King of the Seditious

Road Outside LandingTown into MidGale City, Nightway

“They’re there.” Phalanx pointed out the three carriages circled in the clearing.

He and Savage were resting on their bellies, peering over a grassy hill to watch the ongoings. “Easy pickings.”

Savage watched. Face unreadable.

Though it had been nearly a month since he’d dropped Dimurah off on Sanctuary Island, he still found himself thinking of nothing else.

Wondering how she was.

Where she is...

What she’s doing...

He struggled to focus today. The image of her pretty face kept cropping up in his mind.

“Brother, are you with me today?” Phalanx murmured. Giving him a green-eyed study.

“Aye.”

Below they could hear the tall blonde man giving directions. Savage recognized him from the year past. In this same location…

They’d followed the Nauvree here last year. Curious as to why he was so careful not to drink the night before.

Savage had noted the assassin’s strange demeanor, bordering nearly on excitement.

Which is strange coming from the Nauvree. Who rarely showed emotion at all.

Curious, Savage had bid Phalanx to go with him and they’d come to this very spot.

Savage had seen the Nauvree acting the same again this year and was curious to watch again.

Especially this year...

Watching last year, Savage had caught onto what they were doing and rather liked the idea.

“Be careful men.” The one called Sebastian cautioned. Outlining the plan to have three drivers. Himself, Boy, and The Nauvree each running rein. With two hearty sailors on each carriage to protect the goods.

Well planned. Savage noted.

“Be mindful. Watch for trouble.” Sebastian cautioned. “Especially in deep Nightway.”

Which is flooded with Rebels and assassins.

They all nodded.

Sebastian’s brother, who Savage recognized as the Nauvree, grumbled about getting on the road.

They’re mirror images. He realized of the siblings.

Obviously unimpressed with the whole endeavor.

A shame.

It’s a good endeavor.

They all hopped atop their respective carriages and lurched into motion. A train of vehicles. Transporting a ludicrous number of supplies.

Phalanx was right.

“Told you it was a lot of goods.” Phalanx whispered from next to him. Crouched over the rise of a hill.

Sebastian was easily heard from the front carriage. Singing robustly as he cheerfully jostled along.

“Seems he’s over his headache.” Nauvree grumbled. Voice carrying to them on the knoll.

“Leave him be.” Savage snaked back down their side of the hill.

“Leave them be?” Phalanx’s dark brows rose incredulously.

“Yea.” Savage paused his slithering to toss Phalanx a meaningful look. “I know what he’s doing with those goods. He does this every year. We’re not interfering in his purpose.”

“Okay…” Phalanx was clearly baffled. Shaking his head as he obeyed Savage’s directive and began backing down the hill as Savage had.

One at the bottom, they caught the reins of their horses. “Follow them.” Savage said. “Make sure they don’t run into trouble.”

“Trouble?”

“Yea. None of ours interfere with them.”

“No assassins…” Phalanx nodded in understanding.

“Stay out of sight…And hearing.” Savage paused. “They hear much better than you’d think.”

“What?”

“He almost heard me following them last year.” Savage murmured. Came awfully close to catching me following him.

That had slightly impressed Savage, since very few had ever heard him. Usually, only Chavias.

He knows my step well.

Nightville, Nightway

The first tiny hut they came upon was an elderly couple. The Weldons were a well-respected couple deep in Nightway. Many of the other peasants looked to them for healing and for advice.

It was to honor them that they always received the first delivery. On honor they’d earned over their years in service to the king and the hard work they’d put into the land they worked.

Bast hopped down and both rushed from the hut with beaming smiles to greet him. Old Ms. Weldon tossed her arms around him, and he hugged her tightly in return.

Utterly unaware that off in the distance on the grassy ridge, the two men peered over the hilltop to watch what was going on.

Savage decided he wanted a closer look and scurried down the back of the hill. Having caught the sound of Nauvree’s voice saying his name, he wanted a bit closer.

“Where are we going?” Phalanx hissed.

“They may very well kill us if they catch us spying.” But, as usual, Phalanx was following.

“I doubt that.” Savage said confidently. Climbing to his feet and dusting off his pants as he began jogging through the trees. Leaping logs and aiming to get a bit closer to hear the interchange.

He didn’t know why he was so curious to hear what was happening, but he wanted to know what they’d do when they found out.

I don’t even know why I did it.

SEBASTIAN BODANE

“How are you, My Boy?” Ms. Weldon reached to fondly caress a thick lock of gold hair swinging over Sebastian’s shoulder. Giving him a look that was almost dreamy.

He grinned down at her. “Well. Very well.”

He stepped back from her.

“You look as lovely as ever.” He lifted her old, withered hand to put a kiss on the back of it.

She shook her head at his silliness though she grinned in pleasure at being treated as though she were a lovely young schoolgirl.

“Yea. How are ye, Boy?” Boy called mockingly from the driver’s bench of the second carriage. Mocking that, for once, Bast was the one called lad.

Impertinent shit. He tossed an amused glower over his shoulder at the younger man.

“What would you like today?” He gestured to the carriage.

I’ve got some of all your favorites.

“Well, we don’t need much…” Mr. Weldon gave him a puzzled look. “We got your fist shipment only last week.”

First shipment?

“First shipment?” Bast asked stunned. “Of winter store?”

Mr. Weldon nodded. The loose skin of his face swinging against his thin frame.

From whom?

“Who delivered it?”

“Young man. Blonde. Looked a bit like ye.” Mr. Weldon described. Eyes falling to the ground thoughtfully as he tried to recall more.

Who is that?

“Beads in his hair.” Ms. Weldon added.

“Was an unsavory lot with him.” Mr. Weldon added.

Unsavory lot? Nightway Rebels?

Delivering goods would be extremely far from their usual mission.

“Don’t say that!” Ms. Weldon chided. “They looked rough but kindly enough boys.”

Kindly boys? Bast had no idea who they were talking about.

“I didn’t send anyone with supplies.” Bast said warily.

“You didn’t?” Ms. Weldon gasped. “Where’d it all come from then?”

“I haven’t any idea…” Bast turned to look at The Nauvree.

“Wasn’t me.” His brother shook his head, looking equally as surprised.

“They brought many of us supplies…” Mr. Weldon whispered. “All through the country. We thought it was you…”

“Sebastian?” Ms. Weldon said. “I don’t know who he was, but his men jokingly called themselves “The Seditious.”

“Yea, yea!” Mr. Weldon recalled. Pointing to Bast animatedly. “And they called him ‘King’.” His hand fell. “Was odd…Not Yer Highness or anything fancy. Just ‘My King.’.”

“Bast!” The Nauvree barked from behind him. Lurched up enough to stand on the bench. He waved his arm frantically to summon his twin.

What now? Bast strode to him.

“They’re talking about the King of Assassins.” Alazareth supplied.