was really beginning to worry her.
"Fools such as I always die early," she said softly. Then she turned abruptly and walked into the forest, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
Imoen stated to go after her, but Jaheira restrained her. "Let her go, child." Se said. Then she sighed. "I have a feeling we shall see her again. Liaedra wants to be found. In more ways than one."
Imoen nodded and sat back down by the fire, Jaheira joining her. Sarevok perched himself on top of the rock and looked down upon the two women.
Imoen sighed as she stared into the flickering flames. "What do you suppose really happened to her? I can't help but feel that something more must have happened to turn her into the person she is now than just Quinn leaving her."
"I agree, child," said Jaheira. "But what?"
"Something painful, no doubt. Something she tried to escape from, but there was no one there to help her," Sarevok mused.
He looked up to see both women staring up at him, strange looks on their faces. "What?" he asked defensively.
"Sarevok, do you have some insight into Liaedra that we do not?" Jaheira asked suspiciously.
"No! I was merely guessing! The way she speaks, those many scars that cross her body, and that dead look in her eyes......"
"Been staring into her eyes a lot lately, eh Sare?" said Imoen, giggling.
"I have been doing no such thing!" Sarevok exclaimed.
"Alright, 'my dear Sarevok'," she said. Now even Jaheira had to laugh.
A soft mumbling noise came from the other side of the camp. All three companions looked over to see Kelsey just awakening. He yawned and stretched his limbs, then looked at his friends with puzzlement in his eyes.
"Hey guys, what are you doing up? Did I miss something?"
Jaheira sighed, Imoen laughed, and Sarevok mumbled something about a brain- dead sorcerer. "We'll fill you in tomorrow, love," said Imoen.
"Aye," said Jaheira, yawning. "For now, I think I will retire. We can discuss our plan of attack tomorrow."
Imoen got up with Jaheira. "Me, too. 'Night guys!" she said as the two headed over to their bedrolls.
Kelsey looked over at Sarevok, who grinned. "Your turn for watch, boy," he said, and headed to his place under the tree. He heard Kelsey sigh and sit down by the fire.
Sarevok settled down on his bedroll and closed his eyes. Sleep eluded him and he found himself staring up at the moon. Silver, so like her eyes had been. He sighed and closed his eyes again. Why was he letting this she-elf get into his head? She had never bothered him this much when she had traveled with him. Why did his thoughts seem so occupied with her? Damn it, he was turning into some sort of romantic sop!
He sighed again and rolled onto his side. What would come, would come. There was no sense in worrying about it or her. After a few moments Sarevok drifted into sleep, dreaming of silver eyes and a musical laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raziel smiled. The temple was just as she remembered it. Dark and gloomy, yet with a sense of majesty, like a sleeping power just waiting to be awoken.
Hoping no more shadows had invaded after she and her friends had cleared the temple so long ago, Raziel traveled through the long, twisting hallways and trapped rooms. She reached the room with the letter puzzle and crossed it quickly, remembering to spell out the name of the long-gone god. She walked into the room with the statue on which she had been resurrected from her vampiric state so many years ago.
She sighed and sat down, laying her head against the wall. The others wouldn't be here till tomorrow, so she had some time to rest before she led them on a merry chase. She closed her eyes and let her weariness overcome her.
Suddenly, a cool breeze drifted over her arms. Opening her eyes quickly, Raziel jerked into a defensive stance, looking around with her elvish infravision. She felt a presence behind her and turned around, in the direction of the statue.
The sight in front of her was not to be believed. She stood up straight, her sword dropping from her nerveless hands.
"Hello."
Disclaimer: I own plot, Quinn, and Raz. That's it. And there is no point in suing me over it cause I am completely broke. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, this is awkward."
Jaheira was glaring at the black-cloaked elf in front of her, who wore a rather overzealous grin.
"You are much too calm for a fugitive who has just walked into the camp of those who search for her," growled Jaheira.
Raziel shrugged then sat down by the fire, making herself comfortable against the very rock she had slept on earlier. "The way I see it, I'm not in much danger. You did say earlier that you were not planning on handing me over to Anomen and the Order," she said, digging through their packs. She pulled out a loaf of bread and began to munch on it. "And unless you've changed you're mind, I figure I'm pretty safe."
"How did you hear...." Said Jaheira, then stopped. "You've been here the whole time, haven't you?"
"Yep."
"And you knew!" Jaheira said, pointing accusingly at Sarevok.
Sarevok merely glared back at the druid. Jaheira glared back. In the midst of this staring contest of epic proportions, Raziel burst out laughing, waking Imoen.
"Jaheira, what's going....." Imoen murmured sleepily. Her eyes shop open at the sight of Raziel laughing by the fire. "Liae? What are you doing here?"
Raziel turned to her old friend, and it seemed to Imoen that a little bit of the light that had once been in the elf's eyes had returned to her. Merriment danced in them as Jaheira and Sarevok both turned to glare at her.
"Hmmm..... I'm sitting at your campfire, eating your food, and watching these two go at it like idiots. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"But..... why are you here? Shouldn't you be avoiding us?"
"If I was playing by the rules, yes. But I do hate rules, and this is so much more fun."
Jaheira walked over to stand over her. "Is that all this situation is to you? A game with rules that can be broken?"
Raziel looked up at her former mentor, and to Imoen's great sadness she could see the light had disappeared from her old friend's eyes once more.
"Life had always been a game to me, Jaheira. It's just this time someone has raised the stakes." Raziel sighed and stood up, still leaning against the rock. "And as for the rules..... well, if others don't have to play by them why should I?"
"What do you mean, Liaedra?" asked Imoen.
"Will you STOP calling me that!" shouted Raziel, turning on the young thief/mage.
"That is your name, child, no matter how much you wish to forget it," said Jaheira.
Imoen could see that Raziel's impressive rage was rising, and for a moment she feared Jaheira had pushed her too far. But then Raziel unclenched her fists and threw back her head, laughing.
"Oh, I see. You want me to get angry so that I will make some mistake or let loose some secret that I want no one to know about. Very well, I'll play your game."
"What game?" Jaheira sighed, exasperated. "We are not playing games with you!"
Raziel smiled, and at that moment both Imoen and Jaheira wondered if their friend had not gone more than a little mad. "The game was already started by another," said Raziel. "I'm just taking control of this."
"Why are you doing this, Liae? All because Quinn left you?" asked Imoen.
Raziel twitched a bit at the sound of his name. "Not just because he left me. Because he left me repeatedly and did not help even when I begged him to!" She sighed. "But I would not give too much away, not yet. I am, after all, enjoying this little hunt."
She smiled and leapt onto the top of the rock. "So then, let's continue our game. I shall lead. Our field of play will be the temple. Find me there and I'll tell you everything. I swear upon the gods themselves, with one exception, of course."
"You know, you could just make this easy for us and stop playing these stupid little games of yours, elf," said Sarevok, slightly annoyed by all this pointless silliness.
Raziel laughed again, but it was not the sick laughter that had come from her before. It was more of the musical laughter that had so often graced their ears when Quinn was still mortal, and Raziel was still Liaedra.
She smiled, and it seemed to Imoen that the smile was tinged with sadness. "What's a little fun between friends? Besides, I could use a good laugh before I die, my dear Sarevok."
"Who says you're going to die?" asked Imoen. Her old friend was really beginning to worry her.
"Fools such as I always die early," she said softly. Then she turned abruptly and walked into the forest, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
Imoen stated to go after her, but Jaheira restrained her. "Let her go, child." Se said. Then she sighed. "I have a feeling we shall see her again. Liaedra wants to be found. In more ways than one."
Imoen nodded and sat back down by the fire, Jaheira joining her. Sarevok perched himself on top of the rock and looked down upon the two women.
Imoen sighed as she stared into the flickering flames. "What do you suppose really happened to her? I can't help but feel that something more must have happened to turn her into the person she is now than just Quinn leaving her."
"I agree, child," said Jaheira. "But what?"
"Something painful, no doubt. Something she tried to escape from, but there was no one there to help her," Sarevok mused.
He looked up to see both women staring up at him, strange looks on their faces. "What?" he asked defensively.
"Sarevok, do you have some insight into Liaedra that we do not?" Jaheira asked suspiciously.
"No! I was merely guessing! The way she speaks, those many scars that cross her body, and that dead look in her eyes......"
"Been staring into her eyes a lot lately, eh Sare?" said Imoen, giggling.
"I have been doing no such thing!" Sarevok exclaimed.
"Alright, 'my dear Sarevok'," she said. Now even Jaheira had to laugh.
A soft mumbling noise came from the other side of the camp. All three companions looked over to see Kelsey just awakening. He yawned and stretched his limbs, then looked at his friends with puzzlement in his eyes.
"Hey guys, what are you doing up? Did I miss something?"
Jaheira sighed, Imoen laughed, and Sarevok mumbled something about a brain- dead sorcerer. "We'll fill you in tomorrow, love," said Imoen.
"Aye," said Jaheira, yawning. "For now, I think I will retire. We can discuss our plan of attack tomorrow."
Imoen got up with Jaheira. "Me, too. 'Night guys!" she said as the two headed over to their bedrolls.
Kelsey looked over at Sarevok, who grinned. "Your turn for watch, boy," he said, and headed to his place under the tree. He heard Kelsey sigh and sit down by the fire.
Sarevok settled down on his bedroll and closed his eyes. Sleep eluded him and he found himself staring up at the moon. Silver, so like her eyes had been. He sighed and closed his eyes again. Why was he letting this she-elf get into his head? She had never bothered him this much when she had traveled with him. Why did his thoughts seem so occupied with her? Damn it, he was turning into some sort of romantic sop!
He sighed again and rolled onto his side. What would come, would come. There was no sense in worrying about it or her. After a few moments Sarevok drifted into sleep, dreaming of silver eyes and a musical laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raziel smiled. The temple was just as she remembered it. Dark and gloomy, yet with a sense of majesty, like a sleeping power just waiting to be awoken.
Hoping no more shadows had invaded after she and her friends had cleared the temple so long ago, Raziel traveled through the long, twisting hallways and trapped rooms. She reached the room with the letter puzzle and crossed it quickly, remembering to spell out the name of the long-gone god. She walked into the room with the statue on which she had been resurrected from her vampiric state so many years ago.
She sighed and sat down, laying her head against the wall. The others wouldn't be here till tomorrow, so she had some time to rest before she led them on a merry chase. She closed her eyes and let her weariness overcome her.
Suddenly, a cool breeze drifted over her arms. Opening her eyes quickly, Raziel jerked into a defensive stance, looking around with her elvish infravision. She felt a presence behind her and turned around, in the direction of the statue.
The sight in front of her was not to be believed. She stood up straight, her sword dropping from her nerveless hands.
"Hello."