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Not all those living under the rule of the Black Keep were satisfied.
Not all were happy.
Archduke Enver Gortash was fully aware of this.
Whether or not he cared was debatable, and heavily depended on if the person who was being asked was tadpoled or not.
Naturally, such unhappiness brewed resentment all across the Lower and Outer City alike, and some individuals were brave enough to attempt to take a stand against such oppression.
Many had attempted to take the Archduke’s life before. None had yet succeeded.
The most recent attempt had been months in the making.
A changeling that had spent as long as they could remember blending into the crowds of the Lower City, picked from their underground revolutionary group to be the one who would take the shot that would free Baldur’s Gate from the Black Hand of Bane.
They spent weeks watching the routines of the Banite guards and Steel Watchers alike. Their rotors, their patrol routes, any possible weaknesses that could be used against them. They eventually found their target; an Iron Consul who seemed to be frequently posted within the office of Wyrm’s Rock Fortress.
The changeling watched the soldier; the way she walked, how she trained, how she fought, how she ate. In the dead of night, they would take the Banite’s place, and report for duty in the morning in her stead, looking just like the Iron Consul did.
They would stand in position, back straight and crossbow held firmly with both hands, eyes straight forward with an unwavering focus.
They would watch Bane’s Chosen enter his office for the morning, followed by somebody they had not seen before. They would listen to the two discuss deplorable plans, to reports from scouts from beyond the city’s walls, and about how soon Athkatla would be theirs.
They would watch the stranger scan the entire room before leaving the Archduke to his work for the day.
Several hours of being on duty passed by before they took their moment. The moment which they hoped would help to free Baldur’s Gate from its suffering.
Their grip tightened on the crossbow. They only had moments before another would react to suspicious behaviour; there was no room for hesitation.
Raised and aimed at the Archduke’s torso, the crossbow moved and fired fast, a bolt coated with Serpent Fang Toxin whistling across the hall.
Enver Gortash was pushed against the high back of the chair through the force of the bolt, skewering him to his seat by his shoulder.
They attempted to reload for a second, more deadly shot, yet was struck down by a Steel Watcher in one fell swoop. They would die a martyr as their skin shifted back to its natural grey tone, and the final sound they heard was the satisfying groan of pain escaping the Archduke’s body.
The tyrant deserved to suffer. No amount of pain to his body would ever be equal to the amount of torture he forced upon the civilians of Baldur’s Gate, but it was something.
A reminder to Bane’s Chosen that not all would kneel and obey.
Enver Gortash received the utmost care after this assassination attempt. He was broken free from his seat and rushed to Banite clerics who did their all to heal their leader and supply an antidote for the poison which tore through his bloodstream.
For the sake of privacy, he was transported from the fortress to one of his estates just within the Upper City walls.
The Archduke faded in and out of consciousness. He was unsure how much time had lapsed before he was pulled from his carriage and escorted into the privacy of his home. The toxins in his body burned through his blood. It was a pain that felt indescribable, with alleviation only coming after he was placed on his bed and instantly administered an antidote which tasted as foul as it smelled.
The bleeding of his wound had been stopped unbeknownst to him on the carriage ride by the clerics which had joined him. However, now that they were in a more still and steady environment, these healers could now focus more on repairing the wound in its entirety.
A warmth flowed through Gortash’s shoulder and down to his fingertips. What once felt like a stabbing pain from the wound gradually eased to a numb tingling as flesh, muscle and skin alike were regenerated amongst a soft blue glow, fusing back together at the hands of the efficient clerics.
There would still be a rest period required for his wound. A tenderness in his shoulder that would take a few days to fade, just like with any injury.
The antidote had also been easing the Archduke’s pain. He started to perspire less, and his heartbeat gradually lowered down to a safer rhythm as his blood stopped searing.
Enver Gortash had been saved, and yet another assassination attempt had proved unsuccessful.
The clerics had advised their leader to rest for a few days. Not only to give his body time to recuperate, but also just in case there may be further imposters still loitering within Wyrm’s Rock Fortress.
Gortash had been idly watching his healers busy themselves around the bedroom. One was attempting to fold his now bloody shirt and coat into a decently neat pile, while another scribbled various notes down on a pad of parchment which she usually stored in her apron pocket.
It had only been a matter of hours as far as Bane’s Chosen was aware, and he was already growing antsy. He had had so much planned for the day, and now none of it would get done. It was unlike Gortash to sit and seemingly do nothing. It felt wrong.
The stride he had been in; the seemingly unstoppable bounds of progress he was making, all now ground to a screeching halt. All because, what? A citizen too stupid to value their own life thought they could play hero?
Gortash tutted to himself at the thought that somebody so meaningless had made such an impact to his day.
Not to mention, there had been a Banite in his ranks that had been weak enough to be taken out. A Banite that had been given the privilege of guarding the office of Wyrm’s Rock Fortress, no less. All others would have to be thoroughly investigated and tested to ensure something like this would never happen again.
Yet even more issues for Gortash to have to work through, and even more work he was currently unable to deal with because of this blessed wound!
A deep frown had etched itself onto the face of Bane’s Chosen, and it had been one which only slightly faltered as he heard the door to the bedroom click and swing open, a large horned figure filling the entire doorway.
His favourite assassin.
Gortash certainly did not envy whichever underling had to report the day’s events to the Bhaalspawn.
From head to toe, Kaidos was bloody. An intense gaze was held within his flaming eyes, honed in on the injured man in bed. He stepped into the bedroom silently. The clerics did not notice the Bhaalspawn until Gortash weakly waved them away to dismiss them, turning and almost bumping into him on their way out.
The tiefling was bee-lining straight for Bane’s Chosen. A bloody glove reached out, lifting up the antidote bottle that was sitting on the nightstand. He held it up to the light, swaying the bottle slightly to see how much was left.
“Where have you been?” Gortash lightly patted the edge of the bed, prompting his partner to sit down.
“Your underlings kept the body of the changeling for me. Then I made corpses of all other guards from your office for their inability to react sooner.” Kaidos set the bottle back down. He sat on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on the other side of Gortash’s body in order to lean over him entirely.
The Bhaalspawn held an intense stare as he studied the Banite’s shoulder. A small pink scar, still tender. The clerics had done well in regenerating the tissue. However, there was a small part of Kaidos that was slightly disappointed. He would have enjoyed seeing Gortash bleed as he writhed in pain.
“I was planning on displaying that changeling’s body in the Wide. But I presume it’s all but paste now.” Gortash couldn’t help but smile now that his partner was with him again. It was certainly a relief to see such a trusted ally after everything that had happened.
“I will gladly piece them back together to watch them fall apart in a gibbet all over again if you want to make an example of their corpse.” Kaidos would only hope he would be around in the marketplace at the right time to watch an amputated limb fall on an unsuspecting citizen as they passed by.
The Bhaalspawn’s eyes moved from the Banite’s shoulder to meet his eyes. Enver looked exhausted – physically and mentally drained.
“That poison really did a number on you.” Kaidos reached out, two fingers pressing down on the pink scar. Gortash inhaled sharply, his entire body tensing at the pain.
“It would have been even worse if I hadn’t spent all that time training you with that tainted wine. Drop by drop. You could have died before the clerics even got to you.” The tiefling smiled, eagerly watching the frown deepen on the human’s face as he pushed down harder on the tender flesh.
Gortash’s own hand came up to grip Kaidos’ forearm, his nails digging into the skin in an attempt to get the Bhaalspawn’s fingers to stop pressing down. “And if you had remained in the office, you could have stopped the bolt altogether.”
“So it’s my fault?” The Bhaalspawn’s grin became toothy. “I saw the splintering of the chair in your office and the blood that soaked into the cushion. I think I would have enjoyed witnessing that.” He pulled his hand off of Gortash’s shoulder, instead leaning down to slowly kiss the scar. “Only if I had been the one to take the shot, though.”
The Banite grabbed his partner by his horn, wrenching his head back up to meet his eyes. “So this wasn’t a Bhaalist contract?”
“Of course it wasn’t. I am keeping my end of the bargain that no harm will come to you under Bhaal’s name. All those that attempt to hire a Bhaalist assassin with you in mind get cut down by my hand.” He spoke as if this was a common occurrence.
If he wasn’t so tired and agitated, Gortash may have found these words endearing. Instead, he huffed and turned his head to look out the bedroom window in thought. The heavy velvet curtains were half open, barely just giving way to the scene of the Upper City still bustling and operating as if nothing had happened.
“That changeling may have been acting independently, but if not, their group needs to be found. You should ask your underlings for information; anything suspicious they’ve seen while stalking around our city.” The Banite’s thumb idly stroked up and down the Bhaalspawn’s horn in thought.
“Why, because you can’t trust your own currently?” Kaidos grinned, catching Gortash’s other arm by the wrist as it had raised up to smack him.
He was only teasing him.
“I will not rest until they are found, Enver, no matter how many there are. You have my word.”
“I want them found within the week.” Gortash pulled Kaidos forward with the grip he still had on his horn, “I want them to suffer at your hand as I watch.”
The Bhaalspawn hummed in excitement just imagining such a scenario. He leaned in the rest of the way, pressing his lips to his partner’s. “You shouldn’t get me excited while you’re like this.” He murmured in between kisses, which Gortash half-chuckled in response to.
“Control yourself, you fool.” The Banite shoved the Bhaalspawn away, knowing he did want his partner to lean back in anyway despite how blunt the rejection seemed to be.
And Kaidos did. He only laughed at what must have been the last of Gortash’s strength being used up to playfully push him.
The tiefling peppered kisses down his partner’s neck, eventually arriving at the fresh scar once more. “Are you going to tell your darling Ettvard about this attack?” As petty as it was, Kaidos did find himself feeling jealous with how frequently Gortash was sending out letters to the Editor in Chief of the Baldur’s Mouth Gazette.
“Perhaps. I’d make sure to twist it slightly so others do not think they will be able to sneak into the Black Keep like this one just did, though.” Gortash was still highly irritated that somebody did manage to get in though. Perhaps he would need to replace even more human guards with Steel Watchers, just to minimise the possibility of this happening again. “A bounty could be put out for any possible groups planning any type of rebellion. It may aid in rallying the people even further.”
“And place more distrust amongst them for their fellow man? Perhaps this was all a blessing in disguise.” Kaidos smiled against Gortash’s skin. “I could throw in a few decoys to make it seem like you wouldn’t be their only target.”
Bloodlust still itched within the Bhaalspawn.
Kaidos was angry that another dared to harm his Enver. Angry that they had actually succeeded in reaching him, too.
Desecrating the changeling’s corpse had not been enough of an outlet. Butchering the Banites had not been enough.
He would need more.
“In time, yes.” Gortash threaded his fingers through Kaidos’ hair, cradling the back of the tiefling’s head to keep him close. He enjoyed the sensation of his partner’s lips on his shoulder, and did not want him to leave so soon.
How ironic it was that Murder Incarnate itself made him feel safe.
A silence fell over the couple.
Both halves lost in their own thoughts. Reflecting on everything that happened and everything that would have to be done.
Kaidos’ hands moved slowly over the bedsheets, sliding under Gortash’s body until his arms were wrapped around his partner tightly. Without conversation to distract him, the reality of the past few hours hit him.
If it hadn’t been for the precautionary measures fuelled by sheer paranoia, the Serpent Fang Toxin lacing that crossbow bolt certainly would have taken the Archduke from his Bhaalspawn before clerics would have been able to reach him.
It was something Kaidos didn’t want to think about. The thought of losing Gortash in any way that wasn’t by his own hand made so many different feelings swirl inside of his body. It made his rotten heart feel heavy and a lump form in his throat. It made him want to lash out at any one who dared go near Bane’s Chosen, just in case they would be the one to attempt to take him away.
The Bhaalspawn moved his head to rest on his partner’s chest; to hear his heart beat. It was strong, steady and relaxed. Kaidos imagined himself holding the organ, how it would sit pretty in the palm of his hand. One day he would be the one to remove such a precious item – perhaps he would kiss it, or maybe eat it as beloved Enver would fall limp at his feet.
And then he would join him. He would join his partner in death, having completed his bloody, world-ending goals in his Father’s unholy name.
It would be an intimate moment between just the two of them with no third party having any hand in it.
It was a fantasy that always helped to ease Kaidos’ mind. Sometimes, it would even help lull the Bhaalspawn to sleep at night.
He would not allow himself to indulge in such rest now, though. Albeit a wordless promise, the tiefling currently had an Archduke to care for and watch over. No other in this city could be trusted to protect him right now.
“Have you eaten yet?” Kaidos whispered, not wanting to disturb their peace too greatly.
“Hmm?” Gortash murmured. He had been dozing. With the exhaustion of the day’s events catching up to him, and the comforting weight resting on his chest, it would have been near impossible for him not to slip into some kind of sleep.
“Have you eaten? Did the clerics give you anything besides the antidote?” Kaidos could not see any evidence of food or drink on the nightstand.
The Banite wordlessly shook his head, his fingers coming back to life as they slowly stroked his partner’s dark hair once more.
Kaidos pulled one of his hands free, pressing his thumb firmly onto the scar. Gortash inhaled sharply, his eyes going wide as he rapidly blinked awake.
“You should eat before you sleep, Enver. You’ll wake up feeling even worse, otherwise.” The Bhaalspawn sat up, his spine relieved it was no longer awkwardly twisted as he looked toward the door. “I’ll get some delivered to you. Don’t worry though, I’ll test it all for you first. My poison resistance is much stronger.” Kaidos grinned, standing up and away from the bed before Gortash could retaliate.
The tiefling only briefly left the room, his expression and tone of voice turning deadly serious as he gave orders to one of the Banite guards in the hallway. Understandably so, the Bhaalspawn did not wholly trust any of these underlings right now, and likely would remain on edge for a while after still.
When he stepped back into the bedroom, his gaze once again softened. Gortash had sat up straighter in bed to force himself to remain awake, already beckoning Kaidos to come back to him.
“You’re not planning on sneaking off anywhere tonight, are you?”
“Of course I’m not. And neither are you, before you try to claw your way back to your reams of paperwork.” Kaidos pulled his boots off, haphazardly dropping them on the floor. He did the same with his gloves and leather breastplate before walking over to what would be his side of the bed.
Gortash had been settled in the very centre, but moved over slightly with a few grunts of effort to make room for his partner.
The Bhaalspawn crawled on the bed, but remained on top of the deep red duvet to sit on his hip while his shoulder rested against the plush headboard. His forked tail flicked over his body, snaking around Gortash’s wrist so the Banite could idly play with it while they talked.
“There is a lot that needs to be done, though.” Gortash murmured, looking down at his hands. “You would be the only other I would trust to even deliver such documents to me, let alone respond or act upon any of them.”
“And alas, I will not be doing any of that until your body is properly functioning again. I cannot even remember the last time we were able to spend a full day together without some type of work distracting one of us.”
“There are a lot of things you cannot remember, my dear.” Gortash rested his hand over the tail wrapped around his wrist affectionately before Kaidos would be able to slide it away in defiance at such a quip.
“Perhaps I will let some Bhaalists slip through the cracks.” The Bhaalspawn half-smiled. “They could render you weaker than this simple citizen did. Maybe then I’d have you all to myself like this for even longer.”
“Yes, and we would lose all momentum toward our push for Amn in the process.” Gortash looked up, a serious expression on his face as he met Kaidos’ eyes. “I promise we will have some proper time together soon, my dear, without poison. I have missed it just as much as you have, but we both know what is at stake.”
The Bhaalspawn wet his lips, leaning in slightly toward his partner. “I knew what I was getting myself into when I allowed myself to become this involved with a Banite, Enver. I am pushing myself just as hard as you are for our goals to become reality. I know it will all pay off in the end. However, biologically speaking, you do need a rest, even if it’s just a small one.” Kaidos felt uncomfortable being so sincere. He needed to lighten the tone between them. “After all, you would look like an utter fool if you were to collapse just as we reach Athkatla.”
“And you so conveniently are taking a needed rest at the same time as myself?”
“If I was resting, I would be feeding myself and not you.” Kaidos hummed, pulling his tail free as he heard a knock at the door.
The tiefling climbed off the bed, walking over to the door and opening it just enough. His large body blocked the servant from actually entering the room. He wordlessly took the tray of food from them, using his foot to push the door shut in the servant’s face before carrying it over to the nightstand.
“You’re awfully attractive when you’re being a brute to others.” Gortash hummed, a doting smile on his face as he watched Kaidos try a bite of each food item on the plate.
The Bhaalspawn could see straight through what the Banite was currently attempting.
“Stop trying to butter me up. I’m not getting you your paperwork.” Kaidos spoke with his mouth full; an action which wiped the smile off of Gortash’s face and replaced it with a disgusted frown. He had definitely been taught better table manners than that.
Once the Bhaalspawn had deemed the food to be safe, he did then move the tray to settle on Gortash’s lap, handing him the cutlery he had just been eating with.
The Banite didn’t seem to be bothered by that part, and did start to eat in a much more polite fashion than Kaidos had managed.
Kaidos made his way back to sitting on his side of the bed in the way he was before. He simply watched his partner eat; studying the way his jaw muscles flexed and relaxed each time he chewed, and how his oesophagus expanded and contracted each time he swallowed.
It was oddly relaxing for the Bhaalspawn. To watch the human body function in such simple tasks. To be able to visualise the muscles underneath, especially those on his human. Kaidos couldn’t wait for the moment he would be able to peel Enver’s skin back and see them with his own eyes.
It was also nice to see his Enver at least somewhat still and at rest for once. Even if it was reluctantly, it was indisputable that the Banite’s body needed it. And Kaidos was more than happy to oversee it all.
Even now, Gortash’s eyes were threatening to go heavy from exhaustion as he ate.
A few days rest would not bring as much harm to their plans as Bane’s Chosen was suggesting. They would be completely fine, and Gortash would come back from it all stronger and even more tyrannical than before.
The thought of that alone made Kaidos smile. He could not wait to see the hit list of names he would be inevitably provided with to aid in the opportunistic fear mongering leeching off of the back of this assassination attempt.
Bhaal’s Chosen leaned in, leaving a small kiss on the shoulder of Bane’s Chosen.
A few days rest, and any who ever dared to challenge Enver Gortash’s rule would woefully regret ever trying.