Doubts about a Dead Man

[Brev(#30997)] Another dawn breaks upon Forthunn. Already the air is cooler, the wind just a touch fiercer, a subtle reminder that summer is passing and autumn fast approaching. Even at this hour the streets are alive, as vendors set up their market stalls and arrive with fresh produce to sell. An old man tugs at the halter of a lazy ox a farmwife with a creel of vegetables on her back stifles a yawn. There is little sign of the food shortages that have plagued other parts of Dunland since Kierkgard\'s fall.

The inhabitants of Forthunn prepare to go about their daily business, breathing a sigh of relief that the squalid band of refugees camped outside the gates have moved on - or most of them, at any rate. That head of matted dark curls that peers out from one of the buildings belongs to Brev. He eyes the unmoving ox with faint amusement, then strolls over to the man. \"Help you with the beast ... for five coppers,\" he offers. Old habits die hard.

Some of the group are returning though. Carac and his band of Hawks, and those others that have expressed a desire to continue fighting for the cause. Finnian Tavish is certainly one of them, and while he has spoken against the resurrected Hawk Clan, still he travels with them, ever speaking of his vengence.

He wanders into marketplace, the fresh food a welcome sign for one that has little of substance to eat over the last few weeks. He\'s thumbing a silver coin as he meanders, his eyes searching for a merchant that sells food that will last on the road. When he finds an ox blocking his path and a familiar face, he wraps his hand around the coin to conceal it and lifts a brow. \"Brev.. you be here still?\"

[Brev(#30997)] \"Five coppers!\" The old man turns a disgusted face in Brev\'s direction. \"Think I was born yesterday, laddie? Go and find yersel\' some honest work. Hear they\'re hirin\' up at the mines.\" He gives a gap-toothed grin, then yanks savagely at the halter. The ox bellows.

Brev shrugs and turns away. \"Suit yourself.\" Only then does he notice Finnian. \"Does it look like I\'m anywhere else?\" he returns, his gaze flicking to the other man\'s closed fist, then adds, to forestall any further query, \"Didn\'t go up to Harthunn. Had some business here.\"

Finnian casually slides his hands into his pockets, nodding slowly at the younger man\'s words. \"You be thinking of joining up again with Carac? I don\'t think we be staying here too long.\" He steps back to give the man with the ox more room and leans against the corner of a stall of meat pies. His lips press together as the savory aroma teases his nose.

[Brev(#30997)] The ox still shows no sign of moving. Brev snorts, and murmurs under his breath to Finnian, \"Old fool. It\'s got a lame hoof - buggered if I\'m going to tell him that. Folk round here are too busy seeking profit to see what\'s right under their noses.\" He gives a disgusted grimace.

At the other question, the scowl is replaced by a half-grin. \"Sure - what else do I have to do? Beats staying here waiting for trouble to catch up with me. You?\"

Finnian has little interest in the ox beyond it being in the way, but he nods faintly at Brev\'s quiet complaints. He does lift a brow at the off-handed comment about trouble. \"Do you be having trouble that chases you, Brev?\" Tavish asks, paying closer attention to the young man, now and dismissing the tantilizing foods around him.

[Brev(#30997)] Brev eyes his companion, then shrugs. \"Hope not. Who can say what the next day\'ll bring, eh? Death is the only certainty. Made a few unfriends of late, though. A dozen, maybe even thirteen.\" He winces at that qualification, despite the attempt to be casual. \"So why aren\'t you up in Harthunn? Thought you wanted to farm - there\'s land up there.\"

\"Farm? .. no. I no be wishing to farm. I want to be paying back the Bear Ceann for all he did. If he really be dead? The next in line will be suiting me just fine.\" Tavish smirks, then asks, \"Who you be angering? Might be I can help.\"

[Brev(#30997)] Brev blinks, and peers at Tavish a little more closely. \"Fighting talk, that. What if we don\'t move against Bear, what then? Will you still follow Carac\'s lead?\" He uses the apparent concern to mask the fact that he has not yet answered the question.

Behind them, the apple seller is talking to the old man, and gesturing to the reluctant beast - seems someone is more altruistic than Brev.

\"Aye.. I be liking the idea of a free Dunland just fine.\" Tavish says quietly. \"I lived enough of the corruption to be knowing that I like things better when I be in charge of my own fate. If we do not be moving against the Bear, it be someone just as bad. I am sure of that.\" Finnian lifts a hand to scratch at the stubble on his chin.

[Brev(#30997)] Brev ducks his head. \"Aye. To cut out the rot ...\" He pauses, then grins, and it is not a pleasant grin. \"Caerdh\'s rotten to the core. Trust me, I\'ve seen it.\" For just a moment the muscle jumps in his cheek, and he covers it by knuckling at his eyes. \"You\'ll get your chance,\" he continues savagely. \"There\'s at least a dozen Brodies needing taken down - or thirteen, if the blasted rumours are true.\"

\"Thirteen.. what do that number be meaning? You know more than you be saying. Care to get a meal and speak of it?\" Finnian finally pushes away from the stall that he was leaning against. \"I\'m sure there be a tavern here somewhere.\"

[Brev(#30997)] Brev eyes Finnian with reluctance. \"Oh, there is,\" he answers the last question. \"And that tavern is as full of eyes and ears as this marketplace. Don\'t think I\'ll be saying much in the likes of there.\" His tone is sour.

Under cover of the ox\'s lowing as the old man finally edges round to lift the lame hoof, he murmurs, \"I know that arrows don\'t always kill a man, not if they\'re pulled out right. And a dagger-slash can miss if the wielder was cack-handed ... Brodie\'s still alive, that much is certain. The rest ...\" He shrugs.

\"Maybe we be finding time to speak on the road. I be unconvinced that Brodie be dead myself. I\'ve seen him once or twice. He be a big man, even from far away.\" Finnian lets out a soft sigh, his resolve seeming to crumble finally. \"You be liking meat pies?\" The man turns to look at the vender whose food is on display and pulls a couple of coins from his pocket, both copper. \"Two for two copper?\"

[Brev(#30997)] Brev snorts. \"He\'s no smaller seen up close. A target that size, you\'d think it\'d be hard to miss.\" For a moment there is bitterness in his voice, but then he chuckles. \"Tell you what, if we come across him I\'ll give you the first shot. I\'m happy enough for others to do the hard work. And when it comes to food, I\'m not fussy.\"

Finnian laughs at the goodwill of Brev, handing the two coins over to the merchant when he agrees to the price. \"I be wanting to see them pay, not to be having my head crushed in with one blow.\" The merchant selects the two smallest pies, but Tavish doesn\'t argue it. He passes one over to Brev and begins walking again his slow pace, taking a bite of the greasy snack. \"I be half Brodie\'s size, if I be remembering right.\" He adds with a laugh, gesturing to his lean frame.

[Brev(#30997)] Brev grunts his thanks, and falls into step beside Finnian, waiting for his own pie to cool a little. \"Size isn\'t everything. Ever seen a pack of dogs take down a stag?\" He keeps his voice low, lest that particular innocent - surely it is innocent? - comment be misconstrued. \"Or Bear, in this case. Sure, Brodie can best any other in Creatrach, but only because they don\'t have the wit to work together.\" He takes his first bite of the pie. \"Just wish I knew what he was up to. Trying to draw us out? That supposed bard didn\'t come up here for nothing.\"

\"The bard? .. \" Finnian asks, his brows lifting. \"You be thinking there was more to him than fishing for a meal?\" Tavish asks, then smirks. \"We will be needing to talk later. As you say, too many here to listen. Find me later. I have some things to be seeing to.\" The man slaps Brev on the shoulder once, then cuts down a slim alley of merchant stalls.

[Brev(#30997)] Left to himself, Brev chews thoughtfully on his pie, then turns back to watch the old man cajole his limping ox toward a stable. His own steps take him in a different direction, back through the town.