[Hirilaelin]

Finally they had docked. Narwen decided to get to a bar or tavern first, as her hunger was knawing a hole in her stomach. Walking down the street she saw many other people, mostly corsairs like herself, going about their business. She stopped in front of a likely looking tavern. The sign read, "The Broken Mast." A ship with its mast cleanly snapped in two was painted on the sign, which swung in the salty breeze.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside. Heads swivled to see the newcomer, curious. She straightened herself, and stepped up to the bar. "Barkeep!" she called over the din of people talking, gambling, and what-not. A fat man stepped up to the bar, wiping his hands on his none-to-clean apron.

"Yes?" he replied to her call. "I would like a pint of your finest please," she addressed him. "Be just a minute." He lumbered away, calling for one of the barmaids to serve the lady at the counter ale. In a moment, she was happily sipping what the barmaid had said was "the finest grog in Umbar." Setting her mug down, she looked around the tavern. In one corner she could see an elaborate game of change taking place. A dagger was flipped, and people would bet on where it would land.

Narwen nodded to herself, and slipped off her seat and sauntered over to the corner, where six burly men where playing. She addressed them politely, "May I join?" They took one look at her, and guffawed. "What is so funny, my good men?" she asked them quietly, though her fist was tightly clenched around her mug handle.

"You play?" one laughed again. "A girl? Haw!"

"Yes, I would like to play," she insisted, her blood boiling hotter by the second. "Well," said another, "might as well let her. It's not my money that's going to be lost." Narwen glared at him, but sat down, pulling a small jingling sack out of her pocket as she did so, and setting it on the table. One of the man picked up the small dagger, and said, "Place your bets." Opening the bag, Narwen laid five gold coins on the table and announced quietly, "First inner circle." The other men placed their bets.

The man gripped the dagger expertly, and flipped it up. It flashed as it came down, a jewel in its hilt gleaming. "Thunk," it went, burrowing into the wood of the low table. The first inner circle. Narwen smiled at the astonished men and scooped the gold into her pouch. "I guess it's just luck," she said, now grinning widely. Again the daggar flashed up, and again Narwen claimed more gold. The men were starting to get angry. Narwen decided that she had better leave.

Standing she said loudly, "Thank you for obliging me gentlemen, but I think that I will be on my way now."

One of the men stood. "I want my gold back," he growled. Narwen smiled and said silkily, "Your gold? I think that it is my gold now."

Another man stood, and another, ringing her in. "Give up the gold girl."

Putting the now heavy pouch in her pocket, she turned to leave, but found her way blocked. Spinning, she buried her elbow into the nearest man's gut, making him grunt with pain and surprise. "I'm leaving, and this is my gold," she said again, but more heatedly.

"Oh no you don't you cheating snake." A man rushed at her. Narwen sank into a crouch even as he came on, readying herself. As he rushed her, she dodged to the side and came up behind him, viciously slamming her elbow into his kidneys. Even as he sank to the floor, the other men charged forward, yelling.

By now, the other patrons of the tavern had gone silent as they watched the fight. Narwen went to work on the bulky men, weaving in and out, landing blows in soft areas. Though tall and slender, she could still fight.

As the last of the men sank to the floor, the crowd raised a cheer. Narwen grinned. That had been... Refreshing. It had been a while since she had really fought. She now grinned at the crowd, acknowledging the crys. But it truely was time for her to depart now. Sooner of later, these men would come to, and they wouldn't be happy. Flipping some coins to the bartender to pay for the damages, she walked out of the door, the pouch clinking at her waist.

But, she reflected, she still had not gotten anything to eat. Tossing the pouch from hand to hand, she thought to herself, "Well, now I can get anything I want." Grinning, she walked down the street, listening to the gulls crying.

[ February 04, 2003: Message edited by: Hirilaelin ]

[ February 04, 2003: Message edited by: Hirilaelin ]