Arutha reined in his horse and looked up to where a man in a nightshirt shouted from a window. Laurie, what is that all about?
From what I can make out between the wails and screams, I judge that burgher to have recently been the victim of some felony.
Arutha laughed. I guessed that much myself. He did not know Laurie well, but he enjoyed the singers wit and sense of fun. He knew there was now some trouble between Laurie and Carline, which was why Laurie had asked to accompany Arutha on his journey to Krondor. Carline would be arriving in a week with Anita and Lyam. But Arutha had long ago decided that what Carline didnt confide in him wasnt his business. Besides, Arutha was sympathetic to Lauries plight if he had fallen into her bad graces. After Anita, Carline was the last person Arutha would wish to be angry with him.
Arutha studied the area as a few sleepy souls in neighbouring buildings began shouting inquiries. Well, theres bound to be some investigation here soon. Wed best be along.
As if his words had been prophecy, Arutha and Laurie were startled to hear a voice coming out of the fog. Here now! Emerging from the murk were three men wearing the grey felt caps and yellow tabards of the city watch. The leftmost watchman, a beefy, heavy-browed fellow, carried a lantern in one hand and a large nightstick in the other. The centre man was of advancing years, close to retirement age from appearances, and the third was a young lad, but both had an air of street experience about them, evidenced in the way they casually had their hands resting on large belt knives. What passes this night? the older watchman said, his voice a mixture of good-natured humour and authority.
Some disturbance in that house, watchman. Arutha pointed towards the fuller. We were simply passing by.
Were you now, sir? Well, I dont suppose youd object to remaining for a few moments longer until we discover what this is all about. He signalled to the young watchman to look around.
Arutha nodded, saying nothing. At that point a red-faced puffball of a man emerged from the house, waving his arms while he shouted, Thieves! They stole into my room, my very room, and took my treasure! Whats to be done when a law-abiding citizen isnt safe in his bed, his own bed, I ask you? Catching sight of Arutha and Laurie, he said, Are these then the thieves, the vicious thieves? Mustering what dignity he could while wearing a voluminous nightshirt, he exclaimed, What have you done with my gold, my precious gold?
The beefy watchman jerked on the shouting mans arm, nearly spinning the fuller completely around. Here now, watch your shouting, churl.
Churl! shouted Trig. Just what, I ask, gives you the right to call a citizen, a law-abiding citizen, a He stopped, and his expression changed to one of disbelief as a company of riders appeared out of the fog. At their head rode a tall, black-skinned man wearing the tabard of the captain of the Princes Royal Household Guard. Seeing the gathering in the streets, he signalled for his men to rein in.
With a shake of his head, Arutha said to Laurie, So much for a quiet return to Krondor.
The captain said, Watchman, what is all this?
The watchman saluted. That is what I was just undertaking to discover this very minute, Captain. We apprehended these two He indicated Arutha and Laurie.
The captain rode closer and laughed. The watchman looked sideways at this tall captain, not knowing what to say. Riding up to Arutha, Gardan, former sergeant of the garrison at Crydee, saluted. Welcome to your city, Highness. At these words the other guards braced in their saddles, saluting their Prince.
Arutha returned the salute of the guardsmen, then shook hands with Gardan while the watchmen and the fuller stood speechless. Singer, said Gardan, it is good to see you again, as well. Laurie acknowledged the greeting with a smile and wave. He had known Gardan for only a brief while before Arutha had dispatched him to Krondor to assume command of the city and palace guards, but he liked the grey-haired soldier.
Arutha looked to where the watchmen and the fuller waited. The watchmen had their caps off and the seniormost said, Beggin Your Highnesss pardon, old Bert didnt know. Any offence was unintended, Sire.
Arutha shook his head, amused despite the late hour and the cold weather. No offence, Bert the Watchman. You were but doing your duty, and rightly so. He turned to Gardan. Now, how in heavens name did you manage to find me?
Duke Caldric sent a full itinerary along with the news that you were returning from Rillanon. You were due in tomorrow, but I said to Earl Volney youd most likely try to slip in tonight. As you were riding from Salador, there was only one gate youd enter he pointed down the street towards the eastern gate, unseen in the fog-shrouded night and here we are. Your Highness arrived even earlier than I had expected. Where is the rest of your party?
Half the guards are escorting the Princess Anita towards her mothers estates. The rest are camped about six hours ride from the city. I couldnt abide one more night on the road. Besides, theres a great deal to be done. Gardan looked quizzically at the Prince, but all Arutha would say was More when I speak to Volney. Now he looked at the fuller who is this loud fellow?
This is Trig the Fuller, Highness, answered the senior watchman. He claims someone broke into his room and stole from him. He says he was awakened by the sounds of struggle on his roof.
Trig interrupted. They were fighting over my head, over my very head His voice trailed off as he realized who he was speaking to. Your Highness, he finished, suddenly embarrassed.
The heavy-browed watchman threw him a stern look. He says he heard some sort of scream and, like a turtle, pulled his head back in from the window.
Trig nodded vigorously. Like someone was doing murder, doing bloody murder, Your Highness. It was horrible. The beefy watchman visited Trig with an elbow to the ribs at the interruption.
The young watchman came from the side alley. This was lying atop some rubbish on the street the other side of the house, Bert. He held out the assassins sword. There was some blood on the grip, but none on the blade. Theres also a small pool of blood in the alley, but no body, anywhere.
Arutha motioned for Gardan to take the sword. The young watchman, observing the guards and the obvious position of command assumed by the newcomers, handed up the sword, then doffed his own cap.
Arutha received the sword from Gardan, saw nothing significant in it, and returned it to the watchman. Turn your guards around, Gardan. It is late and theres little sleep left this night.
But what of the theft? cried the fuller, shaken loose from his silence. It was my savings, my life savings! Im ruined! What shall I do?
The Prince turned his horse and came alongside the watchmen. To Trig he said, I offer my sympathies, good fuller, but rest assured the watch will do their utmost to retrieve your goods.
Now, said Bert to Trig, I suggest you turn in for whats left of the night, sir. In the morning you may enter a complaint with the duty sergeant of the watch. Hell want a description of what was taken.
What was taken? Gold, man, thats what they took! My hoard, my entire hoard!
Gold, is it? Then, said Bert, with the voice of experience, I suggest you turn in and tomorrow begin to rebuild your treasure, for as sure as theres fog in Krondor, youll not see one coin again. But do not be too disconsolate, good sir. You are a man of means, and gold quickly accrues to those of your station, resources, and enterprise.
What was taken? Gold, man, thats what they took! My hoard, my entire hoard!
Gold, is it? Then, said Bert, with the voice of experience, I suggest you turn in and tomorrow begin to rebuild your treasure, for as sure as theres fog in Krondor, youll not see one coin again. But do not be too disconsolate, good sir. You are a man of means, and gold quickly accrues to those of your station, resources, and enterprise.
Arutha stifled a laugh, for despite the mans personal tragedy, he stood a comic figure in his nightshirt of linen, his nightcap tipping forward to almost touch his nose. Good fuller, I will make amends. He pulled his dagger from his belt and handed it down to Bert the watchman. This weapon bears my family crest. The only others like it are worn by my brothers, the King and the Duke of Crydee. Return it to the palace tomorrow and a bag of gold will be placed in its stead. Ill have no unhappy fullers in Krondor on the day of my homecoming. Now I bid you all good night. Arutha spurred his horse and led his companions towards the palace.
When Arutha and his guards had vanished into the gloom, Bert turned to Trig. Well then, sir, theres a happy end to it, he said, passing the Princes dagger over to the fuller. And you may take some added pleasure in knowing you are one of the few of common birth who may claim to have spoken with the Prince of Krondor, albeit under somewhat strange and difficult circumstances. To his men he said, Let us back to our rounds. Therell be more than this one little bit of fun in Krondor on a night like this. He signalled for his men to follow and led them off into the white murk.
Trig stood alone. After a moment his expression brightened and he shouted up to his wife and any others who still looked out of their windows, Ive spoken to the Prince! I, Trig the Fuller! Feeling emotions somewhat akin to elation, the fuller trudged back into the warmth of his home, clutching Aruthas dagger.
Jimmy made his way through the narrowest of tunnels. The passage was part of the maze of sewers and other underground constructions common to that part of the city, and every foot of those underground passages was controlled by the Mockers. Jimmy passed a tofsman one who made his living gathering up whatever of use could be found in the sewers. He used a stick to halt a jumble of debris carried along on the waters of the sewer. The floating mass was called a tof, that which tofleets, in a corruption of language. He picked at it, looking for a coin or anything else of value. He was in fact a sentry. Jimmy signalled to him, ducked under a low-hanging timber, apparently a fallen brace in an abandoned cellar, and entered a large hall carved out among the tunnels. Here was the heart of the guild of thieves, Mockers Rest.
Jimmy retrieved his rapier from the weapons locker. He sought out a quiet corner in which to sit, for he felt troubled by the conflict he faced. By rights he should own up to his unauthorized pilfering of the fullers house, split the gold, and take whatever punishment the Nightmaster meted out. By tomorrow afternoon the guild would know the fuller had been boosted, anyway. Once it was clear that no freebooting thief was at work, suspicion would fall upon Jimmy and the others known to occasionally go for a nights foray without leave. Any punishment forthcoming then would be doubly harsh for his not having confessed now. Still, Jimmy couldnt consider only his own interests, since he knew the assassins target had been none other than the Prince of Krondor himself. And Jimmy had spent enough time with Arutha when the Mockers had hidden the Prince and Princess Anita from du Bas-Tyras men to have developed a liking for the Prince. Arutha had given Jimmy the very rapier the boy thief wore at his side. No, Jimmy couldnt ignore the assassins presence, but he was not clear where his best course lay.
After long moments of quiet consideration, Jimmy decided. He would first attempt to get warning to the Prince, then pass along the information about the assassin to Alvarny the Quick, the Daymaster. Alvarny was a friend and allowed Jimmy a little more latitude than Gaspar daVey, the Nightmaster. Alvarny would make no mention to the Upright Man of Jimmys tardiness in reporting, if the boy didnt take too long to come forth. Which meant Jimmy would have to reach Arutha quickly, then return at once to speak with the Daymaster before sundown tomorrow at the latest. Any later than that, and Jimmy would be compromised beyond even Alvarnys ability to look the other way. Alvarny might be a generous man, now that he was in his twilight, but he was still a Mocker. Disloyalty to the guild was something he would not permit.
Jimmy!
Jimmy looked up and saw Golden Dase approaching. While young, the dashing thief was already experienced in parting rich older women from their wealth. He relied more on his blond good looks and charm than on stealth. Dase made a display of the valuable clothing he wore. What think you?
Jimmy nodded in approval. Taken to robbing tailors?
Golden aimed a playful, halfhearted cuff at Jimmy, who ducked easily, then sat next to the boy. No, you misbegotten son of an alley cat, I have not. My current benefactor is the widow of the famous Masterbrewer Fallon. Jimmy had heard of the man; his ales and beers had been so highly prized they had even graced the table of the late Prince Erland. And given her late husbands and now her far-reaching business concerns, she has received an invitation to the reception.
Reception? Jimmy knew Golden had some tidbit of gossip he wished to unfold in his own good time.
Ah, said Golden, did I fail to mention the fact of a wedding?
Jimmy rolled his eyes upwards but played along. What wedding, Golden?
Why, the royal wedding of course. Though we shall be seated away from the Kings table, it will not be at the table most remote.
Jimmy sat bolt upright. The King? In Krondor!
Of course.
Jimmy gripped Golden by the arm. Start at the beginning.
Grinning, the handsome but not terribly perceptive confidence man said, The widow Fallon was informed by no less a source than the purchasing agent at the palace, a man she has known for seventeen years, that extra stores were required within a months time for, and I quote, the royal wedding. One is safe in assuming a king would be in attendance at his own wedding.
Jimmy shook his head. No, you simpleton, not the Kings. Anita and Aruthas.
Golden seemed ready to take umbrage at the remark, but then a sudden glimmer of interest showed in his eyes. What makes you say that?
The King weds in Rillanon. The Prince weds in Krondor. Golden nodded, indicating this made sense. I hid out with Anita and Arutha; it was only a matter of time before they wed. Thats why hes back. Seeing a reaction at that, Jimmy quickly added, Or will be back soon.
Jimmys mind raced. Not only would Lyam be in Krondor for the wedding, but so would every noble of importance in the West, and no small number from the East. And if Dase knew of the wedding, then half of Krondor did as well and the other half would know of it before the next sundown.
Jimmys reverie was interrupted by the approach of Laughing Jack, the Nightwarden, senior lieutenant to the Nightmaster. The thin-lipped man came to stand before Jimmy and Dase and, with hands upon hips, said, You look like youve something on your mind, boy?
Jimmy had no affection for Jack. He was a dour, tight-jawed man given to violent tempers and unnecessary cruelty. The only reason for his high place in the guild was his ability at keeping the guilds bashers and other hotheads in line. Jimmys dislike was returned in kind by Jack, for it had been Jimmy who had appended Laughing to Jacks name. In the years Jack had been in the guild, no one could remember hearing him laugh. Nothing, really, said Jimmy.