From the porch, Thomasious watched as Zacchaeus stepped out of his shop and held the door for the young Legionary. They exchanged words before Decanus Sisera turned the corner and walked up the street. He was dressed in an ill-fitting gray tunic and carried his rope bag in one hand.
Zacchaeus noticed the innkeeper and raised a hand in greeting. Thomasious returned the wave and both merchants turned and went back inside their respective businesses.
Chapter 10 - Historia Fae, Armorer to the Gods
Four blocks later, Alerio came alongside the wall to the armorer’s compound. He followed it to the intersecting street. Turning left, he noticed the same clay brick wall continued for the full length of the building’s face. An iron bound wooden door was the only break in the steady courses of brick.
He wrapped his fingers around the heavy iron knocker and pounded it three times. A small slit in an iron band opened.
“What do you want boy?” a voice, connected to one brown eye peering through the opening, asked.
“I need a good set of armor,” Alerio stated.
“As do half the Legions,” the voice replied.
“But I need it tonight,” insisted Alerio.
“What’s your rush boy?” the voice teased. “You can die anytime. No need to fight over a woman or hurt pride. Wait for tomorrow and cool off.”
Alerio realized the man mistook him for a hot-headed city youth.
“I am Lance Corporal Alerio Sisera, formally of the Eastern Legion,” Alerio reported. “Gladius instructor and Legion Raider. If it would keep for the night, I’d gladly let you get back to squatting over your chamber pot. However, my need is more urgent than your need to get the bug out of your cūlus.”
“Well, you speak like a Legionary,” the voice replied. “Where’s your uniform?”
“I just arrived by ship and Zacchaeus says my clothing wouldn’t be ready for another day,” Alerio confessed. “While at the Cloth Seller’s, I roughed up a couple of thugs. Now, I have a commitment to guard the shop in case the crew breaks in for revenge.”
“Good story,” the voice acknowledged as the opening slid closed.
For a heartbeat, Alerio thought he’d been dismissed. A screeching sound emitted from behind the door followed by metal scraping against metal. The door swung open. After the tortured metal of the locking mechanism, the heavy door’s iron hinges were surprisingly quiet.
“Come in Decanus Sisera,” said a large man with wide shoulders.
He held out a scarred hand directing the Legionary to enter a second door. There was a gap of eighteen inches between the outer wall and the actual building. The Historia Fae was a villa surrounded by a defensive wall not simply a merchant’s shop.
When Alerio stepped into the actual shop, he understood why. Sets of armor were mounted on display stands. One had gold inlays rippling over a sculptured, silver torso plate and along the shoulder guards. Another torso plate was silver with scrolled gold decorations. The two sets of armor alone were worth a small fortune.
“Pretty aren’t they?” the Armorer said walking up to stand beside Alerio. “I wouldn’t fight in them. On the other hand, for a General or a Senator who wants to make an impression during a parade, they fill the need. I’m Tomas Kellerian.”
“Armorer to the Gods,” Alerio exclaimed. “I read the sign outside. Do you really make magical armor with metal and leather from the land of Fae?”
“Haven’t had any gods come in looking for armor, yet,” Tomas admitted. “And the only magical property of my armor is you walk away from the battle. If stopping an enemy’s sword isn’t supernatural enough for you, you’ve never been in a sword fight.”
“There is a bit of magic when you walk away from a sword fight,” Alerio agreed.
He turned from the outlandish armor and found himself staring at an odd set of armor. It didn’t have a solid torso plate. Instead, it had hundreds of small overlapping plates. Even the shoulder rigs had the tiny plates.
“It’s fish scale armor,” Tomas explained. “Lighter, more flexible, and the hand size plates deflect sword points.”
“What about a slash or a smash?” Alerio asked.
“The armor spreads the energy of the strike over multiple plates,” Tomas replied as he demonstrated with the edge of his hand. “Unlike a large plate which dents and rattles the fighter with every strike.”
“I bet it’s expensive,” guessed Alerio.
“Not as pricy as the displayed armor,” Tomas offered. “But yes, the tooling of the plates and linking them is time consuming. So, compared to ordinary metal armor the fish scale armor is expensive. Now, what can I do for you?”
“I need two things,” Alerio reported. “Number one is a leather set for this evening. I don’t expect it’ll sustain much damage, but I don’t know how many thugs I’ll be facing.”
“Come with me,” directed Tomas. They left the display area and entered a storage room. Tomas pulled out a stick marked with evenly spaced lines and held it across Alerio’s shoulders. Then, he strolled down a row of armor. He selected a set and carried it to a workbench.
“This should fit,” he exclaimed as he unstrapped the five pieces. The shoulder rigs fit nicely on Alerio’s broad shoulders. When Tomas held the torso pieces in place, there was a gap between the front and rear.
He went back and pulled down a second larger set. The front and back touched on the sides and even after a deep breath, they fit Alerio nicely. Then Tomas wrapped the short-armored skirt around the Lance Corporal’s hips. It was too long.
The correct armored skirt for Alerio’ narrow hips came from a third and much small set of armor.
“You do need a custom set,” Tomas observed as he checked the straps. “You said two reasons?”
“The second reason I’m here,” Alerio explained. He reached down, lifted the rope bag, and set it on the workbench.
“I need a custom set of armor Master Kellerian,” stated Alerio as he pulled the dual sword rig from the bag. “One that contours to accept this.”
“Interesting cut and riveting,” exclaimed Tomas as he examined the harness. “Basic Legion construction. How does it fit?”
“It shifts a little in a sword fight,” explained Alerio. “But overall, it’s a good harness.”
“What do you do with the second gladius?” asked Tomas.
“Sometimes, I fight with both,” admitted Alerio.
“Let’s get you out of the armor so I can do the proper measurements,” Tomas said as he started to unstrap the pieces. “You’ll leave the rig and the gladii. I’m going to make some changes in your dual rig and need the swords for balance. If we’re going to do this, I want to do it properly.”
“Everything you say sounds great,” Alerio said. “Except, I need a gladius for tonight.”
“I may have an old one around here somewhere,” Tomas mentioned with a smile.
Chapter 11 - Chronicles Humanum Inn
The inn was busy when Alerio returned with the heavy and over stuffed rope bag. Guests in the city for business had completed their day’s activities. Now, they looked forward to some entertainment at the inn. Or, they were having drinks before going out to attend dinner parties with important people.
Alerio was also going out to meet folks. However, it wouldn’t be a dinner party and the people were on a far lower social scale.
“Good evening Lance Corporal,” Thomasious said from behind the marble counter. “I hear you’ve had a busy day.”
“Are things usually like this in the Capital?” inquired Alerio.
“Not usually. I understand you have a late night coming up,” Thomasious proclaimed. “Go rest and I’ll have dinner brought up to your room. Also, I’ll have Erebus leave the side gate unlocked so you can go and come as you please. I can’t have an armed and armored Legionary tramping through my dining hall while my guests are trying to enjoy refreshments and music.”
“Much appreciated, Master Harricus,” Alerio said as he dodged through the
great room lugging the bag filled with armor.
Chapter 12 - Night Watch on the Wall
The sun had set but the moon had yet to rise. Alerio sat on the back wall of the Cloth Seller’s compound. Happy crowd noises drifted across the intersection from the Chronicles Humanum Inn. Every so often the music rose above the human chatter and he heard the melody drifting on the breeze. Alerio envied the revelers.
Then the crowd banter lowered and he could make out a few words of a man talking up a song. When the balladeer started, the audience joined him in the singing.
O’ There was a city Lass
Under a rancher’s spell she fell
And he made pretty promises
That made her spoiled heart swell
“I’m a happy city lass
Fine wines and the dancing, I’ll miss
But I will go with you sir
Ah, the singing and balls, I’ll miss
Fear not my princess bride
The rancher offered the chance
There’s nothing in the city
That’s missing on a ranch
O’ Wine, there’s plenty O’ wine
When it’s time to tap the keg.
Dancing, there’s plenty O’ dancing
When it’s time to stomp the grapes
Singing, there’s plenty O’ singing
When it’s time to bale the hay
And, balls, there’s plenty O’ balls
When it’s time to nurture the bulls
O’ There was a city lass
Under a rancher’s spell she fell
And he made pretty promises
That made her spoiled heart swell
“I’m a happy city lass
Fine wines and the dancing, I’ll miss
But I will go with you sir
Ah, the singing and balls, I’ll miss
Fear not my princess bride
The rancher offered the chance
There’s nothing in the city
That’s missing on a ranch
O’…
Alerio was listening and tapping his foot in the air. As the next verse started, a dark shape slipped over the wall. Three more followed it into the Cloth Seller’s compound. They came over directly across from where the Legionary sat wrapped in the dark cloak.
The song faded as Alerio dropped into the yard. Ten silent paces later, he dropped the cloak and drew the gladius. He could hear the trespassers whispering as they decided who should go first.
If these were the best criminals the city had to offer, the state of crime in the Capital was in a sad state. At least the rebels in the east had leadership.
There are two ways to initiate contact with an enemy in the dark. One was to wait and pick them off one at a time. The other was to attack directly, create chaos, and slaughter them as they scattered. Alerio wasn’t subtle by nature.
“Attack! Attack!” he yelled as he ran at the four men.
In the dark, he could just make out shapes. For a long time, Alerio had kept his eyes closed except when looking along the dark wall. From the way the criminals tripped and fell in the lowlight, he knew they had been staring at the lanterns hanging on the inn.
“Wine, there’s plenty O’ wine. When it’s time to tap the keg,” Alerio sang as he tripped a criminal by thrusting the blade between his legs. Then he tapped the thug on the head as he fell.
“Dancing, there’s plenty O’ dancing. When it’s time to stomp the grapes,” another fell when the singing Alerio slapped the flat of his blade into the man’s lower back. He kicked the man’s head as he ran by.
“Singing, there’s plenty O’ singing. When it’s time to bale the hay,” blurted out the Legionary while kneeing another thug who was hiding at the base of the wall.
“And, balls, there’s plenty O’ balls. When it’s time to nurture the bulls,” sang the Legionary. He placed the tip of the gladius at the throat of one thug who charged at him with a knife.
The man halted before the blade cut his throat. Alerio removed the tip long enough to spin the man around and get a grip on the neck of his shirt. The Legionary pushed the man in the direction of another thug who lay moaning.
“Grab his feet and drag him,” Alerio instructed. He twisted the collar until he felt resistance and the man’s breath was cut.
Like oxen pulling a plow, he guided the chocking gang member as he pulled the unconscious thug by the ankles. A few feet away, they stumbled upon third burglar.
“Lie down beside them,” he ordered while releasing the collar and pushing the upright man to the ground.
Alerio backed up to where the fourth man lay prone and unmoving. Kneeling down, he whispered to the prone figure, “I’m going to run my gladius through your heart.”
The man rolled over and began to crawl over to join the other three gangsters. Once they were together, Alerio, by the tip of his gladius, urged the four to sit back to back. He unwound a length of rope from his waist and used it to encircle the men.
“Now, I know you have knives. One of you tried to stick me,” Alerio rasped out as if speaking were a chore. “So, here’s my problem. I can stand here and guard you all night. But I’ll be really tired in the morning. And, I wanted to go sightseeing tomorrow and having to watch you will ruin my plans.”
He slapped his chest with the gladius. The metal against the leather resembled the snap of a giant whip. In the dark, it could have been anything, and the four criminals shook from the violence of the sound.
“To save me the bother, I’m going to murder all four of you,” Alerio stated. “That way, I can go and get some sleep. Whose throat should I cut first?”
“No, please, wait,” two of them begged.
“If I let you live, I’ve got to get something in return,” advised Alerio. “Let’s say...who is the head of your crew and where can I find him?”
“Don’t say a word. You know…,” one warned. The rest of his speech was cut off when the gladius bounced off the side of his head.
“Sorry for the interruption,” Alerio offered. “Now, as you were saying?”
“Vivianus. Vivianus is the leader of the Fireguard Brigade,” one blurted out.
“And if I wanted to have a talk with this Vivianus,” Alerio asked. “Where would I find him?”
“Why, in Fireguard District,” the man said as if it were obvious.
“Let’s be specific. Where in the Fireguard District?” Alerio asked then he yawned loudly. “I’m getting sleepy and you know what that means.”
“The south end,” the man blurted out. “He moves from pub to pub. No one knows his schedule.”
“One more question. Is there another crew coming tonight?” he asked.
“No. We’re it,” the talkative one said. “I swear.”
“Very good and thank you, lads,” Alerio said. In rapid succession, he knocked each of them unconscious.
It took a long time and a lot of energy to hoist each limp body to the top of the wall. Once they were lined up, Alerio climbed to the top and walked to the first one.
His early training dedicated he put each of them to death to prevent them from coming after him. Except, this was the Capital City and he didn’t want to move four dead bodies away from the Cloth Seller’s Shop. He settled with giving each a temporary limp. Figuring it would be easier to spot them when he went hunting for their leader, Alerio swung the flat of his blade and broke the bones on the top of the first man’s right foot. Then, he kicked the man over the wall.
Four broken feet later, he climbed down. Sticking to the shadows, Alerio reached the corner of the Cloth Seller’s shop. After looking both ways, he dashed across the street to the rear of the Wine Merchant’s compound.
Taking an alleyway, Alerio emerged on the far side of the street. Now, he was close to the side gate of the Chronicles Humanum Inn.
Chapter 13 - A Little Jog and a Reminder
The Capital City had awakened long before Alerio stirred. He dressed in the workman’s clothing,
took the borrowed gladius, and went down to the inn’s courtyard.
Erebus, strolling from the stables, noticed the Legionary lunging and slashing the air with a gladius. The stableman changed course and ducked into a side building. Shortly, he reappeared. In his hand was a wooden gladius.
“We keep this for visiting Legionaries,” the big barbarian stated as he offered the training sword to Alerio. “There’s a training post behind the cook shed.”
The courtyard behind the inn had stables, a couple of storage buildings, a small bathhouse, and a cooking shed. Behind the shed, Alerio located a sandy area with a striking post buried in the center of the pit.
A steady rhythm of wood striking wood filled the courtyard. It sounded as if two or even three men were using the training post. In fact, it was only Alerio smoothly switching the wooden gladius from hand to hand as he ran the drills.
After practice, Alerio stripped off the sweat soaked shirt and laid it over the post. He jogged out the side gate and ran up the street and away from the inn. Along the side of the Cloth Seller’s wall, he slowed. There were no signs of the four Fireguard Brigade thugs.
He continued his run passed the Historia Fae, circled the Temple of Portunus grounds, and headed south towards the harbor. At the first row of warehouses, he angled left and trotted away from the low buildings.
Running parallel to the harbor, he could see the merchant ships tied to piers and others anchored or beached on the far side of the river. Among the ships were a couple of Republic navy patrol boats and a trireme. At another warehouse, he trotted onto a side street and traveled between the storage buildings. At the end of the last structure, he slid to a stop.
A block and a half from the end of the warehouse sat a compound’s wall. There was no sign to identify the use of the villa behind the wall. Alerio searched and located a simple bee insignia etched lightly on the column beside the closed gate.
Alerio recognized the symbol and knew instantly this was a trading house for luxury goods. They shipped and traded fine wines, teas, and other exotic and expensive products. One of the products they offered was honey from the Golden Valley. Another product offered by the trading house was murder by an assassin from the Dulce Pugno.
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