Quests Volume One

by Barbara G. Tarn

  "So you were taught more by Genn than Fajrulo," Hinrik said.

  "Yes, well, Fajrulo are hard to find." Keneith shrugged. "And even for me, they're not immediately recognizable. I had to concentrate on Starblazer to read through her. Luckily she was busy talking to you or she would have deflected me."

  "So do you want to have dinner with her?" Bellinda asked, staring at Hinrik who sought the comfort of the waves again to lay his eyes on.

  "I don't know," he grumbled. "Keneith said I should forget the past, but I guess one meal with a person who knows who I am won't really take me back in time, will it?"

  "I know some Fajrulo can send you forward in time," Keneith said. "Back? I don't think so. Unless your mind falls for the memories again, but your body will definitely stay in the present."

  "You mean Fajrulo could send my body forward in time?" Hinrik stared goggle-eyed at Keneith who chuckled.

  "So I've heard," the magic user answered. "But what use would it be for you? Just to make sure you won't meet anyone who knows who you are? That would mean losing your Waiora family, and you said you don't have Human ties in Salamar anyway..."

  "No, no, I don't want to go forward in time, I was just..." Hinrik couldn't believe the members of the Magical Races had such powerful magic. He shook his head and gulped, staring at the sea again. "I think I already cut all the ties with my past. Lenore was always kind to me and my mother, so she's not bringing bad memories back."

  "Except for the teasing about your crush," Keneith commented.

  "Well, she's right, Verena never looked at me and married someone else. She was the daughter of the lord that gave work to my mother. I was only the washerwoman's son, she was destined to marry a nobleman."

  "Maybe if the washerwoman's son became a war hero, he could have hoped to marry a young lady?" Bellinda asked.

  "I'm not a war hero," Hinrik replied somberly. "And I don't want to get married yet."

  "Great!" Bellinda grinned. "So, are we going to the dinner or not?"

  "I guess we're going," Keneith answered with a grin. Hinrik nodded.

  They went back to the inn to wash and change clothes, then headed out again. The sun was setting and the tide came in, giving strength to Hinrik even if he wasn't close to the shore.

  Lenore welcomed them with a smile. Her small house was only one room and it was filled with the smell of roasted meat. A whole boar was on the fire, almost ready to be served with a big bowl of baked potatoes.

  They sat at a square table and Lenore served them the meat. She apologized for not having any wine in the house, but she'd rather drink water. Bellinda and Keneith weren't drinkers, so they were all happy with just water.

  "You are a good cook," Keneith said after tasting the meat.

  "I had a good teacher." Lenore grinned.

  "Let me guess, Kaline?" Bellinda asked.

  Lenore giggled and nodded. "What do you think, Hinrik?"

  Hinrik had been waiting to taste the dish, but after the prodding he did cut a piece of meat. It melted on his tongue and again tears came to his eyes. His mother's recipe! Why were all his memories of his mother tied to food? Was she only his feeder that he couldn't remember anything else?

  He looked at Lenore, chasing down the tears. "It's perfect," he said.

  They ate almost in silence – Lenore might look like a woman, but she obviously had the stomach of a dragon, since she ate three quarters of the boar, while the one quarter for her guests filled all three of them – and then relaxed around the table with a fruit salad.

  Lenore rose and went to a chest, coming back with a booklet that she put next to Hinrik's bowl of fruit.

  "You can give this to your wife," she said, patting his hand. "I wrote down all the recipes Kaline taught me. I don't need it anymore, since I know it by heart by now, so feel free to pass it on."

  "Thank you!" Amazed, Hinrik took the booklet and quickly went through it. Lenore had neat handwriting... and then he gasped, recognizing his own mother's handwriting in the midst.

  "Yes, Kaline helped me fill it while I was in Salamar," Lenore said, amused. "I took it with me when I left as a memory of my friend."

  Hinrik closed the book and pressed it to his chest. "Thank you," he repeated, touched.

  "You're welcome." Lenore smiled. "You're Kaline's son, you deserve it more than I do. I wasn't there when she passed away... what happened by the way?"

  Hinrik put down the book and hung his head. "A very harsh winter. She had to break ice to wash clothes and ended up with a bad cough, chest pains and fever that took her to the grave."

  "Pneumonia," Bellinda deducted. "I guess Human doctors don't know how to cure it yet."

  "There are no Genn healers in Salamar," Hinrik confirmed, eyes still low.

  Lenore sighed. "Humans are so fragile... and so short-lived..."

  "And that's probably why it's better not to attach oneself to any of them," Keneith commented.

  "Fajrulo pride." Lenore smiled. "We're not as heartless as they picture us to be, Keneith."

  "That's what I keep telling him," Bellinda said. "Thank you for the marvelous dinner, Lenore. Any suggestions for the rest of our journey?"

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Flean was relatively small with no walls. It was built on the coast around three main roads, the one that went up to a pass and the two that went along the coast. It had beautiful ancient architecture and a gladiator ring.

  The buildings were mostly made of stone, both to resist the strong winds and because there wasn't much timber around. The slopes of the mountains had fir trees, but no real forest to speak of. The streets were very wide and there were two open air markets, one for animals and livestock and the other for goods.

  "I think we can find a wagon and a horse and trade ours here," Keneith said as they dismounted in front of the Drunken Star that boasted the best stables in Flean. "And Hinrik can earn some money in the gladiator ring."

  Hinrik smiled and nodded. Bellinda was glad to see he had gained enough confidence to decide to accept another challenge.

  The stables might be the best, but the inn itself was medium-sized, and had almost all the rooms occupied. Bellinda managed to squeeze herself in a very small room, and Hinrik and Keneith had to share again.

  The food pricing was fair but of poor quality and limited variety, so Bellinda suggested they looked for something outside. The band played good music in the main room, but the healthy crowd was loud and rowdy and all three decided a breath of fresh air would do them good.

  They needed to explore the city and figure out if they could do their trade or would have to find another blacksmith and continue to Aludin.

  Flean thrived on trade both from the sea and from the main roads. Locals seemed very happy to con outsiders, but they were wary around a healer and a magic user. Keneith made sure to juggle with a couple of fire balls in the open to warn the locals that he could be dangerous, and Bellinda checked the suspicious illness of a seductive merchant who seemed to have many allies.

  "It's nothing, just food poisoning," she assured him. "Did you attend a banquet last night?"

  "Ah, my lady, I did! That blasted socialite... Thank you for healing me!"

  "You're welcome. Can you give us information on the gladiator ring?"

  "They fight every five days," the merchant explained eagerly. "You will often find our obnoxious guard captain who has been talking of changes among the fighters there. She seems to have little trouble with obvious enemies and likes to confront them in the ring. Rumors say that she strongly dislikes traders."

  "And can we bet on someone?" Keneith asked.

  "You sure can! See that extravagant trader over there? He's suspiciously free with money and likes to bet on lost causes. Rumors say that he has plans involving priests."

  "So the religious influence is above average here," Bellinda said. "Too bad we're not too keen on any religion."

  "You should stay for a few days! A festival is coming! Even if you don't care about our
gods, there will be dancing and singing and more fighting in the ring than ever!"

  "What does one win at the ring?" Hinrik asked.

  "I'm not sure. Prizes change every time. Depends on who sponsors the fights."

  "You won't be sponsoring this time?" Bellinda smiled at the stocky merchant. He sold pastries from a handcart that opened to display wares.

  "I will be selling snacks to the audience," the man answered, bowing at the waist.

  "We better go check the rules and whether you need anything for the fights," Keneith told Hinrik who nodded.

  "The young man will fight?" the merchant asked. "He looks well built, he probably has very good chances!"

  "Thank you." Hinrik smiled. "I will try."

  "I will come and cheer for you," the merchant said, waving them good-bye.

  "Do we have enough money to stay for a few days?" Hinrik asked. "If there's no money prize, I won't stay until the fights."

  "I have enough for the room and food, and we still need to find the other market to see if we can trade in our horses," Bellinda answered. "What about you, did you finish all your coins?"

  "No, I still have some hidden among my things. Dynine's gift is still mostly untouched. Let's find the ring and the market and decide what to do next."

  "Sounds like a plan." Bellinda smiled fondly at him. He was definitely gaining confidence. He even stared pensively at a brothel's sign.

  "We could go there tonight," Keneith said.

  "I'll go there to celebrate if I win something at the gladiators ring," Hinrik replied. "Not wasting money on something I can probably have for free anyway."

  "I bet you could!" Bellinda grinned. "Maybe the maids at the Drunken Star will happily keep you warm at night!"

  "Maybe, and only one at a time." Hinrik smiled.

  "The only way to have two women in your bed is if they let you watch as they make out," Keneith said.

  "Keneith!" Bellinda and Hinrik exclaimed at the same time. Then all three burst out laughing.

  ***

  "I'm betting on your victory, so you better kick some ass," Keneith said, patting Hinrik's shoulder.

  The sky over the arena was gray and everybody hoped it wouldn't rain so as not to spoil the fun. There had already been a quick summer shower the previous night that had spoiled the singing and dancing in the streets.

  The audience sitting around the ring had some form of protection from sun or rain, but the arena was in the open and the ground would become muddy and slippery. Which could be an advantage for a half-Waiora, Hinrik thought.

  He had donned his chainmail and bronze plate armor, his conical helmet and his round shield, but he'd been given a mace instead of the sword. Hits were supposed to go on the protected parts or shields, but sometimes accidents happened.

  Bellinda sat by the judges, ready to help any badly injured fighter. Next to them there was a table where bets were taken, and Keneith stood right there, watching over the shoulders of the bookie.

  Hinrik joined the other fighters in the ring. They all stood in two lines facing each other almost randomly and at the signal they charged the man in front of them. There were also two women – the guard captain and a warrior woman from the tribes' lands – who fought each other at first.

  The clang of maces on shields and armors was deafening, but Hinrik managed to take down a couple of opponents. As soon as one was down, each fighter looked for the next challenge, always one-on-one.

  The guard captain scowled at him before attacking. She had great muscles for a woman and exceptional strength. Maybe she also had some kind of magic blood – possibly demonic from the viciousness of her attacks.

  Hinrik had to retreat a little, and then she swung her mace and made his helmet fly.

  "You should surrender," she challenged. "You can't keep fighting bare-headed."

  "Why not?" he replied. "You're not supposed to hit me where I'm not protected."

  She bared her teeth and attacked again with a war cry. He raised his shield and blocked the blow, while swinging his own mace and hitting her breastplate from below, taking her breath away. It was her turn to back away to catch her breath.

  "Change partner," she muttered.

  He nodded and went to look for another opponent. He found a bulky fighter who pounded his shield so hard he had to let it go. A blow on his plate left him breathless and he collapsed, panting. He needed to take off the dented armor or he couldn't breathe.

  He had only his chainmail left, and the mace. The shield badly needed a blacksmith, and so did the plate armor. He wondered if he should retire and apologize to Keneith for not winning. His muscles ached from the exertion and he was feeling like outside the walls of Moriana – a lost battle of some kind.

  And then it started raining.

  ***

  "I think you've lost your money," Bellinda said, leaning towards Keneith. And then the few drops turned into a downpour and Keneith grinned.

  "I think I've just won my bet." He fished a gold coin from his purse. "Everything on the victory of Hinrik Kalineson," he told the bookie who gaped at him.

  "It's your money," he grumbled, writing down the bet.

  The arena was soon soaked. Bellinda watched as Hinrik looked at the sky, then closed his eyes and opened his mouth, drinking the rain.

  Soon he was back on his feet, energized by the cold shower, and went back to fight in spite of having lost most of his protection. But what made other fighters clumsy, made him faster and stronger, and he took down the remaining combatants with well-placed blows.

  He screamed in victory, raising his arms and shaking his mace, again drinking the rain as the last man standing. Bellinda smiled seeing the rain dance around Hinrik as if to celebrate him.

  "Did you just help him?" the bookie asked, staring suspiciously at Keneith.

  "I'm a fire wizard," Keneith replied with a smile. "It's raining. How can my magic help anyone?"

  "Right." The bookie muttered under his breath and started counting coins.

  Bellinda and Keneith exchanged a smile. They were very proud of Hinrik.

  The champion sauntered to the judges' stall under the pouring rain with a dazzling smile. Bellinda had never seen Hinrik smile like that. He seemed to be finally happy, finally himself. Even the bruises he had suffered during the fights seemed of no importance.

  "Well, young man, you're a fine fighter," one of the elder judges said. "Where are you from?"

  "Salamar."

  "They teach you to fight under the rain in Salamar?"

  "No, not really. It's not as rainy as here down in the plains."

  "Well, congratulations, champion..."

  The prize was a purse of silver coins that would pay the blacksmith and more. Hinrik joined Keneith who showed him an even bigger purse.

  "We're almost rich now," the magic user said with a grin. "I had no doubts you could win this game."

  "Thank you, Keneith. But I was about to retire when it started raining..."

  "Glad you didn't and let's thank the god of weather." Keneith put one arm around his shoulder. "How do you plan to celebrate?"

  "I have so much energy still coursing in me..."

  Bellinda could see it, the adrenaline had not faded. Water had given him a high that wasn't fading yet. She could tame that energy with her healing touch or let him give vent to it in a more natural way.

  "Ken, take him to the brothel. I'm sure he'll make lots of women happy. I'll take care of the wounded here."

  "Get your armor and shield, Hinrik, we'll drop them at the blacksmith on the way to the brothel..."

  Hinrik nodded eagerly. Bellinda watched them go and sighed. Hinrik was healing. Maybe soon he'd be on his own again. Or maybe not. She really hoped he'd stay with them a little longer.

  ***

  Hinrik was very happy. The brothel treated him to a luxurious bath chamber where three young women kept him company. He never had sex in water before and it was wonderful. He could never tire of it, since his element g
ave him back his strength.

  At some point hunger drove him out of the pool and into a bedroom, where more young women fed him and spoiled him until he was naked again on the big mattress with soft sheets. He crumbled to sleep well after sunset, finally exhausted by the long harsh day.

  He dreamed of Verena. They were on the shores of the Ondan and she pouted when he told her he loved her. Then Dynine emerged from the water and told him he should come and meet other Waiora.

  Hinrik dived and water wrapped around him like a blanket. He saw his parents meet and mate on the shores of the Ondan. He saw his mother washing clothes and singing with her big belly. He saw himself as a child with her. Water was making him live his life again in quick waves that washed everything away.

  He saw the drops of water draw for him on the windowsill. He felt the energy of water inside him. He understood how he could manipulate mud and any liquid near him. His angst and loneliness slowly faded out and finally he slid into a dreamless sleep.

  ***

  Hinrik lay belly down on the big bed, naked. Quite a sight, Bellinda thought. The ladies who had kept him company were gone and so were all the silver coins of his prize – half gone to the blacksmith and half to the madam.

  Bellinda closed her eyes and leaned to pass her hands over Hinrik's body. She could feel all his curves and sent her golden powder to a cracked rib and a big blue bruise on his thigh.

  "Wouldn't you like to actually touch him?" Keneith asked. He'd been watching her as usual.

  She opened her eyes and straightened to glare at him. He shot her an impish smile and crossed his arms over his chest.

  "Should we wake him up?" he asked again.

  Hinrik stirred at the sound of his voice.

  "Maybe he needed more rest," she chided.

  "He caught up on the past three months in one night, but I'm sure he's perfectly fine," Keneith replied as Hinrik's eyelids fluttered open.

  Hinrik propped himself up on his elbows and stared sleepily at them.

  "What time is it?"

  "It's the morning after," she answered. "Your prize money is gone. But you have a brand new armor and shield, and made a lot of women happy."