In The Cards

It always pays to be prepared when faced with a difficult task, and I try to plan ahead if I can. Sure, sometimes I forget myself, but at least I try. However, it's also always a good idea to remember that others may be making plans of their own…

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

There had been…something…about her dreams last night. Something important. So why couldn't she remember more than the most vague of hints? Rini sighed with frustration, not for the first time. Sarevok. There had been something about Sarevok, but that was all she could recall. True, Ulcaster had warned her that the dream would be lost to her until the time came when she needed it, but it was still annoying. The half-elf sneaked a look at Edwin, wondering if the wizard was luckier than she was. Somehow she didn't think so. He looked very preoccupied, as if he was puzzling over something. Eventually she had to ask him.

"So," she said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Any significant revelations last night?"

Edwin shook his head tersely. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept very well. "Apart from the fact that Jaheira is capable of snoring like a cave bear, none." The bard's quiet snort of amusement made the hint of a smile cross his face. "If there were any important messages in my dreams I really can't say that I remember them." His eyes darkened slightly. "And small loss that was. Something tells me they weren't particularly pleasant."

The journey back to Beregost was uneventful, thankfully. Zaerini kept mostly to herself, trying to think of what to do next. She had been putting things off, she knew. Putting off dealing with Sarevok. While there certainly was no guarantee that she would encounter him at the bandit camp, there was a possibility. She had told herself that she needed to prepare, that she needed to gain more experience in combat, more skill with her spellcasting before risking that. And that was all true, but it wasn't all the truth there was. She was afraid. Sarevok had stepped into her life and shattered it that day outside Candlekeep. And while she had managed to mostly piece herself back together she knew that she would never be quite the same again. Not after seeing Gorion's body on the ground in front of her.

Her foster father had always been the most important person in her life, besides Imoen. But unlike Imoen she had trusted Gorion to protect her, to keep her safe from harm. She hadn't merely loved him, she had admired him tremendously. Throughout her childhood he had always been there whenever she needed him, always known exactly what to do about everything. Somehow, she had believed him invulnerable. And now he was gone, lost to her forever, and the same thing could happen to other people she cared about. If she wasn't clever enough, if she wasn't strong or brave enough that was a very real risk. She didn't know if she could deal with anybody else dying because of her.

Once they reached Beregost Rini told her friends that she thought they should rest for a day or so, do any restocking they needed of provisions, and then set out for the Wood of Sharp Teeth. She was relieved that they didn't ask her what they'd do once they actually got there. The idea of simply walking into the bandit camp, assuming she could even find it, and announce herself didn't sound very appealing. She excused herself to her friends before retiring to her room at the Jovial Juggler, telling them that she needed some time alone to think on things, to plan ahead.

Jaheira had said that she wanted to drop into Thunderhammer's smithy to see about having some repairs done to her armor and Imoen had pulled Khalid with her into the common room where a heated dart game was going on. The pink-haired thief had got much better with darts lately and she apparently thought she stood a chance to win some money. Edwin had muttered something about going for a walk and slipped out the door with no further comment.

And now Zaerini was lying on her bed in the room she shared with Imoen, one arm beneath her head and the other petting her familiar. It's just that I'm afraid to make a mistake, she admitted. And I can't afford to do that, I think.

Everybody makes mistakes sometimes, kitten, Softpaws said. The black cat was lying curled up on the bard's chest, regarding her solemnly with bright green eyes. Even the cleverest.

Maybe…but there are mistakes and mistakes. I just don't want anybody to…get hurt.

That has always been a risk, so why are you worrying more right now?

I'm…not sure. Maybe it's because those bandits…they'll bring us closer to Sarevok, or so I hope. The danger somehow seems…more real. I know it sounds strange.

Not really, kitten. And of course, there is also the matter of your own feelings. The more you care about someone, the more you worry…isn't that so?

I…I suppose so. But why…

At that moment there was a timid knock at the door, and then Khalid's voice could be heard outside. "Zaerini? M-may I come in a m-moment?"

"Of course," the bard responded and went to open the door, Softpaws leaping down from the bed looking very annoyed at the interruption. The Harper smiled at Rini as he entered the room, sitting down at the table next to her. He had changed out of his armor and was wearing a simple dark blue tunic, loose and comfortable. His open and friendly face, always so easy to read, looked worried. So different from Jaheira, Rini thought. She never shows her emotions like that. Well…almost never. Not for the first time she wondered how much older than her the other two half-elves were. Lots older than her, that was for sure, though it wasn't wrinkles or gray hair that showed it. Rather a certain look about the eyes, a knowing one that didn't quite match a youthful face.

"I was a l-little worried about you," Khalid admitted, fiddling nervously with his belt. "You l-looked so s-s-sad before. I just wanted to check t-that you were all right." There was such honest concern in his kind eyes that Zaerini couldn't help herself. Talking to Softpaws had helped, but she wanted, she needed to let at least one of her two-legged friends know what she was feeling. And so she talked, her words spilling forth from her lips in an ever swifter torrent, almost stumbling over themselves. She told him everything, her fears, her insecurity, her terrible worry that somehow her own inadequacies would bring her friends down along with her. It wasn't long before she felt her friend's arms around her, holding her tight, one hand smoothing her hair as he murmured comforting words into her ear. She even allowed herself to shed a tear or two.

"Thank you," Rini said once she was finally done. She was feeling much calmer already. "You're a wonderful listener, Khalid, do you know that?"

Khalid blushed all the way to the tips of his gently pointed ears. "That's what J-Jaheira s-says as well," he started, and then he turned an even stronger shade of red that made his brown hair seem almost blond in comparison. "That i-i-is…what I was m-meaning to say was that we are your friends. All of us. We know there's d-danger ahead, but we a-a-a-accept that because we want to h-help you. You m-mustn't think yourself r-responsible for our f-fates. I know you do your b-best."

"But suppose my best isn't good enough?"

"What c-can anybody do except their b-best?" He smiled shyly. "Gorion was m-my friend, and I knew him well. He would b-be proud of you if he could s-see you now. S-so am I, and J-Jaheira. I know she m-may not say it often, b-but she really is. You will m-manage, and we will a-always be happy to h-help you."

"Thank you, Khalid. I don't know if you know how much it means to hear that."

Khalid blushed again. "I was o-only telling the t-truth," he said. "Nothing to t-thank me for. Well, if you are f-feeling better I suppose I'd better see how Imoen's doing b-before she bets away all our m-money." Having given Rini a final, brief hug he exited the door and headed downstairs again.

See, kitten? Softpaws asked. Now do you believe me?

Of course I believe you. I just…needed to hear it from somebody else as well, I guess.

The half-elf sat in silence for a while, looking out the window. Dusk was settling over Beregost, and the shadows were lengthening by the minute, the sky turning from a deep dark blue to a velvety black. She could see a few stars, but the moon was only a pale sliver above the steep rooftops. A fine night for burglars and other rogues to be out and about, she thought. I hope Immy's been practicing her skills as much as she says. We'll all need to be at our best when we go after the bandits, I think.

There was another knock on the door, and then it was immediately pulled open. Edwin stepped inside, a very strange look on his face. He seemed apprehensive, but at the same time also eager about something. "I need a word with you," he said without further preamble. "It is extremely important."

"Go ahead," Zaerini asked, feeling uneasy. Edwin being this frank about anything was unusual to say the least. He usually preferred long and wordy explanations for his actions.

"You said before that you wish to enter the bandit camp without launching an outright attack. Isn't that so?"

"Yes."

"Well, it appears that I have found a way for us to do so." The Red Wizard looked as if he was thinking something over for a moment, hesitating over his next words. "I…have happened to meet with somebody who may just be able to help us approach his…associates."

The bard quickly worked her way through this. "You've been chatting with a bandit? When? Where?"

"Ah…just now," Edwin said, looking uncomfortable. "I went for a walk, you recall? I met him over at the Red Sheaf when I dropped inside for a drink. It appears he is in the area on business, recruiting new people for the bandits' operations. Me being a Red Wizard, he trusted me enough to approach me on the subject. I hinted that I knew some people who might be interested." When no immediate answer came he went on. "It is an excellent opportunity, don't you think? We could get inside the bandit camp and strike at them from within."

"I suppose so," Rini said, hesitantly. It certainly seemed like a good idea. She wished she'd been the one to come up with it. "This…bandit though. Do you think he can be trusted not to lead us into a trap or something?"

Edwin didn't answer at once. When he did he looked very serious, and his dark eyes were unreadable. "You will have to decide that for yourself I think," he said. "If you wish to meet with him I can take you to him." He paused. "Just one word of advice," he said in a fervent voice. "Whatever you do, please try to be diplomatic. You don't want to anger him."

Frowning a little at this unusual restraint in her friend the half-elf nodded. "All right," she said. "Let's go see this bandit of yours. I'll get the others."

"No. Just you and me for now. I don't want my contact to get suspicious." It sounded reasonable enough.

"Fine," Rini said. "I agree. I just hope we won't have to regret this."

As she followed Edwin out the door she heard him whisper something to himself. "So do I. So do I."

Rini hadn't really been inside the Red Sheaf since that dwarven assassin had tried to take her head off with an axe. As she passed through the door she could still see faint traces of the bloodstains he had left behind. It was getting pretty late by now, and most of the customers were either leaving, being thrown out, or falling asleep on or below the tables. Edwin ignored them all, leading the way up a stair in the back of the room and into a narrow corridor. "Remember," he hissed as he paused before a closed door. "Diplomacy." Rini shrugged noncommittally and followed him inside. Then she almost ran into him as he stopped with surprise. The room was empty. Bare walls and floor, a bed, a table and a couple of chairs. That was all. A single candle still burned on the table, making the shadows of the bard and the wizard flicker across the walls as if in caught up in some strange dance.

Edwin walked further into the room, looking equal parts surprised and frustrated. "I don't understand it," he said. "This is the right place. Where could he be?" He lifted the bedcovers as if expecting somebody to leap out at him from beneath them and then peeked under the table, pushing the chairs violently aside. "Maybe he's changed his mind? Maybe he got called away?"

"Maybe he went down to the bar to get drunk?" Rini suggested helpfully and looked behind the threadbare curtain, accidentally managing to yank it down.

"Or maybe," said a frosty voice from directly behind her back, "he is still wondering if neither of you was ever taught that it is generally considered polite to at least knock on the door before starting to rearrange the furniture of your host. If you were, it would seem that you have both forgotten such simple courtesies." Rini felt her heart leap almost all the way into her mouth and she could hear Edwin make a very undignified throat sound. Then she turned around to see who had addressed them, fighting against the uncomfortable impression of having an intangible weapon pressed against her back.

A man was leaning nonchalantly against the wall next to the door, watching the bard and the wizard intently, his arms crossed across his chest. The black leathers he was wearing hinted that he probably moved in not exactly legal circles, what with the way they almost made him invisible in the shadows. I didn't hear so much as a single footstep! Rini thought, feeling aghast as well as annoyed with herself. And I'm supposed to have much better hearing than a human too. I should have heard something as he entered the room. Unless…oh no. He couldn't possibly have been inside all along without either of us seeing him, could he? That's just…freaky. She forced herself to turn her attention back to studying the stranger.

He was tall and lean, and had a certain look about him, something that subtly suggested a large animal getting ready to pounce. It was rather hard to tell his age too. Older than she, certainly, but by no means ancient. A sharp-featured face, made all the more so by the shadows playing across it, giving nothing away. Rather good-looking, actually, if in an intimidating cross-me-and-die manner. Cool black eyes stared directly into hers, weighing and measuring, and she couldn't shake the feeling that all the pertinent information about her was being neatly filed away for further reference with lightning speed. No obvious weapons were visible, but Rini strongly suspected that it would be extremely unwise to draw the conclusion that none existed. "Who are you?" she demanded, hoping she didn't sound too alarmed.

The stranger raised an eyebrow and the corners of his mouth quirked upwards in an amused smirk that also seemed vaguely...familiar. "I trust you were inquiring after my name and not after my full autobiography since the latter would take far more time to produce than any of us have. But as for the former…you may call me Adahn."