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The Lrna Codex
Chapter 2 – The Traveler
Silk and Yarblek had just finished their business in a small town at the outskirts of Yarblek's hometown, Gar og Nadrak. Silk had to admit it was a rather good day after all. Yarblek had suggested to crash at a nearby inn to get drunk on ale. Well, his actual words were to grab a drink but knowing Yarblek's appetite for drinks of such, Silk was sure a drink would turn a many too soon enough. However, he shrugged and went along. "Who could deny a friend as such a night of fun? They had more than enough to buy the whole inn down anyway." He mused.
As they both entered the inn, they noticed a crowd of almost drunk sailors surrounding what seem like the keeper of the inn. They were near a port so sailors were a commonplace. At a closer look, Silk noticed them to be Cherek sailors. Curious to as what the commotion was about; he offered to get drinks while Yarblek settled down at a table. Knowing his friend, Yarblek only raised an eyebrow at the offer but said nothing.
As Silk approached the keeper of the inn, he noticed that there was a girl about the age of fifteen standing beside the keeper. She was dressed like a dancer and must have provided entertainment for the customers in the inn. "Well, I guess some customers wanted more than dancing from her." Silk thought as he heard most of the conversation. Drunken people are usually very loud. Silk paused and looked at the girl…no lady again. He was sure that she was no Nadrak entertainer. She was too small sized for that. Nadrak women are usually rather well filled out. In fact, she looked more like Drasnian women instead besides the fact that ebony black hair was a rarity in Drasnian itself. "A mixed then?" Silk thought. "Since black hair is almost common in Nadrak and she looks like a Drasnian, wonder which she belongs too?"
A sudden exclamation however shook him out of his stupor and he found several drunken Chereks bearing down at him. "Okay, this is bad. What in Aldur's name did that woman say?" Silk cursed as he dodged a blow from one of the Chereks. Luckily for him, Kheldar was mostly sober and he had almost no trouble knocking out the ones stupid enough to attack him. The inn keeper looked on, shocked at the scene, fervently hoping that no blood would be drawn. The seemingly half-Nadrak woman however just looked on blankly.
After finishing with the drunken men, Silk turned to face the keeper. "It's sure difficult here to get some ale huh?" he gestured at the men sprawled on the floor. "Do you actually give a man a good workout before presenting them their wine?" The keeper stared at him and smiled, thankful that this customer would pursue no longer. Hastily, he ordered the woman beside him to get the drinks for them. She nodded and left.
"Is there anything else I can get for you sir?" the keeper asked.
"Not really but I'll like to ask. Who's the owner of that lady?" Silk replied.
"You sir." The keeper answered.
"What! I have never…" Silk retorted.
"Well you see that lady there is an entertainer in my inn and she refused to go with anyone else when they ask of it as you can see. I don't really mind as she does bring business. I rather not get on her bad side though, if you know what I mean."
"Well it is oblivious that she will not. But why is she mine?" Silk asked, puzzled. By then the woman had returned with the drinks.
"Well, that's because she said she was." The keeper answered. Silk thought for a moment and it clicked in his mind. "That's what you said." He looked at the woman. "That's why those drunks attacked me."
-- You are as intelligent as they say you are Prince Kheldar. – The woman spoke using the Dransnian secret language.
-- Thank you, who are you anyway – Silk flicked his fingers in respond. Yarblek was too busy downing the ale to notice the silent conversation between the two.
-- There's too many here. Come to my room later. – The woman replied.
"What's your name? At least it would be viable to tell me." Silk asked. Yarblek by now had noticed the woman that Silk had been talking to.
"Who's the lady?" Yarblek bellowed over the mugs of ale on the table.
"My name is Larna, sir. And this kind gentleman here is my current owner for now." Larna replied looking at Silk.
"Why Silk! I didn't know you were into Nadrak customs." Yarblek chortled.
"I'm not." Silk mumbled. "I hate getting into things like this"
"Oh well, the damage is done." Yarblek answered cheekily, "Would this kind lady be so kind to dance for us? Or will your owner disallow it?" Yarblek asked winking at Silk.
Silk threw his hands up in disgust. "Do whatever you want Yarblek." He said as he settled down for a tankard of ale.
"Would you?" Yarblek asked Larne. "It'll be my pleasure." She answered as she started to sway accompanied by the music of her bells. At first it seemed as though she was very nervous then suddenly she began dancing in a way that they had never seen before. Her moves were graceful and even though she had not the size of a Nadrak, she was able to do moves that a Nadark dancer could not due to her petite shape. She was agile and flexible moving as though the wind was her partner. The jingling music of the bells in fact ascertain to that possibility. The other customers at the inn were also allured to the music and the dancing of the lady named Larna.
"Graceful and deadly too," Silk mused as he took a drink out of his ale. "Why do you say so, old friend?" Yarblek asked, enjoying the show.
"Well imagine her with a dagger or some light sword." He replied. "I'll rather imagine her in my bed if you will; you are one lucky guy you know?" Yarblek replied drunkenly.
Silk stared at Yarblek and sighed. "You'll never change will you? I do agree though. She is one rare kind of woman."
"I'm never wrong Silk. Never. Now let's just continue getting drunk." Yarblek answered raising his cup of ale. Silk shook his head and followed suit.
After Yarblek became totally drunk, Silk sneaked away from the table and went up to the room of Larna. Opening the door, he was met with a dagger at the throat. "If you wished to do me in, would not it be better in public? I'm sure I'm not high enough for a personal assassination."
"Oh but you are…Prince Kheldar. But I have no wish to kill the one that I have been searching for years. You know, you can be very hard to find at times. Trust me, I know." Larna answered, withdrawing the dagger from Silk's vein. "Sorry about that, it's a habit I guess?"
"Thank you for your compliment, Larna. However, I could scarcely think any good of someone having to threaten another, for entering one's room in a habit to be anything great. Are you one of Javelin's men?" Silk asked dropping down on a chair across the room.
"Javelin? Hmm….he is the head of the Dransnian intelligence service right? You think that highly of me?" Larna mused as she too settled down on a chair.
"So you are not?" "I guess so." "That's not very reassuring you know." "When did you need reassurance in your life, Prince Kheldar?"
Silk blinked. Somberly he said. "Oh no….I think I've finally met my match, dear lady Larna. You are worst than Porenn." Then he winked.
Larna stared at him wide-eyed and laughed. "Oh my! You are worst than what they say you are."
"It's my pleasure, my lady, my pleasure." Silk answered. "So why have you been searching for me? I'm sure I have not cheated you of anything yet…unless you have bought a fur cap recently?"
"Well, I wished the problem was the fur cap….No I have been finding you because you're the guide I need. My master Merlin has asked me to find you so hence….. I have to."
"You don't know how glad I am to hear that. I have really no interest in human trade."
"I'm no Nadrak anyway." Larna answered, tying her long sweeping hair with a thong.
"Well, you don't look Nadrak anyway. By any chance do you know Belgarath?" Silk pondered.
Larna looked at him sharply. "How did you know I was finding him?"
Silk shrugged. "Well you did mention guide and the only time my name was associated with that word was when Belgarath said so."
Larna sighed. "Yes, I've been instructed to find you and through you find the others."
"All of us? So it's kinda like a new prophecy thing right?" Silk asked his eyes twinkling.
"Yes. You seem awfully happy about this." Larna asked accusingly.
"Well, selling fur gets kind of boring after a while." He replied. "We will set out to find that old wolf tomorrow."
"You seem to trust me. I thought that you'll be wary of my presence." Larna commented as she showed him out of the door.
"I don't. Just that I'm desperate for adventures and I'll grab at any chance." Silk replied as he walked away.
"Hmm…he's as interesting as they say he is." Larna whispered as she closed the door. "I think this may not be as bad as I think it is."
Well…..there you go. I think Larna will come from a more futuristic world. Anyway, she'll know what has transpired in the Belgariad as that is a form of history books in her world. So, it'll be easier to explain. Haha…I tried to write longer this time around anyway. So people….read and review. You know that tiny little button over there?