“What should we get?” she asks.
“Some wine should get people started but then we should switch to ale. It’s best not to waste too much on expensive stuff.”
“Very well then.” She abruptly turns around and heads to the man behind the counter.
As they work out their transaction I wait patiently but it’s not long before Tamiell returns and hands me a basket filled with half a dozen bottles of wine. The basket is quite heavy, but putting it in the crook of my elbow makes it easier to carry. She leads the way out and I am left to assume that the ale will be delivered later.
When we return to the street I tap her shoulder. “We need to get someone to spread the word.”
“We do. Can you arrange that?” she asks, while handing me eight silver coins.
“That should not be a problem.” I nod while taking the coins. “Can you take the wine?”
She holds out her arm and I place the basket in the crook of her elbow. We head our separate directions and I begin my search for someone to take on the job of spreading the word. A half hour passes as I wander aimlessly before finding a young man leaning against a post of a fruit stand. He looks to be barely over the age of sixteen, but he is dressed well enough and appears to be free of any current responsibilities as he is relaxing in the sun.
“Hey, how would you like to earn some extra coin?” I ask him.
He redirects his attention to my current position from his lofty gaze into the sky. “How much?”
“Eight silver. Four up front and four after the job is complete.”
His eyes light up, “What do you need me to do?”
“Hey! I will work for eight coin!” A scruffy man passing behind me exclaims.
“Sorry, I offered it to this young man first,” I barely turn to tell him.
“Give me the coin and I will not have to cause you any problems,” I feel him step right up behind me.
Without thinking or hesitation I jab an elbow into his stomach and he buckles over coughing and wheezing. Turning, I put my foot behind his heel and push and he collapses to the ground.
With my attention back on the young man, I reveal four coins.
“So the task at hand,” I start. “How well do you know this city and the more sophisticated folk?”
“Well enough to know who to avoid on the streets and who will tip extra for delivering to their home.” He crosses his arms and grins.
“Duchess Tamiell is hosting a party at the end of the week starting at dusk. Think you could handle making a few rounds through the city and inviting the upper class?” I raise an eyebrow at him in a questioning manner.
“That will not be a problem.” He nods and holds his hand out.
“Good. Make sure that there are some single men in the mix,” I whisper and drop the four coins into his open hand. “When you have told all of the people you can think of, stop by Duchess Tamiell’s place and you will receive the other half of your pay. Will you need directions?”
“No, I have delivered to her before.”
“Then be off.” I wave my hand expectantly and turn to walk away.
As I start back to Tamiell’s home, I hear him tell the person at the stall that he will be back and he runs off into the heart of the city.
Taking my time walking, I admire the simple lives people lead compared to my overly complicated one. While times may get tough, they plug on doing what they know and do best. The farmers grow, the merchants buy and sell and the politicians know how to keep everybody beneath them. The only complication is slavery.
“Hey,” an unfamiliar man’s voice comes from behind me. “Hey wait up!”
It takes me a moment to realize that he is addressing me.
“Hey, I saw what you did back there!” he calls out.
“Then you will know not to attempt a theft,” I tell him while I continue my stroll.
“No, no. What you did was amazing!” He finally trots up next to me then matches my pace.
Glancing over I notice that he is well enough dressed to not be a commoner, but not finely enough to be anyone of serious stature. Then the color of his clothing hits me. Orange. He wears puffy orange clothing, his flat beret hat hanging off the side of his head. He looks like a musician of some sort, but no instrument is on his person. I do my best to hide my surprise that my one lead in the city has found me rather than the other way around.
Is this even possible? First I find Burly without any special searching and now this guy practically falls in my lap? Is my luck changing?
“Your clothing is a little out of sorts for this region. Are you a musician?” I point out in a nonchalant manner.
“And your accent is the same. Are you a scholar from far away?” He fires back with a friendly smile.
He has to be the informant. How many other people would wear something so gaudy and in bright orange?
“I overheard your conversation with the boy. Would your Duchess be interested in hiring a band?”
Stopping my stride for a brief moment I contemplate his question.
That would kill two birds with one stone; atmosphere to the party and a better opportunity to overhear something. Perhaps I will be able to get him drunk and not have to torture him to divulge something.
“We haven’t hired anyone else yet so that would work well. What are your rates?”
“Sixteen silver, four for each of my band members.”
“Sixteen it is. Follow me and I will show you where to be and when.”
“Thank you! You will not regret hiring us.”
I’m sure I won’t.
The walk back to Tamiell’s house is quiet, and upon reaching the front door, I turn to the man.
“This is where you will play. Be here about midday on the last day of this week and we can discuss setup, music and payment.”
“Thank you.” He bows and removes his hat in a showy fashion then turns around and heads back down the cobblestone road.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The end of the week finds us quickly and I make my way around Tamiell’s house doing menial chores. As guests begin to arrive I bring out a fine silver tray of wine glasses and place them in their hands.
The man with the orange hat has arrived and his band begins to play a soft yet upbeat piece that dramatically lifts the room’s normally dull atmosphere. Conversation fills the air as the guests sip their wine and eat from trays of bite-sized foods that Evalyn and I had prepared and laid out.
Breaking off into their own groups, for now many of the female attendees gossip with Tamiell about her lack of public appearance lately and she plays the hostess, while the male attendees sit in the den discussing unknown topics, as their voices are out of the range of my hearing.
One of the women makes a comment about Tamiell’s handsome new servant and I take that moment to leave the area and stand over in the den by the music and the men. While I can still see the women peering at me every once in a while, I try to avoid catching their gazes and instead attempt to focus on the conversations.
The last thing I need is more attention.
I shift anxiously from one foot to the other, hoping to hear something worthwhile, but they all talk about things of little interest to me: taxes, local leadership, their favorite taverns, servants and wealth. While I can’t relate to any of it I find myself a little more at home near the men and musicians than standing near the gaggle of women who can’t help but chat and titter.
Evalyn moves from the kitchen to the dining area and back, keeping a constant eye on the food and replenishing the platters as necessary. She doesn’t even glance my way, which for now is fine as I am out of the line of fire of snarky remarks.
Even so, we have been getting on better than the first few months. Perhaps she is growing a little more accustomed to me.
“The auctioneer will be back soon likely with another shipment of servants. Maybe I can get as lucky as you!”
My ears perk up and while I thought the men would be the on
es to initiate conversation about servants, it was instead a woman talking with Tamiell.
“I am not lucky. My servant…only had a small debt and he will be leaving my service soon,” she replies solemnly.
“Maybe I can hire him to work for me then!”
“Dear, you do not need any more servants,” replies another woman. “I have seen how many you keep around to do your bidding.”
“No, he has made it quite clear that he will be leaving the area,” Tamiell tells them.
“That is unfortunate. I guess I will have to rely on the next auction,” the first woman makes a face at the second.
“Do you know anything about where the servants come from?” Tamiell asks them for my benefit.
“Who cares?” Another woman speaks.
“What if, say, they did not have a debt but were sold as slaves instead of servants?”
“Impossible,” one of the men chimes in rather quickly. “They are screened by local officials as they enter town and papers are provided to prove their debt.”
“Is that so?” Tamiell replies. “I wonder if they are forged papers.”
“Stupid woman. What do you know?” He replies and turns his attention back to the male guests.
Interesting way to speak to the host of the party.
I resist the urge to pop the guy in the face with my tray of wine glasses and instead gauge the reaction of the musician with the orange attire. He focuses on his playing and shows no sign that he has any more information than the next person.
As the wine on my tray runs out and fills with empty glasses I head to the kitchen but before I can refill them, quick raps on the front door indicate more guests arriving. Answering, I invite the new faces in and shut the door behind them, taking their coats upstairs. Back in the kitchen I notice that the house has gotten louder and I can’t keep track of any conversations at this point. The groups reintegrate with each other and my ears only catch every few words. At that point I stop trying.
The night drags on, the wine disappears and the first keg is opened. Mugs are already set out, thanks to Evalyn but she is still ignoring me for unknown reasons. Filling up mugs, I take four at a time out to the dining table and before I can even set them down men snatch them from my hands. Several trips later, many guests have mugs in their hands and the table is taking the rest. During a break in the music I offer the band ale. While they give me puzzled looks, I smile and urge them to take it. They drink and I am pleased.
One down, many to go.
By the end of the night they are all drunk, and many have left while others have drunk themselves into such a stupor that they sleep in random locations. The musicians have toned their playing down to softer levels and my point of interest has had his fair share of ale.
Tamiell looks at me, knowing my interest in him hasn’t dwindled and moves to the band. She pays them each two silver coins and while dismissing the others she pulls my suspect aside. They talk and she laughs, though I can’t tell if she is feigning or if it is real.
They sit idly and chat while I clean up the mess that has been made around Tamiell’s home. I hear her giggle and their low tones can be felt as vibrations in the air, but I can’t make out anything that they are saying.
Heading into the kitchen, I assist Evalyn in washing glasses and setting them out to dry on the countertop. I sneak a few crackers and pieces of cheese into my mouth and the moment my lips are sealed I hear some movement come from the dining area. Turning around I see Tamiell enter the kitchen, the door closing behind her.
“Rain, in about five minutes head up to my room. I will have him ready for your questioning,” Tamiell says quietly with a solemn smile and then promptly leaves.
I hurry to finish chewing while I dry my hands off. Evalyn glares at me and I know she’s likely going to be irritated at cleaning up without me, but I cannot miss this opportunity.
Swiftly moving through the kitchen door and up the stairs I find the door of Tamiell’s room. I hear them talking and laughing. There is some shuffling around and movement on her bed as the springs creak ever so slightly.
Please…please still have clothes on.
“I’ll be right back,” I hear her say muffled by the solid wood door.
More movement and I hear her approach the door. It opens, she steps out and before he knows what’s happening, I burst into the room. As he lies on the bed, I move to the side of it and hover over him with a vengeful gleam in my eye.
Startled, he scrambles to cover himself with a blanket though only his shirt is currently removed. Filled with bewilderment he looks as though he wants to ask what is going on but is petrified at my sudden appearance.
“You’re going to give me what I need,” I snarl at him.
“I…I…” he jabbers.
“‘I’ is a good start. Follow it up with ‘know how to find or get in contact with slavers’ and we’ll be off on the right foot.” I cross my arms.
“What?”
“Slavers. The people who move from one town to another kidnapping people and selling them falsely as ‘debt servants’ to people in other towns.”
“I know nothing like that,” he trembles.
“I have it on the authority of a man dying that you have information that I can use to hunt them down,” I yell at him.
“I have only heard rumors!”
“It must be mighty convenient for the slavers if they send a group of musicians ahead of them to the next town to scout.”
“What? No, I…”
“No, you? You what? Did you not think it would catch up to you?”
“You are mistaken!” he pleads.
“About what?” I lean over the bed, propping my hand against a nightstand and get in his face.
“I have not helped any slavers.”
“Lies. You were fingered as an informant by one of the slavers.”
“I have only heard rumors! It is the truth!”
“Then tell me about the rumors.” I stand upright and re-cross my arms.
“I know of the people you speak of, but I do not consort with them. We have run across them on occasion since we are well traveled. They are the sort that will extort you for money if they think you have it. We, the band, have had this misfortune.”
“You’re not telling me anything I care about. Where is their hideout?”
“I do not know!”
“Never come across them on the road? Never seen the direction they travel?”
“Only once did we see them, but we wanted nothing to do with them so we jumped off the road and let them pass.”
“Where?”
“North by north-west of here. Maybe a day’s journey.”
“That’s nothing I don’t already know.”
I sense that he is holding back so I turn. While I can’t see her, I know Tamiell is still there.
“Tamiell, a dagger please.”
“Under the mattress where he lies.” She stands there with her hands over her mouth.
“Convenient!” I reach under him and he tries to scramble.
Finding a sheathed dagger under her mattress I pull it out and its blade glimmers in the dim light.
“You’re holding back!” I lunge at him from across the bed and stick the knife to his throat, my rage builds against him and the slavers.
“I am sorry! I am sorry! I am only a new recruit to their guild! I was sent here to find people for them, but I really am a traveling musician!” he cries out. “They threatened to take us if we did not cooperate! Their operatives are keeping an eye on us!”
“May your death be slow and painful.” I swing my arm back, positioning to thrust it into his neck.
“I can lead you to their cave!”
Finally, a spineless fool, unlike Burly.
I smirk and re-sheathe the dagger. “Good. We leave at first light. If you try to run you will start losing pieces of your body.”
While I head out of the room I look at Tamiell and shake my head. Holding out my han
d with the dagger in it, I wait for her to take it from me. She puts her hand on the handle and I release it to her.
“I’m sorry I had to ruin that one for you, but you wouldn’t want to be associated with him or his ilk,” I say while looking over my shoulder at him.
The look of sorrow on her face tells me she found nobody tonight and I can offer nothing to console her other than hollow words at this point. While she continues to lean against the doorframe I head down the hall to my designated room.
While my intent was to come to the room, disrobe and sleep some, I find that my mind is too anxious. It stirs with thoughts of what I will do when I get there, what I hope to accomplish and if any of it will make any difference. I pace back and forth on the hardwood floor, playing out imaginary scenarios in my head in hopes for some peace of mind, but it’s useless.
The hours pass by, but time feels like it is at a standstill and the best I can come up with is sending Evalyn on her way back to the house while I head to the slaver cave. The lack knowledge of how many I will be facing and the lack of any weapons to use against them seems to be the only hitch in the plan.
The element of surprise against an unknown number of enemy combatants is the only thing I have going for me.
Finally I cannot stand being alone anymore and I leave the room to head downstairs. Evalyn is still in the kitchen, bustling about the stove and I hear the whistle of a kettle. Two cups are set out. She prepares a hot drink and drops a spoonful of sugar into it then stirs the liquid. After she takes a sip she acknowledges my presence.
“So, now what?” she asks, holding her cup about the middle of her chest.
“You’ll head back to the house tomorrow while I follow the musician to the cave which the slavers are using as their base of operation.”
“You can’t go alone,” she looks at me with scornful eyes.
“I can’t take you with me and risk Agatha’s body getting hurt.”
“You underestimate my abilities.”
“Maybe, but it would still be better to not take any chances. I don’t need the responsibility of explaining to Ami why her mother got hurt.” I frown at her.
“This is my only outlet. Do you think that I would let something happen to Agatha?”
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