Two Noble Men.

Breakfast was a silent affair. Eris served chopped mushrooms fried in egg sauce and though the meal was so good no one voiced that it was. Except Roukan who tickled his sister in an open appreciation of her efforts. Everyone was uncomfortable with the stranger at the table.

As she left the front room she heard someone she perceived to be Wekya scold Eris for cooking with an egg just because they had a new manager.

'We should welcome her nicely', Eris argued back.

By the time Wekya had retorted, Esme had walked too far to hear anything. The tavern had only two guests and Esme knew where they were housed she explored the tavern in the shine of daylight making sure not to disturb the guests.

She explored especially the exclusive room where she knew the Minister of War and the left Prime Minister often met.

The room was a pathetic excuse for grandeur but it was the best looking room in the tavern and it had the least amount of broken or unmaintained features.

Meksta had no idea the discussions that went on under her leaky roof. But Esme was going to find out.

Being an audience in the Minister of Wars discussions would be so helpful. North Chedii were probably already making moves on Sukech and she could be privy to that information.

Esme looked around the room, trying to find spaces she could crawl into unnoticed for long periods.

When she had made all her observations she returned to the front desk to continue her new job as the manager.

The tavern was busyless.

A few people came in for some food and though they were very appreciative of Eris's cooking they could not pay good enough for it.

The tavern was just not in a good enough neighborhood.

At lunch there was a little bustle as people came in to buy Eris's meals but again the food sold at what price people could pay. Any higher and the delicious meal would have gone bad in Eris's pot. Esme could now fully understand how the tavern made next to nothing.

At dinner there was a bit of a rumble. Now hungry work men, mostly miners and public bucky riders came into the tavern for some ale and a delicious meal.

This was the only time the food was sold at its worth and ale flowed and the women earned a little by keeping the drunk men company.

The real business was the night business.

Some money was made but it was too little to make up for what had been lost at morning and noon.

Esme handled the front desk the whole day and when the tavern was slow she read Meksta's record book.

It recorded the employees, the finances, the things that needed fixing in an order of priority and other important tavern concerns.

Esme tried to tell herself that the tavern was not her business but she had a load of money on her and a good idea so she wasn't backing down from a problem she knew she could fix.

As the clock danced towards midnight.

Esme noticed Souse welcoming a man into the tavern. He was a gentleman. Everyone else could have missed it but not Esme. He didn't walk close to Souse or anyone in the tavern at all. Even in his shabby clothes he held himself too good for the environment and under his robes he carried his own gourd of wine.

Esme chuckled, can't even drink that nasty ale while discussing treasonous subjects in secret. It made the man appear feeble and spoilt but she didn't put a stamp on him just yet.

A while later, Wekya welcomed another man with the same composure as the last.

This man also seemed feeble but less spoilt than the last. He tried to mimic his mannerisms with that of the other tavern visitors. He took the ale he was offered with great difficulty, mingled a little before he asked Miyaicy to serve his meal at his usual place. He climbed the steps up to meet his partner in crime.

As soon as he was gone, Esme signaled to Ushna who had looked a bit uncomfortable in her interactions all night.

The girl came up to the front desk.

'Yes,Ria?'

Esme smiled.

'How would you like to be manager for just a little while'.

The girl looked a little confused.

Esme sighed.

'If you watch business from this desk for the night, I'll reward you better than scruffy beard over there'.

Ushna still seemed confused but she nodded and took her place at Esme's previous spot.

Esme smiled and scaled up the stairs.

'Wait for me Prince Kairo'.

Esme slipped quietly into the room that was directly below the exclusive meeting room. It was crazy how the lightest part of the VIP room was the floor boards.

One wrong step from either of the nobles and they would be falling through two floors of wood rott. Esme tried not to gigle at the image even as she also watched her step.

There was a bunk bed in the room and Esme climbed the rickety thing in silence. Seated on the top bunk, she was close enough to hear the smacking of lips and Miyaicy's indulgent giggles as she served the men.

Esme waited for the servics to be over. As she waited she tried to go over what she knew about the two men. Something didn't feel quite right.

The two men that had walked in were both so feeble in behavior. By appearance of face and body size they fit with the positions she had been informed they held. However, Esme had never heard of a solider afraid to drink nasty local ale no matter how polished that solider had become.

None of the men acted like they had ever been to a battlefield talk less of spending years dominating it.

The questions danced in her mind drawing her attention from the present as her mind thought of any and all possibilities.

When she heard the door of the room above shut, she snapped back to reality.

Alright let's figure this thing out she thought.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*