Chapter 50:
Tarsis
We stick with the caravan the next morning. I briefly speak with each man and woman throughout the day, but none can interpret the script in Asarus’s book. It appears that the old tongue is only studied in Versillia by Nomier’s priests and devout nobles.
Night falls again, but Joshua, the old man leading the caravan, encourages us to push on, as our destination is not much further.
“Tarsis ahead!” a man at the front calls.
Trevus rushes forward, leading Gid and I between the carts as we join the head of the group.
My heart sinks at the sight of the town. It’s large, nearly comparable to Zaybeth. Huge interlocking wooden cylinders form the town’s outer wall, and the buildings within resemble large cones. The circular structures aren’t as tall as Zaybeth’s towers and spires, but they are no less numerous. Finding Asarus in there won’t be easy.
Trevus thanks Joshua, and he forges ahead of the others. I wave goodbye from my mount on Gid.
Soon we reach the town gates – large wooden semicircles that fold into the walls on either side. A handful of soldiers, clad in black jolcans and armed with javelins, stand on top of the wall cylinders. A few glance down at us as we pass. Considering how Joshua reacted to Trevus’s Versillian accent, I’m glad we’re not wearing obans.
We reach the stable master, and he agrees to watch over Gid. Trevus helps me down and passes me a walking stick. While it fit well in his hands, it appears a little oversized in mine.
With some practice, I’m able to walk with it as a crutch, keeping most of my weight off my bruised leg.
Trevus hitches Gid and takes the saddle bag. We leave the stables, which is just a large thatch roof raised on a series of wooden poles. I’m eager to escape the smell of manure, but stepping onto the long curvy streets frames the daunting scale of the task ahead.
“How will we find Asarus in such a big town?” I ask.
“Asarus did not travel only to Tarsis, instead making detours to adjacent settlements on the way. He is recruiting,” Trevus says. “Now ponder – where would one head to collect combative men eager for gold?”
“The largest, loudest tavern he could find,” I say.
Trevus gestures to a large circular building on the main road. Shouting and laughter echo from inside. A few men step out the door, appearing unsteady on their feet.
We approach the building. Short horizontal logs lie on top of one another like bricks, each overlapping to form the circular frame of the structure, with the straight ends sticking out to create a jagged finish.
Asarus must already have men at his command, and he’s eager to get hold of me. We need to be careful.
Trevus and I step inside, and we’re met with a noisy crowd. The dirt floor is covered by at least fifty tables arranged in segmented concentric circles, with a dense gathering of men and women in the center. There must be over a hundred people in this room, and judging by the strong scent of fermented barley, each one has their own mug of ale.
“Is his face identifiable?” Trevus asks.
I scan the room, covering as many faces as I can. Nothing jumps out, but that doesn’t mean Asarus isn’t here. With the help of my crutch, I walk a circular path around the room, keeping my eyes wide.
Trevus keeps pace, occasionally raising an arm to guard me when a drunken patron looks like they might trip.
Soon we’re back at the door we came through, having circled the room and found nothing. The sight of Asarus’s portrait in Lady Norah’s mansion made my whole body react. “If he was here, I’d have noticed,” I say.
“He likely trod this same ground,” Trevus says. “Let us divide to cover more avenues. Draw my attention should you require assistance.”
I nod, and we split off. I choose a smaller table packed with five men, each wearing a friendly smile with an unfocused gaze.
I approach, my gait assisted by the crutch. “Excuse me.”
One at a time, the men turn their attention my way, the laughter of their last conversation dying down. “Hello,” one says. He’s trying to keep a straight face, but a giggle still slips through. The ale has left his head with a slight wobble.
“I’m searching for someone,” I say. “Maybe you’ve seen him?”
One man slides his legs over the bench to face me. His long dark hair is tied in a ponytail, of which many strands have broken free. “We’re listening,” he says. The scent of his breath nearly makes my nose crinkle.
“It’s Lord Asarus – an older man with light-brown hair and green eyes. He was just here recruiting mercenaries.”
The ponytail man hums. “I vaguely recall such a man.”
“You do?” I almost can’t believe it. “Do you know where he’s headed?” Some of the men’s gazes have moved to my body, and their grins from before now seem a little less friendly. I hold back from showing a sharp look, eager to get the answer and be done with it.
“Yes.” The ponytail man scratches his head as if trying to draw forth the memory. “The place he’s headed is just behind my lips.”
“Where?” I ask.
“Perhaps a kiss could dislodge the answer,” he says. His friends chuckle and tap each other’s arms.
My shoulders sink. They don’t know where Asarus went. They’re wasting my time.
“How about it, sweetheart?” The ponytail man smirks.
“I’d rather not risk a disease.”
His smirk disappears, and his friends’ jaws drop open before laughing. I step around their table, careful to stay out of arm’s reach.
I know Asarus was here. This opportunity is too important to let a moment of dejection slow me down. I move to another table with six men who’ve just settled. “Evening gentlemen.” I choose a greeting that should remind them how to behave. “Have you seen Lord Asarus? He passed through here recruiting not long ago.”
They avert their eyes, acting like they didn’t hear my question.
I wait. One looks left and right to see who’s watching, then finally meets my gaze. “Haven’t seen him.” He spits out the words quickly under his breath, as if trying to blow away a fly.
I take the hint and move on, giving my leg a break at the next table. Why react so aversely to a name they don’t know? Either my presence makes them nervous, or they’re lying about not knowing Asarus.
I move from one table to the next. Many men are happy to chat and flirt, but offer no useful information. Other tables appear uneasy, as if my presence will bring trouble.
Trevus moves from table to table on the opposite side of the tavern, but he doesn’t appear to have any more success than me.
My next choice is a table of four, with three solemn looking men and a woman. Perhaps they’ll be better behaved in front of a woman they know. I limp to their table, leaning on my crutch for support. “Hello. Could I ask a question?”
“We’re listening,” the woman says. Her voice is deep and dark, matching her long hair.
“A traveler passed through here recruiting mercenaries. He goes by Lord Asarus. Did you see him?”
The three men shake their heads – the same answer I’ve gotten all evening.
“Thanks for listening.” I turn to select my next table.
“Girl,” the woman calls out. I stop. “The lord you seek held an audience with the boss.” The men’s eyes widen, and they glance at one another.
My heart leaps. He
was
here. “Who’s the boss?” I ask.
The woman stands. “I’ll take you to him.”
I light up. “Just let me fetch my partner.” Trevus is on the opposite side of the tavern, looking rather unimpressed by the conversation he’s stuck in.
The woman catches my arm before I can take a step. “The Versillian is not welcome. Either you come alone, or not at all.”
I glance at Trevus, then back to the woman. She knew I was with him. She’s been watching us since we arrived. Insisting I come alone is suspicious, but after talking to so many unhelpful tables, she may be my only route to Asarus.
I nod only to satisfy her.
She stares for a long moment before finally heading towards the door. Her tall figure weaves through the crowd, stepping left and right to follow the curving path. Keeping up is a challenge with my limp, but I keep my eyes on her. Trevus is still engaged in conversation, not having yet noticed my exit. I need him.
A shorter man ahead is balancing four mugs of ale against his chest. This is my chance.
The distance between us closes. The moment we pass, I cross my crutch in front of his feet. The man topples over with a shout, his foot catching on the crutch and making me lose my balance. His ale goes flying. I land beside him, breaking my fall with my arms. The mugs bounce off the wooden floor like bells, splashing ale all over me. The crowd around us steps back to avoid splattering their boots.
“Stupid woman!” A man yells from a nearby table. “Open your eyes!” That must have been his ale.
The shorter man I bumped into pushes himself up, his brows creased in annoyance.
I place four silver coins in his hand and whisper “sorry” before grabbing my crutch and hurrying out the door. With a noise that loud and a man shouting in anger, Trevus definitely noticed. I won’t be alone.
The woman has her arms folded, her sleek hair shining under the outdoor moonlight. Her eyes run up and down my ale-soaked outfit, her expression twisted with contempt.
“Take me to the boss,” I say.
She lets out a breath but continues on her path. I follow at her side, using the crutch to support each step. Her eyes remain narrow. She’s one of the most abrasive people in that tavern, yet she’s willing to help for nothing in return? I don’t trust her.
We pass from one alley into the next, with candlelight from nearby windows illuminating our path.
The woman leads me to a large stone home with suspiciously few windows. Two tall men with javelins on their hips block the door.
“Vivian,” one man greets. I can put a name to the sleek-haired woman.
“Who’s that?” the other man asks. His eyes glance my way, but the question wasn’t directed at me. He’s talking about me like I’m not here.
Sore memories from Antiock bubble up. I won’t be treated like that anymore. “The name’s Jade,” I push into their conversation, raising my voice to not be ignored.
The men’s brown eyes shift to me, displeased with my audacity.
“She’s come searching for Lord Asarus,” Vivian says. “The boss may find her interesting.”
Both men stare. I hold their gaze with a sharp look of my own.
One turns and heads inside, closing the door behind him. The remaining man, Vivian and I wait outside. These people are not my allies.
Ehhhhh
no
immediately no
LMAOOOO
🤦♀️🤦♀️
Green eyes? hmm suspicious 🤔
it’s a trap
I suppose it is
Of course, every chapter gets a vote!
I can’t tell of this is a trap or if she’s auctually aiming to help
He’s going to be rather worried when he notices her missing… she should have at least let him know
I’ll be honest I think she’s not just comfortable having the Versiallian come with them… I don’t think it’s anything bad
Though it might also be a trap to get Jade alone hmm
Nice, she’s got a lead!
If she keeps being so clear about what she wants Asarus may well be told she’s here…
“My lord, you said you were looking for short women with brown hair and green eyes, well there’s a woman going around meeting that description asking of you” lmao
She really isn’t subtle lol
Oh burn!
It’s quite amusing… but I guess it makes her look like less of a threat.
But the funniest part of all this is while he’s gathering men to find her she’s just showing up where he is lmao
*had just
Imagine if you adjust said “He accidentally knocked me down and now I’m injured, I want to meet him to make him apologise!
Well at least he didn’t choose violence
oooooooo this is getting even more suspicious lol
because it suspicious that a injured young lady is asking
This girl is always the most suspicious person in the world XD
smart
And yet you join Trevus in there while unable to walk properly lol