A Bard's Story: Here There Be Dragons

Chapter Eleven

Geri scuffs his feet in the dusty path that cuts through the center of town as he and Oren look for some kind of mischief to be had. It's not a market day, so the best they can hope for is an unusual shipment arriving from the capital up the coast. They make it to the docks with low expectations, and are thus surprised to find a passenger barge unloading both people and packages.

"Let's go check it out," Oren says. Geri nods and they get close enough to see and hear what's going on, but not close enough to be in the way. There are two small crates of ink, but they're not for Laila; Toal picks them up and Geri wonders what the Holy Order needs with all the ink. There are two other large crates unloaded, both made of solid wood which obscure their contents. One is, from the boys' vantage point, completely unmarked; the other has a large, blue insignia stamped on its sides.

By far the most interesting part is the people who get off the boat. Visitors to Talerin, especially coming from the sea, are uncommon. These four in particular seem out of place. A middle-aged man holds the hand of a young girl and boy, the girl a smidgen older and tightly holding the hand of another girl just past toddling. The children look related, more or less, but the man with them doesn't look to be cut from that same cloth.

The man leans down and says something to the older girl, who takes her hand from his and grabs her brother's instead. So freed, their chaperone goes to inspect the unmarked crate. Once he has determined it to be in the condition he expects, he looks around until his eyes light on Oren and Geri standing out of the way.

"You there! Boys! Come here."

Geri raises his eyebrows; Oren nods; they head over. The man is idly fingering a gold coin as they approach.

"This coin is yours if you haul this crate to the residence of one Tosun Randson," he says.

Geri and Oren share another look, but they're in agreement. Geri weaves a subtle bit of magic to make the unwieldy crate a bit easier to manage, which they cover by making a great show of the effort it takes to lift it. Then, they're off. The man and the three kids fall in behind them, and the unlikely party head off towards the inn.

#

When they get within sight of the inn, Geri gives his fellow mage the best warning he can manage: an errant thought thrown Tosun's way. He's not sure whether Tosun gets the message, and he's even less sure whether it will be any help. Tosun, there's a man here with three kids and a crate of stuff that Oren and I are carrying to the inn, he thinks. You should meet us in the common room if you can.

As Geri and Oren drag the crate through the front door of the inn, Tosun comes jogging over from the stables. "Hello!" he calls, drawing the visitors' attention. "How can I help you?"

The children's escort surveys Tosun critically. "You are Tosun Randison?" he asks.

Tosun looks a bit surprised at the question, but answers, "Yes."

"My name is Horatin Hefflore," Hefflore says. "I am the executor of your sister's will."

"Her — will?"

"Yes. That crate these boys hauled for me contains those things she left to you or her children. Her children are there, of course. Now, I must get back to the boat before it leaves without me."

"But I — I can't take care of children," Tosun protests.

"Oh?" Hefflore says, his tone not entirely surprised. "So I should take them back to Norassi and the orphanage?"

"Please," the older girl says, very quietly. "Please, Uncle Tosun. Please don't make us go back there. You promised."

Tosun looks down at her and smiles sadly. Then, he lays a protective, affectionate hand on her head. "Oh, alright, Mona. Go on then, Mr. Hefflore. Best get back to that ship you're worried about."