The next few steps went off without a single problem. They were able to meet Bernhard’s friends during their lunch break and with the help of a cashed in favor and a small pouch Balin and Bernhard got access to the wedding register the for the same day. The folder for weddings from two years ago contained a small stack of various wedding papers. They weren’t ordered by occupation but by birth class and family names. Sadly, this only took away four sheets that contained the information of nobility, which didn’t save a lot of time. So, the duo split the registered weddings and searched for tailors and the first name of their spouses. After almost two hours they found what they were looking for. A tailor that married a woman that has been noted to originate from the Rivervalley. It had to be her.
“Here it is Arnold Woolman (born in Kings Hold) married Tea Meatman (born in Rivervalley). I also have the address. Oh wow, there even are the birthnames of their parents and the address of their last employers on here.”
“Thank God that the bureaucracy is so specific. I was afraid I had to pay extra for the address.”
“Didn’t you also get married here and do those papers?”
“Yes and No. My dad sent a guy to do those for me. All that I remember is sitting down and write my name on a bunch of boring papers. Whatever you have the address, right?”
“I wrote it down. It’s Merchantsrow 6.”
“I think I know where that is. Then let’s put those papers back and let’s get going.”
It was late in the afternoon when they found the house they were looking for. It was a stable looking three-story house with the ground floor being occupied by a tailor shop. Business seemed to be going strong since even now there were still some customers in the shop feeling the merchandise and discussing prices with the shipowners. It took another twenty minutes for the stressed-out man in his early thirties to even acknowledge the duo.
“Hello and welcome to Woolman and son. How can I help you today?”
“We are looking for a Tea Woolman. Is she here?”
“Please don’t tell me it isn’t about those dumb drapes again! We told the madam, already twice, that we don’t return burned merchandise.”
“No, it’s something about her hometown the Rivervalley. We would like to talk to her in private.”
“Sounds serious, give me a minute.”
The man went into the backrooms of the shop and shortly came back with a slightly chubby young woman of similar age as him. When she came close Balin asked.
“Can we talk in private?”
“Is it ok if my husband is with us?”
“Yes. It is alright.”
The woman led them into the second floor of the house. Before the man followed they heard him shout.
“Dad, can you look after the store for a while? Thanks.”
Upstairs Balin and Bernhard were led into what they assumed was the living room. It might have been the working area since there weren’t just books and comfortable chairs, but also a table filled with cloth roles and scissors. Tea offered them a seat and sat down after the duo.
“Honey can you make some tea for our guests please!”
Arnold asked of his wife. Annoyed she stood up again and hurried to the kitchen leaving the three men alone in silence. Shortly after she returned with a cheap tea set. Politely both Balin as well as Bernhard took a cup.
“I don’t think that we have introduced ourselves yet. My name is Bernhard Xavier, and this is my associate Balin.”
“Oh, I am sorry, I didn’t know that you were the famous hero. I will get the expensive tea set. Please excuse me for just a moment!”
“No, no. It’s perfectly fine. Today I am not here as a hero or as member of Nobility. I am merely here as Bernhard to accompany Balin. He is the one who needs to talk to you.”
With a stern look Bernhard ordered the still quiet Balin to ask the important questions. So, shyly he started.
“This is about the Rivervalley and as you might know it has been attacked by a monster horde and destroyed because of it. There were no survivors.”
Tea, who was about to take a sip of tea, put the cup back down and quietly responded.
“No, I didn’t. I had a feeling that something has happened. Usually my uncle sends me a letter around early summer time but this year nothing came. I have heard of a monster horde destroying a village in that region, so I had a feeling. Thank you for coming here and confirming it.”
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Her husband put his arms around his wife in a comforting manner.
“Oh, so you didn’t know, what has happened. Ähem.”
Balin looked at Bernhard for help. But he just made a hand movement ordering Balin to continue.
“Yes, sorry that you had to find out like that. But I… we aren’t here to tell you that. We wanted to ask you something.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Has anyone of your family maybe escaped here? Maybe come here with a family visit as an excuse?”
“No, why?”
“We are searching for any possible survivors and we were hoping maybe Andreas could have escaped without anyone knowing by hiding here.”
“The last time I saw Andreas was… I think two years ago during my wedding and the last thing I heard of him was that he started to learn the family trade a year ago in his mother’s letter.”
“I am so sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that was all I wanted to talk about.”
Balin put his half empty cup on the nearby stand.
“Thank you for having us. We will now take our leave.”
“Wait one question Sir. Who are you and why do you care about what happened to the villagers?”
“I am Balin of the Rivervalley. I am the only known survivor of that catastrophe, and I just want to see if maybe anyone has escaped.”
“Balin, I think I know that name. Weren’t you Sir Egberts son?”
“No, I am… was the knight’s nephew and squire.”
Shortly after Balin and Bernhard were back on the streets, on their way to Balin’s place. It was a somber mood between the two.
“Was to expect that they didn’t have the kid. Cheer up Balin! We both knew it was a long shot and unlikely to succeed.”
“That’s not it. It was about the last thing she said. About my association to that man. I don’t even want to say his name anymore.”
“Hmmm. Can’t help you out with that one. This is something that you must figure out on your own. But stay optimistic! We still have a few other places to check out for potential survivors. Don’t give up hope now!”
Despite their best efforts the three other leads were all dead leads. They visited all other family members that they could find but that was it. They didn’t even had to bother to go to Grant’s grandparents’ house, since it turned out that they died years ago and their house was inhabited by strangers unrelated to anyone in the village. Despite what Bernhard expected Balin, took the news well. They were in a carriage on their way back to the capital when Bernhard asked Balin what he felt.
“What am I supposed to feel. I was sure that they were dead all along. This trip only gave me confirmation.”
“So, do you have any idea on what you are going to do? Now that you have confirmation.”
“I haven’t really thought of anything. I guess I could try to become a civilian, maybe learn a trade. All I ever learned was how to be a knight, never even finished my training and I don’t think that anyone would like a squire of unknown origin.”
“Then I have a proposal to you. I want you to become mine.”
“What? Do you mean, like as your squire or slave?”
“Kind of both. Here is my proposal. I am of noble birth and my position as hero does give me many privileges. That includes the right to make and own slaves and to fight for money. As you know I from time to time kill monsters to ensure people safety and in exchange for money. It is a dangerous thing to do, even for me. Here is where you come in. I will enslave you to be my personal combat slave. Now don’t worry. I won’t treat you like a normal slave. You will still have many freedoms and even get paid for you services. With your unique abilities and knight training you will be able to save people from having to go through the same thing as you did. But I will warn you. If you go against my wishes even once. I will have to take your head. Since you are way too dangerous to be left unchecked. So, what do you say? Deal?”
“Let’s say I take that deal. How would you enforce it? I could just run of never to be seen again. Normal chains can’t stop me. We both know that.”
“You are an honest person Balin. While we were traveling to find potential survivors, I asked some friends to do a check your various claims. I got their report a few days ago. I just waited to talk with you about them until we checked all the potential survivors.”
“So, you didn’t trust me. Guess that is fair. Also, what claims were you talking about. I never claimed anything.”
Bernhard took a small letter out of pocket.
“Balin, Squire of Sir Egbert the Swift was never found in the ruins of Rivervalley. The corpses of the mercenary group called the Gaus group were found in the forest near where they lived, the cause of their death is suspected to be murder by various weapons. Their wounds indicate death by a mix of heavy blunt weaponry and a shorter stabbing weapon. The trading group Gabriel supplies was burned down, after investigation it was confirmed that the cause was arson. Sir Egbert the Swift was found dead only days after accepting a new his new position as knight of Woodquarry under Lord Edgar. Evidence points towards a brutal fight taking place in which the knight fell. All those incidents happened exactly in the order as you told me. Also, you provided information that only the offender could have known.”
Bernhard gave Balin a few seconds before he continued.
“I have sympathy for you and what happened to you but see it from my perspective. You killed many people on multiple occasions and even attacked me at one point. I could turn you over to the official authorities, they will publicly execute you for your crimes, without a doubt. I could just let you go and pretend I never met you, but who knows what you will do if you are being left by yourself. What I am offering you here is a chance to redeem yourself, to get a second chance. Or maybe…”
He points at Balin’s inhuman parts.
“…even third one. So, this is the only thing that I can still do for you. Please think it over. You have time to think about it until we are in Kings Hold.”
“You said that if I misbehaved even once you’d take my head.”
“Ok that might have sounded a bit harsh. What I meant is if you ever knowingly went against me or my wishes. I wouldn’t kill you if you dropped tea on the floor or something, that would be an unrealistic expectation, but if you ever disobeyed my orders in any even semi serious manner, I have to assume that you went rouge again and that is a risk that I am not willing nor could be expected to take for both mine and everyone else’s security.”
“You aren’t really giving me any real options, but it would not be fair towards you to say no. I don’t even have to think about this any longer. En”
“No. I want you to think it through until we are home! That is an order.”
For a few minutes there was almost total silence in the carriage until Bernhard out of nowhere started to do small talk. As if the harsh discussion just now never really happened. Catching onto what his future master was going for Balin joined in. After all none of the two wanted this uncomfortable silence to go on longer then necessary.