Once Around the Realms

Chapter 22

After Volo had returned to them, the four weary travelers lay wrapped in their dry blankets on the deck and went to sleep in a huddle, like kittens on their keeper's bed.

Morning arrived quickly, and they, awoke to the great relief that their clothes were now dry and neatly folded (by the cabin boy, presumably), and waiting to be donned.

The dwarf captain did not make another appearance, nor was any breakfast offered so the travelers had to make due with the remains of the broth from the night before.

The ship docked at noon, and the foursome quickly disembarked and availed themselves of a hasty snack from a nearby fruit cart that seemed to cater to the harbor workers. Before Passepout had dropped a red gem in place and finished his fourth pear, the Leominster was once again setting out to sea, its captain Wolflarson at the helm, clearly visible from the dock.

"Good-bye, you old sourpuss!" Passepout called, confident that the dwarf couldn't hear him.

Volo looked to the porthole just above the water-line a black drape seemed to have been drawn across it as if to block out the noonday sun. For a second the master traveler thought that he had seen a dark face, but a blink of his eyes to refocus only revealed the black curtain back in place.

"Good-bye, Mister Do'Urden," Volo whispered. "I hope you find a new home to return to."

Shurleen was the first to bring up the obvious question.

"Okay, we're in Waterdeep," she said. "So now what?"

"Yeah," Passepout concurred. "This fruit is just a snack, and not really likely to tide me over for more than a few minutes. Anyone know any good places to eat?"

Volo adopted a look of mock offense. "Does anyone know any good places to eat, he asks," the master proclaimed. "Am I not Volothamp Geddarm, author of the best-selling travel guide of all times, Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, and is this not that selfsame Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, the metropolis of the north? Of course I know a few good places to eat!"

"So show us, then," Curtis responded with a hearty laugh.

"Fine," Volo agreed. "Follow me!"

The master traveler charged toward the city gates, and his three companions followed, confident that they were in pursuit of only the best accommodations that the City of Splendors had to offer.

Passepout huffed and puffed to keep up with the master traveler. His condition was obviously lighter and healthier than it was when they left Suzail, due to a combination of the ongoing daily exercise of traveling and the travelers' irregular supply of rations (which the still-plump thespian often referred to as slow starvation). But he was still in no condition to run the marathon around Mount Waterdeep, and he urged Volo to slow down.

"Have… a… heart… Mister… Volo…" he huffed, and puffed.

"Sorry," Volo replied, shortening his stride and slowing his pace just a bit. "I guess I just got a little carried away, a little overexuberant."

"Thanks," the chubby thespian replied. "Don't you think we should be careful around here?"

"Why?" the master traveler queried. "This is the City of Splendors. What do I have to fear here?"

"Well," the thespian replied. "Doesn't Khelben come from here?"

"Quite," Volo agreed.

"And isn't he the reason you and I have had to go on this gods-forsaken trip to begin with?"

"But our journey is almost at an end," the master traveler replied, "isn't it?"

"Well, we still have to get to Suzail."

"Child's play," Volo answered, dismissing the thespian's concerns. "I'm sure that old Khelben was just suffering from some fit of pique. He's probably not even home, off on another meeting of the War Wizards or something. Heck, he's probably even forgotten the trial he's been putting us through. I'm sure that we have nothing to worry about."

"Sure?" inquired the skeptical thespian.

"Positive," the master traveler insisted. "Besides, this is Waterdeep. I have no enemies here."

"Not even the recipients of a few bad reviews?" the thespian countered, still concerned that the master traveler was taking too much for granted.

"Pish tosh," Volo replied. "Everyone loves Volo. We're almost home free. Nothing can go wrong now!"

The master traveler and the other members of his party failed to notice the chain of whispered messages that took place on the streets as they passed.

Soon, someone very well-informed and well-connected would know that the master traveler had returned to Waterdeep, and would be ready and waiting for him.

Volo managed to get accommodations for himself and his friends at the Shipmaster's Hall, a private inn and supper club not too far from the docks. It was usually reserved for captains, first mates, and ship owners and their escorts, though in Volo's case they of course made an exception.

"We would be honored to serve you and your friends, Mister Volo," the maitre d' fawned, "provided you don't mind private accommodations."

"Not at all," the master traveler replied.

"Wonderful!" the maitre d' answered, obviously relieved, then adding, "and perhaps if you should revise that little guide hook of yours, you might he able to give us a little better play. Believe it or not, there are some gentlemen sailing the Sword Coast, who haven't heard of us."

"Gentlemen on the Sword Coast?" Volo replied. "Why, I can't imagine such a thing."

Both men laughed. A deal had obviously been struck.

Volo returned to his group and led them to the private area upstairs where enough food even for Passepout had been quickly laid out for them.

"Enjoy, my friends," Volo invited. "The meal and the beds are on the house." The group began to dig in, only to hear the master traveler add one more thing. "Enjoy!" he repeated, but this time adding, "Tomorrow we are Suzail bound!"

Shurleen put down her food and pouted.

"But we just got here," she whined. "I heard that tomorrow night there was going to be a battle of the bards over at the bard college, and it has been rumored that both Danilo Thann and Olive Ruskettle are going to show up."

Passepout bit his tongue. He of course would normally have jumped at the opportunity to reacquaint himself with the famed halfling bard, but thought better of it, realizing the need to bring their traveling obligations to an end.

The battle of the bards always attracted a great crowd. Musicians, singers, and the like traveled from all over Faerun to attend. Only the best of the best (and those too well connected to safely turn away) were allowed to compete for the annual title of Best Bard. Volo had attended last year's competition and could well understand Shurleen's desire to attend.

"Tell you what I'm gonna do," Volo propositioned. "After lunch, Curtis and Passepout can restock our supplies for the journey farther east, and I will take you to this little tavern I know where all of the best bards hang out-in broad daylight, no less."

"Well…" she answered, wavering.

"C'mon," Passepout urged. "You want to get home, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," she replied.

"I know I do," Curtis agreed.

Yeah, to her home, Passepout thought. Well, just remember if you get the girl, then I get the reward.

"Okay?" the master traveler asked.

"Okay," she replied, adding, "Wow! Famous bards just hanging out."

"That's right," the master traveler said, adding, "I promise."

The party of hungry travelers ate for a good two hours straight.

By the time they were finished, even Passepout relished the opportunity to walk off some of the meal, though Volo suspected that both he and Curtis would have preferred the company that he, Volo, was keeping rather than each other.

Volo took out a street map of the city, and showed Passepout a route whereby they would never be too far separated from each other, nor would they jeopardize closing themselves off from their necessary exit route out of town.

Both concurred that they would be glad when such measures were no longer necessary.

With an agreement to be back by nightfall, the groups split up to go about their appointed assignments.

"Eo, they were wonderful!" Shurleen exclaimed. "And imagine Danilo Thann kissing my hand!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Volo replied, switching his pack bag from one shoulder to the other, and happy to see that even a spoiled, pampered child such as Shurleen could enjoy some of the simpler things in life. He noticed that when she wasn't being strident, demanding or pompous, she was actually quite cute.

"And he was just a regular guy, with regular concerns. He even mentioned that he was a little concerned about a decrease in his popularity during his last tour of Tantras. The crowds were more interested in some dwarf flying through the air on a winged lizard than sitting around a tavern and listening to good music."

Grumby, Volo remembered. Oh, well, no reason to hold a grudge. I'm glad he got what he wanted.

Shurleen went to go back the way they came, but Volo redirected her down a different alley.

"No, this way," he instructed, thinking to himself, Lucky for us there are four entrances to the Shipmaster's Hall. I'd hate to bollix things up this late in the game.

They ducked in and out of alleys a few more times until the master traveler said, "Now just down the next alley, and voila, we're there."

He didn't even see the rogue with the sap who came up behind them, nor feel its blow when it struck. The last thing he remembered was Shurleen starting to scream, and everything going black.