Broker -CH 16-

They’d had only about twenty minutes of warning for the Duke’s arrival.

Alex had gotten nervous about the possibility of missing the man’s arrival and had posted a number of sentries to watch the road from the capital.

And all it did was reinforce my distaste for the nobility, and make my paranoia valid.

Sighing to himself, Alex, did his best to smile as the Duke’s party came rolling in along the king’s road from the capital.

He wasn’t sure if the duke was a fool, but by coming in this way, he more or less was showing Alex that yes, he’d been involved with the king’s plot.

Especially if he happened to have an unwed daughter or niece with him.

Two was on his left, Anna, and Holly on his right.

Behind him was Walter, Rudolph, and Maxwell. Otherwise, the courtyard of the keep was empty.

The ducal coach rode in, his guards peeling out in every direction just inside the gate, but not crossing into the courtyard proper.

A coachman that was hanging off the side dropped to the dirt and opened the door, bowing low.

“The Duke Tanulf, of the Tanulf family,” said the man.

Here we go.

Bowing low, Alex did his best to keep the same smile on his face.

Regardless of anything else, he was greeting his new liege lord. The better the man liked him, the easier Alex’s life would be.

“Ah, Count Brit,” said a voice heavy with age.

Standing up, Alex laid eyes on the Duke for the first time.

He was indeed elderly. Looking rather decrepit and seemingly made out of skin and bones.

“It’s good to see you. I take it the king’s letter reached you in good health?” asked the Duke, bowing his head fractionally to the count.

“Yes, your Duke, we did indeed. His majesty made it clear that I was to become your vassal,” Alex said directly. “May I int-”

“Good, good. I’ll receive your oath of fealty and then be on my way. Much to do, and very little time,” said the Duke, interrupting Alex.

Somehow, Alex managed to keep his smile.

Going down to one knee, Alex placed his right hand on his collar pin.

Wish I had studied the oath a bit more so I don’t-

I promise on my oath that I will in the future be faithful to my liege lord, never cause him harm, and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit.

Alex was quick enough that he managed to recite the whole thing as it was being sounded off in his head.

The Duke nodded his head.

“I accept, and here are your orders.”

The duke reached into his doublet and pulled out a thick envelope and handed it over to Alex.

“Good day,” the duke said, turning to clamber back into his coach.

Getting to his feet, Alex looked to the envelope then back to the carriage.

Peeking out from the inside was what he’d feared, and expected. A young woman around his age.

Before he could get an idea of what she truly looked like, the door shut to the carriage, and the procession was off and rolling again.

“What a twat,” Carla muttered, shaking her head.

“I think he has a penis,” Anna said seriously.

Alex guffawed at that and patted Anna’s hand where it rested on his forearm. “I think he’s both a twat, and a penis. I imagine that’s how he shows his displeasure. Pity for him, his rebuke only makes me angry, and does nothing to my noble pride.”

Opening the envelope Alex pulled out the thick wad of papers.

The one on top seemed the most ominous, as it was flowing script clearly written by the hand of someone writing for effect.

Not the dictated and copied words of a scribe.

Reading it quickly he held his breath. Then he read it again a second time.

Unable to help it, he let out an explosive breath, then handed the whole thing over to Walter.

“It would appear the Duke is going to be going to war with a neighbor. My liege levies have been called up. I imagine the rest of the paperwork is the liege lord contract that the king handed to him,” Alex muttered.

“Well this is a mess. I only returned and now in two weeks I’m being called to go to war.”

“That’s ok Husband, I think two weeks is enough time to put a child in Holly and I. Daddy always said it only takes once, and I should never dally with a man who wasn’t my husband,” Anna said with a smart nod of her head.

Thank you Master Ulles. Remind me to send you a special birthday present.

***

Walter and Maxwell were hunched over a desk, going through the contract word for word.

“I imagine it’s fairly solid since it came from the king,” Alex said. “How about we give up on working on a way out, and simply deal with what we’re going to have to. It’s wasting time at this point.”

“But, my lord-”

“Leave it, Walter. What’s our responsibility levy wise?”

“Two-hundred man-at-arms, three-hundred conscripts, and one-hundred archers,” Walter said, as if reading off a shopping list.

“That would strip almost all our defenses and leave us with precious little to hold our County,” Maxwell added.

“Then we don’t do that. The man-at-arms and the archers would be the hardest part I imagine. The conscripts are mostly peasant paid in coin, mostly day-laborers. No?” Alex asked.

“That’s… accurate, my lord. But we simply don’t have the resources to recruit and train that many-”

“No, no. I’m not thinking of trying to backfill those positions we’d vacate. I’m thinking of simply hiring a vendor,” Alex said, leaning his head back against his chair.

“A… vendor?” Maxwell asked.

“A vendor. A mercenary company who has that force number on hand, that we could simply hire. If we’re being honest with ourselves, the cost of training up and outfitting replacements for those who die in this war, might very well be the same cost as hiring mercenaries.

“Or so I’d love to think. Maxwell, does that sound about right?”

“Well. It would depend on the company but… yes. There’s a number of outfits that would fit price wise and numerically. Truth be told, you might be right about the cost to outfit and train replacements, too. The morale would also be heavily impacted,” Maxwell said, working the thought through his own process.

“Let’s plan for that then. Maxwell, send your fastest riders to the company we want to hire, I concede to your best estimation for the situation on who, and let’s get this taken care of.

“Walter, outlay the amount of coin it would take to run a years campaign in advance and let’s see where we line up financially,” Alex said, his thumbs tapping each other in his lap. “Beyond that, let’s see if we can offset the cost of the company by offering them permanent employment in the guards afterward. I imagine at the end of this, there might not be much left of them.”

Maxwell and Walter didn’t say anything, causing Alex to drop his chin and look to the two of them.

They were both staring at him.

“Something the matter?” Alex asked.

“No, sire. It’s just… that’s… rather well thought out,” Maxwell said.

“Oh, thank you. If there’s nothing else, I’m going to go visit my guests,” Alex said and stood up.

“Seems like I don’t get any time to work on my projects,” grumbled Alex as he headed down towards his dungeon.

People passed by him as he went. Nodding to him or moving out of his way.

He’d love to believe it was in deference to him, but he imagined it was the fully armed and armored Carla padding after him.

“Probably should hire another guard,” Carla said as they moved.

“You’re… right, of course. I had wanted to use that as a means to get you into my bed more often. That’s a pity,” Alex said, shaking his head.

“I’m sure you’ll figure out something else to use against me,” Carla said. “Eventually.”

“Eventually. My poor cold bed,” Alex said dramatically. “Anyways, let’s see if we can’t get two recruits to come with us on this adventure. I can keep working on my projects that way.”

Carla made a rude noise and prodded him in the back with what felt like the top of her mace.

“Take one of your wives with us.”

“I don’t think that’d be a good idea. I get the impression they’re not cut out for such conditions. I’ll leave them here to manage things. Between the two of them and Walter, it should be fine.”

Alex passed by the dungeon guard checkpoint and went right in. Passing through Sylvia’s now empty cell he didn’t stop.

One bounced off her bed and came up to the bars, smiling at him.

“Master, I was worried. You hadn’t returned when you said you would,” Riley said, her hands curling around the bars.

“Sorry about that. Things came up and I lost my self.”

“I thought maybe… maybe your wife didn’t like you coming down here?” Riley said, watching him.

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m afraid I’ll be going to war under the Duke of Tanulf. I wanted to run a deal by you to see what you’d do,” Alex said, leaning up against the bars next to her.

“I’m listening, Master,” Riley said, her face moving to rest between the bars, staring up at him.

“I want to let you have the chance to leave this cell for a time. To serve as my personal maid-servant. You’ll have to attend to all my needs that a maid-servant would, and do so efficiently, and without command.

“You’d have to swear to attempt no escape, and remain with me regardless of what happens,” Alex said, tapping one of the cold bars with a finger.

“This is… odd… master. This seems more like you’re offering me the price, before I get the reward,” Riley said.

“I suppose it is at that. What would you want in exchange for doing what I described?”

“Would I have to sleep with you?”

“Not initially, but I might make an offer later that you can always say no to,” Alex admitted. “But you’d have to sleep either in my bed, or directly beside it. In a war camp, it wouldn’t be wise to be wandering around alone as a woman.”

Riley looked down to the ground, apparently deep in thought.

“Could you… pay me? And send the money to my mother and younger sister?” Riley asked finally, her eyes coming back up to his.

“I certainly could. I’ll make sure you receive pay equal to what a maid-servant in that situation would earn.”

Riley nodded her head. “Then I agree, and swear it on our oath.”

“Grand. If you’ll remember I had planned to give you maid training, that’ll be accelerated now. I imagine you’ll be living and breathing your duties for the next two weeks until we leave,” Alex said. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out the key for her cell, and unlocked it. “Come on then, One. Time for you to get squared away.”

Carla took a step forward as Riley attempted to leave the cell, and laid a hand on her shoulder. 

“I am Two, you will listen to every instruction I give you in regards to Master’s security. Do you understand, One?”

Riley looked up into Carla’s face, then nodded her head. “I do.”

Alex waved a hand at them then indicated the door.

“Go ahead and take her to the maids, Two. Get her cleaned up, fed, and get her working. She has a lot to learn, and little time to do it in. I’ll be with our last guest,” Alex said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder towards Valeria.

Carla frowned at him, but didn’t say anything. Instead she grabbed Riley by the elbow and marched her quickly out of the dungeon. Intent to seemingly take care of this chore as quickly as possible.

Alex turned and entered Valeria’s cell, moving directly to the bars and peered in.

Valeria wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Valeria?” Alex asked.

“A moment,” came a subdued voice from behind the privacy screen.

Alex shrugged his shoulders and waited.

A minute later and Valeria crawled around the edge of the screen, then laid down on the stones.

She was red faced and panting. Her hair looked like a straw matted mess, and her tunic was beyond rumpled.

“Are you well?” Alex asked, concerned.

“Sick. Had waxed poison pills in my stomach that I was holding onto. Just in case I needed… needed to die. After your oath to cause no harm to myself, I had to get rid of them,” Valeria said, explaining. “One was apparently leaking.”

“You were… eating your own feces over and over? The waxed pills?”

“Yes.”

“Huh. You’re rather dedicated to your previous employer.”

“Under oath.”

“Ah, that does explain a few things. It also attests to your upbringing, doesn’t it. You were once part of the nobility?”

“Yes.”

“Hm. Though I was wondering on that,” Alex said. With the key to the doors still in hand, he unlocked her cell door and went inside.

Valeria peered up at him from the ground, her eyes fearful.

“Be still, I’ll do you no harm.”

Alex got the pillow from her bed, dragged a chair over, and sat down next to her.

“Up with your head now,” Alex said, then wedged the pillow under her head when she did so. “Now, let’s start with the easy part of this.

“What do you need to help pass the poison?”

“Water. Lots. Otherwise, nothing. It’ll pass. It’s not long lasting, and I didn’t get much of it,” Valeria said.

“Good to know. I’ll have a barrel of water brought in.

“Next… why did your employer throw you away?”

Valeria glared up at him from the pillow.

“No such thing happened I-”

“It did. Forgive me but… you’re not built for hand to hand fighting. You’re clearly put together as either eye-candy, a diversion, or an instructor. What were you doing before this last job? No details, or specifics needed. Or even to betray your employer. Just your general job title.”

“Teacher,” she said finally.

“And had you ever done any field work before that?”

“No.”

“So, either you were picked specifically for me, or you were no longer needed, and tossed aside. Let’s work through this a bit further.

“You had a dagger in your… in you. I assume that was how you were going to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“How were you going to escape?”

Valeria didn’t respond.

“Were you ordered to use a blade as the means?”

“Yes.”

“And yet you were a teacher. Who knows how to carry poisons in such a fashion, seduce a target, and distract to the point of being able to operate effectively. To the point that you have the mental conditioning to eat your own shit.”

Alex leaned forward in his chair and smoothed her hair back from her brow, then lightly began to massage her scalp.

“You were ordered to put a blade in me, without the possibility of escape, when you had other opportunities to work with.

“Nor did anyone attempt to retrieve you after I made it obvious I’d caught someone.

“No… you were disposed of, Valeria.”

Valeria closed her eyes. She said nothing.

“Well. I find myself in need of someone like you. I’ll not ask you to betray your previous lord in any way, but I’d like you consider working for me directly instead.”

Valeria snorted at that.

“You’d trust someone like me?”

“No. I’d bind and chain you down in oaths, like most of my people. Though we’d have a clear paid and received for each deal. Just as we’ve already done so far.

“Would you be willing to discuss terms with me? You can say no.”

“What happens if I actually do say no.”

“Nothing. I leave you here, go on campaign, and you remain in this cell until I return.”

Valeria finally opened her eyes and met his gaze.

“Let’s talk terms then.”

“I want you to go on campaign with me, and operate as a teacher. Help me protect myself, and teach me everything you know, but from a defensive aspect.

“Do this, and I’ll expunge your death sentence and commute it to a life sentence.”

“Need more.”

Alex thought for a bit, then shrugged.

“Part of teaching me would of course be an oath to make no attempt to escape. All the previous oaths would remain active, so you couldn’t betray me, my secrets, or attempt to harm me.

“With that in mind, I could change your cell to a private room in the keep. A room much like my own, to be clear.”

Valeria’s brow scrunched up at that.

“Need pay,” she said finally.

“Everyone seems to want pay lately,” Alex grinned. “And what are you worth?”

“Five gold every three months.”

“Mm. So twenty gold a year. I could agree to that, but I want more from you in exchange.”

Valeria’s knees came up, her hands pressing to her stomach.

“What?”

“You’ll wear what I want you to wear, you’ll let me be in charge of your hair and how you style it, and you’ll take the name of ‘Three’ and respond to it. I’ll be sure to add a lovely collar with your name on it.

“Oh, and call me Master, of course.”

Valeria chewed at her lower lip.

“I can promise to hurt you a bit whenever you want as an extra. A spanking here or there, a hair pulling now and again. Whatever you fancy,” Alex said, grinning at her. “Maybe bring the trunk along if you’d like to sleep in it at night in my tent? At the foot of my bed, maybe? Shackle your wrists and ankles. Gag you, put you in my trunk and keep you handy as a special treat?

“Though you would have to swear to celibacy. To no contact of a sexual or romantic nature with anyone at any level.”

Time to test what you really want, my little pain jockey. I’ve only teased a touch up to this point. Time to see if you can admit its what you want.

Valeria blinked at that. Her gaze panicked, then curious, then just dead.

“Is that a no?” Alex asked, scratching at her hair line delicately with a fingernail.

“I’ll do it. I accept the terms you’ve given and swear to the oath between us.”

“Grand. You have two weeks to get your kit shifted out. Then we’ll be off. For now, how about I put you back in your bed, Three, and you get some rest?”

Valeria closed her eyes and nodded her head once. “Yes, Master. Please.”