Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: andsol@screech.owlnet.rice.edu (Andrew J. Solberg) Subject: Kron: [inn]: A Story And A Request [TO ALL] Message-ID: <1992Jun9.153137.3247@rice.edu> Keywords: Kron, Cheyenne, Mother, murder, frame References: Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1992 15:31:37 GMT Silken pushes open the door to the Inn. Kron skulks in and plops down next to a table near the fire. The table is otherwise deserted, except for an enormous bowl that sometime recently contained a great deal of fish stew. There's a somewhat familiar smell in this area, too -- a marshy smell that Kron can't quite put his finger on. Perhaps it has something to do with that puddle -- MOP-BOY!! Well, many of the patrons from Kron's prior visits are gone now. The majority of those heroes who fought on the _Broadmarch_ have moved on, as do most true adventurers. If Kron wants to get any assistance for his excursion, he will have to appeal to a basically new bunch of people. And he will have to work quickly -- time's a-wasting. Kron stands up on top of the table and pushes the bowl to the side. "HEY!! EVERYBODY!! Shut up a minute and listen!" "I've got a story to tell you. It's a true story, and it's very important to me that you hear it. Your ears, friends!" Kron launches in..... ****************************************************************************** Kron is fourteen. Now he is not Kron -- he is Terry, and the young girl by his side is Cheyenne. They are brother and sister. She is two years younger that he, but she is small and must stand on tip-toes to put her arm about his shoulder. Mental photograph: the two are muddy, tired but happy, walking arm- in-arm up the Arcade of Forgotten Heroes. Terry has a few coppers -- they will eat tonight. It is drizzling. They are happy. F L A S H Forward two weeks: in Brat's Alley. Brooks and Shiv, two young toughs, extort Terry for the copper medallion he has. He stole it fair and square, and isn't giving it up. They fight. Brooks gets him in the gut. Shiv laughs. Shiv cries out in pain. Cheyenne's little white teeth are buried in his ankle. Terry comes about with a hook, cold-cocks Brooks. Shiv runs. Mental photograph: Terry helps Cheyenne, smiling, to her feet. Cheyenne has Brooks' pouch in hand. Another day sucessfully survived. They are happy. F L A S H Forward five days: burnt-out garret, Black's Landing. They celebrate Terry's (arbitrary) Birth Day. Brooks' cash let Cheyenne buy him a present. Smiling, she hands over a box, wrapped in colored thread. Wonderingly, Terry unwraps it. He opens it and gapes. Mental photograph: Terry holds up a cheap metal locket. The maker's name is engraved on the back: T E KRON. They laugh -- 'T' could be for Terry! Cheyenne has snitched a silver chain for it. They are happy. F L A S H Forward seven days: Terry won't be outdone. Now it's Cheyenne's Birth Day. She squirms all day, but Terry keeps mum. Finally, he pulls out an old shoebox. Cheyenne shrieks, shreds it open. Inside is a blue cloth. It covers a pair of golden earrings, shaped like bent stars. Mental photograph: her ears still bleeding from a hasty pierce, brother and sister put the earrings in. Terry realizes she will be beautiful. That could be trouble, but still they are both happy. F L A S H Forward three weeks: on the Arcade. Smitty the Gimp smiles, pulls out a brush, a scrap of parchment, winks. They barter, Gimp settles for a biscuit and a copper. Cheyenne sits quite still while Terry looks over Gimp's shoulder. A few minutes and it is done. Mental photograph: Terry and Cheyenne admire the tiny portrait. Other, unkindly faces admire Cheyenne too, but sister and brother do not notice as they place the little picture carefully in the little locket. They are happy. F L A S H Forward two days: outside Herringbone Alley. Terry hears the scream, runs to investigate. Cheyenne struggles out of the grasp of Squarefoot Jim; the rain makes her hard to hang onto. Ronnie Weasel gets a kick in the shin for his pains, and drops the bag. Terry pulls his little knife, tells her to run. She does -- into the alley. Terry cuts the rope holding up the awning above; it falls on the ruffians, who struggle in its folds. Terry stabs them through the cloth until they lie still. Later, he calls out for his sister to come out. She does not. He searches, but dares not go too far -- not THAT way, he doesn't. At the alley's entry, he stoops to pick something up. Mental photograph: Terry, crying, holds the gold earring in his hand. He places it in his locket for safe-keeping and struggles homeward. Two months later he is caught by a Press Gang and is inducted into the Legion. And he is never truly happy again. ******************************************************************************* Kron ends his tale. Tears stream down his face. ".........Look....." "........Um....." "You, see, I think I just saw her again. No, I'm SURE I just saw her again. Just outside the Low City, where I lost her the first time. I can't take that again. "But there's something else. She has something with her that I need. Something that can clear my name of the murder with which I've been accused. She has answers to all my questions with her. I've got to find her. "Problem is, the Low City is dangerous. I snuck in once last week, and got pretty far, but I was lucky and had help. This time they'll be more watchful. I need assistance. "I haven't got any money to speak of. I have no rewards to offer anybody. But you are my only option. I need help -- the kind of help only you people can provide. "Is there anybody here who can help me find Cheyenne in the Low City?" ****************************************************************************** ADMIN: TOOT! TOOT! ALL ABOARD!! :^) -- Andrew Solberg |"Moving faster than a speeding bullet isn't andsol@owlnet.rice.edu | much use if you and it are headed straight Phone:713-529-8627 | for each other." John Brunner bridge-sleep-eat-sex-bridge-sleep-eat-sex-bridge-sleep-I'M STUCK!!!!