Fic: Chain of events 5/6 - Hercules:The legendary journeys
Title - Chain of events 05 - Betrayed
Fandom: Hercules: The legendary journeys
Author: Ceindreadh
Genre: Drama, Hurt/comfort
Characters/Pairing: Hercules/Iolaus
Rating: M
Summary: Iolaus tries to rescue some captives but ends up joining their number
Notes: Set post season 6 HTLJ, but ignoring anything that may have happened in subsequent Xena episodes. Many thanks to Tina for all her help with this story.
Word count: ~ 3,800 /23,000
Chain of Events 01
Chain of Events 02
Chain of Events 03
Chain of Events 04
Warnings: Threat of non-con, which may or may not be carried out
Disclaimer. I don’t own the characters, I’m only borrowing them, no copyright infringement is intended.
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Ducking inside, Hercules called to Iolaus, “Hope you found something to wear buddy, I think it’s time we got moving.” He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Belchor standing in the centre of the tent, holding a knife to the throat of Iolaus who was on his knees in front of him.
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
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[Chapter 5]
Belchor had his hand in Iolaus's hair, forcing his head back, the blade of the knife resting against Iolaus's throat. Hercules could see the sharpness of the blade and knew that even with his speed, there was no way he would be able cover the distance between them before Belchor could slit Iolaus's throat.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Hercules, a note of anger in his voice as he tried to bluff his way out of the situation. "I have paid for the whole night. Is this how you treat all your customers?"
"No," said Belchor. "Only the ones who lie to me and plan to wreck my livelihood. Isn't that right...Hercules?”
Hercules felt the color drain from his face as Belchor continued, “Oh yes, I know all about you and your plan to rescue your little friend here." He tightened his grip on Iolaus's hair. "We've been having a most informative conversation here, haven't we?"
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Iolaus hadn't been happy about letting Hercules leave him behind. "Bound to get into trouble without me," he'd muttered to himself as he'd retrieved his breechcloth which had managed to survive 'Kester's' efforts. "And then who's going to save his ass?"
Eldred's cloak had also been located, and Iolaus draped it over his shoulders for warmth. "The sooner I get my own clothes back the better," he'd said to himself as he sat back down on the blankets with a fresh plate of food.
Iolaus had just finished the last bite when he heard movement at the entrance to the tent, but his smile of relief died on his lips as he looked up and saw Belchor march in, followed by Erastos and Leon, two of his men who from Iolaus’s recollection had *not* partaken of the feast.
"Where did he go?" snarled Belchor.
"I don't think you understand the logistics of the master-slave relationship," said Iolaus. "He doesn't have to keep *me* informed of his whereabouts." Iolaus practically spat out the words, even as he groped behind him on the blanket trying to find the knife he'd dropped earlier. "But from the amount of wine he drank...afterwards," Iolaus shuddered theatrically, "My guess is that he's out looking for the nearest tree. Feel free to join him."
"You can drop the act," snapped Belchor. "I know you're in cahoots with Kester...or should I say, Hercules. Isn't that right, Eldred?" Belchor stood aside to let Eldred enter the tent.
One look at Eldred and Iolaus knew that the man had betrayed them. He'd had his doubts about Eldred from the moment he'd set eyes on him, and had said as much to Hercules when his partner had filled him in on the plan. "I don't really trust him either," Hercules had said, "But I trust his love of the money he's still owed will be enough to keep him honest, at least until we get back to Corinth. After that, well he's Iphicles's problem."
"When Hercules gets back," Iolaus told himself "We are going to have serious words about his trusting nature." Even as he was thinking, his body was moving instinctively, grabbing the serving plate and hurling it straight at Belchor. Without waiting to see if it hit the target, Iolaus scrambled to his feet glancing quickly around in search of a weapon, even as Leon and Erastos approached him menacingly. Iolaus managed to kick Leon in the chest, knocking him over, but Erastos dodged the next kick and managed to land a punch of his own which caught Iolaus on the side of his face, dazing him slightly. He would have recovered, but as he stumbled backwards, his feet got tangled in Eldred's cloak on the ground and he fell heavily. A kick in the ribs from Leon left Iolaus groaning. The next thing he knew he'd been hauled before Belchor, wrists tied behind him and forced to his knees.
"I think we've been here before," said Belchor, grabbing Iolaus by the chin and forcing his gaze upwards.
"Yeah," said Iolaus, "But last time we didn't have a traitor watching us." He jerked his head free and looked angrily at Eldred. "I knew Hercules shouldn't have trusted you! What happened, did Belchor offer you a better deal?"
"Let's just say that some people know where their loyalties lie," said Belchor.
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“What did your last slave die of?” grumbled Eldred as he pushed his way out of the tent. “Just because his brother’s the King of Corinth, doesn’t mean he can order people around,” he told himself even as he made his way through the camp. In the distance through the trees, Eldred could see Iolaus being led along on a chain by one of Belchor’s men and he hurried to keep up with them. It didn’t come as much of a surprise when they ended up close to the river, and Eldred watched as Belchor’s man started washing Iolaus down. “Knew there was nothing to worry about,” Eldred told himself. “Belchor’s not fool enough to damage him now, especially when he thinks he’s got a potential buyer.”
Cursing under his breath at the waste of time, Eldred decided to head back to the camp. Not that he particularly wanted to spend more time in Hercules’s company; the man had made it clear that he was only tolerating Eldred’s presence because he had no other choice. His barely hidden disdain for Eldred and his previous line of work had made for a pretty uncomfortable few days. “If it wasn’t for me, he’d never have found his friend. Think he could muster up a simple thank you? Hah!” It had seemed like the answer to Eldred’s prayers when the King of Corinth had shown up in the prison looking for him. For the chance to avoid the notorious Golgoth prison, Eldred would have done pretty much anything. And getting the King to pony up a pocketful of cash was just the icing on the cake. Not that Eldred had seriously entertained any ideas of returning to Corinth for the rest of the money, oh no. Five hundred denarii in his pocket, Eldred had big plans for that, and wasn’t about to take any chances on Iphicles reneging on his side of the bargain.
And then there had been the money that Hercules or rather Kester was going to be carrying. Eldred hadn’t been sure how he would manage it, but he figured there had to be a way to separate Hercules from the money before they reached Belchor’s camp. Oh sure, he’d heard all the stories about the amazing strength the guy had, but honestly, who believed all that stuff anyway. At least that was what he’d thought until halfway to their destination when the path had been blocked by a fallen tree which Hercules had removed singlehandedly. After that point, Eldred had started to figure that maybe he might be better off sticking to the terms of the deal. At least until he could think of a better plan.
So he’d bided his time, carefully arranged the introductions between Belchor and Kester, and tried to negotiate as good a deal as possible for Kester’s purchases. By the time the deals had been struck, it was late enough in the day that Eldred knew they’d be staying in camp overnight, and that suited him just fine. After all, even super-strength half-gods had to sleep sometimes, and who knew, maybe some of that special wine they’d brought along might accidentally end up in Hercules’s goblet and he wouldn’t wake up while somebody liberated his money from him.
At least that had been the plan back when Eldred had thought there was any money worth liberating. Eldred couldn’t believe his ears when Hercules had told him exactly how little money he was carrying. “If Belchor finds out, we’re dead” and Eldred knew that even their previous friendship wouldn’t count for much if Belchor discovered he was being cheated.
“Eldred, old friend.”
Eldred jumped and whirled around as he heard Belchor’s voice.
“Apologies, I didn’t mean to startle you,” said Belchor. “Although I must admit to being a little surprised to see that Kester has let you off his leash.”
Eldred spat on the ground, “He ain’t the boss of me,” he growled.
“Really?” said Belchor, “Forgive me, but it seems to me that he is the one holding all the cards…not to mention the coin.”
“Well that’s as may be,” said Eldred, “He may have the coin, but I’m the one showing him what to spend it on. He’s got big ideas, but he doesn’t know the first thing about picking the right slaves for the right jobs.”
“Hmm, he certainly seemed to know his own mind, especially when it came to my most recent acquisition. So tell me, Eldred. Just how interested *is* he in making another purchase?”
“You mean that blond guy in all the chains?” Eldred looked suspiciously at Belchor who nodded. “Well, I’d like to tell you…but it’s been a long day, and my throat is a bit sore from all the bargaining I’ve been doing.”
“Perhaps some ale will help soothe your throat.”
Sure enough, thought Eldred as he sat on a fallen tree, the ale supplied by Belchor was indeed very soothing on the throat. “Sounds to me like you can’t wait to get rid of that guy. I’m betting all those chains weren’t just for show?”
“He has indeed caused a certain amount of trouble,” said Belchor, “But I’m sure a man like Kester would have no problem breaking him to his will.”
“Oh he’d enjoy that, believe me. See, what you should probably know about Kester,” said Eldred, before taking another swig of the ale. “All the other slaves he had me bargain for, they were just business. But that little blond guy, well let’s just say that’s likely to be more for his own personal pleasure, if you get my meaning. And what Kester wants, Kester tends to get.”
“I think I do,” said Belchor. “So he’ll pay a high price?”
Eldred shrugged, “Maybe, maybe not. Of course he does rely heavily on my input in these matters. Trusts me to steer him right.”
“Perhaps some more ale would help you steer him in the right direction?”
“Perhaps something with a bit more permanent value might work better.” Eldred held Belchor’s gaze until the other man laughed loudly.
“You haven’t lost your touch, Eldred,” said Belchor, clapping him on the back. “It’s a shame to see you waste your skills working for a barbarian like him.”
“Yeah, well. Times are hard,” said Eldred, draining the last of the ale. “He needed somebody who knew the trade; I needed coin in my pocket.” He set the mug down on the tree.
“If I make enough from this deal,” said Belchor, “I may think of restructuring my organization. I could use somebody who knows how I operate. Think about that when you are ‘steering’ Kester tonight.”
Eldred thought about it all the way back to the tent. He’d been hoping for an upfront offer of coin from Belchor, coin that he could get his hands on before the upcoming attack by the King’s men, coin that he could take with him when he snuck away in the confusion. “Fat lot of good a job offer will be to me when Belchor’s behind bars,” thought Eldred. “Maybe I should just take what I already have and run before the fighting starts.”
Unfortunately, it looked like even that might not be an option, thought Eldred as the evening had progressed. It had all been going smoothly; the food had been good and the drink plentiful, although Eldred had sensibly stuck to ale rather than wine. Better yet, it seemed like Hercules had finally started to listen to his advice and was waiting for Belchor to make the first move in the negotiations. And then Hercules had gone and ruined it all by opening his big stupid mouth on the subject. Eldred groaned inwardly when he’d heard him, and groaned even more when Belchor dropped him right in it. When he’d reported back to Hercules that Iolaus wasn’t being harmed, Eldred had carefully avoided mentioning his run-in with Belchor. “I am surrounded by idiots,” he told himself sourly.
Still, at least Hercules had clearly being paying *some* attention during the earlier negotiations, thought Eldred as he watched the two men strike a deal. Downing the last of his ale, Eldred pushed himself to his feet and headed for the tent to get the wine as instructed.
“And take your bedroll too.” Eldred stopped in his tracks at the words and glanced back at Hercules, a look of shock on his face. Hercules was too busy counting coins to even look at him. “You can make camp with Belchor. I don’t want to be disturbed before morning!”
Eldred forced himself to continue on towards the tent, cursing Hercules under his breath. “Oh that’s just perfect that is. You and blondie get all the comforts of home, and I get to sleep out in the open, smack bang in the middle where all the fighting’s gonna be happening.” He’d grabbed his bedroll and the wine and returned to the group, watching as Hercules led Iolaus right past him without a second glance.
It didn’t escape Eldred’s attention that a few of Belchor’s men seemed to be taking unusual interest in the proceedings, sneaking away from the campfire and taking up position around the side of Kester’s tent to listen in on the muffled shouts coming from it. Belchor too seemed to have noticed, but before he could take any action, an earsplitting scream of pain came from the tent and echoed through the camp. Eldred nearly dropped his mug in shock.
“It looks like Kester is getting his money’s worth,” said Belchor.
Eldred’s hand was almost shaking as he raised the mug to his lips again. He hadn’t thought that Hercules would be ruthless enough to hurt his friend just to convince Belchor and his men of his intentions. It didn’t exactly bode well for his own chances of escape when all this was over. He hurriedly finished the ale and called for another, wondering if maybe he should take Belchor up on his job offer after all. But Belchor was going to end up in jail in a matter of days if Hercules’s plan succeeded. Eldred put his mug down heavily. “That is of course, assuming that his plan *does* succeed…”
He watched as Belchor’s men staggered back to the campfire only to be berated angrily by their master. It turned out that Belchor wasn’t so much angry about them listening in, as he was about them getting caught. “The man paid well for his privacy, the least you could have done was kept your mouths shut!”
Eldred spent the next hour or so trying to figure the best way to deal with his situation. The way he saw it, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Spill the beans to Belchor and hope that the advance warning would cancel out the original betrayal, or keep his mouth shut and hope not to get killed when the King’s men attacked the camp. And even if he *did* make it back to Corinth in one piece, who was to say that Iphicles would hold up *his* end of the bargain? After all, it wouldn’t exactly do his anti-slavery reputation much good if word got out that he’d paid off a slaver and let him go free. At least with Belchor there was a chance that he’d appreciate the heads-up about the threat in his midst. “Especially when I can point out his enemy’s weak spot,” said Eldred to himself as he finished setting out his bedroll. “Hercules won’t be so high and mighty when his buddy’s bleeding in front of him.” With another mug of ale under his belt to steady his nerves, Eldred went to talk to Belchor.
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"Let's just say that some people know where their loyalties lie," said Belchor. He had initially been furious with Eldred, ready to slit his throat and leave him behind when they broke camp to escape the attack. But Eldred as always had been a canny negotiator, carefully not revealing the true reason for Hercules infiltrating the camp until after he’d extracted a promise of safe passage. Belchor, knowing that he’d need every advantage possible against a man of Hercules’s strength had been forced to agree. But the revelation that his troublesome captive was best friend and partner of Hercules and somebody he would do anything to keep safe, that was indeed knowledge worth having. Belchor had set a watch on the tent as he tried to round up his men, cursing under his breath as he realized how few of them were still conscious.
Belchor knew that he himself could easily have been among the sleepers had he not deliberately kept a clear head, knowing that further negotiations were likely.
By the time Belchor had rousted what men he could, Hercules had already left the tent, alone. Knowing that even with his full complement of men, Hercules would be more than a match for him, Belchor was happy to let him go, setting one of his men on watch outside before entering the tent with the others.
“I asked you a question,” said Belchor, “Where did Hercules go?”
Even dazed as he had been, Iolaus had retained enough of his senses to instinctively flex his arms in just the right way when Erastos and Leon had tied his wrists, and now he used the slack gained to try and work his hands loose. “Like I said earlier, he went looking for a tree.” Iolaus had been half expecting the punch from Belchor and he went with it, allowing his body to fall onto his back and giving him a few seconds to tug at the ropes unseen. He could feel the cut on his lip starting to bleed again as Erastos and Leon jerked him back onto his knees.
“Tell me the truth,” said Belchor, pulling out his knife. “Unless you *want* him to return to find your throat slit.”
Iolaus’s heart was racing but he forced himself to shrug with apparent indifference, “Kill me, and there won’t be anything to stop him ripping you limb from limb.” Iolaus saw Belchor nod to his men, and forced himself to go limp and not resist as they grabbed his arms and held him firmly in place.
Belchor leaned in and grabbed Iolaus by the hair, “If I cut out your eyes,” hissed Belchor, “I can still use you as a hostage.”
All Iolaus could see was the blade pointing straight at him, “Okay, okay,” he blurted out, “He went…he went to the river…” He took a deep breath, “Hercules brought a battalion from Corinth with him. They’re down-river. Hercules has gone to signal them to join him. Once they’re here, he’ll lead them straight into the camp.”
Belchor whirled around to face Eldred, “You told me he had barely a dozen men with him!”
Iolaus forced a laugh, “Did you really think that Eldred was going to be trusted with the real plan? Hercules guessed that he’d spill the beans to you as soon as he got a chance. That’s why he had most of Iphicles’s men follow along at a safe distance.”
“You’re lying!” Eldred would have attacked Iolaus if the guard at the tent entrance hadn’t turned and said “He’s coming back!”
Belchor quickly positioned himself so that Iolaus was between him and the tent entrance. Holding the knife to Iolaus’s throat he said, “Don’t try anything, or once I’ve dealt with Hercules, I’ll start on Keti.”
“Hope you found something to wear buddy,” said Hercules as he entered the tent, “I think it’s time we got moving.”
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Hercules, "I have paid for the whole night. Is this how you treat all your customers?"
"No," said Belchor. "Only the ones who lie to me and plan to wreck my livelihood. Isn't that right...Hercules?”
Iolaus could see Hercules falter slightly as Belchor continued, “Oh yes, I know all about you and your plan to rescue your little friend here." Iolaus stifled a yelp as Belchor’s grip on his hair tightened, but he kept working away at the ropes on his wrists which were almost loose enough. "We've been having a most informative conversation here, haven't we?"
“Iolaus? Remember that promise you were forced to make?” Hercules waited until Iolaus made eye contact with him and saw his partner give a barely perceptible nod. “There’s nothing holding you to it anymore.”
Hercules saw a wolfish grin appear on Iolaus’s face and then with a loud yell, Iolaus flung himself backwards knocking Belchor off balance. Knowing that Iolaus could take care of himself, Hercules took a quick stride towards Belchor’s men, dispatching the first one with a single punch. The second was smarter, staying back out of Hercules’s reach while swinging his sword, and Hercules had to jump backwards to avoid being slashed. The jump took him within reach of Eldred, who was starting to sneak out of the tent, only to be stopped by Hercules grabbing the back of his tunic. “Going somewhere?” said Hercules, holding Eldred in place even as he ducked to avoid another slash from a sword. A swift kick sent the sword flying into the air, and a second kick sent its owner flying as well. A few more punches and kicks and the only people left standing were Hercules and Eldred. One more punch and Eldred went down as well. Hercules wiped his hands on his pants and went to help Iolaus.
Belchor was flat on his back, Iolaus astride him. “This is for threatening Keti.” Iolaus landed another punch on Belchor’s face which was awash with blood. “This is for taking my medallion.” Iolaus’s knuckles were bleeding and he swayed slightly as he hit Belchor again. “This is for settling for only fifty denarii.” Iolaus was about to punch him again when suddenly he was grabbed from behind and pulled to his feet. Instinctively he turned, hands raised ready to hit whoever it was, only to see Hercules standing in front of him.
“Iolaus!” said Hercules, his hands on Iolaus’s shoulders. “Enough…it’s over.” Hercules didn’t particularly care what happened to Belchor, he just didn’t want Iolaus to do something in the heat of the moment that he’d regret later when he’d calmed down. Over Iolaus’s shoulder he caught a glimpse of movement, a figure crawling, a flash of a knife.
Without even looking, Iolaus kicked backwards, catching Belchor in the face and sending him crashing to the ground. “Now it’s over,” said Iolaus, shrugging Hercules’s hands off his shoulders and walking away.
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to be continued
Chain of Events 06
Fandom: Hercules: The legendary journeys
Author: Ceindreadh
Genre: Drama, Hurt/comfort
Characters/Pairing: Hercules/Iolaus
Rating: M
Summary: Iolaus tries to rescue some captives but ends up joining their number
Notes: Set post season 6 HTLJ, but ignoring anything that may have happened in subsequent Xena episodes. Many thanks to Tina for all her help with this story.
Word count: ~ 3,800 /23,000
Chain of Events 01
Chain of Events 02
Chain of Events 03
Chain of Events 04
Warnings: Threat of non-con, which may or may not be carried out
Disclaimer. I don’t own the characters, I’m only borrowing them, no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
Ducking inside, Hercules called to Iolaus, “Hope you found something to wear buddy, I think it’s time we got moving.” He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Belchor standing in the centre of the tent, holding a knife to the throat of Iolaus who was on his knees in front of him.
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
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[Chapter 5]
Belchor had his hand in Iolaus's hair, forcing his head back, the blade of the knife resting against Iolaus's throat. Hercules could see the sharpness of the blade and knew that even with his speed, there was no way he would be able cover the distance between them before Belchor could slit Iolaus's throat.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Hercules, a note of anger in his voice as he tried to bluff his way out of the situation. "I have paid for the whole night. Is this how you treat all your customers?"
"No," said Belchor. "Only the ones who lie to me and plan to wreck my livelihood. Isn't that right...Hercules?”
Hercules felt the color drain from his face as Belchor continued, “Oh yes, I know all about you and your plan to rescue your little friend here." He tightened his grip on Iolaus's hair. "We've been having a most informative conversation here, haven't we?"
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Iolaus hadn't been happy about letting Hercules leave him behind. "Bound to get into trouble without me," he'd muttered to himself as he'd retrieved his breechcloth which had managed to survive 'Kester's' efforts. "And then who's going to save his ass?"
Eldred's cloak had also been located, and Iolaus draped it over his shoulders for warmth. "The sooner I get my own clothes back the better," he'd said to himself as he sat back down on the blankets with a fresh plate of food.
Iolaus had just finished the last bite when he heard movement at the entrance to the tent, but his smile of relief died on his lips as he looked up and saw Belchor march in, followed by Erastos and Leon, two of his men who from Iolaus’s recollection had *not* partaken of the feast.
"Where did he go?" snarled Belchor.
"I don't think you understand the logistics of the master-slave relationship," said Iolaus. "He doesn't have to keep *me* informed of his whereabouts." Iolaus practically spat out the words, even as he groped behind him on the blanket trying to find the knife he'd dropped earlier. "But from the amount of wine he drank...afterwards," Iolaus shuddered theatrically, "My guess is that he's out looking for the nearest tree. Feel free to join him."
"You can drop the act," snapped Belchor. "I know you're in cahoots with Kester...or should I say, Hercules. Isn't that right, Eldred?" Belchor stood aside to let Eldred enter the tent.
One look at Eldred and Iolaus knew that the man had betrayed them. He'd had his doubts about Eldred from the moment he'd set eyes on him, and had said as much to Hercules when his partner had filled him in on the plan. "I don't really trust him either," Hercules had said, "But I trust his love of the money he's still owed will be enough to keep him honest, at least until we get back to Corinth. After that, well he's Iphicles's problem."
"When Hercules gets back," Iolaus told himself "We are going to have serious words about his trusting nature." Even as he was thinking, his body was moving instinctively, grabbing the serving plate and hurling it straight at Belchor. Without waiting to see if it hit the target, Iolaus scrambled to his feet glancing quickly around in search of a weapon, even as Leon and Erastos approached him menacingly. Iolaus managed to kick Leon in the chest, knocking him over, but Erastos dodged the next kick and managed to land a punch of his own which caught Iolaus on the side of his face, dazing him slightly. He would have recovered, but as he stumbled backwards, his feet got tangled in Eldred's cloak on the ground and he fell heavily. A kick in the ribs from Leon left Iolaus groaning. The next thing he knew he'd been hauled before Belchor, wrists tied behind him and forced to his knees.
"I think we've been here before," said Belchor, grabbing Iolaus by the chin and forcing his gaze upwards.
"Yeah," said Iolaus, "But last time we didn't have a traitor watching us." He jerked his head free and looked angrily at Eldred. "I knew Hercules shouldn't have trusted you! What happened, did Belchor offer you a better deal?"
"Let's just say that some people know where their loyalties lie," said Belchor.
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“What did your last slave die of?” grumbled Eldred as he pushed his way out of the tent. “Just because his brother’s the King of Corinth, doesn’t mean he can order people around,” he told himself even as he made his way through the camp. In the distance through the trees, Eldred could see Iolaus being led along on a chain by one of Belchor’s men and he hurried to keep up with them. It didn’t come as much of a surprise when they ended up close to the river, and Eldred watched as Belchor’s man started washing Iolaus down. “Knew there was nothing to worry about,” Eldred told himself. “Belchor’s not fool enough to damage him now, especially when he thinks he’s got a potential buyer.”
Cursing under his breath at the waste of time, Eldred decided to head back to the camp. Not that he particularly wanted to spend more time in Hercules’s company; the man had made it clear that he was only tolerating Eldred’s presence because he had no other choice. His barely hidden disdain for Eldred and his previous line of work had made for a pretty uncomfortable few days. “If it wasn’t for me, he’d never have found his friend. Think he could muster up a simple thank you? Hah!” It had seemed like the answer to Eldred’s prayers when the King of Corinth had shown up in the prison looking for him. For the chance to avoid the notorious Golgoth prison, Eldred would have done pretty much anything. And getting the King to pony up a pocketful of cash was just the icing on the cake. Not that Eldred had seriously entertained any ideas of returning to Corinth for the rest of the money, oh no. Five hundred denarii in his pocket, Eldred had big plans for that, and wasn’t about to take any chances on Iphicles reneging on his side of the bargain.
And then there had been the money that Hercules or rather Kester was going to be carrying. Eldred hadn’t been sure how he would manage it, but he figured there had to be a way to separate Hercules from the money before they reached Belchor’s camp. Oh sure, he’d heard all the stories about the amazing strength the guy had, but honestly, who believed all that stuff anyway. At least that was what he’d thought until halfway to their destination when the path had been blocked by a fallen tree which Hercules had removed singlehandedly. After that point, Eldred had started to figure that maybe he might be better off sticking to the terms of the deal. At least until he could think of a better plan.
So he’d bided his time, carefully arranged the introductions between Belchor and Kester, and tried to negotiate as good a deal as possible for Kester’s purchases. By the time the deals had been struck, it was late enough in the day that Eldred knew they’d be staying in camp overnight, and that suited him just fine. After all, even super-strength half-gods had to sleep sometimes, and who knew, maybe some of that special wine they’d brought along might accidentally end up in Hercules’s goblet and he wouldn’t wake up while somebody liberated his money from him.
At least that had been the plan back when Eldred had thought there was any money worth liberating. Eldred couldn’t believe his ears when Hercules had told him exactly how little money he was carrying. “If Belchor finds out, we’re dead” and Eldred knew that even their previous friendship wouldn’t count for much if Belchor discovered he was being cheated.
“Eldred, old friend.”
Eldred jumped and whirled around as he heard Belchor’s voice.
“Apologies, I didn’t mean to startle you,” said Belchor. “Although I must admit to being a little surprised to see that Kester has let you off his leash.”
Eldred spat on the ground, “He ain’t the boss of me,” he growled.
“Really?” said Belchor, “Forgive me, but it seems to me that he is the one holding all the cards…not to mention the coin.”
“Well that’s as may be,” said Eldred, “He may have the coin, but I’m the one showing him what to spend it on. He’s got big ideas, but he doesn’t know the first thing about picking the right slaves for the right jobs.”
“Hmm, he certainly seemed to know his own mind, especially when it came to my most recent acquisition. So tell me, Eldred. Just how interested *is* he in making another purchase?”
“You mean that blond guy in all the chains?” Eldred looked suspiciously at Belchor who nodded. “Well, I’d like to tell you…but it’s been a long day, and my throat is a bit sore from all the bargaining I’ve been doing.”
“Perhaps some ale will help soothe your throat.”
Sure enough, thought Eldred as he sat on a fallen tree, the ale supplied by Belchor was indeed very soothing on the throat. “Sounds to me like you can’t wait to get rid of that guy. I’m betting all those chains weren’t just for show?”
“He has indeed caused a certain amount of trouble,” said Belchor, “But I’m sure a man like Kester would have no problem breaking him to his will.”
“Oh he’d enjoy that, believe me. See, what you should probably know about Kester,” said Eldred, before taking another swig of the ale. “All the other slaves he had me bargain for, they were just business. But that little blond guy, well let’s just say that’s likely to be more for his own personal pleasure, if you get my meaning. And what Kester wants, Kester tends to get.”
“I think I do,” said Belchor. “So he’ll pay a high price?”
Eldred shrugged, “Maybe, maybe not. Of course he does rely heavily on my input in these matters. Trusts me to steer him right.”
“Perhaps some more ale would help you steer him in the right direction?”
“Perhaps something with a bit more permanent value might work better.” Eldred held Belchor’s gaze until the other man laughed loudly.
“You haven’t lost your touch, Eldred,” said Belchor, clapping him on the back. “It’s a shame to see you waste your skills working for a barbarian like him.”
“Yeah, well. Times are hard,” said Eldred, draining the last of the ale. “He needed somebody who knew the trade; I needed coin in my pocket.” He set the mug down on the tree.
“If I make enough from this deal,” said Belchor, “I may think of restructuring my organization. I could use somebody who knows how I operate. Think about that when you are ‘steering’ Kester tonight.”
Eldred thought about it all the way back to the tent. He’d been hoping for an upfront offer of coin from Belchor, coin that he could get his hands on before the upcoming attack by the King’s men, coin that he could take with him when he snuck away in the confusion. “Fat lot of good a job offer will be to me when Belchor’s behind bars,” thought Eldred. “Maybe I should just take what I already have and run before the fighting starts.”
Unfortunately, it looked like even that might not be an option, thought Eldred as the evening had progressed. It had all been going smoothly; the food had been good and the drink plentiful, although Eldred had sensibly stuck to ale rather than wine. Better yet, it seemed like Hercules had finally started to listen to his advice and was waiting for Belchor to make the first move in the negotiations. And then Hercules had gone and ruined it all by opening his big stupid mouth on the subject. Eldred groaned inwardly when he’d heard him, and groaned even more when Belchor dropped him right in it. When he’d reported back to Hercules that Iolaus wasn’t being harmed, Eldred had carefully avoided mentioning his run-in with Belchor. “I am surrounded by idiots,” he told himself sourly.
Still, at least Hercules had clearly being paying *some* attention during the earlier negotiations, thought Eldred as he watched the two men strike a deal. Downing the last of his ale, Eldred pushed himself to his feet and headed for the tent to get the wine as instructed.
“And take your bedroll too.” Eldred stopped in his tracks at the words and glanced back at Hercules, a look of shock on his face. Hercules was too busy counting coins to even look at him. “You can make camp with Belchor. I don’t want to be disturbed before morning!”
Eldred forced himself to continue on towards the tent, cursing Hercules under his breath. “Oh that’s just perfect that is. You and blondie get all the comforts of home, and I get to sleep out in the open, smack bang in the middle where all the fighting’s gonna be happening.” He’d grabbed his bedroll and the wine and returned to the group, watching as Hercules led Iolaus right past him without a second glance.
It didn’t escape Eldred’s attention that a few of Belchor’s men seemed to be taking unusual interest in the proceedings, sneaking away from the campfire and taking up position around the side of Kester’s tent to listen in on the muffled shouts coming from it. Belchor too seemed to have noticed, but before he could take any action, an earsplitting scream of pain came from the tent and echoed through the camp. Eldred nearly dropped his mug in shock.
“It looks like Kester is getting his money’s worth,” said Belchor.
Eldred’s hand was almost shaking as he raised the mug to his lips again. He hadn’t thought that Hercules would be ruthless enough to hurt his friend just to convince Belchor and his men of his intentions. It didn’t exactly bode well for his own chances of escape when all this was over. He hurriedly finished the ale and called for another, wondering if maybe he should take Belchor up on his job offer after all. But Belchor was going to end up in jail in a matter of days if Hercules’s plan succeeded. Eldred put his mug down heavily. “That is of course, assuming that his plan *does* succeed…”
He watched as Belchor’s men staggered back to the campfire only to be berated angrily by their master. It turned out that Belchor wasn’t so much angry about them listening in, as he was about them getting caught. “The man paid well for his privacy, the least you could have done was kept your mouths shut!”
Eldred spent the next hour or so trying to figure the best way to deal with his situation. The way he saw it, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Spill the beans to Belchor and hope that the advance warning would cancel out the original betrayal, or keep his mouth shut and hope not to get killed when the King’s men attacked the camp. And even if he *did* make it back to Corinth in one piece, who was to say that Iphicles would hold up *his* end of the bargain? After all, it wouldn’t exactly do his anti-slavery reputation much good if word got out that he’d paid off a slaver and let him go free. At least with Belchor there was a chance that he’d appreciate the heads-up about the threat in his midst. “Especially when I can point out his enemy’s weak spot,” said Eldred to himself as he finished setting out his bedroll. “Hercules won’t be so high and mighty when his buddy’s bleeding in front of him.” With another mug of ale under his belt to steady his nerves, Eldred went to talk to Belchor.
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"Let's just say that some people know where their loyalties lie," said Belchor. He had initially been furious with Eldred, ready to slit his throat and leave him behind when they broke camp to escape the attack. But Eldred as always had been a canny negotiator, carefully not revealing the true reason for Hercules infiltrating the camp until after he’d extracted a promise of safe passage. Belchor, knowing that he’d need every advantage possible against a man of Hercules’s strength had been forced to agree. But the revelation that his troublesome captive was best friend and partner of Hercules and somebody he would do anything to keep safe, that was indeed knowledge worth having. Belchor had set a watch on the tent as he tried to round up his men, cursing under his breath as he realized how few of them were still conscious.
Belchor knew that he himself could easily have been among the sleepers had he not deliberately kept a clear head, knowing that further negotiations were likely.
By the time Belchor had rousted what men he could, Hercules had already left the tent, alone. Knowing that even with his full complement of men, Hercules would be more than a match for him, Belchor was happy to let him go, setting one of his men on watch outside before entering the tent with the others.
“I asked you a question,” said Belchor, “Where did Hercules go?”
Even dazed as he had been, Iolaus had retained enough of his senses to instinctively flex his arms in just the right way when Erastos and Leon had tied his wrists, and now he used the slack gained to try and work his hands loose. “Like I said earlier, he went looking for a tree.” Iolaus had been half expecting the punch from Belchor and he went with it, allowing his body to fall onto his back and giving him a few seconds to tug at the ropes unseen. He could feel the cut on his lip starting to bleed again as Erastos and Leon jerked him back onto his knees.
“Tell me the truth,” said Belchor, pulling out his knife. “Unless you *want* him to return to find your throat slit.”
Iolaus’s heart was racing but he forced himself to shrug with apparent indifference, “Kill me, and there won’t be anything to stop him ripping you limb from limb.” Iolaus saw Belchor nod to his men, and forced himself to go limp and not resist as they grabbed his arms and held him firmly in place.
Belchor leaned in and grabbed Iolaus by the hair, “If I cut out your eyes,” hissed Belchor, “I can still use you as a hostage.”
All Iolaus could see was the blade pointing straight at him, “Okay, okay,” he blurted out, “He went…he went to the river…” He took a deep breath, “Hercules brought a battalion from Corinth with him. They’re down-river. Hercules has gone to signal them to join him. Once they’re here, he’ll lead them straight into the camp.”
Belchor whirled around to face Eldred, “You told me he had barely a dozen men with him!”
Iolaus forced a laugh, “Did you really think that Eldred was going to be trusted with the real plan? Hercules guessed that he’d spill the beans to you as soon as he got a chance. That’s why he had most of Iphicles’s men follow along at a safe distance.”
“You’re lying!” Eldred would have attacked Iolaus if the guard at the tent entrance hadn’t turned and said “He’s coming back!”
Belchor quickly positioned himself so that Iolaus was between him and the tent entrance. Holding the knife to Iolaus’s throat he said, “Don’t try anything, or once I’ve dealt with Hercules, I’ll start on Keti.”
“Hope you found something to wear buddy,” said Hercules as he entered the tent, “I think it’s time we got moving.”
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Hercules, "I have paid for the whole night. Is this how you treat all your customers?"
"No," said Belchor. "Only the ones who lie to me and plan to wreck my livelihood. Isn't that right...Hercules?”
Iolaus could see Hercules falter slightly as Belchor continued, “Oh yes, I know all about you and your plan to rescue your little friend here." Iolaus stifled a yelp as Belchor’s grip on his hair tightened, but he kept working away at the ropes on his wrists which were almost loose enough. "We've been having a most informative conversation here, haven't we?"
“Iolaus? Remember that promise you were forced to make?” Hercules waited until Iolaus made eye contact with him and saw his partner give a barely perceptible nod. “There’s nothing holding you to it anymore.”
Hercules saw a wolfish grin appear on Iolaus’s face and then with a loud yell, Iolaus flung himself backwards knocking Belchor off balance. Knowing that Iolaus could take care of himself, Hercules took a quick stride towards Belchor’s men, dispatching the first one with a single punch. The second was smarter, staying back out of Hercules’s reach while swinging his sword, and Hercules had to jump backwards to avoid being slashed. The jump took him within reach of Eldred, who was starting to sneak out of the tent, only to be stopped by Hercules grabbing the back of his tunic. “Going somewhere?” said Hercules, holding Eldred in place even as he ducked to avoid another slash from a sword. A swift kick sent the sword flying into the air, and a second kick sent its owner flying as well. A few more punches and kicks and the only people left standing were Hercules and Eldred. One more punch and Eldred went down as well. Hercules wiped his hands on his pants and went to help Iolaus.
Belchor was flat on his back, Iolaus astride him. “This is for threatening Keti.” Iolaus landed another punch on Belchor’s face which was awash with blood. “This is for taking my medallion.” Iolaus’s knuckles were bleeding and he swayed slightly as he hit Belchor again. “This is for settling for only fifty denarii.” Iolaus was about to punch him again when suddenly he was grabbed from behind and pulled to his feet. Instinctively he turned, hands raised ready to hit whoever it was, only to see Hercules standing in front of him.
“Iolaus!” said Hercules, his hands on Iolaus’s shoulders. “Enough…it’s over.” Hercules didn’t particularly care what happened to Belchor, he just didn’t want Iolaus to do something in the heat of the moment that he’d regret later when he’d calmed down. Over Iolaus’s shoulder he caught a glimpse of movement, a figure crawling, a flash of a knife.
Without even looking, Iolaus kicked backwards, catching Belchor in the face and sending him crashing to the ground. “Now it’s over,” said Iolaus, shrugging Hercules’s hands off his shoulders and walking away.
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to be continued
Chain of Events 06