Chapter 17-Shadow of Deception

By the time that Shibu finished arranging having his reward sent back home to Felice and Cici, it was nearly midday. But after the breakfast that morning, he had almost no thought of lunch. Count Maxim and Fel had not eaten quite so much, and so elected to go to the inn for lunch.

There was another thick crowd gathering around the Inn, hoping to catch sight of the new local hero. Shibu used the crowd to separate himself from his companions, and as soon as they disappeared into the tavern, Shibu turned, and made fast tracks for Anya's potion shop. It was his first opportunity in a while to get up on his toes and sprint. It had always seemed more natural and comfortable to him besides being better than twice as fast as the average person could hope to run.

Anya's door was open when Shibu arrived, and he quickly slid into the potion Shoppe and out of sight, as the door closed quickly behind him.

"Welcome back Shibu. I'm glad you came so quickly." Anya's voice spoke to Shibu, but the mistress of the shop was nowhere to be seen.

"What can I do, big sister Anya?" Shibu asked, taking an easy seat on one of the low stools scattered around the shop.

"It's what I can do for you, Shibu." Anya told him. "I've had a note from Felice. There's something you have to know."

"What did Mom say?" Shibu asked, sounding a trifle more urgent than before.

"Felice and Cici are fine, Shibu. Have no fear. But your mother never entirely trusted Count Maxim." Anya revealed in a low whisper, so as not to be overheard by anyone who might be lurking outside the shop.

"Your mother sent a note to Bonta, ahead of you, and the Count." Anya told Shibu. "She wanted to check up on him, and the validity of the Royal warrant he carries." The potion mistress explained slowly.

Shibu nodded an eager understanding.

"What did mom find out?" Shibu asked directly.

"The Count is a Bontarian, and a noble. That much is certain. But he has no authority at all to bestow Royal Warrants. It seems your benefactor doesn't have the best reputation back home in Bonta." Anya told him quietly.

"Felice also sent me a copy of the message, in case you came through Emelka. She felt you ought to know. And there was a message from Cici as well." Anya continued.

"And what was that?" Shibu asked, his voice going up in pitch slightly.

"Beware the Shadow Bandits, and their leader." Anya repeated to him faithfully.

"Nothing to worry about." Shibu answered. "There all in jail."

"Perhaps, and perhaps not, Shibu." Anya replied cryptically.

"Don't worry, Big Sister Anya." Shibu said with confidence.

"No bandits will bother you. If they come around, I'll protect you."

"You are just as Darling as you can be, Shibu. Felice wrote to me all about you." Anya told him, trying so hard not to spoil Shibu's open-hearted innocence.

"I miss her a lot." Shibu confessed quietly. "Cici too. If she had been here, those bandits would have needed rescuing from her." Shibu said with more than a hint of pride in his adopted sister.

"Cici feels the same about you, Shibu." Anya replied. "That's why she asked me to make sure you were all right."

"I'm fine." Shibu replied. "Everyone here is so friendly. It really is like being at home again."

Anya looked at Shibu more deeply than she had before. The Boy's bright blue eyes were like two blue candles that could light up the darkest room as if it were morning.

Shibu was the first pure heart Anya had met in so long. She could not bear to tell the sweet boy about what she suspected about the Count. For now, Shibu was bright and happy. That was all Anya could hope for.

"Where are you and the Count going, Sweet boy?" Anya asked him at last.

"Bonta!" Shibu answered quickly. "We're going to present Mom's healing potions to the Royal Guard, and maybe even to the King of Bonta himself!"

"How exciting!" Anya said, somewhat reserved in her own enthusiasm. "We just want you to be careful, because all of us care about you very much, Sweet Shibu."

The rosy blush returned to Shibu's cheeks, clashing for just a moment with the blue from his eyes.

"Big Sister Anya, can you write Mom for me and tell her I am all right, I love her, and I miss her, and Cici too, Please?" Shibu begged.

Anya felt her heart melt like springtime snow, deep inside her.

As Anya looked at Shibu, the mistress of Potions understood for some reason beyond her own mind that she could refuse nothing at all that Shibu asked for.

"Don't worry, Dear Heart." Anya replied. "Your Big Sister will take care of everything for you, I promise."

Bonta, the great White City, was only a few hours of hard travel distant. Anya reasoned quickly that if Shibu and his friends left today just after noon, they would be in Bonta for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Anya decided it was worth the risk to use the potion makers magic message network to communicate with Felice and Cici.

There was a faster way still to get to Bonta, but it was away long forgotten by most of the average citizens.

Anya could get to Bonta far in advance of Shibu and his company. The dark-haired boy who had stolen her heart away was far too open and trusting to see the shadowy side of his noble companion.

Shibu had already shown that he would and could protect himself and others if matters came to a fight. But Anya also knew that Shibu was totally unprepared for another set of traps that waited on the road ahead of him. Count Maxim had been the first one ever to lie to Shibu, in order to take advantage of Shibu's truly noble nature. Anya knew very well that there would be a price for that lie eventually. But for now, Shibu was headed into the politics and intrigue surrounding the royal court.

The sweet,fearless blue-eyed boy was headed into a world based on things and ideas that he could not imagine. Shibu simple honesty in the whole universe of dishonesty put him in more danger than he had ever known before.

She had given Shibu a last protective hug before the boy had departed to help pack the wagon for the trip to Bonta.

Now, Anya shut the door to her shop, and bolted it securely before opening a new packet of the magic infused paper used by the world's alchemists to communicate with each other in times of crisis.

Anya had a long, and sometimes painful letter to write, and then copies of it to send to a few more of her acquaintances.

Shibu's true-hearted bravery would keep him safe only to a point.

Seeing to it that he was safe the rest of the time was her promise to him. And as she threw herself into the long bout of magical writing, Anya vowed again to keep that promise, as much for herself, as for Shibu and his family.

Shibu met Count Maxim and Fel as they were leaving a fine lunch at the inn. The Count swiftly decreed final preparations for the trip to Bonta, and with a grunt and a nod, both Shibu and Fel found themselves working side-by-side to muster the needed supplies, and to pack them securely for the remaining trip to the great White City.

Fel watched Shibu working, and came to admire the way the boy would take on any task, even one far beyond his physical strength. Shibu was always keen to try anything new, and the canine teamster let him have his way until it became obvious that two sets of hands could do the job more quickly and better than one person alone.

Fel could not help but notice that Shibu was both strong and limber for his age. This helped him more often than not with brute force tasks, such as lifting and carrying of all but the largest crates and Maxim's chests.

But as Shibu met every task with never-ending enthusiasm, Fel also noticed something else which set Shibu apart. His smaller companion would stand still for a moment when given something to do, and try to figure out a better, simpler, and often less tiring way of accomplishing the task at hand.

When it became time to load the wagon with the supply boxes that would form a solid base in the bed of the wagon, Shibu stopped, and looked over the end of the wagon, and the collection of boxes and chests with his keen blue eyes gleaming. After a moment, his youthful face seem to glow with inspiration.

The bed of the wagon was nearly a full yard above the ground, even with the downward slanting gate of the wagon open all the way.

Shibu moved quickly toward the collection of small, medium and large boxes and chests which were the wagons cargo. At first, with a little help from Fel, Shibu stacked three of the large chests directly up against the frame of the wagon in the back, so that the top of the third chest in the stack came up even with the bed of the wagon. Next, Shibu lined up a number of the medium-sized boxes which held dry stores and other goods. But Shibu stacked them in a geometric way, so that the next three boxes in line formed a series of steps which were short, but led upward to the bigger boxes in the next row. Finally Shibu used a half dozen of the small boxes stacked in a way that made the final box in the third row only a single short step up. Fel watched with bright eyes as Shibu built a staircase of boxes which would allow both of them to simply step up while carrying even the largest of the cargo chests meant for the wagon.

The homemade steps turned a tiring process of fetch and carry into an easy and quick task, which took only a quarter of the time to accomplish!

When the last of the cargo was loaded, and only the homemade staircase remained, all Shibu did was to start with a single box at the bottom of the staircase, lift it, and walk up backwards, a step higher each time, collecting the boxes in a stack as he went. The stack of heavy boxes was the very last thing loaded into the wagon, so that the small boxes could be unloaded first, and the easy set of steps down could be quickly rebuilt to unload the wagon.

Fell had never seen anything like it before, even in all his travels. Such ideas seemed to come easily to Shibu, and blue eyes could usually find an easier way to do the hardest work in an easier way.

But while Shibu always look for a way to make work easier, once the work was before him, he was anything but lazy. Quite the contrary was true. Shibu seemed to enjoy work as much as play. He was willing to try anything once on his own, and if he discovered he could manage the task without asking for help, Shibu was disciplined, and uncomplaining. But he was also quick to see where he needed help, and was just as quick to ask for it when it was needed.

For Fel, the canine servant, this was something new. Normally he was left alone for most of the heavy work as no nobleman would be expected to bend his back for menial labor. But Shibu seem to use it to work off some of the ferocious energy that nearly always kept him almost vibrating with excitement every day as they drew closer to Bonta.

As Shibu worked at his side, Fel began to respect Shibu more and more. He treated Fel not only as an equal, but as a friend as well. And between them, the pair could accomplish the most wearisome labor with only a fraction of their combined energies.

Fel had thought the night before that loading the wagon would take a fair amount of time after lunch. With his stomach full, and the cargo heavy and cumbersome, he had given over two hours to the job. Yet, with Shibu's help, and his inventive steps, the wagon was fully loaded and balanced after only three quarters of an hour had passed.

It was a cool day, with a fine wisp of breeze in the air.

But lifting and carrying was still hard work, and when the pair stopped to draw water from the well and refresh themselves, Fel was in for another surprise.

It was Shibu who turned to the well, and then to fetch and carry the bucket full of water, offering the water first to Fel so the larger canine could drink his fill. Shibu waited his turn, and when it came, he used the same cup, to draw water from the same bucket. This was also something Fel had not seen very often. Most of the locals seemed to treat Fel and his kind almost as beasts of burden, just as Count Maxim had always done. Fel's kind were handy when there was work to be done, but others treated the Ouginaks as animals, more like the gobballs, rather than individuals.

But Shibu had treated him first as a friend, and then as a fellow laborer.

Through it all, Shibu's energy and enthusiasm never seemed to diminish. The larger canine wondered where and how the blue-eyed one managed to store up so much energy at one time.

Toward the end of their task together, Fel could see that in spite of his brave front, Shibu was tiring, and could use rest, although he had refused food after the huge breakfast prepared for him by the villagers.

As the last of the smaller boxes found a place near the top of the wagon, Fel took hold of Shibu gently around the waist, and silently lifted his giggling blue eyed friend from the top of the wagon, to a small corner of the bed where Shibu could sit and relax, as Fel took over the last of the lashing required to balance the wagon.

After he was done, Fel sat down on the end of the wagon, alongside Shibu. Fel paused, and drew something round from one of the slightly soiled pockets on the vest that he wore. As He held out the api to Shibu first, Shibu's blue eyes lit up. Shibu took the fruit with a nod, and took a good-sized bite, before offering the fruit back to Fel, who took a bite in the same fashion as Shibu, finishing off all of the bright red fruit, including the core!

Shibu smiled at Fel, and the pair shook hands over a job well done.

"Blue eyes, watch the wagon here. I'll go fetch the Master." Fel told Shibu as the canine stood up slowly. The bed of the wagon rose a bit as it lost Fel's weight.

"Blue eyes can rest now, and drink water. We will leave here soon. Tomorrow this time, we shall eat in Bonta." Fel said to the dark-haired boy.

Even as much as Shibu needed rest, that vision of Bonta set Shibu to vibrating gently once again. The ladle from the water cask shaking in his hand so much that it was hard for him to sip the cool fresh water.

The villagers heard the whispers of their local hero leaving at last, and they began to appear in small groups, and then in larger groups, close in to the wagon. Many of them came to say one last word or two of gratitude, or just to shake Shibu's hand and to wish him well.

Shibu got down from the bed of the wagon,and went into the assembled crowd. He returned every word of thanks, and returned the many hugs given him by the village children!

"Thank you all so much for letting me have a second home." Shibu said to the assembled villagers. Í'll return on the way back from Bonta to see you all. "Please take care of each other, and stay well." Shibu told all of them.

"Shibu speaks for me too!" Said a smooth voice as a tall aristocratic figure made his way through the pressing crowd.

"Hello Count Maxim." Shibu said politely. "Glad to see you again, myself."

"Well my boy, as difficult as it is for us to leave, if we don't leave, will never see Bonta." The Count replied before turning once again to the people as he took a seat on the driver's bench of the wagon. "Farewell good citizens of Emelka! We hope to see you again very, very soon."

Just as the Count was finishing the official farewells, Fel reappeared on the other side of the wagon, and climbed into a spot in front of the reins.

"Let's go Fel, onto Bonta and adventure!" The Count said in a raised voice that drew a rousing round of applause from the assembled villagers.

Shibu felt a pang of pain as the wagon drew out of the village, and away, along the well-traveled double lane road which led ultimately to the great White City, which was still beyond the distant hills.

"Don't be downcast my boy." Count Maxim said sympathetically. "We'll be back soon enough, on the way to get you home."

"There's no better place than home, and no place that is as hard to leave." Shibu reflected, still feeling a little sad.

"But there's no place so happy to come back to, when you get there." Count Maxim returned with a slight smile, hoping to cheer Shibu's somewhat deflated spirits.

"The first time away from home is always the most difficult." Count Maxim told him. "But it isn't all sadness, as you discover new places and peoples, as you did in Emelka." The Count continued. "You are so popular in that village that you could very nearly run for mayor, Shibu." The Count said, managing his best smile at Shibu.

"I would vote for blue eyes, if I could vote." Fel spoke up in what for him was a gruff but somehow pleasant voice.

"You see Shibu?" The Count asked jovially. "You already have a future in politics."

Shibu thought about that for a moment, and then replied "If it's all the same to you Your Excellency, I think I would rather have a future in potions."

Count Maxim laughed, right out loud. He simply could not hold it in. "Popular and smart! You do have a bright future ahead of you Shibu, no matter where you go." The nobleman told Shibu, who finally managed a smile, to break the blue mood which had matched his eyes.

Shibu sat up, and began to take in the sights and sounds which could be heard along the road. Every once in a while now, they would see a wagon coming the opposite way along the double wide path. In the passing merchants and travelers, Shibu could see all the races of the World of the Twelve. He had seen pictures of them in various books, of course. But seeing them in real life for the first time was something he enjoyed even more than reading about them.

"Hey look!" Shibu interjected, as he pointed at an oncoming cart stacked high with bales of straw. He focused on the driver, who had a bow across his back, even as he sat on the driver's bench. "He's Cra!" Shibu said excitedly.

"Hey there!" He called to the driver as they drew even along the road. "Do you know Celia Starshine?"

After a moment's thought, the drivers face brightened.

"The Hunter who lives in a village near here? She's a member of my Guild!" The male Cra called back.

"Yes! She's my sister! When you see her, please tell her that Shibu said hello!"

"Will do, Shibu!" the male Cra called back, as his cart passed on by, headed back to his home. As the two carts drew up even, Shibu saw the Male Cra flash Shibu a Ranger's salute!

The encounter lifted Shibu's spirits all the more, and seeing Shibu smile gave the Count reason to relax as well.

Bonta, and his nefarious chance at his rightful wealth and influence was only a half day away.