I get yelled at even when I do nothing... OK, I wrote more...View attachment 529827 Now that squint is really something...shall we call it a trademark? It has sex appeal. And then the cigar too. And let's not forget the hat!
View attachment 529828 Now compare this dude. Same hat, but not nearly the same class act, is it? Absolutely no charisma or sex appeal.
Now which of these two would you buy a used car from?
The first one, right? No contest.
Which brings me to my point. Whenever one reads a Tree story, one never knows what or who will turn up? What one does know, though, is that an awful lot of effort, skill and imagination went into the writing (and a prodigious quantity of Seagrams and Marlboros too).
View attachment 529829 Nice work, Tree. Stop leaning on that pole. Take a bow, and keep on writing.
Tree knows where Eva’s coven is. They are not witches in the sense that Eva is. They are mostly followers seeking a respite from the oppressive world they in and enjoy a period of peace and tranquility among friends and equals.
Tree does not reveal their lair but witch-meat hunters stumble across their utopia and they are rounded up the night before Little Brampton’s Market Day. So numerous was the catch some were hanged on the Eastwick Hill while still more are led to the gallows of Little Brampton to be hanged and roasted as witch meat!
All through Market Day Eva Inanna struggles over what to do. Her coven was the reason for her to stay and now that they have been taken she feels that even though she cannot save them how could she flee just to save herself?
Eva is not the only one who knows her coven has been captured. A brave warrior follows the procession of the coffle trying to determine how she can save if not most of the women being led to their execution. Suddenly she sees a low parapet and knows if she leaps to the top of it she would have a clean shot at the few guards and can save the women not yet taken to Little Brampton. She races forward drawing an arrow from her quiver. As she plants her foot to leap she feels a sharp pain in her ankle and instead of landing on the wall she falls short, hits he head on the stone, and loses both her quiver and bow.
Dazed she reaches for her knife but finds the knife, sheath, and belt are gone. As she climbs onto the parapet she realizes her ankle is still trapped in the jaws of a bear trap that she cannot open.
She looks up and before is a man wearing clothing unlike any she has seen before and asks “What are you?”
“I’m known as Tree, witch-hunter and executioner extraordinaire.”
“But it is illegal even in the Loruxu fiefdom to hunt witches with traps” she says.
“Indeed it is but may I point out Lady Erin, otherwise known as ‘Erin the Brave’, you are an elf warrior and not a witch thus not covered by such a compact” Tree asks. “You have been known to claim you have the witches’ backs and those that harbor and protect the witches will be hanged with the very wenches you strived to protect.”
Erin looks about and sees her belt with the sheathed knife and thinks just maybe she can reach it when Tree says “I saw that look in your eye. You move and whether it is your fault, my fault, or nobody’s fault I will shoot you with this.”
Tree points a small but imposing crossbow at Erin. She looks at the tip of the arrow dipping with a honey-colored potion. Tree says “This won’t kill you but you won’t be able to move. The wolves are patient around here. They only eat what they need and save the rest for the next day’s feeding. It could take you days to die.”
“What do you want” she asks.
At least he seems to respect my powers. I am chained and collared to preclude any chance of escape.
I ask him why this is necessary as I have surrendered and he says “I respect a warrior."
In the morning I look out of my cell’s window and see the old Brampton gallows.
The chain around my neck sudden feels like a minor inconvenience
-Erin the Brave
Tree
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