Cat and Mouse
The seal was pressed into the wax without hesitation, the wolf statant shaped in the silver-flecked azure wax.
“Do it.” he bade. “Then have copies placed in every tavern, inn, pub, bar and rat’s nest you find.”
The edict was slapped to the Watch board in the office, and the man stood up from his desk.
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE:
The Ill-Reputed Brigand Known As Blackwood
A tall, muscular male Tir with short blonde hair and piercing jade eyes, his only other defining characteristics are a long, jagged scar down his left eye: Likely still fresh. He is known to wear loose, flowing clothing, and is adept at almost any kind of dagger, sword or fencing weapon. NOT to be taken lightly! He IS armed, always, and extremely dangerous!
Wanted on a List of Foul Crimes, below summarized:
-Fifteen counts of murder
-Fifty-two counts of assault
-Thirteen counts of Treason
-Three counts of Criminal Sorcery
-Four hundred thirty-five counts of Theft
-Ninety-two counts of Burglary
-Sixteen counts of Perjury
-One count of Piracy
-Thirty-eight counts of Brigandry
-One count of Breaking exile
-Seven hundred sixty-two counts of Disturbing the Peace
ANY INFORMATION OR EFFORT WHICH LEADS TO THE CAPTURE OF THIS MOST FOUL STAIN ON SEAHAVEN’S WELL-BEING WILL BE RICHLY REWARDED BY THE CROWN!
-Lord Commander Mortison ap Merriv
*sealed with the Azure Wolf, Mortison’s heraldry*
Reading over, Mortison grimaced and glanced over to the man beside him–tall, armored and looking more like a veteran of war than a defender of peace, he was nonetheless in possession of a tranquil demeanor that countered the many scars and rippling muscles that were, in some places, still visible beneath the polished chain.
“What is your opinion, sir?” he asked congenially of his companion.
The man looked as weary as Mortison, truthfully. He folded those bear-like arms across his chest and shook his head slowly. “My opinion is that this fiend is taunting us, lately. Playing a game of cat and mouse, as it were… Catching him will be almost impossible, even with public rewards offered.
Sighing, Mortison’s face reflected much the same as the stated opinion his man delivered. “Indeed… But we’re going to catch him, Captain. We must. He’s robbed Lord Thurstwyn now, so you can imagine the pressure on us to catch him before he grows even more daring.”
The Commander brushed aside some of the papers on his desk, looking for one missive, in particular. The words were fuzzy to him, but he could remember its message quite clearly. Displacing reports, sightings and requisitions for more equipment, he uncovered it. “Ah, yes. The message from Lord Thurstwyn:
Lord Commander,
It is the opinion of the Council of Peers that, with all the money being funneled into your band of lawfully recognized mercenaries, the matter of protecting our fair realm should be of a much higher priority, Lord Mortison. I recently donated, most charitably, one hundred pounds for the supply of chain armor to your proven officers, I believe? Not three weeks later, my estate was pilfered of everything blue–an odd pattern, to be sure, but one that costed me dearly: silks, sapphires, ornate vases and everything: It’s all gone, and I fully expect it to be retrieved. I understand there are some mercenaries who think the poorly-named Seahaven Watch would do better if they did so from afar, and let more action-oriented folk tend to the defense against beast and brigand.
Penned 6th, Beginning of Spring, 1060,
Lord Abrams Thurstwyn
“We had better hope we do catch him, Captain… It seems some think to move in on our turf.” Mortison noted with a heavy tone of disdain. “And since I’m quite certain he means the Cerulean Gull, I would rather we -not- lose our Crown contract to those barely-legal thievess.”
~–{======>
Cat and mouse, Mortison thought to himself. That’s exactly what this was, except he was the mouse, this time, and caught between two cats–vicious things as they were.