Miriam's Dance with Rogues - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I stepped out of The Bear Pit tavern and squinted at the glow from the setting sun. I had changed back into the clothes Drake had bought for me, much more suitable for wandering the streets. Following the tugging sensation that led me down the cobblestone streets towards the richer sections of the city, I found myself in front of a huge stone building with a group of Dhorn soldiers guarding the entrance. I immediately began to wander in another direction so that they wouldn’t notice my interest in the building. Looking across the plaza, I saw that the gates to the castle had been breached. The sounds of warfare had come to a halt during the late afternoon yesterday, telling us that the siege of the castle was ended. In fact, if I squinted, I could see the head of the king and queen impaled on the spikes of the broken gate. Soldiers still guarded the entrance, perhaps to prevent people from removing the heads of their king and queen from their indignity, but most likely to prevent thieves from robbing the castle.

I had felt the tugging sensation three days ago when I had been marching under Robin Hood’s leash. It was the sensation that told me the artifact was near. Now I knew that it was located in a building well guarded by the Dhorn. I needed more information before I could attempt to retrieve it though. As to how to retrieve that information" I supposed my best bet was to ask Drake. He seemed to like me well enough.

I wandered back toward the poorer sections, looking for a building large enough to serve as barracks for the Dhorn troops. This late, very few people wandered the streets, especially because of all the recent violence. Beggars still huddled in their odd corners, and a few men were closing down their shops, but the streets were otherwise quiet. The marching of Dhorn patrols provided a rhythmic cadence that was somehow soothing as I wandered along. Stepping in front of a passing Dhorn patrol, I opened my mouth to ask them where their barracks were.

Instead of pausing though, one of them pushed me out of the way with a snarl. "Out of the way whore. We’re on duty."

Obviously he didn’t really think I was a whore, otherwise I’d be in jail rather than on my ass in the street. Still, it was with a disgruntled air that I got back on my feet and dusted off the seat of my pants. A boy that looked no older than ten ran up to me as I finished dusting off my pants.

"Message for you lady!" he announced, puffing out his chest importantly.

"Oh? From who?" I asked, kneeling down to look the boy in the eyes.

"Big man! Black hair! Big swords! Looked scary!"

I took the message and looked at it. Weird scribbles met my eye. Damn I couldn’t read it. I really had to start learning to read Betancurian. Or whatever they called it. I looked at the boy. It couldn’t hurt to ask him. "Did you read this message?"

"Of course not!" he denied loudly. His eyes shifting to the bottom left and his fidgeting told me he was lying.

"You’re lying. What do you remember of it?" I asked.

"Something about meeting at the west pier lady." He mumbled, embarrassed to be caught reading the message.

I nodded confidently. "Lead me there and I won’t tell the man who gave you the message that you read it."

Continued in Chapter 11