16 Chapter 15: Inside the Walls of the Capital

With the warm sun shining down upon them, Blaidd sat comfortably on the edge of the carriage, a knife in one hand and a small piece of wood in the other. The carriage jostled and shook as it rolled along the dirt road, but Blaidd hardly seemed to notice as he focused on carving intricate designs into the wood. The blade of his shoddy iron knife glinted in the sunlight as he worked, slowly creating a masterpiece out of a simple block of wood.

Beside him, Casimir sat quietly reading one of his many books, seemingly oblivious to the bumpy ride. Blaidd couldn't fathom how he managed to read while the carriage bounced so wildly, but he admired the man's composure nonetheless.

The peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by Harold's voice, the driver of the carriage. "What will you do when you arrive at the city, Blaidd?" he asked.

Blaidd paused in his carving to consider the question. "We'll find a place to stay, preferably cheap and inconspicuous," he replied.

Harold nodded, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "We're going to sell our horse and carriage and find a place to stay too," he said. "We'll be looking for a job as soon as possible. We're heading to the temple quarter, to a place called 'Little Mahakam'. It's a haven for people like us."

Casimir looked up from his book, impressed. "You've done your research," he commented.

Elisa, the woman sitting across from them, chuckled. "Of course. This is a decision of a lifetime," she said. "If you're looking for a place to stay, I recommend an inn in the slums of the temple quarter. It's cheap, and Dwarves tend to frequent it."

Blaidd raised an eyebrow. "And what's the catch?" he asked warily.

Elisa's grin widened. "You'll have to sleep with rats," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Casimir's face turned a shade paler as he absorbed Elisa's words, a shiver coursing through his body. He cast a quick glance at Blaidd, hoping to gauge his reaction, but was met with the werewolf's nonchalant shrug. Blaidd's fingers deftly continued to carve the small wooden block he held in his hand, as if the prospect of sharing a room with rodents was of little consequence.

Just then, Harold's voice echoed through the air once more, the sound of his horse neighing accompanying his words. "Eyes up, lads!" he cried out, his voice full of excitement. "We can now catch a glimpse of the city walls from here."

Blaidd directed his gaze straight ahead, his eyes methodically surveying the expanse of the horizon with an acute and inquisitive fascination. The city of Vizima, the illustrious capital of Temeria, sprawled before them, with its towering walls casting an imposing shadow upon the sky like colossal giants. The iridescent waters of the lake enveloped the city, with the majority of it nestled within the borders of the western walls. Blaidd could discern the flurry of activity within the bustling port, the bridges elegantly spanning the river to provide access into the fortified city, and the unassuming dwellings encircling it.

Far off in the distance, he could spot the orderly rows of carriages forming up at the gates, an influx of refugees from the south seeking sanctuary.

"Looks like we shall have to wait for a while," Harold murmured, casting a quick glance at Blaidd. "Once we arrive at the gate, you may enter the city ahead of us, if you so desire. No need for you to linger."

Blaidd nodded, appreciatively. "Will do. Thank you for the ride, Harold."

"It has been an absolute pleasure, gentlemen," replied Harold with a congenial smile. "May your private affairs come to a swift and auspicious conclusion."

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Before the grandiose entrance of Vizima, two rows had formed, each one serving its own distinct purpose. The first was for those carriages that were seeking entry into the city, a line of considerable length that had been orchestrated to ensure that the guards had thoroughly searched each of the vehicles before granting access. The other row was much shorter, reserved for common travelers without the added burden of a carriage. It was in this line that Blaidd and Casimir found themselves, strolling leisurely towards the end with ease.

As they approached the checkpoint, the guard, a man with a crop of jet-black hair, deep brown eyes, and a modest stature, asked in a composed voice, "What business brings ya to Vizima?"

Taking a moment to observe the guard, Blaidd replied, "Just a brief rest for a few days, need to buy some supplies as well."

"I see," hummed the guard, before inquiring further, "An' where be ye goin' after that?"

"Oxenfurt," Blaidd stated plainly, gesturing to Casimir by his side.

"A scholar, eh?" The guard turned to his colleague, who was busy scrutinizing the duo's belongings. Upon confirming their innocence, they returned the items, allowing Blaidd and Casimir to continue on their way. "Alright, ya may pass."

With a nod of gratitude, Blaidd collected his belongings and hastily straightened them out after the thorough inspection, with Casimir following suit. They passed through the gate, entering the bustling trade quarter of the city. It was at this point that things took an unfortunate turn, particularly for Casimir.

"Do we really have to go to that inn that Harold mentioned?" Casimir asked nervously.

"Well, I only have a small amount of orens." Blaidd answered, pulling out a pouch that had a couple of gold coins inside it, courtesy of the bandits he had killed weeks ago. "So either you pull something out of your pocket, or we'll be sleeping with rats."

Casimir sighed, his expression falling. "I told you many times, friend. I've no money on me."

"Then sleeping with rats it is."

As they made their way towards the temple quarter, the two friends walked through the Trade quarter, taking in the sights and smells of the bustling city. Blaidd's keen sense of smell detected a variety of aromas, ranging from the scent of herbs and meat to the metallic tang of weapons and the heady aroma of wine. He even caught the lingering scent of fisstech, a potent narcotic that was frowned upon in most civilized circles.

After a few minutes of walking, they passed through a wall and entered the temple quarter, where they were greeted by the sight of women clad in red robes, their heads covered by white veils adorned with golden crowns.

"Ah, the Priestesses of Melitele," Casimir remarked wistfully. "I once fell in love with one of them, you know. Alas, it was not meant to be."

"You? In love with the nurse of Melitele?" Blaidd was half surprised. "One sided?"

Casimir's voice grew soft as he spoke. "What else could it be? She was a vision of intelligence and beauty, a woman of great depth and character. If only she could have broken her oath of chastity to the goddess..."

Blaidd raised an eyebrow in surprise. "But a Priestess of Melitele is not required to take an oath of chastity."

"The one I fell in love with did," Casimir replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Or perhaps it was just an excuse to keep you at bay," Blaidd suggested with a shrug.

Casimir's expression soured at the insinuation, but he said nothing more on the matter.

Blaidd just chuckled at Casimir's expression, patting the scholar's shoulder. "Come on, let's continue."

Casimir and Blaidd ambled leisurely through the temple quarter, taking in the surroundings as they went. Apart from the priestesses and nurses going about their business, there were also a handful of dwarves and elves strolling around, seemingly undisturbed. The streets of the city were such that people hardly paid any attention to each other and most residents did not know each other, unlike in a village where everyone was familiar with their neighbors.

As the duo approached the location of the inn that Harold had recommended, they chanced upon a commotion. They spotted guards adorned in the Temerian coat of arms standing sentry around a specific area in the quarter. A curious crowd had gathered around them, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening behind the barricade. Intrigued, Blaidd and Casimir made their way towards the crowd to see what was going on.

Even before they stopped just short of the scene, Blaidd could smell it - the sickly stench of blood wafting through the air. A gruesome massacre lay before them, with no apparent suspects in sight. The bodies of the victims had been mutilated beyond recognition, as if savagely attacked by some beast.

A beast? Blaidd furrowed his brows and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the surroundings. Apart from the odors of sweat and urine, he could also detect the smell of a damp dog, but not just any dog - a dog soaked in blood. He glanced at the ground, spotting what appeared to be clusters of grey fur.

"What's going on? Can't see," said Casimir, trying to catch a glimpse through the throng of people.

"There's no point trying to see here, Casimir. Let's head to the inn," Blaidd replied, leading the way.

Casimir let out a resigned sigh and trailed behind Blaidd, but not before spotting a dog in the corner of the street. The dog appeared to be staring back at him, its gaze filled with curiosity.

Blaidd's gaze then turned towards the distant castle, an idea suddenly striking him on how to contact the sorceress.

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Triss Merigold stood before her mirror, which was perched on top of her wooden table. She ran the bristles of the brush through her hair, taking her time to carefully untangle each knot. The sorceress was completely bare, having just bathed herself with enchanted water that she had created herself to expedite the healing process of her wounds. She examined her injuries, a testament to the trauma she had experienced. Though the physical wounds were slowly fading, she doubted that she would ever feel confident enough to wear revealing clothing again.

Once she was satisfied with her grooming, Triss waved her hand in the air, and her attire for the day materialized. She donned a simple tunic and leggings that hugged her curves and kept her covered. Finally, she pulled her hair back into a tight knot so that it wouldn't bother her while she read.

Just as she was settling into her chair with a book in hand, a noise interrupted her. It was a strange sound, something between a knock and a scratch. Triss raised an eyebrow, wondering who could be at her door. "Come in," she called out, but no one entered.

The knocking persisted, getting louder and more insistent. Frustrated, Triss rose from her seat and stalked over to the door. With a sharp yank, she threw it open, but there was no one there.

Confused, she was about to shut the door when she felt something brush against her ankles. She looked down and saw a dog, sitting patiently with a piece of paper in its mouth. Triss was taken aback, but she reached down and took the paper, which was soaked with the dog's saliva.

Grimacing in disgust, Triss opened the note to read its contents: "Meet me at the Hairy Bear Inn. -B" She knew immediately who had sent the message, and she couldn't help but smile. It seemed that the saliva-soaked paper was no accident.

As she was pondering the note's implications, a voice interrupted her thoughts. "What have you got there, Merigold?" Triss turned to see a woman with blonde hair and a smirk on her face.