Post by mcian on Nov 21, 2023 23:13:21 GMT -5
The voices downstairs seemed irritated, anxious, hostile. Thraxas, gulping the remnants of a robust wine from his Yew stock, shook his head, started to stand, but decided to remain seated. Whatever was coming his way would just have to be.
He had not long to wait.
After a few listening moments of creaking on the rickety, bamboo, ladder that served as the means to his upper room at Pier 39 in Papua, the head of his visitor emerged.
He sighed. "Oh gods, not him again," he mused. He facepalmed.
Scar's facial expression was a mixed mass of frustration and anger. He wasted no time reaching the opposite side of the table where Thraxas sat, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"Care for some wine, Lord Scar? It's an excellent Yew vintage from my personal supply," he half-heartedly inquired, reaching for the bottle to pour him some.
"I did not come here to drink with you. I came here to get answers, and by the gods, I'll have them from you, or more than wine will be poured this day!" he fairly bellowed.
"Ah, I surmise you have not located your son yet? How long has it been now... months?"
"Forget that. I want answers!" he demanded, slamming his free hand on the table. "What have you done with him, or to him?! Where is he! Tell me what you know and I will reconsider my intentions before I came here!"
Thraxas sighed. "All right, I will. I thought I told you this already, but, if it pleases you, hear it again," Thraxas began, filling his own goblet again with wine. "After a month or so, he began to dislike serving aboard the ship I had hired out. He told me he wanted his wages and I paid him. I asked him what he planned to do; that I had contacts who could use a good man like him. He said he planned to go hunting; he liked that and said it suited him better to stay near his home. He mentioned that his mother needed help and being away for extended periods was not helpful. I told him I would miss him and that if he wanted to return to my service, he would be welcome."
"That's a lie! Complete fabrication! He wrote a letter to me describing what he learned from a journal you kept. I have his signed letter here," Scar countered, taking a folded parchment out of a pocket and flinging it on the table in front of Thraxas.
Thraxas frowned but took the paper and read it. "This is nonsense! I don't even keep a journal! And if I did, would I leave it where anyone else could ever find it?! What he found was something put there by one of my men, my former lieutenant, whom I discovered trying to sabotage my mercantile operation here. He was in the employ of a rival. I had him beaten and run out of town. This just proves my judgment was correct in removing him!" He pushed the paper away.
Scar was disbelieving but all the signs of honesty were there: he did not hesitate when confronted; he did not fumble for words; his expressions and tonal inflections fit the words. Worst of all, the story was plausible. He knew Jace was rather gullible, for he easily believed the lies his mother had told him about himself leaving them to fend for themselves for years. His expression eased.
Thraxas, seeing his chance, continued. "I can fully understand your concerns, Lord Scar, but your anger is misplaced. I will show you how greatly it is. I will hire men to help find your son. I will post a bounty of a million gold to find him, or, the gods forbid, his body. I will put up posters here and in Delucia; perhaps in Yew and other cities. Whatever I can do, I shall. You have my word."
Defeated, Scar nodded. "I am not so sure of this, but for the time being, I shall let it pass. I will hold you to these words, however," he stated as he turned to leave. Then he stopped. "By the way, what was the name of that lieutenant of yours? I wish to speak with him."
Thraxas took a sip of wine. "His name? The gods know! He was a an informer and perpetrator. I am sure he did not reveal his real name."
"Nonetheless, what name did he use?"
"Sten is all I knew him by. When I hire people, I do not bother to inquire too deeply about them. They guard their secrets as the viper guards its nest. The last I heard of him, he was living in Delucia."
"Yes, I think you would know something about that," Scar remarked. "I will be back to this nest if your story and promises are false." He exited by the stairs.
He had not long to wait.
After a few listening moments of creaking on the rickety, bamboo, ladder that served as the means to his upper room at Pier 39 in Papua, the head of his visitor emerged.
He sighed. "Oh gods, not him again," he mused. He facepalmed.
Scar's facial expression was a mixed mass of frustration and anger. He wasted no time reaching the opposite side of the table where Thraxas sat, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
"Care for some wine, Lord Scar? It's an excellent Yew vintage from my personal supply," he half-heartedly inquired, reaching for the bottle to pour him some.
"I did not come here to drink with you. I came here to get answers, and by the gods, I'll have them from you, or more than wine will be poured this day!" he fairly bellowed.
"Ah, I surmise you have not located your son yet? How long has it been now... months?"
"Forget that. I want answers!" he demanded, slamming his free hand on the table. "What have you done with him, or to him?! Where is he! Tell me what you know and I will reconsider my intentions before I came here!"
Thraxas sighed. "All right, I will. I thought I told you this already, but, if it pleases you, hear it again," Thraxas began, filling his own goblet again with wine. "After a month or so, he began to dislike serving aboard the ship I had hired out. He told me he wanted his wages and I paid him. I asked him what he planned to do; that I had contacts who could use a good man like him. He said he planned to go hunting; he liked that and said it suited him better to stay near his home. He mentioned that his mother needed help and being away for extended periods was not helpful. I told him I would miss him and that if he wanted to return to my service, he would be welcome."
"That's a lie! Complete fabrication! He wrote a letter to me describing what he learned from a journal you kept. I have his signed letter here," Scar countered, taking a folded parchment out of a pocket and flinging it on the table in front of Thraxas.
Thraxas frowned but took the paper and read it. "This is nonsense! I don't even keep a journal! And if I did, would I leave it where anyone else could ever find it?! What he found was something put there by one of my men, my former lieutenant, whom I discovered trying to sabotage my mercantile operation here. He was in the employ of a rival. I had him beaten and run out of town. This just proves my judgment was correct in removing him!" He pushed the paper away.
Scar was disbelieving but all the signs of honesty were there: he did not hesitate when confronted; he did not fumble for words; his expressions and tonal inflections fit the words. Worst of all, the story was plausible. He knew Jace was rather gullible, for he easily believed the lies his mother had told him about himself leaving them to fend for themselves for years. His expression eased.
Thraxas, seeing his chance, continued. "I can fully understand your concerns, Lord Scar, but your anger is misplaced. I will show you how greatly it is. I will hire men to help find your son. I will post a bounty of a million gold to find him, or, the gods forbid, his body. I will put up posters here and in Delucia; perhaps in Yew and other cities. Whatever I can do, I shall. You have my word."
Defeated, Scar nodded. "I am not so sure of this, but for the time being, I shall let it pass. I will hold you to these words, however," he stated as he turned to leave. Then he stopped. "By the way, what was the name of that lieutenant of yours? I wish to speak with him."
Thraxas took a sip of wine. "His name? The gods know! He was a an informer and perpetrator. I am sure he did not reveal his real name."
"Nonetheless, what name did he use?"
"Sten is all I knew him by. When I hire people, I do not bother to inquire too deeply about them. They guard their secrets as the viper guards its nest. The last I heard of him, he was living in Delucia."
"Yes, I think you would know something about that," Scar remarked. "I will be back to this nest if your story and promises are false." He exited by the stairs.