The Fallen Throne

Chapter 5.3 ✦ Beginning Of Fire

"The Lion's Den? This one's the most popular and well known tavern in this region -- probably one of the largest taverns," Lloyd says in awe as they stand in front of the large tavern crowded with people.

It isn't like any other taverns. Lloyd is right, this one is not only the largest and most attractive, but also the most unique tavern in perhaps all of Asteria.

Inside, there are so many people that even Rose isn't too excited about it. There are many tables, with people sitting about drinking and chatting. There's a counter to the far end, where the tattooed man they'd followed now stands.

"Where do we start?" Alaina briefly hears Rose whispering, but she has her gaze fixed on the man with the tattoo by the counter, talking secretively with the owner, she presumes.

In the background, Lloyd is already desperately looking around for someone that may be of help, but the crowd of people constantly pushing and shoving him aside doesn't help at all.

"Your highness?" Lancaster is asking, but his voice is drowned by the sea of voices of people all chattering together.

Even if it isn't drowned out, though, Alaina wouldn't be able to hear his voice either, as she still has her full attention at the counter, watching the two men as they whisper to each other. After a moment or two, she is glad that her attention didn't waver and that her impatience didn't win over; because the owner and the tattooed man make their way towards a suspicious corner of the tavern, occasionally glancing around as if they are not to be seen.

Hurriedly, she pulls Lancaster by the arm and gestures for Lloyd and Rose -- who are rather far away to the other end of the corner, separated from them -- to follow. Pushing through the crowds, they manage to keep up with the two men until they stop in front of a hidden room, far secluded inside the tavern where no one notices. The owner then gestures for the tattooed man to enter the room, and Alaina peeks into the room sneakily just in time to see them descend the stairs leading to a hidden basement.

As they exchange glances, thinking whether it's wise to proceed downstairs, the fading noises and chatters around them seemingly vanish into nothing.

Finally, Alaina decides to go for it, and she starts walking into the room, but she is grabbed by the arm by Lancaster. She turns around to face him. "What?"

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Down there, of course."

"We do not know what is down there."

"I agree," Lloyd interferes, "we are here to search for information --"

"Who knows, the information we seek might just be down there," Alaina argues. "It's pretty shady down there, a perfect spot for shady people with shady information!"

"We really have no clue what is down there," Lancaster repeats.

"Why not we just ask around up here first?" Rose suggests. "I mean, there are so many people here, I'm sure at least one or two would give us a positive answer we seek," she points to the dark stairway leading underneath the tavern, then adds, "besides, it's kinda creepy down there."

Lloyd nods in agreement. "The man we met on the way did say that there are a lot of informants gathering recently, so I bet someone around here can --"

Lloyd trails off, and neither Lancaster nor Rose ask any further.

"Yes?" Alaina questions at the silence, but all she finds are horrified and panicked looks from the faces of Lancaster, Lloyd, and Rose.

"Ahem," she hears someone behind her clearing his throat, and she wheels around to find the owner of the tavern she saw at the counter earlier. "May I help you?" he asks in a hoarse voice, narrowing his eyes at them suspiciously.

"Um... you have a very nice tavern," Alaina says, unable to find the right words. She smiles at the man, innocently, hoping to erase his suspicions on them.

But this only make the owner increase his suspicions. "Thank you," he says genuinely. "Do you need something?" he questions yet again, not letting go.

"We're travellers," Lloyd blurts out. No harm to try and approach him, as he is but a simple tavern owner. "And we're hoping to find someone that could help us with -- well, for someone that could be of help for our journey."

The owner arches a brow. "What kind of a person are you looking for, exactly?"

"Someone with information," Lancaster says immediately, tagging Lloyd's game. "We are trying to seek answers, the truth -- part of our journey, you see, and the first thing we would require is basic information."

"We've heard that informants hang around here often," Rose says, and when she notices the owner with an unreadable expression on his face, she quickly adds, "because who wouldn't? Such a lovely tavern, like a magnet attracting everything around it."

The moment they watch the owner flush ever so slightly, they immediately understand that they have managed to convince him into helping them.

"Why, thank you, that's really flattering and nice to hear," the owner says, rubbing the back of his head. "Thank you for thinking so highly of this place. You need information, yes?"

Alaina nods. "Yes, please. Do you happen to know any regulars that are inter-kingdom informants? Or anyone, for that matter, who are aware of issues regarding the current affairs of the kingdoms?"

"Well, there are definitely many informants," the owner pauses to think. Finally, he says, "there's one I know, who's been looking out for the most recent activities..." the owner looks around before inching closer to them, his voice dropping to a whisper, "even the crazy thing happening in Asteria -- you know, the thing about the emperor. His name is Trevor."

Immediately, the four of them exchange looks of victory and satisfaction. Nodding to Lancaster who gives her a look of reassurance, Alaina turns back to the owner, "where can we find him?"

Once again, the owner looks around, before saying, "follow me."

They exchange glances once more before following the owner into the secret room and down the stairs. The stairs seem endless, leading them few floors below the tavern, and as they get lower, distant cheering and chatters are heard.

The moment Alaina spots a faint light below, she can tell immediately that the room below is much more crowded and livelier -- and even noisier, if possible -- than the tavern above.

As the owner steps on the landing below, he turns to the four and says, "please, do keep this a secret."

At his words, they know instantaneously that his tavern is one of the many that holds Tavern Games -- illegally.

"You have our word."

And as the four of them finally step on the bottom landing, they see a sea of people gathered around what seems like a battle ring, cheering or hooting for the two people on the ring, battling. At the corner of the rather spacious room, there is a long table where people around it desperately push themselves through, struggling to place their respective bets.

The tavern sure does seem like a very normal and peaceful one outside, but looks are most definitely deceiving; because what The Lion's Den doesn't look on the outside, it is what fits the name on the inside.