Benjamin is big enough to go off on his own

"Tell me we can stop this now that we are in town." Benjamin said to Serceese. She sneered down at him "This was your fault anyways." "Was not!" he squeaked in surprise. Tragonothor's baritone voice boomed back to them "Behave you two." He was impervious to the two looks of scorn directed at his back. "How do you figure that anyways?" he asked in a calmer quieter voice keeping a wary eye on the two members of the group walking ahead of them. "You were the one who asked how we could get to town faster weren't you?" Serceese said with some hostility, though quietly. "You seriously expected me to know that the moron twins would say singing would get us here faster?" he replied. "And your being a gloomy gus is why we had to hold hands and skip like them for half the day don't forget." Serceese had a expression of thoughtfulness on her face and alarm bells were ringing in the halfling's head. "What are you thinking Serceese?" he asked warily. Smiling sweetly she said in a happy tone "I am deciding which of you three I hate more and if I should kill any of you because I hate you." Benjamin just sighed "Look at them now, I am thinking you should kill me first." Ahead of them Tragonothor and Pixie had been joined by some of the town children all skipping and singing. "You are worth killing Ben-Ben you would understand the malice it would be wasted on those two." Serceese said as her lip curled in disgust.

"Howdy folks" said the town guardsman when they got to the gate. Benjamin looked at him, looked at the town gate and even though he knew it was a bad idea he could help asking anyways. "Ummm, there are no walls just this one archway so the point of having this is what exactly?" "Well we got a town so we needed a town gate, all the towns have started getting them and we didn't want to get left out little fella." The man ruffled his hair and looked a Tragonothor and Pixie "Is this your boy, cute little guy" but leaning over and speaking behind his had to Tragonothor "But he don't seem to bright I am sorry to say." "Tragonothor and Pixie aren't Ben-Ben parents but if we don't find them before we find Soonamor, Tragonothor and Soonamor will keep him, he is my little man." The barbarian looked down at Benjamin with unconditional affection. The halfling started and stopped several times trying to come up with any kind of response. When Serceese couldn't help herself and started laughing he ground his teeth in frustration. Then he had an evil thought "Tragonothor can I go look for frogs along the river I promise to be careful, when you Pixie and Serceese find an inn Pixie can come get me." The halfling positively glowed with hopeful delight as he tugged on the big man's hand. "Tragonothor supposes that is okay Ben-Ben". Unable to resist Benjamin stuck out his tongue a Serceese and humming to himself skipped off. Shortly he realized what he was doing and stopped "Oh no I am turning in to one of them. There will be no more of that." and with that thought he stalked off toward the river bank.

Back at the gate the guard was still talking with Tragonothor and the two women, "So you folks in town for the beheading?" "No Tragonothor needs to find a mage and Serceese wants another warrior before we set out to rescue Soonamor again." "I said meat shield" Serceese muttered under her breath. "Oh well then best of luck with that then enjoy your stay" the guard waved them through the arch with a broad smile.