Toric's Dagger

Three Corpses Part 2

The guard with the beard looked them over suspiciously. He turned to one of his comrades, who shrugged.

'Fulvio,' he said, turning to one of the men, 'go ask for Loris, will you?'

Fulvio nodded and walked back over to the door. He banged three times on the door with his fist.

The remaining guards stood with Belwynn and the others, staring at them in silence.

'What are you, then?' asked the guard with the beard. 'Bodyguards or something?'

One of the big doors to the house opened, and Fulvio began speaking to someone in the doorway.

'That's right. It can be dangerous making long journeys these days.'

'Indeed it can. Just the two of you?'

'Only needs two of us,' interjected Clarin flatly, and Belwynn could see the hint of fear in the men's eyes at his sheer physical presence.

The bearded guard nodded.

'No horses? Walk all the way from Magnia, did you?'

'I'll ask the questions now!' came a voice from the doorway. 'Over here!'

The guards reluctantly gave way, allowing Belwynn and the others to approach the door. A balding man with sharp features peered out at them, screwing his face up at the rain that threatened to wet him.

'I'm Loris, the reeve of this town. A bard, I understand?' he said, quickly and directly, addressing Belwynn.

'The best in the business,' she replied haughtily.

'With two bodyguards,' added Loris. He looked Herin and Clarin up and down, nodding to himself.

'Your transport?'

'We have taken accommodation at the Three Tuns,' said Herin. 'Our coach is there.'

'And who's this?' Loris nodded in Soren's direction.

'This is Edward, the Lady Melyta's brother. I'm sure you see the resemblance?' replied Herin. 'Unfortunately the gods decided to take away his sense when he was a small child. But the lady still meets her family obligations and takes him everywhere with her.'

Soren grinned and bobbed his head a few times.

Oh, very convincing, Belwynn said to him.

Soren ignored her.

'I see,' said Loris, 'yes, very unfortunate.'

He didn't make much of an effort to sound sympathetic. He looked them over one last time.

Belwynn could see his brain ticking over. As a group they were young, wealthy looking; unlikely to be difficult. Two soldiers, a woman, and her dependent brother didn't amount to much of a threat, either. If Vincente could afford to have guards posted outside his house, he doubtless had many more armed men inside.

'All right,' he said, 'come in.'

Loris backed away from the door and gestured them in.

They had made it into the house.

The door was shut closed and locked behind them; Belwynn just managed to catch a glimpse of the guards still standing outside, looking rather sorry for themselves.

They found themselves inside a porch area, all stone-built, where one guard was stationed on door duty. It seemed to Belwynn like a nicer job than being outside; he even had his own chair tucked away in the corner. Ahead, she could hear the noise of what sounded like a busy hall.