Northern Fortunes

 

– 8/3/2436

 

Edward ‘Tanner’ Hawkwood sat in the Black Swan Inn. His new ale of choice was Olde Castle Brown Ale. He’d found it in Anglia City, and was rather fond of it now. It cost more than Olde Anglia 800, but he had to admit it wasn’t as rotgut as 800. His traveling companion Arabella was on stage singing a song and playing her lyre. She had the attention of every man that was breathing in the bar. It wasn’t hard to believe; the raven-haired witch was quite possibly the most attractive woman in North Anglia. Tanner didn’t think his other traveling companion Faolan could resist her charms for long, regardless of whether his love for the Queen Regent was true. When he was younger, Tanner might have made a play for her, but age was making him wiser. Better to go with the sure thing with one of the Tiren sisters than a witch who could set you on fire. He didn’t think Arabella would set him on fire, but… the last time Tanner had been interested in a fire mage, she’d broke his heart. Besides, someone who wielded that much power might not be trusted to use it safely. Still, he liked her. Arabella wasn’t the usual high and mighty witch type. That was refreshing.

 

As she sang, a man of military bearing sat down beside Tanner. ‘May I help you?’ asked Tanner.

 

‘You’re that Tanner Hawkwood who runs around with Lord Gahanna, aren’t you?’ the man asked.

 

‘Guilty as charged.’

 

‘I’m Jon Chaffee. I serve with Lord Huber. It’s a rare to meet an adventurer such as yourself.’

 

‘Well, if by adventurer you mean running all over the known world, sleeping on the ground, and being in the wrong place at the right time, you’ve found an adventurer. Did you serve against Lord Evans?’ Tanner looked at the man, probably about three years younger than himself.

 

‘I certainly did. I was on the boats that floated down the river and snuck up behind Lord Evans.’

 

‘Really?’ Tanner was interested now. ‘Let me buy you an ale and you can tell me the story of this battle. I’ve heard Lord Gahanna’s version once if not a hundred times. I’d like to hear someone else tell it. Barmaid, another ale!’

 

Tanner listened to the story for about 20 minutes. When Chaffee finished, Tanner followed up with another 30 minutes of questions about details of the battle. When Tanner finally had his fill of discussion, Chaffee looked a bit exhausted and thirsty. Tanner ordered two more ales, and the talk took a more low key tone.

 

‘So where are you all off to?’ asked Chaffee.

 

‘My companions and I are off to the Lake Lands to sell some goods and make a profit. After that, who knows where the winds of fortune blow?’ Tanner took a swig of ale and looked thoughtful,

 

‘There’s a woman named Esmer who seems to have a knowledge of the future that no one else can match. She’s from the far North, beyond the Norsemen.’

 

Tanner nearly choked on his ale. ‘She’s a Kaluut?’ What is she doing this far south? You’d think she’d melt in the summer.’

 

Chaffee laughed. ‘I think she was captured in some raid by Norse, and then sold to an Anglian noble. Somehow she got her freedom, and has lived here even since.’

 

‘Where is her shop?’

 

‘Across the street.’

 

‘I’ll check her out in the morning.’ With that, Tanner said goodnight and went to his room.

 

Tanner’s dreamed that night. Normally, he didn’t dream. If he did, the dreams were of building projects, farming, and drinking binges. Considering all that he had seen, Tanner’s dreams were rather mundane. But not tonight.

 

His first dream was of the day Samson and Bexar had told him of their relationship. Some might consider it betrayal, others a story of true love being fulfilled. Bah. Tanner tried not to think about it. He planned never to see them again. But the dream woke him up, and it took him awhile to get back to sleep.

 

If Tanner thought sleep would come easy the second time around, he was sorely mistaken. This time he dreamed of the burning of his childhood home. The murder of his father. What would have been a slow death for his mother, except he had quickened it. Worst of all, there was the memory of Sheryn being carried off by Red Leg scum, never to be seen again. At this, Tanner bolted upright in his bed. For Rob’s sake, this was too weird. Why was he having these dreams? For the rest of the night, sleep came fitfully.

 

Dawn had come a few hours earlier when Tanner started to get ready for a visit to the Kaluut witch woman. Faolan looked over from the bed he was sharing with Arabella. ‘Where ya going, Books?’

 

‘There’s some Kaluut fortune teller down the street. I am going to get my fortune told and have a question answered.’ Tanner laced his boots up.

 

‘Kaluut?!’ This far south?’ Faolan shot him an interested look.

 

‘I said the same thing when I found out last night. The good thing about foreign fortune tellers is they don’t put the make on you, like some others we know.’ Tanner shot Faolan a knowing grin.

 

‘Lady Blue. She’ll charge you gold and sap your strength.’ Faolan laughed and Tanner joined in.

 

‘Looks like someone else wants your ‘strengthening’.’ Tanner motioned towards Arabella.

 

‘She crawled into bed with me. I didn’t do anything. I swear it!’ Faolan looked a bit excited.

 

‘Yeah, I wonder what ‘Pretty Annie’ would think of that?’ Tanner grinned.

 

‘Yes, what would she say of that?’ asked Arabella.

 

‘She’d be more understanding than Bexar would be of your cavorting with the Tiren sisters.’ At this, Faolan chuckled and Arabella shot Tanner a quizzical look.

 

‘Humph! That girl got married off. The only hold she has on me is a beer keg of bad memories. You have to admit, it does look kind of odd for you to be in bed with the best looking woman in Anglia and you haven’t done a thing.’ Tanner smiled at the both of them.

 

‘Why Tanner, I didn’t know you thought so highly of me. Thank you!’ Arabella gave Tanner a wink.

 

‘Arabella is a fine looking woman, but Anne is the loveliest woman of all’, protested Faolan. At that, Arabella gave Faolan a sharp elbow in the ribs.

 

‘Uh, sure Faolan. I believe that. Oh, and by the way, I’m selling my library and throwing away the expense ledger.’ Tanner smirked. At that, Tanner and Faolan laughed.

 

‘What does this mean? Is this some kind of inside joke?’ Arabella shot them a sharp look. At this Tanner and Faolan laughed harder.

 

‘C’mon. Let’s get a look at a Kaluut woman who isn’t trying to kill us.’ Tanner pulled a shirt on. The other two joined him in getting ready.

 

Tanner, Faolan, and Arabella walked three doors down and into a little shop. It was lined in furs and had poles carved into faces and shapes. Tanner guessed they might be animals of some sort, but he really didn’t know. There were animal hides hung up along the wall with strange drawings on them. A tall, bald, brown man entered into the room from an inside door. He was wearing buckskin pants and nothing else. ‘Come for a fortune telling?’ he asked.

 

Tanner said yes. The man said Esmer would see them shortly. In a moment, Tanner was ushered into the back.

 

‘What brings you here?’ asked a tiny brown woman with dark eyes.

 

‘Someone said you’re a good fortune teller. And I need a question answered.’ Tanner looked straight at her.

 

Esmer produced a tarot deck and begin to draw cards.

 

‘The two of rods means you will meet a new magician.’ Tanner groaned.

 

‘It may not be what you think. The six of cups means you will drink much.’

 

‘Hello Lord Obvious’, Tanner said sarcastically.

 

‘The World means you will see new places you have never been.’

 

‘That’s reasonable’, said Tanner.

 

Esmer then drew the five of cups. Tanner noticed that most of the cups were broken. This was followed by the knight of Pentacles and the four of swords.

 

‘The Knight is a powerful mage you will face.’

 

‘Didn’t you say I’d face new mages already?’

 

‘This one stands on his own. He has powerful magic. You will meet other mages, as indicated by the cards. Now please draw two more cards.’ Tanner did as he was asked.

 

Tanner drew a demon. ‘You will fight The Underworld soon.’ Esmer looked at Tanner with a probing eye.

 

‘Again? How many ape-men must I face in this life?’ It was Esmer’s turn to be taken aback.

 

Tanner drew another card. The Underworld. ‘It looks like you’ll be going there, but not in the usual way.’

 

‘Rob damn! Not again.’

 

Esmer paused for a moment. ‘You said you had a question for me?’

 

‘My sister. Is she alive?’

 

‘Did you notice the broken cups on the five of cups?’

 

‘Yes.’

 

‘And the dead knight with three swords in him in the four of swords?’

 

‘Yes’.

 

‘From what they tell me, she is gone and dead.’

 

Tanner shot her a long hard look. After a moment, he asked quietly, ‘Do you truly believe so?’

 

‘I see nothing that would say otherwise.’

 

Tanner handed her two gold coins and left quietly.

 

All though he said nothing, Tanner’s face betrayed him. It was pale and lifeless. ‘I’ll be at The Swan. When you all are ready to head out, meet me there.’

 

‘Tanner, what’s wrong?’ asked Arabella.

 

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

 

‘Tanner, wait.’ Arabella moved to stop him.

 

‘Leave him be’ said Faolan as he held Arabella’s arm. “I’ll find out in awhile, after my fortune is read.’

 

About an hour later, Faolan found Tanner with three empty mugs of ale beside him, and a fresh mug of Old Castle Brown in Tanner’s hands.

 

‘Mm, Books, this early, even for you. We have to get on the road in awhile.’

 

‘I know. I’ll be okay. I haven’t tried to match drinks with Orin Ironheart.’ Tanner smiled weakly.

 

‘What’d the Kaluut tell you? That we are going to the Underworld soon? Princess Bexar is coming back?’

 

‘Yes on the first. No on the second. That’s not the issue.’

 

Faolan drew back a bit and thought for a moment. ‘What is it?’

 

‘I told you about my family, didn’t I?’ Tanner looked at Faolan.

 

‘You said they were killed by Red Legs.’

 

‘That’s partially true. My sister was carried off and I never saw her again.’

 

‘Did the Kaluut say she’s alive?

 

‘No. She’s dead.’