Disclaimer: I own NOTHING…so try and sue me Evercrack aka Everquest. For this was once a character I played on your game, but soon made her a story character of mine. I own only her and the plot, nothing else…

Mellinna stepped into the crowded guildhall. Dressed in simple leggings, a string tie shirt, and a dark robe over her slender frame, many wouldn't believe her to be a skilled warrior, unless, of course, they angered her.

As Mellinna walked towards the bar, getting many stares from the male patrons there, she started to scope out the crowd for Cain Darkmoore, the leader of the guild called Steelbreakers.

"Hail, M'lady!" called the barkeeper, a tall man who obviously looked to be a warrior in his younger days, but is now retired or maimed badly enough to the poin the could no longer fight, as she could tell by an obvious weight gain.

"What can I do for ye?" he asked, motioning for her to sit on the stool in front of him.

Taking a seat, Mellinna said, "I'll take a pint of ale."

"A'right, anything else for such a small bonnie lass like you?"

"No," answered Mellinna, surveying the room for Darkmoore. What did he look like, she thought. I knew father had said that I would know him the minute I saw him, but…

"So, what's a beautiful lass like you doing in a rough place like this?" asked the barkeeper, interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh, I'm…uh…I'm looking for Cain Darkmoore."

"CAIN DARKMOORE!!!" the barkeeper exclaimed, nearly falling over. "Now what would you be wanting with Cain Darkmoore, girl?" he asked, eyeing Mellinna with suspicion.

Smiling and taking a sip of the pint placed in front of her, Mellinna answered with a causal tone, "I'm looking for him because I want to join his guild."

The men around Mellinna, who were, though they tried not to look like they were, eavesdropping, burst out laughing.

"A fine lass joining!" laughed one.

"With her, they'll be callin' us Yarnbreakers!"

"Or perhaps Steelknitters!"

As the laughing suddenly stopped, Mellinna paid no attention and continued to sip her pint calmly.

"Who 'ere is looking' for Cain Darkmoore?" boomed a deep voice.

Mellinna sighed, set down a few gold coins for the ale, turned on the stool, stood up with her arms crossed across her chest, and calmly answered, "I am."

The tall dark man with many scars on his face eyed her up and down. He smiled and said, "Girl, go back t'where ya came from. Ya wouldn' make it 'ere, ev'n for one day."

"No. I want to talk to Darkmoore, and please, don't make me hurt you," she said, looking at Scarman straight in the eye.

"Well, well, well…it looks as though we may have t'teach ya a lesson."

Mellinna slightly raised her left eyebrow as if to say, "Oh…really?"

"Girl, don't you dare mock me!" yelled Scarman as he pulled out his sword and palced the tip close to Mellinna's neck in one quick fluent movement. She did not flinch.

A smile slowly spread across the face of Scarman.

"Well, Girl," he began. "I wouldn' have figured ya t'be the type wit' more courage than brains."

With that said and done, he put his sword away and motioned for her to follow him.

"Sorry," he said over his shoulder to Mellinna as they passed through the noisy crowd that began its celebration again as soon as Scarman's sword was put away.

"We must test potential members t'see if they can handle a life as a Steelbreaker. Many are nothin but talk and would sooner sell out the guild than have anythin happen t'their hides. 'Ere ya go," he said, as he opened the big ancient wooden door in front of him that Mellinna had missed in her general scooping of the large room.

Mellinna started to step into the room, but was stopped by Scarman.

"I need ya'r weapons 'cause we are not sure if ya are an assassin from another guild sent 'ere t'murder Master Darkmoore."

Sensing eyes upon her from some patrons in the crowd, obviously bodyguards of Darkmoore's, she slowly removed her cloak, sword hilt, and ankle dagger hilt from her person.

"Do ya 'ave anymore?"

With a smile, Mellinna flicked her right wrist, revealing a pop out throwing knife that was small enough to conceal under the sleeves of her shirt.

"Very well, ya may enter," he said, moving out of Mellinna's way, looking at her throwing knife mechanism.

The first thing Mellinna noticed as she stepped into the room was how dimly lit it was. The door slammed shut behind Mellinna, startling her and caused her to get into a fighting stance, a reflex.

"Ahem," a voice cleared.

As Mellinna turned her head toward the voice, a candle flared up and revealed a man sitting in a desk in front of her.

He wasn't there before, she thought. Wait…It's, it's…Cain Darkmoore.

"Welcome Mellinna, daughter of Sir Zanre of Norn. I am Cain Darkmoore."