AN: This chapter is brought to you by a specific hatred of the hypothalamus regulated endocrine system and the desire to put off learning the structure of aldosterone for one more hour. Some authors have muses, I have biochemistry.
As usual : indicates thoughts or mind speech, depending on the situation
Tessabe: I do plan on reworking the spelling on the first four chapters during or after holiday break. Right now, however, that's not especially high on my to-do list. I hope that you can forgive the delay as well as my past problems with trusting Microsoft word spell-check implicitly or ignoring it.
As for everyone else, I hope you enjoy the story and how its unfolding. I'm like most mini-authors in that I love flames and praise (praises generally more than flames). Also, if you've a suggestion on the characters/future plot (what feels right, real, and/or phony) I'm open to hearing about it.
And now on to the show ;)
(Rior's Holding)
It did not take much time for Lana to begin putting the pieces of her new plan together. Though the white puppy's presence the evening before had seemed like a curse, it now appeared to be something of a godsend. It was her central bid into infiltrating Lord Tallmont's organization. The irony of it was not lost on Lana.
: Gods, if that toad's teeth for brains white puppy only knew the opportunity he's given me, it would whip the conceited holier than thou alabaster grin off his face.
She allowed herself a moment's glee before entering a tailor's shop in Catchman's Row. The establishment catered to both the honest and dishonest members of the lower social classes. It was both what it appeared to be and what it did not.
"Can I be helping you Ma'm?" a young girl not more than twelve greeted her, "We have just got in some very nice linens that ain't too pricey but be looking like it". Lana had never seen this child before, but that was to be expected. Jake didn't usually serve the honest customers; it was a waste of his more interesting talents.
"Get Jake for me, and be quick about it or you will annoy me. You don't want to annoy me," Lana's voice was a dead monotone as she sat down in the only chair of the room. It did no good for Night's reputation to be pleasant in anyway. And her abruptness usually got her what she wanted in places like this.
The girl didn't wait to respond. Instead she fled beyond a blue curtain to the back room of the shop. Lana listened as she heard muffled voices beyond the curtain. Within moments a grey haired giant appeared from the cloth barrier.
The relatively handsome face was twisted into a frown of annoyance, but as his charcoal eyes took in the short stocky woman seated, he smiled. "Well, Night it's been many a moon since I saw you in hear last" he paused as if unsure to go on "I be hoping you remember that this is a place of the up and up business world".
"Jake, I remember you're little idiosyncrasies. Have no fear that I'm prepared to purchase an overpriced poorly made garment for what I want. I am hoping you remember what it is that I am and my own little idiosyncrasies. We wouldn't want the people of Catchman's Row to be deprived of their number one tailor and informer, now would we?"
"Now, Night I wouldn't be forgetting my favorite gal. Why don't we gets to the back shop room as to have a little privacy? I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone seeing you in your nether-clothes," he gestured her to the room beyond the curtain.
"Nor, would we want your dirty bits of laundry seen for any of your more daylight oriented customers, Jake," Lana let a little of the annoyance she felt at his usual banter slip into her voice. Despite the fact that this man dealt with circles far dirty than one might imagine, he had a unique ability to tease and charm everyone. It undoubtedly, came in handy with his more legal activities. And though she would never trust Jake, Lana generally enjoyed the times she had to make use of his less legal ones, if only for his humor.
They both stepped beyond the curtain. The young girl took one look at Lana and fled to the front rooms before either of them could say a word.
"Flighty young thing, but I' pose it saves me the trouble of scaring her mindless too," Jake muttered as he opened a panel behind a pile of pined garments. He gestured into the hidden room "After you, Night. I trust that this is private enough for the both of us."
"As usual Jake, it is merely adequate. Now enough of this pretense and pageantry," her voice was clipped.
"I can give you information on any of the docks right now. If you be needing information amongst the higher ups; you know the cost and the time frame. I'm not set to get amongst them for at least another fortnight or so. " Jake in his dealings with information charged nobles, and richer men, a small fortune to get access to, as they put it, 'dirty information'. Or in exchange for his exorbitant fee, he got information of some of their 'business' dealings and a lesser fee, on his word that it would not be detrimental to their own interests. Surprisingly, Jake was usually good on his word. In his business, it paid to be.
"Actually, I've news for a certain patron of yours. Let's just say that certain white mice are trying to get at his coffers of young grain" Lana let the statement drag.
Jake had been the informer for Lord Tallmont for over six years. That fact alone assured Lana of Jake understanding her innuendo. Added to that was Jake's relentless information network throughout Haven. If it was illegal, legal, or somewhere in between and there was coin to be made from it, Jake knew about it. Undoubtedly, he had already heard of a Companion interrupting a child sale. And if not, he would before the next few days were up.
"Night, I be surprised at you. You've never been one to give me the information before? Why now?" Jake sounded suspicious. In truth, he was right to be. No one gave up free information for nothing if it was real information.
"Don't act too surprised. This will benefit me as much as you if it is given to the right person. Let's just say that I'm tired of working haphazardly across the entire realm of Valdemar, and would like a steady stream of income for a working holiday of sorts. I'm used to avoiding white mice or exterminating them. If a certain landowner happens to have a potential infestation of the pests, who better than myself to be called on to protect his harvesting operations?"
The calculating glow of an easy payment grew in Jake's charcoal eyes.
: Thank the gods, she's come to me with this. If she be talking about Tallmont my purse strings will be pulled to busting for the next year.
"Maybe I know a landowner with a white mice problem, maybe I don't. How am I to be knowing who to tell this to? And if I do know, what is it you want from me?"
"Why Jake, I'm surprised at you. The only thing I want is you to relay the message that the Night has always been a little fatal to creatures, like white mice, that can't hide themselves very well. As for knowing who the landowner is, I'm sure you'll figure out a way to find his identity. Call it a challenge if you like. If I don't hear from either you or one of this landowner's men in a fortnight perhaps I should just take my offer somewhere else. And believe me that will not make me very pleased. It is a bother to no longer need the services of an old friend. It always makes me a tad emotional to do away with them," Lana let the silence grow, "Do we understand each other?"
Jake nodded silently.
"Good, I expect my contact within a week. I'm sure you know how to get in touch with me." With that Lana walked out of the private room, leaving Jake to figure out how he was going to contact Tallmont before their next assigned meeting. When Lana came to the front room she took in the sight of the small girl trying to become invisible behind the desk and shook her head. It had been a long time since she had been as innocent as that girl or as afraid of monsters in people's clothing. Pulling her cloak around her shoulders Lana walked out of the shop and into the streets. Now all she had to do was wait for the next play in her game. Luckily, she was very good at waiting.