<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/1pvC3a3.jpg?1)<br/><div align="center"><em>Hodge</em></div></div><br/>“I think we should see how much she owes before we figure out what to do with her … or to her,” Hodge’s voice rumbled from behind Miriel as he shifted the coins about, counting them, then picked them up off the counter and put them back into the leather pouch. His chin tilted up as he looked up at Mhurren, then down to Miriel.<br/><br/>“Twelve silver,” Hodge said finally, as Mhurren came perilously close to the young woman. Hodge smiled as Mhurren continued to intimidate her. The half-orc liked to play with nerves as much as he liked to play with swords. “Looks like you’re twelve gold, eight silver short on Hodge’s debt. And since you owe Hodge, and Hodge owes us—<em>you</em>owe us.”<br/><br/>Mhurren’s hands leapt off the bar and he quickly grabbed Miriel. His fingertips forcefully dug into her hips through the fine fabric of her clothes as he spun her around and roughly forced her up against the bar. “Look at the man when he speaks to you,” Mhurren growled. He stepped in even closer to her as his hands drifted back to the bar counter, trapping her between his arms. “As you were, H.” Mhurren nodded to Hodge.<br/><br/>Miriel could see the man in the black hat looked over at the three, his face clean shaven with handsome features. His own bright blue eyes, cast in the shadow of his hat’s wide brim, watched Miriel with interest and anticipation as Hodge and Mhurren trapped her along the bar. He moved his hand up and down, dropping the pencil he had in his hand repeatedly against the ledger before him, tapping it with curiosity as if he eagerly evaluating the outcome of this interaction.<br/><br/>“Easy, Mhurren.” Hodge put his hand out towards Mhurren with a gentle half-smile. “Easy … Pardon him. He doesn’t much like people coming in here who aren’t intending to pay their debts.” Hodge reached across the bar, his strong hand brushing the wispy strands of blonde from her face. He pushed the coin pouch back across the bar towards her, offering it to her. “So is that who you are? The kind of woman who doesn’t pay what she owes?”<br/><br/>Mhurren pressed up against Miriel from behind, feeling the soft curves of her body against his. He bent over, putting his face next to hers, taking in the soft smell of flowers and perspiration from her body and hair.