The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series (2 page)

“How can ye not know who ye are, yet ye know of Havenbrook? I think ye be tryin’ to pull somethin’ over us. I feel like this be a trap,” Tuk said. His troubled feelings returned. He didn’t know what else to do and thought he should summon his uncle. “Hey Kos! Kos! Wake up! The man be awake!”

Kos mumbled and squirmed from the seat up front. “Argh, whatch ye be saying Tuk?” Kos asked, as he woke up and turned to look. “The devils be damned!” He said when he noticed the man awake and alert. “We mean ye no harm.” He waved his arms around. “We be taking ye to Havenbrook to see if anyone know who ye be.” Kos said as he jumped down to the ground. He crept toward Tuk to fortify their position.

“He claims he don’t be knowin’ who he’s, but he knows where we be and of Havenbrook. I think it be a trap,” Tuk drew out his dagger. “What ye think, Kos?”

Kos tried to settle his nephew’s nerves. “No, no, no, we shall take ye on to Havenbrook.” Kos said, with Tuk's eyes shooting daggers at him. He muttered under his breath. “We need be takin’ him to town for any chance of reward.”

“I still be not likin’ this and feel he would be better off on his own. I think we should let him go,” Tuk whispered, but Kos shook his head in disagreement.

“Hop back in the cart, and we shall take ye. Tuk, why ye be standin’ around, gather the horses and get them hitched up to the wagon,” Kos said as he commandeered the driver’s seat.

The man bowed his head toward Kos. “I’m in your debt, Kos.”

Kos licked his lips as he pondered the huge reward they would receive once they reached Havenbrook. Seeing how angry his nephew appeared, he shot him a glance, indicating he should get to work.

Still upset, Tuk strolled over to the horses to gather them up. He led each one over by the bridle and hitched them back up to the cart. He hated the situation and muttered curse words under his breath. He climbed up onto the seat next to Kos, who snapped the reins, putting them back on the road to town.

They rode in silence. Tuk looked angry, Kos seemed nervous, and the man in the back sat pondering. Kos decided to break the silence. “That be quite the sword you be carryin’ thar.”

The man hadn’t even noticed. He pulled the blade free of the sheath attached to his back. He marveled at the brilliance of it. He grabbed the hilt when a blue hue filled the length of the blade.
It’s enchanted
, he thought.
Who am I
? he wondered. He realized Kos still stared at him and expected an answer. “Thank you. I bet if you had known of its enchantment, you would have stolen it and left me for dead.” He chuckled, not really meaning the comment. He slid it back into its sheath with apprehension, feeling even more befuddled.

“You mistake us,” Kos said. “We be law-abiding Goblins. No such thoughts ever crossed our minds.” He lied.

The silence returned as they continued toward the capital. The man felt a throbbing in the palm of his left hand. He decided to remove his gauntlets so he could see why it hurt. He discovered a large burn in the palm. It looked a few days old, and a shape had formed through the skin. He turned his hand to better identify the shape, and when he rotated it, he saw an hourglass. It appeared similar to a brand—as is customary with livestock to mark them to a pasture. It sent an irritation up his arm, and he could see it had festered. He massaged it, trying to assuage the discomfort.

How can I know so many details, but everything pertaining to myself is lost?
It made no sense, and he felt ill at ease. His thoughts reeled from one point to another, trying to grasp at anything that could resonate with him.

They traveled along for another hour when Kos decided to speak up. “Thar be the gates of Havenbrook. I suggest you ready yourself for our arrival.” Kos’ eyes grew wide as he began to think about the gold he would make when he exchanged the man in town.

The man looked around. He recognized the gates of Havenbrook—they looked a little too clean—and noticed the unclaimed pastures rolling by
.
He felt lost and confused. The cart continued for another ten minutes and nothing he saw put him at ease.

They reached the gates, and just as the man thought, they were pristine and clean as if new. Two of the guards motioned for the cart to stop so they could inspect it.

“Well, what do we have here? A couple of Goblins.” His eyes drifted toward the man sitting in the back of the wagon. “And who might you be?” The guard eyed him and his armor with an expression of curiosity on his face.

“We found this man layin’ by the river a ways back. We picked him up to bring him to town,” Kos said.

The first guard looked at the second a little perplexed. “This is no knight that I know.” He looked at the second guard again for confirmation.

“We’re bringin' him to town to see if somebody be missin' him. He don’t seem to know who he be. Maybe his answer will lay here. That be why we be bringin' him with us,” Kos said.

The second guard decided to speak up, “I don’t know if I believe your story. Is this the truth, young knight?” He stared long and hard at the large sword on the man’s back.

“These Goblins speak the truth, sir. I can remember many details regarding the land, but can remember nothing of myself. If I can be given an audience with the king or queen, I will be on my way.”

“King or Queen? Where have you come from?” The guard said while holding back laughter. “There has been no monarch in Havenbrook for a few hundred years.” He guffawed, before turning his attention to the Goblins. “As for you two, state your purpose!”

“We be bound for Roswood to trade and sell our goods. We be merchants and were hopin’ to gain passage on the Silent Whisper when she be leavin’ this afternoon. We also be hopin’ that returnin’ this man to the lord might mean a reward or gift of some sort. We’ll wait till we be needin' to take voyage...”

One of the guards interrupted Kos mid-sentence. “You can try and make your arrangements for passage, but you’re instructed to keep yourselves confined to the merchant ring and the docks. No Goblin is allowed to enter the inner rings, and you won’t be warned again. Now be off with you!”

“But good sir, there must be some kind of reward for bringin’ such a man back to town. We be goin’ out of our way to help him, and we be demandin’ to be paid for our troubles,” Kos insisted.

Tuk rolled his eyes as he accepted what he knew would happen. He wanted to stop Kos from continuing his useless banter, but decided maybe it best if they threw him in the cells for misspeaking to a guard. Then he could take control of his own life.

As Kos continued to plead and beg for some sort of reward, the second guard cut him off, “Silence! I will waste no more time on you. We don’t know who this man is, and we’ve offered no reward. Keep up your complaining, and we won’t allow you to enter town. It’s a long ride to Melina, which would be your next chance at port. Better yet, I could lock the both of you up in cells for not remembering your place. Move along, or we’ll bring swift justice.”

As the bickering took place, the man left the cart and watched the exchange.

Kos looked upset, and exchanged angry looks with Tuk, who had somehow remained silent throughout the entire exchange.

“What a lot of good ye be. Sit there silent the whole time. If ye weren’t ma kin, I would’ve left ya years ago,” Kos said. “I know ma sis raised you better than this.”

Tuk just sat in the cart, resigned to the future waiting for him, as they continued toward the docks. They would have enough time to find an inn, eat, and freshen up before setting out to sea. Kos continued to rant and rave while Tuk wished they had never stopped.
Damn that glint by the river, I should’ve just ignored it! This whole exercise has been nothin’ but a waste of time.

As the Goblins rode off, the guard turned his attention back the man. “I still don’t know what I’m going to do with you. I should send you down the road…”  He stared hard at the man, when he noticed the Havenbrook crest emblazoned on the man’s armor for the first time.

The man’s eyes pleaded with the guard. “I understand your place, but any assistance you could offer would be greatly appreciated.”

The guard thought for a moment. “I will send word to Lord Brukahn you seek an audience, and we’ll see if he will grant it to you. I can’t make any promises; the lord is very busy. You can go to the Lords and Lions Inn, in the inner ring, and tell Pudge that Alajandro sent you. Wait there for further word; you will be given whatever you need until you’re sent for.” As the man turned to walk into the city, he added, “If anything should come of your visit, just remember, you owe me.  And Alajandro always collects when he has a favor coming his way.” He offered a smirk.

Havenbrook was an old city that had expanded multiple times throughout history. The palace sat in the middle of the original city. When the town expanded, they moved outside of the city gates and new walls arose to encompass the new area. The old walls remained in place, and offered additional protection for the palace. This happened as the town continued to mushroom and these areas became known as rings.

The man walked through the gates and the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives greeted him as they filled the streets. He stopped and stared.  He didn’t know how or why, but somehow he felt as if he had come home.  He took a deep breath and started his search for the inn.

As the man entered town, he realized he didn’t know where to find the Lords and Lions Inn. On his way to the entrance of the inner ring, he admired the stonework of the city. The outer rings looked much more worn down than the look of the exterior walls had let on. The whitewash on the buildings appeared weathered and in need of another coat. With no system of normalcy to the building designs, the city felt haphazard and thrown together. The roofs were all different too; some were thatch, some were timber, and yet others were stone.

He heard a heart-wrenching yowl from the alley to his left. It didn’t sound human, but he felt the need to investigate it anyway. He crept through the dark alley and rounded a corner. Three young boys surrounded a dark, brown tabby cat, with black stripes. The creature hissed and wailed as they boys cornered it. The man could tell the boys meant trouble. One of them had a dagger in his hand.

The boy carrying the dagger taunted the creature. “Come ‘ere kitty, I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” His friend laughed, urging him on further.

The man didn’t like the situation. Even though somehow, from deep within, he knew he hated cats himself, his hatred would never drive him to torture an innocent creature like this. He didn’t know how he knew this, but something told him it was so. A voice inside his head insisted he step in at any mistreatment of animals. Something he felt stemmed from his childhood, but he didn’t have a clear understanding of what, would not allow him to just walk away. He grabbed a dirk from his belt—marveling at how he didn’t even have to think about it— and called out to the boys.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” They turned and looked at him. They spotted the dagger in his hand and the large sword on his back, not to mention the extravagant armor he wore. “Surely you have better things to do; things that didn’t involve hurting a defenseless animal.”

The two weaponless boys darted in different directions and left their friend to deal with the soldier.

“Why don’t you mind your business? What do you care what I do?” he said.

The man smirked at the boy’s youth. “It’s my duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves.” Or at least he thought it was. “Go on now. Get out of here.”

The boy flashed him an angry look as he passed by and left the alley.

The man turned on his heels and called after the boy. “One more thing, if I ever see you abusing an animal in this manner again, I will subject you to a similar form of punishment.”

Angry, the boy sulked, muttering as he disappeared. The man turned and approached the terrified cat. He bent down and ran his hand through its fur. It seemed petrified at first, but relented and allowed the petting to continue. He hated the feeling, because he knew he disliked cats, but tried to calm it anyway. After a moment, the creature hissed and nipped toward his hand. He pulled it back as the cat scampered out of the alley.
Dumb cat,
he thought. He knew he should have left it alone. He returned to the streets and made his way through the city.

Several guards manned the entrance to the inner ring. He mentioned Alajandro's name and they let him pass, giving him directions to the inn. Once on the other side, he gaped at how different the town looked, but how similar it felt as well. The setup of the shops all looked the same, if not a little tidier, but bore different names than he recognized. He couldn’t think of what the names should be, but didn’t know the current names at all. He just kept thinking
it shouldn’t be like this. Why can’t I recall any of this?
Lost in thought, he almost passed the entrance to the inn.

He turned around and headed for the doors. He stood in awe at the size and condition of the stables accompanying the inn.
This wasn’t here last time I came to town. That had been yesterday though, or was it?
It felt like it, but he couldn’t remember.

He walked through the main entrance and headed for the bar. Rows of tables filled the common dining hall with benches for seating. Large fireplaces adorned each wall. Smaller confined private dining areas ringed the sides of the inn. A stage sat opposite the bar, where entertainers could amaze the patrons of the establishment. The inn already busted at the seams, and the attractiveness of young serving girls jumped out at him. He thought he might just enjoy his time at this inn.

The man approached the bar and a large, plump lady came out of the kitchen; a good sign.
As the saying goes, never trust a skinny cook,
he mused, suppressing a grin.

The lady set down a tray of dishes when she noticed him. “Breakfast has ended and the kitchen isn’t quite ready for lunch yet. You’re welcome to come back in an hour and I will serve you the best mutton stew you’ve ever tasted, with enough fresh rye to fill your belly.”

He stood at the bar and gave her a warm smile. “I’m thankful. It sounds very appetizing,” he said. His stomach growled as he noticed the aromas wafting in from the kitchen. “I’m not here to eat yet, though. Alajandro sent me. He said you could take care of me while I await an audience with Lord Brukahn.”

“Alajandro, huh?” She eyed the man with interest. “Well, okay then. My name is Margariet, but most people just call me Pudge,” she laughed before she continued. “You can see where that name comes from.” She motioned down to her appearance. “I’m the owner of the Lords and Lions and you’re welcome to stay. I have a room saved for just this type of situation. It isn’t the grandest room I can offer, mind you, but I think you will find it will serve. Take both flights of stairs up to the third floor, and go to the last room on the left. There are some less formal clothes in the bureau, and you’re welcome to them. Let me know if there is anything else you need. Lunch will be in an hour and you’re welcome to it as well.”

He bowed and offered his appreciation. He took his leave and headed for the stairway near the rear of the establishment. He took note of the other patrons, who eyed him as he walked toward the stairwell. He made his way up, each stair creaking with every step, and reached the third floor. He walked down to the end of the hall and entered the last room on the left. The room didn’t feel very spacious. It had a small, lumpy bed, a nightstand, a small table with a chair, and of course the bureau. He opened the drawers and inspected the contents. Inside were garments of various sizes, most appeared very common, though, and wouldn’t be suitable for an audience with the lord of Havenbrook.

He removed some of his outer mail—his greaves, sabatons, and gauntlets—and set them on the table. The irritation on his hand felt worse and the wound looked to have festered even more. He flexed it and sat down in the chair. He pondered the mysterious chain of events leading to his current situation. He drifted in thought for a moment, trying to recall any information that would be worthwhile. He un-sheathed his sword and inspected its edge. It looked in fine shape, if not a little bit dirty. Before anything could tarnish the metal, he decided to clean and oil it down to pass the time till lunch.

He enjoyed the work. He couldn’t think of a better way to pass the time, even though it didn’t look like it needed sharpening. This relaxed him, and put his mind at rest from his current predicament.

He finished with his project when a knock came at the door. He walked over and opened it. A younger girl who seemed a bit shy stood there. “Pudge sent me to fetch ya, and let ya know lunch is being served.” She tried to look anywhere but at him.

“Great. I’m starving. Let Pudge know, I shall be down shortly.” He dismissed the girl, and gathered all of his things. He stacked everything he wouldn’t need on top of the bureau. He considered keeping his sword at his side, but thought better of it. After all, if any trouble would arise, he could handle it with his dagger.

He walked back down the narrow, creaking stairs and into the dining room where he saw Pudge looking for him.

“Decided against changing into comfortable clothes, huh? Well suits me fine, whatever you choose to do.” The man smiled and headed in her direction. “I just wanted to make you more comfortable. Grab a table and I will have Molly bring you some food.”

He looked around at the other patrons. More were in the dining room now, and most had their eyes trained on him. “Mind if I just take a seat here at the bar?”

“If you want to stare at my ugly mug, be my guest,” She laughed. “Everyone here seems interested in you, and you don’t look like you belong here. Mind telling me who you are?” She asked.

He took a seat at the bar as the girl from before brought him some food. He grabbed his spoon and took a bite of the mutton stew. It burned hot, but tasted delicious; possibly the most delicious meal he had had in a long time. “This is wonderful!” He said as he put another spoonful in his mouth.

“Thank you, but that doesn’t answer my question.” She waited until he swallowed the mouthful then said again, “So tell me who you are.”

“I don’t know.” As he said this, Pudge seemed a little confused. He continued, “Two Goblins found me by the river, and they brought me here.” He laughed, “They were expecting some sort of reward for my return, but they received nothing for their troubles. The guards demanded they stay in the merchant ring.” Her eyes grew bigger as he went on, “The younger one looked at me as though he wanted to kill me.”

She let him finish his stew before she questioned him more. “Quite the story you have. If you don’t know who you are, what do you expect of Brukahn?” She waited a moment while he sopped up the stew with a piece of bread. “That crest on your breastplate looks similar to the crest of Havenbrook.”

He pushed the empty bowl aside. While he didn’t want to look greedy, his eyes pleaded for more. “I’m not sure…”

She cut him off and motioned for Molly to come over, “Bring the curious man here another serving, and be quick about it lass.” Now she looked back at him. “You still looked hungry, so I figured you would enjoy more. Now, as you were saying.”

“Yes, thank you ma'am. I don’t wish to be greedy, but I’m far hungrier than I had anticipated. I’m grateful for your hospitality.” He nodded his head toward her. “I’m not sure what I’m expecting out of Havenbrook, to be honest. Since they found me outside of the city limits—and the Goblins were heading here—it just made sense for me to come along.” He stopped and thought for a moment. “I guess I hoped someone here would know who I am. With no memory to speak of, any information will be appreciated.”

“I will tell ya, I haven’t seen the likes of you before.” She looked at him again with sad eyes and said, “You look like you’re a captain of the army. However, if Alajandro didn’t recognize you, then no one here will know who you are, I’m afraid to tell you.”

Molly delivered another serving of stew and bread and he continued. “You have confirmed my fears. I guess I will have to wait for my audience with Lord Brukahn. Hopefully he’ll have some sort of advice for me. Not that I would blame him if he threw me out on the street.”

She laughed and it made her whole body shake. “Lord Brukahn! Throw out what appears to be an adequate soldier? Pah! You’re the safest man in this city, assuming your skills match your attire,” She giggled.

He looked shocked by the comment, but let it pass. “I’ve answered your questions, do you mind if I ask a few?” He waited until she nodded. It gave him a chance to finish the second bowl of stew, as well as a half a loaf of rye. “What are the Alliance Cities you spoke of earlier? I’m unfamiliar with them.”

Surprise filled her face. “You don’t remember much do you?” She stopped and stepped closer so others in the inn couldn’t hear. “The Alliance Cities encompass all the territories from Havenbrook, northeast to Melina, and further north to Shakiel. It’s best not to mention you don’t know anything of the Alliance, it could put you in jeopardy.” She waited, and while the man still looked perplexed, she continued. “We were all united, and serve the banner of King Dukarth of Shakiel, forming the alliance. He leaves the countries under the control of the lords; who all in turn pay homage to him. It has been an adequate arrangement for twenty years.”

He took a drink of water while he thought this new information over. In a voice, a little too loud he said, “Interesting. I have vague memories of the alliance, but thought it only existed in…”

She cut him off, waving her arms. “I told you to lower your voice.” Her efforts were too late. Two of the larger patrons of the inn were already approaching.

The pair of men walked up, with their hands rubbing the pommels of their weapons, ready for use in an instant. The larger man in front spoke. “I don’t recognize you, stranger, and I overhear you speaking of not knowing of the Alliance.” He paused for a moment while he studied him. “This is treacherous talk if ever I’ve heard any. I hope you’re not an enemy!” He said this last part with his hand positioned on his weapon.

Pudge spoke up. “Stop this right now Lammy, before you draw more attention.” Lammy stepped back as he received Pudge’s verbal bashing. “This man has shown nothing that would make him an enemy of the Alliance. He woke up this morning with a case of amnesia and knows nothing of who he’s, or of this area.” She stopped for a moment to compose herself before continuing, “He just wanted information. He’s here awaiting an audience with Lord Brukahn. You overhear a bit of information, and are ready to start a brawl in my inn. Don’t think I won’t let your wife know about this.” Lammy relaxed the hold on his weapon and backed down. “I bet Tamiel would love to hear about how much time you like to spend here at the inn, and about how much trouble you’re about to cause me.”