This is not the mage you're looking for
Posted on 10 Dec 2020 @ 4:03am by Mage Kalian Winter & Warrior Martin Josceran & Rogue Elinowy Ursulas
5,377 words; about a 27 minute read
Mission:
Lore's Labour's Lost
Location: Raven's Roost
Timeline: Cloudreach 16th - evening
"Soooo... I thought we were going for a drink. Why are we going to the guardhouse, again ?" Gauvain asked, a little sullenly.
"We're not," Martin said, biting back a smile. "We're going to a tavern."
"Really." Gauvain raised a dubious eyebrow. "Because the Orlesian Arms is in the other direction. Just so you know."
"I'm aware. I thought you might like to try a different place for a change."
"Not if a change involves breaking up a brawl or arresting a suspect," Gauvain muttered.
Martin rolled his eyes. "I asked for your help once, half a year ago, in how many years, and you never let me hear the end of it."
"I got an earful from the Knight-Captain. And the Revered Mother. And the men called me "Guard dog" for months." Gauvain sniffed. "Though I must admit breaking up a brawl is almost as much fun as starting one. Maybe I should have been a guard like you."
"You're way too sanctimonious to make a convincing guard," Martin snorted. "Ah, here we are." They had arrived at the intricately carved door of the inn.
"The Raven's Roost ?"
"Yeah. I came here to arrest a mugger the other day. They have some good ale."
"Drinking while on duty ?" Gauvain tutted. "Aren't you a fine specimen of the Jader Guard. Well, lead on."
They pushed the door open, revealing the cosy interior and quiet chatter of the patrons.The tranquil atmosphere was a stark contrast to the Orlesian Arms, where a scratchy-voiced bard had been singing every night for the past three weeks. It was a good thing Martin had discovered the Raven's Roost now because he may have had to arrest the man if he had to be subjected to his voice one more time. Or at least fine him heavily. There was no way this man had a license from the Bard's guild.
Martin looked around for Kalian, as he and Gauvain walked to the bar. He still owed him a beer, after all.
Kalian lugged a fresh keg up the cellar stairs and locked the cellar door, then hefted the keg onto his shoulder and staggered in the Raven's back door. Tessa hurried toward him and whispered, "Templar in the house."
He handed her the cellar key and replied, "No problem." He'd blend in as usual, the templar would never even notice him. Kalian took the keg to the bar to find Martin sitting there waiting for him. Next to him sat a templar. Andraste's holy knickers. Kalian swallowed. "Hello Martin. Uh, good to see you."
Martin greeted Kalian with a big smile while Gauvain lifted a curious eyebrow.
"And you as well. I still owe you a drink. I hope you don't mind that I brought you an extra customer. Gauvain, this is Kalian, his family owns the place. He helped me out with that mugger I mentioned a minute ago. Kalian, this is - "
"Ser Gauvain Hauteville, de Villaret," Gauvain interrupted him. "But you can just call me - "
"By a wide array of surnames," Martin put in, "most of which should not be repeated in polite company."
" - Gauvain, if you're going to serve me an ale. Which Martin is going to pay. Make that a pint."
"Uh…" Kalian put down the fresh keg, using the distraction as a cover his nervousness. A templar. Martin came in with a templar. "A pleasure to meet you, uh… Gauvain." Kalian left the new keg to settle while he filled two pint glasses from the previous one, them set them down in front of Martin and the templar.
"You two seem like close friends. Or siblings even," said Kalian, recovering from the initial shock of being introduced to a templar. He gave Gauvain his best nonchalant and innocent smile. "Always good to welcome new customers to the Raven's Roost."
Kalian considered slinking off on a made-up excuse but decided that would be suspicious. He poured himself a half-pint, and leaned casually against the bar. "How was your guard shift this afternoon, Martin?"
"Oh, nothing special. I was on alienage duty but things have actually been quiet there. It won't last, but it's nice." Martin's grin had a painful slant to it. The Alienage was not usually short of excitement. In the past years the Guard had had to deal with several murders, a reported haunting that turned out to be an elaborate con, several instances of fencing stolen goods, and even a case of child abduction.
Martin had taken advantage of his uneventful patrol to speak to Patrick, his main informant in the Alienage. It seemed there had been one case of a disappearance, which might be related to the current affair, but nothing was less certain. The elf in question had been in debt so he may also have just fled his creditors. The main moneylender in the alienage, a dwarf by the name of Thorold, could be particularly inventive when dealing with debtors.
The need for a distraction was immediately fulfilled as a sudden flash of red entered through the door. Somewhere between the Scarlet Robes and the flame red hair, the tall sister from the Chantry always grabbed people's attention. She moved with grace and a practiced aloofness coming from years of practice. She quickly moved to the table with the Guard and the Templar. She smiled a Kalian and handed him a large armful of freshly picked flowers. "For your sister, perhaps to reflect the beauty of her generosity." she turned an looked at Martin and his companion. "Constable Josceran, it seems you are taking up with people of orders lately. Who is your associate?"
Sister Elinowy appeared to be as flamboyant as ever. Martin gave her an easy smile. "Not sure taking up is the right way to put it, I've known Gauvain for years. Hauteville de Villaret, that is. Gauvain, this is Sister Elinowy, who is... visiting ?" Martin was not actually quite sure why the sister was here, but he suspected it was no mere happenstance.
Gauvain gave the Sister a Templar's salute, hands crossed over his chest. "Sister, welcome to Jader. You shouldn't be surprised by Martin's association with us, he used to be one of us after all."
From behind the bar, Kalian choked on his mouthful of ale. Martin used to be a templar?
Martin shifted on his feet, slightly uncomfortable that Gauvain would bring this up in front of people whom he didn't know that well just yet, even if he considered them to be friends. "Yes, then I realized people would be calling me Ser, and I had to drop out. All that formality, I just couldn't stand it," he joked, a little bit weakly. A change of subject was in order. "Sister, will you partake with us ? I'm buying."
"Some Tea please Martin, if you would." she politely responded giving Martin a glance over with a curious eye. A former Templar. Very interesting. She was curious as to why Martin would have truly given up the service, it was not entered lightly. It would also give her an interesting insight into the temptations and failings of the Templar order, something that if her discernment carried through on its proper course would be most enlightening and helpful.
Kalian set about preparing Elinowy's tea, grateful for the brief excuse not to look Gauvain or Martin in the eye. Had he said anything suspicious to Martin so far? He was pretty sure he hadn't. Once he'd poured a heaping spoonful of tea herbs into the teapot, he added just-boiled water and then set the teapot and a cup down before the sister.
Meanwhile Gauvain was taking a swig of ale, eyebrows rising as he enjoyed the fresh taste and the hint of elderberry.
"Martin wasn't joking, you really do have some nice ale," he said to Kalian. "I can't believe I never came here before. And, you don't have a bard, thank Andraste and all her Disciples for that small blessing. I may have to come here more often."
"Compliments of our ale are deeply appreciated, Gauvain," said Kalian. Templars disliking bards – that was a new one. He recalled a tavern in Jader that was favored by templars. One Kalian always avoided. He'd heard the owner was allowing his son to entertain customers as a bard. "Do you mean the Orlesian Arms? It's not always a good idea to employ family members. But don't tell my sister I said so." Kalian gave him a friendly and self-deprecating wink and raised his half-pint glass. Just a friendly bar-server, no mages around here.
"They run a most generous hospitality here. I am indebted to their kindness. Speaking of which, Kalian, were is your sister? I need her help for our undertaking tomorrow." Elinowy asked.
"Oh, uh, Tessa…" Kalian looked around as though he didn't know his sister was hovering in the kitchen, ready to intervene or create a distraction. She emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with two bowls of stew she delivered to another table. "Tessa, do you have a moment?"
Tessa approached and bowed her head to the templar. "It is an honor to serve a soldier of Andraste, ser knight." She gave her brother a sideways scowl. What was Kalian thinking, getting involved with templars. He'd told her his scheme with his new guardsman friend, and the strange Sister. But now, socializing with a templar?
"This is Martin's good friend, Gauvain." Kalian glanced at Martin, unsure if the templar knew about what they planned to do tomorrow. "Elinowy needs your help, Tessa."
Elinowy sipped her tea and then turned to look at Tessa with a smile. "Tessa, wonderful! I need your help. We are venturing out discreetly tomorrow as we look into the recent disappearances in town. I have need of appearing like a low caste working girl. Something that would allow me to blend in as a common woman walking the streets. I thought you might have something I could borrow to wear.
Tessa's eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms across her chest, a rebuke right on the tip of her tongue. But Kalian was giving her that pleading look, and the last thing she wanted was for Elinowy's clothing to give her brother away. "I'm sure I have something you can wear that is less obvious than your Chantry robes." Tessa looked around the tavern. "It's not too busy right now. Come with me to our home next door and we can go through what I have." Tessa headed for the tavern's back door.
Tessa poked her head into her father's room at the back of the tavern. Through the door, Armin could be seen in his wheeled chair, reading with his four-year-old granddaughter Iris, with baby Gabriel in his lap with a wooden toy in his mouth. "Papa, I'll be at home for a bit."
Tessa opened the back door and gestured for Elinowy to follow. They passed the tavern's cellar and crossed a small outdoor work area to the back door of a cottage she unlocked. Inside was a neat, compact yet comfortable kitchen and sitting room, a simple family shrine with a statue of Andraste and a halla statue, stairs to a loft and a bedroom off the main room – Tessa's destination.
Elinowy made her way into the Tessa and Kalian's living quarters. She scanned the room closely seeing what she could learn about the family from their domestic environment. The home had all the halmarks of a hard working family with close interpersonal ties. She stopped briefly saying a short prayer before the statue of Andraste. The deer figurine positioned near it was concerning. It spoke of elves. Deceased elves and their pagan rites. Perhaps a family tradition that had been carried down over generations. Still a heresy she would need to be mindful of. She would keep a sharp eye for other cues.
She considered the wardrobe in the corner, then pulled a wooden box out from under the bed. "Perhaps we can find some suitable things among my family's old clothes. Mine, Ben's and Kalian's," said Tessa.
Elinowy knelt down by the box and smiled kindly at Tessa. "Thank you. I pray the Maker will bless you for your kindness and generosity." She opened the box to examine the contents. Older garments that had been kept for some reason, sentimental or otherwise. She found a simple tunic, faded from wear, but holding a touch or styling that had likely been a cherished outfit sometime in the past. It would do. "Might I try this?" she asked of Tessa.
"Whatever you find that is suitable," said Tessa, smiling. The tunic had been her own, something she'd bought for herself before she and Ben were married. But it was only worn fabric, she'd never wear it again.
A patched but clean pair of trousers, possibly a man's were in the box. No skirt or shift or dress was apparent, but their was a handmade shawl that would round out a potential outfit. "Perhaps these as well?" she inquired.
The shawl had been left behind by a tavern guest at some point, but the trousers had been her father's, before the run-in with a chevalier when he'd lost the ability to walk along with his wife, Tessa's mother. "Of course, Sister. Whatever you need. If you'd like, I will have your Chantry robes cleaned while you're gone."
Elinowy looked thoughtfully at the assorted garments nodding to herself. "I think these should do adequately. Thank you for offering to have my robes cleaned. I washed them in a stream some miles west of Jader a few days ago, and it would likely please everyone more if you did have them freshened up. May I try these on?"
"Of course. I'll step out and give you some privacy. If those clothes don't fit, go ahead and choose others." Tessa pulled the bedroom door shut behind her. While the Chantry sister was occupied, she sorted through her mending box and assembled a needle, thread, and a few scraps of cloth.
Elinowy quickly arranged the chosen items on the bed. Removing her Chantry robes, she proceeded to change, finding the clothes to be a bit... snug. The clasps and ties all closed, but whomever these items had belonged to was certainly nowhere near the Sister's stature. The tunic fit, in that she was able to move her arms and head comfortably, although particularly in the chest it was restrictive. Elinowy twisted the tunic in an attempt to pull it completely on. The pants were too short, and a bit tight in the waist. Elinowy was a little disappointed that the disguise that had been provided to her didn't fit all that well. But she trusted the Maker had a reason for the ill fitting costume. She finished dressing and looked upon herself in the small mirror mounted to the chest of drawers. Elinowy made an awkward face as she look in her disheveled and binding disguise. She considered it nothing special to look at, and that was the point, so she accepted this would be how whe would face the journey ahead. She opened the bedroom door to allow Tessa back in. "What do you think?"
Tessa looked the tall woman up and down. "Uh, well, in that outfit you do appear desperate enough to take one of those jobs, and no one will mistake you for a Chantry sister." She hoped her brother wouldn't forget she was a sister. Tessa held out the small package to Elinowy. "A needle and thread in case you need to make minor adjustments."
Smiling gracefully Elinowy replied. "Sadly my studies at the Chantry never covered proper sewing. I can darn small holes, but alterations are a little beyond my skill. We had skilled seamstresses in the village do most of our mending, and Sister Caithlin had a steady hand. These will certainly do. Thank you for your great generosity. If I can change back into my habit, I will gladly take these for the morning."
This tantalizing insight into the odd sister's past brought to mind a long list of questions, but Tessa felt the need to return to her family business without an extended delay. "It is a great satisfaction to help those who need it, when I can," she said modestly, and gestured for Elinowy to return to the bedroom and change.
Elinowy proceeded to remove her disguise and fold it neatly on the bed. She looked around the Winter's home as she donned her Habit again. Their family had been a tremendous blessing from the Maker. She had need of little since she had arrived in Jader. Kalian and his sister seemed content to take care of all her earthly needs. As she tucked her long red hair beneath the scarlet hood, she said a quick prayer for the Winters and the Raven's Roost. Trying times were coming, she prayed the Maker would see fit to allow it to pass this home.
Kalian watched Tessa and Elinowy - one his prime interference and the other his prime distraction - leave with a sinking feeling. He smiled weakly at Martin and his templar friend.
Gauvain shifted a little bit closer to Martin. "That Sister is a bit... weird, isn't she ?"
"You don't know the half of it," Martin said, swallowing back a laugh. "But she's helping out on a case."
"That's unusual..." Gauvain trailed off, eyeing Sister Elinowy as she followed Tessa out.
He wasn't wrong, the Chantry rarely got involved in mundane business. If he was honest, Martin had asked himself the same question. He was sure the Sister had some kind of agenda. That did not mean she did not have good intentions, but he still would like to know what she was up to.
"Does the Revered Mother know about Sister Elinowy being in Jader ?" Martin asked.
Kalian tipped back his half-pint, curious to hear Gauvain's answer. It was strange to him that Elinowy didn't seem to have any connection to Jader's Chantry.
"If she does, she didn't tell the grunts," Gauvain snorted. "But I'd assume that she does. She usually is aware of most of whatever's going on at any given time." He took a swig. "Now let's talk about more pressing matters, such as this outstanding ale. I'll have to come back with Jérôme and Flavien." He gave Kalian a mischievous grin. "We'll make this place the favourite haunt of all the Templars and we'll run the Orlesian Arms out of business. Then maybe they'll actually hire a decent bard."
Kalian's throat seemed to close and he choked on his beer, his dark skin a little paler. "Uh, that, uh, would be." He coughed and cleared his throat. "Sorry. That would certainly be a great boon to my sister's business. Very thoughtful of you, Gauvain." Maybe he could get a job at the Orlesian Arms.
"We don't have a bard at the Raven just now, but Sister Elinowy has a beautiful voice," said Kalian, hoping to shift attention away from himself. "Not much incentive is needed to get her to sing, we can ask when she gets back."
Ben had just served stew to another table, and was chatting with customers. No help there. Kalian said, "Can I get either of you a refill? Or a bowl of stew?"
"I'll never refuse a refill," Gauvain said, pushing his nearly empty tankard towards Kalian. "Do you have any toasted breadsticks ? Or grilled pork rinds ?" He paused, peering at his host. "Are you alright ? You look a bit pale."
"Oh, uh," Kalian cleared his throat and refilled Gauvain's tankard. "We don't have grilled pork rinds, but we could get some for next time. I'd be happy to toast some breadsticks." That would give him an excuse to hide in the kitchen for a least a short time.
"He's just horrified at the thought of you emptying his sister's pantry," Martin said, smacking Gauvain on the arm. "On top of drinking his cellar to utter and absolute desolation."
"I'm not promising anything," Gauvain said, dignified.
"Don't worry," Martin said to Kalian in a mock whisper, "he's actually loaded. That's Sire Gauvain Hauteville, if you didn't know. Just charge him double for everything."
"I own nothing but what the Maker provides," Gauvain said piously. "Unfortunately the Maker has seen fit to saddle me with terrible friends. I must have been a Darkspawn in a past life. Or something. Oh, thanks," he said, taking the ale Kalian handed him. "So, come on now, tell me the whole story, how did you meet ? Martin's not usually that great at making new friends."
"Says the man who's still hanging out with me out of sheer desperation," Martin snickered.
Although he joked, there was some truth to what Gauvain said. Martin was friendly and easy-going with everyone but let few people close. His occupation as a city guard coupled with his natural inclination towards distrust were partly to blame, and the natural consequence was that he had a great many acquaintances but few true friends, Gauvain being one notable exception. Patrick, his Alienage informant, might be another, and Raoul, his landlord. Still, while Martin didn't know Kalian all that well yet, he liked him ; in no small part because he'd offered his help, no strings attached, with such earnestness - even though he had nothing to gain. That was not the manner of a deceitful man.
"We met right here at the Raven's Roost," said Kalian, glad that Gauvain had brought up a fairly safe topic of conversation. "Sister Elinowy brought in a thief who had been mugging some of our customers on their way home. After my brother-in-law Ben and his friends apprehended him, Martin came to collect the mugger and take him to the guardhouse."
Kalian laughed, recalling the previous night and loosening up a little. "That mugger was surprisingly creative, making up bribes to get us to let him go."
"And you refused ?" Gauvain laughed. "You don't know how to do business, either of you. Should have taken the bribe, then taken him in anyway."
Martin rolled his eyes, though he knew Gauvain was joking. "I don't think he actually did have any money, he was just hoping we'd drop our guard long enough for him to make a run for it. Plus the Guard doesn't take bribes."
"You mean you don't take bribes," Gauvain said cynically. "Oh, don't look at me like that, it's the same everywhere. Bad and good apples in every basket. Except in the Order I suppose, since money wouldn't do us much good anyway." He took another swig of ale.
"Speaking of the Order, what happened to Jérôme and Flavien ? I thought they were supposed to join us later."
"Oh, they got sent west. We got an escaped mage - " Gauvain stopped abruptly, obviously remembering a bit late that they were in mixed company, and gave Kalian a rueful look. "Oops. Wasn't meant to let that one slip. Don't tell anyone I told you, yeah ?"
"No, no. I would never... Uh, west you say?" Kalian lowered his voice and allowed his very real fear of being hunted himself to infuse his tone. "So, they aren't hunting in Jader? We're safe here?"
"Safe as a babe in his mother's arms," Gauvain assured him with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Besides, there's still plenty of us around here, only a handful went on the hunt, so if anything did happen, we'd be close by."
The last thing Kalian wanted to talk about with a templar was blood magic, but a question had been nagging at the back of his mind. "Martin, do you remember when we were in the refugee camp and you mentioned the missing people might be victims of a killer? I didn't want to bring this up where that poor woman Isla could hear, but what if people are disappearing because…" Kalian did not need to feign fear and disgust. "B-blood magic?"
"Victims of a killer ?" Gauvain put in before Martin had time to say anything. "My, you don't get bored, do you ? Please tell me it's not like... that other time ?"
"No, no," Martin shook his head somewhat moodily. "Nothing like that." He paused. "I think."
"You're filling me with confidence." Gauvain rolled his eyes before turning to Kalian. "You know, blood magic has a pretty distinctive stench. And also, I'm pretty sure we'd have found the bodies by now. Maleficarum aren't usually much good at hiding their tracks, thank the Maker for small blessings. More likely this one is just a lunatic. Or several lunatics, I guess."
"Gauvain, you're terrible at reassuring people," Martin commented.
"I know. What did you get involved in, this time ? Does this poor fellow know what he's getting into ?" Gauvain jabbed a thumb at Kalian.
"We're just looking into this thing with the disappearances." Martin shrugged. "Since nobody else seems to care. Figured we might as well take a look. I guess it could be a blood mage after all."
"You're just saying that to rile me up. Or to hire me into your little gang. Well, it's not happening. I got drills tomorrow. Four hours of drills. So no gallivanting around town for me, thanks." Gauvain looked at Kalian. "You should tell him no, you know ? He always runs into good samaritans who'll help him investigate this or that. Tell him no and then maybe he'll get into less trouble."
"I guess you'll miss all the fun, then," Martin said, feigning being disappointed. "You know what, Kalian, if this does turn out to be blood magic I guess we shouldn't tell him, since ser Gauvain is going to be so busy, you know, drilling. Such a fascinating occupation."
He forced a laugh, although it came out more as a groan. Kalian had been listening to the two men banter, obviously old friends, equally fascinated and chagrined to be included in the conversation. What would Martin say if or when he discovered his new friend was a mage? Would Martin and Gauvain hunt him together? Apostates didn't resort to blood magic unless desperate for good reason – the only way to learn was from a demon. But the chantry templars used it to create phylacteries. "If you don't mind, this talk of blood mages is making me queasy. It's probably just some kind of scam."
Gauvain laughed good-naturedly. "Well, back to the point, you really don't need to worry. We only got one mage missing, and we have strong evidence he's headed west. And I don't think he'd stoop to blood magic. He's stubborn, obnoxious and annoying but not quite that desperate. Mages aren't that different from normal folks, you know ?"
"Uh, right." Mages were not normal folks. Kalian cleared his throat and consciously gathered his usual swagger around him like a cloak… or a barrier-shield. "For the record, I thought that looking into it all was my idea, and Martin is tagging along with me." He grinned.
"Oh, no," Gauvain groaned. "Another one just like Martin ! Where do you even find them ?!"
"It just so happens that some people, I mean concerned and dedicated citizens, appreciate the heroic work guardsmen commit themselves to doing around here, day after thankless day," Martin said, winking at Kalian. "Don't be like that Gauvain, jealousy is so unbecoming."
Gauvain snorted. "Well, don't expect me to swoop in and save you this time. Since you have all these concerned and dedicated citizens to help you now." Although his tone made it clear he was joking, his grin faded quickly. "Seriously though... you should be careful. You ruffled a few feathers, not so long ago."
Martin groaned. "Please don't remind me."
Kalian chuckled, and joined in the teasing a little. He was beginning to like this Gauvain, even if he was a templar. "Who, Martin? Ruffle a few feathers? Surely not."
"Well, without going into too much salacious details - "
"There are salacious details?" said Kalian, warming up to his role as Gauvain's audience. "Now I really want to hear this."
"Gauvain - " Martin said, in a half-hearted protest that was promptly ignored. Gauvain just loved telling that story.
" - Martin was investigating something that involved men of, shall we say, loose morals, who were being beaten up within an inch of their lives by their client. Turns out, there was someone fairly important involved. And instead of shutting up and burying the whole thing, I'll let you guess what this hardheaded cretin did." Gauvain didn't give Kalian time to guess much of anything. "Bring them to the magistrates, of course. All for nothing, really, except if his goal was to make powerful enemies."
"I was just upholding the law. As in, you know, doing my job ? He deserved it, anyway - can you imagine he tried to bribe me ?" Martin's tone didn't hide how offended he'd been by the offer. "And it wasn't all for nothing. He got fined."
Gauvain rolled his eyes. "Yes, a whopping two gold sovereigns. Like that'll really stop him from doing it again. I daresay the scandal was more punishment than the fine. And you're still stuck on alienage duty six months later," he chortled gleefully, obviously finding more humour in that than Martin ever had, then glanced at Kalian. "They're never letting him patrol Hightown ever again, mark my words. I'm surprised you didn't hear of it. That particular scandal was the talk of the Jader good society for weeks. It was hilarious. Aside from, y'know, the poor men who got beaten up, and Martin making a mortal enemy..."
Martin wasn't surprised at all that Kalian hadn't known - he didn't imagine his new friend met the Jader socialites on a daily basis. Another reason to like him ; at least he said what he meant, and meant what he said, unlike this serpent's nest that high society could be. Martin should know, his own family was part of it, though at the bottom of the ladder.
"Well, I was hoping to hide it - yes, thank you Gauvain - but now you know my deep, dark secret," he said to Kalian. "And this is why my fellow guards won't follow me on this investigation. Not just because they don't care about what happens to the refugees, but mostly because associating with me... carries certain risks these days." He shrugged ruefully. "I probably should have warned you earlier. Sorry."
Kalian shook his head, smile faded and eyebrows knit together. "I'm glad to know a man like you who follows his principles, Martin. I don't think it was all for nothing, and not because the perpetrator paid a fine. Those men that got beat up, whether all of them appreciated it or not, you stood up for them… when nobody else did."
"For all the good it did them," Martin sighed. "Last I heard they were still doing street work. If you see what I mean." Judging by Kalian's face, he did. "Anyway, I think I'm going to call it a night. Have to rise early tomorrow, after all. Especially you, Gauvain, with all your, you know, drills."
"Jest all you like," Gauvain said haughtily. "At least I practice. I bet you got rusty. Can you even still swing that sword or is it all for show ?"
"Oh, you're so on," Martin said, laughing. "I'll show you how wrong you are next saturday." He glanced at Kalian. "We do mock tournaments two saturdays a month with some of the guards and Templars. You should come and watch some day, if you got free time. Anyway, we'll be on our way now." He fished a few silvers out of his purse and set them on the counter to pay for the drinks.
"Yes," Gauvain said, "please do come and see Martin get thoroughly humiliated when I show him the importance of drills. Anyway, nice meeting you. I'm sure we'll meet again."
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