This is another bit of story for one that Tim and I are working on. It’s still in first draft and will be added to a story later on. Several of the characters also do not have their accents. They will be put in place later.
Lyssa stared idly into her empty rum glass. The chatter from the others didn’t keep her interest enough as she was too preoccupied with her own thoughts. She wondered where the bar maid was to refill her glass. Unlike some patrons, she waited until the woman made her rounds. Sometimes she would leave the bottle sit there since Lyssa was so patient, especially on a rowdy night.
“I woke up to a note, Lyssa gone, along with my horse.” She vaguely heard Pania say to the group. Pania was telling Sywyn, Vindy, Mandrel and Villith about Lyssa’s journey to save her husband. There was a hint of amusement to her voice as Pania continued. “Lyssa hates horses, I knew she wouldn’t have used Triumph unless it was important. She doesn’t even ride with me in the saddle up to the temple.”
Lyssa snorted softly as she started listening to the conversation, her eyes drifting over each person at the table. Mandrel’s expression was amused, like he expected nothing less from Lyssa. Sywyn’s was mildly appalled, thought not completely surprised. He had issues with Lyssa in the past, having seen her facing a prison sentence for theft. Shani looked as though she felt the same way Lyssa did. Bored. She lived the journey with Lyssa, she didn’t need to hear it retold with Pania’s ostentatious flare. However, Lyssa and Shani were both too nice to make her stop.
“So she stole the horse?” Sywyn said. Everyone looked at the knight for a moment. He seemed to be confused about what had happened.
“No,” Lyssa said. Everyone at the table jumped slightly when she spoke. Feeling the corner of her lips twitch, as she fought back a smug smile. “I left a note.”
“But…”
“Aww Sywyn give it a rest,” Shani grumbled, throwing back the last of her ale before going on “She ain’t steal the dang thing, she borrowed it to save her husband. ‘Sides it were a long time ago, can’t do nothin’ ’bout it now. So quit yer caterwaulin’”
“But she didn’t have Pania’s direct permission,” Sywyn stated.
“I left her a note,” Lyssa said, her eyes drifting around the bar for a moment looking for the barmaid. “I didn’t need her permission. She knew I would bring Triumph back in one piece.”
“That’s still considered stealing though,”
“Nope. Left a note, means I borrowed,”
“There’s a difference?”
“Indeed. It’s a slim difference, but a difference nonetheless.”
Pania chuckled softly. She knew what Lyssa was going do and poor Sywyn was blissfully oblivious.
“Stealing involves the person just up and taking something that doesn’t belong to them without the intention of returning it. Borrowing is, for the most part, asking someone to use something of theirs with the intention of returning it as soon as you are finished. Pania was sleeping, she knew what I needed to do, but knew better than to offer me the horse.” Lyssa began. “So rather than waking her and having to explain why needed the horse, and embarrassing myself, I thought it would be better to leave her and go. Tell me Sywyn. If you had no horse and Vindy was missing, wouldn’t you borrow a friends, and leave a note or would you wait to speak them face to face knowing that Vindy’s life was in danger?”
Sywyn paused thoughtfully a moment and then sat back in his chair, turning his eyes to Lyssa. “I see your point. I would have set off immediately for Vindy.”
“Then you can see why I would have borrowed Triumph.” Lyssa said.
“And for the record Sywyn,” Pania added. “She did return the horse. She may not have been on it, but Triumph did come back in one piece.”
“I’ve been proven wrong it would seem,” Sywyn said with a sigh. “There is a difference between stealing and borrowing.”
Lyssa grinned, nodding her head. Drifting slowly back to her thoughts and allowing Pania to continue the story.
Keep it real and rockin’
❤
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