The Crying Claw was hopping when Vambran got there, which was typical. It was one of the most popular taverns near the waterfront of Arrabar, and every ship's officer, mercenary captain, middling merchant, and sword-for-hire frequented it whenever they were in the city. Even the inside was busy, and it took the lieutenant a few minutes to squeeze through the morass of patrons and get to the wide arched doorways that led out into the back. The bar had been set up to face two directions, one side open to the interior of the establishment and the other at the top of the terraced patios. Jenis Glowarm, the half-elf proprietor with the ever-present smile, was behind the bar, just as she was every night, along with three assistants. A full complement of servers moved endlessly between the tables and the bar, making their way up and down the stairs and ramps to serve drinks. Anyone wanting a job working for Jenis had to be physically fit.
Vambran slipped into a bit of open space at the bar, and when Jenis spotted him, she gave him a quick wink, for he had been a customer there for a long time.
"Be with you in a minute, hon," Jenis said, scurrying to the far side to serve some customers who were clamoring for more beer.
Vambran gave the proprietor a wave of acknowledgement and kept his coin pouch safely in his hand while he waited.
He turned and let his eyes roam over the length of the terraced hillside, looking to see if any of his companions had beaten him there that night. Of Horial and Adyan, there was no sign. That was not surprising, though, for he was a bit early. He turned back where he could keep half an eye on the front doors and the other half on Jenis, wanting to make sure she remembered that he needed a mug.
The lieutenant considered again his plan for the evening and asked himself for perhaps the tenth time whether or not it was really a good idea. The notion of using his familiarity with Emriana's dagger to magically find the thugs who had impersonated city watchmen felt right, but everything that had happened since the previous evening was giving Vambran a sense of foreboding, as though he were standing on the precipice of something much larger and more sinister than a simple murder. He just couldn't put his finger on it.
Of course, that in and of itself wouldn't be enough to dissuade Vambran from following through with his intentions. Adyan and Horial were good friends, made closer by the unfortunate secret they shared, and the lieutenant knew they would happily aid him. But he knew some might question whether it was proper for him to appropriate his own men to see the task to its end. He certainly had a high level of discretion regarding how he put the resources at his disposal to use, but for what he had in mind, he was completely on his own.
Vambran was still rationalizing his decision when he spotted the two sergeants entering the Crying Claw and peering around uncertainly. The lieutenant put his fingers to his mouth and gave a shrill whistle, which not only caught the soldiers' attention, but just about every other patron within fifteen paces. There was a brief lull in the conversations as several people glared at him and wiggled their fingers in their ears, then the issue was just as quickly forgotten. Vambran waved to the two mercenaries.
Horial and Adyan waved back and pushed through the throngs until they reached him, though there was no more room at the bar.
"Evening, Lieutenant," Horial said, clapping Vambran once on the shoulder. "I see you're planning to buy the first round," he added, nodding as Jenis sidled up to where Vambran stood, his elbows resting on the bar.
Vambran chuckled and waved the other two men toward the terraces.
"Go find us a table," he said. "I'll bring us three tall, frothy ones."
The other two men nodded in hearty agreement and departed, peering through the openings in the lush, green walls in search of an empty spot. Vambran turned back to Jenis and ordered three mugs of her finest dark ale. Soon enough, he had the drinks in his hand and was working his way through the various patios, seeking his companions. He finally spotted them in a corner around a table meant for two. Shrugging, Vambran set the drinks down and grabbed an unused chair from another table and squeezed in beside them.
"Here's to gold weighing my pockets down," Adyan drawled, hoisting his own mug up to clink it against the other two before downing a long gulp.
"And to the ladies we spend it all on," Horial added, winking as he slurped from his own mug.
"Hear, hear," Vambran agreed, smiling. After each of them had savored the taste of their ales, Vambran settled back in his chair. "Did the men get their payments?"
"Aye," Horial said, drawing his finger through a wet spot on the surface of the table. "All except Ludini, who had to tend to some family matters in Mimph and caught the ferry there first thing this morning. But I already knew he wouldn't be around for several days. I put his share away for him."
Vambran nodded and replied, "We may have a job in a tenday or so, not sure yet. Will Ludini be back by then?"
"Should be," Horial replied, sketching something with the moisture. "What sort of job?" Vambran rolled his eyes.
"Oh," he said, "some merchants the temple has been using keep complaining that the competition is bullying their caravans whenever they try to use a certain waypoint on the Golden Road. We may tag along on their next run to see to it that it stops."
Adyan snorted into his mug.
"Merchants," he scoffed.
Vambran raised a single eyebrow at the sergeant who, realizing he had just insulted all three of their families, raised a hand in placation.
"Oh, not our Houses, sir," he said quickly. "I just meant the foolish, no-sense kind."
Vambran couldn't maintain the glare though and broke into a grin.
"That's all right, Sergeant Mercatio, you just keep right on insulting my family. You'll make captain in no time."
Horial guffawed as he was drinking and nearly choked.
"Adyan never met a man he couldn't insult sooner or later," the man said, wiping foam from his nose.
The three of them chuckled a moment longer before Vambran grew serious.
"Listen, you two," said the lieutenant. "I have something weighing on me that I need some help with."
"Name it," Adyan said, setting his empty mug down. "I'm there."
"Absolutely," Horial added. "Whatever you need. We've been friends a long time, Vambran."
Vambran nodded, having known to expect the two men's willingness. "Yes, we have. And we've been through some rough scrapes along the way," he said, looking at each of them intently. "Some things we don't even talk about anymore." The lieutenant raised his eyebrows to emphasize his point. "This may be one of those times before the night's through."
Both men's faces turned solemn.
Good, Vambran thought. They understand.
"We're your friends," Horial said. "Whatever's going on, nothing's changed in all these years. Not even that."
"We'll help you any way we can," Adyan drawled, frowning. "Just tell us what you need."
"Are you both sure?" Vambran asked. The two sergeants nodded. "All right, then," the lieutenant continued. "Last night, Emriana and I ran up against some fellows who I think were pretending to be city watchmen. These thugs killed two people, supposedly in the line of duty, but I think there's something else going on. Today, I got jumped by three vermin who definitely weren't after my coin. Someone is hiding something and is awfully intent on keeping me from finding out what it is. But that's exactly what I intend to do, and I need someone to watch my back."