Blood of the Red

Chapter 32 - Ingold

Chapter 32 - Ingold

"Do you like redfish?"

Gartus considered the question, "I like to eat them. I don't like 'em personally, they're vicious bastards."

"How many fingers does a redfish have?" Ingold asked.

The big man frowned, pushing up mountain ranges across his brow. He chewed at the side of his cheek. "Hmmm..."

"It's a joke Gartus, it was a rhetorical question!" Ingold spread his hands in mild exasperation.

"Oh," said Gartus. He continued to stare at the Rock. "How are we going to get in there then?"

"One for each fisherman who tried to catch it."

"What?" Gartus turned to look at Ingold, "What are you wittering about man?"

"That's the punch-line. One for each fisherman who tried to catch it."

"Very funny."

"You ruined the timing..." Ingold muttered, rubbing at the reddish stubble on his chin.

"So, how are we going to get in?" Gartus asked.

"Well ... we could batter the gates of the Inner City open with your head. Or," Ingold countered hastily as Gartus made to rise, "you could concentrate on the plan."

"I'm all ears."

"So you like to eat redfish?"

"This is the plan?" Gartus growled.

"When did you last eat one?" Ingold continued doggedly.

"I'm warning you bard, if this is another joke..."

"When?"

"Parsus city, Reeses Tavern on Lockheer Street, roast redfish on a bed of parsnips..."

"So you see..."

"...with plum-wine sauce and broccoli."

"So..."

"And eight flagons of 'Bishop's Tipple'. Gods! I hate living in the mountains!"

Ingold looked up from the fallen tree he sat upon. His elbows propped on one knee, and his chin rested in cupped hands. He raised his eyebrows, waited a moment, then continued.

"So, it was in Parsus city. Ever had one anywhere else?"

"No."

"So, we have a big red fish that bites the fingers off fishermen and has to be caught in triple-ply horse-hair nets."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Gartus grumbled, "And why?"

"I played to the fishermen at the summer villages along the Parsus River. Anyhow – where do you think they get the biggest reddest redfish?"

"Where?" asked Gartus.

"Where the Parsus River is fed by a smaller river that escapes from under the Rock. The boldest fishermen take their boats into the caves that run under the Rock there." Ingold paused, studied Gartus, then continued. "You've been to the Blooding five times. I seem to recall crossing a bridge, shortly after getting to the bottom of the shaft?"

Gartus nodded. Ingold pursed his lips, then stood, brushing bits of wet bark from his cloak.

"So let's go," he said.

"Where?"

Ingold pinched his brow and with great restraint sat back down. "The redfish you like, to eat, so much – they swim from the river you cross on the way to the Blood Chamber. They're big red bastards for the same reason you're a big red bastard. Hell, for all I know, you taste just as good with parsnips and a plum-wine sauce." He shook the idea from hi head. "We can avoid fighting Handelf's army, and everyone else on the Rock, if we find a way to follow that underground river up from its confluence with the Parsus." A pause and then he stood. "Can we go now?"