Aroisius clearly possessed. It took Anglhan no more than half of the morning following his day of bed rest to find out everything there was to know about Thedraan: who were the important locals; how the year had been; what the townsfolk knew of wider events.
So it was that he came to be sitting next to a small fire in the headman's house, talking to an elderly couple called Rainaan and Thyrisa, sharing a bowl of thick soup. One snippet of gossip had intrigued Anglhan and he wanted to know more.
'I hear there's been some trouble dawnwards,' Anglhan said casually, dipping a spoon into his broth. 'Some disagreement between Lutaar and one of his sons, isn't it?'
'That's what the last of the traders was saying back in the autumn,' said Thyrisa. Her husband grunted in agreement. 'Some even claimed there was fighting! Course, we ain't heard nothing since. The Brothers what came through collecting the harvest taxes told us it was all rumour and nonsense, course, but they obviously knew something they weren't telling. Usually you can get good news from their sort, but not this year.'
'Our son moved out to Parmia two years ago.' Rainaan's voice had a nasal quality to it and his accent was thick enough that Anglhan had to concentrate to understand him. 'He's a friend what came through on the last goose drove, and he said that the legions marched through Parmia just before the rains came. Nemtun hisself, mark you. Nobody knows where he was going, but them all headed coldwards without stopping, headed up into Enair I reckons.'
'Figure that, eh?' Thyrisa continued. 'That old goat Nemtun putting on his marching kilt and armour again. I reckons them Enairians have been kicking up a fuss again, like what they did when my grandma was alive. They've always been a feisty lot, them coldlanders. Isn't that right, my sweetheart?'
'Couldn't say, my precious, ain't met a whole lot of Enairians,' the headman replied. He picked up his bowl and licked it clean, talking between slurps. 'Only thing they've got to sell is timber, and most of that comes by way of the Ersuan traders, and not much comes this way.'
Rainaan pushed his dish away, dragged himself slowly to his feet and hobbled over to the fire. Wrapping the long sleeve of his jacket over his hand, he pulled a pot from over the flames and dumped it onto the table. Steam wafted in Anglhan's face, the heat making his eyes water.
'Try some of that,' said Rainaan, dipping a small cup into the pan. Anglhan took the drink and sipped it. He spluttered at the heat of it, but soon his discomfort was washed away by a pleasantly sweet flavour.
'Good stuff,' Anglhan said, drinking some more. The headman laughed, raised his own cup in toast and knocked back its contents in one draft.
'I can sell you the recipe, if you like,' Rainaan said with a wink. Finishing his cup of hot spirits, Anglhan realised he was not going to get any more information from this pair.
'Some family secrets are best kept that way,' he said, standing up. He gave a bow and wink to Thyrisa and shook hands with Rainaan. 'Thank you for your time.'
Anglhan returned to the house to ponder this news. He said nothing to Aroisius and the others of what he learnt, though the rebel leader could not have failed to hear some of the rumours in the town. Anglhan suspected Aroisius didn't much care what the Askhans were up to as long as it didn't interfere with his plans, and the landship captain was happy to let him continue in that belief.
VI
Six days after Anglhan had arrived, Thedraan was startled by the arrival of another group of travellers, this time arriving from coldwards. This small party consisted of a young man of obviously noble bearing and wealth, accompanied by a handful of servants. Before he encountered this stranger, Anglhan spent a little while around the town listening to the stories being told. Nobody knew the noble's name, but he had come here previously, for a few days at a time for the past two seasons. Many suspected he was thinking of buying the town for himself. Anglhan was pleased to find out that the man had taken over one of the winter-empty shops on the main square. At least he would know where to find this enigmatic sponsor.
Despite his arguments to the contrary, Anglhan was not invited to join Aroisius when he met his 'ally'. Annoyed by this snub, Anglhan did his best to talk to the noble's attendants, but was disappointed to find the only ones he could meet were both tongueless Maasrites. Cursing the spirits for abandoning him at this important moment, he returned to the house and brooded into the night.
Sleepless with irritation, Anglhan finally abandoned any hope of rest. He threw on his clothes and sneaked out of the house, determined to meet this stranger. Nothing stirred as he hurried along the muddy street, lit only by the occasional glow through the slats of shuttered windows. It began to rain again as he splashed across the square towards the nobleman's lair.
Lamps burned through the shop windows and Anglhan saw a pacing figure on the upper storey, though whether it was the man himself or one of his servants keeping watch he could not tell. He stopped just outside the rear door of the shop and asked himself what he was hoping to achieve. Unfortunately, Anglhan did not have any answers to that question, but was simply filled with the burning desire to meet with this mysterious foreigner.
He realised subterfuge could only get him so far, so he softly knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately by a bleary-eyed, bald Maasrite. The servant frowned, made a shooing gesture, and tried to close the door. He was prevented from doing so by Anglhan's foot wedged next to the frame. Anglhan pushed the door firmly open and spoke in an urgent whisper.
'I have to speak with your master, immediately! I have news for him. He cannot trust the man he was seeing today!'
The Maasrite looked at Anglhan dubiously but nodded and waved him inside. Despite Anglhan's efforts at stealth, two more servants came into the back hall and regarded him with suspicion. Anglhan studied them in return, and noted the way they held themselves straight, the hard look in their eyes. They were obviously bodyguards, but lacked the casual thuggishness Anglhan had seen in other such men. He was convinced they were soldiers more than servants, though neither man looked old enough to be a retired legionnaire.
The Maasrite reappeared and beckoned to Anglhan to follow. The servant led him up a short flight of steps and motioned for him to climb up a ladder to the second storey. Pulling himself up to the floor above, Anglhan found himself in a bedchamber that filled the whole of the upper floor. Seated on a stool next to the narrow bed was the Askhan noble, arms and legs crossed, his expression one of marked displeasure.
'Greetings, Lord,' Anglhan said with a bow. 'My name is Anglhan Periusis, an associate of Aroisius.'
The noble's expression did not change; his dark eyes bored into Anglhan. The landship captain took a deep breath, ideas whirling through his head, and plunged on.
'I have come to warn you, Lord. Aroisius is going to betray you!'
VII
'Really?' The noble uncrossed his legs and leaned closer, arms on his knees, his penetrating gaze never leaving Anglhan. Standing with his hands clasped in front of him, alone with this powerful man, Anglhan felt like a hare that had been spotted by an eagle and it took all of his composure to meet that hard stare without flinching.
'Yes, Lord, it is true.'
'Why should I believe you?'
Shit, thought Anglhan. He was ready for any number of questions: what was Aroisius planning? Why would he renege on their deal? Anglhan hadn't expected his integrity to be doubted. The stranger had a sharp mind, and that worried Anglhan.
'What would I have to gain by lying to you?' Anglhan replied as quickly as he could.
'You might be a rival,' said the noble. His eyes never relented for a moment. 'Perhaps you hope that I will help you oust Aroisius from power.'
Spirits abroad! cursed Anglhan, this man has me figured already. Under that unnerving stare he felt the urge
