Revolting Rose

Chapter 14/Part 1 - The Grand Duchess

Nibbs had seen to it that Whereth's painter got all the inspiration he needed with that lurid sketch, and waited much longer than he would have liked to see that it was completed. He had told the fellow that it would be heralded as one of the greatest Tyvern Masterpieces, but if he had his way, it would be reserved for the Lord's eyes only.

The subject had been quite a beauty, giving off such a sense of danger and viciousness that most Tyvern found irresistible. For that very reason he feared what power she might be able to wield over the feeble-minded fellows in the capital. No doubt she would see Nibbs as a threat to any ambition she might have and work to undermine him, which would be all too easy given the precariousness of his position under Kabech as of late. His search for the dragon had dragged on for far too long with nothing to show for it. Also the fiend's escape had left him with barely a leg to stand on, and not only in the metaphoric sense.

Despite that, Nibbs' current priority was to find Pagne. He hoped the lad might have made his way to Ysenich by now to be with his mother. That was where he was headed himself, glad to be riding away from Whereth on Sherri. She was an excellent mare, with such a smooth gait over the volcanic flats of Tyrunvern that he barely felt any pain at all from his injuries. Although her black mane with sleek, silver body had come to remind him more of the Lady from the gardens than her namesake, and he found himself hoping that he might see her again alongside his son.

So consumed in his thoughts, it was not until he heard the clang of the Ysenich bell tower that he realised he had passed through the city gates. Unfortunately, he could not recall the way to Vrye's manor, so he pulled Sherri up beside an elderly Wyverkess to get directions. She looked up at him with a narrow squint, then simply pointed a haggard finger up the main road and ambled away. How dreadfully she had aged, with so many warts and a goblinish, green tinge.

Nibbs shuddered and rode on, but the dotty old bat had only led him to Vrye's club. There was another grizzly Wyverk loitering around outside, smoking some foul-smelling weed in a patchy coat that made him look a right vagabond. Truthfully though, Nibbs' own uniform was not in the best state. Snipps had tried to mend the holes and scrub the stains, but there was only so much that could be done for it.

"This is Vrye's club, but can you point me in the direction of his house?" Nibbs said with little patience for these revolting street urchins. He covered his mouth with his handkerchief as the fellow wheezed out a cloud of fumes and pointed up another road, his finger an even worse shade of green than the Wyverkess'.

At least this time the road led far enough that Nibbs could see where to veer off, and shortly arrived at the doors of Vrye's manor. After a firm tap of his walking cane against the door, he could hear some rapid shuffling on the other side. The door opened just enough for Vrye's nose to protrude through the crack with his eyes shining behind it.

"I hope I didn't keep you too long, I have some guests this evening," the Master said, but did not seem to be in a hurry to let him in. "You look terrible. Was it the goblins?" Vrye's tongue clicked through a grimace as his eyes flicked down to Nibbs' feet, then back up to his face.

"Something much worse." Nibbs tried to peek over Vrye to see who his guests might be, but the foyer appeared to be empty.

"I hope whatever it was, it stays away from here," Vrye replied, and for a moment Nibbs could have sworn he saw a slight smile cross the Master's lips, though he gave him the benefit of the doubt. "Your son is here, but that lovely Lady is with him and you must understand I'm a little reluctant to let you in after the last time you met."

Nibbs straightened up and did all he could to neaten his appearance. Unfortunately, he could not go find some nicer Wyverkiiri articles to change into. Kabech would have his head if he arrived back in Hereth in their fashions.