Between a Rock and a Hard Place

I walked into the Broken Blade Tavern and asked for Ogun because I'd heard about the free drink thing he has for assassins and thieves. I asked the tender if I had to prove a was an assassin. Good thing I didn't. I'm a law man, not a criminal.

I then noticed Kyla drinking tea with a dryad. I was upset the child was in the tavern. Funny thing is it wasn't until much later when I learned the child's name and I never found out who the dryad was, so I'll just refer to her as Dryad. I knew she was a dryad because she wore green feathers, her skin was made of aloe vera, she smelled like lilacs and cinnamon. Her long hair grew from white to green. She never told me she was dryad, but I could tell she was. The child too was cute, she had emerald green hair and bright green eyes. So full of life.

At first I thought that the woman that gave the child tea might be her mother, but they look very different. Kyla told me she was an adventure, which I thought was cute. Get it? Not the one that goes on it, but is an adventure. She repeated it like that several times.

I asked if her Mom and Dad were on the adventure with her. She said she no and that she was old enough to take care of herself. She keep pulling her dagger as if she wished to fight me to prove it. She also said she didn't have a Mommy and Daddy.

I thought about taking Kyla back to Serenity to the Lose Rose Orphanage. At the least I didn't want such a young child wandering around by herself. The child again told me she could beat me up and pulled her dagger again bragging about how she'd killed a goblin. I was saddened that she is too young to know what death is yet, and hope she doesn't grow up killing or one day she will regret it.

The Dryad had gone outside and came back in with a fire lizard she was going to show to Kyla. She asked if Kyla wanted one and the child of course did. The Dryad pulled an egg out of her pouch which was going to hatch soon so Kyla could "impress" it.

Borac must have been watching us, but I didn't notice until he walked over to us and said it as a sad thing that fire lizards are being given away as pets these days. I stood and instantly didn't quite trust him. He dressed like a warrior and had a bit of a dark air about him, which was probably just his mood or disposition.

The Dryad told Kyla to take the egg out of her pouch, where she had put it, for it was about to hatch. At the same time Borac spoke to the other fire lizard and announced that it didn't think of itself as a pet. He asked if we spoke Common and I told him I could speak a few different languages. At that same time the egg hatched and Melody told Kyla to feed it quickly. Borac told me he wasn't talking to me, but to the one that smelled of earth. I thought maybe he meant the dryad harm, but he looked more sad than menacing.

The child fed her fire lizard. When it was done she picked it up and cuddled it while she petting it. The table was happy once more and I sat down. Borac saw a woman enter and went to speak to her. I gave him little thought again until he approached me again later.

The Dryad left not long after that and the child wanted to be picked up so I offered, but before I could pick her up a woman swung down from the rafters and offered to take her up there with her and her friend. I would later learn that the woman's name was Rose. I disapproved of a child in the rafters and told them all so. The other woman in the rafters said her name was Princess Melody Drake.

Karimia walked up to me about the time I again said I didn't approve of a child being here. She said I was there so why not let a child in. I would have been insulted if I had thought about what she had said, but I was caught too off guard at seeing such a powerful enemy at my table. I jumped up and back, reaching for my sword and releasing the blade from the scabbard with my left hand. Kari seemed to like this reaction and advanced. No matter how many times I stepped back, she'd step toward me.

I told her I had heard she was turning good, but she pointed out that I didn't quite believe it. After all she's done why would I believe it so easily? She said she knew I was talking to her son and asked if I was trying to get on his good side so I could get close and kill him. I reminded her that Hida was not my enemy, but she didn't seem to like that. I think she thought I meant that I was getting close to Hida so I could kill her. Kari stepped forward again and I was barely aware when Princess Drake jumped down out of the rafters and walked out, I was so caught up in what Karimia was going to do.

I also reminded Kari that I didn't kill children and that was the difference between good guys and bad guys. She once again tried to say she wasn't a bad guy anymore, and this time I didn't step back from her advances. I was no longer off guard. She tried to convince me she was good, and I told her I wasn't going to believe it just like that.

She told me she had wanted to add Rayven to her treasure because he was a famous dragonslayer who wear armor made by dragons. I got a little worried that she'd want to add me to her treasure and that's was why she was there. I also think that she might be using Hida to make herself look good to fool people like me into thinking she's changed, though I didn't tell her that. I've told Hida.

It was at this time I heard Borac's name, it caught my attention because he introduced himself as a black dragon. I didn't take the time to listen to his conversation or see who he was talking to.

Kyla called down to get Karimia's attention and I tried to shake my head so she wouldn't do anything. Rose jumped down however and tried to get between me and Kari. It was then that Karimia's intentions with me became clear. She wants my treasure horde, the horde that is made up of the treasure I've taken from dragons I've slain.

Kyla jumped down to land on Karimia even as Kari stepped toward me again. After landing on her feet the child feel to the floor and hurt herself. I told Karimia that I was going to rescue Hida and safe him from her. Before she could respond though Borac was back over to where we were. This time instead of wanting to ignore me he had a sword at my throat and told me that if I wanted to run, that was the time.

So there I was, being advanced upon by Karimia, a sword at my throat being held by a black dragon, a crying child needing help on the floor behind Kari, and Rose seemed to be turning into a dragon herself. I tried to explain that I slay evil of all kinds, but Borac wasn't buying it. Kari tried to tell him I am a Constable, though I haven't met a dragon yet that cares about my status when he wants to kill me. Borac turned on her and was angry that she wanted the treasure of dead dragons. I pointed out that she was a dragon as well.

I moved around Kari keeping her between me and Borac in an attempt to grab Kyla and run. A woman that was watching me earlier with her hand on her hilt was making her way toward me again. Before she was protecting Kyla, now I think she wanted to defend dragons.

Kari suggested I kill Borac and he suddenly didn't want me to run anymore. He said he wasn't done with me and called me human. I let it slip that I wasn't human. Kari didn't miss the slip at all. Borac reached out with his sword and carved some kind of rune on my face. I was a little off guard and confused. I was unable to pick up Kyla because she had wrapped around Rose and Rose was hissing at me. Borac told me I could go however after cutting my face. It healed quickly enough, but I got the idea that it was enchanted. That was way too easy.

Borac got into an argument with Karimia about how she tried to hire me to kill him. I wouldn't work for her for any amount of money. A woman called Aerie had been watching and now told Borac that he was out of line. He told Kari to shut up and Kyla told him to shut up while she stuck her tongue out at him.

I reached for Kyla again, for I had been in a ducked position this whole time trying to grab her. Rose had tried to step between us before, I just didn't pay her any mind now. I wanted to protect the child. Rose told Kari to leave me alone and told me to put her down because she was in pain and Kyla started to cry again. I assumed that Rose was a healer and did as she asked, even if it meant stalling a little longer. The child would be worth it.

Kari tried to say she was my friend. She told Rose so. . can you believe it? Friend? How many times has she tried to end my life?

Kyla was trying to crawl away from us all and I looked to Borac again to make sure where he was. That was when I recognized him from stories from Rayven and his mind when we were linked. He is a friend of Brier's. If I'm not mistaken they are in the same clan, Dragon's Blood. I asked him if he knew Brier. He asked how I knew Brier and I said she was a friend, that she comes to my tavern all the time. Well she used to before she disappeared.

Borac said he misjudged me and told me to come to him so he could take the curse off. I had little choice, he said it was fast acting. I might have some death powers, but I can't just brush off all death magic. I decided to trust him and he did take off the curse. Karimia followed me to Borac almost as if she was guarding my back, but I still don't trust her. She only wants my treasure.

Both Borac and Aerie were being nice to Kyla now trying to get her to stop crying. She seemed scared of me though. I told Borac that Kari had attacked Brier once, and he joked with me about attacking her and having the dwarves make suits out of her scales. I can't win against her though, especially now that I don't have the armor. During that conversation I overhead Kyla tell Aerie that her Mommy was dead.

Kari asked me what I was since I wasn't human. I wouldn't tell her. Why would I? She mentioned K'Gwen, but I don't know what he knows of them. Does she know that the armor was made by them? She must if she knows it was made by dragons. Oh wait, Hida could have told her, I told him.

Funny thing is she almost seemed upset when I wouldn't believe that she is turning good and also that Rayven never did. Plus she mentioned him being gone. Strange. . .

Borac said he had a daughter Kyla's age and I said mine was much younger. I didn't mean to let that slip in front of Karimia either. Maybe Shade is right, maybe I do have a big mouth?

I went back to the table the dryad had been at and sat down again. I flagged down one of the barmaids and ordered a jug of ale. To my great dismay, Kari sat down at my table. I glanced around for the owner of the Bar, the one the bartender had pointed out to me, but I didn't see him. I was just curious to what he thought of all the action, but I guess he stepped out before it started.

Kari tried to make small talk with me, she asked why I was out of the city and mentioned that the city doesn't need me. I gave her short answers. I didn't want to talk to her. I don't trust her. She even went so far as to ask me to duel. Can you believe it? I can to, but she must already have known I'd say no.

She tried to ask about Destiny and I told her I didn't have a daughter. She asked again and I told her again. The conversation follows:

Matt_Shikara looks at Kari funny after the maid walks off.
Matt_Shikara says, I don't have one.
dragonlady_karimia says, yes you do.
dragonlady_karimia says, I know you do...you told someone else that earlier. Don't try to lie to me
Matt_Shikara says, I'm not trying to lie to you. I don't have one.
dragonlady_karimia sighs
dragonlady_karimia says, Trying to push me off now?
Matt_Shikara says, I'm not pushing. I'm just sitting here drinking.
dragonlady_karimia says, I am trying to talk to you and you wont even attempt a conversation.
Matt_Shikara looks up at Rose and wonders how odd it looks for him to be sitting her talking to a woman that just attacked him.
Matt_Shikara says, I'm responding.
dragonlady_karimia says, barely.
Matt_Shikara says, well it's not like we're friends. It's hard to talk to someone like you.
dragonlady_karimia says, It's not easy for me either you know.
dragonlady_karimia says, We both have a history...and I am trying to put that aside to try and make friends.
Matt_Shikara says, why, too much guilt haunting you?
dragonlady_karimia says, no, I did what I did when I did it. I am not guilty for it.
dragonlady_karimia shrugs
Matt_Shikara says, that's why you can never turn good. Good people feel bad when they do bad things. Evil people never do.
dragonlady_karimia says, I said that I was in the process of trying to be good. It is not easy to come back from 5000 years of evil in a few weeks.
Matt_Shikara says, well good, we both agree that I shouldn't trust you.
Matt_Shikara takes another drink after saying that.
dragonlady_karimia says, I don't trust you either, so we are even.
Matt_Shikara says, yea, but I'm not trying to get you to trust me.

She finally left, but threatened my daughter again on her way out. I got up to go to the bar when I ran across Shea Hawke, a lady wanted for a major crime. I stopped her as she seemed to be leaving and tried to questions her on it, but she never said a thing. Rose called to me -or I thought she had, but when I looked she was talking to Kyla- and caught my attention. I looked at Rose and Shea got away.

I sat down again and lamented about my day. I've been attacked by two dragons, lost the trust of a child, and let a wanted criminal get away. This was not my day. I ordered food, but then decided not to hang around anymore. I dropped the money on the table for the food and left. But I liked the Broken Blade Tavern and might go back there one day.