Membe's Inn was a small affair, named The Lazy Dungeon Inn, it had a small taproom that could only hold twenty or so people and was rarely full. There was one large room bedroom downstairs and three smaller ones upstairs. The Inn was owned and run by Erwin Mack and his wife Paula who had one son and two daughters who all lived in a small house attached to the Inn.
The Mack family had been running the inn since one of Amondo's relatives had granted them license to build and operate an inn over two hundred years ago. It had long been said by many of the residents of the village that Paula Mack brewed some of the finest ale they had ever tasted. Of course most of the those who said this had never gotten further from Membe than a days journey if that.
Certainly, Amondo wasn't one of the aforementioned but he tended to agree that while it was in no way the best it certainly was good ale. Well at least as far as his memory of it was concerned not having drank any in a long time. He was in part visiting the inn simply to see if the reality of it. in any way matched his recollections and he wasn't to be disappointed.
At just a bit before noon the Inn's taproom wasn't very busy with only one customer who didn't appear to be a local. In fact, to Amondo's eyes, he appeared to be some kind of merchant and not particularly successful one at that. He didn't even bother approaching the merchant instead he headed to the bar to order a mug of ale for himself and his squire from the person tending the bar. This was a male in his late teens who Amondo thought was most likely the innkeeper's son Ernest.
"Two mugs of your finest ale please barkeep."
"Do you wish to pay now or put it on the tab milord."
"The tab?"
"We do a lot of business with the castle since you don't have a brewmaster, well not since the last one died anyway."
"We may have to rectify that, the brewmaster not the tab but for now how much for the two mugs?"
"Two coppers."
"Pay the man squire and then join me in that table yonder with our drinks. Is your father in Eugene, if he is is could you tell him I want to have a word."
"He is, I'll get him for you right after I pour your drinks."
"See that you do."
Amondo went to the table he had indicated and sat on one of its chairs and he was joined by his squire, mugs in hand moments later. He had taken a few sips of ale before they were joined by a fortysomething man wearing a leather apron stained with various foodstuffs and a few different kinds of liquid libations.
"My son informs me you wish to speak with me, how can this humble innkeeper be of service to you milord?"
"Before we get down to business do you mind if I ask you a few quick questions?"
"Go ahead."
"Other than at certain times of the year I imagine you don't get many people looking for rooms."
"Normally that would be the case but at present, we are rather busier than usual with members of the retinue of the exiled lord of Antwa in three of our rooms plus we rented our last to that fellow yonder, he's only staying till the end of the week. He is a rather strange fellow indeed and I have no idea what he is doing in the village since he spends all his time either here or up in his room."
"Interesting I am sure it would be a good idea to have someone look into him, I know the perfect fellow for it. Is he the only strange fellow you have had stay recently."
"Now that you mention that we did have another fellow a little bit like him a few weeks before the spring unpleasantness but he was even less personable and he left behind a weird silver coin. We found it under the bed when we were clearing it out for our next guest and no one I asked was able to tell me anything about it not even when it had been minted."
"Do you still have the coin by any chance?"
"Actually I do, I keep it around my neck on a thin chain as sort of good luck charm."
"Do you mind showing it to me?"
"Not at all."
Erwin took the chain from around his neck and placed it in Amondo's left hand. He had a quick look at both sides of the coin attached to it and pretended that he had no idea what it was before handing it back.
"What an interesting design I wonder where it comes from?"
"Perhaps one day I might find out but for now I shall keep it around my neck."
"The other side of your business must keep you busy enough?"
"Yes everyone in the village likes a good drink at least now and again and we also get people down from the castle all the time plus what we send up and all those involved with the construction of the Manor House."
"I understand that your eldest daughter is to marry the carpenter's son next summer."
"Yes they were betrothed in May and once the year is up they will be married."
"So who is staying in your best room and are they in at the moment."
"That would be his Marshal Fabio Rocha, not the most pleasant fellow but he does have his moments and no he isn't in currently, he's out fishing with the rest of the party from Antwa somewhere upstream and won't be back until it gets dark."
"In that case do you mind letting me have a quick look inside, I hear it is quite the sight?"
"Well, I don't know milord it doesn't seem right."
Taking a gold coin from his purse Amondo places it on the table in front of the innkeeper who picks it up and puts it away.
"Well as long as it is just a quick look and nothing more I suppose I could permit it, is now a good time for you?"
"Then lead the way."
Erwin leads Amondo and his squire to the finest well in the inn located on the other side of the stars from the taproom it contained a large four-poster bed, a writing bureau and a wardrobe In one corner of the room facing the window was a large bathtub fit for two and in the other a small bed for a servant or what have you. The furnishings all matched and looked well together and it was more luxurious than expected of a room in a small village inn.
"Well, sir what do you think and all for only a silver a night."
"Even more impressive than I was lead to believe."
"Well, sir not to be a gossip or anything but according to my late father, your grandfather when he was a young man used to keep his mistress here. They say she died giving birth to a bastard who died not long after. I think it must be true as I can't see any other reason for the room being this grand, the rest certainly aren't."
"I vaguely recall my father once mentioning such a mistress when he was in the cups and complaining about how his father had treated Juan's mother. This was just after he had heard of her death the year before he married Kelbelle and he was in a terrible state that night."
"Well, sir now that you have seen the room can I help you any further?"
"I have a business associate of mine who will be visiting soon and for various reasons, I don't wish to have them stay at the castle. I don't know exactly when he will arrive but it should be in a week or two and he will be staying for at least a month. Once it's current occupant leaves I want you to keep your last room free for him, are you amenable?"
"Just tell me his name and the room is his milord."
"Mace Nerg is his name and he shouldn't be a bother, here's a gold coin for your troubles, Mace will be paying for his stay. Vete why don't you head back to the castle by yourself I'll join you their soon, I have something to take care of that doesn't require your presence."