I made the journey several times, and on one journey I took a new route. I had been ranging the southern edge of my domain and decided to dump some skins. On the way I passed a large castle with pennants flying and its drawbridge down. Seeing a festival, I decided to treat myself to a day of relaxation and entered. Son I was assailed by a sycophantic halfling asking if I was a part of the gladitorial games. He must have taken my dismissing grunt as a yes for I was soon announced as wrestling Sorlen Sunblade. I later found out he was the son of Sunblade, the owner of the castle.

Sorlen Sunblade proved to be a pompous fool. He believed his strength unmatched and walked around with a crowd of followers who did little more then praise him trying to garner favor with the future lord of the manor. When he tried to drop me to the ground with a punch I caught his fist in my hand and broke his arm when I kicked it. I let him retreat and turned my back feeling the match over. His ego wouldn't let it end there though, attacking me from behind with a vicious kick to the knees. I rolled to the side, using the momentum of the fall to give me some distance from my adversary. As he bull rushed me I slapped his head to the side and sidestepped him, kicking his legs out from beneath him so he fell on his wounded arm. Pouncing on him before he could recover from the pain, I grabbed his good arm and twisted it until it nearly popped from its socket, then asked him if he yielded. He refused, and I increased the pressure. He fell unconscious from the pain before I dislocated his shoulder. I decided to leave it at that and walked away, moving to the banquet hall, ignoring the reactions from the crowd.

I ate and drank, ignoring the crowd and the finery. The match would likely wear my welcome thin and I wanted to be ready for the road. I soon was preparing to leave when the lord of the manor came with his entourage and his family. I stood my ground, nodding to him in recognition of his presence. My eyes were drawn to a beautiful woman dressed as a warrior behind him. She had hair like a piece of the night sky with blue stars glinting. Before I could introduce myself Sorlen began to blubber and accuse me of attacking him and trying to kill him. As I got ready to defend myself the lord of the manor smacked him on the side of the head to shut him up and apologized for his son’s stupidity. He introduced himself as Lord Tarran Sunblade and his family, Sorlen, his other son, Jayhawk, and his daughter, Sofaltis. Tarran offered me a night’s rest in his guest quarters and I accepted.

I enjoyed the rest of the festival, catching occasional glimpses of Sofaltis, too often for it to be coincidence though she never let her gaze stay on me when she saw I was aware of her. I feasted with the other event winners, though Sorlen never stopped looking daggers into my back. The next morning I thanked Tarran for his hospitality. I continued on my journey, reaching Wehnimer’s Landing that day and going about my business. There I was confronted by Sofaltis.

She had come to avenge her brother’s honor. She set herself and prepared for me to attack her. I stepped back and leaned against a wall and raised an eyebrow. Her stance was very good, and I didn’t doubt she could be a frightening opponent if she chose to be. I asked why she felt she had to attack me to avenge her blow hard brother. She screamed and attacked, charging me. She had been trained well and had a natural aptitude, but her moves were all very formalized and not up to a dirty brawl. I soon had her on the ground with a knee in her back and her arms locked to one side. I asked her if she had calmed down and in response she struggled, nearly breaking her own arm in the process. I heard several people start calling for the constable and decided we needed to discuss this in a less public place.

I drew her up and forced her down an alley and out to another street, losing anyone persuing and getting a table in an inn in the middle of town. I tossed her down into a chair and sat myself. She glared at me and refused to rub her shoulder. After she had gotten over her sulking she explained Sorlen had told her I had drawn a weapon and beat him with it during the wrestling match. I told her what had actually happened and her face turned bright red in embarassment at her actions and shame with his. She asked to stay with me, too ashamed to go back to her father after pulling such a stunt. I told her she could and we hunted together. I stayed in town with her, figuring in a few days she would get over her embarassment and choose to return home.