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Post by wookie on Nov 13, 2007 10:31:14 GMT -5
A small village just over midway between Kings Landing and the Gods Eye, though closer to the later. Home to around 100 families, it's main point of interest is the natural ford across the Blackwater Rush after which the village is named. Since a bridge was built downstream, even that is now of little interest and the village has been a quiet backwater ever since.
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Post by wookie on Nov 14, 2007 6:36:11 GMT -5
Benfry came down to the smithy a few days after his return to Blackford Crossing. He had forgotten how quiet his hometown was and he was feeling bored and restless. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms as he watched Osmund hammer a small piece of glowing metal on the anvil. He shifted it to the horn of the anvil, grabbed some heavy iron pliers and bend the soft metal round it. Benfry recognised the horseshoe being formed and smiled as Osmund quenched it in the water barrel. "I've seen my da do that a thousand times. Still looks boring" he said with a smile. Osmund grunted and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Maybe, but it's honest work and it pays well" he grinned "Up before midday? This must be a new record for you - perhaps Ser Harald managed to get some work out of you then?"
Benfry coloured and muttered defensively "A lot's changed since I was a boy, Osmund". "So I see" Osmund said, pointing at the sword on Benfry's hip "You know how to use one of those now or do you just flail wildly like when we were kids" he grinned widely. Benfry coloured again, in anger this time. "Why don't we see!" he said, walking past Osmund into the yard out back. "Fancy trying your hand against a real knight?" he said with bravado. "Sure" replied Osmund, coming out with hammer in hand "If only to see how that steel shapes up against impact when I send you on your arse!" he laughed.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2007 6:59:27 GMT -5
OOC: Edited.
Hayden, the butcher, disappears. Nobody can find him after days of searching.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2007 10:44:50 GMT -5
Cassa, Hayden's shrewish, bitter wife, was heard ranting in the Wheatsheaf a couple days later. "The fool drunk," she ranted. "He's probably gone off to Dunglass for their little pig fair. No doubt to go wenching as well as butchering the squalling hogs. Fucking son of a whore. He's left me and my boy alone in the shop."
"The cut of pork your boy gave me yesterday was a bit rancid," one of the other wives said, a tad reproachfully. Cassa looked livid.
"My boy's only eleven! He's got more sense than his whoreson father though. If he gave you rancid pork, you deserved it."
A catfight broke out.
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Post by wookie on Nov 14, 2007 16:05:10 GMT -5
Benfry chuckled and held out an arm to help Osmund to his feet "Told you I got better" he said with a broad grin. Osmund let out a mock groan as he rubbed his chest and then his arm and leg absently "So you have. I guess I'm going to have fun for the rest of my shift" he laughed and then winced "Ouch. Ok, get out of here you hoodlum and let me do my work!" he waved Benfry away and limped back into the smithy.
Benfry smiled, and set off for the woods, whistling a merry tune
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2007 23:53:04 GMT -5
Hayden had not appeared for over a week, with no word of where he went. Cassa was getting impossible to manage, and the men of the village led search parties for Hayden, but to no avail. The man had vanished, and nobody had a clue where to look.
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Post by wookie on Nov 15, 2007 17:27:36 GMT -5
Benfry came back to the smithy, holding an old worn, muddy shoe in one hand. He sought out Osmund and spoke quietly with him about what he'd found in the forest.
Osmund frowned and said that they'd better find the village sheriff, a man named Kaled. He also doubled as the town baker as there was not much call for any kind of a sheriff in Blackford Crossing.
They reached the bakery and pocked their noses inside "Kaled?" they called out
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 15, 2007 18:15:38 GMT -5
"Yes?" said Kaled wiping his enormous hands on the enormous and floury white apron that barely stretched across his well padded vastness.
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Post by wookie on Nov 16, 2007 3:57:35 GMT -5
Benfry was at a bit of a loss about what to say. He stammered "Well, I...that is...erm"
Osmund, who knew Kaled rather better than Benfry, interrupted "Hayden's dead. Benfry found him in the woods. He was murdered" he said grimly. "The fella who did it, left this" he continued, tossing a muddy old shoe onto the floor. "By Benfry's words the body couldn't be more'n a few days old. You heard of anyone coming into town muddied up recently?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2007 6:24:42 GMT -5
Dalla Puckens, the widow who ran the mill, entered the smithy. She looked startled to see Ser Benfry. Her eyes drifted to the shoe in his hand.
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Post by wookie on Nov 16, 2007 7:20:24 GMT -5
Benfry nodded at the widow Puckens. "Good morning, ma'am. Sorry to keep you waiting, we're just talking quickly with the sheriff" his face took on a grave look and he said "I found the butcher dead in the woods" he shook his head sadly in disbelief at the news. He'd not heard of a murder in Blackford Crossing during any time in his youth. Fights were fairly common (especially chucking out time at the Wheatsheaf) but by and large the people here were hard-working and law-abiding folk.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2007 14:02:09 GMT -5
Dalla was shocked to hear of the murder. "Hayden?" she paled. Then she looked at the shoe in Benfry's hand, and paled further.
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Post by wookie on Nov 17, 2007 14:05:25 GMT -5
Benfry, still distractedly looking at Kaled for his response, missed Dalla's reaction and nodded absently "Horrible thing. He was bludgeoned to death. The killer ran off & left this shoe behind" he continued, waggling the shoe in one hand, without any further thought.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 17, 2007 15:05:23 GMT -5
Kaled knew the villagers, all were his customers as he was the only baker in town.
"What's wrong, Dalla?" he asked, narrowing his large eyes slightly and leaning forward just a tad. "Anything you need to tell us?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2007 18:26:10 GMT -5
"Um," Dalla said. She seemed to hesitate, but she was a good, religious woman - they said she lit candles to the Mother every hour - and her eyes looked frightened. She shook her head and shrugged.
A boy named Lewys came into the smithy, carrying a broken axe. "Kaled, my father needs this reforged. Hey, Ser Benfry! What's that?" He inspected the shoe in Benfry's hand. "Where did you find that?" he looked happy. "That's the show Myles Puckens lost, when he went hunting. Wouldn't take me though, even though I'm just a few years younger."
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Hope you all are well and happy.