When The Crow Calls

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Napoli placed two bottles of red wine on the table, besom tucked under his elbow he continued on into the hallway to clean up the broken painting frames.
Maximus lent over the table and picked up a large dust covered bottle, removed the cork and poured a tankard for his guest and one for himself.
"Well stranger would you like to introduce yourself, you've obviously met my good friend Napoli." Maximus had positioned himself at the table facing his guest with his back to the dishevelled, dust filled hallway.
The huge guest took a long slow gulp of wine without looking up once from the tankard, by the time he eventually put it down it was three quarters empty.
"My name is Shriekus, originally from Gardenia but I'm now living in Blackrock Valley with my master, my master has asked for your assistance in finding the murderer of Philup Garford" his huge tattooed fingers rubbed his shaven head nervously creating large creases of dark tattooed skin.
The name Philup Garford, it was like a piercing dagger into the centre of Maximus's heart, he had known Philup from when he was a little boy. Now Philup must have been in his sixties, he had watched the young boy grow into a man, a good and kind hearted man. They had shared more tankards of wine together than Maximus had cared to remember.
Maximus drank the remaining wine without taking a breath; questions came quickly, they raced into his mind like swallows swooping across the open meadow, why would anyone want to hurt Philup?, What had he done ?
Maximus was one hundred and thirty two years old but as with all wizards had stopped aging at around his fiftieth year, he couldn't remember anyone being murdered in Greenacre Forest, murders only happened in the other counties of the Orb, this made absolutely no sense to him at all.
"How can I help?, we have a Sheriff who will take care of this investigation. I'm sure he will find the person or persons responsible and bring them quickly to Greenacre justice" Maximus searched his pocket for his tobacco, ready to fill the pot of his long stemmed clay pipe. "My master knows you are the only wizard here in this county and with being a stranger to Greenacre there are not many people he can turn to for assistance and certainly not your Sheriff who has arrested him for murder."
Maximus poured his guest and himself another full tankard.
"Napoli would you care to join us for a tankard or two" Maximus called out over his shoulder into the much cleaner hallway.
Napoli having finished cleaning up the debris that had scattered across the hallway entered the room and hopped up onto the elaborately carved chair next to Maximus.
One thing niggled at Maximus; he stroked his long beard deep in thought.
"Shriekus how do you know of this murder already?"
Shriekus drained his tankard again putting it down on the table so hard the handle nearly broke off , Napoli and Maximus looked at him with startled looks of surprise.
"My master is Kelrus Mearto the owner of the biggest vineyard in all Blackrock Valley, he was at the tavern this evening, he had been in a meeting with Philup Garford about payment of his latest wines, a short while later Philup's body was found by one of his barmaids, my master was the last one to see Philup alive and has been arrested for his murder by your Sheriff, this was nearly an hour ago. He has given me my orders to find the Greenacre wizard and ask for help in proving his innocence" Shriekus had concern written all over his tattooed face. The furrows across his brow resembled a freshly ploughed field.
Napoli hopped down off his chair and collected the three now empty tankards from the table.
"I think we should go to the Tavern Maximus and take a good look for ourselves"
Just has Napoli had finished his sentence and was making his way to the back room, where the oak door once hung, entered the tall slender figure of Lance Toogood.
"Maximus..........the street is alive with people and they are saying someone has been arrested........ " Lance noticed Maximus had company, his slate grey eyes instantly widened upon seeing Shriekus.
"Yes.....yes Lance we know, come on in lad and let me introduce you to our new acquaintance here"
Lance was twenty eight years old, dressed in his usual, smart green tunic with his long bone handled sword strapped to the centre of his back. He had been Maximus's apprentice now for the better part of five years . His athletic build had come from years of sword training he had been given from his Father, that was until his Father and Mother had perished in the great fire.
Maximus introduced Lance to Shriekus and quickly relayed the information that Shriekus had just given to Napoli and himself.
"Shall we go to the Tavern then gentlemen" said Maximus putting on his new blue pointed hat.

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