Maybe its heard about Gostis lies and its following you to rob you of all your gold.
Very funny, Nabjor, Althalus said sarcastically.
Nabjor smirked at him. Then he took their cups back to the crock to refill them. Here, he said, coming back to the fire and holding one of the cups out to Althalus, smother your laughter with this and quit worrying about animals. Theyre afraid of fire, so whatever it is out there howling among the trees isnt likely to come in here and sit down with us.
Althalus and Nabjor had a few more cups of mead, and then the thief noticed that his friend had a new wench in his camp. The wench had wicked eyes and a provocative way of walking. He decided that it might be sort of nice if he and the wench got to know each other a little better. He was very much in need of friendship just now.
And so Althalus remained in Nabjors establishment for quite some time to enjoy the entertainments available there. Nabjors mead was plentiful, there was usually a haunch of forest bison on a spit near the fire in case anyone grew hungry, and the wench with wicked eyes was talented. Not only that, other thieves, almost all of them old friends and acquaintances, stopped by from time to time, and they could all spend happy hours together, bragging, talking shop, and engaging in friendly dice games. After this past year, Althalus really needed some relaxation to unwind his nerves and restore his good humor. His stock in trade was witty stories and jokes, and a grumpy man cant tell jokes very well.
His meager supply of brass coins was not inexhaustible, however, and after a time his purse grew very slender, so he regretfully concluded that hed probably better start thinking about going back to work.
And then along toward the end of summer on a blustery day when the racing clouds overhead were blotting out the sun, a man with deep-sunk eyes and lank, greasy black hair rode into Nabjors camp on a shaggy grey horse. He slid down from the back of his weary mount and came to the fire to warm his hands. Mead! he called to Nabjor in a harsh voice.
I dont know you, friend, Nabjor said suspiciously, fingering his heavy bronze axe. Ill have to see your money first.
The strangers eyes hardened and then he wordlessly shook a heavy leather purse.
Althalus squinted speculatively at the stranger. The fellow was wearing a kind of bronze helmet on his head that reached down the back of his neck to his shoulders, and there were thick bronze plates sewn onto his black leather jerkin. He also wore a long, hooded black cloak which looked rather fine and which Althalus was sure would fit him, if the stranger happened to drink too much of Nabjors mead and drift off to sleep. The man also had a heavy-bladed sword tucked under his belt and a narrow bronze dagger as well.
There was an oddly archaic look about the strangers features that made his face appear to have been only half-finished. Althalus didnt really pay too much attention to the strangers face, though. What he was really looking for were the characteristic clan-tattoos of the Arums. At this particular time Althalus thought it might be prudent to avoid Arums. The stranger, however, had unmarked hands and forearms, so our thief relaxed.
The black-haired stranger seated himself on a log across the fire-pit from where Althalus lounged and looked penetratingly at the thief. It might have been some trick of the light, but the dancing flames of the fire were reflected in the strangers eyes, and that made Althalus just a bit edgy. Its not every day that a man comes across somebody whose eyes are on fire. I see that Ive finally found you, the stranger said in a peculiarly accented voice. It appeared that this man was not one to beat about the bush.
Youve been looking for me? Althalus said as calmly as possible. The fellow was heavily armed, and as far as Althalus knew, there was still a price on his head back in Arum. He carefully shifted his own sword around on his belt so that the hilt was closer to his hand.
For quite some time now, the stranger replied. I picked up your trail in Deika. Men down there are still talking about how fast you can run when dogs are chasing you. Then I tracked you to Kanthon in Treborea and on to Maghu in Perquaine. Druigors still trying to figure out why you just dumped all his money on the floor and didnt steal any of it.
Althalus winced.
You didnt know that it was money, did you? the stranger said shrewdly. Anyway, I followed you from Maghu up into Arum, and theres a fat man up there whos looking for you even harder than I am.
I sort of doubt that, Althalus said. Gosti wants people to think hes rich, and Im probably the only man around who knows that there was nothing in his strongroom but copper pennies.
The stranger laughed. I thought there was something that didnt quite ring true about the way he kept going on about how youd robbed him.
And just why have you spent all this time looking for me? Althalus asked, getting to the point. Your clothing says Nekweros, and I havent been there in years, so Im sure I havent stolen anything from you recently.
Set your mind at rest, Althalus, and slide your sword back around your belt so the hilt doesnt keep poking you in the ribs. I havent come here to take your head back to Gosti. Would you be at all interested in a business proposition?
That depends.
My names Ghend, and I need a good thief who knows his way around. Are you at all familiar with the land of the Kagwhers?
Ive been there a few times, Althalus replied cautiously. I dont care very much for the Kagwhers. They have this habit of assuming that everyone who comes along is there to sneak into their gold mines and just help himself. What is it that you want me to steal for you? You look like the kind of man who can take care of things like that for himself. Why would you want to pay somebody else to do it for you?
Youre not the only one with a price on his head, Althalus, Ghend replied with a pained expression. Im sure I wouldnt care much for the reception Id get if I happened to venture into Kagwher just now. Anyway, theres someone in Nekweros whos holding some obligations over my head, and hes not the sort Id want to disappoint. Theres something he really wants over in Kagwher, and hes told me to go there and get it for him. That puts me in a very tight spot, you understand. Youd be in the same sort of situation if someone told you to go get something for him and it just happened to be in Arum, wouldnt you?
I can see your problem, yes. I should warn you that I dont work cheap, though.
I didnt expect you to, Althalus. This thing my friend in Nekweros wants is quite large and very heavy, and Im prepared to pay you its weight in gold if youll steal it for me.
You just managed to get my undivided attention, Ghend.
Are you really as good a thief as everyone says you are? Ghends glowing eyes seemed to burn more brightly.
Im the best, Althalus said with a deprecating shrug.
Hes right about that, stranger, Nabjor said, bringing Althalus a fresh cup of mead. Althalus here can steal anything with two ends or with a top and a bottom.
That might be a slight exaggeration, Althalus said. A river has two ends, and Ive never stolen one of those; and a lake has a top and a bottom, but Ive never stolen one of those either. What exactly is it that this man in Nekweros wants badly enough to offer gold for it some jewel or something like that?
No, its not a jewel, Ghend replied with a hungry look. What he wants and will pay gold for is a Book.
You just said the magic word gold again, Ghend. I could sit here all day and listen to you talk about it, but now we come to the hard part. What in blazes is a book?
Ghend looked sharply at him, and the flickering firelight touched his eyes again, making them glow a burning red. So thats why you threw all of Druigors money on the floor. You didnt know that it was money because you cant read.
Readings for the priests, Ghend, and I dont have any dealings with priests if I can avoid it. Every priest Ive ever come across promises me a seat at the table of his god if Ill just hand over everything Ive got in my purse. Im sure the dining halls of the gods are very nice, but you have to die to get an invitation to have dinner with God, and Im not really that hungry.
Ghend frowned. This might complicate things just a bit, he said. A book is a collection of pages that people read.
I dont have to be able to read it, Ghend. To be able to steal it, all I have to know is what it looks like and where it is.
Ghend gave him a speculative look, his deep sunk eyes glowing. You may be right, he said, almost as if to himself. I just happen to have a Book with me. If I show it to you, youll know what youre looking for.
Exactly, Althalus said. Why dont you trot your book out, and Ill have a look. I dont have to know what it says to be able to steal it, do I?
No, Ghend agreed, I guess you dont at that. He rose to his feet, went over to his horse, reached inside the leather bag tied to his saddle, and took something square and fairly large out of the bag. Then he brought it back to the fire.
Its bigger than I thought, Althalus noted. Its just a box, then, isnt it?
Its whats inside thats important, Ghend said, opening the lid. He took out a crackling sheet of something that looked like dried leather and handed it to Althalus. Thats what writing looks like, he said. When you find a box like this one, youd better open it to make sure it has sheets like that one inside instead of buttons or tools.
Althalus held up the sheet and looked at it. What kind of animal has a hide this thin? he asked.
They take a piece of cowhide and split it with a knife to get thin sheets, Ghend explained. Then they press them flat with weights and dry them so that theyre stiff. Then they write on them so that other people can read what theyve put down.
Trust a priest to complicate things, Althalus said. He looked carefully at the neatly spaced lines of writing on the sheet. It looks sort of like pictures, doesnt it? he suggested.
Thats what writing is, Ghend explained. He took a stick and drew a curved line in the dirt beside the fire. This is the picture that means cow, he said, since its supposed to look like a cows horns.
I thought learning to read was supposed to be difficult, Althalus said. Weve only been talking about it for a few minutes, and I already know how to read.
As long as all you want to read about is cows, Ghend amended, half under his breath.
I dont see anything about cows on this page, Althalus said.
Youve got it upside down, Ghend told him.
Oh. Althalus turned the page and studied it for a little while. Some of the symbols carefully drawn on the parchment chilled him for some reason. I cant make any sense of this, he admitted, but thats not important. All I really need to know is that Im looking for a black box with leather sheets inside.
The box we want is white, Ghend corrected, and its quite a bit bigger than this one. He held up his Book. The cover of the Book had red symbols on it, ones that chilled Althalus.
How much bigger than yours is the book we want? he asked.
Its about as long and as wide as the length of your forearm, Ghend replied, and about as thick as the length of your foot. Its fairly heavy. He took the sheet of parched leather from Althalus and almost reverently put it back inside the box. Well? he said then, are you interested in the proposition?
Ill need a few more details, Althalus replied. Just exactly where is this book, and how well is it guarded?
Its in the house at the end of the world over in Kagwher.
I know where Kagwher is, Althalus said, but I didnt know that the world ended there. Exactly where in Kagwher is this place? What direction?
North. Its up in that part of Kagwher that doesnt see the sun in the winter and where there isnt any night in summer.
Thats a peculiar place for somebody to live.
Truly. The owner of the Book doesnt live there any more, though, so there wont be anybody there to interfere with you when you go inside the house to steal the Book.
Thats convenient. Can you give me any kind of landmarks? I can move faster if I know where Im going.
Just follow the edge of the world. When you see a house, youll know its the right place. Its the only house up there.
Althalus drank off his mead. That sounds simple enough, he said. Now, then, after Ive stolen the book, how do I find you to get my pay?
Ill find you, Althalus. Ghends deep-sunk eyes burned even hotter. Believe me, Ill find you.
Ill think about it.
Youll do it then?
I said Ill think about it. Now, why dont we have some more of Nabjors mead since youre the one whos paying.
Althalus didnt feel very well the next morning, but a few cups of Nabjors mead quieted the shaking in his hands and put out the fire in his belly. Ill be gone for a while, Nabjor, he told his friend. Tell the wench with the naughty eyes that I said goodbye and that Ill see her again someday.
Youre going to do it then? Go steal that book thing for Ghend?
You were listening.
Of course I was, Althalus. Are you really sure you want to do this, though? Ghend kept talking about gold, but I dont remember that he ever showed you any. Its easy to say gold, but actually producing some might be a little more difficult.
Althalus shrugged, If he doesnt pay, he doesnt get the book. He looked over to where Ghend lay huddled under his excellent black wool cloak. When he wakes up, tell him that Ive left for Kagwher and that Im going there to steal that book for him.
Do you really trust him?
Almost as far as I could throw him, Althalus replied with a cynical laugh. The price he promised me sort of hints that therell be some fellows with long knives nearby when I demand my pay. Besides, if somebody offers to pay me to steal something for him, Im always certain that the things worth at least ten times what hes offering me to steal it. I dont trust Ghend, Nabjor. There were a couple of times last night after the fire had burned down when he looked at me, and his eyes were still on fire. They were glowing bright red, and the glow wasnt a reflection. Then there was that sheet of parched leather he showed me. Most of those pictures were sort of ordinary, but some of them glowed red the same way Ghends eyes did. Those pictures are supposed to mean words, and I dont think Id like to have anybody saying those particular words to me.