Preview of Future Story--Part 3 (Patreon)

“Think really hard, lassie, about what words come out of your mouth next—they may be your last.” The human’s jaw dropped for a tense moment as her fear-filled eyes took the measure of the dwarf. “Just kidding! You’re alright, ya complete joke of a mage.” “Minna, you shouldn’t do that to people. I think I pissed myself a little.” “Was that me or the ale did that to you? Or are you a complete failure at blad—“

The sentence was interrupted as a tall, auburn-haired half-elf walked over to the table and  grabbed the tankard from Minna’s hand, and looked disdainfully at its empty state before setting it down again. “What are you two talking about?” Minna grinned, “I was just sayin’ our Maddy’s a piss-poor mage,” punctuating the last words with a wink at Maddy, who rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Trying to change the subject, Maddy said, “What’s new with you, Miri?” The Elf leaned on the table, grabbed the mage’s tankard and downed what she had left in it. “That’s what I came to talk to you about.” “Are you sure you didn’t come just to drink our ale?” Maddy retorted. The half-elf handed her back the empty tankard in answer, then her face took on a serious cast. “It seems our mistress has been summoned by the council.”

“What! Why?” the dwarf asked, on edge. “That’s just the thing. No one knows why the council is meeting, and she doesn’t have any clue why they want to talk to her first thing tomorrow. We’re supposed to prepare.”

“Prepare for what?” Maddy asked, in concerned tones.

“No idea. There’s no official order. We’re supposed to ready ourselves, perhaps to escort her?”

“What escort her to the Council? Won’t there be plenty of guards there?” Minna said. “And believe me, the council doesn’t need any!” Maddy chimed in. Miri talked barely above a whisper, “Keep your voices down. Just get your gear ready, and meet me in the refectory for breakfast, just before dawn. I should know a little more by then. And for the sake of the gods, stop talking about it in here. This could go very poorly if the wrong people find out.”

Maddy nodded and stood up, “We should get back, anyway. I’ll see you on the morrow.” Minna rolled her eyes at the air of formality. “Yeah, yeah, see you then.”

(Technical difficulties, but I have some of this story done already.  We will return to the regularly scheduled program very soon!)