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

Crossed swords

Fritha lingered on the corner, the group in the shadows of the building behind her as she gazed down the road to the grimy whitewashed tavern that was set at the end, a bustling edifice of light and noise in that quiet rundown street, people milling about outside, an even mix of whores looking for their next punter and men so drunk even that tavern had cast them out. They were in the far north east of the slums, bordered by the city walls and river both, in an area where any justice was dispensed by the Shadow Thieves and even their grip was not a firm one. From what she had heard, the district was just an assortment of smaller gangs all vying for control and Fritha suspected the only Watch patrols that went there, did so only to collect their bribes.

'So, we're agreed,' said Fritha, turning back to those gathered behind her, 'we will split up in our approach so as not to draw attention to ourselves. Minsc and I will go in first, Cernd, Jaheira, and our three witches can come in as the second group and Valygar and Anomen can make the third. Remember, take separate tables and wait until I return from the bar before acting on anything.'

A round of nods and Fritha set off, Minsc at her side as they continued along the street and up to the door, the collection of drunks and prostitutes outside keeping quiet as they approached though she wondered if the rest of their company would be so fortunate. Fritha returned the guard's nod with the merest of movements as he opened the door for them, the wall of noise and heat hitting her as they stepped over the threshold.

The tavern was packed, every table occupied while other patrons just stood in groups at the bar or in the convenient alcoves that lined the walls, the air hazy with a fine layer of pipesmoke and sharp with the tang of sweat. And yet for all the crowds of people, everyone seemed to know each other, the whole place ringing with shouts and laughter, people stood calling across the room to one other as though they were all friends of old.

Fritha shifted forward from the doorway as a gaggle of women entered behind them, the girl risking a glance back to confirm it was Jaheira and the others. As she had expected, they were getting quite a bit of attention, especially Aerie and the two witches, though what looks they had garnered did not linger long. Hulmeira sent all who dared catch her eye her most withering scowl while Aerie was wearing a glare that would have done Jaheira proud, Cernd looking the most peaceable one among them as they stalked in to find space on a table against the wall just to the left of the doorway.

'Come on, Minsc,' Fritha smiled, feeling as ready as she ever would, 'let's get a drink.'

He nodded, the pair making their way over to the crowded bar that ran almost the entire length of the back wall, Minsc's presence helping more than anything as people shifted out of his path and Fritha soon found herself at a narrow section of unoccupied counter, hemmed in by patrons on either side. The blond man to her right was holding court in his small knot of friends, entertaining them with a story, a wild round of laughter overbalancing him enough to send him stepping back into her.

'Oi, watch who you're shoving there, you filthy half-breed,' he slurred, drunk enough that he did not notice the huge man looming behind her and fortunately Fritha was stunned enough to prevent any retort, unused to such unwarranted abuse. Though to be fair, the strangers who normally approached her in bars planned on her being dead pretty soon afterwards, so she supposed there was little point in any verbal unpleasantness.

'Now, now, lads,' cut in the barman gruffly, a tall balding man who seemed to be making up for this cranial hair loss with a huge ginger moustache, 'there's plenty of bar fer all of you.'

The drunk snorted his contempt, seizing up his drink. 'Come on, let's go down now, lads, the stink up here is clogging up my lungs.'

'I'm surprised you can smell anything over your breath,' sneered Fritha.

'What did you say?'

'I don't want to hear it from you, Travit!' barked the innkeep, sternly overseeing their group's departure before he whirled to her, 'And as fer you, you want to cause any more trouble then piss off back to wherever you came from 'cause I've enough firebrands in here and I've had a gutful of 'em already.'

'He started it,' Fritha snapped, 'And if he says anything else to me, I'll be reducing the number of troublemakers in here for you by one.'

The innkeep gave a great vicious bark of laughter. 'Ha, you've grit I'll give you that, but Travit's one of Ehid's boys -best not to get on the wrong side of him, lest you end up face down in the harbour.'

'Let him try!' Minsc roared after the man, perhaps hoping he would hear him and make a return, 'He will choke out apologies with my boot upon his throat!'

Fritha snorted with a dark amusement. 'Leave it Minsc, he's not worth it and we're here for the entertainment, not to provide it.'

'Entertainment?' repeated the barman, looking genuinely bewildered; he was good. Fritha nodded mildly pretending she had not noticed.

'Aye, we're staying over at the Coronet, but Lehtinan, or is it Leith as you know him? Well, anyway, he mentioned we might find the atmosphere here pleasing of an evening.'

'Did he now?' the innkeep confirmed slowly, giving the pair an appraising look, 'Well, he wouldn't say that to just anyone and I can tell you've coin enough fer it… the first fight is about to start downstairs,' he said gesturing to the door behind him, two heavily armed guards stood on either side. 'I'd head down soon if you want to get a good view; the password tonight is Hendak.'

'Hendak?' Fritha repeated and the innkeep grinned.

'Aye, he's an old favourite downstairs -never been beaten, so they say, though he's getting on in years now. They've paired him against some hungry young lad from Tethyr tonight. I tell you it'll be a close match but my money's still on Hendak; that old wolf's still got some fight in him yet.'

…

'Right, we're in,' muttered Fritha as she took another mouthful of ale, the druid behind her leaning against the pillar of the alcove Fritha and Minsc were stood in so as to better hear her. 'The password is Hendak. Minsc and I will go down now. You let your group and Valygar and Anomen know and follow us.'

In her peripherals, she saw Jaheira nod, Fritha smiling up at the man before her as she clapped his arm.

'Right, Minsc, shall we head down then?'

He nodded and they set off, leaving the alcove to cross for the bar, exchanging a nod with the innkeep as they headed for the stairs down, the ranger sullen enough, even considering their surroundings, for her to question him on it.

'You should have let Minsc speak to that- that kvorisvet!' he muttered, still frowning as they paid their entrance fee and handed in their weapons at the small counter halfway down the stairs, 'Boo says his words robbed you of your honour.'

Fritha laughed. 'Minsc, I think what little honour I have left is resilient enough to withstand a few insults from the dregs in here. Right…' she sighed as she left the stairwell, stepping down into a long low-ceilinged room and pausing to let her eyes grow accustomed to sudden darkness, the only light coming from the torches in the arena far below, the roar of the tavern above them just a rumble of the edge of her hearing.

Fritha glanced about her, the room packed with people but so much quieter than upstairs, a sense of anticipation humming low in the air. They were stood upon a wide raised platform that ran down two sides of the square pit, a row of tables set along the edge to give the best view over the arena while others hugged the wall behind, a narrow aisle left between them and Fritha could just make out Travit and his companions already sat about one a few tables down, chatting idly amongst themselves as they waited for the fight to begin. And, from the group of fine doublets and feathered caps gathered about the next table along, Fritha could perhaps make a guess as to the reason for the all-concealing darkness; some of Lehtinan's patrons clearly did not want to be known as such.

'Over there,' she said, pointing to an empty circular table a few paces from stairs and set against the back wall. It was large enough for all of them, the gloom removing the immediate need for subterfuge, and the pair took a seat to wait as Jaheira's group and at last, Anomen and Valygar joined them.

'So what now?' sneered Hulmeira, 'Or do you just plan to have us sit here drinking watered-down ale.'

'Patience, sister,' cautioned Minsc, surprisingly calm considering where they were and what was at stake, 'Boo says we must find our moment.'

'But-'

Emurra slammed down her cup with a loud crack. 'Listen to them! They want to find Elder Yundra as much as we do!'

'By Silvanus, keep your voices down; do you want everyone in here to know of it?'

'Do not snap at me, druid, I-'

Fritha ignored them, letting her gaze travel the gloom about her, waiting for her eyes to catch on something, waiting for the insight that would spark in her the beginnings of a plan. There was a small bar at the other end of the platform, a single server behind it lining cups upon the counter as he prepared for the long night ahead, a maid stood on the other side, idling picking a spot on her chin as she waited. Fritha let her eyes move from them to drift along the far platform and then down her own. Lehtinan may have been loathed to pay for minstrels but he certainly saw some benefit in security, guards positioned against the back wall at practically every other table and she counted six before she reached her own. Set just before the entrance to the stairwell, theirs was the last table on the platform, the guards stationed a few yards behind them more heavily armed than the others, their chain glinting softly as they shifted, and giving the plain solid door between them all the more importance for their presence.

'And now,' boomed a deep voice from the arena below, 'for tonight's first bout the Black Hatchet presents Kamir of Calimport and Yuen, the Scourge of Turmish!'

Fritha stood in her seat slightly to get a better view in the sudden roar of applause, the small portcullis at the far side of the arena slowly rising and the two men stalked through, her mind quickly putting together a rough layout of the place. If they entered from the western wall then, taking into account the layout upstairs and the proximity of the other buildings outside, it would make sense for the slaves to be held somewhere in the south of the basement and if that was the case then the entrance would likely be…

She and Jaheira seemed to turn in unison to look at the heavily guarded door behind them, the two men either side of it the only guards not watching the fight, their gaze trained straight ahead. Fritha turned back to the table to catch the druid's eye.

'What do we think?'

'That door behind us will likely lead back to where they keep the slaves. But as for how we are going to get back there.'

A cry from the arena. Fritha did not look around to see, she did not want to know, but a few of those around her could not seem to help themselves, Emurra whipping back, her paled face in her hands.

'Oh, this is terrible; we have to do something!'

'We are doing something,' Aerie reminded sharply, standing suddenly. 'Come on -And you, Hulmeira!'

The elf swallowed; she felt sick, her heart trembling in her chest as she led the two witches along the platform, making sure her eyes did not stray down into the arena as she reached the small bar at the far end. It had been with a feeling of disbelief that she had presented the evidence of Yundra's capture; that such a trade as slavery could be happening in that city where she had made her home and she had felt so miserable as she had thought of her own long imprisonment and the cruelty of such people who could profit from other's lives. And then when Fritha and Jaheira had returned from Ployer…

To find such horrors not only happening, but right next door to her had been overwhelming and Aerie recalled the druid's kindness, Jaheira following her outside the Coronet, just stood beside her in the gloom of the alleyway that ran along side it, a comforting presence as she had let the tears fall. And when her crying had finished, all that was left was her anger and a burning sense that such injustice would not go unanswered while she could still draw breath. She was no longer the maimed little elf girl crying in her cage -Quayle and the others had seen to that, and now she would help these people in any way she could –even this. After all, Haer'Dalis always said she could have become an actress; now was the time to prove him right.

Aerie paid her coin as the two trays of drinks were set on the counter before her, turning to give one to Emurra and indicating the witches should follow her as she took up the other and made to return to their table, the elf almost there when she slowed her pace, letting her eyes flick to the armed man on guard at the wall next to her. Of all the guards, he had been the only one to tear his eyes from the fight to give them an appraising look as they had passed and he was now their target.

She was practically level with him, the girl taking an exaggerated side step out of the way of a rather boisterous table of spectators to close the gap between them, Aerie letting her eyes linger appreciatively on the man only to catch her foot on the chair next to him. She feigned a trip, the tray she held jerking forward, cups wobbling threateningly, the elf managing to save most of them, though the tall tankard of ale toppled over, the contents coursing neatly down his leg.

'Oh, oh, I'm so sorry!' she cried, thrusting the tray at Hulmeira and pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve to press it firmly against his leg, the man chuckling slightly as he quivered under her touch.

'Ah, don't worry, love, a bit of ale never hurt no one –however cold it is. Now,' he considered as she finally straighten and he caught a glimpse of her face, 'you're not one of the usual servers.'

'Of course not!' she giggled, trying to make her smile feel less forced as she turned to carelessly toss the sodden handkerchief onto Hulmeira's tray. 'We don't work here.'

'Is that so,' he confirmed, eyeing the girls next to her, Aerie glad to see them at least offer him a smile, though Emurra's looked rather petrified. 'And what are three nice young ladies like you doing down here then?'

'N-Nice young ladies?' Aerie tittered affectedly, 'Well, I don't know about that and as for why we're here,' she dropped her voice and leaned in slightly, 'it's a secret.'

'A secret?' he repeated, more than happy to play the game, it seemed. Aerie nodded coyly.

'Yes, though I can see you are a trustworthy sort -perhaps I can tell you, if you promise not be too hard on us.'

The guard was grinning broadly. 'You have my word.'

'Well, our Madam sent us over from the Three Feathers to check out the competition, but we thought it would be much more fun to sneak down here for some entertainment of our own- a group nobles and their guards paid us in, so the least we could do was to fetch them their drinks.' Aerie cocked her head slightly, gazing up at him through lowered lashes in an effort to distract him; her lie had not been long in the planning and would unlikely bear much scrutiny. 'You promise you won't tell on us, will you?'

'Now, what sort of gentleman would I be to turf nice young ladies like yourselves out on the street,' he grinned. If he suspected her story, he clearly did not care to pursue it.

Aerie allowed herself a delighted laugh, reaching up both hands to playfully hang on his arm. 'Oh, I knew you could be trusted. I'm so glad we can stay, I've never been in here before,' she glanced back to the arena with unfocused eyes, nauseated by her own lies even as she gushed, 'it's all so exciting -men locked in a struggle to the death! They look so wild and- and er, powerful!'

'Ha, those two are nothing,' the guard laughed, 'scrawny underbred bastards, only been off the ship a day and this isn't even a death match –they fight with blunted swords to draw it out. The real entertainment comes later, when they get the proper gladiators out.' He pointed to the door back at their end of the platform, the two guards stood there frowning slightly. 'Just through that door is where they cage, train and otherwise keep the Black Hatchet Gladiators; fighting men as feral and bloodthirsty as the most wild of the Northern barbarians -more animal than man most of them. Now they put on a proper show.'

'Goodness, really?' Aerie gasped. The guard smiled, leaning over her.

'Perhaps I can even get you back there to see them up close -if you fancy an exchange of services, that is.'

Aerie forced a giggle and batted him away playfully as a hand groped down to her rear, the man suddenly jerking to attention as a tall guard wearing a plain iron helm and a deep frown loomed over his shoulder.

'Ullic! Leith is paying you to stand guard not chat up the whores, now get upstairs, someone is kicking off about giving up their weapon.'

'Yes sir!' he saluted and he could have disappeared, the speed with which he left them.

Aerie dipped her face as she felt the commander's eyes fall to her, clearly considering how much authority he had over them, his tone lighter as he continued, 'As for you three, move along please, I have enough trouble keep the men's minds on their duties without any other distractions.'

He did not wait for any reply, already marching after Ullic and Aerie waited until he had disappeared into the stairwell before hurrying back to the others, heart still thundering furiously.

'Little Aerie, my sisters,' cried Minsc as they finally returned, 'you three should not have gone off alone like that –what did that man want with you?'

'It was fine Minsc, don't worry,' she reassured him, retaking her seat and just glad the Rashemi had not seen Ullic's wandering hands.

'What did you find out?' asked Jaheira, bringing them promptly back to the task at hand.

'That you were right, that door does lead to where they keep the gladiators –he even offered to take me back there, but we were interrupted.'

'Don't worry about that,' dismissed Fritha, 'you did really well, Aerie, and I would not want to send anyone back there alone. Right, time to split up again, it seems. Emurra and Hulmeira, I need you to go to the Watch post at the end of the Bridge District. Ask for Aegisfield and explain everything to him. I'm sure he can be trusted and we will likely need reinforcements soon enough.'

The two Wychlaran nodded, taking their leave and Fritha did not speak again until they were at the stairs. 'Right, Jaheira and whoever is going with you, be ready to sneak through that door.' Fritha knocked back the rest of her tankard in one long draft, turning to the man next to her with a grin. 'Okay, Minsc, ready to get back our stolen honour?'

The girl did not wait for his answer, already stood and walking to the other end of the platform towards a table of four men who were well into their cups, roaring at the fight still raging below. Her hand was dragging her chair after her and Jaheira thought she meant to join them. That was until Fritha was about a pace or so from their table, the girl taking the chair in a better grip and Jaheira held her breath, Anomen and Valygar seeming to realise the instant she had, the former cursing vehemently as both men sprang to their feet. They were too late though, the chair already at its zenith above Fritha's head, the blond man she was stood behind turning just in time, his face wearing a sagging expression of disbelief as he watched it smash down on to the table before him in an explosion of splintered wood and ale.

'You mongrel BITCH!' the man roared, instantly on his feet, a fist swinging out at the girl though it never reached her, Minsc's hand suddenly about his throat and throwing him back against the railings. Anomen and Valygar were already scuffling with his companions, while the table of men next to them were suddenly on their feet as well and looking set to join in, every guard in the place rushing in to quell the brawl that had instantaneously erupted in their midst.

Jaheira glanced back to find Cernd and Aerie transfixed with the same shocked expressions she had no doubt worn, when they caught each other's eyes and the three were suddenly scrambling for the now abandoned door, Aerie unlocking it with but a whisper. And the last thing Jaheira saw before she drew it shut behind her was Fritha stood in the chaos, fragments of chair still in her hands, the girl soaked in ale and laughing wildly.

Through the door and they found themselves at the top of some plain stone steps, the long corridor that stretched before them made of the same featureless grey stone, the torches set every couple of yards throwing warm circles of light against the walls, lifting the gloom at regular intervals. Jaheira was racing down the steps, she and Cernd heading for the wooden door at the far end, Aerie hitching up her skirts as she descended after them, her heart beating wildly as the roar of the brawl they had left echoed along the corridor.

'Will they be okay?' she asked, watching the back of Jaheira's shoulders bob with a shrug, no pause to her pace.

'Most likely. I cannot imagine trouble of that sort is so uncommon in a place like this.'

A loud crash reverberated along the bare stone hallway, an unintelligible cacophony of curses and shouts echoing about them. The druid glanced back with a frown.

'Well, perhaps this might be a little rougher that what they are used to.'

They had reached the door by now, the woman placing her ear to the wood for a heartbeat before opening it a crack, slightly angled eyes taking in whatever was on the other side before she finally decide it was safe enough, Jaheira letting it swing wide on a long narrow room. In fact, it was little wider than the corridor they had just left, three solid wooden doors set opposite them, a barred window in each, while another door led off to their left, a large rack of weapons stood at the other end of the room, the usual swords, axes and shields hung there alongside a trident, whip and what looked to be a thick wire net.

'Ah, more patrons come to gape at us savages?' came a voice from the right cell, the heavy accent doing nothing to disguise the bitterness to it, 'Well, you can just go-'

'Wait, Evad,' came another, a young albeit it drawn face suddenly pressed up against the bars of the cell before them, 'they've no guards with them; How d'you get back here?'

'Our friends started a brawl,' explained Aerie concisely.

Laughter from the leftmost cell, a fervent whispering from the others as the young man cursed, 'Umberlee's shrivelled teet! You're not with Lehtinan then?'

'No, we are not,' confirmed Jaheira, stepping closer though she still kept an arm's length from the door. 'We are here looking for a woman, an old Rashemi witch who may have been bought by one of your masters recently.'

'Well, she ain't here, love,' quipped someone gruffly from the leftmost cell.

'No,' reasoned Cernd, 'but we had hoped one of you may have heard something.'

Silence and then a voice, deep and slow and carrying an inflection that reminded Aerie a little of Minsc.

'Tymora smiles upon you. She is owned by Lehtinan himself. I heard him bragging to the guards of the price she will fetch. It is as my brothers say though: she is not here. But I know where he will keep a prize like that. I will tell you, but you must release the slaves here first.'

Jaheira nodded promptly, clearly anticipating this demand and casting an eye over the three cells.

'All right, but not all of you can be here.'

'No,' came the younger man eagerly, 'at this hour, those who are not fighting are kept under guard in the dormitories down the hall- there are a dozen or so men held there.'

'I see. Aerie, can you unlock these doors?'

'You are a mage? Do not waste your talent, elf,' came the bitter voice again, 'the doors are well warded against your magics.'

Jaheira sighed, impatience creeping in. 'Well, where is the key?'

'Through that door,' the young man answered, a scarred arm thrust through the bars as he attempted to direct her, 'at the end of the hall, past the door to the dormitories, there is the guardroom, though at this time of the evening there will only be one man in there. The jailor, Revio -idle bastard, he won't leave there unless Lehtinan or Ehid is about to see it. The keys are in there with him.'

Jaheira was already crossing to the weapons rack to take a short sword in an awkward grip, Cernd picking up a metal club with a similar frown.

'Right, Aerie, you wait here and watch the hallway back to the fighting pit -shout for us if anyone comes.'

Aerie nodded, though the pair had already turned, Jaheira cautiously approaching the door as she had done before and slipping through with Cernd to leave her alone. The elf headed back to the hallway to stand watch, the shouts from the brawl still audible though much fainter than before and she vainly wished she still had her staff with her. She had never been particularly martial with it, but it was comforting to feel that solid stave under her palm, especially there, where she could not rely on her magic if something were to go awry –lock-picking cantrips were one thing, and a thing far beneath the interest of the Cowled Wizards, but anything remotely aggressive was a risk she dared not take.

She could hear the men talking quietly behind her, though she did not turn back to engage them. Seeing them caged, knowing they would have spent the evening just waiting to fight, some even waiting to die reminded her of her own imprisonment and she could afford neither the misery nor the anger that brought her just then.

A bang as the door at the top of the stairs suddenly opened and for a moment Aerie was frozen in her dismay as she watched a guard striding loosely down the steps, chainmail glinting as he passed through the shafts of torchlight. And then she was all haste, racing to the other door to pull it open on another grey hallway.

Just call for us, she thought angrily, shouting as loudly as she dared as the footsteps behind her grew ever closer, the girl finally slamming the door shut and whirling to face him as the guard entered the room.

'Bloody Travit, always- Hey,' he exclaimed as he finally noticed her, thick eyebrows disappearing under a greasy mop of black hair, 'now what are you doing back here?'

'M-Me?' Aerie faltered, slowly edging sideways as she spoke, try to get past him to the door he had just marched through, 'U-Ullic let me back here, t-to see the slaves -he said to wait for him.'

The guard grinned, his leathery face twisting unpleasantly. He took a step closer.

'Oh, did he now? And just what was he having you wait for?'

Aerie's throat had gone dry, her back flush with the wall behind her as the guard seemed to grow taller by the second, the laden weapons rack mocking her from the far end of the room.

'Oh, well, I don't know, he- he didn't really say.'

'Leave her be, Warrel!' roared a voice from the nearest cell, the guard ignoring it, letting his eyes rake over her as though they were quite alone.

'Well, let's see if we can make a guess.'

'No!' she shrieked as he seized her, pinning her arms to her sides as she struggled to get her hands free, 'Get off me! I- I'm a mage, I'll-'

'You'll shut up!' Warrel spat, striking her sharply across the face, his other hand pinning her to the wall, 'Unless you want me to get my friends down here as well! Now stop-'

A flash of grey and brown and Aerie almost fell as she was suddenly released, the roar echoing over Jaheira's cry of 'Cernd!' as the man knocked the guard clear off his feet. Aerie staggered away, starting as she retreated into Jaheira, both women transfixed by the sight of Cernd crouched, his back to them and club abandoned to the floor beside him as he tore and ripped at the man beneath with long clawed fingers.

The guard was no longer moving, blood slowly pooling from out beneath him, running in narrow rivulets along the cracks between the smooth stone flags. Cernd was still hunched over him though, his back rising and falling as he panted heavily, Aerie risking a glance to Jaheira before she ventured, 'Cernd?'

He straightened instantly, whirling back to them and Aerie drew a sharp breath, his face feral with a snarl that revealed elongated teeth when he seemed to sag, all the colour draining from his skin and if Jaheira had not started forward to catch his arm, Aerie suspected he would have collapsed.

Jaheira shifted, trying to redistribute his dead weight as her knees began to tremble. 'Cernd, are you…?'

The druid had his eyes closed, leaning heavily on the woman next to him as he muttered breathlessly.

'I heard what he said… such anger… just like the Hells… Just, just give me a moment to collect…'

'Here,' Jaheira snapped, the ring of keys jangling merrily as they sailed through the air. Aerie caught them awkwardly, fumbling through them as she crossed to the nearest door and soon they were joined by four others, a brawny dark-skinned Calimshite, two leaner tanned men who looked more local and finally a broad stern warrior who was well on in his years, lines and scars merging as one on his worn craggy face, pale hair an even mix of grey and blond.

'Friends, I am Hendak,' he announced gravely, 'and I am in your debt. Wait here,' he continued, already at the weapons rack handing out swords to the men jostling about him, 'We go now to free our brothers and then we will show the dogs of this place a real fight.'

xxx

Fritha struggled in the guard's grip, just enough to indicate she was displeased but not enough to earn herself a clout and she was certainly making no attempt to free herself and give the man an excuse to draw his weapon. In fact, the girl was quite comfortable being man-handled across the tavern towards the doors, the patrons about her laughing and jeering as she merrily traded insults with the apoplectic Travit who was being dragged out just behind her, their surrounding companions struggling similarly as both her own and the pirate's group were forcibly ejected from the premises.

'You half-breed whore, I'll gut you and feed your innards to my dogs!'

'Ha! Your threats are nothing, you flaccid milksop! I'll slit your throat and paint this inn with your blood!'

'Why, you skinny, plague-riddled-'

'The slaves have escaped!' screamed a voice from the stairwell they had just been dragged through, a whey-faced guard charging up the stairs and diving out of the way of the stampede of people behind him, a stream of patrons pouring from stairwell to head for the front doors. 'They've escaped, they're killing everyone!'

'Bane's Arse!' shouted the helmed guard who was busy with his friend trying to keep the struggling Minsc contained, the whole tavern suddenly in an uproar as everyone charged past them for the exit, the man still trying to give his orders over the chaos. 'Peritt, get over to the Coronet and tell Lehtinan. The rest of you get down there and help subdue the bastards!'

Fritha felt the hands at her shoulders suddenly disappear, the guards clearly having better things to worry about now than their petty brawl, though Travit was of a different mind, the man snatching a knife from an abandoned plate on the table next to him and whirling back to her, a wild glint to his eyes.

'I'm going to take you're ears as a trophy, bitch!'

'You think?' snapped Fritha, seizing an empty wine bottle by the neck and smashing it down on the edge of table next to her. Apart from severely denting the wood, nothing happened. 'Oh.'

Travit laughed, flipping the knife in his hand with the precise air of one who knew what they were doing, the blade slicing downward as he lunged at her, only to collapse at her feet, Fritha shielding her face from the flying splinters as Minsc smashed a chair across his back.

'Thanks, Minsc,' she gasped, whirling about for Travit's companions, but the room was empty, Anomen casting about him as she had while Valygar stood over the prone form of the one he had just punched out, the other two having fled with the rest of the patrons, it seemed, no desire to face either them or the rebel gladiators.

A scream pierced the general roar that was echoing up the stairwell, snapping Fritha's attention to it in an instant.

'Come on!'

They raced for the stairs, reaching the landing halfway down for Fritha to leap over the counter, the girl just throwing a jumble of weapons onto the surface, Minsc's face lighting with a wild joy as he was, by luck, reunited with his greatsword.

'Now Minsc and Boo are whole again! Vile slavers meet your end!' he roared, turning to charge down the remaining stairs, the first guard turning back to greet his reinforcements only to meet Minsc, a sword thrust through him before he had time to scream, Fritha, Anomen and Valygar just grabbing what weapons they could and piling after him as the Rashemi pressed the fight down into the basement.

Fritha was the last of them as they entered, her position on the steps giving her a view over the top of the battle and she could see Cernd, Jaheira and Aerie by the door to her left, a shield of gladiators before them fighting the ever decreasing group of guards. Aerie was hovering over Cernd, the man looking pale and unwell as he leaned back against the doorframe seemingly chanting under his breath, Jaheira in front of them both, a sword held in an unfamiliar grasp just in case the line before them was broken.

But with enemies on both sides, the few guards left standing were soon overwhelmed, their bodies littering the darkened platform and a stillness fell over the arena. Fritha did not know what she would have expected from the freed gladiators; laughter or shouts of triumph perhaps, but no one seemed willing to make much noise at all. She watched as the slaves all moved about each other, some even weeping quietly as they did so, the men embracing fiercely or clapping each other on the arms and shoulders in a sort of choked joy that went beyond words, Aerie and Jaheira moving among them tending the few wounded, Valygar and Minsc going to speak to Cernd, though Anomen had concerns of his own, the cleric whirling instantly on her.

'Are you trying to get yourself killed?'

Fritha had expected this outburst though, squaring up to the knight with a defiant look.

'They needed a distraction and I gave them one.'

'By walking over there unarmed and starting a brawl?'

'Oh, don't start. None of them were armed either -the risk was minimal.'

'Indeed, and so why could you not deign to inform us for your plan beforehand and let one of us to go in your stead?'

Fritha snorted her scorn. 'So, I should have just sent you over there to oh so politely call him out, should I? The guards would have been on you both before you had even finished calling his mother a slattern.'

Anomen drew back looking furious. 'Is- is this all some jest to you?'

'No,' Fritha snapped, 'but now I look back on it, it was pretty funny -that look on Travit's face when he turned to see the chair about a foot from his table -the realisation that there was just nothing he could do.'

'Yes, very similar to the feeling that tore through me as I watched his fist fly towards your face!'

Jaheira frowned; this needed to end and soon, the woman straightening from the arm she was examining to bark, 'Enough, you two.'

The pair ignored her. Fritha was scarlet, seeming to spit the words with every ounce of venom she possessed.

'Anomen, I will not say this again: you are not my father, you are not my love and the time when I needed someone to rescue me ended the moment I stepped from that dungeon!'

'You- you thoughtless, cold-hearted-!'

'I said that's enough!' Jaheira snapped, leaving the half tied bandage in the hands of one of his friends to finish off as she turned back to the room, 'There are more important things!'

The two glowered at each other but said no more, Jaheira turning immediately to Hendak.

'Well, we did as you asked, now it is time for your part in this agreement. You said you would tell us where they are likely holding the woman we seek,' she reminded, silently praying to every god listening that is had not been a understandable falsehood. But the man nodded fervently, his grin broad, wearing the cuts and blood he bore like every one was a proud symbol of his new found freedom.

'Indeed, friends, but I will do more than just tell you, I and my brothers will accompany you there. In exchange for our freedom we could do no less and I expect our help will be needed. You have summoned the Watch, yes, but the news of this rebellion will travel much faster than they and your friend and all the slaves they hold will be in danger for it.' He paused, his look suddenly grave, 'Ehid and Lehtinan would murderer them rather than leave witnesses to their crimes. We must strike before they can go into hiding and escape altogether; it is there, in their stronghold where I was held when they brought me to this city so long ago and it is there we will find them now.'

'And where is that?' asked Aerie.

'I could not tell you -I have not left the pit in over a decade. But I know of the secret way they long ago used to bring slaves to this place -before the right people were bribed and they could move them freely through the streets. I am the only one left who remembers those days, but the passage is there still. Come, time is our enemy and retribution is at hand.'

They left the inn in the capable hands of a half-dozen gladiators, the men instructed to wait for the Watch and guard the tavern against any slavers who would return to try and retake the place as the group retrieved their weapons and Hendak led them and the rest of the slaves down into the backroom room they had just burst so violently from but moments before.

And there it was behind the weapons racks in the back of the guardroom, a small covered hatchway about the size of a man if he bent double: a neat little escape route for any slavemasters who had suddenly found themselves raided by the Watch and trapped in their own basement. Hendak used his blade to prise it open, removing the thick wooden panel to reveal a set of steps which lead down into a narrow passage, though it opened out after a few paces, joining what looked to be a section of disused sewer tunnels, the whitewash line painted halfway up the wall keeping them on the correct path and it was not long before Hendak brought them to a halt before a set of stone steps, Jaheira and the aged gladiator moving up to investigate further, the rest of them crowded in darkness to wait.

Anomen shifted restlessly, his head bowed in the confines of the tunnel, the air musty where it had been stirred up after so long. Minsc was next to him looking unusually focused, brow furrowed with a permanent frown, while behind them, Aerie, Valygar and the still wan Cernd were stood in amongst the gladiators, Aerie's cheek red with a graze while Cernd looked as though he was fighting a serious cold, the man pale and sweating as he leaned upon his staff. They were talking quietly, Aerie's face pensive with a concerned frown as Cernd shook his head at whatever she had been trying to convince him.

The knight turned back to the tunnel before him, his eyes catching instantly on a familiar mass of ginger curls just ahead of him in the press and he felt his previous anger swell once more. Foolish, reckless girl! She did not care for him and she cared little more for herself, it seemed. Anomen felt his jaw clench in his frustration, the girl the object of such adoration and anger both until he felt torn apart by it. She looked tired in the faint glow of the werelights and he remembered she had yet to sleep, the girl clearly thinking herself unobserved as she enjoyed a private moment, leaning her head against the wall next to her looking drained and bleak. And then Jaheira called to her quietly from their head, and the determined frown was back, the way parting silently before her as the gladiators moved from her path.

'Here,' whispered Hendak, the man crouched as the tunnel narrowed with the steps, 'this opens on to their basement -and the slave pens.'

Fritha let a hand run lightly over the wood, knocking lightly on it to glance back to them.

'It's hollow, some sort of cabinet or chest, I imagine. Wait,' she continued, setting her ear to it, the girl drawing back after a moment, paled and hushed, 'I just heard a door slam –some people are coming down into the basement and they sound armed.'

'What?' roared Minsc, suddenly furious, the man beginning to physically tremble as his anger rose. Fritha glanced heavenward for the briefest instant.

'Oh, Hells! Everyone be ready for a fight!' she shouted down to the rest of them, the need for quiet about to be made completely redundant as Hendak set his shoulder to the cabinet, Fritha doing the same.

'Ready? On three…'

…

'Faster! Ehid's ship is waiting. You, open that one and begin removing the evidence. The witch is prize enough to keep, we'll take her with us. Be ready with the drug when I open-'

An almighty crash cut short his order though, Lehtinan whirling back as the large cabinet was suddenly toppled forward, a stream of armed men pouring from the opening it had concealed. The reek of unwashed bodies was almost overpowering, a sudden clamour rising up from the long metal cages that lined the dank stone walls, the slaves within all shouting and striking at the bars that held them.

'What? Hendak?' Lehtinan sending a horrified glance to the tall Turmian pirate next to him, the group of guards they were stood within looking just as dismayed as the Hatchet's most infamous gladiator stood un-caged and furious before them.

'Death take you, slaver!' Hendak roared, the man charging headlong into the group, Fritha on his heels and shouting orders over the sudden uproar as room exploded about them.

'Cernd, Evad, protect the slaves – Anomen and Aerie stay by the tunnel, guard our escape –and someone block the stairs, cut off their retreat.'

Anomen took up a position before the tunnel mouth as ordered, two guards already before him fighting to get to the escape route at his back, the knight protecting it and the elf behind him both as Aerie called upon her magics, seemingly unconcerned now about any attention from the Cowled Wizards, the elf clearly incensed by the horrors before them. Anomen turned taking the shorter man's blow on his shield's edge, knocking the blade back and almost disarming him, his other hand and the mace it held swinging out to block the long-haired guard's short sword.

Across the room, Valygar was defending Minsc before a cell door, a large rune glowing upon the wood, the ranger setting a heavy boot against the padlocked bar and taking it from the wall with a few stout kicks, the door swinging open to reveal an elderly woman who looked anything but frail, dark eyes snapping instantly to her captors as she began to intone her first spell.

A small group of gladiators had managed to secure the stairs, Fritha and Jaheira fighting Ehid and what looked to be a couple of his pirates while Hendak had been joined by Valygar, Minsc and the newly freed witch, the group locked in a fierce battle with Lehtinan and his bodyguards.

Anomen snapped his attention back to his own fight, bringing his shield up and forcing the shorter guard's blade aside, the man's neck snapping back with a satisfying crack as his mace swung up to connect with his jaw. He dropped where he stood, a large half-orc who had been fighting at the stairs leaving his fellows there to fill the breach. Anomen moved to block, the half-orc wielding his warhammer with force enough to jar the knight's shoulder as he took the blow on his shield, while at the same time keeping the other guard on the defensive with a wide sweep of his mace.

Behind him, Aerie's face was lit with furious anger as she released a bright surge of energy into a cornered group of slavers. And he could understand her ire, fury surging through him as he blocked another hammer blow. By Helm, how he hated that city sometimes, with its corruption and its poverty. How he could hate that life; his father a drunken tyrant, his sister stolen away just when she had been in her bloom, and Fritha- his infuriating infatuating Fritha, always burdened with troubles he could do nothing to allay.

The long-haired guard was edging sideways, sword held low and Anomen knew he was attempting to get around his defences, the man's face suddenly stricken as he caught his foot on the corpse of his friend. The stumble was slight but Anomen saw his chance, the half-orc already swinging back his hammer to draw his attack and for a moment time seemed to stop as Anomen made his decision. The mace swung out with all the hatred and frustration he possessed and the guard fell dead, Anomen turning to see the opening his attack had left, the warhammer swinging not for him but the elf stood behind. There was no time to block it with his shield, the blow likely strong enough to break his arm at that angle and he turned instead, thrusting out his mace to catch the hammer against the hilt as it swung in. But the force too great to redirect, the hammer sliding from the end of his weapon and his felt his whole body constrict as the blow landed on his chest.

'Anomen!'

Aerie's spell released with her cry, the knight trying to focus through the blur of pain as white blue fire engulfed the half-orc and there was a thud through the floorboards under him as his opponent fell too. Anomen was fighting for breath, every one he managed to draw agony. Aerie was shouting again, unfamiliar feet pounding about him and suddenly Fritha was knelt at his side screaming for a cloak, the only thing in focus as the rest of the room swam, just a chaos of noise and colour in the blinding white lights that were flashing before his eyes, pain searing through his chest as though he had been split in two.

Hands were fumbling at his breastplate, Fritha still at his side chattering feverishly.

'Just hold on, Anomen, please, just-'

He went to say her name, blood bubbling up between his lips as he tried to form the sound and for one awful moment she was staring straight down at him, terror dancing in those wide dark eyes, before he at last lost consciousness.

xxx

Aerie stepped down into the noisy tavern, the common room bustling with people all drinking and laughing, children running about the place and clambering under tables as they played. The street beyond the windows was dark, the twilight made all the darker by the bright lamplight. She would not normally eat this late, but she had needed to change first and though she was tired from the day's trials her wash had refreshed her, the clean robes feeling pleasant and crisp as she moved across the room, pausing to let two young boys play a brief game of tag about her knees before they were tearing off again. She smiled, the girl scanning about the packed tables looking for a familiar face. Valygar was stood at the bar talking to an older woman, her silver teeth winking as she smiled and Aerie considered going to join them when a large scarred hand raised from the throng to beckon to her, Minsc and the two young witches standing respectfully as she approached, the old woman, Yundra, sending her smile from her seat.

'Greetings, young elf, will you sit with us?'

'Well, thank you,' Aerie answered, quite caught out by her cordiality, Minsc smiling at her as she sank into the nearest chair though he said nothing, Emurra already hurrying to set a cup at her hand and serve her some ale from the jug in the centre.

'We were just speaking of my timely rescue,' continued Yundra, 'I did wonder if I would be seeing the two of you again. Emurra and Hulmeira were sensible to go and fetch help when I did not return.'

'You taught us wisely, Elder,' demurred Hulmeira, Emurra nodding fervently.

'We were so worried for you, Elder!'

Yundra smiled kindly and patted the girl's hand.

'I am no worse off for my ordeal and now many slaves have found their freedom and many evil men have found their deaths and I feel you two have learnt from this trial as well -we all owe much to these outsiders,' she finished with a respectful nod to Aerie.

'Ah, yes,' the elf faltered, feeling rather on show, 'if you don't mind me asking, you are a powerful mage; how did they mange to capture you?'

'Too easily, I fear!' the woman exclaimed with a depreciating bark of laughter. 'I was here investigating the disappearance of the last witch who visited this city. I found no sign of her, but I did discover the more tarnished side to this City of Coin –and, unfortunately, they found me too. I sent out correspondence to my few contacts within the city and when a messenger drew me from my bed three nights ago with a reply I was too eager to perform the usual rituals on what he delivered and I was caught. A Wychlaran is a prize – I heard they already had some Thayvian all lined up to purchase me. You did well to find me in time -both of you,' she added with a pointed look to the ranger next to her and Minsc flushed. 'The council of the Wychlaran will hear of your efforts here, brother. I cannot pretend to know how they will judge but when the time comes I will speak on your behalf.'

The ranger said nothing, just bowed his head with a reverent joy and the old woman smiled, making to rise.

'Now, if you will excuse us, I fear this inn will have little by way of free rooms spare tonight and we should return to our own lodgings; you will escort us, brother,' she finished, her curt order sending Minsc scarlet with suppressed pride.

'Yes, good Elder.'

And Aerie smiled as they took their leave, Minsc towering over the women as he followed them sombrely to the door.

'I see Minsc is now within the witches' good graces.'

Aerie glanced up to see Jaheira stood behind her chair, her armour removed, replaced by a clean brown tunic, her hairline still damp from where she had likely washed her face.

'Yes,' Aerie confirmed as the druid took a seat, 'Yundra says she will speak on his behalf when he returns to Rashemen, so that is something at least. How is Cernd?'

Jaheira shrugged, pulling a clean cup before her and reaching for the jug. 'The same. In his room still meditating; I cannot tell whether it is helping or whether he is just using it as an excuse to avoid speaking about what happened.'

Aerie frowned, remembering his wild look in the slave pit; his teeth; the blood.

'Do you think he could have turned on us?'

'No,' said Jaheira firmly, 'but had he changed completely, he would have likely had less control over his actions, especially if he had been angered.'

'The moon will be full in a couple of days,' offered Aerie quietly.

'Yes…' agreed Jaheira, sighing as she made her decision, 'We will have to inform Fritha. Did she come down with you?'

Aerie turned from the joyous chaos about her, her eyes drawn to the staircase behind, the steps rising up to be lost in the shadows. 'No, she is where we left her.'

xxx

Anomen opened his eyes, the first thing he saw in the gloom of that darkened room a blur of copper at his bedside, Fritha's voice coming soft and slightly hoarse.

'Lo, and he awakens… How are you feeling?'

'Stiff,' he murmured as he tried to straighten and gasping as the pain flared through his chest, Fritha's hand immediately at his arm.

'Oh, oh, be careful, you were hurt quite badly.'

Anomen closed his eyes, sinking back into the pillows and letting his mind go over the last things he could remember; their argument, her melancholy look in the press of that tunnel, the fight with the slavers… Anomen winced as he watched his folly play again behind his eyes.

'I made a mistake. I should not have-'

'No, no, none of that,' Fritha cut in, her voice still soft though there was a firmness behind it now, 'battles are chaotic enough and it only takes the slightest lapse in judgement. No one blames you.'

Anomen sighed inwardly; he blamed himself.

'What happened?' he asked, if only to take his mind from it, 'Did you rout the slavers?'

'Well, we killed Lehtinan but Ehid managed to escape,' she admitted, adding quickly '-but most of the slavers were killed or captured –the Watch are still scouring the city for the others. And, most importantly, all of the slaves were freed. Hendak even led a group to the brothel next door -just marched up the stairs and said that any woman who did not wish to be there could leave then with no repercussions. Some left, some stayed but at least everyone was given a choice in the end. He's given the ones that left jobs here.'

'Here?' repeated Anomen, wondering if he had understood her correctly, 'At the Coronet?'

'Oh, didn't I mention that part?' the girl laughed brightly, 'Hendak said that Lehtinan owed him after profiting from his misery for so long, which no one could refute, so he's taken the Coronet for his own as recompense. Bernard was so shocked when he just arrived and told him -the man has worked for Lehtinan all this time and even he hadn't a clue what he had been caught up in.'

Anomen sighed again and deeply this time, the feelings of failure pressing on him; he hated that city sometimes.

'My throat is dry, will you help me to sit?'

'Ah, well, perhaps, you shouldn't-' Fritha hesitated, but he had already began to heave himself more upright, enjoying the pain that flared though his body in his shame, and she had no choice but to fly in, an arm under his back as she tried to support his weight, her voice breaking as she cried, 'Anomen, please, I asked you to be careful!'

Anomen let her fuss for a moment, shifting the pillows to better support him before she turned to fill his cup from the jug on the dresser at the end of the bed. He took it from her, drinking it slowly by small sips if only because his breathing was shallow, his chest constricted by the tight bandages. Fritha hovered at his side all the while, the girl taking the cup from him as he finished, her hand lightly brushing his and her frown was instant, though seemingly not for the usual reasons.

'You feel warm –I should fetch Jaheira.'

'No, no, it is fine, Fritha, just open the window.'

'But…' she protested weakly, seemingly unable to finish her objection, the girl uncharacteristically meek as she moved to open the window, cold air suddenly stirring his hair, sweeping like silk over his bare arms and shoulders. A silence fell between them, Fritha still lingering at window and he could see the distinctive outline of her face, a black silhouette against the pale twilit sky. Anomen leaned back into the pillows once more and closed his eyes, letting cool air move about him as he listened to the low rumble of the tavern beneath.'

'Downstairs seems rather raucous.'

'Yes, it seems everyone is in the mood to celebrate,' Fritha agreed as she made to return to the chair at his side, 'Hendak has already taken to his new life as a barkeep and declare all the drinks are on the house. Though he is making sure things do not get too rowdy. After the battle, we left with you and Minsc and Cernd stayed behind with Hendak and other gladiators to free the rest of the slaves. Apparently, many of them were children.' Fritha laughed gently, 'Downstairs is like a playground. Some will be returned to their homes, others who are either too young to know where they were taken from, or who have no parents are being collected by the Illmaterans tomorrow.'

'You do not have to stay, you know,' Anomen assured her, 'I am sure you would rather be down in the tavern.'

She smiled slightly. 'I am fine here.'

Anomen swallowed, the silence they were sat in giving his mind time to dwell on things other than his shame. He knew what Fritha would be thinking, knew what conclusions she would likely draw from his brush with death: that the turmoil of their ongoing relations had affected him enough to colour his judgement at the most vital of moments and he knew just as vehemently that he did not want her to blame herself.

'Fritha, I- I do not want you to take this- this incident as proof that any relationship between us would merely put me in more danger. I know we argued beforehand, but my will and my temper are my own and I should have known better than to take my feelings into the arena of battle… Fritha, I still would wish- I still want-'

'Anomen, please!' she interrupted in a cry, looking stricken, 'You cannot know how awful it was to watch you lying here, bleeding while Jaheira and Aerie flew over you, and then when they dismissed me and I was just sat on the stairs outside waiting, all the time going over and over all the unkind things we had just said to each other. And with our lives becoming more fraught with every moment, I really don't have the strength to keep refusing you and each time I do only compounds our misery. Please, Anomen, let this go.'

He could not see her very well, but her voice was high and wavering and her breathing had deepened and he had the most horrible feeling she was trying not to cry.

'All right,' he breathed, the previous pain in his chest nothing compared to the ache within it now, 'As you would have it, my lady.'