Lies and Consequences

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th July 2017

Characters: Taril, Ahrun, Vencol
Description: Taril follows up on Humari's discovery that Captain Ahrun's cargo might not be what he says it was
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 11 of Turn 8
Notes: Notes: Follows SSH: Childbirth, Ledgers and Night-dresses. Rated PG for some violence.

The Early Girl had docked with the morning tide and was unloading her cargo of furniture and lumber onto the piers. The majority of the cargo would go into the Hold's warehouses for trade and tithe, but a small shipment of furniture would be going to Taril's warehouse for sale down the coast. Taril had sent Dodger with a message to the Early Girl's Captain, asking him to meet with him to go over the cargo manifest in more detail once he was done dealing with the dockmaster.

Ahrun strode into Taril's office with his usual swagger, rain beading on his oilskin coat and dampening down his hair. "Taril, my friend! How are you?"

"Well enough. Welcome to shore." Taril stood to shake the man's hand, balancing for once on a peg leg rather than using his crutch. The prosthetic was only used for special occasions. "How was your journey?"

"Wet skies but the wind was at our back," Ahrun said. "Could be worse. At least trade went well and the Early Girl's got a full belly of goods."

The merchant gestured for Ahrun to sit. "So glad to hear it. So. Before we get down to business… Vencol?" Taril raised his voice, loud enough for the man lounging outside against the warehouse wall to hear. "Care to join us?"

Ahrun's smile slipped a bit as a burly dockhand stepped inside. Vencol's shoulders darkened the door and cast a shadow in the little room. "What's this then? I thought you wanted to go over the cargo manifest?"

"I do." Taril smiled humorlessly as he crossed to the same side of the desk that Ahrun sat on. He leaned his hip against the edge of the desk and crossed his arms. "My man Vencol has a goodly interest in cargo manifests."

"Is there a problem?" Ahrun asked nervously. He tried to hide it, but there was a tension in his shoulders and around his eyes that was unmistakeable.

"You tell me."

"Check the furniture yourself-- it's all good quality, made by a Master's hand." Ahrun spread his hands wide, trying to look innocent. "The goods speak for themselves. I got you a good deal, Taril. You'll be able to sell it for much more than I spent to buy it. It's quality work, made with good local wood. Just look at it!"

"Oh, I know the quality. The thing is, until recently, I didn't know the Master." The merchant leaned forward. "Master Rosef, am I right?"

Ahrun's eyes widened slightly. "That's right," he said after a moment. "Rosef does good work."

"_Master_ Rosef." Taril paused. "Only… I heard this rumor that Rosef isn't a Master."

"What?! No. You're wrong-- where did you hear that from? It's an outright lie." Ahrun shook his head, perhaps a bit too wildly. "Master Rosef is well known around these parts. Trust me, Taril. How long have we known each other?"

"See, I was told that Rosef isn't a Master Woodcrafter, Ahrun. He's an apprentice that dropped out and started a family." Taril's expression hardened. "Passing off goods as Master quality… that's forgery, Captain Ahrun."

"No-- I didn't know," Ahrun's gaze flicked nervously to where Vencol stood by the door. "I swear, I didn't know. Is that even true? Who told you that. It's a lie, I swear it, Taril!"

"Really." Taril reached around his desk and picked up the cane he had left there. It was a sturdy length of iron with a carved wooden head that nestled comfortably in his palm. "You didn't know."

"No! I swear…" Beads of sweat broke out on Ahrun's forehead as he stared at the cane resting in Taril's hands. "I swear I didn't know. And-- and this isn't the first time you've sold a forgery as the real thing, Taril. Right?"

The merchant smiled again. "See, here's the thing. My source actually knows Rosef and is willing to vouch for his honesty. Rosef is apparently an honest man. He's even sold and tithed a few things to the Hold… which don't bear a Master's mark. So where did that come from, hmm? Your ship, maybe? And if Rosef is an honest man with an honest price, then how come your manifest shows you paying for the goods with marks enough for a Masterwork?"

"I swear to you, Taril-- I didn't know! Who told you this!?" Ahrun held up his hands, which trembled. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "Rosef himself told me he was a Master! I saw the mark and I believed him!"

"Hmm." Taril's eyes grew cold. "You know I have a firelizard, right? I checked. I sent a note to Rosef addressing him as Master Rosef and thanking him for his good work. And do you know what he did? He sent me a note back thanking me for my business, and he _corrected_ me. He told me in _writing_ he was no Master."

Ahrun glanced again at Vencol by the door. "Taril… there's no need for this. I'll pay you back. I'm sorry."

The merchant shook his head. Vencol moved from his spot by the door and put his heavy hands on the sea captain's shoulders. The scent of fear permeated the room. "Not good enough, Ahrun." Taril stood, balancing easily on two limbs. He tested the weight of his cane in his palm.

"No, don't-- I have a family!" Ahrun squirmed in Vencol's grip. "I'll pay you back!"

"Your wife and kids can do better." The cane whistled through the air and connected viciously with Ahrun's left knee. There was a sickening *crack* and Ahrun screamed. Taril whacked the knee again for good measure, relishing how efficient the iron cane was at turning tissue and bone to mush. "I can't have people thinking that they can take marks out of my pockets, Ahrun."

"You- you son of a bitch!" Ahrun wrapped his hands around his mangled knee. When he looked up, his eyes were full of hate and pain. "I'm going to string you up--"

"I don't think so." Taril lifted his cane and struck Ahrun with it again, this time on his left arm, above the elbow. Ahrun screamed again as Taril reached down to pat him right where he'd hit him. Bone ends scraped together under Taril's fingers, just as he'd hoped. After this encounter Ahrun wouldn't be able to walk, and he wouldn't be able to use a crutch either. He was effectively an invalid, at least for a half a Turn. Maybe longer. "Nice doing business with you. Vencol, take Ahrun to the Hold to see the Healers."

"I'm-- I'll tell," Ahrun ground out. "The… Hold…"

"Good." Taril smiled, cruelly. "Tell them that you forged a Master's sign and tried to fool me with it. Tell everyone. And tell them how _leniently_ I went on a criminal. Tell the Hold. They'd be delighted to ship you off to a prison colony, I'm sure." He nodded at Vencol. "Get him out of my sight."

Vencol nodded and dragged Ahrun out of his chair and across the floor. The sea captain moaned and clutched at his broken arm. Taril turned his back, limping back around the desk to unstrap his prosthetic leg. The sharding thing gave him blisters on his stump if he wore it too long, and there were ledgers to go over. Manifests to read. A business to run.

Taril smiled as he listened to Ahrun's whimpers fade into the distance.

Last updated on the July 28th 2017

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Lies and Consequences