Des strode into the common room with a purpose this morning. She gave a yell to one of the pages that were always ready to run errands. Bright eyed and ready to work the youth came running up to her and stood at attention awaiting his orders. After smiling at his promptness she gave him his instructions carefully.

?I have a message that I need ya to deliver to Lydia. I?m sure you have seen her around here. She is a page like you. We is having the fist fightin? people coming to visit this coming Wednesday on the eighteenth and I need her help to get things ready. I want ya to go find her and tell her this then wait and see if she has a message to send back to me. I?ll be here in the office for a while to check the order and supply lists to see where we stand for alcohol.?

Des had just finished filling out an order for some Badsider beer along with extra bottled water, whiskey, and scotch for the fist fighters that she hoped would be coming over to fight when Lydia came through the door. She looked up with a bright smile and motioned her on in and toward the chair by the desk then picked up her list of things to do.

?Howdy Darlin?! Might as well have a seat cause I am needin? some help with this here Duel of Fists visit that we got comin? up on Wednesday of this here coming week. We got lots of things to do to get ready for it. Pslyder is gonna come to call the fights for us so everybody outta be havin? a really good time and if everybody is havin? a really good time then we gotta make sure they got plenty to drink. I?m sending off this here special order which will be delivered on Tuesday morning bright and early.?

She glanced up to make sure the newest RDI Page was getting all this then glanced back to her list and continued on.

?Then on Wednesday afternoon we have to move half of the tables and chairs out of the Inn to the storage room to make room for the fightin? rings the guys will be bringin? over and settin? up for us in the common room. Thank goodness for this sport we don?t have to worry about gettin? them warded or nothing for Healing or to keep the magic spells in cause when the Duel of Magic came over to visit I forgot and some of the magic fightin? spells got loose and well it just was not pretty that there night.?

Des paused for a few breaths and to read down her list again then started up once more.

?Oh and we gotta make a place for the musicians some where safe so in case of them there fighters gettin? too rowdy and takin? their fights outta the rings like they sometimes do cause they is a wild bunch the musicians don?t accidentally get their instruments broken up or taken away from them and used like clubs and such in the fights by the fighters. Trust me I have seen them there fist fighters pick up chairs and any other thing that ain?t nailed down and use ?em against each other when they is fighting in The Outback so this is a priority that we put them some where them ones that is fighting can?t get to them. Are ya gettin? all this Darlin???

Des was happy as could be as Lydia leaned forward and listened so very carefully to her. She was positive that she had the perfect Page to help her out this month and that unlike previous dueling events when little things had gone wrong like the magic spells getting loose from the dueling rings and threatening life and limb of the unsuspecting crowd of spectators that had come to her special event this time nothing would go wrong at least she had her fingers crossed.

Of course there was always Amal to consider and The Oracle which needed some juicy news articles and something going wrong would make for excellent news so she had to keep that in mind while doing her planning here. Best not to cause something to happen though unless it was absolutely necessary she had decided as last month her running around in the middle of the night hunting down other reporters with a gun had so been a mess and resulted in her accidentally shooting one of her best friends. The horror of that was still clear in her mind.

She listened to Lydia?s questions and when she came up with the idea of forming a barricade around the musicians a radiant smile appeared as that hadn?t occurred to her and it did sound like a wonderful way to keep them safe from the brawling.

?Lydia, ya are a genius! We can stack a couple of tables on top of each other and protect the musicians with your barricade! Then they will be sure and come back again to play for us! I just knew ya were the right person to hire when we was talking Darlin?!? She was all wide, happy smiles, and sparkling navy blue eyes as she picked up one of the papers from the desk and held it out to her.

?This here is a copy of the order that I am placing so ya will know what to expect on Tuesday mornin? when the delivery comes. Just put what will fit on the shelves and the rest can go in either the cellar or storage room whichever has room for it will be just fine. I really do appreciate ya helping me out with this here thing. I got me an appointment Tuesday mornin? so I can?t be here to help ya but I will come Wednesday mornin? and help with the tables and chairs and all so ya don?t have to do everythin? by yourself.?