The rain had passed, and the cloudless morning sky promised a warm day, so Able decided to get a look at the blockade before he lost track of time in stacks of paper. The pedestrian traffic thinned when he reached the north end of town, and the people that remained quickened their pace when they crossed the blockaded road, though not without sneaking glimpses of the goings-on. Able turned onto this road and followed it into the square.
It seemed the enforcers had commandeered the surrounding area. Able passed an inn with the tall steppe coursers in the yard and several homes with red quiltcoats hanging on the lines. Up ahead, two dozen lawmen formed a line before the blockade with long-guns at rest. That gave Able pause, but he continued his stride until he got a good view of the barricade.
Poetically constructed from the wreckage of the town, the hodgepodge shelter of broken and charred wood occupied the entire length of the road. Loose paving stones littered the space between the barricade and the guard, perhaps after serving as ammunition. Able could not guess how many people were huddled within the makeshift structure, but periodically a face would poke above the boards to glance about and prove there were still people within. Had it protected any of them from the rain last night?
"Oi! Chronicler!" a woman called from behind Able.
He looked back at the inn to spot that woman enforcer, the one Capstone called Green, waving at him. She glanced about then started towards him. She was carrying a bowl of what looked like mostly eaten porridge, and her quiltcoat was mostly unlaced and hanging from her hips. Her bare arms glistened with a sheen of sweat and her damp shirt...wasn't leaving much to the imagination. Fortunately, he pulled his gaze back up to her face before she had closed the distance between them.
She grinned. "Thought you'd been scared off."
"No, but the Sheriff made it clear I'm not to come to Adeptsby until he's gotten confirmation from my superior at the university that I am who I say I am. He didn't say anything about Aimsby, though, so I'm here combing through the documents of the late Dagobari government."
"Aha. Find anything exciting?" And she took a mouthful of food.
"Not much. If it were an exciting job, more people would do it."
"Might find some more excitement if you hang around here." Her grin was wry this time. "But might not as well. We thought they'd surrender when we brought out the long-guns, but...let's just say Aimsby is special."
"I was surprised to see those." He looked at the row of firearms again. This might be the closest he had ever been to one. "I would have thought them saved for use against heavy cavalry?"
"Oh, I don't think anyone expects we'll actually be using—oh, am I misunderstanding? You're more wondering why we have them when the Bors don't have anything like a heavy cavalry?"
"That's right."
"Aha!" Now her grin was...appreciative, perhaps? "Well, I'm pretty sure the ones we have are leftover from the war, and since we're not short on any other fronts, they haven't been called back—and likely won't be as they're an old model. But they make excellent shock weapons in cases like this."
"I don't suppose any went missing during Kettlebrook?"
"Long-guns? Oh, no. Oh, thank God, no!" She laughed without humor and rubbed her eyes. "No, the powder there was for charges—strictly for construction purposes."
"All right." He said this casually, though he shared her sentiments. "So what happens here now, since they haven't surrendered?"
"Not sure." She blew tired air. "We were going to offer terms again today, since they've been in there without food or water for two days now, but then they got plenty of water last night. We doubled the watch because the guns were useless in the rain and our eyes not much better. But then, maybe they got cold and sick in there? I don't know. I know Tanner wants to hold the line until the Resistance shows up, but I don't think they will." So Tanner was still here, then.
"What do you want to bet?" Able joked, earning an amused grin in return. "Are you worried the barricade will hold if you attack?"
Green raised her eyebrows. "Am I? Or do you mean the command?"
"Latter."
"It won't hold, which is why we're taking our time and being cautious. We're here to keep the peace, and we'll have a lot less of that if there are fatalities. The Crown already doubled the enforcer presence, and they are not going to be happy if we screw it up and need even more men. The idea in acquiring this territory was to get more resources, after all, and then we ended up embroiled in a war for twice as long as anticipated. No one is happy about that, and now we're not even being productive, so..." She shrugged. She certainly knew a lot for her low rank.
"Heads on chopping blocks?" Able guessed.
"Not yet, and not mine!" Again with the wry grin. "But it's a goddamned mess. Most places fold under a show of force, but as I said, Aimsby is special."
He glanced at the bits of paving stone again. "Throwing rocks at long-guns special?"
"Exactly that kind." Her grin was laced with fatigue.
Able nodded and looked over the blockade again while Green continued eating her...actually, maybe it was her supper and not her breakfast? He looked at her quiltcoat again. It was dripping like the ones he had seen on the lines, and her arms were covered in goose prickles, not sweat. "Were you on watch all night?"
"Mm-hm. Just got switched out. If you'd been here a little earlier, you would have gotten to see our drill for that and everything. We put on quite a show."
When was she under Tanner's command? When he needed more hands? "How's Capstone, if you don't mind my asking?"
Green frowned and cocked her head. "Mind?"
"You seemed upset about, well..." Was there a tactful way to finish that sentence?
"Of course I was! Love's my mentor. I wouldn't have this position if not for her."
Able's eyebrows popped up. "Wait, her given name is Love?"
"Yeah. Oh, no! Who did you hear call her that and think was her man?"
"I—well, Reeve, actually."
"That really won't do!" She grimaced. "She wouldn't have her position if it wasn't for him, but it wasn't because of anything like that, so don't you dare be putting that dreck in your book!" Like he was some gossip-monger?
Able frowned. "I won't be putting anything I can't verify in it. That's not how I work."
"Good." She nodded once, seemingly satisfied.
"How did she get the position, though? She mentioned serving in the war, but I thought women weren't allowed."
"Ha." Green could either be grinning or snarling now. "No, women aren't supposed to serve in combat, is the thing, but whatever your duties are, medical or bureaucratic or what have you, you're probably going to end up in combat anyway, but then your efforts there will not be recognized. Because sending untrained farm-boys and gardeners and millers into the field to die is far less embarrassing than letting your women fighters do any fighting."
From her tone, Able had a hunch, "...you wouldn't happen to be related to Marshal Hawk Green?"
She gave a sharp nod. "My grandfather. My whole family did defense and weapons training from the time we were five, and I was no exception. Yet, while I was getting fitted for new training armor every six months, I'm stuck at home watching all the vassals get sent out. The miller's sons, our gardener's son, and over half the boys in the hamlet our manor overlooked, none of whom had ever held a sword before, they all marched off and most came back in boxes. It was a goddamn disgrace, and you can write that in your book."
"Verbatim." He pulled his notebook out to take it down.
This seemed to please her. "That's why I wanted this post so badly. Least I can do is protect what they bled over."
"But women enforcers aren't meant to fight either?" he asked.
"Same thing; we end up fighting anyway, and we're trained for it because that's the reality. Sheriff Reeve is sensible enough to use what he's got rather than get hung up on those sorts of particulars."
Able had been looking Green over while she talked. She was much taller than he was, something he had not noticed while she was ahorse. She was also broad, heavily muscled, and tough as well, given she'd spent the night in a soaked quiltcoat. The idea that she would be barred from soldiering was ridiculous. But then...the idea that a woman might be built like this was likely also absent from the minds of those making decisions. Able wouldn't think of Green's body he thought of a "woman," but he had no complaints being corrected.
"Hey, eyes up here." She looked amused rather than affronted.
"Sorry," he offered anyway. "I'm just wondering why there isn't a standard to meet unrelated to sex."
She seemed further amused. "There is, for enforcers. So here I am."
"Right. I more wonder why it's not the case for the military—I spent my own youth avoiding such things, so forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive. People like me should protect people like you. The whole idea of safeguarding a civilization and all that. And speaking of safeguarding, would you care to take a walk?" And she motioned with her chin.
Able glanced over his shoulder to see Tanner heading up to the line of enforcers. "Yes, let's, thank you."
"Give me a chance to return this anyway." She gestured with her empty bowl towards the inn. "You're probably wondering if Tanner's as loose a cannon he seems."
Able quirked an eyebrow at her. "Ah, no, I had accepted he was and assumed he's been kept on because he saved Reeve's life at some point."
"Ooh, maybe he did! One sec." She ducked into the inn.
Able sidled against the doorway to sequester himself from Tanner's view while Green took care of her dirty dishes. He needn't have been so cautious, as Tanner was parading himself before the barricade, shouting insults as though this might get them to surrender. Or perhaps not, as Able was looking at his back and could only really make out every other word.
Whatever Tanner was saying, the Borealunders inside the were so appreciative that they began throwing rocks. Tanner snatched the long-gun from the closest enforcer and fired it at the blockade.
The shot echoed in the resulting silence. Tanner stood a moment then, satisfied that the Borealunders had gone quiet, handed the firearm back to the original bearer and stalked off the scene. Off-duty enforcers pressed around the doorway to see what had happened, so Able himself took his hand down from his mouth and attempted to appear calm.
"Not a loose cannon, you say?" He remarked when Green reappeared at his side.
"Did he hit anyone? Doesn't sound like it..."
"Ah, so he didn't hurt anyone, even though he could have and so—"
She grabbed his sleeve and pulled. "Come on." She led him down a side street and out of the view and hearing of the other enforcers.
Able swallowed down his anger to follow her and his stirring curiosity. And the way her hips swayed, swishing her quiltcoat to and fro with her purposeful stride, didn't hurt his mood either.
Green finally let go of Able's arm and turned to face him. "Senior Deputy Tanner is a well-respected man, and his men listen to him." Her tone and hand gestures were emphatic. "Yes, his methods are not the best for every situation, but when you need force and intimidation, he's the guy you want. And they went quiet when he fired at them today, so, maybe they're getting worn down."
Fired at them today? "He fired at them already?"
"Yes—well no—a warning shot in the air when the squad from Adeptsby arrived, to demonstrate the long-guns are functional. I would have warned you if I knew he was going to do that, so sorry about your nerves." It made sense for her to defend her commanding officer, but why accuse Able of being sensitive to do it?
"Don't worry about my nerves. Unlike Capstone, I wasn't shot at."
Green groaned and rubbed her temples. "I'm worried how the Shadow even knew about her condition."
"Her condition?" Had Able's point gone wide? "You mean how she was close to panicking when the ram was going?"
"Yes," she replied. "Something happened during the war that she won't talk about, and sudden, loud noises bring back the feeling of shock. And I want to know how the Shadow knew that."
"Maybe he didn't," Able reasoned. "It was dark, so maybe he just expected us to assume he had shot her because we couldn't see very well. In any event, he only had one shot to spend so he had to assume people would rush him to prevent him from reloading it, right?"
"Maybe. I hope you're right." She seemed composed again, at least. Maybe she could field some more questions.
"So the hunt for the mole hasn't turned up anything?"
"Not yet." She heaved a sigh before remembering herself and raising an eyebrow. "And we're all on edge about it, so don't go snooping around."
"On edge because of the mole, or because of the investigation?"
"Oh, both." She didn't know what that word now stirred up for Able and continued her own thought, "When people get anxious for results, they can make some bad choices."
"So the wrong person might get 'caught' for the sake of showing progress, I see."
She nodded. "Yeah, so no one wants to risk being seen as undesirable right now."
"Thanks for the warning?"
"I wasn't talking about you!" She laughed. "You've never even been to Adeptsby; how could you be our mole?"
"But you're describing shady investigations, and you pulled me away so that Tanner wouldn't see me..."
She rolled her eyes indulgently. "Because he's likely to chew you out, and I don't want you getting scared off again!"
Able's eyebrows popped up. She liked him. Well, of course she liked him, that's why she was helping him. ...Lark was helping him too, did that mean he—well, obviously Lark liked him, but in...an interested way? Or was he only assuming Green liked him that way because she was a woman? She was currently trying to hide a smile behind her hand.
"Well, thank you for your help," he fought the fluster for a neutral tone.
"Anytime, Chronicler," she crooned.
"You're welcome to call me 'Able,'" he added.
"And you can call me 'Day'—short for Daytime. And you look like you'll be happy to." She waggled her eyebrows as her grin got too wide to conceal.
Oh, so...his half-mast was visible. Great. He spun away and scrambled for something witty to say, but she was already giggling an apology behind her hand. He sighed and ran a hand over his reddened face. If he hadn't had a roommate last night, he would have taken care of this already. Was there somewhere he could go to relieve his maddening distraction? ...although, she had brought it up, hadn't she?
He turned back to her and, quite done with floating in uncertain waters, asked, "Might I be forward?"
Day blinked, raised her eyebrows, then shrugged.
He dropped his voice, "Would you care to take a tumble, maybe?"
Her jaw went slack a moment. Fair. "That is forward." But then she looked him up and down. He really had not thought this out at all and was probably not prepared for any response at all either, but definitely not for: "Yes, I would. Follow me."
Day took his hand and again began to lead him. Her hand was cool, her fingers long and slender. He wanted them under his clothes. Dear God, he had just propositioned the granddaughter of a famous marshal like they had both been raised in a barn. Whatever, she had said "yes," and he needed these very female fingers on his skin.
Day pulled him into the stable, but just when he was coming to terms with taking a very literal tumble in the hay, she pulled him into the tack room instead and closed the door. She released his hand to finish unlacing her quiltcoat. Not knowing anything about armor, he awkwardly watched her strain at the wet laces before he just set his bag against the wall and slid out of his jacket.
"How much does that thing weigh when wet?" he asked as he folded the jacket and set it on top of his satchel.
"Way too much!" She chuckled and let it fall to the ground with a wet smack.
When she turned to him he stepped into her space and put his hands on her hips and...well, her face was all the way up there. Fortunately, she had the same idea and leaned down to kiss him. She also grabbed his hands and guided them under her shirt before making for his belt. He slid his hands up to the two nubs he'd been trying not to stare at. Fondling the handfuls of breast completed Able's arousal, which was all the reassurance he needed.
Within minutes he had Day against a saddle stand and was at work between thighs that could probably crush his bones if she so desired, but that only added to the thrill. She was neither quiet nor shy about asking for what she wanted, which made her easy to please. When they had finished, Able rested his forehead against her collarbone and breathed deeply into his relieved chest. The scent of female sweat was soothing, a pleasant denouement to his release. Day idly stroked his back as she tried to catch her breath too.
"Thanks, I really needed that," she murmured.
"Me too." And how. He felt freed...exorcised, even. He straightened and ran his hands appreciatively over her firm sides and thighs some more. "Might have been the best I've had."
She cocked an eyebrow. "You didn't strike me as a flatterer."
"It's the truth." He shrugged, though maybe the truth was more it'd been a very long time since he'd felt this good. "Don't find bodies like yours in libraries, I suppose. Go figure."
She was still looking dubious, but he shifted his focus to disentangling his trousers from hers as neither of them had gotten around to taking them off completely. When he had cleared away and started to put his clothes back on, she took hers off the rest of the way and crouched to bear down.
"You're not going to fish for compliments in return?" she asked after a moment.
"Why? I'm about as good as accepting them as you are." He grinned wryly as he found his handkerchief in his jacket pocket and offered it to her.
"Thanks." She nodded and took it to wipe herself. "Might I ask something uncouth?"
Able chuckled. "I think that's your right at this point."
"You don't get technique like yours from comfort houses, I don't think."
"You're asking if I have a woman. I don't, as it happens, but there was a girl once, yes." A bright girl with a winsome smile. He didn't think of her as often as he once did.
"What happened?" She looked at him askance as she pulled her pants back on.
"What happens." Able shrugged. "I didn't see her often enough with my work, and in my absence, she met someone more attentive and wealthy than I. Maybe better looking too; I never met the man." At least, he liked to believe she was happier now.
"I'm sorry."
"Hm?" Able turned his attention back to Day. "Oh, don't be. I made my peace with it. After all, I'm not interested in settling down, and I don't like children, so it's for the best."
She met his eyes a second before nodding vigorously. "You like your freedom; I get that."
Able waited for her to finish getting dressed before prodding, "So, is that a one-way question?"
"That wouldn't be very fair, would it?" Day straightened her undershirt with a sigh. "Well, I got involved with a fellow trainee in the camp, and I was just too young to see how big a mistake that was. I am sadder and wiser and a lot more careful now...and you're going to laugh at that, aren't you?"
"No, ma'am." He smiled. "While ironic, no laughing matter." Her choice of available partners could not include her fellows in arms nor the Borealunders she policed, which explained her willingness to take up with him.
"Heh." she finished strapping her sword belt back on then shouldered her sopping quiltcoat. "Well, I'm going to go make sure I'm not too tired for my next shift. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow morning, Chronicler?"
"Maybe you will, Day." He matched her grin.
They left the stable, at which point Day bid him farewell and went into a nearby house. Despite being all the way at the bottom of the hill, his steps back up to the top felt effortless, his body light. He settled into the peaceful archives and gladly spent the rest of the day finding all sorts of useful information he didn't even know he was looking for.