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. Nor do I own 'Pied Beauty' by G M Hopkins.
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

And the world turns

It was late afternoon, warm sunlight streaming through the windows of her room as Aerie stood before her dresser, finally unwinding the silk wrappings from her hair with plans to ask Haer'Dalis to replace them with fresh ones when the opportunity arose.

The elf glanced to the window as the clouds shifted outside, sending a sudden shaft of light over the bed behind her and opening a pane of intense colour across the two girls sat there side by side. Nalia had an embroidery hoop upon her knees, though it was clear she was not finding her sewing particularly interesting, the girl periodically trying to strike up a conversation with the girl next to her, Fritha unfortunately immersed in a book and making only vague responses to whatever she said.

'How long do you think it will take to reach Umar?' Nalia asked as though on cue, 'I know it takes a good two days to reach Trademeet and Imnesvale is much further east.'

'Mmm, okay,' muttered Fritha, turning a page of her book and Nalia sighed, going back to her sewing with a frown, Aerie unable to help a smile as she watched the friends.

Fritha had returned late the night before with tales of music problems and squabbling from her theatre, she and Nalia relating the story between them of Delon and the troubles in the Umar Hills. Jaheira already knew of their plans and had approved them with minimal complaints about their lack of specifics, the druid always eager for a chance to leave the city, and Fritha agreed they would depart for Imnesvale as soon as Anomen was ready.

Aerie sighed as she thought of the young squire. The service for his sister was that evening and the boy had spent most of the day making the final arrangements in the temple. He had returned to the inn now though, arriving back at the same time the rest of them had returned from buying supplies for their journey, Anomen going straight to his room after a brief greeting and no one had seen him since.

But worried though she was about the squire, she had other matters pressing on her since the group's trip to the promenade. Haer'Dalis, of course knew that she had spent her recent life travelling as part of the circus, but it was still a surprise for him to find out that it was in fact the same circus which was housed in the great striped pavilion currently camped in the corner of the marketplace. He had wanted to visit at once, but a show had already started, Aerie promising to take him later that evening and though she had thought nothing of the time, it slowly dawned on her over the course of the afternoon that aspects of her old life would be meeting with the new and she was now feeling unreasonably nervous about the whole thing.

Aerie unwound the last of the silken threads from her hair, the lock beneath still twisted from where it had been wrapped. She knew the girls thought her quite silly, the besotted way she rambled on about the bard, but it was so difficult not to, especially when she could not tell him of her feelings, or at least not of their intensity, worried he would feel as though she was trying to tie him to her.

Haer'Dalis would never talk of the future, not even idly, claiming all things were meant to die in a way that could be quite disheartening. Aerie never felt that he did not care for her, but it was difficult to know how much when he himself admitted he did not think of anything as enduring, love included.
How could he truly put his soul into something if he believed it was doomed to end?

But strangely, it was a thought that only made her want to cling to him more and the idea that he might not get on with the people who had effectively been her family since she escaped the slavers was very worrying for her. For though she was sure he did not mean it unkindly, he could be a little disparaging of the Prime at times…

Aerie sighed again, plucking nervously at the sleeves of her dress, asking her question as much to break the pressing silence of the room as to hear their answer.

'Do you think I should change, or will it look like I'm making too much of it?'

She glanced back to see the girls share a bemused look, Fritha noticing her watching to hastily add, 'er, why don't you put your yellow robes on? I always liked those.'

'Really?' asked Aerie, frowning slightly. Haer'Dalis had once said he liked her green ones… but then perhaps she should wear the yellow, just to show she wasn't making too much effort to please him… Or, maybe the yellow dress with her green shawl over it… 'Oh, but I'm not sure,' she cried eventually, feeling unpleasantly nervous, 'What time is it?'

Fritha just rolled her eyes and went back to her reading while Nalia gave a terse sigh.

'Aerie for the last time, you've got about three hours before you leave, so stop fretting!'

'What are you so worried about anyway?' asked Fritha vaguely from behind her book. Aerie sighed, slumping on the edge of the bed next to her.

'Oh, I don't know. I know we're only going to visit the circus, but, well, they were my family for so long and I really like Haer'Dalis, I… I just want him to like them, I suppose.'

'Well, I'm sure he will, so stop worrying,' Nalia dismissed absently, frowning as she tried to unpick the stitch she had just sewn.

'Of course, you could just take it out of his hands,' came Fritha slowly, at last laying the book in her lap with the slightest of sighs.

Both Aerie and Nalia glanced to her, the girl more than willing to put down her embroidery to ask, 'What do you mean?'

Fritha straightened slightly, her smile growing wider.
'I know of a potion that if correctly used makes the wearer irresistible. He would not care even if your father was the most evil creature ever to walk Faerûn,' the girl breathed dramatically, her face twisting with a smirk and Aerie wondered if this wasn't one of Fritha's more incomprehensible jokes.

'Truly?' she questioned doubtfully, but Fritha just nodded, quite serious it seemed and Aerie felt something in her stomach flutter. She didn't usually believe in such things, but on the other hand, anything would be better than just sitting there worrying, and some folk remedies could be most potent… Aerie smiled suddenly; the mere idea made her feel strangely giggly.

'A-Are you sure?'

Fritha nodded knowingly.

'Oh, yes. Imoen swears by it, and she isn't exactly unpopular…'

'Well… I suppose it couldn't hurt…'

That seemed to be all the agreement Nalia needed, the girl jumping from the bed to grab her cloak with a laugh.

'Come, I know of an apothecary just around the corner.'

xxx

Jaheira sighed, locking her door and swinging a cloak about her shoulders. She had not planned to report to the Harper hold for another few days at least, but with their plans to leave for Umar, she knew there was a possibility she would not be able to return before the tenday's end and it was best to remain compliant to Galvarey's wishes. She had found herself on unexpectedly good terms with the man and it was a situation she thought wise to maintain, however much of a chore she may have felt it to be.

Jaheira sighed again and straightened her cloak, moving along the hallway to Aerie's door, planning to let Fritha know she was leaving even if she had no intention of revealing her destination. She knocked sharply on the wood, opening it at the chorus of invitations to find the girls all looking very pink and giggly, the scent of violets heavy in the air.

Aerie was stood in her chemise brushing the creases from the saffron dress that was hung beside the open window airing, Nalia sat upon the bed tying a complicated series of knots on the end of what looked to be a willow switch in bright green ribbon, while Fritha stood before the desk adding various herbs to the water that filled the washbowl.

'And now the dried lavender,' Fritha muttered to herself, adding a handful before glancing to her with a smile, 'Hello Jaheira, going somewhere?'

The druid just frowned. 'The promenade. What are you three up to?'

'Haer'Dalis is accompanying Aerie to the circus tonight,' answered Nalia with a grin, giving the stick she was holding a playful swish, 'we're making a love potion for her hair.'

'A love potion?' Jaheira repeated incredulously. 'All three of you are versed in some sort of arcane science or another, you are not seriously telling me you believe in this nonsense!'

But a reply was not forthcoming unless wild giggling was to be counted. Jaheira sighed, fighting against a smile herself.

'You cannot expect this to work.'

'Of course it will!' cried Fritha, grinning, 'I can just see Haer'Dalis now…'

She trailed off, stepping back from the bowl to sniff the air, blinking as realisation dawned behind her eyes.

'Why, Aerie,' she breathed, suddenly whirling to the girl, 'I appear to be violently in love with you!'

Laughter rang through the room, almost drowning Fritha out as she turned to face this spectre of the man, a hand held to her chest whilst delicately fanning herself with the other.

'Oh Haer'Dalis, this is all so sudden!' she gasped shrilly in an imitation of the elf, turning her head aside to give a conspiratorial cackle, before continuing in her usual voice.

'Imoen got the recipe from a book in the archives; you just comb it through your hair and there you have it: instant amour. It's quite simple really. A spoonful of orrisroot, a measure of chopped parsley, another two of dried lavender, all steeped in spring water and,' she paused, clapping her hands at Nalia and the girl threw her the stick, 'stirred together with a willow switch, the tree of true love.'

'Hmm, perhaps we should be using holly?' wondered Nalia mildly and Jaheira sighed, closing the door as the room erupted once again, leaving the three cackling like a coven.

Back in the hallway she continued on towards the stairs, one more visit to make before she left and Jaheira halted before Anomen's door, knocking again but more gently this time, a moment's pause before the voice within bade her 'come in'. Jaheira entered to find Anomen stood before his dresser, tying a black arm band about the sleeve of the formal tunic he was wearing, the heavy dark blue fabric still clearly stiff from lack of wear.

'Lady Jaheira,' he greeted politely and she nodded once.

'I just wanted to wish you well before you left, Anomen.'

Jaheira swallowed, her own words bringing back unhappy memories as she continued.
'I understand how difficult it can be to bid farewell to a loved one…There is so much you wished you had said and done, and suddenly you find it is too late. But I would have you know that you are not alone in this, however it may feel.'

The squire said nothing though, just looked vaguely uncomfortable and Jaheira sighed inwardly. It was easy to forget how young he was sometimes; it was the greatest shame that the problems with his father had forced this responsibility upon him.

'I-I thank you, my lady,' he answered finally with a wan smile and Jaheira nodded.

'Well, I just wished you to know my thoughts will be with you. Farewell Anomen.'

And she turned to leave, opening the door on Fritha to their mutual surprise.

'Hel- oh, Jaheira, are you just leaving?'

Anomen glanced up at the familiar voice to see Fritha stood in the doorway, a hand half raised as though about to knock and now unnecessary as the druid opened the door. Jaheira nodded, wishing them both 'farewell' and closing the door behind her, Fritha hovering uncertainly before it, a quiet solemnity to her face.

'I just came to see if you needed anything, Anomen.'

'No thank you, my lady,' he replied, smiling as warmly as he could, but it must not have looked too genuine for the girl sent him a pained frown and he turned his attentions back to the black armband he had been struggling with, the wide sleeve of his tunic bunching frustratingly under the knots.

'Here, ah, let me,' she offered, stepping in to take over and he watched her work in the mirror, smaller fingers deftly untying the mess he had already made, the girl throwing the band over her shoulder as she straightened out his sleeve. It was somehow easier when no one was looking at him and he suddenly found the words that had felt so stilted with Jaheira flowing from him.

'Moira used to help me with such when I was a boy. Always scolding me about an unfastened button or untied lace. She did not believe I would ever learn to dress properly when I left for the seminary.'

Anomen sighed gently, the girl in the mirror frowning at the creased fabric of his sleeve in a way that was pleasantly familiar.

'You remind me of her, you know?' he continued quietly. 'So determined to see the good in others, even when they did not deserve it- and she was more than a little stubborn on occasion as well.'

Propriety was clearly making Fritha hold her tongue at that comparison, but he caught a glimpse of her outraged look in the mirror and suddenly smiled, broad and true; the first time he had felt able to in days.
'Though it is not just that which you shared. She was always so bright and full of cheer… you seem to grow more like her by the day.'

Fritha glanced to him in the mirror, stepping back as she finished tying on the armband.

'Well, I suppose we are earning coin more regularly now; Imoen will soon be back with us and…'

She trailed off, looking a mixture of guilty and embarrassed and he sighed.

'Well, I had better be leaving, there are still some things I must attend to before the service.'

The girl nodded, moving to the door.

'Yes. Yes, of course. Farewell Anomen.'

xxx

Nalia sighed, stooping to collect a petticoat from where it had been kicked under the bed in Aerie's haste to dress before Haer'Dalis arrived, the girl straightening to hang it neatly over the chair and throw the leftover lavender into the fireplace, the dried flowers crackling on the embers. The room seemed overly quiet after the bustle of before, Aerie having been collected by the tiefling just moments ago and Fritha was still off speaking to Anomen, and Nalia felt herself a touch disappointed at being the one left behind.

Though she had not thought much of them at the time, she was used to attending balls and gatherings and she found she missed them in a way she could not have anticipated. Behind her, Nalia heard the door open and turned to see Fritha enter looking tired, the girl sinking on to the bed with a sigh.

'How is he?' she asked as she moved to join her and Fritha shrugged.

'To be honest, I don't know. All right considering the circumstances, I suppose. I just wish I knew of some way to make this sort of thing easier. But it all just comes down to time in the end.'

Nalia sighed, tugging at her sleeve to make the girl look at her.

'You're better at this than you think, you know. What you said to me, when we first left the keep… well, it really helped.'

Fritha smiled gently.

'Why is it you always know how to bring me round? So Aerie got off okay then,' she continued brightening, 'no last minute crises?'

Nalia shook her head.

'No, no, she was fine, of course. Nervous up until the second Haer'Dalis knocked on the door and then she was all serenity and smiles. And after all the fuss she had been making earlier too!'

Fritha laughed at her outrage.

'Oh, she wasn't that bad, some people just get caught up in affection, blinded to all else. But it rarely lasts. I'm sure Aerie will be back to her normal self soon enough.'

'Hmph, as though that is anything to look forward to,' Nalia muttered sullenly, though it seemed they could both tell she did not mean it, Fritha giving her arm a playful slap as though to scold her.

'Oh come now, don't be wicked. You liked her enough to be her friend once before. Besides, this infatuation has certain benefits…' she trailed of with a glance to the desk and Nalia followed her gaze to the bowl still stood half full upon it.

So they spent the evening together, moving into Nalia's room and throwing the windows open to the breeze, both sat on the bed in their slips to enjoy the twilight's cool, drinking wine and combing the fragrant water through each other's hair. Nalia looked delicate and pale in just the starched white of her chemise, freckles speckling her shoulders like a sparrow's egg; something Fritha was quick to comment on.

Nalia smiled faintly. 'Yes, my freckles, they are all over I'm afraid.'

'You're afraid?' repeated Fritha, pausing in her combing to lean over her shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of her face.

'They are not considered attractive in my circles,' Nalia explained, holding out a pale freckled arm to consider it contemplatively. 'It was thought they would fade with age; you cannot know my aunt's disappointment that they did not.'

'I like them,' announced Fritha decisively, laughing lightly as she added, 'Glory be to Gods for dappled things.'

Nalia smiled, feeling warmed and they sat in silence a few moments longer as Fritha finished her work before they changed places, Nalia moving to comb her friend's hair while hers dried. She knelt behind Fritha, brushing the weight of hair aside in preparation and exposing the girl's neck, her shoulders a hatching of thin white lines.

'Your back,' Nalia exclaimed, her voice coming slightly shrill in her surprise, 'it- it's all scarred.'

'What?' Fritha questioned, seemingly at a loss, before the realisation dawned, 'oh yes, a little reminder of my time in Irenicus's dungeon.'

Nalia felt her breath catch. Fritha had mentioned something about experiments when they'd first met, but she had never gone into any detail.

'He tortured you?'

The girl shrugged, the lines twisting with the movement.

'Well, after a fashion, though I think he was more interested in tormenting Imoen when he gave me those. He would have me strapped face down to a table and make her watch as he cut me.'

Nalia felt suddenly sick, the girl's casual tone of voice somehow making it all the worse.

'Oh, Fritha, that's so-'

Fritha nodded, glancing back to her with the faintest of smiles.

'Yes… I know. The worst part was having Imoen there though,' she continued, her voice at the same time both blithe and distant. 'Normally, I'd have screamed the place down, but I just couldn't bring myself to make poor Imoen feel any worse than she did. I remember lying there, biting my lip to keep from crying out. Half the time I just used to pretend to fall unconscious. He wouldn't stop, of course. He was more interested in showing her the blood and such, than he was in hurting me, but at least she wasn't worrying about it then.'

Fritha turned where she was sat to catch a glimpse of her back in the mirror opposite.

'I can hardly believe it was a month ago now, another one and all I'll have is the memory; these will have faded beyond sight.'

'So quickly?'

'They always have before.'

'You sound sad,' Nalia commented, watching as the girl turned back to her with a smile.

'No, but I can't help wondering sometimes if it wouldn't be better if they didn't. Your body should reflect your life, the things you've done. I mean, what do you think when you see those scarred old mercs downstairs?'

'I think they could do with learning when to dodge,' she quipped and they both laughed, Nalia glad for it.

'Yes, fair enough,' Fritha conceded, still grinning, 'but I saw the look on your face when we first met, you thought you'd got the wrong room, didn't you?'

Nalia smiled slightly, recalling her disbelief; Fritha had a point.

'So you wish they wouldn't fade?' she pressed and Fritha shrugged.

'Sometimes, but then…'

She trailed off with a sly smile, Nalia raising an eyebrow.

'But then?'

Fritha grinned. 'Then I think, "Well, I bet you wouldn't think that if you got a sweetheart!" and I laugh at myself and stop worrying about things I cannot change, at least for a while anyway.'

'Of course,' laughed Nalia, suddenly struck by how much she enjoyed the girl's starry-eyed practicality, 'the ever important issue of love. I think Aerie's madness is rubbing off on us. I mean, do you believe in this "the one" business?'

Fritha gave sceptical snort. 'Well, it's rather unlikely.'

'Yes, just one person in the whole world.'

'I mean, if it were so you'd likely never meet him…'

'There's probably dozens of men I'd get along with in Amn alone…'

They both seemed to trail off at once, the silence hanging between them and Nalia gave Fritha a shy look.

'Yes… I'd like to believe it anyway.'

Fritha sent her a sheepish grin.

'Me too. Gods, listen to us.' She shook her head, still smiling. 'Pathetic.'

'What do you think he'd be like?' asked Nalia after a moment's silence, Fritha glancing to her, frowning slightly as she considered it.

'Er, I don't know… I don't really have an image of him. I-' she paused again before continuing, an absent smile creeping across her mouth. 'I just know he'll laugh a lot. At me, with me. And he won't like me because I'm pretty, or I can fight or another silly reason. He'll just like me. The whole thing. Even my faults.'

'I was not aware you were in possession of any,' said Nalia with an innocent smile for the exact opposite effect. Fritha grinned.

'That is because, such a good friend as you are, Nalia dear, you are simply too polite to notice them. Well, what about you?' she asked, taking a mouthful of wine.

Nalia shrugged, trying to affect a casual air.

'Oh the usual: rich, handsome, shiny armour.'

Fritha snorted, giggling into her cup. 'Nalia!'

Nalia smiled and sighed.

'I don't know really… just a good decent man, who'll look at me and see- see… oh, I don't know! Do you think we'll find them?'

Fritha shrugged, smiling wryly.

'I want to say yes, but… In the meantime though, I suppose we must find our comfort where we can…'

She trailed off, gently dipping her comb into the dish and holding it out to her in silent offer, her eyes soft. Nalia watched the bowl a moment, the surface rippling where water dripped from the comb, before she shifted, moving to kneel behind Fritha and once more resume her brushing, smiling slightly as she placed a hand on the girl's neck to keep the water from her skin.

'Yes, I suppose we must.'

xxx

Pale indigo clouds were racing across the night sky; so quickly, it looked almost unnatural, each glowing eerily as it passed across the fat crescent moon that was hanging overhead. Anomen closed his eyes as another gust of wind blew along the street, throwing his cloak out behind him, the dust it bore prickling against his skin. The darkened streets of the slums were empty around him, the silence broken only by the occasional shout of the courtesans or drunks, and the world felt distant as he made his way back from the temple, heart heavy with the knowledge his sister was finally gone.

Anomen sighed, gathering his cloak back about him, though more against pull of the wind than the night's chill. His father had not attended the service, but he had found that to be more of a relief than a disappointment; the worry that Lord Cor would arrive drunk and wrathful had never been far from his mind. It was a small gathering though, for Anomen had no other family to speak of and none of his father's servants had been given leave to attend, the majority there made up of Moira's friends and their own relatives and chaperones, a few of his friends from Order attending as well.

The service was simple, merely a few speeches by the people who had known Moira best interspersed with prayers, and barely lasting over an hour, his friends taking him to a nearby tavern afterwards. He did not stay with them long though, drinking the first round with them for the sake of civility before returning to the silence of the temple. He was not sure how long he sat there for, not praying but just trying to clear his mind and find some of the peace that usually came so easily there. It would not come though and he gave up in the end, surprised to see the moon well risen when he stepped outside.

Anomen glanced up, finding himself at the Coronet with little memory of actually getting there and he entered, his heart still heavy though it rose slightly at the sight that greeted him. Pouring over a table in the far back, a mess of copper curls that could be only one person. Fritha.

The girl was dozing by the look of things, her face hidden, pillowed on her arms to block out the light of the room. Her hair was loose and slightly damp, and it pooled across the table, swamping the half-drunk cup of tea to pour over the edge in long amber torrents. He touched her shoulder lightly and she jerked awake, quickly sitting up to push the hair back from her face, the faint scent of violets stirring in the air about him.

'Oh, Anomen, how was it? I tried to stay awake…'

She trailed off, shaking her head disappointedly as she yawned into her sleeve, clearly blaming herself for this failure and he smiled, letting a hand fall back to rest lightly on her shoulder.

'Do not worry, my lady, it is very late. And it was fine… my father, he did not attend.'

'Are you all right with that?'

He nodded once and she searched his face a moment, clearly looking for the truth of the matter, before drawing back with a tired smile, nodding as well.

'Well, if you are up to a trip out of the city, we have agreed to investigate some problems in Imnesvale.'

He smiled slightly, glad for a chance to get away from the place for a while.

'I am at your service.'