Stalking Darkness - Chapter Sixteen

[kalinara]

So apparently, last time, I was very lazy and reviewed a really short chapter. There was thievery! Also a really awkward double entendre. "Venison" my ass, Seregil. Or someone's ass anyway. Ahem.



It's now the next morning. Seregil has just now returned to the Cockerel. He asks if Alec's back, but Cilia hadn't seen him since yesterday. She does, however, have a delivery from Runcer, the manservant at their Wheel Street address. It's a letter from Beka (written in an "impatient, upright hand.")

Beka's letter is pretty brief, but the gist is that they're heading into Mycenian territory, the weather is terrible, and so far, the worst enemy they've faced in boredom. Beka seems pretty good-humered about it.

Seregil finds Alec asleep in their rooms and wakes him up. (Apparently Tirien had asked about Alec and sends his regards. I hope Alec takes him up on that once he's figured a few things out.) They chat about Beka a bit more and Seregil bets she'll have a "captain's gorget" the next time they see her.

There is a moment of melancholy where both think "if they see her again". Aw. They both shake off the thought.

So more investigations: Seregil wants to track down this "Master Smith Quarin", who is supposed to be their quarry's employer. The catch is, he doesn't know what KIND of smith. (Gold, silver, sword, black, he helpfully starts to list.)

Alec suggests an iron smith. The dude had papers of Admiral Zymanis, who is in charge of defenses, and Eirual had told Seregil that their quarry had rough hands.

There's a bit of a bite in this exchange:

“You’ve got a clearer head than I do this morning,” Seregil said, chagrined not to have thought of it himself.

“I imagine I got more sleep.”

Seregil glanced over at him in surprise, fancying he heard an edge of disapproval in Alec’s tone. After last night’s evident success with Myrhichia, he’d assumed the boy was cured of any undue scruples. Evidently he still retained his Dalnan attitude toward establishments like Azarin’s. Well, that’s just too damned bad for him.

And Seregil is such a dumbass. He's not prudish, you imbecile. He's JEALOUS. Oh well. They'll figure it out eventually.

EVENTUALLY.

Anyway, they do manage to find out where the shop is (after Seregil takes a nap), and they go out, dressed as "ragged cripples". Hm. I definitely don't like that word, especially not in neutral-toned narration.

Anyway, their begging disguise is so good that one of their acquaintances actually shakes a rake at them.

They make their way through the street, and Seregil points out a city watch formation: five heads on spikes. That, as we saw in Luck in the Shadows, is the fate of traitors and spies in Rhiminee. Alec is disturbed. Seregil is...an idiot.

“Maker’s Mercy, that’s getting to be a common sight,” he muttered. “If we’re right about our man—“

“Then he’ll come to the same end.” Seregil eyed the heads impassively. “I wouldn’t dwell on that, if I were you. I don’t.”

Especially since you came within spitting distance of ending up that way yourself. Alec thought grimly. He still had nightmares about that sometimes, and what would have happened if he and Micum had failed to clear Seregil’s name from the Leran’s carefully contrived treason charges. He wondered if Seregil did, too.

Honestly, even if we didn't get a clear look into Seregil's empty empty head, I'd assert that he doesn't think about that at all.

I'm being mean to Seregil this chapter, but that's because I think this is one of those times when he's falling down on the job, mentor wise. Usually he's very good, but sometimes he forgets that he's dealing with someone a lot younger and less experienced, and y'know, maybe should TRY to see things from that perspective.

There's an interesting bit that shows that maybe Alec's coping method of extreme repression might not work all that well, when he has a sudden emotional reaction to Seregil calling him "son". He feels a sickening chill and guilt, he hasn't thought about his father in weeks.

Poor kid. And when you think about it, he's been through a LOT in "so many months". Seregil does actually notice something's off this time and asks, but Alec blames the smoke from the forges for his stinging eyes. Aw.

So they do make it to Master Quarin's shop. A female smith is the first to talk to them, and they find out right away that no one likes Master Rythel. He's Quarin's upstart nephew, working in the sewers. She hopes they charge him double for the message they're supposed to be carrying.

Alec gets a little petty revenge back by calling Seregil grandfather.

The sewer job is actually a pretty swank deal: he's replacing iron grates, a job probably ordered by Zymanis. They finally have a plausible connection between them. Seregil decides he might want to "play with" Rythel a bit later, so he decides to stay out of sight and let Alec be the messenger. He doesn't want to risk getting recognized later.

So, to the sewers. Alec notices that workmen are wearing wet rags, probably vinegar cloths, over nose and mouth to protect from "evil humours". There are also bluecoats (soldiers) down there too, watching for "gaterunners" (thieves) and spies who make use of all the gates, grates and tunnels.

So Alec goes up with the message. He does encounter some resistance from the lower ranking smiths who don't really want him wandering around, but the sentries figure he looks harmless. They figure he can wait around (especially when Alec makes a suggestive gesture and says that Rythal will be "none too happy to miss" the message).

Eventually, Rythel does show up: a very tall man with bushy blond hair. Alec delivers his message, claiming that it's from a "dark haired bawd" from "the House of the Swans" (Eirual's establishment). It's pretty vague: just that she prays he remembers her fondly and that he'll come back.

Alec babbles a bit and Rythel hands him some coins to brush him off. All coppers, and Alec pretends offense, to the sentries' amusement.

Seregil is happy and complimentary, suggesting that they might use Alec as "the jilt" again tonight. Alec asks about his role: another doughty, fresh-faced country lad looking for apprenticeship and friends. Alec thinks it has a familiar ring to it, but is grinning.

So later, Seregil starts playing bard...quite badly. He sings "in a voice that would have made Rolan Silverleaf cringe". The crowd is not discriminating though. Alec has been adopted by a group of drinkers already, including the woman at the shop, and he does pick up some useful gossip that he reports to Seregil later.

Namely, Rythel is Quarin's nephew, and he's actually new. He'd had a shop in Kedra that burned down. Quarin and Rythel aren't friendly either. They'd had "hard words" and now Quarin hardly speaks to him. Even Rythel's crew doesn't like him much: he treats them like "first-month apprentices". Seregil finds it particularly interesting that Rythel does most of the final fittings himself.

Alec also has a similar thought, wondering if Rythel's tampering with the gates. Seregil thinks they definitely can't overlook the possibility.

They decide it's time to make a report to Nysander. Thero is the one who lets them in, and, going by the long scratches on his neck, Alec figures that he's still keeping company with Ylinestra (she'd done that to him too.). Alec thinks Thero is welcome to her.

Oh, hey:

“You’d better come down with us,” said Seregil as he started down the stairs. Thero shot Alec a look of surprise. “Watcher business, maybe.”

Alec was pleased to see the hint of an expectant smile cross Thero’s face as he hurried to join him. He was a cold fish, and no mistake, but in the months since he’d helped secure Seregil’s release from prison, albeit grudgingly, Alec had come to feel a certain sympathy for the stiff young wizard, and respect. He was talented, and his arrogance seemed a shield for his own inner loneliness.

As for the rivalry between him and Seregil, Alec had quickly learned that this was as much Seregil’s fault as Thero’s.

Aw. THANK YOU ALEC.

And honestly, I still think it's mostly Nysander's fault. Also, Nysander, why does the teenager have a better understanding of your apprentice's issues than you do???

Nysander's definitely interested in what they've found. Thero asks if they plan to break into the guy's place. (I point it out only because it's nice seeing Thero involved with the planning.) Not yet, per Seregil. Tenements are hard to break into, because they're so crowded and often have no halls or corridors. They're going to look at the sewers first.

The chapter ends with them heading out, but also this little exchange:

“Luck in the shadows,” said Thero as he passed.

Seregil raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, then touched a finger lightly to one of the scratches on Thero’s neck. “And to you.”

Hm. There does seem to be a bit of a shift here. I wonder what will come of it...