The sun was reaching its highest point in the sky and the line to All The World's Meats was starting to die down. Falenas and Takota loitered about across the street, keeping an eye on the line. They were waiting to see a citizen leave the butchery without any meat before approaching to ask about the night's special cuts. Since they had time ahead of time, Falenas had elected to go with a simple cover story for why they were hiring mercenaries. They would keep their names although Takota was convinced to play the part of a mute bodyguard. The elf was confident enough to handle all of the talking.

There was no doubt in his mind that violence was about to break out but Falenas hoped that he could keep the act up long enough for Alexander, Viera, and Griffin to come in to help make the arrest. They were around somewhere. He didn't know where nor did he care to look for them. The others may doubt his skill with a dagger but Falenas knew enough to get by. The elf even thought himself a better liar than Griffin as he still had plenty of secrets. He knew that the deserters had the advantage of range with their longswords. The alchemist left his bombs at the barracks but he had a few solutions on him in case of an emergency, and if he really needed to, he had his mutagen.

Falenas glanced towards Takota, who remained focused on the declining line in front of the butchery. Although it wasn't something he was vocal about, he thought the archer to be the closest friend he had among the group. The alchemist was still trying to trust Griffin and didn't have the same convictions as Alexander and Viera to really bond with them yet. Takota was simple, silent, and willing to follow commands. Zellara was worried about what would happen to him, but as far as Falenas was concerned, what his friend decided to do was up to him and not anyone else. If something did go wrong while they were in the butchery, he and Takota would be able to handle the problem.

"Do you still remember the plan?" Falenas asked his companion.

Takota nodded.

"Good," Falenas clasped his hands together. "I think we can do our part well enough."

Takota nodded.

"I like our odds," Falenas commented. "There's five of us and five of them, but while we're equal in number, they won't see us coming until it's too late."

Takota nodded.

Falenas blinked twice, then sigh. "Takota, you do know that you don't have to play the part of the mute yet, right?"

Takota nodded.

"You're just being silent because…" Falenas stopped himself. "Do you actually enjoy not talking?"

"It's time," Takota said.

"It's time?" Falenas turned back to the butchery to see someone walk out without any meat in hand. "Good eye, my friend. Let's put this wonderful conversation on hold so that we can get to work."

Takota followed behind Falenas towards the butchery across the street. On the way, the alchemist quickly downed a tasteless solution meant to heighten his senses and reaction time just in case a fight broke out. The line was starting to disperse although the guard that stood in front of the door remained. The elf was able to get a closer look at the man, noting his flat nose and bushy eyebrows that merged into one. He realized that this was the same guard standing outside the day before and made mental notes to improvise based on any developments that came up. The guard held up a hand as the two approached.

"We're out of meat," the guard said bluntly. "Come back tomorrow."

"Actually, we're here for the night's special cuts," Falenas told the man.

"Is that so?" the guard raised his eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that why you stood outside today, and your friend the day before?"

"We had to make sure your operation was legitimate," Falenas explained. "I have gold and am willing to pay for your services. Might we discuss business inside?"

The guard looked over the two, taking note of their respective weapons on their belts. "You two don't try anything while you're inside, alright?"

"My bodyguard and I wouldn't dream of it," Falenas shook his head. "The city is more dangerous than ever. We just want to be prepared if danger comes for us."

"Come on in," the guard opened the door for the two.

Falenas and Takota stepped inside, followed by the guard who stood out front. The man closed the door and locked it, ensuring that no one would interrupt their deal. A long counter runs across the room with a door ajar behind it. Falenas noted a few flies by the meat display by the window as well as a marble bench against the wall. Although the room behind the door was silent, another guard stepped out from behind the counter. The counter guard wore chainmail like his fellow deserter although his set of armor didn't fit that well.

"Here about the nightly cut, are you?" the guard by the counter asked before continuing. "I'm Malder, that's Baldrago. We'll hear you out on your deal."

"Thank you very much," Falenas bowed his head. "My name is Falenas, and this is my bodyguard, Takota. I actually recently had to hire his services after I was mugged by the man I'm hiring you to deal with."

"It's fifty gold for person to beat up," Baldrago explained. "Once we handle the matter, you never have to worry about who we go after again."

"That's wonderful to know," Falenas faked a sigh of relief.

"Who is it you want us to go after?" Malder questioned with his arms crossed.

"His name is Yargin," Falenas said, starting to begin his story. "Allow me to explain how I came to know him so that you may know where to find him…"


"They're in," Griffin announced. "No one's watching. Let's go."

Griffin started to dash toward the butchery with Alexander and Viera behind him. The noble wore his blue mask along with the other equipment that identified him as Indigo. They were careful to steer clear of the front window display in case anyone inside was looking out and walked around the butchery. The day before, Takota found the back door that the Cow Hammer Boys used to bring in animal deliveries. It was decided that would be how they entered the building while Falenas and Takota served as a distraction.

Griffin tested the door and found that it was locked. He dropped down to his knees, pulled out the lockpicks he kept on his belt, and started to unlock the door. It was rare to see a noble capable of a talent best used in the hands of a thief but he found that it was a skill that helped contribute to his group's cause. Only a few servants of the manor knew that Griffin could pick locks and he was able to convince them he learned how to solve some advanced puzzles. Still, if someone learned the truth, he has his doubts that it would be too big of a scandal.

When Griffin heard the click of the lock being undone, he turned the door knob to open the way into the butchery. The room was likely meant as an unloading area for animals given the wagon found in the center. There was a door leading further into the butchery as well as a set of doors to their left. Griffin stepped in, taking point, while the warriors joined him on his flank, weapons in hand. He was worried that Viera and Alexander might make too much noise given the armor they wore but there was very little that he could do about that now.

"Should we check the side rooms?" Alexander asked in a whisper.

"Time is of the essence," Griffin replied. "Viera, come with me as we head further in. Alexander, you can check the side rooms and follow behind. If we hear trouble, we come to our aid."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Viera nodded. "Let's be quick."

Griffin and Viera headed to the door on the far side of the room, leaving Alexander to check the side rooms. The two walked into a chamber with blood and straw and Griffin was quick to realize that this room was the killing floor for butchering animals. Empty meat hooks hang from a metal track attached to the wall to allow for animal carcasses to be moved around with ease. In one corner was a large hammer placed on a ground particularly stained in blood, and in another corner was a bloodstained grill that covered a hole in the ground with two vats of water by it. The far wall had two butcher blocks and the room smelled terribly of meat and bones.

"This isn't an ideal place to hold out," Viera commented, holding her hand over her nose.

"Let's get out of here," Griffin said in agreement. "No one's here and I can hardly stand being here."

There were three doors to the wall on their left so Griffin elected to open the one closest to them and stepped in alongside Viera. Two empty yet foul-smelling wooden animal pens made up most of the room. The ground in the pens was littered with scattered hay. It was easy to see that this was where animals were held before they were taken to be butchered. Griffin heard footsteps coming in from behind, and while he expected it to be Alexander, he was taken by surprise by the sight of a broad-shouldered man with long sideburns currently aiming a bow at the two.

"What are you doing here?" the Cow Hammer Boy demanded in a growl.

"Let's not be hasty," Griffin told the man. "You don't want to attack us."

"We're with the Korvosan Guard," Viera declared, holding her sword in both hands. "Surrender and come in quietly."

"You made a mistake coming here," the Cow Hammer Boy shook his head. "We needed more meat anyways. Intruders!"

He turned his bow's aim to Viera and let the arrow fly loose. Thankfully, his shot went wide and struck the back wall. Griffin took out his rapier while Viera charged forward, swinging yet missing the man with the back end of her sword. The Cow Hammer Boy threw down his bow and pulled out his own sword just in time to block Griffin's jab only to miss his counterattack. The disguised noble made another jab with his rapier, knowing that it would be blocked, but it was a distraction for Viera to slam her blade's hilt across the man's forehead.

The man growled in pain yet fought on, slashing across Viera's chest. The blade cut through her armor and she gasped in pain. Griffin stepped in, slamming the pommel of his rapier down on the deserter's shoulder. Yet, the Cow Hammer Boy ignored his attacker to focus on the injured warrior. When Viera raised her longsword above her to strike her opponent, he pressed forward and swung again. With another deep wound inflicted across her chest, the priestess released her grip on her sword and collapsed down onto the ground.

"Viera!" Griffin exclaimed with his eyes growing wide.

Griffin grew enraged to see his friend go down and rushed forward. When the mercenary turned to face his remaining foe, he was shocked to see the masked man grab hold of his sword arm to push it out of the way. This let him score a direct hit upon the deserter's face with his rapier's pommel. The man fell down to the ground with a groan, unconscious.

With the threat eliminated, Griffin fell down to his knees by Viera. He was relieved to see that she was breathing lightly but knew that he had to act quickly to make sure she didn't bleed out. Without wasting time, he reached over at the cloak he wore and started to tear off from it. The cloak could be replaced in time, what mattered was saving his friend. Griffin used the torn pieces of his cloak as makeshift bandage stripes and wrapped them around Viera to stop the bleeding. The blue cloth was stained red but it was enough to slow down the bleeding.

After sighing in relief, Griffin remembered that Viera did have a potion that could have healed her. He chuckled, realizing that in his rush to save her life, he overlooked the obvious solution.

Griffin stood up from the ground, thinking over his options. It wasn't too late to bring Viera up with her potion but he was worried for her safety. If another of the Cow Hammer Boys could land a decent hit to get through her armor, she could lose her life. It could be safer to bind the mercenary so that he couldn't escape and leave her here while he and the others dealt with the rest of his deserters. He looked over at the pens, thinking if it would be a way to hold a prisoner or serve as a protection for the unconscious priestess.

It was during this inspection that Griffin noted a small hole in the ground underneath the trough in one of the pens.

"What do we have here?" Griffin thought out loud to himself as he approached the pen.


"Intruders!" a voice called out from the door behind the counter.

"Was that Parns?" Malder asked, pulling out his longsword.

"I didn't hear anything at all," Falenas shrugged, realizing that something went wrong.

"What about you?" Baldrago asked Takota. "You heard that, didn't you?"

"My good friend here cannot speak," Falenas quickly explained. "He's mute."

Malder blinked in confusion. "Didn't you talk to me when you came for meat yesterday?"

Falenas groaned. "Why didn't you tell me that you talked to them yesterday!"

"You never asked," Takota answered, pulling out his handaxe.

"Something like that is important to know when I suggest that you pretend to not talk," Falenas sighed and pulled out his dagger. "Enough of the act. Surrender so that we can take you into the Korvosan Guard!"

"You call those weapons?" Baldrago laughed. "Malder, let's show them what a real blade can do!"

Falenas cursed under his breath when he realized that there wasn't going to be a way to talk the two deserters into surrendering peacefully. Takota stepped in behind his companion and turned to face Baldrago, who blocked the exit out of the butchery. The alchemist elbowed his friend lightly in the back as a signal to start the fight, then dashed at Malder. Falenas led with a flurry of dagger strikes but Malder kept his distance away, taking advantage of his longsword's reach to keep his foe at back. After his second jab, the elf gasped when the deserter landed a glancing blow on his chin. It wasn't a deep cut but he had to touch the injury to see his blood on his gloved hands.

Although he may be a deserter, Malder still had his training, and between that and his weapon, he had the edge over his opponent. Even with his reactions enhanced, Falenas was only able to keep up with his foe. The elf missed another strike with his dagger, but after avoiding Malder's counter attack, slammed the pommel of his weapon against the side of his head. The deserter grunted in pain, dazed but ready to keep fighting. He slashed with his sword and cut across the elf's shoulder. Falenas could hear Takota grunting as his handaxe clashed against his sword and figured that it was time for a change of plan. The alchemist overestimated his ability with the dagger but he could hold out long enough for Takota to finish his fight. The elf fought defensively, blocking and parrying the strikes Malder attacked with while patiently waiting for Takota to win his fight.

When he heard a body collapse behind him, Falenas held a finger up to signal a pause in the fighter. Malder did so, blinking in confusion.

"It's over," Falenas said in a taunting manner. "You're outnumbered two to one. If you couldn't beat me, what makes you think you can beat me and my friend?"

"If you couldn't beat Malder, what makes you think you can beat him and me?"

Falenas' eyes went wide as he looked over his shoulder. It was Takota who fell, thankfully still alive but unconscious, bleeding from several cuts across his body. Falenas slowly backed up against the wall, giving the two deserters time to join together in facing him. They were taking their time, believing that he wasn't a threat. The alchemist thought of his options, and realizing that the only way he and Takota would survive today was if Baldrago and Malder were brought down, frowned at the lack of options.

There was only one way for Falenas to win, and as much as he hated it, he had no other option.

"I'd start running if I were you," Falenas said in a quiet tone as his hand grabbed a vial on his belt. "There's no going back after this."

"Do you think that a healing potion is going to save you?" Baldrago laughed mockingly.

"You're going to wish that this was a potion."

Falenas removed the top from the vial and downed his mutagen. He nearly gagged at the foul yet familiar taste of the dark liquid but forced the alchemical creation down his throat. He licked his lips and tried his best to keep his mind calm. The change would be quick so Falenas needed to be sure that he would remember that he had to take the two deserters alive. It would be very easy to lose sight of that when he was about to lose his mind.

Malder and Baldrago started to advance on their foe when the change started. Falenas could feel his mind start to slip away before he felt the changes in his body. The elf had a lean body so it came as a shock to the two deserters when his muscles started to rapidly grow. The muscles in his arms and legs expanded with his tunic's sleeves being ripped off as a result of the sudden change. His chest started to grow bulkier, further ruining his tunic, and he grew a few inches taller. Falenas towered over his opponents before, but with his inhuman muscular build, there was no denying that he was an intimidating figure now.

Falenas' eyes settled on the deserters. Malder took several steps backward, eyes wide in terror at the sight of Falenas. Baldrago hid his fear better, and with a wild scream, charged forward, swinging his sword at the elf.

The metal blade practically bounced off of Falenas' skin, hardened by the transformation.

"What the hell are you?!" Malder asked.

Falenas didn't answer him and instead flipped his dagger in his hand. He looked Baldrago in his fearful eyes and shook his head. "Nice try. It's my turn now…"


The door that Alexander went through was open to the air without a ceiling above it. Even with a breeze blowing through the air, the area smelled of animal manure. The room, likely meant to hold larger animals such as cattle, was empty of animals. There was a shed that had a hay-covered wagon within it. Alexander thought that there was nothing else and turned around. He hoped that he could find Griffin and Viera before they made it too far.

Before he made it to the door, a thin man in armor stepped through the door that Alexander came through. The two warriors blinked at each other with the new arrival slowly reaching for his sword's hilt.

"Intruder!" The call from elsewhere in the butchery was what prompted the fight between the two.

Alexander's flail collided with the Cow Hammer Boy's sword but that wasn't the only weapon he had. Without hesitation, the mercenary bashed his shield into the deserter's face. He yelled out in pain and backed away before he resumed a combat stance. The ex-guard knew how to fight but so did Alexander. The two charged at each other and collided into battle once more. The Cow Hammer Boy was more careful of Alexander's shield and fended it off as well as the flail, even though he wasn't able to land an attack between the onslaught he faced.

Alexander realized that he wasn't making a lot of progress against his foe and figured that a risk was in order. He adjusted his stance, holding his shield up high over his chest, but left his legs exposed. When he raised his flail to strike, the Cow Hammer Boy struck low, slashing across Alexander's thigh. He gritted his teeth through the pain and now took advantage of the break in his opponent's defense. His flail swing caught the deserter by the jaw and another shield bash broke his nose.

It was surprising to see the Cow Hammer Boy still standing after the beating, but given the way he shook in place, he was done for. Alexander slammed the handle of his weapon down on the deserter to knock him out and end the fight.

After ensuring that the man wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, Alexander headed back into the rest of the butchery. At best, the Cow Hammer Boy was able to slip by Griffin and Viera by accident, but given the intruder call, it was likely that they were in a fight. He pushed himself forward despite the cut in his leg, knowing he needed to help his friends. By the time he made it to the butchery's killing floor, he could hear the familiar sounds of battle coming from a hallway. Alexander gasped, realizing that it was coming from the front lobby, and that Falenas and Takota were fighting.

Alexander dashed down the hallway, and although the door to the front lobby was slightly open, he couldn't see the fight. However, he wasn't able to make it as he heard footsteps coming down from the stairs that led up to the second floor. He slid to a stop in time to see a young man wearing the regalia of the Korvosan Guard. His brown hair was cut short and his hazel eyes had a piercing stare. Although his body was fit, the man pulled out his bow instead of the spear. With an arrow pointed at him, Alexander couldn't risk charging against him or into the front lobby, so he held out his shield to protect his head.

"I presume that you're Verik Vancaskerkin!" Alexander called out, crouching down low to make himself a smaller target.

"Indeed I am!" the archer shouted back. "It seems that you're more informed about my identity than I am yours."

Alexander figured that if he kept Verik talking, it would keep him from fighting, and continued the conversation. "I am Alexander Fletcher of the Korvosan Guard. That's what you were a part of once."

"You seem like a decent man, Alex," Verik noted. "Unfortunately, I can't have you stop what I'm doing."

"You're trying to incite a rebellion," Alexander argued. "You disgrace the armor that you wear now."

"I am keeping the people of Korvosa fed in these sorrowful times," Verik defended himself. "Ileosa murdered her husband and does nothing to help the people who suffer from her actions!"

"You're causing more suffering than you realize," Alexander pointed out. "The Cow Hammer Boys have been beating people to death!"

"They haven't!" Verik shook his head. "I'm their leader. I think I would know if they're going behind my back!"

"You seem like a good man, Verik, but your men aren't," Alexander sighed. "I have to help my friends. Stand down."

"I can't turn back now," Verik told Alexander. "Stand down or else I'll be forced to shoot you."

"To be honest, I think I can survive a single arrow," Alexander chuckled behind his shield. "I hope you can draw an arrow faster than I can get to you."

"Ah, but you see, the moment you move, you'll be exposed to my arrow," Verik shot back. "You can't get to me without getting shot at. How would you fare with an arrowhead anywhere in your body?

"But you can't shoot me unless you want me to charge at you," Alexander said defiantly, then blinked. "We're just going back and forth with the same argument, aren't we?"

"I think we are," Verik agreed. "Do you want more time to think about your position?"

"Do you?" Alexander asked back.

Alexander realized that the sound of combat ended at some point in the conversation. It had faded into background noise between their conversation. Despite his position, Alexander figured he had decent odds of his shield or armor blocking the arrow. If he moved before Verik shot, he was more at risk of getting harmed. The two had come upon a sort of understanding during their stalemate. They both recognized that they fought for their ideals, and while they are opposed to each other because of them, they still had some common ground about doing the right thing.

It would take someone else to break the stalemate. Alexander didn't turn his head when he heard the footsteps coming from the killing floor. Verik only glanced toward the door, waiting to see who was coming.

"Alexander?" Griffin blinked in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Hands up!" Verik shifted his bow's aim at Griffin. "Both of you put your hands up or I will shoot the man in the mask!"

"Where's Viera?" Alexander asked, slowly standing up.

"Unconscious," Griffin answered and slowly set his rapier down on the ground. "Don't shoot. You're Verik, right? You may call me Indigo."

"You don't look like a member of the Korvosan Guard," Verik commented, standing his ground.

"That's because I'm not," Griffin shrugged and raised his hands above his air. "Do what I do, Alexander."

"What do you think you're doing?" Alexander shook his head. "We can't surrender."

"What's that you have in your hand?!" Verik questioned Griffin, and for the first time, Alexander realized that Griffin carried a pouch.

"This is the secret cache I found in the animal pens," Griffin explained. "I assume it's what you've been paid but I thought that the Cow Hammer Boys were giving out meat for free."

Verik shook his head. "We do! There is no hidden treasure in this butchery."

"Just as the others don't participate in mercenary work," Alexander challenged.

"I want you to know that I'm not lying to you," Griffin said and brought his free hand to pull his mask down. "I believe in justice. I believe that you are trying to do the right thing in these trying times, but I also believe that you are blind. Haven't you ever thought that you were giving out more meat than you received?"

"Parns was a butcher," Verik said, his voice growing quiet in thought. "He said he knew techniques to get more meat."

"Parns lied to you," Griffin told Verik. "Parns and everyone else has been lying to you. They've been taking offers to beat people up for gold, and when they go too far, they have the perfect way to dispose of the bodies. This is money that the people of Korvosa give the Cow Hammer Boys, not just for their side work as mercenaries, but so that they can give out more meat!"

To emphasize on his point, Griffin tilted the bag forward. Coins and valuable gemstones spilled out onto the wooden floor, clattering for several seconds. Verik and Alexander both watched and quickly realized that the rest of the Cow Hammer Boys had earned quite the profit from their side venture. The warrior turned back to the archer on the stairs, whose hands trembled. The determination in his eyes faded away as he finally realized the truth of what happened. Slowly, he lowered his bow's aim and dropped it down to the ground along with his arrow.

"I surrender," Verik said, defeated.

"Come down," Alexander said, though his tone was more calm than demanding.

Verik climbed down the stairs without issue with Griffin pulling his mask back up. "I can handle him if he tries anything. Check on Falenas and Takota."

Alexander nodded, remembering why he encountered Verik to begin with. He went down the hallway to the lobby and immediately noticed that the guard previously posted at the door had crashed through part of the wooden counter. He was bloodied but still alive given how his chest raised with each breath. Alexander's eyes looked up at the rest of the lobby. The meat display had been thrown down with Takota on the ground just as another Cow Hammer Boy was. The warrior knelt down by his friend and quickly sighed in relief when he felt him breathing. Takota's bleeding had slowed down so he wasn't at risk of bleeding from death.

When Alexander stood up, he saw that the front door had been torn from its hinges and was now broken on the street.

"Indigo!" Alexander called out, remembering how Griffin wished to be addressed while wearing his mask.

"What's wrong?!" Griffin called back from the hallway. "Are Takota and Falenas okay?"

"Takota's unconscious but Falenas is missing," Alexander reported. "You may want to take a look at this."

Griffin stepped into the lobby and whistled. "That's quite the mess."

"What could have broken down the door like that?" Alexander asked.

"I don't know," Griffin said with a shrug. "Falenas may have run off. Viera and I took down one of the Cow Hammer Boys. That leaves one unaccounted for."

"That's been taken care of," Alexander reported.

"Good," Griffin said with a nod. "I don't think that the two of us can transport our injured companions and the prisoners to Citadel Volshyenek without help. Hold down the fort for me. I'll get Field Marshal Kroft to send help to clean up our mess. Viera's in one of the animal pens with the prisoners. I'll be back as soon as I can."

A brief nod from Alexander was all Griffin needed to take to the streets, dashing off as fast as he could. The warrior remained focused on the destruction in the lobby. Something powerful had come by, and although it was destructive, it spared the lives of Takota and the Cow Hammer Boys. He hoped to one day figure out the mystery, but for now, would settle on accomplishing the task at hand. He needed to check on Viera, ensure that Verik and his men were imprisoned, and stand guard until reinforcements from Citadel Volshyenek arrived. With a look of determination, Alexander set out to get to work.


The time passed by for Alexander quickly enough given that he had a lot to take care of. He took advantage of some of the ropes and chains the Cow Hammer Boys had in the butchery to keep them bound to prevent any chance of their escape. Afterwards, he focused most of his time checking on Takota of Viera, who he both moved to the lobby of the building, to ensure that they weren't at risk of bleeding out. Although tempted to use their respective potions or even his own, he thought that it would be best to save them for an emergency. Although he wasn't much of a healer, he knew enough about injuries to know that they weren't going to die from their wounds today.

Although Alexander wanted to question Verik on his motives, he knew that it was likely to be futile. Although he was conscious after surrendering, the turncoat was silent in thought over the actions of the Cow Hammer Boys. He genuinely didn't know that his men were acting behind his back. Although he could have been a rebel seeking to overthrow Queen Ileosa, there was no denying that Verik wanted to help the people of Korvosa. He had the wrong ideas but his heart was in the right place. Alexander hoped that some time locked away would have the deserter realize the error of his ways.

It was a little after midday when around a dozen and a half Korvosan Guards arrived at the butchery to secure the scene. Field Marshal Kroft took time away from her office to personally lead her men with Griffin, now dressed as a proper noble, at her side. Three of the Korvosan Guards broke off from the rest of the group and started to tend to Viera and Takota, fulfilling their duties as medics. Others started to load the Cow Hammer Boys onto a prisoner's wagon while the rest stood guard or took evidence from the butchery.

Alexander approached Griffin and Cressida, who stood outside of the butchery. "Thank you for coming. I wasn't sure how I was going to take care of the scene myself."

"I should be thanking you for dealing with Verik and his men to begin with," Cressida shook her head. "Coming to help clean up is the least we could do."

"Perhaps next time, we'll be able to do it ourselves," Griffin said, looking around the street. "Still no sign of Falenas. I wonder where he ran off too."

"He'll turn up if he wants his share of the pay," Cressida said. "There's another wagon on its way to bring your unconscious friends back to Citadel Volshyenek for rest. Given the state they're in and that you managed to capture all of the deserters alive, I think you've earned a day off."

"If you still need help, I can still do what I can," Alexander told Cressida. "I'm not too injured."

"While I appreciate the offer, I can't afford having you overwork yourself," Cressida said with a small smile. "It'll give me time to go over what needs to be done in Korvosa to figure out where to send you next."

"And we'll be ready for when that time comes," Griffin said. "If you want, I can give you your share of the payment now, or you could come by the manor later tonight. In total, we've been given five hundred gold for our services."

"It wouldn't feel right of me to claim it while the others are gone," Alexander said, tapping his chin in thought. "I'll come by tomorrow morning when Viera and Takota are awake and mostly recovered. Until then, I feel as though I can still put in some work."

"If you want, you can fill out a report of what happened today," Cressida offered. "I don't need anything too formal, just something for the records."

Griffin chuckled. "At the very least, it'll keep him out of trouble. I shall see you tomorrow, Alexander. Good work today, and be sure to tell the others when you can."

"I will," Alexander said with a nod. "See you tomorrow."

Alexander gave a quick wave to Griffin, who in turn bowed politely toward his companion. The noble walked off, heading in the direction of his estate, while the warrior remained at the scene of the butchery for just a few moments. He took a quick glance towards the prison wagon in time to see Verik loaded onto it. The deserter looked at Alexander, and after a brief moment, gave a nod of respect. Despite their differences, he returned the nod to Verik with one of his own.

The brief conversation with Verik had opened Alexander's eyes. Although he was loyal to Queen Ileosa and Korvosa, he couldn't just see every rebel as an anarchist or someone wishing to claim the power of the throne for themselves. Alexander knew that there were going to be citizens that won't like the queen just like there were citizens who didn't like Eodred II. Even if they acted on that opinion, that didn't mean that they were bad people. They could be good people who were just taking the wrong action.

This was a lesson Alexander would keep in mind when it came to continuing to serve the Korvosan Guard, and by extension, the Crimson Throne.


A/N: We're over 40000 words, and with only 10000 words left in the final stretch, I think the goal is possible.

I imagine to make the goal will take another chapter or two, but even then, I'm going to at least try to finish this story in December. I'm making good progress and am enjoying the character interactions. Unfortunately, any sequels will have to wait as I intend to finish the first chapter of my Rise of the Runelords story and focus on that after this.

Also, for those of you who've read my Dungeons and Dragons fanfic, you know that I have a habit of taking throwaway NPCs and making them into prominent characters (I'm looking at you, Sergeant Markguth). I'm not saying that this will happen with Verik just yet, but it is on my mind. I really enjoyed the banter between him and Alexander and want to do more with him. (Also, having read both Rise of the Runelords and Second Darkness, I just really like the Vancaskerkin family for some reason). We'll see what comes, but other than a potential interrogation, I don't think we'll see Verik in a prominent role until book two.

Until next time.