The interrogation of a jester
Daggerford
The Black Swann Inn
In one of the rooms of the top floor of the Black Swann Inn, a jester sat casually on a chair in front of an old table, looking out the window. The skies were dark, the rain pouring down, making a smattering sound on the roof.
The jester’s greasy and mat hair was jet black of color, barely reaching his shoulders. He had a puffy face and a flabby body which, added with his short size, made him look a little fat. His clothes were probably once vibrant and colorful, though now they were dirty and torn. There was a certain smell of mould about him.
“I’m asking you again, where is she?” The woman, standing in front of the jester on the other side of table asked with a stern tone. She had the look of a seasoned warrior, though her build was quite slim and she was clad in mere leather armor.
The jester flashed an unsympathetic grin. “The lady getting angry, is she? I better answer fast or I might get a spanking.” The jester giggled. “I’ll tell you a secret…” The jester looked about in a comedic way to make sure no one else was around to hear and lowered his voice. “…I’d actually like a spanking.” He giggled again, leaning back in his chair.
The woman had a look of frustration on her face. She drew a hand through her short brown hair and sighed, looking back over her shoulder at man standing in the corner of the room. The bald man had grey eyes, a woolen cloak covered his shoulders and back, clasped together by a silvery object and stood casually leaning against the wall with a pipe in his mouth. He nodded slightly at the woman.
The woman placed a hand on the hilt of her scimitar which hung at her hip and looked straight into the eyes of the jester.
“Do you play the mandolin, fool?” The tone was cold.
What had happened up to this point had been curtsies, the game had changed and it was as if the jester sensed it. The cocky grin he had sported up to this point slowly vanished, and was replaced by a nervous look, accented by some sweat drops materializing on his fore head.
“The mandolin? Why certainly, shall I play a piece for the sweet maid?” He tried to sound mocking but his uncertainty and nervousness was evident when his voice cracked.
The woman strode past the table and the jester’s eyes grew large with panic as she grabbed his right hand bent his forefinger backwards with a sharp jerk. The jester shrieked out loud as the pain surged through his finger and hand.
“You will tell me all you know about this woman called Elaya if you wish to keep playing your mandolin to the fair maids.” The tone was mild this time, like a mother instructing her young child.
The jester grimaced turning his face away from her, as if he didn’t want to show his weakness to her and perhaps contemplating his options.
“Alright, alright! I’ll tell you everything you want to know about her. Just don’t… Just keep my limbs intact and you will get what you want.”
The woman let go of the hand and returned to the other side of the table where she had stood before and probed the sitting man with a good stare.
“Now then Crab, as your brothers call you, do you mind starting at the beginning, telling us how you came upon this girl Elaya? And speak the truth, because if you don’t you will suffer, do not doubt it.”
Crab rubbed his sore finger and looked down into the table letting the memories come back to him.
“It was many ‘o years ago, I hardly even remember when it was. She was only a little girl back then, when we took her. She was travelling with her parents along with a merchant caravan near Loudwater.” Crab paused for a second. “We attacked in brute force and after the carnage, Stoneface was the only one spared, you see.”
“Stoneface?” The woman had a confused look on her face.
“Ah yes, you see we used to call her that; Stoneface. During all the years we kept her under our protection she never showed any emotions towards us brothers. No smile, no tears, no nothing. Just a blank face, so one of the lads, I think it was Crackclaw, started to call her Stoneface.”
“Your protection? I highly doubt any of your women would call it that, but do go on.”
“As I was saying, she was the only one spared. Raventree, our leader, thought we could use another girl to handle chores and he preferred to pick ‘em young, easier to mold that way.” Crab shot a quick sly grin at the woman who didn’t respond.
“I figure she wasn’t older than ten when we grabbed her but she was a very able lass. Good at collecting wood for fire, carrying equipment and tending the horses. We even let her use a bow to hunt hare. She always did as she was told and didn’t complain either.” Crab suddenly sounded like a seasoned teacher and far from the smelly self proclaimed entertainer sitting on the chair.
“And the oddest thing about her was that when we captured her, the hair on her head was fiery orange but only after a few nights, light blue hair started spreading over her scalp instead. After a few months all the orange was gone, save from her eyebrows.” Crab chuckled at the thought and the woman merely nodded, as if she was being told something she already knew.
“How about the other girls, did she get along with them?”
“Aye, I think so. They seldom quarreled to my recollection. I think Stoneface was fondest of the elderly woman, Myra. The old hag had been with us the longest and spoke for the younger girls when needed. She was cunning though, I never liked her, but Raventree was fond of her so he kept her.”
The woman nodded again and looked pleased with what she had heard so far.
“But this didn’t last forever, Elaya escaped at one point. Tell me about it and be specific.”
Crab got an annoyed look on his face, almost as if he was taking it as an insult. His face soured.
“Not much to tell about. Some of the lads raped her, she was horror struck and ran into the woods and we never saw her again. Good riddance I say, she didn’t look like she had a body made for birthing anyway.” Crab spat on the floor and then flashed his yellow teeth at the woman.
As fast as a snake the woman threw herself over the table and grabbed Crab’s hand and broke one of his fingers in a swift snap. As Crab screamed out in great pain the woman eased back and adjusted her green leather armor. She stared at him calm and composed while he wretched in the chair, tears starting to well in his eyes because of the pain.
“This is mad! You are all mad!”
Crab looked over at the bald smoking man in the corner with a pleading look.
“Will you allow this? A leash must be put upon this bitch!”
The man in the corner puffed his pipe saying nothing, just staring back with his grey dead eyes. Instead the woman interjected.
“You told me a lie and you paid for it. I have certain information about her escape already and what you told me is not correct.”
“If you already know, why the nine hells did you ask me then?” Crab’s entire right arm trembled of agony.
“Because there are blanks that needs to be filled in this tale. So tell me again, how did she escape?” The woman was calm and at ease again. Crab ground his teeth as if considering refusing the request but after a few seconds of silence he spoke.
“The lass must have been around fifteen or so. She still hadn’t flowered atleast so none of the lads had come near her but everyone was anticipating it. Her long legs were sought after, though I still claim her hips was nigh good for birthing.” Crab shook his head.
“One night though, there was a commotion, a fire spread in one of the tents. It was nothing we were used to and panic erupted, mostly among the women but some men ran like little girls too. That was the night she escaped, she just vanished. We searched for her, I think Raventree still does, but I never saw her again.”
“How was it possible? You had nightly guards and all, didn’t you?”
“To be sure, but the fire spoiled it all. I don’t know, she just vanished into thin air. It was suspected she got help from some of the other girls, but nothing was ever proven.” Crab shrugged to show that it was all he knew about it. A silence filled the room which was disturbed only by the rain falling on the roof.
The woman looked back at the bald man with the pipe. He nodded at the woman and she looked back at Crab who sulked in silence despite his broken finger.
“This was all we needed to know. For your own safety, this is not something you should tell tales or sing songs about. But you are an intelligent fool, I need not to tell you that of course.” The woman smirked and walked up next to Crab whispering in his ear.
“In a dark, dark wood
Oh so long ago
Teeth clashed and teeth slashed
One more skull a grave to show”
The woman smiled and left the room along with the bald man.
Crab sat in silence for a while, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Death in the clouds [about Elaya Stone]
-
Greenflower
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:59 pm
Death in the clouds [about Elaya Stone]
Last edited by Greenflower on Fri Jun 17, 2011 4:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-
Greenflower
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:59 pm
Re: The interrogation of a jester [about Elaya Stone]
A cat among the pigeons
The Two Sisters Inn
Daggerford
It was a (germbag) house masquerading as an inn. The Two Sisters Inn smelled of alcohol and cheap perfume, the walls clad in satin drapes and tapestries in bright colors. The establishment was nothing to be proud of but it would still be hard to find a finer location filled with prostitutes unless you were of noble birth.
A fat elderly lady clad in a blue dress, large enough to fill in as a circus tent for any normal sized Halfling, stared at a woman and a pipe smoking man.
“If you want to share a girl, you better be ready to pay more than the double fee.” The old lady’s double chin jiggled and her tone was stern as that of a teacher.
“I am Shyn and my pipe smoking friend is Silas. We seek no pleasures of the flesh tonight, only some information.” Shyn smiled in a friendly way though Silas only puffed his pipe and made a courteous nod.
“Information about what? This is a (germbag) house, not your neighbors’ shabby old kitchen. I want no funny business here. If that is not to your liking you can take it up with the (germbag) guard. They’d be more than happy to show you the door.” The old woman looked at the bouncers, fat and big as they were, they had an intimidating look none the less.
“My dear lady, I assure you, we want no trouble at all. We only seek to speak with you for a moment and we would like to exchange your precious time for some gold of course.” Shyn held up a small bag of coin in her hand so she could show the woman in front of her that she actually was in possession of such coin.
“Coin, eh?” The old woman’s eyes glimmered, greed was seemingly something that ran thick in her veins. She gestured to Shyn and Silas to follow her. The moved into the back of the locale and stepped through a door into what seemed to be an office. It had a table and a few chairs, a chest and some books stored on a shelf. The coin the madame made in this business was obviously not spent on lavish furniture. She gestured them to take a seat, while she sat down herself.
“I am madame Sylise. How may I help you?” This time, she spoke in a much gentler tone and could even have been mistaken for a sweet old grandmother.
“We are searching for a young woman, which we believe worked here for a while, though it might have been some years ago.” Shyn tossed the little bag of coin onto the table, as to show Sylise she was staying true to her promise.
“I have had lots of doves working for me over the years. You must be more precise if you wish me to assist you.” Sylise threw out her hands in an apologetic way.
“I think you will remember this one. I am not sure what she called herself but she had white hair with a blue tone, though her eye brows were fiery orange. An odd combination that would attract the attention of any man, I am sure.” Shyn looked straight into Sylise’s eyes as if to try and gauge a true reaction. Silas puffed his pipe.
“And not only were her eye brows orange, so was the patch between her thighs!” Sylise cackled with great amusement. “Of course I remember that tall and slender lass. Not the prettiest girl to ever stay here, but she was handsome enough, and her mismatching hair colors drew the attention of many men, I can assure you of that. Plenty of coin was spent on her, oh yes.” Sylise nodded, placing her hands on her belly as if she had just finished a splendid meal.
“This must be the girl I am speaking of, indeed. And what can you tell me about her? How long did she stay here? Did she have any friends? When did she leave?” Questions bubbled out of Shyn’s mouth.
“What is there to say of little Ysabel? She worked hard and the men liked her. Though she had an uncanny way of turning off her emotions, as if she went all cold inside, though only in her mind. She was as good as any of my best girls at pleasuring, do not doubt it. This business was forced upon her though and she left suddenly one night. She snuck out of her room and I never saw her again. It was a shame, as she made a lot of coin for me during the two months she stayed here.” Sylise shrugged and her face saddened a bit.
“And Elaya… I mean Ysabel, had no special costumers or perhaps she befriended some of the other girls?”
“No special costumers to my knowledge, she was liked by most men as I said, and no, she wasn’t close to any of the other girls. Ysabel kept to herself when she wasn’t working.”
“That is a shame. I thank you for taking your time though, any information about her is vital.” Shyn looked a bit disappointed as she got out of her chair. Silas did the same, still puffing his pipe.
“But there is another thing that might interest you.” Sylise mused. “You are not the only one who has been here, asking for Ysabel.”
“Is that so?” Shyn quirked an eye brow.
“That is so. A tall and bushy man was also here some time ago, asking for Ysabel. He paid some coin as well, though he was a lot brusquer than you have been. Lord Raventree, he called himself.”
The Two Sisters Inn
Daggerford
It was a (germbag) house masquerading as an inn. The Two Sisters Inn smelled of alcohol and cheap perfume, the walls clad in satin drapes and tapestries in bright colors. The establishment was nothing to be proud of but it would still be hard to find a finer location filled with prostitutes unless you were of noble birth.
A fat elderly lady clad in a blue dress, large enough to fill in as a circus tent for any normal sized Halfling, stared at a woman and a pipe smoking man.
“If you want to share a girl, you better be ready to pay more than the double fee.” The old lady’s double chin jiggled and her tone was stern as that of a teacher.
“I am Shyn and my pipe smoking friend is Silas. We seek no pleasures of the flesh tonight, only some information.” Shyn smiled in a friendly way though Silas only puffed his pipe and made a courteous nod.
“Information about what? This is a (germbag) house, not your neighbors’ shabby old kitchen. I want no funny business here. If that is not to your liking you can take it up with the (germbag) guard. They’d be more than happy to show you the door.” The old woman looked at the bouncers, fat and big as they were, they had an intimidating look none the less.
“My dear lady, I assure you, we want no trouble at all. We only seek to speak with you for a moment and we would like to exchange your precious time for some gold of course.” Shyn held up a small bag of coin in her hand so she could show the woman in front of her that she actually was in possession of such coin.
“Coin, eh?” The old woman’s eyes glimmered, greed was seemingly something that ran thick in her veins. She gestured to Shyn and Silas to follow her. The moved into the back of the locale and stepped through a door into what seemed to be an office. It had a table and a few chairs, a chest and some books stored on a shelf. The coin the madame made in this business was obviously not spent on lavish furniture. She gestured them to take a seat, while she sat down herself.
“I am madame Sylise. How may I help you?” This time, she spoke in a much gentler tone and could even have been mistaken for a sweet old grandmother.
“We are searching for a young woman, which we believe worked here for a while, though it might have been some years ago.” Shyn tossed the little bag of coin onto the table, as to show Sylise she was staying true to her promise.
“I have had lots of doves working for me over the years. You must be more precise if you wish me to assist you.” Sylise threw out her hands in an apologetic way.
“I think you will remember this one. I am not sure what she called herself but she had white hair with a blue tone, though her eye brows were fiery orange. An odd combination that would attract the attention of any man, I am sure.” Shyn looked straight into Sylise’s eyes as if to try and gauge a true reaction. Silas puffed his pipe.
“And not only were her eye brows orange, so was the patch between her thighs!” Sylise cackled with great amusement. “Of course I remember that tall and slender lass. Not the prettiest girl to ever stay here, but she was handsome enough, and her mismatching hair colors drew the attention of many men, I can assure you of that. Plenty of coin was spent on her, oh yes.” Sylise nodded, placing her hands on her belly as if she had just finished a splendid meal.
“This must be the girl I am speaking of, indeed. And what can you tell me about her? How long did she stay here? Did she have any friends? When did she leave?” Questions bubbled out of Shyn’s mouth.
“What is there to say of little Ysabel? She worked hard and the men liked her. Though she had an uncanny way of turning off her emotions, as if she went all cold inside, though only in her mind. She was as good as any of my best girls at pleasuring, do not doubt it. This business was forced upon her though and she left suddenly one night. She snuck out of her room and I never saw her again. It was a shame, as she made a lot of coin for me during the two months she stayed here.” Sylise shrugged and her face saddened a bit.
“And Elaya… I mean Ysabel, had no special costumers or perhaps she befriended some of the other girls?”
“No special costumers to my knowledge, she was liked by most men as I said, and no, she wasn’t close to any of the other girls. Ysabel kept to herself when she wasn’t working.”
“That is a shame. I thank you for taking your time though, any information about her is vital.” Shyn looked a bit disappointed as she got out of her chair. Silas did the same, still puffing his pipe.
“But there is another thing that might interest you.” Sylise mused. “You are not the only one who has been here, asking for Ysabel.”
“Is that so?” Shyn quirked an eye brow.
“That is so. A tall and bushy man was also here some time ago, asking for Ysabel. He paid some coin as well, though he was a lot brusquer than you have been. Lord Raventree, he called himself.”
-
Greenflower
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:59 pm
Re: A cat among the pigeons [about Elaya Stone]
Death in the clouds
Forest
Near Daggerford
It was dusk and thin smoke rose from a clearing in the forest up ahead. Shyn smiled, as she realized the information they had paid coin for had been correct. She nodded to Silas who stood next to her and he nodded back, puffing his pipe. They both proceeded carefully towards the smoke, Shyn with a sword ready in hand.
Shyn peered through the trees as they got closer. A small fire was burning and a large man with a black beard sat in front of the fire, putting a skinned rabbit over the open flames. To his side sat another large man, clad in black hide armor, sharpening an axe with a whet stone. The men didn’t seem to be aware of the couple approaching. Shyn felt even more confident as she was sure she would take the men by surprise.
Getting close enough, Shyn consciously stepped on a dead tree branch lying on the ground. It made a large crack, sending some crows off, and the men by the fire looked up. To Shyn’s disappointment they didn’t seem startled, they sat as calmly as before and the black bearded man even flashed a smile, his yellow teeth making it a vile look.
“Look at that Crackclaw, seems like we have guests for dinner.” The bearded man spoke to his companion next to him. “Had we known you were coming, we would have skinned a second rabbit.”
“Are you the man they call Raventree?” Shyn was direct and to the point and moved slowly forward to close the distance to the two men sitting by the fire.
“And what if I am? Would you skewer me with that sword of yours? Because then I rather be Garland the Gallant.” The bearded man chuckled.
“We have a common goal, you and I. We both want the girl.” Shyn ignored his jests, not letting him creep into her mind.
“Is there a bounty on her? Cause I could not think why anyone but me would want to find a scrawny lass like her.” The bearded man lost his yellow smile and got a serious look, similar to that of Shyn.
“Why I want her is none of your concern. Your hunt ends here though, as me and Silas will hand you over to the authorities in Daggerford. You might think two of you against two of us would be favourable odds, but it isn’t. Act rashly and your life will end now.”
The bearded man laughed loudly and shook his head. “You are wrong lass.”
“About what?” Shyn’s reply was as sharp as her blade.
A swooshing sound and a thud was the answer Shyn got. Silas had a crossbow bolt piercing his heart. He puffed his pipe a final time, his eyes were wide as if astonished, before he fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Shyn gasped, terror flashing through her eyes for a second.
“The odds are three to one you see, and now you will dance your last dance.” Both the bearded man and his companion got to their feet and a third man stepped out from the trees with a crossbow in his hand.
Shyn charged.
Forest
Near Daggerford
It was dusk and thin smoke rose from a clearing in the forest up ahead. Shyn smiled, as she realized the information they had paid coin for had been correct. She nodded to Silas who stood next to her and he nodded back, puffing his pipe. They both proceeded carefully towards the smoke, Shyn with a sword ready in hand.
Shyn peered through the trees as they got closer. A small fire was burning and a large man with a black beard sat in front of the fire, putting a skinned rabbit over the open flames. To his side sat another large man, clad in black hide armor, sharpening an axe with a whet stone. The men didn’t seem to be aware of the couple approaching. Shyn felt even more confident as she was sure she would take the men by surprise.
Getting close enough, Shyn consciously stepped on a dead tree branch lying on the ground. It made a large crack, sending some crows off, and the men by the fire looked up. To Shyn’s disappointment they didn’t seem startled, they sat as calmly as before and the black bearded man even flashed a smile, his yellow teeth making it a vile look.
“Look at that Crackclaw, seems like we have guests for dinner.” The bearded man spoke to his companion next to him. “Had we known you were coming, we would have skinned a second rabbit.”
“Are you the man they call Raventree?” Shyn was direct and to the point and moved slowly forward to close the distance to the two men sitting by the fire.
“And what if I am? Would you skewer me with that sword of yours? Because then I rather be Garland the Gallant.” The bearded man chuckled.
“We have a common goal, you and I. We both want the girl.” Shyn ignored his jests, not letting him creep into her mind.
“Is there a bounty on her? Cause I could not think why anyone but me would want to find a scrawny lass like her.” The bearded man lost his yellow smile and got a serious look, similar to that of Shyn.
“Why I want her is none of your concern. Your hunt ends here though, as me and Silas will hand you over to the authorities in Daggerford. You might think two of you against two of us would be favourable odds, but it isn’t. Act rashly and your life will end now.”
The bearded man laughed loudly and shook his head. “You are wrong lass.”
“About what?” Shyn’s reply was as sharp as her blade.
A swooshing sound and a thud was the answer Shyn got. Silas had a crossbow bolt piercing his heart. He puffed his pipe a final time, his eyes were wide as if astonished, before he fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Shyn gasped, terror flashing through her eyes for a second.
“The odds are three to one you see, and now you will dance your last dance.” Both the bearded man and his companion got to their feet and a third man stepped out from the trees with a crossbow in his hand.
Shyn charged.