[Lyra Greenleaf]

Sammael glanced around at his travelling companions, assuming they had all arrived. There were a few men standing around, cleaning their weapons or looking bored, as well as… Sammael nudged Damodred and grinned. Fifteen men dressed identically in red and black, trying to look fierce.
“Do you think they’re the entertainment?” Sammael asked cheerfully.
Damodred was rubbing his back and grousing, but his face cracked a smile.
“Come on old man! Shall we ask the acrobats for a performance? Perhaps they can teach you.” Sammael laughed loudly at his own joke, and most of the other occupants of the small round courtyard stared at him. There was little room for laughter in the Dark Citadel.
“I am sorry for disturbing you, friends” Sammael said with an exaggerated bow and a mockery of a penitent face. “I am just the warm up act”
With a grin he winked at one of the man in red-and-black, who met his eyes stonily.

Unheeding Sammael continued to appraise the others. Suddenly his smile dropped. There were two women, dressed up like warriors and bristling with weapons. One seemed rather old and leathery looking, but the other had big dark eyes. With a grin Sammael went over to her.
“Ah” he said “So you’re the real entertainment”
The woman slowly turned her eyes to face him. They might have been big and dark, but they were empty. They almost made Sammael want to shiver. But the worst thing was that his smile had appeared to have no effect on her.

“I am not here for entertainment” she said coldly “and neither should you be. We are here to expand our territory and influence.”
Sammael affected a shocked face.
“I thought we were here for the exotic tribal women? Of course, I would not judge you for that.”
She just kept staring at him with an impassive face. It was very discomfiting.
“We are here to fight” she said unemotionally.
Sammael’s smile fell away. She wasn’t going to make this easy.
“Well that’s the problem. If you’re here to fight then we men have to protect you and that just makes our lives a bit harder. I would not argue if you wished to come along for the sport, but as it is can you not go find yourself a husband?”
Sammael was shocked to see that the woman’s back went stiff at the word husband. Interesting, he thought. Jilted perhaps. She will take some watching.

Shaking his head he returned to Damodred.
“This should be amusing, old man” he said with a grin as he clapped his companion on the back.