Chapter 48: Sorry about your garden

There was a rude pounding on my door, the sun had not even crested the horizon yet.

"Who is it and what do you want?" I called from my bed while I wiped the sleep from my eyes.

"Damn your eyes man! What did you do to my garden?" Shouted an inconsolable Lord Grant.

I dressed and loosened my sword before opening the door. The effete Lord Grant was fuming. His face was flushed with rage, I thought that he was about to attack me with the defoliated twig in his hand.

I saw Chandra peek out from behind her door and ignored her.

"Well, what possessed you to attack my garden, you barbarian?" He was standing there in his robe and slippers waving that stick at me. "Do you know how hard it is to grow anything decent in this blasted town? I worked for years to perfect it and you killed it in one evening of spite."

He was right about the evening of spite. I shouldn't have done that. I really didn't have a defense for my behavior except irritation at the fop. I had one option left for me. I would attack.

"Why is everyone in this town afraid?"

"Eh?" I caught him off guard, and it was apparent that he was not all that bright.

I stepped into his personal space and steeled my voice. I wanted him to be afraid. He wanted to catch me off guard and I was going to turn the tables on him.

"I said: why is everyone in this blasted town afraid? The women are hiding and the men travel in groups. You are responsible for the safety of the people here and you are failing miserably. That is, unless you are the one responsible for their fear."

"What are you talking about? What does that have to do with my garden?" Confusion trumped the anger dominating his expression. Either he is good, or he didn't know what I was talking about.

"Grant, when is the last time that you left this house and walked the streets?"


"It's Lord Grant to you, barbarian!"

"Answer his question, Lord Grant," came Megan's voice clearly from down the hall. That tone of authority was loud and clear. I couldn't see her since I was still in my room and Lord Grant was blocking my exit.

"Lady Megan, I must protest. Your escort ruined my garden," he whined.

"Lord Grant, when is the last time that you walked the streets of your town?" Megan's tone allowed him no possibility of ducking the question a second time.

"Lady Megan, why would I want to subject myself to the attentions of the commoners? They are filthy and ignorant." The idiot sounded sincere.

"The well-being of this town is your responsibility, if production is lacking then you will be held accountable." That was an obvious threat if I ever heard of one.

"The men don't want to work. I told Sergeant Tate to take care of it. It's his fault that we are behind. Lady Yolanda even agreed when she was here two weeks ago." The man would sell his own mother to save his skin.

"Yolanda," she stated in icy tones. That name was obviously known to Megan. "What does she have to do with this?"

Grant, seeing a way out of the pit that was about to engulf him, threw Lady Yolanda under the proverbial bus. The calculating opportunistic twit was about to say something stupid again. I figured that I would head that off before he pissed both Megan and I off.

I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. "If you lie to her, I will remove you from this world," I threatened ever-so-quietly.

He caught the seriousness of my tone and backed away in fright. He turned to get succor from Megan that was obviously denied when she flanked him, arms crossed and standing imperiously, glaring at the twit.

"The truth, Lord Grant," Megan demanded one final time.

"I don't know, she wouldn't talk to me. She came and commandeered my servants in my own house. She was here for a day and left as abruptly as she came."

"With whom did she speak when she was here?" Megan asked.

"I don't know, Sergeant Tate maybe."

"Is Sergeant Tate in charge of the soldiers in this town?"

"Yes, Lord Charles. Sergeant Tate is the commander of the barracks."

"Chandra, stay and protect Megan," she was still peeking from behind her bedroom door watching the drama. I could see her frown of protest and turned from it.

I finished dressing, leaving Megan to decide how she was going to handle the twit. The conversation was too low for me to hear. Hopefully Chandra caught it and would tell me later what was said.

Armand retook his position near Megan's door since she returned to her room to dress ... I nodded to him and took the stairs two at a time. I was hoping that I would find Sergeant Tate before he had left the barracks for the day. I didn't know what his duties were but I hunting him down had little appeal. Since the town was not that big, I should be able to find the barracks easily. Juniper wasn't saddled so I had to walk. It was not the appearance that I wanted, but I'd live.

I passed Lord Grant's manservant as I was on my way out. That made me come to an abrupt halt, followed by an about face.

"Excuse me, Gallor is it?"

"Yes, Milord." He stood wearily waiting for whatever abuse that I was going to subject him to.

"Gallor, are you willing to tell me what is going on in this city?"

"Milord, I don't know what you are talking about."

"Are you sure? Would you like to be treated the same as Lord Grant for not reporting what is happening?"

"I don't know what is happening, Milord." I couldn't read him, he had spent too much time practicing that blank stare.

"Fine, I'll just have to find out myself." I let out a long sigh. "I just hope that I find out before anyone else dies." I turned and went to open the door, firing one last salvo, "It would be a shame if someone's daughter disappeared."

There was no response from Gallor, which surprised me; I figured that he was at least human.

Shaking my head at the whole situation, I was hoping that just the few were corrupt but I was not holding my breath. If I was not careful, this could get bloody, and that was the real reason that I did not want Chandra to come with me.

Hell it could get bloody regardless.

The barracks were easy to find, the large stone building near the mountain pass with barred windows gave it away. The stout wooden door was cracked open an inch when I arrived. A dozen men were eating a breakfast of biscuits and gravy at a common table just inside the door.

Gathering every eye in the room I asked,, "I've been sent by the Lady Yolanda. Where is Tate?"

One of the men informed me that he was at his house, while chewing a hard biscuit.

"Good, then you will take me there." When he balked, I told him to stand or lose his head.

Grumbling, the soldier stood and escorted me to Sergeant Tate's house. The windows were all boarded up and gloom radiated from the two story stone house. The closer we came the more nervous he became. I didn't know exactly what made me think that the house radiated a miasma of despair. I just Felt it. Strongly.

"Do you know what happens in that house?" I asked softly. I'm not sure what my voice does when I get like this, but I it must have at least sent shivers down his spine, for he turned and tried to draw his weapons. I might have hit him with the hilt of my sword a little too hard. I heard his jaw shatter and saw his head snap back before he crumpled at my feet.