Part 11
Anger consumed Taala, any semblance of discipline or care drained, she turned towards the woman...Eroforth looked confused, seeing her intent he shook his head emphatically. Taala strode over to a chest of drawers, extending her search she ransacked them, casting the contents about the room in a frenzy.
Her locket had contained a lock of Tagen's hair. It was all she had left of her son, and Taala was a superstitious girl, she firmly believed that lock of hair, as much as it was precious to her, also protected her and brought her luck. What she now next discovered amongst the shoddy garments within the drawer reinforced her belief that bad luck had befallen her ...therein that drawer lay, a flask, bound in a leather pouch of great quality, with the letter's “T.B.” chiseled into the corner.
“T.B"..."Ted Bramble” she mouthed to herself.
She'd know that flask anywhere, it was Brammy's, a member of The Bloody Dawn and Foxwin's brother.
She had seen that flask many, many times when working a job with the company. Brammy would oft sneak a drink from it, one would think he would be more apt at sly endeavors being an ex-Blackwold himself. Once caught taking a sip, Brammy would share his secret flask of whisky around. The leather cover was unmistakable, custom made to carry the flask, there was no other as skilled at working leather as Foxwin, the pouch had been a gift from him to his brother, and now Taala held it within her hands, fear mounting, that the Blackwolds had Brammy in retaliation for his betrayal of them to save his brother's life.
The woman on the bed had began to panic once more. Taala walked over to Eroforth and in a barely audible whisper explained about the flask and that the woman needed to tell them if they had him and where he was held, and for what purpose...although she was sure she could guess.
Eroforth broke the woman's spirit, he was good...very good, he barely had to hurt her before she gave up all the information they needed.
Eroforth made it seem that their purpose for being there had naught to do with a locket, or indeed Brammy, he asked who the gang took their cut to, and where prisoners were held, eluding to a false story that they were in pursuant of an ornate sword. The woman even mentioned Brammy by name, mayhaps in an attempt to demonstrate that the Blackwolds would not forget any who crossed them. Once the information was gleaned, Eroforth indicated they were leaving, he was confused why Taala still lingered, she had her locket and they needed to scout the Blackwold's camp...this night was growing longer and longer.
Eroforth made sure the woman's bindings would not make escape impossible, but would hold her long enough. Taala's face was empty, it was clear she had no intent on hurting the woman further. He looked at her with an expression very much like one of approval, even relief.
"Seems like yer going t' live the night," he whispered to her. "You an' your babe. But when y' walk out of here, you take a good look at those bodies out there. Think 'bout how might be your babe like that, one day. 'Bout what nearly happened here tonight. An then.... you ... think 'bout just which way you want t' run when you get out that door. An what sort o' life yer takin' your babe to when you do."
Taala caught him by the arm, preventing him from leaving, suddenly her thoughts fell upon her brief relationship with her real father, Hardoleth. She thought of all that had been said about him and her own desperate need to find a reason to think well of him, to love him, even after he had given so little time or care to her before he died.
"She deserves to know the fate of her man...at least let her be comforted by his deeds to bargain for her life and that of her child with his...a child needs something to love her...it's... father for..." she whispered gently, before taking out a gold coin from about her person and leaving it quietly on the table. They had taken much from this woman, a coin would never make up for that, but would offer her some choices as to what she did next. Taala wanted that woman to have a chance to raise her child, a chance she was never given with Tagen.
Eroforth 's eyes widened, nodding his eyed lingered on hers for a lengthy moment, something significant and inscrutable going on behind his regard. He looked down at the helpless woman and her quiet sobs.
"An' tell your child, too - was his father's love as saved his life, and yours, when he gave his own. By demandin' our vow we'd not kill you if you answered true."
Taala stepped over the carnage in the other room and waited by the door, she had made a deal with Eroforth that he would have first choice of any bounty they found, yet it had never been her intent to take any...
Eroforth searched through the tumbled possessions on the floor, a pitiful haul... coppers and a few silvers, cheap brass jewelry, once-fine clothes ripped and soiled. The only things of value were a few of the stolen trinkets hidden in the chest's false bottom. He poked at them with the toe of one boot, then leant down and picked up an ornate ring and a solitary gold coin. He pocketed them both and turned to leave... and then his eyes fell upon the weeping, naked woman, a grimace, a look of pain? disgust? sorrow? flashed over his features, looking at the coin again briefly, he tossed it back into the mess and strode over to Taala.
Taala, wiped the moisture from the glass and glanced out of the window, there was nobody about. All that she had wanted was her locket back, and now all these lives lost, all this blood on her hands had been in vain, the locket was empty and worthless. That aside, she felt a measure of self reproach, she had killed and employed another to aid her, for what? a lock of hair. Nay, she had not intended any of this. Again she reminded herself that those she had stricken were scoundrels, cut-throats themselves...and she had seen far, far worse in these times of war in the Mearc.
There was no time to linger on such thoughts, they needed to head over to Blackwolds Roost, Brammy needed rescuing...
