The group finally came into sight of Citadel Volshyenek during the early afternoon. The headquarters of the Korvosan Guard was located in the Midland district and overlooked Jeggare Harbor, and while it was an overall friendly district, the riots have taken its toll on the city. Thankfully, as both the Korvosan Guard and the Sable Marine Company were located primarily in Midland, it was likely the first district that was quelled of riots. There were even people out and about getting through their daily business for the day. The riots that had taken the city during the night may very well be in decline now.

As the group approached the citadel's entrance, Alexander questioned himself on not joining the Korvosan Guard before. After his squire training had come to an end, he always thought that joining the city guard was the next logical step to take. Although it was dangerous work, Alexander was willing to take the risk to enforce the law. However, he always put the decision off, unsure of how Myla, and later, Silana, would be able to get by if he was killed in action. However, it felt that now was the right chance to join the Korvosan Guard given the recent events.

Two guards stood by the gates leading to the Citadel. Their suspicious looks faded away as Griffin tapped his cane onto the ground. "We've been sent by the queen herself to help. I believe she sent word to the field marshal."

"True on both counts," one of the guards nodded. "Field Marshal Kroft is expecting you. I'll take you to her office."

The other guard remained by the gate while his ally served as a guide, leading them toward the central keep. While advancing throughout Citadel Volshyenek, Alexander was quick to notice a lack of guards. No doubt that there were only a small number of them stationed at the headquarters while the rest were out in Korvosa, working as hard as they could to keep the peace. He was ready to do his part to give them a break by helping them however he could.

Eventually, they arrived at the upper level of the central keep, and the guard pointed them toward a door before returning to his post. Viera opened the door and allowed for her companions to step inside first. The field marshal had a simple office with little adornments and furniture aside from a desk. Cressida Kroft stood up from her seat at her desk when the adventurers entered the group. The field marshal was a young woman, only a few years older than most of the adventurers, with short black hair and hazel eyes. She was adorned in red armor resembling that had her stand out from the rest of the guard. Cressida sighed deeply before pushing her feelings away to speak with the newcomers.

"Greetings!" Cressida greeted, putting on a smile. "Queen Ileosa sent word about all of you. Please, call me Cressida. The message included all of your names as well, so we can move on from introductions."

"It's good to meet you, Cressida," Alexander bowed his head in greeting. "How can we help out?"

"As it so happens, the Korvosan Guard could use adventurers of your caliber now," Cressida answered. "You've seen how bad the situation is outside. It's breaking my heart to see Korvosa tear itself apart like this. There are situations that need to be addressed and I think that you would be best fit to deal with them. Of course, if you are acting as agents of the Korvosan Guard, I'll be happy to compensate you for your work."

"That sounds agreeable to me," Falenas said with a nod. "What can we do to help?"

"Unfortunately, I'm having to deal with some deserters," Cressida sighed. "I can understand some of them abandoning their posts for wanting to stay safe with their family but some are using the riots for their personal benefit. Sergeant Verik Vancaskerkin is one such man, as he has convinced a handful of the guards under his command to join him. They're convinced that Queen Ileosa is going to ruin Korvosa. I can't afford sending a patrol after him because it could end up with him gaining more allies or an overly patriotic guard turning Verik into a martyr."

"And as outside help, we'll be an impartial party," Griffin said, quickly seeing where Cressida was going.

"That's right," Cressida said. "Verik and his followers are holed up in an abandoned butchery called All The World's Meats in Northgate."

"We'll head there and bring them to justice," Viera said, determined.

"Do you want them alive or dead?" Takota asked.

"I would prefer if you brought them in alive, but if you are left with no choice, they brought their fate upon themselves for their desertion," Cressida answered, shaking her head in disappointment. "I'd prefer if you bring Verik in alive for interrogation. I'd like to figure out if there's more to his abandonment of his duty than personal politics or if he has more to gain. If you bring him to me alive, I'll pay your group five hundred gold, and half as much if you bring me his dead body."

"Sounds like we shouldn't kill him then," Falenas said with a shrug.

"We'll do what we can," Alexander said, looking at his companions. "Verik's causing more problems than he is solving them."

"Is this a time-sensitive case?" Griffin asked. "I'm sure my friends will take care of Verik and his followers quickly but they may need time to scout out the location and come up with a plan."

"That's understandable," Cressida took a moment to think it over. "There's no deadline for bringing Verik down since he's not plotting anything serious as far as I know, but at the same time, the sooner the better."

"Of course," Griffin said. "I'll talk it over. We'll keep you updated with our progress."

"One last thing before you go," Cressida said and returned to her seat. "We have plenty of spare bunks in the barracks. If you'd like a space or to have a meal with the Korvosan Guard, you can as long as you're working with us to keep the peace in Korvosa."

"That would be greatly appreciated," Viera smiled. "Thank you. I may take you up on that offer."

"Just be sure to let one of the guards at the entrance know," Cressida told the group. "They'll help you from there."

The group stepped out of Cressida's office one by one with Falenas closing the door behind them. They walked over to the stairs although Griffin motioned for them to stop so that they could talk. Although not exactly a Korvosan Guard, Alexander was content enough being one of their agents. It appeared as though Cressida had Korvosa's best interests in thoughts regardless of what people may think of Queen Ileosa. He was more than happy to follow a leader such as her and looked forward to dealing with Verik and the deserters as part of his first duty. The group paid close attention to Griffin as he tapped his chin in thought.

"Although there's plenty of time left in the day, I feel as though it's best we should get started with defeating Verik tomorrow," Griffin started. "I imagine that you all have personal matters that you've been putting off since we've dealt with Gaedren."

"You're right," Alexander agreed. "I still have to get Silana home."

"I'll need time to get what few belongings I have in the Pantheon of Many to take with me to the barracks," Viera added with a nod. "Verik will be dealt with in all due time."

"What do we do tomorrow then?" Takota asked with his arms crossed.

"This is a very delicate situation," Griffin told the group. "I did advise scouting out the butchery and I still hold that opinion. After we come up with a plan from what we see, we take action."

"And what do you intend to do while we're busy on lookout duty?" Falenas asked with a scrutinizing gaze. "A noble would draw too much attention from the deserters."

"A valid point," Griffin admitted. "I did say I would fight alongside everyone as Indigo. I'm willing to put on my mask to join you in scouting."

"And if they spot a masked man watching them, they'll be extra cautious," Falenas countered.

Griffin sighed. "What would you have me do then?"

"You did offer to be the one to sell any loot we come across," Falenas suggested. "We could all use a little extra gold between getting our lives back in order and preparing for dealing with Verik."

"Very well," Griffin held out his hand. "Let me see Amin's ring. I'll sell that along with the rest of Gaedren's possessions and so you can split it amongst yourselves."

"Don't cut yourself out of your share," Alexander told Griffin. "You've fought alongside us. Just because you're a noble doesn't mean you're going to be treated any differently. You'll get your share of what you're owed."

"I suppose that is fair," Falenas shrugged and handed over the ring to Griffin.

"Thank you," Griffin said with a smile. "I'll continue to do my part as best as I can."

"I should come with you when you head to sell what we've found," Viera offered. "I'm just as likely to draw attention as Griffin is and I'm not the best when it comes to hiding. It would be best for me to leave the scouting to the rest of you."

"The company would be appreciated, at least," Griffin nodded. "Korvosa still isn't completely safe."

"Then it's a good thing you'll have me to keep you safe," Viera said and tapped the hilt of her sword.

"So, it'll be Takota, Falenas, and myself investigating the butchery," Alexander said, looking at his two companions. "I imagine that we'll meet at the citadel before we head to the butchery."

"And we should meet here after all of our business is done," Falenas said in agreement. "From there, we'll decide what to do next."

"That works for me since I'll be staying in the barracks," Viera said. "I suppose that I will see you all tomorrow."

"Depending on the state of my shop, I may end up seeing some of you earlier than that," Falenas stepped away from the group. "Let's hope that at the very least, I can salvage what I can."

"I should get Silana and head home," Alexander said, giving a quick wave to the elf. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Alexander, if you don't mind, but I would like to come with you," Griffin said. "If something has happened to your home, I want to be there to offer options."

"I have no objections to that," Alexander nodded after a moment of thought. "Let's be off then."

Falenas had already left and the group followed in his direction. When they finally left the citadel, Alexander noticed that Takota stayed behind, talking quietly to one of the guards. It might not be a home but at least the archer would have a warm place to stay with a roof over his head. Viera and possibly Falenas would join him soon, so it was possible that they could even get him to open up. As for Alexander, he was more than content to finally get home after everything that's happened.

Alexander fell down on his knees at the sight of the house. The entire street was in ruins, most likely caught in a swarm of rioters the night before. Glass was scattered across the ground, having been shattered from the windows. His front door had been torn from the hinges and he could only make out the bottom half on the steps leading up to his home. Alexander couldn't bear to step inside in its current state. He was afraid of losing what memories of his past he had left in that house.

Even though Alexander had lived in his house for not even five years, it was his home. He first moved there shortly after he married Myla and they made it theirs. He raised Silana within that house after she was born. She may be too young to understand the full implications of what happened but she would be even more devastated than he was to see what happened to their home.

"I was afraid that we would find something like this," Griffin sighed, standing next to Alexander. "This is terrible…"

"I can't bring Silana back to this," Alexander muttered. "I'm not sure what I can do now."

"Allow me to make an offer," Griffin suggested. "Tonight, the two of you can stay at my home. After tomorrow, you'll join the others at the barracks in Citadel Volshyenek. While we're out helping Korvosa in our own manner, I'll have someone watch and take care of Silana, at least until your house is in better shape than it is now."

"I can't ask that of you," Alexander said, slowly standing up. "It is too big of a favor to call upon you."

"I want to help you," Griffin told Alexander. "I can't save the entire city by myself but I can help you."

"Would your parents even be fine with this arrangement?" Alexander pointed out.

Griffin shrugged. "I can convince them. Sponsoring you as an adventurer is a good start, but if necessary, I can spin some story of how you saved my life from a riot and that I owe you."

"It could work, I suppose," Alexander slowly nodded. "Thank you."

"I only wish I could do more," Griffin sighed. "I don't have enough gold to pay for rebuilding your home. Most of my family's wealth is with my father and my brother. Maybe I could convince Tiran to fund the reconstruction once he's been exonerated but even then it will take days before work is finished."

"You're doing more than enough," Alexander said with a smile. "We'll need to head to the Pantheon of Many. I can explain to Silana why she'll be staying at your home and then we can head that way."

"Of course," Griffin said. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere else until we need to join the others tomorrow."

Griffin started to walk away, and after a moment of hesitation, Alexander started to follow him. He took one last glance over his shoulder at his ruined home. This was only going to be a temporary setback with returning to a normal life. Alexander was ready to do his part to see Korvosa restored to its proper state. One day, when his duty was completed, he would return home with Silana. For now, they would have to make do at the Vossler estate.

"Here are the barracks you'll be staying at."

"Thank you very much."

Viera stepped into the room and took a quick look around. There were two lines of bunk beds pressed against the wall, each equalling around about a dozen bunks for line. Each bunk had two strongboxes by their side and a few even had minor equipment scattered about. Some of the beds were unmade but most appeared to be clean. Overall, it was about what Viera expected from the barracks, although there were certainly a lot less guards. She noticed Takota on one of the top bunks, resting but not sleeping, and gave a quick smile before turning to the guard that escorted her to the barracks she would be staying at.

"It seems awfully empty," Viera commented. "Is that normal?"

"Most of the guards staying in here haven't returned to duty since the king's death," the guard said with a frown. "They'll come around soon enough. At the very least, the field marshal is interested in keeping your group together in the same barracks, so you'll be with your friends."

"I'll have to thank the field marshal the next time I see her," Viera said with a nod. "Once again, thank you. I'll be good on my own now."

The guard bowed his head in acknowledgement and left to return to his post at the entrance to Citadel Volshyenek. Viera unslung her backpack from her shoulder and walked between the lines of bunk beds. It may be hard to believe that she carried all of her belongings in her backpack (other than the sword she had holstered) but that was the case. Even after escaping from Gaedren, Viera had to fend for herself without anyone to turn to. It was only when the Pantheon on Many was constructed a year ago that she finally had a chance to dedicate herself as a follower of Iomedae. Even then, the temple wasn't a true home. She was content enough to live in the barracks if it meant that she could do more good with the Korvosan Guard.

Although their paths were different and she hadn't been vocal about what her life was like, Viera felt a connection with Takota. The archer had to survive on his own after he lost his parents, and while she knew the city, he had to adjust to what it was like in Korvosa. Zellara had told the group that they needed to look after Takota once Gaedren was dead and Viera was ready to do just that. She noticed the bottom bunk underneath his bed was made and seemingly open. After a moment of thought, she approached the bunk and looked up at Takota.

"Good evening," Viera greeted. "Do you mind if I claim the bottom bunk?"

"Go for it," Takota said with a shrug.

"Thank you," Viera said and set her backpack down on the bed. "Be sure to get some sleep tonight. I don't want a repeat of last night."

"I went to sleep last night," Takota said.

"You did, but only after I had to pull you inside the temple," Viera said, sitting down on her bed. "If I hadn't come for you, would you have stayed outside all night?"

"Maybe," Takota answered. "I didn't want anyone to try burning the building down."

"We did have guards for that but they likely appreciated the extra set of eyes," Viera said, tapping her chin as she thought back on the night. "Although, now that I remember, you weren't looking at the streets that night. Your eyes were up to the sky."

"They were," Takota said in agreement.

"Last night, I was more concerned with rioters than I was with anything that came from the sky," Viera told Takota. "In fact, was there anything in the sky that night?"

"Hippogriffs," Takota answered without hesitation.

"Of course," Viera said with a nod. "The Sable Marine Company must have been busy last night."

"They were," Takota nodded back.

"But I doubt that they were going to burn down the temple," Viera pointed out. "Why would you focus on them?"

Takota remained silent for several seconds, not answering the question.

Viera couldn't help herself from smirking. "I bet you like the idea of flying with them."

"Not that it's possible," Takota shook his head.

"You could join the Sable Marine Company," Viera suggested. "If you do well enough working with the Korvosan Guard, I could see you becoming a hippogriff rider."

"I doubt that they would take me," Takota said, rolling on his side to end the conversation.

"You'll never know if you don't try," Viera said, smiling. "Just give it a try sometime, okay?"

Takota didn't reply back and Viera could only imagine that he had his eyes closed, either in frustration or trying to push himself to sleep. She was trying to push her friend out of his shell. She understood that the archer was a man of few words as he likely didn't have a lot of people to talk to growing up. Even if that was the case, Viera was more than content talking with Takota even if he wasn't much of a conversationalist. If she could push him to find his path while doing so, all the better. She genuinely thought that Takota would make for a great Sable Company Marine. All he needed was to see that for himself.

The door to the barracks opened again and Viera turned her head to see one of her companions. With his arms full of different alchemical ingredients and tools, Falenas ignored the guard that escorted him and walked forward. It didn't take him too long for him to claim the bunk next to Viera and Takota, setting his tools down on the bed. Immediately, the elf started to grab one of the vials and wrap it up in brown cloth, getting to work. Although Viera was cautious of Falenas once (mainly due to the bombs he carried), she came to respect him. The alchemist was dedicated to his craft even in these trying times and was out to make the most of the situation he found himself in.

"Good evening, Falenas," Viera greeted with a smile.

Falenas finally looked up from his makeshift lab. "I didn't see you there."

"I can understand why," Viera told him. "I guess that you joining us here means that you don't have a home to go to right now."

"Unfortunately, some violent men decided to loot my store," Falenas informed her. "What I have with me is all that I can salvage."

"What are you making now?" Viera asked in a curious tone.

"Bombs," Falenas answered, looking back down at his work.

Viera blinked in surprise. "You know that we're trying to take Verik and his men in alive, right?"

"We were told by the field marshal that she would prefer them to be alive but that if it came down to it, we could kill them," Falenas pointed out. "If it comes down to it, I'm going to get by in a fighter with bombs than I would my dagger. Additionally, I have a new bomb I've been meaning to test out to make the flames more persistent."

Viera frowned. "Maybe you should make a bomb that isn't as dangerous."

"That defeats their purpose," Falenas chuckled. "Although you did just give me an idea. I'll get back to you on that in a few weeks, maybe a month."
"A man of your intelligence must have other tools than bombs," Viera said. "You healed yourself with one of your solutions."

"That I did, and I intend to make more solutions tonight as well," Falenas told her. "I also haven't used my mutagen yet but I'm not quite eager to use that in the field."

"Mutagen?" Viera asked, confused.

"To make a long explanation short, if I drink the mutagen, I become stronger at the cost of my intelligence," Falenas explained. "I made it as a way to test my skills due to its complex recipe but I would prefer not to drink it, not until I find a way to negate the downsides of it."

"Could someone else drink it instead?" Viera offer. "Alexander or myself could benefit from it in battle."

"I'm afraid not," Falenas shook his head. "A spark of magic is required during the crafting. Nothing too major but it essentially ensures that the mutagen only works for the crafter, that being myself. And again, it is a complex recipe, so I don't think anyone but myself in our group could make it."

"What about Griffin?" Viera asked. "Do you think he's smart enough to pull it off?"

"I doubt it," Falenas answered without hesitation. "Do not mistake cunning with intelligence. They are quite different things. I do not think Griffin would be able to pull off the complexity of certain alchemist tricks."

"Maybe you have a point," Viera said, then found herself yawning. "Today was more tiring than I expected. I suppose I should get some sleep."

"I won't keep you any longer then," Falenas said, returning to his work. "I'll be busy tonight but quiet enough."

"Just be sure to get some sleep tonight," Viera told Falenas before she shifted her body to be on her bed. "Good night, Falenas and Takota."

"Takota's here too?" Falenas said, finally looking up to see his back. "So he is. Good to know."

Viera giggled lightly at Falenas' observation and closed her eyes with the back of her head against her pillow. Despite their quirks, she was honored to fight alongside Takota and Falenas, as well as Alexander and Griffin. They were all good people in their own way even though they were all different from each other. Viera would be sure to do her part in the coming days. The city needed heroes and she thought that her friends were just the ones ready to save Korvosa.

It was easy enough for Alexander to explain to Silana that she would be staying at the Vossler estate for now. Although he never went into much detail about their home, telling her that it wasn't safe to go back was enough for his daughter to accept. Afterwards, they left with Griffin from the Pantheon of Many to the manor that they would be staying at. While Silana had been sad not to go back home, her eyes went wide in wonder when she finally saw where she would stay. The Vossler's manor was bigger than any house in her neighborhood and Alexander was glad to see that she was happy with their new circumstances.

While Griffin excused himself to explain to his parents the deal he made, Alexander followed Silana as she explored the manor. The young girl looked through each room in awe and enjoyed the amount of space she had. Alexander was convinced that she would have a lot of fun in the Vossler estate and could even have the opportunity to learn something new while staying with the nobility. He felt confident enough that she would be safe while he went to work with the Korvosan Guard.

After Griffin finished making arrangements with his family, Alexander and Silana each had a bed that they could sleep on, although the former would have to head to the barracks after the night. Although he wasn't tired, the sun had set and it was long past his daughter's bedtime. While Silana objected briefly to going to bed, she listened to her father, who tucked her in. After a few minutes, she was sound asleep, and Alexander left her to her peaceful slumber.

Since Alexander wasn't tired, he found himself in Griffin's study, which was lit by several candles on the desk. The noble was busy trying to break the code in Gaedren's ledger. Although Alexander wanted to help his friend, he realized that he didn't really have a lot to contribute when it came to ciphers and left him be so that he could focus. He instead looked at the bookcases, browsing the different topics of interest. One book stood out covering the meaning behind harrow cards. Alexander reached down to Zellara's deck that he carried with him. Learning more about the deck he has been entrusted with sounded like a good idea.

"Do you mind if I borrow a book?" Alexander asked, glancing over at Griffin.

"Go right ahead," Griffin nodded, not looking up from his work.

"Thank you," Alexander pulled the book out of the shelf. "It's the one on the harrow deck. If I had to guess, you've read it recently."

"I did want to brush up on my knowledge after I received Zellara's message," Griffin confirmed. "Mother told me about the harrowing but it never really appealed to me before, and honestly, it doesn't particularly appeal to me now."

"I take it that means you don't believe in fate," Alexander said, pocketing the book into his backpack.

"I believe that we make our own destiny," Griffin replied, looking up briefly from Gaedren's ledger. "It wasn't fate that brought us together, but Zellara."

"You have a point but I think there's more to it than that," Alexander said and shook his head. "Do you think it was a coincidence that the five of us were each wronged by Gaedren in our own ways?"

"Absolutely," Griffin answered without hesitation. "Gaedren had many victims. We're special because we had the skills to bring him down, something Zellara likely realized."

Alexander paused to think and decided now was the chance to bring up another question of interest. "Where did you pick up your skills? Forgive me for changing the subject but the rest of us had reasons for learning how to fight, or create explosives in Falenas' case. What about you?"

"I learned how to duel from my brother," Griffin started to explain. "Tiran is quite the accomplished duelist. As for my other skills, I have a lot of free time and money to spend. I wanted to challenge himself."

"And where does your fake limp play into this?" Alexander questioned.

"That is a wonderful story," Griffin smirked. "Two years ago, I broke my leg falling off a horse. At the time, my parents were away and I didn't have enough money for magical healing. Although I didn't want him to, Tiran insisted about paying for a cleric."

"Why didn't you want him to?" Alexander interrupted.

"It wasn't his fault," Griffin explained simply. "I'm terrible at horseback riding and only attempted it at the time to impress some nobles who would never give me the time of day by winning a race. Still, Tiran has a kind heart and even more gold to spend than I do, and his stubborn nature won out."

"And how was he able to convince you?"

"That's where it all connects together. You see, Tiran wanted to challenge me. He thought that I wasn't a capable trickster, so he proposed a bet. Tiran would have a healer fix my leg with magic in secret but I would act as though I had to heal naturally. If anyone finds out that my leg is just fine, I have to pay Tiran back for the healing."

Alexander blinked several times as he processed the information. "So, all this time, you've been faking a limp as part of a bet?"

"For two years," Griffin nodded, holding back laughter. "I didn't realize it at the time but Tiran also never gave me a way to win the bet other than to keep the lie going."

"But why would you do something like this?" Alexander asked in disbelief.

"It was Tiran's idea and I wanted to see how far we would go with this," Griffin shrugged. "No one was lining up to dance with me for any ballroom celebrations and it had certain benefits. No one would suspect me of being that dashing Indigo. I can't even walk normally."

Griffin let another laugh escape before returning to Gaedren's ledger. Alexander continued to look at his friend in disbelief. It seemed far-fetched for someone to take on such a wager that has lasted for two years. At the same time, it wasn't exactly expected for a noble to become a vigilante. Thinking on it, the group of five was far from normal, so Griffin fit in perfectly in his own way.

Alexander thought back to how he first viewed Griffin when he was disguised as Indigo. Although it has only been a day since their meeting, a lot had happened, and he realized that he was wrong to not trust the noble. After revealing the truth, Griffin had gone out of his way to secure a meeting with the queen, which turned into working with the Korvosan Guard, and even provided shelter for Silana. Alexander was glad to have a friend like him and hoped to one day be able to thank him for his work so far.

Griffin gasped out loud. "I cracked the cipher!"

"You did?" Alexander asked in surprise.

"Yes, I think so!" Griffin exclaimed, reaching for a blank journal to start translating with. "I had to work with what few crimes I knew Gaedren committed but I was able to pull it off. With this, I'll be able to free Tiran."

"That's amazing!" Alexander clapped his hands with a grin. "Do you think that you'll have a copy ready to turn in by tomorrow?"

"I'll need to spend a few hours at work, but yes," Griffin answered with a nod, dipping his quill into a bottle of ink. "Tomorrow, you and the others will get the chance to meet Tiran."

"I look forward to it," Alexander said and quickly covered his mouth to hide a yawn. "I should leave you to it. Just remember to get some sleep."

"I will," Griffin said, no longer looking up to Alexander. "Good night, Alexander."

Alexander turned around, heading to the door. He looked one last time at Griffin, who was writing as fast as his hand could. The warrior smiled at the noble, glad that his family would be whole soon enough. He may not fit in with nobility but Griffin would always have his friends. Alexander stepped out of the room, closed the door behind him, and made his way to his bed.

A/N: It's official. I have reached 30000 words.

I wasn't expecting this chapter to reach 5.5k words but it just happened. I imagined it to be a shorter chapter but I have no complaints. In fact, I think this chapter was probably my favorite. There was some plot to it, but overall, it was a chapter that relied on character interaction. This is the first chapter that I was able to lean into that element, which was something I enjoyed. Hopefully I'll find time for more of it later on, but for now, it's time to start getting back to the story.

Until next time.