Chapter 3 Part 6

The next morning, Zachary and Thomas were cutting vegetables at the bar when Sara strolled in. Before anyone could even say ‘good morning’ a loud brass horn began sounding out in the street. Sara and Thomas both went pale.
“What is it?” Zachary asked.
“A call to the square,” she breathed.
Zachary raised an eyebrow. “Which is?”
Thomas answered, “All business is closed. The Mage is calling all citizens to the square.”
A chill swept over him and he looked to Sara. “The mage you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes.” She turned to the kitchens and yelled, “Billy! Come here.” A moment later Billy arrived looking apprehensive. “We’ve gotta go. Get your brothers and sisters together and watch the inn.”
Billy nodded and left.
Zachary looked at Thomas. “They aren’t goin?”
“No, they aren’t old enough to be citizens yet.”
He nodded his understanding, took Sara’s arm and said, “Ok then let’s go.”
Sara was looking at him wide-eyed. “Do you think they suspect?” she hissed quietly.
He only shrugged and said, “They will if we don’t go.”
They waited only until the inn’s guests were out the door before leaving. Thomas pulled the door shut and waited until he heard Billy lock it from inside, then joined Zachary and his mother in the street. All around them people were making their way to the town center. At every major intersection city guard were directing traffic and sounding horns. Finally they were in the square. Zachary had wondered why the square was so large for a town this size, but now he knew.
There were perhaps three thousand people crammed into a space that could scarcely hold them. More lined the balconies around the square. City guards were scattered throughout, and the flame-clad guards were prominent on the rooftops.
At the center of the square, a raised stone stage about fifty feet across held a few guards, Baron Roth, Captain Krell, and a tall man in a dark robe.
After enough people were crowded in the tall man stood from the ornate chair he was seated in and raised one hand for silence. The crowed quieted instantly. When he spoke, his voice was huge and loud, as if he stood sixty feet tall. “Citizens of Sidmuur, I Lord Kiron, greet you.” He clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace. “We have much to talk about today, but first, we have a matter of justice to attend to.”
From a building to his left Zachary watched two burly guards drag a bound and gagged prisoner through the crowd and up onto the stage.
“Behold!” The mage cried with a gesture towards the bound man. “A thief;” he paused for effect; “And worse, a thief using stolen magic to invade your homes.”
A gasp went up from the crowd. “Observe,” he commanded and held up an ornate ring. He showed the ring to the crowd for a moment then dramatically placed it on his finger. The crowd flinched collectively as he faded from sight.
Zachary almost scoffed out loud. The mage had used his theatrics to cover his casting of a small invisibility spell.
A moment later the mage reappeared. He held up the ring again for the crowd to see. “You all attend to your doors at night, but how do you stop a thief you cannot see?” The crowd began to grumble fearfully.
He held up both arms. “We shall get to the truth!” He turned to the prisoner and ostentatiously cast a spell.
Zachary was amused to note that it was a small illusion spell similar to the one Armegon had used to light up the Reckless Lady.
On the stage bands of brightly colored light spun into existence and began spinning and collapsing into the prisoner. The man stood stiffly as if in pain. Finally with a small crack of thunder the lights disappeared into him.
His voice still huge, the mage addressed the prisoner. “You are bound by my power. You cannot speak an untruth. Indeed, I want you to try. Tell me you are a king.”
Captain Krell stepped up and removed the gag. The thief tried to speak, but was seemingly having problems. He got as far as “I am…” but seemed unable to continue. As he tried harder, a trickle of blood ran from his mouth. He slumped in defeat.
“There, you see the power that holds you.” Kiron leaned close. “Now tell me of your crimes.”
Zachary couldn’t hear the prisoner from where he was standing, but whispers through the crowd spread the man’s crimes as fast as only gossip could fly. After the thief finished confessing the mage stood tall. “Theft is a crime against us all. But yours is a crime of even greater magnitude.” He turned to the crowd. “I shall not tolerate the misuse of magic. Our laws are designed to benefit us all, but a single man with magic could bring ruin to everyone!” He assumed a contemplative posture for a moment then turned abruptly to a cringing prisoner. “You are hereby sentenced to death.” He paused dramatically. “And worse.”
Again the mage raised his hands and incanted theatrically. A blackness as thick as tar began forming between the mage’s outstretched arms. A moment later it began spitting little lightning sparks and forming tendrils. Suddenly one of the tendrils shot out and attached itself to the thief’s chest. A scream wrenched itself from his throat.
Zachary noted wryly, that the scream was amplified just as the mage’s voice was.
The front rows of the crowd began pressing backward as the prisoner thrashed in agony. The poor man’s flesh began to shrivel and split open. His eyes burst from his head and a horrid seizure took him. With a final soul-wrenching moan of agony he went limp and fell.
Women near the front had fainted, and the crowd was near panic. At the rear of the square guards were restraining people from fleeing. On the stage, the mage lowered his arms and motioned towards the corpse. “This is the price of misusing magic. Beware people, this man worked alone, but if another comes forth to scoff at our laws he may not. Should you know of or hear of a criminal using magic and not report it, you will be named accomplice and this!” he gestured meaningfully to the body on the stage. “Will be your fate.” He held his pose a moment then relaxed. “Guards, remove this,” he said quietly.
Two large flame-clad guards quickly rolled the body in a cloth and carried it away.
“Now to happier business,” the mage said hugely. “Our economy is flourishing with the fine hard work of our people. The new guards we added to our forces have succeeded in routing the brigands that were testing our borders and our public works have finished work on the new section of the city wall.” He paused for effect. “I have therefore decided not to raise any taxes at this time.”
There was a nervous pause then the crowd began to cheer, lamely at first but building quickly. The mage let it go on for a couple of minutes then gestured for silence. “You may return to your work with my blessing, but remember, misuse of magic will not be tolerated. Should you find it exists, report it immediately, or the truth will come out.” With that he strode from the stage. As he made his way to the building off to Zachary’s left, the crowd melted out of his way.
People began exiting the square quickly. Zachary slowly filed out with the crowd, but watched everything he could. A beautiful young woman in a blue dress was sobbing uncontrollably as two flame-clad guards escorted her to the building the mage had gone into. Her fate dawned on him, and he quickened his pace. Beside him both Thomas and Sara looked numb, their faces showing ill concealed fear and dread.
“We need ta talk,” he whispered in her ear as he nuzzled her cheek.
When they arrived at the inn, Billy opened the door for them and she said to Thomas. “Get the kitchen started. After that mess in the square, the business should be heavy as people will want to forget.” She took Zachary’s hand. “Would you help me get another cask from the cellar?”
“Sure.”
In the cellar Sara sent the other kids up to work. “Now,” she whispered. “What in the Nine Hells are we going to do? Surely they must be onto us!”
“It’s ok,” Zachary whispered back. “That was all an act. That mage is little more than a charlatan.”
“But that thief!”
“Was nothing more than a decent actor. The mage threw a couple of minor illusions to fool the crowd. It means he knows somebody used magic, but he’s got no clue of who.”
She looked confused.
He took her by the shoulders. “He’s fishing. He’s hopin’ ta scare people inta revealing me.”
She looked alarmed. “But what if he finds out?”
He shook his head. “If it comes ta that I can take him. I just needs ta find out how he’s connected with the dragon.”
She started to shake.
“What’s wrong?” he whispered.
“It’s just that… well, it’s suddenly so…” she paused a moment before continuing. “It’s just gotten so much deeper than I thought it was.”
He smiled reassuringly. “Yer doin’ well. There have been deceptions piled on deceptions here for longer than you’ve been alive.” He hugged her. “Let’s get the ale.”
She nodded.
She was right. Zachary became very busy as the largest crowd he’d seen yet came in. Less than two hours after the ordeal in the square, they’d had to start turning people away. He looked at the faces around him, and saw frightened, hopeless people who wanted only to forget their pain and share in what little comfort they could offer to each other. Grimly he poured drinks, and waited.
Someone near the door called out, “The mage’s procession just went by. He’s leavin’ town.”
All over the bar voices muttered praises to the gods. Quietly.
Zachary leaned over and kissed Sara on the cheek. “Darlin’ if yer ok ta watch the inn, I’ll go and get the things you wanted this morning.”
She blinked and looked at him blankly for a moment, then said, “Oh, ok. What with all the goin’s on this mornin’, I plumb forgot.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Sure, I can watch. But check in the kitchen before you go and see if we need anythin’ else.” As he stood she continued, “Oh and don’t forget to get me some more lace.”
He smiled. “Sure ‘nough Darlin’. I’ll be back after bit.”
She nodded and he went to the kitchen. Three of Sara’s kids were busily cooking, cleaning cups, and running back and forth to the common room. He looked around a moment, picked up a bundle of rags and slipped out the back door of the inn.
He walked purposely, carrying the rags as if they were important. As quickly as he could without looking suspicious, he made his way to the alley behind Drew’s brewery. Oddly enough, the brewery was locked and silent. Not knowing what to make of it, he shrugged and turned to Drew’s pile of empty casks.
The casks were piled against the wall of the next building, some waiting to be filled, and some to be repaired. The pile itself though, made it easy to climb to the roof of the neighboring building.
Quietly he climbed up. The building next to Drew’s was a low warehouse whose roof was shadowed by the taller buildings on each side of it. He slipped into the shadow and looked to the sky. He was in luck.
High above and slightly to the north were a pair of hawks, searching the fields outside the walls for prey. He didn’t waste any time. He cast a spell and transformed himself into another hawk.
With a hawks much better eyesight, he scanned the area around him for watchers, then launched himself skyward. He circled and climbed until he was slightly higher than the other two hawks. From his vantage he could see a group of horseman and a carriage going north. He followed.
The group went straight to the mercenary’s camp. Zachary chose a tree that would give him both some cover and a decent view and settled in to observe.

The mage and his troops entered the camp. It was obvious that the mage was in command here, even the ogres showed respect. Two guards that had ridden on the carriage drug the young woman from town out, ripped her clothing from her, and tied her to a heavy wooden table.
Zachary’s heart sank. He watched in dismay as the mage publicly raped her while his men cheered him on. When he finished, he pulled his robes closed and walked away towards the cave. The girl’s misery didn’t end. It was the mercenary’s turn. He couldn’t bear to watch any more. He moved to another tree to keep an eye on the mage but he could still hear her scream.
Feeling terrible, he watched the cave for almost two hours. A group of ogres were standing guard. Another ogre came into view carrying the limp form of the girl over one shoulder. She was battered and in poor shape, but she seemed to be alive, barely, but alive. At the mouth of the cave the girl was roughly dropped on the ground and the ogres all ran.
Knowing what surely must come next, Zachary gripped the branch he was on until his talons hurt. A shadow moved at the cave mouth and in spite of her pain, the girl slowly looked up. She froze then found her voice once again. Her scream rang out and died abruptly as she was engulfed in a huge gout of flame.
The dragon slid its bulk out of the cave and began to feed on the charred flesh.

Zachary stared. This was one of the largest, most magnificently dangerous-looking dragons he’d ever seen. Its scales were blood red and its head alone was bigger than an elephant. Around its neck was a heavy, dark metal chain worn like a necklace.
Slowly the ogres came back to their post. The dragon looked them over and said something he couldn’t hear. The ogres all nodded vigorously and took up their guard positions again. The dragon watched them for a moment before it slid back into the cave.

Zachary landed on the same roof he’d left from and slowly changed back to himself. He retrieved his bundle and went back to the inn remembering to buy some lace and some vegetables.
Sara glanced at him as he sauntered back into the commons. “Well darlin’,” he said laying a hand on her shoulder. “I couldn’t get everything you wanted, but I did find yer lace.”
She smiled brightly and kissed him. “Oh you know how I like lace.”
Several of the patrons nearby laughed. Old Deke slapped the table and grinned, “Ya know lass, we didn’t even know ya liked lace. It never seems ta show up on yer outer clothes.”
Sara gasped and blushed. The laughter and lewd jokes redoubled.
The mood continued for a while, until Drew staggered in. He was disheveled, his face was tear stained, and he was very, very drunk.
The room went silent and all eyes watched him stagger up to the bar. “Gimme a mug,” he slurred at Thomas.
Thomas looked to his mother and at her nod poured him an ale. Sara and Zachary went up to him.
“Dear gods Drew, what’s wrong?” She asked.
Drew burst into great wracking sobs and vomited noisily onto the floor. Straightening he bawled, “That thrice damned mage took my wife with him!” and buckled to the floor sobbing.
Zachary staggered back as if struck.
Sara looked at him sharply. He closed his eyes and fled the room.