Cloaks

Chapter 4: Captain and Commander

"You got that?" Malakos asked Bardy as the goblin disappeared.

"Yeah," he responded. "Let's regroup."

The two of them retrieved Deruque and Ruby, and returned to the main building. As they climbed the ladder, Malakos turned to the rangers.

"Okay," he said. "This is very delicate. When we get to the top, let me do the talking."

"Yeah, no," Bardy said, slipping underneath him on the rope ladder and climbing up ahead of him. "You leave this to the bard—my charisma is a force of nature."

Before Malakos could stop him, he had climbed to the top and approached the guards. By the time the rest of the party had boarded the platform, the guards were saluting and opening the door for him and the team, as Bardy beckoned them, his grin holding the maximum amount of smug per square inch that could fit on his diminutive face.

"So," Bardy said. "Let's spread out. The princess may be here voluntarily, even aiding and abetting the rebel efforts; but we still need to locate her, maybe talk her into coming back and calming her dad down."

"We also need to find out what these guys are up to. We know, from the children, that they do some humanitarian things in town. We've heard, from the king, that they do some rebel harassment at the palace. We've overheard, from some of the members here, that they do some robbery things toward nobles, to fund the humanitarian things. But I know, from what I can see happening around us--" Malakos gestured to the various groups of trainees, the armor being assembled on the tables "--that what they're doing here is building up to something bigger, more organized. I want to know what that is."

"Revolution," Deruque breathed, the word rolling deliciously in his mouth.

"The job first," Bardy insisted. "After we finish it and part ways, you can re-kidnap the princess and join her here, if you want. I'll be sure to listen for tales of your heroics from the bardic grapevine."

"Actually, he may be on to something," Malakos said. "Searching for the princess in this labyrinth could take weeks, by which time we're sure to be noticed. If we get recruited, however, we could look for her with more impunity–maybe even just ask where she is."

"Good idea," Ruby said, giving Malakos a push toward the two commanders who were still deep in discussion. "Why don't you get us in, while we blend in to look around a little more?"

"Uh," Malakos started, but the rest of the team had already dispersed.

"Right, then," Malakos steeled himself and approached the armored figure, noticing, too late, that the leonin had left.

"Excuse me," he said. "Would you be Captain Rykard?" Malakos had been careful, earlier, to listen in on any conversations he could overhear. Names were invaluable tools when it came to earning trust. 'Captain Rykard' was one that had been thrown around a great deal–the scarred leonin commander it belonged to seemed to be held in high regard and even fondness by most of the troops. If Malakos could nudge this other authority figure–the captain's equal, or possibly superior officer, with whom he seemed to be on good terms–into introducing him to the leonin, he'd already have a foothold into his good graces, and from there, the rest of the troops: including, perhaps their elusive rebel princess.

"No," the figure growled and nodded in the direction of the scarred leonin. "Over there."

"Oh, thank you. We needed to discuss our recruitment–an orc we met on the road from Thistleton said to talk to him."

"No," the figure growled again. "That'd be my job."

"O-oh, recruitment is–oh, okay, yes, of course." Malakos gave a twitchy smile. This was...not going to be the brief interaction he had hoped for. While the leonin was nearly twice the size of the leathern commander, the latter was twice as disconcerting, in Malakos's mind. There was something off-putting about the lack of facial expression–or, really, any kind of distinguishing feature beyond the armor–or maybe it was something about the commander's silent presence or general aura. Either way, Malakos felt an almost palpable pressure around his ears as he began talking.