[hider=Shit state of affairs]

“Well shit” William mumbled to himself as he walked around the now empty and half destroyed warehouse, looking through what little of his stocks now remained. After finally making his way back to Nyhem he had hoped that he could enjoy some respite from his ordeal. However it seemed that under Jain’s leadership his merchant guild had disbanded. From asking the nearby merchants he had gathered that Jain had been harassing someone on the emperors payroll and chased down by the imperial guard themselves. While Jain had escaped William’s workers and been captured and his goods forfeited. William knew one thing for sure; if he ever saw Jain again he would kill him on sight. He had cost him an opportunity of a lifetime and left him for dead in Legon. Though partly he only had himself to blame, William had been far too trusting with Jain hoping that his blood grass addiction would be enough to control him. William’s rummaging was interrupted by the sound of the door opening behind him.

“I thought I told you to remain on the ship” William said as he turned around expecting to see Amaranthis. Instead he was greeted by four armed guards. William cursed internally as he realized that one of the merchants he talked to must have tipped him off. “Right, look I can explain…” William started before being whacked around the side of the head with a wooden truncheon. 

***

William awoke to find himself in the dungeons of Nyhem. He had been dragged to the prison’s first level and at least had light and a cell to himself. The fact that he hadn’t been taken to one of the lower levels meant that he would have a trial to defend himself. As far as he was aware there was nothing to link him to whatever crimes Jain had committed but right now that wasn’t what he was concerned about. He was more worried about Amaranthis and what she might do now that William wasn’t keeping an eye on her. If she did something while he was locked up here then William’s reputation would suffer, being known as a man who was unable to keep his subordinates under control. Worst still it may hurt his chances in his upcoming trial. 

A couple of days passed before the guards finally took William out of his cell to his trial. The walk through the keep’s lower levels was rather dull, for a place that housed royalty there was very little decoration, with many of the stone passageways being completely barren. Perhaps more ornaments and furniture existed on the higher levels, afterall they wouldn’t waste valuable items on the floors used mostly by servants and guards. To make matters worse the guards who were escorted William had little patience and any joke that he made to lighten the mood resulted in swift punch to the stomach. They finally arrived in a small room with a splintered podium in front of William and a raised chair located on the other side of the room. It appeared this was the room used to conduct trials for smaller affairs. There were only a handful of people in the room, a scribe, a couple more guards and a man sitting upon the chair. From what William could remember of the celebration party, he was a member of the high council, the advisor of law. He looked tired and it seemed William was not the first trial he had proceeded over today. William made his way over the the podium before the guards forced him towards it. The two guards who brought him here lazily stood to either side of the podium and judging from their deamour it was clear William wasn’t considered any sort of threat. This was a good sign, the chances were this trial was nothing more than a formality with everyone in this room just wanting to get it over with. The man, who William believed to be called Alex, arose from his seat.

“William Flin, you have been brought here to answer for the crimes of your subordinate Jain Surya and the actions he took against a esteemed guest of the emperor himself. How do you answer to this”. William was glad he finally had a chance to speak.

“My lord” William replied as he stood upright, his voice filled with confidence, even if he wasn’t “I can assure you I was very surprised to return to my warehouse and find both my merchandise and workers missing, along with my warehouse destroyed. I promise that Jain Surya acted on his own initiative with no input on my behalf”. William continued now talking to the room rather than just Alex “I haven't even been in Nyhem for near two months now and didn’t even know of Jain’s activities until I arrived back”. 

“Your workers said as much, however I must ask you why you elected this man to be your second in command if his loyalties were so dubious” Alex questioned “Had this been a mere worker of yours then this trial would be unnecessary, but he was chosen personally by you to run your guild in your absence”. The confident look on William’s face dropped and his shoulders fell.

“I never thought I would have to question his loyalties. I had met him a few years ago in Seikatsu and since then he has been like a brother to me, this betrayal has cut me deep” William said his voice sinking as he spoke. This was all of course a lie, but he couldn’t let people know that he had allowed a stranger to run his warehouse and blackmailed him with blood grass. They would think him a fool, which right now is exactly how he now felt. There was no way that Alex could know he was lying, the workers who were questioned only met Jain when he arrived in Nyhem and the rest of his crew were now lying in pieces somewhere in Legon. Alex looked at William with pity, something that made William smile internally. It seemed he was a man who was easily swayed by his emotions, a poor trait for a judge but a good thing for William. 

“I’m am sorry for the betrayal you have been dealt sir, but I must ask you, do you know where he might be” Alex questioned his tone softer than before. William pretended to think hard before replying

“I am sorry but I cannot think of anywhere in particular, we always travelled together you see. If he is in trouble with the law he may have left the city for Vine, he always talked about wanting to go there” William replied. In truth he had no idea whether Jain even knew where Vine was, but if he gave Alex a half baked answer it would seem less as if he wasn’t trying to protect his former associate. 

“I see, in which case sir I believe we have heard enough. We have no evidence that leads us to believe you were involved with the actions of Jain Surya and from what I have heard we have no reason to keep you here longer than needed. I find you not guilty”. Just as William thought, this trial was nothing more than a dressed up questioning, even so he breathed a sigh of relief partly for show and partly real.
“I thank you my lord” William said with a bow “However there is a matter of which I must ask. My goods seem to be missing from my warehouse, no doubt rightly seized by his Grace’s soldiers during Jain’s investigation. I ask that they please be returned to my warehouse”. At this Alex turned his eyes away from William.

“I am sorry to inform, but your supplies have been added to the crowns stockpile and getting them back now would be near impossible. Please understand you had been gone for over a month since the incident with Jain and we thought, what with your sudden disappearance and his rise through the ranks, that he had killed you”. That was not what William wanted to hear and he didn’t hide it. Seeing the cold sour looking upon William’s face Alex quickly added “But you will be fairly compensated for the loss of your goods and will leave here with a sum of gold equivalent to what your goods were worth. Furthermore the ownership of the warehouse will be returned to you. We will also have your workers informed that you have returned to the city, we can only hope they haven’t already found new work in the time since your arrest”. 

“I thank you for that my lord” William said once more with a bow. In truth however he was disappointed, many of the items he had acquired were extremely rare and he doubted that the royal accountants would believe him on their actual worth. At the very least his guild was still alive, even if he had been set aback”. 

“These men will guide you to the treasury” Alex said gesturing to the guards that had brought him here “There someone will see you compensated. I wish you good fortune” With that William gave one more bow before leaving with the guards through the same door they came through. 

***

William had just left the keep with a chest full of gold in his hand. Unfortunately for him he pissed off the guards so much they refused to escort him to the warehouse like they were supposed to. Now he had to carry this chest through the streets of Nyhem and pray to the gods he didn’t get mugged on the way. He was about to start walking when a voice came from the side of him.

“The jester left me on the wooden fish longer than he said he would” William turned to see Amaranthis standing there. She was wearing a simple woolen grey dress and shoes that did not match.

“Where did you get those” William said pointing at the clothes she was wearing, she definitely didn’t get them off the ship.

“Found them” She replied. William doubted that very much, still he was glad she was here, he now had someone to deal with any pickpockets that might dare to steal the chest.

“In any case come with me we have a lot of work to do”. 

[/hider]

By [@Randyfourballs] [@Popcornzy]