Freeing A

It was surprisingly easy to find where Talon's cousin was. Talon had had more information than DEBUG_HERO had expected. She wanted to storm the estate and free her cousin, killing anyone who stood in their path. Kathra agreed with Talon, for once. DEBUG_HERO on the other hand, had a more diplomatic approach to the situation.

He still hadn't fully recovered from the incident at bandit_fort_6. It weighed heavily on him. As a result, DEBUG_HERO decided on an alternative plan of action. He knocked on the front door, flanked by his two new companions.

The door was opened by a manservant, or possibly a **** if everything Talon said about this province was to believed. The manservant inclined his head to them, "How may I be of service, sir?" He gave almost no pause on their obviously travel-worn appearance.

"I wish to speak to your master about buying one of his slaves," DEBUG_HERO replied.

"Very well, sir. I shall inform him. Please wait here," the man said before closing the door.

"I still say we kill everyone here," muttered Talon. She had been far more talkative than usual since arriving in province_2, and it was always about killing everyone involved with her cousin's current status.

"What's his name again?" DEBUG_HERO asked, ignoring her complaints.

"Trax," said Talon.

Kathra looked back towards the gate where two guards stood leisurely. She scowled down at DEBUG_HERO and said, "I do not know why you barter with these weaklings. We could easily take everything we wanted from them. The guards would snap like twigs."

DEBUG_HERO shook his head.

A few minutes later the door was opened again by the manservant. This time he was accompanied by one of the scrawniest men DEBUG_HERO had ever seen.

"You wish to do business with me? Out with it. I do not have all day," the lordling barked.

"You have two options," DEBUG_HERO said, "The first is you take 100 gold for your **** Trax."

The man looked befuddled then burst into laughter, "100 gold? You are a humorous man. I take it option two is your real offer?"

"You will not like option two. I advise you take option one," DEBUG_HERO said levelly.

"Bah! Get off my land," the lordling turned to leave, "What a waste of time."

"In the name of the king, my father, I order you to hand over your **** Trax!" said DEBUG_HERO pulling himself up to his full height. His hand rested gently on his sword. His other hand fiddled with his signet ring.

The lordling burst into even greater laughter as he turned back to them, "You are a lunatic if you think the king has any authority here! Now get off my land before I have you removed." The lordling's dark eyes gleamed with a cruel light.

"Kathra, would you be a dear and demonstrate the king's will on that door?" DEBUG_HERO asked voice still cool.

Kathra ripped the door off its hinges before casually snapping it in half and tossing the pieces over her shoulder. The lordling and his servant were too dumbstruck to act. A smirk played at her lips.

"How much to buy her?" the lordling asked eagerly.

Kathra growled, but before either Kathra or DEBUG_HERO could say or do anything, Talon was at both the lordling and his servant's throats with her daggers. She smiled sweetly at them, the smile not reaching her eyes, "Trax or the king's justice. Pick," when they hesitated she shouted into his face, "Now!"

The lordling chose to release Trax. DEBUG_HERO warned him before leaving, any attempt to exact **** would be met with retribution ten times greater.

With an ecstatic Trax in tow, DEBUG_HERO was informed that Talon had had the map all along. She would hand it over once she could retrieve it from her home. A home which she told DEBUG_HERO he was always welcome at when this was all over.

"All over?" DEBUG_HERO asked.

"Well after we get you that ring," Talon replied.

"We?"

Talon just smirked, "I haven't repaid you for saving me yet. I owe you for coming back."

"That's what companions do," DEBUG_HERO said.

Kathra laughed, "If companion from my tribe was captured, they would have to escape themselves."

"That's more what I'm used to," Talon said.

Kathra frowned, "You are not from the tribes. Why would you be used to that? That is not your people's way."

"You'd be surprised," Talon said bitterly, "Keep moving."

She refused to answer any more questions.