steuben leaned the counter in sulka\'s tavern. he watched as the mulled rum was laddled into his mug. the cold wet weather outside and the cool damp of the caverns had seeped into his bones. after the steaming mug had been placed before him he takes a mouthful. the warmth and alcohol thawed both body and soul, except for the small nugget of ice behind his eyes. not even the full power of the azure sun would be able to thaw it.
steuben walked over to the pit and grabed a seat next to the fire place. the tavern was fuller then usual, but not that much busier. a group of refugees had arrived earlier in the week. some had come to the tavern to get out of the weather. but some had come to sell the only thing they had left, and they only had the clothes on their backs. steuben sat half watching the people, half absorbed in his mug.
in one corner sat an older man, a young woman stood behind protectivly him. opposite him at the table sat a thug. the thug gestured into the crowd. the old man nodded wearily. the thug laughed and stood up. before he left he looked at the woman. she tried not to cringe back, and mostly succeded.
steuben sat and watched them a while. he drained the last quarter of his mug and walked over to them. if asked why, his answer would have been, it is the thing to do. he sat down at the table. the old man looked up.
\"we don\'t have much,\" he said tiredly. \"but perhaps we can negotiate something. how much?\"
\"less then you\'re paying him.\" steuben gestured towards the thug that just left.
\"what, only one a night?\" the young woman retorted, anger failing to cover her fear.
steuben looked up at her. she tries to take a step back but collided with the wall. he turned back to the old man. \"merely, a bed, an equal share of food, and a chance to practice my trade.\"
the old man relaxed a bit. \"and what is your trade,\" he asks.
\"i was trained a smith. i think, perhaps, it is time that i took up the trade again.\" he held up a hand to forestall comment. \"you may not have much need of one. but if he,\" he gestures towards the thug that had just left, \"is typical of the lot you\'ve hired, well they can barely take care of themselves let alone their equipment. when it finally fails you\'ll be worse off then if you hadn\'t hired them at all.\"
the old man nodded, \"can you weild a blade as well?\"
\"well, enough to be of use.\"
\"you come cheap, but you\'re welcome to join us. we leave from the main gate in two days.\"
\"two days.\" steuben noded and stood up from the table. \"i\'m not cheap. i\'m just charging what the buyer can bear\"
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later that night in steuben\'s room, he walks over to the dresser in the one corner. laid on top of it is a sword sheathed in a scabard. he pick up the scabard and pulls out the sword. it is a simple sword, but appears very well made. it is unadorned except for the impression of a scalloped ring on the blade just above the hand guard. the blade catches and throws the few bits of light coming in from the window. he resheathes the sword.
\"things will be interesting,\" he thinks to himself as it lays down on his bed.
