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A Little Stone Opens Doors

The wanderer was faced by a solid wall seven feet high all across the junction, separating the peninsula from the mainland, with only a single securely locked gate to be seen. High upon the wall, behind a parapet, Keftiu archers waited for the intruder, displaying naked chests, oiled and shining, painted faces, sharp lances and arrows in hand.

"What is your purpose, stranger?" they called him: "If you have goods to trade, show them. If you seek wares to acquire, name them. Else retreat where you came from." - The wanderer pointed to his animal on a string and said: "I have come to sacrifice this fair lamb to the bull-god, the god of the noble peoples of Keft. Let me talk to your master. Tell him, Areus greets him from Mittentown, where your traders received the best wool year after year. Tell him, Areus asks him why your merchants failed to visit us this spring." - A few moments went by, then the archers replied: "We don't need your lamb, thank you. About your wool - we will let the people of Mittentown know if there is something to say. Now leave."

When Areus didn't react immediately, one of the guardsmen pointed his arrow at him and drew his arc. Suddenly the gate opened, and a caravan of seven or eight asses left the compound, packed with bags and directed by three armed donkey drivers, who took no notice of the single man. The gate was locked immediately behind the last animal.

Now was the moment for Areus to open his bag and raise above his head a small yellow object, glittering in the evening sun. - "This treasure I offer you." - The guards couldn't make out what it was; they talked to each other, but then they opened the gate and asked Areus to pass, to walk around the emporium and wait on the opposite side.

This, in fact, was the main façade of the building, facing the sea, displaying a strong two winged gate above a grand staircase. Hidden from land, and accessible only through the building, Areus now saw a solid stone pier reaching into the sea, with one of the familiar ships from the Pillar Island securely docked.

A guardsman approached him. - "Hand me your ware. We will examine it, and if it is worth anything, we will offer you a choice of goods for payment." - Areus stepped back and held the object with both hands. Trying to put firmness into his voice, he said: "Only to the master of the palace I will give this treasure". Again, there was an archer on the roof of the building, aiming at him.

The guard was not pleased and tried several tactics to persuade this native, but in the end maybe he just got bored by the conversation and led the traveller through the gate into the emporium.

He was led through a small anteroom, filled with several bags, crates and boxes with mostly unfamiliar content. He could make out some black obsidian from Melos and grey-blue emery from Naxos. In front of it was a heap of rough whitish-green gravel. The guardsman cought Areus' perplexed gaze and said: "Looks like nothing, unless we work it, doesn't it? Laconian Pebble. Comes not far from here. Sure you know. You almost ran into the caravan from the mountains. Those natives have neither the tools nor the skills to do justice to these gems. Once we are through with them, they are truly marvellous." - No, Areus had never heard of laconian pebble. Once again the Keftians had managed to make him feel stupid like an ass. He said nothing.

To the left, a small door opened to an inner courtyard, from where he could get a glimpse of the pier. There were numerous pithoi with content he only could guess. Oil? Wine? Through a grand hall with a central carmine pillar he was led into a small room with nothing but a simple table, a few wooden chairs and an open window to the hall. As commanded by decency, as a guest he was offered some bread and a jar of watered wine.

Areus finished his meal, and the guard introduced himself as Morges. - "Don't be shy. Give me your item, so I can inspect it." - When Areus handed it over, he looked at it carefully from all sides. Then he asked: "Where did you get it from?" - When Areus didn't answer this question, he refused to make an offer unless the native gave away its origin, and Areus understood that the Keftian was less interested in the stone than in information about its source.

Honestly, Areus had no intention at all to sell his yellow stone. Maybe I will not be successful in restarting the wool trade, he thought. But if I manage to talk to the master of the Palace of Pillars, somehow the door to Keft may open up for me. Therefore he insisted that he would tell his secret only to the guard's master.

Finally, Morges was worn down enough to go and fetch the master of the emporium. And this was the moment when Areus was totally stunned: the most gorgeous lady he had ever seen entered the room, with precious jewellery around her neck and her arms, long black hair, painted eye brows and lips. She wore an open coat, barely covering her breasts, knee-length multi-layered skirt of the most precious fabric with geometric patterns. Morges, who followed her, gestured Areus to get up from his chair and bow down deeply.

Next Section : A Lady of Famous Might