. Rhiann made his way through visitors, merchants, and soldiers and approached the gate. An officer on duty stood in front of the closed gate. The intimidating officer had turned away several persons who had petitioned for entry. He referred some to the gate house for papers and flatly told others to stay away from the gate. His booming voice unsettled others to the point they retreated to regain their courage. The soldiers wore uniforms emblazoned with the crests of Yerko and Bailiwick. Three complex opening mechanisms had been added to the door. Three large dials dominated the odd black door. Rhiann pulled his cowl over his face and approached the gate keeper.
The sergeant at arms said, “State your business or be away!”
Rhiann answered, “My name is Rhiann Klarje. I petition for entry to the city.”
The soldier said, “Your garb implies you are a sorcerer. I’ll attribute your choosing to claim to be the infamous lost sorcerer Rhiann Klarje as a mistake of your youth. You even have his mark on your chin. I’m in a particularly generous mood, kid. Here’s some free advice. Drop the Klarje act. Lord Bailiwick and Castellan Yerko detest the Klarjes, particularly the one you are mimicking. You don’t want to cross the Castellan and High Sorcerer of Thynna. The Klarjes are relics of the past. Now they are relegated to outer ward residents. You’d better wipe that red mark off your face. Here! I’ll do you a favor.”
The burly sergeant extended a thick index finger and rubbed the heart-shaped, cherry-red birthmark on Rhiann’s chin. A small spark left Rhiann’s face and burned the sergeant’s finger. The big man yelped, “Ouch!”
Obviously the birthmark remained after his gesture. Rhiann bit his tongue and tersely replied, “I am Rhiann Klarje. Please grant me entry.”
The soldier said gruffly, “Don’t play sorcerers’ tricks on me! You could be charged with assaulting an officer. Now you’re trying my patience. You have to get papers to enter the city. Go over to the John Money Building and apply. If you get papers, I might let you in.”
Rhiann said, “The John Money building? Where…”
The soldier huffed, “Where have you been? The John Money Gate House. It’s named in honor of the greatest non-sorcerer to ever serve Thynna. Money became a member of the Council of Thynna before the end of his days. There are statues honoring him all over the inner ward. He’s in all the school books. He led the parties searching for the legendary Gem Bush. Rhiann Klarje, the very one you mimic, disappeared about the same time the tree vanished, gosh, over six hundred years ago. Castellan Yerko, High Sorcerer Lord Bailiwick, and Money suspected Rhiann Klarje had a hand in the bush’s disappearance, but they never found the rogue or the Gem Bush and were never were able to prove anything. Klarje probably wandered off into the desert and got eaten by one of his Old One friends. Bottom line is he’d be over 600 years old if he were alive and you don’t appear to have seen more than 25 seasons. Now… one last time. All newcomers have to be processed. Get in line at the Money building.”
benjamintowe 