Knights of the Nine - The Unborn Seed

Chapter 7: The Contract

The tavern was booming, conversations about what had happened in the southern city of Redmire, and how it was demolished by the elves, was the main topic. Derek kept to himself in the corner, eavesdropping on every conversation he could hear. He believed every rumor that was spread, that made him knowledgeable.

The smoke from candles and pipes filled the air in the tavern, old beggars coughing and choking due to it. The vapors from the fountain outside the tavern gloomed in the rising sun, causing quite an eerie scene. Poor peasants and farmers were the only ones to roam the streets of Balewood, the most northern city of King William's kingdom of Scandoria. The rich, noble, folks still hid inside until the midday bells rung to do their business workings.

Derek kept his eyes focused on his breakfast plate, munching softly on a sliver of bacon and hashbrowns. He had a cowhide coat wrapped around him for warmth that he had found from a roaming merchant, he simply stole the coat when the merchant left to drain the dragon. Derek had a dagger hidden in his belt just incase something went down for the worst. A pipe was placed gently beside his plate of food, a dead match laid beside. Derek had kitchen cloth tied around both feet as shoes, he matched the local beggars from waist down.

The talkative residents that resided in the tavern called "The Reigning Milrock" hushed down to keep their subjects to a low, for as people, such as Derek, couldn't listen in on them. Derek, however, could hear them still.

One couple talked about how King William had, reportedly, been executed by a military unit of elves. Another trio of poor sobs spoke how they heard that the King died during an elven attack that took the city of Redmire by storm, having the battle end in an hour tops. A group of people said that King William committed suicide via some rat poison due to his family being killed during the battle.

Derek believed every single one, taking bits and pieces of each story to connect into a bigger story. He came up with King William tried to get his family out of the city during the battle, they ended up being caught causing his son to die, he then ingested some rat poison but was cured by an elven spell then was executed. Derek couldn't piece King William's family, other than his son, into the picture. Derek threw the thought out of his mind and finished his breakfast.

Derek hadn't a single coin to his name, he lived off stealing from traveling merchants and even picking a bone with the thieves, building up a contract until Derek can get the money to clear his name. He was a wanted man for being caught with the elves of Marakkana three years ago. The thieves of Balewood know how to clear a wanted mans name from all of the four kingdoms.

Derek was lost in thought as he didn't realize a middle aged woman ask him a question as he set his plate on the counter.

'Sorry, I was daydreaming. My bad.' Derek apologized and pulled up a stool for the lady to sit on.

'Do you believe anything these poor guys say? About... King Wiliam and Redmire?' The lady, who wore a black hood, rich high heels, and several rings on each fingers, excluding a golden ring that was tied around her neck, asked.

'I believe every rumor has some truth to it, so yeah I do.'

'Why're you so poor? I mean, I know you're not from Balewood or even Scandoria but you can't be a beggar.'

'I guess looks can deceive, miss.' Derek walked over to the door.

'You hadn't answered my question!' The woman of mystery called out to Derek as he opened the door.

'Another time.' He said as he stepped into the moist street of early morning Balewood.

As Derek left the busy tavern, he noticed a teenage girl sitting on the curb of the road. She looked sad, cold, hungry, but most of all angry at something or someone. Derek decided not to approach her and ask what's wrong, he didn't want to attract too much attention, so he walked down the pathway to the slums of Balewood.