Missteps V.2

Chapter 29 – A Good Night's Sleep

"Two days! Two days in jail. You got off easy, I sincerely hope you realize that." Elaine stood on the other side of the jail cell bars as she berated the prisoner.

From where Carric was sitting, it didn't seem very easy. The cells were cold and wet, and he had a sneaky suspicion that the city's sewer system ran close by. The air smelled of wet dog, urine and other bodily fluids, and some other awful smells that he couldn't (and didn't want to) identify. At the end of the corridor were a few of the orcs from the night. The small group kept up a raucous roar.

Carric rubbed his eyes. "Don't forget that I was also fined fifty gold." He was more upset about the money than the confinement. "How'd the questioning go?"

"Fine. It was all pretty routine." The cleric sighed and her shoulders slumped. "Our summons had been sent to Xayoe, but the person they sent to deliver it had no idea who Xayoe was so they'd just handed it off to the first person they saw who said they were with the guild. Needless to say the message never got delivered. When I left, Kerri was still being questioned."

Kerri had been just outside the building when a bound Carric had been drug through the door. She'd wasted no time in demanding to know the situation. As soon as the guards found out who she was, she was quickly escorted with Elaine to Headquarters House.

Carric sighed. "Sorry for all the trouble."

She smiled. "You're forgiven. I was close to decking that guard myself, I just have more self-control."

"Where's Shomma now?"

"I got one of the guards to call Koe, and Koe took Shomma to their place for a check-up. After Kerri gets out of questioning we're going to head up to their place."

He nodded. "Good call. Are you two planning on staying in town to wait for me?"

"Of course, Kerri's already practicing her puppy eyes to get Koe to agree to put us up." Elaine laughed.

Carric hung his head. "Good luck with that, they made me sleep outside in a tent." He gestured to his cell. "Maybe they'll let me out early for good behavior?"

Elaine laughed. "If you'd been on good behavior before you wouldn't be down here."

"You're right." They shared another laugh. A guard approached Elaine.

"You're wanted upstairs." He informed her.

She sighed. "Sounds like they're done with Kerri. Want us to visit you tomorrow?"

Carric shook his head. "Nah, you two just focus on staying out of trouble. This isn't my first time in a jail cell."

"Alright then. See you in two days." Elaine left.

Carric sat in the dim light, in silence. When he was a teenager he often spent a night in jail as punishment for some juvenile prank. Since he'd started working for the town guards during the winter, he hadn't found cause to be on the wrong side of the law. Usually it'd be around this time of year that he'd be heading into town to hole up for the winter.

A guard came down to question him about the night before, but it was routine and none of the questions stood out. The guard mentioned something about Maron's body disappearing, but it wasn't in an accusatory tone. He actually seemed kind of bored asking the questions. The only other visitor Carric had that night was a dinner trolley that passed him a bowl of gray gruel that somehow didn't smell like anything.

Sleep didn't come easily that night. The small cot that was provided was a rough wooden plank laid on the floor without any form of padding. A threadbare blanket covered in stains and smelling strongly of urine had been bunched up in the corner. Carric had taken one whiff of the cloth and had pitched it as far from his cell as he could.

It wasn't just the cold that kept him awake that night, the orcs down the hall had woken up. They roared and threw themselves against the cell bars all night. Being from a town that regularly had contact with orcs, Carric knew their language. He was forced to listen as they described in very precise detail what they'd do to the guards. To paraphrase, the orcs intended to treat their captors like deer.

At one point Carric grew fed up, and roared back. "Shut up! Your talk is trash." The guttural sounds of the language hurt his throat.

"You speak us? Not very good!" The orcs laughed. "Why you here?"

"Beat a guard." It's been a while since Carric had actually spoken Orc, but it wasn't a very complicated language.

"You like us! Good, good." The gang roared in appreciation.

The sentiment that Carric was anything like them disgusted him to no end. He turned on his 'cot' and ignored them, eventually drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

Once again, he was awakened by a very loud sound. This time, he woke up coughing as well. He cracked opened his eyes and crawled over to the cell bars. A thick cloud of dust and smoke wafted through the air, obscuring the lit torches.

The orcs at the end of the hall were cheering.

"What happen?" Carric called out in Orc.

A large shadow emerged out of the dust and headed towards Carric. An orc with a long scar down the side of its face kneeled down in front of him.

"We break out." The orc grinned, showing off its pointed teeth, and bathing Carric in a very pungent odor. The orc yelled down the hall. "Hing come here." A second later a wiry goblin scurried out of the smoke. The orc pointed at Carric's cell. "Open door." The goblin didn't hesitate as it pulled a set of picks out of its pocket and began work on the cell's lock.

Carric had no words for what was happening.

In less than a minute the lock clicked and the goblin pulled the door open with a loud groan from the hinges.

The orc reached in and pulled Carric out of the cell. "We leave now." The ranger didn't dare resist. He could hear the clank of the guard's armor from the top of the stairs. They reached the bottom just as Carric was ushered into the orcs cell and threw a large hole that had been blown in the wall.

Just as Carric had thought, the sewer system was just on the other side. Ignoring the yell of the guard's behind them, the newly freed orcs, their goblins companions, and Carric, headed off down the tunnel.

Judging by how confidently the Orcs took the various turns in the sewer, Carric assumed that the group either knew where they were going, or were that confident in their stupidity. Both conclusions had merit, and either way they quickly lost their pursuers.

After about an hour of travel, they reached a large opening that was large enough for the orcs to saunter out of without difficulty. The sky was streaked with light as the sun just peeked out over the horizon. Birds sang in the air, and the water gurgled as it streaked around their feet and continued out into a small stream. They were well outside the city now. Looking around, Carric couldn't even see the city.

"Where are we?" Carric asked Scar, a name he'd heard one of the other orcs call the one who'd 'rescued' him.

"Safe." Scar assured him as he clapped Carric on the shoulder. Carric felt himself slid into the muddy streambed even more. "No South, no city."

"Good." Carric nodded. Scar returned the nod.

"Naktangu!" Scar shouted out as he walked out of the water. The small group followed, and none of them, except Hing, spared a glance at Carric. Hing gave Carric a small wave. For being so massive in size, it didn't take long for the three orcs to disappear into the forest.

Well, shit.

Carric found a large boulder next to the stream, and sat down. He had no idea what to do now.

If he went back to the city, he was pretty sure he'd be thrown back in jail. Probably for a lot longer than two days, considering that now it really did look like he was colluding with the orcs.

He supposed he could go to Koe's, but that would probably be the first place the guards would look for him. After all, Koe had Shomma and the girls, maybe.

He groaned and ran his hands through his hair. One thing he absolutely could not do, was leave without Kerri and Elaine, and his quiver. That was a magic quiver dammit.

Carric sighed and looked back at the sewer opening. There was no getting around it. He was going back in. Before heading in, he took some of the muck from around the entrance and smeared it all over his clothes, arms, and face. He found a sharp rock and tore some holes in his clothes, then used it to hit himself in the face.

He took one last deep breath of fresh air, and walked back into the rank sewer system. Traveling alone now, he encountered smells that had actually been masked by the orc's musk before. He wasn't fond of sewers in general; they were disgusting, rat infested, breeding grounds for disease. When this was over, he was getting Elaine to draw him a bath of holy water.

He wandered in the sewers for about three hours, but it was hard to tell time in the darkness. He'd tried to remember the route the orcs had taken, but hit a dead end after only three turns. Those were the first of many dead-ends he came across. Some of them were just halls that ended in a wall, while a few of them were cave-ins that blocked the way.

In one of the cave-ins, he noticed that the stonework on the walls and ceiling was different than the utilitarian style of the tunnels he'd seen. This stone was polished and ornamental. Designs such as stars, moon, and other celestial shapes had been carved into it. He backtracked away from the cave-in, and found that the ornamental work started from an old archway. It was cool, but not important.

Carric continued on and traveled for another half hour or so before he heard horses. He stopped and listened as an old woman hawked a miracle perfume. He chased after the noise, and soon found a wooden ladder leading up to a grate. He scrambled up the ladder and pressed his face to the metal grate. Above him, all he saw was the underside of a wooden table covered by an orange cloth. As quietly as he could, Carric shoved the grate up and over to the side.

The cloth lifted up and the lined face of an old woman stuck itself underneath. "What are you doing?" She rasped out.

"Leaving the sewer." Carric answered. He'd already pulled himself out halfway, and now found himself frozen under her gaze.

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you a criminal?"

He hesitated. "Technically, yes."

She stared at him for another minute. "Well, hurry up and get out. You'll let the sewer ooze out if you keep the grate open for too long." The cloth fell back down.

"Sewer ooze?" Carric whispered to himself as he hauled himself out. His head bumped the table, which was answered by a heavy thud from above. He was careful not to do it again as he replaced the grate. He lifted the cloth, on the opposite side from where he'd seen the face, intending to slip out the back.

It was a wall.

With a heavy sigh, he crawled out from under the table. The old woman stood watching him with her beady eyes the whole time.

"If you're going to be part of the thieves' guild, you need to be sneakier. And faster." The woman took a good look at his attire. "And more careful about where you step. Now, go." She shooed him away.

Carric took off down the street. High buildings lined both sides of the street, but they were old. Their sides were chipped and visibly cracked. Long shadows were cast over the meager shoppers of the few booths that were set up, mostly selling old produce or weapons. He rounded a corner and headed towards the main thoroughfare. He didn't have a lot of knowledge of the city, and most of his knowledge was about the main streets. Ask him about the forest and wildlife outside of the city, that he knew. Inside, he needed a map.

He walked past a man slumped down and seemingly passed out against a wall. There was an empty ale bottle held loosely in one hand. Carric stopped and removed the man's cloak.

"Sorry buddy, but you're not exactly in a position to complain." Carric whispered as he tied the scratchy brown cloak around his shoulders and pulled the hood up. Combined with the mess he'd already made of himself, he looked pretty much like the beggar before him.

Since it was closer, he decided to go back to the inn and see if the girls were there. Just as he walked in, he saw Kerri heading upstairs. Two guards were chatted up the barkeeper at the bar, so he pulled his hood down even lower on his face before he went upstairs. When he made it to the top of the stairs, all the doors were closed. His mind was such a mess from the early morning bustle that he had no idea which room they had used previously.

This was the moment that Carric had to decide how creepy he was going to be. He could just listen at every door and try to hear either Kerri or Elaine through it. But, if he was caught, he'd be that hobo that likes to listen and eavesdrop. Alternatively, he could just knock on every door, but he was trying to be stealthy.

He decided to just stand outside each door and hiss their names out.

With the first two doors, he got an answer. A surly female half-orc holding a feather duster opened one door, while a dour male elf with a broom opened the second. No greetings or head nods were exchanged before both doors were shut quickly. Carric quickly surmised that housekeeping was not a luxurious job.

When he hissed at the third door, it was opened by a dagger wielding half-elf.

"Good girl," Carric pushed past Kerri into the room. He tore the cloak off his shoulders and threw it in a corner. "So, what'd I miss?"

"Everyone thinking you were dinner." Elaine said with a look of shock and surprise on her face. She laid her crossbow on the bed. Shomma scurried off the bed and excitedly ran around Carric's legs until he picked her up. "I'm not joking about that either. They put in the official report that you'd been taken by the orcs as a snack."

He frowned. "Did you think I was dead?"

Kerri shrugged. "We had prepared ourselves for that."

"Ah, so if I was dead what was the plan?" He asked as he petted the excited creature in his arms.

Kerri pointed to his pack. "Sell your stuff to Koe, then head to Esterwill."

He smiled and nodded. "Fair enough, but for future reference, sell the quiver to anyone but Koe. Koe probably wouldn't have given you market price for it, considering they gave it to me."

"So, are you going to tell us what happened?" Kerri settled herself down on the bed, legs crossed under her. Elaine crossed over to the window and opened it just enough for a slight breeze to wash over the ranger. Carric sat on the other bed, Shomma curled up in his arms, and recounted his story.

"Wait a minute," Kerri interrupted Carric when he mentioned the strange arch and hallway in the sewers. "Did the walls have stars on it?"

Carric screwed up his face as he thought back. He'd been relying on his elven sight for the most part down in the sewers, and that area had been particularly dark. "Maybe. Why?"

Kerri's eyes lit up in excitement. She reached over and grabbed her lute. She strummed a quick melody, and then sang.

"Follow the stars, young one.

To where the Ancients sleep.

Hidden within is a Treasure

River's abound oh so deep.

Everyone forgot them.

No one remembers their names.

But those of us who remember

Remember the name Uthain."

Carric gave a small clap. "Ok, what is that?"

"Something my Dad used to sing to me when I was kid." Kerri smiled. "Uthain is the name of a bard who was alive over a thousand years ago. A lot of the written history from that time has been lost, but Uthain was prolific in his songwriting. He traveled all over the globe, passing along his music to anyone who would have them. My dad says that we're descended from him."

"And this has to do with the sewer hall how?" Carric asked.

She set down her lute. "According to the rest of the song, Uthain was responsible for sealing the tunnel and hiding the 'treasures within from human sight'. Those treasures have been a Marblebrooke treasure hunt for centuries."

He raised an eyebrow. "The hall wasn't exactly hidden. I just took a turn and ended up down it. There weren't any secret doors or shifting walls one usually thinks of when it comes to a treasure hunt."

She leaned forward excitedly. "That's what everyone says, but no one has ever been able to find the hall again. In every story I've ever heard, someone stumbled upon the hall by accident, left, and was never able to find it again, even those who've marked the walls or traced their route through the sewers. No one can ever find it twice."

"Then its simple, you take all the gear with you down there when you go to hunt for it. No need to leave." Elaine shrugged as she sat next to Kerri.

"They tried, but I've never heard of anyone actually finding it before."

Carric stretched. "It sounds like old Uthain is pulling one last joke on everyone. Sending everyone on a wild goose hunt from the grave, sounds like a bard thing to do."

"Maybe," Kerri admitted. Elaine caught Carric up on how they'd been wasting time; mostly window-shopping. Suddenly Kerri burst out in a fit of laughter that had her falling sideways onto the bed.

Elaine and Carric exchanged a look. Not a look asking the other if Kerri was okay, but a look of acknowledgment that she definitely wasn't.

"Care to share?" Elaine grabbed a fistful of Kerri's sleeve and pulled the younger woman back up.

"I was just thinking about how it must have looked, down in the sewers. Three big strong orcs, a few Goblins milling about, and then Carric." A new bout of laughter started.

Carric grinned. "My being in the middle of an orc pack amuses you?"

Kerri nodded, her face red. "I imagined you were being carried like a lunchbox." Elaine snorted.

Carric snatched a pillow and threw it at Kerri. "Let's just see if I save you from orcs next time."

"You didn't save us before." Elaine countered. "You were off with your latest boy toy. Oh yeah, I saw the two of you disappear into the kitchens." She added at Carric's shocked expression as he sat down on a bed.

"Who was it?" Kerri leaned forward, the pillow nestled in her lap.

Carric sighed and moved the now sleeping Shomma to the bed next to him. She barely stirred. "He was one of the Lirathan guards. Didn't catch a name."

"You know, for someone who claims to be modest, you sure spend a lot of time naked." Kerri teased. "Elaine, remember how he actually turned his back on a half-naked Iados?"

"Alright now, there is a big difference in being naked for the sake of being naked, and what I do." Carric explained. "Besides, what I do is behind closed doors. When you are out in public, there is a degree of modesty that must be maintained. Nudity is not to be done out in the open."

"Technically Iados was behind closed doors, or at least closed Owlbear door." Kerri pointed out. "I think you just don't want to see anyone you're not sleeping with naked. Do you want to sleep with Iados?"

He shook his head firmly. "Nope, not my type."

Elaine snorted again. "From what I've seen everyone is your type."

"Oh no, I make it a point to stay away from people in relationships. Too much drama." He leaned back on the bed, and almost groaned in pleasure at how much better it was than the prison floor. Just because he could sleep anywhere, didn't mean he didn't appreciate a good stuffed mattress.

Elaine moved to the floor and pulled out a writing set from her bag.

"What are you writing?" Kerri watched her load the quill.

"A message to the lieutenant at Headquarters House letting them know that Carric is alive." Elaine answered.

"Do you have to?" Carric whined. "I kind of like the idea of them thinking I'm dead." Elaine didn't answer as she started writing. Carric sighed and looked over at Kerri. "Got anymore business in town?" Kerri shook her head. "Good, as soon as Elaine's done writing her stupid letter, I say we finally leave Silverbank."

It didn't take Elaine long to finish up, and as soon as she did Carric ushered them out of the room and out of town. By this time the lockdown on the town had been lifted and they had no trouble exiting out the main gates. That was a good thing about being presumed dead, no one gave him a second look. Elaine gave her letter to one of the guards, who promised to pass it along.

That night they made camp about half a mile off the main road. Carric built a roaring fire so as to fight off the chilly night. They shared one tent, and took turns keeping watch next to the fire.

He'd really been hoping for a good night's sleep. The kind of sleep where you don't dream. That didn't happen. As soon as he closed his eyes, he slipped into a dream he'd had off and on for the past several months.

Just like every other time he'd had this same dream, He stood in a forest. Above him, the sky was blocked by the thick canopy of the tress that surrounded him. The trees towered hundreds of feet above him, and their trunks were thick enough to drive a cart through. He felt relaxed and at peace among them. The air was still, with no noise.

He set out, walking among the trees in a route he'd taken a thousand times. After walking for what felt like forever in the strange unnatural silence, he came upon a clearing.

In the middle of the clearing, stood a large willow tree, its leaves cascading down in a white curtain. In comparison, it was much smaller than the surrounding trees, but the aura and majesty it radiated out revealed its place of reverence amongst them. At the base of the willow was a small spring that spilled forth from its roots.

Ordinarily in his dreams, Carric would step up to the spring, and just before he could see his reflection in its still surface, he'd wake up.

This time, there was a woman waiting for him. She wore a soft blue gown that billowed in an unseen breeze. Her long silver hair trailed over her shoulders as she sat back against the trunk and lightly caressed the water's surface.

"I won't bite." Her voice was soft as it floated over Carric's ears. "Come closer." Without even being conscious of it, Carric did as he was told. He moved until he stood five or so feet away from her.

Silence lingered between them.

"You are only one of many who received my father's message, but you are the only one who has not seen it through. Why?" The strange woman did not look up as she spoke, she only continued to send ripples through the spring.

"I don't know." Carric's voice echoed through the clearing.

"I've watched you, you know. Just like everyone else, you approach the water, fully intent on staring into its depths and learning its secrets." The woman's tone took on a sharp note. "Wanting secrets they have not earned." Finally, she looked up at Carric, boring into him with silver eyes that reminded him of the moon. "But you, just before you gaze into the pool, you stop. It's as if you suddenly remembered something. You stand up, back away from the pool, and face the tree. Time and time again I've seen you open your mouth to say something, but you leave before you can. What are you going to say?"

Carric felt frozen under her gaze. He could feel the power that radiated off her. Her beauty was ethereal, and it paralyzed him to be in her presence. Somehow he found the strength to tear his eyes away from her, and to the tree.

Standing this close, he could see the gnarled branches that twisted throughout the canopy, and the beginnings of the white veil that flowered from the dark wood. For the first time, he saw signs of life as he spotted a pair of squirrels chase each other, witnessed a pair of mockingbirds build a nest above him, and followed a line of ants as they marched down the trunk towards the spring. As he gazed above him, his focus no longer being dominated by the woman, he opened his mouth.

With a jolt he was shaken awake, Kerri's hand on his shoulder as she informed him was time to take his watch.