Movement

The ship stared moving, gliding over the sand.  The three that were sitting by the barrel on the main deck were joined by ship’s captain.  He addressed them, “We’ll stop in a few hours. Traveling by night time in the desert is optimal.  We will stop before dawn for breakfast.”  The man sighed.  “I’ll show you to your cabins.  The girls will share, unless you, Dena would like to share mine.”  He stated hopefully.  By the expression he saw on Dena’s face, he deducted that she was not interested in that proposal, at that time.  “Ooookay, I will open up my cabin to you Garrick. I’ll sleep here on the deck.”

     All went to rest.

 

Healing a Wound, resting

All the people that sat around Lord Byrum agreed.  Danulf got up and offered his ship for passage and rest.  He knew they would have to work together for this, even though they had not agreed to formed a team.

     On the ship everyone started settling down for the night. Dena, still favoring her left shoulder, sat against a barrel.  Her large hound was lying protectively at her feet.  Dena seldom succumbed to tears, but tonight was an exception.  The pain in her shoulder did not stop the grieving in her soul.  Mindy sat next her Dena and placed a hand on Dena’s left shoulder.  “Ouch!” Dena groaned.

     “I’m sorry.”  Mindy said quietly lowering her hand from Dena’s shoulder.

     Garrick came over to the girls sitting near a Dena.  “Can I be of assistance?”  He asked and without waiting for an answer, he touched Dena’s shoulder.  “Ah,” was all he said before his large hands grasped her shoulder and arm.  He swiftly popped the arm into the shoulder, and she screamed.

     “There.”  He said.  A self satisfied expression crossed his facial features.  “It will be sore for a few days.”

     “Thank-you.”  Dena squeaked out.

     “No problem.”  Garrick replied.

     Tears now streamed down Dena’s face. 

Finding out about the job

Lord Byrum looked directly into Dena’s eyes.  “Your eyes are marked with blood.  Are you sure not of the house...”

     “I am not of the house of Iris.”  Dena said defensively.  The servant offered her a cup and Dena took it with her right hand, milk was her favorite.  Taking a sip she stated, “Let’s talk this job.”

     Lord Byrum took his gaze from her eyes. “Yes let’s.  I have a problem, an undead problem.  The job is simple-get rid of an unnatural creature.  A woman who has taken residence on my property to the south-east of here.  A woman who looks like a corpse and yet has not died.  I will pay handsomely when the job is finished.”

     “Handsomely?” Garrick asked. 

     “Yes,” Lord Byrum said, “say one hundred gold crescents each.”

     “That is a fair wage,” Danulf said, “If it is just an undead.”

     “Yes just a simple task. Are all of you up to it?”

Introductions

“Let me introduce myself.  I am Lord Nalo Byrum. You can call me Lord Byrum.”  He sat back down on his plush light blue pillow on the ground then he indicated various colored pillows set in front of his by servants.  “Do any of you need refreshment? Water, cocktail, ale, or milk.”  He smiled to a serving girl, and waited for a response. 

     The black haired man responded first, asking for milk.  The northern man guffawed at the offers, and said “Have you nothing with bite?”  The elf grimaced, and asked for water, and the silver haired woman asked for milk as well.

     The girl left quickly with the various requests.  Lord Byrum looked at each individual and waited for introductions.  When none came he simply asked, “How are we to do business if I do not know who you are and what you are capable of?”

     This prompted Mindy to speak up, “Why send out requests for mercenaries without some knowledge of who would get your summons.”

     “Alas, out here in the desert, I do not have the ability to research for-as you put it-Mercenaries.”  Lord Byrum sighed in displeasure at her question.

     “Fair enough.”  Mindy stated.  “I am Mindy Bluewing.”  Her blue butterfly flew into the tent.  “I am good with the crossbow and a cook.”  She smiled and winked at the blonde headed giant that sat kitty corner to her.

     The serving girl walked in with five containers.  She handed Mindy her water.  The blonde man spoke up, “I am Garrick Thornbridge from the lands of Icedragon.  I am a healer and a fighter, that is all you need to know.”  He snorted at the bold red head named Mindy and accepted a black fluid.

     “Danulf the Bold here,” the dark haired man said.  “I’m into magic and whatever I can invent.  That ship out there is ‘The Sand Glider,’ and my pride.”  He accepted his milk from the servant and waited for the name of the woman he was enamored with; the woman with moon-beam hair, favoring her left shoulder.

     She spoke up last, “I would not be here if I was not so low on money.  I am Dena.  Just Dena.  I can scout.  Plus my animal is as valuable as I.”  She smiled outside to her pet.  She looked around the tent and shifted in her seat.  This man’s tent poles had long black fringes, they were feathers.  Something reverberated in her brain, a familiarity, 

Being Invited In by Host

Danulf’s attention was on the remaining attackers.  A big blonde man cleaved two men and had the remaining men around him fleeing in terror.  A small red headed woman wounded one of her attackers before he reached her.  Danulf had three men on the ground moaning in pain.  That was when a glimmer of moonlight shimmered in the sun, catching his attention.  The woman mounted a large dog.  Danulf got in an eyeful of bright white hair.  He had never seen such a beautiful color.  It distracted him for a moment.  He looked at her body-the ladies figure was something out of his dreams.  He felt himself stir with lust.  He realized with a shock that he wanted her, something that had not happened to him before.  But the last two attackers were almost upon her, and she seemed unable to fight back.  He took the pike and ran toward her.

     Danulf realized he would not get to the two attackers on time.  He spun the pike, throwing it at the men.  The pike flew through the air with a whistling sound, first hitting one of the men in the back of the head, then ricocheting to pierce the other in the arm.  Danulf ran forward to make sure the men were not going to get up again.

     The man, in the caravan tent, sat back watching the combat.

He started thinking that these individuals would do nicely for the task he wanted finished.  Smiling he got up off his pillow leaving the tent.  He walked toward the combatants.  He watched a man with jet black hair lift, a man with the stab wound, punching him in the face.  The man with jet black hair dropped the man, then the man with jet black hair shouted,  “Don’t come any closer.”

     “I am duly warned.  But before you deal with me as you did these dogs, know that I am the man who sent the letters.” He shouted back and smiled reaching out his left hand in greeting.  The man with jet black hair reluctantly accepted.  The woman on the hound heard what was said the turned the beast around.  The giant blonde man walked forward with the red haired woman.  “Let’s go to my tent and talk the particulars of the job I need of all of you to do.”  He looked each of the individuals in the eye, waved his hands toward his tent then lead the way into the shady coolness. 

Fight continues

Garrick Thornbridge turned his blonde head to see three man with bent clubs charging.  He sighed as he dropped his knapsack to the ground.  He lifted his right hand to the handle of “Neck Chopper”, the large hand-ax he carried on his back.  His left hand lifted up his antler topped walking stick.  Once both weapons were in readied, he shouted, “I am Garrick Thornbridge. Attack me and I will take your life honorably.”

     A little ahead of Garrick, Mindy shook her red head, ‘the arrogance of some people,’ she thought to herself.  She too noticed the men come ever closer to her position.  She flipped her cloak around, forcing her large blue butterfly to take to the air.  As she dropped her cloak, in her hand was a large light crossbow.  She took her first shot.  The bolt soared right past the furthest man’s ear.  She smiled to herself, some might think she missed but that was only a warning shot. “Stay back!” She commanded.

     Danulf had no weapon, he never brought a weapon into a new town.  He never had any trouble with locals whenever he came into town.  So as one of the men with a pike approached him rapidly, he stepped to the side and removed the pike from the man’s possession.  Then he used the long pole to wound the men who came forward to attack him.  He disarmed and maimed, but did not kill any of the three men who foolishly attacked him.    

     Dena dismounted her hound and lovingly patted it’s muzzle.  She was deep in thought when a club came down on her shoulder.  She turned holding her left upper shoulder.  By reflex she backhanded him with her right arm, hitting so hard that some of the rat teeth dislodged from her armor.  She felt disadvantaged with her flail arm damaged.  She mounted her hound to ride away from battle.  After all, she had not traveled all this way just to fight with local thugs.