“I leave you guys alone for one fuckin night, and look what happens!” Peep laughed.
Peep, Choke, Pinch, Knuckle, and Shane were walking to the church together. Peep, Pinch, and Shane had arrived back together only ten minutes earlier, just a little after Choke had given Knuckle news of his impending nuptials. Upon arrival Peep had declared the scout an uneventful success. As well, from Pinch’s cheerful demeanor, it was obvious that Shane had not told them his terrible news from Callic. Choke had decided it would be best for them to wait to unpack everything all together with Barrelmender. However, Knuckle had been unable to hold the news about Choke and Mariola, and had spilled it in the stables to Peep and Pinch while they were unsaddling their horses.
“I’ll have you know that I’m very happy to be getting married,” Choke returned to Peep.
“Yeah, yar a fuckin idiot. I’ve known that for a while now,” Peep cracked.
“Ha!” bellowed Knuckle. He veered out of his way to give Peep a high five.
“So Barrelmender finally makes a move, and it’s over fucking out of wedlock,” Pinch said. “That’s rich, coming from him.”
“Well, what did I say about sloppy bitches?” said Peep. “Whatever shit they’re talking about other people is really all about themselves. Every time. He’s the one riddled with guilt about letting Shasta burn him down, so that kinda thing is what riles him up enough to finally do something. Still, though, it’s actually a good sign, I reckon. He’s actually trying to do what he’s supposed to do, right?”
“I agree, Peep,” said Choke. “But, I’ve said before: could you please refrain from calling the Brother that?”
“Yeah, yeah. But the boot fits. He’s taken a shine to Mariola. So I’m sure he thinks he’s protecting her, or something. But it’s creepy. He couldn’t give a shit about other people, or what the Church says about what they should do, but now he puts his hand in? Over this? This is about him. It’s like he’s imagining that he’s you. But best not think too deep on it. Yar getting what ye want out of it. Or, what ye think ye want, at least.”
“Yes, Peep, I am sure he sees me as a younger version of myself. He wants to stop me from making the same mistakes that he did. Why should that be creepy?” Choke said with heat.
“Because it aint like he’s ever behaved like a dad to ye before, has he? He wouldn’t piss on ye if ye were on fire. She’s the one that he’s been playing the concerned priest with. A good-looking woman with nice tits that’s been in his kitchen cooking for him. What a fuckin coincidence. So if he does see ye as a younger version of himself, don’t think too deep about what else is rattling around in his rat’s nest about the two of ye. It’s like these creepy priests use real people to play act sexy-dolls like horny kids. But, whatever. Yar getting married. Congratulations, I suppose.”
“Yes. Congratulations, Choke!” Pinch said with forced cheer. He stepped out in front of Choke to offer him his hand.
Choke and Pinch shook hands warmly. Knuckle followed. Then Shane. Finally, Peep spat off to the side before stepping up to offer her hand.
“Okay, man. Sorry. I’m happy yar happy,” she said as they shook.
“Thank you, Peep. I appreciate it.”
“But…” she said as they separated. “If ye think I aint having a word with Mariola herself before this shenanigan goes down, ye got another thing coming.”
“Peep. Please,” Choke groaned.
“No, no, no!” Peep waggled her finger at him. “I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. But she’s with me. I told ye. So I aint gonna let her join in this creepy business without being sure that’s what she really wants.”
“It’s what she really wants! Do you think I would be doing this if it weren’t?”
“I think yar horny. And I’m pretty sure she’s tough enough to stand Barrelmender off on her own if this aint what she really wants. But I gotta be sure. So don’t get it twisted. When someone’s with me, I look out for them. And if ye weren’t so pussy-addled right now, ye’d see that I’m looking out for you too, now. Because I know that ye don’t wanna marry someone that doesn’t really want it. Not in the long run. Right? Smarten up, dipshit,” Peep finished by slapping Choke on the ass before striding off back towards the church.
The boys followed her.
At the church, Barrelmender cleared out the few folk still at prayer and shut the doors. Choke and Knuckle turned around one of the front pews to create an area for them all to sit facing each other. Once they were, Barrelmender gestured towards Shane.
“Who is this?” he asked Choke.
“Brother Barrelmender, this is Shane of Callic. He holds that side of the Tanglefoot Trail for the Baron, and served the Baron’s father on campaign as a scout and hunter.”
“Is that so?” Barrelmender asked Shane.
“Yes, Brother. It is an honor to finally meet you.”
Barrelmender snorted at this, but otherwise let the flattery pass.
“Why are you here?” he asked Shane sharply. “My people are meant to be reporting to me. You have something to add, I suppose?”
“Yes, Brother. Dire news from Callic. Should I report it now?”
“I suppose if my apparitor thought to bring you here, then your news affects our situation enough that we all should hear it before proceeding. Let’s have it,” Barrelmender said.
“Yes, Brother.”
Shane went on to relate the news of the bandit attack on the Unger compound in Callic. When he reached the part about Dugnut’s special message to Choke, Choke again produced the leather letter. He handed to Barrelmender, who glanced at it with a dismissive sniff, before giving it back. Pinch reached out for it. He looked at it quickly and grimaced. Then Pinch sat, eyes closed tight, gripping the leather with white knuckles while Shane finished his story.
“Thank you, Shane,” Barrelmender said, before turning to Choke: “Who is this Dugnut to you?”
“I’m sorry,” Pinch interjected as he stood up suddenly. “I’m sorry. Excuse me.”
Pinch hurried to the church doors and let himself out, closing them behind himself with a loud bang.
“What is his problem?” Barrelmender asked the room at large.
“He had a special connection with one of the Ungers,” Peep said, her voice level. She had yet to show any emotion.
Knuckle gave an amused grunt and leaned in to Peep. He probably thought he was whispering, but his voice was still clear in the silent church:
“Dood. Seems like everything he rides winds up getting killed, huh?”
Peep gave a snort, while Choke flinched and glared at Knuckle.
Barrelmender nodded. “Ah. I see. Well, I suppose he needs a moment. He isn’t necessary for your report, is he?” he asked both Choke and Peep.
“No, Brother,” Choke said, as Peep shook her head.
“Good. Then we may proceed. Who is this Dugnut to you?” Barrelmender again asked Choke.
Choke nodded and answered, his voice low and level, with his eyes fixed to a middle distance in front of him:
“He was a fellow resident of the orphanage. About a year older than us. He was obsessed with me. Always hitting or assaulting me. Other indecent touching, as well. Finally, I wove a strong chord from twine from my bed and strangled him, almost to death. Apparently a Brother intervened to save his life, although I have no recollection of that. Several years later, Dugnut was expelled from the school for more serious indecent assaults on younger boys. That was the last we heard of him. That is, until Otilla spoke of him. He is now a bandit with a particularly bad reputation for violating boys to death. As well, Sneed told us that Dugnut has been saying that during our orphanage days, he and I had indecent sexual relations. That is not true.”
“Woah,” Peep interjected. “Sorry. But, that aint exactly right, Choke. Sneed never had Dugnut’s name in his mouth. He was just saying that he heard that all ye boys were, I guess, having indecent relations, at the orphanage. I was the one that brought Dugnut up. Because back at Goldy’s place, Dugnut was always bragging about how much, uhhhh, boy action he got back at the orphanage. So I figured that Dugnut was probably where Sneed was getting his rumors from.”
“Really? Oh. I’m sorry,” Choke said, staring off into space, puzzled. “Yes, now that you mention it, Peep, that’s right. Strange that I misremembered it.”
“Not so strange,” Barrelmender said. “Generally, memory is nothing more than a hallucinated fiction. Most humans are less reliable than pigs in this regard.”
“Pigs can’t talk,” Peep said.
“Exactly. Now, Shane from Callic, is that your full report?” Barrelmender asked.
“No, Brother. There is something more for Miss Otilla. Concerning my brother, Earl, and the Desolate One.”
“What’s this now? The Desolate One? You have had dealings with this thing?” Barrelmender asked sharply, mostly towards Peep.
“Yeah, kinda. He gave me this ring, I guess,” Peep said, holding up left hand to show her bright steel, Stronian Wheel ring.
Barrelmender seized up for a few seconds at hearing this. Once he had the panic attack tamped down, he exploded:
“The Desolate One gave you that? You met with it?”
“No. Calm down, man,” Peep said, holding both palms up towards Barrelmender.
The gesture worked. Barrelmender slumped back into his pew. His right hand massaged the ghostly handprint on his neck, now standing out white against his flushed skin.
“Ye’ve heard of this Desolate One before?” Peep asked, leaning in towards Barrelmender, keenly interested.
With an obvious mental strain, Barrelmender straightened up into a proper posture before locking eyes with Peep.
“Otilla. I was an undead hunter for the Brothers of the Holy Stone, assigned to this region. Do you not think I would have been briefed? The Desolate One is an undead of significant power. What is Nate doing in Callic? No one is to go near the thing! Nate should know that! I should have been informed of this! What happened!” Barrelmender roared.
“Dood. Brother. Calm down, I said,” Peep said calmly, looking amused as she again held her palms out towards him. “Father Nate didn’t know anything about it. Shane’s brother, Earl, is a cretin of some sort. He was sneaking off to hang out with the Desolate One at his swamp, I guess. When we showed up there, Earl was babbling about me like he’d heard a prophecy, or something. He said we were there to do the killing at the Old Mill. That’s it, right? The Old Mill?” Peep looked to Shane.
Shane nodded, his features grim. Peep continued:
“Right. That turned out to be true, since that turned out to be the Dwarf Tower where we killed the spider monsters. Anyways, before we left to go talk to Father Nate, Earl popped out of the bush at us, all covered in swamp mud, and he gave me this ring. Said it was from the Desolate One. A present for me. He also said that the Desolate One requested an audience with me and my retainers,” Peep paused briefly to shoot Choke a cheeky smirk. “We took the ring to Father Nate, who checked it out, and it was legit. It’s a magic shield ring. Kicks ass. Father Nate said I should use it, but forbid us from going to see the Desolate One. So we didn’t. That’s it, right?” Peep looked over to Choke.
Choke nodded.
“This is madness,” Barrelmender whispered. He soon flared up again and shouted: “Why was I not informed of this?”
“Why d’ye think?” Peep snapped back. “Why would anybody share anything with you? Seriously, man. Ye aint who ye were. Smarten up!”
Barrelmender flinched at this, but took it. He closed his eyes for a while, his face slack. Finally, he looked back to Peep:
“Yes. Indeed. Thank you for reminding me of my worthlessness, Otilla. So may I assume that Father Morrenthall was duly informed?”
“Ye mean, did I tell him? Yeah, I did. But not right away. After we got back to Callic that time, he was still off to Strana to see the Bishop. So we missed him. Then, after we arrested Lieutenant Dixon and he got clipped, we all sat down for confession with Father M. I told him everything we’d been up to, the ring and all that included. He’d heard about it already, because Father Nate came to give him a report on it. He didn’t have much to say. Just said I should put it to good use. But also that I shouldn’t go anywhere near the Desolate One, no matter what. And that was that.”
“So you do not know what became of the Desolate One’s minion, Shane’s brother. Has anyone followed up on this?” Barrelmender asked sharply.
Shane began to lean in to answer, but Peep cut him off:
“What does it matter?”
“Otilla. As you know, this is a powerful undead we are speaking of. Undead that are confined to locations, for whatever reasons, often use human minions as servants. Usually under magical compulsion. To great evil, I might add. This is not a trivial matter. Why is he giggling? What’s wrong with you, man?” Barrelmender demanded of Knuckle, who was biting his palm to hold in the laughter shaking him.
“I’m sorry, Brother. I just, can’t. Sorry. Excuse me, too,” Knuckle managed. He dragged himself to his feet and stumbled to the church doors, letting loose loud laughter as he went.
“What is that imbecile laughing about? This is no laughing matter!”
“I’m sorry, Brother,” Choke said. “He has his reasons, but I know—”
“Imbeciles always have their own reasons for all their nonsense! I cannot begin to imagine what his might be, though. Or that you would somehow countenance it, Lieutenant!”
“I know. I’m sorry, Brother. It relates to one of the errands the Desolate One had Earl do. It was extremely sordid and the subject of quite a bit of amusement when we related it to Father Nate and Captain Fairchild. But it is not relevant here, Brother. On that you are quite right. I will chastise Sergeant Theodas for his rudeness.”
“Flogging’s too good for him! This is undead we are speaking of! How dare he?” Barrelmender exclaimed, looking like he might burst into tears.
“I understand, Brother. Again, it is my fault. Please excuse us,” Choke said.
“You are not excused! No! Not excused! But, we must push on. What, if anything, was done about this undead’s minion in Callic? Can anyone answer me that?”
Again, Shane leaned forward and opened his mouth. Again, Peep interrupted him:
“When we left Callic, Father Nate was planning on bringing Earl in to give him a crack and get to the bottom of it. He was gonna do something to suppress something. What was that, Choke?” Peep asked.
“Father Nate was going to put him under divine protection in the Church to suppress any magical compulsion. Then he was going to put Earl to the question,” Choke answered.
“Right. That was it,” Peep said.
“And what became of that?” Barrelmender asked.
Peep shrugged. “I dunno. But Father Morrenthall knew about it, and said I should use the ring. Like I said. So I guess it’s all in hand, right?”
“Guessing is insufficient. We must be sure. There are special circumstances with this particular undead that Morrenthall is probably unaware of. You!” Barrelmender barked at Shane, who startled in fear. “Your brother is the Desolate One’s minion. And you come here with news concerning the matter. What has happened?”
“Yes, Brother,” Shane said, very nervous as he rubbed his palms on his legs. “Well, ahhhh… yeah. Earl, my brother, got pulled in by Father Nate right after everything settled down. Ye know, like Miss Otilla said. Father Nate kept at him for a couple days, but didn’t, ye know, hurt him or anything. He said that Earl wasn’t under the spell of the Desolate One. Just that he was helping him out because he’s stupid and wants to feel important. So, Father Nate decided he was gonna take Earl to Spitzer to see Father Morrenthall and see what they should do with him. But Earl got real upset about that and escaped. So Father Nate went to Callic to report to Father Morrenthall without him.”
Barrelmender looked like he might explode again, but managed to contain himself.
“First of all,” he said, his voice tight and words in clipped cadence, “the Desolate One is not a he. It is an it. Never forget that. And Father Nate let its minion escape? Buffoonery.”
“Well, Brother, yeah, I guess. But Earl is strong. And slippery like a salamander. His whole life just running around in the bush like a critter.”
“He ought to have been in irons!” Barrelmender shouted. “This is precisely why we can’t trust parish priests to conduct this kind of investigation! They are soft! They let their feelings for their parishioners temper their duty. So, this is your news? That your brother escaped?”
“No, Brother. I was just filling in the blanks for ye on the situation before I got to the news. Or message, I suppose.”
“Message now! Well, get on with it man!”
“Yes, Brother. So, I was getting packed up to come here and deliver the news about the Ungers. And, mind you, I aint seen Earl since he run off, or I woulda wrangled him in. So, I was just about to head out, bright and early, and Earl comes scampering outta the brush and goes right up the biggest tree by our place. Right up to the top where he knows I can’t get him. And he shouts down that he’s got a message for me to give to Miss Otilla from the Desolate One. And I can see he’s been out that way, because he’s all covered in that swamp mud again. So I says to him, ‘come on down and we’ll go to Father Nate and tell him yar message together.’ But he gets all worked up and says to me that I gotta go right away or I’m gonna miss the business out here, and that I’d better just listen up real good and take the message to Miss Otilla. So I told him, go ahead, then.”
Shane paused here to collect himself before proceeding. Barrelmender, Peep, and Choke were all leaning in towards him, listening intently as he proceeded:
“So, yeah, Earl says that the Desolate One is sad, or forlorn, or whatever, that Miss Otilla didn’t accept his invitation. But that he hopes that she is enjoying his gift. But he doesn’t call her Miss Otilla, right? He called her the Fire’s Vulgar Vessel.”
“The Fire’s Vulgar Vessel?” Barrelmender said, looking incredulous. “This is your brother, the cretin, speaking?”
“Yeah, it is. The Desolate One has a way of burning his –its words into yar brain. Earl can speak it real exact.”
“I can confirm that, Brother,” Choke said. “When he first spoke to us about the errand he had previously performed for the undead, Earl quoted it quite exactly. With turns of phrase he couldn’t even comprehend.”
“Vulgar Vessel, huh?” Peep said. “That’s fuckin rich coming from a log fucker like that.”
Barrelmender snorted. “While I appreciate your sense of irony, Otilla, please refrain from cursing in the church. This undead has a reputation for verbosity. Fancies itself a poet, apparently. In this case, as profane as it is, it seems to have found its mark. Vulgar Vessel indeed.”
“Hey, don’t you start, Brother,” Peep said, obviously annoyed.
“Well, the boot fits,” Choke said to her, prompting a glare in return.
“Enough,” Barrelmender snapped. “Continue, please,” he said to Shane.
“Right, so Earl says that the Desolate One says that he has another gift for her. One that she will need to present herself to receive. He has for her the key to unlock Orcsbane, the twin-pointed Elf. He awaits the Fire’s Vulgar Vessel in his gloom. That’s it.”
“So the Desolate One has the key to unlock Orcsbane, the twin-pointed Elf. You are sure of this?” Barrelmender asked.
“Yeah. I had Earl repeat it twice. It was exactly the same every time,” Shane answered.
“And then what did you do?”
“What could I do, Brother? I left him up the tree and came here.”
“So you left him free to continue doing his evil,” Barrelmender said, staring hard at Shane.
Shane met Barrelmender with a hard look of his own, squaring up in his seat as he did.
“Yeah, like I said, Brother. What else what I supposed to do? I wasn’t gonna shoot him. He’s still my brother.”
“Is he really? Are you sure of it? It would seem to me that he is on his way to becoming something else. That is the way of it with undead and their minions. There must be no half measures with these things.”
Shane and Barrelmender stared at each other for a long moment.
“I won’t get in yar way, Brother,” Shane finally said.
Choke cleared his throat.
“I’m curious about this message, Brother. What was it that the Desolate One said it had for Otilla, Shane?”
“The key to unlock Orcsbane, the twin-pointed Elf.”
“Thank you. That seems very specific. Does it mean anything to you, Brother?” Choke asked.
“I haven’t the foggiest notion. We must make an exact record of it. Get my writing kit. Take down every word properly.”
“Yes, Brother,” Choke said, hurrying out the back door to the kitchen. He soon returned and pulled Shane aside to get the message word-for-word.
“So, Brother, I’m curious about something,” Peep said.
“Yes, Otilla?” Barrelmender said wearily.
“So, everybody goes on about how the Brothers of the Holy Stone are the best killers in the Stronian Church, right? And killing undead is one of their main jobs, right? I mean, that was your deal, wasn’t it?”
“Basically. However, the Brothers of the Holy Stone are not at all famous, actually. The order does its best to keep as low a profile as possible. In the Stronian heartlands, where things are safe, no one normal will have heard of them. What you keep hearing is down to the particular circles you have been encountering.”
“Okay, then. Whatever. The point is, the Holy Stoners are the best killers in the Church. Right? Yeah. So, if that’s so, how come they let the Desolate One be? If it’s that powerful and dangerous, wouldn’t the Brothers have sorted it out by now? Or is it too strong for them?”
Barrelmender paused. He gave Peep a shrewd look before responding:
“Good question. It is true that the Desolate One was beyond my abilities, even at my peak. However, while the order has members who could have handled it, the Desolate One has been awarded a special status. It is to be left alone. When I was assigned to northern Bitina, this situation was part of my briefing. And before you ask: I do not know why. That is secret. However, the Brothers of the Holy Stone, as well as the Knights of the Holy Sword, for that matter, are not in the habit of leaving undead be. So there is surely a good reason for it in this case. This message to you may well pertain to it. It is critical that it reach proper Church channels. I must inform Morrenthall, as well as my superiors in Flitwik, as soon as possible. To that end, you have the undead’s message exact, Lieutenant?” Barrelmender asked Choke, who had packed up the writing kit and returned to his original seat.
“Yes, Brother.”
“Good. So, then, Shane of Callic, I think you should be on your way. There is more to be reported here that you should not be privy to.”
Shane nodded, but looked to Choke questioningly. Choke held up his hand to intercede.
“Excuse me, Brother, but I think he should stay. Shane has agreed to stay and help us deal with Sneed and his men. I told him that help would be most welcome, given his experience and status with the Baron’s forces. So, with that being so, I think he should stay and hear Otilla’s report. If you consent, of course.”
Barrelmender sniffed and looked to Shane. “What are your intentions here?”
“I aim to kill the men that did the Ungers the way they did.”
“Very well. And what is your pedigree again? Pardon me, I know it was related to me, but my memory is not what it once was.”
“I was a scout and hunter for the Baron Hart’s father, and given the Callic trailhead of the Tanglefoot Trail to keep, Brother.”
“Is that so? Where did you serve the Baron Hart?”
“Mostly north Spaggot, Brother. But I did campaign at the Alinorian frontier. Two tours, Brother.”
“Indeed? Well then, I should think we are lucky to have you. Welcome aboard. Otilla: you have a report to make, do you not?”
“Yes, Brother. Aint so much too it, really. It all checked out with what Diya said it was gonna be. We crept around between Bristlenook and what she called Gorefield for the better part of yesterday. It’s rough in there, but there are trails. Also some people tucked away, here or there. Again, just like Diya said. They don’t seem all that alert. We crept up on Gorefield itself, just a bit. There’s that pond with the trading post she talked about. That’s as close as we got to it, since I didn’t wanna risk spooking anybody there. But we got a good feel for the lay of the land out that way. And I don’t think anybody spotted us. It was getting dark by the time we were ready to get heading back, so we just hunkered down for the night in the bush and came back this morning nice and easy, checking out some different trails real careful.”
“How is the approach to this Gorefield?” Barrelmender asked.
“Socked in pretty good. It’s got swampland all around it, near as I could tell. Didn’t get around it to the north, though. But it would make sense that it’s more of the same shit up there, too. That makes it an ideal bandit hideout. Hard to get at. But, anyone coming and going quick is gonna wanna use that main trail in and out. At least if they’re heading south. We should be able to set up on that pretty good,” Peep said with a grin.
Barrelmender nodded.
“Hold up,” Shane interjected. “What’s this trading post? There’s a trading post there?”
“Yeah. Well, kinda. Diya warned us about it. It’s fake. They use it to lure folk in to rob. That, and offer up to the druids in the Moondark Hills, just to the northwest of there. To be used as sacrifices, she said.”
“So, if they set up that trap, there must be enough folk coming by to make it worthwhile. That’s on a real trail?” Shane asked.
Peep tipped her brow in concession to Shane’s point before nodding. “Yeah, it’s a decent one. The one off the North Ridge here meets up with one that seems to come outta Bristlenook. Heads north just about a click till it gets to that pond with the shack. But, yeah, that trail keeps heading north from there.”
“And the Moondark’s to the northeast. Further north is just normal wild, I think,” Shane said.
“Yeah, I guess. I never got this far west before,” Peep said.
Barrelmender nodded. “Yes. It is more hilly and mountainous. Very wild until the southern borderland of Verdoon.”
“Verdoon’s in the Twelve Kingdom’s, right?” Peep asked.
“Barely,” Barrelmender snorted. “It is to the Twelve Kingdoms as Spaggot Barony is to Bitina. We can leave it at that.”
“So there’s a north-south trail between the Moondark Hills and this Gorefield place,” Shane said, looking once more to Peep to confirm. “That means people use it. So that means the Moondark druids don’t mess with it. At least not too much.”
Peep nodded. “That’s what Diya said. Actually, kinda makes sense. If the druids there are as nasty as everyone says, there aint gonna be any bandits or monsters coming outta there. So skirting the edge of them would actually be safer. What are ye thinking with this?” she asked Shane.
“Nothing, yet. Just good to know.”
“So, is that all?” Barrelmender asked.
Peep nodded. Choke leaned in and raised his hand.
“Sergeant Neil from Spitzer had some troubling news. Captain Fairchild’s reconnaissance in force to the north is a week overdue on reporting in. He has several homing pigeons. A rider has been sent to check in with the Burnthistle outpost to check on things there, but had not reported back when Neil left Spitzer.”
Peep and Shane nodded grimly at this. Barrelmender frowned off into space.
“That’s right,” Barrelmender said. “The new soldiers today are from Spitzer.”
“Yes, Brother. They were guarding the payroll delivery on the returning lumber caravan,” Choke said.
“When are they returning to Spitzer?”
“With tomorrow’s caravan.”
“Good. Then I shall send letters. One to Morrenthall, and another to Flitwik. Let us do that now, Lieutenant. If you could help me organize my thoughts, I would appreciate it.”
“Of course, Brother.”
“Then, this afternoon, we have your wedding. Yes?”
“Yes, Brother!” Choke said, swelling with excitement.
“Yes,” Barrelmender said morosely. “Well, don’t expect much from me. I am not the sort for that. Peasant frolicking makes me sick. It shall be perfunctory.”
“Yes, Brother. Thank you, Brother,” Choke said happily.
Barrelmender sighed deeply. He then clapped both his hands down on his knees.
“That’s that? Good. Let’s all get on with it,” he said.
Muse Vassal 