In The Cards

I try to keep my calm as much as I can. But one thing that will always make me lose it is torture. Of others or of myself. Another such thing is Thayvian Opera. If you have an even slightly rational mind and are actually paying attention to the lyrics it takes an iron will to keep you from screaming after three hours of that.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

"I don't care who you are, no one's to enter Tazok's tent, under penalty of death."

Zaerini looked at the man who had addressed her. A fairly large warrior with brown hair and what seemed to be a permanent sneer etched into his face. He was flanked by a short man in light green mage robes currently flecked with blood and a huge gnoll wielding a wicked halberd. Further into the tent she could see a hobgoblin warrior raising an impressive bow that glowed softly purple in the dim interior of the tent. She decided to try to bluff. Tossing her currently-blonde hair back a little to make it bounce against her shoulders she pouted at the man, hoping to project 'Bimby's' expression of combined seductiveness, bloodthirst and naivete.

"You silly little man," she said, increasing the power of the pout just a notch. "It was Tazok who sent us here. He wanted us to fetch all his letters and important papers, he'll need them when he leaves for the mine." She giggled. "I'll be going with him. Wasn't that nice of him? He promised me that if anybody was rude to me I could have their head to play with. He's such a sweetie, isn't he?"

The warrior's eyes widened a little. Probably he was taken aback at hearing the ogre referred to as 'sweet'. "I don't know about this…"

"Aw, you're not going to be rude to me, are you? Are you? It would be awfully mean and unfair of you to be rude to little me." Rini smiled, trying to look as viciously innocent as possible.

"No, no. Of course not. You go ahead. We'll just get back to interrogating the prisoner."

Prisoner? Zaerini looked about, examining her surroundings more closely. The tent was rather dark and gloomy, but her eyesight was much sharper than that of a human. There was what could only be called a wooden throne against one wall, huge and crudely made, and with skulls mounted on the top. Doesn't take a genius to figure out whose favorite chair that is. Guess Tazok's taste really is as atrocious indoors as outdoors. A few simpler chairs and a couple of tables stood close by. On the walls hung several shields. Some were blood red, with a Black Talon. Others depicted a mailed fist in blue and white. That would be the coat of arms of the Chill, she guessed. Funny. I never would have guessed hobgoblins would want a coat of arms. Wonder if they'll form knightly Orders next?

The thought of a large group of hobgoblins in shining plate mail riding war horses was a rather mind-boggling one, and it was with some difficulty that Rini pulled her thoughts back in order. There was a large harp standing in one corner, amidst a few chests and expensive looking carpets. I just can't believe Tazok plays the harp with those fingers of his. It has to be loot.

Who knows? Softpaws said. Maybe he wants to learn to sing in order to go courting.

Excuse me?

Courting should always involve singing. When cats court each other, we sing all the time.

Yes. I've…heard cats court before, back in Candlekeep. Very penetrating it was.

Of course. You want the world to know you're available, after all. Speaking of which, you haven't been singing nearly enough lately. You should do so. You want the male to know you're in heat.

Softy, I'm not in…in heat! And besides, I'm quite busy at the moment, if you didn't notice.

Later then. But I'm not letting this slide, you know, kitten.

Zaerini shook her currently blonde head. Sometimes she just didn't understand how the mind of her familiar worked. And then she noticed the chair, half hidden behind the large harp. A man was tied to it, firmly tied with many ropes. Probably a thief, she guessed, judging from his clothes. All dark colors, mostly black and dark green. And he had the build of a typical rogue, lean and agile, not too heavy. Light brown hair hung into his face as his head drooped against his chest. There was blood on it, she could see that. Rather a lot of blood on the floor beneath him as well. She suddenly had a sick feeling that she knew where the spots on that mage's robe had come from.

"Prisoner?" Zaerini asked, and it was only with a great effort that she managed to maintain her airhead persona. "Oh, how nasty! Who's he?" She tilted her head to one side and gave the bandit in front of her a wide-eyed look. "Are you gonna break his bones and grind them up for your bread?"

"Um…possibly." The man smiled, and actually winked at her. "Poor Ender Sai won't be good for much else once we're done with him."

Zaerini could hear Jaheira draw in breath sharply behind her. Damn. Have to move now or she'll spoil everything. That woman really doesn't understand the concept of undercover work. "I guess so," the half-smiled and flashed the bandit another brilliant smile. "Say, do you want me to give you a little tip on what to do with him? If you come closer, I'll whisper it in your ear."

The bandit grinned widely and approached, bending down to allow easy access. Rini cupped her hand gently around his left ear, leaning towards him. "Well," she purred, "what I thought you could do was TO ROT IN THE NINE HELLS YOU MISERABLE TORTURING CREEP!" She screamed the last at the top of her voice and directly into the man's ear, making him reel with pain, and then used the distraction to kick him in the groin. The sounds he made as he lay on the floor were pretty satisfactory, she thought as she ran him through, almost as an afterthought.

Fire. Fire in her blood, dancing and burning brightly, roaring in her ears. So hot, so good. Her limbs moved easier, her thoughts quicker. She danced, and the flames danced with her. Magic. Sword. She alternated between the two as the opportunity allowed, as the dance moved her. Vaguely she was aware of Khalid and Jaheira engaging the large gnoll, of Edwin close by her side as he blasted the enemy mage with destructive magic.

And then pain. Searing pain that pierced her side, and the fire faltered, burned slower. Pain choking her, bringing her to her knees. Hot blood splattering her face as Khalid took the hobgoblin's head off with a single blow before he could fire any more of his poisoned arrows.

She was on the floor, being cradled close by somebody. Arms around her. Her head resting against somebody, the heartbeat of the other so much louder than her own. But she couldn't see properly. Why isn't my darksight working? Voices were all around, blurred and incoherent for the most part. "Why are you dawdling, druid? Hurry up!" "Quiet. Let her work in peace." Muffled swearing. A hand gently smoothing her sweaty hair away from her brow. Quiet chanting, coming from far away. So far away.

Fight it, kitten! You can. You know that. The piercing green eyes of her familiar burning into her mind, as the pleasant warmth of a spell spread through her body. And she could. Yes. She could.

Eyes. Green eyes staring into her own out of a worried black face. "Softpaws?" Rini croaked out, surprised at how feeble her voice sounded. The cat was sitting on her chest, and now rose to nuzzle her cheek quietly. Khalid's face floated above her, looking extremely concerned. Jaheira's eyes, as green as those of the cat, and equally worried, though the druid's face was its normal impassive self. Wait a second. If they were all there in front of her…then who was it that was holding her so tightly? "E-Edwin?" the half-elf said and tried to turn her head around. The wizard's eyes reminded her of black caverns and bottomless pits. His face was tense with barely restrained emotion and a muscle in his left cheek was twitching slightly. "Are you all right?"

"Am I all right?" Edwin sounded totally incredulous at first, and then furious. "Am I all right? Are you totally out of your mind? What were you thinking of? You could have been killed! You almost were killed! Have you any idea how close you came to death? I could see you slipping away! I could feel it!"

"But…"

"No buts! You can't just charge into battle like that without paying attention to what you're doing, you know that! You should learn some restraint from me if you want to survive long enough to actually meet up with Sarevok again. (I think ten years just got added to my biological age. I'm probably going gray.)" Then he looked surprised and a little insulted as Jaheria grinned widely and Khalid chuckled quietly. "What? WHAT?! Will somebody please consent to tell me what's so very amusing?" He instantly fell silent as the bard twisted around on his lap to press a finger against his lips.

"Please," Rini said with a faint smile. "You're not making my headache better, you know." She slid off the wizard, letting him assist her to her feet. "And…thanks. For caring. It…means a lot to me." Edwin made some sort of unintelligible sound at that and turned a strange shade of red. Zaerini nodded to Jaheira. "Thank you, Jaheira," she said. "If it hadn't been for you…"

The druid nodded, smiling back. "You are very welcome, child."

"Er…excuse me? I could use some help here, if you don't mind. Please?" Ender Sai was coughing nervously as the adventurers turned towards him. His face was vaguely fox-like, Rini thought, pointed and clever. Currently it was decorated with a black eye and several minor scrapes, as well as a nasty wound above his temple, the one that had bled all over the floor. One of Jaheira's spells returned some of the color to his face and made him breathe easier, and Khalid cut his ropes at the same time. "Thank you," Ender Sai said fervently. "If not for you, I wouldn't have lasted much longer."

"You almost cost m…us our leader," Edwin said, giving the other man a dark glare. "You had better be worth it."

"Oh, I am, I assure you. I know things, you see. That is why they were beating me up, to find out how much I'd learned. These aren't your ordinary bandits. They're part Black Talons and part Chill, Chill being a demihuman band, mostly hobgoblins, and led by that creepy smart one, Ardenor Crush. There be others elsewhere, like that priest Mulahey sent to poison the mines of Nashkel. Set himself up as a kobold god returned and legions of the brainless barking fools believed him, ready to do his bidding 'til death do they part..."

"We k-know that a-already," Khalid said. "We k-killed him ourselves." For some reason the statement sounded much more chilling when spoken with his mild and friendly voice. Apparently Sai thought the same.

"Ah, well…that's…nice. But I know other stuff! Crush and Taugosz Khosann, leader of the Black Talons, both think he's getting orders from the Zhents and Tazok doesn't do much to discourage that particular line of thinking. But the Black Talons and Chill are bandit groups, see? They ply the trade routes, avoid the cities, and that's where they go wrong. I'm from the Gate and I can tell you dead as leather that the Zhentarim aren't behind this."

"We know that as well," Jaheira impatiently interrupted. "Have you nothing useful to say?"

"Er…" Ender Sai said, looking more nervous by the minute. "Well…A desire for silence isn't the only reason I wear soft-soled boots. I wear 'em so I can tell who's toes I'm treading on. I didn't mess with no Zhentarim. I picked my enemies and I messed with one group and one group only--the Iron Throne. And, right as rain, here I am as Tazok's personal prisoner. You do the math." He was speaking very quickly by now. The fact that Edwin was still glaring at him didn't seem to make him any calmer.

"We know about the Throne's involvement," the wizard flatly stated. "They can keep you, for all I care. Or are you going to give us a reason not to let them? (She should just have let them kill him. I can't believe she risked her life over this little weasel. He's lucky she still lives, if she'd died I would have cut his heart out and made him eat it raw.)"

Ender Sai was sweating heavily by now. "I…I know some more," he blurted out. "Tazok's been making regular visits to the Cloakwood so that's where I'd start if I were you. There are some documents in that chest that might be worth taking a look at, too... Now go step on some toes, alright? And you can tell them Ender Sai sent you." The rogue hurriedly darted past the adventurers and towards the door. Then he shrieked loudly as he unexpectedly found his way blocked.