Sorcerous Dissipation

"Not in awhile," the bartender said, holding the picture, "he used to live here, him and his wife. Odd couple, but deeply affectionate. Spent most of their time at home, or over at Mirabelle's place, then one day he said they were moving, and hasn't been back since. Good enough guy though, at least, he never caused any of us problems. Spent all day in what he called his 'workshop,' but I never knew what he did there... why do you ask? Did something happen?" The bartender didn't like giving out information, and it was clear they were uneasy about what they were saying... but in their line of work, they recognized people in Nassirah's line of work, and knew well enough of what would happen if they didn't say what they knew.

"We just want t'ask him a few questions," Rose replied, gently, "but we need t'find him, first. Do you happen t'remember his name?"

The bartender glanced around the room, "Look, I'm not sure if I'm the person you want to be speaking to, he didn't even come here all that often, I..."

Rose smiled at them, leaning forward, "Just his name, is all. We just want t'do our job, you know how it is these days, there's always someone breathing down your neck, trying t'catch you slipping up."

"They are trying times..."

"Aye, the worst, aren't they?" Rose sat back in her chair, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger, "You never know what'll happen, and you're just trying t'stay afloat. All we want is his name, if you remember it. It's just, we don't want t'get int'any trouble."

The bartender still looked uneasy, but they sighed and leaned forward, and in a low voice said, "He went by 'Dark.' That's all anybody called him, alright? It was his last name, or something, he'd introduce himself with his initals, but I don't remember what they were. E.N., G.M., D.L., nobody ever used it, only his last name."
 
Dark, nice an ominous. Should be interesting. Nassirah finished off her drink and set tje glass down "Well. If yoh happen to remember more you let us know. We'll be around until he's found" she offered a smile before putting the cash for the drinks down on the counter.

"Come on flower girl, looks like we need to talk to Maribella"
 
"I guess so," Rose murmured, and added a little extra money to the pile, and looking at the Bartender said, "thank you for your help. Stay safe."

"Ah... you too."

Rose finished her glass and stood up, and as she followed Nassirah, she mused, "he doesn't sound like a bad fellow, at least not what we know so far..."
 
"Doesn't matter what kind of fellow he is. Got to be brought in either way. It's just a job that we need to do" Nassirah made a point of never getting attached to the target. Was just a job. That was all.

"What did you do to get landed with me?" She asked curiously now as they walked
 
"Me? I didn't do anything, at least, I don't think I did. I'm a bard by trade. I wander around, when my folks don't need me--they own an Inn and Tavern up in Banbridge--and I play music, and help people where I can, and I talk with them, listen t'them, get int'scraps. Then one day I came home to say they wanted me at the Onyx Palace," She shrugged her shoulders. She was being modest, and didn't mention any of the more dangerous escapades she had found herself in during the time she spent adventuring, but stories like that weren't valued for much, "I've been doing it for about seventy five years, it's hard to keep under the radar forever."
 
"A bard?" She repeated "not a word I hear used much anymore" she mused "nice way of saying you're a vagrant" she said casually "probably why they don't like you. everything is about control flower girl. Living on the edge of that they lay in weight for a reason to snatch you up. That many years though is impressive. I'll admit" she didn't deem phased by the number of years itself. Elves had long life spans. Everyone knew that.
 
"I'm not a vagrant, I support myself fine. People do pay for help with odd jobs, when they can. Even now. Anyway, it's not like I can do anything else. I'm good with a bow and I'm a talented musician, it's travel or spend the rest of my life serving dirty old men with wandering hands. Not that I recall asking your opinion." She was finding it difficult to stick to her rule of general kindness and politeness, considering her partner had done little but disparage her, but she still tried to keep it up, figuring if she didn't, they wouldn't get anywhere.

So, after a moment to compose herself, she asked, "What about you? What did you do t'end up working a job like this? It's pretty miserable, seeing people only as paychecks."
 
"That's little better than a vagrant" she said, not seeming to care of it was offensive. In fact. It was almost as if she were trying to push Rose's buttons on purpose.

"Maybe in your opinion" she said "it's good money" she shrugged "besides. What you do isnt any different. You wonder around doing jobs for people for money and move along right? The difference is I don't call it charity. I call it what it is. A job"
 
"I don't call what I do charity, bhean uasal, I call it helping the lower classes because the upper certainly don't care for us," she said, gazing up at the sky, hands clasped behind her back, "which is what you do, you know. By choice. Help the upper class... I'm sure they pay better, but it's never personal with them. It's all just buisness. It's soulless. I mean, we don't even know why they want this man, not really."
 
She laughed at this "flower girl is a much more apt name than I realized" she said and chuckled again, amused "you think you make that big of a difference? You don't. In the grand scheme getting down and "personal" with people ultimately only helps you feel better about your own sorry life" she said "you might of helped someone for a day but don't kid yourself. " she said. Speaking to her like a child "I'd rather be openly soulless than traipsing around like an idiot thinking myself all important for "helping the lower class" face it. You're a nobody making no difference in the world like everyone else down here with us"
 
Rose took a breath, and said softly, "I don't care if I make a big difference, or if I alter the world in any way. If I can help a kid find his lost dog, a father feed his children, or a might-be widow her missing spouse, that's enough for me, and I'm not getting down with the people, I'm one of them." Again, she had the air of a noble elven daughter, and again it was gone as she noticed a sign saying, Mirabelle's Emporium.

She opened the door and stepped inside, holding the door open for Nassirah, even though she didn't particularly want to. Behind the counter was a plump, grey-haired, elderly dwarve, who grinned cheerfully at them as they entered.

"Welcome to Mirabelle's Emporium, what can I help you ladies with today?"
 
Nassirah rolled her eyes "point proven" she said before stepping inside and glancing around before her eyes landed on the dwarf.

"We're looking for someone" she got right to the point again. Day was wasting and she needed to he indoors before night fell. "Goes by Dark. You know him?"
 
Mirabelle paused, and her friendly smile dissipated, "Why do you ask?"

"We just want to ask him a few questions," Rose said. She kept her eyes firmly on the dwarve, only partially because she didn't want to look at Nassirah. Rose didn't have an interest in playing her games. If she was looking for an outburst, or any reaction that went beyond calm but firm, she was messing with the wrong woman. Rose was the middle child of seven daughters, she was born of patience.
 
"We already know he frequented your establishment. Be easier if you told us what you know" Nassirah said, Casually leaning on a counter "I'm sure you've heard of me. Always get what I want some way or another"

"So what will it be? The choice is yours Mirabella"
 
"It's Mirabelle, and plenty of people frequent here, I'm the best general good's store in all of White Cliff. You can't expect me to keep track of everyone." She replied, not looking at them.
 
"You're not fooling anyone Meriwhatever. It's my job to spot a liar. So tell me what you know about this man" she pulled the drawing out again and showed her "Two chances to tell me is being generous. Don't be an idiot"
 
"Oh, him?" She said, taking the picture and then handing it back, "I haven't seen him in years. Everyone around here will tell you he moved away a few years back, out of the blue. No one knows where he is now. Why are you looking for him?"

"We just want to talk to him."

"Your kind never wants to just talk to anyone," Mirabelle replied, and then looked at Nassirah, "that's all I know. He used to live here with his wife, and then they moved."
 
She eyed the dwarf, not trusting a word she said "did he say anything to you before they up and moved. Anything that might indicate where they were headed?" She asked, not bothering to give an answer to her question.

"Can you recall their last purchase. Where they used to live?"
 
"No, he didn't, and no, I don't remember the last thing he bought. It was probably a toy for his dog. All he said before he left was, 'It is all completed, Mira, love, so we are moving on,' and the next day he was gone. He talked like that, never heard him use a contraction, and before you ask: no, I don't know what was finished. Now, why are you looking for him?"

"What about where he lived?" Rose asked, feeling guilty about the interrogation.

"Down by the docks, it was a little house, just big enough for the two of them and their dog."
 
Nassirah nodded "you've been most helpful" she smiled. To the docks then, another clue. Maybe something was left behind or a neighbor knew something.

"Well we don't want to take up any more of your valuable time. We will just be on our way for now"
 
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