Part 5 (1/2)
”Yes, sir,” the man replies.
Within the room, he sees seven other men, Corbin being one, sitting around a large table. He gives James a nod as he enters. The mayor takes his seat at the head of the table and the man who answered the door pulls two more chairs over for James and Jiron.
”Gentlemen,” the mayor announces, ”for those of you who have yet to meet him, this is James.” A murmur begins which the mayor quickly silences.
”Now, you know Corbin here,” the mayor says. ”Next to him is Polin, and then Berill, Monn, Durik, Aarron, Igren. This is the City Council of Trendle.”
”Good day to you all,” says James. He receives an answering salutation from the council members.
”We were just talking about you,” Corbin says.
”Yes,” John, the mayor jumps in. ”It seems your notoriety had attracted many people to the area.”
”I'm sorry about that,” apologizes James. ”I hadn't planned on that.”
”No, don't be sorry young man,” Polin says. A man of middle years, dark hair and dressed well, Polin gives off an air of friendliness. ”In fact, we were just talking about how we could increase it.”
Getting a dark look, James asks, ”What for?”
”All these people are going to need a place to rest and food to eat,” Monn replies with a grin. Monn being a fat man with slightly stained clothes, James figures him as some kind of innkeeper or possibly someone in the service business.
”There's a profit to be made here,” adds Aarron, an older man who is all but grey.
”But at my expense!” James exclaims. His outburst takes the council aback.
”You're not having to pay for anything,” Berill interjects. A younger man with a slight att.i.tude, he looks at James like he shouldn't have to state the obvious.
Corbin jumps in and says, ”I think what James means is that he'll be paying with his privacy. Isn't that right James?”
”Yes, Corbin,” he replies. ”Exactly. Already I've had people out at my place who are disturbing me. I've even set up guards to keep them off my lands.”
”Do you think you should do that?” Durik asks. Another middle aged man, he fits in with what Corbin had said a long time ago about John's drinking buddies. ”If word gets around that you turn people away, they may not come.”
”Good!” he exclaims. ”I don't want them to come, and I certainly don't want to become a tourist attraction just so you all can fatten your purses.”
”Now James,” the mayor says as he gets to his feet. ”There's no need to get upset.”
Jiron laughs and everyone's attention is drawn to him. Even James glances to him wondering why he's laughing.
”What's so funny?” asks Igren, a small man with a keen eye that seems to take in everything.
Standing up, Jiron says, ”He's not upset, gentlemen. I'd say he's merely annoyed. He's the last person you'd ever want to see 'upset'.” He glances around the table, his mood slowly turning serious as he makes eye contact with each councilman before continuing. ”While you're here deciding upon the best way to exploit this situation, things are going on that you're not even aware of. Last night, a mage from the Empire with twelve soldiers attacked us and we nearly lost the battle. This is just the first one, you can be sure there will be more.”
”The notoriety that you are counting on to draw the people here to put money in your pockets will also draw those of an unsavory nature as well. And I'm not talking just of those from the Empire. With people, come thieves and all that goes with them, think about that.”
James stands up and says, ”I ask you not to go forth with any plans that will draw people to me. Aside from being irritating, it could very well put them in jeopardy.” To Jiron he says, ”We've said all that needs to be said, let's go.”
As they leave the council chamber, Corbin gets up and follows them out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. ”Is everyone okay?” he asks, concern evident on his face.
”Everyone's fine,” Jiron replies. ”Yern has a nasty cut, nothing else major.”
”I'm glad,” he says. ”Sorry about that in there, I remember how much you like your quiet.”
”It just makes me mad,” he says. ”They're planning on making a profit off of me at my expense. I like Trendle, but it isn't the only town on the map. If it gets too bad, I'll move.”
”I know and I'd hate to see that happen,” Corbin says. ”I'd better get back in before they go and pa.s.s a ruling without me.”
”Thanks Corbin,” he says, holding out his hand.
Taking the hand, Corbin says, ”Come out for dinner sometime, Mary and the kids would love to see you again.”
”I may, just really busy right now,” James tells him.
Corbin opens the door to the council chamber and then goes back inside. James can hear them talking, about what he can't quite make out through the door.
As they move down the hallway and begin descending the stairs, Jiron asks, ”Were you serious about moving?”
”Not for a while and only if it gets bad around here,” he replies.
Outside, they find Miko still standing by their horses. At their approach, he glances back at them and then turns to face them. ”No one's bothered us,” he says as he pats his horse.
”That's good news,” James says as he mounts. As they ride through the streets, he again hears the whispers and catches people pointing at him. Ears burning slightly from the attention, he kicks his horse into more of a canter and they quickly leave the town behind.
”I think I may not come back here for awhile,” he announces once they've ridden a ways out of town.
”Don't blame you,” Miko says. ”I find it unnerving and it's not even directed at me.”
Before reaching the lane to the Ranch, they see three men walking away from Jorry who's still on guard duty there. As they ride past the men, one looks like he's about to say something to them. James hurries on past before he has a chance to get it out.
At the lane entrance, Jorry says, ”So far, those guys are the only ones to show up today.”
”What did they want?” asks James.
”Just asked if you were here,” he explains. ”When I told them you had gone into town, they turned around and started back.”
James looks back and sees the three men paused there in the road, as if they're deciding whether or not to come back now that he's there. Finally, they turn and continue down the road back to town.
”Irritating,” he says as he starts down the lane to the main house. Out back he can see where the hole in the ground from the crystals exploding last night has already been filled back in and Sean has begun laying out a new framework for another coop. Jiron rides to the barn while he goes over to talk with him.
”Well master builder,” James says as he rides over to him, ”got tired of working on the house?”
Grinning, he says, ”No, but they've gotten it under control for the moment so I thought I'd put together another coop for you before nightfall. Your cook asked me if I could. You don't mind do you?”
”It's fine,” he replies. ”Do you have everything you need?”
”All but the chicken wire and I understand one of your men has gone into town to get that.”
”Good,” he says. He turns his horse toward the barn and soon has him settled in. Around the back of the house, he finds Roland chopping wood. When he sees James approaching, he puts the axe down.
”Ezra has borrowed your builder for the day,” he tells him.