Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 06:48:31 GMT From: Christopher Vaughan Subject: INT:The Adventurers:Into the Lionne's Den ;) Reserved: Myce, Tolstoy, Arturo Myce slipped down from Tolstoy's back and patted his paw. She had come to love the giant lion in the brief time she had known him. He was loyal to her, now. Unquestioningly so. She found it hard to believe that he was so uncontrollably wild when she first saw him that Beast was forced to keep him chained up in a tower of the Keep. Now, at least with her, he was gentle as a lamb. "Goodnight, Tolstoy," she said with a smile. She walked back to her cabin, her book in hand, and opened the door. Someone had been there. There were vital navigational tools missing. Her sextent, her compass, her rare, Swiss presission watch. Without them the Darkwind could wind up miles off course. Myce climbed up on the table and looked around. Someone had slipped in and out with ease. Unfortunately, Dragon's Tooth was a haven for thieves. Trying to find her equipment would be like seeking a needle in a haystack. Then she remembered overhearing some sailors talking about the Guild of Thieves. If there was a Guild, then the thief who robbed the Darkwind might have to pay a duty on his loot. If so, there might yet be a way to recover the equipment. She ran outside. Tolstoy was lying on a bulkhead, licking his paw and relaxing in the warm night. "Tolstoy, we've been robbed." Tolstoy growled. "Come on. We need to go back to town and find the equipment." Tolstoy looked back at Dragon's Tooth, then down at Myce Elf. She had the sense that he was worried about her safety and laughed. "They haven't made the criminal that can get past you, Tolstoy." That seemed to appease him and he stood up, hopping down from the bulkhead resting place. Lions were nocturnal hunters, and Myce could feel a sudden savagery settle over her friend. She was sure he would eat before the night was over. With a delicate grace, she slipped up onto the lion's back and they rode off into the night, leaping the bound between the Darkwind and the dock with an easy bound. Arturo lifted the skylight to Don Lionne's house and looked down into the darkness. He knew there would be guards all through the house, even at 3:30 in the morning. They would kill anyone they caught in the house, and they were skilled at catching people. As he slipped through the opening he knew the odds were he would not leave the house alive. He hit the ground softly with the grace of a cat, then slipped off into the shadows. As skilled as the guards were in protecting Lionne, Arturo was skilled in slipping past such protections. Life on the streets had been hard, and Arturo had only survived by being adept at not being seen. "Are you still datin' that wench from the tavern?" Arturo slipped under a table at the sound of the deep voice. He heard footsteps. There were two guards coming down the hall towards him. "No. I got tired o' waitin' for her to see things my way, so I jus' gave her a taste o' what she was missin' and told her we was through." "Give it to her good, eh?" "She couldn't walk for a week, I'm told. Of course, that may o' been from my persuadin' her to cooperate more than from the size o' my manhood." Arturo watched as they walked past him, then disappeared around a corner down the hall. As soon as he was sure they were gone he ran down the hall and into the shadows. "There it is, Tolstoy," Myce Elf said. "That tramp said that Don Lionne would know if so much as a toothpick were stolen in Dragon's Tooth. I guess thievery is a closed shop here." Tolstoy let out a low rumble of a growl. "Don't worry, if what the tramp said is true, you'll have a chance to vent some of that fury. Let's go." They walked over to the door of Lionne's house and looked up at the one-eyed guard by the door. He looked surprised when he saw Tolstoy, but quickly regained his composure. "What do you want?" "I need to talk with Don Lionne," Myce said. "I'd like to buy back some equipment I owned, and I think he may be able to arrange it." No need to fight if diplomacy and a few pieces of gold would suffice, she decided. The guard sneered. "Then come back durin' normal business hours, and without the big cat. Then, maybe, Don Lionne will make time to listen to you." Myce sighed. "I'm afraid we just don't have that much time." She pulled a gold coin from her purse. "But, if you could expedite matters, I would be grateful." The guard took the coin and bit it. He seemed satisfied as he slipped the coin into his vest. "Hold on, I'll see what I can do. But, the lion stays outside." Myce looked up at Tolstoy, who was staring at the guard with narrow, green slits. She felt bad for him. If things went too smoothly he wouldn't get the excitement his animal nature craved. The lights went on inside the house, and the guard returned a moment later. "Come in, miss." Myce walked toward the door. Tolstoy started to follow but she stopped him. "Not yet," she whispered. "I don't think we can trust them, but this may be our only chance to get into the house with Lionne still inside." The lion lipped its lips, then sat down to wait. "You're a good friend," she said, then went inside. As soon as she cleared the threshold the door was slammed behind her and the dead bolt was thrown. She turned and saw three men with swords drawn standing behind her. "You'll need more than that to keep Tolstoy out." "Shut up, imp. That way." The guard jabbed his sword toward the back of the house. Myce shrugged and followed his direction. She passed through an archway and was in a small library. A fat man in a yellow nightshirt was seated at a large desk. "Don Lionne, I presume?" "Yes. You've gotten me up late, m'dear. Please tell me why immediately." "Some items were stolen..." "Acquired." "All right, 'acquired' from my ship, the Darkwind, earlier this evening. I would like to buy them back. At a fair price, of course." "Just what makes you think I can help you?" "Don't waste my time, Don Lionne. I must sail in only a few hours, and I need my equipment. I have money, and I'm willing to pay. What else do you need to know?" "Is the money on you?" "Of course not. It's on my friend, Tolstoy." A guard leaned over to Don Lionne. "That's the lion." Lionne frowned. Arturo finally reached the lowest level of Lionne's house. For some reason the lights were on. He heard talking coming from Lionne's study, where he had been tossed into the harbor earlier that day. He moved closer, peering into the room through a curtain drawn around the archway. "I'm afraid that's bad news for your lion, then. Kill it," Arturo heard Lionne say. "No," a small woman said in response. She was shouting, calling Lionne all kinds of words Arturo had never heard. He ducked into a closet as Lionne's guards charged past him to the front of the house. When they were gone he looked into the room, again. Lionne was against one wall, and the lanky man was standing behind the short woman. "Now, as soon as we relieve you of your gold, we'll send you on your way." Arturo heard screams from the front of the house. Four guards had just gone outside. Now, one ran back in holding a bloody stump which had been a left arm. "Master, the lion is too wild. It killed the others." "Wake the guards," Lionne yelled. There was a crash and the front door shattered. A lion, blood on its maw and an animal fury Arturo had never seen before, stood over the remnant. It roared and the walls shook. "Guards," Lionne shouted at the top of his lungs. Arturo was furious. He saw his chances of extracting revenge fading quickly. Then that changed as dozens of armed guards converged on the lion. It reared back, then lept on them, knocking five of them down. Blood flew and arms flailed. the lion deftly avoided the hacking, but it didn't seem possible that it could last long. "Wait." Arturo looked back into the study for the source of the voice. It was the lanky man, holding a knife to the short woman's throat. "Stop or I'll kill her." "Save yourself, Tolstoy." The lion looked over, uncertain. Arturo decided to act. A stiletto flashed from his hand into the lanky man's shoulder. He screamed and grabbed his arm, releasing Myce Elf. "You," Lionne screamed, pointing at Arturo. "Come on," Myce shouted, "we need to get out of here." She ran out into the melee and towards Tolstoy. The lion leapt over to her and she climbed onto his back. They started towards the doorway, but she stopped him, looking back towards Arturo. Arturo was trying to escape, now, though two of the guards were now chasing him. He was furious. Now, because he'd helped the elf he had lost his chance for vengence, and probably his own life. "You - come on." Arturo turned and saw Myce waving to him even as Tolstoy was eluding the slashing swords of the guards. "Hurry." Arturo wasn't anxious to tie his fortunes to a lion and an elf, but when he considered his alternatives he ran over to them. He lept onto Tolstoy's back behind Myce and the lion lept through the doorway and ran off into the night. Arturo could smell the stench of death on the lions muzzle. After a few minutes they stopped and Myce looked back at him. "Who are you?" Arturo looked down. "Can't you talk?" He shook his head sadly, then climbed down from the lion. "Where are you going? Can we give you a lift?" Arturo looked back at the way they'd come. He had failed to kill Lionne, and only wounded the lanky man. It was worse than that. He could have killed them both, but when the time came he aimed to hurt. Why didn't he kill them? Now, no matter how hard he tried to hide, it was only a matter of time until Lionne tracked him down and killed him. "Nowhere to go?" Myce slipped down and walked around. Arturo brushed his long, black hair from his eyes and looked down at her. "Would you like to go with us?" Arturo looked away and sighed. "It'll be all right. I promise." Tolstoy walked over and nudged Myce with his nose. "I know, Tolstoy. They're coming." She turned to Arturo. "You hear that? If you stay here, it's only a matter of time. They'll be looking for you." Arturo nodded. "Then come with us. At least for a while." He frowned, then nodded. Myce smiled. "Good. Now we just need to figure out how to replace our gear," she said as they climbed back on Tolstoy. Arturo looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Someone stole all our gear. I don't suppose you'd know where we could go to replace it?" Arturo grinned. Ten minutes later they were back on board the Darkwind with their gear, and Norly, one of the nastier thieves, was a little poorer. _____________________________ This has been a message from: Chris Vaughan || space.cowboy@worldnet.att.net rrnn \\ \\ "I can make it disappear, have no fear!" || || - Red Hot Chilli Peppers // // //// V/