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

Here be dragons

'Welcome, fleshlings…'

Fritha swallowed, trying to find a voice in her dry throat. She had a pretty good idea of what was addressing them, the still air tinged with the scent of smoke and sulphur, though her speculation was rendered unnecessary as the creature moved from the shadows and the group were suddenly face to face with a large black dragon. Fritha had never seen such a creature outside of books and for a moment all she could do was watch it, its claws tapping lightly on the tiled floor as it settled again, coiling itself in its own spiny tale, deep yellow eyes coolly surveying them from over the tip and putting her in mind of a huge scaly cat.

'Greetings,' she began politely, taking what was admittedly a small step forward, 'I am Fritha. We are here looking for the source of the local corruption and, er…'

'And you wonder if it I?' it finished for her with a throaty chuckle. 'I was as much a slave as the beasts and bones that roam this place until you brought the child here.'

'The child?' came Aerie behind her and Fritha could hear the hollow chink of the bones the elf was carrying, 'You know of it?'

The dragon nodded slowly.

'Yes, I can sense her; even in death her bones hold a power to be reckoned with. Long ago this temple was built to seal a rift which had opened between the Prime and the Plane of Shadows. The faith of the Eternal Sun was strong back then and the wards well-maintained by the priests that worshiped here. But over the centuries the faith of the Yellow God waned across Faerûn and the wards here weakened. The child you hold, elf, was a prophetess, born of Amaunator and mortal woman to work his will upon the earth and save a dying religion. Only she came too late. She was killed when just a child in an attack by a rival temple, oh, a thousand years ago now.'

'And how do you know all this?' asked Jaheira and Fritha did not need to see her face to imagine the distrustful frown that was undoubtedly there.

'Look about you,' the creature growled, gesturing to the nearest pillar with its long snout and Fritha could just make out carvings in the gloom, weathered pictures surrounded by more Draconic script. 'The fool priests built this chamber to tell the story, a last act of faith for their dying god.' The dragon sighed in a bored sort of way, its leathery wings rustling. 'I have been here so long I could recite it for you word for word had I the inclination.'

'But what is the source of the corruption then?' continued Fritha quickly, 'Who trapped you here, who is controlling the wolves and poisoning the forests?'

The dragon snorted contemptuously, engulfed for a moment in a thick puff of smoke as it sent a dark look to the large doorway to its left.

'I do not know its true name, the jumped-up little shadow merely calls itself the Shade Lord. When the wards here were finally weak enough to allow such an insignificant creature to penetrate them, it slipped through from our plane. Usually, it would have been little threat to this plane of light, but then it discovered the child and the power her bones still held. It managed to corrupt that power, harnessing it for its own ends, summoning me as guardian and controlling the local wolves. Through them it learnt of the ranger and once it had secured her as a corporeal body its power only grew.'

'Then Merella is still alive?' confirmed Jaheira, but the dragon shook its head.

'Only in the most basic sense. Her body still lives, but she is no more than a puppet of the shade now. Pathetic creature! It plays with powers beyond its ken, spending its time in the adjoining chamber engaged in its petty plans for conquest. I believe its next mark is the local village, though it will not now get the chance.'

Fritha nodded once.

'Indeed. Our thanks, sir.' She dipped a quick bow, more than keen to leave the creature's presence. 'Farewell.'

But the dragon merely smiled broadly and Fritha felt the hairs on the back of her neck begin to prickle.

'Oh, no, no, no, you misunderstand me. Your taking the child from the ritual circle will have weakened the shade, though I doubt it even realises it yet, and, eager though I am to return to my own plane, it is I who will destroy that little upstart for the indignity of enslaving me. But not before I have ended your lives. Prepare yourselves for death, fleshlings!'

The dragon reared back, suddenly towering above them on its hind legs, jaws opened wide and Fritha stumbled backwards, the group behind her beginning to scatter as a burst of dark blue fire roared from its mouth, only to be deflected harmlessly to either side as Aerie threw up her hands, a shimmering barrier instantly appearing above them.

The dragon gave a frustrated snarl, snaking its head down to bite at the elf, though it met Minsc's blade instead, the ranger stepping in to slash his sword across its muzzle, the creature shrieking in pain as it drew back.

In the meantime, the others had managed to gather themselves, Anomen joining Minsc before the creature, both keeping its snapping jaws away from Aerie who was already working frantically on another spell, Haer'Dalis and Fritha weaving nimbly past its claws to attack the creature's flanks and keep it distracted. Nalia was stood further back trying to pepper the creature with arrows though the majority merely glanced off its thick hide, Jaheira stood next to her, hands raised as she chanted to the featureless grey sky above them and Fritha felt the familiar crackle of static in her hair; she knew what was coming.

The dragon roared as lightning suddenly split the air with a crack to strike it, the beast unfurling its wings, the downdraft making it difficult to keep their footing as it rose jerkily into the air, its jaws opening wide and Nalia could see dark smoke issuing from its snout as it prepared another blast of fire. She held her bow ready, trying to ignore the mounting urgency, the chaos about her suddenly muted as she waited for the perfect shot.

With a move that was more instinct than thought she released the string, an arrow streaking upwards to pierce deep into a wing joint, the dragon howling as it plunged to the ground once more, scattering the group beneath it, Anomen pulling the still casting Aerie clear as it hit the stone tiles.

For a moment it lay stunned and the group surged in with hopes to overwhelm it. But the dragon seemed ready for this, heaving itself onto all fours to frantically snap and claw at anything that came within range, its panic almost palpable and making the creature all the more dangerous. Another rumble overhead and Fritha glanced up, preparing to get clear once she saw the lightning spark, though she was not the only one to have noticed.

The dragon roared, sweeping out its tail at them wildly and the druid leapt back with a curse, her spell lost. She was much faster than some though, Minsc jumping back to fall heavily on his hip while the tip of its tail caught Aerie sharply across the chest, throwing the elf backwards onto the tiles where she lay still and did not make to rise.

A fact not unnoticed by the dragon and it pressed forward towards the girl, heedless of the others as they moved to defend her, the beast knocking Anomen aside with its snout and sweeping the tiefling away with another flick its tail, set upon her death it seemed.

Fritha rushed forward, her only thought how she could distract the creature before it reached Aerie, holding her sword high to bring it down into the joint where its back leg met its body and sinking the blade in to the hilt. The dragon shrieked, shaking her off and pain seared along the right side of her face as she was thrown across the tiled floor, the girl rolling onto her feet before she had even stopped sliding.

'Fritha!' screamed Nalia, at her side in an instant and they both looked up as the dragon whirled to them, dragging its back leg where Fritha could still see her sword protruding awkwardly from the joint. But it seemed to be ignoring this in its rage, the creature drawing its head back to tower over them, its now bloody jaws opening once more.

Fritha had already turned to run for all the good it would do, her hand closed tight about Nalia's wrist as she went to pull the girl with her but Nalia resisted and Fritha glanced back to see her reach frantically into her back to remove a small leather pouch, the girl wrapping the ties loosely about the arrow she had already nocked to shoot it streaking into the creature's yawing red mouth.

For a moment nothing seemed to happen, the dragon still looming over them when there was a sudden flash light, a deafening roar filling the air as blue flames engulfed the creature's head, the chamber shuddering with the force of an explosion that threw them all to the ground.

Nalia looked up from where she lay sprawled to see the creature swaying through the smoke, its head lolling on its long neck before it fell forward on to the tiles, finally dead.

She lay still a moment, trying to steady her breathing before she rose on unsteady legs, the suddenness of it all leaving her feeling dazed. Fritha was coughing heavily next to her, the girl's face and hands badly grazed from where the dragon had thrown her while, across the chamber, Anomen was already knelt by the unconscious Aerie, Haer'Dalis and Minsc rushing over to the pair and Nalia watched as Jaheira struggled to her feet as well, the druid cradling her left arm awkwardly as she stared across at her.

'What in the name of Silvanus was that?' she breathed, staring back and forth between her and the still smoking corpse of the dragon, its face a shattered mess of flesh and bone.

'B-Blackpower,' Nalia heard herself stammer, 'I- I brought it to the top of my bag in that first fight with the skeletons, in case we were overwhelmed…'

Jaheira just nodded though, still looking a touch faint as she turned her attention to the huddle of people behind her.

'Are you okay, dearest?' came a voice at her side and Nalia started, turning to see Fritha. The girl had finally caught her breath it seemed and was watching her with a concerned look. Nalia nodded, the words sticking in her throat.

'Yes… fine. I am fine.'

Fritha nodded once, sending her a slight smile before she too limped across to join the others at Aerie's side, retrieving her sword as she went.

'Is she all right?'

'Yes, she is merely stunned, my lady,' Anomen answered from the depths of his pack, finally surfacing with a small vial, the man removing the cork to hold it under the elf's nose. Aerie instantly began to cough and splutter, Haer'Dalis descending at this first sign of life and Fritha glanced back to Nalia with a lopsided grin, tugging gently at the sleeve of the man next to her.

'Come on Minsc, let's leave them to it.'

Jaheira gave a snort of dry amusement and Nalia tried to smile as well but it felt unpleasantly false, the group's usually easy banter suddenly unreal. She watched as the others turned from the couple to face the chamber once more, her eyes drawn unwillingly to the crumpled form of the dragon.

'Stupid beast,' Fritha sighed hoarsely, as she tentatively felt her raw face, 'why couldn't it have just been happy with its freedom?'

Jaheira frowned, crossing over to gently take the girl's chin in one hand, the druid's other arm still held awkwardly at her side.

'Here, let me see,' she soothed, though Fritha took a step back from the woman stubbornly shaking her head.

'No, no, not till your arm's been looked at. Anomen?'

The squire had already risen from his place next to Aerie and Jaheira relinquished her arm to him with the minimum of complaints.

Fritha watched the druid fondly a moment before she glanced to her with another lopsided smile, but Nalia could not return it. The sight of Jaheira stood forcefully giving her opinion to an exasperated looking Anomen was making her feel awful rather than amused and she turned abruptly away, walking quickly to stand in the shadow of the arches at the edge of the chamber, the darkness somehow making her shame easier to bear.

'Nalia, dearest, what's wrong?' came Fritha's voice and she turned to see the girl stood behind her, the marred half of her face hidden in shadow, and Nalia shook her head.

'It- it is just Jaheira, she never would have hurt her arm had I not…'

She trailed off, unable to force the words past the hot coal that was suddenly stuck in her throat. She had just acted on instinct, knowing the dragon's own combustion would create an explosion that would stun it. But the reaction the blackpower had had with its chemistry had been unexpectedly violent and the horror she felt now as she imagined what could have happened was making it difficult to think of anything else.

'That blast, I never expected it would do so much damage. I- I could have killed us all…'

'Oh, dearest,' Fritha sighed, laying a hand upon her arm to send her a reassuring smile that Nalia suspected was quite painful. 'No one blames you, in fact you probably saved us. Who knows what would have happened had you not acted as you did. I warrant I'd have a whole lot worse than a grazed face, for a start.'

Fritha smiled again and Nalia returned it weakly, the girl's eyes soft as she tugged at her sleeve, 'Come on, dearest, come back to the others, it hurts to see you so.'

Nalia said nothing, just drew a breath and nodded, feeling a touch better as she followed the girl back out into the light.

As it happened, Jaheira's arm was just sprained, Anomen binding tightly it for her, and the druid was soon back at Fritha's side, Nalia helping her as she spread a yellow foul-smelling balm over the girl's face, the pair laughing at Fritha's disgruntled claims that the stuff had been the basis of what Jaheira had been forcing her to drink for the past two days.

'You feeling better now?' Fritha questioned kindly, Nalia almost answering her before she realised she was looking at someone just over her shoulder and she turned to see Aerie now stood, the bard at her arm, though her gait seemed steady enough as she approached them.

'Y-Yes… yes, thank you, I'm fine.'

Fritha smiled, shooing Jaheira away from her as she turned to face them.

'Well, we shouldn't tarry, I imagine the shade realises we are here now,' she said the girl sending a glance to Aerie and Jaheira, clearly concerned, 'Can you two continue on?'

The pair nodded firmly though, and the group seemed to turn as one to the large set of heavy wooden doors the dragon had indicated, Minsc limping boldly over to throw them open, a flight of steps leading up into the darkness.

xxx

Nalia held her breath a moment, trying to deepen her breathing as a stitch began to pierce her side. It felt as though they had been climbing for hours, the stairs seeming to stretch endlessly upwards, the dark silence pressing in about them, and she felt almost smothered by it.

'Here, up ahead,' whispered Jaheira, bringing them to a halt and Nalia glanced up to see a faint light above her, the final step silhouetted against it and she climbed the last few with the others to find herself in a long corridor that ended in an ornate stone archway, a pale blue light coming from the room beyond. Instinctively, the group around her readied weapons and extinguished werelights, darkness suddenly engulfing them.

Fritha stepped back, allowing the more armoured Anomen forward to take the place at Jaheira's side and Nalia followed close behind them to ensure a clear first shot should she need it, smoothly removing an arrow from the quiver at her hip and nocking it easily in the gloom, the movement so familiar by now she felt she could have done it in her sleep.

Quietly, they moved along the passage, every step seeming impossibly loud in the ominous silence. The archway was just ahead of them now and through it Nalia could see a small square room, the smooth walls painted with suns and stylised figures at worship. In the centre, an altar had been set, the black cloth that covered it bearing a circle of runes not unlike the ones they had removed the child from, bottles and pendants glimmering dully in the half-light and she scanned the room for the source only to realise as she drew level with the arch that the light was coming from above them. She glanced up, surprised to see the same shadowy sky that had been arced over the dragon's chamber, only this time distorted by the thick panels of cracked blue glass that formed the ceiling.

'So you come…' a voice rasped shrilly, and Nalia was not the only one who jumped as a figure appeared before the altar, seeming to step from the very shadows, and Nalia found herself facing a black robed woman who she assumed had once been Merella, skeletally thin as the wolves had been with wild unkempt hair, her movements sharp and clumsy as though she was unused to her body.

'I learnt from the wolves you had entered my temple…' she continued, sounding supremely unconcerned about the appearance of seven heavily-armed mercenaries. 'I had hoped that you would have perished along the way, but…'

The woman jerked her shoulders in what Nalia assumed was supposed to be a nonchalant shrug, though the movement was performed with such force it looked more like she had been hit with one of the druid's lightning bolts.

'It matters not, I suppose, for you will die soon enough. None can stand against my power.'

Jaheira raised a contemptuous eyebrow

'Truly? Your pet wyrm gave us the impression the only power here belonged to a long-dead prophet.' She smiled, looking uncharacteristically malicious, 'We found the child, shade.'

The creature turned sharply back to the altar, throwing a hand over it and muttering a few words, the rune circle glowing fiercely a moment before fading away and the creature gave an inhuman shriek.

'No! No!' she screeched, whirling back to them suddenly panicked and fearful, 'The power is mine now! You will not take it!'

And she lunged at the nearest of them, the others readying their weapons as Anomen calmly took a step back, his holy symbol still wrapped about the hand that gripped his mace and the creature met the weapon mid-swing, a shrill scream making everyone wince and Nalia watched as the shadow seemed to be driven from the body by the blow, dissolving in a burst of light and Merella collapsed.

Aerie and Jaheira dropped to the woman's side in an instant, but from the looks on their faces Nalia could tell there was nothing they could do; the ranger was dead.

She sighed, turning her attentions to the low altar in the centre of the room.

'What do you suppose is under that?'

'Only one way to find out,' said Fritha matter-of-factly, using her sword to sweep the jumble of bottles from its surface and pulling away the cloth to reveal a small stone sarcophagus, richly carved in suns and psalms.

'Do you think…?' Nalia began to no one in particular, Jaheira stepping forward to kneel beside it, feeling along the edge of the lid.

'The seal has been broken. Here, help me with the lid, Minsc.'

The ranger obliged her, heaving it clear away to uncover an empty tomb just large enough for a child. Fritha glanced back to them

'Aerie?'

Haer'Dalis had already helped the elf remove the bundle from her back, the bard handing the child carefully to Fritha and the girl stood on her toes, reaching down into the depths of the tomb to settle the bones gently back to their rest. Fritha straightened, taking Anomen's flask from her bag and Nalia watched as she turned to the man himself with smile.

'A blessing if you would, cleric.'

The squire frowned but held his hand over the flask all the same, drawing a complicated symbol in the air as he intoned, 'In the name of Helm the All-Seeing, let this water be blessed.'

Fritha nodded, turning back to the open sarcophagus to pour the remains of her water over the bones, a hiss that was almost a sigh rising from them.

'Look!' cried Aerie and Nalia glanced up to the murky glass above them, the sky beyond slowly brightening, as though the dawn had come in but a few moments. Everyone about her was smiling and she felt it too, like a cold weight had suddenly been lifted from her.

Minsc replaced the tomb lid, stooping to gather up the body of Merella, claiming Boo had said she should be buried in the forests she once protected and together they left, moving back into the chamber where the dragon still lay.

It seemed even in death the creature was to be a source of trouble for them though, an argument breaking out over what was to be done with the beast. Anomen had quite rightly observed that such a hide would serve to make a strong armour, but Fritha had been less than keen on the idea, the girl countering hotly when he pointed out the fact she wore leather that she couldn't 'converse with cows', before Jaheira mildly commented that whether made into armour or not, dragon hide would fetch a high price. An unreadable look passed between the women, before Fritha finally seemed to decide morals were something she could not currently afford, the girl dismissing the rest of them with a sigh and she would accept no help from anyone as she drew her knife and began skinning the creature.

The others moved off, making their way slowly back to the trapdoor they entered by, Jaheira doubling back to release the wolves they had trapped along the way, soothing the frantic beasts with but a word before driving them out into the world above.

Nalia waited for Fritha though, the girl arriving a good half an hour later, blood smudged on her face and clothes, a long roll of black hide drooping over one shoulder before together they too followed the others out into the light.

xxx

Anomen gazed about him, taking a moment to breathe in the clear cool air as the others began to set up camp, the familiar sound of them as welcome as the pale blue sky that arced above him. Under a late afternoon sun it was as though the ruins and surrounding forests had been transformed, the twisting press of trees that had felt so threatening before, suddenly alight with a wild beauty.

And it was a change that seemed to have extended to his companions as well. Jaheira was more at peace than he had seen the woman in days, currently skirting the forest's edge as she gathered wood for a fire, and even Fritha looked a lot better, the girl laughing hoarsely with Nalia as they worked. The fountain in the centre of the courtyard was running again, water sparkling in the air as it cascaded into the pool below, Fritha and Nalia stooped over it, their sleeves rolled up as they cleared the basin of dead leaves.

He watched as Nalia straightened to push the hair from her face with her forearm and noticed him, the girl clearly telling Fritha, for a moment later she turned as well, drying her hands on her tunic as she walked across to him.

'Here,' she said by way of greeting, handing his flask back to him and he could tell by the weight she had already refilled it. 'Thanks again for lending it to me.'

He nodded, slowly placing it in his bag and avoiding her eye as he searched for some way of opening a reconciliation between them, still struggling to find the words as he straightened to discover her still watching him. She smiled slightly.

'And I'm sorry we argued, Anomen, I can understand how you would think me careless and I should have taken your concerns more seriously even if I didn't agree with them.'

Anomen nodded once. He had not expected her to seek to mend this and the way it had been borne… She did not regret her behaviour, nor did she agree with him, she was just sorry that the difference had brought them to a quarrel and he felt, confusingly, both annoyed and pleased at the same time. Anomen drew a breath, frowning as he tried to explain his own thoughts.

'I would apologise as well, my lady. I have no business dictating to you how you should live. I was merely… concerned; as a priest of Helm it is my duty to protect all those in need of it,' he smiled dryly, '-even from themselves.'

Fritha snorted, her grin broadening.

'You've got your work cut out for you then.'

Anomen smiled slightly, watching her as she turned to look out over the ruins, her manner sobering.

'It's nice to see this place at peace once more, isn't it, though I can't help but worry it's all just temporary. The wards here are still weak, it's only a matter of time before something similar happens again.'

'Yes, I had been thinking on the same thing myself, my lady,' he admitted, 'I intend to inform High Watcher Oisig once we return to the city. He can dispatch a contingent of priests to renew the wards here and prevent another breach.'

Fritha nodded, smiling, the girl opening her mouth to answer when another cut her off.

'Fritha?'

Anomen looked up to see Nalia approaching them, Jaheira's cooking pot full of water and hanging from one trembling arm. 'Fritha, do you know where Aerie is?'

The girl shrugged.

'No, haven't seen her. She's probably just off snogging Haer'Dalis somewhere.'

Anomen frowned, sure he was soon going to regret asking, but-

'I beg your pardon, snogging?'

Fritha gave a thoughtful pause, smiling slightly as she considered it.

'Yes, now how do we describe it? Well, you know how quaffing could be used to describe a somewhat messier and more enthusiastic way of drinking… well, I think snogging and kissing could be related in a very similar way.'

Anomen paused, her comparison slowly dawning on him and he could not quite suppress a snort of disgust as the girls laughed.

'Well, I'm going further into the ruins for a wash,' explained Nalia once their amusement had died, 'I wanted to invite Aerie as well, but…' she shrugged, resigned to the loss it seemed. 'Are you coming?'

Fritha nodded earnestly.

'Oh Gods, yes! Can you tell Aerie if you see her, please,' she continued to him politely and Anomen nodded once.'

'As you wish.'

They thanked him and he watched them go, Fritha taking the pot from Nalia to carry it easily, the pair disappearing into the maze of crumbling stonework and he turned back to where Jaheira was feeding wood to a small fire, Minsc already seated upon his bedding and cleaning his sword, Merella's body wrapped in an old shroud and ready for burial. Anomen sighed, dropping to sit next to him and beginning to unbuckle his greaves, absently wondering how much mockery he would have to endure if he too disappeared for a wash.

xxx

Fritha shivered as another gust of wind blew through the ruins, her arms and back a mass of gooseflesh as she scrubbed the cold soaped cloth across her skin.

They had walked until they could no longer hear the sounds of the camp, before moving into the remains of what once looked to be a small storeroom. They were crouched in the shelter of the crumbling walls now, Nalia with her robes and chemise bunched up around her waist, leaving the top half of her in only her bleached linen slip as she washed briskly, while Fritha had stripped to a similar level, crouched next to her in just her trousers and a linen camisole.

At her side she heard Nalia draw a sharp breath as the girl scooped up a cupful of water from the pot before them and leant forward to rinse the soap from her shoulders. Fritha frowned; she had tried in vain to use her magic to heat the water when they'd first arrived. In fact, Nalia had been adamant that she had managed to take the chill off it, but Fritha was pretty sure she was just being nice.

Fritha swapped the cloth she was using into her other hand and picked up the battered metal dish she often used as a mirror, holding it up to see her reflection and trying to scrub the worst of the dirt from her face without getting soap into the graze that ran from temple to jaw.

'Gods, if Imoen could see me now, she would laugh. She always thought I was a bit of an idiot when it came to washing in the wilderness. "By Mask, Fritha, what's the point?"' The girl smiled ruefully, continuing with her scrubbing, 'I just can't stand to feel grimy.'

Nalia nodded once and resolutely.

'I quite agree… Do you think of her a lot?'

Fritha glanced to her, suddenly uncomfortable.

'Imoen? At the risk of sounding completely heartless, I usually try not to… I- I worry for her so much…' she shrugged and forced a smile, 'I just try and put all my focus into getting her back.'

Nalia just nodded though, and she could not tell whether she disapproved of this stance or not.

'What will you do when you have rescued her?'

Fritha sat back on her haunches with a thoughtful sigh.

'I don't know. We were going to leave before, head eastwards, but now I am not as sure. Amn in itself seems as nice as anywhere else I've been…' she glanced to the girl next to her, 'perhaps we can find reasons enough to stay.'

Nalia just smiled, gesturing to the clean water still left in the pot between them.

'Do you want to try and rinse your hair as well?'

Fritha eyed it, tempted for a moment before the frowning visage of the druid swam behind her eyes. She shook her head.

'No, no, I think Jaheira will go doo lally tat if she sees me with wet hair at the moment,' she laughed hoarsely, Nalia joining her, her hazel eyes shining.

'Ah, you're lovely, you know?'

'Lovely?' Fritha repeated incredulously, holding up the dish to glance again at her raw reflection. 'Nalia, half my face looks like someone's been at it with a nutmeg grater.'

The girl just shrugged.

'Perhaps that is your sort of lovely.'

Nalia was still smiling, the sunlight filtering through the trees about them dappling her face and Fritha could feel the warmth of her arm next to hers, so close she fancied she could count every freckle. She held up the dish to present the girl with her own reflection.

'As sun lends moon the grace to shine, so your beauty draws forth mine.'

xxx

Aerie frowned, pulling her cloak about her more tightly and wishing she could have stayed by the fire as the cool breeze whipped around her. Anomen had said the girls had been looking for her as soon as she had arrived at the camp, pointing in the direction he saw them walking in before going back to cleaning his armour and Aerie had enjoyed barely a moment to warm her hands before she had set out to find them.

Haer'Dalis had been fascinated by the dead dragon, especially after Fritha had taken a large section of its hide from one side and Aerie had stayed behind with him as he made some sketches. The man muttering darkly to himself as his hand swept and scribbled over the fine sheet of parchment he had brought from the folio in his bag, while Aerie walked about the chamber, examining the pillar carvings and trying to ignore the carcass behind her, its torn face shining wetly, patches of exposed skull glazed in black-red blood.

Aerie shivered, wondering if she shouldn't just give up and go back to the camp when she saw a glimpse of copper just above the stonework. The girls were sheltering in a corner where two half crumbled walls met, their heads very close, Aerie smiling as she saw them.

'Hello, you two.'

The pair leapt up as though her words had scalded, the clatter of a metal dish echoing about them as it hit the stone tiles, Fritha breathing a deep sigh of relief when she saw it was just her.

'Gods Aerie!' she scolded with a breathless laugh, 'You scared the life out of us.'

'Sorry,' the elf replied feeling slightly injured; she hadn't exactly crept up on them. 'Anomen said you were looking for me.'

Nalia smiled, looking just as relieved as Fritha.

'Yes, we thought you might like a wash. There should be enough water left.'

Aerie nodded and thanked them, proceeding to wash her hands and face, though she was too cold to do any more, the girls quickly changing their clothes as she did so.

'So,' began Nalia slowly once the three were all seated again, 'have you and Haer'Dalis been enjoying yourselves?'

'I don't know what you are implying, but we don't spend every spare moment kissing!' Aerie answered hotly and she watched as their smiles faded, Fritha shifting closer to lay a hand upon her shoulder.

'We're sorry, Aerie, we don't mean to tease you about Haer'Dalis, it just came as a bit of a surprise. Why did you feel you had to lie about it?'

Aerie fought back a snap about it being 'none of your business anyway!' and sighed. She didn't really feel that way and part of her had been aching to tell them ever since it had happened. But she felt strangely nervous as well. That perhaps she had done something wrong and they would think less of her for it. Her own upbringing had taught her to embrace love in all its aspects, but she had been living with the humans for sometime now and she knew that among the more noble circles at least, such behaviour was still frowned upon.

'I wanted to tell you, truly, but I was worried what you would think. That I had done something that perhaps I should not have.'

'Well, there would be little point in courtinghim if you did not want to kiss him,' said Nalia bluntly and Aerie sighed.

'Yes, well, I suppose…'

Fritha sent her a puzzled frown.

'What's the problem? You like him, he likes you. I would had thought if you'd any reservations you would have considered them before you…' she paused and Aerie had the distinct impression she was carefully considering her next words, 'began to court him,' she finished slowly.

A look Aerie could not read passed between the two girls before Fritha suddenly smiled, seemingly herself again as she stood to shoulder her pack.

'Come on, you two, let's get back to camp.'

So they returned together, Fritha happily swinging the now empty pot, while she and Nalia imagined the scolding Jaheira would give the girl if she found she'd been prancing about the ruins in only her underwear. Aerie sighed; they always seemed to have a way of excluding her without meaning to, Nalia touching Fritha's elbow as they laughed and the elf was glad when they finally reached camp, everyone looking up as they arrived, Haer'Dalis sending her a smile that warmed her better than any fire could.

She moved to sit next to him, Nalia dropping down beside Anomen, while Fritha appeared moments later with the pot she carried full of water once more, the girl hanging it over the fire to heat as Jaheira began to take the rations that were to serve as their evening meal from her pack, deftly unwrapping the packets of dried meat and cheese with one hand as she rested the other in her lap.

xxx

Aerie smiled, feeling pleasantly warm as she sat next to Haer'Dalis in a friendly silence, the first few stars glimmering in a pale indigo sky as dusk fell about them.

The meal was over now, everyone sat drinking the tea Jaheira had brewed up, the druid herself leant back against her pack with her eyes half closed, and Aerie suspected she was enjoying the feel of the forest now it was restored.

Other members of the group were less peaceably engaged though, Anomen and Nalia caught in conversation about the duties of the nobility which looked as though it could spill over into a quarrel at any moment, Haer'Dalis watching it with a mild interest, but Aerie pulled her attention away, turning instead to listen to the more harmonious discourse of Fritha and Minsc.

It seemed the girl had finally decided she wanted to know what she was actually chanting in their odes and had convinced the ranger to begin teaching her Rashemi, the man pointing about the camp telling her the names of various things, before they settled into one of their odes, Minsc translating it line by line, Fritha making notes in the back of her journal as they went.

It was quite nice, sat there drinking the hot tea and listening to the pair, until Haer'Dalis made a comment about them doing it a touch louder so he could hear them over Nalia and Anomen. Something which had the dual effect of abruptly ending the pair's argument and sending Fritha an intense shade of pink, the girl muttering something about having 'enough to work on for now' and disappearing behind her journal to review her notes.

Aerie sent him a frown, but the bard merely smiled roguishly in reply and she could not help but feel her lips twitching. He was so unlike her, with a sharp streak that could have been considered quite cruel if she had not known him better. He was still facing her, his eyes reflecting darkly in the firelight, and she wondered absently if she could kiss him without any of the others noticing. But as soon as the thought arose so did her unease and she settled for taking his hand instead; there was no need to rush things, after all.