The Court of Jesters

The Exile

Knowing that his rendezvous would happen tonight was making his senses tingle and Torfon was a bit on edge. Not accustomed to the wilds, every scamper of an animal, every gust of wind made him jump out of his skin. Sitting in this wet and smelly cave was not becoming of noble birth. But Torfon understood that secrecy was of dire need in a situation like this. Being of a noble family he was not used to roughing it, but secrets must be kept secret. He had come to this cave last night telling his family that he would be going on an overnight hunting trip to their lodge and that he would return in two days' time.

As Torfon is warming up the last of his food on the campfire, he hears a rustle behind him. Startled, while still holding his Greenfin trout, Torfon jumps up in mid air and twists his body to turn completely around before his feet hit the ground. After about half a minute of staring into the darkness satisfied no one or nothing was there, he turns around to continue his meal and is startled again. Sitting across the fire is a figure with a cloak pulled low cross legged with a battle axe sitting across his lap. Torfon wondered how in the world this person made it by him with the cave entrance barely big enough for him. "Hello", Torfon asked more than saying a voice cracking from fear.

"Are you ...", before the name of the stranger could come out of the gnome's mouth, the stranger raised a hand to tell Torfon that his name should not be spoken.

"I am" the dwarf stated, the sound of pure control dripping from every word he spoke. Lowering his hand the dwarf stands up and begins to move towards Torfon. Torfon backs to the side of the cave attempting to keep as much distance as possible from the dangerous dwarf.

"Then you know why I have summoned you" Torfon spoke with as little fear in his voice as he could, he was a noble after all and deserved respect. Torfon could almost hear the smile on the dwarf's face as he said that.

"Yes, and so does your family Torfon, son of Pertil, noble prince of house Copperpot." All of the color had at this point drained from Torfon's face, he knew he was in serious trouble. His worst fear had come true, his family found out that he had planned to eliminate them in order to take over the very lucrative family business.

The dwarf continued to advance towards Torfon, dragging his battle axe across the stone floor. He had used this tactic many times over the past 60 years as an axe for hire. He found pleasure in the thought of the last thing his victims would hear, the sound of their end getting closer and closer. Biknor Axechucker was more than a mere assassin or mercenary, he considered himself an artist. He only took jobs where the victim deserved it. In Torfon's case, wiping out his entire family for money, absolute greed. Biknor always knew that gnomes were greedy little bugs, but this one took the cake. He was going to enjoy this one.

As the dwarf moved closer, Torfon knew this was the end and decided that begging would be the correct course of action. "Please kind Biknor, I had no intenti-". Those would be the last words that Torfon Copperpot would mutter out of his pathetic little mouth. Biknor pulled the axe from the stone wall, and as he did, the head that was peacefully resting on the top of the axe tumbled to the floor. Biknor did not necessarily like killing, but he did enjoy, as he saw it, clearing the world of garbage. Torfon's family had agreed to double his normal fee after Biknor told the family of Torfon's plan.

After the deed was done Biknor casually searched the body of the gnome that now lay in two pieces on the stone floor. He found the payment that Torfon was going to use to pay Biknor to slaughter the eight members of his family. With the payment he had already received from the family it was a good day. Sitting next to the fire he grabs a small chisel and hammer from his backpack and on the flat blade of his axe, makes an indented mark on the blade. Thinking to himself, a couple more and he would have to start notching the other side of the blade; he was running out of room on this side of his trusty axe.