Free Soron's Quest by Robyn Wideman Page B

revenge. Ramon was glad, Soron deserved someone special. He would do what he could to find out about the mysterious woman for his northern friend.
    Mariah came over to the table, “Supper is just about ready. Ramon are you going to stay here and eat? Father cooked a roast tonight, it smells delicious.”
    Ramon gave the girl a big smile, “How can I turn down an offer like that?”
    Then men had just about finished eating their meals when one of the brothers arrived and sat at the table with them. The boy promptly started scavenging food off of both of the men’s plates. In between bites the boy spoke. “You are in luck big man, Declan and his friends scurried out of the woods like a pack of hyenas and headed to the first pub they found. They are now drunk and mouthing off about your killing their friends, calling it murder.” The youth gobbled up another chunk of beef before continuing, “If you were to head down to the pub right now you would likely hear them saying all sorts of nasty things about you.”
    Soron looked over at Ramon, who nodded in agreement with the young thief’s assessment of the situation. Perhaps it was time to go out for a drink. Soron went to finish his meal but found his plate empty.
    The boy looked at Soron, “What?”
    As Soron and Ramon rose to leave Soron threw a gold coin on the table. “Stay eat a meal on me, be friendly with Mariah, and don’t leave the inn for at least an hour,” said Soron.
    The boy nodded, he had been seen with Soron and would not want to be anywhere near them for the next little while, just in case something unexpected happened. He smiled and called for Mariah “Another plate of food and a glass of ale please.” The boy would happily waste an hour eating and drinking.
    As they walked Ramon discussed what would likely happen, “If you do call one of them a liar, it is likely they will not respond well, duels start for much less. Do you want to go back to the inn first, get one of your weapons before we enter?”
    Soron thought about it, “No it is better if I go in empty handed.”
    The pub was loud and busy. As they entered, Ramon nudged Soron. “By the bar, the one in the red shirt is Declan.”
    Soron recognized the group from their earlier encounter. The men were talking loudly amongst themselves and the patrons around them. None of them noticed Soron and Ramon and they walked through the crowd up to the bar only a few feet from where they stood.
    Declan was speaking as they arrived at the bar. “Yep, poor Cale and Owen and the rest never had a chance, murdered trying to defend that girl. I tell you something needs to be done.”
    “That is a lie.” Soron’s voice boomed out in the crowded bar.
    The crowd quieted down. Calling a noble a liar was serious business.
    Declan furious at the outright accusation turned and yelled, “Who said that?”
    Soron stepped away from the bar, “I did. Your friends were caught assaulting a woman, they then attacked me. Multiple witnesses saw the whole thing. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.”
    Declan looked at Soron, he was intimidated by the northerners size, but now that he had a few drinks in him he was less scared. He looked the northerner over, seeing no weapons. He decided it would be a good time to punish the giant stranger for attacking his friends.
    Declan snarled, “That’s twice now you have called me a liar. I will not have it.” As Declan spoke his friends began to circle Soron. When Declan gave the signal, all four men pulled out daggers and attacked Soron.
    Soron, sober and ready, reacted quickly. When they attacked he turned his body, reaching out and grabbing one of the men. He yanked hard on the man, pulling him in close. As the rest of the men lunged to stab Soron, two of them ended up stabbing their friend instead. Soron pried the dagger out of the mortally wounded man’s hand and shoved the injured man into Declan and the man beside him. The other man was taking a second stab at Soron,