The Lone Call, vol. 1 [under revision]

(S1) Move 7: Knights of the Mind

While his superior was receiving new instructions from Urdin, Colonel Rahman was taking a time-off on a visit to The Five Pillars, the very same inn that Moryster Vays had once stayed in. There, as he waited on his order, he came across a clean-shaven man with fair skin and wiry build, though dressed in a rather unkempt way.

"Af'noon, sir," he said, pointing with his entire hand to the seat across the colonel's. "Empty?"

"Yes, please."

As the newcomer sat, the chair creaked under him.

"Name o' Sallim, sir, pleasure meetin' ya."

"Well met, sir. I'm Rahman."

Sallim grunted. "Nice name. Hot day as well."

"Indeed."

"'Ey, Ruwaida! Nice cold tea for two, eh? Big mugs!"

"Coming right up!" came the girl's happy reply, to Sallim's satisfied smile.

"If you don't mind me saying, sir," Rahman put in, "you seem to know her very well."

"Know her? Come on, sir, I live in this here city and so she does! Strange to say we ain't known each o'er. Besides, poor girl's really needin' someone to look after... Guess that's what you want to know next, hmm?"

Rahman smiled. "Sir, I'm just a common someone here, you needn't be so mean."

Sallim grinned, revealing rows of fine teeth despite his looks.

"Ah, come on now, I can almost tell you belong to somewhere that ain't takin' no crap. Eh? Well, lowly I might be, but I ain't gonna take it that I've no tender spot for some damsel. So? Do you really want the next roll o' the say?"

"If you insist."

"Here, then. Her pa was yet to be heard from again since those soldiers rushed for this city. Simple fisherman that I am, I rushed to this inn of her mother's and asked if I could hide 'til the smoke cleared. Lotsa people shared the idea, though, and this here place became quite stuffed, never mind the second floor.

"When the smoke did clear, sir, and we were finally allowed outside, ya can only imagine little Ruwa's anguish at hearing her pa to be missing; dead, alive, Allah only knows. I even took the trouble to gut the first man who said them words, not in her sight of course. But, yeah, things have to roll, so... here I am, visiting this here place time after time if only to see that sweet damsel's smile, never mind the cost of the drink. Heck, it suits humble folks like maself, truth be told!"

Their conversation was interrupted by Ruwa's delivery of two mugs of cool tea, during which Sallim managed a "Thanks, dear" with a fisherman's wholehearted sympathy.

"Be that as it may," Rahman resumed when the girl was out of earshot, "the entering legions did not ruin everything, did they?"

"Nah, apart from those who'd actively resisted, and then only with great care not to bruise 'em too badly. Me, I'd prefer to keep my head on my neck, thank you very much. What, ya want me to spray one of those sword-wieldin' blokes with the only net that I've bought with three months' pay and beat 'im deaf with some random oar?"

Rahman giggled, and his interlocutor grinned again.

"Hah! Some good sense of humor there, sir! P'raps I can trust you after all, eh?"

"It's always pleasant to meet someone new, sir. Gives us a fresh take on things. May I ask, what else would you care to share with me?"

For a brief moment, however, Sallim's gaze seemed to be focused on something else. Just as quickly, he muttered a short prayer and in five gulps drained his mug's contents.