Chapter 30. Befriending Kurzicks

emony was eternally grateful to see an end to her burden of weapons.  Their long march to House zu Heltzer had been fraught with angry dredge and oni but the Red Lotus Clan were more than equal to the trials of the journey and knew the passage well, having taken it many times before.  Each time they defeated a foe, her share of the treasure was counted out and then meticulously recorded in a small ledger that Mai Ling kept on behalf of Twisted Lu.  She never saw so much as a coin of it and was utterly dependent upon the ritualist or the necromancer to give her food or lodgings, which she also noted they subtracted from her payments.

That evening, however, Supplymaster Konrad invited them to stay in the barracks and rewarded them handsomely for the fine Canthan weapons.  The proceeds were once more meted out and Lemony was gratified to see that Lu credited her another platinum for her services and did not deduct expenses since Konrad lavished food and drink upon them.  For once Lemony was allowed to eat and drink her fill and she indulged heavily in the bitter rice wine until she was sleepy and cared little about her predicament.  At some point, Huan Yue guided her to a bunk and she gratefully lapsed into unconsciousness.

It was still dark when Twisted Lu roused them all from bed the following morning.  Lemony instinctively flinched from his approach, ducking away from his attempt to box her ear despite the massive headache her night of oblivion had caused her.  He hated her ears for whatever reason and she was still trying to discover what exactly they had done to offend him.  The fact that he was nearly always blindfolded made her job a little easier for she was often able to move out the way, but it also meant she never fully relaxed in his presence.

For mornings like this she was grateful she could mend ailments and as she prepared for the day with her morning prayers, she paused and doused the headache as Huan Yue looked up from her own meditation with a wry grin.  The two of them were becoming fast friends having spent so many hours in the backline working together.

“All things in moderation, Liang Meng,” the woman said calmly, smiling.

“The rabbit bites cheerfully,” Lemony replied, dodging expertly aside as Twisted Lu strode past.

That day they met up with Konrad again and agreed to run supplies south to Quartermaster Mikhail outside of Lutgardis Conservatory.  At least, Twisted Lu decided that was what they must do for Lemony detected a distinctly mutinous attitude among the other members of the party as they glared at the heavy bundles Konrad had prepared for them.

“No more arguing,” Twisted Lu said with a warning growl, “If we are to control an outpost, we must convince the Kurzicks that we are their allies.”

“Pah, why do we want an outpost in this dump?” grumbled Sheng Yin as he straightened his brigandine shirt and buckled his scabbard and belt around his waist, “I do not give a care about what these Kurzicks and Luxons think of us.  Both of them are uncivilized and crass.  I would rather sell their amber and keep their coin.”

“Yet you are part of the alliance and you are pledged to that cause,” Mai Ling said coldly, “If your word and honor are so lightly given, then I would be happy to speak of your sentiments to Kiku on your behalf.”

The warrior blanched and shouldered his portion of the burden without another word.  Lemony noted that no one else hesitated or mumbled a word of protest as they staggered from the barracks at Zu Heltzer and entered the grim shadows of the forest in the pre-dawn darkness.

Lemony was looking forward to staying the night at Lutgardis, but it was not to be.  After an exhausting two hour march that involved multiple attacks from all the denizens of that horrid place, they met up with Mikhail and then started marching right back to Zu Heltzer.

“Supply runs,” Huan Yue grumbled, “Welcome to our personal hell.”

By nightfall, the eight of them were almost too tired to stagger off to bed.  Konrad once more put them up in the barracks and lavished them with drink and food.  The mud and spores of the forest had turned Lemony’s unassuming attire a faint shade of mossy brown accented with blood splatters and tears where Oni had scored her with daggers.  Sheng Yui had fallen in combat during their final run, in large part due to exhaustion and haste.  No one wanted to be in the forest at night. 

Fortunately, Twisted Lu either forgot or was too exhausted to carry out his threat to flog her for her failure.  Sheng Yui was once more moving about, albeit weakened and pale, but richer for their trials.  As they stripped down and washed while the meal was being laid out for them, Twisted Lu counted out the proceeds of their journey and split it eight ways.  Lemony bit her lip as her portion, five platinum total, was swept into the same pouch as Lu’s coin and her contribution was recorded in Mai Ling’s ledger.  Sighing, she swallowed her sadness along with the abundant rice wine.  At this rate, she would still be working off the debt while dwelling beyond the Mists.  Twenty platinum per bond, that was the agreed upon rate.

“Go easy on the rice wine, Liang Meng,” Huan Yue warned her, noting the rate at which Lemony was choking it back.

“Weary frogs bake apples,” she groaned, ducking instinctively as Twisted Lu reached across the table.