Sellswords Read online

Page 3

Chapter One

  “So that is the Great Green? It doesn’t really look all that impressive from here,” said Sariel looking out at the city’s harbour.

  “That’s because this is a small arm of the sea. Thirty kilometers east it widens into a sea so wide you can’t see the other side from the highest mountain,” I replied a bit testy. Sariel had been journeying with us for two weeks; and while she was pleasant enough company her ‘nothing here compares to the Fey Reich’ attitude was starting to get on my nerves.

  “I’m sure it’s quite impressive,” Sariel replied trying not to sound patronizing, but failing miserably. “But shouldn’t we worry about paying for the accommodations before Miri gets back from stabling the horses?”

  The Fey had a point. We’d had to make a major detour around the region controlled by the followers of Misery which had resulted in a far harder and longer trip than either Miri or I had expected. Sariel had been the cause of that detour. She was a native of the Fey Reich; one of the three dimensions that made up the Inner Realm. It had cut all ties with the Mid and Shadow Reichs when the Red Death had hit. Nothing had been heard from its inhabitants in twenty years.

  Then Sariel had been travelling through the centre of the Demon Cult’s domain. Taller, more regal cousins, of the Imperium Elves, the Fey had unfortunately caught the eye of one of Misery’s disciples. When she spurned his advances, the disciple had Sariel seized and condemned to public torture and execution.

  That was where Miri, Riley and I had stepped in and rescued our Fey damsel in distress.

  Fortunately, this damsel in distress had actually come with her own supplies, which she’d been more than willing to add to our meager provisions. So at least we’d not spent the last few days hungry.

  But finally, we’d made; to our third choice of southern cities: The City of Florenz. Once, and still is by its resident’s, it had been called the ‘Jewel of the Great Green’. But now titles like ‘Great Green’s Swamp’ or ‘Imperium’s Cesspool’ are used. Florenz had once been one of the major entry ways for trade and people to the Imperium. It had been said that the streets had been paved in gold and that a person with ambition and a head for business could start the day a popper and end it with the wealth of kings.

  That had of course been before it had been the entryway for the Red Death into the Imperium itself. Despite warnings, people hadn’t been ready. They’d taken comfort in their public health measures and the assurance of the clerics and the book mages that they could divine when the plague would hit and cure all those inflicted before the outbreak could spread. They’d done it before with similar illnesses and they’d would do it again with this so call Plague. They were wrong. The Red Death came upon Florenz like a lightning bolt out of a clear blue sky. The clerics of the God of Cities and the Sun (curse their names to the abyss) said that they had tried to cure those inflicted but their prayers did not help. In a desperate move, they had let the first victims die and then tried to return them to life.

  They failed yet again, and that was when the panic had started. Nine out of ten citizens had died or fled the city spreading both the plague and the tales of the Gods first breach of The Compact between the Gods and the mortals The Three Reichs. Within a year many of the surviving citizens of Florenz had returned; accept that is for the nobles who had run the city.

  Into this leadership vacuum stepped the guilds: merchants and craftsmen these men and women of all races started to rebuild. The most successful (or ruthless depending upon who you ask) guild unfortunately was the Thieves and Smugglers Union. It wasn’t long before they’d cowed the others and opened the ports to pirates and smugglers. Now a large part of Florenz’s wealth came from refitting pirate ships and fencing their ill-gotten gains throughout the Imperium. Such a large network of illegal trade meant that sellswords who kept to a contract, and keep their mouths shut; were in high demand. This was why Miri and I decided to make for Florenz for our winter billeting: we needed the money. We’d not backed any winning sides during the summer campaigning and caravan season (not to mention rescuing Fey maidens from the gibbet) so we had just enough coin to get us here.

  Turning back to Sariel I asked “You still willing to pay for a room? Miri and I can pay you back once we get our advance.”

  The Fey nodded her head in acknowledgement “I’m willing to go a week, after will depend on what the job situation looks like. I’m grateful for saving my life, but that doesn’t mean I trust you when it comes to money,” she said.

  “That’s more than fair,” I replied. Old timers might have been offended by an offer of just a week’s lodging for a life, but The Plague had made life a lot cheaper.

  As we walked to Miri’s preferred Inn, Riley landed on my shoulder. “I didn’t see anyone in town that wants us dead. Though there are some Elven Breed Hunters along the docks that Miri should avoid,” he said as I scratched him under the chin. The Raven always liked to fly over a town we were in to check it out. We didn’t have many enemies that outright wanted to kill us but we did have some.

  “Anyone take a potshot at you this time?” I teased.

  “No; they must have had a good harvest this year,” he replied sourly.

  As we approached the Inn Riley croaked quietly in my ear “any bets on the reaction that everyone is going to give the throwback?”

  I smiled and shook my head no; but it was a good question. It appeared that during the twenty or so years of separation between us and the Fey, that fashions had gone in different directions. Sariel’s tunic with the extra-large sleeves, multi coloured patched hose, turned down black leather boots, and her cloak made her look like an actress from a period drama that were so popular now. Both Miri and I had tried to tell her that she looked ridiculous but she insisted that she’d done her research and this was the ‘cutting edge of adventurer chic.’

  Yeah, I didn’t understand it either. Oh well she’d get the idea soon enough.

  The Taleless Rat was one of several Inns and Taverns that catered to the mercenary/sellsword elements within the city. I liked it because the beds were free of bugs and the food was worth the price that you paid. Miri liked it because the owners respected their customers’ privacy and expected everyone to do the same. So, when Sariel, Riley and I came in, the Fey was underwhelmed by the response we got. A few of the patrons looked up, saw that we didn’t pose a threat and then returned to whatever beverage they were drinking. We did get the usual appraisals and leers that are part in parcel of young women entering a drinking establishment but that was as far as it went. My female sellsword predecessors had long ago made it clear to anyone who was stupid enough to give them unwanted attention, the big error of their ways.

  “Winter Queen! You can practically hear the magic hum in this room,” Sariel said as she looking around. Finally; the Fey was impressed by something.

  Inside the Inn were two dozen mercenaries of all sorts. Mages of all three varieties sat down with both heavily armoured monster hunters and lightly equipped musketeers. Against the wall were storage racks holding muskets, two handed swords, war bows, and more varieties of polearms than had any right to exist. Humans were in the majority but there were more than a few Dwarves and male Elves scattered among the crowd. There were even four Hobgoblins from the eastern lands in the mix.

  “Impressive isn’t it; and the truly ironic thing is that most of them are completely clueless,” said Riley.

  Sariel turned to the Raven and said “but how can they…not know?”

  They’ve no understanding of the world before them: this is their normal. My guess is that a higher proportion of them survived the plague; there is a higher predisposition for luck in their lives after all. And you know what is really scary; their total number actually increased after the plague,” replied my familiar.

  “Also, we usually have more important things to worry about then the total number of magic wielders and hero types in the world,” I said a bit annoyed by the conversation. The num
ber of times that I’d fallen to sleep while the Birdbrain had prattled on about the changes in magic was embarrassing. I got the Raven to hop on my hand and moved him over to Sariel’s shoulder.

  “Make yourselves useful while you talk. Get a table as near the fire as you can, while I secure us a room and something to eat,” I said to the both of them.

  “Will they have coffee here?” asked the Fey, her face full of hope.

  “They should, I’ll get a carafe if they do,” I replied I then turned to head up to the bar, but then turned remembering something important. “One more thing, leave the chair closest to the fire open, Miri needs the extra heat.”

  “Yes mother,” replied Riley, before returning to his conversation with our newest companion.

  Getting back to business I weaved my way through the random assortment of tables towards the bar and a familiar face.

  “Sasha! I thought that was you, but your partner sure as the Nine Hells wasn’t Miri,” said Samuel. The old barman must have been pushing fifty, yet he moved with the energy of a much younger man. As far as I knew he’d been the owner/barman of The Taleless Rat his entire life. The place was home and his customers were his family even if we were just there for the night.

  “Samuel, we stayed here two days a year ago; how do you remember my name?” taken aback, but secretly very pleased, by his friendly greeting.

  “Two attractive young women, one silver haired with a very talkative raven on her shoulder and the other a blood red haired elf who decked two bullies, twice her size, that were trying to get under my daughter’s skirts. Just lucky I guess,” he replied with a smile so genuine that it was worth the entire trip just to see it. “What can I get you?”

  “Your cleanest room for a week, use of the bathhouse later today to start with, and right now, whatever you had on for lunch for three and a fresh carafe of coffee. And before you ask: yes, were willing to wait for the pot to be brewed,” I replied as a past over several hardly clipped silver pieces.

  “Ah it’s such a pleasure to deal with a knowledgeable customer,” said Samuel as he took the silver.

  Smiling a thank you, I returned back to where Riley and Sariel were sitting having an animated discussion, which quieted as I sat down beside them.

  “So, what are we having?” asked Sariel. She always seemed to be interested in what we were going to be eating.

  “I’m guessing, but most likely the last of the fresh bread, cheese and the first of the year’s pickled vegetables, along freshly made coffee. I also got their cleanest room for a week and use of the bathhouse for the evening,” I replied.

  “A bath’s an excellent notion we could all use one, I believe. Is it acceptable to also wash our undergarments in the bath as well, or do they have pay separate for that service?” she asked.

  “If you’re just washing a couple of shifts there shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re looking at doing more, then yeah you should talk to Samuel about that,” I replied.

  The Fey nodded satisfied with the answer. Looking up she then said “Ah it appears you were very correct about the composition of our lunch though, I’m not sure of the amount.”

  With that, Liza, one of Samuel’s daughters, came forward with a trey heaped with food. Two loaves of northern rye, along with a pot of butter or a runny cheese, I wasn’t sure which yet, and a large bowl of pickled vegetables, and much to my surprise two halves of cold roast chicken.

  “Your coffee will be here shortly Sasha,” Liza said as she presented everything to us. She was a curvy girl whose quick smile and twinkling eye meant that she rarely lacked for attention.

  “Please let Miri know that if she needs anything else she should let me know,” she continued, her voice turning husky with desire and her eyes widening in anticipation.

  Inwardly I sighed but said without the least bit of jealousy in my voice “I’ll be sure to let her know.”

  Liza gave me another brilliant smile and turned her attention back to other customers within the bar.

  “She’s rather brazen,” said Sariel as she forked a helping of vegetables onto her plate.

  “It’s not what you think. Last time she was here Miri was hungry and made the mistake of feeding on her. The girl found the entire experience a bit too ‘enjoyable’ and is desperate for another experience. Miri despite looking physically like an Elf is in fact a Daywalker. The child of a Vampire and a mortal, Daywalkers possess some of the power of their Vampire parent, increased speed and strength for example, but few of the weaknesses. While a Daywalker doesn’t need to feed on mortal blood to survive for example they should do so as part of a balanced diet. Like Humans should eat green vegetables or Dwarves drink beer with lots of hops for example.

  Sariel’s expression made it clear that she thought that I was joking, but when I didn’t give a punch line she just said quietly “you’re serious.”

  “I blame all the bards singing songs and telling stories about tragic vampire lovers, it’s warped the minds of today’s youth,” I replied.

  “She’s close to your age. Doesn’t mean you’ve been warped as well?” countered the Fey.

  “I’m her lover. We discovered a long time ago that sharing a bed and sharing blood do not mix. As her significant other, I might get a little protective of Miri when it comes to who she eats but I think that’s pretty reasonable,” I said with maybe a bit more honesty than I intended.

  “For the record when Sasha says ‘protective’ translate that to jealous and you’re closer to the truth,” commented Riley as he stole a pickled onion from Sariel’s plate.

  “You know Riley, they will cook any wild game that a patron brings in here,” I said smiling broadly.

  The raven appeared to be unconcerned by my threat; though he did hop over to the Fey’s side of the table before stealing a large piece of bread from her plate.

  “What did the feather duster say this time?” asked Miri as she moved past our table to hang up her longsword along with the other weapons. Coming back, I noticed that she really did need to feed. The blood vessels under her skin were clearly visible in her cheeks and she moved with a listlessness that was caused by far more than just a lack of sleep.

  As soon as she sat down, Riley leaped onto Miri shoulder and squawked, “Sasha’s being mean to me!”

  Miri sighed but didn’t bat an eye when she said “Sasha stop threatening to hurt your familiar. That’s my job.”

  “Yeah that’s her…wait what?” Riley managed to say before as Miri grabbed the Raven around his legs and threw him back towards me. I caught the mass of black feathers.

  Sariel looked shocked at everything that was happening and the look upon her face was enough to send Miri, Riley and myself in uncontrollable laughter.

  “It’s an old routine we do. It’s all an act,” Riley explained.

  “It’s mostly an act,” Miri said as she broke up one of the chicken halves putting the leg and thigh onto her plate.

  About that time Liza returned with the fresh coffee. She put down the tray and gave Miri a large wink before she left.

  Fresh food, hot coffee, baths, and an actual bed to sleep in; I realized that there was only one thing missing from making this a perfect night.

  “Liza mentioned that if there was anything else you needed you had but to ask,” I said casually to my Daywalker lover.

  “Really?” replied Miri.