Serpentwar 2 - Rise of a Merchant Prince by Raymond E Feist

Author:Raymond E Feist [Raymond E Feist]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-07-26T04:30:32.089000+00:00

The journey went smoothly. Twice the presence of Erik's guards had speeded up accounting with the local constabulary, saving Roo precious hours. The visit in Ravensburg had been a hasty 9 one, with them rolling into Milo's Inn of the Pintail after sundown, and leaving before sunrise, without seeing Rosalyn and her family Erik promised his mother he would linger on the way back. In Darkmoor, if the local guards recognized Erik or Roo they said nothing. Still, Roo found he felt considerably better once that city had fallen behind them. As a child, Roo had accompanied his father on the journey to Salador only twice, and now he saw the Eastern Realm with the eyes of an adult. The lands through which they passed had been cultivated for centuries. Farms were tidy to the point of appearing like miniatures painted by artists when seen from the distant road. Compared to this, the Western Realm was still rough-hewn, and the lands across the sea primitive and wild. They reached the city gates at noon and Erik hardly slowed as he passed the City Watch, shouting, "Cargo from the Prince for the Duke!" One of his soldiers had carried a pennant, which was now unfurled; it bore the crest of the Prince of Krondor. That morning the soldiers had donned the tabards they had carried in their saddlebags, and Roo saw that his escort was comprised of not just city troops but Prince Patrick's own household guard. Roo wondered again what his cargo was, but knew that he might never find out.

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RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE

They rode through the city and Roo was astonished at the number of people. Krondor might be the capital of the Western Realm, but it was dwarfed in size by several of the eastern cities. Salador

was the second largest city in the Kingdom after Rillanon, and it took more than an hour for Roo's wagon to roll through the press of the crowds and reach the ducal palace. The Prince's palace in Krondor sat atop a suddenly rising prominence hard against the harbor. Salador's ruler's home also sat atop a hill, but over a mile from the harbor. A long, sloping hillside led down into the heart of the city, and far beyond that, Roo could see the harbor. "I always forget how damn big it is," said Duncan. "I never realized," was all Roo said. They reached the palace and Erik announced them to the palace guard. The guard waved the wagon through while another ran to the main hall to inform the Duke. A third guard directed Roo's wagon to a large double-door entrance set off to one side of a sharply rising broad flight of stairs. Duncan said, "Must be important people who get to walk up those steps." He leaped down from the wagon and with a nod of his head toward the door said, "For the common folks." Roo said, "Did you expect anything else?" Duncan sighed, rubbing his backside in exaggerated relief.

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