A/N: Apologies for the delays -- I accepted a better paid, specialist position which is consuming my life, and added to the mix has been some rather nice Scottish weather, which is so rare that we had to make the most of it... anyway. Updates will be as regular as I can manage them, and thank you all for the gentle reminders for me to update!
General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.
-----------------------
Trouble in the Treetops
-----------------------
"We wondered when you would arrive" Jaheira remarked dryly, frowning slightly at Imoen's squirrel, which had produced an acorn from somewhere and was crunching it quite loudly. Imoen scratched it under its chin, gazing at it with a look more often seen on Minsc's face when he fed Boo seeds. The berserker was watching her with a beaming smile, his hamster perched on his shoulder. Maiyn was kneeling beside Verya, one arm draped lazily around the cat's shoulders as it stared alertly around at the elves. "And where on earth did you get such a creature?"
"Isn't he great?" Imoen said with apparent delight. "I found this scroll in one of the bedrooms at Nalia's house, when we stayed over-"
The young noblewoman shook opened her mouth to interrupt, but then seemed to decide against it; a rare but soft smile played across her lips. Maiyn glanced over to her. She suddenly realised how pretty and well turned out the girl was. It's hardly a surprise that he's become close to her.
"And you referred to him as... Yessie?" Jaheira was wearing the familiar look that told Maiyn she had an ominous feeling over what was coming, and she was hoping beyond hope that she was wrong.
"Well, yeah," Imoen admitted, much more quietly. "I don't really know why... I mean, his tail is all bushy and stuff, and it tickled my chin and made me think... made me think of..." She broke off and sniffed loudly, then cleared her throat. "And well, it's not really favouritism or anything, there just wasn't anything to remind me of Alora, or... or..."
"I see," Jaheira said briskly; Maiyn noticed that she was staying very calm, despite the talk of the deceased. Perhaps she was learning to come to terms with it all -- and if she could, then there was hope for all of them...
She jumped slightly as Coran spoke. "Laerir!" he exclaimed, striding forward to bow slightly to one of the elves standing at the fringe of the injured who were still being tended by healers. "It has been... a long time."
The elf started slightly at his name, then stared frostily back at the greeting. "Ah. Coran. We did not expect to see you here again. Were it not bad enough that our glorious city fails as we watch, but your presence is added to the mixture to further taint and destroy us."
"Laerir," hissed another elf, slightly taller than his friend, an apologetic glance thrown to Coran. He was as dark of hair as Laerir was fair, and as slight in frame as Laerir was toned. "It has been a stressful time for us all," he added, his voice soft and melodic.
"No, I say nothing now that I would not say on the eve of a High Feasting," Laerir countered. "This worthless son of snakes did not look back when he left my sister weeping on the highest branches of the breeze-caressed branches above the palace all those years ago."
"Oh, Silvanus..." Jaheira muttered. Imoen visibly winced, and Maiyn and Nalia looked over quizzically as Coran shuffled his feet slightly.
"This is not the time for old resentments," the tall elf said warningly. Laerir shrugged.
"Perhaps not," he said sharply. "But perhaps friend Coran should know of his own family..."
Coran's eyebrow rose. "What of my family?" he asked sharply.
"You do not know?" Laerir smirked. "They arrived here in Suldanessellar not a season before drow began their attacks in earnest. I thought such a loving son and brother would have known this."
Coran paled instantly and Maiyn instinctively moved slowly towards him. "My family, Aorn? Here?"
The taller man looked to reply, but he was cut off by his fair-haired friend. "I suppose all your time away from our civilised lands would not lend itself to aiding your remembrance of our culture."
"Enough, Laerir!" Aorn looked slightly annoyed by now. "They are here, Coran, but they fare well. Better than others, at least," he sighed. "Your mother and sister are attending the healers at the far side of the city. Do not look so worried; I saw them myself only a few hours ago, and both were perfectly well."
"And my father?"
"Ah." The two tall elves exchanged hesitant looks; even Laerir managed to become somewhat subdued.
"Where is my father?" Coran asked, his voice low. Maiyn could recognise the hint of impatience radiating from the tone.
"He was one of the men who were deployed to the palace," Aorn said levelly. "We have no reason to believe any ill has become of him."
"But?"
"The palace is sealed, Coran," Jaheira explained, approaching her elven companion and touching his shoulder gently. "We are looking for a way to get inside-"
"Then why are we standing around?" Coran demanded, flinching from the half-elf's touch as he paced away and causing her to look momentarily hurt before her steely gaze returned. "We should be at the gates, using our force, using our magic..."
"Let Jaheira explain what is happening," Maiyn said softly, approaching his side. "We don't know what has been happening here, so let us find out the story behind it all."
Coran ran a hand through his tousled hair as he stopped, letting Maiyn draw up to him and softly place her hand on his arm. He did not shake her away.
"As you wish," Jaheira said briskly, nodding to Maiyn. "We returned the Lanthorn to Elhan when we arrived at the camp. He used it to find the hidden entrance to the city, and posted guards there as you will have seen."
The others nodded, except for Xan who let out a mournful sigh and leaned back against a tree wider than many of the houses Maiyn had seen on her journeys.
"When we arrived here, we proceeded to aid in the reclamation of the streets from the drow slaves and allies," the druid continued. "We freed one of the High Priestess' from her capture, and she is being tended by Elhan as she recovers her strength. She has told us how we can gain entry to the palace-"
"As it is," Xan interrupted dryly, "we need to find the local Moonblade wielder, and in all likelihood, prise his weapon from his dead fingers in order to obtain the final piece for our ritual."
Maiyn frowned at him in puzzlement. "Ritual?"
"Priestess Demin suggests we call for help through the temple," Jaheira replied. "To do so, we need to present certain items to prove our loyalty to their Gods."
Laerir and Aorn looked at the druid disapprovingly before moving off, muttering softly to each other. Maiyn ignored them. "Right," the ranger said simply.
Jaheira gave her a wry smile. "I should have known that meddling with the Gods would not surprise you."
It was Maiyn's turn to grin. "It would be hard for me not to, now; wouldn't it?"
The half-elf chuckled quietly, and stepped forward to give the elf a fierce hug, which initially startled Maiyn before she returned it in force.
"You have worried me recently," Jaheira whispered as they embraced. "I am glad to be back in your company."
"And I yours," Maiyn replied honestly as they pulled away, still standing opposite each other. Slowly Jaheira began to frown.
"You have heard our news, though there is more to tell in times of peace," the half-elf remarked. "What of your own? Did..."
Maiyn nodded wordlessly, and hesitantly glanced over to Minsc. The berserker was holding Boo up, the hamster perched in the palm of the Rashemeni's hand as his nose twitched curiously. Both were entirely caught up, it seemed, in their rather grand surroundings.
"We parted company shortly after," the ranger explained vaguely. "Coran and Nalia came to meet us." She briefly wondered if she should mention Coran's other, stranger companion, but decided against it. As Jaheira had said -- there was more to be told, but it could wait until the current situation was resolved. This could include their run-in with the Zhentarim hunter.
The elven thief stirred slightly as she spoke his name. He'd wandered off to stand at the edge of the platform, where the branches from the trees had been woven to make a small wall surrounding the dais, his eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. Maiyn could only assume it was either in the direction of his mother and sister, or -- and more likely to her -- it was towards the palace.
She reached out to gently touch his arm again, and he smiled softly, causing memories of their past to spring into her mind. She found herself gazing at him fondly, and quickly shook herself from the trance at about the same time as he did, and watched as he wandered off awkwardly to the other side of the platform, and past Xan. Xan was looking at her sadly, but when her eyes met his, his gaze was quickly averted. She sighed, cursing herself as she looked back towards Coran and saw him standing close to Nalia; the young girl had been withdrawn for most of the journey, and more so when Coran and Maiyn had finally began talking to each other -- even if most of that had been to complain about Imoen's new squirrel.
"So why exactly are we waiting?" she asked, anxious to avoid any uncomfortable silences. Jaheira briefly explained that they were trying to locate the whereabouts of the moonblade wielder and were waiting for some of Elhan's men to obtain information from their kinsmen. She nodded, looking up to the sky with a hint of worry.
"It will be dark soon. Do you think the drow will attack?"
"We should be prepared," Jaheira replied thoughtfully. "They will know, by now, that the elves have rallied and that they are making progress at driving their enemy from their home. I would expect their dark cousins to do no other but make one last desperate push to wreak their havoc, even if they fully intend to withdraw and regroup later."
"Hey, Ano can keep an eye out for us," Imoen exclaimed suddenly. "Well, I say an eye, but it's more like... well... I don't know." She scratched her head and frowned slightly. "Keeping his faith out, maybe?"
Jaheira raised an eyebrow, and Maiyn stared at her sister blankly for a moment while Anomen cleared his throat nervously. "What the La... I mean, what Imoen means, is that I can beseech Helm for an entreaty to aid my detection of malevolent spirits," he explained.
"I can do that too," Maiyn frowned. "Remember? We did it together!"
Imoen suddenly snorted, causing Maiyn to glare at her darkly as the young mage buried the lower half of her face in her sleeve.
"I mean," the ranger said through clenched teeth, "that when we faced those shadows... I was able to detect the spirits too, and repel them from us."
Anomen nodded encouragingly. "Your God blessed you with the ability to turn them," he said patiently, "but I do not think you can do... well, this."
He smiled simply, then closed his eyes and stretched out his arms. A few words escaped his lips, but they were spoken so softly that it was impossible for even Maiyn to catch his words. And then, he glowed, with an almost blinding white light, which quickly faded into nothing. When he opened his eyes, he smiled more fully.
"Helm can detect no evil in the surrounding area," he said. "We are safe, for now."
"Will that work here?" Jaheira asked thoughtfully. "There are illusions up to protect the city -- does Helm acknowledge these, or does His sight transgress them and see into the immediate surrounding forest?"
The knight looked almost as if he was going to roll his eyes to Maiyn; but whether she was mistaking his body language, or if he just decided against it as he stood facing Jaheira, he simply shook his head instead. "Helm sees past illusions and magics," he remarked simply.
"That'll come in handy if you choose to liase with a mage," Maiyn murmured, glancing over at Imoen. Anomen immediately blushed, and the human girl glared daggers back at the elf, who merrily chortled as Verya ran past, chasing Yessie until the squirrel bounded up into the trees. The lynx looked poised to pursue.
"Hey!" Imoen called, causing several of the nearby elves to look up at her in some surprise. "Call your cat off!"
"She's only playing", Maiyn replied lazily, dropping her pack to the ground and stretching slightly. "I guess we'll be here for a while, then?" she asked Jaheira. The druid hesitated, looking over to Solen. He was less than half way around the wounded men, his melodic voice only occasionally drifting over as far as the companions as he became caught up in the tales of battle as well as his attempts to find out more about the missing moonblade wielder.
"I... I think so," the half-elf eventually replied. Maiyn nodded and sat down, letting Verya lean against her. Minsc and Anomen had moved away from the group slightly, conversing about potential areas that the drow could use if they chose to attack in the darkening hours. Imoen and Jaheira began rummaging through the packs to find food to distribute, and Coran and Nalia were still standing close together, talking in hushed tones, though there was no physical contact between them. Maiyn was, at least, glad of that... she had not fully realised what losing him felt like until they night at the Keep, and though he made every effort to be friendly and civil to her on the journey south, she could see the pain in his eyes when his guard slipped. She sighed and closed her eyes.
What do I do…?
A vision of a woman flashed past. She opened her eyes, frowning slightly. It was no one she had seen before, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to get the picture back properly; only a vague recollection of beauty, framed with golden hair and eyes that seemed to draw her in. She looked back over at Coran -- am I picking that up from him? she wondered. Was it a mystery woman, one he'd found during his travels and during their separation? Was Nalia not enough?!
She shook her head, berating herself. It was she who had strayed, though deep in her heart she'd believed Coran to have been lost to her already. But now she knew he wasn't, and on the fringe...
She looked over to the purple-robed enchanter. He was sitting near to the elves, his spellbook open before him as he poured over it, concentration etched onto his face. Her heart sank slightly as she looked at him; she knew that they would have to talk, but nothing she could say to him would be right. No matter what happened, she couldn't see how either option could be right.
With a resigned sigh, she accepted the dried fruit that Jaheira passed to her, and ate hear meal in silence, ignoring the druid's questioning look.
-----------------------
"Drow!"
The cry seemed to come from all around them in the first hour of the dark night, and a single elven male faded into existence as he passed through the city's magical defences. Jaheira and Maiyn rushed forward to him, each grabbing his arms and helping him to move forwards to the others as he stumbled. Maiyn winced as she saw the vicious looking arrows protruding from his back, and the druid wasted no time in carefully removing them, her healing powers battling the damage inflicted upon the young elf.
Maiyn readied her weapons, moving forward to stand beside Minsc, Coran and Anomen as they faced the entrance. It seemed like a lifetime passed before she saw a shadow moving slightly.
"There!" she hissed, pointing to the attackers who were stealthily making their way into the city. She ran forward to engage the closest, hearing Larry's shriek behind her as Minsc entered his rage and threw himself forward to another cluster: I love the smell of daisies in the morning! Swish! Hot butta!
Her sword quickly found the blade of her opponent, his skill easily outclassing her own as they duelled; but her night vision proving to be the balancing factor as his own blows often went wide of the mark. Verya was slinking between them, causing the drow to occasionally stumble into her or yelp in pain as she managed a quick nip. A brief flash of light lit up the arena as Anomen called out to his God, and Maiyn's eyes widened at the number of foes slowly making their way towards them -- and towards the unprotected elves who were still being tended. Solen and the other warriors from Elhan's band had joined the battle, along with all the others who were fit enough to hold a weapon. Magic erupted from the fingertips of Xan, Imoen and Nalia, trying to break through the resistance of the drow, but mostly being unsuccessful. Coran and Minsc were having slightly more success; the light drow armour was proving to have little resistance against the weight of their large swords.
Maiyn pushed on, cornering her foe and eventually finding a weakness in his armour. She pressed her sword in deeply before she pulled it out, slashing across his throat in the next move before he could react. He gurgled as he fell to the ground, and she took a deep breath, turning around to rejoin the fight. She started as she realised she was face-to-face with another foe.
The sword managed to pierce her armour, sliding through and into her side. She cried out in pain, pulling herself away from the blade, then pushing her attacker back as she tried to ready her own weapon. A searing sensation rippled through her, weakening her hold on her balance, and it was all she could do to parry the following blows, using her free hand to hold her wound. She sought the healing power she'd had in her Gorion's death, but there was nothing there -- all she could find was the hunger of the Slayer, waiting to be called.
Instead, she called out to Fenmarel as she tried to concentrate on evading her foe's lunges. A faint white glow spilt from her hands, only healing a little of the damage. She stumbled again, narrowly missing a swipe that would otherwise have torn across her face. A sickening crunch could be heard as the skull of her opponent was caved in, Anomen's mace solidly striking the unprotected drow's head. Maiyn smiled weakly to him, nodding as he ushered her back towards the spellcasters, leaving the others to continue the battle. Many of the drow had already fallen, she noted; she was surprised that they had not sent their slaves on ahead, or even used them to ambush the minimal elven forces from other sides. As the last of their foes fell, she channelled fuller healing into her wound, moving her arm around to try and relax her aching muscles and flesh. Within minutes of the peace falling again, Jaheira was by her side.
"Let me see your wound," the druid demanded.
"I'm fine," Maiyn smiled. "I think I've managed to get enough attention to it, and there are others-"
"Let me see it, child!"
Maiyn blinked at the gruffness of the half-elf and put no resistance up as Jaheira pulled away her armour and peered at her side, frowning slightly in the faint light from Imoen's torch. "What?" she eventually asked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Jaheira replied, only smiling after a moment; and it appeared to be forced. "I must see to the others."
Maiyn nodded, watching, puzzled as she stalked off, heading immediately towards Anomen. The ranger frowned; surely the priest had enough healing of his own to see to his own wounds? She shrugged slightly; Jaheira did like to see herself as the primary carer for all in the group, and it was no real surprise if she went so far as to trying to heal a cleric. And Maiyn had other things to worry about -- the bodies of the dead drow were lying around, and Imoen was showing no sign at all in searching them for anything of potential use in the skirmishes ahead; instead she preferred to stare at Anomen -- rather dreamily, Maiyn thought. The ranger sighed heavily -- it looked like it would fall to her to rummage amongst the belongings of the dead this night.
-----------------------
Imoen didn't realise that she'd crossed her hands and was tapping her foot; well, not until Jaheira had moved away from Anomen to see someone who was actually injured, and they'd stopped whispering together, casting furtive and sly glances over at the corpse-stripping Maiyn.
Not many people would have noticed their odd behaviour, but Imoen had always made it her business to spot things like that. So she made her way over to the knight and stared at him until he froze in place, looking back at her expectantly.
"Er..." he said.
"I know you didn't want to tell me because you thought you'd be betraying their trust," Imoen said, cutting to the chase. "But I already know there's something about Maiyn and I know you've said it's nothing bad... but the way Jaheira was lookin' at her, and then the way she ran over to you, and the way you were both whisperin'-"
"Imoen," he said gently, taking her hands in his.
"-Doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence, you know?" She paused. "It's to do with the taint, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "That's why you won't tell me."
He shook his head. "No, Imoen -- really, it's nothing-"
"It must be," she interrupted. "That's why you won't tell me, isn't it? All this 'I can't tell you because of my honour' -- that's an excuse isn't it? It's always when she gets injured that you and Jaheira start looking all worried and having your discussions. Can she not deal with it? I mean, the taint and then being hurt? Does it... does it make her weaker?" Imoen swallowed hard. "Am I going to get like that?"
"It's nothing like that," Anomen said firmly, his dark eyes looking at her beseechingly. "Please, trust me."
"I do," Imoen replied helplessly. "But you need to tell me. Please..."
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
"Please," she repeated. "I'm her sister, and I need to know... I need to know if it'll happen to me, whatever it is that's worrying you both."
"She's with child," he whispered, shaking his head slightly, and gently removing his hands from hers. One immediately went up to rest on his forehead, covering the frown that had appeared.
"She's... what?"
"I detected the life within her when I healed her after the battle with Bodhi," he continued slowly, looking at her with large, honest eyes. "She has not been... it has not been long. I-"
"Anomen!"
He sighed heavily, nodding over to Jaheira; the druid was kneeling beside Solen, tending to a rather gory looking wound on his leg. His healing was needed.
"I will talk of this to you later -- you must not mention it in the meantime," he said hastily, offering the young human girl a weak smile before heading over to the injured. Imoen stood still, unable to move as Anomen's voice repeated in a seemingly endless cycle in her head. She only barely registered Maiyn's voice when the elven girl addressed her for the third time.
"Talk about smitten," the ranger said teasingly. "I thought you'd never come out of your daydreams there -- and it must be bad when you're ignoring all this potential to loot."
"...What?" Imoen asked blankly.
"You and Anomen," Maiyn said, standing up and holding out a small bag. Imoen took it wordlessly. "Spell components from that one," Maiyn said, gesturing to the nearest body. "You might find some use for them. Like placing an enchantment on Anomen... oh, wait! No need for that, is there?"
Imoen stared at her sister. "Sorry?" she asked, blinking and shaking her head slightly.
"You and Anomen," Maiyn repeated patiently. "I knew there was something there, even when you denied it. I don't know why you didn't just tell me though..." The elf looked slightly hurt and offered a small shrug of indifference at Imoen's continued look.
"I didn't tell you?" Imoen asked, drawing the gifted pouch closer to her body, her hands gripping it tighter. "I didn't tell you?!"
Maiyn's eyebrow rose. "What's wrong?" she asked. I'm only playing with you."
"Sure," Imoen replied coolly. "Playing with me. And hiding things from me too, I see."
"Hiding what?" Maiyn asked, looking slightly lost with the conversation.
"I thought we told each other everything?" Imoen said, her voice low.
"We do," Maiyn frowned. "Well, apart from you, who denied there was anything between you and Anomen, and probably still would-"
"Well at least I'm not hiding the fact I'm with child!"
There was a deathly silence between the two, which seemed to slowly extend to the length of the platform. One by one heads were turned to look at the two girls who stood in the centre, staring at each other. One wore a look of complete amazement, while the other had two hands clenched firmly over her mouth and a look of horror in her eyes. Jaheira slowly stood up from her place beside Solen, but neither of them noticed.
Eventually Maiyn gave a little nervous laugh. "Sorry," she said. "I think I misheard you?"
Imoen didn't move for several moments, and then, her hands still over her mouth, her eyes flicked over to Anomen. He was looking at her with a worried expression. Maiyn followed the gaze, then let it drift over to Jaheira. The druid looked to her sorrowfully.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "Not me... someone else, yes? Or, some mistake, perhaps?"
"This was not how you were meant to find out, child," the half-elf said quietly, moving forward and standing midway between the elves and the girls.
"And how was I meant to find out?" Maiyn asked, her voice tinged with slight hysteria. She bit her lip; losing control over something like this would only lead to even worse problems.
"There has never been a moment," Jaheira replied hesitantly. Maiyn saw her glance over to Xan; he was watching the scene, an unreadable expression on his face. He met Maiyn's gaze and didn't look away.
"You knew?" she asked incredulously, turning back to the druid. "He knew, but no one decided to tell me?"
"Anomen found out when he healed you after you fought Bodhi," Jaheira replied, somewhat irritably. "When have we had the chance to tell you?"
Maiyn opened her mouth to retort, but she was given no chance. Nalia gave a small shriek, then a voice followed.
"You? It was you?!"
"Coran! No!" the noblewoman exclaimed.
"Anomen!" Jaheira shouted. "Stop him!"
The knight reached out, trying to grab Coran as he darted past, but the lithe elf easily evaded the clumsy challenge of the priest in platemail and launched himself at the enchanter, knocking him to the ground and wrestling with him as he rolled across the ground. Minsc roared, diving towards them as he separated them, pulling Coran away as Xan stood back up, straightening his robes.
"I thought we were friends," Coran hissed, glaring at the mage.
"We are," Xan replied simply.
Coran growled, shaking himself free from Minsc's desperate attempts to keep hold of him, and swung his fist. It connected with Xan's jaw with a tremendous force, causing the mage to fall back down as Anomen joined Minsc in restraining Coran further. The elf struggled against them, his hands drifting dangerously towards the hilt of his sword.
Xan clambered back to his feet, one hand resting against his mouth. By the time anyone realised he was casting a spell, it was too late -- a small shower of sparkles later, and Coran's sword had been disintegrated from sight, causing the elf to writhe even more in the grip of the two warriors.
"Though I appreciate I am doomed and I will likely not live to see the sunrise, I would rather my demise did not come from a companion," Xan remarked dryly.
"Enough, Coran," Jaheira instructed. "This is not how we need to deal with this."
He nodded, ceasing his struggle against his restraints, but neither Minsc nor Anomen lessened their grasp as Jaheira motioned for Xan to move away. The enchanter ignored her initially, then acknowledged her request with a sigh and a slow walk to the other side of the group.
"Maiyn... talk to us," Jaheira implored, turning her attention back to the elven girl. Maiyn stood there, watching the scene and feeling as if she were detached from the reality of it all. She shrugged helplessly to the druid, then smiled. Then she laughed; hysterically and uncontrollably.
"What?" she asked eventually. "What do you expect me to say? Am I meant to make some grand speech? Do you want me to request you knit me a hat for it? Am I meant to be suggesting names? Suddenly declaring I would like something exotic to eat?"
"No," Jaheira replied patiently. "But it is a shock-"
"It is a shock," Maiyn repeated, putting her finger to her lips in an exaggerated poise of thoughtfulness. "Well... yes. Yes, it is a little bit of a surprise. I mean, it's not every day that you receive such news... thankfully. I... I need to think."
-----------------------
Imoen looked over to her sister warily. She could feel a dull sensation emanating from her; but as the moments passed it was becoming easier and easier to interpret and identify. Rage was at the fore -- anger and betrayal at being one of the last to find out. Fear was also there, and there was something else... something that was growing stronger with the rage.
Resentment.
Imoen glanced worriedly between Maiyn, Xan and Coran. There was a tense silence hanging over the group, and the three seemed oblivious to the stares of the nearby elves. The others were not so ignorant, however; Anomen was occasionally looking over to them with a scowl, while Nalia was offering small, weak smiles of embarrassment. Imoen wondered how she must be feeling at this moment; to see the man who'd captured her heart lose control over something happening to another woman. But then, Maiyn had not been 'another woman' to Coran for a long time, simply put -- even if Imoen did find it hard, sometimes, to believe he'd changed so much from the tales he would tell of himself.
Tales that were backed up by the existence of Namara and that elf's sister, she reminded herself, glancing over to Laerir. He was watching the scene with amusement; his friend, Aorn, less so. The rest of the elves were expressionless; seemingly astounded by the display. Imoen couldn't really blame them, but she knew that it was her fault. When will you learn? she asked herself angrily, sighing miserably as she watched Minsc and Anomen let go of Coran carefully. The knight gave the elf one last cautionary look, then made his way over to her, and she raised a hand.
"I know," she said. "I'm sorry."
He shook his head, drawing her into his arms. "No," he said, "Shh. It has happened, for better or worse. There is no point dwelling."
"Maybe," Imoen murmured. "I still shouldn't have..."
His hug tightened. "Perhaps not. But I am not as surprised as I could have been... I do think, my Lady, that I'm beginning to know you..."
Despite everything else, she smiled.
-----------------------
"I really don't want to talk about it," Maiyn said tersely. Jaheira withdrew her extended arm and sighed.
"You cannot leave it like this," the druid pointed out.
"I can and I will," the ranger replied stubbornly. "That time of peace you mentioned earlier? That is when we discuss this. Not now. Not when we are so close."
The half-elf studied her. "Do you even realise what we are saying? You are with chi-"
"I know," Maiyn interrupted, flinching at the word. "I really do know -- Gorion may have been an elderly sage, but he made sure we knew what children were. He wasn't so keen on explaining how we got children, though..."
Jaheira smiled slightly. "I am here for you," she said. "But you know this."
"I do," Maiyn nodded. "I'm… I'm still hurt I wasn't told, and that I found out like this, though, but... I understand."
The druid nodded. "Imoen meant no harm."
"Oh, I know that," Maiyn agreed. "She couldn't keep a secret from me if her tongue was cut out and her hands were tied behind her back. Though, that's entirely mutual..."
"You will do well with such support. It will be difficult."
Maiyn frowned slightly. "When this is done -- I mean, when we've faced Irenicus. Can I talk to you about it?"
Jaheira nodded pensively. "I cannot talk from experience, you understand," she warned. "Only from what I have witnessed."
Maiyn shook her head. "No… I don't mean like that. You said Anomen detected it after Bodhi... so it hasn't been that long? I..."
The half-elf swallowed. "Are you asking me what I think you are, child?"
Maiyn looked at her with worried eyes. "I don't know. I really don't know. But in time... by then, I will know."
"Make no rash decisions. This is a blessing, not a curse."
Maiyn shook her head sadly. "No... It's not. It is... unfortunate. It is a hindrance."
"Maiyn!"
"No, Jaheira, it is. I'm a Child of Bhaal. I have nothing to offer a child, and especially not when you realise that the father and the man I believed I was destined to spend my life with are not the same."
They both turned to look at Xan. He was staring out to the darkness of the forest, caught in his own wakened reverie as Minsc stood by his side. Coran was pacing around, waving anyone who came too close to him away irritably. He stopped when he realised Maiyn was watching him, and his jaw set in a determined line. Resolutely, he marched back over towards Xan.
"I think we need to talk," he said strongly at the mage. Xan just sighed, and with a wave of his hand he caused his skin to take the texture of stone.
"Oh, by Silvanus' glowing mallet," Jaheira growled.
"What is the point?" Xan asked, ignoring Coran's unending glare.
"The point is," Coran muttered, "that you are... that you and Maiyn... that-"
"That I am fathering a child outside the sacredness of the elven union? I wouldn't have thought that would have surprised you, really..."
"It's not the fact you will be a father! It's the fact that it's-"
"That it is Maiyn? Maiyn who you pined for so much that you ended up married to a N'Tel'Quess?"
"Don't you dare tell me how I feel for her!" Coran said warningly.
"Why not?" Xan asked. "Then, at least, someone would know."
There was a dull noise as Coran's hand struck the protective fields around Xan, causing the fighter to curse loudly in pain and place his injured hand beneath his uninjured arm as he expelled several colourful exclamations towards the mage. Xan sighed, then quickly recited a short cantrip. When he was done, Coran fell into Minsc's arms, sound asleep. Jaheira frowned disapprovingly.
"Not only have you rendered him weaponless, but now you have knocked him unconscious," she noted dryly. "If more drow attack us, then we will be seriously disadvantaged."
"Oh, I think we should be safe from any further attacks," Xan sighed. "Surely if there are any survivors left, they will be gaining far too much entertainment from these events to bother attacking. Why do it themselves, when they can wait for us to begin murdering each other?"
"Colourful Coran can have a new weapon," Minsc remarked helpfully as he carefully lowered Coran to the ground. "Minsc kept it after we found Larry as Boo said it may yet come in useful." With a proud beam, the berserker pulled the Sword of Chaos free from his backpack. Maiyn took one look at it and turned away, making gargling noises. Jaheira looked at the Rashemeni helplessly then nodded.
"You are right," she said, ignoring Maiyn's feeble objections. "It will serve him well as a weapon."
Minsc somehow managed an even wider smile, delicately placing the blade next to the unconscious elf as Jaheira turned at the sound of her name being called. Solen was heading towards her, a hopeful smile on his face as he bowed his head low respectfully.
"I have news," he said with barely concealed excitement. "We know where Belegir is!"