Kale: The Dryad Chronicles, page 17
“Who knows,” Luksam said. “But those damn criminals I chased, I know they are all out there. Tell you what, everytime I put up the copies that I have of the photos, they get taken down. Why don't I give you a stack? If you see any of these men, you come get me.”
“Okay,” Kale said as he nodded. Luksam’s voice then got real low.
“We can make some decent coin, you can be my silent partner. You find them, and me and a few others will bring them in all nice like. We want two thirds of the profit and for you to shut your mouth.”
“Deal,” Kale said as he took out a gold coin and then handed it over to Luksam. “To a great partnership.”
Luksam smiled and pocketed the coin. He then had Kale sign some papers and sent him on his way as Franks returned with a couple of men. Kale left and made his way to the inn. He would hand over three of his remaining gold coins to Reppy and three he would give to Seffanie. Kale walked into the inn and could see a nervous looking Roland. It was still the dead of night and Roland was as jumpy as he had ever seen anyone.
“What’s wrong?” Kale asked.
“They freed Dush,” Roland said. “On my way back, I saw someone had dug him out. They would have to know that only a dryad could have buried him like that.”
“Have they been by?”
“Not yet,” Roland said. “I want to keep watch in case the Goatmen come here.”
“We can take turns,” Kale said. “Did you know they gave me a reward for killing Tom?”
“I don't follow.”
“Tom was a wanted man, worth ten gold. The City Watchman I talked to doesn't like Menials and sure wasn't going to give the reward to a Goatman. He gave me the five gold and then talked about a partnership. I have a stack of papers with faces drawn on them. If you recognize any of these people, just let me know. The City Watchman I was with struck a deal with me. He said if I can locate these men, that he would kill them himself and split the coin with with me. I flipped him a gold coin. Roland, this could be a great way to make some real coin.”
“As fetchers of evil humans?” Roland asked.
“It seems like easy coin and I like easy coin,” Kale smiled. “I think we can get through it.”
“I am going to need to cover up this eye then. I have one of the masks that they make for disfigured people. I just never bother wearing it. My mother told me that I should, that I could live a normal life with it.”
“Well put it on when we are trying to see what's what. We haven't seen the last of Merchant Heresby and I know we haven't seen the last of the Rinks or the Goatmen.”
Kale and Roland informed Taffy of what happened and then traded shifts. Each wanted to get a little sleep, yet be ready if anything happens. When the morning came, Kale found Reppy and handed her three gold coins. He could tell the Goatwoman was happy at the windfall but was still shaken at what happened to her yesterday. Seffanie was surprised to get a gold coin,let alone three. Roland told his mother everything that had happened last night. When he was done, all four of them along with Taffy started working the small field. Kale made sure to give it a nice amount of his water as the Wood Dryads worked their magic. Once everything was done, the entire group, along with Reppy this time headed out to the square with yesterday’s unsold food.
“Here they are,” Kale said as Seffanie started setting up. “You got gold yesterday, don't feel so desperate to sell.”
“Kale look,” Roland whispered as one of the men from the posters, Jaden Haller came walking angrily up.
“Any of you seen that damn Goatman Dush?” Jaden said as he fingered the dagger on his hip.
“We already paid him, last night,” Kale said. “He said that he was now in charge of the Rinks and threatened these two women. Told me that he wasn't scared of a human and threatened to stick me. I am no coward but there were too many of them. I am just out here trying to make back my money.”
“I owe you a good sticking,” Jaden said as he looked at Kale. “But I want that damn Goatman. You watch yourself innkeeper.”
Jaden disappeared into the crowd as the cart was finally finished being set up. Kale noticed some of the same faces that he turned down before were gathered around. He knew they wanted some of the food, most of them were on the poorer side and was used to getting the food from Seffanie as cheap as they could get it. Kale would tell them to piss off again and raise the prices even higher. Merchant Heresby could possibly have other sources more robust than what he was getting from Seffanie. Their food wouldn't have the same flavor and wouldn't keep as long.
“I want to buy some of your food,” said a woman with her nose in the air. Kale remembered her from yesterday but forgot the reason that she didn't buy.
“Same price as Merchant Heresby’s place,” Kale said. “If you don't like it, go to him.”
“You are losing money by turning me away,” the woman said.
“We were losing money from selling the food dirt cheap. It takes a bit to plant, dig everything up, cart it and bring it down here to only be paid coppers on what this is all worth.”
“I am not paying a man with a bunch of Menials working for him the same that I would pay in a fine store,” the woman said. “I’ll give you half of what Merchant Heresby charges.”
“Seventy five percent and that is my final offer. I know dryad foods keep longer and taste better. They fill you up more than regular food. If you need to haggle some more, then go some where. I am sure I can get Heresby to buy everything here for eighty percent once his things start running low.”
The woman nodded and then called over a man with a familiar face. Kale thought he had turned that man away yesterday but couldn't be sure. Kale boasted about how in a few weeks, he could raise his prices higher than Heresby and really rake in the coin. That made the woman buy a lot more than she planned on buying. Another woman behind her heard Kale’s boast and bought a decent amount as well. Ten percent of the total produce was bought and that was just Kale’s first two customers.
“There it is,” Roland said as he jiggled the coin in his hand. “I told you mother, we could have been doing this.”
“You would have needed a way to get by the Rinks and their payment first,” Kale said. “Everything is just coming together right now.”
“I have even been offered two jobs,” Taffy said.
“When?” Kale asked.
“Everyone can see that I am a Centaur,” Taffy said. “While you were busy, I have been asked about pulling carts, leading a horse team to pull a carriage, one man even wanted to pay me to hoe his field.”
“They were trying to pay you pennies?” Kale asked.
“Of course they were,” Taffy said. “This city is wide open, maybe one day we will expand to here. Now about this business you were talking about the other day.”
“I want a place close to the Sealand River,” Kale began. “River land is always expensive because you can water your crops easily. I want to buy some of it. Once I get the land, we can start the planting. Our food would go for a lot of money. We wouldn't charge that much though, I want to run a few people I don't like right out of business. All of our profits can be to expand the land and plant more things. Or we could just buy a boat and sell things from the island by the boatload. The humans would buy it, they would buy a lot of it and we could use the coin to eventually buy some cheaper land and start our own place.”
“Which way are you leaning?” Taffy asked.
“I think I am leaning towards the boat idea first,” Kale admitted. “It doesn't require anyone to be displaced. I can just get a few Goatmen to sell our things when I am busy.”
“Merchant Heresby is pointing us out to a couple of men,” Seffanie said as she gestured with her head. Kale looked across the square and could see Merchant Heresby with a smile on his face as two big men came walking over. Kale withdrew his sword and had it out and ready.
“Here,” Seffanie said as she winced and then broke one of the sharp branches that grew from her head off. A greenish looking sap oozed from the thorns on the small branch.
“I grew it yesterday when I thought there might be more trouble. It will not kill anyone or even harm them immediately. The humans will have it coming out of both ends. The piece I gave you is hollow, use it as a blow gun.”
Taffy smiled and snatched the branch from Kale. She carefully broke a thorn off and inserted it inside of the hollow branch. Taffy walked around from behind the cart which made the men pause. Kale doubted they wanted to mix it up with a Centaur. The men had a slight discussion with each other and then headed back towards Heresby. Kale couldn't tell what was said. But knew Heresby was angry as he handed over his entire coin purse. The men came walking back over like they were on a mission. It seemed to Kale that no one was paying attention to the upcoming danger. Taffy paid attention and used her height and vision to fire off a thorn. It stuck in one of the men’s neck. The man angrily swiped at his neck as Taffy got the same man on the forearm. Seffanie’s eyes went wide, Kale could tell that the human Taffy had gotten would not have a good night. Taffy had just gotten the other man before the pair approached the cart.
The two men didn't say anything, they just pulled out their swords and started hacking the produce on the cart up. Roland went around to stop them as one had his blade on Roland while the other one overturned the cart. Kale rushed forward at that time and tussled with the cart overturner. The man easily tossed Kale off of him and started stomping on the produce. Taffy got the man again as now his buddy had joined in ruining the produce before they dashed away.
“You didn't do anything!” Roland said as Kale hurriedly stuffed a full coin purse into Roland’s stomach. Roland knew what it was and tucked it under his shirt. “We have to go mother, we have to go right now!”
Seffanie looked confused as Roland started tugging his mother. Kale looked around at the smashed up food and thought that anyone that was desperate enough would take it. Kale didn't bother cleaning it up. He and Taffy just hitched the cart to her and started walking back towards the inn. They didn't make it too far. In the slums, the Rinks were going at it with the Goatmen. Kale could see a few of the Goatmen were down, the Rinks looked like they lost at least one member as well. If it was one thing the Goatmen were doing, it was sticking together when fighting a superior enemy. The Rinks looked like they were going to be overwhelmed. Kale hopped on Taffy and had her take him to the City Watch building. Luksam wasn't there, and older man with a long and nicely kept beard was.
“I helped catch a criminal last night,” Kale said as the man with the beard paused. His uniform looked busier than the rest that Kale had seen. The Watchman held a finger to his lips and then pulled Kale into a side room.
“You found some of them already?” the bearded man asked. The name embroidered into his uniform was Triti.
“They are killing each other, the Goatmen are killing them!”
“Trash killing each other,” Triti said. “Those damn Goatmen can kill all of them for all I care. I just can't have it spilling out where decent folks like to live and spend their day. I’ll get a few boys together. You remember the deal?”
“I take credit for finding them and split most of the money with you.”
“That is if there is anything there,” Triti said and then took his book. “Does this look like the Goatman you saw sneaking out of the window?”
Kale could have laughed. The humans seriously thought the Goatmen looked all the same. This could have been anyone, the only thing they got right was the horn. Then again, they had the wrong horn being damaged.
“It was the other horn,” Kale said and then described where he had seen the fight taking place.
“I may have to crack a few Goatman heads just to let them know that I am not one for games. They can't go around killing humans. Anything else, they need to keep it in the slums. Be here when I get back and we can see about getting you paid.”
Kale nodded and walked outside with Taffy. Kale hopped on her and started leading her away from the fuss.
“What about Seffanie?” Taffy asked.
“She is with Roland,” Kale said. “They are smart enough to know that they should keep out of everything.”
“Do you think that it is odd about how far Seffanie can travel from her tree?”
“No,” Kale said. “She just can't stay away from it for long. She must have been desperate to build up the tolerance that she has and the distance she can travel. I know some dryads that cannot get more than a few hundred paces away.”
“Things were rough here and none of the Goatmen we sent seemed to be working out,” Taffy said. “Dryads are such pushovers, always caring about people even if those same people are treating them wrong. She used to give up her body just so that people will leave her and Roland alone.”
“That’s not happening anymore,” Kale said with a nod of his head. “Well, at least I can guarantee Tom will not be behind it.”
“Tom wasn't the leader. Some man in the wealthier part of town. The rest were just thugs who worked for him.”
“We will see or meet this fancy man soon enough. He can't stay gone for long and when we find him, then we will see how tough he is. Whoever he is, his gang is in big trouble. The Goatmen seemed like they were attacking en masse. I thought the humans had killed more of them but were getting the worst of it. I would be surprised if more than a few survived.”
“Not our problem,” Taffy smiled. “Do you think you will get any coin from them?”
“Yeah. I think I will. If not, who really cares. I wanted those two groups to go their separate ways and it looks like that is happening. Someone just needed to give it a little nudge and it is happening.”
The Watchmen departed and came after a few hours. Kale signed the papers and received ten gold pieces. He knew that he had been cheated. The Watchmen took almost a hundred gold coins but Kale thought it was worth it. He was working with the humans and making money he never thought he would have received. Most of the Rinks were annihilated along with most of their Goatmen helpers. The best part about it all, is that Dush was found. The City Watch worked him over and left him out in the street. Dush’s friends were killed and now he had to worry about the remainder of the Rinks coming for him.
Kale took his gold and then rode Taffy back to the inn. Roland was waiting on him and had a gigantic smile on his face. Seffanie and Reppy were both in the small main room along with him. Seffanie led them all outside to the small stable where Taffy hung out at. Kale showed them his gold coins which made everyone gasp. He further surprised everyone by splitting it up between the five of them.
“Now that we all have a little bit of coin,” Kale began. “We can trade stories. Dush is alive but there is a good chance that the rest of his crew are not.”
“Many humans were laid out bloody all over the street,” Roland said. “I haven't seen Dush, but wherever he is, I know he lost most of his friends.”
“He should be dead!” Reppy yelled.
“He isn't,” Kale said. “But he has plenty of people looking for him. Whoever is left over from the Rinks, are not likely to forget about him. The City Watch let it be known who killed Tom and the Rinks had to have known to come down here in force.”
“What if the rest of the Goatmen try to take over?” Taffy asked. “I will not be here and neither will you eventually.”
“Hopefully we can get these two to leave,” Kale said and then looked at Reppy. “You could leave with Taffy, Reppy. You have enough to put yourself up and I will add to it if need be.”
CHAPTER 18
“These are looking better than I have ever seen them,” Roland said as he picked up a cucumber. “We work well together. Our magic along with what Taffy has done in helping us really is working well.”
“Well enough to go to market today?” Kale asked. “I don't think that all of us need to go. Not after what we did to Heresby.”
“He was asking for it,” Roland laughed. “I am amazed that you went along with it.”
“I am amazed that you had some of the Goatmen brought in on it.”
“Cindel and his bunch didn't want any trouble with the humans or anyone else,” Roland explained. “They are always looking for easy food. Reppy let him know that Merchant Heresby’s lock was broken and he wouldn't be able to get it fixed until morning. You know as well as I do that some of the Goatmen would rather steal than work hard. Especially since many of them are hungry.”
“You mean because you stopped handing out free food for people who care nothing about you. Many people want to stay out of things when it is someone else being done bad.”
“I just knew that not eating would eventually get to most of them, Well at least those who relied on my food to fill their bellies. They charged over there in the dead of night and took everything.”
“I saw some of it,” Taffy said, joining the conversation. “It wasn't that much and what he had wasn't in the best quality.”
“I took a look at it as well,” Roland said. “He is getting his vegetables from somewhere else.”
“Who knows,” Kale said. “And who cares. That was three days ago and we owed him one. The men he had already paid their share for ruining our food.”
“I just can't wait to leave this place,” Taffy said. “I don't want to be caught out alone by the Goatmen that are here. I would kill a lot of them, but eventually they would take me down.”
“I am sure your father will be on his way soon,” Kale said. “I am not even sure if our message reached him yet.”
“It should have,” Roland said. “I sent it by Harpy.”
“Harpy?” Kale asked. “What is Harpy.”
“Harpies are not a what, they are a who,” Roland said. “And they are as rare as you are. They were also never enslaved, at least not for long periods of time. They are not built for manual labor and have wings instead of arms and talons instead of feet or hooves. They can fly and they do so quickly. No Harpy was dumb enough to fly to the West.”
