“Are you…?” Ander couldn’t think. “Wha… huh?”
“Yeah.” Pete nodded before looking back at his friend. “An I’m guessing this lordling didn’t take it sittin down.”
Artur laughed and shook his head. “No, my good sir. He – did – not. BUT, he also doesn’t know we exist. OR where we hold up. So, so far so good.”
“Still, lots o pressure on the streets I’m guessin. None of your usual Fences will touch it. Hence your concern about when I showed up, like a gift from Tymora.” Pete commented. Artur took a drink of his beer as he nodded. “Good thing for me, Dulce overruled ya.” Pete laughed and drank.
“How much do ya think?” Artur asked without clarifying “what.”
Pete knew. “Can ya get em outside the city?”
“Already done.”
“How many bottles?”
“60.”
“Woof… 200 Gold each?” Pete queried.
“That’s more n’ Jarvis woulda given us.” Rell stated.
“Yeah.” Artur nodded to him. Then turned to Pete. “Yeah. Good price.”
“Yeah.” Pete said in thought. “Except I don’t have 12,000 Gold Pieces.”
Artur and his crew cringed in response. And there was an audible “Awe!” From several of the patrons in the tavern.
“Are ALL of these people yours?!” Pete asked incredulously as he looked around the place.
“Yeah!” Rell smiled. “Ours, or family of ours.”
Pete laughed. “Alright…” He sighed. “I got a few things to sell and then I can probably buy about ten off you for now. Can you sit on the rest for a while?”
Artur looked at Dulce, who shrugged at him. “Yeah, should be fine.”
“It’s not like we got a lot of other options here.” Dulce commented as she stole her husband’s cup.
With that settled the rest of the discussion was about less pressing business. Artur wanted the Thieves kits Pete had taken from the Red Brands. He rolled one to Donnabella.
“You owe me 40 Gold Pieces, girl.” Artur commented in a mock stern tone of voice.
She excitedly smiled and nodded as she opened the kit to look at the tools. Pete soon discovered that Artur would be the only stop he needed for selling his goods. The man had several connections with legitimate businesses. And it would do him good to act as middle man for Pete. They would each make money that way.
“Tell us about these Red Brands. I get the impression they’re finally done for.” Rell commented.
Pete nodded. “Upstart little twerps got dealt with by a group of adventurers that came through town.”
Ander let out a sigh of exasperation. “Even with your friends?!” Pete looked at him confused as he finished another mug of beer. “You killed ten of them!”
Pete made a face and shook his head. “No. I got a patrol of Neverwinter guards to kill four of em. I only killed four more. And the Sisters of Steele took out the other eleven.”
“Sisters of Steele?” Dulce asked.
“Yeah.” Pete nodded. “Group of adventurers that came through Phandalin.”
“We know who they are.” Artur said. “Did business with em just a couple days ago.”
Pete looked hard at his old friend. “They’re supposed to be inThundertree.”
Artur nodded. “Yeah, apparently that old Druid isn’t like you an me. I mean. I’m a thief but even I, if someone asks me for directions? I just tell em. But this guy?” Artur shrugged. “Says he needs em to kill a beasty for him before he’ll tell em where their friend is.”
Pete fell back in his chair. “What kinda “beasty?”
“Pete, it’s business. I can’t…”
“Artur!?… I’m not gonna claim she’s the love o my life, but I’m shaggin their thief! Now, what – is the “beasty?”
Artur cleared his throat as he glanced at his wife. “Green dragon.” Pete exhaled a loud pained breath. “BUT! But. I outfitted em with the gear they need to kill the thing. They’ve got good gear now and they know what they’re about. They’ll be fine.”
Pete sighed in pain but nodded.
Dulce gripped his shoulder. “Pete, those girls are going to be fine. It doesn’t take a lot of discernment to figure that out once you’ve met them.”
“No, you’re right. Sorry… And where is the profit in this for ya?” He asked, suddenly confused.
“Lot of valuable parts on a Green dragon. Sent em back with a crew of mine that’s good at harvesting those sorts of things.” Artur answered.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “They’re supposed to be off killin goblins.”
“Speakin o goblins, what are we gonna do about Donnabella here?” Rell asked.
All of them looked at him and then at Donnabella, who cringed from the scrutiny.
“She’s been snuggled up next to Ander since they sat down, like he’s her long lost brother.” Rell commented.
“I noticed that as well.” Artur said. “You don’t need an extra hand, do you Pete?”
“Ehhh.” He whined as he looked at her. “She a good thief?”
“No.” Artur shook his head.
“Hey.” She whined.
Artur smiled. “But she’s also a mage. Soooo.”
Pete’s eyebrows rose. “You willin to give her up?”
“Yeah. She needs more training. Working with you should help with that. And I got others who can magic things for us. Plus, I could use a trustworthy set of eyes on you.” He smiled just before taking a drink.
Pete laughed loud and nodded.
Chapter 8
Halia Thornton, Proprietor of the Phandalin Miner’s Exchange, leaned against the wall outside of Harben’s office and waited. Arms crossed, sighing, as she listened to the Townmaster and his paramour go at it like two beasts in heat. Not too soon, she was pleased to hear them finish.
“At least he’s not short winded.” She murmured to herself.
She listened as Harben made his goodbyes and left his office through the interior door. While Trilena Stonehill, wife to Toblin Stonehill, left through the exterior door. With far fewer people watching it.
“We need to talk, Trilena.” Halia said, startling the woman.
“Oh! Halia!? How long have you been there?” She smiled.
“Long enough to prove the rumors true.” She said, as she slipped her arm through Trilena’s and began to walk her away from town. “You have to end this.”
Trilena laughed and nodded. “I suspect you’re going to tell me why?”
Now Halia nodded. “My man, Dirk, overheard Harben bragging about how he was having you regularly last evening.” Trilena groaned a sigh. “He was at your husband’s inn, talking to a group of adventurers.” She stopped talking long enough to look at Trilena as they walked. “Ad-ven-tur-ers. Who knows who they’re going to tell?”
Trilena nodded her agreement. “The stupid fool.” She grumbled.
Halia shook her head. “Why? Why would you do this? This will break Toblin’s heart.”
“Oh, stop it.” Trilena said firmly. “Toblin isn’t in love with me. Never has been. And don’t look at me like that! You know how it is for us? In this world, women have to take what they can get. My father and brother have worked for years on the docks of Port Llast. And between the two of them they still don’t have two Coppers to rub together. So when my friend Toblin said he’d come into some money? That he wanted to build an Inn at the new town of Phandalin and would I Marry him?” She exhaled a big goofy breath. “Sure!” She nodded. “I knew he only wanted me because he liked my tits. But that was a damn site better than my other options…” She shook her head in thought. “No. No, this would hurt his pride. And I’m sorry for Harben but Toblin’s pride is worth a hell of a lot to me. A hell of a lot more than Harben.”