Aaralon was tired of waiting, and he was growing slightly concerned. He decided to go out and look for Camila.
The inn was on the south side of the town; Aaralon proceeded in a roughly northerly direction. The streets were narrow and hemmed in on both sides by short, squat buildings: a butcher's shop, an apothecary, tradesmen's guilds, a smithy. The town wasn't exactly bustling with activity, but the streets were far from empty.
Aaralon considered asking some of the locals for information, but most of the townsfolk looked unfriendly or busy, or both. Finally he spotted a woman standing on a street corner. From the way she was dressed, and the way she called out to passers-by, Aaralon figured she was a local whore. "Perfect," he thought. "She must have seen Camila pass by, if she's been standing there all this time."
The woman shot him a seductive look as he approached. Up close, Aaralon was impressed -- she was far more beautiful than he had expected. Her face, while slightly dirty, was tastefully made-up, accenting her brilliant blue eyes and full lips. Her dress left little to the imagination, a tight bodice cradling her impressive breasts and creating a deep, enticing valley of cleavage, while her long legs were left bare to gleam silkily in the sunlight.
"Looking for a good time, honey?" She cast him an appraising glare. "You look cute. I'll give you my young-and-cute discount. Just five silvers, anything you like. How's that sound?" She turned slightly to show off her body in profile, arching her back slightly and resting a slender hand on her hip.
Aaralon found his gaze helplessly drawn to her outthrust bosom, but he tried to stay focused. "Sorry, ah... I'm just looking for someone."
She arched an eyebrow. "Oh? You want someone in particular? Don't worry sweetheart, I'm good at role-play. Just tell me what you want me to be, I'm sure we can working something out..."
"Oh! Er, no, not like that... have you seen a woman pass this way? Tall, brunette, fancy clothes?"
"Hmm... is she pretty?" Aaralon nodded, and she pouted. "Prettier than me?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Aaralon gulped. "Er..."
"Oh relax, I'm only kidding." She glanced around quickly; suddenly Aaralon sensed tension in her posture, almost as though she were afraid of something. Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him into a nearby alleyway.
Aaralon tried to pry himself loose. "Hey! What are you doing?"
"Sorry, had to make it look like normal, never know who's watching. Listen, kid, that woman you're looking for... whoever she is, she's gone."
"Gone? What are you talking about?" Aaralon was so suprised he forgot to be angry that she had called him "kid".
The whore shook her head and gave him a pitying look. "Sorry, kid. Magnus has her. When Magnus takes them, they don't come back."
Aaralon gave her a firm look. "Don't talk like that. Now start from the beginning -- who's Magnus?"
She shuddered. "He's a... well, he's a slaver. Operates from here nowadays. He grabs people from the street, gets his hooks in them somehow... I don't know how, must be magic I suppose. Anyway, he turns them into slaves and sells them. He sold my -- well let's just say I have personal reasons for hating him. So I know how you feel, and believe me, I'm sorry... but there's nothing you can do. He's untouchable."
"I don't believe that. No one's untouchable. And you say he uses magic? Well, I know a bit of that myself. I can get to him. But I need to know where he is."
The woman gazed at Aaralon in silence for a long moment. He could see the conflict in her face: disbelief, hope, and more than a little fear. Finally she shook her head. "No one knows where he is. But I've heard that some of his men hang out in the tavern nearby, just up the road. I guess you could start there."
Aaralon nodded. "Thanks. I'll head there now."
"Good luck," she said as he turned to leave. "I hope you give that bastard what he deserves. And hey, if you get out alive, come look me up so I can thank you properly." |