The Silken Key

Chapter 12

The mists hanging over the swamp city like a ghostly blanket made it difficult to see far in any direction. But from the moment Detlef spied a larger silhouette through the murk, it was obvious that they had arrived at the Grand Wazeer's palace.

Like every other building in Brenmarsh, it was made up of towers. Unlike the others, it was finely decorated and stylised. The shortest of the towers was four floors high. Each tower did not finish with a roof, but with another half-built floor. As grand and impressive as it was, it was being slowly consumed by the swamp just like the rest of the city.

"I suggest you let me do the talking," Tariq advised the others as they approached the large bronze double-doors down a long stone walkway lined with marble statues. "The Wazeer does not receive visitors for pleasure. Anyone who is invited to the palace either has knowledge to share, or is to receive knowledge themselves."

Tabitha scoffed and muttered under her breath: "A so-called wise man."

Detlef hoped Tariq hadn't heard and tried to keep his tone upbeat. "The Wazeer has information about this key you're looking for. I'm sure you'll want to be courteous and grateful."

Tabitha didn't say anything to that.

The great bronze doors opened and they walked into a large entrance hall. It was even more richly decorated on the inside than on the outside. The walls were all panelled with marble and decorated with gold inlays. On every wall - even on the ceiling - there were dozens of framed parchments with ornate writing. Detlef assumed they were all words of wisdom or historical records, but they were written in Zalamic and he could not read them.

A short, round doorman in a light brown robe came forward to greet them. He bowed his head low before speaking. Tariq bowed his head in the same way, so Detlef made sure to copy the gesture. The last thing he wanted to do was offend their host.

"Tariq al-Shujae," the man said with an oratory voice as if he was about to make a speech. "The Grand Wazeer is pleased you have returned. These others who travel with you...they are not expected, but if you are willing to be responsible for them, then they are welcome. Will you vouch for them, on your honour?"

Tariq glanced back at the other four, a look of doubt crossing his face. Detlef smiled and nodded, wordlessly promising they would all be on their best behaviour.

"I do," Tariq said with a sigh. "I will be responsible for them."

"Very good," the doorman said. "The Wazeer would also speak with you first. Your friends may wait here."

"What's the matter?" Maddy whispered to Detlef. "Do we look like the sort of people who would do something stupid and burn the place to the ground the moment we're allowed over the threshold?"

Detlook looked Maddy up and down. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Tariq followed the doorman out of the room. Just before he left, he looked back at the others, his eyes wide and pleading with them not to do anything that would get him into trouble. Then the doors at the other end of the hall closed and Tariq and the doorman were gone.

"This is really something, isn't it?" Rudiger said, his big eyes taking in the opulent entrance hall. "I've been to Ardu al-Zalam loads of times, but never had the chance to get inside a place like this. Just look at all the artefacts."

Detlef nodded his head in agreement, looking at the items Rudiger was referring to. At intervals along the wall, there were little alcoves set into the marble which contained various objects - candlestick holders, brass pots with long pouring spouts, baskets of strange flowers.

"This is all just for show," Tabitha yawned. "He's making us wait to give the impression that he's someone important."

"Aren't you at all interested in any of this stuff?" Detlef asked. "These parchments might contain historic wisdom or arcane secrets. You might learn something if you studied them."

"I doubt it," Tabitha said. "There is not half so much to be learned from written words as from a true and living voice."

"Yes, I'm sure," Maddy rolled his eyes. "By the way, how're things going with your super ancient mystical patron? Has he been feeding you any more helpful tidbits about where to go next?"

Tabitha fired him one of her darkest glares. "Perfect and unlimited wisdom cannot be hurried."

"I'll take that as a no," Maddy snorted. "Which is why we're here to speak to this Wazeer fellow. If your unknown 'patron' decides to get involved in the conversation, you'll be sure to let us know, won't you?"

Tabitha pursed her lips and turned away to look at one of the parchments, though Detlef suspected she was just looking for an excuse to turn her back on Maddy.

"Wow...this is so beautiful," Rudiger crooned from further down the hall. Detlef wandered over to see what he was looking at. It was a copper bowl in one of the alcoves filled with small, smooth stones that looked like coloured pearls - yellow, pink, green and blue.

"Very nice," Detlef agreed. "I wonder if there's a story behind them. Maybe they are pebbles from a magical beach somewhere."

"They are so pretty," Rudiger had a stupefied grin on his face. "They actually look delicious. Like fruit-flavoured sweets."

"Um...yes, they are very nice." Detlef pulled a face.

"You just kind of want to cram a load of them in your mouth and suck them."

"Uh, Rudiger..." Detlef tried to warn the gnome that the inner door was opening again.

"I wonder how many of them I could fit in my mouth..."

"Don't do that." Tariq's voice came sternly as he re-entered the room. "Just don't do that."

Rudiger stepped away and rubbed his head, embarrassed. "No, of course not. What am I even doing? I'm sorry. That's something a dumb goblin would do. Not a respectable gnome."

Tabitha drew herself up to her full, unimpressive height and took a few strides towards Tariq. "So, is the Wazeer going to let us in?"

"Yes," Tariq frowned at the halfling and seemed almost to resent his answer. "You may follow me to the Wazeer's great hall. We are invited to join the evening feast."

"Really?" Maddy said with piqued interest. "Well, I don't know if 'Wazeer' means 'Wizard', but 'evening feast' sound like the magic words to me!"

"'Wazeer' means 'minister'," Tariq said flatly, "and is the medium of many gods, through whose mouth the gods actually choose to speak...unlike the gods of some people I could mention."

Tabitha bristled as Tariq slanted his gaze towards her. Detlef made sure to speak before another argument could break out.

"We will be glad to accept the Wazeer's hospitality," he said. "Please, lead the way, friend. And tell us if there's anything we should know...about where to sit or how to act. We want to make a good impression."

"My hopes are not high about that," Tariq sighed. "Just come through, take a seat at the table and speak only when you are spoken to. Is that simple enough for you?"

"I will curl up at the table and purr like a cat, if that is what I'm told." Maddy grinned. "He who feeds me may command me anything."

"You may eat as much as you wish," Tariq said. "If it prevents you from opening your mouth to talk, so much the better. This way, please."

Tabitha, Detlef and Maddy started to follow Tariq. Detlef suddenly realised Rudiger had been surprisingly quiet. Looking around, he saw the gnome still standing in front of the copper bowl facing it. Detlef jogged over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You coming?" he asked.

Rudiger turned around. His cheeks were bulging and his lips were tight shut.

"Oh, no. Please don't tell me..."

Rudiger smiled, revealing a mouth packed to bursting with coloured pebbles.

"Put them back, quickly!" Detlef hissed, looking over his shoulder to make sure Tariq hadn't noticed. "Oh dear...if we manage to get through this without coming off like total idiots, it will be a small miracle."