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The Nether Scroll Disaster: Part 23


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#1 Guest_Silver_*

Posted 16 November 2003 - 12:24 PM

Another long chapter. I had to put some stuff in this one that I hadn’t originally planned so that the bit I had planned for a later chapter makes sense.

The Nether Scroll Disaster: Part 23

“Lord Byron Alric?” Benny repeated. “Typical nobles really, him and his wife. Keep themselves to themselves a bit more than other nobles, but still think they are superior to everyone else. Rich, stuck-up, treat their servants like dirt apparently. Why do you ask?”

The morning following Kane’s conversation with Crystal, he had dragged Benny and Cory away from their other companions at the first opportunity to talk to them. He wanted their advice and opinions first, before he decided what to do and he knew that it would be easier to talk to them alone.

“Last night when I went to the graveyard to see Lucie,” the warrior explained. “I met Crystal and-”

“And she’s still alive?” Benny raised an eyebrow and leant back in his chair. If so, I’m impressed. That really is quite an achievement.”

“Very amusing,” Kane muttered sarcastically. “There was a little bit of shouting…from both sides, but we sorted out our differences in the end, got a few things straightened out between us. It wasn’t that hard, but ten I did get the impression that she wasn’t up to an argument.”

Briefly he told his two friends a little about their conversation, nothing too personal, just what Crystal had told him about her violent lover and how she wanted to get away from him and start a new life but she knew that he wouldn’t let her go easily.

“I’d said I’d help her out,” he finished. “We need a plan to keep him out of the way until she can get out of the city.”

“It’s a pity we killed Randy really,” Benny said, only half-jokingly. “He was far better at inventing interesting ways to get rid of people. Me, I just like to kill them and have done with it.”

“If all else fails,” Cory shrugged casually. “We could always do it the Flint way and break his legs. He won’t be going anywhere in a hurry then.”

“I like that idea,” Kane smirked and then shook his head. “Though I never thought that you would be the one to suggest it, Cory. But she doesn’t want him hurt.”

“Well then, we pay him a visit and just threaten to break his legs if he doesn’t leave her alone.”

“What’s with this sudden obsession with violence?” the warrior teased. “I don’t think we’re having a good influence on you, Cory.”

“Don’t know,” the young assassin blushed faintly. “But we could do it.”

“We could,” Benny agreed. “Though there would be no guarantee that he would listen to us, he might just go after Crystal as soon our backs are turned. No…I think we need to actually get rid of him for a few days.”

“Well I think we can all agree on that,” Kane said, making no effort to hide the sarcasm in his voice. “How exactly?”

“We get him locked up in the city prison,” the shapeshifter suggested. Cory’s eyes lit up and Kane chuckled darkly.

“Sounds good so far,” he admitted. “But we need something to get him locked up for first.”

“Or we invent something,” Benny continued, a wicked glint in his eye. “Suppose we happened to find some papers that…implied that our friend, Lord Alric, just happened to be involved in dealing slaves. If we make sure that these papers end up in the hands of proper authority, they’ll have to lock him up while they investigate the claims. I doubt that they’ll find anything, but it’ll keep him out of the way for a while.”

“That could work,” Kane nodded thoughtfully. “Where do we get the papers from?”

“That’s the difficult part,” the assassin fell silent for a moment, thinking. “They would obviously need to be forged…I think we should talk to those smugglers we helped yesterday. If they can’t help us themselves, maybe they’ll be able to point us to someone who can.”

“It is all we have to go on, so we’ll have to give it a try,” Kane agreed. “We’d better tell the others what is going on. Cory, go and find Edwin and Benny, get Viconia. I think I can guess where Korgan and Kagain will be…”

When they were gathered together, Kane briefly explained how he had agreed to help Crystal and the plan that Benny had come up with. The two dwarves merely shrugged, willing to follow his lead without question though Korgan did mutter something under his breath about hoping that the reward would be worth it. However, Viconia was quick to air her opinions on the matter.

“Crystal…she’s the woman who was shouting at you in the street outside the temples?” she asked. “It is your decision, leader, but I cannot see how she deserves our help. She should be left to her fate.”

“I can’t do that to her,” the warrior said, a hard edge to his voice. “What’s done is done and everyone deserves to have the chance to start again if they want it. What about you, Edwin? Nothing to say? That is a surprise, usually you are very quick to give your opinion on things like this.”

“We’ll do what you think we have to do,” Edwin answered harshly, not looking at him. “You lead this group after all and I’ll not question your decisions. It never does any good anyway, you do what you want to do and no one else’s opinion ever counts with you.”

“I do care about what my companions think,” Kane ht back. “Those of my companions who trust me anyway. I don’t particularly care what you think, but then no one does. Just do everyone a favour and shut up!”

“Fine!” Edwin had had enough. He couldn’t stand being made a fool of in front of his companions and the fact that it was Kane doing it made it even worse. He was angry and hurt and he really wasn’t sure what to think about his leader’s latest plan. Why had he suddenly decided that he wanted to help Crystal? And he had been under the impression that they hated each other, why were they suddenly on speaking terms? But at that moment, he couldn’t care less. “If that’s the way you feel, I won’t come with you! You go and find your smugglers, conduct your little plan! I think it’s a stupid idea and I never wanted any part of it in the first place!”

He hurried out as the dwarves chuckled behind their beards, and a moment later they heard a door slam. Benny gave an exasperated sigh but said nothing, knowing that it would only be a waste of his breath. Cory started to go after his friend, but Kane quickly grabbed his arm and shook his head.

“Don’t,” he told him. “Let him go and sulk, he’ll get over it eventually. Come on, we have some smugglers to find.”

********
Finding the two smugglers turned out to be easier said then done. There was no sign of them around the docks or in the Sea Bounty tavern. Finally the adventurers were forced to venture into the sewers again, though Viconia complained bitterly. But it turned out to be a good thing they did. It wasn’t long before Benny’s sharp eyes detected a hidden door and inside were three smugglers stacking up boxes, two of them the ones who they had helped the previous day. They looked startled at the group’s sudden entrance and began to draw their swords, but then they saw who it was and smiled.

“Hey Kane!” One of them greeted. “Thanks for all your help yesterday. As you can see, our trade is back on and our boss is very pleased. We owe you.”

“Actually, Leon, that’s what we came to talk to you about.” Kane leant against one of the wooden boxes, keeping eye contact with the young smuggler. “We need a favour, a big one, and we thought that you might be able to help us.”

“Well we’ll certainly try.” Leon exchanged a look with his companion. “What can we do for you?”

“We need some forged papers to frame someone with,” Benny quickly explained how they planned to set the noble, Bryon Alric, up for trading slaves. The men listened hard, nodding every so often.

“I think I know someone who could come up with what you need,” Leon said finally. “He is good at forging official documents. I’ll talk to him when we’ve finished here and let you know what he says.”

“It is urgent, you know.”

“Understood,” the smuggler smiled faintly. “Most business of this nature often is. One way or another, I’ll have something for you by tomorrow. That do you?”

“Fine.” Kane nodded and shook the hand that Leon offered. “We’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll talk payment then.”

“Not a bad fellow,” Cory remarked as they left the smugglers to their work and made their way back up to the streets. “Do you think he can be trusted though?”

“You never know who you can trust these days,” Benny shrugged. “Sometimes you just have to take a chance.”

Outside Mae’Var’s old guildhall, the shapeshifter paused for a moment. “I just want to go and check out how things are going in there,” he told the others. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“I’ll come with you!” his student said at once. “The rest of you can go back if you want.” The dwarves grunted happily and hurried off, but Viconia and Cory both decided to come in, though the drow stuck close to Benny’s side.

Latham, the thief temporarily in charge of the guild, one of the older ones who remembered both Benny and Kane, was pleased to see them. He appeared to be very worked up and it didn’t take them long to get him to confess that he had been having problems with the group of pickpocketers.

“Lately the amount of money they have been bringing back has been slipping,” he explained to them. “One of them have been stealing and the others know who it is, but they aren’t saying. I’m not completely sure of the best thing to do, I’ve tried talking to them but none of them are slipping up and they are all likely suspects.”

“That’s simple,” Kane told him immediately. “Tell them all that their money will be cut until the stealing stops or the thief is revealed. I think you’ll find that the others won’t stand for that.”

“Of course!” the guildmaster exclaimed. “Why didn’t I think of that? Maybe you should think about taking over the guild, Kane.”

“No thanks,” the warrior grinned. “It’s a tempting offer, but I think I’ll pass. Benny is the real guildmaster here, not me.”

“And I have no wish to be stuck in Athkatla, running a thieving guild,” Benny said at once. “Maybe one day, but not right now.”

“You’d make a fine guildmaster,” Latham told him. “You and young Cory both. You’ve got all the qualities needed…least I think so. Anyway, before I forget again, I’ve got something for you, shapeshifter. Over there.” He gestured to a small chest in the corner. “Randal’s stuff…not that he ever had much, but what we found is in there. If there is anything in there that you want, take it. He had no other friends, no family…and I think he probably would have wanted you to have it.”

“Probably,” Benny agreed. “Thank you, Latham, I’ll take a look.”

There wasn’t much in there, as a rule Shadow Thieves didn’t tend to have many personal possessions and Randal would have had much of his equipment on him when he had been killed. There was a plain black cloak, typical assassin style, minor enchantments woven into the fabric, both to protect the wearer and to allow them to hide themselves more easily in the shadows. Underneath that was a small dagger with a skull carved into the handle, Randal’s signature dagger and a ring made of black and gold metal strips twisted together that Benny remembered well. It had been created some fifteen years before by a powerful wizard who had owed Randal a favour, designed to protect the wearer from all forms of fire magic and therefore being a useful tool for assassins who were going to fight wizards or who regularly disarmed dangerous traps. The shapeshifter smirked and slipped it on his finger. No doubt it would come in useful, when fighting Irenicus if nothing else. He also took Randal’s dagger, it wasn’t very powerful, but he couldn’t bear to think of it being used by any other hand.

The only other thing in there was a large book, the cover made of plain leather and more than a little faded. It was locked and trapped, but no match for one of Benny’s skill and the assassin soon had it open.

“What’s that?” Cory asked, examining the cloak with some interest. It was a moment or two before Benny could bring himself to reply.

“It’s Randy’s diary,” he said quietly. From the other side of the room, Kane and Latham, both chuckled.

“I didn’t know Randal could write,” the warrior said nastily. Benny scowled.

“He wasn’t thick!” he snapped. “He could read and write well enough, like Cory here, it just wasn’t perfect. Not everyone was lucky enough to have an upbringing like your Edwin!”

Kane raised an eyebrow but said nothing, realising at once that he had hit a nerve and having the sense to know that he had gone far enough. He exchanged a quick glance with Cory, who looked a little confused, then turned back to his conversation.

“If you want that cloak, Cory,” Benny started, already feeling guilty over his outburst, “you can take it. I don’t need it and you could do with a better one, I think.”

“Thanks.” Cory hugged the cloak to his chest. “I doubt that Randal would be too happy if he could see me, but I don’t care. It’s a great cloak!”

Benny smiled faintly and turned his attention to the book. Many of the pages were torn at the edges, a few of them dotted with brown dots, dried blood. The writing was rather large and very scruffy, smudged in a few places, some words misspelt and others crossed out here and there, but still readable enough. There weren’t dates on every page, and most were difficult to read anyway, but it wasn’t difficult to figure out roughly when most events had taken place. It seemed that Randal had started it several years before and it continued right up until a few days before he had died. Idly flicking through it, Benny saw that his name appeared frequently, his wife’s name once or twice and Kane’s here and there. He paused at one of the last entries.

Some of the assassins have been complaining about our recent addition to the guild, our little Edwin. There was always going to be trouble, what with him being so different, but he doesn’t help matters apparently, going around acting as though he’s better than everyone else. A proper spoilt little brat, expects everything to be handed to him on a plate. People like him never really get anywhere in life because they never have to work for anything, their parents run around after them all the time…I suppose he should be pitied. All in all, he’s pretty pathetic, couldn’t even see off Flint without Cory’s help apparently. I wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson or two myself, but Mae’Var has ordered me to leave him be for the time being. Pity really, but I dare not disobey his orders.

“Charming,” Benny muttered, closing the book. He’d read more; he was particularly interested in the earlier entries, but he wanted to do it when he was alone.

********
A couple of hours later, in the evening after they had finally arrived back at the tavern, Benny lay stretched out on Viconia’s bed, Randal’s diary in his hand. Viconia was bathing next door and they had left the others playing a card game downstairs, so he was taking the opportunity to do some reading to try and forget things for a while. The party had eaten together, but Kane had gone into one of his silent moods again and the atmosphere had been very uncomfortable, even after Edwin had left the table. The assassin just wished that they would both stop being so stubborn and actually talk to each other again, even if it was just to argue. It was Kane he was worried about more, but he knew from his own experiences that it wasn’t doing either of them any good keeping their feelings hidden from the other. Even a sadist’s diary had to be better than trying to persuade the two men to resolve their differences and get over the past.

It was a fairly interesting and occasionally amusing read, though it wasn’t a pleasant one more often than not. There were a lot of offensive comments about women and it frequently referred to the sick and twisted things he had done to prostitutes and the young assassins beneath him. It was clear even from the words that he had received some sort of sadistic pleasure from it, exactly as Mae’Var had often done. But every so often there was an entry that revealed the vulnerable side that Randal had tried so hard to keep hidden. They spoke of his loneliness, his desire to have people who liked him for who he was, not because they were afraid of him and the vicious beatings he himself received from the guildmaster.

Mae’Var called me to his chamber tonight. He wasn’t happy, said I’d been drawing too much attention to myself in bar brawls again. I told him that it wasn’t my fault, that the other thieves draw me into it, but he said I had to be taught a lesson…it’ll be days before my ribs heal up. At least he didn’t do anything to my face this time…

A few pages on, he found the entry he had really been looking for, roughly dated as being about a year before.

I have found myself thinking of Benny recently. Even though we hated each other a lot of the time, he was one of the few people in the place who you could really trust to watch your back. Not to mention that he was my one real friend. In my whole life, he was the only person who ever showed me kindness without expecting something in return. I wonder if he really is dead…Mae’Var would have us think so, but I doubt it deep down and I don’t think I’m the only one. One of his skill is not easily captured or killed. I still can’t believe he betrayed us all, risked his life, for that Bhaalspawn child. If I live to be a hundred I’ll never understand why. Sometimes I wish that things could have been…different between us, but what is done is done. I am sorry for killing his family, though Mae’Var ordered me to do it and I was hardly going to refuse him, but I am pleased too. Scarface was mine, I loved him and that bitch had no rights to him. And if I couldn’t have him then she wasn’t either. Never will he forgive me and I don’t know if I even care any more. I hate him for hurting me like he did, but I love him too…and I guess part of me always will, though it disgusts me. I just hope that if he is alive, he stays far away from here and from me.

He had just finished reading when there was a knock at the door. He called for them to enter and it was Kane who came in.

“I thought you might be in here,” he said, smirking briefly. “Not interrupting anything, am I? Where’s Viconia?”

“Bathing. She won’t be out for a while.”

“And you were reading, I see.” Kane glanced at the diary and then at his teacher. Benny met his student’s gaze, his own eyes daring him to say anything more. “Anything interesting in there?”

“Mostly the ravings of a madman,” Benny shrugged wearily. “There was some upsetting stuff in there too though. Anyway,” he quickly changed the subject before Kane could say anything more. “What’s up with you?” He set the book aside and gestured to his student to sit down. “You look tired. Has Bhaal been troubling you again?

“I had another nightmare last night,” Kane sat down beside his teacher, avoiding his eyes. “They seem to be happening more frequently lately.”

“What sort of nightmares? You mean Bhaal-dreams?”

“I guess so, but they are all different. In some of them it’s like I’m back in the past, sometimes it’s all mixed up, things that happened and things that didn’t, and sometimes I dream about things that could happen in the future, like…like me losing control and killing people. Last night, I dreamt that I killed Edwin and it felt so real. When I woke up, I was so afraid that I’d really done it.”

“Ouch!” Benny patted Kane’s shoulder sympathetically, looking at him with more than a little concern. “It sounds rough. No wonder you’ve been looking so tired lately.”

“What I need is a good night’s sleep, uninterrupted by any nightmares. That’s what I came to ask you really, have you got any potions or anything that might help me sleep without being troubled by dreams?”

“Actually I do,” the shapeshifter pulled open the drawer by his bed and took out a small green bottle. “It’s a sleeping potion, a very strong one, just a couple of drops will knock you out pretty quickly and I shouldn’t think you’ll be dreaming much under the influence of this. But I’ll be in here with Viconia tonight, so just knock on the wall if you do have a nightmare and need company and I’ll come through.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Kane glanced at the closed door and lowered his voice. “What is going on with you and her? I know that you regularly share a bed and most of us can see that you seem to be rather affectionate with each other.”

“Yes,” the assassin admitted. “I suppose we are…rather close.”

“Do you love her?”

“Love?” Benny repeated thoughtfully. “Love is…a very strong word, Kane.” He pushed his glass away, taking a sudden interest in the trail of blood across the table. “I’m fond of her, I like being with her and we get along well, we can talk to each other. She’s had a rough life and I want to take care of her. But I don’t think I’m ready to fall in love with anyone again just yet.”

“You have to move on sometime,” Kane shrugged. “How many years has it been now, fourteen, fifteen?”

“It isn’t that simple. Yes, I’ve accepted that she has gone, I know that I have to move on and that she would want me to find love again, having physical relationships with other people isn’t any big deal, but actually being in love with someone else…that’s a lot more complicated.”

“Because of the way she died,” his student nodded, suddenly understanding. “I remember you telling me, she hated your line of work.”

“She used to beg me to give it up,” the shapeshifter said tensely. “But I couldn’t, not even for her. I’d worked too hard to get to where I was and I couldn’t just throw it all away. She said it would end up getting me killed and she was half right. If I let myself fall in love again, will the same thing happen?”

“It is always a possibility,” Kane admitted. “Living such dangerous lives mean that we are always going to be a threat to those we love. But if there is one thing that I’ve learnt in recent months, it’s that you can’t let that fear stop you from embracing love when you find it. If there is danger to be faced, you face it together. Viconia is…hardly defenceless even if she does have a habit of getting herself into dangerous and you, I know you and you won’t make the same mistake twice. I’ll always do what I can to protect Viconia myself, I could never love her but I do care for her very much and I’d hate to see her come to any harm.”

“And if things were to…develop between us,” Benny asked quietly. “How would you feel about it?”

“I’d be pleased for the both of you,” Kane answered at once. “If you were anyone else, I’d probably warn you against getting involved with her, but I know that you can deal with her. You need someone, she needs someone, you’re both different and understand what it is like to be hated because of that. If you ask me, it’s a prefect match. The only time it’d bother me is if she started coming between us, but that won’t ever happen, will it?”

“Of course not!” the shapeshifter chuckled and shook his head in despair. “You are the most important person in my life, Kane, and you always will be, no matter what happens. It doesn’t matter who I’m sharing a bed with or even who I have as a friend, nothing will ever make me love you any less.”

“Then don’t worry about it,” the warrior ordered. “If there is something between you, just go with it. Sometimes you have to take chances, being with…Edwin made me see that.”

“Things still aren’t good between the two of you though, are they?”

“I have to wonder if things can ever be made right,” the warrior voiced his thoughts aloud, playing with the potion bottle. “I think things might have gone too far, too much damage has already been done, you know. I thought Edwin trusted me, but he obviously doesn’t. If he did then he wouldn’t have been so quick to judge me!”

“He was upset!” the assassin gently pointed out. “He comes from a different world to us and he can’t possibly understand what happened like we can. And I doubt that you made things any better, I know exactly what you can be like when you get yourself upset.”

“It was the way he looked at me! I’ve seen that look before, so many times and I never cared before now, but I never thought that he’d look at me like that. Like I was some sort of animal, a dangerous animal who should be locked away! What gives him the right to judge me? He is hardly perfect himself; look at the mess he got himself into with the Nether Scroll! Stupid, arrogant, judgemental bastard! I hate him!”

“No, you don’t.”

“You’re right,” Kane rested his head in his hands, which were shaking slightly. “I wish I could, everything would be much easier then. But I can’t hate him! He drives me mad and sometimes I really want to kill him, but I love him too much. He means everything to me and I couldn’t bear it if he hated me.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Benny said patiently. “You two just need to talk to each other. You’ve both been so angry and hurt and upset that neither of you have been paying any attention to how the other feels. A little bit of communication can work wonders. Stop upsetting yourself, if things were meant to work out then they will. Now take that potion and go to bed, you’ll feel much better after a good night’s sleep.”

*******
Unknown to both the warrior and the assassin, Edwin had overheard a little of their conversation, towards the end where Kane had admitted that he loved him. The wizard had returned to his own room and sat there with his spell book for a long while. He had spells to memorise, a variety of them, as they didn’t know what the next day would bring and he had learnt a long time before that being caught unprepared could mean life or death. But his heart really wasn’t in it and his thoughts kept wandering.

What he had heard made him feel happy, knowing that there was still some hope for them, and yet sad too, knowing that he had unintentionally hurt Kane and made the warrior believe that he didn’t trust him. And he wasn’t sure what he could do to try and make things better, especially since his lover didn’t seem to want to talk to him about it. He wasn’t convinced that a simple sorry would be enough to make things better…but he had to try.

No sound came from within Kane’s room as he pushed open the door. The room was in darkness, the heavy rain clouds blocking the light of the moon and plunging everything into shadows. Kane was in bed, lying with one bare arm behind his head. His eyes were closed and Edwin could tell at once that he was sleeping rather deeply. His clothes lay in a heap on the floor and his deadly twin blades and his sharp dagger had been placed with great care on the table.

Edwin stood in the doorway for some minutes, but the warrior didn’t stir. He was too exhausted and Benny’s sleeping potion had done its job well. Watching him, especially after hearing what he had said to Benny, the wizard felt a sudden rush of love for him.

Don’t hate Kane for things he’s done in the past, just make the most of what time you have left.

Someone had said that to him, though he couldn’t remember who or when, but he knew that they were right. Maybe he had been too quick to judge Kane without knowing the full story; maybe things were more complicated than they had first appeared and he’d just jumped to the worst possible. Perhaps one day he would know the full story and perhaps not…but maybe it didn’t really matter. It was over, years past, and where was the sense in getting angry and upset over something that couldn’t be changed?

Anyway, Kane is a different person now. He may be far from perfect, but that was part of what made me fall in love with him in the first place. He has his own morals now and he can feel things for people and…and I do believe that it was Bhaal’s influence that made him do whatever it was that he did back then.

Edwin knew that it could just be wishful thinking, but he needed to believe what Benny had said about Kane being influenced by his father. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that the man who had held him close night after night, whispered words of love in his ear, touched him so gently, could possibly be the same man who had taken such a brutal and bloody revenge against his family. And as long as Kane could keep Bhaal under control…then that man need never come back. He only wished that the Bhaalspawn would talk to him instead of pushing him away, he understood that his lover was angry, but he was frustrated that he couldn’t even explain his side of things.

Edwin sat down on the side of the bed, keeping his eyes fixed on his lover. Kane shifted slightly, but didn’t open his eyes, not even when Edwin touched him, lightly stroking the side of his head, moving down his cheek, his jaw, gently tracing the pale lips with a single finger, overcome with a desire to kiss him. It had been too long, far too long.

An idea forming suddenly in his mind, Edwin quickly stripped off his robes and got into bed. Kane grunted something, but didn’t wake up. Confident that he was still in a deep sleep, the wizard relaxed and settled down, resting his head against his lover’s shoulder and closing his eyes. Being there felt right, as though they really were meant to be together, and Edwin had missed not only the physical contact but also the sense of satisfaction that being with Kane always brought him. He had no idea what the warrior’s reaction would be the following morning, but he didn’t care just then. He’d deal with that in the morning…


Next Part: The morning after…but how is Kane going to react?

#2 Laufey

Posted 16 November 2003 - 01:03 PM

“Well then, we pay him a visit and just threaten to break his legs if he doesn’t leave her alone.”


“What’s with this sudden obsession with violence?” the warrior teased. “I don’t think we’re having a good influence on you, Cory.”


“Don’t know,” the young assassin blushed faintly. “But we could do it.”


Tempting, I'm sure. :)


“Or we invent something,” Benny continued, a wicked glint in his eye. “Suppose we happened to find some papers that…implied that our friend, Lord Alric, just happened to be involved in dealing slaves. If we make sure that these papers end up in the hands of proper authority, they’ll have to lock him up while they investigate the claims. I doubt that they’ll find anything, but it’ll keep him out of the way for a while.”


Oh, nice! I like that.


“I can’t do that to her,” the warrior said, a hard edge to his voice. “What’s done is done and everyone deserves to have the chance to start again if they want it. What about you, Edwin? Nothing to say? That is a surprise, usually you are very quick to give your opinion on things like this.”


“We’ll do what you think we have to do,” Edwin answered harshly, not looking at him. “You lead this group after all and I’ll not question your decisions. It never does any good anyway, you do what you want to do and no one else’s opinion ever counts with you.”


Oh gods...I really feel like taking both of them and shaking them hard until they stop hurting each other.


“Of course!” the guildmaster exclaimed. “Why didn’t I think of that? Maybe you should think about taking over the guild, Kane.”


“No thanks,” the warrior grinned. “It’s a tempting offer, but I think I’ll pass. Benny is the real guildmaster here, not me.”


“And I have no wish to be stuck in Athkatla, running a thieving guild,” Benny said at once. “Maybe one day, but not right now.”


I'm sure he'd be happy doing it though, eventually.


“It’s Randy’s diary,” he said quietly. From the other side of the room, Kane and Latham, both chuckled.


“I didn’t know Randal could write,” the warrior said nastily. Benny scowled.


“He wasn’t thick!” he snapped. “He could read and write well enough, like Cory here, it just wasn’t perfect. Not everyone was lucky enough to have an upbringing like your Edwin!”


Whoa...what's up with that? Is Benny feeling ashamed because he himself grew up in a rough way?


Some of the assassins have been complaining about our recent addition to the guild, our little Edwin. There was always going to be trouble, what with him being so different, but he doesn’t help matters apparently, going around acting as though he’s better than everyone else. A proper spoilt little brat, expects everything to be handed to him on a plate. People like him never really get anywhere in life because they never have to work for anything, their parents run around after them all the time…I suppose he should be pitied. All in all, he’s pretty pathetic, couldn’t even see off Flint without Cory’s help apparently. I wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson or two myself, but Mae’Var has ordered me to leave him be for the time being. Pity really, but I dare not disobey his orders.


Brrr...


A few pages on, he found the entry he had really been looking for, roughly dated as being about a year before.


I have found myself thinking of Benny recently. Even though we hated each other a lot of the time, he was one of the few people in the place who you could really trust to watch your back. Not to mention that he was my one real friend. In my whole life, he was the only person who ever showed me kindness without expecting something in return. I wonder if he really is dead…Mae’Var would have us think so, but I doubt it deep down and I don’t think I’m the only one. One of his skill is not easily captured or killed. I still can’t believe he betrayed us all, risked his life, for that Bhaalspawn child. If I live to be a hundred I’ll never understand why. Sometimes I wish that things could have been…different between us, but what is done is done. I am sorry for killing his family, though Mae’Var ordered me to do it and I was hardly going to refuse him, but I am pleased too. Scarface was mine, I loved him and that bitch had no rights to him. And if I couldn’t have him then she wasn’t either. Never will he forgive me and I don’t know if I even care any more. I hate him for hurting me like he did, but I love him too…and I guess part of me always will, though it disgusts me. I just hope that if he is alive, he stays far away from here and from me.


That was pretty twisted...but sad, in a way.


“I had another nightmare last night,” Kane sat down beside his teacher, avoiding his eyes. “They seem to be happening more frequently lately.”


“What sort of nightmares? You mean Bhaal-dreams?”


“I guess so, but they are all different. In some of them it’s like I’m back in the past, sometimes it’s all mixed up, things that happened and things that didn’t, and sometimes I dream about things that could happen in the future, like…like me losing control and killing people. Last night, I dreamt that I killed Edwin and it felt so real. When I woke up, I was so afraid that I’d really done it.”


Chilling...and I hope it won't ever happen for real.


“Do you love her?”


“Love?” Benny repeated thoughtfully. “Love is…a very strong word, Kane.” He pushed his glass away, taking a sudden interest in the trail of blood across the table. “I’m fond of her, I like being with her and we get along well, we can talk to each other. She’s had a rough life and I want to take care of her. But I don’t think I’m ready to fall in love with anyone again just yet.”


Ha, I think he already has. :wink:


“It was the way he looked at me! I’ve seen that look before, so many times and I never cared before now, but I never thought that he’d look at me like that. Like I was some sort of animal, a dangerous animal who should be locked away! What gives him the right to judge me? He is hardly perfect himself; look at the mess he got himself into with the Nether Scroll! Stupid, arrogant, judgemental bastard! I hate him!”


“No, you don’t.”


“You’re right,” Kane rested his head in his hands, which were shaking slightly. “I wish I could, everything would be much easier then. But I can’t hate him! He drives me mad and sometimes I really want to kill him, but I love him too much. He means everything to me and I couldn’t bear it if he hated me.”


Then go on and tell him that!


Edwin knew that it could just be wishful thinking, but he needed to believe what Benny had said about Kane being influenced by his father. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that the man who had held him close night after night, whispered words of love in his ear, touched him so gently, could possibly be the same man who had taken such a brutal and bloody revenge against his family. And as long as Kane could keep Bhaal under control…then that man need never come back. He only wished that the Bhaalspawn would talk to him instead of pushing him away, he understood that his lover was angry, but he was frustrated that he couldn’t even explain his side of things.


Edwin sat down on the side of the bed, keeping his eyes fixed on his lover. Kane shifted slightly, but didn’t open his eyes, not even when Edwin touched him, lightly stroking the side of his head, moving down his cheek, his jaw, gently tracing the pale lips with a single finger, overcome with a desire to kiss him. It had been too long, far too long.


An idea forming suddenly in his mind, Edwin quickly stripped off his robes and got into bed. Kane grunted something, but didn’t wake up. Confident that he was still in a deep sleep, the wizard relaxed and settled down, resting his head against his lover’s shoulder and closing his eyes. Being there felt right, as though they really were meant to be together, and Edwin had missed not only the physical contact but also the sense of satisfaction that being with Kane always brought him. He had no idea what the warrior’s reaction would be the following morning, but he didn’t care just then. He’d deal with that in the morning…


Awwww...I just hope Kane reacts well now.
Rogues do it from behind.

#3 Guest_Silrana_*

Posted 17 November 2003 - 01:34 AM

Another great chapter. I have to admit Benny and the others have more patience than I do. I probably would have locked Kane and Edwin in a room and told them they couldn't come out until they had everything settled!

#4 Guest_Silver_*

Posted 17 November 2003 - 09:43 AM

Another great chapter.


Thank you. :cry:

I have to admit Benny and the others have more patience than I do. I probably would have locked Kane and Edwin in a room and told them they couldn't come out until they had everything settled!


That could be one way of dealing with them. But knowing how stubborn Kane and Edwin can be, they'd probably be in there a long time! :twisted:

#5 Guest_Silver_*

Posted 17 November 2003 - 10:10 AM


“Don’t know,” the young assassin blushed faintly. “But we could do it.”


Tempting, I'm sure. :twisted:


Very. :cry:


“Or we invent something,” Benny continued, a wicked glint in his eye. “Suppose we happened to find some papers that…implied that our friend, Lord Alric, just happened to be involved in dealing slaves. If we make sure that these papers end up in the hands of proper authority, they’ll have to lock him up while they investigate the claims. I doubt that they’ll find anything, but it’ll keep him out of the way for a while.”


Oh, nice! I like that.


Benny: Thanks.


“We’ll do what you think we have to do,” Edwin answered harshly, not looking at him. “You lead this group after all and I’ll not question your decisions. It never does any good anyway, you do what you want to do and no one else’s opinion ever counts with you.”


Oh gods...I really feel like taking both of them and shaking them hard until they stop hurting each other.


Be my guest.


“No thanks,” the warrior grinned. “It’s a tempting offer, but I think I’ll pass. Benny is the real guildmaster here, not me.”



“And I have no wish to be stuck in Athkatla, running a thieving guild,” Benny said at once. “Maybe one day, but not right now.”


I'm sure he'd be happy doing it though, eventually.


It's very possible...though who knows what might happen in the future.


“He wasn’t thick!” he snapped. “He could read and write well enough, like Cory here, it just wasn’t perfect. Not everyone was lucky enough to have an upbringing like your Edwin!”


Whoa...what's up with that? Is Benny feeling ashamed because he himself grew up in a rough way?


It's partly that and partly something that will be touched on in a few chapters time. He's just living in the past a little right now.


Some of the assassins have been complaining about our recent addition to the guild, our little Edwin. There was always going to be trouble, what with him being so different, but he doesn’t help matters apparently, going around acting as though he’s better than everyone else. A proper spoilt little brat, expects everything to be handed to him on a plate. People like him never really get anywhere in life because they never have to work for anything, their parents run around after them all the time…I suppose he should be pitied. All in all, he’s pretty pathetic, couldn’t even see off Flint without Cory’s help apparently. I wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson or two myself, but Mae’Var has ordered me to leave him be for the time being. Pity really, but I dare not disobey his orders.


Brrr...


Scary, isn't it? Edwin had a lucky escape.


I have found myself thinking of Benny recently. Even though we hated each other a lot of the time, he was one of the few people in the place who you could really trust to watch your back. Not to mention that he was my one real friend. In my whole life, he was the only person who ever showed me kindness without expecting something in return. I wonder if he really is dead…Mae’Var would have us think so, but I doubt it deep down and I don’t think I’m the only one. One of his skill is not easily captured or killed. I still can’t believe he betrayed us all, risked his life, for that Bhaalspawn child. If I live to be a hundred I’ll never understand why. Sometimes I wish that things could have been…different between us, but what is done is done. I am sorry for killing his family, though Mae’Var ordered me to do it and I was hardly going to refuse him, but I am pleased too. Scarface was mine, I loved him and that bitch had no rights to him. And if I couldn’t have him then she wasn’t either. Never will he forgive me and I don’t know if I even care any more. I hate him for hurting me like he did, but I love him too…and I guess part of me always will, though it disgusts me. I just hope that if he is alive, he stays far away from here and from me.


That was pretty twisted...but sad, in a way.


Yeah. Randal is a bastard and there is no excuse for doing the things he did, but he had a pretty sad life really. I suppose he's not unlike Kane in a way...Kane just has a few more morals and a little more self-control.


“I guess so, but they are all different. In some of them it’s like I’m back in the past, sometimes it’s all mixed up, things that happened and things that didn’t, and sometimes I dream about things that could happen in the future, like…like me losing control and killing people. Last night, I dreamt that I killed Edwin and it felt so real. When I woke up, I was so afraid that I’d really done it.”


Chilling...and I hope it won't ever happen for real.


Kane: So do I...but it is always a possiblity.


“Love?” Benny repeated thoughtfully. “Love is…a very strong word, Kane.” He pushed his glass away, taking a sudden interest in the trail of blood across the table. “I’m fond of her, I like being with her and we get along well, we can talk to each other. She’s had a rough life and I want to take care of her. But I don’t think I’m ready to fall in love with anyone again just yet.”


Ha, I think he already has. :lol:


Of course. :lol: But he isn't going to be quick to admit that.


“You’re right,” Kane rested his head in his hands, which were shaking slightly. “I wish I could, everything would be much easier then. But I can’t hate him! He drives me mad and sometimes I really want to kill him, but I love him too much. He means everything to me and I couldn’t bear it if he hated me.”


Then go on and tell him that!


He's too frightened to, though he'd never actually admit that.


An idea forming suddenly in his mind, Edwin quickly stripped off his robes and got into bed. Kane grunted something, but didn’t wake up. Confident that he was still in a deep sleep, the wizard relaxed and settled down, resting his head against his lover’s shoulder and closing his eyes. Being there felt right, as though they really were meant to be together, and Edwin had missed not only the physical contact but also the sense of satisfaction that being with Kane always brought him. He had no idea what the warrior’s reaction would be the following morning, but he didn’t care just then. He’d deal with that in the morning…


Awwww...I just hope Kane reacts well now.


We'll see. In the middle of the week after I've finished all my essays. :)




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