Suddenly the door to the drunken merchant swung open, and two heavily armed men marched in, followed by Claus Rotstein.
-"Meeting!" He told with a firm unexpectedly loud penetrating voice, to the civilians in the bar it looked like pure reflex took over the actions of the Steel fist mercs present as they prepared a large table and gathered some extra stools and another table to make a large table, needless to say the good mood that had been going on was quickly silenced and turned into confusion.
Claus sat down in the short end of the hastily gathered together grand table and crossed his feet atop the surface in a very laid back seat.
-"What is this? The place is in terrible shape, JONES!!!" Claus told in his commanding voice, one of the men responding with standing in attention Claus kept on.
-"Get the sorry owner of this place to fix it up." Then he tossed a gold piece to him and watched him leave.
Two boys and a girl started mopping the floors while the lieutenants of the Steel fist were seated, a bunch of the other mercs were surrounding the affair.
Some of the civilians left but many kept their seats and curiously listened.
-"Alright, a few of you already know this but i want it widely known in the fist." Claus said while he unpacked a wine bottle and a letter.
-"As you know i've been present at the nobles meetings in the keep, while i was not part of the discussion per se, i made sure i've got the general idea of the whole ordeal."
As Claus uncorked the bottle one of the men sitting close to him asked.
-"Is that Orog wine?"
-"Yeah. A.... friend of mine... suggested it." Claus responded.
-"Isn't that terribly expensive?" Another countered.
-"Well i didn't get the most expensive bottle now did i, i'm not an idiot." Claus voiced angrily with that smug smile of his. He kept on.
-"And besides, do shut up, not everyone gets to drink this kind of nice stuff."
Cups were handed around the table and the nice wine was poured up.
-"Right, i've got a letter from our recent employer mr Snake, and he found our job well done and paid us without fuzz. Guess this serpent got more funds than the ones we met walking home in Glarmion." The joke was met with a small shuckle, and a shudder heard from the rear. Followed by a laugh or two. Claus threw the letter to the center of the table.
-"He said in this letter that he'd like to hire us some more in the future, so it's nice to get some recognition for ones work, so good job there men." Claus ended the sentence with raising his cup in a toast and everyone drank.
-"Hm, not bad. Anyway... we could simply go with the first offer we get, but from what i heard in the meeting, there is some serious tension in the ruling of Formaroth, if they ain't careful there's probably gonna be another war. Knowing how the nobility often work, i'd say it's gonna be a war, only question is how big." Claus informed while seating himself in a more ordinary manner. There was a gasp heard from one of the tables.
-"In the letter he mentions this war minister that's coming soon, so i'll be having a chat with him to try to figure him out a bit more. In the meantime i'd assume the rats haven't shit in the grain and as such not jump on the first opportunity that presents itself." Claus kept on, his lieutenants were listening carefully.
-"Now, when the news have been taken care of, any questions? Or any problems i've forgot to take care of or that have materialized when i was not looking?" Claus asked.
-"Well, there is the problem with lodging for my men." The heavily bearded Roogel spoke.
-"Aw no, the owner haven't forgiven your men for that one yet? Any ideas?" Claus was annoyed with the situation.
-"Not really, only ideas so far is to rough him up or cough up the sum he wanted." Roogel shook his head.
-"Well, i'd say we do both. After all there probably shouldn't have been a table dancing contest, but the floors weren't properly kept either. So we'll give him a third of his offer, if he isn't happy, try to convince him. Not too rough though." Claus grudgingly decided.
The rest of the meeting was mostly other less important problems in the company, and people wanting a clarification on the situation. Claus had bought a round of ales for the Steel fist present. During the meeting Claus was approached by one of his men, a tall fellow.
-"Ey boss, you should hear this guy when meeting is done. Great at stories, even uses magics for show." Claus turned to the man and asked.
-"I see, so is he here? How do i recognize him?"
-"Older guy, blue jacket, one of those fellows who looks to happy for their own good though. Last i saw of him he was seated there in the corner." The man described and pointed to a table, both he and Claus looked over there to check.
The table was occupied by two jolly men, both drinking a tankard of what was presumably beer.
There was however a distinct lack of elderly men with blue jackets.
-"Trooper... i can't help but notice a distinct lack of wizards at that table." Claus commented with a genuinely unimpressed look upon his face while giving his man a glance. A shrug was the troopers response.
-"Pity... would have loved a good story. Now, let's get a party going ey!!!" The second half of the sentence Claus boomed out so all in the tavern could hear, and the response was a massive cheer from his mercenaries.
