• The wench stared at her, evidently having never been spoken to in such a strange manner after yelling, “Yeah,” she responded suspiciously, “He came around here a few days ago. What does it have to do with you?”

    Menispermum smirked, “Everything. I need to know where he is; he escaped our city after murdering an infant girl. I need to find him and bring him back.”

    The wench understood, “Pretty deep, eh? I believe you about that, he had dried blood on his hands. And I’ve heard what your kind do to the dead.”

    “Religious reasons,” she responded simply, “What can you tell me about his whereabouts?”

    “I can tell you he was doing business with a very important trader by the name of Kamarantu Eclam. He owns a business on the East side of the city, lives right above it. Sells animals wears from his hometown in the North. Don’t know the name but anyone can tell you where it is.”

    “Thank you very much,” Menispermum said with a large smile; the woman shrunk back shivered.

    “Keep that meat-hole closed in front of my customers. Now that’s all I know, I’m glad to help. But now I have to ask you to leave once again. So, please.”

    The faerie pushed herself from the booth and quietly left the tavern. She took out her compass and turned East. The cobblestone streets eventually thinned away to dirt and the buildings looked older. She wondered why such as important businessman lived in the lowly part of town, but when she wondered of his business with Anethum she realized he must not have been just a pelt-dealer.

    Once she was sure she was in the area of Kamarantu’s shop she stopped to ask a human stranger for directions. The person shrunk back and shaking, directed her onto the next street. She found a small, meek building with dusty pelts and artifacts made from horns and skins of alien animals. She stepped through the entryway, ducking her head a little to get in. A young woman stood afront the store smiling, but then soon frowned and turned, trying to look busy.

    “I am here to discuss dire business with Kamarantu,” she said as though she were an important individual.

    The woman laughed, “Kamarantu doesn’t give personal meetings. Why don’t you just leave a message?” She scoffed.

    “It is in regards to Anethum,” she tried in an attempt to intimidate her.

    “I’ve heard no such name,” the woman tried to stay aloof.

    Menispermum was not a master negotiator nor did she know of the business in which Anethum had come to this man with, but she took a shot in the dark hoping to strike lucky, “I’m under the impression that Anethum owes quite a large sum of money for Kamarantu’s task. I’ve come to Kamarantu in an attempt to settle the debt.”

    “Look, I don’t know what you’re talk about but I’ll mention a word to the boss about it and see what he has to say,” she said and hurried out a back exit up to the second story. A moment later she came back through the door, “Get out here, quick!” She ordered, “Mr. Eclam demands an immediate audience with you.”

    Menispermum hurried out the back door and up the flight of stairs to his home. She took a slight knock and a gruff voice ordered her to come in. The door came from its frame and she hurried into the room. It was grandly decorated with goods of fine fabrics and precious metals.

    “Welcome,” the man said, a short, fleshy, and gruff man dressed in a fine suit and much jewelry, “Come, take a seat.”

    “I’d rather not. This is brief business.”

    “Well then, stand, but by all means make yourself comfortable. Now, are you a relative of Anethum’s?”

    “No,” she responded, not wanting to become responsible for paying off any debts. “I’ve come from Anethum’s town. He is an embezzler,” she said, only acutely aware of the words meaning, “He has been thieving people out of money and jobs for the past ten months. I have been elected to find Anethum and return him to our village for punishment. We have found stockpiles of money and good from those that he has conned out of businessmen like you. We can’t get into the building or cases without,” She stumbled for her words and her heart pounded, “the set of keys upon his own person,” she tried lamely, but it sounded wrong to her. It sounded like a lie, a fable, but if she was caught now it couldn’t possibly hurt to go on just in case she wasn’t.

    “I need to know his whereabouts. Other wise you may never get paid for your services.”

    “Of course, of course. Now, all I have to do is tell you where he is and I get my money right? No strings attached?”

    “Of course,” Menispermum said, but a sudden curiosity grew in her and she had to know, “But it would be nice. Just for a criminal record, what service did you provide for him?”

    The big man coughed, “Now you said no strings attached. I would think that’s quite a wire.”

    She became hot and her pulse doubled, “No, no. I can assure you that if you cooperate with us no harm will be done to you or your establishment.”

    Kamarantu thought upon it for a long while, his fingers tapping together beneath his chin, he finally sighed and clarified, “He owes me quite a large sum, about twenty-thousand coppers, and that was for the disposal of some bones, child bones. I charged him more for them being so small,” he chuckled, “Or for killing and innocent gnome!”

    Menispermum laughed, but only slightly, then cleared herself as she thought her smile seemed too forced.

    “Now, about his whereabouts, all I know is that he is staying in an inn called The Blue Moon on the Southern side of town.”

    “Well, thank you very much, Mr. Eclam,” She said and turned to the door, home-free until he spoke again.


    To read chapter four: http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=100724273
    To read chapter six: {Not posted yet}
    To read the entire story: http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=100679491