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The sky pirate’s creed is a code of honor Leofard keeps close to his heart as if it were a badge of its own.
It has been a direct gift given to him by his mother, the very one that handed him the course of his life. She watches over him, she lives in his spirit of freedom. He wouldn’t squander it by being the type of sky pirate that tarnished all they stood for. He’d soar the skies, free as his mother had wanted him to, without any baggage or regrets.
This meant that he had to find his own footing the hard way… But he knew better than to work harder if he could work smarter.
The best place to be, to connect with numerous folk in friendly banter that would soon turn to hearty negotiations could only be a tavern – or just a place that sold alcohol as its focal point. What better tavern than The Forgotten Knight at Ishgard’s Brume?
Whenever he wasn’t busy working at his ship, he’d take the chance to drink an ale or two with faces he had not seen before or people he had yet to meet in person. It was a tried and tested method that hadn’t failed him yet. The more he interacted with people at the tavern, the more connections he established, having no need for thievery to gain what he needed, instead gaining sweet deals here and there as well as business buddies that would have his back for moons to come.
This is exactly what happened on that particularly tranquil night.
Leofard had surmised this night would be slow, its dullness already rubbing against his eyelids. He was sure to fall asleep at the table then and there when someone bursted in the upper door and down the stairs, voice high-pitched and loud, with a frantic tone that he assumed meant the man was in a hurry of sorts.
“Gibrillont, please, one of your best drinks, old boy.” The man said before arriving at the bar table, glancing upon the quiet customers at each seat. There, he spotted one that raised his glass towards him, inviting him to the vacant seat.
“It was about time someone like you livened up the place. It’s been awfully dull all night. Come, take a seat right there, lest you prefer my lap instead?” Leofard spoke, a slight smirk presenting itself as he noticed the young lord’s cheeks turn vibrant. Gibrillont sighed and rolled his eyes, serving the man the drink, gesturing for him to go ahead.
It seemed another one would bite the dust today, after all.
Emmanellain walked with poise, trying his best to hide the nervousness that had spurred from the sudden words of the man he had yet to meet. The closer he got to him, the more he noticed his demeanor, his inviting nature and the fact that he was truly handsome to boot. Ah, why was he recently meeting people like that, especially ones who got on his nerves one way or the other?
Sitting down on the vacant chair, he raised his glass towards the other’s clinking them together before drinking them whole. Leofard gestured for Gibrillont to serve them another round before placing his glass on the table and resting his chin on the back of his hands.
“So, what brings such an important lord around these parts?”
“Ah, well, I am not one to ignore the chance for a drink whenever possible. Especially when I have reasons to celebrate!”
“Oh? Has the lord been enhancing his craft as of late? Interesting… Do tell .” His voice grows raspy, the glint in his concealed eyes showing the interest he had voiced, a tad more risqué than one would expect from such a casual conversation. Emmanellain is quick to catch on to the difference in tone. He gulps audibly, were all of these shady looking men this indecent, he wondered quietly. But, soon enough, the second round of drinks arrives and he is pridefully speaking about his recent negotiations with one Sicard.
“He may be a bit of an irritable bandit , but he has a good eye when it comes to forming business deals with the best of people available. So, of course he struck a deal with me quickly.”
“I see. So you reached a kind of agreement with this man?” He had heard a bit of the pirate in question. Yes, he used to be quite the character, honoring – or rather, dishonoring, depending on the perspective – the name pirate by being much more brutal than the other Lominsans had attempted to be. It seemed things had calmed down after a while, though Leofard had no idea of the reasons behind it. Yet, though their ideals were practically opposites, if he could gain something easily from the man before him, he wouldn’t mind if it came from the ‘irritable bandit’ who had supposedly experienced a change of heart. “Oh, y-yes, that I did! He gifted me stunning armor samples for me to sell to customers, you see!” Why was it that he could visibly see him sweating the moment he mentioned he had been gifted armor samples? Could it be…? Ah...
Of course, even this man was a pirate in and of itself, it seemed. Should he say, a man of business? Yes, maybe that’s the way to go about it. Well, serves Sicard right for all the wrong he had done before, Leofard thought. Surely he wouldn’t miss a handful of armor samples, right? Plus, Leofard and the Redbills could use some new armor. Better yet, good armor that they could get at a reasonable price that the lord before him could surely provide. Keeping his smirk intact, he glanced over at the next round of glasses they hadn’t touched yet.
Surely, one more drink and the other would loosen up even more. Leofard couldn’t deny that the drinks were getting to him as well. Did Gibrillont interpret ‘his finest drink’ as his strongest one, instead? Well, that only made matters as easy as they could be hard. He had to strike before the other man lost himself to the alcohol.
“Well then, I must say our encounter must’ve been predetermined by The Fury herself for me and my Redbill companions are in need of good, new armor for our next endeavors.”
“Ah, then of cou–...” Emanellain pauses, placing down the glass before he could even drink a little more, his mouth agape the moment he registers the title the other had mentioned. His body language turned just as frantic as it had been once he arrived at the tavern, more a sign of nervousness, than rush, Leofard could surmise.
“Redbill? You mean… Redbill as in sky pirates Redbills?”
“Oh? Did I forget to present myself to you? My manners have been quite lacking these days, I believe you’ve caught me off-guard. Yes, I am Leofard of the Redbills.” He outstretches his hand over the table, gazing with delight at the dumbfounded Fortemps.
“I–” he stops himself, stuttering before finally showing a triumphant smile. “That’s perfect! Of course, I’d be more than happy to provide you with those beauties, old boy!” It truly was the best outcome for him, as if Halone herself had smiled at him for his… robbery, or rather borrowing as he preferred to identify it. He quickly clasped his hand against the sky pirate’s, a wide smile and a quick shake before he stopped on his tracks as the other pulled his hand in for a small and quick kiss.
“I believe we shall have a most wondrous bargain then, pretty lord. I’m expecting a handsome discount, almost as handsome as you, preferably.”
Maybe it was the ale, maybe it was how easily he could make the other man get so flustered, maybe both and something intrinsic about his own way of being that pushed him to do and say such words with ease. He had seen how Sicard and Emmanellain interacted, their looks and subtle touches, the way they drew themselves to each other, even though it shouldn’t have been as easy with how different they both were… Yes, he quite liked it and, of course, he’d get a piece of the fun if even for a little amusement. After all, he wasn’t one to catch the prey of another, but he wasn’t one to hold back from playing because of it, either.
The most important part of this was that he had struck yet another advantageous business with yet another unfamiliar face – or rather one he hadn’t interacted with directly. The Forgotten Knight really was the place to be for negotiations.
Afterwards, it was smooth sailing for the night, as the two kept themselves company with banter and ale to hold them all throughout… and the aid of one exacerbated Gibrillont to see them out once they passed out on the table.