King Killer

Chapter 1

In a small rural elvish village was an establishment called the Waterlog Inn and Bar. The light blue building stood on the outskirts of the Village Ulenore bordering the large forest next to the farming village. The inn had three stories, 6 rooms, 11 beds, and a full restaurant. It was a quaint place that rarely got any visitors as it wasn't on any major trade routes, or any routes at all. The occasional rugged traveler stopped by here and there or a local would stop in for some food or a beer. Many marveled at the fact it stayed open with such few compatriates.

Today was an exception. The bar was full of people. It was the first time that this many people had been in the Waterlog Inn and Bar at a single time since it's founding 25 years ago. People filled more than just the dining and bar area. They overfilled into the hallways and outside into the sunny warm spring day. So many guested filled the rooms, many had to camp outside for the night. However, these people weren't here as regular customers, they were here for the innkeeper's funeral. He had fallen ill and passed away leaving his young daughter as the new owner.

This young Elf, Eire, hid herself behind a black lace veil that covered her face and white hair. Her black dress was crunched under her as she sat crossed legged in the far corner of the room hoping to hide from everyone. Alone and tear streaked, she sat on the ground in the dust in the corner some distance from the actual bar watching everyone working to serve the various people that had come to her father's funeral. She had expected everyone to be local, but the bar was full of different races. Some races she had rarely seen before: orcs, humans, a few dwarfs, and even a few daymons filled the room. However, they were still a minority to the elves that overtook the bar and beyond. Somehow all these people were here for her father.

Eire wasn't sure how these people found out about her father's passing. She always wanted to know more about him and his time before the little Inn, but when she would question him he would always tell her: The past is nothing but stories, and mine are to be left to another day. The illness took him before she had heard any of those stories, even the ones about her mother. Thinking about it caused sadness to overtake her once more. Tears slid across her porcelain skin, but soon a shout by the bar caught her attention. Laughter quickly followed. Their happiness drew the curious Elf closer. How could anyone be happy at a funeral? Slowly, she shouldered her way through the groups of silent elves toward these strangers. Once close enough she could make out words from the laughter she stopped and listened with her head down and hidden within the shadows among the other silent elves.

"How about the day Sampson saved Eve from the slavers!" an orc slammed her beer down. Her teeth gleened in the light as she laughed. "That was my favorite!" Eire marveled at her light green skin. She had never seen an Orc before. She considered what she knew about Orcs: they ate young elves, they were mean, and she shouldn't even look at one. Then again her father would always try to instill in her not all races were as mean as they seemed or that she'd been told by other elves.

"No Yerazig! That is not the best. You only like it because you were there. Remember when he slayed the creature of the dark? Now that's a story," an older human challenged. His hair long grayed and his youth gone, but the brightness in his eyes still shone like the full moons in the night sky. Humans always intrigued Eire as they had a wisp of freedom about them that Elves seem to lack.

Eire had moved closer pushing by some of the more quite Elves until she was sitting on the outskirts of the group of people talking. She listened in hoping to learn more about her father. Her eyes were bright as they continued. "I'm sure King Killer has some good stories! Where is that damned woman?" shouted the orc, Yerazig. She downed her drink in a single gulp as people glanced around looking for the 'King Killer' while muttering incomprehensible things.