Chapter 10

Despite the fact he was in a pool with two naked women, Darras did manage to reach a state of being relaxed as the two goddesses simply wanted to chat ... in a sense, as Darras realised the conversation was actually for his benefit.

“Fordel is actually one of those problematic Kingdoms ... though it doesn’t actually have a King, just a head of state known as the Netas,” Erren explained to Doriel.

“Problematic as in how?”

“Darras’s next target is an Alderman of the port of Lucil, but he’s also an acolyte of my brother and hence I’m not allowed to directly attack him,” Erren explained.

“Your brother has a priesthood?” Darras enquired.

“We all do ... except for Lanfross, the god of the heated depths,” Doriel replied.

“There’s a god of volcanos?”

“Yes, mostly worshipped by the primitive tribes of the Goblin race. They have shamans who pray to Lanfross but no anointed priests.”

“Right ... so I can deal with the shadow, but I’m not permitted to touch the Alderman?” Darras asked.

“Correct, but it won’t be easy, as he’s never alone,” Erren explained. “Plus, my religion is proscribed in Fordel.”

“The goddess of light is proscribed?” Darras wondered. “Are these people morons?”

“The state religion is the worship of Darmela, the goddess of wealth, though it’s more about accumulating wealth through trade,” Erren replied with a wry smile.

“So her religion is incredibly wealthy and extremely popular amongst the elite of that realm and hence Erren’s religion was proscribed as it preaches being fair and just in all your dealings,” Doriel explained.

“Surprised you haven’t summoned her here for a dressing down,” Darras commented to Erren.

“She ignored me, prefers my brother,” Erren grated out, looking irritated. “Doriel, however, can look after you there as what the natives call the Holy Forest abuts Lucil and will gain you access.”

“The only reason they call it holy is that my followers kill those committing any excessive tree felling for their merchant fleet,” Doriel explained.

“Rather direct of you,” Darras commented.

“My followers, not me, but thank you.”

“I’m assuming eventually Fordel will face a reckoning from you?” Darras asked of Erren.

“Eventually, though not immediately,” she replied. “You set that path in motion with your work in Rachtelin where in the future they’ll invade Fordel over their unscrupulous business practices.”

“Led by ‘General’ Flask no doubt,” Darras chuckled.

“Something like that, the Fordelian army will not stand a chance against his combined arms regiments and their Temple will be forced to pay a massive indemnity for their practices as well as openly permitting my worship again.”

“So you have worshippers there?”

“Yes. Many amongst the poor, though it’s not easy for them as my few acolytes have to remain anonymous.”

“No priests?”

“They killed them,” Erren stated stonily. “Something I will not easily forgive Darmela for.”

“Hence my machinations in Rachtelin?”

“Yes,” Doriel answered for her as Erren appeared to be fuming. “At the moment it’s best Rachtelin isn’t ready as I rather suspect Erren here might just get them to burn Fordel to the ground.”

“Yes, probably for the best. I’ve seen what reckless hate can bring about,” Darras sighed.

“Oh yes. Erren mentioned Ostar and your past,” Doriel nodded. “Unlike her I cannot bridge the gap between worlds, but it sounded horrendous and your passing horrific.”

“It was. It’s why I won’t allow myself to become close to anyone, not at the moment at least.”

“Dwelling so much in the past is not good for you, but I agree, you must mourn those whom you lost,” Doriel nodded slowly.

It was later during dinner that Erren went over the Kingdom of Fordel with Darras and what was most likely the safest route.

“So, I’m not to mention your name or give your blessing on anyone?” he asked.

“Not unless I tell you to. As a merchant you should be fine as they’ll automatically assume you worship Darmela,” she replied. “There’s a toll for entry and exit via the gateway and toll stations on all the main roads.”

“Which is why I’ll be travelling through the woods and forests under Doriel’s protection,” Darras nodded, taking a sip of his beer.

“A lot of travelling merchants use the backroads, not the woodlands,” Doriel informed him. “It means no one will see you to identify you as a stranger travelling to Lucil.”

“They keep a track of movement?” Darras asked with a slight frown.

“Yes,” Erren confirmed. “Tolls on the main roads, head tax on inns and taverns, tolls to enter towns and cities.”

“How do ordinary folk cope?”

“They don’t tend to travel and at least their taxes are manageable for them ... barely. The entire state is run in such a way as to accumulate wealth at the top so they can invest in new mercantile ventures.”

“So they aren’t just hoarding it?” Darras asked.

“No, though the ones at the top are often ostentatious in showing off their wealth,” Erren chuckled. “Though the majority is re-invested in new business ventures.”

“Not the kind of place I’d care to live in,” Darras grimaced.

“It’s only good at the top, but those up there have a well-paid military to keep the lower orders in check if they revolt.”

“So, my target is Alderman Frey who is the head of the merchant’s guild in Lucil?” Darras confirmed. “He’s rarely, if ever alone and his shadow has caused him to engage in piracy of other Kingdoms’s ships?”

“Piracy and smuggling,” Erren agreed.

“If I take out the shadow this will cease?”

“No, but it will be less well run and eventually extirpated. Frey will be arrested and later executed.”

“But I’m not to execute him?”

“No. As yet there is no evidence of his crimes, or even rumours of them, hence it’s likely you would be caught and accused of murder, then executed.”

“Even if I make it to the woods?”

“They’ll use a wizard or witch to track you. So yes, even if you reach the woods,” Erren confirmed.

“Ah, he has magic users then?”

“Yes, well-paid, loyal, magic users,” Doriel added. “I won’t risk my followers in taking them on, not if you’re the one who’s committed the crime.”

“I see,” Darras nodded understanding the morality behind it as the man didn’t have a bounty upon him, unlike the brigands.

“Your biggest and only problem should be finding somewhere he is alone,” Erren informed him.

“I’ll manage. At some stage he has to be alone somewhere, even if it’s the jakes,” he chuckled.

“His home in Lucil is guarded, he also has a lot of servants too.”

“No wife?”

“They live apart. She has provided him with several children and now they live separate discreet lives ... well, she does,” Erren replied.

“A lot of the upper classes in the Republic did similarly,” Darras sighed with disapproval.

“Not the poor?” Doriel asked.

“Well ... my soldiers certainly weren’t saints, but it was more opportunism than anything else,” Darras admitted. “Not something organised and accepted as something normal.”

“Camp followers?”

“Yes, and brothels too, though many of my men were married and their wives travelled with the army as well ... especially once it was realised we were losing and every moment was precious.”

“They escaped in the end. Your final battle ensured it, the Trenichans found an empty town stripped bare of any worth and empty fields too,” Erren replied.

“I’m glad. They were a raucous lot, but didn’t deserve what the Trenichans would have done to them.”

“You’ll need to gain entry to his home somehow and then catch him on his own ... he normally has company in bed.”

“I’ll manage, somehow or other,” Darras nodded.

Darras stepped through the gateway into the Kingdom of Fordel, noting the ordinary, if clean, décor of the chamber, guessing correctly that they didn’t waste money on anything they didn’t need to. He paid a silver toll and was permitted to leave after they simply took his name and intended business.

The streets were clean and well swept, free of rubbish and other detritus and the various merchants’ booths were orderly and neat as well. The crowds were well behaved and cheerful as well.

“I guess there’s some sort of fine for littering or making a nuisance of yourself?” Darras murmured.

‘Yes, ‘ Erren confirmed. ‘Though this is that sort of society too. People are well educated and polite.’

“Everywhere?”

‘Not in the villages and farms so much, though the literacy rate is high, higher than Ostar’s come to that.’

“Impressive,” Darras nodded, having led soldiers of whom barely a third were literate, though most could at least sign their name.

‘It’s a reasonable Kingdom, nice, in spite of greedy people and a dreadful goddess they worship who is due a comeuppance.’

“I doubt you can change them that much,” Darras chuckled.

‘Probably not, but it’s not these I’m after. It’s their nobility who proscribed my religion and ordered my priests executed.’

“War is a nasty business, Erren. The innocent are often in harm’s way.”

‘That’s why I’m patient and waiting for the Rachtelini to reform and then deal with the armies here and cut off internal and external trade, ‘ Erren explained. ‘I know how they work here; they’ll offer concessions and a big bribe. One of those concessions will be a removal of the proscription on worshipping me.’

“Won’t bring your priests back.”

‘I know, but the nobles here need to understand that their actions have consequences, particularly that bitch Darmela, as all her Temples in the unwalled towns and villages will be destroyed.’

“Probably more upset by the cost of the damage than anything else,” Darras chuckled as he reached the city gate and paid a two copper toll.

Darras then, when out of sight of the city, cut across the countryside to the woodland where he was hoping to meet Doriel’s worshippers who could guide him to Lucil. Fortunately he didn’t have to wait long before an ethereal form in the shape of a woman emerged from a tree to greet him.