[b]Miriam 
Chapter 8: Fickle truths & Structured lies [/b]

Nathaniel Raleigh: As close to a human vermin you would find beyond something from out of the Outworlds. Miriam had met him five years back when working for Anathema, but unlike Miriam, who traded in items, Nathaniel traded in words. Survival in the Lowburg streets came to one of two things, your brawn, or how fast you could run. Nathaniel had found a third way, with the ability to speak for an unlimited amount of time and speed, Nathaniel had made a name for himself as the person to find, if you wanted some information on any kind of topic. He had convinced the entire underground profile how he was born into magical ability. "Arcane blood." As he called it, and he used this belief to ruse and bedazzle the slow minded people of Lowburg and had made a profitable business of it. Nathaniel was known among the underworld simply as "Charm." Due to his supposed ability to persuade people with "magic words." Even Anathema had come to rely on the word of Nathaniel when it came to uncertain rumors, as it was true; Nathaniel always had answers. But Miriam knew, he rarely had truths. 

The lone woman gazed up at the sign hanging above the door to the tavern, it was late afternoon and she could count on the usual crowd being in. She was one of the few people in the city who could actually read the words on said sign. [i]The drunk cousin.[/i] Miriam pushed the door open and narrowed her eyes as she peered around the place. It was more or less empty. A few bedraggled people sat by the simple counter, darkened eyes staring into the depths of their tankards, perhaps hoping they would drown in it, or perhaps wishing someone would come save them from the liquid fate. To Miriam it didn't matter, this town and its people were rats scurrying in a barrel of injustice. And she was just passing through. Nathaniel sat in his usual corner stall, all moxie with a casual lean back and toothpick inbetwixt his teeth. He was chatting with the usual company. Two beef necked buffoons with cauliflower ears and bricks for heads. His black hair was slick and neatly kept, appearance always means the most for people who have the most to prove. Miriam approached, she placed a hand on her hip and stopped by the table, with a narrow eye she stared intently from the two bricks and then laid them on Nathaniel.
	"Nate." She greeted cooly. With a nod of recognition. The shady man quirked a smirk, leaning forward idly on the table as he met the stare with a casual eye.
	"Kitty." He laughed. "Thought you'd died." The blockheads chuckled along for no reason at all.
	"Oh. Not me, but I hear you're a bit on edge, yourself." Miriam placed a hand on the table and stuck her face closer to Nathaniel. "Leaving town, are we?" This caused a brief shift in tone from the man known as Charm, who flicked his eyes to his two companions, who in turn appeared confused. He looked back to Miriam.
	"Give us some room, eh fellas?" Nathaniel waved the two men away and they rather promptly left, he then gestured Miriam down. "Sit, Kitty." She remained standing however. Perking a brow of intrigue.
	"Lerman. What happened?" She put it bluntly.
	"Listen, I dunno what you think you've heard, Marsh but I-.." Nathaniel was interrupted by a snappy comment from Miriam.
	"I know you blab, Nathaniel. But you'd sell out your own people to the Knights? What'd they give you for that?"
	"Hey! I din't sell nobody out. Saw it happen, right? They grabbed the kid, said he was a demon or somewhat, then Lerman came up and took the blame. Both got lopped for it. I got nothin' to do with it." Nathaniel eased back in his seat after that brief outburst. Miriam now took a seat, as well. On the opposite side of the table.
	"Yeah? So who does?" Miriam asked accusingly. As she sat down.
	"Far as I know, could've been you, Kitty! I'm spooked, meself here, right? Mages getting called out like that. Far as I know, I'm next." Nathaniel casually flicked his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.
	"Yes, because you're the epitome of magical ability, Nate." Miriam rolled her eyes.
	"Hey. I help people! Where were you, huh?" Nathaniel thrust a hand in Miriam's direction to throw the blame back. "Lonely creep." He muttered. The scavenger twitched her cheek irately and leaned back more in her seat. There was a moment of silence as both of them swallowed guilt. Then Miriam spoke, more softly.
	"Just tell me about the Walker." The slick man gave a sigh and glanced around briefly, before leaning forward into more of a hush whisper.
	"Was this old guy, right? They say he booked a room here two days ago, and by morning he was gone. Just vanished." Nathaniel poofed with his hands, to indicate the vanishing.
	"That doesn't make any sense. How do you even know it was a Walker?"
	"That's just the word, Kitty. Listen. I'll be frank with you." Nathaniel admitted. "Somebody gave out the Smith kid and Lerman to the knights the SAME night as the Walker vanished. Something magic's bustling, and I dunno about you. But I ain't sticking around to see what it is." 
	"But who's to gain?" Miriam scrunched her face in perplexity. Nathaniel shrugged unknowingly. 
	"Dunno, kitty. Does it matter? Just take my advice and get out, right? While you still got the chance to." Nathaniel left the seat and his two companions followed obediently as he briskly left the tavern. Miriam watched him leave. Even if what he had said was actually true, it hadn't been helpful. She drummed her fingers against the table as she thought. The person who gave the Smiths to the authorities had to have known they were mages in hiding, and that was truly a short list of people. Even excluding herself. But why had they done it? Maybe they had just gotten sloppy with exposing their literature? Maybe the kid had gotten cocky and said something he shouldn't. Could it be that easy? And what about the Walker, where had he gone and what was he doing here in the first place? Miriam knew there was something awfully wrong about all of this, and that there was surely something Nathaniel wasn't telling her. After muddling it over for some time Miriam was suddenly yanked out of thought by a loud trumpet, she looked through the window and saw the masses gathering in the streets. They were mostly dressed extravagantly and some were dancing and singing happy chants on the spot. The parade in the King's honor had started.
	"Great... People." Miriam sighed.