The Defender: Elderwood

by Robert Collins

  ***

  Two nights later Allan landed on the roof of Captain William’s house. By the time he reached the back door, the Captain was outside. The older man nodded to Allan when he saw his masked face.

  “That was quite an accomplishment,” the Captain said.

  “I wish I could say I did what anyone would do, but I know I can’t.”

  “I don’t think anyone could have done what you did.”

  “What do you mean? A few more guards would have stopped the robbery.”

  The Captain shook his head. “You don’t know?”

  “Pretend that I don’t.”

  The older man let out a laugh. “That boat was bringing in silver ingots for His Lordship to make coins.”

  “That explains quite a lot, Captain.”

  “It does, and yet it doesn’t. We don’t yet know why Conner’s Crew would attempt such a robbery.”

  “The silver, obviously.”

  “That’s obvious enough. But why incur the wrath of His Lordship?”

  Allan paused. He glanced away from the Captain for a moment. “Because they have little to fear from His Lordship’s guards.”

  “They shouldn’t, and yet they did. Here’s another question for you. How did they know the silver was coming?”

  Allan sucked in a breath. “Someone told them they it was coming.”

  “I think so.”

  “Do you know who?”

  “No one in the Crew is talking. I believe only a few men within His Lordship’s inner circle would have known that the silver was coming.”

  “One of His Lordship’s advisors has a friend in Conner’s Crew.”

  “Perhaps it’s the reverse that’s true.”

  Allan paused again. “The Crew was enlisted to steal the silver. Why?”

  “I can think of two reasons right away. One is that this man intended to steal from His Lordship. He might have been greedy. He might have wanted to embarrass His Lordship. He might even have wanted silver to pay to overthrow His Lordship.”

  “And the other reason?”

  “The man did so on orders from His Lordship.”

  “Why?”

  “If the silver went missing, His Lordship would demand replacement from His Majesty. It would be an easy way to gather extra silver for some scheme, or just to be that much more rich. It’s not like the Kingdom would collapse if two boxes of silver disappeared.”

  “You realize what you’re suggesting, Captain?”

  “I’ve been in the Lord’s Guards almost twenty years now, Defender. I know what goes on in this city. I know what goes on in the Kingdom. I’m not suggesting anything that any intelligent fellow here won’t suspect. If you aren’t that suspicious, then you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

  “I know the streets are corrupt, Captain. I know that corruption goes up to the wealthy folk. I suppose I never thought it would go up to His Lordship.”

  “I may well go that high.”

  Allan nodded once. “All the more reason to keep fighting, Captain.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. How are ordinary folk going to be safe, if the wealthy, even His Lordship or his friends, can buy criminals?”

  “You’re making powerful enemies.”

  Allan found himself smiling. “A wise man once wrote that there are two tests of a man. One is how many friends he has. The other is how strong his enemies are.”

  “Who wrote that?”

  “No one you’ve read, Captain.”

  “You’re an unusual fellow if you’re well-read, friend.”

  “I’m not that well-read, but I have read a few of the right books.”

  “Books on magic, you mean?”

  “Magic, yes, but also history. We can talk about books and wisdom later, Captain. For now, I need to know how to keep that attempted silver robbery from happening again.”

  “For now, nothing. So far the members of the Crew are turning on each other.”

  “What about Boss Conner?”

  “We’re getting close. The question is, will he turn on anyone to save himself?”

  “What’s your answer, Captain?”

  “If someone close to His Lordship told him about the silver, there wouldn’t be any letters or witnesses to any meetings. Today a few merchants came forward to give testimony about what the Crew did to them. I think more folk will speak up in the days to come. That might be enough to send the whole Crew to jail for a long time.”

  “Without any of them having to admit to anything more serious?”

  “Not in the least. Again, quite the accomplishment.”

  Allan shook his head. “But not enough, Captain.”

  “What do you propose we do?”

  “You keep pursuing the rest of the Crew, and any other criminals on the streets.”

  “And you?”

  “I’ve heard tales of a secret brothel, a ‘dark brothel.’ Do you know anything about it?”

  The Captain looked down for a moment. “I’ve heard things.”

  “What things?”

  The Captain faced him. “I don’t know if I should tell you. What little I know suggests that the owner is protected.”

  “Protected?” Allan sucked in a breath. “By His Lordship, or one of his friends.”

  “Probably.”

  “What else?”

  The Captain pressed his lips together before answering. “That a man can satisfy desires he can’t otherwise, for the right price. That young women disappear there and never come out. That there are children there, children of the women who service the customers, and who end up serving the customers and their children.”

  “And because it’s protected, you and your men can’t go there.”

  “Hardly anyone in the Lord’s Guards knows the place exists.”

  “How do you know?”

  “For the same reason why I couldn’t be bought. I came from the streets. I know what it’s like to struggle. I know what it’s like to get taken advantage of. I know what happens to folk when they give in or give up. The only way to not end up like that is to be better than you are, or worse. I chose better.”

  “You should be rewarded for making that choice, Captain. Everyone who does should be rewarded.”

  “It’s a nice thing to say.”

  “It’s the right thing to say. I know the streets, too, Captain. I know right from wrong. Just because wrong pays off now and again, that doesn’t make it right. If half of what you said about this brothel is true, then it’s wrong, and it has to stop.” Allan took a breath. “Perhaps stopping it will lead to who wanted that silver stolen.”

  “Perhaps.”

  “Do you know where this brothel is?”

  “All I know is that it’s hidden somewhere in the better part of the merchant district. I wouldn’t be wise for me to ask around, at least not now.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to, Captain. The man, or men, who hired the Conner Crew need to feel as though they’ve evaded a blow. They can’t know that a bigger strike is coming until it hits them.”

  The Captain nodded. “They’ll lash out if they suspect.”

  “They’ll lash out at who they can find. They can’t find me, and I don’t have any family to threaten. You and your guards do.”

  “You’ll take that risk, for us?”

  “Of course. Sometimes, to help someone, you have to sacrifice for them. There were times when a sibling of mine gave me more than an equal share of food and water. I was sick, and she wasn’t. She told me it was what brothers and sisters do for each other. It’s what folk do for whom they care about.”

  “You care that much about me? I don’t even know your name.”

  “I care about those who care for others. I care about those who are honest, and good, and kind. Like I said, those are things that should be rewarded. This will be your reward, Captain.”

  “Very well, then. Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet.”

  “Right.”<
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  “You can tell me where I might start to look for this dark brothel.”

  “The only men who are likely to know are wealthy. I doubt your magic could loosen their tongues, assuming you could find an actual customer.”

  Allan took in a breath, then let it out. “Perhaps I don’t have to find a customer. Perhaps what I need is a potential customer.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “You probably shouldn’t, Captain.”

  “No, I suppose not. I do wish I knew who you were.”

  “You’re safer if you don’t. I’m safer if you don’t. Besides, I might be someone no one knows. The mask might be more important than the man wearing it.”

  “I think they’re both important.”

  “You’re a kind man, Captain. Good night.”

  “Good night, Defender.”

  Allan nodded to the Captain one last time, then flew up and into the darkness.

  SEVEN