Session Forty-Seven - June 9, 2007

[Matt]

Agrazhar 11, 731

As Agrazhar 11 dawned, the party met for their usual morning planning session. The conversation centered around Viktam. Cekiya indicated a desire to try and get a peek at him. Her reasoning went that if Viktam was trying to conceal his identity, then something was going on with him. Imarë wondered what Viktam must have done for the Dowager Countess of Osel to want him dead. The party was not sure what that could have been.

Cekiya and Kaelyn considered the possibility that Viktam was a triplet, an occurrence that certainly would have been remarked upon. Sir Baris looked at them strangely. Cekiya thought about it, and decided that she had never heard of any triplets, and the matter was dropped.

“There seems to be more about Viktam Arwat than Thilisa told us,” Ewen stated.

“Yes, but we thought that when she first suggested it,” Kaelyn said.

“The way she suggested it, she wanted a public confrontation,” Ewen said.

“Yes,” Kaelyn said.

“She wants you to show you love her,” Cekiya said.

“Well, normally one would publicly call him out for challenging the honor of a lady. But he is not a knight, and smacking down lessers - in public anyway- is not something the First Knight should do,” Ewen said.

“We haven’t figured out which of the two houses he is in, have we?” Baris asked.

Sir Ewen opined that perhaps the urchin who told the party about Osel House could be found again. After a brief discussion, however, the party decided that finding one urchin in such a large city would be highly difficult, to say the least, and dropped the matter.

Ewen suggested that the urchin was not giving information about the location of Viktam. “All he said was, ‘Osel House’.”

“We should visit Osel House,” Baris suggested.

“How?” Kaelyn asked.

Sir Baris said nothing, stumped.

Kaelyn said, “Maybe we should break into the tenement.”

Sir Baris pointed out that if they learned Viktam was not in the tenement, it would raise the possibility he is in Osel house. Kaelyn suggested that the party break in when the man went to eat dinner.

Cekiya jumped in, suggesting that she break into Osel house. Sir Baris spoke out against this plan, lest she be caught and connected to the party. Sir Ewen countered by pointing out that the party would never make use of Cekiya’s unique skills if they were always afraid she could be connected to them. Moreover, she was servant, and attention is rarely paid to servants. Even if she was caught, she might not be connected to the party.

Moving to the possibilities of what to do when they actually found Viktam, Sir Ewen suggested that he could attempt to make the man apologize, and if he spoke back to the knight, Ewen could mete out justice for this offense to his honor.

Sir Baris attempted to get the party to commit to a plan, suggesting they could stake out the tenement, and only if that did not pan out would they go to Osel house, and take on the greater risks inherent in breaking in there.

Sir Ewen suggested that Cekiya be the one to break into both places, because no one else in the party had quite her unique skills. The party agreed, not wanting to spook Viktam with a botched break-in attempt.

Imarë wisely pointed out that someone definitely was pointing the party to Osel house for some reason, and they should check it out in any case. She suggested that it would be easier to break in there first, because at the moment only the servants were evident.

It was decided that Cekiya would spy on the tenement house that day. After breakfast, Sir Baris and Imarë took Quinn out of the city to train. Kaelyn spent the day in study, while Sir Ewen practiced his Deryni skills.

Cekiya went to spy on the tenement house. As she headed over to Eastside, she noticed the many comings and goings of the city. Merchants called out their wares, people bustled to and from work. Guards patrolled and tried to keep the peace. One boy seemed to be headed towards Cekiya to pick her pocket, but wisely decided against it. Nearing the tenement, Cekiya headed to the rooftop of a woodcrafters, where some urchins were keeping watch on the building.

Cekiya quickly stepped into an alleyway. There she saw a man, armed with a falchion, and woman engaged in business negotiations. The man looked at Cekiya briefly, but quickly dismissed her. The prostitute ignored her. Cekiya passed the two, and shortly thereafter they were too focused on the business at hand to notice her. Cekiya began climbing the wall. The prostitute, with a vantage point that gave her a view of the rooftop, noticed Cekiya, and said, “Where is she going?” The man told her to shut up, and she did. Cekiya continued to the top of the building, and quietly made her way to the woodcrafter’s roof. She found no urchins there. Perhaps they got bored and ran off?

Looking down over the lip of the roof, in her periphery Cekiya spotted some movement. It seemed like something was dropping down from the other roof, but she wasn’t sure what it was.

Looking across the street, Cekiya saw the tenement house. The building had a thatched roof, common with the next building over. On the first floor, there were no windows on the roadside, just a door, and one window on the alley side. On the second floor, two shuttered windows faced the road, and one facing the alley. The third floor had two windows facing the road, but none facing the alley.

Time passed, and Cekiya dutifully kept her watch. Every so often, someone came into or left the building. In one room, she saw a laundry rack with clothes on it. In the second window, she saw a chest and a bed. At one point, Cekiya saw a woman rummaging in the chest. The woman took out a piece of clothing, and closed the chest. At another time, some slop was dumped from one of the second floor windows. Shortly after noon, a small group of women went into the alley and passed some bundles through the window on the first floor. Some urchins ran up to the window, clamoring about, and a shrill voice told them to “Get lost!” One of the urchins reached into the window, snatched something, and ran off, prize in hand.

Suddenly, Cekiya heard a rustling behind her. She rolled over, looked around, but saw nothing. The sound came again, and she saw a small movement in the thatch about ten feet from her position on the edge of the roof. A small rodent briefly poked its nose out of the thatch, but then there was the yowl of a cat, and the rodent was pulled under the thatch.

All in all, it was a riveting day. Cekiya eventually decided to get a closer look at the tenement. Looking up and down the alley from where she had ascended the building, she saw a man at one end, with his back to her. She quickly and quietly scuttled down the side of the building. Cekiya then calmly walked past the man at the end of the alley and into the street, startling him.

Cekiya walked down to Mangai Square, and had some difficulty pushing her way through the crowds. Fortunately, there were not so many people as were normally there after a caravan arrived, on account of the missing fur caravan. The woman’s stomach grumbled, and she remembered she had not eaten since breakfast. She picked up some cheese for a ha-penny, and soon came upon Torastra way. She turned into the alley where the tenement was located. She came upon a warehouse, guarded by a man with a large club, followed by a smaller building with a shuttered window and a door. Smoke and the smell of cooking came from this building. She soon came to the tenement and walked in.

Cekiya came upon a small corridor leading straight in. The floor was packed earth, similar to the alley - except there was a little less mud. There were doors to the right and left, followed by a staircase, and beyond the staircase there were two more doors. The far door on the left was open, and appeared to be the kitchen. She walked up the stairs and came to a small landing. Immediately to her right there was a ladder going up to the third floor, and there were four closed doors on that floor. Cekiya climbed the rickety ladder, which she noted would not handle substantial weight, and found a door right next to the ladder, and down a small corridor there was another door.

Cekiya listened in at the door which she assumed led to the room with the laundry rack, and heard nothing. She looked under the door and saw a chest, the rack with the drying clothes, and two beds - a single and a double. She saw no feet. She listened in the room where she saw the woman looking in the chest, heard someone puttering about, but could not make out anything more.

Cekiya opened the door of the room with the laundry, which made a loud creaking sound. Fortunately, no one was present. Stepping inside, Cekiya closed the door, walked over to the chest, and opened it. Inside there was male clothing and crockery, but little else. The clothing looked as if it belonged to a poor laborer. On the rack was a blanket. Cekiya looked under the pillows and through the beds, but found nothing but vermin.

Cekiya listened at the door, but heard nothing. She opened it as quietly as she could (though it made another creaking sound) and slipped out. As she climbed down the ladder, she heard the first door on the left nearest the stairs open up. An older man of average height with journeyman’s clothes came out, glanced at her and continued down the stairs.

After leaving the tenement, Cekiya went and spoke to Halime, but nothing came from it.

Later that night, around seven o’clock, the party gathered for dinner. The servants served up a fine pork roast.

Cekiya told the party what she had learned, such as it was. “When I go to Osel house tonight, I’ll go before everyone goes to sleep - to see if any particular windows are lit.”

Ewen opened up the table to discussion of what to do next. The party discussed what to do about Osel. They also discussed how to gain further power and influence in the kingdom by following King Arren I’s example. Cekiya discussed visiting the new bishop of Abriel when he is chosen, in order to develop a rapport with the likely future archbishop. Imarë suggested doing some entertaining in order to spread the party’s influence. Ewen suggested that the party come up with a list of targets to spread the party’s munificence upon. Imarë suggested schmoozing the local guildsmen. The conversation continued like this, without the party reaching any real decision, for quite some time. Afterwards, Sir Baris went up to bed, and Kaelyn and Imarë played chess.

Later that night Cekiya slipped out, heading towards Osel house. As it happened, she came across a patrol of two members of the city watch sauntering along the street. She quickly and stealthily slipped into the shadows, between the gates of Osel house and Caldeth House, home of Thilisa. The guards continued on their way, heading towards Cekiya, with torches. She attempted a ritual to keep herself hidden, however, something went wrong.

“Hey Hari, did you see that?” said one of the guards. “No, no I didn’t...” said the other. “No, wait, there, there! Hey, you, you there! Hold in the name of the watch!”

“I’m just out for a walk,” Cekiya said.

“Who are you, what are you doing here?” demanded the first guard.

“Cekiya,” Cekiya replied.

“Cekiya? Cekiya who? Where do you live?”

“I’m just out for a walk.”

“No one goes out for a walk this time of night. You’re up to no good, you’re here to rob one of these houses! I think we need to take you in.” The two guards drew their short swords, leveling them at Cekiya.

Cekiya turned, as if to go along with the guards, but instead she swung her leg in a sweep attack, knocking one the guards down. The other raised his sword to attack. Cekiya counterstruck, striking his weapon arm, but the man kept his grip on his sword. The first guard struggled to get to his feet as Cekiya kicked the other guard in the neck - quite a feat given her small stature. The man fell back, making a gurgling sound, his hands going to protect his throat. “It’s going to be like that, is it!” the first guard yelled, raising his sword at Cekiya, who kicked him. The man dodged out of the way and stabbed at Cekiya who danced fluidly aside, avoiding the blow. It was a close thing, however- the sword cut a bit of her clothes. The second guard got up, leaving his sword on the ground in his haste. Cekiya then successfully disarmed the first guard. The two stood there, standing dumbfounded at this tiny girl who had overmatched them. Cekiya kicked the first guard in the nose, which exploded in a bloody red pulpy mass. He crumpled to the ground, out cold. Turning to the other guard, Cekiya kicked him in the head, breaking his neck and severing his spinal cord was. The man fell to the ground, his head grossly hanging to the side like that of a child’s rag doll.

Leaving the bodies where they were, Cekiya quietly approached Osel house. She scaled the seven foot high wall around the building, dropping down to the other side. She stealthily crossed the grounds, unseen. She saw no lights coming from the house, and the barn was empty. She then went around the house to see if there was an easy way in. Not finding one, she briefly contemplated slithering down the chimney, but thought better of it. Deciding there was nothing more she could do tonight, Cekiya returned home. She passed the bodies; no one had discovered them in the past twenty minutes. No one that cared to draw attention to themselves by reporting it, anyway.

Agrazhar 12, 731

The next morning, the party gathered for their normal breakfast meeting. All in all, it was shorter and more productive than other meetings. Ewen suggested going to Galopea’s Feast in the evening and asking about Viktam Arwat there. Baris suggested resurrecting Karl and staggering into one of the rooms of the tenement apparently drunk, confused about where he was. The party agreed on these plans.

Sir Baris ordered up some ale from the servants and began the long process of transforming into Karl, with Cekiya’s assistance. Imarë spent the day communing with nature. Kaelyn spent the day continuing her studies.

After breakfast, Sir Ewen headed over to Hag Hall. One of the men at arms at the door nodded to Ewen, and rubbed his nose as the knight entered. “Sir Ewen?” another man at arms inquired. “Is My Lady within?” Ewen asked. “She is,” the man replied. Ewen went up the stairs to his half-sister’s room.

After exchanging pleasantries, Sir Ewen said, “Your little adder is depleting the ranks of the town’s watch, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, she is,” the Lady Rahel said. “She is not entirely gathered in her wits, but when a moment like that occurs, she has a very sharp mind indeed.”

“My friend Sir Baris got a taste of her foot in Olokand.”

“I trust he didn’t lose any teeth?”

“I think she went light on him,” Ewen said, smiling.

“I think you will find her a valuable servant.”

“I do,” Sir Ewen stated.

“You can pay in whatever currency you wish...” Rahel said. “Oh look, it’s raining,” she said, looking around the windowless room.

“I can think of one way to spend a rainy morning,” Ewen replied.

“I was thinking of taking a bath later ... or are you pressed for time?”

“Not at all My Lady,” Sir Ewen said.

On the third floor of Hag Hall was a study containing many bookshelves, Rahel’s bedroom, and a large bath. The conversation continued in the bath. After attending to carnal desires, Ewen turned the conversation towards the men at arms Rahel had mentioned when the two were in Coranan a few days before. Rahel decided to show Ewen the forces at his disposal.

The two dressed and went down to the first floor. Ewen was taken to a large room with a number of bunk beds. A number of men at arms were located there, all of whom stood up when Rahel entered. “This is the main barracks of the hall; although these are just some of the guards we have here.” Ewen and Rahel left the room, the latter glancing over her shoulder. “As you were,” she said offhandedly.

Ewen tried to attune himself to a magical door Rahel showed him. He was initially unsuccessful, but eventually was able to attune himself with Rahel’s help.

Rahel took Ewen down to the cellar, where there was a well. “We have our own supply of water... although we normally send a servant down to the common well- because such delicious gossip can be obtained there,” she explained.

She took him to a part of the wall, and again Ewen attempted to attune himself to the magical door, and again he was unsuccessful until Rahel assisted him. The magical door opened up to a small armory. There were enough swords, shields, and mail hauberks to outfit a company.

Rahel then took Ewen to a jail room. “That is where Sedris Meleken was kept, until we got rid of him. I understand you don’t want to know where he is, so I will not tell you.”

Next, Rahel took Ewen to another part of the cellar, to help him attune to another magical door. This door lead directly to Dickon house (located across the alley), through a tunnel. There was another magic door in Dickon house, which Ewen again failed to attune himself to. Rahel, ever patient, assisted him again. The pair came upon a room with a ladder heading downwards. “That ladder leads to the city sewer system,” Rahel explained. The two ascended another ladder in the cellar, which came up under a staircase that opened to a large hallway. Rahel retrieved a key from her clothing and opened a door, which revealed another armory.

On the second floor of Dickon house, Ewen came upon about twenty men at arms, all of whom rose to attention upon Rahel’s entrance.

One Dickon of Parketh entered from a small side room. “What is your pleasure, My Lady?”

“I am giving Sir Ewen command of this unit,” Rahel explained.

“As you wish, My Lady.” Dickon turned to the knight. “Sir Ewen?”

Ewen was quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say.

“Perhaps you’d like to inspect the men, sir?”

Ewen nodded.

“Fall out, full kit!” Dickon yelled. Instantly, the men at arms dropped what they were doing and five minutes later, they all had their armor and weapons on. “The men are assembled for your inspection, Sir Ewen,” Dickon stated with military crispness.

Rahel sat down at one of the soldiers benches, absently picking at some of the food.

Ewen inspected the men, asking Dickon how long they had been working together. “Sir, each man here comes from Tharda; we are a hand picked company. We have been together, the least of us, two years.”

“Have you seen action?” Ewen asked.

“Not as much as we would like,” Dickon replied. “We use this room, pushing the tables aside, to spar as often as we can. No more than two men are allowed outside Dickon house at any one time. The men are allowed ... recreation, but other than that they are not allowed out. The men are zealous, Sir.”

Ewen got the sense that the men were a little more than zealous - he got the sense that they were helped to cope with this hard duty. Their minds had been tampered with; the knight noticed the telltale traces of Deryni energy.

“These men are at your disposal, Sir Ewen, as per the order of Lady Rahel and -”

“For the time being, Dickon, you will continue your drills and your routine,” Ewen interrupted. “I think, though, we can provide you with other opportunities for action in the future.”

“I thank you.” Dickon replied. “Sir Ewen, may I speak plainly?” he asked, and Ewen nodded.

“Dismissed!” Dickon yelled, and the men at arms resumed what they were doing. Dickon motioned Rahel and Ewen into the other room.

“Sir Ewen, I understand you have hired some mercenaries from Rathbar.”

“Yes, we have some of them guarding the house,” Ewen replied.

“May I express my displeasure, with all due respect, Sir. He is an opportunist, Sir; I don’t think he has your best interests at heart. I don’t believe he would die for you.”

“It is fairly routine guard duty.”

“I don’t think so - you are there. Now, if you moved into Hag Hall, I would have no problem with Rathbar guarding the rest of your comrades. I could put two men on rotation at your home.”

“I appreciate your concern, and will certainly take it under advisement. Lady Rahel has seen to my safety in more unique ways than guards, perhaps.”

Dickon bowed to Rahel. “I have no doubt of that. My job is purely to be muscle”

“We will soon put you to use,” Ewen said.

“I serve a Great House, that is all I ask.”

“Your company of men are a fine weapon of war, my trained eye tells me.”

“Thank you, Sir Ewen. Allow me and one of my men to accompany you throughout the city,” Dickon said.

“Very well,” Sir Ewen said.

“I will go ask for a volunteer,” Dickon said, leaving the room.

Rahel smiled, saying, “So, how do you like your new toy?”

Ewen grinned. “Dickon seems to know his business.”

“I didn’t know the two of you had met. When did you meet?”

“He initially escorted me to Galopea’s Feast.”

“Dickon is a single-minded man,” Rahel said. “Not immensely bright, but not stupid either. He has one goal - to fight for the winning side. He thinks he has chosen it, and so do I. He is a sharp blade, nothing more. He has the mind of a soldier, and should be treated as such.”

Ewen asked how the company had been doing. “There have been no casualties, but there have been dismissals. It is not wise to be dismissed from this company.” Rahel said.

“It would tend to limit one’s future opportunities,” Ewen said.

“It tends to limit one’s future,” Rahel said. “So, have you seen all you wanted to see? Yes? Then escort me back to Hag Hall and continue to pay your debt to me.”

Later, Ewen was escorted to Galopea’s Feast by one Langon.

As he walked, Ewen thought on what he had learned. The barracks in each house could hold a company of men, and the armories had enough for another company, each. Should all these forces be gathered, the city watch would be overwhelmed. It was something to think about.

*****

Meanwhile, Sir Baris had completed his transformation into Karl, ratcatcher extraordinaire. The process involved the consumption of a moderate amount of liquor, the wearing of cheap clothes, and the application of judicious amounts of dirt and mud. Sir Baris sighed, thinking he had perhaps too quickly suggested to act as Karl once more.

Karl headed over to the tenement. It was around seven o’clock in the evening, and the salter’s warehouse had closed up, but the sun still stood above the walls of the city.

Karl, with his recent acting training and extensive experience with alochol, was quite convincing as a drunk. So convincing, in fact, that a ten year old pretended to help him. Karl pushed him away, and the boy ran off. The knight checked his purse, and noticed it was gone. Sixty pence down a rat hole. He mentally kicked himself, and made a mental note to not bring out too much money when drinking.

At the tenement, the foreign knight-spy acting as a drunken ratcatcher stumbled in the main door. Unfortunately, his drunken antics attracted unwanted attention. A large woman with a big spoon exited the kitchen and tried to rent a room to Karl. However, she said he couldn’t be drinking! Karl swore he’d quit the juice.

The landlady took Karl to the room where Cekiya had seen a man leaving the day before. Karl pretended to fall into the room on the opposite. Inside there was a little girl and her mother. “Get out!” the woman screamed. “When my husband comes home, he’ll thrash you!” The little girl ran behind the woman. “We won’t stay here if this keeps up!” the woman yelled at the landlady.

The landlady mentioned that the rent would be sixpence a month in advance. Karl reluctantly admitted that he’d been robbed on his way here, and actually had no money at the moment. The landlady regarded him and asked what he did. “Ratcatcher,” replied Karl.

“Well, that’s different. That’s an honest job with a future so don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” the landlady replied. Karl got up, bowing drunkenly at the mother. The landlady stepped in, dragged the apparent drunk out of the room, closing the door.

The landlady led Karl to the other room. It was a little rathole. The only furnishing were an infested pallet and an open chest. There were no windows. “Four pence a week,” the landlady said. “I like you. You remind me of my son.”

At that point a small man, about five foot three, stepped out of the room on the far left of the hallway. “What’s this noise out here madam?” he asked loudly.

“Now Dello, mind your own business!” the landlady yelled.

“Look, we want it quiet! Nothing like this! Or we’ll go elsewhere; we’ll take our business elsewhere!” Dello went back into his room, slamming the door.

Turning back to Karl, the landlady said, “Three pence a week, three pence up front...”

Karl nodded, and the woman pushed him into the room and closed the door. As soon as the door closed, Sir Baris sobered up (he hadn’t really been drunk) and slapped his forehead. What had he gotten himself into?

He made a plan to wait until late in the evening, and go up to the third floor. Unfortunately, Cekiya had failed to mention that the ladder would probably not hold a substantial weight.

Across the street, Cekiya was perched on a rooftop, watching silently.

*****

Meanwhile, Ewen was at Galopea’s Feast, accompanied by Imarë. He saw several important personages, including a woman he had seen once before at a party, whose name he could not remember. Langon took up station at a table that seemed to be reserved for men at arms.

The host, Mak of Ashel, came over, “Sir Ewen! How wonderful to see you again! How nice of you to grace our establishment with your presence again this evening!”

“Good evening,” Sir Ewen replied. “Of course you have met the lady Imarë ...”

“Oh, lady, how nice to see you! We have more dog fighting tonight, I know how much you enjoy it! We have special odds just for you.”

“Watching is enjoyment enough,” Imarë interrupted.

“And Sir Ewen, we have come across some venison - I won’t say how we got it …”

“Poached?” Imarë says.

“We don’t talk about those things,” said the host, smiling.

“Sounds capital” Ewen said.

Pesera of Hendel came over to speak with Sir Ewen. “I heard a rumor, that you had been granted a manor!”

“Oh, yes, the manor of Varayne,” the knight replied.

“Oh, Varayne, how amazing. I heard that the Serekela had granted it to you.”

“I wouldn’t call it amazing.” Ewen said.

“No, not that such a puissant knight as yourself should acquire such a manor, but that it is amazing that a man of such parsimony as Edine Kynn would let go of it! It is quite profitable. I would be happy to help you, if you would provide us some of the raw wool we can make into finished cloth. We could provide you with more compensation than you might otherwise realize.”

“I would be happy to speak with you about this another time,” Ewen said.

“Yes! And, of course, this is not the place to speak of it. You are welcome to call upon me.” He paused, and in that moment, Ewen recalled he performed a similar role for Para and Rahel.

“You remind me of a man I once knew - he could fall into a cesspit, and come out smelling like a rose, clutching a diamond ring. Do enjoy your dinner.” Pesera bowed slightly to the elf. “So good to see you again Lady Imarë. Good night.”

Sir Ewen sat back down and drank some wine. The venison was perfectly cooked, and Ewen was given some of the most succulent portions from the ribs. The Palithanian wine flowed. Imarë had a similar meal, less heavy on the meat, consisting more of fruit, vegetables, and fish.

Mak came over. “I trust the meal to your liking?”

Ewen said that it was. Turning to business, he said, “I’m trying to find an individual who I am told dined here in the last few weeks.”

“If he dined here, I know him, who are you looking for?”

“Viktam Arwat,” Ewen replied.

“Oh yes, boorish fellow. He was here. I did not encourage his return.”

“Can you describe him for me?”

“He is a large and muscular man with an ugly and mashed face. His eyes are beady and black. He has a nasty scar on his arm.”

The host then told Sir Ewen as an aside that the lady at the next table had been casting glances at him the entire evening.

“Would it be gauche to ask who she is?”

“Lady Bresyn Risai. She is a bit of a recluse; lives alone,” the host explained. “It is a bit of a scandal, as she is unmarried,” he continued. “Lady Cheselyne has been trying to find her a husband for quite a while now. Rumor has it she does the most extraordinary needlepoint, but I’m not much interested in that.”

“I’m not much interested in needlepoint myself,” Ewen said.

“Of course, not, a man of action such as yourself. But the lady Imarë certainly is, is she not?

“You can pass the decades that way,” Imarë said.

Mak laughed, “Of course!” Turning back to Ewen, he said, “Perhaps you’d like to meet the Lady Bresyn.” Ewen said that he was. “Allow me to arrange it. There is a private room upstairs.”

“Mak, I am beginning to think you are something of a matchmaker,” Ewen said.

“Oh, I am nothing of the sort. I am just a man who is a good host. Give me 15 minutes, and then come upstairs.”

“Oh, Mak, about the less pleasant man we were talking about, if it should come to your attention how to find him and speak to him... he has made some remarks upon the honor of a lady.”

“You may rely upon my discretion in the matter.”

After 10 minutes, one of the serving girls came up to the table. “Sir Ewen?”

“Yes my dear?” Ewen asked.

“The room upstairs is ready for you. May I take your glass?” Ewen nodded, and the serving girl took his glass, leading the knight upstairs.

The table upstairs had been set with delicacies to delight the eye and the palette. The serving girl set Ewen’s glass on the table, curtsied, and exited. A few minutes later, the Lady Bresyn came in and curtsied. The lady dressed modestly, wearing well tended and woven clothing. She was rather pretty, Ewen thought, but was by no means gorgeous.

Ewen bowed.

“It is my great honor to meet you, Sir Ewen,” Lady Bresyn said.

“You know my name?” the knight replied.

“Everyone of consequence knows the name of the first knight in Kaldor, though I am not saying I am a lady of consequence.”

“You are too modest,” Ewen said.

“Oh look, marzipan!” the lady said, changing the subject. Although she was trying to hide it, Ewen knew he had heard the accent of her voice somewhere before. He had heard the tone in Para Harkthorn and Arren of Melderyn, and in Kaelyn. Clearly Lady Bresyn had a Melderyni accent.

Ewen tried to truth-read the woman, but surprisingly he came flat up against shields.

Unfazed, she goes on. “I was intrigued by your invitation, ‘Please join me for some sweets.’ A bit obvious, but an intriguing invitation nonetheless.”

“Are you from Kaldor, my lady?”

“I am not from Kaldor, I am from Thay.”

“One of my traveling companions hails from the Thay area as well,” Ewen said.

“Is that so? There are so few people from Thay ...”

“Is that true?” Ewen asked

“Well, it is not that big a city. But you are not from Kaldor, either. You are from Tharda - though we haven’t called it that for long.”

“Well, the area has seen quite a bit of trouble recently,” Ewen said. “What interests do you have, my lady?”

“I must confess, almost guiltily, to an interest in astrology,” the lady said. “It can be quite revealing - although it can be quite misleading. It all depends on how you read the signs.”

“So it would seem to me that the secret in it all is finding the right person to read you.”

She clapped her hands together. “I think the same myself. I do try to read, what an interesting word, my friends ...” the lady said. “Tell me, Sir Ewen, is it true what I’ve heard? That a university has been established in Coranan?”

“I have heard it said so, My Lady.”

“How amazing, until now the only university I have heard of is in Berema. You are familiar with Berema?” Ewen looked puzzled. “It is the capital city of the Kingdom of Emelrene.”

“Have you been to Emelrene, My Lady?”

She tittered. “Oh, no! But it is an intriguing place, don’t you think? They say it is a kingdom of wizards!

At this point, Ewen felt mental tendrils reaching out to him, but his shields repelled them. “My young friend, who I mentioned from Thay, is just the sort of person to be interested in colleges and other such things,” he said.

“Is that right? Why is that?”

“She fashions herself as a young scholar. She learned at the feet of the late Astarok, before he passed on.”

“Who is this Astarok?” Bresyn asked.

“I thought he was an inhabitant of this city,” Ewen said.

“I did know an older gentleman named Astarok, he was a fixture at lady Cheselyne’s parties. Rather a flim-flam man.”

“I have been to some of Lady Cheselyne’s parties.”

“Oh yes, I saw you at one, but I’m sure you didn’t notice me. I do not seem to be your type,” Lady Bresyn said. “Perhaps you would like me to read your horoscope? You would be amazed to learn what it can reveal.”

“Please keep your astrological predictions to your close friends, as you said earlier,” Ewen said.

“We may become close friends.... it wouldn’t be proper for me to open all my secrets to you on our first meeting, would it?”

“Perhaps our meeting is in the stars, My Lady,” Ewen said.

“You have cut a broad path through Kaldoric events recently, especially so since you are newly knighted.”

“I suppose I have a talent for making an impact on events, my lady.”

“Your talents, Sir Ewen, are manifest.”

“My Lady, it has been my pleasure spending this interlude with you.”

“I find myself at the end of my evening, it is late,” Lady Bresyn said.

“Do you need an escort home?” Ewen offered.

“No, I do not. I thank you, though.” After that the lady politely made her exit.

*****

Meanwhile, at the dog fights, Imarë had a great time. Sir Ewen had to drag her away. “But Bruno is about to fight!” the elf exclaimed.

Sir Ewen escorted Imarë to Gray house, before heading back to Hag Hall. On his way he came across the City Watch.

“Where are you headed?” the watchman asked.

“To my residence, I am Sir Ewen of Ravinargh.” The watchman let him pass.

At Hag Hall, the serving woman told Ewen that Rahel was in the bath. Ewen said he would join her there, and the scandalized woman scurried off.

Ewen found Rahel in the bath. “Ah, join me brother,” she said and the knight disrobed. “I have been itching to have someone scrub my back, will you oblige?”

Ewen did, scrubbing her back quite well. “I wanted to tell you about a little pas de deux between me and Brisyn’s shields.”

“Shields? I didn’t know about her,” Rahel said. “I know her name. She has shields,” she said again, surprised.

“Yes, she tried to probe me.” Ewen said.

“Well, well. Lady Bresyn is one of us, a Deryni. You’ll have to be careful. Do not let your shields down in her presence. She is probably, based on what you’ve just told me, working for the Council of Eleven.

“Sir Ilken Zuvonx, the Crow, thought she was a spy,” Ewen said.

“Oh, that man? Knighted by our father, for tasks I don’t think deserve it, but far be it from me to question his wisdom.”

“And quite the taste for barbarian women,” Ewen said.

“I think you should become friends with this Lady Bresyn,” Rahel said. “But never lower your shields when she is around.”

“She wants to read my horoscope, I think,” Ewen said.

“I would not let her read anything. And now, my back is done. I think it’s time you did my front.”