Chapter 28
The Restless City
Shakab, Kingdom of Hannibal
While traveling around the Lake, ships did not overburden themselves with provisions. It was easier to restock at each port along the way. For the ferries that never ventured out into the open sea, there was even less reason to waste valuable space on more provisions than what was necessary to make each leg of the trip.
Because the crew did not want the passengers in the way of their resupply, the passengers were let loose on the town until the next morning. Most ships would let you back on board to sleep in your cabin if you liked, but anyone who could afford it sought lodgings in town.
It may have been wiser to stay around the docks out of view and get back on the ship at the first opportunity, which was exactly what they did when the ship stopped back in Kartbyrsa, but Tobias thought a little air might be good for them, especially Tellus, who had not been in the best spirits lately. Rather than risk her running off again like she did in Zareh, it was better to let her explore a little under supervision.
Besides keeping an eye on Tellus, he also had to be looking out for their pursuers. If reports got back to Captain Yael about him in Kartbyrsa, she would certainly send men to Shakab to be safe, maybe even on to Birut as well. Shakab was a smaller city, though, so there would be less ground to cover and the locals would be more likely to notice anyone who stood out.
As Tobias thought about it, he had not been out this far east very often. He may have only passed through Shakab once or twice on the way to Birut and so he did not know the city well. It was perhaps the smallest of the five port cities with no particular claim to fame. It was not like Birut, the gatekeeper of the kingdom, or Kartbyrsa guarding the mouth of the river. Jbeil and Zareh, though not much bigger than Shakab, were at least known as refuges from the creatures of the forest. What was Shakab? A waystation between Kartbyrsa and Birut? Perhaps that was enough.
"What do you think?" Tobias asked the others. "Should we find lodgings here in town or go back to the boat?"
"We would do well to conserve our money and stay out of view," Shoshanna said, "but you already know that, Tobiyah ben Yishak."
"So long as I can eat some meat, I care little where we sleep," Tym'r said, "though the spirit-caller's caution is worth heeding."
"Tellus?"
Tellus did not answer him. She just looked away. Tobias wanted to say something, but before he could, Shoshanna touched his arm and shook her head. Best to leave well enough alone, in other words.
"Well, how about we get something to eat?" he suggested. "We can figure out what to do next after that."
They did not get far when they heard the sound of people shouting and not just a few either. Hundreds at least.
"We need to go," Shoshanna said.
"Go where?" Tobias asked.
"Anywhere. We need to get off the streets. A riot is brewing and we don't want to get caught up in it."
Tobias thought about returning to the docks, but as soon as he did, Shoshanna said, "We shouldn't be out in the open. We need to take cover now."
Tobias looked to the nearby row of tabernae and picked a door to go in. It appeared to be some sort of dressmaker. Not surprisingly, the proprietress was taken aback by the four of them bursting into her place of business.
"Who, who the devil are you!?" she exclaimed. "You, you can't bring that, that thing in here!"
She was of course talking about Tym'r, who only paid her a passing glance. Compared to some of the things he had been called before, her words barely rose to the level of an insult.
Setting that aside, Tobias said to the proprietress, "Woman, do you have any kin outside? You need to call them in."
"My children are at their 'prenticeships," the woman replied. "Why are you asking, ah... Sir... Sir Knight?"
"Don't you hear all that noise outside? It's a riot."
"If that's so, shouldn't you be doing something about it?"
As a knight, Tobias was obliged to do his part to keep the peace. Perhaps it was silly of him to still be thinking of the obligations of his rank and station now that he was a wanted man. He remembered how he threw himself into the fray when Utica was attacked. It was a reckless thing to have done and he could not be doing it again.
"My duty is to protect this girl," he said, glancing at Tellus. "You're sure there is no one who would come here to seek refuge?"
"Who would seek refuge at a dressmaker's?" the woman asked incredulously.
"Pray that they don't," Tobias replied. He then told Tym'r, "Help me barricade the door."
"If you mean to bar the way, there is little to be found here to do it," Tym'r said.
There was a bar for the door, which might be enough, but there was no telling how frenzied this riot might become. Tobias looked at the large wooden table where the dressmaker did most of her work and went over to it, saying, "This should do. Give me a hand... er, paw, whatever."
As Tym'r went to help him move the table, the proprietress said, "What do yo think you're doing? You can't do that!"
"Unless you want that mob bursting in here, you'll suffer the inconvenience," Tobias replied. "Come on, Tym'r. One, two, heave!"
The table was quite heavy, but the two of them were able to half-carry, half-drag it over to the door.
"That should do it," Tobias said. "Now we wait."
The noise outside grew louder as the mob poured into the street. Shoshanna held her head as their whipped-up passions bore down on her. There was nothing Tobias could do for that. All he could do was hold the door. So long as the mob could not get in, they would do no further harm.
When the mob reached the estate, they tried forcing their way into the taberna. Tobias and Tym'r braced the table. Because the door was so narrow, the mob could not take full advantage of their numbers. Otherwise the two of them would not nearly be enough to hold them back. The window was similarly narrow and because of its position, it would not be easy to break into shuttered and barred as it was.
It seemed that all they needed to do was weather the storm, but then a shrill horn sounded and the proprietress became agitated.
"That horn... It is the bodyguard of my lady! Sir Knight, you must go to her!"
"Woman, I am but one man and I have my own charge to protect," Tobias said.
"You would leave a woman to be ill-used by those apes!? And you call yourself a knight!?"
Unsurprisingly, it did not take much to drown out the voice of cold reason. Already sensing what Tobias was thinking, Shoshanna said, "I will do what I can, Tobiyah ben Yishak, but you must be quick about it."
It took Tym'r a moment to catch up to the conversation.
"Surely you do not mean to go out there," he said. "You said yourself you are but one man."
"Take care of Tellus," Tobias said.
"Do not think I would let you go out there alone," Tym'r said.
Not to be outdone, Tellus stepped forward and said, "I can help too! My powers, Iā"
"It's too dangerous," Tobias insisted. "I have to keep you safe."
"Who's going to keep you safe?"
"That is my task, child," Tym'r said. "Come, Tobias, if we are to save this person, we must not tarry any longer."
"Remember your word, Tym'r," Tobias said. "No killing. Keep those claws sheathed."
"I will not trade our lives for theirs," Tym'r said, "but so long as it can be avoided, I will restrain myself."
"I suppose I can't demand more of you than I would of myself," Tobias replied. "Let's go."
They moved the table as little as possible to exit the taberna, finding themselves in the midst of the mob. Because he did not mean to kill, and because there was a very high risk of being disarmed and having his weapon turned against him, he kept his sword sheathed and relied on his fists to fend off anyone who would attack them.
Speaking of which, almost as soon as Tobias stepped out, a man armed with a makeshift club tried to brain him, but a solid punch to the jaw was all it took to lay hm out flat. This drew the attention of others, but before they could come at him, Tym'r gave a loud snarl that melted their courage. There were few men who would dare to face down a tiger, fewer still who would dare to stand against one that walked on two legs.
Tym'r's presence alone kept the mob at bay, giving Tobias time to find where the lady of the estate was. He saw a toppled palanquin and pointed to it, shouting, "There!"
Most people fled from the sight of Tym'r and anyone else was knocked aside. There was a lone bodyguard fending off the rioters with several wounded and dead at his feet. His helmet was dented and blood had spilled down his face. By his drunken movements, it was clear that he was just barely clinging to consciousness. When Tobias approached, the bodyguard readied his blade, prompting Tobias to raise his hands and say, "Hold! We're not here to hurt you! We're here to get your lady to safety."
The man was hardly in full command of his wits and only grunted, "A knight? My lady..."
He then noticed Tym'r and pointed his sword at him, but Tobias got between them and said, "He's with me! Come, get your lady and we'll go."
The bodyguard stood aside and turned his focus to warding off the mob, which was starting to grow bolder. There was no time to lose, so Tobias pulled back the curtain of the palanquin to reveal a noblewoman and two maids.
"My lady, come with me," Tobias said.
"I cannot walk," the noblewoman said. "I am a paralytic."
"In that case, forgive me."
They could not afford to observe all the niceties of polite conduct, so Tobias reached in and picked up the noblewoman. The maids gasped at his forwardness and the noblewoman herself looked surprised.
Tobias told the maids, "If your legs can carry you, come along and stay close."
Though plainly frightened of the chaos around them, the maids' loyalty to their lady outweighed their fear. When Tobias emerged with the noblewoman in his arms, he told Tym'r and the bodyguard, "Let's go."
That would prove to be easier said than done. The mob had reformed around them and were packed in tight. It did not seem that the mob would give way and breaking though would be impossible with their numbers. However, just as it looked like the mob was going to rush at them, they began staggering about as if stricken.
"Shoshanna..." Tobias muttered to himself. Seeing that the opening had been made, he shouted to the others, "Now's our chance! Run!"
They did just that, shoving their way through the disoriented rioters before they could regain their bearings. They did not get though the door of the taberna a moment too soon. Tobias did not have to say anything. Shoshanna was there to support the noblewoman while Tobias and Tym'r moved the table back in place to block the door. Now that the mob was trying to break in again, the two of them had to brace the table to ensure they did not get in.
While they were doing that, the maids hurried to the noblewoman's side, as did the proprietress.
"My lady, you are not hurt, are you?" the proprietress asked.
"I am unharmed," the noblewoman replied, "thanks to Sir Nicolaus and Sir Menander... and this knight here."
No gratitude for Tym'r's part, Tobias noted, but neither did she object to the beastman's presence, so the end result was perhaps even.
"Praise be to Lady Anat for your safekeeping," the proprietress said. "Oh! Forgive me!"
She hastily went behind the counter and carried over the stool she was sitting on.
"It is not much, my lady, but please."
The noblewoman's maids, who had taken over the task of supporting her from Shoshanna, eased her down on the stool.
"Menander," the bodyguard muttered. "I must go to him... Those animals... By now, they're..."
As he moved toward the door, the noblewoman said, "Sir Nicolaus, stop. He is beyond your help now. If you try to go to him, those... animals as you put it, will come in here and his sacrifice will have been in vain."
This gave Sir Nicolaus pause. He stumbled back a couple steps and slumped against the wall. His body slowly slid down to the floor and he started to hold his head in his hands.
Curiously, Tellus approached the man and knelt down by him. Though weighed down in grief for his fallen comrade, Sir Nicolaus could not ignore her for long.
"What do you want, girl? Leave me be."
While Tobias was too busy holding the door to intervene directly, he did tell her, "Come away from him, Tellus."
Ignoring him, Tellus said, "Take off your helmet."
"What?"
"Take off your helmet."
"Do as she says, Sir Nicolaus," the noblewoman said, leaning forward in interest.
More than a little annoyed but obedient to his mistress, Sir Nicolaus unbuckled his helmet. Setting it aside, he said, "There. Are you satisfied, girl? Now leave me be."
She did not do as he asked. Rather, she started looking at the wound to his head, then reached out to touch it.
"What are you doing, girl? Leave me be, I said!"
Her fingertips glowed as she touched the wound and when she withdrew her hand, the wound was healed. It took a moment for Sir Nicolaus to fully understand what had happened. He touched where the wound had been in disbelief.
"What did you do, girl?" he asked Tellus.
"I was curious," Tellus said. "I wanted to see if I could do it too."
"That was the same power as Mother Marina, was it not?" Shoshanna said.
"Mother Marina?" the noblewoman asked. "The healer from Baal-Gebal?"
"You know of her, my lady?" Tobias asked in turn.
"Yes, I know of her, Sir Knight," he noblewoman replied. "She has a rare and powerful gift. For this girl to have the same ability..." The noblewoman paused, then said, "Where are my manners? You save my life and I do not even know your name. I am called Aria, the lady of this estate. The man your young companion just helped is Sir Nicolaus and these are my maidservants Junia and Julia. We are in your debt Sir..."
Tobias was about to use a false name, but he did not imagine Tellus or Tym'r would follow along, so rather than lie and be exposed, it would be better to just use his name. At least he could use the Yehudi fashion rather than the Greek as she might not connect him to the wanted man Tobias Barca.
"Tobiyah ben Yishak, my lady," Tobias replied.
"A Yehudi?" the noblewoman replied. She looked at Shoshanna and said, "You called this woman Shoshanna, so I take it she is Yehudi as well. You do not look it. Neither of you do."
"My father was a proselyte, my lady," Tobias said.
"And my mother was Yehudi," Shoshanna added, "not my father."
Of course she did not go into any further detail about her father.
"At any rate, you have my gratitude," Lady Aria said. "I had heard rumors of brewing unrest in the city and was just returning from a meeting between the city's major houses and the sufetim. To think that the masses would break into a riot so soon..."
"But why are the masses rioting, my lady?" Tobias asked.
"Oh, you know, the usual peasant complaints. Taxes are too high, wages are too low, some nobleman's son had his way with some peasant girl... The dumb cattle are too blind to see that giving themselves over to Chaos only magnifies their misery. Order is the only path to peace and prosperity, but those fools cannot learn as men, so they must be trained as dogs."
As if on cue, horns sounded. Tobias recognized he trumpet call for a cavalry charge. So the city's garrison had been dispatched to put down the riot. Because the mob was so poorly organized, they would quickly be dispersed. Depending on the bloodthirstiness of the squadron captain, the matter could be settled with a few dozen dead or it could be a great slaughter.
"And so the forces of Order come to bind Chaos," Lady Aria said, "as it should be."
"You pay a price of blood for a moment's peace," Shoshanna replied, "but fear, anger, jealousy and hatred, the dark emotions at the root of it all remain."
"If the peasants cannot be made good, at best they can be made obedient."
"You mentioned training them as dogs. You can whip a dog into submission, but you're never assured that the day won't come when the dog bites back. Days like today."
Annoyed, Lady Aria said, "You are rather frank for a commoner, young woman, do you know that?"
Wanting to avoid any conflict, Tobias said, "Forgive her, my lady. She does not know how to comport herself among the highborn."
"Yet you do, Sir... Tobiyah," Lady Aria said.
The way she paused on his name was uncomfortable.
"Tell me, Sir Tobiyah, is your name common among your people? Is it not the disgraced Lord Commander called Tobias Barca?"
"It... is common enough, my lady. Tobiyah ben Tobiyah appears in one of our lesser Scriptures, a young man of faith who saved his betrothed from the thrall of a demon with the aid of the angel Raphael."
"Tobias is the Greek form of your name, though, yes? Like what you would expect from the son of a proselyte."
Tobias could feel the hairs rising on the back of his neck.
Lady Aria continued, "Some say the Lord Commander got himself enthralled by that so-called Witch from Beyond the Sea. And I've heard the whispers that the Witch is a young girl with strange powers..." She looked to Tellus. "...powers that could spell doom for this kingdom."
Seeing the growing wariness not only of Tobias but also his companions, Lad Aria held up her hand and said, "You need not fear. You have saved my life and so I will spare yours. It runs contrary to my nature to turn a blind eye to a wanted man, but to leave a debt unpaid or worse, to pay ill for good, would also run contrary to my nature.
"There are two types of men who transgress against the law: those who are evil and those who are fools. Because you risked your life to save mine, I do not believe you are an evil man, which can only mean that you are a fool. At times I wonder which is worse, but I will choose the path of humanity and see where it leads."
"Then I suppose the debt is paid, my lady," Tobias said. "If it is any comfort, we do not intend to remain here long. We will be on the next boat out."
"You mean to leave the kingdom then? Well, if this Witch from Beyond the Sea is the threat they say, taking her from this land would be doing the realm a service."
Tobias would not tell her that the Queen apparently meant to use Tellus for her own ends or that Tellus was more likely the one who would save the world rather than doom it.
Lady Aria beckoned to Tellus, saying, "Come here, girl."
Tellus did not move.
"What? Are you afraid of me, child? Come here, I said."
When Tellus still did not respond, Lady Aria softened her voice.
"Please..."
She nodded to her maids, who unbound her left arm, which had been kept hidden from view. It was pale, thin as a dry reed, and entirely lifeless, needing to be placed on her lap lest it just hang from her shoulder.
"I was not always like this," Lady Aria said. "My body was once hale, beautiful and strong. Over the years, I have tried to restore life to this dead flesh to no avail. When I saw what you did for Sir Nicolaus, I thought maybe..."
Though she remained on her guard, Tellus approached Lady Aria and slowly reached out to touch her withered hand. As before, Tellus' fingertips glowed and for a moment, fulness began to return to the flesh, but only for a moment before Tellus yanked her hand away.
"I can't," she said. "There's something there. Something powerful... something dark..."
"Yes," Lady Aria replied. "A curse born of hatred more bitter than you can imagine. There was one, perhaps, who might have healed me, but he is long since gone." She looked down at her arm, which still retained some of the life Tellus had infused in it. "But you have given me hope, child. For the first time in years, there is hope. If only your power could be magnified..."
That might very well be what would happen once they reached their destination, but Tobias did not think it wise to make mention of it. While Lady Aria's support might prove useful, their situation would be far worse if she found her expectations betrayed.
"You are young yet," Lady Aria said. "Surely your gift has only begun to blossom. When you become stronger, return to me, I pray. If you can heal me, I would give you all that I have and more. Whatever your heart's desire, I will make it yours."
Tellus glanced to Tobias. Was she looking to him for guidance? What could he possibly tell her?
Around that time, the noise outside had quieted.
"Well, it would seem matters are settled," Lady Aria said. "And this is where we part ways. You will want to be hurrying along, Sir Knight, before your fellows return. May whatever gods you pray to speed you on your journey. Until we meet again."
Tobias gave a slight bow, saying only, "My lady."
He and Tym'r then moved the table out of the way. As the four of them were about to leave, Sir Nicolaus came to his feet and said, "Sir Tobias."
Tobias paused to hear him out.
"I am obliged to you, sir," he said. "For my lady's life and my own. And to you, child. I do not believe good works come from wicked people. May the Lord grant me the opportunity to repay this debt. If ever you are in need of my sword, it is yours."
"That day may yet come." Tobias said. "Peace be with you."
"And with your spirit," Sir Nicolaus replied.
With that, they went out the door. After what had happened, Tobias could not help but fear what might be waiting for them in Birut. It would seem there were no travels without travails.