Ewar's made himself near indispensable to Martel in the past few weeks. The young man is hardworking, efficient, and earnest without failing to appreciate Martel's dry humor (after years of working with men and women he held in contempt, this last is just as important). It's probably why he feels secure enough to pose the question--one of many that tend to go unspoken, Martel's reputation being built through rumors and speculation--that he does. "Are you some kind of spy, my Lord?"

Martel doesn't even raise his eyes from the plans he's drawing up, although he pauses long enough to laugh. "Not hardly. Men of my calibre--" he twists it, dark-eyed and smiling, "--haven't any need to do that personally."

It's probably a joke.

(Perraine killed himself, in the end. Krager probably did, too, but Martel's only regret about that soulless drunkard rotting his liver out is that he never had the pleasure of killing him personally, that he'd never had the opportunity to repay his years of service in the only way truly appropriate. Perraine had been a brother once, in a lifetime he'd discarded long before Sparhawk's sword ran him through. Krager had been there when Martel wanted to sell his honor if not his soul; Perraine had been there to fall under his machinations when he was crossing every line left to him.

Poor bastard. Weren't they all? Still.)

He waves a hand. "It's near dark, Ewar. I'll finish this myself."


prompt: would you make a good spy? why? why not? [248]
fandom: the elenium
word count: 244
notes: rp-based. ( ariel is a fucking whore, those are my notes. )