“Well…” began Jaikus but was cut off when Chork made the sound of clearing his throat.
“Clouds float by,
High in the sky.”
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
“Is that it?” Reneeke asked.
“Yes.”
Jaikus rolled his eyes and said, “Uh, that was very nice.”
“Isn’t it though? I worked on that particular verse for over a week before getting it just right.”
Reneeke grinned at his friend. “That’s great, Chork.”
“I have more. This next one I worked on during the rat infestation that nearly caused the Guild to shut down. Let me see…that was back when…uh…”
During the pause while Chork worked out the timeline, Jaikus quickly said, “We need your help.”
“Help? You need my help? How wonderful. In what way can this humble member of the Guild be of assistance?”
Reneeke laid out their dilemma, how they had a far distance to travel and lacked the means to get there.
“Have you tried the caravansary? If there is one heading north, you could hire out as guards. Of course, they do plod along at an agonizingly slow pace. Yet, I would hazard a guess that such a mode of travel would still be preferable to that of walking.”
Jaikus nodded. “Hadn’t thought of that.”
“Good idea,” Reneeke chimed in. “You wouldn’t know who to approach, would you?”
“As I am rooted to this one position, I am afraid I have limited information on the current availability of caravans needing guards. I would, however suggest speaking with Raynwar.”
“Raynwar?” Jaikus queried.
Chork’s eyes widened. “Have you not yet met Raynwar? He’s only the third most important member of the Guild here in Reakla, the first being the Guildmaster of course.”
“Who’s the second?” Reneeke asked.
“Me, silly.”
Reneeke grinned. “Why did I not see it?”
Sighing, Chord rocked his eyes back and forth. “My worth is seriously undervalued by so many.”
“So, who is this Raynwar person?”
Chork turned his eyes to Jaikus. “He’s the Master of Records. His duties include keeping abreast of all unresolved Adventures, both here and at the other Guild Houses, as well as being informed of various aspects of Reakla that would benefit our members.”
“And one of those aspects being caravans in need of guards?” Reneeke guessed.
“That is correct, young sir. I find it hard to believe you have spent two weeks as members without meeting him.”
Jaikus bristled. “We’ve been busy.”
Chork turned his eyes upon the lad, blinked once, and remained silent. His golden eyes lingered upon Jaikus before turning back to Reneeke. “You can find him on the second floor. Look for the door with the knife.”
“Knife?” Jaikus asked.
“Long story behind that, truly quite interesting. It happened quite some time ago…”
Seeing that Chork was winding up for one of his lengthy story-like explanations, the two friends made their excuses and quickly backed away.
“I’ll be here should you wish to hear the rest…”
Taking the nearest stairwell, they ascended to the floor above and quick-timed it out of “Chork-range.” The one-time adventurer’s voice finally fell silent.
The stairwell opened onto a long corridor running the length of the second level. There was another level above this one, but they had been informed that their presence would not be welcomed on the uppermost tier. It was reserved for the higher-ups in the Guild hierarchy.
Jaikus paused a moment to scan the hallway for a door bearing an embedded knife. Not immediately spying one, he left the stairwell. The hallway spanned the entire building with doors standing closed every seven to ten paces.
Each door received a brief, cursory examination. When he failed to see a protruding knife, Jaikus continued on.
After they reached just past mid-way of the long corridor, Reneeke paused before a rather plain door, one which Jaikus had already dismissed. “Hey, Jaik. I think this is it.”
Glancing back, Jaikus shook his head. “Can’t be. There’s no knife.”
Reneeke’s finger traced an outline in the grain of the wood that had all but faded. It was in the shape of a knife. Something had at one time been affixed to the door but had long since been removed. He chuckled at Jaikus exasperated expression. “Guess Chork’s not up on the latest placement of door accouterments. You’d think someone would have told him by now.”
“Whatever. Let’s get this over with so we can be on our way.” Reaching out to grab the handle with the intention of opening the door, he was forestalled when Reneeke placed a hand on his forearm.
“We better knock first.”
Three raps were answered by a muffled, “Enter.”
Jaikus pushed the door open and found a man of middling years with sword in hand. Sweat dripped down his face and the tunic he wore was soaked through. He slid the sword into its scabbard as he turned toward them.
“Just keeping limber.”
“Wouldn’t that be better done down in the sparring yard?” Jaikus asked.
“Depends on what you wish to accomplish,” he glanced to the sword hanging at Jaikus’ waist then added, “young fighter.”
Reneeke nodded while Jaikus merely looked confused.
Raynwar took his seat behind a rather long desk devoid of anything that could remotely be construed as paperwork. There was a shield, two maces, and a yellow sack a little larger than a belt pouch containing something that moved.
“You are the two who brought in the troll, aren’t you?”
Jaikus puffed his chest up and nodded. “That we are.”
“Good job. I hear the magic users are putting it to good use.”
Turning thoughtful, Reneeke asked, “In what way?”
“Who knows? They’re a tight-lipped bunch who hates to share their secrets with each other let alone someone not of the craft. If you ever find out, let me know.”
“I’ll do that.”
Leaning back in his chair, the Master of the Records asked, “What can I do for you lads?”
“We’ve taken on an Adventure up Kittikin way and need to find a way to get there,” Reneeke explained. “Chork suggested we try to hire on as caravan guards. He said you might know of one heading that way that needed two?”
“The faster the better,” Jaikus added.
Raynwar glanced to Jaikus and chuckled. “There has never been a fast caravan, lad. They are slow as slugs. But they’ll get you there.”
“Do you know of one?” Jaikus asked somewhat impatiently.
“Two, actually. One is mastered by Stiven Thynn. He’s taking a load of dried peat moss through Hermit’s Pass to the city of Split Oak. The other is mastered by Isaac Tuppin. His caravan is but four wagons. I believe he plans to make a quick stop at Kith before continuing up to Split Oak.”
“Kith?” Jaikus asks. When Raynwar nodded, he cast Reneeke a grin. “That’s perfect.”
“Which one will depart first?”
“I believe Master Thynn leaves in the morning while Master Tuppin departs the day after.”
“And both are in need of two guards?” Reneeke questioned.
Raynwar nodded. “As of yesterday evening they needed at least that many.”
Jaikus turned for the door. “Then we better get down there before they go and hire someone else.”
“Good luck, boys.”
Reneeke gave the Master of Records a respectful bow then followed Jaikus from the room.
“C’mon, Rene.” Hurrying down the hallway, Jaikus hit the stairs at a run.
Reneeke grinned at his friend’s exuberance and followed at a more measured pace.
Chapter 2
Perhaps in its early days the caravansary had once stood beyond the edge of town; but now it was surrounded by a multitude of eateries, inns, and other businesses cateri
ng to the needs of the teamsters. Three avenues, each wide enough for three wagons to pass with room to spare, converged on a scene of bustling activity.
Porters were busy hauling goods to and from over a dozen different caravans; a team of farriers worked off to one side, their hammers rang as shoes were repaired and replaced; guards cursed; Masters yelled; kids raced; and two lads newly inducted into the Guild sought a caravan with but four wagons.
Jaikus’ neck twisted back and forth as he searched for some order in the chaos. All wagons looked alike and there seemed no rhyme or reason as to their disposition. “Wonder which ones are Master Tuppin’s?”
Reneeke shrugged. “Haven’t a clue, Jaik.”
Flagging down a porter, he inquired as to the location of Master Tuppin, and soon were navigating through the cacophony of noise and bustle toward the caravansary’s south side. In this sea of anarchy, they came to a place of relative calm.
Four wagons sat in perfect, side-by-side unison. The wheels of each were exactly four inches from that of its neighbors. To the right of the wagons stood a picket line bearing fourteen horses. Two guards were the only ones in attendance; they eyed the approaching pair from where they sat upon the rear of the leftmost wagon.
Jaikus offered them an affable wave. “Is this the caravan of Master Tuppin?”
One guard was a rather slight man, with flaxen hair tied in a ponytail to just below his shoulders. He wore a leather breastplate and at his hip hung a longsword. The other was much more burly bearing loose dark hair cut to shoulder length. He wore a shirt of chainmail and across his back slung a lethal looking crossbow. The one with the ponytail hopped off the wagon and approached.
“Who wants to know?”
Jaikus gestured to Reneeke as he said, “My friend and I are in need of reaching Kith. We understand that Master Tuppin might need a pair of guards for his trip north?”
Eyes narrowing, Ponytail eyed Jaikus up and down. His expression indicated he found him lacking.
“That’s interesting.”
When nothing further was forthcoming, Jaikus’ affable manner darkened, but he kept his tone civil. “Is this, or is this not, Master Tuppin’s caravan?”
“Hmmm…” Ponytail glanced to the other, “Looks like a couple of lads out for a lark. Maybe we should give ‘em a spankin’ and send them on their way for bothering their betters.”
“Betters!? I’ll show you who…,” as he reached for his sword hilt, he felt Reneeke place a hand on his wrist.
Reneeke gave his friend a quick shake of the head then turned toward Ponytail. “I am Reneeke, and this is Jaikus. We are Guild members and were directed here to satisfy Master Tuppin’s need for guards on his trip north. Now, is this his caravan or shall we look elsewhere?”
At mention of the Guild, Ponytail’s attitude quickly changed to one of accommodation. He gave Jaikus a good-natured grin. “Sorry about that, lad. Didn’t mean nothing by it.” Then to Reneeke he said, “Yes, these wagons do belong to Master Tuppin.”
Reneeke let go of Jaikus’ wrist. “Is he still looking for guards?”
“He’s always looking for guards.”
Jaikus scanned the area. “Where is he?”
Ponytail indicated an inn not far away. “He’s staying there. Might not be there at the moment, though.”
Taking in the inn for a moment, Jaikus turned back to the guard. His irritation at the earlier treatment faded away at a snail’s pace. “Where might we find him?”
“He don’t tell us his business. He’ll be there at sundown.”
Reneeke glanced to the inn, then back to Ponytail. “What is he hauling?”
“Goods.”
“Goods?” Jaikus asked. “What kind?”
Burly guard came down from the wagon and joined them. “Does it matter?”
About to reply that it most certainly did, Jaikus was forestalled when Reneeke said, “Not really.” Then to his friend he added, “Come on, Jaik. We’ll come back tonight.”
Still bristling, Jaikus allowed Reneeke to lead him away.
“Let Master Tuppin know we’re looking for him,” Reneeke said to Ponytail.
“We’ll do that.”
Not long afterward, the newly inducted Guild members were seated at a tavern not far off the caravansary. Reneeke used some of their last coins to buy them each an ale as he tried to mollify his friend.
“Look, Jaik. It doesn’t matter what they haul. It isn’t any of our business.”
“I don’t like it, Rene.”
Reneeke merely shook his head with the abiding patience he’s come to develop since first meeting Jaikus. “If Master Tuppin allows us to tag along to Kith, he could be hauling carnivorous leeches or the Cursed Soul of Toos for all I care.”
“But, we’re Guild members now. Shouldn’t we be deserving of some respect?”
Snorting, Reneeke then let loose with a chuckle. “This is Reakla, Jaik. I bet half the people living here are either Guild members, related to one, or just hang out with them. I doubt if we will get anyone’s respect merely because we say that we are from the Guild.”
Looking like he just found half a worm floating in his cider, Jaikus remained silent.
“Respect has to be earned, Jaik. We haven’t really done all that much thus far to deserve it.”
“What do you mean? We’ve fought a troll, Rene! We entered the Swamp and came out alive. We delved the nether reaches of a long-lost city.” His look said he dared Reneeke to find such deeds lacking. Unfortunately for Jaikus, Reneeke did just that.
“For two boys fresh off the farm, it’s not bad; but for someone in the Guild…? We’ve not led armies, fought powerful sorcerers, defeated the undead, or even recovered an item of power. Our fame is still in its fledgling state, a newborn chick if you will.”
Jaikus glowered. “But that will change.”
Nodding, Reneeke replied, “If we don’t die first.”
Rolling his eyes as if such a fate could never be theirs, Jaikus downed the rest of his ale. “After we take care of this business in Kith, we need to find an Adventure worthy of two stalwart heroes such as ourselves.”
Reneeke could only smile. He knew better than to argue the point. Jaikus hungered for the renown a successful career in Adventuring would bring. This was in no small part the reason he had agreed to accompany Jaikus on his bid to become part of the Guild. Without him to rein his at-times reckless friend in, Jaikus would in all likelihood already be dead; his body rotting in the Swamp.
Those they had earlier adventured with; Charka, Seward, and Lady Kate, came at adventuring as a job, not a bid for fame. They were practical about it and Reneeke had gleaned many kernels of wisdom during their first Adventure.
Finishing his ale, Reneeke got to his feet. “What do you say we get a few supplies for the trip to Kith? Still some time before we meet with Master Tuppin.”
Jaikus nodded and rose. “Like armor?”
“Hardly.” Patting his coin purse, Reneeke said, “A few scrolls and potions are about the most we can hope to afford.”
After Jaikus’ convalescence at the temple, not to mention their day to day expenses since, their fortune of ten golds, seven silvers and eleven coppers had shrunk to but six golds, eight silvers and ten coppers.
“What should we get?” Jaikus asked as they left the tavern. “In the Saga of Rithern, didn’t the hero have a scroll of levitation? Got him out of a tight spot; maybe that would be good to have.”
“I was thinking of at least a couple healing scrolls and one that cures poisons.”
Jaikus thought about it and nodded. Though not as exciting as a levitating one, he could at least see the necessity of having such in their possession.
“Didn’t Lady Kate say that a good place to get them was at a shop called, Travel Scrolls?”
“That’s right, Jaik. The proprietor is a man named Olaf. Lady Kate indicated we could get scrolls from him on the cheap.”
“How cheap?”
Reneeke
shrugged. “Not sure. A couple golds I think.”
“A couple?” Jaikus asked incredulously. “We won’t have anything left!”
“Better to have no coins than die for lack of a healing scroll.”
Thinking back on their journey through the Swamp and the resultant injuries suffered, Jaikus could see his point. Seward would have perished for sure had he been left without a healing potion.
“Are scrolls better than potions?”
Reneeke glanced to his friend. “You can’t spill a scroll.”
“True. But should you need only a little healing, you can’t use part of a scroll.”
Cocking his head to one side, Reneeke considers it for a moment, then nodded. “You got a point there, Jaik.”
“Charka had healing potions, not healing scrolls.”
Chuckling, Reneeke slapped his friend on the back. “Okay, you win. Let’s find a seller of potions and see what we can afford.”
After following directions supplied by a local, they stood before a narrow doorway. According to the local, this was the shop of a local potion maker, Master Xyr. They had been told Master Xyr’s potions were the least expensive in town.
Hanging next to the door from a tarnished copper chain was a dead plant in a cracked, black pot. It swayed to and fro as if gently touched by a passing breeze. The curious thing about it, there was no wind.
Stepping closer to the dead plant, Reneeke inspected the trio of stunted, shriveled stalks that draped lifelessly over the side. Each stalk held an identical pair of two leaves. One was black with a jagged edge, easily the size of a gold coin. The second leaf was smaller. It too was black but bore ribbons of green, as if life somehow retained a tenuous hold. Where the first’s edge was uneven, this one was smooth with a slightly curl at the tip.
“You ever see anything like this?”
Jaik rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Rene, I grew up on a farm. I’ve seen all kinds of dead plants in a variety of shapes and sizes.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Curious, he reached tentatively toward the larger of the two leaves. He jerked his fingers back when the stalk whipped up and the large leaf made as if to grab his outstretched digits.
Caravan to Kittikin Page 2