Danica awoke on the hardwood floor, physically rested, but mentally drained. She’d debated on spending her time that night amongst the buried dead, but changed her mind after seeing a rather large spider feasting upon a rat. Opting for less infested spaces, she proceeded through the tunnels until she’d come back to the warehouse basement. It was dark and mostly empty, perfect for hiding away from the troubles above.
It was here she’d fought Galen, plunging her blade into his foul heart and ending his reign of terror. If she looked hard enough, she could almost make out the blood stains on the floor where his body had been. Her vision was filled with nothing but gray and black though, so maybe it was just her imagination taking over.
There was a ladder leading up, and after several attempts she was able to break open the latch holding it shut. The aged wood splintered apart as rusted metal bent to the side, echoing throughout the mostly empty downstairs room. Up above were rows upon rows of meticulously crafted wooden furniture, covered with layers of dust and random debris. Tables and chairs, bookshelves and dressers, it was enough to fill dozens of homes with comfortable furniture. Yet here is sat, unused and possibly forgotten about.
She ran a finger over the fine layer of dust on a nearby bed frame. “How much better would I have slept on this?”
It was a moot point anyways. She’d not be going back to sleep here again. There was either a home to return back to, or she was going to get away from this damned city. It was time to find out what it would be.
Finding the front door and unlocking it, she peeked out into the morning light. The stench of burned wood instantly assaulted her senses, as did the switch to color vision, but there was nothing more than that. No mobs of angry citizens anywhere, just a few simple looking folk carrying on about their business.
A young mother and her son drew near, carrying a basket of various goods over her shoulder. They looked somewhat rough, but had weathered the night well by the looks of it. Danica waited a moment longer before opening the doorway further.
“Have the riots ended?” she asked the woman.
The woman looked at her, eyes filing with fear. “By the gods, please don’t hurt us.” She fell back a step, barely avoiding tripping over her own child.
Danica rolled her eyes and sighed. “Just answer the question. Are the riots over?”
The woman grabbed hold of the boy and continued to back away. “Lord Rowan stopped them. Please, just stay away from us!”
Danica watched them for a moment, annoyed at both the unnecessary rudeness, as well as the lack of details. It was rather unlikely she’d get any more information by hiding in the shadows and asking passerby for current events. If she wanted to know more, she’d need to get out there and see things for herself.
She went back inside and rummaged around some boxes stacked against the wall. Inside one of them she discovered some bundled cloth and cords. It looked to be window drapes, or perhaps part of some bedding, but the original function mattered little. Within moments she’d fashioned a rugged semblance of a hooded cloak and then wrapped her sword into a cloth bundle, tying it up tightly against her. She’d blend in well enough with the crowds from a distance, but anyone taking a closer look would recognize her easily enough.
She left the warehouse and began to make her way back towards the barracks, head down, avoiding any unwanted attention. No one cares about you when you simply blend into the background and seem unimportant. Standing out at the moment was probably a bad idea with so many people still on edge and nervous.
Her route took her down the road running by the cathedral and cemetery. A small crowd had gathered near the now closed gates leading to the steps of the great building. A black robed man was standing on a box, yelling something at them. Curiosity tugged at her to get closer and find out what was happening and what he was saying.
“Please disperse,” he said. “The cathedral will remain closed until a thorough investigation has been conducted.”
That wasn’t anything too interesting to her though. She knew the priest and his goons were lying dead upon the floor, as they deserved to be. She started to continue along the road when suddenly she noticed the bright crimson symbol on his chest when he turned in her direction. Sombec had told her that the Red Suns were coming, and it appears that he was telling the truth.
A man from the crowd shouted out, asking about the priest in charge. “All I know,” said the robed figure, “is that the man who was in charge here has been arrested and charged with treason. If you want to know more, Lord Rowan is giving a speech from his palace.”
Arrested? She shook her head, trying to make sense of what she’d just heard. Corpses weren’t charged with crimes unless there was a very good reason for it. She took a moment to debate on heading back to the barracks or to find out what Rowan had to say. She worried about it for a moment, wondering if he might be seeking her out. Was it worth the risk to investigate?
She made up her mind, but didn’t enjoy the thought of seeing Rowan or even hearing his voice. If everything else Sombec had told her was true, he was the one responsible for her suffering, as well as the recent troubles. Getting close to him wouldn’t be easy with all the protection he had around him at all times. He was a powerful man within the city, but one day she’d make him explain himself for the misery he put her through. It wouldn’t be today, but it would be one day.
She turned from the small group gathered there and made her way to the plaza in front of the palace. It was a beautiful park-like area filled with many decorations and walkways. Though beautiful by many standards, it all felt so wrong at the same time. She’d seen it before, but had preferred to spend her time lying against the grassy areas, looking up at the silvery stars shining through a blackened sky.
The closer she got, the more people seemed to appear. By the time she’d arrived at the outskirts of the plaza, the crowd was getting almost too thick for comfort. Danica leaned back against the cool stone wall of a nearby building looking ahead at the massive throng of citizens that had gathered to hear their lord speak to them. There was no way she wanted to get any closer than what she was already, so this spot would have to do, though even with her heightened vision, she could barely make out what was happening, let alone hear them.
Monks, accompanied by soldiers, stayed towards the outskirts of the gathered people with large wagons nearby. It wasn’t apparent at first, but it appeared as if they were offering food and water to the people in the crowd. It was just another tactic to calm the people and ingratiate the red suns into their lives. They were already doing so much more than she’d seen the Church of Light ever do for them. Perhaps they weren’t so bad, but they’d aligned themselves with someone who was.
She noticed a few moments later, something missing from the crowd that didn’t sit particularly right with her. The city watch was completely absent, it appeared. Perhaps Landon thought it best if they lay low for a day or so to let the tempers towards them calm down some. Surely he’d made it through the night alright. The man was tough and capable, and wouldn’t throw his own life away needlessly.
She took one more look around and decided that maybe it would be best if she headed back to the barracks instead. There seemed little point in attending this event if there was nothing to see or hear, being so far away from the palace. There were other places she’d rather be anyways, and her concern for Landon was starting to override her other thoughts.
Right as soon as Danica took that first step, trumpets began blaring out, giving her immediate pause. No musicians were anywhere nearby from what she could see, yet she heard them clear as day. A few in the crowd seemed to react in a similar fashion, looking around in confusion, but most faced towards the palace in anticipation. They were ready for the Lord of Norport to address their fears and concerns.
As the music died down, a man in red stepped to the balcony and held up his arms towards the people. “My esteemed and wonderful citizens,” he called out.
“That’s not possible,” she whispered out, clearly dumbfounded at how his voice could carry so far away.
“I have heard your plight, and it has reached my heart,” he continued. “For too long, I have listened to the honeyed lies of the judicial council. They told me that all was well and that the people were content. I now know that it was not so. I will personally start seeing the day to day operations of this great city once more as did my ancestors before me. No longer will taxes be a burden, no longer will food be a concern, and no longer will your safety ever be at risk.”
The people cheered loudly at the proclamation, already showing enthusiasm for some needed changes. Danica understood as well as anyone what an empty plate felt like, so she couldn’t fault them there. The taxes were a given as well. But the citizens had been relatively safe for many years barring recent troubles, and those should be at an end now. She almost felt sick to her stomach wondering what that last part was about.
He waited a moment for them to calm before resuming. “We have brought with us many of the monks from the Red Sun order, as you may have already seen. They have offered to help us with several tasks such as aid distribution, a new hospital, and rebuilding new homes within the city. They will also be founding a new school for the magically gifted as well.”
Few people cheered and some even booed out against the mention of magic being brought near to them. She’d personally had enough dealings with magic to never want to be around it again.
He didn’t bother waiting this time to see how they took that bit of news. “For too long, we have shunned those with mystical talents and forbidden them from this great nation. I have seen what men and women born with the spark are capable of, and I honestly believe that they can make our everyday lives better. They can cure the sickest among you, give you ever burning fire, or any number of things you can hardly imagine. I will personally ensure that they work for you, my great people of Norport.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The people cheered again, yet she still felt ill over it. How easy the people were placated when just a few hours ago they were burning down their own city in anger. These were the promises of a politician, and only that. She felt as if they should reserve their applauding of this man until after he had delivered all this greatness to them.
Rowan waited a few moments, allowing the gathered masses to celebrate the promises of a new tomorrow. “I must now turn to serious matters.” The crowd, almost as one, quieted down upon hearing that. “The judicial council had manipulated you good people, willing to sacrifice you and your families lives, all in an attempt to seize the reins of power for themselves. Elnar Perrin, the leader of the conspirators, killed the other four in order to rule alone as your new lord.”
Rowan gave a brief pause while several men appeared on the roof of the palace. Many of them seemed to be soldiers, their bright colors standing in stark contrast to the pale stone beneath them. The others with them did not appear to be part of the military though, but she couldn’t seem to make out any more details than that.
The lord, his mood seeming to become more excited, spoke out. “I present to you, Judicial Councilman Elnar Perrin. For the crime of treason, of which he has professed guilt, I hereby sentence him to death.”
One of the men was pushed off the roof, his momentum coming to an abrupt halt when the rope around his neck became taut. The people stood in stunned silence for only the briefest moment before erupting into celebration. Danica looked around at them, seeing such jovial faces among the many. How is it that people found such joy in the death of others? She thought back upon her recent actions and wondered for a moment if maybe she’d taken too much pleasure from seeing others die as well. Was she really so different?
Rowan allowed the people their celebration for a brief time before resuming the ceremony at hand. “The council did not act alone. They used your religious piety against you, making deals with those who were supposed to serve the gods of light. These false priests would take your donations and spend it upon illicit substances, women of pleasure, and strong drink, while you went without. Chief among them, Sombec Martin, the head priest of the cathedral of light.”
She scanned the men on the roof while he read out the rest of the names and saw a large man, clearly not dead, but wearing the robe of the head priest nonetheless. Had they really gotten someone to stand in for him? So many questions began to swirl through her head. Nothing seemed right anymore.
“I present to you, High Priest Sombec Martin, and the others who participated with him. For the crime of treason, of which they have professed their guilt, I hereby sentence them all to death.”
One by one the men were pushed off the roof, stopped by the nooses around their neck. Sombec, being the last one pushed, continued sailing to the ground. His rope somehow breaking or coming loose from the attachment. She knew that couldn’t have been him though, and she felt some amount of pity for the unfortunate man while others seemed to laugh at the antics of the execution.
Rowan gave them their moment and even chuckled about it as well. She could actually hear him laughing somehow. “Your safety is of utmost concern to me. That a crazed killer could take so many lives…”
“There you are, girl!” a gruff voice called out from behind her as powerful hands pulled against her makeshift cloak.
She’d cleared her knife from the leather holder and nearly stabbed the big man before recognizing him. “I could have killed you, Dannig. Let go of me!”
“Put the damn pig sticker away before you draw anymore attention,” he growled. “They’re looking for you.”
“Who’s they?” she asked, clearly annoyed at his refusal to stop pulling at her.
They went into a nearby alleyway where guardsmen Wellis and Corbis, neither wearing their uniforms, were waiting with nervous expressions. Dannig finally released his grip on her cloak, instead opting to place a hand on her back, continuing to usher her forward.
“Who is looking for me?,” she repeated.
“Jorin and the others with him,” Wellis replied. “We’ve been looking for you all morning and so have they.”
“Where’s Landon? She asked.”
Her answer came only a moment later when she heard Rowan call out his name. “Landon Marshall, the captain of the Norport city watch.”
“No. No it can’t be…” She said, turning around.
Immediately Dannig was in front of her, the big man trying his best to hold her back from it. “Nothing you can do about it, girl.”
“I present to you, Captain Landon Marshall.”
She pushed forward as hard as her legs would allow, making him take a step back. “We can’t just leave him.”
“For the crime of treason, of which he has professed guilt...”
The two other guardsman joined in, trying to pull her back away from the gathered crowd ahead. She shot her hand forward, trying desperately to reach out to the man who had saved her those years ago. The memory of the day he stood against the mother matron, tall and in command, flashed brilliantly in her mind.
“I hereby sentence him to…”
She managed to somehow push harder against them, remembering how happy she’d been with her new purple dress he and Angela had purchased for her. Neither of them owed her anything, yet time and again they went out of their way for her. The parents she’d never known but always wanted. She’d already lost her adoptive mother, and now they were about to take her father away as well.
“Death.”
“NO!” she yelled out, dropping to her knees.
The people cheered, and Danica knew it was over. Her legs went numb from the sheer exhaustion and lack of will to even try anymore. The three guardsmen picked her up and carried her to a nearby wagon, placing her gently into the back. A white blanket was placed over her then, but she simply just didn’t even care enough to ask why by that point. A moment later the vehicle began to move over the rough cobbled streets at a steady pace.
Danica had no idea where they were going or how long it would take. All she could think about was Landon and the fact that he had just been killed. He’d been murdered, and the very people he once cared so much about celebrated. Those thoughts seemed to drain all the strength from her young body.
She didn’t even bother to really look over at Corbis as he lifted the blanket. “We’re approaching the gates. Don’t move a muscle or make a sound.”
He didn’t really need to tell her. She had no desire to do anything anymore.
“Hold,” a voice called out. “What’s your purpose for leaving the city?”
“Burying the dead,” Dannig yelled out to them. “There’s not an unused coffin to be found and these men deserve a proper burial.”
There was a sound of rustling cloth nearby and then a different man spoke out. “Dead bodies, Sir. Men of the city watch.”
Danica tensed up, realising then that she’d been bundled up amongst several other corpses. It wasn’t really so much being around the dead that bothered her, it was that the bodies were most likely people she’d known for years. How many men had they lost that night?
There was a moment of tense silence before the first voice spoke out again. “Let ‘em through.”
The wagon began to move again, leaving the city proper behind them. She dared not move though until she felt the softer dirt road beneath the wheels of the wagon. It was only then that she took a peek out from under the blanket at the other bundles heaped up with her. Much of the white wrappings had been stained a dirty dark crimson from the drying blood of the corpses beneath them.
She tossed the blanket off of her and sat up. “What in damnation is happening?”
Wellis, who had been riding along on the back edge, looked over at her. “That’s what we’d like to know.”
Dannig pulled the wagon to a stop. “Word is, you killed that damn priest. That true, girl?”
She was somewhat shocked that they’d know, but there was no point in lying about it at this point. “It is. I killed him, but they somehow managed to execute him this morning as well.”
Corbis glared at her. “Landon was arrested for being an accessory to that murder.”
She dropped her head, feeling waves of guilt wash over her.
“Settle it down, Corbis.” Dannig grumbled at him. “Let the girl tell what she knows.”
It took a moment for Danica to find her voice, but when she did, she explained everything to them. Garwin setting up the place for her arrival, Sombec’s confession that the entire riot had been planned by Rowan, and even the use of magical power. All three of them listened intently to the tale being unfolded to them. Not a single one of them seemed to have a doubt in their minds that any of it was untrue.
“What of everything on your side?” she asked them after finishing her story.
Corbis was the first to respond. “The auxiliaries seized control of the barracks and ransacked everything related to you and Landon. They wanted to know where you were at, but none of us knew anything.”
She noticed then, the signs of grief paining the man. “Where’s Erinore?”
The man sighed and hung his head. “To your left.”
“I’m sorry to hear it,” she said, feeling the bitter pain of his loss. “You both patrolled by the orphanage when I was younger, and it meant alot to me. It felt as if you kept me safe.”
He nodded to her. “And I’m sorry we never gave you the respect you deserved. Wellis? I believe you had something to say also.”
The younger man jumped off the wagon and stretched, obviously exhausted from the long ordeal he’d been through. “Landon sent us to deliver a message to Jorin’s group to meet up back at the barracks. By the time we made it through, Jorin had joined up with Rowan. They were heading for the palace together.”
Dannig harrumphed loudly. “Sounds like that bastard was in on it all as well.”
“So what was it all for?” Danica asked aloud, understanding that no one would actually have the answer. “Rowan’s at the center of it all, we know that much at least. I still don’t get why I’m involved either.”
None of them had any more insight into the happenings of the city or the mystery surrounding the young dark elf girl. Danica knew they’d shared as much information with one another as they had, but it only added to the list of unknown possibilities. There wasn’t much point in standing around in silence anymore, especially still being this close to the city.
“Where to now?” She asked Dannig, who held the reins tightly.
He set the horses forward again in a steady trot. “Yeville. You can lay low there for the time.”
She understood what he meant and had no argument against it. “And the rest of you?”
Corbis looked back at her and shrugged. “Dannig and I are going back. Norport it’s the only home we’ve ever known, though I suspect we’ll have to find new employment.”
“I’m done with it,” Wellis said, walking along the side of the wagon. “I’m heading south to live with my parents and take up carpentry with the rest of my family.”
Danica jumped off the wagon, and began to walk alongside Wellis. It was a long road ahead, but she was confident that she would be able to make it through anything, despite the burdens of guilt weighing her down. There were many questions still to be answered, and they would be one day. For now, it was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.