Chapter 7 Nore

Chapter - Nore


Nore looked down at the table and sighed. For having taken everything they owned, the Neisaci were terrible tippers. Before the coming he had been a lawyer. Now there was only one law and that was the royal law.


The two Neisaci were the restaurant's only customers that Tuesday afternoon, and now that they left, Nore was staring at an empty hall. He fell back onto a barstool and took off his vest. His mind wandered to Will. Nore wondered what he was doing, where he was, if he was smiling that cheeky grin of his. Nore had to believe he was, or he would not be able to get out of bed in the morning.


The bell above the door rang. Nore had to smile despite himself, Krisnof was one of his favourite customers.


"Krisnof! What can I get for you today?"


"Just a tea, Nore."


"Warm tea, not too hot with milk, coming right up," Nore smiled.


Nore liked Krisnof, despite the fact that he was a Neisaci. He was a kind old man, came into the restaurant almost every day and ordered the same thing. Tea first and then some biscuits and a turkey sandwich with a side of soup. He always seemed to come in when no one else was around and told Nore stories of his youth. Nore was not certain he believed all of them, but liked hearing them anyway.


"You know, when I was a boy, I used to wander around the forests by myself. One time, I saw a llama as big as a house I did. It looked down at me and told me to sleep. So of course I did, right there in the forest."


Nore chuckled, "And what happened to this llama?"


The rest of the day was bland. Nore watched the clock tick away. Neisaci and Simkis came and went, thought usually not at the same time. If they did they sat at other ends of the room. Finally night fell. Nore closed up. He shut the door and took out a giant silver key, nudging it into the ancient lock. Two clicks and he knew it was locked. He began to walk home, back to Boulevard Etoile.


Nore pulled his cloak in tighter, it was a cold Night. He looked towards the city and saw Tower Yonkori over the walls. It was lit a beautiful teal colour this night. He almost yearned to go into the city and see it up close, but thought better of it. Only the Neisaci went there.


As he walked along the edges of Jenforn Forest, Nore's mind went back to Will.


- Where are you Will? Come back to us. -


Thoughts of Will though cleared suddenly as he heard something from inside the forest. Nore turned to look and saw four men and a women just beyond the tree line. He didn't like what he was seeing. Nore edged closer into the forest, quiet as can be. He ducked behind a giant oak when he was near enough to hear clearly.


"Look at that Bracelet Neal, she ain't no ordinary girl, that thing is pure diamond."


"Here just take it please," the woman took off the bracelet and threw it on the ground, "and let me go, I beg you."


"What do you think Burt, she might be worth a shiny ransom."


"I think you might be right Neal, maybe we should take her back to the boss."


The woman looked terrified, her eyes darting nervously from one man to the next, searching for some compassion but seeing none.


Four men, two with their back turned to him, Nore's mind was racing. Two were armed with swords, another with a club and the last with a crossbow. He would need to deal with the crossbow first. Nore checked his coat and yanked out a quill. So much for weapons on his end. He was unarmed but he knew what he had to do.


Nore slipped from the trees and darted towards the first man, slamming an open hand against the back of his head. The man gave out a faint cry as he fell to the ground, unconscious. The others look startled but quickly regained themselves and drew their weapons. Two came at him at once, Nore ducked a wide swing and dashed in between the two men. The other man lunged for him, but Nore sidestepped and turned, jamming a fist into the man's back. The man fell to his knees. Another raised his sword high and brought it down, Nore caught the handle and brought a first down on the man's hands, loosing the sword from his grip.


He felt a sudden burst of pain from his sides, the third man had managed to club him. Nore coughed and fell back against a tree, leaning heavily on it. The second man had picked up his sword and ran towards Nore now. Nore stepped out of the way and the man's sword stuck in the tree.


Nore took the opportunity to slam a fist into the man's stomach followed by a knee to the face as the man kneeled over. Nore turned quickly around in time to see the remaining two men dashing for him together. They were coming at different angles, so Nore ran straight at them, sliding as he neared, tripping one of the two. He flipped back to his feet grabbing a sword as he did, just in time to block a side swing. He parried, knocking the man's sword from his hand. Nore flipped his own sword in his hand, holding onto the steel. He swung the grip of the sword at the man's face knocking him out cold.


Nore looked around quickly, the four men were all down. He knelt down and checked each man's pulse, to make certain they were all yet breathing before turning his attention to the woman who was standing in the moon shadow of a large tree.


She tentatively stepped out into the clearing and Nore could see her face now. Long golden hair fell out of a beige hat in tumbles and quiet purple eyes shone brilliantly in the moonlight. Her left hand was clutching her bracelet, trembling slightly but her eyes were fixed on Nore, gaze unwavering.


Nore took his fingers off the last man's wrist and stood to meet her eyes. "Are you okay?"


Next chapter - Rybelle - Judicar Spellcrafter