Chapter 3: A familiar face

Grog and I were kneeling in front of a man who must have weighed in the ballpark of Grog’s prodigious bulk. Considering the giant must have weighed equal to ten average adults that was saying something. The man was reclining upon a sumptuous hammock, its surface adorned with plush cushions. His ample girth yielded to gravity, causing the tires of fat to sag uncomfortably over the hammock.

The man was being attended to by a bevy of beautiful, nubile girls of indeterminate age and species. He was being fanned and fed while his retinue seated on luxurious carpets before him was bringing the days important business to his attention. He was being guarded by a full complement of sentries resplendent in their arcane armor and weaponry, standing neatly in formation facing outwards.

What I was most impressed by was the material of the hammock. It looked to be soft and luxurious, but it clearly also had strength in spades. It was possibly woven from spider silk then.

As we had been depositing the golden boar carcass in the castle’s ice box, the steward had intercepted us with a summons from the count to meet him in the southern garden area.

The Guar Castle was the oldest building in the city and it had significant fortifications of its own, independent from the rest of the city. It as a matter of fact predated the city which had sprung up around it much later. The castle occupied a fifth of the city’s sprawling expanse. According to ancient records this structure had been constructed to safeguard the southern borders of the ancient Royamue kingdom. It was a testament to the runic mastery of the phoenixes that the grand structure they had constructed nearly three millennia ago still stood nearly unscathed from the ravages of time.

Since the withering and collapse of the Royamue kingdom the Castle had fallen into the hands of the Eldorians. It had changed ownership multiple times within the Eldorian nobility since then. Count Aplistos had managed to secure sole dominion over Guar Castle and it’s surrounding territories nearly two centuries ago. His blend of ruthlessness and guile had given him a formidable reputation in the ranks of the Eldorian nobility.

While most of the nobility of Eldor could trace their roots back to the military, Aplistos had been different. While still of noble stock his family had primarily been administrators and merchants. He had learned much from his upbringing and applied those lessons without any inhibition.

“What is your command, your excellency? Rumbled Grog. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Grog raise his head but still keep his eyes averted.

“We are pleased with your results and require your services again. We wish for you to remove a pair of squatters from one of our establishment’s in the east plaza.”

“As you command, your excellency.”

“Good, very good. We require your utmost discretion in this.” He grunted out a warning before waving his hand at us. His attention had already been diverted from us to a subordinate who had walked over and started whispering in his ear. 

Recognizing that we had been dismissed we beat a hasty retreat from the courtyard. It had taken my all to not let my distaste show in the presence of the count. My gut instinct was screaming at me to try and depose this greedy tyrant. The only thing restraining me was that I knew that deposing the count would just create a power vacuum which would act like a siren call for more chaos and violence in the long run. That and the knowledge of my own limitations. He was very well protected.

That was another uncomfortable truth I had come to realize about myself over the last few weeks. I had always put my father Lwafen, on a pedestal. Making him out to be the ideal everyone should strive to be like. I who had always treated my father's lessons as gospel found it difficult to fit in a world that valued only power and money, something which he had always expressed a strong aversion towards.

I was raised by him to value higher principles. And every time I compromised with them for convenience’s sake, I’d feel hollow inside. Like I was disappointing my father.

‘You hypocrite, you’re doing it right now’

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Grog and his companions were hardly any better than the count. They acted like his hidden blade, doing most of his dirty work. Sure, it could be argued that they were little more than a tool completing its function. Not unlike a soldier ordered to kill some random dissenter that the powers that be found inconvenient. But my father had always told me that ultimate responsibility of any actions taken by me whether commanded to or voluntary was my own. Hence even the consequences of those actions would also be my own.

Grog was complicit. Just like his wives were. The only reason I felt differently about them is because they had been very kind to me. I owed them as it were. Although would they have gone out of their way for me if they hadn’t needed my skills. Probably not.

I had found my thoughts tracking increasingly cynically over last week. I’d found myself waking from reoccurring nightmares drenched in sweat. In each I’d be fighting desperately on some hopeless battlefield always shoulder to shoulder with the same woman.

I was sure that I had treasured that raven-haired lass deeply. But I had felt my heart clench painfully when I tried to recall anything further about her. Had something happened to her? I was unsure if I was prepared to face that answer.

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Two hours later found us approaching the eastern plaza. I had managed to convince Grog that we could handle this task on our own without bothering Leera. Although, I had to veto Grog’s idea of wearing cloaks and face masks, pointing out that they would make us stand out more in the early evening sun than our regular outfits would. We had compromised and agreed to wear face masks when we reached our destination instead. Not that Grog would have been disguised either way, his colossal figure being impossible to conceal.

I had told the giant to wait outside and act as lookout while I went in and reasoned with the ‘squatters’. We had every reason to believe these poor souls weren't squatters which is why the count hadn't sent his private forces to seize the premises by force. Even though we had been given our marching orders, I would ensure these tenants weren’t harmed. I would also make sure they received enough help to get back on their feet. It was the least I could do.

As we made our way towards the plaza the crowd thickened. People were lining up in advance to try to get a glimpse of the retreating parade. Progressing forward was becoming increasingly challenging as we had to muscle our way forward through the raucous crowds. The loud cacophony made conversation impossible. 

When we reached the designated building, we found it situated on the eastern plaza which was located next to the east road. This road was the one which linked up to the capital. 

The building was a ratty old wooden thing and stuck out like a sore thumb amongst her neighbours which were newly erected multi-storeyed stone marvels with their gleaming marble pillars and red terracotta tiled roofs. 

We first scoped out the place and found back entrances which were much more secluded. We had also managed to locate the only room in the building which looked to be occupied.  After putting on my facemask I told Grog to wait at the front entrance. 

“Well wish me luck, then. It’s time to make some new enemies.” I said to myself with a sigh as I knocked on the door. 

After a few moments later I heard the door unlatch and found a mature copper-haired woman looking at me questioningly. She was dressed very plainly in well-worn but clean clothes. 

“Do you have some business with me, sir?” She asked, looking mildly concerned at my getup. 

Well, she was certainly made of sterner stuff than I imagined. She was barely ruffled by an unsolicited visit from a dubiously dressed man. 

“Good evening, madam. I regret to drop in unannounced, but would you happen to be Ceryla?” I asked my tone pleasant and polite. 

Seeing her nod hesitantly I was trying to find words that would cushion what I was about to say next. I was drawing a complete blank; this really wasn't my forte.  

“I have some distressing news from Count Aplistos.” I said wincing internally. So much for being delicate. 

“Are you part of the Count’s guard?” She asked, confused. 

“Well not exactly ma’am, we are more like his contractual help.” I said my tone strained. I was pretty sure the count hadn't wanted this encounter to go like this, but I was adamant. I wasn't going to threaten violence against someone innocent. The only way this got resolved without incident is that this tenant realized these were the count’s orders.  

“What does the count want?” 

“The count wants you and your daughter to vacate this premises.” My voice had dipped a few decibels as I continued. My face heating up with shame under the facemask. 

The woman stared at me for a minute with an unreadable expression. I was getting seriously confused. This encounter wasn’t going at all as I had foreseen it would.

After a few moments more she seemed to have made up her mind. 

“Would you like to come inside, sir.” She asked her tone even. 

I was getting seriously weirded out now. Did she not realize how suspicious I looked. I couldn't refuse the offer all the same. I had a job to do. 

I nodded my ascent and followed the copper-haired beauty in. 

Inside I found a well lived in neat and tidy accommodation. I could see clothes hanging to dry from lines and a small earthen stove in the corner. Firewood was stacked beside it. The residents must take great pains to make this rundown space into a comfortable sanctuary. Which made me feel worse because I was here to snatch it from them. 

I saw few material possessions in the room though, but I found my attention being drawn towards the two other occupants of the room. I found the two curiously staring at me. One of them was a freckled little girl with dazzling copper coloured hair and oceanic blue eyes. The girl had certainly inherited her mother’s most eye-catching features. The other was the raven-haired woman from my dreams dressed in knight commander armour. Her hair was tied in a tight bun and her attractive ruby red eyes were locked onto mine.

The little girl I had dismissed after a cursory glance. It was my acquaintance, dressed in knight commander armour, who had my undivided attention. I was overcome by an overwhelming desire to rush to her side and envelop her in a tight hug, but I found myself rooted to the spot. Even my voice betrayed me, leaving me mute and unable to utter a single word. It was as if my body was paralyzed.

In a last-ditch effort, I tried to reach towards my face mask and pull it down, but my arms felt like lead, refusing to budge. My heart pounded in my ears, my breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. A wave of dizziness swept over me, and my chest constricted painfully. Something was terribly wrong.

Am I… afraid?

I heard a chiding whisper, “Tsk, tsk, little sun.”