Avandor's Gift
Lishpa

Morning had come and gone, with it, the storm. After we emerged from the cave Greyshanks and I endeavoured to leave it and the disconcerting memories it held as far behind us as we could. The seaport was busy with merchants, sailors and beggars. It was very hard tracking the man I sought. The only name he had given me was Captain.

I had to ferret out this man’s identity in a round-a-bout manner, which cost me both coin and patience. I had made inquiries about where I could replace a merchant who in recent times plied their trade strictly between Rá Leat and Leár. I was given five names two of whom were currently out at sea.

I had left Greyshanks outside the city as a man riding a fully grown bloodwolf was bound to bring unwanted attention.

I entered a poorly lit tavern hoping to replace rest as my fruitless day was beginning to take its toll. I made my way to the counter and sat down. Most of the men were either deliriously boisterous or teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. A few of them seemed sober enough to glance in my direction. I must have come off uninteresting as their inspection was brief.

The women were the bawdy kind wearing dresses that left little to the imagination. A girl about the age of five and ten, but who seemed much older from the kohl she smeared over her eyes, sat on the stool beside me.

“Is there anything I can get you mister?” she said in Leánese. She said leaning forward revealing more of her overly endowed bosom.

“Do you work here?” I asked.

“Yes, I do mister.” she blinked twice and smiled revealing a deep set of dimples.

“Then yes, you can get me a drink.” I said looking her squarely in the face.

“I can do that for a handsome customer.” she said going to the other side of the counter. “Mead or something stronger. You look like the kind who prefers wine over common ale.” she said pulling up two bottles on the counter.

“Mead will be fine thank you.” I said holding the cup for her to pour. After she did I placed the drink to my lip and drained the cup almost immediately. The drink tasted stale but I was thirsty enough not to mind. “Thank you,” I said holding the cup for her to fill it gain. She complied and this time I sipped it slowly. I noticed that the woman seemed to be watching me curiously.

“You aren’t the usual kind of customers we get around here.” she said making the results of her study known.

“What kind do I favour?”

“You are dressed poorly but I sense that you are more refined somehow. Maybe some young lord out for the company of a woman. Then again young lords don’t usual come to these parts for that kind of attention, when the finer mistresses live in the better parts of town.”

“You see to be an intelligent lady, not only pretty.” I said leaning forward and offering a smile. She seemed to blink twice and pull in her breath.

“I am no lady, but I will take your compliment stranger.” she smiled again revealing her dimples which probably beguiled numerous lonely sailors. “If not company what is it that you seek, surely it isn’t drink?”

“I am seeking the whereabouts of three sea captains. I have some business I would like to go about and would like to replace them.”

“Well what are their names?” she asked curiously.

I pulled out the piece of parchment I had written the names on and spread it out. “I seek Captains Gregor, Lishpa or Drumont? Know where I could replace any of them?”

“I know all of them, but you come looking in the wrong place if you are seeking Gregor and Drumont as their kind never hang around these corners of the port. Too dirty for their liking I think. They drink in the taverns close to their merchant houses further in.”

“And Lishpa, is he too posh for these parts as well?” I said becoming hopeful that my search would be at a near end.

“Nay, he is richer than the other two put together and even richer from one of his hauls about a year or so back.” she leaned in closer and whispered. “Some says he has the eye of a helksinc, misfortunes that reach others nay trouble him at sea they say. But he spent some of his earlier years on these streets as his family lived here and he nay have forgotten us. He has a house just down the road and up the bend. Easy to replace too as it is a tad finer than the other ones around it.”

“I see.” I said as I stiffened a bit. Tet had offered a similar token to the captain that had transported us to Envladane. Even the time line was similar. I pulled out a gold coin and placed it down on the counter before getting up.

“This is a bit much for two cups of mead.” she said surprised as her eyes shone looking at the brilliant piece of money.

“The change is for the information and the wonderful company.” I smiled. “You have helped me a lot, thank you.”

“Well if you need more of that kind of help and probably something more, you can always come back here. Just make sure you ask for Amaelia.” she said pocketing the coin in a pouch she pulled from under her bosom.

“It was nice talking to you Amaelia and you enjoy your evening.” I said before leaving.

The suns had set but it was still an early evening, early enough for a home visit. Down the road and up the bend she had said and I could replace this Captain Lishpa.

There was no unevenness in the land to say which way was up or down. It didn’t matter which way I went first as I could always turn back and head in the other direction. “Right can’t be wrong, so right it is.” I said as I started off.

It was early still but the only folks still milling around the streets were beggars or loose women displaying their wares under the street lamps.

The further I went down the street the lonelier it became. It was becoming hard to believe that a man who was supposedly as rich as Lishpa lived in these parts. The houses were being transformed gradually into hovels the more I walked. I couldn’t help but to cast a few wary glances over my shoulders as I had the strangest feeling that I was being followed.

I continued walking along slowly, listening as I did. I heard shuffling coming from behind me and I stopped underneath a flickering street lamp. My hand fell to my dagger, the only weapon I had thought to bring with me all for the cause of being inconspicuous. I cursed that thought now.

“I know that you are following me, so you might as well stop hiding.” I said in Leánese.

“Who says we’re hiding?” replied a man whose form emerged from out of the darkness. “We were mainly going about our business.” Behind him were four other men. I recognised them from the bar; probably I was not as uninteresting as I thought.

“And what business would that be?”

“Guarding.” he said as he came to stand up in front of me. He was an older man, a little shorter than me. His face was lined with more wrinkles than scars and had a leaning nose which suggested that it had been broken in a good many fist fights. He took out a large dagger which he used to casually clean under his nails. The men that followed also brandished their weapons.

“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need any guarding as I can protect myself just fine.” I said stepping back from the man. His other stragglers spread out around me.

“What business did you have enquiring about Captain Lishpa from the tavern whore?” He said again stepping close to me scraping the tip of the knife just under my chin. I itched to brush it away but I fought that urge, as any sudden move wouldn’t work out in my favour.

“I was unaware that my private conversations needed explanation to a general audience.” I said again stepping back. The circle of men closed around me.

“What business do you have with the captain?” he asked ignoring my assertion.

“I have business to discuss with him.”

“What business requires you asking for him in a tavern?”

“That is a conversation I would rather have with the captain himself. So if you and your friends would be on your merry way, I would appreciate it greatly.” I said slowly pushing his knife away from my face with my finger.

“You dare touch me!” he said as he swung the dagger at me.

I caught him at the wrist and twisted it around until I hear a slight pop as his shoulder jumped from its joint. He screamed in agony and the dagger fell to his feet. I used the handle of my dagger to ram against his nose shifting it more to the right.

He stumbled backwards and the others charged at me at once. The speed and dexterity I had gained from the magic that had coursed through me had remained and easily I defeated the others. One with a kick to the stomach that sent him flying into a nearby wall and passing out as he head smacked the cold stone. I dealt similar blows to the other two who had their share of scratches and broken bones. The other one just fled before I dealt with him.

“Do not get any ideas about following me. I only maimed you this time but if you try this again, I will kill you if I must.”

I pushed the dagger in my waistband. Greyshanks will not be pleased to learn about this. I am going to have an even harder time convincing her to let me travel anywhere alone now.

Beating those men was not intentional. After the disappearance of the gems and Alphandé’s power being transferred to Tet, for the first few hours I was unsure whether or not the abilities granted by the magic was still with me. It was when Greyshanks had touched my mind with hers that I realised that some of it still lingered. It was nothing compared to the surging power given by Alphandé, but it was still a bit more than that given by the gems. Sometimes I wondered how that was, but I never had much time to think on it long.

I heard footsteps behind me again and I turned to face my would-be pursuer. This man was a bit statelier in build and his clothes seemed to be of expensive make. He stopped under the street lamp, leaning casually along the post.

“Well I have never seen a blind man fight quite like that before.” he said in my tongue.

“And I have never known a rich man with such lousy bodyguards.”

He leaned off the post and strode towards me, stopping directly in front of me. “Cargo, it is odd seeing you again.”

“Captain, Lishpa I suppose. It is odd seeing you as well. Not quite what I was expecting.”

He smiled. “We have many things to speak about, shall we?” he ushered me forward.

“Lead the way.” I said as I followed him.