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

The long and winding road

Anomen opened his eyes and immediately wished he had not, the curtains at the window drawn but too thin to make much difference, the room dazzling in a glary dawn light. The floorboards were cold on his bare feet though it hardly registered through the myriad of minor aches that twinged through his body as the sound of laughter and shrieks of excitement drew him to the window. It had snowed again in the night, and heavily too, the whole of Imnesvale covered in a crisp white blanket that sparkled diamond-strewn in the early sunlight. Though it appeared the scene was being appreciated on other levels too, a few of the local children tearing about the square beneath him throwing snowballs, a familiar auburn head joining them in their game.

Anomen let his forehead drop to rest against the cold glass with a groan; memories of last night suddenly clear through the haze of his mind. He was not ashamed by what he had told her -well, perhaps one or two things might not have been mentioned just yet. But Fritha's reaction had hardly been encouraging all the same and he felt now that much of it would have been better discussed when he had been sober and less inclined for impassioned outbursts which were sure to only embarrass the girl.

Downstairs the common room was devoid of either patrons or servers, the hour still too early for anyone to be in the tavern, though someone was clearly up, a fire already roaring in the grate and the room felt warm and stuffy. Anomen rubbed a hand across his hot tired eyes, crossing to throw open the door, the cold air hitting him with sharpness enough to take his breath away, the man both blessed and cursed in the same instant as he felt suddenly much more awake and very much more hungover. He stepped out on to the frozen ground, the courtyard before him now empty though they were not far, the sound of laughter shrill in the air and suddenly she was before him, Fritha diving around the corner of the inn and almost straight into him, and it struck Anomen how young she looked then, without her sword and armour, her hair still gathered back in its long braid.

She was staring up at him, looking quite surprised to see him there and she had opened her mouth to speak when three children tore around the corner after her, the boy, Delon, pelting her with snow as Kaatje and another girl barrelled into her, Fritha's laughter filling the air.

'Pax! Pax! Go on now, go and play without me for a bit,' she shooed, sternly overseeing their departure as one who was reluctant to face what was behind her and when she did turn to him it was a forced air of ease. 'Morning, Anomen, you're up early.'

'Good morning, Fritha.'

She was frowning, clearly deciding how to phrase her next and Anomen suspected she had not thought she would be called upon to make it quite so soon.

'Yes, look, about last night, Anomen, ah, I think I should apologise, I more than overreacted and I'm sorry. I know I am not dealing with this very well.'

Anomen blinked; he had not been expecting that and his tired brain was still trying to formulate a reply as Fritha continued.

'So, I was thinking last night, about how we were friends and used to laugh and such, and I miss that, Anomen. So I thought -though I know it will be a bit awkward at first- but if we just both agreed to forget all of this, then I don't see any reason why we can't eventually get back to how we were.'

She was smiling up at him a hopeful warm way as though she expected him to jump at the chance and a part of him could have almost been tempted to as well, to just end all the painful awkwardness that had suddenly come between them and go back to a time when she would laugh and tease him and would not baulk at his slightest touch. But it would have been a lie, a pale reflection of the passions he felt and Anomen decided quite suddenly that if he could not have everything that he would rather have nothing at all.

'But I do not wish to forget, Fritha. Even if I could, I would not.'

She sighed, a slight terseness creeping in.

'So you haven't any plans to give up on this folly?'

He smiled mildly. 'Not currently, no.'

Fritha snorted and shook her head, turning to gaze out across the dazzling white square with a frown.

'Well, I think you're making a colossal mistake -Jaheira agrees with me.'

'You told her?'

'Ha! Jaheira knew before I did -perhaps even before you.'

'Do I hear my name being taken in vain?' came a voice behind them and the pair turned to see Jaheira stood in the open doorway of the inn.

'Ah, morning, Jaheira, what's the chant?' asked Fritha, immediately laughing at her own idiocy. The druid smiled wryly as she moved to join them.

'The chant is that I have been speaking with the woodsman, Faren, and Innkeep Vincent and they say they have heard the roads are all blocked as far south as the vale of Alitor. Usually I would not worry about such since the way is always easier on foot, but the going would be much slower and with the Harpers hunting us, any time spent in the wilderness is when we are vulnerable and we need to make good time once we leave the boundaries of Imnesvale. It will be a warm day; I suspect the roads will be clear enough by highsun for us to make good progress. We need to restock for our journey back to the city too, perhaps see about getting some tents now the weather has truly turned -and I spoke to Goodwife Ewelina: our laundry is still drying, though she has the ovens on in the kitchens now so it should not be much longer.'

Fritha nodded once. 'Good, well, if we speak to Vincent about where to get some tents-'

'Fritha, guess what?' came a voice shrill with excitement, Kaatje appearing around the corner of the inn, the boy Delon at her heels, both flushed pink, snow still dusting their clothes and clumped here and there in their hair, though the pair stopped as they saw Jaheira. 'Oh, are you going now, Fritha?'

The girl shook her head with a smile. 'No, I'm not going anywhere until the roads clear.'

Kaatje beamed. 'Fritha, that's wonderful! I came to tell you, my father has said I can have his old sled. He said if we're with a grown-up,' Anomen assumed here, the man had meant Fritha, 'then we can go sledging on the east hill.'

'Amber is off getting hers now and my brother has an old metal tea chest we can take the lid from too,' came Delon eagerly. Fritha glanced questioningly to Jaheira, the two children following her cue to instantly turn pleading eyes upon the woman. The druid laughed.

'Go on then,' she dismissed: an unspoken agreement that she would take on the arrangements for their departure.

The effect was instantaneous, Kaatje squealing with delight as Delon punched the air with a 'Yes!'

Fritha grinned. 'Thanks Jaheira. I'll see you later then.'

And Jaheira watched them disappear off up the street with a smile. It was nice to see Fritha behaving more, well normally for her at least, the woman turning back to catch Anomen staring at the place they were last seen a tired frown.

'You look drawn, Anomen, would you like something for the headache?'

'No, thank you, my lady,' he answered dully, looking more than a touch embarrassed. Jaheira sighed, walking further into the square and gazing up the street to where Fritha and Delon were stood outside Kaatje's house, the girl likely off fetching her newly acquired sledge. Jaheira turned suddenly back to the man at her side, her decision made.

'I promised myself I would not meddle in this, so I shall say my piece and have done with it. Anomen, Fritha is a girl and you are a man.'

The knight flushed. 'I am aware of the difference, my lady.'

'No, I do not believe you are. You are a man, Anomen, and you desire a relationship of a certain… maturity which does not marry with the requirement a girl would have of the pairing. You need a woman, Anomen, and Fritha…' She glanced back up the street, Kaatje now back with their group and pink with laughter, Fritha balanced on the low wooden frame as she tried to sledge standing up, the sled gliding smoothly down the street a yard or two before catching on something to send her pitching headfirst into the snow. Jaheira sighed. 'To be honest with you, at the moment, Fritha would probably be better off with some sort of pet. Just bear it in mind, Anomen, before you really upset her and lose the friendship she values so highly along with anything else youmay have been hoping for.'

xxx

Valygar walked on in the silence that had held him most of the day, the sharp air in his lungs making him feel alive and well, the forest about him still dripping from the last shower. It had been early afternoon by the time they had left Imnesvale the previous day, newly purchased tents loaded upon their newly purchased steed, a hoary long-eared mule which Fritha had affectionately named 'Donkey', the knight muttering some comment about it being a pet for the girl that had made Jaheira laugh with a disproportionate mirth. As for the animal itself, it was a restive beast that would walk nowhere without someone at its halter with a watchful eye to encourage it -a duty that the two girls took up with relish.

As for that day, they had finally left the road that morning to cut through the forests on a more direct route back to the city. It was late in the afternoon now, the sun that had once been at their backs now dazzling them on those rare occasions it was not obscured by clouds. Valygar drew another deep breath, savouring the damp scent of the forest. He would have enjoyed such a day as this but a year or so ago, when travelling with his old group, taking pleasure in the simple life and the camaraderie that came from the pursuit of shared ideals.

And there she was again, behind his eyes, sallow cheeks rosy from the cold, her scarf hiding the smile that sparkled in her eyes: sweet serene Suna. She had been small, even for a half-elf. Her human descendants, exiled from the Eastern Lands for some long forgotten transgression, had travelled westwards generations ago to make a new home in Faerûn, though their community had been narrow and close-knit and she would still fall back into her native tongue and mannerisms on occasion –usually when frustrated or scolding him. Many had underestimated her in battle, and it was a mistake most made only once. She had been a good fighter and no one he knew had been a better shot with a short bow, not that it had saved her in the end. She had died, along with most of the others in that carnage in the Troll Mountains and the life he had known had gone with her.

Valygar sighed inwardly. He was not one to dwell on the past, but it was hard. Being with that group had been the first time he had felt connected with something since he had left his family over a decade ago, and he really had not realised how he had come to rely upon the feeling until it had been lost to him once more. At least this group were hardly serving as a reminder of those better days, with its strange mix of strange people and its weary air that spoke of troubles too large for any of them. He still felt like an outsider even after so many days -something which more than suited him. Each of them had tried to engage him over course of their journey, but he had never been one for small talk and they soon left him to his thoughts. That was, all but their leader, of course.

Fritha had found no reason to speak with him since they had left his cabin, though he could not take it personally even if he had cared, for she had hardly spoken to anyone else either, the brief respite of the village long past now and he recognised in her the wary, restless manner of the hunted. He glanced behind him, the girl in her usual position at their rear, leading the mule and quietly singing to herself - "Let no man steal you thyme", that song of stalwart spinsters the world over.

'She is in fine voice today.'

Valygar turned back to find Cernd had slowed his pace to walk next to him, the shorter man smiling serenely as he continued, 'though, I am hardly an authority; I must admit to only having an ear for birdsong until recently.'

'I would have thought one in her position would wish to make as little sound as possible,' Valygar observed evenly. Cernd shrugged.

'I suspect any noise she is making will be masked by our passage. We are not all as the white stork; we do not all have a fondness for silence.'

'It serves me well enough and I have much to think on. In a few days, the vow my family made five hundred years ago will finally be fulfilled and then the curse of the Corthala blood can come to an end as well.' Valygar nodded imperceptibly to himself, glad for the chance he had been given. 'I will be the last of the Corthala House once Lavok is gone, and I can then take measures to ensure this curse will die with me too. It is fitting, I think.'

'Die with you?' the druid repeated, sounding surprised, 'You mean to say you will forgo the joys of children? Though I understand your worries, such a course seems a little extreme. This curse as you would call it, may be of your blood, but your will is still your own; you are not your father's son after all.'

'Mother's,' he corrected with the faintest of smiles, 'It was my mother who had the power and the name. Oh, my father was a mage too, but he had not my mother's skills.'

Cernd frowned with a predictable confusion. 'Then how are you Corthala?'

'It is customary in the weddings amongst the noble circles for the house of the greater prominence to be the name that is kept, irrespective of whether it is a son or a daughter of that household who is to be wed. It means the greater families do not die out just because they have run out of sons -a custom especially useful in a country given over to sending their male heirs into the knighthood.'

Cernd chuckled slightly. 'And such a path did not tempt your younger self, if magic was not to be your way?'

'No,' said Valygar shortly, 'As you said, my will is my own and I will not walk a path another man has set for me.'

The druid nodded slowly, the narrow gap between their ages suddenly increased ten-fold as he sighed tiredly, 'I felt as you did once, that nothing could change my course. I left my business, even my wife, casting all aside to serve Nature. And then I found I had a son and my whole world changed in an instant.'

'A son?'

'Yes, my wife re-married after I left; the child is of my blood but he lives with his stepfather in the city. I am not permitted to see him.'

'I am sorry to hear-' Valygar stopped as something caught his eye, an unnatural shimmer to their surroundings that had no place there, the man drawing his sword as he bellowed, 'We are attacked!'

And suddenly they were every where, armed men just appearing all around them, the slight prickle to the air confirming to him that fell magics were at work. Another spell exploded above them in a blinding flash, screams and shouts mixing with the wild braying of the mule, Fritha making no attempt to hold on to the terrified creature as it bolted.

'Capture the Bhaalspawn, kill the rest,' someone roared over the din, those about him scattering, rushing out to meet the figures who were closing in, Fritha already stood over the body of an unfortunate archer who had not made the change between bow and blade quite fast enough. Valygar cast about him in the sudden chaos, eyes catching on the iridescent gleam of another spell, the elven mage who was weaving it hanging back as his companions moved to close in.

Valygar started forward, dodging the heavily armed man who was bearing down upon him, making a sweeping slash across his body that was more to distract than defeat as he raced past him, the ranger weaving through the trees, his katana already brought high. The mage abandoned his spell at the last moment, Valygar's sword sweeping down only to rebound back in a shower of sparks, the blue glow of some ethereal shield suddenly about the elf and Valygar considered he was a mage of more than average skill, though he had no time to contemplate it further. The ranger whirled to meet his persistent assailant who had just arrived behind him, Valygar quickly circling round before he could be engaged again, making sure the man's armour served them both as he manoeuvred his opponent between himself and the mage.

He had a better view of the battle there too. Anomen, Minsc and Jaheira had formed an arrow head formation about a stout tree, though it was difficult to see how they were faring in the press of bodies about them. Cernd had taken up a position before their own mage, Aerie's eyes closed as she summoned her magics, while Fritha was fighting three herself, though it all had the defensive air of something to keep her occupied. A fact she likely realised as well and she was making them work for it, one man already hanging back, paled as he clutched at his bloody thigh.

There was no more time for observation though, the warrior before him ready to press his fight, stepping forward to make a wide swing at him with the long halberd he held and their own battle commenced.

Valygar leapt back as another disembowelling swing put a stop to his attack before he had even come within reach, his opponent keeping him out of range and on his toes as swung and thrust the halberd, Valygar unable to parry the heavier weapon for fear of losing his own. The mage was readying another spell, Valygar's pressing desire to end this fight increasing with each moment, his chance finally before him as his opponent made another lunge at his abdomen, the ranger sweeping his sword up into a hanging guard, pushing the thrust aside to step past the point of his halberd and bring his own blade around in one smooth move to slice deeply into his opponent's unprotected neck. Blood arced through the air as he fell and Valygar whirled just in time to make another vain sweep at the mage as the spell released, a shimmering ball of yellow light that streaked across the battle to hit Fritha squarely in the back.

The effect was instant, Fritha dropping her blade mid-swing as she suddenly collapsed. Minsc bellowed like a wounded beast, the man breaking formation to throw himself into the battle before him with seemingly little care as to his own safety and the warrior was not alone in his anger.

'You!' Aerie shrieked, a flash of white light exploding from her hands to streak across the chaos, ripping through the mage's defences to knock him from his feet, the elf recovering in time to see Valygar's blade sweeping down at him and he was dead.

It had done nothing to cool the Rashemi's rage though, Minsc still in the thick of the battle, swinging his great sword with a fury that would have made anyone else clumsy, their enemies able to do little the block the sheer power of his attacks.

'Will you watch your bloody backswing!' Jaheira screeched as another furious sweep of his greatsword partially decapitated the man before him and nearly took the top of her staff with it as she and the knight fought to protect Minsc's back, though their opponents were certainly decreased in number.

Cernd and Aerie had turned their attentions to the battle too, another spell splitting the air as Valygar raced to join the fray, easily cutting down a man who had just turned to make his retreat and halting the flight of another as he engaged him. They traded few blows though, the man already tired from his previous fight and it was not long before Valygar had an opening, the man falling just moments before Minsc finished his own opponent, instantly whirling round and suddenly Valygar was face to face with the berserker, his arms covered in the wounds he had not bothered to dodge, blood pouring down his face from a neat slash across his forehead, the man panting like some wild animal before he slowly lowered his sword and turned away, walking a few paces from them as he fought to calm down.

'Fritha!' cried Jaheira, the woman instantly rushing over to where the girl was laid, Anomen already knelt at her head.

'It is fine, my lady, she is unharmed.'

'I saw the spell he cast,' came Aerie reassuringly, the elf moving to place a hand on the now kneeling woman's shoulder, 'She is just sleeping, it should wear off soon.'

The group seemed to share a look.

'Should we take her sword?' asked Cernd, eyeing the blade that was still lain in the leaf litter where it had fallen, but inches from her hand.

'She will definitely feel as though she has been captured then,' came Anomen quietly, though he moved it another foot from her hand all the same. There was a pause, the group slowly dispersing about them, Aerie moving to tend Minsc's many wounds as Cernd made a search of the bodies, Valygar moving off to retrieve their bolted mule, the creature easy enough to track, its path littered with fallen equipment. Jaheira and Anomen remained knelt by Fritha, the girl laid out before them, her breathing so shallow she could have been dead and Jaheira found herself looking anywhere but at her.

'Were they Harpers? asked Aerie quietly as she bandaged Minsc's arm.

Jaheira shook her head. 'No, I do not believe so -well, not any I recognised, if they are.'

'The bounty has increased,' said Cernd, straightening from where he had been searching a body, a square of parchment crumpled in his hand 'A thousand gold for each of you now.'

Jaheira just sighed deeply and scrubbed a hand over her face, whipping her attention back to the body beneath her as a deep shuddering gasp was drawn and Fritha was suddenly awake and already struggling to escape them, Anomen and Jaheira holding her still as they both tried to sooth her.

'Fritha, it's all right, you are safe.'

'Fritha, please, you will hurt yourself.'

She stopped her thrashing just as suddenly as she had begun, the girl slumping back, letting her head drop back to the forest floor and covering her face with her sleeve as she began to cry.

xxx

Fritha held her skirts up with a casual hand as she jigged through a neat run of steps, the wooden boards of the temporary dance floor bouncing under the feet of the many couples, the stalls that edged the floor a brightly coloured blur, the canopies shining jewel-like in the glow of the lanterns. Fritha let her concentration drift from the dance itself to steal a glance at her partner, a tall youth of tanned skin and more than a few freckles brought out by the long summer's farm work, his short sandy hair bobbing as he moved next to her. She had not danced with him before and she felt a bit shy, especially when he flashed that roguish smile at her, blue eyes sparkling. She smiled in reply, taking his warm hand as he turned her under his arm.

'Fritha, are you listening?'

Fritha stopped, her partner looking down on her, frowning slightly in his confusion as the other couples whirled about them, when she blinked and it was all gone, replaced by a cold wet forest and six familiar faces all staring at her. She laughed, slightly embarrassed.

'Sorry, I was miles away.'

Jaheira frowned. 'I said we need to cover more ground today if we are to reach to the city by tomorrow -are you fine to continue walking?'

'Oh, yes, no problem. Lead on, my captain!'

Jaheira just shook her head and turned to continue their path, the rest following her and an instant later Fritha was back on that twilit dance floor though it was too late now. The boy had found himself another partner and she spent a short while stood on the sidelines, watching him twirl some pretty blonde thing about the floor. But she had not long to feel aggrieved, the girl noticing Cernd was suddenly at her side -though, she reflected, he may well have been there a while.

'Hello,' she greeted cheerily, the man returning her smile though she could see the wary cast to his eyes.

Goodness, there really is no pleasing some people; they worry when you are sad, they worry when you are happy…

'What do you want?' Fritha asked, possibly more bluntly than she had intended in an effort to ignore the chatter behind her eyes. 'I mean, what brings you here… er, to the back of the group, I mean.'

Cernd made very sure his serene smile did not waver as she stumbled over her words. It seemed their last run in with the bounty hunters had affected Fritha more than all the others combined. To say she was better, would not have been right, though she was certainly more cheerful, the girl chattering and laughing away to herself, that was, when she was not lost to some daydream. Cernd knew Jaheira was worried, though the woman was feeling too guilty to press the girl into talking about it, and he had decided he would make the attempt, the man still trying to think of an indirect way to come round to the subject.

'What's wrong, Cernd? Cat got your tongue?' Fritha teased almost flirtatiously. Cernd swallowed; direct it was then.

'Jaheira seemed to startle you before,' he began, his voice low, the man very aware of Aerie just ahead of them leading their reluctant mule, 'how many miles away were you this time?'

'Ooo, about hundred, give or take a league,' Fritha laughed, smiling kindly as she elaborated, 'I was just at the Beregost Fair. They hold one at the end of the summer, a celebration of the harvest and the season. Winthrope used to go and sell the scrumpy and mead he would brew and we couldn't hear enough about the place on his return. There are stalls and competitions and a party in the evening. Imoen and I were never allowed to go though, so we used to stroll around the keep on the day and pretend we were there. When Jaheira called to me, I was dancing –with a boy,' she added with a laugh.

'I see…' Cernd replied slowly and Fritha gave an impatient sigh

'Oh, so I am spending all my days wool-gathering! Where is the harm in letting my mind wander, even if my body is still trapped here under two cloaks?'

The druid frowned slightly. 'Well, some would say that a consistent desire to escape reality could be considered unhealthy.'

'Well, then they can spend four days tramping through this freezing bloody forest!'

Cernd laughed in spite of himself at her indignation, Fritha seemingly calmed by it for she laughed too, her eyes lingering on the thin woollen cloak he had wrapped about his own shoulders.

'Why is it you never seem cold, Cernd?'

He blinked a moment, her question catching him out, though he saw no harm in answering her.

'Well, see how you hold yourself, so hunched and rigid. The way tense you against the cold just makes it worse. You need to relax your muscles and allow the blood to flow more freely.'

'So you have to embrace it?' she considered aloud, nodding absently to herself '…Yes, that would make sense… Right then!'

And suddenly she was swinging her cloak from her shoulders, gathering her hair from her collar and shaking it out as she threw her arms wide and straightened to draw a few deep cold lungfuls.

'Fritha, what are you doing?' Jaheira demanded, glancing back only to stop as she noticed them, the group coming to a halt about her.

'Practising. Cernd says if you relax, then you're warmer for it.'

'And how is it?' asked Aerie, hunched under two cloaks herself and looking as though she would try anything in the gelid conditions.

'Cold!' Fritha admitted with a misty laugh. Jaheira sent Cernd a stern look, presumably for encouraging her.

'Well, put your cloak back on before you catch your death.'

The girl laughed and did as she was asked, Cernd leaving her side to join Jaheira at the head of the group and attempt to sooth her displeasure.

'Oh come- come on, you stubborn beast!' cursed Aerie as she tried to get their mule moving again after this brief halt, the girl finally giving up, glancing ahead to call to the ranger. 'I'm sorry to ask, Valygar, but could you walk behind him please? He seems to have a fear of you ever since you dragged him back to us the other day.'

Valygar said nothing, but obliged the elf all the same, joining Fritha at the rear of the group, the mule suddenly eager to starting moving again. Fritha glanced up to him, smiling slightly.

'Donkey doesn't like you, eh?'

'And he is not the only one, I assume,' the ranger answered coolly, adding at her puzzled expression, 'Everyone of this company has taken pains to invite me in and make me feel welcome over the last few days -with the only exception being you.'

Fritha merely shrugged. What a strange man, who shunned company but then complained when he did not receive it, and it put her in mind of Phlydia's capricious cats.

Perhaps you should start calling him Falex? Oh, no, not that one; he was the one that died.

'I did not see the point. They all have and you aren't any more at ease for it. And as for my not liking you, that is not true. But is difficult, you understand. I searched for you for a long time, a lot was resting on it. I have never exalted in the end of another, however they had wronged me, but there was a salvation in your death. And then I meet you and see that you must live; it was a hard thing to bear.'

Valygar was frowning, but he nodded all the same.

'Yes, the others spoke of your friend, Imoen, and how her freedom was promised in exchange for mine. When they told me, I was even more surprised you agreed to switch your alliances…'

Fritha could hear the distrust in his voice and though she understood it, it angered her all the same; all she had sacrificed for a man who still believed she was going to betray him.

'Well,' she began conversationally, 'once we discovered you were innocent, I knew the others would be wholly against killing you and, as you can see, I am rather outnumbered. I thought it would be so much easier to get you back to city under these pretences and then just shop you in to Tolgerias once we arrive. I mean,' she gestured casually to those walking before her, 'that lot won't be best pleased, but I'll have Imoen back by then, so it's not like I'll need them anymore.'

Valygar shook his head, bitterly amused.

'How I will laugh if that turns out the be the case.'

Fritha gave a bark of laughter. 'Ha! Perhaps it is I who will be laughing -for all we know, you could be the one lying to us, all this talk of being used by the wizards and avenging your family just some sob-story to get us to change sides. You could be as bad as the Cowled Wizards -worse even! Getting Lavok back to the Prime to kill him and steal the sphere for yourself, that you may wreak havoc on the planes for a thousand years.'

'I want nothing of that sphere!' Valygar snapped.

'Yes,' agreed Fritha pointedly, 'and we have your word for that, just as you have ours that we will help you. And so our alliance boils down to the old adage: the enemy of my enemy…' She glanced to him, smiling tightly 'I hope you sleep more soundly knowing that, even after all the uncertainty between us, my dislike of Tolgerias can be counted on.'

'I do,' he answered, just as insincerely.

Liar!

'Is something funny?' Valygar asked as she snorted into her hand.

'No, nothing,' she sighed, feel both happy and sad, 'I suppose we shall just have to follow the sages this time -it is as they say, trust is for the brave,' she sent him a broad grin, 'and the dead.'

xxx

It had taken a while, once they had finally decided to stop, to find somewhere they could pitch the tents, the group at last reaching a small glade as the twilight began to close in about them. Jaheira was stood with Minsc on the edge of the camp, the first pair to finish, the druid taking moment to watch as the others pitched their own tents, Anomen and Cernd tying off guy ropes, while Valygar was at a similar stage with his, the simple shelter of canvas and wood looking muddy and well-used compared to their relatively new ones. Aerie and Fritha were a lot further behind in their progress though. Neither of the girls had ever pitched a tent before -something Jaheira did not know when she had agreed the two should share one- and the fact neither had quite got the hang of it still after three days seemed to be a source of endless amusement for them, the pair giggling away to themselves as they worked out which pole was which, the mule just behind them and looking glad its burden was off it for the day, the creature laid down and enjoying some oats, its halter tied to a nearby tree.

'You would go hunting this evening, Minsc?' asked Cernd with a cursory glance to the darkening sky as he tied off another rope. Next to her, Minsc nodded.

'Yes, Boo believes we should try, at least. You would accompany us, good Cernd?'

'If I may. And what of our other woodsman; will you join us, Valygar?'

The taciturn ranger glanced up from where he was hammering in tent pegs with a frown. 'I will come hunting though I feel we will have a better chance of bringing something back if we split up,' he said shortly, instantly returning his attention to his tent.

Cernd sent her and the Rashemi a loose shrug and went back to his own work. Minsc shook his head gravely, his voice low.

'This Valygar is what we would call a gnarisvet; a distrustful-man. Though all are warriors, he does not see us as his brothers -though Boo tells me such things can take time.'

Jaheira smiled kindly. 'Boo is right. He was our prey for a long while and we worked for his enemy; such suspicions run deep. As do other things…' she muttered to herself as her eyes fell once more on Fritha, the girl singing softly to herself as she twirled a tent peg between her fingers. Minsc seemed to need no further explanation of her worries, frowning as he agreed, 'She is both better and worse, yes? Though she will not talk to me.'

'No, nor I. Still as the main contributor to her woes, I am hardly the ideal confidant.'

Minsc shook his head. 'Ah, the fault in this is not yours, good Jaheira; who would not put faith in their brothers-in-arms?'

Jaheira had no answer for him though, merely replying, 'Cernd believes she is better than she seems, we must put our faith in him.'

Minsc nodded, turning back to the scene before them. Cernd and Anomen had just about finished their tent, the druid putting in the last of the pegs, Anomen dusting off his hands as he crossed the small clearing to ask if the girls needed any help, Aerie gladly relinquishing to him the guy rope she was holding. Fritha had hardly acknowledged his arrival, though she did move deliberately to begin work on the other side of the tent, the girl crouched as she finally began to hammer the pegs into the hard ground.

'Ah, Fritha, for one usually so subtle you can certainly make your point when you wish it,' sighed Jaheira, watching Anomen watch the girl with a frown, the druid glancing to the man at her side to add absently, 'She would have likely confided in him before, now she can barely look at the man.'

'They have argued again?'

Jaheira snorted with weary amusement. 'Well, they have certainly had a disagreement of sorts, namely on the bounds of their friendship and the knight's hopes it could become something more.'

She expected the ranger to be no less than astounded, but Minsc merely frowned, dark eyes taking in the pair with a gravely critical look.

'Anomen and young Fritha? Well, he likes to fight evil, which is good. But he also likes to fight Fritha, which is not good. Boo does not approve the match.'

Jaheira almost laughed. 'Does not approve? Well, I hardly think Anomen intends to ask for our permission, Minsc.'

'And why should he not? Young Fritha is our leader, yes, but she is our friend too and we must protect her; Dynaheir would have done no less!'

Jaheira shrugged. He was likely right and she wondered whether she hadn't been neglecting her duty to the girl.

'And what does Boo think we should do then?'

A pause whilst the hamster was consulted and-

'I will speak with him now!' Minsc announced decisively, and before Jaheira could even advise discretion, he was marching across the camp to where the knight was crouched, towering above him and looking formidable. 'Anomen, it has come to our notice that you no longer see Fritha as the glorious warrior who leads us to our victories, but as someone to keep your hearth and raise your young. However, Boo does not agree this match and I agree with him!'

Anomen did not even make a sound, just stared up at the man as though he could not quite believe what he had just heard. Fritha, though, was not so afflicted.

'Minsc!' she shrieked, springing up to take his arm and attempt to lead him somewhere more private. 'This is neither the time nor the place -if such could ever exist!'

'No, young Fritha, the words must be said!'

'Not here, not now; please Minsc, I've no intention of raising hearths or keeping young, or anything else you can accuse me of.'

The ranger would not be shifted, though he did finally pull his stern gaze from the man at his feet, gently patting the hand that was still clasped vainly at his forearm, Fritha instantly releasing him, the girl a mottled scarlet under their assembled stares.

'The thoughts of Boo have been made clear, no more will be spoken… for now. Come, Cernd, we go.'

And with that Minsc turned on his heel and was gone, marching off through the trees, Cernd given only time enough to tie of the guy rope he was holding and take up his staff, the druid having to jog slightly to catch up. Jaheira slowly surveyed the casualties they'd left: Fritha and Anomen both red-faced, Aerie staring between the two as though she had never seen them before. In fact, Valygar was the only one among them who seemed unaffected as he rooted nonchalantly through his pack, though whether he was too polite to make a fuss or he merely found it all beneath his interest, Jaheira could not tell. The druid sighed.

'I should go and fetch some water.'

Fritha had the cooking pot in her hand and was striding from the clearing before Jaheira had even drawn the breath to invite her.

'I'll help.'

But by the time Jaheira had untied the flasks from Minsc's pack and made to follow her, Fritha had already reached the river, crouched on a stone at the edge of the rushing waters as she let the pot fill, the girl straightening to heave it on to the bank next to her and finally noticing her to demand, 'Did you know Minsc was going to do that?'

Jaheira nodded, trying very hard not to smile. 'Yes, though in my defence it was only an instant before the rest of you learnt of it.'

Fortunately, Fritha seemed inclined to see the funny side as well, a reluctant smile twisting her face as she took one of the empty flasks from her.

'Bloody Hells, Jaheira, you could have at least tried to stop him!'

'Had I been given any opportunity, be assured, I would have -but it was amusing, was it not?' she added, the laughter she had been suppressing for so long finally getting the better of her, 'I don't think I will forget the boy's expression for as long as I live.'

Fritha was laughing behind her hand even as she shot her a reproachful look. 'Oh, don't. Poor Anomen; all this is bad enough without you lot tormenting him.'

Jaheira watched her set the now filled flask at her feet, the girl's smile lingering with her own.

'You like him, don't you?'

Fritha snorted, stooping to fill the other flask. 'Don't be silly, I'm Bhaalspawn with a thousand gold pieces on her head.'

'That did not answer my question.'

The girl sighed, her gaze focused on her wet hands, pink from the cold as she screwed the flask cap closed.

'I… I do not like him that way, no, and, more importantly, I have no intention of allowing myself to either.' She glanced up to her, eyes grave behind the smile, 'that path just leads to a lot of misery for us both.'

'Some people would say you are neither of you particularly happy now…' offered Jaheira with a deliberate nonchalance.

'Well, some people can just keep their noses out of it, can't they? Here, help me up.'

Jaheira obliged her, extending a hand and helping the girl back onto the bank, and after a moment, they set off, moving quickly through the rapidly darkening forest. They had swapped their loads at Fritha's insistence, Jaheira now carrying the lighter cooking pot while Fritha had slung the two flasks each at the end of a long stick she had found, the girl balancing it over one shoulder at the pivot and holding it steady as they walked, her werelight hovering just above it and bathing her in an eerie pale light. They had almost reached the camp when they caught a glimpse of a familiar dark blue cloak in the trees ahead of them. It was Anomen, the man walking eastwards out into the forest, prayer-book in hand. Something about Fritha's face seemed to darken, the girl suddenly looking serious and slightly sad as she turned to her.

'Are you okay to go on alone? I really should apologise for what happened earlier.'

Jaheira smiled and raised an eyebrow and Fritha flushed, some of her previous levity creeping back in as she snapped 'Oh shut up!' and without waiting for an answer she had left her side, the flasks she bore swing wildly with her quickened pace as she made to catch him. 'Anomen?'

Jaheira sighed and carried on her way.

...

'Anomen?' called a familiar voice behind him and Anomen turned to see Fritha weaving through the trees after him, their water balanced over her shoulder like a milkmaid. She seemed nervous and he realised it was the first time she had been properly alone with him since that night in Imnesvale, her words coming out in a jumble as she made to explain herself.

'Anomen, I'm sorry about before, in front of everyone like that, and I'm sure Minsc didn't mean it the way it came across. But I'll speak with him and-'

'It is quite all right, Fritha,' he cut in kindly, a part of him glad she was so flustered; though could not understand why, he felt as though it was good sign his presence at least had some affect on her. 'I do not care who knows of my regard -though I must confess, at the time I was worried Minsc was going to invoke the famed ire of the Rashemi berserkers and punch me.'

Fritha laughed in spite of herself. The twilight had drained the colour from the world, her pale moon of a face gleaming white in the gloom, dark eyes now black and reflecting in the glow of her werelight, sparkling with a thousand points of white. He smiled moving a hand to hover at her cheek, so close he could feel its warmth.

'Your eyes are like stars-'

'Oh, Anomen, no, they aren't,' she sighed tersely, batting him away, 'they're not remotely star-like. They're brown for a start.'

Anomen dropped his hand, anger flaring with the sharp pain of another dismissal.

'Fine, as you would have it; forgive my clumsy words.'

Fritha sighed again and more deeply this time. 'Anomen… I am sorry. I know you are only trying to be nice, but we've spoken about this before and you continually obtruding your feelings upon me, it makes me feel uncomfortable.'

'Yes, we have spoken of it,' Anomen agreed, trying to keep his voice calm in the rising tide of passions within him, 'but as I recall, I have yet to hear an actual reason as to why you are refusing my courtship.'

'Well, you rather had it last time,' she exclaimed bluntly, 'when you said you didn't care about the Harpers or the vampires or whatever else I can manage to make enemies of between now and when we rescue Imoen. I know many say that when times grow dark then those are the times when one needs to hold those cared for even closer, but I am not as sure. I think the closer people get to me, the greater the likelihood that they will merely die trying to shield me from what will come.'

'So, that is it?' he demanded, 'You are just to decide for me then and I do not even get a say? I can make my own decision in this, Fritha.'

But Fritha merely laughed.

'Not likely! You clearly can't be trusted at the moment. All that madness of you risking getting kicked out the Order.' She shook her head sternly. 'No, no, I think it best that the least foolish of us gets to set our course here, which, disturbingly enough, at the moment seems to be me.' She sighed deeply. 'I'm sorry, Anomen -ah, I'm sure you're getting tired of hearing me say that, but I really am. I thank you for your regard, it was dearly borne, truly, it was. But I can neither return nor accept it and I would ask that it cease.' She patted his arm gently, 'Well, I'll leave you to your prayers.'

'This is not over, Fritha,' he called after her defiantly. But she just carried on walking and he could not tell if she had heeded him or not.

xxx

Aerie pulled her cloak about her more tightly and shifted closer to the fire, glad she had volunteered for the first watch; the night would only get colder. Minsc and Cernd, and then Valygar had arrived back just as the darkness was drawing in, neither with anything to show for their hunt and dinner had been a thin stew of dried meat and pulses eaten in an uncomfortable silence. More awkward though had been that period when all others had quit the camp, she and Anomen left to finish putting up her tent in silence, before man had offered her a remarkably mild smile and asked if she would be all right if he went a little way from the clearing to make his prayers. That she had never guessed that the knight's feelings ran so deep proved to Aerie how caught up she had been in her own affairs, for it all seemed so obvious to the elf now; the way he had been willing to risk so much for the girl, his concerns never far from her well-being. Ha, what would have her dear Haer'Dalis have said had he known?

A rustle in the trees behind her, Aerie turning sharply at the sound though her panic was brief. It was just Fritha returning from her walk of perimeter, the girl sending her a smile as she took a seat on the ground next to her.

'How was your walk?' the elf asked softly.

Fritha shrugged. 'All quiet. What about here? Valygar has finally retired, I see. If he was still sat there when I came back, I was going to tell him he could just take my watch for me and I'd go to bed.'

'Fritha,' Aerie scolded with a quiet laugh, nodding in the direction of his tent to indicate he may well still be awake now, the elf dropping her voice even lower as she continued, 'I think his reluctance stemmed from the nefarious witch being on watch.'

'Ooo, let's not leave the vile Bhaalspawn out of the equation.'

They shared a moment of whispery laughter, quiet and conspiratorial, Aerie feeling a little better about the ranger's prejudice as she sighed, 'He doesn't like me.'

Fritha looked wholly unconcerned. 'Yes, well, I don't think he likes me much either. Ha, who is he that we need his approval? We'll be back in the city tomorrow and we can summon this sphere, kill this mage and hopefully find a shed-load of treasure into the bargain.'

Aerie laughed again, wondering if this air of levity could be the moment she had been waiting on. Truth be told, Aerie had be dying to ask the girl about Anomen since Minsc had rather forcibly announced it over the camp, though this was the first time they had been in any position for the elf to pursue her curiosity.

'So,' she began, feeling Fritha would likely appreciate her refusal to disguise her prying, 'Anomen has feelings for you…'

'Yes, I know -mad, isn't it?' Fritha laughed merrily, 'I must admit it quite threw me at first, but I suppose I am slowly coming to terms with it.'

Aerie frowned at her choice of words but asked only, 'When did he tell you?'

'Er, that day it snowed, the one before we found Valygar.' Fritha shook her head looking for a moment regretful, 'Poor man; I am afraid I did not receive the news very well.'

Aerie sighed inwardly, the girl merely confirming her suspicions. Poor Anomen indeed. How hard to love one who did not return your regard, and Aerie felt particularly sorry for the man since she had come to realise the depth of feelings, slowly burgeoning all that time. And perhaps it was something Fritha needed to realise as well…

'I understand it may seem like this is hardly the time to try and begin such relations, and perhaps you feel that with your heritage, that you and he would be ill-suited, but he truly does care for you, Fritha. I don't know if I should tell you this, but Anomen was even willing to ally with the vamp-'

'He's already told me, Aerie,' Fritha interrupted with a dull sigh, 'In fact, that little chestnut merely helped me to my decision.'

But, why?' cried Aerie, genuinely bewildered, 'Such devotion-'

'I don't want that sort of devotion,' Fritha cut in, waving it away with a hand and a frown, 'people ruining their lives for me. Gods, it's bad enough they insist on dying. No,' she sighed, leaning forward to add some more wood to the fire, 'I'm just going to keep my head down until this whole thing blows over. Don't look at me like that, it's all for the best.'

'I doubt Anomen would agree with you,' Aerie murmured solemnly.

'No, but I have had lengthy discussion with myself about it and have come to the conclusion that I agree with me, which means at least half of us do.'

Aerie frowned, not sure whether she found Fritha's blithe admissions of her recent odd behaviour more or less disturbing, a worry which had been pressing on her for some time now finally finding its voice.

'Fritha, the way you talk to yourself, the voice that answers, you- you don't think that- that it could be Bhaal do you?'

Fritha laughed so much she had to hide her face in her cloak for fear of waking the others.

'Ah, sorry, Aerie,' she sighed at last, 'I just found that really funny for some reason. And no, I don't think it's Bhaal, not unless He has a greater than we had ever anticipated interest in how dirty my nails are, or what we're having for dinner. No, the voice is just me; it's just the person you ask when you cannot voice the question.'

'I wouldn't know,' Aerie countered gravely, 'I ask my god.'

'Really? And does He answer in a witty yet warm manner?' Fritha retorted, sighing as she hastened to add, 'Sorry, that sounded really derisive.'

Aerie shook her head. 'No, I was being judgmental. We must all do what is best for ourselves, I just have worries, and I know the others share them, that you are not yourself at the moment.'

Fritha laughed tiredly. 'But that is the real joke isn't it, because I am myself at the moment. Think of it this way, is my behaviour so unusual? Were we not here, were everything all right then you'd all be saying 'Oh, Fritha's gone all giddy, how nice'.'

'But Fritha, everything is not all right!'

'Well, no,' the girl admitted, still in that frustratingly calm air, 'but it's all relative, Aerie. Yesterday was a bit of an epiphany for me, it was like I woke up and I was suddenly looking at the world with new eyes -well, after all the tears and snot and everything. In those few moments as I came round and I thought I had been captured, that I would open my eyes on plain wooden lid of the box that would hold me for the rest of my life and then to see sky… it gave me a new appreciation of things. I will not lie to myself, Aerie, our situation is far from good, but I am alive and I am free and in those moments when I am not being attacked, well, I suppose it's started to make me kind of happy. So I'll laugh and chatter with you all, and myself too when I feel it is something that cannot be shared, and I will let my mind wander as it pleases and I will go on, because it's the only way I can see how to right now and I am not ready to give up just yet.'

Aerie nodded, nothing really she could add to that, the girl rising to take up her staff. 'Well, I should make my walk now.'

Fritha sent her a smile. 'Yes, take care.

And with that, they parted.