FINE!

Jak exited the Archives and looked in the direction of his home. He was a little upset that his first job working for the Archives turned out to be a test! The entire mission was to determine his loyalty and dependability. The nerve of them… Testing his resolve. Then reality pushed aside his pride and he began to nod as he made his way through the streets of Swannport. Jak admitted to himself and whispered with a chuckle, “I wouldn’t have trusted me either.”
 
With a smile, he stopped for an apple for Sahm’s Produce cart, and out of habit, a quick look at the Local Posting Board. Greeting folks as he went, Jak was mindful that usually when he was in a good mood, something would come along and snap him out if it. But, until that happened, he was going to enjoy this.
 
Jak almost caught himself skipping. This was a good day. He now had the coin to pay off his landlord. He wanted to see the look on Lunna’s face when he paid his tab. It had been a year and two months. She was a very forgiving landlord. Looking back, Jak realized just how much she helped and supported him. Especially in his failures. And there were many. Lunna was the best. And now, he could make sure she got the coin she deserved. Plus, he had enough to secure his hovel for the remainder of the year.

As he made his way into the docks, he pondered this new feeling sweeping over him. This job with the Archives gave him something he never had before… Security.
 
Walking onto the docks, he bobbed and weaved around sailors, merchants, and other folk mulling about. As he turn around the first block of fisheries, he saw his home. Well, his apartment above the brothel. Yes… Lunna had another job besides being a landlord. There were seven apartments, mostly add-ons over the years that allowed her the luxury of making coin, other than collecting from clients. It was more secure and stable. That was if her tenants paid their rent.
 
Jak entered the tavern side of the Leather Feather and made his way to the stairs in the back. Jak just wanted to get to his room, unpack and pay for a hot bath. Just as his foot was about to makes it first push up the stairs, Jak hear the familiar voice of Lunna, “I really hope you have coin in that cod piece of yours… I’d hate to threaten a strip search again.” Jak smiled as he turned, “Luuuuna! My favorite most, understanding friend!”
 
Lunna was about to respond with a sarcastic response when she was sudden struck silent. She was confused. The smile on Jak’s face was different. It actually looked, sincere!
“What’s wrong Jak?!? What did you do!?!” Lunna just assumed this new look on Jak’s face meant that he had caused certain doom somewhere.
 
“WHAT?!? Jak looked surprised at the outburst.
 
Lunna walked purposefully right up to Jak and whispered, “You seem… Different… Off… not familiar. You seem…?” Lunna got another look of surprise on her face then quickly moved her lips to his ear, “By the Goddess! You have coin!!!”
 
As she pulled away to see his response, she sudden felt a weight on her hip sash she did not have before. The heavily weight coin pouch hung from it as if it had been the whole time. Looking back up to Jak he was already starting to speak, “I think that was the first time I ever GAVE someone a coin purse…”
 
Lunna quickly opened it, making sure it wasn’t another ploy of Jak’s with fake iron bits or something less worthy. When she saw that it was indeed filled with gold and silver coins, she leaned back on her right foot and grinned, “I think this deserves a drink!” As Lunna hid the coin pouch in a layer of clothing, she took Jak by the hand and led him to the bar.
 
“Buy a poor girl a drink Jak?” Jak laughed at the irony of that statement since she had just came into a large amount of coin. He was about to mention such things but then saw her over acted attempt at bating her eyes at him. Many seconds went by at a small contest of wills began. It finally ended as they always did with Jak rolling back his eyes with a loud, “Fine!”