Black Cross

by J. P. Ashman

  Chapter 46: Distribution

  A whole week had passed since the elves had arrived in Wesson. In that time, it was said over three hundred more bodies had been burnt on the continuing pyres about the city, and that was just the ones declared or found. Many more, it was thought, would be locked up behind black crossed doors.

  And so it was, with an immense sense of relief, that on a clear spring day, Fal, Sav; Starks, Errolas and the other elven warriors, along with Lord Adlestrop and knights of his and the King’s own retinue, escorted elven and human clerics through the streets of Wesson.

  They eagerly began distributing potions from six large carts, all laden with the plague’s cure; discovered the day before by altering not the combined potions that saved Biviano’s life, as they'd been attempting to do since his recovery, but by removing and replacing his blood from that original potion.

  It was discovered Biviano’s blood itself, along with a little help from Sears’ potion and one of the elves’ own, had in fact destroyed the bacteria infecting his system. It was also discovered, however, that the potion containing Biviano’s blood – that hadn’t had the required effects on other patients – wasn’t strong enough to work outside of his own body, or rather away from his own immensely strong soul, as one of the guild sorcerers had put it.

  The breakthrough came from that discovery, when an elderly female wizard named Yanosh, along with Feliscine, managed to magically re-create the effects of Biviano’s own blood and enhance it further, thus destroying the plague’s bacteria in any subject. This allowed the remainder of the original potion – which included Sears’ own from his flask – to assist patients’ own immune systems in a rapid recovery.

  The whole guild, along with the elven clerics and mages, had worked throughout the night to perfect and test the new cure on several patients in the guild – unfortunately none of them the original men and women that had shared the room with Biviano – so it could be distributed as swiftly as possible across the city the following day, without any further problems or failures.

  After a week that had felt like an eternity, it was clear to all in the guild, if not all in Wesson, that without the aid of the elves and their ancient knowledge of magic and healing, the process of developing a workable cure for everyone could have taken months if not years.

  People flocked to the main squares as the carts rolled in. The bodies piled high on the pyres at the centre of the squares increased still, as more of the dead were thrown on by city guardsmen, men-at-arms from the palace, as well as those from several volunteering guilds and noble families, all of which had been affected in some way by the plague.

  Some soldiers wore elongated, beak like plague masks, which were thought to keep the plague away from the wearer’s nose, despite the plague not being pneumonic. Alas, those masks did more in the way of scaring the sick populace further still, rather than anything else.

  As the people gathered in large numbers, knights and more soldiers from various organisations and households controlled the crowds as best they could, so the potion could be distributed as evenly and safely as possible.

  Any disturbances were swiftly and aggressively suppressed by the soldiers, knowing it to be the most effective way of preventing further riots through recent and grim experience.

  General healing spells were also released over the crowds by a large group of human mages, using spells including those brought by the elves. They knew it would take days, but it was a start, and a relief to know the plague would finally be beaten back.

  Despite the discovery of a cure, the city was still held under strict quarantine by King Barrison, and would remain that way until both the elves and human clerics agreed it was safe to open the gates.

  Morri smiled as he administered the cure to a young child with buboes marring her neck and face. Tear streaked dirt smeared her raw cheeks, yet she beamed up at the cleric after he poured the sour liquid down her throat.

  The sorceress, Cullane, crouched next to Morri and placed her hand on his shoulder as she looked out over the lines of people. ‘It’s all going to be alright,’ she whispered, for him alone to hear.

  ‘I hope so, Cullane, I really do.’ I just wish I could’ve saved Midrel. Taking a deep breath, Morri administered the cure to the next in line and smiled at the nod of appreciation he received.

  Orix rode on one of the carts along with Elloise. They distributed and administered the cure to citizens whilst under the protective gaze of Fal. The gnome hadn’t received any serious injuries in the attack on Tyndurris, but others had lost their lives and for that, both King Barrison and Lord Yewdale were furious. They swore the Grand Inquisitor and his order would answer for their crimes, and had put up posters pardoning Orix and releasing him from his house arrest, much to his surprise and gratitude.

  And quite right too, Fal thought, looking to a nearby post displaying one of the pardons, and knowing, as he did, the genuine heart of the old gnome in front of him.

  Accepting the plague would be cured and the citizens could start rebuilding their lives had allowed Orix to at least find a little comfort in his participation in creating the cure they were now distributing. It would take a lot of hard work, he knew, but it gave him – gave them all – more than a little hope for the future of Wesson. He did his best not to think about where the plague had originated, for that wasn’t for him to worry about. He knew his duties and that was what he would concentrate on. There are far better people than me to work out that mystery, and far better still to deal with the answers that are revealed.

  ***

  Longoss pressed his broad shoulders against the underside of the cold stone slab. Clenching his golden teeth, the big man groaned and heaved, pressing with his legs to lift the piece up, before managing to bring his hands up enough to shift the weight bit by bit to the side. He finally managed to rest it back down and slide it – with the dull scrape of stone on stone – to one side, creating enough room to pull himself up and into the cellar above.

  Before the former assassin could turn and offer his hand, the green hair of Coppin appeared from the darkness below, and the woman nimbly followed Longoss into the smoky, lamp lit room.

  ‘Ye’re sure he’ll not mind?’ Coppin asked, whilst brushing herself down.

  Oh, how ye’ve changed in such a short time, lass. Longoss admired how she took everything in her stride; unfazed by spider webs, rats or the continuous flight through Dockside’s underground. The two of them had even managed to reach the administering of the plague cure after they'd both developed buboes, and all without being caught by the gangers pursuing them. And all without any complaints from you.

  ‘No, he’ll help us, lass, I’m sure of it.’ Well, pretty sure…

  Longoss looked about the room. His stomach churned and growled as he saw salted meat hanging from hooks, and barrels of ale and wine stacked opposite. Mouth beginning to water, he licked his lips before noisily sliding the square stone back into place. The resulting bang of the slab dropping back down lifted a cloud of dust which caused Coppin to cough, followed by a wooden creak outside the door at the top of the stone steps that ran along one side of the cellar.

  ‘Well, we’ll soon find out anyway,’ Longoss said, eyeing the door whilst blinking away the dust. He rose to his feet and pulled Coppin behind him, missing the smile she gave at his act of protection.

  The old oak cellar door, which had multiple iron studs and bars holding it together, suddenly swung inwards, revealing a large, greying man holding a well kept crossbow. The weapon pointed down into the cellar. Upon seeing Longoss and his companion – for Coppin was peering around her protector’s shoulder – the man with the crossbow looked confused for a heartbeat, before taking a deep breath and releasing it long and slow.

  ‘Do I even want to know, Longoss?’

  Gold teeth showed and the two men laughed.

  ‘I’m not sure ye will, Keep, but I’ll be telling ye anyway.’

  ‘Aye lad, I expect ye will, but first
,’ the innkeeper said, whilst removing the bolt from his crossbow and relaxing the string, ‘introduce me to yer lovely friend there.’

  Coppin, feeling Longoss’ posture fully relax for the first time since she’d met him, stepped out from behind the big man and waved awkwardly. ‘I’m Coppin,’ she said sweetly, despite her heart racing at the thought of trusting anyone other than the man stood next to her.

  ‘Well, lass, it’s a pleasure to make yer acquaintance for sure. Now get yerselves up here so I can throw some food and drink down yer throats. Ye both look like ye’ve taken on The Three and survived, although Longoss has clearly come off the worse. Ha! I never thought that face could get uglier.’

  Coppin didn’t know who ‘The Three’ were, but after all her and Longoss had been through, she was quite sure she would never want to find out. She looked to Longoss, who hesitated after a bark of laughter at the man’s insult.

  ‘Is it clear?’ Longoss said in all seriousness, nodding upwards.

  ‘Of who? Patrons?’ Keep asked.

  ‘Of the guild?’

  Coppin didn’t miss the look on the innkeeper’s face before his swift recovery at Longoss’ question.

  ‘Aye, I think so, boy.’

  Boy? Coppin thought, suppressing a smile. He’s hardly that.

  ‘I don’t need think so, Keep, I need know so. So how’s about we stop down here for now, if that’s alright by you?’

  Rubbing the bridge of his nose and sighing hard, the innkeeper nodded. ‘Alright, let me square stuff away up here, then I’ll be down and ye can tell me what’s going on, because the rumours I’ve been hearing have scared the living daylights out of me, Longoss, they really have.’

  Longoss’ eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Square what away? Perhaps I should’ve left the stone off the hole…

  ‘And help yer selves to what ye need down there,’ Keep added, addressing Coppin, ‘any friend of the boy there, is a friend of mine.’ With what Coppin was sure was a sincere smile, the innkeeper turned and left, closing the door as he went and locking it, from the sound, behind him.

  Coppin turned to Longoss, who’d regained some of his tension; she could almost feel it even though they stood apart. A little bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it down, holding her expression neutral as Longoss looked her way.

  ‘Who is he, this man who calls ye boy?’

  ‘He trained me,’ Longoss said, smiling without the gold.

  Coppin’s stomach lurched. ‘He’s Black Guild?’ she said, not even attempting to hide the shock.

  ‘No, lass, he was. He retired long ago, which is a rare thing I might add.’ Longoss moved across to a barrel, held a clay pot he found under it and pulled the cork. He took in the familiar scent as the dark liquid sloshed into the pot. Replacing the cork quickly, he lifted the pot to his mouth and drew in another deep breath through his flat nose before downing the contents in one.

  ‘And ye trust him, fully?’ Coppin hadn’t moved, except to place her hands on her hips as she stared at Longoss’ back.

  ‘Eh?’

  ‘You trust him?’ she said again, this time louder.

  ‘‘Course I do.’ Longoss repeated the process at the barrel, but turned to offer her the second pot of ale. He rocked back ever so slightly when he saw her stance and expression.

  ‘We’ve not known each other long, Longoss, but after what we’ve been through…together, I thought I deserved the truth from ye, and I think I deserve yer trust.’

  With a tight smile, Longoss placed the pot down on the side and walked across to the green haired girl in front of him. He nodded once and took up her hands in his. ‘Ye do deserve it lass, and ye do have it.’

  ‘Then be honest with me, always,’ she said, looking up into his eyes, because I trust ye with all I have.

  Longoss nodded again. ‘Keep trained me in the guild. He was my mentor, but unofficial like. He took me under his wing, not because he had to, but because he said he saw himself in me and he wanted to keep a little of the old honour he once knew and restore it in me. It was that man who drilled into me the importance of me word. I trust him as much as I could anyone, Coppin, but that doesn’t mean I trust him with yer life, because apart from you, there’s no one I trust that much.’

  Coppin felt her eyes moisten and she pulled Longoss in close, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against his linen covered chest. His thick arms wrapped around her as he rocked her gently from side to side.

  ‘I gave Elleth me word, to save ye, and although I failed to save her, I won’t fail you in anything ye ask of me. I give ye me word on that.’

  ‘I know,’ Coppin whispered, before turning her head so he could hear and repeating it for him a little louder. And I’ve never felt safer. She pulled out from his embrace and looked back up at him, a thought coming to mind.

  ‘What of the guild? Will he help us attack them?’

  ‘I need to admit to myself we can’t attack them outright,’ Longoss said, although he clearly found it hard to say out loud. ‘Sears was right there and Keep will only tell us the same. We can, however, disrupt them and I’m hoping he’ll help us. If we can cause enough trouble, combined with the Constable of Wesson and his peers knowing of the mark on the King.’ If Sears made it that is. By the gods, I hope he did, ‘then hopefully we can scupper their plans enough to drive them into the ground and destroy them that way.’

  Coppin nodded. ‘I’m glad ye’ve come to that conclusion, finally.’

  ‘And ye agree?’

  ‘Aye, Longoss, I agree. I want to make them suffer as much as you do, for Elleth, but there’s no sense in throwing our lives away needlessly in the process.’ And I want no more street fighting and killing, not unless it’s necessary.

  ‘Then we shall continue yer training, with Keep’s help.’ For I know ye well enough now lass, to know ye won’t settle for anything else.

  ‘Who was she?’

  Longoss’ confusion to the sudden question was clear. He looked down at Coppin and frowned. ‘Who’s who?’

  ‘The one ye trained, yer old apprentice, since ye’re feeling all truthful with me?’ She smiled sweetly and he laughed.

  ‘What does her name matter? It was years ago and I don’t see why it’s relevant.’

  ‘Was it Leese?’

  Longoss laughed again and shook his head. ‘No.’

  ‘It’s relevant because she’s Black Guild and I need to know all I can.’

  ‘She’s not Black Guild.’

  ‘She’s not?’

  Longoss shook his head.

  ‘Ye didn’t train her for the Black Guild?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then who?’

  Longoss paused for a while before answering. ‘The King.’

  Coppin’s eyes widened and she pulled her head back slightly before replying. ‘King Barrison? Honestly?’

  ‘Yes, lass, I’m being honest. That’s the point of this isn’t it?’

  ‘But,’ Copping said, hesitating and looking about the cellar for a moment, as if her questions would be answered that way, ‘why were ye training her for the King?’ She looked back to him for the answer.

  ‘Because he was told I was the best at what I did.’

  Coppin nodded, knowing that made sense. ‘You are.’

  ‘Were.’

  ‘Are!’

  ‘I might have been, some might’ve said. Until her…’

  ‘She bested ye?’ Coppin looked unconvinced.

  ‘She never did, but she could.’

  ‘I don’t believe it,’ Coppin said, shaking her head.

  ‘Leese nearly did, and she’s not a patch on her.’

  ‘She didn’t take ye on one-on-one; ye’d been fighting and running continuously for Samorl knows how long. Anyway, ye had me, so there’s no bother there.’

  Longoss laughed. ‘Yes, I did, didn’t I?’

  Coppin blushed slightly and then continued, albeit hesitantly. ‘Could I be better?’


  ‘Than Leese?’

  She was shaking her head as he spoke. ‘Than her?’

  Longoss gave the most sincere smile she’d seen yet. ‘Ye know what, lass, I think ye could.’ And I bloody well mean it too.

  I’m not sure I’m ready for that answer. Coppin’s head spun. I don’t want to kill anyone else. We’ve hardly stopped running since this all began and in truth, I’m afraid to. I’m scared all the faces I’ve killed will return to haunt me; I’ve heard that happens… but if it meant being able to protect myself from anyone, being able to protect Longoss…

  ‘What’s her name?’

  Longoss looked up and sighed hard. ‘I still don’t see why ye need it? Why it matters?’

  ‘It matters to me. To know there’s someone out there who ye trained, like ye’ve been training me… damn Longoss, because you matter to me and I want to know you.’

  He looked long and hard at the woman in front of him and he couldn’t deny the flutter in his belly and the skip of his heart as she smiled up at him. Only one other has melted me with a smile like that… and that was such a short time ago. Am I such a monster that I could feel this way again so soon?

  ‘She loved us both, Longoss. In her short time with us,’ Coppin said, ‘Elleth loved us both, as we did her.’ She smiled again at the look on his face and couldn’t help the tear that rolled down her cheek.

  Longoss’ face flushed and despite himself, he felt tears of his own. He’d never felt so vulnerable, so open, even with Elleth, and yet he’d never felt so safe. He would give Coppin everything he had, he knew that at that moment. Watch over us Elleth, wherever ye are, and I give ye me word once again, I will stand alongside yer sister for as long as she allows.

  ‘Correia Burr,’ Longoss said eventually.

  ‘What?’

  ‘The woman I trained – her name is Correia Burr.’

  ***

  After more meetings between King Barrison and the elves, contingents of soldiers were ordered to patrol Dockside to dissolve any further riots by the various gangs ever present there, thus allowing the continued distribution of the cure throughout the lower district.