Broker - CH 20 -

Alex looked out at the plane beneath his defenses. Valeria stood next to him. Carla, Nannie, and Riley stood nearby, looking out across the same view he was. They were just out of earshot he figured.

No sooner than he’d been able to, Alex volunteered his forces as a screening force and raced towards his desired location. So that he could secure this exact spot.

The people he’d sent ahead had done an admirable job of erecting exactly what he’d asked for.

To the point that Max and David had suggested awarding them all extra portions of ale.

Ale was apparently almost as fiercely prized as coin while at war. Who was Alex to judge?

Tanulf had arrived the night previous and settled into the position he’d wanted. For all intents and purposes, it seemed as if today would be the first touch of combat.

With any luck, the last as well.

There’d been a minor situation with the count on Alex’s right flank being perturbed at the lack of space for him to get into formation.

To which Alex happily pulled his conscripts in as a second line and let the man have that lower section of the hill.

“Master?” Valeria asked.

“Sorry, Three. Lost myself there. I wanted to talk to you a while back you’ll remember,” Alex said, turning to face the woman.

“Yes.”

“I hadn’t forgotten, just hadn’t had the time. Now seems oddly appropriate.”

Valeria didn’t respond. She was dressed in a form fitting dress and seemed partially ill at ease. As if unused to being on the front line of battle.

In her role as his doxy, she played it well. He admired her ability to get into character and stay there.

“You’ve been doing well as both actress, and… I have no term for it actually… thief-taker? Assassin’s assassin?” Alex asked, looking to Valeria for help.

Valeria shrugged her shoulders. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Well, you’ve been doing well. But I don’t think this role fits you. Nor do I think you particularly enjoy it. Is that fair?”

Valeria’s nose wrinkled, and her hands folding into one another in front of herself.

“Not entirely, no, Master. Fieldwork isn’t my forte. Never was, never will be,” she admitted.

“Then I have an offer. One tailored specifically for you. I want you to hire an apprentice for yourself. Someone you can train up to take up your fieldwork. You’ll remain at my side of course, but no longer working both roles.”

Valeria nodded her head at that, her eyes drifting to the side.

“It’d help. Make it easier. Though I think it would be better with three. One for going out, one for remaining in, and one in reserve,” Valeria said, her eyes flicking back up to him.

“Hm. Two more than I wanted but… I suppose we could come to a price for those extra two. Especially since it would be problematic were you to find yourself having to choose between me and your old master.

“Would you barter with me?” Alex said, grinning at her.

Blinking twice, Valeria finally nodded her head.

“I’ll have you hire three to train up exactly as you said. They’ll swear the same oaths of fealty and privacy you have. Their pay will be negotiable and I’ll settle that with them privately.

“As for you, what I want from you is rather simple. I want you in my bed one night a week.”

“That seems… not quite fair. You want me to train people, only to pay you with myself?” Valeria asked, her cheeks coloring faintly.

Alex grinned at her.

“I promise to make sure we cater to your needs for the night you spend with me. In whatever way you see fit, first.

“Did I mention I found quite a nice riding crop?”

Valeria tilted her head to one side, watching him curiously.

“You… are a very strange person, Master,” she said finally.

“That I am. So?”

Valeria turned her head the other way, as if seeing him from a different perspective would tell her something else.

“Fine… I accept your deal as you stated it. Three to train, and… my preference… on activity before I get in your bed as your doxy. I do so swear.”

“Agreed, accepted, and sworn,” Alex said with a grin. “Now, how about yo-”

A distant horn interrupted him.

Looking over, Alex saw the enemy army stomping their way forward.

“There it is then,” Alex murmured.

Carla, Nannie, and Riley all came over to peer out. Then Carla grabbed him by one arm and dragged him off.

“Time to sit your happy ass down. You gave the strategy to be followed, let them do the battle,” Carla said.

“Yes, Master. Come to the tent with me. Relax,” Riley said charmingly, taking his arm in hers and wrapping herself around it.

“Fine, fine. Nannie, you stay with me. Two, Three, you can consider this involuntary time off for an hour or two,” Alex said, letting Riley lead him off.

***

Alex had lasted all of five minutes sitting in his tent before going back out to watch from an elevated position of safety with the archers.

Though he couldn’t see much, he could see enough.

The enemy army did truly seem to be the elites of their side of the conflict. From the brief glimpses he saw of them when they reached the summit, they appeared quite well armed and armored.

Right before they went tumbling down the hill from a spear thrust or sword stroke from his troops.

As far as Alex could tell, the enemy had badly under-estimated his troops. They’d expected to just swarm up the hill and overrun them as if they weren’t even there.

At some point Max had taken control of a troop of the heavy foot soldiers in reserve and rushed around the far side of the defensive hook.

It was a solid move and Alex had approved of it as he watched it happen. He’d even told Max to look for an opportunity like this to flank their far edge, and begin rolling them up in front of the battle line.

The rumble and growl of fighting had long since been tuned out, and Alex heard it not at all.

“Master, is it going well?” Riley asked, her fingers hooked into his sleeve.

“As well as it could be, I suppose. Really doesn’t matter much to us anymore. We prepared an unassailable position that just isn’t something they can take in a straight fight,” Alex said.

“They’d have to overwhelm our people which… honestly won’t happen. Maybe if they were conscripts or under-trained, then sure.”

David nodded his head in agreement, yet said nothing.

“This seems pointless,” Riley said, her eyes turning down to the ground.

Such a tender hearted thing.

“War usually is. It’s the worst case scenario when politics fails,” Alex agreed.

“My lord, I’d like to switch some men out with the conscripts. It’d give them a chance to blood themselves, and give some of the men a break.”

“That’s fine, and a good idea. Maybe some of those very same peasants might find soldiering the life for them,” Alex said with a smirk.

David left without another word.

“Master, can’t we go back to the tent?” Riley pleaded.

“I don’t think I should, One. My place may not be on the field itself, but it’s better if I’m at least visible,” Alex said, giving her a smile. “It’ll be alright. This has already been going on for a while. Unless the enemy really is a fool, they’ll have to pull off sooner rather than later. They’re simply losing too many men.”

From the far side of his line a sudden commotion got Alex’s attention. Frowning from where he stood, he peered off towards the disturbance.

“Nannie, could you-” Alex started.

“On it,” said the woman, not bothering to hear the full order. She set off at a jog, a short sword slipping free of a sheath and practically appearing in her hand.

“I wonder what it could be,” Alex mused.

“Maybe it’s Max?” Riley asked.

“Maybe. I imagine he’s still pressing hard on their flank though. The enemy isn’t to be taken lightly, and I imagine they’ve been flanked before in their careers.”

A number of men on horses came up over the crest of the hill, slipping through the conscripted peasants who had been put there as a defensive reserve.

“Ah, it’s my special garbage collector team,” Alex said with a grin. “Let’s go see what they managed to pry free from our esteemed enemies.”

Alex waved at the lead horseman and then pointed towards his command tent. Nannie came back looking mildly annoyed and her sword sheathed.

There was no reason to advertise what the spoils were quite yet.

All the horsemen followed along, arranging themselves in a loose formation.

Alex stood in front of them with a smile, looking to someone to step forward and tell him about the results.

Eventually, two men with full helmets on made their way towards Alex. They were lugging a large two handled chest between themselves.

Reaching Alex, they dropped it with a resounding thud.

One opened the lid, while the other stood there with his hands on his hips.

Inside was a glittering mess of gold and silver.

“Hah, what the hell did you do. Rob their pay-wagon?” Alex asked, looking to the two men with a grin.

“Better, we took one of the actual pay-wagons,” said the man on the left as he unbuckled his helmet. “Six more chests like this inside it.”

Hooking his helmet to his belt, the young man gave Alex a grin.

There was a strange resemblance to David he couldn’t quite place. All the features were the same, but younger.

Brother perhaps?

“If I remember right, I offered a twenty-percent finders fee on items like this,” Alex said, closing the chest. “Let’s say… pick a chest for yourselves, and we’ll count up another and give you one-fourth of that for you and your men, fair?”

As if his smile couldn’t get any wider, the man nodded his head.

Behind him, the horsemen were getting down off their mounts.

“That’s not all though,” said the man. Looking back to his group he waved at them. “I do believe you had a price on unharmed gentry and generals as well.”

Squirming sacks with feet sticking out of them were carried by Alex and taken into the tent.

“Consider me beyond impressed. I didn’t catch your name?” Alex asked.

Men like this had to be employed as quickly as possible.

“Daniel, sir. Daniel Herel.”

“Stick around, Daniel. I’ll have a use for you later. I’ll tally up your prisoners and add it to the chest we’ll be divvying up.

“Remember, secrecy is the name of the game here,” Alex said. With a nod, he turned and entered the tent, eager to find out who he’d caught.

Six writhing sacks were laid out on the ground. Four were wearing what looked like well cobbled shoes, and two with boots.

“Good afternoon,” Alex said. Turning to the side, he motioned at Riley and Nannie to get the tent flap. “My name is Alex Brit, Count Brit. You’ve all been taken as prisoners of war under my domain, and control.

“Don’t bother trying to say anything just yet. I’ll be interviewing you all privately. If you’re a high value prize, you’ll receive fair treatment. If you’re not…” Alex left the statement open, letting their own fears fill in the blank.

Realistically he’d just turn them over to duke Tanulf if they didn’t serve his purpose. But there was no reason to tell them that.

“I look forward to speaking with you one and all,” Alex said. “We can-”

“Sir!” Daniel said, speaking through the closed tent flap.

“Yes, Daniel?”

“Sir, they’re retreating from the field.”

“That’s good news. Any reason why?”

“I think they noticed their entire camp was on fire.”

“Oh. Yes, I imagine that’d be a cause for concern. Good. Have David rotate the men out, get the wounded evaced, a meal in everyone, and enough water to drown a fish. This might not be over.”

“Ah, yes, sire.”

Alex turned back to the sacks. Sacks that now seemed considerably less active.

“Well. That’s interesting. I suppose the good duke will call me in for a staff meeting shortly. We’ll have to make this quick. If you’re of the peerage, go ahead and curl up into the fetal position for me,” Alex said.

Two sacks immediately did so.

“Nannie, could you set those two aside for me? Preferably back near my bed area? I’ll need to interview them first before the meeting I imagine.

“Ok, next, who’s in the military?”

Two more sacks curled up.

“Put those on the other side of the tend. Far side, that is. Either you or Two need to watch over them, Nannie. I’m sure One can keep an eye on them if you want to go track Two down real quick.”

“You and your damn numbers,” Nannie growled.

“The other two… leave them there for now. You’re in charge of those, One.

“Oh, and if you find Three while you’re out there, send her my way.”

Alex waved his hand at them as he spoke. Then he trailed after Nannie as she dragged the two sacks back towards his bed.

“Guh, fuckin’ meatsacks,” Nannie said, then pushed at one of them with her boot, sliding them towards his bed. “Gonna go find that dumb cunt so I’m not alone in this. You got it for now?”

“Indeed. Do be nice to Two, she might take your head off and I’d have to hire a new murdering psychopath,” Alex said, sitting down in a chair nearby.

“She can try,” Nannie said, then left.

“Well then,” Alex said, and reached down to the closest sack. “Let’s get you open and have a chat.”

The sack fell completely immobile as Alex began unwinding the cord that was around their feet.

Pulling the sack open he reached in and grabbed a leg.

A bare leg.

Then pulled at the same time as he stepped on the sack with one foot.

The bottom part of the person slid out, which was a pair of legs in a dress that had slid all the way up to her hips.

“Ah, sorry about that,” Alex said. Getting out of his seat he pulled the sack up and over the woman the rest of the way, rather than yanking her out.

Bound, gagged, and clearly angry, a young woman a few years younger than himself glared up at him.

Light brown hair, bordering on a dark blonde, framed her face naturally. 

She had fine features and an elegant look to her. She was pretty in her way, though certainly not beautiful.

The figure she was sporting was on the better side though, with a nice curve to her body.

Her green eyes had enough heat in them to make him catch fire. That disposition didn’t improve when it was obvious he was inspecting her.

“Let’s start with being civil to one another. I’m Alex Brit, you’re safe, and I’d love to have a conversation with you. Shouting would be counter to that, and we’ll be forced to go down a different road if you did that,” Alex said.

Reaching down, he carefully slid the gag out of her mouth and down to her neck.

“And you are?” Alex asked, sitting back down fully in his chair.

Huffing angrily at him, she shifted around on the ground.

“Baroness Mary Margaret Tilly,” she said, lifting her chin slightly.

“Ah. I see. Who’s the other one,” Alex said, pointing to the other sack.

“My niece,” said the Baroness.

“Great. Who’s in charge of the right flank of Duke Gaelis?”

“My uncle, Count Frenis.”

Carla came over and looked to the woman on the ground, then Alex.

“Two, could you pack up that sack over there and hand it off to Riley? She’s nobility but… minor,” Alex said, looking up at his bandit bodyguard. “I’ll deal with her after the Baroness here.”

Carla looked to the woman, the sack, then back to Alex. She grunted, then grabbed a booted foot of the niece and dragged the squirming sack off.

Alex looked back to Mary and gave her a smile.

“Well. I’d say your uncle is falling back to salvage what he can of your camp. Let alone figure out what his next move,” Alex said, spreading his hands out in front of himself. “I can’t speak for the rest of the battle, but this flank did not go in your favor.”

Mary had been trying unsuccessfully to pull her dress down to a more dignified position.

“And what does that have to do with me?” she asked.

“Not much I suppose, other than that you’re my prisoner. We can discuss terms for your ransom, or your terms for your captivity.

“Do you think your husband would be interested in paying before or after the war ends,” Alex asked.

Mary gave him a strange look, then slumped into the ground, giving up on her dress.

“He’ll not pay a penny for me. Not when I can’t give him a damn heir. He might pay you for my niece though,” she said with a bitter smile.

“I suppose we’ll just have to find another form of payment then,” Alex said with a smile. “I’m sure we could come to some kind of arrangement for your release dependent on… well… you.”

Mary’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

“I take it this is where I’m expected to not resist while you take me by force?” Mary asked, her voice subdued.

“Not in the least. On the contrary. It’s the opposite. It’s where we barter for your release like gentle-folk,” Alex said. “I take it you’d like to be released?”

“Yes,” Mary said.

“Great. Then we already have a desired outcome. Now we just have to dicker on the price. Do you need a horse as well?”

“That’d be preferable,” Mary said, sounding unsure.

“A horse, and going free. Is that the extent of your ask?”

“I… yes.”

“Wonderful. Now, my price. First, an oath of secrecy to me, and mine. That you’ll not reveal anything you discovered here, nor will you act on anything you know after having been here.

“It wouldn’t be wise to return you with information after all, now would it?”

“I could swear to that.”

“On your life and soul. To Leah,” Alex clarified

Mary opened her mouth once, then closed it, as if thinking better about what she wanted to say.

“Then… I swear on Leah to safeguard your privacy, and everything I might learn while in your camp. Both on my life, and soul,” she said finally.

“Great. I accept your oath. Now, I’d love to let you free. As if nothing were the matter, in fact.

“But I just can’t do that. Not for nothing, at least.”

“Ok…” said the Baroness.

“To set you loose, with a horse… I’d like to have dinner with you. Get to know you a bit. Have some wine. Then take you to bed when it’s all said and done.

“In the morning, I’ll release you, fit and fiddle, all your possessions as they are, and a horse.”

Mary didn’t say anything, she merely watched him.

“It’s a fairly simple transaction, and I promise to treat you like a gentleman would tonight,” Alex said with a smile at her.

“I don’t think you understand how badly my people need me. My husband and my uncle aren’t…” she paused, as if realizing what she was saying.

“If anything, I’d be more inclined to keep you here,” Alex admitted. “But… color me interested. At least a bit. I’d like to know you. And then know you.”

“Just like that then…? You’d let me loose tomorrow morning?”

“That’d be the deal. Or you can say no, and nothing untoward would happen to you. You’d be treated as a prisoner of war who was a noble, and be given all the proper courtesies of your station.”

Mary finally broke eye contact, and looked to her feet.

“No one would know?” she asked, not looking up.

“Only you, me, and maybe a few of my personal assistants. Who are all sworn to secrecy and loyalty. On Leah.”

Mary shook her head slowly.

“Then I guess… we have a deal.”