Poking the bear

Previously: Esmiralda and her companions have discovered that the shattered ship—found upside-down and in the middle of a forest—was once captained by Harfirgorn the Merciless, a pirate of some repute that had vanished long ago. Following clues in a log book they find in the pirate’s quarters, they hope to discover his final resting place. On the way, they meet up with a lady of the wood, whose husband has succumbed to the vile magic of the pirate's witch. Together, they search for the source of her vile magic. They approach a small village in hopes of news, information or, at least, a hot meal.

 

Unfortunately, they may have found something else, instead...

 

As the man approached, he stuck his little finger into the corner of his mouth. Slurping noises followed.

Merrick shifted uneasily on the bench, while Broo Fang Tane let out a deep sigh and hung his head. Across from him, Seymuhr chuckled briefly.

The men were all dressed alike: dirty pants with long shirts that hung open about the neck. They were stocky, if not large, and looked like they were used to hard labor with thick arms and broad shoulders. One of them followed their leader, a step behind and slightly to the side, scratching at his beard. The other broke off in an attempt to circle us.

"We don't want any trouble," Merrick said. "We're just looking for a hot meal, and maybe a bath."

The first man sat down beside Tane, slipped his finger out of his mouth, stuck the damp digit into Tane's ear and wiggled it vigorously. His companions laughed at Tane's disgusted expression and even Seymuhr hid a snicker.

"What do you think about that, monk?" The man said. There was a smile on his face, but little humor in his voice.

"I thank...you," Tane responded in his usual, lilting way. "I had not cleaned....my...ear in some...time." His eyes were closed and his breath came in slow, even intervals. 

"Well, then the other one is just as filthy!" With that, he slipped his arm around Tane's shoulders and stuck the wet pinky in his other ear. Several things happened at once.

The tavern keeper reappeared. "Now, Lobern, we don't want to start a fight with these good people..."

"What's wrong with you?" I shifted away from Tane and directed the indignant outburst to the man called Lobern.  

"Nothing. What's wrong with him?" He patted Tane on the top of his head like he was rewarding a dog—only with a little more force.

"I only seek a meal and some rest," Tane said. "Please there are...other...places to sit."

"And other ears to poke," Merrick put in. "Please, you've had your fun. You don't know what are doing."

"Sure I do," Lobern said and he looked up at one of his companions, a blond man who stood behind Seymuhr, just out of reach. "Gorb, what am I doing?"

"Sending a message," Gorb said with a shrug, "and making sure it is heard."

"What you are doing," Merrick hissed, "is making a terrible mistake. That man is a mighty warrior—a fighter and killer without peer. You tempt your own fate and court your own end. You beckon Ewl."

I glanced from Merrick to Tane. Surely, Tane had dispatched the Hunyn easily enough. I had thought that Seymuhr, with his thick slabs of muscle and pair of maces, was the bigger threat.

"Is that so? Are you working for the dark god itself?"  Lobern leaned in and pinched Tane's cheek. His voice suddenly got higher, and he affected a lisp--like a mother speaking to a small child. "But you're so yittle! And cute!"

Seymuhr laughed at that. The third villager closed in.

"I work for no dark god," Tane said. His head was still lowered, his breath coming in slow even intervals. I thought I detected a ragged edge to them, though. His fingers twitched and formed a fist. "I..."

Lobern wasn't paying attention. Instead he had pulled a long, slimy thing from his nose and dangled it for his two companions to see. He draped it over Tane's clenched fist. "Thanks. I was wondering where I was going to put that," he said, then sparked a round of laughter with a bellowed guffaw and slapped Tane on the back.

I looked helplessly at Merrick, wondering what we should do, then at Seymuhr, begging him silently to intervene on Tane's behalf. He looked as amused as the three villagers.

Lobern leaned in, sneering. "We don't like people walking in here, speaking of evil--there's enough of that about already. But mostly, I just don't like you, no matter how 'yittle' or 'cute' you may think you are..." He continued to poke Tane and then I saw Merrick's eyes open.

For the monk had started to make a strange sound: a sort of quiet, high-pitched growl that grew in intensity as his hands tightened into fists and I heard the bones there cracking. The growl grew in volume and then, as his eyes snapped open and lip quivered in rage, Broo Fang Tane exploded into action and the screaming started.

Next: Down on Maim Street