***
Once Allan knew what Master Kenneth looked like, it was easy to keep watch on him. For three nights following his conversation with Neville, Allan followed the Lord’s Treasurer from the Lord’s Manor to the man’s home.
On the fourth night, as soon as the man was on the street, he turned in a direction other than the one he’s gone the previous nights. Allan kept above and behind the man as he walked. The man went to a tavern to eat, then went up one street and down another.
His journey ended at a house. The house appeared to be the residence of a prosperous family. It was white with brown trim, much like every other house around. It was two stories tall, much like its neighbors. It seemed utterly unremarkable.
The man knocked on the door. There was a sound, and the man bent down ever so slightly. The door opened, and the man went into the home.
Allan sighed. That must be the place.
He knew he couldn’t knock on the door. Whether his knock was right or wrong, he’d never be allowed in. He landed on the walkway leading to the front door. He drew his club and held it in his left hand. He held out his right hand so his palm faced the door. He took several deep breaths, then grunted.
A concentrated blast of wind blew the door off its hinges and into the house. Allan took another breath, then dashed for the house.
The front door opened onto a short hallway. Allan had just stepped through the open door when a large man stepped in front of him. The man was about to draw some sort of weapon; the sheath hinted that it was a knife or a short-sword. Allan jabbed the big man in his belly with his club. That stopped the man’s momentum. Allan struck him in the leg to bring him down, then hit his head to keep him down.
A second man, as big as the first, appeared through an interior doorway. Allan charged at him. The man tried to take a swing at him. Allan dodged the blow and landed one of his own on the man’s leg. He then struck the man in the groin, then in the upper chest.
Allan paused through the doorway the second man had come out of. The doorway led to a parlor room. Master Kenneth was standing in the middle of the room, next to a shorter man wearing a robe and leggings. Cowering at the foot of a long couch were three young women and a young man.
“Who are you?” the man in the robe shouted.
“The Defender,” Allan replied.
Master Kenneth tried to run around him. Allan slammed his club into the man’s gut. The man spun wildly and fell to the floor.
The man in the robe came at Allan. He’d drawn a small dagger from somewhere. Allan let the man take an ineffective stab at him. He struck the man’s hand with his club. The dagger fell to the floor. Allan struck the man in the gut once, then twice. While the man was bent over in pain, Allan hit him twice in the back.
Allan turned to the quartet by the couch. “Don’t hurt us,” the young man said. His voice shook, and he sounded younger than he looked.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Allan said. “I’m here to make sure no one hurts you.”
The young man and two of the girls exchanged glances. The third young woman stood up. She was shaking, but some of the fear had left her face.
“If I told you where I live, would you take me home?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“What about us?” the young man asked.
“One of the Captains of the Guard is a friend. I’ll send him here.”
“What do we do until they come?”
“Sleep.”
The young man frowned. “What?”
Allan focused on the young man and cast a sleep spell. The young man went out instantly. Allan put the two girls still kneeling to sleep. He did the same with Master Kenneth, the man in the robe, and the two big men.
The young woman remained in the room while Allan cast his spells. He returned to the room. He slipped his club back in its place on his belt. “Give me a moment to catch my breath.”
The young woman nodded. “Yes, of course.”
“What’s you’re name?”
“Delilah.”
Allan nodded to her. While he caught his breath he looked at her. She was half a head shorter than he was. She had brown hair and brown eyes. The most noticeable thing about her was her figure. She had full breasts and a round bottom. She was wearing tight white dress made of a cloth thinner than Allan thought was possible.
Still winded, he turned to the other young women and the young man. Both women and the man were about Delilah’s height. One of the women had red hair and a slender build. The other was curvy, like Delilah, but had dark skin. Both women wore dresses similar to Delilah’s. The young man was bare-chested, wore brown leggings, and had fair skin and hair. Allan thought the young man’s build was like his when he’d first fled to the castle.
Finally he felt his strength return. He held out his left hand for Delilah to take. She took it. He led her outside. He drew his flying rod with his right hand.
“Take hold of me.” She complied, and Allan felt warm.
He tapped the rod, and they lifted into the air. “Where do we go?” he asked once they were a good distance up.
“My house is on the Street of Maple.”
They flew for four blocks. When they were over the street, he asked which way they should head. She was uncertain for a moment, then told him to go left.
They flew for a block and a half. He noticed that they had left the prosperous neighborhood where the brothel had been hidden. The houses along this street were plainer than those of the other neighborhood. Homes of only one story sat between two-story ones.
They landed in front of a one-floor home. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Delilah ran to the front door. She pounded on the door, and called for her father. A moment later the door opened.
“Father! I’ve come home!” She started to embrace the older man in the doorway.
Allan was stunned to see the man push her away. “Delilah! What are you doing here?”
“The Defender brought me home.”
“This isn’t your home, girl.”
Allan stepped forward. “Your daughter didn’t run off, friend. She was kidnapped and made a whore.” He looked at the man. The man was tall, gray-haired, and his face was creased with lines. He appeared to be older than Allan thought he ought to be, considering how young Delilah seemed.
“She wasn’t kidnapped,” the man replied.
“What are you talking about?” Delilah said. It seemed like she was going to start crying.
“I already paid for the weddings of two daughters, girl. You knew my business was struggling, yet you didn’t take the hints to get out.”
“You sold your own daughter?” Allan asked.
“A man has to do what he can to survive.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“What do you know, you masked fool?”
“I know a criminal when I see one.”
“Hah! No one’s going to send me to jail for getting rid of a girl.”
“Take your daughter in.”
“And do what? Take care of her all her life? No one’s going to marry a whore.”
“You’re her father!”
“Not anymore I’m not. You want her, you take her.”
“I will.”
“Good.” The man started to shut the door.
“If His Lordship won’t punish you, I will.”
“Get out of here, boy, and take the whore with you.”
Allan brought up his left hand. His first impulse was to cast a large fireball and throw it in the man’s face. That would be murder, not instruction. He cast a small one, no wider around than the span of his hand. He moved the ball of flame up and over the house, then let it drop onto the roof.
“You’re setting my house on fire!” the man yelled.
“Put it out yourself,” Allan replied. He looked at Delilah and held out his right hand. Without hesitation she took it. She embraced him. He used his rod to lift them back into the air.
He flew her to Captai
n William’s house. This time he landed on the street in front of the house. He pointed to it and said, “That’s where Captain William lives.”
“Your friend?”
“Yes. Tell him who you are, and what happened to you. Guide him and his men back to the brothel. Tell him that I’m going to question Master Kenneth before handing him over.”
“About what?”
“About his many misdeeds.”
“Will I see you again?”
“I don’t know. I hope so, but if not, be well. Let people know what your father did to you. They need to know that men like that exist, and that they can’t be allowed to be cruel to their own flesh and blood.”
“If you want me to, I shall.”
He touched her face. “Only if you want to, Delilah. Be well, and take care.”
The Defender: Elderwood Page 19
