What he needed, Cador told himself as he shoved some idiot out of his way with one hand, was a new kitchen boy. He was the owner of a tavern, by God, and he shouldn't have to waste his valuable time going to market to fetch sausages for the cook. There were books to be balanced and expenses to be calculated, and accounts, both on and off the books, to be settled, and he was fetching sausages from the market instead. The fact that they were to be eaten for the most part by him didn't make it any less palatable.

He was a tavernkeeper, not an errand boy!

Having seen Huw and that elf boy at market had only served to fan his anger as well as remind him who was to blame for his current state of indignity.

Eirlys, for running out on him in dead of night like a thief! And she was, wasn't she, for taking her children with her? He'd lost a bedwarmer, a kitchen boy, and worst of all the little singer in one fell swoop, and after he'd taken them in during some weak moment. There were others to blame: those prissy noblewomen, their Work Home, and those elves at the Bardic Hall. Not only had they taken Erilys and her brats in, they were making it difficult to find a street urchin lazing about near his tavern to hire for running errands. The few that could be found were cheekily insisting on being paid more than the usual few coppers for their services, and Cador would be damned if he'd meet their price.

What made it even more galling was that no one here in The Hook dared act against the newcomers; the memory of the last time the BlackWatch had launched a retaliatory raid on the more prominent leaders of The Hook was still too fresh in everyone's minds, so nothing was done to teach the do-gooders their place.

Ah, but just the image of those two buildings ablaze was enough to make Cador smile nastily.

He was shouldering his way through a group of carousing apprentices, imagining Erilys and her brats at his door begging to be given their old place back at Fat Henry's when someone's hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Damn apprentices. He reached to push the hand away, but found the grip too strong. "Let go or by the gods you'll wish you had when you had the chance!" He turned angrily and paled. "You!"

********

Ashe had made his way down Shore Road with very little trouble. There were small groups of apprentices in the street but they quickly moved to let him through once they saw who was trying to pass and the expression on his face. He'd barely walked halfway to Cador's tavern when he caught sight of the miserable man shoving his own way past other walkers. Ashe quickened his own pace as he drew his dagger and kept the blade concealed beneath his cloak. Then he caught up with Cador and grabbed hold of his shoulder.

He grinned nastily as the bully cursed and whirled to face him. "Yes, me. You know me, Cador? That's good, even if we have never actually met before, since I know you. I've heard a lot about you, and what I've heard, I dislike." He leaned in closer, and now the point of the concealed dagger rested against Cador's side. "Now, the boy Huw, where is he?"

The human turned even paler. "That worthless little…" he stopped as the dagger's point slightly broke his skin. "I don't know! I don't, damn you! I'm just coming back from the market. I saw him there, but that's all! You don't see him with me, do you, damn your eyes!"

Ashe drew his face closer to Cador's. " I hear you're a cheap man, Cador, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't hire someone else to hurt Huw. Alright, so you are innocent this time. But in case you should be foolish enough to entertain the notion of getting some sort of vengeance in the future…" Ashe stopped as he saw the expression on Cador's face. "Ah, you have, haven't you? Well then, pay attention." He applied a little more pressure on the dagger, and Cador grunted. "Huw and his family are under my protection. For that matter, so is anyone at my Hall or the Work Home. If any harm befalls those who dwell or work in either place, the first person I shall come looking for is you, Cador the Bully. Do you understand me?"

"Ashe, you are scaring the fool witless. Leave off, love." Jera had come from behind the pair and smiled cheerfully at the hapless tavern keep. "I'm certain he wouldn't dare harm a hair of any of their heads, now would you, Cador?"

"There, you see? No need to swear g'war t'lam g'war because he'll mind his matters and behave."

Cador nodded wordlessly and Ashe withdrew his dagger with a slight sigh of disgust. "You're right, Jera. Swearing blood oath on such as this one disgraces my honor." He released his grip on the human's arm and sheathed the blade, stepping away to stand beside his wife. "But if you should ignore my warning, Cador, I'll hunt you down like the cur you are. Go on, I'm done with you. Oh, and you've dropped your sausages."

The two tall elves turned and walked away, the woman gently scolding her husband in their own tongue. Cador took a great breath.

Then he kicked the dog that was trying to steal his food.

*********

Shane was waiting for them when they approached the Hook Gate, an anxious expression on his face. "Any luck?"

"Huw's mother hadn't seen him since he visited her this morning." Jera draped an arm about Shane's shoulders. "I had to lie to her about why I was looking for him. She's ill enough; time enough for her to worry later if we can't find her son soon."

"I promised I'd take care of him, Aunt Jera. He's the first one, and what if I've failed him already?"

Ashe looked at his grandnephew, and recalled the way Shane had reacted the first time he'd met Huw. At the time it had seemed to have some importance, and Ashe had meant to ask Shane about it, but had been so busy lately he'd forgotten. He'd do it once they'd found out where Huw had gone off to. "We'll find him, Shane."

"And so we have, milord, so we have! " Mark emerged from the crowd and beckoned them to follow him. "We found him. Joffrey's keeping an eye on him while I fetch you to see what the scamp has been doing all afternoon. We thought you might like to see for yourself!" He grinned, and then led them back across the market square.

They were halfway across when they began to hear the music above the din of the market, two pipers playing a lively tune in harmony while some onlookers clapped in time to the music. The press around the musicians was tight but then the song ended to applause and the sound of coins hitting the ground, and the crowd thinned enough to let them through to see who'd been playing. There crouched Huw, snatching up coins to add to the pile on the ground between himself and another figure.

"Tyralor!" Shane moved forwards. "They said you were dead."

"People say a lot of foolish things. Good day, young `Thorn, and…" the half-elf glanced at Ashe and Jera. "other absurdly tall folk." Tyralor shook his head and placed his flute in its bag at his side. He looked a bit thinner than Shane recalled and he seemed warier, but that didn't prevent him from giving the adult elves a mocking grin. "It's criminal you know to be so tall. You could make clothes for three normal sized people from what the two of you are wearing. Stop growing, young `Thorn. Have some consideration for the rest of us." He reached out for the coins.

"What are you doing with that money?"

Tyralor didn't even glance up to look at Ashe as he answered. "You're `Thorn's kin, as I recall, so I'll excuse your woeful lack of manners. I understand you've opened a school for bards." His hands moved among the coins, dividing them in half. "While you are teaching them the theory of music, don't forget to teach them the business part of it as well. Nothing is as distressing as stumbling over the bodies of dead starved musicians along the road." He paused, reached out to move some more coins to the group in front of himself, and then looked over at Huw. "Senior man gets the larger share. Alright boy, take your cut." He gathered his own share into his hands and then stood as Huw did as he had bidden. "Don't forget what I told you about your breathing, and always remember to pay your debts."

"Huw, I thought Cador had taken you!" Shane crouched beside the boy to help.

"Cador!" Tyralor snorted. "Man's a fool. He'll overstep his bounds and end up dead one day. If your father had not mucked about down here, Fat Henry would still be alive and no one would even have heard of Cador. And now, I've business elsewhere to attend to, so a good day to you and your overly tall kin. Give my regards to your father, will you, young `Thorn? There's a good lad." He took two steps back, turned, and disappeared into the crowd before any of them had a chance to reply.

Huw stood there awkwardly looking at those who'd been searching for him. "Am I a lot of trouble?"

Ashe chuckled. "We'll discuss that when we get back to the Hall. But first we'll pay a visit to your mother so she won't be worried all night. And I want to talk to you as well, Shane, on another matter. Let's go, shall we? We've a lot of work left to catch up on."

With that they started out of the marketplace, Huw this time walking with Shane in front of the adults. Shane glanced at his friend. "What did you and Tyralor talk about?"

"Debts." was all Huw said in reply.

©01/2004

(in progress...)