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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BoldItalic" data-source="post: 6815986" data-attributes="member: 6777052">Heian came into the hall and saluted. "You sent for me, sire?""The stranger. How do you know him?""I do not know him, sire. He will not give a name, nor say whence he came or how he got here."Rynethaz had heard enough. Heian was plainly lying. "Give me your sword.""Sire? I do not understand."Rylnethaz waited no longer. He drew his own sword and struck off Heian's head. Then he called loudly for servants. "Clear up this mess," he ordered as he went out into the courtyard. There, he saw a sergeant of the guard and called him over. "Ah, Bearwin isn't it? You are promoted to Captain of the Guard with immediate effect. Your predecessor has been executed. Go to your office, where you will find a stranger, an elf in travelling garb, with Fingers the Halfling. Bring them both out here to the courtyard. Do not let them discover that Heian is dead. Do you understand?""Yes, my liege. Thank you," said Bearwin and left at the double, calling two other guardsmen to him as he went. Rylnethaz nodded to himself. "Useful man, that. Quick on the uptake."While he waited, Rylnethaz paced about the courtyard, looking up at the battlements and calculating lines of fire. He chose a likely spot beside a small tower on the south wall and marked it in his mind. After a few minutes Bearwin returned, followed by the stranger escorted on each side by a guardsman, and with Fingers bringing up the rear. When they were a short distance away, Rylnethaz held up his hand for them to halt. "Fingers," he commanded, "Take up position up on the battlements by yonder tower and draw your bow. Keep this stranger covered. On my command, fill him with arrows. The signal will be, that I put hand on sword-hilt.""This is monstrous," said the stranger, though seeming curiously unmoved. "I come unarmed. I am no enemy." He looked around and frowned, seeming as if he expected to see someone, as if he was searching for someone in his mind and not finding him.Rylnethaz noticed this, and dissembled. "Who are you, and why do you seek audience with my cousin, the king?" he demanded."My business is with Rylnethaz alone. I do not deal with mere cousins.""Then you have had a wasted journey. How did you arrive? You will be escorted hence.""I come and go as I please. If you do not take me to Rylnethaz, you will regret it.""I think not. I will ask you once more for your name." As he said this, he motioned a hand meaningfully towards his sword hilt."My name is my own affair. I will see Rylnethaz."In answer, the king drew his sword and three arrows struck the stranger from Fingers' bow. But the stranger did not fall, He merely shrugged. "A foolish attempt. But your discourtesy is noted," he said quietly. He turned and drew a crystal orb from his cloak. A streak of fire sprang from the orb and struck the south wall beside the small tower. But Fingers was not there and when more arrows came, it was from a different place.Drawing his own sword, Bearwin barked a command. His two guardsmen reacted quickly and caught the stranger in a double armlock, forcing him to his knees. The knew how to use leverage; had the stranger resisted, both of his arms would have been dislocated at the shoulder. The orb fell from the stranger's hand and rolled away across the cobblestones. He cursed as the hilt of Bearwin's sword came down on his skull with a force that would have stunned an ordinary mortal. Yet, mid-way through the oath, he fell oddly silent. His mouth worked but no words came out. For the first time, his arrogance faltered and he looked dismayed. He glanced up and met the steady gaze of BoldItalic, who had teleported into the courtyard a moment ago and, seeing the situation, cast a spell upon the stranger that had struck him instantly dumb."I thought I smelt a sorcerer," remarked BoldItalic, kicking the orb away with his foot. "You can always tell.""Bind him, gag him and throw him into the dungeon," commanded Rylnethaz. "And send for a barber to pull those arrows out of him. Slowly."</blockquote>

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