Lorian leaned back, his eyes were fixed on Fawnia, "How did you hide her identity for so long? Her antlers…"
"I cut them down," Grisel replied, as his smile faded into a hollow, sad expression, "Every time they start to rise above her hair, I take the saw to them." Fawnia's face contorted, a flicker of old pain appeared in her innocent face; it was clearly a traumatic ordeal she loathed.
Lorian looked at her, his expression softened as he beckoned her forward. She walked toward him on tiptoe, as if counting each step. Lorian stood up and placed a gentle hand on her head.
"You may not know me, little one, but let me give you my word today. From this moment on, whether you hide your identity or show it to the world is entirely up to you. As long as I breathe, no one will dare raise a hand against you. You are under the protection of House Thorne." He ruffled her hair with a small grin, "Happy?"
Fawnia didn't find the words, but a deep blush crept up her cheeks as she nodded vigorously.
Grisel, however, looked less than thrilled. "Thank you, gracious Lord. Truly. But I fear revealing her nature is a luxury we cannot yet afford. We must not forget that it wasn't just the Dark Tower, one of the most sinister as well as powerful pillar of the Empire, hunting her. Beladhithl was there too. If the word gets out, the dark forces will converge on Veridia like vultures to a carcass."
Lorian nodded slowly; Grisel's fear was indeed rooted in hard truth. Fawnia's face, which had been glowing with newfound hope, darkened again in disappointment and unknown fear.
"I have a proposal," Jax chimed in, leaning over the table, "My mother, Shaira, is a shaman. Her knowledge of our kind and the old ways is deep. I believe she can not only shed light on Fawnia's heritage but guide her as a fellow Beastman."
Grisel got visibly excited, a spark of genuine relief could be seen in his eyes, "If Miss Shaira would agree to guide my daughter, it would be the greatest gift I could imagine. But... to trouble her..."
Jax reached out and gripped Grisel's hand firmly, "None of that, Master Gabon. We are on the same team now, serving the same Master. We help each other so we can serve him better. Besides, my mother is lonely in her old age; she would love the company. If Fawnia is willing?"
"Yes!" Fawnia chirped excitedly, "I would love to!"
Jax held her hand and looked at Grisel with a solemn expression, "I always wanted a little sister. Today, I found one. She is my responsibility now, too. You don't need to worry alone anymore."
Overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness of these strangers, the father and daughter could only show their gratitude silently, just with genuine expression. Suddenly, as if remembering her duty, Fawnia leaned toward Lorian, "My Lord... you should see these."
She opened her palm to reveal four silver coins. They bore the Union's scale on the face, but the flip side was stamped with the sharp, unmistakable crest of the Stormhold family.
"Minted in Valoria," Lorian muttered, his voice turning cold as he inspected the silver.
"My Lord, should we move on the orcs now?" Kaelen whispered, as his hand reached the hilt.
"With just the two of you?" Lorian smirked, "Don't forget, our covers are not hardproof. If the whole city knows we're here, or Grisel is in touch with us….." He rolled his head back, taking a deep breath before looking at Jax, "Do one thing. Rush to the nearest check post and ask a detachment of the City Guard to be dispatched here at earliest. Meanwhile, Grisel, you start a ruckus. Make it big enough that the Guards have to arrest everyone in the building. Our eight friends will be swept up in the net."
Jax bowed and vanished into the shadow of the exit. However, Grisel didn't have to lift a finger to start the fire. The Black Riders did it for him.
When the four Riders returned to their table and saw their favorite waitress getting 'chummy' with a group of strangers, their ego got hurt. A massive, bulky half-orc, a brute who seemed to lead the pack- stomped over to Lorian's table. He lunged out and snatched Fawnia's arm with a strong grip.
"Come on, doll," the orc growled, "We're missing you over there."
Kaelen was on his feet in a heartbeat. He didn't draw his word, but slammed the heavy hilt of his sword down onto the orc's wrist. The brute barked in pain, releasing Fawnia.
"Speak respectfully to the lady," Kaelen hissed, "She isn't property for you to paw at."
The half-orc's eyes glowed like burning amber for a split second before cooling into a terrifying, steady gaze, "She's supposed to entertain us for the night," he said in a low, threatening voice.
Grisel stepped forward, his 'innkeeper' mask back in place, "Good sir, I believe there is a misunderstanding. You've mistaken our fine establishment for a brothel. We don't offer the... facilities... you're looking for."
"Ah, stow the fancy talk," the orc spat, waving a hand dismissively, "This is a city of businessmen. Everything here is for sale if the price is right. Be it a tavern wench or the Queen Mother herself!"
The insult snapped something in Lorian. Without a word of warning, he vaulted onto the table, enveloped in burning fury, "You filthy moron! I'll rip your tongue out!"
Lorian dove off the table and tackled the half-orc, his fingers locking around the brute's throat. The attack was so sudden the orc didn't even raise his hands. He went down hard, his head hitting the wooden floor with a sickening thud.
The orc groaned, touching the back of his skull. When his hand came away wet with blood, he let out a roar of primal rage. He grabbed Lorian by the waist and pitched him backward. Lorian flew through the air like a rag doll, smashing into a nearby table that splintered and groaned under his weight.
"YOU PIG!" Zara screamed.
She pounced flourishing her claws. In one clean, savage sweep, she tore through the orc's throat. The leader fell, his hands clutching a useless attempt to stop the spray of red-hot blood from his severed adam's apple. He convulsed once, twice, and went still.
The tavern fell silent for a moment and then erupted in chaos.
The remaining seven Riders, seeing their leader butchered, began a blind rampage, smashing chairs into anyone within reach. However, the Whispering Door was full of ruffians who didn't take kindly to being hit. They also retaliated. Within seconds, the inn was a war zone.
Brot tried to step in, but Grisel caught his eye and signaled toward the barmaids. The giant nodded and began ushering the girls toward the safe room, though he did not miss the opportunity to knock out anyone who crossed his path with a single, massive fist.
Elara and Fawnia rushed to the wreckage of the table where Lorian was laying down, "My Lord! Are you alright?"
Lorian let out a long, pained groan from the floor, "I think... I think I broke my back."