Chapter 14 : Binding Chains
Chapter 14
Binding Chains
The sun was halfway to the west, and the weather had turned pleasant. More travelers showed up in cheap inns around Pozna after a day’s journey. But the better part of the society headed straight to the crossroads where a well-known inn, the Swan, was located.
While most inns offered a communal hall to sleep, the Swan offered cleanliness, separate rooms, and lavish meals. Right now, the atmosphere in the hall was perfect to wind down, with sturdy chairs, excellent ales, and cool, airy halls, made possible by the inn’s high ceiling and multitudes of windows.
Whiffs of rich aroma from the grill complemented the scene, but for Lansius, it just turned into a dilemma. One old man in fancy clothes and his guard had flanked him for reason unknown. He had nowhere to hide, and Felis, unknowingly, had given his identity.
“God-damnit, it’s really you, Lansius,” the old man said, getting chummy with him.
Lansius felt cornered. He was sure this was some sort of trickery.
“My lady, please excuse us,” Anci, the tall and muscular guard, said with trained politeness. Despite his brutish appearance, he was clearly educated.
Can I talk myself out of this?
Before Lansius could try anything, the old man kept arguing. “Lans, it’s me. How could you not recognize me?”
“Apology, but I don’t know you,” Lansius answered, as polite as he could.
The old man chuckled. “It’s me, dammit, it’s Thomas.”
The name struck Lansius. He did a double-take, but the clean shaved and neatly combed person looked so different. Only now he noticed the similarity. His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened unconsciously.
Thomas laughed, watching Lansius’s reaction, and slapped the man’s back.
“Ouch, what’d you do that for?” Lansius winced, but couldn’t resist grinning. He was relieved to see Thomas and also gladdened that nobody actually tried to con him.
Felis chuckled softly while Anci snorted loudly.
Thomas straightened up and adopted a more formal demeanor, turning toward Felis. “Please forgive our behavior, my lady.”
Felis shook her head gently. “No need to apologize. I’m not of noble birth. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression.” She dipped her head.
As the second guard approached, he caught the tail end of the exchange and at once slipped into gallant flattery. “Mademoiselle, your blond hair and blue eyes would make even highborn ladies envious.”
Felis smiled at the compliment. “Please, call me Felis.”
Before the second guard could say more, Anci drove an elbow into his side. The man gasped in pain, but managed to answer with a solid punch to the gut.
Thomas shook his head as he watched the two men under his command trade friendly blows. Both were in their twenties and ought to have known better. “Enough, you two,” he said at last, his patience thinning.
They stopped at once, and Thomas gathered himself before asking, “Felis, Lans, would you care to join me at my table for a chat?”
Lansius threw a questioning glance at Felis. She nodded, and the two followed Thomas to a bigger table.
“I’d better introduce us. I’m Thomas, and these are Anci and Hugo. They’re Sir Peter’s squires.” Then he turned to the squires. “Boys, this is Lansius, the clerk I befriended in Riverstead.”
Despite not being introduced, Anci bowed his head to Felis first. Then he gave Lansius a crooked grin and offered his hand. They clasped hands, and Lansius found his grip firm and strong.
Hugo, the leaner of the two squires, followed a moment later and said simply, “Nice to see another Arvenian.”
Once they were all seated, Lansius was the first to ask, “Thomas, how did you get here? Isn’t Arvena occupied?”
“We went the long way round through Tiberia and Elandia,” Thomas explained. “So, what happened to you in the river crossing?”
The talk turned heavy. Though unprepared for it, Lansius told them everything, including what had happened to Theo and Max.
When his grim account finally came to an end, Felis reached over and gently patted his arm.
By the time he finished, Thomas looked older somehow, the lines on his face deeper and the light in his eyes dimmed. He drew a deep breath and said firmly, “Don’t blame yourself.”
At his side, Hugo turned to Anci and said bluntly, “It’s clear the margrave meant to massacre the entire House of Arvena. They even murdered children over little more than rumor.”
Anci scowled. “If only the High Court wasn’t so spineless.”
Finding his chance, Lansius asked about the gossip he had heard on the road. “Is it true the young lord is missing?”
Thomas reluctantly nodded. A servant boy interrupted their discussion as he brought them a pudding, which to Lansius looked like a tart cake.
Without anyone’s objection, Anci took a slice, followed by the others. Lansius only took a small portion, fearing it may contain milk. Meanwhile, Felis took a big chunk and ate merrily by hand. Before long, her fingers were smeared with grease and soft crumbs.
Well, who am I to judge?
The sweet treat changed the mood for the better. Everybody seemed more relaxed and ate happily.
Thomas wiped his eating knife clean and slid it back into its sheath. “You’re lucky to have made it this far safely. The roads and cities here aren’t as safe as Arvena.”
Lansius nodded. “Indeed. Just today, we had a brush with a kidnapping.”
That didn't seem to surprise anyone. Thomas remarked, “Midlandia may look prosperous, but many have been driven into poverty by the growing industries. It’s a good thing you’ve got yourself a sword.”
“I do feel safer with it at my side, but I haven’t train—” He broke off abruptly and blurted out, “Thomas, have you seen Stefi?”
Thomas shook his head. “Sorry, lad. We’ve found a few remnants and survivors, but . . .”
Felis patted Lansius’s arm again, her grubby finger accidentally smearing a bit off pudding on his clean blue tunic.
Despite the stain on his only clean clothes, Lansius appreciated her good intention.
“Boss, there’s still some light outside.” Hugo carried a serious tone.
Thomas nodded. “Mademoiselle, may we ask Lansius out for a bit for a chat?”
The pudding was gone, but they had yet to finish their supper as roasting meat in the fire pit was a lengthy process. Lansius felt something was off, but he trusted Thomas.
Felis cleaned her hands on the yellowing tablecloth and declared, “I’m coming too.”
***
The five of them went into a small wooded area. Anci stood guard at a distance against eavesdropping. Felis seemed to read the situation and stuck with Anci.
Hugo went farther, but he too gave a wide berth for Thomas and Lansius.
“It’s far enough.” Thomas stopped and turned himself to face Lansius. “Lad, you got something from Miranda.”
At the sound of that name, Lansius’s heart began to race. He had known this would happen. “Can I say a few words first?”
Thomas looked at him sharply. “Speak up.”
“I’m going to use it to free Stefi if the slavers got her. If I can’t find her, then I’ll return everything,” he said, trying to sound persuasive.
“No, no . . .” Thomas shook his head in disbelief. “You were entrusted with it. It’s not yours to use.”
Thomas’s flat refusal stirred a flash of bitterness in him. “Give me a chance. I’ll pay it back. I carried it this long. You can’t just appear and take it away.”
“Lans, it wasn’t given to you.” Thomas refused to listen.
“I almost lost my life in that forest. It was me who saved this money, so whoever owns it, they owe me that much. I didn’t go this far for nothing,” Lansius exclaimed, unintentionally raising his voice. He knew there wasn’t much logic to his argument, but he was at his wit’s end.
The outburst forced Thomas to gesture Lansius to quiet down. “Are you out of your mind? Those guys are Sir Peter’s!”
“What this got to do with Sir Peter?”
Thomas exhaled. “Sir Peter is Sir Ian’s son.”
Lansius took a step back. Only now he realized how Thomas had got his fancy clothing and two squires. “Are you here to help the escaping Arvenians or to hunt me down?”
“It’s not like that . . .” Thomas knitted his brows. “Sir Peter is making a war band, and it needs money.”
Lansius became conflicted, but said stubbornly, “I can’t go to Feodosia empty handed.”
“Lans, the squires will cut you down if you run with the money,” Thomas warned.
Lansius exhaled sharply and glanced around. The wooded area was sparse and had the markings of men: pathways, cut down trees, and no old branches on the ground. He hated the forest, but he knew this was far from that ancient forest. He could survive here easily.
“Don’t.” Thomas read him easily. “You may outrun me, but not the squires.”
Lansius hesitated. Thomas said nothing, giving Lansius time to rethink.
“Help me,” Lansius suddenly pleaded. “There must be another way . . .”
Thomas sighed as if giving up. “Even if I let you—even if I help you. The two of us can’t take them. Maybe I could stall Hugo, but not Anci. That lad is a monster.”
Lansius’s shoulder slumped. Since the first time he saw Anci, his instinct had screamed not to mess with him. He had seen stalwart knights and men-at-arms before, but Anci stood a league apart.
“Look, I understand your cause. And believe me, I don’t want to lose you the way I lost Theo and Max. But there’s no other way.” Thomas’s voice sounded tired and worn.
The mention of the two jolted Lansius, making him pause. Yet, the thought that he might find Stefi and Jan but be unable to free them tormented him. He couldn’t think of another way. His friend’s safety depended on the money he had hid. His muscles tensed, but his mind didn’t know what to do.
Then he realized just how good Thomas’s clothing really was and found a slim opening. “The prize," he began. "Miranda mentioned a prize. You got that nice clothing and certainly more. What would I get?”
Thomas was taken aback. He had not expected that and fell silent in thought. Only after several moments did he exclaim, “Fine. Take the silver.”
Lansius wasn't about to accept it blindly. “It’s only sixteen silver. How am I supposed to free a slave with just that?”
“Ah, fuck it, Lans. I’m not some charity.” Despite Thomas’s harsh words, he reached out for his inner pocket, pulled a money pouch, and fished some coins. He grabbed some and gave it away.
Lansius counted seven silvers. “Much obliged.” He knew it was far from enough, but that was probably the best Thomas could do.
“Ready the gold. I’m calling Hugo.”
“Wait—” Lansius scrambled to open the sewn gold coins in his doublet, blanket, and inner part of the bag.
Thomas watched, his face showing surprise at Lansius’s ingenuity.
“Here.” Lansius showed six gold coins. The amount could buy two cottages, or a well-built two-story house in a friendly neighborhood.
Thomas didn’t take it, but whistled to signal for Hugo.
The laid-back squire, in a light blue brigandine, approached them. He saw what was on Lansius’s hands and received it politely. “On behalf of Sir Peter, I offer you his gratitude.”
The problem seemed to be resolved for Hugo and Thomas, but Lansius still had one concern.
“Umm, can I get a receipt?” he asked.
Hugo and Thomas were dumbfounded by the request, and Thomas couldn't help but be amused. “Well, he’s a clerk. What can I say?”
The two laughed, and Lansius chuckled along.
At last, Hugo offered his right hand to Lansius. “If my signature is good enough, you shall have it.”
Lansius gladly clasped Hugo’s hand.
...
The sun turned orange when Lansius, Thomas, and Hugo headed out from the woods.
“So, tell me about the war band?” Lansius asked.
Hugo bent a low-hanging branch so they could pass easily. “Not much to tell. We got less than a hundred, but mostly too young and without weapons.”
“I see . . .” Lansius paused for a moment. Somehow, though younger, Hugo the squire seemed to carry more authority than Thomas. That made Lansius decide to broach the subject. “Well, call me crazy, but have you ever considered rescuing slaves?”
“Rescue?” Hugo scoffed. “That’s ballsy, but foolish.”
Aware of Lansius’s plight, Thomas filled him in. “The Lord of Midlandia tolerates our presence, but he’ll kick us out if we try anything with the slave trade.”
Lansius reluctantly nodded. He had heard rumors that the Imperium sanctioned the slave trade to appease the two Eastern Kingdoms that grew powerful, but only now did he have an indirect proof.
So, not even the Lord of Midlandia dares to go against the slave trade.
“The local lords are especially jittery about the presence of armed men in their regions,” Thomas commented about themselves.
“But I heard that Midlandia is on our side. Can’t they intervene at all?”
Hugo glanced at Lansius. “Only if it benefits them. This means we need the young lord. As the rightful heir, he could claim Arvena. If we have him, then Midlandia will gladly assist in exchange for a hefty compensation.”
“More likely a debt so large that Arvena could never repay,” Thomas sneered.
“Aye,” Hugo agreed. “This is why we can’t rely on Midlandia too much. With the Imperium like this, certainly Midlandia wants to carve out pieces of Arvena for themselves too.”
“And us as the henchmen.” Thomas swatted an insect that flew too close to his face.
Lansius tasted the hopelessness, but pressed on. “If we found the young lord, would he do something about the Arvenian slaves?”
Hearing the desperation in his voice, Hugo spared him some hope. “Well, they are his subjects. I think he’ll try to free them one way or another.”
Lansius sensed the subtle change in Hugo’s voice, but nodded all the same. Even if it was only false hope, he would cling to it.
They trekked the short distance toward the edge of the wooded area and rejoined Anci and Felis.
“So, what are you two talking about?” she asked.
Hugo looked to Lansius. Felis was still an outsider to all this.
Lansius gave a knowing nod, though a different thought had already taken hold. “She’s from here. Maybe she can help.”
“Help with what?” Felis asked, understandably intrigued.
Hugo hesitated, but Anci gave him a supportive shrug.
“Well, why not,” Hugo said at last. “We’re looking for a noble from Arvena. You may have heard of him, the young Lord Arte. Light brown—”
“Light brown hair, beautiful jawline, charming, and speaks candidly like a bard? And oh, also a scar on his left eyebrow?” Felis sent rapid questions at Hugo.
The men froze, eyes wide.
“Y-you saw him?” Hugo nervously asked.
***