In The Cards

Strangely enough, even a Child of Bhaal may have pleasant dreams at times. Of course there is little time to enjoy such moments, as they tend to get interrupted by more mundane matters, such as people wanting to take over the world, people wanting to become gods, people wanting to imprison or torture you and people simply wanting to kill you. Not to mention people wanting you to run strange errands for them, fetching slippers and decapitated heads and whatnot. Come to think of it, those are the most annoying ones.

Excerpt from ‘Ruminations Of A Master Bard’

Zaerini stared at the boiled egg in front of her, with the uncomfortable feeling that it was looking right back. She was trying to decide what they should do today, and it wasn’t an easy task. The city was so big, there wouldn’t be a shortage of available jobs, but she didn’t intend for them to waste their time running minor errands if she could help it. She wanted to get to know Baldur’s Gate, and to make allies if possible, and only then would it be time to confront Sarevok. Perhaps we should do as Scar asked and take a closer look at those sewers? But not first thing in the morning. I don’t think I can stand the smell before I have the chance to wake up properly.

Is that so, kitten? Softpaws said as she lazily walked along the breakfast table and gave her mistress a meaningful look. Any particular reason why you’re so tired? Such as any particularly interesting dreams last night?

I have no idea what you mean.

The cat didn’t exactly smirk, but there was the mental impression of a smirk all the same. You can’t remember? What a shame. Good thing I can. There was this very entertaining one about you and the wizard all alone in a bathtub. I didn’t know you knew what he looks like without any outer fur on.

It’s called ‘clothes’ and I don’t know that!

Oh? Would you like me to find out for you? I can always sneak into his room when he’s getting undressed, and show you what I see.

Rini clasped her hands to her cheeks, feeling them burn as hot as if they were on fire. Absolutely NOT! Don’t you dare do a thing like that!

“Is something wrong?” Edwin asked from across the breakfast table, looking concerned.

“Ah…no, no!” Zaerini hastily said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as squeaky as she thought it did. “It’s just…er…Softy is being silly. Again, I might add.” Desperately she tried to banish the images that kept appearing before her whenever she looked at the wizard. Don’t think about it. Just don’t.

Admit it kitten, you’re tempted. Want me to get under the table and sneak a peek at his legs? I can easily get inside that annoyingly concealing thing he’s wearing.

“No!”

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” Edwin asked. “You know that my amazingly astute intellect is at your disposal if you need it. Did you have another of those dreams last night?”

“Er…no. Not exactly.” And I’m not about to tell you what kind of dream I did have. I didn’t know that my imagination could get that lively. Or that I knew how to do those things.

You’re in heat, kitten. It’s only natural. Just get to it already, the male wants you as much as you want him.

Now you sound like Jaheira. Well, not exactly like Jaheira, I can’t imagine her telling me to ‘get to it’. And I’ve told you it’s not that simple.

Yes kitten, it is that simple. The black cat made an annoyed flick with her tail. It’s just that you insist on over-complicating things.

At that moment Zaerini got a welcome reprieve from the conversation as Imoen came down the stairs, her pink hair disheveled from sleep. She was rubbing her eyes and yawning widely. “Morning, guys!” she cheerfully called out. “Did ya sleep well?”

“Aye, lass”, Yeslick said. “But what about you? Ye look like ye’ve been digging yerself a shaft straight through Toril.”

“Oh, I was up late last night, that’s all”, the thief said as she plopped down on the bench next to Zaerini and started shoveling food onto her plate. “Me and Adahn were working, you know. Yup. Very busy.” Her blue eyes were glowing with excitement. “Rini it was incredible!”

On the other side of the table Edwin suddenly choked on a piece of bread and it was a few minutes of confusion before Yeslick had pounded him hard enough on the back that he could breathe again. “What,” the still wheezing wizard managed, “is that supposed to mean?” He didn’t sound at all pleased.

“Well, he’s been teaching me lots of cool stuff, you know!” By now Imoen was having obvious problems sitting still. “And we fought a vampire!”

“VAMPIRE?” both the bard and the Red Wizard simultaneously exclaimed. Yeslick simply stared, his mouth slowly dropping open.

Once Imoen had got through her bubbling explanation her companions didn’t exactly feel relieved. “Immy, you could have got killed!” Zaerini said. “Are you quite sure you’re all right?”

“Sure, I’m just fine!” Imoen bit her lip, looking momentarily worried. “I was really scared for Adahn’s sake though, he took a couple of hits from the vampire, but he said he’d be fine once he’d seen a priest. I wanted to come with him to make sure he got there all right, but he wouldn’t let me, but I’ll see him again tonight to do that other thing you know, and…”

“WHAT?!” Edwin’s chair crashed noisily to the floor as he sprang to his feet, glaring murderously at Imoen. “Have…have you no idea how draining a vampire attack is, even when tended to right away? If he doesn’t rest he risks running himself into the ground, he could get himself killed!”

“But…but he didn’t say…”

“Well of course he didn’t!” Edwin was almost as pale as a vampire himself by now, and he was clenching and unclenching his hands in impotent fury. “If he…if you…if…” Whatever he had meant to say he obviously thought better of it. “Never mind,” he snapped. “I’d try to talk sense into you, but that’s obviously a doomed effort. (Prideful, stubborn, insane…I’ll…I’ll…I’ll be damned if I ever understand the mindset of certain people.)” Then he stormed off up the stairs, slamming his door shut behind him with a loud bang.

“Well, somebody certainly seems to be in a fine mood,” said Jaheira who was just approaching the table, Khalid at her side. The druid looked very energetic, and the high color in her cheeks hinted that she had already been outside. “What is wrong?”

“I’m…not exactly sure,” Rini said, still staring after Edwin. “He seems very highly strung lately.” Then she patted her best friend on the hand. “Don’t worry too much, Immy. I’m sure Adahn will be fine.”

“Do you really think so?” Imoen had tears in her eyes by now.

“Sure I do. I may not exactly trust him completely, but I do trust him to know what he’s doing. Edwin seems to have taken a liking to him too, that’s probably why he’s reacting so strongly. Don’t worry about it.”

Jaheira now went on to explain that as she and Khalid had been taking an early morning walk, they had heard some very disturbing rumors. “It concerns two wizards, Ragefast and Ramazith. People are saying that this Ragefast has captured a nymph of all creatures, and that Ramazith is offering a reward for anybody willing to free her.” The druid had a very determined look in her green eyes as she bent over the table. “As a druid, all creatures of the wild are deserving of my protection”, she said. “I cannot let this matter slide, I must learn the truth of this and free the nymph if she is indeed enslaved.”

“Of course we must help!” Imoen said. “The poor thing must be so sad and lonely…we have to help her!”

“Aye”, Yeslick agreed. “I know all too well the pain of being a prisoner. I cannot see another suffer the same as I did.”

Khalid looked nervously in the direction of the stairs. “I-is Edwin coming d-d-down soon do you think?”

“I don’t know”, Zaerini said, giving him a curious look. “Why do you ask?”

“N-no reason. J-j-just feeling a little f-f-faint today.”

“If you say so.” The bard turned back to the rest of her friends. “All right”, she said. “I suppose we can always go and talk to this Ramazith person and find out what he has to say. But let’s be careful until we know more about what’s really going on.”

It was a beautiful day outside, with the sun beaming down from a clear blue sky and gentle winds that were just cool enough. It was pleasant enough that Rini was even able to temporarily forget about the stench of the city streets, and of the great number of unwashed humans moving through said streets. She was in such a good mood that she started humming quietly to herself, certain that it was going to be an excellent day. Even Edwin seemed to have calmed down and had stopped glaring daggers at Imoen. I guess he really must have taken a real liking to Adahn for him to react like that. Not that I blame him I suppose, the man can be very pleasant when he wants to, but Edwin doesn’t usually…

Here her train of thought was interrupted, as was her conviction that it was going to be a pleasant day. “Could we have a moment of your time?” said a low and insincere voice from somewhere near her left side. The half-elf turned her head to see two strangers watching her very closely. The one who had spoken, and who seemed to be the leader, was a skinny man with mousy hair and a face that was so ordinary that your eyes almost slid right off it, like soap against a mirror. If you looked away from him for even a few seconds it was very hard to remember what he looked like. His companion was a younger man, probably only about Imoen’s age, tall, gangly and very freckled, and with a nervous look to his brown eyes.

“That would depend on what you want to do with that moment,” Zaerini said, making certain to put a hand on her sword-hilt. “What do you want?” Assassins, they almost have to be. I suppose it was too much to hope for that Sarevok would forget about me. Then again, I suppose teasing him with the head of that ogre mage wouldn’t exactly help…

The unremarkable man smiled a thin smile. “First, let me introduce the two of us,” he said. “I'm Marek and this is my companion, Lothander. I thought it would be nice for you to know our names, 'cause if you don't take our advice you'll be seeing more of us two. I know that you've been taking an active interest in destroying the Iron Throne, don't try to deny it. My companion and I are in the employ of the aforementioned Throne. We thought it would be polite to give you one last warning: stop interfering with our employer's business. You can decide to disregard this warning, but if you do, it'll be the last decision you ever make.”

Rini snorted loudly. “Oh, I’m quaking with fear,” she said. “You know, I thought assassins were supposed to be silent types, but all the ones I’ve killed so far have been annoyingly wordy.”

Lothander’s eyes flitted nervously between the armed people facing him, but if Marek was impressed he didn’t show it. “You have been given a warning,” he repeated. “Whether you take it or not is really up to you. If you don’t, we have our orders.”

“Really?” Edwin sneered. “But if we should happen to kill you right here and now you would have some problems carrying out those orders, wouldn’t you? (Some red-hot pincers would suit this one perfectly I think.)”

“You could try”, Marek said. “The Flaming Fist would be upon you in seconds for daring to attack two innocent merchants.”

“Oh yeah?” Imoen said, putting her hands on her hips. “Well, we’re not afraid of you, so there.” She was making a very strange grimace that made Marek blink with consternation.

“Then maybe you should be,” the assassin said, and with that he obviously thought the conversation finished. Pulling his silent young companion with him he disappeared into the crowd.

“Immy?” Zaerini asked her friend. “Um…is there something wrong with your face?”

Imoen let her features resume their normal configuration, looking a little embarrassed. “Er…no,” she said. “I was just trying to look scary and awe-inspiring you know. I guess I need to practice some more.”

“Scary?” Edwin said. “You looked like a constipated chipmunk.”

“No I didn’t! I’ll do better next time, you’ll see!”

Zaerini tuned out the conversation as she continued walking along the street. Despite what she had said, there was something about Marek that worried her. He had seemed very certain of himself, and she was no longer able to enjoy the sunshine as she had mere minutes before. The Iron Throne he said, not Sarevok. I wonder if that means anything? And if it does, I wonder if it makes things better or worse? I wish I could just go back to bed again and forget about prophecies, forget about Sarevok, forget about people that are trying to kill me and thoroughly enjoy that bathtub dream…