Sparrow ducked into the tavern's second story window and landed on the balcony just as the three adventurers opened the tavern door. She quickly pretended to be reading the paper.
"Lucia?"
Sparrow looked up. The outline of Bastian blocked the streaming sun and cast the table into shadow. She smiled. "Hello."
"Good morning," He said lightly. "We've discussed it between us, and I- we-think you could be great aid to us on our journey. You- you have great talent and skill. Charisma, too."
Finnbar kicked Bastian's heel. He ignored him. The eladrin, Jukenaar, studied her for a moment. "She seems worthy. You are intent on giving us your full skill as a fighter?"
"And as a friend. We are companions, but we are also comrades. Are we not?"
Bastian laughed. "She has good wisdom!" He said aloud.
"I don't, actually." Said Sparrow, but no-one heard.
"Well then." Said Bastian good-naturedly. "We have ourselves a new fighter."
And that was how one became four.
Chapter Six___________
They stayed that night in the inn, and, in celebration of Lucia's joining them, nobody drunk a single ale the whole night long at her request. The pub was filled to the brim with arguing shifters who were on a sort of bestial pilgrimage. At one point in the night, Sparrow went out to the outside balcony to get some fresh air and found herself standing next to Bastian. He gestured at the sky. "Nice night." Sparrow muttered ascent and looked up at the moon, her thoughts strangely trailing back to Link Farshot. Bastian gave her a thoughtful sideways glance.
"Tell me about yourself." He said. "What brought you to Wanderglenn?"
Sparrow bit her lip, thinking fast. "I'm just an elf who left Meliamne in search of a city life. I've lived in Wanderglenn ever since. Nothing interesting." Bastian looked curious nonetheless. Sparrow, catching this, said, "What about you?" The dragonborn looked up at the stars. "I was raised in the mountains by others of my kind. I don't remember my parents. Those who looked after me knew nothing of them, or if they did, they wouldn't tell me. I left as soon as I was capable and ran into Jukenaar as I was journeying too far into the mystic hills. He helped me get out of a tight spot in a cave with three shardminds, and we formed an alliance. Juke and I travelled south. We came across a bound and gagged halfling who was tied up in spider's thread for use in a sacrificial ritual to Lolth. We set him free and he came with us. We have been caught up in many a bar fight thanks to him." Bastian chuckled. "I've had 24 years, and still I haven't found out the fate of my parents. Its quite slack, really." He had a smile on his face but his great opaline eyes were hard. "I sometimes- get angry- at those who never thought to help me find them. All those years in the caves and they didn't even tell me a hint of what they knew or who else would know. If they were dead at least I could avenge their deaths.
"They might be dead, for all I know." He finished absent mindedly.
"Well at least you didn't run away from yours." Said Sparrow, before she could stop herself. Bastian looked quite shocked. "You ran away from your parents?" He said incredulously. He didn't sound disappointed, just surprised. Lucia looked mortified. "Just- don't tell Jukenaar." She said hastily, and disappeared inside.
Inside the tavern, Finnbar was wreaking havoc as usual. Bastian marched inside, followed the noise, saw the halfling in a growling match with a notorious looking shifter and scowled.
"FINN." His voice thundered around the hall. He looked up to the inside balcony and saw Lucia look up. He softened. "Finnbar. No." The halfling was too involved in his growling match to be bothered paying attention. Bastian sighed. "Finnnnbaaaar…it's your last warning." The halfling looked up mid-growl and growled rudely at Bastian before turning beck to the shifters, some of whom were starting to circle him hungrily.
Bastian strode right into the middle of the group, picked up Finnbar with one arm by the collar and held him up above his head. Finnbar struggled angrily. "Put-me- DOWN."
"So you can be eaten by shifters?"
Finnbar yelled furiously and cursed in goblin. "They started it! They told me to prove myself or get out of their corner." "You were in their corner?" "Not eavesdropping!" Yelled the squirming Finnbar. "Its the corner by the fire. I always sit there!" "Were you there first?" Bastian inquired nobly. "Nooo,,." Said Finnbar, sounding like a six year old child. "But I had every right to sit there too."
"Not if they were talking about something they would like to be kept secret."
"Well I didn't know that!"
Sparrow suddenly had an idea.
"Well, they could have been talking about something important. In any case, something we could benefit from knowing."
Bastian raised his eyebrow at her, mouthing "Why?"
Sparrow tilted her head towards Finnbar and gave Bastian a look that plainly read, 'I know what I'm doing.'
Jukenaar, who was watching from the counter, rolled his eyes.
"So what did you hear, Finnbar?" Sparrow was saying kindly.
"Well!" Finnbar gushed happily, "They're planning to launch an attack on big special temple!"
Bastian grinned. "So you were eavesdropping."
Finnbar slowly realized he'd been duped.
"Yes, but- but- I found out important infor- informing- stuff, didn't I?"
Bastian chuckled. "Whatever temple they are planning to attack is their own business.
"Now. Let's go get some dinner."
"Don't you mean breakfast?" Beside them, Finnbar was starting to sulk.
Suddenly a voice behind them made them jump. "Exactly whose temple were they intending to attack, Fin?" It was Jukenaar and he looked worried.
"Something evil."
Bastian threw his hands up in the air. "By the shield of Bahamut, Finn, they're on our side!"
Finnbar made a grumpy face, arms crossed. "They told me to shove off."
"Well, yeah, thats what I would say also."
Finnbar just became more sulky at that.
Sparrow suddenly tapped Bastian on the shoulder. "Luce?"
"Sorry to break up the conversation," She said quietly, "But there's a man over in the corner who hasn't taken his gaze off us for the past quarter hour."
As they both turned to look at him, the man stood up.
Chapter 7 _________________________
"My name is Travius." The man said.
He wore a long dust-covered cloak with a fur hood and was bedecked with many gourds for food and water. "You appear to travel far." Sparrow remarked decidedly. "That is so." Said Travius. "I am a merchant. My business is successful but recently I ran into a spot of trouble. I won't tell you about this now, but I will merely say; there is something in my possession that needs to be transported. I would appreciate a guard of sturdy adventurers and you fellows seem worthy to help me on my quest. I am willing to provide food and lodgings along the way, and my pay is high. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on this journey?"
The four looked at each other unsurely. "The way is not long. Merely a day's journey northwest around the mountains, then northeast through the foothills and straight north through the forest to Elderhaven."
Sparrow breathed sharply before she could stop herself.
"Lucia?"
"Oh. I just once knew someone from Elderhaven. Nothing interesting."
This was the second time she'd guarded her past that night and Bastian's suspicions that she was keeping something from him grew.
Travius seemed not to notice.
"So? Will you help me? It is of much importance."
Jukenaar took the reigns. "It would be our pleasure. I am Jukenaar, and these are my comrades. Finnbar, Bastian, and Lucia. We are happy to serve."
Finnbar had started to scowl dazedly up at Travius.
"We leave tomorrow at dawn. Be ready."
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