87: Aftermath

I know I said I wouldn’t need to write much now, mum, but I’m just dropping this short note to let you know what we did in the aftermath of the crash. Willow, despite her black eyes and squashed nose from hitting the pub sign, quickly organised some of the locals to use our watch horses to transport some of the victim’s of Guido’s bad driving to the local temples so they could get medical attention.

We went to look at the viaduct and we could see that there’s no way anyone will be using that route into the city any time soon. And we realised that a number of people had been on the viaduct when Wasmeier destroyed it, and there was no way they could have survived the fall.

We walked back to Wasmeier's house and luckily no one recognised us, or they may have been wondering what we had been doing with the cart. On the way back Fred warned us that the powers that be might be very keen to cover up everything that had gone on, because it might make then look a bit ineffectual, especially as a bunch of outsiders had pretty much saved the city while they did nothing.

We saw that the watch had arrested a couple of people at the house. One was a fat man who we think was one of Wasmeier’s servants, and judging by his other servants I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in on all this cultist stuff, too, mum. And the other was the bloke who had helped us get into Wasmeier’s house in the first pace, so we felt obliged to vouch for him.

We found out his name was Vinny, and Fred told the watchmen to keep him there until we got back but made it clear that he was not with Wasmeier. But to be honest, I don’t think the man did himself any favours as he kept accusing the watchmen of abusing him, and casting aspersions on their professionalism. He was clearly criminally minded and although he did help us out, and I’m grateful for that, I’m glad I won’t be spending much time with him, going forward.

Upstairs at Wasmeier’s, behind a heavily fortified door, we found Schutzmann in a room full of files and an aviary for carrier pigeons. There seemed to be a file on every prominent person in the town but Schutzmann wouldn’t let us look at any of them.

Fred reported what had happened in our chase and Schutzmann looked shocked, and said that we would have to go to the Laughing Jackass for a debrief, but that the city would pay for food and board and any medical expenses.

And then Fred went to deal with Vinny and told him that he was grateful for his help, but now he knew who he was so if he caught him doing anything else illegal he would throw the book at him. But even till the end Vinny denied doing anything wrong and insisted his lock picks were dentist tools. I don’t think he’s a real dentist, mum.

Then Vinny showed Fred a letter that he had picked up at Wasmeier’s house, and Fred agreed to buy it for three shillings. I will enclose a copy, here, mum, but I don’t think it is that interesting. One thing, the border of the letter included lots of strange symbols, but I can’t even read Reikspiel so I have no idea what they might mean. I got the feeling that Vinny wanted to hang out with us for a bit longer, but it wasn’t to be.

My Dear Karl-Heinz,

Thank you for your enquiries as to Margaretha’s health. We saw a physician by the park. He was very expensive. Still I prefer to pay the cost as I can afford it and do not have to trouble the hospicë. Anyway, he suggested ä lotion of pïlewort and ruśtworth which proved effective. It does thë heart glad to sëe her running about again, full of lifë, bless her. She loves tö etch and häs doodled thë tesselations you seë wringing the page.

The troublë impaired, Beätrice and Ï hurried to celebrate by treating ourselves to a night at the theatrë. You know how we love a good play. We töok in ä unsatisfactöry production of Immortal Love at Anselmo’s. Sigmar’s Blood what ä careless effort! The fools had cut thë act threë rashly and given it a jocünd ending. Embarrassing shoddy mix of arrogance and näïvety. Barë äll they had to do was stick to the truë work in esśence.

I am sorry we couldn’t make it to thë entertainments this year. It would have been lovely to meet you. Now that Margaretha is mended I fully intend tö keep time free for Middenheim’s carnival next year.

Your best health and happiness,

MM

On the way to the Laughing Jackass, Fred explained that Schutzmann was a decent man and he would be straight with us, but he said he senses that he might be feeling a bit guilty that he wasn’t able to do more to help us, and he wasn’t able to capture Wasmeier or prevent the damage he had done.

The Laughing Jackass was nice and I think Blume enjoyed her stay, especially, but I had to go to work, so I didn’t get to stay there or even get a bath. They even let Fred stay, but I suspect he was only there to make sure we didn’t skip town.

I think we probably looked a bit of a mess and not the Jackass’ usual sort of clientele, but we didn’t really care, and I think we all knew we deserved to be there at least as much as any rich merchant or nob, who hadn’t helped save the city at all.

I got Willow to fill in my form to change shifts at the sewer jacks. And I asked her for some more fey eyes or vitality draught but she didn’t have any left and she warned me about taking too much fey eyes as it can be addictive. I also got her to tell me everything she knew about poison and stuff because I know the sewer jacks put down a lot of poison for the rats. And then it was time for work and on the way I popped into an apothecary’s and managed to get eight doses of fey eyes, which should be good for a week.

At work I told Jacko that I wanted to join Raina’s crew and handed in my form. He took it quite well, but made it clear that what happens in the sewers stays in the sewers, which I think he meant I wasn’t to tell anyone about all the bribes he takes, which I wasn’t going to tell anyone about anyway. And he told me that Raina was alright, if a bit straight-laced, and that I should do what she tells me to do.

Then after work I took some fey eyes so that I would be awake enough to see Schutzmann. Then I joined everybody at the Jackass for breakfast. It was all you can eat and Willow was stuffing her pockets with food for the urchins and the people at her clinic, but I don’t think the staff minded too much. They have square sausages at the Jackass, mum, which was a good shape for fitting in pockets.

Then Schutzmann arrived and he was being a bit formal, considering we had been friends with him the evening before. And he explained that we would all be interviewed separately by him and his staff about what we had got up to, and our answers cross-referenced for veracity.

I think Guido was a bit disgruntled because we had helped the city and we shouldn’t be treated like criminals, but I don’t think Guido minds the rest of us being treated like criminals as long as he isn’t. He also went in with Willow to give her moral support. And Blume was in there for ages and when she came out it was Schutzmann who looked like he had been interrogated.

Then Schutzmann addressed us all together and said that he was pleased with what we did and that he was organising groups of discreet investigators committed to keeping the city safe and we might be eligible to join them. But Willow said that she would be busy with her clinic so wouldn’t be able to help, but I think I the rest of us were interested. Guido was concerned that he would be guided to follow his religious mission and have to leave, and I already had a job, and Blume was concerned we would have to wear uniforms and look like staff.

And he said that the taxes would soon be overturned and the graf wished to see us in private to convey the appreciation of the city even if it couldn’t be acknowledged in public. So we went up to the palace and into the apartments that we had already been to during the affair of the naked wrestling grafs. But now we had enough time to admire the luxurious decor.

The graf emerged, with his entourage, including the Princess Katarina, wearing a bandage around his neck, showing how close he had come to death. He was looking a lot more attentive than we had ever seen him and he thanked us for saving him and the city. He explained that he could not honour us publicly, at least not yet, but said that he would grant each of us a boon.

When he asked Guido what he wanted, he replied that nothing came to mind, and that saving the Empire was honour enough for him, which is exactly what you’d expect him to say. So the graf asked if he would consent to become an honorary Knights Panther for being in the city when most of that order were not, and Guido agreed, even though I expect he noticed that that was a bit of a dig at the Sigmarite Knights Panther.

Willow explained that she had always wanted to start a clinic and now that Dreamy had died in that house in Schwarzmauer Weg she asked if she could be given that building for her clinic. And the graf said that she could have the whole block, and also a stipend and supplies from the Physicians’ Guild. And then Willow went to give the graf a hug, and I thought she might get in trouble, or at least a cold shoulder, but the graf bent down and hugged her.

And the graf said that Dreamy would have an official burial with full military honours, but Willow asked if he could go beyond the walls to the countryside instead of being interred in the city, as he had probably had enough of military life and had always wanted to retire to a nice garden once his service had ended. And the graf said that would be alright.

And when the graf asked what Blume wanted she asked if he could find her father, and I’m not sure what the graf thought about that, but he sort of agreed, even though it didn’t seem to be a thing that he could do. And then she had her big chance to become a lady of the court. She had gone on about little else for that last week or so, and everything she had done had been aimed at becoming a lady of the court, and Princess Katarina was even here to witness this. And all she had to do was ask and she would get her wish. But she asked for a house instead.

And then he asked what I wanted, and to be honest, mum, I couldn’t think of anything except a good night’s sleep. And the graf said he would get his personal physicians onto it.

And then the graf turned to Fred and asked what he wanted, and Fred said that he was just doing his duty. And I agreed with him. And I would add, mum, he had only been doing his duty for a day or so. I’m not saying he didn’t help us out a bit, but we’ve only known him for a few hours so I’m not sure why Fred got to be honoured as much as the rest of us. But the graf said he would be made an honorary Knights Panther, too.

And so we went back to the Laughing Jackass while they sorted out our boons. Willow went to help out at the temple of Ulric and to recruit a load of urchins to work at her clinic. And in a while we were delivered the deeds to four properties on Schwarzmauer Weg, a note from the Physicians’ Guild, and a promise from Pavarotti to put some work in at the clinic. And they sent Fred and Guido some swords and some panthery paraphernalia. And Blume got the deeds to a town house in a nice part of the city.

And, I don’t want to sound ungrateful but, they sent me some sort of Estalian concoction to keep me awake and alert. I had just spent three crowns on a load of fey eyes to keep me alert when I don’t get any sleep, and the only thing I had asked for was something to help me sleep, and they sent the opposite. Maybe the graf wasn’t quite as recovered as he appeared to be, and I don’t think I’m going to get a decent night’s sleep ever again.

And so that’s that, mum, I know I said I wouldn’t be writing much any more, but I thought I would send this one, just to munch the end of the carrot, as we say in the Mootland. And I don’t expect to be writing to you for a good while, now. I mean, what else can happen to us?