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Chapter 20


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#1 Guest_Jover_*

Posted 13 May 2003 - 07:43 AM

Chapter 20

“That black leather and chain mail looks good on you Vic.” Jover said, as the companions walked through the Slums district looking for Korgan.

“Viconia.” the Drow corrected, her voice slightly muffled by the helm that concealed her face. “And the armor is acceptable, however watching you deal with that cooing wael to obtain it nearly made me retch.”

“Really? I thought I cut a pretty good deal.” Jover said with a smile. “My bluff about possibly accepting Bodhi’s offer made Bayle drop the price of Imoen's freedom by a fourth. And he let you have your pick of the Shadows Thieves finest.”

“Yes, but a person with your bloodline should never barter with that ilk.” Viconia said, in an irritated tone. “It seems you remember nothing of what I taught you during our time together.”

“You should thank your evil goddess that he does not Drow.” Jaheira said tersely, “Otherwise you would be little more than cinders right now.”

“Ah, the self righteous half breed speaks.” Viconia said, stopping to face the druid. “I thought perhaps you had done the world a favor and swallowed your tongue.”

“I have remained silent in an effort to control my anger and prevent your blood being shed.” Jaheira said, “But if you think I will stand quietly by and allow you to toy with Jover as you did before then you are sorely mistaken.”

“Jaheira that wasn’t…” Jover began.

“I assure you this jaluk had no complaints with my companionship then, nor will he now.” Viconia interrupted, “As for mistakes, I believe his greatest was in trusting you.”

“Viconia.” Jover said, with a look of warning.

“Hmpf! You believe yourself worthy of judging me?!” Jaheira said angrily, “Redeem your own evil deeds before you dare preach to me Drow.”

“Will you both..” Jover started, but was cut off as Aerie took hold of his arm.

“J.. Jover, I.. I think Jaheira could b.. be right.” the Avariel said nervously, “M.. my mother told me stories about how c.. cruel and evil the D.. Drow are, she said they would k.. kill the Avariel without mercy.”

“Aerie this isn’t ..” the fighter began.

“Do you claim to be one of that high flying race, girl?” Viconia asked, tilting her head to give Aerie a studying look. “Where are your wings then? Or did they find you as pathetic and stammering as I do and fled you gladly?”

“Viconia quit…” Jover tried to say.

“Y.. you.. your horrible!” Aerie exclaimed, as she turned to Jover with a pleading look. “Jover y.. you saved her, n.. now make her go away. Please!”

“Aerie I…”

“Calm yourself wingless one.” Viconia said with a brief laugh, “I have nothing against you, but from your quivering I have no doubt you make a poor companion. Why do you keep this cripple Jover? Out of pity?”

“Shut up Drow! Shut UP!!” Aerie sobbed, as she wrapped her arms tightly around Jover, burying her head against his chest to seek protection against Viconia’s harsh words.

“You made Aerie cry!” Minsc shouted angrily, and with surprising speed he grasped Viconia by the throat lifting her from the ground. “No one makes Minsc’s witch cry! Boo will not stand for it!”

“Minsc NO!” Jover yelled, making a grab for the ranger only to lose his balance due to the Avariel clinging tightly to him. As he fell Jover spun sideways trying to avoid hurting the petite elf, but only succeeded in pulling Aerie down with him into the muddy water of a shallow drainage ditch.

Unable to speak her words of power due to Minsc’s vise like grip, Viconia reached for her new dagger only to have him slap it from her hand. Weaponless but far from helpless, the Drow twisted and kicked the ranger in the groin, her chain mail covered leg clanging against his plate armor and the natural weak spot beneath it. Once, twice, until on the third strike Minsc let go, leaving both Drow and ranger to fall to their knees gasping for air and holding their respective injuries.

After turning his head to spit out a mouthful of water that tasted disgustingly close to the way manure smells, Jover looked up at the mud splattered Avariel sitting astride his lap. Aerie offered a weak smile as she futilely attempted to clean his face with the sleeve of her robe. “Are.. are you all right Jover?” Not trusting himself to speak Jover instead glanced at Jaheira to find the druid casually leaning on her staff and giving the fighter her best. ‘This is what you get for not listening to me’ look.

Closing his eyes, Jover sighed and allowed his head to fall back into the mud with a splat. Maybe if I stay right here everything will work itself out without me, … it certainly can’t get much worse. He thought idly, as filthy water seeped into his clothing.

“Bloody hells longlimb! If yer gonna bed tha’ elf take her scrawny arse indoors so the rest of the Slums don’t hav’ ta watch.”

Wincing at the mocking sound of Korgan’s voice, Jover opened his eyes to see the dwarf leaning over the rail of some nearby stairs. Damn, just once I’d like to be right about something. the fighter thought as he pushed Aerie off his lap and stood. After pulling the Avariel to her feet and sending her to Minsc, he turned and went to Viconia.

“Can you heal yourself Vic, or do you want one of us to do it?” the fighter asked as he tried to scrape the mud from himself and failed.

“If *cough* that addled behemoth *cough* touches me again, I swear by Shar that it shall be the last thing he ever does.” The drow said as she rubbed her neck. “And my name is Viconia!”

“If ye be done with yer bit o’ fun longlimb, I found Shagbag’s hideout now lets go get tha’ gold.” Korgan said as he came down to join the others, stopping short when saw Viconia’s armor covered form. “Who in the Abyss is tha’?”

Ignoring the dwarf Jover turned instead to Jaheira. “Thanks so much for the help.” the fighter said sarcastically. “Why didn’t you try and stop them?”

“I did not create this problem Jover, you did.” the druid said hotly. “If peace is what you truly desire then send the Drow away.”

“Drow?” Korgan repeated with a puzzled expression. “What are ye talkin about tree hugger?”

“The elg’caress is referring to me.” Viconia said, pulling off her helm and allowing her white hair to blow in the breeze.

“Drow!” Korgan spat the word like a curse. “Damnation! I thought I left yer vile breed behind me a lifetime ago.”

“Change your tone when speaking to me Dwarf.” Viconia said coldly, “Though my own association with the Underdark is over and done with, that does not mean I will tolerate any disrespect.”

“I’ll show ye some bleedin’ disrespect!” Korgan snarled, as he reached for his axe. “Ye damned blackskins be good fer only three things, owning, hunting, and killing!”

“You won’t be doing any of those things with her Korgan.” Jover said, moving in front of Viconia as he saw Minsc get back to his feet. “And neither will you big man, I don’t want any of you attacking her again.”

“You.. your.. d.. defending her?!” Aerie said shocked, “After w.. what she said?!

“Aerie, Viconia only attacked you after you insulted her entire race over nothing more than childhood tales.” Jover said with more anger than he intended. “If you're going to hate someone then find a better reason.”

“Well said abbil.” Viconia said sounding pleased.

“What I said goes for you as well Viconia.” Jover said, as he rounded on the Drow. “My friends just risked their lives to save you, if you can’t be grateful then at least be gracious and stop insulting them.”

“Your friends would have left me to roast.” Viconia said with a sneer. “I know who is responsible for my freedom and shall pay my debt to you not them.”

Jover matched Viconia’s hard stare for several long moments then turned to see Jaheira glaring at both him and the Drow. A brief glance showed Minsc standing beside Aerie, the ranger’s normally carefree face was now troubled as he watched Aerie try to hide her hurt feelings beneath a determined expression. Lastly Jover looked down at Korgan, who was scowling up at Viconia and thumbing the edge of his axe.

“Since it looks like all of you are in the mood to hit something let’s make it worthwhile.” Jover said, hoping to prevent further argument. “Korgan lead us to that cutthroat ex-partner of yours.”

***

A quick walk up the stairs, followed by Minsc smashing through the hideout’s door, found the companions standing in front of Shagbag. The seedy looking man was undisturbed by their sudden entrance and remained sitting calmly a small table with a handle full of gold coins scattered in front of him.

“I was wondering when you’d show up Bloodaxe.” Shagbag said, as he stacked some of the coins.

“Hand over tha’ gold Shagbag, or I’ll hand ye yer head.” Korgan growled.

“This gold?” Shagbag asked, smiling as he picked up a coin and flipped it at Korgan. “This is nothing, I just lucked onto a fortune that makes Pimlico look like a pauper. And I have you to thank for it Dwarf, you and that mud covered fellow beside you.”

“How’s that?” Jover asked, suddenly looking around the room with suspicion.

“That piece of business you pulled at the Cornet made quite a stir.” Shagbag said, as he pocketed the gold from the table. “Now there’s a bounty on the lot of you.”

“An ye aim ta collect it? Har!” Korgan laughed, “Shagbag ye always was an bleedin idiot, I’ve had many a price on me head an I still be standing.”

“Not like this Bloodaxe.” Shagbag said as he began to adjust a ring he wore on his right hand. “The Slave Lords themselves have set the reward, you’re all as good as dead.”

As the last word left his mouth, Viconia drew and threw her dagger, the poisoned blade burying itself deep in the cutthroat’s chest killing him instantly.

“Ye bloody Drow!” Korgan snarled, “He was mine to kill!”

“Then you should have been faster.” Viconia said simply, as she walked over to the body and removed the ring from Shagbag’s lifeless hand and held it up for all to see. “A ring of summoning, no doubt a gift from those Slave Lords he spoke of.”

“Good spotting Vic.. Viconia.” Jover said, correcting himself before the Drow could. “But what does it summon?”

“That is beyond my abilities, abbil.” Viconia said.

“T.. then give it to me, my magic c.. can find out.. you’ll see.” Aerie said, taking pleasure that she could out perform the Drow in some manner.

“Ah, so that is your function…to identify things.” Viconia said in an amused tone as she handed over the ring. “A small service, but I suppose it proves you have some minor worth.”

“Aerie does not have to prove herself!” Minsc said defiantly, “She is a most wonderful witch!”

“The big man is right, Viconia.” Jover said, placing his hand briefly on the Avariel’s shoulder to apologize for his earlier harshness. “Aerie’s earned her place.. and then some.”

Aerie looked up at Jover in grateful surprise, and then smiled. “W.. what are we going t.. to do now?” she asked, slipping the ring into one of the pockets in her robe.

“What are we gonna do?” Korgan echoed with anger. “Ye bleedin’ do gooder fools! Traveling with ye has bloody well ruined me! A damned hero’s bounty on my head! How am I supposed ta live that down?!”

“No one twisted your arm Dwarf, and we have more important worries than your evil reputation.” Jaheira said, “Namely how to deal with the bounty hunters who will be swarming after us.”

“Assassins… at least that’s something we’re used to.” Jover said, flashing a mischievous smile at Jaheira. “Though they do tend to show up at the worst possible moments, I remember once…”

“Jover…” the druid said, with an unspoken warning in her voice and another clearly showing in her eyes.

“What? I’m just trying to warn everyone about …” Jover began, innocently.

“Everyone knows that hired killers are dangerous, so there is nothing more that needs to be said about the subject.” Jaheira said tightly, her cheeks coloring slightly. “Now I suggest you move on.”

“Whatever you say Jaheira.” Jover said, with a grin. “You’ve fought more slavers than any of the rest of us, ever hear of these Slave Lords.”

“No, but obviously they are the masters behind all the slave trade in this city.” Jaheira said, still slightly upset with the fighter. “Which would make them very powerful and exceedingly dangerous.”

“A brilliant deduction half breed, perhaps tomorrow you will discover the sun rises in the morning.” Viconia said as breezed past Jaheira to stand beside Jover. “I grow bored abbil, where do we travel from here?”

“That’s a good question, the Promenade will be the first place anyone looks for us.” Jover said, “Korgan, is there a good inn where we can disappear in the crowd?”

“Aye, the Five Flagons over in the Bridge District be the place.” the dwarf answered grumpily. “Nobody asks any damned questions an they be havin’ the best stocked bar in the whole bleedin’ city.”

***




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