We crossed the square, towards Foryn Gilnith's shanty. I'll admit I was a little scared, I mean, after all I wasn't the bravest person around.We were accompanied by a couple of the guards both of whom looked bored. A slight breeze was blowing in from the southwest, rustling the leaves on the trees, as if the trees were whispering.
Tannen got to the door of Gilnith's house, paused a moment and knocked. After a moment, the door was opened, and Foryn's head peeked out, looking left and then right before settling on Tannen. He looked slightly cross and asked what the hell was tannen bothering him at this hour of night.
"I need to ask you a few questions, on behalf of the Tax office, sir." Tannen said.
"Questions,about what?" Gilnith shot back. We could tell he was irritated.
"May I come in sir? This really is important." Tannen went on. I was really nervous now,and I could feel the sweat starting to trickle down my sides.
Gilnith again looked around and then opened the door wider, allowing Tannen access inside.
We waited. After a minute, it sounded like an object was thrown against the wall, accompanied by a loud angry voice-Gilnith's, and the sound of Tannen shouting back.
"You'll die!" shouted Gilnith. More crashing sounds.
"Ahhh! Damn!" shouted Tannen."Stop! I just-wait, I...give up,dammit!" the noises rose in a crescendo;we thought the walls would come crashing down.
All of a sudden, a wail, and then silence.
I ran to the shack, worried at what I would find. Tannen was standing next to the body of Gilnith, head bowed, holding his left arm. Blood was welling up between his fingers though he clenched his arm tightly. His face was downcast and he slowly let the dagger fall from his right hand.
"I'm hurt." he said.
"He's dead." I said.
"I've never killed anyone before.I've robbed them, but never this..."
Tannen turned and strode from the shack, but not before spitting at the ground.The Legion guard, bored even still, walked back in the direction of the Census office, to report on what had happened. The breeze had stilled, and a quiet came upon the town. I walked, half-ran after Tannen and caught up with him as he was going to enter Sellus Gravius' office.
"You can probably get that tended to here;I'm sure the Captain has medical supplies" I informed him.He didn't reply, but just walked into the building. Gravius was waiting inside, apparently getting ready to leave for the day.
"Hey, where are you going? After what happened tonight you're just going to leave, as if nothing happened?" I was furious. Tannen just looked at the Imperial with a stony look, and sat down without waiting to be asked.
"Sorry, uh, would you like me to take a look at that wound? I can fix that up if it's not too bad." Gravius said.
Tannen said sure, would you please, and Sellus tended to the cut on Tannen's forearm, with the expert ease of a man who has been in the field of battle would. The cut wasn't very deep, and it was bandaged quickly. Gravius then offered Tannen a mug of his sujamma to ease the adrenalin down, and told him to put his feet up.
"Well, what's done is done and..." he was cut short as the door was flung open and Tavere vendrano burst in, looking first at me, and then at Tannen. She ignored the legionnaire, however.
"Is it over?Is he taken care of?" she asked. You could see dried tear trails marking either side of her face.
"He's dead." was all Tannen would say, a stony look upon his face.
"Good. He deserved it. Oh my poor Processus!" Tavere began to sob in that silent way some people do, without actually showing much emotion on the outside.She wiped her eye's and straightened her shoulders, a hitch barely noticeable in her voice.
"I have one last request, please. Processus had a ring on him...on his right hand, that was special to me."
"It was to be my engagement ring...he was going to ask me to marry him, and I would very much like to have it...please." she added.She looked at Tannen, expectantly.
Tannen looked at her for a brief moment, and then reached into his pocket. He pulled the ring out and gave it to her.
"He was wearing it when I found him." He told her. She thanked him, and quickly left the room, ring clenched in her hand against her bosom.
"Look, uh, I'm fine now, and I think it's time to go see ol' Socucius Ergalla again." Tannen informed us.
Tannen got up and thanking Sellus, exited the room. The Captain peered at me for a moment."So, Fargoth, what did you get out of this ordeal?" I was speechless.(Yes you heard right)
"Captain Gravius, I got nothing 'out' of this. I was just there, that's all." I was insulted to say the least.
A guard, in the usual purple entered the room."Sir, is there anything you require at this time?" he asked.
Sellus said no, and told the guard that he would be retiring for the night. I let out a sigh, this being quite a night for someone like me. I didn't usually look for excitement, of course trouble was a different matter.
"So, you did the deed, huh?" Ergalla asked Tannen.The old man rubbed a hand across his weary eyes.
"Yes. He's dead, however. I killed him in self-defense." Tannen held up his arm for Socucius to see.
"Allright then. The reward is yours-if you tell me if the tax records were on his body when you found him." the old man looked at Tannen with a sly look on his well-lined face. Socucius coughed lightly.
"Yes sir, the records were on his body, but I kept them for safekeeping...just in case ,so they wouldn't mysteriously dissapear. Call it my insurance if you will, and I'm new to all this, so I don't particularily trust anyone yet...sir."
Ergalla chuckled." My friend, you learn quickly. Now here's your reward money, five-hundred septims, and I hope to not see you anytime soon." With that, the old taxman went back to his paperwork.