Brian Pratt - The unsuspecting mage

The guard looks bored, as if he has already asked this question a thousand times today.

“My name is James,” he explains. “I am just passing through, though I plan on staying the night at the Flying Swan. Maybe a day or two at the most.”

The guard nods his head, makes a quick notation on a piece of paper, and then waves James on through.

Once through, he finds merchant stalls lining the street, each with a loud proprietor trying to entice people entering the city to buy their goods. Some people occasionally stop to inspect the goods offered while others pointedly ignore them as they attempt to get by without being hassled.

Several street boys come up to James, each pitching some business or other where they could take him.

“Come with me sir, I can take you to the prettiest girls in town,” one lad offers.

“His girls are the ugliest,” yells another. “Come to Banif’s and you’ll see the best.”

Holding up his hand for quiet, James asks “Can one of you take me to the Flying Swan?”

Several hands fly into the air and he points to one of about thirteen. The boy heads off with James following close behind.

The boy takes him down several streets and then heads west, crossing over the big bridge that he saw earlier. The boy occasionally glances back to make sure that he hasn’t lost him. They finally arrive at a building bearing a colorful sign depicting a white swan in flight over a lake. The boy stops in front of the Flying Swan and says, “Here you are, sir.”

James reaches into his pouch and takes out two coppers and tosses them to the boy. Catching the coins out of the air, the boy seems satisfied. “Do you need more help sir?” asks the boy.

“Not right now and thank you for your help,” he replies.

“If you ever have need of a guide while you’re here, come to the gate where we met,” says the boy. “My name is Miko.”

James considers the offer and says, “Maybe tomorrow morning you could come here. I have a few things I need and maybe you could help me find what I require?”

Smiling, the boy replies, “Ok! I’ll be here, bright and early.”

“I’ll see you then, Miko,” says James.

The boy turns and scampers back into the crowd. In a flash he is gone.

Nice boy, James thinks to himself. He ties up his horse to the hitching post and walks into the Flying Swan.

The Flying Swan turns out to be a nice, clean place. In fact, it’s the best he’s seen so far since coming to this world. Upon entering he can readily tell that it’s a cut above the Bend in the River, the inn where he stayed the night before. Curtains drape the windows and candelabra hang from the ceiling. Each table is draped with a clean white tablecloth and the employees present a neat, tidy appearance. One of them, a man in his middle years and dressed slightly better than the rest, sees him enter and moves toward him.

“Welcome to the Flying Swan good sir,” he says with a warm and friendly smile.

“Thank you,” replies James. “I met a traveler on the road and she said this would be a good place to stay while I am in Bearn.”

“Of course, of course, the reputation of the Flying Swan is well deserved.” Smiling broader he says, “And who might I thank for such a good recommendation?”

“A lady trader by the name of Celienda,” James explains.

“Ah, little Celienda,” he replies. “Yes, I know her and her father well. They are old and dear friends. How were they when you last saw them?”

“They were well and she said to tell Jillian that she sends her wishes,” he tells him.

“I am Jillian and I appreciate the deliverance of her message” replies the man. “We do have several nice rooms available. The ones on the bottom floor go for a silver a night and the ones on the second floor are a silver and three coppers.”

“A room on the second floor would be perfect,” he relied. “Perhaps one with a window overlooking the river?”

“I have one that would suit you. Do you have a steed as well?” he asks.

“Yes I do. He’s out front,” replies James.

Motioning for a lad of about fourteen years to come over, Jillian says to James, “Elren will take you and your horse to the stables out back. It’s another three coppers a night for your horse, but that does include grain.”

“That will be fine.” Turning toward Elren, he gives the lad a nod.

Elren returns James’ nod with a slight one of his own and then precedes him out the front door.

As James turns to follow, Jillian says, “When your horse is settled in nicely, come back inside and I’ll have someone show you to your room.”

Nodding his understanding, James follows Elren outside where he unties his horse and follows the lad around back through a gate, into an enclosed rear courtyard. “We lock the gate at night to prevent thieves from making off with the horses,” he explains. “I sleep in the rear of the stable for added security.”

“Thieving a problem in Bearn?” asks James.

“No, not really,” replies the lad. “But why take chances.”

The stables are just as nice and well kept as was the inn. The lad leads James to the stall for his horse and assists him with removing the saddle and tack. The lad then produces a pail of grain for the horse and starts to brush out his coat. Seeing that his horse will be in good hands, James returns to the inn to find Jillian who gives him a key on a chain with the number ten engraved in a small, iron disc attached to it.

Waving over a small boy, Jillian has him show James to his room.

“Follow me sir,” the boy says as he takes James’ bags. The boy walks over to the stairs and leads him to the second floor. The first door on the right off the stairs is number ten. The boy opens it and precedes James into the room then stops and holds the door open for him as he enters.

Once James is in the room, the boy sits the bags on the floor and turns toward James, waiting expectantly.

Realizing a tip is expected, he digs out a copper and gives it to the boy saying, “Thank you.”

“Will there be anything else I can help you with?” the boy asks as he pockets the coin.

“What time is dinner?” he inquires.

“There is always something available,” the boy explains. “The full menu is available an hour before sunset until late.”

“Thank you,” says James.

The boy nods and walks out of the room, closing the door as he leaves.

The room is much nicer than the one in which he spent the night before. He’s pleased to note there are two windows, one in the wall opposite the door and another in the wall to the right which overlooks the river. The bed is larger than the one from last night and when he sits on it, finds it softer as well.

There’s a table with two chairs, a nightstand and a picture of a swan in flight on the wall. There is also an upright closet with two doors along the left wall. James opens the doors and finds a rod with several hangers available. He puts his bags in the closet then lies down on the bed. Tired from his journey, his eyes quickly close and he nods off for a little nap before dinner.

Music coming from downstairs draws him from a particularly nostalgic dream of home. The sun’s gone down already and the room is dark, with some light coming in through the windows from the moon above and lamps along the street. He feels very relaxed but the grumbling of his stomach will not be denied. With the music coming through the floorboards, he gets up and makes his way carefully through the darkened room to the door.

Out in the hallway there is but a single candle positioned in the middle of the hallway to ward off the dark, its light barely reaching the door to James’ room. Removing the key from his pocket, he closes the door and locks it. He then puts the key in an inner pocket before going down the stairs to the well lit, crowded dinning area.