The Black Dragon of Amber by Barbara Bretana - HTML preview

Chapter 14

The ship slid slowly into the birth, lower harbor of Topaz, the capital of Khafra. Corwin could see the massive construction process going on to make the ports more modern and safer. What surprised him more with a lights that lit up the entire area so nowhere were there dark corners or dangerous alleyways.

The harbormaster sent an inspector to visit the Jolly Roger and from his glad smile, it seemed he knew Roger Carron well. He shook hands and took the bills of lading from the Captain.

“Horses? Passengers? Not your usual fare, Captain Carron,” he said.

“Oh don’t worry, Magnum, I brought a load of brandy and ales, too. Got to keep the Palace supplied. How are things?”

“Touchy. Your passengers have papers?” His eyes scanned the small group and knew them for soldiers even though they were not dressed as such. “Pay for swords?”

“No, they’re not mercenaries,” Carron said. “Bodyguards.”

“For whom?” Corwin noted with amusement that the man’s grammar was proper.

“The Lady Rouen. Her father sent her here to marry and the…chit took off. They’re here to track her down. This is her brother, Captain Rouen and his personal bodyguard.”

“And this…Gentleman?” The Inspector asked studying the Prince.

“My friend Corey. I’ve known him for years, he’s a tracker, one of the best.” Carron handed over papers the first of which Corwin had any inkling. The man inspected them slowly and handed them back.

“Good. Just a perfunctory see-through of your hold and you’re free to go, Captain Carron.” He stepped back, shook the master’s hand and disappeared into the hold. Carron hustled the group down the boardwalk and into the surprisingly modern and clean city that bore a decided resemblance to that of a seaside community along the lines of Herculaneum. Minus the ash. Everything was painted in bright colors with lots of marble and mosaics, fountains with running water and greenery. Even central parks and open courtyards. They passed the marketplace and it was reminiscent of the old Turkish bazaars with awnings and narrow walkways covering hundreds of stalls where vendors plied everything from tea leaves to miniature lizards.

Pire and Rouen’s eyes swiveled back and forth at the incredible array of commerce and the hustle and bustle of the market. Every so often, they caught Corwin sneaking a glance up at the skies which were a soft, misty green. He was looking for Murphy. Carron led them down a side street and into a small villa where their horses were already stabled. A woman and a young boy greeted them, from the boy’s dark features Corwin knew it was the ship master’s son.

“Corey this is Melowinne and Jason, my son. Melly, these are my friends Corey, Captain Rouen and Sergeant Pire.”

“You are welcomed to our home,” she dropped a curtsy and stood, slightly taller than the average woman with a faint greenish cast to her skin, dark hair and amber eyes. She was quietly beautiful, her poise and grace evident in every movement. Both she and the boy wore a short tunic with loose pants beneath and lace up sandals. The climate was temperate, almost tropical and no one wore heavy clothing.

“You are a…Lord?” The boy asked, watching Corwin’s hand on his pommel. The child looked to be about seven although nearly as tall as his mother but with Carron’s dark looks and bronzed skin.

“He is a Prince,” Carron said softly, ruffling the boy’s hair. “So treat him properly.”

Melowinne bowed deeply. “I suppose you want to keep their appearance and identities quiet, husband?” At his nod, she smiled widely and her teeth were as beautiful as her smile. “I will show you the house and you may choose your own accommodations.”

She led them into the covered porch area and inside the rooms built around the courtyard. There were pools, heated baths, cooking areas, a library and a replica of an old English study.

Corwin picked out several of the smaller chambers near the stables and away from the main living areas much to her surprise. These rooms offered quiet and more than one way to escape being trapped.

They settled in and as soon as it was dark, Corwin stood outside atop the building’s marble roof and watched the sky. He’d only been there a few minutes when something large dropped lightly to the roof beside him.

“My Lord Prince,” the gargoyle greeted and folded his wings. He crouched as if he were more comfortable and looked very much like his fellows on a Gothic cathedral.

“You ever miss Notre Dame, Murphy?” The Prince laughed softly thinking he was no Esmeralda.

“No. My home is where Raven is,” he said simply. “Though he released me, I am still bound by a force I have no name for nor understand.”

Corwin gripped his shoulder. It was rock hard, literally. “It’s called love, Murphy. Did you find any sign of him?”

“Yes and no,” he sighed and climbed down to join the others in Corwin’s room where they greeted each other with quiet eagerness. “I found a dead mercenary. Gutted while he stood on tiptoes in a tavern yet no one saw the cause. His heart flew out of his chest and disappeared before he fell to the ground. I found a disturbance in the black arena where something large had been carried in and tethered. A lot of dead soldiers – broken and bitten. The king was running around ordering the mess cleaned up and for a hunting party to leave by morning.”

“Heading where?” Corwin asked, his jaw clenching.

“North. To something called the –”

“Citadel,” Corwin finished. “Jasra’s Keep. Where she studied until she killed her teacher and where she turned me into a coatrack. Where I left her, safely confined or so I thought.”

“How do we get there?” Pire asked.

Corwin laughed grimly. “We hire on as guards.”

***********

“Thank you so much for all your help,” Roelle told the herb woman. She kissed her on the soft wrinkled cheek and the woman smiled.

“Be careful and beware of the redheaded witch,” she added. “She means you harm. The city has many dangers but less now than before. Our king has a good heart even when he is at war.”

The pair set out on the path the old woman said would take them to the capital and that it was an easy walk of an afternoon. Roelle’s eyes were constantly on the floor and fauna. She recognize many of the same plants as an Amber and yet there was a wide variety of other she had no inkling of their use. Some looked familiar but were different colors and Marcus said that the sons greenish tent might have something to do with that. Role picked up his hand and held it. His heart thumped in his chest and she felt the sudden oscillation of it under her fingers. “You’re a good, true and loyal friend, Marcus,” she said quietly and he turned away at that dreaded word.

It’s not fair, he cried to him himself. I want to be more than your friend!