Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (cont'd)

"I would recommend you keep your voice down when you and I aren't the only ones in the room," Utrid said quietly as he moved his next piece. Tarr looked over his shoulder at Pratik and chuckled.
"Who, him? Who is he going to tell, Utrid? How will he get out of the walls?" Utrid only shook his head.

The irony struck Pratik, but he couldn’t do anything about it except maintain his innocent persona. That, and make a mental note to keep an eye on the general. He was clearly far wiser than Tarr probably ever would be.

"Anyway, I let him know. I'll send the raven after I've finished with my mead."
"You're sure that fellow will stick by you and Lord Loquitur?" Utrid asked, taking one of Tarr's pieces. "After what you did to him I wouldn't be surprised if he switched sides for a less...physically punishing employer."
"Ash is worse than me," Tarr snorted. "You've heard the stories. Tongues and cocks hanging from his walls and the like. I don't draw my kills out unless they've affected me personally. He'll do it for some pregnant farmer's daughter he just met, no questions asked."
"That may be so, but he's got more money and less reason to beat his spies."
"Not if he finds out what the mole's been up to." Tarr grinned. "I was talking with Loquitur before he left--sounds like those slaves of Klev's were having a rough time of it. Isn't anti slavery Ash's whole thing?"

Pratik was getting progressively more interested in the conversation. So, Loquitur had a mole too?

It was everything Pratik could do to keep his face passive when he heard the name. Klev. Like… that Klev? Pratik hadn’t heard anything about him mistreating his servants, but that boy - Ky - sure obeyed fast, so he wouldn’t be surprised. Both of them did. The big fellow too.

This certainly thickened the plot if Aleth was getting himself involved — and on Tarr’s side no less. He wondered who Aleth hired to get inside Ash’s keep. And if they’d be able to find out anything useful. Pratik sure hadn’t in his brief time there, what with all the locked doors. He listened intently.

"Well, yes. I suppose you're right, there. He'd better be careful, then."
"His disguise is foolproof," Tarr scoffed. "After the number I did on him, his own mother wouldn't recognize him!"

Wait, did ALETH go? Pratik’s mind was spinning. Aleth never got his hands dirty. Maybe that meant he sent Ky or Tadaaki instead. It was again all Pratik could do to keep from biting his lip. The two of them seemed innocent. They didn’t deserve any kind of beating, and Aleth certainly wouldn’t have taken one. Pratik kept listening.

"No," Utrid agreed, grimacing as Tarr took one of his pieces. "He did look rather...he looked the part. Lord Ash might buy it, but you know how he is. Always looking over his shoulder, terrified that someone might be brandishing a dagger."
"Silly fool." Tarr shook his head and tapped his empty mead glass. "His brother's dead and gone, as is his father. The only person to look out for now is Loquitur. His wife and the nurse-whore wouldn't harm him for all the gold in the world."

Pratik obediently stepped forward and filled the glass, mind trying to keep up with all the new information. He had so many questions he was desperate to ask. But he couldn’t. Not with his current cover.

Utrid nodded in agreement, sipping at his own glass as he moved his piece. "I'd like to discuss a rather concerning report with you when this game is done--a report from our northeastern borders."
"Why not now?" Tarr asked. Utrid gestured at Pratik.
"Open ears, my Lord. You may discuss what you wish, but I would much prefer to keep my mouth shut."

Pratik continued not to react, but he was fascinated to know whether he was going to be sent away or if Tarr would get irate. He suspected the latter. But with any measure of luck he would learn what this ‘concerning’ report was.

"That's our mead pourer," Tarr retorted. "I already told you he won't cause trouble."
"You just bought him."
"And I'm positive that all he does is stand and pour." Tarr rose. "I can pour the wine myself, sure, but what would that teach him, General?"

Pratik wasn’t sure what it was that Tarr was trying to teach him now, beyond attempting to strip him of humanity. Little did Tarr know that he had very little of that left at all. But he was still curious.

(I’m sorry I’m not helping push the plot forward… Pratik doesn’t want to get beaten and is just gonna keep being passive and listening lol)

(No worries! I figured that was how the encounter would go. If you like we can skip; there's not much more useful information they'll discuss.)

(I’m good for whatever you want! Pratik will definitely squirrel away anything Tarr says lol I just felt bad for not helping haha)

(It's fine! Wasn't much you could do in this situation. Where would you you like to skip to?)