Viable Information

[DoS Archive]

From: cambaliol@aol.com (Cam Baliol)
Date: 12 Mar 1999 01:24:32 EST

Information had proven true it would appear, he noted silently to himself as he perused the littered cork board to the rear quadrant of the cavernous arena. As a gloved hand lifted and leafed through the smattering of crudities, insults, and slanderous heavings, from time to time, he caught sight of a familiar flowing script. In more recent times, it appeared notes by that hand had been posted as
Projected from St. Dominicus, a small island a few leagues south of Kalla Korbragh, and a place he remembered well.

It was a slow shake of the cowled head that drew the attention of the boys. They had noted the figures arrival some two hours earlier, but as of yet, had garnered little about his person.The only point not in dispute was that he was unmistakably male, and a towering one at that, whose wide shoulders and confident manner carried more than an edge of danger. Why he chose to hide within folds of wool, raw silk and leather was enough to bring their heads
together in mutual speculation that he was either an assassin, some titled person traveling incognito, or some deformed monster.

They knew that the man was not without means. The pair had studied the unfamiliar silver coin that had been tossed their way after the deep, resonating voice had inquired if there was a board where messages might be placed by the public. Heads nodding together in exchanged whispers, they watched him studiously, taking note of the quality that comprised the mans cloak, stayed by a clasp of pure gold, and not a mockery intended to delude one with an
impression of false wealth.

As the man turned from the aged board of cork, the two boys returned their attention to the glasses they wiped spotless with linen clothes before placing them upon a tray for the evenings use. Curiosity caused them to continue to steal glances at the man. It was not so much an oddity that he did not remove his cloak, but that the deep cowled hood had never lowered, nor the gloves slipped from the hands they guarded from view.

Whatever lay beneath that layer of elegantly cut cloth, the figure was impressive. The boys, heads together giggling, laid wager as to which woman of the arena would make the first bid to unmask him. They had no way to know that there was but one woman who claimed his attention,and it was he that sought her, and not the other way around. But it was not a hand he would reveal until the time was proper to do so, and in that, there was only one who
would dictate the play.

His initial visit concluded he departed the cavernous arena. There were arrangements that needed be made that would see through his time here, until other settings could be placed.

((© 1999))