>
> “Something for the boy mister Lotus?” the Lorian tavern keeper asked working the toothpick in his mouth expertly.
>
> “Just water,” he replied and stared at the wiry blond woman checking on the busy street standing half-in half-out the tavern's open door.
>
> “Lot’s of good crowd this morning,” the tavern keeper commented pouring him a glass of wine. “Expensive this stuff. Aye. Could’ve have given you a bottle of local vintage for the coin you burn here mister.”
>
> “I like the taste of it,” he replied and worked on it in his bitter mouth. “Helps the palate awaken they say.”
>
> “Ha-ha. Well, on a fine day like this I was bound to hear something new,” the tavern keeper replied smiling and corked the bottle of Flauegran carefully afore returning it to the shelves behind him. “You seem rather gloomy. Favored the rebels hmm?”
>
> “Nothing of the sort. Just tired that’s all,” he replied and helped the silent boy drink from his cup. “Big journey.”
>
> “You didn’t want to miss the good King’s justice huh?”
>
> “Aye,” he said and reached for his purse to pay for the wine. “How much for the bottle?”
>
> “You’re rich, is that it? Never seen the likes of you with that much coin afore.”
>
> “As I said mate,” he told him allowing the insult to slide and got up from his stall with difficulty. “I like the taste. That’s all.”
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Baron Storm Nattas
Abominable Cripple
Part II
-The Luck of Cowards-
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“You’re leaving again?” a drowsy Miranda asked at his back. Nattas was staring outside the large window of the main building towards the still dark sea. This bedroom had access to windows at both the front and back. It was bigger than the royal bedroom in Cartagen’s palace according to the builders. All the coin he’d gathered for years Storm had spent creating the Barony.
Profit would come again eventually. All the businesses he still owed would help refill his coffers legitimately. Taverns and hostels. Part or outright ownership in trading contracts and Merchant caravans. Ships and animals. Properties and land. Companies. From fishing stalls and leather shoes to bakeries. No brothels. He was too smart to go that route. Every deal had left him something. You shook Lord Nattas hand and he owned you. What he didn’t remember Storm wrote in a heavy leather-encased ledger.
Not everything.
“There’s an estate in the town of Head,” he started.
“Where is that?” Miranda asked putting a pillow on her naked back to stand on the bed. Her mature round breasts richly tanned skin gleaming like gold in the light of the four oil lamps. Aegium girls loved bathing in the nude.
Those that favored Abrakas that is.
The Queen of fucking Regia in his bed.
Concentrate.
“Turtle Isles,” Storm replied hoarsely. “A lovely spot with a sugarcane field. Makes a ton of coin. It’s under the name mister Lotus.”
“Who is he?” Miranda asked thoughtfully.
“Sudi. He doesn’t know he owns it,” Storm replied.
“Like that river in Badum? He’s a bastard?”
“He’s a half-breed,” Storm retorted, but caught himself and added patiently. “And the river is in Tollor. It’s where I met him.”
“What were you doing there?”
“Work,” Storm replied pursing his lips. “For the King.”
“Did you meet her mother there as well?” Miranda asked.
Storm smacked his lips and turned to look at her.
“Maja is a capable girl,” he said. “She’ll protect Silvio from everything like her life depends on it. But you can’t be seen publicly with him, not for a long time. It is important to remember that. You got sick, but recovered. My help mellowed you to me, but not enough that you can call me a friend.”
“I won’t leave him.”
“Then you’ll kill him,” Storm replied sternly. “I can’t let you do that dear.”
“For how long?” She murmured with a troubled frown.
“Long enough,” he replied and walked to a locker to retrieve his sword. “If I come to owe the Isles it won’t matter and this could be avoided. Nobody knows us there. It’s the end of the world.”
“How did you find it?”
“Titus knew of the spot,” Storm replied. “An old associate of mine.”
“Is he around?”
“Not anymore,” Lord Nattas said and strapped the leather sheath to his waist. “Ours is a dangerous business dear. Were you out when the gardener had that accident?”
“Mmm?” A distracted Miranda asked, her face sober. “No, I was sick with the sniffles those days. Why?”
Aha.
“No reason. We need to break your brother’s alliance,” Storm dodged.
“Why? What good having Lucius in charge would do for us? Jeremy is a good king.”
“Jeremy isn’t the one that saved you,” Storm paused to calm down, his nerves getting to him. “I did. Your brother controls him, or Lord Ruud. Both would happily see me dead.”
“We don’t want that,” Miranda griped with a scowl.
“No,” Storm glanced at her one more time and sighed. He needed to go. “We don’t.”
A week later
Last month of winter 193 NC
City of Novesium
Edge of the Olive trees field
The intersection of the road coming from the Barracks and the Blacksmiths workshops.
The road leading through the Silos and the Customs buildings to the Admiralty parallel to Harbor Street.
One hour after midnight.
Sudi approached using his cane to navigate the rough terrain. The men under Damian and Grin filtering through the neatly arranged rows of olive trees into this now dark and silent part of the city.
“No patrol for the next hour,” Sudi told him nervously. “The Mayor had a meeting in the Admiralty and returned to his estate.”
“Vergos knows to stay out of it?”
Captain Vergos was instructor of Novesium’s officers, but most good recruits were opting to study in Illirium, or Cartagen as Ursus wasn’t willing to spend on the navy.
“He’s aware. Most of the cadets had followed Brakis to their deaths, the building is empty.”
“A tragedy,” Storm commented. “How much did he cost?”
“He was Alistair’s appointee. The moment I mentioned we ‘have’ Lucius backing, he agreed.”
You know who’s going to win when people do things for him for free.
“Mmm. We head for the Mayor then. Will Damian manage the guards?”
“He’ll go straight for the headquarters, get Commander Castel.”
“He’s there?”
Sudi grimaced. “We don’t know.”
“What about the Barracks?”
“We’ll head there next, then to the palace.”
“We need to get his wife and daughter,” Storm explained.
“Does he value them at all?” Sudi asked.
“Probably not, but it’s better to have them just in case he does,” Storm replied.
“Will Sula come?”
“He’ll attack across the river,” Storm told him. “I was persuasive that Ursus hold on the city is shaky. But Drusus was going to do it either way. He gave me that impression.”
“Ursus will have to fight him else he’ll come right to his gates.”
“Exactly,” Storm said and sighed wearily, his stomach a knot. “Best case he surrenders, or dies hopefully.”
“Will he come here?”
“If we have the city, it would be pointless,” Storm replied. “If we don’t, it might not matter.”
“You’re a brave man chief,” Sudi said sounding moved.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Nattas grunted. “I got no other play other than running away. I won’t run afore trying something. I pretend I’m a coward because I love life. You know why Sudi?”
“Life is good?”
“If you know how to live it fully,” Storm agreed and fixed the leather gloves on his hands. “I hate walking, but in this case we have to. Sometimes you just have to do unflavored things to get what you want. But the taste you can always fix later.”
> Many events happened during the first quarter of 193. In one of the less famous Baron Storm Nattas, former Master of Silence for King Alistair, Queen Regent’s Shield and member of Regia’s Council for two decades took active role in helping Lucius Alden, who he supported secretly for years. With Duke Ursus busy trying to deal with Duke Sula’s first cousin Baron Drusus, Lord Nattas decided to take control of the city port of Novesium.
>
> He was forced into action as Lesia had the capital under siege and while their attempts weren’t as successful at first, they slowly adapted to the new situation. Especially after Legatus Pintor used the fleet to bring machines in order to test the long walls.
>
> The problem with Cartagen was that as it was built on a plateau one needed to take control of Cartaport and the road up the gentle slopes towards the south gates to reach it, or ensure he controlled the two northernmost bridges over Mabindon, the mighty river hugging the edges of the city to the waterfalls. It also skirted Tricorn Heights, an unpassable mountain range, which made the road over it and the famed Wine and Flower Bridges as they were known, vital in order to assault the North Gates and the weaker there walls.
>
> The plan to have Lord Caxaton attempt it failed due to the botched initial attack and by the time Lord Caxaton attacked Wine Bridge, Valens had reinforced it. The first attempt was catastrophic for the well-trained but inexperienced troops as they attacked on a single narrow point a determined force. They had been bloodied earlier that month, but had performed poorly against Merenda’s Royal Guard and had to be rescued by Pintor’s legionnaires.
>
> The latter while equally inexperienced had the benefit of the Second Cohort, the only intact unit of the old Lorian Legion (now first) that led by example taking the gates of Cartaport and pushing its soldiers to the North District. It also helped the Second Legion find its footing slowly.
>
> Duke Roman Lennox and his regulars, along the marines fared much worse, but he slowly managed to get his men going stabilizing their hold on the port and the city of Cartaport, but for the Northern upper portion. He also attempted to take control of the Grand Bridge, an arced stone bridge over the main tributary of Mabindon on the west main road coming from Novesium. He used Sir Darius Davenport for the task and the young knight initially took control of the bridge that brought him into the Mabindon Delta, but his subsequent attempt to cross the First Bridge further west and secure the army’s flank failed spectacularly.
>
> The soldiers stationed at Elysium Fort defended the vital crossing and then launched an attack of their own when reinforcements arrived from Tworivers Castle to assist them. Sir Darius retreated over the Grand Bridge to avoid encirclement and the Navy asked if it could use its marines to find another spot at the Gulf. Sir Patrick Lennox, a half-brother to Miles and Lesia’s Lord of Sea who was in charge of the fleet, met with Duke Roman inside the occupied part of Cartaport to discuss it.
>
> Pintor used the opportunity to get his machines and the plan for another naval landing was pushed back for spring, or even summer. Lesia had its mind on Lucius’ progress and Baron Feld’s force preparing to check his advance. So they didn’t want to commit to another front if they could avoid it. Florin the second Military Scholar (with Mantel) who was present in the siege campaigned for the need to take the North bridges afore anything else. Push back the force trying to break through to their west over the Grand Bridge being the second objective.
>
> ‘Then,’ he argued, ‘we could bring machines closer and bombard the walls to make an opening or force the gates. While it’s a big city we can attack in two places at once and Valens has to defend both positions whilst maintaining control of the part of Cartaport he still has.’
>
> While this was happening, Duke Ursus attempt to reach Demames was unsuccessful. He went over Salty River easily but his haphazardly created force (parts of Novesium guards, regulars and a force of marines from Illirium) got beaten by Drusus Sula and then hunted back over the river.
>
> This created a problem for Sextus-Brakis as Sir Vel’s daring assault on Knuckle Tower had cut the peninsula from Demames, but offered little to his father’s attacking soldiers. The brave knight had to be rescued with the use of ships from the blockading the Demames port force, as his sieging of Knuckle Tower got him encircled in the narrow peninsula in turn. Duke Sula had mass-produced a cheaper smaller variant of the Scorpio, easy to use by a single engineer and had ninety of them set on the small hills before the final approach to Demames.
>
> It made the road unusable for the Illirium forces as the fast reloading machines cut down men usually safe from typical arrows. Admiral Stan Brakis suggested they use the navy to land east of the city and cut off Drusus, but Sula almost broke the blockade to his port using fireboats and smaller ships during the night and destroying a brig, damaging one of Brakis heavy galleys. Since he only had two, the Admiral turned his attention on that and abandoned opening another front.
>
> Illirium asked for reinforcements from the King, but Lord Scylla intervened and brought the fresh batch of troops to Islandport. This infuriated Brakis and it forced Lord Doris to send another thousand troops from Alden later that month.
>
> In the meantime Sula would turn from a nuisance to a nightmare for King Jeremy. The biggest mistake of their whole approach being that Jeremy was trying to solve a land problem, with the navy mindset of the men in charge because he had his best generals for these type of situations at Islandport and Asturia. Once Admiral Brakis’ surprise attacks failed, Illirium didn’t have the patience or knowhow to win a prolonged land battle against Lord Sula. They needed the Legion and the main army and their inability to adjust timely, turned to total paralysis when the whole situation in Cartagen was revealed and realization set in that they couldn’t help the capital.
>
> In this climate Lord Nattas’ actions could have been crucial.
An hour later Storm walked fast towards the Mayor’s estate down King’s Road. Grin who had secured the building waved for his men to let them through.
“Well?” Nattas asked checking at the bleeding out guards next to the gates. One of them had a dagger sticking out of his right eye. “Did we get him?”
“Plenty,” Grin replied and led them inside the yard.
“I’m not comfortable with his answer,” Storm griped to Sudi, the loyal lackey following behind them as fast as he could keeping his thoughts to himself.
“His family is safe,” Grin elucidated. “Milord.”
Storm stopped and glared at him. “Where’s the Mayor?” he hissed warningly.
“In the living room, big ole place,” Grin replied pensively.
“Get out of my way!” Storm grunted and rushed up the stairs to enter the building.
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The chaos inside the ransacked grand living room disoriented him for a moment but he quickly spotted the body of man laid under a bloody yellow curtain. When Sudi pulled it back Storm recognized Mayor Seth Darius not from his face, as the latter had been hacked at repeatedly with an axe or heavy blade and looked more like chopped meat sprinkled with pieces of bones forgotten at a butcher’s counter, but from his famous woolen cape.
“Eh,” Sudi grumbled looking at Grin with hatred.
“Here it is what the cock-pleasuring brigade, harlot’s detachment will get you,” Storm commented sourly and hang his head disappointed. “I need a smart idea on how to control the city, other than scooping up the Mayor’s brains from the floor with a spoon and putting them back in his head,” he added.
“Get Commander Castel,” Sudi offered. “He has the authority now.”
“We have him? He was at the headquarters?”
“Nah,” Sudi grimaced.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“What does this mean?” Storm grunted. “Is the man killed?”
“He wasn’t there.”
Storm licked his lips and stared at the destroyed living room. A crying scared woman standing in her nightdress with a teenage daughter at a corner of the large room, guarded by three of the leering Reformed brigands. If Storm had to pick one of the two, he would have fucked the mother, but this is neither the time for sentimentality, nor an incest flavored orgy.
“Do you know who I am lass?” He asked her, praying that she didn’t.
Or lies expertly.
“Baron Nattas,” she spat with hatred. “The Abominable Cripple. We’ve met last year during the festival.”
I knew you had a lewd spark in you.
“Former cripple, not anymore. Nice to see you again by the way at this difficult hour for all,” Storm replied politely, his eyes turning cold and stared at Sudi knowingly. “Until the next time ladies, you have my condolences for your loss,” he said to the two distraught females civilly. “I bid you both farewell.”
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Nattas walked outside the estate and eyed the sleeping city anxiously. One of the Reformed approaching to inform Grin they had gathered in the empty market for an assault on the Palace and the barracks.
“Does Damian has the City Guard building taken?” Storm asked them impatiently.
“Stormed the headquarters he did, but some of the City Guard troops were at the West Gates milord,” Grin replied sadly.
“Not anymore?” Storm taunted. “You said were.”
“They are there,” Grin assured him sounding confused.
“Why?”
“I don’t know milord.”
“Why is the gods darn west gates not in our control?” Storm growled irate.
Grin cleared his throat. “Damian can’t approach the tower. If he gets spotted, they could turn the ballistae inwards.”
“So?” Storm argued. “They have the numbers. By the time they reload after that first volley they’ll be too close and safe. It’s a soldier’s job, people get killed doing it! Order him to attack and secure the gates!”
Storm turned around hearing Sudi’s cane approaching and his man nodded once, the scarred Sudi looking like he’d aged a couple of years the half-breed didn’t have in the tank. Then again, the bastard could outlive us all, Nattas thought with a bad taste in his mouth. You make mistakes, people get hurt in the attempt to correct them, he reasoned.
“How many to storm the barracks?” He asked.
Do we have available, was his meaning. Spending time with the brigade of the Reformed had watered down his vocabulary.
“We have thrice their numbers,” Sudi declared. “They are no more than fifty. Then we’re on to the palace. We’re ahead of schedule, lots of night left.”
The barracks had about two hundred soldiers gathered under Captain Castel preparing for something, so Sudi’s prediction was way off.
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“FIRE!” A guard yelled, not a regular but one of the City Guards who were visiting or something the soldiers barracks. One of the buildings had been set alight, which provided some illumination to the happenings and the chaotic engagement.
The Reformed had rushed the sentries, killed them swiftly and then poured inside the camp, but by the time they ‘cleared’ the first building they had woken up the rest of the camp. Soldiers came out of the many adjoining barracks and a fight broke out in the relative darkness.
“We need Damian’s men!” Storm growled at the scowling Sudi.
“The palace might be lightly guarded chief,” he replied and walked to a couple of retreating brigands. He talked to them for a moment and then came back to him.
“I’ll sent a dozen men in,” Sudi explained. “See if we can grab the Duke’s family.”
“Use it to convince the Captain to surrender?” Storm probed and Sudi nodded. “That’s a half-decent idea. I should give you a bonus Sudi. Now you know we are hard-pressed for coin, so it’ll have to wait—”
“I’ve taken it myself Chief,” Sudi replied readily cutting him off. “Don’t worry about it.”
> The Baron’s rebellious patriots and mercenaries rushed vital points inside the city. They secured the port and taken control of the City Guard headquarters, but while attempting to arrest the Mayor to end the conflict Seth Darius was killed along with his family. The how is difficult to determine since their charred bodies were discovered days later. His estate had caught fire either by arson or accident that then had spread to the Admiralty building before getting under control by the remaining staff. No witnesses of the event are left to describe what happened, so it’s better to avoid speculation at this point.
>
> In the chaos that followed Nattas’ men attacked the barracks, but Captain Castel was preparing a force to help Duke Ursus replenish some of his forces and the strong group of dressed to march the next morning soldiers managed to repel the attack of the ‘Reformed’. The moniker, what Baron Nattas’ brigade out of Moon’s Haven is still called today. They pushed them back, but the rebels attacked again and again during the night setting part of the grounds on fire.
>
> With alarms sounding inside the large city, one of the Baron’s longer serving aides Sudi Locust, penetrated the palace grounds and captured Duke Ursus family. His wife Elvira, his daughter Labiena from his first marriage and his youngest son. With the hostages at hand the Baron attempted to negotiate with Commander Castel, using Captain Vergos a local officer that sympathized with his cause as a medium. The negotiations broke down when a decent force under Lord Ursus himself appeared at the West Gates on the other side of the city.
>
> The Duke had fled back to Novesium upon hearing of Drusus Sula’s troops crossing Salty Bridge and pushing his men stationed there back. Instead of rushing there to galvanize their resistance he went the other way and arrived at Novesium half a day later, a couple of hours before dawn.
>
> His men attacked the Reformed that had just managed to secure the Gate Tower at the West Gates but had posted no sentries looking outside. They routed them, the heavier armed guards and soldiers with Ursus too much for the trained but undisciplined Reformed and the Baron, who had cornered the outnumbered Captain Castel after the negotiations had failed, found himself in danger of being surrounded himself inside a hostile city with the furious Duke Ursus forces closing in through the dark streets.
>
> The God of Luck was with the cowards that night.
“Arrggh!” Storm growled livid and turned to a tired and injured Sudi. He’d a cut in his left arm, the blood dripping on his cane. “We need to get out.”
“That’s right chief,” Sudi replied. “We failed.”
“Ah, the burning feeling of a nail pushed in your prick from the pee-hole,” Storm spat bitterly, never absent inspiration for a good turn of phrase.
“I’ll pull the men,” Sudi decided, but Nattas stopped him.
If you can’t save them all, save yourself and what’s valuable, using them as fodder.
“Give Vergos command of those in the camp,” Storm told him. “Inform him that Lucius values his brave sacrifice tonight. Tell the old goat to fight to the death for Regia. The blood of heroes shall feed the rightful king’s claim even more and pave the way for his just return!”
Sudi licked his dirty lips not buying any of it, but nodded with his dilapidated head. “Grin will take you to the Market Chief. Then straight down the vines road to the Blacksmith district. You’ll find the way to our boats there.”
“Hurry up,” Storm agreed. “We might have to prepare a defense of our own, if that idiot Drusus isn’t here soon enough.”
“Chief by the time Drusus arrives we might be dead.”
“Finish up here,” Nattas grunted warningly. “And rush after us you pessimistic fuck!”
“I’ll be there chief,” Sudi replied with a smile.
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“THERE!” A keen-eyed soldier sporting a palm tree on his cuirass growled, detecting them amidst the olive trees. “MORE OF THEM REBEL CUCKS! ATTACK!”
Abrakas you vengeful cunt.
Why?
Storm rushed after the stream of men retreating, breathing heavier than most, only to stop a dozen strides later and bark at Grin. “Halt you stupid cretin!”
“They are approaching milord!” Grin retorted not slowing down.
“Endless gratitude for the fucking update! Are you kidding me?” Storm hissed, slimy sweat covering his face. “I’m out here running for the sport of it, in the god’s darn crack of dawn!”
“Ten more coming from the Emerald Beach,” a Reformed reported cutting through his tirade, used helm tied on his head with a hemp cord looped around it. “They might beat us to the fishing docks milord!”
Cut them off the boats was his meaning.
“Stop the men!” Storm barked loud enough to be heard. “Now Grin!”
“For what purpose?” Grin asked in protest.
“We need to smack them once in the mouth to slow them down,” Storm growled and removed his cloak in order to unsheathe his sword. Several of the brigands stopped as well, with some using their shields to sit on the ground. “Form a line here. Do it.”
“Amidst the trees?” the brigand queried wasting valuable time.
“You wish to cut them down first to make it spacious princess?” Sudi retorted mockingly, stopping the man afore he could answer. “It was plaguing sarcasm ye imbecilic buffoon! Not a query. Raise that fucking shield it’s not a pillow to sit on!”
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The soldiers got surprised by the Reformed turning to fight them. A man that runs after another all pumped up and sure of himself, isn’t necessarily ready to fight him up close and personal, Storm thought and savagely run the startled soldier through the gut with his sword.
“Ergh!” The soldier gurgled feeling his blade tearing at his innards and spat blood out of his mouth.
“Suck my cock,” Storm retorted and kicked him aside. Took one step and hacked at the next one, feeling all rejuvenated and the adrenalin pumping inside him. He had turned forty-one a couple of weeks back, but Storm had never felt more alive than at that moment. “You too,” Storm told the bleeding down his face soldier. “Bloody cocksuckers! Slurp at it with gusto!”
A burly soldier charged him right after his outburst, but Storm parried his longsword aside with his shorter straight blade. The clanging making his ears ring. He sidestepped found a root with soft soil under it, the left boot hooking afore sinking a bit and when he tried to turn Storm heard a loud pop.
Ugh.
Then a tearing sound and Nattas completely lost sense of his maimed leg for a moment.
The next, a huge surge of unfathomable agony hammered his temples from both sides after running through his body and he almost swallowed his tongue. With his eyes ogled and swelling outwards, Nattas tried to dislodge his trapped foot, but failed.
The pain ravaging him so much it brought tears in his eyes. The burly soldier came at him again, thin beard under his chin a washed out blond and teeth clenched. He slashed cutting him above the chest as Nattas jerked away cursing. The gush right above the nipple bleeding down his redingote.
“Son of a bitch,” the soldier cursed not expecting Storm would risk even more damage to his leg to jerk away the rest of his body. Storm’s ability to react under pressure legendary. He tried again and Nattas parried furiously afore slashing him across the chest on the return. The cuirass protecting his opponent but rattling him.
“Hah,” the soldier gasped standing back trying to find his footing. Storm made to answer but his own leg gave under him and Nattas went down folding it the wrong way and almost passing out. “Yer truly fucked milord,” the Novesium regular added with a pleased smirk.
“Never underestimate,” a flushed Storm rumbled breathing heavy whilst glaring at him from the ground, right under the olive tree. “The pleasure a well-oiled phallus can bring you,” he counselled the burly soldier just before the arriving Sudi knifed him in the balls from behind doubling him over. The man groaned, blood painting his pants, spurting out of his clasping fingers and then crashed face first next to the awkwardly knelt Nattas.
Storm flipped the blade in his hand and then plunged it in the back of the soldier’s cranium with another pained groan.
“Are ye alright chief?” Sudi asked kneeling next to him. “Can you move?”
“What do you think?” Storm spat through his clenched teeth. “I stopped here to enjoy my rest or try gymnastics? The knee is fucked you cretin!”
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“Well,” Dottore Numerius Baro said hours later near noon, examining his swollen knee and the shin dangling under it loose. “The leg is fucked milord.”
“No shit. Never have I received an expert’s opinion and felt not an iota more cognizant afterwards!” Storm hissed angrily, half of it a groan. “Can you fix it you charlatan?”
“There’s… the ligaments are torn. The damage is catastrophic. Severed almost, flesh mauled and the bone splintered,” Baro replied wiping the sweat from his face anxiously. “I could amputate—”
Storm had slapped the Dottore abruptly across the face stopping him.
“I could cut it open, slot a rod in the bone—”
This time it was a backhand that sent the Dottore on the ground with a groan of his own.
“A wooden brace!” Baro cried out from the floor a hand on his red face. “Until the muscles recover, but there’s nothing holding it together milord! You’ll never recover motion!”
“Bring me my sword,” Storm ordered a worn out Sudi.
“You could walk on it like before, if you can withstand the discomfort!” Baro screamed miserably. “Please I have found a wife in Moon’s Haven milord!”
Storm grimaced. “Can you have it done in half an hour?”
“Not a permanent one,” Baro sniffled.
“Do it,” Storm grunted and turned to Sudi. “Are they at the bridge? Have they crossed the river?”
“They don’t know we escaped from there,” Sudi told him and sighed. “We killed those in the olive fields, but the bulk of the Duke’s soldiers had gone straight for the palace.”
“His family?” Storm asked.
“Lost them in the struggle,” Sudi replied.
Eh.
“Are they gone?” Storm asked calmly, the pain making him flinch. He’d forgotten how much agony that leg could bring him. Like an old friend that you never liked, but couldn’t get rid of.
Or a rush in the groin.
“No, they just escaped. Probably knew the fields better than us.”
“Bullshit. That fat daughter of his could barely walk. They just hid,” Storm grunted and breathed in and out slowly. “How many do we have here?”
“Less than a hundred made it back. I have the guards under alert and posted patrols across the walls.”
“The walls can’t hold for long,” Storm murmured and tried to get up, failed and Sudi gave him one of his old canes back. Nattas took it with a solemn grimace. “Life makes circles. Like flies over a forgotten apple pie, or a corpse. A turd over a drain could be used here as well, I suppose.”
“We could evacuate the Manor. You think Ursus will come here?”
“Someone was left behind that can point a ruffian’s finger at us,” Storm replied with grimace of pain. “Ursus doesn’t need a whole lot just a name and an excuse.”
“Will he come here?” Sudi insisted. “Sula is coming for him.”
“Why retreat? He can’t hold the city,” Storm griped and managed to walk with difficulty on his old cane towards the window overlooking the Manor’s port. “What’s his play? Eh,” he said and blinked to clear his eyes.
“What is it?” Sudi asked him sounding worried.
“Do we have Brigs at our disposal?”
“No. You know we don’t. Other than that Barque you’ve bought back then,” Sudi replied and approached to observe himself out of the open window.
“That’s not it,” Storm replied shaking his head. “Fucking ruffian. Lilly-livered scum,” he murmured under his breath and started limping towards the door.
“Chief?” Sudi asked as he’d spotted the Stag banners of Cediorum on the war vessel himself. “What do we do?”
Nattas paused at the door to his office and stared at him with feverish eyes. “We weather the storm and outlive the motherfuckers,” he told him. “It’s not a pun, here’s what you will do.”
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The warship’s crew had taken over the docks inside the small port. Armed marines eyeing the locals with suspicion under the brims of their helms. Its captain, a tall austere man with dark brown hair cut short and a trimmed goatee, eyed the approaching Nattas and his group in silence.
An adjutant stepped forward to bar Storm’s way and he had to stop with a weary sigh losing all momentum. Storm grimaced in unfathomable pain, he swallowed to remain standing under the sun.
“This is Captain Gareth Lennox of the Belvoir, Lord Admiral’s Sir Patrick Lennox’s son and second in command of the Royal Fleet,” the young officer announced pompously. “You shall return to your dwellings mister…”
“I’m Baron Storm Nattas,” Storm grunted. “These are my docks gentlemen and my humble abode is the building in the distance. May I enquire on the reason of your visit?”
“Is that him?” The adjutant asked Captain Gareth and the young noble furrowed his brow.
“Are you a Lucius sympathizer Baron?” He asked.
“As in a personal level?” Storm stalled to gauge how much Ursus had told them. He had to have sent the missive afore he departed. The letter filtering up the Lesia command to reach the Captain’s father. A meeting took place, the offer discussed and then action had been ordered. A semi-decent noble sent to meet with him, or close the deal. What did he know back then? The Duke couldn’t have been sure about Nattas’ plan, but he would have painted him in the worst possible colors to the Lesia higher ups. “I know the lad, but I never supported all this chaos.”
“We have an agreement with Duke Ursus to use the docks,” Gareth explained. “Here and in Novesium. His word is binding to you yes?”
“Not really,” Storm replied. “I have been given the tittle directly from the king.”
“Baron would you oppose to Lesia mooring here?”
“It’s a small port for a fleet.”
“It’s accommodating for smaller vessels.”
“Sure, I have no quarrel with Lesia,” Storm yielded with a pained smile.
“I’m afraid I can’t depend on your word for it,” Gareth replied without a smile. “I have conflicting reports painting you as a rebel.”
“From Lord Ursus?”
“No, my good Baron, from Lord Mortymer.”
Lesia’s Master of Silence.
“How’s Cornelius? He must know I’ve vacated the position,” Storm said cursing inwardly.
“You grew up with Lucius, which makes your argument thin,” Gareth replied unmoved. “Now Ursus wants you arrested and delivered to him when we moor in Novesium to check on the facilities, which perhaps is the best option here.”
“On what charges? Because a fondness for Lord Lucius is Lesia’s problem also. I’ll rather be delivered there and face King Davenport’s justice. The Duke wants to have me killed quietly, then my family, to take over my tittles.”
“That’s preposterous!” Gareth spat. “Duke Ursus wouldn’t resort to such despicable behavior Baron!”
“Ursus is a traitor Captain,” Storm replied. “It won’t weigh heavy on his consciousness. You need to spare my family at least.”
Gareth frowned.
Come on you righteous fucking bastard! Do the right thing.
“Captain?” His adjutant queried nervously.
“I can’t… this isn’t something I’m authorized to intervene Baron. A Regia dispute we know nothing about, as much as it sounds distasteful,” he sighed and narrowed his eyes. “Nattas you say?” Gareth asked Storm and he licked his dry lips anxiously.
“That’s right Captain.”
“Like the vintage?” Gareth queried, thinking it strange. Could a Baron be a bastard?
Storm loved that wine not just because it was expensive, but for it tasted of home.
“My family’s name is on the famed North Faro fields,” Storm explained tiredly not believing what ancient detail would surface at this crucial point. Abrakas throwing him a bone. “Best of the three variants of Flauegran wines, most just call it Faro, unless they are of high enough stature and familiar with the wine’s history. A true wine connoisseur knows the minute but crucial differences.”
“Your father lost it all is that it?”
“Sold his share to Lord Riveras.”
“A gambling debt was the rumor?”
“Horses,” Storm retorted in disbelief nobles still gossiped about that stuff. “Worked near the King’s for years after he lost everything as a stable hand, afore taking his own life after another relapse.”
“A man’s vices shall doom him.”
Oh, spare me the liturgy.
“Gods don’t much care about any of that.”
“A tragedy still,” Gareth argued sympathetically. “Did he leave you anything?”
“Just the name and the King’s sister ear,” Nattas replied. “This, I built myself Captain from the ground up. I won’t give it away.”
“We can’t have a Lesia native, an old nobleman at that cut down like a common thug,” Gareth decided. “You’ll come with us Baron. I’ll sent message for a ship to bring you to Cediorum. You’ll be under arrest, but not under threat. We don’t do that in Lesia.”
Oh yes you do, ye righteous prick. But I’ll take it.
“Can you climb up the ramp?” Captain Gareth asked him. “I need to keep you held until we rest and contact Lord Ursus.”
“He’ll want me surrendered to him. Probably spewing even more vitriol and lies,” Storm warned him and Gareth frowned.
“He has no authority over my ship, or my prisoners,” the Captain snapped angrily.
“He might lose Novesium also,” Storm warned him. “Lord Sula’s forces are about to take the city.”
“We’ll take it under consideration. We’re not amateurs to moor in a hostile port Baron!” Gareth grunted.
“Just saying,” Storm said in a friendly manner, despite the strain in his face. He had to rob Ursus from reinforcements. “Better to keep out to protect the ships until the dust is cleared.”
“Hmm,” Gareth murmured and stared at the docks one more time, then at the smaller unassuming vessels moored near his ship.
“I’ll need a sturdy chair,” Storm interrupted the Captain’s thought process, as he needed the boats to evacuate Miranda and Silvio afore Ursus arrived to gut them like pigs. Also before the Captain realized he ‘housed’ the Queen Regent in his Manor. That’ll make for a very strong prisoner and despite all his talk Nattas wasn’t about to deliver to Lesia nothing but his crippled sorry arse. “And a couple of strong lads to carry me up the ramp,” he explained to the surprised Gareth Lennox and the young man stood unsure before nodding in understanding.
Sudi who had watched the whole exchange worried, locked eyes with him for a moment and Storm with another pained grimace said to him casually. “You open the cellar now mister Lotus, ask the wife about it,” his lackey’s face flinching at the rare mention of his bastard surname. Also a destination. “See them taken care of now eh? Take charge of things in my absence. No reason to create a ruckus doing it and by morning when our fishing boats return we’ll serve a fine breakfast with the fresh deliveries. We don’t have as good a wine vintage here dear Captain, but it goes down well enough when served with slowly roasted fish over hot coals and fine garlic sauce.”
Captain Gareth a man favoring a good garlic sauce and fresh fish fillet smiled for the first time pleased.
Storm would have smiled as well, but the agonizing pain in his swollen leg had numbed his face muscles and all he managed was a crooked teary snarl.
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read it at Royalroad : https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/46739/touch-o-luck-the-old-realms
& https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47919/lure-o-war-the-old-realms
Scribblehub https://www.scribblehub.com/series/542002/touch-o-luck-the-old-realms/
& https://www.scribblehub.com/series/547709/the-old-realms/