The youngsters spun around and stared at her. Seeing a figure the size of a child with the face of an adult, they paused a moment. Then the smaller of the two, who was much larger than the little wizard, marched up and glared down at her.

"What are you?" he demanded with definite menace.

"Some sort of freak, " the other said, reaching down to pick up a rock. He was drawing back his arm, getting ready to throw the stone when Trap stepped forward.

"You're not very nice, " he shouted. Among the purchases he carried was a small bag of salt, which was heavy for its size. Since his hoopak was strapped to his back, he slung the bag of salt instead, connecting with the arm of the boy who was ready to throw the rock.

As the boy backed away, Grod ran forward and picked up the bag of salt. In gully dwarf fashion he was not about to allow anything useful to get away.

"Look out, its a dwarf!" the boy who had been menacing the little wizard cried out and ran off down the street. The other followed.

"I'll tell my father, he'll take care of you, " the taller boy called as the two boys disappeared around a building.

"We need to get off the street in case he does bring his father back, " she said and looked around for an inn. Two doors down, a faded sign board with the likely name of the Traveler's Haven promised food and drink as well as accommodations.

"We'll eat if you three stay out of trouble, " the wizard said as she led the way through the door.

Like the rest of the "Gate Quarter, " the section of Thelgaard that specialized in goods for transients, the inn catered to travelers with leaner purses. Several tables and stools had new wood rungs and legs, showing they had been recently mended, doubtless after a brawl. Still, the scarred tabletops had been scrubbed clean.

Three men who looked to be laborers were drinking at a table at the far end of the room. They were absorbed in their conversation and paid no attention to the three who entered.

Halmarain led the way to a table in the farthest corner. When a stout young woman arrived with four mugs of ale, the wizard ordered enough meat rolls to satisfy even the Aghars' appetite.

"Why were those boys so mean?" Trap asked when the server left the table to get the meat rolls.

"Children can be cruel, " Halmarain said, shrugging off the incident. "Many people believe the gods use deformities to punish the evil, and that they should do so too-a man with a twisted leg, someone who's blind or who can't speak, the dim-witted or those who don't grow… "

"But that's not right, " Trap said, frowning.

"No, but that's why it's best for me to appear to be a dwarf on this journey, " Halmarain said sadly. "Just be glad you're normal for your race. "

The server returned with their meat rolls and they concentrated on the food. Trap had finished eating and was working his way through his second mug of ale when the door opened and a group of five travelers entered.

They were well armed with swords, bows, and several carried axes of strange, wicked styles. Several wore odd pieces of armor and all of them carried packs and bedrolls. They were all humans.

With hard eyes they took in the room before taking a table not far from where Grod placidly munched on the last of the food and Halmarain shifted uneasily. Trap peered at them from over the top of his raised mug. He put it down hastily and smiled at the newcomers. They must have some lively tales, he thought, looking at the scarred armor and the weapons that showed use.

"Hello, " he said when one of the adventurers looked his way.

The human's eyes narrowed as he stared at Trap. He nodded and leaned forward, speaking to his companions in a low voice. All the three at the table in the corner could hear was the word "kender. " Then all five of the heavily armed men turned to stare at Trap and the one he had greeted gave him a crooked smile.

The delighted kender wriggled on his stool, thinking he had at last met some friendly people.

"You keep your hands to yourself, " Halmarain whispered to him.

"A fair day to you, " the adventurer said to Halmarain since she had been speaking and was eyeing the new-comers with concern. "Are you travelers?" He nodded to their bundles.

"Yes, on our way to Palanthus, " Halmarain replied. "We've a far distance to go, so we're leaving quite soon. "

She nudged the kender suggestively, but he ignored the hint. His mind was on what she had said, and he didn't like it.

"But what about Ripple and-"

He paused in mid-sentence and glared at her when she kicked him.

"We'll meet her on the way, " the little wizard said, frowning at him. He still wanted to ask what she meant but the traveler who had first greeted him had questions of his own.

"Then you'll doubtless want to travel in peace, " the man said. He was large for a human, but younger than the rest, as attested to by his nearly beardless face. "We are here to make sure you can do so. "

"You escort travelers?" Again Halmarain spoke before the kender could get in a word. She kept her voice even, but Trap knew she would not like to be accompanied on the road. He wriggled in anticipation, wondering how she would avoid unwelcome company.

One of the other adventurers, a man with wide shoulders, shook his head, a head that looked too small for his frame.

"No, our task is to rid the roads of bandits, " he said. "We seek news of a band of cutthroats made up of humans, half-breed goblins and one kender. The only name we know is Harderk, the leader. " He eyed Trap. "One of his band is a kender. "

"Him dead, " Grod spoke up suddenly. "Make a good tale, that. "

"I knew that was coming, " Halmarain said with resignation.

"If he is, there's one bounty gone, " another of the adventurers muttered.

"What happened to him?" The first asked. They looked at Grod for the answer, but he turned to Trap. The kender sighed for the tales he would not hear, still, telling a tale was nearly as good as listening. He searched his mind for a story, The main part of his thoughts was still taken up with his irritation at Halmarain and her assumption that he was a thief.

"He died because a wizard refused to trust him, " Trap said and then wondered how he could continue the story.

"I wouldn't trust a wizard, " the young adventurer laughed. "But go on, tell us what happened to him. "

Trap's head spun with the tales he had already told. He didn't want to repeat himself, and cast his memory back over the dangers they had faced on their journey.

"His trouble began when he was separated from the rest of his band and was just crossing a stream, " he said, shifting on his stool. He gave Halmarain a sour look. "He should have known he was in trouble when, coming from the other direction across the ford, was a wizard wearing red robes. "

His tale included the bog where they had nearly lost the pony. The lost bundles became the wizard's bag with his spellbooks and the constant accusations that Halmarain heaped on his head.

In the tale, the fictitious Trapspringer was forgiving of the wizard and had sunk into the bog to try and rescue the mage's spellbooks. He died in the attempt. By the time Trap finished his story, tears trickled down his cheeks.

The adventurers sighed in unison. The youngest seemed to be genuinely moved. Trap had told such a moving tale that no one even thought to question the fact that a thief and an outlaw had died to prove he was trust-worthy. Those who did not shed tears were affected by the loss of a part of their reward.

"So there's one less outlaw to give us trouble. " Halmarain said, rising from her seat. "We should be going while there's daylight to see our trail, "

Grod, who had been wandering around the room drinking ale from any mug that was unattended, came back to the table and she loaded him with bundles. She hustled the kender and the gully dwarf out of the inn, and down the street to the stables. They hurried through the city gates before they could become entangled with anyone else.