Chapter 14: Oasis

The desert was hot and dry; Rivian licked her dry lips that were on the verge of cracking. It was midday and the sun was hot and bright.

"Why can't we teleport directly to Amkethran? Instead we had to land in this hellspawn desert." Imoen grumbled aloud.

The moon elf took a quick look around and saw the group struggling against the heat and fatigue as well. They had been trekking for the half a day and all they could see was sand. It was demoralizing, to say the least.

"That's it! I'm not moving another inch." Imoen announced, halting her march.

"Aye. I agree with Lady Imoen." Anomen agreed earnestly, wiping his wet forehead with a cloth.

"Whims! You just had a rest barely a breath ago." Sarevok sneered, bringing a scorn on Imoen's sweat-glistening face.

"Shut up. Sarevok. You..." the thief retorted and was about to throw a string of curses when Elhan stepped between them.

"Boo says I need to shave his fur." Minsc interrupted the commotion, holding out his hamster in his palms. Rivian tried to stifle a laugh at the wet looking hamster whose fur was soaked either from its own perspiration or the ranger's.

Imoen was not as subtle; she roared with laughter, holding the sides of her stomach as she bent forward trying to stop herself and failing miserably.

Even Sarevok looked amused as he tried to wipe his grin off his face.

"Why is little Imoen laughing?" The ranger asked innocently, scratching his bald head with one hand.

"Perhaps this is a good time to have our midday feast?" the elf prince grinned and looked to their leader who nodded her agreement.

As the adventurers ate their provisions quietly under the hot sun, none of them were in the mood for chatting. Rivian glanced around and amidst the bright rays of the midday sun, she could make out some sort of greenery a distance away. The elf elbowed Elhan who was eating besides her and when she caught his eye and directed him to the direction.

"A shelter perhaps?" The elf prince asked.

"Or our destination..." The sorceress offered. The prince shrugged.

"You two saw something?" Imoen got up from her seat and hurried over to the elves, wearing a hopeful look at a possible end to their sandy torment.

Rivian grinned, she could not help it after seeing the look on the thief's face.

"Oh come on. Stop teasing me. It's not my fault I have no elven sight to see that far." The mage elbowed the leader and narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips in a mocking annoyed manner.

Elhan chuckled. Even Jaheria who was usually the most serious one in the group could not resist a small smile.

"Alright. I see greenery in the distance, that side." the moon elf pointed to the west.

The mage turned towards the direction the leader pointed and narrowed her eyes, trying to look beyond but all she could see was sand and light. She growled in annoyance.

Rivian laughed and poked Imoen's ribs.

"Ow."

"We will head there in a moment. I estimate it'll take us another half a day to reach it, so get some rest first." the moon elf advised.

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As the sun set, the group arrived at their destination. The air was cooler, much to the adventurers' relief. A huge pond of water could be seen and Imoen ran towards it, splashing happily in the cool, clear water. Rivian was going to join her sister when Elhan pulled her arm sharply.

"We've got company." he hissed urgently, his hand grabbing the hilt of his weapon.

The moon elf immediately sighed to the mage in the waters to rejoin the group. Then she turned to the rest of the group and gestured them to prepare for battle.

A regime of soldiers stepped out of their hiding places, a man wearing silver full plate mail approached the group, his hand gripped on his sword.

"Rivian Silverwinds?" he asked, looking at the moon elf.

The sorceress observed the man warily, her hand laid casually on the hilt of Enelya. "What do you want?"

"I am Jamis Torbelthen, captain of the Queen's guards. By the Queen's decree, you are under arrest for the destruction of Saradush." the man announced, pulling out an elaborated parchment, unrolled it and showed it to the adventurers.

Rivian read the cursive script on the scroll, it was an order from the Queen of Tethyr to arrest them and to annihilate the adventurers if they resisted.

"This is injustice. We are not responsible for Saradush's destruction." the moon elf argued, feeling her shadow within her surged in anger.

"We are innocent!" Anomen protested.

"This must be a mistake." Jaheria commented, taking the parchment from the captain's hand and read it carefully.

"You have read the Queen's decree. If you resist, we will take you by force and know that we came prepared. You will do well to come with us quietly." the captain said firmly. Behind him, his men stepped forward, their hands gripping their weapons.

"Are we deemed guilty without even a trial?" Rivian asked, remembering that Tethyr was a country governed by law.

The captain hesitated and a look of confusion appeared on his face. "You were in Saradush when the city fell, weren't you?"

Rivian nodded.

"You are a Bhaalspawn, aren't you?" the captain continued.

The sorceress nodded.

"Do you dare claim you had nothing to do with the city destruction then? The city was annihilated by you Bhaalspawn."

The moon elf shook her head. "It was Yaga Shura that destroyed the city. He was a Bhaalspawn but he is dead now. It was not us who wrecked the city."

"Someone has to pay for the deaths. You Bhaalspawn had given us nothing but trouble." the captain said angrily.

"Yes, you want someone to pay for the deaths, don't you? It doesn't matter if we had committed the acts or not, all you want is revenge, isn't it? It doesn't matter if we were risking our lives to defeat Yaga Shura, to save the city, does it? Is that the nature of Tethyrian law? No matter what I do, all I get from others is their scorn, distrust and accusations... " Rivian lamented, her voice softened.

She turned around when she felt a hand on her shoulders, giving her strength; she found Elhan's amber orbs glancing at hers with sympathy and understanding in his eyes. She managed a small smile at him.

Captain Torbelthen looked doubtful at the elf's words; He glanced behind him at his men and saw their hesitation. There was no evidence to prove the moon elf and Tethyr was a country governed by law and the Law treats all subjects fairly. There was no justice in revenge and it was not the way the army of Tethyr operated.

He turned to the adventurers, his expression softened. "You have a point. There is no justice in revenge. There is not enough evidence to prove your charge; you are free to go now. However, if more proof turns up to indicate your guilt, rest assured I will hunt you down. Good day, Rivian Silverwinds." Turning to his men, the captain signaled for them to withdraw.

The sorceress sank to her feet, relieved that the group was able to avoid bloodshed. Elhan took her into his arms and held her close. The moon elf hugged him back, letting her nerves calmed down by the soothing sound of his heart beating. It bothered her tremendously that she was always being accused of the most heinous crimes, when her intentions were nothing but noble. "Will I ever be free from the curse of my blood? Free of the prejudiced and mistrust." she wondered.