B008P7JX7Q EBOK

by Ijaz, Usman

  He had heard many a folk back home say that Arcadians were a queer bunch, always smiling to your face, while plotting your death. While it wasn’t exactly like that, Connor noticed that many people did indeed hide their frustration and bitterness behind false smiles and bows. It was a wonder that those at whom the smiles and bows were directed at did not seem to be aware of the animosity that hung in the air. I suppose they become accustomed to it after a while, he thought.

  The buildings, he noticed, were quite irregular from what he was used to as well. They were tall white structures that looked to be much lengthier than they were wide. Wooden frames clung to the outside of the walls, as though keeping them in place, though Connor thought they were meant to be simply decorative. The slate roofs dipped forward at a sharp angle and ended abruptly at the rear.

  In a city, one even as small as Lacon appeared to be, all these changes and more came together in one place. For Connor it was as though he had stepped into another world completely.

  “You didn’t expect the outside world to be the same, did you?” Alexis asked him once Connor voiced his opinion.

  It was foolish for him to be surprised by the glaring changes all around him, Connor supposed, but he’d never expected the world outside of Grandal to be so different. They were still on Cahrad after all.

  “If you think this is fascinating, your eyes would pop out of your head if you ever visited Naban,” Leah said to him.

  “You’ve been to the north continent?” Connor asked in wonder.

  “No,” Leah admitted. “But I have heard much about it.”

  They entered the city with a thick flood of people through one of the main streets. Having ridden since sunrise, Connor found himself eagerly looking forward to the promise of a good night’s sleep in a decent bed. Most nights they simply camped by the side of the road.

  Leah led them to an inn called The Lioness. They collected their saddlebags and blanket rolls and handed their mounts to the two stablehands that appeared. Inside the common room the air smelled of burning incense. This late in the evening many of the tables were crowded, yet hardly anyone glanced away from the bard at the rear to note who had walked in. Connor and Adrian followed Alexis as he found the innkeeper, a portly woman who called herself mistress Kirpal.

  “I do not have many rooms left to give away,” she told them, “but ye can have one.”

  Connor watched Alexis mull it over, glancing once at Leah as though he mistrusted her. The two hadn’t said very much to one another in days, he realized.

  “All right,” Alexis said at last. “But it had better have four beds.”

  Mistress Kirpal’s gaze shifted from the Legionnaire to Leah. “Are ye kin?”

  “No.”

  “Then why can ye not share a bed?” the round innkeeper asked, amusement twinkling in her blue eyes.

  Alexis looked indignant and annoyed at the suggestion. Leah smiled at the scowl on his face. Connor’s face went crimson as he realized what the innkeeper was suggesting.

  “Four beds,” Alexis repeated.

  “All right, lad, if ye will. But if ye ask me--”

  “Enough, mistress Kirpal,” the Legionnaire broke in sternly.

  The innkeeper bowed slightly. “I’ll have the extra beds dragged in, if ye will wait. In the mean time, I suppose ye will be wanting to wash?”

  They followed a serving boy up the stairs and into a room that Connor thought would be hard pressed to hold four beds. There they stacked their belongings in a corner and left for the baths behind the inn. Connor and Adrian and Alexis entered one misty chamber, while Leah ventured into another meant for women.

  A little while spent soaking in the hot baths seemed to release all the tension in Connor’s muscles, and he could see the same relaxation spreading over his companions. When they finished, the three dried themselves off and put on a change of shirts. The change of clothes had been purchased once they realized how faded and grimy their other wear had become. In the hall Alexis stopped a maid and asked her if she would wash their clothes for a silver pence. She agreed and took their small bundle away, with the promise to deliver it to their room in the morning.

  They took seat at one of the few remaining tables and ordered a simple meal. At Connor’s suggestion, Alexis reluctantly ordered for Leah as well.

  “We’ll be leaving Leah behind in the morning,” Alexis told them.

  Connor stared at him in confusion. “Why?”

  “It puts us all in too much danger, Connor,” Alexis explained. “And Leah perhaps more so. As it is, she can leave us and escape any harm, but if any who are after us think that she is traveling with us, then their intentions will include her as well.”

  His words made sense, but Connor still felt as though they were betraying a friend. He nodded reluctantly.

  Leah joined them just as the meal was being served, her dark hair falling to her shoulders damply, and an herbal smell floating about her. She smiled as she joined them. “Well, the extra cots have been dragged into our room. You cannot even take a step in there, now.”

  They listened to the bard at the rear, an old man with tufts of white hair who looked as though he would very much like to sit down.

  “Why didn’t you offer to perform?” Connor asked Leah. There was less pain now when he spoke, but his throat was still sore. At least it doesn’t feel as though I’m trying to breathe through a reed.

  “I am too tired, Connor. If I attempted to play right now it would hardly be any good, although I am certain I could still do better than what we are listening to. He is butchering every song!”

  The rest of their meal passed in relative silence. Connor stole sideway glances at his cousin as he ate. Adrian’s experience in Asgar still seemed to haunt him, even though it was many days past now. Adrian watched the bard, but Connor wondered if he saw the common room or heard the music at all. His eyes seemed to bore into some other world. Watching him, Connor felt a strong wave of sympathy for his cousin. For the first time he wondered at how alone Adrian must feel. Every time someone looked towards their table, Adrian ducked his eyes almost instinctively, as though the habit had become ingrained. Their crossing from Mareth into Arcadia had been filled with anxiety and fear for them all. Now that they had left Mareth, the company’s guard had fallen a bit once they realized that many here believed the rumors from the south to be false or lies. But the nervous worry was now a part of Adrian. Connor saw it clearly, and it hurt him deeply to know that he could offer little comfort to his cousin. It also hurt him to know that much of the worry in Adrian’s eyes was for him and Alexis and Leah. Adrian would blame himself if anything befell any of them. The boy he had left Port Hope with had disappeared, it seemed, replaced with this worried shell that always seemed to be contemplating some great vice on the verge of understanding.

  Connor lay awake long into the night, any thoughts of peaceful sleep having fled, and wondered what could be eating away at Adrian. He questioned this journey they were on. There should be more than simply three of them to venture into the Ruins. Perhaps once they reached Gale they could enlist the Prince’s help, he thought. Perhaps then none of them would have to travel into the Ruins, but instead an army would set out. None of them ... but Adrian.

  He fell asleep feeling miserable.

  2

  Connor awoke early the next morning, as he had grown accustomed to while traveling on the road. He immediately noted Leah and Alexis's empty beds as he went to the wash basin and washed his face. He dressed in the garb the maid had washed, careful to wrap the scarf around the healing bruise from the hanging. He thought it must look odd for him to be wearing a scarf in such warm weather, but he was certain the sight of the scar would be remembered more. He left the room, deciding that Adrian could use the extra few minutes of sleep; he looked so tired of late.

  He found Alexis sitting in the common room, breaking his fast on buttered bread and fruit. Connor took a seat before the Legionnaire. "I thought you said we were going to l
eave Leah behind"

  Alexis frowned as he said, "It's hard to leave someone when they’re the first to rise. Damn her, she must have foreseen it."

  "Where is she now?"

  "In the stables, packing her gear." Alexis stopped a serving boy and ordered some food for him as well. Alexis's intent gaze met Connor's. "How are you feeling, Connor?"

  Connor eased the scarf around his throat. "Better than I was before."

  "Does it still pain you?"

  "Yes, but a little less every day now, it seems."

  "That's good."

  The boy brought back a small platter of buttered bread, a small wedge of cheese and some fresh fruit. Connor picked up the cheese, and then stopped and looked to the Legionnaire. "Alexis, are we going to gain help once we reach Gale? I was thinking about it last night. We can’t be the only ones to attempt a journey such as this, if the risks are as great as you say."

  For a long time Alexis simply stared at him, his dark hair hanging around his face. "I hope so, Connor. You’re right. This is too large a task for our shoulders to bear. I hope so." He stood up then and left the common room and turned for the stables.

  Connor ate in silence. He didn’t feel hungry at all now, but he knew his body needed the nourishment. He mulled over Alexis's words, and realized what a pillar of strength the man had become in their small company. If he was filled with doubt ... then what are the rest of us to do?

  He left half his food untouched as he stood up abruptly and headed for the stables. As he entered, he saw Leah cinching her straps, and Alexis checking the horses' hooves and shaking his head.

  "Good morning, Connor," Leah said as she smiled at him.

  Connor returned her smile and said, "Good morning." As he headed past her towards Alexis, he realized that he was glad they wouldn’t be leaving her behind. He couldn’t imagine how dreary these past few days would have been without her company.

  "That trip cross country didn't do the horse's shoes much good," Alexis said as Connor approached. "Most of them are worn. Only Michael's horse seems to be in any fit condition to travel. We'll have to replace them before we set out."

  Connor noted the stricken look that passed over Alexis's face at Michael's name, like a cloud passing over the sun, and thought that perhaps Adrian wasn’t the only one who blamed himself for others' fates. "Do you have enough coin?"

  "Just barely," Alexis said. "Is Adrian still asleep?" Connor nodded. "Let him sleep a while longer then, but you remain here while I take the horses to the blacksmith up the street.''

  "All right."

  Alexis handed the reins to Michael's horse to Connor as he led the other two out of the stables and up the street. Connor stood there for a moment, staring at the place where the Legionnaire had been, and then turned and led the horse back to its stall. As he threw some hay in for the horse, he realized how much he longed to be back in his father's stables and doing these simple chores. He shook his head of the thought, knowing how useless it was to long for what was leagues away, and headed towards Leah. She stood leaning against the wall outside tuning her harp. Connor hunkered down beside her in the cool shade and waited for Alexis to return.

  "What is it that you do in Grandal?" she asked him after a while.

  Connor glanced at her and then returned to watching for the Legionnaire's return. "My father owns an inn. I worked in the stables, along with Adrian."

  "Quite the fascinating life, indeed."

  Connor smiled. "And what did you do before becoming a bard?"

  "Ah, but to tell you that would mean telling you my whole life's tale, and I do not think you have the patience for that. However, I will attempt to sum it up for you. My father owns his own land, and my mother is a weaver. I suppose they expected me to follow in her trade, but I refused. I did not want to spend the rest of my life living such a dull existence. At last, they agreed to buy me an apprenticeship with a bard. And here I am today."

  "Have you traveled far?"

  "As far as Xian Azura."

  "Is it different there than here?"

  "Oh, Connor. Every place is different."

  Connor smiled at her banter. As the wait grew, he wondered why any sane person would want to accompany them, well aware of the danger. He asked as much of Leah.

  "My answer is the same as before: I see a tale in the making here. And just as every flower arrangement is made around one flower, I believe this tale to center around you three."

  "But do you know that Adrian is ...."

  "An Ascillian?” She asked. She seemed to be examining how she felt about that. “Well, after the rumors in Sune how could I not believe it. And I have looked into his eyes. But it does not matter to me. I am not one of those irrational fools who lay their troubles on others. I like to believe I was raised better than that."

  "Then you know of the Source also?"

  Leah looked at him, perplexed. "The Source? What do you mean?"

  Connor looked away from her gaze, wishing that Alexis would hurry back. "Nothing."

  The finality in his voice ceased all other talk between them, though Leah still looked as though she wanted to question him. Connor stood up and walked out into the wide street, as much to escape her questions as the mood that hung in the air. The city was well awake, despite it being early in the morning. With a backward glance at the inn and up the street to see if Alexis was heading back, he dared to stroll a little way down and explore this new city.

  He stared into the shops he passed and gazed at the goods displayed on carts along the street. He was careful to note the suspicious glares that most of the venders gave him, as though he might steal something at any moment. All around him was the garble of a city coming awake. He should have been used to the sounds having lived in Port Hope all his life, but here they sounded strange and new.

  Connor came into a large square and turned to look up the street. The inn was still in sight, and all he would have to do to reach it was retrace his steps. The square lay at the center of four intersecting streets. In the center of the square was a large limestone statue of a man standing with one hand outstretched to the sky, as though reaching for the clouds. At the base of the immense statue, several children sat playing at marbles. Connor headed towards them and stood by one side as he watched them play. It wasn’t long before he was invited to join in the game.

  The game came fairly quickly to him, though it was different than how he and Adrian had played back home. The children played for the joy of it, with nothing riding on the wins and losses. Looking at them, Connor doubted many of them had anything to bet. Many of them were dressed in dirty garb, but then his own was hardly new. The minutes seemed to flow by without notice. As the game wore on, some of the children left, disinterested. Soon, Connor saw that there were only three of them remaining. The boy who owned the marbles looked large for his age, and his eyes twinkled with joy as he flicked the marbles. Connor supposed the boy would go on playing by himself when he and the other girl left. Connor noticed her, and his gaze kept returning to her. Dark shoulder-length hair fell around her face, hiding the pure joy in her tilted green eyes as she played. She wasn’t very good, but then she played as though she had hardly done so before.

  She suddenly looked up and met his gaze. "I hit it! I hit the little bastard!" She had a flat accent that Connor couldn’t place at all.

  Connor grinned. "You don’t play often, do you?"

  She shook her head. "I do not have very much time for games of this sort."

  "If you want, I could show you," he offered.

  "Really? Oh, that would be wonderful!"

  "My name is Connor," he said.

  She looked at him for a moment and then nodded. "I am Iris."

  Connor showed her how to hold the marble in the crook of her thumb and forefinger, and how to shoot. She imitated him as best she could, but didn’t always get it quite right. They laughed at each failed attempt. Her laughter was soft and full of joy. Some part of Connor felt as though he could lose
himself forever in such sweet laughter.

  Then a shadow fell over them and Connor looked up to find a tall man standing before them, blocking out the sun. The man’s harsh face stared at them with a stern and judgmental gaze.

  "What are you doing?" he demanded Iris in a rasp.

  Connor thought he must be her father, but the manner in which she answered the man made him wonder if the man wasn’t her older brother.

  "Oh, Amon, I was simply enjoying a short game."

  The tall man's callous gaze shifted to Connor, and Connor felt like cowering before that stare. Those eyes seemed colder than ice, filled with a bitter madness that made it plain to Connor the man could kill him without so much as a second thought. Distantly he wondered what Iris was doing with a man like him. The man muttered something under his breath, and then said aloud, "Get up. We are leaving. There is no sign of them here."

  "Must we really, Amon?" Iris begged. "I wish to play a little longer."

  "You do not have time to play," the man told her. Connor suspected there was always an edge to his voice, even when he wasn’t angry. "Now get up, or I will leave you here to rot."

  Iris sighed as she stood up. "Goodbye, Connor," she said, giving him one last smile, and then turned and followed the man away.

  For a moment Connor simply sat there, watching them walk off and then turn a corner and disappear from his view. A part of him regretted Iris’s departure, but another part was just as glad to be away from the tall man. He shook his head and stood up, handing back the marbles to the other boy, who had gone on playing throughout the entire incident. He had spent enough time here, he decided. He turned and headed back the way he had come. Halfway to the inn he ran into Leah.