“That’s your plan?” asked Rizzo, a little nervousness showing in his voice. It was obvious he wasn’t comfortable with the plan.
“What do you mean?” said Vosh.
“What if the person decides to go to their room while we are still in there?” asked Rizzo. “Considering most of the people in here are drunk, it’s a good possibility.”
"Are you ok? You look tense." Rizzo looked to his side to see Melanie with a tray in her hand, staring at him. He didn’t even notice her walking up to the table. She bent over to set the food and ale down.
"He's fine,” said Vosh. "My brother is just a little shy, so he gets nervous around crowds of people."
"No need to be nervous,” said Melanie. "Everyone here is just trying to have a good time. Except maybe for Lodin. I think he comes here just to make other people miserable." She pointed to a young, blonde-haired boy in his late teens, sitting by himself at a table close to where the girl was singing. He looked like the typical noble to Rizzo. Richly dressed and with his nose in the air, like he was better than everyone else around him.
"Why not just kick him out if he causes that much trouble?" asked Rizzo, thinking that was an obvious solution.
"Unfortunately, his family owns this inn,” said Melanie. "On good days he will just sit over in that corner and listen to Selena sing. But if he is having a bad day, he will come in and pick fights with everyone. No one will touch him though because of his father, so he gets free reign to say whatever he wants." She finished putting the food and ale on the table and smiled at them both. "I probably should stop talking bad about him though, seeing as he could fire me. Well, you boys just let me know if you need anything else."
Melanie turned and walked away, leaving Vosh and Rizzo to their soup. Rizzo couldn’t help but stare at Lodin while he ate. His family probably had enough gold to feed the people of the slums for years. Rizzo was not a perfect man by any means, but he liked to think that if he had that much wealth, he would use it to make a difference in this city.
Rizzo tried not to think about it while he ate his soup. Towards the end of their meal, Rizzo watched as a woman got up from her table, walked over to where Selena was sitting, drop a few coins in a small box, then leave the inn.
"Why did she just put coins into that box?" asked Rizzo curiously, still new to things in the Merchant’s District.
Vosh nodded towards Selena. “She is an entertainer. People come here to hear her sing and have a good time. And she relies on people to have a good enough time that they want to pay her. She is actually very talented compared to others in the city, so I'm willing to bet she makes a decent living."
“Does the innkeeper not pay her for singing here?” asked Rizzo.
“He will most likely give her free food and a bed to sleep in, but that’s about it,” said Vosh.
Rizzo agreed with Vosh on how talented she was. Her voice paired perfectly with the harp and the music it created relaxed him almost to where he could forget about all his worries. As they sat there, more customers walked by Selena and dropped coins for her. With each person that went up to her, Rizzo felt more and more as if he should contribute. After all, he was having a good time.
After Selena finished her song, Rizzo stood up and walked over to the box on the floor. He took a copper coin out of his pocket and dropped it in. As he looked up from the box, his eyes met Selena's again. But this time, she was only a few feet away.
Being this close to her made Rizzo realize just how beautiful she was. Wavy, fiery red hair hung down the front of her body below her chest. Her eyes were deep pools of swirling green that drew you in and kept you there, paralyzing you and making it so you could hardly breathe. She giggled at how he was staring at her, making Rizzo blush with embarrassment.
“Look, everyone, it’s a once in a lifetime event!” Shouted Lodin from behind Rizzo, breaking the spell. “A beggar is actually giving someone else a coin.”
Rizzo was instantly reminded of the people in the room watching Selena. He refused to turn around and face the crowd behind him and their laughter. He didn't even know what made him walk up to Selena anyway. He was still looking at her, his face a mixture of embarrassment and anger. She stared back, still smiling innocently.
Selena leaned towards Rizzo and spoke quietly enough so that only he could hear. “Thank you. And don’t let that little shit over there ruin your night.” Selena then got back into position on the harp and played again.
Rizzo was so taken back by what Selena said, he forgot about Lodin and the people behind him. He didn’t think girls like her would use that type of language. She gazed through the crowd again as she resumed her singing. Rizzo turned around to see that everyone was looking past him, ignoring him and seeing only Selena. No one cared about what Lodin said, they were just here to enjoy the night. Feeling slightly better, he walked back to the table with Vosh.
"Don't let people like that bother you,” said Vosh as Rizzo sat down. "One day the world will give him what he deserves." Rizzo looked over at Lodin who was back to just watching Selena.
"Lodin looks about our size, right?" said Rizzo with a sinister smile on his face.
"You have a dangerous mind, my friend,” said Vosh. "You need to think twice before saying what I think you are about to say.”
Rizzo had his mind set though, and when that happened he was impossibly stubborn. "Why wait for the world to give him what he deserves when we can give him a little taste of it right now?"
Vosh laughed and clapped his hands together. “Rizzo, I always knew you had a crazy side. Well, I guess now we have our mark. We just need to find out which room is his.”
Just then a line of servers came out of the kitchen, all carrying trays full smoking meats, fruits, vegetables, and desserts. Each walked over to Lodin’s table and set the multiple plates in front of him. Rizzo’s anger rose more and more as each plate was set down. That was more food than five men could eat, and he was greedy enough to have all of that made just for himself.
“Well at least now we know he won’t be going anywhere for a while,” said Vosh with disbelief and amazement. They left Lodin’s table and headed back towards the kitchen door. Vosh saw that Melanie was one of the people who delivered the food, and when she was passing by he motioned for her to come over.
“Is there something else I can get for you?” asked Melanie. “Maybe some pie?” Vosh reached into his cloak and pulled another silver coin out. She reached for it but Vosh quickly closed his hand.
“I need some information,” said Vosh, staring at the girl with a very serious look.
“What kind of information.” Replied Melanie cautiously.
“I need to know which room our friend is staying in,” said Vosh, motioning towards Lodin.
Melanie instantly panicked, her eyes darting around the room to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Even after seeing that no one was paying attention to them, she still looked frightened. Eventually, her eyes wandered back to the coin in Vosh’s hand, staring at it with greedy eyes.
“I can’t tell you something like that,” said Melanie with a loud whisper. Her eyes continued darting from looking at the crowded room, then back to Vosh’s hand.
Rizzo could see that Vosh had her. She just needed a little more convincing.
“Look, we only need to go in there for a few minutes. I promise that we won’t get anyone in trouble,” said Vosh calmly. “Plus, it’s obvious you don’t like Lodin, so we will be doing you a favor. Not to mention you will be getting paid very handsomely.” Vosh reached inside his cloak and pulled out another silver coin. He didn’t wait for an answer before grabbing her hand and filling it with both coins. She took them and quickly stuffed them into a pocket.
“Go up the stairs and down the hall. His door is the last on the left.” Melanie didn’t even wait for Vosh to acknowledge what she said before turning around and quickly scurrying into the kitchen.
“I really hope this job is paying more than what you just spent,”
said Rizzo.
“It is. But it’s not always about the coin,” said Vosh. “If we are successful with a job in the Noble’s District, the guild will have to take notice.” Rizzo trusted him when he said it was paying well, but he had already seen Vosh spend three silver coins. That was a lot for someone from the Slums. “We should probably start getting cleaned up if we plan on finishing the job tonight.”
Vosh picked up his bowl and downed the rest of the soup, then wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his tunic. He stood up and walked towards the stairs with Rizzo following behind.
At the top, there was a hallway with multiple doors on either side. It was immaculately clean with candles along the wall for lighting and a long ruby red rug lining the floor.
“Wait here and signal me if someone starts coming up the stairs,” said Vosh. He quietly walked to the door that Melanie told them was Lodin’s and reached into his pocket to pull out his lock pick. Vosh quickly went to work while Rizzo stood watch. Within seconds he had the door unlocked and signaled Rizzo over.
“Come on, hurry up,” said Vosh with a loud whisper. “We need to get this over with quickly.” He disappeared through the door as Rizzo ran down the hallway.
He entered the room and found Vosh was already searching around in a frenzy. His hands a flourish of movements as they combed through the drawers of a dresser. Rizzo closed the door behind him and glanced around.
On the left side of the room was a lavish, dark black four-post bed with a canopy top. Royal red silk sheets and blankets with black embroidery covered the bed. It was massive, the headboard sitting against the wall and stretching all the way to the middle of the room. On the wall opposite the door was a stone fireplace, full of fresh wood.
Vosh removed a shirt from the dresser and held it up in the air to examine it. His eyes glanced past the shirt towards Rizzo. “What are you doing just standing there?” said Vosh. His eyes and head motioned towards a washtub full of water on the other side of the room. “Take those mangy clothes off and start getting cleaned up.” He threw the shirt he was holding towards the bed and resumed shuffling through the dresser.
Rizzo wasted no more time and pulled his shirt over his head while walking towards the tub. After removing the remainder of his clothes, he grabbed a brush off the ground and slowly stepped into the water. He gasped as the cold water reached his chest. After a few seconds of adjusting, he used the brush to scrub layers of dirt from his skin. Within seconds, the once clean water turned to a murky brown.
Vosh was already changed and searching under the bed when Rizzo finished bathing. When he came out from under the bed, he looked Rizzo up and down.
“Not bad,” said Vosh while nodding his head to show approval.
Rizzo still looked a little disheveled and missed a few spots of dirt, but overall, he looked much better. Vosh walked over and tugged and pulled at a few places to straighten out Rizzo’s clothes. Then, once he was satisfied, he stepped back to examine him again.
Vosh had chosen an extravagant dark blue tunic for Rizzo while he picked a forest green tunic for himself. “That will do,” he said before discarding their old clothes by hiding them under the bed. He kept his old heavy black cloak though and wrapped it around his shoulders. Vosh would never part with his old cloak.
“There, now we need to go before we lose the last of our daylight,” said Vosh as he walked to the door. He cautiously opened it and poked his head out to look around. After not seeing anyone, he signaled for Rizzo to follow and quickly slithered out into the hallway.
They could hear the commotion of voices from below as they got closer to the stairs. Vosh paused and turned to Rizzo, “When we get down there don’t look at anyone. Just keep your head up and walk straight for the door.”
Rizzo followed Vosh and did his best to heed his advice. He felt out of place in Lodin’s clothes, as they were slightly too big and much finer than anything he had ever worn before.
When Rizzo got to the bottom of the stairs he found that the common room was even more packed than before. Vosh didn’t slow, leading the way at a quick pace, maneuvering between the people in the crowded room.
As they got close to the door Rizzo couldn’t help himself and stole a glance over to where Selena was singing. She was looking directly at him, shaking her head and smiling. That look gave Rizzo the chills.
He got a strange feeling she knew what they had just done. But if she knew, she made no move to stop him. She just kept singing, so Rizzo kept walking. He followed Vosh out the door and into the street, keeping a fast pace so they could make it to the Noble’s District before sunset.
After they turned their first corner, Vosh slowed, looking around to see if anyone was following. “So, what do you think of the clothes?” asked Vosh.
Rizzo was not much for small talk. He enjoyed listening to other people’s conversations more than talking himself. But he knew Vosh was the complete opposite. He would try to talk to anyone and everyone, always looking for new people to meet.
That was how they had met, Vosh talking to Rizzo when they were kids in the orphanage. He had posed a challenge as one too shy to talk, enticing Vosh at first. Vosh quickly realized that Rizzo was a smart kid, much smarter than the others. At first Vosh got to know Rizzo because he saw him as useful, but over the years a strong friendship was built.
“They’re great,” said Rizzo. He was amazed at how much softer the fabric was against his skin compared to the scratchy rags he wore before. “Too bad we can’t keep them.”
Vosh sighed. “One day we will make a reputation for ourselves that will demand respect from everyone around us. And then, we can do whatever we want. Everyone will know me as the best thief in Sartram! And you will be my trusty sidekick.” Vosh clapped Rizzo on the shoulder.
“Ya, ya, whatever you say,” said Rizzo, knowing Vosh meant what he said about becoming the best thief in Sartram. But he was still very young and had a long way to go. They continued talking about how things would be in the future for almost the entire walk.
Chapter three
After about an hour walk through the Merchant’s District, they were near the noble’s gate. There was already a great difference in the richness of Rizzo’s surroundings as they walked through the wealthier part of the city. One of the differences that worried him a bit was the increase in the amount of guards patrolling the streets.
“We are getting close,” said Vosh, pointing ahead. “I can see the tops of the watchtowers.” He reached into his cloak and pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper. “You should probably go over this pass, so you know who we are supposed to be.” Rizzo’s brow furrowed in irritation.
“You just now realized that would be a good idea?” said Rizzo.
“It may have slipped my mind with all the excitement of getting a job in the Noble’s District,” said Vosh as if it was no big deal. He continued opening the letter and then read it aloud. “This pass entitles Sir Robert Belhus of Avlodon, heir to the Belhus family, to be allowed entry into the Noble’s District to arrange trade agreements with House Elmhurst.” The seal of the king was stamped in the upper right-hand corner to make it official, even though they knew it to be a forgery.
“It’s simple enough,” said Rizzo. “So, it’s probably best that you take the lead as Robert.”
Vosh stuffed the paper back in his cloak. “Yes, and we can say you are my servant,” said Vosh with a smirk.
As much as Rizzo did not like being referred to as Vosh’s servant, he had to admit that it was a good idea. It would allow Vosh to be the one to do the talking while he just stood there. Impersonating other people was not one of Rizzo’s strong points.
“Yes, Sir Belhus,” said Rizzo, mocking Vosh with an exaggerated tone and flourishing bow. If he was forced to play the part of the servant, he intended to have a little fun with it. He knew Vosh couldn’t stand nobles and wouldn’t enjoy being treated like one.
When they made the turn down the street with the Noble’s District
gate entrance, Rizzo got nervous. The thought of seeing the Noble’s District was great, but it also made his stomach turn. He looked over at Vosh to see him smiling excitedly like he didn’t have a worry in the world. He knew Vosh was born for this and thrived on the adrenaline from danger.
Rizzo was not afraid of a little danger, but lying was not his strong point. When questioned, he could never make up stories on the spot. His experiences with people in the past were not the best, so he preferred jobs that required as little human interaction as possible.
As he got close enough to the gate to make out the guards, his heart raced. Two massive men stood on either side, wearing full sets of splint armor, hands resting on swords. They looked as if they were ready for war. Polished steel that reflected the sunlight covered the bulk of their bodies, with black leather armor protecting the joints to allow for easier movement. Behind them stood an enormous gate built into a towering twenty-foot wall that surrounded the entire Noble’s District.
“Those guards look a lot different than the ones around the Merchant’s District,” said Rizzo nervously.
Vosh didn’t seem surprised. “Ya, I heard that the Noble’s District doesn’t have regular guards. They are trained elite soldiers from inside the king’s army. The nobles of the city pay a high tax to get the best protection possible.”
It seemed Vosh was well educated about the Noble’s District, but everything Vosh said was making Rizzo even more nervous.
How were they supposed to fool a group of Sartram’s elite soldiers, he thought to himself?
Vosh was grinning excitedly like a mad-man.
The Mage's Path Page 4
