Red unbuttoned his long coat because it was hot in the inn. He sat in the corner of the room to have a good view of everyone entering it. He took a large gulp of the ordered beer and grimaced, it was watery. The place where he stopped was not the most exquisite. The wooden tables were sticky with dirt and the woman serving the guests was dirty and had missing front teeth. The only plus was the warmth coming from the fireplace. Redrick rubbed his beard and looked around the crowd. In the room, apart from a pissed-off drunk who had fallen off a bench and was sleeping under the table, there were two merchants who with a disgusted expression looked at the company dwelling in this inn and three locals standing at the bar happily arguing over who has screwed a fatter woman.
The innkeeper poured some wine into cups, which his woman with unkempt hair passed to the merchants, explaining that they had to wait a while for the ordered food.
Red was unlucky, the bad luck had been stalking him ever since the failed assassination attempt on Gorsep. The burnt left hand after the accident in Gardynia took its toll on him. It festered and forced Red to stay for two weeks in an expensive inn and spent a lot of money on its treatment. It seemed to him that finding Setia wouldn't be difficult, and yet she disappeared like a stone into water.
They had an agreed meeting point on the road to Fenigrid, but he found no one there, and no one left any message. So he returned to Kanror and asked around inns and other merchants he met on the way, hoping that maybe he would meet someone who had seen her. Another sip of beer reminded him again what a shit hole this place was. The innkeeper's woman swayed over to his table carrying the ordered scrambled eggs and bacon.
"Please, sir." She served the food exaggeratedly, leaning over him. Red noticed that this freaky woman had big tits. "Would you like anything else?" She smiled showing her missing front tooth.
"Maybe later. I'll be staying at the stables." He smiled. What the hell, he hasn't had a woman in a long time.
"I will come, but nothing for free, my lord." She smiled playfully and swayed her hips back from the bar.
Sure fuck, Red thought, nothing is ever for free. He started eating. The door to the inn opened and a stooped man entered. Red watched the newcomer with fascination. He had a hump and long arms, and carried pieces of wood for the fireplace. His face was invisible behind his dark hair.
"Morid" - shouted the innkeeper - "bring the barrel".
The hunchback nodded and went to the back room, returning a moment later carrying a sizable barrel effortlessly. Redrick whistled in surprise and ate another spoonful of scrambled eggs, while Morid left the room. Redrick finished eating and went to the stables, intending to spend the night there. After a moment, the door creaked slightly and the busty innkeeper's wife appeared. The mercenary walked over to her without a word. Silently, he expertly unlaced her corset and freed her huge tits, then lifted her skirt and took her while standing, squishing her luscious breasts. The woman moaned softly, after a few stronger thrusts he came. He stepped back and buttoned his pants.
"Four reses Lord," she extended her hand towards him. Red paid, at least it was cheap. When she left he went behind the stables to take a piss, the watery beer was too much for his bladder.
"Fucking Setia" - he muttered under his breath, pissing -" where are you hiding …" - he gasped with relief and turned only to directly face the hunchbacked strongman. Red was surprised, he didn't hear him approaching. He must have been here all the time, spying on that busty woman's customers.
"A cold night "- he remarked to the hunchback to hide his confusion.
"Yes sir" - after a moment's hesitation he added - "you used the name Setia a moment ago. - the hunchback's voice sounded hoarse
"Setia? Yes, a dark-haired young woman, a mercenary" - Red was excited - "Do you know anything about her?"
"An evil woman, she killed Nagor" - Morid sniffed and wiped it with the back of his hand - "he healed her and she killed him."
"You see," - Red for a moment was trying to force out of his memory the name of this man -" Marid …"
"Morid," the hunchback corrected him
"That's right, Morid" - Red corrected himself eagerly - "I'm looking for this nasty woman, I have a score to settle with her. Do you know where she is?"
"I'll tell you, but it's cold here and I need a drink."- Morid tilted his head and looked at Red with green eyes.
"Sure" - Red slapped Morid on the humped back - "Let's go back to the inn, I'd like a drink too." He lied. On the way, a wide smile appeared on his face, fate turned around. Red was back in the game.