"We… we'll just be a minute," Jaelle grinned sheepishly at the mothers. Five of them were sat around the fire place, including Invidae who was still bound to her chair. The general looked at her daughter and shook her head, whilst wearing an expression of complete loathing. "Eh… yeah," Jaelle hurriedly shut the door and turned to her fellow party members gathered in the hall. "Well… this is a surprise."

"For most people, I'm sure it would be," Tarant noted begrudgingly.

"All my life I have labored to escape that persons matriarchal tyranny," Edwin muttered to himself, and then raised an accusatory finger at Jaelle. "Damn you vile woman! This is all your fault! I have always said, females are nothing but trouble. If I had the power I would rid the world of your entire species!"

"And you see, you've caused Edwin to have one of his periods," said Tarant.

"This explains the readings," Jaelle went on as if she hadn't heard. "Multiple time-conduits… I had no idea the machine was even capable of such a thing. It's exceeded all expectations," she stated proudly.

"Never mind your asinine machine," Edwin was still pointing. "How do you propose to correct this catastrophe?"

"My machine is not asinine… in fact, it's extremely intelligent. It was just interacting with Imoen's addled brain that caused it to behave strangely."

"That's it," Imoen protested. "I'm fed up with being blamed for every little thing that goes wrong with the space-time continuum. Whose idea was it to let me pilot that thing? I mean c'mon… that's just asking for trouble. Any sensible person would never have let me touch it."

"Well… I wanted everyone to feel involved with what I was doing."

"Do you ever ask us if we want to get involved with your mad ideas?" Tarant rolled his eyes. "Anyway… I'm past caring whose fault it is. All we want to know is, can you fix it?"

"Of course I can fix it. You don't think I'd make a time machine and not build in a…" Jaelle looked at all her companion's faces, and noticed for the first time that one was missing. "Where's Aerie? She should be here."

"She did come in a few minutes ago," Jaheira explained. "She went upstairs right away with her mother."

"Ya' seem a bit upset by that," Imoen observed. "Really, I'd never seen her happier. You should be pleased."

"I am glad for her," Jaheira stared into space. "It is just… I was going to teach her how to beat a man unconscious with a broom handle tonight."

"Awww," Edwin sounded sarcastically. "Do not worry. It is just that, she has her real mummy here now… she is bound to forget all about you." Jaheira's eyes shot arrows at the wizard, but the very observant could see that she was envious and somewhat troubled.

"Well she really has to know," Jaelle went on. "You see…"

"Hang on there Jaelle," Tarant brought about a pause. "Whatever you're about to say I'm going to have to insist you keep it simple."

"How simple?"

"Simple enough for Jaheira to understand."

"Oh dear," the raven haired woman had to think very hard to get down to 'Jaheira's' level, while the druid continued shooting arrows between the two men in the hall. "Okay, I've got it… It's like this. The machine has a control crystal, and what it does is, just before it transports any matter or energy it paints a very lifelike portrait of exactly what the space-time continuum is like."

"Right… I think you're losing her."

"Quit rattling your bone-box berk, and let me finish. You see, all I've got to do is press the reset button and everything will be returned to exactly the way it was before the machine was activated. In this way I never had to worry about paradoxes or anything like that."

"That's all you have to do? Press a button?"

"Yup."

"Well what the bloody hells are you waiting for?" Said Edwin.

"Me? I'm not waiting for anything," Jaelle sighed. "If it was just me I had to think about I'd have sent the general back right away. But… well, I suspect Aerie at least would like to have more time."

"Me too," said Imoen. "I've never known a thing about my mother… this'll be my only chance. She looks… interesting."

"Imoen, she looks and smells like what she is," Tarant said. "An illiterate bar-room wench. All breasts and no brain… guess which of those you've inherited."

"You just can't stand the thought of anyone having any reason to be happy can you?" Imoen shook her head bitterly. "You figure because you're a miserable sod all the time, that gives you the right to make everyone around you feel the same."

Jaelle coughed to get their attention. "There are a few more things you all need to know," she said. "The crystal can only hold on to all that information so long. I figure in about three hours, the machine will reset automatically. Also, Im, if you're thinking of warning your mother about her future, I'm afraid it will do no good. Because we were attached to the machine, we were all caught in our own little bubble of time and space. So when it resets, we'll all remember what's happened. But as far as they're concerned nothing will have happened."

"I…" Imoen slumped against the wall. "Maybe it's for the best, right? I figure… if we've only got three hours to be together, there's no reason she needs to know anyway. We could spend that time being like, a proper family."

"Whatever," Tarant said. "All I wanted to do tonight was read my book, so that's what I'm going to do. I don't want to be disturbed again until this is all over."

"I just do not believe you. You'd rather spend this time reading a book than talking to your mother? Are you absolutely sure you got your soul back?"

"I don't know anything about that woman. What exactly will I have to say to her? 'I'm sorry, you're dead'?"

"What? You've nothing you'd like to ask? You wouldn't want to find out where you came from?"

"Nope… and gods no."

"'Kay, fine. I just have another question… is there any chance Irenicus got it all wrong? 'Cause I don't think we're related."

"For once, we agree on something."

"Th-this is my room, where… where I… sleep," Aerie showed her mother around.

"You still have your room in Faenya-Dail," Fayanna said. "I've always kept it exactly as it was when you left. Even after the council called off the search and… pronounced you dead."

"You kept my room?" Aerie grinned. "Th-that's a cliché momma… but I'll forgive you. Heh, the-the others sometimes say I'm a hopeless romantic. Now I know where I get it from."

"I never gave up hoping for you to return, if you'll forgive that cliché as well," Fayanna smiled and held her daughters hands.

"I…" Aerie looked at her guiltily. "There… was a time when I almost did. B-but… I got it back, in the end."

"Aerie… what happened to you? What… what happened to your wings?"

"I…" the young avariel struggled to say anything. Initially they'd been so overjoyed to see each other. But, this was bound to have come up eventually. Even so, Aerie didn't want to talk about it now. She didn't want the first conversation they had in years to be about the brutality of the slavers, or the violence and abuse that constantly went on behind the scenes at the circus. "I lost them momma… I-I'm sorry…" she wept.

"It… does not matter to me, child," Fayanna assured her. "It is just… I suppose there is much we need to tell each other."

"I know… and, I promise, I will tell you everything. But… not now. I w-want us to spend time together like we used to… there are so many things I have to show you."

"I understand," Fayanna bowed slightly. She began to examine the things in Aerie's room, hoping to gain an insight into what her daughter's life was now like. "All these books are yours?" She nodded to the numerous texts stacked neatly on the shelves.

"Y-yes," Aerie nodded happily. "There wasn't very much to read in the circus, b-but now I read whatever I can find. I-I know that stories aren't what life is really like, but… sometimes I need a place to… to go… to…" her mother gave her a puzzled glance mixed with motherly concern. "I mean… most people do, I'm sure."

"You did always like to read," the older avariel recalled. "I remember your favorite story, the one you always wanted me to read to you. The one about the brave little hatchling…"

"Momma…" Aerie's face flushed. "T-that's a children's story. I don't read that kind of thing anymore…. N-not… not much anyway," she hopped to the shelves and removed a book at random. "Ah… th-this is one of my favorites. It's a collection of many stories… It's from the east… Kara-Tur… I-I've become varly good at learning new languages. W-well I… I had to teach myself to speak the common tongue..."

Indeed, the avariel had been isolated for many centuries, and most did not speak what people's elsewhere considered the common tongue including Fayanna. Fortunately she was an accomplished sage within her community and was able to communicate via a tongues spell. She could only imagine how confusing it must have been for her young daughter when she first found herself here.

"Konjaku monogatari," Aerie read off the cover of her book. "That's… 'Tales of Times Now Past'… Th-this… this was a gift from Yoshimo, shortly before he… well, that's a long story as well. But… a lot of the stories are very beautiful," the young avariel sunk her head sadly. "There are so many beautiful things… I-I wish I could show them all to you."

"I am sure there are," Fayanna found a window and gazed across the rooftops of the human city. "I… never realized how big their cities were."

"Yes," Aerie laughed. "The world's a much bigger place than it looks from Faenya-Dail."

"I find it… unsettling," the older elf commented. "So many sounds… voices… a very strange smell."

"That's the river," Aerie explained. "You… get used to it. Humans live… very differently to elves. I mean that… e-even just walking down this street, you'll find all kinds of people who all view the world in a different way. It is frightening sometimes… but, sometimes, i-it's exciting as well." Fearing she might be losing her mother by talking about things Fayanna obviously had no experience of, Aerie decided to steer the conversation in a new direction. Bring it back to way things had been. "I… I still draw and paint," she said, putting the book down and fetching some rolled up parchments. "I mean… I started again recently. I know I'm… a little out of practice. I… tried to draw one of you… but, it was hard just working from memories. I could never get it right."

"Very… interesting," Fayanna commented as she turned through the sheets. She had seen some of the faces downstairs, but she didn't recognize any of the places. "What is this?"

"That… that's the throne of Bhaal. You should… probably just go on to the next one. Er… y-yes, t-that's a view of Ust Natha…"

"Drow?" Fayanna almost spat the word. The animosity between the two peoples ran deep. The avariel were great believers in equality and all kinds of freedom, at least most were, but no people in all the realms had become a greater symbol for tyranny and oppression than the drow.

"I-I've… been all kinds of places."

"So I see."

"Really… n-not all the drow I've met have been that bad. I-it's just that…" Aerie held her tongue. A discussion on society in the underdark wasn't what she wanted either. Besides, it had been a long time before she'd questioned what she'd been taught about drow in school and conceded that maybe not all drow were bad people who wanted to kill and enslave the rest of the world. She really wasn't qualified to try convincing other people.

"What is it that you do now?" Fayanna asked.

"I'm… well, I'm a witch," Aerie explained. "Mostly I use magic to help and heal people… Quayle taught me spells and to pray to Baervar…"

"Baervar?"

Aerie gulped. This was another matter she had hoped to avoid. "Baervar is… is the god I pray to now."

"And… what of Aerdrie? You… have not abandoned your devotion to our gods… have you?"

"I-I've," Aerie shuffled uneasily. "I've never forgotten anything you taught me, momma. And… you taught me that all people should be free to be-believe and worship as they want. And that… they should all be treated with respect even if their beliefs differ from your own. This… this is what I've chosen."

"You… are right of course. Freedom is what our people stand for… or did once," Fayanna smiled for her daughter. "I am just surprised. Still… it is not as if you are sacrificing babies. You're not are you?"

"No. B-Baervar is very much against that sort of thing," Aerie was relieved to say.

"You… have weapons here," the older avariel noted the presence of some staves, shields and maces tucked into a corner.

"There… there is lot of danger in what I do."

"I had guessed."

"B-but, you don't have to worry about me. I've… a lot of magic to defend myself with, and… J-Jaheira is teaching me to fight with hands and weapons. And I-I help a lot of people."

"You always wanted to protect others," Fayanna sighed. "But again, I am surprised. You never fought once when you were a girl."

"Well… that's, not actually true," Aerie grinned. "Remember that boy with dark red hair? He always used to bully the other children and one time I… I slapped him… there was a… a bit of a fight. No-one was that badly hurt, and I-I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."

"I see," Fayanna whispered. "It seems… there is much about you I did not know."

"I made supper," Cara, Edwin's frail old mother, struggled to haul in the large bowls she had prepared. "It is pea soup and bacon. I hoped you all like it. Little Eddie always liked it."

"What? What was that?" Edwin's head shot round to her. "Are you trying to me what I like? Now you listen to me, you malingering harlot, you will refrain from referring to me as 'Little Eddie'. I happen to be a grown up now, and as such, you can never again force me to eat any more of your revolting gruel."

"Well, this… is nice," Imoen said. Next to her, Jess downed another tankard of cheap ale in one long slurp, and then let out a loud burp that any dwarven miner would have been proud of.

"'Scuse me," she said.

Everyone had now gathered around the kitchen table, minus Tarant, Aerie and Fayanna. Talindra, the ranger from Evereska, had also vanished. Jaelle was engaged in a pretty intense staring with Invidae. Jaheira and her mother, whose name was Shandra, but no-one knew that because she insisted on being called 'milady' and only referring to anyone not a lord or lady as 'ill-bred peasants' or 'churls' if she liked them, scrutinized each other carefully. And with the theatrics between Edwin and his mother, the atmosphere wasn't really 'nice' at all.

"Soo…" Jess drawled. "Guess it's all true then. Prob'ly seems kinda strange, considering what I do… but ah've never thought 'bout kids. Don't really know what kinda things t'say. Guess maybe ah'll learn, right?"

"Er… right," Imoen tried to smile. She felt guilty… she felt that she should really try to do something to ensure Jess avoided her fate. But telling her anything would do no good, she wouldn't remember it. Besides, even if there was anything Imoen could do, it could result in her not having been born. But wasn't that just selfish? It was putting her own life above this person's. On the other hand, who knows what small impact Imoen had on the world around her? Maybe if she hadn't been around Sarevok just might conceivably have killed Tarant and plunged the Sword Coast into a war, resulting in thousands of deaths. Or maybe Gorion will have saved another Bhaalspawn who turned out to be far worse than any of them. Then there was all that paradox stuff… it was all too much to think about. Imoen just didn't want to try. But she wanted to be happy, and she wanted her mother to be happy, and telling her mother she would be dead in a few years probably wasn't going to achieve that.

"You gotta boyfriend?" Jess suddenly interrupted Imoen's flow.

"Huh?" The young mage blushed. "That's… kinda personal…"

"Well ah'm yer mum ain't I? That's the kinda thing mum's like t'know I reckon. Anyway, I can tell by t'way ye've avoided answering that ya' haven't. Why not? Ya' not a bad lookin' gal. Not much on top… but that ain't always everythin'."

"What?" Imoen's face went redder.

"Maybe y'like girls. That's alright, we got a few like that in the mermaid."

"No," and redder. "No I don't… like girls. Not like that."

"You do hug Aerie a lot," Edwin commented.

"Shut up Edwin. You worm," Imoen shook her head. "This is all wrong. You're not supposed to say anything about my breasts, or… my lack thereof. You're supposed to deny that boys even exist and just ask me, like about how well I'm doing in school and stuff."

"'Fraid I don't know much 'bout schooling," Jess said in way which made it clear she regretted that fact. "But… if it be men yer after, that's some'ink I know how t'help with."

"I can help you show her some techniques if you like," Edwin grinned. Although, judging by the looks he got, it really wasn't a good idea to be chauvinistic while he was the only male present.

"I've just always wanted to enjoy life too much to have a boyfriend," Imoen slitted her eyes towards the 'man'.

"I get that," Jess grinned. "'Parently though, I din't 'ave the right idea. Oh, not that Ah'm going t'regret it, I'm sure."

"It is interesting," Imoen diverted Jess quickly. "You… working in a tavern n'all. I used to work at an Inn in Candlekeep. Well, not work so much, if I could help it. But, y'know, Inn's and Tavern's are… quite similar."

"Candlekeep? That t'place wi'all the books n'stuff. Heh, can't imagine nothing there being like the Blushing Mermaid."

"No... I never slept with anyone," that came out of Imoen's mouth, and she immediately felt it was quite the wrong thing to say but pressed on regardless. "I… I mean, apart from this one time I was going through a customers things and he came in, so I hid under the blankets. He was so drunk he didn't me… I got outta there real quick though."

"Ya think ah'm a whore, right?"

"No…"

"Y'do. And ya' right, it's what I am. And… ye're a dumb lazy girl that's never had t'work fer a thing in her life. And ye like t'go round pretending t'be all rough n' working class, cos' ya' reckon it's fun. Well, let me tell 'ya, it ain't. I figure, ya'll 'ave learnt some reading if ya' lived in that place, right?"

"Well, yeah, of course. I mean everyone reads…"

"Nope. Not 'everyone'. I don't. Never gotta a chance t'learn… never gotta chance t'learn much of anything. 'N I ain't strong or quick like some… not a whole lot I can do t'get by in this world. But ah've taken what I do 'ave and do the best I damn can."

Imoen sagged. This really wasn't going the way it was supposed to go at all. "S-sorry," she stuttered.

"No, ah'm sorry. Look, I don't enjoy what I do, it just I ain't got nothing else. Guess ah'm not the kinda mum ye'wanted, right?"

"I just wished for you to be here," Imoen said softly. "That's all I wanted."

"Ye're a nice girl, I can see that. But I can see ye're let down. But, ah'll tell this about ya' old mum… she weren't no fool."

"Huh?"

"Don't know what's gonna happen t'me, but I figure ah'm not around or all this wouldn't be such a shock t'ye. And since ya' had to make time get all moved around t'bring me 'ere, ah'm guessing t'worst."

"I… you…" Imoen had to admit, she'd dismissed Jess as not being that bright. Clearly though, the woman had smarts. All that time in a tavern dealing with customers… she must have learnt to read people.

"Don't try'n tell me what happens… I don't wanna know."

"Why not?"

"Like I said… ye're a lazy little slag I reckon… but ye've a good caring heart, and you got learning. I figure it don't matter what happens t'me now. I ain't had much of a life, but, 'long as some good comes out of it, it will 'ave been worth it."

Imoen fought back her tears. Damn, if she'd known how important education was, she'll have actually listened to the monks and not spent all her time in the library looking for all the naughty books that she was too young to read.

"Don't be sad," Jess said. "Ah'm okay with it, really. What I will say though is, ya' had better not waste what ye've been given. Ya' better buckle down n' try your best, 'cos if ye don't, ah'll be coming back t'haunt ya."

"I'd…" Imoen wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Mum, I'd like to hug you, if that's okay."

"I guess… not gonna get another chance, are we?"

As the two wrapped their arms around each other in a warm, heartfelt embrace, Edwin started looking around for a bucket.

"Eddie," Cara put an arm on him. "Why are you always so cruel?"

"Shut up woman," the wizard spat. "I will not be interrogated by you."

"I've always tried my best for you," the old woman cried. "But… to see you've turned out like this. Somehow, I've failed as a mother."

"Yes. Yes you have. And as a wife as I recall, and… well, let us face the facts, your life was a history of failures."

"Was? I'm not…"

"Regretfully, no. You're still somewhere in Thay, every day preparing enough pea and bacon soup to fuel a military campaign across this entire continent. But I am not there to eat it."

"But why?" Cara wailed. "Where did I go wrong? I thought I did everything…"

"Oh, Mother, where you went wrong was allowing me to escape the prison of your wretched womb," Edwin chuckled. "But if you want specific pointers for after that… let's see… when you and daddy were having your little rows, you could have damn well left me out of it. Oh, and it was Noke boots I wanted… you brought me some cheap imitation brand. Have you any idea how much others laughed at me? Well I will show… I will show them all!"

"I'm so sorry!" Cara screeched and buried her head in the table, sobbing loudly.

"You see? Do you all see that? This is what I had to put up with every single day!"

"Gee… I wonder why," Imoen said sarcastically.

"That is it! I am putting an end to this right now!" Edwin unsheathed his dagger and lunged for Cara's back.

Jaheira had seen it coming though. The priests of Ilmater had given her a spell to use every time Edwin got out of line, which she uttered now. The effect was instantaneous, paralyzing pain shooting to every part of his body, so that as soon as he leapt from his chair with his arm outstretched, the wizard simply collapsed sideways like a felled tree. Apart from Aerie, who was rather inclined to feel strongly against inflicting pain on anyone unable to fight back even if they were a dangerous megalomaniac, most of the party enjoyed it whenever that happened.

"It won't have worked anyway Edwin," Jaelle said. "The machine will put everything back the way it was, so she'll still be alive."

The wizard was in too much agony to articulate a response, but it would probably have just been 'Damn you all' anyway.

Tarant sat down in his darkened little room with his dark and morbid little book. With the others all occupied, maybe now he'll get some peace and quiet. Of course, it was not to be.

"Would you mind not standing in my light?" He said. "I am trying to read," he looked up and for the first time met the eyes of Talindra, the elven ranger who was, by process of elimination, his mother.

"You are… my son?" She asked, still not quite believing it.

"Well… in terms of genealogy, I suppose."

"Then I am confused… why do you keep avoiding me?"

"I know its bad form to answer a question with another question, but why do you care? That's all in the future, for you."

"Is it? I am led to believe that something is very wrong with my future. If I have made any mistakes, whatever it is that's wrong, then perhaps if you tell me now I can go back and put it right."

"No… Jaelle tells me when you go back you won't remember a thing."

"Then… perhaps the gods have allowed this to happen. Perhaps this is a chance for you to clear your mind."

Tarant wondered if all mothers were so presumptuous. Sure, if he thought really hard then maybe there were times as a child when he regretted having no kind of mother figure to turn to. But there was never any point in thinking about how things could have been different. You got used to it. You got by. This was the life he knew, and he had no interest in changing it. He wasn't very happy, but that was normal. It was normal for him to be lonely, even while a group of people were sat a few rooms away. They'd all disappear and go their own ways eventually anyway. And it wasn't as if he could blame her for being dead. Really not much she could do about that.

"We have nothing to talk about," he said.

"Truly? You have nothing you wish to ask or say? If I were in your position, I would not waste this opportunity."

"Fine," Tarant slammed the book down. "You want to be a mother do you? Well this is what it's like… first, childhood. It starts with endless crying and screaming and you're never allowed to sleep. Then, when he's a little older, your son will start having all his friends round to tear up your home and destroy all your nice things. And then, just when you think you're going to die from exhaustion, he'll become a teenager. He'll start telling you that all your generation were wrong and stupid. He'll grow his hair long, start getting tattoos and piercings because he believes its being rebellious and different, despite the fact that thousands of others have had exactly the same boring idea. He'll then leave you to go live in a caravan with a gypsy girl he got pregnant and her extended family. You find yourself alone and miserable, clinging to the slim hope that one day he'll return to have you committed into care. And that's what it's like to be a parent. Feel damn grateful it won't happen to you."

"And what about love?"

"Please. I just ate."

"You don't think that a parent would do anything to see their children grow and be happy, no matter what it is they go through?"

Tarant shook his head. Why were people so stupid? He wanted to be alone. How much clearer could he make it? Perhaps if he just ignored her she would get bored and go away. He continued to read his book for the next five minutes. When he looked up he saw she hadn't moved.

"I am not going to leave until you talk to me," she said.

"I do not believe a word of this," Shandra said, back in the kitchen. "No, this is some kind of trick, though I know not what you all hope to gain by it. And, whoever you are," she said to Jaheira. "You look nothing like my daughter. You look like some lazy druid."

"I am a l… druid," Jaheira answered. "And, do you even know what your daughter looks like? When was it you last saw her?"

"Two nights ago, I came into her room. She was asleep, and, I was on my way to meet a diplomat from Turm."

"Of course," Jaheira spoke bitterly. "You would never have thought to stay and spend time with her… I was raised by the servants."

"Not that it is any of your business," the noblewoman snorted. "But I do regret that I am not at home more often. But… these are volatile times and I must work doubly hard to ensure that she has a future. I do not suppose a woman such as you would have a family of her own, so you would have no idea how hard it is."

"You… you arrogant bitch!" Jaheira wanted to strangle her, but as usual she regained self control just before she could do anything she might regret. Unfortunately, with all that pride and arrogance, Jaheira had to admit that there was a lot of herself in this woman. Could it be true though? She had always felt that her parents were never around because they did not care for her at all, but was it just that wanted her life to be secure? They were indeed volatile times, and ultimately rebels would destroy their home and leave Jaheira orphaned and alone… perhaps she could sort out her feelings now.

"Mother," she said. "I… I am sorry."

"If you are my daughter," Shandra groaned. "You would know to sit up straight at the dinner table. And, for heaven's sake, use a knife and a fork when you eat."

"I-I am sorry…"

"And do not stutter. It does not become you."

Jaheira slumped back into her chair. It seemed there was little chance of them bonding, tonight or on any other night. The woman was a bitch. Jaheira hoped she was never like that to anyone.

"Were you not working in a brothel?" At the other end of the table, Invidae finally showed an interest in her daughter.

"It wasn't really a brothel… not in that sense," Jaelle explained.

"That's right. The Brothel of Slating Intellectual Lusts, wasn't it? I did go there, once."

"Oh… well I'm glad I missed you."

"You were training to become a sensate," Invidae scoffed. "I suppose you abandoned that idea as well, just like almost everything else."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that your life has always followed the same pattern. Hardly anything you start ever gets finished, does it? I remember… you promised to kill me. But you couldn't even see that through could you?" Whenever Invidae spoke her words were laced with menace. Even if she just said 'how are you', you'd be on your best guard. "Or could you? I wonder how many years in the future I am."

"A lot." Jaelle informed her.

"Indeed… and your promise to kill me? Did you fulfil it? Tell me you have, and maybe then I will find some respect for you. Maybe then I will see you as more than just a girl."

"I'm not like you mother. I don't believe every problem can be solved by throwing missiles at it. Although I have always been very tempted to make an exception in your case…"

"No… you solve all your problems by running away to… to whatever backward world this is."

"I'm not running from you," Jaelle wished she believed that. "I explore… it's a vast cosmos and there are always new things to discover, even in 'backward' places like this."

"No? Well then tell me, daughter, all this 'love' and 'compassion' you value so much… what kind of weapons are these?" Invidae taunted. "How will they protect you?"

"Protect me from what?"

Invidae just laughed. "Tell me, did I ever instruct you that, when being tied, it's always a good idea to tense your muscles… then later on you can relax, and with luck, you might just… slip free…"

Jaelle's eyes widened with horror when Invidae lifted her hands, no longer bonded together by the ropes. Everyone in the room looked round, and there was a moment when no-one was really sure what was happening.

Then the general sprung into action. She tore herself free from the chair and launched the object at Jaheira, having deemed the druid as her greatest threat. Invidae then rolled across the floor, took hold of the dagger Edwin had dropped, then grabbed and lifted Jess by the hair placing the blade against the frightened barmaid's throat.

"Everyone stay still," the general ordered. "Or, I will tear this one apart."