Accidental Duelist

by Jamie Davis

  "I'll share the room if she's alright with it. Dinner sounds good, too."

  "Excellent. I'll get right on it. Hey Granny, you've got a bunkmate for the night." The bartender called while he drew a tankard of ale for Cari.

  "Send her over to sit with me, then. I'd like to know who I'm sleeping with tonight."

  "Don't we all," a farmer said as he laughed at another table. "She's welcome to come over here if she'd rather share a bed with me."

  "Oh, hush, Jym Price," Grandma Gerald said. "Leave the girl be. She's young enough to be your daughter's age by the look of her. What would your wife say to you if she knew what you just said?"

  The farmer blushed at being chastised and his companions burst out laughing at his expense reaching over to jostle him a bit. There were other bits of laughter around the common room as folk settled back into their conversations.

  Cari crossed to where Grandma Gerald gestured to her to sit.

  "Don't pay Jym no mind. He's harmless enough. What's your name, sweetie?"

  Cari sat down and introduced herself.

  "I'm Cari, Cari Dix."

  "Ooo, named after the princess, are you? Did you choose that name or is it the name your parents gave you?"

  "My parents named me."

  "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I like the name. I almost named my youngest daughter after the legendary princess, too. Did your parents tell you stories about her growing up?"

  "Not as much as I'd have liked."

  "Well you're in for a treat. A traveling bard is passing through tonight. Maybe we can entice him to share one of the old tales with us."

  "That would be nice, Grandma Gerald."

  "Call me Granny. Everyone else does."

  Cari smiled, nodded, and took a sip of her ale while she studied some of the others in the room. The other patrons all seemed to be local farmers coming to the only tavern in the area to share tales and complain about their lives. The locals didn’t have much in the way of money judging from their rough clothes and weathered and tanned faces.

  "Where are you bound to, Cari? Are you traveling far?"

  "I'm trying to catch up with friends heading to Morton Creek. Hopefully they haven't left without me."

  "Oh, what a nice surprise. I'm headed south to Morton Creek myself. My oldest daughter lives there with her husband and three of my grandchildren."

  "That's nice. How many grandchildren do you have?"

  "Twenty-two."

  Cari raised her eyebrows in surprise.

  "I have six children and they've all had more than a few of their own. It's one of the joys of my advanced age to spend as much time with them as possible."

  "Are the others in Morton Creek, too?"

  "No, only my Darla moved away from the farmstead. The others remained close and took up farming like me and my husband. Darla always had stars in her eyes though. I knew she'd opt to leave as soon as she got the chance. She met a nice young man traveling south to Morton Creek. He was on his way to take over for a retiring smith there. She told me she planned to marry him mere minutes after she'd met the boy."

  Granny shook her head and chuckled.

  "I can't say I was happy at the time but he's been a good husband and provider to her and he's raising those boys of his in a good trade so I cannot complain after all is said and done."

  "It sounds like it all worked out," Cari remarked.

  "What about you? Why's a girl your age out roaming the countryside with a sword at her waist like some young ruffian?"

  Cari shrugged, unsure of what to say.

  "I just wanted to get away from home, I guess. I've always been good with a blade despite what my parents wanted me to do. I feel more at home with a sword in my hand than anything else."

  "Given who you're named after, maybe you've soaked up some of your namesake's prowess for adventure."

  "What do you mean? I thought Cari disappeared with her family when she was a young child."

  "That is true, but here in these western parts of the Empire, we hold a real close affinity to Prince Hal and his family. Did you know Prince Hal traveled right down this road almost a hundred years ago on his way to Morton Creek?"

  "No, I didn't know that," Cari replied. She was curious to hear that she might be retracing some of her father's travels about Fantasma.

  "Yes, he came through on his way to rescue the arch mage Theran from capture at the hands of a bandit king who'd taken over Morton Creek. At least that's what the legend says."

  "Really? I suppose he was successful."

  "Of course, he was. That was how Prince Hal learned fire magic in the stories. He was taught the magic spells in exchange for rescuing the mage. In the end, it played a great part in his defeat of the usurping Emperor and his lackeys, if the tales are to be believed."

  Cari smiled at the thought of her father involved in some sort of epic adventure. It all seemed so strange to think of her dad, the business executive running around with a sword in his hand and learning to cast magic spells. Even after her own adventures over the last week and a half in Fantasma, it was a little hard to believe.

  Over the course of the long evening in the inn's common room, Cari heard many more tales of her father, each more fanciful than the last. The traveling bard obliged Granny's requests for stories about Prince Hal and told one after another.

  At the end of the final tale, telling the story of the great slave escape from the city of Hyroth, Cari looked around and was surprised she and Granny were the only ones left in the common room. The farmers had all gone home long before.

  Granny pushed her chair back and stood, fishing in her coin purse and pulling out a silver piece.

  "You should offer a token to the bard as well for his entertainments this evening."

  "I will," Cari said, digging out a silver coin of her own. "I learned a great deal from his stories. I'd never heard so much about Prince Hal before."

  "Like I said, we here in the west country consider Prince Hal one of us. He's even more revered in Tandon, farther west. That's where he first showed up and vowed to take on the Emperor, you know."

  Cari nodded. She'd heard that in several of the night's tales. She followed Granny over to the bard and handed him her coin, thanking him for the night's stories.

  He took the coins with a bow and a flourish of his hands then set to packing up his lute and gathering his belongings.

  Cari followed Granny up the narrow stairs to their room. The bed they were to share was smaller than she expected but Granny was a thin woman. Hopefully she didn't kick in her sleep too much.

  She needn't have worried. The long day of traveling and the late night in the common room both conspired against her and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

  She didn't remember a thing until Granny shook her gently by the shoulder the next morning.

  "Cari, dear. I'm leaving. Would you like to travel with me south? I'd appreciate the company for the trip and you wouldn't have to walk. I have a buggy with room for us both."

  Cari rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She didn't have to think long on it. Her evening with Granny had been her most pleasant so far in Fantasma. She'd enjoy sharing a ride with her south to Morton Creek. Plus, the buggy ride would offer her a faster option than walking.

  "I'd like that Granny. Do we have time for some breakfast first?"

  "I had the innkeeper wrap up some ham, cheese, and fresh biscuits for us to take. I got enough for both of us, hoping you'd say yes."

  "Give me a few minutes to freshen up and I'll meet you outside in the courtyard."

  "Alright, but don't dally. I want to get there before my grandchildren go to sleep for the night."

  Cari nodded. She rolled out of bed, gathered her things, and poured some water in the washbasin to scrub her face and wash her hands.

  By the time she arrived in the courtyard, Granny was already seated in the two-wheeled buggy, hitched behind a swaybacked piebald horse.

  Cari tossed her backpack under the
seat with Granny's things and climbed up into the seat next to the old woman.

  Granny clucked and shook the reins and the horse started off at a trot for the road south. Cari looked up and let the sun warm her face in the early morning chill. The trip south had taken a turn for the better when she met Granny Gerald. Cari hoped the luck continued to hold in her favor. She estimated she was nearly eight days behind her friends. She hoped they hadn't left without her.

  Chapter 19

  After traveling all day with Granny Gerald, Cari was almost sorry to leave her behind when the old woman pulled up outside the Sailor's Home inn.

  "Thank you for going out of your way to bring me here directly rather than going straight to your daughter's, Granny."

  "Nonsense, my dear. It wouldn't do for you to wander about, new in town, looking for this place. Besides, it's not that far out of the way. My Son-in-Law's smithy is just five minutes from here, near the Baron's castle."

  Cari climbed down and retrieved her pack and sword.

  "I hope you have a nice visit with your grandchildren, Granny. They're lucky to have someone like you in their lives."

  "Yes," she laughed as she lifted the reins. "Yes, they are. Hopefully they know that, too. Best of luck to you Cari Dix. I hope we get to meet again someday."

  "I'd like that, Granny. Farewell."

  The old woman shook the reins and the horse trotted away, leaving Cari outside the ramshackle inn overlooking the harbor below. Cari shouldered her pack on one side and her sword belt over the other and went inside to find her friends.

  As she stepped through the door, Cari wrinkled her nose. The interior of the inn was smoky and smelled of fish. The combination was a bit unpleasant. The door opened to a small entry hall that opened to the left and right. The right-hand side led to the tavern and, judging from the noisy carousing coming from that end of the building, the joint was jumping. The left side led to a small counter and a staircase up to what Cari assumed were the inn's rooms.

  Cari decided her best option to find Rodrigo, Timron, and the others was to head to the left and speak to the clerk at the counter there. The greenish tint to his skin and the smile showing a mouthful of pointed teeth revealed him to be at least partly of goblin stock. He was polite enough though.

  "Can I help you, miss? We have the finest rooms in town."

  "I hope you can, sir. I'm looking for a few friends who are staying here. They are probably waiting for me."

  "Do you have a name, miss? We have several people staying here."

  "I'm supposed to ask for Liam or maybe Rodrigo?"

  "Your name wouldn't be Cari would it?"

  "Yes, it is. Oh, I'm so glad my friends are here." She pointed back to the tavern side of the building. "Are they in the tavern? I'm sure they'll be excited to see me."

  "Miss, uh, you misunderstand me. I have heard of your friends but I'm afraid they are no longer here."

  "Not here?"

  "No, but they did leave a note for you in hopes you would arrive, eventually. Wait here. I have it in the back office."

  The clerk held up his hands in front of him to keep her there and left through a small door behind the counter. He returned after a few seconds, handing her a folded piece of paper. It was sealed with wax and the emblem of the Dragoons was pressed into the seal closing the message.

  "I was just wondering how long I should hold onto the note. They had no idea how long it would take you to arrive. I didn’t think you’d come at all, honestly, but surprise here you are."

  Cari stared at the note in her hand and struggled with what to say next. She'd counted on getting here in time to go with them. Everything she'd done was focused on that goal. She'd been imprisoned, escaped, fought tooth and nail to get away from her pursuers, and now the rug had been pulled out from under her.

  "W-when did they leave?"

  "Oh, it must be two days ago. I think it was because one of your friends had gotten into a mix-up with a bad element in town. He apparently gambled away money he didn't have and a few burly gentlemen came looking for him. It was a nasty business and the local constabulary was called to settle the peace. Your friends left early the next morning."

  Cari could guess which of her friends the clerk referred to and she cursed under her breath at Timron and his personal habits. If not for him, Rodrigo, Liam, and the others would still be here.

  Sliding her thumb under the folded paper note, breaking the wax seal, she unfolded the letter and read the words Liam had written there.

  * * *

  Cari,

  * * *

  It is my hope you arrive soon and are safe and sound after your delay in the capital. We were forced to leave Morton Creek on short notice and took the first available ship leaving the harbor. It is bound for Tandon, which is good. The Empress has a friend in the Duke and Duchess there.

  We will await you in Tandon. Seek us out at the Duke's palace. They will know where we are if we are not in Tandon anymore.

  * * *

  Godspeed,

  Liam

  * * *

  She folded the note and considered what it said. If they left by ship, she'd have to book passage as well. The few coins she had left from what Merrick gave her would not be enough to book passage on a ship, she was sure. She only had enough left for two or three nights at an inn and a few meals.

  "Did you find out what you needed, miss?" The clerk asked.

  "No, not what I needed at all," Cari said, letting the bitterness and disappointment creep into her tone and demeanor.

  "Will you be needing a room perhaps while you work out what your next plans are?"

  "I'm not sure, I have to consider my options for a bit." Cari trailed off and walked away from the counter, soon finding she'd retraced her steps and stood once more on the street outside the inn. The harbor lay below with a few larger ships bobbing in the waters there. Most of the boats were smaller fishing vessels.

  There was no way she could afford passage on a ship with what she had on her and Cari was at a loss for what to do next. She didn't know anyone in this town and had no resources at all to build upon in order to earn her passage to Tandon. She supposed she could try to make the passage overland but she had no idea what that entailed or if she was equipped to make any sort of protracted overland journey.

  A thought popped into her head. Her previous supposition wasn't entirely true. She did know one person in town. The question was, would Grandma Gerald help her out and how would she even find her in a town of several thousand people?

  All she knew was Granny's son-in-law owned a blacksmith shop near the baron's castle. The castle was easy enough to see, sitting on the opposite side of the harbor overlooking a point of land jutting out and creating the inlet that sheltered the ships below. There couldn’t be that many smiths in a town the size of this one.

  Cari folded the message from Liam in half twice until it was small enough to fit in her belt pouch and slipped it inside. She looked up the hill at the castle and took a deep breath.

  "Alright, Cari. You've got no one but yourself to rely on here. It's time to go and find a way to make this work. You’ve got to get to Tandon."

  Cari started up the street towards the castle, navigating her way in its general direction. She had to make several twists and turns as she headed up the hill towards the far end of town. She was determined in her purpose. Cari would find Grandma Gerald again and with the old woman’s help, work out a way to earn enough money to buy passage to Tandon.

  * * *

  Quest accepted - Earn passage to Tandon

  Chapter 20

  It took several tries and backtracking from two dead end streets before Cari found the correct combination of streets that wound around the harbor inlet and led to the castle. By the time she found the street leading up to the castle and started looking for the blacksmith shop Granny mentioned, it was starting to get dark. Lucky for her, she didn't have to look far.

  Cari first heard the sound of pounding s
teel on steel off to her left as she walked along. Following the sound, she discovered an alley leading back to a large open building with a stone fire pit beneath a chimney jutting up through the roof. The open forge generated enough heat that she felt the temperature rise as soon as she was within thirty feet of the glowing bed of coals.

  A tall, broad-shouldered man stood with his back to her, swinging his hammer down at a bar of glowing metal laying on the anvil in front of him. A boy of about twelve stood nearby, holding a rope attached to a giant bellows attached to the side of the fire pit. As the smith returned the bar of metal to the coals, he nodded at the boy who pulled down on the rope, pulling the opposing sides of the bellows together, blowing fresh air into the forge. The coals glowed white as the fresh flow of oxygen fed the fire, super-heating the metal bar under the blacksmith’s watchful eye.

  The boy pulled on the rope three more times until the smith nodded again and pulled the bar from the forge. He laid it back on his anvil. The metal now glowed with the same white heat of the forge’s coals and he began pounding on it again in smooth measured strokes as he shaped the bar, stretching it out while he flattened it.

  It took her a moment and then she realized he was shaping a sword blade. He returned what must be a high-quality carbon steel to the forge and looked up at the boy again. The child wasn’t paying attention to the smith though. The apprentice was distracted by her arrival and looked at her, not his master.

  Seeking the distraction that pulled his apprentice's attention from his work, the smith turned around and spotted Cari standing behind him.

  "Excuse me, miss, I didn't know you were standing there. Do you need something, perhaps a look at your blade's edge? My son here is very good at sharpening fine blades on our wheel if you'd like."

  Cari shook her head. Her hardened, special steel alloy blade rarely needed sharpening even after the battle conditions she'd tested it with over the last two weeks.