A Lot Of Time To Think
"No, please! Don't hurt me! I'll give you anything you want! Gold! Power! I've got a rare jewel that they say a dragon's breath made! You can have it! Please just don't hurt me!" The man began to sob uncontrollably. He was short, fat, and completely out of his element.
He seemed to be the typical bureaucratic type. The Crimson Blade and Fel had no trouble getting him out of his fortress and back to the camp. Well, almost no trouble, he was pretty heavy. And not very strong willed either. At the merest hint of interrogation he had broken down, a rather pathetic display."
The Bard, Elfsong, spoke to him in a firm voice, "Stop simpering, coward. There's nothing more degrading then watching a grown man cry." The man eventually got himself under control. When he had finally calmed himself down, the Knight kneeled in front of him.
"Listen, we're looking for someone, you know who he is. We need to know where he is, and what he's been doing. If you help us, we'll help you."
"I don't know anything, I'm only a supplier."
"What are you supplying?"
"Weapons, clothing, odds and ends that few people could find, whatever my clients need."
"Who do you supply?"
"I can't tell you that. If I did, he'd kill me."
"What makes you think I won't?"
The fat man sat there, openly afraid. Sweat poured down his face as his jaw worked, as if he was trying to decide whether or not he should talk, not liking either outcome. Finally, he closed his mouth.
The Blue Knight nodded and turned to his companions, "I need a sleeve and a block of cheese."
The man's eyes widened and he spoke, well, more like screamed, "All right! All right! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"Very good, so talk."
"He's in Luskan, I don't know if he's what you're looking for but he's my contact. Please don't hurt me!"
"Do you have a name?"
"Yes, he's called Jarra."
"Good. Now I want you to get up, and run as hard as you can, as far as you can. Any direction you like, so long as you don't go back to your guards. Go." The man got up and bolted, running hard.
"He's fast for a fat man," Fade remarked.
"Unfortunately he has little endurance," Fel observed. Her sharp ears still tracked the man as he ran. "He's already out of breath."
"He's not our concern now," Knight said. "We need to start making our way to Luskan." The five adventurers packed away their things and began their trek toward the port city of Luskan, where criminals made their home.
It had been three days since their road had begun, and they were in sight of the pirate city. It was about time too. Heartfang was not a pack mule, and didn't enjoy being one either.
"Easy, we're almost there, we'll set camp soon." Knight gave the horse a reassuring pat on the neck.
"Why do we have to sleep on the ground again?" Blade stopped to pop her back, "Every night I hardly sleep because of those stupid tree roots. Why can't we find an Inn in Luskan to stay at?"
"Night will fall soon, and that's one city where no one wants to be out at night. Unless of course, you happen to be a pirate, cutthroat, or any other less than savory type."
Fel broke in, "I for one am glad that we are camping out of doors. I can't stand to be closed in."
"That's because you never have been," Blade remarked
A voice in front of them caused the group to jump, "You will tonight though, I guarantee it."
A man stood in front of them with his arms folded in front of them. The man smiled as they reached for their weapons. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, my men are ready to fill your bodies with arrows if you so much as make an improper gesture at me. I don't take kindly to people who are going to try and kill me."
Knight looked him in the eyes, "We weren't going to kill you."
The man smiled, "I know, I said you'd try."
"You don't understand-"
The man cut him off, "What I understand is that you five threatened my good friend Feth with his life, and were planning to do likewise to me. Now, if you will accompany me and my men, we have arranged a place for you."
The man turned and started toward the city. He said over his shoulder, "Oh, and don't try anything, you'll be dead before you could blink.
-- There we go, a nice short one to get you all set up for the next chapter. I'm actually not quite sure what to say about these anymore. Whatever there is to say about them has been said. I suppose if anybody has any questions you can e-mail them to me, just make sure you put the name of the story in the subject line or I might clear your e-mail away with the spam. Okay catch ya on the flipside.
"No, please! Don't hurt me! I'll give you anything you want! Gold! Power! I've got a rare jewel that they say a dragon's breath made! You can have it! Please just don't hurt me!" The man began to sob uncontrollably. He was short, fat, and completely out of his element.
He seemed to be the typical bureaucratic type. The Crimson Blade and Fel had no trouble getting him out of his fortress and back to the camp. Well, almost no trouble, he was pretty heavy. And not very strong willed either. At the merest hint of interrogation he had broken down, a rather pathetic display."
The Bard, Elfsong, spoke to him in a firm voice, "Stop simpering, coward. There's nothing more degrading then watching a grown man cry." The man eventually got himself under control. When he had finally calmed himself down, the Knight kneeled in front of him.
"Listen, we're looking for someone, you know who he is. We need to know where he is, and what he's been doing. If you help us, we'll help you."
"I don't know anything, I'm only a supplier."
"What are you supplying?"
"Weapons, clothing, odds and ends that few people could find, whatever my clients need."
"Who do you supply?"
"I can't tell you that. If I did, he'd kill me."
"What makes you think I won't?"
The fat man sat there, openly afraid. Sweat poured down his face as his jaw worked, as if he was trying to decide whether or not he should talk, not liking either outcome. Finally, he closed his mouth.
The Blue Knight nodded and turned to his companions, "I need a sleeve and a block of cheese."
The man's eyes widened and he spoke, well, more like screamed, "All right! All right! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"Very good, so talk."
"He's in Luskan, I don't know if he's what you're looking for but he's my contact. Please don't hurt me!"
"Do you have a name?"
"Yes, he's called Jarra."
"Good. Now I want you to get up, and run as hard as you can, as far as you can. Any direction you like, so long as you don't go back to your guards. Go." The man got up and bolted, running hard.
"He's fast for a fat man," Fade remarked.
"Unfortunately he has little endurance," Fel observed. Her sharp ears still tracked the man as he ran. "He's already out of breath."
"He's not our concern now," Knight said. "We need to start making our way to Luskan." The five adventurers packed away their things and began their trek toward the port city of Luskan, where criminals made their home.
It had been three days since their road had begun, and they were in sight of the pirate city. It was about time too. Heartfang was not a pack mule, and didn't enjoy being one either.
"Easy, we're almost there, we'll set camp soon." Knight gave the horse a reassuring pat on the neck.
"Why do we have to sleep on the ground again?" Blade stopped to pop her back, "Every night I hardly sleep because of those stupid tree roots. Why can't we find an Inn in Luskan to stay at?"
"Night will fall soon, and that's one city where no one wants to be out at night. Unless of course, you happen to be a pirate, cutthroat, or any other less than savory type."
Fel broke in, "I for one am glad that we are camping out of doors. I can't stand to be closed in."
"That's because you never have been," Blade remarked
A voice in front of them caused the group to jump, "You will tonight though, I guarantee it."
A man stood in front of them with his arms folded in front of them. The man smiled as they reached for their weapons. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, my men are ready to fill your bodies with arrows if you so much as make an improper gesture at me. I don't take kindly to people who are going to try and kill me."
Knight looked him in the eyes, "We weren't going to kill you."
The man smiled, "I know, I said you'd try."
"You don't understand-"
The man cut him off, "What I understand is that you five threatened my good friend Feth with his life, and were planning to do likewise to me. Now, if you will accompany me and my men, we have arranged a place for you."
The man turned and started toward the city. He said over his shoulder, "Oh, and don't try anything, you'll be dead before you could blink.
-- There we go, a nice short one to get you all set up for the next chapter. I'm actually not quite sure what to say about these anymore. Whatever there is to say about them has been said. I suppose if anybody has any questions you can e-mail them to me, just make sure you put the name of the story in the subject line or I might clear your e-mail away with the spam. Okay catch ya on the flipside.