Julien causes a scene

Taking his beer mug with him, Julien moved swiftly towards the bar. James watched in disbelief as his normally agile twin stepped a little too close to the larger of the two short haired men. The collision caused a good part of Julien's beer to splash out covering all three men in a spray of foamy liquid.

"You clumsy peasant!" Roared Julien in anger as he stepped from the surprised pair. "This is an inn you clod, not a barn!" James saw the large man bristle more from Julien's insults than the sudden shower of beer. His hand dropped to his belt knife, and Julien stepped back with his hand on the hilt of his sword. The bar that had only moments before been humming with chatter and the sound of cheerful banter was suddenly as silent as a midnight graveyard.

The smaller of the two men placed his hand on his companion's arm and whispered something that James couldn't quite hear even in the deathly still room. But the man shook off his friend and smiled a cold smile at Julien.

"I wish he were a little more descriptive than just 'be ready'" muttered James to himself. His only weapon at the moment was a small eating knife and judging by the hardened look of the two men he doubted that he could be much help to Julien. Belatedly he regretted his decision to leave grampa"s 'Peacekeeper' packed among his other belongings back at the Boar and Bull. Just as it looked like the matter was going to turn bloody the innkeeper stepped from behind the bar holding an axe handle and three other men who had been casually standing watching the inn moved swiftly to intercede.

"No need for this gentlemen" The barkeep said, placing himself between the two parties "I'd be happy to refill your beer young sir, and how can I help the two of you?" His voice hardened considerably when he addressed the pair of men, and there was no doubt who he and his men would be siding with if blades were drawn in his inn.

"Never mind, we wouldn't drink your swill here anyhow." Grunted the heavyset man and with one final scowl at Julien he backed carefully away before turning with his companion and heading for the door. Julien accepted a refill from the relieved innkeep with a gracious smile and returned to sit next to his brother with a pleased grin on his face.

"That worked as well as I could have hoped" he said as he sipped from the full mug, "I even got a refill on the house." James took a deep breath to calm himself before turning on his brother.

"You mean you picked that fight on purpose?!" His voice was low, but Julien could tell he had scared him "Just to get a free drink!?!" Julien laughed

“Not for a drink you goof, to get rid of the two goons looking for the redhead.” Seeing James’ blank look Julien continued. “We saw them earlier today when we talked to the dark skinned Veer captain, remember she was yelling at some of her lackeys because they let her get away?”

“But why didn’t you want them to be in here?” Asked James still more than a little confused.

“You mean to say you didn’t notice her come in a minute ago?” Yet another blank look from James had Julien laughing out loud, “Little brother, for all that you never miss a word in a book or the tiniest notation on a map you missed the prettiest woman I’ve seen since we left home walk right by this table.” And then when he saw her peek around the corner to look over the inn for signs of her pursuit, Julien added “She’s coming out now – Don’t frighten her.”