Robbi enjoyed the sea voyage enormously. The weather was fair and warm with calm seas and a steady breeze. She had never visited the Lands of Man and, despite the dire circumstances, anticipated anxiously their arrival at Seth-e-Raman. The great cities of Arishamal had, to her, distinct moods and personalities. Wiccinas, with its spires and scholarship, was an ethereal city, mysterious and exotic, high in the clouds, infused with the seductive aroma of mountain orchids.

Gleneden, on the other hand, had an earthy, open feel, despite being enclosed within its mighty mountain. It had the smell of soil and stone, straightforward and comforting. Thoth, despite its dark past, or to some degree, because of it, conveyed a brooding intelligence, a byzantine maze of politics and arcane tradition, a modern city enclosed in an ancient shell, suffused by the musky aroma of the boiling lake which surrounded it.

Robbi had only imagined Seth-e-Raman. It was in her mind, a city surging with life, the heart of trade pumping furiously in rhythm with the sea. She imagined its smell to be a mix of sea-spray, sweat, and spice, full of vitality and vigor.

They rounded the Southern Horn in the early dawn, and shortly after noon, the gateway to the harbor of Seth-e-Raman was visible. The swift ship made for Aurias Inlet, the mile wide access into the harbor. A line of royal ships, spaced about five hundred yards apart, spanned the inlet, inspecting any ship leaving the harbor, searching for the Rubitar on King Sigus' command. There was no inspection for arriving ships and the sloop bearing Robbi and Vattus made berth unrestricted, in the sun of late afternoon.

Vattus was not dressed as a wizard and neither was Robbi. Instead, the magus wore a loose cotton robe and floppy canvas hat, giving the appearance of a merchant or trader, while Robbi wore a flowing white skirt and a loose multi-colored blouse. They debarked at the center of the busy harbor-side.

The piers were a flurry of activity. Hundreds of men and beasts busily performed their tasks and hundreds more walked in, out, and along the labyrinth of streets and alleys which lined the harbor. To the right of Robbi's sloop, the fishermen and beasts unloaded their boats and were busy cleaning their catch for preparation to transport it to the nearby fish-market, while the shrimp-boats were readying for departure to fish the night-time seas.

To the left of the sloop, merchant ships unloaded their cargoes: crates, barrels, and sacks from the four corners of the continent carried on strong shoulders to waiting carts ready to be sold or traded.

Along the broader streets, markets selling all types of goods and sundries, rumbled with noise and activity. Teas, coffees, and silks from Michilmakinak were sold next to amulets and potions from Thoth. Finely carved furniture from Evyan was hawked adjacent to hand knotted tribal rugs from Lokias. Weapons, new and old, of every shape and design could be found in the long lines of tables and booths.

The sounds of bickering buyers and haggling sellers blended in with the varied strains of street entertainers playing their squeezeboxes and fiddles and singing in a dozen languages hoping to separate an appreciative listener from a few coins. There were thieves and charlatans in the crowd as well, pickpockets plying their craft alongside snake oil salesmen hawking worthless cures and dangerous tonics.

The two wizards wended their way through the crowds toward the large central Avenue which led to the King's palace at the center of town. The architecture changed dramatically over a fairly short distance.

Near the harbor, most buildings were wooden and multi-level, usually with a shop or pub on the lower level and small rental rooms for the sailors and travelers of meager means on the upper. They were unattractive shoddy structures catering to a quantity of clientele, rather than quality. The further one got from the water-front, the more substantial the buildings became. Stone and coral replaced wood as a building material, streets were cleaner and less crowded, and the lodges offered better rooms and tastier meals to draw the merchants and traders rather than the lowly seafarers sleeping in the wharf-side shanties.

The closer to the palace Robbi got, the taller the building became, many reaching as high as five stories, some serving as residences for the wealthier families, others centers of business and commerce.

The palace stood alone in the center of town. Its grounds extended in a circle nearly a mile wide with the marble castle at its center. An ornate iron and copper fence, ten feet high, protected the building with a guarded gate, a hundred yards from the front door, as its only point of access. When the two wizards reached the gate, they were pleased to learn that they were expected. An escort was waiting and they were taken to meet the king.

King Sigus greeted Robbi and Vattus in his throne-room, taking great care to explain all that Chumley had told him about Xenoth. He informed them about his searches of departing vessels and asked about any new information the wizards might have. When Vattus informed him about the attack on Arisha and the theft of the Abitar, the old king swooned.

Sigus seated himself and regained his composure, advising his guests to rest and refresh themselves. He had them shown to their quarters and requested they continue their conversation over dinner, where they would meet Gladiverserac and by which time Chumley would hopefully have returned from his trip to the mill.

Gladiverserac couldn't wait to meet the wizards. As soon as she heard that they had arrived, she steeled her nerve and went to their room to introduce herself. She knocked meekly at the door to their chamber.

The door opened revealing a smiling Robbi.
"Hello," the young white rat said cheerfully, "you must be Gladiverserac. I'm Robbia Veritus, but you can call me Robbi."

Gladis simply stared, unable to speak, overcome with awe at being in the presence of a wizard. Robbi waited a while for a response and when none was forthcoming, she invited the albatross in. Vattus was sitting at a desk and looked up. A large smile crossed his face and he rose to welcome the large bird.

"Vatti," Robbi informed the magus, "this is Gladiverserac, she's a bit tongue-tied at the moment.

"It is my deepest pleasure to welcome you to Seth-e-Raman, Gladiverserac. I am called Vattus, High Magus of the Council of Wizards."

Gladis' jaw dropped.
"High Magus....I...thou...my greatest pleasure it is...at thy service I am." She fumbled while keeping her eyes and head lowered.

Vattus chuckled and winked at Robbi.
"Please, there is no need to be nervous. You are our friend and we are yours. Stand and relax. You have been of great service to our dear friend Chumley, and by extension, to us."

Gladis raised her head and began giggling almost uncontrollably.
"In shock I am that I have met two wizards. The most important of wizards as well. Thou art the council head and thou...," she motioned to Robbi, "art hero to all beasts. Never would a beast be wizard, my father has often intoned, and proved him wrong thou hath. It is the greatest day of my life." Gladis paused and suddenly looked very guilty, "Apologies most profuse I must offer for my joy. Dire circumstance intrudes upon us and it is no time for revelry."

Vattus laughed cheerfully and patted Gladis on her broad back. He escorted her to a chaise.
"There is always time for joy, my friend, even in the darkest of times. We fight for joy and peace and must never be ashamed of it. It reminds us what the struggles are for, so be comfortable in your happiness, it does not mean you do not worry for our world, only that the dark forces opposing us have no power over you."

Robbi sat next to the albatross.
"So what do you think of our friend Chumley, Gladiverserac?" she asked.

"A brave knight and bright warrior, he is, though his humor is odd and his language strange. A great deal, I like him," she paused, "Gladis, he doth call me and thou may as well. Come to like it, I have, and more restful on the tongue it is."

"Very well, Gladis it is," Robbi smiled, "I hope our little black friend gets back soon."

It was Gladis' turn to laugh.
"If food is served, here he shall be."

Colonel Taois was a cautious beast. He had stationed several of his Minge warriors around the palace to keep track of the comings and goings of those who could threaten his mission. They noted the arrival of Vattus and Robbi, unaware that they were wizards and not suspecting that they were.

The idea that a beast was now a wizard did not even cross their mind. Far more noteworthy to the spies was the arrival of Chumley and the hedgehogs. They remembered Herman and his brother from the encounter at the Belly of the Beast the previous evening. As with the hedgehog's entrance to the saloon, he pushed a barrow laden with a large crate. The spies, while certainly noting the arrival, assumed he was delivering glassware to the palace's kitchens and made no effort to interfere. It was not till later, when news of the disappearance of the Deev sent to the mill and the discovery that it was home to the hedgehogs, that this particular piece of intelligence became important to Colonel Taois.

The colonel had continued his research at the city archives after sending his men to the different mills. It was only later that he discovered in the town charter an amendment, put forth by King Aurias at the time of the founding of the Guild of Assassins that the sugar mill was only to be occupied by followers of Gadral Neure.

A later amendment discovered by Taois which was included after the elimination of the original Scarlet Brotherhood, at the time when only the secular Guild existed and its Grand-Masters had taken the name of their founder, Neure, as their own. This amendment stipulated that the mill in question would henceforth only be occupied by Gadral Neure and the Guild, and no others.

When Taois read this he angrily slapped himself on the forehead. He called in Mobus, who had just informed the colonel about the three Deev, now missing, from the sugar mill.

Taois spoke tensely.
"They walked straight into a Guild trap. These assassins are dangerous, they must be masters of the warrior arts to have eliminated three of our own. We will tread more carefully...How could they have known we were coming?"

"I believe that I know, sir," Mobus answered.

"Yes?"

"While we were searching the premises for the book, we came upon a small portrait of the inhabitants..."

Taois became annoyed.
"Well!? Out with it, captain!"

"It was that idiot hedgehog from last night. It was all an act! He prepared for us, killed our comrades. He is an assassin, possibly Neure himself!"

Taois stood suddenly.
"That explains it! He was seen entering the palace! The king knows we are here! He will seal the harbor," he blurted out. He turned to Mobus, "Get everyone back to the ship, we need a plan to ensure we can leave as soon as the Prince arrives."

"What about the prophecies and Neure?" the captain asked.

"We know that both the book and Neure are probably in the palace. We also know that they are ready for us and that the hedgehog is a formidable killer. We'll leave that decision to the prince, it is one I don't wish to make."