(Author's note: All right, this is a chance to really expand the viciousness of Cari's character, since she's tired, stressed, and frustrated when they meet Malin for the first time. So, enjoy the catfight! Everyone's so mean in this chapter...)
"Ah, Malin, still playing girl-of-the-wood?" Bishop sneered.
Who in Cyric's name is this girl? Cari thought tiredly. I really don't want any problems right now, I'm exhausted.
Cari and her companions had been traveling up and down the Sword Coast for nearly a month, and she was starting to feel the strain of her predicament. Not only had she put up with a constant stream of complaints from Qara: "My feet hurt," "Sand doesn't know what he's doing," "Fish, again? Can't we have something else?" but she also had to endure the frustration of any personal time with Bishop being scant and often rushed, for more often than not someone would come calling and prove to be an unwelcome disruption. It was only around disturbance number seven that the entire party learned that Bishop knew how to use his skinning knife as both a projectile and a deterrent to any future interruptions. Despite their best efforts, Bishop's own frustration with their situation was starting to show as well.
Cari stared at the girl as she sneered at Bishop. "I was wondering when you'd drag your pathetic carcass back to Port Llast, Bishop," the girl scowled. "You need a tumble? You always seemed to come crawling back when you needed that."
Uh-oh, ex-lover. This is going to get awk-ward, Cari thought, smiling calmly, If not violent.
"You waited for me? I'm touched," Bishop said snidely. "But it's not like you could have tracked me down if you wanted to. And no, I want nothing of the sort, we're here on business. I don't mind mixing business with pleasure… but I mind mixing pleasure with you."
Malin opened her mouth to retort when Cari silenced her with a look. "If you have a problem with Bishop, I suggest you forget it while I am here," she snarled, stepping between them, "Unless you wish to find yourself on the wrong end of a sword, that is."
The half-elf glared at Cari. "Who's your new mistress, Bishop? I didn't think any woman could break you, but maybe you were lying about that too."
Hmm, women are so easily angered, Bishop thought. Especially Malin. Time to fan that flame a bit, I think.
He chuckled suggestively. "Cari never tried to break or shackle me as you did, Malin. She enjoys me for who I am, not what she wants me to be. But you're right, I haven't introduced you two."
"Carianna, this is Malin. This half-elf slip of a girl nearly got me - and herself - killed several times over while scouting the Luskan border. Impatience, incompetence, these things get scouts killed," Bishop said condescendingly. "This is what happens when you're not fully an elf… and not fully human. It's like you've always got something to prove."
Oh, look at that, Cari's wearing that seductive little side-smile I love so much. And Malin's seething. Perfect!
Cari grinned, gasping as Bishop leaned in to bite at her neck. "Well, it's a good thing I have you instead of her," she managed.
Malin narrowed her eyes as Cari's hands traveled down Bishop's chest, grabbing the belt around his hips and pulling them towards her.
"And who's your charming friend, Bishop? Another trophy?" she said frostily, her lip curling as Cari stroked the buckle on Bishop's bandolier. "Or is she merely another one of your whores?"
Ha, it's working. I always enjoyed tormenting Malin, Bishop thought triumphantly.
"Do those pointy, half-blood ears of yours not work anymore, Malin? I said that this is Carianna," Bishop purred, leaning in to kiss the tender skin underneath Cari's ear, "Squire of Neverwinter, the orc-slayer of Old Owl Well, and the 'so-called' butcher of Ember. She could also slit your throat in your sleep and no one would know until they found your cold corpse in the morning," he finished pompously, the smug smile on his lips vanishing instantly as Cari kicked him in the shin, a murderous look on her face.
"Ah, so she's not one of your whores, she's a trophy?" Malin said scathingly, anger dripping off her words. "Good to know she's stupid enough to let you use her."
Perfect, absolutely perfect, Bishop chuckled, Malin's livid.
Bishop wrapped an arm around Cari's shoulders, enjoying Malin's discomfort as Cari placed a hand on his chest. "Ah, girl, you wound me," Cari laughed disdainfully. "How do you know Bishop, anyway?"
"Oh, this should be rich," he said, amused. "Go on, Malin, tell all."
"Not while he's here. I can barely stomach the smell as it is. You want to know, ask when he's not around."
Cari grinned and turned to Bishop. "Well then, why don't you and the others go look around while I buy Malin here a drink? If you find something you like, here's some gold. I'm not giving you the whole bag, Neeshka's here," she winked.
Bishop cupped a hand around Cari's neck, tangling his fingers in her hair. He leaned in; a small smile playing on his features as he lightly brushed his lips across her cheek, causing her to shiver in delight.
"Of course, whatever my fair leader desires, she shall have," he said suggestively, throwing Malin a look before kissing Cari rather aggressively, more passionately than she was accustomed to.
"Oh gods, I'm going to be sick," Sand said dryly, "Did you notice they always do this in taverns, too?"
"You're not alone, I think I might be too," Casavir groaned, "And no, I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it."
Bishop pulled away, growling as Cari shook her head. "You get going; I'll meet up with you later."
"Are you sure you'll be all right, Cari?" Neeshka whispered as Bishop led the way out into Port Llast.
"I'll be fine," Cari said quietly, smiling as Neeshka raised an eyebrow. "If I need you, I know where you are."
Neeshka pursed her lips. "All right, we'll be around," she said loftily, glaring at Malin as she pranced off, her tail swishing back and forth. Cari smiled to herself as she grabbed a couple tankards of mead and brought them back to the table, Malin eyeing her angrily.
"So," Cari said quietly, propping her feet up on the table and tilting the chair back on two legs, resting the tankard on her stomach, "How do you know Bishop?"
Malin sneered. "I knew him quite intimately for quite some time; I thought you could figure that out, being his fearless leader and all that."
Hey, don't start with me, Cari thought, frowning. I just asked a simple question. If you want to start out with insults, I'll throw them back at you.
"The only thing I had trouble figuring out is why he would consider bedding a woman like you when there are women like me around," Cari shot back. "Now please, tell me more, I'm curious."
"All right, I'll humor you, but only because I have nothing better to do. Though, I have a question for you – why is he with you? Loyalty isn't high on his list, and he doesn't help anyone."
"Maybe I have other ways of making him stick around," Cari winked, laughing as she took a drink of mead.
"Maybe you should take me seriously," Malin said coldly, "Unless you really are his whore."
Watch it, Cari thought to herself, don't push me, ranger. You struck first.
"What problem do you have with Bishop anyway?" Cari asked icily, tilting the chair forward so the legs hit the floor with a loud thunk, "And perhaps you should tell me before I get… nasty."
Malin sneered. "I didn't listen once either, but I learned my lesson, trust me. Defend Bishop all you want, but you're only going to drive him away."
"He seemed to appreciate me standing up to you."
"He hates being in anyone's debt, almost as much as he hates Luskans," Malin said coolly. She took a sip of mead and shuddered, "The things he's done to them at the border…"
"You do realize I'm supposedly a killer, right?" Cari said. "And I find a man of his… skills to be most welcome."
"I could care less, Carianna," Malin snarled, a hint of jealousy shining through, "That's why I couldn't travel with him anymore, but he's good, I'll give him that. Just don't turn your back on him. You'll likely find a dagger in it."
"My relationship with him doesn't need your advice," Cari growled, "I'm far from naïve, Malin."
The half-elf shook her head. "You don't get it, by saying that, he's already got you. Bishop doesn't serve anyone but himself, that's just who he is. You certainly can't handle him, of that I'm sure."
"I don't try to handle Bishop," Cari said, draining the tankard, "Although certain parts of him enjoy being handled," she finished, tracing her lip with her finger.
"What in the Hells makes you think you can keep him around, you ignorant twit?" Malin asked incredulously. "I mean, without shackling him to you."
"My dear girl, it's unfortunate that you had to 'shackle him' to keep him around all the time," Cari drawled, running her fingers through her hair, taking great care to allow the sunlight to sparkle of her dark tresses, "I only shackle him when he wants it. Or he shackles me, we're not picky."
Malin choked on her mead. "You-you what?"
Cari smiled maliciously, enjoying the look of discomfort on Malin's face. "Speaking of naïve, you poor, naïve girl, to think you could handle a man like that… I pity you," she sighed, a look of pure ecstasy on her face as she fingered the buckle that lay atop her breasts, "I truly pity you. Bishop and I bond together so well, we just… meld together," she finished, emphasizing her point by making a lewd gesture with her hands.
"Gods, you-you're awful," Malin spat, revolted.
"Says the hypocrite," Cari said coldly. "If you can't handle insults being thrown at you then don't throw them at me!"
"I can handle insults just fine," Malin growled, "I just-this is ridiculous, you are a horrible, despicable person-"
"Do you want to know why Bishop stays with me, Malin? Because I am able to give him what he craves, what he never got from you. And he keeps coming back for my comforts, darling. Over and over again, for hours on end. He was obviously too much of a man for you, dear," Cari said cruelly, tossing her hair over her shoulder and leaning backwards, calling attention to the way her leathers pulled over her breasts.
"He enjoyed my comforts as well, Cari," Malin snapped, "It wasn't all that long ago he shared my bedroll."
"I'm sure you kept him satisfied in your limited ways," Cari taunted, "But how often did he lie with you, Malin? Was it daily? Or weekly, when he could stomach it, when he needed it? You know that man's insatiable, he really is. He knows how to make a woman's blood run hot as fire, too. I mean, just look at him! The gods blessed his body generously-"
"Stop, stop it! You are insufferable. Now I know why you're with Bishop, you can both be snide, sarcastic, violent and lustful together!" Malin said scathingly, slamming the tankard down and sloshing mead on the table, "Bishop's far from wonderful, Cari! He's arrogant and cruel and malicious and-"
"Those are harsh words from a former lover. Did he do something to disappoint you? Did he take your beloved maidenhead from you and then leave you behind?"
"He-I, how did you know?" Malin blurted out, caught off-guard, "Did he do the same to you?"
"Well, I know now,"Cari laughed callously, "And far from it; I haven't had that for years. And unlike you, wench, he hasn't left me."
"I'm starting to see why people think you slaughtered that defenseless village," Malin spat, her eyes narrowing.
"I did no such thing," Cari growled, her eyes flashing dangerously, "Everything was dead, and I mean everything. Even I have scruples, you know. No children, no elders, no families, no cripples, and no cats, no matter how much Karnwyr asks me to."
"Get to the man through his pet, eh?" Malin asked maliciously, "It's the oldest trick in the book."
"My father was a ranger; the best there could ever hope to be. I learned some things from him - and from Bishop too."
"I don't care," Malin snarled, standing up and slamming her hands down on the table, "This conversation is over."
"Fine by me, you were boring me anyway," Cari said dryly, pushing her tankard aside and rising from the table.
"You're quite the bitch. Maybe that's why Bishop's with you."
"I'm not going to continue this discussion with you, Malin," Cari said, walking towards the door. "I have better things to do than to try to argue with a half-breed ranger, so, if you'll excuse me-"
She anticipated the attack before she heard Malin move: the half-elf swung at Cari's head and she ducked, parrying the blow with an elbow to Malin's stomach.
"Come now, is that the best you can do, mongrel?" Cari taunted, easily dodging another of Malin's blows. "You make this too easy, you know." The smile faded from her face as Malin drew a dagger from her belt. "Oh, are we using weapons then, bitch?" Cari smirked, "It still won't help you best me."
"Don't call me those names," Malin barked.
"I'll call you whatever I want to, you half-mongrel bitch," Cari mocked, "So-"
She screamed in pain as Malin threw the dagger, plunging it deep into her thigh. Clenching her teeth, she pulled the blade from her flesh, wiping the blood on her arm. Despite her leg trembling, she smiled cruelly.
"Oh, you really shouldn't have done that," Cari hissed, blood running down her injured leg, "You really shouldn't have."