The six Masters of the Council of Guilds huddled close together in Drauken's study. They kept their voices low, even in one of their own townhouses. The Queen's Shadow reached far, and they could never be too cautious. Treason brought them together tonight, and their plotting needed the utmost secrecy, even from the other Guilds.
"Are you sure it's wise to try and free Garrett Ousten?" Asked Boris, the Master of the Smiths. Tension filled the air at his protest. As one of the principal beneficiaries of the war he was the one the others trusted least. Even though they had been friends and colleagues for years, the risks of their plan were too great. "I just mean that, is it worth starting a new plan when we already have one well underway?"
"He has a point." Said the Master of the Silk merchants. The corpulent merchant's jowls wobbled as he nodded his head. "There is no reason to rock the boat now. Thesta, Sandora, and the Hesten rebels are winning. If we do nothing, they may win the war on their own. If not, we still have our plan: the Ousten King can make no difference.
"Our plan was designed as a last resort but things have changed. Princess Jasmara has been captured and we're getting reports that all the prisoners are being massacred. We need someone to travel there and see for ourselves what is going on and what their intention is. What better way to do that than to come bearing a gift?" Drauken replied. He had been alarmed by the reports from Heste. He started this rebellion because the war was disastrous for trade but obviously the massacre and expulsion of all orcs from the Western Kingdoms would be even worse.
If that was what they were planning, he needed to know, and needed to convince them that it was a bad idea. He didn't trust any of the other Masters to represent the orcs of Zentara.
"I agree that we should make contact with the Thestan army, preferably with Queen Amelie herself, but I'm not sure that you are the one who should go. If they are truly planning to execute all the orcs you won't be welcome and may even be killed." Boris' words were confident and rang true.
"That is why I want to take the King with me. By disrupting Jeanette's plot I'll prove my worth, and by delivering him the King I'll prove my utility. Plus, it has to be me. They won't kill their only contact inside Ruar. By forcing them to work with me, we'll be forcing them to acknowledge that not all orcs need to be killed." At least, that's what he was hoping. "Plus, I'm the only one with a reason to leave. I've already established that I need to inspect the eastern trading posts. It gives me the perfect excuse to leave the city for an extended period of time."
"Drauken makes sense." Said Gregor, the Master of Masons and Miners. "He is the perfect choice. And there isn't any risk to his plan; at least from our end. We built the castle, and we know all the secret passages in and out." He pulled out a large map and unrolled it between them. "The Queen had the castle expanded and the fortifications strengthened. She also added a series of passages in and out of the castle. One to escape, presumably, another to the entrance to the Vault, but also one to the dungeons and to the tower where Ousten is being held."
He smiled slyly. "I'll leave you to guess why she wanted that one but the key point is that Drauken can take the passage in, free the King, and get him out without ever being seen." Gregor traced the route with his beefy finger, leading from outside the wall through the castle to the King's cell. "It will be up to you to get him out of the city from there."
"He'll still be wandering around blind; we don't know what the Queen uses those passages for, or when. He could run right into her!" The Silk Master insisted.
"The Queen running into a strange orc in the dark? She'd just spread her legs and let him go about his business!" Boris laughed.
"The odds of my running into the Queen are small." Drauken looked around to the assembled Masters. "We all know there is no profit without risk. I'm willing to take it, and the biggest risk is mine. Are we agreed?"
The Guild Masters all nodded their assent.
There, I've convinced them, that's one problem down.
"There are a few more items, gentlemen. First, the matter of payment for the Smiths for the contract with the Crown."
"Aye, I was wondering when we'd get to that!" Growled Boris. "What did Her Highness say? When will we be getting paid?"
"Well, that's really up to us. You see, it turns out that the treasury is empty." Drauken quickly raised his hands to quiet down the grumbling that caused. "However, I did come up with a compromise. If the Council comes up with the money to pay the contract, we'll be given a grant to mine gold from the mines in Boronia."
"How much gold? For how long?" Asked Gregor.
"In perpetuity; however there is a catch: we have to open a line of credit for the crown to draw from, to be reimbursed by the proceeds of the mine." He looked around between them. "I think it is a good deal, certainly as good a deal as we're going to get."
"How will those proceeds be divvied up?" The Master of the Gem Cutters and Goldsmiths inquired.
"First in proportion to how much we each contribute to the Blacksmith contract. Then in even shares, until the next time the Crown draws on the credit. Then again in proportion to how much each Guild contributes."
"That sounds fair. We'll manage it, of course." Gregor said.
"Day to day, but all executive operations to be decided by the Council." Insisted Boris.
"Agreed. All in favor?" Asked Drauken.
All the Guild Masters gave their assent, which left one last order of business. "One more thing, which is not an action item yet but we must keep an eye on: the magic performed by Prince Augras."
The Guild Masters all leaned forward with interest. "Is it real? The rumors have been incredible. Acres of wheat, fully grown in a week. Food prices are plummeting throughout the city."
"They are true, I've seen it myself. As you can probably surmise, this is going to fundamentally change the economy."
"It won't affect us immediately, at least. The food is controlled by the nobles."
"True enough," said Drauken, "but it is going to affect them and they're our biggest customers. Plus, we don't yet know the full extent of his powers, or how it might affect other industries."
"This kind of change can't be trusted. It probably won't improve things for us, but it could certainly make things worse." The Silk Master opined.
"We should have him removed," Gregor said, "even if his magical powers prove a benefit, they can only help Her Highness win the war."
"And that's the last thing we want." Boris added.
"I'm not sure that will be necessary, at least not yet." The Guild Masters could be ruthless, but also pragmatic. "It will be a long war regardless and it might be that Thesta or Sandora take care of him for us. We might even be able to arrange for an ambush by providing information on his movements."
There was general agreement to that. "True enough; best not to get our hands dirty if we don't have to. Do we have any idea when he's going to leave the city?"
"It's hard to say, but I don't think it will be much longer. I'm sure no one wants those creatures he brought back with him hanging around the city any longer than necessary. He seems eager to get into the battle too. I should say in a week or so." Drauken wasn't sure of that, but it sounded right.
"Too soon to hire an assassin then," said Gregor. "but there might be something to your thought about those monsters. We can use them to stir up more discontent among the people, especially in the Duchies."
The Silk Master's jowls wobbled as he nodded. "True, especially the ones we're planning on. They're upset enough with all the orcs taking over, no offense Drauken, they won't want even more strange creatures establishing themselves."
"Well, I will leave that to you to see to while I am out of the city. Boris, can you take my place on the Queen's Council while I am gone?"
"Aye, I'll see to it."
"Excellent, we're all agreed then. Gentlemen, I'll see you when I return." When the Guild Masters left, he went to find Melora.
"How was the meeting, Master?" The elfin woman asked.
"Productive but you know how it is, our work is never done. You've already put out that we'll be leaving the city but we're not going on a tour of the trade posts. I need you to meet me outside the city on the Eastern Road, two hours past midnight. Can you do that?"
"Of course, Master, but so late?"
"It's necessary, as you'll see. Bring three horses, three packs, and enough food to last six weeks." He waved away the confusion on Melora's face. "Don't question me, my dear." He planted a kiss on her head. "Just trust me."
"I do Master. I'll be there with everything, you'll see."
"Good girl."
Now comes the hard part.
****
"It is good to have you back, Augras. Your father and mother were so worried for you, as were everyone in court. You must not go off on such an adventure again; there is danger enough in the Western Kingdoms as is without tempting fate in the unknown." Jeanette tightened her grip around Augras' big arm as they strolled through the castle.
Despite Jeanette's reputation, the public halls were decorated modestly. As they walked the perimeter of the courtyard he looked at the hanging tapestries woven of red and golden threads depicting important moments of her reign. One showed Jeanette in command of a line of spearmen holding off a Hesten Charge. Another showed her and Turogg seated on their thrones. Another showed Jeanette cutting down a rebel.
When he looked back at Jeanette, her grandmotherly smile was almost enough to make him forget.
Almost.
He forced a smile to his face. "You have no reason to worry on that score, grandmother. There is nothing left there for me. My future is here."
"I am glad to hear it. The war is off to a bad start: your uncle Agmar is dead, he would be so proud of the man you've become, your aunt Jasmara has been captured, and by that traitor Daniels no less! The things he says he's doing to her, that she's enjoying him doing! You remember Jasmara, such a strong woman! A warrior! Always fighting! And Amelie's doing nothing to stop it. Jasmara was her squire once, you know, at the tournament celebrating the victory in the second Hesten War. Your mother was there, she saw it-and now she does nothing while that traitor Daniels abuses and humiliates a Princess. A Princess!"
"Uncle" Agmar never loved his own sons, let alone a half-orc. If he saw me today he wouldn't give a single bit, except to wonder if he could climb over my corpse onto a throne.
