The Scout and Her Bard

Snake Eyes

"What are we playing for?" Fendes asked, a low growl in her throat. She eyed each of the Northmen surrounding her, before her gaze fell back on the leader, Ütger.

Ütger chuckled-- not a reassuring sound. "We'll play for... your mount and gear. Maybe that pretty face of yours."

The scout shuddered. She didn't know if he meant cutting her face off or using it for their own needs, but either way, neither were beneficial for her. "I suppose I don't have a choice in the matter. What's the game?"

The man motioned to the others, and a couple went to pick up a log and bring it over for a makeshift table. One took the reins of her horse, and she let him. There was no way she could try riding through all of them. "We each roll the dice. Whoever has the higher roll wins. We'll play to the best of three."

Taking a breath, Fendes nodded, holding her hand out. "Ladies first, I'm assuming?"

He guffawed a bit and tossed the dice at her. But instead of catching them, she let them tumble to the dirt. Some of the men chuckled at her, but she watched how they rolled. Despite the uneven ground, they seemed to roll normally, and one landed on a three while the other stopped at a two. 

Stooping to pick them up, she shook the dice around in her palm for a couple of moments, before saying, "You know, the caravan I'm traveling with isn't far behind, and they won't be too happy about this. If you let me go, I'll try to convince the armed guards not to chase you down."

She rolled the dice. One was a five and one was a four. 

The Northmen stopped chuckling. Even Ütger looked uneasy for a moment, and gestured to three of them. They got up and stole off into the woods along the road, two going back the way Fendes had come from, and one going farther up ahead. Sweeping up the dice, Ütger shook them in his fist before dropping them onto the log. They tumbled momentarily, and then landed, showing a total of five.

Fendes stared him down, and he snarled slightly before setting his chin. "First is yours," he said. "Roll again."

She picked up the dice. "This could have ended so much better for you. Now you'll have no one to teach you how to build a better fire." Letting the dice roll from her fingers, they came to a standstill, showing a single dot on each: snake eyes.

Fendes grimaced, and Ütger cracked a wide grin. He snatched up the dice, giving them a brief shake before he rolled. She only had to see the result of one, before she knew it beat hers.

"I'll enjoy getting to know you even more, little elf," he purred.

Quickly snatching up the dice, Fendes held them close to her heart. She didn't risk closing her eyes, but she prayed to any God she could think of, as sweat beaded on her forehead. "Please, please, please..." She whispered, before tossing the dice up in the air. 

They sailed high, bouncing on the log once, twice, three times, before coming to a standstill... showing a perfect pair of sixes.

Fendes let out a sigh of relief. There was no way he could beat that.

But her respite was short-lived as she heard the sound of metal sliding against leather. A wolfish grin split across Ütger's face as he picked up the dice, clenching them in his fist. "Well, that's a shame, innit? You see, you had lost from the moment you stepped foot in our little camp here. I just let people throw dice to make it look fair... But luck doesn't do half as good as a proper fight, does it?"

The scout started to back away as best she could, her eyes darting back and forth. "If you want a proper fight, then fight me one-on-one! You can't tell me you're scared of little ol' me. You don't want to look weak in front of your men."

Ütger laughed. "Afraid? No, banish the thought. However, I didn't get where I am by doing all the work myself. And certainly not by passing up an opportunity to put it to an elf." He stepped back, and three of his men started to close in, making a loose, jeering circle.

Before the Northmen could react, however, Fendes pulled out her bow. Notching her signal arrow, she launched it straight up into the sky, and it streaked off through the trees, making a high-pitched scream. The men briefly covered their ears, and she took the time to drop her bow and unsheathe her longsword.

One came at her with an axe, and she prepared to dodge. But then another moved, and she hesitated, earning herself a gash in her thigh. But turning quickly, she stuck him in the sternum with the tip of her sword. It sunk in deep, and he groaned before falling back. Another struck out, and she skillfully parried, turning just in time to see the third slip and fall in the mud. 

The other Northmen around began to boo Fendes, making sport out of her suffering. But this was good for her. She needed time, and she would never last if they rushed her all at once. 

Lunging forward, she swung her blade down against the neck of the man who had fallen to his knees. The sharp steel easily parted flesh, before stopping abruptly as it caught on his spine. He snarled up at her, blood spurting from his teeth, before she smashed her boot against the blade, severing the vertebrae. 

But before she could pull her sword out, she felt metal bite into her bicep. Releasing her weapon, she rolled to the side, picking up her bow once more. In a fluid motion, she had another arrow notched, but this time she pointed it at Ütger, who had been leaning against a tree to watch the events unfold. 

"Call off your men, or I loose the arrow!" She yelled. "And believe me when I say that I'm a damn good shot!"

Ütger froze at sudden change, his eyes widening. He hesitated, his mouth open as he struggled for some kind of rebuttal. But then there was a loud breaking of underbrush, and one of the Northmen scouts came running out. "Horsemen coming! Scatter!"

The men around Fendes broke into a panic, scrambling for their belongings and completely forgetting about their quarry. The half-elf ran to grab her unattended horse, beginning to jump on. But then she saw Ütger making for the pony.

Her eyes narrowed, and she took her shot. 

It flew true, but another unlucky man ran into its path. The arrow ripped through his chest, and he fell over, unmoving. Ütger heard the sound and turned back to glare at her.

Fendes hastily released another arrow, but this one was ill-aimed, and instead, it simply tore through his pant-leg. Leaving the pony as a lost cause, Ütger abandoned it and took off through the trees. 

The last of the bandits cleared out just as Thomas' horse thundered into the clearing. Thomas himself looked around, eyes wide. "Fendes, what happened? I came for your arrow, but then I heard a big commotion. Why are there bodies on the ground?"

"Northern bandits," Fendes spat, patting her steed's nose to keep him calm. "Thank you for coming, Thomas. I convinced them the whole caravan was not far behind me, and so when you came, they took off."

"Damn." The other scout dismounted, coming over to the half-elf to assess her injuries. "Are you okay?"

Fendes was touched by the genuine concern in his voice, and she winced slightly as his fingers pressed against the cut on her arm. "Should be. Just need to be bandaged up a bit. Luckily, they underestimated me."

His hand moved from her arm to the wound on her thigh, and she felt her cheeks grow hot. It hurt, but the adrenaline was still surging through her after everything that happened. 

"You know, Thomas," she started, her voice dropping into a low, husky tone, "There is something you can help me with."