22nd Bell - 51st of Winter, AV 515 - Whiteflame's Cider Mill
Night had fallen. With Sunberth cloaked in a shroud of darkness, the worst this city had to offer felt like it was safe to step out under a blanket of bleak, distant stars and indulge the lie that they weren't freaks or monsters but that it was the rest of the city that were they were the weirdoes. Along with them came the desperate, the ones that were truly desperate by Sunberth's deplorable standards who would risk the outcasts of this city just to bring home a loaf of bread and a bundle of firewood to keep a harsh, unforgiving winter at bay. Three of those men hung outside of a quaint old watermill that still creaked and groaned as the river nudged the wooden wheel along while a tough looking mule that was attached to a rickety cart stamped its hooves as if trying to keep warm. All three were armed, though only two of them kept their weapons in full view as a message. One of had two heavy knives tucked into a harness that glistened with each movement he made in torch light, another swung around a heavy single headed battleaxe as if bored with the lack of bloodshed while the driver of the cart was packing daggers in every conceivable place.
"Can't believe I pulled another night of delivery duty!" The mercenary with the battleaxe moaned as he brushed off the falling snow that had gathered on his shoulder. "I could be a nice warm casino right now, just dealin' with drunks and eyein' up those tarts Johnny parades around" He added with a with a longing groan as he pictured those women whores right at that moment.
"Those skanks don't do much for me nowadays. Besides, my missus would have me dangling by balls in the Gallows if she caught be touching one of those young tarts up" Erik quipped as he glanced at the young man he had been randomly assigned with. Tall man, he reached over six foot with shoulders as broad as bull and he while he was well past twenty winters he had yet to see his thirtieth. The sight reassured Erik somewhat though he felt as if the man had a bit of a fiery temper on him and Erik had seen enough hot headed mercenaries in his time to see how that eventually worked out. "That said, I'd 'preciate if Johnny sent though big, blue thugs he has on guard all the time."
"Y'know, one of Ruby's whore told me they both have cocks like field mice"
"That's whore talk, how would she even know if both of 'em- Y'know what, I don't even want to know. By the gods, what made the women of your generation such slatterns."
"As if your lot were any better" Toryn quipped. The old brewer stepped out of the watermill, rolling a wooden barrel along the cobbled streets towards the cart. The reason they were here in the dead of night was contained by the thick sides of the barrel, a delicious drink know as Two Berry cider that kept the Casino's patrons drunk, the girls warm and most importantly; it kept Tall Johnny rich.
"Aye" Erik agreed with a chuckle as they all helped heave the final sloshing barrel onto the back of the cart "I had my wife for a mug of your drink and she had me with the first words she said" He joked as the driver of cart chucked a thick, leather pouch full of gold his way. "Right, here's your pay, Johnny will be happy that his drunks can keep drinking" He said, placing the pouch firmly into the old brewer's open hand "I've asked before and I'll ask again, any chance you'd consider takin' on my boy as an apprentice?"
Toryn shook his head "My granddaughter's shaping up nicely, I don't need another hand. Sorry."
"Hey, no worries. No skin off my nose for askin'" He replied, shrugging it off though he was gutted inside before turning around to the driver "Right, get that mule movin'. Lets head round the butchery and stay on the safe side of Stumble Alley".
Night had fallen. With Sunberth cloaked in a shroud of darkness, the worst this city had to offer felt like it was safe to step out under a blanket of bleak, distant stars and indulge the lie that they weren't freaks or monsters but that it was the rest of the city that were they were the weirdoes. Along with them came the desperate, the ones that were truly desperate by Sunberth's deplorable standards who would risk the outcasts of this city just to bring home a loaf of bread and a bundle of firewood to keep a harsh, unforgiving winter at bay. Three of those men hung outside of a quaint old watermill that still creaked and groaned as the river nudged the wooden wheel along while a tough looking mule that was attached to a rickety cart stamped its hooves as if trying to keep warm. All three were armed, though only two of them kept their weapons in full view as a message. One of had two heavy knives tucked into a harness that glistened with each movement he made in torch light, another swung around a heavy single headed battleaxe as if bored with the lack of bloodshed while the driver of the cart was packing daggers in every conceivable place.
"Can't believe I pulled another night of delivery duty!" The mercenary with the battleaxe moaned as he brushed off the falling snow that had gathered on his shoulder. "I could be a nice warm casino right now, just dealin' with drunks and eyein' up those tarts Johnny parades around" He added with a with a longing groan as he pictured those women whores right at that moment.
"Those skanks don't do much for me nowadays. Besides, my missus would have me dangling by balls in the Gallows if she caught be touching one of those young tarts up" Erik quipped as he glanced at the young man he had been randomly assigned with. Tall man, he reached over six foot with shoulders as broad as bull and he while he was well past twenty winters he had yet to see his thirtieth. The sight reassured Erik somewhat though he felt as if the man had a bit of a fiery temper on him and Erik had seen enough hot headed mercenaries in his time to see how that eventually worked out. "That said, I'd 'preciate if Johnny sent though big, blue thugs he has on guard all the time."
"Y'know, one of Ruby's whore told me they both have cocks like field mice"
"That's whore talk, how would she even know if both of 'em- Y'know what, I don't even want to know. By the gods, what made the women of your generation such slatterns."
"As if your lot were any better" Toryn quipped. The old brewer stepped out of the watermill, rolling a wooden barrel along the cobbled streets towards the cart. The reason they were here in the dead of night was contained by the thick sides of the barrel, a delicious drink know as Two Berry cider that kept the Casino's patrons drunk, the girls warm and most importantly; it kept Tall Johnny rich.
"Aye" Erik agreed with a chuckle as they all helped heave the final sloshing barrel onto the back of the cart "I had my wife for a mug of your drink and she had me with the first words she said" He joked as the driver of cart chucked a thick, leather pouch full of gold his way. "Right, here's your pay, Johnny will be happy that his drunks can keep drinking" He said, placing the pouch firmly into the old brewer's open hand "I've asked before and I'll ask again, any chance you'd consider takin' on my boy as an apprentice?"
Toryn shook his head "My granddaughter's shaping up nicely, I don't need another hand. Sorry."
"Hey, no worries. No skin off my nose for askin'" He replied, shrugging it off though he was gutted inside before turning around to the driver "Right, get that mule movin'. Lets head round the butchery and stay on the safe side of Stumble Alley".
