^�Where to start where to start^�?^�  Har^�son looked over the papers he was
supposed to write on.  He had never been very good at filing reports, and
have traipsed off for a month and a bit, he thought he should have a really
good excuse for it.

He had searched out six new hopefuls, all of them fairly young, the oldest
was 18.  Aaron,18, a young farmers son about as green as they get.  The
extent of his knowledge was dirt, he was not even educated enough to read
and write.  Har^�son had been teaching him some, but he was a bit slow on the
uptake.  But show him how to do something once, and he could repeat it a
thousand times flawlessly.  He was also quite good with the leather working
as well.  Even if he did not join he would make a good addition to the
warren.

Linda, 14, who was, for all intents and purposes, a nice girl but a bit
eccentric.  She dressed all in black and thought of herself as dangerous. 
She had a row of earrings that ran up each ear and tried to make herself as
mysterious as possible.  Har^�son liked her, if you got to chatting with her
she was really nice, had a love for music but never a chance to try her
talent.  She was fair poet as well, a bit dark, but good.

Chamomile,16, a red head who was a tavern master^�s daughter.  She liked to
be called Cammy and could shack your arm off.  Her mother died when she was
young so four men raised her, four men who ran a tavern.  She did not wear
skirts and kept her hair long only because her father had made her.  She
could spit, wrestle, and drink with the best of them.

Bryan, 13, he was the youngest of them all, and the most curious.  He had
insisted on being tested when he saw Fourd, and had a small amount of
potential.  This and his constant begging to go was enough to get Har^�son to
bring him.  The child knew his stuff though, his mother and he had lived in
a warren when he was younger, having moved when she got married.  He knew a
lot of the culture and was a help in trying to explaine things to the other
kids.

Peter, 16, tall and limber, or tall and clumsy, take your pick.  He came
from an upper class merchant family, the middle child of many from what he
could tell.  He never quite looked you in the eye, and spoke only above a
whisper.  Har^�son tried to bring him out a bit, but that did not seem to
help, he figured the boy needed a girl to help him.

Yavonne, she is interesting, a noble born girl who Har^�son stumbled on in a
market place. Her father allowed her to go only if she were to ride in a
carriage.  So the whole party is riding in this girls carriage along with
about a half dozen retainers of hers.  On top of that she has flirted with
all boys in the carriage no stop since they picked them up.  She is not
dumb, though to watch her you would think quite the opposite.  She had the
greatest potential of them all, he was sure she would join.

[Why don^�t you just explain that you spent the first three weeks getting
drunk and womanizing, and then worked like crazy the last week and a half to
get some kids to take to the warren?]  Fourd snickered outside the tavern
room.

{I think you joined me in the drinking bit.  And lets not forget the little
incident with the heard of cattle?}  Har^�son soon quipped back.

[They looked like deer at the time!]  Fourd sniffed loud enough for him to
hear.  [Well, I guess we can leave some details out, just cut right to the
bone.]

The door to his room opened and Bryan stepped in.  ^�Quick come downstairs.^� 
Har^�son jumped up and ran down the stairs.  A table was over turned and
Aaron was fighting off three big men, and loosing.

Har^�son grabbed a chair and ran to the boy^�s aid.  The chair hit the man on
the back with the full force of an over the head swing and his charge to
boot, it cracked and the man went down.  Har^�son stepped to the next man
punching low, the man grunted as his fist made contact with his soft belly.

It was the sharp pain in his back of a boot that made him aware they were no
longer fighting the boy.  Har^�son swung the chair back but the man stepped
back avoiding the furniture.  But a kick from Aaron had that man doubled
over.

Har^�son turned back to the one he had punched and threw another.  The man
had time to try and block this one, grabbing at Har^�son.  The two tumbled
back to the floor rolling and punching what they could.  Har^�son felt the
sting of the mans fist on his chin twice, but he could tell the man was no
expert at this by the way he clung tight to him.

Har^�son found himself on top of the fellow and let a few punched fall at the
man^�s face.  He was winning now.  A hand gripped his shoulder and Har^�son
let his elbow fly back to ram the man behind him in the nose.

It made a definite clanging noise.

Har^�son looked back, one of the city watch feel back, his nose was gushing
blood from the hit and the helmet that had just been rammed into his face. 
^�Oops.^�  Was all he got out before he felt a rod hit his head and the world
went spinning.

*******************************************

The world around him slowly came to realization, and that realization was
pain, dull throbbing pain in the back of his head that spread to his very
soul.  Even his eyelids were soar as he opened them and looked around.  He
was on a stone floor in a dark room, Aaron sat near him wiping blood from
his mouth with his sleeve.

Har^�son sat up, and then thought he should consult his body on any other
movement as it seemed to have other plans.

^�Oh, your awake.^�  Aaron scooted closer and handed Har^�son a rough metal
cup.  ^�Have a drink, and spit it out, you need to get the blood out of your
mouth.  They whacked you pretty good after you nailed that watchman.^�

It was still dark outside.  {Fourd, get to the warren, and get someone here
before sunrise, I think I will be seeing a judge first thing in the
morning.}

[Ok, anyone special I should get?]

{Anyone^� just as long as they have some power^�}  Har^�son was still a little
foggy on the whole consciousness thing.  He felt Fourd wink out.  ^�So tell
me, what was that fight about?^�

Aaron sat back and sighed.  ^�They were being rude to Yavonne.  Saying things
they shouldna^�.  I tried to get her away from them but then they jumped me.^�
He looked at Har^�son.  ^�I didn^�t start that fight sir.^�

^�I believe you, just hope everyone else does.^�

(well, this is my first post back at WR, feel free to have anyone come to
the rescue of Har^�son and the kids.)




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