Discussions over a bath

The door to Marc's bath remained open while Anna splashed lazily in the tub. The rest of us sat in Marc's dining room well out of view. To get anywhere near that door meant incurring the wrath of a paladin and a reformed thief. Humid air from the bath filled all of Marc's house and mingled with the smell of human sweat. We'd all probably need that bath before the night was up. I wondered if Marc had enough towels, and then I wondered if towels were yet another luxury in this low-tech world.

I rifled through my pack, checking everything. It occurred to me they might be interested in some of my "toys," as it were, but the events at hand were far more important.

"Mercenaries, huh?" Saul said. He took another drink of ale, something of which Marc had an ample supply. "That can't be good."

"Yeah, that's an understatement, Saul," Anna said. She splashed a little more. "You were always good at those."

"Part of my charm," Saul said.

"So it seems our fears are true," Marc said. He finished his own ale. "Given the invasion of Celene, I think it's obvious who these mercenaries work for."

"All of this must be a prelude to an invasion," Saul said. "But why here? I love this little village, but it has no real value in terms of resources."

"A diversion, perhaps?" Marc said. "Perhaps they're trying to divert resources here?"

Audry sipped her own drink, something she brought with her. I had no idea what it was. "whatever their actions, I doubt they could get by the dwarves in the Flinty Hills. These mercenaries are effectively isolated.

"So long as the Flinty Dwarves hold back that army," Marc said. "But if that army does manage to get past them...."

"Then they'll be here soon after," Saul said. He rapped his knuckles on the wooden table. "But why here? Why not send the mercenaries south and attack the dwarves on two fronts? They could defeat them all the quicker."

"There's another possibility," I said. "Maybe they want to take control of Hommlet."

"For what purpose?" Audry said.

"Well, we have an invading army to the south," I said. "They can't get by the dwarves, so they recruit from within."

"The mercenaries," Saul said. "But why take over the village? Why go through the trouble?"

"If they take over Hommlet, they can keep the pretense that nothing has happened," I said. "They could pretend that Burnes' Badgers have beaten back the bandits and that Hommlet is at peace once again. Then they could launch an attack anywhere and none would be the wiser."

"Everyone thinks the battle is south of the Flinty Hills," Anna called from the bathroom. I heard water dripping into the tub and on the floor as she got out of the bath. "They could surprise a lot of people."

"The Flinty dwarves are good," Saul said. "But against an army that's defeated a kingdom? Maybe the army doesn't want to beat back the dwarves."

"The central kingdoms think the war is still far away," Marc said. "Hommlet serves as a base for another army, an army of mercenaries, ready to march toward Verbobonc and anywhere else they choose."

"I don't think they're mercs," Saul said.

"Uh, excuse me," Anna called. She leaned around the corner. Her hair dripped water on the floor. "I did say I saw mercenaries, remember? Or did I get dirty for nothing?"

"He's right," I said. "Marc, you said that one of them jumped off the Keep wall to his death rather than be captured. Bandits wouldn't do that, and I doubt mercs would either."

"So he was someone loyal to the army in question," Audry said.

"We can't be a hundred percent sure," I said. "All we know is they are not mercenaries and they are certainly not bandits."

"Still, the odds are that this force that attacked the castle is loyal to the army to the south," Marc said.

"We need to assume so," Saul said. "If they work for this army, we need to act now and find their source. If not, they need to be dealt with before the army to the south breaks through the Flinty Hills."

Anna came around the corner. She wore a towel around her waist and held a towel over her breasts with her left hand. With her right she dried her hair with a third towel. "Towel" is a matter of perspective, I suppose. It looked more like a knitting mistake than a towel. No one seemed to care about her lack of modesty. I might have encouraged it under other circumstances. Hey, I'm a guy, what do you expect?

"So, if they're trying to take over the town," Anna said. "Why would they bother attacking it? Shouldn't they be infiltrating a little at a time, like they did with those traders?"

"I'm sure they could infiltrate civilian sectors," I said, "but what about the Keep itself? They can't just walk in and take over."

"The attacks may have been diversions," Saul said. "During the confusion, they can get key people inside the Keep."

"I'm sure Burne and Rufus would notice," Audry said. She rubbed her chin. "The only other explanation is they realized their attempts to siege Hommlet were futile, and then decided to pursue more subtle routes."

"That sounds sloppy for an army that managed to conquer a kingdom," Saul said. He shook his head. "We're just guessing at this point. We need more information."

Anna disappeared into the bathroom once again. I saw three towels tossed near the doorway. "My gold's on the infiltration route, which means there are spies here in town."

"And we disposed of two of them," Saul said, "which means when they don't report in someone will come looking for them."

"Good," Marc said. "Perhaps we can get more information from them."

"We better warn Burne and Rufus," I said. "If the attack on the Keep was a diversion, they need to know now."

"Indeed," Audry said. She stood. "Let's be off."

"Wa-wait," Anna said. She came around the corner. She wore her pants and boots, but the only covering on her upper body was a short undershirt that barely covered her breasts. She struggled to get her overshirt on as she held her coat between her legs.

"Maybe you should clean my bathroom before we go," Marc said.

"Uh, can't," Anna said. "You heard the lady. We have to go."

"While we're at it, Anna, we really need to teach you some modesty as well," Audry said.

"Why?" Saul and I said at the same time.

"Men," Anna muttered as she managed to pull her shirt on. "Okay, I'm ready. We'll cut through the cemetery. I--"

A loud knock vibrated the heavy wooden door. Anna let out a shout in mid-sentence. Everyone else drew weapons, and I dropped into a defensive posture from my old martial arts classes. The banging grew louder. Whoever it was, they wanted in really bad.

Marc held up his hand. His fingertips glowed briefly, and then he lowered his hand. "It's all right." He waved his hand and the door opened. A young man of maybe thirteen stood on the other side, his hand held up to bang on the door once more.

"Master Marcus," he said. He breathed hard. "I'm sorry to disturb you."

"'Disturb' is not the word I would use," Audry said. She put her sword away. "Scared half to death is a better description."

"That's more than one word," Anna whispered. Audry narrowed her eyes at her.

"That's fine, Jon," Marc said. "We were just on our way to see Burne and Rufus."

"And they wish to see you," Jon said. He tried to catch his breath. "It's the Keep. It's under attack."

Acceptance (and looking at a paladin's butt)

Back at the inn, I found myself remarkably calm. I very nearly died, and I had already gotten over it. Just like an adventurer, I thought. Death is becoming a friend.

"How are you?"

I looked up at Audry. Marc and Saul had gone to Marc's home. I had no idea where Anna was. Audry chose to remain with me, though I didn't know why.

"As well as can be expected," I said. "You know, I never did anything like that."

"I apologize," she said. "You must believe me, you were in no danger."

"No danger?" I said. "That crossbow could have gone off at any moment. There was no way you could keep me completely safe."

She sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just...we needed to be sure."

"That I wasn't a spy?" I nodded. "You send a spy amongst known spies and see what he does."

"Anna had her doubts," Audry said. "Saul believed you, and Marc did as well. But we all agreed that we needed to be sure. There is too much at stake."

"Including you," I said.

She pursed her lips. "I didn't know you. I...no, I was not sure."

"You're a paladin," I said. "You can detect intent. Wasn't that enough?"

"Often it is," she said, "but it is no substitute for facts and actions."

"Are you sure now?"

"Yes," she said. "It seems you are trustworthy."

"Audry," I said. "I don't know how I got here. I came from a city called Denver. I went camping one day. I stayed the night, and when I woke up I was here. I know so little about this place."

"But you know something of it, yes?"

"Only what I've heard in my short time here," I said. I was a reasonable liar, but not in front of a beautiful woman, especially one who can "detect intent." Fortunately, she didn't push the issue.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"We wait," she said. "No doubt we've raised suspicions after that little incident." She frowned. "Anna is looking into it."

"Looking into it?"

"She is quite good at that sort of thing." She let her breath out slowly. "Anna's a good soul, really she is. Her skills are useful, but I still worry."

"About what?"

"She grew up in Greyhawk City," she said. "She survived by stealing from others, and the gods only know what else."

"She was a thief?" I asked.

Audry nodded. "She was prominent in the thieves' guild at one point. Then there was some...trouble. She never elaborated. She's changed her ways since, but...."

"You're afraid she'll, well, fall from grace, as it were," I said.

"I trust her," she said. "I do. But temptation is strong." She lowered her eyes. "I know."

I wasn't the only one with secrets, it seemed. "What exactly is Anna doing anyway?"

"Following up on a lead, as she put it. She is investigating some information she gleaned from workmen at the keep."

I gestured at the darkness outside the window. "It's kinda late for that, isn't it?"

"For her it's the best time," Audry said.

I stared at my cup of ale. The first one tasted bitter. The next was much better. The fourth tasted pretty damn good, which was my signal to stop drinking.

"We have secured a room for you," she said, and stood. "You should get some sleep."

"I'll try," I said. "I'm still a little edgy."

"Edgy?"

"Yeah, uh, worked up." She looked at me strangely. "Nervous, I guess. From earlier. Man, it's been a busy day."

She smiled. "Indeed. Well, good night." She turned to leave.

I stood. "Wait, I'll join you."

She turned her head suddenly and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I winced. "I mean, I'll walk with you. I don't even know which one is mine. Which room, that is."

"Oh," she said. "Yes, of course."

I followed her upstairs. Her hips swayed slightly. She was not skinny by Earth standards, but she was very shapely. I scolded myself. I shouldn't look at a paladin's butt. Whatever god she worshipped might smite me or something.

"Right here," she said, pointing to the door at the top of the stairs. She handed me a key. "Tomorrow we'll go to Marc's and--"

Audry unsheathed her sword and whirled around. I hadn't seen it under her cape. She fell into a fighting stance and looked down the hall.

"Kinda jumpy, aren't ya?" Anna strode in from the darkness. She couldn't have been more than six feet away.

"You could have gotten hurt," Audry said, sheathing her sword.

Anna pulled back her cloak, revealing a row of knives. "Maybe."

I looked at her in the meager light from the lantern that hung just above the stairwell. Anna wore the same clothes as before, but now they were filthy. Her mud caked hair pressed against the side of her head, as if she had tried to untangle it and put it into place unsuccessfully. Water dripped on the floor around her.

"So, uh, what'd you learn?" I asked.

Anna looked at me. "Impatient. Just like most men in my life."

"Yeah, well, this man has reason to be impatient," I said. "Perhaps you could fill us in on some details?"

"It's bad," Anna said. "We need to talk." She turned to Audry. "Are the boys here?"

"At Marc's," Audry said.

"Then let's go," she said.

"That urgent, huh?" I said.

"Yeah." Anna ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to untangle a knot. "Plus, Marc has a bath. Warm, fresh water. Did I ever say I like magic? Not lightning and stuff, but I mean just for creature comforts. Bathing in a river is just not---"

"Anna," Audry said. "If this is an emergency--"

"Yeah, yeah," she said. "We need the boys in on this too." She poked me with her index finger and winked at me. "Including this one."

"Could you throw me a fricking bone here about what you found?" I said. "Or maybe just an overview. Something power point deep, even."

She went into vapor lock for a moment at that, and then turned to Audry. "It's what we feared."

"It's the moathouse," Audry said. "Isn't it?"

The moathouse. If I remembered my D&D correctly, it was definitely bad news. God, it had been so long since I played that adventure. I wished I could remember all of the details.

"Yep," Anna said. "And it doesn't look like brigands either. From the trail, I'd say we're looking at professional soldiers. Probably mercenaries."

"Lovely," Audry said, and started down the stairs. "Let's hurry."

We hurried out of the inn and to the night. I was definitely living under the Chinese curse. I just hoped these interesting times wouldn't get me killed.