Renna tossed and turned on the well worn mattress. The summer heat was oppressive, and she expected to be able to open her window but alas, it was nailed shut, no doubt to deter people from climbing into unrented rooms at night. Her sweat soaked clothing lay on a heap in the middle of the floor. She sighed, throwing her arm over her face, trying to calm down and fall asleep, when the sound of heavy footsteps caught her attention. It sounded like large boots, possibly a man of large stature. She sat up in bed and followed the sound as the boots stopped in front of the room next door. A single knock, hushed voices, rustling clothes. She strained to hear.

“What are you doing here?” A female voice, soft but unmistakeable. Renna recognized it as the innkeeper, Helga. “I’m full up tonight, someone could see you.” Renna raised her eyebrow, intrigued, assuming that this was some sort of affair. She leaned against the cool wall, listening. The male voice was low and foreboding, with a hint of a snakelike hiss. “I go where I please.” They were silent for a moment, then there was a thud against the adjoining wall that startled Renna. She fought back a gasp. “I want to know what you were planning to do with that wretch you call a friend.” “I-I don’t know what you mean” Helga stammered, a thud, and a whimper. “I hired you to find me someone capable of finding something very important, didn’t I? And you cut a deal with this lowlife to sell it out from underneath me. Don’t you know who I am?” Another thud, Renna cringed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Helga insisted. “I had never even met the man before! I certainly didn’t tell him to do that…” Her words were cut off. There was another thud, the sound of rustling clothes and heavy breathing, but Renna could not help the feeling that this wasn’t an act of passion. She slowly crept to the middle of the room, hastily pulling her clothing on, silently praying to the gods that they could not hear her. She had no time to pull on her armor, choosing to leave it there, she grabbed her sword and went to open the door. The hinges’ creak was deafening in the quiet inn. “Fuck” she whispered as she bolted for the exit.

She could hear boots behind her as she burst through the door. She tore through the streets, scanning for guards but there were none, this part of town was largely overlooked, overrun by beggars and thieves. The only thing she could think to do was scream. “Hey! He’s killing her! Help! He’s trying to kill me!” It was a long shot but it worked, as she ran screaming through the streets, people did look up, peek out of their houses, and the sound of boots behind her slowed, getting further away. Renna took the opportunity to weave through the streets and duck into the woods just outside of town. She knelt in the brush, back against a tree, trying to catch her breath. If she was hot then she was definitely hot now. She wiped the sweat from her brow, then heard rustling to her left. She leapt to her feet, drawing her sword. “Don’t get any closer, or I’ll gut you”.

Her arm was twisted behind her back, her sword dropping to the ground with a soft thud. A dagger pressed to her throat. “That’s no way for a lady to behave.” A man crooned softly into her ear. It was different, not the same voice she heard in Helga’s room. “What do you want from me?” He chuckled, letting Renna’s arm go, turning her to face him. “I want to know what has you running through the streets in your underclothes.” He sounded amused but his face was serious. Renna shook her head. “Who are you?” She took in his features, an elven man with deep blue eyes, dark hair, and a scar down his left cheek. He was average height, lean, and he wore leather shoes. He definitely wasn’t the man in Helga’s room. He smiled softly, a quick flash of white pointed teeth gone in an instant. “I’m Garmion.”