Inside the Hall and encounter with the Midnight Magpie
Once inside the hall Chaney was pretty much astounded, although she did not let it show. Her eyes, as ever, darting left and right, up and down. She had never seen so many wondrous things before.
The main hall itself was nothing more than a glorified mead hall. Barrel upon barrel stacked up on each other. One large barrel was resting on the floor in the middle next to a large open fire. Fiontann made straight for two empty tankards and headed to a barrel and proceeded to fill both with ale.
He offered one to Chaney, whom obliged and took the ale from him. It was at this point that another man entered the room. It was the man she had met a few days previous regarding the poster she had found in Bree. She instantly recognized Basaran as soon as she set eyes upon him.
Fiontann and Chaney sat upon the small set of wooden steps next to the large barrel and began to talk again. Their discussion this time was a lot friendlier. Chaney had come to realize that these men or company as it was were no mere brigands or foul filth that would inhabit Beggars Alley back in Bree.
The conversation was cut short, however, when Basaran announced to Fiontann that they had visitors. All three proceeded to leave the hall for outside to see whom had arrived at the hall.
Fiontann ordered Chaney to stay close to the main doors whilst he and Basaran took matters into their hands as to whom had paid them a visit. Chaney, of course, had decided to disobey Fiontann and without any of the men seeing her stole a vantage point within earshot so as she could listen in as to what these strangers wanted.
From where she sat she could tell easily enough as to whom one of the men was. He was Martie Magpie whom she had seen regularly on the Alley and elsewhere within Bree. He was quite the prankster and always loved a joke, especially if played upon someone by himself.
However, he was not in the pranking mood this time. From what she could see he was in quite some distress and with what looked like a crossbow bolt embedded in his leg. Basaran was showing no mercy with him and at one point looked as though he was enjoying the fact that Martie was in a whole lot of pain.
It was, however, the other man whom interested Chaney somewhat. A hooded figure with what looked like a mask concealing his facial features. She could not tell whom it was. Fiontann was talking with him. About what though she could not tell. At length Basaran would escort Martie into the Dawn Hall, no doubt to fix up his injuries. The hooded figure would follow. Fiontann, happy in that this situation was well within Basaran’s capable hands would escort Chaney around to the stables where he had a surprise awaiting her….
