The World Walkers: Quiar: The Case of the Counterfeit Enchantments (part 8)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 4, continuedPart 5
Part 5, continued
Part 6
Part 7

“That is something I’d be happy to do,” the vulture replied. “We haven’t heard anything about a record book,but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t travelled through. I’ll get a couple of guards out to listen for any rumours.” The vulture sighed. “At the moment rumours are really all we have, apart from the counterfeits.”

Peric nodded. “Up until we found Dubranna that was all we had. We probably never would have found her if it wasn’t for the records that we kept.”

“What I think is the best plan for now is for you all to get set up in a bed and breakfast, because I would really appreciate it if you could have a chat with the raccoons from the night watch. They’re working hard on finding any clue that might get us somewhere, and as Dubranna did work at night it seems like we’re on the right track, but we have a very busy night life here which makes things more difficult.”

Sighing, Peric glanced at Bertram again. The raven seemed nonchalant but Peric knew that Seahorse Port was a wonderful place for anyone with wings. He wasn’t happy with the way things had worked out, even though he’d suspected they would be asked for help, and the thought of not being able to return home for an unspecified period of time filled him with dread. Finally he summoned a smile for the vulture.

“Do you have any suggestions as to where we should stay?” he asked, as Lucille gently rested a hand on his shoulder.

The Moonjumper kept surprising Peric and once again he was grateful for her support. “Maybe somewhere quiet,” Lucille suggested. “We will want to have somewhere we can work comfortably away from any distractions.”

The vulture tilted his head to the side, in a movement that told Peric the bird was thinking. “There are a couple that would suit, but I think the best one would be the Sleeping Chimera. It’s on one of the most northern streets of the North Quarter, run by a lovely deer, and the perfect place for an unexpected group of arrivals.” The vulture looked at Lucille. “We haven’t had a Moonjumper visit Seahorse Port in a long time, so you’re going to be a person of interest for a long time. That may be an advantage for you or it may be a disadvantage, but that’s simply the way things are, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“I was expecting it,” Lucille replied, sounding unworried. “I am what I am.”

“We’ll be back tonight to speak with the night guards,” Peric said, as he picked up his small travel bag. “Is there any specific time you’d like us here?”

“About sunset would be best. That’s when the raccoons begin getting ready for their shift.”

“Let’s go and get ourselves set up at the Sleeping Chimera then.”

Lucille took her hand off Peric’s shoulder and he found he missed it, missed knowing for certain that she was there to help him, even though he knew she was still right behind him. It was strange to think how quickly he’d come to rely on her as an ally, but not a surprise considering how they’d been thrown together. He looked at Bertram, who was making certain he still had all his shinies, then at Lucille, as she pulled her own bag onto her shoulder, and smiled. Maybe being in Seahorse Port wasn’t what Peric wanted, but at least he had the right people with him to help him get the problem sorted as quickly as possible.

Together they walked into the North Quarter, which felt more like home than anywhere else, but Peric still wasn’t comfortable. Seahorse Port was huge, compared to Sheepshank, full of people he didn’t know, and he had to work to keep his empathy at a comfortable level. It had been years since he’d had to, because he was so used to having to do it, but with all the thousands of people around him, some who projected more than others, it was a chore rather than something he just did. He walked between Lucille and Bertram, grateful again that they were there, and hoped they’d be at the bed and breakfast soon.

 ***

“How can we help him?” Lucille asked, looking at Bertram.

“I don’t know.” The raven shook his head, worry filling his voice. “Being as empathetic as Peric is never easy and Seahorse Port is going to be full of people with different levels of projection. We never bothered to find a charm that would help, because he never needed it before, and now that we have worries about charms being counterfeits I wouldn’t buy one just in case it happened to do more harm than good.”

“So we just have to hope he’s going to get used to being here?”

“Basically, yes.”

“I can hear you,” Peric said, sounding amused. “Give it a couple of days and I’ll be fine, but I wasn’t expecting this level of noise. There appear to be a lot of projectors in Seahorse Port.”

“Are you sure?” Lucille reached out and squeezed Peric’s shoulder. “If you’re going to be this uncomfortable it might be best to leave Bertram and I here to do what needs to be done while you head back to Sheepshank.”

“I am sure and thank you for the offer, but I couldn’t simply walk away now, especially if you stayed. I’d spend the whole time worrying about you, so I’d much rather be here.”

“If you do feel like it’s too much then the offer is always open.”

The Sleeping Chimera was at the end of the street they were walking down and Lucille breathed a sigh of relief. During the entire journey she’d been able to feel eyes on her, but there was nothing she could do about that. It had been easy enough to say that she could cope with being a ‘person of interest’. When she was actually being stared at by numerous races who’d probably not seen someone like her in their lifetime it was entirely different. She was also worried about Peric, who seemed to be suffering much more than he was letting on. Only Bertram seemed his normal self.

With one hand Lucille opened the door to the bed and breakfast, allowing Peric and Bertram to enter first. As she stepped into the building she felt a wave of calm wash over her. Smiling she followed Peric and Bertam to the front desk, where a deer was standing waiting for them. The deer looked first at Peric, then at Bertam, and finally at Lucille.

“Rumours of your arrival beat you here,” the deer said, smiling at her. “It’s very nice to meet you, Moonjumper, and your companions. My name is Meriwether. I own the Sleeping Chimera, which I’m certain was recommended to you because I won’t let anyone in you don’t want in.”

“That’s a relief,” Lucille replied. “We’d like two rooms if possible.”

“Do you have any special needs?”

“No,” Peric replied firmly, making Lucille jump.

“Then I’ll give you rooms 7 and 8. One is on the front of the building and one is on the back.” The deer wandered over to the key board and took off two keys. “If you lose these then there are spares, but the loss will incur you a minor fee. Any damage to your rooms will also incur a fee,the level of fee depending on how much damage there is.” It made its way back over to them and passed Lucille the keys. “The first night is complimentary as is the first morning’s breakfast, and after that… We can work something out.”

“Thank you,” Lucille replied, not certain if the deer was acting differently because of her or if there was some other reason.

“I know a few tour guides. There’s one I think would be able to help you the most and if you wanted I could get him here to show you around. You have some time before sunset.”

“How do you know about that?” Peric asked, and Lucille could hear the mix of emotions in his voice.

“I was informed of the reason you’re here. Hereward, the vulture, sent someone to talk to me, knowing that this was best place for you.” Meriwether smiled. “Of course rumours about the Moonjumper reached here before Hereward’s guard, which wasn’t exactly a surprise to any of us. You are special, Lucille, and having you here is going to have a good effect on Seahorse Port. I’m not so certain it will have a good effect on the crime syndicate, but if I can protect you I will.”

“Why?” Lucille asked.

“You’re a neutral party. People will talk to you because you have no connection to any specific race. If anyone is going to do any good around here it’s going to be you.” Meriwether looked at Peric and Bertram. “I’ve heard good things about you as well. It’s amazing what stories get told around here of the council in Sheepshank and who you go to if you need help with anything. Both of your names have been mentioned and everything I’ve heard has been good.”

“I didn’t think anyone would talk about us.” Peric sounded mystified. “We just do what needs to be done.”

“That’s why people talk about you, Peric. You do do what needs to be done, with the help of Bertram, and that doesn’t go unnoticed. Sheepshank and Seahorse Port are close enough to have an effect on each other, so when good things are done by the people of Sheepshank we get told about it.”

“I never realised.”

“It’s easy not to.” Meriwether shrugged. “Some things are more noticeable than others and knowing that people in Seahorse Port have heard of you is something you wouldn’t have any reason to know, until now.” Smiling, it stepped out from behind the desk. “Go and get settled in. I’ll get in contact with the tour guide and knock on your doors when she’s here.”

 ***

Sini had heard rumours about there being a Moonjumper in Seahorse Port. Of course it was news that would spread quickly around the city. That was followed by more rumours of a mouse, a raven, and the Moonjumper visiting the guards. She listened to everything, knowing that in the city rumours were the best way to find out what was really happening, but never believed it entirely until she heard the truth from someone she knew. Names followed. Peric was the mouse. Bertram was the raven. Both had been a part in the arrest of one of the crime syndicate in Sheepshank.

Peric was someone Sini had heard of before. Anyone who travelled through Sheepshank brought news of the town to Seahorse Port. Before it had been because that was the way things were done. Now no one quite knew if the information was passed on to help the crime syndicate or those attempting to put an end to it, but keeping one ear open was the best way of learning. All the stories about Peric, apart from those passed on by angry seagulls, had been good, and she knew that his travels meant something. One of the crime syndicate had finally been caught, so it could have simply been him passing information onto the guards in Seahorse, until she heard that they were staying at the Sleeping Chimera.

Impatiently Sini waited for someone from Meriwether to come and talk to her. If they were at the Sleeping Chimera Meri would get in contact somehow, because Sini was the best tour guide in Seahorse, even if she did say so herself. Even if they were only staying for a holiday, which seemed unlikely, she wanted to help them, in part because she wanted to meet a real live Moonjumper from the Council on Athare. Finally a deer approached her, smiling as they’d met a few times before when Meri needed her help.

“Meri would appreciate your help with her new guests.”

“A Moonjumper, a mouse, and a raven?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for informing me.”

“Be as quick as you can. They need to meet with the raccoons at sunset.”

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

Comments

Feedback

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>about a record book,but that doesn’t mean<<

Add a space after the comma.

>>it might be best to leave Bertram and I here<<

That should say "me and Bertram" above.

>>incur a fee,the level of fee<<

That needs a space after the comma.

>>“I didn’t think anyone would talk about us.” Peric sounded mystified. “We just do what needs to be done.”<<

*laugh* Hero just clocked himself.


This was a great episode. I really enjoyed seeing the growing rapport between Lucille and Peric, how his empathy can be as much curse as gift, and more about the people of Seahorse Port.