Assassination Part 2
Griswold DuShammon stocked through the small town of Somerton. Everybody, even the guards got out of his way. That was the about only thing he liked about this town. The people knew to fear him. Of course it helped that he stood over eight feet tall and wore chain mail over a heavy leather jerkin. By his side he carried a fairly large mace, and he wouldn’t hesitate to use it. There was another thing he liked about Somerton and when he saw the pile of ashes where the Scarlet Lady had been, he snarled and stomped even harder, fingering the mace.
Arriving at the Townhall, he growled at the guards and stalked past them. They cringed and looked away as he pushed through the doors. Scrag maintained his office on the second floor. He stomped through the main hall and entered the stairwell that led to the second floor. It was small, steep and narrow, so he had to practically crawl up the stairs. He had no doubt that was why Scrag was so happy to use the mayor’s office. Although the fact that Scrag was the mayor might’ve also had something to do with it.
Finally reaching the door to the mayor’s office, he slammed it open, and ducking as he entered the office. Scrag turned to face him, letting the tapestry fall acrossed the alcove where Ant was no doubt hiding.
Scrag smiled “Grizzly! It’s good to see you.”
“Is it?” Griswold said crossing his arms across his chest. “Where’s my tribute?”
Scrag swallowed and fidgeted with his hands “ah. I don’t have it.”
“You don’t have it.” He snarled stepping forward and glaring down at Scrag. “You had better find it. Now.”
Scrag backed up stuttering “w w well___”
Griswold backhanded him. Scrag crashed to the floor and crawled backwards. Trixie who had been able to see everything through the tapestry nervously clutched her throwing knife. She had seen the armoured giant before, but had never interacted with him. Her sister seemed to like him. She on the other hand had always considered where she put a knife if he came after her. Being behind a tapestry with his back partially to her, she shifted further back and held her breath.
He whirled, looking at the tapestry and snarled “you’d better not try anything.” Then he turned his attention back to Scrag “I don’t want any excuses. I want my tribute.”
“I. I. I. Don’t. Have it.” Scrag stuttered. Then he managed to say rapidly “the town treasury was stolen and I tried to raise the funds with an auction, but it was a disaster. I can’t produce money I don’t have. Everything’s a mess. I don’t have it!” He seemed to gain confidence as he continued. “An orc drove the wagon through town and someone used it as a distraction to break into the safe.” He pointed at a fairly heavy chest with a broken lock lying nearby. “Knowing you were coming, I prepared a slave auction, only it was broken up by some orcs. I think they may be responsible, but no one saw them breaking into the safe.”
By the time the other two civilizations arrived, earth had learned two things. One they had nothing more advanced spacefaring civilizations were interested in trading and that the two more aliens races were sending delegations to earth. The nulire were the first to arrive. They were welcomed as they enter the system and escorted to earth. They insisted on doing their negotiations in orbit and then reopened an old facility in Ireland. The locals were shocked when massive fairy castle appeared. Even so they had to hire some locals to come in and clean it. The telac receive a similar welcome, and like wise had an old facility on earth. This time it was an underground complex located near Hessdalen, Norway.
I would also like to remind any reader that I have two publish books, Trapped in a Curse and Good Doctor Poor Mage. Trapped in a Curse is a fantasy adventure where the main character proceeds on a quest to get free of the curse. You can also listen to me reading two chapters on my YouTube channel. The prologue is found here https://youtu.be/geBXkrGDjyU and the first chapter here https://youtu.be/aDceMVGsBW8. Good Doctor Poor Mage tells the story of D0k. How he grew up and became a doctor. Since he grew up poor, he turned to crime to pay for his education. When that catches up to him he flees to a world where magic seem to work. I think its an exciting story.