Luck in the Shadows - Chapter Three and Four.

[kalinara]

So last time, Alec got hired to take his rescuer across the wilderness, and we got a massive infodump of world history. That said, there were some good character beats throughout, so it wasn't too bad.

I'll be annoyed if this chapter is more of the same though.



So we rejoin our heroes as they continue through "the Downs", and it occurs to me that despite all the info dumping last time, I'm still not sure what "the Downs" actually are. Aside from cold.

Seregil is our viewpoint character for the moment. He's woken up first and engaging in a bit of ogle the jailbait. Though there may be a legitimate reason for that:

Cramped but warm, Seregil was tempted to let Alec's soft, even breathing lull him back to sleep. Looking down at him as he slept, he examined the planes of the boy's face.

Am I only seeing what I want to see? he wondered silently, feeling again the instinctual twinge of recognition. But there would be time for all that later; for now he had to concentrate on Wolde.

Jokes aside, I should probably clarify that, as far as I remember, Seregil does not actually want to bang Alec when he is underage. Later maybe, but not now.

Anyway, he wakes up Alec who thanks the Maker when he sees the sun. Seregil corrects him, Sakor is the deity of the sun apparently, but it's too early for philosophy. Anyway, Alec thinks they're pretty close to their destination and should make it before sundown.

Seregil's pretty quiet, and our viewpoint slips over to Alec, who recognizes it as the same look Seregil had worn when he decided to rescue Alec in the keep: as if he was about to do something that might not be the wisest move.

Finally, Seregil makes Alec a job offer:

Perhaps apprenticeship isn't exactly the right term. I'm not a guildsman of any sort, much less a bard. But you're quick and smart. There's a lot I could teach you."

"Like what?" Alec asked, a little wary now but interested.

Seregil hesitated a moment, as if sizing him up, then said, "I specialize in the acquisition of goods and information."

Alec's heart sank. "You're a thief."

"I'm nothing of the sort!" Seregil frowned. "At least not in the sense you mean."

"Then what?" Alec demanded. "A spy like that Juggler fellow you killed?"

Seregil grinned. "I'd be insulted if I thought you knew what you were talking about. Let's just say for the moment that I'm acting as an agent of sorts, engaged by an eminently respectable gentleman to collect information regarding certain unusual occurrences here in the north. Discretion prevents me from saying more, but I assure you the goal is noble-even if my methods don't always seem so."

Alec is pretty sure that Seregil did just admit that he's a spy. And he's well aware that he only has Seregil as a source of information, and no guarantee that he's telling the truth. But, Seregil did save his life and has been a good companion since.

Seregil seems to use the steamroll technique of persuasion:

"I imagine you're already fairly skilled in tracking and that sort of thing," Seregil went on casually. "You say you're a fair shot with a bow, and you made good use of that ax, now that I think of it. Can you handle a sword?"

"No, but--"

"No matter, you'd learn quickly enough, with the right teacher. I know just the man. Then, of course, there'd be palming, etiquette, lock work, disguise, languages, heraldry, fighting-- I don't suppose you can read?"

This is all going a bit fast for Alec (who by the way, sort of knows his runes enough to make out his name, but isn't exactly literate.) Seregil points out that Alec doesn't have much in the way of job prospects and asks if he really wants to spend his life mucking out stalls at an inn. And he does know how to sweeten the pot:

"And you've never seen a dragon."

"You know I haven't."

"Well, I have," Seregil said, swinging up into the saddle again.

"You said there weren't any more dragons!"

"I said there weren't any more in Skala. I've seen them flying under a full moon in winter. I've danced at the great Festival of Sakor and tasted the wines of Zengat, and heard mermaids singing in the mists of dawn. I've walked the halls of a palace built in a time beyond memory and felt the touch of the first inhabitants against my skin. I'm not talking legend or imagination, Alec, I've done all of that, and more than I have breath to tell."

Alec's still hesitant about the stealing part, but Seregil has a glib response there:

Seregil's crooked grin held no trace of remorse. "Oh, I admit I've cut a purse or two in my time, and some of what I do could be called stealing depending on who you ask, but try to imagine the challenge of overcoming incredible obstacles to accomplish a noble purpose. Think of traveling to lands where legends walk the streets in daylight and even the color of the sea is like nothing you've ever seen! I ask you again, would you be plain Alec of Kerry all your life, or would you see what lies beyond?"

Alec does notice Seregil sidestepping certain questions, like if it's an honest living. But he also wants to come. IF Seregil will give a few straight answers.

Fair. Seregil notes it's against his nature, but agrees.

Alec's questions are interesting. First, what side of the war is Seregil on? (Skala). Where would they go after Wolde? (Rhiminee, eventually, to Alec's shock). And why Alec? (He reminds Seregil of himself.)

So Seregil gets himself an apprentice!

An apprentice who needs a cover story! Seregil's guise is "Aren Windover", so he asks Alec to brainstorm why he'd be traveling with him. The first suggestion is the truth: Aren rescued him. Seregil vetoes that. He doesn't use the truth unless it's the last option, or would be unbelieved, also, he doesn't want to be connected to the Keep.

He does note that the rescue story isn't a bad one generally though, as it's a good explanation for loyalty and friendship. Cover identity Aren isn't the rescue type though. Alec's second suggestion, that he was hired as a guide, doesn't really work either. Aren is a well known figure around and bards are wanderers, so why would he need a guide?

Which raises the interesting question of whether Seregil really needed a guide to get to Wolde to begin with.

The third suggestion, which is also kind of the truth, is that Alec is his apprentice. I like that all of Alec's cover stories are some variation of the truth. This leads into another lesson. Alec can sing, but can he think like a bard?

Basically, this involves Seregil giving Alec some scenarios, i.e. a roadside tavern or a lord's hall and asking what he'd choose to perform. Alec seems to have pretty good instincts, and I'm enjoying this too.

It's the sort of thing I was missing in Dragonsinger. I can accept that Menolly is an amazing musician already, but there's more to performance than just being able to sing and play. There's history and diplomacy, politics, teaching others, and judging your audience. All of these things would have been great things for Menolly to learn, which wouldn't have come easy to her. But that's an old, long dead rant.

Anyway, they eventually leave the Downs for a nice unpronouncable valley. Seregil leads them to a tiny cottage where he shows off, making some sign that causes a growling dog to cow away. Then he knocks at the door.

An old, blind man answers. He recogizes Seregil and is introduced to Alec. He does that face touching thing that we always see in movies and it occurs to me that I've never seen a blind person do that in real life. I wonder if it annoys them. I should ask sometime. He notes that Alec is beardless but no girl. He invites them in for supper.

Seregil disappears for a bit and comes down in a new outfit:

When he came down again he was dressed in a bard's embroidered tunic and striped hose. A traveler's harp of dark wood inlaid with silver was slung over his shoulder. He'd washed again, too, Alec noted in mild surprise. He'd never met anyone who set such store by washing.

"Do you recognize me now, boy?" Seregil asked in a haughty, slightly nasal voice, giving Alec an elaborate bow.

"By the Maker, you really are Aren Windover!"

"You see? What you remembered about Aren wasn't his face so much as his flamboyant manner, the gaudy clothes, and the affected way he spoke. Believe me, I do all that with good reason. When you get right down to it, aside from the fact that Aren and I are physically identical, we're nothing alike at all."

Their host let out a dry cackle from his corner by the fire.

I like the old guy. He makes a good peanut gallery.

So he sends Alec upstairs for his own costume change, a fairly normal tunic/leggings/boot and belt ensemble that he assumes are Seregil's castoffs. He notes it's lucky he met someone about the same size. He hears Seregil harping downstairs and notes that he plays as well as he sings. He wonders what other talents his new mentor might reveal.

He also realizes that he hears voices talking quietly, but the music is masking most of it. He does catch a little bit though: someone named Boraneus is claiming to be an envoy of the Overlord. (Alec recognizes the title from Seregil's history lesson.) And Mardus, one of the dudes from the prologue is mentioned too.

Sadly, Alec can't hear anything else before he's called downstairs and the chapter ends.

--

Since the chapters are pretty short, I figure I might as well do another one. We get a bit of a history lesson about Wolde, which is the largest trade center in the northlands. It goes on for a while actually. The gist of it being that the "Gold Road" is so named because it begins at the Ironheart mountains, where gold is mined. The gold is then shipped to Kerry (Alec's home town) to be smelted, molded and otherwise dealt with. Wool from Kerry is another trade good, initially used just to protect the gold, but eventually became valued in its own right.

We learn about a few more laces along the way, until we get to Wolde itself, where dye makers, weavers and felters take the wool of Kerry and make it into bolts of "Wolde cloth" where are now in demand almost as much as the gold itself. So it's a pretty wealthy place.

It's also, interestingly, on its guard. The gates are closed, the walls are higher, and they have to give their ames to the guards. Fortunately, "Aren Windover" is recognized and allowed in.

How in the world did Seregil have time to establish a reputation in the North while doing all his other stuff? Maybe we'll find out.

Anyway, apparently Wolde hasn't seen a bard or skald in a while. Seregil gets the info on why security has tightened: apparently there've been caravan raids. But things have calmed down since a Plenimarian envoy named Boraneus arrived with a shit ton of soldiers. They took out the raiders and have settled in.

We get some good description:

The streets here were stained with the colorful, foul-smelling runoff of dyers shops. In the more prosperous lanes, raised wooden walkways had been built to prevent patrons from staining their garments with the mud. Gatherers' carts trundled from shop to shop all day, loaded with shipments of pigment-bearing plants and minerals. The poorest of children had bright rags on their backs; even the pigs and dogs that wandered the neighborhood displayed a startling diversity of color. The clack and thump of the weavers' looms filled the air and lengths of freshly dyed cloth, hung to dry on racks strung between buildings and over the streets, gave the area a perpetually festive appearance This was familiar territory to Alec, and he felt a twinge of sadness as he looked around. The last time he'd been here his father had been alive.

Aw. Alec also gets a bit over-eager in his desire to be helpful when he points out the mayor's house, where Boraneus is staying. He's not supposed to know that, but he covers by saying all important people stay there. Seregil is amused but not fooled.

Their destination is in a part of town where Alec and his dad have never been, where people mind their own business, per Seregil. Lots of taverns. He gives Alec some last minute instructions on being a good appretice/servant, with maybe an oblique apology as "Aren" is a bit of a dick. (Alec is not a fan of that part.)

Meanwhile, Alec goes to negotiate them some rooms as "Aren" ordered. The innkeeper wants three marks for the room at the top, Alec offers one and smoothly points out that the man makes more profit from ale than his rooms, and "Aren Windover" is famous enough to make a shit ton of people come by, if the innkeeper spreads the word.

The innkeeper is intrigued and is willing to go down to two and a half. Alec gets a bit carried away here, and says that "Master Windover" will be playing for the mayor. He gets him down to one and a half, with candles, supper and fresh bed linens. Not bad for a first try!

Though I hope that lie doesn't backfire!

It...may have, Alec realizes when he catches up with Seregil:

"Of course, we have only just arrived in town," Seregil was saying, "but I shall present myself to your most honored mayor tomorrow." Coughing delicately into his fist, he added, "I seem to have taken sore in the throat today, but I'm certain a night's rest will repair my voice. In the meantime, I am certain that you will be pleased with my apprentice's abilities."

The landlord darkened noticeably at this, and Alec gave Seregil a startled glance, which he pointedly ignored.

"You mustn't fear," Seregil went on airily. "This lad is constantly surprising me with his rapid progress. Tonight you shall have a demonstration of his talents."

Oops. Seregil is a tough mentor.

Though it may have been the plan all along, since Seregil needs to do some snooping at some point. He is impressed that Alec got the landlord under two marks, but is curious as to how Alec thinks he can keep some of his wilder promises. Alec admits he's not sure. Seregil is unbothered, though he does have a warning:

Well, hopefully we'll be on our way before we have to keep too many of your promises. But in case we're not, a word of caution -- stay clear of the soldiers, especially if you're out alone. These are Plenimaran marines, and there's not much most of them aren't capable of, if you take my meaning."

"I don't think I do," said Alec, puzzled by Seregil's tone.

"Then try this. They have a saying among them: 'When whores are few, a boy will do.' Got that?"

Eek.

Anyway, Alec gets his first performance. Fortunately, he and Seregil had three days to improve his repertoire, so he does a pretty good job. He's not bardic quality, really, but good enough for his audience. (And if you recall, they haven't had a performer in a while.) Indeed, more customers do arrive, including some of the mercenaries.

After about an hour, which seems like a hellishly long time for an untrained singer, Seregil calls a break. He's off to do some spying stuff. Alec is to watch the harp, get some water. He's done good though!

While Seregil goes to confab with a mysterious hooded stranger, Alec people watches. He sees a drysian near the door, surrounded by people asking for healing. That must suck. Poor lady is probably just here for a drink. Anyway, Alec watches her tend people and notices that she charges different prices. She notices him watching and explains that she charges the richer people more because they can afford it. She then cryptically winks at him and suggests she can be of service to his master.

As she leaves, she drops her staff. Alec fetches it and feels a tremor pass through the wood. She blesses him.

We're told the singing ends up going on until midnight. The innkeeper is quite happy, and Seregil and Alec have made a tidy sum as well. Seregil also notes that Alec met Erisa, the drysian and gets his impression (unsettling), just before Erisa herself arrives. Alec is promptly sent to fetch food and tea.

He does try to eavesdrop, but is gently reminded to get the tea before he can hear too much.

Later, under Seregil's instruction, he makes a pallet in front of the door and he asks Seregil how he met Erisa. Seregil actually shares some backstory for once: he'd botched a mission in Mycena when young and got captured by folk who "expressed their displeasure most emphatically" and was left for dead. He woke up in Erisa's hut.

In an amusing bit, when Alec notes that Erisa knew he was eavesdropping, Seregil just tells him that he's doing well for a beginner. I guess for a not-spy, eavesdropping is expected. It is after all a trade skill.

The chapter ends with them going off to sleep (and Seregil being amused that they'll be singing for the mayor tomorrow!)

Chapter three was okay, mostly set up, but chapter four was a lot of fun. Seregil is clearly the "throw the kid in the deep end and see how he does" sort of mentor. He's cryptic and secretive, but thankfully not like Asandir levels.

I would suggest that Seregil might want to urge his apprentice toward a bit more restraint. But on the otherhand, I don't get the sense that Seregil subscribes to that philosophy himself. So this might get a little chaotic.

If I have one criticism though, I think Alec is maybe a bit TOO good at the whole bardic stuff a bit too early. Sure, he's got a passable singing voice and a good memory for lyrics. But three days of a crash course isn't enough to turn a talented amateur into a professional. Alec probably shouldn't even be able to talk the next day after a long and grueling performance like that.

It'd be one thing if Alec had some music training, but from what we hear about Alec's father, that seems pretty unlikely.

It's not a huge deal of course, but it just stands out to me as being a bit quick. But all in all, the chapters were a lot of fun.