30 On the Prowl (1/2)
More than once throughout his life, Duke Herak had tried to scale the walls of Etra, to make up for the mistakes of his ancestors and reintegrate the land into his family's kingdom. What strange fate then that at last, he had managed to enter, with his flagship moored in their harbor, unopposed. Once again, Herak had come as a conqueror, but this time it wasn't as a general, and he had left his army at home. Instead, he would bury the city under a mountain of coins, take their greatest treasures and secure the future of Borna. For years, Herak had done his best to accumulate as much wealth as he could. Today, all of his work would pay off when he would use the money to gain what he couldn't take by force.
For a good while, Herak had wandered the roads of Etra, unperturbed by the looks he and his knight's guard received. In truth, the duke relished in the fear and respect the citizens showed towards him from behind drawn curtains. Although he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, although it would have been easy for the people of Etra to swarm and kill their year-long tormentor, no man along their path showed the courage to act upon his thoughts. This was real power, the strength to win battle before it had begun.
After he had basked in the glow of triumph for long enough, Herak had arrived at the goal of his journey, the Fastgrade Merchant Company. With a snort, the duke read the ostentatious sign atop the entrance. After his own company had been forced to change names, this place was now the only company called 'Fastgrade' in all of Arcavia. Even though they had shown a lack of respect for his noble office, the Bear of Borna would forgive the company's owners for their transgressions. After all, inside the walls in his front he would find what he had been searching for all these years, the critical advantage which would guarantee the future of his family's kingdom.
”Duke Herak, welcome!” Although the local clerks around him offered Herak nothing but looks of open hostility, a voice of warmth still greeted him from the side. He turned to find the men who had informed him of the impromptu auction, and the ones he had decided to cooperate with, at least for today.
”Masters Trellban and Master Devaerter, what a joyous occasion this day will be for all of us!”
”Joyous indeed,” Devaerter replied with a look of unadulterated glee written all over his face. ”At last, the outsiders will move on. Once the Fastgrades leave, Etra will be rid of the menace which has caused our fair city so much misery. At last, peace can return back to the south.”
Herak replied with a nod, busy hiding his joy behind his mask. Luckily, the Fastgrade success had bred many enemies over the years. In the end, it had taken no more than an offered non-agression treaty and some stakes in his own business ventures to flip the two merchants. In an effort to sour Herak's jubilant mood, Trellban greeted him with a frown and a stern voice.
”Is this not too ridiculous a tale to swallow? I will not believe for a moment that this little bastard is some foreign lord, or that he suddenly decided to return back home. This would not be a trick like his cheatery as 'great seer', would it?”
Despite the merchant's doubts, Herak's good mood remained, while his eyes turned to slits.
”Humble merchant, you believe I would have come here if I had so much as suspected an ambush, or some form of trickery? No matter how unlikely a tale it seems, it should be true. Do not forget that brave Bornish men have sailed across the Weltalic Sea for years now, to spread the good word of Lord Arcavus to the heathens of the West.” Of course Herak wouldn't tell them that the Bornish expeditions were mostly governed by economic interests, and of course his new partners knew the truth anyways, but none of them would be stupid enough to offend the Bear of Borna to his face.
”From what my merchant ships tell me, there is indeed a 'Medala Empire' to the far west, straight across the Weltalic Sea. As has been claimed by the little merchant, the ruler of this empire met his end a few months past. Even if the boy is no barbarian lord, at the very least he should have some level of status back in that empire of his. Otherwise he would have no way to receive this information all the way out here, since no Fastgrade ships have ever been seen across the Sea. Not to mention,” Herak's eyes narrowed further as his view zeroed in on Trellban, ”the brat did not even invite me to his little auction. It was you who informed me of the occasion or I would have no chance to regain the lands the boy stole from me. If it truly were to be an elaborate ambush, would you not be involved as well, Trellban? Who do you believe would be the first man to suffer then?”
”N-No, I-I-I...”
Forced under the pressure of Herak, Trellban moved back a few steps and held up his hands in a show of token resistance. In response, the hint of a smile crept onto the stoic lord's stiff face. He knew that among the two merchants, the Reverer was far more likely to crack under pressure. Any advantages now would be worth pure gold later on, when it was time to divide up the spoils. The duke much preferred the weak Trellban over the battle-hardened Devaerter, who still retained his calm.
”We should get inside. It appears as if the auction is about to start,” the unfazed merchant said.
”Yes, indeed,” Herak answered, before he turned back towards his guard. ”You, Felian Northdale, was it?”
”Yes sire.” Felian stood straight, unswayed under Herak's watchful gaze. With how smartly the knight had assessed the attack on the Saline Hills, the duke was convinced that Felian would be a great boon to his own forces, despite his evident failure. However, soon after the knight's meeting with Herak and his brother, he had heard that the man had made attempts to flee the country. Rather than lose a good man and his years of cultivation to some foreign lordship, Herak had decided to bind him closer, and declare him one of his personal guards. Of course the duke wouldn't deny that the satisfaction of watching the man's distraught look had also played part in the appointment.
”Take your men and secure the perimeter. Make sure that this merchant prince won't try any dirty tricks. Today is the day I take back everything that has been taken from me.”
Without waiting for his subordinate's answer, Herak turned, with his usual grim face, and marched up to the entrance. Up on the frontal steps, two Fastgrade guards were positioned. Throughout the last few years, the wolf troop under the Fastgrade Merchant Company had developed a bit of a reputation themselves, showing off their talents ever since they beat back the storm on the Saline Hills.
”Halt!” One of them stepped forward and stopped him with acquired confidence. ”There will be no entrance without invitation.”
However, before they could react to his bold actions, the duke simply ignored the man, shoved him to the side and marched into the open hall. Even though they would know who the invader was and what reputation he carried, the guards still seemed determined to stop Herak. Behind him, feet shuffled to turn and rush after the hostile lord. However, the duke wasn't here to start a fight, not today. He knew better than to begin another expensive and pointless war against Borna over some grandstanding. Instead, he would let his two new partners handle this matter.