Best end of the deal

"Lucan, forget about your stupid claw for a few minutes!"

I guessed that the sister got over being scared pretty fast.  She didn't come back downstairs, but must have been listening from the top.  I sneered a little at the foolish creature.  If I'd wanted them dead, all she was doing was trapping herself, and I was...no, not right now.  Not here.  I took a deep breath.

"If you don't recognize any of it, just give me a price and then we'll talk about your claw."

We haggled for a bit, I guess.  I think he was holding back...I know I didn't know how to respond to half of his sales pitch.  In the end, I probably didn't end up getting taken in too badly, but I wasn't a whole lot richer either.  Partly because he offered to sell me a spellbook that I thought would be helpful as part of the deal.  Robbing dead bandits maybe wasn't the fastest way to fortune and glory.  Or at least fortune.

After we shook on the sale he launched right back into the claw spiel, "I'm willing to offer you a substantial reward for the claw.  More than what we just agreed on, and you might find more trinkets to sell as well."

I sighed, "Look, Lucan...I'm not sure what, or who, you think I am.  I'm not sure I care, except that you are asking me to take your money and go kill people.   I'm sure curious what makes you think that I'm some kind of mercenary or assassin or soldier."

He was still in sales-pitch mode.  I wondered briefly if he even knew how to turn it off.  "I don't think anything of the sort.  I think you're a capable person who just happens to be in the right place at the right time and who has a sense of justice!  And if you happen to profit at the same time, well, that can't be all bad, can it?  Please...bring me back my claw because it's the right thing to do."  Here, his voice dropped to a whisper, "..and because I'm afraid my sister will go get herself killed trying.  After seeing you, it might be even harder to stop her."

I stared at him for a long minute.  I really didn't know what to say.  None of that was my problem, yet, I wanted to involve myself.  I didn't want the sister to get herself killed.  I wanted more money, because I had no idea what it would take to survive.  And part of me just wanted to rage and destroy.  I licked my lips.  "I'll think about it.  Is there an inn?  A place I can stay the night?  I'll talk to you in the morning one way or another."

"Oh indeed.  If you just go a little further down the main street you'll see the Sleeping Giant on the right.  If you tell Delphine I sent you, she might give you a little discount."

I nodded, gathering up my pay and book and walking out into the street.  I heard Lucan and his sister start arguing before the door was closed and shook my head.  "This place is wierd."

Their voices faded into the background as I moved down the street.  The inn's sign was immediately apparent now that I knew the name and I mounted the stairs to the porch.  I stopped for a moment and leaned on the balcony rail, looking left and right along the main street.  I'd wondered how so few bandits thought they could take on a town, even a small one, but I thought I could see what they might have had in mind.  The main street through town was straight and just wide enough for a pair of carts to pass.  There were some cross alleys leading back to farms and houses, but most of the traffic was along this street.

I couldn't see very many guards and looking into the woods I figured that a small group on either side would be able to scare people into cover with bows.  A few more people on the flank to kill anyone brave enough to try to sneak out.  It wouldn't be a fast process.  It would probably take several attacks, but ultimately the town would either break or attack.  With someone on the inside, the bravest..the ringleaders..the ones most likely to encourage the townsfolk to retaliate in force..could be identified and killed.  It was audacious, but with some luck the town might crumble.  Espcially one as open and defensless as this one.

I felt a bit better about killing all of those bandits as I turned to the inn's door.  Maybe it was still dirty work.  But maybe it was worth doing.  I'd sleep on it.