While the two Watchmen were pushing the cart, Maisen chose to walk behind Giudot, who had taken the right side while Sankryn took the left.
Following the captain's lead, I walked behind Sankryn. As we slowly walked along the empty street, I pondered why she declined to take her usual position at the front, like the female drow leader did in walking in front of the pushcart. I glanced at her and noticed that her eyes were trained on the two men rather than the street in front of the cart. My curiosity getting the best of me, I moved closer to her and asked my question bluntly. "Captain, why are we walking behind the cart?"
Maisen shook her head. "We'll talk when we reach HQ," she replied succinctly. The serious expression on her face made me keep my lips sealed.
When the pushcart reached the end of the street, the two men removed their hands from the box.
I saw the perspiration dripping down their faces and winced. It was going to be a strenuous task but seeing the tall woman taking up Giudot's former position, I immediately joined her. I took a deep breath and pushed the box. After a few measly steps, I started feeling the burn on my lower back, my hips, and my legs. I looked up at my companion; despite the neutral expression on her face, Maisen's dancing eyes gave away the fact that she was laughing at me and enjoying my misery. This realization infuriated me and I stubbornly resolved to match her step for step. This was just another form of training, Larry! You can do it!
While enduring my laborious trial, I understood why the captain had declined to take the point and walk in front of the pushcart. She was probably aware that the pushcart, loaded with three children plus a box full of hay (we weren't going to leave the hay on the street and make a mess for another Watch patrol to clean up), was heavy and difficult for people with less strength to move. Thus, she decided to let the folks pushing the cart dictate the pace instead. It was a good decision and her consideration of the men under her command reflected well on her leadership, too. Again, I was reminded that Maisen was gifted not just physically but intellectually as well. And I would be well-served to accept her implicit lessons.
When we reached the end of the street, I was glad to have Sankryn rotate back into my position behind the pushcart. We traveled through the town with both the cart and rescued children in this manner until we were a block away from Watch HQ. We encountered no one on the street until then.
When the church bell tolled and indicated the time was four past noon, we saw another Watch patrol leave headquarters. They were marching down the next block and accosted us before we reached the end of our street. The four Watchmen noticed the presence of Captain Maisen and immediately saluted. Their eyes widened when they saw the children sleeping on top of the hay inside the box.
Captain Maisen looked at the newcomers and, with Peng's assistance, identified the senior Watchman in the patrol. "Ikehjid, please ask your men to carry the children to the healers. We believe they were given sleeping draughts," the captain said. "I am authorizing you to arrange more patrols around the bridge because that was where we encountered these children. I also want you to locate the parents or guardians of these children and reunite them. This is your top priority. Finally, please arrange for this pushcart to be stored at the warehouse. It may have been stolen," she instructed.
When the Watchmen saluted and began carrying out her orders, Maisen's eyes then turned to Sankryn and Giudot. She had noticed the cuts on their faces and thought their sluggish movement may be connected to their wounds. "You two need to be examined by our healers, too. I believe you may have been poisoned during the battle; the healers will confirm this. You are granted leave for the rest of today. But I ORDER you to remain silent of our encounter and tell no one about what happened. I will report to the Bishop directly," she ordered.
"Yes, captain!" the two remaining Watchmen saluted and headed for the right side of the Watch headquarters building.
When they were out of earshot, Maisen finally turned to face me. Her facade of neutrality was replaced by one of worry. "I'm not sure what we stumbled upon, but this new threat to Tregome may prove to be greater than the one from the were-pack," she admitted. "I already ordered Sankryn and Giudot not to discuss the encounter and I order you to do the same. We will only discuss this matter with His Grace, and He will decide who else needs to know about the drows. Is this understood?" Her face hardened.
"Yes, Captain!" I saluted.
Maisen nodded and started walking toward Watch Headquarters. To my surprise, she did not enter the building but walked past it, through the Public Square, and toward the Church instead. As we walked by the water fountain in the middle of the square, she took a moment to wash her face.
Remembering the last time she visited the fountain, I alertly stood far back as Maisen pulled her head out of the water and started twisting and turning her head back and forth. I noted the slight frown on her face when the mischievous woman realized that I had avoided getting wet again.
The captain took a small rag from her sack to wipe her face, and then marched straight through the square and strode into the Church, pausing only to salute to the Watchmen guarding the entrance of the building. Once we entered the Church, we encountered Deacon Manfeuh.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
I bowed politely to the church official, who was dressed in the red robe and white cross that reflected his high station within the Church. "Good afternoon, Brother Manfeuh," I greeted.
"Good afternoon, Brother Mulligan," the clergyman replied.
"We have an urgent report for Bishop Canterbury," Captain Maisen said after saluting the man.
"I will take you to him," the deacon replied. He led us down the hallway, made a left turn, and took us in front of a door that I recognized as the bishop's study. Manfeuh knocked on the door. "Holy One, the Captain of the Watch is here to deliver a report," he said.
A moment later, the door opened and behind it stood Enab, the personal assistant of the bishop. "Please come in," he said and held the door open for us.
As Deacon Manfeuh started to turn away from the door, Enab listened to the instructions of the Bishop and then called out, "The bishop requests your presence as well, deacon."
The cleric was surprised by the request but nonetheless entered the study and stood behind me.
The captain knelt and kissed the back of Bishop Canterbury's hand and I repeated the gesture. The deacon started to approach but His Grace held up his hand to decline the offering.
"We encountered drows in front of the bathhouse," Maisen reported. "Disguising themselves as high-elf merchants, they were pushing a pushcart carrying three children buried under a load of hay. Lord Mulligan unveiled their true nature and we prevented the pushcart from crossing the bridge. However, the drows managed to escape with smoke bombs." She then untied the red evidence sack and placed its contents on the table. She slowly unwrapped the two rags, revealing the broken pieces of a glass vial and the gooey substance.
The bishop looked over at the deacon. "Please identify the light-green substance," he ordered.
Deacon Manfeuh stepped closer to the desk. He grabbed his truth stone with his left hand and held out his right hand over the table. The old cleric closed his eyes and cast the spell: "By the gods of law and order, by the all-encompassing knowledge and wisdom of Musa, I seek to identify!" A beam of soft, blue light shot out of the stone and slowly enveloped the rag. The light pulsed for a few seconds and then dissipated into tiny motes that funneled into the spell caster's right palm. As the goddess spoke the words into his mind, Manfeuh repeated them out loud, "Jabberwort Roots. It is found only deep within the Cambrian Mountains."
When the divinity released its hold on her servant, the deacon opened his tired eyes. Now, Manfeuh understood why His Eminence requested Manfeuh's presence—to make the deacon expend his energy to cast holy magic in place of the bishop. The cleric's suspicion was confirmed when the bishop said, "Thank you, Brother. You may return to your work." Keeping his anger in check, Deacon Manfeuh bowed deeply to the bishop and quietly exited the study.
Before Enab closed the door, the bishop held up his hand. "Captain Maisen, I thank you for your report. I have further matters to discuss with Initiate Mulligan."
Captain bowed and quickly left the study, too.
After the young assistant locked the door, Enab dropped his illusion and regained the demonic form of Lord Bane.
"Why are you kidnapping children?" I asked the demi-god of chaos bluntly.
Bishop Canterbury winced at both the ignorant question and the accusatory tone that I used to address the demon.
Thankfully, Lord Bane did not take offense. "Kekeke," the demon wagged an index finger at me. "Are you no longer afraid of me? Should I drag you back to my torture chamber? Should I ask my lovely daughter to spend some quality time with you?"
My face quickly turned pale at the thought of being alone with Jasla. While the demoness was a lovely creature, I suspected that she had a malevolent nature that was far worse than her father's. If I were left alone with her, she would probably turn me into a Ken Barbie doll! I recoiled in horror!
"Ah, much better," Lord Bane grinned and flapped his wings as he noted that I had immediately lost my confidence. "To correct your ignorance, I am pained to remind you, Larry, that I am not the only god of chaos. Nor do I command the drows. Only one goddess of the pantheon has that authority and you should direct your scorn at her instead of me," he tut-tutted and wagged his finger again.
"Please forgive my ignorant presumption," I apologized and bowed deeply. I felt someone whack my lower back. Hard. I immediately received a pop-up message that read, "-4 Health." Ouch.
"Kekeke. You're a Player Character who joined our world recently. You wouldn't know any better," the demon replied dismissively.
"I will teach him more of our gaming world," Bishop Canterbury offered politely. He didn’t want me to be dragged back to the demon’s home again. There were only so many times a god of chaos will generously allow his guests to leave, and the cleric did not want to tempt fate.
Suddenly, pale-blue light flooded the study.
Lord Bane noted the color and groaned.
"Perhaps, I should teach him," a deep, matronly voice said.