Brian Pratt - Fires of prophesy

“Thanks,” James replies, “we’ll do that.”

“I’ll have everything loaded and ready upon your return,” he assures them.

Leaving Salli’s Barrels behind, they head across town to find Jiharan. They continue down the main thoroughfare, asking directions from the locals. At one point, James catches out of the corner of his eye someone who looks like Delia among the crowd. When he turns his head to get a better look, she’s gone. Figuring he’s just seeing things, he continues on and they soon arrive at the horse trader’s establishment.

Jiharan greets them upon entering and when they tell him that Salli sent them, he breaks into a smile and cordially takes them to the back where he has a dozen horses of varying size and shape.

James tells him of their need for horses to pull a wagon and he shows them two that would fit the bill perfectly. After some haggling, James hands over most of their remaining money and they leave with two fine horses. Jiharan, graciously enough, threw in the traces they would require to attach the horses to the wagon. He even went so far as to have one of his apprentices carry the equipment back to Salli’s and help them with putting it on.

Back at Salli’s, he’s pleased to discover that not only are the barrels awaiting them in the back of the wagon, but Salli was nice enough to have them already filled with water. With the apprentice’s help, the horses are soon attached to the wagon and they give him a couple coppers for his time before he returns to his master.

Salli waves a friendly goodbye to them as they pull out of his yard, James at the reins. As they make their way through town, he sees a chandler’s shop and stops. He buys some much needed supplies like better food than just travel rations, and a couple ladles to use for getting water to drink from the barrels.

Now with an almost empty coin pouch, they resume their way back to the caravansary where the others are waiting. When they get there, James is in for a shock. When they left, there were two wagons, now there are four. Two boys are there with the others as well.

As they ride up, Delia comes out to meet them before they have a chance to get to the camp. Beaming like a cat that had eaten the canary, she says, “Good news!”

“What?” asks James, looking a bit perplexed.

She hands him a pouch, heavy with coin. “While you were gone, Tinok and I delivered a couple packages that were to be dropped off here and was paid for them.”

“How much?” he asks.

“Forty gold, ten silver,” she replies.

“What about those other two wagons?” he asks as he nods his head in their direction.

“One of the merchants that we delivered a package to needed to get a load to Korazan as quickly as possible,” she explains. “When he found out we were headed there, he asked if his lads could tag along. Couldn’t see any harm in it, so I agreed.” She could see that he was dubious of the whole thing, “Besides, he gave us an extra four golds.”

Beginning to see the advantage in having others with them, he nods and says, “Good job.”

She beams back at him and walks alongside the wagon as he brings it back to camp.

Once the wagon is in position with the others, he gets down and calls Tinok over to help with watering the horses. He comes over with Cassie holding his hand, they’re both smiling and happy.

“What’s this?” he asks when he sees a new necklace around Cassie’s neck.

“Oh, I bought it for her while I was helping Delia deliver the packages,” Tinok replies.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Cassie asks as she holds it up for his inspection. It’s a gold, heart shaped medallion with two small diamonds in the middle.

Unable to help himself, he breaks into a smile as he says, “Yes, it’s very nice.”

Glancing over to Delia, he sees her grinning at him. He nods his head and then he and Tinok proceed to water the horses from the barrels, using the two buckets Salli had given them.

By this time, the sun has finally fallen below the horizon and James takes out some of the food that he bought earlier in town. Everyone is glad to have a break from travel rations and sets to with gusto. While they are eating, James spies Ahlim, the ‘caravansary master’ walking off in the distance. He watches as he greets another caravan and scores some more coin. He just shakes his head and chuckles to himself, able to see the humor of it when it’s not happening to himself.

The two lads who will be driving the other wagons stay off by themselves, apparently having brought their own provisions.

During the meal, Delia asks him, “Weren’t we planning on hiring guards?”

Having totally forgotten about it but trying to hide the fact, he says, “We sure are. Roland and I were going to go back into town after dinner and hire some.” He looks over to Roland and asks, “Right?”

With a slightly confused look on his face, Roland says, “Uh, right.”

“How many do you think we’ll need?” Jiron asks.

“Maybe eight or ten,” James guesses, “depends on how much they’ll be.” Finishing his meal, he stands up and says to Roland, “If you’re ready, let’s go.”

Roland gets up, gives Ezra and Arkie a kiss goodbye and then joins James as he walks toward town.

“He forgot didn’t he?” Tinok asks Delia after they’ve moved out of earshot.

“Probably,” she agrees as she watches them walking back to town.

On their way, James asks Roland, “Where do you think would be the best place to hire some?”

“There’s usually a guildhall or some other place where merchants contract for guards,” he explains. “We just have to know where to look, or who to ask.”

After they enter town, they walk down the main thoroughfare until Roland sees one of the city’s guards on patrol. He goes over to him and after a brief discussion, comes back to James and says, “He says that if we continue down the road, we’ll come across the merchant’s guild where we’ll be able to hire guards.”

“Great,” he replies as they hurry down the road.

After several blocks, they see a three story building coming up on their right. It stands a floor taller than any other building near it, and its imposing architecture can only mean this is the merchant’s guild. Stepping up to the door, they open it and enter a room decorated to impress those who enter. Expensive rugs, statues spaced around the room and finely carved furniture all say, money.

Several people are seated in plush chairs, sharing some kind of drink as they converse. One man, whose attire shows him to be a servant, comes over to them after they enter and says something, at which Roland replies. He says something again and then turns to cross the room, exiting through a side door.

James looks to Roland, who explains, “Apparently, only members are allowed within here and only members are allowed to hire guards from here as well.”

“Where did he go?” James asks.

“He went to get his superior,” he replies. “Perhaps we could join the guild in order to hire some guards?”

“Maybe,” says James, dubious at the prospect.

They wait only a moment before the door opens again and a man emerges, dressed similar to the first one except this one’s clothes are of much finer quality. Seeing them standing there, he comes over to them. He addresses Roland again and then they begin a conversation.

Frustrated, James can only stand there and wait for the translation.

The other man pauses while Roland turns to James and says, “It’s unlikely that we’ll be able to join. You must be either a partner of a current member, be referred by a member, or over time be invited to join based on your successes as a merchant.”

“So what do we do?” he asks Roland.