Battleborne Book 2: Wrack and Ruin

by Dave Willmarth

  It took nearly until dark to enter the gate. By the time he walked down the hill, there was a line of carts and wagons waiting to get in. Guards were inspecting each one and charging the owners a tariff based on what they found. Lagrass saw that the guards were clearly overcharging, some of the coin they took going into their pockets before they rest went into a strongbox on a table by the gate. People grimaced, but paid the fees without protest.

  When it came time for him to enter, a surly guard approached him. “State your name, and your business.”

  “My name is Lagrass, and I have no real business. Just traveling, and thought I’d stop here for a night or two, get some good meals in me.”

  “Not carrying any goods to sell or trade?” the guard looked at his storage belt with a raised eyebrow.

  Not wanting to risk trouble, Lagrass produced one of the plants he’d picked. “I did gather a few herbs on my way here, was hoping to sell them to an alchemist, assuming you have one here?”

  The guard snorted. “We have a half dozen, maybe more. And selling goods within the walls requires a vendor chit. That’ll be three silver.” The guard held out a hand, and Lagrass deposited the coins. The guard didn’t even try to hide it when he slid one into a breast pocket and the other two into the coin box. “Be on yer way!”

  Lagrass trudged through the gate, noting the heavy iron portcullis that loomed above him as he passed through. He’d seen no river close by from up on the hill, and the walls were surrounded by a half-mile wide open plain. He also noted that a perimeter street ran along the inside of the wall, leaving a sheer twenty foot climb for anyone attempting to get over it. If he found himself having to escape this place, he was going to need to do it before they could lock down the gates, or he’d never make it out alive.

  Following the road into the town proper, he quickly found a tavern not three blocks in. Stepping inside, he looked around the common room. It was about half full of diners and drinkers, with a bard singing softly on a raised stage in one corner. The place looked clean enough, so he took a seat where he could see the door but wasn’t facing it, and ordered a meal and a drink. For a few hours he sat and observed the customers who came and went. There must have been a shift change, because the guards he’d seen at the gate came in and got rowdy, buying drinks for everyone with their graft from the so-called tariffs. He saw the one who’d spoken to him take note of his presence, then turn his back and ignored Lagrass for the balance of his time there. Tipping the waitress ten coppers, he got up and walked outside. Moving deeper into the town, he took a few side streets at random, exploring.

  When he ran across a much quieter tavern with three stories, he stepped inside. A quick inquiry to the bartender, and an innkeeper came over to rent him a room. The place was much nicer than the one he’d stayed at in Hunter’s Reach, but surprisingly, the rate was nearly the same. Still one silver per night, but it only included one meal, and laundry was extra. Lagrass figured it was due to the level of competition in town, versus the village having just the one inn. He paid for three nights, and retired to his room, where he had the first comfortable night’s sleep since he fled the village.

  The following morning he ate his complimentary breakfast, a delicious meal of fried eggs on thick toast, bacon, a fruit very similar to strawberries mixed with cream, and dark ale so thick he could have floated one of the strawberries in it without it sinking at all.

  On his way out of the inn, he asked the waitress where he might find an alchemist. She gave him quick directions that involved street names he didn’t know, but he followed the general direction she had pointed, and found it in less than thirty minutes. A middle-aged man was just unlocking the front door as Lagrass approached. “Good morning.” He smiled at his first potential customer of the day.

  “Good morning!” Lagrass turned on the charm. “I was wondering if you might be interested in having someone gather herbs for you? I’ve acquired a bit of knowledge of herbs and how to harvest them over the years…” He didn’t offer to sell what he had right away, hoping to instead gain a quest that would earn him some experience.

  “I’m always looking for a good supplier.” The alchemist nodded. “But I warn you, I won’t accept damaged or improperly harvested goods. Come inside and let’s see what you know.” Once inside the shop, the alchemist set a book on his counter and opened it. “Flip through here, and show me which herbs and plants you recognize.”

  Lagrass stepped up and leaned over the book, surprised to find that he knew most of the plants in the drawings on sight, in addition to at least one recipe they might be used for. In the case of the more common plants, several recipes.

  Not wanting to actually have to go out and pick plants, he pretended to be ignorant of all but those he had in his inventory. He’d picked dozens of plants, but only five of them did he see in any real quantity. He pointed out those five, and looked hopefully up at the alchemist.

  “This first flower here, angel’s wort, how do you pick it?”

  “Oh no, sir. You don’t pick it. You gently remove the dirt around it in a circular motion until the roots are exposed, then slide your hand underneath and lift it free of the earth.”

  “And this one? Dibbleberries?”

  “Well, those you do pick. But only when they’re the exact color you see here. Any lighter or darker, and they’re all but useless. The berries on each bush ripen at different times, so that one doesn’t strip the entire bush of its fruit in one visit.” He indicated his storage belt. “I do have the storage space to keep them fresh until I return.”

  “Alright, fair enough. You seem to know these few, at least. And they’re useful ingredients. I’ll tell you what, you get me two pounds of the berries, a dozen angel’s wort…” By the time Lagrass left the shop five minutes later he had five quests to deliver quantities of the items he already had in his inventory. He was a bit short on the berries, but rather than go gather more, he’d simply purchase what he needed from another alchemist. The money he would earn from the quests wasn’t his main concern. He needed experience to level up as quickly as possible.

  He spent some time in a nearby market square, where he found a leather goods vendor that showed him a leather vest with short sleeves, a backup set of comfortable boots, and leather pants with two pockets on each leg, all for a single gold coin. The price had started at one and half, but Lagrass had charmed the merchant into a discount. As soon as he paid and received the goods, he got a notification that his Barter skill had increased by one.

  A hungry week in the woods with nothing but jerky to eat had taught him an important lesson. He immediately purchased some cuts of meat from a butcher, some seasonings from a street vendor, and filled an inventory slot with this world’s version of oranges. They smelled so good that he stood right there at the farmer’s cart and ate one. It was juicy and sweet and slightly tangy, better than any orange he’d had on Earth.

  After asking the farmer for directions to another alchemist, Lagrass went to that shop and purchased the berries he needed. He also sold all the plants and herbs he didn’t need for the other alchemist’s quest for a quite satisfactory two gold and five silver.

  He decided as he walked back to his inn that the town was too big for him to try and take over. He’d stay for a few days, maybe a week, fatten himself up a bit, get some better supplies, see about taking on a few quests, then maybe hitch a ride to a village more his size. He might even buy himself a horse with the looted gold he had accumulated, though he’d never ridden one in his old life.

  A scuffle in an alley caught his attention as he passed by. Two men had cornered a young woman, one of them with a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet, and they clearly had bad intentions. Even as Lagrass stepped closer, one of them ripped her dress at the shoulder. Drawing his hunting knife, he moved in quickly and stabbed the larger of the two men in the back. He angled the knife so that it slide between his ribs, scraping bone on the way in, and punctured a lung. Quickly ripping it back out, he
stabbed again, lower this time, right through the man’s kidney.

  His victim let out a gasp and lost his grip on the girl, his chest heaving as he drew in a breath to scream. Lagrass let him go, moving aside and grabbing the other man from behind. He threw his weight backward, lifting the man off his feet as he fell, slamming him headfirst onto the cobblestones. He’d been hoping the move would break the man’s neck, but no such luck. It did stun him long enough for two things to happen. The girl, her mouth now uncovered, screamed. And Lagrass had time to get to his feet and stomp on the man’s neck, hearing it snap. He repeated the motion once more as people come running from the street.

  Stowing his knife, he backed away from the girl and raised his hands to calm her. Placing his back against the alley’s opposite wall, as far from her as he could get, he asked, “Are you alright, Miss? It looked like you were in pretty serious trouble there.” He flashed her his most sympathetic smile, keeping his hands where she could see them.

  Several people ran up, seeing the girl’s tattered dress and the blood, then Lagrass standing there with bloodstains on his hands. Two men made to grab him, and he didn’t resist, as he saw a squad of guards running toward them. The last thing he needed was this town’s guards after him as well.

  Just as the two man grabbed ahold of his arms, the guard with the most stripes on his arm shouted, “What’s going on here!”

  The girl, starting to cry now that she realized she was safe, pointed to the two men on the ground. “These two men, they grabbed me and pulled me in here. That one said horrible things to me, that they were going to sell me after they tested my wares, and he ripped my dress.” She paused, a sob overtaking her as she remembered.

  The guard took her hand and patted it. “Take your time, miss.”

  She nodded and took a few deep breaths. “The next thing I knew, that man there had pulled them off of me. There’s blood all over him, I… I think he killed them.”

  “I did kill them.” Lagrass stepped forward, the two men holding him having relaxed. “They were hurting the young lady.”

  The guard that Lagrass assumed was a sergeant took a long look at the wounds on the first man. “You stabbed this one in the back.”

  “There were two of them, only one of me, and the only weapon I have is my knife. I needed to be sure one was down before I took on the other.”

  “Why didn’t you call for the guards?” One of his temporary captors asked, giving Lagrass a suspicious look.

  “Again, two of them, one of me, and things with the girl were getting ugly fast. Should I have shouted and risked them running off with her?”

  The man shook his head, and mouthed a quiet “Nooo…”

  “Alright, you’ll come with us. The magistrate will decide whether this was justified.” He looked from Lagrass to the girl. “I’m sorry miss, but you’ll need to come along as well, to bear witness. Can I send one of my men to your home to notify your family?” He produced a cloak from his inventory and placed it over her shoulders. She immediately gathered it in front of herself to cover her torn dress.

  As they marched out of the alley and up the street, the sergeant looked Lagrass up and down for a moment. “I don’t think you have to worry. From the girl’s testimony, you acted to save her. You might have been a little… enthusiastic, but it was two against one. And those two are known to us. There might even be a reward on their heads. I’ll check for you when we get to the courthouse.”

  For the first time, Lagrass started to panic. If the courthouse was where they kept the information on fugitives, like wanted posters at a police station back home, would there be a poster or a notice on him? He looked around carefully, pretending a casual interest in the shops as he considered possible escape routes. “This is my first time in this town. It’s quite lovely.” he chatted to the sergeant. His hands were unbound, a courtesy for saving the girl and cooperating. Up ahead there was a dark alley. He could knock over the sergeant and make a run for it, maybe outrun the guards and make his way to the…

  He stopped right there. He was far from the gates, and one whistle blast from the guards would ensure those gates would be closed long before he got there. There was no way he could escape and evade the guards until the gates reopened in the morning. No, he would have to take his chances at the courthouse.

  It took twenty minutes or so to reach their destination. A massive stone building two stories tall and a full block wide. Lagrass noticed a row of small windows at ground level, all of them with bars on them. “Am I going to have to wait long for my trial?” He asked, pointing at the windows. “I don’t enjoy small dark places.” He thought back to the bear den, and gave an honest shudder.

  “There be a magistrate on duty that’ll hear the basic facts o’ the case. If he decides there’s cause to charge you, you’ll be held for a day or two while evidence is gathered and reports prepared. You’ll be provided a barrister to represent you if you go to trial.”

  Just as they climbed the steps to the massive double front doors, a wagon arrived with the girl’s family. Her parents rushed to gather her into a hug, her mother already crying, which caused the girl to begin crying again.

  The guards herded them all into a waiting area, where they spent less than ten minutes before being escorted into a courtroom. It was empty except for the magistrate who sat at a wide table in the front of the room. As they filed in, Lagrass was told to take a seat in the front row of pews. The sergeant sat next to him and mumbled. “Behave yourself. Speak when spoken to. Answer truthfully. The magistrates can detect lies.”

  “Thank you.” Lagrass whispered back even as his mind screamed “Oh, shit!”

  The magistrate banged a round stone on a flat stone pad, and waited impatiently for everyone to take their seats and get quiet. “Sergeant, what is the case you bring me?”

  “This man killed two men who were attacking this young lady in an alley near the fourth market square, magistrate. We were patrolling the street a block or so away when we heard some shouting. Advancing at a run, we encountered this man, whose name is Lagrass, standing over the two dead men with blood on his hands. Upon further investigation, I learned that he acted to save the young lady. He has admitted to killing the two men, both of whom I must inform the magistrate are wanted by the guards for several crimes against the crown. He has not resisted arrest, and has cooperated fully.”

  The magistrate listened intently to the report, then nodded once. Turning toward the girl, he said, “Young lady, would you tell us in your own words what happened?”

  She stood up nervously, the cloak falling away to reveal her torn and dirty dress. Tears streamed down her face as she related what happened. The magistrates face softened as he listened, and gently nudged her regarding a few details. Watching his face, Lagrass would have bet all the gold in his bag that the man had daughters.

  The magistrate thanked her after asking a few questions, took note of her name and address, and allowed her parents to take her home. Turning to Lagrass, he said, “Let’s hear your version.”

  “I was walking back to my inn after doing some shopping, and I heard a scuffle in the alley. When I walked closer, I saw two man roughing up the young lady. One of them had a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming, and was saying… unseemly things to her. The other was pawing at her, and even as I drew close, he ripped her dress.” He paused and took a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh as he shook his head. “I did the only thing I could, magistrate. I ran up behind them and stabbed the first man, taking him out of the fight so that I could deal with the second. I’m not a hero, and I didn’t like my odds, but I couldn’t allow them to hurt her.”

  “And you didn’t simply alert the guards because…”

  “As I told the sergeant here, it didn’t look like she had much time. Had I given them warning, they might have dealt with me and absconded down the alley with her before the guards ever arrived. I’m afraid I didn’t do a whole lot of thinking, sir. I acted in the best way I
know how.”

  “How did you deal with the second man?”

  “I broke his neck after we grappled a bit.” Lagrass did his best to look innocent. “At the time I wasn’t sure that the first man was down for good, and feared he would attack me from behind. I couldn’t see him, or hear anything over the young lady’s screams. So I did what I had to do.”

  “Sergeant, does this fit with what you observed at the scene?”

  “It does, magistrate. This man’s story coincides with the girl’s, both at the time, and here in your courtroom. I believe he acted in good faith, and did the town a service in the process. I recommend he be freed without charges, and that he be paid the rewards posted for the dead men.”

  The magistrate stared at Lagrass for half a minute. Finally, he raised the stone ball in one hand. “I agree with your recommendations, sergeant. Mister Lagrass is cleared of all charges, and is hereby awarded the aforementioned reward monies, with the crown’s thanks.” The ball slammed down, and the case was over.

  Relieved, but still dreading a potential wanted poster incident, Lagrass followed the sergeant out to the main lobby, then down another hall. He was tempted to just tell him to forget the reward, but thought it might seem suspicious. Especially since he didn’t know how large it might be. Suspicion was the last thing he wanted to arouse right then.

  Down the hall they entered a small room with a single desk. The sergeant told the clerk who Lagrass had killed, confirmed that the magistrate had approved the rewards to be paid, then signed half a dozen papers. The clerk produced a sack of coins, and gave Lagrass a paper he couldn’t read to sign. He scribbled his name, was handed the bag, and escorted out.

  When they reached the main exit doors, the sergeant paused. “I noticed you didn’t read the receipt before you signed it. Can you read?” When Lagrass shook his head, the sergeant signed. “It said you were paid ten gold for one, twenty for the other.”