《LEUR: The Unsung Tales》Chapter 26: Bandits and Pudding

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Anna sighs as she turns over in bed. The sun peaks in through the curtains, coming to rest on her face. "Ugh...Go away!" She pulls the curtain closed on her side, causing it to shift away from Hope, who groans.

"Really? That's how this is gonna go?" Hope pulls on the curtain as well, shifting it back and causing Anna to almost hiss.

"Oh that's it!" Anna sits up, tossing her pillow at Hope and hitting her in the face with it. The devilkin sits up, raising an eyebrow and grabbing her own pillow with a grin.

Amadeo stands outside the girls' room, listening to the sounds of pillow smacking and laughter for a moment. "What's wrong? Never been witness to a pillow fight?" Tyrion comes up behind him, scratching his chin with a devious smirk.

"Can't say I have. Grew up in a working environment. Didn't have much time for pillow fights." Amadeo knocks on the door. "Are you coming out? It's been three days since our last job. We need to be looking for work, and I think I know what we can do for some coin."

The sounds of fighting stop and Hope peeks out the door. "Eh heh...We'll be out in a minute." Beyond her, Amadeo sees feathers floating in the air and sighs. "Just leave it better than you made it."

Hope holds a hand to her forehead and sticks her tongue out. "Yes sir!" Closing the door, she turns to the carnage, grabbing a now mostly empty pillowcase and chuckling. "Come on, we'd best clean this up."

Even as she speaks, Amadeo and Tyrion head downstairs, where Amadeo points out the board full of job requests. "This one here. 'Bandits near the Arboria Hills, accompanied by wolf pack. Armed and dangerous, acquired over seven thousand in stolen items. Wanted dead or alive, will pay extra for the return of the stolen goods'.

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"Bandits? With wolves in tow? They must have a druid among them to have that kind of backup." Tyrion sits at a table as Amadeo takes the request.

Amadeo sits down, looking over the notice. "Or a ranger. I've heard some of them can command wild beasts. It could be dangerous, but I think we've learned from previous encounters. We might be able to get the jump on them and even the odds, especially if we prepare beforehand. We have some extra money, and I'd like to prepare a few spells first. Of course, this is if everyone's comfortable chasing bandits."

"I'm just happy to have food in my belly and a bed to sleep in. Whatever the rest of you want to do is fine by me." Tyrion waves over a server carrying a tray. "One milk, two coffees-"

"-Three coffees." Amadeo corrects him.

"Three coffees. One of those with milk and sugar. And four servings of whatever you have for breakfast, please and thank you." The server, a half-elf, smiles and nods his head before going to collect their order.

The girls come down and take their seats at the table. "Good morning!" Anna cheerfully shouts, wiping her brow. "Did we find anything cool this time?"

"Depends on if you find bandits who appear to have wolves as tagalongs 'cool'."

"After yesterday, I'll just be glad to deal with something on land." Hope sips the coffee the server brings to them before grimacing. Tyrion sips his own and also frowns, and they switch mugs.

"I dunno about the wolves. If they're being controlled by people, I'd feel bad." Anna folds her arms, and Amadeo nods. "I know. Your work with the axebeaks proved you've got a knack for animals. Then there was the moment you had with those people we camped with. Serenity and Niara, right? And their horse."

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"Rilea. She was a good girl." Anna smiles, digging into her plate; bacon, eggs, biscuits, and a weird colored thing that jiggles when she pokes it with her fork. "What's this thing?"

"You've never seen pudding before?" Tyrion looks almost offended. Seems the pudding was the first thing he went for on his plate.

Anna shakes her head. "Nuh uh. My food before I came to the surface mostly consisted of...nothing great, to put it simply. The first meal I got from above was probably the most delicious I'd ever had. Biscuits with spicy gravy. Nothing special to some people I'm sure, but I thought it was amazing!"

Hope nods. "Yeah, I get that. Orphanage food tasted like leftovers given to us from a meal that was already leftovers from someone else's meal. My first taste of real steak, fresh piping hot rolls, and crisp fruits and vegetables..." She sighs contentedly, her eyes almost glazing over and a bit of drool rolling down her chin before she sits up. "Sorry, don't mind me. Anyway, bandits and wolves, yeah?"

Amadeo rolls his eyes. "Yes, bandits and wolves. I recommend we look at the site of the attacks first. They're apparently clustered around-" He rolls out the map, circling a small area with his finger. "-here, in the Arboria Hills. There's been alot of attacks, particularly in the ridges of that area. They've got thousands of sovereigns worth of items stolen from their victims."

Hope holds up a hand. "Well hold on. Why aren't the city guards doing this? These are their citizens, right?"

"Why send city guards used to sitting around waiting for a fight to start, when you can send battle hardened adventurers who fight for a living and whose families you don't have to pay if they die a horrible death." Tyrion points out. "There's a reason guilds exist. We do the work no one else wants to. Like street sweepers."

"Or farmers." Amadeo looks over the map, giving a nod and pointing to a spot east of the hills and about three hours north of Kaina. "This here. It's where the largest number of attacks have occured. High hills so you can't go left or right, and they'll probably come in from front and behind to cut you off. It's a perfect ambush spot in terms of surrounding a target."

"So you want to send us in there and get us surrounded? That seems awfully risky, my friend." Tyrion scratches his chin thoughtfully.

"That's why I want to know if you're all on board. I have a plan, but I need you to trust me." Amadeo looks over the table. Tyrion looks skeptical. Hope studies the map in silence. Anna, finishing her milk, eyes the wizard in turn and grins. "I'm ain't afraid of no bandits. Let's do it!"

She nudges Hope, who seems to take a moment weighing the pros and cons before nodding. "Alright. I trust you, Amadeo. You haven't let us down so far. Except for that business with the creepy lights. And that time you got skewered by dark elves, but other than that-" The rest of the table bursts into laughter, which causes some of the patrons to look up.

Amadeo shakes his head. "Thank you for reminding me. But this time, we're going in with a plan." He looks to the halfling. "Tyrion, what about you?"

Tyrion scratches his chin and sighs. "Hope's right, you haven't let us down when the situation gave you time to think. What did you have in mind?"

"Alright. First thing, Hope and I need to get hitched."

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