Raymond Feist - Shadow of a Dark Queen

He saw Erik from across the room and quickly came through the crowded commons to where his friend sat. Nodding with as much deference as he could muster to the Baron’s Swordmaster, he said, ‘Master Greylock, they need you over at the Peacock, sir.’

Owen threw a quick glance at Erik. His expression betrayed his worry. It couldn’t be good news. He stood, said a quick good-bye, and left. Roo took his place. Nathan said, ‘You a squire these days, Roo?’

Roo made a face as if that remark put a bad taste in his mouth. ‘I was hanging around the fountain by the Growers’ and Vintners’ Hall and a soldier came out and told all of us to spread out and look for the Swordmaster and fetch him to the Peacock’s Tail. So I told the other lads I’d come here.’

Erik smiled. ‘I was hoping you’d come by tonight.’

‘I would have been here sooner, but Gwen was at the fountain and …’

Erik shook his head. ‘So you’re back in her favor once again?’

‘Trying to be,’ said Roo.

Nathan said, ‘How’d you like to apprentice at the forge, Roo?’

It was a joke, and they all knew it, but Roo still said, ‘What, me get all dirty and grimy? You get your hands callused, and the horses step on your feet! Not on your life. I have plans.’

Erik smiled, but Nathan said, ‘Really? What sort of plans?’

Roo glanced around the room, as if fearing to be overheard. ‘There are ways to make a living that have nothing to do with guilds and apprenticeships, friend smith.’

Nathan’s brow furrowed. ‘You’re going to end up in jail, Roo.’

Roo put up his hands as if protesting innocence. ‘No, nothing dodgy, I swear. It’s just my father has been hauling enough from Krondor up to here that I’m getting pretty good at nosing out what the markets are for different things. I’ve saved a little money, and I’m going to invest it in a cargo one of these days.’

Nathan appeared impressed. ‘A shipping concern?’

‘There are syndicates in Krondor and Salador that routinely underwrite the cost of freight hauls from one city to another, or cargoes for ships bound to distant ports. They have subscribers and return nice profits on their investments.’

Nathan nodded. ‘True, but there’s risk as well. If a cargo isn’t delivered on time, your profit can vanish. Worse, if bandits take the caravan, or the ship sinks, you lose everything.’

Roo looked as if this would never happen. ‘I plan on starting small and building up my capital for a few years.’

‘What do you plan on doing to eat and put a roof over your head while you invest in these ventures?’ asked Nathan.

Roo said, ‘Well, I haven’t quite worked that out, but –’

‘How much capital have you, Roo?’ interrupted Nathan.

‘On to thirty golden sovereigns,’ he said proudly.

Nathan was impressed. ‘Quite a beginning. I think I’ll forbear asking how you’ve managed to amass such a young fortune, and’ – he turned to Erik – ‘I suggest you get back to the forge and keep out of sight. When the coach comes in the morning is time enough for your good-byes. If Master Greylock needs another word with you, I’ll send him to you.’

Erik nodded and rose. Roo followed him. The two youngsters passed from the crowded common room to the kitchen, where Rosalyn was hurrying to carry a large platter of steaming greens out to the soldiers. Freida worked feverishly over her stew as if it were just another busy night at the inn and not her last in the home of her birth.

Erik walked outside with Roo, and as he passed the corral, the horses there wandered over to investigate the two boys. Erik inspected their legs out of habit. ‘Milo will need to order up hay tomorrow,’ he muttered to Roo as he slowly walked along the fence. ‘This lot will have eaten the entire contents of the loft by the time they’ve gone.’

Roo turned and faced Erik while they were walking. He seemed to half skip, half dance to keep from tripping while walking backwards. ‘Erik, let me come with you.’

Erik said, ‘Why would you want to come with me?’

‘Look, you’re the only real friend I’ve got here, and I’ve got no trade. I wasn’t joking about joining a syndicate. I can get a job in Krondor and invest my money until I’m rich. Once you get to Krondor, you’ll see there are better things to do than return to apprenticeship.’

Erik laughed, and stopped, so Roo wouldn’t have to continue his backward walk. ‘What about your father?’

‘He’d just as soon be rid of me as not,’ Roo said with bitterness. ‘The bastard hasn’t had a kind word for me since Mum died.’ Suddenly, as if by magic, a dagger appeared in Roo’s hand, then equally suddenly he returned it to inside his loose shirt. ‘I can take care of myself if I need to. Now, let me come along.’

Erik said, ‘I’ll talk to Mother. She’s not likely to offer any encouragement.’

‘You’ll talk her into it.’

‘Well, assume I do, you need to get your things together and have some copper to pay the coach.’

‘Everything I have is in a bundle at my father’s. I’ll run and get it.’

Erik shook his head and watched Roo run off into the night. He glanced around, suddenly feeling melancholy. This would be his last night under the barn roof. It was a poor lodging by any measure; occasionally leaky, drafty, and offering too little protection from winter’s cold and summer’s heat, but it was home. And he’d miss Milo and Rosalyn.

As he returned to his place in the loft, Erik thought of Rosalyn, pretty, but not teasing as Gwen and some of the other girls were. His feelings for her were often tempered by his sense of family. She was the sister of his heart, if not by blood, and while he was as interested in girls as any boy his age, something about Rosalyn made him uneasy. In many ways he’d miss her most of all.

Tired from the long day’s work and from worry, Erik quickly dozed off, only to be startled awake by a sudden feeling of panic. He sat up and looked around the dark barn loft. Unseen enemies were hovering nearby. The sound of men talking carried from the inn, and the horses in the corral and barn snorted. Erik rolled over on his side, head on his arm, thinking about the strange feeling of danger that had suddenly come upon him.

He closed his eyes and again saw Rosalyn’s face. He would miss her, and Milo, and Nathan. Soon he was dozing again. Before he lapsed into a deep sleep, he dreamed he heard Rosalyn gently calling his name.

‘Erik!’

Erik came awake with a start as a hand shook his shoulder. He had been hard asleep, in a deep numbing slumber of emotional exhaustion, and he couldn’t quite get his bearings.

‘Erik!’ Roo’s voice cut through the gloom, and Erik looked up into his friend’s face. Roo was dressed as he had been earlier, but he wore a travel bundle tied around one shoulder, slung over his back.

‘What is it?’

‘You’d better come quick. Down by the fountain. Rosalyn.’

Erik half leaped down the ladder, Roo scampering down after him as fast as he could. Erik sprinted past the corral of horses and, as he approached the inn, could hear the voices from within. ‘What time is it?’

‘Nine of the clock was the last call. Half past that, I think.’

Erik knew that with this many soldiers in town, some of the town girls would be down at the fountain. But Rosalyn was certainly not likely to be one of them.

‘What happened?’

‘I don’t know,’ answered Roo. ‘Gwen can tell you.’

Erik ran through the streets until he came to the fountain, where a group of three young off-duty soldiers were attempting to impress the local girls with tales of their heroics. But the expression on Gwen’s face as he saw it in the lantern light showed that all thoughts of harmless flirtation were gone. She looked very worried.