Chapter 231: Chapter 216 – An Escort Mission

"Between a killer and a guard, the burden's always on the guard's end. A killer only needed to find one chance. One gap to go through with the job, one way or another. The guard on the other hand needed to be aware and guard against all the possible ways the killer could get to their target.

 

It's one reason us mercs were never that fond of escort and bodyguard work, much less one where we had no say in the target's itinerary. I honestly felt that the best way to deal with shit like these was just to stick a really good guard by the target, at all times, throughout the mission.

 

Circumstances hadn't always allowed that as an option though, rather unfortunately. I knew a couple dead blokes who would still be breathing had they just allowed that." - Norbert Edelstein, retired former captain of the Free Lances mercenary company, circa 457 VA.

In the end, after some discussion, Solenia was allowed to return to her retinue, but she was not alone. Aideen came with her, supposedly as a healer to take care of any possible lasting effects of the girl's injuries, but in actuality more of a bodyguard to keep the girl alive.

 

Ginnie had promised the girl that she'd have some good smiths fix the girl's damaged armor within the week, well before she had to return home, and discreetly also asked Aideen to pass a letter from her to the girl's father, the Duke of Dvergarder.

 

For what it's worth, Solenia's retinue had not needed much convincing to allow Aideen around. A quick bout of healing from her which took care of many old ailments from previous injuries convinced them almost too easily.

 

Since Solenia was staying in Knallgant for another week, Aideen also got the chance to see the fallout with the healer's guild. The dwarven judicial system was swift as such things went, not as swift as the Lichdom's, but they also had more convoluted laws and demanded a proper trial, rather than summary incarceration or execution.

 

Things went much like Ginnie had predicted for the most part. The guild's biggest political backer tossed them away the moment he caught wind of the brewing mess they got into, and others followed his lead as they threw the guild to the wind.

 

In the end, while there were no laws that forbid the guild's predatory healing practices, they were nonetheless found guilty of unlicensed moneylending and illegal enforcement of indentured servitude by the dwarven court. The punishment for those was the removal of their permit to operate in the kingdom, and fines so high they would likely bankrupt the guild on the spot.

 

Many healers abandoned the guild in droves when they heard of the ban, as any healer who remained associated with the guild would also find themselves barred from practicing in the kingdom. Some fled the kingdom, others sought out employers.

 

Ginnie had swiftly swooped in and recruited quite a few of those with favorable compensation, which silenced those who were worried about a potential lack of healers in a military situation. As a net result, they had fewer healers present, but those they had were contractually obligated to work for the kingdom, rather than ones who merely promised to help.

 

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The master of the guild's local chapter had committed suicide when officials from the court came to demand payment for the fines. It had not deterred the experienced enforcers one bit, as within the same day they came with legal orders to confiscate any assets that belonged to the guild to make up for those fines.

 

As a result, the healer's guild in Knallzog collapsed within a month, with many of their members - most of which admitted that they were forced to join under threats - later employed by the kingdom itself. Almost immediately, magical healing services went from a luxury good only the rich could obtain to freely available in most cities.

 

That said, Ginnie was still worried for Solenia's safety. The guild had originated from Posuin in the first place after all, and their influence in the neighboring kingdom was supposedly much stronger than in Knallzog.

 

Solenia's father was one of their most fervent opposition there, but many of the nobles and politicians in the heartlands of Posuin itself were firmly in the guild's pockets. Ginnie worried that they might make another attempt on Solenia's life on her way back.

 

Between Posuin and Knallzog were unclaimed deserts and wastelands. Posuin ignored those lands as they saw no value in them, while Knallzog had only just begun to extend their reach towards those lands themselves. Most of the area remained a no-man's land however, and was quite ripe with outlaw activity.

 

Since Solenia would have to pass through those regions on her way back, and one of her retinue had vanished, most likely an insider of the guild's, that meant they know the number and composition of her guard detail. The exact reason Ginnie tossed in an unexpected factor like Aideen in there.

 

Aideen herself found the girl a good person, if a bit on the naive and sheltered side, likely due to her upbringing. Ginnie had made good on her word and returned the girl's armor in perfect shape to her within three days, and the girl herself mostly just enjoyed her vacation for the rest of the week.

 

When Solenia and her retinue finally left Knallgant the next week, on their way home to Dvergarder, Aideen came along, seated in the same carriage as Solenia herself as she spent her time talking with the woman. Solenia was quite fascinated by how life in the other continent was like, it turned out.

 

No assailants accosted their group during their travels through Knallzog territory. The dwarves were big on keeping their lands secure, and generally struck down any criminals that dared to operate within with extreme prejudice.

 

A mere day after they entered the no man's land between the two kingdoms though, the leader of Solenia's escort of knights called a halt and pointed out to the distance, where dust clouds were approaching their convoy.

 

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