Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree

Serpent Keep was the oldest Keep in the Northern Realm, and it showed. The towers rising high into the sky were nearly blue with lichen and some bricks of the wall had begun to crumble, and the ancient doors barring entry had stiffened and cracked slightly with age.
Even so, this Keep was one of the strongest. It had withstood countless sieges, survived the reign of Modestus the Mad, and weathered thousands of storms in its time.
Lord Gaius Ash liked to think he and the Keep had that in common, at least. Perhaps he would outlive it.
Gaius stood at the window of his room, a thick blanket wrapped around his gaunt frame, and watched as a horse and rider arrived at the gates. Even with his thick cloak and heavy tunic it was biting cold. He really ought to grow a beard.
"It's late." Gaius turned, snapping out of his thoughts as Sara's voice came from the doorway. She smiled half-heartedly and gestured to their bed. "I was going to sleep."
"Don't let me keep you, then." Gaius came away from the window, taking his wife's hand as she approached him. He brought it to his lips, planting a small kiss on the knuckle and smiling wearily at her. "I'm not sure I can join you yet; we have a new arrival."
"Oh?" Sara's brow furrowed, and she looked past him. "We're not expecting anyone. Is that a messenger from Lord Bledroe?" Gaius had thought of that; he wasn't sure. The man didn't look particularly official, nor did he wear the Bledroe colors.
"Something tells me no," he replied, waving her over to the window. "Perhaps a mercenary." They had no need for mercenaries; their army was massive and loyal, and with Lord Bledroe's forces this war should be no contest.
"Not another one..." Sara wrinkled her nose and rested her head on her husband's narrow shoulder. "We're paying enough money without hired hands!" Gaius nodded thoughtfully, drumming his fingers. "Have the children gone to bed?"
"About an hour ago. Are you going to see what he wants?" Gaius considered it. It was likely the guards would turn the man away; he would let them handle it for now. No sense in getting down all those stairs and paining his leg just to see a mercenary.
"No," he decided. "I'll ask about it in the morning." Sara nodded and wandered over to the wardrobe to get her nightgown. Gaius glanced after her and limped over to the bed, setting his cane to the side as he sat down.
His heart felt heavy, even with his beloved here. She always lifted him up, but these past few months he had felt as if a massive anvil were seated in his chest. Sleeping was getting more difficult, not to mention eating, and Sera had been nagging him about it constantly.
"No sense in wasting away and leaving House Ash to ruin," she'd chided him this morning as he choked down a slice of bread and jam. "Tomhas wouldn't want this, even if you two are at odds now."
Tomhas never wanted any of this. It was his own fault this had all started, but there was no backing out. There was too much at stake here.

--

"What business would that be?" the guard snapped, keeping a firm hold on his halberd. "Lord Ash has no need for mercenaries."

"Do I look like a mercenary to you?" Pratik countered.

He did. Especially now, bundled up in furs and frozen to the core. He could pull off a more charming, non-threatening persona when he was dressed in satins and mingling with men in prominence. But, for now, he probably looked to be every bit the miscreant that he was.

"No. I'm a facilitator," he continued, looking back at the man after a quick glance at the impressive keep. Ash could afford him, even if he didn't think he needed him. "And I'll explain what that means to your lord, directly. I have valuable information that will help him in this war."

Like, the fact that Aleth was in Tarr's pocket. And very limited information on Aleth's operations. No one knew the full extent of Aleth's empire. Well, except for his assistant Ky, of course, but that boy had been through enough hell at Aleth's hand that Pratik doubted anything could break him enough to let any secrets spill out. But, Pratik knew how Aleth had made contact with him through a proxy to begin with. He knew how Aleth got payment to his assets. How instructions were passed along. And that was more than most.

"If he won't see me tonight, then I'll pitch a camp and return in the morning." He hoped that wouldn't be the case -- he didn't want yet another night out in this damnable cold -- but he'd been through much, much worse than this before, and if this is what it took, then it's what it took. "But I'm not leaving until I get an audience."

Spoiler

So I had this random idea, what would you think of maybe a few years prior Ash have had several of his port cities sabotaged -- politicians found dead, ware stolen, etc. that cost Ash a fair bit of money. And then when they start with the "why would I possibly need your help?" game then Pratik could be like well, Tarr has Aleth, which is bad for you. Aleth was the one who coordinated all those attacks on your port city, and I was the one he hired to do the dirty work, which means I know how he works and am your best chance at stopping him, or whatever?

"Then pitch a camp. His Lordship is likely asleep now." The guard hesitated, though. Information on the war was important. He could get a promotion if he let this man in.

(That's an excellent idea. But remember that Tomhas wants to send Aleth to Gaius to gather information.)

(Ahh that's a fair point, hmmm, I'm just not sure what Pratik can say that'll make Gaius let him stay xD maybe instead of that, he's got information about something that Ash could use? Like, uhhh, maybe Loquitur is sending troops to seize one of Ash's reeves' estates and Pratik knows where Ash can head them off? idk, open to ideas)

Pratik stayed silent for a moment, eyes boring into the guard in a frigid silence. He was fully prepared to take his leave if he needed to, but the way the guard hesitated gave him hope that maybe there could be chances of a warm bed for the night after all. "Very well... if you feel that your lord shouldn't receive important information right away..."

Pratik turned his horse away lazily.

(I'm good with that.)

"On second thought--" The guard held up a hand. "Wait here." He disappeared from the wall.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on Gaius's door.
Sara groaned and rolled over, burying her face in the pillows. "It's past midnight," she muttered. "Can it wait?"
Gaius, who had been sitting beside her but wasn't yet ready to sleep, rose reluctantly. "Evidently not," he sighed, limping to the door and cracking it open. "What is it?"
"Apologies for the interruption, my Lord." It was Captain Bay. "One of my men reports there's a fellow at the gate asking to be let in. He's got information related to the war."
Did he, now?
"From whom is he coming?" Gaius asked.
"He calls himself a facilitator," Bay replied promptly. "Doesn't seem to have any loyalty."
"A dangerous man, then." Gaius cast a weary look back at his wife. "I'll return soon, my love. My apologies." Sara waved him off and burrowed under the covers. "See him to an interrogation room and keep an armed guard with him," he said to Bay. "A man with no loyalty is not to be trusted." Bay saluted and strode off. Gaius watched him go, then stretched slowly, feeling his spine pop satisfyingly. This should be interesting, if not useful. Perhaps this fellow had something of import. If not, Gaius would send him away immediately.
He limped down the hall toward the barracks, cane tapping noisily on the stones.

"Dismount."

Pratik raised an eyebrow. He didn't take orders from most people, and certainly not from nothing-guards.

"Lord Ash will see you," he explained, cracking open the gate. "On his terms."

Pratik dismounted, then cracked his back and slowly strode forward, body even stiffer than he'd realized it was. He could handle the cold, but it was cruel, and his body felt the consequences.

He strode through the narrow opening, lips quirking up into a little smirk as he saw the disruption his appearance had caused. There was a soldier trying to tug the reins of his horse away from him, and even more armed guards in an arc around him.

It'd be hard to say if he could make it through all the soldiers in his current state -- but, then, he didn't want to. He was here for business, and his business wasn't to slaughter Ash's guard.

One of the soldiers strode forward, glare plastered on his face, and hand outstretched. Pratik sighed but unbuckled his sword belt and held it out for the soldier to take. He reached into the back of his trousers and handed over the dagger he kept tucked in the small of his back. Then he bent and gave the daggers he kept on each leg, and finally pulled his right sleeve up and gave over the throwing knives he kept strapped to his forearm.

The soldier's eyebrows rose a bit more with each weapon that he handed over. "Is that all?"

"Yep." Pratik held his arms out to his sides, inviting them to search him. Which they did. But they still missed the small blade he had strapped on the underarm just below his left armpit. It was too thin -- and his coat was too thick -- for them to find.

"I think you know what to do," one of the soldiers muttered.

Pratik lazily reached his arms up and laced his fingers behind his head, then walked boxed in between four soldiers, curiously taking in everything he could as they escorted him.

Gaius reached the interrogation chamber shortly after they brought Pratik there. It was a small stone room below the barracks, cold and bare except for a table and two chairs.
He rested his hands on his cane as he stopped in front of the table. The man had been seated facing the door, and Gaius looked him over quietly.
The fellow was quite young; certainly no more than twenty-five. He looked to be in good shape, too, though it was difficult to tell under the layers of clothing. He had a skin tone that suggested Southern heritage, though there was no guarantee he was a mercenary from across the border. There were plenty of Southerners living here, gods knew why. The climate was the exact opposite of what it was like down there.
Overall, the fellow looked like a typical mercenary, though there was an intelligence to his eyes that indicated he wasn't exactly typical.
"So," Gaius said softly. "You wanted to see me. You come bringing information. Here I am, so talk."

They took him to a room that felt more like a prison than anything. Barren except for a table in the center and a chair on either side. The soldiers ahead of him walked in first. His eyes glanced down and he saw that the soldier behind him, to the right, was just a bit too close and had a dagger tucked into his too-loose belt.

He let his hands fall down dramatically from behind his head, and bumped into the soldier on purpose, hand swiping his dagger and pulling his hand up into his sleeve with a fluid motion. The soldier cursed at him and shoved him into the room.

"Sorry," Pratik muttered, turning to walk into the room. He took the seat facing the door and then passively looked around, hand still fixed on the dagger that was now up his sleeve. He didn't plan on using it for anything more than proof.

A few minutes later the Lord appeared, looking tired and vaguely weak. He leaned on his cane as he assessed Pratik. Pratik assessed him right back. It was clear the man actually took time to think things through. It was a rare quality and one that he was glad to see in a man he was going to serve.

"I bring many assets which will be valuable to you in this war. The ability to move like a ghost. The deaths of your enemies. His dagger." Pratik nodded his head at one of the soldiers, dropping the dagger on the table in front of him, before holding his hands out to his sides to be sure one of the soldiers didn't try to skewer him for having a weapon in the presence of his lord. "And, as you said, information. My goodwill offering to you is the details of a siege Loquitur will effect on one of your reeves just south and west of here, in two day's time... as well as suggestions on how you can prevent that."

Gaius didn't move when Pratik dropped the dagger on the table. It was a clever trick, if risky. Gaius decided he liked it and made a mental note to have the guard he'd stolen it from fired.
"That is certainly useful information," he mused, reaching across the table and picking up the dagger. He turned it over in his hands, running the permanently clenched fingers of his right one over the worn leather handle. "But not free, I expect, nor will your other services be." He expected it wouldn't be cheap, either. "I will have the information, no more. I have no need for spies and hired knives; I have plenty. What is your price?"

"You can consider that one a free demonstration of my value, if you'll reconsider your position," Pratik answered, letting his hands fall back to his lap now that Ash had the dagger in his own hands. "Any idiot can swing a sword."

He cast a pointed glance towards the flustered soldier he'd disarmed, then looked back at Ash.

"Having both intelligent and dangerous men on your side is what will give you the edge," Pratik continued. "And you don't currently employ anyone of my quality. There are only a few men who can keep up with me, and none of them are on your payroll. One was on his way to Loquitur the last I heard -- no idea if he was smart enough to accept his services or not. My other colleagues are all wrapped up in the East. And I am here, at your disposal."

"If you have access to my payroll then you must have ignored some of the names." Gaius still did not move from where he was standing; his thin frame was like stone except for his long, delicate hands, which toyed with the dagger restlessly. "Answer the question. How much for the information only?" The fact that his brother might be hiring someone similar to this fellow was certainly concerning; he would have his source fact check that and report back to him.

"Oh, I don't have access to your payroll," Pratik answered, briefly noting the way Ash kept playing with the dagger, clearly thinking through something, even if his expression was stony and vaguely threatening.

As long as he was considering the option, Pratik still had a chance. He just had to keep him interested in the conversation. He could try flattery, but it didn't seem like Ash would receive that well.

"But men like you and I are smart enough to keep our competition -- and our threats -- in plain view, aren't we?" he said, crossing his arm as he leaned back in his seat. "You don't last long in this career if you don't keep your eye on the people hoping to slit your throat, so I make sure I keep an eye on where all the truly dangerous mercenaries are at, at any given time. And none are here at Serpent's Keep, I'm afraid... well, now one is."

He smirked, eyes locked on Ash's.

Gaius gazed at him in silence for a long moment. He kept dodging the question of money; that was something Gaius didn't quite understand. Everyone wanted to talk about money. This man seemed set on convincing him he was useful, but Gaius was already convinced of that. He just wasn't interested in the whole package.
"Do not make me ask you a third time," he said softly. "It will not go well for you if you duck me again." Captain Bay, who had followed him in, moved forward slightly and removed his gloves.

Pratik looked at the soldier coolly, making no effort to uncross his arms or show any indication of discomfort. Mostly because he wasn't scared. Not of a beating, even if that's what was to come. But mostly, not scared of any of Ash's men. The man was sorely mistaken if he thought four simple soldiers would be able to stop Pratik if he decided it was time to fight.

Pratik let the silence hang in the air for a moment longer than was comfortable, to make a point that he was relenting because he wanted to and not because he feared Ash's threat, then, "1,000 coins for the information alone. An additional 5,000 if you want me to take care of the problem for you."

(I'm not really sure the sort of economy in your world, feel free to correct in your post if I am way lowballing or overshooting it and I'll edit my post. Pratik will probably be a little high in what he's asking, but not like wildly unreasonable or anything)

(I think that's reasonable. He's not actively spying so it wouldn't be as high as Aleth's price, I think.)

Gaius nodded slightly. That was reasonable. He could pay that easily. "Give me the information, then, and we shall see if action needs to be taken." He remained standing. His leg was paining him greatly; putting weight on it for so long was not advisable according to Sera, but he'd always been in the habit of keeping out of reach of a knife blade. A sore leg was better than death, in his opinion. "You will have the thousand clappers if I am satisfied with what you have to say. I'll have your name first, though."