"Yes, it does. I will check with you on the morrow."
Menan exits the temple and locates Arawyn who is interested in the Pig's Whistle again.
"Very well."
At The Pig's Whistle the kitchen stays cold once again, while Isabella does the dishes, to have enough mugs for the evening. At the moment the tavern is still void of patrons.
"It can't be that hard to find some help. Don't we have an orphanage in town? At least there I should find someone who can work for a silver and a meal." Isabella mutters. "Or am I the only one who isn't a rich snob already for whom such work is beneath them?"
"Well I just do not know about all of that." Arawyn says as Menan finds a nice quite spot to scribe a scroll.
Menan finishes his scribing and joins the ladies at the bar. "Isabella, I would like to pour this evening. I need a change of pace after this day."
"Wonderful. A hint: with your good looks you can make more money by smiling at the customers than with carrying the drinks."
"That's disappointing." Persephone replies to Father Grimburrow. "I guess I'm back at the start with my search for guidance. You're a really nice man and I appreciate your help with the dead. But I need advice about living my life right now."
"Looking at your life considering it has a beginning and an end is a good start to value your life. And that your actions in between will have an influence on your time after death is also a valuable lesson to best learn early."
"But what path you choose, Pharasma really doesn't care much. As long as you don't meddle with the dead."
"I wish you the best, that you find what you seek."
Yeah, about that,...
"Thank you. I guess we'll meet more often anyway as you watch over the place where my parents are. Good bye."
Persephone gets up and leaves the chapel. She looks around in search for Faerveren. She walks over to the grave of her family and takes a minute to stand there in silence.
She looks for signs of breaking and entering and is pleased to see that nothing is broken. Only the leaves that the door shoved away tell the tale. She picks the up and takes them with her.
She leaves through the main entrance, the way she came.
Menan smiles at Isabella "We shall see about that."
Faerveren joins Persephone once she is far enough away from the graveyard, so no one would make the connection. "I got what you wanted." she tells and hands the folded paper with the hair over.
"So what now?"
"I'll pass it on and meet you at The Pig's Whistle?" Persephone suggests.
Their ways part at the white temple of Calistria, where Persephone hands the hair samples over to the elven woman. As that is only a short stop she'd really like to catch up with Faerveren, but with her limp there is a fat chance of that.
So instead she walks at a comfortable pace and ponders the essence of her talk with Father Grimburrow. It was only planned as a decoy, but it makes her think.
Without coming to a conclusion, she arrives at the tavern. Walking up to the bar with Menan behind she blurts out with the first thought that comes to her mind. "How many jobs are you working?"
"This is my way to wind down after this day. Appears you could use some of the same. Here. This is on me." He hands a mug of ale to Persephone.
"Thanks." Persephone takes a sip.
She checks the taproom, but Faerveren is nowhere seen yet. "So, any progress in investigating about the tomb raiders of the grave site your ancestors are buried?"
"I have not investigated that and probably will not. How is your resistance coming along?"
"Not at all. Our infiltration skills are lacking."
"I do plan on helping you by gathering information and devising a plan. It will take some time."
"Just tell me once you're ready. I might try applying as a dock worker. Would be a nice change of pace and give me an idea what is going on at the docks."
"Not a bad idea methinks. You will need to be very careful not to draw attention to yourself. I thought about sitting in a location and documenting who comes and goes and when they do so. Maybe catch one alone who fits the bill for being coerced."
Menan looks at Persephone and photographic memories flash before him. He concentrates on his conversations with the female cleric of flame. He is obviously in another world for a moment. "I never asked her name. If I did I have no recollection of such. How rude of me. Persephone can you continue two thoughts at once or should we resolve the resistance plan before I ask you the name of the cleric you were messenging for?" He pours himself another ale trying to loosen up from all the drama of this day. His mind continues to spin. Thoughts, no words. Extremely efficient. "Isabella is there an herbalist in town or anything close to such?"
Menan, you need to give it a break and recuperate. Let me pour for you. Concentrate on your ale. Let the matters rest for this evening" Arawyn relives him of duty and mans the pour.
Menan downs his ale and walks around the bar to Persephone. "When was the last time you danced?" He glances briefly at her limp.
"You mean pink eyes? Let's call her Pele, shall we? She doesn't give her name. I asked her about it and got scolded."
When asked about dancing she looks puzzled. "Why? Never." Her thoughts are going further and further back and in fact she has danced. But it was a long time ago when her father picked her up and spun to music. It was a fun time.
"Just curiosity. Never? There is your problem. It might just do you well. You could use some distraction with all of that bustling about all the time." Menan makes eye contact with a kind expression. "When you do decide to have your first dance, it would be an honor for me to join you." He raises his mug of ale and toasts "To the good things in life. May we have them often and be grateful."
"Well, why not now?" Persephone replies and gets up.
Isn't it a wonderful world where a limp is no hindrance to dance and where you can do the tango without ever practicing? XD
"Wonderful." Menan extends his hand and when she takes it the dance begins. He does little repetition in his leading to keep her mind on the dance and away from reality. "You are quite good at this. A natural. Maybe you should pursue it as a hobby or discipline."
As the two start dancing, the patrons quickly move some tables out of the way, for a circle and the music transitions to something more fitting to dance. A joyful fast paced tune played on the fiddle supported by the piano and clapping of the bystanders. A few more couples join the dance.
Menan continues to keep her guessing at the next move so that she must concentrate on the dance and forget her woes if just for a while. He will do so until she indicates a rest is in order.
Faerveren joins the tavern as the party is already full on. She takes a seat at the bar and watches a while, before her eye catches some handsome guy standign there and clapping. She walks over and invites him to join the dance.
After an evening of dancing, drinking and generally having fun, Persephone thanks Menan for the good time and says her goodbyes for the night.
She leaves the tavern and walks home through the star lit night.
Arawyn and Menan spend the next day at the market. He makes inquiries into the demand for arcane scrolls and gets to know a few townsfolk. Arawyn does her best to get to know a few people as well.
Menan also inquires about any herbalists that reside in or near town. If so where do they do business.
Most people just shrug on the request for arcane scrolls, but one interesting, tipsy farmer woman answers "There is the Unfurling Scroll. The shop of Alendru Ghoroven. That's the only thing that comes to mind when it comes to scrolls. He schools the kids in the old town. Teaches them reading, writing and calculating. A nice guy."
"For herbs you could visit Jominda's Apothecary"
"Do you want some potatoes? Or apples? I plucked them fresh from the tree this morning!"
"Four of your apples please. Thank you for the information and the nourishment." Menan locates Arawyn. They each have an apple as do their mounts. They make their way through the old town. Arawyn stays outside as Menan enters The Unfurling Scroll.
The apples look like apples, they have the consistency of apples, but the taste seems to be off. They have almost no acid, and are very sweet.
The unfurling scroll is located in an old half timbered house in a street, where similar houses stand wall to wall. It has a sturdy washed out wooden door on the left and a large display window on the right. A metal sign formed like an unfurling scroll with the name written on it, pokes from the facade into the street.
Inside a collection of different chairs and tables form a class room and an elderly man sits behind a desk on the far end of the room, facing the door. "How can I help you sir?" he greets Menan.
"Good day sir. I am Menan Variel, new to this town. I understand this is a house of learning and possibly of arcane scrolls. I also understand you do some teaching to the little ones. What else do you endeavor here? I am a scholar and a scribe."
"I'm Alendru Ghoroven. I'm retired, and use my time to school the children. I do sell some scrolls and have some other things left from the time I earned my living with magic."
"But if you're in search for a job, you're out of luck. There is no making money in what I do."
"If you find yourself in need of any arcane scrolls, I would be glad to do some scribing for you. If you know of any potential buyers, I could seek them out as well." Menan begins browsing what the older man has for sale. "Tell me, sir. This Jominda's Apothecary. I have not been there yet. Do they have a learned herbalist with experience? If so, what do you know of their character?"
"Why don't you go there and find out yourself? You'll be delighted."
The items on sole are few and are all from the divination school. Scrolls to comprehend language, or share a language. And a wand that has some charges of identify. Harmless stuff that might come in handy for some.
Menan meets up with Arawyn. "How was your day?"
"Rather boring to be honest. There is not much of interest to me here."
"You took the words from my mouth, Arawyn. Join me on my way to the city watch. I need to check in with Officer Kasadei. I doubt she has good news as this town seems have a shortage of coin and commerce."
Menan asks to see Officer Kasadei when they arrive. "Well, good afternoon. Are we going to solve this case?"
"I have bad news for your plan to further investigate the truth. Lady Aghasta Pembrooke found death by her own hand. She hanged herself from the bars of the small window in the door with a stripe of cloth ripped from her underwear."
"The guard found her this morning when they brought her the food for the day."
"All the guards on duty where questioned, but the door was locked, all guards patrolled in pairs as they should and nothing out of the ordinary was noticed. One admitted about telling Lady Pembrooke the 'good news', that she would be summoned before an inquisitor of Abadar today. Joking, that this would give her the rare chance to have her statement verified by divine magic."
Kasadei sighs. "Yeah, my superiours agreed to use magic to find out what happened. Congratulations. But that won't do any good now. I reported her death like I told you and they took it as an admission of her guilt."
"With that, her claims about her hand being forced are considered a lie to cover herself. So with the path of action you suggested, you brought to pass what was our deal. So here are your five gold."
Menan looks down upon hearing the news. "Damn her and good riddance. Officer, I keep hearing the same name come up in multiple venues and it is never referred to in a good way. Does the name Marinelli mean anything to you? What can you tell me of this man?" He only takes three gold. "The balance is three. You gave me two yesterday."
"Ah, right." Kasadei bags the two coins. "Marinelli you say? Well, I haven't heard anything nice either, but so far also no real crimes are reported. Some of his workers started a brawl here and there, but nothing you wouldn't expect. Only usually that stays at the docks."
"It pleases me that the case was solved to your liking. If you find yourself in need of my services, you can message me at the Pig's Whistle. I have found the place to be easy on the coin pouch and quite safe. I do not know the length of my stay here. You have been a pleasure to work with., officer Kasadei."
Menan tells Arawyn of Aghasta's demise. When complete he says "I still cannot rule out a powerful caster. I could get to her unnoticed easily. I could not make her take her life. Yet, that is. With more study I believe I could. Be aware there could be a powerful spellcaster in this town. I cannot determine if it is good or evil or both. Perhaps there are two. Be aware I could be over doing this with my imagination."
"Your imagination is going to get you into some real trouble one day. Hopefully it will not be more than my blades can handle." She smiles at her companion and says "Shall we do the Pig's Whistle one more time."
Persephone readies herself, takes some breakfast, which consists of an apple that has seen better days and some old bread. I really should go shopping.
But other things have priority - Marinelli. She walks to the docks and asks around the warehouse they infiltrated two nights ago if they are hiring.
Persephone is sent to the office cube in the corner of the warehouse. There the foreman sits over some lists. "What do you want." he barks without looking up from the paperwork.
"A job." Persephone replies unmoved by the rough tone.
The foreman looks up and musters her. "What job? What can you do?" the foreman inquires.