“indeed he has - the name of kobra!”
“ah - he is ahead of me!” the witch glanced back toward the front of the inn. “now you must help me more than ever! i am a princess - “
“and a most beautiful one,” the flowerseller interjected gallantly. “the most beautiful i have ever seen.”
“thank you, kind sir, but as i say, i am a princess, come to claim my kingdom both from the wretched usurpers who violate it now, and from the threat of the even more wretched followers of kobra - “
seeing the terrified glances the flowerseller continued to cast toward the front of the inn, the self-styled princess paused and then continued -
“but perhaps we can discuss these matters in some safer and better lit venue. you have a room here in the inn, sir?’
“yes, i do.”
“then lead me to it,” the princess commanded.
“but the landlord - i am not sure -“
“you are not dealing with the landlord, you are dealing with me. you were courtier enough to pay me a compliment, now show yourself champion enough to help me!”
struck dumb, the flowerseller began to climb the stairs as rapidly as he could. he could hear his own heart beating, and the dripping of water from the princess’s clothes on the steps behind him…
the wind flared up again, and rain beat against the walls as they climbed the staircase.
the light was still showing underneath the door to the fool’s chamber when they reached the landing.
the princess followed the flowerseller into his room, and he closed the door behind them.
the princess shook some water off herself, took her hat off and threw it in the bed, and sat down in the one chair.
“now, sir, you shall be privileged to hear my story. it is a long one, and a sad one…”
*
the innkeeper climbed the stairs. he felt a sense of foreboding, but also some relief that the moment he had long been expecting had finally arrived.
irene was not in her room. surely she was not wandering outside in the storm?
the innkeeper listened, he thought he heard her voice, coming from the top floor, where the meaner guest rooms were, and where the four travelers who had arrived earlier had been quartered.
he climbed the second flight of stairs. yes, that was her voice coming from one of the rooms.
was the baggage in bed with one of the guests? there was nothing for it, he would have to drag her from the guest’s embrace and bring her to kobra.
as the reader knows, irene was recounting her tales within tales to the poor fool, and had reached the point where the witch, having concluded her bargain with the inquisitor, had arrived at the inn and invited herself up to the flowerseller’s room.
with trembling hand. the innkeeper knocked on the door of the fool’s room.
as he did, he noticed the light coming from under the door of the flowerseller’s room. but that was no concern of his.
the voice in the fool’s room stopped. the innkeeper waited.
the door began to open.
but just as it did, there was a tremendous noise from below, a banging and shouting at the front door.
so loud a banging and shouting as could only come from the imperial police or militia…
the innkeeper turned and started to run down the stairs.
as he did, he heard the front door crash open,…
and the back door crash open as well..
and a loud voice crying…
“you are under arrest! do not dare to make a move! we arrest you, kobra, in the name of the empire
of…”
the innkeeper fainted from fright, and fell the rest of the way down the stairs.
42. the spy
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