Archives: Hunt for Kiran
Chapter 12: The Hunt: Tiger Lily Inn
Mica brought the trio of dark elves to the Tiger Lily Inn. “There’s really no need to survey the outside, I’m pretty sure that there’s no other possible escape routes, save for maybe the windows on the second floor,” he pointed out. “However, if he was staying here, under an auspicious star, he’d be sitting down to dine for breakfast about now. So it’d be best to flood the common room, with our presence, that is.”
Adriel nodded. “Very well,” he replied, then stepped into the inn. He scanned the room for a dark elf fitting Kiran’s description, but he was immediately shocked at the diversity of the patrons. Light elves, dark elves, half-elves (both light and dark), humans...this place certainly would have welcomed his father. However, none of the elves looked like Kiran. There was a dark elven man, but he didn’t fit the description at all.
Mica strolled in after his brother and gazed about the room. His eyes locked onto Midau and his jaw set. His old teacher happened to be here. His fingers tensed but he restrained his urge to go over and murder the man who taught him so much. Kiran was the big prize, Midau would be merely a consolation for not finding his father. Removing Midau from his sight, he turned his attention to the innkeeper. “Tell me, good sir,” Mica stated loudly, so that the other patrons could hear him as well. “Have you seen a dark elven man by the name of Kiran?”
* * *
Midau looked over to whom the inquiry was made by and blanched. “...If I knew my luck was going to be this bad, I might as well have stayed in Raiden,” he grumbled.
Mia’s ears perked at the mention of Kiran’s name. Turning around, she saw a man who appeared to be human, but he was quite similar in appearance to Kiran. “Aw shit,” she muttered and turned back again, rubbing her forehead. “Here we go. That’s Mica, isn’t it?”
Midau nodded. “That’s Mica alright, but I’ve never known him to mix company with other dark elves,” he sighed.
* * *
The innkeeper tensed at the mention of the name Kiran. He set down the glass he was cleaning and a heavy frown formed on his brow. That dark elf’s mere presence had caused too much excitement the day before, and he didn’t want to experience that again. “He’s not here. Please leave,” he replied to Mica, pointing to the door.
Mica’s face contorted with anger for a moment, but the half-elf sighed and brushed his long golden hair behind his ears and out of his face. “Listen, I didn’t ask if he was here, I asked if you saw him.” He pulled out a gold piece and lay it on the bar. “I’ll be diplomatic only this once and offer you coin for any information on whether or not he ‘was’ here at one time, and when.”
* * *
Midau’s shoulders slumped. Mica was close to losing his temper, already. Time had not been able to dull it, obviously. He surveyed his companions to find who would be the least likely to get hit by Mica were they to give him the news that he had been there the night before but probably left. “...So, Mia, you have a bunch in common with Mica, why don’t you tell him when that man came in,” Midau joked.
“You know, I just might,” Mia said and stood from her seat. She didn’t want the poor innkeeper to be assaulted by Mica, knowing what Midau had said about him being aggressive.
“Fine, he was here last night, but he left some point between then and morning,” the innkeeper replied, but he didn’t care much for the coin. “I can’t tell you where or when he went.”
The elf walked over to Mica and his group, then casually leaned against the bar. “You’re a day late,” Mia said with a shrug. “I can’t say where the bastard has gone, but if he was worth the fight I would have taken all your pleasure by killing him first. I’m Mia,” she finished with an introduction and offered her hand to Mica to shake.
Mica looked at the woman with a skeptical eye. “‘Mia’, eh? What exactly did you mean by ‘if he was worth the fight’?” He turned his attention completely to the elven maiden, if the innkeeper had no further interest in talking he’d talk to this one. “Regardless, I’m his son, Mica Lorelai, and that,” he said with a jerk of his thumb to Adriel, “is his son Adriel. The other two are his bodyguards, somethin’-or-other and what’s-her-name.”
Mia gave the three dark elves a glance and cursory nod of recognition, then turned her attention back to Mica. “He didn’t even put up a fight. He saw my fist coming from a mile away and took it full on the face, then moped about how he deserved everything he had coming for him. He already kicked his own ass, so I couldn’t find any joy in kicking it further,” she explained.
“Pity,” Mica stated blandly. “Did someone warn him of our possible arrival, a stupid dark elven female bard with a big dumb mutt, or perhaps sans-mutt?”
“Yeah, I bet she did. She came in just before him, and he said he’d talk to her later. I didn’t stick around for very long,” Mia said and took a moment to push back the repressed depression that Kiran had brought out. If this kid wanted to hunt down Kiran and butcher him, Mia couldn’t say she cared. Hell, she’d even give him a little help. There may have been no fun in hurting him herself, but if Mica got a kick out of it...well, it didn’t mean much to her. It was clear Kiran had accepted his fate.
Mica bit his lip. She interfered. What was it that she wanted out of Kiran again? “Thanks,” Mica said earnestly to Mia. He turned to Adriel and the others. “So, do we go visiting gates to see which way he went, or what?”
“By the way,” she added. “I’m not sure how up to date your description of him is, but he’s got a few scars on his face courtesy of me. There’s a nasty one on his chin that’ll stand out. He’s got a long one on his forehead, and a little chunk of ear missing. Good luck.” Mia gave Mica’s arm a pat, then went back to her table.
* * *
“Well, that went pretty smoothly,” Mia said, relieved. She was expecting another brawl. Too bad, she thought. I could stand to blow off some steam.
Midau sighed in relief. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mica so calm after hearing bad news. That’s a turn for the good for today,” he said in a low tone to Mia and the others around their table. Please don’t incite a fight Mica, just go after your dad. You found a clue that brings you closer to hunting him down, so take your prize and leave the second place at the door, Midau wished inwardly.* * *
“Yes, that would be be best, I think,” Adriel said. He was eager to be on his way, now that they finally had a lead. He was surprised to find that Kiran had actually been there not a day earlier. “Innkeeper, where are the gates of the city?”
Yrsanne watched Mia and the others with her own skeptical eye, but it was all business. Mica pretty well downplayed her importance, but she was not about to pick a fight with the bull about it. She just wanted to get out of there.
The innkeeper, who was still none too pleased to be dealing with these dark elves, replied dryly, “There’s only two gates and the port. The gates are on the north and south sides.” He seemed to have relaxed a bit since they were about to leave.
“Perhaps we should split in two to check the gates then. I will go to the north, and you can go to the south. If we find any news, we can send a message via the spirits, or we will meet in the city center if we find nothing,” Adriel suggested. “However, since he met Thiana, he may have tried to escape under the cover of invisibility spirits so he would leave no trail.”
Olula breathed a sigh of relief as the dark elves got the information they wanted and were about to leave. However, her heart sank as she realized what they meant to do. They’re going to kill him! Olula thought. Without thinking, Olula stood.
“Wait!” she shouted to the dark elves. What am I doing? Well, there’s no turning back now. “I know Kiran has done some horrible things in his past, but I don’t believe he’s that man anymore!”
Flora watched Olula and smiled a bit. Tears came to her eyes as she listened to Olula, and she stood up as well. “She is right! He has changed, I know he has. Even though I have known him for a short period of time, he was nice and kind to us!” she said as loud as she could. “Ki... Kiran just don’t seem like the type of person that you guys think he is. He has surely changed,” she looked at Olula. She is so right, she thought to herself.
Mica’s eyes narrowed at the double mention of Kiran’s name, and then people defending him. Defending the same man who defiled his mother, who in turn, defiled him. His blood boiled at the casual mention of his name, and the very thought of other people defending the beast of a man who sired him made the hairs on his neck stand on end. “...You would both do well to shut your mouths and never again utter his name in my presence,” Mica growled. “A man who commits acts so heinous, regardless of his so-called penance, is still guilty. A half-elf like you should know, there is no limit to human cruelty when it comes to our kind.”
Mica’s malicious glare softened and he even smiled. “Of course...” he laughed. “He was kind to you, and very sweet and even protective.” He nodded emphatically. “That must mean that he’s changed, because I have never seen a con where they pretend to be nice, buttering you up by protecting you and making you feel safe and then take you somewhere dark and rape you till you have nothing left but a tattered body and a shattered mind. How simply naïve of me,” Mica retorted sarcastically. The two naïve little bitches were hardly worth his time or effort to bother spending any nuance of reason on. If they continued to persist, however, he’d be forced to shut their mouths for them.
Nat cursed to himself as the two girls stood up to defend this Kiran fellow, who sounded like no one worth the defense. These girls were incredibly naïve if what everything said about Kiran was true. No matter what his convictions, Nat would never stand up to someone as imposing as the six-foot-six son of Kiran. However, he couldn’t leave these girls to the wolves, no matter how foolish they were. So, the half-elf bard hopped to his feet and placed himself behind the two girls, cupping his hands over their mouths.
“Don’t worry yourself over these poor ladies,” Nat told Mica, putting on his most amicable smile. “They obviously know not of what they speak.” Nat then whispered to Olula and Flora; “Let’s not tempt fate now. I have no doubt this fellow will tear you limb from limb, regardless of whether you be men or women. You will be no good to your friend dead.”
Olula didn’t fight Nat, because she knew he was right. She wanted to stand up for Kiran though. She heard him admit to those crimes yesterday when the other dark elf accused him. He didn’t seem like the man that everyone else seemed to know. However, what Mica said last did stop her righteousness in its path. What if Kiran had been using her? It had been on her mind since the night before, but she was in a constant state of second-guessing herself. Olula’s ears dropped and she lowered her eyes as Nat stood to her defense.
* * *
As the two girls stood up to defend Kiran, Mia dropped her head into her palms. “Crap,” she groaned.
“Not sure you’re relieved, or kinda disappointed you didn’t get to vent your frustrations from last night.” Azala chuckled to Mia, which turned into a light groan as the two girls spoke up. At least their third companion seemed to be semi-protective of them. Still, he was going to end this right now.
“Well, aren’t you just all knowing of elven and human relationships,” he said in a flat tone, and got up. While Azala didn’t look nearly as imposing as Mica or his companions, there was an air of confidence that could not be denied. There was no fear. “Kid, I got it, you have had a hard life. Wouldn’t even wish it on Falaris or Kardis. But you ever hear of something called ‘the living dead’? Yeah, Kiran is alive... In the sense that he breaths and talks... but honestly? Killing him would do him a favor. And as for the rape part? He can’t even get his spirits up, let alone get that particular part of his body. But, I digress...” He shrugged at the last part. “You obviously want to kill him. Fine, whatever. Anything I say isn’t going to change your mind, but you and your companions have wore out your welcome here, I’d say. While I pride myself as a person who generally isn’t violent, you’ve pretty much come across as an unwelcome and violent presence, and I’m not fully awake enough to tolerate it. So, get out, have a nice life, and leave in peace and with my sincerest hope that you find your dear old dad in the sorry state he has become... or, leave in pieces, ’cause your giving me a fricken’ headache with your threats and bellyaching. And the gods hath no fury like an elf deprived of sleep.”
Midau couldn’t believe Azala. Sure he didn’t seem that intelligent on first meeting, but to actually start speaking after the other boy who looked like him diffused the situation, that was almost beyond the realm of stupidity. He wanted to avoid confrontation, but Azala went and shot his fool mouth off to make sure there would be a confrontation. Didn’t he see that defending Kiran in any way made Mica become violently angry? “Shut up Azala...” Midau growled. “Don’t say anymore before you egg the boy into wanting your face to match my eyes.”
Adriel sighed as some of the patrons of the inn began to provoke Mica. He in no way approved of his brother beating up defenseless looking women, or strangers at all. “Mica, we must hurry if we want to catch up to our father,” Adriel said, hoping that the desire to chase Kiran would keep Mica from fighting. “Leave them to their ignorance.”
Mica shrugged. He would have let it go if the common elf hadn’t piped up and started mouthing off. However, the diligent keeper of peace, Midau, seemed to want the common elf to shut up with a valid warning. Azala. Mica would remember that name, and when it came time to deal with the other people in his life he despised, Azala’s head would be one of the many he would dash into a red puddle of pulp. “Yes, let’s leave,” Mica said coolly. There was really little time to waste when hunting the bastard that was their father, and he couldn’t bother to waste any more time with the pathetic fools that seemed to want him tardy to their reunion with the foul spawn that created him.
