106 – Running, swimming, and running some more

  As Karen held Rox’s arm, she quickly touched Rox’s mind with the thought to trust Karen, at least until this trouble was over. She then started to a different door, keeping the crowd between then and the guards. At the same time Karen was actively shrouding herself and Rox.

  Roxanne followed Karen, the brown haired woman, through the crowd while tucking the inactive staff against her arm. Somebody behind them finally yelled some kind of alarm and some guards were moving across the room toward them. Even shrouded, Rox was not hard to spot, being taller than nearly everybody else here.

  The brown haired woman pulled her skirts up to run better as she got clear of the dance floor and to a different set of doors than Rox had been going toward originally. Without stopping, the woman leaped into a flying kick that bounced her from one guard to land on the other. She got up, holding a knife purloined from one of the guards as Rox pulled the door handle to unlatch the door and push it open.

  The woman did some quick tailoring to her own dress, splitting the hem of her right side to allow more freedom of movement for her legs. She then tossed the knife into another guard’s leg, and slipped through the door. Once on the other side the two women leaned against it, and heard it latch.

  “Let’s go.” Karen grabbed Rox’s arm, starting to run.

  They ran along the hall, as people looked around wondering what was going on.

  The magic of the illusion was finally getting on Roxanne’s nerves. She grabbed the amulet as she ran, and pinched it, turning the magic off. The dress faded to her apprentice drape, and her spandex. She wished she had worn her gi instead.

  The brown haired woman grabbed Rox’s arm and pulled her around a corner and into a side room, closing and baring the door, as a squad of guards turned another corner ahead of them. This room was full of stacked munitions an stored equipment that would normally festoon the various balconies, particularly if the fortress had to fight off attackers.

  “Can you swim?” The brown haired woman was quickly divesting herself of the heavier fabrics of her costume, her dress was already off and her petticoats were following.

  “Yes. Where’s the water, and what’s in it?”

  The brown haired woman nodded across the room. “The balcony, then about four floors down. You don’t want to meet what’s in it.” The brown haired woman was down to her shift and corset. She had placed all her jewels between the petticoats and that onto her dress, and rolled the mass into a roll that she bound with the sash. She then used the sleeves and tied the bundle across her back.

  Rox ran for the outer doors as the inner ones started echoing the pounding of the guards on the other side, the brown haired woman a few steps behind. They burst through onto the balcony as the guards broke in the inner doors. Rox jumped onto the balcony railing and pushed hard off it, the brown haired woman a step behind.

  They cleared the balconies below them by very little, and plunged into the river feet first. The cold water was a shock that took Rox’s breath away. Rox spread her legs and arms to slow her descent feeling a bit of instinctive magic pass through the staff held in her right arm, and she landed in the silt at the base of the island hard enough to end up sitting in it, with her hands in the mud. She stroked forward, the lanyard tied to the staff keeping it with her, and pushed off the bottom in the direction she had been going. She soon broke the surface with a gasp, but could not quite catch her breath for the coldness of the water.

  The current was already carrying the women past the west end of the island the fortress sat on. Rox quickly looked around and could see the north bank, where she wanted to go, but the brown haired woman was pulling for the south. Something in Rox said to stick with her. She started pulling as hard as she could to catch up. Quickly the temperatures grip on her eased, and she was able to breathe in rhythm. The brown haired woman was a little bit away and swimming strongly, but doing most of her swimming under the surface. An arrow pierced the water next to Rox, and she decided that submerging would not be a bad idea.

  She heard a few more arrows hit the surface, and felt one flow past in the current, but none came any closer than that to hitting her. The brown haired woman was swimming down stream. Rox decided it best to follow for the moment. But she would need to find her way back to Steven and Caspian quickly. Rox surfaced and followed the brown haired woman into a sewage drain hole, in the wall that was the south bank of the river, crawling in the shallow water. A short way in they stood up in the less than knee deep water. Both were puffing hard, from the cold and exertion. Both were dripping water, each drop seeming as loud as a bell telling the world where they were.

  Rox was about to move farther in, but the brown haired woman took her arm and stopped her.

  The brown haired woman was shivering a bit from the water running off her, and out of the soaked dress wadded and tied to her back. Her shift clinging transparently to her muscled legs and sculpted butt, corset still in place on her athletic frame. Her muscular arms showed that she did some physical conditioning. The formal set of her hair was a loss, as was her makeup. But she looked the type not to really need any. The dim light made it hard to tell for sure. Rox then realized that again she could see the heat being put off by their bodies and the things around them, as both waves and coloration. She had not had opportunity to fully recognized this before, as there was always a fire to see by.

  They stood opposite each other, against the tube sides, catching their breath. The odor from deeper in was going to be nasty, but right here it was bearable. Roxanne gathered what she could of her skirt and drape and started to wring it out. She then realized the noise it was making and stopped. As she looked at herself she could see steam rising. Between the new sensory experience and her lack of magic use experience Rox did not consider how she might use it to help just now.

  The brown haired woman seemed to be listening like a trapped animal, as she caught her breath. She then looked back out of the tunnel, and up along the wall that was the bank of the river.

  “There is an access stair right here. In a moment we will climb it, then run for a safe house. Stick close, and you won’t get lost or caught.”

  “Why not deeper in this way?”

  “Too easy to get lost.” She did not even turn to give a considering look.

  Rox thought the answer, while sensible, came too quick. “And why should I follow you?”

  “Because if you don’t, the guards will catch you. And killing a guest at a Royal Ball is not a very endearing thing to do. My name is Karen.”

  “Roxanne.”

  “You’re the mother of the two kids, aren’t you?”

  “What two kids? How would you know?”

  Karen turned to look at Rox. “Two kids in irons paraded through the streets tend to make a spectacle. And half-breeds your size aren’t common around here. The rest is just guess work.”

  “How long ago were my kids here?” Roxanne put more concern in this then she wanted to share.

  Karen could hear the concern, and brushed it aside with her professionalism. “A bit over two weeks. They did not stay long.”

  Karen looked around the edge again, and then pulled back quickly. “Be as silent as you can. Think as empty as you can.”

  Roxanne could see a slight increase in the heat from Karen’s head. Then she cleared her head, and focused on the emptiness of space. They stayed this way for a long instant. Karen then relaxed, and blew out a breath.

  “The constables above have passed. But we have to move quickly.” Karen ducked around the corner, and was gone.

  Roxanne went to the opening, and looked out. A small platform that she had missed on her way in was right there, with a slim stair going along the wall to her left up to the top. Karen was slinking up the stairs in utter silence.

  Roxanne followed, her staff in the crook of her right arm, keeping her left hand against the wall on her left as she went. Karen crawled the last few steps, keeping herself pressed down. Then she looked over the wall, checking all directions. Roxanne stopped two treads below and waited. She then realized that Karen was not dripping, though still damp. Karen looked back at Roxanne in slight annoyance. Then she put her hand on Roxanne’s head. Suddenly Roxanne felt as if a squeegee were being run over her, pushing most of the water out of her clothes. It ran down her body, and off her feet.

  Roxanne was still marveling at this when Karen turned back to the wall. In an instant Karen was up and gone through the walls opening for the stairs. Roxanne followed, looking all around as she went.

  Karen was sprinting across the concourse that ran along the river front. Roxanne followed and they wove their way through several blocks of buildings before slackening their pace. The streets were empty, save for shadows. Roxanne did her best to stay in them. Karen seemed to attract them as she went.

  After many twists and turns, and what felt like four miles, Karen stopped running and scrambled up a wall at the back of an alley. From the top, she vaulted onto a balcony, and into a window. Roxanne followed, and just glimpsed a guard crossing the end of the alley as she went in the window.

  “Where are we?” Rox whispered.

  Her legs bumped against something and she almost fell over onto it as she backed out of Karen’s way. Karen paused a moment, looking out the window. She then reached out and closed the shutters.

  “Safe. For now.” Karen moved across the room with the ease of familiarity.

  Roxanne looked briefly around, marveling at the things she could see. She would have to ask Caspian for more explanation about this.

  Both were nearly dry, thought Karen’s dress was a soggy mess. Karen dropped it on a table, then moved to a gas lamp on a wall and unmasked it, letting light into the room.

  The two beds on either side of the window, and a table in a third corner with a door in the last were the contents of the room. Karen unrolled the dress on the table, and pulled her large jeweled collar and other pieces out of the petticoats. She laid the jewelry out on the bed, then took the dress and petticoats in hand and went to the door.

  “Stay here. There are traps everywhere, and you don’t want to get hurt.” Karen pulled the door by its edge, and closed it behind her as she left.

  Rox, sat down on the unused bed. She could feel it to have a down mattress, under the wool blanket. Then the exhaustion hit her. She had been exhausted by her magic lessons with the elves, but they had never pushed her quite as hard as the jerk tonight. That reminded her. She wanted to get back to Steven and Caspian. But with the adrenaline wearing off, she did not think she could do more right now than crawl into one of these beds. But she had one other need to take care of first. Until then, she fell over sideways her staff beside her, and curled up on the blanket, realizing that she was longer than the bed.

  Karen came back, wrapped in a course robe. She tossed another one to land on the bed Rox had collapsed onto. “Your clothes must still be damp. You can wear the robe until they dry.”

  Rox pushed herself back up. “What I really need is the necessary.”

  “Right. Follow me.”

  Karen turned to leave, and held the door as Rox picked up the robe and followed into the hall. Several doors lined it on one side. At the end was a stair that turned left halfway down. They traveled another hall, and Karen opened a door at the end. This went into a small courtyard. Rox recognized it as being on the other side of the wall they had climbed. There was a small shack under the shade of several small trees in one corner. Rox went right for it. Relief waited inside, despite the smell.

  While in there, she stripped out of her wet clothes, except for her thong briefs the elves had given her to wear under the spandex. Each had a magic pouch. Pull a tab on the top of the seam of the front panel and the pouch opened. Within was an elfin silk night gown all folded up, among a few other things. She put the close fit nightgown on, and the robe over top.

  She came back out with the robe wrapped around herself. The drape was over her shoulder along with her damp spandex, and her staff in hand. The jewelry she had put into the magic pouch in the back of her thong. Karen took her sideways into the kitchen, and put all her clothes over the drying rack there, and her shoes on their own rack.

  They then went back upstairs, and to a different room in the same hall. It was laid out the same.

  “This will be your room, for tonight. In the morning, we will try to find your companions. Also, don’t touch the door knobs.” Karen held the door.

  Rox felt too tired to reply. As soon as the door closed, she pulled the covers from one of the beds, put the staff across the table, and dropped the robe on the other bed. As Rox slipped between the silky sheets, she sent silent thanks to heaven for her safety and comfort. Whoever owned this place, they took good care of the guests.

107 – Clean up, Room 412

The guards moved people away from the ruined buffet, and the body next to it. They quickly worked with the staff to clean things up, and cover the body. The two guards by the doors that had been exited through were relieved of duty, and the one that had been kicked helped the one with a knife in his leg out of the room. The guests mulled around as a platoon of guards stood in a picket across the room, and at each door. The guard officers quickly asked questions of the guests, and then dismissed them to other rooms, where the ball was still going on undisturbed. Several versions of the events were circulating before the ball ended.

Then The King and a Guard Captain entered. They looked things over. The guardsman that had been collecting the stories reported all that he had learned. Further that runners had been sent to warn the city constables on either side of the river to be on the look out.

The King knelt and pulled back the table cloth and looked the body over. The jaw was shattered, as was part of the face, and the head lolled at the wrong angle to still be properly connected to the spine. Also the neck looked bruised all the way around from other damage that The King would not guess at.

“The face and head are from a blunt weapon. Not magic.” He put the cloth back over the body, and he verbally summarized what he had been told. “He tried to get a young adult elf to leave with him? This response doesn’t fit. An elf would just knife him, and leave him in a corner. Not brawl. It was a female, and ran out that way?”

“Yes, sire. From there she went into a storage room and over the balcony and escaped into the river.”

“That is sensible. If she tried to teleport she would have found that she couldn’t.”

“Sire, some of the witnesses, and the door guards report that there was another woman that helped the elf. They left together.”

“If there is a description, circulate it among the guards and constables. Otherwise, keep things quiet. Get this body out of here, and sent home.” The King turned, leaving the Guard Captain to take charge. He was met at the door by the Viceroy.

“I am told there was some excitement, Sire. Anything to worry about?” The Viceroy was ever helpful to The King, though sometimes The King wondered that the real motive was.

“Probably not. A wizard tried to solicit something from a female elf, and got in a brawl. Odd that the elf used a blunt weapon, though. She then fled, and ended up diving into the river.”

“And her companions she came with, if any?”

“I still do not have all the details.”

“Well then Sire, if they have left, than I see no reason not to continue with the festivities.”

“Is the Marquise still here?”

“Third floor, second banquet room, last I was told.”

“Thank you. See that the Lady BarDona is introduced to the representative from Pelieloq, and that they have somewhere quiet to talk.”

“Yes, Sire.”

The King turned and sighed as he moved toward the stairs down to the third floor. He much preferred force of arms to diplomacy. But this Marquise was from the teamsters. Trying to use force with them would simply sign the cities death warrant. On the other hand, fear and security were as useful in negotiations as on the battlefield.

Caspian felt the magic of the fight subside as he climbed the stairs. He regretted allowing the Caplan’s to move about separately, but there was not much other choice. As it was, Steven had kept a low profile. Rox had circulated, looking like a foreign elf, or close enough that most of the locals would not suspect different. When the magic fight had started, every magic user around could not help but notice. The enchantments of the fortress surged to active and blanked all other sense beyond a general using of magic. But Caspian had located the direction and was going that way. As he got to the stairs the dampening enchantments of the fortress were diminishing back to ambient giving Caspian a sense that the fight was done.

At the top of this staircase, a company of guards came double timing through, in the direction he was going. Along with the other ladies and gentlemen in the hall, Caspian was obliged to stand aside as they went through. Caspian moved circumspectly in the guards wake. A soft boom of doors closing echoed down the halls, followed by the quick staccato of banging against a door. Caspian rounded the corner, to see the company of guards pile through a set of double doors. As he went past, two guards puffed importantly, giving the nonverbal glare to move along, and not be interested

Caspian went to the end of the hall and the balcony it terminated on. He looked over the side, back the way he had come. There were balconies for the several rooms, and they all overhung the larger balcony below. Several party goers were in minor fits down there, looking up at the vacant balcony above them in irritation. A few others were looking over the balcony and trying to look out on the river. But it was too dark to see very far. Caspian huffed in minor irritation, and then proceeded to dally around the balcony, making and listening to the idle conversation. He found it as exciting and informative and watching fruit dry out.

After doing the round of the balcony, Caspian went back inside, looking for Steven. He was found two levels down in another wing, chatting amiably with a few merchants about local events, while sitting at a table sipping drinks and nibbling on some scones and assorted fruit and nut pastes.

Caspian approached as the men started laughing about something. “Steven, there you are. Things have happened, and it is time we leave.”

Steven looked up at Caspian, smiling and having the first good time he had had without Rox since Caspian had met him. “Sure. Caspian, this is Marklel, he is a textiles merchant, and Taban, a metals and ore merchant, and Gillen, a teamster. Gentlemen, this is Caspian, my current traveling companion. Evidently it is time to travel. If you will excuse me.”

Steven got up, and for the first time, these men saw how tall Steven really was. As he followed Caspian out, he finished his drink, and put the empty glass on a tray as it went by.

Once in the hallway, Steven pulled Caspian to his side, and kept striding. “Where is Rox?”

Caspian did not slow, save to match Steven’s pace. “I think she just went for a swim. There was a fight near where she was. A local mage is dead, and a female elf is reported to have done it then fled the fortress by jumping in the river.”

Steven sobered. “What’s the plan?”

Caspian headed for the front doors. “Leave, and go look for her. Find somewhere discrete and see what spells I can use to try to find her.”

Steven looked around, thinking the same basic direction. “And if she is still in the castle?”

Caspian stopped for a moment. “If she is, Cyrril will have to let us know. I just swept through that floor and did not see her anywhere. You know how well the both of you stand out.”

Steven followed Caspian out, pausing long enough to look at the appointed gathering bench. Rox was not near it. They got a coach across the bridge to the north shore, and then west, down stream, along the river. They searched until fatigue required them to go back to their rooms for sleep. In that time, they saw several patrols of constable’s sweep down the avenue that ran along the river front, as well as the lights of similar patrols on the other bank. They also saw two patrols of Palace Guards follow with the Constables then turn up the main streets that ran from the river front. Caspian took them aside into a suitably shadowed alley and then up onto a roof. There he used his tracker to cast around for her, and found that Rox was somewhere to their south across the river.

“We will have to find her in the morning.” Caspian said this as he turned to get down and head for their lodgings.

Steven looked across the river, and over at the fortress. The night felt like a bit of a bust. He had learned that two young kids had been paraded through the city and then back out, prisoners of The Guard, but had not yet found more. Now Rox was separated again. At least this time she was close.

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 138

“Let’s break up the party. You go that way I’ll go this way” Sure this always works. Well at least Rox is still in the city, and we have a prearranged meeting point. So long as she can walk.

The next morning, Roxanne woke to the smell of breakfast being cooked somewhere. She sat up, and looked around the room, confirming all that had happened the night before. She pulled the robe on, and went to the door. She was about to grasp the knob when she remembered the warning not to. Roxanne looked closely at the knob, and saw a small needle sticking out of the round knob, right where she would put her palm. A second needle was on the other side of the knob, for her fingers. Roxanne looked the door over a moment, then found the latch on the edge, and pulled it open, checking first for anything that might prick. She went down the hall and stairs back to where she remembered the kitchen.

The brown haired woman, Karen, wearing a skirt and blouse, sat at the table eating some toast and eggs with some fruit aside. Another woman shorter and younger in age was cooking at the wood stove. The younger woman had medium length black hair, another of the local skirt-and-blouse-with-a-vest costumes, an athletic build, and was more than head and shoulders shorter than Rox. She stood with the relaxed stance of total self-assuredness. She turned to look at Roxanne.

“How would you like your eggs?”

Roxanne looked quickly at Karen’s plate. The eggs were scrambled, with some stuff added to them. She motioned toward the plate. “Like that will do.”

Rox sat down, in a chair that felt slightly too small. Her knees almost bumping the table. She looked around in curiosity, but there was nothing outstanding about the kitchen or dining area. Utensils arrayed in order, a cabinet with dishes in it, shelves and counters as expected in any kitchen. A large cast iron wood stove with a water tank attached to it sat against an inner wall, with a hood over it, the flue ran across the room toward an outer wall. Rox was a little surprised to see the sink had in-door plumbing. It was a hand pump, but there it was next to the water tank.

She was given a silver plate with silver utensils to eat with and a glass mug to drink from. The toast was just right. The eggs had some diced vegetables and spicing in them. They were also delicious. The fruit was fresh. She was only offered water to drink.

When she finished her food Karen spoke.

“So, we need to get you back with your party. Any ideas where to go look for them?”

“One or two.” Rox continued enjoying her food.

“Do you think you can get there from here?” Karen was used to evasive conversations, but did not really enjoy them when honesty was better.

“With a bit of walking.”

“Roxanne, you need to trust me. I can help you get around this city, and back with your traveling companions. Or you can fumble about, and probably get caught by the guards.”

“You think I am that incapable?”

“No. I think you are on unfamiliar ground, and all but completely out of your own element.”

Roxanne had to concede the point, but it did nothing to make her feel better. “You are right about all that, Karen. And I am a bit too obvious to just go sneaking around. What do you recommend?”

The younger woman brought a pitcher of water over and set it down, with her own plate of food and setting. She then sat at the table to the other side of Karen from Rox.

“Well, you are taller than anybody local. So we make you as unremarkable as we can in every other way. Mainly in getting you a cloak that covers you to your feet, with a deep hood. Then you keep yourself cloaked in darkness.” Karen started into a fresh mug of water she had poured while speaking.

“While we go, Roxanne, I can also tell you some of what I know about why your kids are here.”

This comment by Karen made Rox stop and look at her.

108 – Everyone meets everyone else

  Karen and Roxanne moved through the crowds. They had no trouble moving around the city, though Karen had taken them on a circuitous route from the southern district they had spent the night in, to a main road and then east to the market and trader’s district. Karen wore a puffy sleeved blouse, with a leather bodice, and a loose cloth skirt that went most of the way down to her feet. Under that, she had boots. She had a small coin purse at her belt, with a utility knife next to it. Earlier, Rox had seen that there was a wrist knife on Karen’s left arm, completely covered by the long sleeves.

  Rox was odd enough sized, compared to the locals, that she had to put her apprentice costume back on, and a cloak over it, keeping her staff underneath. She could have produced something from a pouch in her briefs, but decided not to. An elfin dress would attract too much attention here. The cloak was enough, for the most part.

  About lunch time they entered the market, and went to the tavern where Rox, Steven, and Caspian had arranged to meet. The women paused a moment in the doorway as their eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside. Looking around, Rox spotted Steven sitting at a table, eating some food.

  “There he is.” Rox moved across the room, and sat down next to Steven.

  He looked up in mid-chew. A sigh of relief escaped him, as he finished his bite. He put his knife down, and took Rox’s hand in his.

  Rox was very slightly surprised as Karen sat on the third chair at the table. “Steven, this is Karen. I spent the night at her place. Karen, this is my husband Steven.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” Steven tilted his head in acknowledgement.

  “Thank you.” Karen looked at the plate of food. Steven was only a few bites in. “The food here is good. But I know where you can get better. And the atmosphere is more conducive to conversation.”

  Steven took another bite and looked at Rox.

  “I think we should at least hear her out, Steven. She has told me a bunch already, and may be able to help us.”

  Steven finished chewing, giving Rox a look of concern. He wanted to speak, but was being polite and finishing his food before doing so. Then the waiter came up.

  “How is everything, sir? Fine. Can I get you two ladies something?” He turned his attention to Rox and Karen sitting across from each other, on either side of Steven.

  Karen spoke first. “No. We could use his bill please. We need to be elsewhere quickly.”

  The waiter looked quickly around the table. “Very well. I will be right back.”

  Steven had two more bites in silence before the waiter returned. He presented a slip of paper with the total which Karen snapped up, and a sheet of waxed paper to wrap Steven’s food in. Karen produced some coins and gave them back with the ticket. Steven’s plate was scraped carefully onto the paper. The food was then quickly wrapped to travel.

  “Thank you. Come again.” The waiter took the money and dishes away as the Caplan’s got up and followed Karen out the door.

  “What about Caspian?” Steven asked Rox as he followed them.

  “He can find us as he needs to.” Karen answered.

  Rox and Steven shared a look at Karen's answer, but still followed her. They went to the street, where Karen flagged down a carriage, with the top folded down. The footman got the door for the three, as Karen spoke to the driver.

  “Through Pentalon Park, to the Garmad district, and the Bloody Daggers Tavern.”

  The driver nodded in response. Karen turned and sat down on the front seat facing Rox and Steven as they climbed in and sat down; Steven sat opposite Karen on the right side of the coach, with Rox at his left. As they sat Caspian climbed in, and the footman closed the door. Caspian sat down on the coach’s left, next to Karen, and put his staff between him and outside of the carriage, the other end between Rox and the side of the carriage.

  “The Bloody Daggers? That does not sound safe.” Caspian settled in as the carriage began moving. He looked Karen over, her brown hair that went down below her shoulders. Her brown eyes, and attractive features, her local costume over a fit figure. The way she held herself set Caspian’s nerves on edge.

  Karen thought to herself ‘that’s all of them. And he is the target. This may take a bit of work.’

  Rox began to explain what was going on.

  Karen thought to herself; she had quickly sized up Steven as a fighter, and on guard, as opposed to when she had trailed him around a few days prior. Rox was a mystery, as she vibrated from vulnerable to guarded. The wizard looked like a person used to danger nearby, and able to handle it.

  Caspian turned to the driver. “Can we close the roof? We would like a bit of privacy to talk.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Shortly the top was unfolded and secured without stopping, then the sides were rolled down.

  The carriage left the market and onto the thoroughfare, that would take them to Pentalon Park. They passed the warehousing that supported the market, and the residential area around that. Karen listened as the three talked. Roxanne told of her getting in the fight at the castle. Then hooking up with Karen and leaving. She asked a bit about her eyesight and seeing heat, and Caspian explained some finer points, so far as he knew. Rox then finished telling about the house, and the conversation she had with Karen there and as they walked. Steven then told Rox of their activities in the castle and Caspian guessing about her leaving in a hurry. Once out they looked for her a bit, but could not find her. Steven had wanted to look more, but Caspian felt they should wait to see if she would show up. So they went back to the inn. This morning Caspian went to wander around to see if he could find her. Steven went to wait at the prearranged place. And now they had all met up again. Steven then thanked Karen for her help to Roxanne.

  “You are welcome.” Karen looked out the window as they passed into the park. They went from an urban setting into a near forest. Karen waited a moment and then turned to Caspian. “Wizard. Summon your familiar. I have a task for it.”

  Caspian looked at her a moment. “Ok.” Caspian took hold of his staff, and looked out the window for a moment. His look was focused far away.

  “What is the task?”

  “I need it to get a book, from my library.” Karen kept herself closed, not sensing any magic yet.

  “He will be here in a moment. You have been watching us, if you know I have a familiar.” Caspian did not yet want to try magic, in this close a space, without first feeling what kind of reaction it might get.

  Karen did not answer Caspian’s observation on her behavior and knowledge. “Do you all know why the children were kidnapped?”

  Steven answered this. “Because of a prophecy naming them as harbingers of some nasty person.”

  “The Chaos Bringer. Do you know of any other reason?”

  “Beyond that one specific prophecy, not much.”

  Cyrril fluttered through the window just then. He landed on Caspian’s knees, and looked around. He focused on Karen for a moment, sniffing and licking his nose a bit like a cat. Karen looked intently at Cyrril, and pointed her finger at him. Caspian’s head jerked a bit to look at Karen in some surprise. Cyrril gave her his whole attention.

  “I have a job for you. Go to my library, get the book with the brown leather cover, and bring it and all its contents to me undisturbed. Understand?” Karen concentrated fully on Cyrril.

  Cyrril looked at Caspian, turned to Karen, and then back to Caspian. He then leaped back out the window.

  “Until he comes back, there is no point in conversing further, on this subject. Let’s open this heat box back up.” Karen flipped the lever on the roof frame.

  The top was stowed as the carriage came to the central loop through the park. This loop circled a large pond that was fed by one of the tributaries of the Krogg River that ran through the city. The traffic all went in a counterclockwise direction and the carriage moved into the traffic. Suddenly a voice spoke at them from the carriage’s left, as another carriage pulled in beside them, on the inside track from theirs.

  “Karen Konsalva. How are you? Who are your guests?”

  They turned to look, and Karen sat forward to see across Caspian. The voice came from the lone occupant of the passenger seat in a well kept coach. The driver skillfully kept the coaches lined up, evidently having done this quite a bit.

  Karen recognized the passenger, and had to quickly scan her companions to answer, and also think over her conversation with Rox this morning. “Lady Hedarra. I am fine. These are travelers from elsewhere. The couple is from the Sierra Mountains. And the gentleman is from the Silvona lowlands. They are traveling to see the world.”

  Caspian wondered how Karen knew that. He had only briefly mentioned where he was from to Steven once or twice, and did not remember whether he had ever told Rox. He figured that Rox must have said something to Karen. Steven was also quietly looking at Rox, who kept a straight face.

  “From Silvona, and Sierra. That is quite a way away. I hope you find our city to your liking. Ms. Konsalva, did you hear about what happened at the palace last night?”

  “Bits and pieces. I was not in the room when it happened. So far I have heard four different versions.” Karen kept and even straighter face than Rox. As they had walked the city, Karen had deliberately not asked what had happened at the ball the night before. Of course people were too happy to gossip.

  “Well, I saw some if it. But then the crowd was moved away by the palace guards. It looked like there was a body on the ground. I heard that a guest of The King got into a fight with another magus over some magic nonsense, and ended up in a contest trying to prove each other wrong.”

  “Is that so? That is a new one.” Karen expressed some mild surprise.

  “Oh, and what have you heard?” Lady Hedarra responded like she was finding some new treasure.

  “Well, they all seem to include magic. The first is that something accidentally went off, and destroyed part of a buffet. The second is a magus trying to blow the palace up. The third is similar to your story, but it involves an assassin, not a contest. The last is that somebody’s heart gave out and he collapsed.”

  Roxanne listened to all of this with the best poker face that Steven had ever seen her wear. Caspian listened as though he was hearing this for the first time. Steven just kept looking around from one person to another.

  “Oh. I haven’t heard all that. I wonder what is really true?”

  “Well, because it happened at the Palace, I doubt we will ever get the full answer.” Karen’s answer implied that not knowing the full details was common.

  “That is true. Are you going to be at Lady Micour’s.”

  “I don’t know. My business may be taking me out of town.”

  “Oh, you and your business. You are always about it. You need to get a man to run the business. Aren’t there any that you are interested in?” Lady Hedarra was testy in her comments to Karen over this subject.

  The Caplan’s both remembered the couple in the carriage from the night before, and who spoke about what, as well as the further extension of this in the division of people at the ball, who went where and what was talked about.

  “Not in this city, Lady Hedarra.” Karen replied, flatly.

  Caspian could sympathize with this, but held it aside.

  “If you say so. Oh, look, there is the Vantgun’s. I must talk with her. If you will excuse me. Give my greetings to Jasper and his wife. And tell them that you simply must host another ball before the harvest festival.”

  “Yes, Lady Hedarra. I will tell them. But I will not guarantee any balls. My work is keeping me busy.”

  “Well, get married, and get unbusy. Talk to you more later.” Lady Hedarra’s coach pulled away, and up to another one.

  The four looked at each other in good humor.

  Steven turned to Rox. “She reminds me of Mrs. Winchel.”

  “Steven, don’t be mean,” Rox chided.

  “I’m not. I appreciate all she does. But sometimes she just does not seem to be able to end a conversation.”

  They all chuckled at this.

109 - Information sharing and vetting

  The traffic turned the head of the pond, and another carriage pulled up, this time on the right side. Karen grimaced as it approached, and sat up straighter, pulling the bottom of her vest and blouse straighter.

  “Lady Dannakarena Konsalva.” A diminutive woman, with an imposingly proper air sat in the coach, facing Karen. Her lined face a soft mask of regal elegance. Her silver hair flowed around her head and shoulders. She wore a fine, though simple gown.

  The rest turned as Karen spoke.

  “Lady BarDona. How does the day find you?” Karen’s tone was completely subservient.

  “Quite well, thank you. And yourself?” Lady BarDona was exceedingly proper in tone.

  “I am fine. What may I do for you this day?”

  “You are no doubt aware of the general happenings during the ball at the palace last evening?” Though asked as a question, all heard this for the statement it really was.

  “I am, to an extent.”

  The look on the old lady’s face hardened slightly. “Yes. I am sure you are.” Her look mellowed. “What with Lady Hedarra and those like her doing the turns of this park, and others. And who are your guests?”

  “This is Roxanne and Steven, from the Sierra Mountains. And this is Caspian, from the Silvona lowlands. They have been here a few days as my guests. Today I am showing them around the parks.” Karen motioned to each as she named them.

  “Yes. Showing them the local sports, and games. Tell me, what do you really know of the happenings last night?” Lady BarDona was droll in her tones.

  “Not much. There was a squabble of some kind. All the stories say someone got hurt. And that the second person got away.”

  Lady BarDona gave Karen a long look. “Why do I always get the feeling, whenever I talk to you, that you know more than you appear to?”

  Karen shrugged, and smiled. “Perhaps it is because I do. That comes from working all the time.”

  “I see. You have always been just as good at conversation as your parents were.”

  “I should hope so. As you know, we were trained by the same people.” Karen though she was overtly referring to Jasper and his wife.

  “I have always figured as much.” Lady BarDona was not taken in by the subterfuge; not that she ever had been.

  “So you have always said. But that still has never gotten you much to gossip about.” Karen always felt like she was sparring with this older woman, when they spoke.

  “Gossip has never been my intention.”

  “Yes. Information was. You leave the gossip to those like Lady Hedarra.”

  “You should speak more kindly of your elders. Even if what you say is the truth. I do have one question for you, and I ask that you answer it truthfully. Do you know specifically what happened to Lord Gakavo?” Now the old woman was down to her real business.

  “Yes. He died.” Karen dead paned this answer.

  “That is hardly the news or answer I was looking for. Of course he died. My concern is who did it.”

  “That seems to be the real mystery, doesn’t it, Lady BarDona? If you find the answer, and think it worth my knowing, do please let me know.” Karen’s tone lightened.

  “It does, indeed. And if I do find anything out, that I think interests you, I will let you know.” The old woman’s face had hardened, slightly.

  “I will much appreciate it. Thank you, my lady. If you will excuse me.” Karen turned to the driver. “Take this exit, please.”

  They slowed, and moved around the other carriage, and turned right out of the parkway. They traveled this tree lined road in silence for a time. Then Caspian and Karen both looked around. Karen turned around again.

  “Driver, we need to close up again.”

  “Yes ma’am. Shall I take Chryuso Road, or would you prefer Tavern Row, into the Garmad district?”

  “Which ever suits your fancy.”

  The top was closed again, and Cyrril promptly fluttered through the window clutching a leather bound book as big and heavy as him. He dropped it in Karen’s lap, and then moved to Caspian’s shoulders.

  Karen opened the book and paged through it to the open section. She put the loose pages in the back of the volume and then looked over her writing.

  Caspian looked at it over her shoulder, briefly. “I would have to look at it longer to be sure, but the pattern looks like Lacadian Shorthand. The script is not familiar.”

  “It’s customary, Wizard, not to read someone else’s journal without permission.” Karen turned in her seat to face him more, and mask the writing. She also started her psionics going, to muffle the sound, so as to prevent it from going beyond the carriage. “Here we go. At the formal wedding of the current monarchs of this kingdom, they were given a prophecy by a prophet. The prophet said that the Harbingers of the Chaos Bringer would kill this king and queen. Male for male, female for female. And this would happen before the Chaos Bringer came into mortality. Therefore, the monarchs seek to insure that these two harbingers would be grown to a ripe age before killing them, and thus allow the monarchs long lives.”

  Karen put the pages back in place and closed her book, refastening the leather thong that wrapped around it. “And that is why they sent after your kids. They think that by sending them to allies of this kingdom, they can keep your son and daughter under control until they are well and mature. Don’t say anything more, until we are inside the tavern.”

  After rolling the sides back up, They all sat quietly, thinking about this. A light sprinkle drifted past, enough to cool things down. Karen watched as the familiar district rolled by outside, and after turning down a lesser street the carriage stopped, and the footman opened the door.

  They all got out. Here on the corner of the building sat a tavern facing both directions. A sign with crossed bloody knives hung from the corner of the building. People went back and forth on the walks, crossing the streets, and dodging the larger traffic. Karen paid the driver, and sent him on his way. She then led Caspian and the Caplan’s into her tavern, and through into her back office.

  The office was a bit larger than a closet with space for maybe two more people. The door opened to the left as they entered and a desk with a hutch stood against the right wall, a short stool tucked under the desk. As the three gathered beside the desk, Karen put her journal into a drawer, turned to face them, and leaned against the desk. She motioned that the door be closed. Once it was, she spoke.

  “Time to level with you, some. I have been watching you for the last few days.” Karen could sense the concern in them. She turned to her left and started talking.

  She pointed at Rox. “You went dress shopping, but were also interested in the leather and metal crafters. You were not interested in jewelry.”

  She motioned to Steven, who stood in the middle, closest to her. “You wandered the city, after getting fitted for a borrowed suit, which I presume got returned this morning. You were interested in the larger fabric mongers, and weapons dealers.”

  Karen turned to Caspian. Cyrril was upright, with his wings fanned a bit. “You have been the hardest to follow, thanks to him. So all I was able to tell was that you don’t like suits. But I also know you have traveled off planet, as he is not native. That gives me a general sense of your training level.”

  Steven chuckled, remembering Caspian’s grousing at the tailors, and how eager he was to get rid of them this morning.

  Karen continued. “We have established that you are the parents of the kids ordered kidnapped by these monarchs. They left this city about eighteen days ago, and you don’t know where to find them.”

  She looked pointedly at Caspian. He did not say anything. So Karen continued.

  “I presume that you were equipped with trackers of some kind. The problem with those is that they do not read through thick rock very well. I can lead you to the paths to the villages where your kids are.” Karen’s senses were on full.

  Caspian, was upset and suspicious, and not wanting to give any information away. Steven was less upset and verging on excited. Rox already had been told this basic speech on the way this morning.

  Karen felt she needed to give them time to talk. “I now invite you to consider whether to take me up, or not. If you want to know more, and have my help, take me up and we can be on our way by dinner. Otherwise, you are free to leave now. Here are a few coins, go get some drinks. I advise the back wall as those booths have curtains.”

  Karen moved past Roxanne and out, where she then went behind the bar to tend. She also ordered some fresh bread and meat for their lunch from the cook, and set it out on the bar as they filed past.

  Caspian was about to walk out, when Steven caught his arm and steered him to a curtained booth. Rox picked up the tray with the bread, soft cheese, a chunk of meat, and some cutlery and small plates. Caspian sat in the booth, facing the bar, and Steven crowded in after him on the same side. Rox sat opposite Steven. Shortly Caspian was having a once in a while ale, as the Caplan’s drank water with their lunch’s.

  Karen was not surprised at the ale, as inebriation made psi-scans more difficult. Evidently the half-elf and her mate did not imbibe. Karen did not imbibe herself, having never had any tolerance: the one time she drank, she was under the table before she had finished the first drink. She was sick all the next morning, until her psi-instructor took the opportunity to teach her how to purge her system by temporary increase of metabolism.

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.