Chapter 5

A Hard Bargain

The sun was dipping below the horizon as the caravan of merchants approached Heraldforn. Venitz gazed up at the fortress-like town.

Heraldforn looked oddly pleasant in the glow of the setting sun, the orange light made its red brick walls look like a glowing brazier alight in the canyon.

Venitz accompanied Renick as he rode on ahead to the town gates. It was customary for the head of the caravan to make acquaintances at the destination town, usually with the local lord or an appointed delegate. Idle pleasantries for the most part but Renick was a man of tradition, he cleared his throat and straightened his beard as they approached the black gates. Venitz noticed a figure in the parapet above give a signal below as the gate slowly began to churn open.

Renick sat up tall in his saddle, his chest puffed out as his broad smile crept across his face. Venitz gave a small shake of her head as she observed Renick’s posturing, but she couldn’t help but mimic him subconsciously. She squinted ahead as a lone figure appeared through the other side of the gate. A weary looking guardsman greeted them unenthusiastically. “Lord Renick of the Merchant’s Guild I presume? Welcome to Heraldforn”. For a brief moment Venitz noticed a flash of anger wash over Renick’s face, he quickly mastered it however and resumed his pleasant facade. “Yes, Lord Renick and Lady Venitz of the Merchant’s Guild, along with a caravan of thirty merchants toting the finest wares from across the civilized lands. I had hoped to meet with Lord Heraldforn upon our arrival... it’s customary to give him first rights to any goods we have on offer”

“That won’t be necessary, just proceed through to the keep to make arrangements for your lodgings” the guard said dismissively as he turned to let them past. Renick dropped all pretense now

“We have thirty merchants outside along with their wagons, carts, porters and guards, I expect some support from the court of Lord Heraldforn to make appropriate arrangements, this is unaccepta—”

“Lady Elaina waited here for your arrival from early morning” the guard interjected “I’m sure you’ll understand that the Lady of Heraldforn has more pressing matters to attend to than guard duty”

Venitz stifled her laughter as Renick’s face turned red, seething with anger. He wouldn’t appreciate such comments from a lowly guard, but there was nothing he could say. Timeliness was a cornerstone of the merchant trade, and Renick was responsible for this caravan. The delays in Calafort combined with the cautiousness of Daron on the route to Heraldforn had left them running half a day behind. “Of course… we will proceed to the keep and make our apologies to the Lady for our delay”. The guard didn’t respond, it was clear to Venitz that he had had enough interactions with outsiders for one day.

Venitz continued on to the keep with Renick. She had been to Heraldforn several times in the past but the town had never looked, or felt like this. Great coloured banners hung from windows and balconies, while lengths of bunting snaked from building to building up the main thoroughfare and into the side streets. There was an energy coursing through the town, like the euphoric buzz of a great summer festival in Westfall. Men in fanciful outfits sat drinking outside a tavern mingling with the locals in their drab dusty clothes. “...he smashed the skull with a single blow! ZANZO!” a roaring cheer went up as tankards clashed together. Further on a group of children ran in a circle making strange trumpeting sounds. In the centre stood a boy clad in fur despite the terrible heat. He stood on an upturned wash basin, stick in hand proudly pointing toward the sky. “It appears we missed something ….special. I wasn’t expecting the main festivities to start until tomorrow” she called to Renick. No response came back, he got quiet when he was angry, and every scene was just another reminder of his tardiness.

***

“I hope the room is to your liking Lady Venitz” the steward called as he placed her bags beside the doorway and began exiting the room. "Perfect." Venitz would have enjoyed watching Renick stumble his way through an apology to Lady Elaina, but she had other priorities. Lord Haiden would be a busy man in the coming days, scheduling some time to meet with him and his future bride would be difficult, even for a friend. Fortunately She knew a few ways to see him sooner.

Venitz bolted the door behind the steward as he left, and quickly began scanning the room while removing the satchel from her shoulder. The room was big by Heraldforn standards, but not big enough for a person to remain hidden. Anyone watching would think I was paranoid she thought to herself as she checked the washroom, under the bed, and even through the window slits. Although... If someone was watching that would prove my point. Satisfied the room was clear, she opened the satchel revealing a small hoard of precious gemstones and elegant jewellery. She carefully emptied the contents onto her bed before reaching back into the now, empty looking satchel and releasing a hidden fold which revealed her prized possessions. Three magi-tech devices sat neatly packed amongst an array of blue glowing etherite crystals. She thumbed through the crystals, counting them three times over before removing one, closing the fold, and placing the jewellery back inside.

After another cautious glance over her shoulder she crawled under the bed with the satchel. No floorboards here she mused as she pulled back the sleeve on her left arm revealing a silver bangle etched with various runes. She slid the bangle off her hand and began winding the satchel strap around it several times. Once satisfied, she slowly twisted a dial on the face of the bangle while placing the etherite crystal into a small recess at the dial's centre. The runes across the bangle began to glow with a feint blue light before suddenly disappearing along with the bangle, the satchel, and half of Venitz’ arm too. Patting the satchel with her missing hand, she crawled back from underneath the bed, her hand re-appearing as she moved back. Staring at the empty space where the satchel once was, she had a nagging urge to go back and verify the satchel and bangle were both still there. Ancient magi-tech artifacts were extremely rare, one that granted the illusion of invisibility even more so. The fear of losing it would weigh on her mind all day, but this wedding was no place to be caught in the possession of crystals or magi-tech.

Venitz stood up and stared down at the bed, a wave of tiredness coming over her. They had started the day's journey before morning in an effort to catch up on their schedule, and she could feel it now. There was nothing she would rather do than have a good night's sleep in a clean bed, but she had work to do. She rummaged in her pocket for a moment and produced a small, metal capsule. She unscrewed it’s lid and tapped the opening against her free palm, a turquoise sphere fell into it, it was about the size of a bean. A Fixer, that’s what they’d called it in Ovinsar, but she’d heard them called speed-cakes, Zhao-eyes and mowies amongst other names.

Venitz popped it into her mouth and bit down, she felt the familiar sensation of the fixers contents effervesce as they mixed with her saliva. She swallowed it and immediately felt the sweet sensation of her fatigue float away, she felt good, no better than good she felt great. Colours seemed brighter, deeper and more vivid than usual and what’s more she felt invincible.

She could see how people could become addicted to this. Venitz only took fixers when she needed an extra perk, she had no wish to become like one of those wretched ghoul’s you saw in the big cities. You could see their kind everywhere these days though, Lying in gutters or lining streets begging for coins so they can ‘get fixed’ staring around with their bulging eyes. Their faces gaunt and their skin wafer thin and deathly pale. All their blood vessels on display. Hideous things.

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With her energy renewed she headed to the washroom to prepare for an evening of socialising and feigning interest in mundane affairs. After a relatively quick wash and a change to more formal attire Venitz hastily made her way through the many corridors of the keep. She’d have to be quick and lucky, she thought.

Rounding a corner she heard an annoyed voice echo down the hallway.

"Must you question me on everything Eryn?"

Two men, a magi and his apprentice were walking towards her, one was a tall, older man with dark skin and an arrogant look to his clean shaven face; the other was a fat, pale youth with a petulant twist to his mouth. Venitz glowered at them with disdain. Her face still hidden in the shadows.

Of course there's magi here.. the meddling fools wouldn't miss a chance to rub shoulders in "high society", relishing in their self-importance as they prattle on about their ‘prophecies of Timeran’.

As her face came into the light she greeted the magi with a curt nod and a broad, generous smile.

"Good evening Lord Magi, Venitz Marront of the Merchant’s Guild, a pleasure to meet you both" she said graciously. The magi stopped in their tracks and studied her for a moment. The fat youth spoke first.

"A pleasure to meet you too, Ery-"

"Ideron Amurri of Tal Eyne, and this is my apprentice Eryn Eckstrom" the older Magi interrupted, giving his full name and title to her like it was a priceless gift. Aren’t Magi supposed to be superstitious about giving out their names? She mused.

"I'm sure Lord Torren is thrilled to have two Magi in attendance at the wedding, will you be joining tonight's festivities?"

"Unfortunately not." he informed her curtly.

“Oh? Why ever not? Are you and your boy too busy making sure nothing nefarious threatens this union? Like packs of Null-men or angry tremble-fangs?”

Ideron’s eyebrows furrowed and his mouth became a thin line. Venitz was sure he was just about to reply with something ugly but his witless apprentice interrupted him this time.

“No, none of those but the princess does have a load of skeleton warriors with her and we’ve seen an Orak and an Aeth wandering around the castle together” he beamed happily. Ideron looked aghast at him.

“Eryn! Cease your incessant babbling, how many times must I tell you?!” He admonished the portly apprentice before turning back to Venitz with an angry frown.

“We magi are here to serve in whatever capacity Timeran has foreseen and that is all you need to know!” He seethed through gritted teeth.

“Sounds like you don’t know what you’re doing here, it seems ignorance is your god and not Timeran, how sad for you.”

The apprentice laughed but Ideron silenced him with a glance before meeting her eyes with his, they were dark, nearly black, but the burning fury of the zealot shone within them.

“Wherever Timeran sends his disciples there are always fools like you. Fools that think they know better. You don’t understand it’s called a faith for a reason, believing in something is a privilege. People like you basque in their awakened view of believing in nothing because it makes you feel superior. You should have a care for how you speak to those that do believe, not all of us have my restraint.”

She sniffed dismissively at his overblown speech and he barged past her apparently in a sudden rush to be about his preordained business.

Venitz had enjoyed that. But upsetting magi was hardly the reason she had travelled to Heraldforn or was now currently rushing through the keep. No doubt there were feasts and garden parties going on each evening here, good places to meet up with Haiden one might have thought. No. Haiden and his bride would be swamped with the attention of aristocrats and sycophants. Venitz picked up her pace. Her footsteps echoing down this empty stretch of hallway in harmony with her beating heart. She was excited to see her old friend she realised, shocking herself. Venitz hadn’t afforded herself such luxuries throughout her life but Haiden had been interesting to her. She studied mathematica and economics with him at the university of Urundal. A shy and withdrawn boy he’d been, but a brilliant mind.

Sure there was also the appeal of having a friend in a high place of noble society, but it was more than that. He understood that words could be as valuable as coins.

She was in the servants quarters now if she remembered correctly from her previous visits. In the past Haiden had spoken to her of how he enjoyed administering the keeps expenditures. He’d said he placed an office for himself in the heart of it all. Well the servants quarters weren’t far from the kitchens and larders so she’d guessed he’d meant here.

A short while later after checking a few of the rooms lining the austere corridor she happened upon what she’d been hoping to find. She’d gently pushed open a door to reveal a young man sat at a desk brow furrowed with concentration as he scanned a heavy looking ledger. “ I don’t require anything,“ he waved dismissively “ I said I did not wish to be disturbed”. Venitz remained in the doorway smiling. She knocked on the door twice. He looked up annoyed, the beginnings of chastisement on his lips. Then they curled into a smile “Venitz!”

“Me!” she replied! He was across the room in a moment wrapping her in a warm embrace. “Steady on there lover, you’ll be a married man soon.” She laughed. “It’s good to see you again Ven, thanks for coming all this way.” He said, taking a step back, the grin not leaving his face. “Well it wasn’t completely altruistic on my part. I will make a lot of coin on the provisions the guild has transported here after all.” Haiden beamed at her, “of course you will. So, why have you sought me out so quickly? I assume you’ve just arrived?“ he asked.

“Well that’s the thing..” she said, removing a scroll from her pack. “I came across this information in Zaranganza, Libresta. A temple of Tri’ism had been burnt down by Vindicators but luckily a vagrant had robbed it first. Hence, this scroll which I bought off of him.”

Venitz had in fact threatened to report the man to the vindicators if he didn’t hand her everything he’d stolen from the temple.. and his shoes. She hadn’t wanted his dirty, worn out shoes but she drove a hard bargain.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What did the vagrant’s scroll say?” He shot her a wry smile but she could tell he was becoming impatient.

“It’s written in Orathaek the old language of the Aeths I’ve translated most of it however and it talks about treasure in the ancient ruins of old Yashai, the first Tal.”

Haiden scoffed and his eyes returned to his ledgers. “So you have a treasure map? I’m sorry Ven but this all sounds a bit silly.”

Venitz felt her face flush. She slapped down the scroll over his meaningless ledgers. “I’m serious!” She shouted, “it’s not just this scroll that’s mentioned Yashai and wealth beyond measure, you’ve heard the rumors yourself I’d wager.” Haiden stepped back from her startled by her sudden display of anger. “I’m sorry Ven I didn’t mean t—“

“—save it,” she said. “Now look, this is real, it talks of three keys and an endless vault. There’s something big in the south and thanks to your wedding I’ll finally be able to go there and see for myself.” Haiden arched one eyebrow, “you’re.. welcome?”

She smiled, “I want to bring you in on this,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper, she looked around the empty room as if someone might hear. Low drama but she hoped it would draw him in, which it did. Haiden obligingly leaned in to listen, “all I’ll need is a squad of soldiers, supplies and funding.”

He laughed, “is that all?! Really Ven, I have a lot going on already without this.”

He yelped as she grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him closer. “Trust me Haiden, I’ve been right every time you’ve doubted other ventures.”

His face went stern then and his eyes cold, she saw in them the future Lord of Heraldforn. He slapped away her hand. “Ok Venitz. After my wedding I’ll see what I can do..”

Fuck yes! She thought, adrenaline and fixer high pumping through her system. “We’ll split whatever we find seven tenths in my favour.” Haiden snorted, his face returning to that of the charming boy he had been. “You’re a chancer Ven. And I doubt this is all about gold, I know you remember. You’ve always been more interested in power.”

Venitz grinned at him and began backing out of the room taking the scroll with her. “Actually, I’m fairly interested in both.” She exited the room and left him to his dusty ledgers.