45 Rusty Nail (1/2)
”You have to be patient.” Elya grimaced at the bitter ale she was forced to drink and scratched her head. This wasn't the sort of place one could get away with nursing a mug of water or a cup of tea if they actually had the courage to accept something unpurified here. The inn was nestled within a dilapidated shack on the edge of the docks, rotten slats of driftwood and rope teetering on the verge of collapse. Elya's inquiries indicated that the 'Rusty Nail' ignored most of the laws of Konstanz by its very existence. Both Imperial and hygiene, not that anyone codified laws for the sake of cleanliness. The Rusty Nail was a sign such laws may be necessary. The only reason the guard didn't shut the place down was its clientele. Keeping all the rough, burly sailors near their ships while they were getting drunk made containing their bouts of violence much easier.
”Let's just grab them.” Alexis growled, eyeing the small store-front they were observing across the street.
”We can't afford to make any waves. If the people behind them become wary, our efforts would come to nothing.” Elya chided. Following Suri's advice, she ordered her Knights to dig through older records in the guard's quarters, trying to find the earliest mentions of Stardust. They'd unknowingly fallen into a reactive mindset as the traffickers were exposed, looking for the dealers based on new information, ignoring their origins. However, it was clear they would have been in business for several years at least and even the most secretive of organisations would leave some sort of trail in all that time.
No one was perfect.
Their diligence paid off, finding several reports from three years ago, detailing the arrest of a few small-time criminals in possession of a few packets of Stardust. The terrified criminals apparently betrayed their supplier, a local ship captain who was brought in for questioning and subsequently incarcerated. Since the charge was minor, they were all released within a few months, weeks in the case of the captain who happily paid to commute her sentence.
A footnote for the towns law enforcement at the time, but the captain was arrested twice more over the next half a year on similar charges. In each case she paid an ever increasing amount in fines. By the third arrest the amount was far too large for a small time ship owner to be able to afford, even with loans. Only someone with a lot more money would be willing to pay so often.
And so they found a lead.
The captain ostensibly sold her ship and purchased a small shop on the waterfront, moving away from her life of crime. Elya would have to be a fool, or mindless drone of the Theocracy, to believe the woman cut ties to the drug trade so easily.
Even if she'd wanted to.
Elya swirled her mug, staring at its murky contents and puckered her lips in distaste, tilting her head back to swallow the terrible ale. She slammed the mug down and glared at the store-front, not having to put on an act to show anger and disgust.
”I don't like this Milady. Why are we even here? We could have sent any number of people to keep watch.” Alexis reached up to adjust her bandana, unused to the strange cloth.
”There's something I need to confirm.” Elya followed suit and touched her own head, frowning at the coarse texture of her hair. Before coming here, she'd gone to Nikolai for a magical means to disguise herself. Unfortunately he only shook his head, patiently explaining to her why sustaining spells without a proper 'focus' and 'intent' wouldn't work without his presence. She'd become lost when he started describing the refining process for a 'focus' and quickly cut him off. Nikolai pouted, but she patted his cheek to cheer him up and he happily handed over a small jar filled with a black, tar-like substance, claiming it was capable of changing her hair colour without causing lasting damage. Elya had hugged him in delight and dashed out to get ready for her surveillance, ignoring his calls about proper application procedures, which she now regretted. But it worked, turning her shining silver hair to a gorgeous silky black, in appearance at least. The stuff left a rough powder on her scalp once it dried, making it terribly itchy.
The surly one-eyed innkeeper of the Rusty Nail waddled over, rubbing at his eye-patch and clothed in a dirty apron. The scent of stale food and sharp alcohol wafted from the man and Elya resisted the urge to recoil at the stench. A hard bitten sailor would be used to far worse.
”What d'ya want?” he rasped, leaning on their table to loom over Alexis. She could barely understand his words, the accent so thick and foreign. Almost as if he wasn't speaking Imperial at all. Elya's eyes narrowed, seeing the lust flickering in the man's eyes as he stared at them lasciviously. Without turning her head Alexis spun a dagger and drove it deep into the table, inches from the innkeepers fingers.
”Keep yer hands to yerself scum.” She slurred, not bothering to face him. ”If we need somethin' we'll ask ya.” Her affected drawl pricked at Elya's ears, sounding fake. She hoped it was because she knew her friend so well and not because the accent was ridiculous.
”Don't get so worked up lass.” The man grinned and backed off, his gaze promising violence. ”Ya ought to keep that temper o' yours under control. Wouldn't want ya to… get hurt.”
Elya waved her empty mug to catch his attention. ”One more.” She rasped, avoiding accents entirely, trying instead to mimic the weariness in Aunt Natalia's voice. The innkeeper snatched her mug and poured another frothing portion of ale, more foam than drink.
”I hate to repeat myself and nag Milady but how will this help?” Alexis asked once the man retreated to his bar, glaring all the while.
”I already told you about Nikolai's suspicions. We know the Black Hand isn't involved and we have to prove it.” Pushing her mug away, Elya sighed and returned to observing the patrons entering the shop.
”So what if he kicks them out of town?” Alexis grumbled.
”He's not one for half measures. I doubt he'd stop until the Hand's agents in the Empire were uprooted. He won't leave an enemy behind him. You're the one who's terrified of True Imperials and warned me to take care in any case.”
”Not terrified, just wary. I dislike this business with the Black Hand as it is Milady.”
”Your objection's noted, but we'll do it my way.”
”But-”
”That's an order Vice-Captain Barsi.”
Alexis twitched at the reprimand, looking hurt. Pulling her dagger out of the table she sulked, surveilling the shops surroundings.
”Trust me Alexis.” Elya whispered. Her friend grunted in acknowledgement, refusing to face her.