A/N: We don't follow the canon Jaheira/Harper plot (again) here -- though a lot of it I see as beneficial to her romance stuff, and less so for a friendship. However, I hope this works out in a fairly okay manner -- there seemed to be no other place to really encounter Harpers than when they met the others, since a lot of their time has been spent in the Underdark since she renounced her status, but also enough time has passed for a certain character to have gotten wind of what's happening and make plans to interfere. And so...

General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.

-----------------------

Heading South

-----------------------

It was almost an hour after they left the city before Jaheira tried to converse with him. Whether she knew he was not in a conversational mood, or just had a lot on her own mind, he wasn't sure -- but either way, he'd enjoyed the silence as they'd rode, free from the doubtlessly inquisitive questioning any discussion would unavoidably lead to.

They'd made good distance for the time, which only served to make his mood worse. Already he was having second thoughts about his course of action, but he was unable to see any other path he could have taken; he had initially been sure that Maiyn's stubbornness had been down to her urges to defy Elhan, and so he had made his ultimatum known. By the time he'd discovered her apparently true reasoning for heading to the Umar Hills first, he'd backed himself into a position that his pride would not let him leave.

Even though it meant leaving her -- them -- behind.

"We shall rest overnight at Trademeet," Jaheira said thoughtfully. He sighed in return, bumping around in the saddle as their horses trotted down a narrow trail through a verdant valley, dotted with trees that had shed their leaves. Winter was not far away, and even Amn would become colder -- lands to the north would probably see snow, making his travels home harder... if he managed to survive that far, of course.

Then, as he knew it would, the inevitable came.

"Your decision to ride on without our leader has surprised me."

He let out a small mirthless laugh and wondered at the ironies of life; had he not been considering leaving her side, making a clear escape from her clutches before... before all this? And now he had all but done it only to be faced with the questioning druid and his own conscience. It was hopeless. "I could say the same about your own," he eventually managed, knowing it was weak, but unable to think of anything else.

"I think that some time apart will teach us both how to appreciate the other again," shrugged Jaheira.

Xan nodded; he'd been surprised by Maiyn's words -- more so by her flippant attitude as she said them, but regardless... it was not the girl he'd known. That he'd... felt for. He sighed. "I think that works for my case also."

Jaheira's eyebrow rose. "I would have imagined that you would have wished to stay by her side."

He shifted uncomfortably in the saddle, fidgeting with the reins. "Perhaps, once," he muttered. "Circumstances have changed, however."

"But Coran is no longer with her, either," the druid pointed out.

"No, but he was. And she did not spend the last few days doing nothing but argue with him whenever words were exchanged."

"No, she did not. She spent the last few days saying very little to him, despite his efforts to track her down. No matter what your personal feelings for him are, you must feel some degree of sympathy for that."

He nodded slightly. "I... You are right, of course. My own selfish attitude had driven me to think only of how she had been reacting to me recently, without regard to anyone else. When I look back and see she has barely even said two words to Imoen..."

"The time they have together now will hopefully bring down the wall that has formed around her," mused Jaheira. "If anyone can break through the influence she's given into, it would be Imoen -- and if she can, bringing about the end of Irenicus and ensuring she gets her soul back should bring us a step closer to returning her to her old self."

"And if it doesn't?"

Jaheira was quiet for some time. "Then she will need us more than ever," she said eventually.

"She will need her friends regardless of what happens," he replied morosely. "She is doomed -- do not look at me like that, for you know now that my words are true. Even if her soul is restored and she resembles the girl we recognise once again, what chance is there that that will be the end of it all? There are others -- more than just Imoen, out there, who will see her as… as what? As competition? Will they be baying for their dead father's throne? Will she be baying for it, riding along with his influence guiding her actions?"

"The road will be long," the druid agreed, "but I will stand by her as long as I think I can help to keep her on the path of what is right. We both will."

Xan remained silent, his eyes fixed straight ahead. He could feel Jaheira's green eyes boring into him, but he ignored it as best as he could. In the end she turned away, falling silent once more as they came out from the valley and into an open meadow, where they urged their mounts back into a canter. He tried to put the conversation out of his mind and concentrate on the feeling of the wind as it breezed past, feeling his hair spreading out behind him as they made their way across the plains. Despite his awkwardness in many other regards, he'd always been an able rider, and it brought back memories of the days when he was younger, riding across the edges of the sands of Anauroch. With the practised ease of one whose profession involves the emotions, he concentrated fully on these more pleasant memories, guiding himself away from the pain and misery that the others were able to generate.

But despite his best abilities, and try as he might, every time he envisioned himself back in his homelands, a phantom vision of an elven girl with long dark hair and golden eyes would appear, babe in arms, smiling to him.

-----------------------

Dusk was falling as they arrived at Trademeet. Jaheira had mentioned a nearby druid grove and initially suggested they stop there, instead, until Xan's look of horror had registered with her and she'd jerked her head in the direction of the town's lamps. A couple of soldiers nodded to them amiably as they passed through the gates, and the half-elf enquired as to the location of the nearest inn.

"Vyatri's Inn is just along the lower road," replied the nearest guardsman, smiling pleasantly. "'E'll be able to stable yer horses, as well, and 'is rooms are good value."

"Thank you," replied Jaheira, before pausing and looking back at the men. "Actually... perhaps you can be of further assistance. We once fought briefly alongside a young halfling girl by the name of Mazzy Fentan, but heard from a mutual acquaintance that she had fallen in battle not long ago."

The guard nodded sadly. "Aye miss, Lady Mazzy was a fine warrior lass -- better than 'alf the men around 'ere. It was a blow te the town te 'ear about 'er passing. 'Alf the town, if'n not more, turned out to pay their respects."

Xan watched Jaheira nod sympathetically. "She has been laid to rest in the city graveyard?" she asked.

"Aye, an' immortalised in the square by a statue she was, fer savin' us just before she left," he replied. "People have taken to leavin' flowers there, rather than in the cemetery, preferrin' to remember her as she was, than as someone in the ground. If ye know what I mean."

The druid smiled softly. "I know," she nodded. "Thank you." Xan followed as she walked away from the guardsmen, nodding back to them as they wished the two adventurers a good evening. He took in his surroundings with some interest as they made their way underneath the spindly branches of large oak trees. He had never visited Trademeet before, despite all his years as a Greycloak; trips to Amn, in general, had been minimal, with most of his duties based in the northern lands.

He was pleasantly surprised by it -- for a human settlement, it was almost pleasing to his eye. The houses, though crudely made and nothing compared to the homes of Evereska, were mostly wooden, covered with lattices and, usually, ivy. Outside each were rows of plants, and boxes of flowers extended from every window. The gravel path crunched underfoot, bordered by neatly cut grass that was only ever broken by the positioning of a signpost, readily informing travellers and traders alike on which route to take.

The inn wasn't far indeed, and a boy appeared almost instantly, taking their horses into the stables as he told them to go into the inn and speak to the innkeeper. It was a slow day, he'd said, and so Xan was fairly surprised to open the door and be met by the raucous sound of entertainment coming from a raised platform, where a young woman played a lyre, a chorus of halflings helping her to perform the chorus. Several other tables had human and halfling customers sitting around them, all seeming to enjoy the atmosphere as their glasses clinked together and the low murmur of voices provided a steady background noise to the music.

Jaheira made her way purposefully to the counter and informed the man standing there on their stabled horses as she arranged rooms for them that evening. He was relieved to note that she didn't see the need for them to share, and he gratefully accepted the key she held out to him, planning to retire to his room at the earliest possible convenience.

"I have arranged food," Jaheira informed him, turning away and stalking over to a nearby table. He groaned slightly -- his plans for solitude were, as was quite often the case, swept away from him once again, and with a resigned sigh he took a seat beside her, wrapping his pale hands around the cup of tea she'd placed down for him. The warmth soon spread to them, and he realised how cold he had been outside, despite his cloak. A night spent in a warm bed would be most welcome.

The druid seemed to be watching the bard sing, but Xan knew her concentration wasn't upon the musical talents on display. It meant that he felt little surprise when her low, slightly accented voice, permeated the sounds around him. "When we spoke earlier, I got the distinct impression that your intention is no longer to travel with Maiyn."

He sighed. "The thought of leaving her company had crossed my mind," he admitted. "But... it was before..."

She nodded, still not looking to him. "And what now? Has your mind changed, or are you still undecided?"

"I do not know," he said helplessly. "My duty to my people means that I have other things to consider -- my status as a moonblade wielder takes a lot of decisions from my hands..."

"It has allowed you to travel with a Bhaalspawn for this long."

"Our aims have been similar."

"And you think that is the only reason you've stayed with us? When you left the Gate, you promised to try and take a mission that would enable you to head south once more and meet us. And you did. Why did you say that if you believe you're only with us because your goals are shared?"

He stared down at the liquid in his cup, idly swirling it around. "Because it was what I wanted."

He felt her hand covering his and he offered a weak smile up to her. She was looking at him now, her eyes full of understanding. She has been through so much since this began, he reminded himself. I am not the only one to have suffered.

"None of us can promise to stay with her for the extent of her course," she said. "But we can pledge ourselves to the cause of restoring her soul."

"And I have," he replied. "I have not abandoned her in her hour of need; only a fool would disagree with me when I say that she needs to come to Suldanessellar as soon as she can, for her own sake. Yet, she thinks I have left her to serve my people -- which is, I admit, part of the reason I chose this path. But, the truth be told, I hoped to have her realise the seriousness of her situation with my stance. But, it was not to be."

"She is being reckless, despite her reasons," Jaheira agreed. "But she has to follow us, and we have the chance to do what we can in preparation for her arrival, now." She paused. "You did not say goodbye, did you?"

"I did not have the chance. She was nowhere to be found before we left, and the evening before, she was as unresponsive as ever. After Imoen left, following you, I asked her if she'd reconsider. She said nothing for a long time, then she shook her head. She looked at me -- one single look -- and said she was sorry, then she glided from the room as if we'd just been discussing the weather." He sighed.

Jaheira joined in. "I am hoping time will allow her to fight back at this presence she seems to have allowed to envelop her, though I am unsure as to what it is, despite my suspicions."

"You think it is the influence of her dead sire?"

"It would explain her relenting to the taint and using the form of his avatar."

He nodded thoughtfully. "It would also explain her rather thoughtless remarks," he mused. "And possibly go some way to helping us understand why she has a faraway expression so often. If she is trying to battle with something internally, she will detach herself from our reality to do so -- though by her current actions, I would say she is losing more than she is winning."

"Imoen still has some small sway over her," Jaheira assured him. "Her presence has managed to lift Maiyn's mood more than once in the past few days, and it might be enough to give her the strength to contain the taint again."

Xan closed his eyes. "If it does, it shall not be for long." He looked back at Jaheira sorrowfully. "She needs to regain her soul -- while it is absent, the taint is filling in. No matter what we try to do, we will not be able to stop that."

"But if her soul is restored, the taint will be pushed further back once more?"

"It is possible. It is unlikely it will fully leave her, now it has found an opening. But yes… with her soul, her control should improve -- but only if she wishes it to."

Jaheira nodded. "Then we will do what we can to find out the location of Irenicus, so that when she arrives we can end this."

-----------------------

There was a definite chill to the air as Xan walked along the paths that wound their way around the town of Trademeet that night. His meal with Jaheira had been a sombre affair, both of them blocking out the entertainment on offer in the tavern as they continued to discuss the possibilities that may lie in wait for them surrounding her condition, until they both agreed that it was pointless to speculate and their energy would be better served with preparing themselves for whatever lay ahead.

Jaheira had excused herself soon after, wishing to get some air. Their talks had left them both restless, it seemed, and he found himself full of memories and thoughts that were aching to be dealt with -- screaming for some form of resolution. So much seemed to hang in the balance, so much seemed to be dependent on... on everything. As well as his the indefinite future he'd carved for himself, there were some very real issues requiring his attention from his past -- in particular from his time in the drow city. Although he was unsure of his reasoning, his travels with Jaheira had only strengthened the belief that if there was someone for him to talk to, to open up to at that point... it was her. She already knew much about the complications between himself and Maiyn, and had shown tact and control regarding her curiosity surrounding it, of which he was grateful. He wanted to believe that he'd be able to confide in her regarding the other issues on his mind... but first he needed to ensure that she was coping.

He made his way towards the square, thankful of the signs that helpfully directed him at each intersection. The town kept its quaint appearance as he went, and he took back some of the more scathing words he'd used to describe human settlements as a whole. For somewhere non-elven, it came quite close to resembling somewhere he could imagine spending a great deal of time... though, he admitted to himself wryly, he was witnessing it in the twilight, and not the almost certainly madly busy daytime, when the merchants would be out in force.

It proved to be only a short walk to his destination and he could see the druid kneeling beside a large marble fountain, graced with stunning sculptures of some figures. He assumed them to be Mazzy's fellow companions from her travels, and paid little heed to them as he quietly approached, watching as Jaheira carefully placed the small wreath of flowers that she'd hand-picked and woven together on the small plinth before the halfling's form. He frowned slightly, a realisation that she was not the central figure as he would have expected the leader to be, and curiosity drove his gaze around at the other statues. His heart was almost in his mouth as he noticed the perfect replica of the girl who had been accompanying Coran, standing beside two strangers. The final figure, in the centre, was the elf himself; standing tall and smiling -- even his carved duplicate exuding a confidence that the enchanter found irritating.

With a sigh, he turned, all trust he'd welled up inside himself to talk about his problems immediately dissipating. Footsteps behind him, then a hand on his arm caused him to pause; letting Jaheira catch up with him and come around to face him. She wore an apologetic look.

"I should have warned you," she said. "Imoen told me the tale she'd heard from Coran regarding this whole tribute… I assumed you'd have been present to hear it, or that you would have heard it from her yourself."

"It does not matter," he replied stiffly, making to move away back to the inn. Her firm but gentle grip managed to slightly dissuade him.

"Sit with me."

He reluctantly followed her to the other side of a grassy park, sitting beside her on the bench that looked away from the fountain, and down towards the lower level of the town. She had a few flowers left over, he noticed, and her hands idly began lacing their stems together, almost instinctively, as she spoke. He watched for a while, mesmerised by the simple action before he tore his eyes away to look up to the night sky, forcing himself to listen to her words.

"I did not realise his presence caused you so much pain," she remarked quietly. "I understood it would prove to be difficult -- more so now, I imagine. It was naive of me."

"It is something I must learn to deal with," he sighed.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," she shrugged. "Whether or not we join with Coran and his young companion again is as uncertain as everything else in our future. You would obviously prefer if we did not."

"But you would prefer if we did."

She smiled slightly. "Before, yes... yes, I would. I wished her to be happy again, and I thought she was rash to leave him -- to leave us all, as she did. But things have changed -- both to my surprise, and... not. It is not as clear cut now as it once was."

"Nothing is," he said forlornly. He stole a glance over to the half-elf. She was looking down at the floral arrangement on her lap, a thoughtful expression on her face. He sighed. "Forgive my prying, but... I have worried slightly about how you are coping."

She gave him an amused sidelong look. "The fact that I am is enough."

He shook his head. "You are speaking almost as if through obligation -- you are expected to cope to be there for everyone, therefore you must."

"Just like you are expected to protect your people, and so, you must? Beyond your own personal feelings?"

He smiled ruefully. "The comparison is uncanny, but I believe we were talking about you." He paused for a few seconds as he thought of how to phrase himself -- these types of discussion never came easily to him. "You have already lost your husband in this whole endeavour, and now the man who became close enough to you to encourage you to open up to your grief has gone too. I... I am not as adept with these situations as Kivan was, but I wanted you to know that... well, I am here, should you wish to talk about it."

She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. "I appreciate the sentiment, Xan," she said quietly. "But perhaps it is more in my nature to deal with things on my own. Much as you have been doing since we left Ust Natha."

He winced slightly at the reminder, but didn't move his hand from hers. Instead, he swallowed hard, closing his eyes and trying to force the words from his mouth; he was unsure how much sense he could make but the opportunity had presented itself. For his own sanity, he had to at least try.

"It was not something I wished to remember," he said, almost in a whisper. "The event... well, it was obvious the effect it had on me, especially while we remained underground, and even now I bear some of the emotional scars from the episode."

She nodded, but stayed silent, allowing him to continue at his own pace. He sat in silence as he tried to work out where to begin, not even hearing the noises of the crickets chirping in the hedges or the sounds of faint chatter as some merry patrons left the inn, wandering slowly towards their abode.

"At first I was struck solely by absolute fear, like I have never experienced before. When the drow spoke I wished myself to waken up and realise it was a nightmare of some description -- but the force of her grip on my arm was enough for me to realise that it was very real. I could do nothing but berate myself for acting so foolishly in the first place -- stalking from the suite to the open arena of such a place's common room was senseless indeed, and so in many ways, I deserved the outcome."

She shook her head. "No, you did not deserve such treatment. You were unfortunate after you acted rashly, however."

"Quite." He took a deep breath. "She took me to one of the rooms upstairs, past our own suite. They call them 'Lust Chambers', you know. Ironic, really, considering they had precisely the opposite effect on me. Needless to say, this effect did not please her in the slightest and she was very determined to change my perspective."

"You do not need to speak of this if it distresses you." She sounded concerned.

"I feel as if I must," he admitted. "Since that time it has played on my mind. Once... once I would have confided this to Maiyn, as I am sure you are aware. There was nothing, I thought, that I wouldn't tell her, in my own time. Now, however, I am not so sure."

She nodded, again with understanding. He took a few moments before he continued.

"When I arrived back at our rooms I was injured and soaked, as you may recall? The injuries were from her whips -- not only the snake-headed one that she seemed to favour, but from a variety of lashes, each designed in its own intricately cruel way. I've never seen such an extensive collection before. I think it was meant to cause some form of arousal -- unfortunately for her, it did not. And so I was repeatedly drenched in water, as some kind of punishment I assume. By then she seemed to have given up all hopes that her night would be as passion filled as she hoped, and did not care that her actions were doing little to instil carnal urges in me."

"And so eventually she released you, without you having..." Jaheira's voice trailed off.

"Eventually, yes. Why, did you think I was gone so long because I was performing repeatedly for our delightful priestess friend?" He was glad to see she ignored his sarcasm; he didn't want to push her away at that moment, but it was the only defence he had left and the words escaped him before he could prevent it. He sighed. "Even if I had wished to, I would have been unable to do such an act. It is not uncommon for such females of the dark elves to use those opportunities to breed with what they see as strong members of the opposite sex, in the hope of producing healthy and powerful offspring. I would never have been able to live with the prospect of the chance that I'd resigned a child to that sort of fate."

The druid nodded quietly. "It was a terrible experience for you to go through," she said. "When we saw how it was affecting you afterwards, we felt helpless and worried. I know Maiyn was too, probably more so than anyone else."

He sighed once more. "I know. I saw enough little signs from her, but as sleep deprived as I was -- as troubled as I was -- I could do nothing, it seemed, but snap at her and push her away. And so I got my wish, ironically, because she's more distant to me now than ever before."

"And not just to you," noted Jaheira. "But we can do nothing but give her the time we hope will help."

He nodded. "You have not told her about... her condition?"

The druid shook her head slowly. "I have informed only you, and Anomen informed only me. There is no need for the others to know, and when we saw how fragile Maiyn was emotionally, we decided that it would be best for her to stabilise somehow before we informed her. It is still very early and she need not know until she has regained enough of her inner strength to deal with the idea and the consequences."

"I see."

"You don't sound convinced. But trust me -- I gave it a lot of thought. Had she been likely to be continuing her travels with Coran, especially, I would have deemed it more important that she knew straight away. Since that is not happening, and he indeed left at the same time as us, I think we have some time before we inform her -- time for Imoen, perhaps, to break through to her. Time for you to come to terms with the news."

"She will be unhappy if she thinks I was told in advance," he mused.

"If she is back to her old self, she may be angry, but in time, she'll understand." Jaheira sighed. "But again, it is hard to predict the future when everything is so uncertain."

Xan nodded his agreement. "Tell me... when did everything become so complicated?"

She laughed. "There was a time when it wasn't?"

He shrugged. "I am sure there must have been. In Evereska things were rarely complex. Indeed, they could be quite mundane -- even claiming my father's blade and becoming a Greycloak was not what you'd term as terribly exciting; most of the missions involved diplomacy and meetings, waiting around for hours on end to see some pompous dignitary or another. But then one day, it all changed. I am wondering when." She lapsed into silence beside him. When she spoke, her voice was so low that he almost missed it.

"A tenday after we received a hastily written letter from our good friend, Gorion; and on the second eve we spent at the Friendly Arms Inn after travelling there with all the speed we could muster."

"The day you met Maiyn?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "Things were not always easy before then, I will admit... but the girl... her background, her mere heritage is so complicated. She brings ramification to everything both unwillingly and unwittingly, but she is aware enough of the consequences to level unfair amounts of blame upon herself. She cannot help what she is, but at the same time... she is the point in which our lives changed dramatically and placed us firmly on the path of a fate that we have very little control over."

"Ah, but it is an interesting path, is it not? And one which provides much in the way of twists and turns, never going quite as smoothly as ye might wish for."

They both jumped slightly, startled by the new voice. Jaheira's garland dropped to the ground, sliding from her lap as she turned to regard the man standing beside them, her hand drifting away from the enchanter's; Xan had not heard him approach at all, to his shame, and his hands wandered towards his components pouch warily as the stranger bent down and retrieved the druid's flowers.

"'Tis a fine night to be admiring the stars, is it not?" he continued pleasantly, as if he'd been in their company for some time, handing the posy back to the half-elf. "And the stars themselves hold many secrets and prophecies it is said; whether ye choose to believe this or not is another matter, and I shall leave ye to decide for yourself."

"What are you talking about?" Xan asked.

The old man smiled, but the upper half of his face was shrouded by the hood of a plain brown cloak. His hand gripped a staff tightly for support as he stood beside them, but he made no threatening moves. "Some say that the stars can reveal many a prophecy if ye know where to look. I am but an old man, and am unsure on the value of such mysticisms myself."

"I see..." Xan frowned slightly. Though the man certainly appeared strange, there was something annoyingly familiar about him -- and judging by Jaheira's wrinkled eyes and thoughtful expression, he was not the only one thinking so, it seemed.

"Tell me, my lass," the cloaked man went on, looking towards the druid. "Would you answer me a question?"

Her frown grew. "Do... I know you? I... your voice is familiar, but I cannot place your face."

"Perhaps we have met," the man replied lightly. "We travelled in much the same circles, though not at the same time. Terminsel is the... ahh... name, and I should like to ask ye a question."

"We met among the Harpers, did we not?" she asked slowly. Xan watched as the grip on her wreath seemed to increase, threatening to damage her carefully crafted work, and she stiffened. "I am through with them. Many a decent person I met, but damned if I'll be crucified for the failures of their own."

"Yes, well, calm down for the moment, if ye will," replied the man. Xan could imagine him rolling his eyes as he spoke. "I am well versed in the events that have occurred, and I have but a simple question to put to ye."

"Then do so," she said coldly. "I wish this matter behind me, once and for all."

"Oh, this will clear up a great many things," the man replied cheerfully, settling himself down beside her. "I care little for the specifics of what occurred in the Harper hold. No, Jaheira, I've a question of a different sort to ask. For better or for worse ye have thrown thy fate in with this Maiyn, though I was surprised to see your path had split from hers for now. She is, among many other things, a child of Bhaal. Yes, I know of this, so look ye not surprised."

"We have gone our separate ways to achieve different goals temporarily." Her voice was strained, Xan noticed. He glared at the man in an effort to make him move on, but it had little effect -- the stranger didn't even seem to notice the enchanter's presence any more.

"Be that as it may, in the end ye have gone against thine own fellows guided by your heart; ye have seen Maiyn's actions, and served with her through battle and peace. Ye have done what ye have done, there is no denying, the reasons for which are thine and I trust they are valid... if ye believe them to be. This is my question, Jaheira: did you do the right thing?"

The druid replied almost immediately. "Undoubtedly. I would do as such again without hesitation. Maiyn has proven herself to be decent, despite the challenges she faces internally, and others are all the more fools for not seeing so."

Terminsel nodded, then a smile crept across his visible features once more. "Then that is the measure from which the incident shall be judged," he replied simply, standing back up. "Others shall be informed and you will think no more of it." Jaheira gaped at his casual attitude. "Oh, and before I forget," he continued, rummaging around in one of his pockets, "this little item was meant for ye. I believe it was forgotten in all the excitement. There is but one condition attached to it -- that you wear it with pride, will ye? Oh... and... " He slipped his hood back slightly, revealing his face in the shadowy night, offering the half-elf a wink. "Get back to work."

"I... I believe I have placed a proper name to your manner," she said, her hands trembling as she accepted whatever the man had held out to her, "now that I have experienced it up close. I should have thought you fond of anagrams, 'Terminsel.'"

Terminsel laughed. "Yes, well, one must keep amused in one's old age," he replied cheerfully. "Good luck, Jaheira, and do not think thyself abandoned for the actions of a few. We simply do not work like that." With a small wave, he turned and wandered off, disappearing from view within seconds.

Xan looked to Jaheira and noted she was staring intently at her palm. His eyes moved down to examine the object also, and he felt himself taking in his breath sharply. Harpers were always welcome in Evereska, and he recognised the badge they wore even though he'd only caught brief glimpses of them on rare occasions. Jaheira had worn one, but she had removed it upon her renouncing of her status -- what she had done with it, he was unsure. The pin she'd been given as a replacement was different -- it gleamed and shone, radiating a power from within. It was slightly larger than before, he thought, though he could not be sure.

Slowly he reached over and took it gently from her outstretched hand. She made no effort to resist as he pinned it carefully under the lapel of her armour, where she had favoured wearing her previous one. When he was finished he smiled to her, noticing her eyes shining with tears. He sighed, and his arm went around her shoulder, allowing her to lean on him as they continued to sit under the stars on the cold Trademeet night, both feeling a shared sense of relief that had been a long time in coming.