[250]

The door opened ghastly. You were very disappointed that there was no undead guardian or fiery dragon behind it. Instead, you found a dull stairway leading upwards like the one you used when you came. Completely in the darkness, you picked your steps carefully as you moved up. You reached the end, just before you search for a buttom of some sort to open the door, you heard people talking.

"... don't have enough yet."

Your heart almost leaped out your mouth as you recognized the voice "Pa?"

Another man snickered "We heard you lost your job, old man."

"I told you I find one soon!"

You could swear you see the stubborn face vividly.

"Soon?" someone else spoke, apparently there were more than one person. "How soon is soon? Don't you have a daughter, heh heh heh"

You heard foot shuffling, and men yelling, then a sickening smashing sound which could be nothing but a fist landing hard on someone's face. "Damn the son of a dog, keep him away from me!!" someone shouted. then your heart skipped a beat as you recognized a steel clashing sound, they drew weapons.

Panicing, you almost break the stonewall to join the old halfling. But before you could react, you heard pa speaking.

"Back off ye dogs!", he shouted atop his voice: "I still have one week!"

There was a moment of silence, the air was thick and filled with gunpowders, ready to explode. Then someone whispered something you couldn't register.

"Alright, ye goblin faced dog, listen." someone threatened with a harsh tone "we will come back in a week. If you still don't have the money, you know what will happen."

If you go out now, you will be in an abondoned house in the back of the little temple. Out side the house if the an alley behind Briggs' shop. You will also find Eri Konn sitting on the dirt, angry, worried and scared. If you wait for a while, the halfling will leave, which can be found in your house.

Mistral's reply:

quote:

---

Svetlana waits for a moment for the sound of footsteps to die off, before
emerging
from her obscured spot. Sneaking out slowly now, Tatiana trotting along
daintily,
she finds herself once more in familiar ground ~ Well, I'll be! ~
Glancing
around, she sees that she is quite alone.

Pa! He needs money! ~ Hastily, she lifts her skirts a little higher so
that
she can now sprint along the streets, her anxious eyes hunting for the halfling
and
spying for unwanted company. Rounding off the corner for the second time in the
day, she decides to return home to sort out her thoughts...

Home

"Pa!" ~ The sight of that beloved rugged face erases her exhaustion and she
flings
her arms around his neck ~ "You're alright! I'm so glad..." ~ Feeling his body
stiffening, she draws back a little, peering into his weary eyes ~ "I... I
overheard
your little conversation, Pa... no, don't look at me like that! It wasn't
intentional..." ~ Her cheeks flushing ~ "I was just exploring that temple, and
chanced upon you..."

As the halfling's face grows gloomier, she adds hurriedly ~ "Pa! What's
happened?
Why do you owe those rogues money?... Here, I've some." ~ Naively, she draws out
the
pouch of coins she had earlier found and shoves it into his unwilling hands ~
"And
if you need more, Pa, I'll go earn some! I swear... I've grown up and I'll earn
my
keep, even if if kills me."

Her lips tremble, so gripped by the intense emotions coursing through her frail
body
~ "Pa... please, let me!"

---