Svarthafen

Yes... riding into the city attention was certainly fixed upon Arenna, but also the dark skinned man with the scarred face that had cloaked himself. People literally came to a halt some having the expressions of disbelief of both a demon and an angel riding horses side by side - and the more bold people whistling towards Arenna giving her improper grins. However they would stop as soon as they would catch the eyes of Atraedor - his prickly white eyes with brown pupils had the vengeance of a thousand death family-members burning in them when he really meant it. None of these people were going to get between him and his goal, it was too close now.

"No, it looks like crap - you can be honest now. The people here have no honor or no care about what happens to other people, so I'd stay close right now." he warned her, his voice firmer and more commanding than before - but there was a reason for that. The reason being the person he was coming up to, a small humpback man with a crooked nose, flat head and only one eye - and still it was the greediness in his grin that was his most appalling feature. His long black coat was dirtied with mud in the bottom and fingers adorned by many rings - some jade, some different shades of cheaper stones.

"Mouse." Atreador greeted him and put his hand up signalling Analucia to stop her horse and a nod meant she had to get off now as he did too - padding the horse twice. "Here they are, two prime horses - I brought a horse expert who can vouch for these two..." he glanced quicky at her and added. "... but they need new shoes - you have to give them new shoes." he said with a plain voice as 'Mouse' put his one eyed gaze upon Arenna.

"Aren't you a sweet little 'horse expert'..." he said interested, his days of pirating over but his experience with other nations still fresh in his memory - and especially one stood clear in his memory. "Don't even speak miss, let me guess... are you from, Rondón? I served with Captain Windfeld in your recent war - gave me enough funds to retire to this place. Generous lady that queen, albeit with very bloody hands..." he said is eyes focused on any mimicry that might speak louder than words.

"Well... We've got a deal now, haven't we? You get the horses, I get the audience." Atraedor went firmly, as he care less and less where this young lady may hail from but needed to have this guy keep to his word.

"Yes, yes... of course my good 'man'. You have an audience with the Black Tain tomorrow and... a little something for your inconvenience." he said and gave Atraedor a sack of gold far smaller than what would be considered enough for just one mediocre steed.

"Good. Keep to it and I'll be here tomorrow." Atraedor's eyes narrowed hoping that he would not double cross him.

Atreador lifted a brow. So apparently that little rat was right on the money, and he glanced at Mouse grinning while she explained herself.

"Ahh yes, in that you are right, but it was on the Zephyr part of your land the blood was spilled - not on the Rondón side. And not one inch wasn't covered." Mouse spoke with his slightly high pitched voice his head inclining slightly as if he enjoyed scaring other people.

"Not enough..?" Mouse replied as Atraedor opened his eyes wide and quickly interjected.

"It is enough, trust me..!" he said to Analucia. "I will be a getting a very valuable audition with the..." Atraedor said and whispered. "... Black Tain." he nodded in the direction away from them. "So if you'll excuse us, Mouse." he said not wanting the naïve girl to ruin his extremely advantageous deal and would place his hand on her back to forcibly lead her away if necessary.

"What are you doing here in... ehrm... Vikhafen anyway?" Atraedor asked Analucia as he started to look around town for some cheap inn he could rest in now that the sun was starting to go down. Giving her a sidelong glance he was starting to think that he might just owe her something for lying and so blatantly taking advantage of the young girl who found herself in a whole new country. After all she wasn't a Taingaadian and might not deserve that treatment. Perhaps dinner was good way to break the news of their small detour?

"Feeling hungry miss?" Atraedor asked as they walked the muddy main street and yet again had eyes on them. Even Atraedor was starting to feel the inconvenience and a dark corner in a dirty restaurant sounded appealing.

An inn and something to eat had definitely been on his mind but apparently the young girl did not think that necessary quite yet - but oh no she wanted trouble.
"Oi, hold on a minute, this is my business not yours..!" Atraedor tried although her will to cause trouble seemed to far outweigh Atraedor's will to lay low and stay invisible for the time being. Her accented common very quickly turned to a tongue that was sharper and the words hit Mouse like a whip, Atraedor felt - yet the small man only stood there with his normal sly grin and little to tell that he was neither offended nor angry.

"The sweet lady is no diplomat, is she?" Mouse asked Atraedor with a wry smile and at the point he knew that Mouse had some understanding of what she actually said.

"Is this my responsibility now..?" he murmured and sighed as he grabbed Arenna and threw her over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow." Atraedor said to the near silent Mouse as he carried her away.

"You know... I don't like that guy either, but that's the thing about business, you don't just explode in someone's face and expect that to solve anything - if you don't like the guy or gal, spend less time with them. That's why I spend a lot of time alone." Atraedor shrugged as he continued to carry her through the streets not willing to put her down before she was done with her rambling.

"So do you see a restaurant you'd like to eat in from up there?" he asked with a dry sarcasm.

She would stay on his shoulder for a little while more as Atraedor sighed - partly because all restaurants seemed 'scruffy' to say the least but also because he was certainly not carrying the girl on his shoulder for his own amusement. Had he been a normal taingaardian he would have regretted his choice a bit earlier and ditched her half way there, but he wasn't - he was a bit out of touch with humans and forgot that some of them could be incredibly prideful and stubborn.

Now however he couldn't ditch her, because if he did he was quite sure her big mouth would cause herself a world of trouble - and his world even more. He was stuck with her for now, which was unfortunate this close to his goal. Another deep sigh escaped his lips as he stopped in the middle of the road.
"Are you done now?" he asked unimpressed. "You expect me to be grateful that you nearly cost me my hard earned deal?" he asked sarcastically and finally opted to put her down when Mouse was out of sight. "Listen... people here won't bend to your will just because you scream it out, and I know you don't particularly like being carried like this - neither is it a privilege to me - but your short temper could have made this very dangerous for both us!" Atraedor scolded Analucia.

"Now... what were you going to show me?" Atraedor crossed his arms and gave her a steely gaze wondering how she had gotten this pampered and self important.

"Yes, deal!" he said face palming himself briefly. "It had been agreed beforehand! My meeting with the Black Tain might give me a deal that's worth all the horses in Taingaard! I took you for some kind of noble daughter with some wit, but clearly trade as not your strong suit or you'd had recognized that the best deal you can get is the opportunity to strike a better deal!" Atraedor threw his hands out his voice uncharacteristically raised and she was clearly not going to show him whatever she threatened him with.

"I'm not telling you the truth..?!? Well you aren't telling me anything at all!" he continued to wave his arms around before sighing again as she stuck her hand out. "Sure, I'll tell you. We took a small detour to another city, I figured you were the type to relish such an opportunity I presented you and then later you could continue to Vikhafen and.. and... inspect horse shoes or something. Buuut... if you don't want to grab your destiny I'll just meet The Black Tain myself as you propose..." Atraedor sticking out his hand for her to shake if she was really sure...

"He's only one of the best mages in all of Taingaard..!" he whispered and put his hand on her shoulder, quite firmly. "... and stop mentioning that name, people here won't take kindly to it!" he said assertively and hushed the young woman.

"Well... it would have been a pleasant surprise if you had just kept your mouth shut a bit longer and we could have finished a great deal! Now I'm at a disadvantage tomorrow having to excuse your rude behavior!" he said firmly while trying to parry her slapping taking a step back as his left foot went into a pothole, Arenna's shove combined with this moment of imbalance sent Atraedor down on the ground and into the mud on his behind.

"Are you going to just walk away..?" he asked raising his voice still sitting on the ground. "Where will you go? It's not as if they just let people from Svarthafen into Vikhafen you know..!" he shouted at her but stopped again immediately wondering if that had been a little too much information for her to handle.

The citizen of Svarthafen certainly did notice and several of the more scruffy and unpleasant types seemed to observe what happened - they looked a little hesitant to do anything while the weird looking dark skinned guy was still there, but their eyes were upon Arenna, her wealth not going unnoticed. Still such things interested Atraedor less than what could be if he was still welcome at the home of The Black Tain.

Atraedor got up from the puddle and brushed the worst dirt off.
"And neither are these people, when the guards ask them. Believe me there are worse places in Taingaard than this place - and they put people there who they suspect of crime..." his words ignored quite blatantly. "But sure, spin around and provoke them all in any manner you want, it just gives me less trouble that you aren't around I suppose..." Atraedor said and sighed as he turned around strolling the opposite way - it seemed like she had her fish fulfilled Atraedor casting a single glance back thinking to himself that he had done what the hell he could but that there was a limit to his benevolence.

As Arenna stood there spinning around shouting the words that were almost taboo in Svarthafen a group of people smelling particularly much of salt closed in on her - the people carried knives, maces, cutlasses and the likes and their leather armors were rugged and looked worn and used.
"So... did your companion abandon you?" one of them asked, a tall and muscular guy bald guy with rings in his ear asked. "You look... valuable." he commented with a wry grin the others chiming in and closing the circle not allowing Arenna to simply walk away.

"Vikhafen! Haha, you're far from Vikhafen young lady!" a woman stood there too with curled black hair and a dry laughter crossing her arms while a few of the others started poking her different places on the body - a few pushes just to throw her slightly off balance for the fun of it.

"I wonder if she'll make a decent pirate?" on would say and another laugh chiming in. "Perhaps she'll do better as a figurehead!" he'd reply and they'd all laugh with their gruff voices - unpleasant laughs as if they knew what was going to happen and loved the fact the she didn't.

"You wanna follow us nicely sweety?" the first one asked baring his teeth.

There was no sign anywhere of Atraedor anyway - he was eating in a restaurant, enjoying an ale while sitting as comfortably as the bench allowed him and satisfyingly letting out a loud burp of pleasure. It was a thing he had offered to share with Analucia, but she had made it quite clear that she had preferred something else - and she had gotten something else indeed.

As Arenna drew her sword the initial reaction from the surrounding group of no-good pirates to take a step back giving her a bit more space - which was before they saw what kind of blade she drew.
"What's that? Looks like someone sharpened a needle and stuck a pearl on its hilt..." the woman jested while crossing her arms with a superior grin as she drew a broad bladed cutlass, nicked from the top to the bottom and looking like it could cut through the hide of a bear with its steel thick and true. "You want me to poke you again with this one now?" she challenged her raising it towards her. "However watch my friends also..." she added as the others around Arenna started raising their own weapons making the circle smaller again.

"Now, put that pathetic weapon down and follow if you know what's best for you..." her voice a mocking whisper.