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Old 09-21-2003, 07:13 PM   #59
Ealasaide
Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad
 
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Location: The Fencing Lyst
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Sting

Kaldir

"Kill me, if you are going to," said Benia, gazing fearlessly up at Kaldir from where she had fallen when her injured ankle gave way. Her dark amber eyes burned. The bright morning sunlight sparkled off the silver spangled chain that ran from her earring across her cheekbone to the stud in her left nostril. Looking down the blade of his sword to her face, Kaldir noticed absently that the kohl around her eyes had smeared and begun to come off. She looked so much younger without it. Smiling slightly, he stepped back and sheathed his sword.

"I have no intention of killing you," he said almost pleasantly. "I told you as much in the cellar last night." Leaving her on the ground where she lay, he walked over to where her sword had landed when he had forced it from her grip. Retrieving it from the cairn of stones, he gave a quick glance down the blade before laying it in the grass a goodly distance from where Benia could reach it. It was an excellent quality weapon, nicely weighted, with a sharp and carefully maintained blade. It shouldn't have surprised him that a Painted Sand woman would have such a sword or that she could handle it as well as she did despite her bad ankle. After all, the Painted Sand people were a warrior tribe. Nonetheless, he found himself amused by it and even a little bit disappointed that she was injured. He would have enjoyed truly testing her skills.

Some other time. For the moment, there were too many other things to worry about. For one thing Naiore was probably already on the move.His guess was that they were making for Bree, where Naiore undoubtedly had some underworld contacts. It would be better to catch her before she reached Bree, but if he missed her, he could wait. He had been waiting twelve long years for a chance at revenge. A few more days or weeks wouldn't hurt.

And then there was the matter of Mrs. Banks. After Benia had stopped and drawn her sword, he had seen the hobbit still running for the shelter of the forest. Kaldir turned and squinted toward the trees. Knowing what he did about her loyalty to the desert woman, he figured she wouldn't have gone far. Rather than constantly having to keep one eye open for her, he decided it would be far easier just to catch her, too. After all, he had a mount for her already in the little pack pony, who was just hobbit sized. He could redistribute the supplies later to make room for her when they made camp. As it was, dealing with the two of them was a little too much like trying to keep two kittens in a basket. As soon as one was accounted for, he'd find the other one creeping around underfoot.

"Let her go." Sitting up now, Benia had followed his gaze in the direction of the forest and guessed at his thoughts. "She is of no value to you," she said urgently. " Please let her go."

Ignoring her pleas, Kaldir walked over to where she sat. "Give me your backpack and the sheath for your sword."

Benia complied, but continued to plead for Gilly's safety as Kaldir sheathed her sword and examined the contents of her pack. "Let Gilly go back to her family. She means you no harm. She only meant to help me."

Kaldir gave her a skeptical glance from under his eyebrows. Finding no weapons in the rucksack, only food and clothing belonging to Benia, he walked back over and dropped it on the grass beside her. "Empty your pockets. Turn them out so that I can see they are empty."

Again, Benia did as she was told. She could see her own dagger in its silver and lapis inlaid sheath tucked already in the side of the bounty hunter's belt. Regrettably, she handed over Gilly's little knife as well. She had forgotten to give it back when the two of them had fled the old blacksmith's building. Now it, too ,was the property of the bounty hunter. Kaldir gave it scarcely a glance before sliding it into a pouch on his belt. Carrying Benia's sword, Kaldir walked over to where the little pack pony grazed and strapped the sword to the pony's back. Then, he took something out of the pack and came back in Benia's direction. When she saw what he carried, her heart sank. It was a set of iron wrist shackles and a very solid-looking padlock. Kaldir slid the shackles on to Benia's slender wrists and clicked the padlock shut. She wouldn't be sawing out of those, nor would she be getting up to run away. The pain in her ankle would immobilize her nicely for the brief time he was away. With that thought in mind, Kaldir left the horses to graze freely on the meadow grasses as he turned and strode toward the edge of the Chetwood Forest. He had already located Gilly's fresh footprints among the grasses and moved confidently along her trail.

"Gilly!" Benia called out behind him. "He's coming! Beware!"

[ September 24, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]
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