Gricrir stood there, face red, legs heavy from his forced march, and lungs working harder than normal to catch up. Sweat meant to help him, rolled down brow and into his eyes, stinging them, and making it difficult not to blink. His eyes still had yet adjusted to the dim light as he had spent little time in the corridor. But he could see, past the table he had crafted, past the walls that had both ligthts, shields, and weapons, he could see the dwarven clock on the wall. It was past six. He knew the temple’s bells would have wrong by now, but in this magically secured room, he’d never know.

“I am late.” The words come out like an embarrassed failure.

“Gricrir, calm down. We’re all late sometimes.”

“No!” Dune’s voice screeches. “He never late. You constant late. Not funny joke. Gricrir sedulous!”

Gricrir arches a brow at Dune as he hears the unfamiliar word. “I don’t know what you are talking about Dune. Nonetheless, I moved as fast as I could. You both seem to be unharmed. Why the message for alarm.”

Urberer puts his elbows on the table and then his chin in between his hands. He says with a sigh “Oh you’re not going to like this.”

“Like what?”

Dune points at the body. “He dead.”

Gricrir looks down to the side and almost jumps. “What? In. The. Land. Is A Dead body doing in here?”

“He be being dead,’ Dune says. He then looks at Urberer “I used ‘be’ verb correct?”

“Close, close. You’re getting better.” Urberer says with a smile.

Irration begins to creep across Gricrir’s face. “Let’s try this again? Why is he here? Who killed him?”

He sits up, chest sticks out, and shoulder roll back as he indicates himself with a thumb “I kill. He here because corpse not meant for street. Hard to hide., Smell bad soon. Trip hazard.” He then gives a knowing nod, crosses his arms and leans back in his chair.

In a thoughtful tone “trip hazard? You know, I’d never thought that.”

“What, you- ugh!” Gricrir closes a fist in front of face, staring down at it. His face goes from being partially red to all red and veins begin to creep across his brow.

“See Gricrir, I said that you wouldn’t like it.”

“Dune-mud! I can’t believe you called me from home for this! We do not kill unless we must! That’s what we all signed up for!”

Turning to look at Dune “I told you this would be a problem.”

“You have no idea how hard it is to hide dead body and then dispose of it? I literally, literally run the patrols to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“Nope.” Dune says without a concern.

Gricrir goes to another corner of the room that has several cots and foot lockers. He gets a sheet from one of the footlockers and drapes it over the corpse; he’s sure to look the corpse in the eyes once before covering its head.

“Why did you kill him?”

Urberer steps in for moment. “Gricrir, I’m sure there is a reason. Dune-mud might be a little blood thirsty, but he doesn’t act without reason.” Urberer pauses for a moment, his voice lowered and concerned “You do know that right? Right Gricrir?”

Gricrir lets out a sigh. “Dune-mud, tell me what happened.”

“I kill.”

Urberer jumping in again “Yes, we know, we know. We need more details on the why.” He then whispers over teh table, still loud enough for Gricrir to hear, “or he’s going to lecture us. Do you really want him lecturing both of us for our faults?

Dune’s face scrunches up, some of his expression being hidden by the white face paint covering from the top of his nose to his forehead, yet nonetheless showing a look of unease.

“Bad guy. He and his friends come to my turf. Thought wanted time with ladies. Tried to take Dune’s ladies. Dune, mmm, I tried to make leave. Thoughts maybe drunk. Would not leave. Was not drunk. Not wanted to pay. Man and friends took out weapons. About to kill lady who fought. I not let happen. Fought. Many ran away. Not this one. He fought. He dead. I kill. Ladies safe.”

Gricrir looks over Dune intently. Perhaps I need to do better at giving him the benefit of a doubt.

“You happy with story now?”

“Yes Dune-mud.”

Dune crosses his arms over his chest, an expression of indignation showing. “Request sent because important. Dead body one thing. But seen these men many times. Not first time they eye territory. See then in other places too.”

“I see.”

“Now that you two are getting along. How about we sit have a meeting? I imagine we need to talk about this, cover other agenda items? You know, work.” Urberer said and then kicks away the chair that was tucked in at the head of the table.

Gricrir takes a seat at the head of the table. He looks at Dune and nods. “Please be prepared to write secretary.”

Dune gets a piece of paper and a writing utensil from underneath his robe. He sits at the ready.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Gricrir, are you about to start a formal meeting?

“Martin’s Ettiqueetes on Order must be maintain, even in chaotic moments. First roll call of all members and guests.”

Gricrir rolls his eyes.

“Dune-mud Fethyprafk, secretary and acting treasuring.”

“I should have never taught him about Martin’s Ettiuqettes. Urberer Meadowfist, Vice President.”

“Urberer, I am more than willing to give you back the role of President. You talked me into it the first place.

“Nope. You’re a good president. A little rigid. But good. You keep doing that and I’ll stay over here as Vice President.”

Gricrir barely stops himself from rolling his eyes “Gricrir Foreblossom” his voice drops “reluctant President of this ...”

“I know. We still don’t have a name,” Urberer said.

“Order of Nightmen.”

“No. I don’t like it. Plus who knows. Maybe one day we’ll have a woman or two on here. They might not like the name?

“What’s not to like?” Gricrir asks.

You know, calling ladies men? Ah, it doesn’t matter. Just get this meeting started.”

“At six twenty I call this meeting started. Dune, could you handle reading notes from last meeting.”

Dune frowns at him slightly.

“You can pass it to Urberer to be read, of course. Take no offense.”

Urberer arches an eyebrow, and stares at Gricrir.

Dune gathers a seperate sheet of paper from his robe. He passes it to Urberer. Urberer picks up the paper and begins to read in a very bored tone after giving Gricrir one final look over “As of last meeting. We agreed that more funds would be raised to help the school move from the red ligth district to a more, ‘suitable’ location. Further we wanted to increase patro-ah” Urberer slams the paper on the table. “Gricrir, please. We have a dead body on the floor to talk about, someone’s been trailing me, and you accidentally putting Dune on the spot, isn’t like you, meaning there is something going on with you too. So can we just skip to an open conversation? These rules are for efficiency and fair talk. But using them now is going against that. I’m sure there is a provision that lets us do some special forum. How about it?”

Gricrir sighs, stands up and walks to a nearby book shelf. His steps were heavy, and thought the magic infused carpet softened the sound of his footfalls, it did little to lighten the load on his mind. He knew Urberer was right. He knew that something was wrong with him. The fatigue of the day did wear on him, but years of night patrols had made him accustomed to it. But his mind was elsewhere this evening.

At the heavy wooden bookshelf, Gricrir searches through the myriad of books, coming across titles such as: The Great Demon War I, Tactics in Clan Scale Warfare, Histories of the Fae, Guardsman ship 301, War of the Three Countries, and a number of books by the author Lace Noble, who surprising, wrote more than romantic escapades. The titles barely registered. Though he read the words, the only image that was present was the look on Daisy’s face before he left.

“It’s right there Gricrir. Right in front of your face; your nose to be exact,” Urberer said.

“Thank you,” Gricrir says, his eyes focusing directly in front of him. He reads over the title, Martyn’s Etttiquettes of Order Edition II.

It was there the whole time? Hmm. Gricrir thought to himself. He thumbed through the book, muttering different sections here and there until he gets to the section on special circumstances and events. He reads over the passage twice. Order must be maintained even in chaotic times. That’s why we have these ettiquettes. Interesting that they’d creation such a section. He addresses the room, almost hesitant, “Yes. If we do an emergency motion we can run the meet-“

Urberer hand shoots up “I motion to initiate an emergency meeting.” He then stares at Dune who simply stares back at him. Urberer than loudly whispers over the table to Dune “please just second it. I’m sure I’ll make it worth it.”

“Fine. I second motion.”

Gricrir looks at both of them and shakes his head. “Fine. Emergency meeting in session. Speak at will, but with discipline.

Urberer says “thank god” as he puts his hands together in a prayer. They glow briefly.

Why must he always sheirk at the rules? For a monk he sure prefers to play in the grey.

Gricrir closes the book using both hands, and returns it to the shelf. He returns to the seat of the table, sitting down. He starts to say something, misses it with a head nod, and then says “let’s get started.”

This time, Dune casts a inquisitive glance at Gricrir. From Gricrir’s position, Dune’s red eyes moved right to left, reading him like a book. It was not uncommon for Gricrir to be sized up in both streets and alley ways. But this size up, now, like always, made his heart quicken and goosebumps build on his skin, regardless of the weather. He just knew, without anyone having to tell him, that there was a difference between a man sizing him up in a dark alley, as opposed to a snake. A man may have ill intent and kill you; a snake on the other hand, held no ill intent and could leave you be or kill you all the same; and primal thought betted on the latter.

Gricrir looked back at Dune, hoping to build eye contact in an attempt to encourage him to look elsewhere. Dune seemed oblivious to Gricrir’s stare. And seeming done with his read, he snapped his head forward in the direction of Urberer who sat across from him.

“You see it too Dune?”

Dune nods.

“What are you all speaking about?”

“You’re acting weird. Something wrong?”

Gricrir folded his arms over his chest, back posture upright and stiff. “No. I am fine.” His eyes shift between the two.

Urberer throws his hands up. “Sure, sure your fine.”

“He say he fine. Let him ... be,” Dune responded.

Urberer let his hands come down to the arm rest. He leaned back and smiled, his tone playful, “well he wasn’t so fine when he roughed me up this morning.”

“You were drunk in the streets!” Gricrir said.

“I was sleeping,” his tone dismissive.

“Yes. Drunkenly sleeping.”

“Drunkenly sleeping? That’s not even good Common. Right Dune.”

“Right.”

“Don’t you two gang up on me with your fancy words. Or you Urberer, try to use your verbal tactics. I’m” he pokes himself in the chest with his thumb “a guard with years of experience. I know you simply avoided stating that you were drunk or not.”

“Bravo, bravo,” Urberer said with a slow clap. His smile even wider. “You’re right! You’re a fine guard with lots of experience and can tell if someone is avoiding giving you a straight answer. You’re great at what you do.”

Gricrir did not expect the compliment. It felt sort of good to be acknowledge for his skills. Not knowing what to say, he relied on what he knew, ettiqutte by saying a simple “Thank you.”

“Now. Just as you have years of experiencing being a guard. We have years of experience working with you, keeping crime low, helping the citizens and trying to keep this city afloat from the shadows. ANd I specifically have years of reading people and situations. Just how you know I did give you a straight answer. Neither did you. You might be fine physically. But yo’re not all together fine. So friend, don’t treat us like people who don’t know you. Just tell us if you’re not ready to talk about it yet.” Urberer said. He gave a pause and then lean fowarded over the table in Gricrir’s position, his voice a non-playful tone for once “And we’ll still be here ready to hear you later.” He looks over to Dune and says “Right Dune?”

Dune doesn’t respond.

“Dune.”

“Right. I make time, I guess,” Dune said.

“See,” Urberer smiles, leaning back “even Dune.”

Gricrir looked between the two. He sensed no trickery in Urberer’s words. He meant what he had said. And Dune, even he agreed. And the sense of weight on Gricrir’s mind lifted just a little.

“Thanks.”

Urberer slaps the table and smiles. “Good. Well that’s off my agenda. Now onto the big fishes to fry. We’ve got things discuss and more importantly, things to do.”

“Let’s go then,” Urberer said.

“Waiting for you guys,” Dune screeched.

“Alright!”

*********