Loredas 24th of Last Seed 4E201 Late Morning

Uthgerd

"It's too risky."

I glance at Talao casually, as we continue our steady pace toward the obvious highwayman. "How? It's one bandit. She doesn't even have proper armor."

"And what will you do about the rest of her friends in the tower? And across the bridge? White River Watch used to be a guard outpost, they must have decent numbers to supply and hold it. They'd be here in seconds, if they aren't already watching us."

At second glance, I can see what he already had. A dozen or so windows on the tower, just wide enough for a bow and arrow. "Still, if we could get right up against the door, and break it down. And of course, you have your -"

"No!" The force behind Talao's voice surprised me, his face hard as stone. "Too many tales end in tragedy from the foolish actions of man using power of which he knows naught. We seek the Greybeards for just this reason."

"Well, maybe you don't mind tossing away our hard-earned coin," I begin hotly, "but not all of us -"

"Hush, they'll hear us." I almost ignore him and explode at his blunt - no, just rude! - interruption, but we are right on top of the Watch now. The highwayman steps in front of us, looking intimidating. Or trying to, at least. She's garbed in hides that barely protect anything; her entire midsection is exposed, for Shor's sake! Even her axes looked rusted. I'd be more frightened by a rabbit.

"Hold, travelers. This here's a toll road. Gotta pay up if you wanna get by." I muzzle my sudden urge to cleave her smug face from the rest of her body.

Thankfully, Talao speaks up. "Indeed? May I ask what the toll is for?"

"Well, me and my mates maintain the road, y'see. Fill holes, keep bandits from in-jur-in' folk such as yourself."

"Bandits? Would hate to run into any of those!" I can't tell if the bandit is playing along with Talao, or missed the sarcasm entirely. "And how much does this generous service cost?"

"Well, seeing how understanding you've been, you wouldn't mind parting with all your coin, would you?"

"Now, now, let's be reasonable," Talao says, a slight frown marring his face. "Surely you'd leave us something for our journey?"

At this, the bandit spits to her side, casually dropping her hand to one of her axes, and I lightly grasp my sword as well. Talao might be treating this lightly, but I'll certainly not be caught off guard should things go south. "Enough of this chatter. You're either trying to play me or you are too dumb to realize this is a hold-up. Either way, you're an idiot. Now, your life or your coin, 'fore I accident'ly signal to my friends in the tower to take the choice from you."

I nearly draw then and there, but Talao nudges me with his foot. Wait, he seems to say. "And how confident are you that they could take us out before my friend here buries her blade in your gut?"

The bandit glares at me, notices my sword already slightly drawn, and pales considerably. It'd almost be worth it, to give in to the battle fever here, but we'd be sure to die if there were as many arms as Talao thought. And I know they wouldn't think twice to shoot the highwayman along with us, so we could hardly use her as a shield. She scowls, likely realizing the same thing, if she has even a walnut in between her ears. "Fine. Don't look like you've much money to bother that much over anyway. Thirty septims."

"How about a discount, considering there's two of us travelling together. Say twenty?"

"Talao," I mutter, "Don't push it, you damn fool."

Chewing her lip, the bandit replies, "Twenty-five. Don't insult me."

He raises his hands, as if in defeat. "Fair enough."

Under the highwayman's watchful eye, he counts out twenty-five septims into a bag, and tosses it the short distance to the bandit, who pockets it. "Now get out of my sight. 'Fore I change my mind."

She steps aside, clearing the path. My hearts calms a touch, but my body remains tense; I wouldn't put it past them to change their mind soon as we move away from the bandit on the road. As we pass, Talao trips, falling heavily into the bandit, who pushes him off toward me with a shout. "Sorry, so sorry, bum leg," Talao exclaims.

We shake off her muttered insults, and I all but drag him off down the path. I don't relax until the tower is out of sight. I breathe. Then I turn to Talao and punch him in the arm. "Idiot! After all that, you go and trip? I half expected them to draw on us right then."

He irritably rubs his bruised arm. "Sweet Mara, that hurts. They wouldn't have fired, we were too close to their comrade to get a clean shot. Besides, it was well worth the risk."

I swear my vision turned red for a second. "Risk? You told me you didn't want to take any risks! What risk?!" Before I can punch him again, he tosses something at me, and I catch it with a jingle. Jingle?

"Surprised me how much was on her. Should know better than to keep all her ill-gotten coin in one pocket."

"You cut her purse?"

"Naturally. Much easier than cutting through a bandit camp and leaving a swathe of bodies in our wake."

My eyes narrow in suspicion. "You were planning this the moment we saw that highwayman, weren't you?"

"Certainly not the first time I've done it. It's amazing what a little misdirection will do." It certainly wasn't hard to believe. I'd heard stories of bards who did more than merely play music and sing for courts. When you entertain people, it's easy to keep their minds off of other things, like wandering hands. Whether those hands were lusty or thieving made little difference as far as a lot of players I'd seen. Broken quite a few of both myself.

"And what about Bleak Falls Barrow?" The smile slid from his face. "Did you misdirect that man into killing himself?"

"...Not purposely. I'd only meant to give him a chance. A warning, even. He chose... poorly."

"And you didn't think I deserved to know your plans? The chance to help? I'm not a fool, Talao. Perhaps I don't have your quick wit, but I'm far from a dullard. I understand strategy." A moment of silence. "I don't appreciate being manipulated."

"Innumerable pardons, Uthgerd. I suppose I am so terribly used to dullards that I forgot I'm no longer travelling with one."

He honestly looks severely put out. Well, he should, but gods forfend if I have to travel alongside such a mopey companion. "Shor's bones, don't act as though I just killed your favorite hunting dog. Just keep me in the know, so I can save your ass if you mouth off to the wrong person."

Thankfully, my forgiveness perks him up a lot. "Aye, you've the right of it, friend. Come now, we've many leagues yet to travel, and I'd like to put quite a few behind us before the robbers realize they've been robbed in turn."