Chapter 6

“How badly did I just get taken?” Aden said as they walked towards the Snowy Owl, the best and only tavern in the keep.

“You did alright for a first time with the captain,” Ezza said. “It’s the mustache. You can’t see his lips move underneath that huge hunk of hair.”

“He does it for the sport,” Aden said. “He was enjoying himself far too much.”

“Just think how much more cheerful he will be after you finish fixing his feet. We could probably squeeze a few more drinks out of him then.” As they approached the tavern with the picture of a white owl overhead, Ezza pointed to the door and they walked inside. The wood floor was dark and stained, lacking the pitting and scarring of dragged weapons and chairs. Either it was ironwood or wizard’s work. The bar ran the length of the room on the left and the stone fireplace took up half of the opposite wall. The windows were high and small.

“The tavern has only got two rooms upstairs,” Ezza said. “Crestfall doesn’t get many travelers anymore. Even the summer caravan is smaller.”

“If you’re a sergeant in the Governor’s service, why aren’t you in the barracks?” Aden said as he examined the benches, tables and chairs. He turned back to the bar to count the kegs and bottles against the wall.

“Fortune favors the Governor’s little pets,” Ezza said, “and the Captain’s wife ain’t too keen on visitors, at least uncivilized ones like me.”

“He means to say she don’t like men who have a hollow leg,” the big woman behind the bar said. “Keep pouring down the beer and he never fills up.” She wore a frock that was cut low enough to give anyone an eyeful of her generous bosom. Aden took a moment to appreciate the view until an odd thought struck him that he had never met a tavern keep who did not flaunt her chest. Gods only know how many times he had been caught staring over the years and he had never quite put two and two together. With his elbow on the bar, he leaned his forehead into his hand and sighed.

“What’s his problem?” She said, cocking her head at Aden.

“The captain has done had his way with him, Mathie,” Ezza said. “He is gonna have ta’ fix the walrus’s feet.”

“I didn’t think you could tack horseshoes on human feet,” Mathie said, laughing at her own joke. Ezza joined in and Aden, who had been half listening, cracked a smile. “Are you a doctor?”

Aden lifted his head, gave Ezza a look and then stared into the woman’s eyes, saying nothing.

“He is a wizard, Mathie, a high wizard at that.”

“Ooo,” she said. “Well, I got a lump here on my left breast; just found it a couple of days ago. Is it,” she dropped her voice, “the big C?” She casually hauled out her breast and let it flop on top of her blouse.

Aden looked around the room, making doubly sure no one else was in the room. “Do you always whip out your breasts in front of strangers?”

“It’s nothing that Ezza hasn’t already seen,” Mathie said.

“I’m not surprised, cunning silver-tongued ole’ sarge that he is,” Aden said. He gave Ezza a one-eyed glare and said, “It is starting. I would have preferred a low profile and no attention; this is not my typical manner of conducting business.”

He turned to the barkeep, “Five silvers and all I will guarantee is a diagnosis – no cures.”

“Three silvers,” she said.

“Five silvers is a fair price and I’m getting a headache,” Aden said. “Captain Walrus is paying for my stay. Could you point me to my bed?”

“Mathie, pay the man,” Ezza said. “Trust me on this one, dear; he is what he says, and he doesn’t cheat.”

She reached into her blouse again and hauled out a little purse. She counted out five silvers and slid them across the bar. Aden lifted both hands and sparked phyzeec on the tips of both index fingers. He explained before he started what he was going to do, bouncing blue sparks from one finger to her breast and back to the other fingers. He traced sparks up and down the length of her sagging, full breast for many minutes. He nodded when he was done and signaled her to tuck in her teat.

“You have a beautiful breast as Ezza has told you many a time, no doubt,” Aden began. “You do not have cancer. The lump is just fatty tissue common to the aging process in women. If you were to pierce it, a white, greasy substance would ooze out of it, although I don’t recommend you do that. The tissue is healthy, and the muscle tone is good for a woman of your age. The lump may be absorbed back into your muscle tissue over time or it could remain just so.”

She released a breath that she had been holding. “You sure?”

Aden nodded. He pushed one the silver coins back to her. “For your silence: we never had this conversation and or this exam. As far as you are concerned, I am just the handsome friend of your good man, Ezza.”

She took the coin and put it back in her purse. “Am I supposed to advertise the handsome part?”

“Advertise? If I must depend upon you to get them drunk first before I seduce them, I fear I have gone downhill faster than I realized,” Aden said.

“No, no,” Mathis said, waving her dish rag. “You are not too hard on the eyes and your accent is kind of exotic sexy if one is into that sort of thing. A bath, a shave and a trim will probably make you look decent again. Haul your gear up to the second door on the left. Hot water will be ready in about an hour.”