<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">A forgotten song.</div></span></span><br/><br/>Anora's brows scrunched in confusion as a familiar sound filled her ears.  At first it was subtle; filtering in here and there through the noise of the crowd.  A series of notes were strung together by a mysterious  lute player, hiding in the crowds yet somewhere in the tavern.  Anora's eyes grew wide while her brows returned to normal as a scorned look fell upon her face.  The simplicity of the song was swallowed whole by the sound of metal armor being bounced around entered her ear.  Her eyes darted to the source and her brows once again scrunched in confusion.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Magnus?</span></span>”  She mouthed.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Look at the lucky lad eh?</span></span>”  Ardur shouted.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Are they-</span></span>”  Anora paused as her head shot back and a judgmental look fell upon her face.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">They sure will.</span></span>”  Ardur responded as he bellowed out another round of laughter.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">The beauty and the blacksmith!  Who'd of thought?</span></span>”  Ardur said as he once again downed his drink, slamming the mug down on the table with such force it awoke the drunk next to him from his alcohol induced coma.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Another?</span></span>”  The bartender asked as his lips curled and his brows raised in anticipation.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">If you could be so kind.</span></span>”  Ardur responded as he threw his shoulder over Anora.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">What had you confused a second ago?</span></span>”  He asked as the humor fell from his voice.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">You looked like you seen a Lich or something.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Not seen.</span></span>”  Anora spoke as she grinded her teeth together as her head tilted towards Ardur's arm, draped over her shoulder.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Get used to it love, it's here to stay.</span></span>”  He said as he grabbed his fresh mug off the bar and took a healthy swig.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">If you did not see the Lich, did you smell one?  I'd say smelling a Lich in here would be rather hard, given the choice of smells we are currently exposed to.  From the unwashed, to the sweaty, to the piss and vomit covered all the way to the sweaty, unwashed, pis-</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Heard.</span></span>”  Anora interrupted.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I heard someone playing a Lute.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Oh?</span></span>”  Ardur said as he turned his face towards Anora's.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">The song they were playing, was it a familiar one?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Would I react as such if I had never heard it before?</span></span>”  Anora responded.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Most likely not</span></span>.”  Ardur responded as he placed his mug back down on the bar.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">If I find myself a a lute, and im not saying I can, but if I did would you remember how the song went?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I might be able to remember, and it was not a song.  I remember it was more like a lullaby....I think.</span></span>”  Pausing as she buried her face in her free hand.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Kind of.</span></span>”  Anora responded as the corners of her mouth curled upwards as a sheepish smile grew across her face.<br/><br/>Ardur quickly pulled his arm away from Anora's body and spun around to face the bar.  His eyes located the bartender while he whistled to grab his attention.  The Bartender head jolted towards Ardur as his hands put down the mug he was once again cleaning.  Slowly the heavy set man walked over, floor boards creaking above the noise of the nearby crowd as he rested his arms on the bar near Ardur.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">What do you want now, another drink?</span></span>”  He hissed.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">No, im fin</span></span>-”  He paused as he looked into his mug.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Alright!  One more.</span></span>” He said in a joking voice as his pointer finger extended out from a closed fist.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">But you wouldn't happen to have a lost lute I could borrow?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Borrow?</span></span>”  The bartender asked as his right eyebrow raised and a strong smile spread across his face.<br/><br/>Ardur's eyes darted from the left to the right as his fingers played idly on the empty mug.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Rent?</span></span>”  He asked as his head tilted to the right and his shoulders shrugged.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">10 copper ducat's  per hour.  If you break the lute, or spill your drink on it then it is one silver ducat.</span></span>”  The Bartender grinned as he slowly reached under the bar, and as slow as he could raised up one lute.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Deal, Ardur?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Why do you charge so much?</span></span>”  Ardur asked.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Remember the last time you 'borrowed' my lute?</span></span>”  The Bartender responded.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I fail to see how that was my fault.</span></span>”  Ardur shrugged.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">You smashed my precious lute over a man's head!</span></span>”  The Bartender responded in kind.<br/><br/>After a brief pause, Ardur's head raised up as a puzzled look fell on his face as he remembered  the bar fight in question.  His head fell sharply back to normal and his face turned to a sheepish grin.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Yeah.</span></span>”  Pausing for a second, he reached into his bag and raised ten copper ducats out.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Sorry 'bout that.</span></span>”  He said as a grin covered his face as he dropped the coins into The Bartenders hand.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Nice doing business with you Ardur, as usual.</span></span>”  The Bartender gave him a wink before he handed Ardur the lute.<br/><br/>Ardur quickly grabbed hold of the loot, sat down in a chair, and spun himself around to face Anora.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I found a lute!</span></span>”  He said as the sound of a mug being placed on the bar behind his head grabbed his attention.  Turning slightly, he saw another bartender had brought him another drink.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">And another drink!</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Why did you smash a lute over someone's head?</span></span>”  Anora asked as a puzzled look fell on her face.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">He said my parents were liars and thief's!</span></span>”  Ardur responded.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">But were they not?</span></span>” Anora joked.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Shut it, you.</span></span>”  Ardur responded as a playful grin spread across his face.  “N<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">ow, that song.  Can you hum for me the start?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I think, I...Yes</span></span>.”  Anora responded as she took a drink from her mug, before letting it rest once more on the bar.<br/><br/>Anora began to hum the tune that had grabbed her attention, and with each passing hum did a corresponding note sing out from the lute.  Each note that the lute brought forth brought a distant, yet familiar feeling from the farthest reaches of her mind.   Each note brought here closer and closer to a memory.  As she continued the hum, now singing parts of the lullaby she had not heard in a long time, she felt a strange sensation fall over her.  Her eyes closes in an instant and she started to remember.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">Many years in the past.</div></span></span><br/><br/>Anora's eyes opened, slowly as they did, as her small hands gripped tighter and tighter on her blanket.  The rafters were thrown open by a strong gust of wind as thunder bellowed in the distance.  A high-pitched scream bellowed from her quivering lips, as she threw her blanket over her head as tears poured out of their ducts and flowed down her face.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Anora, don't be scared.</span></span>”  A young boy's voice commanded.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Thunder is scary.</span></span>”  Anora sobbed.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Make it stop.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">You know as well as I do that Thunder is the work of the Goddess dearest sister.  I'll be King long before the Goddess decides to listen to my prayers.</span></span>”  The boy responded as the floorboards creaked as the small boy crawled out of bed.  He moved quickly, and almost silently across the floor until he reached his lute and returned to his bed.  His bed moaned as he fell upon the frame, and after a second he turned his head towards Anora.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Come now, Anora.  Take those blankets off your face.  I have been learning the lullaby father plays for us sometimes before bed, if you wish I will play it for you.</span></span>”<br/><br/>The blanket quickly fell from over top Anora as her small head, soaked in tears, emerged from it's safe haven.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Ok.</span></span>”  She whimpered back.<br/><br/>"That's my sister."  He said with a smile.  The young boys hand was quick to position itself on the shaft of the lute, and with a quick strum of his finger did he begin the song.  With each passing note, he would hum the words to it and with each passing note, the flood of tears slowed from the ducts on Anora's face before ultimately stopping.   The corners of her lips curled upwards as a soft giggle escaped her lips.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">You don't know the words.</span></span>”  Anora playfully said.<br/><br/>A sour note escaped from the lute as the young boy's face grew red with embarrassment.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I forgot 'em!</span></span>”  He said as he lowered the Lute.<br/><br/>A soft laugh escaped Anora's mouth, before her head quickly turned towards the door at the sound of the door knob turning.<br/><br/>The door slowly crept open, creaking slightly as it moved.  Her brother quickly stood up with a soldiers posture as he faced their father and mother as they entered the room while Anora quickly raised her blanket up beneath her eyes.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">We heard a lute playing.</span></span>”  Her fathers voice was not loud but it echoed across the room as a small grin spread across his face.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Thunderstorm scaring you again, my daughter?</span></span>”  He asked as a wide grin spread across his face.  Anora's mother stood next to him, her left hand reaching up and resting on her husbands shoulder.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Yes father.</span></span>” Her brother responded.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I was playing the lullaby you play for us</span></span>.”<br/><br/>Their fathers eyebrows shot up in suprise.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I have not taught it to you yet, how do you know our family's lullaby?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I watched and practiced, father.</span></span>”  Ardur responded.<br/><br/>A soft laugh escaped his lips as he placed his arm around the shoulder of his wife.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">No need to fear the thunder, child.  Your brother Lason will always protect you, isn't that right son?</span></span>”<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">Present time.</div></span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Did he just say 'My brother Lason?'"</span>She nervously mouthed as her eyes jumped open.<br/><br/>Ardur quickly stopped playing the lute as his source of music ceased, as Anora had lost all the color in her face.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Something wrong?</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">No.</span></span>”  Pausing, she continued.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Yes.</span></span>”<br/><br/>Ardur quickly turned around and placed the lute on the bar.  He quickly signaled for the bartender to take it away and returned his attention to Anora.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">What is it?</span></span>””<br/><br/>Anora quickly grabbed her mug of alcohol, and much in the fashion that Ardur liked to drink, raised the bottom of her mug towards the sky and began drinking.  Unlike Ardur, however, not one drop was wasted.   Slamming the mug on the table as she exhaled in an audible breath, she raised her pointer finger up towards The Bartender and asked “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">One more, if you may.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Anora...</span></span>” Ardur asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold">That monster is my brother</span>.”  She spat out.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">At least, at least I think he is.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Are you sure or are you drunk?</span></span>”  Ardur quickly asked as he quickly moved to her side.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I am not so drunk and I am sure.  That lullaby, it brought back a memory I had long since forgotten.</span></span>”  She quickly retorted.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Tell me.</span></span>”  Asked Ardur<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I was very young, perhaps three or four.</span></span>”  She paused as The Bartender brought her another mug.  She quickly took a healthy drink from the mug before she continued.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">A thunderstorm had blown open the windows and I started to cry.  I really hated thunderstorms, kinda still do.</span></span>”  She said as she laughed a worried laugh as her eyes darted to the floor.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">My brother heard me crying, and he grabbed a lute and started to play the song</span></span>.”  She said as she looked back up towards Ardur and hummed it in it's entirety once again to him.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">He did not known the words and I have long since forgotten them, but he played the song none the less.  The noise attracted our parents, who came into our room.</span></span>”  She paused as a quiver emerged on her lips.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">They said 'Your brother Lason will always protect you'.</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Oh shit</span></span>.”  Ardur said as he downed his drink.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">That lullaby brought me back to a time before everything went to hell.</span></span>”  She said as a wounded look fell upon her face.  “That monster is going to try to kill everyone, to protect his sisters name.  My name.”  She said as she pointed to her chest.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">The irony.</span></span>”  Ardur softly spoke.<br/><br/>Anora finished her drink in due haste, before ordering another.  It was given as quick as possible.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I need to distract myself from these thoughts.</span></span>”  She paused as she took a sip.  She hiccoughed again.  Then again, and a third time after that.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">You handle your alcohol very well for a beginner.  Come, let us mingle with those we travel with.</span></span>”  Ardur finished as he streched out his arm, allowing Anora to easily pull herself from her seat.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Woah</span></span>.”  Anora said as she felt wobbly and a tingling sensation take over her brain.<br/><br/>Ardur laughed as he threw his shoulder over Anora's, to which Anora threw her shoulder over Ardur's.  The duo made their way towards Atisha and Avis before Ardur loudly announced their presence.<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Hello my fellow weary travelers!</span></span>”  He spoke as his head turned towards Anora and with a wide, drunken grin did he turn back to the two and boast.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Remember that Lason fellow that just threatened to kill us all?  Well, we think that this 'Lason' fellow is truly Anora's brother!</span></span>”<br/><br/>“<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Dick.</span></span>”  Anora said as she punched him hard in the side, the corners of her lips curled downward as her  eyes grew wide with a calm rage.  “<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">A very strange way for you to say good evening, Ardur.</span></span>”  She hissed as she removed her hand from his shoulder.