by Marie Brown
To their Bandoran eyes, Trade City looked odd, to say the least. Where they'd come from buildings were fairly uniform in size and construction, mostly brick and blocky. Buildings with a similar function tended to group together. But this place. , , To the eyes of the travelers, the city looked chaotic. Buildings came in many shapes, sizes, styles, and materials. None of them were easily identifuable at first glance.
"Now what?" Camryn asked Varley.
"I suggest we find an inn and ask the keeper if he knows anyone who could provide employment for us."
Leena's eyebrows shot up into her hair. "What can you do? I'd never thought of a Lord seeking employment before."
"I'm not a bad hand with a sword," he said, caressing the hilt of his. Leena blinked. Somehow, she'd never considered he might use his sword.The weapon always seemed just another part of Varley's outfit, like boots. She'd never seen him use it and had paid it no mind. All noblemen carried swords, but they did not hire them out like a common soldier. "And my purse is not bottomless. I think we'd also better find a money changer. Who knows if they accept Bandoran currency here."
Several of the nearby buildings appeared to be inns. All had signs hung out front. Many had tables set outside for diners. They selected one with a picture of a sleeping cat. The name was printed underneath, but none of them could read it.
"Oh dear," Leena said, as she stared at the unfamiliar letters. "Another thing I hadn't thought of. . . Do you suppose they all speak trade-tongue, at least?"
"I'm sure they do," Camryn reassured her. "Everyone speaks trade-tongue."
They entered the inn, pleased to find it clean and not overfull. A plump woman in an apron came to meet them, tucking a towel into her pocket. "Welcome to the Lazy Kitten, travelers. How may I serve you?"
"We seek a night's lodging and advice for newcomers. May we speak to the innkeep?"
She chuckled. "You are speaking to her. My name is Mairead. I have only one room left available, but it has two beds. Will that suit?"
"Do you have a bathhouse?" Leena interrupted urgently. Mairead laughed.
"Certainly we do, and a separate one for men and women at that. Now as to price. . ."
Leena left that to Varley and looked about the room. Trestle tables stretched the length of the room, with a few diners scattered about them. Appealing scents drifted from the kitchen. Suddenly she laughed. In the front window a plump cat was sleeping. She looked a bit more carefully about the room and was able to spot three more cats. Then a small mew attracted her attention and something prickled her ankle. She looked down into a tiny face, split wide by a mew bigger than the kitten. "Oh, how precious. . ." She scooped up the kitten and cuddled it, scratching the little chin. She was rewarded with a thunderous purr.
"You'll do well here indeed," said the innkeeper. Leena smiled up at her. "There's some as don't like my cats, and they're not welcome here."
"Little fear of that with us," Leena said. Camryn reached over and stroked the kitten and received an enthusiastic head-butt.
"Come, let me show you to the bathhouse."
Leena put the kitten down carefully and followed Mairead. "There you go now, and there's been fresh clothes sent for. When you're done, just go to the common room and there'll be a meal waiting. Everything's been taken care of."
Leena eagerly stripped off her clothing. Although she had done little on board the Clearwater, her clothing was much the worse for having been worn for nearly a month straight. And bathing was near impossible on the ship, unless one wished to use seawater. It was difficult to feel clean when forced to wipe off with a damp cloth. Then she stood and stared at the tub in puzzlement. Nothing looked familiar. Finally she pulled a string, which raised a tiny floodgate at the end of a pipe. Water gushed out. She tried pulling the other string and was rewarded with a stream of hot water. She giggled at the tiny floodgates, wondering who had ever thought to apply an irrigation system to indoor plumbing.
While she was bathing, a servant girl brought in a pile of clothing and left it on a bench along the wall. Leena scrubbed and rinsed repeatedly, until she finally felt clean again. Then she dried off with the rough cloth the innkeep had provided and tried on the new clothing.
She returned to the common room and found that the others were not done bathing yet. Mairead was watching for her, though, and soon had her settled at a table with a trencher of chicken and dumplings. Leena dug in with good will, sometimes slipping bits to the kitten wrapped around her foot. She was nearly done when Varley and Camryn appeared, freshly scrubbed and dressed in plain new garb.
"Took you long enough," Leena grinned.
"Well, we were rather dirty," Camryn said blandly, shooting a sideways look at Varley. He snorted, refusing to meet Cam's gaze, and signaled the innkeeper.
Once they were settled, Leena asked, "So what's the plan now? Do we even have one?"
"Mairead suggested we continue on to Larantyne," Cam replied. "She said there's always need there of a sword, and dog trainers as well."
"What about you?"
"I'm sure my skills will serve in a strange forest as well as the one I was born in. If not, well, I can cook."
"Amazingly well, in fact. So where's Larantyne?"
"Several days travel to the west. The good news is, our currency is a bit more valuable here than it was at home. We should even have enough to purchase horses."
"That's good, I suppose," Leena said, as she scratched her little friend under the table.
"Indeed." Varley ate a few bites in silence, then spoke again. "Mairead offered to send one of her sons to run our errands for us- for a price, of course. What say you? Should we entrust our only money to a complete stranger in the hopes he might get a better bargain out of the locals?"
"Perhaps we should meet the son in question first?" Cam suggested mildly.
"Yes, that would be a good idea. And perhaps I could go with him?" Leena offered hopefully. Tired though she was, the lure of the new land tugged at her curiosity.
"That might work." Varley snagged the sleeve of a serving girl as she passed and told her to fetch the innkeep. Mairead appeared in short order, and was quite willing to introduce her son.
Despite their fears, Sandar turned out to be mature and apparently trustworthy. He declined to take Leena along, though, saying that most merchants would double their prices at first sight of an outlander. With some trepidation, Varley handed over the purse which contained their money. He worked out a list of requirements with the innkeeper and handed that over as well. As the young man was leaving, Mairead whispered something to him and he nodded.
While they waited for Sandar's return, they asked Mairead about the land they now found themselves in. She wasn't very helpful, though. She admitted straight off Trade City made its own rules.
"It's like no other place in the world." Her eyes glowed with pride. She had little use for the inland countries. "Trade City stands alone. We bow to no king, follow no power hungry lord. We rule ourselves and prosper."
It was nearly time for the evening meal before Sandar returned. He brought a man with him who went straight to Mairead as Sandar sought out the three travelers.
"I was able to get most of what you asked for," he said. "I couldn't find anyone willing to sell a mail shirt, but you expected that anyway."
Varley looked disappointed, but nodded. "Horses? Provisions?"
"Yes to both. Three horses, tack, and enough travel rations to take you all clear to the north of Larantyne. Maps, also, written in trade-speech. Travel packs and a change of clothes, all used but in good condition and clean. And these. I brought them in, rather than leave them with the packs." He pulled a leather roll out of his belt and opened it to show a pair of sheathed daggers. Leena sucked in her breath and leaned over to look at them, eyes wide.
"Ah, excellent," Camryn said, unsheathing one and examining it minutely. "I wasn't too comfortable with letting someone else select weapons for me, but these will do just fine." He laid
the first down and inspected the second. "Varley, do you still have steel and stone?"
"Always, as long as I have my belt pouch."
Leena stared at her companions, amazed. Here they were, casually discussing weapons and the care thereof, when she had never thought of either of them using such things. In a civilized country like Bandor, weapons were worn mainly for show. Surely life could not be so dangerous as all that here?
"Greetings, fair lady," a voice spoke at her elbow. Startled, she turned and looked up. It was the man who had arrived on Sandar's heels. "My name is Malkren." He extended a hand gracefully. She took it automatically. He bowed over her hand, then straightened with a startled look on his face. "Mairead was right," he murmured, almost too low for Leena to hear. "Mairead wished for me to meet you. She thought we would have much to discuss, and it seems she was right. May I sit?"
"You may," Leena said, after a glance at Cam and Varley. They were engrossed in some discussion of sharpening techniques. Malkren released her hand and lowered himself to the bench beside her.
"What do you know of magic, my Lady?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Magic. Have you any knowledge of it at all?"
"Only what I have read in tales. It is pure nonsense, after all. There is nothing of the sort. . ." Leena trailed off uncertainly at the look on Malkren's face.
"Oh no, my Lady. Magic is real enough. I had feared as much." He sighed heavily. "Mairead is an old friend of mine, and she has some sensitivity where such things are concerned. So do her cats." Leena glanced involuntarily at the kitten, who had worked his way into her lap for a nap. "She thought you had untrained potential for magecraft, and she was right."
Leena's eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline. "But—but—that's absurd!" She laughed uncertainly. "How can that be? Rational, educated people know that magic is nothing but fables and wishful thinking."
Malkren sighed again. "Magic is real." He raised his hand and a fireball appeared in his palm.
Leena squawked and nearly fell off the bench backwards. Instantly Varley and Camryn broke off their discussion. When they saw Leena cowering away from a strange man with a hand full of fire, they leapt to their feet and stood behind Leena, offering support. Their faces bore no sign of friendliness. Their watchful stances reminded Leena of deerhounds over a kill.
"What goes on here?" Varley casually rested his hand on his sword hilt.
"Peace, brothers, the Lady was merely startled."
Cam glowered. "And why did you startle her?"
"Mairead asked me here to speak to your Lady." He casually clenched his fist and the fireball disappeared. "She is at risk, and it would be dangerous for you to leave without knowledge of why."
"Explain."
"The Lady has the potential to be a very powerful magicuser. In her untrained state, she is vulnerable to all sorts of dangers. Will you sit and talk with me?"
"Do you wish to continue this conversation, Leena?" Varley asked.
"Y-yes, I think so." She took a steadying breath. "I was merely startled. I've never seen a man's hand catch fire before." She even managed a shaky laugh. "How did you do that, Malkren?"
"Once, long ago, I was a member of the Circle of Lights." As he spoke, Varley and Camryn settled slowly to the bench on either side of Leena. "I have little aptitude for magic myself, I was the swordsman for my Cluster. But I worked closely with a powerful magicuser—" his eyes grew sad and distant for a moment, then he continued. "—and I learned early on how to judge the strength of those I came in contact with. It has been long since I used the skill, and now I require actual physical contact to assess strength, but the skill is still reliable. I have not seen anyone as powerful as Leena here in many years."
"Ridiculous," Leena muttered, even though she felt hope blooming within her.
"You mentioned danger?"
"Indeed. There are many mages in this land, who serve both light and darkness. All will be drawn to Leena as a moth to flame. As strong as you are, my dear, a powerful mage will be able to sense you from a day's travel away, maybe more."
"And why under the moons would they want me?"
"A completely untrained mage has no defenses, no barriers. A servant of darkness would conquer your will with little or no effort, then have your vast strength at his disposal. If you were lucky, your mind would be destroyed in the struggle. If not, then you would remain aware of the evil deeds done with your power."
"And what proof of this do you offer? How am I supposed to believe that I possess this mythical power you claim to sense?"
"None, my Lady. All I can do is offer to shield you, so your strength will appear far less to any watcher."
"Shield me how?"
Malkren concentrated, eyes closed. Leena felt something strange going on, then there was a snap! The world went wrong. She gasped and reeled in her seat.
"What did you do to me? Nothing is right anymore!" She felt completely off balance. There was something undefinable missing, something that had always been a part of her. There was no longer any sense of being surrounded by her friends, there was no kitten-feeling lump in her lap, even the other people in the common room seemed dull and colorless.
"I put a shield around you, to contain your power and prevent it from reaching out and touching—"
"I don't like it! I don't like it at all!" She clutched frantically at both Varley and Camryn, but could not feel their concern. Her panic grew. "Put it back! I can't—"
"You must, Lady! Otherwise—"
"I don't care! I said put it back."
"Do as she asks, old man," Varley said.
"But the dangerV"
"Now."
Leena gasped as her awareness of everything came rushing back. She sagged back against Varley, feeling tears of relief prickle her eyes.
"Perhaps I had better go now," Malkren said, with infinite sadness. He rose and started to leave, then turned and drew breath to say something. A glance at Varley and Camryn changed his mind and he left, shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Are you okay, Leena?" Cam anxiously shifted to the seat Malkren had vacated, reaching for Leena's hands across the table. She smiled at his concern. An irrelevant memory crossed her mind, of the day he had confessed to her how jealous he was of Varley's attentions to her. Things had certainly changed for the better between them.
"I'm fine, Cam. I suppose this means I truly do have such a power as he said."
"Perhaps," said Varley. "All it truly proves is that the man had the power to influence you in some way."
"Anyone know what the Circle of Lights is?" Cam asked.
"No, I don't. Varley?"
"Never heard of them. There is so much to learn in this land. Perhaps we should be off to bed now? We must leave with first light."
Leena gathered up the purring kitten, once again a bundle of vibrant kittenish life. "That sounds like an excellent idea to me."
So they turned in, despite the early hour. The room Mairead assigned them was small, but clean. The promised two beds were a bit narrow, but that was no difficulty after so long on board the Clearwater. Before Leena crawled under the coverlet, she glanced over at her friends. "Thanks."
"For what?" Cam was puzzled.
"For being ready and willing to defend me like that."
"Anytime, my Lady," Varley said flippantly, with a mock courtly bow—an amusing sight, from a man in a nightshirt. But Leena could sense his sincerity. She lay sleepless for a time, contemplating her supposed power and the way she had felt under Malkren's shield.
Chapter 10
"Ow!" Leena jerked her feet up and away from the needle sharp claws puncturing the coverlet.
"Mew!" Pounce.
"Hey, knock it off!"
"Yeah, Leena—knock it off," Cam griped sleepily.
"The kitten is attacking me!"
" 's what you get f'r sleepin with it."
"Wait a minute, it may have done us a favor." Varley rolled over Cam, who gro
aned. He pulled up the corner of the window covering. "False dawn. Time to get up, everybody." Camryn stuffed his head under the pillow.
Leena sat up and tucked her legs underneath her. "Monster," she said fondly, picking up the ferocious tiger as it hunted the hills and valleys of her bed. It purred, but struggled to be set down so it could resume pouncing.
Despite much grumbling and complaining from Cam, true dawn found them all in the courtyard with Mairead pressing hot filled rolls in their hands. After Leena took her roll, Mairead pulled the kitten out of her apron pocket. "His name is Izzy. He's yours, now."
"Oh, no, Mairead!" Leena protested, laughing. "I can hardly take a kitten on the road—"
"Quiet, girl," Mairead growled."You refused the protection of my friend, but you will not refuse my cat. He would follow you anyway, no matter what you do. That is the way of my cats with their chosen people."
"Varley?" Leena turned an appealing gaze his way.
"Keep it if you wish, as long as it does not slow us down. A cat may prove useful, anyway."
And so Izzy took up residence in Leena's saddlebag. They wasted no further time, but set off at once through the cobbled streets, directly away from the rising sun.
People were already out and about, despite the early hour, and the streets grew increasingly crowded as the sun rose higher.
It took nearly an hour to reach the West Road. Once clear of the sprawling city, Leena at last got her first look at the new land. Her jaw dropped in dismay.
"It's. . . it's. . . ugly!"
"What did you expect in these barbarian wilds, the beauty of the homeland?"
"I don't know what I expected, but it sure wasn't this."
Barren ground stretched as far as the eye could see, punctuated by a few scrubby bushes. Surely those couldn't be called trees, they were scarcely taller than Camryn! Her eyes, accustomed to the rich color and density of old growth forest, were offended. The trees back home were so enormous that three men could embrace the trunk without touching hands. The grass was lush and green in the meadows. This. . . this pathetic barrenness offended her eyes. Leena strained her eyes and made out a dark smudge on the horizon. According to their map, that must be the Palantir Hills. . . perhaps they would be more pleasant to look upon.
They day quickly grew warm. Out on the open plain, there was little shade to be found, and no shelter at all if a storm should strike. The distant smudge of the hills grew more distinct, but appeared to recede teasingly ahead of them. The sun neared its midday height when Izzy awoke and began to meow loudly. He perched on the pommel of Leena's saddle. Leena was trying to hush him when all three horses snorted and pricked their ears.