A/N: Alright. I'm done staring at this thing.
Special thanks to those who reviewed last: Saraa Luna, Free Thought, Thomas the Traveler (who disabled his PMs so I couldn't reply), ferretWARLORD, Airan's Enigma, and Blackish. Airan and Blackish, I owe you a very late review reply. FT and Airan, I owe you very belated reviews. Don't think I've forgotten about you guys!
The end of the previous chapter was tragic but it happened. Some of you might've been a bit confused, but mothers have accidentally smothered their babies when in hiding. In refugee groups where people are fleeing from the enemy, new mothers are oftentimes cast out because the babies would make noise.
Anyways, this chapter is a short one and I'm not all that happy with it. When was the last time I was happy with a chapter anyways? Not going to lie, this chapter feels a little 'all over the place' for me but it gets some of the right points across. But I'm alright with it, and that's what's important.
By the way, I'm playing the new Pokemon game now. If any of you guys want to battle or trade or something, shoot me a PM. :) (Yeah, and playing the game will definitely make me procrastinate in my writing... :( ).
Fair Trade
Asch Waycaster
"We are all subject to the fates. But we must act as if we are not, or die of despair." - The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Fights're kinda normal in Fort Riddian. Scuffles and screamin', really. But what always changes is the reason. A missin' pudding cup on the tray, somebeast heard a nasty whisper, cubs bumpin' shoulders. Never more trouble than a bloody nose, I think, but General Dirk makes sure they get a shrunken stomach for the day, too.
But with her...
I rushed down with the general and Abon t' see a crowd of beasts 'round the main gates.
"Clear the way!" Abon boomed.
Like magic, heads turned, and like a shark through a shoal, the general cut through them and towards the center. Two woodlander soldiers held the weasel, one to each arm as she dangled between them; her lower body swung and swayed like a bell as she screeched and kicked. Gates, she looked and smelled like an outhouse. Some vermin cubs hid their faces from the sight, disgusted by the evil path that was almost theirs.
"What," the general barked, "is the meanin' of this?"
The soldiers swiveled their heads and almost let her go to salute him.
"Sir! We've got the vermin you're lookin' for," a mouse answered, nodding at the prisoner that had suddenly given up into sobbing fits. The general and I looked her over and I noticed the fresh blood that trickled over the corner of her mouth.
Dirk jabbed a claw at her miserable, battered face. "What happened here?" The guards flicked uneasy looks at each other as they shuffled their footpaws.
"Well?" he pressured them. Then he noticed that one of the soldiers held something in his arms. The otter didn't need to ask to get an answer.
"We saw she was holding a baby, sir," the squirrel began softly, offering the object forward for a glimpse. We all forgot the previous question and leaned forward for a better listen. "But I... I..." the soldier sighed and forced out his next sentence: "She killed him." A ripple of whispers buzzed throughout the room. It didn't surprise anybeast, but it didn't mean we couldn't be angry about it. I didn't wanna see, but I watched as General Dirk gave it a peek and wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Give 'im back," the weasel wailed. When she wasn't snarling like some feral thing, she seemed real small and harmless. But anybeast can kill if they had the chance. "Please, m'lord. I wan' 'im back."
The commander ignored her and focused in on his beasts. "Was her face like this when she came here?" They looked guiltily around, none of them meeting eye contact with each other. Then one mouse stepped forward and raised a paw.
"She... spat at my face, sir," he said. His expression was straight and calm like he was willing to accept the punishment. It's bad enough having a fair fight between males, but a soldier beating a female was forbidden... even if she was a child murderer.
"Then you spit back instead of throwing fists," the general growled. "I'll deal with you later." He turned to the beasts that held her. "You two, we're takin' her up to the interrogation room. And..." he looked to the beast that held the body of the poor dead babe. "Put the body somewhere for now. The rest of you, get out."
Everybeast saluted as they did as they were told, scattering like leaves to a storm. "And pay the beast that got her here," Dirk added, tossing a small coinpurse at one of his passing soldiers. The rat blinked and tossed the sack between his palms.
"Er... actually, sir... She was all alone."
"What?"
"Yessir," he replied, offering the coins back. It suddenly occurred t'me why everybeast thought the vermin was the one that killed the baby. It could've been the beast that turned her in, after all. Darry's Hill was practically crawling with gossip about babies bein' hurt when beasts chased and got rough. But even when we were quick t' guess, we were right in the end. When it comes to vermin, gut feelings are almost always right.
Dirk grunted a dismissal and plopped the coins back in his pocket before nodding at me'n Abon t' follow. Up the stairs we went, nervous about whatever news she was bringin' to us. If she had anythin' to help Lord Keetch, was it too late? Would she tell us he was already dead t'begin with? It'd break Lady Corinne's heart.
Or maybe he was crippled and maimed and tortured... He could've fallen into madness after stayin' in the hellpit for almost a week.
It's as everybeast's said: Lord Keetch was kind to her, but all she did was run away when he needed help.
I wanted to ask the general what he thought of all that, but by the way he squared his shoulders and blazed up the stairs, I knew it wasn't the time. He was really tense with all the Lord Keetch stuff... especially with that Galen bastard breathing down his neck and barkin' demands. By the time he'd marched to the interrogation room, the guards were fumblin' with the keys to the door.
All the weaselwife could do was whine as a guard flipped through the keys, jangling the set with every wrong one. The other soldier stood behind her t'keep her wrists pinioned at her back. She leaned forward, whimperin' to herself and moanin' about gettin' her baby back. Well the corpse wouldn't do her any good. It wouldn't do anybeast any good.
But then she lifted her eyes and locked ont' me. Before I had a chance t'look away, she said, "Didn't mean t'hurt 'im. I really di'n't." It was sad but kinda pathetic how she thought I'd side with her. The door unlocked and I cut her off with a shrug and a turn.
The general strode in first to sit himself down at his chair. All of us filed in, with me and Abon takin' post at the general's side. The guards and vermin tip-toed over to their stations; the weaselwife got shoved down onto a plain chair while the Swordbeasts stood behind her hunched shoulders. She was shivering, and not just because the room was empty, dim, and drafty.
Between her and General Dirk was a sturdy and empty bureau. The tabletop had lost its luster to time and large dents and scrapes decorated it - reminders of the old torture tools that once glinted the walls of the room. If you looked closely, you would've seen their faint outlines on the walls. The Age of Sword was gone but it still left its mark. But better reminders of that dark time could be seen in the scars of older veterans... and the look on beasts' faces whenever they see a vermin.
The general propped his elbows on the desk and cupped one fist into his palm.
"Let's start with your name." When she didn't respond, Dirk breathed a frustrated huff of air and asked very clearly, "What's yer name?"
"Scala, m'lord." Well, technically the general was a lord, though a different kind of noble. One of the my fellow bodyguard and I exchanged looks that asked: "Where'd she learn manners like that?"
"Right," he continued, not caring one bit about titles. "You know Lord Keetch?"
"Yes, m'lord."
"Where is he and what happened to him?"
Her eyes flicked around the room and settled on me, starin' like I could tell her what t'do. I turned my head t'show she wasn't getting an ounce of help.
"Well?" the general rumbled. "Speak up. No harm comes to ye. I promise."
"M'lord... I... I cant," she croaked. "Not without the five Golds." We couldn't have heard right.
Dirk's posture stiffened more outta anger than shock. "Are you serious?"
"Yes, m'lord," she squeaked. Her shoulders seemed to fold in on itself but she kept talkin' anyways. "A reward f' five Golds fer the beast 'at brings me in. And I... I brough' meself."
"Stupid wench," snapped an otter guard. She winced and kept her head down like we'd cracked a whip in the air. "Playin' cards y'don't have."
"Fine." A jingle of coins followed that word and the purse appeared on the tabletop. "Fair's fair. Take yer Gold and tell me where he is," the general said. "But you'd better not double-cross me, weasel."
Scala stared at the coinpurse hungrily and her claws spidered around at her knees a little. But as greedy as she was, she didn't dare move too close to the beast in charge. But I guess that even vermin did stuff against their fears sometimes, 'cause she reached an arm out and, watching the general with cautious eyes, tugged the purse towards her by the drawstring.
She opened it carefully, rummaging at its contents with a claw. I bet she hadn't seen so much wealth in all her life. And there, in her lap, lay more coins than she could count - literally.
Slowly, she pulled one coin out of the bag and clicked it onto the desk. Great, I thought to myself. She's gonna try counting it right in front of us. But with the tip of her claw, she slid it towards the general so that it was nearly at the center of the table. We blinked at the gesture, trying to make heads or tails outta it.
"Fer buyin' Tain a funeral, m'lord." Her voice was small but her voice echoed all around the room. "Don't wan' 'im tossed int' a ditch t' rot. I wan' a nice funeral. Respect-like."
"Tain?" the general asked.
"M'baby." Her voice was hollow and sad and I felt a pang of sympathy. Her eyes started waterin' up with tears and she shoved 'em away with a filthy sleeve.
"A'right," he sighed, leaving the coin where it was. "But we'll figure the rest after. I want Lord Keetch and I want him now."
"I can't talk," she squeaked. "Can't 'til I get what I need."
The general frowned and everybeast stiffened up. "You got your damn coins. Y'already got your baby a funeral."
"Bu' ye took 'way m' first baby. You took a-way m'first baby." For a while, she looked so frail that I'd forgotten how savage she was when we first saw her, how she was kicking and screaming when they separated her from the tiny body. She took one coin into her pocket and placed the coinpurse back on the table.
"I wan' Nabber back," she said with a shaky breath and lowered eyes. "'ey say y'let beasts buy babes? I'm buyin' Nabber an' I'm buyin' my freedom back with these coins." After her brave little demand, she pursed her lips and squeezed out one final, "Please, m'lord." Crazy, tryin' to go against Dirk's patience like that. If she'd seen how he was after Lord Swalestrom visited, she would've blurted everything before she had a chance to take a breath.
Dirk's claw tapped at his forearm and straightened his posture even more. From experience, I already knew that t'be a sure 'no.'
"I c'n let you go free, but lettin' you adopt is somethin' else," he said. "I'll think about it, but it depends on how much you help in findin' Lord Keetch."
"No' 'til I have Nabber back." Nabber. Stupid name. Thanks the Seasons Sword renames its beasts.
"Scala." His voice was slow but full of pressure. "You help me find Lord Keetch and I'll help you get what y'want. The faster I help him, the faster I c'n get back to you."
She shrugged her shoulders up. "I... I..." The vermin shook her head.
"He might be dying as we speak."
"Don't wan' 'im t'die. But I don' wanna lose Nabber."
"I can always torture."
That one sentence sucked out all the breath in the room. Scala's mouth hung open and I gaped at the general. He had a job to do and she was bein' stubborn, but still...
"'m not 'fraid to die 'nymore," she swallowed.
He pulled out a dagger and let its handle roll on the table until it met with the first coin. "When I was young, y'know what the Juska did to woodlanders for fun?" His hackles bristled at the memories and Abon copied the look by quiverin' his spikes. "Lots'o things. Took knives like these and jambed 'em up underneath each claw - all ten o' em and then th' toeclaws, too. I've got plenty of memories of those times, so I've got plenty of ideas." He fixed his cold eyes on Scala and I thought she was gonna melt outta fear.
"Answer me now and I'll let y'see Nabber. Make me wait a minute and I'll start gettin' tools out," he forced. "After we find the lord, we can bargain all you want. But that comes after. Now I'll count to ten and if you-"
"He wanted t'look at buildin's next t' 'e river," she answered hastily. "I tol' 'im t'be careful but 'e ne'er came out... m'lord."
"What buildings?"
"Taverns, m'lord. Wes' Darry area."
"Why'd he go there?"
Scala's chin gave a little quiver as she thought through her answer. "Maids goin' missin' all o'er Darry's Hill. 'e was thunkin' 'ey 'ere bein' kidnapped 'n'... slaved 'round. Said 'ey could be sold on boats 'r somethin'." Abon cursed beside me as she shook her head and bit her lip. "But m'lord, that's all I know."
"Do you remember where it is?" Dirk asked. "Can you show us?"
"Y-yes, m'lord. Iffen... iffen y'gimme Nabber."
General Dirk's giant chair scraped against the ground as he stood up. "We'll talk about that later."
"B-but Nabber!" She tried to scramble to her footpaws, but the guards caught her by the shoulders and slammed her back down to her seat. "You promised." Scala braced against the guards' hold, though by the looks of things, she wouldn't have done any harm. Looked more like she wanted t'throw herself at his footpaws than maul his face, if you ask me. "You promised."
He didn't even bat an eye. "Calm down," he ordered.
"No!" Just like Oriel's paint smearing off, she was beginnin' to show her true colors and I didn't like it. "No. Liar, liar, liar," she howled. "All you lords're liars. He said Tain wouldn't get hurt and you said... you said..." The weasel choked back on her words and scrubbed her watery eyes with her paws. It didn't do much good, though. Tears and snot streamed down her face like an ugly waterfall.
The guards tried to hold her still while the general had the harder task of making her shut up. "Listen to me - Will ye just -
"And you said... you said..."
"Just shut up and-"
"'ey were all's I had an' you took-"
"HEY!" Everything went silent as the crypt 'cept for Scala's broken sobs. Dirk grunted and said, "If ye just waited a bit, I was gettin' back to you. First we'll need somethin' to trace the babe back. What name d' we give you?"
She shook and quaked as she tried breathin' easy. "Y' di'n't gimme 'un. I... I kept Scala 'cause 'ey said i' sounded awright."
Dirk shrugged. "How long ago did we take the cub?"
"L'il more'n a season."
"Boy or girl?"
"Boy."
"How old was he?"
"Jis' half a season."
"Right." He rapped his knuckles against the desk and brought the guards' full attention. "You." He stabbed a claw at the one standin' on his left. "Get to Records and tell 'em to look for a boy that fits the description. Mother's Scala. Should be written down in the books. Pickner'd be a good beast for that." The soldier saluted just as the general swung his gaze to the right and at the other guard. "You. Get 'er ready and dressed up. She's givin' us a tour in half an hour."
"Yessir," they saluted. The first beast zipped outta the room while the other nudged the weasel on the shoulder. But instead o' move, she squeezed her paws together and looked ready to gush even more tears.
"B-but..."
The otter got up and walked to the door and I rushed to open it for him. "Your son'll be ready to see ya by the time you get back."
Just as I turned the knob, Scala shrunk even further in her chair and said in a tiny voice, "But I paid fer 'im."
"And there's a beast that's gonna die in some ruddy dungeon if we wait all day." He went out the door in a heartbeat and I followed the general out, though I noticed that for once, Abon fell behind from his job. As the vermin started to break again, I was already out the door but I was close enough to hear the old hedgehog mutter some nice-sounding words. That's Abon for ya. Like a real grandfather, 'cept when he talks about the old times, he talks about the dark times.
Well, he'd better hurry up if he didn't want to get an earful from the general. Though, I think that Abon was sort of his friend at that point. I mean, the hog took a gauntlet t'the face for him during Gideon's War and all.
"Asch." My superior didn't even break his stride as he gave the command. I awaited his orders. If it was rescuin' a lord, Oriel'd be in for it. I didn't want him t'look lazy in front of Lady Corinne.
"Go home."
"What?" I halted in m'tracks and stared after him, though he kept on goin'.
"You won't be any help here," he said without turnin' around. He'd dismissed his guards a bunch o' times, but I didn't think he'd do it for anything as serious as the rescue.
"But sir!" I said, half-blocking his path as I walked sideways. "Oriel is-"
"Shut up!" he hissed, casting sideways glares at the bystanders that tried to mind their own business. "Gates, the biggest mouth and the smallest brain all in one beast." And then he said softly (but not so soft like it was gentle): "The first rule's to stay secret, dammit."
"Sorry, sir. Sorry. But Oriel-"
"You're used to tracking in the wilderness, Asch. You don't know scrap about Darry's Hill and be happy ye don't. Now get outta my way." I did as I was told before he had a chance to shove me out the window or somethin'. Well, he was wrong about me knowing nothing about Darry's Hill. Oriel'd been there three times to hunt for Lord Keetch, but the general was right that it was nothing I'd trained for.
So many crippled'n'broken beasts on the ground... A lot of them looked old enough to have been in that war that happened twenty seasons ago. Some looked older, and I really wondered how many of those beasts were ruined by vermin paws.
"Asch!" I looked up from my thoughts t'see Abon's squished'n'grim face coming straight for me. "Asch, why aren't you with the general?"
"I... He..." I whirled around like I could point at him but he was already long gone. "He... He told me I won't be any help," I swallowed.
The hedgehog grumbled something under his breath and shook his head. "Yep. He does that time to time. He likes being alone sometimes, s'don't take it too hard."
"But he didn't even gimme a task."
"If he didn't give you a job, he's got a good reason." He wagged a claw at me like I was still little enough to bend over his knees. "Just because you've got skill - a lot of it - and your secret missions, doesn't mean you can go rooting around where you don't belong."
I wrinkled my snout and looked away. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. At least, I didn't want to if he was gonna argue against me. But he was right and that was the worst part.
"So," I said, slipping over to a smoother conversation. "What'd you think about what happened in there?"
"That?" The bodyguard gave a low whistle and started trundling off to Dirk's study. I followed next t'him as he went on. "That was real hard t'watch, if you ask me. She wouldn't believe me when I said the general'd be more than fair to her."
I scoffed. "Well he's already being plenty fair. He was already fair to her once and she just ran off to land everybeast in this mess."
Abon shrugged his broad shoulders. "We don't know her story yet. But if you ask me, she seems like one of the few rare good ones."
"If there ever was such a thing, you'd think she'd show some loyalty t' the few beasts that took care of her."
"She's loyal to her-"
"Hey Abon!" Another hog waved as he passed and the bodyguard followed up with a lazy flap of his arm.
"As I was saying," he said with a loud 'hrrrrrumph.' "As I was saying, she's loyal to her children."
"I guess."
"And that's something real rare and admirable for vermin. The general'd give her baby back. He's already made his mind up about that."
We were talking about the beast that took in a bunch of vermin orphans. So of course he was generous. He'd proven that a hundred times over by now. But still... "Well how do you know he's gonna fold just like that?"
The hedgehog chuckled and shook his grey old head. "If you've been around him as long as I have, you'd start to pick up on things. So many beasts think he's a stone-heart, but he has a real soft spot for cubs. I wouldn't be surprised, bein' that he had a pup'n all."
"What?!"
Abon gave me a knowing sort of wink. "Well, you shouldn't be so shocked if you'd seen him in his younger days. He and Lord Galen were always running around towns and gettin' into some kind of mischief." I didn't need to know that. "Hell. Still running around from time to time even now." Really didn't need t'know about that, either.
"He told you 'bout this stuff?"
"Naw. But it's like old war buddies know a li'l bit of everything from everyone."
"But then... well this is the first time I'd heard of it. So where's the tyke now?"
Somehow I knew the answer before the hedgehog pursed his lips and shook his head. "I asked him once..." He scratched his chin a little. "T'was around the time you first showed up. A lot of beasts weren't too happy about you, so I asked if his decision had anything to do with..." Abon trailed off as he realized how close we were to the general's study. "Well... He got all cold and said he didn't want to talk about it."
I knew what that meant and it finally made sense why he cared enough to give me to Birger and Ma. Gates. When I think about it, where would I be if the general got t'be a father? And what would've happened t'me if my parents never lost their first baby?
I always knew it. Deep down, I always did. When they found me, their pain softened 'em up so that pity could take over. And I thought to myself... Birger and Ma's baby and now Dirk's infant, too... I wondered if they died so that I could live.
Is Fate always so unfair?
C/N: A lot of you might be thinkin' this, but you're right that I didn't really do much o' anything in this chapter. Sorta like I was just there'n reportin' in the background. I really don't like doing nothing- especially when there's somebeast that needs saving, but those are the general's orders. And it'd make sense that Scala'd be the center of attention for this chapter. Oh, and Jade wanted you to know that the chapter's title is talking about both Scala and Fate making trades. She thinks she's so clever but... eh... I dunno 'bout that one.
And I know some of you were pretty mad about me not liking Scala. Call me a hypocrite or whatever you want, but I'm not taking it back. Look, I'm not saying that she deserves t'be burned at the stake or anything. I just don't... I just... It doesn't matter.
What matters is Lady Corinne getting her brother back in one piece.
Next chapter in two weeks (weekend of Oct. 25th). *scratches head* And it's been a while since we've seen Miria, hasn't it?