The bar's backroom is more or less a smaller extension of the bar. There are seats and benches all around, and it is faintly lit up by a few lanterns in it, with a small but wide window on the west facade, allowing for light to penetrate into the space, and providing a view into the market street, even though it's just their lower bodies, and mostly feet, as the backroom is beneath the ground floor.
The girl walks in and sees three people; two on one bench near the door, and one, sitting alone at the far end of the room, a dark corner, lit up by one of the few lanterns in the room. This one is a fairly old man, clearly past his fifties. His hair is shaven, and his eyes are sunken. His clothing, at first glance seems common, but in actuality is made of expensive fabrics, a luxury that the common man in this area cannot afford. An obvious show of fear, as aristocrats wouldn't dare walk into the domains of the common without military support, and still hope to walk out freely and without harm. Especially NOT in this part of Grimeford.
The girl walks up to the man and sits across from him. She taps on the table and the man responds by tapping on the table as well.
"Your request. Mercenary business." The girl says.
"You must be a member of the Band of Roses." the man responds, his voice shaking.
"Astute."
"Please. You have to help me!" He starts.
"Calm down, old man. I got the memo. you wouldn't come to a mercenary band if you could help yourself."
"My daughter..." He means to continue but is cut short.
"Yes, she was kidnapped and taken hostage by a certain group of individuals. You want us to rescue her..."
"Yes. my men were killed halfway through the chase and before I get any help from Elios, it will be far too late for her."
"Where do you think that group could've taken her?"
"I'm not exactly sure..." He looks away for a second and returns to face her gaze. "Last I heard, my men were killed on the bluff of Carnegie."
The girl stops to think. "Carnegie...How long ago was this?"
"Almost three days ago. Why? Is that too long ago?"
"Carnegie is a fork town. They could either be headed to Nuwait or The Stones. One would take far longer than the other. Nuwait is about three more days from Carnegie, and The Stones would only take a day and a half, assuming they haven't taken any breaks or detours. However, if the latter were to be the case, then, undertaking this would be a suicidal revenge mission and not a rescue."
The man looks downcast. "So if they took her through The Stones, she'd be dead before you could get to her?"
"Not necessarily." The Bartender's voice goes behind the girl, and she turns to see him, holding her cloak and wearing one of his own.
"Boss... The Bar." she says to him.
"Lyse spotted a bunch of clergy headed to this place about five miles away. We're leaving to join Gav and Montie at the town square." He whispers.
She gets up and takes her cloak from him. "What about my daughter?" The man complains.
"What is your daughter's name, kind sir? Facial features? Hair color? Height?" The Bartender queries the man.
"Her name is Zara. She's about your age and three-quarters of your height. She's got dark brown hair, same as her mother."
"Thank you for that. We'll take the job for five pounds of gold and ten platinum coins. I assume you don't have a problem with these terms?" The Bartender stares the man squarely in his eyes.
"What? Five Pounds? What do I look like? A charity?" The man protests.
"Viscount Sheffer, is it?" He says, looking away.
"Wha-?" The man is astonished that an ordinary bartender knows his name.
"Don't be too shocked now...Information isn't exactly a difficult thing to obtain. Not in this realm, at least. Now, you are under the Count of Valeryn. The city of Valeryn is the second most affluent city in Grimeford besides Lord's Bay, the capital. I need to understand which you'd rather choose, your belly, or your daughter?"
The Viscount concedes. "Fine. But bring my daughter back to me in perfect health. A scratch on her head, and the deal's off."
The Bartender turns and places his head on the forehead of the old man.
"That would be an issue, my dear Sheffer sir. You see, we are taking this job only on the suspicion that the kidnappers would need something out of your daughter. If there is any other reason as to why your daughter has been taken from you, then, chances are, she'll be dead in a ditch before we even make landfall, either at The Stones or Nuwait. Let me make this perfectly clear, you aren't paying us to save your daughter, you're simply paying us for the trouble."
He turns to the girl. "We're leaving, Elyra."
She turns and follows behind him.
"We'll send you the bill in about five business days. We expect to be paid in full." He says, as they both vanish from the backroom.