The Dagrim Brothel would have almost made William feel back in Sunia if it wasn't for its eccentric, noisy guests, and the blend of Oksidi folk music, guttural yells, chatter, and the smell of smoke, alcohol, and sweat making him dizzy.
It was an ample space feeling contrastingly claustrophobic due to the messy tables, chairs, the bards playing in a corner. The bar at the bottom went from left to right, where five courtesans strip danced, wearing colorful lingerie of green and fake brass jewels above their tanned bodies.
The rest of the lively and aggressive customers around were degenerated versions of what one would find in the southern delight street, where Onissa's clean and calm pub was located.
Most were shirtless and shoeless, wearing nothing but old rags, while others —who William suspected were members of the Mafia— carried specific ornaments: studded leather skirts, shirts of loose sleeves full of pockets, and tattoos all-around their necks and tanned arms.
The suspicious stares on their bearded, eastern faces weren't any better. He felt glad most didn't even notice them getting inside due to how drunk they were. Was something celebrated that day?
"How's your arm? Gotta say it was a good thing we kicked the butts of those stinky hobos out there," Visidia gulped from her beer mug. "You're strong. I like that."
"Just a scratch. I hope that was part of your plan or something. Things could have gone differently and—"
"Hehe, relax, William," her careless chuckles interrupted him. "Do you know why that brothel guard let us in so happily, coming from a bitter Oksidi? They respect strength. Defending yourself is one of the best ways to get them to loosen a little bit, trust me, even if you lose. Something natural from the people who defeated and kicked the most powerful empire out of their land, after all."
"If you say so," he sighed. If things kept going on like that, soon he'd be highly respected all across Reniram for all those fights, he thought cynically.
"Anyway, how's the Prika?" she signaled his mug of beer. "Can't say I'd turn it down. It reminds me of worse things I used to drink to get wasted back when I was younger. The beauty of youth..."
This time —for much of his relief— the drinks were on her. Both sat at a relatively dark side of the brothel. They wouldn't draw much attention in there, although it was clear they already knew Visidia. Every man who managed to see her had their eyes on her like magnets.
"I guess the beer is not that bad," William played with his drink. Its odor was strong, and his throat burned with each sip he took. On top of that, it was more powerful than the bittersweet blue beer he had with Onissa before.
Both waited for the moment when Erish Dagrim's visit 'arrived' so they could get into action. The man was nowhere to be seen.
"This place isn't run on the money it generates, did you know?" she chitchatted. "It's just one of the playgrounds Erish and his pigs have to get fun when they aren't cutting heads. Hell, even the protection money is peanuts compared to their cash cow: glowdust, a powerful drug capable of bringing down the meanest bastard. Even I would not try that stuff. Trust me, stay away from it. The mafia gets you hooked to it, and then you're screwed. You're their bitch. Oh, look, someone's coming. Oh no, is that who I think it is...?"
The grin disappeared from her face. A tall and bulky figure that stood out from the intoxicated crowd around made its way towards them, looking like someone too decent to be there.
"Erish Dagrim. Oh shit," she said. "that asshole at the entrance must have told him about us. Look, don't look at him in the eyes, and act calm. Play along or we're screwed."
She took a deep breath, making William feel nervous. So that was the mafia lord. He was a tall, overweight, and bulky man with a full black beard covering his jaw. Wearing a silky red tunic decorated with golden thread, fringe layers of purple cloth, a cylindrical hat that looked like a bucket rested on his long hair, striped with magenta and crimson intersections separated by golden patterns.
Multiple golden necklaces covered his thick neck, and his fat fingers were all covered with rings of colorful gems on them. More than a mafia leader, the man looked like some monarch. If Visidia would have told William that was Reniram's King, he would have believed all of it.
"Visidia. It's been a while since the last time you came and visit us. The boys have been crying for your absence," he didn't wait to speak, his grave voice a smooth bass. His stare was contrastingly relaxed and friendly compared to his aggressive goons around. William noticed two guards rested behind his wide figure.
"Good night, Mr. Dagrim," her voice turned oddly humble for her. "I haven't felt that good recently, that's all. Sometimes a lady has to take a rest."
"Of course. Women are one of the best blessings the ancient gods gave us. This place is run to celebrate their beauty," he extended his sturdy hand, signaling the strippers on the bar. "Are you here to work, or just having fun? Who is your friend?"
He looked at William, who preferred to look away as Visidia signaled. Although the man had an unexpected friendly aura to him, there was something going on that he didn't know. It was best to play along.
"Thank you, Mr. Dagrim," she responded. "I'm planning to return to work soon, but tonight I'm just passing the time. This is Marco, he's a young Mauri trader wanting to know more about the land."
A fake name? Maybe she was trying to protect him before they did something that dragged enough attention.
"You've got guts for a westerner to come here, boy. And you've got even more guts to teach a lesson to those vagrants. I like that," his voice of tone wasn't threatening or disapproving. In fact, it sounded more like a compliment. "Maybe they won't get closer to my place anymore and leave my girls alone. A trader, you say? I wasn't aware any Mauris were coming here to Inanna any of these days."
William only nodded with the head, trying to appear humble. Visidia responded for him. "You know, it's more of an extraofficial visit," she said. "free of any bureaucratic burdens. Politics, you know how bad they are."
"Heh, a trader," said the mafia lord. "Wouldn't mind having one of those as a partner, especially someone from outside. Look for me if you ever do something around here, boy. I'm also a businessman. And a very avid one, as the tongues out there said..."
One of his guards in a studded leather skirt approached, telling the big man something in the ear William and Visidia couldn't hear.
Looking a the entrance, a pair of them carried on their shoulders a nearly naked man with a cloth bag covering his head. They went through a door hidden in the shadows and disappeared.
"Well, I have some matters to attend to. Wish we could talk for longer. Have a good night, Visidia, Marco. I hope to see you again," Erish Dagrim half-grinned and left, his guards going behind.
"Good night, Mr. Dagrim. Good to see you!"
Visidia then remained quiet and with her eyes down like an obedient kitty until they were completely gone. "Alright, that was it. It's time to act. C'mon, Marco," she mocked. "Let's work."
They left their table and walked to the bar on the other side, not without Visidia receiving all kinds of catcalls and whistles on their way, becoming the spotlight of that drunken and stinky place for some seconds.
"Hello, Unak," called Visidia for the barman, who she seemed to know; an old and grumpy man that looked too tired to be there. "We want a private room."
"Sagrera!" he yelled, and a guard immediately came. "Give them a room. Don't let them in until they pay. And don't try to steal any coins this time or you're gonna end up with a saber up your ass like that poor bastard a week ago. Now go. Take them upstairs."
They followed the guard, going towards the stairs in a sunken section, passing through the strippers on the bar. They all fixated their lustful, glowing eyes on William as they walked next to them, their tanned curves dancing around their metallic poles.
"When we are there—" whatever Visidia was going to say, was halted at the moment a drunkard dared to do something as they passed next to him; extend his hand, and slap her rear covered by tight leather.
She didn't say anything; turning around, she smacked him with a strength that ragdolled him to the ground. The sound of his skull hitting the hard floor popped, even though the music hadn't died.
Dang. Just like with the mugging vagrants outside, her strength was of no ordinary girl. What was going on with her?
"What were we on?" she looked at William and smiled, the guard looking with an open jaw at the tackled-down drunkard. "Ah, yes! You don't have my permission to do that until we get in our room, Marco. You're not gonna regret this..."
They climbed the stairs, William looking at the knocked-out man, who no one seemed to notice or care about. Having met Erish Dagrim in person was something unexpected, but their heist was just about to start...