Cards Reshuffled

No matter how horrible things are, anything gets a little more bearable as long as you have true friends with you. The things that might break you if you were alone, the things that might drive you insane, with the aid of true friends you will live through them.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

Zaerini held her familiar closely, stroking the cat’s black fur, feeling the animal purring against her body. Softy, I’m so glad you’re alive. If he’d hurt you…

The cat squirmed a little in her grasp, then nudged her throat with a soft nose. He never even knew I was here, kitten. I followed you here, but he never hurt me.

But you’re so thin…are you sure you’re all right?

I don’t dare hunt too often, Softpaws explained, sounding a little pained. I didn’t want to risk getting caught. And…I was afraid that if I stayed away too long you might be gone when I came back. She hissed quietly. He hurt you, and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t even reach your thoughts, you were in too much pain most of the time, or else he was there, watching. I had to…I had to let him do…those things to you.

Oh Softy. It wasn’t your fault. It’s not as if you could have fought him on your own. You’d have got killed, and that would have hurt me even more. Softy?

Yes, kitten?

If you were never captured…how did you get here? Did you see…the ones who attacked us? And…Him? What do you make of Him?

The cat was silent for a moment. I was sleeping inside your pack when they attacked. Somebody pulled it shut, I couldn’t get out. I never saw who it was that attacked, but…I smelled them. Cold smells. Like dead things, walking. They were hissing. Your things were brought here, and I with them. I gnawed out of the pack once all was quiet, and we were in this place. Nobody saw me, but I saw the Hungry One.

The Hungry One…

Yes. The one who hurt you. He hungers for something; there is something he wants of you. Something he needs. He kept speaking of it, but he never said what it was. I’m sorry I can’t help more.

The half-elf smiled faintly and laid her cheek against the soft fur, saddened at how easily she could feel the ribs beneath. You’re helping already, simply by being here. We’ll manage. Somehow, we will.

There was a small storage room to the side of the room with the cages. A golem waited there, and if it had been given more specific orders things would have gone very badly for the two girls and the cat. As it was, it had been told to guard the prisoners, but it hadn’t been told to keep them from escaping, and it watched mutely as they helped themselves to what weapons they could find. There weren’t many to choose from, and they weren’t anything out of the ordinary, but Rini felt quite a bit better once she had acquired a sword. Not that it would do much good against Him, but it still helped. Imoen helped herself to a slim dagger, and then turned her attention to the painting hanging on the wall, behind which she found a small storage compartment.

“Look, Rini!” the pink-haired thief said, for a moment sounding almost like her own self. “It’s your spellbook! And here are those ugly gold pantaloons you stole at the Friendly Arm, I thought you’d got rid of those ages ago. And…here’s your deck of cards!”

The bard picked the cards up, weighing them in her hand, noticing that a couple of them had been stained with blood. My blood. He…I remember. He made me do a reading for him, I didn’t want to but he made me and…He didn’t like it. He didn’t understand much of it, I could tell, but he didn’t like it. What was it about? I…I can’t remember. He told me that I was lying, that I would get punished, and then he…

“Rini?” Imoen was touching her arm, looking close to tears. “Did I…did I say something wrong?”

“No, no,” Zaerini said, shaking her head. “I just…remembered something. It was great of you to find these things.”

“I guess he sold our other stuff…at least I can’t see it anywhere. But I did find this.” Imoen held up a common iron key. “It doesn’t seem to fit anything here. I guess maybe we should go back, check the other room for more exits.”

Zaerini didn’t exactly relish the thought of going back to the room with the terrible cages, but there didn’t seem to be much choice. “Yes,” she said. “Let’s go then.”

Softpaws ran ahead, streaking along the ground like a black shadow. You want to go fetch the others, kitten? I’ll show you, follow me.

Others? What othe…

But the cat didn’t answer, simply ran ahead, eager to finally be able to aid her mistress. She ran straight towards the far end of the room, and up to yet another of the awful cages, this one firmly planted on the ground, and there she stopped, pawing at the iron bars. Inside was a woman, as dirty and lean as the other prisoners, but somehow still managing to look proud and regal. Her green eyes flashed with sudden emotion as she saw Rini and Imoen approaching, and when she spoke her thickly accented Tethyran voice carried definite traces of relief with it. “Children!” she said. “I am so pleased to see you both free. I had feared that…but no. Quickly, we must get out of here before whoever did this returns.” She chuckled wryly. “I swear, traveling with you is never dull.”

Memories kept flashing through Zaerini’s mind, reality and dream intermingled. She knew this woman, had traveled with her for a long times. She knew her pride and competence, her stubbornness and eagerness to take command, but also her warm heart and her genuine desire to protect. “Jaheira?” But in my dream she was sad…wasn’t she? She seems all right now, she’s been starved, but she’s not in pain, not like Immy. Then why did I dream that she was weeping? “Are you…are you well?”

The druid gave her a sharp look. “Apart from having been locked in this cage for Silvanus knows how long, with scarce provisions? Yes child, I am. But you, on the other hand…”

“Yes,” the bard interrupted. “I know. Look, I think we found the key to your cell. Just a moment.” Keep talking. Don’t let her ask questions. I can’t bear to talk about Him, not now. Not yet.

Door unlocked, the druid stepped outside, looking seriously concerned. “Child, you were avoiding the issue.”

Damn. “What issue?”

Jaheira put a comforting hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, her voice softening just a little bit. “He usually took you away when he was about to perform his…experiments.” She spat out the last word. “But sometimes I could hear you. I know not what he did, but I know you were hurt, body and soul.” She turned to Imoen. “And you as well, child. I only wish to help you, both of you.”

Rini bowed her head, her red hair falling forward to cover her face like a curtain. It looked dirty, and uncombed. She’d always tried to look after it, even on the road. Particularly when…when he was still around. He liked to watch it. He never said it outright, but I could tell. He wouldn’t like the look of me now though. I’m a complete scarecrow. And anyway…he walked out on me. He left. I remember that much. “I know, Jaheira,” she said. “But I don’t remember much. And what I do remember…I can’t talk about it now. Let’s try to get out of here first, there’ll be plenty of time for talk later.” She suddenly thought of something. She’d hardly ever seen the druid without… “Where’s Khalid? Is he here as well?” She looked about for the half-elven warrior, her shy and gentle friend, Jaheira’s loving husband.

Jaheria shook her face, and a shadow crept into her green eyes, like night falling in the forest. “I do not know where he is and it worries me. No doubt he was taken as we were, though it seems we were all meant for different fates. I have not seen him since our capture, and the thought of him receiving the same treatment you did is…unbearable.”

Imoen made a low sound, deep in her throat, like a soft whimper. “Maybe…maybe he’s close by? Maybe he’s…maybe he’s free too? I…didn’t see him. I didn’t see anything. Did I?”

Jaheira shook her head. “Child, you are babbling,” she said in a kind voice. “Do not fret. We will find Khalid. I will not be separated from him for long. But there is another captive here, close by, over around that corner. I have heard him on occasion, and there can be no doubt. Minsc will require our aid.”

Minsc? The bard dredged through her memory. Who is…oh. Minsc. Now I remember. The…one with the hamster. Oh, how annoyed he used to get with…no. Don’t think about him. He left. Good for him, I guess. At least he didn’t wind up stuck in a cage.

Imoen was already running towards the cage in the other part of the room, and a cheerful bellow could be heard from there, like that of a particularly happy moose. As Zaerini caught up with her friends, she found another cage, the largest one yet. Inside was a huge man, with a purple tattoo covering the larger parts of his face, and he was laughing happily.

“Little Imoen! And little Zaerini too! And the tree lady! Minsc is so happy to see you all! With all the evil oozing from the walls in this place, it is good to see friendly faces, and friendly feet to aid with the kicking of Evil Butts!”

Rini smiled, despite everything. She’d always liked the giant Rashemani berserker, with his simple but sometimes surprisingly deep mind, and his gentle heart. The Witch though…never was that fond of her. Far too stuck-up. But…we…we needed a mage after…after he left. I didn’t care who, at that point. At least she knew what she was doing.

“Poor Minsc…” Imoen said, her face solemn. “We’ll find a way to get you out, don’t you worry.”

Minsc nodded eagerly, a feverish glow lightening his eyes. “Yes! Freedom! Glorious freedom! My good friends will release me, and I will rain down blows like a hailstorm of Justice upon those who have dared imprison me, and…and…” His face fell, and suddenly he wailed, a terrible, heartfelt cry of pure pain. “DYNAHEIR! No! NO! She will be avenged!”

“Dynaheir?” Rini said, unclasping her hands from her sensitive half-elven ears. She hoped the ringing would stop soon.

Minsc nodded, tears rising into his eyes. “...They... they killed her as I watched, you see? I know not who they were, but...but I will redeem myself!”

More memories. Minsc…he had been Dynaheir’s protector, the Witch’s bodyguard. It was his sacred duty, and part of his passage to official manhood. If she was dead…it meant he had failed, effectively making himself an exile from his faraway homeland of Rasheman, forever. Poor, poor Minsc. That has to hurt so much. Poor Dynaheir too, I guess…but her I never really got to know.

Imoen was crying too now, her little hands clenched on the bars of the cage. “Minsc, that is horrible! I am so sorry for you.”

Minsc sniffled a little. “I won't cry for the dead! I won't! Ok, maybe a little, but I will staunch the flow of tears with righteous fury! Lullaby and goodnight, evil! Minsc will make you pay!” A small and furious squeaking sounded, and a tiny and furry face became visible over his shoulder, black and round little eyes glittering dangerously. “And Boo too,” Minsc added, petting the tiny hamster. “Boo will worm his way cunningly into the Sinister Underpants of Evil, and then his sharp teeth will dispense Hamster Justice!”

“Right…” Zaerini said, feeling a little dazed, a common sensation when conversing with Minsc. She also couldn’t help but notice that the lock to Minsc’s cage wasn’t just locked, it had been welded shut. “That’s a very…vivid image. Not that I object.” How can we possibly get him out of there though? Unless… “Minsc,” she said. “Do you know what our captor keeps next door? It’s a tiny machine, with a very sharp blade, and a tiny little basket for heads to drop into. Little furry heads. I think he means it for Boo, but there were plenty of dead little hamsters lying about, so I guess he’s been practicing.”

“RAAARRRRRGH!” This roar was even more terrible to hear, and as Minsc grasped the bars of his cage they creaked and shuddered, and finally bent. The warrior came striding out, his face twisted with fury. “The fiend! The slayer of hamsters! He shall pay, and Boo shall gobble his evil eyeballs down like peeled grapes! He shall maim! He shall crush! He shall…”

“Whoa!” the half-elf interjected. “Minsc, it’s all right! I only made that up, I’m sorry I had to trick you. But at least it got you out, right?”

On Minsc’s face the fury gave way to puzzlement, and then to his usual good-natured smile. “Oh, little Rini is clever, very clever! I understand now! You said what you did just to get me mad! Mad enough to break free! You are as smart as Boo sometimes!”

Jaheira shuddered briefly. “Speaking of which, how ever did that rodent manage to elude our captor?”

Minsc put one finger to his nose in an expression of extreme cunning. “Don't ask questions better left to aged sages. Boo is quick and evasive and there is ever so much of Minsc to search, there is no hope of getting us apart.”

Imoen made a face. “Eww, I... really don't want to think about that too much.”

I’m hungry, Softpaws said in a commanding voice.

No, Softy. I know what you’re going to say, but you can’t eat Boo. Not unless you want Minsc to make you into a pair of earmuffs.

He wouldn’t have to know! I’d eat very quietly, in a secluded corner…

I said no! Besides, I have a feeling that hamster is pretty tough. He might wipe the floor with you. I’ll find you something to eat as soon as possible, I promise…

Oh, all right. Not the things in the jars though.

What things in…no. I’m sure I don’t want to know. It’s probably disgusting anyway. Zaerini smiled slightly. She had her familiar back, she had trusted friends with her. She had just learnt more than she’d ever wished to know about where one might hide a hamster. The pain and the bad memories were still there of course. But for the moment, she was able to put them aside. And for the moment, that would have to be enough.