Ghostwalker - Erik Scott De Bie [13]
"Too late, lass," rumbled Bars as he fingered the twin maces at his belt.
"He's very sensitive about his Beshaba-cursed figure," explained Derst. "You shouldn't have said that, Sir Inebriate."
Morgan shoved his stool back and drained the last of his ale. "I'll hear none o' thy insults, mangy goblin!" he shouted as he yanked his rapier free of its scabbard.
Arya saw Derst wince and shook her head. "He shouldn't have said that either," she observed to Garion.
The barkeep nodded. "I'd stop them, but I have a feeling that'd just make it worse."
Arya agreed silently.
" 'Ave at ye!" Morgan shouted as he lunged, sword first, at Bars.
The big knight's maces were out in a blur and he swatted the blade to the right, harmlessly wide, into the bar. The drunk drew the blade back and thrust again, this time at Derst. The roguish knight had already drawn his curious weapon-a dagger with a foot-long chain trailing from the grip-with which he parried, even as he spun the chain around in an underhand motion inside his arm. Morgan's eyes grew confused. As the rapier slid past, Derst threw the chain up and struck Morgan on the chin with a resounding thump.
The rake staggered back clutching at his goatee, where a trickle of blood seeped between his fingers. Bars held two light maces, one overhand and one underhand, crossed before him. At the burly knight's side, Derst absently spun the chain around, inside and outside his arm, alternating with a flick of his wrist.
Morgan's eyes clouded over with rage and drink. Screaming, he drew his left-hand dagger and lunged again. His movements were graceless, but he carried with him a ferocity born of pure anger.
Derst parried at the last moment and whirled the chain around the rapier's blade. With a flick and twist of his wrist, he tore the weapon free of Morgan's grasp and sent both it and his chain-dagger clattering to the floor. Morgan, however, did not hesitate to stab out with his main-gauche, thinking to catch the knight unarmed and helpless.
A light mace darted in like lightning and smashed down on Morgan's hand. The dagger clattered to the floor even as Bars's other mace shot around and caught Morgan on the back of the head. Without even realizing what had happened, the rake toppled limply to the floor.
Bars reached down and scooped him up over one shoulder. He disentangled the chain from the rapier and handed the chain-dagger back to Derst. The roguish knight accepted it with a smile and twirled it around his wrist, where it hung like a bracelet. Then he turned to Garion.
"I think he's had enough," said Derst. "What's his tab?"
Garion looked at the knight curiously then spoke. "Four silver an' five copper," he said.
Scowling at the price, Derst nodded nonetheless. He took a small purse from his belt and started counting coins out into his hand.
Garion eyed him sidelong. "Right courteous, seeing as how ye just caved his head in," he said.
"Well, a knight is always courteous," said Derst. He patted Morgan's backside as Bars carried him past.
"How hard did you hit him?" Arya asked Bars as he carried Morgan to the door.
"Hard enough," Bars replied without hesitation.
"Don't worry, he's still breathing. I think," Derst reassured her. Arya raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure." The eyebrow went higher. Derst shrugged. "Mayhap."
The barkeep Garion looked to Derst again. "Well, I don't take fight starters under my roof, but you didn't start the fight-he did," he said. "Excellent throw, by the way." He indicated the dagger.
"My thanks," replied Derst, retrieving the blade with some effort. "Oh, sorry about the damage, too." He reached for his pouch again, but Garion waved away payment.
Bars returned from throwing Morgan into the street.
"You three can have his room," Garion said. He held up the key to one of the rooms upstairs. "Fox room; Upstairs, second on the right-look for the etching on the door. Basin, copper tub. I'll send hot water up. Only one bed, though."
"That won't be a problem," said Arya. "These two wool-heads will take the floor, of course." Bars and Derst both looked