NOVEL NEXT Chapter Fifty Six Give and Take
PART FIVE
Company Accounts:
Finances: £81 4s 9p
Mercenaries: 22
Support Staff: 2
Apple Infantry: 121
Assets: the mine in Eisenberg, The Smashed Marbles in Avolo, the house in Avolo, the mansion in Dorwich, the town of Mer Khazer
***
"Murder," said Lothar, "I need you to stay in Avolo. You'll help Suzie with The Smashed Marbles."
"Mada."
"Suzie, I'll be gone a long while. I need to change our relationship. You've been running things here anyway, especially since I moved out. I'm going to make you manager of the inn."
Her eyes were large and bright. He knew how important this place was to her.
"You'll become a member of the Rotten Apples and be paid a fair salary from our central funds. You'll also oversee budget: ordering, upkeep, staff—everything. Does that sound good?"
"Thank you, Stiff. It means the world."
"You're welcome. I've asked Rosalind to deal with the paperwork. She'll be around if you need help or want to get a message to me. Well…goodbye."
Lothar shook hands, then left his inn. He made his way through the streets of the city and out of the north gate, where the Rotten Apples were waiting for him. Twenty mercs, and over a hundred fresh recruits. They each stood to varying degrees of attention, looking to him for their orders. He breathed deeply, filling his lungs.
"Move out!" he commanded. "Scouts…you know what to do. Georg and Eva, a word?"
"Stiff?" said The Hoffmeister, as the pair fell in with him towards the rear of the column.
"Our numbers mean things are going to have to get more organised. I need you two to help me with that."
"Of course," said Eva. It was early days, but the woman gave every sign of being as keen a worker as Georg.
"My soldiers need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, kept in good health, and a myriad other tasks. In short, Eva, I need a quartermaster. Would you be willing to take the role? You'll be paid the going rate."
"Of course!" She beamed with pleasure.
"Georg, our infantry needs to be trained. My intention is to have them equipped with spear and shield and learn to fight as a unit. They must be able to defend and counter. You're the best I have for the role. Will you become the Order's sergeant?"
"Me? I'm only one level above them. Wouldn't someone else be a better pick? Say The Guvnah, or—"
"—No. You're plenty experienced. You know how to fight the way I want. And your closeness to their level is an advantage. You're best placed to identify the improvements they can make and explain it to them."
"Alright, Stiff. I'm honoured."
"I won't be paying you any extra wages than what you'd earn anyway. But you'll get a small cut of any profits the Order makes."
"Understood. I shall give it my all."
Lothar had the Apples set up camp close to Gerd Farm but visited alone. There was no need to risk word getting out about Princess Mei's new home.
He was welcomed by the family and seated with honour at the kitchen table.
"Reminds me of coming here looking for mercs and finding only a young man who hadn't yet learned the bow," he said with a smile.
Christoph laughed with good humour. "You wouldn't dream of taking that lad on now."
"Oh, I don't know. I have an infantry unit with places to fill."
"You're not recruiting any of our workers, Lothar," Femke told him sternly.
"You're heading east, then?" Wade asked him.
"Aye. Contracts are signed. Heading to war, by the sounds of it."
Wade looked over at Mei and Liena. "There's no doubt about it. It's moved from skirmishes to battles between armies thousands strong."
"I see. You're more up to date on events than me."
"Liena recently returned from Kuthenia," Mei told him. "She meets with my father's agents regularly." The princess withdrew an encased scroll. "For you, with details of your first mission."
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"Your father doesn't waste time."
"You'll learn that about him."
They crossed the Auster at Linby and made for the Kuthenian city of Jiezhou.
Lothar fell in with Ashlyn. "Rosalind got you the money?"
"Yes." She looked at him. "She explained it to me. Wynter can wait, Stiff. We'll get our revenge."
"My thoughts exactly."
"Not Rosalind's though."
"No. She thinks it's all done and forgotten about."
"She's your better half."
"Sure."
"Then why have you left her behind?"
Lothar smiled. "I haven't. Once we're settled, she'll come visit."
She gave him a confused look.
"She has the Staff of Hither-Thither, remember? She can come whenever she wishes. And I'll be kept up to date about the goings on in Gal'azu."
"You're a sly dog."
"Of course. You need a plan, Ashlyn."
"A plan? What's yours?"
"Another year or two of this and I retire. With any luck, I'll have a nest egg and enough assets to live off."
"I bet you could do that now."
"Maybe. But this Kuthenian business needs sorting out if I want Gal'azu to be stable. Which I do."
"Huh. There'll always be another threat coming down the line. We've seen enough of them in our time here to know that."
Lothar nodded. "True. But you need to pick the right time to leave."
"And how do you do that?"
"I don't know. I've never done it before. But it's possible. Look at Wade and Femke."
The girl nodded silently, withdrawing into herself. It was a shame what had happened between her and Christoph, that was for sure. But there were some things it was best not to interfere with.
The city of Jiezhou gave them a taste of what they were in for in Kuthenia. The few battles in the west had involved hundreds. In the east, it would be in the thousands. And the two sides had the resources to send army after army into the carnage.
I fear we'll end up earning our money.
They found their way to the palace, where Lothar met City Governor Li in the elaborate imperial hall. He was a large-headed man with the silky, dark hair of his race.
"Captain Tian Bai," Lothar said, reading from the orders Mei had given him.
"What of him?" asked the governor.
"General Fei wants him."
"Fetch him," the governor ordered his servants.
A uniformed man duly appeared.
"Tian Bai?" Lothar demanded.
"Yes sir."
"You are appointed Governor of Jiezhou." He turned to Li. "You are to accompany us to Pengshui."
"No. It cannot be!"
Lothar handed him the scroll.
Li read it and hung his head. "It is as you say." He turned to Bai. "Good luck."
It was the height of summer as the Apples walked from Jiezhou to Pengshui. The journey was made easier by the wide road they travelled on. In addition, there were numerous settlements on the way. It was always possible to reach one large enough to provide basic accommodation and sustenance. It was all a tribute to the Kuthenians, and to General Fei's administration of his breakaway province.
Once or twice, they were overtaken or passed by individual riders. They had their own uniforms and were no doubt hurrying somewhere on the general's business.
"When are we getting horses, Stiff?" Alfie shouted over.
"I'll see what I can do. For now, we'll make do with Wilson and Sharptooth."
Pengshui was the same size and layout as Jiezhou. But it seemed more populous. Or at least, busier. It was Fei's capital and nerve centre of his rebellion, and so a certain restless energy, much like Avolo, was to be expected.
Fei's people were expecting them. The Apples were barracked in the city, and before Lothar really knew what was happening, he was drinking something cool and refreshing in the shade of the general's garden.
"I am most pleased to finally meet, Stiff," said the general. He was short and wiry with a fierce intelligence in his dark eyes. "I wish I had cheerier news for you."
"Things are bad?"
Fei pursed his lips. "Things are serious. Our forces are engaging with the empire's every day now. The situation is fluid. I was intending to have your people settle here for a while. But something has come up."
"You're sending us out?"
"Afraid so. Northeast of the city is a great forest we call the Wildwood. The city of Benxi was founded on its edge, and it has provided most of the timber used in the colony. The empire sent a small force through the forest. A clever move, and it seems a skilled general leads them. They attacked the city by surprise and have taken half of it. Benxi was not heavily garrisoned, and our soldiers are struggling to expel the enemy. I cannot spare a unit to deal with this. But neither can I allow Benxi to be taken. It would give the enemy a free path to Pengshui."
"So Benxi will be our first mission?"
"Indeed. Thank you for bringing Li here, by the way."
"What's the story there? A traitor?"
"Hard to say for sure. The enemy has a spy in Jiezhou. Li met with him without informing me. I couldn't take the risk of leaving him in position. Just like Benxi, I can't afford to lose Jiezhou. I have had to send almost all our troops south, and these cities are vulnerable. The empire knows this."
"I see. Kuthenia seems so populous I was starting to wonder what difference my little company might make."
"Not at all. I am very glad you are here. I have soldiers, Stiff, as does Kecheng. But you have some unique assets that I hope will help me win this war."
Lothar woke late the next morning, pleased to have enjoyed a good night's sleep in a comfortable bed. No one else did hospitality quite like the Kuthenians.
Seregin found him at breakfast. "Ah, Stiff. I've been looking for you."
"Porridge is good," Lothar commented.
"Indeed. Listen, Fei spoke with me this morning. He has concerns for his welfare. He believes it's only a matter of time before the empire sends sorcerers to Gal'azu to win this war. I'm inclined to agree."
Feeling a little thick-headed, Lothar struggled to see where the elf was going with this. "And?"
"And he wants me to stay with him. For protection. Valnor, as well. I said I'd speak to you about it. I'd be happy for you to have Oripione during your time away."
"He's taking you from me?"
"I know how you must feel, Stiff. But as far as I'm concerned, I'm still an Apple. Valnor, too. It's just that your current mission is strictly military and Fei has a point. I would be more use to him here. The entire enterprise is lost if he is killed."
"I can see that. I suppose."
"He wants to speak to you. He just wanted to know if I was amenable before he did."
"I get it." Lothar dropped his spoon in his porridge. "Fine, I'll speak with him."
Fei gave Lothar a tour of his gardens as they spoke. "I appreciate your flexibility, Stiff. I will give you a carriage to take to Benxi. It will contain the wages for your company for the next month. I will also include an extra £10 for your Order. It is a sign of my appreciation for your professionalism in the last few days."
"That is very generous."
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Maps of the area?"
"I will give you what we have."
"What about the current commander in Benxi? I anticipate he won't be over the moon to see me turn up?"
"Captain Guan may well be irritated but I expect him to fall in line. He should be expecting an intervention from me since he has allowed the city to be infiltrated. As for the governor, I will have him sent back here and you can have the title. It will give you the authority you need."
Lothar thought about that. "How about this? Instead of giving me the title, how about you give it to Li? I can take him to Benxi, and he can deal with all the political flak."
Fei considered this. "Li has no supporters out east, so he won't be any threat. As you say, it will free you to focus on the military task. Lothar, it's a good idea. I should have thought of it myself."