Thick as thieves

JP with Lucian, Winteroak and Bandorchu

Alexis looked at Tar from across the table. It had taken the man the most part of the afternoon to draw the carvings from the tusk. He had left the Rectory without a word to his former brother. The Friar for his part was not too disappointed when his former acolyte left. Some things were best left in the past and unspoken.

Tar looked up from the drawing he made over the cup of ale he was nursing.
"We need a way into the Keep." He told her.

“You don’t say…”
came the reply with no small amount of snark.

Despite that, Alexis was thinking on how to approach this. If she were still with the army, it would have been no problem, but she wasn’t, and most of the keep was off limits for the common folk. Would be easier if she could get help from the inside… though she felt no small amount of reluctance to get even more people involved into this mess.

Not to speak of another issue: trust. Who did she know that she would even dare trust with a ludicrous request like that?

Well. There was one person, but…
She didn’t even know if Tarmen was around. And should she really ask him for something like this, after all he had been through? Unfortunately, she might no have much of a choice…

Another day's worth of plans and maps had left Tarmen mentaly drained.He had always enjoyed planning expeditions like this, but when around the Empire…. They always had a talent to suck the joy from anything. Despite having just escaped death and far from being back to peak performance, his body was already itching to be free of this place. He couldn’t blame it either.
He had also become more anxious with the arriving end of the Duke’s deadline. He had been trying to learn more about the Duke’s lifestyle, where he went or who he talked to, but the man was always a step ahead. He was either in his quarters or had already been somewhere by the time Tarmen could try to follow. At this point he believed it was purposeful on the Duke’s part.
Rubbing his temples to alleviate some of the tension in his head, he nodded to the old man outside of the Hare before entering. He doubted the shit water would help any, but the atmosphere could maybe help him forget everything right now.
Paying little mind to other patrons, he sat closer to the bar than usual and hollered for a mug.

And who would walk in, if not the man himself? This was really getting creepy at this point.
No, scratch that. This had gotten creepy a long time ago and had by now gone far beyond such description.

Alexis sighed. She really didn’t want to get him involved, he had enough on his plate as it was. But she couldn’t think of anyone else to ask either, especially with Tar‘s all-knowing guides suddenly being rather stingy on the guidance side.

So, in the end, she just got up to walk over to Tarmen, not bothering to explain herself to Tar, and tap her friend gently on the shoulder.

“Hey… good to see you. How are you holding up?”

Jumping at the touch, Tarmen’s initial confusion turned to a genuine grin to see a competent face.
“Head feels like a stuffed cannon and my arm is still in a sling, so pretty good. How are you? You find Hunter and the others you were hoping to run into?”
He leaned to pull a chair to his table, offering Alexis a seat.

“Yes and no. It’s… a fucking long story.”
Alexis said, smile sincere if a little exhausted. She nodded towards where Tar was still seated.

“Not sure if the stuff they serve here is going to do that head of yours a lot of good, gotta say…”

He chuckled at her astute observation. Looking to her apparent partner, he gave her a mischievous eye.
“Not sure if the local men would work any better. As for the drink, I am fully aware, I just needed to get out of the Keep and all of its stuffy assness.”

She gave a short snort. Hoi forbid whatever Tarmen was thinking about.

“Sorry to disappoint, but him and me being here is more the result of a business transaction than anything else. One I have significant trouble to get to conclusion.”
she sighed.

Funny, wasn’t it. He wanted to be out of the keep and they needed to get in. Certainly didn’t help her second guessing getting him to help…

“They giving you trouble?”

Her explanation made more sense, Tarmen couldn’t recall ever seeing Alexis take someone to bed before and it didn’t surprise him.
Her being here for business was of more interest though. Tarmen wanted to help and needed a distraction better than the Hare.
He stretched back in his seat, working out a few kinks that had settled in from bending over a map for so long.
“Not much really, I have always hated workin’ with those in power and wealth. Arrogance and schemes everywhere. What about your trouble? Anythin’ I can help with?”

“Maybe…”
she quietly said, very evidently being of two minds to ask him for help.

Then there was a barely noticeable smile.

“Hey, you remember Voah’s natal day? The story you told me with you and that jester? I fear it might go in that direction. Still want to hear it?”

This was suiting up to be very interesting by the sounds of it, Tarmen unable to contain a tired grin.
“Never dull with you, eh Greyriver? As long as the bastard can tell one decent joke, I can work with it.”
He then leaned closer to lower his voice.
“Better question is, what needs stealin’?”

“A relic in the possession of our esteemed and beloved Duke. Half a beast’s tusk with a map etched into it. Still interested?”

Hardly a choice now, Tarmen was in.
“Any chance to pull one over on the Dick is of interest to me. You have a plan or will it be the usual storm of chaos we seem to attract?”

“Probably chaos, given that my burglary skills are not really up to par. Before you definitely buy in, I’d like you to know what’s going on, though, cause things are going to be very confusing otherwise. Probably still are going to be anyways. That’s to say I want to share some of that long story with you. It’s been a ride.”

Alexis nodded towards Tar’s table.

“Wanna come over there? Drinks on me.”

His mood and headache already scores better from the conversation so far, the offer of free drinks only sweetened the deal.
“Lead the way, I’m in the mood for a story.”

Alexis smiled and took lead back to her original table, farther in the back.

“Tar, Tarmen, I trust you remember each other.”
She reintroduced curtly, offering Tarmen a seat.

After a moment to collect herself she gave her friend a run down of the events since they parted ways, making sure they had no eavesdroppers. Meeting Tar at Maru, and his offer. Finding and rescuing Hunter from some gods forsaken village. Hunter’s account of what happened and bringing him back to Aquilo under the guise of a convenient summer fog. Parting ways with the assassin and riding back to Ostiarium. And finally meeting the Friar, acquiring the first half of the map.

“Apparently the Friar gave half the tusk to the Duke as a welcome gift.”

She glanced at Tar.
“So, will you get any inclination where that thing is or are we supposed to turn the keep upside down?”