Anad kept an eye on the people lined up to get into Bastion as he walked towards the gate, though he didn’t really expect Tel and Shara to still be waiting outside the city if they’d even come here at all. Still, on the off chance, it couldn’t hurt, but almost everybody had a hood up to try and keep the rain at bay.

No magical top hats for them. And no tuxedo to skip the line.

“Mediator,” one of the sopping wet guards said to him as he approached the checkpoint. “Not the nicest day for a walk.”

Anad tilted his head back and looked up at the falling rain, though not a drop of it touched his skin as it seemed to just slide around him. Dirt wouldn’t stick, rain wouldn’t touch him, and most weapons couldn’t pierce the black-and-white fabric – being a Mediator did have its perks.

“Took the scenic route back,” Anad said to the guard. “Do you know if the capital detachment has already left to go back?”

“I’m afraid they left first thing this morning, Sir,” the guard, who had to be old enough to be Anad’s father, said.

“I thought as much,” Anad said and looked along the highway to his left. He’d avoided taking hold of the Trance the whole way back, to give his body time to recover, but now he was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

“Another capital detachment arrived after that though,” the guard went on after checking to make sure nobody else was close enough to hear, and Anad turned his attention back to the man. “They’d be at the garrison by now, I suspect.”

“A second capital detachment, any idea why they’re here?” Anad asked, equally quietly, though the pattering rain was probably enough to cover their conversation.

“Mediators don’t share their business with me. Most don’t even stop to talk,” the guard said, giving Anad a small nod of his head. “These weren’t the same Mediators who left earlier in the day though, so here for a different reason I’d assume. Ah, sorry, it’s not my place to guess at Mediator business.”

“No, it’s fine,” Anad said. No need to stifle somebody thinking for himself. “If you did have to guess, what do you think they were here for?”

“If I may, Sir?” the guard asked, and when Anad nodded, stepped in a bit closer to continue with his voice lowered. “They came in quickly and quietly, cloaks and hoods over the wagon drivers. I wouldn’t have even known they were Mediators at all, but they had to talk to me to let them in without standing in line.”

Cloaks? Over their tuxedos? That had to mean…

“They didn’t want many people to know they were here,” the guard went on, completing Anad’s train of thought. “I wouldn’t have brought it up, but…” the man continued, gesturing to Anad’s tuxedo.

“Well, I’m glad I stopped to chat,” Anad said, considering what it could mean. Mediators certainly didn’t need to sneak into the city, but Sir Reghald had mentioned something about being worried about information leaking. Could these new capital Mediators be related to that? Only one way to find out. “Thanks again for the information. Where do you drink when you finish your shift?” Anad asked.

“Rollins,” the older guard pointed at a younger man questioning a small group of people looking to enter the city, “and I always go to the Prancing Pony. He fancies one of the waitresses there.”

“I know where that is. I’ll stop by a bit later, buy you and Rollins a drink,” Anad said.

“You don’t have to do that, Sir,” the guard said.

“I don’t,” Anad admitted. “But I don’t know a lot of people in the city. What was your name anyway?”

“Rockins, Sir,” the man said. “I think our Captain put me and Rollins together since are names are so similar.”

“I’m Anad,” Anad said, and offered his hand to shake. The guard looked from his wet hand to Anad’s pristine white glove and hesitated. “It’s fine,” Anad said, reaching out and taking the leather-gloved hand. “There, see? Not even dirty,” he said, holding up his impossibly clean glove.

“Always thought that was just a rumor, about your clothes not getting dirty,” Rockins said, leaning in a touch to look at the glove. “My wife would love if my uniform could do that.”

“It’s handy,” Anad said, pointing in beyond the gate.

“Of course, Sir, you’re welcome to head in,” Rockins said, stepping aside so Anad could pass.

“Thanks. The Prancing Pony, right? I’ll see you there after it gets dark,” Anad said, walking past the man with a wave, but stepped off to the side as a wagon trundled past in the other direction.

Which reminds me.

“Hey, Rockins,” Anad said, getting the man’s attention. “You or Rollins any good with horses?”

“My Pa ran a stable before he passed. I helped out until my brother took it over. Why?” Rockins asked.

“I need somebody to run an errand for me. Fancy a trip to Gravelburg?” Anad asked, backtracking to talk to the man.

“I haven’t been to Gravelburg in ages,” Rockins said. “But, not sure my Captain…”

“It’d be official business, requested directly by a Mediator,” Anad said, pointing at himself. “If you’re interested. If, on the other hand, you’d rather stay on gate duty…”

“We’d be interested,” Rockins cut in immediately. “What did you need?”

“There’s a horse stabled at one of the inns there. Has been for a few days. I need it brought back here before I leave. I’ll give you enough money to pay for what is likely past-due board, and you’re welcome to keep any left over, assuming you get the horse back to me safe and sound.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“That’d be no problem, Sir. But, if you don’t mind me asking, why not ask one of the Regulars?” Rockins asked.

“I’d like somebody with a little more… people skills to handle this, and you’ve shown you have some tact. A Regular would likely just requisition the horse without paying the innkeeper what she’s owed. I’d like to make sure she gets her payment,” Anad said.

“And you trust me and Rollins just like that?” Rockins asked.

“I’m a good judge of character, and besides, now I know where you drink if anything comes back to me later,” Anad said, putting his hand on the other man’s shoulder, and gave a smile that said he was only half joking.

“Nothing bad will come back to you, Sir, if you trust us with this,” Rockins said.

“I didn’t think it would,” Anad said, withdrawing his hand. “Listen, you think you can get your captain to come to the Prancing Pony tonight? Save me a trip to see him.”

“I’m not sure he’ll believe he’s been requested by a Mediator, Sir,” Rockins said.

“All the more fun when he sees it’s true then, right?” Anad said. “I’d like you and Rollins to leave first thing tomorrow morning, which means we need permission tonight. Uh, do you think your wife will mind?”

“She won’t have a problem with it, Sir,” Rockins said.

“Great. Then, until I see you at the Prancing Pony,” Anad said with a wave, turning and heading through the large gate. A hold-over from the Escalation War, the wall was thicker than most buildings, reinforced with the same order that powered his Trance, and Anad passed two additional sets of guards who barely more than glanced at his tuxedo before he exited out the other side.

After days in the woods, the smell of the wet city hit him like a slap to the face.

It’s too bad the tuxedo’s magic doesn’t do anything about smells.

A quick moment to stop his eyes from watering, and to get used to the general noise, and Anad was back on his way down the main street, which just happened to lead straight to the garrison. While most people bustled by under the small overhangs next to the buildings, or their own cloaks and umbrellas, Anad stayed on the edge of the sidewalk. There were a few shocked expressions when somebody in a hurry looked up and found a tuxedo in front of them, but they quickly moved aside, and Anad didn’t slow or deviate on his path until the garrison came into sight a short time later.

With the rain coming down even harder, practically in sheets that still didn’t touch him, he approached the doorway beside the main gate with a wave at the guard just inside.

“Mediator,” the man said with a small bow of his head. “Let me get the main gate for you. I’m sorry it wasn’t open, we were asked to keep it closed this evening.”

Asked to keep it closed? Definitely something going on inside they don’t want the average passerby to see.

“Don’t worry about the gate,” Anad quickly said, extending an arm to block the man from stepping out into the torrential downpour. “This door will do just fine.”

The man’s eyes widened, and he turned quickly to look from the door to Anad. “Sir, this is just a small door for Regulars. It leads to one of our dorms, and the kitchen beyond. It’s not fit for a Mediator. I can get the gate…”

Anad didn’t move his blocking arm, and shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ve been through both. Your cook, Yule, makes the best sausage rolls in the whole place, and I’ve got a soft spot for the cat. Does it have a name, by the way?”

“The… cat? Whiskers?”

“Small tabby?”

“That’s… that’s the one, Whiskers,” the guard said, obviously off-balance. “Yule’s daughter named him. You really know him?”

“I do. Last time I saw him, he told me the potato story, you know the one?” Anad asked.

The guard rolled his head back with a groan. “Know it? I was there for it! Spent the next two days in the shitter with my guts… uhhh… you’re sure you want to go in this way?”

“I’m sure,” Anad said, gesturing at the door with his cane. “If you wouldn’t mind unlocking it.”

“Right, of course,” the man said, jangling the keys out of an inside pocket, and then swinging the door open a moment later. “Try to ignore the mess.”

“Mess? You haven’t seen my room,” Anad said with a smile, and strolled through the door to the very surprised look of four men dicing at a table just inside. “Don’t mind me,” Anad said, passing by without another word, then down the hall and through the door leading into the kitchen.

“If I have to tell you one more time that dinner isn’t ready until it’s ready, I’ll put you on the chopping block,” cook Yule shouted, though he was facing the other direction the entire time, his knife going chunkchunkchunkchunkchunk in a steady rhythm.

“So, no sausage rolls then?” Anad asked.

“No! No… no…” the cook trailed off, his knife slowing and then eventually stopping as he turned around, mouth agape, to look at Anad. “Mediator, I’m so sorry, I thought you were… not… I mean, of course I can find a…”

“It’s fine, Yule, I’m just kidding with you. Well, on second thought, if you actually do have a couple of those sausage rolls, it’s been a long few days,” Anad amended, the smell of whatever was in the pot over the fire igniting the hunger in his stomach.

“Some on the plate right there,” Yule said, pointing at something cloth-covered right beside Anad. “You’re welcome to all of them if you’re hungry.”

Anad flipped the cloth off to find the plate stuffed with the flaky rolls, but only picked up one. “Oh, I am hungry, but this’ll do for now,” Anad said. “Hey, these wouldn’t be for anybody in particular, would they?” he asked, looking at the other covered dishes on the table. Not the usual spread.

“Some Mediators from the capital. I’m helping out with dinner because of their surprise arrival,” Yule explained.

Surprise arrival huh?

“Any idea where I can find them?” Anad asked.

“I think I just saw their commanding officer out in the main foyer a few minutes ago,” Yule said, pointing at a door across the kitchen.

“Perfect, thanks Yule,” Anad said.

“Of course, Mediator Malhuun.”

“I told you, call me Anad,” Anad said, opening the door out of the kitchen.

“Whatever you say, Mediator,” Yule said, still obviously not comfortable calling Anad by his first name.

One of the disadvantages of the tuxedo.

Anad gave a wave with the sausage role, then shoved half of it in his mouth with a satisfying bite. I bet the capital detachment came just for the sausage rolls. A second bite and it was gone, and Anad opened the door out to the foyer after a quick lick of his fingers.

Two Mediators stood talking with their backs to Anad, but as their voices reached him, he had to stop to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. No, no he wasn’t. There was no mistaking that voice.

“Gevar?” Anad said, forgetting to add the Mediator title – or call her by her last name – as his heart leapt into his throat.

The two talking Mediators cut off their conversation and turned to look at him, the one on the right, just a touch older than Anad, beaming a smile as she realized who had called her name.

“Anad?” Gevar said, her eyes sparkling, and her smile setting Anad’s blood pumping. “I thought you were on your way back to the capital, how are you still here?” she asked, covering the distance between them in quick strides.

“I was supposed to be, but it’s been a long… week,” Anad said as Gevar put her hands on Anad’s shoulders, like she was going pull him in closer for something more. A glance over her shoulder at the other watching Mediator seemed to change Gevar’s mind, and she instead gave a squeeze then stepped back.

“You’ll have to tell me all about it over dinner,” Gevar said. “But, regardless, I can’t say it’s anything but fortunate that you’re here.”

“Mediator Warren, are you sure…?” the other Mediator started to ask, but cut off at a quick gesture of Gevar’s hand.

“It’s fine, Anad and I have worked on some very sensitive projects together,” Gevar said, that sparkle back in her eyes again, and Anad had to force himself to swallow.

“You led the capital detachment here?” Anad asked, putting the pieces together.

“I did, and since you’re here, you can help me on my mission,” Gevar said.

“And that would be…?”

“Uncovering and eliminating a Tink Enclave hiding right here in Bastion.”