The view in front of me left no doubt: we had indeed arrived. We stood on a street at the limits of the city. The floor was simple dirt instead of cobblestone pavement. I had no eyes for such trivialities, though, as my sight was captured by the Locomotive.

Were locomotives not usually made of metal? This one was not. It used wood. Magically glowing wood.

This might have been the hull of a galleon, once. Someone had stripped it of every porthole, every decoration, and every sail holding feature. Just a smooth surface remained. Replacing a traditional upper deck was another hull, this time of a very shallow ship, had been glued upside-down. No one was meant to walk upon it, clearly.

To my surprise, the Locomotive simply rested on the ground. Instead of two rails, a single stony one went through the front of the vehicle, where a notch allowed it to go through the middle.

I could see no wagons, but the size of the Locomotive implied it needed none. Indeed, it was around one hundred meters (330 feet) long, thirty meters (100 feet) wide, and ten meters (33 feet) high.

I realized this was not the first time I had seen wood holding enchantments. The facade of The Proud Rats displayed similar light emitting magic. Why did anyone ever bother with rocks if wood was a viable option? Surely it would be easier for mages to carry chips of wood instead of pebbles.

I was feeling exhausted, making me even more prone to distracting thoughts. I needed to focus on the present. Aostin also took a moment to admire the vehicle, though, evidence that even seen multiple times, the view remained breathtaking.

“It seems they have resolved the shipment issue,” he told me, pointing at a group of people loading crates through the back of the Locomotive.

I could not see the opening from this angle, but Aostin started walking toward it, so it was only a matter of time.

“I think it’s already charged up, so we don’t have much time. We’ll need to make some noise once we’re inside. I’d rather not waste a day getting back,” he commented, before making a sudden stop.

Aostin looked straight at me, like he had been hit by a realization.

“Shit,” he swore. ”You won’t be able to get in. Passage’s free for any Eucleron, but they do check for Bindings.”

Without warning, he drew his sword. With its point toward the ground, he handed me the weapon and I took it.

Once I held it, Aostin inspected me for a few seconds before holding his hand. “No, it won’t do,” he judged. “It’s easy to tell the Binding’s not yours.”

I gave him the sword back.

“A favor it is, then,” he sighed. “We don’t have time for anything clever.”

We reached the back of the Locomotive.

Here also, streamlining imposed its harsh rule. The only concessions were doors and a set of stairs. The latter sunk into the Locomotive, starting from the ground and going up to a door at around a third of the vehicle’s height. Next to the stairs were two enormous doors, currently opened to let in the cargo. In the middle of their opening, an encasing covered the rail. It looked awkward, like a design element the architects had failed to consider until the very last minute.

Aostin was closing in on the stairs, but stopped once again.

I watched him questioningly as he stayed frozen in place.

“Do not draw. Do not move,” a feminine voice intoned. “You are under arrest.”

Admiring the Locomotive, I had somehow missed the two people approaching us. Aostin’s behavior showed that he, on the other hand, had not been taken by surprise.

Disobeying the order, I slowly turned to see the newcomers.

The woman arresting us had a rapier in hand, already raised and ready to strike. She, and the other woman accompanying her, wore dark green uniforms featuring some gold embroidery. I recalled Lady Azeline and her retinue sporting similar colors. A suspicion confirmed by the recognizable symbol placed over their heart, which I now assumed to symbolize either honor as a concept or the Lord of Honor as an individual.

The other woman had a wound-up crossbow, but thankfully no bolt was loaded.

This had to be the city guards. They were wearing cloth, not armor. Strength in number, then, or perhaps through affiliation. It felt wrong for the peacekeeping force to have such openly displayed partiality, but if they all shared Lady Azeline’s supposed imperviousness to lies, I could see why the blatant issue might be disregarded.

“We were on our way to rescue one of our own,” Aostin explained. “We have done nothing illegal.”

“Nothing yet, you mean,” the guard said, wryly, before adopting a more serious tone. “I know about your quarrel. Your lord acted rashly within the Locomotive, so you’ll have to come with us.”

Aostin turned and nodded.

“What’s the deal with him?” the other guard asked, using her crossbow to point at me.

Sure, she was not being polite, but this still numbered among the best reactions I had received seen so far. I was actually glad to see they were behaving so rationally. But then it dawned on me that I carried a collection of lock picks in my satchel, and I became much less pleased by the guards’ attention.

“Honestly? We’re still trying to figure that out,” Aostin shrugged. “Lady Azeline is aware of his situation, though.”

“We’ll see about that,” the rapier-wielding guard declared.

From that remark, I deduced Lady Azeline’s truth compelling powers did not extend to her guards. No reason for them to have doubted Aostin’s words had they such an ability. As part of a group specializing in extra-legal activities, this realization should have come as a relief. However, as someone whose foreignness drew suspicion, this deprived me of my best defense: honesty. Indeed, the only crimes I had committed so far were petty larcenies. My awkward visit to Lord Derrien’s house surely did not count.

But while I did not foresee any grave consequences for this arrest to either Aostin or myself, our initial mission remained.

“Is Loann alright?” I asked the two guards.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

They looked at each other.

“Blonde, with a thin beard?” I specified, making an assumption on the reason they were hesitating to answer.

“There are three wounded, but only one of them is...” the one with a crossbow started answering. “Uh...” she hesitated, then stopped looking at me and addressed Aostin instead. “...yours. You’ll see soon enough, anyway. Let’s go!”

Aostin looked at me with curiosity as we followed the guards to a nearby building.

What had I done to attract his attention? Was it me asking the guards a question? He had not. Maybe that was simply not done. It had worked, though. Sort of.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to care about people,” Aostin told me.

“What?! That’s just rude!” I exclaimed, too surprised and tired to quiet my reaction.

Why would he even say that?

Oh.

“Nouel is wrong, you know? I do have feelings. I do care,” I shot back, somewhat irritated.

“If you say so,” Aostin shrugged, making it clear he was not at all convinced.

My companion and I were ushered into an old-looking building. The watch’s station, most likely, given that their symbol was on a hanging wooden sign. Inside, we went through a room with four desks, only one of which being occupied. The man there also wore the dark green uniform, but a little square patch of shining gold marked him as having a different rank. The desks were parallel to the side walls, leaving plenty of space for a passage to the next room.

The busy guard did not even look up as we passed by him and entered the jail proper. This new room hosted five large cells, separated from each other by stone bricks, but their front wall still used regular metal bars. Making their content visible. Only two had occupants.

Lord Derrien, Loann, Yaelle, and the shield bearer were in a cell together, sitting on benches. Loann had a cut on his jaw, his shirt had been torn, and his right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, but he looked fine otherwise. I also noticed Yaelle’s creature was with them, asleep. That got a yawn out of me. Now that I knew everyone was mostly out of danger, the hitherto unnoticed stress keeping me awake vacated.

I was getting dangerously drowsy.

In the cell next to that of Lord Derrien, Two people I knew nothing about were conferring together, having dismissed us within seconds of our arrival. They looked to have been involved in a brawl, given their broken noses and bruised faces.

Before leaving, the guards silently locked us up. For some reason, while they made Aostin join Lord Derrien, I ended up in another cell. Thankfully, it was the one facing theirs, so discussion would not be severely hampered.

It also meant I had a bench for myself. That was thoughtful of them. Now I was going to be able to take a nap. All things considered, this was not even so different from my cell back at the thieves’ hideout. Benches instead of a proper bed did significantly lower the comfort levels, though. I noticed there was water available in a jug and drank some.

Nobody was talking.

It was only then that my addled mind caught up with the fact that not only had we not been searched, but everyone here had been allowed to keep their weapons. That was strange.

Not having any real understanding of the gravity of our situation, I decided to inquire.

“Aostin, just how much trouble are we in?” I asked him, not addressing Lord Derrien directly, for I did not believe it proper.

Aostin, having seated himself among the group, turned his head to look at me and replied.

“We had cause to act. No one died, and there was no grave injury. We should be fine,” he declared, also showing some fatigue. “I don’t think Lord Konogan will take personal offense.”

That last remark was confusing. Or maybe I was too tired to connect the dots. Were we not ultimately the plaintiff here?

“Is Lord Konogan the one responsible for Loann’s disappearance?” I wondered aloud, too fatigued to realize it. “Loann was abducted, was he not? Why would anyone be offended by our rescue?”

This was dangerously close to complaining. I needed to quiet down and sleep before poorly chosen words got me in trouble.

That was too late, it seemed, for Lord Derrien got up and faced me.

“Lord Konogan owns the Locomotive,” he explained. ”Brior is the one who took action against me. Lord Konogan is owed reparation for my disruption of his affairs, and I will accept whatever decision he makes in that regard.” I nodded, and he continued. “A judge should arrive within a few hours. Brior will probably accompany them. We wait until then.”

I nodded again.

Not having anything better to do, I took off my satchel and my cloak and, using them as a pillow and a blanket, I let myself fall asleep on the bench.

----------------------------------------

“-shall be in charge of passing judgment today.”

I woke up to the sound of a woman speaking in a very official tone. I was still tired, but since something was going on, I decided to get up.

Two new people had arrived.

There was an additional guard. She had a short golden cape at the back of her uniform. This was the person who had just made some kind of announcement. I assumed the flashy addition to her attire meant she ranked significantly higher than the others.

A well-dressed man now shared the cell with the two beat up kidnappers. He wore a black costume, nice enough that I would not be shocked to see it at a formal party. His eyes were focused on the high-ranking guard.

“Very well,” the woman said, then paused. “Let us begin with the case of Earl Konogan against Baron Derrien.”

Earl Konogan? Baron Derrien? Were their titles not lord? Could anything ever be simple with these people?

I mentally sighed.

The cape wearing guard made another pause.

“Baron Derrien, having taken direct hand, you may not avert the accusation,” she said.

Yet another pause. I felt like she was going through a procedure. These pauses were obviously practiced. It gave the pronouncement more of a formal tone, and, I had to admit, it demanded attention.

“Earl Konogan declined to use his right of request,” she continued.

What was a right of request? She was not going to explain any of this, was she?

“Baron Derrien, acting as judge in accordance with the treaties between Eucleron and the Lord of Honor, I pronounce your sanction to be the following…” she intoned.

This pause felt particularly heavy, somehow.

“One of your votes shall be transferred to Earl Konogan for five referendums of his choosing, provided they take place within one month,” she finally declared.

Not understanding the severity of the punishment, I looked at Lord Derrien, who did not appear displeased by this sentencing at all.

A guard, whom I recognized from the crossbow, unlocked and opened the door to his cell, but no one made a move to leave.

Seemingly unconcerned by this inaction, the judge looked at the man who most likely was Lord Brior.

“Now, we shall proceed with the case of Baron Derrien against Baron Brior,” the official recited. “Baron Brior, will you renege the accused?”

Well, from the fact that she had to be following the exact same procedure, I could infer that this was the way for Lord Brior to deflect the charges.

“No. I will not,” the man declared.

“Very well,” she said, then paused, as expected. “Baron Derrien, will you use your right of request?”

Lord Derrien looked questioningly at Aostin, who immediately shook his head.

“No. I will not,” he announced, using the same phrasing and intonation Lord Brior had. This was probably also dictated by the protocol.

“Very well,” The ever-pausing woman said. “Baron Brior, acting as judge in accordance with the treaties between Eucleron and the Lord of Honor, I pronounce your sanction to be the following…”

I couldn’t tell how, but she did manage to give certain pauses significantly more weight. This was a neat trick.

“Five of your votes shall be transferred to Baron Derrien for twenty referendums of his choosing, provided they take place within three months.”

What? Was that all?

Lord Brior seemed to find the verdict punishing. I failed to understand why. No executions. No lashings. No long-term detainment. Not even a monetary compensation! A slap on the wrist, really. Yet, somehow, Lord Brior took it hard.

As with Lord Derrien, the guard unlocked his cell once judgment was passed. Lord Brior, however, immediately left with his two retainers, without even sparing us a look.

For some reason, the official then turned to me. That was worrisome, because I could not guess what accusations I might have to stand against.

“Lastly, Lady Azeline confirmed having met you. Your arrest and subsequent captivity were thus unwarranted,” she said, this time without any pauses. “As compensation, we offer ten Enori. Do you accept, or would you rather lodge a complaint?”

I could guess Enori was a form of currency, but I did not know what the amount represented. Taking a glance at Lord Derrien and his group gave me no clue, as they were just looking at me, waiting for my decision. I had no desire to complicate my situation further by protesting, so I went with the easiest answer.

“Thank you,” I said. “I shall accept the compensation.”

The guard opened my door and handed me a small purse. I took it and just dropped it in my satchel as I put it back on.

Lord Derrien left his cell and, after grabbing my cloak, I joined with the group as we followed him out of the building and back to our hideout.