Lurbuk - The Death of a Bard

Lurbuk stands by the fire, strumming his lute as a stranger wanders inside. She's drenched from the rain, her tunic and hair clings to her skin. Sitting by the fire, she listens to the off-key music provided by the orc.

Looking around, she notices that the innkeeper is absent and as Lurbuk finishes the song she asks "Where is the barkeep?" Her voice is somewhat shaky.

"Oh, she's in the back checking the stocks." He points behind the bar and she looks over. Lurbuk examines the stranger in front of him, seeing that some of her tunic is torn, with a little bit of a red stain on it. "You look a little out of breath." She looks at him quizzically as he points toward the tear.

"Ah." She looks back up at him and smiles. "I just escaped the clutches of two vampires, I didn't even notice the tear."

Lurbuk's eyes widen at the mention of vampires and he loudly exclaims, "Our town just had a bit of vampire trouble as well, isn't that quite the coincidence?" He laughs as his sentence ends. "In fact, I was part of the group that fought and killed them!" he brags.

"That's very impressive!" she exclaims. "You're a bard, right?"

"Yes," Lurbuk answers. "Although, I haven't trained at the Bard's College."

"You should play a song, to commemorate the escape of vampires," the stranger chuckles. Lurbuk perks up at the sound of someone making a request.

"What were you feeling during your escape?" he needed inspiration for this one, it was a special request.

"Well I was afraid that I would die, so maybe a song of fear and death?" Her questioning tone wasn't so much of a question as it was that she wasn't sure of what song should be sung. Lurbuk stares at her as if to say "Are you serious?" but she gives him an earnest look.

"Hmm... Alright... How about this? Shadows creep, and... and phantoms leap! A man got... he got scared." His voice is baritone and unchanging. "And the demons dared! To um... visit upon him all which they feared! Brilliant, I know. It's a gift." Lurbuk looks at his listener and sees that she's chuckling. He smiles. "Truly, a song to behold."

The stranger laughs a while longer before speaking. "Tell me, do you ever fear death?" Her voice is bitter and sweet, like snowberries. Lurbuk continues to look at her as he answers.

"No, I don't. No one would rid the world of my talents, and even if they did I would be immortalized by my songs." He turns away to grab an ale off of the counter.

"You sure are full of yourself, aren't you?" the stranger chuckles.

Confused, Lurbuk turns to face her before asking his question only to feel a blade run across his throat. Wrapping his hand around it, he can feel his own hot blood trickling across his fingers. Looking up into the eyes of his killer he tries to speak but nothing comes out.

A small whimper sounds from behind the counter and the stranger's head whips around to face it.

"Did you see me?" she demands.

The whimpering quiets down and fast breaths turn into slow regulated ones as they answer.

"N-no! I didn't, I swear!" the woman's voice is full of panic.

The stranger lets out a quiet sigh of relief before speaking again.

"Don't look until you hear the door close or you'll be joining him."

They make a swift exit and Jonna peeks from over the counter to see Lurbuk lying dead on the floor, a nightshade in his hand.