102

Four muscular mercenaries, all wearing tunics of emerald green leather emblazoned with the owl’s head crest of Delden, rise from their seats near the fire and stare coldly in your direction. They point at the soldiers at your table, curse loudly, and then strut across the crowded hall, barging aside anyone that gets in their way. The two soldiers break out in a sweat and glare at each other fearfully.

‘Treacherous scum!’ spits the leading mercenary, grabbing them both by the collar and hauling them to their feet. ‘A thousand Lune went missing from the regiment’s pay chest the night you two were supposed to be guarding it. Neither o’ you have got brains or guts enough to steal it yourselves, so who was it, eh?’

The soldiers are scared out of their wits. They have no idea who stole the money, but they know their leader will have them flogged to death unless they tell him what he wants to know. In desperation, one of the men points a trembling finger at you and Banedon. ‘It was them … they did it, they did it!’

If you wish to deny this false charge, turn to 127.

If you wish to avoid a confrontation by leaving the eating house, turn to 98.

If you wish to draw a weapon in case the mercenaries attack you out of hand, turn to 308.