NOVEL NEXT A Mercenary and A Merchant
Gavaine took the offered platter of food from Argus. It was the best food he'd ever had in his life. Of course, it was only halfway through the meal when he realized something was wrong.
His eyelids started getting heavier and his thoughts and actions were numb, sluggish even.
"What the..." He mumbled shortly before falling unconscious. The last sensation he felt was someone hefting him up like a sack of flour.
Argus hefted Gavaine over his shoulder as easily as lifting a sack of potatoes. Enhanced strength did wonders for things like this.
"I see it went well as always boss." A voice to his left said as soon as he left the prison cell.
A woman in a black dress that clung to her body stood there, staff in hand.
The black dress highlighted her long auburn hair which framed a heart shaped face.
Curious green eyes stared at Agnus.
"Yes, it seems we now have another mouth to feed." A rather droll voice came from his right. A man with short jet black hair leaned against the brick wall, twirling a knife between his fingers.
He had a hawkish face with deep set eyes the color of the sea. Despite the rogueish outfit, his face would be unforgettable the moment you saw it.
Both the man and the woman were slender, but fit, and both held a subservient attitude towards Argus that bordered on worship.
"Mmmgh. Let's move out. We've been away from the company for too long." Argus simply said. "Besides, I hate this city. Who sells a bunch of bananas for two gold? Damn merchants."
He stopped his way out of the guard barracks and waved off a couple of guards.
"Sir Mercenary, you can't take that boy with you. He must stand trial " A different guard wearing an embossed chest plate and a shoulder patch with two horizontal lines on it stopped them.
"Outta the way before this gets ugly," Argus growled.
"As Lieutenant of the Guard, I must ask that you return the criminal to his cell." The Guard Lieutenant insisted.
"He's paid for. Now stand back." Argus said. "If I have to burn down this shithole of a town where bananas and bread are twenty times the usual price, I will."
"Now, now Argus, that is most definitely not necessary." A new voice said. "Lieutenant, stand down."
"Err, yes! Captain! Sir!" He Guard Lieutenant saluted.
A man wearing fully embossed armor with gold and fur lining matches up with a a shorter fat merchant sweating beside him.
"Lucius Flannergy, Captain of the Guard." The man in armor held a hand out. Argus shook it. "The man with me is the merchant who paid for this criminal's capture."
Argus looked down on the merchant, towering over him even as he examined him. He was dressed in the latest fashion, that is to say in ostentatious, unbreathable clothes.
Typical.
"Tch." Argus spat. "And you, merchant, what do you want?"
The Merchant's voice came out high and squeaky, like a child's, but with the inflection of a grown man. "Err I say, Mr Mercenary, that boy must stand trial for my loaf of bread! Eighteen silvers! An outrageous sum!"
"Hoo." Argus glared. "Anna, take care of the merchant. You, Captain, you will forget we were here, or my right hand man will make you forget. You do not want that."
The woman from earlier stepped forward and the merchant's eyes bulged out of his head as if trying to run away. "No, no, no what's a loaf of bread? Mere pocket change! No need to involve The Manslayer in this is there? If you will excuse me, I will be on my way! Good day to you!"
The merchant ran off as fast as his short legs could carry him. The Guard Captain sighed and held his hands up.
"No merchant, no problem. All right Argus, I will inform the judge he has one less case to worry about. Last time though, you hear?"
"Yeah, yeah. Stuff it in your ears. Don't worry your shiny little head. We'll be away from the city tomorrow."
"Where are you headed?"
"We picked up a bunch of..new recruits to replenish our ranks after that action last month. We're going to the redoubt to train up the new batch."
"Ah, Hell Season again is it? Best of luck wrangling this one. Gave the city trouble for years."
"Yes, we heard tell of a most troublesome criminal who could not be caught. Partly why we're here."
"And the other?"
"Resupply."
"Ah, yes. Well, I must be on my way. Have to chase that merchant down and get him to fill out some forms. I swear the city can not go one incident without a backlog of thirty or so to fill out."
Argus and his two lieutenants parted ways with the captain and made their way through the city. At some point Anna and her hawkish companion parted ways with Argus to run an errand.
It took a little less than an hour for Argus to reach the company camp. Dozens of tents filled a small field about a kilometer and a half from the city.
Men wrestled each other in contests of strength, while women gossiped in the corners, their eyes upon the men.
The talking, fighting, and general levels of activity stopped as Argus made his way through the camp. He reached a small group of tents at the outskirts of the camp.
The tents were poorly erected, denoting either a lazy attitude, or just a lack of skill.
"Hjaldr, front and center!" Argus shouted. A man came out of the middle tent, which was a little more put together than the tents around it. "Got you some more fresh meat, I promise this one'll definitely be entertaining."
The man named Hjaldr grinned. "More entertaining you say? Ha! I hope he gives me more trouble than the rest of the newbies."
"Don't worry, you'll have all the time in the world to train our little thief here."
"Ah, so a kid was the criminal eh? Hehehe nothing a well placed boot can't solve I say!" Hjaldraughed, a crazy grin spread across his face. "So...when can I start?"
"Tomorrow." Argus said. "Tomorrow we march. He'll keep pace, but make sure not to break him."
"Ha! Break a new toy? Wouldn't dream of it!"
Argus unceremoniously dumped Gavaine to the ground in front of Hjaldr. Then he marched away. Tomorrow there will be pain and suffering. But for today he just needed a damned drink. Fucking merchants.