Chapter 46: Tying Up Loose Ends

Chapter 46: Tying Up Loose Ends

Spying on Konistan is surprisingly amusing. He never realized I generously seeded his whole place with eyespiders. By now, they have had dispersed to every place he has dealings with. So, to sum it up. He is rattled by our meeting and intends to pretend he is doing what I told him. Taking gold and leaving. Of course, the instructions he leaves are different. He instructs that I am to be listened to, smiled at and politely ignored as much as possible, or in case I give direct orders - do bare minimums in a way that makes it easy to reverse, otherwise stick to normal operations, wait for instructions from him. I believe he is intentionally promulgating the idea that he is using me to take the fall for something he did, and would be back to take control as soon as I'm arrested or assassinated. His second in command, notably, receives the same instructions, but unlike everyone else, also sends a letter about it somewhere else. The guy is also notably rattled. I think he expected a somewhat different outcome of the meeting.

I wonder where Konistan is going. Given the arrangements he made, I surmise he intends to travel by sea, because he travels south. Confederacy, perhaps? Or further on? Or maybe he just doesn't want to get near dad's duchy and intends to get to Kraut via Mittelzea? Anyway, he has a carriage prepared for him... And, apparently, he decided to pick up some extra cash taking passengers. Why, hello there, former professor Hardlock, long time no see. I think I'm going to kill two birds with one stone, here. Ooh, they're talking! And Hardlock just started ranting. Ooh, and here Vole goes wide-eyed. Wonder why. Did he not expect to pick up someone else who has a grudge against me?

The carriage stops outside the town a good ways off. Huh. This must be Vole's pal handling illegal matters more closely. Interesting kit this guy has. I gotta nab him soon. The rest of the day proves to be a boring one, but things start heating up in the evening. Vole and his pal step out for a word.

"So what's the deal? I read your letter, did you seriously run from one prissy bitch?" - his pal begins - "What's going on? I don't believe this shitty story you spun one bit, Vole! If she were truly leaning on you that hard, you have enough people willing to slide some knife into a noble back for a bit of coin."

"Shh. Not so loud. Yeah, I was thinking things over, and I'm smelling a rat." - he retorts - "See, this whole thing? Maxie's tip. He found the bitch, he told me she's easy pickings, he 'forgot' important details like she's still fucking betrothed to the royal family. Just to the princess instead of the prince. Geez, I'd love to be a fly on the wall on that wedding night..."

"Yeah, yeah. Vole, head in the game, pal. You think Maxie's setting you up? He's been operating real loose for a while, yeah, but he never did anything that overt before." - his fellow grumbles - "This stinks. Why would he suddenly set you up like this? Think that broad's got him over something?"ned if I know, Kaste. I think we're going to lay low for a while. If they're in cahoots, then we can expect Maxie to start getting his mitts on the shops and drop my name in every ear. Then we'll just have our local associates pull him in for a nice lazy talk." - Vole replies with a shudder - "Damn, it's chilly when the sun's down. I'm more worried about the witch. She could do some crazy shit without any flower showing up. So either she has something to keep'em nice and safe, or we're really screwed."

"Might be second, actually." - Kaste offers - "I've put out some feelers, and get this? The rumor goes, that whatever is that bee shit going on in Sultanate? Gillespie's the one who tossed it their way."

"Crap. Shit. Merde. Drek. Scheisse! !" - pacing around, Konistan starts waving his arms as he considers the implications - "Meaning she might have NOT been fucking bluffing that evening when she killed Uz and told me to get out of country or else. Ok, change of plans. That fucker with me? Has her attention on him. Didn't find out until he started ranting on the road, or I would've told him to find someone else to ride with. He needs to... get lost. I gotta go be seen at the hall. Take care of him for me? I'll owe you one."

Kaste scratches his head - "...Fine. But you're going to owe me solid for this one, brother. It's sad enough I have to pretend to be your lackey."

Vole waves his hand dismissively, as he heads back in - "Once we're in Mersaille, pick your pub and drink all you want, I'll cover the bill." His brother (Huh, they don't really look alike... But share common features. Different living standards really turn things around.) grins and steps back into the alley. The conversation he has with Hardlock is surprisingly simple - he simply tells the prissy idiot that someone knocked over his chest and Hardlock flutters out of his seat to go check. I guess petty thievery is a common problem.

"Mistress, who is this?" - she frets, obviously discomfited by the situation.

"This, Bridgit, is the man who killed your father." - I tell her and her whole countenance changes like I flipped some kind of switch. "Oh? Tell me more, please." - she offers with a smile that shows no warmth, but all the teeth.

Over the next fifteen minutes, I explain to her the sequence of events, inject Maxie with fresh dose of thiopental so he could confirm (he's beaten down enough that he would talk even without it, but I wanted to show Bridgit that I have a way to make people talk without torturing them) and gag him again.

"Do you want to kill him yourself?" - I ask Bridgit - "Or watch me do it? Or you'd rather step out while I handle it?"

She sighs. "...I... Don't think I can do it myself, mistress. But if you are going to do it, then I believe I owe it to you and to my father to see it happen."

I hug her. "Shh. It's alright. I'm actually glad you don't want to do it yourself. I need someone to be a voice of conscience at times." - I tell her before pulling back - "Alright then."

She... winces as I step around the chair and throw the loop of wire around Verwaand's neck, biting her lip and looking away as he chokes and wriggles, his legs beating against the chair as I strangle him. I try to do it as quickly as it is reasonable without splashing everywhere with blood. As he stills, I drop the wire loose and return to Bridgit, hugging her around the waist with one hand as I point with other and snap my fingers. The chair disappears from under the freshly made cadaver and it falls on a sheet of tarp I put there just for this. Another gesture rolls the body up and deposits it into the corner to be disposed of later.

Bridgit sighs deeply, and turns to me, hiding her face against my chest. "I was thinking of this so long." - she sobs - "And I finally have my revenge. Why does it feel so bad now?"

I pat her hair. "Because you're a good person?" - I tell her simply - "Because you understand that two wrongs don't make a right, even if justice has to be served. But mainly, because now you have to acknowledge that your father is truly and completely gone and avenging him did not bring him back. I'm sorry you have to."

She sighs. "Thank you, mistress." - she offers softly - "For seeing after me, no matter what it takes."

I smile at her - "You're welcome, my dear wife." As corny as it was, it seems to cheer her up a lot.