-4-

Updates

Hello again my imaginary audience reading this at home, sitting safely behind the glow of your computer while I write to you, again hunched over my wooden writing desk here at the local inn. I hope you found the first part of my story amusing enough to return to see what other shenanigans I'm getting up to here in the quiet little hamlet of Sea Breeze. Where do I need to start, well I'd hazard a guess that I need to start the beginning, a quick recap. Lets see, it's been about a fortnight since some random thing happened and I'm going to guess a magical truck slammed into my body and sent me into this new world of wonder and magic. In that time I'd think I've settled down quite well.

Also it turns out I'd had some money on me after all, I mean don't you normally start an adventure with a bit of start-up money? Turns out I had around five hundred golden Crowns with me. Let me explain the currency right quick, a Crown is a large, heavy gold coin that is around the size and shape of a United States Half-dollar. Just below that you have a Mark. A Mark is a medium size silver coin that is roughly around the size of a United State's quarter; it takes around twenty five of them to make one Crown. And last but not least the smallest coin on the scale is called the Penny, the Penny is a small copper coin that is roughly around the same size as United States nickel. It takes around five of them to make one Mark. The mostly commonly used coins are Marks and Pennies.

Anyway while five hundred Crowns might seem like a king's ransom, it's really not when you consider the new career field I'd decided on. And that being Adventure! But I'm totally getting ahead of myself. Anyway I had around five hundred Crowns on me when I entered this world and the gear I found if I'd sold it all at the pawn shop would have been worth around twenty crowns at most. I kept it since a helpful traveler informed me that it would cost me around fifty Crowns to buy all this stuff at a supply shop. I mean if you're only going to give me twenty crowns for like fifty Crowns worth of stuff, I'm going to say to heck with you. I might need stuff, It might come in handy one day. I was however tempted to sell my fiddle. But I kind of needed it. I mean if all else, I could still play and sing for a few meals.

Anyway one of the first things I bought was a longsword, that set me back a good fifteen Crowns. But you need a sword, you can't go on an adventure without a sword. That's like having a hamburger without fries, it's just unheard of. Anyway the sword was dull and needed to be sharpened. So I then took it to the local blacksmith to have it sharpened. Once the local smith got through putting a killing edge on the thing, I was out of another fifteen Crows. Still I guess fifteen Crowns for a sword, and another fifteen to have it sharpen is not a pretty raw deal. At least I don't think it is.

Next up you're going to need some armor. Now this is where my account took a pretty good blow. Now you don't really skimp when it comes to your armor, that is what you need the most. I mean a good set of armor will make all the difference in the world when it comes to those random encounters in the field and those all important boss battles. And it's what matters the most when it comes down to the cutting of the cards. And so with that in mind, I did not skip out on the armor. To cover my best I brought a brown leather chest plate, that set me back thirty Crowns Up next a brown leather skirt, that was another twenty Crowns up next was a pair of high leather boots, another twenty Crowns Leather gloves another fifteen Crowns and a metal helmet to guard my head, another twenty twenty Crowns add in tax and I'll say the whole suit set me back a hundred and twenty Crowns.

After that I need some more clothes. You see, you can't really go around town dressed like a boy, even if I was a boy in my last life. I needed something different, something a bit feminine you know. So with that in mind I went down to the seamstress and brought a few dresses. The first dress I bought was a woolen dress with a high collar that was trimmed with white lace at the neck and at the sleeves. It was a bright blue dress that was very modest and something of a dress-up dress. I added a few matching hair ribbons and a pair of solid black, leather slippers. That outfit set me back ten Crowns.

Up next was a more formal style of dress, more like a gown, heavy and silken and cut low in the front it it kind of reminded me of the formal gowns girls would wear to formal parties back on earth. I added a pair of white buckle shoes with a bit of a heel to that outfit, that set me back fifteen Crowns.

The next to the last dress was a special dress, I had that one sewn for me, it was a fine red dress sewn with silk, it hugged every corner of my body and it even had extra padding sewn into the chest to give my girls some extra lift. You know, to make them seem much bigger than they were. It was also cut low, it was kind of that dress you wear when you're going out on the town and you want everybody to notice you. The kind of dress you wear to let people know you're looking to have a good time. I added a pair of leather shoes with a bright gold buckle and a good heel.. that outfit alone set me back a whopping twenty five Crowns.

And the final dress was.. was a pink nightgown with lace around the neck, the sleeves and at the helm. It was made from locally grown cotton so it was soft and cool. And it had a little bow in the front. I had to buy a matching set of pink ribbons to go along with it, so I could put my hair up in pigtails when I slept, add on a stuffed doll and that outfit set me back around a Crown..

Now let's get into my lodging. Right now I'm paid up to two years in rent on a small bedroom at the town's only inn. That set me back a hundred and twenty Crowns. That includes three square meals a day, a change of sheets each morning, and the right to use the bathhouse. Plus, Marian will have all my clothes washed and my armor polished for me. I'm going to assume in about two years I should have more than enough money saved up to buy a small plot of land out in the sticks and then maybe I could build a small cottage or something.

Now let's talk about the shops. I'm going to assume most of the people in Sea Breeze can read and write. But I'm also going to assume most of them can't. You see most shops have a simple, wooden sign hanging above the door. Carved into the sign is a picture that shows you what kind of business the shop conducts. I'll run you guys through the list right quick, a set of scales denotes a Trader. Here you can buy and sell trade goods, like salt or pearls for example and if you're lucky you can turn a profit. I might become a trader if adventure does not work out for me.

Likewise a hammer denotes a blacksmith, here you can have your weapon sharpen or have another weapon forged. Up next we have a bed, a simple bed denotes an inn. Also a tanker with a frothy head of foam denotes a tavern. A bottle that is filled with liquid denotes a supply shop. You can get all your basic and advanced adventurer needs at a supply store, you know rope, lantern oil, healing potions, medicines, antidotes, arrows, wrought iron ingots that you can use as cheap, but highly effective ammunition for your slingshot. And of course the basics, ink, paper, cooking gear, and fuel. Anyway moving right on down the list, a spool of thread to a needle means either a tailor or a seamstress works there. It can also mean a clothing store.

A fork to the left, a plate in the center and a knife to the right means the place serves food. A helmet next to a shield means the place sells armor, and a basket full of bread means the place is a bakery. A sword crossed with another sword means one can have swordsmanship skills there. A magnifying glass means an Appraiser works there. You know people who tell you what items are worth. And three coins in a row means it's a pawn shop. I love going to the village pawn shop, you can often find some really good deals there. Also you can sell them most of the stuff you find out in the field, stuff that monsters you've slain drop, they buy most of the fish I catch from the Mystic. An open book means a place that teaches you magical skills or crafting skills. I'm not sure how magic works here, I only know a few people can use "Elements' ' as they are called.

And last but not least a simple red cross means a hospital or a doctors office and a vault with a coin next to it means a counting house, the forerunners to banks. I visited the bank once.. and that was to open an account, I mean, who's going to feel safe running around town with a pocket full of gold? So I dropped the last of Crowns in their greedy little hands. Bankers it seems never change, their all greedy little buggers by nature. And thankfully all of the above can be found in Sea Breeze.

Now, let me tell you how I spent the last fortnight of my life here in this tiny little backwater village called Sea Breeze. Sea Breeze itself is a town size settlement that is kind of located on the coastline. It's a hybrid, a cross between a bustling port city and a sleepy little fishing village. Its population is around twenty five hundred or so souls. And it stretches out along the seashore. And the coast is this wide stretch of beach that seems to go on for miles and miles.

Its the kind of beach you want to visit at least once in your life. Golden colored sand, and sapphire blue water that seems to sparkle with diamond patterns at noonday when the afternoon sunshine catches the waves just right. About four leagues from Sea Breeze, that is also how we measure distance here in Sea Breeze too, we use leagues, a league is about three miles or so. The mighty river Mystic empties into the bay, the bay that Sea Breeze is located on is called Bay of Storms., because in autumn, a fearsome windstorm seemed to blow in from the bay.

Now about the region. Sea Breeze is located in the center of what few maps I've seen, because it seems that maps of the area are rarer than Hen's teeth. Anyway this region is called "The Storm Bay Region '' the region is bordered by the Peppercorn Mountains to the north, and the mountains of Shadow to the West and the Woods of Mist to the east and finally the Bay of Storms to the south. The town itself sits in the middle of all of this. There is only one main road in this region, and its called "The Queen's Highway" and it starts in town, in front of town hall and runs west through the Woods of Mist. Its the only really paved road in the region and is kind of patrolled by the town's militia.

Of course there's dozen of other smaller roads in the region. There is a road that leads to the Peppercorn Mountains that the locals called "The Old Quarry Road" because at one time there was a rock quarry in the Peppercorn Mountains. That was before the War of the Pretend King. After the War the quarry fell into disuse and according to the rumors that fill this tavern/inn every night is now home to a fearsome goblin warlord who wears old knights armor and commands a bunch of other, weaker willed goblins. Oh the stories men will tell you when they're full of brown ale and white mule.

Another road is named "Woodcutters Road '' that is the road that snakes its way through the woods I'd appeared in when I first came into this strange new world. The road is used and maintained by the Woodcutter's guild and they charge a small fee of seven Marks to use it. The road stops at the foothills of the Shadow, the so-called The Sand Hills.

The Sand Hills are overrun with highwaymen, bandits, and thief's who hideout in the area and use the many limestone caverns that dot the area as bases to store their loot and ill gotten treasure. They often pray on peddlers, or lost travelers, or merchant trains.

Once every full moon or so a bunch of the men of the town would gather around the big old fireplace in the inn and talk would turn to hiring out a band of knights to clear out the area. But nothing ever comes of their idol talk. Captain Smith, the commander of the town's small police force always butts in and says the money used to hire knights be better used to either build a newer, better soldiers barrack, or be used to make some much needed repairs on the one they have, also the money could be used to buy better weapons and armor, and be used to pay bonus the the few soldiers they have, and finally it could used to boost recruitment so more of the towns young men would lured to enlist. As he never seems to have enough men at his command. Then he boasted that he could clear out the Sand Hills with ease.

Anyway it's a little past midnight here. And my candle still has almost burned itself down to the copper. And my bed is calling me. I have another busy day ahead of me tomorrow too. So I'm going to snub this flame and call it a night. After all, a girl needs her beauty sleep after all. Oh just a quick heads up I'm planning on doing my first dungeon soon, maybe in fortnight. So I hope you guys will help me as together we try to navigate the perils of the underground. What you're saying is that you're scared of the monster that might live in the cave? Oh don't worry my sword and trusty slingshot will keep us safe! So until then, my faithful imaginary audience will keep safe and be good. And please stay tuned for more updates from Sea Breeze.

-5-

The Gleeman's Volunteer

At least once a week, normally on the weekends I earn a few extra coins by helping out in the inn. You know, serving guests, cooking and topping off pitchers of beer and ale. Marian has also kind of come around too. Do you remember how rude she was to me when I first met her a few weeks ago? Well she now become kind of a replacement for the mother I left behind in the other world. She was the one who first hired me to help out on busy days in the first place. And if Marian is my mother then Katie, a barmaid that is a few years older than me, must be my big sister. I mean all the barmaids and even the kitchen staff have kind of just adopted me as the little sister of the inn. They even call me 'Little Sister' from time to time. I mean it's not been an easy road by any means, at first they hated me, and I stuck to my room. Then they slowly started to warm up to me. I don't know what happened to cause them to stop hating me, maybe they just got tired of hating me.

Anyway it was the weekend and the town it seemed was flushed with money, not only was the spring harvest coming in and boy was it a bumper crop. But also some big mining guild from out of town, I think from the Capital arrived and just reopened the old abandoned mine in the Mountains of Shadow. It seems the mine had been closed since The War of The Pretended Kind. Anyway for the first time it seemed in living memory most of the men in town had a steady job. And a steady job meant a steady stream of coins came flooding into town. Mining was also hard work, dusty work and it made men thirsty, thirsty men liked to drink. And if your in the business of looking cute, flirting without getting attached, quickly on your feet, can pour a pint without thinking, sing, play the fiddle, and flounce skirt, then all those miners coming into the inn to drink their fill on the weekend was your ticket to easy riches. Or at the very least a new gown.

Anyway, returning now to the story. Now, I'm not good with keeping up with the days of the week. And I really don't know how time works here. I only know there are four seasons like on Earth, those four seasons being Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

And there around seven days in a week, the names of the days of the week escape me right now. But like their seven days in a week, four weeks in a month, again the names of the months escape me, and twelve months in a year. I'm going to be honest, I rarely keep up with the time, clocks are rare and uncommon and calendars are even harder to find. But I guess the average working week for most people here in Sea Breeze is five days straight followed by a two day break or what I'll call a Weekend. There are also holidays and holy days.

Anyway the inn was as crowded to the rafters that evening. A sudden and powerful thunderstorm had moved in suddenly from the Bay of Storms. The town was buffered by a strong, fearsome wind, the wooden shutters banged and fluttered outside as sheets of pouring down rain bounced off the flat brown cobblestones that paved the narrow streets and alleyways. Inside the inn though we had a roaring fire in the fireplace and a traveling Gleeman had decided to stop by. With an enchanting voice he spun out fables and stories. Stories and fables that I should have written down to share with you guys. But I was a bit busy.

"Jenny!" Cried Katie in a commanding tone of voice. "Get your head out of the clouds girl!" She shouted as she sprinted passed me. "Table Six needs another tanker of beer and table eight needs their mead." She bellowed as she rushed into the kitchen.

I blinked and quickly went about to fill the order. The common room of the inn was standing room only it seemed tonight, and it was all hands on deck. As the Gleeman sang his songs about heroic battles, knights slaying dragons and women bringing about the downfall of men through the use of their beauty, I skirted through the tables each hand holding a tanker of beer.

"Here you gentleman go." I said with a forced smile as I sat down the two tanks of beer upon the highly polished surface of the table. I had spent all morning polishing them to a high gloss shine with beeswax. I had little time to flirt as I normally do, for soon I was rushing back into the kitchen to get a bowl of hot mutton stew from the kettle.

"Gods girl!" One of the cooks cried as he spotted me, filling a wooden bowl with piping hot brown broth that had chunks of roasted mutton and a few roasted veggies floating around in a sea of brown broth. "Hurry it up! Your putting all of us behind!" He said as he mopped his forehead with a discolored towel. "Can't you see we're swamped in here. Fill the bowl and get the hell out of our way!"

I nodded my head and once more rushed headlong into the bedlam. No sooner had I put the bowl down upon the table than I heard my name being called out again. "Jenny!" Katie called out from behind the wooden bar. "My stars girl!" Have you taken leave of your senses! Come get this mead before it goes sour, and if it goes sour it's coming out of your pay!" She barked as pointed toward a wooden mug of mead. "Hurry your butt up! Before I light a fire under that skirt of yours." Katie threatened.

I nodded my head and picked up the wooden mug. "Table Four! And table six needs its roasted chicken! And table One needs another tanker! Hustle girl!" Katie called out in a loud booming tone of voice. I nodded my head and quickly rushed to the table. Smiling sweetly I placed the wooden mug down upon the table and bowed out before rushing toward the kitchen.

"Joe!" I called as I popped my head into the kitchen. "Roasted chicken for table Six!" I cried as Joe handed me a pewter plate. I could smell the strong herbs and spices used in the season, the small roasted bird that sat on the plate. "Tell Katie she needs to get on the ball!" Joe Barked as he returned to his cooking.

I nodded my head and rushed out of the kitchen again. I had just delivered the roasted chicken to the table when I heard my name being called out, and of course would you know it was Katie again, it seemed she was growing more and more demanding as the minutes ticked right on by. "Jenny!" You wool headed girl!" She bellowed as she peered at me with gleaming eyes. "Do I really need to take you out back to the woodshed and take the belt to that bottom of yours.?!" She said wagging her small index finger at me. "Get a move on girl! Table One needs another tankard of ale, table four is requesting a bottle of Peppercorn Wine, and table six needs another roasted chicken." She rattled off. "Listen I know we're short on help, and we can't help that. But you running around the common room of the inn like a chicken that just had its head removed by the hatched is putting all of us behind!"

She scolded as she handed a well dressed woman a handful of copper coins and a few silver coins. The woman looked at me thoughtfully for a moment and then she handed the small handful of coins over to me. I smiled as she slipped the coins into the open palm of my hand and thanked her the best I could before slipping into the pocket of my apron. And then off I went, first to table One, then to table four with a bottle of house wine, and then back to the kitchen as fast as my two feet could carry me to get another roasted chicken.

And so the night wore on till at last there was only a handful of people left standing in the common room. The Gleeman was still playing though, but then he paused and smiled at the handful of remaining patrons all of whom were drunk off their stumps or just straying in from the cold. Not that I paid them any mind, the kitchen was about to close and Joe the cook was cleaning up. Katie was also starting to nurse her first mug of beer. Her face was read and she was starting to sweat and I was counting my tip money.

"Jenny girl." Katie said. "I owe you an apology. I'm sorry if I got a little hot with you this afternoon. I know I can let my temper get the best of me sometimes." She added as she looked down into her mug. "You know, normally it's more than just us working in the busy times. But with Marian down with Yellow Eye fever and May having to care for her little ones that also have it. It was just us two. I think we handled it well enough. Thanks in no small part to you, you keeping your head down and your wits together while I seemed to be losing mine."

"Ladies and gentleman! Lord and Ladies!" Cried the Gleeman from the center of the stage. "Before I close tonight's performance. I would like to perform one more trick for the crowd. Now for this next trick I'm going to need the assassins of a willing volunteer from the audience." He said, smiling sweetly. Though his eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief.

"How about that lovely serving maid who's been running around here all evening? The one in a pretty pink dress, with the pretty white, lacy apron on? I've heard her called Jenny I think? Jenny, if you're here can you please join me on stage?" The Gleeman called out in a booming voice.

"That's you little sister." Katie said as she took another sip of her beer. "You're the cutest and youngest one here, I knew it was only a matter of time before the Gleeman called you up to help with a few tricks. So go ahead and enjoy it. You deserve to be in the limelight."

At this point I was wondering if Katie was drunk or just a little bit tipsy, not that it mattered to me, okay it did matter to me, I'll the one hauling her drunken donkey self up those wooden stairs to the bedroom she rented. Yes, like me she rented a room here at the inn. I think she rented the room right across from me. Anyway my eyes watched her walk back over to a nearby keg and soon she was refilling her dull gray pewter tankard with a golden, brown liquid. Once the tanker was filled she raised it up to her lips and started to chug.

"Oh boy!" She said smiling as she wiped away some foam from her lips with the sleeve of her dress. "That hits the spot! Hey little sister!" She said smiling. "When the Gleeman finishes with you, come back and have a drink with me," She said smiling as she swayed back and forth. A long series of giggles escaped her lips as she burped a little. "We're working women!" She proclaimed to all. "And Sea Breeze is famous for its ale! And we deserve a drink after waiting hand and foot on these traveling peddlers, merchant guards, fisherman who reek of fish, hunters that reek of smoke, miners who smell like dust! We work for our money! Unlike some lucky women who have married into it!" She said as she took another sip.

A crooked little smile formed upon my lips as the mental image of me having to take Katie out into the streets and dunking her head over and over again in the many water troughs that line the cobblestone streets made me smile. You know, to sober my big sister up.

"Come on up darling." The Gleeman said as he twisted his fingers around his long, flowing beared. His charcoal colored eyes started to twinkle a little as he peered toward me. "I promise you, no harm will come to you, I just need a lovely assistant."

I felt a sudden blush color my cheeks as I stood up and walked, okay I waded through the common room of the inn. A fresh wave of bodies had started to bust through those doors. And many of them wanted rooms for the night instead of warm bread and cold beer. Many too wanted food, but good old Katie who was now two sheets to the wind in her loud, booming voice told them all that the kitchen was closed and the cooking fire was out and the cook was fast asleep. Anyway many of them decided to settle for the liquid kind of bread if you catch my drift.

I felt my blush increase as the Gleeman peered deep into my eyes. I felt so helpless peering into those eyes. And the way his eyes traveled up and down my body made me give a little shiver. I then noticed all eyes were peering right at me. I forced myself to put on a smile and wave a little as I turned toward the Gleeman and forced myself to keep smiling. I hated being the center of attention, always have.

"Ladies and gentleman! The lovely volunteer Jenny!" He shouted at the top of his voice as he smiled softy toward the sullen crowded. "Now Jenny! I'm sure, sure you can use a little bit of extra pocket money?" He said smiling as he winked toward the crowd. "After all don't ladies always need a bit of extra pocket money? For those fancy perfumes, make-up, love potions, dresses, hair ribbons and gowns?" He said cracking a joke that made the crowd laugh a little and made me want to slap the tar out of him. But before I could get a wise-crack in something happen.

"We sure do!" Cried Katie as she raised her pewter mug high into the air. "And don't forget wine, fine fruits, and handsome lads who hit the right spot every time!" Katie shouted at the top of her lungs.

I blinked and blinked again as I peered toward Katie. Yep she had way too much to drink, a soft sigh escaped my lips. Looks like I'll be the one carting her off to her bed tonight. Oh Goodness graceless me, that the last thing I wanted to do tonight was play nursemaid to a drunken big sister. Anyway I turned toward the Gleeman and smiled.

"So, what do you want me to do?" I asked with a big goofy smile. I felt like a total fool standing up there, surrounded by total strangers. I could tell all their eyes were firmly glued to me. I smiled and swallowed hard as I peered toward the Gleeman, "So, what do I need to do?" I asked.

"First I need you to change for me. After all such a winsome lass such as yourself needs to wear something that a bit more flattering if she desires to be my lovely assistant." He said, twisting his long, snow white mustache around his fingers that were thick as sausages. "And you're in luck, I have just the outfit that will flatter your curves and highlight your assets." He said, smiling softly as he reached into his bag.

And then much to my amazement he pulled out of his bag what appeared to be a solid red satin slip. I blushed as I reached out and took the slip from his hands into mine. Carefully, I held it up to the light to get a better look and the moment I did I swallowed hard. My cheeks flushed a bright, crimson red and my ears changed too. I swear if this was an anime series, I would have had steam shooting out of the,. There was no hiding anything in this thing.

"I'll give you fifteen silver Marks." He said with a wicked little green, "If you put on the dress and model it for us. And I'll add another fifteen if you decided to go through with the trick." He said smiling as he reached down into an overflowing chest. He must have played well, because inside the chest was a mountain of sparkling coins, heaps of Marks, Pennies and a few scattered golden Crowns. Slowly he counted out thirty round silver coins. A wicked little grin crossed his face. "But before I hand over the money, you gotta agree to do the trick. Do you understand me? Before this money leaves the palm of my hand, you must swear an oath to me and all these people that you'll not get cold feet." He then turned toward the crowd and with a jeer a mile long he said. "Unless there is another willing volunteer in the house tonight? It seems our lovely Jenny is coming down with a sudden case of stage fright. Poor girl, maybe we should let her sit down and find somebody who's a lot braver." He added.

It was at that moment I saw red. I reached over and snatched the money from his hands. "Fine!" I said putting the money in my leather drawstring purse. "I'll do it." I should have asked about the trick. But nobody is going to me a coward. And so with that I marched toward the spare supply closet. I returned a few minutes later, hating myself even more than I did a few minutes ago. The satin slip left little to the imagination

And the gathered crowd started to make all manner of noises that made me blush, wolf-whistles, cat meows, shouts of approval, clapping of hands, and last but not least low whistles. I felt my cheeks starting to blush even more as I walked up to Gleeman and smiled as gave him a little bow.

"Now that's a lovely volunteer!" He said smiling sweetly as he took a deep breath and reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of silk. Smiling sweetly he lowered the folded piece of silk over my eyes and tied it back behind my head. I was taken back, had the old man just blindfolded me? He did? I swear to the Goddess I'm going to kill this fellow if I ever see him again.

A moment later I felt myself being moved toward a wall. I felt myself being squared up against a wall, I took a deep breath as I swear to Goddess I heard somebody snicker and make a comment about my girls, that thought lasted only a minute before I felt something being placed on the top of my head. It was heavy, and round, a apple came to mind. But why would somebody be putting an apple on top of my head, then that question answered itself.

The answer was a thumping sound, the sound of a piece of metal getting shoved into a piece of wood. A moment later another thumping sound came, a little closer this time, and again, and again, and yet again. My heart had jumped into my chest and I swear I screamed my lungs out the moment whatever had been placed upon my head split, or I'm going to assume it did because I felt a bit of juice run down my hair.

"Ladies and gentleman!" The Gleeman called. "The last trick of the night!" He called out and then my blindfold was removed and I screamed again. Driven into the wooden wall that surrounded me were a dozen throwing knives. One was just a hair's breadth above my head, no doubt that was where the apple had been. I sank to my knees and let out a long sob. Tonight was not my night. Anyway that's how that little episode ends. I hope you stick around for more updates from Sea Breeze. Until then stay Frosty as we used to say.

On a barren hill in Glenwood Cemetery there stood a single solitary grave. The grave was nothing more than a simple granite tombstone that In the center one would find the name "James Thomas Sharbrough" Below that the dates ``September 6, 1989 – September 9, 2009" And below that the old Latin inscription of "Requiescat In Pace" Gathering around the stone was a group of three teenagers, all wore black trench coats and all had their hands stuffed in their pockets.

"So the rumors were true?" The one in the middle said.

"Yes, our beloved GM has been called to a great table in the sky." The one furthest from the right said as he looked down and kicked at a pebble.

"There would never be another one like him. He did so much for us. He brought a sense of unity to all of us. Sure he had his problems. But he cared about us. He always stood up for what was right. And he never backed down from a fight." Another said, sighing.

"There will others." Another one said. "But we can't mourn. He'll be laughing at us moping around his grave like this. But he's alone.." He added.

"It seems wrong that even in death he's still counted as the black sheep of the family." He said looking over his head to a collection of gravestones that stood a few hundred yards away from the solitary one. "I guess even in death they could not accept him."

"So you think the rumors were true. That it was suicide that took him?" Another asked.

"I don't know. Last I heard he was struggling with school and was almost going to flunk out. Also I guess it was that rumor he was you know." Another said.

"It was just a rumor.. people like to talk in this small town." Another added.

Finally one of the three kneeled down and touched the grave. "Anyway, wait for us Buddy." He then paused. "Wait for us at that great table in the sky. Lady Jeanette Silver Bow of the Seven Shield Maidens." He added. At this all paused.

And in unison they all cried out.

"In Memory of Lady Jeanette Silver Bow of the Seven Shield Maidens! Legendary GM and Faithful friend to all!" But their cries died on the breath of the wind that blew across that barren hill.

-5-
Tale of the Drunken Knight

Sun Tzu once quoted, “To... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; To be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues” And so with that in mind. I've spent the last few days going around town, preparing myself the best I can for my first test as an adventure. I've been to the supply shop a few times, checking out their stock of healing potions. I've brought a few, along with some antidotes. I've filled my lantern with oil. And brought some extra just in case. I've had my sword sharpen by the smith again and I even went out and brought a bow.. and a quiver that set me back around fifty crowns, for the bow and quiver and the arrows cost around a mark a piece.. but I have twenty of them in my quiver that now strapped around my back.

And of course food, dried beef, cheese, bread, wine, and water of course. See a few nights ago while I was going about my duties as a serving maid at the town's inn. Yes, I'm also employed as a serving maid, I earn a few marks bringing tired farmers trays of cheese and loaves of bread and pitchers of beer. Anyway while I was going about doing that, I heard an old knight talking about somebody called “The Goblin King” . He was drunk as a mule, as in falling down drunk. His talk was slurred and his eyes glazed over.

At first I thought we'll have to call in a few of the town soldiers to be removed. But then he started talking about a massive goblin who was rumored to live in a cave located deep in the Peppercorn Mountains. Said goblin was supposed to be dressed in the armor of a slain knight, and was supposed to wield a large broadsword and command a dozen other smaller goblins. Said goblin is supposed to guard a vast treasure.

The drunken old knight claimed the goblin and his band of other goblins had plundered close to fifty merchant trains that had passed too close to the Peppercorn Mountains following the lawless years passed in the aftermath of the War of the Pretend King. And all the gold, silver, and jewels taken from those merchant trains had been hoarded deep in his mountain stronghold. All told the wealth amounted to around a hundred thousand golden crowns. In fact he claimed to have a map, a map that was supposed to take one to the mouth of the cave.

At this point Marian was about to call the law because the man had pulled out a rusty dagger from his belt and was waving it around the room and yelling at the top of his lungs he was going to cut somebody, that he wanted to cut somebody. The man was clearly off his rocker. But instead of calling the law like Marian wanted, we gave him more wine.. yes, now I do question the wisdom of giving a raving drunk more wine. But at this point he was tossing crowns at me every time I passed by. And me learning how to use my charm was hanging on his arm, saying how I admired his scars and saying how brave he was.

Did I say the dude was drunk? Oh fuck yes he was gone. But gold is gold. Anyway after milking around six crowns from him and a handful of silver marks, he produced a map. At this point I had managed to get his dagger from his belt. I had skillfully passed it off to another girl who I'm going to assume sold it to the town's pawn broker. It might have been worth a handful of pennies at best. Maybe a few marks. Anyway before the man passed out he produced a map and I stole the map.. and he passed out and I politely asked the cook to throw the bastard out on the cobblestones before he came too.

I mean he was a beast of a man, he stood at least six feet tall, had arms the size of barrels, his arms were all scared up, he was missing one eye, and he had a beard that reached down to his chest. And he smelled, he smelled pig shit, and his hair was matted with pig shit.. he was foul.. and I had to wash as soon as my shift was over. And I mean I soaked, I had to soak in hot boiling water for a good thirty minutes before I felt clean enough to get out and put my chemise on before crawling into bed for the night.

But all that night I dreamed of a vast treasure, mountains of gold, piles of silver, treasure chest overflowing with jewels. Sapphires, Emeralds, Diamonds, Topaz, and Rubies. A wealth of a thousand kingdoms, enough gold for me to retire and live the rest of my life waited on hand and foot. Enough gold for me to buy a manor house along with enough staff to keep it running smooth. And so when the sun fist peeked over the Bay of Storm and cast its golden bars into my room, I knew what I had to do.

-6-
Hiking Toward the Peppercorn's

The street lamps were still lit when I left the inn. The town for the most part was asleep, with a few tired night watchman making the patrol of the night before the bells of the church would announce the changing of the guard. I passed these weary guardsmen without paying them much mind. They were all dressed the same. Yellow buff coat, tarnished silver breastplate. And a sword and crude iron helmet, not a very impressive sight, but it kept down crime. Anyway I passed them with a nod and they returned it with a nod of my own.

As I started to walk, I noticed how heavy my pack felt. I pushed that thought aside and quickened my pace. My footfalls echoed off the rough cobblestones. After a while I passed the town's barrack, a large, square building located toward the center of town. Here one could take lessons in swordsmanship, or enlist in town guard, also here the militia would muster if the town ever came under attack. I was once told there was enough mail in there to outfit around seven hundred men. That seven hundred men were armed with coats of mail, iron helmets, large iron shields and long spears.

Though I doubted that Sea Breeze would ever field a force of seven hundred men, but I've heard stories though that at the height of the War of the Pretend King the town field a force of twelve hundred armed footmen, four hundred mounted knights, and six hundred bowmen armed with the famous Sea Breeze longbow. Don't ask what makes it famous, I did and could never get a straight answer.

One day I'm going to tell you guys about the War of The Pretend King, because it seems to be some major historical event that totally shifted everything around. Anyway after an hour of walking I put the safety of the town with its well lit streets, bustling shops, and cottages behind me and started down the road that would take to the foothills of the Peppercorns. The moment I stepped out onto the road I noticed the tall, blackened peaks of the Peppercorns starting to through a dark, cloudy sky. It seemed rain was in the forecast. Sighing I cursed myself for not bringing along a raincoat or something. Well too late to turn back now, I'd already gone half a league. And I still had many more to travel before I reached the edge of the Peppercorns. And so with that being said I stepped onto the road that would take me there the fabled mountain where gold, silver and jewels awaited.

The road I traveled upon was old and broken, moss grew between broken pieces of slap rock. Puddles of murky water dotted the road, weeds grew in the bare patches of earth. It was hard going. Soon the heat of the day started to wear me down and my pack became heavy, my breathing became harder and harder.

But I pushed on, the thoughts of a massive treasure waiting for me, just a few league's ahead kept me going. The sun was hot too, and the earth was parched. According to a popular almanac, “Little Beth's Almanac and Household Guide” we were in the month of Martius or the fifth month of the year. Next month would be Aprilis or the month when the wheat was harvested and the last of the summer crops brought in from the surrounding hamlets and villages that dotted the region. At the end of the month there will be a massive celebration according to what Katie told me. I was kind of looking forward to it, that is if I survived my first true test.

Anyway as time slipped on by and my tired feet kept pounding upon the broken pavement I started to think. I had learned that there were other villages and hamlets in the region. Sea Breeze though was the main one and being something of a port the largest and wealthiest one. Most of those villages lacked names, and most were just a collection of thatched cottages surrounding a well. Very few had shops of any kind and most of their streets were dirt, though one or two had managed to pave a few of their streets in cobblestones. It was these villages that made Sea Breeze, farmers would bring the produce from their field's into the town to sell, they would then load their wagons with goods supplied by Sea Breeze Merchants before returning to their isolated farms that dotted the region.

Likewise farm boys from those isolated villages would come flooding in, looking for work, many wanted to work the docks and help unload the few merchant ships that docked along Commerce Street. Since many could make more unloading ships in a day than they could working a day in the fields. Still others came because they wanted to learn swordsmanship and aspired to become knights one day. Traveling peddlers came to Sea Breeze to load up on goods from the Trade Shop before setting off to sell those goods for profit.

Anyway it was well into the afternoon now. I'd reckon I'd traveled a good six leagues from my starting point. And I still had five more leagues to go. And with the sun starting to vanish behind the snow capped peaks of the Peppercorn's I decided now was a good time to make camp. And so, halfway between Sea Breeze and the Peppercorn's I paused. As daylight started to retreat, a cold wind was starting to blow. A foretelling of the winter to come.

-7-
Making Camp

True night had fallen about time I'd decided to make camp. I'd managed another two leagues of hiking before fatigue from my force marched had ordered me to halt. The moment I stopped though was the moment I felt my feet starting to bark, and as soon as I removed my boots, I swear my feet started to glow like embers in the fires hell. Anyway, the first order of business was getting a fire going.

Now before I came to this world, I was a scout, yes, I was a boy scout as nerdy as that sounds. It was something of a family tradition you know. My dad had been in boy scouts too, so had his brother and so had their dad, all three had earned the fabled rank of Eagle Scout so had my cousin a year before. And yes, I'd earned it too.

Anyway, I did, because all the woodcraft stuff I'd been forced to learn had really come in hand. If anything I knew how to build a fire, cook on an open fire, pitch a tent and how to read a compass. All of those skills were coming in hand right now as I busied myself around the tiny clearing I'd found a few yards from the main road.

Anyway, making camp was a simple process. First I had to collect some stones to keep the fire in place, then pile high some kindling, you know twigs, branches and dried leafs that you'll gather in bundles from the edge of a nearby forest. Once you've built your fire you can start boiling some water and cooking.

Now guys, this is a major break through for me, yesterday while at the Trade Shop, the clerk informed they had a new product in, some kind of roasted bean, he told me when the bean was ground up it made a fine powder and when the powder was added to hot boiling water it made a dark, strong drink that had that produced an enchanting aroma and when drunk it said to stimulate the mind and the body. The drink he said was really popular in the far away cities.

My curiosity got the best of me and I told the clerk that I would like to see these beans, he nodded his head, and reached under the wooden counter and a moment later he pulled out a small wooden box. The box was the size of your normal shoe box, you know. And once he removed the lid, I felt my breath being taken away! Those were coffee beans! Roasted coffee beans! I dropped to my knees and fell into prayer, I'd been missing my daily cup of coffee! I quickly asked him how much for the box and he said with a smirk four Crowns. Without thinking I slammed four golden coins down upon the counter.

You should have seen the look on his face when he laid eyes upon those sparkly golden coins. He quickly handed over the box and raked the coins into his greedy little hands. As I left the shop with my treasure in hand the clerk called out to me and promised that he'll try to find some more of these magical beans.

I don't know why I brought that up, but sitting there by my roaring campfire, with my dinner cooking on a smaller fire beside it, I'd managed to rake some hot embers from the bottom of the fire and was now heating up some smoked pork, every now and again the hot embers would sizzle and hiss as some fat from the pork would drip from the meat and onto the hot coals. Make sure to reflect on things you know. And so as I wrapped my fingers around my metal cup and raised it to my lips, making sure to blow some of the steam away before taking a sip. I felt for the first time in over a month a sense of peace. Here I was surrounded by nature and nothing in the world seemed could harm  me.
A moment later I found myself digging into the smoked piece of pork. I'd managed to toast some bread too, so I sandwiched the pork between two pieces of bread, I hate some cheese I had with me on the side. It was a decent enough meal, all washed down with black coffee and cool, clear water. Finally an apple finished off.

Once I'd finished eating I wrapped my scraps into the fire, put away my gear and curled up under my bedroll and then I tried to go to sleep. But sleep was low in coming, I must have laid there for hours, listing to the babble of a nearby brook, the hooting of a nearby owl, and the other pleasant sounds of nature, before my eyes became too heavy for me to hold them up any longer.

-8-

Starry Heavens

I'm not sure how many hours I managed to sleep. But it was still full darkness when I came too, and my fire had died down to nothing but glowing coals. As I tossed the collection of covers off me, I happen to look up and for a moment I felt my breath away, the sky was full of stars.

As I peered into the starry heavens I felt a sudden ping of sadness come over me. Before I came here, to this strange and now I'm finding it not so magical land. I guess even magic loses its appeal when it's common enough. Anyway before I came here, I was enrolled in an astronomy course. I enjoyed it and it was one of the handful of courses I felt I could pull an 'A' in. You see, a few years ago, back when I was attending highschool, back in those good old Yazoo County High days I'd experienced a crisis of faith. I'd left the church of my youth, St. George's Episcopal Church and decided to embrace Wicca.

I'm not sure why I did it. Maybe because I'd finally grown jaded enough to wash my hands of the church. Or maybe because I wanted to spit in the eyes of those who had deemed me an outcast since I'd entered High School. Anyway becoming Wicca to me was a means of expressing myself and trying to make sense of who I really was.

And as I sat their peering up at the night sky, dotted with thousands of stars, I started to recall all the stare lore I'd been taught and for a moment I wondered about my old life. I wondered if these stars were starting to shine over the family I left behind. The family that had been stolen from me. As I peered up at those twinkling jewels that dotted the night sky, I felt a pang of guild come over me. I found myself thinking about the times I'd watched the same night sky from the railing of my dorm. Of those times I'd watched the night sky from a nearby hill when I was going through periods of self doubt.

Then I turned toward the snow capped peaks of the peppercorns that loomed just ahead. Riches untold or certain doom awaited me just a few short miles ahead. I felt myself starting to smirk a little as I shoveled some dirt on the still hot coals of my campfire. If I hurried I could make it to the base of the mountains before the sun rose. Then I had all morning to search for the cave. Once I found the cave, I guess I'll take a deep breath and plunge inside. As I collected my gear and refilled my canteens from a nearby stream I started to wonder what would happen if I died here in this world too? I guess I'll find out soon enough. So that’s what my future held then? Either riches beyond what anybody could ever dream of or the smothering bones of another failed adventure? Anyway it was time to roll the dice of fate.

-9-
So This Is A Dungeon?

Hello again my imaginary audience, when you last left me I was walking to the Peppercorn Mountains because I'd heard stories about a king's ransom of gold and jewels. Right now I'm somewhere under those mountains. About a day's passed since I've last encountered you guys, I'd finally reached the Peppercorn Mountains after four or five hours of hard marching. I then took a rest and somehow I managed to find this cave.

Now let me tell you about this cave, okay somebody or something lives here. Despite the fact the walls are covered in mold, meadow and niter.. despite the fact that the place reeks of high evens and I stumble every few paces over a discarded meal or cooking pot. Trust me, you don't want to know about these meals? Oh you do? Okay please let me enlighten you, but don't say I did not warn you now. Every so often I'll encounter these old iron kettles that sit upon burned out cooking fires, inside you will find bones, human bones, the skin has been boiled and cleaned off of them and you can see cut marks. Like somebody or something was butchering the poor bastards after they did them off.

Normally I'll knock them over and push the bones to the side, cause you know.. they're dead. But really, talk about creepy, now add in the fact that the floor is covered in bat dropping, and I mean covered in it, some parts are pure white.. and it smells to high heavens. The bat's don't prove much of a problem as they tend to either swoop past me or swoop around me and I can normally take them out with one good swing of my sword.

Anyway right now I'm in a tunnel, the tunnel goes on and on, I'm not sure how far I've gone.. There is no way to keep time here, and I'm far past the entrance, so I don't even know if the sun's set yet. I only knew she sun had risen a few hours before I found this cave. I'm tempted to go back, but I've come this far. Wait.. something ahead of me. Just around the corner. You see it now don't you, that tall greenish thing, the thing that stands as tall as a man and is dressed in a copper helmet, a copper breastplate and is armed with that old rusty sword. I guess we've just encountered our first true monster?

Its safe to say escape's pretty much impossible, I mean I was trapped underground, with the only source of light being my lantern and once the beast caught sight of me, there was little for me to do than draw my sword and get ready for my first fight. The fight lasted all but thirty seconds; it was really over before it began.

The goblin came charging at me, once it came within striking distance it raised up its sword. I reflected its blow with a sword and then somehow managed to smack it in the face with the hilt of my sword. I must have knocked out a few teeth because greenish blood came spurting out of its mouth and sharp white teeth fell down on the floor. The beast was stunned, putting my humanity to the side, I stepped back and drove my blade into its exposed mouth, a second later the blade came jutting out of the back. And the beast crumbled lifelessly on the ground.

I removed my blade and sighed. It was covered in green blood.. and I recalled in horror, I'd just killed something.. I mean it was life or death and I've killed plenty of things before. But this, this was different, a moment later I felt myself starting to vomit.

The smell of the blood, the foulness of the creature, the stench of the bat dropping all caused my head to swirl around. The cave started to spin around and everything became a blur. My breathing became tense and yet, I had no choice but to push on.
And yes, I looted the body, I mean I had to.. I left the armor and helmet in place. Instead I collected a small leather bag that was tied hidden on the slain creature. I opened the bag and found a collection of coins, small value coins, coins that were as old as the hills. One crown and a handful of marks, that's how much I netted from killing this beast.. I shivered. As unpleasant thoughts started to creep into my head. Thoughts that went like this.

'How many people had this goblin slain and eaten?' or 'How many merchants had this foul creature descended upon from some hiding place?' or 'How many wayward travelers had it ambushed under a full moon so it could slay them and feast upon them and roast their flesh?' Yes, those were the thoughts that ran through my head as I peered at the creature whose life I'd just taken.

I seethed my sword and nodded my head. I then pushed on into the darkness that surrounded me.

After traveling a few more feet, maybe a few hundred I encountered another goblin. This time I'd managed to ambush the creature, hiding in the shadows and jumping out as he passed me. Oh he put up a struggle, but I somehow managed to slit his throat with a dagger I had. Green blood spurted out and the beast released a hellish cry before dropping down on the ground. I stepped back and breathed hard as I watched the thing struggle, its long fingernails clawing at the ground. But finally the best seemed to die. And I was glad it did.

My second kill netted me a stunning seventeen golden crowns. Far more than I expected, I also found a few golden rings.. I'm not sure why this goblin had more money on him than the other one did. Maybe this one was the second in command? Or maybe this one just had more money? I was not about to stand around and find out. So gathering up my courage I charged ahead, deeper into the darkness.

As I moved deeper into the cave, I picked up little odds in and ended. I even found some food stuff, stuff that seemed fit to eat. Stuff like cheese, that was still wrapped in its cloth, dried beef, and bread that was mold. Many would question the wisdom of eating random bits and pieces of food one finds laying around in a cave, and normally I would too. But you gotta remember this is not earth. Somehow, by some magic I'm not aware of, food seems to remain fresh for a longer period of time than it normally wood.

Finally though after what seemed like hours I reached what I thought would be the end of the give. Because before me stood a door. A stone door with runes carved into it. Standing in front of the door were two goblins. Who unlike the fellows before seemed to be made of some tough stuff. Or tougher stuff that the two fellows I managed to kill. These things looked almost human, they stood a good head taller than me, and were wearing what appeared to be silver breastplates over chain mail. They also wore gloves, rough looking leather gloves. In one hand they held a round wooden shield and in the other long pole that was almost as tall as they were, the pole was topped with a fearsome looking piece of iron that had been sharpened and polished till it gleamed.

I felt my heart starting to race.. These guys must be the guards, they must be the elite of the elite, the personal bodyguard of the king. It became very clear to me then, if I wanted to reach the king, I'll have to get past those two. But how?

I took a deep breath and stepped back. Drew my slingshot, fished out the biggest iron ingot I carried, drew the sling shot back to my cheekbone and then I released it. The iron ingot made a horrible sound and it came crashing into the first guy's head. It smashed the helmet and became buried inside the skull of the poor creature.
I nearly lost my lunch again as the creature beside the first one jumped and in the dim light I noticed bits of brains and fluid. The smell once more took my breath away. The other creature was now looking around, yelling something, okay shouting is more like it. I quickly grew tired of the noise and shot another iron ingot at the creature. This one hit the creature square in the face, in the left eye. I believe I put its eye out or something because it started to stumble around the front of the door, barking and grunting, holding its injured eye with a green sinew hand. A river of green blood flowed down from the eye, down its chin and onto his breastplate.

I then jumped from the shadows, and charged, and with one quick thrust, I'd somehow managed to drive the tip of my sword into the creature's other remaining eye. I kept thrusting and much to my horror my sword came out the other side. Yes it was an ambush, yes there had been no honor.. but honor seldom carries the day.. and sometimes a well timed ambush can mean the difference in either victory or defeat.

The creature was dead in a matter of minutes.. and once more I looted the bodies. These guys had around twenty golden Crowns on them each. Not bad.. considering it was covered in goblin blood and reeked to high heavens. Once I'd pocketed the gold, the stone door slid open and I nearly jumped out of my skins. The door seemed to lead to a different room, I took a deep breath, took a swig of water, and breathing a silent prayer I marched into that room. Something told me that once I crossed that threshold, I would soon come face to face with the Goblin King himself.

-10-
The Goblin King of the Peppercorn Mountains.

I found myself standing in the middle of what appeared to be a massive underground throne room. One that must have been carved into the mountains eons ago. Gone were the rough walls of the cavern. Some stonemason in eons past had smoothed and polished the walls of this room. As I ran my hand along the wall, I was amazed at how smooth it felt. It was like running my hand over glass. Glass that was free of any bubbles. Then in the middle, I caught sight of something that was truly amazing.

A marble fountain sat in the middle of the room. The fountain was filled with crystal clear water that came pouring out of a stone vase that was set in the center. The sound of running water echoed off the walls. Also hanging from the walls were shields, emblazoned upon these shields were coats of arms, to whom they belonged too I had no idea. But part of what was expected were trophies, trophies kept by the fearsome Goblin King, tokens to remind him of his greatness and the prowess of his skill with the blade.

It was at this moment my courage failed me. I turned toward the doorway only to find the stone door had fallen down. Sealing me inside. Panic started to overtake me, but soon panic turned to dread as from the darkness came the sound of heavy breathing. Then as if by some magic, a dozen torches appeared along the walls. Their red and orange flickering flames seemed to cast ghastly shadows.

Then I heard something from the far side of the room and a voice came. They filled the chamber and for a moment it seemed my eardrums would burst open. The voice was more of a scream, a howl, one that made the warm blood of my body turn to icy water. I quickly spun around and looming over me was the beast I've come to slay. The Goblin King.

There are no words powerful enough in the English Language to accurately describe the horror that overcame me the minute my eyes looked upon him. The Goblin King was a brute, he stood a good head taller than the other ones, his arms were as big as barrels, his chest as big and as round as ox.
His head was the size of a stone jug. He was seethed in plated metal and one hand he held a huge shield that was as tall as I and as wide as I. And in the other a sword that was likewise as tall as I and as wide as I. He loomed over me, I felt like a tiny ant when I stood in his shadows. Standing there, facing him down, I was briefly reminded of the old biblical tale of David and Goliath.

And so as I stood there, remembering that old fable, I felt a small smile starting to form upon my lips. I remembered how small David was. The small shepherded from Jude, defeated the giant from Gath. I did not have long to think for soon his blade came crashing down and it smacked the earth in front of me, I barely had time enough to roll out its way. My heart was now racing, as crawled along the earthen floor, searching for something, anything, I rolled over on my back and to my horror there, looming over was the Goblin king, his eyes blazing like hell fire, his sword raised in the air, and once more I rolled over just in the nick of time as his blade stabbed the earth.

I threw myself up, forced myself to stand, and forced myself to remain calm as I reached into my pack and pulled out my slingshot. I then reached into the leather pouch that held my iron ingots and dug out the heaviest one I could find. The Beast was still trying to get his sword out of the ground.. I took a deep breath, pulled back and let the iron ingot fly.

By luck it smacked him upside the head. But it only dazed him.. Taking a chance I rushed in, drew my sword and made a stab for his neck. My blade found purchase in his green skin, but it was only a cut, greenish blood poured out of the cut and onto the ground and the beast once more reared his head. With renewed strength it pulled its blade free of the earth and started to swing it around.

I rolled once more, barely missing the blade as it sailed past me. The Beast seemed drunk, drunk on pain. Once more I retreated into a corner of the room, and once more I reached into my pouch and pulled out another iron ingot. My hands were trembling.. but yet I still managed to hit the beast again this time I hit him above the eye, the metal point of the ingot must have pieced his eyes, because a hellish scream escaped his lips as he dropped down to the ground, green pus running down his chin and dripping down onto the floor. I wasted no time, I rushed in and made a quick stab for the other eye while the beast was stunned and in pain.

The tip of my blade went right into the eye of the Beast. And the beast screamed an unholy scream that caused me to shutter. I removed my blade and dropped back. My mind was shattered at the sight that greeted me, his eyes were black holes, two black holes that spewed greenish puss. But I had blinded the beast, I knew then what I had to do.

I had to end it.. but how, how could I.. something happen, the Beast tripped and landed right in front of me. Swallowing hard, I rushed up and dragged my blade across its throat. The throat was slit open and at last its breathing stopped. I paused, then dropped to the ground. It was over.. I'd cleared my first dungeon.. I passed my first. I'd slain the Goblin King. Now it was time to collect my reward.

-11-
Treasure of the Goblin King

Breathing hard I picked my way past the remains of the Goblin King. As I passed him, I made sure he was dead by removing his helmet from his head and driving my blade straight down into his skull. I then titled the hilt of my sword around a little to stir his brains. As horrible as that sounded, I did not want to take the chance that the bastard was still alive and just down for a little nap. Once I was sure he was dead, I removed my sword, cleaned the blade of goblin brains and seethed it back into its holder.
I then started to pick my way across the room. At the far side of the room, I found a large throne. The throne it seemed had been carved out of one solid piece of stone. Beside the throne was the entrance to another room. Rolling my shoulders I boldly stepped into the room. It was then at last I'd found what I'd been searching for. The treasury of the Goblin King.

Now 'Treasury' is too grand of a word. It was more like a storeroom, a fairly large storeroom, but a storeroom nonetheless. I'd hoped to discover a room that was filled to the ceiling with treasures. You know, massive piles of gold, silver, and copper coins, mountains of jewels. Jewel encrusted swords and shields, the wealth of a thousand nations and all that good jazz. Instead what I found were four small treasure chests. The first one was filled with Golden Crowns, I counted around four hundred or so.. the second one was filled with Silver Marks, around another twenty Crowns give or take, and the third and final one was filled with unpolished gemstones, maybe at best five hundred Crowns worth of Jewels. All in all it was a pretty good haul, well over a thousand Crowns... enough to buy a small fishing boat or a small plot of land in the countryside.. About what a prosperous farmer makes in a season or a well connected merchant makes in a month or so.

In short it was decent. But was it worth risking life and limb for? Was it worth damn near ruining my sanity? Would it be worth the nightmares that I'm sure would follow? Hardly.. Sighing I looked around, how was I going to carry off this stuff back to Sea Breeze? I wanted to slap myself upside the head, maybe I should have thought about that before starting on this adventure in the first place. But then in the corner I noticed something.

Peering out at me through the darkness were two brown eyes. I quickly drew my sword, as I drew my sword I heard a snort. Then from the shadows stepped out an outline of a horse.. a brown chestnut pony that was pulling a cart. The pony looked tired and weak, and kind of sad like it had expected me to deal the finishing blow to it as it eyed the sword in my hands. I quickly seethed my sword and walked up to the pony. Before I could catch myself I started to run my hands over her next.

A moment later the pony stomped its hove on the ground and snorted again as it peered at me. I nodded my head. I then somehow understood her question.

“I'm not going to hurt you.” I said in a soothing voice as I stroked her neck. She responded to my voice by coming a little closer to me. “I'm here to save you.” I said again as I peered around the room. Once you put two and two together, you could see the fate of this pony was written on the walls around me, I'm not sure what goblin's used ponies for, but I expected it was to eat.. and clearly I'd saved this sweet little thing from being the Goblin King's dinner. Why she was still hooked up to the wagon I had no idea. But since she was hooked up to the wagon I decided to gently place the three wooden treasure chests in the wagon along with anything else I could find.

Other treasures included a sack of flour, a sack of feed, a bundle of dried herbs, a barrel of salted meat, a sack of grain, a keg of ale, and finally tucked into the corner was a coat of chain mail that was light as a feather, and yet oddly enough the tiny interconnecting links were made of silver instead of iron. I shrugged my shoulders and tossed it into the wagon too. Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted something. Hanging upon the wall was a pendant, a large reddish jewel the size of an acorn hung from a fine golden chain. Without thinking I reached down and took down the pendant.. and slipped it around my neck. It seemed to just fit.

“Hey Coco?” I turned toward the pony. “Are you thirsty?” The pony nodded her head. I don't know why I decided to call her 'Coco' but the name just seemed to fit her.
Coco nodded her head and I smiled a little as I unhooked her. I then led her back into the Throne room and up to the fountain that was bubbling clean, crystal clear water. Coco snorted again and then started to drink from the fountain. I decided to follow her lead, and filled my canteens up. The water was cool and refreshing and seemed to restore my strength. It seemed to restore Coco too as hers grew more alert and hair seemed to shine a little. And I guess after the adventure we'd both had, we deserved a little rest.

-12-
Wrapping Up

I guess I should tell you guys what happens next. To be honest nothing much. Coco and I took our time getting back home from the Peppercorn Mountains. Katie was overjoyed to see me, in fact she rushed out and threw her arms around me the moment I appeared back at the inn. It seemed I'd been away for a good four days and they were getting worried about me. After Katie got through hugging me it was Marian's turn to fuss over me, the first thing she did was order me to undress myself and get a bath.

Oh it was quite a sight, her fussing over me, acting more like a mother than anything, she in fact ordered me to get out of my gear and get a bath! I can still hear her saying.

“Jeanette Katherine Hood! You get out of those clothes and get to the bathhouse right this instant young lady!” She bellowed at the top of her lungs. Her big hands planted firmly on her hips and a scowl a mile long plastered across her face. “I have half a mind to turn you over my knee too for that little stunt you pulled!” She scolded as she followed behind me. “Running off to the Peppercorn Mountains! All because some drunken old knight filled your head with tales of treasure! Should have never been cut from your mothers apron strings!” She added as she swatted my bottom to get me moving.

Oh she fussed and she fussed. But she made sure I got a good, long bath, and she made sure I washed behind my ears as well and that I washed my hair. She even went as far as to tell Katie to lay out a fresh nightgown for me to wear! My cheekiness got the best of me and then with impudence charm I responded to her demands with a simple.

“Yes mum!” I swear Marian blushed at that and then she narrowed her eyes at me, and for a moment I thought the woman was going to slap me. Instead she raised her finger and brought it to my face and in a stern tone of voice said.

“Jeanette Katherine Hood!” She scolded. “Somebody has to be your mother and keep you out of trouble. And if the Goddess has seen it fit, that that poor soul must be me, then by damn I'm going to do my best. Now I can't stop you from running all over the hills and creation. Because it seems you're going on an adventure.” She said as she wagged her finger in my face.

“But I swear to the Goddess, next time you do something like that, I'm going to pull you across my knee and blister your bottom. Do you understand me young lady? And yes, I expect from now on you to call me 'Mum' or 'Mother'. Since it seems I'm taking on that role.” She then paused.

“In fact.. After your bath I want you to go and wait for me in your room. I'll be alone shortly.” She added. And with that she marched away. Muttering mom indeed. Oh and Coco, everybody fell in love Coco, Marian and Katie both doted on her and Jim our cook made sure that Coco was given the best stall in the stable that was located behind the inn. Anyway I guess I better get that bath. Mum was not too pleased with me. Join me next time would you? Our adventures are just getting started.

-13-
Punishments

I took a deep breath as I walked into my tiny room. Considering all I've been through the past two or three days walking back into this room really did feel like I was coming home. Well this room was the closest thing I had to a home. As I released my breath I walked toward the narrow, feather bed that sat in the center of the room. At the foot of my bed there could be seen a large iron bound chest. Inside the chest I'd stored my sword, armor, boots, potions, bow, quiver, slingshot, leather ammunition pouch and a few hundred golden crowns I needed to take to the bank.

I looked at the chest, and then at the bed and sighing I eased my bottom down upon the bed. Tucked into the corner of the room was a simple wooden wardrobe that held my dresses, shoes and one or two formal gowns. Beside the wardrobe was a simple wooden vanity. I considered myself quite lucky, my vanity was the one who's mirror was free of bubbles or scratches. In front of the mirror was also my newest purchase, a mahogany hairbrush with the initials JKH carved into the back.

And finally beside the vanity was a simple walnut basin stand. Sitting on top of the stand was an white porcelain basin and pitcher. As simple, and spartan as these furnishings may be, they were all I needed. I don't think I could ask for anything more, and I don't think I desired anything more.

I'm not sure how long I waited, there was only one clock in the inn and that clock was located down in the common room. Clocks are rare and expensive here.. I'm surprised such a little backwater inn would even have one. Anyway with the only clock being located down in the common room, I had no way of knowing how much time had passed. But at last, I heard the heavy football of footsteps in front of my doorway. My heart jumped into my throat as she footsteps stopped.

A second later the door of my room was gently pushed open and there in the doorway stood Marian. And in Marian hand was something that chilled me to the bone, a large, heavy leather strap. Her eyes seemed cold as ice and without saying a word she stepped into my room, unafraid of me and without saying a word she closed the door. Once she door was closed she turned around and peered at me.

“Alright.” She said in a commanding tone of voice. “I know I have no right to do this, but you've all worried us sick. That was a very foolish thing you did. Running off to fight some goblin, could have gotten yourself killed.” She said, slapping her open palm with the black leather strap.

I opened my mouth but she silenced me with one hard look.

“You have a lot to learn young lady.” She said, stepping into the room. “Your mother was a fool to cut her from your apron strings as soon as she did.” She added as she stepped in front of me. She set the strap to the side and placed her hands on her hips and leaned in toward me.

“Let me tell you one thing Katherine Jeanette Hood. You might be a woman grown, and you might pay rent on this room. But I've developed feelings for you. Never had a husband, never had a child, you've become short of that child, daughter I should say that I've never had.” She shook her head. “And if something had happened to you in those mountains, then we would have had no way of knowing. You left us without leaving a note, or a word, you just up and vanished like a wisp of smoke.”

I blinked and said nothing. Marian took my silence as permission to continue her scolding.

“If you'd left a note, then say you've not returned in a few days' time. We could have gone to the sheriff and he would have formed a search party.” She said, ``Lord Gray is a good man, much better than the wool head we have as a Captain of the Guard here in town. He does his best to keep order in the countryside the best he can with what few men he has at his command. But anyway, as pressed as he was for men, he would have spared a few to go find you.”

“So you're saying.. you okay with me going on adventures?” I asked, I was a little confused, I mean the scolding had me sitting on egg shells, but I didn't really follow what was going on. And I was eyeing the leather strap in her hand. This was something straight out of the 'Wheel of Time'. Including the fact that I was dressed in only a white homespun night dress. And my shoulder length brunette hair was braided back, and still damp from the hour long bath I'd taken.

Yes, I took a hour bath, I thought I would never get the blood from those goblins off me. Or the smell of sweat, blood, and goblin juice out of my hair. When I drew my bath, the water was clear, and sparkling as a stream, when I left it was black and gritty, and the color reminded me of coffee grinds. Only without the pleasing aroma of ground coffee.

“I guess, if that is the career you've chosen.” She said with a sigh. “But from now on, you must ask my permission before you go off on one of these little 'Adventures' as you call them. And if I deem the 'Adventure too dangerous' then I'm going to say so and forbid you from going on it. Now, because you were a foolish little girl and decided to go out on your own, I'm going to ground you. You're allowed to leave the inn, but you're not allowed to leave the town.” Marian said in a stern tone of voice. “Since this is your first offensive and all.”

I blinked.

“That right girl.” She said, sighing. “I have connections, I know all the guards in town and many of the deputies too. They will help me keep an eye on you until I decide I can trust you again.” She said as she stood up. “If you happen to run off again, I might decide to ground you again, and this time keeps you chained to the inn. And if need be, I will post a guard by your door. Do not test me, Jeanette Katherine Hood.” She said, smacking her open palm again with the broad leather strip.

I slowly nodded my head.

“Now, stand up. Place your hands on the bed and take a deep breath.” She said.

I stood up, turned around and placed my hands upon the bed. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I could feel Marian standing behind me, I could also feel her lifting up the hem of my nightgown.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I felt her placing her hand upon the small of my back, as I released my breath I felt the wide leather strip getting pushed into my bottom.

“What you did was very foolish, you could have gotten yourself put into a goblin's stew pot! Or worst gotten yourself killed, those goblins are even known to rape women and keep them as sex slaves!” She scolded as she brought the leather strap down upon my bottom! The leather strap made a sharp, stinging sound as it came into contact with my bottom. The force of the stroke moved me forward. The sharp pain took my breath away.

“So consider yourself lucky that you are getting away with just a simple strapping.” She added as she drew the strap back and let it fly, the long piece of leather smashed into my bottom, flatting my cheeks and driving a wedge of pain into me. I soon felt salty tears starting to build at the corner of my eyes, a few seconds later I felt another sharp sting of pain come rolling into my bottom, this one took my breath away and forced me to dig my fingers into the folds of my bedding.

“I want you to know something Jeanette Katherine Hood,” She said, bringing the strap once more down upon my bottom. “I'm going to correct, even if it kills me, all those mistakes your mom made when she was raising you. I don't know what kind of woman she was, but if she raised such moon struck calves as you. Then I doubt she had the sense to pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel!”

I had no idea what to say to that. One one hand I felt like I should have been offended, but on the other it was hard to be offended. Each day that passed in this world I seemed to forget a little more about my previous life. Like for each memory I made in this world, I seemed to lose one from the other. I don't even remember my mothers, fathers or even my little sister's face anymore. They were all vague shadows in my mind.

A sharp sting brought me back to the present, I shifted my head around and there with her arms folded under her breast stood Marian, the strap hung to her side. I sniffed and noticed oddly enough that a few tears had started to fall.

“Welcome back, Ms. Hood.” She said in a dry tone of voice. “For a moment there I thought I lost you. But it seems you have returned.” She paused “Now, where was I?” She said unfolding her arms, a moment later the strap came sailing in and a few moments later it struck my bottom once more, sending a wave of sting rolling into my backside. This was followed up by another one, and soon another and yet another, each time the strap kissed my backside my back arched a little and soon salty tears were running down my cheeks.

“I think this will teach you a most valuable lesson.” Marian said as she kissed my bottom three more times with the strap. “That from now on, you will think before you act, and try to think before you jump and you will not be tempted by foolish tales told by drunken knights.” And with that she tossed the strap to the side and then without saying a world she pulled me into a tight hug. In fact she pulled me into her bosom and then I started to cry.

Marian it seemed did not mind the salty tears that stained the front of her blouse, instead she gently rubbed my back, I felt like a child, crying into her chest, and oddly enough I felt safe. I don't know how long Marian held me, a few seconds maybe? A few minutes maybe? An hour or two? Time seemed to crawl to a stand still. But in the end, I felt myself emptied of all emotions, and Marian, well as embarrassing as it is to say, fussed over me.

Oh she fussed, it seemed once the spanking was over she returned to her fussing. She had Joe, our cook, bring me a bowl of mutton stew up to my room, a big bowl of it, with big pieces of mutton floating in a sea of brown broth. The mutton was tender as butter and the brown broth was delicious. Also included was a loaf of bread that was golden brown and crunchy on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside. It was pure bliss. After my meal she rubbed some ointment on my bottom and tucked me in.

And yes, I'm ashamed to say I fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow. So that concludes the first part of my adventure. But stick around, there is more to come. I still need to find out about this strange jewel and there that festival coming up, and loads of other things. The Storm Bay Region might be small, but we still have so much to explore together! So until then be good and stay sweet.

-14-
Visiting The Town's Library

Hello again my imaginary audience, it's good that you can join me again. Lets see, about two days have passed since Marian laid the law down and grounded me for a fortnight. Grounded? Yes, she grounded me, I can still leave the inn, but I can't leave the town. Anyway we gotta keep our voice's down, I mean you gotta whisper while you're in the library. Yes, Sea Breeze has a library, a small one, but still I'm amazed they have one. Who would have thought a fantasy inspired medieval world with goblins, trolls, and magic would have a library? Not me.

Anyway, join me would you? After all, here surrounded by thousands of leather bound tomes, treatise, bounded plays, and the odd novel or two, we are bound to find some answers about this strange jewel I found deep in the treasure room of the Goblin King Right? Well I hope so anyway! And so join me again as I browse the books.

Now, I'm no stranger to a library, back when I was in my old world. I spent countless hours in my hometown's library, it was an escape from the troubles of the world. It was a place of solace, a place where I could retreat to to tend to my wounds and heal my soul. An escape from the dreadful dog days of August.

Anyway, as I searched the shelves of leather bound books, I ran across a thin tome that piqued my curiosity. The title was long enough, 'A First hand account of 'The Battle of Sunflower Field' as witnessed by Sir John Carpenter, Bannerman in the service of Lord Rose, First Prince of Storm Bay.' quite a mouthful if you ask me. Anyway I took down the thin book, it must have been around thirty pages or so, thirty small pages.. anyway I took down the book from the shelf and without thinking I blew my breath upon it. A fine cloud of dust appeared in front of me. The dust made me cough, and I coughed for several good minutes until at last I managed to get my breathing under control.

Once I managed to get my breathing under control, I started to flip through the book. The book was mostly a first person account of the battle as witnessed by Sir. John Carpenter, judging by what was written, was something cowardly, as in his own words. 'I thought it prudent to hold my men back from the fray. Until the moment was right, Our ford approved, since my heavy knights would no doubt turn the tide of battle at the right moment. Our bowmen, hardened woodsmen and hunters all, were releasing volley after volley of arrows, so many arrows that it darken the sky. These well aimed, well placed volleys decimated the attacking ranks of mercenary knights, whom the false king had hired. Since he neither had kith or kin to call upon to aid him in his quest for the throne and thus he must had depended upon those lowly sellswords to booster his army'

I blinked and flipped through a few more pages. Till I came to another passage that seemed to stand out. 'But then, from our rear there came the most dreadful sound I've ever heard. Lord Gray, whom we thought was our most firm and steadfast alley, had at the moment when all hung in the balance, turned his coat and ordered his men, many of them bowmen, but many of whom were also skilled knights whom were well armed and highly trained to attack us, pressed we were then from both sides. I ordered my men to take me to the forest! Alas if it had not been for that treacherous knave Lord Gray we would have won an impressive victory and driven from our fair lands that plight that was the false king. By who's forked tongue many good and honest men hath been fooled! As I was directing my men to the forest, directing them out of the path of the storm. For was better to live to fight another day, than to be slain and to rise no more, though I pray for those poor lads who were slain, I still count myself blessed to have escaped.'
At this point I had nothing to say so I kept on reading.

'Just as I was about to make my escape, I saw Our Lord, noble as always rushing headlong into the fray, surrounding him a blessed fellowship of knights and men-at-arms, alas I called for him to join our retreat, for if he should make it, our cause was not lost and we could smite the knave and punish him most justly for his crimes in due time. But alas again, it was not to be, for soon he was surrounded by a host of the most sullen kind I've ever seen. Our poor, noble, Lord Rose was pulled down from his horse and speared through the chest. He died there on that field, and most tragic of all, from his neck was stripped the jewel of his house. A fine red Ruby the size of an acorn, said to be enchanted with the power of one of the Three Golden Goddess, though which one I'm unsure of, as I know nothing of the ancient lore. But the jewel was a family heirloom.'

Okay this part took me back a little, my curiosity had been piqued at wording 'Enchanted with the power of one of the Three Golden Goddess.' Could the jewel that Sir John Carpenter was talking about be the same jewel that was now safely locked in my strong box back at the inn? And what was this talk about three Golden Goddesses?

A sigh escaped my lips as I closed the tome and returned it to the shelf. I had so many questions, and yet I had no way of going about finding answers to those questions. When I remembered something, I was still 'Grounded'. Yes, as silly as that sounds Marian had not only grounded me, but had also set a strict curfew on me.

I sighed again and decided to save these questions for another day. But I did make a mental note to come back and do a little more research on this fellow, this Sir John Carpenter and maybe once I was free to travel, to pay a visit to the Field of Sunflowers that lay just beyond the walls of the city. I remember John The Woodcutter had told a battle had been fought that years ago, could that have been the same battle? It must have been the same battle.

My head was swirling with questions, I started toward the door. I needed to get something to eat, to check in with Marian and most of all, to get a nice hot bath and enjoy a long soak in a tub of hot water. Maybe a long soak would help me think, maybe not.. Yes, a quick hot bath, a nice long soak, some dinner, and then to nestle under my blankets. These questions could wait another day.

Anyway, thank you for joining me today. I hope to see you next time!

-15- 
Greensleeves & The Maid that Sold her Barley

“Alas, my love, you do me wrong to cast me off discourteously; For I have loved you alone, delighting in your company. Greensleeves was all my joy; Greensleeves was my delight. Greensleeves was my heart of of gold, and who but my Gentleman Greensleeves?” The sound of my fiddle echoed off the wooden walls of the inn. The crowd stopped and all eyes were focused on me. Yes me, the women with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes that stood in the center, dressed in a simple, homespun woolen dress. In the back Marian and Katie stood silent. There eyes filled with wonder and maybe tears.

“Your vows you've broken like my heart! Oh why did you enrapture me? Now I now I remain in a world apart, but my heart remains in captivity. Greensleeves was all my joy; Greensleeves was my delight. Greensleeves my heart of gold, and whom but my Gentleman Greensleeves?” Small tears fell from my eyes at this point as I just let my fiddle play. I then took a deep breath, it was time to finish the song. 

“Greensleeves was all my joy; Greensleeves was my delight. Greensleeves was my heart of gold, and who but my Gentleman Greensleeves.” I paused and allowed my playing to slowly die down. I then lowered my fiddle and tried to clear away some of the tears from my eyes. And then the whole inn stood up and started to applaud.  I was about to play another song when Katie came out and wrapped her arms around me.

“Let's give our Jenny a moment please!” She said as she guided me off the stage. Her arm still wrapped around my trembling shoulder she ushered me up to the counter of the bar. “Okay little sister.” She said sighing as she placed a tanker of beer in front of me. “Something tells me that song was quite dear to you. If those tears are anything to judge by.” She said in a kind, understanding tone of voice. “Either that or you're one hell of an actress.” She added.

“Oh.” I said blushing as I reached down and picked up the tanker of beer and took a sip. It had been one month today since I'd awoken in the Forest of Mist. In that one month I'd grown used to this strange new world. Including how most people included children drank beer, well small beer for children. It seems beside a few mountain streams the water was not really fit to drink and the brewing process of beer killed most if not all water borne germs and bacteria. 

“Just thinking about the past, that's all.” I said, taking another sip of my beer. “And sometimes I get overly emotional when it comes to the past.” I added taking a deep breath. “Does Joe have anything in the kitchen that is ready?” I asked as I took another sip. 

“I'll go check for you, little sister. Might just be some mutton stew and barley bread.” She said. “Just take a deep breath and collect yourself. And I'll be right back.” And with that Katie vanished into the kitchen. Marian then appeared and eased into the seat right next to me. “Quite the performance you gave out there. I think there might be a good four Crowns in that little chest we've set up for you. But I need to know, were those real tears or were they part of the show?”

I finished off my beer and sighed. “I don't know, Its just that things have been getting very emotional for me. Like the smallest things seem to set me off. One minute I'm the happiest girl in the world, the next I'm mad at the world, then a moment latter I'm crying because a twig broke off a tree or I crushed a bug  or I saw a stray kitten meow.” I added.
Marian heaved a heavy sigh and shook her head.

“Girl, your mum should be strung up and flayed alive for what she did. She turned out into this world without giving you a bit of advice on being a woman.” She shook her head. “Instead of running around, swinging that sword of yours and going on adventures, and keeping your nose stuck in those dusty scrolls and leather bound books. And yet the bare facts of life escape you.” Marian said with a heavy sigh again.

I was tempted to say something that no doubt would earn me another trip across Marian's knee. Even though I had taken to this new life of mine like a duck takes to water, I still tried to treasure the few remaining memories from my old life. If you've been following along with my adventure thus far, you know that I used to be a guy, who was one day killed by a strange glowing truck while I crossed the road in front of my dorm room. Instead of waking up in hell as most of Christianity demands because of certain things that were knocking around my head at the time. And the fact that I'd not attended Mass in seven months, nor confessed my sins, and I know for a fact that I had not received the last rites of the church. 

No, instead of waking up surrounded by a legion of red skinned devils with shiny black horns and coal black eyes poking me with pitchforks, I woke up here, in a world that was like mine, but different. Well for starters instead of waking up as a guy I woke up as a girl, that in itself was crazy enough, second, this world seemed like a world I dreamed up for the Dungeons and Dragons campaign I’d been planning to run that summer once I’d finished my first year of college.. Funny none of this ever dawned on me till I sat down one night and started to review my diary.

Even Marian the keeper of the inn shared similar traits with one of NPC (none playable characters) from the world I was brewing up. The character in question was also a woman, who also like Marian ran an inn and who also had something of a temper on her. 

“JENNY!” Marian yelled at the top of her lungs. 

I blinked and snapped back to the conversation at hand.

“Do I need to box your ears girl?” Marian said with a sigh. “I don't mean to be so hard on you, but the things you do at times. I mean I just lost you there for a moment. I can tell when your mind starts to float around in the clouds. You get this empty expression on your face and you can almost see the leaves blowing around you. Girl, one day you're going to drift away and not come back, cause some brute of a man is going to pull a shack over your head and carry you away.” 

“Sorry.” I said smiling a little as I rubbed the back of my head with my left hand. “I got caught up in my own little world again.” If my life was an anime, there would be a large sweat drop forming beside my head at this very moment. 

“I swear,” Marian scolded. “One day that is going to be the end of you girl. If you're going to make adventuring a career you need to keep your wits about you at all times. Just because you slew that goblin in the mountain does not mean you're a hard core adventurer yet.” Marian scolded again as she placed her hands on her hips.

I blinked and took another sip of my small beer. The taste kind of reminded of root beer, a popular brand of soft drink back in my old world

“Aye.” Marian said softly. “Finish your drink then, and get something to eat. But first we need to get back on topic, I think we strayed a little too far. Anyway, Jeanette, each month a woman goes through a cycle. She becomes moody, small things set her off and she gets snappy,” Marian sighed again. “Really, given your age you should know this.”

I felt my cheeks starting to flush again.

“Anyway, I think you're just going through your cycle. Given your age though, you should have gone through your first cycle five or so years ago. But I guess you're just a late, late bloomer. Nothing to be ashamed of, just means you can have children down the road if you want too.” Marian said, sighing as she slapped her hand on the wooden counter of the bar. 

I just nodded my head again to show my understanding. It felt like the right thing to do at the time. 

“Okay girl. Do you intend on making adventuring your career? Because if so, then you must know that it's only seasonal. It's a week past the summer equinox, meaning the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. Soon the howling winds from the Mountains of Mist will start blowing and then will come snow, the passes in the mountains will become impassable. Its a seasonal career.” Marian said with a heavy sigh. “I've seen many young adventures in my time, some never make it past their first winter.” 

“I have some money stored.” I said. “And if somebody would let me take on work again, I'm sure I can store up more than enough money to make it through the winter. Plus if I remember correctly, I paid you rent for a year.” I added.

Marian nodded her head.

“And your singing brings in the boys.” Marian said. “I see, I was a little harsh when I grounded you. Alright, tell you what, I'll put the world out tomorrow morning to all the guards that I've lifted your grounding. So you can once more roam the countryside, slaying orcs, searching the fields and hidden glens, looking for fable treasures and what not.” She added. “And to make amends I'll start looking for a few, small safe jobs for you. I've come to think of you as a second daughter. So forgive me if I hover a little.

I nodded my head again. 

That is when Katie appeared on the scene.

“Jenny girl, we really need you to come on stage. I can't carry a tune in a bucket, so please girl, if you are able, please I beg you come back on stage.” Katie seemed on the verge of tears. “Please, the crowd is growling recklessly.”

At that moment I knew what I had to do, I finished off my small beer, rose up and smiled toward Katie and then I smiled toward Marian.

“Be there in a second.” I told Katie with a smile as I reached over and picked up my fiddle again. “And thank you again Marian for the talk, I really needed that.” And with that I started to stroll toward the stage. A moment later I was climbing the wooden steps. And soon I was standing before the crowd. I coughed to clear my throat. The moment I coughed all the muttering stopped and everybody turned their heads toward me.

“I want to thank you all for letting me play tonight.” I said, smiling sweetly. “I hope you've enjoyed the one song I managed to creep out.” I said blushing. My hands were sweating as I reached down to pick up the fiddle again. “I'm not feeling too well, so this next song I play will be my last for the night. I hope you come back though and hear me play again when I'm feeling better.”

The crowd nodded their heads. And for a moment a sudden stillness came over the room. I drew in a deep breath and then I started to play, if I was going to only play two songs, they had to good songs, long songs at that.

“In cold and raw the north wind do blow, bleak in the morning early, when all the hills were covered in snow, oh then it was winter fairly. So I was riding over the moor I met with, a farmers daughter, her cherry cheeks and slow back eyes they caus'd my tooth to water.” I said as I started to play the fiddle hard.  The sound of my bow stringing the strings echoed and bounced off the wooden walls of the tavern. The gathered patrons started to laugh and slap the table as sung. 

“I bow'd my bonnet very low to let know my meaning. She answered me with a courteous smile, her looks they were engaging, where are you going, pretty fair maid, it's now in the morning early, the answer that she made to me, 'Kind sir to sell my barely'.” I said as I winked out at the crowd causing them to roar with laughter. Their laughter made me smile and caused me to play harder and to even wiggle around like a worm caught on a fisherman's hook. 

“Now twenty guineas I have in my purse, and twenty more that's early, you need not go to the market town, for I'll buy all your barely. If twenty guineas would gain the heart. For the maid that I love so dearly, all to tarry with me one night, and go home in the morning early.” I sang, keeping in tune with the melody.

The crowd once more hooted and yelled and many raised their wooden mugs in the air, causing the dark brown ale within to spill over the side and drench their tightly woven fingers. It was funny to see how men could all sense themselves when a flirty song was played and a girl hiked up her skirt to show a little skin.

“If I was to tarry with you one night, and get a young babe together. When nine months would be pass'd and gone, where I look for its father, beside it would bring shame and disgrace and then you say nay, sir but if you want to embrace, first marry and then you may, sir. Indeed I am a married man, these last nine months and longer, whenever I meet a pretty fair maid, I'll tie the knot the stronger, now if you have been a married man, and joined in weclock fairly, you mall your now straightway for another will buy my barely.”

I smiled at that part and winked toward some of the more handsome men that gathered around the old wooden tables. My winking caused them to go insane and a shower of golden coins rained down on the floor beside me, there were some silver coins there too, and copper a plenty. At that moment I knew if push came to shove I could always use my fiddle to keep me in food, drink shelter and clothing. Heck maybe I should just give up this whole adventurer nonsense and become a traveling minstrel. Or I could find a handsome fellow here in Sea Breeze, marry him and raise a crop of healthy children.

“As I was riding over the moor, Sir a couple of hours after, it was my fortune for to meet, with the farmer's only daughter although the weather being cold and raw, with her I thought to parley, the answer that she made to me, kind sir, I sold my barely.” And with the last few verses of my song being played, I smiled, bowed my head and stepped off the stage. 

“I'm turning in for the night mum.” I called Marian and stooped down and returned my fiddle to its case. It was hard to believe that I once considered selling this thing. Anyway that was in the past now, once my fiddle was stored away, I collected the case and the small box of coins.

“Night sweetie.” Marian called out. As she pulled a few pints. “Don't let the bed bugs bite.” She added.

“Night little sister.” Katie called as she placed a few plates of cold roasted chicken in front of two very drunk guardsmen. 

And that is how another chapter comes to an end.

-16-
The Missing Child

Hello again my imaginary audience, who have  the pleasure of joining me again on another round of shenanigans as I once more try to prove myself as an adventurer! I'm glad you guys managed to show up. So what is going on? Well right now I'm in the Woods of Mist. A thick overgrown forest that is filled with wild monsters, wild animals, and last but not least biting flies. It's a few minutes past the noon hour and the humidity in this forest is making my pores sweat like heck. The air is thick, like breathing in soup, I can feel things crawling on me. My pristine ponytail is now a bird's nest of dropping hair, with all manner of sticks and vines sticking out of it. I'm panting like an old hound dog, and last but not least I'm pretty sure I've developed a rash between my legs from all this sweat.

In other words, I'm going through pure hell. This is nothing compared to the caves, the caves were tame when compared to this shit. Yes, I know I should have my mouth washed out with soap for swearing. And if Marian was here, she would no doubt do just that, but she did not. So for now I beg your pardon. Anyway let me catch you guys up. You see this morning one of the children of the village, the mayor's only son went missing. According to his distraught mother, he and his uncle went camping in the Woods of Mist a few days ago.

His uncle turned up drunk as a skunk yesterday afternoon, the boy was not with him. According to his drunk uncle, the boy had been asked to collect some firewood for their cooking fire. It seems his uncle then decided to hit the white mule because he lost all sense of himself. The boy never came back from collecting firewood. And the uncle, being the upstanding man he is, decided to get drunk, before going searching for him, only to give up after an hour and stumble his way back into town. Do you know how to bring in reinforcements? And to report that the mayor's son was missing in action.

Now normally the town's soldiers would be called out to deal with this matter. But the Captain of the Guard, a tall, lean man with steel gray eyes and short cropped salt and pepper hair, told the mayor that he could not spare any extra soldiers to go out and search for his missing son. That every one of his men were needed to defend the town in case the bandits in the Sand Hills decided to attack.

And so the may had no choice but to call upon the town's militia. Now the town's militia is a very comical sight to behold. It's mainly made up of apprentice smiths, students, the town's drunks, and farm boys who desire the glory of war and battle without really signing up for the main defense force. The pay, two crowns a week also lures men in. I'm ashamed to say that I sighed up when I first came here. Because of this, I needed the money.

Anyway the town militia gathered in the old barrack yard, outfitted themselves the best they could, promised to return the mayor's son or die in the effort and then marched away as proud as peacocks. They made it to the edge of the Forest of Mist and paused to collect themselves, then a lone wolf howled for its mate and the force scattered to the four winds. They abandoned their shields, their swords, their spears, bows and quivers too in their mad dash to safety.

Being a woman, I'd not been allowed to join in this search, despite having proved myself by slaying the goblin king. So instead I'd been at the inn, serving mugs of brown ale and plates of roast chicken when the routed militia came stumbling into the inn, quivering like a bunch of lost boys. They then started to drown their sorrows and tried to restore their pride by guzzling gallons of Sea Breeze's famous brown ale.

That is where I come in, you see after the militia had melted away like snow in spring. The mayor, pestered by his wife, posted a large reward for anybody who could find his missing son and return him either alive or bring back at least his body. It was assumed at this point the lad was dead. The reward was around six hundred golden crowns. Now Adventuring is not cheap, no matter what you read in those cheap, paperback books. Healing potions cost money and I mean a ton of money, and so does food, and you're always in want of arrows and other odds and  ends. And well fishing, forging, and working as a barmaid brings only so much money. And with Autumn starting to close in, trying to save up as much money as I can. And six hundred crowns is nothing to sneeze at.

I mean I earned roughly around twelve hundred crowns for my last adventure And half of that I spent trying to replenish my stock. Anyway the heart of the matter is this, six hundred golden crows for the safe return of some teenage brat who has gone missing. Six hundred crowns to put into the bank or put toward funding another big adventure that will net me more money and treasure. It was like taking candy from a baby. It was a simple quest, kind of reminded me of one of those fetch quests from those JRPG's I used to play back in my old life. I mean how card could it be to find some rich, snot nose brat that got himself lost in the woods? A verbal walk in the park right? Or so I thought, so with that in mind, I got my gear together.

You know, my leather armor, broadsword, sling shot with a leather pouch that was filled with small, round iron ingots that I used as ammunition. Plus a few loaves of bread, dried beef, some cheese, a few extra canteens of water, plus some healing potions, and last but not least some antidotes. My gear gathered, I started toward the Woods of Mist. That was at six o' clock this morning. A full seven hours ago. Now I'm here deep in the Woods of Mist, swatting mosquito's and black flies that are swooping and dive bombing my neck and arms.

Now let me tell you guys a little something about the Woods of Mist. The Woods of mist are a seething, lush, green hell. The trees here have grown so close together they block the wind, the air inside the forest is thick and dusty and filled with pollen. Huge clouds of mosquitoes, black flies, and gnats fill every nook and cranny. The ground is covered with broken tree limbs and twigs and fallen leaves. Mold grows thick on fallen branches. And thick vines, the size of a man's arms hang down. And the only sources of water I've seen so far are stagnant pools of black and green slime that smell to high heavens.

And speaking of water, I was quickly running out. I mean I've been hitting my canteen pretty hard since I entered this forest. And with the afternoon sunshine streaming down through the broken branches of trees, bathing spots of the forest floor in strong sunlight it seemed soon I'll either succumb to dehydration or heat exhaustion. For a moment I started to wonder why anyone would want to camp here.

Anyway I took a deep breath, and swallowed some water. And tried my best to gather my wits about me and so feeling slightly refreshed I started to push on through the brush. It was hard going, I had to chop through a lot of thick vines. I soon found myself dealing with another minor, yet more painful annoyance to deal with beside the biting flies that seemed attracted to my flesh and blood. Thorn bushes with thick thorns soon started to cut at any exposed skin. It was hard to tell how far I'd traveled, being on foot and all, but the bright sunshine shone overhead and caused a steady stream of sweat to trickle down my face. As I paused to wipe the sweat from my forehead I started to wonder for the millionth time that day were in the world could that boy be.

I mean, if you look at any of the maps of this region, that is if you can find them, because to be honest there more scarce than hen's teeth, you will see a massive forest, a massive forest that was suppose to house the crumbling remains of a might castle somewhere in the center. The castle was suppose to have been a stronghold for Lord Ross and his one hundred and eight knights of the realm. But the castle had been abandoned following The Battle of Sunflower Field in the War of The Pretend King. Or so the history scrolls told me. Anyway, I had a theory that the boy had gotten the harebrained idea to rush off and leave his uncle and try to find the ruined remains of the castle. And according to the rumors I've heard from trappers, hunters, woodsmen and hermits that make their living in these woods, and sometimes even their homes, the cast was suppose to the breeding ground for huge spiders, as big as a barrel of ale, who spun webs as big as cottages, web that were strong enough to entrap and horse or a man. I often wonder  about those rumors and tall-tales. Most of them I jotted down as the raving of drunken men or men who've been out here in the woods too long by themselves. Really they should get laid more often.

Not that I minded being out here in the woods, but the Forest of Mist were not the kind of woods one could trust themselves too. There were no well worn trails one could walk down and admire the beauty of nature from. No babbling brooks of clean water, no these woods were the kind of woods one could get lost in. The ground was soft and muddy and my tall leather boots struggled to find purchase as I struggled through the almost maze like undergrowth. I had to battle for every inch of ground I gained, by that I mean I had to hack through thick vines and stumble over fallen tree branches. I was just about to give up and assume that the boy was dead when I heard something, just over a small rising I heard a scream. The scream was followed by a long, drawn out howl.

I tightened the grip I had on the hilt of my sword and started to push myself up the rise. After a few long seconds I reached down the top and there below me I noticed something that sent chills up my arm. In front of me was a clearing. Okay it was more like a meadow. It was this wide open space, one that was filled with tall whistle grass and dandelions and other such wildflowers, it would make a pretty picture if not for the fact that in the middle was a half starved boy who was wearing a tattered leather jacket, a tattered pair of brown woolen trousers, and he was wearing only one leather boot. The other one I'm going to assume had been lost or abandoned, his one bare foot was covered in thick blue mud and his face was scratched to hell and back.

And right now he was hunched down and cowering in fear while a huge brown wolf looking creature hovered above him. The Wolf creature stood on its hind legs and had its muzzle pointed into the air, its coal black eyes seemed to almost shimmer in the later afternoon sunshine. Its claws were raised to strike and the boy seemed to have just accepted his fate and was waiting with trembling knees for the creature to finish him off.

“Fuck!” I said taking a deep breath as I drew my sword. “I gotta save that kid!” I muttered as I pushed my sword into the soft ground. I could have charge headlong into battle, and that would have the most heroic thing to do. But I decided that since I held the high ground at this very moment that attacking with a rang weapon first would the most prudent of actions. I was sure I could get off at least three or maybe even for good aimed shots before the creature closed the distance between me and it. Then it would blade on claw.

So drawing in a deep breath I reached down and fished out my trusty slingshot, I then unbutton the leather pouch that held iron ingots. Quickly I withdrew the first one that touched my hand and thankfully it was one of the biggest ones in my collection. I quickly placed the iron ingot into the sling and started to draw back.
Once I had drawn the sling as far as I could I took careful aim, released my breath and eased my grip. A second later the iron ball was speeding toward the creature. The battle was on it seemed. There would be no turning back now.

-17-
The Rougarou

About two seconds after I released the rough iron ingot, the ball made contact with the head of the beast. It turned around and locked eyes with me, I could see a stream of blood running down its head where the rougher edges of the iron ingot had cut into its rough, leather like flesh. The beast then threw its head back and released a blood curdling how and a moment later it was down on all fours, charging directly at me!

Instead of giving into a panic like I'm sure most people would in my shoes, I stood my ground and took a deep breath as I reached down into my leather pouch and fumbled out another ingot, I took a deep breath and once more pulled the string back and let the small iron fall fly once more. A moment later I saw the beast stumble backwards as the iron ball smacked right in the middle of its eyes.

At this point in the fight I decided that it was time to finish off the beast. I quickly returned my slingshot to my pocket and reached down and pulled out my sword. The wolf creature at this point had recovered from its latest wound and was once more charging toward me. I braced myself and started to charge toward the creature a moment later when we had entered into a fearsome melee.

The clash was short and fearsome, and by that I mean it last less than four four minutes, the wolf creature once it reach me, raised itself on its hind legs and raised its massive paws, and was about to strike me, but before it could I pushed the tip of my sword through its rib cage, I then drove my blade to the hilt and then pulled it out again, a sudden red flood of blood came gushing out of the wound and the creature stumbled back. I took this chance to bring the edge of the sword across its neck and a jagged cut appeared, steaming hot blood poured out of the creature's neck and matted its fur.

A few seconds later it fell down in front of me, and without thinking, I raised my sword and hacked off its head. It was luck, I had taken the poor creature by surprise. And my first strike had been from afar. As I watched its blood seep into the ground. I knew just how foolish I had been and how careless I had been. I had been stumbling through the woods like a lost girl scout. Had not this fearsome creature been focused on making a meal out of the boy cowards not more than a dozen or so yards from me, it could have easily ambushed me from behind and it would have been my lifeless body laying there on the ground. With my own blood watering the ground.

I have so much to learn.” I said with a sigh as I peered down at the slain. Then it dawned on me, there might be others around. And as the seconds started to tick on by, then I noticed how humanoid the shape became. It chilled me to the bone, the facial features were a mix of wolfish features and human. His chest seemed almost too human. I sighed as I reached down and pulled from my traveling kid a rag. I used the rag to clean the blood from my blade. Once my blade was clean I tossed the rag down on the ground and then I returned my blade to its scabbard.

“Hey kid.” I called out. “You okay?”

I called out as I started walking toward him. A few moments later I reached him, and what I beheld softened my heart. Resting at my feet was a shivering teenage boy. Who looked like he had been through hell? The noises he made told me he was alive. I bite down upon my lip.

“Hey kid.” I said kneeling down. “Hang in there.” I said as I eased my knapsack down upon the ground. “Just keep fighting,” I said, sighing as I started to fish out the various healing potions, ointments and a roll of bandages I kept on hand. I paused, could I really do this? I mean I had worked on myself before, but I had never worked on anybody else before. I should have my head, no, I had to act, and each minute I wasted debating with myself was another minute that old enemy of humanity called death stalked ever closer to the wounded lad who lay shivering at my feet.

“Hang in there kid.” I said kneeling down as I started to remove his tattered coat from him. “We'll get you fixed right up.” And with that I started to work.

-19-
First Aid

It's a strange feeling to hold a life in the palm of your hands. First things first though, I gently cradled his head in the crook of my arms and uncorked one of the healing potions I'd brought with me. I held the lip of the bottle up to his trembling lips. His eyes opened and he looked into mine, almost like he was pleading with me not to let him die.

“Drink” I command softly. “It's a healing potion.” I said and with that I brought up the bottle to his lips and gently he slowly started to drink. “A little at times, this stuff is strong.” I said. And he swallow by swallow he drained the potion. A moment after the last drop had been drained from the bottle, I noticed the color was starting to return to his face and warmth to his body. “Good lad.” I praised.

Without thinking I placed my bedroll under his head to support it. I then started to remove his cloak. A spider the size of a crown left the coat. My eyes went as big as saucer plates as I noticed what appeared to be a red hourglass on its back. I watched the spider skirt across the clearing and into the safety of darkness of a hollow out stump. Quickly I reached down into my bag and quickly I pulled out two bottles.

“Boy,” I said. At this point his face was starting to turn red and his breathing was increasing. A sign that the healing magic of the potion was starting to take effect. “You would have been dead in a matter of hours no matter what happened.” I said as I got another bottle of my pack. I was thankful I'd had the foresight to bring with me a few bottles of antidotes with me. I unscrewed the bottle and gently held it to the boy's lips.

“Drink this, drink it all, and in one go too. It's going to taste horrible. But trust me, if you want to live. You'll do as I say.” The boy's eyes fluttered open and slowly he opened his mouth. Once again I held the lip of the bottle up to his trembling lips and this time the boy swallowed everything in one go.

A moment later the boy started to cough and small beads of sweat started to appear on his arms and his forehead. The sound of his coughing echoed across the meadow. It was a horrible sound. But soon it passed and the boy fell back down onto the forest floor, his breathing was harder and deeper than before.

“Good. The potions magic is starting to fight the poison from that spiders bite.” I said softly, “Ride the wave, it's going to be one hell of a wave. But all you can do is ride it out.” I said as I started looking over the rest of the boy's body. Thankfully the only thing I saw was a number of minor cuts and scratches, nothing really deep.

“Okay,” I said, sighing again, I kept sighing because this was totally out of my league. The sweating had stopped for now, alone with the coughing and finally the boy's breathing was starting to return to normal. “Looks like you're going to live.” I said fishing out another bottle. This bottle held a bottle of purple liquid. This potion was a wound cleaning potion. Taking a deep breath I poured the potion all over his face, his arms and pretty much anywhere he had cuts, even though those might have minor cuts.

Once the wounds had been cleaned I started to bandage them. I wrapped the cloth bandages tightly around his leg and his arms. And once that was done I decided I'd done all I could do. “Right young man.” I said walking toward him. “I'm going to need you to walk for me, we are in the middle of the forest. And while I'd somehow manage to kill one of them wolf creatures. I'm sure there must be at least a baker's dozen or more lurking around here in the shadows. I'm afraid we can't afford to linger.” I said, sighing as I walked over to the boy. I held out my hand.

The boy took a deep breath and held out his hand. I smiled and reached down and took his hand into mine and slowly I hauled him up to his feet. “Good lad.” I praised as I looked at him over. “Think you can walk?” I asked.

“Yes ma'am.” He answered, swallowing hard.

“Can you use a blade?” I asked as I reached down to my side and unhooked the short sword I carried as a back-up weapon.

“Yes ma'am. Sergeant Sharp, Richard Sharp has been giving me lessons. He's the town's drill master ma'am.” He said as he stumbled as he tried to gain his balance. “He said he can't turn a wimp like me into a blade master but he could teach me enough to keep from cutting myself.”

“Good.” I said, “Here take my sword then, but only draw it as a last result.” I said, sighing. I knew what awaited us. An eight hour force march through the woods and then through the night. Hopefully by sunrise we'll reach Sea Breeze. We had many hard miles to cover till we reached the safety of town. But those were miles we had to make, I would have loved to make camp, and allowed the boy a chance to fully recover and to give myself a chance to rest too. But right now that seemed almost impossible and better yet it sounded like a death wish. The woods that surrounded us could be lurking with enemies.

The boy nodded his head and seemed to understand. Good, taking a deep breath I reached down and pulled out a small bottle. The bottle held a bright red liquid. It was a potion, a potion that would help recover some of my lost stamina. I uncorked the stopper and took a swallow. I then took another swallow and it was half gone. Then I handed the rest to the trembling boy behind me.

“Drink.” I commanded.

He finished it off in one go.

“That potion you just took will restore some of your lost stamina.” I said in a flat tone of voice, “You'll need it for the walk ahead. Alright my novice adventure, get your gear together and start moving those legs.” And with that we started to make our way out of the forest. It was well into the afternoon judging by the position of the sun. And I'm afraid we face a long road ahead of us.

To be continued.

-20-
Oliver Blackthorn

We left the forest around noon and soon we were walking down a lonely dirt road. With a little luck we managed to find a stream that provided us with a chance to stop and refill our canteens, at this point I'd run totally out of water. As I'd been handing the boy the last remaining full canteen that was filled with water. And the boy was not doing good. I mean I'm going to say this, he was not giving up. But he was limping and his forehead was beaming with sweat. His breathing troubled me, it was hard and every few minutes he would fall into a frighting coughing fit that seemed to last for several long minutes.

But the boy soldiered on. He had somehow managed to pick up a solid piece of oak, and he was using that piece of oak as a makeshift crutch. My heart ached as I watched him struggle behind me, of course I kept giving him small sips of the last remaining healing potion I had on me, the magic of the potion seemed to restore his health a little, but just a little. As night started to fall, I decided the best course of action would be to spend the night here on the open road. I guessed we'd logged at best two leagues, so maybe six miles at best. With another dismal six more to go before we reached the safety of home and I could claim the six hundred crown reward.

“Hey kid.” I paused to look over my shoulder. “You're going to make it right?” I said, sighing a little as I heard his coughing filling the hot, humid air, his coughing soon gave way to hacking, it was like he was trying to hack up half his lungs. It was a horrible sound. For a moment I wondered if I should have maybe brought some cough syrup with me or something. I made a small mental note to add cough syrup to my first aid kid. Anyway I turned around and saw a sight that broke my heart into two pieces, the kid was standing there, leaning heavily upon his makeshift walking stick. His eyes were sunken in and his hair seemed to hang around him, his chest rose and in a steady motion.

“I think so.” He answered as he looked up, “Let's keep going.” He said as he moved the stick forward. He then took a few steps forward. This process repeated itself and slowly he started to close the gap that had opened up between me and him.

“No kid.” I said, shaking my head. “I think we are going to rest here tonight.” I said, sighing again. “And please sit down before you fall and hurt yourself.” I said in a commanding tone of voice. A moment later I scolded myself because I saw hurt in his eyes. Collecting myself I walked up and placed my hand upon his weary shoulders. “Kid, I can't keep calling you kid, so what is your name kid?” I asked.

“Oliver Blackthorn ma'am.” He said easing his bottom down a nearby moss covered rock.

“Okay” I said, nodding my head. “My name is Jeanette Katherine Hod.” I said offering him my hand. “But you can call me Jenny, so how old are you Oliver?” I asked.

“Fourteen ma'am, but I'll be fifteen next month. If I live, that is.” He said as he reached out and my hand into his hand. A moment later I could feel him giving it a tight squeeze.

I nodded my head. I then sat down on another rock that was close by. Once I was seated I pulled my sack around. Soon I fished out another bottle of antidote. I handed the bottle to the boy who frowned as he reached out and took the bottle into his hands. A moment later he had swallowed the whole bottle. A few moments later, he started to cough again, then he started to hack and his eyes seemed to roll back into his head. It passed and I just blinked.

See here the thing about using the cheap antidotes they sell down at the local medicine shop, it takes a few dosages to fully remove some really powerful poisons from the body. And the body really can't take a lot of them at once, so you have to spread them out over a period of several hours. But it seemed the potions magic was still fighting the poison, as long as the boy kept sweating buckets like he was, the potion was still waging war with the poison flowing through his body. The moment he stopped sweating buckets meant one of two things had happened, the first one the battle had been won and the poison had been worked out of the body. Or the battle had been lost and the boy would have died within an hour. It was a waiting game now.

“Okay.” I said watching him chug down the antidote. “So, I have a few more questions to ask you. First let's start with the easy question. Why did you run off?” I asked as I peered into his eyes. “There must have been a reason for you to leave your uncle alone in the forest. And you know you caused quite an uproar back in town.” I said as I handed him a fresh canteen that was filled with cold drinking water.

Oliver took the canteen from my hand greedily drank the water, a trickle ran down the side of his mouth. I was glad to see him drinking something. Once he was finished drinking he lowered the canteen and looked dead in the eyes.

“To escape my uncle.” He said with a long drawn out sigh. “My Uncle said he wanted to make a man out of me, and so this whole camping trip was his dump idea to touch me up. My uncle thinks I spend too much time reading and writing plays.” He said looking down at the ground. “My uncle thinks I'm a weakling and that my dad and mom baby me too much.”

I nodded my head and handed him another healing potion, the one I had somewhat forgotten about. Once more the problem with the cheap potions you buy in town is you need to drink a lot of them to fully recover. The only time I get the really good potions is when a peddler is from Lake Caste, a considerably larger city comes to town when the town's bazaar opens and that happens about once every two weeks. Lake Castle is around twenty leagues by road from Sea Breeze or a day by ship.

“I see.” I said leaning over, I was still holding the potion out to him.

“I just got tired of my uncle insulting me.” Oliver said. “He started drinking the moment we put the town behind us. And as soon as he reached the forest he was two sheets to the wind. So I stood up to him, and he slapped me right across the face for being disrespectful and back talking to him.” He said with another long, drawn out sigh. “And instead of being a man and fighting back, I started crying and ran off into the woods.” He paused then and at long last and finally he reached out and took the potion. He swallowed the potion and once more he shuttered as the magic started to heal his bruised, broken and battered body.

“Is that how you got that nasty cut across your face? I asked as I watched him wallow the whole potion in just one go. I was starting to get a cleaner picture. I also made a mental note to go talk to his uncle when I got a chance. At this point I was starting to have second thoughts about accepting the six hundred crowns. Maybe I should split the prize money and take on Oliver as my apprentice. I pushed that thought of my head though, it was a silly thought. I'll still collect the reward, but instead of taking it from the mayor and his sweet as sugar wife, I'll take it from his deadbeat uncle.

“Yes, when he slapped me with this big golden ring he always wears, h e cut my cheek.” He said, sighing. “I guess I'm really weak.” He said, hanging his head down.

“No, your uncle was just being a bastard.” I said without thinking. “If I was in your shoes, I would have left him too.” I said, peering toward the sun. The sun was starting to set behind the snow capped mountains of the Peppercorns that seemed miles away. And the wind was starting to rise. Reading the position of the Sun I decided at best I might have at least two or maybe three hours worth of daylight left. Enough time to maybe put another mile or two behind us. Or enough time to settle in for the night.

“Hey Oliver.” I said smiling a little, “I'm going to be honest with you. I'm beat, and you look like you have one foot in the grave.” I added.

Oliver nodded his head.

“So. Here is the plan. We are going to camp here for the night. A good night's rest will go a long way in helping you get better. I have more than enough field rations for us both to make a meal of. So, here is what I want you to do, I want you to start gathering up some kindling. You know small branches, twigs and stuff.”

Oliver nodded his head again and started to rise from his rock.

“Stick to the tree line.” I shouted as I watched Oliver starting to limp toward the trees. Was it wise to let a wounded boy limp alone and collect fallen sticks and branches for a campfire? Maybe not. But at that moment I felt my back was pushed up against a wall. And the events of the day were starting to weigh hard upon my shoulders.

-21-
Roadside Camp

Our campsite for the night I'd decided would be clearing a few yards from the road. Thankfully a small stream of fresh, clean, flowing water ran beside the road. No doubt it was one of those unnamed streams that flowed from some hidden spring deep within the Forest of Mist and in time joined up with the swift, deep Mystic River which in turn dumped itself into Storm Bay.

The stream was also full of fish, and I was thankful I had the foresight to bring with me some twine, hooks and a little bit of bait. In Short order I had fashioned a makeshift fishing pole from a branch and while Oliver busied himself collecting kindling I decided to do a little fishing. The first must have been spawning because as soon as my hook hit the water, I was hauling a monster out. I quickly tossed the fish out on the grassy bank and sunk my hook into the water again.

And so the cycle repeated itself. Fifteen minute later, I noticed Oliver had finished collecting some kindling and was taking a break. He was hitting the wooden canteen I lent him pretty hard. Again I was thankful to see him drinking that much water.

“Hey Oliver!” I shouted. “When you finished with your break, set some rocks, like some pretty good size rocks, ones that are about the size of your. Gather them up and form a circle around them. Once you've done that, put all the gathered twigs and branches inside the circle and then I want you to get some dried leaves and some moss. If you can't find those, get some really dry grass.”

Oliver looked at me for a moment, the color was starting to return to his face, and his eyes were starting to give a little life to them. He was starting to look more human now. Now instead of having one foot in the grave, he might have only a few toes in the grave.
“Yes ma'am!” Oliver shouted as he limped toward the forest again.

“I'm going to make an adventure out of you yet kid!” I shouted with a big smile. And with that I hauled in another fish, and then another. Thirty minutes later I had about four big fish to clean and cook and Oliver had a fire that was about to go to coals. The boy looked like a drowned rat once more and was sitting down, drinking water. Okay he was chugging away at his canteen. Which was a good sign.

“Wow.” I said as I noticed the fire. “Who taught you how to do that?” I asked as I pointed toward the fire.

“May dad was a member of the woodcutters guild before he was appointed by the guild to suit on the guild council and from there the board of selectmen and from there he was elected mayor.” Oliver said blushing. “I'm lucky he took the time he did to teach me what little woodcraft he remembered.” He added. “It came in handy.”

“So, you know woodcraft, you've been taking lessons from a old retired knight who's living out his golden years giving out lessons in swordsmanship to aspiring knights and hammering farm boys into soldiers,and with that money alone with his pension from a far away king, is living a pretty good life.” I said stating to muse a little. “Anything else?”

“I've been attending lessons on and off four around four years by various masters. I have two more years of lessons ahead of me before I can prepare for the annual Civil Exam in Lake Castle. If I pass that I be appointed master of any of the surrounding villages.” He said “Knowing my luck I'll get Hommlet or some other rural village in the borderlands.”

I blinked and blinked again. I had so many questions to ask, it was clear that the boy had some education about him. I had so many questions to ask him about the surrounding regions and the other often nameless villages for this region. But I decided now was not the time to ask those questions. The boy looked beat and was starting to nod off.

“Hey Oliver.” I said, taking a deep breath. “Why don't you go and refill our canteens while I start on dinner.” I said as I handed him four empty canteens. “Refill yours too, you've been hitting it mighty hard.” I added as I started off to a nearby bush to clean the fish I had caught about half an hour ago.

Oliver nodded his head and started off to collect the water. And I started to clean the fish, when he returned I had the fish roasting over a bed of coals. Oliver at this point was just worn totally out, I could see it in his eyes and slowly he eased his bottom down upon a nearby rock. I decided to let the boy rest for a spell while I went about getting everything ready for the night.

Then it dawned on me. I had only one bedroom. Sighing, I rolled out the bedroll, Oliver was half asleep at this point and the fish was ready, so I placed his two fish on a tin plate, broke off a piece of bread from the loaf I had in my backpack. I then pulled out a small bottle of olive oil, I then drizzled the bread with a little olive oil, and sprinkled some salt and pepper on it. This was a common way to garnish hard as a stone bread here. Once that was done I handed him the plate.

“Here” I said, handing him the tin plate. “Eat, and don't forget to take the last of that potion.” I said as I settled down with my own plate of hot, grilled fish. We ate in silence and after finishing our meal, we decided to both turn in for the night. It was a bit awkward, with two people sharing a bedroll and all but Oliver stayed on his side and I stayed on my side and soon found us both.
-22-
Bandit Ambush

A few hours later I woke up and decided I had to make water. It seemed Oliver too had decided he too had to make water as well for his side of the bedroll was empty. The night though was peaceful and silent, and I was sure we could make it to Sea Breeze by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. I also made a mental note to take some time and talk with the Mayor and Oliver's uncle. I just finished peeing when I heard something, it sounded like a branch, a branch that had been snapped by careless foot.

I looked over my shoulder and saw standing behind me a man, one with glowing red eyes and crooked yellow teeth. In his hands he held a savage looking knife. I did not have time to scream, or to yell so I did the first thing that came to mind. I drew my fist back, and I punched him dead on the nose, and as he fell back, I reached over and started to wrestle the knife from his hands, once the knife was safety in my hands, I drove the knife into his heart.

“Oliver!” I yelled. As I pulled the knife out of his chest. “OLIVER!” I shouted as dozens more men started to come rushing out from the woods.

A moment of panic overtook me. Taking a deep breath I started to rush toward the campsite. I reached it in a matter of seconds. There around the dying embers of our campfire I saw Oliver, sword in hand, clashing with another bandit. My eyes went wide as saucer plates as I watched how skillfully the boy handled the blade I had lent him. It was like watching a dance, a deadly dance. The boy was not as I expected, wildly waving his sword around hoping to hit something, instead he was blocking each and every thrust that was hurled at him. Till at last he saw a chance and then a moment later I saw him skewer the bandit he was fighting.

A moment later I noticed somebody was going up behind. Oliver seemed to notice and quickly pulled his sword out, and once more started to battle. But at that very moment I noticed somebody sneaking up behind Oliver. Knife in hand I knew I had to act and act fast. So muttering a prayer I brought the knife in front me and I charged toward the guy sneaking up behind Oliver. A second later I was driving the blade of the knife into his neck.

“Shit!” I said as the guy fell dead. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” I muttered as I stepped back.

“Shit!” I yelled as I pulled out the knife and blood spurted out, red blood. Oliver seemed to understand what was going on. And in a fit of rage skewered the other thief. Oh good Goddess, I just saw a fourteen skewer another guy with a sword sword and he was drenched in blood. That is going to give me nightmares.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE GODDESS IS GOING ON HERE?!” Oliver yelled as he pulled his blood soaked sword free. He backed up, more guys seemed to start tumbling out of the woods. It seemed no end to them and then to add to our worries a hidden archer, hidden in the thick undergrowth, started shooting arrows at us, the arrows thumped into the ground at our feet.

“We've been ambushed it seems.” I muttered. “And Oliver, I'm going to tell you this now, you're a pretty boy and with that long, brown hair you'll make a cute girl. These kinds of people are the kind of people that want ass and they don't care what that ass is attached to. So unless you want to have your cherry popped by a rough highwayman tonight, you'll keep doing what you're doing.”

“SHIT THAT SICK!” Oliver yelled as he leveled his sword in front of him. At that very moment an arrow flew pass his shoulder and thumped into a nearby tree.

“Its a fact of life Oliver.” I shouted. “And watch your mouth, I have half the mind to wash your mouth out with soap when this is all said and done.” I shouted as I fumbled for my sling shot and pouch. “Can you cover me?” I said finally as I fished it out and drew from the leather drawstring pouch an iron ball.

“Sure!” Oliver said looking around, so far the bandits had formed a semi circle around us. “What is your plan!”

“Kill as many as these fuckers as I can before they take my ass.” I said in an honest tone of voice. “But first were going to kill that fucker with the bow and arrow. Once he's gone, I want you to go ahead and get it. Then I want you to start snipping them. Aim for the neck.” I yelled as I caught sight of the metal tip of the arrow. I took a deep breath, drew back my slingshot and let the iron ball fly, a moment later I heard the sickening sound of metal crushing bone.

“I forgot to ask? You can shoot and bow and arrow right?” I yelled as I reached down and pulled another iron ball from my leather pouch. It seemed like for a moment our attackers were having second thoughts about pressing their attack.

“My dad's taken me hunting before.” Oliver yelled as he started to rush toward the bushes were the archer had laid hidden. “I've brought down a few deer before.” He yelled again as he dove into the thicket.

“Its just like hunting kid!” I yelled as I reached down and pulled out another iron ingot. “Only this time your not hunting for sport or to put dinner on the table. Your hunting to save your ass and to keep from getting raped.” I shouted.

A split second later I dropped another one, at this point the shock of the bandits seemed to give ways and they started to attack, okay some of them started to attack, others dropped their weapons and started to run away. Those that had started to run away dropped dead a second later, an arrow to the back had been their ticket to the next life.

“Nice shooting!” I yelled as I watched two more bandits drop to the ground. “Keep it up!” I yelled as I finally got to my sword. At that moment I felt something sharp hitting me in the shoulder blade, I turned around and I quickly noticed a bandit grinning at me as he drove the tip of his blade into my leather armor. “Nice try, but it takes more than a simple knife thrust to turn the chain mail I'm wearing under my leather blouse.” I said as I spun around and skewered him.

“Jenny!” Oliver yelled as he came rushing out from the bushes, longbow  in in his hand and the quiver that was half full of arrows still attached to his hip. Good the boy was learning to loot I thought, or at least I hoped he was, it was a skill he'll need to develop in time if he had any hope of making this a career. “I'm fine!” I yelled as I turned around. The remaining four bandits just froze in their tracks and soon started to rush away, as they turned away, Oliver raised his bow, he quickly knocked an arrow, drew back the bowstring and loosed it. Another bandit dropped dead in his tracks, he managed to bring down another three before the final one escaped beyond the range of his bow.

“Damn” I said, “That was too close for comfort. You know if luck had been against us they could have had a jolly good time with us before slitting our throats right?”
“What do we do now?” Oliver asked as he took a deep breath and peered around our campsite, our campsite had been transformed into a mine battlefield, it was littered with the ruins of battle, broken blades, pools of red blood, discharged weapons, and of course dead bodies that lay scattered from one end to the other. One of those poor bastards had fallen into the dying remains of our campfire as he tried to flee to safety. The smell of his burning flesh and hair filled the air and made me sick, Oliver just looked on in horror.

“Its not like the stories.” Oliver said choking back tears.

“It never is kid.” I said, wrapping my arms around his shaking shoulder. “It never is, but this will make one hell of a story. You'll be a hero when you get back from Sea Breeze. You've done something most of those fools that form the town's militia have never done. You've prove yourself in combat.”

“What do we do now?” Oliver asked.

“Simple. We loot the dead.” I answered. “Then we pack up our treasure and we start toward home.”

-23-
Looting the Dead

Looting the slain was a common practice for adventures, and so once the battle had been finished, I laid down my sword and started to strip the dead bandits that littered the campsite. Oliver though just sat there and looked on, I think he was coming to terms with the fact that had just killed a living breathing person. I shrugged my shoulders, that was for him to deal with and nobody else.

As I rambled through the pockets of the dead bandits, I found a few heavy purses, one leather purse was filled with golden crowns, I judged it must be at least twenty of them going on how heavy the purse felt. Smiling, I reached down and united the purse from the belt of the dead bandit. Once the purse was in my hands I smiled and peered toward Oliver.

“Hey!” I said tossing the purse toward him. “This is yours.” I said smiling. “You brought this man down, you get the money.” After seeing how well Oliver had handled a blade and a bow and arrow I decided that I would indeed take him on. Plus, in the short time I've known him, I'd come to think of him as a little brother. I'd had a little sister in my last life, and Oliver could very well be that replacement for that sibling I'd lost when that fucking truck slammed into me and sent me here.

'Oliver caught the purse in midair and blinked several times as he opened it.

“There must be at least twenty golden crowns here!” He exclaimed as he started to count the heavy golden coins out in the palm of his hand.

“Come on Oliver!” I called out to him with a small smile, “Stop sitting there like a toad on a log and start searching.” I said as I rolled the body of another dead bandit over. The the trick to looting the dead was not to look them square in the eyes, sometimes the eyes were still open, and trust me when I say this, nothing messes you up more than looking in the eyes of somebody you just killed, whose blood was still splattered on your breastplate or dress.

A quarter of an hour passed in this fashion, by the end of it, I'd found at most a hundred golden crowns. But the real wealth did not come in cold hard cash it came in jewels. Hidden within the bloody folds of the clothes I found an uncut sapphire that was the size of a hen's egg, three golden rings, four silver rings and a string of deep water pearls. The treasure I guessed was well worth twelve hundred golden crowns. It seems I'll not starve this winter as I expected.

“Hey Oliver!” I called out, “Did you find anything good?” I called out.

“I found something.” He said blushing as he placed a collection of golden rings, necklaces down upon the grass in front of me. I also noticed he found a large uncut ruby that was red as fire and an uncut sapphire that was blue as the sky, both were the size of chicken eggs. All in all I decided that his treasure could well be worth two thousand golden crowns. Plus the four hundred crowns he found in coins. It was enough to get him started I figured.

“Pretty good haul for your first battle. I figure we can get around two hundred crowns for their weapons, we'll split that down the middle so that a hundred crowns for you and a hundred crowns for me. The armor is shit.” I added, “So where is going to leave it here on the field.” I smiled. And then out of the corner of my eye I noticed two small glass bottles laying in the dirt.

Putting my treasure to the side. I walked up to the two bottles, bent down and picked them both up and to my amazement I noticed that they were both really good healing potions. The kind that cures everything. The kind that cost at least fifty or maybe a hundred crowns at the high end potion shops. And that was on bargain days.

“Hey Oliver!” I said smiling as I walked over and handed him the two potions. “Here drink.” I commanded. Oliver at this point seemed to be used to drinking anything I handed him, which worried me, but still he only shrugged his shoulders as he downed both of the potions. A moment later, he was dancing around the ruined field.

“See!” I said smiling. “You're not going to die after all! At least not today!” I said smiling and then I started to laugh.

“Come on kid!” I called out. “Let's get our treasure together, we still need to burn the dead. Breakfast I'm afraid will have to wait. We have a lot of open ground to cover between sunrise and sunset. And I don't feel like spending another night out on the open road.

To be continued.

-24-
Blood on the Plaza

According to the sun it was around the middle of the day when Oliver, as tired as he was, followed me into the center of town. I had set a blistering pace after the bandits had ambushed us, and Oliver, though he struggled, had managed to keep up with me. Oliver was covered in blood, not his blood, but blood from the bandits that had tried to ambush us. The boy's long brown hair was matted with sweat and his feet were blistered and bleeding.

“Has anybody seen the Mayor?” I asked as I removed my backpack from my shoulders. “I've found his son!” I called in a loud booming tone of voice. A crowd of afternoon shoppers had for a moment stopped trying to haggle with the various merchants and shifted their full attention to us. 

“He's coming now!” Somebody called out. “We feared the worst when rumors started of another ambush by the bandits of the Sand Hills!” Somebody else cried.

I smiled and walked over to Oliver. Who was sitting down on the hot cobblestones, I reached down and pulled him up. He blinked and turned his eyes to the side and focused in on the fountain that was located in the center of the square. No doubt his mind was focusing on water, and maybe food. I had forced us to skip breakfast and lunch was nothing more than a piece of dried fruit and a quick swallow of water.

“We took them out!” I called out. “There is a fine young knight in the making here!” I shouted. “But please, somebody get the healer! When I found him I saw a Golden Biter coming out of his cloak, I gave him all the potions I had. But I would like the town's healer to take a look at him.” I called out and a mummer went out from the crowd. 

“OLIVER!” A loud voice boomed from the back of the crowd. Then through the crowd there came a man, if I could call him a man for he was as big as a barrel and his neck was the size of a ham and his head was the size of a pumpkin and his legs reminded me of two shanks of mutton. His arms were short and squat and his eyes as tiny as the buttons on my blouse. 

The crowded moved away, I guess they were fearing the man might stomp on them to get to Oliver. Oliver looked up only for a moment, and before I could act, I saw the man raise his huge hands up into the air and instead of embracing him as I'd hope he brought them down upon Oliver's sun blistered cheeks, knocking him down upon the cobblestones.

“You worthless little shit!” He called out. “I should blister your sorry ass!” He bellowed as kicked off into Oliver's side. “Running away like that, all because you were a sorry piece of shit, afraid of your own shadow!” He bellowed. “You cost me and your uncle six hundred golden crowns and I plan to sell you off to one of the smiths and make you work that debt off!” 

At that moment I saw red.  I reached down and wrapped my fingers around my sword, I was just about to pull my blade from its scabbard when I saw Oliver rise up. His eyes seemed to burn with an unquenchable fury.  

“Your mother coddled boy! Your dad spoiled you! You're worthless!” He went to slap him again. But this time Oliver caught his hand. 

“Bastard!” He roared, “How dare you raise a hand to me! I'll have you put in chains for this, I'll have you flogged for this!”

A moment later I felt something snap. The man yelled in pain and the crowd flinched as the man rolled over and started to shout. Oliver then reached down and picked the man up and with some inhuman show of strength tossed him across the square, the man barely had time before get his feet under him before Oliver rushed at him. A moment later, Oliver had  shoved his balled up fist right into the man's mouth. Blood spurted out the corner of his mouth as he fell down upon the hard cobblestones.

“Never, touch me again!” Oliver said as he swayed.

“Bastard.” The man muttered. “You thankless bastard.” He muttered again, “My nephew has turned into a thankless bastard!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. Then he started to cry. It was a pitiful sight, watching a grown man sob like that, “What have I ever done to you Oliver?” He sobbed. 

“Plenty..” He said walking up to the man. 

Now, normally here is where I would have stepped between the two and tried to break up the fight. But at that very moment a squad that to say around four of the town's guard's came rushing into the square, shields raised and spears lowered. A moment later the Captain of the Guard appeared. I could tell he was the Captain of the Guard because his breastplate was silver instead of bronze and he also had two golden epaulets on his shoulders.

“Okay!” The Captain of the Guard said, taking a deep breath. “What is going on here.” He said, peering toward Oliver, who looked like he was willing to bend down at any moment and slice his uncle's throat wide open with the small knife he carried in his belt and his uncle who went from being a big bully to a cowering knave. 

“My nephew attacked me!” The man said pointing toward Oliver “He attacked me, he broke my fingers, and tossed me down upon the ground. As high commissioner I order you to place him under arrest and take him away and put him  under armed guard till he may be brought to trial.” He said, quivering as he pointed his bruised and battered fingers at Oliver. 

“That a lie!” I shouted as I decided now was the time for me to step in. “You attacked him first! And how dare you play the victim! You are the one who abandoned him in the first place, and when I brought him back into town you came charging in like a bull shouting like some raving madman.” 

The Captain of the Guard turned to me and sighed.

“I heard rumors of a boy who had gotten lost in the woods. I've also heard rumors of a group of bandits stalking the road between our town and The Forest of Mist. This morning, one of my patrols reported that sometimes during the night a battle must have taken place, they counted fourteen bandits dead, the dead had been stripped of their weapons and money. I suppose that was what you were doing Ms. Hood?” He said, sighing again.

“Yes.” I said marching up toward the Captain.

“Congratulations, you have taken out one of the lesser gangs of bandits that infest the sand hills. Each man had a fifty crown reward offered for him. Dead and Alive. I trust you can do the math?” 
I nodded my head.

“Yes, that would be seven hundred golden crowns. Half goes to that young man there.” I said pointing toward Oliver. “Because without his bravery and skill I would have been. Well I don't want to think about it.” I added.

“Oh? The woman who killed the feared Goblin King is showing such modesty.” He said with snear. 

“Goblins are different than men.” I said in a deadpan tone of voice. “Monsters are different from men, men are more cunning and crueler. Any goblin with a brain can talk others into following him. In time there will be another Goblin King who will once more pray upon the foolish merchants, hunters, and travelers who dare stray too close to his hold. But once in a generation will there be a man who can command and bring into confederation all the gangs that call the Sand Hills home.”

The Captain looked like he wanted to slap the teeth out of my mouth.

“You have a way with words. Young Hood.” He said as he spat down upon the ground. “Maybe you should run for office?”

“Maybe after a few more quests.” I said, smiling sweetly. “I could petition the Mayor to appoint me Captain of the Guard. My first act would be to instill some discipline in the town's militia.” I said, raising an eyebrow. “As well as to bring a sense of order to our small police force.” I added. What a homecoming this was turning out to be.

The Captain was just about to respond when through the crowd there came another squad of soldiers.  Following the squad of soldiers was a tall, lean man, with salt and pepper colored hair, high high cheekbones seems sunken in and he was dressed in a fine brown woolen trousers and a fine woolen black. At his side was a woman who a simple, blue velvet gown. 

“Oliver.” The man said as he peered toward Oliver who was still ready to pounce on his uncle. “OLIVER!” He said again and then he broke into a run. And before Oliver could catch himself the man was throwing his arms around his neck and pulling him close to his chest. “Thank gods you're alive my son!”

A few minutes later the woman ran up and wrapped his arms around Oliver. But a moment later she pulled back and peered into his face.

“Oliver, who hit you?” She said in a deadly tone of voice.

“Uncle.” Oliver said.

“Willard.” She said standing up. “I command you to place David Copper in chains.” She said pointing toward the barrel of the man. 

Willard, snapped to attention and in a clear, commanding tone of voice.

“The boy raised his hand and struck me first!” Oliver's uncle said in a loud, booming tone of voice. “And yet you are placing the chains on me!” He bellowed. “Injustice!”

“That's a damn lie!” I yelled, at that moment all eyes turned toward me. “Oliver was just defending himself. And you sir, were the one who abused him, shouting threats at him, promising to put him in chains, sell him to a smith, and have him flogged in public.” I yelled. Willard who at this point I'm going to assume was the name of the Captain of the Guard just stood there. 

“I see.” The mayor said his eyes turned toward his brother whom I'm going also assume was named David Copper. “Willard, as mayor of the town I order you to put my brother in chains.” He said with a sigh. “It seems I've been a fool for trusting you to take care of Oliver.” I paused. “I should have never allowed you to take him on that trip either. I should have known something was up when you turned up in town drunk..” He added.

At that very moment something happen that I never thought I would see, David Copper, as bruised and battered at he was, reached down and pulled out a long, sharp skinning knife from his belt and in a fit of rage started to charge toward the woman, his knife raised high in his hand, they mayor was shocked, the woman stunned, and Willard being the jack-dawn fool he was moved between the woman and raging madman as he pulled out his own, short sword. . And for a moment I thought I was about to see the high fantasy version of suicide by cop  Screams filled the air, and a moment later, I saw something I would never forget. Oliver, without thinking had pulled out his sword and in a moment of either pure rage or cold calculation plunged the sword through his uncle's belly.

I saw David Copper's eyes become wide as saucer plates as he coughed and a trickle of blood ran down the corner of his mouth. He looked down and saw the blade sticking out of his belly, hot, salty tears ran down the corner of his eyes and the thunderous smell of shit filled the air. The crowd screamed again as Oliver quickly pulled the blood soaked blade. With the look of a stone cold killed her wiped the blade on his trousers leg. And David Copper breathed his last breath on the flagstone paved plaza. A pool of blood started to spread from his lifeless body.

“Fool.” The Mayor said shocked as he peered toward the body of his dead brother. “Damn fool!” He shouted as he rushed toward his son and started to hug him tightly. Oliver Just stood there  a little Jade. Willard seemed shocked, the mayor's wife seemed stunned.

“Willard.” The mayor's wife said, taking a deep breath. “Please remove that.” She said, showing no outward sign of emotion. But I could tell the way she was trembling she was scared stiff. She was still trembling as she moved toward me, it took her a moment but she placed her trembling hand upon my shoulder.

“Come with us Mistress Hood.” She said calmly. “We still need to reward you for all you have done. And for bring our son home safe and sound..” She said swallowing hard.

“I never intended..” I said peering toward the lifeless body of David Copper who was being scooped up and tossed into a wheelbarrow. His face seemed wrapped and twisted and his mouth hung open, and his bright pink tongue seems swollen. 

“It was bound to happen sooner or later. My husband's brother is unstable. We never expected him to pull a knife though. I think though, my son just saved my life.” The Mayor's wife said as she patted me on the shoulder. And with that being said she left my side and went to hug her son.

-25-
Aftermath 

A few days passed after that little brawl. David Copper was laid to rest in Potter's field. Oliver Blackthorn was attended by the town's physician and spent three four full days getting the bed rest he deserved. I was rewarded a few thousand crowns for my troubles. Once you subtracted the difference, you know you gotta subtracted the cost of your food, potions, and repairs to your armor from your bounty. I came ahead with only a few hundred crowns. 

Of course Oliver Blackthorn was given his share of the reward money for killing the bandits. Then something happened. Something I did not expect. A few days after being released from the town's hospital. Oliver showed up on the steps of the inn I've taken to living in. Well I live in the inn and work there too, between quest and adventures. Anyway the boy showed up, wanting a room.. And to become my apprentice. Now I had half the mind to turn the boy over my knee and tan his bottom for making such an outlandish request. But instead I decided to take him on.

So. There you guys have it. I guess this is a good place to stop. After all, three or four months have passed. The Autumn Equinox was a few days ago and the farmers are busy hauling in their grain from the fields. And so, here I must  pause my chronicling for a while. But I promise to keep you guys posted, I'm sure there are many more adventures to come once Autumn gives way to Winter and Winter gives way to Spring.

The End.