Due Consideration

Jarod wasn't surprised to find Quint in a sulk in his room in the boarding house. The fuck off through the door was essentially expected. The situation was more delicate than he was used to dealing with though. Normally he'd just let the others settle themselves out however they saw fit. This time he knew he needed to stay something.

"Look, I'm sorry I kicked you out like that. I'm scared and this is all fucking strange… We'll be in the guild hall if you want to talk," Jarod offered. The lack of a reply wasn't surprising either.

"You want me to-" Cord started to offer something. Jarod immediately shook his head, battering down the door would not make things better. Everyone followed his lead thankfully and they went and drank until lunch, then continued on for a bit after that. None of them were properly drunk, just drunk enough to dull the day's horrors.

"Pip, you and anyone else who wants to may as well go shopping. He might not come talk to us today," Jarod said, accepting that the wait might be long.

"Fine," Pip agreed. He took off immediately with Argent trailing after, though if they'd go the same way Jarod couldn't guess.

"Would have been faster to kick the door in," Cord offered.

"Oh, you have door replacement money now?" Jarod asked. "And somewhere else to stay when they kick you out?"

Cord looked like he was about to say something for a moment then thought better of it. He sighed then drank the rest of his ale in a single long pull. He certainly did have money, but Jarod knew he wouldn't want to spend it replacing a door anymore than he would himself.

"Ugh… this town needs a whore house," Cord said then stood up to go. Jarod just tipped his drink at that.

Alone and without anything in particular to do Jarod sat and listened when one of the small folk turned up and started playing a merry set of pipes. Celedor, if he wasn't misremembering, one of the smart ones who worked in the library. While he listened he stared at the wall of registered adventurers. He couldn't read the names himself but he noticed a new tag with a light greenish blue gem stone for a mage.

It was probably Quints and oddly the tag the stone was set in was still copper. Jarod had thought the other man would move up to iron at the very least since he could do proper magic now. Though Quint hadn't had the class long so perhaps it would take time for him to earn it.

"May I join you?" someone asked. Jarod looked up, surprised anyone had addressed him and gave a start when he found it was Henry.

"I Don't think I have the means to refuse," Jarod replied.

"Ah, things didn't go well this morning I see. Your words alone would be enough to banish me, I assure you," Henry replied, giving a little bow but not looking the least bit apologetic.

"Fucks sake, just sit," Jarod growled. He didn't know what Henry would say or do but was past beating around the bush about things. "Say your piece."

"You haven't left so I assume you are considering Duex's proposal. I thought I w-would offer to answer any questions you might have. I've had my class changed already," Henry said. Jarod sighed but still nodded.

"Did it hurt?" Jarod asked.

"No, it doesn't feel like anything until it's done, then… knowing how to use your abilities takes some getting used to. Mine were quite different from what I originally had," Henry explained.

"Really? Weren't you a Warrior? I can't see a fighter being that different," Jarod asked, surprised. He'd seen Henry demonstrate a few things in the training grounds. As a Warrior himself he could see the other man's footwork was top notch.

"Perhaps not, but I'm a Chevalier and that is rather different. Also, I did start as a Warrior but after becoming a Fighter I prestiged to Assassin originally," Henry said.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Assassin?" Jarod asked, caught flat footed by that admission. He'd have never figured the other man for one. There was a confidence in the way he moved he'd never noticed in thieves and the like.

"I didn't know you could do that, I assumed you'd have to be a Rogue," Jarod admitted. It wasn't something he'd ever given much though, heroic classes were rare enough. Prestige classes were something he'd only ever heard of.

"It's not exactly a c-common occurrence, though Bards can apparently do so as well," Henry offered.

"Bards? Really?" Jarod asked, wondering if he was being teased.

"My thoughts were similar when I found out. Reolus is one and it's interesting to see him fight, he uses a great deal more magic than someone who began as Fighter or Rogue would," Henry explained.

"Why choose Chevalier then?" Jarod asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He was having too much trouble wrapping his head around the idea Deux could apparently give someone any class at all rather than just improving their existing one. Wondering why someone would choose a drastically different one given the opportunity was easier on his brain. He couldn't imagine doing that himself.

"Well, an Assassin was simply what I was at the time. I had no love for it, while Ch-Chevalier was a dream of mine. So when asked, I chose my dream," Henry said, bowing his head slightly as he placed a hand to his chest.

"Well that's… what was the cost? You're her man, but that couldn't have been all of it," Jarod asked. He did think better of those words, but said them anyway. There wasn't a more elegant way to point out a man whoring himself for power. Not that Jarod thought ill of Henry for it exactly, it was more just hard to fathom. Mostly in that a man would whore himself for a lot less than what Deux had to offer. She had no reason to trade for what was easily had.

"Ah, you think I made a deal. That is a misunderstanding, I was in no position to do so," Henry with a dry laugh that ended in a piercing expression. "She didn't have to give me any-anything and could have taken as she pleased from me. Yet she did as I asked simply because I had."

"So do not misunderstand my love for her or the fruits of an honest courtship as anything else. It will be slander in my ears, understood?" Henry asked, a crackle of blue power dancing around him like small arcs of lightning.

"Right, fair," Jarod said, doing his best not to piss himself. He'd heard of that kind of thing, mana becoming visible when those with heroic classes used skills. He'd just never seen it up close, even on a battlefield. They'd always been flashes of light in the distance, seeing the effect at arms length he found he wasn't any less terrified of it.

"So you think I should make a deal, get power too," Jarod said, hoping to move the conversation along.

"I don't honestly c-care what you do. It's a good opportunity in my eyes, but that hardly matters. Take your time and think it over," Henry said before getting up without ceremony.

"Seriously, that's all you meant to say?" Jarod asked, surprised. He'd expected threats or cajoling, not a chat and a reminder to mind his manners.

"It's not my life on the line, so what more could I say? My only advice would be to review the deal, then leaving after a few days if you don't take it. Deux will find others easily enough," Henry said then gave a little bow before turning and simply leaving.

Left on his own again Jarod realized he actually hadn't gotten a look at the deal yet. He'd been a bit busy trying to escape while Quint was talking with Deux. Not that it would have mattered then even if she'd shown it to him. That felt less like a mistake and more like bad timing.

"You're seriously still here?" Quint asked. He was now the second person to catch Jarod off guard in fewer hours.

"Everyone is," Jarod replied, looking up. Quint looked much the same as he had the morning, if a bit red and puffy around the eyes.

"Why?" Quint asked flatly.

"Look… you were fucking insane to talk to her back then, but not wrong. So I'm sorry for saying you were out, that wasn't fair when we hadn't even discussed anything yet," Jarod offered. It was the best he could do for an apology.

"I supposed I was," Quint said with a sigh, sitting down at the table.

"Pip will make his own apologies later," Jarod added.

"Sure he will," Quint said with a scoff, but it wasn't as angry as it could have been.

"Ah, he's not as bad as he'd like to be and I'll give him a kick'en if he tries to get out of it," Jarod said, intending to make good on his word. If they ended up parting, he'd rather they all still be on as good of terms as could be managed.

"Wouldn't mind watching that," Quint said, laughing. "But really, why are you still here?"

"Like I said, I was hasty earlier, we all were. You know, because it was fucking terrifying, but my better nature is now reminding me that its worthwhile to listen when theres money to be made," Jarod offered, laughing at himself.

"Pretty sure that's not your better nature," Quint said, laughing with him.

"Maybe not, but it's the best I've got. Besides, what's the point in running off to die broke elsewhere when I could die rich right here?" Jarod asked.

"It's really not that bad… I mean yeah, we might well die, but the deal is to get us strong enough that we might succeed," Quint said. "Which doesn't really sound that great when I say it aloud."

"No, it really doesn't," Jarod agreed. "But if you wouldn't mind, read me the deal so the rest of us can think about it."

"You sure?" Quint asked.

"Fuck no, but do it anyway," Jarod said and they laughed together.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.