All four guards had sword wounds in their arms, legs, or chests. Three drivers had
quarrels still protruding, as if they were a woman’s pin cushion. The uninjured driver
was hastily trying to stem the bleeding from his guardsman. “Here, let me at him,”
Zoran insisted, taking over. Quickly, he worked on getting the crude bandage tied tight
enough to stop the bleeding. From the corner of his eye, he spied Zdenka attending to a
quarrel victim.
“Hold him tightly. This will hurt a bit. On three. One. Two. Three.” The man
groaned; Zoran knew the quarrel had been extracted. “Ah, no blood being coughed up,
good sign. Here, tie a wad of cloth to his wound.” She moved on to the next one.
Bernard attended to another wounded guard, fastening make shift bandages to
his arm and leg. Meanwhile the six dogs kept a vigilant eye on the bandits, occasionally
growling, if they thought one was getting too far from the wagons. A half hour passed
and Zoran heard the sound of several horses coming their way from Brn. “Ah, bout
time,” Bernard called out. Eyeing Zoran’s curious look, he added, “Brn patrol. They’ll
take these vermin from us. Good thing too; we won’t have to march them in to the
Sheriff.” Zdenka flashed a smile, though he didn’t see it.
Four mounted riders wearing chain mail rode up. One called out, “Strom, what
happened here?” The unwounded drover explained that they were attacked by the dozen
bandits, and the four guards took charge of them at once. Five with arrows in their heads
were quite dead. These, the guards quickly searched, confiscating weapons, coin
pouches, and anything else of value. That same guard, evidently the one in charge Zoran
assumed, ordered the remaining bandits to start digging five graves.
He then came up to Zdenka, “Your work, I presume, Zdenka?”
“Aye. Twelve against four is hardly a fair fight,” she replied conservatively.
He chuckled, “Aye. Glad you were around. This is the third attack in a month.
Sheriff sent us out to patrol the road, hoping to find them. You’ve taken all our fun away,
ma’am.” He teased her. She smiled. “Here, present this stuff to the sheriff, and you and
your friends will get the reward. Get the wagons moving soon; those guards need
physician attention pronto.”
“Aye. Soon as we have them temporarily bandaged. It won’t do to have them
bleed to death before we get to Brn,” she replied. She helped several get up onto the
wagons, as did Bernard and Zoran. The three stood and watched the four wagons begin
moving on down the road into Brn.
At last, Bernard said, “I’m heading into Brn, Zdenka. By the way, thanks
stranger.”
“Zoran, sir. Mighty well trained dogs you have there. I’m heading into Brn myself.
Just got here late last night. Slept in yonder woods, when I was rudely awakened but the
swords. How far is it into Brn?” Of course he knew precisely where the walls were
located; he’d seen them when he had arrived last night, but he wanted to play the role of
traveler. Far less questions, besides, if he said he’d Shadow Walked here, everyone
would know he was a Duska and royalty. That was the last thing he wanted revealed
about himself.
“Hail Zoran,” the mellow alto voice said, as she walked up beside the two men.
Bernard’s dogs now trotted out in front of the three, slowly walking down the road some
distance from the wagons ahead. “Nice swordsmanship. Don’t see many with a flashy
style as yours in these parts, let alone two short swords. Some say those are not a ‘man’s’
weapons.” Zoran recognized her teasing probe. Indeed, he had defied all traditions by
not choosing a broadsword, bastard sword, or possibly a giant two handed sword.
He grinned, “I’m not from around these parts. By the way, that was some
incredible archery you did back there. Impressive, to say the very least.”
It was Zdenka’s turn to smile, “Aye, but I was off my mark twice. The shots were
supposed to be right here,” she put her finger right between Zoran’s eyes on his forehead
just above his nose. “I missed by an inch both times.”
Bernard chuckled, “Ah, Zdenka, you are slipping!” She grinned. “I’m called
Bernard Dragan, Dog Master. She’s Zdenka Lavos, Archer. I’m heading into Brn for the
Picking.”
“You too?” Zdenka commented curiously.
“Aye, but I don’t suppose that Archmage Oldrich will choose me,” he said rather
bored. “This will be my third try. I’m not sure why I keep coming to the Picking, but I
seem to find myself walking this way. She’ll probably not pick me this year either, but I
reckon it don’t hurt to try.”
“Well, if you want to learn magic, Bernard, you just have to keep on trying. I’m
going to the Picking this year too. I’m fed up with my life. Magic may be what I am
seeking. Guess I will see. What’s your business in these parts, Zoran?” she asked politely.
Bernard was also eyeing the stranger.
“I’ve come to see Archmage Oldrich myself. I want to see if she will accept me as a
student. What’s this Picking thing all about?” he asked, hoping to get some information.
It was Bernard who replied. “Each spring, about now in fact, Archmage comes to
the Stodgy Inn to interview all those who wish to become magic apprentices. Been doing
it as long as I can recall,” he explained in a monotone voice. “Some she chooses, some
she don’t. She didn’t pick me twice before, and I don’t know why she might pick me this
year, though, but it gives the dogs a nice outing if nothing else.”
“How does she choose the new apprentices?” Zoran asked, though he saw that
Zdenka also was very curious as well.
“Oh, she asks you funny questions,” he replied, bored.
“Like what,” Zdenka asked, curiously.
“Dunno. Cain’t remember them. Funny thing, been asked them twice now, and I
can’t remember what her questions were! Isn’t that just the strangest thing?” Bernard
replied, himself suddenly becoming curious for a moment, before slipping back into his
usual boredom.
“Probably cast a Forget spell on you,” Zoran suggested. “That would account for
your not being able to recall her questions. Maybe you’ll get them right this time.”
“Maybe so, maybe not,” he replied. “Least the dogs like the long walk, especially
Amos, there. He’s the oldest. Right smart dog.” Zoran noticed that, when talking about
his dogs, Bernard was anything but bored.
As they approached the gates, Zdenka said, “Say, you two follow me to the
sheriff’s office. Part of the reward money belongs to both of you as well. Please, I insist.”
“Thanks, Zdenka, but you did most of the kill’n. I only rounded up the strays,”
Bernard replied.
“Yes, but that means those five won’t be robbing and hurting others for a long
time, Bernard. Zoran, you got some yourself. Please, I insist. Then, Bernard, you can
lead us to the Stodgy Inn. I don’t know exactly where that’s at — Brn is rather large.”
“Okay, if you insist. Maybe it will pay for my room and board,” Bernard replied.
“Thank you, Zdenka. I’ve my own funds, but if you insist. Thanks,” Zoran replied.
“I have no idea where this inn is located. Never been to Brn. I can see it’s quite large,
isn’t it?”
“Aye, that she is,” Bernard replied. “Stranger, best watch your money pouch.
There’s pickpockets hangin’ round these streets. Unsavory types too, but I reckon that
you can deal with them with your fancy swords. Me, I depend upon my dogs. They can
smell a foul beast a mile away. Now this one time. . .” Bernard began relating a story of
how his dogs helped capture two thieves here in Brn. Not long, Zdenka halted before a
brick building. A large sign spelled Sheriff in large letters. She asked them to wait, while
she went inside. Zoran resigned himself to listen to the rest of Bernard’s tale.
Not long after that and just before Bernard was about to launch into yet another
dog story, she reappeared. “Not bad for a morning’s work, fellows. I’ll split it with you.”
She handed each of them twenty gold coins. “They fetched a nice price indeed. Okay,
Bernard, lead on — to the Stodgy Inn and a bath for me. Say, is this an expensive inn?”
“Well that all depends on the accommodations you want. Me, I always take the
cheapest lodgings. Why waste money on fancy rooms? Especially when you don’t have
it,” he replied. “Course, it all depends on how soon the Picking will be, too,” he answered
in a non-committal tone. Zdenka pressed him, and he added, “Well, where I usually stay
costs a gold piece a week, but the fancy rooms, now they run more like five.”
“Say, since I am new to town, how about I treat both of you to some good rooms?
I’ve plenty of funds — been traveling a lot,” Zoran lied. “I would like some friendly
company while we all wait on this Archmage. What do you say? Friends?” He held out
his hand and Zdenka shook it, though she was still a bit reserved. Bernard gave a hearty
shake, thankful for a nice room for a change.
“Thanks, Zoran. After I get a bath, we can meet in the main bar room. I’ll spring
for lunch,” Zdenka.
“Oh no, that means I spring for dinner and that costs more,” Bernard lamented
jokingly. “Say, now you can see the Archmage’s tower pretty good from here. Look.
Impressive, isn’t it? I wonder what all goes on in there? Maybe this time I will find out,”
he added.
The three involuntarily stopped to gaze at the orange granite circular tower which
rose five stories above the street. Zoran estimated it was at least a hundred feet in
diameter, and it occupied the northernmost part of the city. The outer walls butted up
against the sides of the tower. He realized now that this city belonged to Archmage
Oldrich, who had probably founded it half a century ago and was likely it’s protector out
here in the Wild Lands. With any luck, he would be living inside that tower soon. If not,
well, there were other Archmages he could try.
The Stodgy Inn was the last inn before the tower, but also a fairly good one. Just
inside the main doors was the commons, where meals were served, games played, and,
of course, ales had. The barkeeper jovially called out, “Oh no. It’s Bernard and his dogs
again! Must be close to the Picking time again. Gonna try it again this year, Bernard?
Who’s your pretty friend there?” He nodded to Zdenka, and then politely nodded to
Zoran.
“Yes, trying it again. This is Zdenka Lavos, an Archer from the Dark Forest, here
for the Picking too. She just managed to capture the bandits this morning on our way
here, with our help mind you. Oh yes, this is Zoran, a fighter, who helped. Say when is
the Picking going to take place?”
“This Saturday. Good luck. You be wanting your usual room?”
Zoran spoke up, “No, I want three of your finest rooms for these new friends of
mine — three in a row, if you have them. We’ll be staying through Saturday. Come for
the Picking.”
His eyebrows rose. “Fifteen gold, on account of him have’n those dogs ‘o his in his
room. Makes a mess; maids have a hard time getting dog smell out of the rooms.” Zoran
smiled, figuring something like this might happen. Most inns wouldn’t let dogs inside.
He counted out the coins and the man bit one; satisfied, he chatted away.
“Rooms ten through twelve, top story, them stairs over there. Yea gets a hot bath
with it and free meals — for
people
, though,” he stared at Bernard, who forked over a
gold coin for scraps for his six dogs.
“Didn’t get your surname, Zoran. Where yea be from?” the barkeeper chatted
away, though Zoran knew that the man was intensely curious of strangers. All
barkeepers were, at least all those that he had seen.
“Just Zoran, sir. Only Zoran. I come from a town far to the east, been traveling a
long time. Heard this Archmage Oldrich is tops. Figured why not learn from the best?
Don’t you think?” He cleverly avoided the question and sent the conversation in another
direction, which the barkeeper was only too pleased to explain just how great Brn’s
benefactor was.