CHAPTER FIFTEEN - DIPLOMACY

Julian tried to shake off the shiver that always came when his adrenalin began to flow while also licking his lips in a vain attempt to wet a mouth that had suddenly gone dry. He had long since stopped trying to figure out how it was possible to be exhilarated and terrified at the same time; by this point in his life he had come to recognize both as a soldier’s constant companions on the eve of battle. That he felt them now, as he and Raedrick hurried to follow Fendig to intercept Farzal with the four fishing men following, should not have been special at all.

Yet for some reason it felt different this time. Perhaps it was the eyes of various townsfolk, their expressions terrified beneath a facade of confident hope, following them as they rushed past. Or perhaps it was the protests from his injured thigh, reminding him that if the meeting did come to blows he was not equipped to make a good showing.

Regardless, when they rounded the corner and emerged onto Main Street near the Town Hall, Julian’s heart was in his throat. Seeing twenty men on horseback, all armed with quality blades and wearing good thick leather breastplates with steel plates sewn on or, in a few cases, mail similar to what he and Raedrick wore, did not help the situation.

The Mayor, Constable Malory at his side, was standing on the steps of the Town Hall, his hands clasped in front of him as he clearly tried not to appear terrified. He was addressing a pale-complected man who couldn’t have been much older than twenty-five, thirty at the absolute maximum. He had sandy blond hair and a lean, muscular body with very broad shoulders. A scar crossed his forehead from his right temple to the brow of his left eye, and he wore a mocking smile on his face.

Julian recognized him immediately.

“Son of a bitch,” Raedrick murmured. He recognized the man also.

Very quickly they were within earshot, and it was clear Mayor Brimly was at a disadvantage. Hardly a surprise, considering. However, upon seeing them, and the fishing men behind them as they fanned out along the width of the street just as Julian and Raedrick had directed them to, the Mayor squared his jaw and stopped whatever he was saying.

The brigands noted their arrival as well. Though they looked disdainful, particularly as they regarded the fishing men, they nonetheless adjusted their formation to keep the new men in plain view.

For his part, the blond fellow looked over everything Julian’s and Raedrick’s men did with a measuring eye. Julian noticed his smile slip somewhat as he studied the fishing men. He was no fool.

Then the blond man’s eyes alighted on Julian and Raedrick, and he burst out laughing companionably. “Well, well. Baletier and Hinderbrook. What brings you to this fine township?”

“I think you know what, Isenholf,” Raedrick replied.

The blond man laughed again as he shook his head. “Name’s Farzal now, Corporal.” He looked from Raedrick to Julian and back quickly. “I assume you’re to blame for the men I lost down at the falls.”

Farzal did not phrase it as a question, so neither Julian nor Raedrick bothered to reply. He sniffed at their silence.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He sighed and shook his head. “Now normally, I take the skin off a man who kills one of mine. But I’ll tell you what. For old times’ sake, I’ll let that slide, just this once.”

“Very kind of you,” Julian quipped.

Farzal nodded. “It is.”

“You obviously know each other.” The Mayor’s tone was confused.

Farzal laughed again. “Oh we know each other, all right. We’re closer than brothers, aren’t we, boys?”

“We were,” Raedrick replied. Turning to address the Mayor, he continued. “We served together in the Army. He was a squad leader in the other platoon in our company.”

Constable Malory’s expression grew even more severe than it had been before as he processed Raedrick’s words. If anything, the Mayor looked more worried than ever. Farzal ignored them, though, focusing his attention fully on Raedrick and Julian.

“And it looks like I was wrong about you two.” His mocking grin returned as he spoke. “I thought you had swallowed the propaganda completely. But look at you now!”

Julian got a sinking feeling in his stomach. This was about to get ugly. Glancing aside at Raedrick, he could see that his friend had the same thought. If Farzal suspected…

“What are you talking about?” The Mayor’s worry and confusion was obvious from the trembling of his voice. His eyes flitted back and forth between Farzal and the two friends, and he mopped his brow with a trembling hand.

Farzal’s grin only deepened as he looked at the Mayor. “They were no more released from their enlistment than I was. No one was to be released.” Looking back at the Julian and Raedrick, he spat out, “You left of your own accord, didn’t you? You deserted.”

There it was, out in the open for all to hear. The sinking feeling became a cold lump of dread that radiated chills throughout Julian’s entire body. There was no denying Farzal’s accusation; it was the truth after all.

In the long silence that followed, all eyes turned onto them. Julian felt the urge to run away, not out of fear but out of shame. The Constable’s stare, the respectful look of a colleague earlier, now held contempt. The Mayor’s was worse, because his face was that of a man who had abandoned hope for despair, and was ready to do violence to the one who had taken that hope. In this case, Julian was painfully aware that he was the one.

Farzal laughed again and turned his attention back to Mayor Brimly. “So those two were to be your mighty saviors, were they?” He shook his head and snorted. “Payment is due in two weeks. Don’t be late.”

He nodded and his men began turning their horses away. A trio set off down Main Street; two columns of five spread out to either side of the street and began moving at a slower pace. Outriders and flankers taking station, Farzal looked back at Julian and Raedrick briefly.

“You two boys really ought to think about joining up with me. The authorities won’t treat you any better for trying to play hero here when they catch you. There’s strength in numbers, my friends. We can make very good money together. You won’t find a better deal this side of the grave.”

“Not a chance,” Raedrick replied, taking on the stern tone he saved for green men under his charge who were making trouble. “I’ll make you a deal. Ride out of here now and don’t come back, and we won’t put you down like a dog.”

Farzal looked, if possible, even more amused than he did before. As he rode away and the rest of his men followed, his laughter echoed in his wake.

Julian watched the brigands grow steadily smaller until, not long after they rode past the town limits, they turned to the right and rode out of view. Swallowing, he braced himself then looked back at the Mayor and Constable. Disbelief, disapproval, hope, despair, terror, anger…all those and more were contained in their expressions.

“I suppose you’d like an explanation,” he said.

They both nodded. Mayor Brimly gestured toward the Town Hall. “In my office.”

* * *

Mayor Brimly’s office occupied most of the second floor of the Town Hall. Which wasn’t saying much, considering the entire Town Hall took up less area than The Oarlock’s taproom. Despite being small, it was well appointed, with ornately carved furniture made from darkly-stained wood, no doubt harvested from the forested hills north of town. The desk was particularly impressive, a massively constructed, ornately carved piece that had clearly been designed to intimidate people on the receiving end of its occupant’s attention.

Julian certainly felt intimidated, or if not intimidated at least threatened and judged. It was only natural, considering. But he still didn’t like it.

The Mayor sat in his chair and looked at them over steepled fingers. Constable Malory, a grimly disapproving expression on his face, stood beside the desk with his arms crossed over his chest. The fingertips of his right hand drummed rapidly on the muscles of his left forearm as though from anxiety. He probably couldn’t wait to put them in irons; local law enforcement often received generous compensation from the kingdom for capturing deserters.

As though he was reading Julian’s mind, Mayor Brimly said, “Why should I not lock you both up right now?”

Raedrick replied, “We’re helping you…”

“The hell you are. You’ve not made any progress; in fact, you’ve made things worse for us.” The Mayor leaned forward in his chair and scowled. “Farzal raised his price, to, as he put it, compensate the families of the men he lost. The men you killed.”

“Before we knew anything about what was going on here.”

“So you say,” Constable Malory interjected. “Why should I not think you’ve been playing us from the start? For all we know, you could be in league with him.”

“How stupid do you think he is?" Julian asked.

“What are you talking about?”

Julian sighed. “If we were working together, why would he tell you about us?”

Malory blinked and scowled then nodded with obvious reluctance.

“Fine,” said the Mayor. “That doesn’t change the facts about you, does it? Why should I trust you at all?”

Julian and Raedrick shared a long look. Then Julian shrugged. “Tell them, Rae.” Mayor Brimly knew most of it already. He might as well know it all.

Raedrick nodded. Julian could tell his friend was as reluctant as he was, but there was little choice in the matter at this point.

Drawing a deep breath, Raedrick began talking.

Glimmer Vale is the first book of the Glimmer Vale Chronicles, an ongoing heroic fantasy series set in a world of valor and magic. It will be published here, one chapter per week, on Tuesday.

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