by Clark Bolton
Autbek made it a habit now to visit the Dieknotkow each morning and evening when he would feed and clean him as currently he had not found any servant willing to do it. He tried to think of him by his name but Neustus never seemed to fit while in his natural form.
“Neustus, are you well?” Autbek asked after the move.
The man-bird did his usually clicking and squawking sounds in reply followed by a whisper. “What you seek?”
Autbek hesitated to answer feeling in part that it was not his place to ask something of Neustus, though he had been troubled much by events in the palace. Particularly the reoccurring nightmare he had concerning the Comusa, who he realized were currently more than a match for him and his friends. He had concluded that had the Comusa attacked that day in the tower he, along with Haspeth and Castor would have been no match for two searafacts, let alone one. Berdtom’s timely intervention likely saved their lives and now he felt compelled not ever to have to depend on that happening again.
“Neustus, I … we need something or someone to protect us from physical harm.” There he had said it, and so now let the gods take it from here he told himself.
The man-bird clicked and squawked but made no reply. Autbek had not expected it to as in the past it rarely showed much expression as to what it was thinking. He wondered if he should risk transforming it again into a man but Haspeth and Castor had thought that a bad idea when he had asked their opinion.
The transformation spell was difficult and not something he had the skill to memorize yet which meant a scroll would be consumed in the process. Normally he would simply spend the hours to make a copy, something he excelled at, but this spell was long and difficult and so he hesitated to try fearing he might damage the original. There were presently only three known copies in the library.
“Good day, Neustus.” He said after a time, as he bowed and headed for the stairs. It bothered him that the creature expected his service, but then in a way perhaps it had that already.
Walking down to the library he began looking again for spells that would best fit Castor and his talents geared toward illusions as the boy was more than ready for something more advanced. The illusion specialty was one of the rarest he had discovered from his research in the library, and it was believed to require the most mental agility and the greatest discipline in terms of concentration and endurance.
He had found one several days ago that was low in skill level and had instructed Castor in it to the best of his ability. He himself had tried memorizing and casting it but found in the limited time he had spent at it that he could not. Castor he guessed would figure it out eventually.
Picking up several scrolls to take up to his desk on the floor above he suddenly noticed something go by the window. He was about to put it out of his mind until he suddenly recalled all the warnings Berdtom had given him about being prepared for anything at any time.
Walking to the window he expected to see something perhaps blowing in the wind or some workman finishing up some repair. He saw nothing at first then looking up he beheld the strangest sight.
Halfway up the tower wall was Castor, but he was not just Castor. The kid had feet like a lizard’s and hands like one too. This allowed Castor to grip the rough stones of the tower making the climb look easy from Autbek’s point of view. After a moment of fiddling with the second story window Castor then proceeded to crawl through it.
Autbek rushed up the stairs with scrolls in hand, planning to both congratulate the boy’s success with the spell and to chastise him for being reckless. “You make a nice lizard!” He told Castor after opening the door to the second floor chamber. Castor was already looking normal.
“Thanks!” Castor replied as he began searching his desk for something.
“Well, are you not going to comment on your success with that new spell I gave you?” The kid just kept searching, so he asked again, “That was the spell I gave you?”
“Yes it was. Now have you seen those small parchments I had here?”
“Enough! Fill me in here!” He demanded.
Castor sat and faced him. “Ah, yes it was the spell, it allows me to alter myself in a kind of half and half illusionary way. It’s like I have real lizard feet but not really as they mostly just look like it.
“Does not seem so illusionary to me. Perhaps you have moved beyond that.”
“No, most of it was illusion. Like you told us before the best illusion spells are partially real.”
“Hmm! You impress your old master.” He chuckled as he got up to help him find what he was looking for.
About that time Haspeth rushed in with two guards in tow. “Somebody saw something climbing up the tower!” Haspeth then produced a scroll and was about to cast a spell when the two of them yelled at him to stop.
“It was me!” Castor announced with a grin.
“Well you might have warned me! I was just about to cast this shield spell I’ve been working on … and guess what! It’s the only copy we have!” Haspeth said in anger.
“Ok, no harm done.” Autbek said as he reached for Haspeth’s scroll. “Why don’t you let me make a copy of that before we lose it.”
“I knew you were a sneak-thief!” Haspeth said insultingly.
“Yes … all Dakish are thieves.” Castor replied, referring to his ethnic group which separated him from Haspeth and Autbek.
Traffic along kings-road had increased dramatically in the last few days Autbek had noticed as he watched from Neustus’s chamber. People at times would be strung out so that the road had someone on it for the whole length that was viewable from the window, which was easily a league from one end to the other. Farm laborers seeking work across the bosphorus, Berdtom had informed him. During the winter there was little work for such people on this side of the straight.
Always Neustus watched the people which must have been difficult for the man-bird. The cataracts in his eyes required that he twist his head sideways and then nod his head up and down to get a good view of something. But Autbek noticed when Neustus watched the road he seemed to follow people at times with his eyes as if there were no cataracts in them.
Neustus was changing again he noted as he looked at the floor in front of him. Never in the past that he was aware of did Neustus scratch symbols on the floor, but he had been doing so now. He had never seen Neustus do it in person but the floor now had many scratch marks on it as evidence.
He had offered to leave the bindings off but Neustus had communicated that he desired them to remain, and so always the man-bird was spread-eagle on his rack facing the window. Concerned that Neustus might need to summon someone in a hurry if it saw someone or something of interest, he had a rope rigged up that was in reach of Neustus such that pulling on it would ring bells on the floors below.
The first ringing of the bells occurred Early one morning after Haspeth had risen but the others had not yet. Therefore he was the first to reach Neustus’s chamber to see what was up.
“What is it sir?” Haspeth asked Neustus as he gazed out the window. In the winter mist of the morning he could see several people moving along the roads. Most were coming out of Astrum and turning south once they reached the king’s road.
“CLICK CLICK!” Neustus replied.
Haspeth shrugged and continued to watch then after a time he tried pointing at individuals or small groups to see if Neustus was interested in one of them. “This one here?” He asked pointing to the closest group on the road.
When Neustus failed to get excited he tried another, then another until finally he got some clicks in reply. It looked to Haspeth that a small group of five people who were more or less walking together along the road was what interested Neustus.
Haspeth then called down the stairs for Autbek and Castor to hurry up. The group continued on unaware that they were being watched and at the pace they were going it would be a few minutes before they were out of sight.
“Any idea which one it is?” Autbek asked, slightly out of breath.
“Nope, I’ve tried asking him if it’s the three in front or the one a little bit behind but he says nothing.” Haspeth replied in frustration.
“Ok, you stay here. No wait! Castor you stay here and Haspeth and I will mount up and ride over to them.” Autbek began. “When we get about halfway you wait so you can pass messages back between me and Castor.”
“Ok, but we should take some guards.” Haspeth advised.
Hurrying the men-at-arms as fast as he could Autbek got two of them, himself and Haspeth on horses, though they had to ride bareback. “Let’s go,” he told them as he led the way through the gate.
They turned to look to Castor in the tower window, he then pointed out the exact direction to go. Forcing his horse to run across the open fields Autbek then turned to signal Haspeth to stop where they were. The fellow was having real trouble riding the horse without a saddle and so looked relieved to stop.
“Let’s be polite now gentlemen.” He said to the two horsemen with him as they trotted now to close within a few paces of the road.Once on the road they easily passed up the group of five they were interested in.
The people nodded their heads politely as the three of them rode past, but otherwise seemed unconcerned. The three in the front looked to be common folk, all over thirty. The one ten paces behind them was similar but younger and stouter.
Another five paces or so behind that man was another man who looked to be under thirty. He was dressed differently, his boots in particular where different as they were high as opposed to the others who wore things more akin to shoes. The fellow also carried a leather pack high on his back while the others carried things about their waist and in sacks.
“Could we speak to you please for a moment sir?” Autbek asked picking the man trailing the other four as the place to start.
“Oh, what about sir?” The man replied as he kept walking.
Autbek noticed the fellow was picking up pace in response to them and so had closed the distance to the next man. The man’s stride was strong and he looked alert as he swept his gaze about the road and turned for a moment to look to his rear.
“We have a good account of you sir and wish to discuss employment.”
“And who sir has given an accounting?” The man asked. He had passed the three others who had been on the road in front of him now and seemed to be slowing his pace now.
Autbek was at a loss on how to reply since he really knew nothing of the man. Hoping to get the man to stop now he decided to try authority. “I’m the Vis Mage-Councilor of Astrum, and I would dearly love to speak for a few minutes if you have the time.”
As he said this his horse was abreast of the woman and two men that now trailed the man. They seemed a bit confused and did not appear to be associates of the man.
“If you would stop sir, I would gladly answer your questions.” Autbek said exasperated at the man. The man seemed completely unimpressed by him and was eying and even winked at the men-at-arms who were just behind Autbek.
“No, time sir. Have a ship to catch at Kalimar!” The man replied as he moved to prevent the three travelers from passing him.
Autbek realized now that the man was using the travelers as a shield to keep him and his guards at a distance. Then as they continued down the king’s road as one big group they came to a depression where countless years of traffic had worn the roadbed down leaving a steep bank as high as a man on either side.
“Now my lord, please do understand …” The man began as he sprinted to the top of the berm and turned to face Autbek, now higher than the men on horseback. “... That we are no longer in Astrum and I have separated from it for greener pastures so to speak.”
Autbek stopped his horse and smiled at the man for moment. “May I ask your name sir?”
The man smiled back, “You have an accounting of me … did that not include my name my lord?”
The men-at-arms got into the conversation at this point. “My lord, shall we hold this man for his mouth?” Obviously referring to the man’s lack of respect for Autbek’s office.
Autbek looked to the guards and back at the man and came to the distinct conclusion that the two were no match for this fellow. He was getting concerned now that things were going to get out of hand when Haspeth road up and stopped behind his guards.
“Don’t they issue saddles in Astrum anymore, my lord?” The man said brashly.
All four on horseback including Autbek had not had the time to saddle their mounts in their rush to catch up with this man. Things were about to come to a head when a patrol of the Earl’s guards came into the view from the direction they had been heading.
The patrol consisted of seven mounted men-at-arms, a standard patrol that constantly road this stretch of kings-road to protect travelers and keep the peace.
Autbek was not happy to see them as it complicated things, but perhaps it would take the fight out this man he thought. One of his guards hailed the patrol and a few moments later the two groups merged as one.
“Greetings, my lord.” The sergeant of the patrol said to Autbek after being informed of his title.
“Greetings, sergeant.” Autbek said hoping he got the rank right. Turning back to the man on the berm he pleaded, “Sir, let us not make more of my request then need be … I simple wish to talk with you and possibly enlist your service.”
The man seemed completely unimpressed by the group that now confronted him, or at least was a phenomenal bluffer. “You a mage, my lord?”
“Yes, of sorts as is my companion here!” Autbek replied referring to Haspeth. He was hoping now that this would settle things, but then suddenly realized that the man had carefully shifted his stance in favor of one that would allow Autbek to be the target should he attack.
“He has magic on him!” Haspeth softly hissed at him just then.
“Stop! Everyone please!” Autbek pleaded as he sensed the patrols unease. “Sergeant, please continue on your way. I will handle this matter.”
His personal guards objected, which he found reasonable but he would not have it, and so finally the patrol continued on its way. Haspeth looked alert as did the two remaining guards.
“Ok, Haspeth and you two, let us give this man some space.” Autbek commanded as he turned to the man who was watching him carefully with a calm look on his face. “And you sir please accept this coin as proof of my resolve to have a few minutes of your time.”
The man caught the gold coin Autbek tossed to him without taking his eyes off the group. Smiling now the man waited for the horsemen to pull back about twenty paces before calling out. “For this my lord you have bought five minutes of my time!”
Autbek gave the man a look of disapproval as he dismounted and gave the reins of his horse to one of his guards. Then he left orders for them and Haspeth to stay back.
“O’t, you don’t know this man and he seems desperate.” Haspeth warned.
“I suppose you or I would be too with all these soldiers about. But I think the Dieknotkow is right yet again.” He then started walking toward the man.
Finding an easy path up the berm Autbek motioned for the man to walk with him away from the road. The man nodded his head and approached.
“May I ask your name again?” Autbek said dryly.
“Murac of Astrum, my lord.” The man replied with a smile.
Autbek tried to get past his feelings of disdain that were building with this man. He found the man’s courage impressive though. “You have courage master Murac, and so I think I have identified the right man!”
“Hmm, tell me my lord how can you know of me when you seem to know … nothing of me?”
“Long story, but suffice it to say magic was involved. Now please do consider.” Autbek then proceeded to try and convince the man to enter his service. Murac seemed uninterested, even after being offered three gold marks a month, easily ten times the salary of a man-at-arms.
The two talked and walked and soon Autbek had them heading toward the mage-tower,
as it was referred to by most now. Haspeth kept a respectable distance as he too walked, while the two guards trailing him were still mounted.
“How can I convince you to join my team master Murac?” Autbek finally asked of the man.
“Not sure you can, my lord. I’ve served often as a bodyguard and in many cities though never to a mage. Usually my employers are officers or lords of some importance, not that you are not mind you. I tire of the work though it keeps me in coin, but it has never brought riches to me and never shall I think.”
“You seek wealth then?” Autbek asked. It was a disappointment to him he realized as it caused him to judge the man poorly though he was not sure why.
“All men do, I not more than most, my lord. I simply seek opportunity for it, which unfortunately does not go hand in hand with being a bodyguard.”
“Ah, I think I understand. You're bored!”
“Ha, that I am I realize, but not overly so. I know I must work or I shall have to go live in the wild, which appeals to me not. I simply want a path to a future so that when I’m old, fat, and surrounded by children and wives, I can still be in comfort.”
Autbek found Murac a bit like Berdtom he realized which helped him finalize a decision he had been considering now as they walked. “Then let me not offer you service, but instead a partnership with myself and Haspeth there.” He said motioning back behind them. “And with a few others!”
“Hmm, now that I will consider. Now tell me is that where we are heading?” Murac said, motioning toward the tower.
Autbek stopped and smiled at the towers grandeur, which in his mind existed. “Ah yes, master Murac, that what you see is the light in our fog!”
Chapter 15
Berdtom sat around the kitchen fire with the others, including Murac, as he listened to Autbek’s introduction of the man complete with his assessment. Trying to give Autbek the benefit of a doubt he finally started asking questions of his own.
“I take it you were a sailor then, master Murac?”
Murac nodded his head thoughtfully. “For some time, though always as a man-at-arms, and never one for the rigging of sails and the like. I served the barons of the docks since I was about this boy’s age.” He said motioning toward Castor.
