The Cavalcade of the Pied Piper Ch7

The Cavalcade of the Pied Piper

Ch. 7

The town was even lovelier then I remembered. The towns people rushed by in dull colors and the travellers wore bright silks and elegant new styles. The signs, bigger then some buildings hung from torrents and told of the wears inside only a few coins away. I sighed looking into a glass window as the man across the street hailed people walking by for a chance to sell some of his fine clothes. Inside the window shown an amazing array of antiquities, especially knives. What I wouldn’t do to get one of those. I glanced at the small clock swinging from the chain around my neck and noticed that it was nearing lunch time. I’ll make sure to get a bite to eat at the Blue Tavern when I go to meet the Canary. With one longing glance back at the knives I turned to go and ran right into my first mate.

            “Evenin’ ma’am.” Jim said tipping his hat and smiling like a child.

            “There are no guards in the street, Jim. You may address me by my proper rank.” He nodded and looked past me to the knives on display.

            “Gorgeous, ain’t they...Captain?” He added with a side long glance to me. I always knew this was a tedious position to take. If Jim got too comfortable in his Captain rank he might choose to stay that way. I couldn’t let him think I was weak or vulnerable and have him plan mutiny.

            “I think the store you’re looking for is over there,” I said motioning toward the clothing store. “Loose clothing always did look good on you.” I hoped he understood my threat about having to stay on land. On the shore people could wear such large and loose outfits without having to worry about it getting caught on something while on a ship. From the look on his face I’m pretty sure he understood.

            “Capt’n, you better stay away from the center of town, heard there are pirates doing the Devil’s jig.” With that Jim turned on his heel and left me. His warning was acknowledged. I was just starting to get over my shock when I remembered that the Blue Tavern was in the very middle of town, right off the town square. Great, I would have to walk right by them.

            I soon got to the town square and already there was a crowd forming. I held my breath as the platform came into view. On it stood five surly looking men with faces of fear plastered across them. The ropes were one by one placed around the men’s necks. A ridiculous looking man in red plumage held out a scroll and started announcing to the crowd.

            “By order of the Magistrate, these men are sentenced to death by hanging for the crime of piracy. Any who object, please speak now.” He paused for a moment. This was another of the Magistrate’s ploys to uncover any other works of piracy. I once witnessed an execution by hanging when I was a girl. The wife of one of the men cried out when the crowd was asked if there was any objection. The next week she too was hung under the crime of piracy even though the whole town knew neither she nor her husband were involved any way with pirates. “No? Very well.” He gave a nod to the executioner who in turn pulled a lever on the side of the platform. The men fell and their legs twitched.

            I bit down hard on my bottom lip and shoved my way into the Blue Tavern. The Canary must have known about this.

            Taking a breath I looked around the dimly lit room and spied a man dressed in an ostentatious yellow signifying they were working for the Canary. I took another breath and walked over to the table and sat down.

            “Enjoy the show?” he asked. I gulped. I was right, the Canary knew about it. It was obviously a veiled threat for those pirates unlucky enough to return to the Canary without their loot.

            “Not as much as I would like to. Now, I have the-”

            “Hold on, what’s the rush? Let’s eat before business, eh?” he signalled over a serving wench.

            I cleared my throat. “I’ll have a steak with a spot of tea, please.”

            The bar maid’s eyes went wide not expecting me to be polite. She nodded and hurried off most likely in shock. I looked over to the Canary’s messenger who I have had regular dealings with in the past. The silence stretched on until finally my food and tea arrived. I started to eat pretending to be fully absorbed by my food and not at all disturbed by the messenger’s eerie stare. Soon I was done with my steak and onto my last cup of tea when I decided it was high time to break the silence and start business. I cleared my throat again.

            “Now, I have the package that you wanted.” He smiled and I took that for reassurance. I slid the scroll across the table and he picked it up and started looking it over. “The ship’s log that you gave me was false and I-”

            “That’s nice.” He said, interrupting me and shoved the scroll into his coat. “The Canary would like to see you.” My tea almost fell out of my hands. I was shocked. The Canary never saw anybody. For three years I’ve been working odd jobs for him for average pay and now he decides to see me? Something must have changed and it sure as Hades wasn’t me. The messenger stood up bidding me to follow. All of a sudden I was full of curiosity. What did the Canary look like? Where did he stay? What’s going happen?

            We left the back way.

There was a carriage waiting and when we got in the messenger offered me a blindfold. I might as well. The ride stretched somewhere between several hours to a few minutes long; I wasn’t sure which. The carriage finally stopped and the messenger removed my blindfold. I was outside of an oriental themed bath house. It must have cost a fortune to build it and purify all of the water, not to mention the up keep of all the steam. The messenger motioned me inside.

The air was so damp with water that it was hard to breathe, let alone look a foot or so in front of you. As we walked down the wooden hallway things started to come into perspective. Along the sides in half open door ways and alcoves were droves of sweating women half clothed and men in ecstasy lying on the floor. It disgusted me. The farther we went down the hall the more I tried avoiding looking into the rooms. The hall ended with a huge door most likely leading into an even larger room. The messenger stopped and motioned me into the room. I hesitated and then, with a big gasp of air, I stepped in. The messenger did not follow.

The room was filled with five times the amount of steam then the hallway and separate rooms. All I saw was white. Then it began to clear and I slowly started to make out shadows of people.

Instead of women in this room there was one huge man in the center thankfully draped with a white cloth across his midsection. Small boys barely five years old stood around him in attendance massaging his arms and feet and bringing wine and food to his mouth. I tried to hold down my lunch.

            “Um,” I hesitated. “Mr. Canary?”

No one responded. I waited there; sure that he had heard me. There was a light, musical whistle that sounded throughout the room and slowly the boys left taking with them billows of steam in their wake. There was a noise sounding more like a gush than actual mechanical sound and soon the air started to clear. I cleared my throat again. Hopefully I could breathe soon.

            After a minute of adjusting the huge man sat up and looked at me. “Ah, the little pirate girl. How nice to see you.” The Canary droned on slowly. I nodded trying not to be offended. Obviously for his size everyone is little. I smiled to myself.

            “I appreciate the handiwork you’ve been doing for me. All my clients are very thankful of your good work.” I had a bad feeling that when he said clients he was talking about the men in the small rooms down the hallway. I shuddered. “I have a present for you...and a job.” I was curious what kind of job the Canary would ask me personally to do. “Now, this is personal, so I hope you can do this quick and without the Magistrate’s interference.” I nodded, again.

            “Whatever it is, I’ll get it done....sir.” I wasn’t really sure what to call him so I thought ‘sir’ was respectful enough. He smiled.

            “Bring her in!” he yelled making me jump. A side door opened up and two muscular men stepped in dragging a girl kicking and screaming. She was perhaps in her early teens with olive skin and large black hair that expanded out when it hit the steam still prevalent in the room. She couldn’t have been older then fifteen.

            “Sa hobuse inimesi! Olete kõik sureme. Põrgusse koos sinuga!” she screamed. I couldn’t understand her but I did know that her language sounded like it originated from the north. One of the men soon shoved a white cloth into her mouth to force her to be quiet.

I looked back at the Canary and saw the look of disdain as he looked at the girl.

            “This gypsy was caught trying to take one of my clients coin purses when he was...indisposed.” I shuddered again thinking I’m starting to like this girl. “Fortunately for her she knows of a musical instument I’ve been looking for. The effects when heard are said to be...invigorating.” I would shudder again but at this point, all of this disgusted me. “It is said to be surrounded by gold beyond your wildest dreams. Find me this instrument, the rest is yours. The girl should know where it is. Oh, and your gift...” with that the men threw the girl at me and left. The room once again filled with steam and I got the impression I was supposed to leave. I turned around and opened the door. “Do what you wish with her.” As I closed the door I saw the boys once again fill the room with lotions and wine in tow and the cloth around the Canary’s waist was starting to be pulled back. I slammed the door.

Looking down at the girl glaring up at me I smiled. The girl flinched. I was trying to be reassuring but I guess I came off as sinister. Oh well, I guess I’ll take her back to the ship. It should be almost empty at this hour.