- I told him, nobody's going to buy this, it's really nothing special.
- When was this? Did you recognize her?
- Oh, a few months ago...
The merchant consulted the small card attached to the sword and nodded.
- A few months, or a few years? I hadn't written down the date... And my memory...
- And you're sure it was her?
- A homine too, uh, disfigured... uh... well... Oy, I'm pretty sure, she's unrecognizable... Uh, recognizable. She was hiding under a hood, as if she didn't want to be recognized, but I could still see her eyes. Well, her eye. She insisted that I not write a name on my card.
- And you haven't heard that everyone's been looking for her for weeks? Couldn't you have reacted?
If Lyren hadn't dropped by the Fairhaven market that day, if she hadn't taken the time to look at the few weapons on sale, no one would probably have ever seen that little sword again. But the merchant had nonchalantly asked her if she was, by any chance, the daughter of that rather striking Nhori Drakani who often hung around the bar. The homin hit his forehead and pulled out the sword.
- React, react... I've got work to do, and I can't be interested in everyone who drops something off. And then, just recently, I heard that you were looking for it, and it came back to me.
- Well, well, well. But if she left this sword here, it's for someone to find, dey?
- No doubt she said something else. It must have slipped my mind...
The fyrette found it hard not to retort that she'd like to get something else out of the merchant's head with a sledgehammer, as he placed his purse on the counter, a sign that he wanted to collect payment. Not without a grumble, she put down some dappers and took the sword in hand.
- Did she leave anything else, by any chance?
- I'm afraid that's the only one. Is it that important?
- The most important thing is that I know whether she filed this before or after Kyriann's marriage to Ostium.
The homin emitted a sort of uncertain squeak in response, which again earned him a glare from the fyrette.
- If you ever see her again, or if you remember... call the Drakani... or wake the commander.
- Is it that bad?
Lyren turned on his heels without answering and began to walk away.
- Wait, yes, one detail is coming back to me!
- Spit it out," replied Lyren, curtly.
- I would never have taken that sword, but she assured me that someone would eventually come and take it, and leave a good sum of dappers for my discretion. But no one came, and as I took inventory...
- Anyone?
The merchant smiled again and nonchalantly opened his hand towards the homine, as if inviting her to give him a few more dappers for information.
- Anyone, Lyren repeated?
The walker remained frozen in this position for a few seconds, then finally shrugged his shoulders and sighed, seeing that he wasn't going to get anything more.
- She wanted it to be discreet, so she didn't give me a name!
- Get this into your heads: we're looking for a Tryker citizen, and there's no way we're going to pay for information. And even less for nothing.
- But I just gave you the information," squeaked the merchant.
- Just barely. And the slap, it was also narrowly avoided, the slap. Is there anything else you're not telling me?
- I'm an honest merchant, but I have to make a living.
Lyren took a deep breath and spun around, slapping the Tryker across the face.
- And I'm a diplomat," she replies. I've got to come up with something to get them talking at the next meeting.
- When was this? Did you recognize her?
- Oh, a few months ago...
The merchant consulted the small card attached to the sword and nodded.
- A few months, or a few years? I hadn't written down the date... And my memory...
- And you're sure it was her?
- A homine too, uh, disfigured... uh... well... Oy, I'm pretty sure, she's unrecognizable... Uh, recognizable. She was hiding under a hood, as if she didn't want to be recognized, but I could still see her eyes. Well, her eye. She insisted that I not write a name on my card.
- And you haven't heard that everyone's been looking for her for weeks? Couldn't you have reacted?
If Lyren hadn't dropped by the Fairhaven market that day, if she hadn't taken the time to look at the few weapons on sale, no one would probably have ever seen that little sword again. But the merchant had nonchalantly asked her if she was, by any chance, the daughter of that rather striking Nhori Drakani who often hung around the bar. The homin hit his forehead and pulled out the sword.
- React, react... I've got work to do, and I can't be interested in everyone who drops something off. And then, just recently, I heard that you were looking for it, and it came back to me.
- Well, well, well. But if she left this sword here, it's for someone to find, dey?
- No doubt she said something else. It must have slipped my mind...
The fyrette found it hard not to retort that she'd like to get something else out of the merchant's head with a sledgehammer, as he placed his purse on the counter, a sign that he wanted to collect payment. Not without a grumble, she put down some dappers and took the sword in hand.
- Did she leave anything else, by any chance?
- I'm afraid that's the only one. Is it that important?
- The most important thing is that I know whether she filed this before or after Kyriann's marriage to Ostium.
The homin emitted a sort of uncertain squeak in response, which again earned him a glare from the fyrette.
- If you ever see her again, or if you remember... call the Drakani... or wake the commander.
- Is it that bad?
Lyren turned on his heels without answering and began to walk away.
- Wait, yes, one detail is coming back to me!
- Spit it out," replied Lyren, curtly.
- I would never have taken that sword, but she assured me that someone would eventually come and take it, and leave a good sum of dappers for my discretion. But no one came, and as I took inventory...
- Anyone?
The merchant smiled again and nonchalantly opened his hand towards the homine, as if inviting her to give him a few more dappers for information.
- Anyone, Lyren repeated?
The walker remained frozen in this position for a few seconds, then finally shrugged his shoulders and sighed, seeing that he wasn't going to get anything more.
- She wanted it to be discreet, so she didn't give me a name!
- Get this into your heads: we're looking for a Tryker citizen, and there's no way we're going to pay for information. And even less for nothing.
- But I just gave you the information," squeaked the merchant.
- Just barely. And the slap, it was also narrowly avoided, the slap. Is there anything else you're not telling me?
- I'm an honest merchant, but I have to make a living.
Lyren took a deep breath and spun around, slapping the Tryker across the face.
- And I'm a diplomat," she replies. I've got to come up with something to get them talking at the next meeting.