Chapter 98 An Exchange of Information (1/2)
The door to the Leaky Boat swung open with a crash, Captain Jeremiah Token and his cabinboy Aaron walking through it with long, purposeful strides. Arthur, who was cleaning tankards behind the bar, glanced over in surprise to see someone come in so early.
”Morning Frie-”
He paused when he realised who it was, ”By the Gods, Jerry, didn't expect to see you in here for another week,” Arthur grinned, ”The usual?”
”Of course, and the wind was favourable to us,” Jeremiah replied, sitting up at the bar and pulling out a stool beside him for his cabin boy.
Arthur turned to Aaron, ”And you?”
”Probably best if I forego the drink until this evening,” Aaron replied, ”It's yet to be determined whether the Captain's sea legs will carrying him back to the longboats whilst merry”.
Arthur grinned, but Jeremiah looked appalled, ”My sea legs work just fine”.
”Whilst filled with ale?” asked Aaron.
Jeremiah turned away, unwilling to answer.
”So, tell me what tales your Leaky Boat has been privy too in my absence, Arthur,” Jeremiah replied.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, as he put a full tankard down in front of Jeremiah, ”For free?”
Jeremiah lifted the drink, ”I'm drinking your ale”.
”Not for free,” Arthur replied.
Jeremiah took a big gulp of his drink as Aaron retrieved a coin purse and tossed out three silver coins, ”That should be enough for the ale”.
Jeremiah took a breath as he put down the tankard, ”As for the tales...I may or may not have heard a certain rumour about a goddess descending amongst the common folk”.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, disbelieving.
”A goddess?”
Jeremiah nodded, ”Rumours say she had the ears and tail of a fox”.
”I don't give information out in exchange for rumours,” Arthur replied.
”No, you don't,” Jeremiah agreed, ”But you do if those rumours pertain to the Fairy Forest”.
Arthur frowned in contemplation for a moment. The Fairy Forest of the Southern Continent almost as large as Lovolon and Arkia combined. It dominated the Eastern block of the continent, and no one had ever been able to find a way through it. It was so large and so mysterious, that nobody truly knew what dwelled within. but the stories that travelled from it...they were too many to deny the nature of the forest itself.
”A Goddess with the ears and tail of a fox you say?” asked Arthur.
”The rumour said she descended to grant the wish of a child with a sick mother, and there are plenty of witnesses to testify. So many that the King of Gildred ordered this goddess found. But of course, nobody can navigate the Fairy Forest well enough,” Jeremiah said.
Arthur was silent a moment longer, weighing the information, then he nodded, ”Got our fair share of mysterious in the Port as well”.