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.
Candle flames flickered in the dark room, emitting heat that was only accentuated by the prone assassin's heaving chest. The sweat of an unclad body beneath the sheets made the fabric cling to various body parts that were quite active during a restless sleep. A drow tailor observed this with much delight, his own body reacting in turn. He had long since deposited his clothes for the evening and approached the bed. The assassin's brow was feverish to the touch, making his cheeks rather flushed. With a soft chuckle, he wondered if he could make the assassin blush. A wide smile appeared on his face as the assassin tossed in his sleep, exposing sweat-soaked flesh.
"Nurse Jarian will make everything better," the drow said, caressing the bare skin. He felt a shiver course through the assassin's body at his touch. "Yes, that's it Entreri. Accept my healing touch and all will be well." He leaned over Entreri, bending in for a kiss; one hand removing the blanket while another hand went toward--
"Ah!" Entreri woke up with a cry that was not of excitement, but of explicit horror. He'd had nightmares before, but nothing had disturbed him as badly as this visual atrocity. It took him a moment to fully gauge his surroundings.
Where am I? Wait…we were in that alley and it was raining. There was that fight we won and then-
"By the abyss, how long have I been unconscious!"
"A day."
Jarlaxle had been watching him for several minutes and answered the question.
"Only a day?"
"Well, perhaps a night as well, but who keeps track of these things?"
Entreri glared at him or at least he thought he was glaring at Jarlaxle. The fever was going to his head a little, an after effect of the poisoned dagger, so he was actually glaring at a cape hanging on a chair. "Has Jarian been here?"
"Of course, he has been worried about your well being," Jarlaxle answered.
"I wasn't…alone with him was I?"
"Entreri, you should be fortunate I did not let him sponge bathe you," Jarlaxle said in a very serious tone.
A disgusted gurgle came from Entreri's throat and Jarlaxle thought the assassin was going to retch. This amused and disgusted him at the same time.
"No, you should be very fortunate, because even in this state I can still kill him."
"This from the man who saved him," Jarlaxle said.
Entreri muttered and went to rise.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I don't like being bed ridden."
Jarlaxle snickered.
Entreri ignored him, until Jarlaxle firmly pushed him back to the bed. "You are to stay right there. The Healers have only just removed the remaining strands of the poison from your blood and the healing draught needs to repair internal damages."
Jarian gasped as he entered the room…his Master was pushing Entreri onto the bed! "Jarlaxle! Artemis! How could you! I thought you would at least ask me to join!"
Entreri stifled the urge to retch again. Jarlaxle pulled away, not wanting vomit all over his outfit. "Curb your excitement for the moment Jarian. I was just telling Entreri that he needs to remain in bed until he is fully healed. Since he is rather strong willed, that will not be long."
The fever was making Entreri dizzy and the room whirled in an array of infrared induced colors. He wasn't focused on Jarlaxle's words, however his eyes did stray to Jarian.
"Jarlaxle."
"Yes Entreri."
"Why isn't Jarian wearing any clothes?"
"He's…experimenting with dark colors at the moment, you're just not accustomed to seeing him in black. You're hallucinating his nudity."
Entreri rested his head back dizzily and closed his eyes murmuring, "You're a horrible liar."
"Only when I want to be," Jarlaxle mumbled in reply as he ushered Jarian out of the room.
"Oh please let me stay with him Jarlaxle. I promise to handle him with the utmost care and delicacy," Jarian pleaded. "Well, unless he prefers it rough."
"I do not doubt your handling skills," Jarlaxle said. "Nor do I doubt your physical appearance. Do put some clothes on, had Entreri's fever been any lower or his senses any sharper, he might have received a scar much deeper than a dagger slash."
"I was in the middle of something when I sensed Entreri awakening," Jarian said with the slightest of pouts. "Speaking of which, I'm missing all the fun. I'll dress in due course."
Jarlaxle watched him walk away and wondered, how can he be in the middle of something if he has three servants? He stroked his chin, thoughtful for a moment, before going to attend to some business.
The sands of the hourglass fell as Entreri slumbered in a fog-filled sleep. When he finally gained consciousness, he was relieved that he did not have any more vivid dreams and that there were no drow in the room. He was less than pleased to discover that he was only wearing underclothing, but he rationalized that the healers must have had to do that in order to dress the wound and cleanse it properly. There was barely a scar from where the dagger slashed his side.
He walked unsteadily to the washroom, shaking off the after effects of the healing draught. He hated receiving injuries by poisoned weapons, they made him feel weak and through that weakness he ended up having nightmares that would plague his sleep. Relieved to find 'normal' clothing in the washroom (he discretely bought some from a vendor), he slipped into them and peeked out of his room, stomach growling as it demanded food.
Overhearing the stomach growl, "oh good, it seems that you are better." Jarlaxle motioned Entreri over to a table laden with food. "Do have something to eat. I had the kitchen prepare you a meal of stew and spicy potatoes."
Entreri looked to Jarlaxle suspiciously. Since when does he invite me to dine? Allowing his stomach's desires to come before his mind's wary nature, he made quick work with the food.
"What is the meaning of this dinner date?"
Jarlaxle chuckled. "I always did enjoy your biting sense of humor."
"It's not humor, it's sarcasm."
"Regardless," Jarlaxle said, eyes set on Entreri, "with each passing day you prove yourself worthy to hear the knowledge that I guard."
"I do not care about your guarded knowledge," Entreri said. "I follow your orders so I can be rid of you and out of your service."
"There are not many in my service who are so openly honest with me," Jarlaxle said, "which is why I am considering you for a higher position."
"Wait, what-"
"Anyway," Jarlaxle said, cutting him off, "where was I? Oh yes, the guarded knowledge."
Entreri stared at the drow. This is infuriating! That damn drow is planning something and he enjoys not telling me. And if I try to ask him what he is planning he will become innocently aloof. I read him better than he thinks, but it seems even that is not enough to penetrate his mystery.
"I suppose you have been wondering about Jarian," Jarlaxle continued.
"No, not really."
Jarlaxle stared.
"I confess myself intrigued," Entreri said begrudgingly. "He is a rather unusual drow."
"Which is precisely why Bregan D'aerthe is his home," Jarlaxle said. "We welcome a variety of drow, in suppressed situations, the opportunity to create a new life and to prosper. We are a patriarchal society, within a matriarchal society that cannot function without us. I have personally seen to that. You should consider yourself very fortunate to participate in this organization."
"Since most drow are less than pleased with my humanity, I am fortunate that my skills are being put to use," Entreri said.
"Jarian was in a similar situation," Jarlaxle went on. "He was always a pretty looking drow and many females took advantage of that. He learned much obeying their whims as a bed slave, but his desires laid elsewhere. He preferred the males and incited the jealousy of his Matron when he was found sleeping with her most favored lover. Same gender inspired loves are not uncommon in our society, but it is not talked about in the proper circles, you can participate, but never flaunt your affiliation."
"What happened to him?"
Jarlaxle was slightly surprised when Entreri actually asked a question, but he didn't belie his astonishment. This proved that the assassin was actually paying attention.
"He was tortured, punished, taught a lesson for savoring a delicacy that only a Matron was privy to taste. They left him for dead, yet he still had the strength to flee. He had developed an earring that would teleport him outside of the city if it was ever ripped from his ear. It was there that my scouts found him and brought him to me. I remembered him from when I spent my short-lived time in Sorcere, before returning to Melee Magthere. He was rather outspoken and always had a flare for fashion. I was surprised that he was not cast out from his House sooner. But, once the Healers tended to him, I put him to use as my tailor and I have never regretted it."
"Never?"
"Never. He is quite talented and can be rather entertaining," Jarlaxle said with amusement in his voice.
"Did you just tell me this so I would be nicer to him?"
Jarlaxle sipped his chalice of wine. "Do you think that you need to be nicer to him?"
"I did my duty." Entreri studied Jarlaxle for a moment. He answered a question with another question. He's trying to decipher my motives. So, I will play his game and refuse to answer his question.
"Yes, you did. But remember, I told you that you need to protect Jarian. You did that physically, the next step is emotionally." Jarlaxle drained the rest of his wine and stood. "Preparations are being made for the Fashion Display. There is much work to be done and I expect you to follow through on your duty."
Entreri was about to drink his wine, but his cup stopped in midair. Emotionally!
"I don't do emotions."
Jarlaxle didn't say a word as he headed to the door.
"Where are you going? You tell me that and just leave." Entreri stood and slammed his cup to the table. "Jarlaxle! I refuse to be a source of your amusement!"
The door closed and Entreri sat down heavily. He grabbed the wine bottle on the table and was about to take a drink, but he threw it to the ground. He watched the shards of glass scatter across the room, noticing how easy it was to completely destroy something that was once complete. With a mutter, "Why did I defend them? I could have escaped."
He hadn't felt human since childhood and he never claimed to be a drow. What was he? Was he merely an assassin? Was he a creature defined by his deadly skills? Or maybe, just maybe, was he finally understanding what it meant to be a true member of Bregan D'aerthe?
Author's Note: I've been waiting to do the beginning of this particular chapter for several months. I bet a lot of you were worried for Entreri…mwhuahahahaha!
:shifts because of Entreri's death glare:
Of course, our dear assassin should be fortunate that it was but a nightmare. Whether it was caused by Jarian or not, well, who can tell these days? The realm of dreams can be a mysterious place.
I decided near the end of the chapter to ponder what it meant to be a part of Bregan D'aerthe and decided to reveal a bit more of Jarian's history. I also wanted a bit more action (mind out of the gutter please) between Jarlaxle and Entreri, because their interactions intrigue me. I anxiously await R.A. Salvatore's 'Promise of the Witch-King' to see more of their interactions and to see if I do them justice.
Next chapter (expect an update within the next several weeks, curse my schoolwork): The first day of the Fashion Display is fast approaching and there are so many preparations to be made! Does Jarian have something up his sleeve? Is he even wearing a sleeve? Will Entreri be 'nicer' to our flamboyant drow tailor? Will we ever understand Jarlaxle?
:consults Magic 8 ball:
"Ask again Later."
Entreri: "Give me that 8 ball. I want it to tell me the answers."
Jarian: :steals the magic 8 ball from the authoress: "All right Entreri, come and get the magic ball."
Authoress:looks to Jarlaxle: "Aren't you going to do something?"
Jarlaxle: "I like to watch."
Authoress:mutters: "You probably do more than that."
Jarlaxle: :smirks:
Reviewer Mailbag (Thank you!):
Abbil: Oh come now, no sobbing in the corner over Entreri. He's a tough guy (okay, so he probably is in desperate need of a hug and while I'm sure Jarian would offer him a hug…er…Entreri just pointed out to me that the word 'ugh' is in 'hug').
Arsinoe Selene: I love getting email too. I'm a junkie, lol. Do you and Jarlaxle need a room:Jarian provides a nicely decorated room: Erm…hope you don't mind a certain tailor watching…
Doinkers (yay, Katherine!): I'm glad that I made you experience feelings for Entreri that you've never felt before. Even he wonders why he defended the drow, I think he'll need to do some definite soul searching to find out. He did like the pat on the back though, lol. I'm glad you liked that chapter; it's one of my favorites, lol.
Lessiehanamoray: Oh yes, Entreri sparring and Entreri fighting is a parallel I'd pay to see…mind you I'd be standing very far away (considering the things I do to him).
Lena Silverwing: Yay! Stawberry daiquiri winecooler! (okay okay, so I was sipping some at the beginning of the chapter, can you tell? Tee hee)
:ducks from a sabre slash, but not before clinking bottles for the toast:
Kracken L.W.: Glad you liked the tape measure of doom…I was playing with one and the image leapt into my mind so I ran to the computer to write, lol. And yeah, that orange drink DID make Jarian annoyingly bubbly. I tried hiding with Entreri…but for some reason he put me on his 'To Kill' list…I have no idea why…….
Psycho101: Entreri is all unhurt now, well for the moment. He should be so fortunate that what he had was a dream in the beginning of the chapter.
Iceheart Firesoul: Entreri just may take up your offer to hide out at your house. But Jarian, his servants, Jarlaxle, and myself won't let him. :gulp: Massively powerful telepath you say?
Tiggermyk: Yes, life is good indeed, lol. Well, Entreri was almost in the hands of Jarian, okay so maybe in the folds of his warm, sultry mind…or at least, that's what Jarian claims. Entreri is SO lucky that I didn't do anything mind scarring.
Unknown: Jarian is not like other drow. It's as simple as that, lol.