The Harp of Aleth (3 page)

Tavia rolled her eyes.
He’s worried about his reputation, not Julissa.
She smiled at him reassuringly.

“Worry not, Master Farsheir, I shall pass your concerns onto the Lady. I am certain that she will take the utmost care in whatever she does.”

“Thank you, Ser Tavia. May you prosper in the service of our High King.” The Innkeeper bowed and turned away, allowing Tavia to move forward again.

“Lady Julissa, I see you have met our fellow traveller,” she said as she came alongside the elven bard.

“Indeed I have, Ser Tavia, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing Joran into our fellowship.” The smile the bard and mage exchanged made Tavia feel slightly nauseous.

“I am glad he is acceptable to you,” she replied, dropping into her court voice. “Should we not adjourn to a private room, that we may discuss our expedition?”

“Ser Tavia is quite correct, Julissa.” Joran touched Julissa’s hand, where it rested on her lute. “We really should talk about this in private.” His voice dropped slightly at the end and Julissa blushed.

Tavia bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed slightly.
Why does he have to be someone that I could happily take to my bed? Harradine must be trying to stop me straying.

“You are right, Lord Joran.” Julissa turned to the cavalier. “Tavia, could you speak to Master Farsheir and arrange a private dining room? Assure him that I will return to entertain his patrons after we have finished.”

Tavia bowed.

“Of course, Lady Julissa.” She made her way to where Master Farsheir stood directing his barmaids. She had a quick word and returned to the bard and mage.

* * *

The sunset over the western mountains sent the party’s shadows stretching out across the dirt road. Virrinel loped along beside Julissa, his massive strides matching the bard’s mount easily.

“They are heading for the dungeon, Lady Lych,” the Jar murmured, its eye sliding around the Jar to look at the Aracan Katuvana, sleeping on his throne. “The play will begin soon.”

“Worry not, my sweet Lord,” the Lych Mistress said, her image a small square in the main window. “I will make sure that everything occurs as we have planned.”

“I tire of this prison and you are the only one who can free me. Your reward will be great, I promise.” The Jar blinked and a pale rose glow surrounded the Lych Mistress. She gasped and beads of sweat appeared on her bare skin, a pink blush infusing her normally pale skin.

“That is a small sample of the pleasure I can bring you,” the Jar crooned.

“What of our Master?” She swallowed as the pleasure left her.

“Him? He is but a means to an end. Free me and you shall know my true power.”

The Lych Mistress curtseyed, her assets barely confined by the thin silk nightgown.

“I am ever yours.”

Her image disappeared.

“All women are mine… eventually.” The Jar smiled.

* * *

The mine road became rutted and puddle strewn. Tavia’s mare picked her way delicately amongst them.

“It would seem that your horse doesn’t like getting wet feet,” Joran said as his red roan splashed through a large, muddy puddle.

“She was bred to race, not plod.” The cavalier flashed a brilliant smile in the mage’s direction.

“Are you sure that the map you brought is accurate?” Joran smiled back and pulled his hood forward as the rain started again.

“The High King gave it to me. His great grandfather was the one to cleanse this dungeon and he took a great deal of care with the map,” Tavia said, remembering the night the High King had presented it to her.
Now that was a night to remember.
She pushed away the shiver of pleasure the memory brought with it.

“Did he clear the whole dungeon of creatures?” Julissa’s white mount brought her alongside, with Virrinel close behind.

“All, but the Custodian. His mage turned the creature to stone during the battle and they were unable to remove the crystal to cleanse it completely.” Tavia raised her hands palm up, balancing easily against her horse’s gait.

Virrinel snorted.

“Then he failed in his appointed task. The King of Galivor was not so careless.”

Tavia’s face clouded.

“Galivor is nothing compared to the greatness that Franier contains. You shall not insult my King or my country to my face.”

“Or what?” Virrinel laughed, flexing his shoulders and making the muscles on his arms dance.

Tavia’s hand dropped to her rapier hilt.

“You may be an autochthon and Knight of Galivor, but I can still take you.”

“We can play if you want. Sadly my code does not permit me to harm a… lady.” Virrinel cocked his head toward her, raising one eyebrow.

Tavia’s lip curled. “You dare—”

“Enough, you two!” Julissa’s mount snapped.

“Qin-Dar is right,” Julissa said. “This is a serious quest. Curb your aggression please, both of you.”

Virrinel muttered a word in Elvish and Julissa suppressed a smile.

“I had wondered where Lady Cleric Qin-Dar had gone. Is it not blasphemous to ride her in this form?” Joran changed the subject.

“I have been protecting Julissa in this fashion since I was a filly.” Qin-Dar shook her head, her long white mane fluttering in the growing breeze. “It is the most practical way for us to travel together.”

Joran nodded. “I wasn’t aware that Unicorns had more than two forms, Lady Cleric, but then, most of my knowledge of your race is book only.”

“It is dependent upon your calling. As a Cleric, I can assume both elven and equine forms as well as full Unicorn and Were-corn.” Qin-Dar told him. “If I were a Breeding Mare, I would only have the latter two. Warriors cannot take full Unicorn form.”

The group lapsed into silence for a moment.

The wind gusted, bringing another hard splatter of rain. Qin-Dar shook her head in disgust.

“It’s this kind of weather than makes me long for Alethdan.” She shivered.

Virrinel growled an agreement, shaking his soggy fur fruitlessly.

“The mine is just up ahead,” Tavia said. “We can go straight in or take rooms in the Traveller’s Rest in the camp and begin our venture in the morning.”

“I would appreciate a night’s rest,” Joran said. “I have not yet recovered from my encounter with the Wargs in the southern pass.”

“Then we’ll dry off and rest before we go in,” Julissa concluded. “Ser Tavia, would you ride ahead and arrange things?”

“With pleasure, Lady Julissa.” Tavia bowed in her saddle and heeled her mare into a canter, disappearing into the rain.

Joran watched her go.

“It is a pity that she is a double agent. She is such a lovely looking girl.”

“My father always said that it’s the pretty ones you need to watch,” Julissa replied. “Thank you for your warning.”

“I am here on my own journey, not just because the High King of Franier requested me,” Joran reassured her.

“Are you at liberty to discuss that mission, Lord Joran?” Julissa lowered her eyelashes demurely.

He smiled and shook his head.

She laughed as they passed through the camp’s gates to find a deputation confronting Tavia.

“Is there something wrong, Ser Tavia?” Julissa allowed Virrinel to help her down.

“It is as Master Farsheir warned us, Lady Julissa. The miners here do not wish you to disturb the dungeon,” the cavalier replied calmly.

“Have you explained our quest?” Julissa joined Tavia in facing the Mine Manager. “That we are trying to bring peace between our countries.” She slipped her hood down to reveal her black streaked silver hair and lilac eyes.

Virrinel and Joran joined the two women, with Qin-Dar behind them, still in equine form. The other horses followed Qin-Dar.

“Beggin’ your pardon, Lady, but anyone who enters those tunnels is never seen again. We can’t let you down there.” One of the Miners stepped forward. “‘Twouldn’t be safe, there’s creatures down there!”

The mine manager shushed him.

“There’s nothing down there, Blanner. It’s just a dangerous part of the mine and my orders from the Duke are to stop anyone from entering who isn’t supposed to.” He looked at Julissa. “We got Treasure Hunters coming up here often enough that the Duke banned outsiders from entering.”

“The Duke of Frazin? Lord Daynar said nothing of this when High King Harradine informed the High Council of my quest,” Julissa frowned.

The Mine Manager shrugged.

“I follow orders, m’lady. Without a direct order from either the High King or Lord Daynar, I cannot allow you to enter the mine or those tunnels.”

“We have travelled all day for nothing,” Tavia groaned. “May we at least seek your hospitality at the Traveller’s Rest?”

Julissa stared at the cavalier. “What?”

Tavia shook her head imperceptibly at the elven bard.

“That we would be delighted to offer you.” The mine manager smiled, obviously relieved. He eyed the watertight lute case slung across Julissa’s back. “And we will waive the customary fee, if m’lady Bard will perform for us. It’s rare that we see even a Storyteller up here, so having a Bard perform would give us enough pleasure to keep us going for months.”

Julissa smiled. “I am always happy to perform for enthusiastic listeners.”

Virrinel rolled his eyes and snorted.

***

The Traveller’s Rest was surprisingly comfortable. From the main hall that served as a refectory and meeting hall for the miners, a covered walkway led to a building with ten individual rooms, a large bathhouse and a sitting room dominated by a large fireplace. Just outside, a compact stable yard provided a comfortable place for their horses. After taking a quick look around the Travellers Rest, Julissa excused herself and went to check on the animals.

The mine’s stable boys were already rubbing the animals down. Qin-Dar sat on a hay bale, watching Joran’s mare being groomed.

“Lady Cleric, are you well?” Julissa asked as she stepped into the stable.

“Thank you for asking, Lady Julissa, I am fine.” The cleric stood and curtseyed. “I think I scared the stable boys when I changed form.”

Julissa looked at the boys.

“They do look a little wild around the eyes. Let’s go inside, everything seems in order here.”

The two women hurried through the heavy rain into the Travellers Rest. Only Virrinel was in the sitting room, cleaning his blades.

“The Mine Manager, High Master Greeman, will be back in two hours, when the main shift comes back up. He said that they would have dinner then and we are to join him on the top table.” Virrinel rubbed one area a little harder than the rest. “He would also like you to perform after dinner.”

“Enough time for a bath then.” Julissa looked at Virrinel. “Have you had one yet?”

“I was first into the men’s baths,” Virrinel snorted. “Joran is still in there.”

“Where’s Tavia?”

“Don’t know, don’t care.” The autochthon stretched, catlike, his fur rippling with his muscles.

Julissa and Qin-Dar entered the women’s side of the bathhouse. Steam rose from one of the deep pools and in another, a tiny waterfall created gentle music. They disrobed and entered the waterfall pool, which was warm and kind to their chilled skin.

“I wonder where Tavia went,” Qin-Dar said, after she had laid back in the water, her white-blonde hair floating on the surface.

“I hope she’s just resting and not poking around,” Julissa replied, using a cake of lavender scented soap to wash her hair. “Besides, I need to find out why she’s not doing what the High King told her to do.”

“I am completing my mission to the best of my abilities,” Tavia said, emerging from out of the steam in the hot pool and swimming over to lean on the wall between the two pools.

“Ah, there you are.” Qin-Dar turned over to face the cavalier. “Why are we pretending to just stay the night?”

“You caught that did you? I wasn’t sure if you’d understand,” Tavia smiled.

“Answer the question please.” Julissa ducked her head under the water to rinse the soap out. The bubbles floated towards the wall where they were sucked into a gridded gap. She came back up. “You’re being very secretive.”

“There is a tunnel leading from under the bathhouse into the dungeon. I was never planning on going into the dungeon from inside the mine,” Tavia said. “I’ll speak to Mine Master Greeman about it after dinner.”

Julissa frowned but said nothing.

“It does sound like you have it all planned out,” Qin-Dar said. “Where does the tunnel lead to?”

“The Library. There aren’t likely to be any traps in that room, or in the passageways leading from it, so it should be safe enough.” Tavia pulled herself up on the wall and slid into the cooler pool with them.

“Should we tell the High Master why we’re going in there?” Julissa fretted. “What happens if we don’t come out?”

Tavia thought about the question for a second before giving a one shouldered shrug.