NexLord: Dark Prophecies Read Online Free Page B

said to lighten the mood.
    Their wagon ambled over bumpy cobblestones as
Mara guided them through several streets.   Eventually, she brought the wagon to a halt and
climbed off and bid Aerin to
wait .  She took some food she had wrapped up
earlier and crossed the street to a man who crouched in the doorway
of an abandoned building.  Aerin watched intently as Mara
suddenly crouched down as she neared the raggedy
man.  She scooted forward, animal-like , staying lower than he was and placed the
food before him.
    Aerin just couldn't understand what she was
doing.
    A few minutes later she was back and started the wagon on its
way.  From inside the wagon, Tocor asked Mara a question.  "How was
he?"
    Mara's voice held a note of sadness, "No
change, but it's not time yet."
    "I know, but can't we..."
    "He won't come, and yes, I worry as
well.  Leave it be… for now," she said, glancing at Aerin
who was looking back at the crouched form of the man in the
doorway.
    “Who is he?” Aerin asked Mara.
    “Just a mixed up man that I look in on now
and then, don’t worry about it,” she replied.
    They passed a few more streets before Mara
turned the wagon into a courtyard of a suitable looking
Inn.  As they entered under the arched gateway she
cautioned Aerin, "Don't you go far from here for a time, big cities
are like jungles," then she joked, "Large carnivores wait to pounce
on weak prey, and for now, you're looking pretty plump and tasty!”
she pinched at his waist as if to test his plumpness.
    That got a smile out of him; it was one of
the first she had seen since the tragic loss of his parents two
days ago.  "Like those priests of The Hand?"
    "You stay clear of them, OK?” she cautioned,
fixing him with a hard gaze for a moment.
    "I will, I promise," he answered.
    "Good!” she exclaimed, tousling his hair
before getting down from the wagon.
    Aerin noted two young boys about his age
sitting on the outer wall of the Inn and wondered what it was like
growing up with all these people around, he couldn't imagine
it.
    As she climbed down from the wagon Mara
decided to test the young boy.  She fished out a Kingdom
Crown coin and pressed it into his palm.  "Tip the stable
hand for me," she explained and
then headed for the Inn's front door.  As she passed the approaching stable hand she
said.  "The boy has your tip; please give him ten pennies
in change."
    After the horses had been detached from the
wagon and the two trailing mounts they had brought from Aerin's
wagon were all boarded in the stable, Aerin tipped the stable hand
the silver and received his ten pennies in change.  A few
minutes later Mara returned.
    Aerin held out his hand.  "Here is
your change, Sen Mara."
    And so you are an honest lad,  she
mused silently in thought.  "Well thank you, Aerin, and
for your good work these two pennies are yours.  I noted
a sweets shop a half block away... why don't you go and see what
they have?  Perhaps you could buy something you
like."
    Aerin looked at the two pennies in his hand;
he had never had money of his own before.
    "Th-thank you," he stammered.
    She smiled and pointed down the street the
way they had come in.  "It's right down
there.  I have some business to arrange, but when you get back, come to room three, that's
where we’re staying."
    Two others had noted the coins changing hands
and as Aerin headed for the gate the two children who had been
perched on the wall jumped down to the street.  One boy
had short curly red hair while the second had straight black hair, cut like an upside-down
bowl.  The dark haired boy gave his partner a nudge with
an elbow and approached Aerin.
    "Hello, and welcome to Strakhelm!” the street
urchin said, sweeping a low bow before Aerin.  "My name
is Lor, but you can call me... Lor," the youngster finished with a
sly smile.
    "Hello, I'm Aerin.  How did you
know I was new here?” he asked, assessing the two as boys of about
his age.
    Lor laughed and