The Merchant and the Menace

by Daniel F McHugh

  “Come gentlemen,” said Teeg. “Let us take some respite here at the table.”

  The group remained for a moment more and Lete disappeared from view up the stairs. They moved to the table and filled in around it. The bar’s patrons settled upon the woman’s departure. They chatted once more and enjoyed their ale.

  Kael was ravenous. He immediately tore into the game hen in front of him. The others were equally hungry and followed suit. After a moment, Kael noticed the swinging doors to the kitchen slowly open and Briny back out with a tray of vegetables. The young man stepped away from the doors and they remained open as the light from the kitchen threw itself onto the wide-eyed servant. The patrons at the bar continued in their revelry and saw nothing. However, Kael glimpsed a huge figure, covered in black slide past the gawking cook and glide silently up the stairs.

  Briny watched Granu disappear from view then he slowly made his way to the table. Briny’s eyes still registered shock as he silently picked up a plate full of food and turned toward the stairs. Teeg’s head was bowed over his food as he tore into the game hen, but he chuckled as the serving lad turned.

  “Don’t forget some drink as well, my good man. He gets irritable if his thirst is not quenched,” stated Teeg.

  Briny gulped hard and quickly retrieved a mug of ale. The servant walked to the stairwell as if walking to the gallows. When he too turned on the landing and disappeared from view, the entire table laughed. After a few moments into their meal, Kael turned and addressed Manfir quietly.

  “I’m confused. If you’re the heir ...” Kael coughed and glanced about the room. “,...if you are who you are, why did you spend so much time in Rindor?”

  “I’m officially a duke in the realm of Rindor,” stated Manfir. “I hold title and possessions in these lands.”

  “What? How can you be a duke in a land you will one day rule?” whispered Kael perplexed.

  “Quite true, Kael. Quite true,” said Teeg smiling, “but our friend here holds many titles.”

  Manfir frowned at the old Elf and turned back to Kael.

  “Rindor is a bit of a strange situation, Kael. It’s not actually a Zodrian possession.”

  “What do you mean by ‘not actually?’” questioned Flair.

  “Rindor is a city state. What I mean by that is, Rindor governs itself, with plenty of input from Zodra when she will take it,” answered Manfir.

  “Take it?” said Kael.

  “Please do start from the beginning, Teeg,” groaned Ader. “You and our illustrious Rindoran duke always seem to start in the middle and finish at the beginning.”

  The old Elf arched an eyebrow and looked crestfallen. He turned to the young men and took on the air of instructor once more.

  “When Zodra expanded and dominated this part of the world, they ran into Rindor,” began Teeg. “'Twas not the impressive citadel you see here today, but a mighty enough fortress stood here to give the Zodrians a moment of pause. A formidable wall stood encircling the entire island and a large village thrived within.

  “The river provided the perfect defense. No bridges existed then, and the only means of visiting the city was by barge or riverboat. Siege engines were useless against the city. They were unable to affect the wall from the shoreline, and no barge or river craft could bring them close without braving the current and battle from the island. The Rindorans are master boatsmen and made quick work of any watercraft that attempted to breach their city’s defenses.

  “The Rindorans could not be starved out. The river is the source of their food. They simply put to water in small craft at night and replenished their supplies. Attempts to thwart this harvest resulted in more Zodrian deaths. Zodrians are not much for boats.”

  “So,” continued Manfir. “The Zodrian army bypassed Rindor, sending messages to the Zodrian king that it was unconquerable. The army left several units encamped on both shorelines and a siege of the city began. It lasted for months.

  “The Zodrians would not be denied. The king, I believe it was Nyox the second, held parlay with the Rindorans. A treaty was struck. Quite a brilliant plan actually. The Zodrians agreed to return all the land around the river to the control of Rindor. The King of Rindor was considered a duke in the kingdom of Zodra and the Rindoran lands would be his duchy. All tax and tributes in these lands were assessed as any other duchy in the Zodrian kingdom. The duke took his part and the kingdom theirs. However, there was one small exception. The city proper remained an independent entity. On this island, the ruler of Rindor is still the king. He has sovereignty over all others here, even the king of Zodra.”

  “Do you mean to say that Macin, your father, is required to bow down before the Rindoran king?” asked Kael.

  “Absolutely,” replied Manfir. “The treaty stands. You will never find my father anywhere near Rindor.”

  “He’s never been here?” asked Flair.

  “The last time his father was here, Macin was getting married,” smirked Teeg. “I wore a glorious silver doublet.”

  “What?” questioned Kael. “King Macin was married in Rindor?”

  “Both kingdoms held suspicions and fears,” continued Manfir. “Did the other hold to the bargain? Were they being compensated fairly? Rindor moved all commerce within the city walls in order to avoid Zodrian taxation. The Zodrians, in turn, taxed the land instead of the sales from a harvest. This way they ensured their share. Rindor complained bitterly during seasons with drought and frost. Tensions rose as the game persisted.

  “Eventually the two houses found a way to ensure loyalty. Every so often, as the houses grew further and further apart, a Zodrian prince or princess was married off to a Rindoran. It has been going on for centuries. Our houses are entwined.”

  “Our Rindoran duke’s father, married the sister of the wife of the prince heir of Rindor,” smiled Teeg.

  Flair blinked and shook his head in consternation. Ader frowned at Teeg and the Elf let out a sigh of exasperation.

  “It is quite simple. When Macin was slightly older than Kael is now, he was invited to a royal wedding in Rindor. He was not the King of Zodra then, so he happily attended. Corad Kingfisher, the prince heir of Rindor at the time, married Lucyn, a beautiful young woman from one of the powerful Rindoran houses. Her family was the wealthiest in Rindor and second only to the Zodrian royal house in wealth within that kingdom.

  “Prince Macin represented the royal house of Zodra at the wedding. There he saw Lucyn’s younger sister, Tay. He was smitten,” continued Teeg. “Macin knew through his station and power he might demand the young woman’s hand in marriage, but Manfir’s father is no fool. Shrewd men never take by force what they might win with minor effort. Macin was handsome, witty and the heir to the throne.”

  “Some say he was rather funny in those days,” said Manfir distractedly.

  “Yes, he was,” recalled Ader. “A young man with a limited idea of the responsibilities ahead of him. Hardly a care in the world. In fact, when Macin courted Tay, Corad grew angry with him. Never serious. Never willing to talk of the world. They might have cemented the bond between the kingdoms even further if Macin did not treat his future brother-in-law with such disdain. They grew ever apart and competitive.”

  “So the rulers of Rindor are your...?” began Flair.

  “Aunt and uncle,” finished Manfir quietly. “I will one day rule Zodra, but will always be their nephew and subject within the walls of this city.”

  “Manfir also owns much of the land to the northwest of the river. Lucyn and Corad have a son, but he is younger than Manfir. Therefore, his grandfather’s lands fell to Manfir. Our friend is the wealthiest Rindoran in the kingdom. When he rises to the throne of Zodra, he will be the wealthiest man to have ever lived,” smiled Teeg.

  Manfir scowled at Teeg, but the old Elf waved it off and pressed on.

  “Our friend tends to neglect his duties. With great wealth also comes great responsibility. I employ good people to keep his interests in line,” laughed Teeg. “Q
uite easy actually. A small legend has built up over Manfir’s ability to check on his interests even when he has not been seen in a dozen years. The tenants on his land are treated better than any others in the kingdom yet they cannot even recall what their benefactor looks like.”

  The group extended their conversation about Rindor and the surrounding lands for some time. Kael and Flair were fascinated by the talk. Kelky was their world for so long that the everyday happenings of a city like Rindor were fascinating. Vetic paused by the table and informed the group that the entire third floor was at their disposal.

  “It seems that the room at the end of the hall has been occupied by a member of your party,...ah... who was too tired to take his meal in the common room,” said Vetic clearing his throat. “Some of you gentlemen will need to double-up I’m afraid.”

  “Not a problem,” said Kael slapping Flair on the back.

  The young ranch hand smiled back. The food disappeared and several rounds of ale were swallowed when Teeg rose.

  “Ah, I find that I cannot continue our chat through such heavy eyelids. If you will excuse me, gentlemen,” said the Elf bowing.

  Eidyn excused himself as well, and soon the men retired to their rooms. Kael and Flair took a room with two bunks. As they lay down to sleep they talked briefly of their day. Kael was sure the boy was as astounded by all that happened as he was. Shortly after their conversation ended, Flair snored loudly. Kael lay in his bunk thinking and drifting in and out of sleep.

  Suddenly, his sharp ears picked up sounds of movement in the hallway. Kael silently stepped from his bunk and moved to the doorway. The boy leaned against the wall and opened the door a hair’s width. His keen eyes discerned a figure at the hallway’s end. The light of the moon bathed the figure in a faint glow. It slid something into the folds of a long overcoat. The moonlight caught the glint of steel. Kael suspected the man came from the common room. The coat was a fisherman’s slicker, and the broad rimmed hat and boots were of a type the wharf workers at the bar sported. The smell of fish and oil hung in the air of the hallway and seeped into Kael’s room.

  The man turned and walked purposefully down the hallway toward Kael. The boy felt frozen with fear and uncertainty. With a good deal of effort Kael took a half step away from the door. Through the slit in the doorway, Kael’s eyes remained fixed on the character approaching him. The figure’s head was cocked slightly forward with his hat obscuring his face. As he stepped within a few feet of the doorway, his hands shot into his pockets and he abruptly halted. In a flash he produced two small objects.

  Fluidly, tinder was struck and put to the bowl of a large pipe. The heady aroma of strong tobacco filled the hallway and the bowl glowed red. A gruff, heavily accented voice whispered toward Kael’s hiding spot.

  “Let me be about me business lad. Yee have had a long day. Get ya ta bed.”

  The figure took a deep draw on the pipe, flaring the bowl and sending a warm orange glow about his face as he looked up at the slit in the doorway. The weary, dirty countenance of Teeg stared at the boy. The old Elf somehow grew a week of stubble in an hour. A small silver ring hung from an earlobe surrounded by dirty, oily hair. Smudges of tar and oil covered his hands and face and he appeared to be missing a tooth.

  The Elf paused then winked before he proceeded down the hallway and out into the night of the city. Kael felt oddly reassured that someone like Teeg, the Master of Spies, was on his side. At least he thought Teeg was on his side. The boy threw over the latch on the door, then returned to bed and fell fast asleep.

  CHAPTER 24: SUMMONS

  “OPEN IN THE NAME OF THE KING!” shouted the voice in Kael’s head.

  “OPEN IN THE NAME OF THE KING, I SAY!” echoed the voice.

  “Kael, wake up,” whispered a much more familiar voice. “Get up. What should we do?”

  Kael’s eyes let the morning light slowly bleed in. He was not used to the ale, and it made it difficult for him to gain his bearings. The fuzziness cleared and Kael saw Flair standing over him pulling on his trousers.

  “They say they’re soldiers,” said a bewildered Flair. “Should I open the door?”

  Kael nodded, stood and put on his own clothes. Flair threw the latch and let the door swing open. A large man stood in the doorway. He wore a tight fitting leather garment fitted with a silver breastplate. A design embossed on the breastplate showed two huge fish swimming around an island castle. He sported a helm whose crest resembled the spine of a great fish. Across his shoulder was hung a heavy steel net and in his hand he carried a large spiked trident.

  “Your presence is required at the castle. Retrieve your goods and personal belongings and we will escort you there,” stated the soldier.

  Kael saw a door on the opposite side of the hallway swing open. The soldier in front of that door took a step back as Manfir scowled and stepped into the hallway. The prince was fully dressed, and his broadsword was slung across his back. A heavy beard had grown during their time on the road, and he obviously found no time to bathe yet. The soldier in front of Kael spun and approached Manfir.

  “You will surrender your weapons to my men. They are not allowed in the presence of his majesty,“ said the captain forcefully.

  “What does this concern?” asked Manfir.

  “A troop of heavily armed mercenaries entered our kingdom in the dead of night and hid itself in one of our,” the captain paused, “shall we say, more questionable establishments.”

  Kael heard a loud cough as someone near the stairwell cleared his throat. The boy stepped further into the hallway and looked past more soldiers. He saw the landlord’s head peering over the top step. Vetic gave another loud grunt of disapproval and disappeared from sight. The soldiers tensed as Manfir edged further into the hallway.

  “His majesty wishes to know your business,” stated the captain.

  Ader opened a door further down the passage and stepped into the hall smiling.

  “Obviously, his majesty is interested in hosting our Elven emissaries in a more appropriate venue,” stated the old man cheerily.

  As if on cue, Teeg and Eidyn stepped from their doorway in full court attire. An impeccably groomed Elven courtier replaced the oily dockworker from the previous evening. Eidyn was also resplendent. The Elven prince’s ring was back on his finger.

  “Now that we have escorted our Elven guests to their destination, we will turn them over to your care and his majesty may discern their business as he wishes,“ said Ader.

  “You and your troop performed admirably, my good man,” said Teeg producing a small pouch. “Your protective services are no longer required. I mistakenly assumed Corad Kingfisher was aware of our impending arrival.”

  The Elf tossed the pouch to Ader and stepped forward to fall in amongst the soldiers. Ader slid the pouch into his pocket and bowed deeply. The captain took on a bewildered look and hesitated as Ader turned to retire to his room.

  “Sir!” called a soldier from the end of the hall.

  Kael’s eyes surveyed the end of the passageway. The hall ended with a small window that looked over the backyard of the inn. Alleyways ran off in different directions through the maze of the city. A soldier stepped from Granu’s room and addressed his commander.

  “This room has been used, but stands empty at this early hour.”

  The captain turned from the soldier and addressed Ader.

  “The report stated seven travelers were to be brought before his majesty, and I will do my duty. Whether you are a protective escort or not is immaterial to me. There will be no debate. Turn over your weapons and gather your things quickly. We leave immediately!”

  The captain turned and issued orders to his men. Ader’s face tightened and he nodded to Manfir. The Zodrian prince drew his blade and handed it hilt first to the nearest soldier. Kael drew his dagger and turned it over as well. Several Rindorans took station by the window and others remained in the hallway ensuring the group gathered their things. When all was ready, they marched dow
n the stairs and assembled in front of the inn. Teeg mildly protested the need to drag his good serving men with him, but the captain remained deaf to the complaints. As they formed up in the street, Kael spied several soldiers scouring the narrow alleyways about the dirty inn. He wondered where Granu hid himself.

  The group marched across the slick, wet cobblestones of the river city. The streets were laid in no particular fashion. At times, the men turned a corner to almost walk directly into the doorway of a building, only to quickly turn again. Some streets traveled for a few blocks in one direction, then turned and headed back the opposite direction for an equal distance. A few early risers were about the city and with each step, the gray dawn brightened into daylight. Kael lost his sense of direction in the maze of streets.

  The group stepped into a large plaza. They made their way past booths and stands being set up by scores of people. Most of the Rindorans stopped to view the odd procession as it swept through the market place. Their interest was only momentarily captured however, as their chores called them back to work. Kael’s face broke into a smile as he noticed an old man unfurling a canopy with the words “Geleg’s Fishery” scrawled across it. Kael noticed Manfir run his hands through his hair, briefly obscuring his face from the old man as they passed. It was not necessary. Geleg the fishmonger glanced at the group then immediately turned to his booth.

  Kael was about to turn his attention back to their route, when something caught his eye. Two small figures darted from behind Geleg’s booth across an open walkway to the space behind the nearest booth. They jumped from booth to booth keeping pace with the troop. Storage areas kept them hidden most of their journey across the marketplace. Also, their speed and stature made them a blur as they sprinted between open spaces. Soon, they advanced ahead of the group and Kael lost sight of them altogether.

  The marketplace ended in a row of towering shops and inns. A small opening in a corner of the square funneled travelers onto a twisting street between the buildings. The group continued their march toward the opening and Kael saw two boys run from behind the nearest booth. The boys laughed and rolled a wooden ring back and forth between them. The group passed and the boys stopped and stared. The captain smiled and nodded to them and they bowed in return. As the captain returned his attention to the street, one of the boys fidgeted with the wooden ring in his hands. Kael noticed Ader studying the boys intently.