The door of the small hut flew open, letting a gust of cold air into the
otherwise warm room.  Scarecrow walked in, eyes taking in everything at
once.  There were four envelopes on the table, but everything else was as it
always was.
  Scarecrow opened a cabinet in the back to find some dried fruit and meat.
He hadn't eaten in days, so he fished out a hearty portion before sitting
down.
  The food wasn't anything special, but Scarecrow tried to enjoy it.  He
would need all his strength for the road ahead, wherever it took him.
  Finished with his quick meal, Scarecrow snatched up the letters.  The
first three were from his agents, telling him of recent events.  He noted
with mild interest the fact that Tzen had been destroyed by a tornado.  He
paused halfway through the third letter.
  "Akfek?  Still alive?  How interesting."  He read a few more sentences.
"What a blind fool.  He never meant anything to his brother.  Sad indeed."
Scarecrow mused for a moment on misplaced loyalties, glad he had no such
weakness.
  The fourth and final letter was a job offer.  Scarecrow read it through
three times before setting it down.  "Someone must want a new position
pretty bad to pay two hundred thousand."  Scarecrow fully realized what he
could get with that kind of money.
  Scarecrow got up to clean what little mess he had made in the hut.  In
less than half an hour, the small hut looked again as though it had never
been used.  Scarecrow pocketed the envelopes on his way out the door.

   ***********

  Greldex shook his head.  "I told ye, sonny.  The Shade's Anchor is not a
passenger ship.  I would not be taking ye even if this blasted weather
cleared up!"  Greldex waved his hand at the dark clouds brewing on the
horizon for emphasis.
  "I can pay you well," the deep voice emanated from the hood of the
black-cloaked figure.  "It will certainly be worth your while."
  Greldex sighed.  He didn't like the looks of this stranger, and wanted
nothing more than to be rid of him.  "Look, lad, I be doin' ye a favor by
not taking ye.  The storms out there are strong enough to rip any ship in
half!  I wouldn't take anyone out in this weather!"
  "Not even..."  The deep voice lowered to a whisper.  "... an agent of
Scarecrow?"
  Greldex cursed silently.  An agent of Scarecrow!  This was a spot of good
fortune!  Scarecrow's generosity was legendary.  But... he looked back to
the window, where stormclouds still approached.  Was it worth it?
  "Scarecrow rewards those who help him well, even for the smallest tasks.
It will be well worth your while."  The cloaked figure was still whispering,
apparently unwilling to let his presence here be known.  "I can pay you one
thousand right now, plus as much again when the voyage is over."
  Greldex swore again.  Two thousand!  On the best of trips, fully loaded
with expensive spices and silks, he didn't make that much!  It would indeed
be worth his while.  "Just remember to tell Scarecrow I'm doing him a favor,
going out in this weather.  I have one question: why me?"
  The stranger laughed slightly.  "You didn't know?  You own the fastest
ship this half of the world.  What other reason would I need?"
  Greldex sighed.  This weather must be addling his nerves, for him to even
think about going out in this weather.