The Champion's Companion Ch. 13

Most diplomatic missions double as spy houses in the eventual hopes that subterfuge and misinformation can save lives back home. Menthino, like the Sisterhood, and several other cities and states, pushes for every possible advantage in foreign courts.

"Likely nobody would know, most times the senate or the Guild make the rules lately. Royal decrees that we get our hands on aren't sealed like that, or even signed." The ambassador said shrugging. "How about I get you some rooms ready? I have an open invitation to present you in the senate. If you would like we can go in tomorrow."

"That sounds excellent." Marcos said turning.

Ambassador Pennion motioned with his drink for a servant. "Good, but do stay for a moment I have a man sent a long way here for you." He said and motioned with his other hand for another servant who sped off in another direction. The women, and Prince Carthin, followed the first servant up the stairs and away to get settled in.

"Ah, let's sit." Said the ambassador sinking into a chair.

Marcos was aware how the man seemed to quietly take charge of the room and so far directed everything. He had no intention of getting in a pissing contest or killing this seemingly useful agent of the Crown.

"Thank you but I will have to see him in private. Tomorrow we will have much to discuss." Marcos said remaining standing.

"Sounds quite reasonable." The ambassador said slightly dejected.

Marcos reasoned that drunk or not the man was a shrewd and skillful actor. Likely the ideal person to be left here as Menthino dealt with Sellis.

"Tell me how long have you been here?" Marcos asked, knowing the man had been here thirteen years and was married twice to merchant's daughters of a foreign then a local family.

"Little more than a decade, but I'll never get tired of working here. I trained up in Munklin for years with those crazy barbarians, but Sellis is crazy in its own special ways." Ambassador Pennion said candidly.

Marcos nodded. "I'm sure you have evacuation routes planned in case we need to leave quickly?"

"Yes, actually it's a badly kept secret how easy it is to get out of the city." The ambassador replied chuckling.

Marcos snorted. "What the sewers? We've heard of that even in Mavvus. Please find a more creative way. I don't want assassins all over the prince if he needs to flee. He may still be useful." Marcos instructed.

A large wide muscular man was shown in by a servant as the two spoke. The man had light hair and grey eyes. He was suntanned and stood at six feet. He wore knee high leather boots with dark pants tucked in and a red shirt under a leather jacket.

"Ah, this would be the man, let me leave you in privacy." The ambassador said hopping up to take his leave.

After a moment, the man took the ambassador's seat. He sat still quietly while studying Marcos with a blank face.

"So what message do you have for me?" Marcos asked as he placed a knee on the seat across from him. His swords kept him from enjoying plush seats sometimes.

"I am captain of a sixty man detachment of our heavy assault infantry sent into Sellis' port to assist you. I am told to report and work in whatever way you see fit." The man said in an understated low voice.

"Thank you I will likely need you to stay here. Tomorrow bring two of your best men to make a show of guarding the prince." Marcos said. He had a growing plan in his head that was starting to take shape. "Is... Colonel Vieght onboard?" he asked with hope and dread.

"Yes sir, He was curious what could draw you out. He is at the harbor with the men."

Long ago, the colonel and five other men had been survivors of a vampire attack. Of the six, only two kept from going insane after the nightmare of their capture. The men had spiraled into various self-destructive behaviors and eventually died taking a great many human and vampire lives with them. The colonel understood and shared Marcos' burning hatred of vampires because of what he became. Of the four who went crazy he had killed one himself to protect a town. The colonel and the other man who had become a general lived on by throwing themselves into their work and defending Menthino. Both had become Marcos' trusted hands in times of crisis and chaos.

Despite their sacrifice, neither could ever enter Marcos' protected city of Mavvus again. They instead had roving warrants of inspection to travel where they wished doing what needed to be done. Colonel Vieght, like Marcos, was an excellent light infantryman. He was skilled as a ranger, an assassin, or as a scout. He trained the heavily armored assault infantrymen based in Pessilberg on the assassin's skills of stalking, urban ambushes, and covert operations. The arts were only useful for the Palace guards since the heavy assault was never used in ambushes. Nevertheless, the large men learned priceless lessons and became swift on their feet and comfortable out of their armor shells.

"Good, that will be all. Have the two men in here by tomorrow night." Marcos said and rose spinning to the door. Behind him, the captain silently crept off.

"If you've heard enough, I would like to be shown to my room." Marcos said to the figure he knew to be behind him at the doorway.

"Ah, yes Milord." Came a squeaky reply from a young maid. She peaked around and Marcos was surprised by her young age. She was short, light brown haired, and lightly tanned. Her hair was pig tailed and her wide eyes seemed wet and innocent. "My apologies Milord, I only stayed to show you to your room after the meeting."

"Very well lead on woman." Marcos said dismissively.

His thoughts centered on the girl and resolved to find out if she was a spy for the ambassador or someone outside. As he walked to the room, he guessed she was only eighteen but certainly seemed younger. His eyes didn't see any hidden weapons in obvious places, but his women in the tower didn't carry one blade either and they were considerably more lethal than anyone could ever guess.

"Miss, have you been with the house long?" Marcos asked as they went up the stairs. He still watched her intensely and readied his left arm to strike.

"Ah no, only within this year milord." The maid replied.

"You must learn not to stand too close to talking people in this place, it is more than rude." Marcos said warningly.

"Yes Milord I understand I will do that of course," She said turning her head. "This is your room sir, please enjoy your stay with us."

Marcos walked in before realizing he hadn't asked if she were a local. Her accent was flat and he didn't hear any western influence.

Inside his room, Kaarthen sat in a chair facing the door and seemed to be polishing Lourndai idly and seemed on edge. Behind her, Mara had the dozens of knives she carried laid out around her on the bed. Both women were quietly tense and watchful.

"Have you noticed anything?" Marcos asked but knew without being told.

"The first room they gave us had an open listening panel in it. I didn't find anything in here but I'm not able to relax anymore. Ein and Rinis have barricaded the prince in a room across from us. They didn't search the room yet so they are staying quiet and acting normal." Kaarthen reported. "If we could get better service in this city at an inn I would suggest leaving, but they seem weird about foreigners here."

"Who was foreigner?" Marcos asked interested. In most diplomatic missions, a majority of the staff were natives.

"It seems that the servants and the maids here are though they hide it well." Kaarthen replied. "I'm able to notice those things since most people I'm around are strange and exotic to me." She fibbed.

The goddess within her told her exactly what the people surrounding her were thinking. The men and women in this place were almost all here stealing and selling information. Marcos wasn't yet supposed to understand her abilities or the fact that the goddess took residence within her mind, but he could still share the knowledge she gained.

"Interesting, Mara I want you to keep an eye on a young maid about your height but very young looking. If you think her snooping, kill her immediately. Kaarthen help her out if you notice any others, I don't like people seeing what's going on." Marcos ordered.

He crossed the room and lay across the couch on Kaarthen's left with his feet to the door. No one felt like fucking in the tense situation they were in. They knew they were invulnerable but they didn't want to advertise.

Several hours later, as the creaks around them settled, they heard a muffled scuffle from the next room. Kaarthen was the first out the door followed by Marcos. Across the hall, the prince sat against the bed's headboard tied by his wrist.

Rinis at on the foot of the bed with two stilettos in her right hand. Ein stood over the body of a man in a black Safi leather body suit. She gripped twin daggers loosely in either hand as she looked into his dead dark eyes. Vertical slashes exposed two steel plates that covered his upper chest. A small horizontal slit between the plates showed where Ein had made it into the man's heart.

The man seemed short and muscular and had dark spiky short hair that seemed greased or sweaty. He still clutched a long straight single edge dagger of black steel in his right hand. The arm that held it was slashed repeatedly along the inside making it useless before the man died. Marcos assessed that despite her size she cut through the Safi fairly easily with numerous critical cuts.

Marcos turned from the body. "First, Ein are you okay?"

"Yes, Master. I was moving too fast to be scared. At first, I couldn't cut him and I got frantic. After that...He died." She said flatly staring at the body in virgin wonder. She just learned what all the training did to a living breathing target. It was a good lesson but staring would lead to nightmares or hesitation.

"Don't look at him anymore go to our bedroom." Marcos snapped then paused. He didn't want to make this experience negative for her. He hugged her quickly before pulling back to look at her. "Hold on a second, you did well Ein. You cut past the Safi with what looks like a dozen strikes. Exactly as trained, you destroyed his ability to fight and pressed in quickly. I don't care that he won't answer any questions, he might have escaped. It seems you adapted and got past the hard armor also." Marcos said noting the slashes that dented steel as he squatted down and checked for pockets. Kaarthen pushed her breast milk on everyone and it was turning these women into monsters, him too for that matter.

"Don't feel pity for those like this who attack you. You will kill more, and sometimes they may not be as worthy. Some people can't shake the memory of the faces and it haunts them for what they did, and who they left behind. You'll live too long to be stuck in that nightmare so I want you to leave and know that this man lived by the blade and he just died by it." Marcos continued and started rolling the body in a carpet.

Marcos easily found the opened wall panel the assassin entered from that led out to a ledge outside. Marcos dumped the body out from whence it came. This was supposed to be his diplomatic mission and yet they got the most compromised rooms. That little fuck up nearly scrubbed his mission and would have caused a diplomatic and political nightmare. Already this city was stinking of treason, and subversion.

The night past uneventfully after the scuffle and the group was down early for breakfast. Everyone was alert but their expressions and appearance belied the fact that none had any meaningful sleep the night before. They sat quietly in the dining room until a surprised butler came in still wearing bedclothes.

"I apologize for the late breakfast, the schedule kept by the ambassador is later than perhaps what you must be used to. Perhaps, I could serve tea in the lounge downstairs until our cooks arrive." The man said tiredly.

Grumbling the group went downstairs. The butler came down dressed in livery with tea and hard crackers for them. Marcos mixed brandy into his drink and Kaarthen, Mara, and Ein passed the bottle around too.

By mid morning the group was tensed, irritated, buzzed, and dangerously close to eating anything that stopped in front of them long enough.

"Ah good morning! Can I have breakfast with you all?" Said the ambassador sweeping into the room. He was wearing a light green robe that disgusted Marcos. It was fresh looking, but it occurred to him that it was little more than an expensive sleeping robe.

"Breakfast sounds fucking excellent. Will we also have lunch before going to the court?" Marcos snipped.

The cheery ambassador missed the comment but frowned at the empty brandy bottle. "Oh no sir we'll be along after lunch. I'm glad to be in the presence of such beauties. Are they gifts for the crown? Sellis has grown quite dissatisfied with us since the Queen demanded all traded be done in gold standard weight currency."

Marcos smirked at the comment. The wily Queen was going to bilk them for what she could before she shut down trade completely and starved their asses.

"I'm not here for those discussions." Marcos responded flatly. He marveled at how overnight he stopped trusting the Crown's diplomatic officer despite thinking him an excellent speaker and soft styled negotiator less the twenty four hours ago.

The ambassador tried a different tack. "Well they will certainly ask for such fine specimens since in diplomacy all things are related."

"Perhaps. Ambassador please let's eat quickly, the prince has a condition." Marcos gestured and led the way.

"Oh? Then I must have the same condition." He responded rubbing his stomach.

The group sat and dropped all politeness as they gorged. The stress they felt was masked by the excellent food in heaping portions. Marcos found himself watching the ambassador eat trying to see if he missed or spared certain foods.

Starving a target only to poison them was a tactic used in some courts so he couldn't be too careful. Despite his immortality, swallowing crushed glass would make him wish he could die.

The ambassador spoke after a lull. "Well sir, I see you were up early and waiting shall I have the house open the kitchen earlier for you?"

"Yes that would be excellent." Marcos replied pushing back from the table.

"My servants should get an idea of how long you will be staying." The ambassador asked.

Marcos slammed his utensils down loudly. "Ambassador Pennion you are very qualified for this post but for the remainder of my stay I will need to be left in privacy as I execute my orders from the Crown. I cannot answer questions, and I believe in order to maintain secrecy I will need to be treated with discretion." Marcos stated loudly shamelessly resting his gold gauntlet on the table. "After you present me in court I will take over from there. You may continue to serve normally or you can stay here and drink until I leave. But, you may not question or interfere with me or any of my activities."

The Ambassador blanched at the veiled threats.

"Okay well..." He waved over and whispered to a servant. "The horses will take us in a carriage to the senate. The streets will fill up soon, and the senate is just now starting to get to business."

"Excellent, I'll try not to start a war while I'm here." Marcos lied with a smile.

The carriage ride took them a short distance straight down the street to the Senate building. An old theater was used for the building. Inside Marcos was surprised by the open air chamber. The auditorium was decorated in dark blue and green silk along the walls. The floor of the stage was covered in plush purple carpet, but it did little to hide the original nature of the room.

In the center of the stage's background, the King of Sellis sat enthroned. He was a light golden brown haired man of thirty who seemed aged with his thick trimmed beard. He wore layers of brown leather trimmed with ermine, and the same color of disgusting green silk that the ambassador wore. The Queen's seat was empty to his right and several attendants and advisors in expensive silk and satin stood to his left. Marcos had adjusted his robe to look less menacing.

The activities stopped as the old men in the senate spotted the prince among the group. The ambassador waited for the man at arms to announce them after introducing the six.

"Honorable members of the Senate of Sellis present today are The Crown Prince of Sellis, Ambassador Pennion of Menthino, the King's First Knight Panthi of Menthino, and his Companion High Priestess Panthi."

Kaarthen almost giggled at the use of Marcos' family name. He hadn't told anyone to do that and it shock him slightly she could see. She figured the ambassador was trying to snub him by causing discord.

The ambassador led Marcos and the prince up to the stage. Kaarthen stayed back watching while her angels looked everything over.

The ambassador with grace and comfort that came with his red cheeks and bloodshot eyes spoke loudly to the crowd. "I am here to present these two gentlemen who traveled into this great city last night." He said and stepped aside.

Macros moved forward as he addressed the senate in turn. "Greeting senators. I have brought with me the Crown Prince of this city." He said emphasizing the last word. "He was useful and properly educated within our royalty for nearly a year. Menthino cannot in this trying time for Sellis rob them of their heir. We are returning him with our compliments and we feel our bond is redeemed through this." He finished with a bow while the senators tried to understand what he actually said.

One old man simply asked straight out what he wanted to know since the first words in a negotiation were useless anyway.

"Menthino has changed its trade practices and isn't taking equivalent trade to settle accounts. Your Queen has asked for outright purchase of all goods."

Marcos nodded dispassionately. "Yes, we have heard Sellis is not using a based value currency any longer and seems to be losing capital. We will not accept floating value currency. Also we changed our trade to ensure a steady flow of currency for our neighbors." Marcos lied. He knew the guild was hoarding money despite the impoverishment of the government, and they would all eventually find out that Menthino doesn't usually pay other cities in currency.

The old man kept up. "Our debts can continue to be paid. The economy of this great growing nation is strong and serves its people with some of the best minds." The old man chanted looking around wildly.

"What of the Royalty question?" The king asked from behind him. "Our valuable prince was sent to show our important ties."

Marcos stepped back to address him. "Perhaps, but he is needed here. We have decided your city is at a crucial moment. Economically it is hemorrhaging vast amounts of capital into a new untested and independent economic consortium. The people in neighboring areas are in dire straights and prone to unrest." He reported truthfully. "The prince needs to be here to learn what he can't in Menthino, averting a mess of his own people's making, the precious art of pulling in the support of the people, and opening markets by decentralizing trade. Our assessment says only one small group is making money here, the rest are losing out, or losing opportunities."

A mumble built into a roar as Marcos gave voice to a something he hoped they knew or at least felt. The old men in senate gestured wildly and it seemed obvious that those from Sellis had to defend their actions and positions with those who sat among them from the other towns.

"The guild is a national treasure." The King started but was interrupted by the loud calls.

Marcos noted his stressed expression as he tried to voice himself.

"At the very least open the guild to currency valued trading." Marcos shouted bringing in a fresh round of loud haggling.