I just remembered, KSki had given me some gold coins. I quickly changed into my regular clothing, put on my pack and headed out of the castle.
I reached the castle gates. I greeted the guards there, some new Knights. I looked out into the city.
Nepeth was a truly great city. It may not be as populated as Tantallon, but it sure was more profitable under King Drin's rule. I walked on the streets. The way to the main square was a two way street, so I headed south. I passed by the City Guard, the Escrow Service and a few middle-class houses.
I tracked my memory for the location of the pub. I never visited it that much. I remembered that it was
somewhere in the local inn. So, I made my way over.
I wasn't really watching where I was going. I was thinking to myself, just wondering about what happened. I kept walking, then felt a big bump to my side. I looked up. I had knocked someone over.
A big mess of fish layed around the person who fell. I quickly ran to her aid, helping her back up.
I was a bit embarrassed. I quickly hid it though, I didn't want to show it. "I'm very sorry!" I said. The person was still cleaing herself off. "Here, let me help you get the fish." I quickly got down and started picking it up, putting it in a pack.
"Huh?" the person said above me. "Nah, it's alright. I probably should have seen you anyways. Gets hard to look once you carry all that fish."
"Oh no, it's my fault."
"Well, if you insist." I sensed a bit of humor in that. I finished putting the fish back in the pack. It was a really hard job. There were a lot of fish, but I managed to get them in. I stood up and handed the pack back to the person.
"Thanks," she said. That's when I saw her face. I easily put the face to Caryn's.
Caryn was a fellow Knight. To my knowledge, all she usually did was fish. That's how I got into fishing for awhile. She told me all I needed to know about it, and I was okay at it. But I would never compare to her. But, she probably kills stuff when i'm not watching. Probably.
Caryn took the pack and wore it. She seemed to strain under its weight. I gave her the usual Knight greeting, a bow. She returned it with a curtsey, but she was still straining under the weight of the pack.
"How many fish this time?" I asked.
"I dunno, I lost count around 57." Caryn said, grinning evily. She was still straining.
"Well, it looks like your about to collapse. Go ahead and get rid of it, I'll talk to you later."
Caryn just nodded. Then she walked off (a bit slowly) towards the castle. I got a Knightline message a few seconds later saying that Caryn donated all her equipment (which I was guessing was um..fish). I got ready to continue on, when I spotted a lone fish on the path. Caryn probably dropped it, so I picked it up. I'd donate it when I get back.
Before I headed over to the pub though, I took a detour to the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff wasn't in, so I just entered. The office was small, the one in NEVille was probably better. But, you could find the missing persons posters here. It showed people who had been missing for a long time, no matter who they were.
I looked at Newanda's poster.
I remembered him as an honorable rogue. An oxymoron? Probably, but this guy was a standout to the vast majority of thieves.
Saxifrage...
Darn, I easily remembered the first day this half-elf joined the Knights. I really liked her, she was so likeable and friendly. However, after she made Countess, she disappeared without a trace.
Persis...
Met her one time at Burnham. An orcish Scythe, but a very friendly one. Probably could have been my friend if she wasn't my enemy. She had my respect though.
Slawdog...
Talked to him for awhile. We exchanged goodbyes, in hopes I would see him again. I never did.
And of course, Kushana...
Her missing person poster was pretty old and dusty. It barely stayed pinned to the board. It had been one of the longest on there. As I looked upon it, my feelings of sadness arose again. I held down the urge to cry and headed over for the pub.
I walked on the path to the pub. I started thinking to myself. I still wonder about where all my friends have gone. There were many more I lost track of, then just the ones on the board. I've missed them all, and want to see their happy faces again. Although, most of the time, I found out they were dead, usually at their own hands.
I reached the Nepeth Inn. I went in and headed over to the pub. It was mostly empty when I entered. I only saw a crippled old man and the bard here, probably taking a break. I reached the bar and ordered a cold beer.
After a few drinks of beer, I pulled out the broken crossbow. I was feeling a bit better, so I felt I could do some busywork while I waited. I looked over the broken crossbow. KSki was right, it was really damaged. The shaft was damaged beyond repair. I would have to find a whole new one to get it to work again.
I ordered more beers. I was nursing my 6th beer. As I got more drunk, a crowd of people came into the pub. I was too drunk to really care, but their footsteps made really loud, annoying noises. Must have been some party coming in for a rest. I kept sipping at my drink, my back to the party.
Suddenly, a loud booming voice hit me. It hurt my ears and my mind, which was already aching. "BY YOUR COMMAND, MASTER." I heard. I turned around. I saw some people all around some fetch. "Damn fetch," I thought.
"I SEE IT NOT MASTER," it said again.
"Shut up!" I thought. "Or, I'll kill you myself." I covered my ears and did my best to ignore them.
"BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY MASTER."
I reached my limit. I in a drunken rage. "That's it. It's dead." I got up and looked at the crowd.
I saw a small dwarf holding a big axe in his hands. I saw an orc with a patch over his eye and slight smell. I saw an elf with a tiny dagger. I also saw a tall human with a black wand. Obviously the necro. But where was the fetch?.
And then I saw it. Off in the corner. Shrouded in a bit of darkness, but I could see it. The fetch was dressed in full battle armor. There probably wasn't an area not covered by metal, except for the head. The fetch had a helmet at its side. I just noticed that the fetch had a beautiful head of blonde hair and lovely face. The figure of the fetch signified a female, a human too. Pretty good looking for a fetch I had to admit. My mind alerted me. The fetch reminded me of something. But what?
The party set off to move out. I was still a bit dazed by my drunken state. As they started to go, it finally reached me.
The blonde hair, the pretty face, the figure.
Kushana!
I was in disbelief. I quickly snapped out of my drunken daze and raced for Kushana. But, when I got out of the pub, the party was nowhere to be seen.
She was there! She is back! After all that time, she has returned!
Questions popped into my mind. If she's back, how come she didn't contact me? How come no else knew about it? Did she see me at the pub? If she did, how come she didn't talk to me?
But, I still missed talking to her. I could have released a lot of my emotions, started talking to her. She would wait awhile. And what about that fetch? no, there was no fetch. I made up a fetch because of that beer. Kushana was partying, but most of all, she was alive.
However, the fact remained, I had missed her. Damn! Why did I do that again? How come I didn't pick it up quicker? The impact of the situation finally hit me. I lost control of my body. I was too bogged down with emotions and beer. I stumbled around and that would be all I would remember for awhile.
