Newblood - A fantasy novel for NaNoWriMo 2018; CHAPTER- 15: Shamarank

Winter, Year 21 of Koram

Pinnet roamed the docks and the alleys around it for two days. He scouted out previous haunts, the people whose family members were killed or arrested and to locate Captain Shan Munet. He found a rundown looking lodging house, The Red Cat , that used to be a jaunt for a variety of criminals. The owner Rajen Dimin was no friend of the present Governor, he had been one of the survivors of the infamous pirate ship 'The Flying Shadow'. His father and brother along with four of his cousins had died aboard the Flying Shadow when the Elven patrols had trapped her. Now he along with his wife and two sons ran The Red Cat. His eldest son Jinden, was a warehouse manger for an Elven shipping company. Jinden was also a member of the Scolier network- one who had survived. He rented all the four rooms on the first floor for three weeks, till two days after the Winterfair celebrations end. His conditions were getting them cleaned out properly, breakfast daily and fresh linens be supplied twice a week. Pinnet raided an emergency stash hidden at Elly's Spice office, it contained five gold coins and two phials of poison. With one coin he paid an advance for the lodgings. Another he gave to the Millers to shop for essentials.

Pinnet tracked down Captain Shan at a bakery. This was the pace where they would visit in the morning, once every few days, till they met up. The owner of the bakery was a supporter also, luckily he had not been named by any of the captured people. Pinnet knew the owner and he lingered there till the owner pointed out the captain when he arrived. when Captain Shan stepped outside Pinnet bumped into him and said . "Sorry! Myanse of Fernvale got the message. " He pressed the address of The Red Cat into his hand and said. " After dusk." Captian was still standing in front of the bakery as Pinnet quickly walked away.

After dusk Captain Shan, Jinden Dimin, Pinnet, Dave and Renee Miller sat around a table in Pinnet's room. Captain Shan had given them all the information he had gathered in Shamarank. Commander Bronden Finn was the Butcher's man in Shamarank. The patrols had doubled and the soldiers were more zealous in the duty. The Elven part of the city was still accessible and the arrangements for Winterfair were on. The few members of the Scolier network who had survived were lying low till required. The dockyard gangs were depleted as the soldiers had arrested many of them. His ship was manned by forty seamen, these were old hands and entirely committed. Shamarank for all appearances had returned to normal business. Dave Miller commented that he had never seen so many beggars, many of them maimed. Captain Shan replied that beggars in winter was always a nuisance in Shamarank but he agreed that the numbers had increased since the last time he was here.

Pinnet said he would share the plan with them only after a final member of the team would join them. In case she did not arrive, they would have to plan something else. The aim was gold, to steal as much gold as they can till the end of Winterfair and then disappear from Shamarank. Pinnet did set out some tasks. Captain Shan was to find and bid for two river boats able to carry twenty to twenty five men up the Shamar in a hurry. The day after tomorrow, Dave and Renee were to get jobs at The Amber Glass, A classy pub in the government quarter. They would have recommendations- forged ones. Jinden would manage that by tomorrow. Pinnet would ensure that two- three kitchen or serving staff don't show up tomorrow at The Amber Glass; this would make sure they land the job. Pinnet would do some recruiting. They would meet for early morning breakfast three days later.

Shamarank had about five thousand beggars, the population varied with seasons. At summer harvest time, many would go to do farm work for a month or two and during the winter months there was a migration into the city. Unlike appearances the begging community was organized. Like many underground operations areas were divided among rival gangs. In Shamarank there were four such gangs. Three of these worked their respective areas, the fourth was the oldest and most powerful of them- they were called the Shackled because every member had to have chain tattooed on one his or her ankles. They had the whole of Shamarank open to them and they were the ones occupying all the prime spots and most of the scavengers were Shackled. The Scolier network had worked with them, paying well for their services. Their leader had been executed alongside the Scoliers. The new leader was known as the Ogre.

Pinnet had sought a meeting with him when he was scouting the dock area. After two days he had been called. He had been led into an alley and blindfolded. They had loaded him in cart and carried him to an empty house. From here the descended into the basement which opened up to an unused sewer where the Ogre was waiting for him. Pinnet was surprised to see that the Ogre was a woman. She had big manly hands with nerves bunched up, she was a little thick about the waist but otherwise she appeared entirely normal. Pinnet presented two silver coins to her. " A token of goodwill."

The ogre gestured to one of the boys who took the coins from Pinnet and checked them. Nodding at the Ogre he pocketed the coins and retreated. Pinnet opened his hands outward to show that he was not armed and said. "I need your assistance in a project. If we could speak a bit privately..."

The Ogre gestured at the others and walked further into the sewer waving at me to follow. After we had walked about twenty steps she turned and waited. "I am planning a robbery on the last day of Winterfair." Pinnet said. When the Ogre gave no reaction he continued. "It is big and will involve Elven businesses. I need to at least one security guard in each of them on my side. I want information and maybe plant some equipment. Can you arrange it?" The Ogre smiled thinly and said. "Which business houses?" Pinnet named three- Gormal, Grand and Bressia. The Ogre showed no reaction for a few moments. "The chances of your survival are very few."
Pinnet nodded. "Just So. It is personal."

"This is dangerous for me too. Fifteen gold for each guard, fifteen extra if any of them is killed. I can bring you seven. One from Bressia and three each from the other two."

Pinnet thought for half a minute before replying. "This is very expensive, more than I had counted. I can you for two guards from the Grand and one each from the other two. That is five guards and no one will be killed it is just for preparations and information. I can make it maximum of eight gold per guard and I need to stage a big diversion- a mob, near the south bridge."

"People will die. Why should I give you free lives? I have to pay compensation to their relatives. This is my final offer- fifty gold for five guards and the mob. Forty up front."

Pinnet replied. "OK but only twenty five up front. The rest after the job, at the gates or the docks."

The Ogre smiled and spit on her palm and extended it . Pinnet shook her hand and then took out four silver coins. " At least three of the kitchen or serving staff at The Amber Glass need to be out of circulation for a few days. Any of them but by tonight."

For Deniel Ironborn the two day ferry ride down the Shamar was uneventful. She was carrying fifty gold and a few gems worth a hundred gold. This was a part of her estate she had been keeping liquid just for occasions like this. In Shamarank she checked in to the lodgings nearest to the Governor House. Winterfair was just two weeks away and Shamrank was filling up. The fifteen day stay cost her five gold. With Elly's Spices out of the picture, she would have to have public announcement made for Pinnet. Deniel paid the concierge the Grand Business House to arrange for the announcement to be made all over Shamarank. "Ten bottles of pure honey wanted. Contact Grand Business House"