The return from the planar prison to the city of Athkatla did not go without annoyances. As soon as Laska and her friends, having a recently freed tiefling in tow, emerged from the conduit, they were confronted with the fact that, even though they had only spent less than an hour in the planar prison, no less than five days had passed in Athkatla. Viconia theorized, and was backed up by Haer'Dalis' experiences with planar travel, that the actual passage through the portals to and from the planar prison might have been a lot longer than the mere instance that it seemed to be.

Regardless, it made for some peeved partymembers.

To celebrate their return and to relax from their recent adventure, the three female members of the party decided to visit the Mithrest Inn, which had recently switched ownership. The three women stepped on the Promenade as the evening was falling.

"So, how about a contest?" Laska grinned. "The first one who can belch the entire alphabet wins!"

"I think not," Dynaheir replied as they walked up the stone staircase.

"Laska, you suggest that every time we go anywhere, and you know we never go along with it, so why do you keep trying?" Viconia sighed.

"I'm persistent?" Laska suggested.

"More like buffle-headed, to quote the person missing from our motley group at the moment," Dynaheir sighed.

Opening the door to the Mithrest Inn and slipping inside made for quite some surprised gasps. The Mithrest was definitely not the same place it had been before they left Athkatla. The walls had been decorated in a swirling miasma of red, blue and purple paint, and the bare stone floor had been covered with a sky-blue carpet. Where the tables had stood, round shallow pits had been hewn into the rock of the colosseum. Soft pillows and subtle carpeting lay on the stone benches in the pits themselves, sitting around round oaken tables. The bar and several stools were the only still original elements in the bar and, judging from the amount of garbage outside, the rooms of the inn had been completely redecorated as well.

The inn was reasonably filled with people, but the place lacked the rowdiness so apparent in most other places around town. In fact, most people were quietly sitting and drinking, keeping the noise level to a minimum. Waiters and waitresses were running back and forth into the kitchen... They were the new owner's former 'collegues', now no longer having to sell themselves on the streets.

"Well," Viconia said, partially blinded by the color scheme, "this place has changed."

"These conversation-pits seem very nice and appealing," Dynaheir said, feeling one of the velvet pillows, letting the fabric roll between her fingers.

"Welcome!" the new owner of the Mithrest greeted them warmly. Rose, wearing a classy, but still mostly revealing blue dress had left her usual post behind the bar to greet the three friends. "So, you like my new place?"

"It's... it's rather colorful," Viconia replied.

"But very restful," Dynaheir smiled. "Quite restful..."

"This isn't the type of bar where there's no chance of getting into a barfight, is it?" Laska asked Rose.

"Sorry, no," Rose chuckled.

"Strangely enough," Laska muttered, one eyebrow raised. "I don't really care..."

"It's the color scheme..." Rose smiled. "It's very relaxing."

As Viconia and Dynaheir took their seats and examined the new menu while Laska remained standing to talk with Rose.

"So..." Laska smiled. "Nice place you've bribed together."

"You weren't at the grand opening two days ago," Rose asked, not meaning to accuse but merely inquiring.

"Well," Laska smiled, "I was probably kicking tail on another plane at the moment."

"Another plane?!" Rose smiled. "Wow! You get around a lot, don't you? Heh, I wish I could join you in your travels sometimes... see the world and all... Hmmm, maybe we could go out adventuring sometime. Just the two of us. You could be the warrior on the horse, and I could be the one who writes down all your exploits, swings around a mean staff and needs to get rescued a lot..."

"Nah," Laska replied. "It's been done to death."

"Yeah, you're right," Rose smiled. "Besides, I have an inn to run now. Say, I finally got that horrible Roenall-smell out of my new house!"

"I... I didn't think that was possible," Laska gritted her teeth as she remembered the first time she had visited Rose at her home and that smell had assaulted her delicate elven senses. 'What did he do in there to smell so bad anyway?' Laska thought to herself. 'Even the Beholder-lair smelled better'. Eventually, they had been so overcome with the smell they had decided to go out for the time being and ended up going to Laska's house in the end.

"Oh, yes," Rose snorted. "Took a mage five sessions to remove all the smell, but 'the beast' is gone, luckily."

At that moment, a rather panicked looking girl burst from the kitchen. Undoubtedly one of Rose's former colleagues, the sandy-haired human girl immediately headed into their direction. "Rose, Rose!" she shouted.

"Brianna?" Rose asked. "What's happening?"

"The cook asked me to get you!" the excited girl spoke. She couldn't have been more than twenty years of age. It saddened Laska that girls so young were forced into the life of streetwalker in this city, and briefly wondered what would have become of Risa and Becky if she hadn't invited them to live in her house. "The foodstuffs have been delivered but the winch broke and the cook isn't strong enough to drag the crates up the stairs!"

"Dammit," Rose muttered. "We really need that winch..." then, she smiled and glanced at Laska. "Unless..."

"Sure," Laska smiled. "Ask the strong elf with the stronger back..."

"I wouldn't ask unless it was really necessary," Rose sighed. "We're still settling in, and there are some, ehum, starting troubles."

"Say no more," Laska nodded. "Just point me in the direction of the crates and have at it..."

After helping Rose with her crates, Laska returned to the lounge and took the seat next to her friends, finally getting the chance to fill Dynaheir in what had happened to them after their capture by Irenicus over a very nice meal and plenty of drinks. All worries were soon forgotten, and the three females were gently laughing, chatting and generally enjoying themselves. In the meantime, Rose's new inn was filling up fast as new quests entered all the time. A young woman entered the room, and sat down in the conversation-pit right next to Laska's. She was looking tired and worn out, as if she had been having a lot on her mind lately.

Another person, however, was a dashing young officer of the Amnian guard, who was headed straight towards the three girls' table. Without regard for the private conversation, he knelt down and blatantly leaned over the three women, making it rather obvious he was staring down their cleavages.

"So," he leered, "what would it cost me to take you three lovely ladies into my bed this night?"

"All your teeth," Laska snarled, and clenched her fists.

But unlike Laska, Viconia burst out in laughter. "Oh, male," she laughed. "You would not survive our ministrations..."

"I have several spells with which I can permanently shrink specific bodyparts," Dynaheir grinned. "Wouldst thou like me to demonstrate?"

The formerly dashing young officer blanched and gulped. "Err, no, no... I..."

But the ladies were not paying attention to him. Instead, their gaze drifted to the other side of the bench, the forth seat... of their stolen partymember who remained silent this day.

"You're a buffle-headed cootie-head," Laska said, in tribute of her kidnapped sister, and receiving smiles and nods from her two friends.

"HEY!" Rose shouted from the bar, breaking the calm. "No solicitation in this establishment!" Rose's eyes flashed with anger and the half-elf's poisonous gaze was mimicked all the waiters and waitresses in the room. The young noble took the hint, nodded once and turned to the exit.

"Dost thou believeth that guy? The nerve!" Dynaheir shook her head.

"Yeah," Laska muttered, still impressed by Rose's assertive handling of that brat. "But speaking of guys, where are the others? I didn't see any of the boys when we left the house."

"Keldorn told me Lady Maria was quite angry at his sudden disappearance, and she feared he had taken off again without telling her, so she was quite upset," Viconia replied and took a moment to empty her cup. "He's making it up to her as we speak... he's taking her to see a musical!"

"HAH!" Laska laughed. "He must have really been desperate!"

"You should have seen Keldorn's face when Maria told him there were going to see Beauty and the Orc : A sappy love-story" Viconia was doubled over herself at this moment.

"I believe Minsc went with Korgan to see the local half-orc caber-toss championships..." Dynaheir said. "I say, men and sports... Why is that?"

"Jan and Lissa went out again... big surprise there," Viconia chuckled. "Lissa has that male wrapped around her finger."

"For as long as I have known them," Dynaheir spoke. "They have been going out every night..."

"And how long will it be before you and Rose follow that example, Laska?" Viconia smirked.

Laska, almost choking on her drink and quickly put down her tankard. She felt her face flush as a huge blush colored her light-gray skin. "Errr, where did you get that idea?" Laska said in an evasive manner, but her eyes unconsciously travelled in Rose's direction.

"What kind of fool do you take me for?" Viconia smirked. "I am not blind..."

"But then what is the deal with that man?" Dynaheir asked thoughtfully. "That... Ano-myne?"

"No! NO!" Laska sighed, but being grateful for the change of subject. "Let's not talk about HIM tonight! I've had enough of Anomen's clumsy attempts at romancing." At the mention of the name Anomen, the tired looking woman in the pit next to Laska suddenly glanced over her shoulder. "Why," Laska continued. "I don't doubt he's already playing house and raising our kids in his daydreams..."

"Why dost thou not just tell him that thou art not interested?" Dynaheir replied. "I had to evade a lot of lovestruck men back in Baldur's Gate. The color of my skin seemed to be a magnet for many men seeking an exotic lover."

"I know how that feels," Viconia muttered and downed her cup.

"Yeah, but you usually don't evade them," Laska smirked. Turnabout is fair play.

"As long as they aren't humans... I can't stand the smell of their sweat..." Viconia sighed.

"I've tried telling Anomen off," Laska said, slamming her fist on the table. "Dammit, I've even kissed Rose on the lips right before his nose, and he's still after me! What does it TAKE to get rid of Anomen?!"

"Excuse me," flowed the soft voice of a young human woman who had approached them. The voice belonged to pretty brown-haired woman with piercing green eyes and a ready smile. By her manner she was undoubtedly of noble breeding, and she wore neat clothes, but not the garish dresses that were to be expected of the nobility. "But I could not help overhearing your conversation... This Anomen you mentioned? He wouldn't be Anomen Delryn, would he?"

"Oh, he is!" Laska chuckled. "I take it you have met that fool before then? Were you one of his previous lovers? Because if you are, you are more than welcome to have that moron back! He must have been dropped on his head as a baby or something..."

"Oh, no, no!" the woman chuckled and extended her hand towards the elf. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Moira. Moira Delryn. Anomen's sister."

At this statement, Dynaheir and Viconia were doubled over in laughter, while Laska blushed for the second time today.

"Oh, don't worry," Moira giggled. "I know how he is... Once he gets an idea in his head, well, you've found out already..."

"Do I..." Laska sighed. "Can you help me to get into his thick skull that I'm not interested in him?"

"Hmmm," Moira said, putting her finger to her chin. "The problem is that he has never had a lover before."

"Never?" Laska said.

"Never been around the bend?" Viconia smirked. "That explains a lot..."

The next half hour, Moira joined the group for a drink while Laska and Viconia explained the situation, telling her about the events at keep De'Arnise and afterwards, about Laska's failed prank. Eventually, Moira, having only popped in for a quick drink after a long day of hard work decided it was time to go home.

"He is still my brother, and I don't wish to hurt him," Moira sighed. "But if this continues on he'll be more hurt in the end. But I think I know a way to deal with this without anyone getting hurt, provided you are good actors."

"You seem so different from Anomen," Viconia muttered.

"Are you certain you weren't adopted?" Laska asked.

"Heh," Moira smiled in a bittersweet manner. "I sometimes wish I had a different father... But no. Anyway, meet me around this time at my family estate near the government district and we will discuss our options," she said and got ready to leave.

Laska yawned as she, Dynaheir and Viconia were the last three guests of the inn still awake. Most of Rose's personnel had retired to their bedchambers or had gone home.

After bringing their empty plates and cups to the bar, they decided it was time to go home, but just as they were about to leave, the door slammed open and three men entered the inn. The three men wore dirty leather armors and brandished longswords which they waved around menacingly. Their leader wore studded leather, and had a scar which ran from his chin to deep into his dark, filthy hair.

"A robbery," Viconia whispered, only audible for elven ears. "We have not brought our weapons. Might I suggest hiding in the shadows and await a chance to intervene? I'll signal Dynaheir."

Reluctantly, certainly after seeing the fear in Rose's eyes, Laska agreed.

"So," the smuggler chuckled wryly as he stepped over to Rose. "It seems you are doing well for yourself..."

"What do you want, Darius?!" Rose spat.

"Temper, temper," Darius grinned. "I only came for what you owe me..."

"I don't owe you anything!" Rose spat.

"Hey, hey, hey," Darius smiled. "Who always made sure you and your friends were properly protected from all harm?"

"Protecting from your own men!" Rose snarled. "You didn't protect poor Wynne from Rejiek Hidesman! It was a racket, admit it! Bernardo didn't want to pay your protection fee, and he was fished from the river a day later! It's bad enough we had to sell our own bodies to survive, but it's even worse to pay more than half of our money to line your pockets."

"Rosie," he grinned, showing his few left over teeth. "I wouldn't have minded a single streetwalker leaving the game, but you've taken all of them with you!"

"We want a better life for ourselves!"

"And that's fine!" he chuckled. "Right lads? But as long as it doesn't cut into my better life! So tell you what. You and your friends go back to the Bridge District and seduce nobles, and I'll go back to leeching off your shame, is that alright?"

"No..." Rose said resolutely in the face of mortal danger.

But Darius wouldn't let Rose off the hook that easily. His hands shot out and wrapped around the half-elf's tender neck. "Gee, not so talkative now, ey girlie?"

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in Darius' chest. Immediately, he lost the strength to hold on to Rose, who fell to the floor coughing. The filthy man glanced down... only to notice a dinner-knife sticking out of his chest.

Before his two henchmen could react, powerful magics crackled the air as Dynaheir and Viconia came from the shadows, preparing deadly spells.

"Gee, not so alive now, ey scumbag?" That said, Laska locked the stunned Darius' neck under her arm while taking his greasy chin in his hand. One sharp jerk and a violent snap later, it was over.

Rose flew into Laska's arms, her tears flowing freely. With the death of Darius, the last link to her old life had been severed. Now, she and her friends were completely free to build their new lives in peace.

After a night of tossing and turning in her bed, not finding a comfortable sleeping position in the hotter than usual Amnian night. After finally catching a few hours of sleep, her elven senses were suddenly assaulted with a amalgamation of fragrant smells. Crumpling her face at the sudden smell of meadows, she rose from the bed, tossed on her pants and vest and stepped into the central room of her home.

"Pretty flowers!" the voice of Risa sounded through a veritable sea of potted and cut plants, flowers and other assorted floral decorations.

"So, finally up?" Korgan said. "Ach, I cannae sleep either with this reeking foliage 'ere. The bloody smell be driftin' downstairs!"

"What the hell is going on?!" Laska shouted.

"Och, the lil lass here be openin' the door fer a bloke, and afore we be knowin' what be bloody happening, a troupe of delivery gits storms in and dump the bloody weeds!"

"Here!" Risa smiled and handed Laska a card. It was a small cart, on it was a picture of a heart. In the card was written : 'In the name of love, I lay the world at your feet. One flower at the time... ---Anomen.'

"Oh," Laska sighed. "This has GOT to stop!"

Rose and Laska were standing in the garden, facing each other off brandishing fighting staves. After last night's experience, Rose had asked Laska to teach her how to fight, so she could defend herself from any possible muggers or robbers, since she felt that the usual dagger tucked in her decorative leather bracer would no longer suffice. Darius had had many, many protection-rackets going on through-out the city, and was sponsored by the current enemies of the Shadow Thieves, it turned out.

But that was not important. Right now, Laska and Rose were alone in the backyard of her house. Staves had been used when Laska herself had first been taught how to fight and was a good method to grasp the basics of combat, before moving on to another weapon. Even though Dynaheir was the master of the staff in her party, Laska had decided to teach Rose herself.

"Strike!" Laska shouted.

Immediately, Rose delivered a rather clumsy attempt at an attack, which Laska promptly blocked.

"Come on," Laska smiled. "You're not even trying!"

"I don't want to hurt you!" Rose pouted.

"Don't worry!" Laska laughed. "You won't! Just think I'm Darius, and give it all you got!"

"If you say so," Rose said and swung her staff to the right... then to the left. Then swung it forward. Then left again. All attempts were blocked easily by the tattooed elf.

Rose had a well-trained body, but was very unused to fighting and Laska could see she was getting very tired already. The half-elf was sweating and breathing heavily, but was still proceeding with the practice-swings. Laska was still blocking, but she was getting more and more distracted. The half-elf had her hair tied in a ponytail and was wearing a tight-fitting black cotton pants and matching top, keeping her midriff bare. To Laska Rose looked rather... luscious.

Another swing, another block. 'Dammit,' Laska thought as she almost missed an attack that she should have been able to block easily. 'What's wrong with me?!'

Rose's brown eyes gleamed with determination as she continued her rain of attacks, and Laska continued blocking. Still, the elf felt her thoughts mostly at Rose's revealing form, not on the fight.

'Dammit, I've seen her naked already!' Laska thought, her gaze directed at her opponent's tender neck. 'But... oh, alright!' Laska finally gave in to her own demand and gazed down to Rose's heaving...

WHACK!

And Laska found herself lying on the ground with a throbbing pain in her skull. She heard two thuds, the sound of wood landing on the cobblestones.

"Oh, sweet Sune!" Rose said horrified, covering her mouth with both her hands. "IthityouIhityouIhityou! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"

"Oh, yeah," Laska said as she came to her feet slowly. "I have a tough skull," Laska said as she noticed that Rose had broken the staff over her head.

"Let's call it a day, shall we?" Laska smiled. 'Glad I we didn't start out with swords...' she thought as they went inside the house to ask Lasalla for a refreshing drink.

"So this the place, then?" Laska asked as they stood before the large mansion, the largest in the neighborhood. It was mostly build from sandstone rocks cemented together, which illuminated nicely in the light of the moon.

"How should we know?" Viconia said. "I've never been here, and Dynaheir hasn't seem too much of the city yet."

"Moira should be waiting for us outside," Dynaheir muttered. "But I do not see her."

Suddenly, a muffled scream of terror sounded. If there had not been two elves among the passerby's, it would not have been heard at all. But as is was now, Laska and Viconia shared a look before they kicked in the door.

"Sara!" Moira shouted, tears in her eyes as she held to the cook. "Sara! Speak to me! Please!"

"LYING WHORES!" the aging man in the middle of the room shouted, in a fit of drunken rage. "She was a spy for Saerk! You are a spy for Saerk! My own daughter betraying me! Changing my sharp business decisions behind my very back! Traitor, traitor!"

"Fool!" Moira shouted, for the first time actually standing up to her tyrannical father. "Your 'sharp business decisions' weren't so sharp at all! If I hadn't altered them, we would have been bankrupted years ago!"

"Lies, lies!" the drunken man shouted, raising his bloodstained knife. "You betrayed me! You have betraying me for years! How much did he pay you, Moira? How much did he pay you to betray your own father?!"

"You were never a father to me! No matter how much I tried to be your daughter!" Moira cried. "But I never betrayed you! NEVER!"

"You lie!" the man shouted, bringing down his knife, intending to go for the kill... if not for a throwing dagger suddenly lodged in the back of his neck, followed by a volley of magic missiles and the raging fires of pure lightning. The drunken man stood for a moment, then sank to his knees and fell to the floor, dead. And for the second time in twenty-four hours, Laska found herself holding a crying woman whose life has been forever changed.