Laren’s Gambit #2
Mead poured more wine for each of them. “King Farrad Vir has offered a fortune to whoever retrieves his truth-teller. Can King Zachary match thirty thousand kersats?”
Stevic’s hair almost stood on end as he mentally calculated that into Sacoridian currency. Truly, a fortune. More than a king’s ransom.
But without a moment’s hesitation, Laren said, “Yes. He could top it, within reason.” She said it so calmly and confidently she was very believable.
Stevic had no idea if the king really possessed that kind of treasure after paying for war with Second Empire and preparing for another that loomed with Mornhavon the Black.
“If you didn’t have the centipede,” Mead said, “I’d have a hard time believing it, but you clearly do.”
“I will make my own donation,” Stevic told her, “both for Colonel Mapstone, my bounty, and that of the other women.”
When he told her how much, she turned to Laren and asked, “Is he telling the truth?”
With a very sober expression, Laren nodded.
“I knew you were doing well as a merchant,” Mead said, “but I underestimated how well. I will not do so again.”
He had nearly depleted the G’ladheon stock in Varos, and had already lost his meager income to Mead. Where he was going to find the means to pay her he was not sure. He only hoped his sisters had everything well in hand at home.
“You’ve already the angweld cloth in your possession,” he said. “What more do you want?”
“Obviously, as much as I can get to cover my crew and the trouble we’re going through to safely return you to King Zachary, including the ships. But we’ll negotiate, Stevic, for your bounty. For old time’s sake.”
Good gods, he thought. Negotiate his bounty.
How magnanimous. She’d be able to retire to her own queendom if she wished.
But then, he wasn’t one of Sacoridia’s top merchants without reason.
His skills at dealing were well known and he might convince her to negotiate the rest, as well.
He placed his hand to his heart and bowed in his seat. “Clan G’ladheon is at your service.”
· · ·
That night, as Laren lay in his arms in the captain’s cabin of Messenger, he said, “That was clever thinking telling Mead that King Zachary would pay more than King Farrad Vir, and also reminding her that you could only tell the truth because of the centipede. But can Zachary really pay that ransom?”
It was some while before she answered, but finally after readjusting her head on his shoulder, she replied, “I honestly don’t know.
Typically, the realm does not pay ransoms for captives unless they are high nobles.
Because of our relationship, he might be willing to use his personal treasure, though I am unsure of his wealth.
There are certainly enough jewels and such held by Clan Hillander to satisfy a pirate.
I think he’d find a way. Either that, or we betray Mead and hand her over. ”
“By law she’ll hang if we do that,” he replied.
“So it is with pirates. Don’t forget how willing she is to hand us over to the Varosians. I know you have some history with her, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to receive a bounty for you.”
“I know. But I still don’t like it if it comes to that.”
“When I offered the duel, I fully intended to go to the end. I would not have stopped at first wounding. I would have killed her if the fight went my way. I will not return to Varos, no matter the cost. I would rather die.”
“Please,” he said, “don’t talk like that.”
“I know and I’m sorry, but it is the truth. I certainly had a chance of winning the duel, but fortunately we didn’t have to go so far. I will tell Mead anything I have to, promise her anything I must, to get home.”
“She’s smart. She may figure out she’s being deceived.”
“She isn’t being deceived, not exactly. I am pretty sure Zachary has the wherewithal to satisfy her avarice, maybe even offer her land and such. If she decides we’re being dishonest, we’ll deal with it when it happens. Besides, she’s not the only smart one.”
“You must be referring to Sevano,” he teased.
She laughed and it was a light and good sound, especially after the evening’s events. “For some reason beyond preserving our lives and freedom, it feels especially urgent that I return to Sacor City. I can’t get it out of my head that I’ve some task to attend to there, and if I don’t...”
“The world will end?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied, “but I have gotten to a point that I know when to trust my intuition.” She paused and gazed into space. “Squirrels.”
“Squirrels?”
“I keep thinking about squirrels. The urgency I feel to return has something to do with squirrels.”
“Squirrels?” he said again in incredulity.
“I know how it sounds,” she replied. “I don’t know why.”
They fell silent for a time, the ship lightly creaking around them.
Stevic turned onto his side to face her and toyed with a copper strand of her hair. “Well, this squirrel,” he said, “is ready to make good use of this cabin tonight before Captain Humble takes over in the morning.”
“Should I be worried you’ll grow a bushy tail?”
“Oh,” he said, “it is not a bushy tail you need worry about, my dear dueling colonel.”
“Then why don’t you show me what I should be worried about, hmm?”
“Gladly.” He was more than pleased when she responded to him with equal enthusiasm.
He determined there would only be smooth sailing to return his precious red-haired “cargo” home.