CHAPTER 91: Gangster boss subjugation

Leaving the dathrod sitting in the middle of the sparring arena like a caged lion in a circus ring, I left Hana to continue visiting with the King and decided to go to the stores with Karato to collect whatever stuff lay there. That King Leopold decided to just hand it to me still seemed unbelievable, but I certainly wouldn’t look the gift horse in the mouth. Somehow, I felt like I had just received a junk yard as a gift, but even I had to admit a junk yard had some value. After leaving out a few items Karato decided may have more value than what the king realised, Karato left me to my devices, and I let the scolems out to absorb the remainder of the items.

Most of the things Karato removed were weapons that were kingdom class or anything with royal emblems that would have no benefit to me but could damage the king’s reputation should they be misused. I had no machinations for those things anyhow. Eventually he left me alone there because he couldn’t stand seeing everything go. Perhaps it was just as well, I swear he had hoarding tendencies.

Finally, standing in the last room with all the shelves emptied of any remaining items, I noticed one of the scolems seemed preoccupied with something it couldn’t reach, stuck under a shelf against the wall.

“Huh, what have we here?”

It seemed focused on an object hidden underneath a bottom shelf. After removing the shelf, I pulled out a square, heavy wooden box. It’s complex locking mechanism on the lid didn’t stand a chance with my earth skill and when I opened it my eyes nearly popped out of my head. The object looked far too familiar to me.

“No way.”

A large round metal looking sphere the size of a bowling ball lay in a satin cushioned interior. I didn’t dare touch the thing because the last time I did my whole bloody life changed. However, I sensed an opportunity to better understand the object.

When the core absorbed the item, Ara gave me a surprising result.

Since Ara deactivated its automatic store function, when the sphere re-emerged from the core, I could safely pick it up without disappearing into the metal sphere.

“Ok. Now to see who our hitchhiker is…oh my goodness!”

The king’s attendant rushed me to the king’s office. King Leopold and Hana sat there in conversation, while drinking some tea.

“Ah, Shane, you are back. Did you find anything you like?”

“Actually, I found something of far more value to you.”

I said while smiling broadly.

“Really, what is that?”

I asked the attendant to let the person from the metal ball in. When the king realised who just walked into the room he exclaimed.

“A…Amelda…is that you?”

In front of him was Amelda, his wife, the queen of Aryonne, dressed the same as the day she disappeared.

“Gregory. What’s going on?”

The king’s face said it all. He rushed to her and hugged her in a way only a husband can. King Leopold broke down into tears. Hana and I couldn’t help crying at the heart-warming reunion, even the prim and proper attendant couldn’t hide the tears running down his face. For Queen Leopold it was if she had just left. For her, the shock of seeing her husband so suddenly aged was of more concern. I liked her. She looked beautiful, calm, wise and caring.

“Where have you been all this time? What happened to you?”

“Gregory, everything’s changed. You look older.”

We decided to leave them alone and the attendant asked us to wait in an office next door. There was a big chair with a leather couch where that Hana and I could just lay on and relax. I had a feeling they would come looking for us when they were ready. A long while later the attendant woke me up. I realised that we both fell asleep. Drool ran down the side of my face and I had bed hair. Heavens, just how long had Hana and I slept for? I noticed the secretary was pointing behind me at the king and queen who were now looking at me.

I jumped up in surprise just as they rushed me in a massive hug. I had no words for that moment. The queen was kissing me on the head and the king had us both in a bear hug squeeze. I could feel wet tears all over my face. It was the best baptism I ever had, and I confess I cried all over again as well. Once the emotions slowed down, we found a moment to talk. I explained how I discovered Queen Leopold and how the sphere entrapped her.

“When she appeared she just asked me what I was doing. I didn’t know who she was until she told me.”

She explained from her point of view.

“When he suddenly appeared in front of me, I thought that he had done something to the count. One moment I stood in a corridor conversing with someone and the next I was standing in the treasury room with Shane. From my perspective I was suddenly transported to another place. Time never changed for me. Imagine my shock when Shane explained that seven years has passed. I couldn’t believe it until he showed me the palace attendant whom I immediately recognised.”

Queen Leopold sat down next to me. Taking my hand, she invited me to sit next to her, but she didn’t let go of my hand. Instead, she started talking to me as if I were a close friend.

“Dear Shane. I cannot begin to comprehend or understand what you have done for me, my family, our kingdom. I just wanted to thank you for saving me. I don’t have anything that I can give you except this…I will always be your protector. Please feel free to call me Amelda.”

“Protector?”

Wasn’t it usually the knight that protected the queen?

“Gregory described your situation for me. You will find yourself increasingly in the line of fire from nobles who will not enjoy your close relationship with us. As such they will try to alienate you from us and target you and the ones you love. I know this is the case because I was caught in that infernal trap because of other’s evil machinations.”

“Who would dare attack the queen of Aryonne in our palace?”

Said King Leopold in a tone that sent chills down my spine. Making King Leopold an enemy would be a major mistake.

“Count Karrelli.”

“Count Karrelli, the science advisor that retired two moon cycles ago. I heard he went back to his hometown.”

Queen Leopold explained.

“It was he who asked me to touch the sphere. He presented it to me in a box when I was walking back to this office. He pulled me aside, saying he needed to show me something in confidence and when I touched it…Shane suddenly stood in front of me. Little did I know the man schemed to use it as a trap.”

King Leopold frowned, there was more to the story.

“Count Karrelli made it seem the Entwine Kingdom had kidnapped her. He even advised me to attack them in retaliation. I declined because there was no unmistakable evidence that they had kidnapped her, nor was there any demand from the Entwine Kingdom for a ransom.”

“It is only providence that you did not react to my disappearance, for that I thank you from the deepest part of my heart. It would have been a deep sadness for me to have reappeared only to discover other people had died because of me.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Um, I am still not sure why I need a protector?”

“Because if someone looks for trouble with you in future, they will first have to deal with me. I will make that public knowledge.”

I didn’t know what to say. It was a beautiful gesture, and she didn’t hesitate to bestow it on me.

“You don’t even know me, but I deeply appreciate your kindness. I accept your offer, although considering some of the issues in my life, it may test your resolve.”

She laughed from the bottom of her stomach in an unassuming way. I couldn’t help but be disarmed by her graces.

“I look forward to getting to know you better but for now there is a lot more I need to catch up on.”

She had no idea what was going to come her way. I left the royal family to reacquaint themselves and I left the inn with Sustelia the next morning to initiate Project Pandora Moth. Key to its success, finding my proselytes and recruiting a few new ones.

Finding a few people whose foreheads were branded with a bugs bunny lookalike may seem like a difficult task in a city with over a hundred thousand people. Luckily their level of intelligence wasn’t a factor and we found them in the usual hangout spot where Hana and I had previously encountered them. By that time all of them forgot their pledge to give to the poor by handing their wealth to me, and no doubt anyone in their gang who dared mention anything about that day would sorely regret it.

By the time Laurel and Hardy realised it was me marching down the road towards them, it was too late for them to run. It may have been Sustelia that misled them since Hana was their executioner last time, and obviously Sustelia looked nothing like Hana. They of course were manning their usual unofficial toll gate system, selectively picking on unwary customers happening to find them after turning a blind corner. Without speaking a word, Sustelia proceeded to clean up the place, leaving a few bloodied people lying around like inky squid on the deck of a ship. I picked up Laurel, the brain of the duo, well just a bit more, and sat him on the steps he had just regally equipped on a moment before.

“Who’s in charge.”

“I am.”

I poked him hard on the head, directly on the rabbit icon branded on his forehead, hidden underneath a bandanna.

“You know you shouldn’t hide such a nice symbol. Now, think carefully about what you say next. Who’s in charge?”

“You are.”

I think he got the message. I smiled my best toothpaste smile.

“Now you’re going to listen and do exactly what I tell you to do, otherwise this lovely lady here is going to show you a good time you’ll never forget.”

“Why do you keep hurting me, I did nothing to you?”

“Let’s just say you’re still paying for the first time you angered me. But that’s your fault, not mine. Now listen. I’m a forgiving guy. I’m willing to forget how you made me angry in the past and if you swear your allegiance to me right now, I’ll make sure you benefit far more than you are now.”

“But the boss will kill me if I do that!”

Bingo, that was the information I was looking for.

“Sure, he probably would. But what if you took me to him and let me ask him nicely.”

“But the boss will kill me if I do that!”

It seemed we were going in self-defeating circles.

“Is your boss stronger than you?”

“Er…yes.”

“Is he stronger than me?”

“Er…yes.”

I think he felt pressured to defend his boss in that situation.

“Then surely he shouldn’t have any problems with me. And besides, does your boss need you to look after him?”

“No.”

“Well, there you go.”

I lifted Laurel up and dusted him off.

“You lead the way and I’ll follow.”

As we left, Sustelia whispered something.

“You’re really mean you know? Expecting me to do your dirty work. You could’ve just as easily sorted them out.”

“You’re correct but that’s not the point. They need to see I’m the boss, only then will they respect me. Of course, the day will come when they’ll challenge me when you’re not around, but then I’ll pull my ace out of my sleeve and remind them of who’s really the boss.”

Sustelia could only shake her head as she followed me.

“And who are you?”

Said the hulk of a man on his big chair in the middle of a small, dimly lit warehouse positioned in one of the nearby districts. Laurel led us right to Boss, the main ringleader, the big kahuna. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to find him. That old saying of it’s who you know, not what, suddenly seemed so true. He looked like a typical monk fighter on RPGs. He sported the muscles, square set jaw, penetrating eyes, and long brown hair. He wore brown leather leggings and a short-sleeved coat with interior woolly lining. The collar of the jacket came short to under his stubbled chin. He looked totally overpowered compared to his minions that surrounded him, a man not to be trifled with.

“This is the man that branded us boss.”

Laurel interjected.

“Shut up. I wasn’t asking you.”

I flashed my Mona Lisa smile. I think I had it down pat by then.

“Who me? Oh, I’m nobody important.”

“You’re not as dumb as you make out. I respect that. Both of you leave before I change my mind.”

“You and I both know we won’t survive to tomorrow if we did that.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Nothing major, just for you to accept me as your new boss. I’m not planning to change anything much, you can carry on as usual, please don’t mind me.”

The man called Boss stared at me until I started developing a complex about it.

“Is there a problem?”

I asked, as if ignorant about the tension in the room.

“I’m trying to figure that out. Either you’re brave because you know you’re stronger, or you’re really stupid. In either case I’m still going to smash you to a pulp.”

“I like you. I’d prefer not to fight. But if I have no choice, I’ll give you permission to fight with me.”

“What about your woman friend there. Don’t you normally let your women do the fighting? I’ll tell you what, I’ll even let her help you.”

“In this case, my woman friend as you call her wouldn’t stand a chance against you. As it is, even I’ll need a little assistance to defeat you, so I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Assistance from who?”

“Not who…what.”

“Okay, be mysterious. It makes it more interesting.”

When he stood the man towered nearly half a height higher than me and nearly twice my width with all his muscles. There was no doubt how he came to be in his position in the gangs, I doubted it was his lovable character. He didn’t wait for me but immediately pulled out a broad sword from a scabbard next to his throne-like chair. That was a big sword, so there were people in the world that used things like that. I indicated to Sustelia to stand back. She gave me look as if to ask if I was nuts, but we didn’t have any time to discuss the issue because in three large strides their boss reached within striking distance of me.

I didn’t move. He didn’t swing his sword down onto me but chose to skewer me with it instead which made life easier for me. Just as the tip of his sword was about to reach me, I opened a small transfer gate in front of me, slightly larger than the width of the blade. In the dim light of the room, even those who were looking couldn’t see the small, dark, gate. Those who did probably doubted their eyes, never having seen anything comparable in their lives. From the boss’ perspective, the length of his sword entered a small black hole, which then disappeared along with the sword blade except the handle. His confusion at only the handle remaining in his hand dissipated when a burning pain suddenly hit him in the shoulder from behind, as his broadsword blade pierced through his shoulder blade from behind him. The red colour of blood stained his jacket as he fell to his knees.

I had opened a transfer gate in front of me, then reopened it behind the boss. He provided the original thrust, the momentum of which skewered his own right shoulder from behind. His sword clattered on the ground as he dropped it, his entire right hand and arm hanging uselessly at his side. With that he dropped to his knees, while looking at the blood spreading over his chest.

“How did you… that was a good jacket.”

He knew no one other than me stood near him, yet somehow that sword appeared behind him. He looked down at his shoulder, the blade sticking out of him was his own sword. Not letting him think too much about it, I drew my sword and placed it at his neck.

“Acknowledge me as leader or lose your head.”

While still holding his bleeding shoulder with the blade protruding through it, he bowed his head.

“I acknowledge your leadership. I’m yours to command.”

‎