(from the desk of your EM on LS: A Bio)
Whispers, Ale and Old Friends
The night was the time Marcus liked best, cool, calm and usually quiet, he identified with it, the loud bustle from the mines from near by Mt. Kendal annoyed him. Marcus always used that as his excuse to avoid going about during the day, he never really fit in no matter how much Mr. and Mrs. Murphy wanted their son to. Having always been a quiet boy who seemed to have an unnatural ability to blend into the background of any scenery he wasn't the towns most prized citizen at any length, and conducting his business at night just seemed proper. As much as he liked the night though the people he ran into often bothered him, thieves, harlots, drunkards, these were the sorts he was left consorting with much to his disdain. Years later though he'd find these contacts and skills he used for dealing with such ilk useful as he fulfilled his duties as a scout for the Royal Guard. It was always good to have contacts among the dregs of society, they heard things no one else did, and knew where to find things other people didn't. Not that many were trust worthy, most weren't but those he really knew he felt some sense of camaraderie with. After all weren't they almost the same as him, except for the path they had decided to stride upon in life?
Tonight though was different, Marcus was looking for someone, there was a new King and he had to fulfill his duties and help ensure his safety. As much as he trusted the guards he worked with, he wanted his own spies in place looking for signs of trouble. Being reassigned as a spy and scout for the Kings personal guard unit was a great honor! It would be best to see that there was nothing foul afoot, and what better place to find out information than from the people who had little else. A few mugs of ale usually started the stories and rumors flowing. Several interesting rumors had already passed his way, some he could dismiss without a second thought. "Aye lad, I hear tha' the new King really be a Daemon in disguise and he plans....." or, " I don'ta know abou' you but I heard that his Lordship King Casca was one of those hooded fellows that helped blow Haven to pieces....." Stories like that always cropped up around the nobility, he'd heard similar about some country Lord who was in disfavor among his serfs from time to time.
Still he needed someone he knew he could trust keeping an ear and eye out for whispers of trouble, so far none of these would satisfy. "Excuse me Captain, mind if I ask a favor of you Sir.", it was the Barkeep probably asking him to settle some dispute over a tab, but years of experience had taught him to use subtlety.
"What can I do for you, if I can help I will. I'm sworn to keep the peace after all."
"Well you see there's this old salt done drunk himself into a stupor , we put him down stairs in the cellar so he wouldn't disturb the patrons see and well, I'm not the type to put a man out of his wits out on the street." the barkeep stated " If he was to get his throat cut I'd feel awful. Do you by chance know somewhere more fitting for him to sleep off the spirits?"
"Let me take a look at him and then I'll decide if he should spend the night in a jail cell or if the local inn is good enough." Marcus stated dryly, the night was getting on and the bar starting to clear out he'd find no one this night with any useful information.
The Barkeep lead him down a flight of rickety stairs and lit up a lantern hanging from a rusty bracket on the wall. Turning to allow the Captain to pass he was surprised by the amused smile that lit up his face.
"I'll take care of him, don't worry about that just do me a favor in kind and bring me a bottle of ale to wake this old goat up with. He won't respond to water, but I've a feeling that he will to that!"
Marcus filled the cup he still carried and splashed his friend in the face with it getting amusement from the way he started shouting orders to invisible sailors.....after the third cup full he woke, and after rubbing the ale from his eyes exclaimed.
"Har! Mr. Murphy! What brings you to........err, here."
"I stopped by The Salty Dog, here, for a drink, The good barkeep was complaining about a dastardly stench coming up from the cellar. Naturally, I thought of you."
"The Salty Dog," Jonas mumbled "'I'm in Britain?"
The barkeep let out a derisive snort, shaking his head, "Just get this bum out of here for me, will you?"
"I thought you'd be more appreciative than if I had used cold water." Marcus commented with a suppressed laugh, handing over the remainder of the bottle.
"So what it be you want me to do for you, Mr. Murphy?"
"Why is it you think I want something of you?"
Jonas reached out and fingered the tooled emblem on the leather Marcus' armor with a sarcastic grin.
"Information."
"Eh?"
"First, there are rumors of piracy off the coast of Minoc. I need to know everything about it." .
"What be makin' you think I'd know anythin' about piracy?" , Jonas inquired.
"Come now, I'm not so old as to have forgotten the tales you told me when I was a child."
"The second?"
"There is something queer about, with this Royal Decree. Do what you do best, talk. Keep those ears open, I've heard a few strange rumors both about the King and about groups that don't seem to be happy he's been crowned." Marcus explained. "This whole city seems to be of two minds, "Those that are glad to see Casca ascended the throne, and those that wish to see him deposed."
"Well lad where do you stand on the matter?" Jonas inquired.
"Jonas you know quite well that my duty is to the Royal Council, and now that they have appointed a new King my duty is to him. That's why I'm concerned, I know little about Casca the Elf as an individual, but I do know he's my King and my duty is to protect him and this Kingdom."
"All right lad I'll do what I can, and by the by do you think you can get me another bottle of Ale before we part?" Jonas agreed laughing....