Despite the time and the work the had to do all day, many of the men stayed on guard for a long time, expecting an attack that didn't come. It was impossible to believe, but they had been lucky. Getting away from von Rosberg was a hard feat to accomplish, but he didn't even seem to follow them. One by one, the remaining guards went to the kitchen to eat something, quiet and strained, lacking the usual laughter. Then, they went to the sleeping quarters, until only the real guards were still awake.
Somewhere along the line, the stranger had woken up. He was still in great pain, and even though he wanted to, since the doctors interfered, he had to stay in the room and relax. His wounds were still dangerous, even though he'd survive. Most of the nerves had been destroyed, and a good part of other things. even if he could ever use his hand again, it was unlikely he'd ever be as quick with it. He had begged the two men to let the one in charge talk to him, and after some time, they agreed and got Emil, who was given the course to an island, that was "twelves only chance to get through this, mate."
It took a lot of comprominsing and good arguments (including:"But Johan's sick as well. It's not good for him to stay here, and mister doctor needs new inngredients for medicine."), but Emil agreed to go to that island.
Meanwhile, in von Rosbergs office.
"So, aren't you planning to follow them?"
Even Zacharias looked a little tense around von Rosberg. He knew he had messed up, and looked like he thought about every possible method to escape his punishment right about now, sitting in one of the chairs, his legs stretched out all relaxed, as if he wasn't afraid at all.
Von Rosberg, who was standing at the other end of the table, in front of one of the screens that showed the harbour, in this case, now stepped towards the mercenaries slowly.
"Frideswide got away from me a lot of times. I don't think he's up to start a revolution, I don't even think he has enough men to do so. He's always been... soft... but when it comes to killing some king, destroying a state, massacring nobles, his eyes get that gleam. He didn't have it, so we don't need to worry about him yet. Let him enjoy his freedom for some longer..."
Abraham, who was standing behind Zacharias, shivered. The words were spoken in a cold manner, but also somehow lovingly.
Von Rosberg continued.
"The government and I will talk about this, and then the government, the marine and I."
Here, Zacharias seemed to feel especially bold. He interrupted.
"And what about you and us?"
He got a look that made even him shut up. It was like that old man was pure menacingness.
Von Rosberg made a long pause, during which he slowly went to a staple of papers, bounty posters most likely, and judging from the colour, slightly old ones.
In this moment, every single one of the was happy that Huey was already asleep. He'd have started squeling about how he loved bounty hunting so much, and that would most likely not have been very liked by von Rosberg.
The old noble took one of the posters and laid it aside, then slowly laid the others back on the desk under the eyes of the mercenaries. The tension was something to behold.
"This...."
He held up the bounty poster shortly while making a dramatic pause. It was crossed, which meant that the one it had belonged to had already been taken care of. If he was dead, why should they care about him? Zacharias raised an eyebrow as he was handed the old piece of paper. On it was a rather handsome man with dark skin and long hair. Somehow Zacharias couldn't shake the feeling that he had been posing for that picture. It was just the way he stood there... Psing for his own bounty poster...
"... This man is one part of your new mission."
Zacharias huffed. A two-part mission, was it?
"What do you want us to do, graverobbing?"
The sad part was, he was pretty sure von Rosberg wasn't above those things. The even sadder part was Zacharias himself would have gladly taken the mission if it would be offered to him. But it wasn't. Instead, he got a glare from von Rosberg, and the old man continued.
"No. Close, though...."
(And on we go!)