Summer, Southport

A fat gray cat was soaking up the sun on the wide window sill....the thick stone walls and the open doors and windows kept it cool in the old inn....High Stone Inn, up the hill from the harbor at Southport.  Walking back from the bar, Ambrey paused to look out the main doors, down towards the blue line of the sea, beyond the ships at anchor, past the swells passing through the narrow entrance to the calm waters of the bay.  Then he went on and sat back down with the others at the worn old oak table.....Ambrey had agreed to act as quartermaster on the expedition that the Lord Baron Castleford was organizing to sail to the Western Lands, to search for some mystical goal Ambrey did not really understand the importance of.....but the Baron had a purse full of gold, that was what Ambrey did understand.  His companions were the first of the recruits for the adventure.....the Baron had wanted some armed men for escort, so Ambrey had contacted his old friend from the Royal Army, Warrant Officer Frank....and Frank had brought with him four stout lads fresh from the campaign the Prince had made last year against the mountain rebels....hopefully this would please the Baron well enough.  There was also to be a cook with a boy, and the Baron himself of course, with his man Brever....and would the mysterious Doctor Drew also have a manservant?  We don't know yet....he doesn't know how may mouths exactly he needs to feed.....perhaps no more than a dozen?  Ambrey must start considering his logistics soon.....the Baron and the Doctor should be here by the weekend, the cook and the boy maybe as soon as tomarrow.....the Baron had written that he was negotiating with a merchant of good repute for the ship passage.....He drank deeply from his pint of ale, and watched idly as the soldiers rolled dice for drinks.....