III: The Hanged Man.
As the Dunmer entered the tavern, the smell of smouldering candles and stale flin hit him, rising as it did from the moldy floorboards. A legendary place in the old imperial city, it was a tavern that did surprisingly well considering that it was built on a former execution ground. But then, perhaps the mystery of a tavern built in such a place was one of the factors that drew people to it, or perhaps that was due to the abundant rumours of illegal gambling. It certainly was the reason why the Hanged Man was the only building in the spacious square. Like a captain on the stern overseeing his ship, a huge Nord dominated the space behind bar, overseeing the tavern. His then, was a ship where men came to sail away on the waves of inebriety and where the small legends of the big city were the daily shanty of its crew.
Seated at the bar or at their tables the regulars of the Hanged Man generally made out the better part of any evening's visitors. The regulars were easily recognizable as they were the only ones who dared sit below any of the three great brass chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. With an experience that comes through the years they placed their mugs, jugs and glasses exactly there where the wax from the candles would not drop into them. An odd congregation they were, alien to the outsider as they sat, slumped at near unnatural angles to avoid the dripping wax, but to the other regulars they symbolized home. Opposite the entrance there was another door with two men sitting in a table in front of it, the door was invariably locked and the men were invariably there. Yet these were not exactly regulars. They were the bouncers of the Hanged Man, just in case someone should mistake the locked door for the exit. The owner claimed the door led to a staircase up to his living quarters, some claimed otherwise, both claims were defendable.
'Well well, it's been a while. Almost thought you'd abandoned this place for good,' hollered Brailor. 'Been busy again I suppose?'
'Quite so,' replied Hulhra as he seated himself at the bar. He needed a drink and if possible some information. He knew what kind of drink he wanted although he wasn't yet sure what kind of information he was after. Either way, the Hanged Man was the best location to go for both of them. Hulhra ordered a brandy from the Nord behind the counter marveling, once again, at the startling ease with which the Nord maneuvered his considerable belly in the small space between the bar and the wall behind it. Without spilling a drop Brailor poured Hulhra a brandy and passed it to him.
'How has business been lately, Brailor?' Hulhra inquired after taking a sip.
'Same old,' Brailor replied, ' same old. The match last week was an interesting one though, a shame you weren't here to watch it. Which reminds me, you earned yourself a tidy sum on that one.' Brailor handed the Dunmer a small pouch of coins. 'Five hundred septims in all. The match reminded me of the days when you were still playing, would be nice to see you at it again but I don't suppose I ever will eh?'
Hulhra weighed the pouch in his hand for a moment, then fastened it to his belt. 'No,' he said, 'my days of playing are done, I'll just stick with betting.'
'Should've known you were going to say that.' Well it's good to have you drop by like this. 'Some of the old regulars are leaving it seems and the replacements I've seen aren't exactly the customers I'm waiting for.'
Hulhra raised an eyebrow, 'That bad?' he asked.
'Aye, I'm sure you've heard of the Talos Cult?'
'The secret organization of legionnaires, pledging themselves to the safety of the empire? Yes, I've heard of them. Why? Are they giving you any trouble?'
'More or less. They don't know how to behave and with all the talk of the empire getting weaker and all.....Let's just say that whenever they come down here for a drink they don't seem to remember what manners are.'
Hulhra thought for a moment, 'I suppose you can't just throw them out.' he said.
'I do that and they turn me in and have the militia run down my little business. You know just as well as I do that gambling is illegal,' the big Nord sighed. 'Well speak of the Daedra,' he suddenly said as the door was opened and two Imperials entered the tavern.
The men sat down side by side at the bar and ordered some drinks. Hulhra observed them from the corner of his eye while Brailor took their orders. This might be the information Hulhra was looking for, delivered into his hands by luck and faster then he could ever had hoped for. The Talos Cult was probably the only organization that could be expected to have any knowledge of the imperial palace's myriad secret passages. With a bit of luck they might even be in possession of blueprints of the castle. Draining the last of his brandy Hulhra got up to leave.
'Leaving again friend?' Brailor said.
'Yes, I've been busy and I'm tired. It's been good catching up with you Brailor, I'll drop by again when I have the time.' Hulhra replied as he made for the door
'Sure, and I suppose I'll just put the brandy on your account?' Brailor called after him in mock disdain.
Half turning Hulhra tossed him a gold coin. 'Keep the change, you Nord pauper,' Hulhra smiled as he exited the tavern. Once outside he crossed the square and upon reaching the buildings that surrounded it he looked around quickly. Seeing no one was there Hulhra walked into a dark alley from where he could keep the door of the Hanged Man in his sight. Now it was but a matter of time.
Nearly four hours later, an hour after midnight, the Imperials left the Hanged Man for their respective homes.
'Ya know wah shtrikesh me az odd about you?' said one to the other as they went.
'Wot?' said the other.
'You're a really nice guy y'know dat? An' it juzz sheems weird dat you izn't settled down yet. Y'know, get yourshelf a nice girl and jusht shettle down,' the first continued. 'I mean whuzza nice guy like you doing in da barracks anyway?
'I dunno,' replied the other. 'But wot about yershelf den, you'z a good guy ain't ya?' How come you never shettled down?'
'Ah y'know why dat ish?' said the first in a conspiratory tone, drawing closer to his colleague. 'Ish b'cuz I'm a myshtery. An' them ladirs,...laddersh, them la.....ladiesh, they'z don' like myshteries like me. Dat's why.
And as the Imperials moved on, sharing all the while the intricate details of their failing love lives, so a pair of glowing red eyes passed through the shadows behind them. Considering their inebriety Hulhra might as well have been sitting on their heads without them ever noticing it but moving silently like a cat through the shadows was second nature to him. Besides, the gravity of the mission at hand didn't allow for any levity. Finding out where these two were garrisoned and from their gleaning the opportunity of finding out the base of operations of the Talos Cult was the most important thing at this time and Hulhra could not risk being seen by anyone. After some forty-five minutes of walking stopping to throw up occasionally and walking on again the Legionnaires finally reached their destination. Hulhra made a mental note. 'South wall, barracks compound B.' the men were probably off duty the following day, which meant that they wouldn't wake up before the afternoon. This gave Hulhra an estimated ten hours to go to his small apartment, prepare some food for the following day, get some sleep and return here.
And as the two Legionnaires collapsed on their bunks their former stalker sped through the shadows of the city at night.
(c)2005 Deadyawn
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