Though he had gotten used to travelling, most nights Nopsa slept as long as he could. This time, though, he was up before Janos; only two people were awake yet, Elmar and a late joiner he didn't know much about. Elmar was already mixing the porridge, so after some quick stretching and relieving himself, Nopsa decided to go help him. Elmar gave him the ladle and moved to unpacking other foods for breaking their fast.
"Up already? Too nervous about the chance to lead the line that you can't sleep?"
"I guess so. And to see the King's own city! Hmm, mostly the latter, now that I think of it. After taking care of the mules and trying out leading one or two in the past evenings, I think I'll be fine. Janos and Liina were, and I don't think I'm that much worse than them with animals."
"Well, just remember to be aware of where the road is, who else is on it and make sure that the mules are following calmly."
"Yeah, I think I can handle it. Now, how far away can you see Kalaun from? I don't want to miss the moment because I'm taking care of the mule line."
"It should be some time in the early afternoon, though it might be before the lunch break if the weather is clear enough. I've only been there twice, so I don't remember too well. Your friend Janos can probably guess from a bit further away, either from the smoke or smell, if the wind is right. You can lead the mules after we get them going this morning."
After getting his small moment of glory that morning, Nopsa moved to talk with his friends, but both shooed him soon away, Liina claiming that his nervous chatter was distracting her discussion with Ulrika, and Janos soon turning to single-syllable grunts. He circled through the rest of the group, until he found an older couple where the wife was quite willing to engage in wild speculation with him. Remembering Elmar's words, after lunch he decided to tag along with Janos, trying to keep his tongue in check. The afternoon dragged on, the air hazy with a promise of rainshowers at some point, until Janos nudged him in the ribs. It was still a disappointment, though, since all he could make out was a small smudge a bit to the right of the road, far on the horizon. With finer villas and rich villages dotting the countryside, as well as the barges travelling the mighty Ironflow off to his right, he turned his attention to those, checking now and then whether the city might have gotten closer. Finally, as he saw the outskirt town's first ramshackle huts and houses, leaning againt each other in every which way, he could also make out, behind them, the outer walls of Kalaun. As they approached the final stretch, the rest of the group hugged closer to the mules, probably with Katrin's warning about the dangers of these slums in their mind. To Nopsa's eye, though, the people didn't look that bad, just wary, which didn't really surprise him. You'd need to be careful and keep on the lookout if thousands of people passed your home every day. Not to mention that your home was built of wood, right against many others, with no doubt hundreds of fires, for cooking, warming or whatever, everywhere around you. And to top it off, your home didn't really have a legal right to be where it was – at least that was what Ulrika had told him. She had also informed him about how many who came to the big city with big dreams turned up in the slums, their hopes crumbling in the fierce competition. Well, he had it well enough for now, a place to sleep and food to eat waiting for him, even if he had to work for it a bit. He'd scout things out, make plans, try to meet people. Having the connections, having the plans, like Katrin and her business partners – that's how you made your life in the city.
As the passed through the outskirts, some of strangely colored walls made him wonder. They were often a bit recessed but clearly visible from the road, most light but some darkening upward. He finally figured it out when he noticed one where the shapes of the wall made a clear profile of a roof: these were spaces were houses, too close to road, had been torn down. Most of them rather recently, too, looking at the bottom edges of the remaining walls told him, since nothing had sprouted in the emptied spaces yet. As he'd been pondering this puzzle, the northwestern gates of Kalaun had gotten a good deal closer, and soon they loomed above. A small crowd, maybe twice the size of their group, had gatherd in front of them, with guards trying to keep peace and locals watching from the sides. Katrin called Elmar over, spoke with him shortly, then went to watch over the group while her assistant trotted off towards the gates. The mules seemed calm enough and there were a couple of their travelling companions near by. Once he saw Elmar coming back, Nopsa's curiosity got the best of him, and he moved over near Katrin to listen.
"So, what's the holdup?"
"Apparently, they have more people in the group than they thought, and they only have arranged lodging for three quarters of them. Now they're arguing with the guards whether they should be let in, where they're going to sleep for the next three nights, how the outskirts aren't safe for decent godsfearing people. It seems that many are unaware on the limits of the King's generosity."
"Fools. How heated were things?"
"Not that bad yet, but some voices were definitely getting raised. We best keep our distance for now."
"Ah, damnit." Nopsa was surprised, as Katrin rarely cursed. "I'm sure my papers would be fine, but that mob will get even angrier if they see some passing them by."
"Most likely, yes."
"And we don't really have any way to help the guards sort things out."
"Not that I can see, no."
Katrin must've noticed Elmar looking at Nopsa, as she turned around.
"Well, apparently our mules are calm enough that you chanced to sneak up here?"
"Actually, yes. Some of the other travellers seem afraid of the outskirts, but things are fine with us otherwise."
"Well, since you're here, go to Janos and see how soon the next group will be coming up to us. I need to know how much of a hurry we're in."
"Sure thing!"
A speedy run to the back of the line took him to Janos, who could say that no one was likely to reach them in the next moments, but not much more.
"Sorry, hard to see much from here."
Nopsa had an idea, and quickly dragged Janos over to the carpenters wagon and asked to borrow a few of the lumber pieces as well as use of the wagon as a base. After a quick explanation, they agreed to help, and a with a few quick twists of rope, created a makeshift tower. Three yards higher and out of the worst dust, Janos could see much farther over the huts and up the road. He jumped down.
"We're good for a short while, but there's two more groups that'll be here in a little while. I think they slowed a bit before the outskirts, and didn't seem to be speeding up."
Nopsa thanked all three of them and jogged back to relay the news to Katrin.
"Well, we have a little time, then."
Up at the gate, some more guards had appeared, which had quieted the mob a bit, but they were still blocking most of the road.
Nopsa had an idea. "Uhh, Katrin, how good are you as a performer?"
"What? I… I can keep a steady beat with a drum, but not much else. I've read some poems for my elders, but that's about it."
"Hmm, well, that'll have to do. Elmar, make sure everybody's ready to be counted, and that the mules are well behaved. Katrin, you have your papers ready? Good, come on!" He pulled her towards the closest sergeant, explaining on the way.
"Let's try this on him: you're a proud merchant, quite ready to be counted, loudly and clearly, to set an good example. They'll be able to push that lot off to the side and keep the road clear."
"What if he doesn't want to go with this?"
"There are more groups of travellers coming along. He needs some reason to get these people out of the way, and we'll provide it."
"Ah…" Katrin tried to resist, but Nopsa ran ahead of her and was already getting the attention of the guard. She quickly brushed the worst dirt and dust off her clothes and attempted a slightly haughty expression.
"– so, good sergeant, my master has her papers right here, ready and in order. You can now loudly read them so's the other group can see and hear you."
"Ehh, boyo, I'm not sure about this…"
"We saw two more groups coming soon after us, possibly riders in the distance as well. You don't want this to turn into a mob with no one able to get into the city?"
"Ahh, I think my captain's coming out, now, you know he could…"
"No, no, you're a sergeant, that's authority enough for those confused fools." A couple of other guards has sauntered over to see what Nopsa was doing. "Ah, good men, could you be ready to push that unorganized group a bit to the side?" He raised his voice. "My master has her papers, all ready and in order, right here!"
Some of the other group looked their way, and Katrin decided she might as well commit to to the play. She, too raised her voice, and handed over her papers with a flourish.
"Yes, sergeant, here they are. Six and twenty people, in all, listed here by name, and twenty mules as well. I insist you come and count us, now."
More heads turned their way, from the locals as well as the other group. The sergeant, apparently unused to this sort foolery, glared at them, made a show of looking at the papers, then growled at Nopsa. "I'm having a talk with you later, boy." Nopsa gulped quickly, but the sergeant then raised his voice. "Fine, let us count your caravan, good merchant." He quickly looked at the other guards, then nodded towards the other group, growing more silent.
Elmar had managed to bring the priest up next to Ulrika, as well as group the others in their order of joining. Everyone else managed to look decently obedient as the sergeant first checked with the higher, then loudly counted the travellers going on way, then the mules coming back. Seeing that his men were decently arranged, he bellowed. "Yes, all in order. Twenty and six people, and twenty mules, as your paper said."
"And with full lodgings arranged." Nopsa couldn't resist whispering.
He glared at Nopsa again, then took the papers and slowly read at them. Katrin helpfully pointed. "Third section."
He found the correct bit. "Ah yes, and all lodgings arranged. Well done, my good merchant. Please proceed directly past the main square, then angling to the left, towards the harbor." He pointed through the gate as his men pushed the other group out of the way.
It seemed nearly magical to Nopsa, but it had worked. The other group just stared, not interfering in any way, as their group all walked briskly by, the mule's hooves clattering as they got onto the stones of the paved street. He was giddy with glee when he heard puffing from behind, then felt the sergeant's hand on his shoulder.
"Now, boy…" Nopsa turned around, but the sergeant did not seem furious, merely irritated. Katrin intervened.
"I'm sorry, sergeant, but we really do not want to be crowding the street like that other group. He's never been to Kalaun, yet, so I'm afraid he'll get lost if I leave him here with you and we go on. If you tell me when and where he can find you, we'll go set our lodgings, and I'll send him to get what ever tongue-lashing you think he deserves."
The sergeant looked at Katrin, suspicion in his eyes. She decided to press on and pointed behind him.
"Besides, that is your captain, I believe? He seems happy enough with how things turned out."
He exhaled. "Fine. I'll be at this gate the next three days, mid-day to midnight. I'll see what the captain says about your fate, boy." He turned on his heel and marched toward the captain, muttering under his breath.
The rest of the afternoon and evening went much as planned. Ulrika left them soon after they'd gotten through the gate, though she gave Liina a description of where she was residing, and they made plans to meet at the cathedral the day after tomorrow; the priest went there directly. The warehouse turned out to be easy enough to find, though less so to distinguish, being one of many similar ones on a small street leading down to the harbor. All were two stories tall, and had a large door in the front, with some variation on whether it was in the middle or off to one side or the other. Once at the Longtree warehouse, they discovered that they were the first group to arrive, and were thus able to choose which section they wanted. After a short discussion, the drier seeming side near the door was decided to be theirs, with Katrin marking some lines with chalk or string. Nopsa quickly investigated the warehouse, which consisted of a central open area with a rickety second floor encircling it, with two sets of steep stairs climbing to the second floor. On one side of the front, from the door to the corner, was a small room, which was designated for Elmar, the muleteer and the other overseers of their lodgings. The carpenter couple started to organize building the bunk beds, as well as a few benches, but no table was needed as there was one in the small room that they could move to the common area. As some others were sweeping and they were sectioing off areas for the different groups, Nopsa came to Liina and Janos with a slightly surprising proposition: they should take a small corner area on the second floor for themselves. Curious as to why Nopsa would want to be further away from the door, they went over to inspect the area. Looking at it, it took a moment unti Liina realized the reason – there was a small hatch in the wall, shuttered and barred, near the ceiling. A nimble boy, or a small man, could wiggle through it easily, and either drop down to the road or climb on to the roof. And once they had sectioned off the corner as theirs with some canvas, no one would see Nopsa opening the hatch. She sighed but accepted the area as theirs, reminding him that an accomplice with rope wold be needed to get back in. Nopsa's grin told her quite clearly that he had an idea of who might be expected to be holding on to the other end of the rope.