The Hamlet [IC]

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Elsa loosened the buckles on her horse's harness and pulled back as the animal freed itself. It shook its head as it let out a joyful whinny, as if to proclaim that it had broken free of a lifetime of bondage. Elsa chuckled at the thought as she stroked the beast's nose. She put some hay on the trough in front of the horse's stall and and placed a bucket of water next to it. "Good job today, Mint. We're done for the season so you can rest all you want."

Elsa stepped out of the stable and pushed the door closed. She made her way towards Frederick's tavern; the man was a talented cook, and Elsa had no strength left in her to make a proper meal for herself. Her job took a lot out of her; a four-day trip to the merchant guild and back, with only smoked meat and stale water to fill herself up with. It was worth the trouble though, she managed to bring home several bundles of firewood. Between the stores they already had and her prize, everyone would be plenty warm this winter. She exhaled and watched the small puff of air linger in front of her before disappearing. "So cold."

As the tavern came into view, Elsa moved her legs faster and took longer strides. She closed her eyes and wondered what meal would suit a a job well done. What greeted her was not the welcoming smell of good food, but a commotion outside the tavern. A group of men were attacking another. One of the attackers noticed her and motioned towards the others, and they all ran off. Elsa ran towards the man who was being attacked. He slowly made his way into the tavern, and fell face first onto the wooden floor of the establishment just before Elsa got to him. She knelt beside him, trying to see how bad his injuries were as she called for the owner of the tavern. "Frederick!"
 
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After hearing Frederick's name, she turned around. The tone the woman's voice sounded urgent. Lilen saw that Elsa had spoken and also that Mr. Kir was on the floor bleeding. Lilen knew Elsa, she was a merchant that came the Hamlet, she wasn't sure if Elsa lived here though. Unlike Kir, Lilen didn't know her that well. So she jumped out of her chair and got on the floor and said "Mr. Kir?" now noticing that he was unconscious. "Mr. Kir are you OK!" she yelled this time. That this time Daddy came in with his gloved still on his hands, they were covered in flour. Granet said "Oh deary me, so that's what they did to you," looking shocked.
 
Chione giggled at Tev's concern. He had always been sort of a grandfather figure for her. The kind that had a bunch of stories to tell, and helped you get into all kinds of trouble. The monster slaying adventuring one that always had a trick up his sleeve to get out of something. She had adored him as a kid, and was greatly saddened when he left all those years ago.

"Hah, no, Husani did not send us alone. There were a few pairs of us, actually, but..." She paused, a frown forming on her lips as her eyebrows furrowed. "We split up after arriving here, but we managed to befriend two of the locals. They showed us around and helped us get accustomed to this land. We had a lot of adventures together for those two years, but...we were exploring an old ruin, and we were ambushed. My partner, Sefu was killed." Chione sighed as she recalled the unpleasant event. "The three of us split up after that. Each of us blamed the others for his death." She went silent after that, instead choosing to focus on the egg in her lap. That was, until she heard the sound of a commotion outside of the Tavern.

Kir came stumbling in, obviously he had just gotten into a rather nasty fight. She didn't know what happen, but she didn't care. She gave Tev back his egg before picking up her staff and walking calmly over to the wounded man.

"Give him some space, everyone." She commanded to the people gathering. Well, she was glad she got here when she did. Looks like he'd gotten into a mess with a group of other people. Thankfully, she knew more than a little healing magic. Healing and a bit of water based magic was her specialty - plus combat lessons from Sefu using her staff as a weapon. It was surprisingly good at bashing things. "Looks like someone gave him a thorough beating..." She grumbled. Most of the wounds weren't too serious, and he'd be able to recover with a bit of rest. Taking the staff in both of her hands, she held the object over Kir, muttering a few words as she did so. The blue orb began to glow slightly, as Kir's body was covered in a soft, blue light as his wounds mended. Soon, the bleeding stopped. "There, he should be fine now. He'll just need a bit of rest. More importantly..." The woman looked over the people gathered, giving them a critical look. "Did anyone see who did this?"

From her tone of voice, it would have been obvious she wasn't asking to offer them a free drink.
 
Granet walked over to too the strange lady with a worried look and said "By the sounds I heard outside my bakery, he was ambushed most likely by some travellers" He expression deepened "Or even.... the Aron" Lilen ran over to Granet and grab him by the lag in fear. Aron was a feared word to her, it meant hate, intolerance, and death. Aron had always killed none humans Nekos, Dwarfs, and Elves. They sought to kill all of the none human races. Lilen stared to shed tears, she knew that Kir would be alright but the thought of the Aron coming into the town was frightening. Lilen let out a peep "The, Aron are coming..." No one would hear her though.
 
"He's right. I didn't get a good look at their faces, but they were definitely human." Elsa said as she walked towards a nearby table. She pulled on a seat and stretched her arms as she sat down. She hadn't forgotten about her hunger, but the commotion caused her to lose her appetite. A good meal after a job well done was something she always looked forward to, and a bunch of troublemakers just took it away.

"So, how are we going to handle this?" she asked. "It's likely that more of them will show up sooner or later. I don't think it needs mentioning, but we're in a lot of trouble here."
 
Frederick made his way over to Elsa. "Well if you are going to fight like animals, I don't think getting this little town involved with a kingdom will do anyone much good." He placed a hand under his chin, thinking of what they could do. "Should they day come, we could try hiding you non-humans around town, heck maybe even in here. I'm sure they won't spend too long in a dinky place like this."

Seeing Kir on the floor, he yelled over at a waitress. "Hey, Chelsea! Go grab Cassandra and get this man onto a bed upstairs, pronto!" The two waitresses made their way over and began to pick up the dwarf, careful not to make any of the injuries worse.
 
Granet's ginger beard look as if it was on fire, Granet's face was full of anger. Lilen griped Granet's lag and tighten her grip tears stopped falling down her cheeks, she never liked crying it was to childish. Why would she even care she was the most childish Neko ever, and plus Neko's are naturally childish since they mature slower them humans. "We shouldn't put up with Aron's shit anymore, that's enough," Granet's face was fiery red " Are we the only god forsaken town that has some diversity, why don't those puffed up Arons learn to tolerate " after Granet's words of anger he got some bad looks from the people in the tavern. Then two man got up and put there hands on the hilt of there swords they looked angry.
 
As Kir was upstairs and placed in a bed did he awake, finding himself in one of Frederick's rooms but not remembering paying for it made him suspicious as he could of never got in here any other way. He sat up and felt the soreness in his body and remembered what had happened and sighed as he got out of the bed and hobbled out to the stairs and down them talking about the Aron. He cleared his throat to announce his presence. "Should I start making weapons now?"
 
Chione sighed. Racism was nothing new to her, especially back home. Vlakte, while becoming more open to outsiders due to the kings influence in these past few years, was still a place that catered mostly to humans. If it was soldiers, then there was very little she could do if there were a lot of them. She was good, and could take on a few reasonably skilled people by herself, but if they were trained soldiers she wasn't going to be lasting long, especially in a close ranged fight. Still, she wouldn't be able to just leave these people here.

"Hide?" Chione replied to Fredrick. "Hiding will do no one any good." She continued, giving him a stern look. "Hiding only prevents the problem from escalating and ultimately solves nothing in the end." That was what she believed in any case. "I believe you have the right attitude, however sir." She turned to Granet. And that's when she noticed the two men approaching the man, and they didn't look like they wanted to be friends. The dark haired woman gave each of them a once over. They didn't appear to be too particularly skilled, which meant she could handle them herself.

"I suggest you two refrain from starting anything." She said, stepping between Granet and the men. "Walk away. Now. Before I bring the wrath of lady Keket down upon your miserable lives."
 
Kir looked at the new situation and how it was now moving an his way behind the two men, while he was still recovering he was still able to hit rather hard and despite his height he could handle problems much larger than himself. "I do suggest you listen to her fellas, you're out numbered here and we all don't take to kindly to racism." He started to slide one of his hammers from his leather apron and waited to see what would happen.
 
Angered by his reunion with Chione cut short, Tev walked behind Kir and placed a hand on his shoulder. Even for a Dwarf, he was broad and solid. Tev knew he could back up his words. Tev took a step forward to stand beside him. "Kir is kind Dwarf. Even to Naga like Tev. If he and dear Chione fight then Tev fight at their sides. Tev votes to protect his home with his friends." He walked and stood beside Chione in front of the two men. The humans had never been kind to Tev. Even amongst other races, he had a hard time being accepted. Here though, he had friends and he claimed them as such. "Two soft humans wish to fight Naga, Dwarf and trained Priestess? Foolish. It is already unfair fight if only Tev was here. Tev does not even have sword with him." He said spreading his arms as if to challenge them.
 
One of the armed man where a blue vest and a tattered linen pants. The other a portly man with a fine set of rich-man clothes and a pointed hat with a quill on it. The portly man said sternly "How dare you insult the Aron and there acts of Inquisition, we are cleansing this world of your filth" Both of the men look angry and ready to fight.
 
Frederick made his way between the two groups. The last thing he wanted was a bar fight of any sort. "Oi, if you guys are going to settle this somewhere, it will NOT be in my tavern." He walked up to the armed men. "If you value that noble attire, then I suggest leaving this tavern at once. We do not tolerate nor condone any acts of violence here."
 
The men looked even more enraged and the portly man states "Pity tavern keeper, we work for the count of this land if you keep do not kick these things out we will get the count to send Inquisitors to liberate this hamlet " The two men grin from cheek to cheek. The Inquisitors are a group of government run murders that kill many none-humans and call it Inquisition. Lilen hid behind Granet and fear of the man's words.
 
Kir looked at the situation and not taking the threat well decided to act, he saw that Lilen was not watching and that's when he decided to act. He used his forge hammer which was five pounds to strike the noble in the kneecap dropping him down allowing Kir to nail him in the head to either kill or knock him out either was good enough the other was taken care of by Tev and Chione but the third was running so using his dwarf muscles he threw the hammer which impacted the running man in the back allowing Kir to reach him and pin him down, now he would let the others decide to deal with this coward he had plans to make to defend this little town he called home.
 
The two men are now bleeding heavily on the floor unconscious. Lilen heard what had happened so she peeked and saw the two men on the floor. Granet grabbed her by the hand and took her back to the bakery hoping is was safe enough to hold his darling Lilen. 'That will be the last time he would let Lilen say at the tavern alone' Granet thought.
 
"Gaah!" Frederick yelled. That Dwarf did it, he actually did it. Even after he just said not to fight in here. "Waitresses, help me get these men upstairs! They medical attention, now!" Many of the waitresses rushed over to bring the noble and his henchmen back up stairs to treat them. Frederick turned to Kir.

"What in heavens name were you thinking? At the very least couldn't you have waited for them to strike first? Now WE are the aggressors in this, the kingdom now has a justifiable reason to come!" He ran both hands across his hair, Frederick didn't even get to properly say hi to Granet thanks to all this commotion. He began to speak in a softer tone "Look, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, this is the second time in one day you've attacked people. I let the first slide since they were going for Tev's egg and were very much the aggressors, but this time you attacked because you simply didn't like what they said."
 
Kir looked at Frederick coldly. "You have nothing to fear from these...people for you are human Frederick they may burn your tavern and they may even beat you but you will escape with your life but for being like myself, Tev and Lilen well they want our eradication, they do not believe we have a right to simply exist let alone walk among humans, you will never know the fear of living among humans Frederick every time I hear someone threaten me I have to take it seriously because they if given the opportunity will act on that threat, that is something you will never understand the simple fight to exist. They want genocide and I have no problem leaving this place if you are more concerned with what the kingdom will say or do to you then the lives of others." Kir stormed out of the tavern his thought in a whirl, he had thought better of the humans who called this place home but it seemed as though it was the same everywhere he went maybe...maybe it was time for him to return to the mountain stronghold of his berth or at least one of the many dwarf strongholds in the mountains. He walked into his forge and started to pack his tools and belongings.
 
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Before Chione could do anything, Kir attacked the men. That, was a bad idea. It had bad idea written all over it. Now, they were most certainly going to attract attention. Well, unless they got rid of the witnesses - meaning the victims here. Chione sighed, she hadn't been able to stop Kir from attacking those men, but perhaps she could do something about damage control at least. She didn't entirely know what Kir was talking about, she was human as well - just not from around here. Perhaps it was simply because of their difference in religion. Either way, it didn't matter at the moment.

"Fredrick, was it?" She commented, turning to the barkeep with a sigh. "While I agree Kir was a bit...out of line, I doubt it would have been avoidable in the end. We simply must deal with the fallout as best we can. If I could...have a bit of alone time with the noble and his men, I could solve this issue somewhat. The only thing I ask, is that you do not ask me what I will be doing."

Memory manipulation was something of a taboo, in Vlakte. While not strictly illegal, it was something frowned upon, at least by the general populace. Even the High Priests tended to shy away from it.
 
Frederick listened to what Kir had to say. This was a man who constantly gets mistreated for his race, and probably wouldn't be willing to listen to Frederick's childish ideals. Frederick gave a small sigh as the dwarf left his tavern. Frederick cared about everyone just as much, but knew there had to be a nonviolent way to do it. To fight as a small town against an empire would be suicide. They wouldn't care about whether they were human or not, child or not, after putting up a defense.

Frederick turned to Chione. "I understand what you mean, but I do believe it would have been better for them to strike first." He pointed at a few tables. "It's not uncommon for travelers like those to come to my tavern. When they see something like a dwarf punch a man after a few bad remarks, it will spread. Not only will it spread, but it will also deform itself so much that by the time it reaches the people who matter. People always love a good story full of only what they want to hear, it will turn from a 'dwarf attacking rude patrons' story into a 'dwarf attacking an innocent group of men' story. This is the problem with peo-" Frederick gave a cough, catching himself from rambling on more. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you. You said you had an idea to alleviate the matter? As long as it isn't too strenuous on their bodies, go for it."
 
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