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A large city was nestled between a half dozen of those rolling hills that lay in the center of the many-colored fields. Stately homes were situated on the peaks, their marble halls glistening in the sunlight. Smaller structures of various sizes and colors were tucked into the curved foothills and a central open square occupied much of the area in the very center. The creeks formed a river which ran through the city, cutting the metropolis in two before it seemed to pool inside the defensive wall.
Dozens of roads led to the high wall that surrounded the city. Huge stone entrances allowed entrance into the metropolis, and I glimpsed dozens of carts, horsemen, and pedestrians moving along those great thoroughfares. Our road, too, wound down the mountain and ended at one of the gates.
I looked up at Thorn who smiled down at me. “I know I say this a lot, but wow.”
He cast his eyes out to the view and nodded. “Indeed. I have traveled this way hundreds of times, but the view never ceases to amaze me.” His eyes sparkled as he returned his focus to me. “Shall we go see if the old city has changed since last I visited?”
I nodded. “I’d like that.”
We climbed back into the carriage and drove down the winding road. By the time we reached the bottom, the sun was low on the horizon. The path took a relatively straight route through the fields to the imposing arch. I leaned out the window and gaped at the stone structure. Intruders were kept out by a wrought-iron gate that was currently suspended above the road.
The carriage rolled up to the entrance, but we were hailed by one of the guards. They were all attired in a light chain mail and sporting a blue and green tunic underneath the armor. Many held eight-foot tall lances that towered over the coach.
The man sauntered to the side of the carriage and lifted his chin slightly. “State your name and business.”
Thorn leaned out and smiled at the man. “I am Lord William Thorn and my business is with Lord Torch.”
A murmur ran through the guards and more than one passerby paused to look with on with curiosity. The guard tried to act as nonchalant as possible, but he couldn’t hide all of his surprise at the titles given to him.
He cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. “Yes, well, I’m afraid that is a rather vague reason, Your Lordship. What business do you have with Lord Torch?”
Thorn’s eyes danced with mischief as he draped one arm over the windowsill of the carriage. “I wish to discuss with him the War of the Cherries and that disastrous route by the invading army. As you know, he was an eyewitness to the retreat.”
The guard looked past him and noticed me. “And the lady with you, Your Lordship?”
“A friend who has yet to see your beautiful city,” Thorn told him as he nodded at the gate. “I hope to show her some of the streets this day, if possible.”
The guard pursed his lips but took a step back. “Very well. Have a pleasant time, Your Lordship. Welcome to our city, Your Ladyship.”
Thorn rapped his knuckle against the wall of the carriage and we rolled onward. I couldn’t help but glance at the armed guards as we passed through the gate. They stared back, and some weren’t as friendly as I had hoped. I gave those unwelcoming men a sheepish grin before I ducked back inside.
“So do they always greet people like this?” I asked my companion.
Thorn had a troubled expression on his face as he, too, stared out the window. “No. It’s very uncommon for the gates to have so many guards. They are generally present only to disband unruly travelers from their squabbles.”
“They could do a lot of disbanding with those weapons,” I commented as I recalled the sharp points of those spears. “Like disbanding someone from their arms and legs.”
Thorn leaned back in his seat and cupped his chin in his fingers. “I will have to ask Torch why the guard numbers have been increased. However-” He shook himself of his curiosity and turned his attention to me, “-I expect they will not interfere in our visit here. That is, unless they’re willing to provide some valuable information to us in our search for this Agency.”
“Is there more than one Agency?” I asked him.
He knitted his eyebrows together. “Unfortunately, yes. There are Agencies located in most of the major cities. Their ‘clients’ submit a task and any of the ‘employees’ may offer to take up the job.”
I shivered as I recalled that harrowing wagon ride with my last kidnappers. “I don’t think much of their clients, or their tasks.”
“They can often fall under more severe demands,” Thorn told me as he scowled at the wall opposite us. “Such filth should have been routed out long ago, but black marks such as those are difficult to dislodge. They are like rats that scurry away at the first sign of danger from the city managers and regroup after the authorities have ceased their extermination.”
“Are they easy to find?” I asked him.
“If you know where to look.”
“And do you?”
He clasped his hands together in his lap and sighed. “I used to, but that was a long time ago. It may take some time to discover their whereabouts, and then we must discover their client and why they intended to capture you. Lord Torch, however, may be able to help us. His bride was nearly kidnapped only a few years ago, and he may have some fresh knowledge of the Agency’s dealings and location.”
We rolled through the winding cobblestone roads of the large city. I couldn’t help but gawk at the sights of the medieval-like metropolis with its stone and timbered buildings and people attired in plain suits and dresses.
Their clothes made me look down at myself. “I kind of stand out, don’t I?”
