The Rural Heroes
by Patrick E.



  The city of Suza is a place of intrigue, power, and trade. Besides being one of the biggest trading cities in the north it was also a place where many adventurers find their big break while others meet the end. A place where crime lords and nobles rule along with a sole king that is never seen.
  The two men from Twinrivers waited patiently in their carriage as the stream of caravans and visitors were shuffled into the city of Suza through the main gates. It was early morning and the first flows of merchants were moving into the city and a few visiting nobles came in with the flow. The two men have traveled for nearly eight days and really did not mind to wait a few more hours to get inside the city walls.
  In truth this was the first time either of the men have actually been into a large city before. They did rule the small city of Twinrivers together as lords for a time, but that city was only a small portion of the size of the place that stood before them now. Though the two were still young, they had wisdom and experience beyond there years.
  �What shall we do first in such a large place?� Lord Phil asked looking across the carriage to his companion Lord Weber.
  Lord Phil was a little over average height with a slender, but muscular, form that showed him as an experienced warrior. He was seen as an oddity though; for he had long, dark bluish gray hair and slightly pointed ears like an elf. He had a small rounded nose, with a very good facial structure that made him a bit handsome, but not stunning. The young man was very clever tongued like a bard, and could tell a tale like no other in his homeland, but also master of the long sword that hung at his side. He had come from a rich family of farmers and adventurers much like his dear friend lord Weber who had come with him.
  �I say we find a place to stay and get settled in, then find something to eat, I am starving,� Lord Weber replied looking down at his stomach, but that wasn�t unusual, for he was always hungry.
  Lord Weber was nearly a head taller than Lord Phil, but he was younger by a year and probably not as bright. Lord Weber was very strong and had muscles like an ogre but the beauty of an elf with the stature of a barbarian. He was very good looking with his short blond hair, ripped muscles and perfect bone structure. He was not as quick thinking or intelligent as Lord Phil but he knew enough to keep himself out of political harm. The only bad thing to his physical looks was that a small scar from a dagger is visual just below his right ear.
  �Good plan,� Phil said congratulating his friend with that quite obvious plan of action and turned back to look out his window.
  They didn�t have to wait long though, for they were past the large stonewalls and within the city in the next hour. The carriage that took them here dropped them off in the upper class part of the city and promptly left for home again, for the driver was none too keen about traveling ten days through back roads.
  �I suppose we should ask for some directions since we are new in town,� Phil said taking off down the well-maintained stone street.
  The two young lords were in the rich section of town where guards were more often found and the place where the nobles reside in beautiful mansions. The streets were clean and very well kept, for the nobles paid a high tax to the king to keep them that way. The reason they were here though, was to find an expensive inn to treat their nobility senses. They were former lords and still nobles after all.
  After a time the companions came across a grand castle, for that is what the gigantic stone house was, that loomed over that section of the city like a tyrant over his city. It was a magnificent building and of course it belonged to the king of Suza, a man who is rarely seen but often talked about.
  The two lords found the place they were looking for though just soon after passing the castle of Suza and following a short side street.
  The inn was large and made of strong wood that gave it the look of a town house for some noble. It had many large windows and balconies across the second floor. On the front of the building was a grand porch in which to great guests.
  Phil just looked to his friend, then back to the inn before shrugging and walking up to the front porch. Weber just followed without word.
  The inside of the inn was quite nice and very expensive, but smooth talking Phil was able to get their room, for they only needed one room after being friends for twenty years, for only seven gold a night and fourteen every night afterward.
  Their room was very big with two large beds in the middle, one dresser, a wash pan with warm water, and complete with an oak writing desk. On the wall to the left of the door was a huge wardrobe and on the wall across from the door was a small desk that really impressed the two visitors.
  �Shall we dine here?� Lord Phil asked as he tossed both of his packs onto the nearest bed.
  �Of course. I�m starving,� the large noble replied as he took the other bed. �I just want to get washed before we go down.�
  �Alright,� Phil called back in a more musical voice as he started leaving the room.
  The dinning hall of the place took up nearly half the bottom floor of the building and seating up to one hundred guests and still not being crowded. Phil found himself amazed for probably the tenth time when he saw the dining area, for this city was much greater than his own by far. At the moment most people were done with breakfast and only ten people were seated, it wasn�t a big season for trading.
  After running a hand threw his long bluish gray hair to try and make it look as nice as possible, he made his way to a seat in the back. Table was small and only had two chairs seated to it.
  As soon as the young lord was seated a young serving maid with beautiful golden hair was at his table with a pitcher of crimson colored wine.
  �Wow,� Phil breathed in awe at the quick service and stunning looks of the serving woman.
  The young lady gave him small smile before asking, �what is it?�
  �This place amazes me again and again.� The young noble replied. �But what shocks me the most,� he continued, �is that they have found a way to get angles to serve to petty mortal men like myself.�
  The golden haired woman blushed before speaking, �And where did such man with a quick tongue come from, for no noble around here would admit to being shocked by a mere in?�
  �A friend and I are former lords of the small city of Twinrivers to the north and east,� the pointy-eared noble replied motioning to Lord Weber who was now coming down the stairs to eat.
  �It is not often that we get men from such remote areas with manners and charms such as yours,� said the serving woman before looking at wine as if she just realized she was still holding it and set it down on the table.
  �What will you two be having?� She asked when Weber took his seat across from his smaller companion.
  Weber spoke up first without giving anyone else a chance, �I will take two slabs of roast lamb and a loaf of bread.�
  �How did you know they served lamb?� Phil asked giving his friend an inquisitive look.
  �Can�t you smell it?� The larger man asked looking shocked at his friend for not knowing.
  Lord Phil and the serving woman gave each other astonished looks at the man�s keen sense of smell. Phil knew that he had a keen smell but not like that, for he could smell nothing but the expensive wine in front of him and that in it self was extraordinary.
  �And for you sir?� The golden haired woman asked looking to the Lord Phil.
  �I�ll have the same,� Phil replied without taking his look off of his companion.
  The serving woman left with a slight bow then.
  �Who was your friend?� Weber asked with a look of interest as he watched the woman go into the kitchen.
  Lord Phil just looked at him, poured some of the crimson colored wine for himself before answering, �A beautiful woman who was becoming to get to liking me until you showed up. I didn�t catch her name though.� He took a swig of the wine from a crystal goblet and was amazed at its kick, but didn�t show it.
  Good wine, try some,� Phil told his friend when he set his goblet down.
  All the rest of that day Phil and Weber were out shopping on the Street of Merchants. This street was where all the expensive and high-class goods were sold and traded. The two men were in aw at the things that were being sold and Weber even got to wrestle a bear in public for fifty gold pieces on a bet from some rich noble. Weber won the bet. They even got to meet Alaos, the arch wizard of the city and country of Suza, when he was trying on new black and gold robes.
  After all was said and done the two went to a tavern for some drinks before returning to the Golden Maiden, the inn they were staying at. The tavern was large, and in pretty good shape. It was the inn made for commoners who weren�t poor but weren�t rich either, just the place the two young lords needed. The inside was clean and only half full when they entered. Weber honestly liked the place but Phil thought it was a bit lower class than what they were used to.
  Weber went to get them drinks at the bar while Phil went to find a seat in the back.
  Lord Phil sat in silence as he looked over the crowd. Most of the people in the tavern were the everyday patrons and merchants, a few stood out though. At one table sat a strange trio of women who wore armor of some strange black metal that Phil could not identify, but he could see that it was not for show and had seen battle many times. At another table a lady with a pure white robe sat with three armed guards that all wore the same crest of a raven. Finally he noticed a man sitting in the back corner of the room in a dark cloak with his cowl pulled low to cover his face as he sipped his drink. He looked elfish. Phil and Weber were dressed more nicely than probably anyone in the tavern at this time.
  Weber brought two bottles of dark red wine with glasses over to the table just as Phil finished his sizing up of the crowd. The people talked easily and that calmed the two companions, for they were new in town and were quite unused to the magnitude of people that were around them.
  �Have you found a suitable target?� Weber asked his friend as he poured himself some of the dark liquid.
  �Actually�� Phil replied, letting the rest of his sentence fall away.
  �Already?� Weber asked with a look of surprise at his friend.
  �Yes. Did you see the woman over there in the white robe with long blond hair and bright blue eyes? The one with the three guards escorting her?� Phil asked as he gestured toward the woman�s table.
  Weber turned his head around and nodded. �How long do you figure it will take the guards to get drunk and stumble up to bed and leave her open to you?� he asked when he turned back to face Weber.
  �I�ll give them an hour. But first lets send them a gift from a dwarven friend of mine.� Phil easily pulled a bottle of dark amber whisky from a pouch at his side. He had gotten the ale from a dwarf that he met before leaving, supposedly it could get a man too drunk to stand in one drink. It was time to test if the dwarf was exaggerating.
  Without a word the young lord slipped from his seat and moved over to the table to stand right between two of the guards.
  �That man over there was just telling me that you three men were just a group of pansy women with swords and that he could easily take on all three at once.� Lord Phil told the men with a look of doubt as he pointed to the table where his large friend sat.
  All three men instantly looked back at Lord Weber who just waved at them with a cheerful smile. The men looked back to Phil before standing.
  �Excuse me,� one of the guards said as he stood and made his way over to where Weber sat. The other two followed him.
  Phil then just slipped into the seat next to the blond haired woman in white when the guards left.
  The woman looked to be in her late twenties with pale skin that was in very good condition. She was a beautiful woman that most men turned their heads about to see when she walked into the room, a woman that most other women hated because she was so much better looking. Her face was not round but more narrow, something that was normal for the northern women Suza, but the fair skin showed signs of southern decent as well. With shinning light blue colored eyes and long, wonderful blond hair, she could easily take the eye of any noble. For a pickpocket she was the perfect target.
  The woman smiled at Phil when he sat down next to her and looked across to where her men were picking a fight with Lord Weber, who would easily beat the three into a pulp. Weber was a great wrestler and had even taken on a bear earlier that day and sent it whimpering. Weapons were not used in bar fights.
  One of the guards were yelling at Weber in a deep voice, trying to get him to fight even though Lord Weber had told him that he did not say those things.
  �I said no such things,� Weber said in a hurt voice.
  �It sounds as if you are just trying to cover it up with some lie,� the man who looked like the leader said in a deep, grumbling voice.
  �To make it up to you my friends, have this ale, as a gift,� Lord Weber said as he offered the ale.
  �Just because we are nice guys we will let you go this time and not teach you a lesson,� the first guard warned before taking the drink and going back to his own table.
  Lord Phil was glad that his friend noticed the ruse for what it was. Last time Phil pulled something like this Weber just accepted the challenge and ruined a tavern�s common room. He must be catching on after all.
  Lord Phil took his seat back when the three guards returned to their lady.
  �Nice work my friend,� Lord Weber said when he looked back to see the men grinning from ear to ear as they took the whisky and drank it down.
  �Yes, well they were a stupid bunch,� Phil said easily and smiled back to the men.
  For the next half hour the two men talked about what they have seen in Suza and all the things they have yet to see. As they talked the common room steadily became more crowded as the night started to get late. A certain trio of guards was taken up to their rooms after they fell asleep from too much to drink though.
  Lord Phil strode over to the table where a beautiful blond haired woman sat alone, for the second time, with a crystal goblet of fine wine.
  �That was pretty clever of you,� the young woman complemented as he took a seat next to her.
  �For a beautiful woman such as you I am willing to think of such plans,� the young lord replied smoothly.
  �Tell me young man, do you happen to be a clever tongued little noble like the rest of the fools that are just to look for a one night time?�
  �Maybe I was wrong to socialize with someone who is not of a noble family,� Phil said with a voice of hurt.
  The blond haired woman laughed before saying, �My name is Rachael Odura, and I do not belong to a noble house, but I am studying under the arch wizard here in Suza to become an arch mage myself.�
  �Yes, Alaos, we have already met him today, a nice man,� Phil said.
  �Nice, but very strict. When you say we are you referring to you and your friend over there at that table or is there more than you two?� Rachael asked.
  �No just the two of us on an adventure to the big city of Suza from our rural home land,� Phil said.
  �But I would like to get to know you better, for it is not everyday that one can find someone so beautiful,� Lord Phil said with interest.
  Rachael just smiled before saying. �Ask away.�
  �First I would like to know your favorite kind of flower,� Phil asked.
  �I would have to say that my favorite flower is the rose,� she replied after little thought.
  �If I were to compare you to a rose I would have to say that not even fairest blue rose in all the land could match your wonderful blue eyes that are like the sky on cool, clear spring morning when life seems perfect. The soft and delicate petals of the rose are like jagged stones to the wonderful features and shape of your face that is the light that shines through the darkness, which are all other women. The shapely stem and thorns of the rose is the magnificent power of your body and the respect that is what you deserve in a land packed full of foolish and unworthy women.�
  Rachael just blushed and smiled at the comparison that was just given about her.
  At this moment a group of haughty young lords came into the tavern with the look of drunkenness and moved to their table.
  The group of nobles, five in all, took the remaining seats and one pulled up a chair. They were a rich, good-looking bunch that had �stuck-up� written all over them. Their clothes were ones that many would envy and were made from some of the finest silks in the north in bright, loud designs. They all carried a rapier at their wastes but none had the look of grace or controlled movements that showed they knew how to use the weapons.
  Phil knew that these were nothing but a bunch of young kids who had money inherited to them so that they never had to protect themselves. Lord Phil on the other hand had earned most of his money from an adventure he and Weber went on when they were only first trained with the sword. The two defeated a score of undead and were rewarded by finding a tomb that was full of treasure, enough to last them their whole lives as rich folk. Phil and Weber do not care so much about money, but more about having fun.
  �How much would it cost for a lovely young woman to come back with me?� one noble, and by the looks of his jewelry, probably the leader, asked Rachael.
  �Excuse me?� Rachael asked the noble with look of disgust.
  �I was wondering how much money you charged to come to bed a good looking man,� he replied in a tone of superiority.
  �What made you think I would pay any money to go with you?� woman in white give the noble a bewildered look.
  The noble moved his chair over next to her and put his arm around her, �Every woman will come for money, some just have to be paid more than others. That is unless you are with this man here.�
  �Excuse me? Mister?� a deep voice asked the rude noble from behind. At the same time Rachael shrugged off the man�s arm, but he did not seem to notice.
  �What is it worm?� the noble asked without looking at the man who was speaking to him.
  �That�s Lord Weber to you, fool. And I would like it if you would not talk to such a beautiful woman in such a manner, she is far to good for a pathetic thing like you.� Weber said with a deep commanding voice that was as cool as ice.
  The noble finally turned around to see who was insulting him and nearly fell out of his chair as he realized how big the man towering over him really was. �You have no right to talk to me like that, you barbarian,� the noble sneered after he got over the shock of seeing the big man.
  Lord Weber then just reached down and picked the man up by his neck and started to jerk him back and forth with such ferocity that Lord Phil thought he might break his neck. The other four nobles at the table were either very loyal or have been paid a lot for they jumped out of their seats and pulled forth the rapiers at their hips. The big man stopped shaking the first noble and promptly threw him into two of the closest nobles. The other two then lunged for Weber, weapons leading.
  Both nobles were stopped though, a single, white blade stood in the way. Lord Phil stood protectively in front of his friend holding all three of the skinny blades up high. Weber nodded thanks to his friend and reached down to pick up the leader of their group.
  Lord Weber easily tossed the man across the now quiet common room and through a large window and into the street beyond. The other two men were on their feet now and were quite large and muscular.
  The two men that Lord Phil had at bay quickly stepped back before coming in again together, they both made quick thrusts, one high and the other low. The young lord easily stepped to the side of both blades and smacked them both out of their hands. The two nobles looked at each other then at the blades at their feet and then to Phil who now had his blade sheathed.
  Everyone else in the common room were clearing the tables away in the middle to make space for the brawl, many though had left so as to not get into trouble. It is now four on three, but the odds looked as if the three were going to win.
  Rachael stood in the middle of the fight and did not get in the way or try to help, she just watched in amusement as Phil and Weber taught the noble fools a lesson.
  The two men battling Weber came at him together, one behind, one in front. The noble in front of Weber brought his fist back for a punch at the same time his target made his move. Weber easily caught the incoming fist by his wrist and with a flick of his wrist he snapped the man�s arm back and down before turning him to face the other direction. With his free hand Weber grabbed the back of the man�s shirt and lifted him off the ground. The man behind Weber dove into his back and took him to the ground while he held his partner in the air in front of him.
  All three men went down in a heap with Weber in the middle and flailing every limb of his body. The man on the bottom was crushed while his friend on the top had been beaten senseless by Lord Weber�s huge arms and legs.
  Lord Phil used a little different approach against his foes. The first noble came in swinging while Phil easily ducked the punch and spun behind the man to put himself between the two men he was fighting. The second man dove at Phil�s waste trying to take him down, but Phil easily rolled down and to the left, while the lunging man took down his partner. Phil came up from his roll on his feet and grabbed a nearby chair.
  When the two men Phil was fighting came back to their feet, they went back down again when a chair came across the back of both their heads with a loud crack.
  �Well done you two,� Rachael congratulated both men with a smile when they had finished off the men they were fighting.
  Just then though a man jumped from the crowd that had been silent as the fight went on. The man was small and wore a black cloak with the cowl pulled low to conceal his face. The little man pulled a dagger from his cloak ran to the door where he stopped, turned and flung the dagger into Weber�s arm.
  The injury itself was quite minor, but the poison on the tip of the dagger was quite deadly.
  Lord Phil noticed that his friend was quickly going pale only seconds after the poison found its way to his friend�s blood stream and made for the door in pursuit after the assassin.