Silver Wolfs

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vale could not remember slipping into unconsciousness when he finally woke up in small and strange surroundings, but then again he also thought he had done well against Troy. He was in a spartanly furnished room with only the bed he lay in, a dresser, and mirror taking up a quarter of the small room, leaving an pointlessly irritating emptiness in the remainder. A square window carried light into the room, making it even more depressing. Looking at the nothingness seemed to spark some memories of what had he last remembered transpiring.

Vale knew he had said too much the moment he finished his insult against Troy. He hated pride and the irrationality it caused in a man, pride and alcohol didn’t mix particularly well. The concoction left one believing in false misgivings, and the pride of the imagined affront lingered long after the alcohol had been slept off. Vale knew his insult hit a fresh memory in Troy’s mind. “How could I have been so stupid and self-absorbed?” But Vale had said it, Troy had attempted to kill him, and it would only escalate after he realized Vale was still alive.

Several months ago he had been placed under trial for the possible rape of a girl, which had in turn placed the entire Silver under ruthless scrutiny from the Ruling Council. Troy had “allegedly” raped a young orphan girl of fourteen years after beating her brother into submission, and left her with her mind and body broken, and a brother with a thirst for blood and revenge. The girls brother had spent months attempting to find Troy, and since then has caused enormous uproar and mistrust of the Silvers, proving him to be an efficient rabble-rouser. That and the many men and women coming forward with more egregious crimes. The brother shouted from rooftops, in squares, markets, piazzas, anywhere people gathered in bulk.

He knew sooner or later the Silver itself would be called in the fray of it. The city guard didn’t possess the training required if riots spread throughout the city and it would then fall upon the Silver. But that would only make the unrest greater, with the Silver being the case for this unrest. Vale knew it would only fuel the speeches the brother was giving. Riots would end badly for the Council and the Potentate, which was already under stress from the neighboring Empires.

Vale knew the Empires were the ruling body of multiple despots and tyrants who rule their respective lands collectively and as allies. The tensions between Iragon and Bedin have begun to escalate as Eclipsle have been losing lands that both powers claim as their own in three-way border skirmishes that have begun between them and the two Empire factions. This infraction upon the treaties signed by the Empires and Eclipsle means that either The Empires alliances have begun to crumble or that they wish to expand their boarders into Eclipsle’s. Vale was not very worried about either prospects. He had faith that if they came to pass, their obvious superiority would cow the autocrats back to their pathetic nation.

It truly was, Vale realized, a shitty time for something, as trivial as a rape to be at the forefront of so many people’s minds. Not to say he didn’t sympathize with the brother who had to suffer through it all, but there were affairs of far greater importance happening right now. But Vale would punish Troy for stabbing him, which he hoped might also appease the rabble-rousing brother.

There was a knock at the door, and in walked a man in the most curious attire. His every movement clattered with the sound of dozens of tiny charms and beads and the like striking each other. It created a strangely lulling sound, peaceful and calm. He had on worn and plain brown leather armor, simple, but efficient by the look of how battered it was.