《Gambits》


 The White Pawn I

    The White Pawn I


    Captain William Royce woke with a drum beating in his head. He found himself sprawled out on of the benches inside the, now empty, tavern. Save for the dim light from the oil lantern on the table before him, the place was dark: it was still night. From the looks of the tavern now there was no sign of a party that led to a violent brawl earlier. As a city guard, it was his job to keep the peace. But William chuckled for he started the fight.


    It was his thirty-second name day celebration, and what better place to celebrate then a friends tavern to get drunk. Neil had his handful with the patronage William brought him that night, but it was worth it to be sure. William knew Neil would be stingy and only give him "Free" drinks until he was drunk, which didn''t take much. But he was also his best friend, so there was little cause to complain about the gift.


    Though he didn''t anticipate getting this drunk, fortunately, he had the next day off. When he picked up the oil lamp, he found a small vial with a tag attached to it carrying Niel¡¯s initials. He knew what it was and after consuming it, the drums in his head quieted down.


    Outside the day would be breaking soon, but he took the oil lamp anyways. He was unarmed and wanted something just in case someone was fool enough to attack him. Lately, there had been a strange increase in robberies, from sneaking into homes and taking jewels, or downright mugging in the middle of the street. Rumors, if they could be believed, were that there was a new candied treat out there that was changing people''s attitudes.


    William only had half a mind for those rumors, but the fact did still remain that the number of robberies in the city has increased over the last few months. Perhaps he should start carrying around his boot knife again, at least on the day''s he wasn''t in his armor and didn''t wear his sword belt.


    The city watchmen normally wore smoky-blue cloaks and armored in chain mail around their torsos, and double folded leather for their arms and legs. Fishermen would mock at them by calling them "sea whelps,¡± as their uniform and armor had colored them in the colors of the sea. Only their half-helms and weapons were untouched by the coloring dyes, but it was no matter, the fishermen were too few to care about their mockery.


    Their real name was, in fact, the Sky Cloaks, as their uniforms were supposed to resemble the sky. Perhaps on the signs of an early storm did they resemble the sky, but the fishermen were more accurate that they looked like the sea. The continent of Argolas was surrounded by a ring of smoke shooting out from the sea.


    "I never understood why the city guard''s uniform resembled the sea so much," Neil said when William first showed up to him wearing the Sky Cloak. "I mean the sea is miles away from the capital, and we can''t even see the rings of smoke from here."


    "It''s supposed to resemble the sky you carrot headed drunk." William countered.


    Neil was a stout man with passive green eyes, a crooked nose, freckles dotted all on his face and curly orange hair. The curly hair didn''t stop at his head, though, one summer Neil had gotten drunk and removed his shirt to wrestle with a knight who boasted he could beat any man at the sport. The hair on his torso and arms was thick, and just as orange and curly as the ones on his head.


    He had a rounded belly that showed muscles when he breathed and a chest and arms like a blacksmith. Neil had won the first match and even hustled the man out of a gold coin for a rematch. The second time he had locked the knight''s head under his arm within a matter of seconds. Eventually, the man yielded defeat and, after getting his coin, Neil poured him a drink for which he charged full price.


    "Besides, maybe they can''t get the color of the dye to come out right."


    "Whatever," Neil said pouring him a flagon of ale. "How about A round for the new city guard, on the house."


    "I can only drink water when I''m on duty."


    "Ahh piss on that!" Neil said after taking a deep gulp from the flagon. "You need more color in your life than blue!" He finished off the flagon and slammed it on the bar counter. "I know! I''ll call you Blue Boy from `er on out. William Blue Boy, you like that name?"


    Whether he liked it or not Neil would be calling him that for years until he became a captain of the City Watch. The captains and lord commander wore white uniforms with no signs of blue anywhere on them. It looked nicer, but as his betrothed told him it was much harder to clean out when it got dirty.


    William was elevated to captain when he saved a noble lady, whose name he couldn''t remember now, from a gang of rapists in the alley. They pulled her in there when she was fool enough to wander on her own at dusk, and gagged her with part of her own dress they tore off. Will had left his lance at the barracks, for his day was over, and he was going home; but he did have his short sword.


    Fortunately for the lady, the alley she was pulled into was en route for William on his way home. He heard a muffled cry as he passed by and turned to see her distress. There were four of them, and he was alone, but only one was armed with a small knife. He killed the one with the knife, though not out of malice, the second and third he had beat bloody and bruised after sheathing his sword, and the fourth ran. It took him a while to find that fourth man, but it was off to the dungeons with him until it was time for their execution to be sentenced.


    William knew that they would all be hanged for their crimes, but he didn''t want to be the one to kill them. Taking another man¡¯s life had never been easy for him, but he learned young that it was the way of the world sometimes.


    After getting rid of the would-be-rapists, William escorted the lady back to her caravan. Lord Commander Albert Hathen raised him to the status of captain within a fortnight after his heroic rescue. It was mostly in part to the young woman¡¯s lord father, who felt William deserved a promotion for saving his maiden daughter.


    Neil¡¯s Tavern lay near the south end of Bulwark Street, just by the city center. Neil crafted a back entrance to allow the guards on patrol to pop in for a quick drink. The Sky Cloaks were among Neil¡¯s largest patrons, the tavern was on prime location for this business, second only to the brothels hidden around Bulwark Street.


    Sometimes the whores from these brothels would come into the tavern, walking around half naked, and steal away a few of the customers. Perhaps this was the reason William''s betrothed, Katrina Danmur, disliked him going to Niels tavern. Or maybe it was because after he had become a captain they moved to a quieter part of Bulwark Street much further in the North West, and the tavern was a long walk away.


    Katrina didn''t like that he would go there, but Neil was one of his oldest and only friends, and since being engaged to her he only went there once a week. Another part of him liked walking down Bulwark Street, the fellow guards were almost like a family to him, and he felt safe walking down that street, strong and confident too.


    But this night he didn''t feel that way, he felt strangely uneasy as he made his way home down the street of the City Watch. Perhaps it was the dark sky that should be light by now, or the eerie silence, as his footsteps echoed down the street, the only sound around.


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    Something wasn''t right, he knew right away. Bulwark Street shouldn''t be this quiet, even so early as now. But it wasn''t just the silence that was off... After walking for several more minutes, he finally realized what was right in front of him: darkness. The dawn may have been strangely late, but it was too dark tonight for this street.


    The street lanterns should be lit, but they were all doused. He stopped to listen for footsteps or any other noises. After a long while of nothing, he continued ahead at a faster pace. There were no patrol guards around either, something was definitely going on.


    As the first light of dawn finally came up over the horizon, to start lighting things up, William relaxed a little further and slowed his pace to a normal walk. He still needed the lamp to help guide him, but the morning light should drive away his unusual fears and any potential dangers.


    Even as the dawn approached, William couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling he had. Coming to the corner of the street at Buckler Avenue his lantern lit up a figure sprawled out on the ground. William stumbled back in surprise, almost tripping over himself.


    Lord Commander Albert Hathen lay dead in a pool of his own blood. He took a closer examination of the commander¡¯s corpse; his body was pale, cold to the touch, and stiff. He''s been dead for a while now. As dawn finally broke William saw something glitter in Albert¡¯s pool of blood. It was a piece to that game the sage''s seemed to enjoy so much: Chess.


    He picked it up and inspected it. It was a tiny castle tower made of bronze that fit in his palm. What''d they call this piece, a Rook? It wasn''t dropped by accident; it was placed here, probably by the killer.


    Looking up at the barracks just ahead William shouted, "Guards!"


    No response, he shouted again. "Guards come quick!"


    Once more all was silent. William set his lantern down and pulled out Albert''s falchion style sword, and approached the barracks with caution.


    The door swung open slowly, the morning light starting to pour into the barracks through the shutters. All around were Sky Cloaks unmoving, either slumped over the rows of tables or sprawled out on the floor. From the strong smell of ale and the loud snoring of some of the men, William gathered they were all passed out drunk.


    They''re alive at least, but they should be out on duty, patrolling the streets, protecting the people, protecting their commander. He walked around the slumps of drunken men to open all the shutters of the first floor to let in more light, a few men stirred in their sleep when the glare of light covered their eyes but little more.


    William then gathered several empty buckets and filled them up from the water pump outside in the back. He put as many of them as he could carry on a pole and took them back to the front room, the dining hall, not the smartest area to place a dining area for guards but that wasn''t William¡¯s call, though Albert was looking into moving the dining hall to the back after he requested a change.


    After a couple of trips, he had several buckets filled with icy cold water. He went around the room tossing the buckets contents over as many men as he could. Most of them woke up after that, groggy but awake. The rest were not waking up for some time, he made a note of who they were, they''d have to be punished more severely than the others.


    William looked around to all the men still waking up from the splash of water, and dealing with the inevitable hangover. What do I tell them?


    After pacing around for a few moments, he lingered in his spot before the door and looked to all the men who were waiting for him to speak. "Lord Commander Albert Hathen is dead, laying in a pool of his own blood just steps outside from these barracks."


    The men started whispering amongst themselves at this news. Half of them didn''t believe it, while the others were too hungover to interpret what he had just said.


    "He was counting on us, and all of us failed him;" just like they failed my father. Was it like this with him too; were all the guards on patrol gone as well? "Do you not believe me? Does this all sound like some jest? Well then, get your asses outside and look for yourselves. Now!" He shouted the last command, leading the way after.


    They followed not long behind him, to their surprise he was telling the truth. Questions went up among them like, "Who could have done this?" Or, "Why did they kill him, Albert was beloved by all." None were answered, and more followed that William hardly noticed, but they too went unanswered.


    Another of the captains, Derren Atwood, came to stand next to William and said, "Albert was a good man, liked by so many, I can''t think why any would do such a thing to him."


    "He was a good man, and well liked" William agreed. "But now he''s a dead man. His family and friends will weep, and we will bring his killer to justice."


    Captain Derren said a quiet prayer to the Outlander for Albert. Derren stood at six foot even, with a clean-shaven face, ivory skin, and yellow hair that were now disarrayed out of its normal tight pulled back tail. His sea-green eyes had made men mistake him for a sailor a good number of times. He would smile it off and move on fast as he could, but William saw his smile turn sour the moment the men turned away, something about the notion of him being a sailor seemed to annoy him at the least.


    William stood a couple inches shorter than Derren, with wavy coal black hair reaching his ears. His brown eyes were hard most the time, but he was friendly to most. His large muscles were well outlined in his captain uniform, and many of the older Sky Cloaks had mistaken him for his father the day he first wore it.


    "Put a white blanket over the body," he said to Captain Derren.


    As he went to fetch the blanket from the barracks William addressed the other men around.


    "I want three of you around the captain''s body at all times until I get back. The rest of you block off this junction of Bulwark Street and let no one through, detour them elsewhere, no matter how much they argue."


    As the men left to do their duty, William shouted, "And no one speak word about this to anyone, not even your fellow guard near you, whispers echo through these streets when all is quiet. I don''t want anyone else knowing about this until I have figured out what is to be done about it. For now, I''ll be seeking the king to tell him of this tragedy."


    When Derren returned with the white blanket and covered Albert with it, William noticed he was the only other captain awake. "Captain Derren you have charge of this while I''m away. And don''t let the senior captains try to state their position of command just because they''re older. I''m in charge at times of such crisis."


    "Of course captain Royce," Derren said dutifully. Before William could walk away though he continued, "Ser given the circumstances you should take a few men with you."


    William thought about it but then said, "That won''t be necessary." He was then reminded he was holding Albert¡¯s sword, he handed it to Derren, "This belongs to our Lord Commander."


    Derren took it reluctantly, seeing William had no armor, nor weapon now. He was still concerned for his safety but said nothing more as William moved on.

 The White Pawn II

    The White Pawn II


    Lord Street: where the cobblestone ends and the marble walkway begins. To be sure there were always guards patrolling here. Did they see anything last night? William wondered.


    No, they were paid too well to notice anything outside this street. If a lady cried for help outside this district not a one of these guards would help. But if a poor looking man, or woman, walked through here half the patrolmen would surround them to make sure they didn''t even look at a highborn or wealthy commoner. Indeed, they couldn''t block their way, it was, after all, a free city, but they could make them feel so unwelcome they would do everything in their power to avoid the district.


    William was sure to tell them off from time to time even when he wasn''t a captain; that only bought him vitriolic stares from the guards of this affluent street. If he had been their captain, he would have put them in their place or replace them at the snap of his fingers. But he wasn''t their captain nor the Lord Commander, and every day the city fell further from grace and honor.


    Still for all the animosity he held for the guards on this street, at least, they were not passed out drunk in the barracks like all the others. They were patrolling around routinely as they always did, garbed in the smoky-blue uniform of the Sky Cloaks. Their uniform allowed them to move more quickly around the streets should they be called on for help or have to chase a criminal.


    But Lord Street and its entire ward seldom had criminal activity. The very streets of the ward were paved with smooth white-grey marble stone, and even half the shops and homes there were made in parts with marble. It gave the entire area a clean glimmer when the sun was in the right place in the sky.


    Some of the guards placed a cautious hand on the hilt of their short swords at the sight of William briskly walking down the street in a sort of huff. The others tightened the grip on their spears. It seems some of them didn''t recognize William so well without his uniform on.


    The sweet smell of cherry tarts and fresh bread filled his nostrils as he made his way down Bakers Avenue. The Avenue was filled with all sorts of baking shops, hence the name. They stood side by side with wooden frames and little chimneys puffing out white smoke from their ovens. Half the windows were opened with a sample of their finer goods placed on the sill to let the wind carry its unique scent and show off.


    William liked this avenue the most on Lord Street because not a one of the bakery shops was made with marble, it was all a cozy brick and wood foundation. It made them look more inviting in their own way. And when the bakers children or apprentice was punished they weren''t flogged in the street, they were taken out behind the shops to be taught a lesson.


    He turned right, near the end of Bakers Avenue down through Merchants Avenue. The final stretch through Lord Street that was also the only direct path to the road leading to the castle. The entire length of the street had every sort of shop one would ever need, only in the most regal sense, though.


    From toy makers to tailors, wine cellars, and herbals stores, the shops lined either side of the winding street, each unique in its own way. The different shops crafted in a unique style of building or pallet of color on their brick, marble, or wooden construction to get a customer¡¯s attention. And each of them selling goods for ten times their values because of where they set up shop.


    Castle Bourgh stood at the top of a large hill with a gray stone wall extending out from the rear sides and encircling the inner grounds and edges of the hill top. The heavy wooden gate was just opening up to the castle grounds as William strode up the hill. The guards stared at him as he made his way past the gate. They believed him to be a peasant or some lesser man, he should have at least picked up his uniform on the way here.


    Inside the grounds, far in the back, was a massive structure of stone which took up half of the castle ground itself: the Crown Keep. The Crown Keep was formed like a heptagon with most of the paramount rooms built into it. Rooms such as the Throne room, where William was heading for now.


    The guards crossed their spears before the throne room doors, the entry point of the Crown Keep. They wore doublets of golden and crimson with a crown embroidered in the center, Royal Guards. They gave him a stern look but said nothing. He addressed them both, "My name is William Royce, captain, and second commander, of the Sky Cloaks. I am here on urgent business and must meet with the king immediately."


    They held their spears in position. "By order of the Kings Hand, we''re not to permit anyone inside the Crown Keep." The guard to his left said, a dark-skinned man with a thin beard and short fuzzy hair.


    He knew this guard, he was a member of the Sky Cloaks for a time before being elevated to the position of Royal guard. "Loren, you know me well enough, you must let me in this business is extremely important, and urgent."


    "Orders are orders, sorry captain," Loren said.


    If he thought he could get past them without grievous injury on either side, he would have done so right then. But he knew Loren well enough, the man was a great fighter. He''d beaten William in spars before, with and without weapons. And no doubt the other man was a great fighter as well, it is after all the prerequisite to be a royal guard, or have a good family name and moderate fighting skills.


    William was about to give up until a voice spoke from behind him, "I''ll escort the captain."


    He turned around to see ser Erquin Sais, armored in full plate armor of crimson-ash color, with a golden crown embellished onto the chest. He stood half a foot taller than William with tanned skin, chiseled chin, shaved head, and a dark trim goatee. Ser Erquin¡¯s fierce gray eyes passed from William to the royal guards.


    Loren and the other guard exchanged a glance and with a bit of reluctance pulled their spears back to their side and let William pass through. Sir Erquin followed right behind him and they strode side by side through the throne room. At the far end of the room, the throne sat empty. The throne itself was a gilded chair of blue and lilac hue''s with an ornate sapphire rose, carved from birch wood, attached to the back rising above all the kings and queens who sat there.


    "Tell me, Captain Royce, what is this urgent business you have to discuss with the king?" Erquin asked him.


    The man had vouched for him to get him inside and with his position he would hear it soon anyways. "Lord Commander Albert Hathen is dead," William said solemnly. "He was murdered sometime last night, just outside the City Watch barracks.


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    "That is most grievous news indeed," he sounded more passive than shocked. "Your father, the lord commander before, was murdered too."


    William ground his teeth in anger at the mention of his father''s death at this time.


    "Forgive my rudeness. Ser Adam was a great man. I''d known few better than himself, he deserved a warriors death. Not a coward¡¯s dagger in the shadows."


    "I wasn''t aware you knew him so well ser."


    "Aye, I did, better than most. He was almost like a brother to me, I swore I''d find his killer one day, but the King¡¯s personal guard doesn''t get much time to themselves or to explore."


    They stopped before the steps ascending to the throne. William intended to wait there for the kings arrival until Erquin said, "The king will not be seeing visitors for a while at this time. You best take this matter up with the Hand, he should be in the council quarters on the right there." He pointed east to the hall leading out of the throne room, then took his leave.


    William didn''t wait long before going down the hall on the right. The long corridor ahead had many passages leading off but the council quarters was a straight walk ahead. Fortunately, William had been there before otherwise he wouldn''t have known that and may have wandered the Keep for a while. As he came closer to the council quarters the sounds of arguing leaked out from the cracked doors.


    He couldn''t fully understand what they were saying and didn''t feel like sitting outside eavesdropping either. He pushed the council doors wide open. The councilors arguing were the king''s Hand Duncan White Tree, Gerald Ironwroth, and Mira Coldpeak, who all stopped to turn their blue eyes over to William. Duncan was the only one of them not glaring at him, the well-aged man instead offered a humble smile and said, "Captain Royce."


    William gave a low bow in response, "My lords I come with grim news I''m afraid."


    "Albert Hathen is dead," Lady Mira said bluntly.


    William was baffled and didn''t know how to respond. Duncan seeing the bewilderment on his face informed him, "We received a raven from the barracks before your arrival here, telling us of this dark news."


    Of course the second floor of the Barracks! He was so upset he didn''t even bother to check up there to see how many men were up there that might not have been passed out drunk. Maybe they can help him figure out what happened, maybe one of them sent the raven. He''d never know who though and what''s done is done.


    He fiddled around with the bronze Rook in his hand, not sure what to say next. He stood there in quiet for a couple of minutes until Gerald said, "If that''s all captain then you may take your leave."


    William lingered there a moment in hesitation. He knew that to most everyone else, the highborn especially, that this wasn''t of paramount importance. But he had to try appealing to the king, or his council, hoping, this time, things would be different than they were with his father: they weren''t.


    He turned on the balls of his feet to leave when on a whim he turned back and placed the bronze Rook down on the council table with a thud. The tension in the air grew as the present council became apprehensive. They know what this is, William thought as he looked over their faces. All of them were staring at that Rook piece as if it had come to life and spoke to them about the news he brought.


    He had their attention now and found his words to make his case, in an attempt to make this killing of greater importance to them. "That was found in the pool of Albert''s blood. Placed there presumably after death. Mean anything to you?"


    William waited for a response as they moved their eyes from the bronze Rook to him. But they said nothing so he continued, "There''s more, though. When I stumbled upon his body it was nearing dawn, yet all of the lanterns were out, and the streets were disturbingly barren and quiet. Even for that time, and all, well most, of the guards were passed out drunk. This was a highly professional attack, probably an assassin."


    "What makes you so sure this wasn''t some random attack?" Gerald asked.


    "Because on top of everything else I told you, Commander Albert had been dead for several hours before I stumbled upon him. Murdered in the middle of what should have been the most well-guarded street in the entire city. I''ve seen a lot of things before as a guard to this city, but this is the first I saw of a city guard being killed, while in armor, without signs of a struggle and then left to rot in the middle of the street with no one to discover him for hours.


    "My lords, my lady, I want to induct a thorough investigation into this. I would like extra funds and a handful of men from the royal guard. This killing wasn''t random, and it wasn''t an accident or chance that all the guards on duty happen to be drunk inside the barracks before Albert''s death. I know it may sound like a lot for the investigation of a common-born man, but I don''t think this was just about the Commander, I think something bigger is going on here; I just don''t know what."


    "Tell us how did you know he''d been dead for so long?" Mira asked bluntly, ignoring his request entirely.


    "Rigor mortis," William responded with a touch of annoyance in his voice. "You can tell a lot from a dead body, not just how they died but clues their killer left them, such as their height and-"


    "And how exactly do you know all this, who taught you?"


    My father, he wanted to say. "I learned from a White Sage," A lie, it was my father who learned from the White Sages and who then taught me. "There was a time I wanted to be like them but, well I followed the steps of my father."


    "He was a good man," Duncan said humbly.


    "A great man." William cast his eyes down.


    The council exchanged a few glances before Duncan kindly said, "Captain it seems like it''s been a very long night for you, why don''t you go home get something to eat or get some rest. We''ll send a summons for you later when we''re ready to discuss what should be done next."


    "That''s a kind request and all my lord, but I haven''t much need for rest right now. And time is very precious for finding his killer."


    "Captain you mistake me," Duncan''s voice was firmer now, "it wasn''t a request. Go home get some food, get some rest, whatever you need to clear your mind. We''ll summon you later today when we need you."


    He had no other choice. He gave a light bow then snatched the bronze Rook off the table before leaving. They wouldn''t be taking it from him, it was the only clue he had to this deepening mystery.

 The White Pawn III

    The White Pawn III


    The Sky Cloaks were back to their routine duties when William returned to Bulwark Street. It was good to see them active, even if it was in such a groggy state as theirs. Whatever the hell compelled them to drink so much? He wondered.


    Back at the barracks, William found the avenue was open to all, Albert''s body was gone, and the blood was being washed and scrubbed out from the cobblestone. He approached Captain Derren who just looked at him with remorse as if he was powerless to stop whoever moved the commander''s body.


    "Derren where is the commander''s body?" William demanded of him. "You had explicit instructions."


    Derren just shook his head, "I''m sorry ser, it was out of my hands. I was ordered to stand aside, me and my men."


    "Ordered? By who?"


    As if on cue Captain Percil came out of the barracks, his fat cheeks parted ways for a massive grin and his ornate ear jewelry gleamed in the sun. "Captain William you returned at last," Percil said, with a sound of joyous mockery in his voice.


    William didn''t like that, he detested Captain Percil, and the feeling was shared by the brown-curly-haired bulbous man. Percil was in charge of the guards around Lord Street. It was from his own decadence that the men under his command became as hedonistic as himself.


    There was never a man as self-serving as Percil Luent. He was like a living embodiment of the state of decay the city had fallen into, far as William saw him. And worse still he seemed to corrupt the men working under him to the same avarice and lavished lifestyles. He was everything William was not, maybe part of him was jealous of Percil, the man had the wealth of a noble with the title of a captain.


    "What happened to the commander¡¯s body?" William asked curtly.


    Percil smirked at him in mockery then took a drink from his wine flagon. The sweet red liquid overflowed from his mouth and spilled down onto his white uniform where pink splotches were already there; staining it. He wiped the wine from his lips off his sleeve where even more wine stains had been set in from carelessness. He let out a belch, testing Williams patience, before finally saying, "Orders, he was moved."


    "Who''s orders?"


    Percil spit at William''s feet in answer to his question. That was the last straw for him. He pivoted to his side, leaning forward, and throwing his fist at Percil. He intended to knock the grin off that fat face of his, but Derren was quick and caught the blow with his open hand.


    William grit his teeth but took a step back. Before Percil could curse at him or threaten him, though, Derren held out a small rolled up parchment. "This came down from the castle before your arrival ser," Derren said, handing the letter to William. "By order of the King¡¯s Hand, we were to hand over the commander''s body to the acolytes and clean up his blood. He also named Captain Percil acting lord commander until further notice. Lastly, ser, lastly you''re dismissed from your duties for the day and are ordered to return home and await the councils summons."


    William read over the parchment while Derren spoke, it was all there, and had not only Duncan''s signature, but the other councilor''s present when he went to see them. They must have sent it out the moment he left the castle.


    "You seen it all right there, I''m in charge now," Percil said. "That means get yer ass home like a good dog and stay there with your bitch you mutt."


    William would have tried to hit him again had Derren not taken a step forward in warning. He had no choice but to drop it for now, but he''d remember this. He also noticed Percil''s hooked nose was crooked, that made him smile, it was probably broken.


    William took his leave but went east to Raven Street. The Westcher on Berret Avenue was the only place the acolytes would have taken the commanders body to be prepared for burial. This wasn''t so bad, he needed them to take a look at the commander¡¯s body sooner or later to tell him more. But what had ever compelled them to give the temporary command to Percil of all people?


    The Westcher was a lone and dismal building made from grey bricks. Inside was colder than outside, the cold helped preserve the bodies, so there was no hearth in the Westcher. He found the acolytes in the back room, where the ceiling was made from clear glass to allow the sunlight in.


    And a younger grey sage with thin hair and a cowhide apron who was cleaning out his tools at the end of the room. In the center of the room, on the table, was a sheet of white linen draped over a figure. "Is Commander Albert Hathen under here?" William asked approaching the table.


    The grey sage turned to see him grabbing the sheet, ready to pull it off. "You don''t want to look under there," he warned him.


    William pulled it up anyways and immediately regretted it. Albert''s corpse was dissected right away, and all that was left below his neck line was viscera. William turned away and gathered himself. How these guys did this sort of job was well beyond him.


    "You wasted no time on this," William said.


    Pulling the sheet back over the remains of Albert''s corpse the sage said, "Someone wants this done fast. I just finished before you arrived. And I''m gathering from your tone you want it over with too?"


    William nodded his head; when he had pulled up the sheet, the rotted smell was let out into the air.


    The sage removed his bloodied apron and dropped it on the floor then turned to the young acolytes and said, "You two finish cleaning up my tools then wash the apron. I''ll return to prepare the body soon enough."


    William was led to a small room which evidently served as the sage''s office. The wall was lined with shelves filled with medical books, and on his desk was some parchment, ink, and a quill waiting for him. The sage removed his gloves, revealing thin bony hands, and started writing on the parchment. "So what is it you came by for exactly?"


    "The commander, I wanted the results of your examination of him."


    "The results of my examination?" The sage asked keeping his focus on his writing.


    "Yes, specifically how''d he die?"


    "Right! Sorry ser, most people comes here want only to know if the body is ready to be viewed."


    "I''m no Ser."


    "The commander died from multiple puncture wounds throughout his whole body and bled to death. I can''t tell how many assailants there was, but I found something quite peculiar. Every one of his wounds managed to miss his vital organs, and only a few severed the arteries, whoever did this wanted him to suffer. Far as I can tell he didn''t actually bleed out until several minutes later.


    "Tell me where was his body found again? I heard from my acolytes they picked him up in the middle of the street while he was in a pool of his own blood."


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    "Odd."


    "What is it?"


    "Well, I found vicious bruise marks on his ankles, like he was tied to something."


    "Maybe he was bound by the feet, captive, and escaped before being stabbed?" That might make more sense, he wasn''t waiting by the barracks but rather running to them.


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    "No, those bruises were made shortly before the violent assault on him. It was like his attackers bound him first then stabbed him. That''s why I was asking about where his body was discovered."


    "Could they have killed him elsewhere then moved his body?"


    "Possible, but it seems like a lot of work. And whoever did would have been sure to be caught by the guards on patrol."


    William took his leave after that. He left with more questions than he had before, it was time to go home.


    Katrina, William¡¯s betrothed, was distressed when he returned home at long last. Her light-brown eyes were red from crying, and her small lips were quivering. She had heard the news of a dead guard in a white uniform and was terrified it was him. She was a delicate woman, and he hadn''t been home since earlier in the evening before; of course she was upset.


    After kissing her gently, William sat her down at the table and held her small hands, "I''m so sorry my love, I meant to return home so much sooner."


    "You were gone all night, I was up waiting for you and when you didn''t return I went looking for you. And then I hear the news about the guard in a captain¡¯s uniform." She wiped a stray tear from her eye.


    "I told you I didn''t expect to be home until much later, possibly the next day, but on my way home." He shook his head. "It''s been a long day, for us both. And the day is barely begun, let''s retire to our room, and get some rest."


    Katrina smiled lightly and said, "You haven''t eaten all day, you get some rest, and I''ll wake you when your food is prepared."


    He wasn''t feeling tired but crawled into bed after shedding his clothes and somehow fell asleep. What felt like an instant later Katrina was by his side gently nudging him awake. "William you have a summons request, from the king''s Hand." She said.


    He''d forgotten all about that and soon enough got out of bed and dressed in his uniform. It was time he was back in it, he was too unrecognizable without it. After fastening his sword belt, he said, "I may be gone for all day today, so this time, don''t wait up and don''t worry."


    She quickly moved to the door to block his way, "You''re not leaving until you eat, I cooked your favorite breakfast, sausage and eggs."


    His stomach started growling at the prospect of food. He ignored it. "The kings hand summoned me I can¡¯t'' make him wait."


    "The summons was set for your ''earliest convenience,''" she argued. "You haven''t eaten for a while, and you need your strength. Besides, they sent a horse so you can get to the castle much faster."


    He needed a horse, all the captains had one. But he enjoyed walking around and didn''t much care for the extra costs the steed came with. Captains received a large discount for stabling their horses in the Bulwark Street stable; all the same, he didn''t want one.


    The breakfast smelled very fresh, he gave in to his hunger and sat to eat. Katrina was happy as she joined him. "I also have some good news to share with you," she said delightedly.


    "What¡¯s that?" He asked stabbing his fork into a well-cooked sausage.


    "My father''s health is looking much better. The white sage''s say he''s finally out of bed. It''s only been a couple hours a day but hopefully in a couple, maybe a few months, he will be well enough to make the trip here. And then we can have our wedding at long last."


    "We''d been waiting a while now. I feared we might have to go ahead without your family coming by, least some of them. I''m looking forward to it. In fact, we should start making plans for it soon, now that your father''s health is improving."


    Katrina blushed, and they finished their breakfast. Afterwards, William set out for the castle, there was a brown pony awaiting him outside his house, he hopped on it, heading for the castle.


    "I don''t understand," William said baffled.


    "We''re offering you the seat of the Lord Commander," Duncan repeated himself.


    "Beggen your pardon I mean why?"


    "You''ve shown exemplary duty over your short time in the city guard, your father was the lord commander before, we can think of no one better to fit the role."


    Lord Commander, that''s what his dream was, that''s why he joined the Sky Cloaks because he wanted to be like his father. But the lord commander was a busy job, he wouldn''t find the time to investigate Albert''s death and would have to set the task to someone else. But who could he trust to find anything out when even he didn''t know what he was looking for?


    What would my father do? He thought.


    "You can''t trust any of the noble families William," Ser Adam Royce told him when they settled into the city once again. "All of them are schemers who attack from the shadows or offer you a cup of poisoned wine."


    "Captain, the City Watch needs a lord commander," Gerald said impatiently. "So just accept this honor so we can all move on, as you know we are very busy people."


    He sighed, knowing what the position at this time would mean for him. "I''m afraid my Lords that I must decline your generous offer. I cannot accept the duties of Lord Commander presently; if it could wait for just-"


    "It cannot." lady Mira cut him off. "If you pass this up now you may never rise higher than a captain of the City Watch, do you understand?"


    "I do my lady, I''m afraid the answer is still the same."


    Mira rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Disappointing."


    "I can recommend a couple of very well suited captains that could take the title in my absence though my lords."


    "That won''t be necessary, you''re dismissed now Captain," Gerald said curtly.


    William bowed his head and took his leave.


    "What do you mean you didn''t take the position they offered?" Katrina asked, perplexed by the news. "William do you understand what this means? I mean denying a Lord¡¯s request like that."


    He couldn¡¯t understand why she was so upset by this news. It should make her happy he didn''t take the job, it would give him more time to be with her in the future. "I told you I''m just not ready for the title, and with Albert''s death being the way it is."


    "What¡¯s what this is truly about isn''t it? It''s not just because of the lord commander¡¯s death, it''s your father¡¯s death that you can''t let go. You''re still chasing his killer even now, even when you promised me you had let it go."


    She was right of course this was about more than just Albert Hathen''s death it was about his fathers too, that¡¯s why he was so determined to find the truth. Even if it meant costing him his dream of following his father¡¯s footsteps, and growing out of his shadow.


    His silence answered for him, and she quickly became enraged. He''d never seen her like this before so decided it was best to take his leave now. He had left for Niels tavern before he continued his investigation into Albert¡¯s death. If ever he needed a drink or two it was now.

 The White Pawn IV

    The White Pawn IV


    Niels tavern was packed, more so then William had ever before seen it. All of the customers were men of the City Watch too. Neil was holding a special memorial for Albert there, with the drinks at half price. Of course, Neil neither knew nor cared the slightest about Albert, but Will had to hand it to him; he knew how to make the best of a bad situation.


    William was peeved but didn''t blame Neil, he had a business to run and if these men didn''t get their drinks here then it''d probably be somewhere else. What really annoyed him though was that too many of the men were there; mourning Albert''s death was an excuse to drink on duty. As if they didn''t get enough the night before, he thought. He was one to judge though since he too had come for a drink, maybe several.


    He moved on from there quickly, time he visited another old friend of his.


    Molly''s Flowers, a peculiar name for a brothel, was a long walk away. It sat cozy on a corner of Raven Street in the northeastern ward of the city, just a stones toss from the Eastern gate. The brothel was a second leveled building with the prettiest prostitutes standing out on the front balcony with their bodices only partially laced up.


    William always went through the back entrance to the building where less would see him, he knew the owner, Molly, well enough. Some years ago a group of unsightly men with lots of coin decided it was time they moved up to a fancier brothel. Their patronage was less then welcome given their foul odor, bad attitudes and roughness towards the girls. Molly''s place had come to expect a certain class of clientele and promptly refused them.


    Of course, those men took offense to this and tried forcing themselves onto the girls, even threatening to burn the place down. William, who was visiting his friend at the time, snuck out the back and quickly rallied enough nearby guards and snuck back in the way he left with them and cut down the rats.


    Since then he and the owner, Molly, had a deal that he could come and go through the back entrance as he pleased whenever he wanted to visit his friend. The brothel also started servicing men from the City Watch after that.


    Molly was in the back room looking over a ledger with her tiny glasses at the tip of her nose. She glanced over to see him coming in and smiled before turning back to the ledger. She was an older woman late into her 60''s but had the look of a woman a decade younger than herself. Her auburn hair still shined with health, and her creamy skin had no signs of wrinkles anywhere, she must have been an absolute beauty when she was younger, he had to wonder how someone like her came to own and manage such an establishment.


    "Captain Royce, how are you this day?" She asked casually, keeping her eyes on the ledger.


    "I''ve been better," he answered.


    "I heard about the lord commander, grim news indeed."


    "How did you?..."


    "The men like to talk with the girls, news can travel quite fast, but I promise you my girls won''t spread word about this. But these things have a way of getting out no matter what you do."


    "So it would seem," William said with annoyance. "Is she here?"


    "You already know the answer to that, but you''re asking if she''s busy. She''s not, she prefers to take her customers later in the evening, when they''re more prone to drink and thus be more generous with their coin. A smart one she is."


    And yet she still works in a brothel, he thought bitterly.


    Alayne was a beautiful woman, a year older than himself, straight black hair, sky-blue eyes, and high cheekbones that gave her a unique beauty most women couldn''t even try to replicate. She had her own room in the brothel so William could speak with her privately.


    She hugged him when he entered and he responded likewise. She smelled like blackberries, it could have just been her perfume but he loved it. They broke the embrace and he eyed her head to toe, she had a slim fitting lilac dress with an open slit revealing her smooth thigh.


    "You look beautiful," he said.


    "You look distressed," she responded, a bit more blunt than an intended.


    He let out a sigh then asked, "Can we take a walk?"


    In answer, she put on her matching slippers and they left out the back door quickly finding the main road to walk down. Eventually, he said, "The Lord commander is dead, I found him in a pool of his own blood."


    "It reminds you of your father¡¯s death, you think they''re linked? Your father¡¯s death and the commander after him?"


    "I have no evidence of it, but a feeling I can''t elude that suggests so. You know I never stopped looking for my father¡¯s killer, but I couldn''t see any tracks back then."


    "And now?"


    "Now there''s a thousand paths leading from Albert¡¯s death. I''ve only just begun this investigation and already I''m loaded with a million questions. And Katrina''s father is finally starting to feel well, we may finally get married in a few months, maybe even two."


    Alayne scoffed at that.


    They stopped walking and he faced her, "You think something is wrong with that?"


    "I think your engagement to her is wrong."


    He didn''t know how to respond to that, and so he kept quiet. And she continued.


    "You''ve been engaged to the girl for years now, all waiting on her father¡¯s health. You know I always thought it odd that such a rich family can''t seem to find the right medicine or white sage to cure her father¡¯s illness. I mean if his health was truly that bad the best they could do is prolong his life, in which case he should have given you his blessing as soon as possible so you two could marry."


    "And how is it you know so much about this sort of stuff anyways?" He asked, almost accusingly.


    "I was an acolyte to a white Sage for a time, remember? But that was way too boring."


    "Boring? If I recall you were an acolyte for years, what changed what made you drop out?"


    "What made you stay with that girl for so long when she delayed your marriage for years? Why not just host the wedding in the gardens of home that way her father could be present? What is it about her that made you stay even when she kept delaying your marriage intentionally?


    "Did you sleep with her? Was she better than me?"


    "No one''s better than you," He mistakenly muttered under his breath instead of keeping the thought in his head.


    Alayne heard him and leaned in for a kiss so suddenly. He didn''t push her away after the first kiss and instead kissed her back. It felt good, felt right. But when they broke for air he came to his senses and turned from her and ran.


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    He knew it was a bad idea visiting her. Their meetings always ended with such high tension. The last time though they had a giant argument and he wasn''t sure if he ever wanted to see her again after that. "You can do way better than laying on your back with your legs spread for a living," He argued with her.


    "And you are still chasing your father''s killer. Even as it ruined your life you can''t let it go, William. And that''s your problem, his death will consume you. You''ll never be happy unless you let go of your father."


    "And are you happy with this life? Huh, letting any man with enough coin ride you like a horse."


    "This is different, I made a choice."


    "Yeah well you chose wrong!"


    "I chose wrong?" She asked baffled by the question. "William you¡¯re the one who made all the wrong choices. You were supposed to come back for me years ago but you never did. So I came to you, tired of waiting. But when I got here you said it''d just be a few months but it had been years. I had to move on."


    "Well, I think it''s time I moved on as well. I''m getting married!"


    The announcement of it stunned them both more than anything. Alayne sat on her bed and cast her face down, away from him. "What¡¯s her name?" She said so lightly he had to strain himself to hear.


    "Katrina Danmur, we met at the Queens Ball."


    "I hope she makes you happy. Now get out of my room William."


    "You deserve better than this."


    "I said go!"


    He left in a huff, taking a long walk through the city, even past nightfall. Gods be damned Alayne it should have been you at the ball that night.


    Stubborn wench, she had come to terms with what she was, he hadn''t. Somewhere inside he knew it was because he still loved her. That''s why he berated her, that''s why they fought.


    William sat quietly in the parlor room gathering his thoughts while, the recently widowed, Claudia Hathen poured them both some tea. Her hands were shaking so much that half the tea from the kettle found its way onto the floor. She hardly seemed to notice though as she returned the kettle to the kitchen and sat in her seat staring tensely at him.


    The poor woman was a wreck after her husband¡¯s death, her brown hair was tied into a tangled bun with split ends everywhere. And her eyes were red from crying, he shouldn''t burden her but he needed answers. Ones maybe only she could provide.


    He took a sip of his tea and Claudia gulped down half her cup in response. He never much liked tea but drank it now as a courtesy. He cleared his throat awkwardly and set down the cup, "Mrs. Hathen I know all of this must be very difficult for you, and I want you to know that I am doing everything in my power to find your husband''s killer. But I need your help."


    "I don''t know what I can tell you. I''m a simple housewife who knows nothing."


    "You might know more than you think. Did your husband have any unusual meetings with any strangers lately?"


    Claudia went to take another drink from her tea before realizing her cup was empty. She quickly rushed back to the kitchen to pour herself another cup and offered William more. He refused and she took notice at last of the tea she accidently poured onto the floor and table.


    She was gone a while finding a towel to clean it up. Growing impatient William asked her again, while she worked, if Albert had any suspicious visitors recently.


    "I don''t remember many visitors of late besides yourself," was her quick answer.


    She finished wiping the mess and was off again before William could ask her anything more. This time, he hollered his question to her, tired of waiting, "Was Albert perhaps scared of something? Or really tense lately?"


    Her response was, "I''m sorry I can''t hear you. I''ll be back in a moment."


    When she finally returned he continued his questions, "Has he perhaps mentioned someone to you that had him on edge? Or was he acting strange around the house, around his kids?"


    She grabbed her cup with both hands but they were shaking so bad the tea was bouncing out of the cup. He knew it wasn''t from the cold as the hearth had a few large logs burning in it, and it was so warm in there William was almost sweating.


    "Mrs. Hathen your hands are trembling, what''s wrong?"


    "What''s wrong?" She set her cup down and started fidgeting in her chair. "You want to know what is wrong?" Her tone turned hostile. "You know what I want to know, is where were you and the other guards when my husband was murdered? You''re supposed to look out for each other so why didn''t you?"


    He let out a slow breath before answering. "I assure you I intend to get to the bottom of that too."


    "Then why are you questioning me? Why not question your men first?"


    "I was hoping you would perhaps be able to shed some more light on a few things about your husband. Things that may help me in my questioning of the other guards."


    Claudia looked like she was about to either burst into tears or throw her cup at him. He was prepared for the latter. Before she could decide the door burst open and Brendon, her son, shambled in. He was a man of seventeen, and lanky; taking more after his mother.


    Seeing William, more accurately seeing his uniform, he sneered at him and demanded to know what he was doing there. His words were slurred and his steps were wobbly, he was mad drunk. William rose and Brendon made a pathetic lunge at him; despite the several feet between them.


    Brendon tripped over himself and crashed into the table, tumbling to the ground. He struggled to sit up while Claudia rushed over to him, to calm him. "It''s your fault!" He bellowed. "My dad did everything asked of him."


    William grabbed Brendon by his shirt and hoisted him up to his feet. "Who are you talking about?"


    Claudia stepped between them, "Brendon no!" She pleaded. "Be silent please."


    Brendon pushed her aside and took a swing at William. He dodged it easily and Brendon tumbled to the floor again. He started to weep after that. "He did everything they says. So why''d he die huh? He kept his mouth shut! We kept our mouths shut too so why!?"


    Claudia was back at her son''s side, trying to shut him up rather than comfort him. "Brendon please, they won''t give her back if you keep acting like this."


    She then turned to William, her eyes were wet with tears, "Captain it''s time you left."


    He hesitated and she screamed! "Get out of my house!"


    He left quietly and could hear them both weeping. His heart went out to them both. Only when he was out of the door did he realize Albert Hathen had two children: his daughter was missing.

 The White Pawn V

    The White Pawn V


    Albert''s family was another dead end. It was time for him to start interrogating the guards now. It would be troublesome at the least. A good amount of the men were of his own regiment, he was disappointed in them but they could be rounded up easy enough. The rest were men following under other captains, they might not listen to him as Percil was technically named acting lord commander.


    He needed another captain and his own men to help him in this endeavor. Someone dutiful that would be willing to take risks. He found captain Derren Atwood in the stables grooming his horse. He dismissed the stable boys so they could talk a little more privately.


    "Captain Royce, what brings you here?" He asked him, keeping his focus on brushing his horse.


    "I need a favor of you," he said bluntly. Subtlety was never a forte of his. "I need to round up all the men who were passed out drunk at the barracks the other night for questioning."


    "I was one of those men, you gonna question me too?"


    "Yes, I have questions for you as well. But my men were there too so I''d like to start with them since I have the command of them they''ll listen to me. It''s the other men, and captains I foresee trouble with. And I can''t hassle with them and question my own men at the same time."


    "You could question your men today, then round up the others for questioning tomorrow," Derren suggested.


    "No something big here is going on, and the more time I take figuring out the more time Albert''s killer, or killers, have to cover their tracks."


    Derren chuckled, "Conspiracy theory eh?"


    "Will you help me or not?"


    "Percil Luent is in charge... I hate that man." He flashed William a smile. "I''ll do it, but it will take me some time."


    "Bring them in small groups. I''ll dismiss them soon as they talk."


    Fortunately for William, captain Percil was a highly self-indulgent man and soon as playing commander got boring for him he was off to enjoy pampering on Lord Street. So the commander¡¯s office was free to use. He brought his men in there first, in groups of five.


    After six groups of interrogation, all his men had told him the same thing: nothing. They weren''t lying to him, he knew them all too well, but none of them knew anything. They had been called to the barracks in the middle of the night, by a few others guards, for a quick drink. Some unnamed celebration, or so they were told, few of them left reluctantly but figured it was one drink and the night was dead and quite.


    Derren brought in the guards, whether off duty or on duty, in small groups as William asked him. Some of them gave him a lot of trouble but they were brought in all the same. Some with serious bruising on their faces. He questioned these men three at a time, alas they all told the same story with slightly different versions.


    They were all brought in by some fellow guards for a round of drinks. Some, only few, needed more convincing than others but they came all the same. It was time for the captains to be questioned, but they refused the summons. And Derren would not try to bring them in by force as they were on equal authority.


    Derren was the last one he questioned that day, as night was setting upon him by that time. William sat across the one side of the mahogany table with Derren patiently sitting at the other side. "I appreciate your assistance today captain Atwood," William said.


    "Please let''s not be so formal with each other captain Royce." Derren teased.


    "Very well, Derren." He cleared his throat and leaned forward. "How about you tell me what you were doing at the guard barracks the night of Albert¡¯s death. What brought you there in the first place?"


    "Captain Morchel was hours late to relieving me of duty that evening. The oaf overslept pretty late."


    "And is that not suspicious?"


    "Not hardly. Time again he''ll oversleep and I''ll be working extra hours down at the South Gate. It''s not too common but when it happens he pays me back one way or another. Except last night, he was unusually late."


    "And you didn''t notice his absence?"


    "Oh I noticed it, I always do. But yesterday, as the sun was setting, things were more, lively, down at Traders Square than normal. There was a large scuffle with several bandits down there. Whole thing turned into a riot, took me late into the evening just to calm things down. Even with the late Morchel¡¯s help."


    "Riots down at Traders Square, sounds queer."


    Derren chuckled, "It''s queer when there isn''t some form of rioting down there. People come and go through the Southern Gate all the time. And they bring with them all their tension and fury, always causing chaos. Things are calmer in your parts of the city because of what me and my men handle at our end."


    "I meant no offense."


    Derren sighed, "Anyways after all that I went to the barracks with some of my men, we were tired filthy and hungry. It was time to clean up, eat, and then rest. But when we got there to our surprise there was a gathering with tons of drinks being passed around. We didn''t know what it was about and we didn''t care, not after the day we had. So we drank with the men, and soon enough passed out with them too."


    William sat back feeling defeated, another dead end. It seemed these roads led nowhere. Until Derren said, "However there was something off about our drinks."


    William sat forward again, intrigued, "Please go on," he urged Derren.


    "I had only one drink before I felt dizzy then blacked out."


    "Perhaps you''re a light drinker? I don''t take much myself before getting drunk."


    Derren scoffed, "But blacking out after one drink? No. Well, I was suspicious of it so I did my own investigations. First thing I found was the men who passed out the drinks to everyone died; from alcohol poisoning. We discovered their bodies a couple hours after you left.


    "The other thing is I tested some of the leftover drinks with a green sage. She confirmed that the drinks were ten times more potent than normal ale."


    "You were poisoned?"


    "In a sense. Nothing lethal, if you didn''t drink too much, but enough to get everyone who was invited into black out for a time. Clearing the streets of guards in the dead of night, you could get away with a lot more than just murder."


    "It was a setup?" William asked himself aloud.


    "That''s what I''m thinking."


    William rose to his feet quickly and pulled out a rolled up map of the city on the bookshelf and set it up on the desk. Then he checked the guards scheduling in the massive book on the desk. After crossing the book, with the names he had written of the men he questioned, he had found a pattern.


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    The guards that were pulled into the barracks that night, most of them, were all scheduled for active patrol or vigil duty within a seven-block radius of the barracks. William shared his findings with Derren who asked, "What does that mean?"


    "It means my suspicions were correct. This was not some random killing it was planned, well planned."


    Before William could go on, the door to the office room was thrown open so fast that both of them jumped and grabbed for their swords. A moment later the elder captain Jorden entered the room. Seeing the expression on their faces he laughed and said, "Sorry to startle you boys."


    They calmed down and took their hands off the hilts of their swords. "Captain Jorden," Derren said relieved.


    "I can see that," Jorden said as he approached them and offered out a letter, sealed in gold and red wax with a crown symbol. "And it''s commander Jorden now."


    William took the letter, it had the king¡¯s seal on it. He exchanged a look with Derren then broke the seal and read the letter. "It''s a document assigning captain Jorden as the new lord commander of the Sky Cloaks." William explained.


    "Well, sir I suppose congratulations are in order," Derren said unenthusiastically.


    The new commander hardly noticed them now as he took a look around the office, his office. He went around to his new seat and after comfortably settling in he looked straight at them both and said, "You two are dismissed."


    "But ser," William argued.


    "For the rest of this evening." Jorden finished.


    When they were reluctant to leave Jorden said, "If need be I can have guards escort you home, and make sure you stay there for the rest of the evening. Now that''d be quite embarrassing for a couple of captains would it not?" He chuckled at the prospect of the thought.


    Jorden was right, of course. It was a very long day for everyone, so he and Derren took their leave. Suddenly William only wanted to rest, feeling the toll of the long day weighing on him at last. It was a long walk home, for once William considered taking a horse, but ended up passing on it as always.


    The streetlamps were lit and the guards were patrolling the streets in good order. Yet he felt slightly uneasy and had a vague sense he was being watched. He looked around him as he went, checked his back a few times but nothing out of the ordinary. My gods, I''m growing paranoid.


    If ever he needed the gods looking out for him it was now. He stopped to give a quiet prayer to the Sage for a clear mind. And then the Judge to help him find justice for his father''s, and Albert''s killers.


    Soon enough he kept walking when a sort of hissing sound caught his ears. He couldn''t find the source of the noise and then it repeated itself more audible, "Pssst," a voice hissed from the dark alley to his left. He tried peering down the alley but could see only darkness. "Captain Royce in here, hurry." The hushed voice urged him.


    He looked further down the road and saw a pair of guards coming. He waited until they got closer and was sure they saw him before he walked into the alley. "Who are you? What do you want?" William asked the darkness before him.


    "It''s about the-" the hushed voice stopped suddenly and waited before continuing, "hold on and be quiet."


    He waited in silence, putting his hand on his sword, pulling it out as slow as possible to make no noise. The guards soon enough passed by, gave a look into the alley, and kept going on their way. After they were out of earshot range the whispers continued. William had his sword half pulled out when he turned back to the darkness, his eyes having adjusted better he could make out the shorter figure before him. He grabbed at it suddenly and yanked it closer to the light.


    The young guard was so startled he gave a yelp, but quickly covered his own mouth. And then looked out into the street to make sure no one nearby heard him. William let his sword drop back down to its sheath as he studied the boy.


    He wore the smoky-blue uniform of the Sky Cloaks, except his was a little baggy. The boy guard couldn''t have been older than 14, William realized. Relaxing a little William scolded the boy, "What in the name of the king were you doing around here skulking in an alley boy?"


    "I don''t have much time and I needed to talk with you," The boy said anxiously. "But first I need your word that you don''t tell him this came from me."


    "What are you talking about? Who are you boy?"


    "My name is Malcolm Peers, I''m a night patrol guard in Raven Street. Please though I won''t tell you more until you give me your word that after this you will never use my name again, or seek me out. Otherwise he''ll kill me."


    "Relax kid I won''t rat you out."


    "Swear it."


    "I swear you have my word. Now tell me what you''re trying to say to me."


    The kid took a nervous breath before saying, "Alright, I work under Captain Lewis Gren in Raven Street. It was Captain Lewis who called us into the barracks. He wouldn''t say why, only that it was important and wouldn''t take no for an answer. He insisted everyone had a drink and no one refused, after the first drinks the men stopped caring so much about their work and had more until passing out.


    "And then this morning after you left he started threatening most of the men, saying that if any of them talked about this he wouldn''t kill just them, but their families too. I think he''s scared he''ll be blamed for the commander¡¯s death."


    Somehow the news didn''t surprise William, Lewis Gren was a volatile man. He''d do anything to save his own skin. But would he knowingly take part in the commander¡¯s murder? He didn''t know captain Gren well enough to answer that. On the morrow, William would need to have a chat with him. Should I bring the boy? No, I gave him my word.


    William was so lost in his own thought he didn''t realize the boy had disappeared again. He slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. He shouldn''t have let the boy go so easily, he gave him his word and all but he was the only witness he had against another captain.


    Now he really regretted not taking the job of commander.

 The White Pawn VI

    The White Pawn VI


    The next morning William finished his letter and sent it off with a courier before seeking out Captain Lewis. His search quickly led him to discover captain Lewis Gren worked night patrols, he should have known that. He had a long boring day of patrolling Bulwark Street.


    Soon enough he pulled out the bronze Rook he had found placed next to Albert''s corpse, and started fiddling around with it. When that got boring he examined it, then started wiping off the dried blood on the bottom with a small linen rag. When it was clean as it would be he examined it more closely, searching for perhaps some initials etched into it, or anything that might give him more clues.


    All he found was a blue rose pattern on the bottom. The royal Kirch family old sigil, from long, long ago. He wondered what the Royals had, if any, to do with this. If the king or even one of his children wanted the lord commander dead there were far easier ways for them to kill him then this.


    Then again he never got the chance to speak with the king about this matter; he barely even got into the castle. And the king''s Hand, and present advisors, froze when they saw the Rook piece. The millions of questions that followed this discovery started to hurt his head. It was about time that captain Lewis should be showing up at the barracks, he''d get answers from him, or so he hoped.


    After asking around, he found Captain Lewis on the side of the barracks, sharing some drinks with some of his men. Lewis was an unsightly man with pimples on his face, greasy hair, and crooked teeth. The men around him were not much more pleasant to look at. "Captain Lewis a word if I may." William asked politely as he could, but not meekly.


    "Yea you said them ''words'' alright." He chuckled, thinking he was witty. The other men didn''t follow.


    "I''d like to talk to you about your activities a couple nights ago," He said more directly now.


    Lewis drank from his cup, "Your still here?" This time the men, a couple of them, had a light laugh.


    "The night of Albert Hathen¡¯s death."


    The mood quickly shifted around them all. Lewis finished off his drink then spat at William''s feet, "I aint got nothing to say to you or your ugly mug." The men around chuckled, a couple nervously. Standing up, he told them, "I''ll meet you boys again later at Murry''s. This ugly freak ruined my drink." Lewis shoved past William and rounded the corner while his men laughed at his joke and went back to their drinks.


    William followed after him and soon as he turned the corner Lewis grabbed him and pinned him to the wall. Whispering in his ear, "Meet me in Borx Alley in Rats Hobble just before sunset."


    He let go of him, then went inside the barrack briefly before coming back out, ignoring William, and heading for the stables to grab a horse. Sunset wasn''t more than an hour off, and Rats Hobble was about a twenty-minute walk from there. That gave him enough time to prepare for their meet up.


    Rats Hobble, a ward of various houses and shops extending outward from Wall Street. Sitting an equal length between the Southern and Eastern gates, the ward was home to the worst sorts of people; and the poorest. Its dirt paved maze of alleys was its streets, and it claimed home to the worst gambling houses, taverns, brothels and all.


    Borx Alley, a wide road with dozens of illegal shops built by extending off the wall of the other shop next to it. Where one shop began and another ended was hard for him to say. He wandered down that road slowly, looking for Captain Lewis amongst the thin crowd of people passing through.


    In most any other part of the city Lewis shouldn''t be a hard man to spot, but in here the people, men and woman, were just as unsightly as him. Many though just had dirt or grime covering their face and probably would look much more desirable after a good hot bath. Still he couldn''t seem to find Lewis around, he might have been early so when he got to the end of the road he doubled around and walked through again at a much slower pace.


    Before long a stranger from the crowd blocked his path. It was a man, shorter and more slender than himself. "You William Royce?" The stranger asked, his voice a little rich.


    "Yes," William answered, wary of the man.


    His extra caution may have well saved his life as the stranger, in a blur of motion, pulled out a thin dagger from seemingly nowhere and thrust it at his chest. William dodged, turning himself side face and countering with a brutish shove that knocked the stranger down buying him a moment to collect himself.


    He wore no armor under his commoner clothes, no time to refit it, but he did, however, remember his boot knife. As he bent down and plucked his knife from his boot, keeping his eyes on his attacker, he caught a quick glance past him to see the alley was almost instantly devoid of others. At least they wouldn''t get in his way.


    The stranger looked past William and shouted, "Now!"


    William turned around to block whatever incoming attack was set for him, but he found there was no one there. It was a bluff and he fell for it. Turning back, his attacker closed the gap between them and got in a good jab at him. He managed to turn enough to avoid the attack being fatal as the blade pierced his shoulder instead of his neck.


    He slashed at the stranger uselessly as he was swift and expecting. Pulling the blade from William''s shoulder, fast as he put it in, the stranger was a couple steps back already when William made his attempt. Flashing a triumphant smirk he charged at William with his thin blade held close.


    William met this charge with the bottom of his foot; kicking the stranger with his full force as he rushed at him. The stranger was thrown onto his back several feet away. But he was up to his feet before William could try to take advantage of this.


    Having learned his lesson the stranger rushed him again but not straight ahead, he ran around in an arc, best he could in the wide alley, coming after William. He closed the gap between them again and stabbed at William once more. William parried the blow only to feel a sharp sting thrust into his side.


    He cried in pain before grabbing the back of the strangers head, catching a handful of hair, with his free hand. Pulling him in close as he slammed his head into the stranger''s face. He reeled back, pulling the blade from William¡¯s side; that hurt as much as when it stabbed into him.


    William swapped the dagger between hands and pressed against his wound with the other as he stepped back to lean against the nearest wall. While his attacker wiped the blood from his broken nose William asked, "Who the hell are you, who sent you for me?"


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    The stranger answered with another charge, more cautious this time. When he got into range for William to kick him, the stranger shifted on his foot to dodge what he thought would be another kick to the chest. He overestimated William, he didn''t have that in him after the wound he took, and instead slashed out with his knife.


    This time, it was a success as the knife cut across the stranger''s shoulder. But it didn''t stop him, only slowed him down. And as William slashed again, more desperate now, the stranger parried with both his blades, tossing Williams arm to his side. Then he drove his knee up into Williams''s groin.


    He fell to his knees, dropping his knife. As the stranger began to shift his weight to one foot William quickly punched him in the groin with his fist. The stranger snarled in pain but didn''t fall like William only backed away for a time. That bought him enough time to stand up and make a few, very painful, steps away before a sharp sting entered his thigh.


    The thin blade was sticking out of his leg, the stranger having tossed it at him. It wasn''t very deep but it did the job as William fell down. He rolled on his back to see the stranger standing before him, his dagger raised above his head in both hands, ready to end William in one strike.


    Blood splattered his face as the blade pierced through his stomach. The stranger dropped his knife in shock as a falchion style sword was sticking out of him. The blade was pulled free a moment later and the man collapsed beside William, alive but not for long.


    "Derren?" William asked incredulously, staring at his savior. "What are you doing here?"


    "I could ask you the same thing," the young captain said as he helped William to his feet. "I saw you entering here on your own, good thing I came in after you. We need to get out of here fast though; no one in this ward likes the Sky Cloaks."


    "No wait, my attacker."


    They glanced at him struggling to crawl away with blood oozing out of his wound. He wouldn''t get far.


    "We don''t have to worry about him no more, but he may have friends nearby."


    "I need to question him, give me a hand."


    Derren stomped on the stranger''s hand until he let go of his knife. Then he kicked it away as William, leaning against the front of the shops to help himself stand and walk, approached. "Now tell me who sent you to kill me?" William asked.


    The stranger spit at him, best he could, in answer. William then looked to Derren and nodded.


    Derren rolled the man onto his back with his foot then placed it on his stomach where he was pierced with Derren''s blade. He gave him a second chance to answer the question and when he didn''t Derren put his weight down on his foot. The stranger cried in pain, "Okay, Okay, I''ll tell you."


    Derren lifted his foot. "I didn''t get no name." he said between breaths.


    "Describe him."


    The stranger moaned in pain, "Piss ugly face with red spots, and crooked teeth."


    Derren turned to William, "Captain Gren? What''s he have to do with this?"


    Looking past Derren, William saw the alley start to fill up with dirt covered peasants in ragged and torn clothes. Their faces shadowing a grim look of disdain. He took notice that some of them were armed with some form of weapon, a piece of plywood, kitchen knife, etc.


    "We don''t like yu''n kind rou''n here." One of the peasant women said. William couldn''t help but notice her teeth were like splinters.


    "There''s going to be a lot more guards coming in here soon if you don''t get out of our way and let us leave." Derren threatened, turning his attention to them now.


    None of the peasants moved. William dug into his pocket, grabbing a handful of copper bits. He jangled them a moment then looked at the peasants with a grin, "Couple silver in here too, if you''re fast enough."


    He then tossed the copper coins up over the peasants head, with a slight gleam of silver in the air between them. As they rained down the peasants all but dropped their weapons and scrambled for the coins. William and Derren turned the other way and briskly walked out of that ward fast as they could. William with an arm around Derren''s shoulder helping him walk.


    "That was a waste of good coin," Derren said as they went. "I wasn''t bluffing, I have a handful of men waiting outside the ward to come get us should we not make it out shortly after dawn."


    "I believe you, but Rats Hobble is the worst place for guards to be. Why do you think I''m not in uniform? Your men would have caused a lot of unnecessary bloodshed, on both sides."


    "Why aren''t there guards in that ward? We should have at least two dozen men patrolling around there at all times, given the state of the place."


    William chuckled, it hurt. "You don''t see it now but this place serves a purpose. There are no guards in here not only because they''re unwanted but because they are not needed. This place has the lowest reports of crime in the entire city, lower even than Lord Street."


    Derren was not impressed, he was too smart to be. "Would that be because no one here lives long enough to report any crimes?" He asked with contempt.


    "I don''t like it either but this ward is special. The people here deal with their own problems, that includes crime.


    "This city has seen less crime in years since this ward became independent of the guards. Most the criminals that run there for refuge don''t come back. Either they made a new life for themselves in here or they crossed the wrong man and are now dead in a ditch, never to bother the good people of this city again."


    Derren said nothing, but William read the look on his face well. He knew that look, it''s the same one he had when he learned about the Rats Hobble. Even now as he said those words that his father told him before he had some trouble accepting them. For the time, they said nothing until making it out of that ward.


    Derren''s men were just a breath away from charging in there to rescue their captain. They were all relieved to see him come out though and he sent them away. When they were all gone William said, "Maybe one day when we have reduced crime to a rare occurrence we can clean this city out of the worst rats. Until then their hobble serves its greater purpose for the betterment of the city."


    Derren replied distantly, "How about today we get your ass to a white Sage before you bleed out, and I''m carrying your corpse."

 The White Pawn VII

    The White Pawn VII


    William found Derren sitting on the steps to the Gods Temple waiting for him. He had asked Derren to wait after he saw him to the white Sages, but he only half expected him to do so. Especially after getting stitched up for hours by the sages, his stab wound to the side was the worst. He was lucky the blade missed his kidney by a hair width, or so the sages told him.


    They gave him a cane to help him walk so he didn''t open his wound, and some foul smelling ointment to put over the wounds to help them close when he changed bandages. Derren rose to his feet when he heard William approaching from behind. "I didn''t think you''d actually wait," William said casually.


    Derren shrugged, "I didn''t have to but I wanted to make sure you''d pull through."


    There was more to it than that, William knew, but he didn''t ask. He did, after all, owe him his life, as Derren risked his own going in after him where all other captains would have looked away and moved on. He was perhaps the last good captain left of the Sky Cloaks. Which meant he was the only one he could turn to for his next task.


    They started walking down the temples steps, slowly, when Derren asked, "Ready to explain yourself?"


    William sighed, there it was, the other reason he stuck around. "You wanted to know why I was in that ward, don''t you?"


    "And why you were attacked by someone hired by a fellow captain."


    He''d almost forgotten Derren was the one who helped him interrogate his would-be-assassin.


    "I was informed by a fellow guard about who pulled everyone in for drinks during the night of Albert¡¯s murder. Turns out it was a captain. One who wouldn''t take no for an answer."


    "Lewis Gren. But why?"


    "Well, I asked him about it, as discreetly as I could. He told me to meet him in Rats Hobble before dusk. I hoped it was to talk, not to have someone try and slide a blade between my ribs."


    "We should arrest him then, we have proof; your wounds."


    "They prove nothing. It''s my word against his, if we could have taken the assassin alive then we''d have something."


    "So then what do we do now?"


    "I have no other choice, I need to bring out my informant; the boy. He''ll give us enough to lock away Lewis, and after he''s sitting in shackles the other guards will be free to come forward and change their story about what brought them in for drinks that night. After that, we''ll have more than enough to interrogate Lewis and find out what he knows."


    "You mean to torture him?"


    "If it comes to that. But Lewis, as I''ve heard about him, is a coward. We just need to scare him with the promise of the gallows before he talks."


    "Alright then, where do we find your informer?"


    "I don''t know, but I got his name. We''re heading to the barracks now to find him before he reports to his captain for duty."


    The guards of the night shift were still in the dining, hall eating their meals, when William and Derren walked in. They made it, the boy who gave him the information should be around still. He called for everyone¡¯s attention, which took a few calls before most of the men settled down enough to listen to him.


    "I''m looking for Malcolm Peers," he said when they were quieted, "a patrol guard on Raven Street."


    For a moment, nobody moved then one man stood up. "I''m uh, I''m Malcolm Peers. Uhh, sir." The man said.


    From the looks of him, he was in his twenties, balding head with short buzzed hair. There must have been another Malcolm Peers for this man couldn''t have been the one William talked to. He had a bad feeling about this. "I mean another Malcolm Peers, a younger man, boy, in fact, no older than fourteen, maybe fifteen."


    All of the men around started whispering to each other now. Before too long Commander Jorden came down and called for William and Derren. And told the men to continue their meals as the two strode forward. Up in the commander''s office, they shut the doors, the noise from the dining hall but a vibrant echo in that room.


    Commander Jorden took a seat at his desk and settled in comfortably before saying, "So either of you wish to tell me what that was all about down there."


    William spoke for them, "Commander if I may, I''m looking for a guard by the name of Malcolm Peers, a younger man."


    "By the looks of things down there you found your man," Jorden replied.


    "No there has to be another, the one who talked to me was far younger, a boy in his early teens."


    "There are only one Malcolm Peers to my knowledge captain," Jorden said. "But the guard ledger is on the third shelf down, in the middle, have a look for yourself."


    William found the book and set it on the desk looking into it as Jorden directed him to the page he was looking for. The Ledger was alphabetical and for this year. Naming every guard in paid service of the City Watch, only one Malcolm Peers was named in that Ledger.


    "The youngest men to enter the Sky Cloaks are of seventeen years of age," Jorden said while William kept checking the same page of the ledger. "We''re not knights we don''t take on boys to train, we take men who can be disciplined and who can, at least, appear to put up a fight."


    Eventually, William gave up. "I''m sorry ser, I must be confused. My fault." He turned to walk out of there when Jorden asked, "How come you need that cane to walk, captain?"


    William turned back to him, "I twisted my ankle ser," he lied on the spot.


    "And the blood splattered on your clothing?" Jorden asked, seeing through the lie.


    This time, William had no answer, and neither did Derren.


    After a long moment of silence Jorden said, "If you don''t tell me what the problem is now, then I may not be able to help you later on. I''ll expect these answers soon enough, until then you''re dismissed."


    "Your mystery informant was a bust, what do we do now?" Derren asked after they got outside and William calmed down.


    William shook his head, "I don''t know. We can''t lock him away now, but he still doesn''t know that we''re sure of his guilt in all this. I¡¯m tired, let''s call it a day. Tomorrow we will meet at the Sister Fountain after duty."


    "We''ll need a plan for this. I hope you''ll be able to think of something tonight."


    After Derren walked away William thought to himself, yea me too.


    The next day at the fountain William waited for Derren for a couple hours. When he showed up he looked ragged and was covered in dirt. "Word about the previous lord commander¡¯s death, and our disposition with our drinks at the time, spread through the city this morning," Derren explained as he approached. "Of course, news like that only kills off what little respect the people had for us. I had to remind a lot of them that we''re not mindless drunks; by beating them down in the dirt."


    "Shit," William said with a sigh of exasperation. "I knew this would get out eventually but not so soon."


    "Well it doesn''t change things for us, we still have a killer to find and only one who can tell us anything more about them. Did you think of anything last night?"


    "Yes, but you won''t like it. And I wish it hadn''t come to this."


    "Well then, what do you need from me?" Derren asked as he splashed his face with water from the fountain, cleaning the dirt off.


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    "I have no witnesses to put away Lewis, so we need to make him talk, by force, not fear."


    "You mean to torture him?"


    "Yes, I would use my men to lure him away somewhere quiet but he knows their faces and I have no one else to turn to for help in this. He doesn''t know your men, they might be able to get him away."


    Derren sighed, his head was dripping with water as he decided to dunk it into the fountain to get the dirt out of his yellow hair. "I don''t think it would work. Lewis is a coward, he proved that with the assassin in the alley, he would be wary of other guards not under his control right away."


    They were silent for a time after that, William thinking of some other way to lure captain Lewis into his trap. Eventually, Derren said, "Give me a few days and I''ll have something prepared. Until then let us both leave Lewis alone and avoid these meetings to reduce suspicion."


    "If I think of something first I''ll come to you," William was not a very patient man. "For now, I will need to figure out what to tell the commander about my injuries."


    "I took care of it this morning. I told the captain you were following a lead on Albert''s murder that led you into the Rats Hobble. Unfortunately, you didn''t have time to abandon your uniform or call in for back up so when you went in you were alone. But you soon got attacked by several peasants with animosity towards us, fortunately, me and some men had seen you come in and went in after you. Just in time for saving your life."


    William scoffed, "You make it sound like you''re so heroic."


    "I did rescue your ass."


    "Well, it is rather on point with the truth. As long as it keeps me out of bad sights with the new commander than it works."


    "It also put you on suspension until you have fully healed. You''re to remain home and recover, you''re no good to anyone with your injuries."


    "I can still lead, maybe not fight, but I''m not useless."


    "Commanders orders. He doesn''t want to see you until you''re recovered. Says he''ll put you out for a month if he does. I believe him too, Jorden''s a strict old bird."


    Thanks to the White Sage''s, foul smelling, medicine William recovered as much as he would be from his wounds. He''d spent most the time in his house, with Katrina. He''d sneak out for a good walk when he could, though. He no longer needed the cane after the first few days.


    It was nice to connect with Katrina again, they''d been growing some distance the last several days following Albert''s death. He was married to his work more than he would eventually be to her. But she understood that and accepted it rather well. That''s part of the reason he was marrying her, she was simple to deal with, beautiful, and a great housewife.


    But she wasn''t Alayne, the wandering thought snuck its way into his mind. Alayne was strong willed, independent, a hassle to deal with. He shook those thoughts of her out of his head. He''d moved on from Alayne, so he hoped. But he thought of her, a lot lately.


    A knocking at the door brought his mind back to the present. He answered the door, as Katrina was out shopping. On the other side was captain Derren. "I hope you''re feeling better," He said after William opened the door.


    "Come on in, it''s just us for now."


    Derren followed him inside saying, "It''s happening tonight, are your wounds healed?"


    "Mostly, but my betrothed wants me to get in a few more days off from it so we can be together more. Her aunt is coming down in a couple weeks too, to start on the early plans for the wedding. Wait what''s happening tonight?"


    "The trap, I''ve hired someone to stalk captain Gren these last several nights. He cuts his shift early every other night to go to The Black Swan on Raven Street. You know it?"


    "I heard the men talking about it before, it''s some sort of brothel?"


    "Claimed to be the oldest in the city, and rumored to once have the patronage of royals. Anyways captain Gren has a few favorite girls there. I bribed the Madam to get one of those girls to lure him down to the wine cellar. While we get answers out of him the other girls will keep his men, very occupied."


    A knock on the door pulled away their attention. It was too early for Katrina to return and she wouldn''t have knocked. He glanced at Derren who wasn''t expecting anyone either. Before he could decide if he should answer it, a stunning young woman with dark red hair that glittered in the light opened the door and strode in.


    "I''m Gem, Madam Fiona sent me to speak with you," the beautiful young woman said to them both. Her glossy pink lips parted for a seductive smile. And as she batted her eyelashes, her bright green eyes told the tale of why they called her Gem.


    Gem wore a slender black dress that pushed up her breasts and showed off her slender legs well, and her creamy skin. Her high laced boots went up her calf, making her seem even more provocative. They were both stunned by her, almost unnatural, beauty.


    Eventually, William cleared his throat and asked, "So Fiona, Madam of Black Swan sent you here for what exactly?"


    "She wants you to know that preparations are all set for tonight. Come to the brothel and wait in the cellar roughly four hours after dusk has settled."


    "Any other instructions for us?" William asked, feeling strangely irked.


    "Just that it''s advised to keep any torches or lanterns unlit while you''re waiting down there."


    "How do you suppose we''re to see then?"


    "The cellar has its own lamps lit, they''re set at a low flame so keep them that way." With a wink, Gem turned from them and left.


    "She''s very enchanting," Derren eventually said. "I can see why she''d be favorite."


    "There''s something dangerous about her," William muttered so quietly to himself that Derren didn''t hear him.


    "Your wife should be home soon,"


    "Betrothed," William corrected.


    "I''ll go prepare my men," Derren said ignoring William''s minor interruption. "See you tonight, at the Black Swan."


    Not long after Derren left, Katrina returned home, with her basket filled with the food for tonight''s dinner. "I''m home honey," she said delightedly.


    "Welcome home," William replied impassively.


    She kissed him on the cheek as she passed by to the kitchen. Calling out to him, "Did you miss me?"


    His response was a simple grunt. Strangely enough, he didn''t miss her, he hardly even noticed her absence with all the excitement of tonight. Sometime later Katrina brought him a drink "Here honey, drink this," she said offering him the cup.


    "What is it?"


    "Your special drink, you seem kind of down. It will cheer you up."


    William took it but didn''t drink it, not right away. But after seeing how Katrina wouldn''t leave him until he did he sighed and drank from the cup. She stayed with him until it was all gone.


    His mood shifted after drinking the bittersweet brew. It always cheered him up when he drank it. Katrina said it was due to a special herb, but it was rare so she could only give him one cup a week. He smiled as he handed her the cup, "You know on second thought I did miss you?"


    They kissed and Katrina returned to the kitchen to wash up the food and prepare dinner.

 The White Pawn VIII

    The White Pawn VIII


    The wine cellar was so dimly lit that William could hardly see a few feet in front of his face; let alone the six men aside him. Derren had his eight best and most trusted men with him that night. Five of them were down there with him, and the other three were keeping an eye out on the entrance to the cellar door upstairs, to make sure no one but Gem and Lewis entered. They had to trust that Madam Fiona''s girls would keep Lewis''s men well occupied.


    The wine cellar itself was a maze of wooden shelves, each filled with wine bottles, the further back you went the dustier they were. And at the very back, where William and the others waited, was a cleared area where only a barrel filled with water lay on the stone floor. The spot was normally used to store ale kegs, but William and the others moved them out of the way to make space for their trap.


    The waiting was uncommonly boring, when finally the sounds of voices being carried down from the other end of the cellar filled their ears. The voices were too far to understand from whom they spoke and what they were about. Before too long though they cut out and only the sounds of weighted boots stepping on the stone floor was left. Gradually the steps came closer and closer, tailed by the glow of a lantern.


    Further, down the rows, William could see Gem, and her uncommon beauty, approaching with a lantern held in front of her and captain Lewis hobbling closely behind; part drunk. When they were within eyesight of William and the others, though not yet close enough to grab, Gem twirled on her feet and turned her walk into a more seductive slow dance, luring Lewis ever closer to his fate.


    Gem was so enchanting that even William was having a hard time not staring at her. But when the time came for it, he and all the others were ready. As Lewis made a grab for Gem, she skipped out of the way, leaving one foot behind to trip him. He fell flat on his face and William and the men quickly grabbed him.


    "What the hell is this?" Lewis wailed in fury as he was hauled to his feet. "You have no idea who you''re messing with, unhand me this instant!"


    William pivoted his hips as he drove his fist up into Lewis''s gut, knocking the breath out of the man. Before he could fully recover the two men holding his arms dragged him over to the barrel filled with water. Soon as Lewis went to speak William grabbed him by the hair on the back of his head, greasy as it was, and pushed it under the water.


    As William drowned the captain, Gem went around brightening the lanterns to better illuminate the area of the cellar. It was annoying, after being in the dark for so long, but useful. William almost didn''t see the bubbles stop; he was so blinded for a moment.


    He pulled Lewis''s head up from the barrel of water as he gasped for air, sucking it in so fast he choked on it and coughed uncontrollably for a time. While he had his coughing fit William told Derren and the others to turn down the lanterns, they were blinding him.


    Derren and his extra men set out to do so but as they turned the small cog to dim the lanterns nothing happened. They kept turning until they wouldn''t turn any further and Derren said, "They won''t dim. We''d have to douse them all."


    William grunted in annoyance and looked around for Gem while Lewis kept his coughing fit up. But the whore was gone, she left the lantern on the ground and disappeared. He would have to deal with it for now, "Leave it be for the time, we have more important things to worry about."


    William turned his attention back to Lewis, who finished coughing, as he looked up at him. Recognizing William, Lewis''s face grew red in rage and he shouted, "You piece of worthless fu-" his words were cut off as William slammed his fist across Lewis''s face.


    As Lewis spit out the blood in his mouth William said, "We know that it was you who gathered the men to the barracks for the drinks, and you who distributed them."


    Lewis didn''t deny it, just looked away in shame. At least that kid was telling the truth about this, William thought to himself. "And I know you sent that assassin after me in Borx alley."


    Lewis smirked, showing off his stained crooked teeth, "That was a waste of good bits," he said. "I coulda done you in myself for the same trouble and saved me some silver."


    "Who gave you the ale?"


    Lewis only glared at him, answering in silence with his stares. William nodded to the men holding him and they turned him back to the barrel. He grabbed his hair again and held him under the water.


    He kept him under for half as long, and then let him up for a single breath before pushing him back in. When he came out again Lewis cried, "Alright, alright I''ll talk."


    After he got his breath back Lewis said, "It was a whore at Molly¡¯s brothel, after she finished sucking me off she let me put it in her tight little arse."


    "The name,¡± William demanded, growing tired of these games.


    "She had that black hair and high cheekbones, I saw you with her before. Alayne, I think it was?"


    William had enough of Lewis''s mockery this time. He pushed the men aside and turned Lewis back to the barrel and held his head under again. This time, his rage consumed him and he wasn''t pulling him back up. Derren saw William had no intention of pulling him out until the bubbles stopped for good and had to yank him up, with the help of a few of his men.


    Lewis lay on the ground, in a mix of laughter and coughing. William pushed Derren and his men away and kneeled down and started pounding his fist into Lewis''s face, endlessly. "I want. That. Name!" William demanded between his punches. He didn''t stop this time either, and once more Derren and his men had to pull William off him again.


    Lewis tried to stand up, but fell to his knees. Sobbing he said, "God''s please no more, I''ll talk I swear it." When he spoke, his mouth was still bloody and a few teeth were missing from William''s beating. "I never saw his face, he wore a dark robe and spoke to me only in the shadows.


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    "Gave me thirty golden bits, and specific instructions on who to bring in for the drinks. Said I couldn''t take ''no'' for an answer. He then returned to me the night I started calling everyone in with a cart full of kegs. That''s all I know, please don''t kill me."


    "That''s not enough," William shouted in anger drawing his sword.


    Lewis hopped to his feet backing away, but was quickly stopped by Derren''s men from going further. "Wait, for god''s sake Wait A Bloody Minute! I-I-I had one of my men tail this stranger. He met with someone, never saw their faces, but he said the man was-"


    Lewis was disrupted by an arrow piercing his throat from behind. His voice turned into a choking gurgle as he fell forward. In the moment William saw a figure in a dark passage through the, now partly opened, wall, all the lanterns went dark. Save for the lantern on the ground, which gave just enough light for Derren and a few of his men to spring forward and stop the rotary style wall from closing off on them.


    While the others gave chase into the secret passage William told the remaining men to stay behind as he searched around the cellar to make sure no one else was lurking down there. He found no one in his search, not expecting to, and retraced his steps back to the end wall where the men waited for him in the dark.


    When he returned, bringing the only source of light with him for that area, they set out to relight the lanterns posted on the wall and support beams. "Hell of a time for them to all go out, right ser?" One of the guards commented.


    "You guys turned the cogs all the way to the left correct?" William asked him.


    "Yes ser, but for all the good it did us. They wasn''t working, must have been something loose in them before."


    "But to all be loose, and then go out at once, at such a time..." No way it¡¯s coincidence, the timing is too perfect. But what else could it be?


    He soon pushed his thoughts aside, he had bigger things to focus on right now; and he didn''t even wish to consider the possibility of magical forces. "Just get them lit again," William said as he stared down at Lewis'' dead body.


    Least now I don''t have to kill him myself. William didn''t plan on telling Derren this, but after he got whatever answers Lewis had, he planned to gag him and march him back down to Borx alley. Then he was going to slit his throat and leave him there for the scum of that ward to deal with.


    There was no way he could let Lewis live, he''d either rat him out to commander Jorden, or he''d have a target on his back for as long as he remained in the city. Derren might have protested his execution but that''s why William had thought up a distraction for Derren, and his men, to chase while he rid them of Lewis.


    Eventually, the men got the lanterns lit, this time at a moderate burning flame. Not too long after, Derren and the others returned from the secret passageways. Once they were back in the cellar the wall closed itself off again, from the sound it made as it shut, it only opened from the other side.


    "Whoever was in there eluded us," Derren said, taking some short breaths. "Place is a maze, we barely made it back, if not for what was left at the entrance we wouldn''t have known which wall was the correct one to push on."


    Derren then held out a blue rose in one hand, and a copper pawn piece in the other. William took the copper pawn to examine it. There were no markings on it like the bronze rook, but the blue rose was left with it, probably in place of the mark.


    "What do you think these are?" Derren asked as William handed him back the pawn.


    "Clues, maybe." He answered, honestly having no idea.


    "Clues to what, though? What sort of killer leaves a trace back to them like this?"


    "Insane ones, but maybe they''re trying to tell us something. The rose is the old royal family sigil, and those tunnels are the secret passages of the Royals."


    "You think the Royal Kirch family is behind all this?" Derren asked cautiously.


    "No, this is too inconspicuous for the royal family. I mean if they wanted someone dead it would be a lot easier to do so then all this. I think whoever is behind this; they want us to know it has something to do with the royal family, in some way or another."


    "Wasn''t there an assassination attempt on the royal family like twenty years ago? Could these be warnings of another one soon to come?"


    William shook his head, "I honestly don''t know. And until we find out more, I want this to stay between us. None of this gets out to anyone else; we don''t know who we can trust right now."


    "So then what''s our next move? Lewis Gren was our biggest lead and now he''s dead. The trail runs dry after him."


    "Maybe," William said eyeing the back wall. "That wall only opens from the other side, from the secret passages right?"


    Derren glanced to the back wall, "Seems like it. Why?"


    "Go try and open it real fast."


    Derren nodded to his men to try pushing the rotary wall open. It wouldn''t budge.


    "Someone had to have told the killer we were down here, with our main suspect. Outside of the madam and the whore, what''s her name Gem? Outside of those two, and us, who else knew what we were going to be doing down here?"


    "No one I can think of," Derren said. "Madam Fiona is the one who helped me set this up."


    William sighed in annoyance; he was very irritated right now. "Alright you and your men search for Gem, I''ll question the Madam."


    "Alright, but what do we do about the body?"


    "For now, leave it be, it''s not going anywhere and I doubt the killer is coming back to retrieve it."

 The White Pawn IX

    The White Pawn IX


    Madam Fiona was entertaining a couple of patrons when William found her. It took some effort to pull her away, and the men were not too pleased with it either. But after seeing the look on William''s face, they backed down and moved on. He turned his attention to Madam Fiona.


    She was a shorter woman with light brown skin and long dark curls of hair. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head in annoyance, "What the hell do you want?"


    "The wine cellar, there''s been a serious problem, we need to talk in private."


    Fiona rolled her eyes and dropped her voice to a whisper, "Ohh shit, you didn''t kill that man did you?"


    William said nothing more.


    She scoffed and said, "Fine then, follow me." She then led him up the stairs, all the way to the third floor. And when the hall was empty she slid open a small panel on the wall and pulled down on the wooden handle attached to a thin rope. A stairway unfolded from the ceiling and Fiona climbed up, signaling for William to follow her.


    They climbed up to a small fourth floor, which was little more than a moderate sized bedroom. Fiona pulled up the folding ladder and said, "No one will find, nor hear us in here. Now, what is it that''s the problem?"


    William took a look around the room, it was mostly empty save for a single feather bed, piled with blankets and a pillow, a medium sized dresser, where a lamp sat with a low burning flame, and a small cabinet. Fiona turned up the flame on the lamp and William could also see a square table and some chairs off in the corner of the room; previously hidden in the dark.


    "Wow this place sure is full of secret areas," William commented while he eyed the room. "Kind of like that secret passage in the wine cellar." He turned to glare at Fiona.


    She sighed and brushed a lock of dark hair out of her face. "Why don''t you set up that table and a couple of seats for us hun?" Her accent receded to the lower, and slightly thick, tone of the coastal people.


    William watched her all the while as he pulled out the table, surprised to find it wasn''t covered with any dust, and chairs. Fiona went into her small cabinet and pulled out a bottle of some caramel colored liquid, and two small glass cups. They took seats opposite on the table, and she poured them both drinks from the bottle into the cups.


    He waited until she had her drink before taking his. It was sweet, yet bitter, and burned his throat. He groaned then asked, "This isn''t wine or ale?"


    "No this is a coastal drink, they call it liquor," Fiona said, filling the cups again. William drank his second glass more slowly, enjoying the bittersweet drink. "Tastes better, will get you drunk faster, and costs three silver bits for a small bottle. It''s my private collection. So what''s wrong?"


    "The secret passages, the ones the royals were rumored to have built going all under the city. Guess they''re real."


    "Yeah hun, they''re real."


    "And one of them just so happens to lead out into your wine cellar," he said suspiciously.


    "Well the Black Swan is as old as the city, of course, we have a route in the royals escape tunnels." She poured them some more liquor. "I inherited this brothel from my grandmother. My mom never wanted it and she took me to live on the coast with our father. But they both died from a pirate raid, I returned here, a girl of fourteen. I was then trained in the art of pleasuring men, and learning how to run a business.


    "Not a dream life but it pays well, and you meet some colorful people. My grandmother showed me the secret passage a year before she passed, she said that every generation or two the royals would sneak in here through the passages, sometimes for a whore, sometimes to meet their secret lovers. Although it only opens from the other side so it''s not of much use to me, but I still keep the area cleared and the lanterns in the cellar lit, in case any royals need to sneak through."


    "And how did your grandmother gain access to the other side of the tunnels? She seduce an older kings guard into letting her through the castle and to the passages? Because the castle is the only way I know of to enter those passages."


    Fiona shot him a look, "You know an awful lot about them secret passages for a Sky Cloak."


    "My father told me, he knew a lot of stuff about the world, and this city." His tone turned melancholy at the end.


    "Well there''s another place in this city, somewhere east is all I know, where there''s outside access to the secret passages. It''s supposed to be super hidden, though."


    William brooded in silence for a time while Fiona kept sipping at her drink. "I have some questions about the whore who helped us lure Lewis into the cellar," William eventually asked, "Where might I find her?"


    "You mean Kenna? I believed she was with you guys, I haven''t seen her since last evening. Had to lend out her room for another girl to use."


    "Kenna?" William asked bewildered. "I thought her name was Gem?"


    "Sugar I aint got no girl here named ''Gem''. Jewel is the closest girl I got to name like that."


    "Wait, describe this whore, Kenna? Describe her appearance, hair color, and eyes." William demanded, fearing the result,


    "Let''s see she''s light brown hair, uhh brown eyes, she''s-"


    William slammed his fist on the table in anger, interrupting Fiona. He was deceived once again, just like the boy guard. This Gem woman was leading him on.


    Fiona put aside the bottle and glared at William, "Now it''s your turn to answer some questions. That guard, did you guys kill him down there?"


    William scowled at her but she kept her composure, "We''ll take care of the corpse."


    Fiona chuckled, "Yea, how you planning to sneak the body out of the cellar with the place busy by night. And the streets teeming with life by day?"


    William looked down, he didn''t anticipate on killing Lewis here. So he had to plan to sneak his corpse out without being seen.


    After his silence answered for him Fiona said, "Lend me a few of your men and give me five gold bits and I''ll take care of the body."


    "Five gold bits?" William gasped. "That''s outrageous."


    "You murdered a fellow captain in my brothel after, what I can only guess, torturing him. Had I know you would kill him I would never have agreed to any of this. Besides my silence is also included in the price."


    "Where it wasn''t before?" William growled. He knew that she expected them to kill the captain, otherwise it would have come back on her and she wasn''t stupid enough for that; as he was just now learning. But he had no right to take a moral high ground with her after what he''d done.


    Reluctantly accepting the deal William said, "I don''t have that kind of coin on hand."


    "Fine," Fiona said with a tone of annoyance. "Leave a few of your men and we''ll dispose of the body this morning after sunrise. The longer we wait on it the harder it will be, given the stench and all. But I''ll have my coins by weeks end, else-wise I sing like a Canary bird."


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    After Derren returned, having found no trace of Gem, William explained the new situation to him. "What do we do now?" Derren asked after William finished.


    "There''s nothing we can do for now," William said with a yawn. "Pay the madam her gold, and leave a few of your men. After that do whatever you wish, I''m going home to rest."


    "Cheer up blue boy, you''ll get em this time," Neil said mockingly while pouring another cup of ale.


    "Kiss my boot," William retorted, grabbing the cup and gulping the ale down. The whole day went by and he thought of nothing, even after he walked around the entire city; mostly Raven Street though. Captain Gren''s disappearance was hardly noticed that first day, but it wouldn''t be long before his absence caught on. He didn''t much care how the captain¡¯s body was disposed of, just so long as it didn''t lead back to him.


    He couldn''t afford being thrown in the dungeon, not when he was getting closer to the killer each day. That night, however, with no more leads he could think of, he needed a drink; or ten. He''d told Neil most of what had happened of late, he trusted Neil more than anyone in the city. Somedays he wished Neil would join the guards with him, but Neil loved his tavern, and his job; besides all that, he offered to tell William of anything useful others may have spoken in here that he heard, but silence was the word.


    "Besides I thought you stopped calling me that since I became a captain and changed uniforms."


    Neil took a long drink from his own cup before answering, "You''ll always be a blue boy to me. I just don''t call you it as much, well mostly behind yer back." He chuckled.


    "It''s just the same as before," he said disheartened. "I pick up a trail but it goes cold so fast, the tracks are wiped clear as soon as they form."


    "Talking about your dad aye?"


    "I know they''re related somehow." He sighed and took another drink from his cup.


    "So this is the famous tavern on Bulwark Street," Derren said, taking a seat next to William. Neil poured him a drink, even though he didn''t order one. "I heard you come here frequently, among many of the guards."


    William gave no response.


    "We should go somewhere a little more private to talk, no?" Derren whispered, glancing around the tavern full of thirsty patrons.


    "I''m sure as hell not planning on walking down more dark cellars to whisper this stuff," William replied, too drunk to care. Yet sober enough not to say too much. "Anyways I''m all out of leads, needed the night off."


    "I''ve been out all day searching for clues, I found nothing, though."


    "Welcome to the club," William held up his cup, in a strange toast fashion.


    Derren rolled his eyes, but clicked his cup against William''s then drank.  "Just the one thing I can''t figure out."


    "What''s that?" William asked, only half caring.


    "The boy you met, the one pretending to be a guard, why did he put us onto Lewis in the first place? I mean if they were going to just kill him, then why bother putting us through the trouble of interrogating him like that, and getting so many answers out of him?"


    They were both silent for a time until William thought of something. "Oh shit!" he gasped. "The guard."


    "What guard?"


    "Captain Gren''s man, he told us he had one of his men tail the guy who brought him the ale kegs. That''s why they went through all this effort, they wanted us to torture answers out of Lewis while they sat back listening."


    Derren finished off his drink, the stuff was great he would have to come back for more, "Then we need to find him first."


    They both rose from their seats, leaving the tavern in a rush and heading to the barracks. They didn''t know which man it was that tailed the mysterious conspirator but they had to find him fast, for the killers would already be looking for him. As they walked down the street the shadows around them seemed to grow and sudden suspicion seeped into William.


    "Hold up!" He said, stopping suddenly.


    Derren was a few steps ahead before stopping. Turning to William, he said, "We don''t have time to hold up the killers may have already found captain Gren''s man."


    Or maybe you''re working with them, a snickering voice seemed to whisper gently into William¡¯s ear. He did a quick look around him, but it was just him and Derren in the shadows. Using me to root out any missing, or hidden leads. Almost without control William spoke the words whispering to him accusingly at Derren.


    "What are you drunk?" Derren half shouted. "Where the hell is this coming from, I thought you trusted me."


    "I thought I did too but now that I think about it, this is all your fault."


    "Oh yea, and how do you figure that?" Derren asked hotly, taking a step closer.


    "You''re the one who set up the location where Gren died before he could finish telling me what I needed to know. And it was you and your men that ''chased'' his killer down there. How do I know you didn''t let him get away on purpose?"


    "You''re the one who came to me for help in this. You''re the one torturing fellow guards, maybe you''re just covering your own tracks."


    William spit at his feet.


    "I should have left you for dead in Borx alley," Derren sneered.


    And before either of them knew it they both had their swords unsheathed, and tightened in the grip of their palms.


    The intense light from a strong burning lantern interrupted them as an elderly man walked by. Carrying the lantern at the end of a rod in front of him. "You boys alright?" He asked them.


    They both rubbed their heads, the last several minutes feeling blurry. "Yea, we''re fine," William managed to say.


    The elder man clicked his tongue and said, "Well best not to linger here in the dark. Strange things happen when the shadows lengthen. Give me a minute here though I''ll have this postern lit back up."


    Neither of them noticed right away but the postern lamp where they were arguing under was out. That part of the street was uncommonly dark before the elder man came by. Soon enough he had the lamp lit again and he nodded to them before walking away. Muttering something incoherent, but probably insulting given the tone, under his breath as he walked away.


    "We need to involve commander Jorden in this," Derren said as they continued their walk.


    "You''re right, we need his permission to question captain Gren''s men. But we can''t tell him the truth, so what do we say?"


    "We lie, obviously. But we need to think of something fast, it''s not that long of a walk from here to the barracks, and the commander¡¯s office."

 The White Pawn X

    The White Pawn X


    "So what do I owe this unwanted visit captains?" Commander Jorden asked, setting his quill down in the bottle of ink before sitting back.


    "Ser we need to speak with captain Lewis Gren''s men right away." William asserted.


    "How come I get the feeling you boys know something about his disappearance?"


    That caught William off guard, he didn''t expect for captain Gren''s disappearance to be noticed so quickly. Worse off Jorden¡¯s face was passive, he couldn''t tell if the commander was accusing him, or was just suspicious of the timing of his request.


    In Williams hesitation Derren spoke for them, "We do ser, we found him dying in Borx alley. I managed to stave off his attacker when he came after us but he eventually escaped. Lewis said one of his men betrayed him. We were suspicious of Lewis for ordering the men to the barracks the night Albert Hathen was murdered.


    "But now given the Captain''s death, we realize it was one of his men who likely used his name to get the others to the barracks. We need to find this man before he flees the city; if he hasn''t already."


    "Why?" Jorden asked skeptically; carefully examining them both.  "What''s so important about this one man? And exactly how did you happen to come upon the captain as he was dying in the most notorious ward in the city, hmm?"


    Derren hesitated, briefly, but it was enough for Jorden to make a decision. "We were tailing him, as I said ser we were suspicious of him. But he was attacked by a skilled fighter, so I believe he was set up into going there, to his doom."


    The commander remained silent, staring at them with judgmental eyes.


    Derren had nothing to say for why the man they were seeking was so important, so it was Williams turn next.


    "The ale the men drank was poisoned. It was mixed with a sleeping brew of some sorts, I had a green Sage test it from the bit that remained. It''s my theory that someone bribed the guard to lure the others in here and get them to drink the poisoned ale that knocked them out so they could get to Albert. I don''t know why they wanted him dead, but I don''t believe whoever is behind this will stop there."


    The commander studied them both in a tense silence. Neither could read his face, so they were nervous and feared it might be starting to show as the conversation continued. "I don''t believe you," he eventually said. "I know you''re both lying to me, but I don''t know what''s a lie, and what''s the truth with you two. It saddens me to think that two of my own captains would be a part of the disappearance of another fellow captain.


    "So here is what''s going to happen, you will both go about your normal duties as before. But after your shifts on duty, you will report here within the hour of your guard replacements. From there you will be accompanied by two of my own guards, you can go wherever you please so long as they know where you are. If you choose to return home they will wait outside your doors, until being relieved of duty."


    "Ser that''s hardly fair," William argued.


    "Further more!" The commander yelled. "If you slip your accompanied guards, or fail to report back here within the hour of the end of your shift without good reasoning, you will be put in the dungeons; until your involvement in captain Gren¡¯s disappearance is more clear. Too much has been happening in this city as of late, crimes rising, despite our best efforts, our previous commander being murdered in what should have been the most well-guarded street in the city. And now one of my captains goes missing, and who else but two more captains are at the head of suspicions, claiming to be involved in it."


    "Ser we just told you our involvement," William argued, picking up where he left off. "But we need to find that man, he''s the last clue we got, the trails have all gone cold. But we''re getting closer to Albert''s killer, I can feel it."


    Commander Jorden let out a pained sigh. "I really wish I could just believe you like that, but it''s all too suspicious. You two are some of the last good captains in the entire City Watch, I hate to even think either of you would be capable of such things. ''Men are only as good as their commanders,'' your father taught me that William.


    "When Adam was in command this city, and us guards, had order. It was almost destroyed back in the rebellion, and the assassination attempt on the royals. Adam returned here and saved it from the brink of ruin, cleaned it up, and more. I won''t let things fall apart here, not like that. So you two are dismissed, you''ll be assigned your guards on the morrow."


    "Well, your story checks out, some of it at least." Commander Jorden said after dismissing the guards that brought in Derren. William was already there waiting. They had been under the supervised watch for nearly a week, unable to do anything more than their normal guard duties. Derren hadn''t minded as much, he put his supervised guards to use down in Traders square, things seemed to be growing more chaotic for the guards down there each day with the leaked information about the previous commanders death; and their disposition at the time.


    William, on the other hand, was restless, and eagerly awaited this day. Bulwark street was hardly so lively with any activity that would actually require the peacekeeping duties of the Sky Cloaks. Unlike Wall Street, or Raven Street, that''s where more of the action was. Guarding the West gate would have been more exciting, William realized after he became assigned captain to bulwark street. He would have swapped places with another captain in a heartbeat if not for Katrina''s request for him to stay on Bulwark Street.


    "There were a few notable people who did, in fact, see a man with captain Gren''s description entering the Rats Hobble, multiple times in fact." Jorden read from a report he had in his hands. Looking up at them then back to the report occasionally. "This doesn''t mean I fully believe you were telling me the truth but as long as you don''t lie to me again then I''m willing to let it slide. However there''s a problem with his men, several are missing.


    "Fortunately for you two, this happened while you were under watch and nowhere near the areas they were reported to have been last seen. And honestly I''ve gotten too old for all the leg work this requires, so William I''m going to allow you to question the men with my authority. But you will report to me what it is you questioned them about, and I wish for you to find out what happened to the missing men while you are at it."


    "I understand ser, you''ll have my full report soon as its ready," William said.


    He then turned to leave until Jorden yelled, "You''re not dismissed just yet captain."


    "Boy''s as impatient as his father," the commander muttered under his breath. "I''m giving you your freedom again but I''m still suspicious of you," he looked both of them in the eyes, "the both of you. You will both sign off on the same report, so get your stories straight. And if I find your report is falsified, or intentionally misleading, there will be serious consequences."


    Jorden waited for them both to say they understood before finishing. "Now captain Royce, Captain Atwood, now you are dismissed."


    They wasted no time heading down to Raven Street to round up Captain Gren''s men for questioning. In their haste, William forgot that those men were on a later shift and wouldn''t be showing up for a few hours. "Should we round them up at the barracks?" Derren asked.


    "No, we''d have to question them there if we did. I want them in smaller groups or alone, in case they try lying to cover their own asses." William answered. "With their captain dead, they should no longer fear a rebuke for talking about that night. Still I''m sure many won''t be too willing to tell the full truth, fearing they would share part in the blame for the commander''s death."


    "And what if they don''t want to sell their comrades out?" Derren asked skeptically.


    "That''s why I want to get them in smaller groups or alone, easier to pressure them into talking. Worst case I claim them all of equal guilt and threaten to throw them in the dungeon. Eventually, they''ll want out bad enough they''ll tell us the truth. I''m hoping it doesn''t come to that though, they were just following orders and didn''t know the drinks were so potent."


    William leaned back against the stone wall, that surrounded and protected the city, with his arms crossed. Waiting for the first of captain Gren''s men to show up for their patrol duty. They waited on Wall Street where Raven Street crossed with it. The road they looked down was wide enough for three carts to go side by side, and still have enough room for people to walk freely. It was a part of the wide junction road leading to the East Gate.


    Outside the East gate is where the tourney grounds were, so it was expected for the roads to be the widest in the city for several blocks connecting to that gate: expecting a variety of mounted riders and carriages. Years ago these roads would be a parade stretch for the tourney winners, as celebrations of triumph for the competitors, with rose petals raining down from the rooftops; if the old wench''s stories could be believed that is.


    Eventually, they spotted a few suspicious Sky Cloaks heading their way. They went out to intercept them. William had instructed the men sent out to help round up captain Gren''s men to take them to the avenue on Wall Street, where the wide roads connected.


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    Figuring out which men worked under captain Gren wasn''t too difficult. As they all heard about the questioning they''d be submitted to they were particularly jumpy, or nervous. These first few men were no exception. The question was the same for everyone they talked to, "Who were the ones who helped your captain unload the ale kegs from the cart? One of those men was instructed to tail the person who delivered the cart. We need to speak with him, he may hold the information we need to finding your captain¡¯s killer."


    They all ended the same way, with the men knowing too little, or saying none of them did that, it was all the captain. Some said everyone helped, though. For a time it seemed William would have to resort to plan B until finally they caught their big break. While they were questioning four of his men one of them said, "Beggen your pardon ser, but if we was to know who helped unload the cart and named them to you what would happen to them?"


    "We just want to question them, but their lives may very well be in danger as well, so if you know something you better tell us fast," William said.


    The men looked around themselves, having second thoughts about confessing the truth. But one of them, the younger one said, "Come on fess up, you heard the capn'' they might be in danger, which means we might be in danger too."


    The man who spoke up first, Tiden he said his name was, said, "Alright I''ll speak. The ones who helped unload the cart were, Seth, Dormin, Berry, Lister,"


    "Lester," one of the guards corrected.


    Tiden ignored him and continued his list, "Markill,"


    "Markell," the guard corrected him again.


    "Egen, and Horta." Tiden finished. "I was supposed to be helpin them and all but they had it handled, so I got an early start to the drinking with the first keg."


    "And where can we find these men."


    "That''s the thing though ser, they also been missing as of late."


    "No wait", the fourth man, who hadn''t yet spoken, called out. "I know what happened to Lester, Seth, and Horta. They was in a bar fight just the night before, got real nasty real fast. I heard they pulled their swords and the others did as well. No one know who done em in though, just that they be joining the other poor buggers that was fool enough to join the fight."


    "Where are the other four?"


    "I heard they was beat up pretty bad while trying to arrest some guys," The younger guard said.


    "Now that''s stupid, why didn''t they pull out their sword, people find out they don''t know how to use em?" The fourth guard chuckled.


    "No you idiots," Tiden said. "They did arrest them guys, big ones too, but their friends ambushed them before they could make it down to Feather avenue. They almost got done in too until help arrived."


    "Their wailing probably alerted half the city," the fourth guard chuckled; again.


    "They put up a hell of a fight, wish I could been there meself, give em the old One-Two." Tiden threw a couple jabs in the air as a demonstration.


    William rolled his eyes, annoyed, "Alright can one of you just tell me where to find those men?"


    Tiden cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. "Uhm right ser, they would be resting at the white sage corner, should be the one on Feather Avenue, on the western side. It''s a clean white stone building very hard to miss, uh ser."


    William gave him half-hearted thanks and set out for the sage''s corner, Derren tailing right behind him.


    Tiden told it true, the men were resting at the sage corner, a white stone building in the wealthier part of Raven Street. The sages were all gone for the night, leaving a young female acolyte who was slender like a twig with bony hands and an angular face. She seemed a little intimidated by William, but Derren flashed her a kind smile which calmed her nervous, a little. "The Sky Cloaks who were brought in here with injuries recently, where are they?" William demanded.


    "I, I''m not supposed to let anyone see them."


    Derren gently pushed William back to talk to the nervous acolyte. Her pale cheeks reddened when he leaned over the counter and smiled at her. "Listen umm,"


    "O, M-Maesie," she said nervously.


    "Maesie, thank you. Those men are witnesses to a serious crime, and may be in danger. So there might be some dangerous people looking for them, I don¡¯t'' want to scare you but we need to ask them some questions."


    "Well, the thing is," She twirled her dark hair around one of her finger''s, looking down at her papers while she spoke. "They are actually resting right now, and need it to recover."


    "I understand, but Maesie we can''t be everywhere at once. We have most of the guards around here focusing on finding the men who did this to them. But while they''re away searching those men could easily stroll right in here and finish what they started. And I don''t wish to frighten a pretty little thing such as yourself but, they might not be as gentle as myself with you.


    "Now I can arrange a few guards to wait outside until your master returns, and even a couple inside, to protect you in case those men come here. But we need to ask those guards resting some questions that can help us narrow the search before I can do that."


    "I don''t know..."


    Derren took her cold tiny hand in both his, gently gripping. "Maesie please, surely one of the men in there can survive with a little less rest. Just for tonight?"


    Her face turned bright red and she pulled her hand away soon enough then grabbed the lantern. "Okay, this way, but only a few minutes."


    She led them to the back room where a dozen cottages were lined against the wall, four of them in use. She lit a couple of the lanterns and looked around the injured men, wrapped in linen bandages with a fur blanket tossed over each of them. Far as William could tell they were bloodied and bruised, probably with several broken bones, but they''d survive.


    Maesie gently awoke the man with the least injuries, which was little more than a broken arm several cracked ribs, and lots of stitches. These guys really took a beating, William thought to himself. But was it truly random, or was this another planned attack? He''d find out the answer in a moment.


    Markell was less than pleased to be woken up but didn''t make a fuss when he saw William and Derren in their uniforms. "Captains," he groaned as he sat up.


    "Derren why don''t you go take the acolyte and keep her mind at ease while me and the guard talk." William said, keeping his eyes set on the injured guard.


    Maesie was reluctant to leave but Derren put on more of his charm and she left with him all the same.


    "You don''t trust him?" Markell said, it was more a statement than a question.


    "Oh I do, but I needed the girl gone."


    Markell scoffed, "You shouldn''t trust him, but it''s your choice captain. So what do I owe this visit, I doubt it''s about the men who attacked us."


    "It''s not about that no, but we got time so let''s start with that one. Why did those men attack you guys?"


    "Me and Egen caught a few of them raping this woman in an alley. We caught two of them, but the third ran off. As we were taking the two men back the third returned with his friends.


    "We cut down the rappers first, but the others soon enough overwhelmed us. I thought we were done for, when Berry and Dormin showed up and saved our asses. Though they got a pretty bad beating too, not really sure how that happened though my memory is a bit fuzzy."


    So this particular attack is unrelated. Still it¡¯s not a good thing.


    "Well I''d let your captain deal with the remaining men, but he''s dead."


    "So I heard. It wouldn''t happen to have anything to do with that cloaked stranger who gave us the ale in the first place would it?"


    "It is in fact, what do you know about him?"


    Markell shook his head, "Nothing, just that he gives off this," he paused in thought, "I don''t know disturbing presence."


    "Your captain had someone tail this man, do you know who it was, or what he found out?"


    "It was Seth," Markell said melancholy. "Poor kid was terrified since then, living in paranoid after that night. Took us several drinks before he finally told us what he saw that night, least some of it. But not the part that traumatized him."


    "Seth?" William asked trying to remember what that other guard, Tiden, said about him. "Is he," William looked around the cots in a gesture."


    "No, he finally snapped recently and got into a serious bar fight. Convinced the men who was there were the pawns of that ''shadow demon'' he saw that night. Said they been tailing him since then and he had it, he drew his sword, so did the others, and as I hear it was a blood bath."


    William could scream right now, but he didn''t. He did manage to ask, "What did Seth tell you?"


    "He said there was a demon. A shadow demon talking with an unknown man in a red uniform."


    "A red uniform? Is there anything else, how tall was the man, what did his hair look like, was he old or young? Short, tall, fat?"


    Markell just shook his head, "He didn''t say. Just said he was a man in a red uniform, with a crown embroidered onto his doublet."

 The White Pawn XI

    The White Pawn XI


    William and Derren sat in a secluded back room at Niel¡¯s tavern, away from prying eyes and ears. It was neither large nor small, with only one way in or out that leads into the back hall. Neil left them a small ale keg and William tossed him a silver bit. At first, he was alone, content to drink until he passed out, until Derren finally caught up to him. He barely made it through his second cup.


    "So ready to explain things?" Derren asked, sitting back in his chair with a sullen look on his face.


    William had left the sages corner in such haste Derren had to run to catch up to him. He asked what he found out but after William stopped and took a breath, all he said was that he needed a drink. Derren''s further questions provoked him and William told him to go find some guards to put on vigil duty at the corners office. "You have a promise to keep, remember?" William sneered.


    As he turned to go Derren caught his arm, his grip so tight it started to hurt William. He was stronger than he looked. "This conversation isn''t over, got it?"


    William shrugged his arm off and growled at Derren before walking off.


    "It all goes way above my head," He grumbled. "Above the commander''s head too."


    "What does? What did that man say exactly?"


    William filled his cup from the small keg. Taking a drink before answering. "The man seen talking with the hooded stranger had a red uniform on, with a golden crown embroidered on the doublet."


    "A crown on the doublet... The royal guards?"


    "And the golden bit goes to captain piss hair." William was slurring some of his words.


    "Gods you''re drunk," Derren sighed.


    "Not nearly enough." He took another drink from his cup.


    Derren poured his own cup now to have a drink too. "This isn''t over yet."


    "Yes, it is," William said defeated. "The stranger who delivered the ale was led by the guard, or at least in cahoots; either way they''re unreachable."


    "And how do you think that?"


    "The royal guards serve the king and queen, even suggesting that they were guilty of such heinous crimes is treason."


    Derren''s face grew to a look of contempt. "It''s true the royal guards serve the royal family, but they also serve the lords and ladies at court if I''m not mistaken?"


    "No, you''re not, they serve them too."


    "Then it''s just as likely that it was a noble at court, more so than a royal. We just need to find out which one, and now we finally have a list of suspects."


    "We can''t," William shook his head. Perplexed at himself for even entertaining the idea. "We cannot go after the nobles at court. We''re just some city guards of common birth, we don''t even have the status to make said accusations."


    "The king hears the voices of the common man as well," Derren argued. "All we need is the evidence, and proof that the king and the court cannot ignore. Regardless of their status, they broke the king''s laws, and are probably plotting something more devious as we argue. We have to stop them, else wise no one will."


    William gave him a look. He was born and raised to serve the highborn of the kingdom, not question them. He shook his head, still not convinced.


    "What''s changed William? We still have a killer to catch. The conspiracy may go close to the top, but even lords can be toppled."


    They sat in silence after that, drinking their drinks. Eventually, William got up and said, "You can have the rest, it''s already paid for. I''m going home, to rest. Don''t expect to see me tomorrow: might not even get out of bed."


    The next morning William had wished he could stay in bed, maybe forever. But Katrina was expecting her aunt to arrive sometime that day, so she insisted he get up. She made him a special concoction for his head, which was mildly throbbing. But he drank it anyways.


    After breakfast he sat at the table, content to just stay there for a time if he could. When Katrina asked him if he would be going out to work today he casually said, "I think I''ll stay home. We can be together, no worries, just for a day."


    Katrina smiled and took a seat across from him. "That would be lovely," She said in a melodious tone. When William didn''t start she suggested, "How about you tell me about your investigation?"


    He groaned, right now that was the last thing he wanted to think about. "It''s boring," he said nonchalantly.


    "Please I insist. I haven''t had any good tales in a while. It all sounds exciting."


    But a few moments after William finished telling Katrina about the investigation, and where he was so far, did the door to their house burst open. William shot up to his feet, and instinctively reached for his sword at his waist, but he wasn''t wearing his sword belt so his hand fell short of a weapon.


    "William," Derren shouted at the sight of him. "Don your uniform, you need to see this, and hurry."


    "What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing, bursting into my house like this?" William shouted hotly.


    The whinny of horses outside diverted Derren''s attention briefly. When he turned back he said, "There''s not much time I''ll explain on the way, but you must hurry. We might be able to stop it but I can''t do it alone, their fixing to hang him quick... You know what forget the full uniform just grab your cloak and sword and let''s go!"


    Derren was out the door without further explanation, leaving William to wonder what he was talking about. He gave Katrina an apologetic look, and rushed to don his white captain''s cloak and fasten his sword belt to his hip. He kissed Katrina on the cheek as he passed her by, and was out the door.


    Derren was already on his horse waiting for him. William hopped on the other one and they set off.  They trot the horses down the road at a steady pace, fast enough to make haste, but slow enough to where Derren could explain the situation comfortably.


    "It''s been a whirlwind of a morning," Derren said. "Someone just confessed to the murder of the previous lord commander, and captain Lewis Gren, in addition to the bribery and extortion of Lewis and the other guards that brought everyone in for drinks that night. He''s even taking responsibility for the two who drunk themselves into the grave."


    "What?" William cried, unbelieving. "Who is this guy?"


    "I don''t know, I heard second hand from my own man. He believes the man was under Captain Gren''s command, though. He''s to be hanged at the gallows of Darkbeak circle, so we have a ways to go."


    Some cheers of men echoed down from the North-East, towards where they were heading, along with a flock of ravens flying away. William and Derren glanced at each other, coming to the same worrisome conclusion, and then snapped the reins of their horses, racing them through the street in a hurry.


    Darkbeak circle was a rounded grim area where the most infamous city Gallows sat. They hung the worst criminals there, or just ten people at a time when they had a large group to hang. They hung the notorious serpent gang, a group of skilled ex-soldiers who rebelled against the king after taxes had risen to a staggering height.


    After a few weeks, the common man went into debt to the crown even after going without food just to pay the new tax rates. The serpents had managed to gain the support of the Sky cloaks so when the king¡¯s army arrived to enforce the tax laws from the unwilling masses of citizens they gates were barred closed and the city was under siege from its own kind. When the king died of a stroke during the siege, his son was crowned the very next day and immediately lowered the tax rates.


    The siege was still ongoing though as the serpents wouldn''t back down, for fear if they did this new king might just raise the taxes again. Despite his promises not to, they maintained control of the city, the common people urging them to remove the king from the throne entirely. It was at that point the sky cloaks turned against the snakes and they were rounded up and hung at these gallows, built specially for them.


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    The next major criminal to hang from these gallows was a man known as Red Talon. A serial killer who stalked the streets at night and murdered random victims then painted a talon on the ground or wall with his victim¡¯s blood. Took the Sky Cloaks three years to catch him.


    The people of the city had grown to a certain macabre desire for hangings; least when it came for severe punishment of criminals. Beheading was too gruesome for them it seemed, yet they all had a darker nature to witness death and so the gallows became prominent in the city.


    At Darkbeak circle, a crowd of people that had gathered was dispersing, getting on with their daily lives. Atop their horses William and Derren could see a body swinging in the breeze from the end of a noose at the end of the gallows. Standing around there still, while the rest shuffled off, were men in smoky-blue uniforms.


    They approached their fellow guards and dismounted their horses when commander Jorden turned and glared at them. "I was wondering when I''d see you two," he said with contempt. "I received your report, William you didn''t even sign off on it but given what it was full of that hardly even matters. And besides we caught the killer now too, he confessed, and hangs behind me."


    "Ser that can''t be the killer," William argued.


    "And how do you figure that?" Jorden demanded.


    William hesitated, wondering if now was the right time to mention the connection to the royals. He wondered if he should even say anything at all, so he held his tongue; for now.


    "Well let me tell you why you''re wrong anyways. Walden Fen was captain Lewis Gren''s closest subordinate, together they consorted to killing Albert Hathen. To that end, they purchased a special brew of ale from a traveling merchant who concocts it to be ten times as potent as ordinary ale.


    "Yes I had some leftover samples tested myself, it wasn''t poisoned just extra strong. Let''s just add that to the list of lies you deliberately told me. Lewis planned, and executed, Albert''s mysterious death in order to raise himself to the lord commander by catching his ''killer''. He planned on framing none other than his right hand Walden who knew and aided in all of this.


    "But Walden found out, and while complications arose he tried flipping the tables on Lewis, killing him and then framing him for the murder of Albert. But he never got the chance to frame Lewis and close the case, in order to cover his tracks he strong-armed some of his pals into telling a very different story of what happened that night to anyone who inquired about it."


    "Ser you can''t possibly believe that?!"


    "Oh, and what evidence do you have against it? Unlike it matters as Walden is dead, in case you can''t see behind me."


    "Because why now? Why is Walden confessing to this crime now, our investigation led us nowhere close to him in any of this."


    "Let me stop you there," Jorden commanded. "Your investigation is sounding more and more like a lunatic''s conspiracy tale. But you did bring me onto the right path to catch the killer, so I did my own inquiries and investigation into it all and was led to Walden. I gave him a chance to redeem himself, to confess the whole truth before the gods so the Outlander may take his soul with peace."


    William shook his head, defiant, "I don''t believe this commander. I refuse to believe it, it just doesn''t sound right. There''s more to this I know it, and I''ll prove it."


    "Well you better start believing, captain," Jorden yelled. "Because now it''s time to talk about you two. I told you there''d be serious consequences for falsifying your report to me. I expected some stretching of the truth, but William I thought you had more honor than that. If your father could see you now, how disappointed he''d be."


    No one saw the hit coming, William slammed his fist into the commander¡¯s face so fast and hard he knocked a tooth out of his mouth. The sudden attack caught them all so off guard that William had enough time to draw his sword and hold its end at the commander¡¯s throat before the men stopped him from further action.


    The commander held his arms to his sides, signaling the men around him to ease. When they took a step back Jorden said in commanding tone, "Captain Royce, Captain Atwood the both of you are suspended from duty until further notice. I''d remove you from the City Watch all together were we not dealing with a rampant increase of crime lately. But don''t think this is over William, your actions have consequences."


    William sheathed his sword, but kept a tight grip on it.


    Jorden turned to his men and said, "Take their horses back to the stable, they''re not of the privilege to ride them right now and can walk home."


    After the men took the horses, Jorden hopped on his and they left William and Derren alone. William took one last look at Walden''s swaying corpse before turning back to the bleak circle around him.


    The place had always been grim, but it seemed overtime it grew worse. With coffin shops set up around it, a couple painters who only depict morbid art in their posters and canvas, and then display them all around the circle. An herbal shop only selling poisoned herbs and dangerous spices, even the charlatan merchants with their rickety shop stands couldn''t put on a smile to sell their goods.


    An old crone, with one oversized tooth that stuck out from her mouth, and a swamp green rag covering most of her wiry grey hair, went around with a slow burning bush whacking it at people; and claiming she was warding the death off of them that lingered in the area. She demanded a copper for her troubles but, of course, no one paid her and she moved onto the next person. When she got to William and Derren, Derren shoved her off after she whacked him with her bush.


    She fell hard on her butt and snarled at him, he put a hand on the hilt of his sword, "I catch you around here again picking pockets I''ll take that hand of yours." He growled. "And I''ll be confiscating that dagger you were reaching for when you fell, else it''ll be you hanging from the end of one of those ropes."


    The old crone got up slowly to her feet then threw the burning bush at Derren''s face and ran off, pushing her way through the crowd of people. Derren went to give chase but William stopped him, with his attitude Derren really might snap and take the old woman''s hand, or, at least, give her a beating.


    "You have a good eye, I didn''t even see her reaching for a dagger when she fell," he said. "But maybe she wouldn''t have gone for it, had you not shoved her, she wasn''t doing any real harm."


    "No? And when she smacked that bush in your face and reached for your pocket to slide out a bit or two, was there no harm in that?"


    William hadn''t even realized that''s what she was doing. He felt so stupid when he realized his pocket had indeed been ruffled from the crone''s failed coin snatch attempt. I''ve gotten rusty, William thought to himself. Bulwark Street''s great peace has dulled my senses.


    "They draw your eye away in some bedazzling or flashy manner with the one hand, while emptying your pockets with the other. We get them all the time down at Traders Square, so many and usually so young we just let them off with a light beating. The most dangerous ones are usually the adults, they like to carry a dirk of sorts in case they get caught in the act.


    "Puppet shows are the worst, though. Kids blending in with the crowd and moving seamlessly through it, they cut the bottom of a fat coin purse and empty the contents into their little hands," he chuckled, thinking about it now. "One kid found a purse so full of coins they overflowed in his hands and dropped to the ground, jangling so much the man heard it and turned around and caught him in the act. The fat oaf turned so many shades of red in just a second the kid barely had the thought to turn tail and run with what coins he did manage to catch."


    William laughed a little too, he couldn''t help it. "How come I never heard this tale before?"


    "It was years ago... And the kid was me."

 The White Pawn XII

    The White Pawn XII


    "It''s suspicious isn''t it?" The cloaked stranger asked sitting down at the stool next to William at the bar. Their voice was muffled by something covering their mouth so he couldn''t tell if it was male or female. He paid them little mind as it was, he was half drunk already and didn''t intend to stop there.


    Katrina''s aunt had come into the city at last and all they did was talk about gossip back home. He wanted to be far away from that nonsense as he could. He''d tried Alayne first, she was who he needed to see most now, but she was busy. Neil was his only other friend to confide in now, but the stout man was busy with a full tavern of patrons. His workers were overloaded as it was, so he had to pick up the slack. The only thing left for William was the drink, the most reliable thing in his life some days.


    "Just when you catch on tracks of a noble''s crimes someone comes in and confesses to the crime, ending the case before you get to the real killer. If you ask me, I say they''re covering up for someone, probably paid off well too, enough to see their family in good care. Exactly how many daughters did that guard, Walden, have again?"


    "What the hell are you talking about, covering up for who?" William asked turning his full attentions to the stranger.


    "Who knows, another player, this is all a game to them, that bronze Rook you found was a message to someone. Your father figured out the game, but he was neither a player nor a piece they could move, so they had to eliminate him. Be careful young William, least you follow the same steps of your father, all the way to death."


    "Who the hell are you?"


    "Want another clue?"


    William hesitated and didn''t answer but when the cloaked figure turned and left he grabbed for them. He missed and fell off his stool. A roar of laughter went up from the bar by those that witnessed it. He ignored them and got up chasing after the stranger, leading him outside. A heavy layer of fog covered the streets outside and William couldn''t see his own hands in front of him.


    "This is the same cover up and situation as your father, Adam Royce." the stranger called out from the fog.


    William followed the voice. "Where are you?" he demanded, half drunk and a little dizzy.


    "It takes a lot of coin, and influence to pull all that off. And then have someone else take confession for the crime. But they only confessed to one death, what about your father''s killer?"


    "What do you want from me?" He bellowed, still chasing the voice blindly.


    "You''re on the right track to finding the truth, but you must approach the weaker link further up the chain. The chain with, remorse for all the sins they have committed."


    The fog seemed to thin out now and he could see a figure through it. He took chase as it moved swiftly, somehow catching up to it. His hand reached out to grab it but his legs faltered under him, running into something hard and tossing him forward. He rolled over, what felt like, some stone slab and into cool waters.


    Flailing his arms desperately, afraid he was going to drown he smacked his hands and wrists on more stone until realizing the waters around him were not that deep. He brought his knee''s up under him, and raised his head up and out of the water. The fog was all gone and he was alone in the Sisters Fountain.


    William later woke in his bed, trying to remember how he had gotten there in the first place. His mind was foggy but he could at least partly recall stumbling home. Then finding a random bottle of Katrina''s wine and drinking it until he forgot. What it was he was trying to forget he couldn''t even begin to recall, but given how he ended up last night, he figured it was something best left unstirred.


    He got out of bed and opened the curtains, the rush of light from the window blinded him temporarily. When he could see again he found the sun was high in the sky, it was high noon or close to it. He was annoyed he had slept so long but felt well rested; he even started getting dressed in his captain''s uniform before remembering he was suspended from duty until further notice.


    It didn''t take him long to decide to hell with it. Suspended or not he had a case to investigate. He dressed in brown woolen breeches and a linen tunic. He had finer clothes but wanted to avoid attention where he was going and he needed to blend in. He laced up his old cowhide boots, which went up his calf, and slid his boot knife in the special side pocket he tailored into it years ago. A trick his father taught him, the handle of the double-edged knife was wrapped in the same cowhide used to make the boots, it blended right in so he appeared unarmed at all times.


    Outside the bedroom, sitting in front of the hearth chatting idly were Katrina and her aunt Meradith. Katrina rose when she saw him up and, after remarking on his choice of attire, gave him a gentle kiss. Meradith stood next to her niece, leaning on one foot with a hand on her hip, "What gutter did you pull those rags out of, and why are you wearing them?" She asked cheekily.


    Meradith wore a modest ivory dress sewn in rich silk. A string of opal gems hung about her slender neck while lily patterned diamond earrings hung from her ears. She was half a head taller than Katrina and had a more matured beauty to match her niece. She was of an age closer to William, nearing her forties. But you would think her a woman in her twenties by her appearance; her naturally soft skin still had a faint glow about it. From the look of them side by side you would think they were sisters rather than aunt and niece.


    "They''re my old clothes from before I was a captain. Before I had been expected to dress, more appropriate for a man of my status." He chose his last words carefully.


    Katrina came from a wealthy and lavished family, her aunt Meradith was the only one he met, though and she was the most prestigious of them all. William dressed in finer clothes on a daily basis, when off duty, due to Katrina''s constant coercing to dress better. It was more work for him but after he worked it into his habits it wasn''t too bad anymore; though he still held onto his old clothes in case he''d need them.


    Meradith sighed with disgust, "You should have burned them. Honestly, those fancier clothes, as you seem to dislike so much, bring out your more handsome coarse looks. You look like a man worthy of my beautiful niece here when wearing the proper outfit, in those rags you look like..." She stopped when Katrina shot her a glare and a quiet and aggravated whisper. "Why are you wearing those things anyways?"


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    "I need to blend in, I have a series of mysterious deaths to investigate."


    "I thought you were suspended?" Katrina pouted, knowing he was intending to go out anyways.


    "As if that will stop me, hinder me yes, but I don''t give up so easily."


    "Come, William, we have your wedding to plan," Meradith argued. "And besides they caught the guy who did it, he confessed to everything."


    "He confessed but that doesn''t mean he''s guilty, just covering for someone. And I''m getting close, I know it. As for the wedding..." he had no thoughts on it. At that moment he didn''t even care if they were married, his sole focus was on the case. "You two will figure it out," he said heading for the door.


    "Well, at least, let me fix you a meal and your drink. Your head must be killing you." Katrina pleaded.


    But it was too late, he was already out the door and quickly down the street before she could chase after him and create a scene. She''d done it before when he skipped breakfast that she made. Outside the air was warm, he never much liked the city heat. He missed the mountains of the south and the cool breeze that would blow down from them.


    Maybe when he solved this case he would go back there for a time. Climb the mountain, see the beautiful powdery snows that so few had ever seen before. It was truly a wonder to behold when it''s such a rare sight. But for today, he daydreamed of the snows, while waiting in the alley on Plate Avenue, in the Southeast corner of Bulwark Street.


    The place was teeming with armor and shield shops, alongside some blacksmiths mixed in with them. It was the place to go for  tournament knights to find the proper armor for their duels, or jousts. Come spring, and the king¡¯s annual tourney, the place was packed with knights from all over the kingdom coming to compete for glory and riches, the rest of the year it was calm and quiet, save for the ring of the blacksmith''s hammer.


    Today though it was filled with people, most in simple woolen breeches and shabby tunics, but others wore fine leather jerkins and silk pants. William had a tough time seeing Jaruin and Yorden through the crowd, but when he did he called out to them. His voice was lost in the many conversations carrying around and he had to throw a small pebble at Jaruin''s head to grab their attention.


    They looked over and saw him waving them over with one arm. They lightly shoved their way through the crowd and to the slim alley where William was waiting for them. Jaruin was a tall slender man, agile and lithe. With an angular face and cropped dirt brown hair. Yorden was a good head shorter, with a medium build, a plain face, with a scar running from his chin to his ear (a juggling accident as a kid,) and curly locks of dark hair.


    These two were his most loyal and trusted men, he could count on them for anything. He met the two when he had joined the Sky cloaks, all of them new to the City Watch, but Jaruin and Yorden had been best friends for years before that. "Sorry captain, we almost missed you," Yorden said.


    "Yea this place aint as calm as it used to be, can hardly hear myself think," Jaruin said.


    "What''s going on here anyways, why are there so many people here suddenly?" William asked, looking out to the crowd of people.


    "Robberies and muggings been getting more common all over the city, each day it''s getting worse," Jaruin explained. "Just this morning Rod and Kenn found some plump drowned man face down in the sisters fountain. Apparently he was some rich guy, they took everything on him even his clothes, leaving only his undergarments."


    "Gods, what is this city falling to?" William asked unbelievingly.


    "It''s all for that Baron, or so I heard," Yorden said. "That bizarre candy of his got the people so riled up and aching for more they''d turn on their own kin for more of it."


    "Aye people is scared is what it is." Jaruin Glanced back to the crowd. "All the blacksmiths in the city selling weapons are charging an arm and a leg for one. Even a half decent dagger is running for a few silver bits from them. So people is coming here, figure it''s cheaper to buy a suit of armor than an iron sword and steel dagger."


    "They might be right," Yorden cut in. "Soon half the men of the city will be walking around with a shield or mail vestments under their tunics and jerkins. Might even be we''ll be walking around in full plate armor as well someday soon."


    William got a bit of a laugh from that. "We''ll all be knights yet, the knights of Crownhill!"


    The others didn''t share his enthusiasm or humor. "What is it you need Captain?"


    "Walden Fen was innocent, and I can prove it. But I need your help."


    The two gave each other a troubled look and thought about it a moment before asking, "What is it you need ser?" Jaruin was the one who asked. Yorden still looked a little doubtful.


    "The guard who hanged, Walden Fen, I need his address."


    "We don''t know where he lives," said Yorden. "I suppose we could ask his comrades."


    "No," William said quickly. "This must be done in secret, and subtly. You''ll have to read the commanders ledger to find it, should be the one with the green spine."


    "The commander won''t just let us read it, how are we supposed to get a look at it?"


    "I don''t know," William admitted. "But do whatever it takes without drawing attention to yourselves. I need that address today, I''ll be waiting right here for you."


    They could almost hear the desperation in his voice. And whether it was sympathy or respect, they obeyed the order.


    "We''ll be beneath the Outlander¡¯s cloak: invisible to all," Jaruin said.


    "Aye you can count on us ser," Yorden confirmed.


    They set out in a huff, while William waited anxiously for their return.


    Dusk was near approaching when they returned to him with the address. "Wall Street?" William scoffed.


    "That''s right ser," Jaruin confirmed. "East side of it, bout a stone''s toss away from Rats hobble."


    William thanked them and set out in a hurry. He needed to get to the house before dark. If his thinking was correct then he needed to get there before it was too late, and he lost another valuable witness, and the trail would go dark again.

 The White Pawn XIII

    The White Pawn XIII


    The late Walden Fen''s house stood at the end of a row of houses each identical to one another. With only about 8 feet between them, the houses were made of a wooden framework with cob walls and clay thatched roofs. Walden''s home lay at the north end of the line. William walked up to it and knocked.


    While waiting he glanced up to the sky, the sun was slowly setting off in the distance. The door soon opened to an average faced woman, with brown hair tied in a bun and a dirtied apron over her clothes. "What do you want?" She asked looking William up and down.


    "Hello, my name''s Will, I worked alongside Walden, recently transferred," he lied. "I know he was drunk when we spoke last but he requested should anything happen to him that I, well one of us, keep an eye on you and make sure you''re alright. Living in a dangerous part of the city like this by yourself, with just your children."


    "If you''re a guard, then where''s your uniform?"


    "I''m off duty, I woulda come sooner but I had to take a few drinks of courage before I could face you, see if you''re doing alright. Walden always spoke of you with a touch of fear when he knew he''d be coming home late." It was a gamble, he had no idea what Walden''s life was like. But from the way his wife appeared and held herself, so firm despite the recent grievance, he was confident enough that she was the type to beat her husband whenever he messed up big. He''d seen it with a couple of his men before, found it kind of funny the wife beating the husband.


    She scoffed, "He was never a man of courage, I was plum surprised when he joined the Sky Cloaks to prove he had a decent pair of stones under his rod. Well, might as well come in, since you summoned all that courage to face the beast at home." She moved aside to let William in.


    Once in he surveyed the small house, it was ordinary for those homes, small living place, no fireplace, instead a moderate wood stove. Sprawled on the ground near one of the other three doors in the house were a couple stuffed dolls. In the center of the main room was a luxurious rug, dyed in crimson and laced in gold on the edges. And going from the center outward was emerald silk with a swirling pattern twisting out to crisscross at the corners. "The rug looks new," he commented.


    She glared at him then calmed her face and thought of a lie, "Walden won some coin, for once, in the dice. It was his gift to us before he left."


    William started stomping around on the rug, listening intently to the padded sounds that followed.


    "What the hell you doing?!" She shouted at him.


    "I believe your husband was paid off for his hanging, to cover for the real killers." He continued stomping around. "And I think you knew about it, and the money is hidden-" he stopped when he heard an echo from his latest foot stomping.


    William pulled up the rug and tossed it over on itself. As he did Walden¡¯s wife crossed her arms and said in a furious, yet low tone, "Leave my house bastard, or else."


    He looked at her impassively then walked to the area where he heard the echo. Tapping his foot on the wooden boards to double check the spot. He kneeled down and easily pried off the pair of loose boards with his fingers. Sitting in the dirt of a small spot under the house was a purple velvet bag.


    He picked it up, it was significantly heavy and jangled when he bounced it a couple times. "This must be the gold they bribed him with," he said unlacing the bag to look inside. "This is exactly the proof I need to continue the investigation," he declared loudly. "I''ll be taking this as evi-"


    William was interrupted when the wife charged at him with a broad knife. He caught her wrist with the knife but her charge knocked them both down. He twisted himself so she would fall first and he would land on her. Their fall, in addition to his weight, stunned her a moment. And he took the chance to prop himself up on one knee and slug her on the side of the face with his fist. He then got up quick and stomped his foot down on her wrist. She cried in pain and lost her grip on the knife. He kicked it away from her and took a step back.


    She rolled on her side and reached out for it with her good hand. He reeled his foot back and kicked her hard in the stomach before she could reach it. She lost her breath and cried in more pain, starting to sob now; defeated. He hated treating a woman so undignified, but he had little choice, even if she was innocent.


    "Please, don''t take it," she begged. "Walden was a decent man, but a terrible husband, and bad father. He gambled away all the money he made and put us into debt." Her voice was cracking. "That money was the best thing he ever done for us. It''s all we have."


    He feigned a reluctant sigh and said, "Alright I''ll make you a deal."


    "Anything you want," she said looking up at him desperately.


    "I let you keep this money and allow you to spend it as you wish. I''ll even help you keep it safe. However in exchange, I need you to be my witness, and tell me everything about the person who bribed your husband. "You''ll have to testify to my commander, maybe even the king himself, and say that your husband was bribed to lie about the crime he confessed to."


    "I understand, I''ll do whatever it takes."


    He studied her face, she seemed sincere enough, but how well would that hold up later when the money was safe. He didn''t have any real options either but trusting her as she had to trust him. "Alright stand up. We''ll sit at the table and you''ll tell me what you know."


    She rose to her feet and walked over to the table at the end of the room near the kitchen, William watching her every move carefully. She sat at one end and he came over to sit across from her. Setting the bag of gold down on the table and folding his arms. Her eyes betrayed a desperate thought she had of hopping over the table and grabbing the gold, but it was too far away she decided and relaxed a bit to tell her tale.


    "They came to him before," the wife said. "He said he was offered ten gold crowns if he would confess to some killings and hang for it. He turned them down, when I learned of this I didn''t know whether to beat him or kiss him. I loved my husband, our girls loved him too. But his gambling addiction, that was his one serious flaw, got him into debt and we had a hard time just eating for a time. He did right by us with that money but it can never bring him back. The girls have a future with a sizable dowry but they''ll never have a father again."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "There are many victims caught up in all this, and whoever is responsible for it all is still out there. I will bring them to justice, no matter what it takes. But I need your help, did you see the person who paid your husband off?


    She nodded her head, "Yes, the second time he was approached they came to the house and sat with him at this very table. I sent the girls to their room and came back out to see who this stranger was and what they wanted. But Walden got so upset with me for it, he practically threw me out just so they could talk. So I went back in with the girls, trying to overhear their talk."


    "What did the stranger say, was it an old man? Young? What was he wearing?" William asked, with growing impatience.


    "I never got a good look at his face but didn''t sound too old, maybe about your age. He had a brown cloak with the hood pulled up, woolen breeches." She paused to think back to it all. "Simple boots, I don''t think he had a sword under his cloak but I highly doubt he was unarmed. When the two finished talking the stranger dropped the sack on the table and left.


    "Walden took a coin from it, then hid the rest under the boards. Went out and got that rug the very same night. The next day he told me everything the stranger told him. Told me about the money, where to find it, what he would have to do next. And then came his hangin."


    She wiped the tears from her eyes that swelled when she thought about it.


    It wasn''t much, William knew. But it was enough for him to get the case reopened and probably even convince commander Jorden. If he could get that other guard to claim he was, in fact, the one who tailed the man who brought the ale that night, then there was a fair chance he could get to the center of this whole thing.


    "That''s very good, but it''s not enough I''m afraid." He lied, though not entirely. "I''ll have to present the gold to my commander as proof."


    The wife looked like she was about to scream at him and make another desperate grab for the gold until he said, "Unless you change your story slightly."


    She calmed down, a little, and tried her best to return her composure.


    "Say that you were in the room with Walden when this entire conversation took place. Say that you heard everything, saw the gold for yourself, counted it and all."


    "You want me to lie?"


    "If you want to keep this gold," he gestured to the velvet bag on the table, "then yes."


    "Alright, but I don''t want any more trouble then you already brought me."


    There was a loud banging at the door that caught them both by surprise. Whoever was pounding on the door hit it so hard it rattled, and the wife jumped a bit in surprise. "What''s that?" she asked startled.


    "Trouble," William affirmed. He snuck over quietly to the window closest to the door and slowly peaked his head up. Outside was a handful of broad men, armed with clubs, and maces, one even wielding a morning star. He quickly snuck back to the table, there''s no way he could take all of them alone, even if he was in his armor and had his sword.


    "It''s time to go," he whispered to the wife. "Where are your daughters?"


    She paused to think, more pounding rattled the door. "They''re out with friends, they should have been back before dark, though. They might be at Greer''s house."


    "Good, as long as they aren¡¯t here, do you have a back door out of here?"


    "No, but there''s a window in the kitchen, we can squeeze through there."


    William dreaded the thought of trying to squeeze through a tiny round window, but when the door was rammed by a force so hard the whole house shook he stopped caring. A couple more hits like that and the door would burst open and the men out there would be in; he knew he couldn''t fight them all. "Let''s go!" he said grabbing the gold.


    The kitchen window was square and modestly sized, it lead out to the Northside of the house. The wife undid the latch and swung the window open. William handed her the gold and started climbing out first, he didn''t trust her not to make a run for it when she got out and had the gold first. And one of them would have to hold it while the other got out.


    Fitting through the window was awkward and he fell on his back when his foot got caught in the sill, but it wasn''t as bad as he thought. The wife handed him the gold, and the sound of the door flying off the hinges and crashing to the ground with a loud thud distracted them briefly. William stepped aside to make room for the wife to get out. She practically dived out of the window.


    One of the men shouted as they entered the house. "They''re gone, find the gold!"


    William didn''t bother sticking around to hear more, they turned to flee from the house when a man around seven feet in height, with arms as big as William''s legs. He was brooding, with a wicked smile, and a massive double ended war hammer casually slung across his hulking shoulders. "Now where you off to little mice?" He asked, his voice deep and mocking.


    When the brawny man went to speak again William slammed the bottom of his foot into his crotch. He fell to his knees in pain, dropping the Warhammer with a loud clang. William then crouched down and grabbed his boot knife. Stepping forward, he aimed to stab the knife into the brawny man''s neck.


    Instead, the knife was blocked by his hand, piercing through the palm. He wrapped his fingers around William''s hand clutching the knife and started to rise. William reluctantly released the grip on his knife and yanked his hand free; which was no easy task. Then he slammed his shoulder into him, putting all his weight into it.


    Due to his awkward footing at the time William slammed him, the brawny man fell over easily; William almost going down with him. Until the wife grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, he soon realized she was actually aiming for the gold in his other hand but missed.


    He ignored her attempt and they ran, knowing those men would be right behind them any moment.

 The White Pawn XIV

    The White Pawn XIV


    By some undignified luck, William and the wife had lost the men chasing them and lay hidden in a dark corner behind some boxes in a random back street. They had a nice head start as the men were still searching the house for the gold thinking it was still there. William had led them off the long roads of Wall Street and into a maze of back roads and nameless streets.


    "Who the hell were those men and what did they want?" The wife asked him in a furious yet frightful tone.


    "Firstly keep your voice down!" he hushed her. It was too dark to see her face only a vague feature in the darkness but voices could still be heard. And he was trying to listen for the men still searching for them, waiting till it was dead quiet before they moved. He knew they couldn''t stay there for long, if her daughters got home before they intercepted them they might get caught.


    "And second," he continued in a hushed voice, "Did you really think the man who paid your husband off would let you keep all this money when he did his job?"


    Her response was silence, for a time. "I don''t know what to do." She eventually said, grievously.


    "First we find your daughters before they return home, where does their friend live?"


    "Greer? She''s the butcher¡¯s daughter, she lives on Raven Street."


    "Then when it''s quiet we will go there."


    "It''s quiet right now," She argued.


    "Not enough, if they catch us we''re dead and the gold''s lost. Then you''re daughters are really in trouble. Worst case they get caught and we barter the gold for their lives. Like it or not your girls can afford being caught, we can''t. If we fall and lose the gold then there''s nothing and no one to protect them."


    The wife was quiet, but William could feel her sullen glare in the dark. She wasn''t as stupid as she appeared before; at least, she understood what he was saying. It was a hard truth, but one that they both had to accept.


    It was a long boring wait until William finally got up and let the wife lead them to the butcher¡¯s house. Hoping her daughters would still be there. They avoided open and well-lit streets best they could during the long walk.


    The wife knocked on the door to the butcher¡¯s home, waiting impatiently for an answer. A bulbous man with a balding head and a whisk of hair growing on his face soon answered. "Here for the girls?" He asked after a brief study of her.


    "Yes, gods please tell me are they still here?"


    He chuckled and said, "They ain''t going nowhere soon, best come on inside."


    They followed him in and shut the door. The house smelled musky and there was a taste of salt in the air. "The girls got into my wife¡¯s wine and drank so much they passed out," the butcher said. "I figure best to let em sleep it off and wait for you to show up." He turned to see William for the first time and asked, a bit anxiously, "Who''s this?"


    "He''s a friend of Walden''s," the wife said quickly. "He came to offer his condolences and when the girls were late he offered to walk me over here to find them. Where are they?"


    "They''re in Greer''s room."


    The wife quickly moved past him and to the hall to see her daughters. The butcher eyed William suspiciously when she was gone, then decided he was okay and shuffled off to another room.


    William took a chair from the table and sat in the corner. When the wife returned she asked him, "So now what?"


    "Now we wait this out until morning. Then we go to the bank and you will open an account and deposit the money there. That''s the only place it will be safe."


    "And after that?"


    "Let''s just make it through tonight. Those guys won''t stop searching for us so easily. Go check with your butcher friend, see if he''ll allow us to rest here until tomorrow."


    The wife nodded and left the room to talk to the butcher. While she was gone William quickly set out to retrieving all of the knives, the meat cleaver, and any obvious weapon like items he could find. And set them down under his chair in the corner and relaxing again when he finished.


    A short time later the wife came out with a smug look on her face, and the butcher with as fierce a look as someone like him could muster. William smirked when he saw them and said, "I hope you don''t mind but for precaution I took all of your knives and other," he paused to think, "Dangerous tools. You''ll get them back on the morrow when we leave but it''s been such a long night and we have so much more to get through. I feel I''d be better able to protect my valuable witness with all the weapons in my area."


    The butcher turned to look at the wife who only scowled at William. He turned back to him then said, "Aye, well I hope you don''t mind not eating for the night."


    "Really? William lifted the velvet bag, ¡°I''m sure I might be able to change your mind about that if need be." He then looked to the wife.


    She grit her teeth and said in anger, "Just feed the man."


    "But-"


    "Just do it!" she snapped at him.


    The butcher grumbled but set out to make their food anyways. They dined on old preserved horse meat. Williams was partially charred but he didn''t complain. He also ate in his chair, and with no kitchen utensils, while the wife and butcher ate at the table; he''d left them nothing sharp such as a fork or even small knife for cutting the meat. The wife had the decency to fetch them some rags to at least wipe their hands on; the butcher, of course, didn''t use his.


    It was a long night waiting at the butcher¡¯s house. Not once did William get up from his chair, nor nod off. After their meal, the butcher cleaned himself up and retired to his room to stay there all night. The wife, however, went to the room where her daughters lay asleep, but left frequently to spy on William and hopefully catch him asleep. She never did and eventually she retired to the room for good.


    Not long after the sun rose, and peaked its light in the house through the window, was the butcher up. "Mornings here; now leave," He said to William.


    William yawned and stood up to stretch his legs. "I''m a man of my word," he said humbly. "But those girls in there are in danger, they can''t go home."


    "Them girls my nieces," the butcher said. That caught William off guard. He thought the man was a family friend at best, but this made more sense at least. Either Walden''s or the wife''s brother, either way, he was family to them. "I won''t let no harm come to them, not from you or no one. So get!"


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work."The mother," William started, "she''s an important witness to a series of crimes."


    "Don''t matter she ain''t going with you nowhere and neither them girls."


    "They will always be in danger until this is all over; hunted by the people behind everything."


    "You deaf?"


    William shut up and started studying the butcher carefully looking for a resemblance of any kind. He saw nothing of him and the wife, however...


    "Your brother Walden was paid to die for their crimes. The people who caused his death are still out there, and now they''re hunting his wife and beloved daughters."


    "My brother ain''t no killer!" The butcher shouted. "A damned fool yea but he ain''t no killer you son of a bitch."


    "I know," William said gently. "But that''s how he''ll always be remembered, and the girls-"


    "Are in danger," the butcher finished for him. "I can protect them," he said stubbornly.


    "Not from these people. They''re too resourceful and too dangerous. I can catch them, and I''m getting close, but your brother¡¯s wife is essential to that. You need to keep her here, and keep her daughters safe and hidden until I return."


    "What do you need from her?"


    "Just her testimony, I''ll gather the rest of the evidence I need on my own but she needs to be present to speak of Walden¡¯s innocence. And this gold," he held up the velvet bag, "must not disappear either."


    "And are you taking it with you, to keep it safe," He asked skeptically.


    "When she wakes up we will be taking it to the bank to deposit. It will be safe there and in her name only. But you must make sure she doesn''t go spending it all before this whole thing is done."


    "And how do I know you can be trusted?"


    "You don''t, but I have had so many opportunities to take this gold and flee if that''s what I wanted. I even risked my life to protect her, and this money. As I said she''s essential for me to proving Walden¡¯s innocence and catching the real killer."


    Dressed as they were, William and the wife had some trouble just getting into the bank on Lord Street. The guards, of course, had kept a close eye on them as they entered the street, and now that they were trying to go into the bank they felt the need to stop and question their intent. "I''m Captain William Royce," he tried telling them.


    But they would hear none of it, it wasn''t until captain Percil came out and looked at William with, first surprise, then smugness. He chuckled, "William Royce is that really you?" He asked full well knowing it was.


    William didn''t answer, just sighed in annoyance. He was too exhausted from all the running the night before and the lack of sleep.


    "I heard you was fired, but how low you fell in such short time." Captain Percil continued. He laughed boastfully and when he was done he turned to his men and said, "It¡¯s okay let the former captain in. Probably needs his money for booze." He left whistling a jolly tune.


    Afterwards, the guards let them pass through the bronze doors. The bank was a wide square building made almost entirely of marble stone. Lining the sides of the bank were colored, and diamond shaped, glass pane windows; too narrow for anyone to fit through, even children, but gave the place natural lighting and color. And also lining the walls was eight of the biggest and meanest looking Sky Cloaks, watching William and the wife prudently as they walked up to one of the many furnished wood counters in the front hall.


    The teller was skeptical of them until they produced the gold. The prune man couldn''t ignore them then, he pulled out a round eyeglass, with a silver ring around it, and held it up to his eye to take a closer look at the coin he pulled out. Satisfied he moved on to the next coin to study it''s markings, the most dependable way to spot a fake coin was to look at its writings on the back very closely.


    They were small and so very hard to read without the magnifying glass'' aid. Real coins had a sharp imprint of text rounding the back side of every coin, copper, silver, and gold, which read: Minera basto lorenzu. He asked both white and gold Sages about what it meant when he learned of the writings, but they had all given him different answers so he didn''t know who to trust, and forgot about it all. What mattered though was the print on there, that''s what the teller was studying closely.


    The process took near an hour to go through all the coins, and longer still to set up her account. With her husband passed away she wanted to get his brother to co-sign the account with her, since this bank didn''t allow women to make accounts there without being married first. William knew this of course, and took the liberty to be the co-signer, he wouldn''t have access to the money since he was not related nor married to her, but he would have access to the reports, namely the withdrawal status.


    She was less than pleased by this but he gave her no other option, it was open the account with him co-signing or he take the gold. And after finishing their business there, William let her go as she wished, but told her he''d come find her again when it was time to put an end to this whole thing; that, at least, they were both looking forward to.


    The streets were extra busy that day for whatever reason. William just wanted to go home, take a hot bath and rest; maybe eat something decent besides salted horse meat. He made his way through the crowd of people moving about, gently pushing them aside and turning to slip by them. He made it all the way to Bulwark Street when someone tugged on the waist of his breeches. He looked down to see a young boy, wearing rags for clothes and without shoes.


    "Are you William Royce?" The boy asked him.


    "I am..." he answered wearily.


    The boy offered him the tri-folded parchment he was carrying. He took it and looked ponderously at it. There was a common wax seal on it, but nothing else that gave away who it was from or what was in it. Had he a coin to spare he would have given it to the lad, but he supposed thanks would do. However when he looked back down to thank him, the boy was gone.


    He opened the letter.


    Your father put the pieces together, connected the links in the chain. Investigate the rebellion twenty-five years ago, that''s where it all began. Albert lived in guilt, but soon became too vain. Jorden makes for a good Pawn, but they wanted you, their Rook, as the player in this game.


    There was no signature, but rather a Rose at the bottom, drawn in blue ink.

 The White Pawn XV

    The White Pawn XV


    A hard banging at the door interrupted Meradith while she was going over the seating arrangements for all the guests at the feast, for the fourth time that morning, for which William was grateful, he hadn''t a mind for wedding plans. In fact he didn''t see the need for it to be so extravagant, he wasn''t a lord or royal; though Katrina''s family was wealthy, and friends with some nobles in the Grasslands, she herself wasn''t noble either. Truth be told he wanted something simple, quiet, and small.


    He answered the door, on the other side was an average looking man in a smoky-blue uniform. "The commander is requesting your immediate presence at the barracks, it''s urgent." The guard said.


    Given his fall out with the commander, he would normally argue with the summons; more out of spite than anything. But anything was better than the droll wedding plans and this was the perfect excuse for him to take off. "I''ll be right out," he said without a second thought.


    The guard nodded and William shut the door and rushed to grab his uniform. "Who was that?" Katrina called out to him from the kitchen.


    "The commander, it''s an emergency," he replied, donning his uniform and armor. He may be exaggerating that last part, but then again the commander was furious with him before, and his suspension should have been far longer than this, so any urgent summons must be nothing less than an emergency. He fastened his sword belt while Katrina argued with him from the other side of the house, he didn''t listen, and was out the door while she still argued.


    Guards were shuffling out of the barracks by the time William got there. All the captains were present too, even the ones on evening shifts. Commander Jorden, however, wasn''t present among them, so William pushed past the men, struggling against the tide of them just to get into the barracks. The mess hall was clearing out of men as William looked around for Jorden when he heard a shout from the second floor, "Royce!" Commander Jorden shouted down to him from the balcony with such fury William instinctively put a hand on the hilt of his sword.


    "Get your ass up here now!" Jorden commanded.


    William rushed up the stairs; feeling greatly irritated all of the sudden. One minute I''m suspended the next I''m his lap dog, William thought to himself as he ascended the stairs and walked down the hall to the commander¡¯s office.


    Inside the room was a mess, books, and ledgers scattered to the floor, along with random papers. A map of the city was pinned to the desk with various areas circled and numbered on it. Jorden was leaning heavy on his cane, deciding whether or not to sit down and relax, or stay standing. In the end, he decided to kick away his chair, with his good leg and leaned over the desk to stare down at the map.


    "Ser, what happened to you?" William asked cautiously, not wanting to enrage the commander further.


    "I was attacked last night," the commander explained. "By some armed thugs, they killed three of my personal guard and bludgeoned my leg too. But this wasn''t no random mugging, and for certain this wasn''t the only attack on us either."


    That last part confused William, "Ser?" he inquired.


    "There have been attacks against us, most in the dead of night, unknown people have been killing off our men."


    This was news to William. "How long has this been going on?"


    "Quite recently, oh but I got that last one alive. Took some convincing but I made him talk. It''s that Baron that I''ve been getting reports about. He''s been killing off my men, our men, trying to intimidate us, to eliminate us. That son of a Whore thinks he can run this city?" He was back to yelling now. "The kings own city!? We''re going to find him, and when we do, I''ll kill him Three times over!"


    William cleared his throat, "I didn''t know you took threats against the city so personal, or is this because the attack directly on you?" The last thing he should be doing was taunting the commander, but he was still upset with him for the recent events that transpired. And now he has to put his investigation on hold again when he''s so close to proving Walden Fen''s innocence.


    Jorden sneered at him in silence, then took a breath to calm himself. "I lived almost my entire life in this city, boy." He was no longer yelling but his rage hadn''t subsided a bit. "I was here when taxes came so high that the very people, and these guards, banded together to rebel against the crown, the Sky Cloaks and them Serpent gang. Held the city hostage and was out for the king¡¯s head until taxes were lowered, and people could feed their families again."


    "I know the history ser," William commented passively.


    "Do you?" He scoffed. "You know what they didn''t tell you about that history, it''s who really suffered the most during that time. The common folks, crime was at an all-time high with the Sky Cloaks no longer doing their civil duty. Half the city burned, the other half was raped endlessly.


    "I was but a poor lad on Wall street when my mother had her throat cut by a man, old as I am now, stealing the last bit of stale bread we had. You know how I survived those days after that? I got a knife and stabbed and sliced anyone that had any food on them; rusty old one as it was, still did the job."


    "That''s quite a tragic story ser, but I fail to see what it has to do with any of this."


    "Do you know why I joined the Sky Cloaks, despite it being their fault that the city fell into such ruin, by not doing their jobs, hmm?"


    "No, but I''m sure you''ll tell me soon."


    "I did it to make sure that the city never fell into such chaos again. But I never became commander, until recently. Took me years alone to become captain, and that''s because I wasn''t so forgiving as the others. No, to me you steal from someone you lose a hand. You rape, or murder, you get your bloody head cut off! I wanted those low life scum to know what it means to be afraid of those with more power than yourself, to understand you can''t do as you please regardless of who it is you harm in the process.


    "Because when criminals control the city it''s not the royals, or the nobles who suffer, it''s the common man, rich or poor. Girls of fourteen, sometimes younger, are raped in the open street while boys of six are beaten to death just for being in a man''s way when he''s trying to loot someone else¡¯s livelihood. So screw the king and the nobles, and all the games they play, I don''t struggle for peace for their sake, I do it for the common man."


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    "I understand ser," was all William could manage to say.


    "No you don''t, and if you do your job hopefully you won''t have to. This Baron, fancies himself a lord of crime? Fine, I''ll be the very Judge himself, and bring the order of the god''s down on him, and all who serve him."


    "And what is it you want of me exactly?"


    "Take thirty of your best men return to the rat''s hobble. You have more dealings with that place than anyone else. Maybe after some refined questioning of the people there you can find more about this Baron. Might be he''s even hiding there, be the perfect place for it."


    "Ser I only have fifty-three men. That''s over half my force."


    "That''s nonsense Royce, there''s nearly two-hundred men on Bulwark street alone."


    "Yes, and sixty of them work night shifts, then there''s mine during the daytime, and the rest were reordered to the direct command of the commander instead of being split between captains. So those men are directly yours ser."


    Jorden sighed, "Albert''s prerogative?"


    William nodded.


    "Fine take all your men currently under your command, I''ll reorder the others to be set back into your command during the day and Victors at night."


    "That''s all and well ser, but I don''t believe I''ll be needing that many men to find the Baron. In fact, I am sure I know how to find him with just a few men, and some time."


    "Good, then get right on it." When William didn''t budge Jorden looked back to him and asked, is there something else captain?"


    "Well, I''m just assuming that now you have ended my suspension. But other than that yes..."


    After a moment of silence Jorden asked, "And?"


    "Walden Fen-" William started.


    "Oh gods, not this again," Jorden said exasperated. "He''s dead, alright it''s over. I''d boot you from the-"


    "He''s innocent and now I have proof." William cut in.


    Jorden glared at him, intently searching his eyes for a hint of a bluff. There was none to be found. He looked down at his feet, shaking his head, then grabbed his chair and took a seat; his head hung low. If William did indeed have this proof of Walden''s innocence and produced it, then it meant he had sent an innocent man to the gallows, one of his own men none the less.


    His head still hung low he asked, "What do you want?"


    "Time, time to find Albert''s killers. And the one who put Walden up to this."


    "Killers?" Jorden asked raising his head to look at William.


    "Yes ser, I believe there was more than one. This whole thing is connected, I don''t know how but I''m getting close. And whoever is behind it all knows I am, that''s why they set up Walden to take the fall."


    "Well just so I''m not going off blind faith alone, what is your proof exactly? Of Walden''s innocence."


    "I have a witness, who was there when he was conversing with a man who bribed him into his confession, and the gold he used to do it."


    "How much gold does it take for a man to kill himself?"


    "Thirty gold crowns."


    Jorden was taken aback. "A tourney knight doesn''t even make that much in all his winnings. Still-"


    "I know it''s the same people who killed my father ser," William said abruptly, not fully intending to. "I''ve been searching for his killer for over a decade ser, I lost the trail before this time... Member of the city watch or not ser, I am pursuing this and I will have my justice."


    Jorden sighed, "I never found that bastard who did my mum in like that. Still the case is closed, officially speaking. But were you to find some more evidence, besides Walden''s innocence, something absolute to reopen the case, then, after we have dealt with the Baron we will open the case again and it will have our full attention."


    William clenched his fist, holding in his rage, he was getting somewhere but he needed to press more, yet not too much. "Give me just a month to find that evidence. I''m right on their trail but if I wait too long to act they will cover their tracks again and it will be lost for good. After that, I guarantee you I will find this Baron and we will bring him to the gallows, or the chopping block, or wherever you want. "


    Jorden looked at him callously, "I could command you to tell me how it is you plan on finding the Baron."


    "I could quit, and say that was just a bluff," William argued. "I''m the best you''ve got, and probably the only one who can find the Baron without turning over half the city to do so and causing riots among the common people. They already have a lot of disdain for us as it is, if you start busting down doors at random and invading homes and businesses, they''ll turn on us as they have before."


    "Three days," Jorden argued.


    "Three weeks." William countered.


    "One week," Jorden eventually said. "You have one week, then I don''t care what you have found, after that your sole focus is on finding the Baron. There will be no bargaining after that, and if you fail to bring me the Baron, within a fortnight of that, you won''t only be removed from the Sky Cloaks, you will be exiled from the city. These are my terms, do you agree to them?"


    William knew the commander only had the power to remove him from the city watch, but the last part wasn''t a bluff either. If he failed to hold up his end of the bargain than the commander would do everything in his power to remove and keep William out of the city for good.


    He nodded his head, reluctantly agreeing to the biased and harsh terms set forth. He set out to leave and got to the door when the commander called out to him, "William," he said in a softer tone.


    William turned back to him.


    "A fire is brewing on these streets, just like it was when I was lad; cept this fire is the Baron. We need to kill it fast before it grows out of control and consumes this city."

 The White Pawn XVI

    The White Pawn XVI


    One week wasn''t much time for William but he made a deal, and from what both the commander and Derren were telling him this, Baron, (self-named lord of crime) would need to be stopped soon. But he had a fading trail to follow first, after he took care of these killers in the shadows; then he would deal with the man trying to burn the world.


    Of course, none of this is what he told Loren when he arrived at the castle to seek Reynard, the captain of the royal guards. "I''m sorry William," Loren said while they walked around the castle grounds. "But captain Reynard is not here."


    "Then where is he?"


    "You already know that the movement of the royal guards is not something I am permitted to speak about to commoners."


    William grabbed Loren''s arm, forcing him to stop and face him. "Damnit man this is for a very important case!"


    Loren said nothing, only glared at William with fierce blue eyes. William let go of his arm, and took a step back, only then did Loren relax a little. William knew had it not been for their minor friendship Loren would have cracked his skull for that stunt, and he''d be well within his right.


    "I''m sorry William I am, I hear how bad things are going down there in the streets. And that makes all the nobles at court very nervous, so that means more work for us to make them feel safe. Like faster patrols around the castle grounds." He turned back and continued his walk, William taking longer strides to keep up with him now.


    "They barely permitted me to come inside the castle ground," William commented.


    "I told you, they''re all spooked here. A couple noblewomen killed over at the banquet few nights ago. The sages say it was poison, they still haven''t found the killer, but the chef and his people been thrown in the dungeons under suspicion."


    "Wait, three nights ago?" William asked thinking about it.


    "That''s what I said."


    "Katrina and Meradith were there!" He gasped.


    "Katrina, beautiful young woman, likes green?"


    "Yes, and her aunt who''s in the city. They''re making the wedding plans together."


    "That girl is a beauty fit for a prince." Loren grinned and gave a light moan of pleasure. "She''s wasted on the likes of you."


    William snarled at him, it was all he could do. If he thought he had a chance he would have slugged Loren for that comment. Instead, he seethed quietly to himself, though full well knowing Loren was right. What Katrina saw in him always eluded him, but then his eyes were not always on her.


    "I can''t believe she didn''t tell me about this."


    "Like you would listen," Loren chuckled. "Maybe she did but none of it got through that thick skull of yours. Listening to others has always been a problem for you, long as I known you at least."


    Another time he would have reminisced with Loren about better days, but the clock was ticking. He would have to go another route, perhaps it was time to take the bait that letter put out on the hook for him, and find out more about the rebellion in the city.


    "Where might I find the king''s Hand then? I''d have some words with him if possible."


    Loren scoffed, "Going way up the ladder to get around me huh?"


    William rolled his eyes, "This is about something else, I''ll still need to speak with your captain sooner than later."


    Loren stopped; he turned to face William so their eyes met. "You see William this is why you don''t have any friends. You push people, and act like they owe you something when they don''t. Well let me ask you something, when''s the last time you came to me as a friend? Not as my former captain, or needing something from me, but genuinely as my friend to share a drink or two like we all did when we was wearing the same colors?"


    The question had completely caught him off guard. "I don''t..." he began.¡±I''ve been busy," he said defensively.


    "So have the others, Jaruin, Rodder, Mykolas, and Yorden. Yet they all had time to come see me now and again, share a drink and keep me up on life outside the castle. All ''cept you, my captain whom I thought the best of them all. So you come around here asking these things that could get me in trouble, at times when all some nobleman needs is a bit of suspicion to get my ass kicked out of the guards, I got nothing for you.


    "You want to do something for me for once? You don''t come around here seeking me again. Whatever it is your looking into it''s got nothing to do with me, and I don''t want that kind of attention. I got a wife who''s due for my first child any day now, I can''t afford the troubles you bring with you. Bye, William."


    Loren turned back and walked away from him. William didn''t follow.


    William had to relinquish his sword belt to the guards out front before being permitted to enter the castle itself. He did so with great annoyance and proceeded to enter through the great bronze doors that were half closed. He walked through the first hall seeing the numerous guards on watch, staring at him. Not all of them were the royal guards, in fact, most wore the separate colors of great and noble houses alike, with the sigil of the houses they served embroidered onto their jerkins.


    There were men with seahorses, dark blue rain drops, and a trident on their jerkins, men of River lords, William thought. He passed by them without a word, feeling a sense of hostility from them.


    In the throne room was full of lords and ladies, dressed in fine silk and leather. At the far end the king, a handsome man in his mid-twenties with blonde hair and blue eyes, sat on the throne listening to a young woman plead her case to him. The entire king¡¯s guard was present, forming a line, or rather wall, between the nobles and the king; with ser Erquin in the middle.


    Next to the throne itself was a beautifully furnished, and pillowed, chair where sat the queen. She was a woman of age closer to William, yet very pretty all the same, with dark flowing hair. She listened more intently to the woman pleading her case, something about the recent banquet from what he could gather, than her husband.


    And sitting in a dark burnished chair to the right of the king was Duncan Whitetree, the king''s own Hand. William sighed, it could be a while before he could speak with Duncan. But he had no other leads to follow so he stuck around, waiting.


    Eventually, after a few good hours and several nobles arguing about random politics, none of which William cared for or paid any heed, the king rose and said, "I have heard your complaints, and right now we are all a little famished so I think now is a good time for everyone to take a rest. I have entirely new chefs preparing all of us a meal, and the kitchens are being supervised by my men. And I know some of you have traveled a long way just to speak with me, so I will address your problems when we return."


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    Everyone, William included, gave a light bow as the king took his leave, his wife and the kings guard following behind him. There was a flood of movement all heading east to the banquet hall, William was at the far back and not swept up in it but lost complete sight of the kings hand.


    He followed behind everyone but was immediately stopped by the royal guards before entering the hall. "Members of the courts and lords and ladies only," one of the guards said. "You''ll have to wait out in the throne room, or entrance hall with the others."


    William didn''t argue, he had no grounds to and if he did he might be kicked out of the castle for causing trouble. Reluctantly he turned around and began walking out. He made it half way through the throne room when a familiar voice called out, "I had a strange feeling I''d be seeing you today, captain."


    He turned around to see ser Erquin approaching him with a friendly smile; almost happy to see him there.


    He cleared his throat, "Ahem, well met ser. But how did you know I was here? I mean with all the people about."


    "I wouldn''t be very vigil if I didn''t notice people entering the throne room from where I have a direct view." He studied William, his face growing a little sterner. "Truth be told I was concerned about you."


    "Me?" William asked, confused.


    "I''ve heard some troubling reports from the king''s Hand about the situation down there. And news of how you were, suspended from your duties. Glad to see it wasn''t anything too serious."


    "It was, actually, umm quite serious."


    "Well, perhaps another time we can discuss it. For now, though I have a banquet to attend to, how about I walk you out. You can tell me what brought you here while we go."


    William was about to pass on the offer, and let the knight get to his duties, but he realized he might inquire ser Erquin about the rebellion. So he accepted the offer and the two walked at a slower pace than normal.


    "Well, my investigation has led me to wonder about the rebellion, the one from twenty-five years ago," William said.


    "Hmmm, what do you know about it?"


    He shrugged, "Nothing really. Only that it was some Highlanders who firmly believed in the old ways and thought if they killed the king and queen and their children that they could topple the crown and the system of hierarchy. Perhaps even gain back the Highlanders independence. But they failed obviously."


    "They didn''t fail," Erquin said solemnly, "Not entirely at least."


    "I''m sorry," William apologized. He''d forgotten Ser Erquin was a king¡¯s guard back then, the youngest ever.


    They were silent for a time, leaving the throne room and walking through the hall before it, where the guards were waiting before, but now had moved. After getting his weapon back, William finally asked, "So what did happen that night?"


    "I was off duty, that''s why I''m alive today. By a matter not of skill but the odd luck of having a different work schedule." He sighed wistfully. "The rebels had two men in the royal guards already, those two aided the others inside the castle grounds. From there they quietly killed off the other guards on patrol and changed into their outfits in the dead of night. Way, I hear it from there they overpowered the kings guard and burst into the king and queen''s chamber and then moved onto their children.


    "They were eventually stopped by the remaining royal guard. Sure they failed, but not before slaughtering the king, his wife, and most of their beloved children; alongside their servants and the kings guard. The prince, or king as he''s grown into now, was the only survivor."


    Ser Erquin was shaking with rage, and had to take a moment to calm himself before continuing. "By a fluke of luck, the young prince was out of his quarters and instead being walked by his nurse to quiet him down. He was crying a storm that night, as if he knew what horrible tragedy was befalling his kin that very night. The king''s hand was so grateful for her, ingenuity, that she was granted beautiful lands by a lake in the highlands and married off to a nobleman to live a life of comfort.


    "Often I wonder had I been there, would I have been able to stop them before they got so far?"


    "There was nothing you could do, you weren''t there to protect them," William said fully empathizing with him.


    Erquin must have sensed his woes as he looked at him and asked, "Your father?"


    "Yes," William admitted. "I''m still chasing his killer, I think that''s why I''m so hell-bent at finding Albert''s killer. I believe they are one and the same."


    Erquin stopped and William with him; they were at the front gates to the castle grounds now. "I wish I could help you more, the crown has so many enemies I still believe that one of them may have been behind the rebellion that night. Who knows, though, perhaps it''s just the ramblings of an older guard trying to make excuses for himself, conjuring enemies to fight from the shadows of the nobles." He offered out his hand, wrapped in a steel gauntlet painted with strands of red.


    William took it and Erquin pulled him in abruptly and whispered haste-fully in his ear, patting his back with the other hand. "And maybe your keen senses led you to seek out the Golden Sage Ordon. A man such as that ought to have records and possibly, even more, intimate knowledge of the entire city as a whole during those times."


    He hardly had the chance to blink before Erquin finished and briskly walked back to the crown keep. He was obviously insinuating something about the sage but what? As he walked he wondered what a godly man such as sage Ordon had to do with any of this, sages were pacifists; almost as if by nature.


    No, William thought. That isn''t true, even sages are capable of violence, both great and small.


    Whatever Sage Ordon''s involvement in all this, it must be rather important for Ser Erquin to go to such unusual lengths to even suggest the sage''s involvement in this great riddle. And though instinctively he didn''t trust him, the knight was a man of great honor. He would cut anyone down if it were necessary to his duties, but he would never stab them in the back.


    Someone else waited in the shadows with that knife. Even in broad daylight, on the public streets, he could feel that target on his back. He was getting close.

 The White Pawn XVII

    The Pawn XVII


    The Divine temple stood an enormous white structure, the mass of which was the center room of prayer: the Equiltarium. The arched entrance to the temple had no gates, a design intending to make it feel open to all. If, however, the great steps leading up to it didn''t overly intimidate the worshipers; for the climb up them was tedious even for William himself.


    The roof of the temple was a round dome with a skylight around the center to allow more natural lighting into the temple. At the far end were the statues of the three divine gods, each standing 70 yards apart. The Judge stood on the left, the Sage in the middle, and the Outlander on the right.


    The Judge statue represented a fierce man in his middle ages with a bustling beard, and bald head, made from dark slate stone. His hands wrapped around the hilt of a massive broad sword, where the edges were made from iron, and in the center a line of gleaming titanium.


    The Sage resembles a humble elderly man with flowing robes of white granite stone. In one open palm held up was a sphere of gold, gleaming in the sunlight, to represent his wisdom. In the other hand held steady a massive mirror reflecting everyone who entered the temple. Writings etched in the stone at his feet read: Reflect upon yourself in the light and wisdom of the gods.


    And the last statue was the Outlander. The statue was a simple dark granite stone carving of a cloaked figure with no visible face behind the hood. The sleeves went down past where there would be any visible hands, and the bottom also concealed where the feet should be. Little is known of the Outlander so little is seen of her.


    William had seen numerous other temples before, most of the same structure design overall but this was the only one where the Equiltarium took up the most space of the temple. It was clearly designed to be almost exclusively for the worshipers to come and pray. In the others, he has seen there were Equiltariums of sizes no larger than his own house, set in the far back of the temple, while the rest of the space was dedicated to the library, or alchemy lab, or even the Sage''s own quarters.


    He took a left through the arched doorway into the outer ring of the halls. Brown wood doors, with hinges on the outside that made them open outward, lined the left side of the curved hall. The hall was empty save for a few acolytes in their simple wool breeches and uncolored tunics running errands for their sage mentors.


    They paid him no heed, and he, in turn, stepped sideways to hinder them as little as possible when they rushed down the hall. He went all the way to the back, where his holiness the golden Sage Ordon, resided with his office. The double arching doors were made from polished Maple wood. Golden plaque lined the center of the doors with the figure of the Sage on it holding his sacred staff and orb.


    William knocked on the doors and waited patiently. Just a moment later the door opened outward, William stepping back as they did, to reveal the golden Sage Ordon behind them. The gold sage Ordon, an elder man well into his eighties, had trim snow white hair, a clean face, and clean alabaster skin. He was a head smaller then William and wore white robes of silk laced with golden thread in a ring pattern.


    He looked up with faded sea-blue eyes, which once might have gleamed brilliantly in his youth, and smiled. "Good day young man, what brings you here this day? Certainly not for prayer it seems," he chuckled at the last part.


    William couldn''t help but smile, "Umm no, your holiness-"


    "Please call me Ordon young man."


    "Ordon," he corrected himself. "I came here to talk, might I come in to do so?"


    "Of course, of course, what use would an old sage be if not for his vast knowledge?" He turned and walked inside, William following behind him. "Been a rather boring day, and I don''t often get many visitors. People seem to think the older you get the less you want to be bothered, that goes double for Sages."


    The office inside was well spaced, larger than his living room. On one end were a desk and a padded chair, sitting in front of a diamond shaped paned-window. In the corner of the back wall was a bookshelf, filled completely with thick books of all sorts, and a curving wooden roost jutting from the wall, from which a silver owl was perched. Another door sat in the back of the office, simple in design and light in weight, closed; probably the sage''s sleeping courters.


    Sage Ordon turned his padded chair away from the desk and sat in it, gesturing with a hand for William to take the other (and far less comfortable or elegant) chair. He set it so they were facing each other and sat down.


    "So what brings you to me today child?"


    "I''m hoping you can tell me more about the coup, from twenty-five years ago."


    Ordon seemed to flinch from the question, hesitant for a moment in his response. "The coup? Such a prejudicial term for it. Why are you inquiring about that, you couldn''t have been more than a toddler at that time?"


    "A young lad of seven, to be precise. You do remember things from that time don''t you?"


    "Of course, I do!" Ordon snapped back at him. Quickly calming himself after his action, and sliding his fingers through his short hair. "Things were so calm before any of it. Truly nobody could have seen it coming, even now the whole things sound''s so surreal it''s almost hard to believe the young man sitting upon that throne is our rightful king."


    "Those must have been some dark times," William said sympathetically. "Though I admit yes, I was too young to remember them well."


    "Yes, yes a very hard and dark time," his eyes went distant, and his face grew solemn, as if recalling a horrible nightmare. "Dark times indeed, and many hard choices. Even now I question myself, wondering if I''d made the right choices. Looking at what''s happening now in the world because of it all, I pray for wisdom but it hasn''t come to me since then."


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    "Could you tell me a little more than that, what exactly happened after the coup attempt?"


    "A war of politics erupted. Who should be the stand-in king, or Hand, for the years to come while the future king, a mere infant, grew to age? All the members of court were gone, including the kings own council, so every lord in every land with ambition was fighting for those few great spots of power.


    "Before too long they would have raised their own armies against one another and the whole world would be at war again, like it were so before the three nations became one. I had to assert my authority at once before swords were drawn and blood spilled."


    "And you did this alone, pick out the kings own council while he was to come of age?"


    "I-I, umm why yes of course. W-well I and the last surviving kings guard ser Erquin." There was hesitation in his answering, a pause to think. He was lying, William knew. "He helped me a lot in finding the proper hand to rule the kingdom, and council to guide the future king."


    "Duncan White-Tree, forgive me your holiness but that''s an odd choice, thinking about it now. The man was a general of the highlands prior to his new title, was he not?"


    "He was indeed, but he had the backing of a majority of the highlands, something most valued at the time. His becoming hand, even if intended for a temporary role, promised the peace between the lands once again. After all, no one wanted to rise against the entire Highlands plus the crown with no hope for victory."


    The sunlight coming in the windows set upon Ordon more directly, giving William a real good look at him and his robes; and their soft glow. He realized right away what they were, hidden before outside of the sunlight. It always goes back to the money, he thought. It''s all connected, and it goes right up there to the top. This is what Erquin sent me for, he can''t talk with me without being noticed, perhaps even targeted.


    "It''s said the sage''s wisdom comes from a golden light, almost like the sun streaming through the window down on you."


    Ordon chuckled, believing what William was saying was flattery. "I suppose so yes."


    "That''s Pyren Worm silk, is it not?"


    "E-excuse me?"


    "Your robes, I''m just now noticing with the light pouring in on them. It''s insanely rare, must have cost a fortune to make those robes, Ordon."


    Ordon said nothing, only scowled at him.


    "You could buy out a noble¡¯s lands and castles in the Green lands with those robes. You must have been an extraordinary Sage to have earned yourself such an exquisite robe."


    "Yes, my many years of service have been generous to me," he said with a huff. "Now then I have matters to attend to this day and I think you''ve taken enough of my time. See to your leave now."


    "Of course sage, I thank you humbly for granting me so much of your valuable time. But I beg you one question more if you will?"


    Sage Ordon glared at him indecisively. Thinking for a long moment before asking, "Just one?"


    William nodded.


    "Very well then, go on with it."


    "How do you believe justice is delivered by our holy Judge?"


    The question caught him so off guard that he just stared at him baffled. "Excuse me?" Was all he could say.


    "You see," William began, digging into his pocket with one hand. "I believe that justice from the Judge is delivered not on the soul of men. No, those souls belong to the Outlander, out of the Judges reach. Justice is delivered by the Judge through us, the people of whom worship him."


    "What are you prattling on about?"


    "I won''t lie and say I''m a holy man, Sage. But I am a man of justice, so was my father. I believe the Judge gives us the power to deliver those who have committed the most heinous of crimes to their rightful punishments, for no man¡¯s action shall go without reward or consequence.


    "Not all men, nor woman, choose to wield that power so that''s why there are men like me in the world. My father, Adam Royce, spent his entire life trying to rightfully judge men of crime. But he was just one man, and when he stumbled upon a crime so great he was murdered, and betrayed by the very men serving under him."


    "And what are you insinuating exactly?


    "Honestly, I don''t know your holiness. I''ve been chasing his killers for years now; they''re shrouded in mystery and seem to have eluded the rightful wrath of the holy Judge. We can''t bring every man to justice," he pulled out the bronze Rook and tossed it to Ordon, who caught it and stared at it with wide eyes. "But we can bring the Titanium sword to the worst of them, the ones who believe they are above all men."


    Sage Ordon tossed the bronze Rook back at William, who caught it, then looked away sullen and guilty. Not saying a word.


    "You follow the light of the Sage and his wisdom. I follow the righteous sword of the Judge." William bent to his knees, looking Ordon in the eyes. "Please, your holiness, share your wisdom and knowledge with me. Light up these shadows, and reveal to me those hiding in them."


    Sage Ordon turned away. "You''re just a man," he frowned. "Much like your father indeed, but he too was just a man. I''m sorry, but I cannot help you. If you wish to pray to the gods yourself, might I suggest kneeling before their statues in the Equiltarium. If you do not wish to pray might I suggest leaving the temple? Either way, I have much to do on this day and shall no longer be bothered."


    He rose from his chair and left the room, so roused he seemed to forget this was his own office.

 The White Pawn XVIII

    The White Pawn XVIII


    William sat down at the Sisters fountain, twirling the bronze Rook around in his fingers, today was the last day Jordon gave him to offer the proof he needed against Walden''s innocence, and to reopen the greater case at large. But it had no matter now, all his evidence was lost. The last of captain Gren''s men who could provide accountable details about the night of Albert''s death, had themselves died; killed in a violent street brawl while hunting down the Baron. The commander was still enraged at them for their part in getting all the guards drunk so they, of course, were put on the more dangerous streets for the hunt.


    And Walden''s brother, wife, and children disappeared as well, the butcher shop was long abandoned without a word or clue, the meat that wasn''t taken or looted went bad and rotted, stinking up the place. He only knew about this when he got a letter from the bank saying the account was closed and all the gold withdrawn.


    He went down there immediately to get to the bottom of it, only to find out there was a great paperwork mix up. So when the butcher, Walden''s brother, went there pretending to be William they couldn''t find the signatures to compare and confirm his identity. Fortunately, for them though they had captain Percil to confirm the butcher was, in fact, William.


    That petty sloth had no idea what he had cost William, had he found the pig he would have cut his fat head off, for corruption of justice, in front of everyone. Since Percil wasn''t around he spent his remaining days instead being productive and trying to find Walden''s family. But by then they were already gone, according to the neighbors they had packed up and left days before getting the gold.


    He couldn''t blame them, though, the city was becoming more dangerous every day and they had targets on their backs by unknown thugs. And with his brother, the wife and kids actually had a chance of making it without the gold, but they had to try anyways.


    All he had now was sage Ordon, and there was nothing more he could do to persuade him either, so until they found the Baron his investigations were over. It was too early for him to go to Niels tavern, and he didn''t much have the patience to deal with Meradith at home either. All the same, he waited there by the fountain, relaxed and bored, basking in the sun that felt good for once.


    He got bored playing around with the Bronze rook so he set it down to his side. A small resonant chime, resounding over and over soon forced him to open his eyes again. To his right he saw the rook piece had grown ten times his size now, and its shadow overlapped him, almost threatening to consume him in its darkness.


    With a gasp of surprise he jumped to his feet and stumbled away from it. Turning back, he saw the shadow from the rook straighten out into a rectangle and then align itself into descending staircase, leading under the giant rook. He peered down there, and saw only darkness. But he could hear an echo of footsteps climbing up, he stepped back, hand on his sword, waiting.


    Ascending the stairs was a tall broad figure, wearing a white captain¡¯s uniform with coal black hair. Upon his face was a white angular mask with two curved slits about the eyes and a wide grinning slit about the mouth. He stopped at the food of the stairs in silence.


    "Who are you?" William demanded, tightening the grip on his sword.


    "You''re just a puppet dancing on their strings," the Jester mocked. "A piece on the board, to be used and discarded at their whim." He took a step forward and drew his sword. A falchion style blade, that of captains, and advanced ominously.


    William drew his blade and charged at him, their swords clashed and the Jester pushed him back with raw force. He stumbled a couple steps back and the jester advanced more swiftly, with a thrust from his blade.


    William managed to parry the blow so the tip of it grazed his cheek, instead of piercing his face. Back on even footing their blades clashed again. This time, William didn''t underestimate him, and when the Jester tried to force him back again, William pulled his weight away and shifted his foot back, turning side face as the Jester instead stumbled forward.


    Bringing his sword down, swiftly and heavily as he could, William knocked the blade out of the Jester''s hands. Then he pivoted his hips and thrust the blade into the Jester''s chest.


    He fell to his knees and the mask crumbled into thin pieces falling away. William shuddered at the face behind. Adam Royce, with his Light stubble of beard, tanned skin and brown eyes stared up at William; full of shock and fear.


    "Why?" Adam choked out. "Why did you let them get away, why do my killers roam free, unjudged."


    Adam too fell apart, like pieces of glass that blew away to colored dust in the breeze. His tears blurred his vision for a moment and when he could see clear again he saw that around him stood gilded chess pieces ten times his own size, while below him the cobblestones were replaced with tiled marble of black and white squares. Dark storm clouds invaded the skies above and an icy splash of water slammed him on the face.


    He awoke with a scream of terror. Gasping for air and looking around him frightfully. The skies were crimson now, the sun setting in the distance. To his side was the bronze rook, he was almost reluctant to take it now, but got up all the same and shook off that crazy dream.


    Feeling a sting on his cheek, he rubbed it and saw blood smeared on his finger. He rushed back home to check the mirror for the cut on his cheek. When he got inside and shut the door Meradith called out to him from the kitchen, "William is that you?" she asked.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Yes," he said heading to the bedroom to use Katrina''s mirror. He found there was indeed a small precise cut on his cheek; he must have done it while asleep.


    "Katrina went out to run some errands so she''ll be back later." Meradith had to shout to him so he would hear. "The golden Sage Ordon came to see you earlier. His poor holiness looked so distraught and desperate to speak with you. He said to tell you, ''come to the temple right away.'' Do you know what he wanted?"


    William cursed himself for being out while Ordon came by, but it couldn''t be helped. "I''m going to find out, tell Katrina I''ll not be back until later."


    He rushed out the door and ran straight to the temple. Making his way in, he went straight to Ordon''s office. The doors were cracked partially and he let himself in. Ordon practically jumped out of his skin when he saw William. Ordon looked haunted, his eyes sunk with dark bags under them. It was like an evil spirit haunted his dreams and shadows on the wall twisted into his deepest fears.


    "W-W-William, thank the gods you''re here," Ordon said frightfully.


    "Your holiness, Ordon, I understand you wanted to see me?" He asked coming into the office. The room was a mess compared to last he saw, books sprawled about on the ground, papers about, even a splotch of ink running down the wall where it looks like an ink bottle was thrown. He put his back to the owl which creeped him out with its black sleighed eyes.


    "Yes, of course, I-" Ordon stopped and looked past him. His eyes had gone wide for a moment and then turned into a sort of frightful anger. "You get out of here!" He shouted. "I''m telling him now aren''t I, so go!"


    William turned around, there was nothing there but his pet owl. "I''m sorry your holiness but what is this about exactly?"


    Ordon looked back to him. "About? You stupid boy everything! You think this is about the Sky Cloaks, or your father? But you are wrong boy. It goes so much deeper than that, they were just pieces on the board. Their deaths were shifting the game in favor to someone else. I sat by and held my tongue because I thought they could keep things together. But it''s all falling apart, I see that now."


    "What is? What''s falling apart? What''s going on!?"


    "There''s a war coming, it''s all falling into motion, capture the king, win the game."


    Ordon started wheezing, painfully. All the excitement was getting to him. William eased him into his chair, he tried to speak but William couldn''t understand.


    "Let me get you some water?"


    Ordon shook his head, still wheezing.


    "Or, or umm some honeyed wine?"


    Ordon nodded his wheezing calming down a little more then. William rushed out of the office and went into the first door down the hall he could find. Save for some furnished tables and chairs the room was empty. He went further down the hall; the next two doors were locked. The fourth one a few white Sages were coming out of, he stopped them, telling them his holiness needed some honeyed wine for his wheezing right away. They all rushed to get it until a shriek of terror erupted from back toward Ordon''s office.


    Rushing back to the office William found Ordon with on his side clutching his throat tightly with green veins running all over his face. Placed next to his corpse was a golden bishop.


    He grabbed the acolyte who screamed after discovering the golden Sage, firmly gripping the boy''s thin shoulders. "Who else was here?" He demanded, shaking the frightened boy. "Who did you see?!"


    The boy kept whimpering but pointed down the hall with a shaky hand. William let go of him and ran down the hall. He had to push the acolytes out of the way as he went, seeing a cloaked figure briskly walking away, sliding between the acolytes and sages walking about the halls.


    "You there stop!" he shouted, hoping it would startle them. Instead, it alerted them as they ran now.


    He picked up his pace, bulling through anyone not quick enough to get out of his way. As he made it to the Equiltarium he saw the cloaked figure running out of the temple, looking back at him with surprised eyes. He was catching up, fast.


    The killer was halfway down the stairs when he got to them. He leaped forward with all his might, tackling the killer; they tumbled down the stairs in a struggle. He landed on bottom, dazed for a moment while the killer got up and ran North-East, he chased again.


    Once more he caught up to the killer, at the foot of Bulwark Street, and tackled them again. The killer struggled but was small and slender, it was easy for him to turn her around and pull off the hood; revealing a beautiful woman with strawberry-blonde hair, and light brown eyes. He couldn''t believe it was her. He was so surprised he hardly felt the bitter sting pierce his neck. And stranger still, his final thoughts were of the beautiful woman, with eyes as blue as the sky. He choked the name out: "Alayne."


    END OF PART 1

 The Widower

    The Widower


    Katrina made it all the way home before falling apart. She shed her cloak, tossed the


    bloodied dagger aside, and leaned back against the door, struggling to breathe.


    Slowly she fell to the floor, then brought her knees up to her chest and buried


    her face in them and started sobbing. Her aunt eventually grew tired of it and


    came by to help her to the bathroom and clean her up.


    Meradith sat her down at the table and asked her, in a stern tone, "What happened


    to you? Did you get the job done?"


    She dropped her kind facade when she knew no one else was around.


    After taking a moment to gather herself, Katrina said, "Yes, he''s, he''s


    dead."


    "Than what''s the problem, why are you such a mess?"


    She couldn''t help but cry again, talking about it made it real, but if she didn''t


    talk Meradith would punish her severely. "William, he was there too."


    Meradith hissed, "The Beast take you child; when did you become so sloppy? Did he


    see you?"


    "I didn''t mean to do it; I-I-I couldn''t even control myself."


    "Out with it child!" Meradith demanded, losing all patience with her.


    "William, I killed him."


    Out of angered reflex, she slapped Katrina hard across the face. Katrina hardly


    felt it. "Do you have any idea what you''ve done?!" Meradith screamed


    at her.


    "I ran and he chased me, and after he caught me, I don''t know. Something possessed


    me, I couldn''t move of my own will, and my hand and wrist felt like I was tied


    and being pulled by a puppet on a string. My dagger, I grabbed it and."


    She broke into tears again.


    Meradith grabbed her wrists and pulled her sleeve down, she winced in pain. The left


    wrist was unharmed, but the right one, including the fingers, had a dark purple


    sore on them, mix of bruising and something else. The other something faded


    away fast, though, and all that was left was some light bruising.


    "This can''t be possible. He should be dead." Meradith left in a hurry, looking


    spooked and leaving Katrina all alone to cry in peace.


    They buried William in a field of tombstones, resting half a day¡¯s ride outside the


    city, next to his father¡¯s grave. The graves of the guards were marked with


    small stone slabs with the name of the guard, and nothing more. The stone slabs


    were lined in long rows spread evenly across expansive flat grass fields. They


    only buried the Captains and Commanders out here, but even then the stone slabs


    stretched out everywhere it seemed.


    Only a handful of the city guardsmen came out to his funeral, the rest couldn''t be


    spared. Of those men Katrina only recognized Derren, and the old commander


    William spoke of, the other men were dressed in blue. The only other person


    there was that tavern friend of his, Neil; and of course, a Sage to perform the


    burial ceremony.


    The stout curly haired man had dug William''s grave with his own hands, insisting it


    was tradition, and that William requested it of him should he fall in the line


    of duty. She didn''t complain, though, as he did a great job and was three times


    as fast as any grave digger she had seen. Neil also helped the guards lowering


    William''s casket into the ground.


    "On this day we bury the body of William Royce," The Grey Sage said, with


    volume and clarity. Though seemingly young, she had a strange authority to her


    voice. "And while his body returns to the ground, and the cycle of life,


    we pray that the Outlander take his soul and guide him to the next world."


    They got his casket in the ground and Neil grabbed, but a handful of dirt, and


    sprinkled it over his casket slowly while muttering his own prayers.


    The Sage continued, "And that the Sage help us remember him for the man he


    was. And may the Judge bring his killer to Justice."


    Katrina almost collapsed after that, she didn''t need a reminder of her guilt from a


    preacher. Perhaps worst of all there was no one there to hold her and make it


    alright; like William would when she broke apart. If the Judge wanted to


    smite someone it shouldn''t be her, it should be Meradith.


    After his prayer Neil pushed the dirt into the grave; it was compact together and


    didn''t take him long to fill the hole. When he finished, he got on his hands


    and knees, and packed the dirt down with his hands; smoothing the area over


    with his palms. The Sage took her leave afterward and when Neil got up, his


    clothes covered in dirt, the commander approached the headstone.


    Jorden pulled an iron dagger from his belt and stabbed it into the ground in front of


    the headstone. And then he and the other guards took their leave. Neil put a


    small vial, half buried, next to the dagger, and then he too left. Katrina was


    alone now and eventually wrapped the Violet Bloom vines around the headstone.


    The flower had light green vines with small, six pedaled, violet flowers


    blooming out from them every few inches.


    When she finished, her strength left her and she cried. She regretted it all; from


    the very first moment she met him, to the task Meradith had given her. She kept


    repeating to herself that he was just her target, and to not get attached, but


    even the night of the Queen''s Ball she found it hard to go through with giving


    him the love potion.


    She had the goblet; they were out on the balcony. She could have easily lost her


    footing and dropped the poisoned wine over the edge. But she knew the price of


    failure, and back then William was nothing to her. And despite herself, she had


    fallen for him.


    His coarse looks had a strange appeal to her eyes, and his strong will was always a


    challenge for her. He resisted the effects of the potion so much that instead


    of once a month, she had to give it to him once a week, to keep him enthralled.


    And even then he still sought out that other woman, it shouldn''t make her


    jealous, but it filled her with rage thinking even though William was hers, he


    fiercely loved another.


    But despite that he stayed by her side, they were engaged, but could never be married


    until he became Lord Commander; otherwise, he was useless to them. So they


    delayed their marriage, and she rejected his advances, he could have forced


    her. It would be within his right, after all, they were to be married some day


    and that was part of a woman''s duty, but he gave her space whenever she wanted


    it.


    She always thought that when he went off to that whore, he got what she wasn''t


    giving him from another, but once more William surprised her. He had not lain


    with another woman, not even that one, since being with her. In all the years


    she rejected him from getting closer to her in bed, he laid with no other to


    satisfy his needs.


    When the clouds in the sky darkened Katrina took her leave of the grave.


    It was only a week after William''s death that Meradith had begun her plans on how


    to use Katrina next. Though Katrina expected she had begun planning things


    since the funeral. As Katrina prepared their breakfast Meradith spoke of her


    plans. "Well I know Kara wanted the commander of the City Watch, but I


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.doubt the lifespan of that old coot, and I don''t know who they will replace him


    with after he dies."


    Katrina said nothing, only focused on the breakfast, and the tea.


    "It''s not like house Redthorn couldn''t just bribe the next lord commander, they have


    ten times the gold for it and so much more. You, on the other hand, you''re too


    fine of a crafted jewel to be wasted on such a trivial conquest. No, what would


    really impress them is if I can marry you off to a kingsguard.


    "Imagine dear, our own knight that close to the king and queen. I hear ser Erquin is


    unmarried, a man of his age should take a wife, it''s not against their code and


    several older kingsguards had taken wives while still in service. It''s not like


    any man can refuse you, though, not when we''re done with them."


    Katrina bit her lip, struggling to hold back her rage. Just a little longer, she


    thought.


    She finished the tea first and set down Meradith''s cup down in front of her, taking


    a couple steps back.


    "It''s about time," Meradith grunted.


    She let it cool a minute, "Well, at least, you''re also great in the kitchen.


    If the seduction thing doesn''t turn out, we can always put you in the kitchens,


    there''s a lot we could do from in there. Which reminds me," She turned to


    look at Katrina.


    "Has your late fianc¨¦ ever fucked you?"


    She had a vulgar look of lust in her eyes that made Katrina lose what little


    appetite she had. "No, I kept him waiting until we were married, and he


    respected that."


    "That''s a shame," she teased. "He had a strange handsomeness to him, like


    something between rugged and fierce. I would have let him give me a poke or two


    when he got bored of you."


    Katrina rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen, speaking as she went. "Your


    tea is getting cold."


    Meradith looked at her skeptically before she disappeared behind her. Then she picked up


    her tea and took a deep drink from it. She smirked, and then gulped the rest


    down. "Dear niece, poison doesn''t work on me. You ought to know that by


    now, but you hid it well this time; your aggressive attitude to get me to drink


    the tea gave you away, however."


    "That was just the distraction," Katrina said, grabbing Meradith suddenly by the


    hair. She then put the sharp of the blade to her throat and ran it across.


    Blood sprayed over the table and chairs, Katrina dropped the knife, she was


    free at long last.


    All along it was that easy, she couldn''t believe it. She didn''t need some grand


    scheme to get rid of her aunt, didn''t need some heroic knight to come rescue


    her either. All she needed was a sharp blade, and the courage to go through


    with it. She lost her heroic knight, but somehow that gave her the courage to


    move forward, to do things she only dreamed about before, as idle fantasies to


    pass the time.


    After setting Meradith down on the floor Katrina stared at her. Her glamour spell was


    gone and her unsightly true face appeared. Her teeth were crooked; her nose was


    three times too big for anyone and had warts on it. The rest of her face had


    bad acne scars all over it from her younger years. She was truly as hideous as


    her heart, Katrina always knew Meradith resented her for her beauty.


    She went to her bedroom and sat at the end with her back resting against the bed


    frame, her knees tucked up under her chin. Now what? She wondered. She


    couldn''t go home, her parents were dead. And her real Aunt would use her as a


    pawn, again, while Meradith was really her cousin, but crueler and more cunning


    than her mother.


    Her aunt Hildra, Meradith''s mother, became her godmother when her parents died when


    she was five. She couldn''t even remember them. Hildra had sent Meradith away to


    some warlock when she was young. She saw Meradith only once before she returned


    to take her away after she turned eleven.


    Though Meradith was worse, Hildra wouldn''t be much better, at 15 and escaped her


    cousin and went back home. Hildra tried marrying her off to some oaf lord in


    the Greenlands, regardless of her feelings.


    Fortunately for her, the oaf had died in a jousting match before they could get engaged.


    She then ran away from there too, when Hildra set out to engage her to someone


    else after that unfortunate accident with the first nobleman. This new one was


    worse, though, he was smarter, but more aggressive and tried to put his hands


    all over her when no one was looking. She grabbed a serving tray and smacked


    him away with it, and then ran.


    Meradith found her again not long after that, brought her back home long enough for


    Hildra to scold her, and then gave Meradith custody of her. Of course, by then


    she was legally a woman, and could do whatever she wanted, and go wherever. But


    that didn''t stop Meradith from enslaving her, and torturing her with her dark


    magics.


    She didn''t know where she would go just yet but she was free now and decided she


    needed some rest, just a little. She closed her eyes for a few moments.


    It was dark when Katrina woke, she must have been asleep all day. There was a light, so dim she didn''t


    notice at first, at the end of the room, it brightened a little more when she


    started moving. She could see a dark silhouette outline of a person, holding


    something that seemed to gleam when it moved, but nothing more.


    "Don''t move," The silhouette called out to her.


    "Who are you? Katrina asked, squinting her eyes trying to see better. She went to


    get out of bed when the snap of wire sounded, and an arrow pierced the frame


    right next to her head.


    At least, she thought it was an arrow. She touched it to make sure, could feel the


    shaft and the feathers, it was indeed an arrow. Meanwhile, the silhouetted


    person reloaded the crossbow and aimed it at her, "I told you not to


    move," She said more aggressively.


    Katrina couldn''t make out the figure, but now that she was awake, she recognized the


    voice to be female. "Who are you, and what the hell do you want!?"


    She shouted enraged and confused.


    "I''ll be asking the questions around here. William Royce, you murdered him,


    why?"


    Katrina''s anger grew, "I did not murder him." She snarled.


    "You were engaged, he loved you. No, he didn''t love you, how could he, you''re a


    stranger in his life. You gave him a love potion to ensnare him, but he didn''t


    love you. Is that why you murdered him? Because you knew he could never, would


    never, love you?"


    What does she know? What the hell does she know!? I did love him!


    "What the hell do you know?" Katrina bellowed in rage, tears streaming down her


    face. "I loved him, more than I had the right to. But gods be damned if


    I''m a liar, for I did love him."


    "Is that why you murdered him?" The stranger in the dark taunted.


    Katrina rose to her feet, "I did not murder him!"


    The bowstring snapped and the arrow flew straight into its intended target.

 The Iron Rook I

    The Iron Rook I


    "You want to assassinate the royal family?" Duncan repeated the elder Sage''s words slowly; doubting every word.


    "I prefer to call it a silent coupe, but yes." Sage Ordon replied with a calm smile. As if they were talking about taking a nice sail down the Riverlands, rather than a plot of high treason.


    The Sage had appeared at his castle, deep in the woods, entirely out of nowhere. Though Duncan was not a man of gods, not anymore since they saw fit to take his son and wife from him, he felt obliged to allow the Sage to stay in his home. And he knew that he came here for something specific, no one, just passed through here, there was nothing along the way.


    Ordon said he had come to speak with him though that was rather obvious, but he held his tongue until they could speak in private. Duncan had an odd feeling about all of this, so he waited a couple hours before allowing the Sage to see him privately. He told Ordon to rest, his journey was long and tiring, and when the old Sage didn''t protest, Duncan set his servants to tend to him while he sat alone and contemplated his choices.


    When he concluded his thoughts, and believed that he made the Sage wait long enough, he sent for Ordon. As Duncan''s private office was at the top of the castle''s high tower, it was a long wait. But when Ordon entered the rounded room he did not complain about the many stairs, almost seemed to enjoy the trip up them. Before saying anything, though, Ordon checked around the room to make sure it was empty.


    Save for the two pairs of full bodied plate armor by the back wall, the place was practically empty, they being the only bodies in the room. There was a single arched window with no glass nor shutters by the back wall, but the tower was so high up that only shouting could be heard from down below.


    Through the window a cold breeze rolled in, carrying the sweet scent of pine, that made Ordon shiver. He had forgotten that the people of the Northern lands had never truly felt the cold, not even in winter. They probably never even heard of snow, let alone seen it. He started a fire for the Sage, even though to him it was warm enough.


    While he did, Ordon walked over to the window to look out it. The window had a clear view of the forest surrounding the castle. The clearing stretched out a quarter of a mile, while the rest was towering pine trees. And further out in the distance, where the slopes started to rise, was the edges of the mountain where snows would fall on the pine tree''s glazing them over in white color, making them sparkle in the sun. Though it was summer now, some trees at the mountain''s edge had that cover of snow and frost.


    "This is a beautiful view you have up here, my lord." He said.


    Duncan finished making the fire, it wasn''t too big but should keep the Sage warm if he sat by it, and said, "That''s why I come up here. But you didn''t come all the way here to enjoy the view, you wanted me specifically."


    Ordon turned to grin at him, and said, "Very perceptive indeed."


    They then switched places, Duncan moved his chair, the only chair in that room, to the fire for Ordon to sit in, and Duncan stood by the window to stare out it; as he had done so many times before. Ordon then, after taking one more cautious glance around the room, told him of why he came here for Duncan, and of his plan to overthrow the royal Kirch family.


    "What you''re proposing is high treason."


    "What I am proposing is revolution, a change to the system of hierarchy."


    Duncan stared at him intently, judging him, and thinking on his next decision. Soon enough he made his choice, and walked around his desk to the door, leading out of the tower. Next to the door was a small rope, Duncan tugged on it a few times and then waited in patient silence. After several minutes a young serving boy, with his shirt half tucked in, his face flushed, and his blonde hair a mess, came into the room. "Yes M''Lord?" he inquired.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.Duncan glared at him in annoyance, and Ordon''s face went white with fear. As if his plans had suddenly backfired on him.


    "Go fetch me a padded chair, one from my bed chambers. Then you may go back to stuffing the chef''s daughter, got it?"


    The serving boy swallowed the lump in his throat, his face grew redder, and said, "Y-yes M''Lord, right away!" He then scurried out of the tower, and Duncan shut the thick wooden door, turning back to Ordon.


    "An end to the hierarchy? No more Kings, or Queens? A completely new system?"


    "Correct," Ordon said, calming down now that he saw Duncan wasn''t going to betray his confidence.


    "Honestly, I cannot fathom it, who would rule?"


    "Naturally we still need leaders, but we would have a system for choosing the best possible leaders from around all the lands. It would be a group united in ruling Argolas, over just one man. We take a leader, a good leader, from all three lands, and a high Sage to make up the leaders of Argolas."


    He knew what this really was now, taking power from the king, pretending to give it to the people equally. But all the while the Sage''s would hold the greatest power in the world. I''ve heard worse ideas, after all, how bad could the men and woman of the gods really be in comparison to the rest of us?


    "And what exactly do you need of me?" He asked showing just enough interest. "You do, after all, seem to have it all figured out. So what could you possibly need of a humble lord such as myself?"


    "I need others to help me rule when the king has fallen and the new one to come is too young to lead. And should things go bad, well..."


    "Then it''s better to have a lord who doesn''t have anyone to raise banners and go to war to avenge their death. You don''t seem very confident in your own plans, Sage. It''s rather, an unsightly deal breaker."


    "I have every bit of confidence in my plan, I assure you," Ordon said agitatedly. "It will not fail, but sometimes there are things just out of our hands. So I must prepare for the worst, should the Judge deem my actions truly unjust."


    Duncan scoffed, mumbling quietly to himself, "There''s no justice in this world." If Ordon heard him, he said nothing to indicate so.


    He then got out of his chair and went over to the window to stare outside. He was silent for a time, a long time. Meanwhile, Ordon waited patiently for his response. Eventually, he said, "This is, of course, a lot to think about. I''ll have your answer on the morrow. I''ll let you, and your guards, stay in my castle and offer you whatever accommodations I can while I make my decision."


    "You''ve already made your decision my lord. But only time will tell you if it was the right one. All the same, by your request I''ll leave you be until you summon me again." Ordon bowed his head politely and left the tower room, making a slow descent down the spiraling stairs.


    Sleep came hard for him that night. His decision on the morrow could very well change the entire world. Or it could get him his head cut off, this all sounded like a scheme, something to root out the enemies of the crown. No, he quickly decided, no this was sincere, despite how hard it was to believe it was real.


    Ordon had come with only a handful of loyal guards, to protect him on his travels. And Duncan''s men scoured the entire woods to make sure there were no others hidden, in case this was all a trap, but they found nothing and no one.


    He thought about the offer all through the night, and all that would come with it, should they succeed. He was but a humble lord, no one of great importance or influence, and his son, who was so young and outshining him in every way, had died in a skirmish years past. Now the very world was in his grasp, and when the sun rose, he met the Sage, to take it.


    The next morning, Ordon seemed more relieved than pleased to hear Duncan was joining him. Before leaving, Sage Ordon handed him a chess piece made from Iron and said, "You, my lord, you shall be my Rook."

 The Iron Rook II

    The Iron Rook II


    It was several more years until the King and Queen had another child; and little over a year after that when the golden Sage Ordon returned to Castle Traeur, to see Duncan Whitetree. He had told him to take a small force of no more than twenty men, in addition to his chosen two other nobles to sit with him at the new court. After that Ordon had gone to the Riverlands, to grab the three nobles who would represent their lands at the new court.


    Duncan anticipated as much, and he knew he would either have to win the Gold Sage to his side, or kill off the competition. It didn''t help that his two advisers, Mira Coldpeak, and Gerald Ironwroth both made opposite suggestions. Gerald wanted to kill them off before they became a threat, and Mira wanted to win over the Sage. They were all to arrive at the capitol within a fortnight before the coupe, which would take place on the next new moon.


    Fortunately for them, it was the prince heir''s nameday festival the week of their arrival. For five straight days, the whole capital was celebrating Prince Bryce''s twenty-second year in this world, with a tournament, a feast for the nobles, and many other pleasantries for the rest of the city.


    Sage Ordon had truly thought of everything, although Duncan was greatly annoyed that they had to quickly find an adequate gift for the prince. Mira and Gerald simply grabbed the fanciest weapon they had at their home possession, Duncan gave just a little more thought into his gift.


    Getting into the city was easy, as everyone was welcomed; though their small force turned a few heads in their direction. Duncan instructed Gerald to settle his men in at a decent inn, he wasn''t sure if they would be allowed into the castle, wasn''t even sure he would be allowed into the castle without Sage Ordon.


    The castle gates were opened wide and a line of guards in red cloaks, with golden crowns embroidered on the front of their uniforms, stood in two rows opposite to one another just a step away from the main path leading into the castle''s main structure. None of them had been to the capital, let alone the castle before, so they would have to explore around a lot. But first, they had to get in. They dismounted their horses before entering the castle, and in the halls before the throne room was another line of Royal guards, blocking further entrance into the castle.


    At the center of them stood a common looking woman well into her middle age, she was wearing a silver-colored dress and stood behind a furnished wooden pedestal with a massive book opened up to her. "Names?" She asked in a shrewd and unpleasant voice.


    "Lord Duncan Whitetree, here to celebrate the prince''s name day, and offer our gifts to him," Duncan said. "With me is Lord Gerald Ironwroth," He nodded his head to his right where Gerald stood, "And Lady Mira Coldpeak," and then nodded his head to the left where Mira stood.


    They grew tense as the woman looked over the pages of the book, reading through it, probably searching their names. "I don''t see your names here on the list," she said, suddenly suspicious.


    Frustrated, Gerald stepped forward and spoke with a tone of hostility, "Now you listen here you little-"


    Duncan thrust his arm out to stop Gerald before he went further. The royal guards in the hall had all turned their heads to glare at them, with their hands on the hilts of their swords now.


    With a smile, Duncan said, "It''s been a very long ride for us; we were expected to arrive with his holiness, Sage Ordon."


    She looked at them skeptically, then flipped to the last pages of the book to look at them. "Yes, here you are, his holiness'' special guests. You''re the first to arrive, when can we expect to see his holiness?"


    Duncan had to think about the answer, Ordon''s business in the Riverlands could just now be ending, or he could be half a day''s ride from the capitol. He didn''t know, so he said, "He should be with us any day now."


    The woman scoffed, "He should be here right now, his holiness is an important guest to the prince and his absence is already well noticed. You may pass, guards let them through."


    The guards had loosened the grips on their swords and stepped back to let them walk ahead. As Duncan and Mira went on ahead Gerald turned around and put a firm hand on the woman''s butt and the other on her breast, whispering in her ear, "I''ll have to teach you a thing about manners, later on, you shrewd wench."


    Gerald then let her go and returned to walking just behind Duncan who turned and shot him a grim warning look, telling him to behave from now on. While Mira said, "Maybe I''ll teach you a lesson about manners as well you pig."


    He ignored the comment as they came out of the entrance hall into the expansive throne room. The room was made up almost entirely of marble stone, even the columns, they heard a rumor that there was once an island made entirely of the smooth rock just outside the Red Ring, but seeing so much of it in the capital was almost overwhelming. First Lord Street was paved with it, along with numerous buildings foundations made from it, and now the castle.


    Spiraling around the columns were banners made from golden silk, which made the entire room glow with the same color. Far in the back the musicians played their instruments, filling the room with delightful melody while a mix of countless conversations overlapped into an echo of noises.


    All around Ladies were dressed in smooth sparkling dresses, with jewelry around their necks, wrists, and dangling from their ears, all that glittered when they moved about. Each of them trying to be flashier than the next. Meanwhile, the lords wore well-tailored, velvet and silk doublets, and had flashy sword hilts, some with diamonds encrusted in the pommel, and extravagant belts, and gloves.


    The handful of river lords there wore blue leather jerkins made from basilisk hides, that was as fancy as the river lords ever got, which was a nice change of pace from all the Greenlander''s trying to outshine one another. While their ladies wore rippling dresses of silk in colors of the sea.


    Lord Gerald stood out, wearing full plate armor, without a surcoat, made of a dark-grey steel. He, at least, had the courtesy to leave his full helm with his men before they came to the castle. And even Mira wore a battle skirt, high boots, and a copper torso piece that fitted around her upper body well, and was more stylistic than practical. She wasn''t a warrior, though, and hated fighting in person, but she stuck to the Highlander''s customs.


    Duncan was the only one who didn''t wear any type of armor, he wasn''t a warrior and felt he would insult his father''s before him and his own son by wearing armor, so he neglected it. Instead, he dawned light-blue leather pants, alongside a deep-blue silk doublet, with his house sigil of a white pine tree embroidered onto it.


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    They got a lot of stares, mostly Gerald, as they walked through the throne room to stand in line to give the prince their gifts. Most people had already given the prince their gift''s by now. And only those who wanted some form of political favor with the future king gave gifts. As was evident when they paused to talk to him and he kindly smiled and said whatever he could to show as little interest as possible, while also not offending them.


    Duncan could even hear a few of these requests when he got closer, half of them were trying to pawn off their daughter, niece or  someone in their family for him to marry, as he was yet married and not arranged for marriage yet. Finally, it was Gerald''s turn to present his gift to the prince. The kingsguard hesitated a moment before letting him pass through and ascend the few steps to offer his gift to the prince.


    He bent to one knee and held up a large sword, in a silver scabbard, in his palms. Bryce graciously took the sword with both hands, struggling to hold it up. He managed to pull the broadsword out of its scabbard to reveal it was made of a glossy titanium, it was well known the prince was not a warrior, but Gerald couldn''t help smirk as he held the blade awkwardly.


    The prince sheathed it then said with a smile, "It seems I might have to practice swordplay after all."


    The room gave a shallow laugh, and Gerald stood up and with a slight bow, turned and stepped down as Mira approached next. She held out a dagger with a jewel encrusted scabbard in her open hands, sufficing simply with a bowed head, rather than bending the knee.


    Once more the prince took it graciously, and pulled the weapon out, admiring it humbly. The dagger was a flat, straight, double-edged blade made from sapphire. "It''s beautiful, much like yourself my lady," Bryce said sincerely.


    The compliment caught Mira off, she never thought herself beautiful, and almost doubted the prince''s sincerity in his compliment. "You''re too kind, my prince." She said regaining herself.


    He smiled and Mira stepped down.


    Duncan followed up after her. The prince couldn''t help but chuckle a little and asked, "Are you going to give me a shiny weapon to my lord?"


    "While it is custom of us Highlanders to give a man a tool of war on great celebrations such as this, I offer another sort of tool. One to sharpen your mind." He then handed the prince his gift: A three-foot hexagonal puzzle box, with different colors on each panel of the box.


    The king then chuckled, seeing the gift, "Ahh, you''re a crafty one my lord." he said. "I haven''t seen a mystic puzzle box in ages. Come son hand it over, I want to examine it for myself." He held out his hand greedily, an impatient look gleaming in his eye.


    With a sigh of annoyance, the prince handed his father his new gift. The king all but snatched it from Bryce''s hands when he could, and began fiddling around with it to no avail. After minutes of this embarrassing display, the king rose up and placed the box on the floor, unsheathed his sword, and with a mighty swing brought the blade down to the box.


    The crowd gasped as the blade was repelled and knocked helplessly out of the king''s hands, falling harmlessly just a few feet away from him. He retrieved his sword and laughed, "Oh it''s the real deal alright."


    He returned to his seat on the throne and continued, "My grandfather gave me one when I was twelve. God''s the infernal thing was impossible to open, so me and my brother we tried to smash it open." he smirked, "Well as you saw how good that did, imagine two boys with hammers they could barely lift. My brother lost a tooth; we told our parents it was an accident."  The king laughed harder, and the lords and ladies laughed a shallow laugh with him.


    Bryce retrieved his gift and when the room settled down Duncan said to the king, "It took me four years to figure out how to open it. Admittedly I tried the same tactics your highness, but then I got creative, thought I might be able to burn away some of it with a great fire."


    "Ohh yea, And how''d that work my lord?"


    "The box repelled the flames, forcing them to jump all over the place. I set fire to the wing of the castle, took a year to repair." He smirked, "Box was in perfect condition still."


    The king cackled uncontrollably for several minutes. Some of the lords and ladies chuckled awkwardly, the rest stood in silence unsure what to do next. When he settled down he said, "Ohh you''re the life of the party, my lord. Tell me how did you open that infernal box anyways?"


    "I had a hint, Feel, don''t see. Somedays that only made me more enraged trying to open it."


    The king scoffed, "If I don''t get you to show me how to open that thing before you leave, I might not let you leave this court." He chuckled a little and then turned to look at Bryce and nodded.


    The prince looked out to everyone and said, "Thank you all my lords, my ladies, for coming to this celebration, and for your wonderful gifts. Soon it will be time for the feast, and afterward, we will host the first round of the tournaments."


    The room applauded. Duncan returned to Gerald and Mira''s side and Mira said, "Well so much for blending in."


    "Yes I didn''t anticipate nearly this much unwarranted attention," Duncan said, glancing around the room. All the lords and ladies present seemed to be sneering at them from the corner of their eyes. As if they were all vultures and a massive beast, in this case, the king, fell dead and Duncan scooped up the biggest piece of meat.


    "Gerald, when the feast comes up I want you dining with the royal guards. Me and Mira will do what we came to do and keep these excessive eyes as far away from you as possible. But don''t get cocky, there''s bound to be eyes and ears tailing you."


    Gerald grinned, as if this were all some game, "Relax, I know what I''m doing.  For now, though I think I''ll go sign up for the tournament, they only give us til sundown."


    After Gerald was out of earshot Mira said, "I don''t like him. He''s too wild and unpredictable"


    "That''s why he''s here, they might see me and you coming. But Gerald, well they won''t know what to expect. For now, though it''s best we separate, and mingle with the others."

 The Iron Rook III

    The Iron Rook III


    After the feast, everyone was shown to their sleeping quarters. Duncan couldn''t help but notice that not only were his quarters in the castle much larger than his own back at his castle but much fancier as well. The frame for the bed was made from Rosewood and had lush dark-purple velvet curtains attached to the top with metal rings around them to slide easily. Had his wife been alive to join him this day, she would have loved it, the curtains he tried putting up around their bed had to be nailed in and then cut down the middle to open up to get out, and they were far less fancy than velvet. Not a day went by that he missed her, or their son for that matter.


    He turned away from the bed and to the windows, overlooking the edge of the gardens. Amidst the high hedge walls, could be seen a vast assorted mix of roses. Coloring from reds, whites, yellows, pinks and even orange roses were in the fray; Duncan had never known so many colors of roses existed.


    The only kind he had ever seen was the famous Winter Rose, a rose with blue petals and purple tipped thorns, that were native to the Highlands. The rose was also once the symbol for the most powerful family in the Highlands, House BrightStar, back when Argolas was divided into the three nations before everyone was ruled under one crown. But in the end, they were defeated, their family line snuffed out and the victors, being the Kirch family, took their house sigil of a blue rose with purple tipped thorns as their own.


    It was high time someone took it back, Duncan thought bitterly.


    "It''s a fair sight, is it not my lord?" Bryce asked from behind Duncan.


    Duncan was only half surprised by the visit, he did, after all, leave his door open, but he was expecting Mira, or Gerald, to come visit him; not the prince. "Yes, I never knew there were so many rose colors out there," Duncan said turning to face Bryce.


    "I hope you''ll pardon the intrusion my lord, the door was open, and I wished to talk to you."


    "You are the prince, this is your home, it seems more so that I would be the intruder."


    Bryce shrugged a little awkwardly, "Well my mother taught me that manners make the man, and you are our guest here. Besides, I believe men should be treated more equally than how they are just because of their birth status. As I believe you saw today I''m not overly fond of being put high on a pedestal."


    "Well, then your highness, by all means please come in. Shut the door if you would, though, I''m not overly fond of prying eyes and ears."


    Bryce shut the door and relaxed a little. "I agree, all those lords and ladies, they all come because they want something from me or my father. A place at court, to marry me off to their daughters, it''s all the same. And there''s just something about how they talk, you can just hear their shallow voices. Worst of all I have to make a show for them too, but you my lord, well I feel I can talk more openly with you."


    Once again the prince''s sincerity caught Duncan off guard, and he was hesitant to answer, making the moment a little awkward. Eventually, he said, "I can''t imagine being future king of the world is easy. Honestly, I''m a lord of some woods that has a few villages in it. A few hundred men, woman, and children nothing big. Though I must say, your highness, it is strange for one of your position and age to not have some sort of marriage arrangement lined up."


    "There have been many great proposals, most of them that could do wonders for me and the crown."


    "So why not take them? Didn''t like the woman?"


    "Didn''t like what they meant for the world. These proposals were selfish, shallow, just like the ones offering them. I live comfortable enough, but my concern is the growing chaos around the Riverlands and the Highlands. I want a marriage, an alliance, that would bring these nations together, not drive them apart from us further.


    "Its part of the reason I''m glad you''re here, we haven''t had a Highlander at court for decades. Actually, there''s something else I wanted to talk to you about too. The gift you gave me-"


    "I know it''s not anything flashy like your other gifts, for that, I apologize." Duncan interrupted.


    "No, no it''s perfect actually. Everyone else gave me some fancy clothes, some rare meat, or a shiny weapon. But you, you''re the only one to get me something, I think, that''s actually testing me. I don''t know how to explain it but you my lord, you understand me."


    Duncan bowed, "I''m so humbled your highness, I... well I''m speechless."


    "Listen, Duncan, may I call you Duncan my lord?"


    "You may your highness, in fact, I insist."


    "Duncan, I hope this won''t sound presumptuous of me. But when I''m king, I''d like for you to be my advisor."


    "That''s such a grand gesture your highness, but I-"


    "Call me Bryce, I hate being called ''your highness'' I hear it all the time from everyone who isn''t my family."


    "Very well, Bryce. Your offer is, well I don''t know what to say. I mean I hardly think I''m qualified to advise a king."


    "I disagree, Duncan, I sense something in you, we''re like kindred spirits. Personally, I believe you have a great insight you can bring to this court. Perhaps together we can bring our nations close once more, and from there the Riverlands as well. The world should be united, not segregated by hollow politics."


    Bryce sighed and calmed himself. "Forgive me for getting so carried away, I''d like for you to keep all of this between us, Duncan."


    "Of course Bryce, I swear by the divine gods that I won''t tell this to anyone." Though he had no intention of speaking about this to anyone else, he also didn''t worship the same gods. So his words were a little hollow.


    "Good, there''s something else I must speak with you about that must also be a secret."


    "You have my word, I won''t tell anyone."


    Bryce took a seat on the bed, his head hung low, his voice melancholy, "The reason I''m so intent on seeking out good advisors, from places outside of the Greenlands too, is my father''s health is not as great as it seems. He''s had heart troubles from a young age that seem to have returned. The Sages estimate at the most, he has several more months until it gives out. And then I''ll be king.


    "He wants to spend his final days enjoying life, and I want him to do so as well. He hasn''t had it easy having to clean up my grandfather''s mess. It''s a wonder he made it this far."


    Bryce wiped a few tears from his eyes and stood up, regaining his formal tone. "Which reminds me of why I had been sent here in the first place. The king would like for you to sit next to him at his table for tomorrow night''s feast. He can be childish at times but I''d like for you to indulge him while you''re here."


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    "Well, I can''t hardly deny the king a request such as that. I''ll do my best to entertain his highness."


    "And I understand you''re men are staying at some inns in the city?"


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    "Well I would like for you to bring them here to the castle grounds, there''s plenty of room for them here. And, as rude as it sounds, they are taking up valuable space at the inns. No doubt they are packed as is, and we have more people flooding in through all the gates. They will need a place to rest during their time here."


    "Of course, I understand. I''ll have someone fetch my men to bring them here."


    "Well, then that concludes our business, and a reminder that the first night of the Royal Ball is tonight, a few hours after sunset. I think it would do well to see at least one of you there."


    Mira had come to Duncan just an hour before the Royal Ball, dressed in a flowing white and very light blue dress that fit snug around her lithe form. She brought with her a dark-blue long coat with a hue of purple mixed into it. The special way it was died you would see more of one color depending on what angle you were seeing the coat from. She also brought with her breeches, of the same design as the coat, and a matching pair of fancied boots, to complete the outfit.


    "I figured you would forget about the Ball," she said handing him the clothes. "And Gerald, well he''s hardly fit for higher society."


    "I was hoping I wouldn''t have to attend the Ball. I haven''t been to such a celebration since my wife''s passing." Duncan said taking the clothes.


    "It can''t be helped, though, especially not after the entrance we made this afternoon," Mira argued.


    Duncan scoffed, "You think I had planned any of that?"


    "No, but I have to wonder about the ''magic'' of that box you gave the prince."


    "It was forged in the Age of Sorcery. A simple puzzle box that is nearly impossible to force open, and locks itself up tight if you make the wrong move. That''s all I know about it, why not ask the king''s sorcerer, zafel, or whatever?"


    "The king''s sorcerer is a widespread rumor, nothing more. The last known sorcerer died over eight-hundred years ago. The last bit of magic in this world is left in those small trinkets. I have one myself, family heirloom, not sure what it does though since it was passed down to my elder sister. I got that beautiful dagger I gifted the prince, damn thing is useless in a fight."


    "You''ll get it back soon enough. Now if you''ll give me the room I need to change into my new attire, look the part and all that."


    "Do you remember how to dance?"


    "I will be fine, it was the one thing I did manage to do right, even if it was almost entirely useless."


    "Well, not tonight it isn''t, I''ll be right outside your doors, waiting for you to escort me."


    The Ballroom was enormous, enough to fit hundreds (maybe even thousands), and the entirety of it was built from more of that sleek white marble stone they seemed to love so much. From the ceiling hung a massive chandelier, made from diamonds and glass, that sparkled brilliantly lighting up the room as if it were daytime in there. And the sound of a harp gently weaving a pleasant tune filled the air amidst all the chatter.


    As Duncan and Mira made their way through they found themselves in an endless sea of glares of resentment from all the lords and ladies. Every one of them saw how astounded the king was by Duncan''s gift, and felt great animosity for them. Eventually, though, a couple of them from house Limior came over to talk with them, measure their sudden new competitors for the king''s favor.


    The real questions had been slyly mixed in with the mindless chatter in-between various topics. They wanted to know who Duncan and Mira were, what brought them to court, and why they showed up now. Mira did most of the talking, and gave them vague, but content answers, to their real questions. She and Duncan told them they never been to a royal festival such as this, and felt it was long overdue. Which that was only half right, they had never been, but neither intended to go before Ordon arrived.


    They said nothing about Ordon''s invitation of them, and soon enough the two from house Limior moved on; content that Duncan, Gerald, and Mira were nothing more than a few random lord''s and lady from the Highlands just wishing to see a royal festival for once. After that, though, the floodgates opened and more lords and ladies came to them, chatting it up, and asking them the same questions in various ways.


    Eventually, Mira and Duncan had to escape the barrage of questions and new faces coming to measure them, by going to the dance floor. Palettes of gold stripes, with gleaming blue edges, curved around the floor in a giant rose pattern. As they danced, Mira spoke quietly, just enough so only Duncan would hear her. "I heard your little conversation with the prince earlier."


    Duncan did poorly to hide his surprise, and Mira got a light chuckle out of his expression from the news. "How did you?" he began, bewildered at how easy their conversation slipped out.


    She smiled, almost seductively, "That''s why you brought me here, to be your spymaster. Wouldn''t be good if I couldn''t eavesdrop myself. Or have someone watching our prize royals."


    He smiled, "I knew I was right to choose you."


    "And Gerald?" She asked, dissatisfied with Duncan''s other choice of partner.


    "He''ll have his time to shine. He''s more of an escape plan, should things go bad, he and his men shall cover our escape. Lord Gerald will serve us greatly one way or another, but I understand your misconception about him being here. He needs something to pacify him for the time being, that''s why he''s signed up for the tournament; that will keep in busy, and happy."


    "And what about me my lord?"


    "Fishing for flattery?" he mocked.


    She smiled and batted her eyelashes.


    "You''re already proving yourself a valuable ally and partner. And you are quite alluring by yourself."


    She blushed, "You sure know how to make a girl wet."


    They kissed and finished the dance. Not long after the Ball was over for the night, and together they went to Duncan''s room. He tore her dress off and had her in the bed, not just once but several times over before the night was done and they both rested. He hadn''t had a woman in years, and while Mira wasn''t nearly as beautiful as his wife had been, it was so long he didn''t even notice. That night had been the first, and the last time they were together, Duncan had returned to his lone self, he never wanted other woman, and before Mira, he only wanted for one: his wife.

 The Copper Knight I

    The Copper Knight I


    Derren watched helplessly as his father grew worse every day, now no longer able to leave his bed, he lay there getting sicker and sicker. When he came home after work he went to bed without a word or food, just collapsed on top of the straw bed. He slept for two days straight and then when he woke he was weak and could hardly move about, let alone work.


    Soon enough their food storage ran out, the coin they saved up did not last long. So it was up to Derren to provide for them now, every day he walked the streets near the South-West Wall, with its cracked stones and foul smells, just to search for whatever work he could find. He would take whatever he could get, polishing a knight''s armor for a few coppers, dancing like a monkey for some drunken fools outside a tavern, anything that paid him was work, far as he was concerned. He made just enough to buy food for him and his dad, but he couldn''t save anything to buy him what he really needed: medicine.


    And still every day Derren was out there, walking those streets constantly searching for work, until the day his dad didn''t wake up. Then, he no longer walked those streets to find work, he lived on them. His father was too far behind in the king¡¯s taxes and after he passed away they took the house and Derren was kicked out, not for lack of trying to stop them though, he put up a fight, but they had sharp blades, and didn''t hesitate to point them at his throat when he knocked them down.


    Work suddenly became scarce since he had one change of clothes and hadn''t bathed in a long time. Eventually, it stopped altogether and for days straight he starved; alone and dismal he rotted away in a closed off alley resting his back against a crate. He no longer had the energy to move and try to find work, no longer had the care either.


    Derren was settled on the idea of death, just letting all his hardships slip away to him as he closed his eyes and never opened them again. His father did it, and he was the strongest man he knew, so how could he, a twelve-year-old boy, expect to do any better. And yet, when that biscuit landed in his lap, absent minded of where it came, after a mere glance he scooped it up and devoured it; suddenly remembering how hungry he was.


    "There''s more where that came from," A scraggly haired boy with baggy clothes said to him. "That is if you''re good enough. I seen you around doing them odd jobs, even dancing like a monkey for a bit O'' coin. Pretty messed up I think, what I kid has to do to survive in ''ere."


    "What do you want from me?" Derren asked finishing his biscuit.


    "I want to give you a chance at a real life. None of that dancing for coin shite. Come with me, I see you that you won''t ever go hungry again." The boy offered out his hand and Derren, with little thought, took it.


    Tom O Three''s is what the boy called himself. He was a year younger than Derren but was a master of the streets. He always ran with two other boys, hence his name. A trio of bandits they were and Tom was the best of them. He taught Derren everything he knew about surviving in the city, "by stealing what you need from them that don''t deserve it." That''s what Tom said to him when Derren questioned it.


    But aside from putting food in his belly, it was actually rather fun running with Tom, and his other boy Lander. They could snatch just about anything from anyone, for the next couple of years it was Derren was having the time of his life. But Tom changed as he got older, began going for bigger scores, they travelled to wealthier districts in the city to steal from people even less deserving.


    It wasn''t easy with all the guards around and their clothes made them stand out, before too long they couldn''t even walk down those streets, the guards noticed an increase of theft since their arrival and now blocked them from going through. They should have quit there, but Tom was no longer satisfied with the smaller scores they had gone back to. He had a taste of the finer things and wanted more; Lander too for the most part.


    Derren on the other hand just wanted something different from his life besides stealing from others. And when Tom returned to them both with a big score, one that might give Derren a chance for something more in his life afterwards, he stopped thinking as clearly as before.


    The new target was a gambling house, and not a small one either. The Silver Lotus was a good sized building with two floors, made from hardwood and painted exquisitely. The curved sign above the entrance had the house name written in with gold paint and had a silver lotus flower in the backdrop of it; even the front doors had a silver lotus painted on them.


    A pair of guards stood at the entrance to the house, guarding it against any unwanted gamblers. But Tom didn''t plan on going in through the front. He had them all quietly scaling across a nearby roof to access a side window, it was scary doing it in the dark where they could hardly see, but the gambling house was well lit so they just needed to get close enough to it without falling off.


    As Derren quickly found out that was the easy part. The buildings were close together, but they still had a leap to make in order to go through the second-floor window on the side of the gambling house. Tom had the hardest part; he jumped the eight-foot gap and landed carelessly onto the small wooden frame wrapped around the building.


    Tom slipped and fell, catching on the frame with his fingertips. He struggled, but very steadily made progress onto climbing back up. When his feet were back on the frame, he began working on opening the window. Derren couldn''t see what he was doing, but somehow Tom managed to get that window unlocked and opened it up for them. He climbed in then signaled for Lander and Derren to follow.


    Lander went first, making the jump without effort, catching the inside of the window without any noise and climbed inside just as quiet. Derren was next, he got a running start and overshot the jump greatly. He slammed into the side with a loud thud and barely caught the window, even then his foot slipped and he was dangling helplessly until Tom and Lander grabbed his arms and pulled him up.


    They allowed a moment to relax when Derren was in, and then searched out a lantern in the dark. Tom found one on the desk and got it light with a flint from his pocket. He turned it up to a medium light and they surveyed the room, what little they could see, searching out for "the safe."


    At the far end of the room, inside the wall itself, was a dark metal box with a spin dial on it numbered up to 100. Tom turned to them and said, "That''s it boys, our ticket to a better life, no more scurrying about like rats searching for crumbs."


    He got one step before the door to the room flew open and a pair of guards came in, armed and fierce. Lander let out a cry of distress before turning to flee out of the window, shouting, Run!" As he went. When he got within reach of the window though, the guard fired his crossbow and Lander fell short of escape.


    Derren turned to his friend, "Noo!" he cried. He made a move to run to him until a sharp blow hit him in the back of his head and he started seeing spots, and the room spun so fast that he couldn''t stand anymore. He fell to the floor, the spots growing darker and larger until all he saw was darkness.


    Derren later woke up with his hands bound behind him with rope in a chair. Tom was there too, sitting across from him, also bound. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a disgruntled moan. His head was aching like someone had hit him with a rock, and he was still a little dizzy.


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    Before long the two guards in sky-blue uniforms, who had ambushed them at the gambling house, came into the desolate little room. "Got a tip about you three," one of the guards said. "Perry, I believe he was, looks like you trusted the wrong informant. That rat sold you out for a silver bit."


    "Already killed one of your buddies," the other guard said. "Normally that''d be enough for us, batter you up a bit send you on the way. But the boss wants you to be made an example of, and that wide pig pays us too much to let you both go. So here''s the deal, one of you gets a beating and then hobbles out of here, never to be seen around the Silver Lotus again. Understand?"


    Derren understood them perfectly, and wanted to shout at them to piss off, but all that came out from his mouth was more incoherent moans. And the harder he tried to speak the more the room would spin, and soon the spots started coming back to him so he stopped trying and waited.


    But nothing came to him, Tom said something and the guards started shuffling about him. But Derren couldn''t see properly, nor hear anything correctly either. It sounded like a struggle. Was Tom fighting them? He asked himself.


    He then struggled to break his own bonds and help Tom, but once again the more he struggled to do anything the worse he felt.  But he continued trying to escape his bounds, even going as far as to rock the chair until falling over. And faster the room spun, the black dots appeared again, until finally everything was dark once more.


    It all felt like a dream to Derren, waking up with his whole body hurting like someone tossed him down a hill with lots of small rocks. His recovery was slow, and he spent most of it walking around slowly, and painfully, trying to find out what happened to Tom and Lander. He refused to believe Lander had died that night at the gambling house, and Tom... The thought of losing him was too inconceivable.


    And yet he looked around everywhere for them, talking to everyone he knew. They all said the exact same thing, they heard news about their attempt to steal from the gambling house, and how they were caught and suddenly were missing, and presumed dead. While their bodies never turned up eventually Derren had to believe the worst when he never found them, that they were dead.


    And over time he recovered and hunted, hunted the one who betrayed them. The man who sold Tom the information, only to turn around and sell him out for a few more coins, was called Perry the Mole. He had a pug nose, was some good pounds on the heavy side, wore dirty brown clothes, and lived underground in a cellar home.


    Perry was notorious for giving out bad deals, the information he had wasn''t always on time. But now and again he had some amazing gems which were worth a fortune to a good thief. The knowledge on the gambling house was his latest gem, and his last, after everyone heard about what happened to Tom and his crew, who searched out the job, Perry became unable to sell info to anyone anymore.


    And so when Derren came to him with the lie of wanting to buy some good thieving information Perry opened his doors to him. Derren followed him inside his shabby little home. And soon as Perry opened up the latch on the floor, to his underground area, Derren stuck the small blade he had hidden in his belt, covered by his tunic, into Perry''s side. He pulled it out and stabbed him again, then he kept stabbing him until Perry stopped squealing in pain, then he kicked his body down into the cellar and slammed shut the latch.


    His next move was to start saving up as many of the coins he snatched from people, he took to wealthier districts when he could slip in. After a couple months, he had enough to buy several small casks of oil and hire a few fellow street rats to aid him in a job. Before much longer he was ready to bring down the place that had ruined his new life and murdered his friends.


    Derren walked up to the Silver Lotus'' front doors, the guards standing on either side, staring at him as he approached the building. Soon as he got close enough to them he pulled his dagger and thrust his hands out at them. Piercing their throats simultaneously, he pulled back and they collapsed choking on their own blood.


    He sheathed the daggers in his belt and let out a sharp whistle. Moments later a handful of boys near his age came running out from their dark corners, faces wrapped up in linen, and carrying two small oil casks under their arms. One of them had a torch that he handed to Derren as he went inside.


    Soon as they were in, the boys chucked the oil casks all around the house, aiming for tables, the walls and support beams. The casks exploded from the sharp impact and the oil was all around the building, the kids ran out, their job complete. And before anyone truly knew what was going on Derren tossed the torch onto an oil spot, and within a minute, the whole bottom floor was on fire.


    Mere hours after setting the Gambling house on fire Derren was captured by the city guards and thrown into the dungeons. They said he was to be facing the noose. Until a lord approached him and made him an offer he couldn''t refuse.


    Derren then spent the next three years living in the castle atop the hill, the very same castle where the king lived. And day after day he trained with Lord Gerald, the man who released him from the dungeons and saved him from the noose. His manners were also refined, but he was very limited in who he could talk with. Most days he was alone, training by himself to pass the time.


    Finally, the day came when Gerald said he was to pay back his debt to him, and he was inducted into the City Watch. His past dealings with the Sky Cloaks made him less than happy with his new job. But in less than a year, he was elevated to Captain and was in charge of the men he seemed to loathe.


    Strange enough his new position made him closer with the men working under him, he was sent immediately down to the Southern Gate of the city. Down there it was almost always chaos and it was hard work getting it in order but something in him changed, he cared about the peace down there, he didn''t believe that life should be like that all the time. Merchants squabbling over small territory to sell their goods, people of all ages picking pockets, or even the daily fist fights that drew in more people each time.


    With what few men he had, Derren put order to the chaos down there. He forbid his men from using their weapons for a time but insisted they didn''t pull their punches. Slowly but surely the street fights became less and less, the people they caught breaking the law would get beaten, but not too badly. Mostly bruises and a few days of pain, the only times Derren allowed his men, or himself, to draw their weapons or point their spears at someone, was when the person had their own weapon.


    This display of restraint brought more confidence and respect back to the guards down at Trader Square, which is what was needed above all. The daily brawls ended, the pickpocketing became far less common, and the merchants had designated areas to sell their wares. Of course, things were still rather noisy down there, the occasional scuffle happened, as to be expected, but as much as it would get that area was peaceful.


    And then a self-named lord, called The Baron, started selling out a strange candy to the common people, turning them violent, unpredictable, and always needing more; like their life depended on it. Chaos returned once again and started slowly spreading out through the whole city. It wouldn¡¯t be too long before Derren had to allow his men the use of their weapons to handle the far more violent people.


    Once again he was starting to bring some semblance of order back to that area until the commander died, and Lord Gerald assigned him to keep a close eye on William Royce. A job he accepted reluctantly.

 The Grey Bishop I

    The Grey Bishop I


    The Baron Delight, that¡¯s what they were calling this little pink candy that Edward was selling in this winding alley for two coppers to anyone who wanted it.


    He pulled out one of Treat''s from his sleeve and unwrapped it, holding it in his palm staring at the pink round candy. Just one of these would take away all his worries and make him feel better than a woman ever could: for a time. He shook his head and wrapped the Treat back up, and put it back up his sleeve. Truthfully the way people acted after eating that stuff scared him, he didn''t want to end up like his customers.


    No, he had ambition, strange as that was for a man like him. His grandfather was a knight, a drunken knight who beat his wife and children at home, but a man of some honor, and position. His father was a gambler, a bit of a drunk too, but not a fighter; he could never become a knight.


    Both his parents beat him, his dad after a long night of failed gambling, and his mom after just a few glasses of wine. She hit harder and looked at him with disgust most days. "I knew I should married that fat baker," she said aloud after smacking him with a thick wooden spoon a few times. She reeked of Blackberry wine. "That fat oaf woulda given me a real home, not this dung hole."


    She hit him a couple more times, the third blow missed and she twirled on her heels and stumbled back into the nearest chair. "''His father''s a knight,'' me mum said.'' He''ll be one too someday, and be better than some fat baker who eats his own goods, you''ll see.''"


    She spit in disgust, "your father never became no knight, though, did he?"


    He didn''t respond.


    "Did he?!" She shouted at him in rage, threating to get up and beat him some more.


    "No mum, he''s a no good dice thrower," he said quivering in fear from her.


    "That''s right, ain''t no knight at all. Bet that baker¡¯s prick was as fat as him." She finished off the bottle and let it slip through her fingers. "Go get me another one boy," She said leaning back in the chair.


    He went to the kitchen, but found none, course there''s no more wine, barley any food either. Fortunately, for him when he returned his mother was passed out snoring.


    To hell with them both, he told himself one day. After his father came home with some big winnings from the gambling house he and his mom celebrated with so much wine they both passed out drunk. That''s when he took the coins his father won, and what food he could carry in his little sack and ran from home.


    His heart was racing so fast and he was breathing hard just from a few minutes of running, but he didn''t stop. Went straight to the stables, bought a horse and rode on as far as he could until he and the horse couldn''t go anymore and needed rest. He was terrified his father and mother would find him so he never stopped for long. He stopped panicking about them once he strolled into his first city. He didn''t stay there long, though, kept moving on from city to city until making it to the capital of Crownhill: the King''s city.


    He sighed and took a seat on the ground leaning against the wall of the alley street. I was going to make something of myself here. "I''m going to be someone real important one day," he said to himself. I been saying that for five years now, I can fight at least. But the knights only seem to take on respected and known names, and I''m too old to squire.


    The Sky Cloaks might take me, they seem like a good lot, some of em. He rose to his feet. No, I am destined to be a knight! One day I''ll show my mum, and boast to me dad what a great man I''d become, like his dad before him.


    As the sun was falling down, and the sky darkening, a brooding figure made his way down the street towards Edward, slow and methodic in his steps. Carrying an unlit lantern in one hand and thick wooden club in the other.


    Gin was a silent man with dark brown skin, shaved head and mixed layers of strong muscle and fat. He said very little and was always intimidating, in both his stature and silence. He nodded to Edward, a notion that spoke for Gin, and Edward moved on from that spot. His day was done, the coin count was nothing special and as soon as he got to the shabby little hut he called home he could relax.


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    But tonight he needed a distraction, and Lisa worked. So he took a detour to the gambling house at the bottom of the hill on Raven Street. It sat in a small half circle with four other gambling houses right next to it. They called the place, The Gambler''s Close, whatever the hell that meant. All the houses were owned by The Baron so it mattered not which one he went to, but he favored the center one with purple paned windows, the people in there were often more lively.


    Dice, that was his muse, while others would drink ale or even go as far as to beat their wife to relieve their stress, for him it was dice. He tried ale before, so many men loved to drink their problems away, he would join them if the stuff didn''t taste like piss and dirt. Wine was flavorful but far too expensive for him. And he didn''t want to harm his lover, it wasn''t her fault for his life.


    So he turned to dice. Skulls and Roses, get a match of roses and you win, get only skulls and you lose. You toss down five dice, each with 4 skulls and 2 roses on the dice. Of course, there were other forms of dice, but Skulls and Roses were the easiest and had the most likely payout; even if the pay was often low.


    But he played for fun, more than he did for coin. The last time he played for coin is how he got into this mess in the first place. He wasn''t making enough money picking up side jobs where people needed an extra pair of hands for a time, and no one would keep him around long term.


    The Gambling house had three open tables with Skull and Roses dice going on, he went to one with four others sitting around it and waited patiently for his turn. He made sure to use only his money he brought with him, not the money he got from selling the Baron''s strange candy. He knew better than to gamble with those coins, if his count came up short the best he would get would be a beating and he''d be in more debt to the Baron than ever before.


    No, he was only in for 12 more gold bits and his debt to the Baron would be paid. He could quit selling that poison, and take Lisa with him to the Riverlands. Whether or not she would go with him, and what they''d do there, he didn''t exactly know, but it was pleasant thoughts to pass the times.


    For right now, though he just emptied his mind and threw the dice after they were handed to him. 4 roses, and 1 skull, he and everyone around him cheered the others half drunk and he was just happy. The payout was 8 copper bits, and he got to throw the dice again.


    It was a fun night at the gambling house, but he was getting tired and stopped after winning a silver bit from 5 roses. Now he might be able to afford a decent meal, even some wine, maybe. But when he got to his small house, at the South East Corner of Wall Street, all he did was settle down with a cold meal; he decided best to save his money, maybe he and Lisa could share a hot meal another time.


    After eating he stashed the coins, and the candy, under the floor boards. Unlike most people he didn''t have a loose board you could pull off, that type made noise and was too easy to get past. Instead, he made the row of boards slide out just enough to fit small items under there.


    And it was near impossible to slide them out with your hands at first too, you needed a thin spatula, which he had one made of steel, took it from that job he had in the Riverlands prying barnacles off the boats. He figured one day he would own a house and could make the sliding boards he wanted. He didn¡¯t know it wouldn''t be for several more years and the house would be a small hut.


    The weighed dice he hid in a corner area at the back of the house, easy to grab, hard to spot. No ever saw him switch them around after he makes a couple bad rolls, and no one ever saw him switch them back before he finished either. He was careful and smart about it. Never visit too frequently, never win too much, and never cheat at any other dice game that isn''t Skulls and Roses.


    You win small but the odds are always in your favor. And as long as you don''t switch more than three of the five dice out, and switch them back before you leave, then you''re never a target for suspicion. His father may not have been good for much, but he was good at slight of hand, and turning bad odds to your favor in a dice game.


    Some nights those tricks were the only thing that put food on his table. Maybe one day he wouldn''t need them, but for now, he had a meal on his plate.


    That night he dreamed his shadow moved without him as if it had a mind of its own. It disturbed him, greatly.

 The Copper Knight II

    The Copper Knight II


    Derren found himself at the Westcher for the second time within the fortnight. The first time was for William, and now William''s house had been burned down, with two female corpses found inside the remains. They were blackened and charred, and entirely unidentifiable. Derren couldn''t even tell they were female, not until the Grey Sage told him.


    The lanky old man spoke so quietly Derren struggled to hear him. "If you would please repeat yourself, Sage," Derren said feeling irritated.


    "I said that they didn''t die by the fire," the Sage said once again, only slightly more audible than before. "One had her throat cut, and the other was shot in the heart with an arrow fired from a crossbow."


    "They were murdered? Then why the fire?"


    The Sage gave him a sardonic look, then said, "Perhaps killing them wasn''t enough. But that''s not my job, Captain. Perhaps the arrow recovered from one of the bodies might help you find the answers you''re looking for. It''s been cleaned off and is sitting in the silver tray," he lifted his hand and stretched a finger outward. "Over there on the back counter, at the end."


    Derren walked over to the back counter and picked up the broken shafted arrow. He recognized the arrowhead, it was the kind crafted in the Riverlands, just like the one that killed Captain Lewis Gren. Could it be a coincidence? He wondered. All of the arrows crafted in these parts were in the fashion of the Greenlands; though it wouldn''t be hard to obtain arrows from the Riverlands, or even the Highlands.


    Eventually, he decided he was putting too much thought into the arrow and set it back down in the tray. It mattered not where the arrow originated, what mattered was who fired it, and why? Derren sighed, he wasn''t good at solving mysteries like this. It was time to would report his findings to Jorden and then continue his hunt for the Baron. But first, he had other priorities.


    "What is it you have come to report, Captain?" The king¡¯s hand, Duncan Whitetree asked. He had a pile of papers in front of him on the wide desk, his attention set on them.


    "The two dead bodies found in the burned down house of William Royce, they seem to have been murdered beforehand. And I believe that they were William''s fianc¨¦e Katrina, and her Aunt. That is given these two bodies and the disappearance of those two as well."


    "And you waste my time to report this?"


    Derren cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling very anxious all of the sudden. "Erm, no, no sir. It''s just... I would like to know what it is you would have of me. I mean now that Albert Hathen is dead, along with William Royce, it seems you no longer have need of me. I mean in the City Watch that is."


    Duncan paused in his paperwork and looked up at Derren for a moment, and then he settled back in his chair. "The Sky Cloaks have such a wavering loyalty," he said to himself as if Derren were not even there. "And Jorden is a stubborn old man who has great resentment for the people at courts, but he''ll put the needs of the city first so I''ll allow him to do his job. As for you," he studied him carefully as if he were a tool that had been used up, and now wondered if it was time to toss it aside. "You''re not nearly as smart as Royce."


    "I''m a far better fighter than him ser," Derren replied quickly.


    Duncan scoffed, "So is Gerald, yet he hasn''t had to use a sword in years. Fighting isn''t everything. That Baron down there, the self-named lord of crime. He''s a distraction, probably someone being used by whoever has been taunting us, and killing everyone off. He needs to be handled, you want to be of use, take care of him.


    "I don''t care how; if I need anything more of you I will summon you. Otherwise don''t seek me out again. You¡¯re a man of common birth, and a simple captain of the Sky Cloaks. Your intrusions on my business are suspicious."


    Down at Traders Square, Derren watched the unloaded merchant carts setting off down the road, leaving the city. He was absent-minded of anything else, though, the kids running around throwing small rocks at the fat men who insulted them for being poor, the grown men fist fighting shirtless for the entertainment of a crowd who threw in copper coins as they cheered them on, all of it phased him, and all he saw was those travelling merchants who got to see the world outside the city walls.


    The furthest he had ever been outside of the city was the field of gravestones, where they buried the bodies of fallen guards with no burial site of their own. Maybe when all of this was over, and they found the Baron, then he would take his savings and go see more of the world. If for nothing else, his job as a city guard had put some nice coins in his pocket, which stacked up over the years.


    Derren may have owed his allegiance to Gerald, for saving him from the noose and raising him up from the slums, but he had no intention of being a servant for the rest of his life. For now, though he dreamed of the world outside the city; until his daydreaming was disturbed by the shift of commotion at the Square. It wasn''t the noise or the chaos that brought him back to the present, rather it was the eerie silence. He looked around and saw the Square was all but deserted.


    The children were gone, the merchants had taken their carts and fled, and all others had a sudden desire to not be there. Leaving only Derren and the fifty men with him. They gathered together in the center of the square, hands gripped tightly around their spears. And after a calm moment of tension, countless of armed men began pouring out into the square.


    Derren looked to his men, one of the newer recruits, a lad of about seventeen, was shaking with anxiety and fear as the men kept coming. Derren put a firm hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Soon as we can, we''ll make an opening for you, then you run fast as you can to the barracks. Don''t stop, don''t look back just go and find the commander, tell him we need reinforcements."


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    The boy swallowed the lump in his throat and said with a quivering lip, "Y-yes. Yes, ser!"


    Derren nodded and looked back to see the armed men still coming, taking their time. They blocked all escape routes first and started spreading out to surround them on all sides. "Form up, back to back. Spears at the ready!" Derren commanded.


    The men replied by closing in together tight as they could with those of them wielding spears in the outermost circle, holding them out in front of them.


    "This here''s our city now," one of the men shouted as they drew closer. "We''ll be the new keepers of the peace."


    Derren said nothing, not wishing to provoke them. What they needed above all was time, and doing as little action as possible before they charged them would be the best way to get it. They may have been outnumbered but they were trained, most of these men seemed to have never held a blade until today.


    Gerald had taught him battle formations for a commander, and strategies as well; he was grooming him to be a captain in some army. Instead, he was captain of a handful of guards for the city, still his teachings might very well save him now. As the men outnumbered them five to one, they hesitated for a moment seeing the guards work together, they fought it would be chaos and they would pick them off and surround them.


    And for a moment Derren actually believed they had a fair chance, but when the men surrounding them charged, their formation fell apart. The first wave of men came at them like barbarians, twirling their axes above their heads and running right into the spears. Most of them died right away, and Derren couldn''t even fathom what would compel men to act in such a way, but a few of them lived long enough to wound two of his men and kill the third.


    The others, who were of more sound mind, rushed them while they were distracted, battering away their spears and slashing at the guards with their swords. Screams of steel clashing, and men being cut down mixed in together as some of Derren''s men blocked the attack, others, Derren included, parried and cut down the attackers, and the rest were themselves cut down. He soon got separated from his men as more and more of them charged recklessly.


    He was left to fend for himself and kept backing away so he wouldn''t get surrounded. He blocked a swing, stepped back, parried another from his left and shoved the man into his comrades. A couple stumbled back and more came. He could barely keep up, they kept advancing on him, gradually getting further and further around to his side.


    Now and again the men would get too eager and make a fatal attempt to swing at him. Derren would dodge or parry it, then cut them across the chest or even neck if he was real lucky. But they kept coming and he stopped worrying about trying to counter attacks and focused solely on backing up and dodging or parrying their strikes.


    Derren got so focused on trying to survive their attacks he missed his footing and fell on his back. The men launched at him with their swords and he rolled away, narrowly avoiding the gleaming steel. He rolled right to the feet of another man who grinned at him triumphantly. Derren thrust his blade up and into his thigh and got to his feet. He kicked the man into the others and ran.


    He tried to return to his men but hardly a third of them remained and they were scattered, fighting for their own lives in smaller groups. He slashed at what men he could while he ran, never daring to slow down. "Retreat!" he shouted to his remaining forces. "Return to the barracks!"


    The men didn''t need to hear it twice; soon as they got the chance they turned away and ran. Not daring to look back once Derren ran, a few of his men in front of him and the others behind him. He could hear the cries for help by some of the men behind him that weren''t fast enough, this caused him to pump his legs harder and go faster.


    All the streets they ran down were emptied until they got further into the city. That''s when they saw slain bodies of men, some in sky-blue uniforms, some in everyday clothes. All of them scattered through the streets, dark puddles formed around them, of dirt and blood. Derren didn''t bother to think what this meant, he just kept running.


    He heard the sounds of the men chasing right behind them all the way on their tails until they made it to Bulwark Street, where they were faced with a row of Sky-Cloaks, armed with bows aiming straight for them. Despite all his instincts Derren stopped, his men too, and the archers let loose their arrows.


    Derren flinched as the arrows flew right past him, some grazing him on the cheek, and side of his neck. He let out a frightened breath and turned to see the attackers that were right behind them had felled by the first wave of arrows. More arrows flew a moment later, soaring just over their heads, and felled the next wave of men coming for them.


    And then the third wave of arrows flew and more men fell. Then the guards rushed past Derren and his men, spears pointed ahead once they got past them, and met the final wave of enemies. The Sky Cloaks made quick work of those that were left, cutting them down in sprays of scarlet, and cries of pain. The few enemies left turned to flee and had several arrows fly into their backs.


    Jorden soon approached Derren, "How many men did you lose down there in your ambush?" He asked him.


    Derren waited to catch his breath for a minute before surveying his men. Of the fifty-two he had with him down at the square, only fourteen remained now. "Fourteen, they just came out of nowhere and surrounded us, five to one. The lad I sent off to meet you?"


    It took Jorden a minute to realize what Derren was asking, and when he figured it out he shook his head. "Our scouts saw you and your men running for the barracks. No one else made it." Jorden turned to the others and said, "Any of you too wounded to fight get inside the barracks to the Healer Bay, the rest of you wait outside here and await further order. Those of you on patrol round up your men and search out any remaining captains and get them back here and send them to my office."


    He looked back to Derren and said, "You too, with me in my office."

 The Iron Rook V

    The Iron Rook V


    It all went according to plan, nearly everything to the detail, with every member of the Royal guard under the influence of Sage Ordon the secret coupe was done silently in the castle grounds, by the royal guards, the men Duncan had brought with him (Gerald too), and the Riverlords and their men. They overwhelmed the king''s guard on duty that eve, all but one, of course, a new member who was on his one day off a week. For their worth though the kingsguard managed to take down over 40 men, most of them the royal guards, but a few of Gerald''s and lord Toby''s too.


    They didn''t stop with the royals either, they killed all of the present council and nearly all of the servants as well. It wasn''t an assassination, nor a coupe, it was more accurately a purge. However, the plan was unknowingly changed, by Duncan, Mira, and Gerald. When the time came for it, Benjin Macfore took a small unit of his men and killed the king and queen''s youngest, the infant boy. And this boy was then replaced with another child, by Mira, at least, that''s what Duncan had told Pascal and his fellow lords, their plan was to have the sickly infant replace the royal and then die of natural causes, leaving the crown for the taking; what they believed would be theirs.


    But the child was not at all sick, he was rather healthy, and above all, he was Mira''s nephew. And the fellow morning the news of the great tragedy was told to the people. Duncan and Mira waited anxiously in the council room, one of the few rooms in the castle unstained with blood. Soon as Sage Ordon left the castle to announce the tragedy to the people Duncan went to Gerald and told him, "Now is the time, be quick, it must be done before the Sage returns."


    Nearly an hour later Gerald returned to them, his plate armor glistening red with blood, along with his titanium sword. He had set out with so few men, what was left that they brought, and returned with only four. It was evident he refused to bring the royal guards with him. Yet he was smiling, even had a limp in his walk, he was injured in the battle.


    "Is it done?" Mira asked anxiously.


    Gerald smiled at her, "Would I be here now if I failed?"


    She rolled her eyes at him. "Well then, what the hell happened to you exactly?"


    Gerald pulled up one of the chairs and sat down, letting out a pained breath. "We were outnumbered, near seven to one. I''ll give Lord Pascal this, his reputation doesn''t speak well enough for him. That man''s a true warrior, mighta had me in these odds, even without proper armor."


    "He didn''t use the Royal guards," Duncan explained to Mira when Gerald didn''t give her a proper answer. "Either way it''s done, now we need to keep Gerald and our few remaining men out of sight while Ordon proclaims me acting king regent. He should be returning any moment now with his Nobles to make witness to this proclamation. So stay here and tend to your wounds best you can in silence, we still have a facade to keep. Mira, you come with me."


    Ordon returned with several credible noble men and woman he had stashed away in the city for exactly this time. They saw firsthand the dead king and his family, along with the slain kingsguard. Along with them came the newest member of the kingsguard, and the youngest in history: Ser Erquin Sais. A tall, broad young man, with a bald shaved head and a fierce look in his eyes.


    He was clearly distraught by all of this, when asked about it all he could say was "I shoulda been here."


    Before long, after the surviving royal child was revealed, Sage Ordon made his announcement and decree that Duncan Whitetree would be acting king regent until the king had come into the proper age. Immediately afterward he took his leave of the castle and disappeared for many years to come.


    And when the inevitable question came up of who had done all of this, Duncan spun the story of the independent Riverlords who arrived at the castle under false pretenses for the festivities. And then while all was quiet they, and their great force of men went around the castle slaughtering the royals and everyone else they could. Until they were finally stopped by the efforts of the royal guards, and of lord Gerald Ironwroth and his men.


    One thing the Sage hadn''t realized, that fortunately Duncan did, was someone would need to take the fall for all this. He was planning to make it be the Greenlanders, but they were not anywhere near court, playing it safe. It was a very long first day as the king regent for Duncan.


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    He needed to find new nobles to bring into the court, and complete the council. On top of it were the endless stream of letters sent in by ravens and hawks, and owls, there were seats to be filled and every nobleman with ambition had made their moves soon as the news traveled. He''d hoped it would be a few days at the least, not a few hours.


    And the city below fell into disorder as everyone thought with the king and queen dead they could do whatever they pleased. The city guards, the Sky Cloaks, wrangled it under control before it got too bad, though. That, at least, was one less headache to contend with for the time being.


    Duncan appointed ser Erquin as the new commander of the king''s guard and gave the young knight his full trust to find the best new men to fill in the vacant spots. Erquin immediately requested his dismissal to search out the right men outside of the castle, and the city. Though it was an unusual request, Duncan heeded it, neither he nor the future king would be in any more danger for a time. Gerald had also won over the royal guards to his side so they would be well enough to guard them until Erquin completed his quest to fill up the kingsguard.


    At the end of that day Duncan had visited the prince''s chambers, Mira and Gerald already took their gifts back, he figured it was time he did as well. He found the box at the bottom of a chest, where he likely stored his other valuable gifts and items before they were looted.


    The secret to the box was the small bumps on the panels, they wound around it in a spiral pattern. Duncan pulled on the edges with some force and an additional panel opened itself in the middle, and all the colors changed into square tiles. There were seven colors on the box now, Orange, Red, Indigo, White, Aquamarine, Gold, and Maroon.


    On this particular box, every colored tile had a small bump on it that couldn''t be seen but instead felt. But, the key was that on each panel there was one tile without a bump. And after lining those tiles up the box folded into itself and opened up a spot where any item could be fit in there. Inside the box Duncan found a rolled up parchment with a small golden crown seal on it. The box was empty when he gave it to the prince.


    He picked it up, broke the wax seal and looked at it. It was a letter, he read it slowly.


    To my son Levi, the man who gave this gift to me took four years to open it. It took me two days. I hope by the time you have opened this box you will have learned a lesson, one I think that the man who gave this to me was trying to teach me. It''s hard, and dedicated work to rule, and you can¡¯t'' force it. But if you think about your choices and act smart you will be a great ruler.


    Finishing the letter Duncan felt melancholy. For he realized that Bryce would himself, have made an excellent ruler.


    It was late in the day when Mira had come to Duncan with a man named Zereff, claiming himself to be a sorcerer. He was old, with a peppered grey beard, wrinkled skin, and dulled indigo eyes. He dressed in baggy, grey shaded robes with dark blooming roses designed in the fabric; and had a twisting cane with a pointed end at the bottom to help him walk.


    When he spoke his voice was tired, and hard to hear. "Jocelyn Imburgh, Flora Redthorn, and Haden Wellis are on their way here now, behind them are three-hundred soldiers," he said in a solemn tone. "They intend to take the castle by force, finish what you started and then blame you for it all, claiming you were in conspiracy with the Riverlords and Sage Ordon."


    "So you expect me to take your word at all this because you''re the king''s personal sorcerer who, ''lives in a hidden area of the castle''?" Duncan asked skeptically.


    "You should take his word for it because it''s all true, at least, the small army of men coming to the city led by Haden Wellis and the other two nobles," Mira said, covering for the claimed sorcerer. "I spent days verifying this, my spies had been discovered and paid off well to deceive us. That small army is just three days away from us, I sent word to some men I had around the area, they got back to me with the same exact reports about seeing three-hundred men marching our way up the kings road."

 The Grey Bishop II

    The Grey Bishop II


    "Gone, what do you mean gone?" Edward asked Madam Fiona.


    "I mean Lisa is gone darling, she''d been saving up for a time now."


    "I don''t understand. I thought... I mean," he shook his head.


    "You thought she loved you? Come darling you''re smarter than that."


    The madam was right, he was smarter than that, he knew she didn''t truly love him. But it was fun to play pretend for a time. That didn''t mean it wasn''t painful for him.


    "Did she even leave a note?"


    Fiona shook her head.


    Edward scoffed, this is what I get for loving a whore, and then left the brothel.


    He should have known better, no woman had ever loved him before, not even his own mother. He cried, but stopped soon after and wiped away his tears. He didn''t need her, he can do better. He will do better, first, he just needed to get out from under the thumb of the Baron...


    Twelve gold crowns was a lot. It will take me years to pay that off at this rate. But if I leave the city, it''s not like he''s a lord or anything, he can''t get me outside these walls.


    A plan formed in his head, a dangerous plan, but with Lisa gone he had little left to lose and nothing truly keeping him in this city. He would need at least twelve silver bits for it all, though, two for the horse to flee on, and the other ten for the weighed dice. If he played the game right he could make that much silver in a fortnight.


    But he would have to go to a new gambling house, one where they didn''t know his face. Win a few silvers there, and leave before he got too lucky. He could then move on to a new house, and keep going on like that until getting the silver he needed. Then it would be back to the Baron''s gambling house, this time for a dice game of Snakes, Axes, and Crowns.


    Every time you rolled a crown you won a gold coin. But the cost per a roll was two silver coins, and if no crowns rolled you lost. If you rolled only axes you then had to pay out five more silver coins in addition to the two to play. Worst of all it was three dice, and of the six sides, only one had a crown on each dice.


    In fact, it was that game that got him so far in debt with the Baron in the first place. This was at the height of his gambling problem, and that night he was drunker than he''d ever been in his life. It was all such a haze he hardly even remembered playing so much, often he questioned if he did indeed play so much, that he managed to get himself into a debt of over twenty golden crowns. He didn''t even have that many coins on him, but it mattered not, for the Baron, or his lackey, would kill him if he didn''t pay the debt off, or, in this case, work it off.


    He wasn''t going to be in debt to that sleazy fat bastard forever, though. Soon enough he would take him for as much as he could before leaving this city and everything behind him. Moving on was, at least, the one thing he was good at.


    Sal came into the alley dressed as a common peasant, and smelling like lemons. The lanky man liked those sour things too much. "Boss wants a word, calling in everyone for something important."


    That was good, or better than just him, he thought. If it were just him being called in then it was guaranteed bad news. The Baron was like the king of crime for the city. You want a man killed, or stolen treasures sold, hell even want someone to steal something for you, you went to the Baron.


    This new treat that was being sold came from nowhere, he wondered if even the Baron knew who created it. Of course, the Baron was the official supplier, but he never took the credit for making it. And when someone asked where it came from or who made it, he had his tongue pulled out with hot pincers, a message to everyone not to ask those kinds of questions.


    "Can you believe it," Edward asked following Sal. "Damn kids trying to buy some Baron Delight. Kids don''t be needing this poison, they need real candy like the kind bakers might have, or a puppeteer might sell after a show for some extra coin."


    "So why not sell it to them? A customer is a customer."


    Edward grabbed Sal by his tunic and slammed him hard against the wall. Even with Sal''s dagger pressing into the side of his neck, breaking through his skin, he pinned him against the wall in anger. "Listen up and listen well, I don''t peddle this stuff to kids! Got it?"


    He let go after that and Sal pulled back his dagger and they continued on in silence. Edward rubbed at the thin cut on his neck, maybe I''ll show Sal my dagger before I leave.


    Edward was led to the center buildings in Rats Hobble. Which were formally a group of decent houses build just a few feet apart until the Baron seized them, tore down certain walls and had some builders connect them all into one large single building. This place was called the Warehouse, he stored and distributed almost all of the "treat" in there. It was also ideal for meetings in the closed off area that were originally the first home of the bunch he seized.


    He was taken through the side entrance to the Warehouse. Sal told him to wait outside the door before he could come in, then he went inside to Second House. Edward leaned against the wall looking around the Warehouse.


    He was annoyed at how much room was used just for storing the crates filled with the "treat". Several homes were taken all just to store these crates and Edward lived in a place half the size of just one of them. He hated it, some days he wished he could set the whole Warehouse on fire, with the Baron still in it.


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    "Daydreaming of sabotage again are we?" A familiar voice asked Edward.


    He turned to see Ron, a plain-faced man with broad shoulders and short, brown curly hair. Ron was the closest thing to a friend Edward had. Ron watched his back when he had the free time, helped make sure Edward wasn''t robbed of his cache. Of course, he had a knife, and a decent idea of how to use it, but he was no fighter.


    Ron was a good fighter, nothing too special, but having him around made Edward feel at ease. Just knowing someone had his back in case things got bad was comforting. But it wasn''t entirely out of kindness, Ron only looked out for him as a personal investment. Every other week Edward would join Ron in going to a gambling house to hustle cards, or dice for some nice coins on the side; Ron took home 8 coppers for every 10 they won.


    "One day," he said maliciously, "one day."


    "Yea and one day I''ll have a wife with a great pair of tits on her, and that can cook me a decent meal."


    "You''d get bored of her in a fortnight, well her cooking at least," Edward japed.


    Ron got a hardy laugh from that and slapped Edward so hard on the shoulder it was sure to leave a bruise. "Speaking of woman," Ron started.


    "She moved," Edward said quickly. "Whore didn''t even have the decency to leave me a note or explanation." Edward looked down and fought back the tears threatening to fall. He couldn''t cry in front of any of these men, they''d eat him alive if he did. He managed to hold them back as more people came in to line up and wait to see what the Baron wanted with them.


    Before too long the others were called in, one by one. After hardly a minute the next person was called in, this process kept up until it was only Ron and Edward. Then Ron was called in next, he said not a word as he went in, but almost right after the door shut there was a loud commotion from inside.


    It sounded like a violent struggle, loud grunts, furniture-smashing, then Ron let out a pained yelp. And then it was silent, and the door opened up and Sal came out, huffing for breath. He called for Edward to follow him inside, cautiously Edward obeyed.


    The room inside was a mess with the slain bodies of the others lying about, blood splattered on the wall, and all the chairs and tables smashed up. He was so frozen with fear he hardly felt Sal grab his arm and then run the sharp of his blade across his throat.


    The next thing he knew Sal was standing three feet from him, snapping his fingers in his face. "Hey stupid, snap out of it," Sal said.


    Edward jumped with fear, and a cry of surprise. All his breath was lost and he grabbed his neck, it was unscathed. Sal slapped him lightly on the face a couple times, and Edward was spooked, remembering his weird vision. He panicked and slammed his head into Sal hard as he could.


    Sal reeled back and Edward stepped up to him then brought his knee up into Sal''s crotch before he could recover. Then Edward shoved him down and ran in a blind panic. He made it far, almost all the way home until a massive shadow beast blocked his path.


    Edward was frozen, staring at this thing which was so unreal and yet undeniable. It snarled then lunged at him, mouth gaping open. He couldn''t move, hard as he tried, something more than fear paralyzed him. And with one gulp it consumed him, into its dark void.


    Edward later awoke to a pounding at his door. He got up, trying to remember what happened after he went with Sal to the Warehouse. Everything was such a blurry haze, it hurt his head to think about it.


    He opened the door, on the other side was Ron. "I don''t know what that was back there at the Warehouse, but Sal is furious with you. He''s looking for you so he can cut your parts off, and then kill you."


    Edward chuckled, that much he remembered, hitting Sal in the crotch with his knee. That felt good to get back at that lemon-sucking prick. Although his amusement at it all seemed to almost disturb Ron. That wasn''t a good sign, something bad must have happened, and it was more than him hitting Sal.


    "Alright, you have more news to share, worse news. So out with it." Edward said.


    "The Baron has finally gone off the deep end," Ron said, sounding scared. "He''s got all these people, including the ones buying that treat of his we''re peddling, arming themselves for a war. He plans to overthrow the entire city guard by ambushing them, and he wants everyone to fight, including you."


    Edward muttered a curse to himself, all his plans just went up in flames. He barely had any coins saved away.


    "My advice take whatever coins you got stashed away and get the hell out of this city for good. That''s what I''m doing."


    "When''s he planning all of this insanity?"


    "He''s been planning it for a while, but we were the last to know. It''s all going down tomorrow around midday. I''m leaving tonight."


    Ron put a firm hand on Edward''s shoulder, "It''s been nice knowing you, we had some fun times."


    Edward grinned, "They weren''t boring, I''ll give you that."


    Ron gave him a last concerned look then turned and left. Edward shut the door, then fell back on it, sinking slowly to the floor. What the hell am I going to do now? He asked himself. One thing was for sure, he had to get out of the city, today.

 The Iron Rook VI

    The Iron Rook VI


    For years Duncan had to contend with the thorns at court, threatening to prick him and the others with their poisoned tips and finish them off. The day they first arrived they had come with a small army, intent on overthrowing Duncan and doing to him what he did to the Riverlords. But Duncan managed to keep them at bay by closing the gates of the castle to them, and securing the entire force of the Skycloaks to stand as threats from the rear while the royal guards stood atop the wall ready with a surplus of crossbows.


    Mira convinced him that they would make great allies in the management of the nations as a whole. But he couldn''t allow them to enter the castle ground with all their men. So he decided to allow them in with only 50 men, and that the other 250 would march home that very day.


    Lord Haden agreed to these terms without hesitation, and within the hour 250 of the men, he brought turned and marched out of the city. Even then Duncan didn''t open the castle gates, not until that evening when it was confirmed the men had marched miles away from the city and only stopped to camp for the night, they had every intention to return home. Finally, Duncan let them in, but the men had to relinquish their weapons to the royal guards while they stayed there; again without hesitation Haden agreed to these terms and they were weakened even further.


    And true enough they did prove to be very valuable allies in the court, well that is when they weren''t trying to kill him. But thanks to Mira, and her new friend the sorcerer Zereff, they kept well away from those poisoned tips. Eventually, though they left the court, realizing they would never succeed in removing Duncan and the others from power, at least not while at the courts themselves.


    And so began a game of gambits, gaining influence and control of men and woman at lesser seats of power to begin shifting the balance between them. But it turned out Duncan was great at this, probably the one thing he truly was great at, and he kept well ahead of the thorns, finding what people were under their control and managing to maneuver one of his own around them or to a higher position.


    In fact, he was so good, he let it go to his head, and allowed Gerald into talking him into getting rid of the sorcerer, and his great influence over him. While Zereff was indeed on his side, or so it would appear, the old man held too many secrets, his magic powers were far too dangerous to compete with mortal men, and Duncan relied too heavily on him.


    When next he appeared before them Gerald stuck his sword through his back. The room went dark for an instant and the sorcerer was gone, yet Gerald''s blade was gleaming red with his blood. There was no way he could have survived that, magic or no, but Duncan feared that if he had, he would be a powerful enemy.


    *  *  *


    That night he couldn''t sleep, so Duncan set up the chess board and put out the few special pieces he had on the tiles. Sage Ordon was the one who started this all, the one who brought him into the fold of his scheme. And now he is dead. He pushed the Golden Bishop over. The pinging noise from it hitting the board filled the silent room, and soon stopped.


    The old Sage had an odd obsession with this game, even went so far as to categorize all of them as the pieces of the game. He was the Iron Rook, a castle, or rather tower, of fortitude. But that''s the difference between him and Ordon, to the Sage this was almost like a game.


    "Capture the king, win the game." He told him.


    But life is more complicated than that, politics especially. But Ordon had the right idea, no one man should rule the world. "Control the king, control the world."


    He knew better, you can''t control men, but you can manipulate them. A king who listens to his councilors is a king who will rule well, so long as they maintained good council. But Ordon didn''t listen to him, not when he tried to tell him that you can''t end feudalism by killing the royal family, and especially not when you cannot trust the Redthorn family.


    House Redthorn, House Lilen, house Imburgh, gods every noble house in the Greenlands were no good schemers. They don''t earn their riches or lands the traditional way. No, they marry into homes with lands, wealth, or anything they desire and then wrap their vines around their throats and strangle them all. And then they take what is now theirs by law.


    He warned Ordon about those gardens, and now the old Sage was nicked by a poisoned thorn. Duncan had spent his entire time at court carefully pushing, and snipping away those thorns and vines, slowly but surely removing as much influence as he could from the nobles of the Greenlands.


    Finally, when they got the message, and realized that their roots would not grow in here, they left the court, and he could relax, if only a little. He knew they''d one day be back, their scheme, whatever it was, is finally set in motion. Albert''s death was a great distraction for them, and they tried using William Royce to turn their heads so they could sneak up on them and stab them in back.


    After all, no one pays that much attention to a common man, but after they tried that same thing with his father, Adam Royce, Duncan caught on. They almost got him with Adam though, the man had enough friends in high places to really do some damage. But his paranoia of the schemers saved everything, and Adam was dealt with before any more harm could be done. Still he figured the son might follow in the father''s footsteps so he had a gambit of his own playing William.


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    And now William Royce is dead, Sage Ordon is dead, and a pair of Riverlords he persuaded to his side died several days later at a feast, before they got a chance to leave the court. He was sure it was the work of the thorns, reaching their vines back into court, most of it anyways. But something else was awry, he knew someone else was coming for him, but he missed a crucial piece of the puzzle to figure out who.


    It was hardly setting past morning when Duncan poured his cup of wine. He started drinking one cup a day since William showed up with that Copper Pawn piece and the news that Albert Hathen was dead. Usually, he waited til his last meal to pour his cup, after a long day it never tasted better. But today his desk was so piled with work and bitter news from the day before, he might need to drink the whole flagon.


    He grabbed the flagon and poured himself a cup. "I wouldn''t if I were you," a mocking voice whispered In his ear from behind him.


    He was so startled he dropped the flagon and turned around as it crashed to the floor, spilling the wine on the carpet. But when he had turned there was no one there, only his shadow. He got up, looked around, the windows were all closed shut. I''m hallucinating from all the stress, and lack of sleep, he told himself.


    After sitting back down and resting a moment he remembered the dropped flagon of wine and sighed. When he looked at it, he realized a terrible truth. The pool of wine staining into the carpet had a shade of purple to it, it should be light crimson: it was poisoned.


    "Shit!" Duncan exclaimed, grabbing his cup and tossing it out. "Guards!" he shouted.


    The guards posted outside his door came in immediately, hands on their swords.


    "Go find Lord Gerald, and Lady Mira right away. Send out the word to every guard and servant that I want them in here. And above all make sure they don''t eat or drink anything, got it?" He didn''t wait for a response before shouting, "Go!"


    "You still think this is the work of another?" Gerald asked after Duncan finished explaining the attempt to poison him.


    "I''m not sure, it doesn''t seem like them to try the same scheme twice," Duncan said.


    "He''s right, the Thorn''s are too smart to try the exact same thing."


    "Perhaps it was a Vine, trying to strangle us," Gerald suggested.


    "The Vines serve the Thorns. If they''re trying to strangle us then it''s only a distraction," Mira said.


    "Mira is right, I have an odd feeling that there''s more to this, but I can''t ignore the fact that this has the strategies of the Thorn''s written all over it. They don''t make large moves until the very end, though. Right now they''re still trying to set up everything to fall in their favor. We need to root them out of court yet again, this time, more thoroughly; we can''t let them slip through the cracks."


    Duncan let out a long sigh. "One thing''s for certain, though, we''ve grown far too complacent over the years. Whether it''s the thorns, or some new players in this game, they''re after us. So from now on we better be a hell of a lot more careful." His eyes moved over to Gerald as he finished.


    Gerald understood, "I''m not the careless man I was before," he said affronted. "While the years here dulled my blade, they sharpened my mind. I can take care of myself, and now we know we''re being targeted for assassination. We''ll find them, we always do."


    Gerald took his leave after that. And when he was gone Mira said, "What he says is true. Before he wouldn''t have survived without me watching his back, some days I was tempted to leave him to his own carelessness. But he''s proved his worth more times over than we ever expected of him."


    Duncan was only half paying attention. And took some time to speak after Mira finished. "I don''t believe the sorcerer is dead," he told her. "There was a whisper in my ear that saved me from the poisoned cup."


    "That can''t be, you said you killed him."


    "Gerald ran his sword through him, but he disappeared. The terrifying part is we don''t know the limitations of his power, in some way he could probably survive wounds ordinary mortal men couldn''t. He did claim to be well over two-hundred years old."


    "Okay let''s say it is him, why would he save your life knowing you betrayed and tried to kill him?"


    "To torment me perhaps? The men of the City Watch down there have had talks about sorcery going on around the city late at night. I couldn''t get the details but my own man, Derren, he had an encounter with what he believed to be the work of sorcery, and he''s more skeptic than either of us were."


    Mira left soon after, when she got tired of talks about magics, and shadow tricks. Duncan took another look at his cup, despite the recent event he still wanted to drink an entire flagon of wine.

 The Grey Bishop III

    The Grey Bishop III


    Edward moved away the floor boards accessing his secret hiding spot, where he stored his most valuable stuff. He grabbed the small brown linen pouch and opened it to find four coppers. He punched the hard floor in rage; there had to be more. He couldn''t get far with just this much when leaving the city right away.


    Desperately he dug through the dirt searching for any coins he may have dropped in there before that could have been buried. But there was nothing there, he would have to make do with what he had. If I could just get into one gambling house for an hour I can make enough to buy a horse, some food and be on my way. He thought to himself as he covered the secret area back up.


    He got up just as his door was kicked open. Ron was on the other side, his eyes black sleights, and without a word he charged at Edward with his short sword. Edward dived out of the way as he came at him, and then rolled on his back to see Ron turn and swing at him.


    He rolled away to avoid it and Ron raised his sword to strike again. A little more prepared, Edward kicked at him as he stepped forward. The heel of his boot hitting him in the crotch. Ron dropped the short sword and fell to his knee''s as Edward backed away frightened. "What the hell was that about!?" He shouted in fear and anger.


    In response, Ron let out a slow and low pitched growl. And then he started melting away like he was made of wax. Edward hopped to his feet and ran out of his house. He kept running until the dirt road ahead of him caved in, swallowing up everything around him.


    He tried to stop and run from it, but wasn''t fast enough and the next thing he knew he was falling. All around him was darkness, yet the sensation of falling still overwhelmed him. Around the darkness silhouettes of countless faces began appearing before him in grey outlines.


    The faces were unknown to him, yet he felt strangely connected to them, as if they were a part of himself. And as he watched them fade away, being swallowed by the darkness as their features began to form, he felt despair. And when the countless faces stopped appearing, the infinite darkness around him gave way to a grey landscape that was coming up fast.


    There was nothing he could do to break his fall, so when he hit the ground his back bones shattered in agony and recovered perfectly an instant later. The whole thing happened so fast he barely felt any of it, yet it took him some time before he was able to stand up.


    When Edward was finally on his feet he looked around him. The ground around him was colored grey like stones, but it was soft like dirt. And above him the skies were filled with dark storm clouds, in them thunder roared, and purple lightning crackled. Around this dismal land, he saw nothing, save for a dark tower out in the distance that appeared to be made of a black glossy metal.


    With no sense of direction, Edward walked to the tower. He walked for what felt like days, the stormy skies above never relenting in their roar of thunder and crackle of lightning. The sun never shined through and he couldn''t tell if it was day or night there. Still he continued on ahead until the ground started rumbling violently.


    He braced himself for the worst, not sure what to expect next. But instead of some fierce monster, the ground gave way to a large door, risen up from the grounds. The wood looked rotted and any design on it long since faded, leaving sick marks around it. Slowly the door opened up for him, a dim blue light inviting him inside.


    Seeing little other options Edward walked through the door, it slammed shut behind him and the room inside was lit with torches on the wall, burning hot red flames. A dark stone table was at the center of the room, with a young boy chained to it. Out of the flames appeared a group of people in red cloaks, they surrounded the boy and chanted something Edward could not understand.


    As they chanted one of the cloaked figures, at the head of the table, pulled a jagged dagger with a dark glossy edge on the sides and tip. As the chanting became louder and faster the cloaked person raised the dagger higher until it was above his head. Realizing what was about to happen, Edward shouted in defiance, "No!" And he rushed forward, tackling the cloaked person with a dagger.


    He hit the ground hard, and the dagger skittered to the floor. Edward turned on his side quickly and found only the robes on the floor, the person in them had disappeared. He quickly hopped to his feet, the other cloaks were still around, their faces hidden behind darkness, but had backed up from the table, unmoving.


    Edward looked around for the knife and grabbed it before going to the table to try and free the child. But as soon as he got to the head of the table he saw the boy''s face. It was his face, but younger, the child chained to the table was him. He gasped and looked up, the cloaks were all gone suddenly.


    His head started to spin and he backed away, freaking out until he stumbled. Falling on his back he felt something cold around his wrists. As he tried to move his arm, the chains rattled, and he soon realized he was now chained to the table. He struggled, to no avail, and soon saw the red cloaked clone of him rise up once more, and walk around to the head of the table.


    When he saw his clone grab the dagger his heart raced, and he struggled hard to break free. The chains rusted away as he struggled, becoming weaker as if his will to survive was changing his reality. As he did though the cloaks returned, all of them with their hoods off, all of them with his face and voice, chanting.


    "Become the sacrifice," they spoke in unison. "It is your destiny, your purpose in life."


    The one with the knife was now at the head of the table, raising it up above him. The others returned to their chanting, which he began to understand somewhat, yet ignored it all in his struggle to break the chains. He roared defiantly as the dagger came down for him, and he pulled against the chains with everything he had.


    The chains snapped, and Edward raised himself up narrowly avoiding the dagger. When it missed him and hit the table, it exploded into dust. And the clones of him fell to dust as well, all of them. He grabbed the other chains around his ankles and snapped them off.


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    He hopped off the table and was confronted with a man made of shadows. He was slender, almost starved, with yellow-orange eyes. Edward grabbed the handle of the blade instinctively then the shadow man charged at him.


    It hesitated, seeing the blade reform in Edward¡¯s hand. And Edward seized the opportunity to plunge it into the man''s heart. It let out a shrill low-pitched cry, and exploded into smoke, knocking Edward back.


    He got up to find that there was a void of grey around him and a group of people, with strangely familiar faces, smiling. "Who are you people?" He asked, but no sounds escaped his mouth.


    They all spoke, but no sounds escaped their mouths either. And then one by one they disappeared into a silver light. Until one last young man was left, "Thank you...." he whispered before disappearing into the silver light.


    When the nightmare ended, everything had changed, and the shadows that stalked him became his ally, his tool, his weapon. He could mold the darkness into anything he wanted. He could look into rooms and see almost anything, and hear almost everything. Without moving a muscle he could be anywhere, so it wasn''t hard for him to track down the Baron.


    The balding man lived in a large estate on Queen Street. He made significant gains from the suffering of others, taking everything from them to support himself and rise to higher social status. But not for long, Edward thought as he briskly walked down the road heading to the estate.


    In the roads, scattered about, he could see dead bodies of men in Sky blue uniforms, and ordinary men like himself. While most of the buildings went unscathed, the roads made it look like there had been a war that just unfolded in the city. He looked up in the sky; it should be raining in a few days¡¯ time. Wash away all the death and misery spread out in the streets.


    When Edward arrived at the estate he busted the door down with a massive shadow ram. A pair of guards in leather armor came running to the front. The shadows by his feet stretched out thin and shot forth at them like javelins, penetrating their skulls. Edward moved on without a second thought.


    He found the Baron in the dining hall with a gourmet meal in front of him, crisp lobster, seasoned bread, and roasted ham. He glared at Edward, "Who the Fu-"


    His words were cut off as a thin shadow, like a wet cord, wrapped tightly around his neck. He grabbed at it to no avail, and as Edward''s anger grew, the shadow cord became tighter and tighter. First, the Baron''s eye''s popped, then the shadow cord cut through his neck, and his head rolled out to Edward''s feet.


    Edward looked at the severed head with disgust, thinking to himself, it wasn''t enough. He wanted to destroy everything the Baron had built, not just kill him. He picked up the severed head and walked into the shadows.


    Whatever force was guiding him in the use of his new found sorcery, was faint in this dismal realm. So traversing it, to get to the city guards barracks, took him numerous tries. And the only way he knew he was in the right place is when several men in Sky-Blue uniforms reacted to his sudden appearance, by pointing their blades at him.


    Instinctively his shadow wrapped itself up around his skin like armor. "Where is your commander?" He asked to no one in particular.


    When they saw the severed head he was holding they attacked him in answer. Their blades hit him harmlessly, he hardly felt it. But it became annoying after a minute when they kept swinging at him to no avail. He stretched out the shadows nearby and wrapped them around the men''s wrists like ropes restraining them from attacking him further.


    "Your commander, where is he?" Edward asked with more temper.


    Soon enough an old man with a limp in his walk came down the stairs, "I am commander Jorden," he said. Who are you, and what do you want?"


    Edward saw the old commander eyeing him, his face betrayed a third question, and what are you?


    He tossed the Baron''s head to Jorden''s feet and said, "That''s the severed head of the Baron that''s been causing you, everyone, so much trouble in the city. And in the Rat''s Hobble you''ll find, at the center of the district, a wide building that looks like several houses built in together. That''s called the Warehouse. There is where you''ll find all of his ''treats'' that he used to greatly control the people who ambushed you. My suggestion, burn the whole place down."


    "How do we know anything you''re saying is true?" The commander asked skeptically. "This could be a new ruse by the Baron, something conjured up to lead us into a trap."


    "They''re all stored in crates in the Warehouse," Edward said, ignoring Jorden''s skepticism. "I don''t think there will be any more than about ten men guarding the place given how most of his men were sent out to ambush yours. If you want all this to end you have to destroy his stash too, otherwise, someone new might take his place."


    Jorden said nothing, only glared at Edward, trying to discern the truth from him. After a quiet minute, Edward released the shadows restraining the guards, then walked back into the shadow realm.


    Edward then watched from atop the wall as many hours later the commander sent his men to find the Warehouse and see if Edward''s story was true. After they discovered all he said was accurate they left, only to return with barrels of oil and started dousing the entire ward, then when all of the men were out they set it ablaze.


    His hard face turned into a wicked smile as he watched everything burn. He didn''t care about those inside, part of him enjoyed watching some of them burn too. And for a moment he thought about spreading the flames through the city, watching the whole place just burn, but that wasn''t who he was. It was just a passing dark thought, and one he pushed aside to enjoy the show.


    Going late into the night the ward burned on, slowly dying out, and when all that was left was ashes he hopped down from the wall. Then he walked back into the shadows, he knew he was meant to live for more, and now was the time to find out what that was.

 The Iron Rook VII

    The Iron Rook VII


    "The Baron is dead," Derren reported to Duncan in the councilors quarters, when he finally got in to see him. Present with him was Gerald, Mira was busy that morning. "Thanks to an anonymous man, we think someone who was close with him but betrayed him, we received his severed head. Afterward, we reclaimed the lost districts in the city and his rampant followers were far more easily dealt with. We still can''t fully confirm it was him as we never knew his face but all signs point to it."


    Duncan seemed to only be paying half attention, but when Derren stopped he urged him to continue.


    "And due to the long endeavor of the Sky Cloaks, we also found his stashes of that strange candy that had put the people under his sway. A majority of them were stored and distributed in the Southeast ward of the city, also known as Rats Hobble. By the commander¡¯s order, it was ablaze, including the entire ward.


    "We''re working on finding his holdings, brothels, gambling houses, all of it, and destroying it all. The commander is sending a message to anyone who tried to rise up and take his place. If it''s working only time will tell, but after the dust settles the city should be at peace, as much as it ever was before at least."


    Were that I could say it was same for the courts, Duncan thought absent minded of Derren''s report. Everyone now it seems is up to some sort of scheme, and always there''s a plot in the works.


    "And as for the conspirator you have had me chasing, the one with the Blue Rose symbol," Derren hesitated, but Duncan didn''t notice. "No further trace has yet to be found. Whoever it is has covered all their tracks and we have yet to see anything of them since Captain Royce''s tragic death. His own killer is yet to be found as well, and we lack any leads."


    Duncan''s eyes moved over to the doors of the council room slowly closed behind a dark skinned man in a red uniform. He turned his attention back to Derren and asked, "Is that all you have to report Captain?"


    A flash of anger crossed his eyes and he said bluntly, "Yes my lord it is." He then turned and left without dismissal.


    Duncan ignored his attitude and nodded for Loren to approach them when Derren was gone. The royal guard bowed his head and said, "My lord I have finally identified the traitor as Captain Erutol."


    "Erutol, Terry Erutol?" Gerald asked incredulously.


    "Yes my lord," Loren said.


    "Gods be damned I would never have pegged him for the rebel," Gerald said, a bewildered expression grown on his face.


    "It would seem the man is a great deceiver to pull one over your eyes, Gerald," Mira said mockingly.


    Gerald shot her a look and opened his mouth to speak, but Duncan stopped him before he could.


    "Enough!" He shouted in agitation by their childish antics. He gestured for Loren to continue, "Go on."


    "He''s grown desperate it seems. Whoever is pulling his strings is pushing him hard. If not for this I doubt he would have ever recruited me. But as it stands he only has four other men, I''ve identified them all, they would have probably killed me the moment I turned my back to them had I said ''No''. They planned to make a move on you this eve when they were scheduled for guard duty outside each of your chambers."


    "So they only brought you, in particular, because you have guard duty for Duncan tonight?" Mira implied.


    "Yes my lady, in fact, that''s how I know it''s to take place tonight. They had two set for guarding your door this eve and one on Lord Gerald''s, the Captain''s plan was to dismiss the second and unknowing guard in his place. But they lacked anyone close enough to Duncan, so as my lady said, they brought me in."


    "Well then you heard him," Gerald said. "We should go grab him now before he can make a move against us."


    "No we should wait," Mira argued. "We still don''t know who else he might have recruited."


    "You said he''s growing desperate?" Duncan asked in a loud tone to cut through the arguing of his fellow Lord''s.


    "I did my lord," Loren said.


    "Desperate men make rash and dangerous decisions," Duncan said, and then paused to think. After a few minutes, he said, "We go with Gerald''s plan and take him now. If he''s being pressured into pulling off an assassination of this magnitude with how few men he has, then something bigger is in the works and it''s happening soon.


    "Time is the one thing we don''t have, Gerald you and Loren round up as many men as you can find and capture them all alive. Mira, you take our own men and wait in your quarters until I or Gerald personally comes for you. He might send someone we missed right after you soon as he sees us coming."


    Duncan waited in the throne room, with a handful of his own men. He learned fast that the only men you could truly trust were the ones you brought with you from your own castle.             And while it was generally frowned upon to have your own men while living at the castle, unless during times of tournaments, Duncan kept a handful around, along with Mira and Gerald; he''d insisted on it with them.


    The Royal guards were there to protect the Royals and the Nobles. But they were corruptible, that''s been proven too frequently. Maybe before, there was a time when they were the most loyal men in the world, but no longer is that the case. So despite the frowns it bore him, and the others, he had his own personal men for guards; he tried to use them as little as possible, though.


    When Captain Erutol and the men identified were brought in, they were absent of any shackles. Gerald, it seemed, wanted to give them some dignity, and they gave little to no trouble at all when they were grabbed and dragged away to be sent to the dungeons for suspicion of treason.


    "My lord you know me," Captain Erutol pleaded calmly with Gerald. "Whatever it is you think I did is wrong, I''m a Captain of the royal guards, a title of great honor. If the king hears about this he may remove me from the guards all together and throw me out. I implore you to see reason, I only ever served the king and everyone here faithfully."


    Gerald said nothing; he still wasn''t convinced of the Captain''s guilt either. And it showed on his face, he didn''t dare speak for he didn''t know what would come out. They stopped before Duncan, who learned to take proper cautions and kept a fair distance of a few yards between them, especially as he wasn''t restrained in shackles.


    "My lord hand, I implore you to see reason here," Erutol said to him, a touch of anger in his voice. "I have served his highness for over nine years now as a royal guard, seven of them as a captain! What reason would I have to harm the men and woman I swore to give my life protecting?"


    More of his anger showed near the end, this whole thing was more than humiliating, it was an insult to everything the man is said to stand for. And for a moment, even Duncan doubted his guilt, but that''s when it all happened. His guard dropped and Erutol twisted back and slammed his elbow into the nose of the guard nearest him. The guard reeled back in pain and Erutol yanked the man''s sword from his belt and sprinted for Duncan. There was nothing Duncan could do to stop him.


    Erutol leaped at him, sword raised high, with a slash intended to cut through his neck. A sharp sting ran across his cheek and down his jaw, as Captain Erutol was tackled by another body before he could kill Duncan. Duncan winced in pain, astonished to be alive, he turned back to see Loren had rescued him, as the two wrestled on the ground for a moment before Erutol slid the blade into Loren''s side, and then shoved him off.


    By the time he got the blade free of Loren the other guards had him surrounded, the tips of their spears pointing eagerly at him. He snarled and ducked under them making it a half-step before one spear pierced his thigh and he fell to his hands and knees. Another stabbed his hand and he was forced to let go of the sword. It was kicked away and he was then dragged off to the dungeons with his men, who also started struggling violently when the Captain made his move.


    Duncan looked over at Loren now; he died from his grievous wounds moments later. He turned to a few of the royal guards still around awaiting their next orders and said, "Two of you take Loren''s body to the grey sage," When they moved right away Duncan turned to the last one and said, "And you, find Lady Desmur, the master of coin, and have her draw up paperwork to have three times Loren''s wages to be paid over to his family for the next ten years, then bring them to me in the council room to sign off on."


    It wasn''t for a few days when Duncan visited Captain Erutol and the men he corrupted. They were all silent, Duncan wanted to have them tortured, but Gerald felt that they deserved better than that and requested time to get them to talk his own way. For once Mira sided with Gerald and believed that those men could handle torture, and instead needed something else to make them talk.


    Duncan agreed reluctantly, as he had his hand''s full trying to spin a false story of why those guards were imprisoned in the first place. It took every resource he and Mira had to cover this whole thing up. If the other lords and ladies found out about the royal guards attempting to kill the hand of the king, it''d cause chaos in the court and castle, and might spread even further. Gossip about a potential second coupe plan might somehow get thrown in there, setting aflame the delicate peace of the realm.


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    Then a thought came to him, what if this was part of their plan all along? Even a failed attempt on someone as important as Duncan, the hand of the king, by the royal guards was a serious problem. It would cause panic among the people at court, a large disturbance, there''s always a second effect for their actions, and chaos in the court is their goal this time. That must be why the Captain was pressured into doing this act so hastily, whatever they''re planning it''s happening soon.


    He would need to make sure no one else visited the guards in the dungeons. It was time again his own men be put to work, they would be on watch duty in the dungeons and the only guards outside his, Gerald''s, and Mira''s chambers from now on. They couldn''t afford to trust anyone else.


    Of course, Mira had told him he was being paranoid about all of this, until Captain Erutol and his men were found dead in their cells one morning, died from some form of poison, as was evident by the residue of foam on their mouths. Duncan shot Mira an angered look that said, "I told you something like this would happen."


    Mira glared back at him as if he didn''t already know that she fully understood how bad this all was. She turned to one of the guards escorting them and said, "Grab as many men as you need and round up everyone working in the kitchen, and I mean everyone. The chef''s, the serving boys, all who had access to the food. And bring them all to the council room, drag them by their feet if you must."


    The guard hesitated a moment and Mira shouted, "Go!"


    He jumped in surprise, then turned and rushed away to follow the order. Mira then addressed the other man, "And you, find Gerald tell him to get his ass to that councilor room as well and to bring some men, we might need to get a little rough with those chefs."


    It was getting dark by the time they finished questioning the kitchen staff. The food they served to the prisoners was a simple porridge, that anyone could have whipped up. To make matters worse none of them were in the kitchen when it was supposed to have been made, they were all eating their own meals after having finished making the rest of the castle''s breakfast. They had guards that were eating with them, which was rather common, that were being searched out to test their story.


    Duncan sighed and got out of his chair, as he went to leave the council room Mira asked, "Where are you going?"


    He turned back to face her, "To tell the king, it''s time he knows and we can''t keep this hidden much longer. Besides, we''ll need him to soothe the nerves of everyone. Half the nobles in the castle seem to have been filled with a dreaded anxiety as if they knew what was happening, but were too scared to confront us about it."


    A couple of his personal guards followed him as he walked to the king''s bedchambers. He wasn''t in the throne room and some days the king liked to relax in bed for most of the day with his queen; when there was nothing of importance for him to do. There was an echo of some commotion that drifted down the long halls, but Duncan was so drained from the kitchen staff questioning, and everything else, including his own lack of sleep, that he ignored it all together.


    The sky-blue doors to the king''s bedchambers were left slightly ajar while the guards stood on opposite ends. Both of them had dark wet stains on their red cloaks, like they had a swig of red wine that spilled on them just recently. At that moment, there was too much going on for him to even care, if he remembered he''d deal with it later, can''t have guards drinking on duty.


    "Your highness forgive the intrusion," Duncan said as he pushed open the doors to the king''s bedchambers and stepped in. "But there is something we must dis-"


    His words were cut off in utter shock at what he saw before him. The queen lay face down on the bed, a knife sticking out of her back. And the king''s body was at the foot of the bed while his severed head lay by his feet. And holding a small blade dripping with blood was a beautiful woman with dark red hair, glossy pink lips, and bright green eyes.


    She bore a wicked smile as a warm splash of scarlet sprayed Duncan''s cheeks and neck, and his two guards fell forward; dead. And then a pair of blades crossed before his throat. "Take him to the dungeons," she said. And the guards complied, Duncan went without resistance; there was nothing he could do anyways.


    Duncan was left to rot in the cells of the dungeon for days. No food, no water, no explanations. He had endless time to contemplate everything. Even had enough time to figure everything out, connect all the missing pieces, so when the princess, or Queen now, came to visit him with ser Erquin, it was of little surprise.


    Erquin was dressed in his full plate armor with a surcoat that had a crown with two blue roses crossing over behind it. And Queen Esmure dressed in high boots, a basilisk leather battle skirt, and a cuirass of the same blue leather as the skirt.


    He scoffed at their presence as they stared him down, "We were all so busy worrying about the vines, and the thorns in the court, we missed the rose pedal." he said nonchalantly.


    "So then you know who I am," Esmure said, evidently struggling to contain her own anger.


    "I assume you came to talk with me because you want to know why?"


    Esmure slammed her fists against the iron bars, "You murdered my family!" She shouted in rage. And for a moment, it looked like she would bust down the cell doors just to finish Duncan off. Until Erquin put a hand on her shoulder and she relaxed a little.


    "You know the truth be told, I''m not entirely sure of why I went through with it all in the first place," Duncan said, a faint echo of regret in his voice. "I mean I truly wanted to improve the world, forge something better but, all I did was better my own station. Perhaps I should have listened to Sage Ordon. He was the one who truly tried changing everything, and maybe had I gone through with his end plan we might have built something great; problem was he trusted the wrong people."


    Erquin and Esmure were taken aback by the Sage''s name.


    "Sage Ordon lived through your grandfather''s reign, and at some point afterward began plotting all of this. Everything in the hopes that he could unite the three nations, not under one crown, but under multiple leaders. Your brother, Bryce, he had a similar idea. He should have taken the throne, he was the only one truly worthy of ruling the world, I should have sided with him, but ambition and desire are powerful things, and I''m not a strong man; I always knew that."


    Esmure left in a huff when Duncan was finished, somehow dissatisfied with his story. Erquin signaled a guard to bring him a tray of porridge, some bread, and water before he took his leave. "Erquin wait!" Duncan called out to him before he got too far.


    Erquin turned back and seemed only half interested in what he had to say.


    "Sage Ordon brought in nine nobles for his grand scheme. Three from each nation, the Riverlords, as you know, died for their own treason, but the Greenlands lords and lady are still out there. They know full well about all of this, we''ve done well to keep this all in the shadows but they won''t stop until they''re dead, or they get the crown.


    "Say what you will about me but my intentions are good, at least here in this moment. So listen to me when I warn you that we''re on the brink of war. Lord Haden Wellis needs only an excuse to rally the men of the Greenlands to go to war with the crown. And you two have just given it to him, a princess thought to be dead for years miraculously returns to court as the rightful heir to the crown?


    "No it''s too convenient, how many would believe she''s the real heir in the first place? Whatever supporters you have left you need to summon them and their men, and bring your forces down on the Greenlands if they show even a hint of rising up against you. Otherwise, all three nations will fight for the crown or their own independence."


    Erquin turned and left without a word. Damn that man! Duncan thought. Erquin had a face Duncan could never read so he had no idea if he got through to him or not.


    When he settled down he looked at his tray of food. After about the twelfth day of solitude in the dungeons he had given up on life. He figured that they would starve him out then dump his corpse somewhere else when he was done. But seeing that food in front of him, and taking the first bite of that bread, he remembered how hungry he was and left not a crumb, nor a small drop of porridge. He found he was more thirsty than hungry, and his small tin cup of water only left him thirsty for more.


    He received two meals a day after that but no more visits until several days later. It was late in the night when she came and woke Duncan up with a light tapping on the bars. The low burning torch on the wall did little to reveal anything about her, and Duncan only knew it was a girl when she spoke.


    "And here I thought getting you would be hard," she said in a mocking tone. "I tried poison, but wow you guys really saw that stuff coming. I couldn''t ever get any of you alone after that either, but here you are, alone and defenseless."


    Duncan didn''t respond, he just rose to his feet and waited, he knew, after all, what she had come for and that he couldn''t stop her. The assassin raised her crossbow and took aim. "Any last words?"


    A million things came to mind in that moment but all he said was, "Long live the Queen."


    She squeezed the trigger, and the bolt fired.

 The Copper Knight III

    The Copper Knight III


    Jorden wasted no time explaining everything, soon as Derren and the other present captains were in his office. Including himself, there were only four other captains present, all of them had some sort of blood stains seeping into their white cloaks. "The Baron made an all-out semi-coordinated attack against us," Jordan explained. "In the last hour alone we have lost over twelve-hundred men, about two-thirds of our entire forces. And we''ve lost total control of certain regions of the city. I''ve sent warning to the king¡¯s hand, and a request for backup but I doubt we''ll be getting any.


    "So, for now, I sent emergency summons for all the guards on evening duties to be summoned right away, and the hundred or so men who were signed up for times like this. With their addition, we should be back to nearly half our strength, but we can''t take another assault like that."


    "What do you propose we do commander?" One of the captains asked.


    "What I ''propose'', is that we start kicking down doors, searching street after street until we find him!"


    "Commander we don''t have that sort of authority," Derren argued. "We need the king¡¯s permission to invoke that sort of intrusion upon the citizens of the capitol."


    "To hell with the king¡¯s permission!" Jorden shouted with such fury his face began to turn a shade of red. "We''ve been begging for the king''s help in these matters for weeks now with no reply. Well, it''s not just "his" city that will burn if we don''t stop this Baron, it''s all of ours."


    Derren knew he had to do something to stop the commander from ordering these actions. The man was overcome with rage he wasn''t thinking clearly. If they started kicking down doors now then that would put more people against them, and with their forces divided so much, they could be picked off until even fewer remain than now.


    "We don''t even know what this Baron looks like, are we going to round up random people and interrogate them?" Derren argued, thinking quickly of how to convince Jorden to halt his madness for a time.


    "If that''s what it takes unless you have a better idea?"


    He had nothing, he needed time. "Give us the room," He shouted a command to the other captain''s. When they didn''t move he shouted again, "Now!"


    They looked to Jorden who nodded and said, "Go wait downstairs, see if any of the men have something to report. Come back when you¡¯re done."


    After the other captains took their leave Jordan crossed his arms impatiently and said, "I''m waiting."


    Derren gave himself a short minute to gather his thoughts and form an idea before speaking. "Give it... a day, just a day before you start busting down doors. This Baron caught us all by surprise with these coordinated ambush attacks, who''s to say his men aren''t waiting around to pick us off when we thin out our forces even further?"


    "So you''re saying we stay here, safe in our little fortress while they loot free in the city, our city?"


    "I''m saying," he paused to think further for a moment. "What I am saying is that we should spend the day recovering from our wounds and rounding up what little men we might have left out there. And we pick off any stragglers of the enemies that think they won. And then in a few hours when the rest of our fellow guards have been summoned we begin taking back districts we lost in the city. Then we take as many of his men alive, some of them should know something about the Baron, who he is, where to find him, what he looks like."


    Jorden gave him a long and scrutinizing glare. "You know you have the mind of a tactician, in fact, it''s very reminiscent of a general I''ve had the pleasure of speaking to on multiple accounts. Except this general is also a lord, one who happens to be on the king''s advisory council."


    "Commander, is this really the time for this?"


    "Lord Gerald Ironwroth spoke to me one night about an experiment to turn a street rat into a worthy disciple, or, at least, a good spy. Said he was against the whole thing, but his partners insisted he learn to train spies, and who better than the city rats. You joined the Sky Cloaks at a young age, but not the youngest, but the real surprise is how quickly you became a captain.


    "Albert figured it out right away didn''t he? That you were a rat sent to spy on him from the new advisers at court. Yea that''s why he sent you down there to the South Gate, keep you busy and far away from him as possible."


    Derren stared him down. While he was right, of course, but all of that was relevant now. He wondered if the old commander had lost his mind as of late, on top of his rash plan, bringing up the conspiracy of him being a gambit for Gerald at a time like this.


    Derren let out a slow steady breath, the air in the room had grown tense. "Any moment now the other captain''s will return," He said. "And then you will have to make your decision, commander."


    They said nothing more until the other captains arrived, awaiting their new orders. Jorden took one last look at Derren before turning to them and saying, "Each of you take thirty able-bodied men and start searching out for any of our own that might still be alive. If you spot anyone outside tell them to return home immediately, if they don''t comply consider them an enemy, armed or not.


    "Take anyone you can with you alive, but if that proves too difficult don''t hesitate to kill them. Regroup here within two hours, we''ll coordinate our next move after the rest of our fellow guards have been summoned. For now, all of you avoid Wall Street, assume it''s no longer safe to venture to. Same with the Traders Square, it''s been lost to us, Derren you take Queen Street, we might still have some supporters down there."


    Even the nicer street such as Queen Street saw its fair share of blood spill, in fact from the looks of things it was almost as if the ambushes started here. Small puddles of blood were spread about the street, dropped weapons and helms too. But something was missing, and it wasn''t until one of the men pointed it out that Derren realized it, all of the bodies were gone.


    Derren didn''t like the way any of this felt. He went to one of the houses and pounded on the door. "This is the city watch, open your door." He shouted for anyone inside.


    No answer, so he pounded the door harder. Still no answer, once more he banged his fist on the door, "Open up or we''ll bust down the door and come inside."


    This time when no one answered he turned away from the house and instructed two of his men to break it down. They ran at the door with their shoulders up, braced for impact. Soon as they hit it, though, the door flew open and they found a hard fall inside. They got up and searched the house for a minute before calling for Derren, "Captain, you should see this."


    He entered the house and was speechless at what they found. Nearly a dozen dead bodies were piled inside carelessly. Two of them were old with wrinkled skin. The others were men, dressed poorly, along with a few in Sky-Blue uniforms. When he regained himself he looked to the men and said, "Search the rest of the house for any more bodies, when you''re done return to the others in the street and await further orders."


    Derren left the house and started calling out men in groups of five to begin searching out the other houses. "Pound on the door, tell them we''re with the City Watch. If you get no response after a half a minute break it down and search the house. If you do get a response move on to the next house down the line. I''ll whistle when I want you called back."


    He sent off six groups of his men to check the houses and took three more men with him. The rest stayed in the middle of the wide street on the lookout for any trouble that may spring up. After what they just found in the house, he longer knew what to expect.


    One by one Derren pounded on the residential doors and received no response. And one by one he kicked down the door, only to find, somewhere inside, another pile of recently deceased corpses. He had almost given up all hope when at the next house he heard a soft and frightened cry from inside. "This is the city guard," he shouted, "open up or we''ll be forced to break the door down."


    "Please," a woman sobbed, "Please just go away."


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!"I can''t do that. Now open up or the door is coming down."


    No response, he gave it a minute before kicking at the door. It didn''t budge, this time, the door was bolted. With the help of his men, they rammed at the door with their shoulders until it flew off its hinges.


    Inside the house, huddled in fear in a corner, was a woman with her two young daughters. They cowered when he approached. The whole scene reminded him of when he was a child, and the city guard came to take his home from him. Is this what they thought he was here for, to take them from their home? Derren asked himself.


    The men with him were much kinder when approaching the family; he left them to handle it. Outside he waited until the men returned. When they did they explained what happened from the family''s perspective.


    "The mother say''s the armed men just poured out into the streets from nowhere and slaughtered anyone outside." The guard told Derren when he finished talking with the family. "After the fighting was done a handful of the men stayed behind and started busting down doors at random, they dragged the bodies of both the guards and their own men into the houses then left."


    "Did she see anything else?" Derren asked.


    He shook his head, "No ser, she closed her curtains after that and hid in the corner with her daughters. They were hoping her husband would returned by now; as he was out fetching supplies for some repairs. But they haven''t seen him since he left. Before all the chaos."


    "Chances are he''s dead then, caught up in all of the bloodshed," Derren said grimly. "Time to regroup see what the others have to report." He turned from them and let out a sharp loud whistle that echoed down the street.


    The other guards searching the houses came out, he was relieved to see none of them were missing, and returned to him with their reports. Most had the same thing to say, bodies dragged into the houses to hide, survivors hiding in their homes cowering in fear. No one knowing exactly what''s going on.


    "Alright we''re pulling back for now. It''s time to return to the barracks. I don''t know what the hell is going on around here and I don''t like it."


    "What about the survivors of this street, we can''t just leave them." One of the guards argued. Some others voiced their agreements with him."


    Derren opened his mouth to speak when a massive BOOM sound erupted behind him from the other side of the city. They all turned around to see a trail of black smoke rising up from the South-East. With little thought they took off, heading to the rising smoke in the distance.


    They made it to where the smoke was rising from to find hundreds of their fellow guards watching as an entire ward was ablaze. Derren recognized the area, it was the Rats Hobble. "Where''s the commander, what''s going on here?" Derren asked one of the men who was already there.


    "Didn''t you hear? Some bloody madman brought the commander a severed head of this fat man saying it was The Baron''s. Then told us he had a huge storage of that candy in this ward. Took a few hundred men in there and found hundreds of crates full of the stuff. Commander then ordered it to all be burned. The entire ward too."


    "Has he gone insane?!" Derren asked aghast. "This fire could spread through the city! Where is that deranged old man?"


    "Should be at the front, with the archers."


    "Archers?"


    "Yea, anyone who didn''t take the chance to leave the ward before the commander set it on fire was condemned to die in it. The archer brigade has the entire thing surrounded so no one can get out alive."


    Derren heard enough madness, he had to see it for himself. He pushed past the crowd of guards until he got to the front where he was blocked by a line of them. They had explicit orders from Jorden to not let anyone near the row of archers ahead, in case they had the same idea Derren did, which was to try and stop this madness.


    He wanted to fight them, but when he was up front he could see it was already too late. The flames ran rampant through the segregated area, roaring fiercely and dancing wildly. A few men came running out of the ward, screaming in agony as their whole body was engulfed by the flames. They ran without direction or purpose, just with the instinct to get away from the flames.


    And as soon as they could be distinguished enough from the fire behind them the archers let loose their arrows, killing the people just running for their life in an instant. Then they knocked, aimed, and waited for anyone else. Stricken with grief, terror, and many other emotions Derren turned away and got as far as he could from all of it.


    With the Baron dead, the men serving under him were scattered and confused. Reclaiming the lost areas of the city was far easier than what they expected, given how well coordinated these men were before. But it seemed a guaranteed sign the Baron was indeed dead and there would be no one to take his place.


    As much as there could be the city was at peace again, and Derren had his fill of it all. After finishing his report to the king''s hand he went to his house and packed his things and purchased some extra items for the road ahead of him. He went to the stables where his horse, Raphael, was waiting for him.


    While he held onto his armor, weapons, and uniform, Derren was done with the Sky Cloaks, and Commander Jorden, and Gerald, the city; all of it. He had his small fortune he''d been saving up over the years saddled in a couple bags on Raphael. He had all he needed now to leave and just as he finished, Lucas had come along.


    A handsome man with a strong jawline, dirty blonde hair, and soft blue eyes, Lucas shot him a smile. "I had a strong feeling I''d be seeing you off here," Lucas said.


    "It''s time to move on, I''ve had more than enough of my fill with this fucked up city," Derren replied. He looked to Lucas, a yearning welling up inside him. "Come with me?"


    Lucas smiled, Derren could see in his eyes he was sincerely thinking about it. "What would we do, where would we go?"


    "We would go anywhere, everywhere. See the world. And there''s always work out there for a pair of knights."


    Lucas scoffed, "We''re not knights."


    "No one who matters will know otherwise. The only thing people look for in knights is how well they can wield their sword. If I was the best fighter in the world I could say I was knighted by some dead knight centuries ago, and no one would care to think twice about it."


    "You do handle your sword pretty well, and that blade strapped to your waist also."


    They both chuckled.


    "So what do you say, travel the lands with me. There is so much out there for us to see."


    He looked down, then out towards the gate, where the sun was falling low. Derren could tell he was truly considering it. But after the slightest shift on his face, Derren knew his answer. "No, my place is here, in the city. Who knows I may be a captain one day too."


    Derren walked up to him, and pressed his lips firm against Lucas''. They held the kiss for a long moment before Lucas broke off. Derren turned from him before he changed his mind about leaving and hopped onto Raphael''s saddle. "I''ll write to you now and again," Derren said keeping his eyes out on the horizon. "Tell you all about my thrilling adventures."


    "Maybe one day they''ll even sing about you," Lucas japed, though he was a little sincere too.


    Derren dug his heels into Raphael and trotted down the road. He left through the South Gate following the main road until it broke off into two additional paths. He looked around, unsure of which one to follow, the world was open to him for the very first time now.


    A glare from the setting sun caught his attention. He looked down the East Road, towards the Riverlands. With little more thought, he turned Raphael East and began following the setting sun, onward to whatever may lie ahead of him.


    END OF PART 2