Disclaimer: The characters of Jarlaxle, Entreri, the Underdark, Faerûn, the drow, and other aspects of Forgotten Realms are the creations of R.A. Salvatore. I seek not to steal from his creation but only to humbly expand. The character of Jarian however is my creation.

The streets were littered with various races, flitting from store to store, defining the hectic consumer society. Entreri reminisced about his Calimport street days and the haggling vendors that lined the sand strewn streets-

"Artemis! This cream tart is simply divine! You must try some!"

Entreri's flashback was shattered into a shard of memory as Jarian brought a sweet substance to his lips. He quickly backed into a tent post, nearly toppling a vendor's stand. Thankfully, his reflexes and steady hands prevented that from happening. "I'm not hungry."

"Nor am I," Jarian said, licking the sugar from his lips. "But sometimes I must indulge myself."

Kaifas, Maskah, and Shytolin were enjoying their tarts, licking their fingers and feeding one another.

Entreri noted this and felt his stomach churn. "I don't have an appetite at the moment."

"I better see you eat something later Artemis," Jarian said in a tone akin to a master talking to their pet. "If I don't, I will hand feed you."

Entreri ignored him and continued walking toward the Costumer's Hall, hoping that the drow wouldn't insist on stopping at every shop and vendor's stand along the way.

Half an hour later, Entreri found himself carrying a multitude of bags. I'm no longer a bodyguard; I'm a bloody pack mule.

"What do you think of these beads Artemis?" Jarian twirled about and flaunted the ivory colored beads around his neck.

"Don't call me that, especially in public, when I am wearing a disguise," Entreri said in a low voice.

Jarian sidled over to the assassin. "Can I call you Artie?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"You can't make me not call you Artie."

"I can cut out your tongue," Entreri said darkly.

"You'd have to touch it first," Jarian said in a husky voice.

Entreri didn't answer; instead he stalked toward the Costumer's Hall.

Jarian smirked and followed saying quietly, "I promise only to call you Artie when you're in disguise."

This elicited a grunt from Entreri, which Jarian interpreted as 'fine-but-if-you-call-me-that-name-any-other-time-I-really-will-cut-out-your-tongue'. Jarian found the prospect quite exciting.

Alura Tarbrossen personally led the tour of Costumer's Hall as each tailor entered the building's doors. Upon seeing drow, she knew that they had to be Jarlaxle's fashion representatives.

Walking over to them, "Greetings, I am Alura Tarbrossen, representative of the Order of Master Tailors, Glovers, and Mercers. Welcome to Waterdeep! I have heard much about Master Jarian's talents." She examined each of them, extending her hand to Jarian as she ascertained the most fashionably dressed.

"Well met Lady Tarbrossen," Jarian said kissing her hand. "I would very much like to tour this facility and see what my models and I have to work with for the Display."

"Your models?" She looked to Entreri quizzically.

Entreri blinked. "I'm just the bodyguard."

"Bodyguard indeed," Lady Tarbrossen murmured, looking him up and down.

Jarian's eyes narrowed, he's sentinel to my body, not yours my dear. Jarlaxle may find you a delicious sample, but Artemis is mine.

"Yes," Jarian said, taking Lady Tarbrossen's arm, leading her away from Entreri, "Artie is a fine bodyguard. He serves all of my body needs."

Entreri suppressed the urge to kill Jarian; after all, there were too many witnesses.

After several hours of touring the building, they walked out of Costumer's Hall. The sky had considerably darkened since they entered the building. A light drizzle fell from the sky and citizens scrambled to cover their wares.

Entreri drew the hood of his cloak over his head and walked forward. "Let's go." He paused when the drow didn't immediately follow and turned to look at them.

Jarian was catching raindrops in his hands and staring up to the sky in awe. His eyes sparkled with wonder. "So this is what rain feels like."

His servants looked up to the sky timidly and slowly joined Jarian; eventually delighting in the fact they could catch raindrops with their tongues.

Entreri cleared his throat. "Aren't you worried about your clothes or your hair?"

The four drow gasped slightly in alarm and wrapped their cloaks tightly about themselves, huddling in the cowls. Entreri smirked as he turned around and led them back toward the Inn.

Dark figures lurked in the alley shadows, watching the group leave Costumer's Hall. They had stalked the group since their entrance into the city, loathing the very presence of the drow.

Entreri navigated through the back alleys, intent on making it to the secret entrance of the Inn before it started to downpour. He paused as he saw a flash of a weapon out of the corner of his eye. In a swift movement he had his sabre drawn and his arm extended behind him to stop the following drow.

"Be on your guard. We've been followed."

Jarian's eyes glowed as he shifted his sight to full infravision. "There are at least fifteen of them," he whispered to the assassin.

Kaifas, Maskah, and Shytolin kneeled and drew daggers from their boots, holding them at the ready.

The usually light and carefree drow were now slipping into a mode befitting their dark heritage.

The ruffians emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn and at the ready.

"Go back in your holes drow," a particularly large man growled out. "We don't want your kind here!"

They think I'm a drow as well, Entreri realized. It took him a moment to recognize that his defensive stance was similar to the four drow and that he had been walking of late like the drow, toe to heel, instead of heel to toe.

"We're here to do business that is none of your concern," Entreri responded, imitating the accent of a drow speaking Common tongue.

"We don't want your business here," the man said. Spitting at the ground, "it only ends in death, you filthy murderers!"

"Let us pass," Entreri said, "there does not need to be bloodshed."

The man smiled nastily. "I disagree."

A crossbow quarrel was unleashed at the group and they exploded into action. Kaifas, Maskah, and Shytolin aimed and released their daggers at the archers, having already ascertained their locations. Entreri deflected a stray quarrel away from the group with a twirl of his sabre.

"Stay together," Entreri said. "They think that they have the advantage because of their increased numbers. Cover them in darkness and use your hearing to detect their movement in the rain."

"You really think like quite the drow," Jarian said. He wrapped his tape measure about his hand.

"Is that a tape measure?"

Jarian smirked. "I am a drow of many, many talents." He flicked it to his side, taking out one of the humans with a resounding crack, sounding just like a whip.

"Just don't hit me with that thing," Entreri said, shifting into an offensive stance.

"I won't unless you ask," Jarian said with a sly smile.

Entreri fought back a grimace. "Globe of darkness, now."

The assassin was glad for the earring in his ear that allowed his sight to shift to infravision. Most of the ruffians became a chaotic rabble when the curtain of darkness fell. The rain created wisps of heat that rose off the humans like steam and Entreri maintained a warrior-like calm to keep his body temperature different than the others so the drow could differentiate the heat signatures. Clangs of weapons echoed down the alley, like funeral bells tolling a requiem for the fallen.

The globe of darkness faded and Entreri stood amidst the bodies of those he had slain. The hood of his cloak had fallen back and rain dripped from his hair like the blood that trickled off his sabre.

"It's a human," one of the surviving ruffians yelled. "He's in league with the drow, a traitor to his own race!"

Jarian stood back with his servants, staring in slight shock at the change that had come over Entreri. They had seen him spar, but never actually kill. They finally understood why Jarlaxle kept the human around…unfortunately for Entreri, this increased Jarian's attraction tenfold.

Entreri fought with a calculated coldness that would chill the heart of any man, yet the ferocity in his eyes belied any thoughts of detachment from the kills. His job was clear, to protect the drow. He had no choice in the matter and his unconscious kept his fighting form close to the dark elves that he was charged to guard. Deep down he was impressed by the drow skills, especially Jarian, whose tape measure of doom acted as a rather useful weapon.

At one point during the battle, Jarian unfurled the tape measure toward Entreri, having it wrap around his waist. With a yank he pulled the assassin out of the way of a sword's blade and into his arms.

"I saved you!"

"I could have blocked that," Entreri growled in annoyance. Distracted for that split second Entreri didn't notice the rogue behind Jarian until the last possible moment. Shoving Jarian out of the way, he winced and plunged his sabre into the rogue's chest.

The rogue blinked, "aren't you Artemis Entreri?"

"No, just your executioner," Entreri responding, letting the man drop to the mud.

The servants helped Jarian out of the mud and looked around.

"There's none left," Kaifas observed in relief.

"We appear to have triumphed," Maskah said.

"This mud will be so hard to get out," Shytolin said, trying to clean Jarian's outfit.

Entreri held his side and knelt to the ground, examining a dagger. He quietly cursed, but rose to his feet, tossing the tape measure back to Jarian. "We must go back to the Inn and inform Jarlaxle."

He staggered and fell to the mud, slipping into a sleep of darkness.

"ARTEMIS!"

Jarian ran to his side, picking up the dagger that Entreri dropped. "Kaifas, go alert Master Jarlaxle. Maskah, Shytolin, help me carry him."

A thousand fantasies ran through Jarian's head. Entreri was unconscious, wet, heaving, and warm to the touch. Bad Jarian! He is more than likely poisoned. I wonder, will it need to be sucked out? Oh dear, bad naughty Jarian! This is all your fault. You'll have to make it up to Artemis now. . . over and over again.

Author's Note: Yes, I know what you're thinking. . .'poor Artemis!' However, the distinction between being a drow and human blurs with the characters of Entreri and Jarian. On a random note in the beginning, doesn't Entreri remind you of a poor boyfriend who gets stuck with their girlfriend shopping and has to hold their purse and bags while they try things on. :stifles the urge to giggle:

Jarian: "You hurt Artemis!"

Authoress: "Only a little. . ."

Entreri: "A little! I'm unconscious and at Jarian's mercy! This is all because you were drinking as you wrote the chapter!"

Authoress: "Don't you lecture me Mr. Let's-steal-the-authoress'-alcohol-supply! And besides, I only had a few sips of a strawberry daiquiri wine cooler as I wrote the beginning of the chapter."

Next chapter, Entreri's been hurt protecting Jarian and now he has to recover. Will he be helpless before Jarian? Will we find sides to Jarian and Entreri we've never seen before?

Depending on my homework load these questions and more will be answered in the next chapter, hopefully within the next couple weeks.

Reviewer Mailbag

Arsinoe Selene: :giggles: I love the fact that you get excited seeing the next chapter in your inbox. I get excited seeing your reviews.

:Entreri grumbles about being called, 'Artie' and blames the reviewers for the authoress actually using it:

Abbil: No worries about not reviewing other chapter, I'm happy to hear from you. Thanks for the birthday wish.

Becca: Thanks for the luck. . .but now it looks like our library will close unless a miracle happens.

Spider: Thanks for the extension; I've been far too stressed these past few weeks to even think about it. :smile: I'm happy you'd be the first to buy, lol.

Lessiehanamoray: I agree with you that Entreri always likes to be well groomed. In a way I see his regular appearance as a businessman, clean cut, well-to-do, etc. His disguise is businessman times ten, the type of cleanliness you'd wear to an awards banquet or to a very well to do party, almost akin to the care a nobleman puts into his appearance. (Though, I always seem him as a bit scruffy for his normal appearance. . .scruffy can definitely be a good thing for some men)

Yay! I'm glad you like Tazolg (and yes, you did make Jarian happier for petting him).

Lena Silverwing: :helps clean up drool and reinforces shield against Entreri's rage: Yay! Goodies!

Jarian: "Can Artemis be in my goody bag?"

Iceheart Firesoul: Entreri says that he can normally hold his alcohol very well. As for Jarian's servants, they'll find any excuse to nurse Jarian. :wink:

:sweatdrop: Muses ARE for inspiration…:smirk: you'd be amazed how many times I get inspired by them in bed. :pause: Crap, did I say that aloud? That's not what I meant!

Thanks for the birthday wish. As for Jarian, I am rather attached to him as a character. If you were to use him in a fanfiction I'd ask that you please send me an email about what you intend to do with him. If you've already posted it, do please reference me and provide a link to this story. :wink:

Kracken L.W.:gives Entreri booze and sneaks some away, passing Jarian the orange one:

Or else what:smirks:however, does eye the suspicious green drink:

Psycho101: Jarian has much in mind for dear Artemis. . .much indeed.

Kaje12003: Glad to have a review from you. I've been steadily infusing more detail about the surroundings with each chapter, but I shall definitely be mindful of that from now on. :smile:

Tiggermyk: :giggles: You'll have to fight Jarian to get to him. He sure didn't like Alura eyeing his assassin. :fans reviewer regardless:

Thanks for the birthday wish.

Lord Onisyr: "Parade of manflesh" in regards to Jarian's servants…couldn't of said that better myself:chuckles:

And omg, if Tazolg and Kyorli met that'd be adorable! (I always did have a soft spot for Gromph's familiar, lol)

Bloodyrazor: I love the things I do with Entreri too. :wink: (thanks for being a faithful reader)

Bored: All right, fess up, who was it? Shiny jewels to whoever it was. . . :trails off and chuckles:

Well, your wish to updateis my command. :smiles and looks up to the chapter: