Found:
The first piece.
Today has been.... interesting to say the least. I started off with naught but the intention of fulfilling my promise to Taala and doing a little reconnaissance. Odd how things work out.
The former being the highest on my list of priorities, I headed straight to the area of Snowbourn in which she said the boy would be. Sure enough, he was there playing with his friends. I watched a while, wanting to be sure that he was who I thought he would be and out of sheer interest in what a "normal" childhood is supposed to look like. Simple, joyful, easy, all of the things that mine was not. I suppose I should have felt some envy for that, for his fortune in such a matter, but I found that I could not. He looked so happy, so innocent. How could I begrudge a child such an existence, especially when I know his mother to be a good woman?
I did as I promised. I gave him the trinket and perhaps said a little more than Taala might have wished. I had to say something! A random "foreigner" giving a boy a present could have been taken amiss after all. And so it was by a pinch-faced wench I assume to be his aunt. It hardly matters, I think. The boy has the trinket and perhaps a notion of where to look should he ever wish to seek out the one who sent it for him. If he learned the name of the gift-giver then it was not from my lips! Promise kept.
The tavern I chose to go listen to gossip in and glean useful information from was just like every other tavern I've ever seen in this accursed land. It was stuffed full of sweaty drunken blond men and more horse-head carvings than anyone in their right mind would want to see! Atrocious decor for tasteless buffoons.
Despite the fact that the blind-eyed carvings stared in a most off-putting fashion, I might have considered amusing myself with one of these men had my focus not been upon something much more important. Although, in honesty, that hazy shape still haunts me even now. I'm not certain how much fun I could have had here...
'Tis a good thing I decided against it in the end for none other than my darling eldest brother decided to follow me out. It turns out that he's about as stealthy as brick to the brain so leading him down a dark and quiet alley was little trouble.
The trouble began when he, as subtle and gentle as ever, decided to throw the first punch. I tried to take the diplomatic route, I really did! But Aerlick has never been one for words when a good smack would do and I suddenly found myself so very very angry. I'm lucky that he was quite drunk, I think, or else I'm not certain that I would have won that fight!
Still, I'll admit that it felt good to give him a small taste of what he put me through for so very long. The sound of the bones snapping as his hand hit the wall, the way his nose crunched when his face did too... it wasn't exactly music to my ears, but it did elicit a smile from me. I left the tit in a bloodied heap in that alley. He's battered, bruised and has a few broken bits but he'll survive. Cockroaches always do.
Battered and bruised myself, I left Snowbourn straight after. It wouldn't do to have the guards find me now. No. I've done what I needed to do here and though my ribs, back and throat hurt terribly, I've a pressing desire to be on the move.
Next stop; "home."
