All that Glitters (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 1) (23 page)

"I heard, but not clearly. Why?"

"You are going to face the fortress champion in the morning to demonstrate your skill with the Dragon's Tongue. They didn't say it would be the champion, but I can't see them matching you against anyone else."

Stavin shrugged and sat on the bed. "It doesn't matter. Even if I lose, it's only practice."

Kahndar grinned at Stavin. "Stave, I intend to bet every crown I have on you to win. I just want you to make it interesting. If that fool you beat today is any indication of sword skills down here, you shouldn't have any trouble at all. Just try to drag it out to run up the bets."

Stavin laughed loudly and rocked back and forth on the bed. "Very well, Kahn, I'll put on a show."

Kahndar grinned and turned toward the door. "Good. Sleep well."

"And you," Stavin answered as the door closed.

Morning proved Kahndar correct in his warning. General Zel'Fordal and Colonel Zel'Tahran met them after breakfast. "Friend Stavin," the general said cheerfully, "I heard about your encounter last night. I wonder if I might prevail upon you to demonstrate your skill for our men. I'm afraid staff-weapons like yours aren't held in very high regard in our army."

"It would be my honor and pleasure, Sir," Stavin answered.

"Very good." The general turned and waved at a young man in a uniform of an Evandian Army captain. "This is Captain Kel'Ashton."

"I am honored to meet you, Captain Kel'Ashton," Stavin said with a bow.

"The honor is mine, Friend Stavin. This way, please." The captain turned and led the way to a practice ring, one of the many things Zel'Marran and Kel'Kavin had in common. A quarterstaff and a wooden sword lay at the center of the circle, and the captain picked up the sword. "I hope you don't mind training weapons, Friend Stavin. An accident would be most unfortunate."

Stavin handed his Dragon's Tongue to Karvik and picked up the staff. "I agree completely, Sir."

General Zel'Fordal stepped into the circle and spoke loudly. "Gentlemen, this is a test of skill. Scoring will be assigned by Colonel Zel'Tahran and myself. When I clap my hands, you may begin."

At the clap of the General's hands, Stavin and the captain crouched and began circling. Stavin let the captain strike first, but blocked the blow with an intentionally clumsy move. Twice more he let the captain strike before striking back. The staff in his hands flicked out, but the captain deflected the strike easily. He almost missed the counterstrike, but again deflected the blow.

The captain again attacked, and this time he landed a blow on Stavin's shoulder.

"One point to Captain Kel'Ashton," the general said loudly.

Stavin backed away, watching for an opening, and soon the captain attacked again. As his sword arched upward, Stavin's staff swung up to knock it away, then reversed to land a blow on the captain's arm.

"One point to Friend Stavin," Colonel Zel'Tahran said, and a low murmur came from the crowd.

The captain circled Stavin cautiously. "You're remarkably good with a staff, Friend Stavin," he said, watching Stavin's eyes for some clue as to what Stavin was going to do.

"The Dragon's Tongue is my weapon of choice, Sir," Stavin replied, waiting for the captain's next attack.

Karvik waited until the captain's back was to him before saying, "Quit fooling around, Stave. The caravan is waiting."

Stavin's expression turned rueful as he looked the captain in the eye. "I'd love to stay and play, Captain, but Kar is right." His staff blurred as he attacked, concentrating on hitting the captain's weapon for ten blows, then shifting his target and striking the captain four times in rapid succession. He leaped back after landing his fifth blow and brought his staff upright in salute.

"You're very good, Captain Kel'Ashton. I believe you would be a serious opponent for Warmaster Kel'Horval if ever the two of you should meet."

The captain finally brought his sword up and returned Stavin's salute. "You are a remarkable young man, Friend Stavin. I wouldn't have believed it was possible to beat a sword with a staff, yet you did so easily. I may have to revise our training program to include more staff work."

"I agree with that sentiment, Captain," General Zel'Fordal said as he stepped into the circle. He bowed slightly to Stavin. "With a real weapon in your hands, you'd be a match for anyone I've ever served with. Long life and good fortune to you, Friend Stavin."

Stavin snapped back to attention. "Thank you, Sir, and thank you again for your hospitality." He bowed and joined his comrades as they marched out of the fortress.

T
HE CARAVAN WAS WAITING AT THE
base of the hill and Barvil had his men take their positions quickly. Trader Sahren smiled as Barvil fell in beside her wagon.

"We have to arrange for this to happen more often, Goodman Barvil. Those soldiers who took your place spent half their time buying our goods. The locals seemed more relaxed with their own troops around as well," she said with a grin.

Barvil smiled in return as he answered. "We had quite an experience ourselves. If the opportunity presents itself, I wouldn't object to visiting another fort like Zel'Marran."

The road they were following led south toward the coastal region. The land grew progressively lusher as the days passed, and soon the air became unpleasantly humid and hot.

All the mountain-bred folk, warrior and trader alike, found the dampness unpleasant. Stavin was bothered by the feeling that everything he touched was wet, like poorly dried laundry. He also found the air unpleasant to breathe. He mentioned his discomfort to Kahndar as they walked circuit one evening.

"It's the altitude, Stave," Kahndar said with a laugh. "We've been going downhill for the past ten days. Soon we'll reach the sea."

"I don't understand, Kahn," Stavin said as he dried his hands on a towel that he had tied to his belt. "It can't be that different."

"Ah, but it can," Kahndar replied. "The floor of the Kel'Kavin Valley is actually about twenty-eight dragons above sea level. We came down to Twin Bridges, but we were still more than twenty dragons up. That's why the rivers are so wild there. We went down as we crossed the plains to Barren's Bridge, but had to climb back up to Zel'Marran. Now we're really going down, all the way to the coast road."

"The sea," Stavin mused. "Somehow, I'd forgotten which way we were going."

Kahndar laughed again. "You'll make a fine scribe if you keep forgetting things like that. I've traveled to the sea before, you know. Surprisingly, you'll feel better there. The breeze off the water isn't like this. Here we have to contend with all the rain pools and daily drizzle, but on the coast it'll be dryer."

Stavin grimaced and dried his hands once again. "We can't get there soon enough for me."

As the caravan made its way toward the coast, the traders began buying more than they were selling. The wagons had been all but emptied by the time they left Zel'Marran, but now they were filling up once again. Stavin noticed and approached one of the traders. "Your pardon, Kethlan, but why are you loading up? I thought you were trying to sell all of your goods."

Kethlan was a small man like Stavin, and the two had struck up a friendship in spite of the thirty-five year difference in their ages. "Well, Stavin, it is called trade because that's what we do. We traded the goods we had for coin, and now we're trading the coin for goods we don't have. You've groused enough about the heat. Do you think anyone but a madman would buy woolen clothes down here? We are buying goods to sell elsewhere in this hot land. That's how goods move across the kingdoms. Caravans like ours buy in one place and sell somewhere else. The people who make the items earn some coin, and we earn some coin as well for carting it around. Take this shirt, for example." He put his hand on a shirt he'd just purchased. "This cloth is made from plant fiber, and it's loosely woven to let air pass through," he said, handing Stavin the light-blue shirt. "The color is important as well. Dark colors attract heat, while light colors repel it."

Stavin examined to the cloth closely, then shook his head. "I never would've thought of any of that."

Kethlan smiled and patted Stavin's shoulder. "Half the trick of trading is knowing what to offer."

The road followed the course of the Zel'Caris River, and Stavin was being called upon more often as they crossed the dozens of tributaries that fed the mighty river. He was seldom asked for his writ, but was often asked to stop and tell his tale. He only agreed if Trader Sahren wanted to stop and trade. Otherwise, he politely but firmly declined.

Eighteen days after leaving Zel'Marran, they reached of the port city of Zel'Fray. When the city first came into view, Stavin sat in his saddle in stunned silence. Zel'Fray was the biggest city he had ever dreamed of. Fully one million souls lived and worked in the city, and almost every one of them was involved in trade of some sort.

Stavin was riding next to Kethlan's wagon by chance, and his expression made the older man laugh. "Quite a sight, isn't it, Stavin?"

"It's beautiful," Stavin replied, never looking away from the city.

"So is a greenback rattlesnake," Kethlan said, "but it's deadly nonetheless. You keep your armor on and your weapon in your hand in this city, Stavin. The city guard doesn't do much to keep the peace outside of the noble enclaves. More often than not, merchants employ mercenaries like you and our friends to guard their warehouses, and they don't care what happens outside of them."

Barvil echoed that warning when they stopped at the caravansary and the traders set up shop. "Split into hands and begin turn and turnabout watches. If anyone goes into the city, the whole hand goes. No exceptions. Stavin," Barvil paused and looked Stavin in the eye, "refuse any invitations into the city unless Kahn and the rest are also invited. Even the nobles in this city have a bad reputation."

All eight of the young warriors snapped to attention and said, "Yes, Sir," then split up with Lavin switching to Davel's hand to make up for the loss of Cordon and Ivalin. Kahndar took the first watch and led his hand to the perimeter of the wagons.

"You all know the routine," Kahndar said, looking at each of them in the eye. "We're short a man, and I want each of you to be more careful. Don't try to face anyone alone. If there is trouble, yell first, then confront them. We all know each other's voices, so I want the man following to come to the aid of anyone who has trouble. The other two keep going in case it's a diversion. If we get hit from two sides at once, yell and attack, and keep yelling until help arrives. Understood?" Kahndar gave them a hard look, then turned and led off.

Stavin had completed three circuits around the wagons before he saw the first visitors. Men and women arrived in fine carriages, often with servants in plain wagons behind them. Not much later the first gawkers started arriving.

There were only a few to start with, just some curious youngsters who stared when Stavin came into view, and continued to stare until he had passed. Then more people arrived, silently staring at him, and soon there was a ring of people around the entire caravan. When it came time to switch hands, Stavin quickly vanished between the wagons. A sound followed him, but Kahndar had to explain it.

"That, little brother-in-law, is the sound of a bunch of disappointed people."

"Disappointed in what?" Stavin asked.

"In you, Stavin. Every one of those people was hoping you'd do something exciting, extraordinary, or, at the very least, out of the ordinary. They watched your every move in hopes of seeing a free show." Kahndar grinned and slapped Stavin's shoulder. "You seem to have been elevated to the status of a traveling sideshow."

"Oh, Gods Below, no," Stavin said with a sigh. "Could this get any worse?"

His answer soon arrived in the form of a well-dressed servant. "Friend Stavin, I am Lord Karnar Zel'Vahn's butler. Lord Zel'Vahn invites you to join him for supper this evening."

Stavin asked, "May I bring three of my comrades with me?" as Barvil had instructed.

The butler was visibly taken aback by Stavin's question. "That would be highly improper, Sir."

Stavin nodded. "Perhaps so. Please tell your master than I must respectfully decline his invitation. I am too new to these lands to walk the streets of your city alone."

"Sir, Lord Zel'Vahn would be pleased to send his carriage for you," the butler immediately replied.

Stavin shook his head slowly. "I still must decline. I will not go alone into this city."

The butler seemed about to continue, but shut his mouth with an audible click after he glanced over Stavin's head. He cleared his throat instead and bowed. "Very well, Friend Stavin. I will convey your message to Lord Zel'Vahn." With that he turned and hurried away.

Stavin turned to find Kahndar and Horvan standing shoulder to shoulder behind him. "Thank you," he said and bowed his head. "He didn't seem to want to take no for an answer."

Following Lord Zel'Vahn's butler was a succession of other servants, each with a similar invitation, and each with an almost identical reaction when Stavin mentioned bringing along the others. Apparently none of the lords wanted a group of mercenaries as supper guests.

* * *

Barvil took Karvik, Davel, Lavin, and Chandar with him when he went into the city, obeying his own orders. He wasn't really concerned about being attacked. It would take a mighty foolish thief to attack even one fully armed and armored warrior. He just wasn't going to be a hypocrite about his orders. He also wanted to give his son a chance to look around at one of the greatest cities of the kingdom, and possibly visit an old friend.

Karvik and the others gawked at the magnificent city that surrounded them and Barvil fought to hold back his laughter as even Davel, who had been to the coastal regions before, kept his head in almost constant motion as he took in the sights as well.

Barvil knew where he wanted to go, assuming it still existed. It was an inn called The Black Ahldar Bull, and he remembered it as serving the best beef steak he'd ever tasted. It took him a while to find it, but at last he saw the statue of the bull and hurried his steps.