Einar didn’t wait; a moment later he entered the banquet hall, adjusting his belt. He looked around and saw that the beastman wasn’t there yet. A few maids were still bustling about, clearing away all traces of yesterday’s feast at an astonishing pace. The boy hadn’t even made it to the door when he heard another one opening. Tahon entered with a smile and greeted the women, who were absorbed in their work, with a hearty hello. He quickly spotted Einar and approached him.
‘I see you’re all set,’ he remarked, giving the boy a scrutinising look.
‘Mum always says that appearance is one of the most important qualities a person can have,’ replied Einar, trying to imitate the tone of voice his mother used during her lessons. ‘And Dad always replies that everyone looks the way they do,’ he added, spreading his hands.
‘I see,’ chuckled Ceet.
Together they left the house and headed for the village. All the while, Einar talked about life in Stairon and kept them entertained with anecdotes he’d heard from his father and the more appropriate ones from his brothers. Ceet seemed to be enjoying himself and listened with interest to the boy’s explanations.He was particularly surprised when Einar said that there was no temple in the settlement, that druids served as priests, and that prayers to all the gods were offered in their sacred forest.
When they finally reached the harbour itself, the boy began to look around more closely. However, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the sullen glances cast in the direction of the imperial vessel by the harbour guards and those who had already managed to get up after yesterday’s feast. The jetty where Captain Alrik’s vessel was moored was perhaps the only one where, apart from the legionaries standing guard by the gangway, there was no one engaged in the usual harbour bustle.
‘Peace and quiet, eh?’ Tahon was looking around too. Only now did Einar realise that, in fact, they’d both been aiming for the same thing from the start.
‘Fortunately, yes,’ he replied, his
