Wars and Wealth - Bargains with Exiled Fae

Chapter 2

Two months later – on the far east side of the Empire.

David Tyr stepped off the public bus onto the streets of the port city of Perth, a middle size city in the Province of Estopia. The heat at the end of summer was a blessing to his cold weary body and David simply stood there basking in the sun.

“Move, you filthy beggar!” said a man as he shoved David out of the way and hurried past.

David snapped back to his senses as the busy foot traffic rushed past him and cars honked as scooters weaved in and out of the flow of traffic.

David frowned at the city around him, his momentary pleasure shattered. In truth, while Perth was warmer than most of the climates he had been fighting in for the past twelve years, there was little about the city to call beautiful.

There were a few business towers near the city center and in the distance, he could just barely see the ocean. He stood on the high point of the bowl of the valley that formed the city proper with mountains at his back.

David began walking down the street in search of a meal and some basic gear. While he had the black gold card in his pocket, the only other things he had were the old military physical training clothes he was wearing and his combat backpack. There were a few essentials in the pack but he had opted to travel light, figuring that in a city, he would be able to acquire anything he might need.

He had hitchhiked and camped his way across the Empire from the Imperial city in the far east to the coast. While the trip could take as little as a few hours to fly or a few days to drive if one took a car non stop, David had enjoyed the chance to see the whole of the Empire and camp along the way in some of the most beautiful forests he had ever seen.

Of course, after twelve years fighting in snow drifts that were over his head on good days and temperatures near -25 degrees, anything with no snow was a welcome change.

David walked past a martial arts hall and glanced through the window. Across the Empire, martial arts were highly praised, but David had seen that among the populace, there were few real masters.

Many who trained at halls such as this may claim to be masters but most were little better than street fighters. David watched their training for a few minutes before he slipped back out onto the street. There had been some skill in the master but most of his students were clearly novices, and it was unlikely any of them were skilled enough to be able to effectively assimilate the true talents of such a master anytime soon.

David’s stomach rumbled and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the black gold card.

“Psh. I doubt a local diner will even know what to do with this card.”

David looked around for a bank and spotted the Estopia branch of the Ovington Bank, one of the top three banks in the whole Empire.

He made his way over and was stopped at the door by a greeter.

“Sorry sir. No bags beyond this point. Security, you understand.”

David looked at the man and inclined his head politely and handed over his bag.

“It will be here for you when you conclude your business.”

David smiled and continued into the bank. At least the greeter was courteous and professional.

David looked around for an ATM but saw there were already several people in line. He sighed, his stomach rumbling again. Then he spotted an empty line set off by a simple rope barricade with a small VIP sign.

 Nice! Any teller should recognize his black gold card as one issued by the imperial treasury.

David made his way over to the lone teller.

“Hi, can I just get 100 Dret?”

The man behind the counter slowly glanced up from his computer and blinked at David.

“Sir, this is the VIP counter,” The bank teller replied coldly, clearly not intending to accommodate David.

“Yea, I know. That’s why I’m here. I need 100 dret from my account. Think you can help me out?”

“Sir, we don’t make personal loans for 100 dret.”

David shrugged.

 “I don’t need a loan. I just want to withdraw 100 dret from my account.” he said as he deliberately slid his black gold card across the counter.

The teller’s eyes went wide before he glanced skeptically at David. How could a homeless wanderer own such a card? Did he steal it?

“Sir, I warn you, stealing is illegal, you had better surrender the card and submit to questioning peacefully. The owner of this card will want to press charges,” The teller said as his hand slid under the counter.

David frowned as two security guards stepped up behind him. All this, just to withdraw some money from his own account?

“Sir, this way.”

David rolled his shoulders, his temper rising but he reminded himself that he had been on the road for over two months. He had to admit to himself that he likely looked the part of a homeless bum, not a God of War and Hero of the Empire.

He followed the men into a back room where the bank manager pointed to a lone chair.

“Sit, and explain yourself.”

“Explain what? That I want money from my card?”

“Your card? You are not qualified to own this card, let alone to see such a card.”

David knew arguing with the man wasn’t going to get him anywhere, so he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. 

Just as he pressed send, the manager slapped the phone out of his hand. David cringed as the screen shattered on the smooth granite floor.

“Ignoring me? We will see what the police have to say about this!”

David slowly looked up and glared at the manager with an icy chill. His hand seemed to move slowly but when he slapped the manager, the man’s head whipped to the side from the force, a red handprint instantly visible. “That phone was worth more than your life, handed to me by the Emperor himself.”

“Playing games with me?” the manager yelled, his face stinging, “As if anyone of power would have an audience with someone like you!” The branch manager pulled back his hand as if to slap David back but as he swung, David moved.

The manager’s eyes went wide as David slammed his hand into his throat and the manager’s head cracked on the brick wall that had been several feet away. The manager slid slowly to the floor, his eyes glassy with shock.

David looked over his shoulder at the two stunned guards, “You two are only doing your job. But if you move, I will not hesitate to kill you both. This matter will be sorted by higher powers than you.”

Turning back to the manager, David glared down at him, “Is this really how you treat customers?”

It had been over a decade since anyone had shown him such disrespect. The icemen of the north had at least been honorable opponents, and worthy of his effort.

“You don’t allow your customers to withdraw their money, and you accuse them of whatever you like? Your ‘professional’ behavior is indeed impressive!” He said sarcastically, mentally applauding the man for both his bravery and foolishness.

The manager choked out “Who are you?”

“You are not qualified to ask, much less to know who I am. Suffice to say, I am the owner of that card. That should be enough for you to treat me with respect and professional courtesy.”

A commotion out in the hall drew his attention as David heard two voices talking in hushed tones.

Clearly annoyed, the first was saying, “I thought you promised me that business here was above board.”

“It is, it is, Mayor Hadley,” The second voice whispered.

“Bank President Jackson, if your efforts were above board, I would not have gotten the call I just did.”

“Oh? Whose call could have made you come over so sudden?” Jackson inquired cautiously.

“The GOVERNOR!! The gods damned Governor personally called to tell me to get my ass over here and deal with matters. What the hell is going on?” the Mayor asked.