[identity profile] naughty-bangles.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] tamingthemuse
Title: Money Lies
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 619
Prompt #444 Money Lies


Jericho opened his arm wide, his most honest expression on the face.

"Of course, I have the money!", he said warmly to the lady in front of him. "Well, not on me, of course – too many thieves on the road, these days... But a lightning trip to Greenarm, and it'll be all yours!"

Lady Berryshade eyed him up and down, clearly suspicious. She didn't like strangers, especially strangers who didn't pay upfront, but he was a friend of Drakd the blacksmith, and that meant something. Mostly that she could always get her money from the smith if the newcomer failed to come back.

"Get your friend Drakd here, and if he vouches for you, I might let you go back to Greenarm without unleashing the guard against you."



Getting Drakd to vouch for him hadn't been as easy as he would have liked, but Jericho was now safely back on the road, without further trouble from the old innkeeper. She was a though businesswomen, this lady, and for a moment, he had feared she wouldn't believe him at all.

Now, on those 20 coins he hadn't, in Greenarm or anywhere else. Jericho didn't plan on not paying the lady, far from it; he liked to keep his business as honest as possible, at least with the civilian. But he had really needed a room for a couple of day, and he knew no one would have taken him in if he had admitted upfront that he was broke. But he could earn that money quickly, and come back to pay off his debt.

Greenarm was at least three days away, and Jericho took the first road west as soon as he was out of sight from Craftholly. He could reach Springweed by sunset, and he would have plenty of time there to find a couple of well-paying quick jobs, and be back at Lady Berryshade's by the end of his week-long imaginary trip. He knew a guy, as one would say.



"I'm sorry, Jericho, but the client said the goods were damaged at delivery", Roscoe shrugged when Jericho came to receive his payment. His deserved payment for a well-done job.

"That's bullshit, Rosc. They were in the exact same state I found them in at the garrison. You know I don't mess with deliveries."

He shouldn't have accepted to work for Hogait in the first place; the man was known to con his workers. But there hadn't been as many jobs in Springweed as Jericho had thought, and stealing those powder crates in the garrison building hadn't been the only one paying enough for him.

"I know that, Jer, but it doesn't change the fact that he didn't gave me the money."

"Maybe he didn't have it at all." There was no way he would let that pass. "I'm gonna pay Mister Hogait a little visit."

He turned on his heels and headed for the door.

"Don't tell him you got his name from me!", Roscoe called after him.



The twentieh coin fell in Lady Berryshade's open hand with a soft metallic noise.

"And here are twenty perfect coins for a perfect innkeeper", Jericho said with a charming smile.

After a few threats, Hogait had been quite cooperative. He didn't had the money, as Jericho had suspected, but a very nice golden pen had provided enough coins after a little selling on the side.

Lady Berryshade half-smiled, with the face of a woman who had tamed her fair share of charming men. "And right on time. It was a pleasure to hve business with you, Mister Jericho. Next time, though, I would rather you pay upfront, young man."

"Whatever you wish, my lady", Jericho replied with a bow.

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