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Chapter 48: Harrison the Killer (Part II)
"What do you want?" The captain pushed back Scarface as he tried to rush in. "This is the captains' quarters, don't you know?"
"Everyone's saying Harrison had Boss Morgan murdered, and now Harrison's killed Second Kelvin in the castle. Is it true?" Scarface demanded, barely containing his fury.
How could the captain answer such a horrific accusation? He was stunned. He turned back to his own men for support, but those guards who'd originally belonged to Morgan's faction immediately distanced themselves from their comrades.
"Where did you hear this? Do you even know what you're saying?" Seeing so many people crowding before him, the captain felt uncertain, but he remained committed to his duty and blocked the gathering sellswords.
Scarface was caught off guard. In truth, he had no idea where the rumor started. With Boss Morgan's death, many sellswords couldn't sleep tonight.
Everyone had gathered outside the camp to discuss the company's future and whether to cut and run.
No one knew who first claimed that Ser Harrison had sent someone to murder Boss Morgan and also killed Second Clubfoot in the castle.
Regardless, the rumor spread through the sellsword camp like wildfire.
"Yes, where did you hear this news?" Taking advantage of Scarface's hesitation, Ser Grayson pushed his way to the front.
"This is pure nonsense!" Grayson spoke up to support the gate captain and gestured to help maintain order.
The captain immediately cast him a grateful look.
"But keeping everyone gathered like this won't solve anything," Grayson said, turning to address the crowd. "Why don't we bring out Second Kelvin to speak? I don't believe Ser Harrison would do such a thing."
Hearing Grayson's support, the company captains under Ser Harrison who'd arrived quickly agreed, saying they also didn't believe he'd do such a thing.
Without waiting for the gate captain's opinion, Grayson addressed the restless crowd. "It's settled then. Let him go fetch Second Kelvin, all right?
As long as he's alive, that proves Ser Harrison didn't murder Boss Morgan. Then we'll hunt down whoever started these lies together!"
This forced causal logic was, of course, something Ian had taught Grayson.
Having two accusations against the same person in a proper court was problematic—proving one charge false could establish innocence for both.
In mob justice, the opposite held true. If two crimes were pinned on one person simultaneously, proving he committed one would make them assume he committed both.
When people are angry, they don't consider logic.
Grayson's speech perfectly addressed Morgan's faction's desperate need for answers while ostensibly defending Ser Harrison, quickly gaining unanimous approval.
The previously restless crowd gradually calmed, waiting for the final outcome.
The gate captain breathed a sigh of relief and cast another grateful glance at Grayson.
He naively believed that if he went upstairs and brought down Second Clubfoot Kelvin, the matter would be settled for tonight.
"Give me a moment. I'll fetch Second Kelvin." The captain had his men open the castle gates and quickly walked inside.
Harrison, watching from a second-floor window, felt his heart sink.
Steady footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Ser Harrison immediately recognized his old companion's tread.
He drew his sword and hid behind the door, ready to kill him as he'd just done with old Kerry.
But seconds later, Harrison dropped his sword.
What good would killing him do? His small castle had only one door, and outside it lay enraged sellswords waiting to avenge Boss Morgan. He was finished.
The next moment, the gate captain entered the room, gaping at the two bodies. Then, with shock, anger, and wariness, he glanced at Ser Harrison behind the door.
"Onion, do you believe me?" Ser Harrison asked bitterly.
Onion was the captain's childhood nickname.
He'd been a village boy who once stole onions from Grayson's father's estate and was chased by guards. He'd outmaneuvered them all.
Grayson's father, impressed by his talent, took him into the estate to serve as a sparring partner for his eldest son.
From then on, Onion became his name.
"Second Kelvin was killed with a fork," Captain Onion's voice trembled.
"He attacked me first..."
"You also silenced Kerry," Captain Onion interrupted Ser Harrison.
"He's Clubfoot's man, and I couldn't let anyone know what happened here..."
"Did you send someone to kill Boss Morgan?" Captain Onion interrupted Harrison again.
Harrison couldn't even address that question.
There's no logical connection between killing Clubfoot and Blackwing. How can I explain this?
"I didn't do what they're saying. Do you believe me?"
Captain Onion simply took several steps back and hurried downstairs.
Then a roar of shouts erupted outside the window, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. The only words Ser Harrison could make out were "murderer" and "vengeance for Boss Morgan."
Harrison slumped against the wall.
Then he laughed—a hearty, bitter laugh.
He'd wanted to avenge Boss Morgan too.
By dawn, Dorian had naturally become the new commander of the Blackwing Company.
Sadly, Ser Harrison's manor was down to fewer than thirty sellswords.
This outcome made Ian wonder if he'd made a terrible mistake.
Ian had thought that by pinning Boss Morgan's murder on Ser Harrison, he'd force most of Harrison's supporters to remain neutral, preserving the company's strength.
After killing Ser Harrison, he could manipulate events to credit Dorian with discovering Harrison's crimes, bolstering his prestige and control over the sellswords.
Unexpectedly, from the moment the sellswords stormed the castle, everything spiraled out of control.
After slaughtering Ser Harrison's household guards and retainers, the frenzied sellswords burst into Harrison's chambers, took his head, mounted it on a spear, and displayed it atop the castle.
Harrison's former subordinates—who'd remained neutral partly from a sense of honor—grew increasingly outraged and urged the mob not to desecrate Ser Harrison's body.
An argument erupted between them and Clubfoot's personal guards.
Someone—unknown in the chaos—began claiming that those defending Harrison were also accomplices. This accusation gained traction quickly, and the group was attacked.
During the assault, many sellswords from Harrison's faction who'd chosen neutrality were gradually drawn into the conflict, sparking widespread retaliation against all of Harrison's men.
Soon both factions of the Blackwing Company engaged in chaotic battle, leaving Dorian powerless to intervene—he could only withdraw his own men.
Amid the chaos, opportunistic sellswords began looting the castle's treasures. This inspired others to follow suit, and the scramble for plunder sparked infighting even within Morgan's faction.
The chaos deepened, and the sellswords gradually forgot why they were fighting, slaughtering each other over loot. The violence spread from Ser Harrison's castle to the surrounding camps, raging through the night.
After most of the sellswords had scattered or fled, Dorian retained the remainder by promising them rights to their plunder and hints of greater profits to come.
What about Ian?
He'd already fled when the fighting began. He'd attempted to use his status as a Lannister to control the situation, but quickly realized no one was listening.
To avoid being dragged into the melee, Ian and his men slipped out of Ser Harrison's manor to await the outcome.
At dawn, Dorian sent men to find Ian, and he returned.
"Ser Lucien," Dorian said, his once-clean face now smeared with soot and blood, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry—I only kept these men. The others took their loot and ran."
"However," he quickly added, "I've sent word to the other company units. If they can be recalled, our strength should return to over a hundred."
A dismal outcome, Ian could only describe it.
In reality, his original plan—forcing most of Ser Harrison's sellswords to remain neutral by blaming him for Boss Morgan's murder—had been achieved.
But he'd underestimated the meaning of 'chaos' itself. It's easy to create chaos, but once chaos begins, it won't follow anyone's will.
Ian realized he still had much to learn about controlling mob dynamics.
"Get it done quickly. As for funding—" Ian gestured for Roll to hand Dorian a bag of a hundred gold dragons. "This is my first investment in you."
"By the way, is the treasure hunter here?" Ian asked.
"No, I checked. The Mountain Weasel hasn't returned to camp."
"I'm heading back to the Crossroads Inn. Send someone to notify me the moment he returns. If I need your men, I'll send for you, and I expect you to respond immediately."
"Of course, ser—that's part of our agreement. But what about avenging my adoptive father?" Dorian's final words were hushed, since the sellswords around him believed Boss Morgan was murdered by Ser Harrison.
"I'll continue investigating. Next, I'll personally meet with the local landed knights' alliance to see if I can find any leads there."
"Thank you, ser."
(End of Chapter)
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