"Don't be afraid," Risa giggled as Dynaheir gently, ever so gently lowered her hand to pet the chirping spider Khittix over the head. The happy spider was very patient with the jittery Dynaheir, and eagerly expected his well-deserved pat on the head.

It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and the sun burned its rays into the unsuspecting city below its menacing glare. On the giant balcony set into most of the second floor, Laska and her friends were enjoying themselves during their day off.

Dynaheir was chatting with everyone, getting to know them, and was currently making Khittix very happy with some well-deserved attention. Minsc was nearby, always keeping a watchful eye on Dynaheir and Boo alike as the hamster explored the Balcony's many flowerpots. Korgan sat in a lazy chair, sipping his ale through a straw while dipping his feet into a warm footbath. Nalia lay prone on one of the deckchairs, enjoying the sun, while Becky, Risa and Jaella were running around between playing in the pool and running across the patio. At the side of the platform, stood Laska and Viconia. The tattooed elf leaned leisurely against one of the decorative pillars lining the glass door back into the house, while Viconia stood on the other side of the pillar, in the comfortable shade it offered.

"So," Laska asked as the two elves watched Dynaheir pat Khittix on the head. "What do you think of the new and improved Dynaheir?"

"Well," Viconia muttered, "she seems to have a more open mind. She would not even have considered touching the 'unclean' spider she's petting at the moment. Whether she is 'new and improved' remains to be seen."

"How's she getting along with the others?" Laska asked.

"She gets along fine with you and me, obviously," Viconia muttered, "And I need not mention Minsc's devotion, which we both know so well..."

"And..."

"Korgan and Dynaheir seem to be getting along fine, though Dynaheir might object to some of his more extreme opinions or actions in the future. However, an overall bond of mutual respect seems to be forming, which will undoubtedly be strengthened when we will get on the road again."

"Speaking of which," Laska spoke, "we're still out of a job, except for waiting for the Roenalls to make their move... And then there's the portal gem we still haven't delivered..."

"Oh, the tiefling can wait for it a while longer..." Viconia muttered. "Now will you please stop interrupting me?"

"Sorry," Laska chuckled.

"Anyway, Keldorn is still slightly distrustful of her, but that might have something to do with the fact that Dynaheir is a mage, and was recently a very evil creature. Not doubt with time, he shall accept her. Jan... well, Jan hasn't had many dealings with Dynaheir mainly because he hasn't been around. He want on this romantic get-together with Lissa they didn't come home last night," Viconia smirked. "All in all, I think Dynaheir will fit nicely into this new group of misfits..."

"Can we talk about getting a new job now?" Laska smiled.

"Fire away," Viconia smirked.

"Well, I think we should hit the taverns, the bars, the watering holes, the inns, stuff like those and just stay there as long as we have to, to find someone who will hire us," Laska beamed.

"Hah!" Viconia smirked. "I just bet that would be your strategy and... it... always... ends... with... you... drinking... steadily..." she poke as she peered over the railing, seemingly looking upon the street.

"Why... are... you... talking... like... this?" Laska mocked.

"Because there's a large number of Amnian guards standing on our doorstep," Viconia muttered. "I suggest getting our weapons ready."

That said, Laska and Viconia stepped to the front of the balcony and leaned over the railing. Downstairs, a number of ten armed guards, led by a foppish brat noble who liked like he had swallowed a fly. "Open this door immediately! In the name of Amn, I say!" the noble shouted. Viconia and Laska exchanged a look and a smile. They wouldn't even break a sweat fighting these amateurs.

"Hey!" Laska shouted down. "This is a private residence! Please SOD OFF before I have to HURT YOU!"

"Ah, the peasant-elf!" the noble smiled. "I suggest you open this door right now, or I might just make an end to this illegal squattery of one of our fine noble homes!"

"Hey, this place is mine and I have the signed documents to prove it! They are stored in a safe place where you can never get to them!" Laska shouted back.

"You have them hidden under you mattress, don't you?" Viconia whispered.

"Perfect place!" Laska smirked.

"I bid you to open this door immediately, in the name of Amn and Nobility!" the bratty noble tried again while his men readied their pikes.

Without saying a word, Laska took the plantsprayer, unscrewed the top and emptied it over the railing. An annoyed cry escaped from the noble's mouth as Laska's watery projectile hit its mark. A few moments later, the order to break down the door followed. After a few minutes of banging on the front door, there followed a horrible explosion. A jet of green gas spewed into the group of pikemen, followed by another spigot in the wall spewing slippery oil. While the pikemen were scratching themselves like crazy, and were barely able to move in the large puddle of slippery turnip-oil, a hatch over the front-door opened, releasing hundreds upon hundreds of feathers...

While everyone on the patio came to see the spectacle below and have a good chuckle over it, the noble stood there, shaking his head and collecting the only pikemen left unscathed.

"Well, at least we know Jan's newly installed security-system works," Viconia smirked.

"Better go see what they want..." Laska smirked, while Nalia eyed the whole incident with concern.

The bratty noble and his remaining pikeman had entered the home of Laska and were intent creating a havoc to make a show of force. The noble was already standing ready to oversee a thrashing campaign performed by his... single remaining pikeman, ignoring the other nine still struggling with in the oil.

Already the pikeman had lifted a vase from a small table near the door and prepared to toss it into the piano.

"Break that vase, and I'll break your skull!" was shouted from the stairs as a fully armored elf stepped from the staircase and pointed a glowing moonblade at him. Soon, a battle-ready Drow followed as well...

"Errr," the pikeman muttered, "Lord Isaea?"

The noble, looking even more haughty from nearby, gestured the pikeman to continue. The pikeman gulped once, nodded and rose the vase high above his head.

"Drop that vase to the floor," Laska threatened, "and I'll crash YOU into the floor..."

The pikeman nodded and put down the vase back where it belonged before falling into position behind Isaea.

"Is everyone in this entire universe against me?!" Isaea snarled, while the pikeman shrugged. "In any case, I have come for the lady you have in your custody. I was promised her hand in marriage and I intend to see to it that she DOES become my wife! Especially now since the... unfortunate demise of her father. She is too young and distraught to be able to rule her lands. Her lands requires a strong rule..."

"Well, I'm sorry, but Viconia will be staying right where she is..." Laska smirked.

"I honestly don't know if that remark of yours is supposed to make me laugh or cry," Viconia shook her head.

"Sorry," Laska muttered.

"I shall not be denied!" Isaea snarled. "I am your better! As a noble, I command you to hand Nalia over to me this INSTANCE!"

"Better?" Viconia snarled. "You are my BETTER?! Let me tell you something, rivvil scum, but when my and Laska's ancestors were exploring Toril and wielding more powerful magic than the world has ever seen, your 'noble breed' were making little statues out of their own feces!"

"Yup," Laska muttered. "And you're not getting Nalia without a fight."

"Do not provoke me, elf!" Isaea replied. "Or I shall have you flogged!"

"Oh," Laska smiled as she slowly advanced on the haughty Roenall. "Will you have me flogged before or after I break your scrawny neck?"

Beads of sweat formed on Isaea's forehead as the elf took a step towards him... and another... and another, until he ended up being backed into a wall.

"Hey?" sounded a girl's voice as Risa sped down the stairs. "What's going on?" But the moment she saw Isaea standing in the room, her eyes grew wide and she simply stood there... petrified as she stared at the bratty noble.

"Rolf!" Isaea shouted in despair at his pikeman, and, the pikeman reacted. Being the faithful dog of a man he was, he dropped the pike and fished a small crossbow from his pouch... which he aimed directly at Risa's heart.

"So," Isaea smiled cockily, "it seems the tables have turned. I will be taking Nalia now..."

"You would sink so low..." Laska snarled. "If you fire that crossbow," Laska told the pikeman, "you will be GLAD when you soul finally arrives in the Abyss..."

"I am in control now! The girl lives and dies by my whim! I shall be..." Isaea tried to say, but was interrupted when a flash of blinding light formed and slammed into the body of the pikeman. Rolf screamed as he flew backwards and out the door, the crossbow dropping harmlessly to the floor.

"No," the recently appeared Dynaheir snarled, "thou shalt not..."

"Okay, then," Laska smiled as she advanced on the shivering Isaea. "Let's just see how well this big baby here bounces!"

"WAIT!" shouted Nalia as she sped down the stairs. "I need to speak to him..."

"Nalia!" Isaea snarled. "Call off your dogs! Come with me to do what is right! Honor the commitment you have made to me..."

"I have made my opinion of you quite clear, Isaea. I am the head of my house now, and I intend to keep it that way!" Nalia said sternly with crossed arms. "And Laska here, she'll made sure that you won't get the opportunity to spirit me away to prison so you can... 'speak for me' in the courts. In fact, I shall speak for myself in the courts. Tell your father, Isaea, that I shall face them at the courts as they will see the legitimacy of my claims... The De'Arnise lands, and my home, will ALWAYS belong to my family no matter what you and your rat-nest will say!"

"This," the seething Roenall snarled, "is not over by any means!"

"Oh, it's over alright," Laska said, "I'm going to close my eyes and count to ten, and if I find you still here after that, I will rip your heart out and show it to you before you die!" Not surprisingly, Isaea had ran out the door at 'two'.

"Laska," Nalia admonished, "you almost ruined the plan! You were going to kill Isaea!"

"Sorry for saving your ass, princess," Laska snorted. "I was just having a little fun... Now, if you'll excuse me," she said as she moved to check on Risa. Risa was still in a state of near-shock, staring at Laska with wide and sad eyes. "Hey, Risa?" she asked. "You okay?"

"That... that man," the orphaned half-elven girl stammered. "He... he was the one who was following my mom around a day before she... before she was..."

Laska nodded in understanding as she took the sobbing child into her arms. As Risa was crying, Laska shot a poisonous look towards Nalia. "You should have let me kill him..." she said before taking the girl upstairs.

Nalia, Viconia and Dynaheir regarded each other in silence for a moment, not knowing what to say. But their looks spoke more than words ever could. One thing both Viconia and Dynaheir already knew for certain : Isaea's misdeed would definitely not remain unpunished, no matter the outcome of the upcoming trial. Laska would make sure of that...

"Err, excuse me?" A wormy voice coming from the front door, where the remaining pikemen had finally manage to untangle themselves from the oil-slick, broke the silence. It belonged to a scrawny looking soldier, glancing about the room a little. "Errr, might I bend your ear a moment?"