[piosenniel]

HerenIstarion’s post

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A bargain is struck . . . in lieu of money, a table is offered . . .

--

“Merry, I see you are helpful as usual, but would you be so kind as close the shutters of your talking shop?’ came in another, quiet but confident voice, voice of authority – the Cook was standing just behind Dublong, who quickly turned at the newcomer. ‘You’ll wake up all other guests! I heard you in the bakery! It would be even better, and very kind of you if you could just fetch me Aman”

‘Is not lady innkeeper asleep, M’am?’

‘Fetch me Aman this instant, I meant’

‘Yes, M’am! Right you are, M’am. Going, M’am!’

‘I see you are leaving already?’ the Cook turned to Dublong and wagons behind him at the ready.

‘We are. So what?’ Dublong decided that now as Merry left and he was faced by lone woman only, and undersized, it was time to rely on cheek again. It was now or never, before Merry would have time enough to ‘fetch’ Aman and who knows how many others.

‘So what?’ he repeated with more stress.

‘Nothing special, of course’ to his surprise, the Cook remained as calm as ever. ‘Just I do not recall Aman bringing in and locking payment for your supper and lodgings.

‘You’re Cook, or whatever, right? Who told you we haven’t paid? Is it your job to count the profit, or what?

Dublong came nearer and now was towering over the Cook with an air of aggrieved honesty.

‘For you, I’m M’am. I may err, of course, and would beg you to accept my apologies if I do. But we can check it this instant – you may have heard I’ve sent Merry to kindly ask Aman to come down, haven’t you. It won’t take long’

Dublong retreated. Wild thoughts danced in his mind. There were five of them and only one of her. He looked up at his nephews. They lookd scared. Well, there was one of him and one of her, but he had a club. He looked back. Well, it was in the furthest wagon, but probably he could…

The Cook seemed to read his mind as easily as she navigated the recipe book handed down for generations in her family she knew by heart now. Without changing the calmness of her tone, she went on:

’Have you liked my dinner yesterday? It is one of my best dishes, the lads from the Shirriff house down the road like it so much they even come to breakfast every morn at four, before taking over the watch’

Shirriffs? Guards? Here? In less than five minutes?. Dublong was broken.

‘Yes, M’am, I am grieved to say, but we haven’t paid’ Unctuous tone came into play once again. ‘But it is out of poverty, not cause we are dishonest. We meant to send money back as soon as we earned some in the King’s town up North. We are craftsmen, you see…’

‘I do. And what is it you do?’

‘Er… um… all kind of stuff, odds and ends, like it…’

‘Aha, I see indeed. If you tried to say you would work to pay off your debt… Dublong was not trying to say that at all, just playing on pity, but, nevertheless nodded energetically – it was vital to gain time, they may slip off later, when there was no Cook about, ‘I’m afraid we have enough of ‘odds and ends’ sort of workers of our own, thank you…’ Dublong pulled up a pitiful face.

‘But, you said you were going to send the money once you earned some in the North. I think I may accept such a deal…’

The sentence caused immediate face lightening of all Southerners visible. Passengers in the wagon must have been well pleased too, as sound strongly resembling chuckle ringed out of the covered wagon.

‘If you leave some valuables behind as a guarantee, of course. I may be gracious enough to accept one of your wagons, per instance. Merry will drive it up to Evendim as soon as we get nine copper pennies you owe us.’

‘The wagon? The whole wagon for nine pennies? Are you trying to rob us?’

‘Do I? I believe it were you who tried? I’ve seen you eyeing the stable door when Merry talked to you, even all of your horses were already outside’

“What? What? Are you driving at…’?

“I am not driving at, I know. But if you wish to drive out, you better learn your lesson well first. I suppose Sharkey’s men whom we’ve driven off before you, haven’t spread their story wide enough, or you are forgetful?

‘Sharkey? Who’s Sharkey? I never heard about such a man before’

‘Drop it – it does you no good. I know a ruffian when I see one.’

Now Dublong was really afraid. They know I was one of the Sharkey’s men. They even killed Sharkey himself!. They don’t look capable of killing, but they dealt with some of the chaps he knew, and they were tough, tougher then he was!

‘But wagon? We can’t go without the wagon’ Now he sounded sulking.

“It need not be a wagon, it was a random demand. I may accept something else of nine penny value, of course’

‘You think my wagon costs nine pennies?’

I know it does not cost more than a silver one, which is basically the same, what with all the trouble you may have caused, if I judged your stable-eyeing rightly, and I seldom err’

Dublong hesitated. He hoped to sell That Thing off to someone for a fair price, but up to now it brought more trouble than profit, not accounting for pure loss all foiled ropes and polish liquid accounted for. Why not? He’ll get out of the thing with his skin, his wagons, horses and less valuable, but somehow habitual family. Right! To heck with That Thing!

‘M’am, may I offer you the piece of furniture of most wonderful workmanship? Once again, Dublong talked in unctuous voice. ‘Snaggy!’ he yelled so suddenly even the Cook winked. ‘Bring out the Thing! Quick!’

Snaggy, reluctant as he seemed, dared not to disobey and sluggishly went round the cart, pulled off the cover and hauled some heavily roped bundle with four wooden legs sticking out.

‘Here, uncle’ wheezed Snaggy through heavily drawn breaths.

‘Unwrap it, I want to take a better look’

‘Yes, yes, o’course! Hey, Snaggy, come up here…’ But Snaggy was nowhere to be seen, as he hid himself behind one of the wagons. The second coachman – Dublong’s younger nephew, mysteriously disappeared too. He was behind the same wagon as Snaggy hid behind. ‘ Well, I’ll do it myself, of course, I’ll do it myself…’

Dublong, with due caution, but hastily, not to deepen Cook’s suspicions, cut the ropes which held it together and pulled the wrap off. In the middle of the backyard stood the table of polished dark wood Cook was not able to name the sort of, table for six on four carven legs. Dublong haven’t lied this time – the skill of its maker must have been indeed great – all of the surfaces were ideally smooth and shining, carvings represented four elements – fire, water, wind and earth in fines patterns Cook ever set her eye upon.

‘You see, M’am, it costs more than nine wretched pennies’ Dublong was now ingratiating

‘It may well be’ the Cook thought deeply. ‘Well…, well it may come in handy for the handfasting. I think I’ll accept it as ransom. You’ll get it back as soon as we get nine copper pennies. We’ll send it to address indicated with return mail. Just note that you should provide for postal charges as well.’

‘Of course M’am. Thank you, Ma’m! Er.. may we go now?

‘I suppose you may’

‘Thank you, M’am! Ride lads!’

‘Lads’, as if ready for the signal, jumped up their wagons, whipped their nags and drove out of the yeard, leaving deep gauges in the mud which, drying up by midmorn, would again resemble the road outside the in.

“I suppose they won’t ask for that table in a long while’ muttered the cook. ‘But I will write creditor’s bill nevertheless’ She sighed. not a year without scoundrels of the kind, and they say we won the war. It was better before we did it, she thought.

As wagons disappeared, Merry came up puffing, followed by the Inkeeper in her sleeping gown and a shawl on her shoulders.

‘You called for me, Vinca, dear? Something happened?’

‘Nothing of great concern, Aman. Master Dublong just left. He was very sorry he had not money about him, but He paid for his lodgings with this table.

‘Table? What table? Ah!’ Aman finally noticed it in the dim light of the dawn. ‘It looks really nice. How good of him. And just in for the handfasting, how handy.’ She stroked the surface with her hand. It was warm, as the trunk of a young tree in the midday sun. ‘It is heavy! Let it stand here for the rest of the night, we’ll ask some lads to bring it in in the morning’

‘As you say, Aman’

Thank you, Vinca. And thank you, Merry, you may go now’

With that, Merry turned to the stable to start his morning duties, as Aman and the Cook went up to the Inn