The Merchant Who Would be King

A Rough Start

The wagons joined the line waiting to exit the city, using the same gate that Hadiin and Marian had used when they'd first come to Belleville. Another small wagon, a hand cart and several people on foot or on horse were ahead of them, likely destined for hunting and gathering in the area immediately around the city, or citizens of the few tiny hamlets within a day's ride. The Watch waved most through with a cursory glance, though they did a cursory peek into the cart and wagon.

When Hadiin pulled his wagon up between the guards, one of them lifted his scruffy face and a feeling of unease hit Hadiin's gut. It was Thorton, the corrupt member of the Watch who had proved so difficult over the ice cream recipe, someone who probably thought he had reason to hate Hadiin or to get back at him.

The guard slowly smiled with recognition, a smile that was neither friendly nor warm, but cold and calculating instead. "If it isn't my old friend. Heading out of town?"

He kept his voice emotionless but polite. "Yes."

"Well, you wouldn't mind if I had a good look inside that wagon. Gotta do my job, right? And," he craned his neck to look at Marian and the other wagon behind, "is that yours as well?" The grin turned malicious. "Better get comfortable. We'll be here a while." He walked off towards a male youth sullenly slouched against the wall of the house next to the road.

Lucia gave Hadiin a curious and worried look. "What's going on? You know him?"

Mentally cursing, he relayed to Lucia why the guard had a grudge.

She tsked. "Petty man."

Thorton had a quick, whispered word with the teen and the latter slunk off very quickly, disappearing between houses.

Hadiin's feeling turned into one of foreboding. "I think we might be in trouble."

She had caught the conversation with the boy. "You think he's tipping Weesely off?"

"Probably."

Her gaze took in the situation around them. "Two other guards. I doubt they're carrying magical weapons. None seem like spellcasters." She bit her lip. "But fighting our way through is no good. They'll chase. Put a bounty on us. The quest in Mayfair will be cancelled."

"Weesely probably won't try anything here at the gate."

"No. He'll wait until we're outside of it and out of sight of town before striking. And we're not exactly well prepared. No offence to Ravellis, she seems like a nice woman, but just as amateur as me or your sorceress. I doubt the others in her party are much better. And Weesely will either come himself or send experienced hired muscle."

"We have Corvinus though. He's gold ranks. That's high, right?"

"But he's just one person," Lucia countered, not optimistic.

Thorton returned, looking smug. He waved to one of the other two guards. "Let's check these wagons. Make a real thorough search." He gave the other a knowingly look and not-so-sly wink.

The other guard gave a conspiratorial smile and very slowly sauntered towards Marian's wagon.

Hadiin and Lucia both groaned.

Feeling helpless, Hadiin couldn't help but comment to the corrupt guard as the latter made his way to the rear of the wagon. "Try not to let the mimic bite you."

"Mimic? What?" He yanked back the rear cover of the wagon, exposing the mimic chest. It must have done something because he yelped and jumped back, then cursed a blue streak.

The search was very methodical and very slow. Quite the lineup of other travellers built up and then passed around them to see the third guard. It took almost thirty minutes before Thorton declared himself satisfied.