Galin stared at one of the now empty chambers in the inn. Nothing was left of the woman who had been staying there except for a few splatters and smears of blood. The chamber was in a wreak. Furniture had been smashed. There were splinters of wood and shredded bits of cloth everywhere. He gazed fondly at the remains of a fine chair he had obtained for this very room. For the woman who had lived here for three months.
Galin had met her in an old graveyard where she had been attacked by ghouls. She had been alive, but tired, and stunned after hitting a tree. Galin knew there was more to her than met the eye, but both of them had refrained from saying anything. Aside from being told her name was Anya, no one knew anything about her. He had opinions, though, which he would keep for the moment.
“Master,” said the young man Galin had taken in as apprentice. “Do you know who did this?”
“I’m afraid not, my boy,” Galin sighed, looking about sadly.
In appearance, Galin looked to be a man of eighty winters, kind and old, but able and sharp as a razor. In reality, he was in his twenties, and had short brown hair and a short, elegantly trimmed beard. On his belt he always kept the little green dagger he had convinced a beautiful Elf maiden to leave behind. It wouldn’t have done her any good anyway.
“What are we going to do?” He was young, a lad of sixteen years, who had shown remarkable talent. Galin had watched him like a father, felt like a father despite their closeness in age, and had trained him. He wasn’t quite ready to go out alone on missions of skullduggery, but he was close. Galin was proud of him.
“I’m going,” Gallin told him. You know what to do, Master Michael. Rosie knows what she is to do as well when I am gone. I trust you can run things well.” Rosie was a girl he had saved, and, most of the time, tasked her with running his “dragon business.”
When Galin had come to this village years ago, he it was who had made the it’s name, Goldwood, famous throughout the land. Many came through, hunting for a dragon’s hoard, but none ever came back alive unless they chickened out. Seeing an opportunity, Galin had set himself up in The Leering Goat inn, the very place he was in, and told those after the dragon’s treasure he would hold onto their belongings for them. When they didn’t come back, he either sold or kept what they had left, amassing a hoard to be envied by any young dragon.
“Where?” Michael asked. .
“To find her,” he stated, pulling off his ring which held his magic disguise.
“Why?” cried the boy incredulously. “You haven’t cared if someone has gone missing before. Why start now? What about that Elf you got that dagger from?” He pointed emphatically as if Galin hadn’t a clue what he was wearing at his waist.
“Love, my boy,” Galin said, ruffling the lad’s hair and putting on a very grand face. “I think she feels something for me as well, why else would she stay here? You heard her yourself, she had something to do, but kept putting it off.”
“As to that, I have something to say,” Michael said, but Galin went on, holding up a finger.
“She has been here for three months, and why put off a task that need’s doing for that long, if not for love?” Michael was staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. “I Galin, have stolen many priceless treasures—and saved many—as well as having done many remarkable feats. And so, is it not perfect that I, Galin, steal, win, and save the heart of a princess?” He stuck a noble pose, and none in his presence could have denied that it must surly be true.
“Princess?” Michael said, astonished.
“Aye, couldn’t you tell? She not an ordinary person like you or I. She has royal blood in her veins. You need only see her face and her bearing.”
“I wouldn't call you ordinary,” Michael said, grinning despite himself. He was right, of course. During his time here, Galin had obtained the favor of the mayor, purchased the inn when it’s owner was having money troubles, and after that, began purchasing the land for miles around till he was lord of a sizable area. All villages and towns in that land looked up to and admired him, no easy feat for such a short time.
“Thank you, but as I was saying. She is a princess, and I aim to rescue her.”
“I might have something for that,” Michael interjected again. This time, Galin listened. “Right before I heard her screaming, I heard her talking to a man. Least, I think I was a man’s voice. I’m positive it was human. I wasn’t going to eavesdrop but I heard something as I was passing by and—”
A woman screamed in the room next to them, making both freeze. Michael’s face was full of concern. Galin felt fear as well. The next room over was being rented by a man and his wife while they were traveling to visit some distant family. They had stopped here for a couple days to rest before moving on.
Hoping against hope that nothing terrible had happened, Galin and Michael dashed off. They found the woman holding the limp body of her husband. Her hands and dress were covered in blood, and she looked as if in that short time she had cried all the tears she had in her. Michael knelt by her while Galin went to the window. It had been forced open and now hung on one hinge. There was no sign of anyone.
The moon shone bright and it too looked as if it had seen what had happened and felt for the woman. A breeze came in, cold and biting, making Galin shiver. The stars were all covered by clouds and, except for the moon, one might wonder if all the stars had suddenly gone out forever, so black was it.
Muttering under his breath, Galin returned to the woman who was now being walked out of the room by the innkeeper’s wife. “We’ll need to ask her if she saw him,” Michael said, bouncing from toe to toe, an agitated look on his face.
“Not yet,” Galin sighed. “Let her rest. Take his feet.” They lifted the poor man on to the bed and covered him with a sheet, not before Galin placed two gold coins over his eyes. “We’ll let her rest a moment. We’re not callous.”
They returned to Anya’s room. “Now, what were you saying?” Galin said.
“Why did they do that?” Michael said, shaking as he sat down on the bed, the only thing in the room able to be sat on.
“The attacker went to the wrong room, and that man paid the price for the mistake,” Galin guessed correctly, stroking his beard. “What were you about to say?”
“I heard voices. There was a man in there with her. He was asking why she hadn’t done it by now. That there had been plenty of time. Why hadn’t she stolen the green dagger?”
“Green dagger?” Galin said, brow furrowed.
“The only one I know of is yours. Makes me wonder why she didn’t do it,” Michael finished. “You might be on to something.
“Did you see anything?” Galin said as looked out the window.
Michael joined him, still white faced, but no longer shaking. “I saw a figure running away. That way.” He pointed out to some dark hills far in the inky distance, unseen in the current twilight. Galin frowned.
“That is where the mines are,” he said. Galin took the ring he was still holding and put it on a chain around his neck. It would be safe there, and no one would know he and Galin were one and the same. Only Rosie and Michael knew along with the mayor of Goldwood.
“You can’t go there,” Michael cried out. “You’ll be killed. No one has come out of there alive. She’s as good as dead if she is there.”
“All the more reason to leave as quick as possible. Don’t forget that I am Galin. I can do what others don’t dare to do, for I dare to do them myself. Fear not, I will take what I need with me.”
Michael looked about to protest, but there was a sudden shouting from downstairs. Galin and Michael rushed downstairs as quick as they could, taking the steps three at a time, while Michael complained about his knee and Galin put his ring back on. When they were in the chamber below, they saw the innkeeper waiting for them along with a mysterious hooded man. Galin wondered if it was the culprit himself, but upon seeing him dismissed the idea at once.
He was of average height, and not well muscled. His face was scared with scars of beatings, not victories. He was missing three teeth, and his right eye never fully closed. What really told Galin, because appearance could be misleading, was his posture. It was that of a man who serves in fear. Galin had seen it before on one of his outings. He was no assassin or kidnapper; he was a messenger.
“Ah,” he said in a slithery, slimy voice that made Galin want to beat him into silence. “The man I wanted to see.” He tossed a pouch to Galin. Galin almost threw it to the ground in reaction to his disgust, expecting it to be filthy and vile “Your lordship, that should hopefully cover all the damage. She put up quite a fight.” He gave an unpleasant chuckle. “ Before you say anything, she was not a good person. We’ve been tracking here for quite some time and finally caught up to her. There is also a reward too, in addition to covering the costs.” He smiled a most evil smile, and before Galin could do anything, he was gone.
Part two coming hopefully next week or soon after. Word count 1,701.
God bless,