Chapter 01: The Bard's Lament

As the sun shown brightly over the city of Eldoria, the sounds of revelry and music filled the air.  Eldoria was known as a cultural hub, and their annual festivals were always much talked about and much anticipated events.  The brightly colored tents held within the sounds of music and the smells of fresh grilled meats and baked breads.

Vendors hawked their wares, and women danced to the beat of drummers, as a young half-elf casually strolled the market, his handsome features attracting more than his share of female eyes.  He walked to an empty stage, and sat upon a bail of hay, tuning his lute.

With a raucous strum on his lute, he leapt to his feet and began to sing “Lover and his Lass”, a song he’d heard in his youth from a trio he enjoyed, and a crowd began to draw.  This was not an uncommon scene in Eldoria.  Minstrels were as common as pickpockets in this city of culture.  Some ladies in waiting began watching intently as the handsome performer dazzled with his performance.

He spun around the stage, as he played, moving deftly, making sure that everyone listening was entertained.  A few gold and silver coins tossed his way as he finished his song.

“Thank you, good people,” he said, brushing some of his tussled raven black hair from his face.  “My name is Asher Elentay.” The crowd roared with approval.  His mother, Amilia, used to grace the stages of Eldoria, so the Elentay name was no unknown.

Within the shadows, a young woman emerged, her chestnut brown hair pulled back, and her dress flowing to the strums of the music.  She moved through the crowd as if drawn to the music and the musician who played.  As she did, she absent mindedly bumped into a nobleman, politely bowed in apology, and moved away, slipping the coin purse he wore into a pouch on her dress’ belt.

The audience meanwhile, remained entranced by the dance of the young half-elf’s fingers along the lute, his performance taking them on a journey through far-off lands and perilous adventures.  He words were laced with clever wordplay that elicited laughter and cheers from the enraptured throng.  A hint of mischief hung in every song, as women swooned and blushed trying to gain the performer’s attention.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, giving the city the glow of the golden hour, Asher’s performance reached its climax. With a flourish of his lute, he plucked his final note and the applause was deafening.  All eyes towards the half-elf as he took a bow, and brushed his hair out of his piercing green eyes.  More coins showered the stage, catching the glow of the recently lit torches. 

It was as he took his final bow that his eyes caught hers.  Calista Voss, smiled shyly, but continued to make her way towards the stage as the young bard scooped up his coin.  He saw a young boy trying to reach a silver, and slipped over to him, putting a gold coin in his hand, all the while watching the young woman.

“That was sweet of you,” she said. “He was trying to take some of your well-earned coin, and you gave him more than he intended to steal.”

Asher scooped up the rest of the money on stage, slipping into his coin purse.  “That boy will be able to buy his family some food.  I would probably use it on cheap drink, and cheaper women,” he replied.  “Better use than I for certain.”

“You could have used it to buy me a drink, sir,” the woman retorted.  “And I assure you, I am far from cheap.”  Her smirk was one of wicked playfulness.

“Good lady,” Asher responded, as if shocked. “How bold of you.  I do not even know your name.”

“Calista Voss,” she replied.  “My father ran The Merchants Guild, so I know a thing or two about how far the coin can go in this town.  You did not buy that boy’s family a meal.  For that coin, you bought them a second chance.  Very gallant of you.”

“M’lady Voss,” Asher bowed.  “It was nothing. If you would like, I would gladly give you coin as well to eat, should you need it.”  He twirled a coin between his fingers. “But if your father ran the Merchants Guild, I doubt you would.”

Calista leaned up against the stage, her eyes never leaving his, but her dress allowed to tease him.  “True,” she replied.  “Besides, money earned if far more interesting than money given, don’t you think?”

Asher smiled, sitting at the edge of the stage. “I suppose that is true.  There is no greater feeling of accomplishment than earning the coin that feeds and clothes you. The rush of performance, the feeling of a job well done.  But tell me, Calista Voss, did you enjoy the show?”

She smiled and took out a copper piece.  “Enough to give you this,” she said, teasing him.  She pulled the copper back, pulling out a silver. “But…should you decide that you wanted to buy me a drink, I suppose I could give you this to use to buy it.”  She dropped the silver piece into Asher’s hand.

The crowd had dispersed to other events of revelry, but for Asher his whole world was in the flirtatious eyes of Calista Voss.

“Well, I suppose I have no choice but to do so, seeing as you went through all the trouble,” he said as he closed his hand around the coin.

She smiled, and stood back up, straightening out of her dress.  “One hour at the Drunken Dragon?”  Her question hung like it was more of a directive.  She turned and began to walk away, before turning back and blowing a kiss.  “I’ll see you soon, musician.”

She walked away, as he opened his palm that the silver coin had been in, now gone, and pantomimed catching the kiss.  It was an old magic trick he knew from a child to make a coin disappear, but it always got a nice reaction.  He knew this woman was different from most of the women he’d meet in his travels.  There was an air of danger and mischief about her that drew him like a moth to a flame...or a spider’s web.  He quickly lost sight of her, as she slipped into the crowd, and began to wonder just how hard it would be to find The Drunken Dragon.

Calista glanced back, only for a moment.  The lute player was a charmer for sure.  There was a part of her that almost felt bad.  Not enough to not go through with her plan, but still.  As she bumped into more people in the crowd, taking what she could off the people not noticing the jostling, she eventually made her way to a dark alley.  She double checked the area, before taking an inventory of her new belongings.

Some necklaces, some coin pouches, some small bobbles all would be easy to fence to Finnick.  A broach she’d slipped off a noblewoman took her back to brighter days.  She slipped it back into her own pocket.  The rest of the items would be easy to get rid of, but the broach almost felt sentimental to her.

She slipped through the back alleys like a cat, making her way down to the docks.  It was there that The Drunken Dragon called out to her.  A series of meetings were planned; one social, one business.

The Drunken Dragon was smoke-filled, dimly lit, and reeked of stale ale and desperation. There were nicer pubs, sure.  This one was mostly filled with sailors and merchants coming off long terms at sea, willing to go to the first place they saw, or the unsavory who did not want to be seen.

It was not uncommon for a merchant vessel to come into port, only for its captain to step into the Dragon, never to be seen again.  The barmaids were saucy, the ale was warm and stale, and the food was best left uneaten.  People did not come to the Dragon for the atmosphere.  They came to forget or be forgotten.

Calista had her own reasons for The Drunken Dragon being her stop tonight.  She slipped into a snug towards the darker corner of the bar.  She placed a bag on the table and looked at the shadow directly in front of her. A cloaked figure leaned out of the shadow and placed his hand next to the small bag.

“Were you followed,” the cloaked figure asked.

“I was lost in the crowd, and doubled back twice,” she scoffed at him.  “Trust me, anyone attempting to follow me would certainly have gotten themselves lost trying.  Now then, you have something for me in exchange.”

The cloaked figure waved his hand, almost dismissing her.

“Your task is hardly done,” he said. “You have secured the item, certainly, but the terms of agreement have changed. You now need to deliver it to Kael. Seems he does not believe your loyalty to the Guild. You will need to prove yourself further.”

The bag sat on the table, untouched by the hooded stranger.  Calista sighed heavily, and took the bag back, leaning back in the booth.

“Kael trusts no one,” she said. “It is the very reason he had to start his own Guild.  Why am I to be a pack mule for him?  You should do it, or he should come to us.”

A choked laugh escaped the hooded figure’s lips. “Girl, you have no idea just how deep you are in Kael’s command.  You do not have the right, or the stroke to question him.  He has changed the terms, and you will follow through, or you will not get what you wish.”

“Perhaps I will keep the package for myself,” she bluffed. She had no idea what the importance of this trinket was, but it was important enough to hire someone to steal it.

“Keep it, then,” the hooded figure said, and began to stand up.  “It matters not to me, but before the sunrise, word will get out that it has been stolen, and it will not be long before your name is attached to the theft.  You know how to keep that from happening.  I suggest you use that brain of yours, and decide if you are going to be rich, or going to be in prison.”

Calista sighed and slumped in the booth, placing the bag in her pouch.  The first meeting had not gone well for her.  She hoped the second meeting would turn out better.

Asher walked about the faire, taking in the sights and smells of the event.  Even though the night had just started, the party was more than well underway.  Still, he had to find The Drunken Dragon, and since Eldoria was not his home, he had no idea where he was going.

Most people ignored him when he asked.  A few openly laughed at him, indicating that he would be eaten alive by the patrons of such a place.  A few women he spoke with at first seemed quite nice, and even flirtatious with him, up until he asked about the place.  Suddenly, the women were quite dower or turned off by the question.

He soon found solace upon seeing a Captain of the guard.  Their back turned to him, he was surprised to see that they were shorter than other guards.

“Excuse me, sir,” he started.  “I am hoping you can assist me.  I am new to the area, and afraid that I am having problems getting directions.”

“Captain,” a female voice responded.  “You may address me as Captain, instead of ‘sir’.” Captain Liora Serenthia turned to meet his gaze. Asher was quite surprised, but quickly cleared his throat, and gave a polite bow.

“My apologies, Captain,” he said. “Eldoria is certainly filled with surprises.  Where I am from, we have not seen our share of female Captains of the Guard.”

Her stiffed pose relaxed a bit.  “Well, you are sure to find many surprises during your time here,” she replied. “I saw a portion of your show.  You have a way about you on stage.”

“You flatter me, to no end,” Asher replied.  He stared at her for a bit longer than necessary, causing her blush.  The young woman had lived in a military family and was used to the discipline.  This bard had no discipline, and it almost made her laugh.

“You were lost,” she said, attempting to get the conversation back on track.

Asher shook his head, as if to clear it.  “Oh, yes, of course.  I was told to meet someone at the Drunken Dragon, but no one seems to be willing to tell me where it is.”

“Most good people of this city would not dare to enter there,” she replied, almost returning to the more serious and stoic side of her.  The look of confusion on his face though caused it to fall.

“It is near the docks, some refer to the area as the Dock of the Shadows.  Mostly a place of ill repute.  I cannot imagine you wanting to meet someone there.”

Asher exhaled. “It was not my choice, rather a case of someone telling me to meet them there.”

The Captain smiled. “Very well, then.  Follow the path to the lowers.  You will see the docks. The Drunken Dragon cannot be missed, as it has a large dragon above the door, and one or two vagrants laying below it.”

Asher let out a laugh. “I will try not to step on the vagrants,” he bowed again. “I do thank you, Captain, for your assistance.  I would love to stay and talk longer about your beautiful city, but I am afraid I am going to be late if I do not hurry on.”

“Be safe, minstrel,” she replied, before going back to her duties.  She hoped that he would be safe, as he entered the den of possible criminal activity.  It was at this moment that her attention was broken away by an approaching soldier, one with a look of great concern on his face.

Asher meanwhile made his way down the path the Captain had indicated.  It was not long before he stood before a darkened pub, a large wooden dragon carved out some driftwood. He stifled a laugh as he saw two vagrants passed out on the ground outside.  He reached for the door, before a man in a hooded cloak pushed back him, almost knocking him down.

Asher shrugged it off, and looked inside, only to see the beautiful young lady he’d seen earlier, now sitting alone in a darkened snug in the corner.