Dreamwalker

6- City of Snow

It started to snow after another hour.

Bell couldn't understand it. It wasn't even winter, yet huge wet flakes fell from the grey sky as they drew nearer and nearer to the city. The forest slowly thinned to reveal an icy river running down to the landscape of Niege. Thin black smokestacks and towers twisted up to meet the clouds. Bell had never seen such huge buildings so tightly packed together in her life. She supposed that this was a real city, whereas Terre Pur was a simple town. Baudoin the Brave went to cities like Niege sometimes, and met exotic people and traded exotic objects. Bell was personally very excited even if their mission wasn't very happy at all.

"There it is," Nathan pointed out when they were only about a mile away. Bell could smell the city from here. Smoke, dung, and salt ran together in the hazy snowy air.

"It doesn't look like a very pleasant place," Emeric noticed.

Nathan just shrugged. "It seems like a good place for a kidnapping," he compromised.

They continued down the path. Dark houses lined the street, growing closer to each other as they approached Niege. Soon the path was not just slushy dirt, but cobblestone, which the horse's hooves clacked on loudly to announce their presence. To Bell's surprise, there weren't many horses in the street; rather, civilians moved around on foot. The horses didn't even have room to walk in a straight path because of all the bustling passersby. Despite the warmth of the people around, Bell was even colder than she was in the open air, and wished she had a coat. At least she wasn't having as bad of a time as Emeric. "In my kingdom," he said through chattering teeth, "it's always lovely and warm, and you could walk around barefoot if you really wanted."

"So where is the princess?" Bell asked Nathan.

"I have the address of where she is kept, but--" Nathan hesitated, slowed his horse so he could walk next to Bell, and leaned in so he could speak quieter. "But if we could find that witch who is rumored to live here, we might be able to fight her kidnapper, and take her back with honor."

"Are you that cheap?"

Nathan glared at her. "Her majesty is not cheap. We are bound by a code of honor. Haven't you read The Sacred Writings of Nisa? I heard Emeric lent it to you."

"Part of it. I guess I didn't read that chapter yet."

"Then stop questioning me. Besides, don't you want to meet a real witch? Maybe you could learn more about-- what was his name-- Soutine's work on magic?"

That was true. Bell hadn't thought of that. "You think she might know what he was working on?"

"I don't know much about magic, yet... perhaps. Perhaps she will." Nathan urged his horse on so he could take the lead again.

"Where are we going to find her?" Emeric called after him. Apparently he wasn't informed about the secrecy that Nathan desired and wasn't worried with shouting over the noise in the street.

"I don't know... that's the problem," Nathan said. "I don't even know her name. I think we should stay at an inn for the night while we search for her. I'm sure we could ask around the city too. Niege may be compact, but it isn't that large."

"It will be better than sleeping on the ground, that's for certain," replied Emeric. He was probably still irritated at the cold climate of the west.

The group stopped at the next inn they came across in the street. When they entered, they came into a bar on the first level with one lone woman behind the counter polishing mugs. "Excuse me, we'd like a room," Nathan announced to her.

She looked up at him. "One room for all three of you?" she clarified.

"Er-- Bell, is that alright with you?" Nathan asked out of the corner of his mouth.