“You are as fine a marksman asI have ever seen,” the merchant admitted, “and I have seen a few.Still, a deal is a deal and you have won your discount fairly. It’ssafe enough to say that my shop will be the talk of the town for aweek, at least, and that brings paying customersaround.”
Arik paid the merchant and alsopurchased a fine, soft leather case for the bow. Tanya was suitablyimpressed not only with his shooting, for she knew him as a goodshot, but with his negotiating skill. He and Tanya spent the restof the day shopping and Tanya made a few more purchases of items,which Arik had no idea what she was going to do with.
* * * *
Fredrik’s luck was fair with cards aswell as any other game, but the young gambler earned his money atdice and wheel games where his magic could affect the outcome.Fredrik’s attire marked him as a wealthy man and saw him admittedto the more lucrative games where the stakes werehigher.
Fredrik had played this game for solong, he knew the rules well. He did not win too much at any oneestablishment, but moved on to the next before people startedhowling about his luck. With a city the size of Melbin, Fredrikcould gamble for a month before anyone would get wise to hisextraordinary ability to win. Still, he kept in mind Garth’swarning about cheating the merchants and he was sure that appliedto gambling as well. By working his way from the poorerestablishments to the richer, Fredrik had managed to amass severalthousand crowns for his several hours of work. At the lastestablishment he had encountered two other gamblers he had run intoearlier in the afternoon and decided to end his gambling for theday.
Fredrik made his way back to theFluttering Jib and noticed Arik and Tanya in the common room. Heworked his way over to them and sat down.
“Where are Tedi and Niki?”greeted Fredrik.
“We haven’t seen either one ofthem since we arrived,” Tanya stated. “We spent all day at themarket. I picked up some knives for you at the market in case youdidn’t get a chance to get there before they closed.”
Fredrik kicked himself for forgettingabout the market. When he started gambling he always lost track oftime. He was thankful now for the conversations he had had withTanya about what he was looking for in knives. “Thanks, Tanya,” hesaid. “I lost track of time and didn’t make it to the market. I’lllook at them after dinner, but I’m sure that what you bought willbe just what I want. If you haven’t eaten yet, it will be my treat.I’ve had an exceptional run of luck today.”
Tanya grinned knowingly and Arikgritted his teeth. Tedi came into the common room looking harriedand slid into a seat at the table. “We have some serious problems,”Tedi whispered.
Arik looked around the common room tosee if anyone was paying too much attention to their table.Satisfied that no one was paying any attention to them, Arik askedthe obvious question. “What kind of trouble is serious?”
“There is a Melbin guardtrying to kill Garth,” Tedi whispered, “and Niki wasarrested.”
Ale slopped out of Arik’s mug as helowered it to the table and his jaw almost dropped as low. Lookingaround again, Arik suggested that they retire to one of the roomsto talk.
The four Rangers beat a hasty exit fromthe common room and went upstairs to the boys’ room. Everyone founda spot on one of the beds to sit before Arik demanded anexplanation.
“Garth, or rather MikalObanik, is not welcome in Melbin,” Tedi began. “He was shown thegate by King Alfred five years ago after killing four men andwounding two others. Three of them were Melbin Guards. One of thoseguards is out to kill him. I overheard him and another guardtalking earlier and I’ve spent the day trying to find him. While Iwas down in the Oddities Market, I saw two guards escorting Niki tothe Palace. She did not look happy.”
“Great,” exclaimed Fredrik. “Iwonder if she was stupid enough to use magic here.”
Arik and Tanya both shot Fredrik awicked glare and he turned red when he realized what he had said.He smiled weakly and shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry,” heapologized. “I really meant stupid enough to get caught usingmagic.”
Arik and Tanya were not impressed withthe subtle distinction Fredrik was making. “Niki is the moreimportant of the two,” Arik stated. “Garth can take care of himselfand Niki is likely to use magic on the King and get herself killed.How can we find out where she is and what she has done?”
“I know a guard,” suggestedTedi, “who appears honest and might tell us. I don’t really knowhim, but I know his name and what he looks like. He is the one whowas talking about Mikal Obanik and what happened five years ago.His name is Lomar.”
“If this guard is honest andknows Mikal is in town,” Tanya asked, “why is he not arrestinghim?”
“He thinks what Mikal did wascorrect,” Tedi said. “The King was mad because Mikal refused to behis General of the Army. That is what got him thrown out of thecity and Lomar won’t arrest him to face the King again.”
“That is a story I want tohear more of,” Tanya said, “but right now we have to get Niki tosafety. In most cities, you can just go up to the Palace Guard andask them if somebody has been arrested and what for. I’ll go trythat and come back.”
Tanya left as Fredrik said, “It is mostlikely that she used magic. If that is the case, they will executeher. We have to find out where the prison is and how to get herout.”
“I am not enjoying my firsttrip to the big city,” Tedi remarked. “I’ve spent all dayfrantically looking for Mikal before someone kills him and now wehave to plan a prison break.”
The boys sat and pondered theirsituation for a short time before Tanya returned. “She was arrestedfor something she did in Caldar. Something about using magic totake clothes from a woman,” Tanya informed them. “The woman is herein Melbin and recognized her.”
“Can they arrest her forsomething she did in another country?” Fredrik asked.
“The King can do whatever hewants in his country,” Tanya explained.
The four Rangers sat lost in thoughtfor some time. Garth would be furious with them if they didn’t getNiki free and this would probably be the last city they ever sawfor the rest of their lives.
“If this woman can have Nikiarrested for something that happened in Caldar,” Fredrik statedforcefully, “then I can have her arrested for something she did inCidal.”
The others looked at Fredrik like hewas crazy. Fredrik smiled and explained, “I am known as Lord Wasonin Cidal, the Lord of the Manor. We had to leave the town ratherswiftly because Niki used magic to hold one of my maids off thefloor. She was in a rage and they would have killed her. She rodeout on a horse and I pretended to be chasing her. As far as anyonein Cidal knows, I am still chasing her. I will go to the King anddemand her arrest. He will turn her over to me and we canleave.”
“That sounds pretty good,”Tedi admitted, “but will the King even see you?”
“If he is really Lord of theManor in Cidal,” Tanya speculated, “the King probably will see him.Do you know anybody there that the King might know?”
“Just before we left town, Iwas in a meeting with Captain Grecho, head of the Cidal MercenaryCompany. The King may have heard of him,” hoped Fredrik.
“I heard about them today inthe same conversation,” Tedi exclaimed. “They are known here inMelbin and have a good reputation.”
“Well, Lord Wason,” bowedArik, “it would appear that you are about to see the King ofMelbin.”
Fredrik straightened out his clothesand headed for the Royal Palace, which was an imposing mansion inthe heart of the city. The Palace itself was set back quite a bitfrom the road and Fredrik feared he would look foolish walking infrom the street. He turned around and headed towards a carriagehouse he had seen earlier in the day. For twenty crowns, he renteda large, ornate carriage for the trip to the RoyalPalace.
The carriage pulled up to the gate tothe Royal Palace and the driver announced Lord Wason of the CidalManor having just arrived in the city to seek audience with theKing. The guard looked inside the carriage and nodded. A runner wassent to the Palace and he returned several minutes later with amessage. The guard opened the massive gate and waved the carriagethrough.