In the afternoon it started raining.
”I guess that Judd Trotter will be back by tomorrow afternoon with more orc hands”, Hemlock said. ”It will be jim-dandy to see what old Blue Nose will prize out of them this time.”
”Is there something to prize out of them then?” said Crambe. He was standing left of Hellrien and resented the fact he had been demoted from a scout to stand here in the rain with Hemlock, the new lass Hellrien, Bluebeard and Bottlebrush. The last-mentioned was dark and small and wide-bodied, he had black hair and slanted eyes and a mouth full of uneven, white teeth.
”Blue Nose is a character of his own kind”, said Hemlock. ”I have been assigned to keep an eye on him.”
”What, are you a spy of Ebold’s now?” Bluebeard said sharply. ”Or somebody else's from the upper crust? I thought this was a mission and not a dick-measuring contest between officers. I may have been mistaken.”
Hemlock stared at Bluebeard for a long time. Bluebeard stared back behind the rim of his helmet.
”I serve under Blue Nose just as you do”, Hemlock said amicably. ”I’m curious all the same.”
”What do you think, Bottlebrush?” Bluebeard asked.
”About what?”
”About what Hemlock just said. Are you interested about Blue Nose’s reactions?”
”He’s got his orders, as do we”, said Bottlebrush. And that was all the talk they got out of him that afternoon.
”What’s the deal with this Judd Trotter character?” Hellrien wondered out loud.
”Judd?” said Bluebeard. ”What about him?”
”Nothing. I’ve just heard a lot of talking about him is all.”
”He’s the local hero”, Hemlock explained. ”The brother of Wilbur Trotter, the Captain of the local Watch. Goes over the Span every now and then, always comes back with some orc hands. He’s a bit crazy in the head, y’see. Has been that way ever since the orcs killed his wife and daughter during a raid.”
”What a crock of shite”, Crambe spat. ”The bastard beat his poor wife to death. I heard from a reliable source.”
”A reliable source. In the Soot & Stain, I take it?” Hemlock sneered. ”You just resent him because he beat the crap out of you the other night. And that's why you're here with us today. At least the guy does something. Instead of just standing idly in this damn rain, twiddling his damn thumbs like we do.”
Crambe rubbed the bruise in his cheek and said nothing. The rain kept raining.
