RP:Foreshadowing

Dergious steps from shadows and slinks (no small feat for a dwarf) to a table in a darkened area. He watches his newest plaything with interest. The elven paladin is proving to be quite entertaining.

Aelfulf has been lurking in the tavern for quite some time, waiting to catch sight of Dergious. To replace the ruined gladius, the paladin carries a longsword, of plain but good craftmanship. This sits, bared, on the table before him, much to the bouncer's irritation. Remembering how the duergar vanished in their last encounter, Aelfulf watches the shadows closely.

Dergious pointedly looks away, showing the paladin his back. Hidden, his twisted face splits into a grin. One such as this would never attack his back.

Aelfulf catches sight of his nemesis, and rises, grasping his sword firmly. Stalking over to the duergar, he readies himself, and speaks. "So, you dare show your face here again. Are you ready to give me the sword, or must I thrash you, first?"

Dergious starts unconvincingly and turns. "Boy, ye gots no claim te it er nuthin else I gots." he explains again, "Dun go way empty handed tho." he says in a reasonable approximation of a concerned voice. The dwarf tosses a heavy purse at the paladin. "See? I no be unreasonable."

Aelfulf catches the purse - and wings it right back, forcefully. "I don't want your money. That blade has ever belonged to my people. It will not work for you. If you don't give it to me, I will hunt it down and find it, whether it be in your pack, or whatever grimy whole you climbed out of."

Dergious scowles at the man, his eyes narrowed to near-slits. "Yer people ye say?" he nearly growls, "Lemme be tellin yerself sumthin. Yer peeple be nuthin more den oppressers o' me own people fer time untold! Whutever been took frum yer kind by dem o' my kind be reparations fer eons o' persecution!"

Aelfulf snorts, ouraged. "Those who win wars are not oppressers, but victors. Had we oppressed you, we would be no better than your kind, whose treatment at our hands is a result of the acts of aggression started by your people. In every dealing your kind has ever done, you have sowed death and misery. No reparations are owed to you, and none will be paid."

Dergious grins and nods, "Dat how ye see it, eh? Tell ye whut, boy. After da sun sets, go te dem elven camps. I'll be meetin ye there. If ye still be feelin dat way, mebbe I be givin yerself a chance te be claimin dat which ye seek."

Aelfulf sheathes his sword with an air of satisfaction. "Oh, I'll be there. You just make sure that you are, too." With that, he returns to his seat, arms crossed over his chest as he stares coldly at Dergious.

Dergious steps from the darkened corner and stomps out of the tavern. He does not look back, for he fears not this man, who clings to what the dwarf considers "honorable weakness". He does wonder who the man might be close to however, and makes a mental note to find out.