by Jamie Davis
Cari pulled the slip of paper out of her pouch and handed it up to the driver. “This is where I’m heading. Do you know it?”
Smiley glanced at the address and handed the slip of paper back to her. “It’s not that far from here. Climb in. I’ll have you there inside ten minutes.”
“Excellent,” Cari said. She climbed into the back of the carriage and pulled the door shut. Before she could settle back against the threadbare cushion of the seat, the carriage lurched forward.
Cari watched out the carriage’s windows to either side as the city passed by. They’d started in the Caravan District of the city, which Cari got the impression was a bit on the rougher side compared to the other districts. They soon left that area behind and entered an area with much more well-appointed houses.
Trimmed shrubberies lined the front of most of the homes and some of the residences even had wrought iron fences and gates in front of them bordering the street. A few minutes after they entered this wealthier part of town, what she now knew to be the Merchants District, the carriage pulled to a stop in front of a large home made from what appeared to be white granite blocks. Smiley’s voice sounded from up above, “here you are, ma’am. That’ll be two silvers’.”
Cari climbed out of the carriage and closed the door. Fishing into her belt pouch, she pulled out three silver pieces, then grabbed a fourth one and held it up to the driver. “Smiley, Here’s four silver pieces. Please remain here until I’m ready to return. I’m not sure how long it will be. Hopefully, that will cover the extra expense of waiting for the longer time.”
Smiley bit the coins to check them for authenticity one at a time before depositing them into his vest pocket. He nodded once saying, “I’ll be here when you come out. I’m yours for the night.”
Cari turned towards the white granite house. She guessed it would be considered a mansion; however, it sat on a street full of mansions and Cari wasn’t sure what you called a whole neighborhood of dwellings that size. She shrugged. To the people living here, they were just homes.
Cari turned and looked up and down the street, making sure she didn’t see anyone paying undue attention or who looked like they might have followed her. Satisfied she was alone on the street, pulled the cord by the door. A chime sounded from inside.
A few seconds later, Cari heard a grumbling voice from the other side of the door. “I’m coming. I’m coming.”
The door’s latch opened and it swung inward. A gentleman stood there with wisps of gray hair sticking out above his ears on either side of his shiny, bald head. If this was the man she was supposed to meet, it wasn’t anyone that she recognized.
“Hello, sir, I am not sure if I am in the right place. I was told to meet a certain merchant here. “
The gentleman in the doorway looked her up and down, then turned, shouting over his shoulder. “It’s for you. I think the one you’re looking for has arrived.”
Cari craned her neck to try and look past the man and catch a glimpse of who he called to. She couldn’t see around him beyond the hallway though.
“Won’t you come in? I’m sure you don’t want to conduct your business standing out there on the street.”
“No, you’re right, of course. That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Cari stepped inside and the man closed the door behind her. She turned and watched as he threw the deadbolt and slid a bar across the entrance to lock it. Her hand drifted down to grip the hilt of her sword. She wondered for a moment what she had gotten herself into. Then, a familiar voice sounded behind her.
“Hello, Cari. I wondered if I came here whether I might run into you. It seems my guess was correct.”
Cari turned around to see Merrick standing there in the doorway to the right of the entrance. The merchant and sometime underworld smuggler had been instrumental in getting her out of the Crystal City after she escaped from the Duke of Charon’s dungeon. The Duke’s men had chased after her, searching for her on all of the routes out of the city. Merrick had provided a hiding place in one of his barges sailing down the river from the capital.
“I didn’t expect to see you, of all people,” she remarked. “I didn’t know you traveled beyond the Canal District of the Crystal City.”
“I have business interests all over the Empire. I’ll always consider the Canal District in the capital home, though. It’s where I started and where I made my first fortune. Of course, it’s also where I lost my first fortune,” he added in a wistful tone as a smile crossed his face. He changed the subject. “I suppose since you’re here in Hyroth, you’re not traveling alone?”
Cari decided she needed to tread carefully. While she had some limited trust for Merrick, she wasn’t willing to trust him with everything, especially not with Jaycee’s life.”
“I am traveling with some companions. I’m seeking a few more to join me. I was looking for some way to contact three missing friends who used to be with the Empress’ Dragoons. There’s also another friend of mine who is also looking for them.”
“If you’re referring to the three I think you are along with that young fellow who wants to become one of them, I do have an idea where they might be.”
“And?”
“And, I find myself in need of some special services that you might be able to render in return for the information I have on their whereabouts. Would you like to assist me?”
“What sort of services? I just told you I’m traveling with some companions. I’m sure you understand that I cannot become involved with anything that would require an extended amount of time.”
“No worry about that, my dear. My needs are time sensitive. It shouldn’t take very long at all, at least, not for someone with your unique set of skills.”
He certainly had piqued Cari’s interest. “I suppose I won’t get the information I need unless I help you?”
“Exactly,” Merrick said. “Remember, you still owe me for the collateral to pay back Timron’s debt.”
Cari decided she needed to take a chance and press back a little bit. She didn’t have unlimited resources if Merrick expected her to pay him back for the prince’s bad debts. “If you know why I am here, then you also know who I’m traveling with. Why are you helping me? If I succeed in what I’m doing, it’s unlikely Timron will be able to pay you back at all. Are you prepared for me to succeed even if that’s the case?”
Merrick met Cari’s eyes and held them for several seconds before answering. “Between you and me, having Prince Timron on the throne would be bad for business. I’m not the only person who thinks this will be the case. We can’t imagine having him run the Empire. There’s no reason to believe it will result in any better financial management than he’s shown in his personal life.”
“I’m not sure I can do what you want, Merrick. I have to stay on task. If that means I have to find my three Dragoon friends another way, then I will.”
“Perhaps I need to sweeten the deal.” Merrick dug in the pouch at his side and took out a small metal cube. It was the holocube projector she’d offered as collateral for Prince Timron’s release over a year ago. “What if I wipe out your debt with me and return this collateral to you as payment in addition to giving you the information about your friends. I know your overall quest is important. As a bonus, I will also pledge my assistance in helping you achieve your ultimate goals.”
Cari became suspicious at the change of heart. “Why would you do that? Isn’t getting involved in this type of direct politics against your better interest?”
“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t do anything overt that makes it known I directly assisted you. Believe me, though, there are many things I can do behind the scenes that will make the path before you much smoother. What do you say?”
Cari considered his words. She wanted to get her holocube back, if only for its sentimental value. She also liked to know her debts were settled so nothing would come back to bite her later on. “Tell me what you need me to do. If I think it’s something I can take the t
ime for, I’ll do it and we’ll have a deal.”
“Fair enough. My problem is this. I have laborers who work for me all over the place, men and women who load the barges or work the caravan routes in my various business ventures. Here in Hyroth, the Duke of Charon did not have the manpower in his personal troops to spare to secure the city the way he wanted. He solved that problem by pressing ordinary citizens into service in his guard companies. There is a camp outside of the city where he is training them. They’re learning to use muskets and march in formation. I know where my men are in the training camp and which company they’re in. I want you to help me figure a way to get them out of there.”
“If there is an entire army out there, I’m not sure there’s much I can do.”
“It’s only a few companies of guardsmen. There are only about ten loyalists to the Duke who I would consider real soldiers. The others have all been kidnapped and tricked or blackmailed into imperial service. All they need is someone to deal with their overseers and help them break free. Once you’ve done that, I can get them away to other places far from Hyroth where they can return to my service. As a bonus, it might discourage the Duke’s officers in the city from continuing the practices they’ve been using to build their forces here.”
Cari thought about the odds she might face. Ten soldiers would be a daunting task. Even if she were to manage to power up her burst of speed skill, it would not enable her to deal with all of them unless they were bunched close together in a group and there was no way she could assure that would happen.
“I can see you’re considering how to do this,” Merrick observed as Cari pondered the man’s request. “Perhaps I can lend you some assistance.”
“What kind of assistance?”
“I can slip something into the bottles of a case of wine and have it shipped to the camp. The training overseers in charge of training the troops will never share the wine with the troops themselves. If the sergeants are all drugged, that should allow you to get in and get my men and women out without too much trouble.”
“That might work,” Cari said. “All right, you have a deal. Send your drugged wine in the morning. Tell me where the camp is. I’ll make my move tomorrow night.”
“Excellent. This calls for a toast.” Merrick crossed to a credenza along the wall. He took the stopper from a crystal decanter and poured some wine in two crystal glasses. He handed one to Cari and raised his glass.
Cari raised hers, as well.
“To success in all our ventures.”
“To success, indeed,” she replied, hoping she hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew.
Quest accepted — free Merrick’s workers
Chapter 18
Cari returned to Smiley’s carriage outside the mansion. She thanked the driver for his service as they headed back towards the Caravan District. She asked him if he’d be available the following evening to take her and some friends somewhere outside the city gates.
After some thought and haggling over the price, he agreed to return to the market square by the caravan gate at sundown. He dropped her in front of the inn and left to go about his business. Cari entered the inn. The common room now bustled with activity.
A musician was playing a lute. He sang a ballad of some sort. No one seemed to be listening to him. Each person in the room was engaged in their cups and conversation. Cari didn’t want to spend any time down here anyway, so she ignored the activity in the room and headed straight for the stairs up to the bedrooms. She wanted to check on Jaycee and the others.
She almost reached the stairs, when someone called out her name. She turned, surprised that anyone would recognize her here. Her eyes raised in surprise to see Rodrigo sitting at a table against the wall.
Even more surprising, were his companions. Liam, Chance, and Thad all sat around the table with him. All three grinned and lifted their tankards to her. Rodrigo beckoned her over to them.
Cari approached them shaking her head. “How did you all find me?”
“A gentleman by the name of Merrick sent us word of where you were staying. We got here soon after dark.,” Rodrigo said. “I asked the innkeeper if you were here and he said you’d left for the evening but he expected you to return. We decided to settle down and wait for you.”
Cari was more than a little annoyed. It appeared Merrick planned on reuniting her with her friends no matter what she’d said in response to his request for assistance. She felt more than a little cheated. Perhaps she should go back on the arrangement and make him solve his own problems.
After a few seconds, she reconsidered her thoughts. At the end of the day, he would say he held up his end of the bargain, even if he’d given it to her in advance of receiving her agreement. She also needed to get her holocube back and clear her other debts which he’d added to her fee.
“I don’t want to speak down here in front of everyone. Come with me. The innkeeper said there’s a private room upstairs. I’ll find out if I need a key and we can continue talking up there. Besides, I need to check on my traveling companions.”
“You have your youngest traveling companion with you?” Liam asked. He had his own priorities on where his loyalties lay. “Who is watching over her?”
“Three very reliable people, I assure you. They might not have your skills getting into and out of trouble, but they are more than able to watch over her. Come upstairs and I’ll introduce you to them.”
Cari turned and walked over to the bar, waiting for the innkeeper to finish serving other patrons. She’s beckoned to him when he was finished and he came over to her.
“I see you found the friends waiting for you. I told you I thought we could find them. My merchant friend was helpful?”
“He was. Earlier, you mentioned an upstairs room with some privacy. Could we take our drinks upstairs where we can talk in private?”
“Of course, let me get the key. I’ll meet you up in the hallway.”
The innkeeper motioned to one of the barmaids to take over behind the bar and he headed back into his office. Cari turned and beckoned to Rodrigo and the three dragoons. Together the five of them headed upstairs. Cari stopped outside the room Helen and Francesca were staying in. She heard voices on the other side, so she knew they were still awake. She tapped on the door twice and said, “Helen, it’s me, Cari.”
The door opened and Helen smiled at Cari, then spotted Rodrigo. Her grin broadened into a full-blown smile. “Hello, Lieutenant. It’s good to see you managed to accomplish your task. I assume these are the three gentlemen you were sent to find?”
“Oh, yes, ma’am. These three gentlemen, as you say, are Liam, Chance, and Thad. They are here to help us get Jaycee to the capital.”
“We probably shouldn’t stand here in the hallway,” Liam said. “Here comes the innkeeper with the key. Let’s go to that private room and talk there.”
“Good idea,” Cari said. “Helen, are you, Francesca, and Percy all right staying here with Jaycee while we make some plans?”
“Of course. Go do what you need to do. We’ll be here waiting for your orders when you return.”
Cari walked down to where the innkeeper had opened a door at the end of the hall. Rodrigo and the three dragoons followed right behind her. The innkeeper opened the door and pointed inside. “Here you go. There’s no one staying in the rooms on either side or across the hall. If you keep your voices down, you should have no trouble keeping your business private.”
“Thank you. You’ve been a big help.”
“One never leaves the Empress’ service, even after you retire.”
He left them in the hallway. After giving Chance, Liam, and Thad a brief salute, he headed back down to the common room.
Cari and the others went inside the private room. There was a long dining table with 10 chairs arranged around it. This was good, Cari thought. It would be somewhere that would fit all of them for a meal. She still didn’t want to be seen with Jaycee since the innkeeper had told her others were l
ooking for them here in Hyroth.
“So, Cari, you’ve made it this far on your own. What are your plans going forward?” Liam asked. “We’ve received word Prince Timron is on the move. He’s headed back towards the capital from the west country as we speak. He hid in some estates belonging to friends there. We left him to take care of himself in hiding. Now that he’s on the move, it won’t take him long to reach the capital.”
“My plans are exactly what you’d expect them to be. He’s no longer the rightful heir to the throne. Jaycee is. We need to get her to the capital first.”
“The Duke will have something to say about that.” Chance said. “He’s not going to just let you waltz into the palace grand hall and declare that girl as the Empress. Once Kareena passed, he took control of everything he hadn’t already put under his thumb. Nothing happens in the capital without his say so.”
“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. We’ve got to take this one step at a time. In the meantime, before we arrive at the capital, I think we need someone to gather the retired dragoons. I know the regiment has been disbanded, but it shouldn’t be that difficult to put it back together again, at least in part. The question is, can the three of you do that?”
All three of the dragoons exchanged glances. Thad grumbled something under his breath. To Cari’s ears, it sounded like the orc growled at her. She shrugged it off. She was asking a lot of them.
After a few seconds of consideration by each of the former imperial bodyguards, without a word said between them, Chance and Thad both nodded, followed by Liam.
“Good, then with your assistance, and that of your brethren, we might be able to pull this off. First, I have some business to attend to in Hyroth, though.”
“Merrick said he had something for you to do,” Chance said. “Do you need help?”
“I don’t think so, now that Rodrigo’s back. He can help, along with the others I have with me, to accomplish what needs to be done.”
“And the little girl?” Liam asked.