Chapter Nineteen

Falsefort was built next to the entrance to a major mountain pass that led into the interior of the Dragon Spine Mountains. As the name implied, it was a large walled town that thanks to being on a raised piece of land resembled a fortress more than just the town it was. It backed onto the mountain next to it, and was surrounded by mountain on three sides, with only the front being accessible via a large packed ramp of earth and stone which led up to the front gates from the trade road.

The interior of the town was filled with tall two or three floor buildings that almost all had stores on the ground level and then living space up above. This was necessary because Falsefort had one major source of income- trade. Every family that lived in Falsefort was connected to trade somehow, a situation that had occurred naturally because of the town’s location and status as a gateway to the inner valleys.

People from within the valleys traded goods with the people in the town, and then the people in the town traded those goods with people from the foothills and lowlands of the Northeastern Territory. The reverse was also true, and in this way, Falsefort acted as a bridge between the people of the borderlands and the people of the territory.

Thus, Falsefort didn’t have a mayor, as many towns did, it had a Merchant’s Guild made up of the leaders of the richest trading groups, and it was the leader of that trade guild that effectively ruled Falsefort. The current leader’s name was Devin Nutlee, head of the Nutlee Trading House, and by no coincidence the richest man in town.

He was an amiable and plump middle-aged man with chestnut hair and a beard that had just started to go grey and who spoke in an animated and friendly way as he walked the line of escorts Jaxon had just brought back. He shook the hand of each of them, asked their names, and thanked them for coming to work for the town.

When he got to Ryland, he paused, and Ryland saw him take a quick glance at Jaxon, who nodded, and then he thrust out a hand to Ryland as well, which the young man took. The guild leader’s hand was soft and fleshy, Ryland noted, the hand of a man who had never held a sword or shovel in his life. However, Ryland had no bias against people who did their work with their heads, and in fact admired their abilities, so he returned the older man’s smile honestly and responded to questions he was asked.

“Cade of Steepcairn,” Ryland said, giving his assumed name. “Thank you for inviting me, sir. I’m happy to be here.”

This got an appreciative nod from the guild master. “It’s good to have you. And, who is this?”

The guild master leaned back slightly to look up at Koamalu. “You’re a big one, aren’t you?”

“Mos sir,” Koamalu also gave his assumed name as he gave Nutlee’s hand a firm shake. “A pleasure to meet you, boss.”

“You’re from the south, aren’t you?”

“Brinekeep, boss. But my family hails from the South Islands.”

“You’re a fisher eater, then? I’m sorry, but not a lot of fish in these parts for you.”

Koamalu smiled. “Thanks for thinking of me, but I can eat anything I can catch, boss.”

‘Well, I better keep track of my dogs, then.” Nutlee said with a smile. “Your people do eat dogs, right?”

For the first time since Ryland had met Koamalu, he saw his friend strain to keep his trademark smile on his face. “No, boss.” The south islander said with evident difficulty. “We need them to hunt the pigs.”

“Oh, that’s true,” Nutlee said, not seeming to notice Koamalu’s discomfort. “Well, we’ll see if we can’t get you a good pork dinner, then. Thanks for coming to join us.”

Then he moved on to Roddy, and continued his way down the line.

When he was out of earshot, Ryland leaned in to his flushed friend. “You okay?”

“I am not an eater of dogs.” Koamalu grumbled. “Do I look like one who would eat a dog?”

Guessing the situation, Ryland said, “He doesn’t know he just offended you. He’s never seen one of your people before. Besides, he’s so fat I wonder if people count their children after he walks by.”

Koamalu snorted at that last remark, the red draining from his face. “Yah, I bet there aren’t a lot of slow kids in this town.” Then he smiled. “Thanks, uso.”

“Anytime.”

After the greetings finished, Nutlee returned to stand in front of the town hall where several other merchants were sweating in the midday sun. They’d all been there when the escorts arrived, along with most of the town who could spare the time. Curious mothers, children and seniors formed a ring around the new arrivals, the carts they escorted having been directed elsewhere to be unloaded.

“Everyone, please give the newest members of our community a warm welcome,” announced Nutlee. “They’ve come a long way to help us, and with their help we can get things back to the way they should be.”

Back to the way they should be? Ryland wondered, and he could see the others had similar looks of confusion on their faces. Of course, he already knew the town was in trouble, but wondered what the current situation was.

However, any chance for them to ask questions was drown out in the applause the local people gave them, and then Jaxon was shouting for them to follow him.

The group was marched past many shops, whose keepers greeted them warmly and called for them to come visit when they had the time, and eventually to an older three-floored building on the north side of the town.

“You’ll be staying here,” Jaxon said. “The association has prepared rooms for you.” Then he waved to a grandmotherly woman who was waiting in front of the building. “Good morning, Mrs. Morley.”

“Good morning, Jaxon.” The older lady beamed. “I see you’ve been keeping well. This is a fine looking group you’ve brought back with you.” Her eyes wandered over the group, stopping on Boarsmouth. “And look at the size of them!”

The big shaggy hillman, a gruff bully half again the size of a normal man, grinned like a child in front of the old lady and rubbed the back of his neck. This made the others snicker and laugh, until she swept her eyes upon them, and memories of their own grandmothers quickly shut the group up.

“I’m so happy to meet all of you. I’m sure we’ll get along just fine. Come in and we’ll get you all settled.”

As it turned out, the building was divided into a kitchen and common area on the main floor, and two levels of bedrooms, much like a typical inn. This is because that’s exactly what it used to be when Mrs. Morley and her husband had run it, and although it had just been her home for a few years since his passing, it was still a fully functioning inn.

Mrs. Morley’s room was on the main level, behind the kitchen, and the rest of the group was assigned to the guest rooms upstairs. Each of them was given their own room, which consisted of a single straw-stuffed bed, a table and chairs, and a set of wooden dresser drawers for putting their things in.

In Ryland’s case, he found he had shelves, a closet, and a larger bed than most of the others did. His second floor room also faced the back of the building and the mountainside, and he discovered that he had an extra door at the back of the room. He was overjoyed to find a short wooden bridge that led to a small terrace garden carved out of the mountainside filled with rows of flowers and herbs. There was a weather-worn granite table there and three carved rocks placed around it to act as seats. It had a good view of the town’s front gates, and he could see the green fields on the other side of the trade road and the grey meltwater river that snaked along next to it.

He later learned this was the owner’s original private room, but now Mrs. Morley didn’t like to climb the stairs as much due to her knees, so it had been turned into a guest room.

This all suited Ryland just fine, and he was doing a check of the freshly planted herbs in the garden when he heard the boards on the ramp creak and turned to see Koamalu walking into the garden with a look like Ryland had had when he’d first found this place.

“Sorry, uso. I knocked but there was no answer.”

Ryland waved his friend’s concerns away and gestured at the garden. “Isn’t this marvelous? I seem to have my own garden.”

But Koamalu just shrugged. “That’s good, I guess.” Then he added with a more concerned look. “I came to get you - the others are worried.”

“Ah. About what the association chief said?”

The islander nodded. “They want to get together and get Jaxon to tell us what’s going on.”

“Is Jaxon here?”

Koamalu shook his head. “He left after we came in. He said he’d back back soon.”

“Then he’s probably as concerned as they are.” Ryland said. “I imagine he’ll be back to talk to us around dinnertime.”

Just as Ryland said, when they were sitting down at a long table in the main hall for dinner that night, the front door of the former inn opened and Jaxon Rudge entered. He wasn’t alone, however, as there was a chestnut haired young woman with broad shoulders next to him. She looked to be around Ryland’s age and was a little stocky, but wore her weight with style and confidence.

“Hey,” Jaxon raised his hand to get their attention. “This is Thabita Nutlee. She’s the manager of the Nutlee Trading House who organises most of the convoys we’ll be escorting.”

“Hello everyone,” Thabita said, smiling sweetly. “Hello Mrs. Morley.”

“Hello, Ms. Nutlee.” The older lady replied flatly.

“I wanted to come over and give Yah my greetings. Since we’ll be working together, it only seems right we get to know each other.”

“Please, please come join us!” Prum said, the short tanned man jumping to his feet and pulling back a chair at the table next to him. “We’re just starting to eat.”

“Oh! I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”

But the escorts all chimed in, and eventually she agreed, and plates with cutlery quickly appeared before them.

“You must be very talented to be managing your father’s business at so young an age,” Prum said, showing his usual ways when it came to attractive members of the opposite sex.

“Well, I grew up in it. It’s not like I had much choice, did I?” She said with a grin, “Let things fall ta pieces under me dad, or step in and show them what a woman can do. We can’t let the men run everything, can we girl?”

The last remark was directed at Jandra, who smiled back and nodded emphatically. “No way! They’d spent it all on drinking and gambling if we did!”

The men protested, but it was a good natured protest and the group continued to have a lively discussion with Thabita leading the way. She was a naturally charming woman who also made a point of putting her physical charms on display, and between these things she quickly had nearly the whole of the escorts under her spell.

But, just as the dishes were being cleared away by Mrs. Morley and her serving girl, a question arose that brought the happy conversation to a swift halt.

“So, Jaxon.” Ryland asked. “Why did Ms. Nutlee’s father say that we were here to bring things back to the way they should be?”