CANSTVER 1ST YEAR 552 ASMERIAN CALENDAR.
A storm set in over Greendale as the two horsemen rode through the northern gate. There was a tax of two silvers they had to pay as Gregorian's, a part of the King's tariff on Gregoria. Dan and Michael looked on as several bodies hung from streetlamps with signs roped around their necks reading 'traitor' or 'conspirator' that sent chills down Michael's spine. He cringed at the thought of public hangings.
There were Soldiers everywhere, tearing apart homes and businesses in search of someone. They barked like rabid dogs set on their prey. There was nothing that would stop them, nor did they try. It was an Asmerian issue, not Gregorian, not their problem to tangle with. They strolled around town for hours and searched for the rendezvous point, which was supposed to be next to a Statue of Sir Greendale who was on top of a fountain. The fountain was there but there was no statue. No glorious knight defending the city from invaders, guarding the merchant caravans, watching over the children. It was missing and left a clear hole in the city.
The tavern nearby was bursting with energy, the Black's Tavern is what the sign read, Michael gestured to Dan to go check it out. There were many merchants and drunkards alike brewing a fight and the tavern owner wasn't having it. He stood on top of the bar brandishing a sword in one hand a club in the other. This was the rendezvous point, there was no mistaking the description of the owner. A large man with curly blond hair and a booming voice that cut through the barks and hollers of the drunks and agitators. There were two men in the corner of the tavern, they were unconcerned about the events of the tavern. They were cloaks and armored. Michael walked over and Dan followed. "Good morning gentlemen, may we have a seat here?" Michael asked.
"Aye, you're the ones we've been waitin' for?" The older of the two asked.
"I believe so, is your given name Erik?"
"Aye, it is, and you must be Barker?"
"Nay, that'll be that fellow, I just happened to tag along, my name is Michael Lukas."
"Pleasure, now sit before you attract much more attention."
"Aye, but I must say, those cloaks are attracting enough don't you agree?"
"True, but there are arms under these cloaks that aren't exactly permitted inside of the walls," Erik said, he simply showed the pummel of his sword then concealed it back underneath the cloak. "Now, we'll be off now that you're here," Erik said as he stood up. The gates were heavily guarded, there were forty guards on each gate, and they check everyone's identity. The tax for entry to the trade hub also skyrocketed to three silvers.
"Now hold on a minute Gregorian!" A drunkard spat. "You're not leaving here until you've met my friends punished! Ha-ha, you're going to get fucked for what you did with my wife!" Erik Sighed and turned away. A large man, about six feet nine inches in stature and built like a bull came out from around the corner leading to the stairs. "Is that the man? He's tiny, I'll make him pay." The giant said.
"Oh, I don't fucking think so, not in my fucking tavern, I'll fucking kill the fuckin both of ya if you start a damned brawl. Take that shit outside before I fuck both yer wives!" Johnathan Black shouted.
The giant stepped up and looked him in the eyes, and laughed. "What is a little man like you going to do about it?" He jested to the crowd. They all laughed and started to chant.
"Come on then coward, if ya wanna fuck with anyone in my tavern it might as well be me!"
"Quite, little man or I'll fold you in half!" The giant spat.
"Why you little shit, I'll fuckin take your knees and use them to make soup with! Now get the fuck out of my shop!" The giant lost his temper, and he tried to swing at Mister Black but in an amazing display of swordsmanship he sliced his arm off with his sword and knocked him out cold with the club in his other hand. Sir Hughes clapped slowly as he was impressed by the skill of the tavern owner. "The fuck are you clapping for?" Black asked now glaring right at the knight. Dan was shocked by the chain of events but at least he wasn't alone in his awe. Everyone was silent now. No one even dared to move.
Johnathan Black approached the cloaked Sir Hughes, still armed and ready for a fight. "Get out before they kill ya, I can't stop em all."
"Very well my friend." Sir Hughes led the way out the backdoor through the kitchen. The kings' guards stormed the tavern as they made their escape through the alley. Dan and Michael mounted their steads as Erik and his squire ran across the plaza to their mounts. They rode to the south side of Greendale, to an Inn near the Southern gate. "Frederic will be here tomorrow if all goes as planned, I doubt he'll be able to stay in Greendale more than an hour or so. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice." Erik said before opening the door to the inn. It was a small inn, it used to be owned by Connor Scottkey before he was killed fleeing to Gregoria. Erik walked to the counter and bought three rooms for the night. It cost him only 3 Asmerian Silver coins. Dan and Michael stayed together while Erik had his own room. The other man, Thomas Stevenson, also roomed alone. Thomas was Erik's squire and right-hand man. He could hold his own which meant a lot to Erik, not having to babysit a grown man that is. Though he was only nineteen years of age, he had already proven himself on the battlefield against the northern tribes when they tried to storm Fort Audacity. Most Marines knew about the Seige of Fort Audacity and the key leaders who led the Army out of the gates and through an overwhelming force of barbarians.
"What do you think of all of this Michael?" Dan asked as he stripped down to his undergarments. He smelled like a swamp and was drenched in sweat.
"Well, I think you need to take a bath soon before you get a heat rash, and secondly, I think that you're thinking too deeply into this. We're just out here to assist them with whatever they're up to." Michael slipped under his sheets and blew out the candle that lit the room. "Now go to bed and get some rest man, before I knock ya out myself."
"Sure, I'll try not to think about it anymore, Goodnight."
"Goodnight ya bastard."
Morning came fast as the sound of birds and arguing merchants filled the air. There was a scuffle outside and the kings' guards were getting involved. Dan opened the window and peered out onto the street. A merchant was pissed because of an outlandish clause in a contract he signed. The things people would do to try to save their own assets. He looked left down the street where a squad of guards was gathered preparing for a riot. The merchant was rallying as many people to his cause as he could. "Come one and all, stand up against this tyranny and strife. We deserve better, we deserve honesty between our lord as us!" He pleaded to anyone who had a pair of ears. Several dozen men, women, and even children answered his call to arms. Dan laughed inside; it was an embarrassing display of rebellion against the ruling authorities. He looked to the left as he leaned outside the window and noticed Erik sitting in the window watching the conflict below. He leaped from the window back into the room as the front door of the inn slammed shut. Soon after there was a knock on the door that woke Michael from his slumber. "Wake up greenhorns, we're leaving!" Erik's voice boomed from the other side of the door. Dan quickly threw on his clothes and pack. Michael followed suit and headed downstairs where Sir Miller was enjoying a cup of tea with Erik.
"Ah, now we're simply waiting for Thomas. Please, join us for some breakfast and tea gentlemen." Erik said as he leaned back into his chair.
"It'd be our pleasure to sir," Michael said, he took up the seat nearest Miller and started to eat toast and eggs prepared by the inn. Dan ate quickly, he knew they only had until Thomas was ready before they made their way out the door. Thomas did come down a minute later and was invited to partake in breakfast as well. Erik gestured to Miller it was time to leave and he nodded in agreement. They all left the in only to be caught in the middle of a riot. The couple dozen rioters multiplied to several hundred in mere minutes. The guards were completely outnumbered and cornered into a garden in front of some poor family's home. They watched in horror as several men charged the guards and were cut down by their swords. "Let's get out of here before things go too far," Miller said as he mounted his horse. "Gangway!" He shouted as he started to ride through the crowd of rioters. They all followed suit and rode out of town towards Lexington. It would only take a day to reach the city on horseback.
Dan was growing increasingly anxious about being in Asmeria. He started looking around at the countryside to calm down but, in the end, it didn't help. "Sir Miller?" He asked quietly and respectfully. "What exactly are we doing out here? I mean, aren't you scared of being arrested for even setting foot in this land sir?"
"Aye, I am afraid of being arrested but, we're here to recover someone and bring them back to Gregoria."
"And who would that be?" Dan asked now more curious about their mission.
"Jackson Scottkey and my adopted daughter, Ruby. He'd be around eighteen years of age now, as for Ruby, she'd be just about the same age, sixteen or seventeen." He answered. He seemed nervous, and that itself was enough to send a shiver down Dan's spine.
"Frederic, they'll be fine,
" Erik said reassuringly. "We just need to get to Lexington before nightfall. Jackson has already murdered one noble family, I'm sure he'll likely kill several more before he starts on his way to Lexington for his uncle. No telling what kind of vengeance might lay within that boy."
"Well, let's hope so, lord have mercy on anyone who does that lad wrong," Frederic said in a grim tone.
There was an understanding of the mission now, everyone was finally on the same page. Dan rode ahead, scouting the road as they advanced towards the city of Rosaria. The city was in an uproar and riots were breaking out all over the city. Flames were visible as bodies hung from the streetlamps and balconies. The soldiers were running rampant and killing anyone who they thought was a traitor. The streets ran red with bloodshed and gore. There was no end to the cruelty of these death squads roaming the streets. Dan was repulsed by what he had witnessed. He rode as fast as he could back to Miller and the rest, but they had been stopped by a patrol of men. He rode up to them at a gallop. "Halt you!" One of the soldiers barked brandishing a sword at him.
Dan rode up first and with his hands raised started to assess the situation at hand. There was an entire infantry squad standing before them blocking their way forward. The trees were fat to thick to go around them and even if they did manage to evade them, it would only cause trouble later.
"Easy man, I'm with them," Dan said as he pulled back on the reigns. Savion responded instantly to the commands of Dan, coming to a gentle stop.
"Identify yourself!" The guard continued.
"My name is Dan Barker, why are we stopped?"
"For security reasons, are you also completely ignorant of what happened to our lord."
"I'm afraid so, why?"
"You're all under arrest for treason against the former lord of Rosaria! Dismount your nags and surrender yourselves this instant!"
"You can't do that! Who do you think you are?"
"I am a soldier in service to the late lord Asmeria, Lord of Rosaria. Any citizen found to be playing ignorant of our lords' death is a traitor!"
"We're not feigning ignorance you deft cock!" Erik snapped at the sheer thirst for power the man had.
"How dare you! I'll fuckin kill you where you stand, now dismount!"
Miller was the first to dismount his horse, as soon as his feet touched soil, he drew his swords and slew the two guards nearest him. They tried to parry his swords it was clear they had never encountered a dual-wielding swordsman before. His swords cut through the air in flashes of reflected light from the sun. He stabbed the first and nearest man through the heart, his padded leather armor did nothing to resist the razor-sharp blade. The second man fell just as easily. Miller turned to see Michael beheading a guard while on horseback.
Erik leapt from his saddle and onto the soldier holding his horse in place. His sword cut down through the man's collarbone and cleaved his torso open. He then turned his attention to the men surrounding Thomas who was closest to him and started cutting through their ranks. The patrol went from nine men to only three men still standing in only five seconds.
Michael jumped into the fray and engaged a guard who was trying to flank Miller who had already slain another soldier Leaving only two men left, one for Dan and Thomas. Dan flicked the reigns and Savion responded and trotted forwards, trampling the guard. As for Thomas the Soldier nearly cut him down until Michael stepped in and saved him.
"Damnit, everyone, mount up and follow me!" Miller ordered as he climbed up to his saddle.
Everyone scattered to their horses and rode fast to keep pace with Miller. They used backroads and deer paths to go around Rosaria. They continued south using the back roads and paths until they reached the outskirts of Lexington. They stopped just as the sun was about to set. It was in a small clearing just off the road where they made camp. The air was brisk and cool. The moons came into view and the birds no longer sang. Miller unrolled his blankets onto the ground and prepared his bedding from the tall grass that filled the clearing. Erik simply let his steed lay down and then lay beside the beast. Erik was more grounded as a backwater farmer than the noble Sir Miller who lived so lavishly. However, it only made their bond that much stronger. Dan and Michael set up on watch as Marines did in battle.
They played Ro-Sham-Bo for who would stand watch first. Michael lost and took the first hour of watch. Thomas took after Erik and simply slept with his horse. The night passed quickly, Dan and Michael were vigilant throughout the night, as they switched on and off watch. Miller was the last to be ready to leave the encampment, but no one dared hurry him. He led the way into the city center. The outskirts of Lexington used to be a prosperous suburb, but it had fallen into disrepair and decay. None of the nobles of Lexington cared for the poor as the Senate did. For there was no reason to, they had no elections to run. They only had to care about lining their pockets and providing enough stability to keep their appointment by the King.
Erik pitied the poor wenches of the slums who were forced into debauchery and prostitution. They were seen as second-class citizens and deprived of any worth more than a quick fuck. Miller rode on as several slave markets were in auction early in the morning. He turned away in disgust at the inhumanity of the auction. Most of the poor slaves were girls barely in their teens and he could only imagine what their new owners would have them do. Fortunately, Ruby was never made to do such things. The streets were covered in shit and trash, there were no workers to clean the streets or even take care of the poor like there used to be. The last time Miller and Hughes were in Lexington, it was a pristine city, free of manure and garbage. There was peace and order, and no woman sold themselves just to have a night's rest with a roof over their head. Thievery also ran rampant, there were few homes without broken doors or windows, They approached the gate to the city center. It was guarded by only and handful of men. The guards didn't even stop them to identify or tax them as they entered the city center. Miller led the way to an inn he knew would take them in. It was a Gregorian-owned inn called the Sheltered Lass. They were greeted by a rather beautiful woman with blond hair and blue eyes in a pink dress. "Welcome gentlemen, oh, Sir Miller- "
"Sorry miss, but yer gonna have to be a little more subtle than that." Erik interrupted.
"I apologize gentlemen for my brashness. Please, come inside and rest yourselves."
"With pleasure, how've you been miss Rebecca?" Miller asked as he followed her inside.
"I've been well, what has it been? Four years since you've last entered my inn?" She said rather annoyed.
"Well, after my business in Greendale, I've not had the ability to. Until now that is." Miller justified himself.
"Still, you should try not to make a woman wait any longer than necessary. So, what is your business in Asmeria? I thought you were an outlaw and being hunted down by the Army? I know you wouldn't come all the way out here with that burden on you just to entertain me." Rebecca said.
"Well, if you knew all of that why would you address me by name at the front door? A guard could've overheard you." Miller replied angrily.
"Calm down love, it's alright, no one heard me, and I doubt anyone round these parts cares either," Rebecca said stubbornly. "Besides, most people round here would hail you as a hero or king considering what you've accomplished here."
"While that may be true, you can't lose sense of what else I've done in Greendale."
"Very well, as you wish my lord. So, what can I do for you?" She asked as she opened her ledger.
"A few rooms, whatever you can get for our horses, and food enough for a few nights here. As for anything else, I'll leave that to my men. All I need from you personally is to write false names in your ledger."
"You know, I always thought you looked like a Toby." Erik couldn't help but laugh while the rest awkwardly stared off into the distance, pretending to not have heard a thing. "You're all logged in, the five of you will be sharing three rooms. The luxury suite is reserved for Toby and Mason Gilbert, being Sir Miller and Sir Hughes, as for the rest of you, take your pick."
"Well, you heard her, come on Toby, let's get settled in," Erik said as he grabbed Miller by his shoulder and led the way upstairs to their room leaving Dan, Michael, and Thomas to themselves downstairs.
"Well, you three have a good day, I'll tend to your horses."
"Thank you, ma'am." The three of them decided on what to do next. Dan's stomach growled loud enough for Michael to hear. "So, there's a tavern down the street? How about we go grab some grub?"
"Well, anywhere would be better than here. That woman scares me."