No Good Deed

"Thank you, Samuel."

"For what?"

"For taking on the brunt of the conversation, and keeping that foul oaf distracted from laying his hands on me any further. You promised to assist with the putting on of appearances tonight, and you have more than lived up to your word."

Samuel smiled at her. "You're quite welcome, Sister. And I must say, as dreadful as the company may have been, the food was excellent. Easily the best meal I've ever eaten in the countryside. Remind me to compliment his cooks, if we ever get the chance to meet them."

The sound of someone softly knocking echoed across the common room. Samuel looked up, reaching for his dagger instinctively, but the sound hadn't come from the front door. Isobel stopped him with a hand on his arm, looking towards the bar and the galley.

"My lord, my lady," came a gentle voice they'd heard before. A woman stepped cautiously through the swinging door from the galley, and as she took down the hood of her cloak they recognized Clarissa, the woman serving them at the head table during the banquet. "I apologize for the disturbance, but I must speak with you."

"The clandestine manner of your entrance belies the importance," said Isobel. "I believed the rear entrance to this building to be locked."

"It, ah, it is, my lady."

"I see. Also, we have already been introduced. You may call me Isobel."

"Of course, my--" She caught herself, smiling nervously.

"Please," Samuel said, "take a seat. What troubles you?"

Clarissa sat, arranging her cloak about her and smoothing her clothes nervously as she did. "I hardly know where to begin, but our village is desperate and we have nowhere to turn. Our people toil for long hours and are beaten for no reason. Our land lord is a despot and a murderer--"

"A murderer?" exclaimed Samuel.

"Perhaps you should begin at the beginning," said Isobel.

"You're right, of course," Clarissa sighed. "My lady, I know that you are not a stranger to this village."

"That's correct."

"And when you were last here, our minister, Paul, was in charge."

"I remember him. He was a kind man."

"He was my brother," Clarissa said. "He was kind, and he did his best for us. But he was not the wisest when it came to knowing which way the winds were blowing. Of course you also know of the goblin tribe that lives in the Red Forest, and the troubles we have with them."

"Indeed I do. I have dealt with them before on behalf of the village."

"The rumor about town is that you somehow managed to forge diplomatic ties with their hobgoblin leaders."

"That is correct; I have found them receptive to such an approach."

"Whatever you were able to do, it worked. For a while, at least. After your last visit, we went an entire growing season without a single goblin raid. Our livestock flourished, and our harvest festival was the best we'd had in years. But then everything changed."

"What happened?" said Samuel.

"At the end of the growing season each year, we bring the livestock in from the grazing fields. It gets cold at night, and it's just easier to keep track of them if they're in the barns. It's also safer, because the goblins prefer to hit the outlying fields where our militia can't get to them fast enough. And then one night, out of nowhere, a band of goblins attacked. They actually came all the way into town and set fire to one of the barns. We put it out, but they made off with most of a flock of sheep, and killed whatever they couldn't carry."

"But you said they hadn't been raiding you at all?"

"Up until that night, they hadn't. I don't know what happened -- maybe we got lazy, or just stopped paying attention. But that was the first time they'd ever come into the town like that, and people got scared."

"Something must have driven them further out of the woods, or made them more desperate," said Isobel.

"And how does this relate to Lord Erick?" said Samuel.

"As I said, we got scared. They turned to my brother for help, but he had no answers for them. We are not a warlike people, and Paul was not that kind of leader. But it was around that time that Lord Erick came to town. He told us he'd heard of the goblin raids and had been given the task of defending Harburg from invasion. I was suspicious, but Paul seemed happy to have someone there who wanted to take charge and knew what he was talking about, at least in terms of defense."

"That seems fairly reasonable, as these things go," said Samuel.

"But it didn't make any sense," Clarissa insisted. "It hadn't even been a full week since the raid. No one had come to visit Harburg since, and we sent no messengers asking for help. Unless Paul took it upon himself to seek aid through some other means, I don't know how anyone could have heard about our troubles. And I mean no offense to the Queen, but when have her lords ever acted that swiftly in service of one of the outlying villages?"

"Are you suggesting Lord Erick had something to do with the goblin raids?" said Isobel.

"I don't know how he could have done," said Clarissa, "but there has to be some explanation."

"Go on," prompted Samuel.

"Erick started gathering up volunteers to train for a new militia. It wasn't hard to get people interested; there's not a lot going on around here in the winter, and other than the fact that he had them drilling outside I think folks were happy to feel like we were doing something. But the raids kept coming."

"It sounds like you were prepared for them, though."

Clarissa laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "Hardly," she said. "We're still farmers and tavern-keepers at heart. Sure, we fought off the goblins, and we didn't lose as much livestock as before, but we buried four villagers that weekend. Often it was fewer than that, but sometimes it wasn't. Soon enough, the entire town was clamoring for more."

"More what?"

"I don't know, exactly. More weapons? More militia? More blood. More anything. Paul knew that the goblins had been willing to negotiate in the past, and he wanted to hold out for your next visit. He tried to calm people with prayers, saying that life on the frontier was hard and that we had enough reserves to get through, but they wouldn't listen. Too many of them had developed a taste for blood, thanks to Erick's warmongering. Erick promised us better defenses and the chance to take the fight to the goblins instead of sitting back and waiting for them to attack us."

Samuel frowned. "Exactly what they wanted to hear."

"Paul knew it wasn't the right solution. He always believed in trying to live in balance, sometimes to a fault. But the voices against him were much louder than those on his side. As I said, Paul wasn't always the best at reading the winds of change, but even he could see how the people were rallying around Erick. He decided he couldn't wait any more, and so--" Clarissa choked up, wiping a tear from her eye. "So he went to visit the goblins himself."

"Surely he didn't go alone?"

"He wanted to, but I talked him out of it. He refused to bring an army, lest the goblins misunderstand his purpose. But he agreed to allow Stella, one of the militia captains who also thought peace was possible, to go with him."

A chill fell over the room as Clarissa went quiet.

"You don't need to say it," said Samuel gently.

Clarissa shook her head. "But I need you to hear it," she said, "so you will know what I know." She took a deep breath, steeling herself to continue the story. "They didn't come back. You know that already. But it wasn't the goblins that killed them."

"How can you be so sure?" said Samuel.

"Because I found their bodies," said Clarissa, her eyes growing red with tears of anger, "and goblins don't use bows and arrows."

"They don't?" said Isobel.

"No," said Samuel, "she's right. Spears, light swords, occasionally axes, but they're not strong enough for bows."

"I didn't notice at first," said Clarissa. "I sat and cried for a long time when I found them. It wasn't until I started trying to gather Paul's belongings that I looked more closely. I found a loose arrow lying on the ground near where he'd fallen, and then noticed an arrowhead embedded in a wound. Whoever killed him -- whoever killed them both -- knew enough to break off the arrow shafts and take them with them, so it would look like they'd died from spear wounds."

"Bandits," said Samuel.

Clarissa withdrew a pouch from her cloak and opened it, revealing a ring and a golden holy symbol of Talor. "This is our family's signet ring," she said, turning her hand over to reveal an identical ring on her finger. "If bandits killed them, they'd have taken everything of value, including the holy symbol and the ring. And probably his finger with it."

"Hunters, then?"

"Where would they come from? We're the only settlement for leagues, and we don't hunt those woods. Hunters would have to show up in our market to trade their game, or circumvent Harburg completely and travel to the next town over. And why would they kill Paul and Stella in the first place?"

Samuel considered her story. "I see your point. But you are a long way from being able to accuse your land lord of murder."

"I know he's responsible, somehow. But I have no proof. That's why I haven't told anyone else. Other people have spoken up in favor of trying to recover Paul's body, but Erick insists it's too dangerous. He insists a lot of things are too dangerous, mostly because he didn't think of them first. I couldn't even bury my brother where he lay, because if I'm right and Erick somehow found out what I knew..." Clarissa began to tear up again, and blew her nose on her sleeve. "Anyway, without Paul, the town needed a new governor. Erick was the obvious choice. And that's when things got bad."

"I have noticed a downturn in the general demeanor," Isobel said.

"It happened so fast," Clarissa said, shaking her head. "One day, Paul and Erick are arguing about how to handle the goblin tribe. The next day Paul is gone, and it seemed like the day after that we started logging the forest. The militia captains started bossing people around, telling everyone what to do and when to do it. People who spent their lives working in the fields or tending to the flocks were sent to the forest to chop trees, or to hew timber, or to build the fortifications you see out there now. Anybody that spoke up about it got shouted down by the warhawks, or worse."

"Worse?"

"Whipped for making trouble," Clarissa said, "and sent out into the same forest he said it was too dangerous to go into before. We don't know what to do anymore. Erick has taken our entire lives away from us. We tried gathering for services at the chapel and found that he'd turned the place into his court room and personal residence. He barked at us all to get back to work and slammed the door in our faces. Even this place," she said. "I used to run that galley; that's how I knew how to sneak in here tonight. Now the tavern is closed, unless His Lordship demands it, and he treats me like his personal serving-maid."

"I've heard enough," said Samuel, "above what I've already seen with my own eyes."

"Does that mean you'll help us?"

"Yes. We're going to get your town back."

Clarissa jumped out of her seat to hug him. "Oh, thank you, sir, thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet," he said.

"Am I correct in assuming that no one else knows of your visit this evening?" said Isobel.

"Very few," Clarissa replied. "I have some close friends here who we can rely on for assistance. And believe me, the town will come to our side when it matters."

"I hope you are correct," said Isobel.

"Thank you again," Clarissa said. "I knew you would help us."

Samuel nodded, and Clarissa disappeared back through the galley, putting her hood up and bustling her cloak about herself as she left. Isobel turned to look at Samuel, who was deep in thought and had a scowl on his face.

"I was not aware that the paladin's oath included the eviction of land lords."

"You led me to believe that you were used to helping the villagers with their problems."

"Problems, yes, such as a dispute over land, or to divine the true father of a child. But I feel quite certain that the Queen did not send me here to forcibly remove one of her lords from his seat of power, no matter how loathsome he may be."

"Indeed she did not," Samuel said, "but I feel compelled to point out that I see some immediate flaws in your statement."

"Flaws?" Isobel replied, raising an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"The first is the implication that the seat of power belongs to Lord Erick."

"Demonstrably true; he is the reigning governor of this town."

"And yet, the Queen does not look kindly on assassination as a method of transferring power, which makes his claim illegitimate. One that is unlikely to be contested, but illegitimate none the less."

"So you believe that Paul was somehow killed on Erick's order."

"I do. And even if I did not, the 'downturn in the general demeanor', as I believe you put it, would give me ample reason to support an action against him. Despite her seat on the throne, the Queen also does not look kindly on authoritarians."

"True enough. What other errors have you found in my assertion?"

"At no point did I say I intended to use force to remove Lord Erick from this village."

"I should very much like to know how you intend to remove him, then."

"Why, with your assistance, of course. But first, I believe we have some goblins to deal with."

Chapter 5

Samuel was preparing breakfast in the galley the next morning when a villager burst through the door of the tavern. "Good mornin' to yeh!" he shouted. "Compliments of-- oh, er, begging your pardon, miss."

Isobel, hovering slightly over the floor of the common room in meditation, opened her eyes and looked at the man with some annoyance. "Yes?"

"Uh, Lord Erick, miss, sent me over with a bag of food for your trip," he stammered.

"Leave it there," she said, indicating one of the tables and closing her eyes again.

"Right," he said, dropping the bag on the table and slowly backing towards the exit, staring at Isobel the entire time. He bumped into the open door where he'd left it, quickly spun around and exited, slamming the door behind him.

Samuel pushed through the galley doors with two plates of food in his hands. "What was that all about?"

"Lord Erick has bestowed his bounty upon us," she said. Samuel was getting better at picking up the subtleties in Isobel's generally calm and even voice, but the sarcasm was obvious.

"Four pieces of hardtack, two apples, the remains of a tart from last night's feast, and half a loaf of stale bread," he said, looking through the bag. "And that horrible crest of his hastily embroidered on the outside. If this is what he gives the Queen's dignitaries, I'd hate to see what he gives his enemies."

"After last night, I believe we will be better served by assuming that he does not see us as friends. In any case, the food is unnecessary. The trip is not that long and we can forage better from the forest."

"Agreed. Come, eat your breakfast. I'm eager to get moving."

"Never hurry a mage, Samuel. I will come when I am ready."

"Of course. My apologies," he said, grinning.

They rode out on one the empty lumber wagons, making conversation with the villager driving the horses. The loggers had cleared a significant plot of land under Erick's direction, and the villager pointed out the stumps that were left behind, dotting a field that approached the size of one of Harburg's larger grazing pastures. As they reached the edge of the forest, the two of them hopped off the cart to continue on foot. Isobel guided them away from the logging operation and deeper into the forest.

"How will we find the cave?"

"I am familiar with its location. I've been there several times," Isobel said casually.

"And you've negotiated peace deals with them? Several times?"

"Indeed. I have found the hobgoblins to be an eminently reasonable people. Somewhat more so than their smaller goblin cousins, which is why they often hold the positions of tribal leadership."

"I admit, I have not tried to reason with one before. From what I've seen, they respect strength over most anything else."

"They may well surprise you. Try to keep an open mind."

"I'll do my best."

The forest opened up around them as they walked. Sunlight shone between the trees, making mottled patterns on the forest floor. After an hour or two they paused near a fast-moving brook, finding a bush full of ripe berries to snack on.

"What are our assets?" Samuel said, out of the blue.

"Assets?"

"Yes. What are we prepared to give up?"

"I don't understand."

"We are going to negotiate a peace treaty with the goblin tribe, are we not?"

"I suppose so."

"Where I come from, treaty negotiations are the very peak of ceremony and formality, two subjects that you have made it abundantly clear that you do not enjoy. I don't know how you managed to negotiate with this tribe in the past, but if you would like my assistance, I need to know where we stand at the very least. Thus: what are we trying to accomplish, and what are we prepared to give up?"

Isobel laughed. "Ah, Samuel. You are correct. I am not used to traveling with the Queen's Guard, or at least, not one who is so well suited for this kind of work. Very well, let us tally up our position. The core of Lord Erick's request, if I may call it that, is for the goblins' raids to cease. Call that a peace treaty if you wish."

"Is that all? Do we have no other demands?"

"Guaranteeing the safety of the village is the only thing of importance I can see. Erick did not seem to care how we accomplished that goal."

"If I were to play the goblins' part, I would venture that the same is true for them. What do they chiefly need?"

"Prey for the hunt. They make their home in a deep cave and do not farm the same way we do, so hunting is their primary source of sustenance. They are in little danger otherwise; the villagers do not generally come into the forest to attack them, so the land is no more dangerous to them than it is to us."

"But they attack the village, when there is not enough prey to feed their tribe. And a goblin by itself is no match for a human, even a farmer. How many of them are there?"

"Goblins breed quite quickly. I would venture that there are more of them than there are villagers in Harburg, but beyond that, I do not know."

"Interesting."

"I am impressed that you seem willing to play this game seriously on Lord Erick's behalf."

"You misunderstand me, Sister. I am not playing for him; I am playing for the rest of the village."

"Well put. Shall we continue?"

------

"It's just through here," Isobel said, leading them into a dense copse of trees. As they pushed through the foliage, a large cave opening appeared in the side of the hill.

"T'chok!" Samuel stumbled to a halt as Isobel yelled into the clearing. "Dok sangtach auslichen ich passen. Joot omach kaffentach." They heard a clattering noise from the cave, but no one emerged.

"What did you say?" said Samuel.

"Oh, of course, you don't speak Goblin," said Isobel. She drew a sigil in the air and touched Samuel's helmet. His ears burned for a moment, but it faded to a soft tingle. "I merely announced our presence and asked to see the leader of their clan. The translation magic isn't perfect; Goblin is a very idiomatic language, full of colorful phrases. You should know, for instance, that their word for 'human' will sound like--"

"[Come with us, blood-stealers.]"

A party of short, green-skinned humanoids emerged at the mouth of the cave, spears drawn and looking both frightened and suspicious. The goblin who spoke stood in the middle of the group, carrying a torch in one hand and something that looked like a metal scepter in the other. Samuel stepped in front of Isobel and reached for his sword, but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.