The six finished their meal and Elna took Cassi upstairs for her usual bathing. Whilst the kitchen staff cleared the dining table, Celestius, Gorric, Khir and Kithia moved to the lounge to sit in comfort.
"I'm going to Barentin in two days time," announced Celestius. "The seasonal market is due to begin tomorrow and I have several old friends to meet there." He looked across at Gorric. "I want
you
to accompany me."
Gorric frowned. "Me?"
"I'll go, father," said Kithia quickly.
Celestius looked at her and shook his head. "No, Kithia, I need you to stay with your mother and sister."
Kithia sighed. "Gorric obviously doesn't want to go."
"Why do you want me to go with you?" Gorric asked his father.
"It will be a good lesson for you in talking with other nobles. These men we are meeting are coming from Ashgar. They are travelling with several goods wagons. They are the perfect men for you to meet." Seeing even more confusion on his son's face, Celestius continued. "They are nobles, but they come to Barentin because they like to barter there. It is the right sort of environment whilst the market is going on."
"Why would nobles barter?" Gorric was genuinely curious now as to who these men were.
Celestius smiled. "It is in their blood, Gorric? They are nobles from a place very different from Vylandor and they like to run their own trade. Most Ashgar noble families own franchises and gain their money that way."
"You want me to barter with them?"
"I want you to listen and learn. You will have to deal with varying types of people when you become a speaker of the noble council. Bartering will become second nature to you."
"Very well, father. Barentin is not too far away anyway and I have been there before."
Celestius nodded his approval and glanced at Khir, who was nearly asleep in the large armchair. "Well, Khir?"
Khir was suddenly wide awake. "I'm sorry, sir. What did you say?"
"How would you like to accompany Gorric and myself to Barentin?"
Khir looked at Gorric, who raised his eyebrows in a similar fashion to his father. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to it."
"Father," cried Kithia. "So you take Khir too but not me? You never take me." With that, she stood from her seat and stormed from the room.
Celestius groaned. "That girl will be the death of me."
"Maybe we should take her along," suggested Gorric.
"No. She must learn her place."
Gorric shrugged. "Still though, father, I think perhaps you need to make amends with her. She just wants to make you proud, as I do."
Celestius thought for a second then rose from his chair and strode to the door. "I'll talk to her. You two just make sure you're ready to go to Barentin in two days time." He left Gorric and Khir alone in the lounge.
"You've never been to Barentin, have you?" Gorric asked his friend.
"No. I hear it's not as nice as Tamriel."
"It's busier. It's a trade town, always busy with markets and merchants."
"It doesn't sound that inviting," stated Khir.
"Well, you don't have to come just because my father asked you to."
"I don't mind. It'll be an adventure of sorts."
Gorric stretched. "I doubt it, Khir. I'm going to be stuck listening to father bartering with these so-called nobles."
Khir grinned at Gorric. "I know, but
I
don't have to. I'm not going to become a noble speaker, am I? I plan to explore Barentin."
Gorric exhaled deeply as he realised that he was not at all looking forward to their excursion to Barentin. In fact, Khir seemed to be looking forward to it more.
Chapter 4
The bell rang a second time.
Rynn sprinted down the hallway, stumbling once as his long robes caught his feet. He had been eating his breakfast in the dining hall of the temple when he heard the first ring of Ranesch's bell. Knowing that the old cleric only rang the bell to summon
him
, Rynn was curious as to what chore Ranesch needed him for. Breakfast was usually the calmer period of the day and it was never interrupted.
The acolyte reached the door to the cleric's chamber and found it wide open. Peering into the room beyond, he saw Ranesch standing with Forven. Both were silent as Rynn entered and he took a deep breath to prepare himself for what they had to say.
Finally, Ranesch turned away and placed the bell on a nearby desk. Then, he looked back at Rynn, squinting as he always did when angry.
"I have a new chore for you," he said. "It's a very important one."
Rynn glanced at Forven, who smiled slightly.
"Am I to be punished for something?" asked the young acolyte.
"What?" Ranesch stared at him for a moment and then shook his head. "Why must you always think the worst?"
"I just believed it to be a punishment, if breakfast was interrupted."
Ranesch sighed. "I interrupted it because I have matters to attend to in Boraila soon and I needed to speak to you before I left."
Rynn felt somewhat relieved. Ranesch may have been seventy years of age, but he was still a man of great strength. The broadness of his chest and arms was an indication of the power he must have had during his youth. His eyes were difficult to look into for too long and his gaze had been the cause of many tears from previous acolytes.
"What can I do for you?" asked Rynn, smiling weakly.
Ranesch swept his hand towards Forven. "The two of you are going to run an errand for me. Forven already knows about it and, after a somewhat lengthy discussion, he has persuaded me to let you go with him."
"Thank me later, lad," smiled Forven, winking at Rynn.
"I need you to go to Barentin. Their seasonal market is due to begin quite soon I understand and, as has been tradition for many years, we need to send someone there to purchase goods."
Rynn became excited at the thought of leaving Boraila finally. "How will we be travelling there?"
"By ship," answered Forven. "I've booked passage up the river on a trade barge. It leaves later this evening."
"This evening?" Rynn shrugged. "Sounds fair."
"This is
not
an excuse to shirk your responsibilities, Rynn," scowled Ranesch. "In fact, you need to be more aware of who you are when you visit Barentin. You represent the Temple of Ardan and must act accordingly. Is that understood?"
"It is. I look forward to the journey."
Ranesch turned to Forven. "You know what to acquire?"
"I do," nodded Forven.
"You have the coinage?"
"I do."
"Very well." Ranesch moved to stand before Rynn. "Be on your best behaviour, my boy. Listen to Forven and do as he says. Am I clear?"
"Yes." Rynn tried to hold Ranesch's gaze, but felt the urge to look away.
The old cleric leant close to speak quietly into his ear. "Do not disappoint me." With that, he stepped back and pointed at the door. "Both of you get out then. I have things to do you know."
Rynn left the room, followed closely by Forven. As soon as they were out in the hallway, the door slammed shut behind them.
"Thank you, Forven," grinned Rynn. "I can't believe that I'm going to Barentin. Finally, I get to leave Boraila for a while."
"It's not going to be a particularly long adventure," Forven reminded him. "Barentin will be very busy and we'll need to keep our eyes open for the things we need."
"I am curious about that. Why do we need to go all the way to Barentin for these goods? Why not simply go down into Boraila and buy them?"
Forven smiled. "My dear Rynn, not everything can be found in our fair city. Sometimes, we need to go further afield to find what we are looking for."
"What exactly
are
we looking for?"
"Some special herbs, which only grow in the Darov Mountains, and we know that there is always a merchant there who sells parchment at a good price."
Rynn frowned. "So we're going to Barentin for herbs and parchment? That's disappointing. I thought we may be purchasing more exciting items."
As the two headed off slowly back towards the dining hall, Forven laughed. "What were you expecting us to find there? Dragon's teeth and books of the magical arts?"
"Are there such things as books containing magical arts?" wondered Rynn outloud. "I had heard rumours."
Forven shook his head in amusement. "You never cease to amaze me, Rynn. Your curiousity is unnatural. Yes, there are books which contain magic, but they are rare. Certain magic can be bound into parchment and then learnt at a later date. I do not know much about them though."
"Do all of the older clerics use magic?" Rynn saw Forven's frown. "I mean, for healing or other temple activities of course."
"Some are trained in those arts. Some cannot learn them so easily and are not permitted to use the ability."
"Are you able to use it?" Rynn asked, casting a hopeful glance at the cleric.
"No," sighed Forven. "I could never master it. Sometimes even healing magic is dangerous if not controlled."
"When will I know whether I can use it?"
"Not for another few years yet, lad. It takes wisdom and that comes with age."
"I'm wise now," grinned the acolyte.
Forven chuckled. "You are about as wise as Ranesch is happy and I haven't seen him smile…ever."
Rynn thought for a moment. "I heard that there are people out there who use other magical arts too. Is that true?"
"Yes, but you do not want to know any of them, lad."
"Why not?"
"Listen, Rynn, I'll tell you this, but only to warn you of it." Forven came to a halt, causing Rynn to stop also and pay attention to what he had to say. "Some of the magical arts can be used to heal wounds and cure illnesses. Some can even be used in prayer or ritual. However, there are magical arts in this world that can be used in many other ways. Some may say they control these abilities but, if used wrongly, it can be destructive and lethal. These arts are not to be taken lightly."
Rynn nodded as he took in Forven's words. "I understand."
Forven patted the acolyte on the shoulder. "Shall we prepare for our little adventure to Barentin then?"
Rynn tried to imagine what Barentin would look like, but found it difficult. Having lived in Boraila all of his life, he found that his imagination suffered and his mind's picture of the trade town looked too familiar.
He glanced at Forven as they headed down the hallway. "This will be the best errand I've ever had to run."
Talgan cast a nervous glance around the table, recognising all fifteen men who sat with him. They were all part of the Noble Council, the governing body of Vylandor and indeed the Rotian Kingdom. Not all of the council were present however. Several were noticably absent, including Celestius Orgillian who, in Talgan's eyes, was one of the more aggressive members of the council. He was also one of the closest to the king.
He could hear the others talking about the reason they had been summoned to a sudden meeting, but all seemed to know about as much as Talgan did.
The door to the meeting chambers opened and all eyes turned as King Afaron entered. The noblemen stood in respect. Once again, it was noticed by the nobles that Afaron had decided to attend in his evening attire of simple red tunic, trousers and shined black boots. The king preferred to shun the traditional robes of office.
"Please, my friends, be seated," smiled Afaron, as he took his place at the head of the long table.
"I see that my liege has opted to grow a beard again," chuckled one noble with a smirk.
Afaron stroked the growth upon his chin. "Having been away from Vylandor for as long as I have, Jolas, I grew tired of shaving. Anyway, I believe it suits me."
Jolas, one of the oldest members of the council at sixty-one, laughed. "Four years ago, you shaved the beard off because you believed it didn't suit you. Difficulty making up your mind?"
Afaron's eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. Only a handful of people spoke to him as Jolas did, but he enjoyed the banter with them. "I'll keep the beard until it has served its purpose." His face became more serious. "The reason I have called you here is to discuss the Rotian military." He allowed a moment for the nobles to mutter as they so often did amongst themselves.
"I have journeyed along a route which took me south down the coast to Talabec and Sentir, then east to Kaeril. I wanted to see what state the military forces were in and I can see that there is room for improvement."
Talgan leant forward with interest. "What are you proposing, sire?" he asked.
Afaron looked across at the young nobleman and smiled. "Quite simply, Talgan, I believe that we need to train more men. There should be a steady flow of young soldiers emerging from each town and city, as there is in Vylandor. I visited the new recruits here before I left for Talabec and there were many good men amongst them, some with potential for future officer status.