In The Cards

Wouldn't it be nice if things were simple. Black and white. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Just pick a rule and stick to it, no matter what, expecting people to fit into the molds you define for them. Nice and easy. Safe. And dangerous.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

"So then I kicked him in the head until he was dead!" The young bandit laughed at his own comment, a laugh that came out as something of a nasal whinny. Then he and his two friends turned to see Zaerini and her friends, and their amused grins turned into scowls. "Get them!" cried the leader, a blond young man with hard blue eyes and a broad gap between his front teeth. Rini sighed to herself. The group had almost arrived at the spot where they were supposed to meet up with Adahn and she'd hoped that the wait would be a quiet one. It was twilight now, and the shadows were starting to get longer, so she'd thought she might actually get a short rest before the meeting. No such luck, apparently.

It's bandit country, kitten, Softpaws said as she bit one of the bandits on the ankle and darted away before he could kick out at her. You have to expect bandits.

I guess. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.

Khalid and Jaheira charged one of the bandits, drawing him into close combat to keep him from using his bow against the rest of the party. Meanwhile Edwin launched an Acid Arrow at the second one, and Rini and Imoen followed up with some real ones that sent the man reeling. Viconia chanted something behind them in a low voice, and suddenly the third bandit froze into place, held immobile like a statue. The Drow calmly proceeded to beat his head in with her mace. It wasn't long before the other two fell as well.

"Well?" Jaheira asked, her mouth twisting as if she tasted something bitter. "Are you not going to proceed?"

"Proceed?" Zaerini asked. "With what?"

"With honoring your promise. The promise you made to Officer Vai. Procuring the scalps of bandits, remember?"

"Oh," Rini said, staring at the dead bandits. "That promise." Somehow the idea of scalping somebody had been much more tolerable than the reality of it. It wasn't as if the scalps were going to be lying ready for her on the ground, all neat and clean. She'd have to actually take a knife and… "I don't think I can do it."

"You do not think you can keep your given word? I thought Gorion taught you better than that. And they are only bandits, they surely deserved death."

"Gorion never taught me how to scalp people! And bandits or not, they'll still bleed." Damn, the bard thought to herself. She's still upset about me letting Viconia come along. She's trying to push me into this to prove some sort of point. Or to test me. Really, I thought we were through with that sort of thing.

"Jaheira, just quit it," Imoen said, her voice uncharacteristically fierce. "It's disgusting. Leave Rini alone, all right?"

"This is getting boring," Viconia stated. "Are we going to stand around here for long?"

Khalid was holding onto Jaheira, trying to get her to calm down, but the druid wouldn't stand for it. "We will do so for as long as it takes for her to make up her mind about this. I need to see…need to know…"

I knew it! It's just some sort of twisted little mindgame. She still doesn't trust me, not completely. If I make decisions she doesn't agree with she has to interpret that the worst possible way. Now she's going to make me out to be either an oathbreaker or a bloodthirsty bounty hunter, I just know it.

"What game are you playing, druid?" Edwin asked. "Just what is it you are trying to prove? That she is not your tame pet to always do your bidding? (Or perhaps the druid is simply starting to gain a bald spot and wants to cover it up with a bandit wig.)"

"Interesting question," said a smooth voice directly behind Edwin. Adahn stepped out from behind the trees, seemingly materializing out of the wizard's shadow. He took in the three dead bandits as well as the adventurers and then nodded politely to them. "Good evening," he said. "My, my, you really have been busy, haven't you? Expanding from heroism and into bounty hunting? Not that the differences are necessarily all that great… It's surprising how many heroes are prepared to cheerfully kill for a reward. Though I'm sure the people they kill all feel honored to know that their slayer was somebody virtuous. Makes all the difference to the dead, that sort of thing."

"You!" Jaheira growled. "You set this up, did you not? Perhaps we should ask you to handle the bodies!"

The bandit watched the druid with some interest, apparently oblivious to her ferocious scowl. "Is she one of yours?" he asked Zaerini. The bard nodded. "Pity. No, I did not 'set this up'. If I had, I wouldn't have picked three inexperienced boys to ambush you. And as for the bodies…do you always start a conversation with a stranger by asking him to mutilate a corpse for you? Must get you lots of friends. But no, I must decline. It's just one of those code of honor things that heroes ought to understand. You kill it - you deal with it."

"Yes," Rini said, nodding. "I agree with that." She was furious with Jaheira, and right now she didn't much care what the druid thought of her and provoking her felt like an excellent idea. Might as well go all the way with this. She'll condemn me anyway, won't she? She drew her dagger and walked over to the first of the dead bandits without looking at any of her friends. Then she sat down next to the body and gripped its hair tightly. The task was more difficult than she'd imagined, but she managed. Somehow, she managed. I'm peeling an apple, she thought, trying to keep from crying or laughing hysterically. Just…peeling an apple. Once it was all over she rose and walked towards Jaheira, feeling a certain grim satisfaction at seeing the druid take a step backwards as she met her eyes. "Here," Zaerini said, thrusting the three bloody objects into the druid's hands. "I did as you asked. Mission accomplished. I hope you're happy. But I'm damn well not going to carry them."

Jaheira simply stared at her gifts and didn't answer.

And will they all hate me now, I wonder?

You know better, kitten, Softpaws said, and the cat gave Jaheira a glare to match the druid's worst. Just hold your head high and look at them. A cat hunts. A cat kills. The druid has been trying to forget that you have teeth and claws. It is past time she was reminded. Now open your eyes and look.

The half-elf did as her familiar bid her, looking from one of her friends to the next. Khalid was looking from her to Jaheira, looking as if he feared they might come to blows. But when he met her eyes he didn't look angry or revolted, simply worried for her. Imoen's face was sad but when she noticed her friend looking at her she managed a little smile and mimed 'That's telling her, sister'. Rini sighed. She hadn't known until then how much she feared Imoen's rejection. Viconia was watching her calmly with those strange red eyes of her, watching her with something that seemed like approval. She's probably seen worse than this in the Underdark. Edwin looked…surprised. Not bothered or disgusted, but surprised, as if he'd seen something that he hadn't quite been expecting. And he kept sneaking glances at Adahn, as if he was trying to gauge the bandit's reaction. Adahn himself was also watching her intently. His face didn't give much away, but there was an almost imperceptible hint of understanding in those black eyes. Possibly…even compassion?

"Did you know their names?" Rini asked the bandit.

"Yes," Adahn said, nodding. "Yes, I did."

"Once we have the time, I want you tell them to me."

"As you wish," the bandit said, and for once he sounded completely sincere. "But first, perhaps you might introduce me to the rest of your friends?"

"Yes," Rini said, grateful for this chance to switch the subject. "Yes, of course." She cleared her throat. "Well, you already met me and my familiar, Softpaws." The black cat purred softly and gave the bandit an appreciative look. See if you can get him to pet me again, kitten. Rrrrooorrr! I say we keep this one. "Ah…and Edwin too, of course," the bard managed, stumbling over her words a little as she tried to block out the cat's further comments, dreading the thought of repeating them out loud by accident. "Our resident wizard."

"Ah, yes," Adahn said, looking a little amused. "And a competent one, I'm sure. A pleasure to make your further acquaintance. I've always found magic a fascinating subject, so I'm sure we'll have much to discuss."

"Er…likewise," Edwin muttered. "Yes. Certainly. (I'm not sure how long I can take this. My hair will be gray tomorrow, I'm sure. Assuming we all live that long.)"

"And this is Viconia," Zaerini went on. "Our newest group member." Viconia flicked her white hair out of her face and patted her mace lightly against her free hand.

"Shadow-walker," the Drow said, her voice neutral. "I suppose your skills may prove useful. After all, Lil alurl velve zhah lil velkyn uss. The best knife is the unseen one."

"So it is," the bandit agreed, inclining his head slightly. "I imagine you will be of use yourself, priestess. Not merely because of your skills either. The reputation of the Drow is likely to impress Tazok and make our task easier."

Imoen was practically jumping up and down with impatience. "My turn!" she said, pulling at Rini's arm. "My turn!" She gave the bandit a blinding smile that made him look just a little bit worried. "Hi Blackie!" the pink-haired thief beamed. "Boy, is it nice to see you again, I really missed you. Did you miss me? I bet you did. Of course you did."

They've met? Rini thought, feeling incredulous. Oh no, now what is she doing?

Imoen had crooked her arm through that of the bandit, a possessive look on her face. "Blackie is the best," she said, batting her eyelashes at the other rogue whose demeanor by now was that of a wolf with its paw caught in a trap. Rini thought he looked like he seriously contemplated gnawing his own arm off in order to escape. "Adahn, I mean. He saved my life you know. And he's taught me lots. He's just the sweetest guy once you get to know him better. We have a special connection, you know, one made by fate. Don't we?"

"I…" Adahn said, a distinctly hunted expression on his sharp-featured face. Rini could hear Viconia chuckle quietly next to her. Edwin's jaw looked like it was about to hit the ground at any second and his eyes were as wide as teacups. As for herself, she couldn't help feeling sorry for the man. Immy tended to be very persistent when she had a crush on somebody.

"Don't we?" Imoen asked again with her sweetest smile.

The bandit hesitated before answering, and when he did it sounded like every word was being pulled from between his lips by force. "I…suppose so," he said, gritting his teeth. "Yes. Fate." As Imoen threw herself at him with a delighted squeal, doing her best to crush his ribs, Adahn favored the rest of the adventurers with an icy and very meaningful glare that clearly communicated that comments would not be welcome. Rini noticed that he didn't try to pry the girl off by force though, nor make any disparaging remark.

"And this is Khalid," Zaerini hurried on with the introductions, hoping to defuse the situation. "And Jaheira."

"H-hello," Khalid said timidly. Jaheira sniffed disdainfully. "J-jaheira, please!" The half-elven warrior shrugged apologetically at the bandit. "P-pardon my wife. She has a b-bit of a temper."

"Really?" Adahn said, arching an eyebrow at the druid and speaking in a calm voice that further served to inflame her, completely ignoring her furious scowl. "Would you know, I never would have noticed that. Actually, I've seen worse."

Jaheira looked ready to chew rocks at this inverted insult. Zaerini didn't feel the least bit sorry for her. "And now that we all know each other," the bard said, "I suggest we move on to business. The bandits are waiting."