"Yes, my half brother. And the murderer was my step mother. So what will become of her? You know, with her dysfunctional relationship to her kids, I'd prefer to not meet her again."
"Okaaay." Isabella voices counting two and two together. I wonder if the crazy runs in the family.
"Anyway, I don't really know. Of course murder is illegal in Abadon, no surprise there. But it's an open secret that no one cares if someone goes missing. Even if someone turns up dead it's not a big deal. Only if someone influential enough is involved a serious investigation starts. Or if someone starts murdering too many people."
"But an open murder on the market place? That is without precedent. Someone brought gossip about it. The murderer claims her hand was forced by evil forces. Maybe jail, maybe the asylum. They didn't burn witches here as far as I know, but maybe they start now?" Isabella tells washing some mugs.
"You want a meal too? We got some stew."
"Will that get me more information?"
"No, but a full stomach."
"I can keep my ears open if there are any news about it."
"I'll take that. And the stew." Persephone replies. She looks around who is there again and then checks the job board if there are any new entries.
"Get me a stew and an ale too." Faerveren requests.
The job board lists a few new opportunities and an old one is back on the list.
- Cleaner wanted; apply at the House of Flame)
- Dockworker wanted; apply at Marinelli's Warehouse at the docks
- Help wanted for The Pigs Whistle; No Bards need apply, we have enough of those - we need people who can work as bouncer, cook and cleaner.
- Exterminator wanted to clean out rat infestation at Bear Grove Farm.
- Bell man wanted for the old cemetry - ask Father Grimburrow
- Farmhand wanted for the harvest at Bear Grove Farm
- Investigator for law enforcement; apply at the city guard
- Servants, musicians and dancers for a reception. Apply at Barradin manor
Two thugs enter the tavern. From the looks of it they are dockworkers. And from the attitude Marinelli's men. They come up to the bar. "You need more wine?" one asks Isabella with a menacing grin.
"Are you crazy? Get your schedule straight, I got my 'delivery' yesterday." Isabella hollers at the guys.
"See you next week then." the guy teases Isabella pointing his index finger at her and leaves with his silent companion.
"Quick, check if they brought a cart." Persephone whispers to Faerveren.
Faerveren casually gets up and walks to the door, checking what is outside.
As Faerveren stumbles into a metal bucket the guy turns around, but moves on. "Next one." he orders and the two additional men at the cart start moving, one of them pushing the cart. The cart is a simple one without a special box for the money, but it has three casks loaded.
Faerveren picks up the bucket and turns to move back with it.
"Why do you have metal buckets standing around?" she complains and puts it on the bar.
"Yes they have a cart. And there are four of them."
"You're feeling lucky?" Persephone teases Faerveren.
"No. Not after yesterday."
"Then how about applying for the investigator job? Should get you in contact with people who know stuff about the murderer on the marketplace."
"Me? To set a fox to keep the geese?" Faerveren asks chuckling. "I'm still sitting dry here!" she reminds Isabella.
Isabella comes back out of the kitchen and puts two bowls with stew down. "On it. Is there a chance you want the job here at the bar? I could really use some help." she starts pouring an ale.
"Nah. It's neither interesting nor well paid."
"I'd like the job, but I have too much other stuff going right now to appear every day on time and stay til the end." Persephone replies. "And the payment doesn't align well with my goals."
"What exactly are those goals of yours?" Isabella inquires while handing Faerveren her ale.
"Get the stuff of my family back and my father's shop for exotic trinkets back on its feet." Persephone replies.
"Ok. Sounds good. Doesn't work." Isabella replies and turns to grab some mugs as more people come into the tavern.
"Why not?" Persephone protests offended.
"You can't go back in time. And do you have the skills and the network your father had? To suppliers and customers? And besides wanting the old times back - is that what you want for your life?"
"Do you have to make my life more complicated by ruining my dreams?" Persephone complains.
"I could wait to tell you that until you failed at your task, but why should I?"
"So if I shatter your dreams now, you might come around to working for me instead" Isabella replies tongue in cheek.
She puts down a mug with ale at the seat next to Persephone.
"Ah, you can read my mind. Draw the next one already." the woman that steps up and takes the seat states. She puts a gold on the counter and downs the ale in one go.
Persephone wanted to object but is cut short by the new woman.
"Bad day?" Isabella asks while filling the next mug.
"You can say that. I got an extra day off and less pay. Because our brave captain got an offer he couldn't refuse. Marinelli would handle the unloading and storing for a 'fair' price that includes insurance that nothing happens to the goods while they are at the docks."
"But hey, at least no heavy lifting for me anymore."
"Hi, I'm Persephone. Want to join the 'We hate Marinelli Club'?" Persephone offers a hand.
Isabella takes the hand. "Isabella, some call me Inkskin. What is that club for? Drowning the sorrows in ale together?"
"If you want to join, we could talk over overpriced wine we got from Marinelli." Persephone tells with a smirk and adds "For free."
"Not only do you not want to work for me, now you offer my paying customers free drinks." Isabella complains with a mock offense. She grabs the gold coin and puts another mug in front of Inkskin.
"I'll bring you a stew and you can leave whenever you want, but you'll get no change back. If you want a gold's worth of stuff, you have to stay and drink it."
"Forget it. Put the coin on my tab and book a room for me for the night. I want to drink of that sweet wine."
"Shall I take her home, or would you provide a bottle in advance and some glasses, so we can enjoy the wine in that booked room?" Persephone asks innocently.
"Here have a bottle." Isabella huffs and hands one over. Also some glasses. "You know which room. Get out of my sight already."
"Thank you. You are the best." Persephone says with her sweetest voice. She takes the bottle and the glasses and follows Inkskin up the stairs.
Inkskin leads the way to the usual room. A small chamber with two beds and a table. It's a bit more expensive, but a few days alone in a room for the night are worth it.
"Take a seat." she offers the sponsor of her next drink and sits down on the other bed herself.
Faerveren also follows and takes a seat on the side Persephone will sit.
Persephone puts the glasses and the bottle down on the table before sitting down. Once sitting she pulls out the cork and pours three glasses.
"To our noble spender." she toasts. "About the we hate Marinelli club... how do I put it... we want to go to war with that a$!#*%~ and take no prisoners."
Fearveren just took a sip of the wine and almost spluttered it over the place. "No beating around the bush." she concludes as she braces herself.
"To our noble spender. May his life be short and his death gruesome." Inkskin replies with a malicious grin.
"I guess you're not talking an open war on the docks?"
"I wonder what you can get away with in this town, but open murder isn't one of it, as we have seen recently. But protection racket seems to fly, as you learned yourself. Our common friend Isabella also got an offer she couldn't decline and buys that wine at full price. But somehow a delivery got lost on the way."
"Problem is, that they now doubled the thugs that do the delivery. So in the long run we need more allies. And you look like the kind of person who would stand up against such rabble, given the opportunity."
"I'd be interested to wipe their smug grin off their faces. What do you suggest?"
"How much time do you have? Is your ship leaving soon?" Persephone inquires. "You're half an hour late for an immediate action. They are currently taking their usual round to find out who get delivered yesterday and who not. And maybe find out where there last cart got lost."
"But if you're not in a hurry, we could try to find out who are the victims of that scheme to get some allies and to be able to set up a proper ambush."
"I'm paid per passage. If I don't show up for the next leave the ship will go without me. I'm no officer, so no one will make a fuss about it."
"Question is: will it pay?"
"So far it has. They sell a box of wine for 100gold. If we learn where the last delivery is, for the day, every coup could earn us several hundred gold."
"On the other side it could earn us a quick death if they find out that it is us."