It was a beautiful morning. Samira could almost believe that the last few weeks had been nothing more than a bad nightmare, but she knew that that was just a fantasy. She got up, released Medea to do her chores and mentally began planning her day. She needed to find a home to stay in. The Golden Bana was adequate for short time, but certainly not appropriate for a long stay.
Samira dressed and headed to the common area of the Inn. She was going to ask the attendant about other taverns in the area, not wanting to go to Lar-Torvis so soon after the night before, when she heard a familiar male voice call out, "Samira! There you are."
She turned to see Darius, Gerard's brother standing there. "Darius!" Though it was hidden, her smile was obvious in her voice. "What a surprise!" She moved over to him, extending a gloved hand.
Darius was tall and handsome with blond hair and hazel eyes like his brother, Gerard. He was very fit. He took her hand for a moment and smiled. While Darius was Gerard's brother, he was not a Scribe. His scarlet cloak proclaimed him one of the Warrior's Caste, as did everything else about him - from the weapon at his side to his stance. "I'm glad I caught up with you. You have chambers here?"
Samira nodded. "I do."
Darius snapped his fingers at Medea. "Go to a tavern and get food for the Lady and me. Blackwine and the rest that you know I like." He pulled a couple of coins out and placed them in the small bag at her waist. Medea scurried to do his bidding. "Har-ta!" he called after her, watching the slave's body move. Then, he gestured for Samira to lead the way to her chambers.
She brought him into the common room of the chambers and offered him his choice of furs before she knelt opposite him. She waited quietly as he situated himself. Darius obviously had been seeking her out for a particular reason. When he leveled his gaze at her, she knew she had done something wrong.
"What were you thinking, Samira, running off to Thentis without a proper escort and without discussing it with myself or Kaltor, first? And then, leaving us a scroll with nothing more than 'I've gone to Thentis to find Gerard's murderer'? It's obvious that you weren't thinking at all!" His anger showed in his voice.
"I - I'm sorry." She was a bit taken aback by his attitude. "I remembered that Pah-Kur was here. I figured that time was-"
He interrupted her. "Do you have any idea of how dangerous leaving Ar is for you? Any idea at all?"
She lowered her eyes. "No. I guess not." She did know but she was not going to anger him further by arguing. Free woman were often taken as prizes to enslave or ransom. But, at the time, the risk seemed worth it.
"I guess not." He mimicked her, a growl in his voice. "Samira, you are part of my family now. You need to start thinking more clearly and take precautions - as well as upholding the family honor. I do not want to have to negotiate a ransom price for you. It would be a hefty one. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Darius." Was all that she could say to him. He was right. She had run off to Thentis without the proper care. She should have consulted him or Kaltor, Gerard's father. In her rage and grief at Gerard's murder, she had gotten the idea in her head about seeking out Pah-Kur - then nothing else had mattered to her.
He sat back as she looked up at him. He saw her fighting the tears and shook his head. "We all are grieving at Gerard's death... his murder. We will find out how did it and why. Then, we will deal it appropriately. Now, tell me why you came to Thentis and who Pah-Kur is."
He shifted from the quiva target practice to push-ups. At that point, he remembered thinking that the act had been an odd one - on both sides: the freeing of the slave and the protection of the new free woman by a stranger. It was as if the two men, Uther and Gerard, were playing a delicate and dangerous game. That was what interested him. Eden - Samira was merely a pawn in all of it. He wanted to know what was going on between the two men. As an assassin, it was his job to keep his ear to the ground.
He had learned much of the rivalry between Uther and Gerard. It was almost a family feud, only Uther had almost no family. Pah-Kur could not find out what had begun the hidden feud, only the results of it: a failed business venture here, a sudden death there. He had just gotten really interested, when he was called to Thentis by the Caste. After that, the investigation had gone untouched and forgotten until the slave had come in and informed him that Lady Samira was here to see him.
He stood, stretching his body, keeping it limber. Then, he charged his obstacle course, running, leaping, climbing, dodging around, over and under the things in his way. For a few minutes, he let all thought leave his mind as he entered a fugue state of exercise, fighting unseen foes and feeling how his body was responding to the stress. Pah-Kur was sweating hard when he finished, enjoying the feel of his muscles humming. Somewhere, within the fugue, he had made the decision. Coin was coin. He would take Samira's gold and find out who had Gerard killed. It would be expensive but as Samira was now a part of one of the richest houses of Ar, he knew she could, and would, afford it.
"Slave!" He called out as he toweled himself down. Zaria was the first of his slaves to respond. "Have Anara draw me a bath and send a scribe to me."
"Yes Master." Zaria responded and then slipped back inside to do her master's bidding.
Throughout her explanation to Darius about why she was here, she had the feeling that he already knew but wanted to see what she would tell him. Darius did not delve too deeply on how Samira knew the assassin. He was most interested in whether or not Pah-Kur was going to accept the contract to find out who ordered the murder.
Just as they were leaving the Golden Bana, a gray clad State slave came running up. It turned out that it was one of the slaves from the Administrative House and she had a message for the Lady Samira.
Continue on to: The Storyteller's Tale, Part 5 - Killing Words