Chapter 12

The four of them were sitting in the study. Tom opened the safe and placed the papers on the table. He read their contents out to them. They were horrified at what they discovered. They now had the names of those in league with the slavers, as well as those who were to be their victims.

"I think," said Tom "that we had better call a meeting, and tell the good citizens of Bridgetown exactly what was in store for them. Besides, I want to get a better look at the town. Now then, do we call a few at time and explain things, or do we have a large meeting in the town square?"

"We do both. We first get in those who were going to side with the slavers and tell them that if they don't support us one hundred percent, then we'll tell their neighbours exactly what plans had been made for their wives and daughters," said Tony. "Tell you what, we'll round up those on the list, and have a chat to them. Then we'll have our meeting in the town square."

Tom said, "We have a public health issue. Everyone throws their rubbish into the river. If we don't get a grip on that, we are going to have real problems."

"I agree," said Paul. "This is something we cannot let go. If we get an outbreak of cholera then it would be catastrophic."

"I've already got one young boy collecting muck. I hope to have a whole bunch of them doing it," Tom told them.

By now a large group of people had gathered outside the gates of the house. One of the men they wished to talk to was among them. He was invited inside. At first, he was gracious and flattering. That was, until he was shown what Branrith had written. He immediately denied all allegations against him. Tom asked him how he would like these things made public. The man blanched and begged them not to do that.

"Very well, if you support us, then we'll not mention it. If, however, you try to oppose us in any way, then these things will be made public. It's your choice," he told him.

The man looked at them and said, "Very well, I'll support you. I don't have much choice, do I?"

"No, you don't. I'll tell you now that if you cross me I'll take all your goods and property. Then I'll expel you, and your family, with just the clothes on your backs. Make no mistake! I'll do it!" Tom told him.

The man looked into Tom's eyes, and saw that he meant what he said.

"I'll need you take us round to all the others on this list. We need to speak with them all, very soon. If any of them flee, then they'll forfeit all they own. Also, you and your friends will not object when we mention the paying of taxes. We need to build defences, recruit and arm the militia, and take care of the refugees. All of this will require money. You and your colleagues will provide that money. The whole town will do their bit, but I'll expect a great deal of support from you. Tomorrow in the town square, you and your friends will acknowledge me as King."

The man looked daggers at him as he said, "Very well, Your Majesty," spitting out the words as they stuck in his craw.

They went around the town to where all the other members of the conspiracy lived, and put the same deal to them. They all begrudgingly agreed. Tom and Tony emphasised that if they did anything to oppose or hinder their efforts, then their property and goods would be seized and their families expelled with just the clothes on their backs.

It was a town of two halves, divided by the river. There was just one bridge spanning the river. There was the rich side, and the poorer side. The rich side, or the higher side as it was called, for the ground rose up towards higher ground this side., and the lower side, as the ground was flatter, and it was this side of town that would flood should the water level rise too high. It was where most of the industry was, and where most of the workers lived. It was from here that the slavers would come, but they knew the whole town would need protecting.

It was decided that there would be a meeting in the town square, in the morning. The situation would be put to them. They would then explain what they intended to do to defeat the invaders, as work had to start as soon as possible on the defences. Feeding stations were set up, and the refugees were fed.

Paul went around the town looking for somewhere to set up the hospital. He failed to find anything suitable. He returned to the house and then looked around. As he looked he saw that the house would be perfect. There were several ground floor rooms that were large, light and airy. He discussed this with Tom, and Tom agreed that it would be best to have the hospital right there. Philipminna was not so enamoured with the situation, especially when she realised that the Angels would be using the upstairs as living accommodations.

The rest of the evening was spent trying to organise the feeding and housing of the refugees, identifying who could be trusted and who was doubtful, and what ships were in the harbour.

On board one of the ships that had just arrived from Small Cove, was a minstrel. Soon tales of valour and daring do were being told throughout the town.

The following morning the meeting was held in the town square: Tom ascended the hastily erected stage and addressed the crowd.

"My friends! We have before us a terrible dilemma! Slavers have invaded this land and wish to enslave us all. We have to decisions to make. Do we surrender our wives and children to this horror, hoping that we'll be spared? Or do we fight to protect them from these horrors? These men want everything we have ever worked for: our land, our food, and our families. Who here would sell his neighbour and his family in order to save his own? Who here would be that despicable? Do we give our wives and daughters up to be playthings for these monsters, or do we fight?"

"WE FIGHT!" went up the cry.

Tom held up his hands for silence, and the crowd quieted.

"The battle will be hard! There are many things that we have to do. We need to build defences and train for the coming battle. We will fight as soldiers, not as a rabble. We defeated them at Small Cove. They sent the best they had against us and we smashed them. We killed or captured all they sent. Not one escaped. We had losses as well, and we will remember those who gave their lives that we could live in freedom.

"What we have done, though, is ensure that their families will be taken care of. Their wives will not be homeless, and their children will not go hungry. I will make this same pledge to all those here today to any man or woman who fights with us and is injured. We will take care of you. This is our promise. You will never be homeless, you will never go hungry. Never will you be forced to beg for food, never will you be forced to beg for shelter. This is my pledge. We will fight, and we will win. ARE YOU WITH ME?"

A great cheer went up: "Long Live The King!" and the cheering went on for some time.

They organised the men into groups. Some went off to start building defences, while others were being trained for the militia. Tom left to go see Tony.

"How are things going?" he asked.

"Not too bad," Tony replied. "We need more weapons, though. Do you know anyone here who can make them?"

"Yes. The last time we were here, there was a blacksmith that made some things for us, I'm sure he'll be able to make some more for us," Tom told him.

"That's fantastic. How soon can you see him? We need these things quite urgently," Tony replied.

"We can both go. It'll be good to see him, again; and you can get a good idea of his workmanship," said Tom.

"Okay, let's go," replied Tony

They made their way to the blacksmith's. Balik welcomed them with open arms.

"I see you have risen even further than last time," Balik joked with Tom.

"Indeed I have. Now then, tell me, how has business been?" asked Tom.

"It has been very good indeed. Several men have asked me to make swords, arrow heads and spear points. In fact, I have just finished an order for one of the chief merchants in the town. He wished for one thousand arrow heads! One thousand! And you should have seen the steel. It was the best I have ever seen," Balik told him.

"Have you any of the steel left?" asked Tony

"Why, yes, I have some here," he said, handing a small piece to Tony.

Tony took one look at it, and nodded to Tom.

Tom's ears pricked up at this.

"Just who was this man who wished for so many arrowheads?" he asked.

"Oh, it wasn't just arrowheads. He also ordered six hundred spear points, two hundred swords, two hundred axes, spades, picks. It's enough to supply an army. His name is Morotith."

Tom immediately went outside and called for Captain Simon.

The man came running, straight away

"Assemble a large squad of men, and go and arrest Morotith. Take him back to the main house. Be prepared for trouble. Sir Tony," he said looking at him, "I wonder if you would mind accompanying the good captain?" he told him.

Captain Simon saluted and at once set off, leaving two men on the door.

Balik looked at Tom and asked, "Is there trouble, Your Majesty?"

"I hope not, but I'm afraid there might be. You say this steel is the best you have ever seen?" he asked

"Why, yes, I've never seen better," he replied.

"Well, I have. We have seen this at Small Cove. We captured it from the slavers. It just makes me wonder where he got it from. Here, look at this," he told him, drawing his sword and showing it to him.

He stared at the sword in amazement. "I have never seen workmanship like it!" he exclaimed. "Who made this for you? It's the finest sword I have ever seen."

"It was a man named Heinrich. He now lives in Small Cove," Tom told him.

"The man is a true artist. I would like to meet him someday, and maybe learn from him. It is truly a work of art," Balik said.

"It was made with the same steel as you have here. We would like to know where it comes from. We captured ours from some slavers. If they have access to such metals, then we need to discover where it is, and if necessary, capture the supplies."

"Yes, yes indeed. It really is the finest steel I have ever seen," Balik replied.

Sir Tony and Captain Simon made their way to Morotith's house. It was a fine place, with high walls and large wooden gates. Fortunately the gates were open when they arrived and they marched straight in.

Morotith was at home. When he heard the commotion outside, he went to investigate. He was alarmed to see a squad of soldiers in the courtyard and Sir Tony with the captain of the King's Guard.

"Good day, gentlemen, and to what honour do we owe this visit?" asked Morotith in an oily voice.

"Good day to you, Sir" said Sir Tony. "The king would like a word with you, and he asked us to escort you to his new palace. If you would be so kind, I'm sure this won't take long."

"What if it isn't convenient? After all, I am a rather busy man," he replied.

"Now whoever heard of someone being too busy to accept in invite from the King? Especially when he has been so kind to arrange this escort for you. We wouldn't wish anything to happen to a guest of the King, now would we?" said Tony with a smile.

Morotith looked around for his men, but they were noticeable by their absence. "Very well, I'll just get my things," he said

"I'll just accompany you," Tony told him.

"What's all this about?" asked Morotith

"Don't worry, the King will soon tell you," said Tony with a smile

As they made their way back to the palace.

Tom left the blacksmith, as he did so he spoke to his guards.

"Well, you get the baby sitting role, and your friends go off on an adventure. Tell me, what are your names?"

"Your Majesty, I'm Philip, and this is Rob."

"Well, Philip and Rob it's nice to meet you. I'm sure you'll do an excellent job of protecting me," he shook both men's hands. The men smiled at this, asthey began to make their way back to the Palace.

They were just passing an alleyway when a group of six men charged out, screaming, and attacked them.

The two guards rushed forward and took on the leading men. One man managed to slip past and tried to attack Tom. Tom drew his sword and dagger and went on the defensive. These men were armed with clubs and knives. Tom took on the man who swung his club at his head. He parried the blow with his sword, and stabbed him with his dagger, grateful for the hours of practice he had put in both here and on Crossroads. He then swung his sword down, severing the man's head. His guards stabbed two of the men with their spears, and fended off the others with their shields.

Tom moved to support his guards. He saw one of his men buckle as two of the attackers charged him. Tom thrust his sword into one of them as his guard stabbed his spear into the other. They then turned on the remaining man, surrounding him.

"Surrender or die," Tom told him, holding his sword at the man's throat.

The man stopped, dropped his weapons, and held his hands up. They tied his hands behind his back; turning to the other men they saw that three of them were dead. One was very badly injured having been stabbed through the belly twice. This one's throat they cut. The other had been stabbed in the thigh, and whilst this was painful, he was still alive.

They called on some bystanders to help, and, with the help of several hand carts, they made their way to the palace.

There was a great commotion when they arrived at the palace covered in blood and with the bodies of their attackers. Paul was there treating a woman with a nasty cut to her arm. Several of the townsfolk recognised the dead men as working for Morotith.

They laid the bodies out in the yard. Paul started to patch up the wounded man.

"I wouldn't bother too much. He'll hang in the morning," Tom said.

"What happened?" asked Paul worriedly

"As we made our way back from Balik's we were jumped by this lot. Now either someone told them where we were, or they got lucky. I intend to find out which. I also need to know who they are working for, and what orders they had. Thugs don't try to rob men with armed guards who just happen to wander by. They pick much softer targets. So, we need to question them. When Sir Tony and Captain Simon get back we should have some answers. Right now I'm going to have a bath, and change into some clean clothes."

He turned to the two guards that had accompanied him.

"Rob, Philip. Both of you today saved my life. If you hadn't reacted as quickly and as bravely as you did, then we would have had a much different outcome. I will ensure that you are both suitably rewarded."

"Thank you, Sire," Philip said, "but we were only doing our job. In fact it was you who saved us. The two who charged at me would have knocked me down and finished me, but you got one of them and I was able to get the other. So I think, Sir, that it's honours even."

Tom smiled and said, "You two did very well today. I'll not forget it. Now get cleaned up. You need a bath as much as I do."

"Very good, Sire. What shall we do with these two?" Philip asked.

"Leave them to the guards," Tom said

Turning to some of the other guards that were present Tom said, "Take them away and lock them up. We'll deal with them later."

The men saluted and led the prisoners away. Tom went inside for his bath.

It wasn't long after when Sir Tony and Captain Simon arrived with Morotith. They took him inside and waited for Tom.

The man sat patiently for a while; but after an hour he began to get agitated.

"What's this all about?" he began. "I'm a busy man. I have things to be getting on with."

"We are all busy men. I'm sure the King will be along in a moment," said Sir Tony with a smile.

Finally, Tom came in. He was dressed in the most resplendent robes he could find. Admittedly, some of them were Branrith's, but he didn't need them.

Morotith looked a little shocked to see Tom, but he soon recovered

"At last!" he exclaimed "Now tell me, what all this nonsense is about?"

"Well, hopefully, you'll be able to tell us," said Tom. "Now, what do you know about a large number of arrowheads and spearheads that the blacksmith Balik made?"

"I er ... had a special order from a customer. He wanted them made, so I had them made. What's wrong with that?" he blustered.

"Nothing, nothing at all ... except, who were they for?" said Tom.

"That's confidential. It's business. Nothing more," said Morotith belligerently

"Fine, just where are they now? I'm sure you'd like to donate them to the defence of the city."

The man blanched as he spluttered, "Uh ... they have already been shipped. They left yesterday."

"What ship did they leave on? What was their destination?" asked Tom quietly.

"Er ... I, er ... I don't remember. I don't keep track of every ship I use to transport things," said Morotith

"Okay. Then where did you get the steel? You did supply the steel didn't you?" asked Tom.

"The customer supplied the steel. What's so special about it? Steel is steel isn't it?" said a very worried Morotith.

"Oh no, this was special, very special. We wish to know who supplied it, where it was going and where it is, now. Failure to tell me will be treated as Treason to the Crown. We hang traitors, and then we dispossess their dependants and throw them out on the street with just the clothes on their back. We told you this, just yesterday. What's the matter? Weren't you listening, or did you think your thugs would be able to kill me?" Tom asked him. "Come with me."

At first, Morotith was reluctant, so Tom said to the guards, "Bring him."

Before he had gone in to see Morotith Tom had ordered his guards to strip the prisoners and tie the wounded one to a table and to hang the other by the wrists in the middle of the kitchen. He then ordered that no one but himself or Sir Tony be admitted.

The guards drew themselves to attention as they approached. The door was opened, and Morotith was shoved into the room. He was horrified to see one of his men strapped naked and tied to the kitchen table, while the other was hanging by his arms in the centre of the kitchen. Tom ordered the fire stoked and an iron placed in it. He spoke to the two men.

"You tried and failed to kill me, today. Therefore, your lives are forfeit. I will give you a choice, a quick and painless death, or a long drawn out one of supreme suffering. It's your choice. I will ask some questions and you will answer. How you answer will determine the manner of your death. It's up to you. Now, who ordered you to attack me?"

"Go to hell!" spat the one on the table.

Tom picked up a pair of tongs, and taking a hot coal out of the fire, ran it up the wounded man's leg singeing the hairs on his leg. The man hissed, and then screamed as Tom held the coal against his wound.

"Wrong answer. I'll ask again, who sent you to attack me?"

The man on the table said nothing, but the man hanging started to babble.

"It was him! It was him!" he screamed.

"Good answer" said Tom. "You may have earned a quick death. Now what else do you know?"

"I know he has a warehouse down on the waterfront, that he has guarded night and day," the man said.

"Shut up, you fool!" spat Morotith

"Do you know, it's within my power to pardon a man, no matter how heinous his crime. He would be branded and serve twenty five years, but he would live. I wonder if anyone would take that offer in exchange for his life. Of course, he would have to tell me everything he knew," Tom said looking at the hanging man.

As he spoke he drew some hot ash from the fire and held it near the man on the table.

"Fuck off!" the man spat. "I'm no coward!"

Tom sprinkled hot ash over the man. He hissed and screamed as the hot embers seared into his flesh.

The other man lost control of his bladder at this point.

"I'll talk," he sobbed. "Please, I want to live. I'll tell you everything."

Tom ordered him to be cut down, and taken outside. He then ordered that Morotith be stripped and tied in his place.

"You can't do this to me! Don't you know who I am? You'll never get away with this. They'll kill you and all your stupid friends. Only by co-operating can you hope to survive," Morotith screamed.

"That's more like it, now, who are you co-operating with? And what are their plans?" Tom asked

"They call themselves the Brotherhood. They contacted me last year. They are going to take the entire island. They have already taken the mainland, and now are going to take over here," he said, starting to panic.

"No they're not. We will stop them. We have stopped them at Small Cove, and we'll stop them here. Now you are going to tell me everything you know about these people, who is with them, who is against them, who the contacts are, what ships they use, where they ship their goods to, everything."

"And if I don't?" he said.

Tom picked up another coal and held it over the man's genitals. His eyes went wide.

"No!" he pleaded, and then screamed, "NO!" as Tom lowered the coal down.

Just as it singed the pubic hair, he threw it back into the fire.

Tom looked at Morotith and said, "You're next!"

The man broke. He told them everything he knew. By the end of the day they had six prominent townsfolk in custody, and over three thousand arrowheads, two thousand spear points, four hundred swords, and one hundred and fifty coats of mail. They had discovered all their spies, and which ships they used.