***
After an hour of walking, they arrived at a two story building that looked cleaner than most of the establishments they had passed thus far. It was quite a ways from the bustle and activity, and they all felt a little more relaxed as a result. Except for Carly, none of the Maj were used to such large numbers of people around them at one time, and they all were a bit drained from the experience.
Darius went inside first, followed closely by Hugh and Dearra. The others hung back a bit so as not to overwhelm the proprietor, but it was a wasted effort, for as soon as they entered, the bell on the door—presumably to alert the owner to potential guests or thieves as the case might be—jangled. The man who came around the corner was of average height and build, and had much the same look as Captain Koukai, the trader who had often come to Maj: black hair, bright black eyes and amber skin. He wiped his hands on the towel tied at his waist, headed straight for his ledger, and spoke without looking up.
“Ya, ya! You come inside. How many room you need? Hurry up! Busy man. No time to stand around.”
“Surely you can spare me a minute or two of your time,” Darius said, speaking in his Breken voice, using the low, cold tone he used so rarely now. The innkeeper’s body seemed to shrink a bit and he dropped the ledger from his hands.
“Of course! I am honor at you here. What can humble Hachiro do for the great Breken warrior?”
“I require three rooms.”
“For how long you need?” Hachiro asked almost pleadingly, as if he couldn’t decide between being grateful for the business, or wishing the Breken would just go away.
“I will need them for…for as long as I need them,” Darius said.
Hachiro looked around at the group and took in the strange assembly. He wondered to himself if some of the Breken he knew might pay for information about a lone Breken traveling with, and seemingly helping, the Maj.
Darius, our innkeeper friend is calculating the best way to turn a profit, and I’m afraid we’re not coming out too well in the deal, Brin said.
“Ah, Hachiro. Here I thought we were going to be friends, and already you are adding up the profits of betrayal.” Darius’s voice came out almost in a growl, and there was a sudden, pronounced chill in the air.
“Sir,” Hachiro squeaked. “I don’t know what you mean! I never betray client! I have you room ready now. You go right up. First night no charge for bad feeling I cause.”
Is he telling the truth, Brin? Darius asked silently.
Yes, at least for now. But he’s a greedy soul, and we will have to be cautious.
Darius felt bad cheating the innkeeper out of a night’s pay, especially since he would have preferred just to pay the man his due, but no Breken would ever pass up a free stay, and he couldn’t afford to draw any more attention to himself. He picked up the quill next to the register and started to sign the book, but after a moment he scribbled out what he had started writing and finished with a different mark instead.
As they headed upstairs, Dearra whispered, “What was that all about?”
Darius grinned and said, “I started making the mark of the falcon which is the symbol used by the most powerful Breken family in the city, then crossed it out, but not enough so Hachiro couldn’t still make it out, and then used the symbol of one of the lesser families. He won’t know what to think, and the possibility of harming one of the retainers of the Great House of Falco, might be enough to stave off his greed for a while.”
“I knew there was more to you than just your looks. That, my dear, was brilliant.” Dearra smiled, then turned to enter the room assigned to her and Carly, and quietly shut the door behind her.
Chapter 13
Phillip
Father—I have to trust you, but Jacob? It doesn’t make any sense. He is the least trustworthy person I can think of. I know you are trying to help him be a better Maj, but this just doesn’t feel right. He spends an awful lot of time with the scarred one, the father of the lady who is in charge of me, Mili.
Jacob spent some time with me last night. He says that it’s part of the agreement made between you and the Breken that he be allowed to speak with me and make sure I’m safe. If that’s true, why does he ask such stupid questions, like, who do I think my father trusts most? Have I ever noticed a weakness in Dearra’s fighting style? That kind of thing. I asked him why he would want to know something like that, and he says to keep Dearra safe, of course, but I don’t believe it. Jacob always seemed like he was a little bit sick inside his head, and now he seems even worse than ever.
Zusia won’t even come around when he’s here. She says he has the Badness, whatever that means. I asked Jacob why you didn’t come yourself to see me, and he said it was because you couldn’t risk being taken prisoner, since you were so valuable. I guess that makes sense in a way, but I don’t think that would ever stop you. I think he and the scarred one are up to something. I wish I could remember the scarred one’s name. Something about a bird. An eagle, or a hawk, I don’t know. But it will come to me.
Chapter 14
Dearra was up and about before dawn. She and Carly were astounded at how cold the nights could be when the days were so hot. Dearra took one look at her heavy wool top and leather pants and couldn’t hold back a groan.
“Complaining about it isn’t going to help, but if it makes you feel better, I already did my groaning when you were busy washing up this morning,” Carly said. “We won’t be comfortable until we buy new clothes, and we can’t buy new clothes until we get dressed.”
A knock at the door got their attention. They quickly donned dressing gowns before Dearra opened the door a few inches. A smallish woman of indeterminate age stood there holding a large stack of cloth.
“You take. From the Breken master. You take,” she said, thrusting the stack towards Dearra.
Dearra took the pile, and the woman disappeared down the steps without another word.
“Okay, that was different. What do you suppose—”
“Clothing! Darius must have sent clothing!” Carly said, sounding as excited as a little girl with a new toy.
“If I had known a new outfit would make you this happy, I would have bought you something long ago, Carly.”
“Don’t be stupid, Dearra. I’m just relieved not to have to wear wool and leather. Now, bring it over here.”
There were two bundles, each tied and labeled, one for Dearra, the other for Carly. Care had obviously been taken to arrange them in the order they would be put on, since they were quite different than the clothes the young women were used to wearing. First came an airy chemise with loose sleeves that hung to their thighs and was supposed to be tucked into their pants. The pants themselves were wide and loose fitting at the top, but the legs were tapered to fit snugly at the ankle. The robe was T-shaped, and had full sleeves that were fitted at the wrist. Both robes were open to mid-breast, tied shut with a row of gold ties, then open again to allow the legs to move freely. There was a sash to be worn at the waist, which both girls had to rearrange multiple times before they found a comfortable way to wear them and still accommodate the weapons they wore at their waists. Soft-soled boots had been sent to replace the boots they normally wore, presumably to make walking on sand more comfortable. Both young women wore their hair braided and wound around their heads like a coronet, and then wrapped in the delicate scarves Darius had sent so that they had some protection from the harsh Parsaian sun. Though there were quite a few layers of clothing, they were nevertheless loose and flowing, and they did feel much cooler than the single layered garments they had worn yesterday. When they stood back to look at each other in order to better judge their new style, both agreed that Darius had obviously taken care in choosing the outfits. It was apparent from the fine fabrics and beautiful colors and patterns that these were no simple garments. In addition to wanting them to feel comfortable, Darius had also wanted them to feel as if they looked nice, and he had succeeded in that endeavor.
Another knock at
the door distracted them from their evaluation of one another, and again, Dearra was the one to open the door. This time she found Darius standing before her, dressed in a similar style. His garments were a marvelous cream color that contrasted wonderfully with his coppery skin tone. The only adornment he wore was the sash at his waist, which was a startling blue laced with a vibrant gold, and held in place with the heavy, silver cloak pin Dearra had given him. Dearra thought the colors of the sash seemed somewhat familiar but she couldn’t figure out from where. She couldn’t form the words to ask, so she just stood there, staring at him.
Darius was likewise bemused by Dearra’s appearance. She looked like a princess, to him. He was glad he had spent the extra coin on her clothing. He was pleased Carly had a nice outfit as well, but to be honest, he had only thought of Dearra, though he knew her well enough to know she would never accept something ornate for herself, and leave Carly to wear a simpler design.
Carly finally grew tired of watching the two of them stare at each other, and she cleared her throat to get their attention. “Are we going?” she asked.
“Yes, of course. And might I say, you ladies look especially lovely?”
“Thank you, Darius,” Carly said, as she glided from the room.
Darius moved only enough to allow Carly to pass, continuing to look at Dearra as he did.
“Oh, Darius?” Carly called from a ways down the hall.
“Yes, Carly?” Darius responded, still unmoving, his eyes remaining locked with Dearra’s.
“I want to thank you again for the compliment on my new outfit, but there’s just one thing?”
“Yes, Carly?” Darius asked, growing a little curious.
“What color is it?” Carly asked, knowing Darius would have no idea as he hadn’t taken his eyes off of Dearra since she’d opened the door, even though he had chosen it himself.
Dearra laughed aloud.
Darius sighed, defeated. “Coming, Carly. We’re coming.”
“Darius, don’t you ever get tired of being outwitted by women?” Dearra teased. “Why don’t you just accept my apology now and be done with it? You know I’ll win in the end.”
“Really? You have no hope for me at all, then?” Darius stepped closer to Dearra, lowered his lips to her ear, and whispered, “You shouldn’t count me out completely, Dearra. It’s a foolish warrior who underestimates her opponent’s…skills.”
He pulled slowly away, allowing his cheek to just brush against hers before taking a step back. “Shall we go, then?” he asked, offering her his arm.
She ignored his gesture and breezed quickly past him, but he hadn’t missed the flush in her cheeks, or the way her breathing had sped up ever so slightly at his touch. Dearra had been right about one thing: this was going to be interesting.
***
Hugh and William wouldn’t be joining them that morning, as the six of them together tended to stand out too much. Instead, the two men had decided to have a good look around in order to get a better feel for the port city, which could prove invaluable if, for some reason, Darius couldn’t be on hand to act as guide.
The rest of them would go to purchase the horses. It was a shame they couldn’t just be rented, as they didn’t have the silver to buy something they would be abandoning when they left. No one would trust strangers to return rented horses, unfortunately, and since they would most likely be on the run when they left, stopping to sell the horses was out of the question.
Darius led them through narrow streets and cobblestone alleys until, at last, the walkways began to grow wider and the air cleaner. Even with a fresh breeze coming in off the sea, that many bodies living together in such close quarters had their effect. Refuse had been left to rot in gutters; dogs, as well as quite a few people, urinated where the urge struck them; and outside of some of the drinking establishments—well, it was best not to slow down at all when passing those. When they’d passed, everyone was glad to finally be away from the more aromatic parts of the city.
“Ahead is one of the places we can get horses,” Darius said. “There are three places in total, with between one and three Etrafarians running each, along with a multitude of hired help who are kept to care for the animals and assist prospective buyers. All three are reputable, but this is where my family went, so I am familiar with it.”
Dearra frowned a little and gave Darius her best pout. “Hired help? Then we might not even get to see a fairy? Oh, I was really looking forward to it.”
“I’m sure we can figure something out before we leave, Dearra. The Etrafarians don’t stray very far. I’m sure I’ll be able to find you one.”
Dearra, you’re terrible, Brin scolded.
I got my way, though, didn’t I?
“Dearra!” Daniel snapped at her.
“Yes, Daniel?”
“Stop it!” Then, to Darius, he said, “Why do you let her get away with that?”
“She is terrible, I have to admit, but look down at the little one at your side and tell me what you could refuse her.”
“Point taken. But she doesn’t take advantage the way that one does.” Daniel shook his head in pity for Darius.
“Hmm,” Carly said. “Now that I know the power I have, I just might have to take a lesson or two from Dearra. Show me that pout again. Was it like this? Or maybe a little more subtle like this?” and the group had a good laugh together.
Shortly thereafter they came up to a large, fenced surround that held thirty-five or forty massive black horses. The animals stood seventeen hands at the shoulder, on average. Their coats were all black, except for a few who had long-haired, white stockings on one or more legs, and the occasional white blaze on their faces. The white was a hold-over from their far gentler cousin, the Shire horse. These horses were bred to be fierce in battle and to carry their Breken masters through a multitude of situations and in a multitude of climates.
“Daniel, have any of you ridden before?” Darius asked.
“Only Carly, I’m afraid. Life on Maj doesn’t require anything more than one’s own feet.”
“No matter. You may bounce around a bit at first, but you’ll find your seat fast enough.”
Out of the corner of her eye Dearra noticed a dirty man sneaking up behind her. She had Brin half out of his scabbard before Darius put a hand on her sleeve to stop her.
“Does the miss wish ‘elp?” the man asked in an oily voice.
“Yes. We’ve come to purchase six of your animals. Is your mistress about?”
“Aye, she about. No tellin’ where she be, but she be about sure ‘nuff. Ole Scoggins ‘elp you fine. Six, you say? Well, best be lookin’ roun’ yerself. Holler when yer ready.”
Dearra wasn’t sure putting Brin away was the wisest course of action. “Darius, you trust that… man? He snuck up on me.”
“He didn’t sneak up on you, Dearra. Here everyone always watches their backs, and he assumed you knew he was there. As far as he was concerned, what he did was just good manners so as not to disturb you while you shopped.”
“Well, now I feel like a fool.”
Not the first time is it? You’ll get over it, Brin said.
“Don’t worry about it, Dearra. Chances are Scoggins has forgotten it already. In Parsaia, it isn’t healthy to hold a grudge, especially over something as inconsequential as someone pulling a sword on you.”
“You call that inconsequential?” Dearra said.
“You didn’t use it, so yes, I do. Stop worrying now and let’s all have a look around.”
Darius soon had four horses chosen, one for each of himself, William, Hugh, and Daniel. The ladies, however, seemed to be needing more time to choose.
“Dearra, you have to pick. Which one seems right? Usually the horse will choose a rider, or you will feel that one is a good fit. Just…check out their personalities and pick one.”
“I don’t want to check out their personalities. I don’t want to get to know them at all. I’ll just run. I’m fast. I know I can keep up.”<
br />
“Enough arguing, Dearra. You have two choices. You can ride alone, or you can ride with me.”
“Ride with you? As in sit behind you and hang on like a child? Absolutely not! I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.”
“Then pick a horse already.” Darius was fast losing his patience. Why did she have to be so stubborn?
“No! I told you: I’ll run.”
“What is the problem?” he yelled, spooking the horses nearest him and drawing the attention of Scoggins. Darius didn’t miss the way Scoggins frowned disapprovingly at him for startling the herd, and he raised his hands in an exasperated apology. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out why she was being so difficult about this. It seemed simple enough; they all had to have horses to travel.
She’s afraid, you dolt! She has no control. She can’t fight it, and batting her eyelashes or pouting at it isn’t likely to have much effect, so she’s scared.
Dearra bit her lip, but Darius noticed she didn’t contradict Brin or even make an attempt to defend herself. That alone told him of the truth of Brin’s words.
“Oh, is that all? I thought it was something serious. Fine, you ride with me.”
“Oh, no! I’ll ride with one of the others.”
“Not a chance. Only Carly has any experience at all, and she will have enough to do controlling an animal that size without you squeezing the air out of her. You’re with me.”
Dearra didn’t want to give in, but she knew she was trapped and gave only the tiniest of nods in response.
“Good, then. That just leaves Carly. Pick the quietest one, Carly. I’m afraid they’re all too much horse for you, but there’s really no other choice.”
“I want that one,” Carly said, pointing to a wild-eyed brute of a horse that stood alone at the very back of the enclosure. He stood a full nineteen hands at the shoulder, at least eight inches taller than any of the other horses.
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