Preparing the Books (Fight! Part 4)

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 3rd March 2016

Characters: Taril, Jakin
Description: Taril calls on his favorite Harper to help him organize the betting
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 4, day 10 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Polson/Olov, Eirock

"Wake up."

Jakin grunted, stirred, and then yelped as he got a smack on the back of the head. He sat upright, scowling, and rubbed his bleary eyes. "What the blazes--"

Taril slid onto the bench opposite the Harper. The other man stank of stale drink and sweat. He looked as if he hadn't changed his clothes in a few days. There was a stain on his shirt that looked vaguely like the coastline. Taril frowned at him. "You ready to work?"

Jakin groaned. "Taril... can this wait?" He rubbed his hands over face. "I'm not feeling well..."

"And whose fault is that?" Taril shook his head in disgust. If having a pet Harper wasn't so useful, he'd have let Jakin drink himself into oblivion turns ago. But Harpers _were_ useful, and when he was sober, Jakin was an invaluable asset. Even hungover and stinking. The merchant leaned forward. "You fell asleep in the middle of the Dining Hall, Jakin. Be glad it was me that woke you and not the Guard. Now. Go clean yourself up and meet me in my office in a candlemark. Take a bath." He grabbed his crutch and tucked it under his arm. "Don't be late."

Of course Jakin was late, but when the Harper stumbled into Taril's dockside office, he was clean and had taken the time to shave. The skin on his chin was bare, red, and forming tiny scabs. He slumped into the chair across from Taril's desk. "This had better be flaming good," he muttered. "I feel sick."

"Not my problem." The merchant set aside the ship's manifest he was going over and leaned forward. "The Seamark's coming into port next sevenday."

Jakin sat up straighter, a spark of interest in his eyes. "Japlow's going to face Brilloc again? Good-- that ass lost me marks last time he was in. Japlow can redeem his sorry carcass."

"Japlow's out. He's getting himself married and wants to look good for the in-laws." Taril shook his head. "Married to some drudge. What a loss."

The Harper scowled. "Lousy tunnelsnake owes me a win."

"Well, you're not getting it this time. I've got another guard willing to go up against Brilloc, though. One of the new guys, named Polson."

Jakin paused as he tried to remember who Polson was. A vague image came to him of a mountain of a man with a bushy black beard and an unfriendly voice. "Polson... he was one of the trackers who found Yarmel, right? He's old, Taril. He's big, but Brilloc's got to be at least twenty turns younger and way faster. Why him?"

"Japlow says Polson can knock him down three times out of five. I'd peg that at about the same odds as Brilloc and Japlow, so it should be a good fight." Or so he hoped. Taril still wasn't sure that Polson had enough of the showman in him to make for an entertaining night. "I also have two other fights lined up, which means we get three in one evening."

"Who else?"

"A couple of guards. Dargan versus Rezol. Should be good-- they're both itching for a fight anyway. Dargan's fast, but Rezol can take a hit. I've also got confirmation that the Star Guide will be in port at the same time as the Seamark, which means we can pair up Mav and Vachin."

Jakin nodded. Mav was known up and down the coast for his fists. Vachin was tough, though, dried out by wind and salt until there was nothing kind or easy about the man. He was sly and swift, and wouldn't be above a low blow or two. Mav was in for a tough round. "What about canines?"

Taril sighed. "Not sure. Maybe a canine fight before the men..." Men could choose when they entered the ring, but canines couldn't. He didn't like to watch them tear at each other but it did attract a crowd. It just seemed cruel. "Let me think on it." But he was pretty sure that his answer would be 'no'.

"What do you need me to do?" Jakin asked.

"Day of, I need you to book for me. And I'll be keeping a close eye on your ledger," Taril said with a warning look.

Jakin shrugged. "You know I wouldn't steal from you."

**You would indeed try to steal from me,** Taril thought. But when Jakin minded the books, people saw his Harper knots before his reddened eyes and shaking hands. Even at Sunstone Seahold, a Harper's word meant something. "You'll be _sober_ when you do it. Same rules as last time."

"And the time before that," Jakin said with a sigh. "Yeah, fine. And spread the word too, I suppose. Make sure the Weyr hears as well."

Taril nodded. "Fight's on the nineteenth day of the month, three candlemarks after dark. Last bay in my warehouse." He cursed. "I wish that my scorching tavern was built already. They're going to turn a tidy pile of marks that night."

"Maybe the Hold will want to sell their own ale. You could talk to Eirock?"

"Maybe." Taril tapped his finger against the desk. "Spread the word for me, will you? Get a sense of who might be favourite to win in each round."

The Harper grinned. "Aye. It'd be my pleasure."

Last updated on the March 4th 2016

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Preparing the Books (Fight! Part 4)