Commander Percival

Mercenaries Last Stop A large encampment within the Port Town where mercenary bands could rest and recruit. This is where Bookkeeper, Max, and I met Jacques the lieutenant of the cavalry squad in a large tent set up in an area he claimed.

“Give me an update Jacques.” I didn’t want to waste any time, so I didn’t bother with greeting him.

He sighed and rubbed his bald head something he did when he was nervous. “The Descendants of Gods are having their usual disputes among themselves so there is indeed work in the lands beyond the sea.” He looked at me apologetically before speaking. “However, it seems that they are fighting a bit more seriously this time and are only hiring mercenary bands with 1,000 or more members.”

I tried my best not to react, but I could feel my face twitching.

“1,000! Even at our largest, we’ve only had 500 members!” Max said in disbelief.

Bookkeeper shook her head. “At our largest, we had exactly 476 members and only 437 of those were fighters.”

Even if Jacques successfully recruited new members I doubt he was able to recruit more than 200.

Knowing I wouldn’t like the answer I asked. “How many have you recruited?”

Again, Jacques rubbed his bald head. “I was able to recruit around 250 new members and their quality varies as the bigger mercenary bands recruited the best among the lot.

That would bring us back to about 400 members. Normally I would be glad, but now with no jobs lined up, I fear we may not be able to afford to keep them.

“Were there any other jobs that you heard about? Perhaps merchants need guards to protect their ships from pirates?” I was grasping at straws I knew, but there had to be something we could do.

He shook his head. “You know that the merchants already have their own forces guarding their ships. Even if they needed more help they would hire mercenary bands more familiar with naval combat.”

I’d hate to turn to banditry, but that may be our only option if we’re not able to find work soon.

“We do have one option.” Hopeful I turned and looked at Bookkeeper who spoke.

“We can ally with another similar-sized mercenary band until the end of our contract in the lands beyond the seas.” She said then opened her book, perhaps to calculate the logistics of such a thing.

Not a bad idea, but we would have to find mercenary bands willing to split a contract, we can trust enough to work with, and of equal strength.

I turned to look at Jacques who was thinking about something similar I was sure. “Jacques, do you know of any mercenary bands in Port Town who would be willing to enter in an alliance.

He closed his eyes and contemplated then opened his eyes and counted his fingers. “The Spiders of the Sea, Lady Lucks Chosen, The Prowlers, and The Warrior Bards are similar in size and strength to us.”

I nodded my head. “I shall write up some letters proposing an alliance and asking them to meet tomorrow morning to further discuss it. I trust you know where they set their camp?”

Jacques sighed. “I do, I’ll have them delivered as soon as you finish writing them.”

I turned to Bookkeeper who pulled out some paper, quill, and ink from her satchel.

Max who looked like he wanted to say something throughout our conversation finally spoke up. “Can we trust these other mercenaries if we enter an alliance with them? They could turn on us at any moment.”

I nodded my head in agreement. “They are mercenaries it is expected, we would do the same as well. If we ally with a band weaker than us then we may turn on them or they would fear we would and turn on us first. If we ally with a band stronger than us they would turn on us the moment they had no more need for us. That is why we need to be of similar strength for the alliance to work, we’ll keep each other in check.”

Max still looked skeptical, but eventually, he sighed and nodded his head.

Bookkeeper gave me the paper and quill and I began to write.

If Max wants to be the next Commander of the Golden Tree he will have to learn a lot more about leading. It’s okay he is still young he will learn.

Finished writing the letters and sending Jacques off I was having dinner with Bookkeeper, Duncan, and Max in what I called the Commander's tent a lantern on the table cutting through the darkness.

I drank some ale and looked to Duncan who had been with the Golden Tree for as long as I could remember. “Duncan, do you think Valeria will accept our offer?”

As soon as I said her name I noticed that Max was sulking for some reason.

Since Valeria joined us Max has spent half of our time together gushing about her. He clearly likes her, so something must have happened between them yesterday to make him sulk whenever she is mentioned now.

Duncan finished his beans before speaking. “I believe she will. She’s curious about where she comes from, so traveling with us is her best opportunity to learn more. Do you think she’s a noble or maybe a Descendant of Gods from the lands beyond the sea?

I took another drink of my ale thinking for a moment before speaking. “She is not just some common peasant of that I’m sure. She is far too skilled with a sword and clever to not be someone of consequence. She’s told us far too little about herself or her past, so it’s hard to say but I don’t believe she’s a noble either. A noblewoman would not be curious about where she comes from, travel on her own, or be fearless in front of uncouth mercenaries.”

Duncan laughed spitting out some beans. “That’s for sure. The way Dennis has taken to Valeria you’d never think that she broke his nose and humiliated him as soon as she arrived.”

I smiled in agreement and turned to Bookkeeper. “Bookkeeper you know more about these so-called “Descendants of Gods” than we do. Do you believe that Valeria is one of them?”

Bookkeeper shook her head. “Close to impossible. Not only does she look nothing like any that I’ve seen, Descendants never leave their lands, and their children also rarely leave. The possibility that she is from the lands beyond the seas is more likely, but again her appearance is too unique I have never seen anyone like her.” She closed her eyes and fell into thought.

“Well, whoever she is we would be fools to let her go easily especially now when we are low on excellent fighters. If she asks for more gold then I will take a pay cut, so our ledgers won’t suffer.” I picked at my beans dreading the possibility.

Lost in my worries I was slightly startled when Valeria, Dennis, Lucille, and Pascal entered my tent. All of them but Valeria looked drunk and apologetic.

“Commander, I tried to stop her and tell her to announce herself first, but she flicked my nose.” Dennis slurred leaning on Pascal, who was leaning on Lucille, who was leaning on Valeria. Duncan watched them amused, Bookkeeper merely glanced at them then returned to eating, and Max was still sulking.

Valeria shrugged her shoulders and took a seat breaking the human chain and causing the others to steady themselves lest they fell. “I thought you’d want to know immediately that I will accept your offer with a few amendments. I want to be paid 300 gold a year as I believe that’s what I’m worth and the contract to last only 3 years” She paused and looked around the tent. “I also want this tent.”

Though I made my peace with it I will shed tears for my lost gold tonight. Acquiring a tent like mine is easily doable, and the standard contract is for 3 years so I can’t refuse that either.

Feeling slightly extorted I nodded and gestured for Bookkeeper to amend her contract then turned back to look at Valeria. “For a first-time contract this is one of the best we’ve offered, So I hope you can live up to it because at the end of the year negotiation I can also lower what you’re paid if I feel like you didn’t.”

Valeria nodded her head and received the contract and quill from Bookkeeper and signed. “That’s perfectly reasonable.” She smirked at me and pointed her thumb to the tent flap behind her. “Now, get out of my tent. I’m feeling tired and would like to rest before beginning my first day as an official member of the Golden Tree mercenary band.

I stared at her flabbergasted by her audacity, I turned to see that Duncan was similarly stunned but was also smiling, Max looked angry and was getting up, and Bookkeeper nodded at her and was preparing to leave.”

“Bookkeeper?” I asked confused.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I amended the contract to include the Commander's tent that you agreed to.”

I forgot how seriously Bookkeeper takes contracts, Valeria didn’t say a tent like mine she said she wanted my tent, and Bookkeeper took it literally.

Tired and defeated I stood up to leave and looked at Valeria not able to hide my irritation. “I will return for my belongings tomorrow.” Max looked like he wanted to say something to her, but he walked away, Duncan laughed and finished his beans before walking away as well.”

She stood up and turned to us. “Of course, have a goodnight.” We left and I took a last glance at Dennis, Lucille, and Pascal who were close to the tent flap supporting each other. They didn’t look like they understood what was happening.

As we were walking away I heard Valeria’s irritated voice coming from my former tent. “When I said get out I meant you lot as well.”

What an overbearing woman, I hope she’s worth it.