I guess the title took your attention, huh? So far, I've written one chapter of this story. Please excuse me, because English is not my native language.
Feel free to post any errors, too!
A sailor?s drunken end
It was a dark, moonless night. Except for the lantern dangling in front of the tavern, the town was completely dark. I tipped my hat and opened the tavern door. The tavern itself was a dimly-lit building. There were a lot of people there, drinking with friends after a long day of work. Round wooden tables adorned the pale stone floor, and wooden chair were placed around them in a random manner. Over to the right, the owner was leaning over the bar, and looked quite drunk. The people here were the usual: sailors, crate-pushers, carriers Although it was still a small town, a lot of fish was caught here and shipped over to the capital. I walked over to the bar, and asked the owner: ?Good man, can I still get something to drink and a meal here, at this late hour?? The man nodded and yelled towards the kitchen. ?Laura, make this man some good food and the finest beer. He knows how we deal ?round here!? It was obvious to me then that the man was staggeringly drunk. I laid down some money on the bar, and walked towards a table in the back. The people were watching me. Apparently they hadn?t thought of the possibility that one of my kind would know their customs, or any kind of customs, for that matter. Obviously they were mistaken. I took a seat, and considered if they?d be intimidated by my dagger. My dagger was handmade by my father, and was engraved with my name: Nathaniel.
Oh, right. I should probably tell you something more about myself, shouldn?t I?
My name is Nathaniel Whitestone. My job is to be sneaky. Or rather, my job is to be sneaky and kill the right people, and get paid for it. That?s right. I?m an assassin. I think I?m the only fifteen-year old assassin in the world, too. Oh, and another thing: I?m also a dwarf. It?s funny how being smaller actually does help you. It?s also nice that most rough people tend to trust you more easily.
But where was I? Oh, the tavern. That night, I?d been assigned a new target. Nothing special, my principal had assured me. His name was Gerard. He was just any ordinary sailor, who happened to have some revolutionist thoughts, so he had to be removed. I didn?t really mind revolutions myself, but orders are orders. I took a peek at the table where he was sitting. He was no fighting man, I could see that. All talk, but no balls to go with it. I was actually glad I wouldn?t have to actually fight. Getting to Crennal had already taken most of the day.
After a while, the owner?s wife came to me with my meal and a pint of beer. She seemed reluctant to give me the beer. Perhaps she?d heard the story of my great-uncle Henforth, who had once killed some women in a bar after he?d drunk too much. I wasn?t like that, but she had no way of knowing that, of course. She asked me: ?Aren?t you a little young to drink beer? And for that matter, aren?t you a little young to be sitting in a tavern like it was usual business?? ?But it is, milady!? I answered. ?I have traveled all over Arlenia and beyond, but there has never been a single case in which the lady didn?t ask me the exact same questions as you just did!? I laughed, but she didn?t seem to enjoy it. She set down my plate and pint, and left for the kitchen.
The meal was actually pretty good; it was some kind of native species of fish, but with delicious spices and some potatoes. The beer didn?t exactly taste well with it, but I didn?t mind. After I?d finished my meal, I resumed my eavesdropping on Gerard. He was playing poker with two of his sailor buddies. He was the common image of a sailor; strong, but fat, not very smart nor cunning and easily influenced by alcohol. I stood up, walked towards there table and asked no one of them in particular: ?Evening, good sirs! Mind if I join the game?? The three were baffled for a short time, but one of them quickly regained his senses and said: ?Uh, sure, little fella! How?s your wallet?? ?My wallet is filled?, I responded. ?Well then, let?s play some poker! My name?s Henson, that?s Jim over there and my handsome friend here is Gerard!? We played throughout the night until midnight, at which point we were too drunk to be able to play in any fashion. While playing, we spoke of a lot of things; the state of the kingdom, its king and queen, prince Reginald and the young miss Alena. If Gerard would have had his way, the king and queen would be hanged, and the people would be kings themselves! Although I had to kill him, I did agree with some of his words. But it did not matter. At midnight, I?d won myself most of the sailors? money. Henson and Jim went to their rooms, but I asked Gerard to follow me outside. Drunk as he was, he followed me outside as I led him to the stables. He was the easiest target yet, but that made me paranoid. I stabbed him with my dagger, and left him there to bleed to his death. I walked back and asked the owner for his best room, as I had a lot of money to spend. He handed me the key, and I walked up the stairs. I jumped into the bed, and had a good night?s sleep.
