A Time to Negotiate

We left at dusk, Diogo leading the way, his knife slapping his thigh as we weaved our way through the thick grass past Vanna's house. There was a single light emitting from the window, and a shadowy figure moving back and forth. I was tempted to knock on her door to thank her, but I decided against it. Not tonight, not a good idea. We would forever be in her and Ann's debt, and no way to repay them. Better just to keep walking…

"How far is this tavern?" I panted as I tried to keep pace with Diogo. The purse on my belt pounded against my leg, heavy from the casket of jewels.

"Over the hill and through the town," he muttered.

"Through the town?"

"Aye, the town. You'll do best to pull up that hood. And you shouldn't have worn such a flashy dress or cloak. You'll bring too much attention to us."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh and wearing a sword and mail won't? What’s wrong with my cloak? Well, Mathlida’s cloak….”

Diogo said nothing. He probably hadn't thought of that himself. Typical half-assed planning. Between the two of us we might make a whole plan.

"Anyway," I continued as I picked my way over several large stones on the ground. "It's better than dressing as peasants. Otherwise, they'd assume we stole these jewels and then where would we be? We'd be dead, that's where."

"It's getting dark, let's go."

We walked into the town in silence, occupied with our own thoughts. I played with the strings of my hood while trying to not to think about what we were going to do. Unfortunately, the more I tried not to think about it, the more images popped in my head: my eldest sister's hair tied with a string of pearls on her wedding day, my mother's ring flashing on her waving hand at dinner, and the broach that once held Edwards cloak closed on the day he got his first sword. I was betraying my family, everything I held dear. I traded in security, comfort and warmth for love. And it almost killed Burga. I steeled myself. I was doing this for Burga.

“Put your hood up.”

The town was surprisingly busy for twilight. Housewives stood around gossiping, men drinking and there were even whores, selling their wares. It was a bright, busy place. I liked it. I wanted to be part of it, but instead I obliged Diogo, tying the strings tight under my chin. His eyes whipped from side to side, his hand on his hip--ready to grab his knife at a seconds notice.

“Look down at the ground. Don’t make eye contact.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want anyone thinking you’re a….” Diogo trailed off suddenly.

I laughed. “A whore? Are you accusing me of being a whore?”

Diogo sighed. “A kept woman…”

“No worries, Diogo. I know you wouldn’t call me a whore...to my face. Don’t think I don’t know how you feel about me.”

“Well, I’m sure the sentiment is nearly returned,” Diogo muttered.

“Well, I don’t like you as a person, but I like your humor and as a mind as devious as my own, I respect you.”

Diogo stopped and stared at me in open surprise.

I stopped beside him and raised my eyebrows. “What? Are you really shocked? I believe that’s where our mutual dislike comes from. We’re too much alike.”

He grabbed my elbow and steered me forward, past a few drunken men whistling at us--at me. “We are nothing alike, my lady.”

“Don’t sound so offended, I’m not so bad. And don’t call me your lady. You draw too much attention to us,” I whispered.

“Aye, what shall I call you? Adalyse?”

“Asshole.”

He smirked. “You really want me to call you asshole? I would be glad to and if Alfonso objects I’ll merely tell him my la--his wife--insisted I do so.”

I snorted and he shh’ed me, causing the ladies in yellow to whistle at us.

“Keep walking.” Diogo pulled me by the arm as I stared at the whores. “Stop staring. Just look ahead.”

“Well, why would they dress so flashy if they don’t want to be looked at?” I whispered loudly.

Diogo flushed and glanced back at the ladies. Inwardly I smiled. Poking him made my heart soar in delight.

“They don’t want to be looked at by you.”

I grinned and played stupid. “Oooh….Have you ever had one?”

“Have I ever---? For fucks sake, woman.” He spluttered.

“How am I supposed to know what you do in your spare time?” I asked innocently.

Diogo narrowed his eyes, but I continued anyway. “Has Alfonso ever had one?”

“Let’s focus on the task at hand, shall we? The tavern is just behind those trees. Look, this man is...odd. Keep your mouth shut, your eyes down. Pretend you’re modest. He’s the middleman, but there is no way else to approach his master. He’s offered us a small amount of land with a house in the middle. I suspect he owes money against it, that it does not make the money it should. We would be doing him a favor--giving him the jewels would pay the debt and giving us the house would relieve him of the burden. We shall have to hope we can make something of it. It’s not like any of us are farmers….”

My heart sank. I couldn’t avoid it forever. Don’t look back….if I look back, I am lost……

Darkness fell as we reached the tavern. Diogo turned to me.

“You have the casket?”

“No! I thought you would bring it!”

He stopped. “Are you fucking kidding me? Are you fucking with me? JEsus Christ, we came all this---Fuck you….Seriously, fuck you.”

I tried to hide my smile, but failed. I produced the casket from the purse on my belt and held it out to him.

He pushed my hand down. “And again, fuck you. I swear to God, if you weren’t Alfonso’s wife, I would strangle you here and now. And I would enjoy it immensely. Put it away.”

He stomped across the lush green lawn of the tavern, crushing the grass beneath his boots.

“Would you dance on my grave too?” I called after him and snickered, but stifled myself quickly as he approached a paunchy, balding man in front of the tavern. They spoke for a moment and then Diogo waved me forward. I walked to them, keeping my eyes lowered, just as I was told.

“Oswald, this is my...wife….Adalyse.”

What an asshole. Of course he would get back at me using my sisters name. I kept my eyes averted, even though I desired nothing more than to glare and kick him.

Oswald’s voice was raspy and deep. “Does she have it?”

“Aye, she does. Let’s go in and...negotiate….”

“After you.” Oswald motioned to the door. Diogo led me in, with Oswald walking behind us, presumably staring at my ass.

Diogo scanned the room, looking for anyone out of the ordinary. Satisfied with his first inspection, he led Oswald and me to a table in the back. Diogo sat with his back to the wall, I settled on his left and Oswald on his right.

A little girl approached us and gave us a smile--her front teeth were missing. I smiled back at her before remembering that I was supposed to be looking at the table. Diogo cleared his throat.

“Ale for myself and my lady. A loaf of bread.”

“Beer for me, little lady,” Oswald grinned slowly at the little girl.

“Okay!” She said and bounced off. Oswald stared at her all the way behind the bar. Bile rose up in my throat, putting a rather nasty taste in my mouth.

“Let’s cut the shit and get to business,” Diogo said.

“Business you say?” Oswald asked.

“Aye. How much are you paying?”

“Oh, it’s not I who is paying but the gentleman over there,” he pointed to a hooded man at the bar.

He sat alone, face shielded by the hood. He was of average height and size. There was nothing remarkable about the man, save his hidden face.

Diogo’s eyes slid over the man. “Oh, and why does he not simply deal with us directly?”

Oswald smiled his slow, creepy smile. “Because he doesn’t need you to see his face.”

“Need?” Diogo asked. “What the fuck--pardon me, Adalyse--what the hell--sorry--does that mean?”

I curled my toes in my shoes at the sound of my sisters name. Oh he would pay. Yes, he would. Though, he probably thought this was adequate payback for this scheme.

“It means you don’t report him to the guards and he doesn’t report you.”

I glanced over at the man at the bar. “No, instead it means you report both of us and get a handsome reward, doesn’t it?”

Diogo glared at me, but I shook my head at him. This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have suggested this. We would be thrown in jail or worse---killed.

“Maybe,” Oswald said. “But probably not, seeing how you and him’ll pay better than any of the guards would.”

“And what makes you think that?” I asked, though I was secretly flooded with relief. I didn’t trust the man as a whole, but what he said made sense. Why would he send us to the guards when he would get a rather larger cut from the both of us.

“Because, if you wanted to sell your shit, you’d sell it to the jeweller. But you don’t want to be seen, heard or the like--am I right?”

Diogo snorted. “I would have thought that obvious.”

“Then, why the fuck did you ask?”

Diogo tried to play cool, but his temper was getting the better of him, so I stepped in. Finesse, of which Diogo was wholly incapable of, would be necessary.

I drummed my fingers on the table. “It’s no matter. What’s the price?”

Oswald began to speak, but we were interrupted by the cute little girl with our drinks and bread. She clinked down the mugs and plates. I smiled in thanks and took a sip.

“Give my compliments to your mother,” I said.

“Ya, I will!” She skipped away, Oswald still watching her. The man was utterly vile.

I cut into his thoughts. “What is the price?”

Diogo cleared his throat and ripped off a hunk of bread, but I ignored him, staring intently at Oswald.

“The price? Well, my man over there has many debts to pay.” Oswald pointed again to the cloaked man, who looked our way once again. His face was hidden by the shadows casted by his hood. I shuddered. The man across the bar gave me the creeps but in a different way than Oswald. “Debts his manor incurred. Your husband there mentioned your dire need of a place to call home. Says you were kicked out of your home, a little one on the way.”

Oswald looked me up and down and popped a chunk of bread in his mouth.  Goosebumps popped up on my arms and I swallowed the load of bile rising in my throat.

I shrugged. “Where?”

“Far away.”

Diogo’s eyes narrowed and he shoved a finger in Oswalds face. “Stop fucking with us. Enough is enough. This is the price you’ll pay for the jewels: the manor, it’s tenants, your silence and your masters silence and enough coin to buy us passage.”

                                      

Oswald sipped his drink. “I cannot promise the coin, but the rest is easy enough.”

Diogo waved him off. “Then go negotiate.”