The Ties That Bind

[Silus]

The air is unmoving when the silence bristles.
The trees rest, but even they cannot rest
When the earth presents this tension.
~ George Rivers



The Del?andor Inn never failed to impress Silus each time he approached the gold encrusted doors.  Flashing the Imperial Guards a knowing smile, he stepped inside.  The inn, featuring purple d?cor trimmed in silver, had a bar to the center right along with tables made for the two, four, or eight-beast parties that sometimes visited for a meal.  On the left side was a small pool with exotic fish gracefully swimming underneath aquatic plants, and on both sides were stairs leading the private rooms available for the more wealthy of guests. The chandelier, supporting hundreds of candles upon its jeweled arms, lit the main hall in conjunction with gold braziers. 

Silus approached the bartend, an unusually well-kept fox who jerked his head towards the back door.  Opening it, the glorious hall devolved into a less sophisticated gambling room filled with pipe smoke, alcoholic breath, and the clank of money.  Silus sat down on a stool beside the drinks counter to watch three rats argue over a dice game.

?Silus!?

The weasel turned his head in the direction of the strong voice.  Helfurd, a ferret Silus recognized to be one of Vonni?s less trusted cronies, straddled the stool and ordered two shots of rum.  The barkeep promptly poured the drinks, and Helfurd offered Silus one.

Shaking his head, Silus said, ?No thank you, Helfurd, I don?t like to do deal in business too intoxicated.?

The ferret nodded empathetically and downed both shots.  ?Vonni said that ya would be aroun?.  I was told to tell ya that he?d be ready for ya very shortly.  Help ya?self to the drinks; the barkeep knows you?re with us,? he said, rising from the stool and leaving through an inconspicuous door in the corner.

?Barkeep, I?ll have a taste of wine, please.?  When he received the glass, Silus swirled the purple liquid around and sipped it.  Slowly spinning around to face the rest of the room, Silus leaned back against the counter and observed five vermin playing a game of cards.

The rat was currently winning with the most coins in front of him, or at least Silus presumed.  Not one for gambling (besides the occasional game of dice), he couldn?t identify the game, but he was able to discern that there were some complicated rules.  Through the few hands he saw, the rat had helped and then cheated one of the foxes assumedly all within the rules.

Helfurd opened the door again just as Silus finished his wine.  Catching Silus? eye, the ferret beckoned for the weasel to follow him. Silus reached the door when Helfurd half cackled:  ?Don?t mind the mess.?

Silus first noticed two stoats dragging a body into another room, but his view was quickly blocked when Vonni sprang to his feet and hugged the weasel.

?Good to see you, Silus,? the overly-enthused fisher said.  Silus learned a long time ago, however, that despite Vonni?s cheerful, energetic personality, he was dangerous.  Very dangerous.  ?Sorry to keep you waiting, but I had a contact try to get sour with me.  As you saw, he?ll soon be sour himself.?

?I am glad you?re doing well, Vonni.  As always, it is an honor to work with ??

Vonni slapped him.  ?Enough with the bloody formalities, Silus.  We?ve known each other far too long for you to act is if you?re one of my underlings.  You may doubt it, but I consider you a brother.?

Vonni grabbed his shoulder, escorted him to a table, and pulled the chair out for Silus to sit in.  Vonni grinned, clapped his paws for some wine (his private stock, no doubt), and took the opposing seat.

?Before we begin, Silus, I would like to congratulate you on your expanding business.  Your trained slaves are the best I?ve seen, and between you and me, I?ve been considering sending the inn workers your way, ? the fisher said, chuckling, ?It would save me money in the long run, and I would get better service.

?But enough with this as I am pressed for time.  His royal highness is having some guests for me to entertain.  I swear, if Malachite ever found out that if I run most of the underground, he?d turn pale and his whiskers would gray.  I own half of the army and have all of his guests in my care.  Money breeds better loyalty than royalty!?

Silus half-heartedly laughed along.

?Now Silus, I presume the good doctor, Jonas Lowri, talked to you about his expedition??

Silus studied the fisher.  Vonni?s charming smile didn?t hide the knowing gleam in his eyes.  ?Yes, he did.  It was an interesting offer, and I still can?t fathom why he wishes me to go.?

Vonni laughed.  It wasn?t his cheerful laugh, but his I-already-know laugh.  ?Because I recommended you to his father.  I need someone I can trust on this expedition, somebeast with intelligence.  This isn?t just Malachite?s expedition, and before you ask,? he said holding up a paw, ?I will be paying you in addition to the Emperor.  The double payment should amount to somewhere around triple your normal income for a six month period.?

Silus smiled, not quite surprised Vonni had guessed his first question.  ?Go on.?

?In the interest of the Lowri family, you?re to ensure his safety.  His daughter might be going as well, but she should be a secondary priority.  Also, you?re to do a few other things when you get to Sempetra if not before.?

?What types of things??

Vonni grinned, but it was his eyes that betrayed the devilish intents about to be shared.

~

Silus opened the door to Jonas? office, relieved to be away from everyone else.  Most of the time he was unaffected by their stupidity, but the news of Ashira had shaken him up a little.  Fates be cursed he thought she deserved to die, but is the creature really that strong?

?I see the little Ms. Argyll found you, Silus,? the doctor said from behind his desk.  Silus immediately noticed the difference from yesterday?s Jonas and today?s:  he knew something.  But what?  The mind game began.

?I?m sorry, Doctor, but I came here of my own accord.  Jonas, I?m worried.?

?Oh?  I suspect you should be if what I?ve been hearing is true.?  The doctor took off his glasses and polished them with his shirt.  The old doctor was back, for the time being at least.

?It?s surprising how fast news travels.  I set the crew to helping the shrew with her bright idea of forming a more fortified camp; hopefully that will keep Ashira?s death from affecting morale too much,? Silus said, frowning and rubbing the back of his head.

The doctor fumbled his glasses before carefully putting them back on.  ?You?re serious??

?Unfortunately, yes.  She was killed by the monster, but according the mole, she greatly wounded it.  I?m considering organizing a hunting party?more successful than Ashira?s?and killing the thing before it kills anyone else.?

?I suppose that could work.  But back to why I asked you to come here.  We?ve both known each other for a long time??
?Jonas, if this is to do with how I?m running things, I?m doing my best to ensure that we get off this island alive.  As many of us as possible.?  The weasel grabbed the chair and sat down. Rubbing his temples, he thought how much does he know?

?And you?ve been doing a fairly good job and I thank you for it.  But admit you?ve been plotting,? he said forcefully.

Damn.

Jonas continued, ?Cricket informed me that you?ve made some kind of agreement with the badger.  I want to know what and why and everything else you?ve been doing.?  Jonas looked expectantly at Silus.

Silus returned the look and put on his most charming smile.  ?I made an agreement with the badger that if he were to ensure your safety, Jonas, I would secure a place on our rescue ship that I hope is coming.?

?And why would you need to do that??

?Ashira.  I didn?t trust her and you were wrong to.  I?ve seen that look before, trust me, it?s not one of good nature, but one that stabs you when you?re least expecting it.  Now that?s she?s gone, I suspect that you?re safer.  With Tornear executed, the crew knows I?m serious, and their other leading figure is dead.  I don?t think they?ll try anything now.  But still.?  It is unsettling to know that even she could not kill it.? 

Jonas pressed on.   ?That?s good, that?s good, but nevertheless, what other things have you been plotting?? 

Again, Silus was unsure how much Jonas knew.  Surely not of Vonni?s orders, but maybe the otter?  If he did know of the ulterior commands from the underground, everything Silus had earned and was working for would be threatened.  First, he risked what little trust the slaves had in him and the loyalty of the crew.  Second, he would have betrayed Vonni, who had the power to protect him from the Emperor?s wrath, but most importantly, he risked his reputation as being a respectful entrepreneur.  The only thing he could do was pretend to be innocent:  if sweet words had earned him the trust of the Imperial City?s most prominent criminal, perhaps they could save him from ruin if it was truly there.

?Jonas,? Silus spoke cautiously, ?I?m not positive I understand your meaning.  Everything that I have done is to our benefit, and if you truly think that I have been ?plotting? as you say, I am insulted.?

?You said you worked for Vonni.  I have been thinking for the past few minutes on what that could possibly mean.  It is curious that he would take an interest in my safety.?  Jonas leaned back in his chair comfortably.

?Indeed.?

?Silus, would you care to elaborate??

Nodding his head, the weasel said, ?If you must know why Vonni is interested in your well-being, it?s that your father contacted him.?

Jonas jerked forward, not expecting to hear of his father?s involvement.  Seeing Jonas? surprise as a cue, Silus continued, ?Your father cares deeply about you, and apparently he and Vonni are close friends.  It?s reasonable to assume that Vonni would care for the health of one of his better associate?s son.?

?You?re lying.  My father is an honorable beast and would not deal with criminals.?

?Jonas, you are my friend, but I want you to think carefully.  Both Vonni and your father are respectable.  There?s nothing wrong for the two to associate with one another just likes it?s not wrong of you to befriend me.  I may not be of noble birth, but I have earned my place in your society.  Vonni has done the same.   Now, enough of this; when do you expect a help to arrive?  We have enough supplies to last about a week and a half, but little more.?

Jonas opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Cricket burst through the door.  ?Silus!  Silus!  Come lookit, quick!  The big evil is outside the fort.  It looks really mad.?

Silus barreled past the young rat and climbed to a vantage point.  The creature, taller, more muscular, and more ferocious than anything Silus had ever seen, stood just beyond bow range outside the fort.  It howled and Silus? immediately thought wolf.  The fur on the back of his neck bristled.  The day Silus was asked by Jonas to join the expedition, he was reading a biography of Urgan Nagru, and from what Silus could see, the foxwolf?s wolf description fit perfectly.

Tassle joined him and immediately began shaking with fear.  She pointed a paw at the white wolf, ?The one that attacked us was black.?

Wakeeha began dancing around to the eerie noise and chanting something unrecognizable.  Looking back at the wolf, Silus whispered, ?I think I?ll feed them to that before they do it to us.?

Before Tassle even had the opportunity to reply, another howl and another rose into the air from different points on the island.  One seemed to echo from the cellars themselves and the other?for all Silus could tell?seemed to vibrate from the island itself.