Chapter 3

Brother Amos had instructed Edward, Laramis, and Jethros to all get their sleep for the coming meeting with Master Marchand the next day.

But instead of being well rested and prepared the next morning, Edward was scatter brained and grouchy.

“What’s wrong, Edward?” Jethros asked. They were all seated in the common room again, eating oatmeal for breakfast.

“Rough night” was all that Edward would say. He kept his eyes down on his food, ignoring the looks of concern from his Brothers.

The shame of his nocturnal emission still weighed heavily on Edward, and more so because of how he succumbed to the temptation, than anything else.

Much worse than the first night, Edward thought, thinking back to his first night in Addersfield. During that dream, his mind chose the path of curiosity and adventure, to see what the glowing figure would become when he came closer to it. Upon reflection afterwards, Edward realized that his desire to taste that pleasure, and explore possibilities, was what drove him to the quick climax that night.

But this ... this was different. In last night’s dream, Edward fell into that bed, knowing full well what it represented- sex. He embraced the feeling, let it flow through him without any resistance of mind or body.

Lily...

Edward shuddered when he thought about the bed sheet transforming into Lily’s dark-orange hair, and how enraptured he was with her. After a certain point he was committed, devoting himself to the sexual act with Lily.

But even when he thought about it now, how he was powerless to resist her mental commands, he felt cold inside. There was something very wrong about that situation, something worse than it should have been. It was like a part of himself had been given away, a piece that would never come back...

“Hey Edward, we’re gonna see to the horses. We’ll be back soon” Jethros said. Edward looked up and nodded. He saw that Jethros and Laramis had finished their food, but that he was still only halfway through his bowl.

Get a grip, it’s not a big deal, he tried telling himself. He needed to get over this mental block soon, because there was a lot at stake- this town needs saving right now, not me.

Edward focused on eating the rest of his food so that he could find his Brothers.

“Oh, that was quick” Jethros remarked, as Edward came out to the stable fully attired.

“Just needed to get some fresh air” Edward said off-handedly. He smiled at his brothers- “So, are we ready to meet Amos?” he asked.

“Yes, almost. Are you armed?” Laramis asked. Edward pulled on the hem of his robe, revealing his long sap on his hip.

“Amos requested we go without any weapons” Laramis stated, flatly.

Edward detected Laramis’ disapproval, but tried not to think on it- “Very well. I’m sure we won’t have cause for it anyway.”

After Edward returned the sap to his room, he and his Brothers walked the short distance to Master Marchand’s residence, which was located near the other larger houses of town.

“My” Edward remarked. Unlike most of the other buildings in Addersfield, this one was half-built of stone, which comprised the first story of the two-story domicile. It also had a large, peaked roof with four sides, and an impressively-large green dragon weather vane on top.

Whereas most buildings simply used shutters to close windows, this house had glass windows installed, a feature that was only available in the larger cities. Edward would have walked closer to admire them, but the stern looks of the two town guard at the front entrance convinced him otherwise.

“There is Brother Amos” Laramis said, directing the group to a man coming up the street. Amos saw the Brothers, and started making his way towards them.

“It certainly sticks out” Edward said, referring back to the roof ornament, “you can’t miss it.” The three of them looked back and admired the weather vane, which was taller than any of the surrounding buildings by a good 10 feet.

Probably compensating, Edward surmised.

“You all have the paperwork?” Amos asked.

“Yes, sir” Jethros said. They were all looking to Amos to do most of the speaking again.

Amos turned and walked toward the guards, who had been eyeing him the entire time.

“Good morning, gentlemen” Amos said, keeping himself a few paces away, “We have an appointment with Master Marchand at this time.”

The one on the right answered, “Name and business” he stated forcefully.

“Brother Amos, of House Righteous. My fellow Brothers of Chirrus are Laramis, Edward, and Jethros. We are here to discuss the laws governing this fair town.”

The guard didn’t register any emotion until Amos mentioned the purpose for their visit- They don’t care about us until there’s something we can do that affects them, Edward realized.

Edward watched the guards carefully- They seem comfortable at their post, not scared of passerbys. They must not expect any trouble ... that they can’t handle, anyway.

Edward thought about the townspeople he met over the course of the last couple days, and was pretty sure nearly all of them were unskilled fighters- Certainly no match for these men.

Both guards were wearing steel cuirasses, or breastplates, adorned with the sigil of Addersfield, a red dragon. They also had small shields strapped to their left arm, and short spears planted on the ground in their right hands. Although the spears were at the ready, both men carried long swords on their hip as well.

The other guard caught Edward’s wandering eye, and Edward quickly looked away before the guard could assess his combat astuteness- Better to look afraid now than to show confidence.

“He is expecting you. I will need to check you for weapons” said the first guard. Resting his spear against the wall and dropping his shield to the ground, the guard waved for the three younger Brothers to step aside.

“I will go inside” he explained, raising Amos’ arms up. Edward could see the other guard tensing up out of the corner of his eye. “Insolence of any kind will not be tolerated. Don’t touch anything. Don’t get close too Master Marchand.” The guard finished his pat down of Amos, and pointed for him to walk to a spot by himself.

“Do I make myself clear?” the guard warned everyone. Edward made sure to nod quickly.

“Good. If I catch you breaking any rules or being disrespectful, you’re gonna have a bad day.” “There won’t be any problems, sir” Amos offered, placatingly.

Once the guard patted all of the Brothers and cleared them of weapons, he took out a key and unlocked the front door.

“Follow me” he said, opening the door. Walking into the hallway, the guard suddenly turned on his heel, looking back towards the group. “Master Marchand will see you in here” he said gruffly, directing them towards the front dining room.

“Thank you” Amos replied, giving a short bow. Edward observed that the dining room was furnished with a long darkwood table, several cabinets, and numerous decorations of art on the walls.

If he’s trying to appear well-off, he’s doing a good job of it.

From the archway opening on the side of the room, a short man of about 5’’ walked into the room-

“Please, have a seat” he said. The man took the seat at the end of the table, and when everyone sat down, appeared to be of equal height.

“What can I do for you?” he asked. He had shiny dark brown hair that was pulled back, likely with the aid of some kind of grease. He was wearing a black tailcoat over a white ruffled shirt, with black trousers to match. It was the kind of outfit you would expect from nobility.

“Thank you for seeing us, Master Marchand” Amos started, “As you know, the Brothers of House Righteous have been making these mission trips to neighboring communities for many years. The purpose of which is to provide a divine perspective on local laws. We always strive to support the governing body in keeping peace in the community, typically through enforcement of the laws.”

“And now?” Marchand said with skepticism.

“Now, we have encountered many grievances against the rules of law enacted recently. We have talked to dozens of townspeople, trying to learn their opinions.” Edward noticed that Master Marchand had his hands on the table in front of him, fingers interlocked. As Amos was telling their story, Marchand’s finger started tapping impatiently.

“I would not put much stock in what the townspeople say” Marchand explained. “They are not in positions of power, and thus, do not understand the nuances of governing.”

“We would never only take one argument” Amos explained, “Both sides must be heard.”

“And would you not agree that governed people will always have complaints against their rulers?” Marchand questioned.

“It is in our nature to question authority, and to resist control. That much is true” Amos admitted, nodding towards Marchand. “However, our order has a responsibility to hear from those who are governed, as well as the governors.”

“Our rules are fair” Marchand stated, challengingly.

“My fellow Brothers and I wanted to discuss some of the laws that were set up, and perhaps we can work together to find a solution that benefits all” Amos offered, placatingly. Marchand’s expression showed no interest.

“For example, there is a law that requires vendors to register with the Minister of Finances, Mr. Gilroy, and pay a fee to operate within the town-”

“And?” Marchand asked.

“The response from the people to this law was fairly unanimous, in that they believe the fees were exorbitantly high. They believe it-”

“Of course they do”, Marchand interrupted, “Merchants are only concerned about profit. Anything that takes money away from them will be seen with derision. This doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

“It is hard for us to argue against the state in this case, I will admit” Amos continued, “since the law affects everyone without bias ... but, many merchants complain that they no longer make profits, and will have to end their business.”

“Then that is their problem” Marchand responded flatly, “If they were accomplished merchants selling good wares, then they would have no financial issues. It is only the dishonest merchant peddling cheap goods and services in our town that are so affected.”

Amos thought for a moment, but Marchand was quick to continue his argument.

“Really, Brother Amos, I’m surprised at you. I know your younger colleagues here are naive to the workings of commerce and law in the real world, but you’ve been to our town before.”

“Master Marchand” Amos said, trying to get a word in-

“The proof is in the pudding, as they say. If you were to go out to the Market Square, you would see fine establishments selling high quality items, making a profit, which benefits everyone. If the laws were as unjust as you say, then why is our commercial district such a shining success?”

He’s a manipulator, thought Edward, and he’s hiding something.

“All we are saying” Laramis interjected, “Is that the law is affecting the way of living for a substantial portion of the population-”

“So?” Marchand interrupted, again, “What concern is it to me? Laws that seek to raise civilization to a higher standard must also raise the conduct of its citizens. Isn’t that what Chirrus says?”

Edward was feeling hot under the collar- If only this man and I could settle this in combat...

“Chirrus teaches that laws must not take away basic necessities of life, including the need for work” Amos explained.

“And these former merchants are able to work wherever they want, doing whatever legal work is available” Marchand said, a puzzled expression on his face.

“But if the law prevents them from their work, then it is unjust” Edward said.

“My dear boy, the law does not prevent them from work. It merely requires them to meet a higher standard”

“And explain to me how heavy taxes are designed to improve commerce standards” Edward replied, raising his voice.

Instead of responding immediately, Marchand gave a small laugh- “I see that Chirrus does not teach business at your temple.”

“Marchand, please” Amos said.

Marchand stood up, and gave no hint that he would temper his tongue- “What you men of Chirrus fail to realize is that the real world is very different from what you’ve read in your books. The world according to your god does not exist, and any attempts to align it with your fantasy are futile. These laws were designed by people who know how to govern, and we will protect our people from those who are unqualified to judge.”

A grave silence came over the room. Edward knew this was a turning point in the relationship between House Righteous and Addersfield, and perhaps their missions would be in jeopardy of being revoked by Lord Taggart in the future.

“We mean no offense, Master Marchand” Amos said carefully, “Please understand that we are invited here so that both governed and governors can rest assured there is justice in the land. We are protectors of the people, and only wish to work hand in hand with the government to find peaceful solutions.”

Marchand waited a moment before sitting down. “Unless you can find a better argument against our merchant registration law, I consider the matter closed.”

Well that went well, Edward thought sarcastically. One down, four more to go...

The next complaint that the Brothers brought up was on limiting access to certain portions of the town. The law had strict guidelines for attire that had to be worn in order to be allowed in the finer parts of the city. As expected, Master Marchand responded with the same pledge of advancing the town’s prestige, and thereby bringing in travelers and new commerce. He explained that by enhancing the image of Addersfield, it would bring more interest from people outside.

It was an argument that made some sense to Edward, however he did bring up the manner with which the law was being enforced- with heavy-handedness from town guards, and complaints of illegal confiscation of valuables. To this, Marchand suggested they speak with ‘Sir Wayford’, the Commander of the Guard.

Thinking back to their first encounter with the Commander, Edward had doubts that any progress would be made.

“Many citizens have voiced their concerns that they are being detained as a form of extortion” Edward blurted out. After the outburst, Edward saw his Brothers looking sharply at him.

“Ha ha, how ridiculous young Brother” Marchand said, smiling. Edward was boiling over.

“What he is trying to say is that the law pertaining to financial incentives for town guard making arrests has potentially negative consequences” Jethros stepped in. “When you pay the guards based on quantity of arrests instead of quality, you very easily bias their judgement.”

“But are they making false arrests?” Marchand asked.

“Many of the townspeople believe so” Jethros continued.

“We have looked into some of these claims” Amos added, seeing where Marchand was going, “And although you are correct that the arrests are based on current laws, the application, or interpretation, of the governing rules leaves much to be desired.” Edward noticed that Amos was appearing more tired than before.

“So now you question our security’s judgement?” Marchand asked with faux incredulity. That snake, Edward thought.

“A woman was arrested for wearing a stained piece of clothing” Amos said pleadingly.

Marchand shrugged, “I cannot control what each individual who works for me does on a daily basis.”

So they work for him?

“But you can try to explain to the guards out there what is appropriate, and what is not ... or, be more specific with the language in the written law itself” Jethros said.

“I am far too busy at the moment” Marchand responded. “Besides, there are more important stately matters to attend to.”

“Then let us help modify the law” Jethros answered. Does Jethros not see that this is useless? Edward wondered.

“Hmmmm, perhaps that can be arranged” Marchand said. Edward was confused- Why would he want to suddenly work with us?

Marchand put a finger to his lips, “It will take some convincing, however. Lord Taggart has been very firm on the new changes to our Law Codex. It will take time.”

Of course- “How long?” Edward asked with some desperation.

“Lord Taggart has remained resolute that we attempt to implement the new rules for an appropriate amount of time, so as to vet them” Marchand explained.

The blank, expecting looks on the Brothers stirred Marchand to answer- “Weeks, no more than a month”

What in the Nine Hells?! Edward went wide-eyed, and saw that Jethros was similarly surprised-

“Our stay will not be that long” Amos explained. “We must travel back to House Righteous at the end of our appointed time, and will not be back until the frosty evenings return in the fall.”

“I am sorry, then. No more can be done.” Unsurprisingly, Master Marchand didn’t look all that contrite.

“Was there any other business to attend to?” Marchand asked, hands folded on the table again.

“If you have time, Master Marchand-” Amos started.

“I’m afraid not, sorry to say” Marchand interrupted, “State business calls.” He nodded towards the hallway.

“May we leave our other findings with you, then?” Amos asked.

“Yes, of course. I will read them soon” Marchand said off-handedly, as he stood up. Edward noticed that the guard was now in the room.