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

Begone dull care

Fritha sat in her bedding, an almost empty bowl of porridge resting in her lap as she watched Haer'Dalis and Minsc struggling to fold up the damp canvas, the activities of those around her as they prepared for the day ahead almost unreal in the weak dawn sunlight.

It had been a bitter night and though she had slept, it had been restlessly, the girl woken several times by the cold; rearranging her blankets, only to lie there listening to the soft drum of rain on the canvas above as she waited to drift off again. Fritha swallowed the last spoonful of porridge and set down her bowl feeling tired and slightly queasy. Under any other circumstances, she would've refused breakfast, but she just didn't have the energy for a battle then, so early in the day, and had accepted the bowl from Jaheira without a sound.

A sigh next to her and Fritha glanced over to watch Nalia slowly set down her dish as well; still half full of porridge but Fritha knew the druid would not be reproaching her for it. The girl was watching the surround activity with a glazed look, her usually sleek hair tousled while vivid blue shadows hung under each eye. If Fritha hadn't slept a lot, she suspected Nalia hadn't slept at all.

'Are you all right, dearest?' Fritha asked, the seventh variation of the same question she'd been asking her all morning, as she gestured weakly to the uneaten porridge at their feet. Nalia smiled and nodded airily.

'I am fine, I am just…' She swallowed, the smile flickered, 'I'm fine.'

And Fritha watched, an awful empty feeling aching just under her ribs as Nalia rose with her bag and moved off to be lost in the trees.

Fritha sat a moment longer, focused on the point she had last seen that dark red head, before she turned back to find Anomen stood over her, the man watching her with an uncertain look.

'Ah, I would check your foot now, my lady –you did agree to let me look it over last night…'

'Yes, I did, didn't I?' She sighed, rising stiffly before stooping to collect her bag, 'Come on, then.'

'I- I'm sorry?'

'Well, I'm not going to let you near my feet without giving them a wash first.'

They left the camp together, Fritha heading for the stream where they had collected last night's water, though they were only a few paces from the clearing when Anomen broke the silence between them.

'Might I speak with you, my lady?'

'About what happened yesterday?'

He nodded once and Fritha shrugged, turning back to their path, wanting nothing more than to forget the whole thing.

'As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing more to discuss.'

'I would disagree. I wish to apologise-'

'You already have.'

'Yes, to Haer'Dalis, but not to you.' Anomen sighed, clearly struggling to find the words. 'It is never my intention to cause trouble for this group, -for you. It is just my temper gets so out of hand, I cannot seem to control it. It has been thus ever since I left home for the seminary, my anger at my father poisoning my manner for everyone else.'

Fritha shook her head. Lord Cor had a lot to answer for, it seemed.

'Ah, don't worry about it, Anomen, I know things haven't exactly been easy for you, especially lately and I do know you're trying. And as for yesterday, I am as much to blame as anyone. I should have stepped in earlier and stopped things before they became a problem.'

He stared down at her a long while, at last turning his attention back to the path, his voice coming quieter than before.

'It was not your fault. Haer'Dalis and I are grown men –however we may have acted to the contrary… and you… You are very patient, Fritha.'

She smiled wanly. 'I flatter myself, I am. Ah, Tymora's smile,' she exclaimed, glad of the distraction as her eyes fell upon the stream, or more correctly, the stout narrow-leaved tree a short way from the opposite bank. 'What luck!'

'What is it, my lady?'

'Chestnuts!'

Anomen blinked owlishly. 'My lady?'

'That tree over there, it's a chestnut tree; they should be well ripened by now too. Look, you can see them in amongst the fallen leaves, like little green hedgehogs.'

Fritha felt him watching as she slipped off her sandals, rolling her trousers up above the knee and securing each with a length of thin cerise cord that she usually used to keep her stockings up.

'My lady-'

'Fri-tha,' she trilled with a grin, gasping slightly as she took a first step into the cold, fast flowing water. Behind her, she heard Anomen's sigh, as one trying quite hard to keep his patience. 'Good practise,' she considered mischievously.

'Fritha, what are you doing?'

Fritha sighed as well, turning very slowly to face him, the water rushing about her calves and almost stinging with cold.

'I am going to gather some chestnuts; we can eat them tonight for Aerie's birthday.'

With that she turned and resumed her crossing, clambering onto the opposite bank for a few moments earnest foraging, Fritha cautiously collecting all the fallen fruits and knocking a few more down with an obliging stick, her work punctuated with the occasional hiss as she fell foul of the prickly green husks. And she was soon back on their side of the stream, sat in the grass with a lapful of chestnuts, her legs still shining wetly and toes pink. The girl took up each nut in turn, carefully breaking through the spiny shell to reveal the cluster of sweet brown nuts within, her knife flashing as she scored each quickly along its length before dropping it with a rattle into the jar before her.

Anomen watched her in silence before-

'You are going to a lot of trouble for Aerie's birthday.'

'Of course,' she agreed, no pause to her work, 'such occasions are important, and I can't think of anyone among us who doesn't need a celebration right now.'

'Including you?'

Fritha glanced up sharply, her hands stopped halfway through scoring the last nut. Anomen was watching her with an unusually piercing look and she felt her worries well anew as she saw Nalia's flickering smile flash again behind her eyes. Fritha quelled the feeling and smiled faintly, ignoring his intimation.

'In my bag there should be a bottle near the top, will you pass it to me please?'

He stared at her a moment longer before complying, reaching over to her bag and opening it to remove the large green bottle she knew it contained. Wordlessly, he passed it to her and she received it with a smile, pocketing her now sheathed knife and pulling the cork out to pour the dark crimson liquid into the jar, the chestnuts bobbing on the surface.

'It's sweet sherry,' she explained, setting the half empty bottle down beside her and screwing the jar's lid on tightly, 'I got it for tonight, but it will give the chestnuts a nice flavour if we let them soak.' She sighed and smiled, lifting the bottle to her lips to take a quick nip before holding it out to him. 'Try some?'

The squire frowned slightly and she could almost hear his refusal, something about how he didn't think it was proper to be drinking spirits in the day and from the bottle no less.

But instead he just smiled suddenly, taking it from her and holding her gaze as he tipped it back for a sip, coughing slightly as the liquid burnt his mouth and grinning almost boyishly as he handed it back to her. Fritha smiled as well, his grin infectious.

'It tastes like mid-winter, don't you think?'

He nodded, still smiling and looking quite bemused, as though he found the idea that something could taste like a time oddly wonderful.

'Yes, it is like the plum pudding they serve.'

Fritha smiled warmly and took the bottle back, packing away her belongings and slipping on her sandals, before reaching down a hand to haul him up and together they returned to camp. It was many hours later when she realised he had forgotten to check her foot and considering the weather, she was surprised she recalled it at all.

xxx

Fritha stood huddled under the branches of a stout oak tree as she examined the map in her hands, the parchment a mess of blotted ink as the rain dripped steadily on to it from the leaves above her.

It had been raining on and off all morning, light and interspersed with bursts of sunshine that had made it almost pleasant. It was not until after they had stopped for their noon meal that the weather truly broke, the dark clouds that had been gathering so threateningly since dawn finally opening and it had been raining steadily ever since.

Fritha watched those about her in the fading daylight, all tired and wet and very unhappy for their long day of trudging through the rain, Aerie and Nalia shivering under the tree opposite, while Jaheira moved about the edge of the small clearing searching in vain for some dry tinder for a fire, the men striving to unpack the canvas.

Fritha glanced again to the map before rolling it up to place back in her bag, her decision made. A night out in such weather and they would arrive at Trademeet on the morrow good for nothing and, besides that, another night like the last one would likely put Nalia off adventuring for good. The girl swallowed, knowing she was about to make herself as popular as a member of the Zhentarim as she stepped forward to halt them.

'Hold on a moment, is there really any point in stopping?'

The men looked up from their work, Nalia whipping round with a despairing look to choke 'Sorry?' and Fritha had to force herself to continue.

'I mean, everyone is wet and cold, and I doubt we'll be able to light a fire- we won't get any real rest.'

Jaheira straightened to sigh tersely. 'If you have a point I suggest you get to it.'

'Aye, my raven, before we all drown.'

'Let's just keep going. The map places us only two more hours from Trademeet.'

'It will be dark in just one,' said Jaheira pointedly, voicing the doubts they all felt.

'We've lanterns and more than one of us can call up a light,' Fritha pressed and when the misgivings remained, she added matter-of-factly, 'Surely the real question is: do you want to sleep out in this?'

The group about her shared a look; no one seemed keen for the idea. Jaheira turned back to her with a sigh.

'All right, lead on then. By Silvanus, the faith I have in you sometimes.'

xxx

'Should we not have passed the Eastern highway by now?' asked Anomen gruffly, scanning about him through the trees of the gloaming forest as though hoping to see some sign of it and Nalia closed her eyes. About half an hour after they had set off again, the rain had worsened to a steady downpour and by then it was too late to stop and attempt to put up the canvas, everyone already soaked through as they were. Nalia's fingers were numb inside the leather of her gloves; she had never felt more forlorn.

'How much further is it?' came Aerie in almost a sob, not that Nalia blamed her the distress. The girl was the shortest of them by about a head and her skirts were wet almost to her waist, the warm saffron fabric hanging mud-streaked and heavy.

'I think we are lost,' muttered Haer'Dalis audibly.

'We are not lost!' snapped Fritha, turning to the man next to her to add in an undertone, 'Minsc, please tell me we're not lost.'

'No, no, young Fritha, do not worry, we will be there soon; Boo is sure of the way.'

Fritha glanced to Nalia, sending her a twisted smile through the rain and looking as though she couldn't quite decide whether to laugh or burst into tears when Jaheira called to her and the girl disappeared to the back of the group. Nalia looked up to the huge man at her side, seemingly unaffected by either the rain or cold, though from what she knew of Rashemen, he was more than likely used to much worse. Nalia stifled a cry as another blast of icy rain-laden wind blasted over them.

She knew her melancholy was a burden, for both her and the others, especially Fritha who was now looking increasingly guilt-ridden about the tempest she had so confidently led them into. And yet Nalia could not help but feel miserable; the days of walking, constantly cold and tired, taking their toll. She wanted to help others, of course, but this surely wasn't the only way, even now, when she was no better off than any common citizen.

Nalia shook her head, retreating back into her hood, the damp wool rough against her cheeks when a triumphant cry split the air and she glanced up sharply to see warm yellow points of light filtering through the trees.

'Yes!' shouted Fritha, her joy evident, 'Minsc, you marvellous man!'

But moments later and they were trudging through the dark rain-drenched streets of Trademeet, following the directions of the two surly gate guards, the group finally rounding a corner to see a tall many-windowed building, a sign bearing the legend "Vyatri's Tavern" just visible through the sheets of rain.

Inside, it was quiet, even considering the hour, the scattering of patrons hunched over their drinks in that large high-ceilinged room. Many glanced up from their tables to send them dark looks as they entered, but Fritha couldn't have cared less, so happy as she was to just be indoors. She marched promptly up to the bar sending a smile much warmer than the surroundings to the stout swarthy man behind the counter.

'Six rooms please.'

The man shook his head. 'Sorry love, can't be done. A couple of caravans have been stuck here in the town, what must be well over a tenday now; they've got most of the rooms now the weather's turned.'

Fritha just stared at him, her smile fading as she it slowly dawned that it wasn't some horrible joke.

'But- but you don't understand! I've just led them here through that,' she cried, gesturing to the nearest rain pelted window, 'If we don't find somewhere to stay they'll mutiny!'

The innkeep snorted, holding up a hand to sooth her, a grin pulling at his mouth.

'Calm down, love. I've one room free. It's a fair size and might do for all of you if some of you don't mind the floor.'

Fritha sighed deeply, so relieved she had to take hold of the bar as a tremble ran through her knees.

'At this point, sir, I'll settled for anywhere with a roof.'

'This way then,' he nodded and he led them up to the second floor, Fritha hastily explaining to the others about the less than ideal sleeping arrangements as they went. She had worried them having to share would meet with at least some small amount of dissatisfaction, though it seemed by this point they were all too cold and tired to care.

'Here you are, miss,' came the innkeep, opening the door on a large, albeit sparsely furnished room, the dresser set and four-poster bed the only pieces of furniture in there.

'Thank you,' Fritha smiled as he left before turning to move inside, giving orders as she went. 'Right, Aerie and Nalia can take the bed. The rest of us will do well enough on the floor. Can you push the it into the corner please, Minsc.'

The ranger obliged her, setting his back to the heavy oak bed-frame as the rest of them unpacked blankets and bedding, just laying them down where there was space. Changing was a little more awkward though, everyone just turning their backs and making the best of it before Fritha made the circuit of the room, dressed with a pale green tunic over her slip, the girl collecting their damp clothes with Aerie to hang on the rope Jaheira had strung between the bedpost and window.

It was a strangely pleasant atmosphere with everyone sat on their bedding in their nightclothes, drinking the tea the maid had brought up. It reminded Anomen of the dormitories of the seminary when he was a boy, although that had been slightly different; there had been no women there for a start. He watched the girls now, Nalia trying to help Fritha comb out the mass of damp curls, Aerie massaging some sort of oil in to her pale delicate hands. Only Jaheira gave him some semblance of familiarity, half-laid upon her bedding slowly checking her armour as he'd seen many a lady in the Order do before her. Anomen leaned back against the warm stone of the fireplace as his eyes drifted over the group to once more rest on the two girls sat on the other side of the fire and still trying to tame Fritha's hair.

'I think this section is done.'

'Okay, thank- ow!'

'Oh, perhaps not.'

'Careful, I lost a brush in that bit just a few days back.'

'Fritha!' Nalia scolded, tapping the top of the girl's head lightly with her comb as punishment and Fritha's quiet laughter filled his ears, a pleasant warm sound. Her eyes narrowed when she laughed and looked almost black from where he sat. Anomen frowned, pulling his mind away from the thought as Aerie's voice called across the room.

'Are you two finished?' she asked, Nalia peering round Fritha to give her a conspiratorial smile and the girl grinned.

'With my hair at least.'

The elf's mouth opened again to question her, but she was cut off as Fritha drained her tea in one, chiming the cup with her comb.

'Everyone pray silence, for I've a very important announcement. Today, for I imagine it is near enough to midnight by now, Aerie celebrates her birthday: one hundred and twenty-four years young, so I'm told.'

'Haer'Dalis!' cried the girl in question, flushing, but the tiefling just laughed, moving about the room filling their cups with wine as Fritha continued. 'And so I would propose a toast to her and ask that she accepts this humble gift as a heartfelt token-

'Get on with it!' heckled Jaheira and everyone laughed, Fritha fishing a plainly wrapped parcel from beneath the pillow behind her and tossing into Aerie's lap.

'To Aerie!'

'Aerie,' the room repeated, cups raised, the girl before them just shaking her head, speechless, slowly unwrapping her present to reveal a white bundle that clearly meant more to her than it did to Anomen, for she cried out suddenly, 'Oh, Fritha… you shouldn't have, I mean you really shouldn't have.'

Anomen glanced to Jaheira who raised an eyebrow, as puzzled as he until the elf lifted the fabric, the soft bleached linen of a full-skirted petticoat unfurling before them, Aerie shaking her head with disbelief.

'Fritha, it was far too expensive.'

But the girl just grinned. 'Oh, don't you fret about that. The price I paid was more than reasonable. I just made sure that when I went back to the Calimshite's stall there was just his son there. Such a nice boy; we haggled for a bit and ended up settling on fifteen gold pieces and a promise…'

'A promise?'

'Aye, that he could imagine me in it anytime he pleased!' she confessed, her laughter almost drowned out by the assorted exclamations of 'Fritha!'

'You didn't!' gasped Aerie.

'I did,' Fritha confirmed proudly, 'it was almost a shame it was to be a surprise. With you in the offering I bet I could have got it for an even ten.'

There was much laughing as the elf flushed to a delicate pink, while Fritha grinned and blessed herself.

'Wherever you rest, Dynaheir, gods keep you.'

And the evening passed quite merrily, Fritha roasting the chestnuts in a tin over the fire before passing them round, everyone peeling off the skin and pith to eat the sweet kernels while Haer'Dalis ensured that their cups were kept brim full with the dry red wine.

Whether it was because she was not used to drinking or merely the excitement of the occasion, but Aerie seemed unusually talkative, the girl sat with Haer'Dalis's arm about her as she chattered blithely, much more at ease than Anomen has ever seen her, though it did not appear to be anything new for the other girls.

'Oh, I haven't had a birthday like this since, gosh, it must be fours years ago now. Uncle Quayle threw me a party back in the circus, but I had not long been with them and it was so full of noise and laughter and everyone wishing me well, that it was almost frightening. Imagine being frightened of your own birthday party!'

She laughed merrily, Haer'Dalis taking the opportunity to lean in and kiss her cheek.

'I am glad this celebration is more to your liking then, my dove.

'Oh, yes, here with all my friends. I never even suspected…' Aerie trailed off with a blissful sigh, giggling brightly as she leaned back into the bard's arms to cry, 'Ah, I'm all full of love.'

Fritha laughed. Yes, she knew that feeling well enough; that warm affection for all the world you could find at the bottom of an ale cup.

'All full of wine, more like,' she teased, topping up the elf's cup as they laughed, the elf more than anyone.

'No, no, no,' admonished Aerie, clearly trying to be serious as she straightened once more, 'you're wrong. Love is the most powerful force in all the planes. Why else do you think there are so many songs about it?'

'Because it makes an easier rhyme than coin,' Jaheira provided dryly and everyone laughed.

'How can you be that way?' sighed the elf, looking suddenly heartbroken on their behalf and Fritha grinned.

'Oh, Jaheira and I are jaded old cynics.'

'Old?' repeated the druid archly and Fritha laughed.

'Sorry, jaded youthful cynics.'

'Really, my lady,' sighed Anomen, a slight frown furrowing his brow, 'you speak as though a world-weary soldier, I mean, you surely could not have…' He trailed off, suddenly seeming to realise what he was asking as he flushed a wonderful shade of pink.

'Seen that many battles?' she supplied with a knowing smile, Jaheira bristling on her behalf.

'Anomen! What do they teach you in that Order? It certainly isn't manners!'

'Oh Jaheira…' Fritha laughed, trying to maintain her nonchalance in face of the squire's deepening frown. 'I really couldn't be accurate, Anomen, there have been so many. Hew, Piato, Leit…' she continued airily, using her fingers to mark off three boys she knew Imoen had kissed back in Candlekeep, but an interruption saved her from inventing any more names.

'Fritha, you liar!' Aerie laughed brightly, 'You told me the closest you'd ever been to romance was a boy back in Candlekeep who used to try and trip you up during sword practise!'

'Aerie!' cried Nalia, scandalised at the elf's abuse of secrets given in confidence, but Fritha just laughed. She sent the squire a grin, but Anomen turned away still frowning; there really wasn't any pleasing him, it seemed.

'Come, my birds,' announced Haer'Dalis cheerfully, drawing a box from his bag and carefully unpacking his lyre, 'let's have a song. What shall it be?'

'What about the Maid's Gavotte?' suggested Fritha, before shaking her head, 'Oh, no that one really does require at least one other instrument.'

The bard affected a dramatic gasp.

'Could it be our reluctant Prima Donna is finally ready to make her debut?'

Fritha snorted.

'This is sherry, berk, not firewine,' she quipped, lifting her cup to toast him and Haer'Dalis laughed heartily.

'You are brave now, but I know it is only because there is no instrument at hand for you to play anyway.' He shook a finger at her in playful warning, 'Beware, you may not always be so fortunate.'

Fritha grinned. 'Believe me, the luck in this was all yours.'

'Come on, you two,' interrupted Aerie with a whine, clearly losing patience with their banter, 'I want to sing. Begone dull care! I prithee be gone from me.'

And the others raised their voices to join her, Haer'Dalis skilfully plucking the accompaniment from his lyre.

'Begone dull care, you and I shall never agree.'

And their singing took them long into the night, everyone taking the chance to suggest songs, those that knew them joining in, others just singing at the choruses. Aerie gave a beautiful, if somewhat enthusiastic, rendition of an old elven lullaby she new, Minsc reciting for them one of his shorter odes, while even Jaheira joined in with some of the singing, reluctantly agreeing to take the part of the mother in the duet, Whistle, Daughter, Whistle. Fritha bore the daughter's part with a lot less coyness than it was usually sung with, the girl's jaunty whistling when she was finally offered a husband making the druid laugh so, she could hardly sing the next line.

The wine had all been drunk by now, and it was the leftover sherry that was being passed about, the heavy dark red liquid a lot less sharp after the two bottles of wine and Haer'Dalis had to warn Aerie against drinking it too quickly, lest she become ill. A warning she bore with a lot more grace than Fritha would have in her shoes, the elf seemingly happy he cared.

It was likely past midnight now, the rain still patting softy against the room's only window while the fire burned low in the grate. The singing had ended an hour or so ago, Jaheira worried they would be disturbing the other patrons if they continued and it had been replaced with a quiet talk, though even that had faded now, and Anomen let tired eyes travel the group.

Nalia was dozing on Fritha, the girl's head resting on her shoulder, Fritha's arm wrapped neatly about her as she talked with Minsc. Across the room, Aerie and Haer'Dalis were caught in some quiet talk of their own, the elf's head lain in his lap, her eyes closed even as she spoke. While Jaheira was sat at the end of the bed, her head resting against the frame, the woman clearly nodding off as well, her body jerking awake each time she came too close to sleep.

'I think it is time we retired,' sighed Jaheira finally, stretching where she sat.

'Okay,' Fritha smiled, softly tidying Nalia's hair as she gently shook her awake, 'Dearest?''

And everyone began to move, getting slowly settled in their own bedding as Jaheira rose to put out the lamps. Anomen needed only to unfold his blankets and he was ready, his attention falling back on the pair opposite, Fritha's arm still about her friend as she coaxed her from sleep.

'Come on, Nalia, wake up.'

The girl stirred, straightening to glance blearily around her.

'It- it can't be morning,' she sighed eventually, just an edge of desperation creeping into her voice and Fritha laughed softly, kissing her temple.

'No, no, dearest, it's still night; you fell asleep.'

Nalia gave a relieved sigh that soon became a yawn, and one which even her fatigue could not prevent her from politely hiding in her sleeve. Fritha smiled fondly, patting the girl's free hand and turning to Aerie as she waited for the girl to rouse herself.

'Did you enjoy your party then?'

The elf just smiled, tired but beaming, lightly kissing Haer'Dalis before picking her way across the bedding with a surprising grace to climb into the bed, Nalia reluctantly moving to join her.

'Looks like I'm next to you,' said Fritha, shifting across to bedding next to Anomen with a sigh, grinning as she added, 'but I promise I won't snore.'

He tried to reply or even smile, but he couldn't quite find the will. Fritha seemed not to notice though, the girl yawning widely as she settled down, Jaheira calling out above them, 'Is everyone ready for the lights out?'

A rumble of assent and then darkness, the last thing Anomen saw, the silhouette of her curls against the fire.