Chapter 4

When I finally left Mialibao's room I had just a few minutes to find the red-haired woman. I entered the dining room of the inn and looked around. I stood in the doorway looking over the room when a young isle woman approached. I looked down at her with a smile to tell her I didn't need her services at the moment when I recognized her. It was Mistress Nalita's murderous bodyguard. I swallowed apprehensively.

"Please follow, Master Erlic. Mistress awaits you in a private dining room." She spoke in her native tongue, and apparently had no doubt that I would understand her. What I didn't understand was why I did understand her. Paul had not been that good a teacher. But I followed obediently.

We entered a small room with a low table and two sets of cushions on the floor. Mistress Nalita was seated on cushions already, and her other bodyguard stood against the opposite wall. "Be seated, Master Erlic, please." The redheaded beauty instructed. "Your supper will be here shortly. Unfortunately, my stomach is somewhat upset, so I won't be joining you to eat, but I will have some medicated wine while we talk. This is fine with you, yes?"

I got the distinct impression that not many people contradicted this woman, and wisely chose not be in the minority. "Of course, M'Lady," was my courteous reply. "My apologies though. You seem to know a great deal about me, but I don't even know your name."

The woman looked at me for a moment, then a brilliant smile lit up her face. "Master Erlic, you are polite. You can't lie worth a damn, but you are polite." Alright, I admit. I was shocked to hear this woman curse, even mildly. " You may call me Mistress Nalita, or Mistress. And if this interview goes well, I might allow you to call me by other names. But that is of no matter at the moment." Just then there was a tap at the door, and the bodyguard that had escorted me opened the door. The innkeeper entered, baring a large platter of covered bowls that he placed in the center of the table before bowing his way out again. I was very surprised when Nalita uncovered the dishes herself, and told me what each one was. "Rice, it's sticky, you roll it into small balls like this." She demonstrated with two of the wooden dowels that lay on the platter. "Then you can dip in this sauce or that one," she pointed to two small cups of liquid "but this one is quite piquant. These are fish, raw or steamed" she tapped the bowls for emphasis, "and some vegetables. Please enjoy while we talk. I'll try not to interrupt your meal too badly." I nodded, and eventually got the hang of the two dowels.

"Tell me, Erlic, son of Gustaf, how did you come to the Isles?" I noticed she had dropped the honorific on that one.

I swallowed a mouthful of the raw fish. It was actually pretty good. "My father was a smith, and a very good one. Eventually, he built a reputation that attracted strangers to buy his goods. I began visiting with the merchants, and listening to their tales. Suddenly, smithing lost its appeal, and travel became the dream. I left about seven summers ago. Then, about a year ago, one of the partners that employed me received word about the isles. I had been saving wages and some of the money from minor trading I'd been doing, and demanded they make me a partner in this venture. And since none of the others had a great deal of faith in its success, I found myself majority partner." I rolled up some rice and dipped it in the hotter sauce, then took a sip of something called tea. "When we arrived, we found some merchant's the Chelae's Master had done business with before." I didn't say anything about being able to sense their moods and intentions.

"We made a nice profit, and Paul, the Chelae's master, brought me here to celebrate." Here I did grin. "He tried to get me drunk on saki. Then he passed out. And that was when Mialibao came by."