The beggar prince, p.20
The Beggar Prince, page 20
part #1 of Unbroken Bond Series
At last, the imposing building that was Merethia's Halls of Justice loomed in the distance. Grinning, Maline quickened her pace.
“We're almost there?”
“Yes,” Maline whispered in response. Soon, she reached its steps, and racing up it, stood by the door, staring about them.
“We're here,” she muttered.
“Good, find somewhere in the shadows to sit.”
Nodding distractedly, Maline did as Mardaley bid, and finding a nice darkened corner, pulled off her bag and made herself comfortable.
Smirking, Thane pulled out his seeking stone and seeked out to the others.
“I found the woman,” he said as the stone in his hand pulsed softly.
“Good,” Thalas said. “Which hospice?”
“None, I went to Mardaley's.”
“Didn't we agree that was too dangerous?” Neremi asked.
“No, Thalas said it was too dangerous. I never said I agreed.”
“Thane–”
“What does it matter?” Durlin said. “He's found her.”
“Precisely,” Thane said, his smug smile growing.
“Where is she now, then?” Thalas asked.
“The Halls of Justice.”
“What is she doing there? No rats are permitted to spend the night on its steps.”
“She appears to be waiting for someone. Care to guess who?”
“Excellent!” Eldred exclaimed. “I'm on my way.”
“Yes, let's all head over,” Thalas added.
“Yes,” Thane growled. “And bring the void sphere with you, or do you not yet have it?”
“It's not so straightforward. I'll explain when I get there.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Rather than waiting for a response, Thane willed the seeking stone to silence and, placing it back in his pocket, settled down and prepared for the wait.
“You sure you don't want to get out of my hair?” Maline pleaded. “Nobody's here, promise.”
“Much as I'd love to, and believe me, I'd like nothing better than to be myself again, we are at the Halls of Justice. Sooner or later some patrol will chance by, and we stand a much better chance of avoiding conflict if they think you're simply bedding down here for the night on your own.”
“Fine. But please, stop moving!”
“Sorry. Spider forms aren't really my favourite.”
Maline frowned. “You mean you done others before?”
“Oh yes, quite a few.”
Maline shook her head as she smiled. “And here thought you were just a shopkeeper.”
“Even shopkeepers have past lives, my dear.”
Slowly, Maline's face fell as she stared down the street.
“Yes, suppose they do,” she replied softly.
“Maline…?”
Taking a deep breath, Maline forced a smile.
“Nothing it's…something a friend used to say, every street rat used to be somebody.”
“I…” Mardaley began, but his voice failed him. Just then, Maline sat up as she stared deep into the shadows.
“What is it?” Mardaley asked. But Maline kept her peace, her gaze piercing the darkness. Finally she smiled.
“They're here.”
“Is there anyone else around?”
“Uh…don't see anyone else.”
“Good,” Mardaley replied as he crawled out of Maline's hair.
“You see? I told you she can't see us,” Thane whispered smugly.
“You weren't saying that when she was staring this way,” Neremi whispered in response.
“Quiet, you two!” hissed Durlin. “They'll hear us!”
“And our glorious leader is to be nowhere to be seen,” Thane growled.
“He said he'll be here,” whispered Eldred. “so he'll be here.”
“Of course he will.”
“Yes, Thane,” Thalas whispered in response as he swam to view behind his friends. “I will.”
“Thalas!” Neremi exclaimed. “What kept you?”
“Father,” he replied simply. “What do we have?”
“We have the child, the girl, your brother and their gutter rat friend,” Thane replied before turning to stare sneering at Thalas. “And I still do not see a void sphere.”
Thalas stared cooly at Thane for a brief spell before staring past him to the Halls of Justice, his ire straining on its leash.
“I don't have it with me.”
“I can see that.”
“Oh, for the love of the gods, Thane, enough!” Neremi demanded. “You're angry with him, yes, we're aware of that, but your constant sniping and sneering isn't helping anyone!”
“It's alright, Neremi,” Thalas said, smiling softly at her before staring calmly at Thane.
“This is a heavily patrolled area. I myself had to get past two separate patrols to get here, and I take it you all had to navigate your way around one or two yourself. So, do you truly think it will be a good idea to lug a void sphere all the way here? Where a patrol can walk by at any time and sound the alarm? Truly?”
Thane held his peace, but it was clear Thalas' words had struck home.
“The void sphere is close, but we will not be carrying it to the Kin-Slayer, we will bring her to it.”
Thane glared at Thalas for a spell longer before turning his gaze to their quarry.
“So, what's the plan, then?” he asked at last.
“The girl is the key. With her as bait, we–” But his words died in his throat as, before their very eyes, Mardaley Templeton appeared as if from the ether.
“Where'd he come from?” Eldred whispered, his confusion mirrored perfectly in the gaze of his friends.
“No matter,” Durlin replied, his gaze as cold as his words. “He interferes, he dies.”
“No,” Thane replied, his smile matching Durlin's mood. “He dies anyway. Can't have him telling on us, can we?” As one, both turned to stare at Thalas, expecting him to be in accord.
“Thalas?” Durlin asked after a short spell.
“What is it now?” Thane demanded. At their words, Neremi and Eldred turned to stare at Thalas. He stared at them all in turn. There was fear in his eyes.
“We will not do this tonight.”
“What?” Thane demanded.
“What do you mean, not tonight?” Neremi asked, throwing a heated glare at Thane as she spoke.
“There's more to that human than meets the eye. Any plan we decide on will be fraught enough as is. With him here, it'll end badly for us.”
Shaking his head, Thane laughed at Thalas.
“He's one human,” Durlin said, “we're five mage adepts trained in the Shimmering Tower. And you truly wish to walk away?”
Thalas stared at Durlin. “Durlin, to go out there now will be folly.”
“Do you truly mean to tell me you're afraid of some decrepit human storekeeper?” Thane asked in a most condescending tone. “Truly, Thalas?”
Thalas glared at the large elf, his anger straining greatly on its leash. “My father is the Shimmering Tower's foremost battle-mage. His arcane skill in battle is unquestioned.”
“It's not your fath–”
“And yet, that decrepit human storekeeper gives him pause. He gives my father pause, Thane. But if you somehow think your training in the Tower makes you a much better battle-mage than my father, please, by all means, go out there and challenge him. When he's done with you, we'll be sure to give you a proper burial.”
Frowning, Thane looked from Thalas to Mardaley and back again.
“Him?”
“Yes, him.”
Thane looked once more at Mardaley.
“And another thing,” Thalas continued. “I have had quite enough of you. I am sorry Fallon died. But dear gods, man, he was my friend before he was yours! And I got him killed! Do you not think I feel his loss? Or do you somehow think you are the only one here who cares for his loss?”
“He was my brother before he was your friend,” Durlin added as he held Thalas in cold regard. Thalas looked from Durlin to Thane. What he saw unnerved and angered him in equal measure.
“If any here feel I no longer deserve to lead, speak now,” he said after a spell. In response, Durlin looked expectantly at Thane, but Thane merely stared at Thalas. None else moved.
“You lead, Thalas,” Thane said. “For now.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Neremi demanded.
“It means precisely what it sounds like,” Thane snarled.
“Are we done fighting?” Eldred asked in disgust. “Can we go back to why we're here?”
Thalas looked from him to their quarry. “What are they saying?”
“And we've been wandering the city since,” Marshalla said as both Maline and Mardaley stared at her.
“That's quite a tale,” Mardaley said after a spell. “You three have had quite an adventure.”
All three smiled.
“Adventure is putting it mildly,” Davian replied. Laughing, Mardaley patted the little boy on the shoulder.
“I'm sure it is,” he replied smiling before lifting his gaze to Marshalla's, his smile fading as he did so.
“But now you must leave,” he continued, the sadness in his words heavy upon all who heard.
“Going to come back,” Tip said cheerily. Forcing a grin, Mardaley reached out and ruffled little Tip's hair before turning his gaze back at Marshalla. Through it all, she'd stared at him with saddened eyes.
“Going to miss you, Mardaley” she said softly.
With a deep breath, Mardaley stared at her. They gazed at each other for a brief moment with eyes that spoke volumes, far more than mere words could convey. It was a moment that ended when Mardaley gently caressed her cheek, an act that brought a smile to Marshalla's lips. Then, Mardaley looked at the others before sitting on the ground, crossing his legs once sat.
“Now, what do you need? What's stopping you from leaving?”
Sighing, Marshalla too sat down, the others following her.
“Well,” she began, “gates all bad now. Tried the north and west ones, same thing.”
“Bad how?” Maline asked.
“Guards, lots of them. Never seen so many in one place before. Half of them mages, the other half anything from rangers to proper soldiers. And then there's the fairies. Saw seven at both gates.”
“Hrm, that is bad,” Mardaley muttered as he stroked his beared distractedly.
“Bad how?”
Mardaley looked over at Maline. “Fairies are natural scryers. They can see past almost any illusion or transformation spell. It takes a truly powerful one to fool a fairy, and the older the fairy the more powerful a spell you will need.”
Marshalla nodded. “Same thing Ani said. Said she couldn't sneak us past without the fairies seeing, she was too weak.”
“But,” Maline said, frowning. “how come the ones in those patrols didn't see you?”
Mardaley smiled. “I was inside your hair, Maline, not in plain sight.”
“That would stop them?” Davian asked.
Smiling still, Mardaley turned to Davian. “Of course, but we digress,” he said, and before the little boy could reply, he turned to Marshalla.
“You were saying?”
“Right…uh…thought about flying over the wall, but that won't work either.”
“Why?” Maline asked. “More fairies?”
Marshalla nodded. “And archers, and mages, lots of them. No way we'd gone very high before they saw us, and once they did, Ani didn't fancy our chances before one of us got shot down dead.”
“Oh,” Maline said.
“This is a conundrum, isn't it?” Mardaley muttered, stroking his beard once more.
“That it is,” Davian said as he nodded, the others staring expectantly at Mardaley. At last, he stared at Marshalla.
“The fairies are the problem. With them in tow, you won't be able to get past any of the guards with any form of illusion. But at the same time, they're your answer.”
“Oh?”
Mardaley nodded. “The guards will be too reliant on them. If we can find a way to blind them, or separate them from the guards, you should be able to slip past.”
“How do we do that?” Davian asked. “You don't expect us to kill them do you?”
“What?” Tip exclaimed. “No!”
Mardaley chuckled. “No, no killing. No, what we need is to contrive a situation where the fairies will be reluctant or unable to accompany the guards.” Mardaley fell silent once more, the others staring intently at him.
“What we need,” he said once again. “is cold iron, lots of it. The purer the better.”
“Oh, of course!” Davian exclaimed, before immediately frowning at Mardaley. “Wait, you just said no killing.”
“There won't be. But if we can get cold iron, truly pure cold iron, and lots of it, get it into a…”
All at once, Mardaley's eyes lit up. He looked up at Marshalla once more. “Where are you staying?”
Marshalla shrugged at him. “Anywhere. Need to keep moving.”
“Right, of course…” Mardaley muttered. “Can you get to the Oaken Square market?”
Marshalla frowned at him. “By when…?”
“Noon-chime tomorrow.”
“Noon-chime?” Marshalla exclaimed.
“Yes, noon-chime.”
“But that down by the south gate!”
“Can you get there by noon-chime though?”
“But…” Marshalla stared at the others. “…suppose so, yes. Will have to travel most of the night.”
Mardaley smiled. “Good. By noon-chime tomorrow, look for a single cart carrying items of cold iron. Pans, kettles, the like. The cart will be driven by a human, he'll have a green cloak, long black hair and a scar about his neck. Let him see you. He will hide you within, under the cold iron. Once inside, cloak yourselves with the best illusions you can. The cold iron above you should keep the fairies away, and your illusions should do the rest. Ride with him till the end of his journey. He'll take you somewhere safe. You must stay there until we send word that you can return, but you must do everything he tells you, always. Do you understand?”
Silently, all three stared at Mardaley with a mix of wonder and bewilderment.
“Do you understand?”
Smiling, Marshalla nodded.
“Father always said you were more than just a storekeeper,” Davian said. Mardaley smiled, but it was Maline who answered him.
“Even storekeepers have past lives.”
Smiling still, Mardaley stared at her briefly.
“Now go, we've been here far too long,” he continued as he rose. “A patrol should be about here soon. Go, and be safe.”
“Yes, we'd better,” Davian replied, while the others simply nodded. But as they turned to leave, Mardaley reached out to Marshalla.
“Marsha…” he began.
“Yes?” he looked at the boys, then back at Marshalla. Reading his gaze, Marshalla turned to the others.
“Go, wait for me at the bottom.”
Nodding the two made their way down the stairs as Marshalla stared back at Mardaley.
“What?”
“Here,” Mardaley said, reaching into his tunic and pulling out a purse.
“Got coin already,” Marshalla said, shaking her head as she spoke.
“Take it, you can never have too much.”
Pouting, Marshalla took it from him. As she did so, Mardley stared briefly over her shoulder before staring back at her.
“There's a small pouch in there,” he whispered. “It contains sleeping powder. In Anieszriel's current state, she cannot make Tip do anything without his consent. If you feel she is forcing him towards doing something he mustn't, use the powder on him. It will send him into a deep slumber even she won't be able to rouse him from. But it must be while he is in control.”
Marshalla looked up at him. He held her in a fierce gaze.
“Use it with care,” he continued. “You don't want that creature turning Tip against you.”
Looking down at the purse, she slowly clasped her fingers tighter about it before putting it away. She looked up once again at Mardaley, and without warning, threw her arms about him, hugging him with all her strength before turning and racing down the steps. Mardaley watched them leave in silence.
“They'll be fine, won't they?” Maline asked, wincing as she spoke.
Mardaley sighed. “I pray so.” Finally, he turned to her, smiling. “Time you, too, were away.”
Maline smiled, nodding. “Yes, suppose.”
“Do you have a place for the night?”
Maline shrugged. “Not yet.”
“I have a spare bed.”
Maline slowly cocked her head at him.
“Thank you,” she said softly. Nodding, Mardaley crooked his arm for her, and hand in arm, both left the Halls of Justice.
“Are you sure that's what he said?” Thane growled at Eldred.
“When have you ever known Eldred to read lips wrong?” Neremi glowered at Thane.
“I'm just asking,” Thane muttered.
“I am sure, Thane,” Eldred replied with no small hint of injured pride.
“So, what do we do about it?” Durlin asked, staring at Thalas. Frowning, Thalas stared at Mardaley and Maline as they disappeared into the distance before turning to his companions.
“We go home, all of us. I need time to think, form a plan. When I get home, I'll reach out to you all.” Then, he shook his head, smiling to himself.
“Sleeping powder…I can't believe we didn't think of that.”
“Yes,” Neremi replied, chuckling. “Such a simple idea too.”
“Yes,” he replied, staring at her as he nodded. Then he stared at the others.
“Head home, we'll talk later.” And without pause, Thalas spun round and began making his own way home, his mind awhirl.
*****
It was the unmistakable sound of metal upon stone that roused Anieszirel. It was faint, distant, but it was getting louder.
“Tip.”
No answer.
“Tip, wake up.”
Still no answer.
“Come, Tip, wake up!”
Snorting slightly, Tip stirred as he mumbled.
