The star of Morcyth ms-5 Read online

  They finish their morning meal quickly and are soon on the road. As they pass by the last of the buildings James sees someone standing against the wall of the last building, staring at their party. It’s the woman who the night before the innkeeper told to leave his place. When she notices him looking at her, she turns and runs away. Not looking back, she goes around the corner behind the building and is soon out of sight.

  Odd, he muses to himself. Dismissing it as the vagaries of humanity, he returns his attention to the road ahead. Dave beside him begins whistling a tune from their world and he soon joins in.

  The next two days fly by fast. By the end of the fourth day, the walls of Cardri come into sight. When the view first appears before them, James can hear a gasp from his friend Dave. Turning toward him, he sees the awe in his eyes. “Told you it was impressive,” he tells his friend.

  “I know,” he replies softly. “But I never expected this.”

  The scene before them is one of breathtaking beauty. Far away on the horizon, the sun lies low near the ocean, its light a dazzling display of sparkles upon the water. Ships of every size are either at anchor at one of the many docks lining the shoreline or upon the water under sail. The walls of the castle itself gleam in the light and the city surrounding it sprawls for miles in every direction.

  To Illan, James says, “There’s an inn called the Silver Bells located within the second wall. I know the proprietress and it would be a good place to stay while we’re here.”

  Shrugging, he says, “One place is as good as another.”

  A branch of the Kelewan River flows to the east around the city before emptying into the sea. Just as they are about to ride onto the bridge spanning the river, Fifer points off to the east and exclaims, “Illan!”

  In an area adjacent to the river, sits a large encampment of tents. The pennant flying from the largest of the tents bears the Empire’s insignia. “What are they doing here?” James asks.

  “I don’t know,” replies Illan as he glances at him, a worried expression upon his face.

  “Can’t have anything to do with me could it?” asks James.

  “I wouldn’t think so,” he says. “Best to give them a wide berth. No sense looking for trouble.”

  “I agree,” replies James. To the rest he adds, “While we’re in town, keep your ears open for what they may be doing here.”

  “You got it,” replies Miko.

  Just knowing they’re over there gives James a bad feeling. What could they be here for?

  The evening crowd moving through the gates into the city is not very busy and they soon reach the gates. After a few brief questions by the guards on duty, they’re waved on through. Somewhat familiar with the layout of Cardri, James takes the lead and they work through the city to the gates in the second wall.

  As they approach, the guards have them pause. “What business do you have here in Cardri?” one of them asks.

  “I have an audience with the king,” replies James. “Plan to stay at the Silver Bells while I’m here.”

  Nodding, the guard steps back and waves them on through. Passing to the other side, he gets his bearings and turns down the street in the direction of the Silver Bells. He’s not exactly sure he went the right way and when he sees the three silver bells hanging in front of the inn, he breathes an internal sigh of relief.

  He brings them to a stop when they reach the front and then dismounts. “You stay here, I’ll be right back,” he tells the others. While he moves to the front door, they dismount.

  Opening the door, he enters the inn and it’s just as he remembers it. Clean and opulent, expensive too if he remembers correctly. Off to one side, he sees Miss Gilena berating one of her workers over some infraction the poor man made.

  “…think they grow on trees?” she asks the miserable looking man. “Next time be more careful or I’ll take it out of your pay. Understand?”

  “Yes ma’am,” he says dejectedly.

  “Now go about your work,” she tells him. He then turns and leaves, carrying a bundle of tablecloths. Turning, she sees James approaching and breaks into a broad, warm smile. “Well bless my soul,” she says, coming toward him. “I didn’t think to see you again so soon.”

  “I have business here and am in need of three rooms,” he tells her.

  When she reaches him, she wraps her arms around him and proceeds to give him a big hug. Disengaging himself from her embrace, he steps back a moment and asks, “Has Perrilin been by lately?”

  Shaking her head, she says, “No. Most likely up to no good again. I swear that man can’t keep himself out of trouble.” She begins walking over to the counter where she keeps the room keys.

  James takes out the golds she’ll need for the rooms and has them ready before she produces the keys for the rooms.

  “You remember eh?” she asks with a smile. Taking the golds, she gives him the keys.

  “I would be hard pressed to forget my last experience in your fine establishment,” he says.

  Laughing, she replies, “True. So, what brings you to Cardri?”

  “The king sent a summons for me to appear before him,” he replies.

  “Why?” she asks, the smile fading from her eyes. “Nothing wrong is there?”

  Shrugging, he says, “I don’t know. I was simply told to present myself before the Royal Court.”

  “I hope it goes well,” she says, a worried expression now upon her face.

  “Me too,” he agrees. “Be back in a bit,” he tells her as he turns to rejoin his friends out front.

  “Good to see you again,” she says.

  “You too,” he replies just before exiting through the door.

  Out front, the others turn toward him as he leaves the inn. “We’ll take the horses around back and get them settled in,” he announces. “In the morning, I’ll go up to the castle to find out what’s going on.” Taking the reins of his horse, he leads them around to the stables.

  Back by the stables, Gunther the stableboy shows them which stalls will be theirs. Once the horses are secured within their stalls, he gets pails of grain ready for each and then starts currying them.

  James and the others make their way to the inn and enter through the back door. Taking the stairs, they head up to their rooms where they get settled in before going downstairs for dinner.

  Miko is somewhat put out about having to share a room with Jiron. He would rather be sharing one with James, but his friend Dave has that honor. “I don’t see why he has to always get to be with James,” he complains to Jiron.

  Turning to him, Jiron explains, “They’ve known each other a long time, far longer than any of us have known him. Besides, he still doesn’t speak the language very well though he is doing better.”

  “I can’t believe you’re actually defending him,” states Miko.

  Getting a slightly angry look on his face, Jiron says, “I’m not defending him, merely answering your question. I don’t like him.”

  “Neither do I,” admits Miko. “I try to get along with him for James’ sake.”

  “I know,” he says.

  Knock! Knock!

  “Come in,” hollers Jiron. James opens the door, his friend Dave is standing in the hall behind him.

  “We’re heading down for something to eat,” he tells them. “You guys want to join us?”

  “Sure,” says Miko as he heads for the door.

  “Be down in a minute,” replies Jiron.

  “Alright,” says James as he steps aside to allow Miko to pass into the hall. “See you in a bit.”

  Illan and Fifer have just come out of their room and they all go downstairs where they find a table large enough for all of them. Several minutes later, Jiron joins them.

  They order their food and are soon enjoying a meal of spiced ham, bread and assorted vegetables. A group of four musicians take the stage and before long the room is filled with rollicking music.

  James sits back and enjoys himself, listening to the musicia
ns and watching them play their instruments. From all around him, the buzz of conversation is subdued as they all wish to hear and enjoy the music of the musicians. From out of the buzz, one comment is overheard from a man sitting just behind him.

  “…hear the Empire’s ambassador is seen going to the castle regularly the last few days.”

  “I heard that too,” the other man at the table says.

  Turning around, James asks them, “Did you just say there’s an ambassador from the Empire here?”

  Somewhat taken aback at his interrupting their conversation, one man says, “It isn’t polite listening in on other people’s conversation.”

  “How rude,” the other man says with an annoyed expression.

  “Sorry,” apologizes James and turns back to his own table.

  He feels a tap on his shoulder and turns to find one of the men looking at him. “But yes, there is an ambassador from the Empire here, has been for a little over a week.”

  “That’s right,” says his friend, nodding in agreement. “Why he’s here isn’t known though, but the popular rumor is that they want us to join their fight with Madoc.”

  His friend laughs at that, “Like that would ever happen.”

  “Thank you,” replies James.

  The man nods his head and then resumes his conversation with his friend, this time keeping their voices slightly softer to avoid being overheard again.

  Leaning close to Illan, he asks, “Did you hear that?”

  “Yes I did,” he says. “If you figure the time it took the herald to reach The Ranch and how long it took us to get here, then we could assume he was dispatched shortly after the Ambassador’s arrival.”

  “What could that mean?” asks James.

  “Not sure,” he replies, “but you’ll find out soon enough tomorrow.”

  “I suppose,” states James. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Dave give out with a big yawn.

  “Tired?” he asks his friend.

  Nodding, Dave says, “I think I’ll head up and go to sleep.”

  Handing him the key, he says, “Alright, I probably won’t be up for a couple of hours.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” replies Dave. “I’ll be dead to the world in a short while.”

  As Dave leaves, Jiron watches him go with some delight. “I thought I’d take Fifer and we would tour the bars tonight and see what we could find out.”

  “Not a bad idea,” agrees James. “See if you can discover any more rumors regarding the Ambassador’s visit.”

  “Will do,” states Jiron. Getting up, he glances to Fifer and says, “Ready to go?”

  “Always,” he says.

  They move away from the table and head out the door.

  Illan, Miko and James remain at the table late into the evening enjoying the music. Once he starts yawing, James gets up and heads to his room where he hears Dave’s snores coming from within before he even opens the door.

  Getting undressed in the dark, he slips into the other bed and quickly falls asleep.

  Jiron and Fifer leave the Silver Bells and head to the outer section of the city. There they’ll find the more disreputable establishments where rumors flow more readily. Never staying very long in any one place, they have a few drinks while listening to the conversations around them. Once in awhile asking a few discreet, innocent questions before moving to the next.

  By the fifth such dive, they have accumulated rumors ranging from an attempt to kidnap/assassinate the king to an arranged marriage between one of the king’s daughters and a noble within the Empire. All of which seems rather implausible. The most improbable story yet is how the Empire is here to open a slave market within Cardri where they can sell the slaves taken in their war with Madoc. How that one started, no one seems to know and few believe. One man said, ‘It’ll be a cold day in hell before that ever happens’.

  They wander outside the outer walls and plan to hit some of the seediest places yet. The first one they enter must have been standing a very long time. The walls are slightly slanted and most of the windows are boarded up. The odor and density of the smoke within makes it hard to breathe.

  Moving to the bar, they order a couple drinks and set about drinking as they take in the clientele. Most are what Jiron would call sewer rats, little more than drunkards and layabouts. The fact that they’re even in a place like this tells him all he needs to know.

  One man sitting at a table near them, who only has one hand, catches Jiron glancing in his direction. That is all the excuse he needs. Getting up from his chair, he moves toward him and says, “I don’t like the way you’re staring at me!”

  The other patrons perk up at that. “No trouble tonight, Lonn,” says the barkeep from where he stands behind the bar.

  “I’m not looking for trouble, mister,” Jiron says to him. “I apologize if I’ve bothered you in any way. I assure you it was not my intention.”

  “You think I don’t know what you’re thinking about ol’ Lonn?” the man asks, anger beginning to build in voice. “Poor ol’ Lonn. One handed he is and good for nothin’!”

  Jiron can smell the liquor on his breath. He’d like nothing better than to put Lonn on the floor, but he doesn’t want to do anything that could come back to James. “I’m not thinking anything like that,” he says, trying to diffuse the situation. “Here,” he says as he produces a coin out of his pouch, “let me buy you a drink.”

  “I ain’t no drunk!” he says, now enraged. Using his one good hand, he takes a swing at Jiron’s jaw.

  Easily anticipating what Lonn was going to do, he blocks the attack and follows through with a punch to the jaw. The blow snaps his head backward and Lonn stumbles into a table with three men. He smashes the table, tossing the men’s drinks onto the floor, one which spills across one of the men’s shirt in the process.

  “Get them!” the man cries as he and his two buddies launch themselves at Jiron and Fifer.

  Fifer flashes a grin to Jiron as he moves to meet the oncoming men. Both he and Jiron are veterans of the fight clubs back in the City of Light and readily wade into the men. The first man approaching Fifer soon finds himself lying on the floor several feet away, blood running out of his nose from where Fifer had connected with a roundhouse.

  Jiron joins the fray as he deflects an uppercut from one individual while striking out with his foot at another. Fists and feet flying, he and Fifer mow them down quickly and it’s over before it even begins.

  Standing back to back, they look around at the men lying on the floor groaning. When no others move to join the fray, they relax and return to the bar to finish their drinks.

  “Sorry about that,” replies Jiron to the barkeep behind the counter.

  “That Lonn’s a hothead alright,” he says. “You boys sure know how to handle yourselves.”

  “Thanks,” says Fifer with a grin.

  “Would you be interested in making a little extra money on the side?” the barkeep asks.

  Shrugging, Jiron replies, “Maybe, what do you have in mind?”

  “There’s this group of individuals who are looking for someone to fight their champion,” he says. “They would pay pretty well, whether you win or lose.”

  “What kind of fight?” asks Jiron, interested. “Fists or weapons?”

  “If you fight with weapons, you get more,” he says. “But you can choose either way.”

  Jiron looks to Fifer who’s wearing a grin. “When would this take place? I’m not sure how long we’ll be here,” he tells him.

  “Tomorrow night,” he says. “Would you boys be interested?”

  “Possibly,” says Jiron. “Where would the fight take place?”

  Gesturing behind him, he says, “Out back. There’s a small lot behind us that’s fairly clear. We’ve held fights like these out there from time to time.”

  Nodding, Jiron says, “How much?”

  “Weapons, you get a gold,” he says. “Just fists, two silvers.”

  “Win or lose?�
�� he asks.

  “Win or lose,” the barkeep replies.

  Nodding, Jiron says, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

  “Great!” the barkeep says excitedly. “Just two hours after sundown tomorrow night.”

  “I’ll be here,” he says. Then glancing to Fifer, he nods his head to the door as he begins making his way out of the inn. Fifer downs his drink and moves to follow. Lonn and the others are just now beginning to get up off the floor.

  After they leave, Lonn gets up and moves over to the barkeep who slides a silver across the counter to him. “Thanks,” he says.

  Picking up the coin, Lonn grins and says, “Anytime.”

  Chapter Five

  The following morning when they all meet down in the common room for breakfast, Jiron and Fifer tell them of the rumors they discovered the night before. They do not tell of what transpired at the inn or the fight later in the evening. Jiron told Fifer to keep quiet about that, he didn’t think James would like it, much less approve.

  “There was no mention of you from anyone we talked to,” Fifer tells him. “Most of the rumors were really quite farfetched. I don’t think anyone really knows what they’re doing here.”

  “Miko,” James says after mulling over what they said for a few minutes, “you’re good on the streets. See if you can find out what’s going on.”

  “Will do,” he says, glad to be of help.

  “What are you planning to do about going to see the king?” Illan asks.

  Before James has a chance to reply, Jiron breaks in and says, “About that. The Royal Court convenes in the afternoon, we did find out that much.”

  “Afternoon?” muses James. “Good, maybe I’ll be able to track down Ellinwyrd and see if he knows anything before I go.”

  “How are you going to do that?” asks Jiron.

  “Go to the gates to the castle area and request an audience,” he explains. “Last time I was here he said I could stop by anytime.”