The knight would drive the carriage through Rottingham, noticing the tall harpy harus, and the haru with wings were known as the dragonborn. Those dragonborn stood watch on top of the city’s roofs as well on high perches with their guns at the ready as well as grenades. They were often referred to as the ‘Grenadiers’ and they were the ‘Sky Watch’ of the Iron Fist Guards. When the friar was brought to the cathedral, it was Lee’s ex-wife that came to collect the friar from him with the help of other Iron Fist Guards of the Cathedral…
“Lee…”, she greeted him and he smiled at her, bowing his head. “Asa.”, she smiled back at him and looked at his horses that she petted while he continued to marvel at her beauty.
Asa was a beautiful Japanese woman with green eyes and red lips. She had beautiful long raven hair and wore a beautiful black uniform resembling those of Buddhist nuns that was decorated with old Japanese symbolism of the old world. She did not have a hood to cover her hair but rather strange antennas that were popular among Cyberpunk priestesses and built into the back of her uniform, at the top of the back of her neck collar was a mechanical-like sphere that looked like the extension of her neck collar from which chains hung down connecting to her uniform while others were detached. The sphere aided in holding her mechanical crown that rested upon her head and from which golden jewelry hung down to her body with a pendant of a golden sun in the center of her body. However, all that Lee thought about was the fond memories of when they were still married and when she wore the kimono outfit during their tea ceremonies. It was then that the two would switch from speaking English to Japanese to keep their affairs private.
“Another day, another time that you bring back that sinner to the cathedral.”, said Asa. “It ain’t my fault that the lord somehow keeps forgiving him for his sins.”, replied Lee and Asa sighed. “You need to stop serving him.”, Asa said and Lee sighed for he knew where this was going again. “I’m serious, Lee, you need to let it go.”, Asa added and then Lee shook his head.
“No, I am never going to let go of our family home. I want to leave our son with something before I pass away.”, said Lee. “You can start over, but you know that you both can’t do that as long as you owe the friar money and Lady Bethory has already forgiven our family for our son’s actions.”, Asa shared her thoughts and reminded Lee of what he already knows.
“There was nothing to forgive. Both the count and his squire wanted to duel. It is not my fault that my son bested them both in combat.”, the knight explained his thoughts. “You miss the point, Lee, but then again this is nothing new!”, she raised her voice at him and gave him a serious look of disapproval for she felt that he once more did not listen to her thoughts.
She then turned and walked away from Lee towards the cathedral as he stared at her from afar. He then thought about what she said and it dug deep into his mind before he decided to head home. Lee made his way towards the outskirts of the city to the south-west where his home was located. The mansion there was a Japanese home consisting of two stories and the garden that surrounded it had trees that beautifully concealed the place from the city even though it could still be seen in the background. There were many stones and paths built between those rocks that lead to the mansion along with a beautiful lake at the very front of it with many pink petals. Lee would return home to always light a match and place it in front of a statue in good prayer as there was another beside it that was placed by none other than his son who maintained their home in his absence. He was very proud of him. When the knight laid his eyes upon his son, his heart would swell with pride and feelings of joy and his son would smile at him before approaching his father only for them both to bow before one another. They would both then hug one another.
“Welcome home, father.”, said the knight’s son. “It’s good to be home, Kenji, but I am afraid I am going to have to leave again momentarily. I have to return the carriage the friar rented.”, the knight explained to his son that rolled his eyes and sighed. “The fat slob got drunk again?”, Kenji seemed to be well aware of the friar’s poor habits already and his father nodded his head.
“How goes the life of a woodward?”, asked Lee and Kenji shrugged his shoulders. “The same as always, no, actually, that’s not true…”, the son spoke to his father as they walked towards the mansion together. “Two pinders decided to desert their people. Do you remember George Greene or Sim Wakefield?”, his son continued to share what had transpired while Lee was gone.
“No…”, said Lee with disbelief. “They were one of our best suppliers. Why would they decide to desert us?”, he questioned his son that sighed. “According to a forester that was nearby when it happened, the pinders entered into a duel of swords with a gang of men and women that wore green and that also met their match while facing them. Both sides engaged in swordplay until a truce was made and the gang leader was impressed by their fighting prowess. He offered them a place among his group and they just simply deserted.”, all that Lee could think about is Robin and his band of Merry Men when Kenji told the story of the green gang that the pinders they had encountered, and he thought about how much he felt welcomed by them.
In a strange way, Lee longed for their company once again and hoped to truly one day encounter them once again but didn’t wish to share the encounter he had with his son. His son was a ‘Woodward’, the leader of the ‘Foresters’ surrounding the Kingdom, and this was the only job that his son was able to hold after he lost all potential means to be a knight.
“Interesting, if that forester ever drops by I’d like to speak with him to hear more about this gang in green.”, said Lee and Kenji smirked although seemingly disappointed. “Yeah, well, that one forester joined the King’s own ranger core and he hasn’t visited us ever since.”, replied Kenji and Lee patted his son’s back before they would both make it to the mansion porch.
Kenji and Lee would then lean down on their knees in front of a small table before Kenji was first to reach for a tea cup and then his father. They both raised their cups with both of their hands to salute each other in good will. They then each took a sip of the tea and placed it down on the table before father and son continued to talk once more.
“It’s not the first time this so called green gang has been a nuisance. I’m afraid that if they keep causing problems I’ll have to request the aid of that ranger core in order to deal with them. Three yeomen were supposed to be hanged only to escape into the arms of these brigands that saved them from facing our laws.”, Kenji shook his head thinking about it before sighing.
“I’m sorry, father, I shouldn’t be talking about work. You just came back…”, Kenji apologized and his father put the cup down, waving his hands. “Nonsense, my son, I am happy to hear about anything you share with me, anything…”, said Lee and Kenji fist bumped his chest gently twice.
“Well, how was your escort?”, asked Kenji. “Well, longer than I expected. The friar got freaking hammered and we encountered a group of brigands that I successfully dealt with in my own way. However, there was a problem with the carriage and by the time I took care of it we lost most of the day, and here I am a day later…”, Lee lied to his son although he also spoke truth and his son seemed to be annoyed by the presence of many bandits in the surrounding regions.
“Even my own father, a knight, encounters thieves within the King’s own forests. I’ll add this to my reports.”, said Kenji. “I also saw your mother at the cathedral and we talked for a while.”, Lee added to the conversation as Kenji nodded his head, lowering his head down in thought.
“No doubt about forgetting the debts that we owe to the friar and letting go of our ancestral home?”, asked Kenji and Lee sighed in return, staring down at the table like his own son just did. “Yea.”, said Lee. “Every time she visits she tells me how dishonorable it is to watch you serve the friar and she begs me to convince you to sell our home so you could be free finally .”, said Kenji.
“And what do you think, Kenji? Should I indulge your mother and sell our family home because I owe a man who so happened to have the money needed to save your life? No, this too will pass. I will pay back my debts and we will keep our ancestral home.”, explained Lee. “Father…”, the son would then lean over to his father and reach over his father’s shoulder with his right hand.
“They are our debts, OURS, not just yours and if you ever think you can’t do it anymore, that you aren’t going to make it…”, the son spoke and the father interrupted. “Kenji…”, but his son continued. “I won’t have it! Listen to me!”, Kenji raised his voice, interrupting his father.
“I don’t want to see you squander all the years that you might have left serving that fat fuck, years and time you could off instead spent with your friends, family and loved ones. You know that mother left due to your absence because of working so much in order to repay our debts and because she missed you. Hell, she still misses you, even I miss you because you’re away most of the time.”, his son vented out the frustrations of his mother and himself to his father who listened, nodded his head and felt sad about what was being shared at his table for it reminded him of everything that had transpired before and that was still transpiring due to that one duel that changed it all.
“I should get going…”, the father said before he stood up and his son did the same before reaching for his father’s arm. “I feel guilty too.”, said Kenji. “Guilty that it is through my actions, although the duels were honorable, that I killed those two men that have caused our family so much turmoil but if we have to give up our property so that you can feel free again, to spend more time with us…”, Kenji paused for his father hugged him back and embraced him, Lee didn’t have to say a word for his son to understand how much he was moved by Kenji’s words.
The father would then lean back, look at his son with pride and then pat his shoulder as his son reached for his father’s hand, he gently pat it and this allowed for his son to leave. As Lee was leaving, a tear formed in his right eye and he wiped it away for he was sad to admit that perhaps he would have to give up his ancestral home for his family that mattered to him most. The knight would head to return to the three story building that was the Sinful Sanctuary and on his way he saw the many street urchins and homeless folk that wandered the city streets. When he ventured into the ‘Red Light District’ of the city, due east of Rottingham, he would once more come across the many prostitutes that lingered throughout the city streets. He would take notice how they would sometimes befriend the street urchins, regardless of gender, and speak to them as well as gift them treats which he considered to be kind. Despite there being many guards here, they were often seeking the pleasurable company of the prostitutes and were distracted from their duties quite often which the knight didn’t mind as he was often distracted by the curtal friar. The district was also packed by the Curt Cut’s Clan, the Lord Sheriff of Rottingham’s gang, that was dressed in cowboy and cowgirl attire with fancy cowboy-like hats, black bandanas, and over all everything they wore on their uniform was dyed black. They carried revolvers and often served as pimps that protected the city prostitutes, and there were times they shot people plainly in the middle of the street with the Iron Fist Guard doing nothing to stop them. You could find human prostitutes that were often viewed as easy, elven malfhi prostitutes that were beautiful and often into heavy form of making men submit to their will, and harpy haru prostitutes that were tall, big, and muscular that served a dual purposes for when men or women needed them. What disgusted the knight was that he would often bear witness to members of the clergy seeking the company of the prostitutes despite it being viewed as a sin in their religion. There were windows around the district and behind them there were curtains where the knight often saw prostitutes before they would close them to give their clients privacy from the outside world. There were a lot of beautiful and alluring women the knight put his sights upon but there were also those prostitutes who appeared to be pregnant along with homeless people that seemed to be injecting drugs into their bodies. The Red Light District was a cesspool of profanity, prostitution, drunken stupor, gambling and streetwalkers. The Sinful Sanctuary was the main hub from where it all started.
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“Lee Verysdale?”, said one of the Curt Cut’s Clansmen. “Yes?”, Lee confirmed. “The boss is waiting for you inside.”, the clansman told him and Lee would then stare at the three story building once more before deciding to approach it.
The Sinful Sanctuary is where most patrons enjoyed their time in the company of women and men prostitutes alike but mainly women. There were side benches where prostitutes sat, that laid down in perfect display to any customers that could take interest. There were haru watching over them from the rooftop above with several other human guards, probably the procurers, which were among them. The knight proceeded to walk up the four steps that lead to the front door and he moved through the crowds of men feeling the women they held in their arms before finally entering the first floor that had its own fireplace, bar, dance polls and it resembled more of a strip club with red lights. The fireplace was more like a pit from which the fire burned and the bar was a sphere surrounding it. There were four dance polls and four platforms where the strippers danced for everyone. It was then that one approached the knight with a mask, feeling his hand with her fingers, and walking away. She looked back at him one last time trying to get his attention but failed as the knight wasn’t interested from the very beginning.
“Lee!”, Thomas called the knight from afar that looked at the encroaching Lord Sheriff. “I am so happy that you made it!”, the man was in the company off two prostitutes dressed like French maids that looked at the knight alluringly, their expressions always seeming attracted to the man.
“I left one the barrels as per our agreement in the back of the carriage, Lord Sheriff. We good?”, the knight wanted to make it fast as he had elsewhere to be. “Oh, we’re good, we’re good, but tell me…”, the sheriff replied before gesturing towards his surroundings.
“What do you think?” the sheriff asked and the knight shrugged. “It looks like a fine well done establishment, Mr. Curt. Truly a sanctuary for all kinds of sinners.”, the knight replied. “Precisely!”, the sheriff agreed. “Come, come, let us talk upstairs.”, the knight looked uneasy when the sheriff told him about this but he decided to accompany the man anyway.
They walked through the second floor that was host to many private booths and small rooms where prostitutes entertained private guests. The knight walked through these halls with the sheriff only to take notice of a lady carrying a fox mask that was sitting on the lap of one of the customers. He felt something oddly familiar about her but couldn’t make it out and as he looked away he proceeded to make his way up the stairs to the next level, but what he could not see was her green eyes looking back at him for she had recognized him as well. The third floor, however, was far different compared to the rest as Thomas had to knock on the door and a hatch opened as a large beat was heard coming from the inside and the sound of loud music. The guard that looked through the peep hole then quickly shut the hatch and opened the door to allow his boss to enter along with the knight as there was a large square shaped platform in the center surrounded by a cage where there was a malfhi beating up an orc so savagely that she grabbed his head, dragged it over the cage and caused a severe burn in his skin. She then leaped down over him and started to punch him several times in his head, clawing at his flesh as the audience watched and started to collect or give away the money they bet on. It was then that there was a singular staircase and one elevator that lead to the top. They then finally make it to the fourth floor that served as the Lord Sheriff’s personal quarters and his own office as he spanked one of his maids that went to fetch a platter with drinks, food and other treats for her guest while the other sat on the Lord Sheriff’s lap that seated himself on his chair behind his desk. The knight shook his head and denied the refreshments offered as the maid looked to her boss who shrugged his shoulders, gesturing with his head for her to sit down on the sofa close by to and afterwards she crossed her legs in a presentable way when she sat in case the knight would change his mind.
“I don’t like talking when it’s too loud, you know? But that place below us is Club Murder. It is where I place my prisoners in a cage to combat each other, often to the death, of course.”, the sheriff explained and the knight smiled. “I wouldn’t have ever guessed.”, replying sarcastically.
“Now a very important question I have for you, Mr. Verysdale, is why did you lie to me?”, the man was direct to the point and the knight sighed. “Lied about what?”, the lord sheriff then sighed. “Mr. Verysdale, I am only going to tell you one time; don’t fuck with me and don’t you ever try to fuck with me.”, the sheriff leaned forth as he pointed towards the knight that looked uneasy for he felt that his adopted daughter ratted him out, and he was right…
“I know you drank with those so called Merry Men. I know they took pity upon your unfortunate set of circumstances and gave you some spoils, no doubt spoils taken from the King’s people that they’ve preyed upon within the forests.”, Thomas Curt told everything to the knight that knew from that moment on that nothing eludes the Long Sheriff of Rottingham.
“And how would you know about my unfortunate set of circumstances?”, Lee asked, despite already knowing the answer, and all that the Lord Sheriff had to do was raise his right eyebrow.
“Marian…”, the knight looked down when he said her name. “Yes, your adopted daughter, is it?”, the Lord Sheriff replied and the knight sighed. “Very well.”, the knight added before he looked at the man helplessly. “I will turn myself in to the authorities.”, admitting defeat.
“To the authorities?”, Thomas asked before he would burst into laughter. “You are the authority, Mr. Verysdale, are you not? After all, you are a member of the Iron Fist Guard.”, Thomas asked Lee that nodded his head in silent agreement before the Lord Sheriff patted the maid’s rear.
The maid would step up and walk past the table to join her companion on the sofa close by while now it was just the Lord Sheriff faced with the knight that sat the opposite of him.
“The Iron Fist Guard uphold the King’s laws, protect the King’s people, and we of the Curt Cut’s Clan are his debt collectors. We visit every household within the city, every farm on the outskirts of the city, and ensure that the King receives the debts owed to him by his people.”, Thomas would explain in detail to the knight who then looked at the man before stating. “The King Regent, you mean?”, correcting the Lord Sheriff in what he was saying.
“Yes, the King Regents debts for his many lavish parties while we simultaneously pay for our true King’s own many crusades.”, the Lord Sheriff confirmed before pointing at the knight. “Men like you and I serve the crown, but you can’t tell me that you never wondered or questioned how John and his court could possibly get away with everything that they do? The crusades are somewhat excusable but the lavish parties, the constant rising criminal elements within the city and so forth? The King Regent doesn’t care for his people; you and I both know this to be true, don’t we? So why serve the crown, huh?”, the Lord Sheriff posed a lot of questions that the knight seemingly agreed with in his mind but the knight wondered…
“Where are you going with this?”, the knight followed up with a very good question that caused the Lord Sheriff to smile as he pointed at him. “I have a proposition for you.”, said Thomas Curt that looked to the knight for a moment as both men stared into each other’s eyes. “
There is a member in your family that is a Woodward, Kenji Verysdale, right?”, Thomas would reveal he knew a lot more then he initially revealed from before. “You leave him out of this.”, said Lee and Thomas nodded. “Yes, well, that’s where you come in.”, the Lord Sheriff replied.
“Within your son’s household there are documents that keep track of all the trading routes, the many trader and merchant outposts, and more importantly the carriages and train route departure and arrival times that carry precious cargo that is important to my organization. Should one of us acquire these documents, we will know every schedule that happens in and out of this city. If you provide me with these documents, I will formally treat you as one of our own and provide you and yours with the freedom to do what you please without interference from the law. I will forget about the incident in the woods, such as your rendezvous with the Merry Men, and pay you with a hundred pounds as a sign of a possible and potential start of beautiful business relationship. Does this sound fair?”, the offer was enticing and the knight thought about it, there were many thoughts that went through his mind just thinking about it. “On one condition.”, said Lee and the sheriff was curious as to what this condition was. “That no matter what happens between us and I mean no matter what…”, the knight paused for a moment…
“That all my family; my ex-wife, my son and my daughter are not involved in our business. I want your personal assurance that you will grant them total immunity from everything that goes around and comes around between us. Do you accept these terms?”, the Lord Sheriff smiled after the knight told him the conditions and then bowed his head towards the man. “I look forward to doing more business with you, Mr. Verysdale. You have my word that your family will never ever be involved in whatever it is that we do, upon my honor!”, Thomas Curt then stood up and raised his hand as Lee then stood up and shook his hand, and that’s how the deal was made.
Later that evening, father and son shared making a meal together. However, it is the son that decided, because he has more free time, to make a meal for himself and his father. In the meantime as his son was distracted, Lee ventured into his office and opened the cabinets where he knew his son kept the files. He then made a copy off them and placed the documents in a separate pouch without his son knowing. He then joined his son for dinner as he did every night and they enjoyed their meal together before they would head for bed. Every night the knight would hope that he falls asleep but most of the time he couldn’t due to all the stress he carried upon his shoulders, and now he felt he carried a heavy burden, one that was different than all the rest...