Crime and Punishment

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

The dark elf slid along the walls like a breeze, avoiding the light. She stopped at the clanking of armored boots. As the Feyspire guard passed, Slyfoot sunk into the shadows. Once her path was clear, she glided through the open archways and pressed her back against the inner city walls. There was the house, the small lonely fixture against the walls, which was occupied by a solitary traveler who had be dwelling within its confines for the shorter half of a week. Delicately, she made her way over to the house, ducking under a window that had a light shining brightly into the darkness of the night. From the window she heard the light hearted laughter of the off duty guards playing betting games. Nothing to worry about. Slyfoot approached the quite, open window of the traveler’s abode, effortlessly hopping through it without a sound. She climbed up the stairs along the edges to avoid the creaking alert the stairs would sound. She reached the door, her eyes glinted in the soft light that made its way through the cracks from within the room. Reaching into her garbs, Slyfoot produced a small dagger. She concealed it once again, tucking it into her sleeve, and placed her hand on the door. She was ready. She stopped, closed her eyes, and listened to the gentle cooing of crickets. Peace…<br>
She swung the door open and stood in the frame as the startled traveler turned to see who it was. Slyfoot’s eyes were glowing with an intense red.

In a voice that sends chills down ones spine, Slyfoot asked, “Where is the scroll?”<br>
“Wha….what scroll? Who are you? What are you talking about? I..I don’t have a scroll.”<br>
“Sure you don’t,” said Slyfoot as she waved her hands in weaving motions through the air.

Suddenly the traveler’s eyes went blank, for his mind was now Slyfoot’s to control.

“Let’s try this again now shall we?” Slyfoot sneered. “Where….is…the ….scroll?”<br>
With out objection, the puppet made his way over to the side of his bed and kicked at the frame, causing a small rolled parchment to fall from under the bed. But the traveler was strong, and seeing the parchment caused him to regain his senses.

“What? Get out! You cannot have it and if you don’t leave now, then I will kill you.,” the man said, drawing his sword.

“It would be my pleasure.”<br>
And as quick as lightning, Slyfoot sprang forward, as she drew her dagger and planted it’s blade into the man’s throat. The man fell back against the wall, clawing at the hilt of Slyfoot’s weapon, trying to release it’s deadly grasp. Then he lay still and his chest sank as his last breath escaped into the night. Slyfoot causally walked over to her victim and yanked the dagger from his neck, wiping the blood off on her robe. She removed a small letter from her pouch and pinned it to the wall with the small blade. She whisked the scroll out from beneath the bed as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her. Making her way across the open field, Slyfoot cast a camouflage spell on her newly acquired item and tucked it into her garments. She then walked right past the lighted window to the guard tower, revealing her presence.

The guards rushed out and grabbed her before she could run. They saw the blood on her robe and threw her to the ground. She turned to look back at them, but was struck across her jaw.

“Keep your head down, you sick excuse for life.”<br>
The guard captain walked out, and saw Slyfoot there on the ground, head bent as she swallowed the blood which was filling her mouth from the blow.

“Throw her in a dampest cell we have and starve her until I give you further instruction. And get me that robe as soon as possible, we may be able to see who she has killed.”<br>
As the captain walked back to his post, the guards ripped the robe off of Slyfoot, and dragged her along the stones to the prison. Slyfoot looked back, smirking as the captain tried to disguise the fear that washed over him when he caught a glimpse of her blood red eyes.

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Slyfoot sat in her cell, quite pleased with herself. She reached deep within her garments and pulled out the invisible scroll. Unrolling the fine parchment she dismissed the camouflage spell and looked on to a beautifully colored map of the Hazinak region. On the map there was some words written in ancient goblin and a few specified areas signified by a red dot of blood.

It was daylight now, and Slyfoot heard the birds making their annoying announcement that the sun was rising. Two perched on the small window that allowed a tiny beam of light to hit the floor of her cell. Slyfoot mumbled some words beneath her breath, and immediately the birds flew away. They both returned after a few minutes had passed, one with two sheets of parchment, and the other with a quill pen. Slyfoot grabbed her mind-dead pets, taking the items from them. She then threw the birds against the wall, killing them. Taking one of the birds she dabbed the quill in its small pool of blood and began to write:

Jwiz,
Here is a map of the Hazinak region. On the back of this letter you will find that I have translated the goblin for you, which entail directions to each of the areas marked by dots of blood. These areas are known to be where the one whom you seek resides. Check all three, for he migrates between each of them. Being one of the Greyvax, he will continuously wander, as it is his nature.
(unsigned)

Slyfoot sat back against the cell wall, quite at peace as you might say. She took the small bird and bit into it’s tiny body., for she had learned to eat them raw from the Ogres of the south. It was little food, but it would tie her over for now.

Suddenly, steps were heard coming down the corridor. A human entered, dressed in poor farmers garbs, and approached the enchantress’ cell. He threw a note through the bars as he walked by. It was the note that Slyfoot had pinned to the wall the night before, in the Traveler’s hideout.

The man turned and began walking back out the corridor. Slyfoot made a few delicate circular motions with her hands as he passed by, freezing him in his tracks. The human smiled.

“So, do you have the letter?”<br>
“From the tavern? Yes. It took a little convincing of the Barkeep that I was your messenger, but when I showed him a lock of your hair, he handed it over.”<br>
“Good, now I have another task for you. Take this to the tavern, and tell him it is for a great wizard of the elven race. He will know who it is.”<br>
“What about my payment?”<br>
“Just be glad I did not learn how to eat human flesh raw from the Ogres as well.” Slyfoot replied as she spat out the bones of the small animal. “You will get it in time. Now leave, before I make you my next pet. Come back to me as soon as you have delivered it.” Slyfoot flicked her wrist, releasing the spell and allowing the man to leave.

Settling back against the wall, she opened the letter. Pleased that Merri was interested in her request, the enchantress took up the other bird and dabbed her quill in its life’s essence, and began to write again:

Merri….

[Zugarok]

"psssst..." the captured dark elf heard from the shadows outside her cell.

"pssssstt....."

Slyfoot put down her quill and went to the barred window to see who dared disturb her peace.

:::BONK!!!!:::

A rock hit her square in the forehead.

"Sorry." came a whisper from the shadows. It continued.

"So it is true that you bare the mark of kinslayer, I had heard tales of the mark of the crimson eye but you are the first that I have gazed firsthand, Slyfoot M'zors"

Out of the bushes looking warily around stood the most handsome elf that Slyfoot's red eyes had ever beheld.

"You must be that rat Ellindar." she sneered almost inaudibly.

The elf took a bow and added.

"at your service."

"Bah, I don't have time for these songs and games." She said sitting again and grabbing her quill.

"That may be but since you are a captive audience, I see not how you have much choice." came the smug whispered reply. "I have come here, at great personal peril I might add, to bring word from the Ogre Zugarok."

Slyfoot perked up at the name but sat there against the wall and out of Ellindar's sight.

"He has asked me to offer his brawn at helping you escape if thou wishest, I will return at dusk tommorrow for your reply."

Slyfoot once again put down her quill but by the time she had reached the barred window. The bard was nowhere to be seen.

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Slyfoot, sat down again, trying to stay out of the moon light.

She thought to herself, “Why does he continue to bother me? What does he want? And what on earth does me being a Kinslayer have to do with it? Oh, I know I won’t sleep easy tonight. If there is one thing in this land that scares me, it is elves like that.”<br>
Slyfoot glanced down at her letter, everything finished except for a signature:

Merri,
I hope that you find the ale at the Smiling Serpent Inn tolerable. This is a trivial matter that was brought up merely by my curiosity, but you are the perfect person to look into it for me. It involves the study of the undead. You see, I know a necromancer by the name of Bornus Crethley. You may be familiar with his name. His true father, once a farmer, was killed by Lord Crethley and his corpse remains in the small body of water next to the manor. This corpse is still capable of life though. This is an odd question, but here is what I wish you to seek out. Are the undead of Danvor Manor related in anyway to the undead of Crethley Manor? As I said, it is merely a question of curiosity in my desperate attempt to understand Bornus and perhaps discover why he has disappeared. Name your reward, and I will see what I can do. Until we share a beaker of ale, farewell.
Slyfoot M’Zors

She folded the letter into a small square as she herd foot steps coming down the corridor. Again, the enchantress’ messenger appeared.

“To the Smiling Serpent in. Sit at the table in the darkest corner, and wait until you see a woman approach and glare at you. Place the note on the table and leave. Then go to the barkeep and tell him ‘all is well as the corner is square.’ He will check to see if the woman I have specified is reading the letter and then give you your reward.”<br>
“All 500 tunar?”<br>
Getting a little short tempered. “Yes, all 500 tunar, now get out of here before you alert the guards.”<br>
The human snatched up the letter and left in a huff, eager to get his hands on the reward. Slyfoot sat back again, thinking, “How foolish he is. To do all of that for me for only 500 tunar. Ah well, humans are good for something. It is almost a blessing they are so thick.”<br>
Slyfoot looked up, the moon was bright. Quitely, she thought, “Oh, that Ogre. I do admire him, but his race still lacks in intelligence. He should have known that I would not have allowed myself to be captured had I not intended to. He has no idea that I came here to be in solitude for a few days, for upon my last venture, learning of the ancient goblin text, I had a band of them following me. I knew that if I had allowed myself to be captured, they would lose interest in me and leave me be. Now that I have all of my business taken care of, I will simply have to wait for the guard to pass by on his nightly duty to check all the cells. I will make myself invisible, wait till he enters the cell to investigate, and then slip out, shutting him in. Haha! I love my work.”<br>
Slyfoot made herself comfortable on the cool stone floor; something she was used to living in Neriak for so long with no bed to sleep in. That was during the time she was still under her pervious husband’s unrelenting grasp. She waited until she heard footsteps coming down the hall and made herself disappear.

But it was not the night-duty guard who came down the hall, it was the captain she had seen the other night, along with the two guards. They approached the cell, the two guards looking shocked at the fact it appeared empty.

“Where did she go? How could she have gotten out?”<br>
The captain was not concerned, “She is still in there. I know her type. Show yourself, enchantress. Before I order your cell lit on fire.

Slyfoot removed her guise, but didn’t bother to move from sitting on the floor .

“What can I do for you, captain.” She smirked in a mocking voice.

The captain turned to the taller of the two guards. “So she killed that traveler?”<br>
“Yes sir.”<br>
“Does anyone know about it?”<br>
“No sir.”<br>
“Then you can do what you wish with her. Make certain her death is memorable.”<br>
The shorter of the two guards smiled. Slyfoot’s smirk disappeared as the tall guard and the captain walked back down the hall, leaving her alone with the short guard. He opened the cell door as the dark elf backed up against the wall.

“So, you like daggers huh? Funny, I do to.”<br>
The short elf kicked the door shut. He flicked his wrists producing two tri-pointed daggers tainted green with poison. Torture devices.

“Please….”<br>
“Please what? Take you to the chain room? Ok, we will do that one tomorrow. We are going to have so much fun.” The guard got a horrible smile on his face. One you would not imagine an elf could conjure. And with that the elf flicked the daggers, landing each into one of Slyfoot’s shoulders. Slyfoot bit down hard on her tongue as the pain surged through her body. She felt her senses weaken as the poison passed through her body. Her eyes began to flutter. Black out.

[MerriMekko]

::: Merri and Hugoshadow walk into the inn. And to Merr's disgust there again is someone sitting her table, this time she ignores the bartender who saw her come in. She tells Hugoshadow to stay at the door, she has a feeling about this person, she has never seen him in the inn before. Something strange about him tho. She walks up to her table and glares at the man sitting there but before she can say a word he stands up and drops a piece of paper on the table and walks to the bartender. Hugoshadow has disregarded her request and has followed her to the table. So she quickly grabs the paper before he can even think of touching it. She reads it as Hugoshadow speaks, she barely catches what he has to say. hmmm, she thinks to herself, this is very interesting but with this knight, i will have to keep this to myself, now what is he chattering about and with that she puts the note in her pouch:::

"ok what is it you want to know about the young monk." "why did you betray her?" " Me, betray her:: laughing:: she was the fool who agreed to something before asking what it was. her death was unfortunate, it wasnt in my plans for her to die."

Merri thinks to herself, why is this dark knight so concerned over a young monk? For what reason is he so angy?

"why do you care about a monk for?" " i dont know, there was this feeling i had. i never had it before. i didnt know if it was fear, or what" "what could a young monk do to you, there wasnt anything she could do to you." " i dont know, it was 'good' feeling, i am not sure what it is"

Merri thinks to herself, hmmm i wonder if this fool had started to get feelings for the young monk, it could explain the anger. i dont see how tho, from what the monk chattered on about nothing ever was mentioned of this dark knight. most of the annoying chatter was about S and about the ogres. oh yes, i will have to remember to do that before i leave the city today, fish for the ogres, that is what she chattered on about. why they want fish is beyond me, for a halfling or a gnome would be much better. oh, hes still chattering at me about the young monk and how i am not human. well thats all fine. she looks around and sees the inn empty, dam him, i wanted to talk to the man who was sitting at my table. how dare he tell me i betray someone, me, he is annoying. ::loses her anger and turns into a werewolf::

"??" "well you did ask to see this, so are you satisfied so i can turn back before i cause trouble":: relaxes and slowly forms back to human:: i really got to get this under control she thinks to herself. "Now if you are done, I have more pressing business to attend to"

with that she goes to the bartender and grabs her ale on the counter and goes back to her table and sits down. the dark knight leaves. Its about time he left. she reaches into her pouch and rereads the note. hmmm, crethely manor. she reaches into her pouch agian and retrieves her book. flipping thru it she comes to the page she wants. a frown appears on her face, i guess i will have to go to crethley manor, i thought i had more information on that area. she then puts her book back into the pouch and brings out her quill and paper. oh dam, my ink is empty. she looks about and sees a rat in the corner. smiling she grabs the rat and snaps its neck, takes out her small dagger. she slits it stomach open. grabs her quill and dips it into the blood. and begins to write.
" S,
I have received your message today. And I will look into the matters you asked about. oh and yes i do find the ale tolerable here at the inn. I will stop by the tavern and leave this with the bartender there. And as for the name you mentioned. Yes I have heard of him. It was in a song I had heard passing by a tavern one late nite. When I have any information on the request I will head to the tavern and sit in the darkest corner. Well as long as its not on a nite of a full moon that is.
M"

smiling to herself, for some reason she is in a good mood now. she walks over to the bartender and asks him about the man that was sitting at her table. he tells her he is under the ummm employ of a female. still smiling she asks this female, what can you tell me of her. she is in the prison of the elves up in fayspires, they caught her after she killed a traveler. hmmm...thank you.

merri hands over her mug and leaves the inn.

there is something not right about what the bartender has said. its not that he was lying. but why did she get caught. did she let herself be caught. hmmm strange. i dont know. should i go and investigate this matter more closely, or just head to the manor. i think i will go to fayspires, just to look around, the other matter can wait a day or two.

[MerriMekko]

:: merri arrives at Fayspire at the break of day. she has traveled most of the nite to get there. something keeps nagging at her. she is unsure why she is doing this but something tells her she is needed here::

as merri hands over the reigns to her horse she asks the stable boy where the prison is. the boy stares in awe and points in a direction. thank you

as merri heads in the direction the boy pointed in she thinks of what her and the dark knight spoke of. i will have to keep an eye on him. i dont trust him, i feel hes up to something. we will see as time goes on.

as she comes to a building she hears a scream. ah im at the right spot. she walks in and looks around. there is a guard sitting there looking bored. she reaches into her pouch and retrieves a paper she had made for her before leaving Freeport. she walks up to the guard, im here for a prisoner you have in your cells. he looks at her and says we got a few prisoners who are you looking for. i am looking for a dark elf, blue hair female. she is wanted in Freeport for questioning on a death. the guard says on what authority do you come. she hands him the note and thinks to herself, i hope no other prisoners have been requested from here. oh, ok, yes we do have such prisoner. come this way. ::the guard is new so he is unaware that no one has been notified of this prisoner::
he leads her to a cell in the most horrible condition and inside lays an unconcious female with daggers in her shoulders. what matter is this, merri demands. umm i dont know. open this door immediately. the guard turns and opens the door. come inside help me with her, she is no use to me dead. grab her by her shoulders i will grab her feet. as the guard moves in front of merri
:: whack::
down goes the guard. stupid fool. she reaches into his pocket and retrieves the note she gave him. so sly, we finally meet. its too bad you are not concious. merri picks up the delf and carries her out of the prison. she is not stopped on her way out. i had better get her to a safe place. but to where. i know the inn, the bartender will help. she heads to the coach man and asks for a horse. i will only need one. my friend is sick i can carry her. the kind hearted elf hands over the reigns to a horse, and they are off to the home of the gnomes.
when they get there merri stops and writes a quick note

"E, Z, R,
i have S, she is very sick, i will be going to serpant inn in freeport, she will be safe there. please send help soon, i can help her but i am not sure of the poison she has.
M"
and stops a passing messenger do you know of the songweavers tavern. yes he replies. kk get this note there as fast as you can, do not stop anywhere for its great importance.

merri picks sly up again and heads to freeport. i hope i can help you my friend.

[Kalysta]

(CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP "BRAVO!! BRAVISSIMO!!!)

(You two are excellent! OMG can you imagine if the three of use end up working on the same storyline together... its gonna be better than most movies ive seen this summer! lol sorry, i had to say it, but seriously, you both rock, very nicely played)

-Aer

[MerriMekko]

( giggle and blushin at same time, ty and i can hardly wait for the day the 3 of us do a sl together)

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

(That is what makes things interesting. It is a great story, I must say I have quite enjoyed writting it with the additions of others. Don't forget Zug, he also plays Ellindar. He did an awsome job too...stay tooned for the ending. Who ever writes it lol)

[Kalysta]

(i didnt forget Z, i just got really excited thinking about where this one and the other can go! OMG can you imagine... we could basically branch it out and have like every one touched by it at some point or another lol i must sound like the worlds biggest (and most excited) noob, but i cant help it, this is just too cool....)

[Zugarok]

::Ellindar walked merrily from his parent's Flet in Tethelin along the road hoping to reach Fayspire in time to grab a flagoon at the Songweaver's tavern before his task at dusk. When he reached the Eastern bank of the Thedruk river he was harked by a familiar sight.::

"Well Bless Tunare's creations, if it isn't the Famed Minstrel coming to spend some time amongst his kin."

A smile curled on Ellindar's lips.

"Dolby you old lout! You still being bothered by those orc spiritists..."

::Time flew by as Dolby went on about how things had gotten worse with the Hatebone's encroach and the new veins of gold found in Thedruk had brought even more orcs to the region...Ellindar who was always a sucker for a good tale barely noticed the afternoon's passing. I won't have time for that beer after all. He bid farewell to his old mentor and hurried east down the road as dusk approached.::

---

He reached the prison as the daystar paled on the western shore of the lake.

Something is wrong.

He could hear a great commotion from inside the prison. He decided to move a little closer and see if he could glean any information.

And then this cleric comes along and I aint taking any guff from a human anyway...Aloric had his way with the dark elf...

Ellindar tried to get a little closer to see if he could hear anything more. He knew they must be talking about Slyfoot, though he wasn't so sure about the priest. He inched his way to just outside the door...when he felt something poke into his ribs.

Looking down he saw the point of a Halberd was sticking into his red tunic.

A master thespian, Ellindar mustered up a very idignant glare.

"What is the meaning of this!" he brushed the polearm aside. "Don't you know who I am?"

"No", claimed the bewildered guard.

"Harumph I am Ellindar Starsong son of Erebor Starsong!"

"My apologies, I didn't realize you were the great bard of renown. But just because you are Governor Starsong's son doesn't explain what you are doing here."

"My business is my own." Ellindar proclaimed taking a scroll tube sealed with his fathers glyph prominently displayed. Thank Tunare the old man doesn't hide that thing.

"Yes sir Starsong. Move along."

::Ellindar realized that if he actually entered the prison it would surely raise some eyebrows so he took a moment to consider the situation. A guard spoke of a cleric.. no idea what that was about and another seemed to be bragging of some insidious crime against a dark elf. That could only mean that things were going poorly for Zugarok's friend. I must go get him at once :::

Ellindar hurried towards the coach and borrowed a horse he hoped would be courageous enough to carry him to the ogre awaiting him near Fort Seriak.

He dug his bootheels into the steed and galloped off top the south.

[MerriMekko]

:: into serpant inn walked merri with sly in her arms. she is glad to get there, even tho the girl is small she gets heavy after awhile. the bartender looks up with a shocked look on his face. "get me a room fast, i am expecting guests, possibly 2 ogres and an elf and bring some hot water....NOW" so without a word the bartender leads her to a room in the back and on the way grabs a kettle of hot water. Merri lays sly on the bed and pulls up a stool. leave us now, dont disturb us till my guests arrive::

dam it, i should have grabbed some cold water as well. :: she gets up and goes out to the bar and grabs the closest bucket of water she can see::

ok, my friend, im going to see what is wrong with you. i just hope the trip didnt do more harm than good. oy, you have a fever. i just wish i knew what is the poison that is in your body.

:: takes her robe and rips a few strips off the bottom::

this isnt too clean but it will have to do, i dont want to leave the room again.

:: she folds a strip and drops it into the cold water. she lays the cold cloth on slys head.::

hopefully that will help she thinks to herself. now to deal with these daggers. it seems to be the only thing that is keeping her from bleeding. this poison is unusual and the smell of it is horrible. the question is do i remove the daggers and take the chance or leave them in and still take the same chance. dam, i wish i had someone else here who could help me. oh well, until they get the message they dont even know shes in trouble.

why are you so important. i have gone thru this world on my own, making aquaintances never a friend. why are you so different. we arent even of the same race.

:: merri looks at door and thinks to herself, i could just get up and go out to the bartender and tell him to take care of her, he will. for he knows what will happen if he disobeys me. she looks back at sly, a friend? is it actually possible. or would she stab me in the back, quite literly, if i turn my back on her? she stands up and starts for the door. just as she gets there she hears a moan coming from the girl. merri looks down at her feet and decides well fate has led you to me. i have to do this. turns around and goes back to the stool::

its ok sly, you are safe for now. i will take care of you until your friends arrive. i have sent a message alerting them to where i have taken you.

::no response::

ok sleep, i will do what i can till they get here. i just hope they get here soon.

[MerriMekko]

::sly lying on the bed unconcious. she mumbles a few words in her troubled sleep. all merri can make out is stop no more and father. :::

where are your friends sly, i fear that by the time they get here you wont be of this world.

i cant just sit here and watch you die. oh hey, wait a sec i can talk to my teacher here. she may know what i can do. but i cant just leave you here alone. i know i will go and get that young girl i saw the other day.

::as merri gets up sly moans again. "dont worry i will be back" heads out to find the young "mercanary" that girl needs some teaching. but the question is do i have the patience for her. i doubt it. i had very little patience for my sister but that is another thing i wish not to think about. as she passes the bartender she tells him shes going to be sending the street trash to watch her guest. just as she gets to the door the bartender tells her that the street trash is currently at the ransackers house. dam it. "ok, im going to borrow one of your barmaids. "she turns to the one and only barmaid in the room "go to the ransackers house and get a young girl, you have seen her here before, and do it fast" the barmaid runs out the door. merri heads back to the room. :::

while she is waiting for the young girl. merri has time to think on things of the past. she reaches for her pouch and looks thru it and brings out a gold ring. she smiles as she looks at it. i wonder where he is. is he well, of course he is. i would have recieved word by now if something had happened. could this ring be the one thing i have been hoping for. i wish we had more time to talk when we last saw each other. i wish you were here right now, i sure could use your comfort. but you never realized what you meant to me did you. maybe one day i will be able to tell you. her thoughts were suddenly interupted by a loud clanking noise. dam that girl doesnt she know how to be quiet.

in walks wilkens " yoos sent fer me" "quiet your voice. yes i sent for you. i ask of you to watch over this girl while i run an errand. do not touch her and do not wake her. she is sick." with that merri got up from her stool and grabbed her pouch. "now sit there and dont leave this room for anything. if some ogres come looking for her let them see her. oh and possibley an elf as well." "wat i get fer watchin her" "i will pay for a weeks lodgings and food" " ya i watch her fer ya then" as wilkens sits down on the stool merri reminds her not to touch her or wake her " ya i herd yoos, no tuch no wake"

merri looks around as she leaves the inn, ok no hunters around, i just hope my teacher is home. and quickly heads off. she comes to the back door of a lodging and she quicklly knocks on the door " who is it" "its merrimekko" the door opens and there stands a female that looks tired. "come in, its safe hes not here" "where is he?" "oh probably at the bank gambling again" " are you going with out again?" " no i have money, anyways how would i explain any coming in, you know i cant lie to him" "true enough, but that is not why i am here. i have a friend who is really sick" " a friend? you mean you actuallly trust someone now?" " oh mother, you know that is untrue" " anyways, she has this poison that i know nothing of. do you still make cures for all poisons?" " yes, what can you tell me of this poison?" "its on the ends of some daggers, i would have brought them to you but they seem to keep the girl from bleeding, the colour is green and the smell is horrible" " would you recognize the smell agian." "yes i can" " ok come with me, here is this it? :: merri shakes her head no:: ok, how bout this one :: agian no:: ok one more :: again no:: ok that is the only ones i know of that fit your description" " ok thank you mother, i will bring you the daggers once we have removed them" " Merri, you could always come back you know." " yes mother i know but to do that would mean that i do what father says. and i cant do that" she looks at merri with such sadness that merri had to get up and head for the door. without looking at her mother she asks" how much do you charge for these cures" " depending on the cure, anywhere from 10 to 200 tunar" merri reaches into her pouch and drops 200 tunar on the table beside her " tell him you had some stranger buy a cure" and with that she walked out the door.

now i have to be really carefull i dont want to run into my father. especially with the hunters around. i had better get back to the inn.

:: at the inn sits a very bored wilkens. dis girl is reel sick she monin alot. is she awake i wunder. mes poke her see if she awake. :: poke:: nope she no awake. mes want to kil sumthin. as wilkens is thinking this in walks merri.::

"is she still asleep?" "ya she no wake" "you my girl need to learn how to speak like a human and not like an ogre" " mes speek gud, ogre no bad" "well if you want to be thought of as street trash for rest of your life" "mes not street trash, mes mercanary. yoos meen. mes dont lik yoos" and with that wilkens walks out of the room

smiling she turns to sly, well my mother doesnt know either, i risked much going there but you will not know of this. why do i risk so much for you. i wish i knew more about you. oh well. maybe my mother was right, maybe i have learned to trust again. ah who knows. sly starts mumbling again. hush, go to sleep you are safe. merri reaches over and touches sly's forhead, oh no its not getting better its getting worse. oh i hope you guys get here soon. i fear the worst.

after what seems like days merri hears great thumping coming towards the room. there is only one kind of people who can make that much noise while walking. she stood up just as an ogre and a bear walk in. even tho she has never met Rhabuka she has met Zugarok before.

[MerriMekko]

Rhab, do you know of this poison. yar, i do.
::sighs with obvious relief:: good. "shud we put elf out of misery" " NO" simutaniously from Rhab and Merri. " umm i mean if thats the only solution."merri replies in haste " ok Zug you hold her down. Rhab, you ready with the cure" " yar" "ok Zug you got a good hold on her" " yar" "ok Rhab be ready to heal" "yar" and with that merri grabs both daggers and yanks them out of sly's shoulders. sly screams in pain and all merri sees is clouds surrounding sly as she steps back from her. now all she can do is wait and stay out of Rhabs way. with bated breath she watches the clouds vanish and there is sly laying there awake. what where am i, zug, merri, rhab? "yer at freeport"

::merri thinks to herself shes going to live. she is now lost in her own thoughts and doesnt even hear what the others are saying. now what do i do, do i just leave. for sly doesnt know me and her friends are here now they can take care of her. i dont want to leave, i want to know why i feel this way. dam, why is this so confusing. get yourself together, you are a lone person, you dont need to have this girl around to complicate your life. you know what happens when you trust others. but there is something different about her. there is a familiar feeling. could it be that she is going thru what i went thru, what i am going thru. oh i dont know. how do i :: her thoughts are interupted by slys sudden movement which she catches out the corner of her eye. protect her. that is the only thought that comes to mind. she turns around and quickly dons her torn robe and grabs her mace and shield. and stands in front of sly.

in front of her is a very handsome elf. :: why is he a threat::
You what are you doing here? :: merri is on full defense now, for what reason she is not sure, but she has to protect sly. which adds to the confusion already going on. dam it pay attention, you are missing what they are saying::
do you want him gone sly? : this question goes unanswered:
do you know him? yes she replies i know him. : he speaks in such a way that is distracting. i cant have this, he must be a charmer, that is what the threat is.
enough of your talk pretty boy. :protect sly, dam it why?:
:make sure he doesnt make contact, stay between them dont let him near her. dam him why wont he shut up:
"he is a charmer" says Rhab, " he wont charm me, now state your business" : just as i thought, he is a charmer, now most definately do not let him near her and most of all do not listen to him. do not let him get control of you. come on you can do it. huh what where did he go?ok good hes gone, sly is ok. dam i missed what was said. oh well. as long as sly is safe that is all that matters. but why does it matter to me? dam these feelings, i had them all under controll. oh dam here comes Zug. and hes mad.
"ys yoos be meen to E, hes frend?" "whos friend, yours or sly's?" : ok come on do you really want to take on this ogre? : " he just com to help and yoos be meen to him that not nice" : anger builds inside of merri, good a feeling i know." " i dont explain my actions i do what i think is best" : more confusion, now who am i standing up for, me or sly, dam it sly, what have you done to me. she barely catches what Zug has said. but it seemed that he was challenging her: "alright i will" : starts to get ready for fight: zug walks out of room. all that is left is sly, rhab and merri. a very confused and angry merri at that. everyone walks down stairs and starts ordering ale. as merri gets into the bar room she tells bartender keep bringing the ale till i say stop. sly says that will be awhile. i dont care. i dont drink with enemy cleric replies zug. merri cant help but say "hmm an ogre turning down free drinks thats a change"

as merri heads to her table sly follows. i havent done what you have requested yet. i will go do that now. as she turns to leave she sees rhab go out the door. ok maybe i will have a few drinks with you since you are alone. for safety sake in case that elf comes back again. : anyone can see that this is not totally true:

what were you doing up there with the elves? : with all the feelings and thoughts going on she totally misses what sly has to say:
are you a charmer?
:question goes unanswered:
sly comments on the need for more ale. in surprise merri looks at her mug and realizes its been empty for quite some time. "dam that bartender he is slow tonite" the bartender comes with more ale and its going down like water. and the faster it goes down the slower the bartender gets. unfortunately merri is feeling the effects of the ale quite quickly. she brushes it off as tiredness. she has forgotten what this condition can do to her. then she realizes with a shock that sly has been speaking to her. hmm apparently i have been responding, dam ale she thinks to herself.

( i have forgotten the rest of what was said sly, i will continue it if i remember or you can , either way. and you know what would be really cool if we could get the others stories on same sl. it would make an interesting read)