Issue #8, The Seige of Kratys Freehold. Episode 6 of 6, the coda
When the compound is reported secure, Llewyn takes the seventeen surviving infantry, and they scour the forest and the rat man camp, looking for stragglers, and making sure to collect weapons, gear, and dismantle their siege engines.
The spell casters are fatigued. Miriel, Goldpetal, Telryn and Myrs sleep while everyone else cleans up. Delonia is still unconscious, but no longer in danger.
The rest of carry the rat man bodies outside of the freehold, where we build a huge pyre. Flames leap to the sky, and a great plume of smoke arises. We turn our attention inside, repairing what we can, and taking care of the animals. By noon, the freehold is almost clean, and our enemies’ pyre is smoldering. The ratmen carried little in the way of treasure: they were a raiding party, and traveling lightly. The lieutenant had a weird tail mace, and the captain’s whipsword is also notable. They all carried silver pieces (a total of 250) and cheap silver and gold jewelry. We stack the captured weapons in the smithy. Paks checks out the whip sword, but, though of a fine make, she finds its behavior completely foreign. “I wouldn’t want to use this,” she tells Chuck, “Give me good, solid steel any day!”
We are all thoroughly exhausted – since our last good night’s rest, we have had the night spent resting in the swamp, followed by traveling all through the night, continuing on to the freehold, and for most of us, staying up through the night preparing for the defense of the freehold, followed by pitched battle and the effort of cleaning up.
Miriel wakes up in the middle of the afternoon, and finds everyone asleep. It’s a hot day, and not conducive to any more effort than a siesta. She asks for her goddess’ help, and goes to Stone’s room. She spends an hour meditating and praying to Madriel for inspiration as to how to help him, but no answer comes to her.
She heals Delonia, bringing her to consciousness, but not all the way to complete health. The two women talk, and Miriel asks Delonia if she knows anything about Stone’s disease. The sorceress shakes her head, and tells Miriel that the Disease tribes are always scheming and searching for new and more vile diseases.
Miriel checks in on Paks again, and finds the young warrior sleeping. Though the worst of her injuries were staunched with Miriel’s first healing in battle, she is still badly battered, and Miriel takes the time to complete the healing. One of her ribs is broken, and she requires two more exhausting healings before she is well. When Miriel is done, she goes back to sleep for the afternoon.
Kratys Freehold sleeps through the heat of the afternoon.
In the evening, Myrs and the freeholders start preparing a feast, a celebration of victory.
While they work, Delonia, Paks, and Taryn go to find and interrogate Milo. They find the halfling still imprisoned as Chuck had left him, sleeping. Delonia casts charm person on him, and Paks and Taryn wake him up to question him.
The halfling looks around, bleary-eyed. “What happened?” He doesn’t seem to know where he is.
Paks looks at him, her face a bland mask. “You joined the rat men,” she says, “And attacked us.”
“What?” Milo looks astounded. He stares down at the ground in silence for a minute. “I’m trying to remember,” he says. “I went out, killed rat men, and came back. You gave me darts, and I went out again. I saw the shaman and a cloaked figure talking about treachery and invading the compound. They spotted me. I ran away, but they pursued me. It felt like I ran for hours – I could get away and hide, but they kept between me and the freehold. Finally, one of them smelled me, and they caught me.” He shudders at a memory. “They beat me up and interrogated me. Afterwards, I had this compulsion to free SySy. Did you find SySy? Did she get away?”
“She got away,” Paks says.
“Damn.” Milo shakes his head, “I guess that’s my fault, huh?”
“Yes, it’s your fault.”
Milo continues with his story. “I was instructed to set the barn on fire as a diversion, so I did. Then I freed SySy. As soon as the gag was out of her mouth, she cast a spell on me. I followed her. Now I feel like a fog has been lifted.”
“What happened to Garth?” asks Paks, remembering that we still have the freeholder locked up as well.
“I sent him away,” Milo says, “With the story of the fire in the barn, so I could get to SySy.”
Paks nods, and turns to Taryn. “That clears Garth,” she says, and begins walking out through the door.
“I knew it was that stupid halfling,” Taryn tells her.
They leave Milo locked up, and Paks goes to get Chuck. Together, with Taryn, they find and free Garth.
“I apologize for locking you up,” Paks says. “We knew there was a traitor, but not who, and we just couldn’t take any chances.”
Garth doesn’t look happy, but grudgingly says, “I can see that.”
“I believed in you,” Taryn says. “These folk have helped us save the freehold, and your name is cleared.” Garth gives a curt nod, and seems inclined to drop it.
Preparations continue for the feast, but Paks reconvenes our entire group, for further discussion of Milo’s fate. She describes the story he outlined.
“We should take Milo to Grilliam,” Goldpetal suggests, “To be sure he was really enchanted and is now free.”
“I think it’s up to Taryn,” Paks says. “He’s the injured party.” She looks to the lord of the freehold. “We can take him back to Grilliam if you want,” she offers.
Taryn thinks this over. “By law,” he tells us, “We are owed a weregild, but he’s your companion. Had you not arrived when you did, we’d be dead anyway. I will leave his fate in your hands. While he’s in the keep here, however, he will have to remain locked up.”
Paks inquires about the weregild. “What sort of death price do you demand?”
“I’ll have to consider it further,” Taryn says, with a furrowed brow. “It’s a complicated situation.”
Paks turns to the rest of the group. “What does everybody else think?”
Miriel glances at Goldpetal, and answers, “I agree with Goldpetal, about taking Milo to Grilliam. We can’t let him travel freely with us again without a satisfactory answer.”
“Kill him right away,” Delonia says emphatically. “I never liked him, the little sneak.” She looks at Chuck, and adds, “Remember, Jim never trusted Milo, either.”
Chuck shakes his head. “I believe Milo's story,” he tells her, “But I’m even less sure if I can trust him, now.”
Taryn speaks again, with the voice of decision. “I’ll be happy with you taking Milo away,” he tells Paks, “But he can never set foot in this freehold again.”
“Does this mean we’ll be leaving soon?” asks Telryn. The young mage who arrived so unexpectedly in our midst has a quiet demeanor, and this is his first contribution to a group discussion.
“Yes,” Paks says, looking at Miriel, who nods her agreement. “But we’ll rest here tonight, first.”
At sundown, the freeholders present us with a lavish feast.
A long table is set in the center of the courtyard, and colorful banners and flowers have been hung from the walls, the buildings, even from our catapult! The food is lavish, and quite delicious, including a spicy pasta, a good fresh bread recipe, and a number of creative dishes with fresh summer squash, and vegetables from the fields outside. Taryn makes an excellent beer, even better than Fox’s beer from the Laughing Ogre. The crown jewel of the night is a fabulous fresh peach cobbler, which Myrs pulls from the oven to serve, steaming hot, before us.
When the feasting is winding down, several of the freeholders pick up musical instruments: drums, a flute, a harp, and a fiddle, and begin playing a lively jig. There is much dancing, and to everyone’s astonishment, the normally staid and aloof Goldpetal is an exceptional vibrant and lithe dancer. Even Telryn and Paks find themselves on the dance floor, to their apparent surprise. Llewyn finds Chuck and asks him to dance with her. The festivities go long into the evening.
While the party is in full swing, Taryn pulls Paks aside.
“I know you’re planning to go back to Southport with the halfling,” Taryn tells her, “But I have an idea. It looks like we’ve decimated this disease tribe. Maybe you should counter-attack now? A group of adventurers like you should have no trouble with the remnant.” Seeing that she is slowly shaking her head, he says, “You don’t have to decide now.”
Paks tells him, “We might want to wait until after we go to Southport.”
“You might not want to wait too long,” he says. “It would give them a chance to fortify.”
“Good point,” Paks concedes. “Do you think Brand and Llewyn might be willing to come?”
“They might,” Taryn says, “Though I’d like to have them here. I think you guys could handle the rat men alone.”
Through the rest of the night, Paks discusses it with the rest of the group, individually. She starts with Chuck.
“I’m all for killing rat men,” he says, when she explains the plan to him. “I’m not sure that Taryn is right about us having weakened the tribe so much, but I’m still in favor of attacking them.”
“Good,” says Paks. “Can you talk to Miriel, while I talk to Goldpetal?”
Chuck agrees, and they part ways.
When Paks tells Goldpetal, he asks, “How many rat men escaped?”
“We think about twenty,” she says, “Plus the shaman and the mauler you saw.”
“Do you think we can catch them before they reach the rest of their tribe?” he asks.
“No,” she tells him. “I think we’ll have to chase them back to their base.”
“What if they come back to attack again?” Goldpetal asks.
“I don’t think they will,” Paks says. “I think we’ve killed their leadership.” After a moment’s contemplative silence, Paks suggests, “How about taking a look at their base, prepared to run if we’re outmatched? If we really have weakened them, we can kill them off. Perhaps there will be treasure, too.”
“I’m not interested in things made by, or belonging to rat men, but I am very interested in killing them.” His voice hardens, and he adds, “In particular that shaman. I’ll go with you.”
Meanwhile, Chuck talks to Miriel. At first she’s very leery of the idea. “I’m not sure that it’s a good idea to chase after them,” she says. “They know the swamp, and we had difficulty enough getting to SySy’s. Do you know where they live?”
“No,” he replies, “But a hundred men marching to the freehold will have left a significant trail, so it should be easy to follow them.”
When she still doesn’t look convinced, he says, “I know it’s an unnecessary battle, for us as a group, but I honestly believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“I hate to say it, but you’re right,” Miriel says, swayed by the argument that it’s the right thing to do, “But we should ask for help from the freeholders.”
Chuck agrees, and goes to find Paks. They clearly have the heart of the group interested in the trip, and Paks says she wants to ask a few more people to come along.
Paks next talks to Telryn, and explains the plan in brief.
“You acquitted yourself well today,” she tells him, “And certainly proved your worth. Would you like to accompany us?”
“You’re obviously an interesting group,” he tells her, “But I need to get the ink I was sent for.”
“I think that the glitter ink comes from the swamp,” Paks suggests, “Based on what we know. At least, we have found some in the swamp before. Perhaps coming with us may be the quickest way to get some.”
He nods slowly. “Perhaps you’re right,” he says. “I certainly haven’t a better plan. I’ll come.”
Paks asks Llewyn and Brand if they will come. “No,” answers Llewyn, “I need to stay to protect my family.”
“And I will be needed to help rebuild,” says Brand.
“A scouting mission to the swamp is a good idea,” Llewyn adds, “But Chuck can handle the tracking, even if he has lost two masters.”
Finally, Paks talks to Delonia. She pays the sorceress the other half of her fee, explains the plan, and asks if she’d like to come along.
Delonia shakes her head. “No thank you! I took a beating today like I haven’t had in a very long time. I don’t think your luck is going to hold much longer. I’m done with Grilliam; I’m done with the rat men. I’m going west.”
“I’m glad you’ve stayed with us as long as you have,” Paks says. “Thank you.”
As the evening winds down, and everyone is pleasantly full, and pleasantly drunk, Goldpetal approaches Taryn. “I’ve become attached to the hawks,” he says. “Is there some way that they can come with me?”
Taryn throws his hands wide and says expansively, “They’re yours, friend, in thanks for helping the freehold!”
“Can I buy one of the guard dogs?” asks Paks. Seeing that Taryn looks doubtful, she adds, “Or perhaps one of their puppies?”
At the last, his face lights in a smile. “Certainly!” he exclaims. “They breed true, and a puppy, well-trained, will grow to serve you well.”
“If we do go to attack this tribe,” Paks asks, “May I invite some of the freeholders to join us in the attack?”
“I would love nothing more than to know that this tribe will never trouble us again,” Taryn says, “But I must regretfully refuse. I need the men to stay and look after the freehold, especially with all the damage to repair from the attack. In fact, if you don’t choose to go attack the rat men, we’d be grateful if you could stay and help as well.”
“Taryn,” Miriel asks, “If we go, can we leave Milo with you, under guard?”
“If you insist,” Taryn says, “I’ll hold him, but I must say I’m not thrilled about it. I don’t think I can guarantee his safety. My people think he’s a traitor. I could send him back to Southport under guard, but he probably won’t survive the trip. If you trust him, you should take him with you. If you don’t trust him, you should hang him.”
Chuck bites his lip. “I actually believe Milo,” he says worriedly.
“If we can’t leave Milo,” Miriel says, “And we can’t trust him, we must take him to Grilliam.”
Chuck shakes his head. “I’m worried that there’s a vendetta against me in Southport. I’m not sure I want to go back right now.”
“Going back to Southport with unfinished business is no good,” Paks says. “I think it’s just a crutch for us. If Chuck trusts Milo, I’m willing to trust him, for now.”
“I’m not convinced,” Goldpetal says, and he doesn’t look it. “On the one hand,” he says speculatively, “He was helping the rat men, so he deserves to die. On the other hand, he claims that someone cast a spell on him.”
“Would he have used a healing potion on SySy if he wasn’t under a spell?” Chuck asks. “We have no reason not to trust him.”
Miriel shakes her head. “We have plenty of reason not to trust him! I’m not comfortable traveling with him, but I also can’t leave him here to be killed outright. Does anyone else have a suggestion?”
“We could take him with us, tied up,” suggests Paks.
Miriel shakes her head, dismissively. “That’s just like killing him, if we get into a fight.”
“Push him into some quicksand!” Delonia calls from across the room.
“We know from his past actions that he wouldn’t help SySy,” Paks says.
“No, we don’t,” Miriel says quickly.
“He wanted to kill her!” Paks insists.
Delonia contradicts her. “No, actually, he attacked me when I tried to kill her.”
Paks comes to an abrupt halt, and appears to reconsider. “Okay, Taryn can keep him here, or dispatch someone with him to Southport.”
Miriel shakes her head, “But Taryn can’t promise he will not die if we leave him.”
Taryn says, “I can’t guarantee his safety. I don’t really have the personnel to watch him, either.”
“I can charm him for three hours,” Delonia says, laughingly.
“I could go either way,” Chuck says. “Take him to Southport, or take him with us, tied up.”
“We can take him with us,” Paks repeats, “Tied up."
Goldpetal shakes his head. “It’s not safe,” he says. “He might escape. If we don’t trust him, we should kill him. What’s his incentive to help us out, especially if we demonstrate that we don’t trust him?”
“Well,” Paks says, “At least we’ll know he’s on their side, if he helps them.”
“That’s a good point,” Miriel says. “Let’s take him, and kill him if he tries anything. We can let him know that this is how he can redeem or reveal himself.”
“That sounds good to me,” Paks says.
“That’s a mistake!” Delonia cries. “Kill him!”
Paks turns to her, and speaks with a quiet inner strength. She reminds the sorceress, “We had the same debate over you, Delonia.” Delonia looks taken aback and thoughtful.
Goldpetal reminds us, “We cannot free him until after we leave here.”
“We should never free him,” Miriel says, “Except when he’s being watched closely.”
We all agree to this plan. Miriel brings Chuck with her to talk to Milo.
Miriel and Chuck find Milo sitting on the cot in his cell. Miriel approaches him, while Chuck waits by the door.
“I don’t think it’s safe for you here,” Miriel tells the halfling. “The freeholders do not like you. Taryn has as much as said that many of them wish you dead, and that he will not protect you from them, should they offer violence against you.”
“But…” Milo begins.
“It would be best if you just shut up,” Chuck says, leaning against the door to Milo’s cell with his arms crossed over his chest.
Miriel explains the plan. “There is a way you may show your true colors. We are going into the swamp in pursuit of the rat men. We hope to catch them at their village, and wipe them out. You can come with us – we’ll be watching you, and if you betray us again, we will kill you.”
He protests, “You’re just offering me a choice of dying by the freeholders or dying with you, in a suicidal attack on the rat men.”
“No,” she answers levelly. “One option is sure death. They will not forgive you for what you have done. The other at least offers you a chance. Yes, it’s risky, but it gives you a chance.”
“Why not just let me go?” he wheedles.
“We can’t trust you enough to let you go,” Miriel says.
Chuck, lounging nonchalantly against the door, offers, “I could just kill him right now.”
Milo ignores the Vigilant, focusing his attention on Miriel. He lays out several possibilities, but in Miriel’s ears he sounds ever more like a con artist looking for the right angle. Her heart is closed to him, and even the thought of Madriel’s mercy does not help her forgive the little man.
“Enough,” Miriel says, exasperated, cutting him off in the middle of an argument. “I’ll let you think on it for the night. Chuck, bring him some food, then tie him to the bed.”
“He’s fine on the floor,” Chuck says cavalierly.
“Chuck,” Miriel says sharply, and though her voice is quiet, her tone brooks no defiance.
“Oh, okay,” Chuck agrees. Miriel sweeps out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. They continue to argue for some hours into the evening, before Chuck finally tires of making no headway. He feeds the halfling, ties him to the bed, and locks the door.
With three guards on watch, Kratys Freehold sleeps.
When the compound is reported secure, Llewyn takes the seventeen surviving infantry, and they scour the forest and the rat man camp, looking for stragglers, and making sure to collect weapons, gear, and dismantle their siege engines.
The spell casters are fatigued. Miriel, Goldpetal, Telryn and Myrs sleep while everyone else cleans up. Delonia is still unconscious, but no longer in danger.
The rest of carry the rat man bodies outside of the freehold, where we build a huge pyre. Flames leap to the sky, and a great plume of smoke arises. We turn our attention inside, repairing what we can, and taking care of the animals. By noon, the freehold is almost clean, and our enemies’ pyre is smoldering. The ratmen carried little in the way of treasure: they were a raiding party, and traveling lightly. The lieutenant had a weird tail mace, and the captain’s whipsword is also notable. They all carried silver pieces (a total of 250) and cheap silver and gold jewelry. We stack the captured weapons in the smithy. Paks checks out the whip sword, but, though of a fine make, she finds its behavior completely foreign. “I wouldn’t want to use this,” she tells Chuck, “Give me good, solid steel any day!”
We are all thoroughly exhausted – since our last good night’s rest, we have had the night spent resting in the swamp, followed by traveling all through the night, continuing on to the freehold, and for most of us, staying up through the night preparing for the defense of the freehold, followed by pitched battle and the effort of cleaning up.
Miriel wakes up in the middle of the afternoon, and finds everyone asleep. It’s a hot day, and not conducive to any more effort than a siesta. She asks for her goddess’ help, and goes to Stone’s room. She spends an hour meditating and praying to Madriel for inspiration as to how to help him, but no answer comes to her.
She heals Delonia, bringing her to consciousness, but not all the way to complete health. The two women talk, and Miriel asks Delonia if she knows anything about Stone’s disease. The sorceress shakes her head, and tells Miriel that the Disease tribes are always scheming and searching for new and more vile diseases.
Miriel checks in on Paks again, and finds the young warrior sleeping. Though the worst of her injuries were staunched with Miriel’s first healing in battle, she is still badly battered, and Miriel takes the time to complete the healing. One of her ribs is broken, and she requires two more exhausting healings before she is well. When Miriel is done, she goes back to sleep for the afternoon.
Kratys Freehold sleeps through the heat of the afternoon.
In the evening, Myrs and the freeholders start preparing a feast, a celebration of victory.
While they work, Delonia, Paks, and Taryn go to find and interrogate Milo. They find the halfling still imprisoned as Chuck had left him, sleeping. Delonia casts charm person on him, and Paks and Taryn wake him up to question him.
The halfling looks around, bleary-eyed. “What happened?” He doesn’t seem to know where he is.
Paks looks at him, her face a bland mask. “You joined the rat men,” she says, “And attacked us.”
“What?” Milo looks astounded. He stares down at the ground in silence for a minute. “I’m trying to remember,” he says. “I went out, killed rat men, and came back. You gave me darts, and I went out again. I saw the shaman and a cloaked figure talking about treachery and invading the compound. They spotted me. I ran away, but they pursued me. It felt like I ran for hours – I could get away and hide, but they kept between me and the freehold. Finally, one of them smelled me, and they caught me.” He shudders at a memory. “They beat me up and interrogated me. Afterwards, I had this compulsion to free SySy. Did you find SySy? Did she get away?”
“She got away,” Paks says.
“Damn.” Milo shakes his head, “I guess that’s my fault, huh?”
“Yes, it’s your fault.”
Milo continues with his story. “I was instructed to set the barn on fire as a diversion, so I did. Then I freed SySy. As soon as the gag was out of her mouth, she cast a spell on me. I followed her. Now I feel like a fog has been lifted.”
“What happened to Garth?” asks Paks, remembering that we still have the freeholder locked up as well.
“I sent him away,” Milo says, “With the story of the fire in the barn, so I could get to SySy.”
Paks nods, and turns to Taryn. “That clears Garth,” she says, and begins walking out through the door.
“I knew it was that stupid halfling,” Taryn tells her.
They leave Milo locked up, and Paks goes to get Chuck. Together, with Taryn, they find and free Garth.
“I apologize for locking you up,” Paks says. “We knew there was a traitor, but not who, and we just couldn’t take any chances.”
Garth doesn’t look happy, but grudgingly says, “I can see that.”
“I believed in you,” Taryn says. “These folk have helped us save the freehold, and your name is cleared.” Garth gives a curt nod, and seems inclined to drop it.
Preparations continue for the feast, but Paks reconvenes our entire group, for further discussion of Milo’s fate. She describes the story he outlined.
“We should take Milo to Grilliam,” Goldpetal suggests, “To be sure he was really enchanted and is now free.”
“I think it’s up to Taryn,” Paks says. “He’s the injured party.” She looks to the lord of the freehold. “We can take him back to Grilliam if you want,” she offers.
Taryn thinks this over. “By law,” he tells us, “We are owed a weregild, but he’s your companion. Had you not arrived when you did, we’d be dead anyway. I will leave his fate in your hands. While he’s in the keep here, however, he will have to remain locked up.”
Paks inquires about the weregild. “What sort of death price do you demand?”
“I’ll have to consider it further,” Taryn says, with a furrowed brow. “It’s a complicated situation.”
Paks turns to the rest of the group. “What does everybody else think?”
Miriel glances at Goldpetal, and answers, “I agree with Goldpetal, about taking Milo to Grilliam. We can’t let him travel freely with us again without a satisfactory answer.”
“Kill him right away,” Delonia says emphatically. “I never liked him, the little sneak.” She looks at Chuck, and adds, “Remember, Jim never trusted Milo, either.”
Chuck shakes his head. “I believe Milo's story,” he tells her, “But I’m even less sure if I can trust him, now.”
Taryn speaks again, with the voice of decision. “I’ll be happy with you taking Milo away,” he tells Paks, “But he can never set foot in this freehold again.”
“Does this mean we’ll be leaving soon?” asks Telryn. The young mage who arrived so unexpectedly in our midst has a quiet demeanor, and this is his first contribution to a group discussion.
“Yes,” Paks says, looking at Miriel, who nods her agreement. “But we’ll rest here tonight, first.”
At sundown, the freeholders present us with a lavish feast.
A long table is set in the center of the courtyard, and colorful banners and flowers have been hung from the walls, the buildings, even from our catapult! The food is lavish, and quite delicious, including a spicy pasta, a good fresh bread recipe, and a number of creative dishes with fresh summer squash, and vegetables from the fields outside. Taryn makes an excellent beer, even better than Fox’s beer from the Laughing Ogre. The crown jewel of the night is a fabulous fresh peach cobbler, which Myrs pulls from the oven to serve, steaming hot, before us.
When the feasting is winding down, several of the freeholders pick up musical instruments: drums, a flute, a harp, and a fiddle, and begin playing a lively jig. There is much dancing, and to everyone’s astonishment, the normally staid and aloof Goldpetal is an exceptional vibrant and lithe dancer. Even Telryn and Paks find themselves on the dance floor, to their apparent surprise. Llewyn finds Chuck and asks him to dance with her. The festivities go long into the evening.
While the party is in full swing, Taryn pulls Paks aside.
“I know you’re planning to go back to Southport with the halfling,” Taryn tells her, “But I have an idea. It looks like we’ve decimated this disease tribe. Maybe you should counter-attack now? A group of adventurers like you should have no trouble with the remnant.” Seeing that she is slowly shaking her head, he says, “You don’t have to decide now.”
Paks tells him, “We might want to wait until after we go to Southport.”
“You might not want to wait too long,” he says. “It would give them a chance to fortify.”
“Good point,” Paks concedes. “Do you think Brand and Llewyn might be willing to come?”
“They might,” Taryn says, “Though I’d like to have them here. I think you guys could handle the rat men alone.”
Through the rest of the night, Paks discusses it with the rest of the group, individually. She starts with Chuck.
“I’m all for killing rat men,” he says, when she explains the plan to him. “I’m not sure that Taryn is right about us having weakened the tribe so much, but I’m still in favor of attacking them.”
“Good,” says Paks. “Can you talk to Miriel, while I talk to Goldpetal?”
Chuck agrees, and they part ways.
When Paks tells Goldpetal, he asks, “How many rat men escaped?”
“We think about twenty,” she says, “Plus the shaman and the mauler you saw.”
“Do you think we can catch them before they reach the rest of their tribe?” he asks.
“No,” she tells him. “I think we’ll have to chase them back to their base.”
“What if they come back to attack again?” Goldpetal asks.
“I don’t think they will,” Paks says. “I think we’ve killed their leadership.” After a moment’s contemplative silence, Paks suggests, “How about taking a look at their base, prepared to run if we’re outmatched? If we really have weakened them, we can kill them off. Perhaps there will be treasure, too.”
“I’m not interested in things made by, or belonging to rat men, but I am very interested in killing them.” His voice hardens, and he adds, “In particular that shaman. I’ll go with you.”
Meanwhile, Chuck talks to Miriel. At first she’s very leery of the idea. “I’m not sure that it’s a good idea to chase after them,” she says. “They know the swamp, and we had difficulty enough getting to SySy’s. Do you know where they live?”
“No,” he replies, “But a hundred men marching to the freehold will have left a significant trail, so it should be easy to follow them.”
When she still doesn’t look convinced, he says, “I know it’s an unnecessary battle, for us as a group, but I honestly believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“I hate to say it, but you’re right,” Miriel says, swayed by the argument that it’s the right thing to do, “But we should ask for help from the freeholders.”
Chuck agrees, and goes to find Paks. They clearly have the heart of the group interested in the trip, and Paks says she wants to ask a few more people to come along.
Paks next talks to Telryn, and explains the plan in brief.
“You acquitted yourself well today,” she tells him, “And certainly proved your worth. Would you like to accompany us?”
“You’re obviously an interesting group,” he tells her, “But I need to get the ink I was sent for.”
“I think that the glitter ink comes from the swamp,” Paks suggests, “Based on what we know. At least, we have found some in the swamp before. Perhaps coming with us may be the quickest way to get some.”
He nods slowly. “Perhaps you’re right,” he says. “I certainly haven’t a better plan. I’ll come.”
Paks asks Llewyn and Brand if they will come. “No,” answers Llewyn, “I need to stay to protect my family.”
“And I will be needed to help rebuild,” says Brand.
“A scouting mission to the swamp is a good idea,” Llewyn adds, “But Chuck can handle the tracking, even if he has lost two masters.”
Finally, Paks talks to Delonia. She pays the sorceress the other half of her fee, explains the plan, and asks if she’d like to come along.
Delonia shakes her head. “No thank you! I took a beating today like I haven’t had in a very long time. I don’t think your luck is going to hold much longer. I’m done with Grilliam; I’m done with the rat men. I’m going west.”
“I’m glad you’ve stayed with us as long as you have,” Paks says. “Thank you.”
As the evening winds down, and everyone is pleasantly full, and pleasantly drunk, Goldpetal approaches Taryn. “I’ve become attached to the hawks,” he says. “Is there some way that they can come with me?”
Taryn throws his hands wide and says expansively, “They’re yours, friend, in thanks for helping the freehold!”
“Can I buy one of the guard dogs?” asks Paks. Seeing that Taryn looks doubtful, she adds, “Or perhaps one of their puppies?”
At the last, his face lights in a smile. “Certainly!” he exclaims. “They breed true, and a puppy, well-trained, will grow to serve you well.”
“If we do go to attack this tribe,” Paks asks, “May I invite some of the freeholders to join us in the attack?”
“I would love nothing more than to know that this tribe will never trouble us again,” Taryn says, “But I must regretfully refuse. I need the men to stay and look after the freehold, especially with all the damage to repair from the attack. In fact, if you don’t choose to go attack the rat men, we’d be grateful if you could stay and help as well.”
“Taryn,” Miriel asks, “If we go, can we leave Milo with you, under guard?”
“If you insist,” Taryn says, “I’ll hold him, but I must say I’m not thrilled about it. I don’t think I can guarantee his safety. My people think he’s a traitor. I could send him back to Southport under guard, but he probably won’t survive the trip. If you trust him, you should take him with you. If you don’t trust him, you should hang him.”
Chuck bites his lip. “I actually believe Milo,” he says worriedly.
“If we can’t leave Milo,” Miriel says, “And we can’t trust him, we must take him to Grilliam.”
Chuck shakes his head. “I’m worried that there’s a vendetta against me in Southport. I’m not sure I want to go back right now.”
“Going back to Southport with unfinished business is no good,” Paks says. “I think it’s just a crutch for us. If Chuck trusts Milo, I’m willing to trust him, for now.”
“I’m not convinced,” Goldpetal says, and he doesn’t look it. “On the one hand,” he says speculatively, “He was helping the rat men, so he deserves to die. On the other hand, he claims that someone cast a spell on him.”
“Would he have used a healing potion on SySy if he wasn’t under a spell?” Chuck asks. “We have no reason not to trust him.”
Miriel shakes her head. “We have plenty of reason not to trust him! I’m not comfortable traveling with him, but I also can’t leave him here to be killed outright. Does anyone else have a suggestion?”
“We could take him with us, tied up,” suggests Paks.
Miriel shakes her head, dismissively. “That’s just like killing him, if we get into a fight.”
“Push him into some quicksand!” Delonia calls from across the room.
“We know from his past actions that he wouldn’t help SySy,” Paks says.
“No, we don’t,” Miriel says quickly.
“He wanted to kill her!” Paks insists.
Delonia contradicts her. “No, actually, he attacked me when I tried to kill her.”
Paks comes to an abrupt halt, and appears to reconsider. “Okay, Taryn can keep him here, or dispatch someone with him to Southport.”
Miriel shakes her head, “But Taryn can’t promise he will not die if we leave him.”
Taryn says, “I can’t guarantee his safety. I don’t really have the personnel to watch him, either.”
“I can charm him for three hours,” Delonia says, laughingly.
“I could go either way,” Chuck says. “Take him to Southport, or take him with us, tied up.”
“We can take him with us,” Paks repeats, “Tied up."
Goldpetal shakes his head. “It’s not safe,” he says. “He might escape. If we don’t trust him, we should kill him. What’s his incentive to help us out, especially if we demonstrate that we don’t trust him?”
“Well,” Paks says, “At least we’ll know he’s on their side, if he helps them.”
“That’s a good point,” Miriel says. “Let’s take him, and kill him if he tries anything. We can let him know that this is how he can redeem or reveal himself.”
“That sounds good to me,” Paks says.
“That’s a mistake!” Delonia cries. “Kill him!”
Paks turns to her, and speaks with a quiet inner strength. She reminds the sorceress, “We had the same debate over you, Delonia.” Delonia looks taken aback and thoughtful.
Goldpetal reminds us, “We cannot free him until after we leave here.”
“We should never free him,” Miriel says, “Except when he’s being watched closely.”
We all agree to this plan. Miriel brings Chuck with her to talk to Milo.
Miriel and Chuck find Milo sitting on the cot in his cell. Miriel approaches him, while Chuck waits by the door.
“I don’t think it’s safe for you here,” Miriel tells the halfling. “The freeholders do not like you. Taryn has as much as said that many of them wish you dead, and that he will not protect you from them, should they offer violence against you.”
“But…” Milo begins.
“It would be best if you just shut up,” Chuck says, leaning against the door to Milo’s cell with his arms crossed over his chest.
Miriel explains the plan. “There is a way you may show your true colors. We are going into the swamp in pursuit of the rat men. We hope to catch them at their village, and wipe them out. You can come with us – we’ll be watching you, and if you betray us again, we will kill you.”
He protests, “You’re just offering me a choice of dying by the freeholders or dying with you, in a suicidal attack on the rat men.”
“No,” she answers levelly. “One option is sure death. They will not forgive you for what you have done. The other at least offers you a chance. Yes, it’s risky, but it gives you a chance.”
“Why not just let me go?” he wheedles.
“We can’t trust you enough to let you go,” Miriel says.
Chuck, lounging nonchalantly against the door, offers, “I could just kill him right now.”
Milo ignores the Vigilant, focusing his attention on Miriel. He lays out several possibilities, but in Miriel’s ears he sounds ever more like a con artist looking for the right angle. Her heart is closed to him, and even the thought of Madriel’s mercy does not help her forgive the little man.
“Enough,” Miriel says, exasperated, cutting him off in the middle of an argument. “I’ll let you think on it for the night. Chuck, bring him some food, then tie him to the bed.”
“He’s fine on the floor,” Chuck says cavalierly.
“Chuck,” Miriel says sharply, and though her voice is quiet, her tone brooks no defiance.
“Oh, okay,” Chuck agrees. Miriel sweeps out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. They continue to argue for some hours into the evening, before Chuck finally tires of making no headway. He feeds the halfling, ties him to the bed, and locks the door.
With three guards on watch, Kratys Freehold sleeps.
