Neutral POV
The night was dark. The ambiance too. Silence wavered steady, unbroken. Sound seemed foreign on such a solemn night. But in the darkness two shadows moved. Each trembled with fear, adrenaline and above all, greed. In the night, these two figures rushed to the outskirts of town; to the barracks.
"What business do you have here?" a stout guard said, stumpy fists clutching around the hilt of the sword on his belt.
"We're here to see Nathaniel Undiea, he knows we're coming," the proud, broad shouldered shadow acclaimed. His raspy voice echoed in through the trees.
"W-What business do you have with Nathaniel?" a sudden fear clasped the guard, and his knuckles whitened under the pressure of his grip on his sword.
"Please Jon, be nice to our guests! To my office, please, we have much to discuss," a tall, intimidating man exited the building first addressing the guard, and than the couple.
First, the proud shadow stepped into the darkness and disappeared inside, surefooted and certain, he strode with purpose, a cocky gait as if he were willing the tall man to challenge him.
Before the other could follow, the tall man snatched for their grip whatever it was that they cradled to carefully. For a moment the guard heard what sounded like a muffled cry, but the tall man was quick to cover the source of the sound and shut the door with a resounding crash. For a moment, the stoutly Jon swore that what the tall man held was none other than a young child.
Inside, the tall man handed off the child to a guard waiting, his face blank and distant. He stopped to peer at the couple for a moment, than pushed past them, leading the pair to a torch lit room furnished lavishly.
"Sit, let us negotiate a... price... for this one," the tall man swished his had to indicate two chairs positioned before his desk.
"Mr Undiea, a pleasure as always, surely, for myself and my mistress, you could afford to spare a better price than some lowlife peasant," the proud man lowered his hood to unveiling his unkempt appearance.
"Yes, yes, it may pain me to give you the satisfaction, but these indeed are hard times, and an offer like this, we can afford to give the utmost... attention... to your offer," Undiea sneered.
"So how about it than, old friend? 500,000 gold coins, any less and the deal's off," the first man spoke.
"A steep charge for a bid so uncertain, but as luck would have it, I cannot come away from this negotiation empty handed, you have yourself a deal," Undiea offered his hand to the couple but the other figure in the room interrupted the exchange.
"The money first Nathaniel, you've robbed the masses blind, I'll not have you take us for the fools you mislead, we'll see the money before any deal is made," a dry, sickly voice rasped.
"Your woman is smart, exceedingly so," Nathaniel glared at the other figure, but as required by her, he returned to his desk, counted out an amount, and gave it to her to count.
For several waning moments, silence passed between the three. But soon the woman raised her head, and gave a curt nod to her partner. Who offered his hand and remarked, "We have a deal."
