Tavern Brawls S07WK01

“Are you SURE you don’t want some ice for that hand?  We’re always making more for the ice arena.”

Chris was nervously looking at Marie UnCureYe’s hand, which had been wrapped tightly in clean cloth.  “I know the clerics patched you up and everything, but that looks terrible.”

The alchemist lightly pushed him away and patted a bottle at her side.  Taking one last draw from her mug, she waved at Chris, then maneuvered her way back to the basement for her next match.

“If we find your finger, we’ll bring it back for you!” Chris called out to her as she disappeared down the staircase.  He turned to his brother, Kevin, who was grabbing a few empty glasses from the bar.  “It sure was nice of her to help reset the hay bales in room 3.  Who knew that a brawl could be so destructive.  I just wish someone hadn’t mixed up the string spool and the razor wire spool.  Next time, we can’t let Mike hang around during the supply run.”

Iris sauntered up to the bar carrying a serving tray, which was now empty from filling various food orders.  “The windows in room 2 have been replaced and refrosted.  Why do we even have windows down in that room, anyway?”

Kevin looked up from wiping down the bar.  “Ambiance,” he replied.

Iris rolled her eyes.  “Any more ‘ambiance’ and they’ll be digging my feet out of their…”

“KEVIN!!”

The three of them turned to see Vala, Kevin’s fiance, standing in the doorway.  Her face was flush, but beaming as she ran up to Kevin and leapt into his arms.  He held her tight and gave her a quick kiss before setting her down.

Smiling at her friend, Iris commented on her appearance, “You look like you’ve been running all over town.”

Vala dropped herself into the nearest empty chair.  “You have no idea,” she began.  “I have the flowers on order, a dress design I absolutely love, and even found a group to play music for us.  Have you ever heard of ‘Zeb and the Barbarians?”

“Zeb?” asked Chris?  “As in Mike Murchadha’s friend Zeb?”

The young man craned his head to address his brother.  “We better reinforce the stage,” he advised.

—–

Across the room, Cantrip and Selena finally sat down in a corner with Tuff.  From time to time, he would lean to the side and cough heavily, but was willing to talk to the investigators for the price of an ale and a meal.

Selena started by trying to ease him into the conversation.  “How are you feeling?” she ventured.

Tuff took a sip from his mug, then shrugged.  “I’m doing better now than that evening, that’s for certain,” he stated.  “The clerics said I inhaled more smoke than I had thought.  It got so bad, I couldn’t breathe at all for a minute or two.  Thankfully, they had an alchemist on-hand with a hot elixir that helped clear my lungs.  I swear I saw a long white tunnel for a moment, but I guess the powers that be didn’t want me just yet.”

He coughed again to the side before continuing, “I hear you had some questions for me.  Fire away.”

Cantrip winced slightly at the unintended pun.  “Well,” she began, “You said something to Fletch on the night of the fire before you passed out.  You said something about ‘knowing what this means’, but he doesn’t know what you were talking about and neither do we.  So…” she paused awkwardly, not really knowing how to ask the question that was on her mind.

“What did I mean?” asked Tuff.  “I was referring to the warning I gave our ranger friend earlier that day.”

Again, he coughed violently off to the side, swearing in-between gasps for air as Catrip watched a courier outside make his way with a package to the door of the tavern.  “Last year was our first year with non-human brawlers.  Fletcher’s predecessor tried to bring them down.  This year, we’ve brought in representatives from numerous new guilds, so naturally I was worried.  With the fire at the draft, it appeared that my fears were well-founded.  I don’t know why Fletcher doesn’t remember the conversation, but we sat right at this very table.  I talked and he did his whole non-verbal thing with me.  Maybe he was daydreaming.  All I know is that we talked here.  Just ask that spunky waitress if you don’t believe me.”

Cantrip glanced quickly at Iris, then over to Selena.  The rogue nodded and got up to talk to Iris.

“Thank you for talking with us,” Cantrip said with a forced smile.  She stood up to take her leave when a scream erupted from the bar.  The mage rushed over to where Iris was holding the open package left by the courier.  Inside was a single severed finger with a note tied to it with string.

Selena gingerly took the box from Iris, trying not to vomit as she did so.  Attempting to avoid touching the actual finger as much as possible, she nimbly untied the string and removed the note.  Unfolding it, she laid it on the bar for all to see.  Written on the parchment in simple lettering were two words:

“Capital Punishment”