Horses, Shinies, and Silly Things

[Jake Narmolanya]

"That sounded like Kayoko!" The Rather Bad Man exclaimed when they heard the scream. His ruddy pallor had fallen to a ghastly shade of white. "What kind of specialists did you bring? What will they do to her? What will you do to me? Please just take whatever you want and leave us be."

Jake frowned. "How many servants are in there?" He demanded, twisting the merchant's collar. "I could have sworn I overheard that all of your servants would be out today."

"Just her!" The balding man exclaimed."Normally they all have Sundays off, but Kayoko had been home sick recently and she wanted to catch up on her chores."

Jake's frown deepened, like a rut being re-dragged by a wagon wheel. He was not worried about Kayoko. He was worried about Fenn. The little fae was not exactly combative. What if the maid swatted him like a pesky moth?

"You let your servants have Sundays off and you give them sick days?" Jake said, eyebrows raised. Such benefits were unheard of in most Coronian households. "Hang on... you don't really seem like an asshole at all." He said in confusion. "I mean, you were even going to hire me. Right up until I threw sand in your face..." The thief tilted his head in consideration and then sheathed his dagger. "Sorry about that. I wouldn't have cut you." He gave the merchant a little shove in releasing his nightshirt. "Go back inside." He said with a nod. He shed his cape but left the mask on.

The man glanced nervously at the dagger on the brigand's belt, but nodded and retreated into the mudroom, holding the door for Jake. For a mudroom, the place was awful fancy. Four unique crystal lanterns sat in wall sconces either side of each door. Tiles that looked like marble covered the floor and the lower half of the walls, making them easy to wash or scrape down. An ornate Akashiman multi-tiered boot tray stood in the corner opposite the door to the main house. It was smoothly sanded and painted purple, and filled with mostly clean shoes of all different origins. Jake had done a fair bit of traveling, and he recognized Aleraran fashions and even some Raiaeran and Fallieni sandals.

To bad none of these are my size, he thought, glancing down at his dusty old boots.

"What are you going to do?" The merchant asked again as he approached the inner threshold.

"I'm going to find some rope or something to tie you up, and then get my part-my team the hell out of here." Jake said. He was still looking over his shoulder at the fancy shoe rack.

The merchant picked up one of the crystal lanterns - the one shaped like a rearing lion - and swung it at Jake's head. The youth cried out in alarm and threw up his hands, barely deflecting the heavy blow. The lantern glanced off his arms and fell to the ground. Jake overbalanced and staggered into the boot tray, which collapsed beneath his weight with a splintering of fragile timbers. The merchant seized another lantern - this one shaped like a dire wolf - and wound up to heave it at the fallen half elf.

Jake waved his hands in desperation, and a portal opened up beneath the fat man, who fell through it with a cry of shock. The portal schiiipped shut in time for the dire wolf lantern to clatter safely to the floor.

Fenn would probably like that, Jake thought as he climbed to his feet. He picked up the statuesque lantern and tucked it beneath his arm. The portal had deposited the merchant safely on a stretch of Scaran beach about five miles from anywhere. Jake would be sure to go back and get the merchant before they left. If he remembered. The man seemed resourceful enough to get himself home, if it came to that.

Jake opened the door and ducked into the main house, searching the lavish premises for any sign of the maid and his small friend.