Quill and Dagger

From behind bars, Collette watched a gnome approach the jail keeper’s seat, he then pulled up a chair for himself and started up a conversion.

Collette did not hear most of it, for she was still trying to figure out why they put her in jail.  All she did was buy a few drinks and then offer to the barkeep her autograph as a form of payment.  She saw nothing wrong with it, she is a famous author, who wouldn't want it, in fact the barkeep was getting the better end of the deal.  Yet they threw her in jail for being generous.  Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden thud, she looked at where the sound came from.  The jail keeper had fallen from the chair, the gnome seemed unfazed by it.  Then she saw it, a dagger was in the jail keeper's chest.  The gnome stood up and took the keys off the body and walked over to one of the cells, letting two prisoners free and after saying a few words to them he turned to leave.

“Excuse me good sir, there are others here that were put here unjustly.  Might you set us free too?”  Collette didn’t quite care why the others were here, they probably were actually criminals, she hadn’t had a chance to ask just yet.  She just knew she didn’t belong there.

The gnome turned to her, walked a few steps towards her cell.  “They must have just thrown you in today, you weren’t her last night.  What’s your name miss?”

“Collette Moreau, perhaps you have heard of me?  The famous Arthur of…” Collette rattled off in quick succession of each of her books, the gnome listened.  Obviously she must be someone with lots of coin with all the books she had written.  “What might your name be good sir?”  Collette didn’t quite care at the very moment, she just wanted to get out and then she would be most happy to hear of why he was there and who he had set free.  Could make for a good story, that is if it interested her.

“Salin.”  He then opened the door for her.

Following from behind, they made their way out of the castle dungeon.  Once out Salin escorted the three freed prisoners to another town.  There Salin left them and collected his payment for freeing the two prisoners.  He freed the third for his own interests.  A day later he caught up to her and followed her closely.  When he was sure, he made himself known in her life again.

He found her in a tavern, it was about mid day.  It took Collette a moment to recognize him since they met when it was dark and the dungeon lighting was poor.  They struck up a conversation quickly enough and by the end of it Collette had ‘hired’ someone to accompany her.  It was more her charm than anything that was what made him want to come along.  Or so she assumed.  

They traveled together for a week, during which time Collette was sure Salin was eyeing her more and he disliked being far from her.  She was growing fond of him too, but not quite like Salin seemed to be of her. 

Another two days of traveling, they arrived at a town rumored to have vampire problems, Collette made quick work of learning everything she needed to.  The next day they headed towards the layer.  This would be the first time she would see Salin in action, she knew he was good with hiding and taking things, but what about the fancy sword he carried, or his crossbow?  She looked at the sword one more time to see it’s craftsmanship, only to notice he did not have it with him, instead it was a shortsword.  She thought little of it as they had arrived at the vampire layer.

They had only ventured into the first chamber when Collette knew something was foul and wrong.  From behind she heard a rich female voice, one she knew had been the snare for many foolish men and women who listened to honey words.

“Ah, Collette.  How I have waited for you to find me.  You took so long in coming to my home I was beginning to think I would have to come find you myself.  I’ve been wanting to thank you for taking out my competitions, now I can claim the lands and food for myself.”

She turned to see a tall woman, striking and built to draw attention from all who laid eyes upon her.  

The woman continued.  “Really, I should be thanking your short friend who, unknowingly, fell into my trap and well, you are here.  Everything is working out.”

Collette looked about her, Salin was no where to be seen, yet he was just beside her a moment ago.  Collette demanded to know where Salin was and when the woman only laughed in response, Collette attacked.  The woman vanished in a puff of smoke and left Collette to find all her underlings.  But eventually they overwhelmed her and knocked her out.

Though Collette’s eyes refused to open, she could hear the dreadful woman speaking from behind her somewhere.  She strained to hear the conversation the woman was having and pushed aside the pain that threatened to bring her back into blissful unconsciousness.  

“It won’t work on the gnome.”  A horrid scared voice spoke.

“And why not?”  The woman sounded annoyed.

“His heart is calmed by another, your blood charm will not work on him.”  His voice seemed to crack.

“Perhaps we can break it…”  Her voice carried a strange tone in it.

“I fear not mistress, it is true.”

Collette heard nothing more, her mind took her under.  When she next woke up, she could see Salin ripping some cloth up, he looked to be tending a wound on her leg.

“Good you're awake, here take this, it’s going to hurt.”  Salin put a thick cloth in her mouth then put some kind of salve on her wound.  She had no time to protest, but then the promised pain came and then it was gone.  Salin took the cloth out of her mouth.

“I checked, I think you’ll be fine, no bite marks and your other wounds are not bad.”  He then leaned on the wall next to her.

“Salin!  What happened?”  Collette sat up, though her body protested.

“I’m not sure, I remember following you in and then next thing I know I am on a table and they are holding stuff over me and speaking a strange language.  They threw you in here a few minutes ago.”  

“I overheard them, I think they are trying to charm us into serving that wretched woman!  It won’t work on me of course.”  She looked at Salin deeply, trying to discern if he could still be trusted.

“If that is true, then neither of us are of use to her in regards to being charmed.”  He turned his head away for a moment.

“Then why keep us alive?”  Collette stood, against her body’s demand to remain still.

“I am unsure, but I’m glad they have.  It gives me the chance to say something I’ve been wanting to say.”  He walked over to her.

“Oh?”  She looked at him for a moment before returning her gazes to what lay beyond the prison bars.

“Collette, I love you.  And I know you are a great woman and I could never dream of winning your love in return but would you at least accept this gift from me?”  He held out a ornate looking key.

“Salin!  I don’t know what to say...What’s the key for?”

“It unlocks a chest with much of my wealth.  I don’t want this to look like I am buying your love, I know that is how it might look.  But I wasn’t sure what else to get you as a gift.”

This Collette remembered about the few stories he did share, he had gathered a fortune.  He certainly knew how to get rich, this she was sure of.  

“Oh, and one more thing.”  Salin pulled out a necklace.  Collette bent down for him to put it on.  When he did so, she locked eyes with him and their hearts moved closer.  Their lips were inches away, when suddenly he wasn’t there.  But a pile of ash lay before her.

Salin stood in the doorway with his Scimitar of Dawn, “That was a first, never thought I would have to kill myself.”  He looked up from the pile of ash to Collette.  “Quick take that necklace off and throw away the thing it gave you!”

Collette was unsure what just happened, but she didn’t want to take the necklace off, yet she knew she needed too.  After a moment of struggling against herself she broke free of the necklace’s spell and threw the key away.  Salin handed her what gear he could find and together they made their way out.  Collette knew she would have to come back and next time she would be ready.

Once outside and at a safe distance she looked at Salin.  “When did they replace you with fake Salin?  And why did the charm not work on you?  I know why it could never work on me.”

“Before we left the town, I tried to warn you but they always stopped me.  It wasn’t until you two were in the layer that they were able to capture me.”  Salin paused for a moment and looked to the sky, “My heart belongs to one who is true, and no evil could take that from me.”  He continued to look at the sky.

“Does she know of your great love?”  Collette was getting confused, was he talking about her or some other woman.  Maybe it was a nice gnome from his hometown.

“I never told her.”

Prompt, a love scene between Collette and Salin.  Idea by Hope Rohlin.

Note from the author, “Sorry Hope, love scenes are not my strong suit.  And trying to keep them in character for such a scene was proving challenging.  I hope this worked out okay for you.”