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 'Comes a Train of Little Ladies' by W.S.Gilbert, or 'She Walks in Beauty' by Lord Byron.
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

Over the hills…

The sun had barely cleared the horizon when Anomen found himself outside the Coronet and once more preparing to depart the city. Last night, the decision to leave early had been unanimous, no one, it seemed, keen on remaining in Athkatla after what had transpired there the previous day.

Anomen adjusted the pack at his back, Minsc and Haer'Dalis talking quietly behind him as they waited for Jaheira and Aerie to join them, Nalia and Fritha having left earlier to replenish the group's supplies, though they should have returned by now.

Anomen felt a familiar worry stir within him, but quelled it instantly. Had anyone realised it was the girls who had been involved in yesterday's burglary, which had half the noble families in Athkatla in such an uproar, the guards surely would have arrived to arrest the pair straightaway.

Still, the girls had left with the dawn and it wasn't as though the promenade would be busy at that time of the morning; even some of the merchants would not have arrived yet.

'Where are young Fritha and Nalia?' questioned Minsc behind him, giving a voice to his thoughts and Anomen turned back to the men to watch the bard send the ranger a reassuring smile.

'Fret not, Minsc, I cannot believe the girls have come to any harm.'

Anomen bit back a comment about 'vampires and slavers' with some difficultly.

'They have only gone to the promenade, after-' the bard stopped suddenly, his head tilted slightly as though straining to hear something. 'And, hark, our worries were unfounded all this while!'

Anomen frowned; the slums around them were silent save for the trill of bird song and the creak of the surrounding buildings as the sun warmed the timbers. But Haer'Dalis, it seemed, thought differently.

'Come, my hounds, this way.'

And the bard led them around the corner of the inn, Anomen glancing up to see Fritha and Nalia sat on the wooden walkway that led to roofs above the inn, talking brightly as they enjoyed the last of the autumn sunshine, their feet dangling over the street below. Nalia noticed them first, leaning in to whisper at Fritha's ear, the girl glancing to them as well, both laughing behind their hands and Anomen wondered just what the joke was, though he was not left in doubt for long, their high voices breaking into song.

'Comes a train of little ladies, from scholastic trammels free…'

'Oh, very amusing, my raven. I cannot speak for my companions, but my scholastic trammels were over long ago,' came Haer'Dalis as he arrived beneath them, stretching up and playfully tugging on Fritha's sandaled foot, the girl laughing delightedly as she pulled it out of reach. Anomen frowned, cross at how quickly yesterday seemed to have been forgotten by some. 'So why are you two perched up there?'

Nalia glanced to Fritha who shrugged, the young noblewoman turning mildly back to them.

'We took breakfast at the promenade, so there seemed little point in going back inside the Coronet and the view up here is quite breathtaking; you can see all the way to the sea if you stand. Besides, if you had left the inn by the southern doors you would have seen us straight away.'

Haer'Dalis shrugged, coolly indifferent.

'As you say, but you had the good ranger here quite worried.'

Fritha's smile faded instantly. 'Oh, sorry, Minsc, I didn't think…'

A silence fell over them as her voice trailed off. Anomen sighed, stepping into change the subject. 'So, how was the promenade?'

'Fine,' asked Fritha promptly as though glad to be moving on, 'They have finally finished the repairs to the arena after Irenicus, well… the steps have been rebuilt and the tower has a new copper dome- you'd been hard pressed to tell it had ever been damaged now.'

'And you found all the supplies we required for the journey?'

Fritha and Nalia suddenly shared a smile and Anomen could not fail to notice the tiefling join them in the gesture.

'Oh, yes, everything and then some. We-' Fritha stopped, glancing up and waving at something behind them. 'Ah, here come Jaheira and Aerie; I suppose it's time we were away. Minsc?' she began, edging forward with her arms outstretched and Minsc beamed, instinctively stepping up as she dropped from the walkway, the man catching her neatly under the arms and setting her gently down next to him as Nalia clattered down the steps. Anomen had noticed the ranger had been watching the girls more closely since the previous evening, Fritha especially. But then, if Anomen was honest, so had he…

He frowned, turning away and half wishing he could go back to a few days ago when all his worries were a few dreams, personal and insular. Now everything felt so much larger, as though the world had suddenly grown from the narrow sphere he had been so familiar with, people whom he had thought to know quite well, suddenly strangers to him… His eyes fell again upon Fritha as the group set off, the girl leading the way with Nalia and smiling at something the young woman had said. He never would have guessed it and yet…

xxx

Fritha sighed contentedly, the air about her pleasantly cool and even the slight ache that was still lingering in her ankle (a memento of their hasty escape from Isea's estate) could not mar her good mood as they made their way to Trademeet, leaving all the troubles of the last few days behind them.

Nalia had been at her side for most of the day, the journey full of talk and laughter and even when they were not speaking, it was nice to just have her there at her arm to share smiles and enjoy the comfort her mere presence brought. Nalia seemed fine for all Fritha's previous worries about the worsening weather for travelling and the girl's sudden discovery that her home might not have been quite as lost to her as anyone had first thought. Perhaps it was just as Nalia had said, regaining the keep far from her immediate concerns; just something she was keeping in mind for the future, distant as a dream.

The girl was walking ahead of her now, talking to Aerie and subtly making sure the elf was still unaware of their plans for her upcoming birthday. Fritha watched them with a smile, content to hang back and enjoying their bright chatter from a distance, when she felt a presence approaching and glanced up just as the squire reached her side.

'Hello Anomen,' she greeted mildly, the man nodding once, a slight frown creasing his brow.

'My lady.'

Fritha sighed, smiling as she asked, 'How long have we known each other now, Anomen?'

The man paused, seemingly thrown by her question.

'Oh, well, about two months, my lady. Much longer than I would have realised… Why do you ask?'

'Only because it should be painfully clear by now that I am not a lady in any way, shape or form… well, perhaps form,' she conceded with a frown, 'But anyway, long enough surely for the use of such formalities as 'my lady' to be deemed unnecessary.'

Anomen said nothing, but his frown deepened.

'As you would have it,' he replied eventually, though Fritha noticed he did not concede to use her name either, 'But I have a question for you, if I may? I, of course, informed both the Knight Commander and High Watcher Oisig of your contact with the vampires' guild. They were as shocked as we were by their presence in the city and have charged me with finding out all I can on the matter. And to that end, I wonder if there is anything else you can recall of your meeting.'

Fritha shrugged, not particularly surprised the men would be interested, though Anomen's question was unexpected and she had to take a moment to cast her mind back to that gloomy alley, the outline of six figures stood in the shadows before her.

'Well, as I've already said, the woman was Parisa, the man, Durst, their human companions Reed and another man whose name wasn't mentioned. Then the two deserters…' Fritha paused; here could be a way of discovering more about this guild, not least how they contacted potential recruits, but she hadn't told Renal their names and she decided instantly that it wasn't something she trusted the Order with either.

'I didn't catch their names either.' She shrugged nothing new to offer the man, 'Sorry, but they didn't really say a lot, and then we were discovered and it was me doing all the talking. Still, at least we know of the guild now. If Nalia and I hadn't met Addrick and his friends we would still be oblivious to their existence and Isea's wrongdoings both.'

'Addrick?' The squire repeated, suddenly looking far more interested in what she had to say for all his questions of vampires and Fritha nodded, smiling happily.

'Yes. He was one of the men we met on that same evening. Nalia and I ran into them on our way back from the docks and they invited us to see some musician friends of theirs play.'

Anomen did not share her smile though, staring down at her and seemingly astounded.

'You- you just met them in the street and went off to a tavern with them?'

'Yes, why not? They were nice young men, there was no danger.'

'And how could you tell?' he questioned archly.

'I don't know, I just could. And I'm very glad we did join them,' Fritha added stubbornly, 'we had a lovely time. Addrick is so witty, oh, the stories he told us; I swear my face hurt from all the laughing. And then, Thallen, so pleasant and attentive. And Olwyn, always willing to dance with me; he almost got into a duel on our behalf when we first arrived. And then poor drunk Kassus, who spent the majority of the evening wailing about a quarrel he'd had with his beloved…' Fritha grinned, 'According to Nalia, he said I was as beautiful as the dawn -though, admittedly, he was likely seeing two of me at the time,' she added with a laugh.

It had been nice of him to say so, however drunk he was, though it was the fact that Nalia had added that she agreed with him that was the true source of Fritha's delight. It was not a pleasure that Anomen shared though, his manner suddenly stiff.

'It is a shame that you must be satisfied with such drunken compliments.'

Fritha shrugged mildly. 'Perhaps so, but satisfied I am when no others are offered; I am nothing if not practical.'

Anomen flushed. 'I- I did not mean it like that.'

'Oh, don't fret, Anomen, we cannot expect better for one such as myself.'

'One such as yourself?' he repeated, looking strangely tense, 'You- you mean a…'

'A mercenary who barely spends more than a few days together in the city,' she at last finished for him. Anomen nodded quickly.

'Yes, yes, of course.'

Fritha sent him a bemused smile.

'Goodness, Anomen, you're in an odd mood today. Is something wrong?'

'No, no… So you spent your evening with these men…' he confirmed dully, before seeming to realise something, turning to her to demand, 'Then why did they not offer to escort you both home?'

'Because,' Fritha sighed, her smile fading as her memory of the evening continued to play out behind her eyes, 'once we met Barg and found out about Isea, it brought a rather abrupt end to our evening. We left the tavern without even telling them we were going in the end; I hope they weren't worried…'

'I cannot imagine they were,' muttered Anomen and Fritha sighed.

'Oh, Anomen, I give in, you are quite right. They were most likely scoundrels of the highest order, and Nalia and I were fortunate to escape with our virtue.'

'We were?' came a voice before her and Fritha turned to find Nalia dropping back to join them, the girl's intervention more than welcome.

'Oh, Nalia, dearest, come talk to me. What did Aerie have to say? Does she suspect anything?'

And Anomen drifted back to walk with Jaheira as talk of the elf and her imminent birthday consumed them once more.

xxx

Haer'Dalis glanced up, the sun well into its descent in the western skies and just cresting the hills that surrounded them, casting long shadows into the wooded valley and the clearing where they had decided to spend the night, the others about him, slowly dropping bags and removing cloaks as they prepared to make camp.

It was late afternoon and the day so far had consisted of nothing but wandering through forest after forest, the way becoming rougher and more arduous as they went. Perhaps he was just missing the planes, but the landscape of the Prime was certainly monotonous; though Haer'Dalis was quite willing to accept that boredom of another sort may have been colouring his opinion. His eyes flicked instinctively across to where Anomen was still deep in talk with Aerie, the girl's face aglow with a disagreeable awe, and Haer'Dalis sighed tersely.

It had been only an hour or so before when the druid had brought them to a halt saying she sensed something, an observance that soon proved a touch belated as armed figures were suddenly charging from the surrounding undergrowth. But though the bandits had the element of surprise, they really were no match for their group; something they had realised soon after and those that could had fled. No one of their group had been injured and Fritha seemed quite pleased by the whole affair (some of the fallen had carried heavy purses), but the encounter had unfortunately yielded spoils of a less favourable sort as well, the squire complaining loudly that such petty skirmishes were a waste of his time.

Haer'Dalis sent Anomen a scowl as Aerie laughed brightly at something the squire had said. Anomen was not an easy person to like and the tiefling had never been inclined to try particularly hard in such matters. He could not deny the man was an exceptional warrior, but he did not think well of him for voicing as much. And if that hadn't been galling enough, Aerie had, rather foolishly, shown an interest in the squire's boasting and the last hour of walking had been no less than torture as the bard was assailed by story after story of the squire's campaigns, Anomen still holding the elf's attentions even now.

Haer'Dalis sighed again to himself, pulling his attention from the pair to rest on the girl sat on the grass opposite and sorting through her bag, Fritha's eyes tired behind her smile. At least he did not suffer alone. The squire was always ready with a sharp word for his raven. Even today, as she had recounted to the man her evening with Nalia, a tale that held such obvious joy for her, Anomen could not seem to help himself; his behaviour only annoying Haer'Dalis more when he considered the efforts the girl was going to for his dove's birthday.

Fritha seemed determined to make the occasion a memorable one for Aerie and it was a service the bard was inclined to appreciate, the girl having a more ordered mind than he for such things. And it was something she was likely still planning even now ,considering the cautious glances she was occasionally throwing across the camp as she searched through her pack. He smiled, moving across to join her.

'Hello there,' Fritha greeted as he sat at her side, 'everything set?'

'It is indeed, well, my part at least,' Haer'Dalis smiled, checking the elf's attention was elsewhere before opening his own bag to show the girl the pale green volume, the cover printed with a pattern of leaves in white. 'It is the collected poems and plays of Erudis, my raven, a lesser know elven poet. His works are inspired, even for one who never experienced the wonder of the planes. But even so, appreciation of him is limited outside of his own people; it took quite some time to find…' He swallowed, feeling foolish but having to ask her anyway, 'Do you think Aerie will like it?'

Fritha smiled, reaching in to his bag to run her fingers lightly over the cover, her look a heartening mix of fondness and admiration.

'Yes, very much. Well, Nalia and I got everything else this morning. A present from the rest of us, plus some wine and a bottle of sherry the merchant threw in for free. In fact, here,' she huffed, struggling to pull a couple of bottles from her stuffed pack, 'you can carry the wine, my bag's heavy enough with everything else.'

'Ah, Arabellan Dry, a good choice, my raven. I spent long enough talking to Samuel back from my time at the theatre to know good wine from bad, though I imagine anything would be more than welcome at the moment. This sparrow has just been enduring talk of Anomen's glorious campaigns. Sweet Aerie is in possession of a very patient heart and the knightling has a talent for fiction surpassed only by you!'

'Really now!' Fritha cried, though Haer'Dalis could tell she was trying not to smile and he risked continuing, blithely halting any further protests with a wave of his hand.

'Bar that, my raven, you must hear one. Let me recount to you the tale of Anomen and the Wyvern. Two summers ago, I, Anomen, being the oldest squire within the Order, nay in the history of the Order-'

'Haer'Dalis!'

'-was entrusted with escorting the other squires to the inter-Order spelling tournament in the neighbouring city of Riatavin, where our knowledge of such important knightly words as "righteous", "disapprove" and "smite", would be tested to the very limit.'

Fritha seemed to be trying to protest at this slander, but she was laughing so much she was having trouble breathing and could only shake her head as he continued.

'But as our merry crocodile snaked its way through the forest, we crossed paths with a terrible wyvern! The other squires fled, afraid and crying for their mothers as ten-year-old boys are wont to do, but I leapt upon the beast's back -a blow that surely killed it!- though I heroically thrust my lance through its spine to be sure! What is more, I was awarded third prize in the tourney for my spelling prowess. A truly glorious day!'

'When was this?' interrupted a voice above and Haer'Dalis glanced up to see the squire himself looking down on them, Fritha straightening in an instant, drawing deep calming breaths as she fanned at her flushed face.

'I do hope you are not referring to today,' Anomen continued with a sigh as he settled next to the girl on the grass, 'As I was just telling Aerie, such skirmishes are hardly worth the time it takes for me to clean my weapon. Now the Order's campaign against the Hillgnasher Giants, that brought the blood up!'

Haer'Dalis slyly caught her eye and any composure Fritha had managed to gather ended then, the girl dropping her face in her hands and sobbing with laughter. Anomen looked highly perturbed.

'What in Helm's name is wrong with her?' he exclaimed as the girl rose, stumbling off over to the other side of the clearing, hiding her face in her sleeve as she went. Haer'Dalis shrugged mildly.

'I would never claim to understand the fairer sex, the girls of the Prime even less -though this unpredictability is surely half the pleasure,' he added with a smile as he watched Aerie make her way over to Fritha, the elf clearly concerned by the girl's behaviour, and he was suddenly filled with an unexpected rush of contentment. Haer'Dalis leant back on his pack and thanked every Fate listening that he was there just then with them.

Jaheira frowned, holding the rough square of parchment up to the treetops, trying to line up the crude row of drawn mountains to the iron grey peaks that stood, cloud-shrouded, on the north-eastern horizon. Jaheira sighed. It was no good; however she looked at it, the numbers just didn't tally.

'Minsc,' she called, not even taking her eyes from the map as she felt the presence of the ranger approaching behind her.

'There is a problem, yes?'

'Here,' she sighed, turning to pass him the map, 'what do you make of that?'

A moment to hold the parchment up as she had and Minsc had his answer.

'We have one mountain too many. Ah, Boo says this is not good.'

'Quite, and I agree with him.'

Well, that was what you got for buying cheap unreliable maps. Jaheira sighed again, feeling her irritation rising and fighting to rein it in; it was an understandable mistake to make and Fritha was still learning, after all.

'Oh, well, it is better we found out now, rather than further on in our journey,' she reasoned eventually, surprised at how like Khalid she sounded. There had been a time when she would have raged for a good hour at such easily avoided follies.

But that was when he had been there, ready to sooth her and keep her temper from going too far. Over the last month or so, she had slowly come to realise she had to be her own mediator and it was something that Minsc had seemingly noticed as well.

'I recognise that manner, good Jaheira –Khalid, he lives on in you, yes?' Mince nodded, his eyes gaining a distant look. 'That is how they all live on, in the people that knew them. Dynaheir would say that is why we have our odes in Rashemen, that the greatest of us will always be remembered; that their spirits may endure for a thousand years!'

'Dynaheir,' repeated Jaheira, remembering the beautiful sorceress whom she had respected and loathed by turns, 'You must miss her, Minsc.'

The ranger shrugged. They both knew it was so and he seemed to feel no need to agree.

'Khalid thought well of her, you know. What was it he said?' she continued absently, smiling as she thought back to one of her husband's braver moments. 'She was the essence of ruthless femininity.'

Minsc laughed his approval. 'Ah, this was our Dynaheir! How her spirit will soar when Minsc and Boo take our revenge!'

Jaheira cast her gaze once more to the distant mountains; had she not been so after Khalid was first taken? But then…

'Vengeance will not bring them back.'

'No, Minsc knows this, but it is still sought; both for those fallen and those the mage would have yet taken if he had had the chance.'

Jaheira nodded, the reminder that Irenicus's death served to protect as well as punish was a better way to focus upon it.

She smiled slightly, letting these darker thoughts drift away and turning to let her eyes travel the camp about her. Fritha was making a note of something in her diary, probably concerning the large purse of gems and jewellery at her side. Aerie had started on the evening meal, the girl slicing the cured meat they had bought for the trip into her old iron pot, while Nalia helped her, blithely stripping the outer leaves from the wild onions they'd collected on their way, her occasional sly glance up to the overcast sky nearly going unnoticed.

It was clear the girl wasn't particularly comfortable out-of-doors, something Jaheira could almost sympathise with as the weather grew colder, though she could not understand how anyone actually liked to live in cities; better to be within nature, however inhospitable, than so cut off from the world around you.

Jaheira sighed, pulling her thoughts away from the young woman and glancing across the camp to trouble of a more immediate sort. Haer'Dalis and Anomen had taken it upon themselves to put up the canvas in anticipation of the night's rains, though the bard was taking the task significantly less seriously than his partner, intentionally misunderstanding his directions and making mistakes, much to the squire's growing frustrations.

'Now, tie off the left corner.'

'As you will, my hound, the left it is.'

'Yes- No, that is the right corner!'

'Oh, apologies, I thought you were referring to your left, which would, of course, be my right. Right? Oh, no, left, yes?'

Aerie had paused in her slicing to watch them, openly giggling at the bard's antics while Fritha seemed to be trying not to encourage him, ignoring the pair in favour of her own work though the girl was holding her diary suspiciously high, her face covered and shoulders trembling. Jaheira smiled and rolled her eyes.

'Fritha?'

Slowly the book was lowered to reveal a flushed forehead followed by a pair of near black eyes, sparkling with laughter and narrowed by the grin that her diary was no doubt still hiding.

Jaheira watched as Anomen paused in his work, staring across the camp at the girl, his expression unreadable and Haer'Dalis sent him a contemplative look.

'All that's best of dark and bright, eh, knightling?' he muttered, giving the squire a sly nudge. The man flushed and crossly turning his attention back to the ropes. Jaheira frowned.

'Fritha,' she continued briskly, 'Minsc and I have been discussing it, we think the map you bought may be wrong.'

'Really?' the girl sighed, all trace of amusement gone now as she lay down her journal and rose to join them.

'See,' continued Jaheira, proffering her the crudely drawn square of parchment, 'there are six peaks on the map and only five on the horizon. I thought another would become clear as we approached but…'

Fritha frowned. 'Oh, Hells! So, for Trademeet we were supposed to head between the fourth and fifth? We've been moving slowly off course all day then.'

Minsc nodded solemnly. 'It is so, young Fritha, but Boo thinks we are not too far off track.'

'Indeed,' agreed Jaheira, 'We could have used the nearby river as a means of placing ourselves, though I note it has been missed off this map…' Jaheira sent her a stern look. 'Some ways of saving money, Fritha, soon prove to be a false economy.'

The girl sighed and nodded, another lesson learnt.

'Right, right, give it here. I'll climb up out the valley later and have a look.'

xxx

Dinner had been cooked and eaten by now, the group all sat about the fire in companionable silence, each occupied by their own tasks. The sky, or what Fritha could see of it past the canvas that was now stretched over half the clearing, was paling to a grey, the clouds stained a fierce pink as the sun finally dipped below the hills, a chill rising in the air as it did so.

Fritha sighed, feeling pleasantly full and very disinclined to move from her seat next to the fire, though in the end she relented, rising stiffly.

'Well, I had better go and get the measure of this map.'

Nalia looked as though she would have liked to offer to join her, but an icy breeze stirred through the trees about them and she retreated back into her cloak, edging closer to the fire, her embroidery still untouched in her lap. Fritha sent her an understanding smile. 'I shan't be long.'

'You cannot go alone, Fritha,' came Jaheira sharply, though the girl noted she, too, made no move to leave the fireside.

'Of course, I can.'

But Anomen shook his head as well, making to stand and having to stoop slightly as his head brushed the canvas.

'No, Jaheira is quite right, my lady. The forests can be dangerous, especially at night; I fear I must insist on escorting you.'

'Oh, as you will,' Fritha conceded, seeing no real reason to refuse the company, 'we'll be back- Haer'Dalis, not you as well?' she cried as the bard rose too, a broad smile on his pale face, 'I am sure we'll be fine.'

'No, no, my raven, as the squire rightly says, who knows what terrible beasts will be abroad -I would hate to think I missed the chance of such an encounter.'

Those still sat laughed, Fritha smiling as she shrugged her acceptance though Anomen looked less than pleased and so did Aerie.

'Hmm, perhaps-' began the elf contemplatively, half making to rise and Fritha laughed gently, holding a hand up to halt her.

'No, no, no, it's definitely fine with three of us. Remember the adage: too many cats spoil the broth.'

Nalia snorted into her sleeve, Fritha glad to see her smiling and before anyone else could volunteer as an escort, she turned to lead the way out of the camp.

'So, Haer'Dalis, you wished to come with us because?' Fritha asked once they were a safe distance from the clearing, looking for a distraction as the ground began sloping upwards. The climb was making her ankle ache, the bitter wind not helping any as they left the shelter of the trees for the bare hillside and she knew she should have changed into her boots as the dusk fell, but couldn't see any point to it when she would be bedding down soon.

Haer'Dalis turned to her with a dramatic astonishment.

'I need a reason to spend time with my favourite raven?'

'Your only raven,' she reminded evenly and the bard finally relented with a grin.

'Oh, if I must; I have been wishing to ask you what you bought my dove for her birthday.'

Fritha smiled. 'Never you mind, sparrow. You can find out when she does.'

Though it seemed Haer'Dalis did not agree, the bard proceeding to attempt to guess her gift, his ideas becoming increasingly outlandish as they climbed, Anomen sighing as he dropped back a step to follow them in stony silence.

'Oh, I have it! A vial of Evergold's waters!'

'No,' Fritha sighed; after a good quarter hour's climbing, her ankle was hurting something fierce and even she was beginning to lose patience for Haer'Dalis's game.

'Hmm, a dragon's egg?'

'No, they'd run out of those,' Fritha muttered absently as they finally reached the hill's peak, the forests and valleys of Amn stretched out beneath them, a mottle of greens and browns under the darkening sky while back in the west, the sea was molten under a setting sun.

'Ha! Very good, my raven,' laughed Haer'Dalis, 'as usual, your wit is as sharp as your blade.'

'A pity, then, we cannot say the same for you,' Anomen muttered, quiet but still audible and Haer'Dalis turned narrowed eyes upon him.

'Whereas I find it easy to draw comparisons between your wit and the dull club that hangs now at your hip.'

Fritha suppressed a groan, moving away to let them enjoy their squabble uninterrupted. The wind was much stronger up there and colder too, and she was struggling to keep the parchment of the map flat as she held it up to the view, trying to decide which of the mountains had been added in error.

At last, she made her choice, scribbling over the extra peak before carefully tracing in the course of the second river that ran so close to their camp and putting on a cross that marked what she assumed was Trademeet, the smoke haze from the settlement just visible above the tree tops to the east. One final glance over to check on perspective and she was done. Behind her, the argument was still going strong.

'By Helm, tiefling, be silent! I've never met a man more in love with the sound of his own voice!'

'I assume you mean after your blustering self, my puffed-up hound!'

Fritha sighed, fighting to keep her teeth from chattering as another blast of wind howled over them, easily finding its way under her cloak.

'Oh, give over, you two, you're behaving like children.'

Anomen threw the bard a scowl and took a step closer to her.

'Are you cold, my lady?'

'Not at all,' she lied blithely, 'this isn't cold, it's just bracing. Here, what do you think?' she continued, turning to show her amendments to Haer'Dalis.

'I would bring that river over a touch-' and she allowed him to pluck the stylus from her hand and redraw the line with a flourish. 'There, perfect.'

Fritha returned the smile he sent her, quickly rolling up the parchment before the wind could catch it.

'Well, we've got a rough idea, anyway. Come on, let's get back to camp.'

But it seemed the journey back down was to be even less peaceful than the one up, Fritha walking as fast as she could without stumbling on the steep slope, the pair following her and sniping at each other as they went.

'Oh please,' she groaned as they reached the tree line and entered again the gloom of the forest, the girl silently vowing that this was the last time she went anywhere with just the pair of them, 'I am getting the worst headache.'

'You are ailing, my raven?' came Haer'Dalis, the man quickening his pace to walk next to her. 'Come, let me, cheer you with a story. There are many knightly orders all across the planes, you know, with many a deed to their names, but none bear such legends as Sir Romavin the Pointless, Knight Commander of the Most Venerable Order of the Radiant Sprout-'

'Haer'Dalis!' Fritha scolded, stopping dead and ready to put an end to things, but it was as though she had not spoken, both men stopped as she had and glaring at each other.

'You try my patience, tiefling!' growled Anomen.

'Really, my hound? I did not know you were in possession of any to make such a thing possible.'

'One more word from you, braggart, and you will be meeting your much-lauded oblivion a great deal sooner than expected!'

'Anomen!' Fritha cried, shrill in her disbelief, 'Good Gods! That is enough, both of you! Haer'Dalis,' she continued quickly, pulling the map from her bag, 'please take this back to camp; Minsc and Jaheira will no doubt wish to study it before the light fails completely.'

The bard smiled in acquiescence, sending Anomen a smug look before he turned to disappear through the trees. Fritha whirled instantly back to the man still at her side.

'What are you playing at, Anomen? I know Haer'Dalis could try the patience of angels when he puts his mind to it, but to threaten another of this group…' She shook her head, still hardly able to believe it had happened. Anomen merely watched her with a dark look, his face a stony mask in the gloom.

'He insulted my honour.'

Fritha felt her anger rise and quelled it with difficulty.

'Did he indeed? And if I or Aerie or-or Nalia had said similar? Would you be there calling us out? Well?'

Anomen made no answer, but he had dropped his gaze and she could hear the rustle of the fallen leaves as his feet shifted uncomfortably. Fritha relented with a sigh. 'Anomen what is wrong? This anger you seem to have for the world, I just don't understand it.'

He glanced up sharply, eyes searching her face with a frown.

'You don't? You truly don't?'

'No, I just said I didn't. Anomen, what's wrong? Is it your sister? Or worries for your father? I will help you if I can.'

He said nothing though, just stared down at her, his lips pressed together and frowning, and in the end she gave up, sadly shaking her head.

'Fine. I could not be more disappointed with you, Anomen.'

And with that, Fritha turned and walked away, her pace quickening as she attempted to catch up with other half of the quarrel. Haer'Dalis was not too far ahead, the slight swagger in his step only serving to rile her further.

'And what was that?' she demanded as soon as within earshot, the bard whirling back to her.

'Sorry, my raven?'

'All that Radiant Sprout nonsense!'

'I was merely trying to cheer you-'

'Don't you give me that!' she snapped, 'You just wanted to provoke an argument, which we both know is hardly a feat in Anomen's case!' Fritha sighed, calming herself to add, 'I know you don't like him, Haer'Dalis, but this helps no one.'

The tiefling raised a cool eyebrow.

'You did not seem to mind me mocking him before.'

Fritha dipped her face as she flushed, unpleasant feelings of guilt squirming in her stomach.

'You are witty, Haer'Dalis and sometimes I laugh at things that are on reflection unkind -but I will not compound that by doing it in front of those you ridicule!'

Haer'Dalis snorted, his manner holding a coldness she had never seen in him before.

'Oh, what a proper little saint you are becoming! Take your joy where you can, my raven. Why not laugh at those who deserve to be laughed at; the man is a fool!'

'Deserve to be laughed at…? You know what, you are both as bad as each other and I am more than done with the pair of you.' She whirled on her heel, ready to storm off, though it seemed the Fates had other plans, pain screaming through her ankle as she turned and Fritha was sure they heard her curse all the way back in Athkatla.

'Beshaba's Horns!'

But the mood she was in, it would have taken a broken leg to halt her march back to camp, the girl stalking into the clearing to throw herself down on her bedding. Her appearance was so sudden and unexpected that no one had a chance to question her before Haer'Dalis arrived to mirror her movements, the bard brusquely shaking off Aerie's concern as he presented the map to Jaheira and settled back on his own bedding in sullen silence.

Fritha watched the camp about her share a look, too angry to care about the suddenly uneasy air that had descended over the group.

'Fritha, is there some sort of… problem we should know of?' asked Jaheira eventually, unusually circuitous and Fritha was about to rather sharply tell her 'No', when a polite cough cut her off and all glanced up to see Anomen enter the camp, the squire walking straight over to where Haer'Dalis and the now sulking Aerie were sat.

'Haer'Dalis,' he began, his voice firm and clear over them all, 'I would like to apologise for my previous behaviour. I lost my temper; I- I should not have spoken as I did.'

For a moment silence reigned; it seemed no one could quite believe what he'd said, least of all Haer'Dalis who was staring up at the man as though even the chaos of Sigil had not quite prepared him for something so wholly unexpected.

'This day has been a long one,' he replied eventually, his tone quietly courteous, 'and we are all… weary; it is forgotten, my hound.'

Anomen nodded once and Fritha watched as he returned to his place at the fireside, his gaze falling on her as soon as he was settled and she quickly turned away.

'Well,' sighed Jaheira with an air of "that answered that", the woman turning instantly to her. 'This map looks fine, Fritha, though I did notice you were limping when you came into camp. Are you injured?'

'Oh, no, not really. My foot was aching slightly earlier, but it's nothing serious.'

Across the camp, Anomen stirred, his voice quiet and measured.

'I will gladly examine it, my lady.'

'It's fine, thank you,' she answered crisply. Jaheira seemed to notice her tone.

'Come Fritha, accept with good grace. It could grow worse tomorrow,' she warned with a broad smile, 'slow our pace.'

Fritha felt her jaw clench. The druid knew any threat of trouble for the group as a whole was a sure way to get her cooperation.

'If you're so bothered, you have a look at it!'

'I do not have to; Anomen has offered!'

For a moment, the women glowered at each other, Fritha glancing back to the man who was still watching her and looking unusually contrite. Her heart twisted and finally she gave in.

'All right, but in the morning when the light's better.'