CHAPTER XIX
Perr Thunderground walked alone into Chevner’s Inn in the walled Capital Town of Evensguard. He gave a quick look around as if for a table, but clocked his Stormclouds sitting around the inn. He walked up to the bar and ordered an ale and as it was placed in front of him he spoke quietly.
“I am looking for Clivinius’ Bedrest.”
“I know not of what you speak,” the bar tender told him in a hushed tone.
“Of course, forgive me,” Thunderground said and went to an empty table. He had drunk another ale before a man sat down at his table with an ale.
“Terrible ale here,” the man said.
“I’ve had better,” agreed Thunderground.
“Then perhaps you should go to where the ale is better,” the man suggested.
“That would be a fine thing, the Isle of the Skies is nice this time of year,” Thunderground noted. “I wish I could do such a thing.”
“You will wish otherwise if you stay.”
“Could I see someone a little more fearsome?”
“You are trying my patience.”
“That’s wonderful,” Thunderground took a slurp of his ale.
“You ask of things you know nothing about and you speak foolishly,” the man threatened.
“I ask things I know a little of, but don’t think your boys at the bar would get their blades unsheathed before I have run them through.”
“As I say, you speak foolishly.”
“Killing you will not get me any closer to speaking to your leader.”
The man laughed and drank. “You must think highly of yourself to say such things, but again I tell you to leave.”
It was Thunderground’s turn to laugh.
“You, sir, have no idea whom you speak to, if you did you would realise your words are the foolish ones.”
“Oh and who do I speak to?”
Thunderground leaned in close and whispered. “I am Perr Thunderground, Lord Stormcloud.”
The man sat back in surprise and Thunderground merely nodded. The man leaned back in.
“And why do you look for Clivinius’ Bedrest?”
“I apologise, but that is not for me to say to you.”
The man got up, picked up his ale and took a long swig. He swayed a little.
“Well I say to you, that is no way to raise pigs, I shall find another table,” the man said loudly and staggered to the bar where he dropped his mug and staggered out of the inn. A few people looked up and then went back to their own conversations.
Thunderground shook his head as if perplexed, but within the shake he nodded to the door. His Stormclouds left in small groups and in the middle he himself left and walked through the dirt streets between the wooden buildings until he came to the Fatted Swine Inn. Even outside he could hear the music and the rowdy conversation. He entered and again scanning the room could see his Stormclouds around the inn. He ordered an ale and found a table that was occupied by two of the Stormcloud women. They ignored him after his polite request to sit.
He was through his third ale there when the two women got up and left and a man took their place. He had a thick beard that didn’t look right on him and his long hair covered even more of his face.
“You take a great risk coming out of the shadows,” the man said conversationally after a sip of his ale.
“Another has come out of the shadows,” Thunderground replied.
“The Ranger?”
“Indeed.”
This seemed to take the man back.
“What is the meaning of this?” he asked quietly.
“We are breaking him out. We need you to rally the troops.”
“You pull no punches.”
“That beard does not become you, time to show your face again, Commander Harris.”
The man quickly scanned the bar. “Don’t use that name,” he hissed.
“Remove the knife from between my legs and relax,” Thunderground said.
The man moved slightly under the table and brought both hands up around his ale. “You think we haven’t tried to free him?”
“There is a man and his boy, Fifth Worlders; The Shadow Ranger, The Defender of the Forest Way and the Pirate d’Gaz rally around them,” Thunderground whispered fiercely and then they both scanned the room to see if anyone had heard.
“And what do you want from me?”
“An army.”
The man nodded to himself and took another drink.
“I have few men.”
“We are gathering them.”
“Very well, I see you were not expecting any other result.”
“You would not let your King down.”
“No,” the man shook his head. “But we need somewhere to congregate, somewhere with supplies.”
“What are you thinking?”
The man pointed to the wall behind the bar.
“The wall?” Thunderground asked.
“Behind the wall.”
“The castle?” he leaned even further in. “Are you mad? You want us to take Evensguard Castle?”
“You propose such a plan and then question my sanity?”
“Very well, I will send messengers out to meet at the castle. For now shave that beard and show your face, it is time to lead the Armies of the King once again.”
“So be it, a man will find you here again tomorrow night,” the man said and left.
And with that the rebellion of Sylvae had begun.
%%%
The Doomed Lovers’ Inn in Maelem’s Square was quiet, as was the whole town in the dark of the evening.
“We stick out like a Chooven at a formal dance,” d’Gaz said.
“You would stick out at a Chooven dance,” Alura noted.
“Ahh, well, too much time at sea,” d’Gaz frowned, but Alura smiled.
“He couldn’t stand the sea at one point, you know?” she asked the Shadow Ranger.
“Really?” he raised his eyebrows. “A pirate who is scared of the sea?”
“She didn’t say scared, she said didn’t like.”
“Of course, of course,” Mattaeus tried not to grin. “What happened?”
“I had no choice. I’m adaptable.”
“The Yokum Rebellion changed everything for everyone,” Alura said.
“It did,” Mattaeus agreed.
“And how would you know?” Alura asked him, but d’Gaz laughed.
“Don’t try to pin him down,” he said with a smile. “If you think the Shadow Ranger didn’t have a hand in the rebellion, you don’t know him like I do.’
“Well, obviously I don’t, but how do you know each other?”
“That is a question for another time,” Mattaeus said as two men entered the inn and walked to the bar.
The Shadow Ranger walked up to the bar and ordered more drinks.
“We need horses,” one of the men said.
“Horses?” the Shadow Ranger asked.
“Yes, you know where we can get some?”
“Perhaps we can talk a deal?”
“Then let us sit,” the man said and Mattaeus brought drinks back to his table, nodded to d’Gaz and Alura and then joined the men at their table.
“So?” asked Alura.
“So what?” d’Gaz raised an eyebrow.
“We go back a long way, d’Gaz and yet I think the two of you go back further.”
“Perhaps so.”
“Why is everyone cagey about the past? Especially when it comes to him?”
“It would not do well to cross the Shadow Ranger.”
“No, I have heard the stories, but are we to be a team or not?”
d’Gaz laughed. “Mattaeus is his own team. Always and forever treading his own path. We have merely crossed that path.”
“I do not like it,” Alura frowned.
“You will have time to learn some of his secrets,” d’Gaz said and then the Shadow Ranger was sitting down again.
“What news?”
“Not good,” Mattaeus
said. “The Commander of the Armies wants to storm Evensguard Castle.”
“What?” d’Gaz asked with surprise. “Why?”
“As a base for his men to meet and arm themselves.”
“This will draw too much attention to our plans,” Alura said.
“I know,” Mattaeus agreed. “By Thunder, this Commander bets too safely for our plans.”
“Then what are we to do?” Alura asked.
“Go and join them, make it as quick as possible. I have already sent word to the Capital City.”
“Then let us finish our ale and go,” d’Gaz said and picked up his drink.
“Forget the ale,” Alura said.
“Never forget the ale. Who knows when we might get another one,” d’Gaz said with a wink.
%%%
The night was dark as thick cloud covered the moon. Perr Thunderground could not decide if it was a good or bad omen as he stood in the darkness of an alleyway in Evensguard.
“Only someone with something to hide stands alone in a darkened alleyway,” a voice said and Thunderground jumped slightly.
“We all have many things to hide,” he replied trying not to show his scare.
“How do we go?”
“It is well,” Thunderground replied. “Well, as well as it can be considering.”
“Indeed,” said the voice. “We need speed not caution.”
“But we need an army and so we have to do what the Commander wants.”
“What you say is true. Has he assembled his men?”
“They are scattered around the town and just outside. Ready and willing.”
“Then we go tomorrow night?”
“We do.”
“Make your way to the Capital City to lead the unrest, I’ll lead from here,” the voice said.
Thunderground waited a little while, unsure whether the man had gone or was still in the darkness. His eyes had adjusted over the time he was waiting and he could make out shapes, but he never saw the voice’s owner. That’s why they call him the Shadow Ranger, Thunderground thought and left.
The Foreshadow of Balance Page 20
