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Princess Elsanne Eikenaar
‘Jade Eyes’
‘Fair’ Anne Burton
Three Hundred
Part I
-A royal portrait-
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Elsanne’s face looked distorted in the dirty old bronze mirror. A portrait gone astray and the Princess knew the difference. She frowned, tried to fix the elongated collar stands, had success with the right, but failed with the left that pointed sideways and away from her chest. This white lace shirt needs more buttons and thicker material, a lot of stuff is showing, she decided and stared at the black silk corset bust thoughtfully.
“I can help with the cords,” Jasi said cooling his flushed face with a folding hand fan sporting a beautiful engraved silver handle.
“Uhm,” Elsanne nodded and the eunuch approached to take the control of the flaps. “Where did you get the fan?” She asked.
“The pirate market, don’t ask about the price,” Jasi replied standing behind her. “Breathe out, you know the drill honey.”
Elsanne puffed out and felt the constricting garment pressing at her ribs. The painful feeling strangely comforting. People are very strange creatures, she thought looking at herself in the mirror.
“How much did you pay?”
“Let’s just say my hand was empty,” Jasi replied with a grimace. “But I had to wash it afterwards.”
Uh?
“Whatever do you mean Jasi?”
“Didn’t I just say don’t ask for details?”
Elsanne took a small breath in sneakily.
“Don’t breathe,” the eunuch warned her. “Anyway, you can find the craziest things there,” Jasi continued pulling hard at the leather strings. “But if you want normal stuff then the Cofol District is the better choice.”
“What about—?” Someone knocked at the door interrupting her query.
“Who is it?” Jasi snapped. “We’re busy here!”
“I’m coming in Anne,” Mutiny Carter warned her, then opened the door and walked in afore anyone had the time to reply.
“Uncouth, foul-smelling brutes,” Jasi murmured under his breath and the pirate woman laughed and removed her hat to fix her hair a bit in the mirror.
“Hello Miss Carter,” Elsanne greeted her.
“Ye know dear,” Mutiny said looking at her. “The more good water ye use in yer barrel, the more us all down there will have our innards messed up by ‘Bald’ Burton. Grog be smellin’ of the sea lately, an’ not in a good way, if ye catch me drift.”
“I can feel it unfortunately, the drift,” Jasi griped standing behind them. “You better use that barrel girl. Heed my words, it’ll do wonders for your complexion.”
Mutiny eyed him unconvinced. “Are ye fixin’ to get in me pants ‘Rouge Lips’?”
“It’s a crayon,” Jasi hissed. “She’s using it as well.”
Elsanne pouted her lips, not wanting to get into this particular conversation, but wanting to help if it was possible.
“Don’t mind it on her,” Mutiny retorted and stepped back, just as Jasi finished tying her up. “She’s ready for a dance me thinks.”
“In this thing?” Elsanne gasped. “I’m wearing pants Carter!”
“Only wenches wear dresses here Jade Eyes and the smart dames.”
“The ‘smart dames’?” Elsanne asked and Jasi chuckled.
“Aye, over at the ‘King’s Court’ across the street,” Carter replied with a shit-eating grin.
“There’s a court in Eikenport,” Elsanne murmured unsure, smelling a rat and glared at Jasi who was chuckling uncontrollably.
Hmm.
“Let us continue this downstairs,” Carter suggested and put her large hat back on. “Burton has cleared the bar for us.”
“Haha, cleared she says,” Jasi laughed and opened the fan to cool himself down. “Now that’s a proper fucking joke.”
“Jasi language!” Elsanne said glaring at him.
“Honey, have you heard her talk? She was talking of whores just a second ago,” Jasi retorted and strolled out of the room.
Elsanne glanced at the shorter pirate woman and Mutiny shrugged her shoulders indifferently.
“It’s a brothel,” she elucidated.
Ah.
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Burton uncorked the bottle judiciously, poured a finger of wine in a bronze cup and then closed it back up again. Mutiny cleared her throat in a suggestive manner and Burton eyed her like an annoying bug for a drawn out moment.
“Can I have some?” Carter asked while Elsanne carefully cleaned her lips with a small towel, the roasted cod fish very tasty, athough Burton had gone overboard with the garum.
“Didn’t I serve ye rum just now?” Burton reminded her.
“Me cup is empty and I’m not sure twas rum in the first place,” Mutiny replied truthfully.
“Was free though,” Burton countered, as Elsanne tasted the sweet wine. “Whilst I had to buy this bottle from the Cofol market and it cost me in real coin. Ye know that thing you arr always lackin’?”
“It’s rather nice, let her have some,” Elsanne urged him.
“Anne, you don’t want her getting familiar wit the taste,” Burton said. “She can’t afford it.”
“Is there any more fish?” Jasi asked and Sigurd walked inside the inn at that point, his face still a little swollen but healing, his limp however always present now.
“Not for you,” Burton replied. “But I have plenty of lard soup wit onions.”
“I have coin,” Jasi hissed and Burton blinked not believing him.
“I have the liver kept,” he said to test him and Jasi got his purse out. Mutiny whistled and Sigurd frowned pausing near Elsanne. They were sitting on the tall stalls of the counter.
“I like liver,” Jasi countered.
“Everybody does,” Burton deadpanned. “Which is why I charge it double.”
Jasi rolled his eyes and Elsanne chuckled, until she saw Sigurd’s disapproving stare.
“Something the matter?” She asked him.
“Kaltha has moved against Tirifort,” Sigurd told her cutting to the chase, eyeing the others with distrust.
“You had word from Kaltha?” Elsanne asked him.
“I have people in the army,” Sigurd replied, leaving it at that. “The news will reach us soon anyway.”
“Will they succeed?” Elsanne queried and finished her wine.
“Who knows? They might take it,” Sigurd said and stared at Burton. “That’s Flauegran,” he told him matter-of-factly.
“It’s not for you,” Burton replied defensively. “I have rum though, a fresh barrel.”
“Do you serve wine regurarly?” Sigurd asked him with a scowl.
“Nah, that’s for Anne,” Burton said.
“Aww, gratitude mister Burton, it’s very considerate of you,” Elsanne smiled and patted his hand.
Sigurd sighed and stared at the door of the inn.
“We need to move your grace,” he finally said. “The army’s timing is peculiar.”
“You think they’ll come here?” Elsanne asked and watched as Burton refilled her cup, under the jealous eyes of Carter.
Sigurd nodded grimacing. His leg was hurting him still.
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“Isn’t that a good thing?” Elsanne probed.
“We don’t know who’s running the show,” Sigurd replied. “Or their orders.”
“Scaldingport was at Devil’s Cove,” Elsanne reminded him. “You told me they didn’t support Lord Anker.”
“Openly,” Sigurd said. “Lord Ruud won’t commit on a side until the very last moment and will only work his own scheme.”
“But he’s on our side,” Elsanne countered. “Right?”
“I was surer about it yesterday,” Sigurd admitted.
“How were you sure Sigurd?”
“I had a deal with him, it’s why Sir Gust is here,” Sigurd replied and sighed. “The thing is my man was serving with the First Foot. So they are coming as well. Hadn’t heard from him for more than a year. This is a problem and a week’s old report your grace.”
“Who is in command?” Elsanne asked.
“A Van Durren from Badum,” Sigurd said and pressed his fingers under his bloodshot eye. “Lord Joep’s son.”
“I know Sir Robert and Lady Aafke,” Elsanne replied. “He’s very pleasant—”
“This isn’t a dance your grace, nor are we looking for a husband,” Sigurd cut her off rudely. “You were never so naïve as to not know how the court works.”
Elsanne placed her cup down and glanced at the others watching their exchange in silence.
“First of all I still have a husband, so I can’t look for another praise be Uher,” she started solemnly. “Secondly, the Van Durren are a loyal family to my brother that is true, but they were always decent and lastly, what do you propose here Sigurd? Who am I to trust?”
“Well you can’t trust anyone near Lord Anker,” Sigurd replied. “I don’t like they elected to come here your grace, when the army needs help in Raoz.”
“How do you know they are coming here? Nobody knows where I am.”
Sigurd stared at her and then turned his eyes on Burton. The tavern owner frowned.
“I’ve told everyone Ann is my daughter and her mother Van Fleet’s kin,” he said.
“That was smart of you, but still does she look like a mix-breed?” Sigurd countered. “Or even a common woman? Sitting in your tavern eating fish and drinking expensive wine,” Sigurd continued. “You sure love your daughter a lot Burton, but one might ask, where was she all those years? How long have you been in Eikenport without mentioning her?”
Burton grimaced seeing his point. “Who is going to ask though? No pirate will sniff around me business and Van Fleet’s affairs.”
Sigurd returned his stare for a moment and then grunted. “What about Garth, or the Cofols?”
“Garth is a criminal, but he’s not here, ‘Nine Lives’ runs the show and he’s in the brotherhood for good, or bad,” Burton replied. “The Cofols have no idea about our business mate.”
“Right,” Jasi said and broke their staring contest. “Can I have that wine now mister Burton? Or do I have to start polishing rods to get service in here?”
Mutiny Carter slapped him hard on the back a couple of times chuckling. “Now that’s a good turn of phrase ‘Rouge Lips’!”
“Nah, there’s the room, the food so I’ll just take the darn coins,” Burton decided and grabbed Jasi’s purse, whilst Elsanne frowned cutely unsure whether good was the right word, or not. Sigurd groaned in his turn and blurted unable to control himself.
“Where in Ora’s black heart did you find this guy?”
“You know technically,” Elsanne started blushing furiously. “Jasi doesn’t have all the parts required, poor thing. So yeah…”
Sigurd blinked, a nervous tick appearing in his good eye and Burton who was counting coins up until that moment paused and gave Jasi a thoughtful inspection as if to measure him up.
“Don’t even think about it fool,” the eunuch warned him sounding dead serious.
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The sun had come up over the docks and Elsanne walked to the entrance of Burton’s inn to catch some of it. She stared at the ‘King’s Court’ the building looking more like a warehouse and then glanced at a portion of the ‘Black Market’ visible from the inn’s front door.
Elsanne had never heard as much yelling, swearing and running about, or had been as close with so many people that looked like criminals. Lord’s Burrow had a strangely refined atmosphere compared to Eikenport’s more dubious crowd, despite many shoppers from the other Districts visiting the pirate market each day. You could always spot the occasional Lorian mercenary, or wealthy Cofol slave-owner, appearing in the colorful crowd.
“Anne,” Burton called from inside. “I’ll run an errant of sorts out the back, Sam will man the shop, but keep an eye as well for any tomfooleries.”
“Sure mister Burton,” Elsanne said grinning. “Don’t worry about it.”
She gathered her long hair at the nape and tied them back with a cord, I’m getting better at it, but still miss my Loes, Elsanne thought, feeling more pride than sadness and the aged Lorian resting on the wall of the inn a couple of meters from the door, turned his hard eyes on her not bothering from the strong sun.
“It’s a lovely day,” the man rustled, heavy mail gleaming under the long overcoat. “For the time of year.”
“I prefer this from the dreadful heat of summer,” Elsanne replied unsure on where he was going with this.
The Lorian, he had short-cut grey hair with streaks of blond in it, rested his weight on his left shoulder touching the wall. Half-turned so he could look at her more easily.
“Is that yer place lass?” He asked and the stranger’s accent reminded her of the young ‘Charming Knight’ of Lesia. King Davidson’s son had dodged the tourney in Riverdor, so Elsanne had no idea how he looked now years later, but she remembered the Lesia courier explaining it to her brother.
Answer his query, she admonished herself.
“Ahm, yes. In a sense,” Stop talking now. Elsanne smiled nervously. “Are you interested in a drink mister…?”
“Name’s Lear Hik,” the man explained looking sad.
“Ahm, I’m Anne… Burton,” Elsanne managed to say, her heart beating wild in her chest.
“Can I buy ye a drink miss Burton?”
Eh. Elsanne didn’t expect that.
Was he looking for female company? She glanced across the street and a whore saluted her, either because she recognized the young Issir, or because she thought Elsanne had gotten herself a client.
Ugh.
I don’t trust you?
“I try not to drink too much,” she explained and realized another aged warrior was watching them from across the street, not paying any attention to the whore standing outside ‘King’s Court’.
“What do you favor when ye do?” Lear asked in his baritone, unhurried tone.
“Wine?” Elsanne replied and glanced at the inn behind her.
“Will you show me the way Anne? It’s your place… in a sense,” Lear asked her with a tired smile, his angular face cracked and weathered from traveling. War as well, given the scars, she thought.
“Sure,” Elsanne blurted and dashed inside the inn, the sun on her eyes unbearable suddenly.
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Sam raised his head and eyed the armed Lear walking inside behind her, before glancing at the skittish Elsanne. He coughed once, grimaced and placed both his hands on the counter.
“Arr ye all right ther’ Anne?”
“Yes,” Elsanne replied. “Mister… ahm,” she stared at the only table with early customers and the pirates smiled at her, going a bit overboard in their beaming, showing lots of yellow and gold teeth. “He wants to have a drink.”
“Antonia will come down in a minute,” Sam told him.
“Name’s Lear Hik,” Lear elucidated and found a stall next to her. “I was thinking to buy Anne something.”
“Yeah?” Sam asked. “This isn’t that kind of place mate.”
“That so? Well, see enough places and everything looks alike after a time, I reckon,” Lear replied and placed a gold coin on the counter. “Serve yer best to her just the same.”
“We only have the one quality, be it beer or grog,” Sam explained to him, afore adding. “The lass is not on the menu.”
Lear nodded with a smirk. “I got that, but as I said. I wasn’t looking for company,” he grimaced, cracked his neck right and left before setting his eyes on the bottles behind ‘Bronchitis Sam’.
“What will it be?” Sam asked him.
“I haven’t finished my thought,” Lear replied. “But since you asked I’ll have what she prefers.”
Elsanne felt her stomach turn into a knot.
“We’re fresh out,” Sam told him sternly. “Best ye be on yer way now.”
Lear sighed and then stared at the silently watching the exchange Elsanne.
“Renato Marcuso,” he said and she frowned.
“Never heard of him,” Sam retorted and coughed half-a-lung out increasingly more nervous himself.
Could it be?
“She has,” Lear noticed with that sad look back on his face. “He is a painter, quite famous. Paints realistic landscapes, the sun, the moons and because those bring little coin, he dabbles in portraits. A magician of colors is his moniker.”
He knows, Elsanne thought and stood back.
“So what?” Sam snapped.
Lear shrugged his broad shoulders. “You are not in the wrong there, most portraits stay in Lords’ halls, but there’s a big building in Atetalerso, a square ugly thing we call the ‘Record’s Edifice’. It’s where the Bank keeps… well, its records.”
“What’s that’s got to do with—” Lear stopped Sam raising his hand, turned it into a fist but for the index finger, which he pointed firmly at Elsanne.
“The Bank commissions copies of these portraits so it can put a face over each account. As I said it is a very large building and yer face lassie is in it.”
“Ye better get out of here mate,” Sam warned him and glanced at the table where the customers had stopped to watch the exchange.
“My job here is done,” Lear explained and stepped away from the counter. “Your troubles though have just begun Anne.”
“Since when is Mclean & Merck taking sides mister Hik?” Elsanne asked him, clasping her hands to keep them from shaking.
“The Bank cares about its gold,” Lear replied and gave her a small curtsy. “And the contracts behind it,” he added and with a solemn stare at the pirates that had approached him walked out of the inn.
“Anne?” Sam asked her.
“This was an agent of the Bank of Trust,” Elsanne explained and breathed out. “Pour me a cup of wine Sam.”
“You’re worried about a bank?” Sam asked her picking up the bottle from behind him.
“Do they have a branch here?”
“Nah, who would trust a bank, or whatever they wanna call themselves? Bury yer coin if ye want to keep it is me advice lass.”
“What about—” Elsanne tried to say, thinking of the companies stationed in Eikenport, when Mutiny burst inside the door breathing heavy and stopped her mid-sentence.
“Blimey!” Carter cursed, her hat in hand. “There’s trouble in the docks Sam.”
Sam started coughing hard and despite his efforts to speak, he just couldn’t utter a coherent word, so Elsanne asked for him.
“What trouble?”
“Soldiers,” Mutiny replied and rushed to the back door. “Where’s Burton?”
“Out the back,” Elsanne told her. “What soldiers?”
“Mercenaries, a crap ton of them,” Carter replied and ducked inside the backroom to find Burton.
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