"Thank you, I'll be out for a short ride."
Vorkatos spots the spy, so he hurries to get his horse ready to mount and does so, but instead of riding away, he waits for something to happen.
It takes only two minutes until the two king's men arrive. They come into the stable lane blocking the exit. They are fully propped with their chainmail shield and mace "There you are. You'll surrender and come with us to face a trial. Or we skip the trial and beat you up here."
"Like there was a trial to begin with!" Vorkatos shouts as he readies his sword to solve these 2 problems he's been dealing with for all this time.
"I don't want this fight but if you won't disappear once and for all, I'll kill you both."
"Famous last words." one replies and both approach.
As they come close enough, one of them attacks.
As the kingsmen attack, Vorkatos let's his sword rain down on the first man entering his reach.
With a powerful blow, Vorkatos cuts down the first of the two men before he can attack. This changes the odds heavily in his favor.
Persephone reaches the stables just as two armed men enter with their weapons ready. That's not how you go in there to get a horse. she thinks and quickly limps to the entrance to get a peek on what's going on.
From the looks of it, something of Vorkatos' past has caught up to him.
The other man attacks the horse, to get Vorkatos off. But the horse's armor thwarts that.
"Better luck in hell"
Vorkatos takes another swing on the still standing fool.
"Dream on. You won't get me that easy. I promised you death and I intent to keep my word."
Persephone sees that after that initial success it doesn't go too well for Vorkatos and throws in a spell to help him out.
You see the fear in his eyes.
"Yep Peridi, time to go."
He says and commands his horse to run away. Vorkatos vision blurs but he has trust in his horse he'll bring him out safely.
As his master commands, Peridi does. It runs straight out of the city, since it is the only way it knows.
As the horse with Vorkatos shoots out of the stable, the remaining king's man tries to hit him again, but misses. He then follows suit, but out of fear of the woman standing at the wall of the stable.
Persephone moves over to the man on the ground, picks up an arm and drags him into an empty box. What so we have here? If that isn't some good equipment.
She gets the guy out of his armor, pockets his pouch and grabs the mace and shield. With that she takes a peek out of the door. And if there is no one seen she moves out of the box and leaves the stable.
The owner of the stable stands in the entrance and takes a look inside, but as there is nothing to be seen, and Vorkatos payed in advance he shrugs and goes back to work.
As Persephone leaves the stable though, she sees the one who fled come back.
Shifting the stuff she is carrying to have an arm free she gestures the other warrior the 'I watch you' and stares at him. To back it up she calls on the dark energy to fill her hand.
The shoulders of the man sag and he looks away.
Persephone waits another moment, that the man doesn't decide otherwise and then leaves. The whole way she looks over her shoulder to make sure she isn't followed. As she is sure that is not the case, she walks home.
Persephone closes the door behind her and puts all the new goods on the table in the kitchen. Sitting down on a chair she takes a closer look what she won there. Not what I was looking for, but it will help that I'm not cut open when attacked.
Won't help in the House Of Flames though. Can't wear it there." As she sits there and ponders what to do next her stomach speaks up.
"Right, I still had no meal." she confirms to herself, holding her belly. And the house has some flour, yeast and salt, but that would mean a lot of work to get something to eat in an hour.
Persephone checks the pouch she won. Wow! 36 gold. I guess I'll treat myself to a meal in The Pig's Whistle.
Persephone leaves the house again, locks the door, and walks back to The Pig's Whistle. Maybe Vorkatos shows up too." She arrives still quite some time before her evening shift would have started if she still worked there.
"Hello again. Persephone greats all present when entering the tavern. She takes a seat at the counter. "I'm still hungry. Can I get something substantial, or am I still on a strictly liquid diet?" she inquires from Isabella.
"You have a bad yearning for this place, don't you?" Isabella replies. "As long as Vorkatos isn't back to make something, the offer still stands. Make it yourself and pay it anyway."
"Did you get another job as a guard?" she inquires on the sight of the chain mail.
"Let's see if he shows up. He ran into some guys who hold a grudge against him or something. Last thing I saw, he was fleeing on his horse."
About her new dress she tells "No, that's not related to a job I have, more a job I want to try. As soon as I fond a way to get to that farm" Persephone points to the job board "without walking there, I'd like to see how that pays."
As soon as he's outside the city, Vorkatos tends to this one big wound by wrapping a pice of cloth around it. He ramms his sword into the ground and hugs his horse. He sits down with her and pets over her mane.
"Nice to see you."
After a long pause, he asks his horse: "Should I go back in the city or just carry on to the next?"
The expected silence hurts as always.
"Then let fate decide."
Vorkatos takes out 2 dices and rolls.
"Ah f%@# ... and we're off to Father Grimburrow, Haha." He laughs with a bitter smile. He didn't want to go back just as much as carrying on to the next city. Vorkatos mounts his horse and is on his way.
At the chapel Father Grimburrow is surprised to see Vorkatos again. "What happened? Marinelli again?" he asks, worry in his voice.
"No no. I was looking for a fight and I got one. Little have I told you about me. In the eyes of the order of the sword, I'm a deserter. A king you don't know has marked me as such and hunts me. I tried to end the hunt and that's the result." Vorkatos tells.
"Come in." Father Grimburrow urges Vorkatos, looks around if someone is watching them and then closes the door.
Once inside the Father presents his holy symbol and prays for healing.
"That's what happens if you bite off more than you can chew. Maybe you are willing to take that risk, and it might be worth it."
"But you are a man of the sword and know the business. You've decided up front that there are fights that are worth risking your life. A man who has been a shopkeeper all of his life is afraid of that. And rightfully so."
"I'd like to see that Marinelli go down. And you're the first I know who got the heart to confront him and his bullies. As you dealing with my 'coward' friends didn't work out too well, I'd take it upon me to coordinate the support. If it goes south you'd end up here with me anyway." Either for healing or for a burial. Grimburrow finishes the sentence in his mind. "What do you say to that proposal?"
"But as you have serious problems of your own, I guess they need solving first?"
"I believe my problems ran away, I might have taken a hit but I don't think they will be coming again. Now to your friend."
"I wasn't asking him to fight with a sword, but with wits. The fighting is my job and I get that. What I do not, is him ducking away after the complaining. Not willing to act against Marinelli and I am very grateful you are, although you didn't complain to begin with."
"And that's great, you will be calling the shots since mine got no results whatsoever, make arrangements and whatever you think needs doing. I'll be gathering a few allies over the days and I already know where to start."
"But before I run off, is there anything I can do for you?"
"Gathering allies is a good plan. I'll see if I can urge one of the shopkeepers to go to the guard and ask for support. I don't think they'll do much, but they should be aware of the issue. If Marinelli comes forward with what he insinuates we can point to it and make the connection."
"What you could do for me? I have no idea. But if something comes to mind I'll tell you next time you visit."
"Good afternoon everybody." the cheerful guy calls out as he enters The Pig's Whistle.
Isabella hollers back. "How's life treating you?"
"Like I'm a desert. There's a drought in my throat and nothing to water it in sight." He takes the seat next to Persephone.
"An ale in on the way for the rescue." Isabella fills a mug, without waiting for the foam to settle and puts it in front of Norm. Then she pours a second one.
"Hello beauty, what are you here for at this early hour." Norm approaches Persephone with a genuine smile.
"Waiting for a knight in shining armor on a white horse." Persephone replies. She tries to gloss over the fact that she might blush.
"Do you need saving and a good marriage?" Norm inquires in an amused tone.
"That would do too. But I'm looking for a horse and a shining armor."
While the two guests banter, two more guests arrive. By the looks of it, seamen, or dockworkers. They too sit at the counter. "Two beers, pronto." the bigger one demands in a gravelly voice.
"You forgot to say please." Isabella states, holding the mug she drew for Norm.
"No I didn't." the rude man replies.
"Well..." Isabella replies in an amused tone. "... you won't get an ale." and puts the mug in front of Norm.
"I don't like the weak ass ale you serve here anyway."
"I'm here to deliver a message. Starting tomorrow you're going to buy your wine from us. We'll bring a cask with a dozen bottles per week and you'll pay us 100 gold for that. Have the coins ready, if you don't want something to happen to your precious tavern." He pushes one of the vases, so it topples over and rolls off the counter.
Isabella reaches out and grabs the vase before it can fall.
"See you tomorrow." The man salutes with two fingers to his temple and a grin. He leaves together with his silent companion.
"What an a$#!#~#." Isabella snorts.
She turns to Persephone. "You wanted a better paid job? Here is one: If you mug that ass tomorrow after he delivers the wine and is on his way back, you can keep the gold."
"Then I'll be off, till we met again." Vorkatos bids goodbye to Grimburrow and rides to The Pigs Whistle, arriving just in time to witness two men leaving.
'Looks like Marenelli scum'
Entering he asks: "Sorry if I'm late, did I miss something?"
"The start of your shift and two brutes who volunteered to become my new suppliers for overpriced wine, starting tomorrow.So I offered Persephone a well paid job to teach those two a lesson tomorrow."
"Hundred gold, that you have to pry from their hands once they made the delivery here and are on their way back. And no telling we have a deal."
"I'm not doing that alone, but together we can take them." Persephone takes another sip from her mug.
"Well, I ran into some trouble too and that's why my horse is standing outside right now and unless I can park her here, I'm not working for today. But I'll be here to give them a good thrashing tomorrow."