And the Taste was Bitter
Once Ferdain and his pal had gone off, Elgard found himself alone with Novena; the first few minutes they had fallen ravenously on the Sweet Rolls the waiter had brought them. But now full of food and water they seemed to wake from their starved stupor. For a short time they just listened to the rhythmic beat the drummers played, the performers now began to sing along with their beat in a foreign tongue.
Ukubaro n'ama bido Hiyaaayeaaaaeaa
Rik na Baludoga ma Hiyaaayeaaea
Muva rida Muvar Hiyaaeaaaeaaaaaaaaa
Novena turned to Elgard once the singing stopped; one of the performers continued in a solo beat
"It's captivating, makes you want to dance doesn't it."
"Oh yea" lied the Nord, as a passing Dark Elf man came up to lean on their table;
"It makes me want to dance too, however don't tell the musicians that, because it's a song of Mourning and Loss." His voice wasn't raspy like most Dunmer men, but a high happy one, Elgard could already tell he hated this mer,
"And what's your name sir?" Novena cooed, sounding docile
"Mr. Azimin Nemoth but you can call me Azzy ma'am." Teased the mer,
"(Hee, hee) I'm Novena" said Novena patting her chest
"Elgard." Announced Elgard to no one in particular
"Novena," pronounced Azzy slowly; as if feeling the word on his tongue "Perhaps you'd like to join me upstairs, you see I…"
Elgard soon forgot Azzy's excuse for needing company; he probably should have noted it as it worked very well. But in any case it resulted in Elgard sitting alone at the bar, shirtless, penniless, and burnt. The high point of the night was when Luciou gave him a pitying look and handed him a free bottle of mead.
Albert and Ferdain sat in a dark room, the air smelt stale, bitter even; the small chamber was lit only by a single candle, through the false wall they had entered through one could here servants passing between the kitchen and upper floors.
There was silence after Ferdain finished the retelling of the attack on the convoy and the journey to the city.
"I was supposed to be on that convoy, Ferdain they were there for me."
"What have you gotten into Albert?"
"Spying on the sugar smugglers, but I uncovered something much bigger... you see there have always been several small criminal syndicates, competing with each other, but now they're all work together calling themselves the One Tribe of Paradise or Kiragutii Clan..."
Ferdain did not seem overly worried "Seems natural they would unify eventually."
The Breton continued, perturbed his audience did not share his concern, "That's just a small part of the problem; they're making an incredible profit and fiercely against the empire, a dangerous combination. In the last year they've escalated their political power, killing and bribing in very high reaches of politics. They are even training militants in the countryside for Azura's sake! Here take this…"Albert said handing a small journal to Ferdain.
"Why are you telling me all of this?" said Ferdain flipping the leather bound book in his hands,
"I lost my cover… now I'm being hunted by the bastards; I need you to deliver that Journal to Viceroy Tynius in Senchal. Don't worry they don't even know the book exists, tell you what let me write this down for you" said Albert taking the book back, he drew out a shard of coal and began scratching down instructions on the last blank pages of the book.
Ferdain looked uncomfortably at Albert; he did not want any of this. Gathering up his courage he attempted to draw the Breton's attention.
"Albert…Albert!" the old Blade paused in his writing "I'm not… look the Blades are gone, you're a government agent without an agency."
"We ser…"
"No I don't want anything to do with this! Maybe you forgot but I just got out of jail from last time I assisted the Order of Talos!"
"You know we tried to help! You made your own…" Said the red faced spy
Ferdain turned around, opened the false wall and marched back upstairs, leaving Albert alone in mid- sentence. Dropping his shoulders the man seemed to lose hope, a few moments later Albert was sleeping in a hammock upstairs.