GoT: Whisper of Ice and Fire

{5} A Bastards Butchery

The door swung open with a creak. The inn was located just where the Green Canal bent round the heel of Ragmans Harbour, within the market square that stretched around the tavern. The building was two stories tall with many windows. Its front faced the street and it had two main areas. The top floor had rooms for rent while the ground floor was a large hall. At its centre was a huge fire pit, around the walls stood booths and between the booths and the fire were islands of tables. Outside there was a lamp that illuminated the sign beneath, which showed a green eel twisted around a tankard. A white-lettered inscription over the door announced 'The Inn of the Green Eel'.

A few heads turned at the noise, they saw a shadowed figure in a white and black cloak, his face was covered by a drawn hood. He stood of average height, if not a bit shorter than most men. Heavy black boots carried the man inside. His entering allowed moonlight to shine through the door. The light was soon blocked as two more figures entered. By then everyone turned back to their drink and whores. It was late now and most have collapsed in bed or at their table.

It was exactly this reason that the man showed up at that time. However he did not come alone. Thirty two men entered after him. They spread out, going to empty tables or to booths with sleeping occupants, some even went up the stairs to the second level. Three remained standing, the hooded figure, an older man and a young one.

The hooded man led the way through the many tables, walking to the corner of the dark room. As he went he examined the other occupants, they were all drunk, tired and most importantly every last one of them were members of the Second Sons. Mercenaries who made the mistake of messing with the wrong family. A man watched the hooded figure from the corner. As the man passed by the fire the watcher got a better look at the hooded man.

The watcher saw that he was actually wearing two cloaks, a black one with a deep hood and a white half cloak over it. He also saw the longsword strapped to his back. What surprised the watcher was who the hooded man approached, he approached the watcher. However the watcher was not his name, his name was Daario Naharis. The newly appointed Captain of the Second Sons who had come here to drink away their woes.

Daario was an easy man to spot even in a dark tavern like this one. He had deep blue hair, a golden moustache, a golden tooth and rings in each finger. In his lap was a busty barmaid and across from him was a small twitchy man. The hooded man also had a name, Aegor he was but even Daario's keen eyes could not tell that.

"I've come to speak." Aegor growled and the two man behind him stood taller.

"I've come to drink." The man answered quickly.

Aegors hand stretched to the clasp around his chest, then he loosened it. A quick jerk had the longsword pulled from his back and now held in his hand, scabbard and all. With a thump of wood Aegor placed it on the table, keeping his hand on the hilt. The twitchy man half rose then tried to sit again but the older man behind Aegor caught him by the arm and dragged him from the booth then, alongside the younger man, they directed him to an empty table. Leaving Aegor alone with Daario and the barmaid.

Aegor sat in the booth, slowly sliding his sword down the wooden table. Daario did not speak but he could smell the wine off the figure and relaxed, thinking him a drunk and no serious danger. In truth Aegor was drunk, he too had been drinking away his sorrows after the loss of the two men who raised him.

Aegor took his hand from the hilt, allowing the blade to lay there untouched, a sign of nonaggression. Then in a slow, deliberate manner Aegor reached across the table and grabbed the Sellswords wooden tankard. Three slow gulps and the newly knighted Bastard drained the mug of its sweet wine then set set it down with a thud.

Then Aegor gestured to the dark haired, pretty barmaid who had been staring nervously. She rose and walked around the table. Aegor grabbed her arm and pulled her into his own lap, she gave a muffled squeak of surprise then fell silent. He leaned close and whispered to her.