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Bekkah

She gracefully accepted the drink and food and equally gracefully listened to young Twyls.

Her smile was bright and cheerful when she replied.

"Being married to a butcher, or blacksmith might be wonderful. Don't believe that marriage to a lord is a recipe for guaranteed happiness. I suspect your own parents would tell you the same. They both seem quite happy."

"Now, seeing the world is as wonderful as it sounds. People in the lands are both the same and different. Perhaps your future might take you around the lands, or perhaps you were meant to be here to raise your own wonderful daughters."

As she said this last part, the sparkle in her eyes faded a bit as if she was thinking of something lost or missing in her life. Quickly, the smile returned as Twyls was called away.

But it was back again as Cesare joined her.

"Help me? No, not at all. Is there anything I can do for you however? Pains to be eased?"

[OOC Please see Cesare's post Niv, thanks!]

The Heartwood
Talesan’s Village
Amber Inn
Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Scholar

Cesare, Kadri, Mikal and Bekkah

“ … three words of advice laddie, as it seems you are right new to this.”

Horace pushed back from the table, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms. The sturdy swordsman leveled Mikal a solid look.

“First, unless you want the dregs no one else wants, you better make your offer fast and good. If you wait until tomorrow nigh you’ll be up against Merchant coin and the fact that most of us are well experienced with this Marrennen mob.

“Second, you are going to need a much better line than come out to Waverider’s Watch. First that place is cursed, right on the border of the Forest. Second, it’s nowhere. That’s where the Kories send those they aren’t happy with. Remember, laddie … you may be looking for good steel, but we will be looking for a good contract and right now you are in pig-in-poke manor.”

He then took a long draught of his beer.

“And be careful about his mixed outfit nonsense. If you are serious, laddie, you are not only going to have to match tomorrow’s merchants … but unless you really want the dregs and those who don’t have no other choice, your offer is going to have to trounce them like a shaggie stepping on a mouse.”

He then looked between the sworder and his lady. He ended with his attention on Kadri.

“So what is it little miss? A tour between here and Talantal is worth just over five hundred crown – four of them and you can buy a cheap horse. You are going to have to b way better than that to even get someone to even consider such a scheme. You have to be in the kingdom of ‘I-Know-Its-A-Bloody-Stupid-Idea-But-How-Can-You-Say-No-To-That-Many-Stars’.

“Are your pockets really that deep?”

Taking a second long draught of his drink he awaits the answer. On one hand his points were not the most favourable, cutting right to the quick of the pragmatics and prejudices of Jvrillian culture. On the other hand the three were still at the table, seriously waiting to see what the response might be. They were, at heart and but doctrine, sellswords after all.

The price just had to be right.

At the bar Twls just sighed. She did reach out, poking Bekkah on her upper arm.

“Hoi missus … yah friend, mista’ Cesare, he is wantin’ to speak with you …”

She managed a small smile that and a wistful look as the Rhoni mentioned that they would be leaving soon. In fact very, very soon.

“Tell you what. I’ll have Mother and Father put together some meals you can take with you. It’s the least we can be doin, ja?

“Waverider’s watch. We know someone tha’ lives there. But you donnae get along with her.

"Ma'am Broke."

Kadri:

"My heavens are filled with stars, which twinkle down upon me. There is more than enough to get plans underway. And enough coin that can be acquired to fill needs. Coin is not an immediate problem. Therefore, it seems the die is cast that we must be making an offer with all due speed. I believe that I can make a sufficiently interesting offer."

Mikal

He alternates between shaking his head yes and no as Horace speaks. He lets Kadri answer the question about whether or not they can afford to outbid the merchants, settling that question, then he replies.

"When I said 'any who pass my interview', I was serious. I will not take the dregs. This will be an elite outfit and will use new tactics. Those who I hire will need to not only be good, but willing to learn and work with others. We will be training for some time. I ask them to come to Waverider's Watch as that is where I will be. I made a promise to the Khorall."

He pauses, adding, "Tell those who come that if I do not hire them I will pay their travel costs back to Talantal where they are likely to find better options for a contract that pays more than anything they'd find here."

He makes sure to tell Twyls' mother and father the same message to pass along to any Jvrillians who come to the inn.

The Heartwood
Talesan’s Village
Amber Inn
Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Scholar

Cesare, Kadri, Mikal and Bekkah

Ari looked up from behind the bar, the station she had took.

“You know nothin’ about tradin’ now, do yah laddie? Well that’s to be expected, seeing you are right good with the sword but yah seem to be the kind of laddie tha’s better at swinging it than’ payin’for one.

“Listen to what Horace there has been sayin’. And remember that a penny in one’s hand is worth more than a promised star.

“The moment you leave tha’ Village you are out of tha’ market. Given the choice between a known contract and known coin and a tale to go visit a one pony watchtower in tha’ shadow of the Forest which would you choose? You’ll end up getting’ those tha’ can’t get a real job.”

Horace interrupted, raising a hand.

“It also means tha’ you can’t be depending on guildhall interviews.

“You are asking for folks to take a chance on a bloke who has never commanded before, aye? Or at the least, never commanded anythin’ anyone has ever heard of.

“You have to start somewhere. And that means you’ll have to be taking chances on your hires.

“Take the three of us. We aren’t sworders like Blackhand, but you ain’t going to be getting him. We know he’s going to hire with Jacobsen the Fat because here’s a bloody good reason why ole Jacob is the size of a horse – he can sell water to a fisherman or beer to old Rory here. He’s that good and thus can afford to weigh a mountain of stone.

“He’s your competition. Along with Fenwick Silvertongue and Oglaf Redpurse.

“Now Donnik, he’ learning his evocations. He ain’t a sword priest yet but he’s a fair amount there. Nevvie ‘s Fa was a smith up along Tor-an-Dal so he knows the Forest and what’s good steel and what’s not. Me? I tend to not get rehired because I’m not afraid to tell a Swordmaster when they are being an idiot.

“Nevvie and Donnik stay with me because I’m usually right. Most times.

He then turned to Kadri, as she was the one who had spoken in flowery - but concrete - terms of offers and that they needed to be made in due speed/

“So Lady Deep Pockets. Three of us. Double and half the standard contract back to Talantal, each, and we’ll be willing to take that chance.

“Are you two willing to do the same?”

At the bar, Ari chuckled, returning to her work all the while Twils shuttled back and forth from the kitchen to the commons, each time with another bundle of foodstuffs. The last trip took a little bit longer as the young woman returned with a decent sized keg.

The young lass then looked between Bekkah and Cesare.

“I made most of this. When I was waiting for Dydd … it kept me busy.”

She then looked to her Mother.

“No.”

Ari answered bruskly, as if reading her daughter’s mind.

“But who is going to cook for them? They don’t look like they could fry up anything except a week old fish …”

Ari simply repeated herself.

“No.”

Twls just crossed her arms and scowled.

Cesare

"Lived outdoors most of my life, I can cook. But it is nice that you gave us some thought."

He smiles at both of the females.

"Excuse me."

He nods respectfully at Bekkah who seems lost in her own thoughts today. Probably the ordeal they all went through. Then he slips of his seat crossing to stand behing Mikal and whispers quietly in his ear.

"Those who speak out, best to speak for you. Give him some authority. Just a suggestion. Don't know fighter stuff but do know people."

Mikal

He listens briefly to Cesare then turns back to the table consideringly. He glances at Kadri and nods.

"Double and half for you three, but only if you act as my agents here in town once I leave. We will leave you coin, and you can offer to pay the others one and a half times the contract back to Talantal if they come to Waverider's Watch for an interview. Longer term contract to be issued there if they're hired."

He looks at Horace consideringly. Daxia had been his logical choice as a second, once she returned with the contingent of Dayalan horse archers. But he has been getting the feeling she has her own journeys she wants to undertake and he'd not hold her if she was unwilling.

That means he would be looking for a second. He could do a lot worse than someone who was 'not afraid to tell a Swordmaster when they are being an idiot, and who was usually right.' Having a potential Swordpriest and a blacksmith added in is simply beyond fortunate.

"As to the topic of not having run a Troop", he reaches to his side and open the sack slightly so Horace can see inside. "Do you think showing this to potential recruits would help dispel that uncertainty, or scare them off?"

Inside the sack is the severed head of the Lizard Creature they killed in the catacombs.

(OOC - Wolf see PM)

Bekkah

She listened to the exchange between Twyls and her mother.

When the young girl had gone beck into the kitchen to get more food, Bekkah moved closer to Ari.

"Ahh, to be that young again. Head full of dreams." She began as if she was thinking back to a time many years ago when she was Twyls age.

"I have none of my own." she said with a clearly wistful tone.

"But I've seen my share of young ones from one village to another across the lands. Some fall in love with the first lad that comes along and no amount of talk can change their minds. Some want to stay where they are and do what has always been done. The sensible ones. Then there are those who want more. They are the hardest to corral. Few will listen to reason because they're certain they know better." she said then laughed.

"Well we all thought we knew better at her age."

"But the ones with that look in her eyes, well she will leave. It's like something in her has to escape. She might leave with merchants or worse she might leave on her own believing she can take care of herself. But rest assured mistress, I've seen that look often enough to know she will go."

"There are no guarantees in this world, but if you allow it, I give you my word that I will do my best to protect her. I will also make sure she understands that this is not easier than staying here. She will work. She will work hard."