King of the Seditious
A Hand in the Haven

“He’s my friend.” She begged. “He works for me. Don’t…”

I know what he is.

“Joe!”

Young Joe turned apprehensively to face the inevitable consequence imposingly glaring at him.

“Outside!” Savage commanded.

Now.

“Don’t kill him.” Dimurah implored. Clinging to Savage’s tunic.

Blue eyes flicked to hers. Giving her a steady stare. You know better…

“Don’t…” She whimpered.

Joe walked past Savage and out the door with all the despondency of a man preparing for the noose.

Savage rotated on his heel and followed him out.

“What’ve you done, Joe?”

You slapped her.

“I-I don’t-I didn’t…I’m a damn fool!” He whined.

Would you have still realized it without me here? He doubted it.

“Yes, Joe. You are. You know my rules.” Savage’s voice was low. Cold.

“Yes, Savage Jack.”

“Why are you breaking them?” Savage walked a slow circle around the muscled young man. Eyeing him assessingly.

Was this intended as a challenge?

“I-I…Meant no insult.”

No, you didn’t. He assessed.

“You touched Dimurah.”

“I forgot she was yours.”

A serious mistake.

You’re drunk not impudent. He recognized. His muscles easing somewhat.

“She doesn’t belong to any man. But you touched her without respect.”

“I did.”

Honest at least.

“There’s a consequence for any action I don’t authorize in this Guild.”

“Yes, Savage Jack.”

Savage came to a standstill before the man.

Joe looked very meek just now. Shoulders hunkered in fear. Giving Savage sideways glances.

“I can take your life or your hand.”

Joe winced.

“Your choice.”

“But I don’t want to choose!”

Savage stared at him impassively. “I can choose…”

Inside Winter’s Haven, Dimurah paced. Skirts fisted in her hand beneath the huge green cloak.

She heard Joe’s deep scream.

Gasping she lurched toward the doorway, but several assassin’s and her own bodyguards closed ranks to keep her from passing.

“It’s not safe!” Markus warned.

She clawed and shoved them. Calling for Joe.

The door was kicked open and the group split to let Savage through. Seeing blood splattered the front of his shirt, Dimurah sobbed and put a fist to her mouth to stem the sounds. Savage past her without offering so much as a glance.

Knowing she couldn’t let these fierce assassins see her weakness, she bit her tongue. Stamping down emotion as she felt their waiting stares.

Savage went to the counter and slammed a hand still connected to part of a forearm onto a platter there. Making a horrible squishing sound.

Dimurah ran over and grabbed Savage’s forearm. Making him spin to face her.

He was quiet. Lips tight.

“Why?” She shook her head. Blue eyes welling.

Because it had to be done.

The door kicked open again and big Joe stumbled in clutching his arm. “Help!” He cried before falling.

Several men turned stunned eyes from the fallen man to Savage.

“He let him live.” One murmured in shock.

“The man is drunk. Harmless. Savage Jack knows that.”

Dimurah was oblivious as she mopped blood around Joe’s arm. Ripping the bottom of her dress to create a bandage to cinch his arm.

She sent Savage a vicious glare.

So much for a thanks.

I’ll be hearing about this later. He ordered a drink from the barmaid.

Belline carefully swung wide of the hand on the platter, looking a little green every time she glanced at it.

Another man walked over to move it.

“Don’t touch that.” Savage commanded. Staring ahead with arm outstretched sideways down the counter, to point. “It stays where it is.”

***

“Andrea!” Dimurah called.

Making the short dark-haired girl round.

“You can close up tonight. Belline can help you.” Dimurah gave the blonde a harsh look. Daring her to show Savage anymore kindness tonight after what he’d done.

“Don’t worry!” She added. Giving Savage a bitter glare. “I doubt it’ll be busy in here after that kindly display!”

She all but spit on the floor in her fury.

Well and truly pissed. Savage had seen that look on her enough to know. He watched her leave with an impassive look.

“No mercy for you, is there?” Nauvree took a seat next to him.

Savage gave him a bored look. In no mood for his jesting tonight.

“Meaning?”

“Even when you give her what she wants, atop of what she needs, she is unhappy with you.”

Savage’s eyes narrowed on Nauvree and it wasn’t hard to tell that he’d soon be taking out his malcontent on the one pointing out such things if Nauvree wasn’t careful.

“Don’t talk about her.” Savage said coldly. “You don’t know her well enough to do.”

Savage rose and moved to the far side of the room. Leaning on a pillar and sipping from a tankard as he watched to ensure no one removed the hand which he intended to be a beacon for any other brute that’d put callous hands on Dimurah.

It’ll serve as a lesson for a long while to come. And Savage intended to ensure that.

Dimurah refused to return until long after Savage had left to take his rest. Just before closing. Unable to leave shutting down the alehouse to the two inexperienced barmaids.

Dimurah was angrily slamming casks around and cleaning tankards. Still furious from last night when she saw The Nauvree approaching with that look.

“His games disgust me!” Dimurah was still railing the next morning.

“Savage doesn’t play games. Of that, I’m certain.”

“Yes, well be careful not to bump my arm, lest he come after you tonight too.” She said bitterly.

“He would not because I mean you no ill. And I’m equally as certain that he’s already off to his tent. Alone.” The Nauvree noted. “Despite that he did as you asked.”

Feeling somewhat annoyed with the girl, The Nauvree rose early the following morning to speak to her. As he often did when staying in the Blue Lark. And to give her a piece of my mind.

“Why are you so angry with him?” He asked point blank.

“He cut off Joe’s hand!” She snapped as she slid him a plain wooden cup with a heated brew of herbs in it.

“Yes…” The Nauvree nursed the treasure Dimurah had brewed for him this morning in a mesh tea bag. “But there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”