Ladies Choice.

"Surprise me." I shrugged.

"So are you from around here?" She said bending down to grab a mug from under the bar flashing me a little of her cleavage.

"No, I am from a little forest village east of here." I shook my head.

"Plan on sticking around?" She smiled before she went to one of the cask and poured be a brew.

"If I can find work." I nodded. I didn't know much about city life.

"No shortage of work around here. Here you go." She said coming over and sat down a mug infront of me. I went to grab my coin purse but she held up her hand. "It's on the house. Just don't tell the old man." She smiled. I nodded and drank my drink of my mead. "If your sticking around I am doing a hearty stew for dinner service." She smiled. I turned as I heard laughter to see a couple of city guards sharing a drink. Either off duty or just slacking off.

"Their seems to be a lot of soldiers in town." I said. Not really sure if this was common or not.

"Its to be expected. Things get a little crazy this time of year plus after the king died the queen thought it smart to bring on more people. I just hope it doesn't come to war."

"Why would it?" I asked drinking my drink, now more then a little curious.

"The king was human, the queen is an elf. The elves have no problem with having a women as rulers while humans tend to prefer a man on the throne. They originally got married to foster peace after the last war between the humans and the elves, back when the king was just a prince." I saw the old man and owner come from the back.

"Good job with the cask. Rose can put you up in one of the smaller rooms for tonight. If you want to stay longer its three copper a night. Not counting food and drank."

"How about fifteen for a week?" I smiled wondering if he could do the math. Most common folk couldn't.

"We can do that." Rose smiled. I pulled out my money and laid it on the counter top. That give me a little time to get to know this city.

"Mister Mercer." A gnomish woman said as she came over. From the look of her she had to be sisters with the tavern wench who was serving costumers.

"Hey Helga." The old man smiled.

"Did you see my dad on the road?" She asked.

"He left Stonehills this morning at first light. He hasn't made it home yet?" The old man gave her a puzzled look. I had been to Stonehills a few times. It was mostly a trade hub for several mines in the area. I would sometimes ride with a friend of mine to deliver lumber that would be used as support beams in the mines and in return he would buy metal ingots for our town blacksmith to making axes and saws.

"No and mom and me are starting to worry." Helga replied.

"He just might have took a wrong turn or something or may a detour." Mister Mercer shook his head.

"Maybe something happened. I can take one of the horses and go see." Rose said.

"Absolutely not. If something did happen I don't want you out there." The old man replied giving her a stern look.

"But..." She began to say before he cut her off.

"No Buts." He shook his head at his daughter.

"I can go look." I said speaking up. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Not when a woman was in need of assistance.

"I appreciate the offer but I don't know you and I am not about to loan you one of my horses." The old man shook his head.

"Then I will go on foot. Can you keep my bag back there behind the counter." I asked Rose who gladly nodded and took the bag. "He would have came in from the north gate right?" I asked looking at Helga.

"Yes." She nodded in response.

"Dad." Rose said giving her old man a look.

"Fine. You can saddle up Betsy. She is to old to pull the wagon anyways. Just give me your coin purse. I will hold onto it till you get back." The old man gave me a look. I nodded and tossed it to him. Rose and I went to the stable to saddle up the horse as she told me what Toman, the man I would be looking for, looked like. Basically a balding gnome with grey in his beard. He was a general store owner and made regular trips to the nearby towns.

I made my way to gate where I had left my stuff and then cut around the castle to the north road. I planned to ride until late afternoon and then make my way back before sunset if I didn't find anything.

I ran into a few travelers but no of them where Toman nor had they seen him on the road.. My luck he had already made it back but since I had out a different gate I missed him. As the sun got low I was just about to head back when I saw something. There where tire tracks from a wagon leading off the road. I headed off the trail and went into the woods a little ways before I noticed something. Smoke coming from behind a hill. That meant who ever's campfire wouldn't be seen from the road at night.

I got off of Betsy and tied her to a tree so she wouldn't wonder off. I made my way on foot circling around the hill. As I got closer I heard voices. I stopped as I saw a gnomish man tied to a tree and three other men around a camp fire. Toman had blood on his head and face but seemed to be okay. His carriage and horse was behind them tied to a tree. A third man was cooking some animal over the fire.

"Want another?" One of the men said.

"Of course." He replied. One got up and grabbed his friends up. He walked to a barrel and scooped up some liquid from a barrel and then handed it back to his friend.

"To our host." The guy saluted the gnome who began to make noise but couldn't saw anything clearly because of the gag they had tied around his bed. "Oh my bad. Where are my Manners. Share a drink with me friend." He added and walked over pouring a drink in the gnomes face only for the gnome to kick him in the shin. The guy backed off holding his leg as his two friends laughed at him. The guy drew a knife to kill the gnome. I drew an arrow and nooked it staging the bow ready to strike. I could feel my hands shaking a bit, it was one thing to kill a deer but another to take a human life. Plus deer couldn't shoot back.

"Don't, he is of no value to us dead." The man tending the fire said. The goon put the knife away and hit the gnome back in the stomach. I didn't see the Gnome lasting long if he continued to put up a fight. If they decided he was more trouble then he was worth. I debated my options. I had the advantage of surprise but couldn't just the guys, wound them maybe but there where three of them and one of me. I might be able to circle around and free the gnome to better my odds making it a two on three but I could loss the element of surprise. I could maybe try and talk some sense in them but keep my bow ready.