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  It was midday and they were close to the city when they came upon Nesbra's other wagon. The two men, who had been sent ahead with the wagon, had one of the horses unhitched and were inspecting the horse's hooves. Upon catching sight of the wagon, Nesbra let loose with a stream of vindictive curses. She tossed the reins to Ned, who barely caught them, snatched up a whip and jumped down off the wagon. She took off running towards the other wagon, her face a mask of rage.

  Unsure of what to do, Per stayed with his group as they ambled up to the other wagon. Nesbra was yelling and shrieking at the two men, who seemed to be trying to explain things to her, but could not get a word in edgewise. As Per rode up, Nesbra threw her whip to the ground and stalked over to him.

  "The damned horse threw a damned shoe and these damned idiots don't have another damned shoe in the entire damned wagon!" cursed Nesbra. "It was supposed to be in the damned city yesterday morning!"

  "Do you have another shoe?" asked Per.

  "Yes!" snarled Nesbra. "In my damned wagon!" She then forced herself to settle down. "I'm sorry. I have to get this load to the city now."

  "Change horses," advised Ned from behind them.

  Nesbra's eyes widened. "Of course. Per, I know I'm asking a lot, but would you stay with Ned while he shoes the horse and I go ahead with the other wagon? I might still be able to salvage something."

  Per remembered Alana's words. "Sure, we'll meet in the city."

  "Thanks," she said as she started to unbuckle the traces. It took on a couple of minutes to change the horses around. Nesbra climbed up on the wagon and shook the reins. As it started to rattle off towards Cific, she looked back and yelled, "Meet me at the Green Goose."

  As the wagon disappeared from sight, Per walked nonchalantly over to Ned and knocked him unconscious with a sharp blow behind the ear. He fell, Per caught him and eased him to the ground as the others came running up.

  "Why the hell did you do that?" yelled Pawl, not understanding the sudden turn of events.

  Per ignored him and turned to Alana. "How much trouble are we in with this wagon?" he asked her.

  "Oh, plenty," she replied.

  "Alright, everyone listen," said Per. "If we're caught with this wagon, we'll be in serious trouble, trouble we won't be able to get out of. I want all of you to go to the city. We'll meet at the Green Goose. Alana, you take Ned by yourself. He's probably known to be in Nesbra's hire. That will make you and him prime for being stopped and searched."

  "What are you going to do?" asked Octavia.

  "Drive the wagon in."

  "What? Are you insane?" asked Jagar. "If the wagon is bad news, let's leave it here and go about our business."

  "I promised I'd bring it in," said Per as he started to strip off his armor. "Trust me. Oh, and Karlto? Take good care of my gear. Now, be off with you."

  After the others had left, Per changed into peasant clothes and rolled around in the dirt to make them grubby. Climbing up on the seat, he cracked the whip and headed for Cific.

  * * * * *

  Later that evening, Nesbra and her men strode into the Green Goose to find Ned and the adventurers waiting at a table. She pulled up a chair. "Sorry I'm late, but negotiations took longer than expected. Ned, where's the wagon?"

  Ned turned hate-filled eyes on Alana. "We've been double-crossed. That ugly half-ogre knocked me out and took the wagon."

  Nesbra's face lost all of its congeniality and her voice turned deadly serious. "Is this true?"

  "No, it's not true," said a voice behind them. "I admit I'm no raving beauty, but I'm not ugly."

  "Per!" exclaimed Alana as he walked up towards their table. "Where have you been?"

  "I..." Per started, but he was cut off as a squad of soldiers burst into the room. They stood by all the exits, weapons drawn, as a plump, little man wearing expensive clothing and a haughty expression walked into the room. He looked over the now-silent crowd and spotted Nesbra. With a wave of his hand over his shoulder for the soldiers to follow him, he walked slowly over to her.

  "Hello, Nesbra," he said urbanely. "It's so nice to see you so soon and with new friends."

  "Inspector Cotta," said Nesbra. "It is always a pleasure to see you. Thankfully you won't be able to see me in the flesh here, though."

  "My dear Nesbra, that strip search was entirely necessary. We had received word that you were smuggling in a large shipment of goods. We did not know what type of goods, but I've see you've made new friends. Maybe they know about these goods."

  "They're a band of mercenaries looking for a job," said Nesbra. "We just met."

  "Come now, Nesbra," chided Cotta. "I just saw this large fellow drive up in a wagon or have mercenaries turned into teamsters now?"

  "Me drive wagon for her,' said Per, gutturally.

  Nesbra's head snapped around to glare at Per, but all she got in return was a dull stare and stupid expression. Cotta smiled broadly. "Brilliant, Nesbra, brilliant. You hired the village idiot to bring in your wagon, knowing we probably would not look too closely at it. Tell me, big fella, where did Nesbra hide the contraband in your wagon?"

  "Hide? Contraband?" asked Per with a puzzled look on his face as if he was confused by the words.

  "That's alright," said Cotta, patting him on the arm in a condescending manner. "We'll just take a look at those items on the wagon. Coming, Nesbra?"

  Everyone inside the inn trooped outside. This was something new and different for the customers, and definitely more exciting than listening to a friend's old story again. Most of the soldiers set up a perimeter around the wagon, while two of them unloaded it. Cotta inspected every item as it was removed from the wagon. Nesbra, under guard, could only look on.

  "A keg of dwarven ale with no tax stamp," muttered Cotta aloud, looking over the small barrel. "It'll have to be confiscated. Set it off to the side. Let's see what else is here."

  The unloading continued until every box and barrel was on the ground. Cotta and the soldiers then went over every inch of the wagon. They found two secret compartments and a false bottom, but they were all empty. Cotta got down off the wagon, brushing and straightening out his clothes.

  "Turning honest, Nesbra?" he asked as he approached her. Cotta looked over at the one small barrel he had seized. "No matter. The fine is five inanes for the ale."

  Nesbra dug into her purse and paid Cotta the fine. He bowed to her and left with the soldiers. The people from the inn drifted back inside as Nesbra, her men and Per reloaded the wagon.

  "Where is it?" she whispered to Per as they picked up a box together.

  "On the left side of the hayloft in the stable by the rear window," he whispered back.

  Nesbra jerked her head to Ned, who was standing nearby. He left to go check it out and returned with an affirmative nod of his head.

  "Why, Per?" asked Nesbra.

  "I am sorry about hitting you, Ned," he said, turning to the man next to her. "I figured you would be known to be in Nesbra's employ, but I don't think you would have agreed to my plan. Were you and Alana searched at the gate?"

  "Yeah, we were. They had all of our descriptions," replied Ned.

  "I thought it would be safer if I brought it in alone. I hid your items in case you were being shadowed. It appears I was right."

  "What do you want, Per?"

  "Nothing. I told you I would bring in your wagon. Of course if the items had been something other than the luxury goods that were there, the outcome would have been different."

  She nodded. "Go inside and have a drink, Per. I'll join you shortly."

  As he entered the inn, Per stopped behind door closed behind him and listened. He heard the reins slap against the horses' rumps and the wagon rattle off quickly down the street. He shook his head and smiled, and walked back into the common room to join his friends.

  "Well?" asked Karlto.

  "She's gone. Nesbra was smuggling luxury items without paying the tax or custom fee on them. She had cases of Virgon wine, two casks of Jorgan's pi
pe tobacco and Deuvian brandy. I hid the stuff in the stable before coming in. If we had been caught, the fines would have been enormous and we probably would have been imprisoned."

  "What about that dwarven ale?" asked Jagar.

  Per laughed. "You know, I don't think she was smuggling that in. I think it was a mistake on the barrel. Nesbra actually seemed surprised by it."

  "Well, you've got us out of another scrape, Per, but I'm off now," said Alana. "It's time for me to go. I hate long good-byes, so let's drink a toast and I'll leave."

  "To health, wealth and your happiness," intoned Per, raising his mug to Alana.

  "Here, here," echoed Karlto.

  They drank down the toast and Alana went around to everyone saying goodbye. She hugged Per, last of all.

  "Take care of yourself," she told him, misty-eyed and kissing him on the cheek. "If you need me, leave a message here at this inn and I'll get it."

  With that, Alana turned and walked out the door.

  Chapter 13: Rest And Recuperation

  The air was chill and the wind cutting as they approached Cific's temple of Adelpha. It was an impressive building. Although it was not as huge as the one in Tectin, the care and detail put into the three interconnected buildings made it appear to be magnificent. The three buildings comprised of the priests' quarters, the servants' quarters and the temple itself. Per and his three friends went up the steps and entered the main door of the temple. Just inside the door, they were greeted by a tall, handsome man wearing a red robe. Adelpha's symbol hung from his neck by a gold chain.

  "Per, I presume," he said in a deep, melodious voice, "And you must be Karlto, Pawl and the lovely Octavia. I am High Priest Bargan, I've been expecting you."

  "Adelpha told you we were coming?" asked Per.

  Bargan smiled. "No, I'm afraid my standing is not high enough to rate personal visits from the Divine One. You have to thank High Priestess Ivin for informing me of your impending arrival. She did add, cryptically, that I should take very good care of you and to tell you that she still has trouble sitting." Bargan raised an eyebrow at Per quizzically.

  "I'm sorry, Your Holiness," apologized Per. "You will have to get the particulars from either High Priestess Ivin or Adelpha herself. Let's just say that Ivin did something wrong and Adelpha chastised her for it."

  "Ah," muttered Bargan understandingly. "I think it would be best if the whole matter was dropped. Also, it's Bargan, not Your Holiness. Let's leave the mystical adoration to the followers of the temple, shall we?"

  "Agreed," said Per smiling back at Bargan. "Did Ivin tell you why..."

  He was cut off as the doors crashed open and two bodies came rolling in. Per shoved Bargan aside and jumped out of the way himself as the pair wrestled across the floor. Octavia, Karlto, and Pawl had backed up against a wall and all had their weapons out.

  Per found he had unconsciously pulled Dorgeth out of its scabbard and stood ready for battle. He took a closer look at the fighters, who were both were young women. One was dressed in chainmail with ash-blond hair flowing out from behind her helmet, the other was dressed in leather armor and had short brown hair.

  The girl in chainmail was on her back and had managed to get her legs between them. With a mighty shove of her legs, she pushed the girl off her. The brown-haired girl flew through the air only to crash loudly into the stone wall. She crumpled to the ground and laid there stunned. The girl in chainmail got to her feet and pulled a dagger out of her belt. Per started forward to stop her from harming the stunned girl.

  "Hold!" reverberated an imperative command from Bargan, freezing everyone in their place. The command seemed to echo throughout the entire building.

  Per's shove had knocked the priest to the ground in a tangle of robes, but Bargan had managed to get to his hands and knees to shout his command. Per sheathed his sword and stepped over to help the man to his feet.

  "I'm sorry," stammered Per. "I didn't mean to knock you down."

  "It's alright," soothed Bargan. "It's not your fault, it's theirs."

  "Put it away," he said, turning to the girl holding the dagger.

  "But..." she started to say.

  "Now!" roared Bargan.

  The girl flinched and hastily sheathed her dagger, as others came running. A cook covered in flour, two scholarly priests and several other people appeared, as well as two town guardsmen who appeared at the door, but did not enter the temple. They all looked over at Bargan.

  The priest stood still for a minute, rubbing his chin, and thinking. He turned and politely told the servants to go back to work. He apologized to the two priests for the disturbance and assured them that it would not happen again. One of the elderly priests cackled not to promise what you can't give, to which Bargan could only smile. He finally turned to the two guardsmen.

  "My apologies, but I believe this is Temple business," he told them.

  "Of course, Your Grace," said one of the guardsmen. "We will have to inform Captain Seke, though. Since there was no damage or harm done outside the temple, I believe he will leave the matter in your hands."

  "Thank you," said Bargan. "Please inform the captain I will see him tomorrow at midday to discuss the matter."

  "Yes, Your Grace."

  Bargan walked up to the altar of the temple and returned holding a chalice full of water. Without a flicker of remorse, he splashed the water full in the face of the girl wearing the leather armor. She sputtered and shook her head as she regained her senses. Without taking his eyes off the two girls, Bargan nonchalantly tossed the chalice to Per. He caught the heavy goblet and was shocked to see that is was made of solid gold and was encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

  "I am High Priest Bargan," he informed the two women standing in front of him. "You two have disrupted the temple's schedule, created a disturbance, and interrupted my counseling of these people."

  The girl in chainmail removed her helmet. Her face was lovely with long straight hair, deep blue eyes and full lips. She carefully looked over at Per and his friends, noting their dress and weapons.

  "Humph, anything troubling these guys wouldn't live long enough to be a bother, I should think," she said.

  The other girl snickered and Bargan's eyes flashed fire as he stepped forward quickly, putting his face inches away from the blond girl's nose. Per had guessed Bargan to be about 6'4" tall and he had to lean over to stare into the girl's eyes. The brown-haired girl stepped back a pace. She was slimmer and shorter than the other girl and had big doe-like brown eyes.

  "So, you want to make jokes," growled Bargan ominously. Per could see the girl's jaw clench in fear, but she was trying to put on a brave face. "You fancy yourself a warrior? Pah! I've seen school children who fight better!"

  Without moving his eyes, Bargan's hand shot out to the side to grip the brown-haired girl's throat. "Where do you think you are going? Well, girl, why did you burst in here?"

  "Sir, I was fighting her because she tried to steal from me," said the blond through clenched teeth.

  "Fighting? Is that what you call it?" scoffed Bargan. He turned to the brunette. "Girl, you pull that knife and I'll snap your neck. Drop it." The blade clunked to the floor. "Names?"

  "Cendri," said the blond.

  "Gedda," replied the brunette as Bargan released her.

  "Well, Cendri and Gedda, I told the guardsmen that I would deal with you. Here it is. You can join this group of stout adventurers, which probably means you'll die a quick and glorious death, or you can be an indentured servant here at the temple for the next year."

  Cendri looked at Gedda and Gedda looked back at Cendri. "I don't like either choice," said Cendri.

  "Neither do I," added Gedda.

  "Hmm, I'll give you a third choice," said Bargan thoughtfully. "A contest - the two of you against me as we are right now. If you cut me with even the slightest scratch, you both walk out of here free. Otherwise, you will join Per's company and obey his orders. Agreed?"

  "Agreed!" yell
ed Gedda as she dove towards her knife.

  She never made it as a snap kick from Bargan caught her full in the face and sent her flying backwards. Cendri got a grip on the hilt of her sword, but a backhanded slap from Bargan split her lip and spun her completely around.

  Cendri and Gedda both shook their heads to clear them of the shock of Bargan's attack. Gedda started to get up as Cendri pulled out her sword and turned to face Bargan. He had moved behind Gedda, whipping off the sash of his robe, and wrapped it around herneck. Cendri pranced left and right trying to find an opening for her sword, but Bargan, keeping a tight hold on his sash, swung Gedda around using her as a shield. Gedda, her fingers clawing at the sash, was choking and gasping for air. The priest easily swung her back and forth each time Cendri tried to thrust.

  Bargan finally took a step back and released his hold on the sash. Gedda crashed unconscious to the ground as Cendri smiled and yelled in triumph as she now had an opening to the priest. She thrust and her face took on a look of disbelief as he adroitly side-stepped her sword and whipped off his robe in a flap of red. The robe snapped around Cendri's head, blinding her completely. Bargan now dressed only in tight fitting black pants, skillfully kicked out her legs from underneath her. Cendri stayed airborne for only half-a-second before she landed on her back in a resounding crash.

  "Impressive," said Per with admiration as Bargan retrieved his robe and sash from the two unconscious girls.

  "One of the virtues of a misspent youth," said Bargan. He reached over and tugged on a bellpull. A manservant soon appeared. Bargan pointed at the two prone girls. "Rouse them and bring them to my study. Per, if you and the others will follow me, I have lunch prepared."

  "Thank you," said Per. "Your hospitality is boundless."

  "Not quite," corrected Bargan as he retrieved the gold chalice from Per and handed it to the manservant. "Ivin just told me to do what is in my power to make your stay comfortable. Was her... error... so very great?"