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.

Thicker than water

Anomen filled the basin before him and stooped to splash the cold water across his face. The night had been a restless one, his dreams haunted by a young woman who seemed to be Fritha and his sister by turns, though in each case she was distressed with a misery he could do nothing to alleviate and he had awoken late, feeling dull and at odds with himself.

Outside, the morning looked bright and clear, the slums already awake, and the street under his window was full of bustle. He watched the people a moment, feeling somehow distant from it all. Yesterday, all his hopes had at last come to pass and yet not in any way he had once imagined they would. He thought he would feel different now the Order had accepted him as a knight, but he did not. He was very happy, of course; how could he not be when he had finally achieved something he had been working towards almost his whole life. But, for all that, he still felt the same in himself. Perhaps that was what Fritha had been driving at all along; whether knight or squire, he was still the same man.

Fritha… She had helped him so much in the time they had travelled together and it pained him now to know she was going through some similarly distressing trial alone. Anomen sighed. She had always seemed fine on the surface, but lately he had been allowed glimpses of a deeper melancholy that lingered just behind the smile and he wondered how long she had been so troubled. Perhaps from even their very first meeting. The thought was not a pleasant one.

He turned away from the window, drawing his attention back to the dresser to gaze a moment at the small mirror above it, his reflection showing none of the tiredness he felt. Though not in any way hungover, he certainly wasn't feeling his best, and considering the state she had returned in last night, he imagined Fritha would be suffering much worse. He dropped his gaze to where his pack rested by the door, staring contemplatively at it a moment, before he hauled it onto the dresser and was taking out various herbs and powders to quickly prepare her something for the pain.

Out in the hallway, he faced almost the same hesitance as he had the previous evening, though Anomen made himself knock, her voice quiet but audible on the other side of the door.

'Come in.'

Fritha was already up and dressed, the girl sat at her dresser, a large jug and cup which he suspected were full of water next to her as she very slowly pulled a comb through her hair as though every movement was agony.

'Ah, hello Anomen.'

'Good morning, my lady, how are you feeling?'

She offered him a tight smile.

'Not too clever. You?'

'Fine. I drank quite a bit of water before I slept.'

'Gods, I wish I had,' she sighed with feeling, laying down her comb to sink her head into her hands. Anomen swallowed, the paper smooth under his fingers as he placed the thin envelope on the dresser next to her.

'Yes, I thought you might be feeling a little off colour this morning… I, ah, prepared you this, my lady. Take it with water, it should help.

Fritha stared down at the small square of parchment looking close to tears in her relief.

'Oh Anomen, I could kiss you -though my breath would likely leave you reeling.'

He would have liked to have said he did not mind, but the words stuck in his throat. Fritha turned to him with a weak smile, raising her cup high in salute.

'To your health and mine!'

She emptied the powder straight onto her tongue and downed the water in one long draft, her smile lingering as she turned back to the mirror.

'So, is this kindness a sly opening to my promised admonishments then?'

'Admonishments?' he repeated before recalling her teasing the previous night. He smiled. 'Well, I fear it would be a touch hypocritical of me to comment, since I actually arrived back here at about the same hour you did.'

He watched her as she laughed.

'Goodness, a knighthood and it's as though you are a whole new person.'

He smiled at that, taking a seat on the bed behind her to wait for her to finish dressing her hair, the girl leaning back slightly to gather it up and twisting it into a rope that she coiled at her crown just as he had seen his sister do many times before her, before she took up her two wooden pins from the dresser to secure it in place. He watched as she tried to tidy the shorter curls at her temples, frowning at her reflection and clearly not very pleased with what she saw, before she finally seemed to give it up as a lost cause and turned to catch him looking.

'Is something the matter?'

'No, nothing, my lady. Merely that, for a moment, you reminded me of my sister.'

Fritha sent him an understanding smile. 'You must still think of her a lot.'

Anomen swallowed, the pain of the loss still keen even after so long.

'Yes, it can be… hard. I try to remember Moira as she was, celebrate the life she had, but I cannot help but think on the person she could have grown to be, all those experiences which are now denied to her. I wish you could have met her, my lady, I am sure she would have liked you.'

Fritha's smile broadened. 'I'm sure I would have liked her too.'

Anomen nodded slowly.

'It is especially difficult for my dwelling upon the idea that had I known there was a problem, I could have perhaps been able to prevent it…' He sent her a searching look. 'Fritha, if there is ever anything you would wish to talk about then- then I would hope you know that I am always at hand.'

Fritha was frowning, a disheartening mix of bemused and uncomfortable.

'Ah, well, thank you, Anomen. Come,' she sighed at last, making to stand, 'I supposed we should face the day.'

She pushed back her chair and stood, perhaps a touch too quickly, the girl drawing in a sharp breath and cradling her head as she winced, blinking furiously through the pain.

'Oh, I am never drinking again. Anomen, how long before this draft kicks in?'

He smiled slightly, both sad and happy in the same instance.

'Not long, my lady.'

xxx

The common room was busy enough to remind Jaheira why she usually had her breakfast much earlier, the air filled with the low rumble of voices and the clatter of cutlery as the patrons took their first meal of the day and the clamorous noise of civilisation grated on her. She had her long overdue meeting with Galvarey to face that morning and it was something she was not looking forward too, though at least the morning had afforded one fortunate event so far, the druid finding herself alone at their table, allowing her to enjoy her first cup of tea in solitude and find her centre as she waited for the others.

Not that she was particularly surprised by this occurrence; she knew for a fact at least three of their company had not returned before midnight. Speaking of which-

'Good morning, my ptarmigan,' came a voice at her elbow, the woman glancing up to see Haer'Dalis looking brighter than she would have expected.

'Good morning, I did not expect to see you for a while, considering you and Fritha were out carousing until the early hours.'

Haer'Dalis looked surprised. 'You have spoken with the raven already?'

'No, but I had not long retired myself last night; I heard you and Fritha laughing in the hallway.'

Haer'Dalis heaved a sigh as he took the chair next to her.

'And you were not the only one.'

Jaheira raised an eyebrow.

'Let me guess, I suppose Aerie heard your return as well, did she?'

The tiefling nodded, smiling grimly.

'Oh, yes. I imagine she will be speaking to me again by mid-winter.'

Jaheira snorted, amused by his honesty.

'Love ever was a fool's game,' she sighed, smiling as Fritha appeared on the stairs, the knight close behind her. 'Ah, and here are two more I did not expect to see before noon.'

The bard glanced up as well.

'So it is, and I'll wager you a gold piece that Anomen is wearing that new blade of his again this day!'

Jaheira smiled wryly as they came into a clearer view, Anomen's ceremonial sword conspicuous only in its absence.

'It would seem you are out of luck, bard.'

'That's just because it is still under his pillow where he slept the night with it,' the bard muttered sullenly, reaching for his purse.

Jaheira tried not to laugh, though she did not do very well, the woman snorting into her tea, Haer'Dalis sending her a shining smile as he called out to them.

'Good morning, my raven, and the newly knighted hound too.'

'Morning,' Fritha greeted as she reached the table, the girl sending the bard a frown, 'Bloody hells, Haer'Dalis, you look a bit sprightly. If I could have guessed at anyone who would feel worse than me this morning, it would have been you.'

Haer'Dalis shrugged unconcernedly. 'Oh, I am not one who suffers from the after-effects of such vinous revels.'

Fritha looked highly put out by this injustice.

'You jammy git! You could have mentioned that before you were encouraging us to drown ourselves in juniper spirits. And look at that!' she cried, pushing up her sleeve to show them a couple of dark purple bruises staining her forearm, 'I'm covered in them. What the bloody hells were we doing last night?'

'Nothing that should have caused those -though if you are pained I'm sure I can do something to help,' he added with a roguish grin that soon faded as Aerie arrived at the table with Minsc.

Fritha sent him a wry smile as the pair took their chairs, Aerie taking the seat as far from Haer'Dalis as space would allow.

'Morning Aerie, morning Minsc, and thank you for the offer Haer'Dalis, but you're quite all right; Anomen arrived with a draft this morning.'

'Did he indeed?' confirmed Jaheira, sending him a shrewd look and Anomen became suddenly very interested in serving himself some tea. 'So, do you two even remember getting back last night?' continued the druid with a smile. Fritha nodded.

'Of course! Well, bits anyway. Nearly tripping on the stairs, Haer'Dalis thinking he'd lost his key, talking to Anomen about singing…' she turned to the knight, suddenly alarmed, 'Gods, I didn't give you a rendition in the hallway did I?'

Anomen smiled wryly. 'Sadly, no, my lady, you said it was against the rules.'

'Thank Milil for that!' she exclaimed over their laughter, glancing up as the last of their group arrived, 'Ah, Cernd, finally someone who looks worse than I do. Did you have trouble sleeping?'

The druid nodded, his weathered face looking even more worn than usual as he sank stiffly into the remaining empty chair.

'I had forgotten how loud the city is even after the sun sets. Even the birds know when to take their rest and keep their silence.'

'And I thought you liked birdsong,' quipped Haer'Dalis coolly.

'That I do, though the caterwauling of drunks leaves much to be desired. You know there were two, it must have been well past midnight, walking along the street out there just under my window singing I saw my Lady Weeping at the top of their voices.'

'Really? How very inconsiderate,' tutted Haer'Dalis, sending Fritha sly look, the girl hiding her laughter in her teacup. 'So what are our plans for the day, my raven?'

'You have to ask?' she laughed, before adding for the benefit of the newcomer, 'We will, of course, be looking for work. Now, I have to go to the Promenade this morning, so I'll ask about there after I've taken the next instalment over to Gaelen. Perhaps, you could go ask about the temples, Anomen.'

'Well, actually, my lady, there is something I need from the Promenade as well.'

Fritha looked momentarily surprised, but smiled and nodded all the same.

'Oh, as you will; Aerie, can you go in his stead?'

'Of course,' she nodded politely, her manner still slightly stiff. Fritha turned immediately to Jaheira.

'Good, and perhaps you could go with Cernd to look at the bounties over in the Council Buildings?'

Jaheira felt her stomach tighten, the woman finishing her sip of tea before venturing, 'Actually, I have my own lines of work to investigate this morning.'

Fritha sighed slightly. 'Fine, fine. Gods, it's like herding cats. Look, you lot just sort yourselves out then.'

And so they did, the rest of them agreeing to ask about the temples together to Fritha's slight displeasure, though with Cernd not knowing the city and Aerie and Haer'Dalis still not speaking, she had to admit it would have been difficult to make a smaller group. And after their meal, the group parted ways, Minsc leading the majority of them south west, while Fritha set off through the slums to Gaelen's house with Anomen, Jaheira leaving in the opposite direction, heading towards the docks alone.

xxx

Haer'Dalis was lent back against the low wall, his gaze fixed on the brilliant streaks of lightning that were ricocheting about the spherical metal cages outside the temple of Talos. They had not long arrived in the temple district and had just been passing the temple to Lathander when one of the young acolytes on guard outside had recognised Minsc from when the ranger had help them with their new shrine earlier in the autumn and the two were still talking earnestly together like friends of old. Aerie did not begrudge him the meeting though and from the way the conversation was going, it would likely end in some work for them. The elf turned from where she was stood with Cernd, waiting for them to finish to let her attention drift back to the tiefling.

It was so confusing. She and Haer'Dalis had fought so much recently and yet it was as though she was all the more drawn to him for it, even when he seemed to go out of his way to annoy her. That he had wanted to go to the theatre instead of spending some long overdue time with her had hurt and even as they had argued in her room not long afterwards she could not tell whether the tiefling truly was sulking with her or that it was merely a fabrication of her own displeasure; the elf subconsciously hoping for another argument in which to vent her anger at the perceived rejection.

But wherever the argument had come from, the results were all too plain, the bard immediately leaving for the company of his raven and not returning until the early hours. Aerie frowned, feeling something inside her twist as she recalled the pair the night before, whispering and giggling as they had tried to steal back to their rooms together. She was not jealous exactly, but it was hard to watch them getting along so well when she and Haer'Dalis could not seem to go a day at the moment without arguing.

He had tried to come and speak with her that morning, but she had still been feeling bitter and ill humoured after a night lain awake and by his manner now, it did not look as though he was concerned about them making peace anytime soon. And infuriatingly enough, the idea just seemed to make her want to talk to him more. She watched him, sat mildly watching the lightning without a care, and before she had realised it she had begun to walk over to him, still not sure yet whether she was looking for a reconciliation or another fightl.

The tiefling glanced up at her approaching, sending her a sincere smile.

'Ah, hello, my dove.'

'Hello,' she answered stiffly, following his gaze to the cages merely so she did not have to look him. 'So,' she began coolly after a long contemplative pause, 'how was your evening last night?'

Haer'Dalis shrugged nonchalantly; if he had noticed her tone he was ignoring it.

'Oh, it went well enough, though I must say now, I do sympathise with the raven about that playhouse of hers. Higgold fusses like an old hen about every little thing and the cast –I am sure we, the Sigil Troupe, were never so petty when it came to our art.'

Aerie did not quite know how to reply to that, instead maintaining her cool tone to offer, 'I think Minsc may have found us some work.'

'Ah, that is good news.'

She glanced to him, his relief unexpected. 'You sound pleased.'

He nodded fervently.

'Indeed, for I had worried that Fritha's desperation to raise funds and her dislike of the actors would have combined in some dangerous venture.'

Aerie frowned, curious in spite of herself. 'How so?'

'Well, when we were there last night, she was threatening to sack the entire cast and have our group take over the roles.'

Aerie snorted with laughter, fighting against a smile even as she shot him a reproachful look.

'Don't- don't make me laugh, I'm not ready to forgive you yet.'

He smiled, edging closer to her. 'Oh, I see. Well, I shall wait then, until your heart is feeling softer.'

She giggled again, sighing as she leant back against the wall as well to lay her head against his shoulder.

'Oh, why can't we just get along as we used to?'

'Come now, sweet Aerie,' Haer'Dalis smiled, putting an arm about her, 'do not let a few quarrels distress you so. Other pairings have weathered worse and were better for it afterwards.'

'Yes, I suppose,' she sighed, ignoring the thought that the source of those quarrels, his perverse beliefs and reticence, still remained.

'And as for my behaviour in all this,' he continued blithely, 'I swore to myself last night, that however cross you get with me from now on, I am going to show you naught by my unchanging regard in return. No more shall I lose my temper,' he paused to send her a sly look, 'for, indeed, at least one of us should learn how to keep it.'

Aerie hit his arm lightly as she laughed, the pair glancing up as they heard someone calling to them to see Minsc himself stood in the doorway of the temple beckoning them across.

'Ah, they must have reached a decision,' said Aerie, straightening to tug at Haer'Dalis's sleeve, 'come on.'

'You lead and I will follow, my dove.'

xxx

Jaheira sat on the low bench, the room about her empty barring one other man sat alone as she was, and a man and a women in the far corner, the quiet talk of the pair echoing about the high marble ceiling. She was at the Harper hold, sat in the small common room of tables and chairs all in Galvarey's overly opulent style where those who wished to meet with the man himself or other contacts could wait in comfort. She was doing neither though; her meeting with Galvarey had ended a quarter hour ago and leaving in her a deep unrest that only one man could alleviate.

'Dermin,' she greeted in almost a bark, standing as the man finally entered the room. He started at the sound of her voice, glancing about him and smiling as his eyes found her.

'Jaheira, my dear, I had thought you would be here today. How went your journey to Trademeet? Were the druids there truly the source of the trouble? I know you were worried you could find yourself torn by a conflict of interests.'

'All has been resolved now,' she answered, dropping her voice to add,' Dermin, I would speak with you, somewhere private.'

The smile flickered a moment and his nod was almost imperceptible.

'All resolved you say,' he continued audibly, 'and satisfactorily too, I hope. Come, let us to a tavern and I can trade a cup of wine for a tale of your success.'

The closest tavern was the Sea's Bounty, a dingy cramped place whose rowdy patronage of sailors and courtesans provided a good cover for those who wished to be overlooked. Jaheira leaned across the small table, her hand clenched tightly about the chipped cup of wine Dermin had just poured her.

'I just had my meeting with Galvarey. He said the issue has been dropped; the seniors are simply no longer interested in Fritha.'

Dermin raised a greying eyebrow.

'Well, that is what we were hoping for, was it not?'

'Yes,' Jaheira hissed, dropping her voice even lower to the point where she could barely hear herself over the raucous din of the tavern about them, 'but the girl is one of the Children and suddenly they don't care -just like that?' She shook her head, leaning back in her chair. 'It is too sudden, Dermin, I don't trust it.'

Dermin sighed, sending her a contemplative frown before finally leaning forward as she had.

'Look, I probably shouldn't be saying anything, for indeed no one is sure of just what is going on, but this new group of Khelben's, well it looks as though they might have been trying to infiltrate back into the Harper ranks to get key information on numbers and safe-houses.'

'Truly?' she gasped, hardly able to believe the old mage would attempt something so underhand, 'But why?'

Dermin shrugged darkly.

'Who knows? But it's got the seniors looking over their shoulders. To be honest with you, I'm not surprised they've forgotten about your friend with all that to occupy them.' He sent her a searching look. 'You're relieved aren't you?'

Jaheira nodded gravely. 'I cannot deny it, Dermin, I am.'

'I know you don't trust Galvarey, but he's just following orders, as are we all.'

'Yes, and how many atrocities have been excused under the same defence?' she snapped promptly, his look of surprise instantly invoking her regret. 'Forgive me, I did not mean to imply-'

But Dermin just waved her words away with an sympathetic smile.

'No, no, you were just worried for your friend, I understand. Well, now your fears have been abated,' he continued genially, moving to top up her cup, 'tell me about these druids, then.'

Jaheira smiled; it was just like old times and it warmed her.

xxx

Fritha moved deftly through the bustle of the marketplace, her newly purchased boots under her arm. She and Anomen had split up as soon as they'd arrived at the Promenade, the fact that he had suggested it something which had both surprised and pleased her. Not that she disliked the man's company, but Fritha rather enjoyed going about the market alone, always walking the same route about the myriad of stalls, the solitude allowing her a pleasant hour or so where she could blend into the crowds and pretend she was just like everyone else.

She always started at the thickset merchant's stall in the west of the market, where she would stock up on any supplies she needed before taking the time to enquire after his family and ask if he'd heard of any work within the traders' circles. And from there, she would just wander up and down the stalls of cloth and trinkets and books, looking at the treasures she would buy if she had the money and imagining the dresses she would make had she anywhere to wear them. And, at last, she would find herself before the huge fresh fish stall in the south east of the arena, not for any of the produce, but to enjoy a moment looking at the beautiful Kara-Turan boy who worked there, his eyebrows as fine as moths' antennae on his smooth sallow face.

He had not been there today, but Fritha had not minded, her new purchase the source of much more pleasure than any boy could afford, however pretty. She stroked a hand along the smooth dark brown leather. She would have usually just bought some second-hand boots, but delivering their payment from Trademeet to Gaelen's that morning and realising they had almost collected half the twenty thousand fee, had been heartening. And with winter fast approaching, Fritha felt it would not be unreasonable to pay a little more for some new ones and she was more than pleased she had.

She smiled, pulling her attention from them to gaze across at the western archway where Anomen was waiting atop the steps in the shadow of one of the great stone lions. He had yet to notice her approach and she used the moment to observe him unseen. He carried himself differently now, his usual defiance of the world replaced by a quiet confidence; becoming a knight conferring on him a lot more than just a title, it seemed.

He had been acting strangely that morning, not that she was not grateful when he had arrived at her room with the draft for her hangover, but what he had said afterwards… She could not recall saying anything so terrible to him the night before that he should feel he needed to offer himself as a confident and she found the whole thing a touch embarrassing, as though she had done something shameful that she could not remember. Fritha shook herself as she reached the foot of the steps. Whatever it was, it was done now; she would just have to grin and wait it out.

'Hey, Anomen!'

Anomen glanced up at the sound of his name, Fritha tripping lightly up the steps below him and his hand closed instinctively about the packet he held, small but somehow heavier than perhaps he would have expected considering what it was. The merchant had tried to dissuade him at first, had tried to offer him ones of a more flora scent when he had realised it was to be for a woman, but the knight had remained firm.

'Hello, Anomen, have you been waiting long?'

'No, not at all, my lady. Did you get everything you needed?'

Fritha shrugged. 'Yes, pretty much, though no one I asked has any suitable work for us. Did you find any?'

'I fear not.'

'Oh, well, perhaps the others will have had better luck. Do you mind if I just change my boots? I had to buy some new ones; this pair have been leaking since Trademeet.'

She gave a laugh that he could not share. It was disheartening to realise the extent of the troubles she just never saw fit to mention to him. She had already jumped up to sit on the plinth next to them, pulling off her old wayworn boots and setting them neatly beside her, before drawing on her new ones with a slow reverence. They were long and narrow, a row of close-set eyelets running from halfway up the back and they would have easily laced up over her knees, providing ample protection for her legs, though it seemed Fritha had other ideas. He watched as she laced the first loosely to about halfway up her leg before folding over the excess leather to give the boot a slack, almost careless look. She beamed at the effect, bending closer to tuck away the trailing laces and Anomen finally took the moment to speak.

'Fritha, I, ah, I have something for you. You have helped me much over this last tenday or so, and I know that you like to take care of your appearance, even when out of the city -not that I think about you washing or such,' he added hastily, feeling himself going red as Fritha continued to stare at him with bemused frown. 'Well, I saw you had almost run out, so, ah, here.'

He handed her the small, plainly wrapped packet, the girl still frowning as she straightened to slowly untie the string and part the paper, before-

'Oh, it's soap,' Fritha laughed, smiling at him now and looking almost relieved. 'Thank you, Anomen. You didn't have to though.'

'No, but I merely wished to show you that however poorly I express it, I am grateful to you. I do not think I would have passed my test without your guidance.'

She laughed again.

'I doubt that, Anomen, but thank you for my present.' She brought the smooth yellow disk to her face and inhaled deeply, 'Mmm, oranges and… cinnamon?'

'Yes, it reminded me of mid-winter,' he confessed, hoping she would hear this echo of their meeting at the riverside when they had taken sherry together so many days ago, but she just smiled and nodded and he could not tell if she recalled it or not. She wrapped the soap carefully back in its paper though, placing it in her bag before going back to her laces, the girl fussing over her other boot before she finally seemed satisfied.

'Right,' she announced, scooping up her old boots and dropping lightly from the plinth, 'I suppose we should get back to the others.'

Together they made the way back to the slums, the streets even busier now high sun was drawing closer, the pair coming upon the inn just as Jaheira appeared at the end of the street, the druid uncharacteristically light-hearted as she called out to them over the bustle.

'There she is, cutting a dash in her new boots! Really Fritha,' she scolded with a much more familiar frown as she reached them, 'do them up properly; you'll break your neck.'

'I like them this way. I'll lace them properly when we're out travelling, but in city they're staying like this.'

Jaheira's frown remained, the woman clearly undeterred, though another voice forestalled any retort she could have made.

'Ah, we are the last to return, my birds.'

The three turned as one to see the others approaching from the opposite end of the street, Haer'Dalis continuing contemplatively as he arrived, 'And the raven is newly shod, I see. Very, now what is the word I am search for… piratical!' he announced decisively after a pause, 'Yes, I could see you standing in the prow of a spelljammer, ready to take havoc to the Outer Planes!'

'I think he means to say your new boots are very nice, Fritha,' added Aerie with a fond smile to the tiefling. Fritha laughed.

'Well, thank you. So, did you have any joy with the temples?'

'As luck would have it, yes, my raven, but I will let Minsc tell you the tale, for it was by his own well-lanned self that we were offered it.'

The ranger turned his broad smile on the girl.

'We were passing the temple of Lathander, when one of the acolytes did call out to us. He remembered Minsc and Boo from before, when we aided them in the making of their new shrine, and he told us that the Dawnmaster Kreel may have another task for us all. The Dawnmaster was making preparations for the high sun service when we spoke to him, and asked that we return later that he may explain to us in greater detail the dangers we will be facing!'

'Minsc, that's brilliant!' enthused Fritha, Jaheira nodding, looking pleased as well.

'Indeed. Well, there is little point in us standing out here in the street,' she continued, as a rather rowdy group of women jostled past them, 'we should head inside if we plan to take lunch.'

'You lot can,' agreed Fritha, 'I'm going to head over to the shrine to Mask and make my prayers.'

'Why did you steal them?' quipped Haer'Dalis with a nod to her new boots. Fritha laughed going a pleasant shade of pink.

'No!'

'Do not be foolish,' scolded Jaheira teasingly, 'it is because she wants Renal to see her in them.'

Fritha was even pinker now, the girl trying to look scandalised: something very difficult to do when you are giggling merrily.

'Jaheira!'

'Renal?' questioned Cernd and Haer'Dalis nodded.

'Yes, Renal Bloodscalp, he is a guildmaster of the thieves here in the city. He and the raven share a special acquaintance.'

'Oh, they are courting?'

'No, they are not!' came Anomen sharply, Fritha calming enough to nod and add, 'Indeed, we are just allies of a sort and as such he may have some work he can put our way, so-' She was cut off as a man, tanned, grey-haired and plainly in hurry, knocked into her as he went past. 'Hey, careful there!'

The man glanced back, an apology already on his lips. 'Sorry, mi-'

He stopped, his lined face suddenly darkening with a clear contempt as his eyes found him and Cernd could hardly believe it.

'Ig- Igarol?'

'Do I know you?' the man grunted with feigned ignorance as he cast an appraising eye over him and half-turned to leave again, 'No, I do not think I do.'

In later years, Cernd would often look back and wonder why he had not just let Igarol go then, when he had worked so hard at distancing himself from his past. Perhaps a part of him had always been still living in that city, clinging to that old life.

'Igarol,' he cried, halting his departure with but a word, 'you do not remember-'

'I did not say I did not remember you, I said I did not know you,' Igarol sneered, something that looked strange on a face he was only used to seeing smile. 'You are but a shadow of the man I once called neighbour.'

'Neighbour?' questioned Jaheira, glancing between them, 'Is this man a friend of yours, Cernd?'

Igarol shook his head, his voice much warmer as he answered her.

'No, miss, none could accuse me of such. I fear this is but a pale reflection of the decent man who once made his living beside me in the Promenade.'

Cernd ignored the dark looks being shared about him. He would, no doubt, have much to explain later, but now he was more concerned with trying to reconcile himself with the man he had once been glad to called 'friend'.

'Igarol, I now serve the lands that once were the foundation of our livelihoods; is that so terrible? Surely you see that my greater duty-'

'Do not speak to me of duty when you are the one who abandoned his wife!' Igarol burst out, suddenly furious.

'Wife?' cried Aerie somewhere behind him.

'I did not abandon Galia!' snapped Cernd, his own temper rising at the injustice of this attack, 'I left her well provided for! She understood that my fate was to serve Nature; I could no longer stand life in this city.'

Igarol merely snorted though, his manner hard.

'Nature called and you left. Oh, she understood well enough, but did you? Ah, I am done with you. Good business.'

And with that, he turned and marched off to be lost in the crowds once more.

'What was all that about?' came Fritha eventually, sounding as taken aback as he felt and Cernd turned away from her to unfortunately catch Jaheira's eye instead, the woman sending him a dark look.

'I think perhaps we should all go inside and discuss this further over tea,' she offered, her look indicting just who she was expected to do most of the talking. Cernd nodded, still feeling shaken and, in silence, the group filed back into the gloom of the Coronet.

xxx

Cernd swallowed, very aware of the five pairs of eyes that rested on him. This was it; the life he thought he had left behind had finally caught up with him. He was a fool to think it would not, there in that city where it had all begun. Although perhaps not all was as he had left it, he considered as he thought back to what Igarol had said of Galia… though thoughts of his wife would have to wait now, an explanation to his companions long overdue.

Cernd set his cup down before him and even the din of the surrounding tavern seemed hushed as he drew that first breath.

'I was not always like this, neither a druid nor a werewolf. I grew up here in Athkatla though, for as long as I can remember, there was always a duality within me, as though I was two people. My father was a potter by trade and some of my earliest memories were of him taking me out of the city to gather clay from the riverbanks for him and my mother to work. I found the world outside city walls amazing, a land of peace and harmony so different from the hectic grasping world of the Promenade in to which I had been born. Even then, I had dreams of leaving my life in the city and going out in the world to serve Nature.

'My father realised this too, though I believe he hoped I would grow out of my fascination. But I did not and it became a source of tension between us as I grew older. He wanted me to stop daydreaming and settle down, to begin a family of my own and take over the business, just as he had inherited it from his own mother so long ago, but I resisted. Finally, the fates decided it for both of us. My father fell ill. He was examined by healers and clerics both, but nothing helped, and when he knew the end was upon him, he called me to him.'

Cernd felt a darkness pass over his heart and for but a moment he was back there, knelt by that bed, watching the frail shadow of the man who had once been his father draw shallow fractured breaths.

'Even then, in the face of death his thoughts were on his family, the man worrying for the wife he would leave behind. I would have done anything to make his passing easier. I swore to him then that I would stop dreaming; that I would take over the business and look after my mother, a kind and gentle woman, as she deserved.

'We buried my father in the summer of my twentieth year and from that very moment, I threw myself into that life with all my heart. I took over the business, made many good friends and even took Galia as my wife. Between us, the pottery grew and flourished, I was well-liked and respected by my peers and a part of me was contented with my life. And yet I still I found that I lived for those mornings when I left the city to gather the clay just as I and my father once had.'

Cernd sighed deeply. Neither reality had been so terrible; he could be living that same parallel life still had it not been for the encounter…

'I lived that fractured existence until my twenty-seventh winter. The business had grown greatly over the years, much helped by Galia's skill at the wheel and increasing amounts of clay were needed to keep up with the demand. Galia wanted us to begin to purchase our clay instead of collecting it ourselves, but I convinced her to hire Fennecia instead to help her in the home and the workshop, while I continued to leave the city for even longer periods as I went further into the nearby forests to gather the clay we needed. Sometimes I would be gone for days at a time, spending my days wandering along the riverbanks, my nights just sleeping beneath the trees. Galia was unhappy, I know, for in spite of it all she loved me truly, but I could not bear to give up my wanderings. And then, on one such trip the fates struck again. I was attacked and bitten by what I thought to be merely a wolf at the time. I assumed it had been driven to seek me as prey by the unusually harsh winter and I managed to drive it off, though I was soon to discover all was not as it had first seemed.

'From the very next day, I noticed a change in myself, my senses were sharper, a baser understanding of the world about me flowing through my heart, though it was not until I returned to the city that I realised my true nature. The creature that had bitten me was a werewolf and now I was one as well. The city that had once been merely a source of slight displeasure was now a confusion of noise and smell, and I realised that, at last, I no longer had a place there.

'I would like to be able to say I had no choice, but even after I admitted the truth of it to Galia, she stuck by me. Lycanthropy can be managed to a degree, with elixirs and magicks, though they are expensive. Of course, certain risks would always be present, that I could lose control of myself, that my secret could be discovered, especially in this city where the Cowled Wizards hold such power, but Galia was willing to do all she could to work with my affliction and allow us to remain together. But truth be told, I no longer wanted to; I was two men no more.'

He shook his head smiling humourlessly.

'It is ironic; an affliction that would have caused the greatest of rifts in most people actually made me whole. I was but one man now, and one that belonged out in the wilds. I could not stay. But a month later, I left the city, leaving Galia our business and home as her own, and headed to a grove of druids I knew lived in the marshes just east of Trademeet, and the rest is as you know.'

'Right, well…' began Fritha after a long pause, the girl sending an unreadable look to the woman next to her and Jaheira frowned, turning back to Cernd.

'If Galia was so accepting of your decision why did that man we met react with such hostility towards you?'

Cernd shook his head, as surprised as they had been by Igarol's reaction.

'I- I do not know. I cannot believe Galia would have defamed my name in my absence, however upset she may have been at my going.' He glanced to Fritha, aware that it was her goals that were suffering by all this. 'I realise I am not in a position to be asking favours of you, but if we have the time, I should like to visit my old home and speak with her.'

The girl sighed and nodded vehemently.

'To be honest, I think that is a good idea, and the sooner the better too. I do not want this to creep up on us again at some inopportune moment.'

'Indeed,' agreed Jaheira, 'and I do not think you should attend alone either; the next person you meet may not be so happy to just say their piece and leave you be.'

Cernd hesitated a moment, but however awkward the situation may be, there really was nothing he could say against her offer. He nodded once and Fritha smiled grimly.

'Well, there's no time like the present.'

xxx

'Here,' said Cernd, gesturing to the house they were all gathered before, 'this was our home and the pottery both -I do not understand why it is closed up like this.'

Fritha let her eyes travel over the frontage before her, the place dark and deserted. Cernd's home was one of the many shops and workrooms that were built into the great tiered walls of the Promenade. They were quite high up and the air was cooler there, the wind holding a sting it did not seem to have on the ground, the people looking small and ant like as they scurried about the marketplace below. Fritha drew her gaze away, turning instead to look over those about her. Everyone had wanted to join Cernd in the end, though she considered with a glance to Haer'Dalis, some people's reasons for attending seemed to be more altruistic than others, the tiefling looking as though he was enjoying the unfolding drama immensely.

'There is a fine layer of dust inside,' offered Jaheira, turning back from the window she was looking through, 'I do not think anyone has been here for a while.'

Cernd frowned, shielding his eyes as he turned to gaze across the Promenade.

'Our serving woman, Fennecia, lives just across the way on the southern side, perhaps she will have some idea of what is going on.'

And so they filed back down, skirting the marketplace to hike up the tiered walls on the opposite side to almost the same height again and Fritha hoped the woman still lived there; she was heartily sick of climbing steps by this point, if nothing else.

Cernd stepped forward, knocking politely on the peeling green door, and there was a slight pause before there came the sound of the bolt being drawn back and the wood slowly swung back to reveal a stout dark-skinned woman of late middle age, her dark curls streaked with grey. Cernd smiled genially.

'Ah, Fennecia-'

The woman swelled like a bullfrog.

'You? Get away from here, dog!'

Cernd frowned, but seemingly more from surprise than any anger. 'Fennecia, please, I would speak with Galia. Where is she? Why is our home abandoned?'

'You've a nerve, I'll give you that. Coming back here after what you did!'

'What I did?' the druid repeated, his temper rising, 'I did nothing but leave my wife under the most amicable of terms and I would very much like to know why everyone else would seem to think otherwise!'

'Cernd, calm down, this helps no one,' soothed Fritha, the girl placing herself between the pair as Fennecia shrank further behind the cover of her door, though her manner was no meeker for the retreat.

'Oh ho, amicable was it?' the woman continued scornfully, 'More like convenient! You realised there was finally something that would keep you from your precious nature forever and you bolted like the coward you are! And as for Galia, she is somewhere now that you will never be able to disappoint her again. She is safe from you now, swine; she and the child both!'

'Child?' cried Cernd clearly astounded, the man wedging a hand against her door as Jaheira instinctively grabbed his other arm, 'Fennecia, I demand you tell me of what you speak!'

'No, get out of it!' she shrieked, defiant in her fear, the woman straining to shut her door.

'Cernd, calm yourself!' shouted Jaheira, 'Cernd!'

He twisted free, lunging forward to try to get to the woman, Fritha moving to hold him back, one arm along his chest, her other hand braced against the woman's doorframe as others rushed to help her.

'Cernd, stop-'

It all happened very quickly, Minsc scooping Cernd under his arms to pull him back and Fritha gave an unearthly scream as the door was unexpectedly freed and instantly slammed shut on her hand. Suddenly everyone stopped; Cernd just stood, his eyes closed and breathing deeply, Minsc's hand still on his shoulders, the old woman peering fearfully around the edge of her door as though too scared to even move to shut it again.

Fritha was cradling her hand to her chest, hissing curses into it, Anomen hovering at her arm though she ignored him, finally straightening to send the druid a furious glare before turning to back to Fennecia.

'Please madam,' she began again politely, though there was definitely an edge to her tone now, 'we merely wish to know where Galia is, then we will go and leave you in peace.'

Fennecia stared defiantly back at them before she sighed defeatedly and shook her head.

'Galia's dead.'

Cernd looked as though he had just been hit with something very heavy.

'What? When?'

'About six months ago, at the end of the spring.'

'But- but how?'

'I don't know.'

Cernd shook himself, clearly trying to make sense of it all.

'But, Fennecia, what are you speaking of, I don't- I don't understand.'

The woman sent him a dark look.

'No, I don't suppose you would. You may harp on, patting yourself on the back about how you left Galia the home and the pottery, but you left her with a whole lot more than that,' she paused, her manner grave, 'you left her with child, Cernd.'

Aerie gasped, the elf was looking at Cernd as though she had never seen him before, while at Fritha's side Anomen was shaking his head darkly, muttering an oath under his breath. Jaheira glanced to her and Fritha sent her a look in reply; this would not end well, and they both knew it. Cernd was just staring at the woman, his shock seemingly beyond words, the man finally finding his voice to stammer, 'But- but, we had always thought- I mean she had been expecting before, but she could never carry a child to term-'

'Well, she carried this one for a good eight months after you turned tail and fled,' said Fenncia with a cruel candour, 'You were always so attuned to nature weren't you? How strange then that you never noticed the signs -or perhaps you did and that was why you finally left her!'

'No!' Cernd cried, almost pleading, 'It was not like that. I had no idea!'

'Well, you were the only one after a short while, I can tell you,' Fennecia snorted humourlessly, sighing deeply as she continued her tale. 'So you leave and she's with child, and the baby's without a father; well, you know as well as I, such children are less than dirt in this city. And then she meets Althan Deril, a nobleman from over the river. I don't know anything for certain, but I always suspected he could not father a child of his own. Galia must have seemed like a gift to him, still so young and fair and already bearing the child he so craved. Galia did not love him; how could she? He was a dried up old thing and cold with it.' Fennecia shook her head, frowning to her herself as she remembered some past unease, 'Not unkind or choleric, as far as I know, but very cold -he never smiled. But she had more than just herself to think about then and they were married within the month. I met her a few times after that; once just before her confinement and a couple of time afterwards. Oh, she chattered away easily enough, said she was glad to have borne a healthy son after so many disappointments, but there was always a melancholy to her. Poor girl had a wretched fate, married to two men, neither of them caring a whit for her. Then in the spring, I get news that she's fallen sick and died. And so it ends.'

'But why didn't she just tell me she was with child?' Cernd cried, his emotions wavering between frustration and despair. Fennecia snorted contemptuously.

'And have you feel you had to stay because of it and resent them both? Galia wanted the decision to be yours. Foolish girl; perhaps she thought you would choose her in the end. Well, the decision was yours, Cernd; you made it, you left and now she is dead and your child knows another as father, and I hope your conscience tortures you for it!'

The door was slammed shut with force enough to rattle the hinges. Fritha turned away from the peeling wood, moving over to sit on the nearby wall and finally let Anomen examine her hand.

Cernd looked ashen and dazed, the man still staring unblinkingly at the door where the herald of all this misery had just been stood. Fritha wanted to feel sorry for him; indeed, part of her did. But another, more jaded part of her wondered, that for one who went on so about Nature and the Balance, whether Fennecia's claims that he had subconsciously noticed something and fled because of it did not hold some small grain of truth. He was muttering quietly to himself now, seemingly distracted as he turned from the door.

'I have a son. I can't- why didn't she tell me?' He glanced up suddenly, all fervour, 'I have to meet him!'

'Cernd,' ventured Aerie quietly in the silence that followed, 'you heard what Fennecia said, he has been taken in by this noble's household.'

The druid ignored her. 'I have to see him; I have to make sure he is well!'

Everyone's eyes seemed to slowly come to rest on her. Fritha sighed

'We… can make some inquiries, I suppose. But remember, Cernd, by the law, he is no longer your son; you gave up your rights to him when you left Galia.'

'I do not care for your laws or rights! Nature has her own laws and my son-'

'Your son? The boy won't even recognise you!' Fritha snapped; her hand was hurting fiercely and this sort of complication really was the last thing they needed. 'And we both know what happens to the abandoned by Nature's laws! Survival of the fittest ring any bells? –be thankful this man took the child in to start with!'

'We will look into this manner, Cernd,' continued Jaheira, the woman stepping forward to lay and hand on his shoulder, her voice firm and calming, 'but we need to do it in our own way, work within the laws of the city. Otherwise we will just make things worse.'

Cernd shook his head, his anger replaced by a misery that Fritha found even more worrying.

'Things cannot be any worse and I needed no help before.' He turned to stare hopelessly out over the Promenade. 'By the Gods, what have I done?'

xxx

Jaheira shifted slightly, trying to get closer to the bar and her wine, the tall stool heavy and hard to move without standing up again. After the scene at the Promenade, the group split up once more, the majority of them heading over to speak with the Dawnmaster at the temple of Lathander while Fritha went to finally make her prayers over at the thieves' guild and see if she couldn't get a quick audience with the Thief Master while she was at it, before they had all retuned to the Coronet once more.

Jaheira smiled to herself, feeling again the overwhelming sense of relief as she thought back to her meeting with Galvarey. Fritha did not even know how close she had come to such troubles and now they were all to be forgotten. She took another sip of the sour red wine, the less than pleasant taste taking her back to the Sea's Bounty where she had drunk with Dermin that morning. He was a good friend and an old one too. He had been a veteran within the Harpers even when she had first joined, the man taking her under his wing somewhat, showing her how to work within their ranks; when to hide her feelings and when to let her temper fly. And now, whenever her doubt of Galvarey made her question her role, she thought of Dermin and the many other faithful friends she counted within the Harper's ranks and felt vindicated in her trust of them.

Jaheira started from her reverie as someone drew out the stool next to her and she glanced up to see Fritha sinking onto the seat, the girl offering her a smile in greeting, the barmaid promptly setting another cup of wine before them without a word. Jaheira watched as Fritha raised it shakily to her lips, the knuckles of the hand with which she grasped it, a mottled streak of purple.

'How is your hand?'

The girl sighed, setting the cup down to flex her fingers slightly.

'Still a bit stiff. Anomen gave it another check over now the swelling's gone down and there's no permanent damage -why are you smiling?'

'Oh, no reason,' Jaheira offered quickly, 'I was just recalling something Haer'Dalis said earlier.'

They both glanced back to the table to where he was laughing with Minsc, the tiefling teasing Aerie as she tried to scold him about something. Fritha grinned wickedly.

'He's such a torment, isn't he? I love it!'

Jaheira frowned but said nothing.

'At least someone's in a good humour,' the girl continued, her attention shifting to the table next to them where Cernd sat alone, brooding into a large flagon of ale, 'not that you can blame him. Must have all been a bit of a shock for him today.'

Jaheira sighed. 'He will not let this rest, you know; it could cause complications for us.'

Fritha took another sip of wine, nodding dully.

'Yes, I know.' She sighed deeply. 'Nothing's ever simple, eh? I asked Renal about this Deril fellow once I finally got over there this afternoon, but as far as Renal knows- or says he knows, at least -he's just another nobleman. At least we've managed to find some work for ourselves though.'

'Yes,' agreed Jaheira, thinking back to their earlier meeting with the Dawnmaster, 'though I would prefer it if Kreel had been able to be a touch clearer on what we will need to face. A game amongst children at the local temple school sees a young boy disappeared into the city crypts along with the three priests sent after him, and now all of them are gone without a trace.'

Fritha shook her head, looking sad. 'The poor lamb, he must be so frightened.'

Jaheira imagined that after being missing for three days he was likely dead, but she did not say this. A body had yet to be found after all and only a creature of some sentience would take the trouble to hide one… She glanced to the girl next to her.

'Do you think this Vampire Guild could be behind it?'

Fritha frowned slightly. 'I'm not sure they would want to. As the sages say, "never fight a war on two fronts." They would be unwise to invite the anger of such a powerful church when they are already at war with the Shadow Thieves.'

Jaheira nodded; for all her foolishness, Fritha had a very sensible head on her shoulders.

'That would make sense.'

Fritha smiled, downing the last of her wine in one mouthful and suppressing a shudder as she swallowed, the girl still clearly feeling the after effects of last night's excesses.

'Well, that's it for me now, I need an early night.'

Fritha dropped lightly from the stool and headed for the stairs only to run into Anomen as he descended into the tavern. Jaheira watched the pair's brief exchange, the knight gesturing to her hand as they spoke, Fritha smiling and nodding as she replied before he bowed slightly and they parted, Fritha disappearing upstairs. Anomen turned back to the room to catch her watching and Jaheira hid her smile in her cup.