Chapter 16: Food

Winter took a table in the corner of the warmly furnished restaurant of wood and stone, where she began to attack her meal. A large bowl of some meaty stew was placed on the ground for you, and you too gratefully began to eat the hot food.

You wondered, idly, when the sisters would be coming down.

"Oh, when they've finished," Winter chuckled, with her mouth full, then choked slightly on the food. "This beef is really good..."

You licked the bowl clean before Winter had even finished the whiting, and stretched under the table, head against one of the wooden legs, and looked covertly at the patrons. The tables were in a haphazard arrangement, simply put where there was space, and decorated only with a tablecloth, white. The seats were carved wood, with an underfed cushion, mostly a discolored maroon, on each. Well-lit and smelling not unpleasantly of candle smoke and different dishes, the restaurant had a delightful ambience.

The patrons were mostly merchants or those of average income - appropriately dressed but not richly so. This restaurant probably provided good food at a good cost, nothing fancy or expensive. The wine did not smell like those amazingly pricey types, nor the cheap ones...and other alcoholic beverages like whiskey were also in abundance.

Waiters, mostly humans, bustled around, whisking away cleaned dishes or delivering new ones, clearing tables, laying tables, collecting bills, escorting patrons in and out with equal efficiency. Though from your view you could only see the informally dressed legs of the waiters and the more varied clothing of the patrons.

A hand on the edge of your vision and a clattering sound - you turned to see a human waitress whom grinned, took your bowl, patted you and left, all in one apparent movement.

Drowsy you began to nod off, feeling slightly hot even in the relatively cool atmosphere (as compared to outside), then was awakened some time later by the heavy sharp scent of Taor, the werewolf. His scent was an odd mix of wolf and man, and not the best of either. From here you could see his flour-dusted trousers and worn shoes that smelled of spices spilled, no doubt, onto his kitchen floor.

You turned to see Winter's crossed legs. From their casual position, she had probably finished her meal - this was confirmed from the strong smell of 'coffee', which she took after a meal, and the lighter scent of cheese and fresh-baked bread.

They were speaking wistfully of Sanctuary, in the normal conversational voices, which most people ignored unless actually eavesdropping...,and with such casual freedom that you suspected a sound shield.

"...and the Nexus pair are finally getting married in Spring." Winter was saying. "That was what Myurr said."

"Never met the pair, though Uktar who came back here a month ago said they're pretty nice people. He met them while wandering around back in Sword Hall. He's a sword warrior, did you know?" Taor's rough voice floated down.

"Would never have guessed it from the fellow. He was the one making the biscuits, was he not?"

"Yes, he's good with his fingers, and those almond stuff of his are good. You have to try some later."

"With pleasure. I take it he was looking for Zaknafein?"

"And at the new 'uns and at old friends. All the sword students adore this Zaknafein for some reason. Never met him myself."

"I'm never one for introductions, but the next time you go back to Sanctuary I can do so. How is Dark Magic?" Winter seemed curious.

"Fine...though I hardly practice it now. Have to go back every so often to make sure I'm not too out of practice, but otherwise it's enough to get by. What I do here does not really need its use in any way...being a werewolf is more of a bother, but so long as I do not show up every full moon in public it's okay."

"Hmm," Clinking of metal on ceramic - Winter was playing with her spoon. "Anything you would recommend to do in Calimport?"

"Keep a low profile and don't play with the guilds," Taor said promptly. "But Entreri..."

Winter chuckled, deep and rich. "Do not worry."

"If you say so, Loremaster," Taor said doubtfully.

"Call me Winter," Winter replied casually.

"Then you can hardly call me DarkMage." Taor remarked jovially.

"Do I call you Taor or by your DarkMage name, then?" Winter bantered.

"Taor would be fine. I always found the name Shadow Stalker a little unsuitable for one of my size," Taor laughed, a booming sound very unlike Winter's.

"Very well then," Winter said warmly. "Now, about Calimport..."

"There's drow in it somewhere," Taor said, "Your kin, I believe."

"Drow? In Calimport?" Winter sounded surprised, but not too surprised. "I thought their...representative here was Entreri."

"Entreri is involved?" Taor whistled. "That would explain how he could become chief of Basadoni guild so quickly. Bregan D'aerthe works strangely."

"Not so strangely," Winter was amused now, and slightly apprehensive. "Are they active here?"

"No. This is only the surface, after all," Taor said with supreme mockery.

"Good," Winter said in relief.

"You're to do with Crenshinibon?" Taor asked.

"How did you know?" Surprise again.

"That thing on your back looks like Irr'liancrea to me." Taor replied confidently. "The Shard which is a Sword, no?"

"True. Do you know of Reima then?"

"No...who?"

"No matter. It is not a matter for Calimport," Winter said, then muttered, "Hopefully."

"Hopefully?" Taor's sharpened senses caught the word.

"If my...sisters do not make spectacles of themselves," Amused again. "Which I will not allow them to do so. I promised their...parent. And besides, I do not wish Bregan D'aerthe's eyes on me again so quickly. Is there anything worthwhile doing in Calimport?"

"If your worth be money, plenty. Entertainment as well, if it involves bloodshed or fighting or some sordid activity...I would have recommended taking an assassination job, but now that you are involved with Entreri that may or may not be out of the question."

A pause while Winter digested this. "We'd just have to see," she agreed. "Quests?"

"Nothing much. Usual for this place."

"Then why an outpost here?"

"The outpost here does not cover only Calimport. Together with the one in Baldur's Gate we have to cover the whole of the Sword Coast."

"I see," Winter paused again, then stood up, and you padded out from under the table. "Well, thanks," she grinned. "Can we have rooms here?"

"If you pay, and if you make no trouble," Taor stood up as well, towering over Winter. "Where are you going?"

"Out for a walk. I'd be back for supper," she stretched, waved, then headed out of the door. You followed quickly, weaving around waiters and patrons and finally out into the street.

The street was quite busy now, compared to when you had first come here, with patrons entering and leaving restaurants. Proprietors no longer stood outside their restaurants trying to invite passers-by in, they now were inside presumably cooking for their patrons. The smell of food was not as inviting on a full stomach, and you were able to view all those eating in the open air with complacency as the two of you strolled down the tree-lined streets.

"Smells much nicer," Winter smiled in the last blushing rays of the sun before sunset. You no longer viewed the burning orb with fear.

A breeze ruffled your fur and danced with Winter's mane of hair, teasing leaves up into the air. The city appeared to be gearing up for less savory night activities, if you understood Calimport correctly.

"City of beggars, thieves, killers and merchants," Winter agreed. "And other oddball creatures. Halflings, for one."

Halflings did not seem odd.

"Well, in my opinion then."

The two of you wandered down to the end of the street, which then diverged to two alleys and a residential area. Winter, predictably, chose an alley, though thankfully the marginally less dirty and smelly one. "Taor told me there were shops somewhere ahead," she explained, "The Night Market I believe. This should be the shortest way."

It was, as you invoked your ability. What Night Market?

"I don't know. But it sounded interesting."

The alley snaked off into others, and the two of you would have become rather lost had you not decided to lead. But you knew this would have eventually led to trouble - five humans appeared out of where they had been...taking drugs, by the smell of it in a adjoining dead end, holding weapons, if not firmly.

"Purty elf," one of them said, voice slurred with whatever drug it was. Rheumy eyes peered at her over a long nose on an equally long and unshaven face. His companions were equally unsavory, in both meanings of the word - you did not fancy having to bite them.

"Back off and I'd let the lot of you live," Winter said easily, folding her arms.

"She'd let us live?" another of them, with a ponytail of brown hair, nudged a third heavily.

"D'ye hear that?" the fourth one agreed, and laughed, subsiding into coughs when Winter watched them pointedly.

"Right then. Me name's An..." the rest of what the first human said was cut off into a choked scream as Winter kicked him in the stomach and then elbowed him in the back of his neck.

You watched idly as Winter dispatched the rest with equal efficiency and without bloodshed, then nodded to you. You stepped over and on five groaning and semi-conscious heaps to her side.

You were surprised that she did not kill them.

Winter sheathed her blade after wiping it on one of the none-too-clean trousers of one of the supine humans. "Nothing I can do to them will equal what they will soon endure once they truly get addicted to that drug - I would think by the symptoms that it is an opiate." She looked grim, and you knew what she meant, but then she abruptly brightened up.

"Now, for the market."

***

Winter did not buy anything at the rather brightly lit and busy market, even if she did linger at the jewelry section and the clothing part, as well as watch the performing arts - dances and short plays - with every sign of avid enjoyment.

The two of you took a more crowded route back to the restaurant, cloaked in an invisibility spell. Winter whistled one of the tunes from one of the performances as you strolled back casually, feeling peace - of all things - in this rather dangerous city. But compared to Menzoberranzan or Irinelaeran, Calimport was ordered and mild.

Dark sky above like rough velvet, with diamonds of tiny stars. Winter pointed out constellations and their names - the Dog which Dances, the Claw of Maera...alien names that slid off you. You did not think either formations fit their arcane names. The Dog which Dances looked more like a badly drawn spiral than any prancing canine.

The restaurant was more or less closed now at this late hour, the waiters cleaning up. Winter went upstairs, saw that the room door was still closed, heard the sounds of soft laughter emanating from behind, and shook her head in resignation. You wrinkled your nose at a not-unfamiliar smell, considering where you had been staying for most of your life, and Winter went back down to ask if she could have another room.

***

You woke early and yawned, stretching from the heap of pillows and spare sheets that Winter had put in a corner for you. Winter was already awake and dressed, if only just so.

"Good morning, Kel," she said sleepily - she was not a true 'morning' person. You stretched again, luxuriously, then shook yourself and padded to the door, Winter walking behind.

Winter sighed when she saw that the twin's room door was still closed, if the sounds now that you could catch was that of peaceful slumber, three different breaths.

Below the kitchen was gearing up for breakfast. Taor smiled at Winter and waved her outside. She murmured a greeting, went to the table she had sat in last night and slumped down, to all appearances falling asleep again.

The waitress appeared, all smiles, putting pastry, bread and cheese, jam, butter, eggs and sausage on the table expertly without spilling anything, then put the bowl down on the ground for you. It was of dubious, hot content but you ate anyway - your tongue differentiated scrambled eggs, sliced sausage and ham.

When you finished and the bowl was cleared, Winter had begun to pick at the bread, delicately spreading slivers of goat cheese and butter on the toasted buns, then eating them carefully, muttering about crumbs, but looked as relaxed as you had seen her for a long time. You curled up under her chair and rested your muzzle on the ground.

The twins chose to wander in at this idyllic moment, patting you and greeting Winter brightly with their normal exuberance. Winter sighed as they helped themselves to the bread and cheese and waited for their breakfasts.

"The two of you possess a most unholy cheer early in the morning. And what time did you sleep last night?" she said, sounding amused.

Veldrin shrugged, then clapped her hands as breakfast arrived. "Oh, this smells simply divine."

"Entreri?" Winter asked, reaching for another bun.

Ssussun paused. You could only see her fork, waving aimlessly in the air. "Very..."

"I meant where is he now."

"Asleep last we saw," Ssussun said with her mouth full. From your angle, you could only see her legs and not her expression, which you could be sure would be smugly complacent. "Never you mind, we hid the weapons."

"Good," Winter grinned. "I'm full, and I don't want to fight him now. Besides, I may kill him this time." She did not wear the Name blade, but Irr'liancrea rested in a free scabbard against the chair.

"'Twill be such a waste," Veldrin said wickedly.

Winter sighed again. You crept out of under the chair to accept tidbits from Veldrin and Ssussun...and was crunching on some of the bread when you saw Entreri - with your mouth full, a growl would sound a little strange. You settled for nudging Winter.

She looked down, then up at the kitchen entrance. Entreri stood there, looking around casually in the plain robes, with and oddly neat appearance, then approached cautiously when the twins waved at him, as if approaching a venomous snake.

"Good morning," Winter smiled sweetly. He murmured something grudgingly polite in return, and the twins cajoled and herded him into a chair - between them, naturally. Winter pushed the bread basket towards him, but he declined to take any. Instead, he gave you the impression - from next to Veldrin, at least - of trying to watch all of you at the same time.

Veldrin winked at Winter, turning her face such that Entreri would not see the rather vulgar movement, then the twin's 'campaign' began again - they began by persuading, with sly quips and entreating, Entreri to eat. As he did so rather warily, they then rather unashamedly took every opportunity to touch him - an accidental brush of hands while reaching for bread, an accentuating gesture while making a point...

Winter, from what you could see, was silently laughing inside. Inclining her head down to hide her face from Entreri, you saw a wicked, wicked smile plastered on it.

Entreri knew he was a figure of amusement for Winter and possibly the twins, and knew exactly what was happening - first he looked suspicious, then resigned, then finally started his own revenge by taking a page from the twins' book - 'welcoming' the touching, his hand lingering, with more smiles.

The twins seemed startled by this sudden change in attitude, and Winter, more amused.

"You fight very well," he finally said to Winter, whom had kept out of the conversation so far. He was eating more than a human normally did for a morning meal, as Winter had predicted.

She blinked, realized he was addressing her, then settled back in her chair. "I had a good teacher," she said, then amended, "Several good teachers."

"Zaknafein Do'Urden?" Veldrin stated more than asked.

"We taught each other," Winter corrected, then smiled at Entreri, whom had, in shock, dropped his butter knife with a muffled thump of metal onto the table. "Why, what is the matter?"

"Do'Urden?" Entreri frowned. From the sound of metal rasping on cloth-covered wood, you guessed he picked up the blunt knife again.

"He prefers to be known as Zaknafein, but yes. Some sort of House he once belonged to, I would think." Winter said, apparently oblivious to Entreri's growing astonishment.

"I heard he had died," Entreri said, recovering his normal cold composure.

"He did," Winter said succinctly. "Twice. He's trying not to do so a third time, and doing very well I would say."

"Where?"

"Why should I tell you?" Winter said mildly, if a little rudely. "Pry it out of my sisters if you will."

Entreri narrowed his eyes but did not ask further, a good decision because all he would have achieved would have been a rather bad headache and a smug Winter.

"You are the oldest?" he changed the subject smoothly.

"By a little," Winter 'admitted'. "Is it so very obvious?"

"W...that is, Niar's only a minute or so the eldest," Veldrin pointed out, changing Winter's name for caution's sake and playing along.

"Is that so," Entreri murmured. Like you did, he silently compared the relative 'maturity' of the twins and Winter.

"Be nice," Ssussun chided. Entreri raised his eyebrow a fraction, still rather off-balance (and rightfully so), then his eyes widened slightly.

"Stop that," Winter said, without looking at the twins.

"Stop what?" They asked innocently, in chorus.

"You know." Winter eyed first Veldrin, then Ssussun with a hard blue stare.

Veldrin pouted and Ssussun appeared, from your angle, to have slumped ungraciously in her chair, but Entreri looked more comfortable, enough to reach for another bun.

"Will you be in Calimport long?" Entreri asked Winter, fending off Ssussun's attempts to play with his robe.

A certain resignation about him - you thought that some time not long ago, another Artemis Entreri would have attempted to kill both the twins for this sort of daring. But then again...maybe not. The twins certainly appeared relatively harmless next to Winter - they carried their imitation Irr'liancrea swords as if they were toys, while Winter carried hers as if she knew how to use it (which was perfectly the case). That was exactly what swords were to them, but they were, underneath their playful attitude, as dangerous as Winter was. Perhaps Entreri sensed that as well.

"Maybe," Winter smiled. "If I...we find it amusing enough to linger. I have not shown my sisters the night market."

"Market?" Ssussun asked, more for continuing the conversation than out of any real interest.

"Mostly food, jewelry and miscellaneous," Winter shrugged. "Mostly jewelry, that is, and tawdry trinkets at that. We can create better ones."

"Create." Entreri repeated, and frowned. "You have such magical power?"

"Creating is easy," Veldrin said, just as Ssussun said, "No problems with it."

To demonstrate her point she put up her hand, palm facing up, and air rippled above it, forming a translucent bubble that rotated slowly, about the size of her fist which expanded to the size of a small melon, then slowly began to reshape itself, four legs and a head and a tail, then the head flattened slightly and the legs elongated, and colors began to tint the glass-like form.

When she was finished, a glass kitten of normal size with eyes of kitten blue and black frosted glass fur with transparent paws and tail tip peered out from over Veldrin's fingertips, and mewled. Ssussun laughed, and clapped her hands.

Entreri blinked, rubbed his eyes reflexively, and then glanced at Winter as if for reassurance.

Winter did not seem the least surprised at all, though she probably was. Creating something out of nothing was, she had said before, one of the hardest magics to accomplish, and to have done so like Veldrin, as if it was just a cheap trick...but instead of some exclamation of amazement she simply sipped her coffee and said tartly, "I hope you'd put it away when you've finished with it."

Veldrin put it carefully on the table, where it stumbled around with endearing clumsiness. "Can't I keep it?"

"Take care of it, then," Winter replied firmly. "I prefer flesh and blood...pets." She whistled to you, and you obligingly put your front paws on her chair and stood up to look over the table. It had mostly been cleared, but Winter fed you a bit more bread, keeping with the image of 'pet', and patted you, then pushed the kitten away from her cup of coffee.

"A wolf?" Entreri asked mildly, pretending, for some reason, that he had not already seen you.

"Nigouar, Underdark wolf," Winter smiled. You licked her ear, and she batted at your muzzle. Then she frowned, and drew out a necklace from the folds of her robe - a silver link necklace with a single sapphire stone, roughly cut, as its pendant. The sapphire glowed slightly, as if with a life of its own.

"Excuse me," Winter said curtly, getting up and walking into the kitchen. You followed quickly, wondering what was the matter. Behind you, sensing that something was wrong, the twins immediately engaged Entreri skillfully in another conversation.

When safely in the noise of the kitchen she put a finger to the sapphire and spoke in irritated drow. "What is wrong now, Rai'gy?"

Rai'gy's agitated voice, strained with worry, issued from the sapphire as clearly as if he had been standing in the room.

"It's Jarlaxle. He has disappeared."