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When I'm finished listening I'm led into the next chamber by a servant. Cicerius is waiting for me. He is no more friendly than before. The fact that the Princess thinks I can help her doesn't make him any keener on me. Cicerius is not known for his affability. Despite his unparalleled reputation for honesty he is commonly regarded as a rather distant and austere man. Senators rarely hobnob with commoners like myself, and Praetors never do, except when they need their votes. #2 | | |
As I enter he is in animated conversation with a younger man whom I recognise as his son, Cerius. The Praetor sees me enter but does not acknowledge my presence so I sit down heavily and wait for him to finish. I'm tired and want to go home and sleep. Damned Princess. #3 | | |
Finally Cicerius turns to me. "I trust your interview was satisfactory." #4 | | |
"Very satisfactory," I brag. "The Princess knows I'm number one chariot when it comes to investigating so she's decided to put the whole affair in the hands of a man who can get things done. Smart woman, the Princess." #5 | | |
Cicerius fixes me with a hostile gaze. He is famous for his oratory and advocacy in the law courts. Part of his considerable armoury while making speeches is his range of facial expression, and the expression he wears when looking at me speaks volumes, rather like a man peering at a rat crawling out of a sewer. No way to behave when he's trying to be elected to a public post, I would've thought, but I suppose he doesn't care too much about my vote. #6 | | |
If I am to help the Princess I'll need Cicerius to open a few doors for me. While we are discussing arrangements, we are interrupted by the arrival of a Captain from Palace Security. #7 | | |
"Praetor Cicerius," he says, "I have a warrant here for the arrest of your son, Cerius." #8 | | |
The Praetor masks his outrage, and demands quite coldly to know the reason why. #9 | | |
"A charge of importing dwa," says the Captain. He shows Cicerius and Cerius his warrant then puts his hand on Cerius's shoulder. Cicerius is left speechless as his son is led away. It's a cruel stroke and a well-timed one by his rival Rittius. Praetor Cicerius has just lost his family and the election at the same time. #10 | | |
I walk up to him. "Hire me," I say. "I'll help your son." #11 | | |
Cicerius glares at me with increasing loathing before marching swiftly out of the room. #12 | | |
"Only trying to help," I say to the servant as he guides me out. #13 | | |
It's around two in the morning when I arrive back at the Avenging Axe. I'm fairly sober, sober enough to avoid stepping on the drunks and desolates who litter the night-time streets, or tripping over the wreckage that's still piled up after the riot. I have a headache. I'm tired. I can't stand any more aggravation. When I reach my room it has again been wrecked. #14 | | |
I stare at the incredible mess with dumb fury. Every piece of furniture has been reduced to matchwood and everything I own is strewn over the floor. Who is behind this? Whoever it is I swear an oath to run them through and dance on their remains. #15 | | |
Makri's a light sleeper. She's woken by my cursing and appears with a sword in her hand. She's naked. #16 | | |
"Shouldn't you get dressed before you challenge intruders?" #17 | | |
"What for? They'd be dead before they noticed I wasn't wearing anything. What's going on?" #18 | | |
"My room's been wrecked again," I say, needlessly. Makri offers me the use of her couch. I shake my head. #19 | | |
"I wasn't planning on sleeping yet. I'm still working. And I need you to come and speak Orcish. #20 | | |
Cicerius has arranged for me to see the dragonkeeper." #21 | | |
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"Has to be. If things get any worse for Cicerius he might not have enough influence to even get me into the zoo." #23 | | |
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"His son just got arrested for dealing dwa. But that's his problem, he doesn't want any help from me. I'm working for the Princess again. I'll explain on the way." #25 | | |
Makri nods, and departs to get dressed. She loads up with weapons and I don't object. On our way back to the Palace I fill her in with the details. #26 | | |
"Princess Du-Akai claims she's innocent. She admits she was going to cut open the dragon to get the Red Elvish Cloth. Which is why she wanted the sleep spell originally. I asked her if she'd got the spell back but she denied it. That's why she had the dwa, to try drugging the beast. Anyway, someone beat her to it. So when the King and his retinue walked in and found her and Strongman Brex standing beside the dead dragon with an axe and a big bag of dwa it naturally looked suspicious." #27 | | |
"Naturally. Where did she get the dwa?" #28 | | |
"She stole it from the apartments of her brother Prince Frisen-Akan, though she didn't tell the King that. He doesn't know what a degenerate his oldest son is. I reckon the King might have tried to hush it up about her killing the dragon but Senator Lodius was there on official business. Naturally he started raising a scandal right away." #29 | | |
"So what are we going to do?" #30 | | |
"Find out who really killed the dragon before the Princess is dragged in front of the special Royal Judiciary and sentenced to life in a nunnery. You see I was right about the Elvish Cloth, Makri, even if no one else realises. It was inside the dragon. Find that and we'll find the killer. Maybe the killer of Attilan as well." #31 | | |
"Are you hired for that?" #32 | | |
"Not exactly. But Turai badly needs to produce a culprit. Nioj is raising hell about it. Cicerius agreed that a reward would be forthcoming if I cleared the matter up. Praetor Cicerius is a pillar of the establishment, or was till his son was arrested. He's as cold as an Orc's heart but he's also one of the few men in Turai I'd trust. Incidently, he regards me as the scum of the earth. Just his bad luck I'm the only one who can help the Princess. Mind you, I'm not entirely sure the Princess didn't kill Attilan, or have him killed. She was having an affair with him. That's how she learned about the stolen Cloth and Attilan's plan to intercept it for Nioj. Attilan had heard about it from a Niojan agent who was spying on the Orcish Ambassador. The Orcs initiated the whole thing. They hired Glixius Dragon Killer to steal the Cloth and load it into the dragon so they could ship it home later. Who else knew about all this I'm not sure, but it's a safe bet others learned of it. Turai is a hard place to keep a secret, especially in diplomatic circles, with Sorcerers prying everywhere. Anyway Attilan bribed the dragonkeeper to let him have an Orcish spell for putting the dragon to sleep so he could recover the Cloth. Princess Du-Akai decided it would be a good idea if she did it instead, which is why she sent me to recover the box with that phoney story about the love letters. Which is where we came in, more or less. I guess whoever ended up with the spell took the opportunity of the Royal Family all being at their religious ceremony to sneak into the zoo and do the deed. I've no idea who it was though. Not many people have access to the private zoo at that time of day. Diplomats mainly. There again, the Brotherhood and the Society of Friends are quite capable of bribing their way anywhere." #33 | | |
"How did the Assassins get involved?" #34 | | |
I shrug. That's a loose end I'm far from tying up. Why Hanama wanted the Cloth is a mystery. But it is never easy to interpret the actions or motives of the Assassins. As far as I am aware they never hire out their services for any purpose except murder, but who knows? Maybe they've taken up investigating as a sideline. #35 | | |
"I can't see an Assassin like Hanama wanting to be an Investigator," says Makri. #36 | | |
"Why not? It's better than rowing a slave galley." #37 | | |
We're now almost at the Palace. Makri has digested everything I've said, as she always does, being a smart woman, but she does wonder why the Princess wanted the Elvish Cloth in the first place. #38 | | |
"She wouldn't tell me, even in private. Maybe she was acting from patriotic motives, to prevent the Orcs or the Niojans getting it. More likely, knowing our Royal Family, she's got secret gambling debts and needed the money. Probably planned to sell it to the Orcs herself." #39 | | |
"So who are you finding it for now? The Elves or the Princess?" #40 | | |
"I'm finding the Cloth for the Elves. And I'm clearing the Princess of dragon murder." #41 | | |
"You'll get confused." #42 | | |
"Confused? Me? When it comes to multiple investigations I'm sharp as an Elf's ear. Anyway, I need the money." #43 | | |
The landus enters the Palace gates. #44 | | |
"Time to meet an Orc," I say to Makri. "Keep your sword in its sheath, I need to hear what he's got to say." #45 | | |
