The justiciar bashed through the door and entered the tavern, six men behind him and six more who waited outside at each entrance. He ignored the proprietor's objections as he surveyed the room, but not the inhabitants. Three in particular he marked out because of their strength and skill which both were obvious to him at a glance.
"I'm pressing you three to assist in the capture of this man." Saying that, he held up a proclamation of outlawry. The subject was nobody else but the blackguard Lobic. "What about it? Speak up."
The first of the three, a man of fierce looks who sat alone and intimidated any who thought to change that, grunted and said, "The blackguard Lobic. Fine. Let's hurry."
The second of the three, a man quick to smile and to put a hand on a weapon, turned from his seat at the busy bar and chuckled. "I had plans myself. The blackguard Lobic, is it? Doubt you'll ever catch him, no insult intended."
The third of the three, a man who had the air of one who has studied causes and effects, the powers of substances, and the intricacies of steel stood up from his crowded table and said, "It will be a diversion at least. I hope an instructive one. What is known of the blackguard Lobic?"
The justiciar smiled. "Arrest that false scholar. Oh, are you surprised, Lobic? Distressed? Didn't you notice? These two don't know how to say 'blackguard.' They've only seen the word. You're the one man here who's ever been called it!"
Finis
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