Strange Love 96 BEaST OF INFORMATION

The stale air of the bar combined with a pungent mixture of salt air, wet dog, and regurgitated ale. Arei wrinkled his nose as he adjusted the cuffs of the blouse he'd borrowed from Orion. "I'll not be sticking it to anyone from this place tonight... come to think of it, I'd much rather share quarters with the horses."

Orion grunted as the smells assaulted his nostrils. "Couldn't fault you there." He said as he made his way to the bar. His eyes roamed around the inebriated faces of the patrons as he weaved his way through the dim candlelit room.

Arei leaned against the bar beside Orion. "So what's the plan, then?" He asked nodding his head slightly to the bar wench as she handed him a large pint of ale and gave a large gap-toothed grin. He tried to fight down the repulsion as he smiled back at her.

Orion shrugged a massive shoulder as he guzzled down half the ale in one long drag. He gulped down several large gulps holding his index finger up at Arei. Once the pint was empty save from foam he slammed it down on the wooden bar and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, letting out a long growl. "Find the oldest, drunkest sailor here and... get him drunker... there's only one thing more talkative than a woman after sex, and that a drunk sailor."

Arei laughed arching his brows mischievously, "Sure you don't want to increase those odds and take a drunk sailor to bed?"

Orion snarled his upper lip as the door opened again bringing with it a breeze carrying the same pungent smell as when they walked in. "I'll have to agree with you on the standards of mates here tonight."

"Suit yourself..." Arei said as he finished his drink and tapped it on the bar top to get the wench's attention. "Three more, Dear, and keep them coming." He watched as the woman filled the pints and slid them back to him. Taking them he turned to Orion holding two of the three mugs out to him. "So who will be the lucky recipient of free drinks tonight?"

Orion nodded toward a lone older man by the open windows. "Him over there... Looks lonely and the bit of fresh air from those will be nice." He nodded toward the open windows as he took both the other mugs. He led the way to the man's table setting the drinks down on the table as he asked, "Mind if we join you?"

The old man sized them both up for a few seconds longer than needed before nodding and kicking out the two chairs opposite him. "Ye boi's ain't from 'round here are ye?" The old man asked in busted Latin indicative of a lifetime on the seas.

"No Sir we are not." Arei answered in his velvet, soothing voice as he settled into the chair and pushed the extra mug toward the old sailor.

"We were thinking maybe you would be the one to talk to about these parts... We're... hunting in the area." Orion said sticking as close to the truth as he could.

Drunk as he was the old man studied them with wise, keen eyes. "Boi's comin' 'round here lookin' like yuns surely ain't hunting fer nuthin' I'd be knowin' 'bout." He nodded and took the drink. "But I thanks ye for the ale."

Arei and Orion exchanged glances as Orion began to speak but Arei cut him off. "Then could you be kind enough to... advice us of areas to avoid."

"Humm..." The old man mumbled as he rubbed his stubbly chin still looking Orion and Arei over as if there was something more just below the surface to see. "Yea, I kin do 'dat. Me throat's a bit parched still, though."

Orion lifted his large hand for the barmaid to bring more ale as Arei nodded and leaned in. "What's the word on the seas? What areas should we avoid."

The old man waited patiently to reply, watching as the barmaid made her way over to their table and sat the full mugs down. He grabbed one and began greedily drinking down the amber liquid. When he finished that one Orion pushed his untouched mug toward the old man and he accepted it at once. Finally finishing over half of the third mug, the old man wiped his stubbled chin and sighed in contentment. "Been a good while since I've had enough coin in me pockets to get good and drunk, ye boi's keep'em coming and I'll tell ye what you ask to know... and what ye not be askin'." He replied with a nod. "Big, strappin' boi's like yuns, aren't in these parts lookin' for a simple hunt. Da beast ye be huntin' be something far more than most men ever wanna see by chance, save aside go lookin' fer." He narrowed his eyes when the two large men exchanged looks. "What's ye names?"

Arei shot Orion a surprised look, but Orion calmly cleared his throat and answered. "We would prefer not sharing our names if you don't mind."

The old man sat back in his chair taking another long swig of ale. "What's da harm in sharin'em with an old man like meself, doubt I'd even 'member them by mornin'." He finished the pint and set it back on the table with an echoed thud. His eyes held steady as he waited for Orion to signal over the maid and smiled when three more large mugs were set on the table again. "I'd feel bedder 'bout divulgin' me secrets if I's knew who I was tellin'em to." His keen eyes never waivered from Orion's.

Arei was the one to break the silence. "I am Areion and this is my brother Orion. You can trust us with this information. It is our god-given tasks to hunt these beasts." He glanced at his brother when a sharp boot hit his shin from under the table. He flexed his jaws as he gritted his teeth. "It's fine, brother, we ask him to trust us, then we must offer him some trust in return."

The old man sat back a pleased smile curved his lips revealing several missing teeth and discoloration of the few remaining. "Smart boi, ye are." He nodded toward Orion. "Ye should hed his advice more often." He finished his drink and Arei's as well before clearing his throat and leaning forward to begin his tale. "Da creature you hunt is da KRAKEN!" He emphasized the name on a hushed whisper.

The brothers exchanged questioning glances before turning back to the old man and asking in unison. "Kraken?"

"Aye, da Kraken! Da beast dat be draggin' all dem ships down to Davy Jone's locker, plunders'un all." The old man spoke with a new, lively animation. "It be a mighty creature, longer'en three sturdy vessels un' able to snap a mast with da whip of but a single tentacle." He shook his head. "Da men lost to Davy Jones be da lucky ones... da beast has two mighty barbed tentacle sides the other eight un' a mouth on its underside lined with a 'hundred razor-sharp rows of teeth." He hung his head and shook it sadly. "Ain't no 'scapin' it, boi's. Ye best turn back now, while the gettin's good." He raised his steady gaze to them waiting to read their reactions.

"I've taken down many monsters. I fear this will only be the latest in a long line of more to come." Orion answered matter-of-factly, no sign of worry or dread written across his ruggedly handsome face.

The old man laughed, "I reckon you'd be right, Orion son of Posideon, Great Hunter." His smile faded as his wise eyes held Orion's. "Know this, son's of Posideon, the creature you seek has the wisdom of age and the cruelty of abandonment... Even the like of you are no match for the power bestowed of the curse." With that, the old man released a long sigh and pushed up from the table. "May da gods favor ye, fer ye gonna need it." He nodded to each of them as he grasped the edges of the table for balance. "Gettin' late da sirens be stirrin' soon enough." He didn't say anything else as he turned a began to stumble toward the door. He stopped and nodded down at a small child as she entered the bar as if it was the most normal thing to see in the world.

Orion watched as the small child tugged and twisted her hair as she glanced around the room. "Surely she's looking for a parent..." Orion said as he followed her gaze around the room.

"Who knows. Look around, this place doesn't seem to be the most upscale location." Arei said as he pushed himself up from the table.

Orion turned his attention to his brother. "Where are you off to?" He asked in question.

Arei shrugged, "Following that old man's lead and calling it a night. It was tiring work carrying your heavy ass all this way, you know."

Orion grunted in response. "You didn't find anything about that old man a bit... off-putting?" He thought back over the conversation and the way the old man's eyes seemed to burn into him. A cold chill ran up his spine.

Arei patted Orion's shoulder, "Ponder all night if you must, but I'm off to find a bed." He held his hand up to get the barmaid's attention as he walked past the small child and toward the maid only pausing momentarily to nod down at her. He furrowed his brows at the sight of her mesmerizing large, aqua eyes, fighting it ignore the strange pull, almost an attraction to the little girl. He shook his head to disperse the fog growing there and turned his attention back to the maid. "A room, please, and a hot bath brought up." He tossed her some coins as he headed for the stairs.

Orion carefully blew out the candle-lit lamp in the center of the table and let the shadows engulf him as he continued to watch the small girl. It hadn't taken long for others to notice her. A slight man approached her and after a short conversation, nodded to the others at his table and they all followed the child out the doors. As Orion began to push himself up from the table a full mug clanked down onto it. The barmaid laughed as she followed his worried gaze to the headful of silvery-white strands of hair with turquoise highlights matching the sparkling waters of the west shores. "Don't worry about her, hun." She clucked her tongue suggestively as she continued speaking, running one hand along his hard abs. "She is here this time a night frequently. She let her eyes rove over him openly. "We all got needs, ya know." She stood back retrieving a key from her cleavage. "I thought maybe you and I could share a room tonight."

Orion glanced back to the door, but the child was no longer in sight nor the men who had followed her out. He considered following after her himself for a moment, but the persistence of the barmaid's bold hands won him over. He took the key and nodded down to her, letting her guide him toward the stairs once she took his large hand.

Chapter end