Pyp paced around the statue in the middle of the square, he'd spent an hour thinking up plans for what came next. He had no idea what to do, Pyp kept asking himself what would Arthur do in this situation but he couldn't do what Arthur could do. So he was stuck, his own ability was unknown to Pyp and he had yet to become a man so he was not sure that could do anything. He had to act and soon, he wasn't sure when the possessed were going to find him and Pyp was not going to go back to that bank. He set off down a random alley darting from side to side trying to be stealthy, pressing on down the narrow alley Pyp expected the worst thinking that a legion of bonemen would come charging down the alley and ripping him to pieces. After moving through the maze of alleys Pyp ended up back in the square that he started in, at first he was just somewhat confused then he was angry at himself. How hard could it be to get away from a square, was his pathfinding ability that poor?

He went back into the same alley and took a different path and within ten minutes was lost, Pyp huffed impatiently; where was the main road he thought as he looked ahead hoping to see the cobbled streets. All he saw ahead of him was more twisting alleys,

I have to keep moving, thought Pyp, the only way to get out of here is to keep moving.

Pyp could not discern how long he was in this messy quarter of Finepoint and after an hour of dashing through alleys, he stopped in frustration. The sky had grown darker since Pyp first arrived in the square, he could see black clouds rolling in from the sea. Pyp knew that meant a storm was going to hit Finepoint, he was given lessons on clouds when he was younger, and he enjoyed them but his father stopped his written studies in favour of spending more time with Master Jezerin. He needed to find shelter soon or else he would get very wet.

Pyp found his way over to the main road before the rain hit the city and he hurried down the street searching for a open door or a light in a window. The oppressive silence gave way to pattering of rain as the storm clouds finally settled overhead, thunder clapped in the distance urging Pyp to move faster. Soon the street was slippery with water forcing Pyp to slow his search, the rain caused his hair to stick to his face further obscuring his view of the road. A protruding cobble at Pyp's feet caused him to slip onto his backside, he let out a howl as pain shot through his hips. Pyp lay on the ground looking up at the waterfall which blinded him, he willed himself to stand back up but his body didn't respond. Through the hammering of rain on the cold ground, Pyp hear the faint noise of voices chattering; the thought of other people in the city filled Pyp with energy enough to get him to his feet and press forward. There was a glow in the dizzying rain as Pyp stumbled across a small tavern, it looked less rich than the other building surrounding it but was still impressive in its own way. Small glass windows lay either side of a wooden door, Pyp could see figures moving around inside. Defiantly not possessed, he hadn't seen any of them talk or make any noise for that matter. Pyp tried to quietly open the door but it was too heavy to be gently opened, he tried again and put more force into but it did not budge. Pyp was about to start knocking on the door when he heard the deadbolt get pulled back with a loud thud, the door swung open and a large man stood blocking the entrance. The only hair on his head was a pair of blond mutton chops, strapped to his waist was a huge knife.

"What do you want," the man asked having to shout over the rain.

"Shelter," replied Pyp looking up at the man.

He was the largest man Pyp had ever seen most of his forehead was hidden by the top of the door frame. Pyp heard some shouting come from inside and the large man stepped aside. Pyp entered the tavern and immediately regretted his choice, the room was large with a wide fireplace set at the back; men covered in weapons were all standing facing Pyp.

The men in the tavern were an unsavoury lot dressed in dented rusty pieces of armour, most of them sported a visible scar on their faces and the room smelled worse than the prison at the bank. After a moment of silence, one man strode to the middle of the room and said, "Hello boy what brings you to our humble establishment" he waved his arms around indicating to the tavern.

All the men in the room had stood up to get a look at Pyp, he didn't see a young face among them.

"Just need some shelter from the rain is all," said Pyp trying not to sound like a noble.

"Plenty of empty houses out there boy, why not stay in one of them?" said the man, he was slightly taller than Pyp he had a sharp V of pale blond hair on his head.

"Safer from the possessed with people" said Pyp quickly, why had he come here? Pyp had been drawn to the light like a moth with no thought of who might be in here, he had made the same mistake with Prewyn. These men might kill him before the possessed do.

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"Possessed that what you call em huh? Good name. We never really cared, they were just upper-born scum to us possessed or not" said the lean man.

He seemed to be the leader thought Pyp, and he does not like the noble-born so Pyp could not let it slip that he was the son of the High Prince.

"You here for some loot as well?" asked Pyp, he took a leap of faith with that question, but it made sense. The hatred of the uppers, the rough looking gang. Pyp only hoped that the worn look his clothing had gotten recently and the lack of bathing would convince them he wasn't a noble. The man looked at Pyp his eyes focused on his clothing.

"What makes you think that, me and my lads look like thieves to you?" said the man, his tone was low and dangerous. Pyp had to stay calm panicking would only give him away.

"Well what other reason is there to be up here? The people aren't particularly inviting" he barely to kept the fear out of his voice.

"Well boy maybe we're up here on business, employed by some rich toff who needs some protection from the old guardsmen," he said eyes boring into Pyp.

Pyp made a mistake and he knew it might be his last a group like this weren't exactly the forgiving types, before he could open his mouth to let loose a string of apologies the room erupted into laughter.

The man in the centre of the room was bent double his laugh was raspy, "Imagine that lads, the slum scum employed by some toffing lord, don't worry lad I was just teasing the names Erit and I'm in charge of this merry band of looters."

He stuck out a dirty calloused hand.

"I'm Pyp," Pyp replied taking the hand.

Erit pulled Pyp close to him, "Hope you're not lying boy, looting ain't exactly allowed in the upstanding Finepoint" he growled into Pyp's ear, the fear must have been plain on his face as Erit pulled back and grinned.

"Well Pyp this isn't a Peace hostel so you're gon have to pay to stay", some of the others in the room had wandered back to their tables to chat and drink. It made the atmosphere a bit less suffocating, but the large man with the outrageous facial hair still stood behind him.

"So what you got Pyp, gold's best but we'll accept anything shiny" Erit was still grinning like a fool, a dangerous grin full of malice thought Pyp he was armed with a falchion strapped to his waist. Pyp imagined it being swung at him. Cleaving into his neck.

Focus he thought. He had nothing to give them, no gold and nothing of any real value. Pyp pulled his bag of his back and began rummaging around his hands falling on his flute case, no he couldn't he thought to himself but it was that or get kicked back out into the rain or worse. He pulled the flute case out and assembled the flute. "How about this?"

Erit took it out of his hands and looked it over, "Very nice piece, gilded as well very expensive". Pyp tried desperately not to look at the flute while Erit looked it over, he knew the look on his face would give him away.

"Shame we haven't got anyone to play it, been a long time since the lad have dance a good jig."

"I can play" blurted out Pyp without thinking.

Suddenly all eyes were on Pyp once again.

"Really?" said Erit. "Well play us a song," he thrust the flute back into Pyp's hands.

"I'll play you the song, only if that counts as payment and I keep the flute" said Pyp hoping this would allow him to keep his precious flute.

Erit considered the proposal for a minute then he turned around to his men, "What'dya think lads, should we let the little bard play us a tune?", the crowd responded with a mix of cheers and jeers while some men slammed cups of ale down onto their tables. "Guess that's a yes boy, but if you want it to count as payment it better be good."

Pyp sat on a stool and began to fiddle with his flute, what song should he play? It would need to be a fast song, a hearty song.

"Do you know 'The Flows of Finepoint'?" Pyp asked the crowd, it was a merry song usually played at festivals.

"Aye," was the general reply of the crowd so Pyp decided to play that. It began slowly, the melody drifted around the room as men started to sing the accompanying song. Pyp got lost in the simple act of playing his flute, his fingers lightly danced up and down in time with the stomping feet of his patrons. Pyp knew he was a good flute player but the sense of danger made his timings immaculate and the merry tune infected the tavern with its fire and the crowds were soon singing loudly some stood on top of the table and danced. When the song came to a close there were cheers and shouts for another. After a few songs, the crowd got thinner as men went off to sleep for the night.

"I'd say that's good enough to last you for a couple of nights at Tavern on the sludge" said Erit chuckling at some hidden jest. "That was some excellent playing boy, might be the lads will want to keep hearing it, but we'll talk about that in the morning. Griv take him to one of the empty rooms".

The large man led him up the stairs of the tavern and opened the door to a rather spacious room with a large window.

"'Ere you go, only spare room in the place none of the lads like it cause it's got no curtains" said Griv as Pyp put his bag down on the bed.

"Thank you" said Pyp.

Griv nodded awkwardly and closed the door. Pyp was safe, for now.