No Longer a Game Ch. 06

Jason nodded his head to the captain, "As I was explain to your man, this drow is my prisoner and my campions and myself are taking her to Athkatla to stand trial at the court of Tyre for her crimes and execution. The elf girl is a witness to her acts." Jason nodded to Natalie.

The captain smiled at Natalie and his eyes roamed up and down her body, "A moon elf. I don't think we ever saw one of your kind in our city, my lady. The rumors of your kind's beauty do not do you justice." He bowed slightly to Natalie and turned his attention back to Jason.

"Of course you may enter Lund, good sir, and if the city watch can be of any help with this foul creature we are at your disposal. We can notify the magistrate and have her locked in one of our cells until you depart."

"Thank you, but no captain, my companions and I well guard her. I would hate for her to suffer an 'accident' in one of your cells before she stands trail."

Captain Danthos smiled, "As you wish, sir, but I must ask that you keep a close guard on her."

"Naturally."

"One more thing if I may ask, my lord." The captain pulled a rolled up paper from his belt and spread it open and handed it to Jason. "Have you seen this woman while on the road? She is wanted for the murder of one of Lord Lund's bodyguards. She may be wounded. I am sure my men put at least two maybe three bolts in her as she escaped the city."

Jason looked at the paper and it was a crude drawing of Rain. "No, captain, I have not seen her."

"Thank you, my lord. You may enter." The captain gave a slight bow to Jason who nodded back.

As Natalie walked past the captain he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Excuse me, my lady, but if you would like to see the more pleasant sites of our city, I would be happy to escort you."

Natalie looked up at him, "I...I think I should stay close to my friends."

The captain nodded and then Natalie saw him turn to the young guardsman Herrick. "You fool! Did you not see the symbol on his chest! He is a Paladin of Tyre!"

The captain continued to shout at the young guard as the party walked out of ear shot. Natalie flinched when Rain walked to her side as they walked.

"Wow, he was flirting with you and for the first time since I have known you, you did not flirt back." She giggled and to Natalie her giggle sounded harsh and disgusting.

"I...I was scared ok." She nodded her head at Jason, "So what was all that 'sir' and 'my lord' business about. The captain seemed well...very respectful to Jason."

"He's a paladin of Tyre." Ahira answered. "Paladins are knights and most come from noble families and are second or third or so on sons who won't inherit their family lands ad titles so they seek their fortune elsewhere and some become paladins. Not all paladins are nobles though; it's up to whatever god they serve to bless them as such if they are deemed worthy."

"And Jason lied. I thought paladins could not lie."

Ahira chuckled, "He's not a Vulcan."

Natalie had no idea what the comment meant so she let it go and her eyes looked around at the city and she put her hand over her nose and mouth. "Damn this stench is unbearable."

"Welcome to the big city." Rain told her, "You get used to it in time."

"I don't see how."

"Rain do you know the best place to find an inn and a tavern that we can gets rooms and find a ship captain." Jason asked her as he led Christie by the rope.

"The dock area would be best." She paused, "Just not the Grinning Troll."

They all agreed they did not want to go into the place Derrick had died. As they walked to the docks people still stared and cursed Christie and once a band of young ruffian boys started following them at a distance jeering at her until one threw a rotten tomato at the drow, hitting her in the back. Christie turned and gave the boys a cruel look and made a hissing sound and they scattered in fear.

The party had to visit three inns before they found one that would allow them to house the drow, the Wanton Nymph, and it cost double the normal price for two rooms and Jason had to swear on his honor that Christie would be under guard their entire stay. He told the innkeeper his half orc companion would guard her. Rain's illusion spell wore off almost as soon as she entered the door to the room the females would share. It had two beds, a table with an oil lamp on it and not much else.

"Well the Ritz it's not, but I guess it will have to do." Natalie commented as she laid her pack on one of the beds and leaned her staff against the wall. "So who doubles up and who gets the bed to them self?"

They decided by flipping the gold coins. The odd one out gets the bed to herself. After three flips it was Rain who won which did not make Natalie happy. She was not as mad at Christie as she had been and no longer blamed the girl for her being in this world, but she still wanted to get even with her girlfriend.

"Are you going to be ok? Alone and stuff?" Natalie asked the other two.

"Yeah we'll be fine. Just have some food sent up and maybe some wine." Christie said. "Rain and I can get drunk while the rest of you have the fun."

With promising to have food and wine sent to the room, Natalie left to join with the males. The plan was for Natalie and Lou to do the shopping while Jason and Ahira went to see about booking passage on a ship. They were to meet at a tavern the innkeeper suggested named the Laughing Maiden.