Thraxas and the Ice Dragon - By Martin Scott Page 0,63
remembering the financial difficulties Baron Vosanos finds himself in. This makes me frown. I don't like it that Vosanos is in financial difficulties. Financial difficulties lead to crime. But again, why pick on Merlione? It doesn't make any sense.
I hunt in the cellar for more beer. There's none. Arichdamis is apparently refusing to restock his cellars while I'm still in residence. It's a poor way to treat a guest. I traipse back upstairs, suddenly afflicted by a great wave of melancholy. I should be sitting in the Avenging Axe, drinking beer and swapping war stories with Gurd. I miss Gurd, the old barbarian. I meet Lisutaris in the corridor.
"Thraxas. Why the gloomy face?"
"I miss Gurd. And the Avenging Axe. And drinking beer with my friends."
Lisutaris manages to look more sympathetic than I'd have expected. "Share some wine with me," she suggests.
So acute is the melancholy that I'm unable even to pretend to be enthusiastic.
"Am I that bad a substitute?" asks the Sorcerer.
"You're not a bad substitute, Lisutaris. But I need beer in a tavern. And men to swap war stories with."
The Sorceress laughs, not unkindly. "I miss my old friends too," she says. "You'd be surprised how many hours Tirini and I spent gossiping. But I've been in plenty of battles. So has Makri, come to that. Perhaps we could try swapping some reminiscences?"
A key sounds in the front door. It's Makri. "Lisutaris! General Hemistos tried to kiss me! And he invited me back to his mansion for the night!"
"What? Really? Tell me everything." The Sorceress looks at me apologetically. "It looks like the war stories will have to wait."
"That's all right. It probably wouldn't have been the same anyway."
Lisutaris and Makri go off to talk about the men in their lives. I retire to my room and lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I try to think about my investigation, but I keep losing concentration and thinking about Turai instead, and the Avenging Axe, and drinking with Gurd, and playing cards with Captain Rallee. It leads to me sleeping badly and waking early. I dress quickly and head out to the public baths for a long soak to set me up for the day. I have a busy schedule planned. First I intend to visit Baroness Demelzos for more information about her family's finances. After that I'll return to the King's Record House to carry on reading. I'll need to speak to Cetenos too, about the documents for Baron Vosanos's court case that seem to be missing. Later in the afternoon I have to be at the tournament field for Makri's next fight. Makri has been drawn against Parasas the Niojan, who beat her in the qualifying group. For once, she's eager to engage, determined to erase the memory of her humiliating defeat.
On my way to the baths I run into Baron Girimos. He greets me genially. "Thraxas of Turai! You're a man with a decent appetite. Join me for breakfast?"
I'm not going to refuse an offer of breakfast from a Baron, though I'm puzzled as to why the Baron would be wandering around Elath, apparently intending to eat in a tavern. Presumably, as a wealthy Baron, he has his own kitchens. The Baron soon lets me know his reasons. "You wouldn't believe the state of my house at this moment. Relatives everywhere. Wife's relations, mostly. Spongers to a man. Can't stand them myself, but you know what wives are like. Do you know what wives are like?"
I tell the Baron that mine left me a long time ago.
"Splendid news!" he exclaims. "Wish mine would take off, and take her relatives with her. I can't eat properly with these vultures at the table, it puts me off my food. Can't drink properly either, with my daughters tut-tutting every time I reach for a flagon." The Baron comes to a halt, eyeing the establishment ahead of us. "The Jolly Bandit? What's this place like?"
"Serves a good ale," I tell him. "And not a bad beef pie."
"Excellent!" cries the Baron, and heads straight in. The Jolly Bandit might not be frequented by the highest class of customer, but Baron Girimos isn't going to let that stand in his way. At this time in the morning, the tavern is empty save for a woman wiping tables, and a man rolling a barrel of beer into position behind the bar.
"We need food and drink immediately!" cries the Baron.