"Well I had wanted to thank you both for dragging me back last night, and I imagine the only reason I am standing now is thanks to whom ever bandaged me up so well. Who do I have to thank for that by the way? I wasn't fully with it last night, it's all bits of fuzzy pieces." While pouring his third cup of coffee.
"Also I was famished and the coffee seemed a grand idea. I had a craving for cinnamon for some reason." If either of them had noticed that moment last night perhaps the mentioning would reveal it and if neither responded he might save himself a little dignity. Although he really had wanted the cinnamon.
"I dont suppose either of you know why he is still here?" "...Doubtful. Though alcohol does appear to be in the equation."
Vik'nar had either avoided the main hall or was unconscious for other parts, so he just now puts it together. His informants hadn't been all that descriptive either. "Human, big sword, might be crazy..."
Whisper. "Wait, that's The Professional." Careful to not let his voice carry over to the bar.
"Hell if I know..." Warees murmured, more focused on his drink than the man beside him. "It has a chance to kill me and impairs my judgment, so it's fine in my book. Provided da' barkeep didn't poison it, dat' is, otherwise I'm goin' to be sicker than usual." He took a large gulp of the brew, when suddenly he realized something; there sure were a lot of people coming up to him today.
"If you don't mind me askin', but are you with a group or something? Y'know, like adventurers or somethin' along those lines?"
Ra'ive studied the mans face and stance for a moment before answering, he didnt think the man would pose much of a threat to him but he kept an eye on his hands just incase.
"Yes, we are here on buisness of the king. Why do you ask?" he replied cautiously
She turned her head and raised her mug higher to her face to hide the awkward rise of color in it. "I tended to your wounds last night while you... slept. It wasn't a problem."
And then, the problem of The Professional... But at least he wasn't at anyone's throat this morning.
"...Yes. Yes, it most certainly is. I would like to assume Ra'ive is conducting an investigation."
With Ra'ive out of ear shot, Vik'nar coughed quietly to stifle some embarrassment. "I had thought as much. At the very least let me treat you to another fine meal sometime to thank you. I know this great little place in Heraldan. Should the opportunity present itself when we are back." He grinned ever so slightly, hoping she would catch on that he was of coarse referring to his own restaurant.
Drinking in the aroma of the coffee before taking another sip, "Did we learn anything else about the meeting last night while I was out?"
She blinked. "What...? Ah--" Ellondra dug through her bag for the letter and ledger Ra'ive has entrusted her with last night. She didn't think he'd mind if the information filtered through to the Sever-Elf. "Here. Make of it what you will. I'd like to get it to the King's eyes as quickly as possible."
The Sergeant frowned, quickly growing serious again, "If the Elf he trusted to guide us was crooked, others in his ranks carry the same potential. I'd like to leave once everyone has fed."
"Hmmm...This is convenient. It would happen that I've been tasked by da' king to find you and your party to lend a hand." Warees answered, his attention now focused on the elf that he had previously ignored; for once his ale went unattended. "I've been wanderin' about for hours lookin' for you lot, decided to take a break, and you guys show up when I ain't expectin' it! Funny how things like dat' happen, eh?"
"The King tasked you with finding us? To offer aid?" The ghostly voiced whispered into their ears "Forgive my... increduality... but why should we believe anything you have to say? We know what you are; thief, vagabond, murderer, mercenary. Why would the King entrust something like that to you, instead of a member of his own retinue?"
A seperate, harsh voice spoke directly to the other party members, and them alone
"If the scout was comprimised, this man may have been sent to... finish the job. He is a criminal; not the sort of person to which a King delegates a task of this importance"
Taking the ledger from Ellondra. "I'll put an eye to it and I am in agreement, we should probably leave the city soon."
"He is a criminal; not the sort of person to which a King delegates a task of this importance"
No, not ever. Thinks Vik'nar to himself. Ska'ar doesn't have a moral compass. It's a god damn coin, it's all black and white to him it seems. Although The Professional might not exactly be the shining example of a suitable moral gray. Regardless?
"What measure of proof do you have that your an envoy of the King?" Vik'nar calls out.
"Aye, how can you prove to us that your on buisness of the king. You dont look like one that would be frequently in his employ" said Ra'ive suspiciously as he continued looking at his face for signs of deception.
'And if you do not get out of my head, I swear in Gyia's name I will kill you' he thought, as he turned to Skaar and fixed him with a cold stare.
"With this." Warees reached into his pockets, rummaging around for a few seconds before pulling a piece of crumbled parchment; a service contract. "It's a mutual agreement or somethin', basically sayin' that in exchange for my services he'd forget about that da' incident I caused at his...ah, estate. I'm not really sure what all this shit suppose to mean, but I can't kill anyone of you guys outside of self defense without dealin' with some consequences." He glanced at Skaar, smiling. Looks like you just got lucky.
He held it upward, showing it the rest of the crowd; the crest of the king visible at the top right corner. "There's a bunch of other things, but I haven't taken da' time to read it all yet."
What Warees spoke of was the truth, and the content of the parchment was the following:
Mr. Warees.
Your services are required in the name of Calemdar, not in the name of the King.
There is a group of adventurers supposidly led by a guardsman from Wesburg that may be in the need of assistance.
If you arrive in time or do not, this I do not know. But the quest they are upon is that of most importance to all of Calemdar, for they bear a secret Tai Ogul cannot, by all means, get his hands on.
Accepting this contract may most likely take your life in the process, but if you wish to keep this world from the flames of the East, then you shall do what you deem best of your skill.
If you journey with them back to Herelden, I will erease all criminal records from all town regestries, and you shall have a clean record. A clean slate to start anew. What you do with this chance or even if you choose to accept, is up to you.
I hope, for Calemdar's sake, and all the innocent women and children, people of young and old that count on this group of adventurers, that you will aid them in their quest and show the races of Calemdar, that the Humans still know what Honor and Glory means.
"Well I'll be damned! It seems that crazy old man is hiring anyone he can get his hands on, I mean what next?" Ra'ive exclaimed, for a moment after reading the letter he was at a loss for words, the group was now quite the strange collection of 'talent' and he was wondering who the king would decide to burden them with next.
"So I take it our buisness here is done? We move out today I presume?" he said as he turned to Ellondra. It was no use fighting it now, Ellondra had taken up the reins of the group and so he looked to her to make the decisions. At least as long as he agreed with them.
Vik'nar turned back from his conversation with Ellondra. "Yeah Ra'ive, we'd like to depart in the next hour. I'll take care of your debt for letting me use your room for the night." He walks over to the counter and places a few gold coins in the strongbox.
Ellondra read the parchment as well, seeming about at ease with the idea as Ra'ive. "To be honest, it matters little at this point." She rolled it up again once everyone had read it who had wanted to do so, handing it back to Warees. "We have completed our mission and I see no harm in your accompanying us on our return." Her eyes very briefly fixed on Skaar. "No more so than other 'guests', in any case."
She adjusted her bags on her shoulder and nodded. "Very well. Let's be on our way."
Landon stood up from the table he sat at. He took the dish and cup he had and put it on the counter of the tavern. He then walked over to the others with his bag on his back and his shield in his left hand.
"I assume we are leaving now?" he asked the others.
Skaar rose from his seat, the ragged black shroud shifting subtly with the movement "Then let us delay no further... I will fetch the horses from the stables, assuming they haven't been stolen... the vermin in this city grow bold at night." With that, he turned and left them alone to their own devices.
Ellondra looked mildly surprised by his helpfulness.
"Well then, 'Professional', I hope you have a mount of your own. Allow me to make one errand while Skaar is fetching the horses."
It only took her ten minutes to retrieve the urn with Dworgen's ashes from the gravekeeper. Afterward, she was waiting in front of the Inn with the rest of them. Once the horses were prepared, she turned to Vik'nar, seeming slightly conflicted as she gave his wounded arm a pointed glance.
"I assume we are leaving now?" he asked the others.
"Yes, I believe so. Now if I remember correctly you walked into town? Luckily, we have one extra steed though. If you want it."
---
Laughing a little at Ellondra's reluctance to offend his pride in front of the others. "Don't worry. I'm not too proud to accept a hand up."
With her hand offered to counter-balance him, swing up and over the saddle is a much simpler task this time around. The last time he finally had jumped on to the saddle from a nearby higher surface, he'd hoped to avoid trying that again. And just falling in general for the next few days at least.
He was about to thank her but decided to hold his tongue until she had mounted as well. It didn't feel right to talk literally down to her. "Thank you."
He turned to address the other. "Everyone else ready?"
We lost 2 riders, the scout and Dworgen. Ska'ar took the scouts. Landon walked into town. Warees didn't say one way or the other, so I am assuming he rode. Unless I missed something.
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