<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1250"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C7C8E8.63B0FDA0"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.5in'> <div class=Section1> <o:p> </o:p> Here is part 2 of Plain & Simple.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Duke Thomas is having one of THOSE days.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Chris Okane<o:p></o:p> The Lurking Fox<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> ***********<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Duke Thomas heard the problem long before it actually reached him. The shouting was clearly audible through the closed doors that led from his audience chamber. The voices grew even louder when those doors were finally opened. He wished they had stayed closed.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> A group of a dozen people came pouring into the audience chamber all of whom seemed to be shouting at each other and no one in particular all at the same time.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “BANDIT!! BRIGAND!!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “MERCENARY, BOUNTY HUNTER!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “FAT MERCHANT!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “HE IS A WANTED KILLER AND YOU WILL TURN HIM OVER TO ME!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “YOU DON’T GIVE ORDERS HERE!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “LORD DETRIUX HAS A FIVE HUNDRED GARRETT REWARD FOR HIS HEAD!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thomas stomped his hoof hard on the marble floor and the sound resounded throughout the whole room. “QUIET!” he intoned loudly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The room fell silent and all eyes turned to the Duke. In the past Thomas had been a tall man with light brown hair and blue eyes. But now clothed in the dark blue robes of the duke was a tall, black stallion that was standing on its hind legs. Instead of hooves the person had hands. In spite of being more equine then human Thomas still had a regal air about him. His powerful neck was arched and his nostrils flared, ears laid back.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Explain yourselves,” the stallion Duke ordered.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> An alligator dressed in long, flowing robes stepped forward. The alligator man bowed deeply to the duke. The reptilian features displayed no emotions giving him the same harsh looks that all reptiles had. It made him look cold, emotionless and stoic. Thalberg had been steward to the Dukes of Metamor longer then Thomas had been alive. Before serving Thomas he had served Thomas’s father.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The curse was supposed to have worked randomly on everyone in the keep changing them into different animals. But Thomas always wondered if the curse had some twisted sense of humor. As an alligator he looked cold and emotionless. As a human Thalberg had been the same way. Thomas knew that he was a warm and caring person but Thalberg had always kept a cold demeanor in public. Not harsh or cruel but there had always been a calm, detached air about him. There were few people who could withstand his harsh gaze. That alone could end most arguments. Few people liked the steward but all respected him. Being an alligator seemed to perfectly compliment his personality.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “My lord, Duke Thomas,” Steward Thalberg said calmly. He pointed a green skinned hand at a short man dressed in very expensive clothes. “Aldred Fitz Williams, representative of Marshburg wishes an audience with you.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The alligator pointed to three other men each one dressed in clothes more elaborate then the one before. “Sir Dedium of Lothanorre, High Protector of Isenport Alinux Arthlow, and Philip Wellsman, representative of Lord Detriux also seek audience with you.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Standing on the opposite side of the room was another man. He was dressed in a shabby cloak and pants that were torn and dirty and the chain mail shirt he was wearing was rusted in spots. A cutlass and a long dagger dangled from his belt. The Duke noted that although the armor was dirty the weapons were clean and well cared for. He looked at Thomas with a calm, calculated stare. The Duke was sure that he was being sized up by this scruffy looking character.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Between the dirty man and the well dressed ones stood no less then six of the Duke’s guards. Two were watching the well dressed arrivals, the remaining four were carefully watching the other arrival. It spoke volumes on who they considered the bigger threat.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “And who is this?” Thomas asked and pointed to the dirty man.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “This is George,” Thalberg explained. “The reason they are here,” he said and pointed to the other four. The alligator steward shuffled forward and handed a small piece of parchment to the Duke.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thomas examined the document for a moment. “Ah yes. George. The one recommended by Misha.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Georges face brightened at the mention of Misha’s name. “I was told that you needed my services,” he said in a calm voice.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thalberg nodded. “I have already ordered Misha to appear here.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “He is a thief, a brigand and brutal killer,” Sir Dedium shouted. “He MUST be turned over to me or hanged immediately.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> That man,” the High protector Alinux Arthlow, intoned “is responsible for massacring over two thousand people at Sandport and starting a civil war.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Your king is still mad because I backed his brother instead of him. And I wasn’t the only person who fought at the BATTLE of Sandport,” George countered quietly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Lord Detriux has a five hundred Garrett reward for his head,” Lord Wellsman commented offering no explanations as to why.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Five hundred?” a voice said suddenly from the doorway. “I didn’t think George was worth more than two hundred.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Looking up Thomas saw Misha standing in the doorway. The foxman was dressed as usual in a brown shirt and green pants. He had no shoes on his paws but as he walked across the floor he made no sound. That didn’t surprise the Duke. Even with his sensitive equine ears Thomas never heard Misha approaching. The vulpine scout seemed supernaturally quiet. He had even approached from downwind so that the equines sensitive nose couldn’t pick up his scent.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The fox man stalked across the floor to where George was standing. “GEORGE!” he shouted and flung his arms around the man.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George pushed the vulpine away. “Who are you?” he asked remaining calm but keeping the fox man at arms length.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I’m Misha,” the vulpine answered sounding slightly upset.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Prove it!” George countered. “Furry.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Misha pulled up his shirt revealing the cream colored fur that covered his chest and torso. He grabbed George’s right hand and placed it low down on his chest, just above his belt. “Feel that scar?” the fox asked.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The man nodded in reply. “How did you get it?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You gave it to me,” Misha answered coldly. “When we first met. And there is a nice scar on your stomach that I gave you at the same time. If you want more proof I can go fetch HER. You know the axe all too well.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George didn’t answer at first but looked deep into Misha’s eyes until the fox man shifted uncomfortably.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “The body is different but the soul inside isn’t.” The old man smiled broadly revealing yellow teeth. Then he hugged the vulpine morph tightly slapping him on the back as he did. “It’s good to see you again. You’re hairier then the last time.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The two separated but stood close. “It’s good to see you George. We need you here more then ever.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Why is it Misha,” Thomas commented sarcastically. “Whenever you appear there is always screaming and shouting.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “That last one was <st1:country-region><st1:place>Wessex</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s fault, not mine. A man should learn when to stop asking questions,” Misha countered harshly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thomas nodded his head. “Indeed,” was all he said.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The duke turned his gaze upon the bandit George. “You are this great scout Misha has been telling me about?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “SCOUT?” Fitz Williams said derisively. “He’s a bandit and a mercenary. A sell sword of the lowest type. He kills for money.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Your money,” George countered. “Your money and the money of other nobles like you.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You kill just for money,” Fitz Williams shouted back.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George looked unphased, “I kill for money. You kill for land and power. What’s the difference?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Fitz William looked ready to explode but the Duke cut him off with the tap of a hoof.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Enough!” Thomas ordered.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I don’t pay mercenaries,” Fitz Williams retorted ignoring the Duke.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “That’s right,” George shot back. “You hire them and then when they’ve done what you want you kill them. The only person have to pay is the executioner.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “ENOUGH!” Thomas shouted ending the argument.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Now George,” the equine duke said softly and pointed a hoof like hand at the other humans in the room. “They want you and are willing to pay a rather large quantity of coins to get you. Explain to me why I shouldn’t hang you and hand over your corpse to them or perhaps dismember you and give each a piece?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George walked past the Duke, up to a window and pulled back the curtains. From there the Keep and the whole of the valley to the north was clearly visible. He pointed to a tall, thick pillar of smoke that rose from the trees nearby. That smoke rose from the remains of a village raided the previous night by Lutins. “I can stop that from happening again.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You’re a bandit and a raider,” Alinux commented sarcastically.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Yes. I’ve been a raider and I’ve hunted raiders,” George explained. “Who else would you pay to kill raiders. That fat merchant?” he said and pointed to Fitz Williams.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The merchant started to speak but Thomas stomped his hoof and the man kept silent.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The Duke turned to George. “You are aware of the curse?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Yes,” George answered simply.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The Duke stared at the old bandit for a long time waiting for him to continue but George remained silent.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Why do you want to stay here?” the stallion asked finally breaking the silence. “Once the curse takes hold you will probably never leave this valley again.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George shrugged. “I’m old,” he said. “I’m tired of cheap inns, bad food and poor pay. I want a place where I can relax my old bones and live in peace and comfort.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The equine nodded his head. “Your pay will be fifty gold a month to start plus food and a private room,” Thomas said calmly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You’re accepting that explanation?” Thalberg asked in surprise. “That is not enough of a reason.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “It is good enough for me,” Thomas countered in a harsh tone that left no room for doubt or argument.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The steward didn’t speak but simple bowed in acquiesces. Thomas knew this debate would be continued in private later when he was alone with Thalberg.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You cannot hire him!” Philip Wellsman announced. “You don’t know how good he is. He’s exaggerating just to get your gold.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “No he isn’t,” the Duke countered. “The high bounty you’re offering proves his skills.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Foiled by his own words Lord Wellsman fell silent but there was a harsh expression on his face.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “We have no proof of his skills Lord Thomas,” Thalberg interjected. “How do we know he is the bandit George and not a stranger masquerading as him.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I know him,” Misha said in a deep tone filled with anger. “He taught me all I know about scouting and tracking and MY skills are not doubted by anyone. I know this man and trust him with my life.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> That silenced the Steward. The fox rarely spoke in terms so adamant but when Misha did he meant it. Thomas pondered for a moment before speaking.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Misha is going on one of his killing sprees in a few days,” The Duke said with an air of authority. “To take revenge on the ones who burnt that village. You, George will accompany him. At no time will you leave the valley. When the curse has taken hold then you two may return if you’re still alive. Then they’ll be no doubt as to your loyalty.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George nodded. “Fair enough.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “It’ll take us a month just to look over the whole valley,” Misha added. “And visit every castle and village north of here.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You cannot . . . “ Sir Dedium sputtered.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “If you don’t like my decision,” Thomas said interrupting the knight. “You can wait here for two weeks and see if he returns.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Dead silence fell over the group. All present knew that a stay that long would surely let the curse take them. They wanted the bandit but not that badly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “My Lord Fanthick of Lothanorre must be informed of your decision Duke Thomas,” Dedium said slowly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thomas simply nodded. “We will meet tomorrow morning. I wish to know you better before I trust you to go wandering around my valley.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> ***************************<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html> No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/904 - Release Date: 7/16/2007 5:42 PM