The Spar and Sails was a run-down tavern on the dock front. Built from old ships’ timbers, it leant heavily against the neighbouring building like one of its patriots against a friend upon leaving.
Inside, it was dingy. The few windows were hazed with pipe smoke, the floor was filthy, ale-soaked sawdust over rotting boards, and the whole scene was lit by thick candles that burned fitfully on each table.
At one such table towards the back of the tavern, sat Aric Bastian. He hunched, elbows on the table, nursing a third tankard of ale and a grudge.
A pirate and a mercenary, Aric had hired the services of himself and his ship to a baron whose land was on the coast further north for the past month, protecting the baron, or more importantly the baron’s grape-growing fields, from raiders hired by one of the man’s rivals. Aric had not been overly concerned with the politics as long as he had gotten paid and the good wine grapes had remained unburnt.
It had all gone very well, until the baron had made a truce with his rival and no longer required Aric’s services. Not only had Aric not seen a coin of the promised reward, but also the baron had reported him and it was only the fact that the Kahoku Kai was the fastest ship on the seas that Aric was currently decorating a table in a tavern and not the end of a noose.
Some people, Aric reflected as he drained his tankard, had no morals whatsoever.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-11-01 02:53 pm (UTC)Inside, it was dingy. The few windows were hazed with pipe smoke, the floor was filthy, ale-soaked sawdust over rotting boards, and the whole scene was lit by thick candles that burned fitfully on each table.
At one such table towards the back of the tavern, sat Aric Bastian. He hunched, elbows on the table, nursing a third tankard of ale and a grudge.
A pirate and a mercenary, Aric had hired the services of himself and his ship to a baron whose land was on the coast further north for the past month, protecting the baron, or more importantly the baron’s grape-growing fields, from raiders hired by one of the man’s rivals. Aric had not been overly concerned with the politics as long as he had gotten paid and the good wine grapes had remained unburnt.
It had all gone very well, until the baron had made a truce with his rival and no longer required Aric’s services. Not only had Aric not seen a coin of the promised reward, but also the baron had reported him and it was only the fact that the Kahoku Kai was the fastest ship on the seas that Aric was currently decorating a table in a tavern and not the end of a noose.
Some people, Aric reflected as he drained his tankard, had no morals whatsoever.
[It's official - I am in love with my MC *dorks*]