(( Note: The events in this story occur during the latter part of The Linhir Ripper - Part 8 while the others are also searching for Anendyl. ))
Eduwiges of Faldham shoved her way out of the One Eyed Corsair Tavern at the low end of the wharves in the small city of Linhir. Immediately the smell of stale beer, unwashed bodies and urine vanished and was replaced by the clean breeze of the sea salt air. She was angry and frustrated at her failure to discover anything regarding the whereabouts of Ane, Nethrida’s sister. Instead she heard some vulgar innuendo from a couple of drunken sailors who then proceeded to proposition her and threaten to give Edu what they had ‘given’ Ane. Normally she would have thrashed the two louts for their impertinence but she was alone with no support and the two sailors had many friends. In fact, the odds had frightened her and Eduwiges hated to be frightened of anything.
She walked along the rotting wharf with her hand on the railing and stared out at the black waters before her. Eduwiges was a woman of action. She hated to sit around and wait for things to happen. That was why the events of the past few days had frustrated her so, culminating in her punching the man who called Finch a bitch. Of course she had offended the prim and correct Nethrida. This was her home town after all and she was an officer here, active or not. The lout had it coming however and seemed to be the ringleader of the mob calling for blood. Hopefully Eduwiges slugging him would put a damper on his ardor for stirring up trouble.
‘I must take the time to apologize to Neth though.’ she said to herself lost in thought.
A creaking sound vibrated the boards of the dock behind her and she snapped to attention. This was a bad place to lollygag with your mind, she thought, as she put her hand on Morinehtar, her sword. She looked around alertly, saw nothing and resumed her way across the wharf. She turned right up one of the alleys that led back to the inn she had left hours before. Torchlight flickered across the stones of the building causing shadows to dance in front of her feet. The sounds of the sea faded and the low hum of the city became louder when she was half way through the corridor. ‘Ahh there you are, horse bitch!’ A gutteral drunken voice called out.
‘We baint thinkin you were coming this way after all. We promised we were going to give it to ya like we did the navy wench. We always keep our promises, eh Calvert?’ The taller one asked. He gestured to his companion.
Instantly Morinehtar was in Eduwiges’ hands as she watched the cretins from the dank tavern move out to block her path. Both of the men were dressed in the half armor of the naval service, swords and daggers by their sides. To their misfortune neither men had drawn their weapons. ‘Just what do you fellows plan on giving me?’ she grinned across at them and began to step forward.
Both of the men were surprised that Eduwiges had smiled at them and began walking to them instead of shrinking back in fear.
‘It looks like.’ she said slyly. ‘That you have left your audience back at the tavern. You should have brought them with you.’
Eduwiges moved to attack. She danced forward quickly as the two men scrambled for their weapons. The taller one managed to get his sword out just as the horse mistress took his arm off at the elbow. He howled as his sword, still in hand, fell to the ground. Blood flowed from the stump of his arm and he grabbed it with his good one to staunch the bleeding. Calvert, the smaller one, stared in shock and took an elbow to the face as Eduwiges followed through her swing. Calvert staggered to the right and fell to his knees while his friend continued to wail at the loss of his appendage. Eduwiges booted Calvert in the chest knocking him on his back. She sat on him and stuck the tip of her dagger into his nostril.
‘Mercy! Mercy! He cried. ‘Didn’t mean no harm! I swear, I swear!’
‘You fellows aren’t very brave are you?’ She growled. ‘You have until I count three to tell me where Ane is or your nose will join his arm on the ground.
‘I swear!’ he shrieked, ‘We don’t know! We was just talkin!’
She twisted the dagger just a bit inside the thugs nostril. A trickle of blood began to run down over Calvert’s lip. ‘It was his idea it was! Madine said to do it! It were just for fun, I swear!’
Sweat beaded his forehead. Eduwiges looked over at Madine who was beginning to lose consciousness from blood loss. ‘What was just for fun?’ she asked grimly.
The story poured out of him. The escapades of Ane. She had walked into the tavern half mad and drunk. She was looking for something different and dark Calvert said, she took a half a dozen men out into the alley
‘I baint sayin more, I baint! Please! I’m sorry! We figured you wanted the same!’ Calvert yelped as the pain from the dagger increased.
Eduwiges’ mind reeled, this could not be Nethrida’s sister. As much as she disliked the woman, Edu could hardly believe it. She twisted the knife deeper into Calvert’s nose, demanding truth. Nethrida would be devastated if what this man was saying were true. Could this be why the murders were happening? To keep things quiet? How often was this kind of thing going on? Or was there something more sinister. She flicked the dagger out of Calvert’s nose sideways, leaving a nice gap. Blood flowed from the wound and he grabbed at his face.
‘You are lucky Calvert,’ she hissed. ‘You at least get to keep your nose! Your friend is not so fortunate.’
She stood and waved for him to get up off the ground. Edu swung her sword with the skill of a surgeon and the man’s belt was cut in half and his pants were around his knees. She forced him to take the belt and hobble over to Madine. He tied a tourniquet to Madine’s arm with the belt. Eduwiges could not tell if the belt slowed the blood flow or if it had all flowed out of the man.
‘If you get him to a physician he might live. Get you gone and if I see either of you again you will be sleeping with the river daughters at the bottom of the ocean!’
She gestured with Morinehtar and watched as Madine staggered to his feet. Calvert gave him his shoulder and the two fumbled their way out of the alley. Eduwiges kicked the sword out of Madine’s lifeless fingers and picked it up. She examined it with a gasp. There was a ruby gem embedded in the blade just above the hilt. The same gem her father left her. The same gem Thunar carried on him. She had to find Xan and Addie as soon as possible. She sheathed Morinehtar and stood up straight, put her hands on her hips and looked up at the moon. The cult was back. The cult of murder.
