Chapter 3: Waiting in the Windspear Hills

Anomen stared at the woman who was fixing his wounds, admiring her skill. A few hours ago they finally found the ogres that Lord Jierdan Firkraag had asked them to take care of them. After they killed the ogres they realized too late that the ogres were really people, Knights of the Radiant Heart to be exact. Among the fallen was a knight named Ajantis, who Anomen had been friends with.

Ajantis had always told him of a woman named Anni and how noble she was but until that moment he had never made the connection. A man Garren had witnessed the battle and offered to help them. So they were saying in his cabin with his son. Garren was expected to be gone for at least a week which left them with nothing to do except wait.

Anomen looked around the room, Jaheira was asleep in the corner, from what he was told she had lost her husband recently and rarely talked and was always the first one to sleep. Minsc was a strange fellow with his hamster. He always talked to it and such. Haer'Dalis who was supposed to be a bard but Anomen was starting to wonder if bard meant "overly annoying and horrible poet" on his home plane. Edwin was yet again writing in his spell book. Anomen throughly disliked the wizard, he was arrogant, annoying and overbearing. Who could stand a person like that?

Then there was Anni, the woman who was tending to him. She was quiet pleasing to the eye and quiet as a woman should be. As far as he could tell she was just a cleric, but it was hinted she was also a mage though he had never seen her use one offensive spell. He had heard many things about her, many of which after seeing her, he couldn't believe.

This small woman was the champion who defeated Sarevok? Maybe one of her companions but she seemed too timid, too sweet to do something like that, for the lady didn't hurt anyone, not even the monsters they came across. She always stayed back casting spells to heal them or help them, once or twice she had used a spell to hinder the enemy but nothing that would hurt them.

"I prithee, my lady...it fills me with no small amount of wonder that you have not asked me of my journeys ere we met? We have traveled a short while, and yet we know next to nothing of each other." Anomen looked at Anni as he spoke.

"Prithee? Did you get that from a story book, Anomen? Along with that horrid accent of yours?" Edwin taunted from his seat.

"Unless you answer to my lady, I suggest you say out of this wizard."

"Just ignore Edwin. Please tell me about yourself." Anni smiled at him. Meanwhile Edwin glared at both of them.

"There is precious little to tell, although my few adventures have been glorious, indeed. The path to knighthood is a long one, however...hence the need for my travels. But a few of my deeds have reached the ears of bards. Battle is commonplace enough throughout Amn, and the Order has fielded its army many times in recent years. Most recently, however...let me think...I was with our men when the orcs came down into the Ommlur Hills once again. In great numbers, they are a force to fear...but individually, they are no match for a warrior. I, myself, was able to fight through many of them alone and take the head of one of their foul chieftans."

"If you believe that there's a bridge in Thay I can sell you Anni." Edwin remarked as he wrote in his spell book.

"You dare impeach my honor, wizard? I'll have you know-" Anni grabbed his arm making him sit down.

"Ignore him, Anomen. Edwin picks on everyone." He settled himself, ashamed of his outburst in front of a lady.

"I honestly don't see why you keep him around, what good is a wizard?" He remarked as she bandaged his bleeding wound. At his remark Anni tightened the bandage with a vicious tug. "What was that for?"

"In case you didn't know Anomen, I am a mage like Edwin. As was my father."

"I spoke rashly my lady. I did not know you were a mage. I have only seen you use a cleric's brand of spells."

"Sadly, I haven't been able to use any offensive spells since Irenicus' torture."

"I am sorry to bring up such a sore topic, my lady."

"Anomen, you do know my name is Anni don't you?"

"Of course."

Several minutes went by as she put away her supplies as he watched her.

"I understand that Gorion was only your foster father and you were every close to him."

"Who told you this?"

"Jaheira was telling me the other day how like him you are."

Anni shot a dirty look over at the sleeping druid. "Yes, I was. I wanted nothing more when I was growing up than to be like him. I always imaged living the rest of my days in Candlekeep. I loved nothing more than to pour over the old tomes at night. There were some nights I'd fall asleep in the library and my father would chastise me the next day but he would be laughing as he did it."

"Were you ever planing to leave?"

"I did want to leave for a while, just to find a husband but otherwise I was happy there. Then one day out of the blue Father got a letter and suddenly he was saying we had to leave that night. We fled home and it was that night Sarevok murdered him."

"I am sorry for your loss." Anomen caressed her check, comforting her when he saw tears shining in her eyes. "I do not mean to pry farther but I have an urge to ask. I have heard that his Sarevok was your brother."

She thought for a moment, thinking of the best way to phrase her words. ""He was my brother. I was very young when we were separated, and I didn't remember him until long after he murdered Gorion."

"You speak carefully of him, is it because you have been accused of having some sort of relation to the dead god of murder? The one named Bhaal?"

I am so killing Jaheira... Anni glared again at the druid who twitched in her sleep. "Might as well tell you. Sarevok and myself are children of Bhaal. Bhaal created many children before his death, it was thought that the strongest, the last one to live would become the next god of murder but we're nothing but fuel. Fuel to allow him to be reborn."

"I have heard such. I was surprised when I met you that you have maintained an honorable existence. I...I cannot imagine what dark impulses your heritage must fill you with.." A across the table Edwin snorted.

"Oh I can think of a few, like murdering a certain Red Wizard, then going to Thay and making sure there are no more like him produced." She smiled sweetly. "But honestly, Anomen, I'm just a normal girl. I have my moments but I do what I must."

"I can't help to think of this man Sarevok, he shared the same blood and possessed great power which he used for evil and yet you have been able to maintain the higher road and saved the north from great chaos and destruction. Your blood must call to you in some manner. How do you maintain your sense of good under such conditions? Do you see this as a test of your own, my lady?"

"I do what I have to."

"Ah. You have given me much to think of."

"Well, now if you will excuse me, I need to make sure everyone is ok. Especially Edwin, he will never admit to being wounded. I swear he could drive a saint to drink."

"Why do you keep him around? It's obvious you two dislike each other."

"Well, Edwin is a very powerful wizard for one and I don't think he has any friends but us." She looked at Edwin and lowered her voice so only Anomen could hear. "I think Edwin didn't have many friends growing up. He doesn't know how to act with people, I think he still expects us to screw him over. He's mean to everyone. But I know he enjoys when I talk right back to him. Plus I've grown fond of him, like some rare disease that you would miss if it suddenly cleared up." She smiled and walked away.

"And what do you want, My lady?" Edwin asked as she approached.

"We can do this the hard way or... what am I saying it's always the hard way with you. Let's go." She tugged on his sleeve making him follow her. She opened the door to one of the rooms that Garren had let them use. She pulled him inside and closed the door and then pushed him down sitting on the bed.

"If you want me, you only have to ask, my lady" Anni knew well enough the sneer on his face was really his secrete way of smiling.

"Very funny. As if I would ever welcome a Thayvian male in my bed. It's all claptrap about the prowess of the Thayvian men."

"Maybe lesser men, but not of me. There is none better skilled in the erotic arts than I."

"Yes, yes. I heard you got lessons from Elminster." Edwin went red in the face but before he could say anything she covered his mouth. "Be quiet or I'll use the medicine that stings."

She smiled as she sat down next to him and opened her supply kit. "Now if you would be so nice as to open your robe. I know you have a wound on your chest. I was going to wait and see how long until you asked for my help but you are very stubborn."

She smiled sweetly at him. After a few minutes he grudgingly opened the front of his robe, revealing him from neck to stomach. There were two bloody cuts, one high on his chest where it meets the neck and the other by his navel. She was quiet as she cleaned both wounds, making sure there was no dirt or anything that could cause infection. She then put her hand over the lower wound and muttered the incantation for healing, her hand glowed for a moment and when she took her hand away his skin was closed and slightly pinkish. She did the same with the other wound as she pulled away his necklace came into view. It was a rainbow obsidian gem that was in the shape of a teardrop. She had seen pictures of the rare stone but had never seen one that had a mix of red and gold.

"It is a memento of Thay. My family's stone."

"It's very pretty, Edwin. Can have it?"

"No. I would prefer if you would take your simian paws off of it."

She ignored him. "Do you miss them or Thay?"

"I do not see how that is any of your business."

Anni just looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Come to think of it where did you disappear to do after we saved Baldur's Gate?"

"Again I do not see how that is any of your business."

"But at any rate I'm glad that you left when you did."

"Are you?" He was looking at her as she bit her lip, he wondered if she realized that her hand was still on his chest.

"If you had left with me and Imoen, Irenicus would have taken you too. Somehow I don't think that someone as proud as you could stand what he did."

"I will tell you where I was if you tell me why you refuse to cast any magic besides healing spells. At this rate we'll end up dead because you will not cast some much as a magic missile spell."

"It's because of Irenicus. He would cast different spells on me, testing my resistance, my ability to survive. Seeing how must damage I could take. How quick I was to anger, to disgust, to shame." She swallowed and rubbed her arms. "If he wasn't doing that, him with those knives, I'll have scars from him to my dying day now."

"Ah, so that is your excuse? So you'll let him win and in the process get yourself and most importantly myself killed? And where exactly are these scars?"

Anni's head whipped up and she looked at him. "If you're so worried about dying then leave Edwin, no one is going to stop you. I for one would be happy to have one less person to worry about. I can't seem to get rid of anyone! People just seem to always want to travel with me." She sneered. "As soon as I get Imoen back and kill Irenicus, it's over." She made to leave the room but Edwin grabbed her arm causing her to fall against him. She braced herself against his chest and looked up at him.

"Edwin, what are you doing?"

"I-" Whatever he was going to say was cut off as there was sounds of fighting coming from the main room. She pushed off of him and ran.