“True, but he charges almost nothing and attracts them that way. Any coin he can make is worth it when that ship must port at a certain city with or without passengers.”
“Very true.”
“So, Owain is feeling the pinch in his coffers,” Analise mused.
Anah agreed with a nod. “Eldin set a fair docking fee based on the size of the vessel and cargo, but Owain doesn’t see it that way. His ships are bigger than everyone else’s ships. His ships take up almost three berths when they come in to load or unload cargo, and because they carry so much, they are docked much longer. We charge him more, because the smaller vessels have to wait for a free berth. I don’t know what to do.”
“Build bigger docks,” Gydrid said. “That’s all you can do.”
“Eldin says it will cost us more coin than we have ever had to do the job right, and he won’t do it else.”
“In that case, Owain must build smaller vessels,” Analise said.
“Or he could try something different,” Gydrid mused. “Lord Ascol has ships that tow flat bottomed barges. Each barge can be unloaded quickly at need and they can use the smaller waterways. They wouldn’t take three berths for unloading. Being flat-bottomed, they could load and unload almost anywhere—without docks even.”
Analise liked the idea. “Perhaps we should suggest that to him in Devarr.”
“When did you decide to journey to Devarr?” Gydrid asked. “I thought that once you witnessed the execution you would return home. I can deliver lady Anah’s letters.”
Analise scowled. “I will petition the King for Chaidren Ridge.”
Anah frowned. “Gylaren will find you a consort, but he will not give you Chaidren to hold in your own name. Surely you must see that?”
“We shall see.”
If she failed, Analise would try to influence the King in his choice of consort. Maybe there were no good choices. It might come down to a bad choice or a worse one. No matter, there were surely choices to be made, and she was determined that the King would make the best possible one.
Anah opened a door and they began to descend. Analise realised where they were going and tried to settle her stomach. Ballard had not reported to her. Did that mean the men Gydrid had found were not the ones that killed her father? They were brigands—Gydrid had caught them in the act, but were they the right brigands?
She would soon know.
She heard Ballard long before she saw him. He was arguing with someone. Analise glanced at Gydrid, but he didn’t seem to know what was going on either. Anah hurried through the door at the bottom of the steps and into the guardroom.
“…murdered your lord, eh? What would you do?” Ballard cried in frustration.
“I have my orders straight from my captain. I know you’re a captain too, but you ain’t my captain. I can’t let you do it. He would skin me if I did!”
“Do what?” Lady Anah and Analise said together.
Ballard fell silent, but Gydrid answered for him. “Put the prisoners to the sword of course. That was what you were going to do, was it not?”
“It’s justice!” Ballard cried. “They killed my lord right beside me! It’s my right to see them dead!”
“It’s your liege lady’s right to see them executed, not yours. You should return to camp and await her there.”
Analise glared. “Ballard is my captain, not yours, sir! He will take my orders and no other’s.”
“Let us be calm,” Anah soothed. “The prisoners are guilty of brigandage on Atherton lands. They will hang as the law demands. They will not be put to the sword. Lady Analise wishes to see them, Carlen.”
“Right away, m’lady.” Carlen produced a ring of iron keys. “This way, Lady.”
“Thank you,” Analise said and followed Carlen through an iron bound door.
Analise walked slowly along a corridor lit only by a few smoky torches. There were no lamps here and the walls were black with soot. She could hear the quiet creak of leather, and knew Gydrid walked close behind her. She was grateful for his support. Ballard remained quiet by her side and tense with anger.
Anah and Carlen led them by a goodly number of cells. Not all were empty. Analise glanced inside as she passed. Some held men lying asleep; others held one or two men playing dice together. One held a woman! Analise almost stopped to stare.
Anah chuckled. “She asked to be locked in.”
“What?”
“Belinda. She asked me—almost begged me really.” Anah shook her head in amusement. “She has two suitors. Both are woodenheaded fools by all accounts. They threatened to take her to the priest against her will.”
Analise stared in wonder. “No priest would marry her to a man against her wishes.”
“Of course not. She says she wants to prevent temptation. Her father is negotiating with the suitor’s fathers. Once the issue of bride price is settled, I will let her out and she will marry.”
“Doesn’t she care which one it is?”
“She’s a fool—very vain. She says that she loves them both equally. She will marry the one that puts forward the higher bride price.”
“Money has nothing to do with love,” Analise said, her lip curling in disgust. “She has her dower. What more does she want? She might marry the wrong one.”
Anah lowered her voice. “Personally, I think they’re both wrong for her. They think all this playacting is rather romantic. Neither really knows what love is. A pretty face—bah! It’s the heart that counts.”
“How long has she been in there?” Gydrid asked.
Analise fumed. Here she was about to be auctioned off by the King when she didn’t even want to marry, and all the while Belinda not only had a choice, she had two men to choose from!
“You ought to leave her in there,” Analise said indignantly.
Anah smiled. “It might breed a little humility—no bad thing for anyone. To answer your question, Gydrid, she was imprisoned just two days ago. No doubt her father will come for her before the day is out.”
Carlen stopped to unlock another door. “I put them at the far end, lady.”
“Whatever you choose is fine.”
“I thought next to little Belinda might be a bad idea.”
Anah nodded. “Good thought.”
“She might try to woo them,” Analise said nastily.
Gydrid frowned at the acid in her words, and Anah looked around in surprise. Analise ignored them and stepped through the open door.
There were more torches and cells along the corridor, but all the doors were open except two. She stepped to the first door and looked through the barred window. The cell was small, too small for the crowd of men inside. She didn’t bother to count them, but there must have been a dozen. She wrinkled her nose at the stench emanating from the cell and tried to make out faces in the gloom.
“Which one is the leader?” Analise said.
“He’s in this one, lady,” Carlen said and Analise crossed to the opposite door.
She looked through the bars and found six men. None looked at her, though they must have heard Carlen. One lay on a bed with his ankles crossed and his hands behind his head. He looked completely at ease as if relaxing in his own bed at home. She stared at him then asked Ballard to look.
“That is he, my lady.” He turned to Carlen. “Open the door.”
“Do not!” Anah said, but Carlen hadn’t moved. “You can talk to him through the door, Captain.”
“I don’t think talking is what he had in mind, Lady Anah,” Gydrid said dryly.
Analise looked through the bars and called, “You man! On the bed.”
The brigand glanced at the door then back at the ceiling without speaking.
“Do you lead these men?”
“No more,” he said.
“But you did lead them. Why did you kill my father?”
That brought the man up to a sitting position. “Your father?” He wandered over to the door. “Who are you? I ain’t never seen yer afore.”
“Analise is my name.”
“I don’t know you.”
Analise held her ground, though he unnerved her. “My father was Garth, Lord of Chaidren Ridge. Why did you kill him?”
“Is that who he was? He was riding up front like a fool. I liked his horse.”
Analise gritted her teeth. “You were paid to kill him.”
The brigand frowned. “I liked his horse so I killed him.”
Gydrid eased Analise away from the door. “Do you have family, someone to pray over you?”
“They’re dead,” the man said bleakly. “I had me a fine woman—she bore me two sons. They died during the Hungry.”
“You lived in the capital?”
“Once I did. You’re a lord, ain’t yer? I know that banner on yer chest,” he grabbed the bars and hissed, “it’s your kind and your king that made me what I am!” He reached through the bars trying to reach Gydrid and roared, “Killing Garth makes me glad! Glad yer hear! It was justice! I’d kill all of yer if I could!”
Gydrid stepped back, visibly shaken.
“…and hack yer… and piss on yer bones! I’d kill all yer pocks ridden lords! She died… yer pocks ridden lords… eating rats… and yer King and his high table laughing as she died… slit yer open… piss on yer all…”
Analise watched wide-eyed as the brigand screamed insults and yanked at the bars in a frenzy to reach them. His words were full of poison, but the worst part was the tears that ran down his face. Analise had no doubt at all that the man was insane. She turned sadly away.
“Hang them all. Hang them all,” she said in a faint voice. Her father had not been assassinated. His death had been a senseless waste. “Hang them…”
* * *
10 ~ Thief
Del watched the scene with cynical eyes and a small smile upon his lips. Did no one but he see them? They were so obvious to him, yet no one took any notice as the little thieves plied their trade. One by one they took turns to filch a loaf of bread here, or cut a purse there. Not a single cry of outrage was raised.
They were good. No question about that, but he was better.
Del laughed under his breath as one of the thieves chose Bainbridge as his target. Fool that he was, Bainbridge had not noticed the boy hanging around his stall. A small dirty hand darted out in a blur of motion barely seen, and then whipped back holding a juicy piece of fruit. The boy secreted his prize where none could see and quickly walked away as if nothing had happened.
To all but Del’s eyes, nothing had.
The littlun had been fast, he noted with approval, but then Del’s smile slipped as he remembered why that was. He saw again those dark years before the Lady came. He remembered slipping quietly from alley to alley, and doorway to doorway, all the while listening for others like him. He was fast too—still breathing proved that. He could almost see himself creeping around the side of this square in the dark…
Del blinked and shook off the distraction. “Follow him to the others,” he said. “Father Ran wants them.”
Tor snorted. “He wants them to come on their own.”
“I know it, make sure the littleuns do. They ain’t to say nothing about this.”
Tor grinned and slipped away.
Del watched for a moment before turning to survey the stalls again. He had a strong impulse to indulge sticky fingers, but he was not here for thieving. He had a job to do. His eyes flicked from face to face settling and assessing for a moment before moving on. He did not really need to do it, but habits were hard to break. Besides, not all habits were bad. This one was a good one to keep. You never knew when you might meet someone faster than you. It was best to be prepared.
With his survey done, Del slipped into the crowded square intent on Bainbridge the fruit merchant. Bainbridge was always reliable. He would be the best one to approach this day.
Del waited at the stall for a gap to open between the merchant’s customers, and eeled into a space between two old mothers as soon as it appeared. His mouth watered at the sight of so many different varieties of fruit. Food of any kind always had that effect on him. He suspected it always would. His hand snaked forward and snatched the biggest Pella he had ever seen.
“Oy you little beggar!” Bainbridge said and grabbed a fistful of his shirt.
Del grinned and made a copper appear as if by magic. “I need two dozen.”
“Oh, it be you again do it? I thought it was one of them little bandits thieving from me again.” The merchant released his hold and took the copper. He examined it thoroughly. “Humph! You can have a dozen.”
“Two dozen I said, or I won’t tell you the news.”
“News? What news?”
Del bit into his Pella and held his other hand out. His mouth was suddenly filled with an explosion of sweet tasting fruit. It was so good that he wanted to force the rest in. He stopped himself from acting like a littlun and savoured it—barely.
Bainbridge growled in disgruntlement. He quickly snatched up an empty sack and chose the biggest and best Pella on his stall. He was a good man at heart—a fool with his money, but a good fool.
Del swallowed and took the sack. “There was this big battle see—”
“A battle?” The merchant asked sharply. “Where?”
Del scowled. “Do you want to hear it or not?”
“Yes, yes. Get on with it!”
“There was this battle see. The Lady tricked them Hasians up north. She used her magic to make ’em think they had her trapped.”
“But they didn’t? You’re sure boy, really sure that she’s safe?”
“The King is sure,” Del said slyly.
“You overheard this?”
This was the point where his story would be believed or just taken for rumour. Del put as much scorn into his voice as he could. “Course not! Father Ran always goes to see the King alone, but I heard him talking to cook after he came back.”
Bainbridge’s face lightened even as he snorted in derision. “Ranulf always was a fool. She’ll be spilling the story all over Devarr before long.”
“I doubt it. Father Ran said if she did he would throw her on the street.”
The merchant’s eyes gleamed. “He’ll not do it boy. He’s too kind hearted. I remember him before the troubles began. Ranulf’s inn was the best in Devarr. All the lords stayed there, but now? He has no room for ’em. Where’s the money in feeding you lot? Who ever heard of an innkeeper giving his rooms and food away for free?”
Del grinned. Ranulf said the same kinds of things about Bainbridge. “Don’t tell no one I told yer about the Lady.”
“I know when to keep my mouth shut, boy!”
Del grinned and ducked into the crowds. As soon as he could, he found a vantage from which to observe Bainbridge. The merchant was already giving instructions to his lackey to mind the stall.
Bainbridge pushed quickly through the crowded marketplace and accosted a man behind another of the stalls. The baker turned away from a sale and cocked his head to listen as he whispered his story.
Del smiled a moment before letting it slip. He replaced it with his more usual ‘I dare you’ glare, and made his way home to Father Ran.
* * *
“And what do we have here I wonder,” Ranulf said to the three little waifs who accompanied Tor.
The two girls were looking around with bright and inquisitive eyes, while the boy continued to glare at his escort. Tor was smirking, which made the newcomer mad enough for it to show, but he was much smaller than Tor. He was obviously unwilling to fight or run while under his captor’s eyes.
Ranulf’s heart lurched in his chest as two pairs of sapphire blue eyes came to rest upon him. The girls looked up at him and smiled shyly. “Have you no names for me, ladies? Should I call you piglet one and piglet two?” The girl on the left giggled; the other just stared at him solemnly.
“My name’s Halah. I’m seven.”
“Seven! My, that’s nearly grown up!” Ranulf almost laughed
at the very serious nod she gave him. He turned to the other one. “And are you seven too piglet?”
She nodded.
“No name for me, little piglet?” He coaxed, but she just stared at him with those amazing eyes. It was the boy who set matters straight. Still scowling, he stepped forward.
“She’s mute.”
“She cannot speak?”
“Never has as far as I know. I found her in me hidey one night during the Hungry.”
“And you look after her, do you?”
The boy scowled even more. “They don’t eat much,” he said defensively.
Ranulf sighed. He could see that none of the three had eaten much for a very long while. “Well then, boy, what should I call you?”
“Connell is my name.”
“And the girl?”
“Anything you want…” he began but Tor nudged him in the back warningly. “We call her Julia.”
“After the Lady is it? And before?”
Connell shrugged uncomfortably. “Girl mostly.”
“Hmmm. I like Julia better.” Ranulf turned to find cook and the others waiting. He beckoned them over. “This is Lady Halah and this Lady Julia. See to it they are washed and fed.”
Cook nodded. “Come along my dears. I have a nice soup on the stoves, and there’s plenty of hot water for baths,” she said as she ushered the girls away.
Ranulf turned back to Tor. “Show Connell where everything is. Tell him the rules, and give him his clothes.”
“I ain’t staying!” Connell protested and Tor nudged him again. “Do what you want, I ain’t staying.”
“As you wish, boy,” Ranulf said. “I’ll not try to force you, but don’t you want to see that your friends are taken care of?”
Connell glanced toward the door where cook had led the girls and wavered in his resolve. “Well, just today then.”
Ranulf held in a grin. “You might as well have a quick wash while you’re here. I guess I can afford to let you have a meal and the clothes for free—just this once mind!” He said forcing a scowl onto his face as Tor grinned behind Connell’s back.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Dragon Dawn Page 13
