Sergio looked about, his eyes acclimatising to the gloom. The hall, if that was the right word, was low roofed – his head only cleared the ceiling but an inch at most. The walls for the most part were roughly hewn, and riddled with cracks. The floor was a good deal more worn, in some places nearly smooth. At the far end some sort of linen hanging abruptly ended it. How far it went beyond that curtain was impossible to guess. In the stillness Sergio thought he caught the trickling of water, but could not be sure.
Looking around a second time more details became apparent. This was clearly some sort of storage place: a number of chests and crates lined the walls. To one side however was what appeared to be a desk and bench, a closed book on the surface. Two crude benches were in the middle, and a moth-eaten rug of some sort. In the ceiling there was some kind of crack that let the smoke from the two torches out. He counted another three passageways leading away from the room. Two were similar to the one he had entered by, little more than holes in the wall. The third was a larger affair, and had the rough approximation of a doorway. By it stood two huddles of clothing, with pasty white faces nearly hidden. Sergio assumed they must be Servitors of some sort.
He looked back to Andros, who was just rising from his bow. “Thank you. A refuge indeed.”
Andros snorted. “Those of my kind need places where we can hide. I would not ordinarily lead you here but unfortunately there was little option.” He paused a moment. “I do warn you however not to try to return. When you leave I shall see to it that the way you came will be blocked up for good. Now, let’s get you fed.”
He turned, and made a gesture that Sergio could not see. One of the huddles went through the door-way. Andros turned again.
“I am afraid it is not very noble fare.”
Sergio chuckled as he heard the unmistakable bleating of a goat. “I have eaten a good deal meaner things.”
Soon the goat was dragged forth. The animal seemed lost in this underground room. The servant led it to in front of Sergio, who looked at Andros.
“Be my guest,” was all the Leper said. The servant backed off.
Grimacing slightly – he hated to feed like this in public – Sergio grasped the frightened animal and bit deep. Then he drank. There was silence while he drained it, and then discarded its remains. The best he could say was that he was sated once again, but it was not a pleasant meal, especially not compared to Dimitris. The servant collected the corpse, and took it away. Andros gestured to one of the benches.
“Please sit. You asked about Rodrigo.”
Sergio nodded, and choose the least uncomfortable looking of the two benches. “You said you know him by observation.”
Andros sat on the other bench. “By observation, and until tonight one conversation. He is a shield to the weak and protector of pilgrims, or so he claims. He’s actually on his way to the Holy Land, but the ship he’s travelling in has stopped by here until after Easter. He stalks the pilgrim-camp like a guard-dog. Mostly he’s been frightening the various con-men and swindlers that always flock to such places, but picking on you was rather a step-up. For the most part he’s been a keeping a low profile as regards to our kind.”
Sergio frowned. “I can’t be the first Night-kind to have hunted amid the pilgrims.”
“Indeed not. In fact, that was how I first encountered him, he tried to stop me getting my prey. He even succeeded - though mostly since I was trying to tell him he was about a commit a fatal mistake. Mmm, I wonder. Since you are plainly Frankish perhaps he thought you were not of the city, and that therefore no one would miss your passing.”
“Possibly, but that seems rather naïve. Just about every city I’ve ever visited has inhabitants of various nations. To assume the citizens of Athens would be solely Greeks would be stupid.”
“Well, Rodrigo is plainly not the most experienced of sorts, but I agree.”
Sergio shifted on the bench and took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you send a message to David about all this?”
“Ah. Well. The honest answer is that Rodrigo rather caught me by surprise. But that’s not entirely true, and I did leave a message of sorts. Besides, had I simply reported back I would not have been able to find out a number of other interesting things.”
Andros paused. “Of sorts?” Sergio asked. “And what other … things?”
“Why, a partially drained body. I guess if you were looking for me it was discovered and served its purpose.” It was a further moment before Andros continued. “As for other matters … well, for example. Rodrigo is not alone. He has three companions, fellow travellers similarly stranded. A tight-knit group, though I don’t think they are truly friends with Rodrigo.”
“And you know all this from observation?”
“And one conversation. But yes. I make a study of our kind Sergio, I watch and I learn. What else is a poor Leper to do? However, now that you are fed, and know a little more about what is going on, we come to the simple matter of getting you back to David so that you can tell him what I have told you.”
Sergio smiled. “You think Rodrigo would attack me for a second time?”
“He will be watching the houses yes. Whether he would chance an attack against you I do not know – but until tonight I thought he was wiser than to attack one of us.”
“It does not matter. I have already let Sebastos, and by extension David I suppose, know where I am - more or less anyway.”
“What!” Andros’ voice was suddenly harsh, and he leapt up.
“While you went to get me that lamp, I called my owl…”
“I see.” Andros’ shoulders rose and fell heavily, but he sounded calmer. “Well, we better get you above quickly then. Just remember, breathe a word of this place and then I will hold that visit to Niketas against you.”
Sergio stood, and looked straight at that hood, into the shadow it cast. “On my honour, this secret is safe.”
Andros nodded sharply. “Good. Now come. I don’t want them tearing those ruins apart trying to find you.”
Looking around a second time more details became apparent. This was clearly some sort of storage place: a number of chests and crates lined the walls. To one side however was what appeared to be a desk and bench, a closed book on the surface. Two crude benches were in the middle, and a moth-eaten rug of some sort. In the ceiling there was some kind of crack that let the smoke from the two torches out. He counted another three passageways leading away from the room. Two were similar to the one he had entered by, little more than holes in the wall. The third was a larger affair, and had the rough approximation of a doorway. By it stood two huddles of clothing, with pasty white faces nearly hidden. Sergio assumed they must be Servitors of some sort.
He looked back to Andros, who was just rising from his bow. “Thank you. A refuge indeed.”
Andros snorted. “Those of my kind need places where we can hide. I would not ordinarily lead you here but unfortunately there was little option.” He paused a moment. “I do warn you however not to try to return. When you leave I shall see to it that the way you came will be blocked up for good. Now, let’s get you fed.”
He turned, and made a gesture that Sergio could not see. One of the huddles went through the door-way. Andros turned again.
“I am afraid it is not very noble fare.”
Sergio chuckled as he heard the unmistakable bleating of a goat. “I have eaten a good deal meaner things.”
Soon the goat was dragged forth. The animal seemed lost in this underground room. The servant led it to in front of Sergio, who looked at Andros.
“Be my guest,” was all the Leper said. The servant backed off.
Grimacing slightly – he hated to feed like this in public – Sergio grasped the frightened animal and bit deep. Then he drank. There was silence while he drained it, and then discarded its remains. The best he could say was that he was sated once again, but it was not a pleasant meal, especially not compared to Dimitris. The servant collected the corpse, and took it away. Andros gestured to one of the benches.
“Please sit. You asked about Rodrigo.”
Sergio nodded, and choose the least uncomfortable looking of the two benches. “You said you know him by observation.”
Andros sat on the other bench. “By observation, and until tonight one conversation. He is a shield to the weak and protector of pilgrims, or so he claims. He’s actually on his way to the Holy Land, but the ship he’s travelling in has stopped by here until after Easter. He stalks the pilgrim-camp like a guard-dog. Mostly he’s been frightening the various con-men and swindlers that always flock to such places, but picking on you was rather a step-up. For the most part he’s been a keeping a low profile as regards to our kind.”
Sergio frowned. “I can’t be the first Night-kind to have hunted amid the pilgrims.”
“Indeed not. In fact, that was how I first encountered him, he tried to stop me getting my prey. He even succeeded - though mostly since I was trying to tell him he was about a commit a fatal mistake. Mmm, I wonder. Since you are plainly Frankish perhaps he thought you were not of the city, and that therefore no one would miss your passing.”
“Possibly, but that seems rather naïve. Just about every city I’ve ever visited has inhabitants of various nations. To assume the citizens of Athens would be solely Greeks would be stupid.”
“Well, Rodrigo is plainly not the most experienced of sorts, but I agree.”
Sergio shifted on the bench and took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you send a message to David about all this?”
“Ah. Well. The honest answer is that Rodrigo rather caught me by surprise. But that’s not entirely true, and I did leave a message of sorts. Besides, had I simply reported back I would not have been able to find out a number of other interesting things.”
Andros paused. “Of sorts?” Sergio asked. “And what other … things?”
“Why, a partially drained body. I guess if you were looking for me it was discovered and served its purpose.” It was a further moment before Andros continued. “As for other matters … well, for example. Rodrigo is not alone. He has three companions, fellow travellers similarly stranded. A tight-knit group, though I don’t think they are truly friends with Rodrigo.”
“And you know all this from observation?”
“And one conversation. But yes. I make a study of our kind Sergio, I watch and I learn. What else is a poor Leper to do? However, now that you are fed, and know a little more about what is going on, we come to the simple matter of getting you back to David so that you can tell him what I have told you.”
Sergio smiled. “You think Rodrigo would attack me for a second time?”
“He will be watching the houses yes. Whether he would chance an attack against you I do not know – but until tonight I thought he was wiser than to attack one of us.”
“It does not matter. I have already let Sebastos, and by extension David I suppose, know where I am - more or less anyway.”
“What!” Andros’ voice was suddenly harsh, and he leapt up.
“While you went to get me that lamp, I called my owl…”
“I see.” Andros’ shoulders rose and fell heavily, but he sounded calmer. “Well, we better get you above quickly then. Just remember, breathe a word of this place and then I will hold that visit to Niketas against you.”
Sergio stood, and looked straight at that hood, into the shadow it cast. “On my honour, this secret is safe.”
Andros nodded sharply. “Good. Now come. I don’t want them tearing those ruins apart trying to find you.”
