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Time to move on



The attack had just ended and the company gathered the three prisoners in a line in front of a wall, tied with their hands behind their backs on their knees, Fion approached them, playing with a coin, one of those with the letters CB on them. Upon seeing that one of the bandits grinned, letting his bloodied teeth show, as well as his malice towards the man who stood in front of him. Fion said nothing, he just kept the coin in his open palm and looked at it, remembering the past happenings...
It was a sunny day and they had just camped on a hill somewhere in the Western Bree fields when the message came, their Barracks where burned down and a burnt body was found in  the ruins. The finding of the charred coin and the examination of the body, how he sent his folk to watch over that witch who had meetings with one of these bandits and a Watchman...
The night was falling when Fion appeared in the new Barracks, pushing a blindfolded and tied man before him for everyone to see. It was the Watchman whom they managed to capture and interrogate, he didn't say anything, he only spew threats against the Free Peoples of Bree and Fiontann's company, angering him greatly. In the end and after some punches Fiontann decided to kill him for his betrayal, despite Aeirillen's strong arguements, he took him outside and moments later he returned, saying that it was done. Only to the Elf he said that he only tied the man on a horse, blindfolded and sent him awaay, only for her he said, respecting the wish of the Elf to keep the man alive.
Now, with what Lieta found out after playing the old woman hermit's apprentice they managed to stop a band from entering the town to wait for reinforcements and with the poison the woman made destroyed the band had to find out about the impending caravan from the prisoners...
Holding the coin in his right hand Fion looked down at the prisoners, the one in the right was grinning maliciously, the middle one was serious and kept his head high and the one on the left was looking down. Fion kept his helmet on, the same helmet that he wore and saved his life when he fought alongside the Rangers in Annuminas, it still had the mark from the axe that hit his face during the attack on Tyl Annun and some of his blood was there still. It was not a pleasant sight.  He stood upright, looking down at them, turning his head left and right, casting a glance on each of them, he showed them the coin and landed a hard kick into the right man's stomach, making him fall on the ground with a groan.
-We have heard of your masterplan... Poison the guards and occupy Bree... But I would want one to tell me who will occupy Bree... I may consider leaving you alive if you tell me.
Fiontann's words under the mask were serious and his eyes traveled on the men, inspecting them, seeing their reactions and waiting for someone to speak up. No one did and Fion repeated his question only to receive an answer from the man on the right.
-You may have stopped us, but you will not stop them, even if you'd find them!
The man's voice came in a hiss, once more one of them threatening the people, making Fion punch his face and turn to the one in the middle who remained as he was, not saying anything. Fion remained as he was and suddenly punched the man again and pushed himself up.
-I will kill you, don't think that just because you are tied I will spare you. I've had enough of your kind.
-Enough? You haven't seen anything yet... But soon you will!
-Who will show me?
-You will never know...
The man started to grin but Fion's knee stopped him and sent his head back, making him remain silent for a while, turning his head to the others, waiting one of them to talk but no one did.
-I am getting tired from all this, you people either kill yourselves or threaten, are you not capable of saying anything else?
The man spat some blood in front of Fion's boot and laughed in a manner that showed contempt, that angered Fion who drew his sword and stabbed him through the heart, leaving the body fall lifeless next to the others.
-Who wants to try it now? Huh?
His voice was angry and he took the helmet off, drawing the gazes of both men who looked at him intently.
-In some da-
The one in the right started to talk but the man in the middle turned his head to the side to look at him and sent his head forward to headbutt him, making him silence. The man who spoke was relatively young and the other some  years older, showing no fear, unlike the young one who was clearly afraid. Fion grabbed the man by the neck and stabbed him as well, then turned to the young one, driving the blade of his sword into the ground, deep enough to make it stand upriight and knelt in front of him, holding the coin in his right hand.
-So?
-Some days from now half-orcs and men like us will arrive and take Bree.
-From where?
-From the North Downs. That is all I know...
The man almost weeped as he said that and Fion grabbed him by the collar waiting to hear more, the man shook his head, keeping it low.
-I will believe you  but make sure I won't see you again among them...
And pushed him away, the man ran with his hands tied between his back and Fion returned to the others.