Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: aaron@loki (Aaron Humphrey)
Subject: [R] Mistletoe[Pashar]: Splendid Gardens Get-together
Message-ID: <1992Sep24.033147.15749@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca>
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 03:31:47 GMT

At 2:00 Amaan snapped his fingers.  "We shall go," he said.  Mistletoe and
Ornigan nodded, picking up Amaan's luggage.

Bronwen was more alert, enough to walk by herself.  Mistletoe had given her a
hypnotic about an hour ago, and it should be good for six more.  She would obey
commands, but she wouldn't be a stunning conversationalist.

"We are meeting in the Splendid Gardens.  To get there we must pass through a
place called Faszur.  That is where the low-castes live, so we must be wary and
not attract any attention.  Sometimes the Shaheran's Guards are less vigilant
there than elsewhere."

There were donkeys outside waiting for them, and Mistletoe eyed the creatures
suspiciously.  Ornigan chuckled as he put his bags atop one.  "Not pretty
beasts, but stolid and faithful."  He took his lead with a firm confidence,
while Mistletoe took hers more gingerly at first, then more firmly as she got
more used to the beast.

Mistletoe was not used to human cities.  The grey elves had cities that were
works of art--beautiful everywhere, intricately decorated.  The poorer citizens
lived in surroundings just as beautiful as the richer, because anything less
was unkind.  She had taken it for granted while she was there, but she had
utterly outgrown that, and longed for it as they walked through Faszur.  They
were not bothered, but that was more because of Amaan's withering gaze than
any other reason.  None of them presumed to bother the slaves--slaves did not
have money or possessions other than their lives.  There were a few covetous
glances at Bronwen, but no action was taken.

Stepping into the Splendid Gardens was like diving into a cold stream after
walking through a swamp.  The sheer beauty of the place, although in a
distinctly non-elven style, made Mistletoe believe, for the first time in
days, that this scheme would actually work.  Juhlavi's gardens did not compare
to this.  The Shaheran himself reserved this garden some days, but today it was
open to the public--even if there were inconspicuous guards present to make
sure that no undesirables took undue advantage of this fact.

Amaan had reserved a gazebo under the name of Jamin bes-Adhem, and they were
led to it by an elegantly-clad slave who made Mistletoe feel distinctly shabby.
There they sat and waited for Karl and his party to arrive.  The meeting was
scheduled for 3:00, so they still had some time to relax and/or fret.  Bronwen
sat placidly, Ornigan and Amaan talked of magic in low tones, and Mistletoe
drank in the beauty of the garden like elven wine, or at least the Rameshander
equivalent.  The donkeys stayed quiet, eating the immaculate grass.  It seemed
that Rameshanders weren't as concerned about such creatures in the garden--most
likely there was a slave employed to clean up after the beasts.

Time passed, and so did 3:00.  By 3:10 Amaan was fretting.  "Where are they?
Have the Cardinal's men taken them?  No--to do so would risk an incident with
Generica.  Stupid Genericans--cannot they be bothered to be prompt?  Bah!"  He
fumed silently, and Ornigan came over to talk to Mistletoe, reminiscing about
old adventures, on the plane of Faerie and elsewhere on their travels with
Maleiu on his quest.

Then it came to be 4:00.  Amaan had been getting progressively more annoyed as
time went on, to judge by his outbursts.  He was just declaring his intention
to leave for the ship and leave the Genericans to fend for themselves when they
spied Karl limping into the gardens.  Immediately, Amaan started to harangue
him for lateness.  Karl responded in kind, and they were starting to gain some
curious looks, which Mistletoe really felt they could do without.

Then Radan and a dark companion(introduced to her as Shade)entered the garden.
Radan immediately started to apologize profusely, and praise the worthy
merchant Jamin bes-Adhem.  At one point he bent forward and whispered into
Amaan's ear.  It obviously was not meant for any other's hearing but Amaan's,
but all too often elven acuteness of hearing was overlooked, and Mistletoe made
a point of not reminding them.  She quite clearly heard Radan whisper, "I have
something of yours, but not here."  She filed this statement away for later
investigation.

Radan's effusiveness seemed to appease Amaan, or at least bemuse him, until
Killian and Jenever arrived.  Jenever was flushed from battle and Killian was
limping from a bloody wound in his calf.  Amaan exploded again about the
incompetence of Genericans, while Radan touched Killian's leg.  Mistletoe
expected the usual healing, but instead Killian's wound disappeared while an
identical one appeared on Radan's leg.  Another fact to file away--full of
surprises, that one.  Then her attention was taken up by Jenever, who said,
"Tillie!" and embraced her firmly.  Over Jenever's shoulder, she caught
Ornigan's bemused glance.  That's right--to him, he had at first been
"Tilliegotosleep".  That had been a while ago.

Amaan said, "I will now begin your briefing."  As he opened his mouth, there
was a gasp from Ornigan as a cloudlike being, light gray in colour, drifted
down into the garden.

"Hi!  Hope I'm not late..." Hazy said cheerily.  Well, there goes discreetness,
Mistletoe thought.

Amaan turned to Karl.  "Is this being part of your company as well?"  Instead
of the expected annoyance, his voice was filled with interest and, almost,
desire.  At Karl's nod, he said, in his suavest tones, "Not at all, my dear
lady.  We were just awaiting your presence so that I could fill in your
companions on the state of things.  Now that you're here...

"We all have passage booked on the _Arcas_, which departs this evening with the
tide.  We may have to rush a bit to make it, what with inevitable delays, but I
don't think we shall have any problems.  There are other passengers on board;
in fact, I think total complement of the ship is about 70.  We will not be
conspicuous there--I will attempt to dress as much as a non-Rameshander as
possible, and my slaves here will cease to be my slaves, and will hopefully
become citizens of Generica.

"Once we are on board the ship I will make you more familiar with my planned
itinerary in Generica, and so forth.  Now--may we be ready to depart?"

Radan and some of the others said that they still had luggage at the Courts.
Amaan became irritated again, and he snapped, "Well, bring them to the docks
and hurry, if you don't want to miss the boat.  I will see you on board.  The
rest of you, come with me."  He beckoned imperiously to his erstwhile slaves,
and they led the donkeys past the others.  As Amaan passed Radan, he muttered,
"Come see me aboard the ship."  Again, Mistletoe's ears caught his words.  She
began to wonder what the connection between the two was.

"Come along, Bronwen," she said, and Bronwen stood up and followed passively.
Mistletoe caught Radan's gaze, and nodded.  Surely he knew of the effects of
the drug as well as she did.

As they left the garden, she turned to see who was following, if anyone...

--
---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist)
"He knows the use of ashes."
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