(private)
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September 3rd - midmorning
Harlond - The Chandlery
Mar yelped and yanked his arm back when Merilda poured some alcohol on the wound, then with the other arm, backhanded her, so that she fell out of her seat and onto the floor. “Easy with that stuff!” He growled, before wincing as he realized he’d caused his other arm to hurt a bit.
They had sneaked into a supposedly disused building, and once there, he had ordered Merilda to stay put for a moment while he went to secure the door behind them. She looked around the front room. It had apparently once been the sales room; there were shelves where candles had once been displayed for sale all along the walls, with some other display tables in the center of the room. There was a counter where the clerk would have waited on customers and made the transactions. The windows were boarded up, and she stood absently scratching around her ears and forehead while trying to resist the temptation to wipe the dust off of the panes, so as to allow more light into the room through what few gaps there were.
After making sure the door was secure behind them, Mar ordered her to come along with him. Behind the counter was a door which opened to a set of stairs. Up the stairs they went, and found an abandoned living area up there. Pausing at a cabinet, Mar took out a bottle of liquor from a surprisingly well-stocked cabinet, as well as some rolls of bandages from another shelf. Merilda was surprised, watching him gather these supplies. She had no idea why such things were here in a candle-making place, nor who would have left them there. It actually looked like someone kept the place well stocked of such things, but why?
They continued toward a front room, which was probably the room where a family would have gathered for the evening, to spend time together. Now, however, there was only a simple table with four chairs around it. A deck of cards rested on the windowsill, along with stacks of checker pieces and some dice and other things of that sort. It seemed as if there were a few options for games to be played, as if to allow someone ways to pass the time. She thought that a little bit odd, and wondered who these were for. Before she could think any more about it, however, Mar shoved the bottle and a roll of bandages at her and ordered her to tend to his arms. She didn’t really know what else to do; who was she to question the orders of her liege?
It seemed that, while he seemed to delight in dishing out pain to others, he did not take it very well, himself. While Merilda cowered down, sniffling and holding the side of her face after being struck, she was alarmed to notice several men burst into the room bearing weapons. She gasped and looked up, wide-eyed as she sat up swiftly in surprise. She had not heard them ascending the rickety old stairs. Were they guards, coming to help her? One of them was dressed as a guard, and she almost dared to hope for a second, until that hope was snatched away.
“Nâluthor?” Dev spoke in surprise, stepping in front of the group. He had not expected to find the temple acolyte here, at the Chandlery. He waved to the other men in a ‘stand down’ sort of fashion.
“Ah, Dev.” Mar replied, actually pleased to see him here. “Good to see you.” He remarked with a little smirk. He had not reacted with startlement when they entered, but had merely looked up as if he'd almost been expecting the intrusion.
Merilda’s spirits sank yet again, and she wished for the thousandth time that she had stayed at the castle and continued to tend to Aderic. She really couldn’t see how any of this was helping him at all. She looked at these new men hesitantly, wondering who they might be, and how Mar knew them. They looked scary, and none of them looked very nice.
“The lookout told me a couple had sneaked in,” Dev smirked and glanced at the guy dressed as a guard. “Seems like you might have investigated a bit more, before raising the alarm.” He told the guy with an eyeroll. He folded his arms as he looked at the scene before him. Mar’s arm had apparently been chewed up pretty badly, by a dog, if he was right. He had it resting on the table, and it seemed as if the girl, who now sat on the floor, had been bandaging it before she.. fell? Doubtful. More likely, was knocked to the floor, judging by the red mark on her face. “Looks like you need a proper healer.” Dev commented, returning his gaze to Mar.
“Well, yes, that would be preferable than this..” Mar motioned to the girl, and followed with a word in some other language that Merilda didn’t understand, although if she had understood, she would have known that it was a language of Umbar, and that it was an insulting way to reference a female.
“What.. exactly are you doing
here?” Dev wondered, tilting his head.
“Well,” Mar made an effort to pull out of his ill-temper. “Looking for passage to Lond Col, at the moment. But I needed to get this bandaged, first. In fact,” He paused, looking at Dev, and at his men. “I wouldn’t mind a favor, if you would give it.”
Dev smiled in a not-so-pleasant way. “I don’t do
favors, Nâluthor.”
“It’s for Pharak.” Mar told him, narrowing his eyes. “I’m sure you’d want to stay on
his good side, wouldn’t you?”
Dev’s smile faded, but wasn’t quite a frown. More of a neutral expression as he folded his arms. “I’m listening.”
Mar swiftly debated how much he wanted to tell the pirate. “Firstly, I need to get a message to him. Quickly.” He explained. “But also..” he paused, thinking. “I want to make some arrangements for a couple of rangers to become a..guest.. of Pharak’s.” He raised an eyebrow. “Interested?”
Dev tilted his head thoughtfully. “Perhaps. Why don’t you manage it yourself? Like you did before, with Unalmis?”
Mar smiled, though he didn't correct the man in the fact that that incident was mainly Pharak's doing. “Oh, I would. Believe me, I’d
love to be able to handle this personally. But.. I have somewhere else I need to be, as soon as possible. Oh, and.. speaking of Unalmis, he may very well be one of the ones to come here.” He added. “I’m hoping, at least.”
Dev rubbed his chin thoughtfully, considering this. Unalmis meant a lot to Trevadir, he recalled. As far as he knew, they were still friends, despite all of Dev's efforts to turn the boy against his friend and forget him. Perhaps.. he could use that somehow. “Well, perhaps we can work something out. But it’ll cost you.” He warned. He was well aware of the fortune that Mar had managed to take over for himself. Why not get a little of that for himself?
Mar refrained from rolling his eyes. He had plenty of money, but didn’t like having to part with it if he didn’t have to. “What do you want?”
@Arnyn
Tirdinen Duinion Raedor with
Lt Arnyn
and Rangers
Vorondil &
Sarina
September 3rd - several hours later
Harlond - At the Chandlery
Listening quietly, Duinion thought over all of what the others said. He privately agreed with Sarina's thoughts, about how she would prefer to keep distance and provide backup. Mainly, he preferred being able to use his bow. But he also agreed with her conclusion; they couldn't just shoot people randomly, and they also couldn't do much from out here if the threat was inside. And they couldn't really find out what the threat was, exactly, until they got inside.
He considered Vorondil's words, too. If there was a trap set up inside, he hoped he would be able to spot it, but there was always the chance he might not. But the lieutenant had made an excellent point about the fact they were expected, and they were likely expected to act rashly. If anyone was waiting inside.. and he had a hunch there were.. then they probably would be expecting him to be coming, demanding his daughter, or at least half-panicked, seeking for any trace of her. They wouldn't know that they had already found Eryn, and that she was safe.
He nodded slightly to the lieutenant when she asked his opinion. "I agree. Though, I'd like to a check of the property, and find out how many entry points there might be," He added thoughtfully, frowning. "If there's a back door, for instance, or a side door.. I think I'd feel better entering a less likely door than the front one, since that's probably where they're expecting us, don't you think?" He suggested, and glanced at the building.
"Besides, if we get involved in a fight, and there are doorways we haven't secured, the enemy might manage to surprise us somehow in an unfavorable way. Suppose they slip out and bring in reinforcements that are waiting somewhere nearby.. or someone could simply escape if the fight seems to be going our way, or.. whatever." He shrugged, unsure what exactly to expect. "But, I will follow your lead," he concluded quietly, still looking at the lieutenant.