At the Three Barrel Dreg (Mitlan & Nickoli) -- WRETCHED STATE

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Date Posted: 13:38:02 05/20/00 Sat
Author: Mitlan
Subject: At the Three Barrel Dreg (Mitlan & Nickoli)

At the Three Barrel Dreg Tavern in Canaday

I still cannot explain the forces which brought me to the doorstep of the Three Barrel Dreg Tavern�partly perhaps for revenge, partly to see that Ezella�s Shane has returned safely. Regardless here I stand before the tavern in the enemy city without any coherent plans.

I push the door open, walk inside to the bar and order ale. I�m sitting there taking in the surroundings. This place has changed little since I was here that fateful night almost eight years ago. My eyes follow the stair to the room where Ezella took me and �took� me. I smile at my own foolishness. I was so young then and she. �I am distracted from my thoughts when a familiar figure enters from the back door. It is Nickoli. The anger boils inside as Nickoli looks right at me without recognition. I calm myself thinking that this could be to my advantage. I notice that one of his arms seems unresponsive.

Nickoli walks to the bar and the bartender without asking hands him a shot of whisky when he downs in one gulp. At this closeness I can see that his arm is indeed some sort of artificial limb, the likes of which I have never seen. When he sat the glass back on the bar I asked�.

�Heard any news from the battlefront?�

�Skirmishes�.but I heard that Lord Justin was killed. Any insight on who the next ruler will be?. Belamore will never rule Canaday.�

He apparently thinks I am a friendly�.�No, I canna say�yer arm, that happen in battle?�

�This, he holds up the arm so I can have a closer look�this my friend is witchery!�

�Witchery?!!

�Aye, that �.it is an evil thing which has hold of my son�..�

�Hey, bar keep�give me another ale and another whisky for my friend here! What evil thing has hold of yer son?� I ask with real concern.

Nickoli downs the drink as soon as it hits the bar�.and says in a conspiratory tone��At the holy church, my son lies encased in some sort of evil blue mist.

�Blue mist?� I say in a disbelieving tone as I motion to the bar keep to bring him another whisky. The bar keep smiles and seems happy to comply.

Nickoli continues his discussion �Aye, a spell of some sort. The good Queen came to me one day and took me to him. She said that since I was his father I could remove him from that wretched mist. Well I tried and look what happened.� He holds up his stiff porcelain arm then tus from the bar as if to walk away.

I yell to him �Hey wait, I don�t believe you! This is a jest, right?

Nickoli turns and the anger burns like a fire in his eyes. �This is no jest!�

�Prove it then, show me this blue mist!�

Nickoli glares at me for a moment as if trying to recognize me. Then a smile spreads across his face. �You, (he shakes his head) you are Old man Darmouth�s grandson aren�t ya�. How is the old man?

�He�s doing just fine Nickoli, just fine considering his age. He has good days and bad days� I hold my breath and prey that it is not a trick.

Nickoli laughs, �good to hear, good to hear�.I reckon I can show you. No one can touch him in the mist anyway� He gets up and staggers towards the door motioning for me to follow. �You know what the Queen was tellin� me about my son?�

�What was that Nickoli?�

�That Shane is the King Belamore�s grandson, who would have thought that Ezella is royalty?� He laughs �I think our good Queen Tilly has gone quite senile don�t you think?�

I laugh because it is quite a tale. �Maybe the Queen is onto some sort of new potion?�
I grip my sword for reassurance and take a deep breath as we continue toward the stable.

****

To be continued��

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