Chronicles of Den'dra: A Land Torn: Ancient Powers Awaken (22 page)

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Oh that’s right. The door distracted me. You should really get it oiled soon and don’t use lard. It just gums up and doesn’t work...”

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The door is still distracting you. What is it you don’t want to tell me?” Brounn narrowed his eyes and watch Tusul squirm for a moment before he answered.

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I fear that we have been compromised.” Tusul handed over the letter and personal items he had removed from the lieutenant’s person. “I think it was Anan.”

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Who?” Brounn was busy analyzing the contents of the letter.

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The wiry fellow that ran the way house in Cercha. Sort of a nervous type. Always fidgeting.”

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So a lot like you?” Brounn set down the letter and watched Tusul.

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No Anon was taller and had the southern look about him. But anyways, I guess he wasn’t as discreet as he should have been. He must have kept a few of the correspondences and he even put down my name in writing. What should we do now?” Tusul was absently picking at the table top as he spoke.

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So how did you come by this letter? And who is this Ildroth?” Brounn needed more details before he wanted to come to a decision.

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Oh I guess I forgot to tell you that part. He came into the shop and started accusing me of working for the Asgare and demanded to know where he was.”

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He what! How did you get away? You didn’t bring him here did you!?” Brounn’s heart was not used to this much excitement in one day.

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He didn’t believe me when I told him he was mistaken then he threatened Turana then I sort of made him fall in a trap and Turana hit the page over the head with a skillet.” Tusul looked about to spring out of his chair and flee as he waited for another outburst.

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The who? They aren’t dead are they?” Brounn tried to calm down as he sorted out what he was hearing.

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Dead?” Tusul seemed at a loss for a moment.

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The page and Ildroth. Are they dead?” Brounn repeated himself.

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No, no. They are tied and gagged and Turana is watching the skillet. I mean she has them watching her skillet... She has her skillet and is watching them.” Tusul stumbled over the words as he tried to convey the information.

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There wasn’t anyone else?” Brounn relaxed a little.

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No. I made sure before I came here.”

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Good. Something doesn’t make sense about this whole thing. This order isn’t from the Chancellor and it uses the old signet design. If Ildroth had been one of the Chancellor's men then he wouldn’t have sent a single soldier to apprehend you. More likely one of his elite squads. We do know that at least one other person knows about you. Another thing is that secrecy is urged and “certain individuals” aren’t supposed to find out about the mission. As far as I know, the Chancellor wants the Asgare dead so why offer a “generous retainer”. I doubt that the fool would think that the Asgare would forget the insignificant detail of having tried to kill him last time the Asgare worked for the Chancellor.”

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So what should we do?” Tusul waited for Brounn to come to a decision.”

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I think my other shoe just split a seam. I happen to know a good cobbler and we can sit around and have a nice chat while my shoe is getting repaired.”

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So you want to come to my shop and talk to him? What if he sees you? He already knows what I look like but you?” Tusul feared that the situation was bad enough as it was without the lieutenant knowing who else was involved in the Asgare’s organization.

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I need to talk to him and find out more information before I make any decisions. Don’t worry, I wasn’t born yesterday. I will wear a mask or something.” Brounn told Tusul to leave the way he had come and that he would be at the shop in a little while.

When Brounn arrived he was met at the back door by Turana who let him in and showed him to the bedroom where the captives were being held. The lieutenant was awake but suffering from the paralyzing effects of the dragon’s tail. The page was sleeping off a new dose of the sleeping potion. Brounn who was hiding his face behind a hastily constructed mask eyed the lieutenant carefully before he began the interrogating.

“So who are you supposed to be?” Brounn settled into his habitual posture on the bed.

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Sir Ildroth of the noble house of Inarack. Unhand me at once or your lives will be forfeit.” The reply was barely a whisper but arrogant.

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Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn’t realized that we had a noble in our net. Why don’t you try again then I can act properly awed.” Brounn laughed menacingly.

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You have no right. You and Tusul will pay dearly for having accosted a nobleman.” Ildroth glared fiercely.

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Now that I don’t like the tone of. You see, I like to think that I protect the people that work for me.” Brounn pulled a short dagger from his shirt and stood up. Leaning over Ildroth he sliced the bonds that held the man’s hands and feet with a couple deft strokes. Ildroth had remarkably remained still during the proceedings. That is accept for his face that had been twitching and straining heroically to no avail.

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Tusul is legendary in our circles for his skill at making concoctions and contraptions. Not even his father had his flair for the unexpected. I doubt you were expecting the tables to be turned so suddenly and completely.” Brounn returned to his seat on the bed and watched as Ildroth continued in his attempts to control his unresponsive body. After a minute the man gave up.

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What do you want? I can get you money, gems or gold. Just name it.” Ildroth’s offer was met by Brounn’s laugher.

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What I want is information. The currency of kings or rather in this case, assassins.”

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You are the Asgare?” There was real fear in Ildroth’s eyes now.

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Ha. That’s a good one. The legendary Asgare was really just a fat lazy bastard. Can you picture me scaling a castle wall or slinking around palace corridors? I can just picture it. Reign’s search for the fabled Asgare turns up fruitless when the man he was looking for was pretending to be the army cook while he ate up all the provisions. That is a good one.” Brounn chucked at the mental images conjured while Ildroth scowled helplessly.

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I need to speak with the Asgare.”

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Oh that I know already. Not exactly the information that I want. This said that much already.” Brounn pulled out the letter and unwrapped it.

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Where did you get that? It is only for my eyes!” Ildroth glared at Brounn as he read it again without paying the least attention until he reached the bottom.

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Where do you think I found it? Son, you should start talking now. You are between a rock and a hard place. You are paralyzed from the neck down so your threats carry little weight. If you don’t prove useful I can easily have you thrown back in that hole and forgotten about. Who sent the letter? I don’t recognize the seal.” Brounn decided that the time for jokes was past. Evening was drawing closer and he remembered another engagement.

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I can’t tell you who sent the letter.” Ildroth steadfastly refused to betray his superior.

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Hmm, no matter. We can come back to that later. It also says that you aren’t supposed to let certain people know about your mission. Who might they be?”

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Isn’t that obvious?” Ildroth attempted to murder Brounn with his glare alone.

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Pardon me but I can on occasion be quite oblivious. Would you care to enlighten me?” Brounn sat back folding up the letter awaiting a response.

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The high chancellor. If he found out what I am supposed to be doing he would have me beheaded.” Ildroth found that glaring at a faceless mask was unrewarding so he shifted his gaze to the ceiling.

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Oh? It really is nice to meet another in the same circumstances. If you don’t answer to Reigns then who do you answer to?”

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The King. My fealty is sworn to the King and him alone.” Ildroth haughtily replied.

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And by extension Reigns.”

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Never! I serve the true King not the usurper.” Ildroth spat to emphasize his point.

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What difference does it make? The King hasn’t been seen in years and Reigns runs the country.” Brounn pondered the information.

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I am sworn to remove Reigns from power. That is all I can tell you.” Ildroth lapsed into silence when he realized that he may have inadvertently given away too much information.

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By hiring the Asgare to have Reigns killed?” Brounn prodded at the truth.

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We heard that Reigns had tried to kill the Asgare years ago.” Ildroth refused to look at Brounn as he answered.

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So the enemy of my enemy is supposed to be my friend?” Brounn laughed lightly.

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I'm empowered to negotiate a retainer for the Asgare’s services.”

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Ha, he learned his lesson about working for anyone long ago. He always liked freelancing better. By the way, what might these generous retainer offers be?” Brounn was coming to a decision.

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A full pardon for the Asgare and... his associates.” Ildroth grudgingly announced the last part.

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Ha. That is practically worthless. For one, you have no idea who the Asgare is so it wouldn’t matter whether he was pardoned or not. Another thing is that Reigns isn’t likely to honor that if any of us fall in his hands. To tell the truth, I could have you killed and if I moved Tusul, your people would never find us again so make a better offer.”

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A pardon and a thousand gold coin.” Ildroth was looking a little blanched.

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I'm hiding twice that much under my floorboards for the Asgare. Try again.”

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What do you want! I can get you anything. Just name it. Land, gold, gems, power prestige.” Ildroth began panicking.

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It isn’t what I want. It’s what the Asgare would want. By my thinking he would want to be left alone unless he decides otherwise. Like I said, he doesn’t like to work for anyone. It didn’t go very well last time. Let me think about this. You will be among the first to know my decision.” Ildroth fortunately had the better sense to remain silent at Brounn’s announcement as the man left the room.

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So what are we doing with them?” Tusul asked expectantly.

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I'm not totally sure yet. It seems a new fraction is developing. There are those loyal to the King and they want to dispose of Reigns. It seems the lieutenant came to make sure that the Asgare is either working for them or at least won’t be used against them.” Brounn took off the mask and smoothed down his hair.

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That might explain why he didn’t have the Chancellor’s medallion.” Tusul tapped his lower lip as he thought.

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That could be but that also troubles me. Reigns doesn’t trust him enough to employ him. If we are seen working with him then we would be suspect. Quite honestly I would prefer to have him disposed of however you would have to abandon your life here. His superiors know too much. If we let him go then there is the chance that he might be telling the truth and his group might leave us alone.”

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It would be an opportunity for an insurance of a sort if he is legitimate. If his fraction were to have information about Skeln or have captured him. On the other hand, if they manage to capture the Asgare. You see what I'm getting at?” Tusul had no interest in killing anyone in cold blood.

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Yes, you have a point, do what you want. I will let you decide what to do. If you want to let them go then I'm making you their contact. Just be careful. You are valuable to the organization. We can’t afford to lose you.” Brounn left the decision in Tusul’s hands and departed to take care of a meeting in the gardens.

Tusul gave his wife a glance before entering the bedroom. He took a seat on the bed and scrutinized the paralyzed man on the floor. Ildroth tried staring him down but found the thin man to be more than up to the challenge.

“So I get to decide whether you live or not. Convince me that letting you live would be the better choice.” Tusul crossed his arms and waited.

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You wouldn’t dare kill me. I'm a noble from the house Inarack.” Ildroth used his haughtiest voice in an attempt to intimidate the cobbler.

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Ha. If I were you, I would reevaluate what is and isn’t dared. You see, I dared to throw you in a trap and tie you up, not that it mattered much seeing as you can’t even lift a finger. I could very well dare to kill you. It’s just that it would make a mess and bodies are difficult to dispose of so I'm inclined to let you live however you haven’t made a good case yet for that point.”

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My superiors know about you and will come looking if I don’t report back to them soon.” Ildroth began to think that it had been a very bad idea to have trifled with these people.