A Scoundrel's Song

36 & Epilogue

The suave, immensely confident father of Herit sauntered across the floor of the tavern, divested of all customers save for the man's people, Niico, Pel, Antioni and Akafa. Reaching the table where they all sat, he lifted a leg, sweeping it impressively yet needlessly over the back of the empty chair and sat, relaxed and comfortable. He didn't need to do that, but it looked magnificent. He said nothing for long moments, only looking between each of them before raising a hand, a pointed finger indicating the table.

Before he had even lowered that hand, two men appeared, carrying mugs of beer for everyone, placing them with great care on the table, and disappeared just as fast. The others hesitated, looking at the man, looking at their frothy beer and between each other. Even Akafa looked mollified, his eyes downcast. Niico drank the beer. He was thirsty.

"So, I have you to thank for the safe passage of my daughter?" He gave an easy laugh, reaching out without looking and clapping Akafa on the shoulder, causing the big Orususkan to jump. "When Akafa here sent out word that my Herit wished to join me, I was pleased, though I couldn't collect her myself. You know how it is. A face known all along the coast of the Inland Sea."

He raised his hands in mock surrender and laughed again. Niico didn't know him at all, but then he tried to avoid the sea at all costs. Akafa, however, appeared to know the man. Pel, too, had a look of admiration that Niico envied. She never looked at him like that and he was, without a doubt, one of the most impressive people he knew. He deserved admiration as much as, probably far more, than this man who looked far too confident for his own good.

"If I'd known it was you, I would have tried harder to get her here faster." Pel leaned forward and, Niico couldn't believe, looked coy and girlish. It was disturbing to see. "I've long admired you and you're ..."

"Who are you? Exactly?" Niico had soon finished his beer, gazing sadly into the empty mug. "I'm sorry, but I know pretty much everybody in Larissa and you ... I don't."

"This is the great man of such renown you should feel honoured to sit in his presence." Akafa looked up and back down, his hands held tight together upon his lap. "Jsahk Aszhain."

He said that with such reverence that Niico almost felt sorry that the name meant absolutely nothing to him. Not a bit. It didn't sound like a Larissan name, nor Garthaen, or Hathbadi, or Orususkan. Clearly, he'd made it up. And by 'he', he kept the interpretation open to both Akafa and 'Jsahk'. He found little interest in the name unless it belonged to someone with insane riches. Then, and only then, might he have a little respect for the man.

"Never heard of him." He looked longingly at the untouched beers of his compatriots and, before he knew it, a full mug of beer appeared before him. "Now, 'Jsahk', we were promised a suitable compensation for our troubles and there were many, let me tell you. Shall we say, twenty Talons? That might seem a lot, but the number of spears in my face, alone, means ..."

"How about a hundred Talons? Each." Another raised finger and another man scurried to the table, placing coin bags before each of them. The man disappeared. "And an offer. I have need of good, reliable folks on my ship. You all have a place, should you wish it."

Niico gave a disinterested tilt of the head as he snatched the coin bag from the table and began to count the gold coins inside. There were, indeed, a hundred Talons. Good ones without the slightest sign of shaving of the edges. That made him scowl. Most gold coins lost some of their weight along the way between people, but these were immaculate. He didn't trust them, but he could persuade anyone to take them, whether they were real or fake.

"Not for me, thanks, but you have fun. Pel? Come along." He rose to his feet, scraping the chair back, and stopped when Pelenia did not rise with him. "Pelenia? Without excess baggage in tow, we should reach Casoria in a week. Old Filario probably wants his wagon back."