As stated earlier, Lyonesse had overheard a rather insightful conversation while she and Gyneth were meandering away from the docks. They passed the merchant’s guild when someone ran out and grabbed the warrior’s arm. “You,” the middle-aged gentleman said eagerly, which startled the armored woman and made her flinch away. Her mage companion turned her head toward the commotion. “What’s the matter?” Lyonesse asked, a hint of confusion gracing her tone and expression. The man quickly bowed to both of the women.
“Please excuse my excitement,” he said, noting the sword and book strapped to the mage’s belt, and then the wear on both women’s boots and clothes. “You look as though both might be capable of helping us!” Gyneth narrowed her eyes and asked, “Helping who?” The man’s brow rose in shock, and then his rotund face grew tomato red! “Oh! The merchant’s guild, of course!” He was truly embarrassed for not thinking of how confusing the conversation would be without such pertinent details. “Please, the guildmaster would greatly appreciate it if you would come inside and talk with him,” he continued, bowing again as he gestured toward the door he'd just run out of. Gyneth looked to Lyonesse, who turned her head to suggest their eyes would lock as they discussed the issue.
The mage smiled encouragingly. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least listen to what the problem is,” she said, placing a hand on the hilt of her sword. Both the man and her companion noted the gesture. “No, it wouldn’t,” Gyneth agreed, her gaze shifting to meet the man’s eyes. “And they wouldn’t attempt anything, considering how well equipped we are,” she sneered, her eyes narrowing once again. The man’s skin turned burgundy as he stammered, “Oh…o-of course n-not!” He smiled weakly, holding the door open for the lovely ladies as they sauntered in to meet with the guild master.
If the previous man was rotund, Guildmaster Vernon was downright bariatric. He was also decked out in the finest of garments laced with glittering jewels in gleaming gold and silver. His beady eyes lit up at the sight of the two adventurers, and his chair groaned as he shifted his weight, not so much as to stand but simply to greet both women with as much formality as he could manage. “Thank goodness you are here,” he exclaimed breathlessly, tugging a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiping sweat from his brow and double chins. “Why’s that?” Gyneth asked, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently. Lyonesse chuckled silently, sensing her companion would rather get straight to the point.
“Yes, of course,” Vernon said with a cough and more sopping of his handkerchief. “We have a rat problem,” he started, but was quickly interrupted. “Seriously? Are cats and ratters not sufficient to handle the city’s rodent issues?” Gyneth interjected with a snort of disbelief that any adventurer would want to waste their time with pest control. “Ratmen,” the guildmaster clarified with a frown and furrowed brow, finding her impatience and snark rude. “They come out at night and pilfer from our warehouses. The city guard won’t do a damn thing about it, claiming that it wouldn’t leave enough soldiers to man the gates and patrol the defenses,” he said before pounding the top of his desk with his fist. “We need to remove their king. Cut off the head of their nest, and the rest will disperse from lack of leadership!”
Both women raised their eyebrows at the guildmaster’s fervor. Lyonesse reached beneath her veil and rubbed the back of her neck as she asked, “Do you know where these ratmen nest?” “Yes, yes, yes,” he answered quickly, pulling out a map of Yellowport and pointing out the poorer quarters. Gyneth leaned in, pressing her fingers against the dock district before leading them through the outlined streets to where Vernon tapped his plump, bejeweled finger. “Some scouts followed them to the sewers. You should be able to enter through an old well in this district here,” he insisted before speaking of their reward. “We’ll pay you four hundred and fifty shards when you bring back proof of the king’s demise.” Gyneth looked back at the mage, who smiled sweetly and said, “Consider it done.”
“If they’re raiding the warehouses at night, then they’ll likely be resting during the daylight hours,” Gyneth suggested as she guided Lyonesse through the streets of Yellowport toward the well Guildmaster Vernon had directed them to. They made a point to stop by the market first, to purchase a bottle of rat poison. The blind mage felt the sun’s rays were abnormally filtered by the haze of sulfur in the air, deposited down the Stinking River from the Lake of the Sea Dragon. “The sun has passed its pique,” Lyonesse mentioned. “Which means we shouldn’t delay if we want to finish this task before their next exertion.” They both agreed.
As they climbed down the well and into the sewers, Gyneth held her nose and forced herself to breathe through her mouth. “Phew, who would have thought that something could smell worse than those sulfur deposits,” she gagged before looking down through the darkness of the tunnel. “I’m about to ask a stupid question,” she said, dread in her voice. “Why do you phrase it like that?” Lyonesse asked, listening to their voices echo off the sewer walls, ceiling, and…well…sewage. “Because you’re blind and would have absolutely no use for a light spell,” the former soldier responded, her tone becoming increasingly pathetic. The mage smiled and gently said, “It is quite dark down here.” She lifted her hand, and the book chained to her belt rose.
When it opened, the pages fluttered back and forth as if searching for the appropriate spell. She lowered her hand onto the open pages and placed her other hand on the pommel of Gyneth’s sword. Her voice was but a whisper as she recited an incantation she felt through her sensitive fingers. With the light spell cast on her companion’s sword, the pommel radiated a brilliant glow. It was just bright enough for Gyneth to see where she was going, but not far enough ahead to warn others of their presence. “Thank you,” Gyneth whispered breathlessly, amazed at Lyonesse’s skill.
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