Dimsey started rummaging through his pack. "I have saved these from my younger days; I think they will fit you nicely!" He pulled out some trousers. They were black as night and made from the same strange material as the jumpsuit. Then he removed a black shirt, custom made to allow even more maneuverability than Aram could accomplish. Lastly, he removed a pair of soft leather boots and gloves. He handed it all to Aram and pointed to the changing screen. "Well go ahead, try them on."
Aram went behind the screen and undressed. He pulled on the trousers, which at first seemed a little snug, but then seemed to loosen up a bit as he got them on. Then he tried the boots. He was sure they wouldn’t fit; they were much smaller than his old boots. However, they too, seemed to stretch to just the right size. Aram looked at the second boot suspiciously. He noticed that in the bottom of the boot at the toe were several hooks. When the toe was bent just right, these hooks would extend from the boot like a cats claw. Inspecting the heel of the boot, he noticed a careful groove cut into it, obviously for the seam in a wind riding cloak. The boots came to mid calf and in one he found a clever sheath that held lock picks; in the other was a small dagger. Aram nodded in approval. The shirt was a little flamboyant for Aram’s taste, but he had to admit it fit well and looked good on him. He was a little concerned about how tight the pants seemed to fit, especially in the front, but he found the shirt kept him from feeling exposed.
Aram walked out from behind the screen, spun a tight circle and bowed to them all. As he stood from his graceful bow, he noticed that all three were staring at him. Dimsey looked on with a nostalgic kind of dreaming look, Tollis with wide eyed awe and Arlaina with a sort of approving gleam in her eyes.
Aram began feeling self-conscious and started to head back behind the screen. Dimsey looked perplexed. "Where are you going? Those are not only functional, but fashionable! The idea is that you can walk the streets, yet be prepared at any given time. We shall have to buy you a sword, though. A sword would complete the outfit; don’t you think Arlaina?"
Arlaina smiled and walked around him in a slow circle. Like a vulture, Aram thought. "Yes, a sword would only add to the dangerous yet dashing look."
Dimsey snapped his fingers. "Oh yes, your attire isn’t complete without this." He reached back into the pack and pulled out a cloak. The cloak was also jet black and made from a light, yet extremely sturdy material. Aram put it on and couldn’t even feel its weight. It was obviously magical in nature. He did a few twists, jumps and even a back-flip, yet the cloak stayed next to his body as if it were a part of him. He also noticed the handles and heel seam in the bottom. This was a wind riding cloak!
Aram looked up at Dimsey in awe. "This is a marvelous gift, Dimsey. How could I ever repay you?"
Dimsey smiled. "You can start by restoring your mother to the throne. That cloak, however, is even more than what you have already deduced. Pull up the hood and you shall remain warm and dry on the coldest, wettest of nights, or cool and comfortable on the hottest of days. Let us not overlook the shirt either. If you feel inside, near your left breast, you will find a pocket. This isn’t any ordinary pocket, my boy, but a small bag of holding. No good thief would carry on without a means of carrying away as much loot as he could haul." With that, Dimsey laughed, looking back at his memories.
Aram bowed deeply before Dimsey. "The sentimental attachment you have for these things has not escaped my notice. I am forever in your debt and at your disposal."
Dimsey clapped him on the back. "Good, let’s go eat before that beast growling in Tollis' stomach escapes to murder us all!" They all laughed and headed for the door.
Dimsey held Aram back just a bit. "There is one other thing I will ask of you in return for those items."
Aram looked into his eyes. "Name it and if it is within my power, it is yours."
Dimsey smiled. "I swore to her mother I would protect her. Treat her well and keep my promise for me from here on out."
Aram smiled and without thinking about it, reached out and hugged Dimsey. "Rest assured, your promise was kept the day I laid eyes on her."
Dimsey returned the hug. "That is more than I could ask for."
They found a table in the common room of the inn and sat down to wait for the serving girl to notice them. Dimsey looked up towards the door and pointed. There in the doorway, was the gate guard that had led them to this inn. He was talking to the proprietor, who turned and scanned the room. Then he pointed towards their table. The gate guard walked over to them. "Good morning. I hope you found the inn to your liking?"
Dimsey smiled and nodded. "A fine choice, good sir, would there be something we could help you with?"
The guard waved his hand. "No, I was only checking in to make sure all was well. There are disturbing rumors from outside the capital and I was merely checking to ensure that none of the good honest folk from outside were being harassed."
Dimsey looked concerned. "Is there trouble we should be aware of? If so, please tell me now so I may take these children somewhere safe!"
The guard patted his hands in the air. "You are quite safe here and all is well. I didn’t mean to frighten you with nasty rumors. Enjoy your stay and if you have any trouble just let the proprietor know; he will make sure I am informed."
He started to turn and leave, but Dimsey stopped him. "If I may, your advice on the inn was so helpful; perhaps you could suggest a weapon smith? I should like to purchase a sword for my nephew, that he may defend his soon to be new bride."
The guard nodded and leaned in close to Dimsey. "Normally, I would tell someone to go to the hand and hammer on Second Street. But I can tell you are a man who wants quality for a decent price. I tell you this in the strictest of confidence. The very best sword smith in the entire realm is a woman named Rianna. She has a shop just around the corner called Steel on Fire. Don’t tell her I sent you, unless you want to pay double what everyone else pays. She was suspected of being disloyal to the crown, but we couldn’t find any proof."
Dimsey looked aghast. "How could we be seen associating with her without drawing undue attention on ourselves?"
The guard shrugged and lifted his sword clear of the scabbard about six inches, turning so Dimsey could get a good look. "Good steel is good steel; besides, if anyone questions you, I will let them know you are there only by my word."
Dimsey nodded in appreciation. "Well, if that sword is her work, we shall indeed pay her a visit. Thank you, Sergeant …"
"Driscol, the name's Driscol Hicks"
He extended his hand to Dimsey, who clasped arms with him. "My name is Liam Dimpsey; they call me Dimsey for short" Driscol nodded to him then bade them all a good day and left.
"Liam?" Aram asked.
"Dimpsey?" Arlaina added.
Tollis leaned in. "You can just call him Dimsey for short." They all broke into laughter.
Dimsey looked excited. "I have yet another plan!" They exchanged curious looks and then gave Dimsey their attention.
"We shall go see this Rianna and if she is alone in her shop, we let Aram lose his disguise and go talk with her. If she is 'disloyal' to the throne, she is sure to recognize him. Then we not only gain another ally, but one gifted in weapon smithing!" They all nodded their agreement and their breakfast soon arrived.
Aram had pulled up the hood of his cloak and removed the disguise just before they entered Rianna’s work shop. The work shop was well tended and you could see immediately that she took great pride in her work. Rianna was a slight woman, but hours spent at the forge had hardened her muscles as it hardened the steel with which she worked. Even with her hair tied back and sweat dripping freely down her face, Aram thought she was pretty.
Tollis, on the other hand, couldn’t take his eyes off of her and walked into a display holding some of her smaller wares. There was a great clatter and she looked up at a startled and stammering Tollis. "Don’t worry about it," Rianna said. "It happens all the time."
She gave Tollis a wink and deftly flipped the t
en pound hammer in her hand, catching it again by its handle. She laid the piece of steel she was working on in the coals and hung her hammer in a strap tied to her waist.
Tollis stammered. "We jus, uh, sorry about the, that is, we were, I am just here to look at you. I mean, WE." He gestured to them all. "We came to see you." Everyone but Tollis laughed.
Aram stepped in to save him. "What my rather tongue tied friend here is trying to say, is that we were told you have the best steel in the realm and wanted to see for ourselves."
Rianna looked at Aram, trying to see past the shadows in his hood, so he lowered it. Rianna’s eyes popped wide open. "It’s true!" She exclaimed, then immediately fell to a knee. "I am yours to command, my King."
Aram gently grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her to her feet. "Be at ease, Rianna. I am not the king, only his son."
She looked at him in awe. "My mother had a painting of your father over our mantle all of my life. She said that he was the true king and refused to believe he was dead."
Aram nodded. "It is true he was murdered when I was but a child, but the true queen, my mother, lives. We are starting a resistance and could use a weapon smith of your skill on our side. For now though, I am in need of a sword and I need you to keep my presence here to yourself."
Rianna nodded her head. "There are others here like me. Waiting and hoping this day would come."
Aram stopped her. "Listen to me. You are not safe here any longer. We already know you have been accused of disloyalty to the king. I am afraid after tonight the king is liable to be in a sorry state, to say the least. I fear anyone he may even suspect will be punished. Gather everything you can and everyone loyal and head for Warrington before dawn tomorrow."
She smiled. "Stick it to him good. I have to charge twice as much for my wares just to pay his lousy taxes. As for a sword, I have just the thing. I haven’t put it on display because it is one of my finest pieces." She went behind a curtain for just a moment and returned with a sword wrapped carefully in oil cloth. She handed it to Aram, looking for all the world like she was passing him her only child. Aram carefully opened the oil cloth and all four of the companions stared in awe at the sword wrapped inside.
The workmanship was unmatched. The blade was long and slender to the point it looked almost delicate. The whole thing looked as if it were made of pure silver it was so polished and shiny. Everything that is, except the hilt, which appeared to be wound in spun gold. The pommel was forged into the likeness of a lion’s head, with small rubies for eyes. Aram was holding it like he might accidentally break it.
Rianna picked it up by the hilt and smiled. "Don’t let the sparkle and shine fool you." She swung the sword hard and struck the anvil beside her. It nicked the anvil without as much as putting a burr on the blade! "I like pretty, but I prefer functional."
She held the hilt back out towards Aram, who pulled his hands away from it like it would bite. "Lady Rianna, that is a truly remarkable sword, but I am afraid we couldn’t afford something of that quality."
Rianna snorted. "I am far from a lady, but as for the price of the sword, I have no doubt you can afford it, since it is free. I would be honored to have the true prince of the realm wielding a sword I forged. I will take your advice and start packing right away." She threw Tollis a wink. "Besides, Warrington sounds like a place a girl could get looked at more often."
Tollis nodded. "Every chance I get… I mean, you will get looked at a lot."
Rianna laughed out loud and patted Tollis on the cheek. She looked at Aram. "He’s cute, can I keep him?" They all laughed again when Tollis looked at Aram with a pleading look and nodded.
Aram clapped Tollis on the shoulder. "Well Champion, it seems your services are needed. See to it Rianna here and her friends make it safely to Warrington. In fact, sometime this evening, go get our horses from the stables at the inn and take them with you."
Aram turned towards Rianna, took her hand and kissed it. "Please don’t let my friend get hurt or break anything. He will be invaluable in a fight, but I am afraid for his well being with so many sharp objects around." Aram, Arlaina and Dimsey left the shop with Aram’s new sword hanging at his hip. "This is truly a remarkable sword, but I am afraid it will prove hard to hide in a shadow."
Dimsey just shook his head. "Oh my boy, so many skills, but too little brains; before you go dashing into the shadows in broad daylight, slip it into your pocket."
Aram’s face reddened just a little. "Oh, that makes sense. So we still have the whole day ahead of us; what shall we do with it?" Arlaina was walking along considering Aram’s question when she noticed two town guards walking their way.
She looked over to Aram to give him a warning when she saw his face. Aram’s face, not the disguise, but the true Aram Blackenwood, was walking boldly through the streets of the capital. The guards were only a few paces away. She suddenly grabbed Aram, pulled him into a small cubby and started kissing him.
As soon as she made her move, Dimsey noticed the same thing she had. Clever girl, he thought to himself. Then placed his hands on his hips and heaved a great sigh. Just as the guards walked up to him he shot them a look of frustration, threw his arms up and started muttering to himself loudly enough for the guards to hear. "'It will be a pleasant trip. Just watch them to make sure nothing untoward happens'. Sure!" he yelled. "Piece of cake!"
The guards chuckled at his frustration and just kept walking. "Okay you two; that will be quite enough of that!" They continued to kiss. Dimsey cleared his throat as loudly as possible. "I say that is quite enough!" By this time, the guards were a good five paces away and laughing heartily. "Really you two, that is enough. Come along, we have much to see yet." Still they lingered.
Dimsey moved in close, placing his face within inches of theirs. "Oh dear, this isn’t a ruse at all anymore, is it?" Aram pulled the hood of his cloak up. It was deep enough to nearly completely cover both of their heads. Dimsey just sighed and tapped his foot impatiently. "Don’t mind me. I’ll just stand here in the street like a great fool."
That got a chuckle from Arlaina, which broke the spell and they slowly stepped away from each other. Arlaina smiled at Dimsey. "Well we had to make it look real!" Dimsey just heaved a sigh and walked away.
They wandered the streets and shops. Aram was truly fascinated by it all and Arlaina and Dimsey continually found reason to laugh at his naiveté. They found themselves at a shop that backed up nearly to the wall at the side of the garden. There was still an hour or so of daylight left, but the shadows were lengthening.
Aram leaned in close so he could whisper as they inspected some pottery. "Maybe our plan can change. The two of you are as adept at shadow walking as I am. Without Tollis, all three of us could go into the castle."
Aram saw Dimsey’s eyes light up. "An adventure; I didn’t think I would get to have any more of those. It sounds like a grand idea to me."
Arlaina smiled at Dimsey. She knew her aging uncle adored the thrill of the game, but she was worried about his ability to keep up with the younger two. Dimsey saw it in her eyes. He knew his time had come and gone, but the idea of one more thrill nearly overrode his caution. "I know, I know, my dear; don’t look at me like that. I would only slow you down. Besides, I need to go back to the Order to ensure that all the preparations are set. You two go on ahead without me."
Arlaina looked down at her dress. "I will have to change, but we still have time. Let’s go back to the inn. I will change and we can send Dimsey back without stray eyes seeing things they shouldn’t." They all agreed and headed back to the inn. Once there, they decided that one more meal for the road was in order and settled in with a hearty dinner. After they ate, they all went back to Dimsey’s room, where Aram made a portal and Dimsey went home.
Aram looked at Arlaina and smiled. "Looks like it’s just you and me, kid. Would you be needing a hand getting out of that dress?"
Arlaina smiled coyly. "I am afraid you, sir, are a cad! Without my dear uncle to prot
ect my honor, what shall I do?"
Aram looked indignant. "A cad? Really? I'll have you know, I am saving myself for my wedding night and I shall thank you for not turning my honest offer of assistance into something unscrupulous!" Arlaina laughed out loud, then turned and ran for her room with Aram close on her heels.
Chapter Nine
The Heist
Aram and Arlaina crept silently up to the wall behind the little pottery shop they had found earlier. Aram went up first. The toes of his new boots made the task less than challenging. As he approached the top of the wall, he heard footsteps approaching, so he held his position. As the sound faded he risked a quick peek over the wall.
There was a guard walking the perimeter with a crossbow slung over his shoulder. Aram slipped over the wall and motioned for Arlaina to come up. There were two guard towers, one at either end of the wall where they were crouched. It appeared the guard had been heading to the other tower. Aram looked over the inside edge of the wall and then whispered to Arlaina. "This may be tricky. There are dogs roaming the courtyard."
Arlaina shivered. "Dogs are the worst. They track by scent, not sight. We have to avoid them at all costs."
Aram nodded and pointed at a place along the wall where a guard tower was close to the inner courtyard. "Feel like riding the wind?"
Arlaina smiled. "Always"
The guard tower between them and their destination was as wide as the wall. They would have to climb along the outside of it, climb over it, or go through it. Aram crept up to the door and listened. Hearing nothing, he cracked it open just a bit. The small room inside was well lit, but empty. There was a small stairway leading up to the look-out platform and a door on the other side. He slipped inside, watching the stairway for movement and crossed quickly to the other door. Arlaina was close on his heels.
There were torches on the outer edge of the wall, but the shadows were thick. Aram and Arlaina made their way easily to the tower they had picked. Once there, they swiftly climbed the tower, avoiding the eyes of the two guardsmen watching the outer wall.
The Trials (Assassin's Intent Book 1) Page 11