The Radiant Glow of Jewels

Mixnix and Nixnix had been up for a while, and had eaten.  After looking around for a while, and having seen the Sheriff in some peculiar situations, they had decided to return to the village and get a proper place to stay and rethink their plans.  The return trip was much faster than the trip to the castle.  They walked down one of the streets that led to the park.

Starshiner and Roseasmell left the Stonetree Merchants and walked toward the Central Park.  They wanted to talk over the information that had been given to them by Grinabit.  The materials could be purchased later in the day.  As they walked close to the buildings on their way to the park, they came to the corner of a street.  They continued passed the building and bumped right into two men.

[Mixnix]  “OOF!”

[Starshiner]  “My apologies, sir.  I did not see you.”

[Nixnix]  “Is this the way that you people treat visitors to your village?”

[Roseasmell]  “We are not of this village either, sir, and you have an apology.  You may accept it or not.  The choice is yours.”

[Mixnix]  “Pardon my friend.  We have traveled a lot during the past few days and I’m sure that the collision was as much our fault as it was yours.  Please accept our apologies.”

[Starshiner]  “Done.  We wish you a good day. ”

[Mixnix]  “Tell us. Do you have any idea of a place where we might spend the night tonight?”

[Starshiner]  We have not stayed a night in the village yet either, but there is a traveler’s rest on the other side of the park.  It is called the Nightwatch Inn.”

[Nixnix]  “Thank you.  I am sorry about my previous bad attitude.”

[Starshiner] “Already forgotten.  We hope that you enjoy your stay.”

They left to go their own ways, Mixnix and Nixnix to the Inn, and Starshiner and Roseasmell to the Central Park, where they would just sit and talk for a while.

After the short walk through the park, the two Master Mischievians found the Nightwatch Inn.  They stepped inside.  The place seemed very clean.  There were eight children of various ages sitting on two logs by the fireplace, talking quietly.  A man of considerable age seemed to be their overseer.  He was standing with his back to the door.  The two men went to the desk area and called out to the clerk, who, once again, was not at the desk.

[Mixnix]  “Hello!  -----  Hello in there!”

Snortzlgig heard that voice and immediately turned around.  He could not believe it.  Could this be the same mischief maker that he had known all those many years ago?  The voice sounded the same.  Was it possible?

[Snortzlgig]  “There’s only one rascal that could sound like that.”

[Mixnix- turned around to face the voice]  “Rascal!  -- Rascal you say! – Well it takes one to know one.”

[Snortzlgig - smiling widely]  “Mixnix!  It is you after all.  What are you doing here?”

[Mixnix]  “Snortzlgig!  What a great surprise!  Well, we came here to visit the castle.  We did get as far as the courtyard, but there are things happening in the castle that others do not know about. I can sense these things, you know.  We observed the Sheriff late one evening, outside the castle gates, with another fellow. Something was passed to the Sheriff before they left.  Then the King left the Palace with his group of courtesans and guards, but the Sheriff stayed behind.  We saw him watching from the castle wall as the King left.  These are not normal ways for the head enforcer to act.