Vannerbehn's Luc

Thanks for all of the supportive comments and constructive criticism. There's more coming, but I want to apologize in advance if the next few chapters take a bit longer to appear. Sometimes life interferes with the best-laid plans ...

*****

Inavar's men took me down to the docks. That is, they sent me down the hill, and followed me. That way, it didn't look as if we were together.

I detected another trio of the Wolf's men, ahead of me. This was more organized, and more clever than I had given Inavar's men credit for. Everyone knew them as savage pirates and fighters, but apparently they were capable of subtlety.

Down on the docks, I was approached by a hawker, selling scarves.

- "Third ship along, with the bald man by the gangway. Just go aboard." he said, in a low voice.

I followed my instructions. The bald man, it turned out, was my guide.

- "Follow me."" he said.

He led the way to the stern of the galley, where a group of crewmen were hoisting a new sail, or something that looked like that. When it comes to things nautical, I don't know my ass from my elbow.

Baldy skipped nimbly across a plank, into the ship which lay alongside - where, coincidentally, another group of crewmen were also hoisting a sail. Anyone watching from the docks wouldn't have been able to see that I was no longer on the same ship I'd originally boarded.

- "Clever." I said.

Baldy smirked. "Go below." he said.

Two barbarians waited at the foot of the ladder. They relieved me of my pistols, rapier, and dagger. Then they opened a door, and pointed.

The Captain's cabin - that's what I think it was - was sparsely furnished. There wasn't much space to begin with. It contained a pair of sea chests, a narrow bed, and a sizeable table covered with charts and maps. Behind the table stood a ship's clerk, or supercargo, busily making notations. He pointed at the bed, which I took as an invitation to sit down.

- "When does Inavar get here?" I asked, politely.

The clerk looked up. He smiled, but without showing any teeth.

- "I'll be with you in a moment." he said.

Oops. I stood up quickly. "You're Inavar?"

- "Some people call me the Wolf." he said.

- "I'm sorry, my Lord. I'd never seen you before."

- "Give me a moment, Mister Vannerbehn, and then you'll have my undivided attention."

I sat back down, and shut my mouth before any more of my foot could fit into it. I'd mistaken one the most powerful men in Kumyr for a clerk. But how was I to know?

He was young, short, and clean-shaven, with thinning brown hair. I'd expected a massive, bearded giant, with the finger-bones of his enemies braided into his hair - or something like that.

His clothing was plain - non-descript, just like the man. He had a scabbarded dagger on his belt, but was otherwise unarmed. Thin lips, bushy eyebrows. If you saw him in a crowd, you'd never have given him a second look.

Inavar put aside his pen, and studied me for a moment.

- "I must say," he said, "I was impressed by how swiftly - and how decisively - you solved the problem of Molun."

- "I had help."

- "I imagine you did. But that too is impressive. You're a man of many parts, Master Kelsen. But you must be wondering why I asked you here."

I wouldn't have called it 'asking', but I wasn't prepared to quibble over the vocabulary.

- "Yes, my Lord."

- "I want you to do a job for me."

- "Me?" I squeaked. "Surely you have ..."

- "I have hundreds of fighters, yes. And many informants, some more reliable than others. But you have your own network. And it seems to be highly effective. You found Molun in a matter of a few days. Then you assembled a team powerful enough to wipe him out, along with his confederates, before the watch even knew what was going on."

"As I said: very impressive."

- "Thank you." I didn't know what else to say.

- "I know that you were a moderately successful burglar, up until a short time ago. Then, suddenly, you're part of a group who've eliminated a dragon, and then new owner of the Narimac. Quite a startling piece of luck, wouldn't you say?"

- "Very lucky, my Lord." I agreed.

- "It just so happens that I have a problem which seems particularly suited to a man of your ... talents. Will you help me, Mister Vannerbehn?"

You don't say no to Inavar the Wolf - even when you have no idea what he's going to ask. But I hesitated. It wasn't fear, or simple stubbornness.

- "I won't work against Ledomir." I heard myself saying.

- "Afraid?" asked the Wolf, with a smirk.

- "No. Well, not exactly. I just won't."

- "

That's nice to hear

.

A man with scruples

." said a new voice.

In the doorway to the cabin stood Ledomir of the Blue Cloaks.

I have to admit, I goggled. My mouth probably fell open. Ledomir came and sat beside me on the narrow bed. Inavar smiled - or smirked again - without showing any teeth.

- "You are now in possession of a secret, Kelsen." he said. "Very few people know that Ledomir and I are not enemies. Not even rivals. We permit a certain level of ... competition, between our followers. A few brawls here and there are quite good for our respective ... esprit de corps."

- "It serves a purpose." said Ledomir

I was still a bit stunned. They

weren't

mortal enemies?

- "Here's our problem." said Inavar. "A member of the pirate council has been behaving ... oddly. He dismissed his longtime right-hand man - a childhood friend. One of his captains was assassinated. Two more are ... mixing with the wrong sort of people. Money has been changing hands in unusual places."

- "Jerian the Younger." I said.

Inavar raised an eyebrow.

- "Told you he was well-informed." said Ledomir.

Several of my contacts had mentioned this little tidbit: Jerian the Younger, up and coming member of the Pirate Council, had suddenly dropped his best friend. And while pirates are frequently knifed, shot, or dropped in the harbour after dark, the only Captain to die of non-natural causes in the last month was connected to Jerian.

- "How can I find out more about this than you can, my Lords?" They had to have much greater resources than I did.

Ledomir answered. "I had two men inside Jerian's crews. Both disappeared three weeks ago." He made no bones about spying on another Pirate Lord; I suspected that they all did it.

- "My men are too ... recognizable, for that sort of work." said Inavar. "I had one agent, similarly placed. He also vanished."

I didn't like the sound of that at all.

- "What makes you think that I won't ... disappear, as well?" I asked.

- "You're lucky." said Ledomir. "And careful."

- "I can also provide you with some help." said the Wolf. "Someone who's been inside his house, and could prove very useful."

- "We would be very grateful, Kelsen." added Ledomir.

- "You make a considerable amount through the Narimac." said Inavar. "But if it's more money that you want ... we can discuss that."

"Or we could call it a favour - from both of us."

That surprised me. A favour? From the two most powerful men in Kumyr?

Of course, I would have to be alive to cash it in.

***

I agreed to help them. Did I have a choice?

There it was: I had been bemoaning my fate, wondering what I was going to do with myself. Question answered. Now I just had to survive the answer.

Inavar offered to connect me with his agent right away, but I postponed that meeting. I had things to do - things that had nothing to do with Pirate Lords and their intrigues. Also, a few tasks that I preferred to complete alone - well out of sight of Inavar's and Ledomir's people.

First off, I'd agreed to help Ludianne. I stopped in to the Gale, hoping that Mehdawi could put me in touch with Pamna. It was a pleasant surprise to find that she was there.

Mehdawi grabbed me first; he needed my help. I cast my healing spells as he directed. Then I asked if I could 'borrow' Pamna for a short time.

- "Take her." he said. "I know, I know ... she's beautiful. And you have no idea - none - how much she's helped around here since you sent her my way."

"But I need a good night's sleep even more. Take her somewhere, Kelsen."

- "Pamna." I said. "I need your help." I explained what Ludianne was looking for.

- "Perhaps we should discuss this - over supper." said the witch.

I got us some food, and a few bottles of wine, and we repaired to my second room. Pamna loved these little glimpses of my 'secret life' as she called it. But she was surprisingly knowledgeable about what was going on in the city, too: I learned a few things from her.

Then I asked if she could put me in touch with Taliesine.

- "Couldn't you ask me that later ... in the morning?"

Pamna came on top of me - but I think that I came out on top of our arrangement.

***

I spent the next day visiting informers, renewing contacts, and looking for a new haunt where I could find some peace and quiet - along with a decent pint.

The Dolphin was out; I didn't want to see Aliona. Nor could I face the Bell and Candle, with the ghost of Malena. Anson's was too noisy, and too much of a dive (and I didn't want to give Codyla the wrong idea).

Marno's was another non-starter. It was too much of a dive. Dockworkers were its main clientele. The beer was cheap, and whores and cutpurses alike avoided the place: there wasn't enough money there to interest them.

It was where Lesheya worked, too. We had seen each other regularly, over the past year. Lesheya was an attractive, busty brunette, with a good sense of humour. She was a bit thicker about the hips and backside than she had been, but that didn't bother me.

What did matter was that Malena had been a bit jealous of the time I spent with Lesheya. Malena knew that I preferred her, even though I saw other women, but she clearly didn't appreciate a rival. Out of deference to her, I had begun slowing it down with Lesheya. It wouldn't do to start up that relationship again.

A new local was what I needed. I found an interesting little spot only four blocks from the Narimac. The Eagle, it was called. It was quiet, uncrowded, and ... unusual.

- "Would you like the soup?" asked the waitress. "A tea? Or would prefer a pint?"

Tea? What sort of self-respecting tavern offers tea before beer? But the soup was excellent, and I had co complaint about the brew. In fact, it was so good that I had another.

The waitress was well beyond her prime, but that made no difference. I was polite, and tipped generously. If I was going to come back to the Eagle regularly, it wouldn't hurt to cultivate her. Sources of information come in many shapes and sizes.

But for my present needs, this place was perfect. As I nursed my second pint, I thought about the task that Inavar and Ledomir had dropped in my lap.

I needed to know more about Jerian - much more. I wasn't going to break into his house (not yet, at least), or run a scam on him. Then again, my marks didn't usually have a fleet of ships and a private army of three hundred pirates. I would have to tread carefully.

When I ordered a third pint - unusual, for me - I realized that I was grinning. I had been feeling sorry for myself, not knowing how to keep myself occupied. Well, I was occupied now. This job could be dangerous: but then, I'd always lived dangerously. It could also be fascinating, and might earn me the gratitude of two Pirate Lords.

And the ire of another.

***

Ludianne accepted my proposal immediately. In fact, she was quite enthusiastic.

- "Invite the Pirate Lords, to a special night? What a wonderful idea!" she said.

- "D'you think they'd come?"

- "A few. That is all we would need." She thought for a moment. "We could offer them one thousand gold, to play with. That would do. They

are

pirates, are they not? Greed is universal."

- "A thousand each? Can we afford that?"

- "In a heartbeat." said my partner. "Besides, if they win, they have to pay back their stake. If they lose, we charge them nothing. I like it, Kelsen. We can double the door charge, for that night only."

- "Like a ... snob tax?" I said.

Ludianne kissed me on the cheek. "Very clever. And what is the ulterior motive behind this? What do you hope to gain?"

It's not always easy, having a Janni for a partner. "How did you know?"

Ludianne just grinned. So I told her about my Jerian job ... quest ... thing.

- "He was here. Once." she said.

- "He was? And you remember him?" I was amazed.

- "Two years ago. Handsome fellow. Thought very highly of himself."

- "I'm not surprised."

- "Small bets. Poor loser. Then he went next door."

- "To the ..."

- "The brothel?" she said. "Yes. Apparently he is a regular customer."

It was my turn to kiss her. "Partner, you're wonderful!"

- "Any luck with those spell casters you know?" she asked.

- "I put out the word." I told her.

To my complete surprise, Kima and Taliesine came to the Narimac that very night. Or rather, early morning, just a few hours before we were due to close.

Without her sword and her armour, Kima looked ... completely different. The scars had faded considerably - Pamna's work, probably. But with her long red hair unbound, flowing past her shoulders, the fighter looked very attractive. She seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Taliesine was even more unsettled. It had to be Ludianne's suppression spell. If a neophyte like me could feel it, it must be pressing down on the wizard like a millstone.

- "Would you like a tour?" I asked. "Or would you prefer to go upstairs? It's quieter." I didn't have to say that it would be safer, too. Without her magic, Taliesine must have felt as I would have in a rough tavern, without a weapon: naked.

They were both more comfortable on the balcony outside Ludianne's room.

- "You're very lucky, Kelsen." said Kima.

- "You knew that from the moment you first met me." I replied.

- "Aressine says hello. She was asking about you."

Hmm. What exactly did that mean?

Ludianne was able to free herself a bit early, and I performed the introductions. Almost immediately, it felt like a momentous occasion. Ludianne meeting Taliesine. Janni and wizard. Kima must have felt it, too, because she glanced at me, to see if I'd noticed. Apparently, I was the fourth leg on a three-legged stool. I left them to it - whatever 'it' was.

I went to sleep.

Ludianne woke me up. I was disoriented; it didn't feel as if I'd been sleeping all that long. However, if this was a prelude to a 'partners' meeting', I wasn't too upset.

- "Taliesine wishes to speak with you." she said. That wasn't what I was hoping to hear.

- "She's still here?"

- "Go talk with her." Ludianne helped me up- and cast a spell of some kind, because I instantly felt more alert than I had any right to be.

Both the wizard and the red-headed fighter were waiting. Ludianne had served them a fresh pot of tea, with a third cup for me.

- "You wanted to tell me something?" I asked. Straight to business. Ludianne might still be interested in a shareholders' meeting, if this didn't take too long.

- "I am curious, Kelsen." said Taliesine. "Would you really help the Janni to escape our plane?"

What now? Well, if Ludianne wasn't keeping it a secret, then I suppose ... it wasn't a secret at all. I would have to discuss that with her, though.

- "Yes." I said.

Taliesine blinked. "Thereby giving up the Narimac, and all of the income it represents?"

- "Yes." I shrugged. "Taliesine, what is this about?"

The black-haired wizard frowned. "It means that I misjudged you, Kelsen." I said. "For that, I apologize. Most heartily."

- "She thought you were a shallow, selfish piece of shit." said Kima.

- "Thanks." She wasn't far wrong, I thought.

Taliesine coughed.

- "I am willing to ... assist Ludianne. It may be possible to return her to her home plane."

- "Really? That's wonderful!"

- "She said that you would be delighted. I confess that I did not expect this reaction."

Wizards. I turned to Kima. "Could you please tell me what this is about?"

- "We want to buy a house." said the fighter. "A nice house. That takes more money than we have. So we need a rich roommate. Taliesine knew that you had the cash, but she didn't trust you. Now she does."

- "Wait - what?"

- "Ludianne has allayed all of my concerns." said the wizard. "She speaks very highly of you. I am prepared to take her at her word."

- "Basically," said Kima, "it means this: you help us buy a house, which we share, and Taliesine helps Ludianne."

The two women wanted a nice house, with quite a bit of space and a fashionable address. They wanted me to pay for half of it.

- "Oh, really? And what would I be getting out of this ... arrangement?"

- "Taliesine helps Ludianne." said Kima.

- "That is not all." said the wizard. "Our house would be as secure as Kima and I could make it."

- "I have to think about this." I said.

I didn't, really. If Ludianne needed Taliesine's help, I would do whatever it took.

But I had to admit, that I wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. The Narimac was too noisy to be a home for me. The rooms I had - all three of them - were secure, but only because my enemies didn't know about them. And they were small. Not the most comfortable. Maybe it was time for a change.

And if Taliesine and Kima both lived there ... it would be secure.

- "I'll speak to my partner." I said.

I had questions for Ludianne.

- "Is this something that you need?" I asked. "Can Taliesine be of help to you?"

- "Yes. Her assistance could be crucial."

- "Can we afford to buy half a house? I mean, do we have enough cash?"

- "The house would be yours, Kelsen. Nothing to do with me." she reminded me. "But yes, you have plenty of money."

- "And you want me to do this? Do you think I should?"

- "It could be of enormous importance." said Ludianne. "But I would tell you if it served my interests alone. In this case, I believe that it would benefit you as well."

- "How so?"

- "You do not enjoy the Narimac at night. If you had a house, you could visit here when the mood was upon you. And, of course, you could come during the day, when I am otherwise ... unoccupied." The way Ludianne said that last word caused a stirring in my pants.

"But I also believe that these two women could be valuable allies for you. Friends, even. You will have need of such friends, some day."

I found it difficult to picture Taliesine as a friend, but there might be some hope of that with Kima. For a non-human, though, Ludianne had excellent instincts when it came to people. I had no trouble trusting her impressions.

- "Okay." I told them. "Let's find a house."

***

I needed more information about Jerian. Obviously, we didn't frequent the same ... social circles. I had to find someone who did. Luckily, I knew exactly the right person.

Marta had had a fascinating career. She'd escaped the Bottoms, as I had, but by a different route. She'd become a whore.

After six very difficult years, Marta had succeeded in buying her own contract; essentially, she'd bought her freedom. Then she became well-known as a 'party girl', bringing several girls to private parties for the very rich. She also began to arrange food and drink.

Marta had a good head for business, and she began to thrive. I first met her when she was just turning 30 - something she would never have admitted. I was ten years her junior, and came highly recommended as a burglar.

One of her clients refused to pay her what she was owed. Marta found out when this personage would be away, at another private 'party'. I burglarized the dick's house, and shared the proceeds with Marta.