21

A Political Problem

‘What happened here?’ he said in a way that was more amused than annoyed.

‘They fucked up my city! That’s what happened!’ he responded in a way that was far more annoyed than amused. ‘The alchemy tutor has lost a wall, most of the Aster Bridge is gone, one of the church spires fell and nearly killed someone, a falcon woman attacked five of my guards, and Lady Dae is demanding a public execution!’

‘Sounds like it’s been quite a day.’ First Lord Davik always responded in that way, like he knew exactly what was happening all the time, and it mildly amused him.

It annoyed Fifth Lord Isanthol, and even worse, it seemed like he knew it annoyed him.

‘Don’t you have your own cities to oversee?’

‘Not when this one’s so amusing. Besides, I’m good at what I do so this kind of thing doesn’t happen.’

‘And gallivanting off to your old college helps?’

‘To meet the future king? Of course, you silly old owl!’

By the gods, he wanted him gone. Last thing he needed was this aura of smugness hanging over his shoulder, especially when the Theocracy was breathing down his neck and he lacked Davik’s “skills” to properly deal with them. But he was the First, so what could he do? ‘Hmm,’ was all he could muster as a response.

Everything has a place. Asterport was his. Giltani was Daviks. He wished he would return to his place.

‘If you want me gone, I’ll oblige. Good luck to you and this kerfuffle.’ Just like that, a weight was lifted, making things only fractionally more manageable. While he would not be out of the city for some time, it at least meant he would be out of his immediate presence for the time being.

Off to the dungeons then, to sort this mess out.

He heard the commotion as soon as he entered. The City Watch Captain stood by, diligent, but tired.

He followed the Captain through the sullen halls and past the rusty iron cages of the city dungeon.

‘What’s changed?’

‘A few injuries from the bridge including one ox with a concussion, some guards hurt trying to restrain the falcon after she damaged the church, some traumatized children, one upset alchemist, and Lady Dae now demands you set up the guillotine.’

‘No deaths?’

‘A close call with the falling spire, but no.’

Then there’s at least one good thing out of all this.

‘Did you really have to immediately steal from her home?’ Isanthol heard a shouting match from quite a distance.

‘She insulted me! I’m not taking that shit!’

‘You didn’t have to look at the jewels right outside her house!’

‘Yes I did! They were very pretty! You didn’t have to get in a fight and destroy a bridge!’

‘That wasn’t my fault!... Mostly... Partially.’

‘It would appear both your actions are of equal stupidity,’ came another voice, much calmer than the others.

‘You’re on no grounds to call us stupid. You didn’t have to blow up an alchemy lab!’

‘Yes I did, Kathiya! Substandard alchemy was occurring within my vicinity. I can’t stand by and watch them completely botch an art form!’

‘It was a children’s class, Sethel!’

‘Don’t make excuses for them!’

Lady Dae, dressed in a corset that exemplified already exemplary proportions, stood outside the prisoners holding cell, arms folded and glaring with eyes of fire.

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‘I would strongly suggest using the guillotine.’

‘We haven’t used that in a long time, Lady Dae, and your jewelry has been promptly returned. That hardly warrants public decapitation.’

‘That’s not the point! She was in my house! She went into my bedchamber! She stole from ME! All that scum and dirt wandering through my home?’

He couldn’t really argue with that. It was her place, and the thief intruded. However, public execution seemed excessive.

‘What about you?’ He turned to the alchemist, who was idly fiddling with the buttons on his jacket.

‘The damage was only on one wall, but he still should be punished. At least, he should pay for it.’

‘Why not simply exile them?’ the captain stepped in to offer his opinion. ‘Let the bandits, the animals, and the Phaosians deal with them.’

That gave him an idea. He had a problem with Phaos and a self-alleged band of mercenaries with quite a debt to pay. Why not kill two stormchasers with one arrow?

Everything had its place. This was theirs.

‘I believe I have a solution that would satisfy all our needs.’

He entered to find the leader sat hunched on a bench, head in his hands. The shouting match soon stopped once they stepped in.

‘You must be this merc I’ve heard so much about.’

‘Name’s Ludgar,’ the back wolf said, without so much as a glance.

‘I recall a name like that. You once fought with the Kingdom against us.’

‘Nothing personal.’

‘You caused a lot of damage and killed some good men.’

‘Pay me as much and I’ll do the same to your enemies. Pay me more, and I’ll do worse.’

‘Give me one good reason you shouldn’t be executed.’

‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘No, but you’re their leader.’ Lord Isanthol regarded the rest of Ludgar’s crew. The thief huddled in the corner with her hood hiding her face. The young fox laying on one of the benches. The falcon woman sitting and simply staring straight ahead. The robed lizard sat in the centre, legs crossed, as though he was trying to meditate.

‘I can’t control them.’

‘You’re. Their. Leader.’

‘You!’ the scrawny alchemist yelled as he entered, pointing a bony finger at the lizard. ‘You broke my wall!’

‘Consider turning it into a window,’ the lizard responded, without skipping a beat. The alchemist stepped back in a moment of contemplation as Lord Isanthol continued his interrogation.

‘You’re in quite a predicament.’

‘I know.’

‘In other cities, you could be executed for a lot less.’

‘I know.’

‘Not just for this, but for what you did for the Kingdom.’

‘If your punishment is to lecture me on things I already know, then it’s working.’

‘I have found a more than fair compromise.’

Ludgar brought his head up from his hands. This didn’t look like an answer he was expecting. ‘Really?’

The Fifth Lord turned to his city watch captain. ‘Leave us.’ The captain obliged and herded the rest of the disgruntled citizens out. When the room became much emptier, he turned back to the black wolf.

‘You should be executed, but I know you’re a good warrior, and I need that right now.’ The rest of the mercs listened intently, but chose to remain silent.

Ludgar responded with a light chuckle and a shrug. ‘Well, you’ve got me in a position where I can’t really refuse.’

‘Good. I’ve received reports of Phaosian missionaries in my territory.’

‘And, I take it, they’re not leaving.’

‘Worse. They’re carrying out their “duty.” Phaos is becoming a problem. More and more lords are falling to their doctrine. I need you to find these missionaries and remove them.’

‘Phaos is just a religion. Why would you be so concerned with what people believe?’ Ludgar leaned back against the cage, placing his hand behind his head and folding one leg over the other.

‘It’s a religion that’s forming its own realm. Its tendril grows and has wormed its way into ours. What kings it has are merely figureheads, and I fear what this belief may infect next.’

‘You speak of beliefs as though they’re a disease; as though we have no control over them. People can choose their beliefs.’

‘Can they?’ Isanthol leaned his back against the bars.

‘Well, yes, absolutely.’

‘Could you believe something you know is a lie?’

Ludgar had no response. The Fifth made a good point. He ran his tongue along his teeth, as though he’d find the answer somewhere between them. ‘Aside from all that philosophical talk, I take it you want me and my crew to sort this because you don’t want to muster any actual troops, else it looks like a declaration of war.’

‘A few missing missionaries is no concern. A few missing missionaries because of a realms direct action is a diplomatic nightmare. They can keep the north, but it’s a concern should they move south. Everything has a place. Theirs is not here.’

‘A wandering band of missionaries? They could be anywhere. Where should I start?’

‘These attacks have been localized around the Caucus region. It shouldn’t be a major issue finding them. Just follow the chaos and remove them.’

The black wolf smiled and hopped up onto his feet, stretching out his back. ‘I guess that leaves us with only one question then,’ he said through the comfortable struggle of a good, long stretch. ‘How?’

‘How did they get there?’

‘No. How do you want them “removed?”’