Chapter 2
It was already nightfall by the time he reached Jidoor. He glanced around. Four rows of houses surrounded a city square. The in the center of town was a small well. Most of the buildings were small and nondescript mainly made of stone with thatched roofs. One building on the north side of the square was larger and more ornate, with whitewashed walls, tiny windows, and a large wooden roof that sloped down close enough to almost touch the ground. The house of the Mayor or local Lord, he thought. He saw light shining through the first floor windows, so he knocked on the massive door using a knocker shaped like a demon's scowling face. After a few moment he heard the bolt being released and the door opened to reveal a small young woman dressed in a bonnet and a plain black dress. Her brown eyes scanned him fearfully.
"Mr. Ifrit?"
Ifrit blinked a bit. "Huh? Uh, yeah, that's me."
"This way, you've been expected."
The maid gestured and led him down a corridor. They reached a large room dominated by a fire burning in an enormous fireplace. Tapestries hung on the walls and the firelight reflected off the polished bronze surfaces of the candlesticks and plates on a long table. The roaring fire also illuminated two men sitting in large chairs facing partly towards each other and mostly towards the fire. He didn't know the middle-aged man with gray hair and muttonchops, but the old man with a staff lying his lap looked all too familiar. Ifrit groaned.
"Ah, there you are Ifrit," said Ramuh cheerful as ever. "What took you so long?"
"Be nice to our visitor Elder," said the middle-aged man interlacing his fingers across his belly. He was dressed for comfort, a long brown robe with gold trim at the collar and at the sleeves. A golden chain hung from his shoulders.
"Yes Lord Ballant," said Ramuh nodding his head deferentially.
Ifrit glanced at Ballant. "Sorry for intruding so late my Lord."
"Not at all," said Ballant waving a hand. "Elder Ramuh here has agreed to put you up for the night. I'm amenable to that."
"Thank you my Lord," said Ifrit bowing slightly. "But how much do I owe you for this hospitality?"
Ballant smiled. "You look strong enough. You don't mind working to earn your keep?"
Ifrit shook his head. "Not at all."
Ramuh rose creakily. "My house is the last one on the southern edge of town. Head on over there and I'll catch up."
Ballant stood. "Lucy will show you out."
The same maid reentered the room and escorted Ifrit out. Only when they were alone did Ballant scowl. "You'd better be right about this man," he said gruffly.
Ramuh smiled. "You've learned to trust my intuition my Lord. Trust me again. He may be the key to saving this village."
Ballant sighed. "Of course Ramuh. But what makes you think he'll agree to help us?"
Ramuh stroked his beard. "Let's just say I have an incentive back at my home."
Ballant chortled and patted Ramuh on the shoulder. "I had no idea you were such a dirty old man! Well, I'm off to bed. We'll see if this Ifrit can earn his keep."
It was already nightfall by the time he reached Jidoor. He glanced around. Four rows of houses surrounded a city square. The in the center of town was a small well. Most of the buildings were small and nondescript mainly made of stone with thatched roofs. One building on the north side of the square was larger and more ornate, with whitewashed walls, tiny windows, and a large wooden roof that sloped down close enough to almost touch the ground. The house of the Mayor or local Lord, he thought. He saw light shining through the first floor windows, so he knocked on the massive door using a knocker shaped like a demon's scowling face. After a few moment he heard the bolt being released and the door opened to reveal a small young woman dressed in a bonnet and a plain black dress. Her brown eyes scanned him fearfully.
"Mr. Ifrit?"
Ifrit blinked a bit. "Huh? Uh, yeah, that's me."
"This way, you've been expected."
The maid gestured and led him down a corridor. They reached a large room dominated by a fire burning in an enormous fireplace. Tapestries hung on the walls and the firelight reflected off the polished bronze surfaces of the candlesticks and plates on a long table. The roaring fire also illuminated two men sitting in large chairs facing partly towards each other and mostly towards the fire. He didn't know the middle-aged man with gray hair and muttonchops, but the old man with a staff lying his lap looked all too familiar. Ifrit groaned.
"Ah, there you are Ifrit," said Ramuh cheerful as ever. "What took you so long?"
"Be nice to our visitor Elder," said the middle-aged man interlacing his fingers across his belly. He was dressed for comfort, a long brown robe with gold trim at the collar and at the sleeves. A golden chain hung from his shoulders.
"Yes Lord Ballant," said Ramuh nodding his head deferentially.
Ifrit glanced at Ballant. "Sorry for intruding so late my Lord."
"Not at all," said Ballant waving a hand. "Elder Ramuh here has agreed to put you up for the night. I'm amenable to that."
"Thank you my Lord," said Ifrit bowing slightly. "But how much do I owe you for this hospitality?"
Ballant smiled. "You look strong enough. You don't mind working to earn your keep?"
Ifrit shook his head. "Not at all."
Ramuh rose creakily. "My house is the last one on the southern edge of town. Head on over there and I'll catch up."
Ballant stood. "Lucy will show you out."
The same maid reentered the room and escorted Ifrit out. Only when they were alone did Ballant scowl. "You'd better be right about this man," he said gruffly.
Ramuh smiled. "You've learned to trust my intuition my Lord. Trust me again. He may be the key to saving this village."
Ballant sighed. "Of course Ramuh. But what makes you think he'll agree to help us?"
Ramuh stroked his beard. "Let's just say I have an incentive back at my home."
Ballant chortled and patted Ramuh on the shoulder. "I had no idea you were such a dirty old man! Well, I'm off to bed. We'll see if this Ifrit can earn his keep."