"Could have sworn that’s my line to say, " says Andar, rubbing his forehead.
His trained eyes instantly take note of the hanging pouch, but the mercenary badge dangling about dulls the malevolent light in his eyes.
"Just be more careful next time, " says Andar, annoyed. No benefit tangling with a mercenary.
“…”
She looks at the man carefully.
Wasn’t he in the situation just now? I can get information from him. Nothing beats first-hand accounts.
“Hey, let’s have a drink. My treat. I got some questions for ya about what happened at the docks.”
He had expected for the woman to pass through with a snide remark. Staring? Definitely means business. Good or bad, he can’t tell yet.
“What do you want? An apology?”
Though he seems nonchalant, Andar shifts his centre of gravity toward his left leg. Preparation in case he needs to run.
“No, call it a business. I wanna know what happened there.”
She points at the inn.
“I’m just a curious gal, not many would dare to come between a noble and a crew. Some questions and I’ll be happy.”
She points towards the inn. “C’mon now, don’t leave a gal waiting.”
I need to know what was with them anyhow. That person who dropped it, what’s with them wanting to see a box’s contents? And most importantly, will it eventually affect my village?
Andar crosses his arms. His informant self takes the bait.
“A drink on the house and I’ll follow.”
“Ale! And keep them coming.” shouts Andar to the pub.
When the drink comes, he chugs the first glass empty in one drink. The second he drains halfway, before stopping.
“Pretty good, pretty good.”
He looks happy with the drink.
“Quite a drinker, you are.”
She smiles.
“Well, I’ll cut straight to the point. I saw them watermen and a noble. I don’t care about them watermen, but… know that noble?”
Andar doesn’t answer immediately. He empties his second mug, thumping the mug heavily to the table before answering.
“3 silver and I’ll talk,” he says as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. The right corner of his mouth slightly curls upward.
Tch, I can’t spend much more than this. 9 Silver I have in total. I need to have 4 for my village’s rations today… and who knows how much he’s going to drink? He does seem to know that noble’s identity after all.
Her face slips a look of worry before she composes herself.
“2 silver. Don’t forget, this is my treat. And I’ll get to ask one more question.”
She states.
Well, if too much is asked of me… I guess I’ll just ask others at the docks. Would be easier… But I can’t just ask the Captain, can I…
“The treat’s payment for me spending my time here, but sure,” the curl on his mouth turns into a smile. “a silver now, another after your questions. No bargain.”
The barmaid returns with a third mug, and a fourth. Andar takes the third, and starts drinking again. Slower this time, but the rate of how he drink the ale is quite impressive.
This man ain’t ordinary, ain’t he? He guzzles ale faster than my uncle back in the day.
“Well, I ain’t one to lie.”
She hands two silver immediately to the man in whom she had no way of identifying without a moment’s hesitation.
“Now, are we good?”
Seeing the silver on the table, Andar raises an eyebrow.
“You deaf or something? I said one now, another after your questions.”
He tosses a silver back, finishing his third mug.
She grabs the tossed silver back and puts the silver back on her side of the table.
“Well, since it ain’t going anywhere, tell me, who is that noble?”
“Name’s Richard Alnen. Small noble house, new house head. If you wanna know more, you should ask informant at the capital.”
The third mug is cleared, but Andar makes no move to touch the fourth mug. He doesn’t look drunk, though his breath smells nothing but ale.
“Nothing concrete. From the look of it, the box was taken by a seaman of Captain Black Stache from the noble. A fight over who owns it but don’t count on me knowing its real owner.”
Andar signs to the barmaid to stop the drink coming.
“From the noble… Huh. Thanks for that.”
She tosses the silver towards Andar.
“That’s all. Thanks.”
Theirs? That man was part of the noble’s?
She stays in deep thought.
Speaking of which, where did that man go? The man dropped the box but not report to the noble? That means…
A liar. A scumbag not to be trusted. Well, another noble onto the bastard list.
Richard Alnen huh…
“Well, nice knowing you. my name’s Faris, Ya?” She asks.
“Andar.” he says, taking a swig at the fourth mug. It’s drained empty as quickly as the first one.
“Not that you’d see me around often. Give me the silver and I’ll leave.”
A mercenary named Faris, yet a woman. The woman’s quite interesting. A shame he won’t see her again.
She takes out a second silver, and tosses it towards Andar.
“Andar… Ain’t a bad name. See ya now.”
She goes to the counter and starts talking with the tavernkeeper. Seems to be about jobs and payment.
