Chapter 11

The binding old ties

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The crude foyer was as wide as it was long. A film of dust covered the tarp laid over the crates there, with lines in the floor where one could see items being dragged across the room. Pulleys and ropes hung overhead to haul heavy objects to the upper levels. More storage space available further up, along with what appeared to be a serviceable repair workshop. For all intents and purposes, a legitimate warehouse. A place that should be teeming with workers and labourers shifting goods to make a big shipment even this late in the day.

And yet, the area was deserted.

Jaheira crossed her arms. Meronia was late.

Last night's instructions to her were clear. Come alone, come at dusk. Waiting gave her ample time to consider if she was making a mistake going in alone. In the past, she would have acquiesced without question, her unflinching loyalty to the Harper cause came with the burning need to put herself at their disposal. To do her part to preserve the balance.

After the debacle at Baldur's Gate, however, she became more…reserved in her dedication. She'd gone to her fellows then with a desperate plea for help, to defeat a great threat against the region. It turned out that they were more concerned with the image of the Harpers supporting Elene, a Bhaalspawn, than putting out their best people to deal with the danger Sarevok posed. Naturally, her mentor, Entillis Fulsom, had taken her aside once all was right to explain their logic. But the damage was done. She could never see him or the others in the same light again.

It didn't help that Entillis could not give a straight answer for the secrecy around Elene in the first place. All he could say was that it was ultimately Gorion's decision to take the girl in as a babe. To protect and to raise her as someone other than what destiny dictated her to be. And that it would fall on Gorion to deal with the consequences. Good or ill.

"And what of Khalid and I, now that we've decided to take her in?" Jaheira demanded.

"Not to worry, my dear." Entillis then drew into himself, his eyes unreadable. "For as long as she walks the path of balance, Elene will have Harper protection. I owe it to Gorion as much as you."

She didn't ask what he meant by 'the path of balance'. A part of her didn't really want to know.

Not for the first time of late, she wished fervently for Khalid's steady presence. At the very least, his counsel would set her mind at ease. She needed to know she wasn't being foolhardy in approaching this particular Harper cell without Belgrade at the helm. But the alternative was to leave Elene to do the bidding of that wicked drow priestess, Viconia. Now she was never one for blind prejudice, but she'd heard enough tales of the drow to know that the one-sided arrangement would not qualify as 'walking the path of balance'.

It seemed every which way they turned, there was a nasty trap lying in wait. And the traps get deadlier the deeper they ventured in.

"So, you're here."

Jaheira's head whipped up to the source of the voice. It came from the upper level. "Meronia?"

Silence. Then, a lone figure dressed in the deepest black emerged from the shadows near the pulleys. A lithe woman with tawny curls, golden skinned like the typical Athkatlan. Her features were too strong to be called pretty, but Meronia had never needed something as common as looks to get what she wanted.

"Nice to see you again, Jaheira," she said with a smile.

"Likewise."

"Apologies for making you wait. I wanted to be sure you were alone." Meronia sailed down on one of the dangling ropes, landing neatly with nary a sound on the creaky floor. The years had taken nothing away from her agility.

"I am capable of following instructions," Jaheira retorted.

"Never claimed otherwise." The other woman shrugged. "It's just…you've been spotted dealing with some interesting characters of late. The Shadow Thieves tend to be quite nosey about their new associates. I thought I'd take precautions."

Jaheira stared at her. "You've been following me?"

Meronia raised a hand. "Not for long. Only to confirm your identity. Things have been dangerous this past year; we've lost a few good people, collateral damage from the guild war. And well…I'm sure you know about Belgrade by now."

"What happened to him?"

A sigh. "Would that I know. I found him in an alley not far from the Coronet. Not a mark on him. But he looked sickly. As if he'd been struck by a sudden illness that crippled him in a matter of days."

Jaheira's eyes narrowed. "Poison?"

"I couldn't find any in his system. Believe me, if I had any inkling that he had been murdered, retribution would have been swift." Meronia raised her chin. "And painful."

Just as Ribald had informed her. It didn't make his loss sting any less. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"As am I. You were close to him as well. I have to ask, though, where is Khalid?"

Jaheira swallowed the lump in her throat. "He's gone."

Meronia sighed again, shaking her head. "So many lost. Far too many."

"And more still will be lost if we are not vigilant." Jaheira stepped forward. "That's part of the reason I've been seeking you out."

"To avenge Khalid?"

"No." Yes. "I was taken from the Sword Coast against my will, along with my two charges. When we were trying to escape our captors, one girl made the mistake of casting a spell in the Promenade, in plain view of many witnesses. She is now in the custody of the Cowled Wizards. My intention is to get her back."

Meronia's frown was particularly troubled. "We do not involve ourselves with the Cowled Ones. The statute against magic use has been enshrined for the better part of a century and is part of the city's very fabric. You know the rules here as well as I."

"I'm not asking you to incite a war against them," Jaheira snapped, once again reminded of her futile entreaties to Delthyr and Entillis in the Gate. Though she told herself to be prepared for it, a rejection from Meronia would mortally wound her faith in the group who'd all but raised her. "Only to help equip me and mine to take the fight to them. From the shadows, if need be. The girl was unfairly taken, she was defending herself against the madman who murdered my husband!"

"Who is this girl? No offense meant, but you never struck me as the…child-rearing type."

Jaheira almost smiled. Meronia wasn't wrong by any means. If she'd been told years ago that she'd be responsible for two imps with penchant for magical antics, she would have clocked them hard on the side of the head for such a terrible joke.

"Her name is Imoen. She was from Candlekeep, same as the other."

"Candlekeep eh?" Meronia paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "Oh yes, you are traveling with Gorion Greymantle's ward now, aren't you?"

Something in her tone immediately put Jaheira on edge. She seemed too knowing for someone with minimal interaction with Gorion while he lived. Despite their common thread in Belgrade, Meronia's cunning had always been something to be wary of. Partly why she never endeared herself to Jaheira. Was Elene an open secret among the lead Harper operatives? More importantly, how much did these Athkatlan Harpers know about Elene's unique heritage?

"Yes. What is it to you?" she asked warily.

"Well, I must admit I'm a bit curious. Gorion was a legend, his retirement took many by surprise." Merionia's eyes glittered in the dim light. "And so did his passing."

"The current situation has nothing to do with him." Jaheira ploughed on, refusing to be baited into divulging more. "All I need is to correct this injustice done to my charge. I will do what it takes to get her back under my care, and I will do so with or without Harper help or sanction. What say you to that?"

"Peace, Jaheira. I am still your friend."

"Truly? I thought friends extend aid to another in need."

"And I intend to give it. It's just…" Meronia hesitated. "Our chapter was cut off from the Gate given talk of war, for fear of being seen as enemy spies. We didn't hear much from Fulsom and his bunch. So, we'd had to make do with…second-hand sources."

"You mean rumours."

Meronia tilted her head in amusement. "You never mince words, do you? Regardless, what we have heard has been unsettling. Amn and the Gate had been put on the brink of war thanks to warmongering by Sarevok Anchev. And the one who managed to defeat him was a young woman from Candlekeep." Here, she lowered her voice. "The kicker is this: apparently, both Sarevok and his vanquisher are spawns of the dead God Bhaal."

Somehow, Jaheira avoided from gritting her teeth at that. From the meaningful look Meronia was giving her, there was no way she was getting all this strictly from hearsay. It made her angry, given that she had not been privy to the information until that fateful night outside Candlekeep.

So, they know about that. What else do they know, I wonder?

"And did these rumours tell you what the Harper involvement was in all this, hmm?" Jaheira fought to keep her voice steady as her temper rose. "They sat on their thumbs waiting for that 'young woman from Candlekeep' to remove Sarevok before they can swoop in and clean up, getting into the good graces of the Grand Dukes."

"Oh, Jaheira," Meronia lamented.

"I sincerely hope the Athkatla chapter is more interested in upholding the balance and righting injustices than participating in victory banquets," Jaheira lashed out.

"Hang on now, that's more than a little unreasonable. I understand your…attachment to your wards. But in fighting for balance, sometimes we accept there are things we should not interfere in unless we have solid proof."

"Is that where you stand in this?"

Meronia spread her hands in a placating gesture. "Look. I said I wanted to help, and I will. But before we can get into it, I think it's only fair if we meet Elene first."

Jaheira frowned. "Why?"

"Her reputation precedes her. Especially after what happened in the Gate. A storm is coming, we can all feel it. Galvarey wants to speak with her and find out where she stands in all this."

"Galvarey, that twit," Jaheira spat. "You answer to him?"

Meronia's expression cooled instantly. "Watch your words, Jaheira. He's the ranking Harper in Athkatla. You'd do well to remember that."

Jaheira stood her ground. "Still doesn't answer the question of what he wants with her."

"He just wants to talk. You have nothing to fear from him, he's always had the interest of the Harpers at heart."

I highly doubt that.

Somehow, she managed to school her features into something approximating neutrality as she thought it over. Galvarey was a short-sighted, ambitious, loud-mouthed prat who fought Gorion and Entillis at every turn in his youth. It grated her nerves to no end that his transparent fumbling for power had been so resoundingly rewarded by the Heralds. The chapter head of Athkatla? Honestly, what was everyone thinking? More importantly, though…what does he want with Elene? What does she have to do with any of this?

And yet. If she said no right away, she would be closing the door to the Harpers, perhaps for good. Galvarey would certainly not take the slight lying down. Elene could lose the chance to show to them the kind of person she was. That she was, and always will be more than just a product of bad blood.

"Is it common knowledge, about Elene?"

"Most know of the rumours. But only a small handful know her true history."

For a long time, there were no words exchanged. Vaguely, Jaheira wondered if their chat today was nothing more than an elaborate game of chess. She should have come in better prepared.

"I will think on it," Jaheira finally relented.

"Of course. You can drop a note here when you're ready. I will let you know where and when the meeting will take place." Meronia's gaze turned sympathetic. "For what it's worth, I'm supportive of what you're trying to do. I can see that you care very much for your charges."

Jaheira nodded, for the most part ignoring her triteness. "Hopefully we will speak more soon."

Droplets of rain made light pattering sounds on her metal pauldrons as she strode out into the night. She didn't bother to raise her hood even, her head still spinning with questions. She was no fool. Meronia, for all her warmth, was a political animal herself. She saw how quickly her tone shifted when Galvarey was slighted. Doubtless he had a hand in ensuring her swift promotion to Belgrade's post once it became vacant. Her offer for help came with strings, that much Jaheira knew. What bothered her was that she didn't know what those strings were connected to. They were after something, her and Galvarey both. And somehow, Elene factored into their machinations, if not due to her heritage, then at least because of Gorion.

But what did that mean? Harpers would never condone the murder of a long-standing affiliate, much less in their own halls. So, it was unlikely that Elene's life would be in danger. Then what did they need her for? Clout? Leverage? How did they plan to achieve that exactly?

Oh, if only she'd learned to play these blasted games in her youth!

The walk to the Sea's Bounty Tavern was a short one, at least. A group of sailors shouted the chorus of a risqué shanty as she entered, drawing a scowl from her. One look at her weapons and her expression dissuaded anyone from trying their luck with her, though, so she made her way across the tavern unmolested to join her group. Yoshimo already had two tankards in front of him, while Elene and Anomen were still nursing their first. Jaheira settled into her seat without a word, fastidiously avoiding eye contact as she did. Yoshimo looked ready to open his mouth and ask, but Elene cut him off with a look.

"Dinner?" Elene asked instead.

"Something light perhaps," Jaheira replied. Never mind that she had no appetite to speak of.

"We have time. Perhaps wait the rain out," Anomen told her, eyeing the water droplets on her armour.

The rest of the meal passed in quiet conversation, Elene going through a few 'extraction' techniques with Yoshimo as they ate. It appeared that the lead they'd pursued in the docks from an importer had turned fruitful. From there, they would strike at Viconia's mark that night, stealing two key agreements still in negotiation to be shopped off to a competitor for them to undercut.

"Which agreements are these?" Anomen asked, curious despite his evident disdain.

"A lease agreement and a supply contract," answered Elene. "From what we've discovered so far, they plan to set up a base in the Bridge District and start with basic goods. Leather, tannin, cloth. My theory is that they're going to struggle against the existing businesses in the district if they can't get the raw materials in cheaply. No one wants to pay a premium on the basics, especially not in the Bridge. Losing those two agreements to competitors should put a dent on their expansion plans."

Yoshimo turned to smile at her, admiration in his eyes. "They teach you all this in Candlekeep?"

Elene returned the smile sheepishly.

Chewing her food, Jaheira watched their exchange in contemplation. Yoshimo and Elene have been like two peas in a pod ever since they returned from the first meeting with Mae'var nearly a tenday ago. Uncomfortable as she was with the notion, she had to admit that Yoshimo had performed admirably in the time he's been with them. But it was much too soon still to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Much as I…dislike the notion of sabotaging a legitimate merchant operation, I have to admit the plan is bloodless," said Anomen, reluctance in every curve of his posture.

"I did say we'd do our best to toe the line," said Elene.

"And I appreciate it, my lady."

At that, Anomen's eyes flickered to Jaheira, reminding her of their tenuous truce. So far, Anomen had been less vocal in protesting their activities with Mae'var's lot. He understood the driving force behind their desperation for coin – the man had a sister of his own. Even so, she wondered how much of it was down to the fact that he'd so far been unable to find many legitimate bounties for them to pursue. At least one that can match the Shadow Thieves' going rate.

Then Anomen cleared his throat. "I'm still working with Lieutenant Aegisfield on the 'skinner' murders at the Bridge. They found another body this morning. I'll be going over to see him tomorrow to go over new evidence."

"I hope you find your man soon. Let us know when it's time to step in for arrest, he might be too dangerous for the Watch," replied Elene.

"In the meantime, will we finally see Jan's toy in action tonight, I wonder?" Yoshimo mused.

"What, the cylinder?" Elene chuckled uneasily. "Oh, I hope not."

"Come now, you still haven't told me what it does!"

Jaheira didn't miss the furtive look Elene sneaked in her direction. "It'll be a surprise."

At the sight of those trusting green eyes, Jaheira suffered an attack of conscience. Maybe…she should tell Elene about her conversation with Meronia. The girl deserved to know; her fate was on the line. A few times as she chewed through dinner, she'd been ready to open her mouth to broach the topic. Then at the last moment, she stopped, burdened by her age-old allegiance to the Harpers. Their tenets she'd sworn to, the obsessive need for secrecy. In the end, she held her tongue, and decided that the burden would be hers to bear. She will have to manage it alone.

With a solid plan in hand, there was nothing left but for Elene and Yoshimo to head out and execute it. Jaheira begged off from the venture, leaving it in their capable, if sticky hands. It would give her time to strategise her discussion with Elene on the Harper angle. She was sure Elene would be just as wary of the situation as she was, but it was important that she get on the Harper's good side in the long run. Now, the question was how to convince Elene to come along without having to explain all the background with Galvarey, Belgrade and Meronia?

"You look bothered," Elene pointed out softly as they headed east through the city together. It was safer to move in numbers before splitting up, at least until they'd crossed past a certain part of the slums. Armed as they were, though, they were unlikely to be hassled by common street thugs.

Jaheira sighed. "It's…complicated."

"Are they supportive, at least?"

"For the most part."

Elene's lips twitched. "I suppose I'll take what I can get."

You may not think so when you hear the full story.

Khalid, am I doing the right thing?

"Child?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you trust me?"

Incredulity flashed across Elene's features. "Of course. What kind of question is that?"

"I just needed to hear your answer," Jaheira replied quietly.

Before Elene could prod further, they rounded the corner, arriving at an intersection. It marked the way into the slums proper, where larger pathways met a network of many small lanes. Here, houses were packed in together, dozens in a row to maximise space and optimise rent. It was also one of the worst-lit areas in the city by virtue of the illegal structures erected to support the crowded living conditions. The light from the magical lamps dotting the district were obstructed at most points, creating large pools of blind spots in each of the lanes. One of the reasons why the locals didn't walk the streets beyond a certain hour there, even though it was the quickest route to the cluster of taverns near the Coronet.

Distracted in conversation, both women couldn't react in time when arrows came flying out from said blind spots.

One bounced off Jaheira's metal chestplate, a curse escaping her as she turned to deflect another off the right pauldron. Elene, however, didn't enjoy the luxury of heavy armour. Two arrows lodged themselves in her shoulder and midsection, staggering her back in surprise.

"Get the women alive!" barked a harsh voice from the adjacent lane.

Growling, Jaheira drew her weapon and charged, hoping to draw fire from Elene while she recovered. Whoever their attackers were, they were having a laugh if they think 'the women' will come quietly. Names, enemies skittered through her mind as she wondered who these men were. Then she saw them. A group of men in familiar brown and tan leathers closing in on her group, broad-shouldered and coarse. Simple weapons wielded with wicked, leering smiles.

Slavers.

Because of course Lehtinan's cell was part of a larger network in the city. This attack must be retribution for their work at the Coronet and the stockade. Elene had been warning her of unseen eyes on them for days now, and she'd dismissed it out of hand thinking it was either the work of either the Shadow Thieves or the Harpers. Even as she crossed weapons with the first enemy, she cursed inwardly for her lapse of judgment. They should have been watching for this all along. Blood feuds with slavers did not end until either party was completely rooted out – they were notoriously protective of their territories and 'properties'.

Her opponent pulled back from his first move, swinging his sword for a follow-up strike at her leg. Another twirl of her staff put paid to that, blocking the blow neatly. Before he could adapt, she shifted her footwork to swiftly thrust the other end of her staff at the man's face. It caught him firmly in the nose, netting a pained grunt and a spray of blood.

Anomen had not been idle. A surge of energy ran through her as she moved in for another blow, fuelled by his prayer. As he stepped up to cover her right side, though, she spotted an arrow protruding from a gap in his plate. He grimaced as his shield rose to block a brutal mace strike. At the same time, Yoshimo's arrow missed the mark by mere inches, the man struggling to aim mobile targets in the dark without Darkvision to aid him.

Despite his initial gusto, her opponent couldn't match her in experience. Even as the fight hit a frenetic stride, she kept her cool, carefully reading his moves to turn his momentum against him with her longer reach. Lacking Elene's blistering pace, she had to outthink and outlast her enemies instead. It was a matter of time before he overextended, giving her an opening to whip her staff in a vicious arc that cracked the side of his skull with resounding finality. Watching him fall, she mused that some considered a staff to be a relatively refined weapon compared to the blade. They'd clearly never seen brain matter creeping out of a brutal head wound before.

She whipped an arm up instinctively to protect her front. A spiked flail head connected with her staff and forearm. She had to grit her teeth against the ringing pain from the impact. Her vambrace took the brunt of the damage, but her fingers were stiff as she tried to shake off the pain. Flicking her gaze rightward, she could see Anomen was likewise struggling against his man.

"Elene, step up!" Jaheira growled.

Who was she kidding, though? Without magic and the element of surprise, Elene wouldn't make much of a dent with such wounds. Victory or death now lay on her own shoulders.

The flail wielder flashed a cruel smile at her. "Yer gonna pay for the stockade. We'll take it out of yer hide one day at a time."

"Do your worst, swine," Jaheira spat.

Another arrow from their archer flew past her. Turning her head, she watched as Elene shambled forward, shaky as a new-born foal. The girl batted the projectile out of the air with a pained grunt. Her features drew taut as she closed in on the archer. Still fight left in her even with blood still oozing from her front. Good. She'd best be ready to brawl to the death, for the alternative was not worth thinking on. Jaheira knew very well what happened to full-blooded elves under slaver care.

Despite the desperation bolstering their resolve, their group could not do much in the face of a targeted onslaught. In quick succession, another arrow put paid to Elene's ill-advised charge, Anomen took a hard blow to the middle while Yoshimo finally fell prey to the other archer.

Jaheira snarled, ready to go down fighting. She'd sooner die than let these monsters lay a hand on Elene. Distancing her feet, she entered an offensive stance. Calculated the next strike…

…Then blinked when an arrow flew in from behind and sunk into her taller opponent's eye socket.

Yoshimo? But no, that shot was impossible…

Instinct took over before she could overanalyse the situation. Not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth, so they say. Leaving her own opponent's corpse, she engaged Anomen's tormentor, made quick work of him as he was distracted with beating down the Helmite. As she did, another arrow lodged itself in the throat of one of the remaining archers. She knew for sure then it wasn't Yoshimo's handiwork since he was still guzzling a healing potion to recover from his own wounds. With their hidden friend finishing off the remaining archer, they were left alone on the streets.

Jaheira put a steadying hand on Anomen's shoulder. "Can you heal yourself?"

"Yes," he rasped. "Get to Elene."

Indeed, the girl was in even worse shape as she lay panting on the street, a third arrow lodged in the collarbone. Yet she was conscious when Jaheira kneeled by her side.

"P-poisoned," she whispered. "Torpor."

Jaheira's gloves were off in seconds. "I'll deal with it. You're safe now."

Small blessing they wanted her alive. Torpor poison was intended to incapacitate rather than kill. Muttering a spell under her breath, she could feel the toxin in Elene's system, easily purged now that she knew what to look for. Elene began to relax as divine magic began to do its work, eyes blinking slowly as she fought back lethargy. Jaheira drew a shuddering breath, already thinking of next steps. They needed to get back to the inn to let her sleep off any after-effects. A sharp whistle interrupted her train of thought, drawing her gaze away from her wounded charge.

"Company!" exclaimed Yoshimo.

Jaheira reached for her weapon. She saw Elene's hand likewise close around a set of throwing knives at her belt. A tall, hooded figure stepped out from the shadows with a longbow slung over one shoulder. Their hidden accomplice stepping into the light at last. The figure paused a few paces away from her, watching. Waiting. Taking in his forest green attire and familiar stance, Jaheira's burrows furrowed in thought.

It can't be.

"Who are you?" barked Anomen as he stood over Jaheira protectively, his shield already raised.

Instead of replying, the newcomer simply tugged his hood down to his shoulders. Dark hair cropped short, woad tattoos inked across chiselled elven features, the unmoving eyes of a skilled hunter. A sharp gasp escaped from Elene. Well, that explained the precision of the arrows. Profound, all-encompassing relief flooded through Jaheira at the sight of him, her shoulders sagging in undisguised weariness. An ally unlooked-for, yet undoubtedly the fiercest one they could hope to find in this cesspool of a city.

"Kivan?" Elene's voice sounded so small in the darkness.

He gave her a curt nod. Then frowned as he took in the faces of Yoshimo and Anomen.

"Where are Khalid and Imoen?"