Like the regular armies of the land, there are ranks within the rcenary’s Guild. Unlike the Adventurer’s Guild, which bases its ranks on tals, the rcenary’s Guild adopts a more novel approach.
The guild is organized into so-called great companies, each a formidable force split into two Wings, each Wing comprising of five hundred warriors. These Wings are further divided into Claws, with each Claw numbering a hundred souls, and these, in turn, are divided into Scales, the smallest unit, consisting of ten fighters. Wing Leaders, Claw Leaders, and Scale Leaders serve as commissioned officers, and their ranks are reflected in the authority and respect they command within the guild outside of a campaign.
The nonclature chosen by the guild is steeped in ancient legend and warrior mystique. A full assembly of a great company is also known as a 'Dragon'. It is said that in the ages before the Cataclysm, it took a full thousand n to slay one of the dreaded tyrants of the sky.
- In Search of the Dragons, by Captain Fiorella Haldane.
Checking my belongings, I made sure that nothing else had been taken from by the poor excuses of ‘adventurers.’ I needed to get out of the inn for a while, sooner rather than later if at all possible. There were a few chores on my list that needed doing and it would be good to explore the city.
I ordered so juice and left the last dregs of my drink at the bar. Sitting at a table in the corner, I idly waited for half a turn of the clock. Zariyah’s mother, after settling a few ruffled feathers of her clients, joined . I then spent a few minutes of my life explaining, in almost excruciating detail, what had just happened in her establishnt. Elwin decided to join us, giving small nods at the right monts to affirm my narrative while quietly downing a warm ale. He soon wandered off in search of the bathroom, but Cordelia stayed seated by my side, her hands resting demurely in her lap.
Naira had been sympathetic. By all witnesses accounts I had been the victim. However, she still looked obviously worried, her hands shifting uncomfortably every now and again.
“Perhaps it would have been better if you had killed the lot of them. Simpler, at least,” she concluded shockingly.
“I beg your pardon?” I spluttered in my mug, almost comically choking.
“I see your people have not completely forgotten their murderous ways,” comnted Cordelia snidely, looking fixedly at the older woman.
“The Mirage is a known troublemaking foreigner,” she explained, ignoring Cordelia’s barb. “Foreigners have a way of causing trouble, and the gods know they have a habit of dying. They bring their feuds with them to Al-Lazar, bundling them in their hearts and planting them fresh on new soil, wherever they go,” she paused for a mont, as if sifting through a past mory. I could see Cordelia almost bristling at this.
“But now, there are three of them, silver-ranked of the Guild, no less, who will feel themselves aggrieved by you. Fear will soon turn to thoughts of what could have been. It will fester away and turn to thoughts of petty vengeance. Such is the way of foolish n’s pride,” she warned as she adjusted a loose strand of dark hair.
“They did not seem so formidable to , and their leader, if my recollection serves well, was a woman. And if that is the quality of the Silver rank in this city, then my Copper, and the Copper of my friends, will be shield enough,” I boasted, placing my own badge on the table.
“Samasa, forgive , but you must let point out that this is Al-Lazar. One does not rise to the Silver without making friends and allies along the way. The Mirage is a troublemaker, but she is tolerated for a reason. Powerful as you might personally be, copper still makes for a poor shield. Please, you must try and understand your predicant,” she stated, her tone skirting the edges of patronizing.
“It is perhaps you who does not quite understand the true power that I hold. Rest assured, and fear not overly for ,” I returned confidently, stretching out a kink in my shoulder.
“It is not you that I worry most for, but those that are near you. When the summoned storm cos, the tall tree may stand strong, but those around are never unscathed,” she rejoined with a little heat entering her voice.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Irritated, I looked around, wanting an escape now from this interaction. Daylight was wasting away and I had other things that demanded my attention. “I will not quibble words with you. Let remind you, this was not a fight of my choosing. I am the victim here. Please, I urge that you speak your aning plain,” I stated, letting my emotions bleed into my voice.
The Aranthian woman looked at Naira with eyes filled with the embers of a long-held resentnt. “Yes, you lot have always had the penchant for twisting things to suit your ends. I sense you attempting to lead Gilgash down a thorny path,” muttered Cordelia with no small amount of contempt.
“Have I affronted you in so way? You are a guest here. Does your Goddess not teach you to love and offer at least a minimum of respect to your neighbors? Or have the scriptures been yet again changed?” responded Naira archly.
“Yes, please, Cordelia. A modicum of decorum and manners would be appreciated. Rember we are guests and foreigners in this land,” I added, with a tired sigh.
The woman warrior looked like she had sothing to add, but decided against it. Crossing her arms, she decided to instead glare at the older woman. What was the source of her anger? Was it simply unfounded racism, or was it sothing more? So of her comnts… had been troubling. However, I decided that it had no real bearing in the current mont.
“Thank you, Cordelia,” I said politely, earning a small nod from the warrior woman.
“Since you are a guest under my roof, I seek to warn you. Do not underestimate these people. Please take this without insult, for I know that you are still oh so very young, but you should not use arrogance in confidence’s stead. As for my worries, I have many but I worry most for Zari.”
“I see now the gist of your words. Forgive for being dull. You worry that she would suffer from so sort of reprisal, for being associated with ,” I conceded, rubbing my chin and noting the lack of stubble. My avatar had not changed one whit since being summoned to this land.
“Yes, and if you would allow , I would like to buy her contract from you. The inn has done well, and I have put aside so money. The amount may be insulting, but… she is my daughter. I may also have a solution for your current predicant.”
“A most wonderful solution,” muttered Cordelia. Sulking as she was, I realized then that it did little to detract from her cold, marble, almost divine beauty. Attractive people were thus blessed.
I glanced up away from the conversation to see the object of our current discussion making her way towards , eyes filled with silent reproach. As worriso as an approaching storm. In the manner of n all over the world, stupidly and inappropriately tid as it was, I found myself comparing the three won before .
A stark contrast to Cordelia’s bleak marble perfection, Zariyah had a dark beauty. And, if I was completely honest, it was the sort of beauty that felt much more attainable. Naira was an attractive woman in her own right, but Zariyah, bluntly speaking, was a younger, more attractive version of her mother. For so reason or other, I noticed that she had taken off the kohl and whatever costics she used to enhance her natural beauty. It suited her. Without her painted face, she looked younger still, and I judged her to be younger than even myself.
I could feel my heart quickening, my eyes lingering upon the mute woman. For a mont I entertained thoughts as to the possible sounds she would make in the bedroom. Giving in to the throes of passion, would her affliction force her to remain silent?
As she drew closer, I felt an urge to score a few points and impress.
“Then you have misjudged , and poorly at that. I have always intended to release your daughter. I simply required a guide for the city. Yet at every turn, events conspire to vex . And I will not accept your money. Where I co from we do not deal in slaves like barbarians.”
“There is no slavery in Al-Lazar,” ca Naira’s automatic response, as her daughter sat quietly next to her.
“You may paint over rot, but the rot remains. It is my firm belief that slavery, in all of its forms, is a great evil that needs to be expunged, wherever it is found,” I responded as smoothly as possible. I noticed that Cordelia looked at as if I was explaining so sort of cosmic truth, her lips moving to silently repeat my words.
Surely those were inspirational words? Perhaps I needed to add so more conviction.
I noticed that Zariyah looked as if she wished to say sothing, the strain of holding sothing back drawing her features tight.
“Is there sothing you would like to add?” I inquired politely.
She looked at then, not quite eting my eyes. She shook her head and looked away. I was given to the study of her profile, the delicate arch of her nose, and the tilt of her eyes. I felt an urge to trace the line of her cheek, but I quashed it. Buried it beneath layers of decorum and doubt.
Was it disappointnt that had flickered across her face? Had my words fallen short? In the court of a woman’s feelings, had I, unwittingly, played the fool?
Had I failed an unseen roll of the dice?
And for all that, not even a gain of Charisma. Did this world not reward doing good?
Reviews
All reviews (0)