FreeHolds Adventure, Cycle 2 Part 8c
“… and then the guards showed up.”
Adwin was shocked. Tipper regarded him with an interested look and asked, “So, was anyone seriously hurt?”
“Sefla took a pretty hard beating, a couple broken ribs was the worst of it for her. Harvel had shielded her at the start of the fight though and was stabbed for his efforts, he should recover. Dedgi was alright, other than a black eye and bruised knuckles, he’s been looking after the other two.”
“Did the guards catch everyone?” Adwin asked.
“No, they were able to grab five and Dios had incapacitated one of them. The woman who stabbed Harvel and at least three others were able to get away.”
Tipper sopped up the last of her fish soup with a crust of spicy bread, “Did they get any healing?”
“Ide made sure Harvel was healed to the point where his life was no longer in danger, but the trio are not that well off. I put them up at a respectable inn down the street from here. Dios has been making sure they get fed.”
“So this was about your friend Sefla? Because she was Tannican?” Adwin looked angry.
“Yeah, sadly.”
“Any charges?” Tipper asked.
“The ones that were caught were fined for public brawling. The woman who stabbed Harvel remains a person of interest to the guards, though it is unlikely much will come of it.”
“Well, that’s not right. You can’t just beat someone because they have Tannican ancestry.”
Both Mokha and Tipper looked at Adwin. He was indignant. Mokha did not know what to say to him, but Tipper pointed out, “This has been going on since before we arrived here Adwin. The uprising and the expectation of the coming siege have people fearful, the ignorant ones lash out at those they can reach. It was a lot worse throughout the autumn but this sort of thing still happens on a daily basis.”
Mokha added, “Even before the uprising there was still a lot of people who hated the Tannicans and this sort of thing happened fairly regularly.”
“Is it the city? I mean all the people crowded together? This doesn’t happen in the rest of the freeholds.”
Tipper gave Adwin a look with a furrowed brow, “You’re familiar with the Winter War?”
“Of course I am.”
“Well, the people who were on the losing side of that war, especially in and around Willik’s Hold, were of Tannican ancestry.”
“No, Ghoulst was trying to displace Willik’s father. It was a rebellion for control of the holding.”
“Sure, but he and about four hundred other people in the area were of Tannican descent. There were other factors involved but the uprising happened because the previous lord of Willik’s Hold had been very oppressive toward Ghoulst and the others.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, Adwin. My uncle fought in that war, maybe you will get a chance to ask him. Or you could check at Willik’s keep or ask any of the oldsters in town.”
Adwin looked unsure.
Mokha looked to Adwin, “Wikkersak? Danos?”
“That was just a case of mistaken identity.”
Mokha thought it was time for a change in the conversation, “So Tipper, have you made a decision about our spring travels? I assume you heard about Setta being given command of the expedition to Kaymere.”
“Yes, she told me. By the sound of it though, she doesn’t expect to be there until early summer. So if were gone from GreensBridge after the first major snow melt, we should have around a couple of months to work before the Arcanium shows up.”
“Do you think that will be enough?”
“I’m pretty sure I know where to dig now. Something I had been unsure of, but recently confirmed, was that Kaymere fell twice. The latest time was nearly a couple of hundred years ago, after the Queen’s Bane but before the great migration of the orc tribes. The first time it fell was shortly after the last Elemental War, over the centuries the two events have been confused and the tales mixed together. The library had most of the Kaymere material in the lower archives and Setta was able to get me some information from the Arcanium on the subject. I’ve seen the plans that had been made for the more recent castle and there is a clear indication where the lower sub levels of the old citadel were connected to the sub levels of the more recent structure.”
Adwin was quick to say, “It sounds like we might not need to make such a hasty journey then. Calathy could join us.”
Tipper’s rejoinder was expected, “Well, given the fact that the Arcanium will be coming, I don’t really feel there’s enough leeway to travel leisurely”
“Well, what if Calathy and I followed at a slower pace?”
Tipper raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure you’ll be able to protect her through the journey? Besides, the last time we talked, you indicated that you were going to take arms training seriously on the trip there. Hard to do that if you’re not with me.”
Adwin looked frustrated, Mokha added, “I’d be alright with a slower pace. Besides Tipper, with three of us going with you the work should go much faster as compared to just you… and I.”
Tipper’s brow furrowed again, “Look, if you guys don’t want to come with me that’s fine. Or, you can follow along at your own pace. I have an obligation to my family that has to take priority over other considerations.”
Adwin was not so easily dissuaded, “We could hire an airship?”
Tipper actually considered that for a moment, “Well, that sounds really expensive. But, if you think you can make that happen, then sure.”
Confidently, Adwin said, “I’ll make it happen.”
Mokha served coffee and asked, “Has anyone heard anything about Raven or Celestial? I was hoping they’d catch Raven when they raided the jewellery shop.”
Adwin said, “No, I haven’t heard a thing about those two.”
Tipper added, “I did see Celestial just before going in to rescue you, but she had been heading out to the taverns with part of her crew. I’ve heard nothing from the Arcanium as to whether or not they’ve been caught.”
Mokha turned to Adwin, “Is the company still taking action against them?”
“It’s started to slow a bit. We’ve acquired nearly all the properties we were going after. I know Heller and his bunch helped with a raid this past eight-day. There’s another one coming up soon, that they’ve been requested for, but I’m unsure of the details at this point.”
Tipper said, “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of them before the spring.”
Mokha remembered something he had meant to mention to Tipper, “Just before the fight I was having a really interesting conversation with Ide.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I was under the impression he was trying to entrap me.”
“Entrap you? How?”
“Well, we’d been having a conversation about how he, as an apprentice Lamplighter, kept himself in weight. He essentially admitted to selling magical artifacts illegally. Then suggested that if I happened to come across any, that I should consider dealing with him, rather than turning said artifacts over to the Arcanium.”
“Sounds like a trap, considering the source. On the other hand, I have heard that most of the Lamplighters are upset about not being compensated well enough.”
“There is that, he does have a fair amount of weight and he certainly has no problem dealing in Flow potions.”
“I’d suggest not selling him artifacts nor admitting you have any, even if he is being truthful in his offer, we are being sanctioned by the Arcanium. Best to assume you were right about him trying to entrap you.”
“Sure, I thought I’d mention it though.”
“I’m glad you did.”
Mokha got up from the table and walked around the private dining room, he stopped at the window and watched the street below for a while. Tipper seemed like she was on the verge of heading out when Adwin said, “I need some advice.”
Mokha returned to the table, picked up his lute before sitting back down and started tuning it. Tipper looked at Adwin expectantly, but Adwin seemed like he was having to ponder what he was going to say.
Tipper probed, “Is this about Calathy?”
“Ah, what?… No.”
“Well spit it out then.”
Adwin looked frustrated but said, “Well, legally, by GreensBridge laws, I’m the owner of SkadWind. I believe Roburns will dissolve my company and sell off most of its assets, once the operation is completed. Also, most of the locals we’ve employed through the company will be jobless afterwards. I’ve been thinking of consulting a lawspeaker and not selling SkadWind back to Roburns.”
Mokha laughed and played a few lighthearted notes on the lute, “Sounds interesting.”
Tipper smiled, “I’m not against Roburns getting a taste of their own medicine.”
“I was also thinking that the company could help people. Maybe set up some support for folks in the Grey District or donate to the Temple of Mercy. Maybe offer legal and financial consultations to the less affluent. I don’t know, but I don’t like the idea that people will think I just cut and ran with all the profits.”
Mokha played the lute softly and said, “Sounds like something you should do then. All of it.”
Tipper added, “Find someone you can trust to be a proxy for you when you are not in the city. Also, you could set up some sort of endowment through the university, lots of smart folk can’t afford the tuition. Any of it would be better than leaving the locals with the impression you’re some sort of opportunistic robber baron.”
“Great. I’ll do it then.”
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