Chapter 5: Nyma
WHEN, at last, they reached Nyma, they found it to be a very large city. The buildings were tall and narrow. They seemed to be huddling together like a group of frightened children.
The streets were crammed full of people who continually pushed and talked to others as they made their busy way to wherever they had to be. The streets themselves seemed to form a huge weblike maze that the people flowed through like water.
They started into the crowd and followed those people who all seemed to be heading in one general direction. They let the tide carry them as they headed generally towards the center of the city.
There in the center of the city was a huge plaza. There was a large tent in the plaza that had guards stationed every so many feet around it. There were also small groups of guards throughout the plaza. At the entrance to the tent there stood a podium with a man
standing behind it.
"Come one, come all," the man called into the crowd. "Come see some of the mysteries of the world. Only five copper per person." A small line of less than ten people came towards the podium.
"Do you think those are the men who took the dryad?" asked Carina quietly.
"There's only one way to find out," says Moran. "And that's to go inside and check out the show."
The others nodded in agreement. Then they walked up to the podium and handed the man the five copper pieces that he had said was the set price.
They passed through the opening in the tent and entered into a dim space. They surveyed the inside of the tent when their eyes had adjusted.
There, arranged in a semicircle around the tent, were some cages of varying dimensions. The cages held an assortment of strange and exotic creatures. In a cage towards the center of the tent was a dryad.
The dryad looked very sickly and unusually pale. You could tell that she was a dryad because of her unusual color of hair and eyes and the slight discolor of her skin.
She was a pitiful sight. Moran couldn't believe how immoral the people were who would keep the poor, sickly dryad locked up in a cage as she slowly died from her separation from her tree. Didn't these people know that dryads can't live away from their trees?
They promptly exited the tent and went to the other side of the square.
"What we need is a way to get that man away from the tent and one of us in there," said Ristar.
"Well, we could ask him to give us jobs," suggested Ivy. "Moran could attract attention with her voice and instruments. I, as a druid, could cure the wounds of his soldiers or captives. But what need would he have for a ranger and two mages?"
"Mages could stop trouble before it starts from fear of magic alone," suggested Carina. "Not many people can tell how powerful a mage really is, so most people just avoid trouble with mages all together." Lashana nodded in agreement.
"A ranger could act as one of the soldiers," said Ristar. "He could use someone to guard the inside of the tent. He probably doesn't think anything could happen in there, but what if one of the people who went in didn't like seeing creatures locked in cages?"
"You're right," agreed Moran. "Now that that's cleared up, who's going to tell the man about it?"
"I will," said Ristar. Ristar left them and started towards the tent. She approached the man when he wasn't busy.
They couldn't hear what was said, but they could see pretty well. The man motioned for one of his men to come and take over while he talked with Ristar. They went a few feet away from the tent, where it was a little bit quieter.
By the look on Ristar's face it seemed that the man needed a bit of persuasion. Ristar looked determined to convince him. After awhile they seemed to reach an agreement. They shook hands and Ristar came back to them.
"He wasn't really planning on hiring any new people," Ristar explained. "But I talked him into it. Though I had to compromise, too."
Moran and the others looked at Ristar questioningly. "What's that," asked Moran.
"I have to go on a date with him," said Ristar with a frown.
"That's great," said Moran.
"Why is that?"
"Because then you can distract him while we get the nymph free," explained Moran.
"Maybe you could get the key to the cages from him," suggested Carina.
"And how am I supposed to do that?" asked Ristar. "Hit him on the head and steal the key?"
"Take this," said Moran as he handed Ristar a small pouch. "Put a pinch of the powder inside the pouch into his drink while he isn't looking. It's colorless, odorless and tasteless, so he won't know its there. He'll be out cold within 15 minutes, so make it before you leave." Moran smiled slyly as the other women looked at her warily. They knew she could have done it to them any time she wanted to. "Oh, and I would like the powder back when you're done," Moran added.
"Okay, our plans settled then," said Ristar.
She hid the pouch in a pocket where it would be safe and hidden. She went over to the man and introduced them to him. "Mr. Weis," said Ristar. "This is Carina, the mage, Lashana, the mage, Ivy, the druid, and Moran, the bard." She motioned to each women in turn. "Moran, Ivy, Carina and Lashana, this is Mr. Isaac Weis.
"Glad to meet you all," said Weis. "When do you want to start?"
"Now is good," said Carina.
"Alright then," said Weis. "Ristar, Ivy and the mages can arrange
themselves as they want, but I'd suggest one mage on either side of the then. Moran, you can sit here and drag the customers."
The women nodded in agreement. Carina went to the back of the tent and Lashana stayed near the front. Ristar went inside the tent to watch things over in there. Ivy followed her to inspect the captives with Weis's supervision. Moran sat on a stool beside the
podium. she pulled out her harp and started to play a song to get attention while she sang a song to entice people to see what was inside the tent.
A large group of people soon came. Moran collected the money. More and more people came throughout the day.
At the end of the day, Mr. Weis took Ristar on a date and left Moran, Carina, Lashana and Ivy to close up the tent. Moran sent the guards to rest, though they went grudgingly.
Moran snuck into the tent quietly while Carina, Lashana and Ivy guarded the outside of the tent. Moran quietly walked over to the cage with the dryad in and carefully examined the lock. It was a sturdy lock that couldn't be broken or cut very easily or without a lot of noise. It wasn't one of the types that Moran knew how to pick. They would definitely have to wait for Ristar to come back with the key.
Moran exited the tent. She stood by and waited for Ristar to come back.
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