The Rogue Knight

"Why did you flee your coven?" Vesian asked.

"They traffic with demons, sir. For all my life, they have offered sacrifices to dark powers in exchange for knowledge and power. My mother said it was time to initiate me into the practice. She and her sisters captured a woodsman from the village. They meant to make me bed him, then cut out his heart and offer it to Azeron, a demon of the hot depths. But I wanted no part of it, so I fled in the night. I took some of my mother's silver to hire a ship, but these men found me first."

"Do you know these men?"

"Only by reputation. My coven deals with them when they come into the city. The leader is Savarics, a man who deals in arcane relics and the indigo spice."

Vesian nodded in relief. While he still wished Savarics lived for interrogation, he could rest easy knowing he had not killed an innocent man. Thibault reached over his shoulder, holding out a brass key. Taking it from him, Vesian undid Ava's shackles.

"Thank you, sir," the witch said as she stood up and brushed herself off. She straightened her hair before continuing. "May I go, sirs? I wish to catch a ship before any more of my mother's associates find me."

"Hold a minute if you will. I want you to tell your story to the constable first. Then we will help you find a ship. But tell me, do you know of a man named Almaric? He is the reason why I came here."

"No, but he mentioned he was expecting a visitor in the next day or two. Perhaps that is your man?"

"It would fit well enough. I hope we are on the right track. Come, let us get you to the constable."

They left the bodies where they fell and returned to the constable's office, only to find that Odo had gone out to see to a brawl in the Cloth District. His clerk bid them wait until he returned. After some time, the constable returned with three prisoners in tow and after some discussion with his men came to Vesian, who told him what had transpired.

"Hm," Odo mused. "I should have liked to get my hands on Savarics before you killed him, but I suppose I will have to settle for this. I'll send a work crew to bring the dead to Nuaraine's Temple."

"We think Almaric will arrive at Savarics' house in a day or two," Vesian said. "He will learn Savarics is dead very quickly, so we must strike as soon as we see him. Would you be willing to give us some of your men?"

"To sit and wait all day?" Odo scoffed. "There's work to be done, sir."

"I can pay them for their time. Almaric is an excellent swordsman despite his disgrace and Thibault and I cannot handle his company alone."

"If it's men you need, there are always sellswords looking for work in the taverns."

"I need some of your men to lend the endeavor legitimacy. Do you want knights and their sellswords running amok in the city?"

Odo sighed and rubbed the skin around his bad eye. "I suppose not. I will pay them myself, if you reimburse me with the proceeds from your bounty."

"Fair, but I need some archers on the rooftops."

They spent some time haggling the details, but in the end, Vesian secured the aid of a band of the constable's men to sit and wait with him. By the time things with the Odo were settled, the hour had grown late.

"No ships will sail tonight," Vesian said to Ava as they went back out onto the street. "We will get a room at an inn, and you are welcome to stay with us for the night. I can assure you, none of your coven's minions will trouble you in our company."

Ava looked around her and pulled her cloak tighter. "I would appreciate your generosity. You are too kind, sir."

Thibault retrieved their horses from Odo's stable and together they headed down the street to an inn called the Cat's Garden. The innkeeper gruffly told them he had only one room available, so they stabled their horses and crowded themselves into the little room after a meal of boiled oats and vegetables.

Their room had a single bed, so Vesian offered it to Ava while he and Thibault slept on the floor.

"You have been generous enough to me," Ava replied, "I think perhaps we can share." Her hands went to her chest, and she began to unlace her bodice.

Vesian felt himself stiffen with interest. Ava pursed her ruby red lips at him.

"I can think of no better way for a woman to thank her saviors. Will you allow me?" She opened her dress to expose a pair of small, white breasts adorned with pale pink nipples and pulled it down until she was fully exposed before them. Vesian's eyes wandered down her form, from her white shoulders to her slender hips and the shaven sex between her legs. Ava sat down on the bed and kicked off her boots to sit naked. Beside him, Thibault was undoing his belt.

Needing no more encouragement than that, Vesian pulled off his surcoat and threw his hauberk to the floor. Thibault was naked before him and sat next to Ava, caressing her bare breasts in his hands. She leaned in to kiss his neck and took his cock in her hands. She leaned over to set her red lips around his cock. Thibault slid his hand down her body to grab a handful of her small ass, and Ava lay herself down with her head in his lap. Vesian at last finished stripping himself, one foot caught in his breeches, and approached the bed with his cock in his hands. While Ava's head was occupied with Thibault, he positioned himself at her hips.

He ran a hand along the curve of her body and used it to spread her legs. Her pink sex beckoned to him. Taking his hard cock in one hand, he spread the lips of her sex and slid his cock inside. The warmth of her body made him concerned he would come too soon. As she kissed and sucked Thibault's cock, Vesian slowly thrust in and out of her sex, delighting in her soft moans of pleasure.

Thibault shifted himself back to lie lengthwise on the bed, and Ava followed him. She crouched over him on all fours, raising up her hips so that Vesian could fuck her. He found it hard to gain solid footing on the cheap bed, but soon enough was holding her hips in his hands as he fucked her hard. Thibault sat up and positioned Ava between the two of them, impaled by cocks from either end like a pig on a roasting spit. Her lithe body trembled under each slap of Vesian's hips against hers, but only satisfied moans escaped her lips.

She stroked Thibault's cock in her hands and ran her tongue along the shaft as Vesian made her shake. Thibault, for his part, paid little mind to Vesian, enraptured as he was by Ava's beautiful eyes that looked up at him. Vesian came soon enough, spurting his seed inside Ava even as she continued to suck his squire's cock.

Vesian withdrew himself from the young witch and lay down on the bed. With one man satisfied, Ava turned over and Thibault lay atop her. They kissed and moaned together on the bed until Thibault came as well. Ava lay naked in between the two of them until they all fell fast asleep.

In the morning, they went down to the city's docks and found a captain of a pot-bellied cog who was bound for Torvuls in the Devouring Sea. After some haggling, he agreed to take Ava aboard as a passenger. Standing at the foot of the gangplank, the fugitive witch said her goodbyes.

"Thank you, Sir Vesian, and Thibault as well. I shudder to think of the fate that awaited me if my sisters captured me."

"Think nothing of it," Vesian assured him. "Apeira smiled on you and saw to it that your captors would be vanquished. You are surely in her good favor."

"I will make an offering to her before we set sail, in addition to the usual offering to Caerran. But I will also pray for your safety and good health. This Almaric sounds like a dangerous fellow."

"We have the constable's men on our side. There is nothing to worry about." Ava seemed unconvinced but smiled all the same.

"Thank you again and goodbye." She kissed him on the cheek before turning to walk up the plank. Stopping at the gunwale, she waved goodbye one last time. Vesian waved back before setting off in the direction of the late Savarics' house. They found Odo waiting in the house along with three of his men.

"I have three archers on the opposite roof," the constable said, "and a boy to signal them if need be."

"I hope to lure him inside, where we might block his escape. If we have to fight him on the street, he might flee with the helm before we can apprehend him."

"I'll leave the door open, but I have no one who can imitate Savarics," Odo complained.

"It will have to do," Vesian said with a shrug. He and Thibault positioned themselves near the window to keep a watch while the others prepared ambush positions of their own inside the house. Once set, they settled in for the long wait.

At last, in the mid-afternoon, Vesian spied a familiar face on the street. It was Almaric's dwarf companion, lazily making his way down the street while chewing on a honey treat sold by street vendors. Vesian signaled to Thibault, who readied his sword. Across the street, he could see Odo's archers at last stirring on the rooftops.

Ten paces behind the dwarf, Almaric himself emerged from the crowd, accompanied by the two men from the crypt and a third man carrying a crossbow on his back. Though alert, none of the men seemed suspicious about the house. Almaric reached the front door and stopped.

"My man can be a bit skittish," he told his dwarf, "so you lot stay outside while I deal with him."

"How do we know you won't take the money and run?" the newcomer growled. "You being a disgraced knight and all, I'm not so inclined to take your word for things."

"Just shut up and sit here," Almaric groaned. He turned and pushed open the door to Savarics' house. Vesian crept into position.

"Savarics," he called as he stepped into the front hall, "I have returned. The crypt was right where you said it was, but the men I've hired are eager to get paid, so let us be quick about this. Savarics?"

He drew closer and it was all Vesian could do not to spring his trap early. Almaric's footsteps on the bare wooden floor of the hall grew louder. "Savarics?" he called again, and the footsteps stopped. Vesian cursed silently. "Where are you?"

The footsteps sounded again, softly and more distant. He was leaving. Vesian burst from his place against the wall, his sword flashing out as he darted into the hall.

"Almaric de Condorce! I am Sir Vesian de Surrac and I represent the king's justice! Halt where you stand."

Odo followed him into the hall, though with less youthful vigor. "I am Odo, constable charged by this city with keeping order and the king's laws. I am placing you under arrest."

Almaric spat on the floor. "That is what I think of your justice. Come on then," his sword flashed into his hands, "You want justice, come and get it."

Odo paused to marshal his men, but Vesian had no patience for that. He rushed at Almaric, blade held high. They came together in a clash of steel, blades ringing against each other as they cut, thrust and parried in the confines of the hall. Almaric was the quicker, but Vesian the stronger. He drove the rogue knight back with his greater strength, using the narrow walls to negate Almaric's speed. Odo and the others were blocked in behind him, unable to get past Vesian to strike at Almaric. Outside, the archers shot shafts down from the rooftops into Almaric's men who refused to surrender.

Almaric was pressed back against the wall until he cut under one of Vesian's blows. For a moment he looked about to cut behind him and away from the wall, until he realized that would only leave him between Vesian and the constable's men. Instead, he ducked under Vesian and slashed at his exposed flank. His blade cut a line in the thick surcoat, but the mail underneath easily defeated the sword's long edge. He then threw his weight against Vesian, bowling his from his feet and sending them both to the floor.

As Odo moved to take advantage, Almaric drew a rondel dagger and aimed it at Vesian's throat. Vesian got his hand up in time, and the rondel's point caught it instead of his throat. The narrow tip pierced the mail links and bit deep into his palm, but turned and snared there. Before Almaric could withdraw it, Odo drove his sword into the rogue knight's neck. He slumped forward and fell to the floor. As he did, his pack open and out rolled the revenant's lost helmet.

Even as the blood dripped from his hand, Vesian snatched up the helm to look at it. Thibault appeared over him.

"Are you hurt badly?" he asked, sheathing his sword as the sounds of battle outside ceased.

"No. But this time we'll find a good healer to treat my wound." Thibault laughed.

"A shame we put one on a ship already."

"Who knows, maybe she still hasn't left port."

"Well done, Sir Vesian," Odo congratulated as he hauled Almaric's corpse off to the side. "I'll see to it that you receive your bounty from my coffers. Once I've deducted my expenses, of course."

"I am always happy to be of service, old friend," Vesian replied, removing his mail to examine his wound. Thibault drew some medical supplies from his pack and set to treating it. Around them, the constable's men began to disperse, their job done. Vesian checked his wound when Thibault had finished and nodded. He would find a healer on the way.

"It will do for now. We had better retrieve our horses and start back west. There is not much time before the moon turns and the revenant comes looking for his helm."

"And you did promise to see Aines again," Thibault added. "We could stop by the Crooked Bough as well."

"I should like to see about Ava's sisters as well. Come on, there's so much to do and so little time to do it."