The Tale Of The Ice Queen

Chapter 9

    It was nearing dusk when they reached Berthom. They decided to resume their journey on the morrow next.

    Two days later, they were standing in front of the massive stone walls of the capital. The guards at the gate recognised Lord Robert instantly. He went down to one knee to show his respect and then let the two pass.

    Sir Robert had not been in the capital in nearly a year. The last he had been there was to take part in the king's tourney, in which he finished second, losing only to the Barbarian from lands far off. The morning blade was not in his hands for that bout, but instead, there were worms in his stomach which played no less a part in his loss. Or so he told himself to ease the memory in.

    He had entered through the south gate and hence the first thing that greeted them was the marketplace, filled with stalls and vendors selling all kinds of materials. Ranging from exotic food from lands far off to wine made from fruits ancient to swords to armour. Anything that the mind could imagine could be found in the markets of the Capital.

    Carefully, they guided their horses through the busy streets of the markets. Vendors were trying to sell their goods, magicians making coins disappear from their hands and reappear in children's ears. The two weary travellers looked at these amusing sights and also looked out for young boys who were too zestful to make sure that they did not end up under the hooves of their steeds.

    Once they had ventured out of the market, they found themselves in the part of the city where the commoners lived; those who were neither too rich to live in bungalows at the edge of the city and eat out of plates of gold nor too poor to be working in the bungalows of the rich, making sure that their hands were clean enough to eat from their plates of gold.

    Once they had crossed that too, they found themselves in the town square. Even though it was near evening and the sun had almost set, the people of the capital were still shuffling around. Those who found the markets to be too crowded for their goods would set up shops here. There was a florist and a fruit vendor selling side by side and next to them a fish stall where fresh fishes were being put up. The reek would have been unbearable had there not been a perfume stall right next to it.

    In the centre of the square, a troupe of gymnasts was showing off their skills. There were three standing one over the other, one clad in red, one in blue and the other in yellow. The colours looked bright even under the influence of the setting sun, and a fourth stood right next to them with a ring of fire, surrounded by flames as orange as the light from the sun. He held the wreath of fire as high as he could and towards it ran a fifth man, clad in all three colours that were on the bodies of those who made the tower.

    Head first he jumped through the flames and then somersaulted before leaping high into the sky and catching the hand of the apex of the tower. Then, he climbed over the shoulders of that man and gracefully leapt off, did a flip and landed on his feet, with his arms high in the air. The three others did the same while the fourth jumped through the wreath in his hands and jumped out, untouched by the flames.

    Tristan clapped as the show ended and dismounted his horse to throw some silver into the hat that the fourth one held out in his hands hoping for enough money to feed the five for the night. He could scarcely believe his fortune when Tristan dropped five silver pieces into the hat and cried of joy.

    Sir Robert then led Tristan to the Flaming Chameleon. He had first come there when he was a wee boy, no older than what Tristan was now. It was there that he stayed during the beginning of his career while he was in the capital building his reputation as a swordsman.

    The heavy wooden door opened with a loud creak. She had forgotten to get it repaired, Sir Robert observed. The place was too lively for anyone to notice what had happened. Musicians were playing their instruments while women were going around with troughs in hand, serving people at the table wine and mead and hot food. In the middle of the tavern there was a makeshift ring and in the circle now stood two men, one dressed in black and the other dressed in white.