Re: Chapter #7j: What's in Store (Pisca, Kellan, Cato)
Ven stared hard at Kellan as the young guardsman expressed his confusion and dismay at the bigger man’s unspoken accusation of fatherhood. For a brief moment, there was silence as the giant storekeeper clenched and unclenched his fists.
Then he took a deep breath, as if calming himself. It looked like a ritual he practiced often, and the flush in his cheeks diminished slightly. “I believe you, boy,” he said, somewhat too reluctantly in Kellan’s view, “if only because I know Kenneth, and he would skin you alive if you fathered a child out of wedlock. The Storvals have honor.” His eyes hardened as he turned away from Kellan towards Katrine. “That’s not something I can say for some OTHER . . .”
It seemed as if the entire group shared a joint, shocked intake of breath as Pisca ran up, yelling, and slugged the elder Vinder in the leg. The wisdom was known in Sandpoint from the cathedral to Fatman’s Feedbag: if you started something with Ven Vinder, he’d end up finishing it.
Every. Single. Time.
Even the biggest, baddest Sczarni toughs gave Vinder a wide berth. At one point a few years ago Jubrayl Vhiski had tried to make the General Store the focus of a protection racket. Ven, of course, had refused. Vhiski, never one to take “no” for an answer, sent several armed men to the store to make Ven see reason.
Ven had thrashed them all. With his bare hands. And carried two under each arm back to the Feedbag, where he dumped them at Vhiski’s feet and asked him if he’d lost something. Vhiski had stared at the big man for a moment, mouth open. It was the only time in living memory that the entire Feedbag had gone silent.
But Vhiski knew a losing cause when he saw one. He laughed, designated Ven an honorary Sczarni, bought him a drink, and never tried to muscle in on his business again.
No one messed with Ven Vinder. No one.
Except, apparently, Pisca Neep Freemish.
Ven looked as shocked as anyone. His hand came up automatically, ready to backhand the gnome away from him, when Cato jumped into the fray, attempting to make everyone see reason. Ven’s eyes narrowed, but the blow promised by his raised hand never fell.
“Just keep your gnome in line, scholar.” The innkeeper grated, staring daggers at Pisca. He nodded at his daughters. “Kat, Shay, come with me. We’re going home.” He gave Kellan a level look. “Please escort your friends elsewhere, Storval.”
Katrine and Shayliss, cowed by what they had fully expected to turn into violence, followed their father obediently. Katrine’s stare at Pisca was an angry one, and Shayliss shot a pleading glance at both Kellan and Pisca, hoping that they wouldn’t make things any worse.
And with that, the three Vinders took their leave of the company, heading back towards the General Store.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:22, Mon 11 Aug 2014.