Opening the door slowly and carefully, the assassin entered the room. He moved like a shadow. Even a falling leaf could have made greater sound than his footsteps. His black clothes blended perfectly into darkness. The assassin held a curved dagger, forged of dark metal and designed for only one purpose: killing. The blade gleamed wet. It was dipped into a poison that would stop its victim's heart within minutes.

He saw his target before him. A young girl was sleeping in a bed. Her large eyes were closed. Her little mouth was in a slight smile, she saw something happy in her dreams. Gentle moonlight poured from open window into the room, causing her golden hair to shine dimly.

With a few quick steps, the assassin moved next to the girl. There, standing over his helpless victim, he halted and hesitated. However, that didn't last for long. With a swift, sure move, the assassin pressed his dagger against the little girl's neck and twisted.

The white sheets turned red.

* * * *

On that morning, the common room was half-filled with customers. Vagabonds, travelers, adventurers and simple citizens alike sat in the tables, enjoying their breakfasts and conversation. A pleasant murmur of talk filled the room. The atmosphere was further reinforced by delicious scent of freshly baked bread spreading from the kitchen.

"Good morning", Silen called as Nina slowly descended the stairs. The girl looked much like she hadn't slept very well. Her hair was sticking wildly into one way and another, giving her quite a funny outlook.

"Morning", Aryn said. "Looks like you've had one hell of a sleep".

"Mmmmorning", Nina mumbled drowsily as she pulled out a chair for herself. Aryn and Silen had chosen a table close to the back wall of the room. From there, they could keep an eye both on the stairs and the door. It was probably a precautionary insisted by Aryn. Why, Nina didn't really care. However, she couldn't help but to let her gaze to trail into that certain chair in the corner of the room, near the fireplace. To her surprise, it was empty. Well, she didn't care much about that either. "I've been sleeping too much on hard ground. I can't catch sleep on a real mattress anymore". She yawned and fingered one golden tuft of her hair. "Oh, I'd give a kingdom for a good brush now".

"Why don't you ask me?" Aryn asked slyly. "I packed one when we started this little trip of ours. Somehow, I knew that you'd be complaining about your hair someday".

Nina decided not to start any kind of verbal thrust-and-parry battle today. "You'll have to give it to me after we've eaten. What does this inn serve for breakfast?"

"I don't know", Silen replied. "I asked the service maid to bring us something, but she's in no real hurry to fulfill our order".

As if the soldier's words would have been heard and instantly protested, a short and broad woman, who Nina already knew to be the true mistress of the inn, hurried over to their table, carrying a tray filled with mugs, cups and pitchers. There was also a plate with a pile of strange bun-like pastries. "Here you go", she said, setting the tray down with a slam. "A good meal for hardworking people. There's some sort of festival in our cook's homeland, so he has prepared one of his own specialties today. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask me. But - young lady!" She eyed at Nina's wild mane disapprovingly. "That is no way for keep hair! What you need is a good brushing! Just a moment, I'll fetch something…"

"Now, she's a busy one", Silen remarked as the mistress of inn hustled away. He took one of the buns and eyed it for a moment. "These look a bit odd", he stated, "but they smell good".

Aryn lifted one eyebrow as he took his bun. "I think I've seen these things before", he mentioned. "I wonder if…" He reached into his boot and drew out his dagger. Working carefully, he started sawing a piece away from the bun.

Silen took a bite. He chewed for a moment and then swallowed. "Not bad", he said before taking another bite. "There's something crispy inside. It tastes quite good!"

"Hmm", Aryn replied, peering into the hole created by his dagger. "Well, that confirms it. In Simafort, they call this thing un croissant avec les mouches. I wonder if their cook comes from there".

"What about Simafort?" Silen asked, swallowing another piece of the bun. "I mean, I know about the rumors about their food, but this doesn't taste so bad. A bit exotic, but good".

"Well, that's good for you, then", Aryn replied as he prepared to get up. "You can have my buns, too. I think I'll see if the storekeeper has some apples or something".

"What's the matter?" Nina asked, taking the croissant in which Aryn's dagger had made a hole. "Do you think that the food in Simafort is bad, then?"

"That's a matter of opinion, of course. If you want to taste something different, go for it. Here's your chance", Aryn said. He turned and headed for the door. "See you".

Nina's eyes widened as she peered into the hole. Completely ignoring her messy hair, she hastily stumbled up and ran after Aryn. "Wait for me", she called, "I'm coming too!"

"Hey, what's the matter with you two?" Silen shouted. "They are good, really!" Several other customers sitting in nearby tables heard him and saw what he was talking about. Many of them were sniggering and chuckling.

A terrible suspicion entered Silen's mind. Quickly he examined the interiors of his croissant. His courage, developed and honed by the years of heavy training in the Windian Army, was the only thing that kept both his stomach and mind where they belonged.

* * * *

"Eh?"

The inn was quiet in this time of day. As usual, Capitan's citizens were on their fields or in their shops, practicing whatever craft they called their job. Even most travelers were too busy seeing the wonders of the port town to come for a drink. A group of old men was, of course, an exception of this rule. These gray- and white-haired grumblers saw themselves old enough to be free of their obligations for the community. This allowed them to spend most of their time in various taverns and inns, enjoying fresh gossips and huge mugs of ale. Much of their time was also spent to sour grousing how the youths didn't respect the wisdom of the old ones.

Slender fingers leafed nimbly through the pages. His hand stopped only to take a cup of steaming tea to his mouth. After a quick sip, he continued his browsing. Dragon Sword, The Sword of the Emperors… Ah, here it is.

"Be gone", Essar said without lifting his gaze from his book. "I don't want to be disturbed when I read".

"Three days", the man standing before him said, "Three days and you've done not a move to help us!"

Essar looked up. He had expected the heckler to be Aryn, but this wasn't him. "Ah, Ssilen, wasn't it?" the snake-wizard said. "I thought that if someone of you three would come to complain at me, it would be you".

The young soldier clenched his teeth. Three days of idleness had been a powerful opponent against Silen's patience, and he was eager to end this all as quickly as possible. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he replied: "You may be Aryn's friend, but I don't trust you. All I want is to continue our journey soon so that I can get as far away from the likes of you as possible. And you certainly are not helping with it!"

"Oh? Iss that sso?" Essar said with his would-be amusement passing through his face again. Slowly and calmly he removed his reading glasses, a simple, thin fork of metal holding the honed lenses in place, from his snout. "You don't trust me? That iss good, you may sstill have ssome chance to ssurvive in thiss world. It iss often…unhealthy to trust the likess of me". He took the cup from the table and sipped the tea, slowly as usual.

"Don't try to change the subject!" Silen snapped angrily. "I was asking why it takes so long to arrange a boat for us?"

Though the soldier was extremely annoying, Essar refused to get angry. As a matter of fact, he rather enjoyed watching how the short temper of this impatient young man smoked and flared just because of the snake-wizard's calm and polite tone. "My contactss are numerouss and capable", Essar started, seeming to ignore Silen's clenching teeth. "But even my resourcess have their limitss. The boat ferrying people and cargo over to the Ssimafort area iss currently under repair. There are no good sships leaving the harbor. Well, at least no sships with captainss owing me favorss. But-"

Silen's patience snapped. Growling with anger, he grabbed Essar's cloak with both hands and easily jerked the lightweight snake-wizard onto his feet. "Stop your verbal wriggling, you snake! Tell me-" His words ended into a surprised gasp of pain. He released his grip and staggered several steps backwards. There was a loud crash as he tripped over a chair and fell to the floor.

Essar's eyes were nothing but narrow, golden slits. His voice was even quieter than usual as he hissed: "Never, my friend, never lift your fistss against me! I can prove to be a powerful ally, foolish ssoldier, but I can also be a hellish enemy". He paused for long enough to sit down again, arranging the folds of his cloak neatly around him. "Take your pick at your pleasure", he continued with his normal, hoarse whisper. "But know that Aryn knew better than to pick the wrong one. And I wass just about to ssay – before you impolitely interrupted me – that I believe I can arrange a passage for you tonight. Though I am sstarting to doubt if you are worth of it!"

Silen looked at his hands. His fingertips were red and sore as if he had been holding a hot rod of iron. Panting, he struggled onto his feet and gave Essar one dark glare more. Then, trying to rescue whatever pride he had left, he headed for the stairs and walked up to the second floor.

"Fool", Essar concluded to himself and put his glasses back into place. He had hardly reopened his book and found the line he had been in as another man appeared before his table. Giving off a hissing sigh, he closed his book and favored the stranger with a patient glance. "Yesss? What iss it now?"

The man had dark brown, almost black hair. His skin had been well tanned by the merciless sun. He was dressed in ordinary leather clothes and there was a red scarf tied around his neck. He stood in a relaxed, slightly cocky pose as he motioned with his hand. "You're Essar, right? The boss wants to see you".

Essar tilted his head, browsing through his memory, trying to find the features of this certain man. That face was no doubt stored there somewhere…Ah, yes. "Your name iss… Hain, isn't it? What doess your 'bosss' want thiss time? I sspoke with him just a week ago".

Hain shrugged. "Don't know. I just received a pigeon carrying a message that he wants to see you. I guess he's getting impatient".

"I am…busy", Essar hissed in response. "I have sseveral other matterss to take care of".

Hain's lips curved up into a mocking smile. "You don't look very busy to me, you know. All I've seen you doing is just reading or simply sitting still. If you call that being busy, the boss made a big mistake to make a contact with you".

Essar didn't bother to mention that he had been the one who had proposed the deal with Hain's boss. "I think", he replied. "It iss a very relaxing hobby. I ssuggest that you -- and that ssoldier you no doubt ssaw chatting with me a moment before -- sshould try it ssometimess. It could ssave all of uss from a great deal of trouble".

Hain laughed politely for a moment. "Well, it's not my business what you do. But the boss wants to talk with you and I'm just acting as a messenger".

Essar sighed again. "Very well", he said, tucking his book into the depths of his cloak. "Don't bother to ssend a message to your leader that I'm coming. I'll be there talking with him much before you have even finished writing it".

* * * *

The inn was getting crowded. After a day of hard work, the citizens of Capitan had gathered to share news, play games and enjoy the company of their friends. And, of course, to wash the dust away from their throats. The murmur of talk was loud and merry, and ale and wine flowed quite freely tonight. A bard was sitting on the bar counter, playing his lute and singing with a happy voice. His song about a mermaid could be barely heard over the general noise in the room. A group of sailors were throwing darts into a round, wooden target hanging on one of the walls. The onlookers guffawed as one particularly drunken player tried to decide which one of all those targets was the real one.

Aryn chuckled as he watched how each of the darts flew through the air, all hitting the wall about equally far away from where they had been aimed to. "I think the safest place in this room right now is before that target", he said.

Nina lifted her eyes from the bowl of warm stew she was emptying with a good appetite. She gave the dart throwers a short glance and then, shrugging, concentrated in her food again. Aryn watched quietly how her spoon moved from the bowl into her mouth and then back into the bowl, only to repeat the same cycle again.

No wonder the girl was hungry. Ever since they had left Windia, she had eaten very little. Though their long walk had required lots of energy, the sorrow had taken her appetite. Now, during these three days of waiting, she had seemed to slowly start to accept the terrible and tremendous change of the path of her life. But unlike her previous attempt, this time it was done in a peaceful, safer pace. Within a few weeks, Aryn thought, she would start to enjoy her life again. But… every time Nina lifted her gaze, her large eyes still held that certain touch of sadness in them. Aryn doubted that it would ever really go away.

"Where's Silen?" Nina asked after she had swallowed another spoonful of stew.

"In our room I guess", Aryn replied. "He's been moody all the day and now he refused to come down here. My best guess is that he's had some kind of scene with Essar". He took a large gulp from his mug of ale.

Nina ignored eating for a moment and, as if against her will, let her eyes wander to that corner again. Though the common room was crowded and noisy, nobody was sitting in that table near the fireplace. The corner seemed even to be somehow quieter than rest of the room, as if it's regular occupant had left his silent atmosphere behind to protect his favorite place. Nina noticed that somebody had left a piece of paper onto the table. "I wonder when Essar can arrange our passage?"

"Oh, if he wouldn't be doing it, he would have made it well clear to me", Aryn replied. He smiled a little as he noticed a strange whirl appearing around the corner table. "Speak of the devil…" he said.

Nina gasped with amazement. On one moment, nobody had been sitting in the corner. Now, the air twirled and whirled as if she'd be looking at the table through water. For a single moment, the corner became nothing but a blur, then it all cleared again much quicker than it had started. The only difference now was that the chair wasn't empty anymore.

Essar had arrived. He sat there as if he'd never even left his favorite place. Moving calmly, as usual, he took his pipe from where it had been hidden under his cloak. Then, with equal drowsiness, he drew out a little pouch. He loaded his pipe with pink powder and waved a simple gesture with his hand. With a tiny flash of fire, the tobacco lighted and started to produce that familiar purple, sweet-smelling smoke. After drawing a few puffs, Essar focused his attention on the piece of paper laid onto his table. He picked the message up and unfolded it, quickly scanning through its contents. Without wasting another moment, he stood up and headed straight toward the table where Aryn and Nina were sitting.

"The captain wantss to negotiate with you. Tomorrow morning", Essar hissed quietly and tossed the message before Aryn. Without slowing his pace, he turned around so that the hems of his cloak whisked the bodyguard's boots, and returned back to his own table.

Aryn unfolded the piece of paper, his green eyes reading the text twice before he spoke: "Essar has arranged a ship for our use. It's a pirate vessel, but I think they respect Snaky too much to do us any harm. The captain, a Highlander called Rajen, wants to talk with me a day before we leave. He wants me to come and see him tomorrow morning". He folded the paper again and tucked it into his sleeve. "Come on", he said, standing up. "We'll have to inform Silen about this. And I don't think he'll be happy".

* * * *

Somewhere, a rooster crowed as a sign of sunrise. The streets of Capitan were already half-filled with citizens. Yawning and stretching, they greeted the new day while heading for their shops and fields. The sailors and fishermen were walking down toward the harbor, carrying long paddles and large packs of fishing nets.

Aryn halted before the alley the pirate captain had informed to be their place of meeting. Though he had seen the world and battles long enough to be called an experienced traveler, the protector always had this same nervousness every time he jumped into a possible adventure. Though he trusted Essar (to the certain degree, that is), his clash with Silen last night had planted a seed of suspicion into his mind.

Aryn already knew Silen well enough so that he had judged his reaction well.

"Pirates?!" the young soldier had chuffed. "First that dishonorable snake-thing and then cutthroats! What kind of friends do you have, Aryn!?"

"Essar is just my contact", Aryn had replied, tapping Silen's arm as an attempt to calm him down. "His own contacts are not my business. And I think these pirates are too afraid of Essar that they'll do anything to us".

Silen had thrust Aryn's hand away and slammed his foot to the ground. "Why can't you see that you cannot trust that snake?!" he had exclaimed. "If you'd ever hear my opinion about this, he has just set a trap for you!"

Aryn had shook his head. "Essar won't harm me. He never throws valuable contacts away. And I've proved to be valuable to him".

"And what kind of 'valuable' work you've done for him?"

"We've been co-operating for years, I and Essar. Our paths intertwine and separate, sometimes it takes whole seasons without word from one or another of us. I've already told to you that he can be trusted to certain degree. I know him well enough to never cross the line to the danger zone!"

"Fine", Silen had finally grumbled. "If you want to go with the flow, so be it. I'll be here and guard Nina as long as you are gone. One of us should do it, anyway!"

Aryn had agreed with him. Now, standing before this alley, he had even started doubting his own words. He had worked with the snake-wizard for years, but Essar had always been one of those people who never tell others what they think. Could he have finally decided that the bodyguard was more trouble than he was worth?

Inconspicuously Aryn checked his daggers, tied to his forearms and hidden by his wide sleeves. His weapons were in place and well honed, so if this was a trap, at least he would have a chance. Under all of his doubts and suspicions, there was a hint of passion and enthusiasm playing in his mind. His heart beat quickly even with the thought of possible danger ahead. It had been too long since Aryn had actually stepped into the mouth of a lion. Though he refused to admit it, he had kind of missed this feeling. There was no turning back now, so Aryn stepped into the alley. All this nervousness would probably be wasted for nothing, anyway. It was likely that everything would go just fine. But then again…

Somewhere, a cat gave out a long, self-satisfied meow.

* * * *

There was a Highlander sitting on a large cargo box. His fur and hair were both dark-brown. He was dressed in a white linen shirt, brown leather vest and bright blue pants. His long-legged boots could have been shining black far in the past, but now their color was closer to mouse-gray. The Highlander played with a single coin, flipping it into air and then catching it again to twirl it around his slender fingers.

Eiji had a bad day. First, on the morning the wife of the innkeeper of the Giggling Gull had surprised the Highlander sleeping in one of rooms. He hadn't even got a chance to explain why he was in that bed without paying. The innkeeper's wife had treated him as if it had been Eiji's fault that the room's previous occupant had happened to forget to close the window!

The rest of the day hadn't fared better. The cook of the Inn of the Three Pirates had been far too watchful over his pastries, the Mole Clansman who sold jewelry in the marketplace had noticed the disappearance of a tiny, little gem and nobody had been interested in any kind of game of chance he had proposed. Even the keeper of a food store had noticed something odd about the golden candlestick Eiji had paid his purchases with.

"Is it my fault that I couldn't find gold paint that endures touching?" the Highlander grumbled and threw the coin into air again. "Lady Luck, if you're going to save my day, you'd better hurry". His words were true. The day was already turning into an evening.

Then the Highlander noticed movement up in the shady alley. It was a young, gold-haired girl, dressed in brown clothes. She had a pair of black wings in her back. Her expression was worried, almost desperate as she looked up and down the streets and then quickly moved on.

"Well, Lady, thanks for a chance", Eiji said with devotion as he jumped onto his feet and headed after the girl. "Worried and sad girls always need something to perk them up".

* * * *

It was already getting dark, and there was no sign of Aryn. Nina was starting to get desperate with her search. Every hasty step she took, every quick look she threw into empty streets and dark alleys, took a little piece of her hope. Something had gone wrong, she knew it for sure. Her protector should have returned to the Inn a long time ago already.

"Hi, there, girl!"

Nina flinched with the sudden voice. Quickly she spun around to face a lean Highlander who had gotten surprisingly close to her without getting noticed. The monkey's face was smiling friendly. This, along with his hair that was neatly licked backward, gave him a very oily appearance.

"Hi, my name's Eiji", the Highlander said. "What is a young miss like you doing in a place like this?"

"I'm…I'm looking for one friend of mine", Nina stammered carefully. This monkey's smile was all too sweet to her liking.

"Well, you've found one, at least", Eiji replied happily. "And you, my lady, are extremely lucky tonight! I have a pretty proposal for you, so pretty that you won't find another such in your life!"

"Er…I'm in a kind of hurry", Nina replied quickly. Unconsciously she took one step backwards, away from this all too friendly fellow.

"Oh, nononononononoo!" Eiji said, vigorously waving his fingers. Even as he spoke, he took one step toward Nina, so that he was standing at the same distance as before. "Don't get any THAT kind of ideas, I'm a gentleman, I refuse even to think about such things. What I was meaning that tonight is your chance to double, heck, perhaps even triple the amount of the money you are carrying!"

"I'm sorry, but I really must to go now", Nina answered. She took another step backwards.

"Oh, but please!" Eiji persuaded. He took one step forward again. "As I said, you won't get a chance like this ever again! Look, I have here a deck of cards. All you'll have to do is to guess will the card you draw be a red or black one. You bet one coin, you'll get…let's see…FIVE coins if you win! No, make that SIX coins so that the game gets more interesting. Say, what do you say?" During his speech, Nina had again maneuvered backwards. Eiji had, of course, compensated immediately.

For several moments they continued this strange dance. Nina, being too polite to simply run away, tried to keep a good distance to this smooth-mannered Highlander and Eiji followed her every step, talking and chatting all the time, proposing every imaginable kind of gambling and games. He embellished his friendly words by moving his long and slender hands vivaciously. With each offer he made, the Highlander's chances of winning his own bets became more and more ridiculous.

It was at least Nina's eleventh step as her wings bumped into something soft behind her. Immediately Eiji lifted his gaze above Nina's head and assumed almost a meek expression. "Oh, hi there!" the Highlander said. "Have we met before?"

Nina flinched as a lean, scaly hand was laid onto her shoulder. "No need to fear, Anina, it iss just me", Essar hissed calmly. "What are you doing out here? I thought you sshould be preparing for your departure".

This all was too much for Nina. After hours of futile search, dashing alone up and down these dark streets and this monkey bothering her, she grabbed the only possible straw of friendliness she saw. "Oh, Essar, you've got to help me", she blurted out, ignoring the fact the she didn't really know anything about the snake-wizard. But he was Aryn's friend, so that was enough. "Something has happened to Aryn!"

"Aryn?" Eiji asked. He kept a respective distance to Essar. "Who's that?"

"None of your businesss", Essar replied calmly. "If you could return Miss Anina's money pouch and then get away very quickly, I would appreciate it".

"What? My money…?" Nina's hand flew to her belt where she kept the little money pouch she had gotten from Aryn. It was, as expected, gone.

"Oh, you mean this?" Eiji asked, producing a little pouch. "I saw this girl dropping it to the street and I thought I should return it…Well, here you go, Miss Anina!"

"And the money, too", Essar added quietly.

"What? Who? Me?" Eiji's expression couldn't have been more innocent. He took one inconspicuous step backward and laid both of his hands onto his chest. "You think I am so dishonest that I would steal from a cute girl like her?"

Essar nodded calmly. "Considering the way you play cardsss, yess".

Eiji finally remembered where he had seen this snake-creature before. "Ah, do you mean that game I played last night in the Inn of Three Pirates? I thought I saw you there…I assure you, that game was purest of luck!"

"A Royal Throne three timess in a row? Your luck iss exceptional".

"Essar, we don't have time for this!" Without thinking, Nina grabbed Essar's scaly hand into her own. "We need to help Aryn!"

Essar gave Eiji one glance more before he turned his attention to Anina. "What do you mean by that Aryn iss in troubless?" he asked, gently releasing his long fingers from the girl's grip.

Nina blurted out her story in one incoherent flood of hasty words. Aryn had told her and Silen to wait for him in the Inn, which they had done. But after hours of waiting in vain for the bodyguard's return, Nina's fears had finally forced her to make a move. Fortunately, Silen had fallen asleep, so she could sneak out and try to search for Aryn. She knew that something had happened to him, she was sure about it! So far, her search had been futile. She had no idea where she should have started looking for, so she had simply wandered the streets up and down.

"That won't be a very fruitful method", Essar pointed out. If he had been moved at all by Nina's concern of Aryn, it didn't seem to affect his decisions very much. And he made it quite clear: "It iss very likely that our friend hass gotten himself into troubles by dealing with Captain Rajen. However, it iss very unlikely that Aryn would have gotten himself killed… Foolish people often can ssurvive where wise men fall… I don't know what iss moving in Rajen's head, but I won't take any kind of responsibility of it". With that, he turned around and started walking down the street, his cloak flowing with his every move.

Nina's hopes died. Completely defeated, she fell to her knees and buried her face into her hands. Essar was even more insensitive than Aryn. The bodyguard had not a chance of survival, now that even the emotionless snake-wizard had refused to help her. Tears filled her eyes and she sobbed quietly. So much she had cried recently. Chased out of her family, Aryn had been the only one who had helped her. Silen had vowed to protect her, too, but he had done it because of his pride and loyalty. But Aryn… He said that he was doing it for the money, that this was nothing but another job for him. But Nina had a feeling that there was also something else in his motives. Something that was hard to notice, but sometimes it drew almost fatherly comments from Aryn's lips. And now, she couldn't even repay the protection, not even those rare kind words the bodyguard had said to her. Oh, she had gotten so tired of losing relatives and friends.

"Oh, what a tragedy", Eiji sniffed quietly. He reached into his pocket and drew out that handful of coins he had found from Nina's pouch. He could be a slimy mollusk sometimes, but not this slimy. The coins found their way into the money pouch as imperceptibly as they had left.

"Well?" Essar asked from further away as he suddenly whirled around. "We have no time to waste on crying, Anina. Killing people without questioning them first iss not Captain Rajen's way, sso we may sstill have ssome time. But let uss not tarry for too long, I think we'll need Ssilen's assistance with thiss one".

A little but bright ray of hope entered Nina's mind. Hastily she struggled to get up and rushed after the snake-wizard. "Really?! Will everything be alright again?"

"We sshall ssee…" was Essar's quiet reply.

"Hey!" the completely forgotten Eiji shouted after them. "What about…" He sighed as it became apparent that Anina and That Creepy Fellow were already beyond his callings. "What about…our bet?" the Highlander asked softly from the black, yellow-eyed cat that had appeared from the shadows. "Risk one coin, earn twenty. It's not a deal you can refuse of…"

* * * *

The building was located in the harbor area of Capitan. It was built of sturdy logs and its windows were reinforced with heavy iron fittings. The building was at least two stories high, which made its roof to loom well above the lower storehouses around it. But ignoring its hulking size and almost fortress-like sturdiness, it looked just like an innocent, ordinary house, nothing like that terrible place where Nina had imagined an evil gang of pirates to set their lair.

"That's the place where Captain Rajen keepss hisss headquarterss", Essar told them quietly. He, Silen and Nina were standing in a street's corner, protected by the shadows of nearby storehouses. From here they had a good view of their target, which rose a good distance before them, its mass etching a dark silhouette against the starless sky.

"Remember", Silen hissed to the snake-wizard with a low voice. "I'm doing this just because Anina pleaded me and because I respect Aryn. I'm not doing it because of you!"

Essar returned his cold glance with equal politeness. "I am aware of that, thank you. You may remember that you reminded me of that three timess even before we had left the inn".

"I don't trust you!" Silen growled. He gripped his spear and shield so tightly that his knuckles had to be white. In the shadows, it was impossible to know for sure, of course.

"We don't have time for thiss", Essar replied. "We can chat later, but our now chancess are getting sslimmer with every moment we waste. Knowing Rajen, I'll ssay that if he hass indeed captured Aryn, he keepss him in the ssecond floor, where their booty iss sstored. There sshould be a window behind that building. It openss into the room where the sstairs to the ssecond floor are located. Try to enter unnoticed and get Aryn free while the piratess are busy. Inside that house, there are no ssecret holess large enough to hide him, sso Aryn hass to be in ssome of the sstoreroomss. But be quick in your ssearch and don't give up hope if you don't find him. Rajen could have alwayss sstored him into hiss sship".

"And what are you going to do? Give us out to the pirates?"

"No", Essar said. "My role in thiss ridiculous operation will perhapss be the most dangerouss one. I'll be the distraction".

Silen eyed him for a moment before he said: "If you want to. What about Anina? We can't leave her here".

"Well, take her with you! One pair of handss more can alwayss prove to be useful. And-" Essar held out a hand to stop Silen's protests, "I am ssure a sskilful warrior like you can protect her from any harm. Now hurry! I will give you twenty ssecondss before I make my move".

"Essar?" Unexpectedly, it was Nina who spoke. "Why are you doing this? Is Aryn really so valuable to you?"

"I have my reasonsss", Essar answered. "Get going!"

Silen gave him one growl more before he indicated Anina to follow him and rushed away. The couple moved quickly, sneaking from one shadow to another and staying close to the walls of storehouses. Soon they were out of Essar's sight.

One, two, three, four…

Yesssss…I have my reasons. And you could never imagine what they are, Princess Nina of Windia, Essar thought. Then he focused his mind into the task ahead. Like a chessmaster preparing for a match, he started imagining all those twists and turns his encounter with Captain Rajen could take. Thinking quickly, he considered the likelihood of each of the possibilities and pondered what he should do to counter each of them. Rajen was no doubt going to cause troubles, so it was wise to prepare well.

Twenty. As Aryn would say, time to get the show running.

Without hesitation, Essar stepped forward. He crossed the street with calm yet determined pace and headed straight for the main door of the building. The knocks were loud and echoing as he rapped the heavy wooden door three times.

Previous: Chapter IV
Next: Chapter VI
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