Cards Reshuffled

In the night, things tend to look different. Sometimes, things look clearer, more easy to understand. Suddenly you feel that you have figured it all out, everything that’s ever troubled you. Sometimes, you feel as if the world is falling to pieces around you, and that nobody even notices. And then there are those who hunt the night, and for them it is different still.

Excerpt from ‘Ruminations Of A Master Bard’

She was having trouble sleeping. Zaerini tossed and turned, thinking over the events of the past day, hoping she had made the right decisions. And that I will go on doing so. And not get any of my friends killed. Once they had returned to the Copper Coronet after Viconia’s rescue they had discussed their options. Eventually Jaheira had suggested getting out of the city for a few days. Apparently there was trouble brewing in the city of Trademeet, some days to the east of Athkatla, where the local druids seemed to have gone insane, randomly attacking the citizens. There was a call out for adventurers, with the promise of a decent reward for helping out. Rini thought it seemed a good option to take. Not only would it get them out from under the noses of the Cowled Wizards for a little while, but if things went well they would come a good deal closer to raising the reward needed for Imoen’s rescue.

Viconia had opted out of going along, however. She gave no specific reason, other than at the moment she’d rather not leave the city, and she was very firm about it. Rini felt bad about leaving her behind, especially after her recent capture, but Viconia insisted that she could take care of herself, and got quite indignant about it. She did say that she would try to look the group up later, once they got back, and that was all she would say, except that she could probably be reached in the Graveyard District. Should I have badgered her more? Should I have been more persistent? Am I letting her down? Groaning with angry frustration, the half-elf turned over once more. I’m only one person. I’m a bastard child of a god, not a god myself. I don’t know everything. I can’t do everything. She reached her fingers into one of her pockets, gently touching the leaf that lay hidden there. She couldn’t quite remember where she had found it, only that it was important somehow. Strangely enough it was still fresh, as if it had just been picked, and touching it calmed her a little for some reason. I can only try my best, I know that. I just wish it felt as if it were enough.

Sleep wasn’t coming. It simply wasn’t coming, she was too worried still. Sighing, she sat up, looking about the campsite. They were deep into the forest, and should reach the Keep De’Arnise the next day. It would be good to see Nalia again, she thought. And…the others. Even Abduh. But in the meantime, she needed to do something in order to relax. Silently, she padded over to where Minsc was sitting near the fire, keeping guard.

“Hi there,” she told the large berserker, sitting down next to him with a weary smile. “Everything calm?”

Minsc’s eyes lit up, and his face split in his normal cheerful smile. “Minsc and Boo are fine, little Rini! Everything is snug and calm as a nesting hamster!” Then he frowned. “Why isn’t little Rini resting? Boo says it’s very important for a Witch to get her proper sleep, and Minsc agrees.”

“I know…I just can’t sleep, that’s all. I…have a lot on my mind these days, I guess.”

Minsc gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm. “Minsc is sorry…Boo says that Minsc’s mind is nice and clean, but Minsc knows that everybody isn’t as lucky as Minsc is in this. What can Minsc and Boo do to help? Is there Evil that needs to feel the sting of hamster teeth and Minsc’s mighty and clever sword?”

“You know…” Lilarcor muttered out of its scabbard. “…a long time ago I was a Moonblade. Yeah…that’s right…”

“Thanks, Minsc,” Zaerini said, leaning gratefully against the ranger as he put his enormous arm about her shoulders, giving her a hug. “It’s not that sort of thing. It’s just…there’s so much to deal with right now. Immy still missing…and this whole mess with Edwina…and Anomen…and Viconia. And everybody wants me to do things, and fix things, and it feels as if wherever I turn next I’ll fail somehow, or let somebody down. And I try to, I really try to be there for everybody, but there’s only so much I can do.” She could feel her eyes slowly filling with tears, and blinked them away angrily. “I’m going to mess up, I know it. I’m going to let you all down. And that makes me feel like simply lying down and giving up, but I can’t do that, because that would let everybody down, and I would hate myself for it.”

She was sobbing quietly now against Minsc’s chest, and he was rocking her gently, one large hand rubbing her back. It felt good. Warm and nice.

“Minsc knows that his Witch will do well,” he said. “Boo says that nobody could do better, and that she shouldn’t try to be more than a flesh-and-blood person, or she’ll be very unhappy. Deciding what to do is very hard, that’s why Minsc is so lucky to have Boo to do it for him. But Boo says that even he makes mistakes sometimes, and he is a giant miniature space hamster. Don’t be sad! If little Rini likes, Minsc will make some nice and hot Rashemani tea to make her feel all better.”

“It’s all right,” the half-elf said, smiling a little as she wiped at her eyes. “I feel better now…I promise I’ll try not to fret so much. Boo is right, I’m only mortal. I’ll just sit here for a while, and then I think I’ll be able to sleep again.”

She leaned against Minsc, taking comfort in the warmth radiating from his large body and his arm around her shoulders, and closed her eyes. I’ll just rest for a while…just a little while… And finally, sleep came.

Dekaras had never seen so many vampires gathered in one place, and he had to admit to himself that it was a rather unnerving experience. Having followed Yoshimo down some dark tunnels, he now found himself inside what could best be described as a cross between a palace, a tomb and a sort of private club. Mulhorandi statues figured heavily in the decorating scheme, as did paintings of bloody executions, murders and various undead creatures.

There was a large gathering hall, with an enormous black marble table, with white veins in it that were reminiscent of a spider web. He could imagine all too well what kind of meals might be enjoyed there. Fortunately it was empty at the moment.

There were several smaller rooms, with corridors leading off in different directions. He had caught glimpses of a few of them, and there seemed to be an emphasis on red velvet pillows and stone sarcophagi. Bedrooms perhaps, or what passed for bedrooms among vampires.

Then there was the…bathroom. It held a large marble tub, filled to the brim with what seemed to be fresh blood. They must use some sort of spell to keep it from coagulating, Dekaras distantly thought as he tried to ignore the penetrating smell coming from the tub. A female vampire was currently sitting in it, her long brown hair spreading out in the warm liquid, and her skin glowed like a white pearl against the dark blood. As he passed her, she bared her teeth in what might have been a smile, or a snarl. Possibly both. “Want to join in?” she purred. “I’m feeling lonely…”

Hungry, more like it. And winding up as a bathtub snack really isn’t among my plans for the future. “Thank you, but no,” Dekaras said, inclining his head towards the vampire. “I’m trying to cut down on the bloodbaths – for health reasons, you see.”

“And we are expected elsewhere, Dell,” Yoshimo said, scowling at the vampire. “She is expecting him.”

“Oh…” the vampire pouted. “What a shame. Maybe later, then.”

They descended yet another staircase, and the air grew heavier, even more oppressive than before, and with an even stronger hint of that metallic, thick smell. Blood. They must really wallow in it…I wonder where they get it all. No, on second thought I can probably guess that. Finally Yoshimo stopped before a large stone door, rather ostentatiously decorated with bats and skulls. “This is the place,” he said in a toneless voice. “Remember, she is…temperamental.”

“I believe I can cope with that.” I’ve had a bit of practice, after all.

“As you say, honored colleague.” Yoshimo rapped on the door, and it swung open, slowly and without making any noise. “Mistress Bodhi,” the Kara-Turan thief said. “Your guest is here.”

There were a few seconds pause. “Excellent…” a female voice spoke from within the room. It might have sounded seductive under other circumstances, but there was a cold undertone to it, the cold of the grave. “Please send him in, Yoshimo. And then you may leave us. I will send for you when I need you.”

Yoshimo bowed and stepped aside, and as Dekaras passed by him he thought that the look in the other rogue’s eyes was very disturbing, a mix between pity and relief. I doubt he expects me to come out of here alive. All his senses felt heightened, triggered by the danger ahead, and he could feel his blood rushing faster through his veins. Possibly the vampire inside the room could sense that too. It wasn’t a very pleasant thought.

As he entered the room, the assassin’s eyes were first drawn to the large coffin in the center of it. Then they settled upon the vampire sitting on top of the coffin, dangling her legs over the side. Bodhi had short black hair, thick and glossy, and dark and glittering eyes that contrasted against skin as white as that of a marble statue. The only bit of color to her was her full lips, which were a deep red. She gave him a small smile, enough to display just a hint of sharp fangs, but that wasn’t what really captured his attention. An elf? True enough, Bodhi had the pointed ears and slender build of an elf, there was no mistake about it. She was wearing what could best be described as a collection of black leather straps, designed to reveal more than they hid, and to hide only what was absolutely necessary.

“Why, hello to you!” the vampire said, still in that voice that was trying for erotic but wound up as chilling instead. “I am Bodhi…and I welcome you warmly.” She sniffed the air, and then smiled again, revealing more of her fangs. “Very warmly.”

“Charmed, I’m sure,” Dekaras said, not taking his eyes off the vampire. “You may call me…let me see…’Mordo’. That will do.”

“An interesting name,” Bodhi said, pursing her lips a little at the elvish word. “’Obscurity’…why that particular one?”

“It is a fitting thing to strive for in my profession, wouldn’t you say? At least in public. Fame tends to be counterproductive.”

Bodhi laughed, a sound like falling ice cubes, and then she was suddenly on the floor right next to him, her cold hand caressing his neck. Don’t move. Just don’t move. She is testing the waters still, trying to establish dominance. It wasn’t all that easy though; he had to use a large amount of will-power not to pull away.

“I think I like you, Mordo,” Bodhi hissed, her icy lips briefly grazing his skin right beneath the jaw. “Yes, I will accept that name – but do not speak any elvish in my presence apart from that, or I will drain every last drop of blood from your body.” Then she gave him an impish smile, and her voice turned sweet once more, sickly sweet even. “I may still do that of course – after all, I do like you. I think you might make a fine Child of Darkness…but for now, I have another use for you. I so hope you won’t disappoint me by turning me down.”

“Turn you down?” Dekaras said, forcing himself not to move or to breathe too quickly. “How could I possibly want to disappoint such a charming lady? Where would my manners be?” Probably dripping out of me, along with my blood, but that’s something I’d rather not think of too hard right now. And I don’t have a choice, not if I’m to get what I want from this creature.

“Good,” Bodhi said, and now that she was so close he could see that her eyes weren’t black at all, as he had first thought. Rather they were blue, a deep and inky blue, so dark it was almost black. Beautiful to look at, really. “My servants have been watching you for some time, Mordo, and they have impressed me with your skill. I would hate to see you waste yourself on those…Shadow Thieves. So listen to me closely, while I outline what I have in mind…”

As he concentrated on the vampire’s words, Dekaras decided that they were pretty much what he had been expecting. He would need to prove himself first, of course. Then, after he had gained Bodhi’s trust, he should be able to find the information he needed, either directly or indirectly.

Always assuming she doesn’t get it into her head to turn me, of course. The fangs I wouldn’t mind so much, and the shapechanging ability would be useful, but a completely liquid diet sounds rather dull, I think. Besides, I’m fairly certain my beloved would raise a storm over the ‘sleeping in a coffin’ business.