stop thieves, we might as well just open the door and start giving things away. How much would your services go for? We probably won't need anyone for too long, but for the length of the festival?”
Kolb didn't blink, reorienting on the merchant woman as if he’d been talking to her originally, his posture shifting ever so slightly. Like he was suddenly applying for a job. It made perfect sense to Tor. The man’s deep voice was slightly deferential when he spoke next.
“We're among the best ma'am, so we don't come cheaply. A gold per day for complete coverage, that's two shifts of two people each and we'll have someone watch the place all night for an extra half gold per day. Or stay inside, if you'd rather? We can provide more guards if you wish, at extra expense, but frankly, small times thieves probably won't even pop their heads in the door with people like mine here.” The smile he gave her was confident and professional.
Reassuring.
It was probably true too. If Tor was a thief he definitely wouldn't want to challenge the big Baron just for a bauble, or even gold. It would be safer to move on to easier pickings.
Tor had an idea though.
“What about a patrol for the whole street, in addition I mean? Say for the duration of the festival?” It would put more bodies on the ground when Karina was there and they could be primed to keep an eye on Lilli and her crew.
Kolb gave him a small partial bow of acknowledgment.
“Three golds extra per day for that. Setting a patrol during goings on like this with less than six people out won't work. For that we'll both walk the streets and check with each tradesman in the area hourly, so they know who to go to with trouble. We'll coordinate with the city guard as well, since we're in good standing with them. Four golds per day in all. Night coverage too though.”
They made a deal and Debbie paid, half up front, for the entire festival. As a bonus Tor “hired” Kolb to be his personal body guard while in transit, a gold for the whole week. If nothing else it would probably stop Karina from selling him into prostitution again. Plus that way he could explain what was going on to the man without anyone really overhearing. There was so much to tell and some of it was convoluted. The large and dangerous man just nodded as they moved along on foot back towards Tor's place.
“I see. We need to isolate this girl Lilli, and make sure she isn't going anywhere. Kari, could you provide location information for us? I'll set people to it immediately. Tor what are your plans for the day?” The man used the Princesses shop name easily, as if she was exactly what she seemed, a girl, possibly a merchant of some kind, helping them with the treats for the festival. That was good. Karina didn't even blink at it either.
Did he have plans though? After the bakery… just party stuff. Kolb shook his head and grinned. His plan involved Tor running around the city twice and then being beaten in public as a spectacle for the amusement of children. Sighing a little Tor agreed, which got a smile and a head shake from the man.
“You could say no you realize? I can't really order you to do it…”
“Yeah, but I need to, it will suck, but I've kind of been relying on magic to bail me out for a while now. Time to actually put the kind of effort I have into building in some other directions too. Running and fighting are a good starting place, right? Baking too.”
If Kolb had a giddy and girlish look, what he did next was it, a grin and a wink that looked far too happy.
Tor didn't trust it at all.
When the Warden people took the baked goods and started setting up an early food table, a line forming before the second light colored wooden tray of golden pastry was even laid on the purple and gold linen cloth, Tor altered his shoes for running comfort and started trudging slowly. Either the wall was bigger than he thought, or he was slower, but nearly two hours later Tor came back to find a square for fighting practice had been set up, five instructors setting people, mainly young men under twelve, but a few girls and some older people as well, through the basics of sword fighting.
Kolb picked a giant, a huge woman, who wore full practice armor, blue gray leather over thick padding that covered her arms and legs, but left gaps at the joints for movement and protected her head well, neck partially and left her sides nearly uncovered. She held a heavy wooden practice blade, the kind that really hurt when it hit you. He'd been knocked out more than once by them himself, so he knew they worked.
“Tor, if you'd bout with Bressa? No magic please, of any kind. Other than that, no rules, other than practical safety.”
That just meant she could hit him for real, but not kill with her wooden bludgeon. Tor couldn't even use his shield, so he had to take it off, since it would turn on the first time Bressa swatted him. Well, if anyone tried to kill him here, Kolb and his people would protect him. Or he'd die. One way or the other.
Bressa didn't wait for a signal, so Tor started out by running away, to the laughter and delight of everyone watching, including the children. It meant Bressa didn't hit him with that club, so Tor did it. A few of the watchers didn't chuckle or hoot, instead stood and regarded the show seriously almost as if they expected him to manage something clever or skillful. He mentally found the weapons rack and worked his way towards it, managing to grab a small sword, also of dull blond wood that would have been a mere knife in one of the giants hands, but suited him well enough.
People forgot that blades were heavier when you swung them. Go with too heavy a blade and your whole body became committed to the movement. Too large a weapon and a body could swing in a half circle with each blow, you couldn't help it if the weight was enough. If he did that here, the combat giant would probably beat him bloody, by accident.
He had to keep moving.
Because really, on any given day he wanted to avoid crippling beatings if he could.
The fight went on and on, Tor trying to pay attention and learn while he did it, instead of just scrambling and flailing like he normally did. Bressa finally killed him, a single blow that took him on the shoulder and drove him to his knees, but he managed a stab that slid under her armor and would have done more than that if the blade had been sharp.
“Mutual kill.” She said, happy enough about it, as if she'd expected him to actually win somehow. Because, yeah, that happened. He didn’t even have armor on.
Tor just struggled to keep the tears from his eyes and waved at her with a grin. As he did that Kolb came over and started to tear apart everything Tor had done, suggesting improvements. He almost always did something like it, but this time Tor stopped him more than once, and asked why, instead of just accepting what was said. Then asked for specific demonstrations of moves and when the large man left he spent about an hour trying to work though each of them in his mind while striking the air using the move as precisely as possible. It may not make him better, but it felt more engaged at least, which was something. Everyone broke for lunch, which included pulled pork sandwiches with a creamy sauce and banana's on the side, which someone had flown in from the south. It was good and filling enough, a special and exotic treat for him still, and most of the people from the Capital had never had such things at all. It was all Warden food.
They were giving it away to everyone for free, and had set up tables, about twenty of them, for people to sit at while eating, with weird. Round focus stone benches that went all the way around them and didn't move. They were a nice light tan color though, like glass, so the local focus stone product. With crowding and a bit of elbow bumping six to eight people could use one at a time. It was kind of fun, even though he ended up at a table with a group of boys and girls that were all between ten and fifteen. Dressed in clothing that looked a little poor maybe, but they seemed happy enough over all.
The free food was good, and there was stuff for them to actually do this year. Games and prizes and events. Usually King’s week had a few rallies and vendors in the streets selling greasy foods and wine, but there wasn't a whole lot for the kids. They were really excited about the music that was supposed to start at nine that night and run constantly until the end of the week. It was free for everyone, which included them too, right?
Free for everyone except Tor, that was. He was paying for it all. More gold was going just to that than almost any single other things except refreshments and food. Connie had insisted though and musicians were notorious for spending their money almost immediately, so it would go into the general economy fast enough that way. Nearly as fast as if he'd just given it away, and to more places. Looking at the excitement of the kids around him he was glad he'd agreed.
They were all friendly too, accepting him easily, without hesitation, and one, a boy of about thirteen, asked if he wanted to go around with them and look at things being set up. There were, the boy informed him soberly, these
