Chapter 9: My new home and a new family

It turned out to be a customs post. I shook my head at the two and headed down the street to a small tavern. I took care of my own horses and then tossed my bedroll in with the saddles. The tavern did not have room and any guest just slept on the floor in the common room. I was able to get a hot meal before joining my horses for the night.

I guess by then the rumors from the clans had reached the village. Men avoided the tavern and I did not see any women. I was up early and riding out as the morning sun was just starting to come up. This kingdom was more open with large fields of grain. As I rode I also saw orchards and even a vineyard. That was something I had only heard about.

I rode through small villages and large farming compounds. That night I camped beside a stream that ran between a large field of corn and an orchard, it was peaceful here and I liked it. I ran into patrols of men each day. They looked for bandits or highwaymen but did not bother me. A week later I rode down into a wide valley with the biggest city I had ever seen sitting beside a wide slow moving river.

One thing I noticed unlike the rest of the country was the area around this city. It was mostly fields where cattle grazed but what drew my attention was that there were no houses outside the city walls. The only building outside the wall was a large stone building not to far from the gate. As I got closer I saw the old signs of fire and ruin.

The building was old though and something about it seemed to pull at me. I sat my horse and looked at it as other traffic walked or rode around me. Beside the huge old building was another with a half collapsed roof. It was made of field stone like the first building but by the look was a large barn. The corral looked strange until I realized the wooden posts and cross bars had turned to stone.

I grinned and swung out of the saddle to look around. A tall well dressed guard walked out of the gate and headed towards me. I looked in the barn and shook my head at the stone stalls. I turned towards the building as the guard caught up with me. I had just stepped in the empty doorway and looked at the large pillars and stone beams still in place. I glanced at the guard as he grinned, “It was once a great tavern.”

I laughed, “This was a great hall once.”

I gestured to the thick still standing walls, “They show no decay. It needs only floors, windows and a new roof.”

He nodded, “I come to look sometimes. The upper floors must have been something to see, the windows were wide and open. There is even a spring in the old kitchen.”

I glanced at him and then looked around making up my mind, “Would this place be available?”

The guard laughed, “Outside the gates?”

I looked around, “It looks safe enough.”

He snorted, “The sidhe migrate through here every year and creatures always follow, like drakes or dragons.”

I shrugged, “This is a sturdy building.”

The guard looked at me and then grinned, “You are sidhe.”

I smiled, “In my land they were called travelers, I was raised in a clan though.”

He nodded and looked around, “Well, if you need help, let me know.”

I started walking through the rubble and into the back of the building. I was surprised to find the kitchen area almost completely intact. The pantry was intact as was the huge bathing and washing room. I glanced at the ceiling wood and shook my head at the way they had turned to stone like the fence outside. I went out a back door and moved my horses into the overgrown corral before unsaddling them.

I moved all the packs into the stone barn and made camp. I filled a pouch with swarm stones and another with gold before heading towards the gate. It was not hard to get directions to the city property clerk. He was a large overweight man that sneered when I walked in. I walked to the counter in front of him, “I would like to inquire about the ruins outside the city walls.”

He spit across the counter and to one side, “I do not sell to sidhe scum.”

I smiled slightly, “My name is Lan and I was a Quirrin master.”

The fat man stopped as he was getting ready to spit again. He swallowed and looked at me with fear in his eyes, “I am sorry if I offended master.”

I waited and then leaned on the counter as I set a single swarm stone on the counter, “The ruins.”

He looked at me and then his eyes dropped to the counter and froze, “That is a swarm stone.”

I nodded, “I want the ruins and all the property that comes with it.”

He looked at me and reached under the counter. He brought up a large ledger and started flipping through the pages before stopping. He looked up with a wide grin, “You are in luck master. The ruins belong to the city and for a small fee...”

He looked at the stone on the counter, “They and fifty acres will be yours.”

I looked at him for a minute longer and then tossed a single gold coin onto the counter, “No more.”

He swallowed and bobbled his head, “Give me one moment master.”

He began scribing in the book and glanced at me fearfully, “You said your name is Lan?”

I sighed, “Quillan.”

He hesitated and then looked down as he scribed my name in the ledger. He finally stopped and pulled an elaborate scroll out and started on it. When he finished he place a large blot of hot wax on the bottom and pulled a statue from under the counter. He placed it on the wax and pressed down. When it was done he handed the scroll to me and smiled weakly, “Welcome to Draconus master.”

I took the scroll and read it before rolling it up and turning to the door. I stopped at the door and looked back, “The next time we meet, it would be wise to remember what I am and not who.”

I walked out and headed towards the center of the city and hopefully someone that could provide workers. The huge marketplace was filled with people and smells. Many hurriedly moved out of my way as I walked through. I only stopped once to ask directions and the woman timidly told me where I needed to go.

I had bowed politely and turned away as a lad hurried into the booth. I walked away but heard her, “Did you see that? He bowed to me.”

I smiled and a few feet away my smile vanished as the crowd thinned and a large cage stood revealed to me. My growl had men and women near me turning to move away. I stalked towards the cage and a tall oily man came around the side of the cage, “Are you interested in my...”

He froze as he looked into my face and swallowed, “Master Sidhe how may I serve?”

I looked at the young pregnant sidhe woman and the small sidhe girl, “By telling me why you have my people in a cage.”

He took a step back, “Master, her clan directed she be sold as a ... whore and the girl with her.”

He was looking around hoping someone would come to his rescue. The large armored man that followed him seemed to be what he needed because he straightened, “I think you need to leave sidhe scum.”

I flicked a tiny dart that struck the large man in the forehead. He snarled and took a single step before beginning to convulse and dropping to the ground. The whole area around us cleared quickly as I looked up from the man dying on the ground, “Listen close human, I am a Quirrin master. You will release the woman and girl to me and you will do it now or you will join your friend.”