~Tanrin~
While sitting on the foot of the bed, expectant eyes turned her direction, Tanrin swiped the package out of mid-air. “I’m not sure giving a person back what is rightfully theirs would count on clearing any debt scenario, but you don’t owe me anything. Though, If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t turn away an explanation.” Tension drained out of him as he put the package in his saddlebag.
Then he listened as she shared everything, from Andovale all the way to today. He listened and his gut told him he could believe her. His anger diminished as he thought about it through the lens of her situation. The anger was still there, but now it was more of a minor feeling, like one had when a sibling tricked you into doing extra chores. Now it was more manageable, and he could grant forgiveness.
“Thank you for telling me. You need to get some rest, and I need to deliver this. We will come up with another solution for your mom.” Tanrin said to her as he stood up. “I’ve paid for two rooms, and will be back before the evening meal. We can talk more about your plans then, if you’d like?”
Mia nodded, and he grabbed the nondescript package of trialium and headed out the door. He had talked to the innkeeper during the night and asked about the Sophia’s client. It turns out that the client, Jerald Kubeck, is a well known, rather eccentric, enchanter who had a shop nearby. Apparently, he preferred to be on the outer edge of the city, as it provided convenient access to the gate. Peregrin had suggested that it had to do with his need to hunt down materials for enchanting outside the city. Regardless of the reason, Tanrin was glad that he wouldn’t have to trapeze around the city searching for him. The sooner he could deliver the Trialium, the sooner he could get back to his brother.
Tanrin followed the directions that Peregrin had given him and learned that although the innkeeper had used the term close, it was going to be more than a light walk. The sheer number of people on the roads made the trek a challenge. It appeared he was perpetually in motion, weaving around people, pop up venders, and the occasional street urchin. While his coin was impregnably secure, the Trialium was fair game for the local thieves to pilfer. Luckily, he made it to his destination without incident.
The cobblestone building looked to be hobbled together with whatever building materials the carpenter could lay his hands on. To say it was decrepit would be an understatement. It gave the appearance that it could collapse at any moment. The only thing that looked pristine was the sign hanging next to the door. The sign read:
Kubeck’s Efficacious Exquisite Enchanting Emporium
Don’t waste my time.
Knock for Service.
If I don’t answer, bring caife.
On second thought, always bring caife.
Tanrin hesitated to knock. He feared the door falling inward, but in the end, knocked. Admittedly, he gave a light tap with the door knocker, rather than risk it. He glanced around and saw that all the other buildings were well maintained. He wondered if the other residents appreciated the eyesore he was attempting to enter.
When no one answered, he tapped harder with the door knocker, and went back to waiting. Again, no answer. He tried a third time, and as soon as the door knocker contacted the door, a bright green arrow appeared on the door, pointing towards the ground, where another arrow appeared, pointing away from the building. As his eyes followed the trail of glowing green arrows, he saw them go across the road and down four doorways. He followed them and they led him to another shop’s door, which was propped open invitingly. Thorben glanced at the sign.
Crystal’s Caife Cache
Best cup of caife in Baherune
With a shrug, he entered and walked to the counter. “Greetings! My name’s Crystal. What can I get for you today?”
“Well, this is going to sound weird, but….” Tanrin said.
“Let me guess. Green arrows.” Crystal interrupted.
“Actually, yes.” Tanrin said.
Crystal smiled, “Mr. Kubeck is a tad odd, but a great customer. He lives off a steady diet of caife and pastries. He installed that door knocker as a way of conning his customers into further supporting his habit. I’m not going to complain that it drives wonderful customers like you to my shop. So, what would you like to order?”
Tanrin glanced up at the list of drinks that one could order. He didn’t recognize most of the words. “Ummm…. caife?”
“Ah, a first timer! I’m honored to be your first,” Tanrin’s cheeks flushed as Crystal winked, insinuating something else that may be a first. “How about I start you with a caife latte? It’s a great entry level drink. It’ll both change your life and dent your coin supply, but you’ll love it. Coin back guarantee. What do you say?” She said good-naturedly, her demeanor making it clear she was just ribbing him.
“That sounds great for me,” Tanrin said. “What is Mr. Kubeck’s caife of choice? I better pick up one of those, too.”
Her smile brightened. “Few of his customers show such courtesy. Most just go back and knock. The few that buy caife just get the cheapest plain caife I offer. He prefers a ‘pentapotent dark with a splash of crème’. Let’s just say those aren’t for the faint of heart.”
“Well, might as well make me that latte, his pentapotent, and throw in two of his pastries of choice. I could use a snack. What’ll that cost me? Do I bring the tankards back with me when we finish?”
“Oh, goodness gracious, no. Mr. Kubeck is a bit of an inventor, on top of being an enchanter. When I opened up a shop, he came over for a cup and it became a morning tradition. He tired of either drinking the caife here, or running cups back when he finished, so he invented this. She said, pointing to a wooden box like contraption.” A burst of bright light made him see spots as she pushed a crystal button. As his vision cleared, she lifted a very lightweight thin white cup. It looked almost like parchment! “Mr. Kubeck claims it makes them from trees.” She said with a shrug. “When you finish, you can burn them in your hearth, or throw them in the bin outside my door. Best investment I ever made. I’ll get right on your drinks. It’ll be 2 Silver, and 5 Copper.”
He was a bit surprised that the cost was near double a good ale, but shook Crystal’s hand to pay and waited as she heated the caife, cranked, pressed, and a bunch of other stuff he didn’t understand. When it was all said and done, she handed him two cups and a bag. “Careful, the cups can get hot. Yours is the one with the number 1 written on it. Take a sip so I can witness the beginning of a new lifelong customer.” A genuine smile lit up her face, a smile that was unique to someone who truly loved their trade.
Tanrin obliged her, and his eyes widened, and a soft moan of taste pleasure escaped his lips before he could stop himself. “This is amazing!” He exclaimed, a bit surprised that this was caife! “Your sign was completely accurate! This is the best caife in Baherune!”
“Thank you! Tell your friends, and I hope to see you back soon. Be careful going back to Mr. Kubeck’s. His door will open when you approach with coffee, and I’m sure he will find you quickly. Have a great day!” Crystal began wiping down her equipment with a damp rag as he turned and walked back to the enchanter’s shop.
Tanrin made his way back to the ram shamble building and approached the door. As he stepped within knocking distance, the door opened into a gorgeous sitting room. He looked around the elegant foyer and saw seating for six, three circular tables with 2 plush chairs each. The door closed with a near inaudible click of the latch. He noticed another sign on the wall that read:
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Have a seat. I will be with you as soon as possible.
Thanks for the caife.
Tanrin sat the caife and pastries down on the table, and eased himself into the chair. The chair seemed to adjust itself to optimize his comfort. Since being exiled, he hadn’t found many comfortable chairs. Most of the places he’d been had been designed around non-dwarf heights. He felt like a toddler swinging his legs that didn’t quite reach the ground because of the height of his chair. He hadn’t realized the things that he had taken for granted. His feet firmly on the ground, he lifted the caife latte to his lips and enjoyed another sip as he lounged in the chair.
It didn’t take too long before he heard the noise of a person mumbling and bumbling through the clutter. As the second interior door opened, Tanrin had to do a double take. He hadn’t ever seen anyone shorter than he was before. Sure, some of the younger dwarfs who hadn’t hit their growth spurt may have looked up to him, but aside from that, he was one of the shorter dwarves. Yet Tanrin towered over this person by at least a head.
“Hello, hello, hello. I see you have my coffee. Good. Good. Good.” He sat down across the table from Tanrin and grabbed the cup off the table and took a large drink. He jumped up, “You got my, my, my favorite! My name, name, name is Jerald Kubeck, but please, please, please call me Mr. Kubeck. All my friends do, do, do.”
Jerald sat back down, and Tanrin got his first up close look at the man? Dwarf? He had bright white hair that seemed to stand up on end in a messy bush like appearance. His hair clashed with his bronze brown skin. A pair of red rimmed, thick lense glasses that further exaggerated his already abnormally large bulbous eyes concealed Mr. Kubeck’s brown eyes. Luckily for him, his nose was also on the larger side, so his glasses were fully supported.
“I’m glad you like it, Mr. Kubeck. There is a pastry in that bag for you, if you’d like. Crystal said it was your favorite.”
“You, you, you got me a spiced bread roll?! Closest thing to a donut, donut, donut you can get around here. You, you, you wouldn’t know that, that, that though.” Jerald said as he picked one up with shaking hands. “Delicious, thank, thank, thank you. What were we, we, we talking about again?” Tanrin didn’t know what to think yet. The only word that kept recurring in his thoughts that he could use to describe Jerald was ‘scattered.’
“Actually, Mr. Kubeck, I am here to make a delivery.” Tanrin admitted as he handed Mr. Kubeck the package, or rather tried to. Jerald was suddenly standing back from his chair, eyes narrowed. “Who, who, who sent this?”
“A Sophia Livingstone in Andovale. She said you were her client, and that you were expecting this,” Tanrin said.
“Okay, okay, okay. Can’t be too careful, careful, careful you know. Had, had, had three ex-wives serve, serve, serve me papers, but you, you, you don’t understand that, that, that.” Mr Kubeck said, sitting back down.
This guys a nut case! Tanrin thought as he placed the package in Jerald’s jittery hands. Jerald opened it, his eyes glowing with glee. “She, she, she got it! Oh the things, things, things I can do with this.” He got up with the Trialium in his hands and began heading back to the door he had entered from. He passed through the door, leaving it open.
Tanrin felt like a whirlwind had just picked him up and spit him out. Keeping up that brief conversation had left him drained. He took another sip of his caife, savoring the liquid nectar of the gods. As he was about to eat his pastry, Mr. Kubeck stuck his head back around the door frame. “You, you, you coming?” He turned and disappeared again.
Tanrin drained the rest of the amazing drink and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose I am.” He hurried through the door after Mr. Kubeck. Where the foyer was elegant and tidy in appearance, this new area was a massive area of barely contained chaos. There was a pile of colorful rugs piled to his chin, wheeled contraptions peppered throughout the area, half-assembled winged models, and unlabeled wooden crates stacked from floor to ceiling filled every area not reserved for some type of project. Dust covered everything.
Well, almost everything along the far wall was a pristine work area. A table with an inclined top had a large sheet of paper tacked to it with a tray of what appeared to be art supplies sitting next to a large, heavily built wooden work bench that had a wall of carpenters’ tools hanging on a board behind it. There were a couple of shelving units with various labeled containers and other materials organized meticulously. This dynamic created a sharp contrast that further emphasized Jerald’s oddness.
Jerald made his way over to the organized shelf, opened a container, and placed the Trialium inside. “How much do I owe you?” He asked while pacing from place to place, giving the impression of being lost, before settling onto the stool in front of his odd drawing table. He spun on the chair and took another large drink from his cup.
“You don’t owe any coin. There is a letter in the package that explains everything.” Tanrin said.
“A letter, letter, letter? I see.” He hopped back off the stool, reopened the container, and retrieved the letter. After returning to his stool, and another drink from his cup, he read the letter and sat in silent contemplation. Tanrin stood, waiting.
The silence had long since progressed past the awkward point when Tanrin cleared his throat, hoping to spur the odd little man onward. “Where was I? First, first, first shake my hand.” Tanrin tried to decline, but the old… gnome!… was frustratingly persistent. He’d heard stories of gnomes from his mother as a kid, but they were reclusive to where many believed that they didn’t exist. “I know, know, know that Sophia somehow took advantage.” Faster than Tanrin thought possible, the gnome’s hand lashed out like a snake and began shaking Tanrin’s own. Tanrin saw a platinum coin appear in his inventory. His jaw fell on the floor.
“I can’t accept this. It’s more than most skilled workers will make in a year!” He objected.
“I, I, I insist, young dwarf. Don’t spend it all in, in, in one place. Grab that, that, that rug and follow me.” Mr Kubeck said, pointing to a hideous rug that reminded Tanrin of what he envisioned a stable boy’s drug induced nightmares would consist of. Who thought that grey abstract horse heads on a vomit pink background would make a good rug? Regardless, he grabbed it and trudged up a spiral stairwell in the corner that he hadn’t noticed. It seemed as if they had climbed a good five or six floors before they emerged onto an open walled turret. “Roll the rug out, out, out in the center.”
Are we redecorating his rooftop lounge? Tanrin thought as he rolled the rug out and smoothed it down.
“Have a seat, seat, seat, my young dwarf?” Jerald pointed to a spot behind the center of the rug. “Let’s be on, on, on our way,” he said as he sat crossing his legs and placing a glowing green crystal from his belt pouch in front of him. “Hold still and hold on.”
“Hold on to wha… AAAAH.” Tanrin’s question transformed into a yell of surprise as the rug rose over twice his height into the air and began gliding forward.
“Hush, hush, hush, dear dwarf. On to the Great Library,” he said. Manic echoed in his head as the rush of the wind, and Tanrin’s screams of terror, drown any further conversation. Rooftops rushed by as they traveled at breakneck speed to the center of the massive city. The view was amazing, though Tanrin wasn’t able to enjoy it, as he was fighting to keep his grip on the rug under him.
Moments passed and Tanrin found that as his body and mind adjusted to the speed, and the knowledge that somehow he was flying like a bird while sitting on an ugly rug, he could focus less on not falling off and more on what he saw. The sheer scope of Eleytol was laid bare. One could tell from approaching the main gate on horseback that the city was massive, but the view from the sky showed just how true this was. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people could populate this city. It reminded him of the feeling you get when staring out into the ocean at night, that feeling of utter insignificance in the scheme of the world that is balanced by the majesty of the power of nature, of life. He let out a shout of joy and held tight as the carpet descended on the single biggest building he had ever seen. Even the palace paled compared to the Great Library. They were here.
As they touched down on the center tower of the Great Library, Jerald stood up and motioned towards the elegant double doors leading into the top room. “Shall, shall, shall we?”
“Umm… are they going to arrest us for trespassing? I mean, they reserve the center tower for important people, and it’s off limits, no?” Tanrin asked.
“Ha! Important people? They, they, they think so. They can’t, can’t, can’t stop me. I start one book, book, book club, take a brief vacation, and poof, they develop an, an, an elitist mentality. No, no, no can’t allow that. We have, have, have an understanding.” Mr. Kubeck’s words did little to reassure.
“A book club? Just how long has this library been here?” Tanrin asked.
“Book club. Let’s see, see, see. I suppose it’s been around 2,000 years now. Give or take a hundred, maybe less, maybe more.” Mr. Kubeck said.
Tanrin just shook his head. This guy has lost it. As they entered the doors, the guards’ hands reached for their swords and they drew until they saw Jerald. Their facial expressions shifted to one of resigned annoyance. They sheathed their swords and returned to their at-ease duty posture.
“What do, do, do you need to research?” Jerald asked Tanrin.
Tanrin knew that without help, he would never find any valuable information in a place this size. He just hoped that sharing this information wouldn’t come back to haunt him. It was a risk, but a calculated one. “It’s for my brother. He needs anything we can find on the Order of Buanaì, and the sudden onset of spontaneous spell casting,”
As if nothing was out of the ordinary, he turned and started walking forward. “We will need, need, need to search in the restricted section, then. Follow me,” Mr. Kubeck said as he led Tanrin deeper into the magnificent building. Before they made it too far, Mr. Kubeck turned back to the nearest guard and sent him to prepare a couple of study rooms. The guard was displeased, but made no argument as he stalked off to comply.