A Ballad of Fire and Steel (Cancelled)

Chapter 3: Framed for Murder

Note: I have been using a Voice to Text thingy to write this. If there are any spelling, grammar, or just any unclear issues please send me a message. Thank you. -Demon-

That said if anyone likes the story so far... I write this on google docs and more proofreaders would be amazing...

Chapter 3: Framed for Murder

Azula, Tash, Druvent, and Sieg where sitting at a table and watching Kisuku with a mixture of bemused amazement and sheer terror as the tiny fox-girl engulfed her third plate of breakfast. So transfixed by the spectacle was the group that they had failed to notice the six Berkhansted city guards enter the tavern.

"Is anyone here known as Sieg of Berkhansted." Came a loud, authoritative voice. Sieg turned in his chair and took a good look at the speaker and his entourage. Six Berkhansted city guards, with their light blue tabards emblazoned with the Earl's crest and holding their bayoneted muskets in a ready-resting position stood blocking the entrance. The speaker was a shorter, stockier man with the light brown skin common to the area and dark curly hair protruding from under his polished steel wide-brimmed domed helm. He held a folded piece of parchment in his left hand, his right rested on the pommel of his Gladius, a captain's insignia was on his tabard, and he was eyeing Sieg's group with trained attentiveness.

"Ah... That's me. Is something wrong sir?" Sieg asked, a tinge of nervousness making its way into his voice.

The guard squinted at him for a moment before returning his gaze back to the paper. "One Sieg of Berkhansted, one native female human, one armored dwarf, one half-elf foreigner, and one female Southern Continent animal person. That would be you lot yes?"

Kisuku's ears flattened to her head at being called an animal person. Azula looked around table and realized that she had been mistaken for a native again, this didn't really bother her though. "Ah... Sort of." Replied Sieg.

The captain cocked an eyebrow. "Sort of?"

"I am of the Fire Isles." Azula said in her unmistakable accent.

The head of every guard in the group snapped towards her as though the unassuming girl had just sprouted wings.

Capt. Brendon Hansch glared at the dragon-girl with all the pent-up suspicion in his being. His suspicions weren't necessarily directed at her. No, it was this whole damn situation. Something smelled fishy and it wasn't the docks by the river. Jarel Narkarth, The Fire Island Magister of Berkhansted, is assassinated in the wee hours of the morning and Brendon gets handed orders to search some suspects mere hours later. Now he finds out that one of said suspects is also a Fire Islander. "These people didn't do it... Something is very wrong here." He thought to himself.

The Captain eased his posture and stern demeanor, instantly lifting the weight of tension in the room. "Time to play the good, old, understanding guard just doing his job."

"Sorry about this, but we were dispatched here to search some suspects in a crime that was recently committed." Brendon gave an exaggerated sigh. "We just need to ask you a few questions, search your belongings, and we'll be on our way."

Druvent slammed his fist onto the table, causing most of the guards to wince at the sudden sound. "As a citizen of the Iron Range, I object to the search of my person." Stated the dwarf.

The Captain grit his teeth. While the dwarves of the Iron Range were considered citizens of Iron Hold, they also held certain diplomatic immunities that was sometimes difficult to circumvent. "I am sure we can work something out, Sir Dwarf."

Druvent crossed his arms and glared axes at the man. Brendon ignored him.

"All right Sieg, let's start with you. Just lay your gear up here." He said motioning to a clear table.