Wizard for Hire

Just outside, Werlee called, demanding, "Put him down or I'll slit your ugly throats!"

"Oh, now, look at what we have here, docker," one said to the other. "A real cutie. We're just getting some fun out of this unsightly germ here," the man explained. "Couldn't be your lover boy, now could he, little lady?"

"I said put him down! Now!"

Both Greenscarf and Korf stood either side of Werlee. Greenscarf also told the men to take their "filthy bodies away."

"I love audiences, don't you, Docker?" asked the man, and slapped poor Boneheart with a whack across the face. It brought instant blood from his nose.

"Yeah, Blackie. What do you say we give the creep something to entertain the audience, eh?"

"Sounds like fun," the man, Blackie, said. And they both lifted poor Boneheart upward like a drooping rag, and tossed him on the ground on the other side of the wagon. It must have hurt the boy badly! Rabbit snorted, and Greenscarf's horse was dancing excitedly!

Greenscarf lunged at one of the men, swung his sword at the man's leg, and the man, agile, jumped aside, then off the wagon. The other climbed off the wagon and faced Werlee.

"All fun on a fun day," hollered Docker at Werlee. "Come, little lady, and I'll test your strength and cunning."

Werlee began clashing swords with the man, a large one. And she did quite well, backing him across the entrance to the inn, causing shouts from inside and on the street. Greenscarf had his hands full, and had already taken a small cut on the left jaw. But he was a good swordsman, at least good enough for the person he dealt with.

It wasn't long before Werlee had her opponent backed against a wall, and his eyes were open and amazed at the talent of the young woman. She held him there, threatening his life.

"You don't fool around with a poor innocent boy, mister! Especially a friend of mine. You understand?"

"Ha! Ha! And what are you aiming to do about it?"

"Slice your ugly throat if you don't get out of here."

"Says who?"

"I do!" she shouted at close range.

But there was someone behind her, and a strong hand grabbed her shoulder and whirled her around! In that swift movement she dropped her sword, a real mistake. She found herself facing a quite singular individual, a bearded man with reddish hair -- Redmain! Docker grabbed her from behind, and held her quite securely.

"You, Princess Werlee Friendsmaker," Redmain spat, "do not understand some things, do you? That is my man. And I want you to take your idiots with you back from whence you came. Understand me?"

"Yes, I understand," she shouted back, "but you've no right to harm innocent people like your chief troublemaker, Coremonger, does. Now, do you understand?" she shouted bravely.