Tadac's Story

Coins jingling gaily in his purse and a jaunty spring in his step, the young dandy hurried down the street. His outfit was at odds with his hurried steps, chosen not for movement but for show. He was clad in tight fawn colored breeches with a deep wine red shirt over top. He wore no tunic or coat but did wear a belt. On it hung his only weapon, an innocuous-looking dagger until it was drawn. Then the wickedly notched and curved blade was revealed. This was not a dagger for eating but for defense and killing. It wasn’t a throwing knife but weighted so it could be used to either knock a person unconscious or run them through. It was designed to cause more pain and damage going out than in. He was unused to weapons and carried it only because it was almost more dangerous for him to go unarmed. This hilt was not decorated with jewels but the wooden hilt had a metal knob on top that had been crafted into the form of an old man’s head. The knob worked especially well when he slammed it into someone’s head.

He had just completed a particularly satisfying job, which accounted for the weight of his purse and the jauntiness of his step. He had earned enough with this job that he could afford a room at a nice inn instead of at the rat-infested hostel he had been staying at. He took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh salty tint of the sea air. This far from the docks there was no sour twang of sweat or bilge but closer, where the hostel he had been forced to huddle was the stench was strong. He would be glad to leave the smell of poverty behind. He might not be rich for long but hopefully he would be for long enough to find another paramour.

He wrinkled his nose as he crossed the unseen boundary into the dock area. As he had walked, the stores and buildings had become more rundown, more downtrodden. Now instead of the deep breaths he had been taking, he breathed shallowly. If he hadn’t needed some of the belongings he’d left at the hostel, he never would have returned, but he needed his clothes and jewelry for his next job.

The owner of the boarding house wasn’t in sight when Tadac entered the front room, a fact he was grateful for. He hadn’t wanted to cause a fight by leaving, although his bill was paid through the week. Soon enough the man would find a sailor or two to take his place and Tadac would gladly leave the room to them.

His room was on the top floor of the three story building, something he had insisted on when he rented it. At least up here the smell of the docks and sweaty men would not permeate his clothes as they would on the lower levels. He ignored the denizens of the lower levels in his hurry to ascend the stairs and gather his belongings. He opened his door and entered the room, shutting the door behind him and blocking it with the lone chair in the room. Quickly he stuffed him belongings into a rucksack, carefully folding his jeweled belt and rings into a silk shirt. Everything else was thrown helter-skelter into the bag in order to allow him to leave faster.

He had almost made it out of the building without running into the owner when he met the man coming in the front door. The owner was a broad but short man who, although he was shorter than Tadac, could still make two of the younger man due to his sheer width. He eyed the rucksack slung over Tadac’s shoulder. “Where ya off to?” he demanded.

“I’ve taken other accommodations. My bill is paid and you can keep the balance.” Tadac tried to brush past the man but the owner blocked his way.

“I’ll not be having ya leave me without a border,” the man snarled.

“You aren’t losing any money, just a body.” Tadac shifted his bag and surreptitiously drew his dagger, hoping he wouldn’t have to use it. “I’m going to leave now, please get out of my way.”

The man glared at him but backed away from the doorway and let Tadac pass through it.

Tadac resheathed his dagger when he had walked a few buildings away and shifted his rucksack so it lay more comfortably on his shoulder. With his former jauntiness restored, he made his way back to the more upscale section of town.

The first three inns he stopped at were either full or too pricey for his tastes. At the fourth one, he finally found a room that was not only to his liking but also a price he felt he could afford for more than a few days. He made the arrangements for the room and a bath and followed the serving girl upstairs.

He watched her behind appreciatively as they climbed the stairs but didn’t respond to her come hither eyes or suggestion that she could wash his back for him. He waited until the girl had left the room to set his pack down and survey the room. It was larger than his last one, although not by much, but almost as barely furnished. A double bed dominated the room, taking up more than half of it. In addition, there was a bureau with both drawers and a cabinet to hang clothes. Opposite that was a sturdy two person table with a single chair. Another chair rested in front of a rug which faced the fireplace.

Tadac unpacked his rucksack, shaking out his clothes to smooth some of the wrinkles and placing them carefully in the bureau. He set his jewelry in the box provided for that purpose, then hid the box in a drawer.

By the time he had finished unpacking, the tub and water had arrived. He supervised the placement of the tub and the filling of it, then pressed a coin into the hand of the lead boy. It was enough money to be shared among the four boys and let them get a treat when they had time off.

After they left, he locked the door and stripped off his clothes. He wasn’t a tall man, about average, and very compact. He wasn’t skinny but had obviously worked at having a sculptured, well-defined body. Looking at him naked, without the draping of a dandy, one might suspect he was a warrior but his hands bore none of the calluses that sword work wrought. Instead they were smooth and pampered, like the rest of him.

The tub was large enough that he could lay back and relax in the water for a few moments before scrubbing himself clean. He didn’t relax for long though since the room had taken on a slight chill with the setting of the sun. As he climbed out, a stuttering knock sounded.

He wrapped a towel about him and went to answer the door. One of the boys who had brought the tub up stood there, an armload of wood balanced precariously. Behind him was the maid from earlier, bearing a dinner tray.

The boy crossed quickly to the fireplace while the girl busied herself with settling the tray on the table. “Are ya done wit your bath then?” she asked.

“Yes. Thank you,” Tadac answered, standing out of the way.

“I’ll have the boys come up and take it away then. No reason for ya to have it taking up space here. Your dinner’s here, nice and hot, so we’ll just take ourselves away and let ya get yourself dressed and enjoy it. The boys’ll take their time getting back up here for the tub.” She was moving the entire time she spoke, a whirlwind in slow motion, finishing up with the table, picking up his scattered clothes and putting them neatly away, turning down the bed covers. She gathered up the towels he had used and dropped and dried the water on the floor, before bundling things together. “I’ll leave you along now.” She shooed the boy out the door ahead of her and closed it behind her.

Tadac pulled on lounging clothes when he was alone again, looser breeches than normal and a loose shirt. Then he sat down to dinner.

Dinner was not the all purpose stew he had been expecting but a small game bird surrounded by vegetables including carrots, onions, and potatoes. The mug on his table contained a strong honey mead and there was also a pitcher of the same. In addition, there was a small stack of about four pieces of bread and a bowl of pudding for dessert. He enjoyed the meal greatly, all the more so because it was unexpected.

He reveled in his solitary meal, something he hadn’t had while working, then left the table and settled in the chair in front of the fire. For a few moments he gazed blankly into the flames, enjoying the warmth radiating off it and the color of the orange and yellow dancing flames. When he felt himself start to drift off, he shook himself out of his reverie and went off the bed.

He was awakened the next morning when a thin, chilly body slid into bed with him. He was instantly awake and alert, opening his eyes to stare into the bold eyes of the maid. Clutching the blanket to him, he rolled off the other side of the bed and quickly wrapped it around himself. “What are you doing there?” he demanded.

She leaned towards him, weight balanced on her arm, the remaining blanket falling to reveal a bare breast. She smiled shyly. “I thought ya might wanna practice?"

Tadac reached behind him and by feel found a pair of breeches. Juggling both blanket and breeches, he somehow managed to pull them on without dropping the blanket and revealing himself to the girl. He didn’t bother with a shirt but leaned over and covered her with the blanket. “Where are your clothes?”

She motioned with her head to the corner by the door, now holding the blankets around her. Apparently her modesty had gotten the better of her because she seemed to be rethinking her position. “Over there.”

He scooped up the clothes and carried them over to her. Handing them to her, he turned his back. “Get dressed.”

A few minutes later she called softly, “Done.”

Tadac was well used to listening to women dress so he knew the girl could not have finished. “Get completely dressed, girl. I know you aren’t. Then I’ll turn around.” He waited until he was sure she was finished and then turned to face her again. A blush had formed on her face while his back was turned and she was studiously avoiding his gaze. She wore clothes similar to what he had seen her in last night, a dark skirt and white shirt under a dark bodice, the shirt sleeves pulled down to bare her shoulders. “What were you thinking would happen if you got into bed with me?” he asked, trying to keep his voice soft and not angry.

“The kitchen girls were talking about ya last night. How you must be a fancy man and all and know all the ways of women. I’ve,” her voice was rushed but faltered now, then she continued on determined to finish, “I’ve neva been with a man. I thought maybe if I had the experience, I’d know how to attract a husband.”

Tadac sighed and looked at the girl. On second thought he decided it was probably better not to be talking to her while half-naked himself; or across a bed. He hadn’t been that naïve for years. He scooped up a shirt, glad he had grabbed the looser breeches he wore for lounging and not one of the pairs he wore while working, and pulled it on. Then he motioned her away from the bed and over to the table. As she settled into the chair there, he dragged the second chair over from in front of the fire. “What’s your name, child?” he asked. “I can’t keep calling you girl.”

She titled her chin and gave him a proud look, all traces of the blush gone now that he was fully clothed. “Allene. My name is Allene and I am not a child. I’m sixteen seasons.”

Tadac winced. She was younger than he had suspected. He briefly thanked Methos that no one had walked in while they were both naked. He toyed absently with the edge of his shirt while he pondered the best approach to take with her. He didn’t want to completely crush her but at the same time he wanted her discouraged and not about to climb back into bed with him. “Allene, you have a beautiful name and it goes well with the beauty of your face. Yes I am a fancy man but do you have any idea what that means?”

“It means you have sex with women and get paid for it,” she told him bluntly.

Tadac was amazed at her bluntness. He hadn’t expected her to state what he did quite so plainly or with so little emotion. So she knew what he did for a living, that didn’t change her age or his preference to choose his own bedmates, not have them chosen for him. Since she did know what he did, he felt a bit more comfortable. She was sixteen seasons though, not yet at the age to hire one like him so he would have to tread carefully. Although he had heard of parents hiring someone like him to bed their daughters before the wedding night, he normally picked bedmates that were unhappily married and looking for an outlet or widows; taking a virgin to bed did not appeal to him. “Allene,” he sighed. “I don’t want to hurt you but I am not interested in you in the way you want me to be.”

She didn’t start to cry, although the tears were evident in her big eyes, and she pulled herself up straighter, as if that could protect her from his words. “You don’t want to take me to bed?” she sniffed.

“No.” Tadac knelt in front of her and took her hands in his, calling on all his knowledge of women and the way they reacted to say the right thing to her now. “You are a gorgeous young girl. Someday you will make someone very happy as a wife but I am not that type of man and I think it should be between you and your future husband whether you come to him as untouched or not. What if I did take you to bed now? What if I picked you up and carried you over to that bed and did what you wanted? What if you then meet a young man much more suited to you and you find out he would have rather been your first? I don’t want that responsibility. So please understand that I am turning you down with that concern and not because I don’t desire you.”

She tugged a hand out of his and dashed it across her eyes, trying to hide the tears that were attempting to leak out. “You have such a pretty way of turning me down.”

Tadac judged it was safe to lay a brotherly kiss on her forehead and did so, telling her as he drew away. “Plenty of practice. Now why don’t you dry your eyes and go about your chores? I have to get dressed and go out anyway. So give me a few moments to clean up and then you can straighten this room.”

She stood up and smiled tentatively at him. “That will be fine. I have some other rooms to tidy first. Will you be wanting a tray so you can break your fast?”

“No. Thank you though. I’ll break my fast while I am out.”

Tadac waited until she had crossed the room and left, closing the door behind her before he let down his guard. He kept expecting her to turn back and throw her body into his arms. When he was sure she was gone, he crossed the room himself and locked and latched the door, something he wouldn’t neglect in the future. He hadn’t expected company in any form while he was here but since it had happened, he didn’t intend to repeat it.

Once he was sure the room was secure, he stripped off his clothes and washed briefly, using the water basin provided for that purpose. He used the small knife he kept sharp to shave off the little bread he had grown overnight so that he was clean-shaven. Then he dressed in working clothes, dark brown breeches and a cream colored shirt today. He added his belt, disregarding both tunic and coat again and slid his dagger into its sheath. He had secreted the dagger under his pillow during the night, its normal place when he slept alone. Dressed and ready to face the day now, he unlatched the door and left his room.

He hadn’t intended to look for a new client quite yet, he had money enough to live on for a few days and he had wanted to take some time off first, but somehow he felt he needed to get out of the inn as soon as possible. He had a feeling that life was going to be increasingly difficult if he stayed much longer.

The best place to find gossip, including which noble women were looking for a distraction, was the marketplace. Tadac hadn’t always lived in this town but he had been here long enough that he knew the location of the market and even which taverns might have the information he was seeking.

The sounds and smells of the marketplace assaulted his senses as he entered the area set aside for it. Unlike most towns, it wasn’t in the center of town but off to one side. One road, which led down to the docks, was wide and lined with cobblestones so that the wagons hauling goods from the ships would have easier passage. Goods were hauled from the docks in good weather and bad which was the reason for the cobblestone. The packed dirt of the other roads tended to become muddy and sloppy in bad weather so the wagons, full of heavy import goods, would become bogged down. The stones prevented this and allowed the ships to keep to their schedules. The other roads, one which led through the city gates and out into the countryside and the one Tadac had taken from the other part of the city, were not used as often in bad weather so were not stoned. Since the farmers rarely came to town in bad weather, there was no need to pave the road they used and the townspeople also tended to stay indoors when the rain came down.

Tadac followed his nose to a nearby cart and purchased a sweet muffin and a small mug of milk to break his fast. He strolled along the roadway, munching on the muffin and studying the citizens of the town that had flocked to market on this bright day. He didn’t expect to meet up with one of his patrons here, few nobles ventured into marketplaces even when they were slumming, but he might make contact with a servant who knew her mistress was looking for a distraction.

He had paused to look at a stall overflowing with scarves and other pretties used to entice young ladies, when he felt the hand at his belt. He spun, grasping for the hand, but the urchin wiggled like an eel and escaped his searching hand. In panic, he reached for his purse and swore viciously when he realized the child had neatly cut the strings and taken off with most of his money. He had left some money in his room at the inn but not enough for more than a day or so. Out of habit, he had carried the bulk of his payment on him, and since he had never been troubled in the marketplace before, he hadn’t bothered to conceal his purse. With a sigh, he realized he was going to have to look more actively for work.

He left the stall behind and made his way across the road to one of the taverns that dotted the marketplace. This one was clean, or at least not dripping with grime and smelling like year old beer, and he had had luck finding work here before. He had stayed longer in this town than in others so when he entered the tavern, he actually recognized some of the inhabitants scattered around the tables. He stepped into the main room, allowing his eyes to adjust to the change in lighting from the bright sun of outdoors to the dimly lit candlelight and lanterns of the tavern. The lighting didn’t encourage people to look to closely at each other but Tadac was looking for a particular person and didn’t need to look too closely. This was not a person one could easily miss.

Tadac made his way over to the bar and nodded at the patrons. He accepted a
mug from the man behind the counter, but didn't take a sip, turning instead
to survey the room. He was looking for a corpulent man dressed in clothes
far too rich for this place. The man was a contact for the nobles who
dabbled with commoners as the mood struck them.

It was not only fancy men, like Tadac, that this man was a contact for, but
also women who had the same trade. Sometimes he acquired jobs for people of other
professions as well. Tadac had never learned the man's name, but there was
someone like him in just about every town. As much as Tadac disliked working
with people like him, he now needed the man's contacts. Tadac left a coin
he had palmed from a neighbor on the bar to pay for his drink and made his
way across the room to the man.

The man sized him up as Tadac neared the table. He knew what the young man
was, even if he didn't know Tadac's name, and he also knew what Tadac would
want. He folded his hands across his rotund belly and waited for the young
whore to make the first move.

Tadac indicated the empty chair at the table with the man and was directed
into it with a nod. He leaned forward once he had settled himself and
addressed the man quietly, "I'm looking for work. I'm sure you know what
kind I mean."

"I might know what you are referring to, but I would need some explanation
from you to be sure we are discussing the same type of work," the man
answered in reply.

Tadac nodded. He had expected that answer or one similar to the one he
received. The man would be as unsure of Tadac as Tadac was of him. By
discussing the situation carefully and laying out the requirements of each
party involved, there would not be any complications when Tadac went to
attend to business. “I’m looking for a patron. A woman, not too elderly, who is looking for a distraction in her life for a few days. I don’t want it to be for longer than a week though if you could possibly keep that in mind.”

“Any particular type of woman?” the man questioned, already beginning to scroll mentally through his list of women that fit what Tadac had told him so far.

“Of course I would prefer a comely woman but I will accept just about any position at this moment.”

“You definitely prefer a woman?” the man questioned.

“I find men do not much associate with the likes of me, but if I must,” Tadac shrugged elegantly. “I must.”

The man tapped his fingers on the table, carefully considering the ladies of his acquaintance and Tadac’s requirements. Finally he nodded. “I do think I have just the lady for you.” He put a hand up and instantly a piece of parchment and a quill were placed in it. He scratched something out on the paper and slid it across to Tadac. “Be there at eighth bell. She will have a light repast prepared and be awaiting you. She looks only for a dalliance for an evening so do not fear for a long engagement. Perhaps five or six bells at most.”

Tadac folded the note in half and tucked it in his belt. “And your payment?”

The man waved it away. “She will take care of that when I send a message to await you.” He turned away, a clear dismissal.

Tadac took the dismissal for what it was and got up from the table. He was very careful not to appear too interested in the customers around the man as he made his way out of the bar.

Once outside, he ducked into a quiet spot and unfolded the paper, shielding it with his body from any prying eyes. On it was written, as he had expected, a single name, Doirean and an address with clear directions. Tadac was familiar enough with the city to know where the address was located. He committed both the memory and then burned the paper in a nearby fire. There was no need to draw attention to himself later by carrying such a paper on his person. Assured now that he would not want for money after this job, since the address was in the wealthiest section of the city, he turned cheerfully for the inn.

He had many bells still before the appointed hour and he planned to use them wisely. He made arrangements with the serving boys for a bath to be delivered in two bells before going up to his room. He let himself in and was nicely surprised to find his bed made with newly washed sheets and the room smelling pleasantly of herbs. He locked the door behind him, stripped off his clothes, and fell into bed, immediately drifting off in a dreamless sleep.

He was awoken exactly two bells later by a knock on the door. Pulling on a loose shirt, that fell long enough to preserve the little modesty he boasted, he opened the door to admit the serving boys and his bath.

Tadac washed leisurely and then exited his bath to prepare for his assignation. He dressed with care, pulling on his most elaborate clothes, that showed off his fit body to advantage. He kept in mind that some of his patrons prefer he strip for them before bedding and pulled on clothes he was able to remove himself. He wore silk underneath it all, not just for the patron but also for himself since the feel of it next to his skin was soothing. Overtop he pulled on a dark red wine colored silk shirt and tan breeches. The breeches molded his body, outlining his trim, muscular legs and other parts that the customer would be most interested in. He pulled a belt on, threading a new purse on to it. This purse didn’t hang off his belt like the prior one. The belt actually slid through the back of the purse, making it all but impossible to cut off. He also secured his dagger to the belt, not sure that he would need it but unwilling to go unarmed into the city at night. He threw a cloak over his shoulders to protect himself from prying eyes and the chill that he knew would be in the air. Satisfied with his preparations, and knowing that the eighth bell would ring soon enough, he let himself out of his room.

He wrapped the cloak around himself as he exited the inn and ducked his head against the wind. He hadn’t bothered with a hat and regretted it but was sure if he returned for it, he wouldn’t have time to make his appointment. He hurried from the area of the inn to the section where his assignation lived.

Although he had been expecting a large house, he wasn’t expecting the mansion he was confronted with when he reached the address he had memorized. It towered above the neighboring houses, standing a good four stories high. Tadac had never seen such an imposing structure. Gilt bordered the many windows that lined the front of the building and edged the lintel above the door. Rich brocades could be seen through the windows, obviously curtains that could be drawn in the evening and protect the inhabitants of the house. He kept his cloak drawn about him and made his way to the door, not the front door that honest visitors would use but a side door for callers such as himself.

When he knocked, he was admitted by a silent servant who motioned for the young man to follow him. Unconcerned with the matters of the household, except with regards to the job he was to complete, Tadac followed without question.

He was led up the back stairs to what in any other house would be the parlor of the master bedroom. Here though it was obviously a secondary bedroom and parlor for the lady of the house to claim as her own. It took up more than a quarter of the huge second floor. Above this floor, Tadac assumed the servants and guests would reside and the nursery would be located. The master and mistress of the house would not dwell on the floor directly below their servants where they would constantly hear them moving about. Inside their guests who visited for a few days would be placed on that floor. In addition to the master and mistress’s suites on this floor, there would be rooms for her lady’s maid and his valet.

A young woman of some breeding was seated on the divan in the parlor. She dismissed the escorting servant with a brief wave and studied the man left before her. Tadac swept a bow in response, tossing back his cloak as he knelt. “My lady Doirean,” he greeted her.

She was younger than he had expected, a pretty buxom girl of no more than seventeen summers, with long lush flowing hair of a tawny gold. She was clad only in a dressing gown and her hair was unfettered and flowed freely down her back. She reclined on the divan as he got to his feet and smiled prettily at him. “Might I know your name first?” she requested in a soft voice.

“I am called Tadac, milady.”

“Such a strong name. Come,” she patted the seat she rested on, “sit beside me and we shall see what comes of it.”

“I was told you required companionship for the evening,” Tadac informed her as he settled himself in the indicated spot after draping his cloak over a nearby chair. “What will you require of me tonight, milady?”

She leaned against him, toying with the ties on his shirt. “Why don’t we see what comes of it?” With hands far more practiced than he would have expected, she undid his shirt and stripped it off of him. She studied his bare chest with undisguised interest. Within minutes, she had divested him of the rest of his clothes. Amazed at the speed she undressed him, he set about making the rest of the experience enjoyable for her.

When she was well-sated, he lifted her from the divan and carried her gently into the other room. He tucked her into bed, drawing the blankets up around her warm, lax body. As he began to slide off the bed, a hand snaked out and latched onto his arm. “Don’t leave,” she murmured.

“You didn’t contract for longer than a few bells, milady. Your time is at an end,” he replied in a quiet voice.

Her voice was drowsy but strong as she answered, “I’ll double your normal night’s pay if you will stay. He will not stay in my bed and I find myself lonely at times.”

Well aware that she referred to her husband, he chose his words carefully. “It is no concern of mine what occurs in this room. If you do not expect your husband tonight and require my services for the remainder of the night, all you need do is pay the fee.”

“The fee will be paid.” She sat up in bed, surprisingly alert and unconcerned with her nakedness. She glanced around the room, then threw the blankets back and slipped out of the bed, padding bare arsed across the room. Tadac watched her in amazement. He had paused before bringing her into bed to pull on his clothes since he had intended to deposit her safely in bed and take his leave. Apparently the lady had other ideas. As she searched through her drawers for something, he reached for his belt.

She turned and tossed two purses at him. He dropped his belt and caught them, almost dropping them again in surprise at the weight. As she watched him with wickedly dancing eyes, he opened them to discover that both were brimming with gold talens. He gaped at them as she spoke, “That should more than cover this evening’s entertainment and the remainder of the night.”

“Milady, this is much more than I deserve. I cannot accept this from you,” Tadac protested.

She ran her hands down her lush curves and grinned saucily at him. “I think you will more than earn it this night.”

Tadac’s own eyes gleamed as he reached for her.

She had just untied his shirt again when the parlor door burst open and a man surged in, sword out and at the ready. Tadac backpedaled away from her in horror as the man came at him, screaming incomprehensibly. He dodged around the bed, scrambling to reach his own dagger and wishing desperately for a sword of his own. He had faced irate husbands before and this was obviously the lady’s husband who came at him with blood in his eye, waving his sword wildly. Tadac knew better than to try to proclaim his innocence, especially with the still naked, now screaming, lady in the bedchamber with him. Instead he scooped up both purses and his belt, which still held his own purse and his dagger and dived for the window.

By some stroke of luck, he managed to grab the tree branch outside the window and only lose his belt. He held on one handed to the branch and tucked the heavy purses inside his shirt. Then he swung nimbly to the ground. He scooped up his belt on the run and scrambled from the yard as quickly as he could.

He slowed his pace when he reached the main streets but still hurried through them. He didn’t greet the innkeeper when he entered the inn but instead went straight to his room and began swiftly packing his personal belongings. Before half a bell had pasted, he was completely packed and on his way out of the inn. He tossed a talen at the innkeeper as he walked again through the main room and exited the inn with all haste.

Tadac always had a plan to leave town quickly and quietly just in case it became necessary. Now he put that plan into action, going to the stable he had inspected a few weeks prior. His bags were packed and ready for travel, all he required was a horse.

A brief discussion and four talens later, he was the thankful possessor of a coal black mare with a sweet disposition and a rapid step. He tied his packs to the saddle, mounted up, and was on the road out of town before the last bell of the night had rung.