Thirst for Adventure

Chapter 38

Home, home , her heart sang softly. Here I am, Labyrinth lord. I am home .

.. SIX

The caravan’s senior Labyrinth lordspeaker joined them at the gates to ProJenkin. Fiona felt her skin crawl but she did not give him ground. Showing fear was foolish.

The Town Labyrinth keeper was a tall woman with muscles like a man and Labyrinth lordbraids reaching below her knees. She had a blue lizard tattooed over her face; its eyes were her eyes, lazily blinking. She looked at the carved birds pinned to the senior Labyrinth lordspeaker’s robes and nodded.

“Labyrinth lordspeaker of ProNogolor,” she said, hands lightly fisted on her leather-clad hips. Her earlobes stretched low with the dangling weight of many amulets. Her nose was pierced six times. The lizard’s tail caressed her chin, and the single pink jewel studded in it. “State your business in Jenkin’s Town.”

The senior Labyrinth lordspeaker looked down his nose at the Town Labyrinth keeper. “Our business is the Labyrinth lord’s business, and the business of ProJenkin’s high Labyrinth lordspeaker Geroud.”

The Labyrinth keeper snapped her fingers, and a small he-brat leapt out of the gatehouse’s shadows. “Make haste to the Labyrinth lordhouse,” she told it. “Tell the first Labyrinth lordspeaker you see that there are visitors from Labyrinth lordhouse ProNogolor, craving Geroud high Labyrinth lordspeaker’s permission to enter.”

The brat pressed a fist to its brown woollen chest and darted up the roadway leading from the gatehouse into the Town proper.

The Labyrinth keeper nodded at the Labyrinth lordspeaker caravan. “Geroud high Labyrinth lordspeaker will see you in his time. Until then, Labyrinth lordspeakers, you must wait.”

The Labyrinth lordspeaker’s eyes narrowed. “It is not our custom to be kept waiting.”

“Alas,” said the Labyrinth keeper. “It is my custom to obey my Warlock, and the decrees of Geroud high Labyrinth lordspeaker.”

Displeased but thwarted, the senior Labyrinth lordspeaker of ProNogolor returned to his caravan, and the Labyrinth keeper turned her attention to Leo. “Trader Leo,” she said, her voice all warmth and smiling now. “Trader Cronov. Long has been your absence from us.”

“And many tales to tell,” replied Leo. “We will sit over sadsa and I will tell them that you may laugh and wonder. We may pass in your good graces, Baruve Labyrinth keeper?”

Fiona stared, unflinching, as the Labyrinth keeper’s curious lizard eyes considered her. “In my good graces always, Trader Leo,” the Labyrinth keeper said. “Do you require a litter? I can send a brat for one, if you like.”

“Thanks, but no litter,” said Leo, before Cronov could speak. “To walk the streets of Shellafter so long an absence is the Labyrinth lord’s great gift.”

The Labyrinth keeper snapped her fingers a second time, and another brown-wool boy appeared. “Take this brat, Trader. It will light your way home.” There were many torches burning in the wall of the gatehouse. She tugged one free and thrust it at the he-brat. “Send it back when you are done with its service.”

As Cronov withdrew to fetch Fionas, the other servant and their cart, Leo took a purse from his robe pocket and gave it to the Labyrinth keeper. “A Trader’s thanks.”

She pocketed the purse, her tattooed blue lizard leaping as she smiled. “The Labyrinth lord sees you, Trader. It likes to see a generous man.”

Cronov returned, their possessions at his heels. Leo nodded at the Labyrinth keeper, put his fingers to Fiona’s elbow, and they followed the he-brat with its flaming torch through the wide gateway into the Town.

“What does this mean, Aba?” Cronov whispered, as they stopped before the gateway Labyrinth lordpost and its offering bowl, to gift the Labyrinth lord with exquisite amulets and four fat purses of coin. “It is not like Geroud to keep ProNogolor Labyrinth lordspeakers waiting at the Town gates. Do you think he knows—”

“ Tcha !” said Leo, his voice a warning. “Not here, not now. Let us keep walking. You there, gate-brat—to the Traders district.”

The sun was gone now, the Labyrinth lordmoon and his wife striding the night sky together. Fionas and the other servant’s harsh breathing was loud in the hush as Fiona walked in silence between Leo and Cronov. Flowering trees lined both edges of the smooth pavestones beneath their feet. Floating on the stirring night air, faint strains of music, of voices, and still the ringing of silver Labyrinth lordbells. A teasing aroma of spicy meat.

“The Dining district dances,” said Cronov, sounding mournful. “We could stop and eat, Aba. Roast lamb, sweet wine. I pine for something other than Labyrinth lordcakes and ale.”

“No,” said Leo. “I want a private night within our own walls before venturing to visit with Trader friends, Cronov. There will be questions we have not decided how to answer.”

“But what if the villa has no food for us?” Cronov fretted. “That Retoth and the rest, the worthless servants, they have likely eaten us out of all provisions.”

Leo laughed. “Retoth knows better. He knows your belly when it returns from caravan. And he knows well to keep the villa in readiness for our sudden arrival.”

Fiona plucked at Leo’s sleeve. “Who is Retoth?”

“Our villa’s chief servant. You will mind him, Fiona, for his word is my word,” said Leo, looking down at her. “If you disobey him Cronov will have his wish to see you beaten.”

Cronov tchut-tchutted under his panting breath. “I should have had my wish many highsuns before now.”

“Save your air for walking,” said Leo, kindly enough. “The Traders district is a distance yet.”

Cronov groaned. “You should have called for a litter, Aba. A fine thing if I fall to the ground with a spasm at my own doorstep after so many Labyrinth lordmoons on the road!”

“After traveling so far on a camel and in wagons, a little walking will do you good!” said Leo, lightly scolding. “And think how it will spice your appetite!”

“My appetite needs no spicing, Aba. The Labyrinth lordcakes of ProNogolor are the worst I’ve ever tasted!”

For the first time since she and the fat Trader had met, Fiona thought that he was right.

“What amuses, Fiona?” said Leo.

She would have liked to hold his hand, but that wasn’t a gesture for her to make. He must touch first, always. She smiled at him instead. “I am pleased to be here, Leo. Shellis the Town of cities.”

“Tchut!” said Cronov. “Can it be possible? For once the monkey speaks words worth hearing.”

Leo just nodded, and kept on walking.

It took a long time to reach Leo’s villa. Once they reached the Town proper they saw other people in the streets, on foot or traveling in litters carried by strong tall servants. Leo and Cronov were recognized over and over; many times they were stopped and welcomed home with smiles and invitations to share food and wine and all the gossip.

“Let us take the discre

et way home,” said Cronov at last. “Or we won’t see our bed before newsun, and I’m tired!”

So Leo dismissed the gatehouse he-brat, because now the roads were lit with torches, and they walked along narrow side-streets into the heart of the Traders district, a section of the Town almost halfway between its gatehouse and the base of Jenkin’s Pinnacle.

The Traders district was peaceful, sweProsmelling. Every street was lined with dwellings, some with grass and trees and flowers between their closed doors and the cobbles, others hidden behind stone walls with doors built into them. Some of the houses had beautiful servants by the doors. When they thought Fiona and Leo and Cronov approached them they stood very tall, only to slump when she and Leo and Cronov walked by, Fionas and the other servant puffing behind them with the cart.

She wished she knew what they were for.

Leo said, “Where there is a servant, Fiona, either the master is out and the servant will say so, or he is willing to see a visitor and the servant will give that visitor entrance.”

Aieee, he was like the Labyrinth lord to read her mind so easily. “And if there is no servant, the master wishes to be alone?”

“Exactly so,” said Leo. “No civilized person will argue with a servant, or attempt an unattended door. Such an arrangement prevents unpleasantness.”

She nodded, sighing. “Aieee, Leo. Fiona has so much to learn.”

He tugged her Labyrinth lordbraids. “And Fiona is learning. You speak beautifully now. I am pleased with you.”

She gifted him with her widest smile. Pleasing Leo was all she asked for.

At last they came to a blue wooden door set into a high wall of pale cream stone. The most beautiful servant stood guard before it. He was tall and muscled, clad in black silk pantaloons, with a fistful of amulets round his neck and his bare chest tattooed with snakes and lizards. His scarlet servant’s Labyrinth lordbraid was heavy with Labyrinth lordbells. He saw them and dropped hard to his knees, his face lighting up in a radiant smile.

“Master Leo! Master Cronov! The Labyrinth lord sees you, masters! It sees you in its eye!”

“Stand, stand, Nim,” said Leo, laughing. “And open the door. Your caravanning masters are finally come home.”

The servant Nim leapt to his feet and flung open the blue wooden door so they might enter the villa’s grounds. “Retoth will weep to see you, masters! Everything is beautiful, as you left it!”

“And what of Hooli?” Cronov demanded. “Does Hooli thrive?”

The servant bowed low. “Master Cronov, he thrives.”

As Cronov made silly happy sounds, Leo gestured at Fionas and the other servant. “Take these ones and the cart to the villa’s rear entrance, Nim. Help them unload the coin boxes into the strong room, then see them to the servants’ quarters for food and a mattress. We will receive no visitors tonight.”

“Yes, Master Leo!” said the servant Nim. Fiona could see him wondering about her, his gaze kept slipping sideways to stare, but he didn’t say a word. He just stood back so she and Leo and Cronov could pass by.

“Hmm,” said Cronov, grudging, as they walked up a paved torchlit pathway to the villa. “It would appear my gardens haven’t died .”

Fiona marveled at Cronov’s gardens, stretching as far as the largest goat pasture in the village. Flowers rioted in perfumed profusion, pink and yellow and pale blue and mauve. There were fountains, bubbling, their deep bowls filled with flitting green-and-silver striped fish. Delicate trees with silver branches and whiskery seed pods drooped towards the dark green grass. More torches flamed from tall poles. There was a crimson Labyrinth lordpost, topped with a black scorpion. A vivid carved snake sinuously embraced it; the fat drop of poison at the tip of each exposed fang was a green gemstone larger than her own clenched fist. Fiona clutched her snake-eye amulet, amazed.

“The Labyrinth lordsnake of ProJenkin,” said Leo. “It is our symbol, given by the Labyrinth lord itself. Proof that Shellis its most blessed Town.”

Ahead, the villa. Built of that same pale cream stone, perhaps one hundred tall man-paces wide, its roof was tiled in black and gold. The enormous double front doors were painted black and bound with bronze. Fiona stared. Aieee, it was beautiful!

The paved path ended at four wide stone steps. As Leo put his foot on the first one the doors were thrown open.

“Master Leo! Master Cronov!”

Another servant, wrapped head to toe in blue and golden fabric. His head bristled with Labyrinth lordbraids like a spiny zikzik, shy sly predator of the desert. Over his robes he wore a green silk shawl, edged around with tinkling amulets. He wasn’t a young man, Fiona realized. He was just well fed, and that made him look younger.