There was no doubt from his expression that the innkeeper knew exactly who Michael was seeking, but he replied, “I’ll get your bottle, but no one by that name has ever been to Swamp Ford.”
Michael reached out with mage thought-talk and discovered that John was sleeping in the single private room at the inn. He said, “If you plan to wake John and warn him someone is looking for him, please tell him Michael Son-of-William is here and would like to share a bottle of south slope wine with him.”
Michael flipped him a gold crown and said, “That’s for both the wine and the information.” He went over and took a seat at a table next to the closed door to the private room.
The innkeeper opened the door to John’s room, and a few minutes, John came out and hugged Michael exclaiming how glad he was to see an old friend.
The innkeeper brought the wine and a couple of glasses and asked if they needed anything else before he turned in for the night. They did not, and the innkeeper ushered the two drunks out of the inn and turned off the lanterns except for the one nearest their table. John and Michael chatted about local conditions and other things until they were certain both the innkeeper and his wife were sleeping.
Michael explained the reason for his visit and the letter being sent to all of the provincial high priests.
“From your expression, I assume you found a way around this dilemma. I hope I don’t lose the use of any body parts in your new way of hiding manna.”
Michael explained, “It may sound a little creepy, but I used cancer reach to put a sheet of gold film around my spleen. It works fine, I think. At least I felt no pain, and I can’t feel the gold inside of me.”
“Shit man, you want to stick your hand into my gut and leave something inside. That whole idea will take some getting used to; in fact I may need some more wine before you begin.”
After finishing the rest of the bottle, John asked, “You can really use cancer reach to put something in rather than cut it out? You make a sheet of gold out of thin air, enchant it to hide manna, convert yourself into an eagle, fly two hours, wake me up at midnight, and want to stick you hand into my belly. Only for you Michael, only for you. How do you want to do this? Is there going to be blood?”
Michael took the bowl from his pack and filled it with brandy. He washed his hands in the brandy and took out the gold film. “John, there’ll be no pain and no blood. Just open your shirt, and it’ll be over in seconds.”
A few seconds later, Michael was finished. “That was it. Your manna is invisible for good. There is something I can do with your old manna ring if you like. There is a naiad spell called shell skin that the naiads use to keep insects from biting. It might come in handy living in a swamp. It doesn’t work like real armor; it will just make your skin too tough for the critters to bite. It won’t stop a sword or strong knife blow, but it should stop a snakebite as well as all insects.”
“That’s a great idea. I must have had two hundred bites since I moved here. I’ve had to cure myself of swamp fever three times already. Can you make one for my friend High Priest Carson? He has no immunity to swamp fever or the other swamp sicknesses. Most of the locals have been cured enough times to at least be somewhat resistant.”
Michael enchanted two rings, said goodbye, and flew back to his room in Marigold Meadows. The following two nights he flew to Kate at Iron Pick and Lady Marsha at Black Sand Beach. When he arrived at the beach, he could see his three line-fishing boats anchored offshore. It was time for all of the healers at Black Sand Beach to leave. He made the submerge manna modification for Lady Marsha and her three helpers who would travel on to Snowport.
He asked Lady Agnes to let Diana know that he would be in Rock Point within a month to officially ask her father for her hand. He flew back south to Marigold Meadows, entered his room at the inn and slept soundly for the first time since he read the letter to the Provencal High Priests. All the healers that he knew were remaining in mainland Glastamear were protected.
Chapter 40
Michael was thankful that he intercepted the message about the new search procedures. His efforts would help protect those few healers remaining in Glastamear from discovery. However, there was another problem with the letter he would need to discuss with Lord Guild Master Hampton when he returned to Rock Point. The letter had reported that over a thousand healers had been executed, and that number exceeded the total number of guild healers before the pogrom began. It was possible it included people charged with helping healers. There were also several dozen people in Glastamear who had been offered training and guild membership but declined for various reasons. Perhaps there were also healers that the guild had never discovered because of their remote villages.
Michael’s concern was centered on what that nine out of ten reduction in healers would do to future generations. He knew that in the ancient founding documents of the guild, there was an admonition that healers should be encouraged to marry non-healers so that the manna trait would not become concentrated in a single caste with the exclusive power to use healing magic. Marriage within the guild was not forbidden, but it was not encouraged. He also knew that if a healer married another healer their children were much more likely to become healers. He had heard that if two master healers had children, every child would have healing magic to some degree.
With almost all of the remaining healers of childbearing age concentrated in one small village at Rock Point, would the manna needed for healing magic disappear from the rest of Glastamear in a few generations? Would the guild leadership decide that he should not marry another healer and further concentrate the trait? Only the Guild Master could answer that.
He decided to complete his search of southern Glastamear quickly and return to Rock Point to discuss this with the guild master before asking Diana’s father for her hand in marriage.
He rode south through a changing environment. Different crops were common in the south because there was never brutal winter weather. Whenever the road neared the sea, coconut palms and other tropical vegetation dominated the white sand beaches. The markets were full of fruits like bananas, pineapples, mangos, breadfruit, and dragon fruit, and Michael enjoyed the pleasant weather and delicious curries prepared at every inn. Each night he would transform into a Ki Eagle and search for healer manna, but he never found any. The south seemed to be completely purged of healers.
Southport was a substantial city of at least a hundred thousand people located on an island connected to the mainland by two wide pink granite causeways. Like all major cities and towns, by the royal decree of the ancient kings of Glastamear, all city buildings must be built of stone or brick with tile or slate roofs to prevent fires. In Southport, pink granite was the most common stone, and the city looked like a fantastic pink rockery garden rising from the indigo tropical sea. The size of the island had prevented the city from spreading out, and to compensate, the buildings had grown higher to accommodate the growing population. Many apartment buildings were ten stories, and even the lowest buildings were four or five.
Almost every street was covered with colorful striped cloth awnings that reflected the hot noonday sun, so that as Michael rode through the city toward the former healers’ guildhall and hospital, he didn’t see the sky except for an occasional glimpse where streets intersected. What he did see was a great wealth of shops selling every luxury he had ever heard of and many he didn’t even recognize. Near the center of town, a hill rose about twenty paces higher than the surrounding town, and at the highest point was the Great Temple of Southport. The Healers’ Hall and Hospital of Southport was located across the street.
When Michael entered the square, he got his first clear view of the Great Temple. It was much more ornate that any other in Glastamear. The huge building was clad in white marble with colorful stone inlays on every flat surface that told the story of Perry’s life and ascension to the heavens. Its highest tower must have been the equivalent of a building with twenty-five stories; it was the tallest structure
Michael had ever seen and reputed to be the tallest structure ever built by man. Since the temple was already at the highest point in town, the great tower, The Light of Perry, served as a lighthouse visible from thirty thousand paces out to sea.
A well-tended park was bursting with tropical flowers. A dramatic cascade of fountains flowed into a reflecting pool in front of the main temple entrance, and just across the street was a beautiful building with the words Southport Hospital inlayed in black granite on the white marble over an ornate bronze door that depicted healers at work in bas-relief. The hospital building was ten stories high and completely clad in the same white marble used in the temple. It was certainly large enough to accommodate two hundred patients at once as well as the local administrative offices of the guild. A sign on the main door read, “For information about this building contact Sir Julian Son-of-Alfred in the merchants quarter.”
Like Briarton, King Richard the Vengeful had claimed this building, and his agent was offering it for sale. Michael assumed that this intact structure would be much more expensive than the ruin he’d purchased in Briarton. He had already spent much of his letter of credit in Briarton, and now he didn’t have enough to buy a substantial building in this city’s most desirable location; however, he really wanted to preserve it for the future use of the guild.
He went looking for his banker’s agent; Arthur’s agent in Southport was Timothy Son-of-Timothy on Sea View Lane. Michael asked for directions and was soon in the merchants’ quarter on a street facing a palm-studded white sand beach on which many people sat and enjoyed the sun while having lunch; others were swimming in the warm sea. Timothy’s household occupied the whole five-story townhouse, a sign of great wealth in a city where even most of the gentry rented apartments in town and had their main estates in the countryside. Timothy was gracious to Michael and offered lunch while they got acquainted.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you in person Michael. Your Captain Eric stops and adds to your letter of credit every time he trades in Southport. He is quite successful, but I assume he’s home in Snowport for the winter.”
“Yes, he’s either there or on his way. All of my line fishing ships are crewed by men from Snowport, and they’ll spend the winter months with their families.”
After some get acquainted conversation, Timothy seemed a little uncertain about mentioning something. “I heard about your shopping arcade in Briarton. It sounds like a great investment; do you plan any similar projects here. There’s a lot of wealth here in the south, and I’m certain an exclusive shopping area would be popular. I might like to join you in such an investment.”
“I noticed the former hospital building across from the Great Temple is for sale. Do you think the church and governor would allow the first floor to be shopping and the higher floors for exceptionally exclusive apartments? I think the views must be outstanding.”
“It’s the choicest property that’s ever been on the market here, but extremely expensive. With the correct inducement, a waiver for shopping could be had. In Southport apartments, even fancy ones, cooking is not allowed. Usually the first floor of a Southport apartment holds a common dining room that serves three or four choices at each meal for free to the tenants. In the finest establishments, you can send a servant down to ask for any food you want, and the waiters will bring it to your apartment when it’s ready, even if you’re having a formal dinner party for a dozen or more, the kitchen will provide it. Of course, if you order special food, it’s added to your monthly rent.”
Timothy continued, “The building you mentioned has a one-story surgery annex behind the first floor that could be used as a kitchen and dining area if there were exclusive shops along the front. The roof of the annex could be made into a courtyard for the residents and provide a nice view from the backside of the building on the lower floors. The higher floors would have views of the sea from three sides and views of the temple square from the front. I think apartments in the hospital building would command the highest rents in the whole city, but the building is listed for 25,000 crowns. It might sell for 18,000 if King Richard is in a hurry to get some money out of it. That’s more money than any local investors, including me, can afford for a single building.”
Michael used mage thought-talk to judge Timothy’s reaction before proceeding.
“Timothy, as my friend Arthur of Stone Lane’s partner, I feel I can trust you with some extremely confidential information. One of my fishing boats was driven far from the other two in a storm. The Diana nearly floundered near an uncharted island here in the southern sea. Captain Eric found he was not the first ship to find danger on that jagged shore. While the others made repairs, Captain Eric explored the shore and found a chest from an old kingdom shipwreck with enough gold for this project and others. He hid the chest near here and sent word to me of his discovery and its current hiding place.”
Michael noticed Timothy’s astounded expression and continued, “I’m willing to make you the same offer that I made Sir Gregory in Briarton. I would give you a one-quarter interest without a capital contribution if you manage the project. I will also give one crown in ten of the net rental income to the church in order to encourage their support. I would like the top floor reserved for my own use. I will make it into a private apartment and the center of my business efforts. I will offer the ninth floor for free use by traveling priests and knight protectors who would like to stay near the temple.”
Michael needed the top floor because he wanted access to the roof when he needed to transform into a Ki Eagle, and he wanted to be able to eavesdrop on the traveling churchmen to keep track of what was happening in the church.
Timothy stuttered as he replied. “My good sir, that is the most generous offer I ever received. My family will always be in your debt. Certainly, I accept with gratitude. Please stay as my family’s guest here in our home while you’re in town. I’ll make an appointment with Sir Julian for tomorrow morning.”
“I accept your gracious offer to stay in your home. I will need to borrow or rent three additional packhorses to carry that weight of coin. I’ll add about 20,000 old kingdom crowns to my letter of credit later today.”
“Certainly, you may take as many of my packhorses as you need. Should I send some servants to help you load? That’s a lot of gold.”
“I’d rather not share the location; it’s something I must do on my own.”
After finishing his lunch, Michael rode out of town with four packhorses. He found a secluded spot a few thousand paces from the nearest road or town and began to fashion coins pulling pure gold from the seawater.
He had seen old kingdom coins with their royal images and imperial seals in William’s private antiquities collection. He fashioned ten samples with different images of ancient kings and queens, and began to reproduce them putting them into the packs on the horses once they became heavy in his hands. It was four hours later, and he had lost count of the exact number when he decided he’d made enough. He knew he had exceeded his quota by at least a thousand.
He headed back to Southport, and when he reached the entrance to the causeway, he found Timothy waiting with ten mercenaries. A quick use of mage thought-talk reassured Michael that his agent was here to help protect the enormous deposit he was about to make to his letter of credit.
As they rode along Sea View Lane, everyone in the merchant quarter stopped to watch the procession of the best-known local banker followed by four heavily laden packhorses protected by ten heavily armed guards. His arrival would be the talk of the town by dinnertime. Many people seemed curious as to the identity of the expensively dressed and wiry young man on the spirited black stallion. Michael chatted with Timothy as they rode along pretending to ignore the gathering crowd. Various people greeted Timothy, and he smiled and waved at people he knew.
The gate to Timothy’s courtyard was open and they all rode through to where three young apprentice clerks were waiting to count and weigh the ancient crowns. The mercenaries closed and
barred the gate and took defensive positions around the courtyard. The clerks removed the heavy packs, and each clerk opened a bag and began to count the coins, dropping each into a chest in the middle of the courtyard after using counting tables to keep track. Timothy and Michael stood and watched for the two hours it took to count and test every coin.
Finally, the chief clerk approached with a written total and handed it to Timothy. “Michael Son-of-William you have added 21,337 crowns to your current letter of credit. You now hold the largest balance we have ever recorded in the three hundred years of our banking association. Let’s go get a drink before dinner and talk about tomorrow’s meeting with Sir Julian.”
Chapter 41
In the south, many wives of merchants were extremely active in the family business, and Timothy asked if his wife Carolyn could join the discussion. Of course, Michael agreed, and he was introduced to an attractive woman about the same age as Timothy. Both were the about the age his parents had been when they were murdered, and the couple physically resembled them except for their darker southern skin. Timothy explained the proposed deal for the hospital building and Carolyn could not hide her astonishment at Michael’s generous offer.
Timothy explained, “Carolyn takes care of our apartment investments and knows a lot more of that part of our business than I.”
Carolyn commented, “This is the most exciting project ever created in Southport. I think there’ll be a waiting list to get an apartment once the details are public. I suggest four spacious apartments per floor. That’s enough room for entertaining and extra rooms for servants. The class of people we’ll target will always have at least four servants. We can let each tenant design their own interior layout if they sign a five-year lease, and we’ll control the process to ensure that they meet our quality standards. As for the stores, we’ll have our choice since nearly everyone will want to be located there.”
The Pogrom of Mages: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume One Page 20
