The Black Teeth

XVII - Hardam

Hardam kept one thing a secret, and has never told anyone. His last name. The name meant to much to outsiders, and that was the only gamble he was to scared to make. All of his letters were address Hardam, with no last name. People often asked, and he wouldn't tell for the reason of his father.

Hardam was just a boy working with his father in the farm, and was no older then seven. He filled the crops, fed the animals, and made sure everything was good for when his father came. His favourite though, was looking after his beautiful maroon horse, Timothy. He would take care and talk to the horse every day and even if it only replied in 'nahh', he was happy to hear someone would listen to him.
That night as his mother called him in for supper, they sat looking at the window as a mysterious man knocked on the door. Nobody ever came to see them, so his father hesitated before opening the door.

"Good evening," said the man. "May I ask your name?"

His father awkwardly leaned on the doorframe blocking the view from Hardam. His mother looked him desperately in the eyes. She pointed towards the backdoor, in which Hardam refused and sat with his mother.

"I would like to speak to you outside." The man said mysteriously as Hardam's father disappeared into the cloudy night skies. It was multiple minutes of silence before Hardam's mother peeped out the window, and rushed out the door. She yelled for Hardam to stay, and he listened. What was happening?

That was the day that changed his life.

Hardam woke in his office quarters. He looked out at the drowsy seas. He dressed in one of his fashionable suits, and did his morning routine, then processed out the door as he was met two men guarding the door.

"Status on Wes?" He asked.

"He's not giving up without a fight."

"And the girl?"

"Let's see for yourself."

They guided Hardam to the lower decks in which Jasmine slept, and knocked on the door. Quickly opening the door, they greeted.

"Sleep well?" Hardam asked. He had to play a two-faced card to ensure his plans worked.

"The least your can expect on a boat." She shrugged before exiting her room. "What's our first task?"

"I need to you read in the library, there's multiple books in which may have information towards our next move." Hardam replied.

"Your kidding me. Reading books is the plan?" She asked surprised. She was by no means denying the task, but rather surprised sneaking up in conversations were not her first task.

"Unfortunately so, it seems we don't have all the information required just yet."

"So what are we doing anyways?"

"Also afraid I cannot tell you just yet."

They entered the wood polished library in were someone came up to Jasmine with a small stack of books and handed it to her. They sat at a near table while the guards positioned on either side of the door.

"I want you to look for anything mentioning Amulets, and where locations of them could be."

"We're searching for amulets? Why? I thought they were lost many years ago."

"They were. But they were lost, and we need to find them."

"But why?"

"To destroy them. Rumours are told that others seek their power so we must find them one by one to destroy them."

"What do we gain?"

"We control the economy of Bliskam. We rule in fortune in which is provided to us. King of Bliskam has offered a fair price to us, as well as the Jarl of Kettleburth."

"How much?"

"One hundred million." He said confidently.

"Holy shit."

"So read up." He gestured to the books and headed towards the exit. He leaned towards on the guards.

"Make sure she doesn't go before I come back." He whispered before the guards nodded and guarded the door once again.

The upper deck was cold from the wind but he didn't notice much. Multiple deck workers were arguing over something likely useless and Hardam didn't care to intervene. The looked out over the sea, "Am I the bad guy?".

The question dawned on him. He was doing what needed doing. If he would control the economy, he would have to backstab whoever it took to be on top. He had to get into that mindset, and if he didn't, it would haunt him like nothing before.

That night the slept uneasy, his dreams were blurring with images of his father, dead on the grass ground. Silently stabbed in the night. He woke panting and sweating, it was only thirteen years before. Magic wasn't born into his family, but he happened to learn one thing among the streets, which was appearance. He could manipulate his shape or body in any way with certain pills. He used it to keep himself anonymous, to hide his name. To hide everything.

He isn't an old man, in a gang, a sailor on a ship or even a cook in the bakery in Bliskam. He could be whatever, whenever.

These pills were only sold my the wealthy, and Hardam knew where to get them. Only a handful knew about them in Bliskam, and they are very hard to obtain without certain connections.

Hardam opened a small bottle with the pill, the effects lasting around a week. He opened in mouth and swallowed the pill. He thought about the form he wanted, which was his old self. Within seconds the pill fixed all the area where he started to form back into his normal self, and made him look aged again. He drank a small glass a water to fully wash the pill down.

Multiple knocks boomed his door. He opened cautiously.

"What the hell do you want?" He asked in a salty tone.

"We have more eyes on Clyde." The women responded.

"Where?"

"Last seen 4th Harbour with someone. Older aged, brushy beard, quite large."

"Shit."

"What is it?" The girl asked confused.

"Leave now." Without another word she hurried out the door.

He held his hands to his eyes. Clyde was turning his allies. He was losing time. The hourglass had begun its turn.