Iamerge blinked, dazzled by the brightness of the day as he walked out of the inn.  He cursed himself for a fool, looking at where he’d nearly been run down in the street and Jim Cooper had hauled him out of danger.  Were his street skills so impossibly rusted as all that?  If the self-styled Mayor of Rat Town had meant him ill he’d have dispatched Iamerge without breaking a sweat.

Despite the warm sunshine Iamerge shivered.  What madness, what trouble, what had come of all his plans?  The world had conspired to relieve him of his worldly possessions, true he’d done the better part of that by turning his back on his accumulated wealth and all its restrictive constraints by dying one of his convenient deaths, but he’d had hopes for the little boat and what little he’d taken on her, now smashed to pieces on Gospels’ skellig and scattered on the floor of the sea.  And now, coming to gather his well hid seed money, he’d nearly been trampled by the man he meant to find.  And there was another ill turn the world had thrown him, it wasn’t the man he’d hoped, but his son. 

Iamerge took more care as he entered  street again, this time he had more company and less scrutiny, there was no Jim Cooper and everyone else seemed intent on their own business.  Iamerge blended into the human stream and walked into town toward what he guessed would be a town square. 

He walked, carefully now, and he observed.  Iamerge had nothing at all in the world that he could call his own, but he’d risen to rule empires again and again.   It shouldn’t matter.  But when had the world been so against him?

Iamerge laughed, Stop your mopeing old Smoke.  You saw worse when you lost your first boat to pirates and avoided slavery only by merest good fortune.  That time you’d never survived and thrived half a dozen times, but that first time you did like all the rest.  Iamerge grinned, “What could be better for a life grown stale then a little adventure?” He said and winked at the old woman who looked at him questioning, perhaps his sanity, him talking to himself or the air and all.  Iamerge walked on whistling a tune and looking for opportunity.

“Not much to tell.”  Iamerge’s mind raced as he thought over what he should and shouldn’t tell.  The best course always seemed to reveal the least, “I washed up on the Skellig and Gospels was there to pull me out, care for me, feed me, such as there was on that bleak place.”

Jim Cooper nodded, knowingly, “Tis said there’s naught to eat and the saints perch there for months living on water and sea foam, then there’s some who say that their god gives them food, and others that say that they’ve a fat larder there and since they don’t eat here its there they go to eat.”

Iamerge laughed, “Well, as to the larder, I saw none, I ate no sea foam, and Gospels gave me bits of dry fish, some little leaves of green herb, and sometimes raw egg of sea birds on the isle, if it was his god that gave him that to eat then he isn’t a very generous god.”

“You make it sound like there is no fuel at all, nothing to burn.”

“Unless you can make wet stone burn there is naught of that at all.”

“Incredible, how did you live?”

“How did Gospels live before I came?  I’ll tell you I’ve never slept better than I did in their guest house last night.  Not because of any opulence, just not the austerity of the rock.  There are five men out there now.  I don’t know why they do it.”

“No wonder they have produce and more to sell, they don’t eat any of it,”  said Jim Cooper to himself as much to Iamerge.  “What do you know of their god?  I confess, they don’t have much truck with old Jim, but I’ve heard their bell and I’ve heard their weird singing a time or two.  They seem virtuous, but I’d say men that virtuous can only get in the way of a man’s business.  In the end.”

“To tell you the truth I can’t speak to the beliefs of the monks like Gospels, they are new to me as well.  But I can’t say anything against them, they seem virtuous, generous, and good to a fault.  I do take your meaning though, I think.  What’s a man to do who can’t live up to such a standard?  What must they think of those who don’t live as they do?”  Iamerge took another drink from his cup and cleared his throat, “Still, if I understand them, they serve the same God, the Lord they call him, who is served by the Jews that I knew quite well.  It seems to me that they are similar in their kindnesses and that it is their Lord who commands it of them.”

“So, these Jews grew food that they did not eat as well?”

Iamerge laughed at that, “Oh no, not so.  The Jews were adept at trade, at numbers, at drawing value from a thing.  It seems to me that the Jews took part in the blessings that their Lord brought them.  The monks like Gospels are prospered and they choose not to partake, indeed they take pride in denying themselves.  I can’t say if it is their Lord that demands that privation of one and not the other or what the truth of it is.”

“It sounds to me that you’ve travelled a far piece Iamerge.  I’ve never heard of these Jews.  Then again, I’d not heard of these monks either ’til I came here.”

“I would have thought to be the mayor of Rat Town you’d have had to be born here.”

“Oh no, I wasn’t born here, nor most of the rats for that matter.  They come on the boats, but I came from Cooperstown.  I’d be there still if there was one.”  For once Jim seemed a bit sad, “Mayhaps again.  But that’s nobody’s business.  Not yet.” The two men fell silent and they sat and nursed their drinks in the cool darkness.

“So, do you think that Ua Birlinn might have returned by now?”

Jim laughed, “Oh you and Ruaridh will get along famously, all business aren’t you?  I’d like to say that he’d be back by now, but I can’t. I figure you’ve got more of a wait than his returning.  Single minded he is, just like you.  I figure he’ll be about what ever took him out of here so fast a bit longer than it takes him to get there and back.  Don’t you?  Jim got up and moved back around the bar.  “A waste of a day I’d say.  Not like to be see’n visitors, since you’re ask’n me.”  Cooper refilled his ale and looked at Iamerge, “Can I get you a refill lad?”

Iamerge sighed, ”No, thanks.  I think I’ll get the lay of the land at least.  Perhaps I can find out a bit more about what’s happened and when I might speak to Ua Birlinn.  My thanks though, for the ale and the conversation.”

“Suit yourself.  Have a look, but come back by if you like.  I might have found a bit out myself by then.” Cooper winked and walked off toward the kitchen, “I do wonder where ol’ Mare has got to.”

Iamerge rose and went up the dark stair and out into the day.

Jim Cooper led Iamerge out of the sunshine into the cool dark of the inn.  There were stairs leading up and a hall, but Old Jim, the mayor of Rat Town, led Iamerge down a stone stair into a chill common room lit by nothing but a few tapers here and there along the bar. 

Jim patted a seat and then slipped behind the bar, “It looks like ol’ Mare ain’t here yet so I’ll have to tend my own self.  Will an ale do you?  That’s what I’m having.” 

Jim poured, Iamerge sat, “Sure, anything is fine with me.  You said that Ruaridh Ua Birlinn rode out of town?  What do you imagine he was doing?”

Jim slid a tall mug across the bar and then followed it around to Iamerge, his own ale in hand, “We’ve had some trouble with the overland trade.  A few have come in mauled, but mostly they come in fine or they don’t come at all.”  Cooper sat down next to Iamerge, took a swig, and planted his ale on the bar, “Ua Birlinn hasn’t had any such problems, at least not yet, because he always guards his traffic and put more men on since the trouble started.”

“So you think that changed?” asked Iamerge.

“I don’t know what to think.  Didn’t seem those fellers who come in was mussed much, but Ua Birlinn sure didn’t waste no time heading back out.  Seems if his trade ain’t in trouble then someone-else’s.”  Cooper smiled, made to drink again but paused to ask, “So, you said that Gospels is back.  Don’t know if you know it for good news, but it is.  The Brothers are the anchor that holds this place together, feeds most of us, good folk, but they weren’t the same when Gospels left.”

“I can imagine.  Gospels is, unique in my experience.”

“Sure, a brother looks pretty much like another to most folk, but Gospels ran that place well.  Its good when there is peace up on Bell Hill.”  Cooper chuckled to himself and took a drink, “mmm, even for us sinners.”

“Yes,” Iamerge allowed and then put his mouth to his ale to keep his own council.

“So, we heard that Gospels felt led by the Spirit to get in a skin boat and be washed out to sea to land wherever the good Lord made him land.  Mad as a, as a, mad as a hermit it seemed to me.  How’d you find him?”

“As my luck would have it, Gospels found me, pulled me out of the surf on the Skellig.  He’d washed up there and no matter how many times he put out again the coracle always came back.” Iamerge explained.

“Strange luck that.”

Iamerge reacted, but far too slowly.  He ripped free of the man’s grip and dropped into a fighting stance, desperately feeling the lack of a knife.  Jim, for his part, had turned to watch the street.

Mounted soldiers raced by.  They’d nearly trampled him, would have if not for the mayor of Rat Town.  “Who was it that you’re look’n for brother?”

“I’m sure I’ll find him in the trade district.” Iamerge began.

“Oh? Well not if you pay so little attention as just now, you’re liable to end flat in the road.” the man laughed.  He glanced over at Iamerge, “Didn’t I save you lad?  Come now, you can tell me.  My only vise is curiosity.  Well, that and drinking.  But all my others are of no concern.”  Cooper winked.

Iamerge pondered for a moment before he allowed, “I’m looking for a Roderick Ua Birlinn.  I have a matter of business I need to transact with him.”

“Rod Ua Birlinn is it?”  Well I can’na help you like I thought.  I only know one Ua Birlinn and his name is Ruaridh.  His father was Roderick but he’s dead now ten years and taken no visitors.”

The riders were back and now with company.  The mob of light cavalry, for that’s what they seemed, rode out the way they’d come.  There was a cloud of dust that followed along with the curious that came out into the street in their wake.

“Perhaps I should speak to the son then, this Ruaridh.” said Iamerge.

“Perhaps you should come have a drink with me.”  said Jim Cooper.

“I really should see to my business. . .”

“Sure you should, but that was Ruaridh Ua Birlinn who just rode out of town with his men.  I’m not sure when they’ll be back, but I’d say, with the hurry they made, it won’t be before we can settle the dust in our mouths with a cold brew or two.”

“I don’t know”

“Well I do and you’ve not told me about how it is that Gospels is back at the Abbey.  Like I said, know’n is me main vice.  Also it be my main stock n trade, it won’t harm you to have a chat and a beer with old Jim.  Might help some.”

There seemed no harm in the man and getting and giving a bit of information could only help his business.  Iamerge allowed himself to be steered into the rickety inn.

“You’re into town early, brother.” The fellow lounged just inside the gate of a paddock, apparently associated with the nearby rhamshackled inn.  “What brings you to Bellhaven so early?” 

Iamerge stopped and looked at the fellow.  “Well, I’m looking for somebody.  A business matter. . .”

“Business?  Well, then you’ve met your man.  Why, I’m the mayor of Rat Town.”

“Rat town?”

“Sure sure, this ain’t Fish Town, this ain’t the Square, this ain’t the Hill, it’s Rat Town.” The man chuckled to himself, “Truth is t’was rats voted me mayor, so it ain’t rit down or noth’n.  Still, you ask anybody who’s the mayor of Rat Town and they’ll say old Jim is.

“Yes, well good to meet you. . .”

“Jim, Jim Cooper is my name.  I make my way, sure I do.  I know what’s what, and who, that I do.  If you need know’n you talk to old Jim. You ask anyone who the mayor of Rat Town is, they’ll tell you, old Jim is, sure enough.

“I’ll remember your honor.”

Cooper laughed at that and jumped to his feet, “I like you.  Most of them brothers don’t want noth’n to do with old Jim, but you ain’t no brother at all are you?”

Iamerge whirled on the man who was standing in the gate now, not lounging, on his guard, “Why do you say that?” 

Cooper laughed again,  “Well you can take the monk out of the habit, but you can’t take the habits out of the man.  Most of your brothers cut the front of their hair off.  You look like nobody cut your hair for awhile.”  Cooper’s chuckle lost its humor, “No brother’d have much to do with old Jim, but that don’t mean we in town don’t know their worth.  You aren’t likely to find no friend around here if you did them ill.  So how’d you come dressed like a brother to Bellhaven lad, and don’t try to tell Jim no tale.” 

“I’m looking for a man, just looking for him,”  Iamerge stepped back toward the center of the street.

“Now that’s not what I asked,” And Jim Cooper, or whoever he was, moved after, staying closer than Iamerge liked.

“I’m staying with the brothers, with Gospels,”  He said, defensively. There was a rumbling, but Iamerge’s attention was on old Jim, who moved like a fighter and not that old either.  The rumbling sound was louder, drawing his attention, He saw horses and men bearing down, and in that moment Cooper had a fist full of Iamerge’s garment and was yanking him into the paddock.