“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t gut you like the swine you are?”
Rao of the Skull Squadron stable sat at a back table of the Broken Sword Tavern. Across from him, he regarded the Rirorni, General Pol’s words, but more importantly, the long dagger in his hands. He then shifted his eyes to the Shewish Giant to his right and the Alastarian barmaid, My-re, to his left.
“My understanding is Lady Greywand will resurrect any dead Lord Protector,” Rao said folding his arms across his chest.
“Not if she can’t find your body,” My-re commented.
“Or if Gromp eat you and poop you out,” Gromp the Shewish Giant said and bared his teeth.
Rao swallowed hard at their logic and while Lady Greywand’s power was well renown, even as from far away as the Rirorni Empire, he didn’t want to put her limits to the test. He decided to change tactics.
“General Pol, while I have heard of the loss of your command—“
Pol cut him off, “Of course you did, you and your brother Bannok and his ilk ensured my soldiers were decimated on the Rirorni plains.”
“Neither, he nor I had any part of their demise,” Rao continued.
“Liar!” General Pol shouted.
Gromp gripped the back of Rao’s neck. “Eat him now?”
My-re regarded him and asked, “Do you have any evidence to the contrary?”
“Does General Pol have any evidence my brother or his army attacked him?” Rao choked out from the Shew’s grip.
My-re and Gromp regarded General Pol.
There were several heartbeats before General Pol snorted with distain, “I know it was him!”
My-re rolled her eyes and Gromp removed his grip.
Rao breathed in a few deep breaths and rolled his head to stretch it. “The loss of any Rirorni—“
“You know nothing of loss,” interrupted General Pol.
“Any Rirorni loss is a tragedy, but we are now stablemates in Skull Squadron,” Rao said.
“We are not stablemates and I’ll be damned to the nine hells before I let you step foot in the Skull Squadron stable here on the Isle of the Eye!” General Pol roared.
“That’s a shame and I understand your anger.” Rao held up his hand seeing Pol’s mouth scowl in fury and about to speak. “I’ll notify our manager Grimwood of your decision and make different arrangements for me.”
General Pol seemed about to lash out, but stopped at hearing the name Grimwood.
Rao read the que and hammered his point and his advantage home. “Yes, I heard that Grimwood was not pleased that you interjected yourself into his stable without his knowledge at the behest of the Free Blade Merchant guild as a ringer in Rocanis. He wasn’t too pleased, from my understanding, when he returned.”
General Pol’s face went red and My-re and Gromp looked at each other, then back to Pol.
“You play a dangerous game Rao. What are you asking?” General Pol asked.
“Two thing. One is to sleep in peace at the stable without having to keep one eye open.”
“And”
“Second, as many free drinks as I want at the Broken Sword Tavern.”
“One free drink a week,” General Pol countered.
“One free drink a day,” Rao responded.
General Pol grumbled. “And Grimwood stays out of this?”
“Of course and we have an accord.” Rao clasped his hands and said, “Now, what is this mushroom mead I keep hearing about?”