Chapter 52: Shadows Over Daggr Port
Part III
"Were being watched." Thaelin said nudging Hastur's side
Varris, to the cleric's right, placed a gauntlet hand on her shoulder "And followed."
The cleric wanted to turn her head and look to who her friends pointed out, but she couldn't. As much as she wanted to she had to stay smart. She kept walking. With her ears she could pick up on a couple extra footsteps not matching their own
'Just keep walking' she told herself
"How many?"
The ranger's tilted his head one way and another making and his neck crack. "We got archers on the rooftops. My guess is a dozen or so."
"Four behind us. They have daggers and clubs." Added Varris. "Wait, more just joined them. They have harpoons and spears."
A lump formed in the back of Hastur's throat. Their destination was right in front of them. Would they make it there alive though? She tried to listen around her between their footsteps and Varris' armor, it sounded like an army was behind them
"I'll hold them off. Myshka, take Hast and get out of here."
"Don't be stupid. If we keep the girl aside, you and I will defeat them with no trouble." Declared Varris
Their destination was in front of them. Another fortress. Except this one was not so big, but covered a much wider property. Compared to the humble structures of the port and the grim lavished design of McClainn Manor, this plaza was just as luxurious. The main building was a two storied structure with a white stucco exterior. Red clay tiles covered the roof in waves. it was clear that a building such as this didn't belong this far North.
Thaelin and Varris turned and watched their pursuers. Just as they claimed. A mob was indeed following them. They were not armored. But they were brandishing weapons. Knives, daggers, spears, fishing harpoons, and bows. By the looks of the mob they didn't want a fight. Once the three passed the threshold of the grounds, the mob stopped following them. They just stood there and watched them.
"Shit." Thaelin cursed
Varris realized it too. There seemed to be only one entrance and exit to this property. And dozens of thugs blocked their only exit. If they get turned away, they had to leave the same way they came. Pass all those cautious blades and arrows pointing at them.
Just before Hastur could give a knock on the wreath-shaped door knocker, a man draped in a fine white and orange linen tunic smiled and received the three.
"Salve, welcome. Lord and Ladies. How may I be of service to you?" His cheerful demeanor seemed unhindered by the mob well in his line of sight at the edge of the property.
"Um… Good morning sir-"
"Good morning!"
Hastur cleared her throat and continued. So far she seemed to have been making much more progress than earlier "Um…yes. My companions and I are adventurers. We have traveled to Daggr Port to-"
"Adventurers?" He said with an even brighter smile "Yes. I see now. You are true adventurers. Please enter, I shall fetch the Lord and Lady."
Varris' hand never left the hilt of her sword. Her nose scrunched as she entered the villa. A waft of some foul air took her nostrils. She pursed her lips and tried to ignore the stench.
When they entered the villa, they entered a completely different world. One of old tradition and classic elegance. Not to mention sheer overzealous displays of wealth. Marble columns, gilded trim on the walls, silver furnishings. The floor was one massive mosaic made up of millions upon millions of tiles that resembled a flowing river down the center hall. Solid gilded pillars held brackets of bouquets of flowers. Sweet incense flowed through the air like clouds on the wind. The walls had painted vistas of rolling hills of grains, others had dense forests.
The doorman returned with two young boys to attend to the guests. That same bright grin of his never left his lips.
"If you be please joining the Lord and Lady Mariani in the Atrium. Oh, and please be removing your cloaks and weapons."
Hastur and Thaelin unfastened her sword belts, but Varris refused. It took Hastur's order for the paladin to remove her falchion.
The ranger presented his belongings to the attendants, but they paid no attention to him. Instead the other attendant piled Varris' and Hastur's sword belt into his arms. This annoyed him so much he just dropped their gear where he stood and walked off.
"Your cloak, my lady." Said one of the boys. Hastur pursed her lips and undone the pin to her cloak. When she slid her hood off her head, the boy gasped.
Just as it always happened, shame washed over her. Those damn tapered ears marked her of her lineage. She could never just be a normal person. Everyone was going to see her as an elf. A despicable, cruel, pointy-eared elf.
Even the older man placed a hand over his mouth to hold back the shock. But then. Something unexpected happened. He gave the cleric a bow.
"By the gods!" he said turning himself upright again "I did not know. It is my highest honor to meet you Lady Elf. You grace the home of my Master. Please come me."
The servant's feet carried him as fast as they could toward the center of the complex. At the heart of the villa it looked like a large courtyard. A ring of veiled awnings extended out from the cloister. A bubbling fountain and shallow pond sat in the middle of the yard. Rows of red and blue flowers decorated the pond's edge. The air in this part of the villa was the coolest and most serene. In the northern corner of the courtyard, a man sat on a curved chair and a woman lounged next to him on a long cushioned couch.
The man was old. His hair grey with age and cut short. A madder red doublet and black hosen stockings adorned his legs. A black and gold cane leaned against the wall next to him. Next to him was his wife a dark and curly haired woman with streaks of silver in her hair. A red gown with a gold clasp fastened at her neck.
When the cleric approached the two, the door man stopped and bowed to the lord and lady of the villa.
"Vincenzo. Bring our guests some acqua e vino."
"At once Maestro, but may I present to you, your guest. An elf."
The man had troubles standing with even with his cane. The stick wabbled as he put weight on the stick to support him as he stood. And when he arose, he placed a hand over his heart and bowed to the cleric as deep as his body would allow.
"Greetings! Had I known an elf would be coming to my humble abode, I would have had refreshment prepared. How may I help you?"
The old couple stared at Hastur in the same wonder as the servants did.
"Thank you." Said Hastur returning the gesture with an equal and sincere bow. I am Hastur Prynn. These are my companions Thaelin and Varris. We have come here to help investigate the strange events happening in the city."
"It will be an honor to lend what aid I can. I am Maestro Marco Flavius Mariani. This is my wife Teodora. Have you eaten today? I shall have my cooks prepare a feast for you and your….companions. Vincenzo have my children meet us in the triclinium."
The man and wife lead the trio on through the house. Giving a small tour and to display the finery they had brought with them from Sol Lancia. One of the greatest treasures among their vast collection of silverwork, terra cotta art, and silk wall tapestries was their kitchen that produced a plethora of culinary oddities the North has seen. Spices. Both sweet and savory. Meats from both land and sea. Not to mention the wines. On an end table next to a small hallway sat an end table with a fresh portrait of a young woman. She had to be in her early thirties. Curly brown locks draped the edges of her warm face. A soft smile blessed her visage. Many small candles burned around the picture giving the face a heavenly glow.
The dining hall, also called the triclinium in Sol Lancian, was a large rectangular room with a long table in the middle of the room. Two oil lamps hung from the ceiling and bronze candle sconces hung on the walls. Filling the room with a cozy level of light. A silver platter of fresh fruits sat in the center of the table. Thaelin snagged a small cluster of grapes, plucked one off the cluster and popped it into his mouth. On the wall hung an assortment of ancient weapons handed down through the family generations. A crossed saber on top with a small buckler shield underneath and two curved daggers forming an 'x'.
The Lady gestured for the three to sit with Hastur close to the head of the table while Varris and Thaelin sat further down.
"Antonio, Luca. Bring the wine. And don't spill any."
The boys from before came into the hall carrying large glass pitchers of a deeply red wine. One of the boys hesitated to approach the cleric. It was probably the first time he had ever seen an elf before. He couldn't help but stare at her. Wonder surrounded him.
Hastur let out a chuckle at his curiosity. "Its okay. I don't bite."
"Yeah. She don't bite. She just eats children whole." Remarked Thaelin as the boy jumped back at the remark.
Verris dutifully swatted the man on the back of the head.
The master of the house leaned to the side of his chair. "Is this true? Do the elves of the land eat children? Bones and all?"
Hastur pursed her lips. "No! of course not. That was just a cruel joke by my idiot friend here. I assure you that we do not eat children."
"Ah. Apologies, dear guest. The custom of elves is foreign to us. There are no elves in the south, by the gods I wish there were."
The lady of the household took a sip of her wine and continued on. "There are many stories of the elves. They say that their beauty and grace is like no other, but as I can see with my own eyes, the tales fail to do justice."
From the doorway of the came three more arrivals. Two twin girls just a few years younger than Hastur in matching pink and yellow dresses and a boy in a short black and white doublet. The boy couldn't be any older than 13 and yet on his belt hung a saber.
They each stared at their guests. The girls were transfixed on Varris while the boy couldn't take his eyes off Hastur.
"Honored guests, may I introduce my children. Anneta, Paola, Vieri. And…Vieri, where is Gerrard? He should be here."
"I don't know momma. He is probably drunk in a gutter again." The boy said taking a seat next to Thaelin and eying the ranger over.
"Dios mio, apologies. I will check to see if the cooks have prepared your meal.
"Are you a real elf?" One of the girls asked
Hastur turned her head and brushed her hair out of the way. For an added flair she gave a slight tug at the tip of her ear to show how well attached it was.
"Lady elf, why is your servant and handmaid in armor? Are you a princess of the elves?" The boy asked bluntly
"Servant? Hand maid?" scoffed Thaelin and Varris
"No. I'm not a princess. I am just a humble cleric. My friends here are adventurers."
"Forgive my son's boldness." Marco sighed
"Is it true? Are you an adventurer?" Vieri said turning to Thaelin
Yes, which is why we are here." Hastur said sipping her sweet wine. It had a distinct flavor of blackberries and a hint of cherry. "There have been nine deaths in the past month. May you lend any knowledge you may have on the subject?"
"Of course, dear friends." Marco lowered his goblet. One of the boys approached and poured more wine for him. The Lady of the house returned with three other servants following suite. "Dear Guests. Enjoy your fill."
Large silver platters were moved to the center of the table. And in unison the silver cloche were removed to present a feast worthy of kings: roasted lamb so tender it fell off the bone, a sweet broth surrounded the meat like a moat; baked pears with cream; a green salads; and steamy fresh baked breads.
Over their meal, Hastur started to press for answers.
When she got to the fifth and sixth name on her list, the plot doth thickened. "Sophia Auclair-"
"-Wasn't she the priestess at the chapel?" remarked one of the twins
"Yes. Gerrard knew her. I believe he was assisting her to rebuild the temple."
'That explains the repairs I saw. This is strange. I need to interview this Gerrard.' Hastur took another sip of her wine "What happened to her?"
"She took her own life. A shame. She was such a sweet girl."
"I was told there was an incident with the next victim. A Mr. Marcus Colfax. He-"
"He deserved what happened to him!" the boy and slammed his hand on the table. Sending ripples through the goblets.
"Vieri!" Scolded his mother
"Its true momma! He insulted Claudia and our family. If Gerrard wasn't the one to have sliced him open, I would have done it myself!"
"Vieri! Hold your tongue or I swear to the gods I will cut it out myself!" Marco yelled across the table. The youth sunk in his seat.
"And that brings us to the last victim. Mrs. Claudia Luna Mariani."
"Si." Marco trailed off and rapped his knuckles against the table. "Our eldest. Her portrait hangs outside in the hall."
The family shared a melancholy pause. "She was only 23 years of age and she was taken from us. The gods can be so cruel"
"I don't think it was the work of the gods Mrs Mariani." Hastur put trying to hide her uncertainty "Something happened here. And I swear to you that I will discover the culprit."
When they concluded their meal and their business, the old servant came running into the room. Panic taking his breath.
Maestro! Maestro! There is an alarm! Bandits are attacking your warehouses at the port!"
"What? Merda!"
Vieri shot from his seat and rattled his sword in its scabbard "I will make those dogs pay for their gall."
The lad marched off ignoring the calls from his mother and father.
"Vieri! Vieri! Get back here! Gods above, don't make me have to bury another child! Theodora was on the verge of tears
"Thaelin!"
"On it." The ranger said sliding out his chair. He gulped the last of his wine on the way. He shook his head while gesturing for his sword belt. "Kids these days and their revenge…"