The Emerald Crown by LJ Chappell

Author:LJ Chappell [Chappell, LJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Asquith Publishing
Published: 2018-10-07T22:00:00+00:00

3

Lanvik slept well that night: he was clean, safe and dry, indoors and although the temperature of the room wasn’t warm, it was certainly the most comfortable that he remembered. He woke well after dawn. Half the Company had already gone out: Vorrigan had accompanied Kiergard Slorn and Bane today.

‘We’re going to steal from all those poor penniless pilgrims again,’ Lisamel told him later, after he’d eaten breakfast.

‘You and Magda?’

‘And Tremano.’

‘Isn’t it dangerous, if they notice?’

‘They don’t notice,’ Lisamel shook her head. ‘Magda is very good, one of the best, and Tremano’s very good at holding their attention. You should come and watch.’

‘I don’t think so,’ he said.

‘You definitely should,’ Magda said from behind him, startling him. She had her boots and jacket on already. ‘In five minutes, downstairs at the front door.’

Five minutes later, the four of them headed out into Darkfall: Magda, Lisamel and Tremano, and Lanvik. They found an open square, with no lying snow. Lisamel and Tremano had brought two packs with them, which they laid on the ground and began to remove a number of items.

Magda took Lanvik aside. ‘You can watch, but you must stand towards the back and give no sign at all that you know them or me. Most importantly, however tempting you might find it, do not turn your head and watch me. People around you will notice and are likely to look in the same direction.’

‘Of course’, he said, though he hadn’t thought about that at all.

‘I’ll talk to you when we’re all back at the inn,’ she said. ‘Not before. Same with the others. Make your own way there.’

‘Fine,’ he agreed. And she walked away from him, and out of the square. He wondered what he was supposed to do, simply standing there. Tremano and Lisamel had removed their coats to reveal brightly coloured costumes underneath, and they started to perform. At first, passers-by only paused to idly watch for a moment but soon there was a crowd.

This early in the day there were a greater number of women and children than Lanvik had seen yesterday. He wondered who would bring their children to a place such as Darkfall, at this time of year.

As he watched, Tremano juggled, performed spell-binding gymnastics and magic tricks, jumped and danced and spun. He talked all the way through, addressing members of the audience and sometimes pulling a “volunteer” from the crowd to help him; describing what he was doing; telling jokes and laughing. Lisamel managed his props, engaged in banter with him from time to time, performed a number of tumbling routines with him and encouraged the crowd of spectators to give as generously as they could.

It was remarkable, fascinating, hypnotising. Within a few minutes, Lanvik could hardly see them because of people jostling and pushing. They were all completely focussed on Tremano. Young children were hoisted onto shoulders to get a better view. From time to time, he glimpsed Magda moving through the crowd in a way that looked as if she was struggling to get a good view.

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