I'm proud to announce that the Chapter6 of the novel has been fully written, at least in a shape of a rough draft. It features 16 episodes, quite a lot when all you have to do is to get to Athkatla, stake Bodhi and return the lamp to elves. Somehow though, my characters became very talkative and I failed to shut them up.
What can I say about the Chapter6? Do I actually have to say anything? Obviously, you will judge if it is good or bad... I can only promise one thing. It will be different. And we will have two new partymembers. You can try guessing who those will be...
Meanwhile, while I gather some ideas for Chapter7, I am putting the yet unpublished Chapter5 and Chapter6 under a very careful revision. As a result of that, I have already written an additional episode for Chapter5, totalling it to 25. It was necessary.
Rant over.
Rush Of Blood To The Head, part 5.14.
The two days of waiting pass rather quickly, despite my worries of sinking into prolonged boredom. Jaheira is keeping me rather busy, Imoen and Viconia spend a lot of time together and I don’t even know exactly what they are up to. The only one who is feeling a bit bored and lonely is Edwin, but of course he will never admit that. He managed to exact revenge upon me at the chessboard and that improved his mood greatly, but there is still something that is bothering him, I am sure…
For once, his reaction to Jaheira’s comment about his relations with the Red Wizards – if he has become an outcast, just like Jaheira with Harpers and knowing what great pride he takes in his allegiance to the Red Wizards… that would be a heavy punch in the face for him. And there is something more – for some reason he tends to become grim when he sees Jaheira and me starting to get mushy before his eyes… I am positively sure that he is not jealous, but maybe that seeing that, brings back some painful memories to him. And his Edwin-style flirting with both Viconia and Immy that gets promptly rebuked each time and his frequent visits to Drow concubines – something is bothering our Red Wizard…
We are called to our duty on the afternoon of the third day, this time Phaere does not send a messenger but arrives personally with Solaufein in tow… Imoen, who has been hanging around the tavern’s main hall, alerts the rest of us of her presence and we quickly head over to meet her.
“Good that you have arrived, Rindvel, until now I was limited only to the pathetic company of Solaufein,” she looks disgustedly at her male companion, sitting beside her at the table, “I suppose I should be brief with my instruction and send you on her way, I am sure that Solaufein would like that.”
Solaufein only snorts as a comment and Phaere continues to explain, “To the task at hand then. The Matron Mothers have decided that the svirfneblin have not shown enough fear of the drow lately, so your task is to teach them a lesson. Mother Ardulace has chosen you for this mission.”
Imoen looks at me with tear filled eyes and I suddenly am painfully reminded of my old friend Jan… I know that I won’t be able to raise my sword and kill an innocent gnome… even if it would be a very annoying one…
“You... you want me to kill svirfneblin gnomes? This is completely beneath me, I have better things to do, Despana bitch,” Solaufein loudly complains and I have a feeling that he will suffer for his lack of obedience…
“Do you have better things to do than to serve the Mother Lolth?” Phaere asks in a voice that does not permit any arguing back.
“Pah! As if the Spider Queen would care what we do with the deep gnomes!” Solaufein simply does not know when to stop for his own good, “Why don’t you send Rindvel alone, if this is so important, I am sure that a great warrior of his calibre can do without me.”
Jaheira pokes me on the arm at Solaufein’s comment, but I am not sure what this signal is supposed to mean.
“No, you will go with Rindvel, Solaufein – that is decided. Argue again and you will lose your tongue, Solaufein,” Phaere rises her voice, getting even more annoyed, “Approach the svirfneblin village and wait for the patrol – then slaughter them mercilessly and bring back some proof of the deed done. Report back to me as soon as it is done and hurry with the task. It should not take you more than couple of hours.”
“Fine. If Matron Mother has decreed as such, then I have no choice,” Solaufein mutters darkly, “I will head out immediately and you should join me as soon as possible. I will tolerate no delays.”
We leave right after Solaufein as there is no need for any specific preparations for this task – should it come to killing the gnomes… though, I sincerely hope that there would be a way to avoid it, perhaps by killing Solaufein instead and presenting his helmet as a proof to Phaere...
“Bro, we aren’t going to kill the poor gnomes, please?” Imoen starts her plea just as we have left the gates of the Ust Natha behind us, “they’ve done nothing wrong… so Goldander wanted to trick us, but he did it for his people… huh, what do you say?”
“Well, I for one agree with Phaere – the svirfneblin did not show enough respect to me the last time,” Viconia snorts, “but Solaufein is correct, slaughtering them would be beneath me…”
“Maybe we can somehow avoid it…” I muse, “but Solaufein will be there to keep an eye on us, so I don’t see what we can do. And interestingly enough, despite Goldander’s and Adalon’s claims, the threat of that Balor doesn’t seem to be so great if the gnomes can afford to send out more men to patrol… weird.”
“Solaufein did not seem to be very thrilled about the possibility to kill the gnomes,” Jaheira points out, “maybe we can… talk him out of it?”
“Do you think that he will trust us? I doubt it,” I reply.
“Well, but if our dear Heira would talk to him and perhaps try to act… alluring, he might just listen to her and allow himself to be convinced,” Viconia suggests, much to my dismay.
“Oh, pleasepleaseplease… Jaheira, you have to try it… for the gnomes, please,” Imoen exclaims exasperatedly.
“Umm… I don’t think that’s a good idea, really…” I try to object.
“I will not act alluring or flirt with him, I assure you,” Jaheira says, “but I think that there is a good chance that he will listen to me, rather than to any of you. Perhaps it will not take much to convince him… but you have no reason to worry, I promise.”
I grumble out my reluctant agreement, though of course Jaheira is right – Solaufein considers her to be the leader of this group and from the looks he has been giving to me it would seem that his opinion of me is rather low…
Solaufein awaits us near the entrance to the svirfneblin village, he sits atop of a large rock, his eyes focusing on a point somewhere in front of him, seems that he is meditating or something like that… he snaps out of it as soon as he hears our arrival, the loud clattering of metal armor and weaponry does not make for a subtle approach.
“Finally you have arrived,” he speaks solemnly, “Let us wait here, the patrol will come along shortly and then we can get this over with.”
“Solaufein?” Jaheira steps out of the formation and approaches him, “may I make a suggestion?”
“Go ahead, female,” Solaufein smiles wryly, “we have time.”
“I have been thinking… this hardly seems to be a task for a warrior as prolific as you are,” Jaheira speaks in a soft, teasing voice and I can barely contain myself from exploding in anger, “why do you not let us handle this dirty job and return to the city if you would prefer that…”
“Hmmm. How thoughtful of you, female,” Solaufein manages a smile, “I think I will take you up on your offer, Phaere enjoys making me dance and I have little desire to comply. I trust you will have no problems to accomplish this task, female?”
“Of course, Solaufein,” Jaheira bows her head in reassurance.
“Good, I thought so. I like your approach, female… and you show the signs of being a competent warrior,” Solaufein observes, “once you have done the deed, take the helmet of the leader and return to Ust Natha, Phaere will be waiting for you in the tavern and I will be there as well. Do not fail me, female.” With these words he jumps of the rock he has been sitting upon and leaves.
“Wasn’t that a little bit over the top?” I hiss, but Jaheira only fixes me with an angry glare.
“Who cares - as long as it worked, I don’t see where your problem is,” Viconia interjects, "though, I must admit... I feel something wrong about this Solaufein... something... I am unsure."
“And what else could I say?” Jaheira adds, “I fail to see something indecent in my words. You would do well to contain that jealousy of yours, it is making you to act rather silly.”
“Hmm, perhaps you are right… but this is not the time to discuss it – here come the gnomes,” I point at the six small figures that approach us in a rhythmical march.
Contrary to Phaere’s belief, gnomes show plenty of fear just from seeing us and luckily their leader has enough common sense to give up his helmet without a fight. Relieved at the outcome of the meeting, the gnomes quickly scatter and hastily retreat back to their village as we turn to head back to the Drow city.
The road back is spent in silence as I continue to ponder about and analyze my behavior and if I indeed am acting irrationally regarding Jaheira’s dealing with Solaufein. I fail to find a convincing answer to my musings and am forced to cut them off as we reach the Ust Natha soon and Phaere and Solaufein already are waiting for us in the tavern.
“Ahhh… so you return and I see a svirfneblin helmet in your hands… good,” Phaere flashes me with one of her predatory smiles, “I am sure that gnomes are scrambling as we speak, preparing a tribute to the Matron Mothers.”
“Indeed, I am sure that the gnomes were suitably impressed by our display of viciousness. Of course they had no inkling we were capable of such an amazing feat,” Solaufein observes sarcastically.
“What is the meaning of this, Solaufein? Are you losing your stomach for blood?” Phaere rises from the chair and looks at Solaufein indignantly, “Lolth would be displeased to hear this, I should think.”
“I will save my wrath for the Drow’s true enemies,” Solaufein shrugs his shoulders, “Lolth knows this, as does the Matron Mother of my own House.”
“Bah! I will listen to you no more! Rindvel!” she calls me, imperiously, “you will meet me in the Female Fighter Society tower, within one hour… and do not dare to be late. As for you Solaufein… let us go, so we can discuss some things along the way…”
For some odd reason, the idea to meet Phaere in her private quarters does not seem very alluring to me… and the expression in Jaheira’s eyes is making my knees wobbly as we slowly head out of the inn a few minutes later…
Of course you know what happens in the next chapter. No. Actually you don't.
