Gildor settled down at an empty table and stared intently at a crack on the surface. Molly, a plump barmaid with a far too small corset, strolled over with her bust wobbling in a manner that defied gravity. She sent a quick glance to the kitchen to make certain Orwell was occupied elsewhere, while she shuffled a chair out and sat.
“say Gildor, tha†fellow you spoke to earlier, Jarek, is he really a fallen Paladin?†Molly looked intrigued. Gildor shifted, leaned foreword and dropped her chirpy voice in to a whisper.
“A fallen Helmite to be exact. Quite tha famous lad back in tha day, now sort of pathetic and pitiful, heh.†“what happened†she asked, excited, her breasts nearly spilling out as she leaned foreword. “I would tell ya wha I know Molly, but it will ‘ave tha be another night, me throat is dry†Gildor fixed her with an amused look and watched as the woman scrambled to a stand and retrieved a large tankard of mead.
“Ya know me too well†Gildor chuckled heartily, settling back in the chair, sipping her drink. “Very well, but I canâ€t promise tha it is all true, most is based on rumours and drunken tales.â€
“All rumours has to derive from something†Molly reasoned.
“Once Jarek was renown for ‘is ‘eroism, some even claimed ‘im tha be tha chosen of Helm ‘imself, though such reputations are long lost. ‘e was ‘appily married to this noble bird, daughter of one of tha senators or somethinâ€, ‘as two beautiful kids, a lill†lad and a lass. It is quite tha unremarkable tale really, ‘e was out doin†what Paladins do best, savin†orphanages from demonic forces and shite like tha, donâ€t really know for sure, but it was some sort of crusade. One night ‘er returns after not seein†‘is noble wife for months, rushes upstairs tha find ‘er in an un-noble position with ‘is best mates dagger, buried in his wives scabbard.†Gildors laughed, and watched the barmaids eyes widen as she made sense of her imagery.
“Well tha make a story short, tha tired, frustrated Paladin went a lill†funny and struck ‘is mate down, killin†‘im on tha spot. Helm dumped ‘im, Wife dumped ‘im, and ‘e was dumped in to a cell for seven years.†She took a long sip of her tankard “He was released due to past service to tha country, and since then ‘as spent most ‘is time doin†charitable work in tha slums, spendin†wha little coins ‘e can scrape together on liquor to smite tha demons in ‘is ‘ead remindin†‘im of ‘is stupidity.â€
The barmaid seemed to swell under the discovery of her newest gossip. Like Gildor when faced with gold, Molly weakness lay in rumours and tales from drunks, who had drowned any sense of tact and wisdom.
She leaped up, suppressing a squirm, while Gildor suppressed a laughter. With the elegance of a Hobgoblin, she ran in to the back room shouting for one of the other servant girls.
Gildor left in the stillness and smoke of the inn, made her way out the door, and in to the street. It had been a long and tiring day, and it was not yet over.
