SHANEGORMLEY

As the party approached the gates of the citadel, they were overcome with a sense of awe. The colossal stone wall that protects Wherehurst towered overhead, the turrets within were barely visible from the ground. The gate too was of epic proportion, standing four men high, and had ample room for three carts abreast at once. Due to the festivities within the citadel, the port caulis hung high in the gatehouse archway, its thick rusted iron bars loomed ominously above. The hordes of travellers gathered around were oblivious to the fortifications over head as they desperately tried to bustle their way in. Upon reaching the foot of the wall, Damius was stopped by a young flustered guard. His cheeks shone red, glistening with perspiration. His gaunt face was framed by his helm which had been swivelled round at a jaunty angle.“Halt! Hold on there!” He held out his hand, palm outstretched and cried as though he were in pain. Damius eyed him as the young guard fidgeted nervously. “What erm is your business being here,” gurgled the guard as he noticed Damius scowl he added “Good sir?”

“We seek shelter and…” Damius’ words were interrupted by a shrill squeal erupted from behind him. A small group of noisy youths had been gathered into a corner by three of the guards. Kallis craned his neck to see who was shrieking, and immediately recognised the lovely Kira. He thought he felt his heart palpitate.“Look ere, we’ve told you already. We ain’t letting no good for nuffin’ filthy scoundrels such as yerselves into the city.” roared one of the guards, who actually commanded some authority.

Following on from his superior’s outburst the flustered guard speaking to Damius chimed “You heard him, sling your hook,” he blurted before turning an even deeper shade of crimson.

 

“We’re no filthy scoundrels, you stinking old fart!” Kira, quick to anger stomped hard on the commander’s foot. Kallis let out a snort of laughter which he poorly disguised as a cough. She’d spun round to insult whoever was laughing at her, and was surprised to find it was Kallis staring back at her. He attempted to avert his gaze, but it was too late.

 

”Ahhh, here is the rest of our party now,” Kira declared striding purposefully over to him with a beaming grin. Slapping Kallis on the back, she gestured to the other youths to move over to Damius, they caught on quickly sandwiching themselves in between the members of the other group, feigning friendship with the odd travellers they’d never met before.

 

Damius and Jack exchanged a confused look, while Millenia and Ryoko avoided grubby hands robbing or molesting them by moving close together. He’d almost drawn his sword, before he noticed a familiar face, that of Dimitri, the fair haired wordsmith from the bar at Bedenbourne. His cool demeanour, however, seemed to have been replaced with a look of desperation. Damius nodded, in recognition of the young man, and Jacks expression changed from nervous to apprehensive as his eyes darted from one youth to another.

 

The commander of the guard stepped one pace forward, his silver moustache twitching from side to side as he sucked his teeth. His watery grey eyes flicked from Damius to Kira as he mulled over the situation. Damius too was thinking quickly, they could not afford to be denied access to Wherehurst. Will denying we know these vagabonds create a scene? Or would pretending to know them prove beneficial?

 

“There be no reports of youngens travelling with a warrior Cap’n. Maybe these aren’t em’s after all.” Another guard spluttered.

 

“Perhaps you’re right Bobbin lad.” Pondered the captain aloud, to himself seemingly more than anyone else. “Well it be the high and mighty’s banquet n’ all, these youths are supervised and won’t be making with the mischief. Let em’ in.” He sighed, as the now impressively large group passed through the gates. He added with a furtive glare. “We’ll be watchin yur though.” With that he turned back to his patrol and the ever growing throng at the gate.

 

The city was alive with the hum of activity. People buzzed to and from with zealous grins and rosy cheeks, the city had become a living entity. Chickens squawked as they scuttled about the cobbled floor, avoiding being trampled. Market stands and bazaars littered the main road, even spilling over into side streets and every alley with bizarre objects glistening in what daylight navigated through the many antiquities and foreign fabrics. Alluring accents floated through the air like siren song, and opulent smells greeted nostrils and lifted spirits to the clear sky above.

 

The thriving metropolis of Wherehurst was built on many levels, at random intervals stairs would protrude from buildings, offering enticing entry points to unseen avenues above. To the group, unfamiliar to the city, there was no opportunity to find your bearings. As Damius looked around him, he noticed tall towers periodically placed around the circumference of the outer wall.

 

“They are the guard towers. They’re spread evenly across the wall that no part of the city is a blind spot for the guards, apparently. It’s a deterrent for criminals. Of course, they rarely prevent minor misdemeanours such as thievery, as I’m confident our young friends will prove,” Jack explained, having noticed Damius’ curious gaze then smirking as he glanced in Kira’s direction, who casually plucked a loaf of bread from a stall and began greedily munching on it.

 

“And over there,” continued Jack pointing at a truly monstrous tower looming in the very heart of the city; “The tower vault.” Even Damius was impressed, he halted to look at the giant structure, it towered high enough to cast a shadow over an entire stretch of the city as if Wherehurst were a giant sun dial.

 

Kira interrupted. “The origins of the tower are unknown, long forgotten. But it was the founding point of the entire city. It must be thousands of years old, as there’s no record of its creation.” Kira paused dramatically, before continuing in a hushed voice. “Legend has it that a vast treasure, the wealth of the entire city is at the very summit of the tower. The greatest prize is a blade so powerful, no mortal is trusted to wield it.” At this point Damius’ interest peaked. “And I,” continued Kira unperturbed as she noticed Damius’ glare now pointed fixedly upon her, “intend to liberate the blade.” As she said this Kira tossed the half eaten loaf to the ground and eagerly rubbed her hands together. “Of course, Damius, I will allow you a small share of the bounty to distribute between your party as you see fit for aiding our getting into the city.”“Your offer is very generous but I must admit I am more intrigued by the blade than any amount of gold,” replied Damius.

 

“Of course you are, you’re a warrior,” giggled Kira. Damius nodded his approval, intending not to appear too eager and jeopardise any chance of seeing the blade for himself.“Well, we could use a man of your talents and…” Kira paused, looking up at the tall broad bodied Dorjan. “Athletic physique.” She said with a wink. “Better yet, you could come with us; carry the blade out in your own hands.”

 

“I am many things but I am no thief. Larceny and subterfuge is better suited for someone of your skills… and stature,” Damius drawled, as he scratched at his chin. There was something about the way that he spat the word ‘thief’ that made Kira not pursue the thought any further.

 

Kallis had eavesdropped throughout the entire hushed conversation, feeling a deep burning sense of resentment for how Kira had looked at Damius. He sprang forward and volunteered to escort Kira up the tower on behalf of Damius’ interests. Damius eyed the boy suspiciously, but reasoned that he could trust him more than Kira or any of her band of street urchins to bring him the prize in the tower and so consented for him to join the heist.

 

They continued walking a little while, until they came to a fork in the road, with one path leading to the central tower at the heart of the city, and in the other direction, the city outskirts where they hoped they might find a stable to hitch the horses.Damius beckoned Kallis over from the rabble of his own group and the thieves. He rested his hand on the young mans shoulder, taking him to one side. Kallis looked up at him with eager eyes, always hungry for acknowledgement from the Dorjan warrior. Damius thought for a moment, searching for the appropriate words of advice, for his over-enthusiastic cohort. As he opened his mouth to speak, a slender arm entwined itself with Kallis’ and he was practically dragged away into the midst of the unkempt gang of youths.

 

As Kallis parted from the group travelling with Damius, and entered into Kira’s band of thieves, Ryoko unexpectedly blurted, “I want to go too.” Everyone including Ryoko seemed startled by her sudden outburst, and no one seemed to know what to say.

 

“What?” Ryoko queried. “You’ll need someone familiar with the city to escort you, plus it sounds… exciting. Plus I can take them to a rendezvous point when we escape.” Ryoko said with a beaming smile. “Best place to meet would be the old road house, just down the road from the south gate of the city. It’s half derelict but will provide shelter for a night, at very least.”

 

“All right. If this is happening tonight then we’ll regroup tomorrow, at the road house.” He nodded. As Ryoko joined the light-fingered youths, Damius realised his group had dwindled and directed a discreet whisper her way.

 

“Don’t do anything stupid, I won’t be coming to your rescue.” And with that she moved among the thieves, slipping away into the bustling crowd.Kallis couldn’t believe his luck. To be on a treasure quest with two beautiful women, he felt his fortunes were suddenly changing.

 

Damius turned to Millenia and Jack, who had taken the reins of Kallis and Ryoko’s mounts. “Well, first thing’s first. We need to take these steeds to the stable. They deserve a rest as much as we do.” Damius’ words were unexpectedly met with a peaceful smile from Millenia. Jack merely tugged the ponies toward the nearest stable. Unfortunately the banquet had drawn so many travellers to the city that many of the stables were full to capacity, especially for three ponies, a stallion, and a war horse. It took the best part of two tiresome hours wandering through labyrinthine pathways of Wherehurst until they were directed to the last resort, reserved for the poor and desperate.

 

A toothless man who referred to himself as ‘The Horser’ greeted them with a melancholy grin. “And wut can The Horser do for ‘ee? He drooled, a string of saliva dribbled from one side of his mouth as he spoke.Damius was in no mood for such idiotic questioning; after all, he was leading five mounts to the stable.

 

“Do you have any room?” enquired Damius, as coolly as he could manage.

 

“Room surr? Why what for? We dun let people bed wiv ‘ee beasts surr. Oh, no, no, no. T’would be a might bad for busyness surr”.

 

“The mounts you fool,” Bellowed Damius, the face of the old man retained it’s aimless grin. “The five mounts before you. How much for the night?”

 

“Yoow should ‘ave said so surr,” laughed the man, his eyes staring vacantly over Damius shoulder. “Well The Horser reckons that be a might trixxin surr, what wiv ponies an’ some hosses.” He stopped speaking abruptly, his face become furrowed with concentration. He stood motionless for a minute or so, the only sign he was still alive was a constant humming noise he made through his nose.

 

Losing his patience, Damius grabbed the right hand of the man and thrust some coins into his palm. “Listen,” he muttered through clenched teeth. “I will give you five gold pieces to take these steeds, and keep them in your…” He paused, glancing to the tatty old shack before him and continued, “stable, tonight.” With that the strange man clenched his grubby hand shut.

 

“The Horser be might pleased surr,” chirped the wiry man, his odd grin becoming wider and more lop sided. He took the reins of all the steeds and started whispering something inaudible to them.

 

At the moment Jack’s hands were free of the reins he announced, “I’m late for my meeting,” and strode off leaving Damius and Millenia alone with The Horser, who was caressing the neck of the eldest pony that carried the party’s ale.

 

Away from the back street into the main run of stalls and performers, Millenia had held a hand over her mouth during the entire encounter with the Horser, presumably to mask herself from the smell. A short silence followed, until Millenia suddenly erupted into peals of laughter, pulling on Damius’ arm while he still snarled at the thought of the Horser. As she bent over double in the middle of the bustling street, Damius thought on the ludicrous exchange, and too started to laugh at the ridiculous old man. For a moment his mind was eased, as he saw a new side to the usually restrained and serious Millenia. Before long though, he thought of Kallis venturing off with the thieves and Jack’s mysterious meeting and they were again proceeding in near silence.