Spears of Redriver

Part Eighteen - Desperate Measures

"A month!" Carthus said, furiously pacing the common room of the nameless ragged tavern. Ythara and Oro sat at a table, pulling apart a roasted chicken with two other ex-Coren Swords. 

"What are we to do, friend?" Ythara asked between bites, "the Ordethi come and go, they are like the sun, it rises and sets, but once it is set, we do not know where it has gone."

"We were charged with finding them...and we will" the young Maad Maeli replied.

"We have been searching for weeks, and our people are still out there now," Ythara said again. 

"How are they able to disappear so fast?" Carthus asked.

"We have searched the sewers...we have searched the catacombs under the old district...there is nothing more to do" Ythara spit a small chicken bone into the tray in front of him. 

"They've attacked three separate times since the Feast of Gifts...two more Rytari officers are dead, and a stash of gold has been stolen, is there no pattern to their movements?" Carthus asked, thinking aloud. 

"I know how you can find them, "Oro said quietly.

"How?" Carthus stopped pacing and faced his large friend.

"The dwarf rogue..."Oro began.

"No!" Carthus exclaimed, "we already went over this, I would rather see him dead."

"He found us for the Nadaens. He knows the city" Oro argued. Carthus was glad to see some spirit return to the big Maad in recent weeks, but he couldn't rely on the help of Desen the Ragged. It was Desen's fault Oro lost his hand; it was his fault the Nadaens found them at Deredeus' villa. 

"He is in a dwarven cell under the city watch barracks, and that's where he remains!" Carthus replied. He turned and went right back to pacing again. 

"Master Carthus..." another ex-Coren Sword walked in through the front door.

"What is it?" Carthus asked.

"You have a visitor" the sellsword stepped aside, and an old dwarven woman stepped in beside him. She had the look of a beggar, wearing old rags, but her face was washed and long hair clean. 

"What can I do for you woman?" Carthus asked. He stopped pacing again and faced her.

"My dear old husband went missing two weeks ago, and our son went into the plains to search for him...he has been gone a week now, and I know not what to do" the woman exclaimed. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she sniffled in place. 

"Why are you telling me this?" Carthus asked.

"I had heard that you and your mercenaries are for hire...I heard you were good folk" she said, pulling a small cloth from her robe to wipe her tears.

"You want us to find your son and husband?" Carthus asked, raising a brow in confusion. This was the third time random civilians came to them for help in recent weeks. The first was a bregiri merchant who hired several ex-Coren Swords to help guard his storehouse, and the second was an elven noble in need of a guide. Carthus did not deny them the help they sought. 

"If only you have time and men to spare, I have some coin put away and old family brooch with gems in it...I can pay for the service, but I have to know where they are...if they are alive or dead in the wilds" the dwarf woman cried into her handkerchief. 

"Of course," Carthus nodded. He glanced at the bregir with half a leg of chicken in his mouth, "Ythara will hear you out and send someone to find your husband and son."

"Thank you, lord" the old man bowed deep.

"Ythara will be glad to help" the bregir reluctantly set his chicken down and stood to walk with the old woman. He motioned for the two sellswords at the table to come with him. 

"Are you sure we can spare the men?" Oro asked after they had all left.

"Yes..." Carthus answered after a moment. He wasn't sure, "it pays for our stay in this wonderful tavern." Oro smiled and nodded.

"Carthus...another one, sorry" the mercenary at the door stepped back in, followed by a short golden-haired elf dressed in excellent armor. He bore the symbol of the Rytari on his chest. 

"Master Carthus" the Rytari officer bowed for a moment.

"Yes, any news?" Carthus stood. 

"Aye, sir, the Ordethi attacked again, near the eastern gates...four Rytari dead, one of which was an officer...and three more injured, one of which was another officer," the soldier frowned, "we did capture one of them...he is being held for questioning."

"When did this happen?" Carthus asked, angry again.

"An hour ago, sir...Prince Cadan asks what progress you've made" the Rytari stepped across the room and grabbed an unguarded mug of ale from Ythara's table. 

"We have been searching day and night, they are ghosts" Carthus replied. 

"If you require aid, manpower of otherwise, Prince Cadan will do his best to provide it" the elf sipped at the drink and then grimaced. 

"We'll manage" Carthus replied.

"He also told me to tell you that the injured officer is Atora" the elf set the cup down and glared at Carthus. The Maad froze in place, eyes wide in shock. 

"How is she? Is it serious?" he urged for answers.

"The healers say she will pull through...but the Ordethi must be found" the elf replied. 

"Of course, we are working on it with every available lead" Carthus nodded.

"Good, I will report back to Prince Cadan, send word if you require any aid at all sir, and we will notify you when we make the Ordethi prisoner speak" the elf bowed his head and walked out quickly. 

"What now?" Oro asked, "if you're going to go to the eastern gate, I want to come...help you look for them."

"No, not the eastern gate," Carthus looked down at the golden ring on his finger. The small ruby at the center of the sigil of Morside glowed from the light of the dim fireplace by the wall. He looked back to Oro, "Desen is still in jail, let's go get him out."

"I thought you wanted him dead" Oro frowned.

"Every lead right," Carthus said, desperate. He walked over to Oro and grabbed a cup of ale. The cliffs where the sun burns the land he thought to himself, "we'll find those bastards and make them talk...especially that one with the scar!"