Chapter 2

He couldn't quite see what was going on. Shem Whistler had been relieving himself in the water closet when the commotion started. By the time he got his armor situated again and gotten himself straightened out, there was already a thick crowd gathered around an opening in the center of the room. He had tried to make his way through the crowd, and the fact that he was only a little over three feet tall helped a lot. When he finally emerged from the crowd he saw an extremely ugly creature bearing down on a nearly unconscious female Halfling in leather armor. To Shem, it didn't look like she had any weapons.

He started making the gestures with his hands and started murmuring words and suddenly the Bugbear flew up in the air and fell flat on his back, sliding into an upturned table. He cast another spell and the Axe that the Bugbear had been using flew across the opening and came to a stop in front of the Dwarven Bartender who had just now gotten through the crowd and was trying to get the fight stopped, without getting physically involved in it. He reached down and picked up the axe. When Shem turned his attention back to the Bugbear, he saw the female Halfling was now on her feet. From somewhere she had found a short sword and was not standing two feet away from the fallen Bugbear. The Bugbear started to get up, rubbing his head. She was holding her Short Sword at the ready, and Shem saw blood coming from her nose and mouth. He realized too late what she was preparing to do. With a spin to add momentum to her swing, her sword came across the Bugbear's throat. Blood fountained out of the cut and the Bugbear clutched his throat as he collapsed to the ground.

The female Halfling wiped the blood off of her sword with the Bugbear's shirt, then she proceded to take the Bugbear's tribal necklace that he wore from around his neck. She crossed the floor to where Shem stood.

She held out her hand to shake. "Thanks for the help." She said almost casually. "I think I would have been fine without you, but thanks just the same."

Shem just stood there and looked at her out-reached hand. "Just tell me one thing.. Did I help the good guy or the bad guy?" Shem said, looking from her to the fallen Bugbear.

"Well, actually..." She began looking him over. She looked him up and down and recognized the way he dressed as being one who practiced a roguish art. "Can I tell ya a secret?"

He gave her a quizzical look and nodded his head. She leaned in close to his ear. "I know who stole his gold, which is what he accused me of doing." She whispered as she patted her pocket to make it jingle. "How would you like a drink?"

"So I helped the bad guy?" Shem said in surprise. "Why'd you have to kill him?"
"He attacked me first, all I did was defend myself." She said. "I'm not a bad person, his coins were falling out on the way in, I just helped them along. He didn't need to attack me. Trust me, he had no proof that I was the one that took his gold. Now how about that drink?"

The crowd had started dispersing and the dwarf had a couple of people that worked in the Tavern cleaning up the mess.

"Don't forget about the Kobold!" He yelled at the men from across the room. He looked around and took extreme satisfaction in seeing that upon the death of their companion the other kobolds had left. He preferred that they stay gone, too. The never did buy anything unless they won a couple of hands of Wingback, which was rare.

He took the axe that had belonged to the bugbear over to a chest underneath the bar. Big, bold letters read "Auction Material" on the top. He unlocked it and popped it open. He smiled to himself as he looked inside and saw all the different things the chest held. Someone died in this Tavern about once a week, and he always claimed the belongings. The annual auctions that he held made him a fortune.

"Getting close to auction time, isn't it, Griswold?"

The voice startled him, he looked up and was relieved to see Shem leaning over the bar. "Aye, Shem, my boy, it is at that!" Griswold said and shut and locked the chest. "What can I get you and your most worthy companion?"

"Give me the grincher ale, and for you?" he turned to the female Halfling.

"I'll have water. I think after that fight, if I drink anything else, I'll just want to fight again." She smiled at the bartender.

"In that case, I'll be more than happy to give ya water, missy." Gris turned to start fixing the drinks, letting out a dwarven chuckle as he did so.

Shem turned to his companion for the moment and said: "So, do you have a name?"

"Seraphina Greenbottle, and you?"

"Shem Whistler of the Katithine Thieves Guild." He said proudly. "Greenbottle, that sounds Elven, am I right?" Shem watched as her face went from jovial to an expression of rage.

"If you were going to insult me, why even bother to sit and have a drink with me in the first place?!" She said as she threw her pack on her back and started to get up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you, really!" Shem said to her back as she walked out of the Golden Eagle Tavern. He sighed to himself as the door shut behind her.

Griswold turned around and regarded Shem with a nod. "Having your way with the ladies as usual, I see."

"How was it that I insulted her, Gris?"

"Well, my boy, let's just say that I'd be terribly insulted if you suggested that my family name was elven, too. Maybe she just doesn't like the skinny twig-lovers! Nothing wrong with that!"

Shem laughed. "I should have known better than to ask a dwarf."

"Always here to give my advice, here's your drink." Gris handed him his Ale.

"You know what, Gris? I think I'm going to call it a night. Give it to that lovely dwarven woman at the end of the bar. Tell her it's on the house." Shem smiled and got up and laid a silver piece on the counter.

"Hey, Shem!" Gris yelled stopping him at the door. "She'll be back, buddy!"

"Why do you say that?" Shem asked.

"Because it may have been something you said that ran her off, but something else you said will also bring her back!"

Shem left the Golden Eagle Tavern with that very thought on his mind.

To be Continued..