Empire Builder 2

by Dante King

  “He’s lucky he gets anything,” said the Younger with a confident nod.

  “Enough,” Ben said.

  He shook his head, the conversation seeming as if he were asking if they’d fed the dog before they’d left on a weekend vacation. Uzax was the only living creature left in the tower, which he had fully sealed up before leaving. Nothing would get in or out of the tower until his return. Uzax had better pray that Ben’s mission was successful, unless the Pyromancer really was planning on starving to death.

  They waited a few hundred yards from the town, still concealed by the cover of trees. In silence, the group watched as more slavers and slaves made their way into the outpost.

  “All the slavers could pose a bit of trouble,” Ben remarked in a low voice.

  “Perhaps,” Lexi said. “They are unlikely to put up much of a fight, however.”

  “They have no loyalty to Governor Borax?” Ben guessed.

  Lexi shook her head. “At the first sign of battle they’ll make a run for it. Just make sure you leave them a clear path to get away.”

  “I’d love to kill them as well, but we have to stay focused,” Ben said. “We might not survive this fight if we double the number of our enemies. Can we count on the slaves themselves?”

  “I wouldn’t go embracing them all and giving them weapons, if that’s what you mean,” Lexi said.

  “Not exactly,” Ben replied. “I wouldn’t trust them all that easily. But will they fight for us or against us?” The answer seemed obvious, but Ben still needed to get as much intel on the situation as possible.

  “I think you can count on them for that much,” Lexi agreed. “Just make it clear that you’re fighting the mage and his soldiers, and I’m sure they’ll all join you. As for what happens after, I couldn’t say. You very well could have another problem to deal with as soon as the first has been resolved. It’s your call, of course.”

  “The slaves should be less of a problem,” Ben said. “They’re slaves, after all, and they’ll be in a weakened condition. Even if they want to attack us, we ought to be able to subdue them until they can see sense.”

  “That is what I would expect too,” Lexi said. “But one can never be certain.”

  Ben was glad to have her advice. So far it seemed to be sound. He’d been worried that the other women would be uncomfortable having her along, that they wouldn’t trust her. But if anything they had been saddened by his news that he had stripped her of magical ability. They had already developed a deep sympathy for the beastkin woman.

  Ben suspected that their acceptance had gone a long way to ensuring that the hawkwoman was still supporting his cause as well. He’d promised the other women that he would do what he could to restore the woman’s powers when the time was right.

  “Well.” Ben turned to look at the others. “No time like the present. Lexi, you’ll be coming with me, as will you, Melody.”

  Melody stepped forward. “You’ll need to put that null lock on me.”

  “Yes, I will.” Ben knelt down and fastened the iron circlet around Melody’s ankle.

  He hated doing this to her. He’d suggested forging a fake, but Lexi had insisted that the soldiers in this outpost would recognize it instantly. So instead, Ben entrusted Melody with the keys. She could unlock the shackle herself as soon as they were ready to fight.

  “The rest of you will wait here until the fighting begins, is that clear?” Ben asked.

  “Have no fear, sire,” Sir Gallant the Elder assured him. “We shall be ready to join the attack as soon as we hear sounds of conflict.”

  “Just remember not to get in the way of the escaping slavers,” Ben reminded them. “And until then, stay safe here in the woods, alright?”

  “Don’t worry about us, Ben,” Vinata said. “We have been well trained in combat and stealth as nymphs. We’ll probably be safer than you.”

  “I hope that’s true,” Ben said. He turned to make his way toward Brekmarth, Lexi and Melody following on either side of him.

  Nipper and Pearl whined as Ben walked away, but the nymphs comforted them and the other children, holding them back from following. Ben hated leaving them behind, but he knew it was the only way for the plan to work.

  Ben had his scimitar at his side. He’d given Lexi a sword as well, and Melody had stowed her wand under her tattered hose and tunic. Ben hoped they all looked convincing enough. Lexi’s word ought to be enough to get them through the gates. After that, Ben didn’t expect any amount of planning or deception to save them. It would be a matter of causing enough mayhem to be able to kill the mage.

  They lined up behind a number of fearsome traders, all waiting to be allowed into the town. Guards were asking a few standard questions, taking payments, and waving them through. Ben was relieved. It didn’t look like they were searching prisoners or asking too many probing questions.

  Soon, it was their turn.

  The two guards at the gate looked like humans, but they were taller and hairier, and reeked of sweat. Ben wondered if they were some sort of hybrid ogres. Whatever they were, they appeared to be efficient guards.

  “State your business,” the one on the right droned, as if he’d said it a hundred times that day already, which he probably had. His voice was inhumanly deep, the bass shaking Ben’s bones.

  They’d rehearsed this moment already. Ben shoved Melody in front of him, doing his best to make it look rough.

  “We have a slave to sell,” Lexi announced.

  Both guards peered at Melody. The way they looked at her was as if they were mentally undressing her, but there was no lust in their looks. Only cold assessment. They were trying to see if she was fit to be a slave, if her body was fit for work, or would fetch a high price.

  Ben assumed they had to have standards for who got to be sold in the outpost. Otherwise there would be enterprising young ogres trying to sell their half-dead grandmothers.

  The look on their faces infuriated him. He made a note not to let these guards flee, even if they tried.

  “Do you have a permit?” the first guard asked.

  Ben’s stomach dropped. Lexi hadn’t mentioned that they would need a permit.

  Lexi shook her head, looking totally unphased. “I need to register this sale at the courthouse.”

  The guard stiffened, holding his spear up straighter. “You need a permit to enter Brekmarth for a sale. You should know this if you’ve ever been here before.”

  “And how am I supposed to get a permit?” Lexi retorted. Her bright yellow eyes dilated. “I can only get one inside the town.”

  The guard sighed as if he were about to explain something to a child. “You enter the town, you get the permit, you go back out again, then you bring the slave.”

  “Do you know who I am?” Lexi allowed her sharp black talons to extend from her fingertips. “Do you want me to inform the governor that this slave couldn’t be included in the next shipment because you wouldn’t let her in?”

  The guard’s dull eyes narrowed as he glanced at Melody, then at Lexi’s claws. If he was scared by Lexi’s display, he didn’t look it.

  Ben held his breath. He was starting to think the guard would make them go through the whole process of getting a permit and then re-entering, when finally he stepped aside.

  “Make sure you get the permit,” he growled.

  Lexi flashed him a smile, though it wasn’t a particularly friendly one. “Don’t you worry, it’ll all be taken care of.”

  As they stepped forward, the guard put out a hand to stop Lexi, hitting her in the chest. The sight angered Ben, even though Lexi wasn’t yet one of his companions. He felt defensive, like he wanted to break the guard’s arm right there on the spot.

  “You still have to pay,” the guard bellowed.

  Ben pulled out a blank gold coin from a bag at his waist and handed it to the guard. The guard took the coin and regarded it, clearly confused by how it didn’t have any sort of mark. But when he bit down on it and saw that it was re
al gold, he only shrugged and slipped it into the pouch at his hip. Gold lust gleamed in the guard’s eye, and he waved them all through.

  The three of them entered the town. Ben breathed a sigh of relief as they put the guard post behind them.

  Brekmarth was even more chaotic and squalid than Ben had expected. Ramshackle huts crowded disorderly, crooked streets. Urchins played in the dirt under the feet of savage looking slavers and soldiers. Merchants haggled with unsavory customers. Rubbish was heaped at every corner. The air was thick with acrid smoke from piles of burning garbage.

  Ben could almost taste the filth around him. As he regarded the sprawling encampment, he was certain that it needed to be razed to the ground, no trace of it remaining. In his empire, no one would live like this.

  He looked at the burning piles more closely, noticing something about the shape of the materials being burned. “That’s not rubbish burning,” he said.

  Lexi shook her head.

  “Those are corpses.” Ben turned to look at Lexi. “Are those monsterkin?”

  Lexi slowly nodded her head. “The ones too old or weak to be sold.”

  Melody gasped.

  Ben’s fists clenched. He almost reconsidered his plan to let the slavers escape. If he had the numbers, he would have gladly wiped them out along with every soldier in this vile town.

  For now, they needed to deal with the mage and his men.

  Ben surveyed the streets in front of him, trying to get an idea of the layout. He could see the roof of a long hall behind the next row of huts. That’s where he is, Ben thought, clenching his fists.

  “Is that hall where the mage conducts business?” Ben asked.

  “Yes,” Lexi said. “That’s where we’ll need to go for the permit we need.”

  The permit wasn’t necessary, of course, but was a good pretext for getting close to the mage. They couldn’t say that aloud on these streets, however.

  “I want to get some more information about the rest of the town first,” Ben said.

  He looked at the merchant stalls crowding the dirt-paved street. “Do you think I’ll be able to get any help from those merchants?”

  “With enough gold I’m sure they will try to be helpful, or at least pretend,” Lexi said.

  “I just want to know where the monsterkin and the soldiers are,” Ben said. “It’s worth a shot. We can probably get all the gold back in loot once we defeat the mage.”

  They approached the nearest stall, which sold worn-down textiles and ratty furs. Ben didn’t want to know what sort of animal the furs had come from. An ingratiating and tremendously fat ogre waited to serve them. His nose was piggish, his eyes small and black. He wore thick furs that appeared to be stained with food, his flabby arms bare and covered in tattoos.

  “Can I interest you fine folk in a wolfkin cloak?” the ogre gestured expansively at his wares. “Or perhaps baby rabbitkin head coverings? Mantiskin jewelry?”

  Ben’s grip tightened around the scimitar and bit back a caustic reply. It would do no good to start a fight just yet. Instead, he pulled a couple of blank gold coins out of his bag and idly rubbed them between the fingers of his left hand.

  Just as he’d expected, the merchant’s eyes narrowed, focusing intently on the coins. The promise of gold would loosen his tongue nicely, Ben understood.

  “My companion here is very choosy.” Ben indicated Lexi with a nod. “I’m sure she will need a moment to examine your wares.”

  Lexi quickly took the hint and began studiously examining the wares on the merchant’s stall. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes, giving each piece of fur a close look. He could only imagine what was going through her head as she took in the sight of the monsterkin remains.

  “In the meantime, perhaps you could give a couple of strangers some advice about where to go in this fine town.” Ben rubbed the two coins together again, with clear intent. “We’re looking to purchase a couple of monsterkin slaves, and we would prefer to avoid any, uh, trouble with the local authorities.”

  The fat ogre nodded eagerly, his double chins jiggling with the motion. “I know exactly what you mean, I think I can be of assistance to you both. And you will be looking to sell your own slave too, yes?”

  Ben felt nauseated as he saw the ogre’s fat digit point at Melody as if she were a piece of meat, but he kept that to himself. “We would be most obliged if you could help us with that too,” he said, forcing a smile.

  “You’re in luck, as a camp of monsterkin slaves arrived here just yesterday. Some fine looking specimens there. The female who claims to be their leader is quite a looker too, if you’re into that sort of thing.” The ogre flicked his tongue over his lips.

  “And where would we find this camp?” Ben asked.

  “It’s not far at all, just down this straight a short way and then make a right. Behind the courthouse and near the southern gate.” The flab under the ogre’s arm jiggled as he pointed down the street.

  “And how many guards are minding the camp?” Ben lowered his voice and leaned in slightly. “We’d prefer not to attract too much attention, if you know what I mean.” He held back a retch as he smelled the ogre up close, his stench like rotting meat.

  “You’d prefer to make a deal directly with their slavers? That’s what I’d do myself. A wise plan of action, but you’ll have to be careful. This group is closely guarded.”

  “How many monsterkin are there?” Ben asked.

  “It looked like at least a hundred to me, when I saw them passing. And one guard to every four of them at least.” The ogre scowled at this.

  Ben wondered if he had his own reasons for preferring to avoid scrutiny. He suspected that the wild races up here in the north were not easily tamed.

  “Thirty or so guards then?”

  The ogre nodded. “Their slavers haven’t left yet, so you might just be able to pull off a bit of undercover trading. Far cheaper than waiting until they get to the capital.”

  “I agree entirely,” Ben said. “You’ve been most helpful; I don’t know what I would have done without that information.” With a sense of loathing, Ben prepared to hand over some of his gold to this despicable slaver.

  “And tell me,” Lexi interrupted, in a low tone. “Where do you think we might be able to purchase some untaxed potions for use on our hunting expeditions?”

  The ogre smiled broadly and stooped behind the bench of his stall. He stood up and heaved a wooden box onto the stall. Looking around him to check that no one was looking, he opened the lid. The box was full of potions, mostly bottles containing blue mana or red health regeneration. A few crackled with magical energy, as if they contained small electrical storms.

  “As it happens,” he said, “I have some right here. These were manufactured by the alchemists among the bearkin to the north of here. The black trade is quite lively in these parts.”

  “Well, that’s just perfect,” Lexi said. “Good to know where we can find such wares if we ever have need of them.” The hawkwoman turned to go, giving Ben a meaningful look.

  He quickly worked out what she was doing. “Yes, that’s right,” he said. “We’ll be sure to call on you if we ever need something of that nature. Come Lexi, let’s go.”

  Ben directed Melody and Lexi away from the stall, pocketing the gold coins.

  The ogre blustered and spluttered. “You’re leaving? Without any sort of recompense? This is an outrage! I’ll tell Governor Borax about this.”

  Ben looked over his shoulder. “Oh, I don’t think you will. I’m sure Governor Borax would be most interested to hear about your trade in untaxed potions here.”

  The ogre’s face went red with fury, and he stumbled over his words, trying to think of some threat. “Why you… I’ll… I’ll…” He trailed off, and it was clear there was nothing to be done.

  Ben smiled to himself as he and Lexi and Melody drifted off into the crowd, making their way toward the courthouse. He could really get used to working with Lexi. He
was increasingly impressed with how shrewd she was, how quickly she thought on her feet.

  The governor’s courthouse was surrounded by dilapidated huts, but a distance of several yards separated the long wooden hall from any other buildings. The rough-hewn planks forming the walls of the hall were fresher than the other houses. Ben could make out indentations in the ground around the courthouse too, roughly the same size as the huts.

  “Were there originally other huts here?” Ben asked.

  “There were,” Lexi said. “This courthouse was erected by the governor only a few years ago when he arrived. He kicked out a number of the local villagers and razed their huts to the ground to make room.”

  “Charming,” Ben remarked.

  The roof was made of hides, all faded in the sun. Bones, skulls, antlers, horns, and other decorations adorned the corners and gables. The structure was hardly what Ben would consider “nice”, but it was a far cry from the squalor that surrounded him.

  The front door was open, admitting a steady stream of traffic.

  “The courthouse is where everyone goes to register their sales and pay taxes,” Lexi explained.

  “So, that’s where we have to go for this permit,” Ben said.

  “That’s right,” Lexi replied. “The mage’s own quarters back directly onto the main hall. If we’re lucky, he’ll walk right out while we’re there.”

  “If not, I guess we’ll just have to politely knock his door down,” Ben said.

  “If it comes to the worst,” Lexi said.

  “Anyone we need to worry about?” Ben asked.

  No one was paying them any mind as they bustled into the courthouse, but Ben was still careful to speak in a low tone. The courthouse smelled like sweat and desperation, the chatter of merchants and slavers filling the air in a noisy din.

  “Once fighting breaks out, most of the people in the courthouse will scatter,” Lexi said. “None of them are going to lose their skin for a governor they don’t even like.”

  “We’ll just have to keep an eye out and see how many guards there are, then,” Ben said.

  They started walking toward the entrance. It occurred to Ben as they walked that Lexi could still try to sell them out in exchange for her freedom again. That didn’t seem particularly likely, as Lexi had seemed sincere about wanting to help her own people. And even if she wasn’t, Ben was the only one with a chance of restoring her powers. He didn’t like what he’d had to do to Lexi, but it was the smart move.