110 – Team Meeting

  Caspian was now in a bad mood. He did not need to say so, as his mood was evident in his behavior, and Cyrril’s. Rox seemed the most upbeat of the three. Steven was almost as upbeat as Rox. That was part of what set Caspian off.

  Steven opened the discussion, as he opened his lunch he had brought with, and offered some of the vegetables in it to Rox. “What do you think?”

  Rox spread some cheese and a slice of meat on a hunk of bread and bit in. “I think we should trust her, at least as far as she tells us. I have read enough stories about this sort of thing that I think more is going on about her.”

  Steven agreed. “I have read more of that kind than you. She is worth keeping an eye on. If she is honest, she is apparently the best chance we have of getting the kids back that I can see right now. If not, I expect she would be a handful in a fight, but we do out number her.”

  Caspian had drained half of his ale, and was already recognizing that he had made a mistake in not having some food first to settle it. So he tore off a hunk of bread and took his turn with the cheese. Cyrril explored the woodwork above the benches, and then settled down. Caspian spoke as he spread the cheese.

  “I don’t trust her. She appears out of the background. She had just the information we need. She looks too harmless. I don’t sense any magic about her, but the things she says . . . unless she is particularly skilled, she is a talent. Probably also a guildsman.” Caspian was growling this.

  Steven watched Caspian for a bit. “If we invite her along, will you leave, or stay with us?”

  The Caplan’s ate as Caspian chewed and swallowed, each taking turns pulling hunks off the loaf and spreading cheese, and slicing some of the meat to add to the open face sandwich; or eating some of the vegetables from elsewhere.

  Caspian had more of his drink, and then answered. “I will hang around. But I still think this is a mistake.”

  Caspian watched where he figured her to be, as he could not see the bar for the curtains on the booth they sat in.

  Rox took up the conversation. “I spent the morning with her. She is a bit spooky. Last night she did a few things that I initially passed off as magic, but now that you mention no sense of magic in her, I did not sense any on her then. I can’t say what every talent is really like having only knowingly met one other, but as a person, she seems to be genuine enough, if a bit mercenary.”

  Steven nodded. “I don’t think we should make a knee-jerk decision. But these are the facts as I see them: She exhibits enough specific knowledge to identify us with our kids. She claims to know where the kids are. She claims to be able to lead us to where the kids are. She has yet to mention price, but I expect that will factor in at some point. She is spooky in what else she knows, having admitted to having us under surveillance for the last several days. If she wanted us dead, she has apparently had time and opportunity to do so. She could have left Rox to the guards last night, or in the river, or anywhere else along the way between here and there. She may have the time once we get on our way, if she comes with. She has mentioned some concern about getting past Cyrril.”

  Rox contributed now. “Whatever her ulterior motive, she has not expressed it yet. She might be conveniently placed in our way; if so, by whom for what reason? We won’t know that until we tread that path. If we want to risk that. We have no other apparent method of finding where Diana and Alex are. She is right that our efforts with the trackers have been fruitless. I get the feeling that towards us, she is harmless, and potentially very helpful.”

  Caspian listened to all this. He could not refute any of it. “The part that still bothers me is how much she knows without our telling her anything. No one else we have met in this city has even taken an interest in your kids, or you. She is dangerous, and I can’t say why. Just a bad feeling about her.”

  Steven probed a bit. “Terminal?”

  Caspian responded, beginning to feel fizzy from the ale. “No, but bad. Something else going on under her surface. Bring her with, and we can keep watch. I can play a few magic tricks that should keep things safe.”

  Steven and Rox looked at each other. Steven summarized. “So we take her up on her offer, go along with her, and keep watch on her for any funny business. The unanswered questions are how dangerous is she really, and what will she charge?”

  Rox responded. “That sounds about right.”

  Steven leaned out of the booth and saw Karen working behind the bar, getting two drinks and then two plates of food. She carried these out to a couple who were sitting at a table. Steven waved Karen over as she turned and saw him. She came over, wiping her hands on a towel in her apron.

  Karen approached. “What can I get for you?”

  Steven “We need some more information.”

  Karen waited.

  Steven continued. “You have not mentioned any kind of payment. This leads us to wonder if you might be working for someone else.”

  Karen did not pause long. She looked over to the bar, and seeing that all was under control, she motioned for Rox to scoot over.

  “Payment. Well, what kind of payment would you be able to give? If you are in the circumstances I am led to believe, than you don’t have much to give. It seams the underlying question is my motive for helping you.” Karen had been thinking about this herself. Yes she had been contracted by The Queen and Viceroy, but telling the Caplan’s that would be counter productive. So how to explain civic duty? Or personal interest?

  “I suppose part of it is that I saw a boy and girl in a cage paraded as a trophy by a road weary platoon. That did not sit right with me. I happen to have a set of useful skills and have collected useful information that will allow you to get your son and daughter back, and I have the willingness to employ them. I recognize that you must have questions about these. Some I can answer, but not here. Others I will not answer, unless and until I decide to.” Karen had never had to discuss this sort of thing in the past, save within The Guild and its context. It felt very strange and awkward to even broach the subject now.

  Karen had paused, and the others waited as she continued. Caspian’s fuzziness in her peripheral sense told her he was almost as bad a drinker as she was. She held her active senses in suppression for now. She continued.

  “Payment? I’m not asking any from you, save to see you reunited as a family. For most anything else, care to say . . . it’s personal.” Karen finished.

  Caspian picked up the pause. He was not yet incapacitated, but definitely more inebriated than the average man would be from just one ale. “And, what of your talents? Can we trust those, and that you are not using them now?”

  Karen had figured that this would be a problem. “I am not using them actively right now, not that you could tell unless you were a talent yourself. Not any more than you are using your senses about magic. You are just going to have to trust me on this. I will say that it is bad manors to use them recreationally. You don’t have anything to worry about, that way.”

  Steven picked up the conversation and brought it full circle. “That still does not answer the question of whether you are on your own, or working for someone else. But you have said that is personal and will only be answered at your own discretion. I suppose that is the best we can expect for the moment. A few weeks ago, we encountered a mercenary company. We tried to get them involved in a fight. We did not know all the players, or that the mercenaries were already in it. I suppose you are saying the same thing: that there is a bigger game going on here, and we are not entitled to know the full lay of the game board until after it is over. All right. Been there and done that. It can be worked with. Will you join us, Karen?”

  Karen was mildly surprised at how quickly this had come about. She had expected more of a fight between them, and some going round of issues. She had not listened to them, and had really only had time to serve three tables before being called over and invited. On the other hand, she was surprised at how savvy the Caplan’s were, and easy on the assimilation of facts. The wizard, Caspian, on the other hand was upset over something. His familiar had curled up against one of the carved pieces of wood above the booth. It glared at her.

  Karen gave her answer without much consideration. “How soon do you want to leave?”

  “You said by dinner time. Will that be enough time for you to get your things ready and meet us back at our inn, where you and Rox met me?” Steven answered.

  “Yes. Get food for two weeks of above ground travel, and one week of travel on foot with only what you are carrying below ground. Figure two of those weeks to have your kids: part of the one below ground and the second week above. I will bring my own food. Don’t plan on hunting.” Karen outlined what she had planned previously.

  Steven and Rox both picked up on this. Rox let Steven continue as voice.

  “So we need to travel a week out, give or take, then part of a week to where they are, and then the same amount of time to the surface and a week to get to wherever we can resupply,” Steven outlined.

  Karen nodded. “That sounds about right. It’s a bit closer, but I like to carry extra in case of problems. I will see you at your inn, just before dinner time.”

  Karen stood up and picked up a brass spittoon from beside her, and handed it to Steven. “He needs this now.” She motioned to Caspian.

  Caspian had disappeared from the conversation and looked quite green. As Steven put the spittoon in front of him, the odor from it triggered Caspian’s gag reflexes. Karen waited, and then took the spittoon when Caspian was finished.

  “He can’t hold his ale. I will send water over, and bring a fresh one of these. If you need one before then, there is one on the floor between the booths.” Karen pointed beside Steven, and then departed.

  The server brought a pitcher of water and mug for Caspian. Karen returned with a rinsed out spittoon, and then disappeared.

  The Caplan’s finished their lunch, and fed Caspian a bit. When they got up, they nudged Cyrril awake, and then Steven guided Caspian out as Rox went to pay, only to be told it was on the house. She quickly went out and caught up with Steven and flagged down a carriage.