The men nodded, and as they walked toward the market square, Dash began splitting off pairs of constables and sending them along different routes, directing their activities for the first day of his new responsibility. More than once he silently cursed Patrick for his choice.
Dash was down to four men when he reached the market square of Krondor. Shortly after the original keep of the castle had been built, when the first Prince of Krondor had declared this city the capital of the Western Realm of the Kingdom of the Isles, the traders and local fishermen and farmers who lived in the region began regularly gathering in this market to trade, barter, and sell their wares. Over the years the city had grown, developed, and evolved to the point where the vast majority of trade was conducted by businessmen in all quarters of the city, but the ancient market square endured, and it was the first place for the reviving city to find its financial soul. It was thronging with men and women of all stations: merchants, nobles, fishermen, farmers, traders, peddlers, whores, beggars, thieves, and vagabonds.
Several people cast a wary eye at the five men, for while there were swordsmen here or there, the majority of soldiers had departed the city with Duko heading south, or with the Armies of the West, heading north. Only the Prince’s Royal Household Guard remained, and they remained in the palace.
A short distance from where they had entered, Dash spied a familiar face. Luis de Savona was unloading a wagon, helped by a woman who turned out, to a surprised Dash, to be Roo Avery’s wife Karli. Dash turned to his men and said, “Start wandering through the crowd, but unless you see a murder in progress, just keep looking.”
The men spread out, and Dash crossed to where Luis and Karli were unloading the wagon. A local trader was watching closely as Luis handed down boxes of freight to the trader’s boy.
Dash said, “Mrs. Avery! Luis! How are you?”
Luis looked over and smiled. “Dash! It’s good to see you.”
“When did you arrive in Krondor?”
“Very early this morning,” replied Luis.
They shook hands, and Karli said, “I was very sorry to hear about your father. I still remember the day I first met him, at our house.” She glanced over in the general direction of where their townhouse had once stood, across the street from Barret’s Coffee House, now a burned-out husk of a building. “He was very kind to Roo and me.”
Dash said, “Thank you. It’s very difficult, but. . . well, you’ve lost your father, so you know.”
She nodded.
Luis fingered the armband and said, “What is this?”
“I’m the new Sheriff of Krondor, and it falls to me to uphold the Prince’s peace in the city.”
Luis smiled. “You’d be better off coming back to work for Roo. You’d lose your noble office, but you’d make a great deal more money with far less work.”
Dash laughed. “Probably you’re right, but as it is, we’re very short-handed and Prince Patrick needs all of us pulling our weight.” He glanced at the freight. “Goods from Darkmoor?”
“No,” said Luis. “We unloaded our cargo from Darkmoor when we got in early this morning. These are from the Far Coast, actually. The ships still can’t get into the harbor, but they’re anchoring off of Fishtown and we’re ferrying the goods ashore with fishing boats.”
Karli asked, “How is your brother?”
“He’s fine; he’s running an errand for Patrick. He should be halfway to Port Vykor about now.”
Luis finished unloading the cargo, and said, “Give us a minute, then I’ll buy us an ale.”
“That would be welcome, Luis.”
Karli counted out the gold the merchant gave him, under the watchful eye of the merchant’s bodyguard, and then said, “Luis, we can’t get young Dash drunk, so maybe we should get him to share a bite.” She looked at Dash. “Hungry?”
Dash said, “Actually, I am.”
They walked across the market to an open-air kitchen, where hot meat pies were being sold. Karli purchased three, then they moved to an ale wagon, where Luis got three jacks of cold brew for them. Like most of those eating in the market, they stood and made do with keeping out of the way of those walking through the aisle.
Luis said, “I was only partly joking; I could use someone of your talents. Things are beginning to turn around and men of talent are going to get rich.” He motioned with his bad hand while juggling the hot pie with his good one. “Since Helen and I married, Roo has made me manager of all Avery and Jacoby business while he’s gone.”
Karli said, “It’s Avery and de Savon, now. Helen insisted.”
Luis smiled slightly. “It wasn’t my idea.” He put down the pie and picked up the pewter jack of ale. After he took a drink, he said, “I’m so busy I don’t know what I need to do next. The wagon builders in Darkmoor are getting our freight business back to where it was before the destruction of the city, and the orders for cargo are starting to come in.”