Broken-nose would stop, wouldn't he? Of course he would. He had to, right? The man had stepped up to provide back-up for Young-blood, suggesting they were friends or at least business partners. Being responsible for Young-blood's shoulder being injured would do their relationship no good. Silver hoped that he'd heed her warning; she really didn't want to have to make good on her threat. She had never had any love for violence; her upbringing had seen to that. Hurting others was not something she had an interest in. Sometimes, however, even she had to concede that it was unavoidable and play the part or else be trampled beneath the boots of more cruel Men.
Broken-nose hesitated. Silver inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good choice," she noted, that easy smile still upon her lips. "So, now you get to tell me about Emmett."
"Don't know no..." the denial was cut off by the groan of Young-blood as Silver cranked his arm just a little bit more.
"I'd advise you not to test my patience," she said in a conversational tone.
"We don't..." the protest from Young-blood turned into a pained yelp as she added yet more pressure. Inwardly she winced, hating having to do this, but outwardly she remained cool, calm and smiling.
"Emmett." she stated simply.
"Alright, alright!" Broken-nose held up his hands, palm out, in surrender, his eyes flickering fast between her and his beleaguered friend. "Look, Emmett ain't here! Ain't seen him in over a year now! Reckon the bastard's dead."
Silver nodded once. Letting go her grip on Young-blood, she pushed his arm down to the floor. "That's all I needed to know."
Swiping up her tooth as she rose to her feet, she made a point of ignoring the protest of her back and the dull ache of what would surely become a nasty bruise across her midriff. It would do no good to spoil the illusion now. She squinted down at the lost tooth. The root was still attached. Good. She blew some of the dirt off it, then opened her mouth and wedged it back into the hole it had so recently vacated. Dusting off her hands, she strode across the seedy tavern with her back straight and head high, exhibiting a toughness and confidence that she most certainly did not feel.
Stepping outside into the bright light of day, she waited for the door to click closed behind her before moving off toward the patiently waiting Steel.
"Silver," Toth called from behind, pushing his way out through the door as well. "Silver, wait!"
"Thanks for the assist," she told him sarcastically as he came up beside her.
"Well," he replied sheepishly, wringing his hands together. "You know I couldn't. Wouldn't have been fair."
"There were three of them," she pointed out with a scowl.
"Well, yeah," he nodded, bald dome shining under the sun. "Yeah, there were but... well.. y'know how it goes. You've been at this longer'n most. Y'had to prove to them that you were what the rumours said and..."
"Rumours you started," she shot back at him with clear annoyance.
"That's true," he nodded again. "That's fair. But.. come on! Who else has done the things you've done? Been to the places you've been? A-and besides," he added, turning sheepish once again. "I was drunk and trying to.. uhh..."
Silver squeezed her eyes closed a moment, taking in a lungful of air. She knew how this story went. "You were trying to impress someone," she supplied for him.
"Ida. She's a waitress here. Playing hard to get and I thought..."
"You thought that if you claimed to know the 'Queen of the Treasure Hunters,' that she'd be more inclined to notice you," Silver said flatly. A deep sigh escaped her, her displeasure fading away. Goodness knows Toth was a decent man, but he had not been blessed with a fortune, a winning personality or even sense enough to make up for his less than attractive appearance. He needed all the help he could get when it came to gaining the interest of women.
"Look, Silver, I'm sorry. I am. But look on the bright side, eh? You've proven your place. It ain't just rumour no more. They'll all come to you when you start that business."
Silver forced back a grimace as she placed her hand to Steels warm and fuzzy side. Toth had a point; her infamy amongst men such as these should have been enough, but such a lofty title bestowed upon her would almost certainly gurantee more attention. She could only hope that it wasn't of the wrong kind. She did not relish the thought of having to spend the rest of her life trying to fight off would-be thieves and idiots out to prove the length of their manhood.
"Before you go," Toth interrupted her thoughts. He held out something small and shining. "You might want to take the key to your house. I did all you asked; even got some extra merchandise sent over already. But I gotta ask; why're you looking for Emmett?"
"He has something of interest to me," she didn't quite lie as she took the key and slipped it into her pocket.
Toth grunted. "The lads back there weren't lying; he ain't been around these parts in a year or more. Tales say he murdered his brother or partner or something, took the treasure n' ran. Plenty of them who called him friend have gone missing or turned up dead since."
Silver nodded as she hauled herself up into the saddle. ''Which way did he go?"
"South," he wafted his hand vaguely in the direction of the Barandalf. "You watch your back if you're going looking for that bastard, alright?"
"Thanks darling. I will."
"My lady!" Toth grinned, cutting something of a ridiculous figure as he tried for a florid bow.
"Piss off, Toth!" Silver laughed softly, her heels gently nudging Steel into a walk.
It was only when she was out of view of Ost Forod, only when she could be sure that no one was watching, that she doubled over in the saddle, one arm clamped across her midriff. Her hands were shaking, her everything hurt. In that moment she felt far older than her thirty-five years. She felt ancient and broken down, not unlike the ruins she had left behind or those she could see in the distance. There were certainly parts of this way of life that she hadn't missed.
