Chapter 26

Steinklammers

"Did I ever tell you why I left Borca?", Rikard asked. "Why I became a hermit?"

"You embezzled a Dwarf King's ransom?", Weamar wondered out loud.

Rikard chuckled. "No. Black items.", he said. "That's why I left."

"Ravens?", Weamar teased his friend. "Or just illegal imports and exports?"

"No, black items.", Rikard said again with a grin. "Like when you right down expenses like Valachan whisky on your accounting ledger but what you really mean is prostitutes. Someone wants to hide something from the auditor."

Weamar nodded. He'd always wondered about accountants in his limited dealings with them. He didn't understand all the marks that they made in their ledgers, and it seemed to Weamar that if they made their ledgers so complicated that no one else could understand them that they could embezzle as much as they could get away with.

"My father was in charge of handling the accounting for part of the construction of the Great Cathedral.", Rikard explained. "Only he fell ill and couldn't do the work for a few weeks so I took over for him."

"What's accounting?", Tshaya asked.

"Making sure money goes where it should", Weamar explained. "With 'should' depending on who you are, though."

"Or making it go somewhere else, right?", Tshaya asked cleverly. "Black items?"

"I think she's got it.", Rikard said with a grin.

"She's not slow.", Weamar said with a smile.

"So I opened up the books and looked through all the items on order and added up all the columns and everything looked just fine, except that the prices on the Steinklammers were a lot higher than they should have been.", Rikard continued, then paused to look at Weamar. "You know what a Steinklammer is right? It's an iron clamp used to hold sections of the wall up until they get all the stones into place."

"I know now.", Weamar interjected.

"So being the aspiring young accountant that I was I looked into it and found out that the charge came from Stanton's Iron works in Lechburg. You don't know who that is do you?", Rikard asked.

"Can't place it at the moment, no.", Weamar piped up.

Tshaya became engrossed in Rikard's story. Rikard's style of asking questions to keep his audience's attention was something that she'd never heard before and it was working on her.

"They're up near the Falkovnian border and they do a lot of business with Drakov. Mainly special equipment, and well, let's just say that the specialize in things other than Steinklammers.", Rikard said, leaving Tshaya somewhat confused.

"Like what?", Tshaya asked. But Weamar knew what Rikard was implying.

"Special as in, thumb screws, branding irons, the rack, the pear, nasty thing that is. All sorts of torture equipment.", Rikard concluded. "Now I was still young and idealistic and I didn't believe that the church would be ordering torture equipment. But I wasn't so naïve that didn't have doubts."

Tshaya stared at Rikard. She'd heard about things like that in stories, but she thought that they were only stories meant to scare people.

"So after the Steinklammers arrived and a few days before they finished closing up the catacombs I snuck onto the grounds late at night and took a look for myself.", Rikard said with a smile. "Darn nearly broke my leg crawling down in there but past the catacombs there are some hidden chambers and in those chambers I found them."

"Sure enough." Rikard said as all the life went out of his eyes. "All the Steinklammers that were on my register, along with chains and shackles and cells and cages and a few things that I don't even want to know how they're used. And there were rugs hanging from the walls and the ceilings. Rugs!"

"Rugs?", Tshaya asked.

"For muffling the screams of their victims.", Rikard said as he stared at Weamar and Tshaya with wild eyes.

Tshaya was horrified. Weamar recalled a certain room with a rack in Falkovnia and shivered at the thought.

"When Drakov does things like that you expect it. When the Lady Boritsi wants to punish spies or traitors you look the other way.", Rikard explained. "But the church, the holy church of Ezra, torturing people? What kind of a priest would allow such a thing to happen on hallowed ground? What kind of a priest would do such a thing to another human being? But there was the proof, right before my eyes."

"And I was a part of the madness.", Rikard said, growing angry. "I had helped them do it and I said nothing. And every night after that all I could think about was some poor bastard getting tortured down in the catacombs of the Great Cathedral, screaming for mercy, on equipment that I signed off on."

Weamar couldn't picture the exact feeling, but he knew the direction it came from. He looked at Rikard as if to say that if wasn't his fault and Rikard caught his drift.

"Yeah, it's not like I'm turning the thumbscrews personally.", Rikard conceded. "But it hurts. And I know how it happens. Evil isn't just one man deciding to torture someone, it's all the people who let him do it by keeping quiet and doing their job."

Weamar nodded.

"You felt betrayed.", Tshaya said, her skin looking pale.

Rikard nodded. "Deeply.", he replied. "If you can't trust the church, who can you trust?"

Weamar could tell that the hermit meant what he said. The words sank into Tshaya as well. She understood exactly how he felt.

"My...my...", Tshaya began. Then she looked up at both Weamar and Rikard.

Rikard and Weamar looked back. The Vistani woman was on the verge of cracking and she was fighting it. All at once she gave in.

"They wanted to sell me.", Tshaya spat out.

Now it was Weamar's turn to look horrified.

"Who?", Rikard asked, his face getting pale as well. "The Knights?"

Tshaya gave both men looks like she didn't want to continue, but she saw concern and sympathy in their faces and felt like opening up for the first time since she had left her kumpania.

"The raunie.", Tshaya said.

"Raunie?", Rikard asked.

"She runs the kumpania.", Tshaya explained, filled with a mixture of emotions.

Weamar looked perplexed. He couldn't figure out why the head of the woman's family was into slavery.

"Surely your parents would stop her.", Rikard said, regretting the words as they came out of his mouth.

"I have no parents.", Tshaya hissed angrily. Then she turned her horse north and continued up the road.

"Until later, friend.", Rikard said.

Weamar said a quick goodbye and hurried after Tshaya. "Wait! Tshaya!", he shouted.

Weamar caught up to her easily, but by the time he did she had thrown on her cloak of indifference.

"He spoke without thinking. He meant you no harm.", Weamar said apologetically.

"I do not care what he said.", Tshaya replied. "I learned what I already know. Trust no one."

"Completely, no, because everyone makes mistakes, the people we trust, and ourselves in the extent to which we trust people.", Weamar replied, stumbling over his words. "But without some trust, you're all alone."

"Yes. I trust you to take me north.", Tshaya said flippantly.

"Good.", Weamar replied, not at all flippantly.

And north they went, arriving in Siel before sundown.


Morning came to Pont-a-Museau. Another long day on the road lay ahead. Marinae readied a warm goodbye to the waiter, having taken altogether too long getting cleaned up and made up, according to a disgruntled cat. She found Adraiss sweeping the floor of the commons.

"Where are you going this time, Marinae.", Adraiss said with a smile in his heart.

"South, to see about an old friend.", Marinae replied.

"Ste. Ronges?", Adraiss asked.

"I believe we are going to Crawford.", Marinae replied, hating to lie. She felt horribly guilty about it.

"Are you coming back soon?", Adraiss asked.

"With such charming company, I should hope so.", Marinae answered.

"I shall await your return, Marinae.", Adraiss said, almost singing her name as he spoke it.

Then he quickly swept a path in front of Marinae. Marinae told herself several times that it was for safety's sake, that perhaps a follower would be misdirected. Marinae smiled gratefully and curtsied for him while Lynn and Eliza watched with smiles on their faces. Marinae noticed that Adraiss hadn't even looked at Lynn or Eliza the whole time, not even a glance, even though the two were attractive young women. Adraiss eyes hadn't looked down either, except when he swept the floor, despite how much of herself Marinae decided to expose that morning. Instead Adraiss stood beside his swept walkway, waiting for Marinae to walk along it. Marinae was charmed and complied, with Lynn following along behind with Eliza.

David had left earlier in the morning to see the Lady Renier. He got his audience quickly. The Lady Renier was having breakfast but she wanted to hear the latest news from Falkovnia so she let him interrupt her meal.

"David.", Jacqueline said, pleasantly surprised that he was well. "I have heard nothing since you left…and nothing is bad.", she added with a frown.

"Things did not go well, Lady Renier...", David began, wondering where to start.

Jacqueline lowered her fork and prepared herself. "How bad is it?", she asked.

David gave a rundown of the events that transpired after he left Richemulot several months prior, trying to keep his own emotions out of the telling. "...and thus I ended up in Dementlieu. By lucky coincidence I was found by an old friend and was nursed back to health.", he finished.

"Then there is nothing left?", Jacqueline asked, fighting back anger and despair.

"I don't know. I don't know if any of my company survived at Lekar or whether there were any other cells still in operation.", David explained. "You say you've heard nothing? I have heard a rather odd rumor. I have been told that Vlad Drakov is dead, slain by the Wizard-King of Darkon. Is there truth in this?"

"Are you joking?", Jacqueline asked sternly.

"I would never make light something like this.", David said with less conviction that he would have liked. "I have or had reason to trust the source but I need confirmation. I was told that Drakov made a foray into the north and was fought back to his own castle."

"I don't know enough to even know that.", Jacqueline replied angrily. "I am completely blind. Drakov could have his army massed just across the border and I wouldn't know about it. And that is a danger to everyone in Richemulot."

Doubt gnawed at David's gut. "I would return and find out for myself right now but I have an obligation in the south. I made a promise.", he said carefully. "Have you heard of the wizard Aselid?"

"You have an obligation to m...!", Jacqueline said loudly, then calmed herself. David had put his life on the line for her countless times. She didn't want to chase him away now, now that she needed him so badly. "I understand. You may go. I want you to return when you are done and be my eyes and ears."

David flinched slightly when she raised her voice but nodded and bowed. "I will, Lady Renier. Thank you.", he said graciously.

"And yes, I have heard of Aselid. I would not have allowed his trial but my hands are tied in the matter.", Jacqueline said almost apologetically. The she asked calmly. "Who is Aselid to you?"

"I don't know him, personally.", David answered. "He does mean something to friends of mine, friends who've saved my life."

"If you can prevent his death, do so.", Jacqueline said quietly. Then, in a whisper that David could barely hear, she said, "Rittan will be the death of me."

"My lady?", David asked.

"He will split the alliance if he succeeds.", Jacqueline said. "Now go."

"Yes, my Lady." David bowed again and left.

David returned to the inn and soon the four rode out of Pont-a-Museau. A humid summer day awaited them as they made their way across Richemulot to Mortingy. David filled the others in on his meeting with Lady Renier.

"She hasn't heard anything. Nothing.", David said with a heavy sigh. "There's been no word on the state of the resistance or about Drakov."

Marinae nodded stoically, but burned inside. The farther that she got from Darkon, the more her adventure with Azalin felt like a dream. Rambis agreed.

"What happened to us?", Rambis asked.

"Remember the bad spirit who was tormenting David a few months ago? He's back.", Marinae replied. "And we think he might be after me now, causing the nightmares."

"Did he make me hate sausages?", Rambis asked.

"Perhaps.", Marinae said, unsure of how or why the spirit would do such a thing.

"Why does Darkon feel like a dream?", the cat wondered. "Is he doing that too?"

"I wish I knew, sweetling.", Marinae said. "I wish I knew."

They arrived in Ste. Ronges by noon and stopped for a bite to eat. Marinae had some more hot tea to keep herself from nodding off on the trip. She'd nearly fallen asleep a few times that morning, but she'd always jerked awake before she began to dream. Being a half-elf she didn't need a full night's rest every night, but she knew that she couldn't keep going on the way that she was. So she clung to the hope that she would confront the spirit and finish him off before she had to sleep again.

Then the day heated up under the summer sun as they made their way up the Musarde. The rest of the trip went uneventfully and they arrived in Mortingy before sunset, just as the mosquitoes were coming out. They quickly found shelter at a quaint tavern called "The Hearth".


Weamar soaked up the latest news at the inn in Siel. There was no word from the south, but he did hear that the trial of a wizard was set to begin the day after next in Mortingy. Weamar asked if the wizard's name was Aselid and they told him that they believed it was. He also found out that some of the townspeople were considering going. Rumor had it that he would be burned at the stake and they wanted to watch.

Weamar was on the horns of a dilemma. He believed that Aselid should be saved if at all possible, but he knew that there would be a lot of White Knights there and he had no desire to be near them. Then Tshaya overheard that Petrov, the captain of the White Knights was going to be there, and so she told Weamar that she was fated to be there and asked him to take her. That solved his dilemma. But he resolved to stay far away from those who wanted to burn the wizard, thinking that they might desire a test-firing, using him.

Weamar and Tshaya set out quietly that morning, heading north to Richemulot. Weamar was filled with uncertainty and rode deep in thought. He tried picturing likely scenarios, but none looked promising. In stark contrast, Tshaya knew her fate and rode as if she didn't have a care in the world.

By noon they reached the border with Richemulot. They passed through the border crossing with little trouble. The guards at the border stopped them, but only for a few short questions. And having Tshaya there made things go easier not harder. She flirted a bit and the guards soon waved them through. Nothing but open road lay before them and before sunset they were in Mortingy.


David, Eliza, Lynn, and Marinae had just sat down at a table when they saw Weamar come in. Weamar looked the same as always, but at his side was a young and attractive Vistani girl who was no more than sixteen. That simple fact surprised everyone who knew him. Weamar was also surprised, seeing so many faces that he recognized, and he was happy that he was seeing them again so soon.

"Greetings all!", Weamar said as he led Tshaya over to his friends' table. Then he tried a round of introductions. "Tshaya... this is Marinae, David, Eliza and Lynn."

Marinae considered the standard understated elvish greeting for Weamar and noted the slightly pointed ears on his young companion. Marinae ordered tea again, lots of tea, to keep herself awake.

"Before I forget, Marinae, your dad says 'hi', and that he's 'very proud of you'.", Weamar added.

Marinae was utterly thrown by the casual mention of Damon and by his praise.

Eliza smiled brightly at Weamar, pleased and surprised to see him. She nodded to the Vistani girl with a smile and said hello. Lynn nodded in Tshaya's direction but didn't look into her eyes, which upset Tshaya a little. The others Tshaya looked at and smiled brightly. Tshaya told everyone that she was a Vistani and that she traveled all the way from Barovia. She looked at Lynn and Eliza curiously as she talked.

"I've heard of the Vistani but I've never met one before.", Eliza said, fascinated.

"And now you have.", Tshaya said with a touch of arrogance.

Marinae felt as though she were looking in a mirror at a younger version of herself, only bitchier and with less clothing.

"Oh, the trouble I could have caused in Court with that outfit.", Marinae thought. "I never really thought of it, or I would have done it!"

Tshaya exuded the fake kind of politeness and graciousness that they were all used to from Marinae, only Tshaya seemed to be forcing the kind words, while Marinae usually meant what she said.

"Good thing I was nothing like her at that age.", Marinae thought to Rambis.

Rambis considered a smart reply, but thought better of it.

Eliza was caught off guard momentarily by Tshaya's slightly rude reply. David wasn't terribly impressed by the girl or the glimpse of her attitude. Instead, he turned to Weamar.

"So what have you been up to?", David asked the ranger.

Weamar explained that he'd just walked into an inn in Southern Verbrek when Damon and Tshaya stumbled in not five minutes later.

"Where's Damon?", Eliza asked.

"Mal Erek.", Tshaya replied. "Saving some helpless young elf."

"He must have quite the menagerie by now.", Marinae said, a hint of bitterness escaping her lips.

"He keeps palming them off on passing do-gooders", Weamar said with a grin, then hurriedly pointed out to Tshaya he was joking.

"And you're his daughter?", Tshaya asked Marinae, brushing aside Weamar's comment. "You have a most interesting father.", she added with a smile.

"Mother thought so,", Marinae said with an ironic smile.

"And he is lucky to have such a beautiful daughter.", Tshaya added.

Marinae grinned and looked at David. "See? This is how to flatter a lady.", she batted her eyelashes at him. "Thank you.", she replied to Tshaya.

David let Marinae's jab slide by and asked Weamar, "So why are you heading up this way?"

"Pointed in this direction by Damon and Tshaya, yesterday we heard about the burning.", Weamar replied.

"Burning?", Marinae asked.

Eliza echoed Marinae. "What burning?", she added.

"That's why they're coming from all over.", Tshaya explained. "To see the wizard burn."