Chapter 44: Dillard - The Paladin

Dillard had briefly considered running after the merchant. Killing him would have been even more fun than killing his guards had been. She would have been able to take her time for one. For another, his terror in her catching up to him and taking him apart bit for bit would have been very, very satisfying. The trouble was, she had chosen rogue as her class and as a rogue, she didn’t have any points in any tracking skills whatsoever and so she had decided to stay and loot the cart. After all, there were bandits around and she needed to get hers.

However, not a minute into sorting through the wine, cheese, and bread at the back of the cart, her ears had picked up the sound of armored footsteps on approach. Thinking quickly, Dillard decided against fleeing. Instead, she smeared blood all over herself, tucked her assassin’s blade behind her back, using the big man’s sword, gave herself a few superficial cuts across her arms and belly, and then laid down behind the cart like she was on death’s door.

Clink-clink-clink came the footsteps. One set. One man. Fully armored. This has to be an adventurer. Dillard was silently excited to meet her first player in this new world. What would he be like? What would his class be? And how useful was he going to be to her plans to take over the world?

Clink-clink-clink-clunk. She heard the armored movements stop right on top of her. She could hear his breathing. She could feel his eyeballs as they looked her over. “By the light of Yanar …” whispered a deep male voice. The bootsteps traveled along the length of the cart. More oaths were whispered. Then she heard him stop to inspect the horse and Dillard chanced a glance. He was a tall, blonde well muscled man in full plate with a long broad sword at his hip and a heater shield across his back. He had golden hair that fell in a tangled mop over his ears and bright blue eyes that could swoon even the hardest heart. Dillard immediately hated him and loved him at the same time. She had to have him. She would have him. He was as good as hers, he just didn’t know it yet.

“What villain has done this thing?” He whispered to the horse. “By all that is holy, noble steed, I shall avenge this butchery.”

It was as he finished saying this that Dillard came up with her plan. He’s perfect, she thought as she opened her eyes and let out a desperate gasp.

The armored footsteps hurried around the cart as the armored hunk appeared by her side. He knelt down next to her and as she feebly attempted to lift herself up, he cradled her head in his hands.

Two clear blue eyes looked down on her, “You live! Please, gentle maiden, please tell me who in the Nine Hells did this to you?”

“Ah … oh …” she pretended to struggle with her breath, coughed, and then looked about as if she had no idea where she was or what she was doing. “What … what happened?”

“My lady, you are covered in blood. Someone has clearly assaulted your caravan. Everyone around you is dead.” The armored gallant looked down on her with eyes filled with compassion. “Please, if you can remember anything about who did this to you, tell me now.”

Her mind was racing with what story to tell him. He had taken the bait - hook, line, and sinker. Now all she had to do was reel him in. But which way to turn him? She made a show of sitting up and looking around as she gathered her thoughts. “Well, all I can remember is that I was riding in the back of the cart when something came out of the woods. The guard, Hermann, shouted that we were under attack and then I saw this man … he was short and round and maybe a little fat, but he moved like lightning and … and … and suddenly everyone around me was dead or dying and then suddenly he was on top of me and then something hit me in the head … and that’s all I can remember.”

“Hrmmmm …” the noble knight put his hand to his chin as he thought. A dangerous look crossed his face as he looked out at the woods. “I am thinking … I am thinking that … ”

Dillard did her best to look worried as her would-be-rescuer searched the treeline. Thinking is obviously not this guy’s strong suit. He’s perfect.

“… I am thinking that we might have to track the villain.” He turned his clear blue eyes back to her. “My lady, did you happen to see which way he might have gone?”

She pointed, feebly, in the direction she had last seen the chubby little merchant run. The knight nodded solemnly as if she had pointed him in the direction of the most dangerous monster in the entire zone. He then placed his hands on her shoulders and muttered a phrase, “Beatues Santeatum.”

A feeling of warmth and goodness flowed into Dillard’s body as all of the scratches she had given herself disappeared. Did he just heal me? Have I stumbled upon a paladin? He’s perfect. He’s perfect. He’s perfect.

As lady-like as she could, Dillard picked herself up off the ground as if she had just been healed good as new. She did her best to look down at her dress and the blood as if her healing had been a miracle.

“I can never repay you, noble knight,” she said.

“You don’t need to, gentle girl. Simply stay close to me so that I may protect you from further harm,” he said. “For I am Himbo the Paladin, noble protector of all peoples great and small.”