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xviii. Nev Ironbar smiled warmly, "I am sorry it took us so long to get to you." "GET THE HELL OUT or I might just scratch out your good eye." Nev Ironbar looked aghast. Ehlranth and Romanar appeared from nowhere. Nev waved his hand almost imperceptibly, but Clarissa saw it. Romanar turned and left the room. Ehlranth was still there. "Perhaps if I explained... then you might understand." said Nev Ironbar. "I don't want to hear anything from you..." "What, not even how we know who you are?" Clarissa turned from him, but she was curious by all means. She wouldn't give him the honour of looking at him. Nev Ironbar continued regardless. "Clarissa Damaris, daughter of Ricard and Florence Damaris... a very frantic Ricard and Florence, I might add." This was too much for her. She turned to look at him. "We know all about you... even things that they don't, like the fact that you have been stealing money from them for some time." Clarissa's jaw dropped! "... and that you picked the pocket of the merchant at the gate..." Ehlranth chimed in, "Which was very foolish, if you ask my opinion. That merchant was a someone who pays for our services, and you have now placed us in his debt." Nev Ironbar continued on, he was waving his arm casually around as if that helped him to remember everything. And indeed he did: Spedwell, a caravan that nearly took her to Narwell, her subdual by the bandits... Who was Nev Ironbar, was he a god? Or something like that? How did he know so much about her and what did he want with her? Nev Ironbar continued, "You will find it hard to hide things from a specialist Diviner! Those bandits that held you up in Safeton? What if I were to tell you their names: Walker, Granduur, McGurk?" Clarissa was speechless. Was this a day for it, or what? "They work for you?" she asked. "Well... yes and no..." Answered Nev sheepishly, an embarrassed grin on his face. Clarissa struck him hard and felt good about it. Ehlranth struck her back, perhaps even harder. When her vision returned, she saw Nev glaring at Ehlranth with his good eye. Was this emotionless elf afraid of the glare? Nev turned to her. "Perhaps if we can begin at the beginning... and let me begin by stating honestly that I am not a Slavelord, and nor are any of my colleagues..." Ehlranth cleared his throat at this, but Nev continued on. "We work for a... how shall I put it... world wide organisation of balance. We work to help balance out inequality. We are constantly looking for new members and agents and sometimes we put together and test mercenary bands for specific missions and purposes. That is how you found us. We were testing the largest band we had ever assembled. We have a need for good warriors and we will be needing them soon." Clarissa could tell that he was still hiding something, but he seemed basically sincere enough. "What do you mean by... we?" Nev Ironbar considered. "Well, Ehlranth and I are close colleagues. The six guards, including your assailants are colleagues but less close. Dinizael the diviner and Romanar are free agents that have helped us in the past. They did so again now. As I said, we all work for the organisation." "But the guards... Why did they attack me? Why did you kidnap me if you have been testing experienced adventurers?" Ehlranth answered this one "Your father..." "What?" Clarissa blurted out. "We told you he was frantic, he still is." Ehlranth answered and Clarissa felt uncomfortable. Nev cleared his throat. "I'll wait outside." said Ehlranth, rolling his eyes. He shut the door behind him. Nev Ironbar looked even more menacing alone than he did with his bodyguard, Clarissa thought. "I think we are wasting time here, lets just cut the nonsense... okay?" Said Nev Ironbar. "Fine by me," said Clarissa, getting a bit bored. "Among the many things that the organisation I work for does is that it provides for 'bounty hunting'. Your father came to us frantic. He was scared that his little princess was kidnapped and dead. He promised anything, even the tavern..." Nev Ironbar held up the ownership deed. Clarissa's blood ran cold. "A deal is a deal however, balance must be sought. He has paid us, and now you have to return home." "Do you mean to say, that you have been protecting me... doing two things at once, and risking my life to constant danger..." Nev slapped her. Not hard, but enough to make Clarissa grow quiet. "Even despite the constant protection that I surrounded you with, with some of the most loyal and capable warriors you are EVER likely to meet, you STILL are little more than an ungrateful, spoilt brat, aren't you?" Clarissa couldn't believe it. She resisted Kerin at his worse, and she was now nearly in tears. "Dennis O'Berrin and Cylene Saxinus. Please tell me that you haven't forgotten who they are?" Said Nev Ironbar. "No. I remember them." replied Clarissa, snuffly. "You don't like them, do you?" "They are pleasant company..." "They annoy you and you are jealous of their good looks. You want what they have, don't you? Mahaern was ready to give up his vows on the hope that he could stay with you, yet you couldn't see that, could you?" Clarissa really did start to cry now. "Cylene and Dennis came running over to your aid when the Ogre Mage was putting you to sleep. To do so, they were both shot by a great many arrows, and cut by many weapons... I promised to keep it secret, but I will tell you anyway. Cylene... she is with child." Clarissa cried even harder. "I am having her seen to now. I think she and the baby will be fine. Dennis was distraught, of course. But regardless, he made me promise to ensure your safety... which is of course, what I have done. Here I am now!" "But you let me be captured by Slavers..." Nev Ironbar replied with the cruellest words she heard in her entire life. She remembered it until the day she died. "You were in no real danger. You are a prime specimen and healthy worker! They wouldn't dare harm you, and would prefer to work you to death rather than sell you off. However, I expect that you proved so annoying that they had to keep rotating your duty just to prevent a Slave revolt. How long do you think you have been here?" Clarissa didn't know. "I will tell you. You have been here less than a week, maybe four days..." Clarissa was could not even find it within herself to deny this or argue. The tears rolled down here cheeks, and she was shaking hard. "I will give you ten minutes to get ready. You are going home whether you like it or not!" Nev Ironbar stood up and went to leave. Clarissa felt her rage building. She shouted after him "WHO... ARE... YOU?" Nev Ironbar didn't even pause as he went through the door and shut it on her. To be _concluded_... The Final Act (and the eye patch comes off...)