Shadow (Complete)

Chapter 1

I was born William Edward Kingson. My mother had been a maid in the Keep of king Henry. I was the bastard son he refused to acknowledge like several others. My mother ended up marrying the captain of his guards. He was the one that taught me how to use weapons and how to fight. I was fourteen when the king became ill. Captain Mambly arranged for me to work as a caravan guard leaving the kingdom.

For four years I traveled the world and learned many things. When I returned to Eustria it was to learn of my mother’s death. She had died not long after the captain who had died shortly after the king. The whole kingdom was changed. It was hard or impossible for people to leave and the nobles ran over everyone. The only real job I could find was as a bar breaker.

I knew better than to let my half brother know I was here, he would have me killed like he had the other three bastards. The captain had taught me many things and shown me things I never thought about. While the large city sprawled on both sides of the river, the nobles retreat and the king’s Keep was on the island in the middle of the river. There were two bridges to the retreat. They both had huge stone arches at each end of walkways.

What people did not know was that inside each arch was a small room with stairs. The second floor spanned the width of the road and had a narrow walk that allowed men to walk the length on the bridge from arch to arch. I had sold my horse a week after arriving, I could not afford a room and had remembered the gate houses. Everyone was very carefully around the river because of the river snakes. They were poisonous and came out during the day to sun themselves on the warm stones.

For almost a month I worked at the tavern and things got steadily worse. I was barely paying for enough food to keep me going. The conditions in the city only got worse for almost everyone. The only ones that had it easy were the nobles and their favorites, that also included the richer merchants. The night I was fired for breaking up a fight a young noble started was the start of something else.

I stood watching the dark house for a long time before finally crossing the street and moving down the alley beside it. I stopped halfway down and stood listening. I turned and used the cracks between the stones to start climbing. On the third floor I carefully pulled myself onto the narrow window ledge. I pulled a very thin dagger from an arm sheath and slipped it between the windows. I lifted and the inside latch came out of the lock.

I quietly opened the window and slipped inside closing the window behind me. I silently moved through the room and opened the door before slipping out. I made my way to the servants stairs and then went down. On the first floor I moved through the dark hallway to the study door. A moment with my dagger tip between the door and the frame was enough to unlock the door.

I slipped into the room and closed the door before pulling the tiny metal dark lantern from my belt. I opened one shutter as I moved towards the desk. I only glance at the other door with its large ornate lock. I sat and used the lantern to go through the desk. In a side drawer I found a couple of stacks of gold coins. I took them and the small bundle of candles. I took the ornate key from the top drawer and moved to the side door.

When I entered the room it was to see a few small chests. The first two chests held copper pennies or brass six pieces. The next chest held small bags, I opened one to find rare spices. I pulled them out to fill the small pack I was carrying. There were two chests left, the first held silver pieces and the second had gold. I hesitated and then lifted the chest of silver and poured it into the chest of gold coins.

I carried the heavy chest out and locked the door. I put the key back in the desk and went to the door to listen. I closed my lantern and quietly opened the door and moved the chest into the hall before closing it. I made my way back to the window I came in and set the chest down. I unwrapped the cord from around my waist and tied it to the chest and leaned out to lower it.

I wrapped a piece of twine around the latch and looped one end under and the other over the window. I slipped out onto the sill and closed the window before pulling the twine that went under the edge of the window. The latch closed and the twine slowly went through at the top of the window and then came out the bottom. I slowly made my way down and lifted the heavy chest.

I carefully made my way through the alley. I waited and listened before crossing the main street and slipping into the dark alley on the other side. It was to dangerous to move through the dark here. I carefully opened a shutter on the lantern and moved slowly down the alley. I turned right between two buildings and squeezed through until I was on the lip of the river.

I moved back to the right watching my steps and looking for snakes. I came to the darkly tarnish door and shifted to pull the old key from my sash. The heavy door opened silently and I slipped in before setting the chest down and closing the door behind me. I opened the shutter on the lantern wider and looked around before slowly moving the two locking bars into place in the door.

I lifted the chest and crossed to the spiraling stairs and headed up to the next floor. I walked to the narrow table and gratefully set the chest down. I removed the lantern from my belt and set it on the table too. I pulled the pack off and removed the bundle of candles before lighting one from the lantern. I set it in an empty glass globe and stripped before crossing to set the pack on another narrow table beside a small iron stove. I removed the pouches of spices and tossed the empty pack aside.

The room was twelve feet wide and twenty feet long. My sword and bow were on a shelf near the other end of the room and below them was the rolled cloth that held my chain shirt. I used a basin of water to wash my face and hands before putting out the candle and lantern. I slipped into bed and relaxed before falling asleep.

I woke to the sounds of morning traffic crossing the bridge heading towards the retreat. I sat up and glanced at the chest before climbing out of bed. I poured the dirty water into the drain hole in the side wall. I dressed and went to the chest before filling my belt pouch with silver pieces. I slipped out and locked the door behind me before carefully moving along the river chasing a couple of smaller snakes into the water.

I moved through the city until I reached the farmers market. I opened my pouch and pulled out a single piece of silver. I started across and stopped when I saw the small group of homeless huddled together at the edge of the market. I sighed and turned to head for them, I stopped in front of them and gestured to the sausage roll vendor, “Follow me and I will make sure everyone gets fed.”

I turned as they hesitated and started walking toward the vendor. It took awhile and I had to pay before he started handing out sausage rolls. Everyone got two and I left with three less silvers but feeling a lot better. Everyone heard about the merchant being robbed before the city even started getting busy. I bought a few small spice pouches while listening to the rumors. I had an idea about food and after spending the day walking around I headed towards the river. I picked a spot that was not to far from the city commons.

I found several large snakes on the cobbles of the street and it was not hard to catch them and remove the heads. I cut the heads off six inches behind the back of the head and gutted them and skinned them before walking to the common. There were several groups of homeless around and I headed towards one with a small fire going.

It was a family with two young boys and a little girl. I smiled as I knelt and reached for the stick the older boy held. I cut a chunk off one of the snakes and held the end out to him, “keep turning it until it cooks.”

He looked at his frightened mom and dad and I shrugged, “Their only poisonous if they bite you not if you eat them. You just have to be careful with the heads.”

It was not long before I had several groups cooking snake. I went back to the warm cobblestone street several times for more snakes. As the night closed in the people began moving further away from the river. I slipped away and went back to the bridge. I was already thinking ahead and laid back to relax and wait for it to get darker.

I quietly opened the bridge catwalk door and slipped out. I carried a small bladder of lamp oil as I moved across the bridge. On the retreat end I opened the catwalk door into the gatehouse and stepping in. I oiled the tarnished hinges before quietly moving down the stairs with just a sliver of light from the small dark lantern. I oiled the hinges and waited before slowly unlocking the outer door.

I used a couple of pieces of rag to cover the hinges as I opened the door. The faint squeal did not sound very loud but I waited and looked into the dark as I listened. From the other side of the arch I could hear the two guards talking and finally stepped out. I closed the door and locked it before using the shadows to move along the wall.

After a hundred paces I turned and walked into the night. I used mostly rear alleys that led behind estates of nobles. I stopped behind the large estate of Duke Fiestel and waited. I ignored the distant servants gate and jumped up to grab the top of the wall. I pulled myself up and glanced over before moving to lie along the top of the wall. I watched for a long while and then dropped off and moved silently towards the manor.

I moved to the left corner and used the larger stones for hand and foot holds. I climbed slowly, careful not to make a sound. On the second floor I moved to the right until my foot touched a window sill. I moved over more and then pushed the slightly open window. It pushed open more and I held still and listened to heavy breathing, I finally moved and slipped into the room. I glanced at the bed and the fat man sleeping there.

I quietly moved to the door and listened before opening it and slipping out. I moved to the servant stairs and went down. On the main floor I looked out before walking down to the study. I knelt and used a slim dagger to pry the lock open. I slipped into the room and went straight to the standing wardrobe. I pulled the small heavy chest out I knew held small gold bars and carried it to the desk before setting it down.

I walked around and knelt to pull the end drawer out. In the very back was the key I was looking for. I left the drawer open and stood. I crossed to the door and listened before opening it and silently moving to the door across the hall. The key opened the door and I cracked the dark lantern to see two chests instead of just the one I remembered.

The first held smaller coins of copper and brass and the second held both silver and gold. I could barely lift it but moved it out and then across into the study. I went back and brought the second chest into the study before I went back and locked the door before going into the study and closing the door. I crossed to the window and opened it before going to the desk and putting the key back where I found it. I lowered the small chest the few feet to the ground and then the bigger ones.

I used twine to close and latch the window before dropping to the ground. I hesitated and then lifted one chest to my shoulder and squatted to grab the smaller chest. Walking to the far wall was difficult since the two chests probably weighted close to two hundred stones. At the wall I squatted and lowered the smaller chest first and then the large one.

I went back for the other chest and carried it to the wall. I used the cord from around my waist to tie one chest and then climbed the wall and lifted it to the top. I slowly lowered it down on the other side and then dropped down beside it. I untied the cord and went back over the wall, one at a time I brought the two over.

When I finished, I carried the chest with coppers and brass to the corner where a large barrel of rain water stood. I slowly slipped the chest into the large barrel and went back to the other two. I lifted the large chest to my shoulder and then squatted to lift the smaller chest. I moved back the way I had come only much slower. When I reached the wall I could not hear anything from the bridge and moved slowly. I finally lowered the small chest and pulled out the key.

I unlocked the door and hesitantly opened it but this time it was quiet. I slipped in and set the chest down before going back for the other one. I carried it in and turned to quietly close the door and pushed the locking bars into place. I left the larger chest and crept up the stairs and out the catwalk door. Glancing down I saw the two guards sitting on crates and leaning against the wall.

After crossing to put the smaller chest in my room, I returned for the other heavier one. Once I had both chests in my room I stripped and washed before lying back in bed. Tomorrow would bring a lot of screaming and the city guards were going to run around looking at everyone and everything.


Chapter 2

I woke to the morning traffic and got up. I refilled my pouch with silver before looking around. I emptied the shelves on one side of the room and used them to climb to the ceiling. I pushed open a trapdoor and climbed up into the archer perch. I turned and pulled the heaviest chest up before sliding it into a corner. I did the same for the smaller chest and then the merchant’s chest. I closed the trapdoor as I climbed down and put everything back onto the shelves.

I grabbed a few small spice pouches and slipped out to make my way towards the marketplace. Like the morning before I gathered the homeless lingering around the market place and fed them. The city was alive with guards and everyone was talking about another robbery, this time in the retreat. At noon I bought a huge cauldron and a sack of vegetables before heading towards the city commons.

It almost seemed like they were waiting for me. A few of the older boys held the cleaned and skinned bodies of snakes. I got a young girl to start bringing water to fill the cauldron while setting it down and dumping the vegetables. Two women got a fire going for me while a couple of men made a tripod to hang it. One at a time I cut the snakes up and tossed them into the water.

The women gathered and started cutting the vegetables while I brought out the pouches of spice and set them out. It was not long before the aroma of the cooking filled the commons. I handed a young man a few silvers, “Take a couple of boys with you and buy a sack of rolls and another sack of vegetables.”

He hesitated and then nodded before slipping away with two younger versions of himself. The few guards that came through looked but ignored us. As the day wore on even more people appeared to be fed. An older woman and her husband stayed nearby. I spoke with them and found out they were turned out because they could not pay the king’s taxes.

That was the theme as I talked to others. When the cauldron emptied we refilled it and several young men were always hunting snakes as they lay out sunning. As evening slowly approached the large crowd slowly began to slip away. I had one young man hide the cauldron before leaving. I slipped into the gatehouse silently and lay back on my bed to relax.

I woke at the tolling of the midnight bell. I slipped out the catwalk and quietly crossed the bridge. The guards seemed more awake tonight as I slipped out the door and moved down the shadowy wall. I was back fifteen minutes later with the heavy water logged chest. After closing and locking the door I moved up the stairs and out the catwalk door. I carried the chest down to the first floor and set it on its side to drain.

I slipped out the door and used the small dark lantern to move away from the river. I stayed in the shadows and used alleys to move across the city. The large manor I was heading for stood against the outer wall. I entered using the side entrance and crossed the yard and tried the side door, it was locked. I moved to the trestle covered with ivy and slowly climbed up.

I climbed onto a second floor balcony and moved to the door. It opened smoothly and I crossed the room as the occupant continued to sleep. I moved through the house quietly until I came to the large door into the attached warehouse. I pulled a thin bladed knife and went to work on the ancient lock. A moment later it was unlocked and I opened it and slipped in.

I stood still and listened a long time before turning and heading towards the back. The office had a large oak drop bar with locks on both ends securing the door. The merchant had a bad habit of using old ancient locks. I pulled the small steel cheater bar I had taken from a fighter right after I had returned to the city. I slipped it inside the locking bar and twisted.

I dropped the lock and moved to the other one, a moment later I lifted the bar and carefully set it aside. I entered the large office and crossed to the other door. Inside the inner office I found the heavy money chest with its lock open. I set the lock on the desk before lifting the lid on the chest, I closed it and picked it up. I went back through the warehouse but left out the side door that had been locked.

I moved back across the city using the alleys. Inside the gatehouse I climbed up and moved everything off the shelves and lifted the chest up to the archers perch. I pushed the chest into a corner and went to bed. I woke early and climbed out of bed stretching. Today was laundry day and I stuffed my dirty clothes into a sack.

Downstairs I righted the chest of Copper and Brass coins before filling a large purse with them. I fed a small crowd at the sausage stand again and then headed to the cleaning lady that did my wash. After I dropped the dirty clothes off, I went back to the marketplace.

I bought tubers and other green vegetables as well as a large sack of bread. When I arrived at the commons they already had the cauldron over a small fire. During the day I listened to gossip that said the king was sending his militia into the street to patrol at night. The two merchants were practically begging their patrons for funds to continue their business. I heard about Baron Gregory offering to finance both merchants for sixty percent of their businesses.

It was a relaxed jovial commons with women and children moving around and men talking in small groups. I spoke with a few of the men about a carting business now that Merchant Harris was out of business. I gestured around at everyone, “We would have plenty of people willing to work.”

They looked at each other and finally nodded. I looked around, “Does anyone know of a large empty warehouse?”

A short grey breaded man grinned, “Yes.”

I smiled as I stood, “We need to find some carts and wagons.”

They nodded and turned to other men while I headed out of the commons. I used the back alleys and was careful when I slipped around by the river and into the gatehouse. I used a large pouch and filled it with a few gold pieces and a lot of silver. When I met the other men in the commons it seemed as if the air was alive with hope.

There were ten of us that walked through the streets to see the large warehouse. The moment I saw it I knew it was what we needed. It was outside the city gate against the wall, it had a huge dirt corral on the far side for horses and wagons and a tannery beside it I knew all about. We went back through the city to Magistrate’s Square. Since the warehouse had been abandoned I paid the city clerk one gold piece and two silver and it was ours.

Next were a few stops where I let different men bargain for carts or wagons. I gave the only two gold pieces left in the pouch to an old man that had once been a farmer. He left to find a few horses while we moved carts and wagons by hand through the city and out to the warehouse. We placed the carts inside leaving room between them and the wagons in a separate part of the corral.

We returned to the commons and everyone was talking. I made another stop on the way and set the full sack of hard bread down while one of the men that had been with me set a huge wheel of cheese beside it. There were a lot of chunks of snake being roasted over fires. We talked about sending someone out to different places to talk to people.

I knew that if Baron Gregory managed to back both the merchants it would be harder for these people to get started. I mentioned letting anyone that needed a place to sleep go to the warehouse.