Rise of a Merchant Prince Read online

  prince.qxd 9/4/02 9:34 AM Page i Raymond E. Feist

  Rise of a

  Merchant

  Prince

  Book Two of THE SERPENTWAR SAGA prince.qxd 9/4/02 9:34 AM Page ii prince.qxd 9/4/02 9:34 AM Page iii This book is dedicated to

  Diane and David Clark,

  good friends

  prince.qxd 9/4/02 9:34 AM Page vi prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page vii Table of Contents

  Maps

  Characters List

  Book Two - Roo’s Tale

  Prologue: Demonia

  The soul screamed.

  1 Return

  A ship swept into the harbor.

  2 Homecoming

  Roo yawned.

  3 Bargains

  The baby cried.

  4 Setback

  Roo signaled.

  5 Newcomer

  Roo yawned.

  6 Barret’s

  Roo jumped.

  7 Opportunity

  Roo smiled.

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  8 Players

  Roo pointed.

  9 Growth

  Roo smiled.

  10 Plans

  Roo held up his hand.

  11 Travel

  Jason pointed.

  12 Expansion

  The baby squirmed.

  13 Gamble

  Roo cleared his throat.

  14 Surprise

  The rider reined in.

  15 Consolidation

  The inn was crowded.

  16 Friends

  Karli frowned.

  17 Disasters

  Roo sighed.

  18 Discovery

  Roo nodded.

  19 Revelations

  Roo sighed.

  20 Discovery

  Roo smiled.

  Epilogue: Rescue

  Erik pointed.

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  About the Author

  Books by Raymand E. Feist

  Praise for The Serpentwar Saga

  Copyright

  Cover

  About the Publisher

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  Cast of Characters

  AGLARANNA—Elf Queen in Elvandar, wife of Tomas, mother of Calin and Calis ALFRED—corporal from Darkmoor AVERY, ABIGAIL—daughter of Roo and Karli AVERY, DUNCAN—cousin of Roo AVERY, HELMUT—son of Roo and Karli AVERY, RUPERT “ROO” —young merchant of Krondor, son of Tom Avery

  AVERY, TOM—teamster, Roo’s father AZIZ—sergeant at Shamata BETSY—Serving girl at the Inn of the Seven Flowers BOLDAR BLOOD—mercenary hired by Miranda in the Hall of Worlds

  BORRIC—King of the Isles, twin brother of Prince Erland, brother of Prince Nicholas, father of Prince Patrick

  CALIN—elf heir to the throne of Elvandar, half brother of Calis, son of Aglaranna and King Aidan CALIS—“The Eagle of Krondor,” special agent of the Prince of Krondor, Duke of the Court, son of Aglaranna and Tomas, half brother of Calin CARLINE—Dowager Duchess of Salador, aunt of the King

  CHALMES—ruling magician at Stardock xi

  prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page xii CROWLEY, BRANDON—trader at Barret’s Coffee House

  DE

  LOUNGVILLE, ROBERT “BOBBY” —sergeant major of Calis’s Crimson Eagles DE SAVONA, LUIS—former soldier, assistant to Roo DUNSTAN, BRIAN—the Sagacious Man, leader of the Mockers, used to be known as Lysle Rigger ELLIEN—town girl in Ravensburg ERLAND—brother of the King and Prince Nicholas, uncle of Prince Patrick

  ESTHERBROOK,

  JACOB—wealthy merchant of Krondor, father of Sylvia

  ESTHERBROOK, SYLVIA—Jacob’s daughter FADAWAH—general leading the Emerald Queen’s army

  FREIDA—Erik’s mother

  GALAIN—elf in Elvandar

  GAMINA—adopted daughter of Pug, sister of William, wife of James, mother of Arutha GAPI—general in the Emerald Queen’s army GASTON—wagon dealer in Ravensburg GORDON—corporal at Krondor GRAVES,

  KATHERINE

  “KITTY” —girl thief in

  Krondor

  GREYLOCK, OWEN—captain in the Prince’s service GRINDLE, HELMUT—merchant, father of Karli, partner of Roo

  GRINDLE, KARLI—daughter of Helmut, later wife of Roo Avery, mother of Abigail and Helmut GUNTHER—Nathan’s apprentice GWEN—town girl in Ravensburg HOEN, JOHN—manager of Barret’s HUME, STANLEY—trader at Barret’s xii

  prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page xiii JACOBY, FREDERICK—founder of Jacoby and Sons, traders

  JACOBY, HELEN—wife of Randolph JACOBY, RANDOLPH—son of Frederick, brother of Timothy, husband of Helen

  JACOBY, TIMOTHY—son of Frederick, brother of Randolph

  JAMES—Duke of Krondor, father of Arutha, grandfather of James and Dash

  JAMESON, ARUTHA—Lord Vencar, Baron of the Prince’s Court, son of Duke James JAMESON, DASHEL “DASH” —younger son of Arutha, grandson of James

  JAMESON, JAMES “JIMMY” —elder son of Arutha, grandson of James

  JAMILA—madam at the White Wing JASON—waiter at Barret’s, later accountant for Avery and Son and the Bitter Sea Company JEFFREY—wagon driver for Jacoby and Sons KALIED—ruling magician at Stardock KURT—bullying waiter at Barret’s LENDER, SEBASTIAN—litigator/solicitor at Barret’s Coffee House

  MCKELLER—head waiter at Barret’s MILO—innkeeper in Ravensburg, father of Rosalyn MIRANDA—magician and ally of Calis and Pug NAKOR THE ISALANI—gambler, magic user, friend of Calis

  PATRICK—Prince of Krondor, son of Prince Erland, nephew of the King and Prince Nicholas PUG—magician, Duke of Stardock, cousin of the xiii

  prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page xiv King, father of Gamina

  RIVERS, ALISTAIR—innkeeper of the Happy Jumper ROSALYN—Milo’s daughter, wife of Rudolph, mother of Gerd

  RUDOLPH—baker in Ravensburgh SHATI, JADOW—corporal in Calis’s company TANNERSON, SAM—thief in Krondor TOMAS—Warleader of Elvandar, husband of Aglaranna, father of Calis

  VINCI, JOHN—merchant in Sarth VON DARKMOOR, ERIK—soldier in Calis’s Crimson Eagles

  VON DARKMOOR, MANFRED—Baron of Darkmoor, half brother of Erik

  VON DARKMOOR, MATHILDA—Baroness of Darkmoor, mother of Manfred

  WILLIAM—Knight-Marshal of Krondor, Pug’s son, Gamina’s adopted brother, uncle of Jimmy and Dash xiv

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  BOOK TWO

  Roo’s Tale

  Wealth, howsoever got, in England makes Lords of mechanics, gentlemen of rakes; Antiquity and birth are needless here;

  ’Tis Impudence and money makes a peer.

  —DANIEL DEFOE

  The True-born Englishman, Pt. I prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page 2

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  Prologue

  Demonia

  The soul screamed.

  The demon turned, and as its gaping maw was set in a permanent grin, the only hint of its increased delight was a slight widening of its eyes, black orbs resembling those of a shark: flat and lifeless. It studied the jar it held for a moment, its only possession.

  This soul was especially active and the demon had been fortunate to find it and keep it. Placing the jar under its chin, the demon closed its eyes and felt the energy flow into it from the jar. The creature’s emotional makeup knew nothing that could be called happiness, only lessened states of fear or anger, but the surge of feeling within was as close to happiness as the creature could know. Each time the soul within the jar struggled, the energy created filled the little demon’s mind with new ideas.

  As if suddenly concerned its toy would be taken from it by one of its more powerful brethren, the demon glanced around
. The hall was one of many in the grand palace of Cibul, capital of the now destroyed Saaur race.

  3

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  RAYMOND E. FIEST

  Then the demon remembered: destroyed save those who had fled through a magic gate. It felt its anger return, and then the emotion quickly fled. As a minor demon, it was not intelligent, only cunning, and it didn’t fully understand why the escape of a small part of this nearly obliterated race was important. But it was, for the Demon Lords were even now gathered upon the plains to the east of the city of Cibul, inspecting the site of the now closed rift through which the Saaur survivors had fled.

  The Lords of the Fifth Circle had attempted once to open the portal, managing to keep it open long enough to slip a tiny demon through, before it collapsed upon itself, sealing the rift between the two realms and stranding the tiny demon on the other side of the rift. There was much consultation among the greater demons on reopening that rift and gaining entrance to this new realm.

  The demon wandered the halls, oblivious to the ravages around it. Tapestries that had taken a generation to weave were torn from the walls and trodden upon, soiled by dirt and blood. The demon cracked a Saaur rib bone underfoot and absently kicked it aside. At last it came to its secret room, the one it had claimed as its own while the Host of the Fifth Circle resided on this cold planet. Leaving the demon realm was a terrible experience, thought the young demon.

  This had been the demon’s first journey to this realm, and it wasn’t sure it cared much for the pain of tran-sition.

  The feasting had been glorious; never had it known such a wealth of food, even though it was limited to scraps from the feasting pits, thrown out by the mightiest of the host as they fed. But scraps or prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page 5

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  not, the demon had devoured much and had grown.

  And that was creating problems for itself.

  It sat down, attempting to find a comfortable position as its body changed. The feasting had continued for nearly a year and many of the lesser demons had grown. This particular demon had grown faster than most, though it still hadn’t matured enough to have developed significant intelligence or a sexual identity.

  Looking down at the plaything, the demon laughed, a silent gaping of jaws and sucking of wind.

  The mortal eye could not behold the thing within the jar. The demon, who didn’t have a name yet, had been most fortunate to snare this particular soul. A great demon captain, almost a lord, had fallen to mighty magic even as the great Tugor had crushed and eaten the leader of the Saaur. One of the Saaur magic users, a powerful one, had-destroyed the demon captain, but at the cost of his own life. The little demon might not be intelligent, but it was quick, and without hesitation it had seized the fleeing soul force of the dead magic user.

  The demon inspected the device again, the soul jar, and poked at it. The magic soul within rewarded it by thrashing, if something without a body could be said to thrash.

  The demon shifted its weight. It knew it was getting more powerful, but the nearly nonstop feeding was at an end. The last of the Saaur were dead and devoured, and now the demon host was depending on lesser animals for food, animals with negligent soul force. There were some client races, who would breed children, some of which would go to the feasting pits, but that meant slow growth in this realm. Its prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page 6

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  body would continue to mature, but not significantly until the next realm had been entered.

  Cold, the demon thought as it glanced around the large room, ignorant of its original use: a bedroom for one of the Saaur leader’s many wives. The native realm was one of wild energies and pulsing heat, where the demons of the Fifth Circle grew like wild things, devouring one another, until strong enough to escape and serve the Demon King and his lords and captains. This demon had but vague recollections of its own beginning, remembering only anger and fear, and an occasional moment of pleasure as it devoured something.

  The demon settled down on the floor. With a changing body, it couldn’t seem to find a comfortable position. Its back itched, and with certainty it knew wings would grow there soon, tiny at first, then growing larger as it rose in power. The demon was clever enough to know it would have to fight to gain rank, so it had better rest. It had been lucky so far, as the critical periods in its growth had come during the war on this world, and most of the host were too occupied with devouring the inhabitants of this world to contest in their own ranks.

  Others were now fighting, and the losers would add strength to the winners as they were devoured; any demon without enough rank was a fair target for another save when a lord or captain demanded obedience. It was simply the way of this race, and each who fell was considered unworthy of a second thought. This demon considered that there must be a better way to gain more strength than an open challenge and outright attack. But it couldn’t think of what it could be.

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  Glancing around what had once been a regal and richly appointed dwelling, the demon closed its eyes, but not before glancing one last time at the soul jar.

  Feeding might cease awhile, and with it physical growth, but it had learned during the war that physical growth, while impressive, wasn’t as important as knowing things. The contents of the soul jar were a being rich in knowledge, and this little demon meant to have that knowledge. The demon placed the jar against its forehead and mentally prodded the soul, causing more thrashing, and the energy that resulted flowed into the demon. Powerful, like a drug to a mortal, the sensation was among the most glorious known to demonkind. The demon felt something new in its experience: satisfaction. Soon it would be smarter, know things, and then it would be able to use more than animal cunning to gain rank and a position of power.

  And when the Demon Lords finally discovered a way to open fully the gate that had been sealed behind the fleeing Saaur, then the Demon Host of the Fifth Circle would follow and then there would be ample opportunity to feed upon the Saaur and upon whatever other intelligent, soul-bearing creatures lived upon the world of Midkemia.

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  1

  Return

  A ship swept into the harbor.

  Black and dangerous, it moved like a dark hunter bearing down on its prey. Three tall masts, majestic under full sail, propelled the warship into the harbor of a great city as other ships gave way. Although she looked like a great pirate vessel from the distant Sunset Islands, her foremast flew the Royal Ensign, and all who saw the ship knew that the King’s brother was returning home.

  High aloft that ship, a young man worked quickly, reefing the mizzen topsail. Roo paused a moment as he tied the final reef point, and looked across the harbor at the City of Krondor.

  The Prince’s city spread out along the docks, rose on hills to the south, and spread out of sight to the north. The panorama was impressive as the ship sped in from the sea. The young man—eighteen years of age at the next Midsummer’s festival—had thought on numerous occasions over the past year and more that he would never see the city again. Yet here he was, finishing up his watch atop the mizzen mast of 8

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  the Freeport Ranger, a ship under the command of Admiral Nicholas, brother to the King of the Kingdom of the Isles and uncle to the Prince of Krondor.

  Krondor was the second most important city in the Kingdom of the Isles, the capital of the Western Realm and seat of power for the Prince of Krondor, heir to the throne of the Isles. Roo could see the mul-titude of small buildings scattered across the hills surrounding the harbor, the vista dominated by the Prince’s palace, which sat atop a steep hill hard against the water. The majesty of the palace was in stark contr
ast to the rude buildings that lined the waterfront close by, warehouses and chandlers’

  shops, sail- and rope-makers, carpenters and sailor’s inns. Second only to the Poor Quarter as a haven for thugs and thieves, the waterfront was thrown by the proximity of the palace into an even more seedy aspect.

  Yet Roo was pleased to see Krondor, for now he was a free man. He glanced one last time at his work, ensuring that the sail was properly reefed, and moved quickly along the foot-rope with a sure balance learned while crossing treacherous seas for nearly two years.

  Roo considered the oddity of facing his third spring in a row without a winter. The topsy-turvy seasons of the land on the other side of the world had contrived to provide Roo and his boyhood friend, Erik, with such a situation, and Roo found the notion both amusing and oddly disquieting.

  He shinnied down a sheet, reaching the top of the mizzenmast ratline. Roo didn’t particularly like top work, but as one of the smaller and more nimble men prince.qxd 9/4/02 10:36 AM Page 10

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  in the crew, he was often told to go aloft and unfurl or reef the royals and topgallants. He scampered down the ratline and landed lightly on the deck.

  Erik von Darkmoor, Roo’s only friend as a boy, finished his task of tying off a yard brace to a cleat, then hurried to the rail as they sped past other ships in the harbor. A full two heads taller and twice the bulk of his friend, Erik made with Roo as unlikely a pair as any two boys could have been. While Erik was stronger than any boy in their hometown of Ravensburg, Roo was among the smallest. While Erik would never be called handsome, he wore an open and friendly expression that others found likable; Roo had no illusions about his own appearance.

  He was homely by any standards, with a pinched face, eyes that were narrowed and darting around as if constantly looking for threats, and a nearly permanent expression that could only be called furtive. But on those rare occasions when he smiled, or laughed, a warmth was revealed that made him far from unattractive. It was that roguish humor and willingness to brave trouble that had attracted Erik to Roo when they were children.