The Dark figure darted through the streets of the lakeside village known as Cliffs Edge.
The village was located on a cliff with a sloping path that led to a beach below. It had thick woods to the far side and a river running through it, unique because most lakes in the Kingdom had no cliffs at all. It was a popular place for bandits and criminals to lie low, since there wasn't a local baron or duke with soldiers to enforce the King's law.
Every month though the King did send a tax collector with a few soldiers to ensure the collector wasn't robbed. If there where fugitives who acted rowdy or violent the townspeople would turn them over to the soldiers, but if you were smart, as most were you kept quiet. Unless someone was hired to find you then you had to leave it up to chance.
A bandit by the name of Richard Boon had made such a mistake. He had killed the son of a wealthy noble family when he had been caught in the night stealing their jewels, Richard had fled for Cliffs Edge. It was a place he had used before to hide from soldiers, but the family he wronged hired an assassin. This was the dark figure darting around in the night in Cliffs Edge. The crescent moon shining down from a black, star filled sky. It revealed the cloaked figure darting through the streets of the quiet, peaceful town. As the figure reached the local tavern it jumped up onto the overhanging beam that held the taverns swinging sign. The figure then jumped to the nearest window and started edging its way around to the left side of the building. This tavern doubled as an inn and the hooded man knew his target would be sleeping there, in one of the rooms positioned on the side of the tavern. He reached the window and was able to identify the sleeping man inside without a problem. Quickly he pulled out his knife and undid the latch keeping it closed.He then opened it up very slowly just incase the hinges had not been oiled. They had been and he quickly slipped into the room where his target was sleeping, and slowly approached the small cot where his target was sleeping. He pulled out a thin dagger, took a cloth out and covered the man's mouth with it, in one smooth motion he slit the man's throat a half a second after he placed the cloth to muffle any noise the target might make. Then when he was sure the man was dead he took off the cloth, wiped the dagger with it, and climbed out the window without a sound. Everyone slept soundly in the village that night.
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The next morning a man that was in his early thirties rode into the town on a jet black horse.
He had a kind face, long black hair, and kind blue eyes. The young man tied his horse to to post outside the tavern called the Smoked Salmon. It was still early morning but the tavern was open early for the fishermen who wanted a good breakfast before heading out to fish for the day. As the young man entered the tavern all eyes turned to look, and their eyes showed interest when they saw it was a stranger. The young man approached the Bartender and said "How much for a meal and board for the next few nights?" The Bartender looked the younger man up and down quickly. He was a man of medium build and looked about 5'11. He had a kind face the bartender thought, "Meal's five copper pieces and board for three nights is thirty copper pieces." He said gruffly "Although the only room available is one a man was murdered in last night, the scoundrel who did it escaped out the widow." The young man looked up "A murder you say?" He asked his eyes gleamed with excitement "Did they catch the man who did it?" The Bartender looked disapprovingly at the young man. "No, they didn't but a young man such as yourself shouldn't get involved no matter how exciting it may seem." He said sternly. The young man looked down "Yes, I suppose you're right." The Bartender nodded his head in approval. "What's your name son?" He asked "Donte Graystar sir, but my friends call me Don." " Mr. Donte it is then, I'm Matthew Summers,the owner of this fine establishment." "And a fine establishment it is." Donte replied "Here's the 35 copper pieces, is anywhere available to have a seat?" "Anywhere you like, but don't you want to know what meal you payed for?" Matthew asked.
"Surprise me." the Donte replied with a grin. The Bartender grinned back. "Alright then a surprise it will be, I'll have one of my daughters bring it to you when it's ready." And then he walked back into the kitchen. Donte smiled to himself, the meal would no doubt be what everyone else had gotten. He glanced at the nearest table and caught the local fishermen staring at him, they quickly looked away when he made eye contact, but then he wasn't interested in them ,he was interested in what they were eating. He saw some kind of smoked fish, boiled potatoes, mixed greens, and ale. He had never really liked fish, but he supposed if anyone could cook them well it would be someone who lived in a fishing village. His stomach growled, he hadn't eaten since the afternoon before and he was starving, he would be here a few nights and wondered if the food would be good. He examined the room again and noted that it was indeed a fine establishment, the floors were clean, the tables looked like they had just been polished and the walls were spotless. When he was done examining the room he leaned back and waited.
When the Bartender's daughter came out about five minutes later she had a large plate of steamed fish, boiled potatoes, mixed greens, and ale, just as he expected. Except there were a half loaf of bread as well. When she set the plate and mug of ale down he gestured to it, and said "I noticed no one else has bread, will it cost extra?" "No, Sir it's on the house." She replied "Well I thank you most kindly for your generosity." Dante said sincerely "You're welcome sir." She replied and headed back to the kitchen. Dante ate the food hungrily and was amazed at how soft and delicious the smoked fish was, and how moist and fresh the bread was, it fit perfectly with the salty boiled potatoes and the bitter mixed greens. The ale was also very rich in favor a fact Donte appreciated. When he was done he saw that the fishermen were still casting glances his way at the leftover fresh bread, no doubt it cost extra he thought. So he stood up, put the remaining pieces on a plate walked over to the most central table placed the plate down gestured to it and said to the men in the room "Help yourselves." It was a gracious gesture thought the Bartender who was watching from his place behind the bar. One by one the chairs of the men slid backwards and they go up to get a piece of the rare food in front of them. The village didn't grow wheat so it had to be imported from somewhere else in the Kingdom and thus was expensive. The fishermen decided that they liked this young man, he was kind and generous. Dante got up, approached the bartender and said "How much for the rest of the loaf?" "Eight copper pieces Mr. Dante." The bartender replied. Dante counted out eight copper pieces and handed it to him "Please give the rest of the loaf to them as well." Dante said "And here's a silver for you and one for your daughter, she was a charming hostess." " Thank you sir, that she is." the Bartender replied "Could you show me where my room is?" Dante asked "I didn't sleep well last night." "Certainly, right this way." The Bartender replied. He lead Dante up the wooden stairs to a room located on the left side of the tavern. "Here we are. " said the Bartender, and as Dante entered the room and began to close the door the Bartender stuck his hand out, stopped it and said "The men in town appreciate when a good deed has been done to them by a stranger and they are always willing to repay a kindness." And with that he closed the door. Dante smiled it was a nice thought, but they would never need to, in a few days he would be gone. As he laid down on the small cot and closed his eyes he made sure that he still remembered the layout of the room from the night before, opening his eyes he confirmed it. And with that reassuring thought, he drifted off to sleep.