Cassandra Pendragon
It was worse than I had imagined. After we had left the forest and had headed towards the outskirts of the city, the smells had become more overwhelming with every step. Waste, rotten meat, excretions, blood and smoke combined with the scent of spices, cooked food, fruits, flowers and perfume turned every breath into an assault and I quickly ripped away a part of my shirt, I was still wearing beneath the illusion of a flowing dress, to cover my nose. It still smelled like I was walking through a sewer, though, but at least it was bearable.
We had passed a section of muddy huts, constructed from broken and discarded beams of wood, the roofs covered with earth and large, discoloured leafs, to enter the more wealthy sections of the town, closer to the markets. Until now, a stern glance from one of the giants behind me had kept the lurking, pitiful figures at bay but the further we came, the more people clogged up the streets and we were slowly being swallowed by a stream of bodies.
Humans… I had never truly understood how many of them there were. Hearing or reading about it was quite different from actually wading through an uncountable number of shouting, screaming and crying individuals, an agitated mass of limbs that beset me from all sides. In the beginning, I had feared that our cover would be blown in an instant, someone was bound to realise that he had just brushed against a body that didn’t match what he had seen, but after a few minutes I realised that all of them were much too focused on themselves to pay much attention to their surroundings.
Either they were hustling from one place to the next, grunting unwillingly when they tumbled into us by accident, or they were busy with their own activities. Traders advertised their wares, sparsely clothed women called over with invitations that sent the blood rushing to my face, children weaved through the throng chasing after one another or running away from a wild dog, a plethora of which seemed to live among the humans, craftsmen hurried through the streets, burdened with materials and beggars put their mangled bodies on display to stir the pity of the crowd. It seemed like the alleys were filled with every excrescence of society and it was unbelievable noisy.
For the first time I regretted that I had been born with enhanced senses, the cacophony of impressions a millstone that slowly grated against my nerves. I couldn’t even begin to understand what was going on around me and neither could I hide from the onslaught. Ultimately I was forced to focus on Pete’s back and cover my ears but I still felt like I was drowning in a sea of chaos.
From time to time I glanced over my shoulder, making sure Ahri and Mephisto were still there. While she seemed just as overwhelmed as I felt, her eyes darting from left to right and her hands twitching nervously, the demon was perfectly at ease, towering over the crowd like an unassailable mountain. He kept a close eye on everyone who came too close and even handed out the occasional punch in case someone didn’t get out of the way fast enough or lingered too long. He behaved like the perfect protector, making sure we got through the city unmolested and without being robbed.
As we travelled deeper into the maze of bodies, sounds and smells, the buildings lining the streets began to change. Huts and makeshift houses were slowly replaced by solid stone structures with shingled roofs, cobblestones appeared on the street and the people seemed more wealthy, or rather, less poor. From time to time I saw finely dressed individuals in the company of guards or mercenaries, the occasional litter was carried around by oiled and well fed slaves, fragrant woods smoulder in braziers along the way to cover the stench and the people appeared much more healthy and clean.
The only thing that was scarce, was magic. Compared to the places I had seen before, there was practically none of it. Sure, from time to time the tingling of energy reached me and I even sometimes smelled ozone on one of the people who crossed our path, but over all, everything was just… mundane. Of course I knew that most humans were incapable of manipulating the hidden weaves, but I had never dreamed of how utterly rare the talent actually was. In a way, the whole city felt empty, despite the bustling activity all around me. As soon as I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the world behind the veil, there was just… nothing. A lonely spark here and there, nearly lost in the overwhelming darkness that filled the streets.
It couldn’t have been more than an hour, even though it had felt like a small eternity to me, before we made our way through a stylised archway. Two pillars had been anchored on either side of the road, their surface covered in tightly woven sigils that exuded an aura of power. I looked closer and recognised some of the underlying runes, but I wasn’t able to tell what the spells were for.
“Welcome to one of the eights hearts of Free Land,” Pete explained as we crossed over an invisible threshold. A faint hum of energy brushed against my senses but it was nothing more than the buzzing of a fly, distracting at most but not really important. “The markets are about the only place where you might find some form of order. They are the centres of every district and while you can buy almost anything in each one of them, they also have some form of specialisation. This one here is known for its huge variety of vendors selling rare herbs, crystals and anything you might need for the arcane arts. As you might have noticed, there aren’t many wizards in Free Land, but the few we have, all get their ingredients here. I thought it might be a good place for you to start your inquiries, since I’m not going to take you with me when I meet with my… let’s call them friends.” He paused and looked around the bustling square until his eyes settled on an opulent building to the left, a massive sign depicting the severed head of a wolf above the door.
“But first, let’s get ourselves a room. The Bloody Wolf is one of the best taverns in town and while the prices are steep, we’ll at least find clean beds, water and food there, along with some privacy and a decent brew. Once we’re inside, let me do the talking, otherwise you’re going to be robbed in broad daylight and it also doesn’t suite your station to freely converse with commoners. We can plan how to proceed once we’re in. Follow me.”
The closer we got, weaving through the thick crowd, the more obvious the wealth of the place became. Nearly imperceptible traces of magic crisscrossed the walls and the door, a protection that would surely have cost hundreds of coins considering how little magic there was to begin with. It was a three story building and the windows on the upper floor were filled with real glass, secured by gleaming crossbars of steel. Music and laughter echoed faintly through the door and even from outside I could smell fragrant incense, the heavy, sweet odour of drugs and exquisite wines, mixed with the scent of sizzling meat and cooked vegetables.
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From time to time a silhouette appeared behind the windows, either young, beautiful adolescents, more often than not adorned with tails and fur, or older… gentlemen and women. It seemed like this establishment offered a variety of recreational activities. I just hoped they weren’t slaves, or at least that I wouldn’t be offered one, otherwise I’d be hard pressed to stick to my role. I was already itching to take out my frustration on somebody as it was and when I imagined punching a suitor in the face for taking advantage of a broken child, the knot of anger in my stomach unwound, somewhat.
Unfortunately I had much more pressing matters on my mind and I knew very well that I couldn’t change the world, not within a day at least. I was still sorely tempted to try. Damn it, I already wanted to get out of this place and I hadn’t even seen a slave sale, yet. If I was going to stumble across one of my friends, put on display during an auction, there would be hell to pay. If push came to shove, I felt pretty certain that I could handle thirty airships, all by my lonesome if the need arose. With Ahri and Mephisto at my side, nobody in this city would be able to stop us.
Brooding, I followed Pete through the massive, oaken door into a world of muted lights, exquisite cloths and expensive treats. We entered a circular room, a huge counter occupied the opposite wall and comfortable chairs were arranged around low tables, laden with sweets and refreshments. A few patrons filled the room, their low voices a constant buzz at the edge of my perception which added another layer to the soft song of a beautiful human girl. She was alone on a stage to our right where a winding staircase led to the upper floors. A handful of… employees, clad in long, flowing garments which didn’t leave much to the imagination, glided from table to table, refilling glasses, handing out food or offering their services. At least half of them were beast kin of some sort but all of them were pretty and young and I didn’t have to rack my brain to guess what they were here for, especially since I could easily smell the faint hint of sweat that wafted down the stairs.
Behind the bar, a massive bear of a man, almost as tall as the disguised figures of Ahri and Mephisto, leisurely cleaned a glass, his face lighting up with a smile when he spotted us.
“Ah, new customers. Welcome to the Bloody Wolf! It’s always a pleasure to see a new face in the crowd. Lady, gentlemen, what can I do for you on this fine day?” His voice was raspy, almost as if he was hoarse but when he moved to greet us, I saw a faint scar running across his throat.
“Hello Gardan, long time no see. A room for the night and a meal would be appreciated,” Pete replied. “May I introduce Yasmine aibna Malek,” he added with a small bow in my direction, “she’s in town for a few days and I’m lucky enough to show her around.”
“Oh my, Pete! I didn’t even recognise you, clean as you are! It’s been a while.” He turned to me and mirrored Pete’s bow. “And how does a fine lady end up with this scoundrel? Usually he’s the one who has to pay for company, not the other way around.” Before I could answer, Pete quickly said: “That’s a long story, I’ll willingly share over a pint or two but first we’d like to wash off the dust, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, so what do you need?”
“Three rooms, one for our esteemed miss, one for her guards and one for me. Tubs of hot water in all of them and when we’re done, a meal and something to drink would be perfect.”
“Do you want those tubs with a little help on the side?”
“Nah, not that I don’t appreciate your girls but we’ve had a long day travelling. Some peace and quite would be perfect.”
“All right, that’ll be a gold each, including everything you want to eat or drink or half a coin for the rooms alone.” I gave Ahri a sign and she handed me a handful of coins, since she could hardly pay herself with her illusionary hands. Somehow we hadn’t thought our disguise through properly. The barkeep, Gardan, took the four glittering coins without a second glance, though.
“Why don’t you sit down for a bit while I get your rooms ready. Won’t take long. Have a glass of wine or two and we’ll have you set up in a jiffy. I can also tap you a mug, if you want, but the wine’s truly remarkable, a freshly opened barrel from the northern reaches. Sweet and heavy.”
“We’ll take the wine. Just send someone to fetch us once you’re done and please, make sure your staff keeps its distance. They won’t earn any coin with us tonight.”
“I hear you,” Gardan said with a wave. “Don’t worry, my boys and girls know how to treat our customers. Enjoy your stay, I’ll call you, once the water is hot.” With a grunt he heaved his impressive belly from behind the counter and made his way upstairs, giving one of the older girls in the room a sign to take his place behind the bar. Pete led us to one of the tables in a corner and within seconds, a pretty wolf brought us four large cups of a deep, red wine and retreated with a bow.
Once I had taken my seat, I focused on the other guests and the waiters, trying to get an idea of where we had landed. The patrons were wealthy, their clothes alone were a far cry different from nearly everything I had seen in the streets. Thick, fluid cloth and precious metals glittered in the lamp light and the fragrance of expensive perfumes and oils tickled my nose. The employees were clean and well fed, smiling all the time when they saw my gaze lingering on them. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem hollow but quite sincere, as if they didn’t mind overly much where they had ended up. Maybe I had been too harsh in my judgement, those weren’t the looks of people who were forced to sell out everything they had for a bite to eat.
While all of the customers were human and seemed quite similar in regard to their complexion and hight, the workers were a rather colourful bunch. I saw a girl from a cat tribe, completely covered in silky, grey fur, two wolf hybrids with bushy tails and a boy I couldn’t quite place. He was tall with ripping muscles, overly long arms and huge fangs that protrude from his mouth whenever he smiled. If I had been forced to guess, I’d have said he belonged to some kind of ape tribe, but I had never heard of those before.
The rest were human, although in a variety of shapes and colours, from pale, voluptuous, blonde northern women to oiled and tanned southerners that were nearly as dark as Mephisto and Ahri. From time to time, one of them would lead a patron up the stairs, snuggled up against them and giggling all the while. Hopefully the rooms upstairs came with thick walls, otherwise our stay might turn out to be rather… distracting. And I wasn’t keen on first row seats with excellent sound.
“What do you think,” Pete asked while he sipped his wine. “Not too shabby, is it?”
“My friend, I was raised in a palace and I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been to a brothel. I admit, it’s much cleaner and the people here seem much happier than I expected, but it’s still a brothel. My father would be turning in his grave if he could see me right now.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s a bad place. Didn’t you have anything comparable, back where you’re from?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. You’ve met me as an adult but for the most time, I was just a little girl back on Boseiju, a princess to be precise. No one in their right mind would have allowed me anywhere near a place like this.”
“I would still try to keep you away if I could,” Ahri interjected. “But for different reasons. And I assume every tavern in this city provides this service.”
“What, you think I could be tempted?”
“They are pretty, aren’t they?”
“Darling, I’ve rejected a fey for you, I don’t think there’s anything you have to worry about.”
“Hmm, if you say so. I’m just glad you don’t look like yourself…”
“Same here,” I smiled with an effort. “Well then, what’s going to happen now?”
“I’ll need to borrow a few of your coins,” Pete replied. “To oil the machine, so to say. Once we’re settled, I’ll visit some of my acquaintances. Maybe they heard something. Meanwhile, you can have a look around the city, I expect I’ll be gone for a few hours. Talk to the vendors, your family wanted to obtain quite rare ingredients, didn’t they? With a little luck, you can find out whom they bought from, or rather whom they robbed.”