Red Hand drew his sword.
'Get after him.'
They banged their platters together and yelled at the overweight man as he clambered onto a bench and lashed out with his blade. Fire Tongue jumped clear and pranced nimbly down the table. Red Hand followed, knocking over drinking horns and scattering loaves of bread.
Fire Tongue reached the end of the table and stopped. The crowd fell silent. The young man's only weapon was a short hunting knife. The red man's sword was made from the finest steel and capable of slicing off an arm. Fire Tongue balanced on the edge of the table and stuck out his tongue.
'Insolent puppy!'
Red Hand's sword slashed out and the young man did a back flip. The blade passed between his legs and he landed on the flagstones beside the main door. Red Hand clambered down and pursued him outside.
Tom turned to Griffin.
'Does this happen every night?'
The Chariot Master didn't reply. His eyes were on the royal dais where the queen was flanked by her retainers. Thunder stood behind her. Tom watched as the little man tapped out a message on the knuckles of his hand. Griffin got to his feet and left the Hall with a group of warriors.
Tom returned his attention to the queen.
The old woman was listening to Thunder but her eyes were on Adrina and her companions, who were making no effort to hide their delight. Outside, in the chariot enclosure, studded boots sounded on the cobblestones. Tom listened as they reached the side of the building and climbed the massive timbers. The diners turned their heads and followed the shouts of abuse and threats of retribution.
The shouting reached the eves and stopped while the two antagonists negotiated the overhang. Then it started up again. Threats and insults followed as the two men clawed their way up the roof. Wooden tiles cascaded into the hall. The line of destruction reached the ridgeline and stopped.
For a while there was silence.
Then something began a slow descent, dislodging more tiles as it made its way down. It reached the eves and the noise of falling tiles was replaced by the dull thud of something heavy hitting the ground. No one spoke. Eyes turned to the wall. Someone was climbing down ... and he was whistling.
The jaunty little tune made its way to the ground and continued through the chariot enclosure to the main door of the Hall. Fire Tongue appeared. He carried a bundle of red cloth and went straight to Adrina's table where he set it down with as little ceremony as a postman delivering a parcel … then slipped away.