BLOODY LOVE'S
Extra 9: Disturbance

The weather in Redstone is really bad, just as bad as the condition of the houses there. It is difficult to understand why many people do not want to move from the river bank when it has been provided with other better land and decent compensation.

"The previous Landlord also experienced the same problem" Blackwood said when asked for an opinion. He accompanied Jose on his way back to Bjork. Both were in the same horse-drawn carriage, followed by ten guards. "The problem is, the community is not believed because several times the relocation is not as planned. What he said was compensated was rigged. Second, people hate change. They were already comfortable in that place with their environment, jobs, land, so it was hard to ask them to go to uncertainty."

Jose looked outside, towards the street that was muddled by the rain. Fortunately there are no tornadoes through—hal which is actually quite common in Redstone. If the miracle the queen asked was for her to change the weather, it would have been impossible. All he could do was clear the river, build a dam, rearrange the city. Unfortunately in this year there was little he could do because half the public was still skeptical of him. On the other hand, the palace constantly urged him, asking him to give a report on Redstone's development.

"Force them, that's all we can do" Jose said. "After moving, they will know that the conditions are not as bad as imagined."

Blackwood laughs. "Yes, but if you do that now, there could be a problem. People will find a way to rebel. One by one, Redstone .. You'll be married in two weeks."

"Do one-on-one and we'll never be done. Why am I married?"

"Mitos in Blackwood." The box-faced man shrugged his pointy shoulders as if in fact did not care much about the myth he was talking about. "When approaching important days such as marriage or birthdays, you should not do big jobs. Tend to fail."

Jose laughs. "Ah I know that, sort of: don't travel far near birth, can later die?"

Blackwood nodded. "It's just a myth" he said, "but the ancients had their own wisdom that we might not ignore."

"The wisdom of the ancients is often no longer relevant to the future" Jose said. He looked out the window, saw that they had gone out far from the border and reached Aston.

Aston is so bright and cheerful, tinged with city crowds and busy people walking fast. The atmosphere was far reversed with Redstone as if the two were in a different world when they were just neighbors.

Blackwood raised the stick he was carrying and used it to knock on the roof of the carriage twice. They stopped in front of the restaurant. Jose jumped down first and walked in. North is waiting for them inside.

"By the way of birth," continued Blackwood who followed behind him, "your cousin is born, right? I haven't been able to visit. What's name?"

Jose nodded, replying to North's wave waiting at the table by the window. The waiter drove them there. "Name Althea. Althea Argent's. We call her Thea. I was in Bjork when he was born." He sighed. "And I just found out the labor process takes a long time. Very long. Full night."

"Oh yeah? My wife was pretty quick," said Blackwood, telling me how long the birth of his first son took.

The topic changed to Campbell and Jones as soon as they sat at the table.

"Their business is based in Nordem" North said after the waiter left with their order menu. "From Nordem to Aston, the fastest way is through Redstone. All this time they've been easy to get in because Redstone is empty and the border to Aston is guarded by Campbell's men, but maybe they're afraid you're gonna get in or make things difficult for them at Redstone."

"Additionally, they hate your family" Blackwood said. "I heard that your two brothers started hanging around at Aston a lot?"

"Jeff and Juan did attend the invitation diligently," Jose asserted.

"That was also a problem for Campbell, your brothers managed to attract many of Sir William's close friends to their side. I think there's some kind of cold war between Sir William's supporters." North paused for a while as the waiter came to bring their order, arranging it on the table.

"So, Campbell and Jones are jealous?" Jose wanted to laugh at the trivial reason, but he knew Juan and Jeffrey couldn't just parade through parties and dinners. Both her sisters must have done more than that which left Campbell and Jones feeling threatened.

"You didn't teach them a lesson, Argent?" ask North. "Now they are silent, probably because of the Eastwood case. But who knows tomorrow to start attacking?"

Eastwood's death was an accident. Everyone saw for themselves how the man was too scared and became hysterical himself once Rolan came from the direction of the staff room. Eastwood ran out without seeing the road and an accident occurred.

What many do not know is how Rolan whispered the threat when he first dragged Eastwood into the Discussion Building. What many people do not know is that the freight train was not coincidentally there and fell. Even though Eastwood did not run towards the freight train that was ready to be shed, there were already other people standing guard to rob him with wild horses that seemed to have just been bought from the market.

The accident made the rumors gradually subside. During this month, the atmosphere calmed down. But that doesn't keep Juan and Jeffrey quiet. For them, this time is precisely the most appropriate to launch an attack.

"Campbell is afraid I'm making it harder to get into Redstone" Jose said after sipping his tea. He rubbed his lips with a handkerchief. "I have realized his fear. He could not pass through Redstone and had to rotate through the mountain road to go to Aston. It makes him lose time, energy, and money. That was enough for me as a lesson. I heard he lost hundreds of gold ducats because his caravan was robbed in the street yesterday."

"I hope," said Jose. He raised his face, smiling slightly as his eyes collided with the eyes of others who had been staring back at him. "Long-life. As soon as we talk, the man comes."

Campbell is tall slender. With such a body, whatever clothes he wore would look good. Perhaps realizing that, Campbell wanted to challenge fashion. No one had ever seen her appear in plain clothes. This time he wore a hem with a spate of wrinkles and striking lace that made North hide the laughter behind a handkerchief.

"Shush, don't laugh. That's the fashion of today" whispered Blackwood mocking.

"Good morning, Argent," said Cambell. His smile was wide and friendly, contrasting with his eyes that were so cold. "Rarely seeing you at Aston."

Jose put his fork and knife on the plate, then nodded politely. "Good morning, Liam. Wanna join? We just got there."

Liam shakes. He patted his stomach twice. "I just ate. By the way, I met your fiancee before coming here."

Jose didn't let a smile off his lips, but he could feel his two comrades turning tense. Maria should still be in Bjork, today the girl has a schedule to re-measure her wedding dress. "Oh yeah? Where's where?"

"But maybe I was wrong" Campbell said again after a few seconds of silence. He shrugged his shoulders. "Many brunettes in Aston. It all looks the same to me when you look at it from behind. He's with Austin anyway. It can't be your fiancee with Austin, can it? But the girl's hair was honey-brown, very similar to Garnet."

"If I were you, I'd make sure of that before I talk" North said flatly. The short-tempered man did not hide his displeasure at all. "Is it Campbell's custom to fuss over things that aren't clear to him?"

"I don't want to bother Austin, he looks friendly with the girl. Anyway, me and Austin are having a fight." Campbell smiled dryly. His eyes glanced at Jose. "Because Redstone forbade containers to be carried through his place, we chose the mountain road and were robbed. Austin's money is there, too. He's upset about my decision and we got into a fight."

"I do forbid containers to be carried through," Jose explained, "if without checking. If you pass the examination, of course you can pass."

"A probe that includes massive extortion" Campbell said in annoyance. His skinny fingers wagged leisurely in the air. "That's it, don't talk about it. I just wanted to say hello and tell you what I saw. All I've had is an accident, I don't blame you." He grins. "But I don't know anything about Austin."

Jose moved his hands quickly, preventing Blackwood and North from rising to their feet. He looked at the two sharply, then turned back to Campbell. "You just threatened me, Liam?"

"Threatening a marquis? I don't dare," Campbell laughed. The man bowed in exaggerated greetings, then turned away after saying, "Good morning."

As soon as Campbell left, Jose immediately confirmed Maria's condition. He called to Bjork, but no one knew where Maria was. The girl was also not at the church secretariat, at her home, or at the boutique where they ordered the bridal outfit. When contacting Chester, the inspector said that he saw Austin Jones had indeed wandered in Bjork yesterday.

"Calm down, Argent," pinta North once saw her friend come back from calling with a pale face. "They wouldn't dare do anything to Garnet. I'm gonna go find Austin and make sure, anyway, Campbell's got to be just talking."

Austin Jones is a man known to be cruel to women. The man was large, muscular, like a wild beast; the sailor who swerved became a timber businessman and was successful after meeting Sir William. Yet even after his name entered Gentry, his crude nature did not change. Jose hasn't given Maria a warning about Campbell or Jones because he feels the three men will definitely not meet. But now he regrets. What if Mary falls into a trap?

"We got Campbell?" asked Blackwood who had been riled up by the presence of the man.

Jose shakes. Catching that guy without a bottom in Aston is like looking dead. Aston is the 'Holy City' where the queen reigns. No blood should be shed here as long as the person does not commit offences involving the underworld.

"We're going to Bjork" Jose decided. He looked at North. His voice sounded small and distant as he spoke, as if spoken by someone else. "I need to make sure ... Clearwater should still be there, at Bjork. Call her and ask her where Maria is."

North nodded. He patted Jose on the back twice. "He's not gonna be anything, Argent. Calm down."

"If Mary is wounded ..." Jose whispered softly as he got up and stepped out of the restaurant. A servant chased him, bringing him a coat he had not yet taken. Blackwood receives and brings it to Jose, who immediately wears it while continuing to walk towards the waiting train. "If a strand of her hair falls down, I swear nothing will escape my hands."

Hugo Blackwood agreed. Following Jose, he entered the carriage and immediately knocked on its roof twice. The train leaves Aston at full speed.

***

¬dukat: Dukat is gold or silver coins traded in Europe from the Late Middle Ages to the 20th century. There are various kinds of ducats with a variety of metal content and different purchasing power.