They stared down towards her, these men, judging every aspect of her being. It felt like being in a spotlight for debate team.

“I’m sorry,” Nadia said, “I just never saw anybody eat like that before.”

The pendant hanging over Nadia’s shirt glinted in the half-imp’s eye.

“Hmmph!" The man looked Josh in the eye, "Perhaps, your wench thinks this is Lothalos where women don’t know their place? She’s probably here to spread her uppity superiority complex to our wise and obedient women! Well, the eastern jaw is called the Plain of Free Men for a reason. It’s rude to stare, especially for the weaker sex, who should be taught to keep their heads down. Teach her better manners.”

Josh attempted to hold her, but Nadia stood and slapped her hands on the table forcefully enough to make her plate vibrate. Her lips pursed and as her body tightened and trembled with the red hue crawling up her strained neck, she bowed her head and left her pendant dangle, “My apologies, I’m not here to do any such thing. I’ll mind my behavior from now on.”

"Did anyone invite you to speak?"

Josh stood, “I’m sorry. We're travelers... ummm... my adorable wife has never seen a guy that big eat like that before! She just forgot herself. I’ll make sure she behaves from now on," he looked at Nadia, "Honey, it’s rude to stare.”

Nadia felt a thump in her chest that made her cheeks redden more.

The man in green turned back to his food and began eating. The man in red laughed and took a sip of his drink, “Honestly, she’s about to have one of those hysterical outbursts, no self-control. But this isn’t the twin cities, the training of these wenches leaves much to be desired.”

Nadia put her head down and stared at her lap while gripping her knees. Her posture tensed as she gripped at her knees. A hand went softly on her shoulder that made her body shudder. A hand raised toward her shoulder only to slap back down on her knee as she stared at a single point along the edge of the table. Left fist clenched red, then pale. The half-imp turned and leaned towards her.

“Don’t mind my companions,” he whispered, “They rarely leave the Twin Cities. They don’t realize that the southern plain is a bit less restrictive toward the weaker sex.”

“Shouldn’t you be talking to my husband,” Nadia said through half clenched teeth.

“No, no, I’m only half human so I only need to follow human rules half the time. You wear explorer’s garments, yet you’ve never seen a troll before? No need to worry though, Lobar is only a half troll. I’m Groli, at your service. Are you interested in selling that jewelry of yours, we’ll pay top price for it.”

“It’s not for sale,” she turned away with her plate.

Groli looked at Josh, “I’ll offer you a generous amount for your wife’s pendant. It’ll solve all your financial problems for at least two years.”

Nadia sat straight with her eyes on the table and kept quiet.

“It’s not for sale bird nose,” Josh said.

Groli grumbled, turned back to his place, and whispered to his big companion. From that time on he didn’t talk with the two men, but kept glancing over at the table next to him.

“How come we only have fish as an option. It seems like everyone else is having something different,” Josh complained.

Nadia kept her voice in low whispers and struggled to avoid eye contact with anyone except for Josh, “Supply and demand. Fish is cheaper here, we’re low on cash, thus we eat fish.”

“The weird looking man is a merchant. Maybe you could sell that white robe of yours. The one that little brat created. You’re certainly not going to wear it. We’ll sell it here, then we’ll have more than enough money to buy a trip across the ocean.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Nadia looked disheartened at the suggestion.

“You honestly don’t want to part with it, do you?” Josh asked.

“No, I’d be glad to get rid of it. I don’t like it at all.”

“Does your face always look like that when you lie?”

“I’m going to sell it, but not now, and not to them! I have no idea how much it’s worth. I don’t want to be swindled, and I certainly can’t trust a clod like you with it.”

“Who are you calling a clod?”

“You.”

“So now we’re back to name calling?”

“I don’t say it without justification.”

“What justification?”

“I don’t have to explain myself.”

“That is exactly what a girl would say.”

She hissed in a whisper, “Don’t start with me right now. Not when you can obviously see what I’m dealing with. You’ll regret it.”

They stared angrily at each other until they turned their heads. She folded her arms in front of her chest for a minute, but soon began to feel silly. As she finished the remains of her baked fish, she refused to say another word. The inn filled with fishermen back from a long day at sea. The reek of salty bodies mixed with the aroma of hot food created a unique scent. The conversation became a ruckus which affirmed a general state of merriment. A cheer broke out over the bountiful haul. A few men sang a song comparing the sea to a wild maiden and more gradually joined in. After the song, a general cheer raised throughout the inn. It took a while for the discourse to settle into its previous cacophony.

When the two robed men had finished their meals and settled the bill. The half imp told them to start ahead without him because he had private matters to attend to. He continued to sip slowly at a wooden cup of sake as he kept watch over Nadia out the corner of his eye. The seven-foot half-troll sat stupidly, chewing on the large round bone that remained of his giant steak. Nadia remained aware of them, and nervously sipped at a cup of tea. Finally, the two half-humans abandoned their chairs.

They moved past Nadia and Joshes’ table towards the door. The short man glared at Josh, who glared back. Nadia tried to continue keeping a low profile. A beam fired from the imp-man’s left eye. Josh leapt from his chair. The beam melted a stuffed Marlin into a clump of hot clay which ran down the wall. Lobar pulled the chain from behind Nadia’s neck and attempted to break it off while lifting her off her chair. She pulled to fight asphyxiation. That’s when Lobar twisted the chain and pulled it tightly around her neck.

“No break!” yelled Lobar.

Groli hopped on the table, “Tear her head off if you must. It’s not like anyone here can stop us.”

Josh confronted Groli’s nasty stare as he jumped to his feet. He tried to attack Lobar with punches, but the rays from the little man’s eyes kept forcing him to retreat.

“Hey! Leave that lass alone. You’re going to kill her,” hollered one of the braver fishermen.

Lobar’s growl approached the sound of the roar. All who would have dared to approach were intimidated. The laugh of Groli became a mocking screech as he entertained himself by trying to turn Josh into a melted clay doll. Lobar dangled Nadia from the pendant’s chain with a grin as her struggle grew weaker and her coughs fainter. Red trickled from her neck line as Lobar turned her so he could breathe in her face with his meaty breath. The choking process so fascinated both Lobar and Groli that the barkeep managed to strike Lobar from behind with a black iron pot.

A mere flick from Lobar sent him against the bar like an errant fly. But Lobar took one hand from the chain. During the distraction Nadia pressed her legs into the troll’s chest and managed a deep breath. She kicked her legs up is chest and wrapped them around his neck, pulled at his hand and bit it. A death piercing roar flooded the tavern as Lobar released the chain. Nadia karate chopped the middle of his face with her log chopping skill before pushing off his shoulders and jumping next to the table behind him. She gurgled, then coughed, as she attempted to catch her breath. A wet red impression mark crisscrossed her neck.

“Lobar pain!” cried the half-troll as he sat down on the floor and burst into tears, “Lobar no like pain!”

“Can’t you handle a simple woman?”

Groli continued to fire upon Josh with his eye-beams. He no longer laughed, as Josh proved quicker than he reckoned and his power wasn’t limitless. Three blasts were dodged in succession. Groli found himself swaying dizzily when Josh delivered a knockout punch squarely against his forehead. Nadia collapsed to her knees and continued to gasp deep breaths while rubbing her neck. Josh went to her and winced as he felt the bloody impression on her neck.

“That doesn’t look too good.”

“It’ll heal. I have powers, remember. I’m all right.”

The patrons took the opportunity to bind both creatures with the heaviest rope available, while another party was dispatched to get chains for Lobar. Groli remained out cold when they put three heavy blindfolds over his eyes. A man with crusts of sea salt in his hair came forward to help Josh lift Nadia into a chair. Nadia faintly sighed as the two assailants were chained and taken out of the building.

“Not a bad bit of luck you survived that,” said the man.

He got everyone seated.

“I know better than to think it luck though,” he whispered, “I’m Bowler Nostrum, fisherman, innkeeper, tradesman, at your service. Now why don’t you tell me why they wanted your pendant, and how you had the ability to stop them?”