(Author's note: Sorry to you Nevalle fans out there, I took liberties with his character, so please, don't hate me! Enjoy the chapter!)
"Cari, wake up! Someone's here to see you!"
Cari awoke with a start, bleary-eyed and groggy, Duncan's voice piercing the silence in her room.
"Get up, lass, now!"
"Alright, I'm coming!" she cried, sliding out from underneath Bishop's arm and leaping out of bed.
"Whassit? Whasgoinon?" Bishop said, sitting up and shaking his head sleepily, "Who's yelling?"
"Duncan's yelling for me," Cari muttered, rolling her eyes as she walked to the other side of the bed, bending over to gather her dressing gown.
Bishop grabbed her wrist, grinning as he pulled her towards him.
"Mmmm, who cares? You should come back to bed," he purred, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and sliding his arms around her waist.
"I think I could do that," she smirked, moaning as his lips blazed a trail of heat across her breasts, his hands kneading the muscles in her back.
"Duncan be damned," Bishop groaned, cupping his hand around her neck and pulling her lips towards his, "he can wait a few minutes."
"I think he can," Cari breathed, straddling his lap.
"Cari, now!" Duncan bellowed.
"I'm going to kill that man on general principle," Bishop snarled as Cari pulled away, growling in frustration.
"I wouldn't blame you," she muttered, slipping into her dressing gown.
"Carianna Farlong, you have ten seconds-"
"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" she shouted, stopping by the large mirror on her dresser to straighten her hair and groaning as she noticed the large bite mark on her neck. "Thanks for this, by the way."
"What can I say? I love leaving my mark on a woman," he winked, throwing on his tunic and trousers.
"As I do with men."
"I'm sure," Bishop said, raising an eyebrow as he exited her room, Cari behind him. "And by the way, next time you leave a creepy man to watch over me in my sleep, wake me up and tell me. I'm not used to waking up to men in my room," he blinked, "Except angry husbands."
"What, did Martin scare you?"
"Far from it," Bishop growled, his words dripping with contempt, "It's just hard trying to hold your composure against someone you've never met when you're naked and defenseless."
"You obviously did a good job, both of you were still alive when I got there."
"It does no good if I'm on my guard and I'm weaponless," he snapped, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Warn me next time!"
"I didn't think a man like you needed warning."
"I don't, I just-"
"Then stop acting like a frightened child," she spat.
Bishop stopped.
"Did, did you just insult me?"
"Yes, and what're you going to do about it?"
"Think of something to say in return. It's not often people insult me."
"I know," Cari grinned.
Bishop shook his head, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they strode into the common room, smiling contently as Cari's companions stared at her, their faces stony and resigned.
"Ah, there you are," a cold voice snapped.
Cari turned to see a handsome man standing just inside the door, his arms folded across his chest. His hair was blonde and perfectly coiffed, his piercing brown eyes narrowed in suspicion. His tunic bore the same fearsome, blue eye that Callum wore. Casavir stood nearby, frowning.
"That's Nevalle," Casavir hissed, "One of the Nine."
Now I know why I don't pay taxes, it all goes to this knight's hair-care products, Cari thought to herself. She eyed the man called Nevalle warily.
"Perhaps you'd better explain why you're here, Sir Nevalle."
The knight raised an eyebrow, looking Cari over.
"Well, it is a shame to have to tell this to one so lovely," he drawled, sinking into a half-bow.
"Save it for someone else, knight," Bishop growled, sneering.
"My, someone has a temper," Nevalle said coldly. "Watch your mouth, whelp."
"Careful, knight, or I'll mess up that pristine hair of yours," Bishop shot back, "Along with other, more vital parts of your anatomy."
"Why don't you let me talk to Carianna? Unless you want to see her delivered to Luskan," Nevalle snapped.
"Luskan?" Cari blurted out, "Why Luskan?"
"I am here because Luskan has accused you of murder – an entire village no less. Have you heard of Ember?"
"I traveled through it, I didn't slaughter it," Cari said icily. "I am responsible for many things, but not this."
"I'm sure," Nevalle scoffed. "I know your kind, Carianna; I know how you derive pleasure from taking human life. And it disgusts me. You're in luck though. I've scraped things off my boot that I respect more than Luskan. But unless we have some means of clearing you of these charges, we will have to surrender you to them. And I'd hate to lose such a lovely addition to our little city," he leered, smirking as Bishop's lip curled, his arm tightening around Cari's shoulders.
There he goes with that alpha male thing again, Cari smiled to herself.
"Since you have chosen the outlaw's path here in Neverwinter, there is little I can do to help you. If you were a knight, a squire even, it would be enough to keep you out of Luskan's hands. I do not believe you are guilty of this crime, and though I would love to bring you to trial, I won't have it done in a Luskan court."
"So, you're just going to let me hang?" Cari snarled. "Literally?"
"There is little more that I can do on your behalf. You and your men have placed yourselves outside of Neverwinter law, and this is the price."
"Well now, glad to know you and the rest of the Nine are doing a wonderful job of not alienating your citizens," Bishop growled, straightening up and glaring at Nevalle.
The knight's eyes narrowed as they fell on the tattoo on Bishop's neck.
"Didn't I already tell you to watch your mouth?" he snarled. His eyes snapped back to Cari, his jaw set. "I am not turning you over to a Luskan court for 'justice.' I'm going to send a... a friend to help you where I can't. Now, if you'll excuse me, a nobleman was murdered in his home last night and I need to go investigate," he groaned. "Good day."
"Good luck" Cari said coldly, smiling at Nevalle, the smile not quite reaching her eyes.
The knight turned and gave her one last look of loathing before sweeping out the door, flanked by his bodyguards. Not two seconds after Nevalle departed, Wolf stepped out of the shadows.
"There you are! Axle sent me to tell you he has someone who wants to meet you, a Sir Edmund" he said enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Wolf, I'll see him right away," Cari said wearily, weakly falling into a nearby chair, Bishop sitting down beside her.
"By your leave, milord, he will be pleased to see you," Wolf said, half-bowing and giving an impish grin before walking over and throwing himself on the rug by the fire.
Duncan was fuming.
"No way, no way in the Hells will I let those Luskans get their hands on you," he snarled, clenching his fists.
"Just my luck," Bishop grumbled, "Luskan finds a way into my life no matter how far I run."
Cari threw him a look.
"Okay, so, now what?" she inquired, nervously running her fingers through her hair.
"This is going too far, even by Luskan standards!" Neeshka squeaked as she dropped down beside Cari.
"Is it?" Bishop snarled, absentmindedly rubbing the tattoo on his neck. "If you have something Luskan wants, they'd kill an entire city for it. They don't care." His arm tightened around Cari's shoulders. "They attacked Neverwinter once, and even now they're sending fleets to attack Ruathym. Give them an excuse, and you'll soon find Luskan blades at your gate."
Sal poked his head out from behind the bar.
"Uh, Duncan, it looks like we have a guest."
"Oh, as if the day couldn't get any worse…what do you want, Sand?" Duncan snapped.
Karnwyr growled as Jaral jumped up into Cari's lap, purring. Sand rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him.
"I am here to help you – and your kin, actually," Sand murmured. "I appear to have been given an ultimatum, in fact. Know that if you are sent to Luskan, you will be killed."
"Tell me something I don't know," Cari muttered under her breath.
She listened intently as Sand explained the situation. They would have to travel to Port Llast, and then to Ember to find evidence to counteract the Luskan Ambassador's accusation, and hopefully clear her name.
"…and with connections that you now have, you should go talk to Axle and see what can be done."
Cari nodded.
"Alright, let's go find Axle together then."
"Thank you for cooperating with me. Foiling Luskan plots is something I relish," Sand grinned.
"Okay, everybody, let's head out, I've got to find this 'Sir Edmund' and see what I can do to save my leather-clad behind," Cari griped.
"Cari?" Casavir whispered, "I've heard of Sir Edmund. And of how he acts around women. I remember hearing rumors about some farm he visited a while back. I'd be on my guard around him, alright?"
"Oh, Cyric's blood, this is not what I need," Cari groaned.
"I'm confident you'll be fine, Cari," Casavir said warmly. "If anyone can wallop a guy for trying to get into her trousers, it's you. We should go though; we don't want to keep Sir Edmund waiting."
"A squire?" Cari roared, bursting through the door to the Flagon and slamming it behind her. "A squire? Me?"
"I know, Cari, calm down!" Casavir yelled as Cari stomped past Duncan, making her way to her room.
"This is absolutely and utterly ridiculous!" Cari snarled, grabbing her rucksack and throwing a couple potions into the bottom.
"You think it's ridiculous? What am I supposed to do tonight?" Bishop whined.
Cari threw him a look.
"You can survive one night without me, Bishop. What, you actually want to be with a woman two nights in a row?" she spat, throwing a healing kit into her bag.
"Only if you don't disappear in the middle of the night and leave a creepy cleric to watch over me," he growled, his amber eyes flashing dangerously. "Besides, you got me curious as to what else you can do, my dear."
Cari rolled her eyes.
"Does nobody see a problem with me being a squire? I mean, are they so desperate for nobility that they'd offer it to me? What if I don't want it?"
"You know that it's the only way to keep you from Luskan's hands," Sand said firmly, raising his eyebrows.
She sank down onto her bed, holding her head in her hands.
"This whole thing is a huge mess," Cari moaned, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. "And why do I have to do this Solace Glade thing? Alone?"
"I wish I could go with you, Cari," Casavir said quietly as Cari made a noise of disgust, wiping kohl on her pants, "but the night in Solace Glade is a sacred one. It's tradition for you to do it alone."
"The hells you would, paladin," Bishop snarled, "I'd go with her."
Casavir glared at him.
"Save your aggression towards other men, will you?" he snapped, "This is stressful for all of us."
"It wouldn't be so gods-damned frustrating if Sir Edmund weren't so strange," Cari groused.
"Oh, I know strange!" Grobnar piped up, "One time, when I was just outside of Port Llast-"
"Another time, Grobnar," Sand hissed. "This is the only way to save your skin, Cari. So I suggest you not keep Sir Edmund waiting."
Cari sighed in frustration one more time as she threw her bag over her shoulder, storming out of her room.
Casavir chuckled as he heard her yelling at Edmund.
"You try anything, and I mean anything, you'll lose any and all appendages, got it?"
"You think someone should go keep an eye on her?" Sand asked quietly as he heard the front door slam, followed by Duncan's curses.
"Sounds like a plan," Casavir nodded. "I'm not sure she's the most stable woman I've ever met."
"Tell me about it," Bishop muttered, pointing to the gash on his face.
"You can tell me all about it while we wait for her at Solace Glade," Casavir said firmly.
"What, why me?" Bishop spat.
"Because you have nothing to do tonight anyway," Casavir smirked, grinning as Bishop stormed out. "Be ready in ten minutes!"
Bishop yelled something over his shoulder that sounded like a string of broken elvish curse words.
"My, I haven't heard such a delightful slaughter of my language since I had that talk with Elanee about the finer points of bathing regularly," Sand drawled.
"I heard that, elf!" Bishop bellowed.
"This is going to be a fun night," Casavir moaned, sweeping out the door.