by Blink, Bob
“I’ll see what I can learn in the morning,” Kaler said. “I appreciate your help.”
The innkeeper grinned. “It is not often one encounters someone so eager to return money. I will be interested in how the Count reacts.”
The next morning found Kaler walking down the wide and well cared for avenue leading to the Count’s properties. He’d had to ask directions several times, but now he could see the residence ahead of him. The property was large, with a white stone house set well back from the roadway and partially hidden by numerous trees and bushes. The grounds appeared well cared for, and the large gate was protected by a pair of guards who waited in a small shaded structure at the front of the estate.
“I would like to speak with the Count,” Kaler said when the guard asked him his business.
“His Lordship did not indicate he was expecting visitors,” the guard replied as he examined Kaler critically. Kaler had dressed in his best attire, but clearly that wasn’t up to the standards of the Count’s usual guests.
“If you could just inform the Count that someone is here. It relates to an event that occurred on the night of the 14th,” Kaler explained giving the date of the attack, but not wanting to reveal the specifics since the Count appeared to be holding that information close.
“His Lordship doesn’t like to be bothered by uninvited visitors,” the guard explained. “He always informs the guard when he is expecting anyone. I am not sure I want to be the one to bother him since you are unwilling to provide specifics regarding your visit.”
Kaler had just about decided he was going to have to reveal more than he intended, when he saw a familiar face about to enter the house in the distance.
“That man,” Kaler said pointing. “Cort. I would like to speak with him.”
One of the guards turned to look where he was pointing and saw the bodyguard that Kaler had fought beside that night.
“If you know Cort you might gain entry. He can authorize it. Wait, I’ll go and talk with him.”
Kaler was left standing with the remaining guard while the other hurried after Cort who had already stepped out of sight into the house. Several minutes passed while Kaler waited as patiently as he could, never his best characteristic, but finally he was rewarded to see the guard returning with Cort walking purposefully beside him. When they arrived at the gate, Cort looked him over, clearly recognizing him.
“We meet again,” Cort said warily. “I’m surprised to see you. What brings you to the Count’s residence. Are you looking for some reward for your assistance the other night?”
Kaler shook his head. “I found something after you left. I was wondering if the Count might have lost it,” he said being purposefully vague.
Cort looked at him pointedly. Kaler could tell the man knew what had been lost, so the Count must trust him with secrets the others didn’t know. “You have this item with you?”
“I do. If it can be identified, I would be happy to return it to his Lordship.”
Cort nodded to the gate guard indicating he would accept responsibility for Kaler. He indicated that Kaler should follow him, and they walked back to the house. Passing through the entrance, Kaler saw that the residence was even more ornate than he’d expected from the outside. Inside the structure was three stories high, filled with rich carpets and comfortable looking furniture. A small pool with water flowing from a break in the wall formed a small waterfall creating a pleasant relaxing sound as the flow splashed into the lower, larger pool.
Cort led him past the front entryway and up a wide staircase in the back half of the house up to the second level. There he was told to wait while Cort passed through another set of doors and disappeared. Kaler appeared to be alone, but he wasn’t certain he wasn’t be watched. He couldn’t say what gave him the feeling, but he was sure that eyes were on him while he waited.
Finally the door opened again and Cort motioned him inside.
“It’s not many men who would be so honorable as to return something of such value, Count Batough said as he examined the contents of the purse. He paid little attention to the gold but his eyes gleamed as he held the two jewels in his hand. “I had given up on ever seeing my property once again. Why would you go to such trouble for someone you don’t know? This purse would have provided for you nicely for a long time. From what you have said you are not from the city. You could have disappeared and no one would have ever known.”
“It would not have been right,” Kaler replied simply.
“Right. Hmmmm,” the chubby Count said, his left hand rubbing his lips as he thought.
Unlike the night of the attack, Kaler could see the man clearly in the bright light coming through the window of the room where they spoke. The Count was short, perhaps five and a half feet, and considerably heavier than Kaler had remembered from the brief glance he’d gotten that night. His hair was dark with a carefully groomed but closely cut beard and moustache.
“I suppose you are expecting a reward?” the Count asked, his dark eyes hard on Kaler.
“That was not my intent,” Kaler said. “If I had lost something, I would hope that whoever found my possessions would be thoughtful enough to return them. That is all.”
“You are a strange one,” the Count said. “You fight very well. I saw what you did and Cort told me afterwards of how you changed the outcome of the attack. Yet from your dress you are clearly not employed by one who might wish someone of your skill at their side.”
For some reason Kaler told the Count why he had come to Pagner and his hopes for the Royal Guard.
“I see. You expected too much. Anyone could have told you that the Royal Guard is not generally open. Only a few are chosen for the honor of protecting the Royal Family.”
“So I have learned,” Kaler replied a bit bitterly.
“Your only hope would be the games,” the Count continued as though he hadn’t spoken.
“The games?” Kaler asked hesitantly. “What are the games?”
“The games are held each spring, a little more than a month from now. The best fighters and knights compete to show their skills and win the title. In addition to a substantial monetary award, the winner earns the right to request a position they might seek.”
“Such as entry to the Royal Guards?”
“Yes, even that,” the Count replied. “It isn’t automatic. The decision would be the King’s to make. He wouldn’t have to grant the request, but I have seldom seen the King turn down the winner. After all, one wants the best fighter to be where he is happy and able to do the most good.”
“How would I apply to these games?”
The Count smiled. “There’s the problem, of course. The games are normally restricted. Only those in the King’s service are normally allowed entry, and even then seldom is someone who is not of the noble blood authorized.”
The same barrier, Kaler thought bitterly.
“I might be able to help,” the Count offered. “One such as myself can place a recommendation before the council. If I were to do so in your behalf, and if it was granted, you would be allowed to participate. Would you consider such an effort fair payment for your honesty and integrity in returning my purse to me?”
“That would be extremely gracious of you,” Kaler said honestly, taken aback by the offer. Up to now he’d had a somewhat unfavorable impression of the Lord.
“I think you would add interest to the games. I cannot say how well you might do. Cort tells me you are skilled, but the best in the kingdom will be there. Come back to see me in five day’s time. That should be sufficient for me to see what I might be able to arrange. Also, I would ask you not speak of the other night to any whom you have not already told. My business is not something I like to have spread around.”
“Thank you,” Kaler said sincerely, his hopes suddenly reborn. “I will speak to no one.” He followed Cort out of the room and back to the front gate. There the bodyguard grasped his forearm.
“You fought well the other night. I
doubt you are skilled enough to take the games, but I wish you luck. I’m certain the Count will be able to secure a place for you. He is adept at such things. You also have my personal thanks. Had you not joined in, we would more than likely have been overrun.”
Chapter 13
The day of the contest had finally arrived! Kaler was unexpectedly nervous as he dressed for his trip to the arena for the first day of fighting. So much was riding on his hopes for success in the coming days. In the beginning he hadn’t dared to hope that Lord Batough would actually come through on his promise to see his name entered into the games. When he had raised the matter to the innkeeper, his longtime friend had indicated he had never heard of such a thing. But the Count had come through. It seemed that he was involved in the presentation of the games and knew of arcane rules that most had forgotten. It had been decades since anyone had invoked the rule allowing a non-noble to participate, but the methodology was documented, and given both the Count’s noble position plus his involvement in the games, Kaler was granted admission. Now it was up to him. Was he really as good as he hoped?
Having gone to great lengths to see Kaler admitted to the games, the Count now wanted his recommendation to make a good showing. He arranged for Kaler to stay at the estate, and made his best bodyguards available to practice with him. The Count also arranged for a pair of trainers that frequently trained the sons of Royalty destined for the games to spend time with Kaler. It had been a good thing. Kaler had found that he had become rusty and his stamina was not what it had once been. Lazy living and failure to run through his routines on a daily basis had taken a toll, and he had to sweat through a rough couple of weeks to regain his former expertise. But now he felt ready. Even the trainers were impressed by his performance, and indicated he should make the final rounds. How he did overall was beyond guessing. There were others that were skillful as well.
A complicated and convoluted assignment of opponents was followed. There were two goals of the games. One was to choose the annual champion, and the other was to provide a party atmosphere and entertainment for the populace. To that end it made no sense to pair the known best against the newcomers directly. That would result in numerous boring matches that would fail to excite the people, which would mean low attendance, little betting, and small profits for those merchants who looked to the games to provide such. No one would be happy. At the same time, pairing the best opposite one another could mean early elimination of some of the better fighters, as the early elimination matches took their toll.
Three tiers of fighters were available, and having never participated before, Kaler was relegated to the lowest level. This was somewhat embarrassing for him, as he knew he was better than his ranking indicated. On the other hand, it almost assured he would advance, and it gave him time to see just how the contest progressed and to watch other fighters. Fighters within a tier would fight three encounters on a given day. The results of each encounter were voted on by the judges, and at the end of the day, based on the scores, a certain percentage of the contestants were eliminated. Those remaining, would fight again the following day, facing possible elimination once again. The goal was not to harm anyone. Disarming was seen as a major goal, and judges were employed to judge the exchanges of blows. Since real edged weapons were employed, some accidents were inevitable.
After a couple of days, the remaining fighters in the lowest tier, would face the bottom half of the remaining fighters from the middle tier, while the remaining fighters in the top tier would face the remaining fighters in the upper half of the middle tier. On the last day of the games, the surviving fighters would be thrown into a common pool, and a random selection used to match them up. Two rounds would be fought with a direct elimination based on a combined vote of the judges and the spectators, reducing the number of fighters from four to two, and then from two to the remaining winner.
It would take seven days before the winner was chosen, and it would be a time of merriment for all in Pagner during that time. A week long party. The city was overflowing with villagers from outside the city, with every inn and hostel filled, often with rooms that had to be shared between families, with many to a bed.
Kaler discovered the first day that his participation in the games was viewed very differently by the contestants he was likely to face. Most took his presence well enough. They were, after all, here for the same reason and if he was skilled, why shouldn’t he be allowed? There were some, however, usually those from the ranks of the higher nobility who saw his presence as improper, and they looked upon him as a usurper of tradition. Kaler knew these men would put extra effort into seeing him eliminated from the contest.
The first day was easy enough. Kaler advanced without any real challenge. Most of those he fought in this rank were first timers like himself. They were the younger sons of nobility, getting their first exposure to the arena, and had not expected to last overly long. They did not seem to begrudge Kaler his success, and many openly congratulated him on his performance. They were there for the seasoning, and the women.
Yes, the women. Kaler hadn’t been aware of that aspect of the games. The glamour of the arena was something the idle wealthy longed to share. For many of the nobility and affluent, one way the women could participate and share in the glory was to bed the handsome, physical, and brave young men who performed in front of the city. This was especially true for the more successful fighters in the higher tiers, but even some of the nobles’ sons in the bottom tier received trinkets and summons from women who wished the fighters to entertain them. The trinkets were of value, sometimes of significant value. Sending coin was seen as crass, but the trinkets, which were almost always sold for coin, were deemed acceptable as not seen as outright purchasing of sexual favors. The summons were usually brought by servants, but on occasion a particularly bold woman would come herself seeking to acquire one of the men for her bed.
Kaler, of course, was not one of those in demand. An unknown, and clearly not of the noble class, he watched as those around him, including some he had defeated, were approached and sometimes led off to whatever pleasures awaited them. He found the situation surprising, and unsettling. He was initially glad that he wasn’t approached. He needed to conserve his strength for the games if he were to advance. At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like. He knew if he were approached he would have to consider the request carefully. It would not do to offend anyone in the nobility, and by refusing a summons, he might put into motion something that could affect his overall standings. He knew that there was a political aspect to the judging and was not experienced enough to know how important it was.
Kaler had advanced to a level where he was now paired with fighters from the second tier when he received his first summons. He was cleaning his swords after the last fight of the day, knowing he had done well and would clearly advance when the servant girl approached him with the paper wrapped offering. The girl was quite attractive, and she watched him with wide eyes and frank interest as he opened the package. Inside was a gold chain with a golden sword pendant. It had to be worth twenty golds or more.
“My mistress would be pleased if you would accept this gift and have dinner with her tonight,” the girl said. “She has been impressed by your showing in the games.”
Kaler was momentarily speechless. Now he had to decide. He didn’t know who the woman behind the gift might be, but given the quality of the dress of her servant girl as well as her looks, she had to be someone of considerable wealth. Kaler knew he would be more than happy to spend the night with the servant girl, who was exceedingly attractive and nicely shaped as near as he could tell by the flow of her dress over her form as the breeze whipped at the soft cloth.
Kaler was still trying to sort through the ramifications when he caught the eye of one of the other fighters he had come to know. A young noble of considerable skill, they had fought only once and it had been close. Kaler had won, but he knew the young man would be a formidable oppo
nent one day. The noble nodded sagely, indicating Kaler should accept. Wondering what he was agreeing to, Kaler nodded at the young servant girl, who hesitantly reached out and took his hand, pulling him after her.
He was taken to a carriage, and then through town to a large estate. The girl led him in the back way, up through a series of hallways and into a bathing area. He found a large tub filled with warm water, and clothing that he could wear afterwards, his own dirty and sweat stained from his battles in the arena. He bathed, dressed, and was about to leave the room in search of someone, when the servant girl re-entered. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was watching while he bathed and knew when he was ready.
He was escorted up another two sets of stairs and taken into a large area. The room was filled with ornate and expensive furniture, complete with a table filled with foods. Off in the back corner he could see the entrance to another room, this one obviously a bedroom. The girl pointed him to the table and then quietly left. Moments later a women entered via a door he hadn’t seen. She was older, somewhere in her early thirties he guessed. She wasn’t unattractive, but fell far short of the servant girl who had brought him here. She sat next to him and indicated he should eat. They talked briefly while he ate sparingly of the rich foods before him. His stomach was unsettled, and he needed to remember he had additional battles to fight the next day. The woman made no secret of what she wanted, and before long they retired to the adjacent room. Kaler was awakened early the next morning by the servant girl, and escorted out of the estate where a carriage waited. He found another trinket, this one a jeweled ring that he could sell for considerable coin as he never wore such things with his clothes. He never saw any men at the estate, and wondered if the woman was married and what her husband thought of her actions. The way he was led in via a back route made him wonder if the man, assuming he existed, knew of his wife’s actions.