Bellatrix: Swords of Chaos, Book One

CHAPTER 26

  A pall was evident around the City of Kitarssis.The mourning of the dead king continued.

  As Range and his men entered the city, citizens wearing black kerchiefs and cowls passed them. The city itself seemed to be in a fairly good state. Range could see cleaning crews, cleansing and scrubbing at the grime created by the throng of citizens.Most buildings had a simple roof and walls still showing damage from the war. How could the city still be showing signs of a war that took place over twelve years ago? The smells coming from the buildings and the vendor stands were pleasing and bakery fresh. Range could hear a set of chimes tinkling like hope for a future.Laughs could be heard routinely echoing about, but they were wistful, taunting the group of men as they wended through the city. Someone had dropped her black cowl in the white snow.

  “Who would be laughing in a place like this?” Nicky asked.Range thought the same thing.

  A woman with a black wimple bumped unwittingly into Rolin’s horse.She said nothing as she stumbled away.

  “Are we staying in the city tonight?” Cortibis asked.

  “Let’s see if there is an inn on the outskirts,” Range said.

  “Yeah! A nice warm room!” Nicky cried.

  They rode through the town and the steady flow of people.As they reached the far north of the city the crowds thinned out, allowing them to ride abreast.

  Trees thickened as they rode northward. The wind died down as the sun fell closer to the horizon.Around a wooded bend they came upon three inns huddled together.Surrounding the inns was a heavy copse of looming trees and beyond them, a loose forest.The sun had sunken below the silhouetted trees, dropping the inns into rich, murky shadows. The sky was painted a pale blue blended with pink. Thin, elongated clouds crisscrossed the sky glowing a brilliant orange-pink as the setting sun lit them.

  One lantern was set up in the middle of the inns, shining its smoky light on the underbelly of the trees.Range could smell wood burning in the fireplace and the oven.

  All three inns faced each other and the lantern. A few people lingered outside, drinking and talking. Golden light stretched out from the entryways beckoning anyone happening by. Raucous laughter and music choked out in aggravated bursts.

  Nicky removed the gag from the prince’s mouth.“Keep your tongue still.”

  Three young men stood at the crux of the road.

  As Range and his companions approached, each of the three boys went into his sales pitch.Each one claimed his inn was the best.Each one claimed he had the coldest ale, the warmest cider, the softest beds, and the juiciest meat. Sterlin laughed out loud.

  Range turned toward his companions,”What do you think?” His companions offered nothing but a shrug.”Thanks.” He turned back to the three boys.”I have a riddle for you boys, the first one who gets it right gets our business. And I will also toss in a silver.” These boys reminded him of Mel. He missed his son.

  The boys nodded and started shouldering each other.

  “Calm down. I will tell it to you all at once and you will all have a fair chance to answer it.”A few of the patrons milling about stopped to watch.

  “Here is your riddle:I have two tankards.One is exactly three pints, and one is exactly five pints. Do you follow me?”The boys nodded.”Now I have just come in to your fine establishment and I tell you that I am very thirsty. You tell me that you have a three-pint tankard, and a five-pint tankard.I am thirsty, but five pints is a bit much at one sitting, and three just isn’t enough. So I tell you that I want four pints, exactly.Not a pint more!Not a pint less. How can you guarantee that I will receive exactly the amount that I ask for?Now be warned,” he said, holding up his hand.”It has to be exact! No guesswork involved.”

  The boys began to think. Their faces contorted, their brows knuckled.Range sat there with his hands crossed on the pommel of his saddle.The rest of the onlookers were also trying to work the problem out in their own heads.Sterlin and Rolin pulled up next to Range.

  “What if none of them figure it out?” Cortibis asked.

  Range looked at the boys.”One of them will.”

  One of the boys tried to discuss the question, but Range hushed him down and told him to think about it.

  “I shall be old and wolfish, by the time these rock-heads figure this out!” Sterlin said with a sigh.

  “Indeed, it’s a simple problem. Their heads are filled with rocks.” Nicky said.

  “Have patience,” Range said.

  Finally the lankiest of the boys snapped his fingers and yelled,”I’ve got it!”

  Range dismounted and called the boy to him.

  “Tell me in my ear, and I will tell you if you are correct.”

  The boy leaned close and whispered into Range’s ear for a few moments. Range nodded as the boy continued.He smiled and patted the boy on the back.The entire group stood about in a state of heightened, bated breath.

  “He was correct.” He looked about the crowd.”Do any of you know how to go about it?”

  All either shook their head, or did nothing.

  Range looked down at the boy.”Tell them.”

  The lanky boy said,”It is simple.” And proceeded to tell them how he figured it out.

  The crowd applauded.

  “What is your name, boy?” Range asked.

  “Ambell, Sir.”

  “Ambell, which is your inn.” He flipped the coin to the boy.”I hope you are as wise as you seem and spend this coin well.”

  After securing their horses and gathering up their bags, Ambell led them into the Coughing Goat Inn, which was unremarkable on the inside. Much like every other tavern they had stayed in.The tavern was on the bottom story and the rooms on the second.

  “Get some food, while I get the room,” Range said.

  They agreed and took a table.The tavern was fairly busy. Most tables were occupied with somber speaking people.A flutist played groggily on a stool at the front of the room.A Barmaid wended her way through the room to their table.Range felt better after the run in with the boys.

  The innkeeper smiled and showed Range to his room.The old man only had two rooms available and they were small.The group of men would be able to sleep with their backs up against the wall, but not lie down. Great, another small room.He guessed it was better than sleeping out in the snowy cold again.He thanked the old man and sat the Prince down on the small bed in the room.It creaked in protest as the Prince stretched out.

  “You know, if you would let me go downstairs and have some ale and food, I would not cause any trouble and would just enjoy sitting in the tavern, instead of these rooms,” Prince Remmy said sleepily.

  “I will have food and ale brought to you.” Range felt sorry for the boy. He was just a boy.

  “Wonderful, thanks,” the prince said.

  Range sighed,”I can’t trust you now. That’s simply something you’ll have to deal with.”

  “First you abduct me and then force me to stay in every filthy room in the land.”

  “Please don’t start again.”

  “Why not? Maybe I should shut my trap and be a good prisoner?” the prince asked.

  “Smart boy,” Range said, digging a durry from his pouch.”There is much going on that you know nothing about.”

  “Honestly, I don’t care,” Remmy said.

  “Maybe you do,” Range said, lighting the durry.

  “Think what you want, dead man.”

  “Dead man?” He raised an eyebrow and stuck his quickflint back in his pocket.

  “As soon as my father catches you, you’re dead.” Remmy was looking at the ceiling.

  “If he catches me.”

  “Not if. My father will catch you. When he does you will be hung. You are dead. I hope it was worth it.”

  Range pulled on the durry,”I don’t know if it was.”Responsibility gathered up around his chest like the giant hand of death.Things were so out of control right now he was lost.He realized that apathy would soon begin its creep into his mind.

/>   “So many decisions for the criminal to make every day,” Remmy said, rolling onto his side.

  Range did not reply, but set down his bag and slid down the wall to the floor, his knees up.

  He was tired. The trip was wearing him out.Not just the physical journey, which he could cope with, but also the mental strain.It was one thing to be hunted, but an entirely different thing to be hunted by a mage and his pet Osaban Priest, a king and who knew else. Recompense would be doled out and divvied up appropriately.He would have justice. Ooln’s beard, he would have justice.He smoked the durry slowly.He would have his justice, but could he keep the king from getting his? Was it right for him to seek justice and ignore everything else and fight the king? Indecision churned inside him like a storm.

  He must get to Garon.