Dragon's Egg - Act II

[SeverinR]

"I don't bow to honor, but I know some do. Thats why I offered the alternative. I could hide in the room with one door closed, I could watch and call out if the truce is betrayed. The warriors would be in the hall, closer to the potential fight, ready to charge in if I yell. I could have someone with me to open the door, and send an arrow to cover our leaders retreat. No dishonor once they break the truce."

 

[Ireth]

I narrow my eyes slightly. "You realize they are probably listening to every word you say, do you not?"

 

[Nihal]

I chuckle at Cadell's statement, realizing then that I may have attracted unwanted attention.

Oops.

I clear my throat and raise my hand. "It's simple. The knights are out, I don't need to explain why, right?" I eye them suggestively. "Dwarf and girl out. Cleric, no way." I lower finger by finger while eliminating them. "It would be wise to keep our archers, we need those arrows. Their javelins are kinda painful. So..."

I look at Baldhart.

 

[Phietadix]

"They asked for our leader." I look at Rydh, "I suggest we honor their request."

 

[Nihal]

"Yeah, send the only one who can save a life. Sounds brilliant." I smile slyly at him.

 

[Sparkie]

"I have no energy to cast right now," I say, "so I doubt I'll be of use for healing anytime soon. Still, I doubt they mean to talk. I think Aliron is right. They want another hostage."

 

[Ireth]

I nod at Rydh's words. "I think we should ask that their leader comes to speak with us where we are, so as not to risk one of our number going out alone."

 

[SeverinR]

I narrow my eyes slightly. "You realize they are probably listening to every word you say, do you not?"

"I am not a loud person, I speak only as loud as I need too. The halls do echo though. Since we aren't being under handed, let them know what safeguards we will utilize. First we should tell them, no one is stepping out unarmed."

 

[Sparkie]

"Agreed. Also, we let them know that, if they really wish to parley, they must have their leader meet ours. Alone."

 

[Ireth]

I nod and relay those terms to the lizards, silently hoping they will honor them.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I chuckle at Cadell's statement, realizing then that I may have attracted unwanted attention.

Oops.

I clear my throat and raise my hand. "It's simple. The knights are out, I don't need to explain why, right?" I eye them suggestively. "Dwarf and girl out. Cleric, no way." I lower finger by finger while eliminating them. "It would be wise to keep our archers, we need those arrows. Their javelins are kinda painful. So..."

I look at Baldhart.

I can withstand their offensive odor, and I may be able to intimidate the leader. But... what if these things are peaceful?

((Wow... I missed a lot.))

I listen to the others talk. Maybe it's the adrenaline, but I have no patience for this. I nod at Mauve and step forward, my sword held one-handed in a passive position called the "zero stance." I doesn't appear threatening, but I can easily attack or defend with both hands from this position.

I move to the corner, but remain in the sight of my party.

"Do not throw your pointed sticks at me! I am Baldhart Eisenberg, slayer of evil beings, but I am not a murderer. If you wanted to talk in the first place you should have used words instead of setting traps and aiming weapons of death at us! It saddens me that I personally killed two of your kind if you truly are innocent.

"If you wish for the carnage to stop, drop your weapons or keep them lowered as I am. If you wish to speak, we can hear each other from where we stand. Explain your presence, particularly the trap you set that an innocent child could have stumbled upon! If your intentions are peaceful, you have my word that your leader will not be harmed if he joins us. But none of us will meet him alone as long as we have reason to suspect a trap! And if you intend to trick me, know that the two that died were each killed with a single cut from my sword! Know that I broke through the door they hid behind!

And know that one of yours is wounded. Quickly now! Give me a sign that you are innocent so I can order one of the men to tend to his wounds!"

 

[Ireth]

I turn and raise an eyebrow at Baldhart as my efforts to speak to the lizards are made rather redundant by her speech. Shrugging it off after a moment, I turn back toward the dark corner and wait for a response.

 

[Steerpike]

There is hissing conversation from around the corner as Cadell relays his information. This continues - some kind of argument perhaps - until Baldhart peers around the corner. Then there is silence. After a moment, another voice. It seems to be the one that spoke before, but you can't be certain. "You come closer. We talk. We make deal. Then you live. We not fight if you come alone."

 

[Ankari]

If I had a third hand, it would be planted firmly against my forehead. These companions discuss and argue trivial things while ignoring detrimental information. Anger swells to choke the air from my throat. Butcher, slay, then use the faculty of their minds. These are the people I have aligned myself with.

"I have thrown my lot in with fools! Worse, you heed not what I speak." I heft the axe a little higher, to bring notice to my hostage. "Do you not see him? When you came, did you not see that I had the upper hand without inflicting harm? I promised them safety if they surrendered. Instead of doing as I suggest, you blunder through the dark like cows."

Had they but listened, much of the danger would not exist. I take them down another train of thought, hoping they could put simple pieces together. "How do you know these lizardmen set the damned trap? I saw the tripwire and runes. Do you think it possible that the troglodyte was disarming it? Even if it set it, do you think that perhaps they feared the clamour we caused and expected the worse? Do you think that because you are not them, you have the right to slay indiscriminately?"

I return their angry stares with anger. "Go, send your fearless leader. Ask that they treat you as you have treated them."

 

[Ireth]

I round on Ankari. "I, for my part, have done no harm to these creatures; I sought only to defend my own comrades. Do not be so quick to tar us all with the same brush!"

 

[Steerpike]

Darin grumbles. "There is no talk with such as these. They have desecrated this place of my ancestors. They deserve only death." Still, he does not interfere with the ongoing talks, such as they are, content to thumb the haft of his hammer and glower.

 

[Ankari]

"Deny your involvement as you wish. Ask yourself this, Sir Knight. When you stumbled through the halls and heard my words, did you consider them or charge alongside the rest? Indeed, the paint includes you as well."

 

[Ireth]

"What is done is done," I reply coolly. "We must decide what we wish to do in the present. If these creatures are not enemies, then perhaps we can amend any wrongs either side has done, perceived or otherwise."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

She is... beautiful!

"I am not interested in a deal. I am interested in knowing whether you are innocent. If you are, we have no reason to fight each other. Two javelins and two arrows point at me now. That none of those weapons fly toward me brings me comfort.

"And that your not shooting me while I make myself your target is a sign of innocence, so as a woman of my word,"

I say to Rydh, "Rydh, can you tend to the wounded one?" I add, "We have bandages, do we not?" as I know we will need his magic. What I don't know is who our enemies are.

I wish I could give answers, Baldy.

Maybe the lizard queen will, Nissa.

"I want to ask two things of you." I stand perfectly still, bracing myself to be penetrated by pointy sticks.

"First of all, how shall I address you? I introduced myself by name. What about you? Do you have a name, or should I address you by a title?

"Second, why did your man set a trap? If I understand your intentions, I can make sense of all this."

 

[Ankari]

I would laugh if not for the danger we were in. He would have us amend what we have done to them. Three deaths. How do you amend for three deaths. Disgusted, I turn away to lead the hostage into the room. "Do as you will, Good Knight. Surely, your conscience is as polished as the armor you wear."