Chapter 17- Edwin's really bad day

"Edwin, I can't do anymore."

"Try again you useless simian!"

Anni sighed. For the past hour she had been trying to fix Edwin and the whole time she had received more verbal insults from him than in her entire life. "That's it, I've had enough."

"What?! You haven't fixed this yet." The tone of his voice implied this whole mess was her fault.

"I have tried Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, Heal, Restoration and even Great Restoration! If you didn't know those last two take a lot out of a person! I can barely stay on my feet, I'm so bloody tired now!" She yelled at him, at the end of her patience.

"Don't yell at me! (The ache behind my eyes is worsening!) I would not be in this mess if it wasn't for you!"

"Don't you dare blame this on me, Edwin! How is it my fault you are too impatient to wait until you actually have the whole scroll translated," she screamed,"And tell me how the hell is it my fault you were turned into a woman?" At her last word, Edwin did something very un-Edwin like and for a few moments Anni felt bad for yelling as he burst into tears.

"You are a cruel and heartless woman! (Can this day get any worse?)" Edwin turned away and started to flee, unable to bare the humiliation any longer. -My life is ruined! A renegade of Thay, an ex-Shadow Thief (Though what self respecting wizard would want to work for them?) On the run from Degardan of all people, and now this! I'll never be able to face Teacher Dekaras again.- He was quickly working himself in hysterics as he...she ran back towards the city.

Edwin had no idea where she was heading just as long as it was away from Anni. He tried in vain to forget her reaction to his most unnatural transformation. She had fainted, which was acceptable, but the way she looked at him afterwards was not. He had wanted something from her,(Comfort? No, Edwin Odesseiron never needs comfort) but what he could not say.

Up until little over an hour ago, the two of them had been closer than he would have believe possible for two people to be. They had shared every intimate secret, things they would never admit to another person. They had talked over their childhoods, he better understood her and he had amused her with some of his childhood stories (edited versions of course.). In the past two days they had done things and said things that would even make the stoic Teacher Dekaras blush (Which the thought of him actually being able to blush was mind boggling.).

Her reaction to him had hurt. Her eyes once so filled with love and trust now watched him as if he was something that had crawled from under a rock and was preparing to attack her. When he had touched her to help her up, she had paled and flinched away from him. He had seen this same reaction of hers to other females who came close, even to Jaheira, though one would only see it if they were closely watching her. (Not that he watched her that closely.) He knew he was now cursed with this form for what would be a short time, (He would stop at nothing to achieve that goal) but couldn't she see past his form and know that it was him underneath? -If I had been turned into a dragon she wouldn't let me out of her arms then!-
---

Anni had finally managed to catch up with Edwin. Not a word passed between them, for what could be said? Her reaction to him (her?) hadn't been well and as much as she would like, she couldn't change it. When she had awaken from fainting she saw a strange raven hair beauty leaning over her, and against her will her mind flashed back to another time and place, to where she had woke to another black haired woman leaning over her and the events that followed. Anni had managed not to cry, scream or run away as the memories haunted her but something must have shown on her face as he immediately launched into his usual insults. That was the one thing she believed would always be consistent with Edwin; he insulted people to hide his own emotions.

"Edwin, I-"

"Quiet monkey wench, I am in no mood to listen to your chattering."

"Okay, fine. Just out of curiosity how do you plan on explaining this to everyone?"

"I will not be fodder for their insignificant minds to make what will no doubt be crude and unimaginative jokes. (Not that anything they could possibly say could ever bother me. No, nothing disturbs me in the least.) I will simply find a way to restore myself to my former glory."

"You planning on hiding aren't you? The great Red Wizard of Thay is afraid of being teased?" She smiled as she watched the wizard sputter with indignation. Before either of them could speak, a man called out to the both of them.

"Hold up, wayfarers. I've a few queries for this lowly group of middling pilgrims." She saw Edwin stiffen out of the corner of her eye and recalled his earlier actions at the sight of this man. She reached out and took Edwin's hand, forcing herself to focus on the fact that even in female form his hands had not changed much.

"I'm sorry, we're kinda busy. Go bother someone else."

"I've traveled an arduous distance. A Red Wizard of Thay needn't explain himself. If my inquiries are ignored, I will interrogate you in a painful fashion."

"Oooh, I'm so scared." She swallowed the rest of her insult as her hand was tightly squeezed. "Fine ask what questions you wish, wizard."

"We are interested in the whereabouts of an Edwin Odesseiron, a long-winded bag of gas. Homeland magic indicate this area to be a likely place for the vulture to roost."

"This must be a dangerous individual to bring a Red Wizard all the way to the City of Coin, where magic is illegal." She pretended to be nervous.

"Nothing of the sort. Edwin is a self-serving nerveless worm. He's gone rogue. He tithes nothing and has vilified the masters of the order and sullied their good names. As it happens, his prowess as a spell caster consists of parlor tricks and balls under coconut shells. Did I mention the fantastic reward as well?" She felt Edwin's nails dig into her skin as the man insulted him and just barely managed not to cry out.

"Sorry, I don't hold up well with spell casters. I can barely stand them as it is the only ones I deal with is my lover here. Every so often we play the Wychalarn and Red Wizard."

"Ahh.. well there is a king's ransom for the kind soul who would be so obliging as to turn the impotent imposter over to the proper judicial authority. Also the robes should be a little more red if you want authenticity to your 'game'." The man said as he walked away.

She watched the retreating wizard and resisted the urge to fire ball him. No one insulted Edwin, well except her and Jaheira and Minsc and Anomen and Haer'Dalis. "Let's just get back to the inn."

---

Anni sat on the bed as she unlaced her boots and finally decided to question Edwin. "What happened Edwin, after you left the Gate? What would keep you from your beloved Thay and cause them to name you a rogue?

"It is none of your concern. (I do not need her attempting to fix my little disagreement with home.)"

She often wondered if he realized that people could hear his muttering but never bothered to tell him as it was the best way to find out what he was planning. She yanked off her boots before stalking over and glaring down at him. -Wait a minute...I'm...looking...down??-

"What? What are you staring at wench?"

"Hehe...I'm taller than you." She smiled at his expression.

"I am merely struggling under the weight of this body. (Who would have thought these things could be so heavy and awkward?)"

"Hmm... They are sorta big, I don't understand why your body changed so much. It's very different from the effect of a girdle of change gender."

"Of course they're big, they are merely the female equivalent of my true form." Anni crossed her arms across her chest ignoring a twinge of jealously as she looked over the feminized Edwin.

"No, they're the wrong size for that." She continued on before he could ask if she meant too big or small. "Now tell what is going on!"

"Fine! Fine just stop pestering me!"

"Edwin..." She growled.

"Homeland received information of two Bhaalspawn lining in the Sword Coast area. Rasheman had sent the Wychalarn Dynaheir to coerce Sarevok into aligning himself to them."

"Which I spoiled by killing him. So let me guess you were supposed to recruit him too?"

"I was sent to find the witch, kill her and find the other Child of Bhaal as Thay believe Sarevok was too unstable for our uses. They wanted the other one who was far more naive and appeared more easily manipulated."

"Me? You were sent to recruit me?" She blinked in surprise. "How many people knew what I was? What was I the only one who didn't know?"

"It appears that way."

"So, that's why you talked so much about Thay to me." -That's why he seduced you my child.- Bhaal's voice whispered to her. She only shook her head, trying not to listen.
"Quite. If I was unable to recruit you, I was to... eliminate the chance you would side with Rasheman."

"You were supposed to kill me? Oh, well how nice." -Think of it my daughter, how easily you fell in "love" with him. He would stop at nothing to complete his mission.-

"I lied to my contact, Degardan, told him that you were dead. I knew it would only be a matter of time before they would realize the truth and come after me."

-He lies my child. Or should I say she lies?- Bhaal taunted.

-No, Edwin wouldn't lie to me about something like this.-

-Why wouldn't he...she?- Bhaal sighed. -I'm getting myself confused with this gender thing.- She smiled mentally at that. -You know how he talks of his Teacher, why would he give up the chance of being home with him for you?-

-Because he loves me.-

-Does he? I have been here the whole time, my child. Not once has he said anything of the sort.-

-But he did! It was after I told him that I loved him.-

-No, he has never said the words, you merely asked him and he agreed. If he truly cared why does he not confess it to you endlessly? Why has he not mentioned you in his letters home?-

-I...I don't know.-

-Exactly. If he cared for you the way you care, would he not tell the world? Look at him, do you think it's an accident that his "contact" shows up a few days after bedding you? And do you think it's an accident that he turned himself into a woman?-

-There's no way that he would purposely do that.-

-Think of it, he knows your deepest fears. What is the one thing you are truly scared of? Bodhi... I must say put him in some of that clothing of hers, it would be a close fit. He uses your fears against you.- She thought about it and realized that her father was making sense. Why would Edwin give up everything for her?

"So, you gave up Thay and your family for me?" She was silent for a moment. "I don't believe you." She stated flatly. "You showed no interest at all in me before, it was only after I found you here that you seemed to be interested by me. Hell you were more interested in Viconia than me, and you should have realized I liked you when I kicked her the hell out for sleeping with you."

"I know my limits, I would have never gotten close enough to kill you. (Not that I wanted to at any rate.) Not with that overprotective brainless Rasheman around."

"So now you decide to seduce me to your bed? Why else would you suddenly have an interest in me?" -Yes, see the truth for what it is, little one.- "I'm your ticket back to Thay."

"No! It-"
"No, I don't want to hear anymore. Go to sleep Edwin, I'll deal with you in the morning." She said as she walked to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm finding some place else to sleep with someone who won't stab me in the back."