Belmont Family/Salem/Argyle: A Hunter's Tale

[Date Unknown] Somewhere in Nascot, Sir Salem sits in his tent, reading a few letters, slowly nursing a glass of rum, and contemplating his death. This is just a ritual of his. Scanning things he doesn't care much about while drinking something a competitor crafted. The thoughts of death were just a daily thing for him. For the last ten minutes, he had read the same paragraph about seven times, having not even remembered who the letter was even from. Turns out, it had the King's seal. But he'll probably never re-investigate. He's far too busy being cynical. A younger soldier, one of the newest recruits from Perdan makes way into the tent with yet another letter. He hands the mail to Salem and speaks.

"Someone's here to speak with you, Sir. They're just outside the tent." "Let him in, please, Cayde." "Her." "I'm sorry?" "It's a woman, Ser. Says the matter is rather urgent." "Aye, well...Let her in then." "Yessir."

The first thought he had was that his Captain had hired someone to insist on taking Salem's virginity, which has happened on three occasions, one of them actually being in Nascot. Salem was wrong. The woman was young. Older than him, but still rather young. Late-twenties at least. She had brown hair that cascaded in waves from her head, and eyes about the same color as his rum. She wore simple clothing, like someone who was going day-drinking, but most of it was covered in her cloak. Grey, wool, clasped in the front. He had never met her. But he could swear he knew who she was. She spoke first.

"Sir Salem. It's very nice of you to allow me to speak."

"Aye, Miss..."

"Reighna McCoy, Ser." Yup. He knew her. "I've been led to believe that you knew who my father was."

There was a long pause that Salem was using to continue his usual thoughts of eventual fatality before he finally said, "Aye."

"Had he ever spoken of me?"

"He mentioned having a daughter, but spared me literally every other detail."

"I...I see, well if you wouldn't mind. I was hoping to leave here with some information."

He had far too much time to kill. But if there was one thing that Salem was horrible at, it was talking to people. He once faked being dead in battle, against angry peasants, just to avoid giving further orders to his men. Unfortunately for Salem, this conversation was so far the top highlight of the last seven days. He contemplated being a mime, before eventually caving in.

"What would you like to know?"

"Everything, please."

F**k... There was a lot for him to tell about...But the beginnings are always the worst part, followed by middles, and then endings. He filled his glass a bit more, set the bottle within arm's reach, and began.

"Well, I suppose as your father used to tell me; You're about to f**ken learn today, ain't ya?"