pretty good but then it got weird. Both fighters suddenly stopped fighting and began talking to one another. It seems the bigger guy was some sort of fighter for the Empire’s men and they got mad when the fight stopped.”
“What happened next I’m not really sure about, but suddenly one guy’s head went flying and the other men from the Empire pulled out their swords and attacked the two fighters. I tell you, the fighting then got good and the Empire’s men were soon taken out. By that time, the whole area was in a panic and the city guards were coming, so me and my friends got the heck out of there.”
“Interesting,” says Miko. Well that answers one question. The fighter with the two knives had to be Jiron. But just what was he doing and why was he there.
Changing the subject, he asks, “Did you find out anything about the connection between Lord Kindering and the Empire’s Ambassador?”
“Not much,” he replies. “They have had a few meetings outside the regular trade negotiations, but what they said we were unable to find out. Those always took place at Lord Kindering’s estate and couldn’t find anyone who knew what went on there.”
Nodding his head, Miko says, “Thanks.” Digging into his pouch, he pulls out a handful of coppers and proceeds to give each of them two.
After everyone has two of them, he returns the rest to his pouch and then asks, “Did they ever find the men who killed the Empire’s men at the fight?”
Shaking his head, the older boy says, “Not that I’ve heard. They do have someone in the dungeon they believe is part of it, but I don’t know who.”
That must be James. “Would you all be interested in continuing to find things out for me?”
“Sure,” says one of the girls. “As long as you keep feeding us.”
“No problem there,” he assures them. “See if you can find out what happened to those fighters from the fight. Where they might be.”
“Why?” asks a younger boy.
“Why what?” Miko asks him.
“You said your master was a merchant and wanted some inside information,” he replies. “I don’t see how this has to do with anything.”
Remaining silent for a moment as all their eyes are upon him, Miko finally asks, “Can you keep a secret?”
All their heads nod in unison. “Now I’m not talking about an unimportant secret,” he tells them. “I’m talking about the sort of secret that if it’s told will probably get you dead.”
The younger kids’ eyes widen at that and the older boy says, “We know when to hold our tongues.” To the others he asks, “Right?”
The other kids all nod their heads affirmatively.
“Alright.” Miko eyes them all seriously as he says, “The man with the knives is a friend of mine. The man they’re holding in the dungeon is another. There are things going on that I’m not at liberty to talk about right now, but believe me, they’re serious.” He locks eyes with each of them before saying, “Understand?”
They nod their heads.
“I believe this Lord Kindering is up to no good and is probably behind why my friend is sitting in the dungeon. I need to find my other friend and try to work this all out somehow.”
“You going to break him out of the castle?” asks one young boy, eyes wide in wonder.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” he says. “Are you with me?”
“You can count on us!” the older boy says for the group.
“Good,” says Miko with a smile. “Find out what you can but be careful. Again, I’m staying at the Silver Bells, leave word there with a Miss Gilena if you can’t find me.”
“You got it,” the older boy says. To the others he says, “Let’s go.”
Miko sits there and watches as the group leaves the market area. James in the dungeon, Jiron mixed up in the slaying of the Ambassador’s adjutant. What else could possibly happen?
Getting up he decides to go down by the docks to see if there might be any scuttlebutt down there. Back in Bearn it always seemed the workers along the river had the most reliable news. And usually before anyone else, too.
He makes his way to the dock area where he finds it a flurry of activity as dock workers transfer cargo to and from the vessels secured there. Strolling along, he keeps his ears open for anything which might relate to what he’s hoping to learn.
The conversations he hears is just the usual stuff guys say to one another, mostly about the girl they were with the night before. One ship, a beautiful three masted merchantman has just pulled up to the dock and the dockworkers are still securing the lines.
He misses being out on the water, though on every occasion he’s had the fortune to be sailing, something bad has happened. Despite that fact, he longs to return.
“Out of the way!” one porter says as he nudges Miko to the side. At first annoyed at the treatment, he quickly realizes that he had been daydreaming as he stood there blocking the way. Laughing at himself he makes to move further down the dock.
He suddenly stops in his tracks when he sees a girl begin to disembark from the newly arrived merchantman. Dressed in a startling blue outfit with a beautiful dolphin embroidered along one side of her chest, she looks strangely familiar but he can’t quite place her. Walking next to her is an older gentleman with a slight limp.
His mind flashes back to a night back in the city of Corillian at the estate of his friend Nate’s family. Meliana, that’s who it is, the older guy must be her father. That’s the girl James has been mooning about ever since we left!
Coming out of his startlement, he quickly moves to fall in behind them as they come onto the dock. Man, is James going to be surprised. That is if we can get him out of the dungeon first.
“Now Meliana, don’t get your hopes up,” Miko overhears her father say to her. “There’s no way to know if he’s even in Cardri.”
“I know father,” she replies.
She’s here looking for him! Miko breaks out into a smile as he says, “Hi!”
They stop in their tracks and turn to see him there with a goofy smile upon his face. “Yes?” her father asks.
“I’m Miko,” he says, his goofy smile getting goofier.
Her father looks him up and down, a slight scowl coming to his face. “That’s nice,” he says and then turns to begin leading Meliana away.
“No, no, you don’t understand,” he exclaims as he rushes to catch up with them.
Taking a breath to calm his anger, the father turns back to him and says, “I don’t wish to be rude but could you please leave us alone? Or I’ll have to call for the guards.”
“You don’t remember me do you?” he asks, looking questioningly to them.
They both shake their heads. “No, I can’t say that I do,” her father says. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
Miko is at first confused by their reaction until he remembers he really doesn’t look the same as he did. The Fire had unnaturally aged him while it was in his possession. So of course they don’t remember him.
As they again turn away from him, he exclaims, “Wait! I’m James’ friend.”
At that her eyes light up and she turns her full attention on him. “James? You know James?”
“I’m Miko,” he says, “Nate’s friend from the mines.”
Her smile begins diminishing as she tries to reconcile what he just told her with how he looks now. “But Miko was much younger than you,” she says, confused. “You can’t be him.” Her hopes dashed, Miko can see sadness begin to well in her eyes.
“Son, I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play here, but we’ll have none of it!” he says quite sternly. “Now, if you don’t leave us alone, I’ll be forced to call for the guards.”
Frustrated, he watches them walk away. How can he explain to them what happened? He doesn’t really even know what happened. Only James or Jiron could possibly convince them, if he tries anymore they’re likely to call the guards and then how will he help James.
If they’re here to do trading, then they’re going to be here a few days at least. There’s no way she’ll let him
