Library: A tale of a bard near Sad Moose Inn

A TALE OF BARD NEAR SAD MOOSE INN "It was a passing autumn evening, slowly getting dark after the sunset. I was arriving to a small village, hoping to get a nightstand for a night or two." said grey-bearded old man. "I believe not a single soul in here has heard this tale before, do you want to hear it?" he continued. "Yes!", the crowd shouted. "Nothing is more fun than an exciting story beside a fireplace and a pint of fine ale." a man from the people around the bard added. "A pint of file ale? Anyone wishing to buy the storyteller one of those?" the bard asked, and found four pints of beer on the table before finishing his sentence. "All right...", he said. "Like I said, I was arriving to a small village at the sunset. The temperature was a bit below zero, and small snow flakes were slowly floating down from the sky. There was no wind, and the trees were still in full colour. I was walking down the main road looking for an inn to stay, when I heard sounds of a fierce fight." the bard said quickly and took a quick look to the crowd. It was listening tightly, eyes glowing with interest. The bard took a sip from the beer. "So there was a fight somewhere aruond the corner. I sharpened my senses, drew my trustworthy sword from the sheath and walked closer to the origin of the sounds." he continued. "Even I was experienced and been through a lot I was a bit scared. There were screaming and shouting, swords and shield clanging and silent whispers for help." the bard said and imitated the sounds frightening the crowd. They looked excited and scary. "Please continue", a young lady from the crowd said. "Yes, yes", the bard replied. "The fight was between the King's Knights and a band of ogres. The Knights were losing the fight, since the ogres got them badly outnumbered. Their shiny plates were battered and covered in blood, both ogre and human. Seven bodies were laying on the ground, two decapitated Knights and three dead ogres, two were wounded.", he merely whispered under his grey-beard, voice trembling. "I advanced closer, and made a quick count. Nine ogres were fighting four Knights. The situation required my intervention, but I was unsure what to do. Should I run to the tavern and hope there were men able to fight the ogres, or should I use my element of surprise and take one or two ogres down before they would notice what had happened.", he said wondering. "I bet a silver coin that you went for help!", a tall man threw a challenge in the air. "Don't bet your coins on things that can't happen", the bard replied quickly. "You would lose the bet, and by the looks of you, you wouldn't pay the bet anyways.", he said. The tall man turned red, looking rather angry. A sturdy man asked how bard knew that the man was a known cheater. "An experienced wayfarer can tell from a man's face if he is telling lies.", he replied. "Well, let us forget that, and lets get back to the story. As you know by now, I didn't go for help. I stuck my blade to nearest ogre's throat and he fell down silently, which gave me a chance to swing the blade at the second ogre. Unsuccesfully I managed to wound an arm only, but as the Knights noticed they got help, their faces brightened and their attack got more edge.", the bard said. "The ogres were grim fighters, and would not surrender, and why would they? They still outnumbered us eight to five. Their strength was unmatched.", he said worriedly and heard a few oohs and aahs from the crowd. "I was able to take my foe down, as I wasn't exhausted like the others. One Knight was taken out by three ogres, beated to death by superior forces. The courage was slowly draining from the allies, so I stepped couple steps backwards, took out my golden harp from the sack and ferociously sang a song to boost morale. The notes were mighty as I am not a supporter of ogres. I played my harp as never before, and brought the strength back to the arms and legs of my fellows. I joined them and we managed to kill three, each one killing one. As the forces turned nearly equal, four to three, suddenly the ogres retreated!", the bard shouted. "We congratulated each others for surviving the assault as we noticed the reason why the ogres had fled. A band of townsfolk torches burning brightly was marching our way, swords glimmering in the torchlight. We hailed the townfolk and informed them out the situation.", he said with delighted voice. 'Thank the Gods for your help, strangers. Those ogres has been raiding our city every month, we have been unable to defend ourselves. As usual, we were.. uhh, hiding tonight. Suddenly we heard this encouraging song which raised the spirit and we regrouped and went looking for the ogres.', the man holding a torch said. 'It was you!', someone yelled. 'Yes, I am a bard and sang a song to upheld the failing morale. I guess it worked better than I thought, we were in trouble even we managed to slay most of them.', the bard explained. 'I don't know why the Knights were here, but I know that these fine men could use some rest and healing. I arrived here for that anyways, I believe you have an inn around?', the bard asked. 'Yes, the Sad Moose Inn in is near. Come and rest! We shall treat you as heroes, whilst you are ones!', the innkeeper announced. 'Gladly!', we replied as from one mouth. So we marched to the inn, healed our wounds and sing merry songs. They were wondeful folk!", the bard said joyfully. "It surely was a tale to hear!", crowd cheered. "Glad you liked it, even it did not have a dragon or trolls in it.", the bard replied. "Rarely there is more enjoyable story than the real ones.", he said and drank the pint empty. "I'll better be going to sleep now, good folk, for I am tired. I shall stay another night, so gather around tomorrow and I shall tell you a tale with a fiery dragon! I bid you good night!", he said.

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Library: A tale of a bard near Sad Moose Inn