Chapter 4.
Beraht's store was right next to the Tapster's Tavern, and there might be a hidden joke there but I was too tired to find it. We walked the short distance and I opened the door to Beraht store.
Beraht was talking to some random chick that I'd never seen before, and they were talking about the king...whoever he was.
"The king is old. His rule won't hold much longer." Beraht said.
"Prince Bhelen seems far more sympathetic to our interest than Trian." Her voice was really breathey sounding, and I could've sworn I'd heard her voice from somewhere. I tapped my chin in deep thought.
"Bhelen has some taste of his own that he knows I can provide-" Beraht finally noticed Leske and I standing there. " We'll finish this later." We walked up to him and that girl was eyeing me like I was a nug that needed to be eaten. Gross.
Beraht turned to us. "It's about time you two showed up. What happened with Oskias?"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the little bag with the lyrium in it.
"He's dead. Here's the lyrium." I handed the bag to Beraht.
"Excellent." He took the bag. "I have another job in mind for you."
"Let me guess: I don't really have a choice." I gave him a nasty sneer. He smiled...bastard.
"You're catching on." he continued. " The Warrior caste is hosting a Proving today-all the best fighters, last man standing...you know the sort of thing, They're showing off for some Grey Warden who's looking for candidates to drag off to a life of eternal glory. Now, it's not often we get every name fighter in Orzammar lined up like that, and I have certain acquaintances who...take an interest in this sort of thing."
"You're taking bets on the fighters." I knew his game, I had to play it everyday.
"There's a lot of coin to be made when people get the fever up. Favored fighter's an officer named Mainar, veteran of four darkspawn campaigns. Everd's long shot." Can I just stab him already? He never shuts up. " Just got back from a Deep Roads offensive. Some young buck who has all the ladies drooling. I've got a lot of money riding on him. Mine and other people's. I expect to see that eight-to-one pay off. Understand?"
"Aye, I do." I said in a monotone voice.
"The fight only gets announced to contestants themselves...to prevent illegal gambling. So first, you'll have to find Everd, see who he's fighting, and when. When the name Mainar comes up, I want you to slip this drug into the bastard's water."
Wow, I didn't see that one coming.
"It'll slow his reflexes, just enough to take the edge off, not enough to show. But it wears off quickly, so don't use it until just before his fight."
"All right. We'll go right now." I can finally leave his hellhole of a shop.
"You bet you will. Here's your pass to get on the grounds. The Proving starts as soon as the clock strikes." He handed both me and Leske a pass. "And when I say I have coin on this, I'm not talking about some pittance, like the value of your life."
I heard Leske gulp beside me.
"If I don't see Everd's name on the winners sheet, you'd better make sure I never see you, or you sister again." I got out of there as fast as I could. I'm angry. He doesn't own me or my sister! Who is Beraht to decide what I get paid? If this fucking brand wasn't on my face, and I had a house Beraht would be the scum underneath my feet. Leske must've saw me fuming because he came over and put his hand on my shoulder.
"Beraht will get what's coming to him, Natia, I swear." There was something in his voice that didn't make me doubt what he said. Beraht would get what coming to him, I would just have to wait.