| Astra could have tried the effect of offering the man more money, but
she didn't likepeople who pulled swords on her with so little cause. The
battle armour had comecomplete with a sword, and when she drew it she was
pleased to see that it seemed to beof the same high quality workmanship
as the armour itself.
The toll-keeper looked surprised when she drew her sword. Perhaps her armourhad looked too new and clean, and he had assumed that it was worn purely for show ratherthan with serious intent. Nevertheless, after a second's hesitation he made a crudelunge at her, which she easily parried. Astra continued to fence defensively for thenext minute or so, in order to gauge just how good her adversary was. It was soonobvious that he wasn't very good at all; after all, if you were a good swordsmanyou were unlikely to finish up in a dead end job like toll collecting. Astra decidedthat it was time to end this, preferably without spilling too much of her opponent'sblood.
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