Dante emerges from hiding

After the door closed, Dante quietly emerged from his hiding spot and walked over to Mel. He pulled out a potion and poured it down her throat. When she did not stir, Dante smiled slightly and quietly said, "My, you must be really worn out if it will take two of these." He pulled out another potion and pushed the vial between the redhead's soft lips. Soon, Mel opened her eyes, blinking and coming to. She opened her mouth in joy when she saw Dante but he covered it with his hand before she could speak loudly.

"Quiet, dear. I looked around, but I'm afraid there was not a clue to the identity of the attackers here. We'll have to sneak out." He picked up some of her tattered clothing and handed it to her. The lass used it to clean herself up a bit as best she could. Dante said, "Well, I think there are some clothes in that other room..." He trailed off as he heard steps outside the door and the sound of a key entering the lock. Dante sped to his hiding place behind the tapestry. Mel remained sitting, watching the handle slowly turn and the door open.

One of the men who had captured the wagon walked in, grinning as he saw Mel. "Well now lass, looks like it's my turn to be having at you." He started to approach the bard. Her eyes flickered for an instant to the tapestry, then looked back to the man as he approached. "Let's see what you've got then. I don't know if you can handle me."

The man grinned wider and stopped about a foot away from Mel, his back to the tapestry. As he started to undo his belt and drop his pants, Dante emerged from behind the tapestry and crept up behind the man. The man was oblivious, his eyes locked onto Mel. She laughed at the man. "I think you're going to be sore after this." The man looked at her, laughing. "No, I think you'll be the one who's sore when I'm through." At that moment, Dante smacked the man on the back of the head with the hilt of his rapier, knocking him out.

Mel grinned and, on shaky legs, moved into the other room. She started rumaging around for clothing. Meanwhile, Dante took the man's coin pouch and tucked it away in his pack, along with a copper ring the man was wearing. Mel spoke from the other room: "Well, the top I found is a bit small, but the rest fits fine." She emerged from the room, wearing a long black skirt with a slit in the left side up to mid-thigh and a pink sleeveless blouse. The top button was undone, and the remaining buttons were straining a bit as the blouse was indeed a bit small on the busty bardic lass.

Dante grinned. "You look as ravishing as always, dear Melanie. Now, let us make our way from this place before I am discovered." The bard nodded, slipping on boots and then following Dante as he moved into the passage behind the tapestry.