Chapter 3b: A Hard Request

Wellan arrived at the dew-coated training field moments before the morning sun crested the dark silhouette of trees. The damp air clung to his robes and chilled his exposed skin, causing goose bumps to form on his arms. The morning walk felt good though, refreshing after spending the night stooped over a table reading tomes by candle light.

He hadn’t slept, staying awake through the night studying books, scrolls, and ancient clay fragments. Most of the text belonged to languages no longer used or even remembered by the likes of men. Wellan knew them. He could read most as easily as he read the common tongue; he had been looking out for mankind for a long time.

Unfortunately, his sleepless night had turned up almost nothing about the foul creatures that had invaded Renier.

A sandy-haired man marched up to him as he walked toward a line of soldiers standing at attention on the dirt-covered field. Though he was the smallest of the group, his confident stride showed he held command over the other guards. He stopped and tucked a helmet under his arm then saluted Wellan. In a formal military rote he bellowed, "sir, I have gathered all of the men who were involved with the lepers last night."

Wellan looked around the field. "Where is Captain Patrell?"

"He commands the Day Guard, sir. He has worked two shifts back to back and went home to get some rest before reporting for duty again, sir." The man's hand never left the boiled leather armor covering his heart. The salute would remain until he was told to relax.

Wellan hated formalities. "What is your name, soldier?"

"Stiles, sir! Stiles Milo of the Night Watch."

Wellan put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "At ease, Stiles. There is no need to be formal with me." Wellan looked over at the men. "Is this all of them?"

Stiles glanced at the men and his tone became relaxed as he replied. "Almost all of them, sir. My captain hasn't reported back yet. He was pretty upset about the whole thing."

Wellan frowned. "That would be Drummen?"

"Yes, sir. He left right after dispatching one of the lepers."

"Yes, I heard about that." Wellan walked to the line of guards. "Were any of these men injured by the lepers?"

"No, sir. Not physically anyway. We're all a little shook up. We ain't seen nothing like that ever. Are all lepers that hard to kill?"

Wellan walked down the line of men, scrutinizing every man as he answered. "No. Normally a leper would be very easy to kill. These were special, and that is why I am going to have to ask you and your men to do me a favor. A very large favor, one that I don't think you will like."

An eager smile lit Stile’s face. "Whatever you need done we can do it."

Wellan paused for a moment, measuring the character of the man. With a weary sigh he said, "I am going to have to ask you and your men to incarcerate yourselves for a few days in the city dungeon."

The eager smile fled Stiles face and his eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled over his reply, "But… but my Lord Wizard….we have done nothing wrong! We…"

The other soldiers shifted and looked at one another as Wellan grasped Stiles shoulder with a supportive grip and shook his head. "No… No, it isn't that you and the men here have done anything wrong. No, far from it. It is for your own good and the good of the city. I am probably being overly cautious, but the lepers may have been contagious. It will only be for a day or two. If none of you have shown any symptoms by that point then you won't show any at all. You and your men will receive full pay, and you can eat and drink as you like, play cards, almost anything you all would like to…."

"Ale?" one of the men yelled. The brash comment put the men at ease as they started realizing that the next two days might not turn out as bad as they had thought.

"Women?" questioned another one, causing the other men to snicker with quiet laughter.

The comment brought a smile to Wellan's lips, a badly needed smile. "Yes, yes. You men can have all the ale your hearts desire. I will make sure a keg or two is brought down to you. The women….." Wellan shrugged his shoulders "I'm afraid that one is a little out of my jurisdiction."

Wellan recieved a hearty laugh from the men. Feeling more relaxed and assuming the talking was finished, they fell out of line and joked and talked amongst themselves. Wellan turned and left, walking across the practice field with Stiles in close pursuit.

"The men are easily bribed with promises of pleasure, my Lord Wizard, but this contamination you mention bothers me."

Any humor that may have lingered on Wellan's lips quickly vanished. In a lighthearted tone he replied, "Don't worry about it, my friend. I honestly believe that if any of you were going to be sick it would have already begun."

The reassurance appeased Stiles for a moment, before his eyes saddened as a new idea came upon him. "Do you think my captain, Drummen, may have caught it?"

Wellan looked Stiles in the eyes and said, "That is the next thing I am going to find out."