Keeping the Fire: Men of Diverse Skill

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By the time they reached the city of Dehali the lanterns were already lit. Uhen nodded to the guards at the gates and they let them in without a word. Gambre his unwanted companion, made the mistake of announcing that they were “only passing for the night,” which seemed much more suspicious than saying nothing. The guards at the gate watched them long afterwards and Uhen cursed below his breath at this, only the most recent of his tactless companion's blunders. He knew he was being too hard on the man. It was hard to be forgiving when one felt so unsafe. The walls of the city were almost nine feet high but to one that had lived so long in the Fortress they seemed squat, paltry things. The streets were too wide and the buildings too small. If one felt sheltered by the size and age of the Fortress one felt exposed by the smallness and youth of the city. He arranged their stay at an inn in the town without Gambre playing any part in it. That night, they were the last by the fire.

“So quiet,” Gambre remarked, and Uhen only sighed. “Well it is, you know.”

“Yes, I know that. We are lucky. Just try to stay out of the way and we will find out what we need to and be gone.” Gambre frowned and looked down at his stein of ale.

“You think I am slowing you down.”

“No I don't,” replied Uhen, wanting to avoid argument.

“Yes you do. I can hear the resentment in you. The Mistress sent me along to help, but I know your type, you don't want any lower rank being equal with you.”

That was true. Slaves in Flin would never be anything more than slaves, but the Statia Codecca, which laid out all the laws of the land did account for many orders and ranks of slave. Those above the fourth rank all the way up to the seventh rank could even own property, and those of the eighth rank, the highest, could marry commoners and have their children be free born. Rank was something no slave liked to discuss yet was never for a moment gone from their mind. Both of the men knew who was higher.

“I am certain the lady sent you with good reason Gambre, but you will forgive me. I normally work alone and I feel... uncomfortable in this place.”

“Well you should. It is quiet as a tomb. This is a merchant's inn, you can tell that by the size of the stables outside. It's almost spring and what with the roads all about you would think this place would be teeming with folk. Something has them all spooked away. It's like everyone knows something bad is about to happen in the city.”

Uhen looked around. No wonder he had felt exposed. Gambre was right. Dehali sold the salt mined from the rocks near the Fortress. It was cheapest now as it ever would be and the winter had been mild enough in the valley there should have been a run on the place. He simply did not know to look for it.

“The lady did not error in sending you Gambre. I never would have known that until you pointed it out. It shows me we are in the right place. Whoever is responsible for the disappearance also has the grip on this town.” Gambre smiled in his stupid looking by endearing way.

“I think I'll turn in after this pint.”

“Aye, a good choice,” replied Uhen, “we have much to do tomorrow.”

“Oh? What are we doing then?”

“Well first we are going to pose as salt buyers. I suspect that the people here will tell us they haven't had many because of bandits or other trouble on the roads especially in the direction of that Barrow Iven told us to look for. And after that, I am going to get arrested.”

“Arrested?” cried Gambre.

“Yes, arrested. Because then I will have reason to get further into the Governor’s blockhouse than they would allow me and overhear first hand what fear is in the people here. Also the Govenor will become aware that there is a Westin spy in his town which will make your job easier.”

“What is that?”

“You are going to give a letter to him from the lady, which I will write, and tell him just how dangerous a spy I am. All you need to do then is tell me what he tells you and give me whatever letter he sends back.”

“How you think of these things I will never guess.”

Uhen smiled to himself. His lady had not erred in sending them here. Fool or not, he was happy to have someone with him who, by his mere skin, could seem an ally to the folk here. It was a courtesy he was rarely extended beyond those tall walls of comforting stone where normally he plied his dirty trade.

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