The following day started dull. We broke camp as planned and we were on the road keeping with our schedule. Dar and Arlene estimated that it would take around four days at our current pace to reach Westerleygates. Vitalia assured me that it would take another eight to ten days to reach Sarenthill from Westerleygates.

My immediate concern, our non-existent financial resources. Goblins with Taltil on the lead hunted a few small games whose fur was removed by Taltil. Arlene for her part hunted a few more animals for goods and fur. Despite those furs, Arlene was confident that that fur would not amount to any value. They are just normal fur that could be bartered for some cheaper item.

The masterwork crossbow which the goblins got for me was one thing of value. As a last-ditch effort, I could sell it but even that may not cover the cost of the company. Another option would be to ask Vitalia for some immediate monetary assistance. The fae could approach any banking organisation or trading house for a small sum as a loan. Her reputation might get us the loan but something about her personality strongly hinted that she would hate both giving and taking a loan. Additionally, there is also the fact that by taking the loan she would be openly revealing her involvement. I had a strong feeling that she would rather keep her involvement discreet until it became a necessity.

After a brief moment of ruminating over the issue, I realised that I have been thinking in circles. Time to get the organisational part worked out. I went over the immediate list of things that The Aberrant Irregulars needed. Foremost, decent clothing and armour for the goblins. In their present state, even the beggars guild, assuming they have a guild, would deny them membership. No self-respecting employer would take in goblins clad in rags. Furthermore, there is prejudice against their race. If we were to overcome those, I must have the goblins equipped with decent armour and weapons.

Next comes the issue of food. Luckily, the goblins are not picky eaters. They are easy to please. The dire boars on the contrary, despite being called omnivorous by Vitalia have clearly shown a tendency for fresh meat than vegetables. Not to mention, they are voracious eaters.

Finally, there are the issues with registering in Sarenthill and information about the whereabouts of Lyria. Aram is my only chance of tracking Lyria at the moment and he has proven himself to be crafty and elusive. The money would be invaluable in tracking Aram. With enough resources, I could put a notice on Aram. Have him snatched from whatever hellhole he is hiding. I concluded finally, after revising all my options, that it is better to talk with Dar. If I should make some money, who better to ask than the merchant nearby.

*****

Dar shook himself awake from his deep thoughts, as he saw me approaching. Without saying a word, I climbed in his Wagon and seated myself beside him.

“So when do you reckon we will arrive at Westerleygates?” Not that I needed to know the answer but I wanted the conversation to roll.

“Madame, I would say in three days, or maybe four utmost.” He answered.

“Please Dar, Just call me Rylon or Vera. No need to be formal. We are on the road.”

Dar seemed hesitant for a moment before continuing again. ”Thanks Rylon. For lending us one of your War beasts. It was unfortunate about one of our horses. I am sorry we failed to notice this before our departure. I will have a word with Nemeash and Razia.” His words were genuine and apologetic.

“Worry not Dar. These things happen. If we are in this together, we all need to be flexible.” I assured him.

“I am just like how you say Rylon. I always adjust myself according to how the situation grows. I wanted to move further towards Faihrs but with the war party, I have to change plans.”

“Does it happen very often?”

“Not every trip but it is not uncommon. Learnt the lesson the hard way. Was forced to sell all my wares at a lower price. I was glad that they let me keep my horse and wagon.”

“Who Lord Korvanor?”

“No, other Nobles.” He spat the word Nobles. “House August, House Grunbach, House Bleakshire....they are all the same. No matter where you go.”

“What about the Local lord here?” I slowly broached my current topic of interest.

“The Wysterian Nobles? They have their bad apples too. Not saints all of them. But I found them a lot more reasonable to deal with. At least in the past.” Dar quipped. It is clear that Dar is the type who valued friendly gossip and banter.

“In the past?” I pushed further nothing wishing for the conversation to end.

“I think the former Lord died, fell ill or had some riding accident. I am not sure of the details. But now his Young daughter is the heiress. She is fifteen or something. Too young to govern the province.”

“And there was no opposition to her claims? Maybe an uncle or a neighbouring Lord?”

“Naah the Duke gave his blessings. I think he even sent his staff to help her governing the province.”

Ah, the familiar tactic. So the Duke decided to play his hand.

“And how is that working?”

“I don't know. I have not been here for a while. But Rylon, you are from Sarenthill, aren't you? You should know more about Westerleygates.”

I wished Dar was not blessed with such high intuition.

Muttering under my breath, I answered Dar putting a patient expression. “Well, My dear Peddler, a year or ten is fleeting compared to my lifespan. So I do not really keep up with all the changes in the human region. Plus, work with the sapiarchs keeps you away from all the politics.” I shrugged.

Dar seemed satisfied with the explanation.

“Last I recall,” I offered an explanation, “there was the war hero from House Wysteria who put an end to the Verdant hegemony.”

“That must be the former Lord’s Grandfather. Rylon, How old are you?” Dar sounded surprised.

“I am old, Dar. Probably Ancient by your standards.” I chuckled while giving him my earnest answer.

“But, if you ask my opinion, I think the Duke underestimated the current Lord. The region seems peaceful and prosperous. No Bandits, raiders or shared borders with hostile nations.”

“I would not be so sure. They are minor so you might not have heard of them. Sometimes caravans to Sarenthill get waylaid and on occasions, they get bold enough to raid orchards in the region.”

“Caravans getting raided is not something unheard of but who would want to raid orchards?”

“Actually, I was thinking of introducing your company to a few orchard owners and villages in need of protection. But in my humble opinion, those orchards which were raided, they were asking for it,” stated Dar.

Guarding an orchard. I would have gladly taken the offer a few days ago. Guarding an orchard is a simple job. I am not required to travel. All I have to patrol and make sure to keep unwanted elements out. It is a simple job to spend the rest of my days in relative peace and quiet. But not anymore. With the knowledge that Lyria might be alive. No. Lyria is alive. With my own Irregular company, I have more to aim for.

“What did they do wrong?”

“I think they refused to pay the protection money to the local thieves guild or something,” Dar concluded.

Organized illegal groups running protection rackets in commercial districts is not something unheard of. But protection racket targeting orchards screamed that there is more to the story than Dar knows.

“Thanks for thinking of us Dar and I stand by my promise. If we land a contract, neither you nor your commission will be forgotten.”

Dar, again, flashed a bright smile at the mention of his commission.

“What are those orchards cultivating again?”

“Funny that you ask me. Purple monkfruit. Most of the people in the region don't even consume them. I mean there are other cheaper alternatives. Most of the production is for the high elven regions. All are exported there.”

“All of the production?” I was slightly intrigued now.

“Yes, all. They are high elves. What else can you expect?” Dar continued energetically.”They don't like farming. Don’t like to get dirt under their fingernails. So they pay a high price to get things.” We both chuckled.

I choose to leave the merry conversation with Dar at this point. I wished I could spend a few more moments in the peddler's company. His company was pleasant and enjoyable but Vitalia might have answers.

*****

As I wandered around in search of Vitalia, I spotted Arlene and Razia sharing a box seat. Razia said something which invoked a spirited laugh from Arlene. If I count in human years, Arlene might be closer in age to Razia. Razia probably called Arlene just to have some company with someone of her own age. As I passed closer, Razia grew silent while Arlene just gave me a passing nod and then the two of them continued their incessant chatter.

After making a full round with no means to contact Vitalia, I resigned myself and choose to meet with Maapu instead. Vitalia will appear when she prefers. Maapu was a bit further ahead of the party. He was clearly communicating with a fellow goblin when I approached. My presence alerted both Maapu and the other goblin but I dismissed them.

“Any activities or anything unusual?”

“No, only some wolves and foxes.”

“That is good. Good work. But stay alert. Instruct the goblins if they see anything, not to engage. Just observe and report immediately.”

Maapu shook his head.

“And also if you see Provost Vitalia, let her know that I would like her opinion on an issue.” I proclaimed loudly. I was fully aware that Vitalia would not be far away from the dire boars since she is the fallback should Arlene fail to calm them. Besides, I am positive that Vitalia is still exercising her fae magic to keep the dire boars docile, though I have no concrete proof of it.

At the mention of the fae, Maapu’s expression hardened. But he opted wisely to retain his opinions to himself. Not that I need any acknowledgement from him. The message has been sent.

*****

Later in the evening, after I have been satisfied that we put quite a distance between us and Meranvale, We decided to make camp for the evening. Theko went about his usual self of cooking for the band. Nemeash again appeared with his offer of sharing their supper with me. Since the offer was meant only for me, I choose to decline. Arlene was given a similar offer from Razia which she refused on the grounds that she needed to gather herbs for the ailing horse and some game for the dire boars.

Vitalia made her appearance after our supper. I was having another conversation with Taltil and Maapu when she materialised.

“Another day had passed Magistra.” She stated as a matter of fact. Her eyes darting between Maapu and Taltil. Her tongue stressed the word “Magistra”, the formal tone. That is her cue hinting that she would not engage in sensitive topics in the presence of the two goblins.

“Glad to see you again Provost Vitalia.” I offered my polite greeting in return.

“You two may now leave.” Dismissing them both just as I stood up to indicate my intention to lead the conversation while strolling through the camp.

Taltil took her leave quickly without glancing in the direction of Vitalia. Maapu threw a challenging glare at levitating fae before excusing himself to me and left.

I took the lead to stroll and fae followed.

“I have been thinking about our financial resources.” I started. “Candidly speaking, in our present state, we would not find any decent employer in Westerleygates. If we do not make any quick coins in Westerleygates, life would be hard in Sarenthill.”

“I am sure you have more experience with leading campaigns and the logistics involved, Rylon. But I am willing to listen if it brings in a new perspective. So what are you looking at?”

“For beginners, I would need to get some armour and some clothing, maybe cloak and shoes for the goblins. Also, they would need to be equipped with some knives, small barbed spears and some short bows. Then there is the matter of feeding. The goblins forage for themselves but it is the dire boars. They need a lot.”

“Understandable.” She nodded acknowledging my assessment.

“We would also need a better cart,” I said as we passed by our quaint little cart.

“This one might even hold till we reach Sarenthill, if our luck holds. which I suspect given the events of the past few days. But then we would need a bigger and better one. Also some bedding and at least two tents.”

Vitalia cleared her throat, “let me put you in an alternate perspective. What would be our positive benefits to a potential employer?” Again she is doing that.

“Well I would say, not to brag, the first would be me. Or rather my race. We have been somehow stereotyped among humans as first choice mercenaries for discreet missions. Not that I am proud about it. Arlene is pretty good as a ranger and I have seen her skill with the bow.” I did not elaborate further. There was no need. We both witnessed her skill.

“And?” Vitalia wanted me to continue.

“There is the dire boars. They would serve as an example of our prowess. Not many mercenaries can boast about taming dire boars. Owning dire boars is usually seen as a sign of brutality and savagery. So most bandits and raiders would avoid us. Even orc raiding parties would avoid us.”

“There we have our selling point. How would you rate our combat potential?”

“meagre”

“Think of it as a mental exercise. If we are to encounter a mob or a bandit attack now. In your mind, how do you think it will pan out?”

“Now this is a familiar process for me. If we are to be attacked, the goblins make a decent scout. So it would be unlikely that we would be caught unaware unless we are targeted by highly trained assassins or something similar. Arlene under conditions would probably take five or six with her arrow before we get into close combat. I could take three or four maybe. Maapu and Theko together might be able to take down one opponent. The other goblins, I would rather keep them out of battles. They lack experience. So there you have it around ten.”

“So The Aberrant Irregulars are a mercenary band of twenty who could take around a bandit group of ten?” Vitalia was more interested in math.

“Not exactly, I would say, if it is a usual raider or bandits, they are mobs. Without strong discipline and leadership. We would prevail against fifty or even seventy.” I concluded.

“Now your numbers intrigue me, Rylon. Pray, do tell, how did you move from ten to seventy?” Her tone was full of amusement.

“Well because if they follow a mob pattern, we do not have to kill them all. We just need to rout them. Five to ten per cent death is all that is needed to demoralise a mob. They will scatter.”

“Interesting.” Vitalia sounded pleased as if she had learned something new. “In that case, I would say The Aberrant Irregulars are a pretty strong mercenary ground, no?”

“Not exactly, We will not fare well against a trained army. We lack the ability to fight as a unit. Most of the goblins have practically zero fighting experience.”

“In which case, you already know what kind of assignments you should avoid and which ones you should actively seek, Rylon.”

“The thing is, I am not sure what kind of opportunity will present itself in Westerleygates. I had a few words with Dar.”

“I noticed you having a conversation with the peddler.” Vitalia finally acknowledged her eavesdropping.

“The political situation, for one, seems like an internal power struggle. With a young inexperienced Heiress and the Duke trying to proxy through her. Locally, it seems the only conflict seems to be raiders raiding orchards. Which in itself is bizarre.” I finally spoke my thoughts.

“Not totally bizarre, if you follow the trade route. You see most of the orchards are for cultivating purple monkfruit. The purple monkfruit is a heavily controlled substance in the High-Elven region. Some of its products tend to create dependency. Naturally, the cultivation within the High-Elven region is heavily regulated and most farmers do not see a profit in it. Thus most of the purple monkfruit is produced in the neighbouring regions and finds its way into the High-elven imperium through Sarenthill. You can say Sarenthill primarily owes its existence to purple Monkfruit trade route. The official trade itself is heavily regulated by the High-elven authorities with heavy duties and taxes.”

“I get it, where there is heavy regulation and taxation, there is always organised syndicates trying to make a quick profit. Explains the presence of protection racket in Westerleygates then.” The verity of the situation dawned on me finally.

Our leisure stroll took us to the end of our camp and we made a turn running into Arlene. She carried a satchel with, no doubt, freshly picked herbs and on her shoulder lay a small dead deer.

“A last-minute patrol?” She enquired.

“Just a stroll,” I answered

“We did not get time for a conversation during the day.” Vitalia elaborated.

“You are not the only one who could enjoy a friendly gossip, you know.” I decided to exchange some banter at her expense.

Arlene squinted her eyes and bite lips before replying.” Just so you know, we did not gossip about Nemeash. Why do folks always believe that when two girls chat, it is always about a boy?“

“I would never presume so, Arlene.” Vitalia proclaimed. She added further, “And neither does Magistra share the opinion that girls always preoccupy their thoughts with lads.”

“I fully concur. There are other important things than men to consider. Like the company, establishing ourselves in Sarenthill. These are important things before thinking about boys. Vera is experienced and she knows what to prioritize.”

At this point, we were both certain that Arlene definitely missed the obvious fact. As the ranger took her leave and walked away, we both rolled our eyes.