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Back to the previous chapter: Heavens
First Draft
The Aquasition coasted to one of the innumerable piers along the Londoun riverfront. Bilbus stood on the forecastle, standing at attention and looking about as if he were surveying a new land.
Eric walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder. "Bilbus? Isn't that Peg-Leg Pete?" He pointed to a man standing in the shade of one of the port masters' offices.
"It is." Bilbus waved, swinging his arm widely overhead until he caught Pete's eye.
Pete started signing to Bilbus, We need to meet.
Bilbus nodded, and replied, Come aboard when we tie up to the dock.
Minutes later, Pete jaunted up the gangplank. As he approached, Eric leaned over to Bilbus. "Am I still your patsy?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. You are still my patsy."
Pete stopped in front of Bilbus and Eric. "Bilbus! Good to see you still breathing. Slant-eyed Slim! Still as innocent looking as ever."
Eric smiled and raised his index finger, flexing and straightening it. "I'm Bilbus's patsy?"
Pete doubled over. "That's still funny! Arrr, what I wouldn't have given to have a mate like you aboard during me pira... merchant days!"
Bilbus smiled and gently pushed Eric to one side. He lowered his voice and leaned towards Pete. "What is so important, Pete? You aren't the type to hang out around the docks."
"Me and Twitchy been asking around about this Jerryn guy. No one's heard of him. Not a surprise, if he's a merc, he wouldn't be in our circles. Hells, he may never have been in Londoun. Also, that blonde friend of yours seems to be popular. People have been asking around for her."
Bilbus tensed. "What sort of people?"
"A nobleman, or someone with money, and a few of our types."
"Thanks, Pete. I was afraid this was going to happen sooner than later." Bilbus straightened and spoke up. "I have a proposition for you. How would you like to visit the seas again? I'll let you captain my ship. I want one share of ten of the take. You can run it as you like, as long as you remember it's my ship, and I would be upset if it gets scuttled."
"How'd you get it?" Pete looked around at the small, single-masted ship.
Bilbus grinned. "I have ways. You don't need to worry about that right now. There are some people looking for it, but I've renamed the ship and repainted it. There are so many small merchies like this, I don't think anyone's going to be able to pick it out."
"Aye... Okay, I'll do it." Pete nodded his head once and grinned.
"Great!" Bilbus clapped Pete on the shoulder. "I have some errands to run. When you see Twitchy, tell him I need to find someone else. He's a fellow named Brule. Very large and round, from a small town." Bilbus described the Saltcliffs mayor.
"I'd be surprised if anyone could not see someone that big. I'll let Twitchy know."
"Thanks, Pete. We need to get going. Find a good crew you can trust, and make some money, would you?"
"Aye, aye, sir!" Pete snapped to attention and saluted Bilbus, then started laughing again.
As Bilbus and Eric walked away from Pete, Eric muttered to Bilbus, "There's something not right about Pete."
"Of course not, Eric. He's a pirate."
"You can't trust pirates! You just handed him this ship."
"Who better than pirates to keep unwanted guests off of the ship. Do you think they will just let someone board the Aquasition?"
Bilbus stopped at the gangplank. Sturm and Kasey stood there.
Kasey smiled. "I'm hosting dinner at my house tonight. Come by about an hour before sunset. I've told everyone else. I need to check in at the Church Knight compound right now. See you tonight!"
"Kasey?" Bilbus asked. "Where do you live?"
"Oh, yeah!" Kasey gave directions. Bilbus nodded as Eric scribbled notes into his journal.
As Kasey trotted down the gangplank to his waiting destrier, Sturm addressed Bilbus and Eric. "I need to replace my bow and some other supplies that were damaged when the Sea Ghost sank."
"Okay," Bilbus replied.
Sturm walked down the plank as Rishala arrived on the main deck.
"Rishala, Eric? Neither of you have a place in town. You're welcome to stay at my place tonight."
Rishala nodded. "I still have the keys to your locks."
"Good. Eric?"
"Sure, Bilbus. I'd like to see where you stay."
"Follow me." Bilbus started walking down the gangplank.
The three men walked across Falagos Square. The fencing arena in front of the True Point Tavern had been dismantled -- no one was playing the prize today. The fountain in the middle of the square sprayed cool water into the air, the noise of its splashing lost in the murmur of the hundreds of people moving through the square and the creaking of the several heavily-laden wagons rolling along behind teams of horses or oxen.
Bilbus quickly picked his way towards the eastern face of the square. Rishala and Eric followed closely, weaving through the thick pedestrian traffic in an effort to keep pace with the thief.
Bilbus stopped in front of a three-floor building on the edge of the square. Eric looked at the sign above the store entrance. "Hungry Bilbus?"
Bilbus looked back at Eric. "I live here."
"Bilbus, this is a baker's shop."
"I know that. The shop is on the ground floor. The baker lives on the second floor. He leases me the top floor. Come on." Bilbus walked through the front door. He smiled and waved to the baker in the shop, "Good day, Master Yeat!"
The baker waved at Bilbus. "Bilbus! Good to see you. I was wondering if you had left town for good! It's been, what, two months?"
"It seems longer. Sorry, I can't stay and chat." Bilbus trotted up the stairs just inside the entrance.
He stopped at the landing on the upper floor. With a wave of his hand over the door, and a directed channeling of Heka, he unlocked the six locks of the door and swung it open. He stepped in and invited his guests in.
The interior of Bilbus's flat was well-appointed. Fine furniture filled the room, and some exotic rugs covered the wooden floors.
"This is impressive, Bilbus. I would have never expected you to live in a place like this."
"Why not? You think only nobles can have nice furniture?"
"No, it's not that. You're a thief. I figured you would be destitute, or scared to keep any valuables in your house."
Bilbus dropped onto a couch and propped his feet on a carved, dark wooden table. Next to his feet was a small crystal vase filled with colored rocks. Eric leaned closer -- the rocks were gemstones.
Bilbus smiled as Eric's jaw dropped. "Eric, I am a thief. I know how thieves break into houses. I also know how to keep a thief from breaking into a house. It would take one very good thief to make it past the defenses I have on this apartment." Bilbus jumped to his feet. "Oh, take a look at this."
He walked over to a large bookshelf in the dining room. Eric followed him and watched as Bilbus tipped one of the books forward. With a nearly imperceptible click, the side of the bookshelf swung forward. Bilbus pushed it the rest of the way open, revealing a well-stocked wine rack.
Eric stepped forward and looked at the bottles. He pulled one from the rack. "Bilbus! This looks like my father's private stock!"
"Isn't that ironic? I bought that bottle legitimately here in town. There's this private wine club I've been to a couple of times, near the King's Square."
"Really? We'll have to visit it some time. We really should get to Adria's right now, though."
"Yeah. I need to let her know someone is looking for her. Rishala, are you going with us?"
"No, I think I'll stay here. I need to go visit a couple of people to get caught up on news. I'll meet you at Kasey's tonight."
"Suit yourself. Lock up on the way out, and remember to set the trigger." Bilbus and Eric left the apartment.
"Trigger?" Eric asked.
"I have a crossbow set up to fire if someone messes with the locks in the wrong order."
"Oh."
The two walked out into Falagos Square and down one of the side streets. After a couple of blocks, they turned onto the street where Adria lived.
At the far end of the block, Adria and Breanna led a small column of porters carrying their travel chests. Bilbus smiled at the miserable expressions on a couple of the men. Looks like Adria told them what would happen if they dropped those boxes.
Adria spotted Eric and Bilbus at nearly the same time. Great. So much for a little peace and quiet.
A voice behind her called out, "My Lady! Wait!"
Adria stopped and turned, ready to verbally disembowel the porter who was getting ready to whine about the weight of her clothes chest.
Instead, she saw five men wearing identical hats. The hats were black, with a couple dozen balls of yarn dangling from their circular brims. A lavender strip of cloth surrounded the base of the hat, offsetting the black felt. Beyond the hats, the men looked nothing alike. Adria winced as she recognized the Company of Unusual Headgear, whom she had last met in Armagh.
One of the Company -- Coalface was the name he used -- stepped forward. He was tall, with dark, curled hair. "Lady Adria del Quintin? I thought no one else would match your description. Will you follow me?" He was already walking past her, down the street.
"Why?"
"Someone needs to talk to you. Please, m'Lady?"
Breanna whispered to Adria, "Do you know him?"
"I threw a mug at him a few months ago in Armagh." Adria followed Coalface.
Breanna stared after Adria for a few moments, then hastily followed.
Coalface walked straight to Adria's apartment building, up the stairs, to her door. He rapped loudly on the door, then turned to face Adria with his arms crossed and a lopsided smile on his face.
Adria stopped two steps short of the landing when she heard her door unlatching. The door swung open to reveal an older man dressed richly in dark colors. Adria groaned audibly as she recognized her fathers Lord Chamberlain, Estewart Poltriddes.
Coalface quickly spoke. "Lord Chamberlain Poltriddes, I have found Lord del Quintin's wayward daughter, as I promised."
Estewart looked at Adria. "So good of you to return, Lady Adria. Your father has been waiting for your return for well over a month. I have been in your apartment waiting for you to decide to return for four weeks, now. Where have you been?"
"Traveling. Father never said I had to stay in Londoun, and I was not told I had to leave my travel itinerary at my apartment."
"I hope your travels went well. It is too late to leave today, so we will sail at first chance in the morning." He noticed Breanna on the stairwell behind her. "You may bring your friends, if you like."
Adria pushed past Coalface and walked into her apartment. Most of it had already been boxed, the only exceptions being a single couch in the sitting room and her bed. "You didn't waste any time, did you Estewart?"
"Like I said, Adria, I have been here for a month waiting for you."
"I appreciate your persistence. Now that I am back, I am afraid you will have to find somewhere else to stay tonight."
"But..."
"But this is my apartment, and it would not be proper for my father's Lord High Chamberlain to bed in the same flat as the lord's daughter and her guest, now, would it?" She turned to Breanna, who had just entered the apartment. "You are staying here, Breanna."
Estewart stared at Adria for a moment. He finally nodded and went into her bedroom to gather his clothes.
Eric and Bilbus finally pushed past the porters lining the stairwell. Spotting Estewart, Bilbus said, "Who's he?"
Adria turned to him. "That's my father's chamberlain. It seems I have to return to Portsdale tomorrow."
Breanna chimed in, "He said her friends could go as well."
Adria turned to her. "That's not necessary. There's no sense making this any harder than it needs to be."
"Nonsense, Adria. We've been through a lot already. I'm not just going to let you walk away now," Breanna said.
Eric looked at Adria. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I need to get cleaned up before dinner at Kasey's. Could you excuse us?"
Eric walked back into the hallway, pulling Bilbus behind him.
"Bilbus, do you know where a bath house is near here?"
"Yes. Why? Didn't you hear what she just said? She has to leave tomorrow."
"We can discuss this over dinner. There's no sense worrying about it until then. Let's get cleaned up before we need to go to Kasey's."
"What do you wear to a dinner at his place? What is Kasey's idea of casual dress, a loincloth?"
"Don't be silly, Bilbus. He is a noble."
Bilbus grumbled to himself as he led Eric towards a bath house several blocks away.
Rishala walked through the swinging door of the small cafe. He had frequented it during his weeks in Londoun before Bilbus showed up. A lot of story-tellers in the city frequented the place, swapping stories and fabricating new ones.
One of the people in the cafe recognized Rishala. He grinned as he waved the Caledonian to his table. "Rishala! Been to Phaeree lately?"
Rishala smiled and took a seat. "No. You?"
The man laughed. "You're the only person in the city who claims to have been. Other than the elves, that is."
"Some people live adventurous lives. What's news?"
"Have you been out of town? There's a new King where you come from."
"Is this another of your stories? Bonnie King Donnie was not that old."
"So I hear, Rishala. Still, there's a new King ... Seamus, I think."
"What have you heard of him? Why is he King?" What happened to King Donaidh II? he didn't bother adding.
"The old king disappeared. Some stories say he was killed, others say he died, others say he vanished. No one seems to know. The new king is still working out control of Caledonia. I've heard that he wants the Church Knights out, though."
"Really? Why?"
"I just hear the news. I don't know why."
Getting rid of the Church Knights. Any other day and I would pass it as a quirk of the new king. After the trip we just had, though... "Tell me, Jace. What else have you heard. Any more news on the dwarves?"
Jace shook his head. "There are no dwarves in Londoun. That's all that I know."
Everyone sat around the dinner table in Kasey's house. Plentiful food was heaped upon the trays on the table, and servants hovered nearby with pitchers of water, tea, and wine.
Eric waited for a lull in the conversation. When it arrived, he said, "Adria has to leave for Portsdale in the morning. Breanna and I are going with her."
Adria shook her head. "That's not necessary. You don't want to go to this wedding."
Sturm replied, "No, we want to see who you're marrying."
"Really, it's okay. I'm sure father has my best interests in mind."
Bilbus nearly choked. Under his breath, he muttered, "Of course he does."
Kasey asked, "When do we leave?"
Adria shook her head again. "You don't need to go."
Breanna answered for her. "The Swift leaves an hour before Terces. Two hours after sunrise. The ship's on one of the river docks."
Adria sat quietly, pushing food around her plate.
Sturm looked at his comrades. He cleared his throat. "I want to thank you for saving my life." He looked directly at Breanna. "I meant to thank you earlier, but..."
"You're welcome, Sturm."
"I also wanted to apologize for going after the tonkari. I know I could have been hurt, or killed. When you're near death, you have to live your life to the fullest. I'm sorry I hunted it."
"As well you should be," Breanna said simply.
Rishala waited for a few moments in the uncomfortable silence. "I heard some disturbing news today."
Eric took the cue. "Oh?"
"There is a new King of Caledonia. The Bonnie King Donnie no longer rules my homelands."
Eric sat forward. "What happened to him?"
"No one knows. There are several rumors. He died suddenly. He was killed. He vanished. Pick one."
Eric leaned back and whistled lowly. "With everything we've been through lately, I don't think I believe in coincidences any more. This certainly seems suspect."
Sturm nodded to himself. "I wonder if it has anything to do with the dwarves."
Bilbus looked at the Sun Knight. "What about the dwarves?"
Sturm stared at Bilbus. "Have you seen any dwarves in the last six weeks?"
Bilbus rolled his eyes in dismissal. "I don't notice them. They're short. They're easy to overlook."
Rishala put a hand to his forehead. Eric and Breanna both shook their heads.
The dinner continued for a short while longer before everyone began to leave. Breanna and Adria left together, heading back to Adria's apartment. Bilbus, Rishala, and Eric left for Bilbus's flat. Sturm followed the three to Bilbus's apartment. Kasey watched them leave before returning to his bed chambers.
Bilbus sat by a window of his apartment, watching the dwindling traffic in Falagos Square. Rishala, Eric, and Sturm sat around the low table in the sitting room, talking.
Rishala said, "I'm going back with her. There's no sense letting her leave like that, and she doesn't really want to leave, anyway."
Bilbus continued to look out the window. "I'm going back, too."
Sturm snorted. "I have to see who she's going to marry."
Eric passed a bottle of wine around the room, letting each of the men fill his glass.
"Eric," Sturm asked, "have you even kissed Breanna yet?"
Eric looked at the Sun Knight, his voice neutral. "A gentleman wouldn't say. It's not your business either way."
Bilbus chuckled quietly to himself, then continued watching Falagos Square. He sat forward as he noticed two women half-running towards the fountain. Neither of them ran straight, and the one in the dress stumbled a few times. Her companion wore dark clothes -- pants and jacket -- that her blonde hair contrasted against sharply. Bilbus's eyes widened as he recognized Adria in her leather armor. They widened again as the other women -- Bilbus realized it was Breanna -- started walking unsteadily along the low wall of the fountain. Breanna stumbled and fell off, laughing, and splashed a double handful of water at Adria.
Bilbus looked around the now empty square once more. He noticed Coalface and the rest of the Company of Unusual Headgear in an alleyway to one side of the square, watching the two women.
Sturm had noticed Bilbus's sudden attention outside. He leaned near the thief so he could look outside. He noticed Breanna cavorting around the fountain, her low cut dress twirling and flashing in the near-darkness of the middle of the square. "A woman like that could ruin a man," he said, still not realizing who he was looking at.
Bilbus nodded. "Oh, yeah. They will."
The two women started heading towards the True Point Tavern, laughing as they went.
Bilbus turned to his companions. "We'd better keep an eye on them. Breanna and Adria look drunk, and they're heading to a tavern. Eric, you might want to go get Kasey. The Company of Unusual Headgear are following them."
Eric jumped to his feet and ran to the window. He could see Breanna and Adria backlit by the light from the tavern. "Okay. I'll get Kasey."
In the tavern, Adria looked around at the men. Most of them were watching the two beautiful women who had just walked in from the street -- one in armor who looked like she could be a challenge in the ring, the other in a scandalous dress who looked like a challenge out of the ring.
Adria leaned closer to the drunk Breanna. "See that guy?" She nodded towards one of them at the bar. "Get him to give you his shirt."
"Why?"
"Because, you need to learn how easily you can talk men into doing stupid things."
"Oh," Breanna replied, not understanding.
Outside the tavern, Sturm stared through the window, his arms crossed, watching over the two women. Bilbus stood a couple of paces behind him, to one side, mimicking the Sun Knight's pose.
Bilbus noticed Coalface approaching -- the soft pads of his shoes were still loud enough that Bilbus heard them. Turning to Sturm, Bilbus asked, "Do you smell refuse? It's as if someone emptied a chamber pot full of overripe fruits."
Coalface replied, "Ha, ha, Bilbus. Keeping an eye on my charge?"
"I saw you watching her. I figured I had better keep watch, in case you get any ideas."
Inside the tavern, Breanna twirled about merrily, causing the folds of her skirt to twirl upwards. When she stopped, Adria blatantly splashed a near-full glass of alcohol on Breanna's chest. "That's why you need the shirt, Bree. You'll catch cold."
Outside, Eric and Kasey approached the other men. Kasey looked at the men staring at the window of the True Point Tavern. "Whatcha watching?" He looked into the tavern. "Lady Breanna will catch a cold. She needs a cloak." He started walking towards the door of the tavern. The other men followed him in.
Bilbus stopped next to Adria. She had taken a seat at one of the tables near the bar, from where she could watch Breanna. "Isn't that your dress, Adria?"
She smiled, still watching Breanna. "It fits her nicely."
"I suppose you got her drunk first, too?"
"Your Caledonian brandy is really good. I guess it is mine, now. I got tired of her mooning over Eric and not doing anything about it. I taught her how to play Monkey's Paw, and got a little brandy in her to relax her. I figured the boys would be at your place, and you wouldn't be able to miss her dressed like that."
Bilbus nodded to himself.
"Besides, I figured I'd see if I could help her get Eric's attention. Here they are in Londoun, spending time away from one another. Why waste the time they have? She's going to get called home eventually, you know."
Breanna started dancing with one of the patrons of the bar. He was clearly one of the students of the Saviolo School of Defence -- he still wore a padded fencing jacket over his shirt.
Bilbus watched Eric. Eric had been standing back, watching Breanna with concern. Now, he had taken a step forward, his eyes bulging as he noticed the cut and fit of Breanna's dress.
Adria stood up and grabbed Sturm by the sleeve. "Come on, Sturm. We're dancing, too."
She started dancing around him as he stood there. "This is dancing?" she asked him.
"Why don't you dance with Bilbus?"
"Bilbus can find his own dance partners. You can't."
Sturm continued to stand there, looking slightly uncomfortable as he realized that people were watching him.
Bilbus watched Adria dance for a moment, then turned back to Eric. Eric still stood there, worry on his face. Bilbus growled to himself and started channeling Heka. He focused on Breanna's dance partner, shaping the Heka to control his arms. The dancer groped at Breanna, pinching her bottom.
Breanna screamed and turned to slap him, a loud but ineffective strike. At the same time, Eric quickly walked across the room towards the dancer. Still directing the Heka, Bilbus made the dancer dive towards Eric. The dancer missed, landing on his face to Eric's side. Bilbus released the casting, letting the man regain control of himself while lying on the ground, wondering what happened.
Eric wrapped an arm around Breanna and started dancing with her. She smiled widely, then leaned towards him. She kissed him on the lips, long and hard. Eric jerked back briefly, then returned the kiss as strongly.
Adria sat back down at the table with Bilbus. "It's about time." She watched the two dancing. "While she was moping, she admitted that the two had never even kissed."
Bilbus looked at Adria incredulously. "Never?"
"Sad, isn't it?"
After watching them dance for a while longer, Adria walked up to Eric and handed him a key. "This is the key to my apartment, Eric. See that she gets home safely. I'll be back at the apartment tomorrow." She walked out of the tavern.
Bilbus walked up to Eric a moment later. "This key is to Adria's wine rack. Have fun." He followed Adria out of the tavern.
Adria stood outside, waiting. "Gods! Those two!"
"Tell me about it."
"Let's go to the Salty Anchor. I want some fun before I leave."
Bilbus smiled. "This way, m'Lady!" He started walking towards one of the streets out of the square.
Eric stumbled towards the front door. The incessant pounding wasn't just in his head. He fastened his sword belt around his waist as he continued padding barefoot across the smooth wooden floor of Adria's apartment. His long shirt covered his bare upper legs, concealing the small clothes underneath. He hadn't figured out where his pants were. Is all Caledonian alcohol that potent?
The pounding at the door continued. Eric unlocked the door and swung it open a few inches, one hand near the grip of his katana.
The man standing outside the door glared at him. "Who the Hells are you?"
Much more quietly, Eric asked the man the same thing. "Who the Hells are you?"
The man straightened. "I am Estewart Poltriddes, Lord High Chamberlain to Lord Duran del Quintin. Where is the Lady Adria del Quintin?" He started towards the door as if he expected Eric to make way. Eric did not move.
Breanna stopped behind the door. Eric glanced at her -- she was wearing only her shift -- then noticed the glass she was offering him.
"Where is Adria?" the man repeated loudly.
Behind the door, Breanna rubbed her temples. "It'll help with the headache, Eric. Ask him to stop shouting, please?"
Eric sipped from the glass. The mixture was bitter, but it was no worse than some of the mixtures his mother had made him drink. He spoke softly. "Estewart Poltriddes, I am Lord Eric Ithell of Armagh. You will not address me like a peasant. Do you understand me? Lady Adria is not here. I do not know where she is. If you wish to finish moving her belongings to the ship, you may return in one hour. If Adria returns before then, I will tell her you are seeking her."
"But we are supposed to leave in one hour."
"You can not leave without Adria. She is not here. I do not know where she is. She gave me her keys so that I could escort Lady Breanna back to this apartment. You may return in an hour to move her possessions to your ship. Do you understand me?"
Estewart nodded, still angry. He turned and stomped down the stairs to the ground floor.
Eric shut the door and leaned against it. "Gods, what a rude man. Bree, do you know where my pants are?"
She giggled to herself. "Probably with my dress. Wherever that is." She started looking through the empty rooms of the apartment.
Bilbus watched the sun rise through the open doors on the front of the Salty Anchor. He glanced at Adria, sitting in the chair next to him. "This is the only way to approach sunrise -- at the end of the night, not the beginning of the day."
Adria ignored him.
Bilbus shrugged to himself. "Why don't we go get a bite to eat before we head back to your place?"
"Okay. Not here though. I know of a place on the King's Square. They make the pastries served at the Royal House."
"I've heard of it. It's the most expensive restaurant in town. I s'pose you'll want to go change into something more proper?" He glanced at the heavy leather armor she wore.
Adria shook her head. "You flash enough coin around, they'll let us in."
Bilbus jumped to his feet. "All right. Let's go!"
Sturm arrived at the Londoun docks. After flagging down a dockmaster, he found that the Swift, Lord del Quintin's personal ship, was on one of the river docks. When he finally found the right dock, he realized he was half an hour late. Still, the Swift was tied to the pier, waiting.
Sturm quickly spotted Kasey's golden head on the main deck of the three-masted ship. As Sturm walked up the gangplank, Kasey noticed the Sun Knight.
"Hi! Have a good sleep?"
Sturm grunted noncommittally. "Where's everyone else?"
"Oh, Estewart Poltriddes is here. No one else is. I think Poltriddes is upset."
"I wonder why. The girl he's supposed to take back home isn't here, and we were supposed to be under sail already."
Adria looked at the door to her apartment with resignation. "Well, let's see how mad Estewart is." She unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Bilbus followed her into the apartment. It had been cleaned out, the last few crates hauled away already. Adria quickly walked into her bedroom. "He must have taken everything to the boat already." She came back out to the front room. "I can't show up at the pier in this." She waved her hands over the leather jacket.
"I have one of your dresses in my flat. We need to pick up my things, anyway."
Adria nodded. "Let's go."
They arrived at the ship near midday, Bilbus still in his leathers with a pack slung over his shoulder and Adria in a conservative light blue silk dress. Estewart stood at the top of the gangplank, hands on hips.
"So nice of you to decide to join us, m'Lady!"
Bilbus whispered to Adria's ear. "Is he always this snooty to nobles?"
"The servants raised me and my brothers. They think of us as their kids more than Father does."
As they reached the top of the gangplank, Estewart scowled at them. "We missed the tide. We're going to have to wait until early evening to sail."
Adria started to turn around.
"No! You will stay aboard until we sail. I won't stay another night in this blasted city."
Adria climbed onto the main deck of the Swift. She saw her friends and traveling companions already on the ship, most of them looking deathly bored.
Near sunset, the Swift set sail north, down the wide River Llwelyn, towards the Vasmar.
The sun had dropped below the horizon ahead of the Swift two hours earlier. The sea breezes had cooled quickly as night set in. Bilbus stood alone on the main deck of the ship, leaning against the starboard railing and staring at a distant place on the horizon where a dark sky and a darker sea touched.
Soft footsteps approached the thief. Bilbus continued to stare out to sea, ignoring the person who now stood a couple of paces behind him.
Coalface spoke quietly, his voice just audible above the continuous dull roar of the water being pushed aside by the Swift. "You know, Bilbus, I've been trying to figure out why your name was so familiar ever since we met in Armagh. I remembered today. I had heard of a 'Bilbus' when I worked for the Thieves' Guild in Brallian. Bilbus was supposed to be a real wiseguy. He also was a Heka user..."
Bilbus kept his face studiously calm as he turned to look at Coalface. "What happened to this Bilbus?"
"He was executed... Poisoned and left outside the city. The Thieves' Guilds in Eiresud seem to be more fanatic about keeping Heka users from their ranks than even the Sun Knights. In any case, it would really be a shame if the Londoun Thieves' Guild found out about a Heka user in their midst. They are a lot more efficient than the Brallian guild."
Bilbus stared at Coalface. He nearly growled his question. "What'll it cost?"
"To the point! Well, from Bilbus's reputation, I think he could afford about a Drake and a half a month. He is quite the con-man, so I hear."
Bilbus continued to stare at Coalface, his expression neutral as he quickly dragged Heka into his body, shaping it into a mental attack and directing it towards Coalface. The dark strands of Heka formed along a bridge between the two men's heads, invisible to the victim, as Bilbus continued forging the mental link for the attack.
"Still considering the offer, Bilbus?" Coalface asked. When the thief said nothing, Coalface glanced around nervously. He licked his lips and took a half step away from Bilbus as Bilbus unleashed the Heka attack.
Coalface doubled over in agony, his hands reaching towards the sides of his head. As quickly as he fell, Coalface died. With another dark burst of Heka, Bilbus caused the body to fly over the railing and into the sea, where it landed with a splash.
Bilbus glanced up at the crew in the rigging. "Man overboard! Port side!"
Several sailors moved towards the far side of the ship, looking for someone thrashing in the water. By the time they started to look on the starboard side, Coalface's unmoving body was lost in the darkness.
Bilbus glanced around the main deck, ignoring the sailors searching for someone in distress. He frowned inwardly when he realized Sturm was on the deck and watching him.
Rishala threw open a door on the deck and ran towards Bilbus. Sturm noticed the story-teller and closed on Bilbus as well. By the time Rishala reached Bilbus, Breanna was on deck, too.
She approached Bilbus quickly. "What's going on, Bilbus? Are you okay? I felt the surge, and I knew it had to be you."
Bilbus looked at the three people in front of him. "It was giant squid! It attacked, and it grabbed poor Coalface. The sharks ate him alive. I tried to help!"
"Bilbus, you are making no sense."
"I'm telling you, a giant squid attacked Coalface."
Sturm crossed his arms. "Bilbus, we need to talk."
Rishala nodded. "Yes, we do."
Sturm grabbed Bilbus's shoulder and steered the thief towards a door. He directed Bilbus down the stairs and into Bilbus's room. Rishala followed the two into the room and shut the door behind him.
Rishala looked at the thief as Bilbus sat nonchalantly on his bed. "What in the Hells were you doing up there?"
Bilbus looked at Rishala. "Protecting myself," he answered simply.
"From what?"
"Coalface knew about my past in Brallian. He knew the Guild there tried to kill me."
Sturm interjected, "They are not going to find Coalface."
Bilbus shook his head. "That was the idea. If word got out in Londoun that I was a Heka user, my life would be forfeit. The Guild would also go after anyone I associated too closely with." He looked meaningfully at Sturm and Rishala.
Rishala looked at his friend. "In a limited, forward-looking way, what you did was noble."
"Don't insult me, Rishala."
Sturm left the room for a few minutes. He returned with a bottle and three glasses. He poured some of the rich, dark amber into each glass, then pushed two of the glasses towards Rishala and Bilbus.
After a couple more glasses of the Caledonian brandy, Rishala started talking to Bilbus once more. "Bilbus, you realize that you're channeling black magick." It wasn't a question.
Bilbus shook his head sloppily. "It's not black. I just learned it that way. I taught myself."
"No, Bilbus, it's not the way you channel..."
"It is! Some of us learned the hard way. I didn't have anyone teaching me how to grab Heka, so I have to struggle and fight every time."
"How did you learn it?"
"From a book." Bilbus laughed. "The sisters at the orphanage were happy that I spent so much time in the library reading. They didn't know where in the library I was... Those were old books, maybe two thousand years old."
"It's still dark magick. The Church has kept some of the evil tomes just to keep them from falling into peoples' hands."
"Do you know what the Mother Superior of the orphanage used to say about dark magick? 'Whack!' I never remembered anything after that."
Rishala muttered to himself. "It sounds like what my ma used to say." He spoke up again. "What book did you learn from? Do you remember the title?"
Bilbus scratched his head for a moment, then sipped from his brandy. "It was something like 'Explanations of the Magickal Practices Employed by the Armies of the King of al-Qasiru Both Before and During the Battle of Camlanne, Ans 15 GE'."
Sturm growled. "That's talking about the Dark One's magick!"
"Really?"
Rishala slammed his glass onto the small table in the room. "Yes! Al-Qasiru was a nation south of al-Rhayidh. That's from where the Dark One attacked! The Battle of Camlanne was the last major battle before the Fall of Camelough! Ans 15 GE -- the fifteenth year of the Golden Era... Gods, Bilbus! Why do you think I followed you?"
"You've been following me?"
"YES!"
Bilbus quickly became guarded. "Why are you following me?" He glanced towards the looming Sun Knight.
"A dream I had. I suspect it was a lot like a dream you had -- a very strange dream."
"I had one dream that was really strange... No, two, really. One of them, we already talked about. The one with the strange runes and the spear."
"What about the other one?"
"There was the man, very well dressed. He was standing on the palm of this gigantic statue. He wanted me to kill someone..."
"Who?"
"I don't know. He never said. He promised me Avillonia if I did. Avillonia and Adria."
"Bilbus, do you remember when we met?"
"You had set yourself up as an easy mark, and you caught me when I went for your purse. You wanted me to tell you what made me great."
"That's right. Why do you think I picked you?"
"I don't know!"
"Do you remember when I first met Lady Adria?"
Bilbus smirked. "You nearly passed out."
"Yes. Do you want to know why? I had a dream before we met. I saw you sitting in a tavern with another man -- a well dressed man, as you said. He kept offering you things, but I could not tell what he was offering until the end. The last thing he offered was Adria. You accepted his offer and he laughed."
"How could you have dreamed about us before we met?"
"I don't know. I think someone wanted me to find you and keep you from making a mistake we would all regret."
Bilbus stared at the story teller for several long seconds. "You're making this up."
Rishala finished off his brandy and started pouring another glass. "No, Bilbus. Shall I describe the man you met in that dream? Tall -- about as tall as Sturm. He had dark hair, very well cut and shaped. Clean-shaven, not even signs of stubble. His shirt was blue, and he had a swirling dark blue cape. His eyes sometimes seem to burn..."
"Stop!" Bilbus hissed. "I believe you."
A knocking at the door broke the tense silence of the room. Sturm opened the door to see Eric standing there. Eric peered past the knight. "Are you all right, Bilbus? Bree said there was something wrong."
Bilbus glanced at Rishala. "Nothing's wrong. Come on in. We could use a fourth player. I was getting ready to teach these two Monkey's Paw. It's a card game. Have a drink!" Bilbus pulled a glass from his footlocker and slid it across the small table towards the Azirian.
Eric walked onto the main deck of the Swift slowly. The gentle pitching of the ship played havoc with his spinning head, and the smells of something cooking in galley made the unease all the worse.
Eric stopped walking when he spotted Kasey approaching. The blond giant waved and grinned at the Azirian.
"Eric, how are you this morning?"
"Not too well, Kasey. Bilbus introduced me to a Caledonian brandy last night."
Kasey's smile slipped. "Those are usually pretty good. Was something wrong with it?"
"No, I had too much of it."
"Oh, okay. Maybe you guys shouldn't have had so much."
"Probably not."
The four remaining members of the Company of Unusual Headgear crossed the deck, each looking about. Kasey waved towards them, leaving Eric forgotten.
One of the Company stopped. Next to Kasey, he was short, with dark, curled hair jutting from underneath the black hat with its dangling tufts of yarn. He was very lean, practically a pole from hips to shoulder. The man addressed Kasey. "Yes, Sir Knight?"
"What are you guys doing?"
"We're looking for Coalface."
"Who's that?"
The man looked at him incredulously. "The commander of the Company of Unusual Headgear."
"Where is he?"
"If we knew, we wouldn't be looking for him."
"Oh. I guess you're right. Hey! If I see him, I'll tell him you're looking."
"Do you even know who I am?"
Kasey stopped and scratched the back of his neck. At last, he answered: "No."
"I am Neurth. If you see Coalface, tell him Neurth is looking for him."
"Okay."
Kasey walked away from Neurth just as Bilbus reached the main deck. Kasey waved at the thief, who moved slowly towards Eric, rubbing his forehead with one hand.
"Hi, Bilbus! Are you sick, too?"
"Yeah, Kase... Too much brandy." Bilbus noticed the Company. "What are they doing?"
"They are looking for their leader," Kasey said, making it sound important.
"Really? What happened to him?"
"I don't know."
Bilbus approached one of the Company -- Neurth, as it turned out. "Your boss is missing?"
"Yes."
"He seemed pretty distraught last night. He kept saying something about not being good enough for the Lady Adria."
"Really? He didn't seem that taken with her."
Bilbus shrugged. "Maybe he had too much to drink, and was babbling. He seemed awfully upset, though. I think he may have jumped overboard."
"But, he can't swim!"
Feigning concern, Bilbus touched his open palm to his chest. "My! Perhaps he was too distressed. Such behavior over a woman! Maybe he wasn't so rash. If I see him, I'll tell him that his men are looking for him. Why don't you meet at the main mast at the top of the hour for ten minutes. If I find Coalface, I'll tell him to wait there for you." He walked back to Eric.
When he reached the explorer, Eric asked, "What was that about?"
"They're looking for Coalface, and I'm setting us up some fun."
The two remained on deck for an hour, watching the crew going about their business. Near the top of the next hour, the four members of the Company returned to the main deck, three at the main mast while the fourth, a lumbering giant of a man who went by the name 'The Dunce', stood at the front mast. When he spotted his companions at the main mast, he joined them.
The night before the Swift was due to arrive in Portsdale, Bilbus returned to his room late. He tossed his leather jacket onto the small table next to the bed, then froze.
The mattress of the bed was mussed, like it had been moved around. Bilbus rarely made his bed up in the mornings, but still he noticed the mattress was not squarely on the bedframe.
Bilbus slowly moved through the room, checking the small desk for signs of tampering, looking through the modest footlocker by the end of the bed, and checking his clothes in their travel bag.
Satisfied that none of his possessions had been tampered with, Bilbus started checking the mattress. He pulled one of his daggers and cut the mattress cover open, tossing feathers as he tried to find out what was amiss.
After tearing the mattress apart, Bilbus looked at the flat board on which the mattress rested. There was writing carved into the board: four lines of prose that were hastily cut into the wood.
From the left hand
Power of the Great Lord
Glory to the hope within
Victory with the hope
Bilbus felt the blood rush from his face. A chill crawled up his back as he reread the words. Finally, he pulled a dagger and started chiseling at the board, cutting a square around the words until he could remove that part of the board. It was late, and Bilbus was tired. He barely got the mattress stuffing in place before he dozed off into a fitful sleep.
The Swift sailed into harbor outside Portsdale an hour before sunset. The crew quickly transferred the passengers and their belongings to shore.
Estewart Poltriddes addressed his guests, a polite but condescending tone in his voice, as if he were addressing lesser underlings. "You may stay at the del Quintin guesthouse this evening. I'll have a servant show you the way. You may join us at the del Quintin manor for breakfast at Terces tomorrow. Any of the servants in the guesthouse can lead you to the manor when you're ready. Lord del Quintin will meet Adria after breakfast. You are welcome to attend the meeting. Young Adria will meet her soon-to-be-husband."
Estewart flagged down a servant and gave him the directions, then turned to Adria. "Lady? We need to get you home. You've been gone far long enough, don't you think?"
Adria nodded, hanging her head meekly and avoiding looking at anyone. Estewart started walking towards the town, Adria following behind like a lost child.
Bilbus watched them leave. "What in the Nine Hells is wrong with her?"
Rishala looked at his friend. "She's home. She's behaving like daddy's little girl. It makes me wonder what her father is like if it affects her this strongly."
Bilbus turned to Rishala. "I've been wondering that myself. I guess we find out tomorrow." He looked at the servant, standing patiently to one side. "Lead us to the guesthouse."
The del Quintin guest house was impressive. Constructed in the style of the western Dalesian manors, its lower floor was cobbled and fit stone. The upper floor was whitewashed wood, smooth and clean. Large double doors at the front of the house were set into a sizable arch. The keystone had a depression in it, as if something had been removed long ago.
Bilbus looked at the place, then started trotting around the building to the orchards behind it. "I'll bet the apples are showing up on the trees now. Come on!"
His companions watched him for a few moments, then Eric and Rishala followed him.
Rishala called out to Bilbus, "How do you know those are apples?"
Bilbus turned around, facing Rishala but walking backwards. "What else would they be?"
He stopped at the first tree in the orchard behind the manor and plucked a small green apple from a branch. "I remember playing this game when I was young."
Rishala shook his head. "Those apples aren't ripe, Bilbus."
"I know." He took a bite of the apple. His face twisted at the bitter fruit in his mouth. He waited for several seconds, then spit the bite out. "Gaa!" He spit a couple of times. "We'd see who could keep the apple in his mouth longest. It was hard." He took another bite of the apple.
Rishala shook his head slowly. "Did I say 'the Great'?"
"Hey, I know something we could do. We could dunk Bree in the river."
Eric looked at him. "What river?"
"There's got to be a river down there." Bilbus pointed past the back of the orchard towards the forest beyond. He picked up some small rocks and tossed them towards a window on the second story of the building.
Breanna opened the window moments later.
"Bree! Come down here! I got an idea. It'll be fun!"
She disappeared from the window as Eric said, "Bilbus, this is not a good idea."
"Come on! It'll be fun."
Breanna arrived behind the house a minute later. "Bilbus, you are going to get sick eating those apples."
Bilbus tossed the remainder of the apple aside. "Hey! Let's find the river. There ought to be a treehouse down there somewhere." He started running into the orchard.
Breanna watched the thief disappear in the trees. "He has been acting really odd. I wonder what's wrong with him."
Rishala looked towards Eric. Eric nodded, as if he had the same thought. Rishala finally spoke. "I think he's been having some upsetting dreams."
"What sort of dreams?"
"Nothing you should worry about, Lady Breanna," Rishala answered. Eric nodded in agreement.
The three turned as they heard someone walking around the side of the house. Breanna took a step forward as she recognized the visitor. "Adria!"
Adria smiled. "I thought I'd check on you. Everything is all right?"
Breanna nodded. "It's a nice house. This guest house is better than the family household that my father lives in."
"This is the most elaborate guesthouse in the city. Even the Baron's guesthouse isn't this nice."
After a few minutes of conversation, Adria excused herself. "I need to return to the household. Father's too busy to meet with me tonight, but I still need some sleep before tomorrow. See you at breakfast."
After Adria left, Bilbus returned. He crashed noisily through the orchard, leaves sticking to him and his lower half dripping wet. He stopped by his friends. "I found the treehouse. The rope was rotted, though. It broke, and I fell onto the bank of the river."
Breanna looked at him sadly. "Bilbus, I think you need some rest. You are almost incoherent. You must be exhausted."
"What? No, I'm fine."
"Come on, Bilbus." Breanna grabbed his arm insistently. "Let's get you to bed. Eric, would you fetch some hot water for me?"
She hauled him into the house and up the stairs. She started into one of the empty bedrooms, but Bilbus pulled free of her. "This one, Bree." He walked into it.
He was sitting on the bed when she walked in. She found water and started mixing the herbs for a tea. "This will help you sleep, Bilbus."
"Bree, I'm fine."
Eric entered the room. He gave Breanna the cup of warm water, then looked at Bilbus. "Bilbus, why do you seem to know this place so well?"
"What do you mean?" He crossed the room to the fireplace, then reached into the chimney to fish around. He produced a small iron box. He looked at it, then looked sheepishly at Eric as the Azirian crossed his arms. "What? Everyone hides things in their chimney. You should see what I found in your father's house."
"What did you find there? No! Don't change the subject, Bilbus."
Bilbus opened the box and pulled out a small bronze top. He put it on the bedside table and spun it. "I don't know, Eric. It seems like I've been here before, but I've never worked in the Dales."
Breanna pushed gently but firmly on Bilbus's shoulder. "Get some sleep. Drink the tea."
"I don't want the tea, Bree."
Bilbus felt the surge of Heka. "Hey! You learned the sle..." His head hit the pillow soundly.
Breanna smiled, then pulled some covers over Bilbus. She and Eric left the room.
The party assembled early the following morning. Kasey wore a doublet over plain but well-made clothes, the proper garb of a country nobleman. He traded his large hand-and-a-half sword for a rapier, and his ever-present dagger hung from its scabbard at his left hip. Eric also wore noble clothes, his Azirian katana strapped to his side, its black, curved scabbard nicely complementing the earth tones of his shirt. Breanna appeared in the atrium of the guest house in a forest green dress with black lace trim, not a proper dress for courtly appearances, but a fine wool dress. Sturm also dressed in nice clothing, his hand-and-a-half sword hanging from a bandoleer-style over-the-shoulder belt.
Rishala appeared at last. He wore a shirt and a great kilt -- a wide swath of multi-colored wool, pleated in back, worn like a skirt. Half of the material was gathered in an over-the-shoulder bundle that looked like a heavy sash. The rest of the party stared at him.
"What? We're going to a courtly appearance, right? I figured I should dress properly. Don't tell me you've never seen Caledonians in kilts?"
No one answered for a moment. Breanna finally cleared her throat. "I've heard of kilts. We don't see too many in Armagh. Actually, I don't think I've seen any, now that I think about it." A half-smile crossed her face. "It's very ... interesting, Rishala. I like it."
Rishala rolled his eyes, then turned as Bilbus noisily stomped down the stairs to the main floor. Bilbus glanced at Rishala's kilt briefly. "Nice dress, Rishala."
Rishala punched Bilbus's shoulder, then looked at the thief. "You're not wearing that, are you?"
Bilbus was wearing his day-to-day clothes: a heavy leather jacket and pants, the former partially unfastened to help keep him cool; the black sword hung from a scabbard on his back, and the black dagger was in its sheath at his side. Bilbus glanced down at the ensemble. "What's wrong with it?"
Rishala shook his head. "No matter. We need to hurry up and get to the del Quintin household." He flagged down a servant. "Take us to Lord del Quintin's house."
The servant bowed, then walked to the front doors. He pulled one of the doors wide, then gestured through it. "Lords? Ladies? If you will?"
The del Quintin household was similar to the guesthouse, a large building composed of stone walls on the lower half, with white-washed wood on the upper floor. The del Quintin family crest was engraved into the keystone of the arch above the entrance.
The servants escorting the party opened one of the doors, then stepped in to announce the party. Already assembled in the atrium of the del Quintin manor was the Company of Unusual Headgear. Each wore acceptable clothing -- nice, if not fancy for a commoner, but nothing that could be misconstrued as pretentious. The Dunce's shirt was wet, as were his trousers, and water still dripped from the curled locks of his hair. All four wore their black hats.
Several servants escorted the party and the Company into a small dining room, where they had a quiet, subdued breakfast of breads. After breakfast, the same servants escorted everyone to a larger hallway. Adria and the chamberlain, Estewart Poltriddes, stood outside a large pair of doors.
Breanna smiled when she saw Adria. "Good morning! How are you doing?"
Adria smiled wanly. "I'm fine."
Breanna's smile vanished as she looked at Adria's expression.
Before anyone else had a chance to speak, Estewart clapped his hands together. "It is time to speak with Lord del Quintin." He grandly opened the double doors and stepped through. Standing by one of the doors, he announced, "Lord Sir Kasey Bittrand of Sulster, Knight of the Church of Kells. Lord Eric Ithell of Armagh. Lady Breanna Ceiturin of Armagh. Sir Sturm Sunblade, Knight of the Sun. Lady Adria del Quintin of Portsdale. And attendants."
Bilbus snorted derisively. Breanna glanced over at the thief. "Sh!" she quickly hissed.
Estewart led the procession into a modest ballroom that doubled as a receiving room. The large double doors were flanked by two guards -- one to each side. To the far side was a small dais with a pair of large chairs upon them. Two people sat on the chairs, a man to the left, a woman to the right. Both wore elaborate noble clothing, with thread-of-gold visible even from the entrance. To the right of the woman, on the ground level, were two more men, sitting in chairs. Both wore the rich clothing of nobility, and each had a well-armed guard standing behind him. Another man sat to the left of the nobles on the dais, his sharp, stern face nearly identical to that of the man on the dais -- although the man on the dais was clearly much older. Against the wall to the left stood three other men, younger than the others. One, holding a bottle and standing a little unsteadily, looked like a younger brother.
Estewart led them to the center of the room, standing before the dais. "Lord Duran del Quintin, your daughter has returned." Estewart walked towards the dais to stand to the left of it.
The man on the dais rose. He smiled and walked towards Adria. "Adria, I'm glad to see you back. We've been waiting for you for some time. The guests have been in town for two weeks now. I trust you've had a busy time?"
Adria curtsied slightly. "I have traveled, father. We visited the centaurs of the Steppes."
Duran raised his eyes. "Really? So far by sea? Has your dislike of the sea gotten better with age?"
"Not truly, father. It was a long and difficult voyage. I was lucky to make it there."
"Ah. Adria," Duran gestured towards the older of the two men seated to their right. "This is Baron Rufors del Bartholo, a member of the Outer Circle of the Dales Council." The older man tilted his head towards Adria as the younger one started smiling wolfishly. "This is young Todias del Bartholo, your future husband."
Adria stared at the younger man, trying to ignore the turbulent queasiness in her stomach. Todias was pasty and round, with several unsightly blemishes on his face and a damp, almost slimy, sheen to his skin. His wide, slack-jawed grin made him look like a pale frog. Adria managed a smile and another small curtsy towards the del Bartholos.
Sturm snorted quietly. Kasey looked at the Sun Knight. Sturm's mouth was clamped shut, and he was suppressing small spasms. A single tear rolled down his face.
Kasey looked at his friend with concern, then clapped him in the back. "Are you okay, Sturm? I didn't know you cried at weddings."
Sturm coughed, wiping the tear from his face as he laughed loudly, a sharp bark. Looking around at the people staring at him, he turned to Kasey and spoke quietly. "I get it. Todias. He looks like a toad. It's funny, right?"
Kasey stared into Sturm's eyes. "Did you have too much to drink?"
"I haven't had anything."
Duran looked at the two knights, one standing several paces behind Adria, the other a pace to her left. "Two knights, from two different orders. Adria, you certainly travel in interesting company." He glanced at Rishala. "And a Caledonian."
Rishala bowed. "M'Lord."
Duran looked at Bilbus, standing next to his daughter in his all-black leather armored outfit. "Interesting company, indeed."
Bilbus ignored the nobleman, concentrating instead on Duran's wife, who still sat in a chair on the dais. She had the same finely-chiseled features Adria bore, with a slight silvering of her golden hair. She could have been an elder sister. Bilbus noticed that Adria's mother had dark bags under her eyes, and the pinched look of someone suffering a severe headache. Bilbus couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that he knew her from somewhere.
She held Bilbus's gaze unflinchingly, watching him with a serene calm in spite of the pain she seemed to be feeling. She addressed Bilbus. "Young del Cartach, is that really you? And all these years, we thought you were dead." She looked meaningfully at her husband.
Bilbus straightened. "I'm Bilbus the Great. Perhaps you've heard of me?"
Duran glared at his wife briefly, then looked at Bilbus. "Bilbus del Cartach. Son of that bastard del Cartach. No better than a commoner, going to sea and running his business first hand, with his wife as an equal partner." Bilbus tensed as he faced the nobleman standing a pace away. "I should have dealt with you like I did that damned Jerryn. I'll correct that mistake!"
Before Bilbus could react, Duran had drawn his rapier and rammed it straight for Bilbus's throat. The magickal enchantments of Bilbus's chain necklace and the pouch from the Elemental temple near Hillsdale absorbed much of the rapier's speed, allowing Bilbus to flinch. The rapier cut a gash along Bilbus jaw that quickly turned red from blood.
The sudden rustle of people drawing weapons echoed through the ballroom. Bilbus took a step away from Duran, drawing his sinister black sword as he did. Out of the corner of his eye, Bilbus saw Kasey lunging forward, his Church dagger in one hand as he closed on Duran. Adria lunged forward as well, shouting at them. Behind him, several people were shuffling and moving as they produced weapons as well.
Kasey stopped his dagger just short of Duran's neck, but Duran jumped back half a pace from the Church Knight, keeping his rapier pointed at Bilbus.
Adria stopped between her father and Bilbus, one hand palm first towards each of them. "Stop!" She looked from Bilbus, the blood running down the left side of his neck now, to her father, his eyes burning with hatred as he glared at the thief beyond his daughter. "What is going on here? You tried to kill Bilbus!"
Duran ignored his daughter.
"Father!"
On the dais, Adria's mother stood. "Adria, do you remember when you were very young? Duran was allied with another noble in town, Rolan del Cartach. Lord del Cartach ran a successful shipping operation, trading with nations all along the Vasmar. Duran and Rolan decided to cement their alliance after you were born. Rolan had a son a few years older than you, and the two decided to marry you to Rolan's son. To you, Bilbus.
"After a year or two, Duran decided he didn't like the way Rolan ran his holdings. Rolan del Cartach would sail with his people, dealing with the traders directly when it would help business. Marya del Cartach, Rolan's wife was an equal in the business dealings. She would sail with him as well, and she would make deals when he was unavailable. She wasn't just a trophy of an alliance."
Duran growled at his wife. "Felicia, shut up."
"Why, Duran? Doesn't Bilbus deserve to know his past?" She looked back at Bilbus. "Duran prepared the ledgers for one Rolan's trips north. The Javik thought Rolan had swindled them badly. They killed Rolan on the spot. Marya was killed trying to protect her husband. Duran told me you had disappeared, that you had run away into the forest when he told you about your parents. When you didn't return after a month, he claimed the del Cartach holdings as his own, by rights of the betrothal. He gained the del Cartach lands, and he got his daughter back as a pawn."
Adria's face had paled. "I'm betrothed to Bilbus?"
Duran spoke again. "Of course not. That betrothal was nullified years ago, when Rolan died."
"The del Cartach line isn't dead, though. Rolan del Cartach's agreements are still valid, since his family still lives."
Bilbus finally found his voice. "You. I remember why I recognize you. You threw me out of my family's home ... your guesthouse. You had your men take me to Brallian and dump me, so I would never find my way home again. You ... you killed my family!!"
Duran looked at Bilbus. "It was business, boy. Something your father never understood."
"You killed them. And you just tried to kill me. And you killed Jerryn."
"I couldn't let that commoner deflower my girl. She took too much of an interest in him. It was for her own good."
Bilbus stared at Duran. "For her own good? Like killing the del Cartachs?" He paused again. "Why don't we do something that really is for her good. You wanted a fight with me so badly? Let's duel. It appears we're both nobles, so it's legal. If I win, Adria is freed of you forever. You will no longer decide her life for her. And you return the del Cartach lands to me." Bilbus glanced to Adria. He signed to her, What do I do?
She looked at him. "No duel," she said. "It won't solve anything. One of you will end up dead, and I don't want that."
Kasey gently cleared his throat. "Lady Adria? A suggestion: have the two parties go to opposite sides of the room. Everyone here is a little tense, and we can't talk like civilized people when we have weapons at each other's throats."
Adria looked around the room. Bilbus and Duran faced one another, gleaming rapier to black sword. Kasey had shifted his position, and held his rapier and dagger towards Estewart, who had produced a smallsword. Her elder brother, Cain, had stood from his seat next to Duran's. His hand was on the grip of his long sword.
She turned around. Sturm was facing off against all four of the Company of Unusual Headgear, none of whom seemed to know what to do. The two household guards had hands on swords.
Adria nodded to herself. "Everyone, lower weapons. Duran, Cain, go over by the throne." She glanced towards her other brother, still standing with two of his friends. "Matthias, join them." She looked at the guards near the doors. "You two, as well. Bilbus, Kasey, Sturm, the rest of you, go to that corner by the doors."
Everyone moved as ordered. Weapons returned to their sheaths, and the tension in the room lessened palpably.
In their corner, Breanna reached towards Bilbus's cut neck. "Are you hurt badly, Bilbus? I can put something on that."
Bilbus stared across the room at Duran. "I'm fine, Bree. It's a small cut."
Eric leaned towards it. "Did you do something, Bilbus? That attack should have gone right through your skull."
Bilbus laughed quietly. "No, my protection came up because of the attack. If I didn't have these," he jingled his enchanted necklace, "I would be dead right now."
Bilbus watched as Adria and her father talked. Bilbus couldn't hear what they said, but it was clear that Adria held all the cards. Duran shook his head emphatically several times, and paled after Adria replied. Finally, a dejected Duran nodded slowly and followed Adria from the room. They returned minutes later with a large sheet of parchment.
Adria noticed the Company of Unusual Headgear still milling in the ballroom. "You. What were you hired to do?"
Neurth answered. "Estewart Poltriddes hired us to bring you to your father."
"You've done that. What are you still here for?"
"M'Lady, we have not been paid."
Adria turned to Estewart. "These men have discharged their duty. Pay them and get them out of here."
Estewart bowed and rushed towards the door, relieved at the opportunity to leave.
Adria called to Kasey. "Sir Kasey, can you come here, please?"
Kasey approached. He looked at the sheet that Adria lay on the dais. "Yes, Lady Adria?"
"This is a contract. My father is going to name Bilbus his sole heir." She looked at her father. "It's just business, you understand."
Kasey looked at her. "What do you need me for?"
"As a noble, and as a representative of the church, I need you to witness it. To make it legally binding."
Kasey nodded and signed his name where Adria indicated. He took a block of wax she produced and heated it on a candle, then dripped the wax onto the parchment. He pressed his signet ring into the wax, then dripped a larger puddle. He pressed the six-pointed star on the dagger's pommel into the second wax, marking it with a Church Knight's seal.
"Thank you, Kasey. Can you officiate a wedding?"
Kasey looked around uncomfortably. "I am a Knight of the Church. As such, I am ordained as a minister, but..."
"Yes, Kasey?"
"Well, I was never good at talking to the gods. They just don't seem to hear me when I ask their blessings. I know the rote of the services, but I can't bind a couple." He thought for a moment. "Lady Breanna may be able to do it. She has talked to her god more than once."
"Fine, Kasey. Ask her, but keep it quiet. Also, before you ask, have Bilbus sign this contract as well."
"Okay. May I ask? Who's getting married."
"I'm marrying Bilbus. That's why he gets the lands."
"Congratulations!"
Adria looked at the Church Knight, biting back a scathing reply. "Thank you, Kasey. Get Bilbus to sign this, please."
Kasey took the parchment and trotted across the room to Bilbus. "Sign this."
Bilbus looked at it. "What is it?"
"Adria made a deal. Just sign it. And use your ring."
Bilbus signed where Kasey pointed, then looked at the signet ring on his finger. "All these years, I thought my dad had stolen this. It was one of the only things the Sisters at the orphanage had for me when I reached adulthood. It was all I had of my father's, and I never believed it really was his." He pressed the ring into the wax Kasey had dribbled onto the page.
Kasey took the page and walked up to Breanna. "Lady Breanna, we've got to do a wedding."
"What?!?"
"Sssh!" Kasey whispered loudly. "Come with me."
Breanna followed Kasey across the room to Adria.
Bilbus watched them go. Eric stepped in front of him, blocking his view.
"Bilbus? As a member of the nobility, there is one lesson you should learn that will help you."
"What, watch my back? I already know that one."
"No. Remember, as your people prosper, you will prosper."
"What people?"
"Your people."
"I don't have any land, Eric. How could I have people?"
"It doesn't matter. You will prosper as long as your people do."
"Point at one."
"What?"
"Point at one of my people."
"You're missing the point, Bilbus."
"Whatever." Bilbus leaned to one side to peer past Eric. "What's he doing?"
Eric turned to see Duran del Quintin step forward. The head of the del Quintin household glanced towards his wife, then his daughter. He wrung his hands together unconsciously and licked his lips before speaking. "I would like to announce the pleasure we feel at discovering that young Lord del Cartach lives. In honor of his return, we have decided to honor our agreement with the elder Lord Rolan del Cartach." Both del Bartholos gasped, and the younger started to rise in protest before his father restrained him with a hand on his wrist. "Per my daughter's request, we will hold the ceremony immediately."
Eric turned to see Bilbus standing slack-jawed, disbelief as plain on his face as the newly-risen sun on a clear day.
"Well, Bilbus? Come on. Looks like you're getting married." The Azirian grabbed Bilbus's arm and pulled him forward.
Kasey had taken a position in front of the dais, with Breanna standing close to him. Adria faced the two, and Eric deposited Bilbus next to her. Eric then took a position to Bilbus's side, slightly behind him. The del Bartholos were quickly walking towards the exit, both of them snarling under their breath as they passed the party.
Kasey began the ceremony, speaking the words of the wedding ritual as Breanna started channeling Heka from Bres. The ceremony took over an hour, with Kasey continuing his recital of the appropriate passages from the Books of Kells. Breanna continued channeling the Heka into an elaborate magickal knot, visible to no one in the room, that she finally tied off as Kasey completed his officiating.
Kasey smiled at Bilbus and Adria. "Lord Bilbus del Cartach, Lady Adria del Cartach, you are now husband and wife." He leaned closer and dropped his voice to a loud whisper. "This is where you two kiss."
Bilbus took a step forward. Adria hesitated, a brief panic on her face, then finally let Bilbus wrap his arms around her. He bent her head back and kissed her passionately. She soon embraced him as well.
Bilbus took a step back and glanced around the room. He pulled a necklace from his jacket.
Adria caught his hand as he started to place it around her neck. "Is this the necklace you stole while we were in Londoun? The one I've been telling you to return for the last several weeks?"
Bilbus grinned. "Yes." He finished fastening it behind her neck, then draped it across her front, admiring the glint of the gold and the shining of the emeralds.
"You're not giving it back now, you know."
"Did you ever think I was going to?"
Adria smiled at him, the glint of danger flashing in her eyes again, before she turned to her father. "Father? The rest of the announcement?"
Duran glanced towards Cain. He looked back at Bilbus, hatred in his eyes. "In order to compensate the del Cartach household for the years that the del Quintin household profited from controlling both lands, I have named Lord Bilbus del Cartach my sole heir..."
Cain shouted "What?!?" as Bilbus nearly fainted.
Quieter, Duran repeated. "Bilbus gets all my lands, including his own family's properties, when I die."
"You can't do this to me, father! He's not family. You've raised me since I was in my swaddling clothes to run the del Quintin lands."
Adria spoke quietly, not even turning to face her brother. "You'd prefer to have everyone in the Dales know that the del Quintin family murdered an ally, just to steal land? And that the del Quintin family murdered a commoner because that commoner spent time with the Lord's daughter, teaching her to protect herself?"
"We're family, Adria. Father was looking after your best interests."
Adria finally turned to face Cain. "No, he wasn't. He was looking for any way he could advance his position against the other households." She turned to face Duran. "How long ago did you decide you could marry me off to the del Bartholo household? Was that why you killed Bilbus's parents? You decided that an alliance with the Outer Circle was far more valuable than uniting two of the three most powerful households in Portsdale? I'm ashamed to even claim to have del Quintin blood."
Bilbus walked away from the dais, joining the rest of his friends closer to the doors.
Rishala walked up to him and clapped him on the shoulder. "My Lord del Cartach, you have finally earned the title 'the Great'."
Sturm stopped next to Rishala and smirked. "We'll see about that tomorrow." He glanced towards Adria, who still stood near the dais.
Eric stopped next to Bilbus. "Bilbus, remember the dream you described? Was this coincidence, or was it intent?"
"Who cares? We can figure it out later."
Sturm shook his head. "No, we need to figure it out now."
Eric nodded. "Bilbus, it could be that the Da... the person you dreamed about knew what happened to your family. He may have been able to foretell that this wedding would happen. Maybe he knew it, and decided to convince you that he caused things to happen as he already knew they would."
"Look, Eric. I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. I'm not running out to join the Great Lord right now. I just want to get the Hells out of this ballroom. It feels very hostile in here."
Bilbus looked at Kasey. The Church Knight was leaned over Felicia del Quintin, talking quietly to her. He nodded towards Bilbus a couple of times.
Rishala looked at Bilbus. "There is one thing you can remember that will help you do well as a noble, Bilbus."
"What's that?"
"As the people do well, the noble does well."
Bilbus mulled the thought for a few seconds. "How'd you like a job, Rishala? You're now my chamberlain."
Eric exhaled sharply. "Bilbus, he said the same thing I said."
Bilbus looked at Eric. "Rishala made a lot more sense than you did."
"He said almost word for word the same thing I did!"
Bilbus looked away from Eric, towards Adria as she glided up to him.
Sturm looked from Bilbus and Adria towards Duran del Quintin, who was still fuming near his eldest son. Sturm looked back to the del Cartachs. "Do you two have protection?"
Adria looked at him. "Long term or short term?"
"I'd worry more about short term right now."
"We're okay."
Bilbus looked at Adria. "Even so, I think we shouldn't stay here any longer than we must. I could stand to leave this house."
Bilbus walked towards the doors of the ballroom, most of his friends following him. He glanced back into the room and noticed Kasey talking to Felicia del Quintin. Bilbus continued walking out of the room.
Outside the del Quintin household, the Company of Unusual Headgear waited on the cobbled road.
Neurth looked at his companions. "A Dalesian Common says that Bilbus comes out to hire us to take care of Lord del Quintin."
The Dunce looked at his short companion. "Why would he pay us to take care of someone?"
Neurth sighed. "He will want us to kill Lord del Quintin."
"I thought you said we'd take care of the lord..."
Neurth rolled his eyes. Toady looked at the two. "Neurth, I'll see your Common. I think Duran will have contracts on this Bilbus guy by sunset."
Neurth and Toady shook hands as Bilbus walked out the front door of the del Quintin manor. Bilbus looked towards them, then suddenly turned and walked right up to them.
"No hats now?" Bilbus asked.
Neurth glanced at his comrades, then smiled towards Bilbus. "No, my Lord del Cartach. Our previous contract was completed."
"Are you looking for employment?"
"We are between jobs currently. Did you have something in mind?"
"Are you interesting in being bodyguards?"
"For whom? How long?"
"You would protect my wife and I, naturally. Until we leave Portsdale."
Neurth nodded. "Let me discuss this with my comrades." Neurth drew his three companions together and started whispering with them. After a minute, he returned to Bilbus. "Sixteen Dalesian Drakes a day should cover it."
Bilbus thought for a moment, converting Dalesian currency to Kingdom coin. "Twelve Drakes a day."
Neurth muttered under his breath. "Going to off another one of us?"
"What was that?"
"Nothing, Lord del Cartach. Twelve Drakes will be enough."
"Excellent. You start right now. Escort us back to the del Cartach manor."
Kasey cleared his throat. Bilbus noticed that Lady Felicia del Quintin was walking with Kasey. "Bilbus, you should schedule the reception. There's a lot of lesser nobles in town for the wedding, and they brought gifts..."
Bilbus smiled. "Kasey, why don't you coordinate it. You know more about these things than I do."
"Okay, Bilbus." Kasey looked at a pair of servants hurrying from the del Quintin household. "Stop one of them!"
The Dunce stuck his leg out, tripping one of the messengers. He picked the man up clumsily, dusting the servant before grabbing him by one shoulder and steering him towards Kasey.
"What's this you have here?" Kasey said as he took the scroll from the messenger. He handed the scroll to Eric and turned back to the messenger. "Don't worry about that. I have an announcement. See that it gets to all the wedding guests. The Lord and Lady del Cartach are hosting their wedding reception two days hence. It will start the hour after Nones. Drinks and food will be served. Got that?"
The messenger nodded.
"Away then! Stop standing here!"
The messenger turned and ran away, his stolen scroll already forgotten.
"This is good," Eric said behind Kasey. "This message is going to all the wedding guests, explaining how the long lost Bilbus del Cartach has returned to Portsdale. In keeping with the betrothal agreement between the del Quintin and del Cartach households, Duran del Quintin has married his daughter Adria to Young del Cartach... And the del Cartach family gets their lands back. Of course, the details are skipped."
"Long lost del Cartach? That man had my family killed and abandoned me in Brallian! May Duran del Quintin burn in the Third Hell!"
Eric shook his head. "Bilbus, it's called the Game of Houses," he explained as if to a child. "Some noble families play a game, trying to gain advantage wherever they can against other families. They will say half-truths, outright lies, or anything else they can to gain petty favor over other nobles of their rank. I'd heard it was popular in the western Dales, but I'd never seen anything like it before. It's supposed to be common around Londoun, as well. I guess that's what happens when you have too many nobles too close together."
"Game of Houses? It sounds like what goes on in the Thieves' Guilds."
Rishala laughed. "Maybe your background prepared you for nobility better than you thought, Lord del Cartach."
Bilbus spun about and glared at Rishala.
Breanna spoke up. "Where's Adria? I thought she was running to her room to grab her stuff. She should have been out here by now."
Breanna walked back to the del Quintin household, disappearing through the front door. Eric looked at his companions, then followed Breanna into the house. Bilbus shook his head and followed as well.
Inside, he followed Eric's voice up a set of stairs near the entrance. Along a corridor across the front of the building, Bilbus trotted to catch up with Eric. Eric was outside an open door, looking into a bedroom. Bilbus squeezed past him to see Breanna standing just inside the door.
Breanna turned to Bilbus. "The servants said this is her room."
Bilbus walked towards the armoire against the wall. It hung open, dozens of silk dresses hanging in a row. Bilbus turned to the two travel chests Adria had taken with her on her travels. Both were open, one with neatly folded dresses. Bilbus quickly rummaged through both chests. "Her armor is gone. Her daggers are gone. She kept them in this chest, near the bottom. I would know. I've cleaned them enough times."
Breanna spoke up. "Bilbus. Look on her bed."
There was a note on the pillow. Bilbus picked it up and looked at the rushed handwriting on it.
Bilbus -
Consider this your wedding gift. You once told me that that you sought to acquire the wealth that had been denied you, and to get revenge for your family. I hope you are as happy as you thought you would be.
Yours,
Adria
"Paper! And ink!" Bilbus barked. He looked towards Eric as the traveler tore a sheet from his ever-present journal. Bilbus wrote quickly in a shorthand cipher used by the Londoun Thieves' Guild. He wasn't sure if Adria read the shorthand, but he would have been surprised if she didn't.
Adria -
I think I know where you are. Will meet at guesthouse. My room, use trellis. Reception in two days, an hour after Nones. Good luck, may the Gods protect you.
Bilbus the Great
Bilbus folded the paper and placed it on Adria's pillow. "Let's go."
Eric followed Bilbus from the room, Breanna close behind.
As they walked across town towards the del Cartach household, Eric walked next to Bilbus.
"Bilbus, I've been trying to figure out Adria."
Bilbus smiled. "I've been trying for a few months now, Eric."
"Yes, but I think I have it. She knows how to use her rapier, and not just for courtly honor duels. She knows how to fight. Noblewomen aren't taught that. She also is a pretty good shot with that longbow, and not many men can even string one. She has a fascination with herbs, but not the healing types. She knows far too much about toxins."
"What are you trying to say, Eric?"
"I think Adria's had some training as an assassin."
"How long have you known her?"
"Listen, Bilbus. I think she is. She even knows that hand jargon that you use."
"It's taken you this long to figure it out?"
Eric straightened. "I'm sorry Bilbus. Some of us don't socialize in those circles. It isn't every day that we run into an assassin."
"I thought nobles dealt with them regularly."
Eric shut his mouth and scowled at Bilbus. Finally, he spoke again. "What are we going to do?"
"Wait for her to return."
Kasey coughed from the back of the procession. "Bilbus? I hope you don't mind. I invited Lady del Quintin to stay at your house. I don't think she's safe around Lord del Quintin."
"No, I don't think she is." Bilbus stopped and turned around. "Lady Felicia del Quintin, you are welcome at my manor house."
Felicia smiled. "Thank you, Lord del Cartach. I'm glad you are alive."
"So am I."
The procession arrived at the guesthouse -- the former del Cartach manor.
Kasey clasped his hands. "I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since breakfast, and we missed lunch."
Eric nodded. "It's about time for tea. We could have some biscuits with the tea."
Kasey wrung his hands and scrunched his face. "That would be okay... What I really want is some meat."
One of the servants entered the room and bowed.
Kasey smiled at the man. "We would like tea served."
"Of course, sir."
"Could we have some meat with it, as well?"
"Meat, sir?"
"Yeah... Meat would be good."
"Of course. Where will you take tea?"
"The main dining room."
Eric smiled. "Oh, Kasey. One does not take tea in the dining room." He turned to the servant. "We'll have it on the back patio."
"Of course, sir."
Kasey looked at Eric. "Why not the main dining room?"
"We're going to be there in a few hours for dinner anyway."
"Exactly!"
Eric threw his hands up and walked through the house towards the rear patio.
Bilbus woke late the following morning. The sun was already streaming in the wide balcony doors, casting a cheerful light on the otherwise dark room. Bilbus lifted his head to look out the open doors, wondering briefly why he had left them open in the first place. A glance behind him at the empty half of the bed reminded him. He started to slump back into the soft, downy mattress when a glint of gold caught his eye.
Bilbus rolled over to look at the empty pillow beside him. In the middle of it, partially obscured in the folds of the linen pillow case, was a golden ring. Bilbus picked it up, studying the del Quintin signet ring.
The ring was too large to be Adria's. On closer inspection, Bilbus realized it wasn't Duran's ring, either. Cain or Matthias? Matthias seemed harmless. Cain lost a lot. I can't believe she would kill her own brother. Who am I kidding? She'd kill me in a heartbeat if she thought I was a threat, marriage or no. Bilbus cautiously placed the ring in one of the many hidden pockets of his armored leather jacket, still draped on a chair next to the bed.
Bilbus dressed and padded across the room to the open doors of the private balcony. The stone railing was as Bilbus distantly remembered it from his youth, when his father would place Bilbus on his shoulders and show him the thick forest that filled much of the del Cartach lands.
Bilbus rested his hands on the wide stone railing and looked over the trees.
A wooden thunk noise to his left and below caught his attention. Kasey was standing on the smooth wooden patio behind the manor, holding one of his sharp throwing stars. With him was Felicia. Kasey had placed a heavy wooden log on a table about five paces away, and he was instructing Felicia on the arts of throwing the small weapon.
Her first try was bad. The star went almost straight up, alarming Kasey enough that he grabbed her and lifted her over to his far side before the star clanged noisily on the stone deck. Felicia laughed as Kasey offered her another star.
Bilbus shook his head and walked back inside. His growling stomach directed him towards the kitchen.
By midday, Bilbus had talked Breanna into letting him alchemically color her hair like Adria's. "From a distance, no one will know it's you," he argued. Breanna reluctantly agreed, and she spent the day inside, appearing occasionally near windows to give any spies a chance to notice "Adria" in the household.
Kasey and Sturm spent the afternoon sparring, stretching underused muscles and making it clear that the Company of Unusual Headgear were not the only dangers to anyone trying to enter the del Cartach house uninvited. Eric and Rishala spent a couple of hours working with their new bows, with occasional visits from Sturm as he, too, broke in his replacement long bow.
The reception began as scheduled the following day. Shortly after the bells of the city church struck Nones, Duran del Quintin's invited wedding guests started arriving at the del Cartach household.
Sturm and Kasey stood at the side door, greeting people as they entered the ball room on the north side of the mansion. Bilbus moved through the crowd of people, introducing himself as "Lord Bilbus del Cartach" repeatedly, explaining that the Lady Adria del Cartach was ill and unable to attend. He deflected questions asked about his recent past, and about his father.
The Company of Unusual Headgear followed Bilbus around the room, all well-dressed for a minor country nobles' party, even though The Dunce had crumpled clothes that looked like they had spent the last month forgotten in the bottom of a travel bag. All four of the Company ruined their appearances by wearing the folded paper hats that The Dunce had selected as the chapeau of choice for their security mission.
Duran del Quintin arrived with his son Matthias an hour after Nones. He stayed near the entrance throughout the evening, greeting and talking with the guests but never straying close to Bilbus or Bilbus's companions.
Felicia del Quintin stayed on the opposite side of the room, happily chatting with guests and flagging Kasey from time to time to chat.
Early in the evening, during one of the dances, Bilbus managed to separate Matthias from Duran.
Matthias eyed Bilbus worriedly as the thief started speaking.
"Matthias, I have an offer for you. I hope you will accept it."
Matthias continued to stare at Bilbus.
"I would like you to watch over the del Quintin lands. Make sure your father doesn't do anything ... inappropriate to the holdings. If you can do that for me, and nothing happens to the lands, I will give you the del Quintin household once the lands revert to my control. Will you do that for me?"
Matthias nodded slowly. "Lord del Cartach, may I ask a question?"
Bilbus glanced around, then nodded.
"Did you kill Cain?"
Bilbus shook his head. "I did not. I didn't ask for him to be killed, either." I know who did do it, he didn't add.
Matthias looked relieved. He nodded, then excused himself and moved into the crowd.
The reception lasted until shortly after sunset, when people started leaving in pairs and threes. Soon after, the travelers had the ballroom to themselves.
Bilbus rubbed his temples as he started to leave the ballroom. "Are noble parties always this boring?"
Eric shook his head. "They usually are not this tense."
Sturm looked at Eric. "I wonder why everyone was so tense? It couldn't have anything to do with the unexpected wedding and Cain dying, could it?"
Bilbus looked at Sturm. "Was that sarcasm?"
"I wouldn't know."
"I think it was. Sturm, you said something almost funny."
"No, I didn't."
"Don't deny it. You were being sarcastic. Here, I thought you didn't have a sense of humor."
Sturm shrugged and passed Bilbus, heading for the stairwell to the sleeping quarters.
Bilbus joined his companions in the breakfast room the following morning. The table was smaller than the main dining room's table, but it had far more comfortable seats.
Eric looked at Bilbus as Bilbus sat. "She didn't come back last night, I take it?"
Bilbus shook his head.
"You realize we may need to move on. She may not come back here."
Bilbus shook his head again. "She'll be back."
"How do you know, Bilbus? She may be on her way to Londoun by now. She could be halfway across the Dales already."
Bilbus laughed mirthlessly. "She could be on her way to Eiresud, or the dwarven kingdom. I don't think she is."
Rishala spoke up. "I know some divination techniques. I can find out if she's going to be back soon."
Bilbus sat up. "Can you find out when she'll be back?"
Rishala shook his head. "Divination works on yes or no answers. I can find out if she'll be back in a week."
"How soon can you know?"
"I use dreams to receive my answers. I can tell you tomorrow morning."
Sturm cleared his throat. "I could try to find out as well."
Rishala looked at Sturm. "How?"
Sturm started to smile. "Sir Atenburg taught me a little divination."
"Why didn't you say so before?"
"You know what the bias is like against anyone who can channel Heka. Imagine what the Inquisitors would do if they found a Heka user within the Sun Knights."
Rishala shuddered. "Okay. We can coordinate our questions. With both of us asking the same thing, we should be able to compare our dreams and get some answers without too much trouble."
Sturm nodded. "That's what I was thinking."
Sturm and Rishala divined answers to questions during the next three nights as time bore onwards. First they tried to determine if Adria would return within the week. She wouldn't. They tried to discover whether she would return in the month. She wouldn't. They also tried to find out if Duran would die within the month. He wouldn't.
Bilbus finally gave up waiting. He sent a courier to Duran del Quintin, informing him that Bilbus and his entourage were leaving the following morning aboard the Swift. Bilbus also sent one of the Company to make sure that Duran had the Swift prepared for travel.
The Swift sailed from Portsdale early on the morning of the 13th. Bilbus stood on the poopdeck, hands on the railing as he watched the city of Portsdale slip behind the Swift. Even from this distance, he could see the del Quintin household on the western end of town, surrounded by grass fields. On the opposite side of town, the del Cartach manor stood on its low promontory, nestled against the edge of the apple orchard and the forest beyond. Bilbus fervently hoped that Adria would stop at the del Cartach household if she returned to Portsdale. He had left her notes at both households telling her where to find him -- the one at the del Quintin household was far more cryptic, since Bilbus expected Duran to read it.
Bilbus ignored the bootsteps approaching him from behind.
"My lord del Cartach," Rishala began, the teasing humor still in his voice as he addressed his friend. "Bilbus, I thought of another question last night. I got a fairly convincing answer. At least, it's as convincing as any dream could be..."
Without turning, Bilbus followed Rishala's prompt. "What question did you ask?"
"I asked if she is still alive. She is."
Bilbus turned. "Thanks, Rishala."
Rishala bowed formally, then winked at Bilbus as he straightened and walked away.
Back to the previous chapter: Heavens
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Original Draft 21 April 2001
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