Back in Business

[Hoagie]

Master of the house, doling out the charm,
ready with a handshake and an open palm.
Tells a saucy tale, makes a little stir.
Customers appreciate a bon-viveur!

Glad to do a friend a favor.
Doesn't cost me to be nice.
But nothing gets you nothing,
everything has got a little price!

Leso Varen trailed his fingers across the green painted top of the wooden bar. Glancing at his reflection in a bottle of wine, he admired the way he almost looked respectable. He stacked a few coins, carefully counting them, then unstacked them and began counting again.

He grinned.

[Hoagie]

Leso Varen was carefully polishing the bar. The thud of the door signalled the arrival of a customer! Looking up, Varen forced a smile to greet the man.

"What'll it be?"

The red haired man plonked onto a stool. "Do you know rulk?"

Taking instructions, Varen mixed the drink and served it to him, pocketing the change happily.

He smiled. It seemed luck was on his side, as the guardsman had not recognised him.

"Mr Valentine, isn't it? I have something you might be interested in."

The red haired one tilted his head questioningly.

"But I'm not a charity, Mr Valentine. If I give it to you, I'll need you to remember it." He set a gift wrapped box on the table. Opening the box, he turned it towards the red haired guardsman, who looked inside.

"Where did this come from?" he asked, a suspicious tone to his voice.

"Oh, just something I found" came the not too convincing reply.

"Is this gift going to cost me?"

"No, no. Suffice to say, Mr Valentine, I remembered you."

[Hoagie]

"Oh, yes," thought Leso Varen as he approached the chair. "Things are going very nicely indeed."