Rhonda
The Pirate King, Bradai Maith
The Breakfast Balcony, the Maith Mansion

 _Men like us._ 

"Mmn," Was what the King said in response, and a few moments later in between bites of orange, "Aye." 

He rolled his head on his shoulders, groaning as his neck popped, once, twice, and three times when he placed his palm against his chin and forced it down. Then he sighed and relaxed into the chair, removing his rings one by one. They formed a gaudy little pile beside his place setting, the gemstones and pearls glimmering in the sunlight.

The Pirate King stood a long, sharp knife and began carving apart a pamelo he plucked from the middle of the table. It was clear he had done it any times before, the way he gripped in his rough hand and twisted it as he lopped off pieces with the blade. When Valkrin took out the bottle of wine, Bradai dropped the fruit and the knife. There was something in his eyes then, something suspicious, something funny.

_"Your_ vineyard?" The Pirate King snatched the bottle of wine by the neck and twisted it around in the sunlight, watching the bubble rise and fall in the bottle through one squinting eye, as if to appraise it's quality. "Well aren't you a proper Terreme Lordling, eh? Inviting me to your vineyard for a walk around tha place?" He said with a smile. 

" 'ave you tried it?" The King unfastened the stopper and passed the open bottle back across the table.
Harvey
Captain Valkrin Farensun 
Balcony, Maith Mansion

"Have I tried it?" Valkrin scoffed, picking up the bottle and pouring a glass. After finishing it, he passed the bottle back across the table. 

"Poison is a coward's weapon, Maith. Besides, my days of regicide are long over, ended with Kelwynd." 

He shifted around in his chair, with nowhere comfortable to fit his tall frame. "I know the feeling, spent a few years wondering if Queen Lane sent anyone after my head. Can't imagine it's any easier as a king."
Rhonda
The Pirate King, Bradai Maith
The Breakfast Balcony, The Maith Mansion

The Pirate King inspected Valkrin closely as he drank the wine, and then the pair sat in complete silence until he had to make a decision: either Valkrin was telling the truth or it was slow acting poison. He had poisoned before, and he did not relish being poisoned again, but there were many reason why he thought he might be able to trust Valkrin's wine. He ran the city watch well enough, he had sworn his swords and the swords of his crews to him during the war, he had no ambitions to be a King or to make anyone else King of the Isles. 

"I wish I 'ad not dismissed my royal taster," The King said, before shrugging and pouring himself a glass. He spun it around, watching it pool around the rim, before taking a sip and letting it rest on his tongue. 

"Hmmph," He pursed his lips and nodded, "It _is_ a good wine. Tell your vintner vhat I like it and I'll take a cask whenever vhey can send it."

Then something funny occurred to him and he laughed. 

"Farensun wine casks in Maith wine cellars. Are we still vhe terrible pirates vhey say we are?" Bradai set the cup of wine down and began to tear apart the flesh of the pomelo with his fingers, feeding himself chunks of juicy pink. He swallowed hard, sighing as he did. "A merchant and a watchman, per'aps."
Harvey
Captain Valkrin Farensun 
Balcony, Maith Mansion

"We're far off from the villains in those stories, aye. Almost feels like all the true pirates are gone, the end of an era." He picked up a fruit he'd never seen before, took a bite, and promptly spit it out into a napkin. "What the fuck is that? It's horrible." 

Valkrin poured some beer into his glass and washed the taste out, picking up a slice of ham instead. "I'll have a few casks delivered to you by tomorrow night. First one at market price, the other two are a gift." 

*A merchant and a watchman.*
Rhonda
The Pirate King, Bradai Maith
The Breakfast Balcony, the Maith Mansion

"Yeah," Bradai said, "I fear not. Tha Lanterns'll tell you anuvher story. Just vhis monff passed a group of pirates lay waste to vheir isle, robbing 'omes, taking slaves and raping women. Vhey killed vheir favher in tha process. And now vhey're in the middle uff a crisis uff succession. It's between a cursed little boy and 'is sister, Jules-Minnow, the _Iron Poet."_ Bradai shrugged, "The Poet 'as asked me to settle the dispute, and I need your 'elp for it." 

The Pirate King poured himself a cup of beer as well, "Vhat's a kumquat, by the way. Too tart to eat on it's own. Squeeze it in rum or tea. Beer if you like. I ravher like vhem."
Harvey
Captain Valkrin Farensun 
Balcony, Maith Mansion

"Did these pirates fly any colors? Any idea of their heading?" Most Scag crews knew to stay well away from the Isles or keep their raids to a minimum. 

Valkrin pondered a moment, trying to think of any major Scag crews that might be near the Isles, but none came to mind. "And what exactly do you need my help with?"