Saving Solace

CHAPTER 11

One morning a few days later, Gerard hummed as he strolled along the bridge-walks, nodding and greeting people. He got a wan smile from the bemused baker, Brynn Ragulf, whose mind was undoubtedly far from Solace, sailing the high seas and living a life of adventure. 'Rising,' Ragulf said distractedly in answer to the stock question citizens always asked about how the bread business was doing, despite the fact that Gerard hadn't asked. 'Always rising.' He wandered off, already back in his reverie, oblivious to the flour that dusted his face and clothes.

Gerard's reception from Kedrick Tos, the gangly goldsmith and councilman who fancied himself a ladies' man, was more effusive. 'Sheriff, just the man I wanted to see! I have an idea for helping to ensure the safety of Solace from attack. A ditch and palisade constructed around the entire town.' He waved his hands expansively to indicate the scale of the project.

Gerard smiled. 'And who do you think is going to attack?'

'Oh, I don't know. Brigands, I suppose. Outlaws. Villains of every stripe. We should be prepared in any event, don't you think?' Gerard tried to envision digging a trench around the whole of Solace and erecting a palisade alongside it. Such a structure wouldn't even protect the town against imaginative kender, supposing the project could ever be completed in the first place-a proposition Gerard highly doubted. Even the checkpoints on the major roads into town were drawing criticism from a number of merchants and private citizens alike. Anything more ambitious than that would never find sufficient support from the rest of the council. 'I'll take the matter under consideration, Councilman,' he said thoughtfully, knowing Tos would forget all about the idea now that he had passed it along to Gerard. Tos was enthusiastic that way, and absentminded afterward. Tangletoe Snakeweed passed beneath the bridgewalk, crying out the news of the day-or what passed for news in his spiel. 'For all those who were wondering, it turns out Lady Drebble will be all right,' Tangletoe announced grandly. 'Healer Argyle Hulsey says Lady Drebble's features merely froze for a while from the unaccustomed effort of arranging them into a smile. Argyle Hulsey says it was the worst case of rictus she's ever seen outside of a three-day-old corpse, but Lady Drebble's face should be back to its habitual expression within a few days.'

Early though it was, the town was already bustling.

Horses, carts, and wagons passed along the streets below, raising clouds of dust, now that the days were hot and dry, that rose even to Gerard's perch among the trees. By day the cicadas droned; by night the crickets chirped. And always there was the turmoil of a town undergoing unprecedented growth, with all the opportunities and problems that afforded, which meant that the town sheriff played a vital role.

Gerard drank in the morning air. There was real satisfaction in his job, a kind of contentment that had eluded him all those years he had served as a knight Who would have thought, he mused, that he would find a source of such pride here in Solace, where he had been forced to endure such humiliation during the war?

He reached the home of Palin and Usha and knocked. The door opened almost immediately, revealing Palin in his usual early-morning garb of embroidered robe and slippers. Gerard tried to stop in every day to talk with the mayor. After Palin heard of Gerard's misadventures on his farm rounds, he made a point of inviting the sheriff to daily breakfast, assuring him that his eating habits were his own. So Gerard had began showing up as a regular guest at their morning table.

The Majeres were willing to serve Gerard plain, unsweetened porridge without cinnamon or cream, if that was his desire. But he was gradually tempted by the blueberry muffins and jam or honey, with stacks of buttermilk pancakes swimming in syrup, which Palin and Usha often enjoyed.

'Come on in,' Palin said, showing Gerard to his customary chair. 'What's the word out in the world this fine morning?'

Gerard sprawled in the chair Palin had offered him, feeling right at home. 'The word is that Lady Drebble's face froze when she attempted to smile at Goodwife Gottlief. At least, that's what Tangletoe Snakeweed is claiming this morning on his rounds.'

Palin laughed as he took his own chair. 'For once, I can believe the kender got his facts right. Lady Drebble's face would freeze if she tried to smile, especially if the recipient was to he Goodwife Gottlief. But you know, I really think you're the one who is to blame.'

'Me?' Gerard sat up straight. 'What did I do?'

'You encouraged Lady Drebble to take a more conciliatory approach to Goodwife Gottlief, don't you remember? You suggested to Lady Drebble that it would drive her neighbor crazy trying to figure out what was up.'

'How'd you hear about that?' Gerard mumbled.

'Oh, a good mayor has ears.'

'Vercleese told you!'

'Whatever my source of information, I think you should own up to some level of responsibility in the matter.'

'All right, what of it? What do you want me to do? Should I apologize to Lady Drebble?'

'Apologize? Why, I should say not! I rather think your actions should come before the town council for a commendation.'

'Hmph!' Gerard snorted, realizing Palin had been making light fun of him. 'If appearing before the council means having to attend another one of the council's interminable meetings, I'd rather face Lady Drebble's frozen face any time, thank you very much.'

'Suit yourself,' Palin said with a grin. Then he glanced up as his wife entered. 'Usha, I'm sorry. I got busy talking business with Gerard and forgot to help you finish fixing breakfast.'

'I heard what kind of business you two were discussing,' Usha said dryly as she carried a tray laden with food and dishes in from the kitchen. 'But that's all I right; I saved the cleanup for you.'

'Ah.' Palin tried unsuccessfully to keep his face from falling. 'Well, that's only fair, I expect.' He helped her transfer items from the tray to the table.

For a while, there was no further discussion-business or otherwise-as the three set upon the omelets and biscuits with honey Usha had prepared. At last, Gerard sighed contentedly and pushed back from the table. He shook his head when Usha offered him the basket with what remained of the biscuits. 'What can you tell me about Cardjaf Duhar? ' he asked, keeping his tone light.

Palin looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

'I only ask because I see Kaleen practically every day at the temple grounds, or every night at the inn,' Gerard explained hastily. Then, feeling he had said more than he intended, he felt his face flush. 'That is… look, I just can't imagine a free spirit like her born to a man as seemingly worldly and business-oriented as her father, that's all. I'm curious.'

Usha smiled and stood. 'I'll leave you two to discuss business,' she said. She patted Palin affectionately on the arm. 'And I'll leave the dishes to you.'

'Kaleen follows her own path,' Palin said after Usha had gone. 'And it's to her father's credit that he stays out of her way.'

He went on to explain how Duhar had recently retired to Solace from Palanthas, where he had extensive business interests, because he felt Solace was a more suitable environment in which to raise his only child, Kaleen. Duhar remained more familiar with life in the large city, however, and retained a cosmopolitan view of the world.

'Although Duhar is never anything less than respectful toward Solace's traditional leaders, he seems to regard the opinions of some of us as quaint and out of step with Solace's future,' Palin explained. 'He favors virtually unlimited growth and development, wanting to welcome as many new arrivals to the town as possible. He argues that it is selfish of Solace's long-term inhabitants to resist making the town as welcoming as possible to new people in a troubled world.'

It was primarily through Duhar's efforts, Palin added, that Solace had become the home to the new Temple of Mishakal, for Duhar was one of the principal financial backers of the building project. 'Yet he doesn't strike me as an especially religious man,' Palin continued. 'Rather, I think he sees the temple as one more civic establishment, helping to forge the ties of a stronger community.'