Dralin

by Carroll, John H.

  Dralin

  John H. Carroll

  Published by John H. Carroll at Smashwords

  Copyright 2011 John H. Carroll

  Cover Copyright 2011 John H. Carroll

  Cover photography by Tracy Carroll

  This book is dedicated to my mother who gave me a good childhood and always accepted me for who I was.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  “Hello, pretty little miss. Would you like to see the sights of Dralin?” the hawkish Guardsman asked with a leering grin. He brushed a few flakes of lightly falling autumn snow from his shoulder-length brown hair. A polished chain shirt peeked out from underneath the collar of a standard-issue black and brown tunic, while a long sword waited in its sheath at his waist for the opportunity to commit malice. Sheela stepped back in apprehension. Everyone in Dralin was to be feared, even many of the guards from what she had been told.

  “No thank you, Sir,” she responded firmly. Just because she was a plain farmer’s daughter didn’t mean she was a fool. Her stomach knotted in dread when the guardsman took a step forward and put a powerful hand on her shoulder, which menaced rather than comforted her. The smile he must have thought was charming came across as sinister.

  “Come now, lass. My shift is nearly over and the sun is about to set. I’ll take good care of you and keep you warm on this cold evening.” He tried to slide his arm around her shoulder, but she spun away off the sidewalk and into the roadway. “Hey! Don’t be like that!” the man exclaimed in surprise.

  Sheela had to stop and straighten suddenly to avoid a passing wagon. Its wheels splashed muddy water from the cobbled road onto the worn dress she had run away from home in. It was hard to tell that it had once been warm yellow with sturdy threads. A year of hard work in the fields and weeks of walking dirt roads had taken the color out to leave a drab, torn garment barely hanging onto her shoulders.

  She felt the guard’s hand on her shoulder again, gripping firmly. “Careful. Those wagon drivers won’t hesitate to run you over.” He pulled her back onto the sidewalk where she managed to twist out of his grip again. There were too many people around to simply run and she really did want to go into the city yet, so she moved a few steps away and stood with as much resolve as she could muster.

  He held up his hands and yielded. “Whatever. Go learn about the city on your own. We’ll probably find your body in a gutter after you’ve been thrown out of a brothel somewhere.” The look of snarling contempt on his face as he spit on the ground at her feet stunned her. Sheela couldn’t help the tears that began to well up in her eyes.

  With a stomp of her bare foot, she drove the tears back. After everything she had been through, harsh words wouldn’t drive her to despair. The guard turned in disgust and traipsed back to the large guardhouse that bordered the crowded highway leading into the main city.

  Sheela held her chin up as she looked at the people and wagons passing by. She was on the sidewalk to the right of the highway leading into Dralin from the east. It was her hope to ask one of the guards for a safe place to go and she had seen one that looked like he might be helpful, but the leering guard had intercepted her instead.

  The enormous city before her was daunting and goosebumps appeared on her arm when she thought about the stories she had heard of it. Snow drifting down heralded that winter would be starting early. Sheela wiped some off her eyelashes and turned to leave. Heading away into the cold emptiness of unknown roads scared her too. She had come too far to turn back, but fear of going on made her freeze in her tracks.

  “Are you alright?” a strong, deep voice asked from behind her. Sheela slowly turned around and looked up into the brilliant blue eyes of a tall, young guardsman. His nose had been broken at some point and the tip aimed a little to the left, but he was handsome in spite of that. “I’m sorry if Tobe bothered you. He’s good with a sword, but not so much with people.”

  An aura of safety about the man drew Sheela to him. He was the guard she had originally been heading to talk to before the one named Tobe had intercepted her. Still, in Dralin it wasn’t safe to trust anyone too easily. “I’m hoping to find someplace safe, but I don’t have any money,” Sheela answered tentatively. She had survived the trip to Dralin by sleeping in haystacks and by stealing a little food wherever she could, a fact that shamed her.

  The guard let out a long breath, puffing out his cheeks while he ran fingers through wavy black hair that fell to his shoulders in what seemed to be a fashion with all the guards. She studied his face. Black stubble covered a strong jaw and chin. His skin was browned from being in the sun, but wasn’t dark. He spoke deliberately in warm tones that seemed to shield her from the cold air. “Dralin is a bad place not to have any money . . .” he paused, “It’s a bad place even if you do have money,” he finished with a half-hearted chuckle.

  A small laugh escaped Sheela’s cracked lips, but her future was too uncertain for true mirth and her expression became serious once more. “I’m a good worker and very quiet. I don’t need much,” she persisted earnestly. “I know the city is dangerous. I only want a chance.”

  He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then nodded. “Alright. I’m off duty in a few minutes. I know of an innkeeper that has an opening and he owes me a favor.” It was clear the guardsman was making a large concession. “Name’s Frath by the way.” He held out a muscular hand.

  She took the hand and smiled shyly. “Mine’s Sheela.” Frath’s grip was firm, but gentle, holding her hand safely rather than crushing it. His smile warmed her skin and made some of the fear go away. Sheela’s heart raced in her chest a little bit. It was an unusual feeling for her because she normally found men intimidating.

  “Sheela . . . I like that name.” Frath pointed toward an empty bench on the far side of the guardhouse. “Sit over there until I’m finished, and then I’ll take you to the inn.” He rejoined the rest of the guards while she walked over and sat.

  The bench was damp from the scattered snowflakes that melted as soon as they landed on anything. Sheela’s dress was already wet and dirty anyway, so sitting on the bench didn’t bother her. It felt good to get off her feet for a short time and she rubbed the cold ache out of them. Many of the people traveling by wore shoes and Sheela thought that perhaps she might someday own a pair.

  Sounds of the city surrounded her as she watched people passing in a mad rush to finish their tasks before nightfall. Wagon drivers yelled above the clopping of their horse’s hooves, which clattered sharply over the humming drone of thousands of voices talking incessantly about whatever matters might be important to them at the time.

  Endless buildings obscured a ruddy sunset that lit the bottoms of patchy clouds on the western horizon. Rays of light burst through the smog and snow to cast a dirty orange radiance over everything. Exotic scents came from many of the wagons that had traveled from such places as Mayncal, Brindlyn, and the Iynath Empire. They mixed in with the odors of livestock, unwashed bodies, cooking food and smells Sheela couldn’t begin to identify.

  The assault on her senses was overwhelming, making her dizzy and lightheaded. Taking deep breaths d
idn’t help because each one brought something new. The odors, both pleasant and unpleasant, were so heavy that she could taste them on her tongue.

  “Are you alright, Sheela?” Frath asked, concern filling his voice. She looked up. He was taller than the other Guards, easily six feet three inches. His hand rested comfortably on the hilt of a long, sheathed sword. Judging from his broad chest and strong hands, he was likely a very dangerous man in spite of his youthful face.

  For some reason, Sheela trusted him more than she trusted any of the thousands of people she had passed along the highway and entering into the city. Perhaps because of that trust, she croaked out a hoarse whisper, “I’m scared . . . I’m so scared.” It was the first time she had shown weakness to anyone since running away. No matter how frightened she had been at any point, Sheela had held her chin up and kept a brave face.

  Frath gripped her shoulder comfortingly. He didn’t speak any words, conveying understanding and calm through his eyes instead. Sheela smiled briefly and stood. “I’m ready. You won’t get in trouble for helping me, will you?” she asked worriedly.

  “No. Not at all,” he assured her, putting his arm out for her to hold onto. She gripped it with both hands as one would the railing of a ship in a storm. Frath surrendered the arm willingly as they began walking deeper into the city. “What do you know of Dralin?” he asked, slowing his pace to match her shorter steps.

  “It’s the most dangerous city in the world and everyone here dies a terrible death.” That was the gist of what she knew. If there was anything people agreed upon, that was it.

  Frath barked a short laugh. “Yeah, there’s some truth to that, but it’s possible to survive.” His expression became grave. “I don’t know why you came here, but I’ve seen a lot of young ladies disappear when they arrive. It’s worse if you don’t have family or friends, and I’m guessing you don’t have that here? . . .” he trailed off questioningly.

  Sheela shook her head and looked at the inns that lined the road. They were enormous three and four level buildings with stables that stretched out behind them for blocks. “Is one of these the inn you’re taking me to?” She gestured to the nearest, which had a painting of a yellow wagon on a large wooden sign in front.

  “No. It’s closer to the middle of the city. It’ll take about an hour to get there. You don’t want to work at any of these. They’re mean places, meant for travelers.” To emphasize his point, a group of men tumbled outside one of the doors in the middle of a scuffle. Frath stopped for a moment to watch, keeping himself protectively between Sheela and the brawling men. “They’re just a bunch of drunks fighting. As long as there’re no weapons drawn, I don’t need to worry about it.”

  “Why do people fight like that?” Sheela asked in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  Frath shrugged. “I don’t understand a lot of things either. There aren’t any answers in Dralin. Your best choice is to head somewhere else. If you insist on staying, then it’s best to keep your head down, find a safe place to live, and stay there.” He stopped and took Sheela by the arms. “If you’re willing to leave this forsaken city, I’ll spend the night getting you to safety.”

  There were no places safe for a young runaway woman. She had thought about escaping in a different direction, but no other city was as fascinating as Dralin with its mage’s towers, shifting streets and grand parks. Sheela looked Frath in the eye and answered defiantly. “I know that I’ll likely die, end up a prostitute on the streets or maybe even become one of the Deformed, but I don’t care.”

  Frath nodded slowly and let her take his arm again as they continued walking. “You’re not going to meet that fate if I have anything to say about it,” he vowed quietly.

  “Why are you helping me?” Sheela asked suddenly. “Out of all the girls who walk past you every day, why me?”

  He didn’t answer right away. “Well . . . I don’t know. I saw you look at me before Tobe intercepted you. Then you stood up to him and held your chin high. There’s a fire in you that most don’t have and I don’t want to see it snuffed out by the evil in this city.”

  She squeezed his arm thankfully. “You’re the only person I’ve passed who didn’t seem hard and mean. Everywhere I look, people are too busy to pay attention to me. The few that have noticed me have a look in their eyes that’s hungry like a carnivorous fairy.” She held up her right arm so he could see the scar from where one had bitten her a few years earlier. Some of the muscles in it never healed properly and she still didn’t have full use of the pinky in that hand.

  “Oh, that’s a nasty bite. I’ve only seen them in the Zoo District. Scary things, carnivorous fairies,” Frath agreed. “I’m glad we found each other. I’m taking you the Shining Shield Inn. The innkeeper, Albert, nearly got killed by some thugs about a year ago and I was able to help him. He owes me a favor, but I didn’t do it for that reason. I helped him because he was in trouble.”

  “I think it’s wonderful. How many thugs were there?”

  “How many? . . . There were ten, but Albert’s tough and can hold his own in a fight. I didn’t really do much.” Frath blushed in embarrassment and turned away as he answered. She got the feeling he was being modest.

  “Thank you for helping me.” Sheela smiled at him gratefully. He was sacrificing a favor that could have benefited him. It occurred to her to wonder what he would want in return.

  As if reading her mind, he answered the unspoken question. “You’re welcome. The only thing I ask is that you do a good job for him. Other than that, I don’t expect anything, alright?”

  She nodded. “I’m a good worker and I’ll work really hard.” The nodding made her a little dizzy and she leaned on his arm.

  “You look pale . . . When’s the last time you had food?” he asked intuitively, stopping to peer into her frail brown eyes. Sheela lowered her head, not wanting him to see how desperately she wanted something to eat. In the last two days, all she had was a half-chewed apple and some old leaves of lettuce. Frath lifted her chin. “You’re lucky to be alive right now. If you want to survive, you have to take care of yourself.”

  He took her down a side street to the right. There was still a lot of traffic, but nothing like the highway that had been getting more and more crowded the further they went into the city. After passing a couple more streets, he turned left into a noisy, open marketplace.

  “This is the East Bazaar. You can find just about anything here,” Frath shouted above the drone of voices as he shifted his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. “Don’t ever come here alone because it’s also a popular place for thieves and other criminals. If anyone pulls on you, hang on to me. It’s real easy for a woman to disappear even when in the company of a guardsman.”

  The warning sent a chill up Sheela’s spine as she held onto him, trying to avoid the crush of bodies moving around them. The growing darkness was making people seem more threatening. A lamplighter used a wick at the tip of a long pole to light oil lanterns on tall posts, but the glow did little to illuminate the throngs below. Meanwhile, merchants were setting out lit candles and hanging lanterns so customers could see their wares better. There was no sign of business slowing even with the coming night.

  Frath shoved through the crowd more easily than most. A few men turned to protest, but stopped when they saw how tall he was and that he was wearing a guard’s uniform. Sheela felt tugging on her arm twice, but she held onto Frath for dear life and he kept her secure. He wasn’t just tall; he was broad in the chest. She could feel his chain shirt underneath the tunic, but wished she could feel him instead.

  “Let me have two draddlies,” Frath said to a food vendor in a wooden shack. Sheela watched as the man put some meat and cheese between two pieces of bread slathered with some sort of sauce. Frath put his mouth next to her ear. “These are wonderful. It’s meat, cheese and bread all together. They’re popular in the country of Eddland to the north of here and have been spreading all over the world.”

  �
��That’ll be four coppers,” the vendor told Frath, who removed his arm from Sheela’s shoulders in order to grab a pouch hidden in his tunic. Four coppers was a lot of money to Sheela who had never had any coins in her life. Frath took the coppers out and handed them to the vendor.

  Sheela suddenly felt someone grab her arms and pull her away. As she tried to scream, a hand clamped over her mouth. With desperation, she caught Frath’s belt, but the hands pulling her were much stronger and she couldn’t hold on. Terror filled Sheela’s heart and eyes as she watched Frath turn in what seemed to be slow motion.

  Then time became normal. His arm shot forward, grabbed the hand over her mouth and yanked. The motion pulled her and her attacker forward. Frath sidestepped her and pulled the arm down and around, spinning its owner. He pulled it behind the man’s back and up. Sheela turned just as Frath broke the man’s shoulder with a sickening crunch. The darkly dressed kidnapper screamed in agony as his arm dropped limply to his side. When Frath punched him in the back of the head with a powerful fist, the scream stopped abruptly and the man collapsed to the ground.

  The immediate area became silent as shocked bystanders created an open circle around them. Frath slowly turned and stared them all down. The circle grew larger as many of the people prudently chose to leave. Sheela stared at the hard face of her protector and the bared teeth that looked as though they could rend flesh. Instead of frightening her, it made her feel protected as she rushed desperately into the safety of his arms.

  Frath led her back to the food vendor who quickly handed over the draddlies and even added an order of baked chips made from cornmeal. Sheela took the draddly he handed her and they walked off with his arm around her shoulder, leaving the thwarted kidnapper unconscious on the ground.

  A few minutes later, he led her to a bench in a small park. Brick paths meandered through leaf strewn grassy areas. The trees were still partially resplendent with autumn colors that had been falling to the ground. More lanterns on tall poles provided light for anyone out for a stroll at night. The last of the daylight was disappearing in the west and the snow had stopped. Two ponds had ducks that would soon be flying further south for the winter.