Adventurers in Castlerock

Chapter 2

As the sun began to rise the next morning Slythe was already awake sitting downstairs at a table in the inn. The coffee was terrible, the meat over cooked the eggs under cooked and the potatoes were burnt. When the busty waitress waddled her way wagging the coffee pot Slythe quickly placed her hand over her cup and shook her head no. She had to mentally remind herself the bounty on the white elf would be well worth all this. So she swallowed the coffee, choked down the meal, over paid the wench and left the inn.

The way to the dark fortress was simple, to a point. Everyone knew where it was, but the closer you came to it, the less anyone was willing to speak about it. You could almost smell the fear on people when you asked. Once while Slythe was in a small town inn she asked the inn keeper there if he had heard any news on the fortress that was only a fortnights travel from this town, the inn keeper nearly shrieked in terror hushing Slythe instantly with an odd tone, "hush girl we speak not of the unholy place." Okay then Slythe thought, maybe that's why the white elf rules it so well, everyone is afraid to go against him. That was about to change.

Slythe headed towards the fortress, she knew what area to be in and she knew it would be best to show up in the late night, less likely to be seen as she snuck into the fortress and found the private rooms of the white elf. Less likely to be spotted as she slide quietly in and slit the throat of the horrid white elf that ruled the dark fortress. She conditioned herself to travel at night and sleep during the day. That way she would be able to sit in the dark a couple days a watch the routine at the fortress before she made her final plans.

Twelve days later she could see the fortress come into view from the stand of trees she made camp in. She didn't light a fire as she didn't want to chance alerting anyone from the fortress to her presence. She wrapped up that night in a warm blanket still shivering from the cold and ate some dried meats and fruit. She longed for a streak and large potato. But knew she dared not give up this vantage point. She had climbed high up into the branches of an old oak tree, finding a V in the branches she settled in and watched the fortress. Many evil and cruel men came and went, she saw female slaves bound to large timbers naked and shivering taken in, but only a few came back out with their masters, shortly after the painful screams of the women could be heard echoing through the lands. High up in the trees it wailed like a warning to Slythe who could only wonder at the horrors those poor women must be enduring right now.

For three days the only time Slythe left the tree branches was late at night and only long enough to relieve her self. Her provisions and water skeins were getting low and she knew she had to make a plan and carry it out tonight. Never before had she been so indecisive, always in like the wind, death to the one she was after and out before the body started to cool. She just had a bad feeling about this mark and the longer she sat listening to the screams of the tortured and dying souls in the fortress the worse that feeling became. So tonight it was or for the first time since she began killing for a living Slythe would fail to get her mark. That was not happening. Better to die then live that shame.

Shortly after the moon rose to its zenith in the inky black sky Slythe pulled out an old outfit tore it in some modestly revealing places and slipped out of the tree she rubbed the out fit in the dirt then rubbed dirt on herself as well. Now she should blend in with the poor women inside if she was caught, there were enough in there surely there was no way they could no them all. She hid her sack and gear, sliding her weapons into there usual hiding spots down her arms, legs and back, and began walking towards the edge of the forest heading to the dark fortress. Just before stepping out of the woods a noise caught her attention. She stopped and looked up as a huge winged creature left the roof of the fortress flying towards the woods. "By all the Gods and Goddesses the white elf has a dragon." She thought to run, but knew the dragons keen hearing would pick the sound of her feet up. Instead she held her breath, made herself as small as possible and stayed as still as death itself. Waiting to be eating and praying the beast would pass by; she stayed there until the flap of its wings could be heard no more. Slythe knew now was her only chance she had to get in and kill the white elf and get out before that creature returned. With that thought clear in her mind she hastily made her way to the fortress.

The guards at the gate were easy enough to skirt and really it was almost simple to make it into the fortress itself. A few times she nearly walked around a corner into a guard raping some poor woman, but luck on her side they were too busy to notice her. She still did not know the location of the bastard's room, but she kept making her way higher in the fortress. Men like the white elf always chose to look down on everyone, so his private chambers would be high in the keep. She rounded a corner just as she heard the dragons return, so much for luck being on her side. Too late to turn back she would just pray the dragon had fed well while out. Watching the dragon land back on the roof of the fortress Slythe forgot her own rule, never let down your guard. She remembered that rule as several rough hands grabbed her from behind. She felt her top ripped exposing her breasts; the crouch of her pants tore open exposing her womanhood. Ready to fight or die as she say the guards disrobing to take her, she wretched her foot loose and was preparing to land a kick to the first mans groin, when she heard a mans voice behind them. "What do you think you are doing?" The voice was deep and sexy almost alluring and at this moment sounded like the voice of an angel, he was going to help her!

"Stand down, you dogs." Slythe was hauled to her feet between two men her ample breasts heaving and being stared at. One of the men holding her spoke quickly "we was bringing her to you, I swear it." Her savior's voice rang out again. "Were you? You swear it? Do you swear it on your own life?" Silence for a moment then the bastard holding Slythe replied, "I do sir." Slythe felt air pass over her head, and a warm liquid touch the side of her face as her captors head slid from his body and then the body fell away. Her savior stepped into view and Slythe had the wish that it had been her head that had been taken. Standing before her was no savior. It was the white elf.