Month: September 2014

Drink up, me hearties

SeltyielSeltyiel raises his hands and takes a slow step backwards. The rapier point follows his movement, inches from his throat.

The alleyway is dark. Moonlight shines on the roof tiles, but shadows hide the features of the ruffian brandishing the sword.

“Time to pay up,” the thug snarls, “We don’t like people trying to avoid our ‘taxes’!”

Three more sinister shapes sidle out of doorways and three more blades glint in the darkness.

Seltyiel flexes his fingers slightly. Faerie-fire flickers on his fingertips as he watches the sword-points advance towards him. His back presses against the rough wall and he prepares to strike.

Suddenly four sharp cracks echo around the alley. The bitter smell of gunpowder fills the air. Four bodies slump to the ground.

“Not bad if I say so myself,” comes a voice from the rooftops, “Four out of four, and in the dark too!”

Seltyiel relaxes. “Where have you been?” he says, “I’ve been leading them around for hours.”

Lirianne drops lightly to the cobblestones and holsters her flintlocks.

“Stop fussing,” she says, “You are being like Dad.”

Seltyiel grimaces. “Why do you keep saying things like that?” he says, “Just because you were old enough to know him before he left and I wasn’t.”

Lirianne hooks her arm around his neck and rubs her knuckles into his scalp.

“Come on,” she laughs, “Let us get out of this miserable port. I am sick of the smell of fish.”

(more…)

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me

Valeros leans on the bulwark and gazes down into the frothing waters. Merisiel places her slim hand on his shoulder.

“We are a long way from the Lost Coast, my friend,” she says, “You should try and forget her.”

Valeros smiles, tight-lipped. Merisiel joins him at the rail and together they gaze out across the waves. The ship sways slightly as it glides through the shoals and the archipelago of the Shackles islands seems to float on the horizon.

Merisiel glances sideways at her companion.

“Seoni was always going to go her own way,” she says.

“I know,” sighs Valeros, “I just… I thought I could be what she needed. Someone to rely on.”

“She was a barbarian sorceress,” says Merisiel, “and there was otherworldly blood in her. I do not think she knew what she wanted, or will ever.”

Valeros straightens up.

“You are right,” he says, “I should put the past behind me. Let us instead look ahead to the future, and the adventure and riches we have in store.”

Merisiel smiles and claps him on the back.

There is a sudden cry from high in the rigging.

“A sail, a sail! Bearing upon us from the nor-east!”

Valeros and Merisiel dash across the deck to see the approaching vessel. The lookout holds the spyglass to his good eye.

“They are raising their colours!” he cries, “It is the Skull! They are pirates!”

(more…)

Flight from the Dark

BifurBifur puts down the book, being careful not to damage the crumbling pages any further.

“It is a sad tale,” he says.

His fingers trace the runes carved into the dusty tomb. “Balin, son of Fundin. Lord of Moria,” he reads.

Gimli is by the door to the chamber.

“The orc patrols were below us but I can no longer hear them,” he says, “It does not seem likely that we have lost them.”

Dain joins him at the doorway. A flicker of fire gleams far down in the atrium. It grows brighter as they watch.

“There is nothing more for us here,” says Dain. He turns to Bifur who still stands by Balin’s tomb.

“Come, Bifur,” Dain says gently, “We must leave this place.”

Bifur sighs.

“We had many adventures together over the years, Balin and I,” he says.

Dain puts his hand on Bifur’s shoulder.

“Indeed. He fought valiantly alongside me at the Battle of the Five Armies,” he says, “but I sense a great peril approaches and we must away.”

(more…)