Chapter 8: Raiders

The rumor spread through the city of a band of cutthroats that were raiding nearby towns and villages. I glanced up at the commander and one of the magisters as I finished the report on taking three men that had killed a clerk, raped a woman in the shop and stolen half a wagon load of bolts of cloth.

The magister was angry because the commander did not have enough men to patrol the outer edge of the city. I sanded the document and slid it across the table, “What makes you think these raiders will attack the city?”

The magister snorted, “Most merchants on the edge of the city do a lot of business with the farmers and then bring the produce into the city. Some are freight companies that load and ship to the towns and villages around the kingdom. A lot of money is involved and few guards are there to protect them.”

I sat back, “What about the Militia? The wall is well inside the city now, don’t they patrol around the city?”

He sighed, “You know we have several small internal fights going in the kingdom. The king has them spread out until we do not have enough here in the city.”

I frowned as I thought and looked at the commander, “I could spend a few days wandering around the merchants stockyards?”

He snorted, “You are good thief taker but there are at least twenty or more raiders in this group.”

I smiled, “Towns and villages are small. If they raid into the city they will be spread out.”

I stood, “I could use a few days off to just relax and walk around meeting people.”

I left and crossed to a street vender selling sausages in thick bread rolls, “good morning Thomas.”

He smiled, “Thief taker. My Emma said to thank you for finding and helping our daughter and son in law.”

I smiled and nodded to the rolls, “It was my pleasure, I need a couple of rolls.”

He tried to just give them to me but I left a half silver on his cart when I walked away. I ate as I headed down the wide main street towards the south gate. When I reached the outskirts of the city I wandered around speaking to men or women. I was a little surprised at what I found, there were three or four merchants making a lot of money out here and they were all close together.

I found a stable hand that let me stay in his tack room and kept looking and walking. There were more rumors of attacks and some of the towns mentioned were closer. Five days later it was early afternoon when I noticed men on horses filtering into the area. They all seemed to have some type of bow and they all carried swords.

I slipped between corrals and moved quickly towards the richest merchant’s counting house. I grabbed a pitchfork as I jogged into the street to see four men on horseback in front of the counting house. The front door was wide open, (something they never did). I wandered towards the horses and one turned and look at me before turning his horse, “Go around city scum.”

I smiled as I drew close and jabbed towards the horses head. It screamed and reared, throwing the man back and off the horse. I kept moving as the other men reacted and stabbed the pitchforks into the rear of another horse. It leaped and bucked and the man went straight back and off as I swiped towards another man. He was trying to control his horse and jerked back and fell half off the horse.

The last man was trying to draw his bow and aim at me. I threw the pitchfork towards his horse and it screamed and went wild bucking and twisting around when it was hit. I spun and kicked out into the groin of a man rising from the ground before pulling my night sticks. I slammed one into the face of a man and hit the man half on his horse along side his head.

I glanced at the men on the ground before quickly kneeling and tying their hands. I looked up when three men with naked swords ran out of the counting house. I stood with my sticks as they spread out and moved to the side and straight into one of them. He lunged and I turned and brushed the sword away as my other stick slamming into his forehead.