Games of the Powerful

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  Sakura and Orin sat at a table drinking some local ale at the Brookmoor Inn. They had been there a day and a half not only enjoying each other’s company but the company of the duke’s sons and five of his trusted knights. They came rolling in not long after they did. They marched right into the inn in their heavy armor smelling of sweat and horseflesh that had Sakura wrinkling her nose at the smell. The duke’s sons were not dressed as knights though they are. They chose instead to wear light chainmail over leather jerkins, leather pants and black boots. Each carried their rapiers and the knights had their huge broadswords at their wastes with heavy shields strapped across their backs.

  The first night at the inn Sakura had her planned reunion with Orin and by morning, they were both exhausted and he wondered why he ever left her. She wore her long dark-brown hair braided, and light wool shirt and pants she had bought from the innkeeper who has a garment shop in the rear of the inn. Her oval face is certainly pretty with almond shaped eyes that danced with the love of life. He bought some new clothes from the innkeeper’s wife too. He decided on black wool pants that laced up the side and white cotton pullover gathered yoke shirt with full sleeves and a v-necked opening. Both had daggers in their gold ring belts at their waist. For the present, he thought it best to leave his sword in their room.

  Brookmoor is a small village that would not exist if not for the barge trade that flows up and down the river. Many dockworkers, warehouseman, and bargeman live in the town and travel by barge to their respected workplaces each day. Even during the winter, a few barges travel between here and the castle and some still go to the Pine Hallow Trading Post during the winter.

  The inn itself is made of cut granite and mortar with a granite-tiled roof. With a large stoop and wooden front porch, it afforded enough room for chairs so people can relax and gaze across the river if they desire to. The inn is a two-story affair with nice size rooms kept painstakingly clean, because the innkeeper never knew when gentry like the Duke Gawain's sons and their knights would show up and rent a room.

  The rest of the town is dirt paths leading to houses made of wood and thatched roofs, a small blacksmith shop, large stable and hostelry for those who cannot afford to stay at the inn and small shops selling specialized items and food, again for the less affluent. An aged constable and his young assistant watch over the town but with very little thievery or mischief aside from an occasional drunk that frequents one of the establishments selling some of lessor quality of strong drink their services are rarely needed. Even though many will say the strong drink is a cross from fermented goat urine and river water, they still make their way to these taverns to drink it by the pitcher full. Along the dockside are places for the barges to land and make deliveries to small warehouses for storing trade goods.

  Orin unassumingly listened to the duke's son; of course, he did not know which one was speaking now. They were discussing back and forth about the missing barges that should have been back from Pine Hallow and debating if they should ride up there and investigate. Orin had heard the claptrap about orcs coming down in droves slaughtering and killing everything in sight he but did not believe it. For that matter they have not left their hunting grounds to move south in his lifetime and as far has he knows in his father's either. The bargemen are probably holdup sleeping off an end of trading season drunk and will return soon. Like it or not, the dukes sons were thinking about leaving at first light to head up there and see if the rumors were true that orcs were pillaging the countryside south of the mountains. To his chagrin they are acting as if this is some kind of adventure that he would be forced to go on whether he wanted to or not. He had asked Sakura when they arrived why they were here and all he got was he wants us here. He will have to be satisfied with one more night of comfort with Sakura and the drawback is they would need to sleep through most of it.

  He scooted back his chair and with a reluctant look toward Sakura, he sauntered up to the table bowing at the waist in front of the duke's sons. “M’lord and honored knights my wife and I could not help but overhear that you are considering a short journey to Pine Hallow Trading Post and we as minor traders do have the tiniest of interest in seeing that our wares have arrived there and will be delivered here shortly. With that in mind, would it be tolerable to you to let us accompany you? With the chance of a highwayman or two between here and there a man and a defenseless young woman would be at their mercy,” he added quickly with an earnest expression on his face.

  “My good man we would be honored if you and your wife were to accompany us to Pine Hallow. My name is Dorin and I would like you to meet my brother Doric or wait is it the other way around? Oh bother half the time I can’t tell the difference in the two of us but the best way to tell is that I am the more handsome of the two,” he said that looking over at Sakura giving her his best smile and a wink. That brought a round of laughter at the table and Orin laughed right along even though he did not think it that funny. Orin looked from one twin to the other trying to tell which one is which each with black hair, brown eyes, clean-shaven, tall and heavily muscled; they were mirror images of the other so after a moment he gave up in frustration.

  “Thank you m’lord we have horses and supplies so we will not need to share a campfire with you but your graciousness in allowing us to ride with you is most obliging,” Orin had to grit his teeth in anger. Why is he acting like a jealous husband it is not as if they were truly married besides he was the one who left wasn’t he?

  “Nonsense my good sir you have my word of honor, you and your beautiful wife may share our fire in the comfort and safety knowing no untoward act of violence shall befall you.” Dorin meant what he said in all sincerity, but Orin was not in the mood to take it that way.

  “Your graciousness is well known m’lord oh wait or is it your brothers I can never tell which,” he said laughing drawing a raucous laugh from those at the table including the twins. He bowed to them and turned back toward the table feeling good at what he accomplished until he saw the look Sakura gave him. Sitting next to her with an apologetic look on his face he suddenly felt her hand under the table pinching him mercilessly on the inside of his leg taking every ounce of willpower he had not to yelp in pain.

  “What did you do that for?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Defenseless am I! You wait until tonight when I get you alone I will show you how defenseless I am when I tie you to the bed and beat you before I have my way with you!” Soaring to the forefront is that strong-willed personality that first drew him to her, what he loved most about Sakura, he thought reaching under the table taking her hand in his.

  “I can’t wait,” he smiled kissing her on cheek. Shocked and thrilled at his show of affection she realized how much she liked the new feelings coursing through her.