Free the North! (Free Trader Series Book 5) (14 page)

“Which way, G, and what’s coming?” Braden asked while pointing at people and creatures to better positions.

‘The plains. The wild boars are back,’
G-War said while licking his paw to clean his face. Braden looked at the ‘cat, holding his hands up in question.
‘They’re coming, but there are only three of them…’

Micah put her hands on her hips and glared at the ‘cat, before looking at the others. “I guess we weren’t ready. If there had been a real threat, we’d have been in trouble,” she said solemnly.

“Thanks, G. Once again, you’ve seen what we did not. If only we had a broom, we could show our appreciation!” Braden took a quick step toward the Golden Warrior, who simply narrowed his eyes at his human as if issuing a dare. Braden knew better than to challenge the ‘cat.

“Let’s talk about what we need to do, how we need to be ready, as soon as we dispatch our porcine fellows who shouldn’t be far off. Skirill, if you would be so kind as to show us where they are, we can add a little variety to our diet. No disrespect intended to Patrice or Delavigne.” Braden nodded in their direction. Their pink noses twitched as they harrumphed in their high-pitched Rabbit voices.

Wild boar and practicing to fight. It’s just like being back home,
Braden thought, surprised that he thought of the south as home and not the north. Micah smiled to herself. She’d known it all along.

Zeller just hoped that she wouldn’t crumble in a real battle. She was getting proficient with the sword, but Micah was the greatest warrior ever, in Zeller’s mind. The scars that the companions wore as badges of honor told a story of a hard life, forged in battle. In that, she took comfort, too. They would surround her and protect her if need be.

Because that’s what they did. 

Whitehorse

They spent an extra turn at the pond as they practiced how they’d enter the village, and how they’d respond the next time G-War alerted them. They needed to raise their awareness, be ready to fight at a heartbeat’s notice. The humans wore their swords at all times, and Braden and Micah carried their bows.

Bounder and Gray Strider would carry their spears while traveling in areas without other humans, but if humans were around, they’d go to all fours and try to look like big, harmless dogs. The Hawkoids would fly a high cover, keeping the others within sight while also watching for anyone inadvertently approaching the wagon’s hiding spot.

The Rabbits would keep their laser pistols and stay in the wagon any time they were anywhere near other humans. The wagon looked like Old Tech, despite Holly’s efforts to disguise it. They’d leave the wagon in the cover of any nearby woods with the two Aurochs standing guard. Only the humans, Wolfoids, and Hillcat would walk into the town of Whitehorse, see how things were and then decide if they needed support from the others. All the platinum and gold would be kept in the wagon. When they made a trade, they’d deliver the precious metal for the livestock, the water buffalo.

They decided it would be best if Arnie pulled the wagon. If they needed to take the wagon into any of the towns, Arnie wouldn’t look as imposing as Brandt. The King of the Aurochs would frighten even the most stalwart northerners. They all laughed at that, knowing Brandt to be a loyal friend not wanting to harm anyone. They thought of him with Bronwyn, where he was the gentlest of souls.

“Sorry, my friend. What do you say we get the water buffalo and then go home?” Braden slapped the great King on the side as Micah checked Arnie’s harness. They climbed aboard and headed out.

The Wolfoids ran alongside, happy to have the exercise. Arnie maintained a steady, easy pace. Braden opened his neural implant and updated his map. They’d camp in the forest outside Whitehorse before nightfall. With the new turn, they’d enter the Market Square and try to find the right trader. They’d play it by ear from there.

The trip across the grasslands was uneventful. They ran across no one, no creatures. It helped that Skirill and Zyena were flying far in front as well as to the sides. There would be no surprises.

They took turns on watch while the others slept in the wagon that night. No surprises they said, and they made sure of it. With the dawn, they ate a light breakfast, checked their gear, and with a deep breath, they walked boldly toward the village. Micah had to constantly reassure Zeller. She was afraid of the unknown of a northern town. Even one as small as Whitehorse was far larger than she’d ever seen before. Braden dismissed her concerns, until they entered Whitehorse and the first people they ran into was the man who’d stolen from him and his two bodyguards.

‘Braden!’
Micah cautioned him as his mind seethed with fury. He turned and walked directly toward the man.

“My pardon, good sir. I’m Free Trader Braden and three cycles ago, you bought two vials of Saffrimander from me at the agreed-to price of twenty platinum. You only paid me two platinum and fifteen gold. I’d like the rest, please.” Braden had gotten nose to nose with the older, well-dressed man. The bodyguard attempted to push Braden away, but Micah had her sword point at his throat and pushed him backward. He jumped clear and pulled his own sword.

The other bodyguard tried to get close, but Zeller’s sword was out and she squared off against him. He pulled his sword and sneered as he looked at her. The first bodyguard lunged toward Micah, raising his sword to deliver a mighty chop as if cleaving firewood. She side-stepped the swing, letting it pass her, the sword’s momentum driving it into the ground. With her left fist, she punched the bodyguard in the temple and he fell like a sack of potatoes.

Micah took one step toward the second man, but Zeller was already there. The man stabbed at her with an over-reaching thrust. She parried the blade and jumped close, ending with a vicious kick to the man’s groin. He crumpled, joining his fellow bodyguard on the ground.

Braden grabbed the older man by the throat, twisting his head so he could see his muscle no longer protecting him. “I want my money. It was a fair trade,” Braden growled into the man’s face. The old man fumbled for his belt and produced a pouch. Braden pushed the man backwards so he’d fall, but the old man kept his feet. Braden dumped the coins on the ground. Ten silver.

“What is this?” he asked the old man.

“It’s all I have. They’ve taken the rest,” he stuttered.

“Who?”

“The provincial officials, the security officers, security of the Provincial Government, that is,” he said, kneading his hands together. Braden leaned closer. The man looked afraid and sincere.

“Who are they?” Braden wondered.

“They arrived right before you last time, three cycles ago, but they didn’t establish their authority for a while. They run everything now, all the towns. They’re based out of Jefferson City.”

Braden looked at Micah and Zeller. G-War stood nearby, confirming the man was telling the truth.

“Do you know anyone selling water buffalo?” Braden asked all of a sudden.

“No, but all animal sales have to go through the officials. Actually, sales of just about everything has to go through the officials,” the man whined.

“That changes things just a bit,” Braden told his companions as he pursed his lips, exhaling heavily. “Where are these officials?”

The man nodded toward a building that had been something else cycles previously. The new title on the building looked to be hastily painted over the previous owner’s business name. It simply said, “Provincial Government.” Braden looked at Micah and Zeller, shrugged, and walked toward the government building.

The three of them followed, wondering what they were going to do. “Don’t worry,” he said soothingly. “I just want to see how we can buy some water buffalo.”

‘Just like you tried to collect a debt of money that you don’t need from a frightened old man? Nothing to worry about,’
Micah said using her thought voice.

‘What? You think I’m going to start a war?’
Braden asked, switching to the mindlink.

‘That’s exactly what I think you’re going to do. The government has stopped free trade, and I know that has to grate on your very soul,’
she replied.

‘There is that. Well, then, let’s go see what we’re up against.’
He never broke stride as they talked. He walked right up to the door and opened it without knocking, boldly striding through. The ‘cat was right on his heels, followed closely by Micah, and finally Zeller shut the door behind her. She’d seen doors and buildings, but nothing like these. These northerners were far advanced.

Two desks stood in the open area and two more were behind a counter. One person was at a desk there while the two desks up front stood empty.

“Good morning, good sir! I’m Free Trader Braden and I’ve come to buy some water buffalo. Can you help me?” Braden said, smiling broadly as he assumed his Free Trader persona.

“There are no more Free Traders. You need to be registered as a Provincial Supplier. What’d you say your name was again?” the man grumbled.

“I’m Braden,” he enunciated. The man dug through a ledger of sorts, not finding Braden’s name as he thumbed through a series of pages.

“I don’t see you in here, so I have to assume you are trading without a license. That’s very bad.” The man nodded knowingly.

“But I haven’t traded anything. I just want to buy some water buffalo. I’m a buyer, not a trader, or a Provincial Supplier as you called them,” Braden backpedaled, unsure of what authority the man wielded and how he’d enforce the various dictates he was spewing.

“You said you were a trader and now you say you’re a buyer! How can I trust anything that comes out of your mouth?” The man started violently ringing a hand bell that had been sitting on his desk.

‘Be ready, they come,’
the ‘cat warned.

“I had no doubt about that,” Braden answered aloud as he vaulted over the counter, landing half on the man’s desk. He jumped back at the upstart youngster who dared violate the sanctity of the Provincial Government’s office. With a sweep of one arm, Braden cleared everything from the man’s desk.

Braden pulled his shortsword and pointed it at the official. The man leaned back, trying to put more of his now empty desk between him and this young madman. Braden slid a butt cheek across the desk as he joined the fat man on the other side. Eyes wide, the man could only stare at the blade as it tipped toward his throat.

Four men burst through a side door, swords in hand as they looked around and assessed the situation. They relaxed when they saw two women. Two of the new men walked toward Micah and Zeller while the other two opened a half-door and walked to the other side of the counter, where they could deal with the young man holding a shortsword to the government official’s throat.

Micah tapped her blade tip on the floor before assuming a fighting stance. Zeller stepped back. “Watch the door so no one comes in,” Micah snarled in a low voice. Her opponents became more wary as they realized she wasn’t playing. They noticed the scars on her neck and arms. Ribbons of lean muscle bulged as she tightened her grip. They locked eyes and knew fear. The icy stare of death chilled their souls.

“Hey, we might want to look at this a different way,” one of the men before Micah started to say.

She attacked, her goal was to disarm them, but that went out the window after the first parry. Her Old Tech sword was sharper by orders of magnitude than the flawed steel these men carried. The closest man blocked Micah’s first swing, but it numbed his arm. Her attack had only been a probe, the swing at half-speed. She feinted right, twirled low and left. With the full core strength of her body, she brought her sword around in a sweeping arc toward the man’s knees. His sword got there in time to block the incoming blade, but it didn’t matter. Micah’s sword shattered his and continued through the first knee, stopping when it hit the man’s second leg.

Micah twisted the blade from his torn flesh as she rolled to the side, putting the collapsing man’s body between her and her uninjured opponent.

When she stood, the other man had backed up and was yelling at the two behind the counter to join him. Micah warily sidestepped around the screaming man on the floor. The two swordsmen facing Braden were torn. The government official was terrified and in a panic. No one had ever rebelled against the Provincial Government and these strangers seemed completely unimpressed by titles and superior numbers.

Micah charged the man who’d backed up against the counter, limiting his room to maneuver. He wasn’t a small man, but the ease by which she had dispatched his partner scared him senseless. After the first few turns when the Provincial Government had taken over, there had been no other resistance. It had been a while since any of these men had been in a real sword fight, and this was like no other. She was both quicker than him and relentless.

Micah’s sword rang against his as he tried to protect his head. Her sword knocked his back, so she dragged the sharp edge of her blade across his shoulder as she hopped back a half-step. With the shoulder laid wide open, the sword dropped from his dead arm. Micah stepped in quickly and delivered a side kick to the man’s chest. He was backed against the counter which gave him nowhere to go. His ribs broke both in the front and back of his chest, driving shards of rib into his vital organs. He gasped once and collapsed, dying.

The other man had passed as his heart continued to pump blood through the stump of his leg.

The last two men stood wide-eyed.

“We command you to stop! You will be tried and executed for your crimes against the Provincial Government!” the fat man behind the desk shouted. They remaining security men had forgotten about Braden as they both faced Micah from the safety of the other side of the counter.

She casually walked to the half door, opened it, and let herself in while they watched wide-eyed. They hefted their swords and prepared themselves. One stepped left while the other made to step right. Braden swung his shortsword in an overhead chop to knock the sword from one, even the odds a bit, but missed and took the man’s hand off at the wrist. He screamed in shock. The other man looked away from Micah for an instant.