Mossy stone paths winding through the lower side of Windgrad made up what was known as The Old City. The buildings had less pattern in their placement and style, giving the look that the farthest section of the western half of the city had been constructed with little to no plan. If you were to take a man to four different spots, blindfolding him between each location, he would think he had been to four different kingdoms. The whole of the location gave Noah a claustrophobic anxiousness as he followed Thomas down cracked steps, around narrow bends, and down dark alleys.
The man in red armor did little to slow his pace, and never once looked over his shoulder to check if the two outsiders had managed to keep pace. Instead, he only shifted his eyes to dark corners and open windows, pausing only to check around the next turn before moving on. Noah frequently followed the man's gaze, but saw nothing where he looked. Only wet stone and speckled moss growing in the city's shadow.
"Thomas, what about-"
"Not now my friend." His companion's voice was anything but stern. The tone of a man who was simply happy to be traveling through the world, a smile on his face was what came from Thomas's mouth. "Save it for when we are less mobile." Noah understood the hint. While he had not been able to notice any eyes watching, it would be likely that someone would see the two turban wearing men following the soldier through the city. Spy or not, if those eyes were to be questioned, they would tell all. Best to stand out as little as possible, he thought, and that meant making no idle talk.
To say that Noah felt no pride in understanding this unspoken wisdom from his leader, would have been a lie. Indeed, he found it difficult to not let a hint of a smile grow on his lips. Ever since their conversation at the campfire, on the edge of the woods, he had begun to feel himself growing in his understanding of the world. More specifically, growing in learning how to deal with the world, as Thomas had instructed.
For several more minutes, they were led through the Old City. Though he managed not to speak, Noah felt himself growing frustrated at the strange route they were being taken down. It felt as though there was no logic to it, and he suspected they might even be being brought to some sort of trap. He gave a side glance to Thomas, and felt his heart skip at the man returning the look. He was thinking the same thing too.
The confidence just gained now failed him. Did Thomas have a plan? Was he going to find a way to communicate that to him, or did he expect his helper to simply intuit the information?
For another minute they followed, then Thomas made a motion with his hand that one might use to slow down an animal. They both dropped their pace a bit, giving space between themselves and the red soldier. Noah glanced about at potential routes of escape, but quickly realized that he did not know the city well enough to even know which way the center road might be. If this man was truly leading them anywhere, then based on his speed of path choosing, he was an expert in the layout of Windgrad. We wouldn't be able to get away from him if we had an hour head start, Noah thought.
"Here we are." The abruptness of the soldier's halting made both men skid on their heels. He turned and looked at them, hand on his sword hilt. "Get inside." They looked above him. A wooden sign hanging on rusty chains swung in the chilled air. Its faded paint showed a pine cone between two red berries. Pineberry Inn was lettered in black writing below.
Noah looked about. Drunks stumbled about the street the three had landed on, and the scent of urine paired with the mustiness of the Old City overpowered his senses and made his eyes water. A woman, half naked in spite of the now freezing weather, called longing to the men. Noah brought his hand up to cover his mouth as he felt a gagging sensation building within him.
The outside of the building itself was little to write home about. A simple two story stone structure, with wooden shutters covering its little windows. Steps led down to an open door revealing mostly darkness within, save for a little flicker of candlelight.
"You cannot be serious." Noah hissed the words through his clamped fingers.
"Shut your mouth boy. You're lucky I am doing this at all. Now, get in."
"Come on." Thomas wasted no more time, and walked down into the inn. The soldier looked at Noah, and made a mocking gesture of a servant making way for his betters.
"After you, sir." Noah gagged, fighting back the vomit making its way up his throat, and followed his companion. The frozen moist world of the Old City melted away as they entered, and a warm dark room opened before Noah. He looked about, eyes slowly adjusting to his surroundings.
Candles burned and dripped wax as they sat on their wall holders, giving the room some minimal light as the fire upon the far wall had long since burned to embers. Five long tables were evenly spaced through the rectangular room, their wood warped and chipped away by years of abusive customers. Men of a less than reputable sort sat at them, never too close to one another in their choice of placement. Noah spied more than one, giving him a piercing glance from under their caps. Each time it gave him the urge to turn and leave.
"Need a room for two." The soldier spoke plainly to the man behind the counter, who returned his enthusiasm by not looking up from the wooden figure he whittled away at.
"Money first." The soldier rolled his eyes and looked over at Thomas, who promptly dropped two copper pieces on the counter. The man reached under the counter and produced a key for him. "Top floor, last door on the right. Lovely view." Thomas and the soldier moved on, making their way to the staircase, but Noah found himself looking at the carving in the man's hand. A simple piece in the likeness of a fish. Noah noted its mouth was made to be smiling. "Need something, boy?" He looked up at Noah, and his hand gripped his carving knife.
"Oh, eh, no. Sorry, just looking."
"Better to do your looking somewhere else."
"Come on." Thomas stood at the foot of the stairs. Noah nodded to the man apologetically before turning and marching briskly over to his companion. They ascended the creaky dark staircase to the second floor. "What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing. Sorry."
"Stay focused, alright."
The three made their way through the narrow halls, only lit by the light coming through the little windows, and found their way into the room. The place stank of something Noah could only compare to fish. The two beds were adorned with bedding that looked stained in the low light, and the little desk below the window acted as the only other piece of furniture to bring the room together. Noah felt he would have rather slept on the streets, but then thought better of it when he remembered the men and women he had seen prowling them, only moments before.
"You two make yourselves at home." The soldier chuckled. "I'll go get you some clothes to change into."
"Hold it." The soldier stopped at the door, and turned back. Thomas walked over to him, eyeing the older man up and down. He stopped inches from him. Noah held his breath, feeling the tension suddenly rise between them out of the blue, from his perspective. Then Thomas smiled, and held out five copper pieces. "Get what you can with this, and I will match it for your pay when you return. After that, I will have a few more things I would like you to bring me." He held the coins up between his pinched fingers. The soldier took them cautiously. "Remember, my eyes are always watching. Even in this city. But you already knew that." The man scoffed and turned once more. "Oh, and I'll have your name, friend." He stopped with his hand on the door handle, but did not turn to answer.
"Lewis." The word hissed out. "And you'd better watch that smugness. Eyes or not, they won't be able to intervene when I'm this close to you. Not even the king himself could." With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
"Noted."
Thomas turned, and walked over to the bed nearest the window. Taking the bag from his shoulder and placing it upon the mattress, he began unpacking things until he found a paper and charcoal piece. Walking over to the desk, he scribbled a list upon it, using the pale window light to see.
"Start unpacking. We don't have any time to rest now." Noah groaned at this, hoping that he would finally be able to at least sit for a moment. "Hey, stop that. I need you sharp. We aren't here to complain."
"Sorry." He walked over to his bed and began unpacking what little he had. "What exactly is our next move?" Thomas continued writing.
"Once our new friend Lewis is back, I will have him get us this list. Then, once we have all that we need, we can really get to work here." He thought for a moment, then wrote more. "No more travel for us, Noah. Not for some time. The game is only to be played here. And here we will either find the one who hired Giles and stop them." He trailed off, and Noah turned to look at him.
"Or what?"
"Hmm? Oh, or they find us. Which most likely means we will die."
"Wonderful news. To die in such a noble place as this," He looked about at the mold growing on the ceiling. "Truly a death for the scrolls." He looked down at the clothes he wore, and remembered Rebbi. "Dangerous game you played there at the gate. How did you know that Lewis would take us in?"
"I didn't, of course. Sometimes you need to learn how to spot opportunity when it shows itself. They even took two men to question. Talk about luck. Should buy us more time, if we swing it right." Noah nodded.
"Right. And how do we plan on getting them out of prison?" Thomas wrote for a moment more before stopping.
"What?"
"I said, how do we get them out of prison, Thomas. The two men the soldiers took from Solomon's family." Noah felt his tone rising with each word.
"We don't. Can't take the risk of getting involved in that." Noah turned and looked at him.
"So, you mean that we are just going to let them stay there? Aren't they considered traitors? They will be executed."
"Only if they confess to crimes they did not do."
"What if that is not enough? They might die, Thomas." Thomas stopped writing, and turned to Noah, a confused look on his face. He looked hard at the young man, eventually letting out a sigh.
"Noah, they are not something we can afford to become involved with anymore."
"You certainly let them help us fast enough. They were something to get involved in then."
"Something I am grateful for, but nothing more than a necessity."
"You're nothing like Elias." Thomas stood up, knocking the chair over.
"Do not talk to me about things you do not understand, boy." He started taking slow steps over to Noah. "You were not there. You did not see the fires covering the world and the bodies sailing red down the rivers. Never have you seen what the soldiers could do to people, armed or not." He had closed the distance, and a mock smile spread upon his lips. "You read about the war in your books, did you?" Noah nodded. His mouth went dry. Thomas nodded along with him. "Yes, you read about it." Abruptly, he seized the youth by his collar and drew him in close. "Well, let me tell you something, within the next month, you will be seeing it with your own eyes unless we do something here and now. You will get the chance to see the smoke and hear the screams all across Tovoran, firsthand. Who knows, maybe you might get to cause some of them yourself." He threw Noah back onto the bed. Thomas wiped away some spittle that had come from his mouth as he panted heavily. "You're right. I am not like Elias. We don't have men like him anymore. No men willing to do the impossible. Instead, you have me. And I have enough on my shoulders without the silly moral conflicts such as if two Outlanders get put in a cell for a few days." With that, he picked up the chair and went back to writing.
The two sat in silence for some time, Noah not rising from the bed. He felt his vision of their situation had really been laid more bare than ever. His stomach felt alive with knots, and a deep regret came over him at his harsh words.
"What about Solomon?" He said in a low tone.
"What about him?"
"What if he retaliates?"
"He won't. I know how these religious types think. Their moral code is far too strong to let them act on those types of things. Give them the chance to feel morally superior and they will go about their way happy as any man." He talked over his shoulder. "You would fit right in with them." Noah clenched his jaw and went back to unpacking. Then Thomas spoke up again.
"But, just in case, try to avoid them when I send you out. Don't want to chance it." Noah turned to him once more.
"When you send me out?"
"There are two potentials I have picked out as the one who hired Giles. I need someone to be a pair of eyes working directly with me. I won't compromise my spies here, and no one other than Lewis and Solomon's people know you here." He spoke over his shoulder again. "What? You thought you were going to be hiding in here with me the whole time?"