The Dragons of Sara Sara (18 page)

Catharina and her companions found a booth along the wall and sat. They looked around the room with interest, they had themselves never ventured into an inn in their lives. All eyes were on them. Something was needed to break the tension. Catharina noticed that not a few of the men were giving her and her friends looks of open admiration. There was no doubt on their faces that three young women, turned golden brown from a life on the plains were a welcome sight in the inn.

Elsa winked at Edina then stretched her long brown legs out as they sat side on in the booth.

“What does one do to get a drink and some music in this place?” she asked no one in particular. Like a popping cork, suddenly the music started up again and the singer continued as though she had never stopped. A number of the bolder men fell over one another to carry mugs of ale and trays of breads over to the young warrior maidens. Laughing aloud with enjoyment the girls were the centre of attention, alternately dancing up a dust storm in the area by the musician's stand or drinking and arm wrestling the men at their tables. There were a few surprised looks from hard working men as they found that these young girls were as hard as iron nails under their silken exteriors. No easy marks in wrestling or dancing. Antonin, Gaul and Rees were right in the thick of it, although they gave no sign that they knew the girls. The girls played right along with them. The merriment went on into the night. The common room was packed. People were coming from near and far as word spread of the merriment to be found at the Inn of the Blind Man. The innkeeper had sent for all his serving girls. Those in attendance in the common room were being dragged, not unwillingly, onto the dance floor in between rushing about with trays laden with mugs of ale, spiced meats and crackling and small breads. The kitchen was in full swing and the cook was sure she had never worked so hard. It was a challenge she enjoyed so much she even forgot to scold the serving girls.

As Antonin swirled in the circle now forming on the dance floor, he caught the eye of a lone figure standing by the front door. Something in that look held his eye for a split second. He almost fell as the circle closed up and started to move. He tried to look over his shoulder but could not. When he came around again the lone figure was gone. Had he imagined it? He thought not. Something about that person had caused alarm bells to sound in his head. The circle swirled on and he found himself clasping Catharina to his chest as he spun in the intricate steps of the dance. He eyes were bright and her lips were parted in a wide smile of recognition and enjoyment as they spun out and around to plunge back into the circle. Suddenly she was gone, only her fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary in his hand as she moved to the next partner in the circle.

Suddenly Antonin stepped back out of the dance and regained his chair. He tilted his mug and glanced about the room over the lip as he drank slowly. He sputtered as a voice at his ear said softly

“That young Mare Altan has eyes for you Antonin Rukul. Take her back to your village if you value her life.”

Antonin leapt to his feet and whirled around to confront the speaker. A threat it was, and he recognised it as such immediately. His chair had gone over with a crash and knocked the drinks in the hands of men sitting nearby. They too leapt to their feet in outrage, brushing away the dripping liquid. Antonin looked about wildly. There was no one to be seen other than men at tables nearby, and none so close that they could have been whispering in his ear. The men who had suffered the spilt drink went back to fresh drinks as Antonin passed a handful of coins without looking to a serving girl, who calmed the men with the bounty suddenly appearing before them. There was only the faint smell as of burning pitch lingering in the air about him. Suddenly he noticed a figure pushing out into the night through the front door. Antonin won no friends as he rushed for the door himself, but again there was no one to be seen when he stumbled onto the wide front porch. Anton had lost his love of dancing and laughter and pushed back inside to go in search of Mei'An.

She was not to be found. Neither was Luan. Antonin had a bad feeling about this. Who could possibly know his name in this remote city. He had to find Mei'An and ask her advice. She had to know about this. The others as well as soon as he could drag them away from the merriment still going on in the common room.

Antonin went back to the common room and stood just inside the hallway door. Managing to catch the eye of each of the friends in turn, a slight jerk of the head was all they needed to tell them to find their way back to the private dining room. One by one, without seeming to be working together, they disappeared from the room. Hardly anyone noticed now. The merriment was set to continue into the early hours. It took only a few minutes and all were assembled in the private dining room. The girls were still flushed and laughing, and Gaul and Rees carried mugs of ale in their hands.

"So what causes such a serious look on the face of my young friend?” said Catharina to Antonin.

"Someone I saw in the crowd knows my name,” said Antonin. “And he told me to take you back to our village if I valued your life.” He added.

The smiles faded from the faces of his friends as his words sunk in. They had not even told the innkeeper their names. Catharina had been inclined to give a laugh of derision at any threat to her safety, but she could see that Antonin was very serious, and very worried on her behalf. She checked herself.

Antonin related the brief events. The man at the door. Moments later the words in his ear. The smell of pitch. The hurried departure of the person from the inn and their disappearance.

“Well,” said Gaul. “It is known that we are on the trail of the Key Stone. Certainly the Dark Lord knows. We must assume that someone will try and stop us.”

“We must remain together,” said Rees. “Only that way can we be sure that we are not taken by surprise.”

The three girls, Mare Altan to their very bones never for a moment even contemplated being taken by anyone. They looked at each other in silent understanding. These young men were their friends, and good with bow and sword. The training that Rees had received from Jardine of the Stone Lion sept made him very good – but he was still the son of a blacksmith. Not a warrior. The first duty of the Mare Altan was to carry the honour of the village. The people of the district. These girls were highly trained and their very bearing spoke of coiled springs. Every man who had danced or arm wrestled with them in the common room had kept a smile on his face. None were fool enough to think they could take liberties with the Mare Altan. Those that thought they would be able to twirl the girls around the dance floor, more often than not found they were the ones being twirled.

Momentary flashes of finger talk between the girls had smiles back on their faces. Little more than a “As if we would leave our honour in the village by not protecting our friends!” Still, the three young men would be sorely embarrassed if they knew what was being said.

There was still no sign of Mei'An and Luan. They kept their own council and told the young people only what they felt they needed to know. The three girls of the Mare Altan knew that Wind Readers had powers that could be directed at enemies in the blink of an eye. Enemies could be spotted simply from their thoughts. For this reason all in the room wished that Mei'An had been in the common room with them.

After some further discussion, it was decided that a more careful eye would be kept on those around them. As fast as they were, as good as the Mare Altan were, and unseen arrow or flashing knife blade would kill them as surely as anyone else. Woe betide anyone who tried and missed.

The night was still alive with the sounds from the common room, so it was decided to go back and join the crowd. They would keep an eye out for anyone showing more than a passing interest in anyone of the group.

The three girls went back down the hall to the common room first. Antonin watched through a crack in the door. No one followed them. The hallway remained empty and dim in the weak lamplight.

Rees, Gaul and Antonin decided it would be best to come in again by way of the front door. If anyone noticed, they were less likely to associate them with the girls. Antonin led the way out through the smoke filled kitchen and into the stable yard. They were walking quietly, keeping to the deep shadows along the wall of the inn. A narrow passage ran along the side of the inn. A walking path only. The horse and carriage entrance was on the other side of the inn. Narrow high windows from the common room were wide open to the night and light and noise spilled into the alley way. The inn took up one entire side, while high walls and secure gates of private buildings lined the other. The alley was only wide enough for the three to walk shoulder to shoulder, with their shoulders brushing the walls and buildings on either side. There was no one out and about. No one to be seen. The boys stepped out of the alley and had almost reached the front door to the inn when Antonin spread his arms to halt his companions on either side. There was a person in dark robes, almost part of the night, peering intently in the window at the other end of the front of the inn. Antonin was sure this was the man he had seen watching him from the door earlier on. They hadn't been seen, so intent was the man on his interest in the common room. Antonin was almost upon him when the man suddenly whirled to face him. Antonin stopped in his tracks. The man's eyes blazed red as though lit from behind by inner fires. His face was deep in shadow from the hood of his cape, but as they swirled wide with his turn all could see the long blade suddenly glittering in his hand. Along its edge shimmered a crackling blue haze as though held in a lightning flash. The man stood. He had been crouching slightly in order to peer through the window, and had turned in that position. He looked to be at least as tall as Antonin, and about the same build. It was difficult to tell clearly, as the night and his dark cloak gave shifting impressions.

All three of the boys stepped back a pace as the arm of the hooded figure came into view on the light of the window. This was not the arm of any human. The green scaly hide and three clawed hand clutching the shining sword belonged to one of the elite guards of the Morgoth. These were the beings created in the Pit of Doom long ago by The Dark Lord. They were almost the stuff of legend. None of the boys had ever thought to confront one. Not in their wildest nightmares. It's scaly clawed feet clicked on the boards as it took a step toward the three. It hesitated a moment, looking right then left. It's breathing sounded like a snake's hissing. The boys were all but spell bound in horror. Antonin's feet felt like they were nailed to the wooden boards. Rees strained against the worst fear he had ever known to try to draw his battle axe. Gaul was standing with his hands by his side as if mesmerised. His mouth hanging open, his eyes glazed. Suddenly Antonin realized the beast could only hold one of them in thrall at a time. This was why it hesitated now.

The Morgoth took another step. It hissed a warning and then Antonin realized it was speaking. The words were almost unintelligible. This beast was not designed for speech. The Morgoth repeated it's words, this time Antonin heard them for what they were. Surprise etched his face as the words sunk in.

“The Keystone will be ours human. Mine. Not the thieves of Mordos.” The Morgoth warrior raised its sword ready to engage Antonin.

At that moment the doors to the common room banged open as a drunken wagon driver was thrown backwards through them. He landed in a heap right at the feet of the Morgoth. It had happened so suddenly that even this wary beast was surprised. The wagon driver clutched the robes of the Morgoth as he climbed to his feet. As he stood, swaying slightly, he suddenly saw who – or what he had hold of. He went as white as a sheet newly washed and fled into the night yelling at the top of his lungs.

“Another time, human.” Hissed the Morgoth and seemingly bending the very air where it had stood moments before, disappeared into a fold of blazing red than in an instant winked out. Nothing was left except some slight scorch marks on the boards.

Gaul was looking about in some surprise.

“Are we not going inside?” he said. He remembered nothing of the moments before.

“Where is Mei'An?” Was all the answer he got from Antonin as he stepped forward into the common room.

Rees looked at Gaul and shrugged.

“Didn't you see the warrior of the Morgoth, Gaul?” He asked in surprise.

“No, only some old crone peering in the window. Gone now though.” Gaul replied looking about for the old crone he was sure he'd seen at the window.

Gaul looked again at Rees and Antonin. “What is going on?” he muttered.

The trio entered the common room, the winged doors still swinging from the sudden exit of the wagon driver.

Festivities were still in full swing. The room was packed. The events seemed to have taken a life of their own. The three girls of the Mare Altan were again the centre of attention, although the serving maids and singers were now getting equal attention. Everyone was in high spirits, and although the songs were bawdy enough to make the village boy's ears burn, nobody else seemed to notice. There was no sign that anyone was leaving yet, although the marked candle on the shelf above the rack of kegs indicated that there was still four hours to sunup. Four hours of darkness left. It was time to get some sleep. They needed to be fresh and strong if they were to face the Morgoth Warriors, and the many other helpers of the Dark Lord. It seemed the beasts of the Forrest of Gloom were involved as well. Who knew who else was after them, or after the Keystone. This was a development that Mei'An must be told of. That they were on the right trail was now not in doubt. It seemed others were also on the same trail. What had that fearsome creature known? “The thieves of Mordos.” He had said. This could only mean that the Tharsians from the Forrest of Gloom had taken the Keystone.