Disclaimer: I do not own 'Shadows of Amn', the 'Forgotten Realms' or any characters therein. Wizards of the Coast do, at my last check. Lucky them.
I do, however, own Fritha and certain other characters and plot points. Basically, if you don't recognise it from the game, it's probably mine.

– Blackcross & Taylor

A problem shared

Fritha pulled her door closed and locked it, the hallway behind her busy with other guests as they too left their rooms to head down to the tavern for breakfast, all wishing each other a good morning as they passed.
Well, it was morning, Fritha conceded sullenly, though she was finding it difficult to see anything good about it so far, another restless night leading unfailingly into another hot day in the City of Coin.
You'll feel better with some tea, her mind soothed and she nodded absently to herself, shouldering her bag with a sigh.

'Ah, Fritha,' came a familiar voice and she glanced up to see Jaheira climb the last few stairs and move along the hall to join her, a frown already furrowing her brow. 'Everyone is downstairs waiting for you and I warn you now, all is not well.'

'What's happened?' Fritha asked, feeling suddenly sick with worry as she recalled Anomen's angry melancholy the previous evening.

Jaheira sighed.
'Nalia and Aerie appear to have had words and are now not speaking. Normally something I would consider a blessing, but the actor is more than filling the silence.'

Fritha felt the knot in her stomach loosen, though not completely, conflict of any sort leaving her on edge.
'Aerie and Nalia? What have they been quarrelling about?'

The woman shrugged, though Fritha suspected she knew more than her indifference suggested.
'I do not know for certain. They merely returned from the bar with the morning tea and a pointed air of silence about them, though at a guess I would say the cause was the way Aerie instantly began to ignore Nalia once Haer'Dalis arrived at the table.'

Jaheira paused to send Fritha a measured look as though expecting her to protest as she continued. 'His presence upsets the balance of this group, whether he means it or not. The sooner we deliver him, the better.'

Fritha quelled the slight jealousy that had stirred at Jaheira's mention of Aerie and the actor and nodded. If this was the effect he was having on them, Fritha could do nothing but wholeheartedly agree with the woman.

'Right,' she began with conviction, scrubbing a hand over her face, 'well, we'll head over to the playhouse first of all and then we had best look for some more work. We can split up, ask about in the promenade, visit the local temples and take a look at the bounty notices in the Council Buildings.'

Jaheira nodded, seemingly pleased they were in agreement on the matter.
'A sound plan. I believe everyone is ready to leave when you are.'

Fritha shrugged, her tiredness and the morning's latest worries leaving her feeling queasy; she was in no mood for breakfast now
anyway.
'In that case, we can set out straight away.'

Jaheira frowned, but more with concern than annoyance, peering at her face sternly.
'You should eat something first. You look pale.'

'I always look pale,' Fritha dismissed distractedly, pushing her door key into her bag. Jaheira raised an eyebrow.

'Yes, but you do not usually resemble a day-old corpse.'

Fritha sighed tiredly, the druid's characteristic terseness doing nothing for her humour.
'I'll get something later.'

Jaheira sighed as well, throwing up her hands in defeat.
'Fine. You'll never be told, will you.'

xxx

Fritha pushed her way gently past a group of gossiping women, their children playing about their legs, Nalia next to her as they walked along the busy stall-lined street that made up the Bridge district. Fritha winced slightly, her stomach growling loud enough for her friend to notice; she was beginning to wish she had listened to Jaheira after all. She sent Nalia a rather embarrassed smile, the girl returning it half-heartedly before turning her attention back to their path.

Haer'Dalis was leading the way with Aerie, though he was much more subdued than she had known him to be, barely sparing the elf a glance as they walked. He was wearing his hair differently that morning, parted in the middle and gathered to hang over each shoulder and he had seemed to take a subtle care over his appearance too, as though wanting the same effect without any noticeable effort on his part. Though, Fritha considered, it just could just be how he usually presented himself; she had only met him the previous day and if she could believe such vanity of anyone, it would be the actor.

He had reached the door of the Five Flagons by now, pushing it open and remembering himself enough to hold open it for the elf behind him, Fritha following the pair into the relative gloom of the tavern and downstairs to the theatre. The room was just as she remembered, the actors gathered on the stage talking quietly as they had before, one of them glancing up at their arrival.
'I'm sorry, the play has been- Haer'Dalis!'

The actors all looked up at once, shouts and laughter ringing about the room as Haer'Dalis walked up the aisle to stand before the stage, Fritha and the others following suit a pace or two behind.
'Everyone, sparrow's returned!'

'Ha! Did you doubt it?'

'Well, look who found his way back!'

'And the errant actor doth return!' laughed a voice rich with accent and Fritha watched as Raelis walked onto the stage from the wings dressed in robes of intense violet. Haer'Dalis's face instantly seemed to light from within and the girl felt a wry half-smile pulling at her mouth, her worries of the previous evening suddenly rather redundant.
Well that's what you got for investing any notions in charming capricious sorts; lesson learnt.
Fritha turned to send a smile to Aerie, but the girl was too busy scowling at the woman to notice.

'And Fritha,' Raelis continued brightly, pulling her attention from the bard to throw her a small leather purse. 'You have brought joy to this dark house, and I am grateful for it.'

Fritha nodded her thanks as she pocketed the money and the actress turned immediately back to Haer'Dalis.
'Have you the gem, my sparrow?'

The bard's smile seemed to flicker a moment but he nodded all the same, drawing the blue misshapen stone from his jacket.
'I have it here, Miss Raelis.'

He tossed it lightly up to her, the woman catching it easily.

'Ah, Mekrath's prize,' she trilled, hands moving over it hungrily, and Fritha felt her stomach jolt. Mekrath's?

'Haer'Dalis,' Raelis continued absently, eyes still fixed on the gem, 'tell them the truth of what we are about while I prepare the summoning of the conduit.'

Haer'Dalis nodded again, but the woman had already turned, moving to the other end of the stage to where the rest of the troupe had gathered before a painted wooden arch that stood as part of the set. Raelis dropped to her knees before it, arms aloft as she began to chant and Haer'Dalis turned to them with only the slightest of sighs, a smile pulling at his mouth.
'Ah, my birds, there is a tale between us which is long overdue.'

Fritha sent him a measured look.
'Mekrath's prize; it was his all along, wasn't it. You lied to us.'

Haer'Dalis's smile faded, though he made no attempt to deny it, which, she reflected, was possibly very sensible since she could already imagine Anomen's disapproval and at her side, Jaheira looked severely unimpressed.
The actor swallowed dryly and nodded once.

'Indeed, my raven, but it was a necessary deception, I fear. Our troupe is in danger. One does not satirise Duke Rowan Darkwood, factol of the Fated lightly. A single play has left us all with a bounty on our heads and we are being hunted across the planes. A wretched cambion has tracked us to the Prime Material and his bounty hunters search for us even as we speak.'

'B-But what has this to do with the jewel?' came Aerie behind her and the actor seem to recover himself slightly, his voice full of its usual animation as he answered her.

'Ah, my dove, the jewel is no mere bauble, but a planar gem! A nexus between here and the Astral plane, and with it we can make our escape! When we learnt Mekrath had one we tried to trade for it, but he refused to see reason and that was when I was sent to steal it. He captured me and the rest, as they say, is history.'

He returned his gaze to Fritha, his voice taking on a pleading tone she had never heard before.

'I understand I lied, my raven, but I could not risk you taking me from the mage without it.'

Fritha looked at him, through him, back to all the times she had lied when the situation demanded it, and many times it had not…
There's a special place in Hell for hypocrites, laughed Beth behind her eyes and Fritha nodded.

'You did what you needed to,' she said, trying to return the smile he sent her, though it felt unpleasantly false and she gave up as soon as he turned back to Raelis, his eyes shining as he watched the woman swaying back and forth, her arms making complicated patterns in the air.

'Raelis is summoning a young conduit, whipping snake-like tubes that writhe within the Astral plane, their heads and tales clinging to different parts of the multiverse.'

'So...' came Aerie again, and Fritha glanced back to find her looking a touch forlorn, 'so you don't even know where you're going?'
Haer'Dalis gave a broad smile, clearly thinking this was all part of the thrill.

'No, indeed, my dove, but the play must go on!'

'I beg to disagree.'

Fritha whirled back with the others to see a group of armed men headed by a yellow-skinned yuan-ti appearing from a portal that had suddenly opened in the archway before the troupe; it seemed the cambion's bounty hunters had finally caught up with them.
The yuan-ti shook his head and Fritha could have sworn he was smiling, his black tongue flicking from his mouth and constantly scenting the air as he continued, his smooth voice almost singsong.

'Ah, Raelis and the infamous Sigil Troupe. You really ought not have performed that play, you know.'

'We did not know what it was about,' Raelis cried, making to stand and stumbling over her own robes in her haste, 'we never even met the writer!'

'Enough,' the yuan-ti dismissed, casually raising an arm to silence her, 'Duke Darkwood does not care for your excuses and neither does my master. You may reflect on your folly as you await the Duke in your cells. Already I have your souls attuned. Let it begin!'

A sudden jolt seemed to run through Haer'Dalis, the rest of the troupe already fading before the portal and Fritha had lunged forward before she could stop herself, instinctively grabbing his hand for all the good it should have done. A fierce shock flared through her as soon as they touched and she could feel the energies boiling inside her, unable to release him now even if she had wanted too, the pull so intense she thought her arm would be torn from her body, while their entwined hands grew hotter and hotter until it felt as though her whole arm was aflame.
And then it was over.

Fritha opened her eyes, and he was still there next to her, his hand warm in hers and slightly slick, the smell of singed hair stinging her nostrils.

'Gods, are you okay? Did I hurt you?' she cried, dropping his hand to run her own over it and his forearm, checking frantically for any injury, unable to believe they weren't both a charred mess after such pain.

'No, no, my raven, I am fine,' he answered finally, slowly flexing his fingers in wonder, Aerie fussing over him as she just had, while Jaheira much more forcefully took Fritha's arm, pushing back the sleeve for a thorough examination. 'How did you manage to hold me in this plane? Once the yuan-ti had attuned my soul, it should have been a near impossible bond to break.'

Fritha shrugged, glancing down to her own hand once Jaheira had finally released it, not sure she had an answer for him.

'I don't know really. I have this, well, it's like magic only I can't control it…' she trailed off, suddenly aware of everyone looking at them and self-consciously wiping her hands on her trousers. 'But this isn't a conversation for now.'

'No, indeed, my raven,' he agreed solemnly, breaking from the group to trip lightly up the steps next to them and on to the stage and Fritha followed, the actor leading them to the wooden archway, the planar gem still inert before it, just as Raelis had left it. 'The conduit may have yet to move on. I should be able to reopen the portal if I work quickly.'

He took up the gem, holding it out under the arch and sang a single unwavering note, a shimmering blue portal instantly swirling within the archway and he turned back to her, his face unusually grave.

'I cannot leave them with the cambion, my raven. I must enact a rescue before word of their capture reaches the Duke.' He swallowed, seeming unsure of himself as he added, 'you will help?'

Fritha frowned slightly, feeling awful for even considering leaving him to go alone, but Raelis and the troupe were not the only unjustly taken prisoners she had to rescue.

'Will we be able to get back?' she asked, guilt squirming under her ribs, 'I want to help your friends truly, but we have responsibilities on this plane as well.'

The actor sent her an unreadable look, but answered all the same.
'As long as we have the stone, I see no reason we cannot call up another portal once we have my friends.'

Fritha glanced back to the others, not willing to make the decision for all of them when the man had just proven himself less than trustworthy, and a reluctant assent travelled those behind her; Aerie's face a picture of earnest determination while Jaheira was nodding despite her frown. Fritha turned back to him with a slight smile.
'Lead on then, sparrow.'

xxx

Fritha shook her head, trying to get her bearings as she eased herself up from where she was sprawled on the ground. The trip through the portal had left her disorientated and a dull ache was throbbing through her limbs, the disconcerting sense that the world was pressing in on her making her feeling slightly claustrophobic. Fritha paused to draw a deep calming breath before she pushed herself upright, sitting in time to watch the portal close behind her. The others were sat about her, all unharmed from what she could see and she took a moment to take in their surroundings.

They were in a strange circular chamber, the floor was a stark uneven white with the feel of stone though it was disturbingly warm to the touch. There were no walls, the floor just dropping away to nothing at the edge of the room, the whole structure seemingly floating in a silvery void. Thorny osseous pillars sprouted from the rim here and there, putting Fritha in mind of huge brambles, all rising to twist and curve above them, entwining at the centre to form a dome, the sky beyond it a pinkish silver, illuminating the place with a hazy grey light.

The room they had arrived in seemed empty, though two archways led from it and she could hear voices nearby. Fritha shifted, rising unsteadily while the others followed suit around her, and through the northern archway she could see the back of the yuan-ti, a couple of his men still about him from what she could see, though all appeared to be focused on what ever it was the creature was talking to.

'Listen, maggot! I want to know how you got your collar off and I want to know n-!'

'T'rael! Others have come through the portal!' one of the men suddenly cried, turning to speak to his companion and finally noticing them, and Fritha saw a gnome in tattered robes cowering behind the group.

'What?' the yuan-ti hissed, whirling back to them, his eyes wide before they suddenly narrowed with genuine amusement.

'The ones from the playhouse!' he laughed. 'Do you have even the slightest idea where you are?'

Fritha shrugged, wondering why they were even bothering with such pleasantries when it would all just end in violence anyway.
'Well, I'm going to go out on a limb and say another plane.'

He chuckled genially at her cheek.
'Primes; clueless as usual. I'm afraid it's much, much worse than that,' he continued smoothly. 'This is one of the finest prisons in the planes, and there is no way out of here except at the will of our master, the cambion.'

Why was nothing ever simple?

'Yes,' Fritha sighed, tiredly drawing her sword. 'Yes, that sounds about right.'

His black tongue flickered, a sudden anger contorting his features.
'Hunters, take them!'

The yuan-ti immediately raised his hands, a pale green light gathering between them as his companion drew their weapons and Fritha hadn't even the chance to shout any orders before the spell released.
She felt the energy engulf her and then fade, whirling back to find the others similarly puzzled except…
Minsc and Nalia were frozen where they stood, the ranger with his broadsword already held high.

'Hells! Anomen, Jaheira, get on that spellcaster now!' Fritha shrieked, stepping forward to engage one of the advancing guards, Haer'Dalis doing the same, Aerie behind them and readying a spell of her own, while the remaining two guards fell into defensive positions before the yuan-ti.

Fritha circled the man before her, who looked human enough, though his unnervingly pointed teeth were giving her pause on the issue, his sword held low as he watched her. He lunged suddenly and she parried the move, countering with a swing of her own, the pair exchanging blows while the fight raged around them.

A curse behind her from Jaheira, and Fritha felt her skin tingle as another green wave of energy flowed over them, horrified to see the bard next to her suddenly halt mid-parry, his own opponent immediately whirling on the elf behind him. Aerie was ready for him though, a fierce white light flaring from her hands. The man was dead before he hit the ground, but he had been too close to her, it seemed, and Aerie screamed as the energies caught her as well, the girl dropping back to lean against a pillar, awkwardly cradling her arm and looking faint.

Fritha whirled back to catch another sweep of her opponent's sword, but that slight distraction was all that was needed, the man stepping in close, their blades sliding up one another to lock at the guards, the hunter clearly trying to use his greater strength to force the blade from her hand. Fritha resisted, pressing back with as much strength as she could, her arms trembling as they were pushed down when she suddenly let go, her sword flying across the chamber, the release of force weakening the man's grip on his own blade and she struck out at his hand, the sword clattering to the floor between them, Fritha kicking it away before he could stoop to retrieve it.

The hunter cursed, moving to draw his dagger and she grabbed his hand, the pair twisting and struggling to find themselves locked together, Fritha pressed with her back to his chest, holding one of his hands out before them both, while he held the other under her chin, her free hand groping behind her trying draw his dagger herself.

Her face pushed back as they grappled and she could see the yuan-ti's second guard had fallen, Anomen and Jaheira pressing the fight to the creature. Fritha twisted, fumbling for his dagger once more and he struggled, trying to keep her from drawing it, his hand straying on to her face as they fought and she saw her chance, opening her mouth to bite two fingers clean down to the bone.

The man shrieked with rage, drawing back his hand to punch out at her, the fist slamming awkwardly into her eye. She staggered back, one eye closed against the blood that was now trickling down her face, the force of the blow splitting her brow. He grinned, at last drawing his dagger to advance slowly on her, when an enraged roar split the air, Minsc, and the others finally freed as the yuan-ti fell beneath Anomen's mace and the man whirled in time to be cut down by the ranger's sword.

'Thanks Minsc,' she gasped, spitting blood from her mouth with disgust. The man just nodded though, still looking furious and shaking as he turned from her to sheath his blade and Fritha decided he was best left alone until he'd calmed down.
She sighed, blinking the blood from her eye as she knelt to root through her bag, finally drawing out a handkerchief and wiping it up over her cheek to press against the cut.

'Are you hurt?' came a voice above her and she glanced up, her uncovered eye taking in the image of the bard, a thin cut on his upper arm but otherwise unscathed.

'Not really,' she answered mildly as she rose and honest though her answer had been, she could not help but feel slightly hurt as he turned immediately from her to the elf.
Oh, don't start on with that again…

Aerie was holding her arm out, the skin pink and tender, the girl struggling to get something from her bag with her other hand while Nalia stood close by, her brow furrowed as she clearly suffered something of struggle herself before she at last swept in to aid the girl, though perhaps more briskly than was necessary.

'I think Aerie could use some help, Jaheira,' Fritha said evenly, sending Nalia a smile.

'No, honestly, I'm fine,' the elf began tremulously, the bard still hovering at her side.

'Hush now, my dove,' he soothed. Nalia pulled a face and left them to it, passing Jaheira as the druid marched over to them.

'Don't be foolish. Let me see, girl.'

Fritha turned from them with a tired half-smile, stooping to collect and sheath her sword, rubbing her chest with her free hand as she straightened, the dull ache within just growing worse.
'Gods, does anyone else feel like they've a rothé beast stood on their chest? This place is awful.'

The squire just looked puzzled though and Jaheira glanced up from where she was spreading a thick yellow paste on Aerie's arm to shake her head, but Nalia glanced to her, nodding slowly.

'I know what you mean, it feels like I'm trying to think through a fog,' she sighed, the ranger nodding at her words.

'Minsc feels this too, a great unrest; Boo is bristled and full of biting!'

'It is the nature of the planes, my raven,' came Haer'Dalis, looking little better himself. 'They are places not just of the physical, but of the spirit as well. They can sing in sweet harmony with your soul or strike a fierce discord with your entire being.'

Aerie hissed sharply under the druid's ministrations and Jaheira tutted, the bard returning his attention to the pair. Fritha threw a shrug to Nalia and turned away from them, almost walking straight into the squire.

'Let me see your face, my lady,' he commanded casually in an echo of the druid, gesturing to the cloth she still had held to her forehead. Fritha sighed. She knew Anomen was only trying to be nice, but she really wasn't in the mood for anyone to be poking at her.

'It's fine, Anomen. The bleeding's almost stopped.'

He ignored her.
'Move your hand please.'

Fritha removed the cloth gingerly, half-expecting blood to obscure her vision once more and was pleased to find the flow had stemmed.

'Tip your head back,' he ordered, giving her chin an encouraging tap and she obliged him. 'Now look up, down, left, right… no shadows or black spots?'

She shook her head and he nodded.
'Yes, your eye seems fine.'

'I told you,' she muttered sullenly, lowering her chin, anger with herself instantly welling within her as she watched him frown. 'Sorry, I- it just hurts.'

Anomen nodded again, seemingly uninjured by her sharpness, and she turned finally to face the gnome who had been watching them in silence all this while.

'Are you okay?' she asked by way of greeting, and he nodded once and deeply too, a definite air of respect to the gesture.

'Indeed I am, and I thank you, my lady, for your timely rescue. I am afraid I did not give much thought as to what I would do after I removed my collar.'

'Your collar?' she questioned, noticing the twisted circlet of metal now clutched in his hand.

'Yes, the Warden here, the cambion as you know him, keeps us prisoners as slaves; thralls controlled by magical collars.'

'Nice,' she commented, meaning anything but. 'Do you know of a troupe of actors somewhere here? They should have just arrived.'

'You are friends of the actors?' he exclaimed, giving her a pitying look, 'then you may as well begin mourning them already, my lady.'

'They are dead?' cried Haer'Dalis, suddenly stricken.

The gnome shook his head.
'No, but as good as. I hear they are in one of the Warden's most secure cells, awaiting collection.'

'Where are they being held?' the actor demanded fiercely, the gnome glancing warily to her before answering, 'in a cell to the north of here. Past the Warden's throne room.'

'Come, my birds, we go now!' Haer'Dalis snapped, straightening. 'If the Duke arrives here we are all dead!'

'Hang on,' Fritha interrupted calmly, making no move to go. 'You may be happy dancing off to oblivion, but I am not.'

The bard frowned, his jaw tight.
'You are fond of proverbs, yes, my raven? How about he who hesitates is lost- or those dear to him, at least!'

'Act in haste, repent at leisure,' she countered. 'Or, at the cambion's leisure anyway. Are you so keen to become a slave again so soon? You go charging off alone and you'll be caught faster than you can say thrall.'

Haer'Dalis looked as though he would reply to this, and none too politely either, but the gnome cut him off.

'You should listen to her, cutter. Consider that even if you do manage to release them, you have nowhere to go.'

'Actually, we have a portal stone,' Fritha provided matter-of-factly and the gnome's eyes went wide.

'Truly? The cambion would surely sense it as soon as you began to summon a portal, but if he was occupied…' he suddenly began to wring his sleeves, voice quivering with anticipation. 'I have a plan, my lady, if you will hear it.'

Fritha nodded mildly.

'The Warden is powerful enough himself, but he will surely call every thrall and guard to his aid should you attack him outright, you would have to fight your way through an entire army to even reach him. Elsewhere in this complex, he has a ta'anari in his service, a lesser demon who serves as Master of Thralls, controlling all the prisoners here by means of an orb. Destroy that and the collars we all wear will cease to function. The prison will suddenly be in chaos and you will have your chance to escape.'

'B-But, what of you and the other slaves?' came Aerie and the gnome gave her a toothy grin.

'Worry not, fair one. Some here are mages, others are psions; just give them a chance and this place will explode with portals. I'm sure to catch one going my way.'

'And these thralls,' questioned Anomen, turning a stern eye on the gnome. 'Are all here as the actors, all taken unjustly?'

The gnome coloured slightly, glancing round at them all.
'Well…'

Fritha sighed, turning to the squire with a frown, but Jaheira cut in before any more could be said.

'No, I agree with Anomen,' she announced sternly, and no one looked more surprised than he. 'We could be freeing dangerous creatures if we disable these collars. Releasing them here could have far reaching consequences across the planes.'

Fritha nodded tiredly. She certainly agreed with her in principal, but…
'And what's our other option. Kill everyone here, the good with the bad? Even if the idea of such a slaughter didn't turn my stomach, I don't fancy our chances against the cambion, when and if we manage to fight our way through his entire army.'
And when the woman still did not look convinced, 'All right, we vote on it. All in favour of the plan?'

Five hands instantly shot into the air. Anomen glanced to the druid and shrugged slightly, the woman turning away with a snort.

'Okay,' Fritha continued quickly, unwilling to dwell on this less than unanimous decision, 'we'll split into two groups. Haer'Dalis and Nalia, you will go with our friend here,' she nodded to the gnome who paled, 'and free the troupe.'

'Me, I cannot-' he began to splutter, and Jaheira silenced him with a look

'You can and will, gnome, lest I remind you that it is your plan we are carrying out and you will be present to reap its success- or otherwise,' she finished darkly.

Fritha bit back a sigh and continued as blithely as she could.
'Avoid conflict if you can, and try not to release the troupe until we have freed the thralls.'

Nalia and Haer'Dalis nodded curtly and she turned back to the others.

'The rest of us will go and kill this ta'anari.' She glanced to the gnome. 'Any ideas where he'll be?'

'He enjoys making the thralls fight each other for his amusement. The Warden had a special chamber built in the east of the complex for this very purpose and he is probably there. Just follow the eastern passage and take the fifth walkway north. Oh, and take care not to touch the portals there, they lead off to other areas of the prison. One wrong step and you could be lost for days.'

Fritha nodded.
'Okay. Haer'Dalis and Nalia, once you have the troupe, head back here. We will too and we can all escape together. Any questions?'

'What are we going to do about these bodies?' asked Nalia, gesturing to the five corpses that lay in the room behind them, bright against the stark white floor. 'They rather ruin our element of surprise.'

'I- I could try to make them invisible,' ventured Aerie quietly and Fritha smiled.

'That sounds promising. Only let's pile them out of the way first. Amusing though it would be to have people tripping over them,' Nalia snorted noisily, 'I'm sure it would not be in our interests.'

Everyone seemed to nod in unison, Minsc and Jaheira moving off to collect the bodies, while Nalia and Haer'Dalis dropped down to talk quietly with the gnome, Aerie standing apart from them all with eyes closed and drawing slow measured breaths as she prepared her spell. Fritha stood watching them all, Anomen moving to join her.

'Do you believe this plan will work?'

She shrugged.
'I believe it is our best chance of escape,' she answered evasively, but he seemed to understand her meaning.

Fritha sighed. She never should have dragged them all through here. Now they were trapped in the best prison the planes had to offer with Imoen abandoned on the other side of the multiverse and no one who even knew of her plight left on the prime material to help her. As awful as it felt, a part of her was beginning to wish she had never met the actor.
Fritha sighed again, turning to give the squire a wan smile.
'Ah, I'm sure it will all work out in the end, Anomen. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished.'

He snorted, returning her smile dryly.
'So I have noticed.'