Adversaries Together

by Daniel Casey

  “They weren’t after him.”

  “Oh? You? And who are you? Come to think of it, why the hell are you two even out here?”

  “We’re on our way to Lappala. And then highwaymen surprised us…”

  “Cute. A little mission.” Kira was going to protest but Roth shook his head, “And they weren’t just bandits.”

  Kira hesitated, “How do you know that?”

  “You don’t get out of your convent much do you?”

  “I’m not…no…but, I don’t see…”

  “The weapons.” Roth held up a finger, “A handbow with poisoned bolts, rapiers. Highwaymen use more…common tools, less specialized.”

  “Who were they then?”

  Roth shrugged, “I don’t know. I tend not to traffic with thieves.”

  Kira eyed him suspect, “I still think we can have a fire.”

  “Fine.” Roth said, “I won’t stop you.”

  Kira looked down, “I can pay you for your help.”

  Roth perked up, “Can you? To build a fire?”

  “No,” Kira shook her head smiling a bit, as she began to make the fire, “For this, for helping us. When we get to Anhra, I can write you a letter that you can redeem…”

  “Credit? Credit, through the Cathedral?” Roth laughed bitterly, “Usury. Yeah, sure, you do that.”

  “The Cathedral’s coffers are plentiful.”

  “Separating a priest from his money…I’d prefer taking on those mercs.”

  “You have no respect for the Light, do you?” Kira didn’t look at him, but kept focused on her task. Soon, she had a flame and a full campfire.

  “I have no respect for those who claim to know ‘the Light.’” Roth was suddenly aggressive, “Anyone can see.”

  “I don’t agree” Kira said flatly.

  “Believe what you want. It’s late; we’ll make Anhra before the morning is over. You should sleep now.”

  “What about Goshen?”

  Roth softened his tone as he stared into the flames, “The clay-peat has held the bleeding in check and soaked up some of the poison. The yarrow tea has helped a bit though not much to keep his fever in check. He still needs a proper healer, someone to clean the wound so it doesn’t get infected. He seems strong though, so as long as we don’t run into any troubles in the morning he should pull through.”

  “What about you?” Kira asked tentatively.

  “Oh, I’m strong too.” Roth scoffed.

  “No, I mean when are you going to rest?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Roth looked at her and spoke in a kinder tone, “You’re safe, he’s safe, get some sleep.”

  Anhra Harbor, 43nd of Lammas

  The inn was full of sailors, merchants, transients, and common folk. A strong scent of salt spray mixed with the bodily warmth of sweat and the rich fragrance of the large stone fireplace. Roth leaned on the bar surveying the room, then turned back to the barkeep.

  “So have you seen him?” He asked in a low tone.

  “Adamix? No, I haven’t with my own eyes.” The bartender replied curtly.

  Roth gave an exasperated sigh, “But you know whereabouts…”

  “You could find him? Sure.” He nodded.

  Roth waited patiently, then released the fist he had been propping himself up on over the bar. Several silver coins fell on to the pockmarked wood. Roth made an open-handed gesture with a bit of a snide flourish and waited.

  “I’d probably try Meg’s place, just off the docks,” the barkeep said, casually sweeping the coins up.

  “Then I shall.” Roth nodded and tipped his hat. Turning he made his way through the exuberant crowd with ease barely betraying the fact that he now walked with a renewed sense of purpose.

  Meg’s place was called All Shadows, a tall and narrow inn at the end of the docks besieged by a steady stream of lonely travelers, mostly men. Here they found a few hours of leisure for tidy though fair prices among the hosts and hostesses. The flesh trade was tolerated in Anhra as it was in all seaports; few of the locals frequented the establishments as most came from the Spires and Cathedral. Most cities made it a point to take advantage of the Cassubian Cathedral’s hypocrisy, and Anhra was especially fortunate in that it had a steady stream of brutally lonely soldiers from Silvincia coming through as well. Roth was familiar with the venue and with its Adrenine mistress, Meg Ridgcaller. It wasn’t just flesh trade; there was gaming, song, and medicine. Essentially, all the things a dullard seafarer could blow their entire share on were available.

  Meg made it a point to run her house with free souls; these weren’t flesh slaves. Each one was paid a true wage with a homestead outside the city. She was fair and she took care of her people, but Roth still hated dealing with it. Coming upon the inn, he surveyed several couples mingling outside, apparently in the first stages of their acquaintance. He tried to avoid any extended eye contact with the hosts and hostesses, but he made it a point to survey the patrons. He gaze fell upon a pruned halfling. Diminutive like all Adrenines with dark skin and blonde wiry hair, he was in the process of regaling three marginally interested hostesses with the exploits of a very tiny adventurer.

  “Adamix.” Roth said in a clear, even tone.

  The Adrenine looked up when he heard his name, his wide grin quickly faded into a sort of resigned smirk.

  “Roth. Surprised to see you here.” Adamix turned to the hostess on his right, “Well, not really surprised. Roth here knows all about…”

  “Adamix, I need to speak with you in private.” Roth cut him off.

  “Yeah, well, I’m trying to speak to these young ladies.” He ran his hand along the thigh of the hostess to his left, “In private.” The woman looked bored yet committed to her task. Roth sighed, rolled his eyes as he reached down picking the tiny man up off the divan by his collar.

  “Damn it…hey!” Adamix squirmed but couldn’t break Roth’s grip.

  “Come.” Roth winked at the women and tossed a small coin purse at the spot vacated by Adamix.

  The halfling scowled and cursed but Roth showed no outward sign of caring. Adamix knew he’d get no help from anyone in the establishment. Roth kept pushing Adamix along like he was a reluctant child, until the two of them were behind the cottage and well out of sight or sound.

  “Ya know, Roth, you’re a real shit sometimes.” Adamix pointed at him, his wrinkled face even more twisted.

  “Am I?” Roth had to laugh a bit.

  “Yeah, you are. You think those three were cheap?” Adamix ran his hands over his chest and sleeves. He made a production of getting himself straightened up.

  “Yes, yes I do.” Roth grinned.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “And you know what I mean.”

  The halfling threw his hands up realizing Roth was going to give him no quarter, “So what’s all this about then? I thought you were off in the highlands.”

  “For a bit, I was.” He nodded.

  “So then why are you back here? When you left…what? Last Mabon,” Roth gave a nodding shrug, “You said you were done with the Lowlands. That you were going to head back north. We drank on it, man.”

  They had indeed. It had been at Meg’s place on or around Lammas of last year. Although Roth abstained from the host and hostesses that Adamix seemed intent on plying him with, he had not had such reservation about the brew served. The two had closed down the place and wandered into the street, the tiny Adrenine singing louder and more pleasantly than one would have imagined. Roth led them to a nearby fisher’s wharf where the two had split the last of Adamix’s flask of Novosar wacholder, a vile and potent gin, as they talked through the small hours. It was then that Roth decided to return north, to forget about the Siracenes, and pull himself out of the muck that was the Lowlands. He’d do one more ranging, get the coin he needed, and then he’d head out. Now he was back again.

  “I ran into someone.” Roth said resigned.

  “Yeah, I hear that happens.” Adamix smirked. “Y
ou’re never going to get out of here are you? You’re always going to be hanging around the Siracenes or the Lowlands.”

  “A missionary.” Roth shook his head obviously ignoring Adamix’s questions. “Two missionaries actually. An alm and a paladin.”

  “You getting religious on us? Gonna go praise the Light and all that hullaballoo?” he snickered. “I doubt your brethren would be too happy about that.”

  “No. No, I am not.” Roth gave a slight smile to encourage the little man’s new jocular mood, “She ran into a spot of bother and I helped her out of it.”

  “Oh? She. Oh, lovely, something out of an illuminated manuscript. Rescuing an alm,” Adamix ribbed his friend, “sounds like the Cathedral owes you. Cash in now, they’re good for it.”

  “Yeah, maybe…she’s on her way to Lappala she says. I can’t take her there…”

  “Can’t?” Adamix was skeptical.

  “Well, won’t…don’t want to…you know how it is.” Roth let his guard down a bit and spoke in a casual almost conspiratorial manner.

  “Yeah, yeah…” Adamix nodded, “So I s’pect you want me to find you someone to take charge of her?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  Adamix nodded and began to pat down his vest pockets, “You know you could’ve just asked in…” He gestured to the inn.

  “No, I don’t talk business in front of those people. Besides…it improves your reputation.” Roth smiled.

  “Humph,” Adamix rolled his eyes, “Reputation. An Adrenine who drinks, fucks when he’s flush with coin, and manhandled for information by bigguns like you is nothing new.”

  “I’m sorry for being an ass in there, it’s been a while since I’ve actually been around folk.” Roth apologized.

  “No worries.” Adamix had produced several small bits of onionskin paper from his pocket; he looked them over shuffling through. Occasionally he paused but he inevitably went to the next note. Finally, he held one out for Roth, “Jena is in town.”

  Roth winced, “Yeah?”

  “You should ask her.” He held out the paper and shook it at Roth to take. When he didn’t, Adamix stepped closer and held it to Roth’s chest. Roth didn’t look at him but eventually reached up and took the piece of paper.

  “I don’t see how she’ll want to.” Roth read the note.

  “I’m not saying it’ll go well, you asking her. But she’s the only one that will do it for you without taking all that you got.”

  Roth nodded, but didn’t move to go.

  “And she’ll probably still be pissed at you for leaving.” Adamix added.

  “Yeah,” Roth sighed, “Pissed at me for leaving, pissed at me for being back…”

  “And pissed at you for dumping this on her and leaving again.” Adamix hopped down off the crates he had been sitting on and walked passed Roth back towards Meg’s.

  “It’s going to be a shitty day for me, huh.” Roth said not really expecting an answer.

  Adamix chuckled nodding, “When isn’t it a shitty day for you?” as he made his way back into the brothel.

  Roth had clasped his hands together supplicating, “All I’m asking is that you just play wet nurse to these idiots.”

  Jena cocked her head and frowned, “How does that make it sound enticing?” Her bright blond hair was cut short, severe, and her green eyes were fierce. Unlike other fair-haired women, Jena wasn’t ruddy faced or pale. She had some scars above and below her right eye from surviving a pox when she was a child but otherwise she was unblemished. Some had told her she’d be pretty if she’d smile more and usually those men soon found themselves with blood leaking from their face. Roth had known her for a long time; they had been close.

  “It’s a simple job.” He whined.

  “That doesn’t mean it’s easy.” She pointed at him.

  Roth gestured in the direction of the wayfarer inns, “It’s an unconscious man and a slip of a girl.”

  “Cathedral.” Jena said firmly.

  “Yeah…” Roth nodding knowing what she was getting at.

  “You want me to take a wounded paladin to the pagoda in Bandra?”

  Roth nodded, “Kira will vouch for you, you’ll be rewarded, and then you’ll leave.”

  “And what if they don’t believe her? What if those thugs that attacked you come after me?”

  “Why wouldn’t they believe her? And you honestly think marsh bandits would follow a ship?”

  “Marsh bandits don’t attack a paladin. Highwaymen don’t poach crusaders off the high road.” Jena turned away to the tinker stall where Roth had cornered her. She nodded to the vendor to look at a few more things. Roth reached out to turn her back around to face him. She threw off his touch with a surprising vehemence and glared at him.

  “So, wait…you think those guys were…were what? Assassins?” Roth tried to brush off Jena’s concerns. This was going as well as he had thought it would.

  “I have no idea, Avery.” She snapped at him and shoved him in the shoulder, “I just know that it doesn’t sound right.”

  He couldn’t argue with her on that. It had been a queer encounter and what Kira had told him hadn’t really illuminated anything. If he was honest with himself, then he just wanted rid of the two, he wanted to be out of this conversation, he just wanted to go back to the wild, and be left alone.

  “You know I can’t do it.” He whispered, his eyes pleading.

  “What makes you think I can?” Jena’s tone softened.

  “You know you can.”

  “Of course I’m able to, you shit.” She laughed. The vendor had approached again, Jena turned and pointed to three things on display. The vendor nodded and disappeared back into his shop.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Do I? Do you know what I mean? What makes you think that I have time for this? That I don’t have something underway now or just about to be?” Roth realized she had given in, she’d do it but he needed to give her more of an incentive.

  “Why would Adamix tell me you were here if you weren’t available? Why would you be here if you weren’t looking for a contract?”

  “Not this contract. Nothing about this sounds right.”

  “Damn it. What don’t you get?” He ran his hands over his face and sat in a huff on a nearby stack of straw.

  Jena grimaced, “None of it. None of it makes sense and until it does, I’m not touching it.”

  It was a fair demand, “Okay look…”

  She cut him off, “And even if it did make sense, I’m still not touching it.”

  Roth sighed, his hands held together in front of his face, and his eyes staring at the ground at Jena’s feet. His voice settled, “Look, they came crashing through my camp. The paladin had already fought off some of the bandits, but they still outnumbered them. He was clearly the girl’s guardian. The girl killed one and nearly killed me even after I fended them off once the paladin fell. They poisoned him, and he needs to get treatment from better menders than what’s here. These hacks and alchemists are useless. You know it.”

  “That’s appropriately trusting.” Jena smirked.

  “I patched up the paladin, he’s at a barber’s now but he needs a proper healer.”

  “So he’ll die in route.” Jena shrugged and sat down next to him.

  Ignoring her, Roth continued, “The girl has never been outside of the Cathedral, she has no idea how to tend to herself. She’ll either die or end up sold into slavery, glassy-eyed in some Elvosi brothel.”

  Jena spat, “I don’t need the hard sell.”

  “Obviously you do.” Roth scowled.

  The vendor returned shaking a canvas bag at Jena. She stood and doled out a few coins to him, then brushed him away. “There’s no way The Cathedral would let a paladin be assaulted and, what I can only imagine is some kind of alm, abducted without there being punishment.”

  “What makes you think it’d be you that they’d skin?”

  “Because I would be there—a woman, a free ranger, a
heathener.” She gestured for him to stand up and follow her. The two began to walk through the street, Roth didn’t know where they were heading but he knew he had a few more moments to sway her.

  “The Cathedral wouldn’t think you’re enough to make an example of. Who’d miss you? Who’d be cowed by your death?” Roth bit his tongue realizing he had made a stupid mistake in his annoyance.

  “You are an awful negotiator.” Jena said deadpan.

  Roth nodded, “We’re not significant enough to them is my point. And, you know, if they found out about me, it’d be hundred times worse.”

  Jena didn’t argue but looked away, “Still, it’s dangerous for me too. And your argument that it’d be more dangerous for you doesn’t quite settle me.” There was a moment of tenderness in her voice.

  “The Cathedral would take it out on places like Anhra.”

  “Anhra is Silvincian; they’d never attack the Spires.”

  “No, but they’d burn out places like Meg’s, they’d round up folks like Adamix, they’d raise tariffs and squeeze out our options. You and I are nothing but a chance to lash out at the free traffic.” These were reasonable conclusions but Roth wasn’t sure they were on point to convince her.

  “So, I’m doing this for the greater good.” Jena had a contemptuous grin and seemed to be close to walking away.

  “Jena. Jena, I’d do it myself but I can’t take the chance…”

  “I know you can’t. It’s just.” She sympathized, but shook her head.

  “I have eighty aurei.” Jena perked up.

  “Eighty? You’re not giving me all your coin are you?” Jena was taken aback.

  “No. I’m giving you fifty. That should at least make it worth completing, even if The Cathedral stiffs you.” He held out a small suede pouch.

  She stopped and faced him, gingerly taking the pouch, “And what if it wants a pound of my flesh?”

  “Then you’ll cut it off them and throw it at their feet,” he said playfully.

  Jena smiled, “I’ll take forty.” She pulled out ten coins and placed them in Roth’s palm, then closed his fingers around them, “Have them head to dock four on the eastern side, there’s a kettuvallam there called the Damot. I can monitor the pally and put the alm in enough comfort to hopefully keep her happy.”