“Kreemon? Kreemon? You in there?” It was almost midnight, on the twenty-fifth, when Kreemon heard the muffled sound of Korisca's voice calling him through the closed shutters.
Kreemon spoke softly through the shutters. “Are you alone?”
“Yeah.”
Kreemon opened the shutters and helped Korisca into the room. He closed the shutters behind her and asked, “I haven't left here for days; how did you find me?”
“It took a while. I kept my distance after you left for Brunner's, and couldn't find you in the morning. I heard you were caught, but since the knights kept on searching, I figured it must have just been rumors. That woman you stayed with didn't want to tell me where you were, but I figured you'd probably be staying with a Zahiran. Then I just had to figure out where they all lived.”
“How did you figure out where they all lived?”
Korisca smiled. “More people know that you think. It's a good thing the people out looking for you don't know where to look.”
“How many other Zahirans did you find?”
“Three total, and you've stayed with two of them. There might be more.”
“Who and where is the third?”
“Haof Kerkani. Foreign-sounding name. He's over at the south side of town.”
“And did you learn the names of the woman I currently and previously stayed with?”
“They didn't tell you their names? Zahirans…” Korisca said with a smirk. “This one's Rheideielle. I only remember it because it took so long to pronounce it right. No one told me the name of the other woman, but I didn't try to hard to find out. I already knew where she lived.”
“what about the others?”
“Ardith turned herself in, and I think Kay did too. Ardith's on trial right now, but I haven't been able to learn anything about it. It's behind locked doors in one of the temples. Johannes and Sahl are sticking around, but they're okay.”
“What about the scribe and the search for me and the others?”
“The Second Clerk? He's trying. I hear he's going kind of nuts trying to find you. He's got at least a hundred people out looking, knocking on doors, patrolling the walls, searching ships. Why did you have to pick someone like him?”
Kreemon sighed. “He tried to keep the message we were delivering, you know, the one you stole. Things went sour from there. Any ideas on how to further change my appearance? I am sure there are good descriptions of me now.”
“Oh, there are lots of ways. Clothing, paint. I knew a guy once who dressed up as a woman to get in somewhere he didn't belong, and he knew a real nut who broke his nose and burned off his eyebrows so they'd grow back funny and make him harder to recognize.”
Kreemon chuckled. “I don't think I will go quite that far, but if you could get me some different clothing and paint and show me what I will need to do, it will make things easier when I get out of here. Have you learned anything about the heraldry?”
“Actually, I meant to tell you about that. I asked around a little more, and people kept saying they'd have to see it. Someone said it might be from a family of knights related to the baron's great- grandfather. Someone else said the baron of Kalzen had something like it… You know how many stories there are about magic rings? People keep saying things like 'I don't recognize that pattern, but let me tell you about another ring.' It gets silly.”
Kreemon got out a piece of spare parchment and carefully drew the signet onto the paper. “Do you think this would help people narrow it down? I have a signet ring with this heraldry. I don't know what it stands for though, I never bothered finding out until now.”
Korisca took a quick look and then rolled it up and put it in a sack. “I'll show it around, but I wouldn't keep your hopes up.”
“Anything you can find out would be more than I know now. Who knows, maybe the knowledge will help. My plan is to hide out for a while and then sneak out of town. You could come with me.”
Korisca looked at the wall to her right. “I… I don't know what to say.”
“We definitely could do better than this place. Sahlman has changed from what I remember. I don't think it is safe to be around him any more. We could get away from this city and meet up with the other women later. I am sure they will head back to Maelbourg or Dunweig.”
“Kreemon… I don't know. I like Ardith, and I'm grateful for what she's done for me. And I'm glad you caught me when you did, but…. Well, it's been one thing after another. Those crazy people in Osander, the temple in Dunweig playing with our minds, if that really did ever happen, and now you're all in trouble with the law. I don't know…. And then….” Korisca glanced back and forth and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Then there's _him_. I think he's been following me. If it weren't for Sahl….”
“Why do you think he is following you? Is he in town too? What did Sahl do?”
“You were there. He… he was going to kill me, and Sahl stood in the way. Sometimes I look around a corner, and I think I see a faint blue glow, but then it goes away. I think he's here, waiting for me somewhere.”
“All the more reason to get out of town and get away from here. You should really think about going away with me. Sahl has changed, I doubt he would stop him a second time.”
“Maybe I should see him, and decide for myself.”
Kreemon nodded his head. “That might be for the best, so you can see for yourself. I would ask that you don't tell him anything about me or that you know where I am.”
Korisca smiled. “He won't get anything out of me.”
“It would probably be best if you talked with him alone too.”
It was a few days before Kreemon saw Korisca again. This time, Rheideielle was in the room when she tapped on the shutters. Rheideielle motioned for Kreemon to hide (something he was getting quite sick of – the cramped space of her cellar made Kreemon want to run right outside and turn himself in), and opened the door cautiously. When she saw Korisca, she turned around and said, “I'll provide you with a place to hide for as long as you want, but your liaisons can wait until you're out of town. Hurry it up.” With that, she locked the door and left the room.
Korisca had a leather sack with her, which she kept at her side. The look she gave Kreemon was hard to interpret, but it wasn't completely friendly. “I talked to Sahl,” she said. “Sahl hasn't changed, Kreemon. You have.”
“What do you mean?”
Korisca stared for a couple seconds, then relaxed. “You're violent, and you didn't used to be. You attacked that kid in Osander, and the gatekeeper in Dunweig, and the Second Clerk here. And you tore up the scroll. I think Sahl just looks different to you because you changed so much.”
“That is one way of looking at things, but there is always another side of the argument. The kid in Osander was using some fell magics to play with my mind. The gatekeeper in Dunweig was killed by one of his fellow guards. The scribe declared the scroll a forgery and was getting ready to toss me into the dungeon. I never tore up the scroll, but it did get a little dirty when I stopped at a blacksmiths. The scribe was playing some sort of game, I just wanted the Baron to get the scroll and finish the job. The next thing I know the other women are in some secret passageway above me and we are running through the castle trying to escape. I wonder if the Baron ever did get the scroll…. I guess this means that you don't want to leave with me.”
“I don't know, Kreemon… Ardith's shown me a better life. All you do is hurt people… you and… and Ziedon… I don't know if I want to go with Ardith either.”
“I don't want to hurt people. I guess that is why I want you to come with me… to keep me on the straight and narrow, and to keep me from doing stupid and violent things.”
“Really? Why would you want _me_? I don't exactly have a 'straight and narrow' reputation.”
“More so than I have lately. I used to be pretty level-headed but since meeting up with the group I have changed. I am not sure whether for the good or not.”
“You're killing people, Kreemon. People who've done nothing to hurt you. That can't be for the 'good….' You can still go back, you know. Sahl doesn't want to see you and that Johannes guy wants you in prison, but you could find a way.”
“I haven't killed anyone that hasn't attacked me first. I didn't kill anyone in Osander village; I didn't kill the guard in Dunweig; and I didn't kill any guards here until they attacked me first.” Kreemon let out a big sigh. “Sahlman doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. Johannes is starting to act strange all on his own. I don't see how I could go back to that group without getting attacked or thrown in jail.”
Korisca looked down at the floor. “You're probably right. You – no. Let me show you what I got.” Korisca opened the leather sack at her side, and named each item as she took it out. “Makeup, hair dye, this old wig might be useful if you can pull it off, shirts, buttons.” She chuckled. “False nose. That might be a bad idea. A theater troupe in town was getting rid of some stuff, so I got it cheap. Oh, and I asked around some more about that seal of yours. It's from Kalzen, to the northeast. It was the baroness's signet until about a hundred years ago.”
Looking at the pile of stuff Korisca had pulled out, Kreemon asked, “Could you show me how to use these things to the best effect? The festival is quickly closing in on us.”
“Sure. I'm no expert, but I think I could change you enough that you won't be recognized by bored guards who have seen hundreds of fairgoers' faces.”
“Thank you.” As he rubbed his chin, he asked, “Has my scar faded any more?”
Korisca smiled. “I don't know. It's dark. Why would your scar be fading?” She paused, and looked concerned. “Wait a minute. I think it has faded a little. Scars aren't supposed to do that.”
Kreemon replied slowly and unsurely. “I think something happened to me in Osander village, I think something changed me.”
“Like what? Maybe you're just a fast healer.”
Kreemon responded unsurely. “How do you heal a years old scar in the matter of weeks?”
“I don't know. But how do you heal a years old scar just by sitting around in a village?”
“It hasn't healed up to this point and now it is healing.” Kreemon shrugged his shoulders. “Another one of life's mysteries. The signet was the Baroness' of this town? Or of Kalzen? I think my family originally came from Kalzen….” Kreemon pulled out the signet ring he had found in the drain pipe and showed it to Korisca, “What do you make of this?”
“You had it all along and didn't show me? I could have taken it around and saved both of us a lot of time.”
Kreemon replied sheepishly, “Well, it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I don't have much to remind me of my parents.” Kreemon turned the ring around in his fingers, stroking the signet. “Do you think this is genuine? Do you think it might help us escape from here? Maybe I should travel to Kalzen and see what I can find out about my possible ancestors.”
“You going to convince the guards you're a dead baroness? You know, Kreemon, you're nuts, but I still like you.”
Kreemon jokingly scowled. “Not a dead baroness, of course; but one of her relatives. How else would I have the ring? How long ago did this baroness die?”
“All I know is what I told you. It was the signet of all the Kalzen baronesses until a hundred years ago, so it has to be at least as old as that.”
“Kalzen baronesses? Maybe that is where great-grandmother came from. How else would I have the ring?”
“Oh, have you heard about Ardith? People are saying a witch is being held in the temple, and that she's done all sorts of crazy things. I think she must have healed someone to help her case.”
“What? Ardith healed someone? She is liable to be dunked in the bay for something like this… Is there anything I can do to help her? Maybe use my ancestry?”
“She's locked in that temple until her trial ends. Who knows how long that'll be. And you know what will happen if you show your face anywhere.”
Kreemon frowned. “I could try to break her out, but who knows if she would even go with me if I did. Could I use these things you bought to change my appearance enough to go outside and try to help Ardith?”
“Maybe, but there are a lot of guards looking for you. It'd be dangerous to leave before the Winter Fair crowds get here.”
Kreemon pounded a fist into an open hand and said, “I just feel so helpless and useless. I wish there was something I could do but you are right. The Winter Fair is the best bet to getting out of this town safely. What about Kay? Have you heard anything about her?”
“Sahl's hoping that when Ardith is cleared, Kay will get off more easily, so she's probably in hiding, like you.”
“Maybe I could at least help her escape with my disguise and family ring during the Winter Fair. Do you think you could find her and see what she thinks? With her safely away that is one less thing for Ardith to worry about. Since Kay isn't in custody now, her leaving town wouldn't hurt Ardith's case. We can link everyone back up at the Ranes Inn.”
“Ranes'? That was in Dunweig. How about Sir F's? I'll see if I can find her. She's got to be well hidden though. If I ask the guy who pulled her out of the lake, he'll think I'm with the guard. I'll probably have to ask Sahl.”
“Don't tell Sahl you are asking for me or he probably won't tell you. Thanks for your help.”
Again, Kreemon didn't see Korisca for a few days. His situation became less and less comfortable. He'd spend most of his days pacing nervously back and forth as if he was trapped, which, when he thought about it, he was. The first several times Kreemon did this, Bork whimpered next to him, but then the dog got used to it and stopped. Sometimes, he was able to meditate. When he did, he could block out the artificial barriers around him and search for meaning in the strange things that had happened lately – his scar, the meeting with the True Zahiran, the violence in the castle, Osander and Dunweig. Rheideielle mostly ignored him, but it was clear she was getting weary of her guest. Finally, Korisca returned.
“I saw Kay, and I don't think you need to rescue her. She liked the idea for a second, but Ardith asked her to wait for the trial, and she does whatever Ardith says.”
Kreemon shrugged. “It was worth a shot. So, since we have the time, please show me how to properly do these disguises you brought me.”
As the fair approached, Kreemon found himself becoming more and more edgy. Meditation was difficult when it always felt like the walls were closing in on him. Opening windows helped, but it was cold outside, and Rheideielle always closed them before long. Towards the end, Kreemon barely noticed the cold himself, and he became increasingly uncomfortable in the stuffy house. The worst was when he had to hide in the cellar. It wasn't as cramped as the other Zahiran's crawl-space, but something about it made it worse. Every morning when he woke up, Kreemon had to stop himself from running outside and screaming.
In all, besides Korisca's visits, these were the most uncomfortable weeks Kreemon could remember, worse than his brief service in Elgony under the young Baron Velhelm. When Korisca showed up, she'd help him prepare for his escape, showing him how to dress and act so as not to call attention to himself. He asked her about his scar every few days, and finally Korisca admitted that she couldn't see it at all.
The month of Saulturithagon opened with heavy snow that quickly developed into a blizzard. It didn't stop snowing until the night of the second, by which time the snow was chest-deep and the door of the small house wouldn't open. Two excruciatingly cramped days later, the snow melted and the weather became swelteringly hot and humid. The next day brought on heavy rains that flooded the house three inches deep. Finally, on the sixth, the sky cleared and the rain dried in anticipation of the Winter Fair, but the unusual weather was not over. The seventh of Saulturithagon, the first day of the Fair, brought with it gentle flurries of snow. It was then that Kreemon felt an unease in addition to the building discomfort caused by Rheideielle's house. The blizzard and heat were bearable, but this light snow seemed to foreshadow something Kreemon couldn't identify.
Your Bill, Sir: 5at for clothing, rations, equipment and disguise stuff.
