“We need something he wants,” Red said. “Right now he just wants to destroy stuff but before he wanted coin and women.”
“Maybe he still wants those things,” Jonathan said. “He is lashing out because his friends are dead.”
“Well then let's give it to him,” Red said. “We can be like old man Charles when he caught One Hand Jack.”
“Who?” Lord Mayor and Jonathan asked simultaneously.
“Old Man Charles,” Red said. “He is a miserable bastard from back in my hometown. He gets his jollies off by going around poor people and flaunting his wealth. We used to steal from that tosser all of the time until I almost got nicked. I stopped but One Hand Jack always needed more and more.”
“So how did this One Hand Jack get captured?” Lord Mayor asked.
“Well One Hand Jack was bigger than the rest of us and mean as the pit,” Red said. “He would take more than his share because no one was dumb enough to cross him. Plenty of street rats ended up beaten to pit and back or worse. No one cares about a street rat so we had no one to turn to. Me and a few of the boys broke into Old Man Charles’s home and found his money box. We took a little bit of it along with some other things but made sure his home stayed clean. He would guess someone robbed him eventually but it wouldn't be right away. Like some idiots we lived it up until One Hand Jack made us go back. He was peeved we didn't share any loot with him. Dumb fool didn't even wait until Old Man Charles was gone. We snuck in, took some things and that idiot Jack made a big ruckus. He was trying to steal the entire money box and had me help him. Old Man Charles appeared with a sword. Jack saw him and ran off, didn't even give me a warning. I barely got out of there and had to stay on the low. Old Man Charles came to the slums trying to pick out who was who. All he knew was me because of my red hair. So One Hand Jack gets the idea to go back, I heard from me friends that things were just too easy and weird. Everything that could easily be carried out and sold for some coin was missing. Everything except a money box.”
“So you carried it away?” Jonathan asked.
“Pit no,” Red said. “I wasn't there, I was on the low and stayed away from Jack. Jittery Gary was there though. He said it was a new money box filled with silver. The old one had gold, copper and silver but this one was filled with nothing but silver and it was small. Small enough to be carried away by one person. Jack took that money box and didn't split anything with anyone. He split Jittery Gary’s lip when Gary wanted his part. A week goes by and the rollers are now all over the place. They hit up every tavern, inn and food place. They came at night and demanded to see all of the money. That silver was marked and the Lay Me Down tavern had a bunch of it in its coffers. The banks were in on it too, they were looking out for anyone who tried to deposit the marked silver. Bunch of people caught in the Lay Me Down had all of their purses checked and guess who had a pocket full of silver?”
“One Hand Jack,” Jonathan said.
“And he sung like a bird,” Red said. “Told him if he gave us all up that they would let him go. Old Man Charles really wanted me in the worst of ways. One Hand Jack told them where I was hiding and the rollers had something special for us. The rest of them they let go, no one could prove anyone else had anything to do with anything. One Hand Jack was caught with the silver and one One Hand Jack started singing and all of the merchants in the slum sung on him as well, he was the only one with the coin. Old Man Charles remembered me so me and One Hand Jack had to face the man’s justice. Jack used to be known as Fast Fist Jack before they chopped his hand off. When it came to my time a mage stopped them and brought me here, said he recognized my magic.”
“I never knew the entire story,” Jonathan replied. “So marked money and an easy target.”
“Throw some pretty girls in there as well,” Red said. “Make the target a good one but not too good. Hire some muscle or something to follow you around.”
CHAPTER 15
“Come on inside you sweet thing,” Jonathan said as he held the carriage door for Lorena.
Lorena was the daughter of a man who helped build Pallet Town, the name of the settlement closest to the Downey border. Lorena’s sister Claudia had been grabbed and ravished by the yellow dragon rider. Her sister was now with child and found it hard to find a man to care for her in her current condition. Lorena was only fifteen and had been snatched up and had her flower taken by one of the mages. She was unsure if she was with child but was more than happy to help go after the remaining mage. Red had helped come up with the plan, find all the women who were taken by the mages. They would love to pay back the lone mage and they would keep their mouths shut. They wouldn't brag to anyone, not if they knew it meant letting the mage go free. Their families would also keep it silent, the Lord Mayor had let them know that she suspected someone was feeding information to the mage so the less people who knew the plan the better.
Almost no one knew the real plan, at least not all of it. The plan most people in the know thought they knew was that a trap was being set for the remaining mage. They knew Jonathan was part of it and that he knew how to fight. That was the only part about the plan that was correct. The Lord Mayor had went one step further and laid contingency plans on top of the original plan. Jonathan was no longer Jonathan the Lightning but was now Lord Galen Gillette, the fastest blade in the kingdom. He was a pompous noble that let everyone know that mages were a joke and no match for cold steel. The Lord Mayor had brought in many influential people in the town and told them about how Lord Galen was going to take a carriage and a wagon and pose as a wealthy merchant. The plan would be to get the remaining mage to attack the carriage and then Lord Galen could kill him. Jonathan knew mages did not think anyone with a sword was their equal. All mages thought this way, including Jonathan and Red now that they knew what they were doing. If the rogue mage caught a hold of that plan he would attack just to throw it in the Lord Mayor’s face. If the mage did not have an inside person or did not have an inside person who was good at getting knowledge then he would most likely attack anyway if he was hiding in plain sight.
The mage would see Jonathan as a pompous noble with a lot of money surrounded by young pretty girls. He would see and hear about all the money and other things Jonathan had and attempt to take it for himself. Red thought Jonathan should make it be known that he traveled between towns, he could get ahold of the mage who would probably attack while Jonathan was on the road. This would still get the mage to come forth. The mage would never suspect the double plan or any safeguards that were in place. Red was a servant named Russell, he dressed to his position and no one would know he was some mage. Not even the girls Jonathan had brought on knew what Jonathan or Red really were.
“Lord Galen,” Lorena said as she climbed inside and shut the door. “What am I supposed to do now?” she whispered.
“Just stay inside and giggle a few times,” Tasha said as she leaned over. Tasha was another girl that had been taken and wanted revenge.
“I don't like the way your guards looked at me Milord,” Lorena said looking over at Jonathan.
“I just hired them from a local bar,” Jonathan said. “I needed muscle and they seem big enough.”
“They look like they would steal your money or us,” Lorena whispered.
“I am the fastest blade in the kingdom,” Jonathan replied. “Swords do not care about muscle, only speed. I would run both of them through before they knew they were in a fight. Just relax, all you have to do is have a good time and let me spend money on you.”
Jonathan pulled out his small money box and looked the coins over again. Only the top layer were unmarked. Jonathan would spend those coins like they were water. The other marked coins were another layer of defense. If someone managed to steal them it would be easy for the Lord Mayor to tell who it was once they began to be spent. Jonathan knew he could be double crossed and another thief might take his money. Jonathan would might have to let himself be robbed if his hired men were in on it. He couldn't let Red blow
his cover and couldn't blow his unless the conditions were perfect.
“I am not from Jubilee,” Lorena said. “What place are we going to?”
“Some rowdy tavern filled with lowlives and criminals,” Jonathan said. “Only for a little bit and to pick up other men.”
“Men?” Lorena asked.
“I just picked the two outside up at the only other place that fit the description,” Jonathan said. “I know I already have people talking.”
Jonathan let the girls whisper amongst each other and could hear the two men he hired talking to Red. Red was serving as his driver and was doing an okay job. While the people inside of the carriage were whispering, the two men outside probably did not realize how loud they were being. They wanted to know how Jonathan made his money and how long had Red been with him. They were everything Red said they would be and more. Big brutes who would try to gain whatever they could as long as it wouldn't get them in too much trouble. When Red finally stopped the carriage one of the guards opened the door, Jonathan forgot his name but thought it wasn't important based on his conversation with Red.
“Come on girls,” Jonathan said as he climbed out. “I just need to find one more guard and we can be on our way.”
“It is nighttime milord,” Red said. “Would we lose too much time if we just got an early morning start, before the light hits the sky?”
“You scared of the dark?” Jonathan said and laughed. “That is why we have these two with us. I am going to make a fortune travelling back and forth between towns.”
“What exactly are you selling Milord?” the big man who opened the door for Jonathan asked.
“Land of course,” Jonathan said. “I am going to buy cheap land and build on it. I think I can sell for three times what it cost me. Maybe open up a few stores to really get the money going. It all starts with buying the land first.”
“And you and your little money box can do that?” the guard asked.
“This?” Jonathan said as he stuck out his money box. “This is just for fun. Nobles do things by papers and contracts, once I get someone to agree on a price I can always come back with the money.”
“Oh,” the guard said as his face fell a little. “And how much do you have in that money box?”
“Not much,” Jonathan said. “Maybe four hundred silver. Should be enough to get me through, if not I can always write my father.”
“Four hundred silver?!?” the guard said and started choking.
“You will still get paid by the day,” Jonathan said. “Now let's go find one more guard, maybe I can find something else lovely to keep me warm tonight. Russell I think we should stay for the night. We will make this stop quick and go back to our inn.”
“Donald said he already knows people who could do the job,” Red said.
“There will be none of that,” Jonathan said. “I get to choose since it is my coin. Unless he knows a young lady. I just love commoner women, they are willing to do a lot of things women of my own class will not.”
“That's because we are more fun baby,” Tasha said as she got out. “Can I pick out the next girl?”
“Of course you can,” Jonathan said. “Just make sure she is as fun as you both are going to be. Russell stay with my carriage, this shouldn't take long. I have something ready to burst through these pants for these pretty things.”
Jonathan was surprised he didn't blush saying something so crude. He hurriedly went into the tavern and attracted attention immediately. His fine clothes made him stand out along with the guards he traveled with. Both of his guards were well known in the tavern, Donald and Andrew were their names and both of them had to shoo their rougher looking friends away. Jonathan was happy the men told all who would listen that they were now guards for a rich man, Jonathan put his money box out for all to see and started loudly bragging about how he was looking for another woman to have fun with. Lorena was obviously shy but Tasha brushed up against any woman she could find including those who were serving drinks. Tasha found a drunken woman who definitely was not taken by any mage looking to have a good time. She was missing three of her front teeth and just looked broken down. She smelled of hard liquor and Jonathan thought she probably was a prostitute. She was what he needed though, the more unsuspecting locals he could find the better.
“Ask that man over there if he needs a job,” Red said looking at Andrew. “Let him know it pays a silver a day and he needs his own weapon or a way to take care of himself.”
“That man there?” Andrew said confused as Jonathan picked out a drunk around Red’s size.
“That is the chap,” Jonathan replied. “He looks like a fun drinking buddy and is probably could with a blade.”
“Are you insane Milord?” Donald said pointing to the man. “That is Georgie, he ain't no blade and the only thing he is good at is sucking down ale.”
“Yeah that's the guy,” Jonathan said. “If he refuses then don't worry about hiring anyone else. I will meet you all right here at first light. Come Russell, bring my women and let's have some fun.”
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Lorena asked as she climbed inside of the carriage and shut the door. Jonathan, Tasha and the drunken woman named Melanie were already seated inside.
“The less people who know the better,” Jonathan said as he glanced over towards Melanie. “We just need a few locals for this to be believable.”
Jonathan reached his inn and had the biggest room set aside. He had three beds inside of it and let the women have all of them. Melanie was up for some play but was more than happy when she got a bottle. Lorena spent the night paranoid and looking at the door, she didn't trust Jonathan, the three guards, or the mage who could run in at any second. Lorena did not get a good look at the remaining mage. She had been ravished by one of them and he was the only person she had gotten a good look at. She had also confirmed with her own eyes that he was dead. The bodies had been paraded around the small towns and settlements to ease the suffering of their victims. Something just didn't add up to Jonathan though. The first two mages left plenty of victims, every one of them remembered in detail what they looked like. The last mage always stayed to the shadows, even the people he robbed had never gotten a good look at him. Tasha had seen him but even she said it was not all that clearly. He had ravished her but she spent most of her time with her eyes closed. Even when she was rescued from their cave hideout Tasha was not sure how he got away. Jonathan began thinking the man probably tried to blend in as a guard or had help escaping.
Right before first light Red silently knocked on the door. Jonathan had gotten up and dressed himself in the dark only moments prior. They would make a habit of leaving from town to town around this time. Anyone who wanted to attack him would do so since hardly anyone would be up and about. Jonathan opened the door and looked at Red. His friend pushed a note into his hand then walked off back to his room and closed the door. Jonathan looked down at it and gave a small smile. Andrew and Donald both had separate plans to rob him. They had both searched the carriage up and down to see if there was a fortune hidden on it and wanted to search Jonathan as well. Their plan was to take the girls along with the money and disappear. Red was unsure if they wanted to kill Jonathan but wouldn't bet his life that they would keep him alive.
Jonathan turned around and wanted to wake the women up but decided not to. If his guards had something planned he didn't want any of them to get into trouble. Maybe he would leave them sleeping and head out without them. He could always lie and say the women were sleeping in the carriage. If the curtains were drawn the guards would never know the difference. Jonathan slipped out of the room and was surprised when someone caught the door as he tried to close it. Jonathan looked back and could see Tasha had stopped the door from closing.
“Where are you going?” Tasha asked.
“I am going to walk into a trap,” Jonathan said. “Lorena was right about the guards. They are planning to ambush me but are not working together. They will prob
ably turn on each other, I don't want any of you getting hurt.”
“I want to get that mage,” Tasha said. “Let the rest of them sleep in. If you are attacked I want to see him and want him to see me. Look at what I have.”
Jonathan looked down and saw a small well made dagger. It wouldn't be practical to use against an armored foe but could catch someone by surprise. Jonathan wanted to tell Tasha to stay back but decided to have the girl come along. Red hurried and got everything together and Jonathan led his guards to believe that all of the girls were inside sleep. Having them physically see Tasha helped spread his lie. If the mage had an inside person then Jonathan’s two guards were either it or a good piece of bait for those that were. Jonathan already had a plan in his head if his guards tried to attack before they found the mage.
Jonathan would have to put them down quickly and look around for the mage. If he saw someone flying or following them he would take them in until their status could be found out. The thought hit Jonathan so fast and so hard he wanted to curse. Jonathan had been so worried about fighting the mage that he let the most obvious answer slip through his mind. Jonathan had a way to locate the mage if he was in Jubilee and should have tried that way instead of his dangerous plan. Jonathan was a mage and mages leaked magical energy. Jonathan would not be able to tell the power level but had a spell that could differentiate mage from mundane. Mage Sight could do it, Jonathan could wait while everyone was asleep and spend his time going from building to building until he found the man.
“Turn this carriage around right now!” Jonathan screamed
“Turn it around Milord?” Red replied. “We just left the city.”
“I do not care now turn it around!” Jonathan yelled out. “Today is not a good day to travel.”
The Queen's Champion Page 18