The Lord of All - Chapter 2.

[Chinaren]

Chapter 2.  Eye in a Haystack.


Lord looked at the man for a moment, and narrowed his eyes.  The wizard gazed back with a guileless expression on his face.  “What?”

“Our information,” said Lord, “I consider reliable.  And I get a feeling you’re not telling us all you could.”  He leaned forward, his bulk hovering over the wizard.  “How about you start helping a little?  After all, I did just save your life.”  He gestured at the body on the floor.

Rumpold licked his lips, suddenly nervous.  “Look, I really don’t have the Eye.”

“I never trusted magic users,” said Nurn.  “Maybe you should convince this guy the way you convinced the last one who lied to you boss?” 

“Perhaps I should Nurn,” Lord said, his hand going to the pommel of the blade at his hip.  “Though I don’t want things to get messy.  Blood is hard to get out of my furs, especially in this backwater town.”

“Now listen!” Rumpold stepped backwards, retreating until he bumped against the wall.  “There’s no need for any violence, at least against my person.  The Wizards’ guild wouldn’t take kindly to that you know.”

“That’s what the last fellow said too,” said Nurn, picking at the material on his robe idly.  “Didn’t make any difference though.”

“Okay, okay.  Look, maybe I did have the Eye,” said Rumpold.  “But I don’t have it anymore!  Someone took it.  Stole it actually.”

“Someone stole something from a wizard?” asked Velvet.  “Isn’t that rather suicidal?  What about the Guild?  I always thought they took a rather dim view of people stealing from one of their own.”

“Yes, well,” the mage harrumphed. “Usually it would be.”

“They don’t know you had the Eye do they?” Nurn asked, realization dawning on his face. 

“Well, not as such.  No.”  The wizard heaved a deep sigh.  “Oh pish.  I don’t suppose it’ll hurt to tell you lot. You’re not going to let others know about this are you?”  He looked hopefully at Lord.

“We only need to use the Eye to find the Door,” said Lord. “After that you can keep it.  I’ve no interest in getting involved with your politics.”

“Very well then,” Rumpold said.  He thought a moment.  “Come downstairs, let’s talk in a more civilized way, perhaps we could help each other.”  He gestured at the stairs and cocked an eye at Lord, who nodded and moved back a pace, allowing the wizard to move past.

They filed down the staircase, leaving the body cooling on the floor, back into the first room.  The wizard made a gesture, and the front door, which was hanging ajar, closed itself.   Then the man looked at the spilled tea, tutted, and set about cleaning things up.

“Please,” he said as he mopped at the fluid on the table with a cloth he’d apparently pulled from thin air, “take a seat.  Would you like some tea?  I’ll brew a fresh pot.”

“That would be nice, thank-you,” said Velvet.  Then, because she’d been brought up to be polite, added:  “May I help in some way?”

“Thank-you my dear, but I’m fine.  Just sit down, I won’t be a moment.”

“If you’ve something to nibble on I wouldn’t say no,” said Nurn, climbing onto the sofa and buffing up a cushion.  “I’ve not eaten in what feels like eons, and I’m on the verge of imploding.”

Rumpold nodded, and carried the teapot and cup off through the door Velvet had noted when she’d come in.  The rattle of cups and plates could soon be heard coming from beyond.  She raised her eyebrows to herself and sat down gingerly on an armchair.  Lord paced the room, clumping around like a caged animal.

“Sit down boss,” said Nurn, as Lord did another lap.  “You’re making me nervous, stalking around like a panther.”

The Lord of All stopped walking and looked at him a second, but then grunted and sat down heavily next to the Grey, nearly bouncing the him off the sofa in the process. 

A few moments of silence later and Rumpold came bustling back in, carrying a tray with a pot and four cups.  There was also a plate of small brown biscuits.  He set them down on the table with a kindly smile.  “Shall I be mother?” he asked, as he proceeded to pour tea into the delicate white cups.  “This is Jasmine tea you know, the very best.  Here you go my dear.”  He handed one to Velvet, who thanked him and took a small sip.  It was very good.

The wizard passed another two cups to his other guests, and some biscuits to the Grey, who munched on them happily.  Velvet had to stifle a giggle at the Lord of All.  The image of a great big warrior, his swords jutting out at awkward angles as he sat perched on a couch in the living room whilst balancing a small cup of tea on his knees was rather a striking one. 

“So then, how pleasant,” beamed Rumpold as he sat down on another armchair and sipped at his own drink.  “I always say a little civilization goes a long way.”

Lord of All cleared his throat and gently deposited his cup back onto the table.  “This is all very well wizard, but how about you tell us what’s going on here?  Where is the Eye?”

“Oh dear oh dear,” Rumpold sighed.  “It’s all rather depressing.  Where to begin?”

“The beginning is always a good place,” Velvet suggested.  “So my mother always says.”

“Your mother is a wise woman my dear,” the mage replied, cocking an eye at her.  “How are you involved in all of this anyway?  It’s no matter for a young girl.”

“I’m twenty two!” she replied, rather hotly.  “I’m old enough to look after myself thank-you.”

“Ah, twenty two.  Old enough to get into trouble, young enough not to know better.”  The wizard shook his head slightly, but then looked back at Lord.  “Very well.  I shall tell you the whole sordid tale, as long as you agree to repeat none of it.  The affair wouldn’t… enhance my reputation if it got out.”

“Agreed,” Lord replied, in a tone that warned of growing impatience.

“It all started when I managed to get hold of a rare parchment.  It was a total chance you understand, I wasn’t looking for this thing, it just sort of… fell into my lap.”  Rumpold took another sip of his tea as he warmed to his tale.  “This parchment hinted at the location of a rare and valuable, not to mention powerful, artifact.  Naturally I was interested.  Who wouldn’t be?”  He turned the palm of his free hand up in a questioning manner.  Velvet nodded.

“Anyway, the artifact, the Eye I’m talking about of course, wasn’t in a place that was easy to reach.  I would need some help.  Unfortunately the help I hired wasn’t very discreet, and I fear other parties, less reputable than my own good self…” he paused here as Nurn broke out in a coughing fit. 

“Go on, go on.”  The Grey waved a hand.  “Choked on a biscuit.  Sorry.” 

The wizard frowned, but carried on.  “As I was saying, another person found out about the Eye and managed to get to it first.”

“I thought you said you had it?” asked Velvet, frowning.

“Yes, I did.  Please don’t interrupt; I’m getting to that bit.”  Rumpold sipped his tea again before continuing.  “To cut a long story short, I managed to… ah, retrieve the item whilst in transit.  It’s a magical artifact after all, commoners, er, I mean non wizards shouldn’t have it.  It could be dangerous.”

“You were only protecting them you mean?” asked Nurn innocently.

“Precisely!” the wizard beamed. 

“So you stole the Eye and presumably secured it in a safe place,” Lord said. “What happened next?”

Rumpold’s face fell.  “Someone, someone very skilled I would add, managed to steal it.  I’d barely started my studies on the thing when it went missing.”

“Perhaps it was the same person who you took it from,” Velvet said.

The mage shook his head gravely.  “Sadly I know this to be not the case,” he replied.

“How can you be so sure?” Nurn asked, finishing off the last of the biscuits and take a noisy sip of tea.

“Because that party has managed to trace the device to me, and has requested its return.  In a fairly direct manner I may add.  It’s one reason I find myself in such an uncomfortable position.”

“Okay, I’m assuming this first party isn’t someone you can just report to the authorities,” Lord said.  He frowned at Nurn as the Grey slurped noisily on his drink.

“The person who managed to retrieve it first is a person who calls himself ‘Puzzle’.  No one knows his, or her, real identity.”

“Puzzle?”  Velvet asked. “What sort of name is that?  Who is he?”

Rumpold sighed.  “Despite his name, he’s a rather serious person.  If I’d known he was the one who’d taken the Eye in the first place, I would have thought twice about taking it.  Unfortunately, I didn’t find out until after the device was stolen from me.”

“So I’m assuming he’s some kind of underworld figure,” Nurn said, putting down his empty cup and picking up the Lord of All’s, which hadn’t been touched. 

“Puzzle is reported to be one of the most powerful crime lords in the city,” the wizard explained.  “Probably the most powerful one actually.  I admit, I had heard of him before this, but hadn’t really paid much attention.  Wizards tend to keep fairly limited circles you know.  Anyway, since the whole incident blew up, I’ve discovered that, whoever Puzzle is, he’s not afraid of using threats, even on someone of my status.  I fear the brigands you stumbled upon were sent by him.”

“Can’t you cast some spell or something, or call on your fellow wizards for help?” Velvet asked.

“Sadly no.”  Rumpold shook his head and looked at his cup mournfully.  “As the whole Eye thing was, shall we say, unofficial, calling on my comrades would probably get me in more trouble, not less.  As for using magic, I’ve tried, but it’s hard enough when you have a link to a subject.  All I know about Puzzle is a name, and not even his real one.  Plus, being a wanted crime lord, he probably has some kind of protection against detection.  Only some kind of seriously high level spell would stand a chance of locating him, maybe Gulgash’s Universal Identifier, or Mormon’s Deep Sight, but both of those would need several of the council members working together to cast.”
 
“So where does this leave us?” asked Nurn.

“Puzzle’s representatives made it very clear they think I still have the Eye.  The only thing I can think of doing is trying to locate the person who stole it from me.”  The wizard looked at his guests hopefully.  “Perhaps, as you also need this item, you could be of assistance?  Working together, we may be able to trace it.  I was in the middle of doing a magical search when I was attacked.”

“And that brings us up to date,” said Lord. 

“Indeed,” Rumpold said.  “Now you see why I thought you could help me.  I am capable of defending myself in a fight you understand, as long as I’m prepared.”

“But I’ve heard of wizards wading their way through groups of warriors,” said Velvet.

The mage made a face and a dismissive gesture.  “Stories mostly my dear, or if not, they were armed with magical artifacts and loaded up with battle magic.  It’s not as easy as the tales make it seem, though this is not something that I should really be telling non-magic users.”

“Yes, I expect you like to portray an image of invulnerability to the unwashed masses, don’t you?”  Nurn commented dryly.

“You have no leads or clues to this thief now?” asked Lord. 

“No.  Nothing,” Rumpold said.  “I’ll try my spell again though, this time with better protective wards on the house.  It’ll take a day maybe.  The only other thing I could suggest is either the Thieves’ guild or the local City Watch house, though both of those places are not known for giving out information, and may ask awkward questions.”

Lord sighed.  “Very well.  We shall return tomorrow.  Are you sure you’ll be safe this time?”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be ready for any other attacks,” Rumpold said, standing up.

“Good.”  Lord nodded at the wizard and moved to the door.  Glancing back at Nurn and Velvet, he opened it and strode out. 

Velvet said goodbye to the wizard, who waved a hand at her, and followed the Grey outside. 

[Saint]

Wow, this is good. You've got some good characters, and what looks like a brilliant start. I Hope this can be built into a truly great story. My only critisism is one I received myself for my story once - "Too much dialogue".
Can't wait for more.
And Might I make a suggestion? Kill off a few unimportant characters ITS FUN  And stress releiving.

[Rocket Rabbit]

This is really good. I got into it right away... this is some quality writing...

*sees resemblence between description of Nurn and China Ren's avatar* Hmm...  

[NeverNeverGirl]

okay Ren - the standard is sitting up there in these last few chapters!  I like the way theres a little bit of a sense of comedy interwoven though not taken too far.  

Velvet strikes me as in interesting sort of character  - clearly intelligent and underestimated by everyone.   I hope she stays helpful and interesting please don't turn her into 'character for love interest with no real substance'.. I beg of you, please Ren.

I like the Lord of All too and i am interested to see some of the depth behind the straight man!

Onwards Dear Ren...

[Chinaren]

This is really good. I got into it right away... this is some quality writing...

*sees resemblence between description of Nurn and China Ren's avatar* Hmm...  

Thank-you RR, and yes, Nurn was (slightly) influenced by my av!  

Velvet strikes me as in interesting sort of character - clearly intelligent and underestimated by everyone. I hope she stays helpful and interesting please don't turn her into 'character for love interest with no real substance'.. I beg of you, please Ren.

I have no plans for that to  happen Nenners!  She's the protagonist on this one, though that doesn't mean she won't find a handsome fellah at some point.  Not actually thought about that tho!

I'll be posting more of this soon.  I am still working on this one, on and off, so it will keep going.

[Chinaren]

Lord was in the street, petting his horse.  From the expression on his face he was less than happy with the outcome of the interview.

“What now boss?”  Nurn asked. 

“We shall do as I said.”  Lord looked at Velvet, who smiled nervously.  The man could be extremely intimidating.  “Velvet wasn’t it?”

“Yes sir.”  It was all she could do not to curtsey. 

“Well Velvet, do you know of a nearby hotel?  I don’t wish to walk all across the city back to the one from last night, only to have to repeat the journey tomorrow.” 

“Well,” Velvet considered.  “There are some nearby, but they’re the up market places.  Very expensive, so I hear.  I’ve not stayed in any myself.”

“Money is not an issue,” Lord said. 

“Very well then.  Follow me please.”  She turned to mount her horse, but Lord interrupted her.

“Also…” he started. 

She looked around, and was surprised to find that he looked rather shy all of a sudden.  “Yes?”

“I wouldn’t usually impose on someone.  You have your life to live, but you’ve been helpful and courteous thus far, qualities which are rare enough in any ti… place.” 

Velvet frowned at the slip, but listened as he continued. 

“Would you consider continuing aiding us?  You seem to know your way around the city and wizards, both of which would be of considerable help.  I can provide a small stipend as well as food and lodging, should you require it.”

Velvet thought about the men she’d seen running from the wizards’ house, as well as the one lying dead up the stairs.  Then she thought about the previous night, and what might have happened had Lord not intervened.  She took a deep breath and looked at the large man and the small Grey.  Nurn waggled his eyebrows at her and winked, making her smile.

“Very well sir,” she said, her mind suddenly made up.  “But I’ll have to report to my work and let them know I’ll be away for some time.”

“That is acceptable,” Lord said.  “Show us to the hotel first, and then we will discuss options, and you can contact your employer.”

Velvet nodded and turned back to her horse, mounting it with slightly less effort this time.  Still, she was slower than the other two, and by the time she had herself sorted out both Lord and Nurn were sitting on their own beasts, waiting for her.  “Sorry,” she said, flushing.  “I haven’t ridden in a while.”

Lord smiled kindly.  “We are in no great rush, take your time.”

She flushed even more, and kicked her horse in the sides harder than she’d intended.  The beast moved off quickly, and she spent the next few seconds simultaneously trying to guide it and figure out the best way to the nearest hotel.  She managed, and after a short time they fell into what had become their usual formation, with Lord just out in front, and Velvet and Nurn following just behind.

She guided them out of the wizardly backstreets and onto the main avenue once again, where they trotted along at a good pace.  The roads were still quiet, but there was certainly more traffic about now. 

Something occurred to Velvet, and she dropped back a little bit to ride beside Nurn.  In a low voice she whispered to the Grey.  “What did Lord do to the last wizard who lied to him?”

“What?  What do you mean?”  Nurn said.

“In the house, upstairs, you said he should convince Rumpold like he convinced the last wizard.  What did he do to the last wizard?”

“Oh that.”  The Grey laughed.  “He just asked him several more times, fingering his sword whilst he did so.  I’m sure the poor fellow thought he was going to come to harm, but Lord wouldn’t use violence against someone who wasn’t a threat.  That’s just not his way.”

“Oh,” Velvet said.  Then again.  “Oh.”  She smiled and nodded.  “I see.” 

“Do you think this hotel will have a decent dining room?”  Nurn asked wistfully.  “A few biscuits are hardly a hearty meal.  I’m practically wasting away here.”  He patted his belly, which didn’t look very skinny to Velvet.

“I’m sure they will have,” she replied, and then hurried her horse along to make sure she turned off at the correct street.  It wouldn’t do to get lost just as she’d been hired as a guide.  How would that look to her new employer?

>

The Old Duke hotel was one of the finest in the city, with a history spanning more than five hundred years.  It certainly considered itself to be an upper class establishment, even though its glory days had long faded. 

Despite that, it still liked to think of itself as too good for the ‘common man,’ and Velvet thought the only reason the doorman had even let them pass was because he wasn’t foolish enough to go head to head with an enormous warrior carrying several large swords. 

The lobby reeked of refinement, and she felt terribly out of place standing on the beautifully embroidered carpet.  It made her want to rush to the bath house and take a shower or something.  The room was decorated in muted colors, with portraits of various aristocrats from ages past hanging at regular intervals on the walls.  Overhead the biggest chandelier that Velvet had ever seen dominated the upper area, and she wondered how it didn’t tear the ceiling out. 

They approached the long wooden reception desk, and she could see the panic rise in the conservatively dressed young woman who was manning it.  The clerk wasn’t fast enough to go and get reinforcements though, so she put on a brave face as Velvet leaned on the counter. 

“May I help you?” 

“Yes please,” said Velvet with a smile.  “We require…” she hesitated and looked at Lord.

“Two rooms,” he said.  “One for Nurn and me, another for yourself.  I would prefer it if you stayed close.”

Velvet nodded.  She didn’t like to waste money, but the opportunity of staying here was too good to pass up.  She looked at the woman, who smiled nervously and asked another question.

“How long will the party be staying?”

“Er,” Velvet looked at Lord again.

“There is no specific period,” he said.  “It may be as little as a day.”

The receptionist started to look relieved, but expression quickly changed as the Lord of All added more.

“On the other hand, it may be considerably longer.”

“Oh,” the clerk said.  “I’m afraid we have to ask for some security up front.  We usually require a week in advance.”

“How much for a reasonable room?” asked Velvet, feeling she should contribute something to the conversation.

“For a standard room the cost is Half a Crown a night.  We have better of course.”  The girl looked hopeful as Velvet paled.

Half a Crown a night!  That was more than she was paid in a month!  She was about to open her mouth to bargain when Lord casually threw ten large gold pieces onto the counter.  Velvet’s argument stopped dead as the coins rolled about for a moment, before coming to rest in an expensive pile.  He’d just thrown ten Crowns on the desk more casually than she’d have done for ten bits!  She had hardly even seen a Crown piece, let along ten all at once.  The large gold pieces were rare, and too large for normal purchases.  Her new horse had probably not cost more than two of them, at most.

If Velvet had been surprised at this sudden windfall, it had nearly given the receptionist a heart attack.  She stammered for several moments before squeaking out an apology and asking them to wait a moment, and fleeing through a door behind her. 

“What did I do?” asked The Lord of All, looking puzzled.

“You just put more gold on the desk than most people see in a year!” Velvet hissed.  “Two years!  Listen, next time let me bargain first okay?  You can’t go throwing that kind of money around, even you.  You’ll have half the thieves and pickpockets in the city after you before the day’s out.”

“Oh.”  Lord pulled a face for a moment.  “Sorry.  I’m still unfamiliar with your currency.  I shall endeavor to me more careful in future.  Thank-you.”

Velvet was about to reply when the girl returned, along with a dapper man with a very small moustache, dressed in a black suit and rather horribly colored green bow tie.  His name badge proclaimed him to be the floor manager, name Perkins.

Perkins took in the pile of money on the desk first, and then the three visitors without so much as a flinch.  He rubbed his hands together in a gesture that Velvet thought rather revealing as he spoke in an oily voice.

“Hello good sirs and Miss.  My name is Mr. Perkins, Percy to our more esteemed guests.  I see you wish to stay with us for a little while.  The Duke is honored to have you, and I sincerely wish you enjoy your time with us.  If you desire anything, anything at all,” he gave a slight wink to Lord here, “please call for me, day or night.”

“The rooms will be sufficient for now,” Lord said.  “And please see to our horses our front.”

“Of course sir, I’ll send someone out right away!  In the meantime, if you would just fill in these forms…”  He pushed two white cards forward on the counter.  Lord looked at Velvet, who took the hint and picked up a quill from nearby. 

As Lord and Perkins stood waiting, and Nurn wandered around poking at the decorations in the lobby, she filled in the registration cards with a mixture of real and made up information.  She put down that Lord had come from the city state of Nord, a location quite some distance away in the cold south.  Nurn went down as his servant, which was true enough.  For herself, she put down the address of her aunt, who lived on the opposite side of the city. 

Finally done, she put the quill down and passed the forms back to the manager, who smiled creepily and handed them to the receptionist.  “Any luggage?” he asked.

“Nothing we can’t handle ourselves,” said Lord.

“Very well then.”  Percy rang a bell and a rather young looking youth in a blue and purple uniform scampered up.  “Show these guests to their rooms,” he said, passing two keys to the lad.

“Yes sir.  This way please.” 

The three followed the bellhop into a small elevator.  Once ready, he blew into a tube and spoke into it.  “Floor five.”

There was a moment of silence, and then the lift began to rise, jerkily at first, but then more smoothly. 

“How does this contraption work?” asked Lord.

“It’s linked to a couple of mules in the basement,” said the lad.  He winked.  “But don’t let on I told you.  The management likes to pretend they have a magical engine running it.  I heard that they actually did once, but the wizards charge a lot for maintenance, so now it’s horsepower.”

Velvet smiled.  She rather liked the bellhop.  He didn’t seem to share the same stuffy attitude the other two staff had shown. 

“Is it safe?” asked Nurn, jumping up and down a little, making the platform wobble.

“Don’t do that!”  Velvet said, grabbing at the wall.

“Sorry.”  Nurn’s grin showed he wasn’t.

Their ride stopped at the fifth floor, and the boy led them out into a sumptuously decorated corridor.  The carpet underfoot was a deep red, and Velvet’s feet sank into it as they moved along.  The walls were of a similar design to the lobby, though the paintings here showed various nature scenes rather than portraits.  She admired them as they passed.

Finally the bellhop stopped at door number five five.  “Here we are miss,” he said, opening it for her and gestured she should enter.  “The gentlemen are just across the hall, in five six.”  He pointed.

Velvet thanked him and, taking the key, went to explore her new quarters as Nurn and Lord followed the boy to theirs. 

Her eyes widened as she took the room in.  Either the receptionist had been lying about the price to scare her off, or the standard rooms were far better than she’d dreamed. 

The bed dominated the room.  It was a huge four poster affair with red and purple velvet cushions, pillows and blankets all over it, she was sure it would bury her.  The rest of the room was equally as luxurious.  A fine wooden writing desk, with parchment and quills ready.  An area near the window had padded chairs arranged around a table, upon which stood a kettle and cups.  Velvet was momentarily reminded of Rumpold and his tea. 

A door led off to the washing facilities, and here Velvet found a huge porcelain tub.  A large copper kettle was on a stove nearby, currently cold.  Next to that was a bowl of water and a rope with a sign saying she should pull it for assistance.

Shaking her head at the opulence, Velvet wandered back into the corridor just in time to meet Nurn and Lord coming out of their room.  Lord had removed the large sword from his back, though the smaller one was still at his hip.

“We’re going to get dinner, I’m starving,” Nurn informed her.  “Are you coming?”

Velvet hesitated.  She had been planning to go back to the shop, but it was getting late, and that would mean she’d have to go out in the dark.  Best rest here for the night and do that tomorrow.  Besides, for half a Crown a night, she wanted her moneys’ worth.

“Okay.  Let me just freshened up a little first,” she replied.  “I smell of horse.  I’ll meet you in the dining room.  Can you find it?”

“I can always find my way to food, don’t worry about that!”  The Grey grinned and waddled off down the corridor, close behind the hulking form of Lord.  Velvet watched the mismatched pair go for a moment, and then returned to her room, where she used the apparatus provided to scrub the accumulated grime off her.

Feeling much better, she left her new room and took the stairs to the dining area, which was on the third floor, according to a sign near the lift. 

The dining hall matched the rest of the hotel in elegance.  Tables of various sizes were laid out in neat rows, with purple and white tablecloths and blue placemats.  The walls were covered in golden colored furry wallpaper, the likes of which Velvet had never seen before.  She stopped to a moment to stroke it and wonder what kind of animal had given its life up so its skin could line the walls of a hotel.

“May I help the young miss?”

Velvet started.  She looked around, guiltily removing her hand.  “Ah, I’m here to join my friends,” she said. 

A tall man, obviously the maitre de, was standing nearby, looking down a long thin nose at her.  He was dressed in a formal black suit with matching bow-tie.  His hair had been slicked back and Velvet thought he looked as if he’d been starched.  His name badge proclaimed him to be ‘Rupert’ and the look on his face made it plain he thought she’d just crawled out of the gutter.

“Wonderful.  Welcome to my dining hall,” he said, in a voice that gave lie to his words. 

“There they are,” she said, spotting Nurn and Lord at a table not too far away.  Lord was sipping a glass of water.  Nurn appeared to have half an apple in his mouth.

“Of course,” said the maitre de, as if stating ‘who else would you be with?’  “If you would like to follow me then.”  He set off and she followed, noticing for the first time his long and very, very thin legs. 

“Here she is!” said Nurn, waving at her as she approached and spitting apple pieces over the table, much to the evident distress of Rupert.

“Your friend has arrived,” Rupert announced, as if Velvet had just entered a ballroom.  “How is your pre-dinner snack?  Would you like some more fruit to spread around sir?”

“That’d be great,” Nurn replied, not the least bit phased by the tone of the question. 

Velvet suppressed a grin as she sat in the chair Rupert pulled out for her. 

“This is more like it!”  Nurn said as the maitre de stalked off.  “I may even get enough to eat here.”

“Glad you like it,” Velvet said.  “Oh, thank you.”  This was directed at a young woman who had just handed her a menu.

“We’ve ordered already,” Nurn informed her. 

“I see,” Velvet replied, not really listening as she scanned the list.  Evidently it was the drinks menu.  There was quite a lot of wine on it, none of which she was familiar with, but she was willing to explore new territory, so she chose one at random and handed the menu back, only to be given another, thicker one.

Smiling at Nurn, who had just managed to stuff an entire banana in his mouth in one go, she tried to understand the food in the list.  It was evidently high class cuisine, but the names were not familiar to her, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself ordering something she didn’t like. 

Eventually she ordered a light salad as a starter, and something she hoped was goose as a main course.  Declining dessert, she handed the waitress the menu back and settled down in the comfortable chair to wait for her food.

“So,” she said after a moment’s silence.  “How’s your room?”

“It’s okay,” Nurn replied, swallowing the last of his banana.  “Been in worse, been in better.”  He waved his arm about dismissively. 

Velvet nodded.  No doubt they had.

“Tomorrow I must to go back and tell my employer, at the shop I work in I mean, I’ll be away for a while,” she said to Lord. 

The large man nodded.  “You said this before.  Do you wish me to accompany you?”

Velvet considered for a moment, but then shook her head.  “No, thanks.  I’ll be okay.  It’s not far on horseback.  I’ll be back in the afternoon if I start early and get a move on.”

“Very well,” Lord said, as the waitress put a bowl of small bread rolls on the table.  Nurn grabbed two of them and stuffed them into his mouth so both cheeks bulged like a squirrel carrying nuts.  Lord shook his head slightly and spoke again to Velvet.  “I appreciate your help in this matter, and apologize again for taking you away from your usual duties.”

“Hah, I’d rather help you.  It’s not often I get the chance to help someone good.  This city has far too many greedy people.”

“I thought you said you work in a wizards shop?”  Nurn mumbled, spitting bread crumbs. 

“Yes?”  Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“Well, aren’t the wizards honorable people?”

“You’ve met Rumpold already, I’d say he was slightly better than most.”

“Oh,” Nurn said.  He thought about this for a second, chewing absent mindedly, then nodded.  “I see.  Wizards in your ti… in your city aren’t the most charitable people then.”

Velvet noted the slip, but didn’t mention it.  “Aren’t the wizards in your city?” she asked.

They leaned back as the appetizers arrived on a small silver trolley, pushed by a young waiter.  The same waitress as before placed large bowls of soup before Lord and Nurn, and a plate piled high with salad in front of Velvet, whose eyes widened at the sight.  The hotel may be expensive, but it didn’t stint on the portions.  She picked up a fork and speared a small tomato as Nurn and Lord started on the soup, Nurn ate with some decorum, which she hadn’t expected.

“They are bound to behave with dignity and honor,” Lord said after an initial bout of eating.  “The mages in our city that is.”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t get a bad one here and there,” Nurn added helpfully, waving his spoon about and getting soup on the tablecloth.  He glanced at his master.  “Remember old Herk?  How many did he fry before he was stopped eh?  Nasty business all round that was.”  He picked up some bread and dipped it into his bowl. 

“Mmm,” said Velvet thoughtfully, folding some kind of green leaf up and stuffing it into her mouth. 

“Are you able to cast any spells?” asked Lord.  “You must have picked up some simple enchantments at least, working where you do.”

Velvet’s eyes widened.  “Oh no.  No sir.  The wizards’ guild wouldn’t allow that.  You must be properly apprenticed to use magic.  If I started to cast spells, or tried to at least, they’d be down on me in no time.  There are stories about people who’ve done that.  They disappear.”

“Pfft,” Nurn made a dismissive noise.  “Sounds like they’ve got you running scared well and proper.”

“No one gets away with using magic unless they’re sanctioned by the guild,” Velvet said.

“No one that you hear about,” said Nurn.  He put his spoon down and picked the bowl up, which was now nearly empty, and tipped the rest of the soup into his mouth.  Velvet caught sight of Rupert, standing in the shadows and covering his eyes. 

“Maybe,” she said. 

“For sure,” Nurn said.  “I’ve seen mages like yours before.  Half of their power comes from bamboozling the locals.  If you stood up to them a bit, they’d probably run a mile.”

“You think?”

Nurn shrugged.  “Well, there’d probably be some casualties at first.”  He raised a finger.  “But if you persevered…”

“Enough Nurn,” Lord said.  “No trying to subvert the local political structure.”

“Yes boss,” the Grey replied.  He looked around for the serving staff.  “Hey!  We’ve finished here.  Where’s the next course?”

[Mephistopheles]

yeah...'Hey...I've finished here! Where's the next chapter?' Excellent to see the continuance of this chinaren  

[Saint]

?Yes please,? said Velvet with a smile.  ?We require?? she hesitated and looked at Lord of the Night.

Am I missing something here?
Otherwise, an outstanding description. I don't think I could write all that about a place.  

[Chinaren]

    Oops!  I'm so used to saying LotN I guess!  I've known Lordy for longer than the Lord of All.  Thanks Saint, I'll fix that!

[Lady of Scrolls]

Chinny..... Where's the rest of this? *pouts* " title=":" />

[Chinaren]

I was going to post more today, as I was supposed to be not busy, but, as whatsisface wrote... 'No plan survives contact with the enemy.'

In this case, the enemy is RL.  This story is on my laptop, so I have to open that up, go online and transfer it from there.  That said, I [i:1apcgv3c]am[/i:1apcgv3c] still writing it, and will post more tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay.  It's been a bitch of a day.  

[Chinaren]

“I’ll be back as soon as possible.  Probably late afternoon, maybe early evening.  I need to let my employer know what I’m doing.” 

Lord nodded solemnly and helped her climb onto her horse, which was being held by an attendant from the hotel.  “You are sure you don’t wish us to accompany you?  It would be no trouble.”

Velvet shook her head.  “That’s all right,” she said.  “Really.  Anyway, you have to check on Rumpold.  I’ll be fine.  You’ll only slow me down anyway.”

Lord looked at her as if to say ‘Me?  Slow you down?’ but kept silent, nodding and stepping back to allow her to set off.  “I shall see you for dinner then,” he said as she retrieved the reigns from the bellhop and kicked her mount in the sides.

“A light salad this time!” she said laughingly as the horse moved off.  The previous nights’ meal had turned out to be both tasty and extremely large.  Even Nurn had said he was full when the last course had finally been eaten, and Velvet had barely been able to walk back to her room she’d felt so bloated.

The enormous bed had been as comfortable as it had looked, and she’d slept well, to wake early, still feeling full.  As a result, she’d skipped breakfast and headed for her horse just as soon as she’d performed her morning toiletries.  It hadn’t come as a big surprise to see the Lord of All waiting for her at the front entrance, alongside her mount, which she’d asked the hotel staff to saddle up for her.

Now, as she moved off, she saw him smile slightly nod as he returned to the hotel.  It was about as much of a farewell as she expected from the big man.  He wasn’t prone to needles emotion or talk, rather unlike Nurn.  Maybe that’s why they made such a good team.

Spurring her horse on into a canter, Velvet looked around.  She’d woken even earlier than she had realized, it was barely past dawn.  Another light smattering of snow had fallen during the night, not remotely as much as the previous day, but still enough to soften the sound of the horse’s hooves on the cobbled street.  This, along with the morning fog masking the city around her, muffling the few sounds that there were, making it appear she was moving through some kind of eerie underwater world.

Impulsively, she urged the horse, she really must think of a name for it, onwards even faster, letting it gallop through the streets, trusting its instincts to avoid colliding with anything. 

The wind moaned around her as she half stood in the stirrups, reveling in the feeling of freedom the ride gave her as she sped along the wide main road, covering more ground in five minutes than they’d made in an hour the day before.

The wild ride ended a few minutes later when she nearly ran over a man out walking his dog.  He jumped back out of the way of the horse and shouted after her, his pet barking in counterpoint.   

Giggling mischievously to herself, Velvet waited until she’d put a little distance between them, and slowed the horse down to a more sedate pace.  She’d have had to slow down soon anyway, as the streets here were getting busier.

The rest of the ride was enjoyable but uneventful, and it was still morning when she pulled up and slid off her mount outside old Grumble’s shop. 

Wincing slightly as she landed, she hadn’t done so much riding in quite some time, she tied the horse to the post outside the store and went on in.

She pushed the door open and a small bell rang off in the back room. 

“Won’t be a moment,” said a voice from somewhere near the far end of the shop. 

Velvet smiled.  Good, it was Grettle. The woman would be more understanding than Gregor would have been.  He’d have ranted on for ages about how she was letting them all down.

She walked through the shop, ‘Grumble’s Magical Supplies’, which had been serving wizards for several hundred years.  The owner, Mother Grumble as they called her, was a kindly old lady who had a mind as sharp as razors.  She rarely visited the store these days, knowing she could rely on her two managers to run the place well enough, but they all knew she would be down on them hard if something went amiss.

The interior wasn’t that large, and the shelves that covered the walls were stuffed full of wizardly paraphernalia.  Jars full of liquid, in which floated strange and disturbing items, sat next to bags and boxes of dried herbs, plants and animal parts.  Running along the back of the shop was a battered wooden counter, and next to that was a section that housed wizardly stationary - high quality parchment, inks made from sources it was better not to ask about, and various quills and pens.  Most of these were used in the ritual inscriptions needed for spell writing.  They were all displayed behind a glass front.  On the other side were more mundane goods:  jars, vials, mixing bowls and other hardware that was used for potions and magical cookery.

The counter itself housed some of the more expensive items, including a few artifacts that were magical themselves.  These were used in the creation of more complex conjurations, and could be dangerous in the wrong hands.       

Velvet wandered through the store, adjusting an item here and there, where they’d been left in the wrong place.  She’d worked here since she had been a young teenager, and had an intimate knowledge of the stock.  You had to have in the wizardly supply business, with demanding magic users who didn’t take laggardly service or mistakes lightly.  There was also the fact that some items had to be handled carefully, or they would be useless when used.  Then again, some things were just plain dangerous.   

The curtain at the back of the shop twitched, and a plump figure came through it.  “How can I help…  Oh, it’s you.  Hello dear.  Isn’t this your day off?”

“Hello Grettle, yes I just popped in,” Velvet replied, smiling.  The woman was short and bordering on fat, but she was a kindly soul.  Her hair was turning gray, though she was not so old, maybe in her forties, and her face was round and jolly looking.  Grendel said she was a natural grandmother, and Velvet thought that was a good description.  Even the clothes she wore were something you would expect a granny to wear.  Subdued and sensible.  A knitted shawl was draped around her shoulders.

“I’d have thought you would have better things to do with your free time, rather than hang about here,” Grettle replied. 

“Well, yes actually, that’s why I’m here.  I, er, I have some errands I have to do.  I’m afraid I won’t be in for a little while.”

“I see.”  Grettle peered over her half moon glasses.  “Something happened?  Is everything all right?”

“Oh, yes.”  Velvet had prepared a story on the way over, and she tried it out now.  “Some old friends of the family have come over, and they need some help with their business here.”

“Oh, very well.  We’re not very busy anyway, with the weather like it is,” the woman replied.  “Where are they staying?”

“Oh, er, over near the Duke hotel,” Velvet said.  She didn’t want to say they were staying at the Duke, it would raise too many questions.  I have to go there now actually, so I can’t stay long.

“As you say then love,” Grettle said.  “Oh, wait a minute though.”  She turned away and rummaged around behind the counter for a second.  “If you could do me a small favor…  Where did I put it?  Oh yes, here it is.”  She stood up again, and put a small white bag carefully on the counter top.  “This is an order from old Nettle, down on Spirit Street.  Would you mind dropping it off for me?  It’s near the Duke, you know his place don’t you?”

Velvet did.  “The tall orange house?  Yes.  Of course I’ll take it.” 

“Good girl.  Be careful though, it’s yellow Solphid root powder.”

“Oh.”  Velvet grimaced.  Solphid root powder was explosive.  You had to handle it rather gentle, or it would ignite, or even worse, explode.  That meant she’d have to ride carefully on the way back.  Ah well, too late now.  She’d said she’d do it already.  She picked the bag up gingerly, and held it protectively in her hand. 

“Thank-you.”  Grettle beamed.  “When will your business be finished?”

Velvet shrugged.  “Maybe a week, perhaps two, I’m not sure yet.”

“Okay love, well, take care, and watch that delivery now.”

Velvet nodded and, after saying farewell, walked evenly out of the store and into a day that was looking rather grimmer, weather-wise, than she’d expected.  The clouds were gathering, and the sky was darkening.  It was going to snow again.  She’d better get a move on.

Climbing onto her horse was tricky with the bag, but she made it without mishap, and turned the mare around to face back the way she’d come from. 

She’d planned on stopping somewhere to get a bite to eat for lunch, but with the yellow powder and the impending snow, Velvet decided not to bother.  No doubt she’d more than catch up at dinner later on again.  So she spurred her mount on and rode as fast as she dared with her cargo, wincing at every jolt. 

At first the going was pleasant, despite the fairly busy street, and she made good progress.  About halfway back though, the first flakes of snow began to fall and the wind picked up, and she found herself hunched over as the horse and heading into a growing blizzard.

“Damn!” she said, pulling her coat around her more tightly and veering closer to the houses along the side of the street, in an effort to shelter from the worst of the weather. 

Her horse plodded on, uncomplaining, and now Velvet regretted agreeing to take the powder for Grettle.  Without it she could increase the pace and maybe get back before the storm really started to bite. 

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she nearly didn’t see the movement from just ahead.  Even when she did see the man, she didn’t pay much attention at first.  However, something must have clicked in her subconscious, for all at once, she jerked the reigns hard to the side. 

The action saved her life.  The flash of silver that was the thrown dagger whispered past her ear.

The figure jumped to the right, countering her move, and she saw him pull another knife from belt slung over his shoulder.  He was dressed in strange clothing, like nothing she’d ever seen before.  A kind of dull green leather armor with strange dark writing on the arms.  His face was covered with a mask of the same color, and he had some dark glasses over his eyes. 

“Nothing personal,” the stranger said, his voice a strange rasping sound.  “But I can’t allow you to assist the Lord of All.” 

Time seemed to slow for Velvet as her mind raced.  With desperate clarity she saw him ready the knife for a second attack, taking his time to be sure of his target.  Surely this one wouldn’t miss.  She was defenseless!  Or was she?

With a turn of speed that surprised her, she threw the bag of powder at him. 

He was fast.  He blocked the missile with his spare hand.  The result was gratifying.  The bag exploded with a dirty yellow flash and a loud bang.  Velvet thought she saw blood fly, but didn’t hang around to make sure.

She jammed her heels into the horses’ sides, hard, and the mount responded.  Whether it was the abrupt command to the ribs or the noise Velvet didn’t know and didn’t care, but it leaped forward, leaving the green assassin behind as they galloped madly into the growing snowstorm. 

[rookiebird]

Oh my goodness! I love the description of Velvet's world and I love Nurn.  I do believe I have a friend who has his appetite like his!  
I'm really interested to find out where Lord All and Nurn actually come from, although it does seem that they are not from Velvet's time-line. Very interesting indeed! I am hooked and can't wait to read the next instalment.

 

[Chinaren]

“You ‘re sure you’re okay?”  Nern hovered about her, his eyes wide with concern. 

“Yes.  Just shaken up,” Velvet said.  “And cold.”

She was back at the hotel, in her room.  Nern was standing by the door, fretting. 

“The boss will be back soon,” he said.  “He went to check on Rumpold, and hasn’t returned yet.

“Do you think he’s alright?”  Velvet paused, a towel halfway to her face.  She was busy drying herself off.  The snow had settled on her head on the way back, and then quickly melted once inside The Duke.  “The green man won’t have got him too?”

Nern shook his head.  “Don’t worry about Lord, he can look after himself.  Anyway, I doubt a Watch…”  he stopped short, closing his mouth with a snap.

“A what?”  Velvet asked.  “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Nern said, slightly too quickly.  “You’d better get changed, don’t want to catch a cold now do you?”

“Don’t change the subject you!”  Velvet pointed her towel at the Grey accusingly.  “You said a ‘Watch’ or something.  Talk, or I’ll sit on you.”

Nern muttered something under his breath, then heaved a great sigh.  “I’m not supposed to talk about it,” he said.

Velvet took a threatening step closer.  “Well, I’m part of the team now, so I’m sure these things don’t count for me.”

“Well… I suppose limited disclosure.”  Nurn waddled over to the bed and climbed onto it, settling himself on the edge and leaning on a cushion.  Velvet nodded and went back to drying herself off.

“You bumped in to a Watcher,” he said.  “They’ve popped up occasionally, interfering with our little mission.”

“They?  You mean there are more of them?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”  The Grey nodded.  “We think they’ve been sent by Lord’s enemies to ensure he doesn’t make it back home.  They’ve never attacked us directly, but have interfered in other ways.  How much we’re not sure, but several people who’ve helped us have gone missing in the past.”

“Now you’re telling me this?”  Velvet froze in place.  “You never said anything about green clad assassins when you hired me!”

“I’m sure if you want out Lord will be agree, but…”

“But?”

“Well, it might not stop them.  They might come after you anyway, to make sure.”

Now it was Velvet’s turn to sigh.  She put the towel down and walked over to the bed, Nurn watched her warily, but she simply sat down heavily beside him. 

“Don’t worry, the boss will look after you now.  He’s very good like that.”

“But I can’t be by his side all the time,” Velvet complained.  “Even now we don’t know where he is!”

The Grey scratched his chin.  “Mmm, you’re right.”  He looked at her.  “Do you have any skill with weapons?”

“I can throw a knife moderately well, given a clear shot and time to aim,” she replied.

“Not much use,” Nurn said.  “How about magic?  Can you cast any spells?  You said you work in a magic supply shop, surely you’ve picked some skill up doing that.  You used that powder well enough.”

Velvet gaped at him.  “Are you mad?  If I started using magic the wizards would be down on me in no time.  I’d be…well, made an example of.  They don’t like people messing about in their profession without being a qualified guild member.”

“Still, let’s not think about them for now.  Could you cast any spells?  Given the chance?”

Velvet thought about it.  She had dealt with a lot of ingredients and spell books.  “Maybe a couple of the easier ones,” she conceded.  “But the incantations are in some strange language half the time, and I don’t know that.”

“Oh.”  Nurn looked downcast for a moment.

“But…”  An idea crept over Velvet.

“But?”

“I could mix potions.  That’s what a lot of our stock is for, and we sometimes mix several ingredients to make another one, pre-mix them if you see what I mean.  Wizards use quite a lot of potions.  They can be made in advance, then stored and drunk when needed, or sold even.  It’s quite a profitable byline for them.”

“Potions is good,” Nurn said.  “What can you make?”

Scratching her head, Velvet thought hard.  “Well, I think I can remember a stealth potion, and maybe a magical shield one, but it would help if I had a book.  I haven’t exactly studied this.”

“Where can you get a book from?”

“My old shop might have one, but I don’t know if they’d let me take one away.  It’s against the rules.”

“Still, worth a try eh?”  Nurn wiggled his eyebrows.

“Perhaps,” Velvet said.  The more she thought about it, the more she believed she could do it.  A small surge of excitement ran through her.  Imagine, her, little Velvet, doing magic!   
 
A knock at the door interrupted their discussion, and a familiar voice came from the other side.  “You there Nurn?”

“Come in,” Velvet said in way of reply.

The door opened, and the massive form of Lord ducked through it, snow falling off him as he entered.  He saw their expressions, and cocked his head.  “What’s wrong?”

“A Watcher attacked her,” Nurn said.

Lord’s face turned grim.  “Are you alright?” he asked Velvet.  “How did you escape?”

“I threw some Solphid powder at him,” she said.
 
“That would have an effect, certainly,” the big man nodded.  “Well done, and I’m sorry to have placed you in danger.  These people are working against me.  I should have warned you.  If you no longer wish to help me, I’ll understand.”

“Yes you should have warned me.”  Velvet stood up.  “However, I’m not going to bail on you, but I’ll need some way of protecting myself.”

“Are you proficient in the use of any weapons?” Lord asked.

“No.”

“Martial arts?”

“Nope.”

“Mental or magical abilities?”

“We’ve come up with a plan.”

“Oh yes?”

“But I think I’ll need your help.”

Lord crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.  “What can I do?”

[Chinaren]

Ooooh. Can I take te oportunity here to say that this is my favourite of your stories.

Why, thank you Saint.  

And a comment, or more of a suggestion, no actually its just an observation.

That powder was obviously very expensive. And now they're going back to the shop that Velvet took it from. Perhaps they bump into the angry wizard it was supposed t be delivered to while they're there?

Mmm, good point. Something I need to think about.

[Chinaren]

“Well, unless you know any potion recipes, nothing for the moment, but when we can get out and about, I’ll need a book, then perhaps I can mix something up.  Unfortunately, unless we can borrow one from my work, it will take a deal of money to buy one on the black market.”

“Of course, you work in a magical supply shop don’t you?  I’m a little surprised you don’t carry some on you thinking about it.  Still, it’s a good idea.  Have you done much potion creation?  ”

Rolling her eyes, Velvet explained the circumstances again, at the same time wondering where these two strange beings came from. Somewhere far away that was for sure. 

When she’d finished, Lord nodded.  "Very well.  I doubt there’s anything we can do today, I suggest we stay here another night and then begin our task tomorrow morning, as long as the weather clears up.”

“What about Rumpold?” asked Velvet. 

“He said the incantation was taking longer than he expected.  He’ll not be ready until tomorrow afternoon, maybe even the day after that.”

“Time to eat then!” Nurn said, jumping of the bed and rubbing his stomach.

“It’s always time to eat with you,” Velvet laughed. 

The Grey put on a hurt expression.  “I don’t know what you’re saying,” he said.  ”I barely had more than a few slices of toast for breakfast, and then a light salad for lunch.”

“That’s strange,” said Lord.  “I heard you ate half the hotels supply of bacon for the year this morning, and the price of vegetables has risen this afternoon, due to a sudden shortage.”

“Ha.  Very funny,” Nurn said in a deadpan voice.  “What can I say?  I was bored.  It was recreational eating.  Doesn’t count.  Anyway, salad…”  He made a face and shrugged, as if to suggest it couldn’t really be included in the food category.

“Come on, let’s leave Velvet to change, then we shall go and eat.”  Lord moved back to the door, and Nurn scurried past him.  The big man looked back at Velvet before he left.  “You’ll be alright?  We’ll be next door if you need us.” 

She nodded, and he exited, closing the door behind him.


>

Velvet woke up with sunlight shining in her eyes. 

By the time they’d finished another gigantic dinner she’d been exhausted, and when she’d returned to her room she’d simply stripped off her clothes and fell into bed, neglecting to close the curtains. 

Stretching, she reveled in the luxury of the giant bed for a moment more before reluctantly sitting up and making use of the facilities. 

Refreshed and dressed she pondered her next move.  Judging by the intrusive sun it was still early in the day, and she was hesitant about waking Nurn and Lord.  Whilst pondering what to do, there was a knock at the door. 

“Hello?”  Nurns’ voice reassured her, and she went over to let him in.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be awake,” the small being said when she opened the door, “but I thought we’d better get some breakfast in whilst we still can, the boss wants an early start.”

The thought of breakfast made Velvet wince.  She was still full from dinner.  Still, it wasn’t like she had a lot to do, so she tagged along to the large dining hall with Nurn, where they joined Lord, who was sitting at a table sipping a cup of black tea. 

“Right then, what shall we have this morning?”  Nurn rubbed his hands together as a waitress came up to serve them. 

“I’ll just have a cup of tea please,” Velvet said, and then settled back to watch as Nurn ordered half of the menu.

“I don’t know where you put it all,” she said, as the server went off shaking her head in bewilderment. 

“Where can we get a book for you?” Lord interrupted, straight down to business.  Nurn ate a bread roll and looked at her.

“Well,” Velvet tapped her fingers on the table and thought about it.  “We could try my work, but that’s a long way away, and there’s no guarantee they’ll let me have one.”

“We’re in the magic quarter,” Lord replied.  “Surely there’s somewhere closer?”

“There is a small magical equipment market around here, there should be some somewhere that has something suitable.  The problem is, none of us are wizards.”

“Let’s work that out when we come to it,” said Lord.  “Drink your tea, it’s very good.  I’ll have another please,” he said to the waitress who’d just put a cup in front of Velvet.

Velvet and Lord ate a light breakfast, whilst Nurn wolfed food down food at an alarming rate. 

“You’ll get stomach ache!” said Velvet, alarmed as the small being stuffed three hard boiled eggs into his mouth in quick succession. 

“Mpphh mphhh,” Nurn replied.

“Oh, well, that’s alright then,” she said, raising an eyebrow and finishing off a slice of toast which had served as her morning repast.

“Come on, time to go.”  Lord stood up and fished out a small gold coin.  He was about to leave it on the table when he saw Velvet’s look of alarm.  “Too much?”

She nodded vigorously.  “A copper will be more than enough, well, perhaps a couple here,” she conceded.  “But no more than a couple.  Even that…”  She shook her head.  Her rent was a Half a month, equal to five coppers.

“Very well.”  Lord rummaged around until he found a few of the smaller coins, which he deposited casually on the table.  “Now, let us be off.  The weather is fair today, I wish to make the most of it.”  He started moving away, with Velvet in tow.  Nurn grabbed a few remaining slices of bacon and another roll and trotted after them.

[Chinaren]

“Er…”  Velvet looked around for a moment, getting her bearings.  “This way,” she said, pointing left.  “Down Old Rope Street somewhere.  Sorry, it’s been a while since I visited this place.”

She walked along the road, which had been swept clear of snow already, a little uncertain as to her direction until she spotted a church she recognized.  Once she saw that she relaxed a little and sped up the pace some, turning left into another street lined with upper class food shops selling a range of exotic cuisine.   

“This looks like an interesting place to shop,” Nurn said, peering in a window at some enormous orange fruit. 

“Come on,” Lord said.  “We have work to do.”

Grumbling, the Grey reluctantly left the display and hurried after them.

“Here we go,” Velvet said a little while later. 

They stopped at a crossroads and looked left and right.  The crossing road was called ‘Old Rope Street’, and was lined with narrow shops with dark facades that seemed to be squeezed together, despite the plentiful amount of space available. 

“Which one?” asked Nurn as they surveyed the stores that ran down both sides of the road.

“May as well start from the beginning,” Velvet shrugged.  “I don’t know anyone around here.”  She headed off to the nearest shop, which had a faded gray front and a sign proclaiming it to be ‘Old Suns Magical supplies and services.’

A bell rang as they pushed the door open and entered a cramped space stuffed with provisions.  The air smelled of herbs, and Velvet spent a moment trying to identify them.

“May I help the Lady and Sirs?” 

She looked towards the back of the shop, at the small counter, where an old man in a rather creased black robe was peering at them over half moon glasses.  His hair was white and wavy and he appeared to be bent over in a permanent bow. 

“We are here for a tome,” Lord said before Velvet could respond.  The man strode forward, filling most of the available standing room.

“Indeed warrior, and what sort of reading do you require?”  The man leant on the counter as he twisted round so he could look up at Lord.  “Your kind are not renowned for their mystical reading.  Perhaps you have the wrong shop?”

“I have the correct establishment shopkeep,” Lord replied.  “We wish to purchase a book of potion lore.  Do you have such in stock?”

“Potions is it?”  The old man chuckled quietly to himself.  “Well, the day is off to an interesting start at least.”

“You have a potion book then?” Velvet asked, stepping around Lord to address the owner.

“Of course my dear, I have several in stock.”

“We will take your best one,” Lord said.  “What price do you ask?”

The man sighed and didn’t respond immediately, instead taking his glasses off and polishing them on his robe.  Once he was satisfied, and with the three customers growing visibly impatient, he returned them to his face and addressed them once more. 

“It’s not so simple I’m afraid, my large warrior friend.  Are any of you here wizards, with a guild license?”

“Not as such,” Velvet said, before Lord could say anything.  “However, I do work in the… magical supply business.”

“Indeed.  So you should know as well as anyone that I cannot sell such an item to one who is not a guild-member.  If the wizards found out…”  He waggled his eyebrows in lieu of an explanation.

“We can guarantee our silence in the matter,” Lord spoke again.  “And you shall be generously compensated.”

The shopkeep pursed his lips for a moment, and Velvet’s hopes jumped, only to be dashed a moment later.

“I’m sorry my friends,” he shook his head.  “You don’t look like you would abuse my trust, or the book of power for that matter, but I’m old, and would prefer to live out my remaining time unafflicted by Tarron’s Terrible Warts, or The Curse of Oozing Pustules, which are two of the typical punishments issued by the wizards for selling restricted material.”

“Are you sure you won’t change your mind?” Velvet asked.  “We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t very urgent.  A matter of life and death.”

“My mind is made up child, I’m sorry.  Call me a selfish old man if you will.”

Velvet smiled.  “I understand.”

“Could you direct us to any person, perhaps with less scruples, who may carry out a transaction?” Lord asked.

The shopkeep considering things for a moment, but then shook his head again.  “Sorry, I don’t believe so.  This area is too close to the wizards seat of power.  They keep a close watch on what goes on around here.  I don’t think anyone would risk such.”

“Thank-you for your advice.” Lord nodded, and the group turned to leave.

“If you get a guild-members’ permission please return.  I shall give you a good price,” the old man shouted after them as they left.

Standing outside in a small group, they looked around uncertainly.

“What now?” asked Velvet.

“We try some other shops,” Nurn replied.  “Graybeard in there may be wrong.”

Lord nodded, and the three spent a fruitless morning attempting to buy a potion book.  Most shopkeepers were polite, but all were firm in their refusal.  Towards lunchtime several even knew what they were after before they entered, and were ready with their refusals.  Word had evidently got around.

“This is hopeless,” Velvet said, after yet another failed attempt.  “No one’s going to sell us a book here.”

“I agree,” Nurn agreed.  “Let’s go and get some lunch and consider what to do next.”

[Saint]

Wooo, more!!

*drinks in new chapter of awesomeness*

Keep it coming China!!

[Chinaren]

Thanks Saint!  I will.  I'm writing this story on my laptop, so whenever I have some time, and I have my laptop, more is done.  

[Cutypie]

The lord of all sig goes to 1000 words, c'ren. Wonderful story. Havn't I seen it somewhere before...

[Chinaren]

The lord of all sig goes to 1000 words, c'ren. Wonderful story. Havn't I seen it somewhere before...

Doh!  Thanks Cpie, fixed.  I have posted some of this on other sites, but from about chapter 2 is totally new to the internet.  Never before posted!   

Remember, you saw it on Tome first!

[Chinaren]

Here's another small section then, whilst I'm on my laptop...

~

Glumly, the three bought some fried meat on skewers, and hung about in the street eating them, watching the passing traffic go by. 

“Well, now what?” Velvet asked, wiping her mouth on a piece of cloth she kept for such occasions. 

Lord snapped his fingers.  “Rumpold!”

“What?” asked Nurn, still eating.

“Rumpold,” Lord repeated.  “We need a wizard to get the book, well, we have a wizard.”

“Of course!” Velvet said.  “How stupid, “We should have thought about asking Rumpold first, instead of tramping about wasting a morning.”

“We weren’t to know,” Nurn said.

“I was,” Velvet replied, annoyed with herself for not thinking of the obvious solution.  “Shall we go there now?

Lord shrugged.  “Why not?  I have no other leads to follow until he completes his spell, and you need to be able to protect yourself.  Let’s get the horses.”

The horses were still under the care of the grubby urchin, who had been joined by several of his friends.  They clustered around Lord in awe, pointing at his swords and nudging each other.  One, slightly bolder than the rest, approached him and tugged at his tunic.  Lord looked down at the boy, who couldn’t have been more than about seven.

“Mister?”  The boy looked up at the form that towered above him.

“Yes lad?” Lord asked.

“You a hero?”

“I’m just an ordinary person, like you.”

“Like me?”  The boys’ eyes widened, and then he stepped back slightly, flinching as Lord squatted down to address him on a more even level.

“You are as capable as the next person, don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.  Strive hard, try to reach the sky, and you can do the impossible.”

“The sky?”  The boy looked back up.

Lord nodded.  “The sky.  Here, maybe this will help.”  He held out a small silver piece and the boy took it hesitantly.  “Buy some food or something.”  Lord looked at the other lads, who were watching.  “If anyone steals this coin, I’ll be back to… talk to that person.  Do I make myself clear?”

The group nodded as one.

“Good.”  Lord stood and took his horse, mounting swiftly, joining Velvet and Nurn who were already astride.  Velvet thought she saw a small smile flicker across his face, but before she could be sure, the large man reared his huge stallion up, back on two legs, scattering the urchins and spooking the other horses. 

He drew his sword and raised it high above him.  “Away!” he cried dramatically.  His mount landed, turned and sprang off all in one fluid motion, moving at an unbelievable speed through the pedestrians, who screamed and shouted as they dived out of the way.

Velvet watched on, eyes as wide as the boys’ had been moments ago, before turning to Nurn and raising a questioning eyebrow. 

The Grey shrugged and grinned.  “After you,” he said, holding out a hand.

Smiling, Velvet kicked her horse hard and galloped off after her employer, laughing as her hair whipped around in the wind of her passing. 

[Cutypie]

I like it!  hope to see more

[Chinaren]

Thanks CP.  I have more, but it's on my laptop.  I'll post it soon(ish)!