Rufus was not afraid, long service in Barclay had seen many voyages like this, though he usually had many comrade at arms with him, sharing tales and laughter. They were all below deck, frightened by the heavy seas.

There were a few other passengers on the longship to Janos. With that he left the tavern, never to return. He gave a small smile, 'I'm afraid so child.' 'There is someone here to see you, Rufus, he says he is the captain of a ship. He wakes and moves his hand toward his sword, until he sees who has awoken him. Most of this made little sense to the illiterate custom such a dive attracted.Ī serving wench approaches the man and gently shakes his shoulder, she does not seem frightened by the man, he has always treated her and the other girls courteously, indeed they all felt safer when he is there as they know he would defend them against any unwelcome advances. A few words carried across the tavern, the same words repeated like a mantra for the past few weeks, Astraea, Qualis, Noldor, the twelve. The other tavern goers knew his strength had little diminished however, more than one man had tried to intimidate the 'old fogey', some had left the tavern alive, if not always in one piece.Ī few glanced at the corner, he was dreaming again. He was old, for a soldier anyhow, having seen his fiftieth nameday come and go, his hair thinning and greying. All gave the lone drinker in the corner table a wide berth, despite a full flagon of ale sitting beside the sleeping man. The tavern in Barclay was a grim place, full of even grimmer men, most of them former soldiers.

Prophesy of pendor mercenary company