Cards Reshuffled

I’ve never been one of those people who insist on knowing every tiny detail about my loved ones’ private affairs, and what they’re thinking. In fact, I think that’s a very annoying way to act. Still, as I’ve said before, there are certain tiny details that I think it’s rather important to be aware of. Especially those not-so-tiny details that might suddenly pop up behind me with a stiletto.

Excerpt from ‘Ruminations Of A Master Bard’

The journey from Trademeet had gone smoothly, with no problems at all so far. The only minor delay before departure had been a steady stream of urgent messages from a pair of Trademeet nobles, a certain ‘Lady Lilith Luraxxol’ and ‘Lord Skarmaen Alibakkar’, both of them requesting Zaerini’s presence at their estates in order to discuss some sort of business proposal. She had responded politely enough, telling them both that it would have to wait until she returned to Trademeet at some future time, and that was that.

Now the adventurers were busy setting up camp for the night, and Rini decided that it was high time she had a word with her lover. The wizard was digging about in her pack, a very preoccupied and worried look on her face. I hate seeing her upset…but she’ll feel all the better for having it off her chest I’m sure. And whatever it is she’s hiding, I have a strong feeling it’s something I really ought to know, or she wouldn’t look that guilty about it. “Edwina?” she asked, her hand lightly caressing the other woman’s bent neck. “I think we ought to have that talk now.”

Edwina sighed. “If you insist,” she said. “But I don’t want anybody else listening to this. You deserve to know, but only you.”

“Fair enough. We’ll go a little ways into the woods, how’s that?”

“It will do. (Though I can easily think of several more pleasant things to do alone in the woods with her.)”

“Edwina…”

“Yes, yes. You’ll get your wish.” The wizard pulled something out of her backpack, what looked like a piece of parchment. “I’d better bring this…it might make it at least a little easier. (Although I’d rather wrestle a dragon than be forced to explain this to her. With one hand tied behind my back.)”

A short while later the two women were sitting pleasantly close to each other on a flat rock, covered with soft moss and some very pretty little pink and bell-shaped flowers. The sun was low in the sky, and the few lingering rays made the trunks of the surrounding pines glow a bright and fiery red. It was pretty enough, Rini thought, if not as alluring as the woman she loved. She’s so beautiful…so perfect…and such a silly twit, keeping important secrets from me like this. I hope it isn’t too bad. “All right,” she said. “We’re alone. Now talk to me, and this time I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What did that ‘Degardan’ person mean when he mentioned your ‘companion’, and why have you never mentioned this to me before?”

Edwina turned her face towards her, biting her lower lip a little. “Before I tell you, you must promise me something,” she said, her voice tense.

“Promise what?”

“Not…to hate me after I tell you.” The wizard spoke rapidly, her voice nearly stumbling out of her mouth. “You might do it all the same, and I couldn’t blame you, but I never really meant…that is, I…love you.”

The half-elf leaned closer, wrapping her arms about her lover’s waist, looking her deep in the eyes. Those lovely, lovely eyes. “I love you too,” she said. “I can’t promise not to get upset, but I couldn’t ever hate you. I promise.”

Edwina drew a deep breath, and stared fixedly into the ground. “Do you remember when we first met?” she asked. “Back in Nashkel?”

“Of course. You ran into me by accident, knocked me down and everything.”

“Well…it wasn’t quite that accidental. The knocking-down part, yes, although I still think that was your own fault for not watching where you were going, but…I was waiting for you, you see.”

A very nasty suspicion started to grow in Zaerini’s mind. “Waiting for me?” she asked, her voice sharper than before. “What do you mean?”

Edwina’s face was a study in quiet misery as she went on. “The Harpers weren’t the only ones who knew of your heritage,” she said. “So did the Witches of Rasheman, which is why that Dynaheir woman was sent to find you. So…did the Red Wizards.”

The world stood still as Rini rapidly worked this through. She could hear her heart beating loudly, her pulse was pounding in her ears, and she felt suddenly cold. Of course. It all made sense, now that she thought about it. Certain things Edwin had said, odd little comments that she hadn’t thought much about at the time. “I see,” she said, her voice toneless. “So you were sent to spy on me.” I trusted you!

Some of her hurt must have been evident on her face, for Edwina went on at once, speaking fervently. “Yes,” she admitted. “Of course, I didn’t know you at the time. I couldn’t have predicted…that is, I thought it would only be another mission for the Red Wizards.” She coughed, looking embarrassed. “If you must know, my first really important one. The first one outside Thay too. I almost wasn’t allowed to go, I had to be very persuasive and…but never mind. The point is, I was supposed to recruit you, make you agree to serve the interests of Thay.” She looked rather sick as she went on. “And if I couldn’t do that…then I was supposed to make certain that you would at least not serve the Witches.”

He WHAT? “You…you were supposed to kill me?” she managed, her voice sounding dry and cracked to her own ears. “I see. So why didn’t you?” She laughed, a brief, mirthless laugh. “It must have been pretty obvious before long that I wouldn’t want to work for the Thayvian rulers. And you must have had plenty of opportunities.” I love you. I thought you loved me. Don’t you? I can’t think…

And then there were a pair of arms holding her tightly, almost hard enough to bruise, and an accented voice whispering furiously into her ear as soft hair tickled her throat. “Because I love you, you stupid woman!” Edwina snarled. “Of course I couldn’t possibly ever do anything to hurt you, I would rather bear Elminster’s mutated offspring. Ten times over, in fact, despite the disgusting beard, and despite that they’d all undoubtedly be born with pointy heads. I have been in love with you since practically the moment we met. Now just try to get that through your stubborn, idiotic, Bhaalspawn skull, because I’m not letting go until you do.”

Rini pondered this for a few seconds, all the while glaring into the angry eyes of her lover, close enough for their noses to touch. Slowly, slowly, a smile spread across her face. “Elminster’s mutated pointy-headed offspring?” she said. “That I would love to see. Well, actually I wouldn’t, but you get my point. And…I love you too. How could I not, when you have such a wonderfully poetic way of expressing your feelings? Despite your plans for trying to kill me.”

“I didn’t try to kill you,” Edwina huffed, but she seemed less tense than before. “And…I couldn’t take the risk of him trying it either.”

“Him?”

“Yes.” The wizard cleared her throat nervously. “As I said, this was to be my first mission outside Thay. I thought it would be a good idea to bring company along. For backup, you see. So I asked him to come with me, and he graciously agreed. (Well, actually I seem to remember him saying that he would as soon let an infant wander into a snake pit as letting me go off on my own…but she doesn’t need to know that little detail I’m certain.)”

“Asked who to come with you?”

“Ah…” Edwina said. “Well…do you recall me mentioning that most of my upbringing was handled by the family assassin? Who better than Master Dekaras to accompany me on such a mission, I thought.” She laughed nervously. “If, for some reason, I didn’t feel equipped to carry out the mission, he was supposed to help me. Of course, by that time I didn’t want the mission to get carried out…but I didn’t dare trying to explain that to him. I thought he might decide to do it anyway, you see. We both knew that deliberately disobeying my orders would get us into very deep trouble.” Her voice was strained when she next spoke. “And we…are close, so he’d want to do anything in his power to protect me. At least we were close. I honestly don’t know how he feels about me now, after everything I did.”

Zaerini closed her eyes, leaning her head against her lover’s chest as she could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. Oh Edwina…”Let me guess,” she wearily said. “You never even tried to explain things to him, despite him being your closest friend and all. No more than you tried to explain things to me. So what did you do, given that I’m still alive and all?”

“Well…I had to be sure he wouldn’t try to intervene. And there was another matter too, he was placing himself in a very dangerous position and wouldn’t listen to me and…”

A few minutes later the headache had grown worse. “All right,” Rini said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Let’s see if I get this straight. You sent him a bogus letter, telling him to meet you in Icewind Dale of all places, because, and I quote, ‘you wanted to keep him safe’?”

Edwina had bright red spots in her cheeks by now. “It sounded a lot better before you said it out loud like that…”

“It sounds like typical Edwin Logic, that’s what it sounds like. I know you meant well, but couldn’t you have thought of a nicer place at least? And I can’t imagine he’d be happy once he found out the truth. I know I wouldn’t be, especially with no explanation.”

Edwina nodded, looking very unhappy. “I know,” she said. “He must be so very disappointed in me…I just hope I’ll get the chance to explain things properly. I can’t bear the thought of him hating me!”

“Oh Edwina…” Zaerini said, stroking her lover’s hair. “I’m sure he couldn’t possibly hate you, even if he is upset with you. Not if he really loves you, and from what you’ve told me it sure sounds like he does. No more than I could. And I hope you’ll get your chance to explain things too. Hopefully before he decides that it still might be a good idea to slit my throat to get you back into the good graces of the Red Wizards.” She smiled. “And I understand how much it meant to you, disobeying your orders like you did. You were risking your entire old life…for my sake. If I ever thought I needed any more proof that you love me, then that would be more than enough.” She reached her face up, meeting the other woman’s lips in a soft kiss, even as her hands trailed across Edwina’s back. Mmmm…I can’t believe we waited this long. But we can always make up for lost time, I’m sure. “I take it that’s all the secrets done and dealt with, right?” she playfully asked between kisses.

“Er…” Edwina said. “Actually, there is one more thing. Though I think I’d better show you rather than tell you.” She held out that parchment she had brought with her from her backpack, her fingers trembling a little. “Please be careful with it. I worked on it for ages, and it’s quite a good likeness. Master Dekaras even said so himself, and he doesn’t say that unless he means it.”

Raising her eyebrow curiously, the half-elf took the offered parchment and carefully started to unroll it. A portrait, is it? Let’s see then. She had to admit that she was very curious to see who could have inspired such devotion in her lover as was clearly evident in Edwina’s voice whenever she spoke of her mysterious mentor. At least it’s not a woman. Now that would probably have made me more than a little jealous, given how Eddie more or less seems to worship the ground he walks on. And then she saw the portrait, and stared at it, feeling her mouth slowly drop open.

The portrait was of a sharp-featured man of indeterminate age, probably somewhere in his forties, with a rather long and pointed nose. He was smiling a faintly lopsided smile, and his dark eyes glittered with humor and sardonic wit. Zaerini knew his face well. She’d met him in person, after all, and had always quite liked him, despite being a little wary of him. She’d even seen another picture of him…one with decidedly less clothes on, for that matter, drawn by Imoen during that wild crush of hers. Not to mention that she’d seen him in more than one of her dreams and foretellings, usually being sarcastic with her. She could almost hear his voice now, in fact. Why the surprised look? I told you I’d turn up. Really, you ought to pay better attention to your elders.

“ADAHN?” she exclaimed, still staring at the portrait.

Edwina nodded. “Though that was only an alias he used, of course. He always has been wary of giving out his real name.”

“I see…and this is the final surprise you’re going to spring on me, is it?”

Edwina nodded again.

“Good…because I think need some calming down after this final one. Just put that portrait away so it won’t get damaged, and then let’s see if it’s true that pine is good for calming your mind.”

“Pine?” Edwina asked, looking puzzled.

“Yeah…pine needles rubbed into your skin from lying on the ground, to be exact. Though I think that moss over there seems like an even better alternative, what do you say?”

Edwina smiled.