Naked Aggression - Part 5

Part 5

I read Methonus's instructions three times. Damned if they made sense to me.

Be at the corner of Cobbler's way and Lord's Boulevard at sunset. Face directly east.

I had already visited said corner upon arrival. A couple of coppers in the bowl of a supposedly blind beggar had given me the directions I needed to find the place. Facing east I looked at the exteriors of several buildings, a warehouse, an apartment building, and a small fletcher's shop. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

The scroll case also contained a drawing of the shard I was here to retrieve. At the bottom of sheet of parchment was a single word, "Friesland". It meant nothing to me, nor to the people I questioned. Tiring of playing private investigator, I used the time to replenish the supplies I has used on my trip from Sar'el Thul.

Bethany, our party's cleric likes to give me a hard time for my planning and insistence on being well supplied. I like to tell her that not everyone can conjure food and water. My enchanted pack allows me to carry as much as a pack mule without being encumbered. Also I can carry a month's worth of grain for Greybeard. While he can forage, the extra oats help keep him healthy.

I paid for lunch in one of the numerous taverns in the lower quarter of the city. Sar'el Thul is a trade city, relying on its position on two major trade roads and a navigable river to remain prosperous. As a result taverns and inns are numerous and my appearance didn't draw any undue attention. The food was good, especially after a week of trail rations. The roast pig was cooked to perfection and served with potatoes and mushrooms. I love mushrooms. A good ale or two and some fresh minga-fruit for desert rounded out the meal.

I spent the time after lunch grooming Greybeard. As usual he was starved for attention, wanting to play and get frisky. As much as I wanted to, I had to tell him no. I think the sight of me on me knees, either being mounted by the stallion or eagerly sucking his foot-and-a-half long shaft would probably have been a bit much for the sixteen year old stable boy and undoubtedly drawn an unwelcome crowd. I promised him we would play later and look in his eyes told me he intended to hold me to that promise.

As sunset approached I saddled my horse and checked my gear for the final time. A quick stop at a street vendor selling roasted game hens was dinner and I was off to the street corner mentioned in the High Priest's letter. I waited impatiently as the sun sank lower and lower on the horizon. Shadows of the buildings behind me marched across the face of the building I was watching like the shadow of a sundial.

I almost missed it. It took me a moment to realize that one of the shadows wasn’t moving with the others. I took Greybeard's reins and lead him across the street. The odd shadow turned out to be the entrance to a small crooked alleyway.

"I know this wasn't here before. What do you make of this, horse?"

Greybeard's response was to snort and roll his eyes. But he followed me willingly.

The alley was dark and smelled of week-old garbage. As a precaution I took out my enchanted coin, its bright glow lighting the alley. Other then old rubbish and debris it appeared empty and deserted. I stopped briefly to strap my spear onto my saddle. In the close confines of the alley it was too unwieldy of a weapon. I would rely on my falchion and katar if it became necessary to fight. I grasped the handle of the katar, calling on its power to see hidden and invisible objects. Karath’s magical sight didn’t reveal anything hidden or cloaked with invisibility.

At the end of the alley was a wooden door next to a leaning hitching post. I dropped Greybeard's reins over the hitching post and retrieved my spear. Glancing around I pushed the door with the spear and peered inside. On the other side appeared a duplicate of the alleyway I was in now. Taking up Greybeard’s reins I took a deep breath and stepped through.

Continued in Part 6