City Guardsman
Copyright© 2026 by Ka Hmnd
Chapter 2: The Killing of a Merchant
The last six weeks had seemed to fly by, and Sam had her monthly bleeding. From the last day, she had trembled in fear every night as she came to bed. I only held her and told her to face her fear. Two weeks later, she had, and I had been a gentle lover. From that first moment, her fear had left her, and she became my lover as well as my wife.
Over the last month since then, she had refused to leave my side. In the mornings, she trained with Mona after she got off her shift, and I practiced with various guards or soldiers. When I investigated a crime, she stood behind me or took notes. Sam had refused to return to see her mother or father until she was pregnant. This morning was to start differently.
I woke as the light entered the room and looked at the beautiful girl that was my lover and I hoped, my wife. She lay half on me as she had ever since that first night when she had become my lover. As the room brightened, her eyes opened, and she smiled up at me. Suddenly, it changed, and her face went white.
She scrambled out of bed and ran into the small bathroom to be violently sick. I followed and held her. While we were like this, someone started banging on the door. I leaned back and looked across the room and called for them to enter. Captain Able entered with Tess behind him. “We’ve had a death, Charles. Jonathan and the Duke both want you there.”
I nodded, but quickly leaned back to Sam as she started vomiting again. I heard Tess gasp and cross the room to squeeze into the small water closet. “Sam?”
Sam finally sat back. “I don’t know what’s wrong!”
I had an idea what was wrong, and so did Tess. She gently wiped Sam’s face. “I think you’re pregnant.”
Sam’s eyes widened, and she looked at me. I smiled. “I think so too.”
She came into my arms. “We did it, Charles.”
I held her close. “Yes, love, we did.”
Tess and I helped her clean up, and I looked at Tess as we got dressed. “I’ll need to speak with your mother or father.”
I dug into my things and pulled out a fat purse. When we went downstairs, George and Maria were sitting at a table drinking coffee. We stopped next to them, and I held out the purse. George took it. “Tonight, we are going to celebrate. Samantha and I will announce the expectance of our child and say our vows. Sam’s parents and the court will be invited, as will the Guard and Militia and anyone that wishes to join.”
Maria jumped up and hugged Sam, and George shook my hand. When we stepped outside, my four men stood up from a table they had been sitting at. Dett started off leading the way. Our way wound up through the houses of the rich or noble. We stopped outside a large mansion. The Duke and Sheriff were waiting with a squad of militia and Captain Hurst.
I gave the duke a slight bow, but he was surprised when Sam stepped close and kissed his cheek. Jonathan smiled and looked at me, “The merchant that was killed was one of our main suppliers for the king’s army. His name was Petre Sal Demtilos and he was found in a locked room. We need to find out if this was directed against the kingdom or if it was personal.”
I nodded and looked at Dett, Edward, and Chris, giving each a nod. They didn’t say a word, only walking into the house. Jonathan and the duke turned to leave, and I cleared my throat, “My lord?”
The duke turned back, surprised, “Yes?”
I smiled and took Sam’s hand, “We would be honored if you and your wife would join us for dinner and a celebration. We invite your court to attend as well.”
His eyes widened, and he looked at Sam, “Samantha, is it true?”
Sam blushed and nodded. The duke quickly stepped close and hugged her, “Samantha, I am so proud.”
Jonathan clapped me on the shoulder, “The Guard Tavern?”
I nodded, “We would like to invite the Guard and the Militia to join us as well. It will be open to everyone.”
I looked at the duke, “I will expect your examiners at noon?”
He smiled and nodded, and I looked at Sam, “Sam? Did you want to go see your mother?”
She shook her head, “After your examiners confirm that I am whole and... pregnant.”
My examiners? That was something I hadn’t thought about. I looked at the duke, not really seeing him as I turned towards the door into the manor. Peter put his hand on my shoulder when I reached it, “You’re distracted, Charles, take a minute.”
I nodded and took a deep breath and looked back to see Sam behind him smiling. I grinned, “I forgot I would need to have someone stand for me.”
She grinned, and I turned to enter the manor. I found Dett, Edward, and Chris standing outside a doorway. Edward looked at me, “It’s a trap.”
I looked into the room and relaxed my mind, letting things that were out of place stand out and jump to the front, “The scroll on the desk.”
“The candle on the table.”
“The dagger in the bookshelf.”
I looked around further but didn’t see the last. I looked at Chris, “Do you see the trip?”
He shook his head, and each of the others did the same as I looked at them. I frowned, “The scroll can be countered with fire, the candle with water.”
I looked at Peter and turned him around and pulled his sword breaker from his belt, “The dagger I can bind.”
I looked back into the room, “Fire and water. Solid and...”
I looked at the body and smiled as it finally came to me, “Solid and ethereal, the book in his hand.”
I looked at Edward, “We need Mother Alisa.”
He nodded and left, and Peter nodded to the room, “That’s a sand dagger.”
I nodded, “It seems Shermerez may be involved.”
Peter snorted, “More like this is aimed at you.”
I nodded absently as Sam touched my shoulder. I looked at her and smiled, “Do me a favor and don’t even think of following me into the room. Go find one of the guards; I need a runner to go to Armsmaster Henry. I also need Captain Hurst or Able, whoever is on.”
She nodded and walked quickly down the hall. Chris snorted, “You better tie her up or she’ll follow you anyway.”
I grinned at him, “Care to do it for me?”
He grinned back as he looked at Peter, “I don’t think so. Mona has been teaching her some sneaky moves.”
Peter laughed, “Charles was the one to teach Mona.”
I looked back into the room as a guard came down the hall. I didn’t even turn as Peter told him to find Armsmaster Henry. He wrote a hasty note and folded it before giving it to him. When he was done, the guard hurried off, and Dett nodded to the body, “His was a slow, painful death; this was more than something aimed at you.”
I nodded, “Maybe a two-prong attack?”
Dett nodded, “Yes, I think so.”
With the sound of feet coming down the hall, I looked to see Sam leading Captain Able and the large form of Mother Alisa. Dett, Chris, and Peter stepped out of her way, but I blocked her from entering. She looked down on me; Mother Alisa stood almost seven feet tall, so she looked down on everyone.
I grinned at her. She was one of the few that didn’t care about who I had been, and I liked her. “It’s a trap, Alisa. I think maybe for me. I can take care of three of the corners, but the last is ethereal. I think maybe the merchant.”
She nodded, and I looked at Dett and Chris. “I need a brazier and a wash basin.”
They slipped away, one to the kitchen and the other to the bedrooms. I looked at Captain Able. “Prince Sherdain may be sticking his fingers in again. Can you put someone to watch him?”
He nodded and looked into the room. “Do you think it was personal or...”
I shrugged. “With Shermerez involved, it could be both. They have a mage named Horiss Haszar. If he is here, this could be his work.”
Able nodded and walked back down the hall. Dett returned from the kitchen carrying a smoking brazier with two thick mittens. I took it from him and slipped into the room, skirting the trap. I made my way around to the desk, and carefully I set it on the desk and slowly backed away and returned to the door. Chris handed me the basin of water, and I moved to the table and set it across from the candle.
I looked at the doorway. “Sam? Stay there.”
When she finally nodded, I pulled the sword breaker and stepped around the table. I took a deep breath and stepped into the trap. Fire and water sprang into being around me. My hand was already rising with the sword breaker, and it caught the dagger inches from my chest as I swept the candle into the basin.
As I turned to the desk, the fire around me died, and a ghostly form started rising from the dead man. I still held the dagger with the sword breaker and grabbed the scroll and tossed it into the brazier behind it. I moved around the desk, taking a deep breath now that the threat of drowning was gone.
It was a good thing they had used a person newly dead; it didn’t know it could move through objects yet. I could hear Mother Alisa murmuring, and the spirit stopped moving and turned to face her. A moment later, it began to fade, and I put my attention on the dagger still trying to get past the sword breaker.
I knelt slowly, keeping it bound in the sword breaker. “Peter?”
I felt him enter the room, coming closer as I carefully wedged the point of the dagger into the floor. I leaned it against the desk with a struggle and grabbed a glove from my belt to use on the handle. When I looked up at Peter, he nodded and brought his foot down, snapping the blade. I sat back on my heels as the blade stopped moving.
I carefully flipped the blade over and nodded when I saw the glyph. I stood and handed Peter his sword breaker. “Thanks.”
He grinned. “Better you than me.”
I nodded and knelt next to the body. I pulled the shirt up to see the glyph carved into his chest. I nodded to Peter. “It’s a Shermerez glyph.”
I stood and looked at Peter. “Use a piece of cloth, gather the dagger, candle, scroll, and the book.”
I walked out of the room and into Sam’s embrace. I looked at Mother Alisa. “Thank you.”
She nodded and entered the room. The body was her responsibility now. I looked at Dett. “I need to know how many ships from Shermerez are in port.”
From Dett, I looked to Edward. “Check the entry logs at the gates.”
Finally, I looked at Chris. “The duke.”
Our eyes met, and he finally nodded, knowing I wanted him to guard the duke. When Peter came out, I took the bundle of cloth and pulled a small key from my pocket. “I have a trunk at the mercenary guild. Bring it to the Guards Tavern.”
Sam was looking at me curiously, and I smiled. “Time to go write out our report.”
She nodded and slipped her hand into mine as we walked out of the manor and started the trip back to the guard building. When we entered the building, several guards called out to us, some especially to Sam. She had wormed her way into their hearts, and they liked seeing the way she fought back from what had happened to her.
I smiled when I saw Mona sitting at a table with Lieutenant Belet. When we sat down across from them, she groaned, “Damn it, Belet, I told you to write faster.”
I laughed, “Relax, Mona, I have a less exhausting chore for you today.”
She grinned, “And what is that, oh exacting master?”
I grinned, “I need a favor. I ... ask for your confidence and your discretion.”
Mona sat back, looking at Sam, who was blushing. “So, it’s true. Sam is pregnant.”
I nodded, and Mona grinned, “I’ll be honored.”
I pulled a sheet of parchment from the center of the table and placed it in front of Sam. She grinned as she pulled the ink pot and metal pen closer. She wrote neater than I did. Mona and Belet looked at each other, and finally, Mona cleared her throat. “What’s the word on the merchant?”
I unrolled the cloth and flipped the blade of the dagger over. Mona sucked in her breath. “Bastards.”
Belet looked at her, and she shook her head. “Shermerez, Belet. Again, the damn prince is meddling with us.”
Belet growled, and several guards moved away. It wouldn’t do to draw the attention of an upset lieutenant of the guard. Mona looked at me. “We should have let you finish at Albia.”
Sam looked up, and I could see Belet paying closer attention. “Mona, I was covered in blood. The dead were stacked taller than I am, and they refused to let me get close. How was I supposed to finish it?”
She grinned, “Yes, it was a beautiful sight to behold. Two thousand dead and the rest running every time you tried to get close. I thought the Captain was going to laugh himself to death.”
I shook my head and nudged Sam to get her back to writing. When she finished, I gave it to Belet. “If you can get it copied, one goes to the duke and the other to Jonathan.”
I looked at Mona. “The exam needs to be at noon.”
She grinned and nodded, and I picked up the artifacts. After leaving Sam, I crossed to a table outside the inn. There were workers setting up tables everywhere. I looked up when one of the serving girls stopped beside us. She was smiling as she watched one of the workers, and Sam laughed. “See something you like, Teresa?”
Teresa looked down at Sam, blushing, and then laughed. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”
Sam laughed with her. “Want me to tie him to the table for you?”
I laughed when the worker, a young man, stood up and looked at the girls. “You know I can hear you.”
Sam laughed, and Teresa’s blush deepened. She looked down at the table. “Did you want an early lunch? Mom is putting most of the girls to work for your party.”
I smiled and nodded. “Something light, something Sam may be able to keep down.”
Teresa grinned at Sam. “Lucky you.”
Sam stuck her tongue out at her as she turned away. I smiled until I saw Dett hurrying across the square. He sat down across from us. “Ten ships. Large galleys, and they haven’t even tried to unload.”
I cursed and looked at the guard building as Mona and Captain Able came out and started across towards us. I looked back at Dett. “Remember those northern ‘fishermen’ in dry dock?”
He nodded, and I gave him an evil grin as I pulled out my purse and counted out several gold coins. “Give them these and tell them about the celebration here tonight. See if they would do us a favor by fouling the rudders of the ships. Also, that merchant with the load of napthem? Tell him the city will buy it. I want barrels at the beginning of each dock those ships are at. If you can manage it, get one close to each ship. If they move off the ships, use fire arrows on the barrels.”
I looked at Captain Able and Mona as they reached the table and sat down. As Dett walked away, I quietly told them what I suspected. Teresa brought us soup, bread, and a light cheese; she said her mother recommended it. When Edward slipped into the seat beside Sam, he was grim. He quietly handed me a slip of parchment, and after glancing at it, I shook my head.
I looked back at him. “Get some men. Try the Blue Parrot, the Fallen Lantern, and the Windor. You know what other places they may be. Take anyone you catch to the militia lock-up.”
I glanced at the street coming into the square and smiled as I stood up. “Sam? There’s someone I would like you to meet.”
I grabbed the artifacts and tossed them to Mona. I took Sam’s hand and led her to the approaching couple; they had four militia guards with them. I didn’t even slow as I released Sam’s hand and embraced the woman. She was six years older than me and just laughed as I spun around holding her. I set her down and turned to a frowning Sam. “Sam, this is my sister Gabrielle.”
I looked at my sister. “What are you doing here, and where is your husband?”
She stepped away from me and held her hand out to Sam. “Philp is with grandfather, and I’m here because you need family to witness Samantha’s examination.”
I smiled and glanced back at the tables where Mona was sitting. “Well, since I didn’t know I had family here, I did the next best thing.”
Gabrielle gave me one of her stern looks. “Don’t tell me you asked one of your mercenaries.”
I grinned at her as she unconsciously took Sam’s hand. “Well, Mona isn’t a mercenary anymore. In fact, she is one of the duke’s trusted guard officers.”
Gabrielle started laughing as she turned to the young man that had come with her. “Is this the same Mona with the colorful nickname of Bloody Mona? Or the one that kept trouncing the poor duke in his own salle? Don’t you think she is a little rough to be examining your wife-to-be?”
I shook my head as I was evaluating the young man. “Well, since she is also the one that is teaching Sam how to defend herself, and Sam was the one to do her examination before she was married, I thought it was a good idea.”
Gabrielle stopped and looked at me. “My god, someone married her?”
I frowned at her. “Gabrielle, you judge too quickly. And yes, someone married her. (I could see Sam was upset.) In fact, it was another former mercenary and one I owe a serious debt to.”
Gabrielle frowned back at me. “I’m sorry, Charles. I know they are mostly good people. Wait a minute! A debt? Peter the Shadow is here?”
I laughed. “I haven’t heard him called that in a long time.”
She grinned and looked at the young man. “I’ll have to send word to grandfather.”
She shook herself and started to introduce the young man, but Sam stopped her by walking straight to him and kissing his cheek before turning to me. “Charles, this is my brother, James.”
I smiled as I stepped closer. “Nice to meet you, my lord.”
He grinned. “I’ve been waiting to meet you since you got here. You’ve impressed my father a great deal. More importantly, Mom said you were smarter than Dad and told her you would rather Samantha was removed from the line to inherit. And then there was the impressive way you rescued her, although thinking she would change her mind about something was foolish. Since you didn’t know her, I can’t say it was a character flaw though.”
I laughed as I took his hand. “Even us common men get help from fate.”
He laughed. “Well spoken.”
As we walked towards the tavern, I waved at Mona and waited for her at the door. Inside, I saw that one corner had been curtained off. Maria came hurrying through the gathered girls around the kitchen doorway. She curtsied to James and looked at me grinning. “The Duke matched your purse, so it is going to be just about everyone in the city that will attend.”
I shook my head, and she laughed before pointing to the curtain. “I had the corner set aside for your examination.”
I nodded and turned towards the corner, and we started across the room. We were almost there when Peter came in carrying a large trunk. I waved for him to follow us behind the curtain and grinned as my sister frowned. There was one small table and two chairs in the corner itself. Peter grunted when he set the trunk down. “You didn’t tell me it was in the high-value section or that it weighed a ton.”
I grinned. “You’re getting soft, Peter.”
My sister’s expression changed, and she stood a little taller. “Peter the Shadow?”
Peter glanced at her as he pulled out a scrap of parchment and handed it to me. “Not for a while.”
Gabrielle took a breath and stepped close to him, laying her hand on his arm. “I am Gabrielle Winston-Hurme. Charles is my brother. I want to thank you on our family’s behalf.”
Peter looked at her bemusedly, before glancing at me. “Well, since he was the Armsmaster and the one to pound it into my thick head that the company was family, I thought it was appropriate.”
I glanced up from the parchment. “This is all Henry sent?”
Peter nodded, and I almost cursed. I turned to the wall and thought hard before finally turning to Peter. “The king’s army has two companies in the militia compound that no one knows about. See Henry and quietly get them to the three empty warehouses by the docks. There are ten ships in port. I have Dett putting barrels of naphtha on each dock and hopefully by each ship. Make sure they know they may face up to a thousand Shermerez skirmishers. Try to get the duke’s rangers to go with them.”
I glanced at a frowning James and back to Peter. “When that is done, I need you to watch Prince Sherdain’s back door. I think with the celebration, he will act tonight. Take anyone with him out and bring him to me. And Peter? I don’t care if he is in mint condition.”
Peter grinned and turned to leave. He stopped briefly by Mona and whispered something before opening the curtain. James looked at me. “You think Shermerez would dare attack?”
I gave him a wry grin as I bent to the chest and opened it. “Shermerez isn’t the brightest country.”
I moved things around in the trunk and finally found what I was looking for. I set a small mirror on the table. It was twelve inches square and worth more than most of this city. As everyone gathered around, Mona sighed. “Do we have to, Charles?”
I glanced at her and grinned. “I talk to her all the time.”
I touched the frame, thinking about time. “Ali!”
The mirror cleared, and we were looking into a woman’s dressing room filling with several women moving around a young woman seated in front of us, half-dressed. “Charles!”
One of the women scrambled to throw something across her front, and she swatted her away. “Leave me, all of you!”
I grinned. “Tet, tet. What would your father think?”
Ali grinned, showing her teeth. “He tried to pawn off another of those old men on me.”
I laughed. “Did you send him running in fear?”
Ali smiled smugly. “I left him whimpering in the throne room.”
Mona laughed. “Ali, you are never going to get what you want.”
Ali leaned forward and looked closer at the mirror. “Is that you, Mona? I heard you finally let Peter catch you.”
Mona grumbled, and Ali laughed as she finally looked at me and sobered. “I heard about someone finally cornering you too, Charles. You should have accepted my offer.”
I smiled. “I would rather have you as a friend. Besides, you’re too violent for me.”
She grinned, and I saw her gaze wonder from Gabrielle to Sam. “So which one is the lucky one?”
I pulled Sam closer. “This is Sam, Samantha, the duke of Whitecliff’s youngest daughter.”
Ali laughed. “I thought you said you were going to stay away from nobility.”
I shrugged. “She thought faster than me and saw through what I was doing.”
Ali grinned as she looked at Sam. “Good for you. Have you conceived yet?”
Sam smiled shyly and nodded. “I was sick this morning for the first time.”
Ali shuddered. “That’s something I’m not looking forward to.”
Ali looked back at me and sighed, “Well, they have probably told Father you are looking at me in my slip. Heavens forbid someone else should see me like this. What did you want to talk about?”
I grinned, “I need to speak to your father, actually, but you can tell me if Shermerez is mustering on the northern border.”
A male voice came from the mirror, and an older man stepped up next to Ali, “As a matter of fact, they are, and not just them. One of his southern kinsmen has sent men as well.”
I sat in the chair, “Do you have any numbers?”
He nodded as his hand rested on Ali’s shoulder, “Your company scouts say ten thousand or more.”
I looked at James and then grinned at the mirror, “Give me a second, Farhahie.”
I turned to face James, “You are more than old enough to be wed.”
He raised his eyebrows, and I felt Sam put her hand on my shoulder. James looked at the mirror and back to me, “There is no suitable noble woman of age.”
I grinned, “Want to meet one?”
Mona laughed, and James smiled as I turned back to the mirror. “Lord Whitecliff, meet His Majesty King Farhahie Ghadishah and his daughter, Princess Alexandra. Farhahie, Ali, this is James Whitecliff, heir of Duke Whitecliff.”
Both James and the king bowed slightly while Ali just wiggled her fingers. I laughed. “Farhahie? The time is off by almost a month. You hold something in trust for me.”
He nodded, and I sighed. “I do not want or expect you to go to war with Shermerez. That said, there are a few things you could let happen if their army wanders north. Off the top of my head, taking King Sherdain’s head would be at the top of the list or poisoning the army food supply trains.”
He grinned. “You just want his head because you didn’t get it at Albia.”
I grinned and then laughed. “He ran too fast.”
He sobered and looked at James and back to me. “Do you recommend him?”
I smiled and turned to look at James. “I have heard good things about him, and his father is a good and fair man. Yes, I recommend him.”
I looked back at the king. “How many has she frightened off?”
He laughed. “Eight.”
I nodded and he sighed before the mirror went blank and turned into a normal mirror. I sighed and stood up. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
I know I wasn’t supposed to help Sam, but I calmly started unbuttoning her shirt as she watched me trembling. “Easy, Sam, no one will hurt you. You did this for Mona, just relax and let them do what they need to do.”
I stepped back, letting Mona and my sister move closer to Sam. James touched my shoulder, and I nodded, “One moment, my lord.”
I heard his quiet whisper, “I understand.”
When I glanced at him, his face was grim. “I was the one that led our people onto the Shermerez ship.”
I nodded and turned back to keep eye contact with Sam until they were done, and she sighed. While she dressed, I started removing weapons and armor and then clothing. James chuckled, and I glanced at him as he grinned, “Enough weapons?”
I smiled thinly, “Honestly? No, this is what I carry around every day. If I expect to be in a fight, I carry more as well as better armor.”
He smiled, “I’ve seen Henry a lot, and I don’t think he carries this much.”
I shrugged as I finally stepped out of my pants. “Then he has never served with a mercenary company.”
James nodded as he finished examining my body and then handed my pants back to me. “You were trying to arrange something for me with the princess?”
I laughed along with Mona, “Only a meeting. Ali ... Ali will decide who she marries. You heard Farhahie, her father. He has tried eight times to arrange something for her.”
James was looking at me, “But you think she will accept me.”
I smiled as I held my hand out to Sam after dressing. “To be honest, yes.”
He looked at the mirror as we turned to leave. “I think I would like to meet her.”
I pulled the curtain back and almost shoved Sam back while drawing my sword. Filling the room was a crowd of mercenaries that I knew well. Standing in front of them was Ali with a big smile. “Surprise!”
I vaguely recognized the tall young man beside her and grinned as I walked forward. I embraced Ali and suddenly picked her up and spun her around while she let out a startled squawk. “Ali, you trickster!”
She laughed, and when I set her down, she turned to Sam. “I had to meet Sam in person. Anyone smart enough to catch you ... deserves my attention.”
I laughed as I turned to Sam and held out my hand. She was smiling as she stepped closer to take my hand. She was holding out her other hand to Ali, “It seems like we just talked.”
Ali laughed as she took Sam’s hand and gently pulled her away from me. She grinned at me and turned Sam to face the mercenaries, “Well, Sand Tigers, what do you think?”
I was surprised when the short, grey-haired man stepped out of the crowd close to Sam, “Captain?”
He laughed as he took Sam’s hand and held it up to his lips, “Well met, Samantha.”
She laughed and glanced back at me. She finally looked at the crowd, “Your Charles’s company? I mean his friends?”
They all laughed and started forward, taking turns hugging her and congratulating her. I stood calmly, bemused by the turn of events. I had expected no one and now, not only did I have family, I had those I held in just as close regard. When they calmed and quieted, the captain looked at me from beside a flushed-faced Sam, “Well, Armsmaster?”
I smiled, “If you had waited to be introduced properly, I could have added my sister Gabrielle to the melee.”
He grinned as he looked at my sister, “Gabrielle ... Gabrielle, now I remember.”
He walked in his calm, assured manner to Gabrielle and took her hand in his. He bowed as a noble would and kissed the back of her hand, “Well met, Lady Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle laughed and pulled him as she led him back towards the crowd, “I have wanted to meet you lunatics since Charles started writing about you.”
She looked around the crowd, “Tell me, is Backward Samuel or James the Bard here?”
The crowd laughed, and two men were pushed out. She hugged both to the laughter of everyone. I pulled Ali and the young noble aside as the company started another round of hugging, this time with much joking. “Ali, this is your brother?”
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