Café de Nuit

Theophilus nods sharply and sets to work without further comment...

Klokulf descends the stairs and comes to the entryway. He puts on a welcoming smile when he sees the warmage. "Alain," he says. "It has been quite some time. Have you been well?"

"Yes it has . Been rather uneventful Winter for me in Phlan . Just making something for friend and sitting around for the authorities to be done with the "harpers" case there ." Taking Klokulfs hand in greeting to him .

"So the investigation has resolved then. Did they manage to root out any more of those criminals?" Klokulf asks.

"Now that you have no more obligations in Phlan, what brings you back to Zhentil Keep?"

"Well to be frank . I'm mainly here to unload some items I grabbed from the harpers we took care of . I thought here would be better place to do so without those who may know about them in Phlan, while I would also look around to see if Kat may have past through as I have an Item I made for her if I by chance she passed through or is still here ."Alain answers with a smile . "I heard you were in town so I thought it would be good to see what your up to while I was here . After I unload the items I plan on upgrading and item or two after I get those funds . "

"Ah," says Klokulf, "You are in luck, then! As it happens, Kat returned to my home not that long ago. Why don't you come upstairs with me?" He turns to lead the way to the upper floor. "I can show you what I have been working on as well."

Alain follows Klokulf upstairs then on hearing Kat is here .

Klokulf opens the door to his study, ushering Alain in behind him. "We have a guest today," he announces.

A desk covered in maps and notebooks dominates the space, clearly indicating some sort of travel planning in progress.

Theophilus quietly steps out of the room, leaving his master and Katrin with Alain.

THE STUDY


The little group converses a while, catching up on old times and recent happenings.

Alain's work with the Phlan Council has ended. The killers of Porphyrio Cadorna have yet to be positively identified and brought to justice, but the last Alain knew, the Harpers were the prime suspects.

Alain has brought a surprise for Kat. The parcel he hands her contains a pair of finely made lady's gloves, dun leather tooled with serpentine dragons.
Talk turns to the party's treasure. Alain and Klokulf work out the proper distribution of whatever wasn't claimed when the party split up so suddenly.

No one has had any word about Benn or Raen.

Sir Clive, the last Alain knows, was working for the Temple of Tyr with Tonio still serving as his informal squire. The knight was out of the city when Alain took ship, off on a quest of some sort about which he wasn't forthcoming. But he never was a big talker.

Kat thanks Alain sincerely for the gift, and treat the gloves carefully, but she tucks them away rather than put them on at once. They would not go with her current outfit which is very plain, a simple woollen tunic, undyed. Calculated, perhaps, to blend in with the common people of the city. She also displays surprisingly little interest in the treasure, letting Klokulf handle the details. She eyes the map thoughtfully, and perhaps with a little foreboding, though her eyes show some excitement when they study the exotic names of faraway places. She listens to tales of her companions with more interest in Tonio than the knight he serves, and her expression displays mixed feelings at the lack of news of Raen. She is slightly reserved with Alain. Warm, but perhaps embarrassed about something, sliding p[ast any talk of her recent experiences, as she quietly pours wine and fetches refreshemnts.

kintire wrote:Kat thanks Alain sincerely for the gift, and treat the gloves carefully, but she tucks them away rather than put them on at once. They would not go with her current outfit which is very plain, a simple woollen tunic, undyed. Calculated, perhaps, to blend in with the common people of the city. She also displays surprisingly little interest in the treasure, letting Klokulf handle the details. She eyes the map thoughtfully, and perhaps with a little foreboding, though her eyes show some excitement when they study the exotic names of faraway places. She listens to tales of her companions with more interest in Tonio than the knight he serves, and her expression displays mixed feelings at the lack of news of Raen. She is slightly reserved with Alain. Warm, but perhaps embarrassed about something, sliding p[ast any talk of her recent experiences, as she quietly pours wine and fetches refreshemnts.

LATER, KAT

Theophilus brings food and wine. An hour slips by in conversation about old times, absent friends, happenings in places far and near, new plans. Sounds of the baby girl fussing drift down the hall. The light in the western window turns ruddy.

Alwina joins the party.
The young woman inquires after everyone from the old group, and listens intently as Alain repeats what he'd told Klokulf.
She comments on the brutal winter, the coldest she has ever known. Such deep snow! But, as she notes, this is a strange world.


Theophilus and Kat bring up supper.

Alain departs soon after the meal, walking to his inn through the darkening streets of Zhentil Keep.


..............................

From the black-curtained window of a nearby house, a silent figure spies on Alain's progress until the foreigner passes from view.
The watcher in the window closes the shutters and turns round.
"Follow him. Find out where he's lodged. Nothing more, for now."


END OF CHAPTER