208 Trade Trouble (1/2)
The shadows of the forest were a heavy black, but Felian Northdale had seen plenty of dark forests in Borna. Rather than fear, all he felt was boredom, that and soreness from the uncomfortable wagon. He really couldn't believe his bad luck. Back when they had been sent to this rich, exotic country to establish a trade route to the far-off lands of Chutwa, the knight had thought he would have an easier time of things.
After all, they hadn't brought an army, but just barely enough men to protect their fleet docked at Porcero's harbor. Before their arrival, he thought they would just stay in some trade port along the coast line. While he would enjoy the foreign wine, sun and women, he would get up from time to time to protect their merchants as they sailed from Arcavia to Medala and back. Meanwhile, Duke Herak and the merchants would be the ones to do all the hard work in long negotiations with the local nobility.
However, once their ships arrived in Porcero, they soon realized that the situation in Medala was much more complicated than any of them had imagined. The distant land had lost its emperor not long ago, but by now they had expected a new emperor to be elected, and one who would either have the support of Bornish merchants, or the support of Cahlian ones.
Yet neither of the two successors had climbed the throne. Instead, the empire was split into three kingdoms, with three different kings. While two of them were still not hostile towards Bornish interests, the last one was an old acquaintance. Suffice it to say, the King of the South had no good thoughts to spare for Felian's master, Duke Herak of Balit. The great seer Corcopaca Fastgrade, wealthy and powerful head of the Fastgrade Merchant Company, had somehow become the King of the South after he had left for Medala less than a year earlier. Worse yet, he seemed hellbent on making their mission more difficult.
In order to secure a land route through Medala, Duke Herak had left further inland, together with a good portion of their already meager troops, to participate in a war against Corco's southern kingdom. At the same time, Margrave Hakon had taken most of their ships and sailors to the south. After a deal with one of the kings, they had received legitimacy to secure a land passage through the continent they could control themselves, without the interference of any heathen kings. All they had to do was take it, and so the eager Margrave Hakon had set off with their chief negotiator.
All of these plans were potential ways to fulfill their missions, but they had left them spread paper thin. By now, only Felian and a handful of soldiers were left to guard their first exploratory trade caravan through the strange lands of Medala. Although he had been against the hasty trip from the start, the merchants had insisted on making their gold, and not even a knight would stand in their way. While the first part of their journey had been uneventful, they had now come up to an undeveloped, primal forest. Not only was the forest said to contain demons and other inhuman beasts summoned by the people of this land, they may also house some dangerous bandits.
As if he had conjured up the trouble himself, he heard the familiar call of problems from the front.
”What was that!?” he shouted to the handful of soldiers around him as he jumped off his wagon. ”Follow me. We will get to the caravan's front and make sure no one tries anything fresh with our people. We want our expedition to be a success, do we not?”
While he walked past wagon after wagon and looked into the worried faces of merchants and local hires, he once again realized just how large their caravan was. All the goods they had brought with them on their ships had to be transported by land, which created a juicy target far larger than Felian was comfortable protecting.
It appeared as if he wasn't the only one who considered them an easy target. Once he had arrived at the front, he saw himself confronted with a single man who blocked their path by just standing there in a broad stance.
Although the strange man asked a question, Felian didn't understand a word. A look behind and he found his local translator who just about caught up and was still out of breath.
”Come on,” he said impatiently towards the Medala local from Porcero. ”What does this one say?”
”Master, he asks if you are leader of this group.”
”Tell him that I am.” Felian challenged the stranger's provocative look with his own. ”But Sire, we are just guards and have no proper command authority within the caravan. It's the merchants who have the say. By all right, you cannot be considered the leader.” One of his soldiers seemed hell-bent on making things difficult for him, but Felian still wouldn't look away from his obstacle.
”Who cares about that now?” he asked. ”We might not have any authority in the city, but right now we're in the wilderness, in front of an enemy. Who will fight me for authority in this place, even more so when I am in charge of what little military force this caravan has? Do you think any of the merchants will stretch out their necks to negotiate with the bandit?”
His men silenced, the bandit started to speak instead.
”Master, he says his name is Latrus di Saliena. He is great and honored master of the forest. He says... he is here to make the forest safe from bandits.”
”That's nice, but what does he want?” Felian wrinkled his brows.
”Master please, he is still talking!”
All this time, Latrus the stranger had continued to ramble on like a waterfall.
”He says... since he keeps the forest clean of threat, he has to ask for contribution from everyone who crosses his woods.”
”So he is a bandit then,” Felian nodded. ”Tell him that the forest belongs to no one. He is no noble, so he can't tax our caravan. Tell him to make way or we will use force.”
”He says... that animals of the forest have elected him leader, so his rule is true.”
For the first time in the conversation, Felian looked over to his translator.
”Are you convinced those were his words?”
Although he looked confused as well, the translator nodded and continued to relay the bandit's words.