Closed [The Herald's Arms] An Unusual Occupation (Ninus Aurellius)

[Edreina]

5th of Summer, 513 AV The Herald's Arms 19th Bell Edreina bustled about quickly, refilling mugs and steins and removing avidly cleared plates. Her hair had started out in a braid but, as the dinner rush hit, constant motion unfurled the strands and forced her to settle for a simple pony tail that whipped about like a tongue of flame as she darted from patron to patron. In the heat and cloying smoke of the Arms - as it was known among frequent patrons and those who worked there - Edreina's was silently pleased in her decision to try a style different from her usual. Upon the urging of many of the girls that worked the same shift as Edreina, she had tied her off white blouse just below the breast, displaying her toned stomach and the spiraling ink that adorned it. Her sleeves were rolled up above the elbow and her skirt tucked into the waist band on one side so that her knee flashed out from the azure folds each time she moved. The girls had suggested it to make her look more exotic, more seductive. But to the Svefra lass stuck tending the bar, winding her way into the fray to refill drinks, it made movement and staying cool so much easier. And then, there was an abrupt lull as the bulk of the dinner guests made their ways to the upper floors, some alone for the time being. But Edreina could not stop working, face set, she hurried to collect the disregarded dishes and take them to the kitchen. When that was finally done, she quickly swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, ridding it of a thin sheen of perspiration. A few patrons were left at the bar, so Edreina returned with a small smile to keep them company until a girl returned from one of the upper floors to hustle them off. She kept an easy conversation with a few of them as her eyes flickered across the wooden floor, searching for her fox kit, Navis. It took her only a moment to find his small, lean form that was mostly ears and tail. As always, the adventuresome little ball of pale brown fur was making his rounds about the tavern, sniffing where people had been, consuming their disregarded scraps. His paws scraped the wood as he darted across it towards the bar where someone had - perhaps not on accident - dropped a small scrap of meat. It surprised her how easily people seemed to be captured by his large brown eyes and ever-playful personality.

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus was settled at a table in the back of the Arms, drinking a glass of water quietly. He had his elbows on the table, his skinny wrists clutching the precious drink. He sipped it slowly, his eyes raking across the patrons. Ninus was an odd looking man, skinny with a long face and an aquiline nose. His fingers were stained browns, blacks and greens from the poisons he worked with, his nails blackened. His eyes were black, bright and alert like those of the rat that was settled on the table next to him. Cricet was huge, sprawled out on the wood happily. She had her fist-sized head rested on her paws, her fourteen pound form breathing in and out. Her tail twitched a bit in her sleep, her whiskers flitting with curiosity. Ninus reached out a hand and petted her, stroking her idly as he waited for his mark. He had been tasked with poisoning a man who frequented the Arms. In broad daylight. A suspicious and harsh task, but he had learned that crowds could be a cloak just as easily as darkness and silence. He felt the poison he'd selected in his pocket. A slow packet of powder that couldn't be tasted, and would kill the man hours after he had left the Arms. A perfect solution, it would place him away from the crime. With luck, no one would notice what he was about to do. He stood up and finished his water, looking down at Cricet. She opened an eye and flicked her whiskers at him. She had every confidence in him. Ninus worked through the crowd, worming his way through the busy summer men here to quench their thirsts. He had tried his best not to stand out, shedding his coat and wearing clothes that could be considered average. He still had his hair combed over one eye, anything for anonymity. He approached his mark and waited until the man was distracted speaking to a serving girl. He dropped the powder into the man's drink and quickly turned away, becoming lost in the crowd again. Simple. Hopefully, he hadn't been noticed.

[Edreina]

Now, what have we here? The lass's curiosity was piqued the moment that a stranger approached and wordlessly, slipped something into one of the patrons' drink. There was only one reason for anything to be slipped into anyone's drink, in Edreina's limited experience. Likely being poisoned... but why? Edreina's blue gaze scrutinized the rather ruddy figure before her. Not all that attractive, so likely not sleeping with someone's wife. Not all that wealthy from how he had been so cautious when spending each miza, buying only the cheapest ale and waiting for a cheaper woman. So, it was unlike that someone wanted to mooch in on his profession... So what could it be? The man, laughing at some joke he had just told, reached for his mug and, on instinct, Edreina slapped her hand atop it before he could lift it. Wait, what in the hell was she doing?! He, as well as a few other nearby drinkers paused, a bubble of silence enveloping them. An unsure smile touched her lips as she mumbled that his drink was nearly empty, that she would refill it for him at no charge. That brought a rather crooked smiled to the victim's face as he rested both hands on his opulent stomach, nodding for her to do so. Turning away from the man, from the bar itself, Edreina made her way over to the larger keg. Now was her chance. She could dump out the fouled ale and save this man's life... or perhaps - less dramatically - his consciousness... For all she knew, the mystery man had only poured some sort of tranquilizer powder into this mug. Glancing down as she made her way across the creaking floor-boards, Edreina noticed that the ale was only a little bit cloudier than usual. The only sign that something was afoot. But then again, men were not known for scrutinizing the source of their inebriation. It's not really my place, Edreina decided, topping off the ale so that the cloudiness was all but a figment of her imagination. Besides... I'm sure that there is a story behind this... She placated her morality silently by feeding her ravenous curiosity. Besides, for all we know, he could be even more evil than the poisoner. Nodding to herself, she dropped the ale off and went in search of the other man, the one who had disappeared from view so easily. It took her a moment, but she eventually found him. Or more, she found his rat. When the hell did they start letting rats in here? Edreina frowned. Navis was one thing. He was clean, friendly, funny even. Rats? They just chewed into cargo and spread disease. Being a sailor, Edreina was naturally inclined to hate vermin. But that would not stop her from meeting this stranger and finding out why he had slipped something into Mr. Too-much-tummy-too-little-money's drink. From across the main room, Edreina saw that he had been drinking water and that it was empty. The perfect excuse. She took one of the water pitchers and made her way over to the man. Smiling brightly, deciding to give nothing away at first - just in case this man became more dangerous than his appearances - she held the pitcher aloft. "More water, sir?"

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus settled back down at his table, just in time to see a serving girl clap her hand over the mouth of the mug his mark had just been about to drink from. He hid a scowl. Had she seen what he had done? She embarrassingly said something to the man which he obviously liked, and wormed her way toward the large ale kegs. Ninus didn't like this. She could refill his glass and he would take the poison, but if she stopped him again he would have to intervene. The man was just drunk enough that he would stop drinking soon, and might take to his bed some poor wench desperate for a few silvers. Ninus couldn't afford to let a poison go to waste, or worse kill some serving boy who sought to drain the dregs off of the ale. He'd seen a few do just that. His mark depended on the fat creature giggling with his fellows to drain his ale. But then she was coming toward him and he felt anxiousness wash over him. Cricet woke and lifted her head off of her paws, noting her master's nerves. Ninus shifted upright and looked at the serving girl offering him more water. He put his hand over the top of his cup in the exact same way she had done to his mark, looking her in the eyes. "That business which thy hand interrupted is none of thine. Take care when treading upon the tails of a beast you do not know the size of, little one." he growled. She had very nearly upset the entire plan. His black eyes focused on hers, angry and dark. He intended to scare her off his prey. "Serve the pig more of his ale, but take not that glass, nor touch it, nor taste it." Ninus added the warning. If the plan was to be ruined, he didn't want someone else drinking the poison. They would be unworthy of it. The one he had crafted fit this pig; slow, painful, doing dreadful things to the digestive system and the liver he so casually abused. Ninus' client had been overjoyed with his choice. To waste it because a tavern wench got too curious was enough to make his hackles raise. Cricet looked at the woman curiously and stood on her hind legs to get a better look, her nose wiggling. This woman smelled of fox, of hunter. Of one who would gleefully snap up a rat in its jaws. Cricet laid her ears down and sidled closer to her master, who gave her a querulous look.

[Edreina]

"That business which thy hand interrupted is none of thine. Take care when treading upon the tails of a beast you do not know the size of, little one. Serve the pig more of his ale, but take not that glass, nor touch it, nor taste it." One of Edreina's thin, copper brows attempted to join its fellows in the hairline. Is he serious right now? I haven't heard anyone speak like that since Grandmother. Sighing, a smirk played at the corner of her lips. "In case you did not notice, I already gave him the mug back and..." A quick glance over her shoulder revealed the man taking another long draw from his demise. "He is already ingesting... whatever it was you put in there." This man was odd, certainly. But that drew Edreina in. Naturally inquisitive, she could not help herself from leaning on the table, pitcher set aside as she placed a slim hand upon her hip, thumb stroking the line between skin and the fabric of her skirt's waistband. "What are you doing, anyway?" She questioned with a smile. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I'm just curious, really." "I mean..." The distance between them decreased rapidly as Edreina leaned close, lowering her voice. "Were you drugging him? If so, why? What did he do? And is it you doing it, or were you hired?" Questions came at a rapid fire pace, belaying the female's brimming curiosity.

[Ninus Aurellius]

The Prince of Rats Ninus gave her a look."Art thou mad?" he growled. "Of what dost thou speak?" he asked. He glanced at the man draining his mug. At the very least he would be paid this time, and not have to go hungry for a week because of some girl's meddling. He watched the man until he'd drained the last drop of the ale. Good. The symptoms would begin kicking in in about an hour, but he was cornered by the woman. How could he get rid of her and escape? "My lady, you would do well to go back to your job and not ask me of what I have done." Ninus said coldly. "You bring up my business in a place where it could be easily heard by straining ears. Ears that mayhaps do not have my best health in mind. Curiosity hath slain many a small creature, do not let it end your life so shortly." He dropped his voice, though he frowned at her leaning in so closely to him. "One only has to look at him to see his actions have brought upon him pain and suffering." he said. "The drug will work slowly, and it will work well. Concern yourself not with his fate, the gods have already decided him."

[Edreina]

With a small groan, Edreina stood upright, snatching her pitcher off of the table. "Well fine then, you'll have it your way," she snapped, eyes narrowed. But then she softened, understanding why the man would be so private. Such an occupation was surely fraught with danger. "Be safe out there," she murmured before turning away and walking back to the bar where she could continue to entertain those who were awaiting companionship. When her boss came over to check on how she was doing on such a busy night, she scowled. "Man over there has a rat with him." It was not said out of spite, but out of genuine discomfort. Besides, the man had drank his poison and, if the poisoner did his job correctly, there was no reason for him to linger. Immediately, annoyance flashed across her employer's face. "A rat? In my tavern?" His voice was utterly incredulous. "I mean, Navis is one thing. He is clean and keeps people calm and entertained. But a rat? That's just... unsanitary! Did you ask him to leave?" She shook her head, topping off another mug. "I was too busy." It was... partially a lie. She had been more interested in the odd man's story. "I'll take care of it," exasperation was evident in the way he sighed those words. People parted for the burly man to make his way over to the stranger. Sadly, Edreina was unable to neither see nor hear the proceedings as he was lost in the cluster and crowd of bodies.

[Emblem]

Congratulations! You Get Glorious Experience! Edreina Skill Points Earned Interrogation 2 XP Persuasion 1 XP Investigation 1 XP Lore Earned I Spy a Poisoning My Business or Not Other Shenanigans: Ninus Skill Points Earned Poisoning 1 XP Lore Earned Under Interrogation Killing Slowly Other Shenanigans: Comments : Wasn't too much, but I tried to get everything I saw. Shoot me a PM if you think I missed anything.