“That’s what I’m thinking,” nods James.
Taking one more look to make sure that the area between the window and the wall remains clear, he opens the window and helps Miko through to the ground below. Thank goodness they are on the ground floor. He then follows Miko out the window and closes it quickly once he’s down beside him. They crouch in the bushes beneath the window momentarily as they scan the area for people. Once they ascertain the area is clear, they head out quickly and quietly for the tree.
They take no more than three steps when from above them on the second floor, a voice cries out, “Guards! Intruders!”
Looking up, James sees a well dressed man staring at him from an upper story window. Their eyes lock for just a second before he returns to the business at hand and bolts for the tree.
“Guards!” the man hollers again, “they’re heading for the wall!”
No longer worrying about stealth, James and Miko make a mad dash across the grounds. Two guards bearing drawn swords emerge at a run around the corner of the house and upon seeing them racing for the wall, move to intercept. “Stop!” yells one.
Miko makes the tree first and jumps for a lower limb. Grabbing it, he swings himself up into the tree. James throws his backpack over the wall and not being as nimble, has difficulty getting into the tree.
Reaching his hand down for James to grab, Miko yells, “Take my hand!”
Seeing the proffered hand, James reaches up and takes hold of it. With Miko’s help, he’s able to get up into the tree. They make their way through the lower limbs to the top of the wall just at the guards reach the base of the tree.
Swords strike at them as they pass from the tree to the wall, but they’re too far up and the blows are ineffective. Swinging over the wall, they drop down to the street below and James begins looking around for his backpack.
A small boy stands not two feet away with his back to them. He has the backpack and is rummaging through it.
James comes up behind him and grabs the boy by the shoulder.
Startled, the boy drops the backpack as he jumps a foot in the air. Turning, he sees James and Miko standing there. Before James can say a word, the boy bolts and disappears into the crowd.
James picks his backpack off the ground and turns to Miko, “Get us out of here!”
“This way,” Miko says then races off into the crowd with James close behind. The people around them continue going about their business, as if two men climbing over a wall were an everyday occurrence. James expected at least one of the bystanders would have tried to hinder their escape or at the very least to have shouted a warning to a constable that something odd was occurring. But no cry arises from anyone and they make it out of the area.
Finding a quiet alley, they duck inside and stop for a moment to catch their breath. “Do you think they’ll send the watch after us?” James asks. Standing at the mouth of the alley, he peers around the corner for any sign of pursuit.
“I don’t think we have to worry about the town watch getting involved,” replies Miko. “That was Lord Colerain’s estate we were in. In fact, it was Lord Colerain who was shouting out the window for the guards.”
“Why wouldn’t he call for the town watch?” he asks.
“He has his own guards and nobles like to take care of things themselves,” he replies. “It would be a loss of face if he were to come to the town watch for help. Since we didn’t take anything and there was no damage, it’s unlikely that he’ll do anything. Of course, if he comes across us, then he may seek revenge.”
“Alright,” says James. “Let’s just get back to the Flying Swan.”
Leading the way, Miko soon has them back at the inn. It’s a tribute to the lack of sanitation of this world that they can come into an inn from the sewers and no one says anything. James tells one of the workers that he’d like two tubs sent to his room, then he and Miko go on up.
“Two tubs?” Miko asks apprehensively as they begin climbing the stairs.
“Yes, two tubs,” answers James. “You smell like the sewer.”
“Actually, I wasn’t the one to fall in, remember?” he reminds him, smiling.
James replies, “Try it, you may never get another chance.”
“Alright, but I’m not going to like it.”
James empties out his backpack and lays the contents on the floor by the bed. A knock at the door heralds the arrival of two tubs carried in by four young boys. It doesn’t take the staff long to have them filled with steaming hot water. One servant brings in two small bowls of a powdery substance, setting one by each of the tubs. When James looks questioningly at it, he’s told that its soap and it’ll help to remove the grime. He tells one of the workers to come back in a few minutes to pick up his clothes and the backpack. That he wants to have them cleaned along with his other clothes they picked up earlier.
After the workers leave, he strips off his clothes and climbs into one of the tubs. The water is hot but not uncomfortable. Leaning back, he relaxes and lets the tensions of the day melt away. Settling in, he looks over to Miko and says, “Come on, it feels really good.” Reaching down, he scoops out some of the soap and proceeds to scrub the sewer gunk off.
Not looking convinced, Miko gets undressed and comes over to the tub hesitantly. He gingerly sticks one foot into the water and then pulls it out again fast, “It’s hot!” he says.
“Of course it’s hot,” he replies, slightly amused. “Being hot just makes it relax you more. Once you get in you’ll get use to it.”
Putting a toe in the water once again, he cautiously works the rest of his foot and then his leg in. Realizing the water is not going to scald him, he puts the other foot in and slowly immerses himself the rest of the way in. He sits there for a minute, at first not happy with it. Then as he becomes accustomed to the water’s temperature, he relaxes and begins to enjoy the experience.
Shortly, one of the workers returns to take James’ clothes and backpack, also dropping off two large towels so they may dry themselves when they are finished. James asks him if the clothes could be done by nightfall as he plans to leave in the morning. The worker tells him that they will rush it through.
Grabbing more soap, he continues scrubbing himself clean. This is the first bath I’ve had in a week, he thinks to himself. He had always liked baths. Back home he would at times soak in one until the water was cold and his skin the texture of prunes.
He looks over to Miko and finds that he’s beginning to relax and even seems to be enjoying it. Seeing the way James uses the soap, Miko scoops some out and copies him, rubbing it over his skin.
Knock! Knock!
“Come in,” James shouts through the door.
One of the workers at the Inn brings in a package. “This was just dropped off for you from Brockman’s,” the man says. Placing the package on the table, he turns and goes back out of the room, closing the door behind him.
“What do you need that stuff for anyway?” asks Miko, referring to the writing materials.
“I plan on keeping a journal,” he replies. “And who knows how else it may come in handy.” Like a spell book, he adds silently. He has long since come to the conclusion that he needs to create spells so in an emergency he will have ready access to them and won’t have to take the time to think one up.
He stays in the tub until the water begins to cool, then gets out and dries himself with one of the towels. Miko gets out as well and soon they are both dressed once more. James is in the last of his clean clothes and Miko dons his dirty old ones again.
“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” James asks him.
“It was pretty good, actually,” Miko replies with a grin. “I could get to like it.”
Miko walks over to the bed and leans over the pile of items on the floor, curious about the stuff from James’ backpack. He picks up the homemade compass that James had fashioned earlier in Trendle during his search for Hern. Holding it up, he looks over to James and asks, “What is this thing?�
��
Glancing over and seeing what Miko is holding, he replies, “Just something I made a while back. I used it to find something.”
“How does it work?” he inquires.
“I use a spell and it shows the direction of whatever I ask it to find,” James explains. Taking it from Miko, he points out the charcoal line and says, “This line will point in the direction of what I am trying to find.”
“Wow,” says Miko. “Can you have it find something right now?”
“No,” he answers as he lays the compass back on the floor. “Magic is not something you should do just for amusement.”
Disappointed, Miko gives him a regretful look.
Grabbing his coin pouch, James pulls out two silvers and hands them to Miko. “Here, take these,” he says. “You really helped me today and I appreciate it. Let’s go downstairs and I’ll buy you dinner before you leave.”
Miko is opening the door when he hears James says, “Here, you can have these as well.” Turning, he sees James handing him the bag of tarts.
“Thanks,” he says gratefully, as he puts the small sack inside his shirt for safekeeping.
Together they go down to the common room and find a good table situated near the rear. They only have to wait a minute or two before the girl comes over to see what they would like. It’s still an hour or so before dark, so the evening crowd hasn’t yet come in. Naught but a couple of people share the room with them. Once they give her their order, she returns to the kitchen.
“So, where are you going from here?” asks Miko.
“I’m planning on heading south, maybe as far as Castle Cardri,” he explains. The girl returns shortly with their food and a bottle of the mulberry wine that James had liked so much the night before. Tonight however, he plans to limit himself to only one bottle. He has no desire to experience another hangover. The memory of the one he woke to this morning forestalls any such attempt.
It doesn’t take long for the room to begin filling up. The bard from the night before returns and takes his place on the stage to a roar of applause and shouts of joy. After a short bow to the audience, he begins playing a rollicking song that soon has the crowd clapping along with the rhythm. James enjoys the music as much as he did the night before and seeing how Miko is listening with rapt attention, can tell he’s enjoying it too.
The next song is a slow, sad ballad of two lovers torn apart due to the difference in their social standings and the story ultimately ends in tragedy. Miko finishes eating and sits back as they enjoy the show for a while.
They sit there for several hours listening to the music and talking about the events of the day before James begins finding it hard to keep his eyes open. The exertions of the day are at last taking their toll. “Miko my friend,” James says through a yawn, “I’ve really enjoyed your company, but I’m off for bed.”
Getting up, Miko says, “Good night then. If you ever pass this way again, ask the boys by the gate for me and I’ll show up.”
Offering his hand, James responds, “I will.”
Miko takes his hand, giving it a shake and then heads for the door, making his way through the crowded room.
James watches Miko until he exits through the door before getting to his feet. Moving to the stairs, he goes up to his darkened room. Lighting the candle on the table with his spell, the wick ignites and fills the room with a soft glow. He finds that the clothes and backpack the staff had taken to be cleaned have already been returned and placed on the table. He takes all the items on the floor by the bed and places them once again into the freshly cleaned backpack. Giving the pack a sniff, he can only faintly detect the odor of the sewer. He repacks all his clothes and when his belongings are ready for travel, removes his clothes and blows out the candle before crawling into bed. It’s not long before he falls asleep.
Chapter Nine
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Insistent and unrelenting pounding upon the door awakens James in the dead of night. Half asleep, he gets out of bed and stumbles his way through the dark shadows of his room to the door.
Knock! Knock!
Just as he reaches the door, from the other side he hears Miko say in a loud whisper “James, wake up.” There’s a tightness and sense of urgency in his voice. “Wake up and open the door!”
Undoing the lock, James opens the door and steps back as Miko rushes into the room. The boy quickly shuts the door and throws the bolt closed. Turning to James he says, “You gotta get out of here!”
“Why?” he asks still not quite awake.
“Remember, I said that nobles like to settle things themselves?” asks Miko as he paces back and forth nervously.
Nodding his head, James replies, “Yeah, I remember.”
“It seems that Lord Colerain, whose estate we were chased out of this morning, has somehow discovered who it was that was at his estate today and where you are staying,” he explains. “I overheard a conversation between an agent of Lord Colerain and a group of men who hire out for this type of job. He wants you taken so he can find out why you were at his estate.”
“When?” Moving to where his clothes lay, he hurriedly begins to get dressed.
“I didn’t wait to find out,” explains Miko. “I came here as fast as I could to warn you. It’ll be soon though.” He paces impatiently by the door while James finishes getting dressed.
“I had better get out of the city now,” he decides. “I planned on leaving in the morning anyway.” Once he’s dressed, he grabs his backpack and hands his other pack to Miko. Moving carefully in the dark he makes his way over to the door where he slides back the bolt. Opening it slowly, he peers down the hallway in both directions.
The hallway is dark and quiet as a tomb. Leaving the room, they make their way to the stairs and descend quickly and quietly to the ground floor. There they find the common room dark and deserted, the small amount of light coming in through the windows casts an eerie pall to the place. The floor boards creak as they make their way silently across the room to the door leading to the stables.
Upon reaching the door, James pauses a moment to look out a window to the rear courtyard. About to open the door, he stops when he sees shadows moving near the stables. Part of them break off and approach the inn, heading for the door near which he’s standing. Only the dark of night prevents him from being seen by those approaching. Turning about, he silently indicates to Miko that they should leave through the front door. He takes but two steps toward the front door before it slowly begins to open.
James immediately ducks under one of the tables, pulling Miko down under it with him. Staying as quiet as they can, they watch as several shadows enter through the front door while two more come in through the door to the stables.
The two groups meet at the base of the stairs. James can hear whispers but is unable to make out any of the words. Four of the shadows head up the stairs after pausing only momentarily, while two of them remain in the common room, just a few feet from where James and Miko are hiding.
From upstairs comes the sound of a door opening, then the inn is silent for a few seconds before the door closes once again. The four shadows return down the stairs and cross to where their two fellows are waiting near James and Miko. “He’s not up there,” one of them whispers.
“We can’t stay here,” another responds.
“Rolin,” the first one says, “tell the boys at the stables we’re out of here.”
“Right,” James hears the reply. One of the shadows detaches itself from the others and makes its way out the back door.
“Let’s go,” the first voice says, “we’ll find him eventually.” The shadows then turn and walk quietly out the front door.
James waits for several minutes to be sure they will not be coming back before he emerges out from under the table. “Check the front door,” he says quietly to Miko.
Miko gets up and goes over to peer through a window by the front door while James checks the back.
James doesn’t
see anybody out in the courtyard by the stables so he quietly goes and checks with Miko.
“Anything?” he whispers when he reaches Miko’s side.
“They left in two parties, one to the right and another to the left,” replies Miko. “I think two of them went into that alley across the street. They may be there as a lookout to see if we show up.”
“Probably,” James agrees as he stares out into the street.
“How are we going to get out of here?” asks Miko, nervousness evident in his voice.
“I’m thinking,” he says. Considering the situation for a moment he comes up with a plan.
Pulling Miko close so his voice won’t carry far, he says, “When I tell you to, I want you to close your eyes tight and keep them closed until I tell you to open them again. Do you understand?”
“Why?” Miko asks.
Sounding impatient, he says “Just do it! I don’t have time to explain, okay?”
“Alright,” agrees Miko, though he doesn’t sound very sure that he does.
James begins casting a spell and directs Miko to look down the street. A small, dimly glowing ball, appears. It rolls down the street toward the alley where the men are waiting and comes to rest in front of the alley. They see the two men detach themselves from the darkness of the alley as they come to inspect it.
“Close your eyes,” James whispers. James silently counts to himself, “One, two, three…” and then closes his own eyes, turning his head away. The glowing ball suddenly flashes into a blinding brilliance, lasting only a second.
“I’m blind!” can be heard coming from the ally.
When the light disappears, James says, “You can open your eyes now, let’s go.” They hurry through the front door and leave the inn, turning down the lane to the right. Even though their eyes were closed, spots still swim in their vision.
The two men who were across the street continue to cry out and one has even fallen to the ground, holding his eyes.
“What did you do to them?” asks Miko, a slightly awed tone to his voice.
The unsuspecting mage ms-1 Page 16