The Road Less Traveled

[Brodon Windriver]

25th day of Summer, 512 AV

'What a difference a little prestige makes.' Brodon muttered under his grin as yet another Ahnatep Jackal gave a nod of recognition as he passed by. A few months ago, they would have spit on him. He trusted that Gracen was enjoying even more of it than he. After all, he had been here before Brodon. Whether he was an actual citizen, Brodon did not know. But now he had heard that Gracen was intent on traveling, to Yahebah, no less.

The timing was perfect. He had been out of the infirmary for a month now. He had resumed his exercise regimen with the iron staff and could feel his strength returning to near normal measure. he had his horse, he had his bird, he had his mission of remorseless vengeance, what more did a man need?

His thoughts strayed to Vins as well. He was not sure of what had happened after loss of of blood had rendered him unconscious, but if Vins was also being treated as a model citizen, and Gracen was not gainsaying it, who was HE to question?

He had missed the caravan to Yahebah by three weeks, give or take a day or two. The return caravan would not arrive for another three weeks, give or take a day or two. But that was just as well. They had uncovered a deep criminal ring and the leader had escaped, leaving a crew of flunkies to take the fall. 'The fall through the gallows floor.' he thought with grim satisfaction.

It was entirely possible that the caravan he had missed would have been conveniently ambushed had he NOT missed it. Just as it was likely the return caravan would be carrying retribution back to Ahnatep to deal with him. They had seemed to want him alive before. There was no guarantee that clause was still in place.

What he needed was a guide to help him arrive in Yahebah without an announcement. What he needed were people who knew the layout of the town, so he would have a chance of catching the map vendor by surprise. What he needed was backup. Vins, Gracen, a guide, or two, maybe a few more to discourage desert predators on the way.

He had been to many inns in town. A few had seen Gracen, but there was no pattern to his arrivals. 'Smart' he thought to himself. Of Vins there was no sign. A failed assassination, his contacts betrayed to the Jackals, their leader fled. No surprise HE would be laying low. He also would probably be wanting to depart Ahnatep.

It occurred to him suddenly. They would have their own eyes-and-ears out. He just needed to leave them a message. He thought for a minute, 'What says "Brodon" without SAYING 'Brodon'?'

It came to him as he rummaged through his backpack. 'The symbol! Of course! The only ones who knew what it signified were the three of them and the criminals who were now dead or gone.'

He made a quick copy of it and tacked it to the message board at the pavilion with the subheading '14 bells'. He hoped that, if they saw it, they understood what he was saying. Well, he would show up here at the 14th bell for the next several days and see.

[Gracen]

"The hell does that mean?" Gracen asked from behind Brodon as the young Drykas backed away from his handiwork. Gracen was dressed to travel, and outside, his horse was ready to go too. He had his plans and his pocket full of gold, and he had to keep moving. It didn't do to get stuck in one place for too long when the objects of one's desires remained elsewhere. He crossed his arms over his chest expectantly, and when Brodon moved out of the way, he would see if there were any caravans going to Yahebah that might need an extra sword.

[Brodon Windriver]

Brodon jumped, startled, and spun to see Gracen right behind him. He sagged a bit in relief and then laughed. "Just the man I am being in a looking for. You might have been saving me some troubles doing drawings of my....thing ...symbol there. You are just being arrived then?"

He took a more observant look at Gracen and raised his eyebrows. "You are just being leaving as well, it is looking. I having heard you go to Yahebah? I was thinking you might have already being gone."

It suddenly dawned on him that he didn't need to speak the common tongue as Gracen spoke Pavi. "You look like you mean to leave immediately. Is there another caravan? I was told I missed the last one. And that it would be three more weeks for the next one. What are you planning to do?"

[Gracen]

"No, I don't want to see drawings of your..." He glanced down at Brodon's crotch. "...thing. Oh, symbol. Right." Gracen sighed. He didn't speak Pavi nearly as well as Common, of course, but he had grown up in Cyphrus and one learned Pavi if one intended to leave the cradle of Summer or even go down to the horse market with the Drykas' traveling city was nearby. "I was going to leave, but I needed more money. I still don't have enough to go safely, but my feet are itching to leave. Or I have sand in my boots." His Pavi was practiced, but more simple, less evocative. He could curse rather well in the horsemen's language, of course, the true sign of a cosmopolitan outlook on life. "No caravans?" He shook his head. "No Benshira with not enough men to protect their women?" he asked hopefully.

[Ispsyavinsens]

The crowds were in fine form at the Pavilion when Vins arrived. He had been nervous going out in public since the failed assassination, but in a crowd like this he felt safe enough. There had not been much reason to go out other than the occasional casing of an apartment or two either; no one wanted to hire someone who could botch an assassination that badly, even if his contacts were willing to be seen with him. His employers had more influence than he had realized.

From the edge of the crowd Vins spotted a stallion, and next to it some familiar faces - his temporary allies, one of them decked out in travelling gear. He slunk towards them, pulling his hood off as he did.

"Hello?" he asked hesitantly, in Common.

[Brodon Windriver]

Brodon followed the direction of Gracen's eyes as he stumbled over the meaning of "thing" and erupted in laughter. "To find me using THAT symbol you need only ask any young woman in Endrykas!" His laughter waned a moment later as he saw Gracen focus his gaze on something behind him.

He turned to see Vins, just as he greeted them. Hearing common, he switched back from Pavi. "Hello yourself, my friend! I was just speaking at Gracen how I am looking for leaving to Yahebah. I was hearing that he is the same way," he turned back to the swordsman, "though I have not been having time for asking him. Are you also the same way for leaving? I am being made to know that caravans are not for leaving in some times yet.

"I will be full of truth to you, I am not caring to wait for caravans, as my enemies might be thinking for traps of me while traveling it. I am thinking too, with great regretting, that my enemies have been becoming your enemies now the same. Is there some other way for going to Yahebah?"

[Ispsyavinsens]

To hear someone addressing himself as friend was strange, but it was a relief to Vins that there really was no ill will. In a strange sense perhaps he'd failed the assassination in the best way he could, and apparently Brodon had impressive reserves of forgiveness.

"Yahebah?" he asked and then fell silent, listening, as Brodon turned back to converse with Gracen. It was surprising to hear that they'd be leaving, although on reflection he probably should have predicted that. They'd all managed to make some shadowy enemies.

"You look ready to leave already. Are you?"

[Gracen]

Gracen smirked at the Drykas' boasting, and if he knew the young man better, he might have challenged him to some contest that would be as demeaning to the young women in question as it would thrill their ... ahem, loins. But the snake was back, and Gracen wondered at his obsequious manner, wondering if there was some advantage to be had there. "Ah, hello. I think the Drykas here wants to pay us to see him safely to Yahebah, and I assume his gold is as good as anyone else's. Shall we go?"

[Brodon Windriver]

Brodon Looked between his friends with a perplexed expression. "Go? I am not understanding quite. Are we not needing for a guide? I am not being familiar with such dangers as are being beyond these walls on the way going to Yahebah, But I know what fools are men that travel with no guiding in lands they are not knowing. It is being the same in every where, I think."

He walked to his horse as he spoke, pulling free the loop through the yvas that kept its loose hold at the rail. He gave his tongue-click greeting to Prombus and walked back, his horse in tow. "Oh! you must be meaning 'go' for getting a guide. Unless you are knowing the land about as a guide yourself."

Again, he looked from one to the other, waiting to see if either Gracen or Vins was about to claim training as a guide. Otherwise, it might well be less perilous to take a caravan populated by assassins.

[Gracen]

"Yes," he said. "Let's go find a guide." His Zavian was tied up nearby and he prepared to go, not sure whether the snake would come with them or not. He supposed it didn't matter one way or another; he didn't exactly have friends so much as acquaintances, the occasional business partners, and an enemy or two. He swung up into the saddle and started off toward the city gates. Many times one could catch a guide or a caravan with a last minute need for mercenary protection there.