The Golden Scales

3: The verses of victory

"We've got a problem" Neven said, partially opening the window in the room and looking at the guards patrolling the streets.

"You're fucking with me, right?" Nihilus cursed "I thought we were partying and celebrating a victory. Oh, no, wait, we actually were! And here you go and get us into a fucking political conspiracy! And we haven't yet slain a troll, which was the only thing we needed to do to be admitted into the Guild and start getting some legal money. You only had to do one thing, get us a job. And you find two, and choose the bad one."

"Okay, yeah, I've screwed it up." She answered, sitting near the edge of the bed. "But, come on, you surely made mistakes as well."

Nihilus looked to the ceiling, his hands on the hips, as if thinking and making a gesture of remembering, but a mockery of it.

"Yes, but I don't remember any where I've basically put the whole kingdom against me." He looked at Ulfhärt "Did you ever have a kingdom against you?"

"Well, not a kingdom, but--"

"See? Kilau and you got us into this mess. And now the city guard is after us. That's why we can't have pretty things."

The red-haired lady, sitting in one of the room's chairs, murmured:

"I kept my life. I think it's pretty enough, sincerely."

"And you..." Nihilus turned to face her, his pallid yellow eyes contrasting her shining blue ones. "You are a vampiress!"

"Yes, I am" The noblewoman admitted. "And, please, don't act so surprised at this point. You wouldn't be the first one to joke about how us nobles suck the blood out of honourable peasants and workers." Nobody thought about that joke, but judging by the woman's tired expression, she seemed to have enough of it. "And if it weren't for you all, I would be dead. And I am quite grateful for it."

"And that's perfect." Ulfhärt interrupted her. "Though that leaves us with the small problem of having the whole city guard after us."

"Well, yes, it is a problem. Although not a surprising one, especially considering how the General controls it. After all, he is the Lord Guardian of the city, under whom the control of all military forces in the city falls. And also the firefighters, but those don't matter too much to us right now."

Kilau raised a hand.

"Okay, question: Why do we care about the city guard thing? They are a bunch of useless bastards."

"Because you killed a dozen of them and they are understandably angry and looking to the ones they call, and quite accurately I might add, criminals and assassins."

"Oi, professional assassin!" Kilau proudly nodded "Point me to a target and I'll prod it 'till it' dead."

"The thing is that the guard is not too mistaken in this case." Lady Elora continued, her expression clearly indicating she wasn't surprised by that comment on the slightest. "And I would intend on asking for your help. Of course, I would be willing to pay quite a hefty sum for your services, as it would be expected for both mercenaries and murderers."

Ulfhärt sighed loudly. He didn't like any of those two adjectives referred to him. Nichneven and Kri-ling didn't seem too comfortable with them either.

"I can imagine the General hates you because he found out you're a she-vampire, I guess." The monk said, his arms crossed in front of his chest and looking at the woman with suspicion.

"Well, that and I threatened to make his secret public if he revealed mine or got into my way."

"The fact that he's a shitty corrupt is public knowledge." Ulfhärt laughed.