Donner and Thalia: The Lair of the Rat God (Episode 1)

Chapter 4

4.

Back in the village, Donner and Thalia swung by Lenny's house to take him out for some of the Dapper Spice's famous beef and rabbit stew. Donner spent a little bit of his gold and got a bowl for each of them.

"Lenny," you should have seen this monster, he had to be eighty, ninety pounds, fangs the size of daggers, yellow and diseased looking. I won't lie. It was a creature of pure hated," Donner bragged.

"It was a mouse about the size of a dog," Thalia corrected.

"It was a rat the size of a dog, big difference," Donner corrected back. "But with my quick thinking, agile reflexes, and my trusty blade, Donner reached to pat the sword hanging on his belt. The beast was slain, and once again, peace is brought back to Miss Gall's basement."

"You got twenty gold for just one day's work?" Lenny asked before taking a big spoonful of soup with a nice healthy chunk of rabbit on it.

"Adventuring is the way to go, I saw a contract for fifty thousand gold today, could you imagine, one job, fifty thousand gold. I just got to work my way up, get some better equipment. Borter Tremane could invade, the Knights would be called to battle, I could find myself in single combat with him. Like Sir Theodore in the Battle to the Last. That could be me.

"You wouldn't make fifty thousand gold, you would only make about forty, don't forget you have to pay taxes," Thalia said as she took a drink of ginger beer, the most potent drink the bar would let kids have.

"Yeah, if taxation is that bad, I'm going to have to bring it up next time Sir Theodore visits Hillshade."

Thalia laughed, "You, literally, just found out what taxation is, and you think you can make a convincing argument for its abolishment?"

Donner shrugged, "There's something to be said when something feels that wrong as soon as it's done to you," He took a swig of his ginger beer then turned to Lenny, "You know, you should join me on my next quest, both of you should!" he said excitedly, "We can be a questing party like King John's Imperial Knights, or the Gang of Eight,"

"But there's only three of us," Lenny said.

"Then the gang of three," Donner threw his hands up and rolled his eyes, "We could end up heroes Lenny, could you imagine that? Legends, about us," he grabbed Lenny's shoulder, "We could be legends!"

"You are letting one victory against one monster go to your head, Donner," Thalia said.

"I know that this was small, not that important," Donner turned to Thalia, "But there's always work for Knights, even in the darkest times, Kinleath always needs Knights, the profession is recession-proof. It's an important job, and I want to be a part of it. This is just the beginning. I might head to the job board tomorrow and see if there's something with a little more action then a rat problem I can help with," he turned back to Lenny, "And the coin, gods, the coin. I made more in one day then I would in a week at the smithery. If I had you guys as back up, we could do harder jobs together, and harder jobs will mean more coin. Tell me, Lenny, what would you do with an extra hundred gold?"

"I'd probably save it, maybe splurge on a tome or two that could help me improve my magic talents. Vibrus says I got the best shot to get into the Academy of any apprentice he's had as Hillshade's Wizard. I've sent my application with Vibrus's letter of recommendation, and I think I got a good chance.

"See, all the more reason to get some coin, when you're at the academy, anything you do in your off time is going to need some banked coins to finance your leisurely pursuits," Donner put his hand on Lenny's shoulder, "I could use you. All the great Knights have had Wizard by their side." He turned back to Thalia, "What about you, Thalia, you could probably afford some nice dresses, your illusion spell helped me out today. The Illusion School is one of the hardest branches of magic to master. If you have a knack for it, you deserve to earn a little extra coin."