Chapter 4

Inigo paced back and forth beside the burned-out shop as he filled in Fezzik and Greta on his idea. On one pass his toe kicked something in the dirt. He stooped down and picked up a flat metallic disk only slightly larger than a coin. Featureless on one side, the other bore a somewhat crudely stamped large eye that appeared to be bloodshot. He turned to his friend and asked "Fezzik, where did you get this? I think there was one of these on the ground at my house too."

Fezzik studied the disk with the practiced look of a blacksmith. "I've never seen it before. I don't think it is a coin or jewelry. No writing or holes for stringing. It wasn't forged in this shape; the design has been struck, probably with a hammer and stamp. I don't like the look the eye is giving me though." Fezzik handed the disk back to Inigo.

"Somebody is dropping these, either on accident or purpose. The design is strange to me, and I have no clue what it might mean. Who's the smartest person in your village?"

"I think this comes from somewhere far from this village Inigo. We need someone who has seen a lot more of the world. If you were going to see Westley and Buttercup after here, we can make a stop on the way. Miracle Max still lives not far from them, and he's had a lot of learning and he's traveled a lot too. "

So Fezzik kissed Greta goodbye, and Inigo gave her instructions on the sewing project he had in mind. Fezzik gathered up a few basic smithing tools and what looked like lunch for a small regiment and along with Inigo made his way back to where Inigo's small boat lay waiting. They pushed off and headed south with the big man filling a large portion of the vessel.

South of Haypenne laid the country of Inti. The country itself consisted of a mainland and numerous islands of various sizes and shapes, some joined by occasional land bridges depending on storm and tide. No one truly knew all the islands, and few knew most. Even Governor Elaine Marley who ruled the country couldn't claim to know each one. From his pirate days Inigo knew many of them, and his flat-bottomed canoe made easy work of the sometimes shallow passages. Their first stop was an island very near the mainland called Big Island in a fit of descriptive genius from an unknown early explorer.

Soon enough they had grounded their boat beside a small pier, where a path led up from the water's edge to a clearing on the edge of a grove of trees. Quite a few houses and huts were scattered around the clearing that made up the island's main village, and a few could be glimpsed just inside the trees. Any question as to which of the buildings was their destination was dispelled by a large sign over one of the house's doors that read "Max's".

Fezzik walked up to the door and knocked gently, although gently for Fezzik almost amounted to the pounding of a normal person. "Alright alright" came the reply from inside along with the sounds of various items being moved about. The voice drew closer. "Don't break down the door! Hold your horses, although why anyone would bring a horse here is beyond me. Now what is so…"

Max threw open the door and walked out to confront the person who was disturbing his peace only to walk straight into Fezzik. "….important that…what? I've gone blind!" Max stood with his face buried in Fezzik's massive chest. "Hello Max" said Fezzik with a smile as he looked down on his friend.

Max took a step back and looked up at Fezzik, then over at Inigo. "Almost as bad" he said. "Don't tell me, you need another miracle? And what are you going to pay me with this time, sand? Maybe you want me to pay YOU for the work!"

"Max!" yelled a woman who walked into the room, "don't say such things. If it wasn't for them you'd still be stuck scratching out a living in Florin. Come on in boys, make yourselves comfortable." Fezzik and Inigo thanked Valerie, entered the house and looked around. The room had a few tables, several chairs, and a desk with papers and books stacked in a few piles. Various shelves held bottles, bowls and piles of assorted ingredients. In a window sill sat a candle with a clear backdrop of a leg or boot. Max caught Inigo looking at the candle and explained that it was 'a major award' from an apothecary guild in Italy.

"But I could go on about me all day" said Max.

"And he often does" half-whispered Valerie.

"Enough! I have to keep my reputation up, how else are people going to hear about me? Now, what brings you gentlemen, and did you bring money this time?" Inigo opened a pouch and laid out on the desk some coins with large numbers on them. Max scooped them up and examined the coins; satisfied, he sat down in his chair by the desk and said "NOW you have my attention."

Fezzik spoke. "Max, we came across this disk and don't know what it is. I thought with all the things you know that you might have an idea what it is." He handed the disk over to Max, who eagerly took it and set to study it. It only took a moment before some of the color drained from his face as he uttered "Oy. I think I better sit down."

"Max, you are already sitting" Inigo added helpfully.

"I am? Maybe I should lay down then" he added shakily. His eyes got a far off look as he stared across the room to nowhere.

Valerie took the coin from Max and looked at it before sighing. "Andy" she said. Max nodded.

"Who is Andy?" asked Inigo.

"Andy Night Wolf" answered Valerie. "He was…"

"…was a young boy from Florin City" continued Max. "I first noticed him while he was running in the cart races. You know, where the boys pull the carts in a race around a track? I tell you, not only could that boy run but he could talk the scales off a fish! He got the great idea to earn money by having local shop owners pay to put their names on his cart. One man was my root supplier, and another man that brewed beer and ales. I tell you, seeing that ANW Root/Beer Special race around the track was something else. But those races were dangerous, I'll tell you. You could pull muscles, break bones, smash toes; it wasn't pretty and almost everyone got hurt or worse if they played long enough. His mother didn't like the danger and wanted a safer life for him, so that root shop man sent him to me and I took him on as an apprentice to be an apothecary. Not only could he talk, he was smart; he picked up on everything real quick. After he learned everything I taught him he started doing his own studies." Here Max lost his smile and sadness came over his face.

"An apothecary is there to help the people" Valerie carried on. "Their illness, their suffering - these are the enemies that Max has made his miracles to fight. But Andy saw differently. He felt that this knowledge could be put to use for those with the power to properly reward him regardless of how his creations were used. He made friends with the wrong people when he started hanging out regularly at a tavern near the castle."

Inigo remembered the place. He had passed out behind that tavern a few times when he was heavy into drink.

"One of those friends introduced him to Count Rugen who took a liking to the kid and encouraged him to continue his studies, showing him ways that his talents could be used to further the needs of the court. More specifically, how to help Prince Humberdinck. It was only a matter of time before…"

"…before Rugen met me at the main arch of the castle one day and says 'Consider yourself fired'. Just like that. Just the thought makes me want to spit." Max started to do just that but stopped short when Valerie gave him a sharp look. "If Andy wasn't so ambitious or if Rugen didn't have a cruel streak it might have been different. Maybe if I hadn't taught him…who knows? What's done is done."

After he fell silent and showed no signs of continuing Fezzik asked "But what is this eye thing?"

"Oh" said Max, "it's like his business announcement. I told you he was smart and this was an idea he had to build his reputation. When he finished a job he handed out this eye symbol as a reminder that his was the skill that solved the problem or finished the job. I'm afraid his ego has grown along with his apothecary skills. He helped Rugen with items in his Pit of Despair and I wouldn't be surprised if he was Humperdinck's right hand man now."

"We seem to have missed out on a lot of goings on in Florin" Inigo told Fezzik. "I really wouldn't care except Humperdinck seems to be a bad loser. I think we need to go get Westley and make up a plan. Max, here are a few more coins. We may need your skills in the future." Inigo tossed the coin bag with its remaining coins into Max's lap.

"For your dispatching of Rugen you already have my admiration and thanks" Max said as he hefted the bag in his hand. "But a man has worldly needs. For this you'll have my skills for as long as you need them. Just not before sunrise, I like to sleep in when I can."

Fezzik and Inigo rose and walked out of the house. Inigo smiled. "I don't know if or when we'll need your help, but be ready just in case. Fezzik! We have a tide to catch."

"Goodbye boys, say hello to Buttercup for me!" shouted Max. He turned to Valerie. "She was a nice girl. Probably should get married to that mostly dead fellow."

"They did get married Max! We went to the wedding!"

"Oh yeah…"