The shade of the Argonaths
"Mine too," Luwan admitted when Narheda told him that her room had been searched during lunchtime. "Seems like they know we got something with us back from Tharbad. Something they want, or at least consider we should not have."
"Yes, and I believe it's only a matter of time before they bust us for real," Narheda guessed. "We're still two or three steps ahead of them but they're gaining upon us with every try they might."
"So what do we do?" Luwan asked as he seemed to brace himself from glancing over his shoulder in the imagined direction of a listening ear.
"Remember how professor Iusa tipped us off about someone who might help us?"
"Yes," the young man waited for Narheda to go on.
"Iusa told us that she was protected by the Cardolanian king, Tanesis CXIV. I imagine she considered herself untouchable because of that. And maybe she truly is. Tanesis is not only powerful, having a resourceful administration with tentacles reaching everywhere, he is also said to be extremely supportive of those loyal to him. I believe that our professor wanted to give us what she envisioned to be the same kind of protection. So she gives me this name. Keratorion of Ligo."
"You've been talking to him?"
"Not yet, I assume we ought to just go there. And perhaps call him on the way."
"When?"
"Now."
"Now?"
"Yes now. Luwan, if you cannot manage it, I fully understand..."
"No I don't, uh, I mean I do. In a way. Sorry if I don't make sense right now, but this whole thing scares me shitless. Still, Narheda, I imagine I'm in so deep by now that there's no getting out. If I don't consider the horizontal solution."
"Horizontal solution?" Narheda tried to grasp.
"That's a Harnendorite paraphrase for being dead," the dark-skinned youth said drily. "I'm not really ready for that one yet. I still want to have a wife and a house. A car and a dog. The two point one kids."
"Makes perfect sense, Luwan. Hence I imagine the best thing we can do is to make it for Ligo and for 39 Ventoris Street. And you'll get the chance to see the armless Argonath up really close, since Ventoris street is just by the statue's hip."
"How do we get there?"
"Maglev plus a cableway up the hill."
*o*o*o*
After a ride taking them almost two hours, including several detours to shake presumed shadows, Narheda and Luwan were getting off the cableway at the intersection of the horizontally running Ventoris Street and the serpent road Nysarya which was working itself slowly up the steep mountainside of the part of Sarmaltar called Ligo. This faubourg clung to the steep mountainside in the shade of the Argonaths and overlooked the small sound between the two statues, being located on the western side of it. It wasn't exactly slum, but it was quite run down, with old houses which had once been beautiful, but now, with colours peeling off and broken windows, looked like all loving hands had abandoned them.
Narheda had to admit that this was a place she didn't dare to visit after the fall of darkness. At the same time it did look like at least some of the inhibitors cared. At a small square people had planted flowers in a non-working fountain and she noted an elderly man, who definitely wasn't employed by the city, sweeping the sidewalk with a large broomstick, getting rid of trash and old leaves.
Several times during the trip, had Narheda tried and failed to call the number professor Iusa had given them, nonetheless she didn't despair. Somewhere in the depth of her guts, she alleged this man able to help them. How, she was not sure, he certainly didn't give the impression of a superhuman, not living here and Narheda had no idea how Iusa knew him. The Tharbardian professor didn't seem to be the kind who knew people in the run down areas of Sarmaltar. Then again, she didn't seem to be the type to know kings either. Therefore the archeologist was willing to give this a try and this stranger a tentative trust.
After perhaps five minutes of walking, they were standing outside 39 Ventoris Street. It was a three stories high yellow-painted building with toppy roof and a little tower with crenels in a corner. It held the look of a small castle and it pained Narheda to see that it was in such disrepair, seemingly even worse than the houses around them.
"Someone living here should be able to help us? I mean really?" Luwan echoed her thought, as they made it through a vaulted opening and into a courtyard.
"It's worth a try," Narheda sighed, but she was beginning to feel doubtful.
However this inner courtyard, hidden behind a rusty iron gate, seemed quite lovely as it was filled with flaunt greenery, roses mostly, but also tulips, pansies and a large orange tree. The gentle singing of water was heard from a wall-mounted fountain in the corner. In the shadow of the orange tree was a deck chair occupied by a black Alsatian which came running towards them as they entered the courtyard, barking loudly.
Blinking rapidly, Narheda took a step backwards, she had never been the biggest fan of large guard dogs, especially not those who were barking and snarling like this, obviously not thrilled with being disturbed in its midday sleep. But Luwan kneeled down; saying some gentle words in an agreeable voice and the dog stopped its ruckus, almost surprised as it turned its large head towards the young man.
"Serek!" a stern voice was heard at the same time and a tall man showed up at a balcony on the second floor, resting his hands at the iron railing as he gazed down at the dog and the two visitors.
"Serek, behave yourself!" Then he turned to the visitors. "Pardon an old beast, he's a bit too vigilant from time to time, and it seems he has always believed me to be kind of deaf. Thus this intense barking. Now, how may I help the two of you?"
"I'm Narheda of Nihaya," Narheda replied. "The friend with me is Luwan al Magni. And we are looking for a man named Keratorion. We were given the address to this place as where to find him."
"Keratorion, huh," the man on the balcony responded thoughtfully. "Wasn't yesterday I heard that name the last time."
"He's not here?" Luwan enquired.
"I'll be right down with you in a moment," came the retort, and then the man ducked inside of the house again. Narheda and Luwan faced each other, the latter shrugging disappointedly. Then Narheda cast a wary look at Serek the dog, who had sat down on the cobblestoned ground and was regarding them intensely with his yellow eyes. Come to think of it, he appeared more like a wolf than an Alsatian, she thought as she looked at the big animal. Or, Narheda scolded herself, most probably it was just her own dog scare manifesting itself.
Their host appeared just moments later, striding across the courtyard with confident yet relaxed gaits. He was tall and athletic built, and perhaps in his mid or late forties, with a mane of thick salt and pepper hair reaching almost down to his shoulders and a trim newgate fringe covering his squared chin. He wore in a thin silk and knee-length, armless burgundy tunic and beneath it loose, black suede pants and sandals.
Holding out his hands, he presented himself:
"I am Mitikas, how may I be of service?"
"As I said," Narheda began anew, "Me and Luwan are in search of a man named Keratorion. We got his name from someone who claimed to be a good friend of him. A Cardolanian professor named Iusa Vinidad, who's holding an occupation at the University of Tharbad."
"Professor Iusa Vinidad, so what's her story?" Mitikas nodded his head slowly, and Narheda could see a slightly concealed sparkle of recognition in his hazel eyes. So she settled for the short version of her and Luwan's adventure, starting with her own research and telling about those invisible people who were trying to stop them from revealing the truth about the Elves. Mitikas said very little while Narheda talked, he was content with humming to show that he was following while scratching the head of his dog. Luwan helped along in some parts, filling in and clarifying things Narheda had left out.
When they were done, Mitikas was rubbing his bearded chin while seemingly thinking things over. Then he hinted at the table and the chairs standing in the shade of the orange tree, not far from where the dog had been resting earlier.
"Come, sit down, milady, gentleman. I believe we're going to need some time to talk. But before that, may I offer you some refreshments? Cider? Wine? Lemonade?"
Both Narheda and Luwan declined the offer and they all sat down, Serek the dog taking his place by the feet of his master and then Mitikas went on.
"It is true that I know Professor Iusa. Very well as a matter of fact. She and I used to work together back in the twenties. Since then we have been seeing each other now and then, discussing things over. Topics like the moralities of science and research. What is allowed in the name of science, what you can do with a guinea pig for instance. She has always been very accurate with the truth, that people have the right to know. And that she should send you to me that have to count for something. So if I understand this correctly, you want my help with protecting this knowledge regarding the Elves."
"Protecting it and unearthing it," Narheda clarified. "We want the truth about the Elves revealed to all the people out there. Because when it's finally and irrevocably out in the open, then there's nothing that can threaten us anymore. Not to mention I'll get my career back. And I hope that you, Mitikas or Keratorion or whatever your name is, might be able to give us the help Professor Iusa believed you could."
"I will definitely be of aid, as I owe Iusa several times over. Now where do you have this burning hot material? Not locked in another bank safe, I hope?"
"No, we don't dare. I have it with me," Narheda told.
"May I see it," their host requested. "And by the way, regarding my name, I am Mitikas, son of Keratorion. But not in the sense that Keratorion is my father. Keratorion is the island where I was born long time ago."
"Never heard of such an island," Luwan said while Narheda handed over her paperwork to Mitikas. It felt odd, but just as with Iusa, she instinctively felt she could trust this man. He seemed reliable. Reliable and durable. The one who didn't run for the hills when the going got a bit tough. Then it mattered less that he didn't exactly live in a posh area.
"That's because my island of birth is very far away from here and very insignificant," Mitikas explained. "These days at least. Once that place was important enough, but that was so long ago you might not even have heard about it. And it matters less nowadays anyhow."
"Come on," Luwan said. "I'm not that young! Even if I'm still just a post-grad. But that's because..."
"I'm not talking about your age or your academic status," Mitikas cut the Harnendorite off with a good natured voice. "I was referring to something which matters less in this case, so let the matter rest. Now, I will have a look at this."
With those words, the bearded man picked up a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles from his tunic pocket, posed them upon his slightly crocked nose and began to read through the Elven documents. For a while the only thing heard was the water in the fountain and the chirping of the birds that were populating the trees in the courtyard.