Knight's Quest

Chapter XXXI: The Candlestick Maker's Wife

 You walk down the city streets, determination in your eyes. Determination for what, however, that is the question. It isn’t long until you reach the front of Doctor Eric’s shop. It looks like it did before, a large sign, a front window. Except this time, you sense that something is different, but what?

I knock on the door.

A guard opens it up, just a touch. “What do you want?”

“I would like to see the doctor.”

“The doctor is busy right now. Come back later.”

“You don’t understand, my wife is in there.”

The guard steps out from the door and gives you a funny look, lifting one eyebrow. “Yeah right.”

“Let me see the doctor.”

“I already told you no. I think that is fairly simple.”

“But my wife needs me.”

“Your wife isn’t in here.” He gets slightly frustrated, as most people who encounter you do.

“Okay, look.” I get in close. “That’s supposed to be my cover. I’m here to protect her from magician assassins.”

“How do you expect me to trust you? You don’t have any authority over me. You could be the assassin?”

How mad would you be if I were to kill him right now?

I suppose not too mad.

Really? You always seem to not enjoy it when I kill characters.

Obviously, but those that you have killed in the past usually have names. It’s a lot harder for me to move on from the death of a named character, because, well, they have character. I put more effort into them. Compared to just a nameless guard, no one cares about him. He’s just here, an extra.

So you don’t like it when I kill characters with names.

Yes.

“What’s your name?” I ask the guard.

I hate you. “That is irrelevant. Now answer my question, how am I supposed to trust you?”

“What is your name?!”

“Answer my question peasant!”

I hit him in the stomach and steal his sword while he is bent over. I hold it to his throat before he can react. “Some protection you would be. Even a normal peasant can beat you. How can you hope to stop a magician? That’s why I’m here.”

He stares back at you, unsure of how to react. Scared, awed, surprised, or just let you do as you wish. He settles with doing his job, while being slightly scared. “Intruder!” He shouts. “We are being attacked!”

“Fool.” I take the sword and stab myself in the left shoulder, just enough to make it bleed. I force the weapon into his hand, then lay on the ground and moan.

Two other guards appear behind the first from inside. “Good job Sir Lloyd. You defeated the intruder all on your own.” Says the tallest of the two. “Bring him in for interrogation.” Sir Lloyd and the shorter guard grab you and bring you to the back room. They lay you on the table that you had been examined on last time you were here. They tie you up to keep you from escaping.

I moan even louder. “Why did you stab me?” Another moan.

Sir Lloyd is confused but quickly comes up with an answer. “I uh… was stopping you from getting inside.”