Fostering Faust 2, page 39
part #2 of Fostering Faust Series
“You! This is your doing—your doing entirely, Count Inferno,” shouted the duke, his voice sounding distorted and almost mumbled.
Turning, Alex leaned heavily on the walking stick.
“I did nothing, Duke. Nothing but sit there. I have no more power over fire than you do over water,” Alex said calmly.
“Grab him. Take him to the keep,” said the duke.
The guards around him took Alex up amongst them, and Alex was literally carried from the city.
They moved with speed and efficiency away from the flaming city. Alex couldn’t tell, but it didn’t seem like the fire was going to spread.
He wasn’t sure if that was a pity or a blessing. It wasn’t as if the inhabitants had wronged him, just their leaders.
After the guards rushed Alex through the gate and then the keep, he was escorted into a small room. Then dropped like a sack of potatoes into a wooden chair.
Wincing and wanting to throw up at the same time, Alex hunched up over his leg.
“Watch the leg, it’s broken,” Alex said through clenched teeth. “If it gets infected and I die from it, you’ll have to explain to the king that it was through your direct actions that I perished.
“Especially now that I’ve told you that.”
The duke was standing in the corner, watching Alex. He clicked his tongue and waved a hand at the guards.
“Leave us, and in the future be careful of his leg,” mumbled the duke.
Seeing him up close, Alex realized he had maybe underestimated how bad the duke looked.
It well and truly seemed like he’d been melted. Like a candle that had been held up to a fireplace and then set back down to cool.
“Count Inferno, why do I not simply have you killed? Or let you die?” the duke said, only half of his face working.
“Because the king would investigate it afterward, and I get the impression you’d then have to explain yourself,” Alex said simply with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Hmph. As you yourself demonstrated, there are ways around it. It just becomes a question of risk,” Duke Gaelis said, coming to loom over Alex.
“You’ve cost me quite a bit, Count,” said the older man. “I begin to wonder if you were behind the earl’s treasury as well.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Duke. You saw all I had with me, and the treasury was sealed by the earl himself,” Alex said.
Before Alex knew what had happened, the duke had slapped him across the face.
The left side of his face stung, and his jaw ached from the sheer strength of the blow.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Alex looked up at the older man.
“Is that what you devolve to? Attacking your guests?” Alex said.
“You’re no guest, you’re a Warlock. You killed my son,” the duke said, his hand cracking across the other side of Alex’s face.
Taking in a slow breath, Alex could taste blood in his mouth. Sucking on the cut in his cheek, he got it together as a glob in his mouth.
Then he spat it up on the duke’s boot.
“I’m no Warlock, you old fart, I’m just a count stuck between two old bastards. Two family heads who started a war because neither one could see past their own ego long enough to diffuse the situation,” Alex grumbled, glaring up at the older man. “Now you’ve lost your son for it, and the duchess her father and brother.”
The strike that landed on Alex’s face next was no slap, but a left hook.
Slumping sideways in his chair, Alex couldn’t even think straight for a second.
“That’s right. Beat your guest to death, you insufferable, dishonorable windbag. I can’t wait for the king to start asking you questions later,” Alex bluffed. “There was a reason I was his vassal until recently. When he pulls your last son apart in front of you, finger by finger, limb by limb, spare a thought for me, huh?”
Alex started laughing then. A deep belly laugh.
Apparently, that was enough to stop the duke from lashing out further. As no more blows came.
“You’re a Warlock,” the duke said again.
“No. Just a count who wants to go home. I’m being held against my will, despite numerous attempts to pay off my ransom. Have fun explaining that one to the king as well,” Alex said, spitting up another glob of blood. Though this time he did it on the floor. He didn’t need to provoke the man further at the moment.
“I’ve done no such thing,” the duke said.
“Coulda fooled me. It’s in the letters I sent to the king, the duchess, and my wife. Your son was very accommodating. Didn’t even read my letters,” Alex bluffed again. “Clark seemed very confused about why I thought I’d be going home. His orders were to hold me and refuse all ransom requests.”
“You did what? He said what?” the duke spluttered.
“Yeah. That happened,” Alex said, lifting his head up and looking to the duke. “And here you are, beating your guest that you’ve held against tradition and treated like a prisoner. King’s gonna pull your dick out through your asshole.”
The duke’s one good eye was focused on Alex now. There was a trace of fear there. Just enough that Alex felt he’d managed to set the hook.
“It would seem you’ve planned this to some degree,” the duke muttered.
“A bit. I was concerned when I wasn’t immediately ransomed, despite your lack of funds,” Alex said. “Oh, and by the way, you just inherited your son’s debts.”
“What? He had no debts,” the duke said.
“Yes. He did. In fact, he was broke. Everything he had in his personal accounts was robbed from him.
“Then he took out a massive loan,” Alex said.
Shaking his head, the duke took two steps backward. “No, he never spoke of such a thing.”
“But it’s true. In fact… would you care to guess who he got the loan from?” Alex asked, smiling at the duke. He could feel blood dripping from his mouth and spilling down his chin.
“You?” the duke asked, incredulously.
“Well, me and my father-in-law. Master Ulles,” Alex said. “I’m afraid he has the master copy of the loan, though. I didn’t think it would be prudent to keep it on myself. He also holds all the land deeds that were handed over as collateral.”
“How much was the loan?” the duke asked, his voice becoming thin.
Weak.
“The sum he discussed with me was about a hundred thousand gold. But I don’t know the final number, as my father-in-law has the actual contract,” Alex said. “I suppose you could always go check your deeds. See how many and which are missing. That might give you an idea of how much he took out.”
The duke sat down heavily in a chair, the wood creaking under the sudden weight.
“You’ll forgive me, I’m sure, Duke,” Alex said, putting a sneer on the title. “But I’m personally going to insist on making sure the loan is honored in full, to the exact letter that it was signed. For every bit of interest.
“As dishonorable as you are, I can’t think of a reason to give you any trust.”
“Interest? How much was the interest?” the duke asked, not even responding to the bait anymore.
“I believe it was thirty percent, last I heard. But again, for all I know, my father-in-law put it up to sixty percent,” Alex said with a dark laugh. “Did I mention he’s also well aware that you refused to send me back home to his daughter?”
Looking down at the ground, the duke lifted a hand and rubbed his hairless brow.
“You’ve… certainly done all that you could to bring me down, haven’t you?” the duke asked.
“Not at all. I’ve only done all I can to go home. To ensure that I could,” Alex said. “Just think. If you had taken my ransom in the first week, none of this would have happened.”
“Ha, your ransom will negate the debt my son holds, then,” the duke said, a sneer curling his lip.
“No,” Alex said with a shrug and a smile. “Besides, I’m not the one he took the loan out with. I’m just his son-in-law.
“On top of that, no count would be worth a hundred thousand. Twenty thousand for a count who proved himself in battle, maybe thirty if he had wealthy relatives—but a hundred, with interest? No. The king would be called in immediately.
“And then we’d get to tell him all about your delightful treatment of me. You even managed to break my leg, after all.”
“You broke your leg in a fall,” the duke said, frowning.
“No I didn’t. Your son broke it when I refused to help him fight Regina,” Alex said with a grin. “I was forced to lie as he threatened to have my inner-court raped and murdered. It’s why they’re not here with me. For fear of their lives and selves.”
“You’re lying!” the duke snarled.
“Yes, just like I’m lying about the loan, notifying the king of your behavior, and that I somehow managed to steal an earl’s treasury without breaking his personal seal,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.
Now. Now’s our chance. Let’s push. Push to get out of here!
“Now, can we get to the heart of the matter? I don’t want to be here, and I doubt you want me here anymore,” Alex said. “I’m sure my ransom is hefty.”
“And what, just let you traipse back to the bitch Tanulf’s army? No. I’ll deal with the king first,” the duke said, shaking his head.
“Alright, if that’s the sticking point… how about in exchange for my release, I swear to offer no opposition to you for six months from the date I’m released.
“I’ll offer no aid to Regina in any way, shape, or form in her war against you. I’ll go home and live quietly,” Alex said.
That got the duke’s attention back on Alex.
“That’d work… but… there’s still the issue of my son’s loan, the delay in accepting your ransom, and your leg,” the duke said, accepting Alex’s statement that Clark was responsible.
“The loan I can’t help you with. My apologies. Technically, I’m not the one who loaned him the money, after all,” Alex said. “I can definitely help with the king, though in regard to my ransom and my leg.”
What I need most is another way to fill my crystal. It’s been very low this entire time. I’m sure Anna is running herself ragged trying to fill it.
But without me to… fulfill… certain obligations, she’s limited.
“Well? What is it then? I have no coin to offer you, obviously,” the duke said with a grimace.
“First… an oath of privacy and secrecy. I would hate for this discussion to reach anyone else’s ears, as I think you would as well?” Alex asked.
The duke nodded. “That’d probably be wise. I accept.”
“Then we shall swear to Leah to uphold the deal, the secrecy, and the bargain. She has no qualms of breaking through other oaths to ensure hers are kept,” Alex said.
The duke’s face turned a deep red color before he mastered himself.
“Fine,” he spat.
“Then, on Leah’s name, I swear myself to secrecy on what we discuss in this room today,” Alex said. “To be discussed with no one.”
“I’ll do the same, and do so swear,” the duke growled.
“Now, how many prisoners are you holding of the duchess’s?” Alex asked.
“What? I don’t know. I’m sure I have a good deal of them—why?”
“I want you to release every single prisoner of hers that you hold. That’ll buy my silence on your treatment of me,” Alex said. “Besides, it’ll cost you to feed, house, and guard them. You would theoretically lower your costs by letting them go.”
The duke looked like he was going to have an aneurysm. Then he slapped his skeletal and burned hand to his knee.
“Done. Alright, I agree to that, on your secrecy of my treatment of you. And that you’ll deny any wrongdoing I did to anyone who asks,” the duke said.
“I can agree to that. Fine,” Alex said. “I do so swear to the terms stated.”
“Fine. I do the same, you insufferable Warlock,” the duke said.
“Now, as to how your son treated me… Or would you prefer that I slander him all over the countryside? I’m sure that wouldn’t do well for your name. If I deny your treatment of me but agree to your son’s, wouldn’t that look odd?” Alex asked.
The duke seethed with anger and hate. He actually was wheezing when he took in a breath.
“Fine!” he shouted. “And what do you want for that? Huh!?”
“I want to have an agent of mine sit in on all criminal proceedings that go on in your duchy. They would be treated courteously, as if they were a minor noble, provided all the assistance they need to monitor all incoming prisoners, and granted protection from yourself.
“They would be viewing everything from minor un-landed nobility and under only. Nothing above that, which would be entirely your domain,” Alex said. “That agent would have the right to take any female incarcerated in Gaelis and offer her the opportunity to be tried in Brit instead. If she agrees, she would renounce her citizenship of Gaelis and would return only under penalty of death.
“Whoever does agree to travel to Brit, they would give all their belongings over to the duchy of Gaelis and travel in whatever way my agent arranges for them. At no cost to Gaelis.”
The duke’s burned face scrunched into a mask of horror.
“I’d heard that you were doing this… collecting women from around your lands… you would want to use my lands as well?” the duke asked. “Is this for your Warlock arts?”
Smiling, Alex lifted his hand and pressed his fingers to the pin at his collar.
“I do not practice dark arts or necromancy, nor am I a Warlock,” Alex said, then dropped his hand to his lap. “If it helps, I would be willing to pay fifty gold for every woman taken from your land in this way. Consider it a bounty.”
Clark Gaelis, Duke of Gaelis, snorted at that. “Take as many as you can on your way out then, and pay me. In fact, perhaps we can go to the dungeon today and you can buy a couple now?”
“Perhaps. Though I must insist on one more condition. Your guards. They cannot touch or harm any woman my agent has yet to interview. And I’ll need your oath that you’ll make sure that happens,” Alex said.
“What? Why? I don’t see how—”
“I’ll need that as part of the oath, Duke. The women must be unharmed before my agent can see them. Unharmed, untouched, unsoiled in every way.”
Duke Gaelis rolled his eyes, which was mildly terrifying considering the milky-white one didn’t move at all.
“Fine. I agree to all the terms you’ve presented for the agreement that you’ll say you broke your leg in a fall instead of my son having done it. Is that all?” the duke asked.
“I agree to the oath as it’s been presented, and swear to it,” Alex said, nodding his head. “And yes, I do believe that’ll be all.”
“Then get the fuck off my land!” the duke shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Of course,” Alex said, holding up his hands. “Not a problem. Let me just… take a look at your dungeons real quick while you get all those prisoners ready for me. Maybe I can find a few to take with me and pay you for them.
“I’ll take them back with me, along with all those prisoners. Straight to the duchess. That way you can start saving money immediately.”
The duke growled, and his face started to turn purple.
But he didn’t die from an actual heart attack or aneurysm.
Which was a bit of a pity.
Epilogue
Rolling into the duchess’s main encampment, Alex was suddenly thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to get out of the damn wagon and not feel like his leg was evicting his knee with every bump and jolt. Seeing some larger inns, he was hopeful he could get a nice soft bed instead of sharing the back of a wagon with two women.
Rebekah and Riley were on each side of him, both of them seeming to have come to the conclusion that they would care for him personally.
The rest of his Numbered had gone about their business and duties without much of a concern. Content to leave him to their ministrations.
I get the impression they’re uncomfortable with how the end played out. Me alone with an enemy and a broken leg they gave me.
I’ll have to reassure them later that everything is fine.
Stranger than all that, though, was that Riley and Rebekah were co-inhabiting his bed with him. He’d been allowed to rest each night since the broken leg rather than having them try for some bedroom play.
He was both thankful and somewhat regretful for the lack of activity.
Unfortunately, he got the impression they were plotting to trap him between the two of them in a three way. Riley wanted to watch, and Rebekah seemed to want to explore having another woman to go at him with her.
“I’ll get our accommodations taken care of. Can you handle him for a bit?” Riley asked, speaking to Rebekah.
“Of course, hon,” Rebekah said, smiling at Riley. “Thank you for getting our bed ready for us. Any chance I can talk you into seeing if there’re any shops around?”
Riley gave the other woman a bright smile. “Of course, dear. More outfits?”
Rebekah nodded with a small smile.
Riley turned and gave Alex a tender kiss, patting his cheek with her fingertips. Then she was gone, off to take care of her chore.
As she stepped off the wagon, three guards immediately fell in with her.
The wagon rolled on, heading for the center of the camp. Alex had been very determined to not announce himself ahead of their approach. For all intents and purposes, it looked more like a mass of prisoners and that was it.
“I do like her,” Rebekah said. “It’s going to be so much fun for us three together.”
Great. So they really are planning that.
Alex gave her a tight smile and quirked an eyebrow.
“I promise it’s mutual all the way around, baby. You’ll be happy with it,” Rebekah said, then sighed. “Ah… it would seem you’ve been noticed, Alex. I suppose I’ll be turning you over here for now.”
Looking away from the addiction known as Rebekah, Alex saw the duchess standing at the foot of a small stone keep that looked rushed, but solid.
