July 8, 1371


Returning to the house you bid each other goodnight and go to your rooms.

A few moments later a loud female voice booms through the place -

"HI OCCA! I HEAR YOU WANTED ME!"

The voice seems to come from Occa's room.

You continue to hear the female voice from Occa's room...evidently carrying on a conversation with him...

"WHATEVER!"

"THANKS, OCCA! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET A FINDER'S FEE!"

"I KNOW JUST THE FELLOW!"

"I BRIBED IGOR!"

"I'M A PEOPLE PERSON! AND THE MONEY'S BETTER! AND I DON'T SHOUT!"

"WANNA BET? YOU SHOULD SEE HOW ANGRY SOME PEOPLE GET WHEN THEY REALISE JUST WHAT I'VE SOLD THEM!"

"IT'S FUN!"

Darian gets up, grabs his sword and runs to Occa's room.

Gilstrock puts his hand on Darian's shoulder. "Relax. It's just his household staff."

Arriving at Occa's room, he finds the mage and Al just outside the door.

"What's going on? Who was that voice?"

Occa looks at Darian and says, "Hey now...I don't go that far. She might, but I don't, so put your sword away! That was Connie...she is the realtor. I just want Al to check her out and make sure she isn't evil or undead before I let her stay the night."

"That really loud voice was Connie? Wow! Why does she want to stay the night? I thought she'd already sold you the house? Or is she trying to sell you something else?" asks Darian.

Occa says, "Al and I sent for her to find out about building a temple to Horkus. She chose to wait in my room." He shrugs and says, "Maybe Al should go talk to her..." He knudges Al.

"Maybe you could ask her to keep her voice down as well?"

Occa chuckles and says, "Well, if she speaks that loudly, just wait till later."

He seems to get a huge grin on his face at the thought.

"You intend to sleep with her, I gather. What about Tracey?"

Occa frowns, "Oh sure! Give me that!"

He sighs, "Fine."

He turns to Al and says, "Al, could you entertain her tonight? Maybe you guys can talk about the temple you want to build."

With a grin Al replies, "It will be a tough job, but I think I can manage. I am still a man, you know !"

"I'm sorry, Occa. But, it didn't seem fair to Tracey."

"Besides, how beautiful could this Connie be. Especially with such a loud voice." Darian peaks through the doorway to see if he can get a glimpse of Connie.

Al enters the room and talks to Connie. "Well met lass," I say as I detect evil on her, "my name is Alhamet, you must be Connie. You may call me Al !"

"HI, AL!" says Connie, a middle-aged woman with bleached blonde hair and big teeth. "ARE YOU GOING TO JOIN OCCA AND ME?"

Occa says, "I won't be joining you Connie...I just remembered, I have a girlfriend and she might...well, kill both of us if she got angry enough."

"SO? SHE CAN TALK TO MY HUSBAND!"

He slaps Al on the back and says, "Good luck, old man." He heads down stairs after pushing Darian into the room and closing the door.

Darian's face flushes red and he paws at the door handle a few times before managing to open it again. He quickly stumbles through, closing the door behind him.

Darian scuttles back to his room...Occa beds down on a couch downstairs...and Al spends the night with Connie.

Thanks to the racket that the latter two (three, counting Saddam) make, none of you get much sleep tonight.

The next morning you all assemble in the breakfast room. The weather outside is hot, humid and drizzly.

Even the staff seems to be bleary-eyed and rather surly today...though Al is grinning wider than ever and Connie joins you as well...her features suffused with a healthy pink glow...

Occa spends the rest of the day memorising spells (Angst was right) and casting stoneskins on people.


next day...

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