“I am going back to the capital tomorrow,” Burrach said smiling. “I merely hopped that you would give us something to eat and drink before we began the long trip.” He slapped his ample middle, and smiled. “It is a hard trip on an empty stomach; gives a man time to think about debts owed.”

He leaned forward dropping all pretense of humor. “Debts owed by those woolly parasites that keep grazing my lands.”

“They are free to graze where they want,” Jenny objected. “It was part of the deal with the crown.”

“So is allowing me to kick debtors out off of my lands if they do not pay up!” Burrach shouted, standing. “They can chip in with the rest of the town or find somewhere else to graze their herds!”

The tense silence hung in the room as Jenny and Burrach glared at each other. Around the room Orn could see several people glaring at Burrach, but a few refused to look at either party.

“Is it really that bad?” a quiet voice came from the side of the room. A worried looking man looked back and forth between Jenny and Burrach. “We asked for help weeks ago. Is the reward still not enough?”

“No, it was not Kels,” Burrach said turning to look around the room. “Even with all the gold we offered, my contact said no one has shown interest.”

Several people looked uncomfortable, and a few began to mummer. Orn caught one man whisper something about about everyone needing to pay.

“Shut your mouth Kells,” Jenny snapped, at the man who flinched. “You should pay your tab before you run your mouth.”

“Do not take this out on him,” Burrach countered. “He already paid his piece to protect the town. You should not be yelling at him for a tab you do not charge those wool grabbers.”

Kells turned to look at Jenny with a look of indignation. “You charge us, but not them?”

“They cannot take their herds in with the monsters out there and they were hungry. We gave them food,” Jenny’s husband interjected, emphasizing the last word. “Your tab is nearly all ale.”

“The monsters are hurting everyone’s trade. I am hurting too,” Kells yelled, as a few others nodded muttering. “We are all hurting. Except...”

The man stared at Jenny as if he had just realized something. “Everyone except you,” he finished pointing back and forth between Jenny and her husband. “This inn is always packed. It has been standing room only for days.”

“He makes a good point,” Burrach added. “With that many miners drinking their pay away, I think you have plenty of coin. Where is it all?”

“That money is set aside to replace what we sold,” Jenny said with exasperation. “If we do not buy more we will have nothing to serve. We are low enough as it is that is why I cannot afford to just give you beer. But if it will make you shut up and leave,” Jenny pulled out three mugs and slammed them down on top of the bar.

“NOT SO FAST!” Burrach yelled. “You just admitted you have the coin but will not pay.”

Several people nodded at Burrach’s words, and the man gestured around the room before continuing. “These people all paid. Earlier you paid your share, and even promised to cover for the shepherds. But the moment we need coin to increase the bounty you refuse. You even lied to us and said you did not have the money. Our town is threatened and you are holding out?!”

Several figures entered through the doorway attracted by the yelling. The growing crowd made the room feel smaller, and the mood turned darker. Burrach seemed to realize this and continued to whip the crowd up. “We are all suffering. We have all made sacrifices, but you refuse to do the same? You are risking the entire town with your greed!”

Several people in the crowed nodded in agreement, at Burrach’s words

“Do you think those gold coins you have will save you?” Burrach asked. “Have you stolen so much from your neighbors that you can hire protection? When 20 gold cannot get anyone to even look at the job hanging in the merchant’s guild, you expect someone to come out to protect you?”

“20 Gold!” Orn yelled in surprise, feeling dumb he had not realizing earlier what they were talking about.

“That is right…” Burrach said turning to look at Orn and stumbled at his words when he saw his uniform. The man recovered quickly though and continued, with a smile. “20 large gold coins to hire a group to deal with unknown monsters in the hills. Do you think it a fair price, to risk your life for?”

“You leave the boy alone,” Jenny said reaching over the bar, to grab his shoulder and try to move him out of the way.

“Can I collect the payment from you, if I bring you the proof?” Orn asked noticing Kao laughing from where she sat on the end of the bar. At a glance

“You will do not such thing,” Jenny said pulling harder, but unable to to more than make him lean a little. “That would be suicide. You should be at the academy, there is no reason to waste your future over some coins.”

“Oh now you consider how cheep coins are compared to lives?” Burrach’s voice boomed through the room, drawing in more people from outside. “Where was this concern when your neighbors were about to be eaten by goblins?”

“Hobs!” Orn yelled, pulling his shoulder out of Jenny’s grasp. Every eye in the room turned toward him. “They were hobs, but one of them became a mother and ate the last hob. I watched it happen. Then…”

What Orn was about to say was drowned out as the room devolved into chaos. A couple people yelled in fear, while others tried to yell for calm or put in their two copper. A couple even ran for the door only to be stopped by a form filling the doorway.

“EVERYONE SHUT UP!” a man in the doorway yelled, his voice cutting through the noise and caused the entire room to turn toward him. “What in the name of the Mother is wrong with all of you? I should shut this place down for disturbing the peace on this holy night.”

Several people immediately started toward the gray haired man trying to explain, only to end up yelling over each other. The man yelled for silence again, and rubbed at the bridge of his nose before he pointed at one of them and demanded they explain.

The farmer he pointed to gave a rushed and half coherent account. However, the man seemed to get enough of the story to be staring at Orn when he waved for the farmer to stop. The farmer and the handful of others between Orn and the man stepped aside.