Should Have Stayed In Jail

I was whistling since they arrested me and threw me into a cell (not literally mind you they were very polite, thats what you get when its a paid for police force, mainly because they don't know if you're a high enough roller to buy his way out and make their lives miserable).  I'd been told to shut up a few times, but the little diddy in my head would not go away.  I shouldn't have been that happy honestly, what I'd done was more evil than usual (despite mervis being the one who hurt Lorissia most people don't view necromancy as a very necessary mean for their end). I was only in jail over night before a well dressed man unlocked my cell and escorted me to their processing area. Lork jail, was actually larger than I figured for a community of their size, I guess because of all the gambling and transient population the jail was set up for that and not the local yokels.  It was built in three sections seperated by hallways and heavy iron bars.  The first area was reception included places to sit and pay for your crimes (literally they had a board up with money next to each offense, most hilarious on it was "Sexual congress with animal" the fine was five pieces of silver, a pittance really).  Beyond reception was processing where they took off your dangerous weapons/items and stored them there as well, processing also appeared where guards bunked out/changed.  And then beyond processing was the cells, great construction and care went into each, again because sometimes even the really rich might spend a night in grey bar hotel. The diplomat who escorted me to processing procured my weaponry and other items (including my money which surprised me that it was the full amount).

"Sorry for the incovenience Mr. Lorentino, but we were not aware of your status in this matter." He had that entirely grateful for your help look I so rarely get.

"My what?"

"Your status, I wasn't even aware the Red Hand authorized independent contractors to work as mage hunters, but your associate assures me you two are of quite well renown for this kind of thing." My associate? I didn't like where this was going, and I shouldn't have.

"Well you don't want to go around and advertise of course." When you are involved in a con and don't know your part its best to play along.

"Of course, still you have to forgive my men, they had no idea you were working for Countess Lorissia and it looked like you had murdered Lord Mervis in cold blood, if we had known you were there on the Countess's orders and only acted to save her life from a dangerous necromancer, well no need to dwell on the past, all of your items are here and your associate is outside waiting for you, the citizens of Lork thank you for your esteemed service to us and wish you a pleasant stay." He showed me out of processing and into reception where Morley was waiting for me (I really should have known, I thought maybe Lorissia had buffaloed them, but lying up a storm was not really her strong suit).  I waited till we got outside the jail to voice my concern.

"What is going on Morley? What are you doing here?"

"No thank you? No 'thanks for saving me Victor, its nice to see you again Victor, how are you doing Victor?' Fine fine don't thank me." That's what Morley was good at, being an asshole whenever he could.

"Thanks Morley, now what the shit is going on? Why do they think I'm a mage hunter where is Lorissia?" We were walking towards our horses (mine had apparently been moved nearby, and Morley's necrobeast was instantly recognizeable.

"You're friend is fine, they think she's a countess and now with Mervis's ill gotten gains, minus a fee of course, she can live like one, I'd recommend we avoid her though, last I checked the Fire God not a huge fan of necromancy, even if it was to help, as for whats going on? I saved you a lengthy prison stay, I'd say we are even after I kind of got you jailed for five years."

"Wait what? You got me arrested?"

"What can I say? I was jealous of Valrya's attention being paid to you, so I may have you know paid off some officials to trump up a war profitting charge, you understand these things happen." We mounted and started on our way out of town, I was following Morley if only to kill him immediately after.

"These things happen? I SPENT FIVE YEARS IN PRISON MORLEY!"

"I said I'm sorry, and I saved you from possibly spending more time in prison, see even." Again Morley has a weird idea about even.  I let it go, there was nothing I could really do about it (Morley was still terrifying to me, because I had Valrya's memories, most of her children were coerced into the life style, Morley actively sought her out).

"Ok if we're even I'm out, no way am I staying anywhere near you." Because I'd run across him once before in which he injured me and threatened to kill me, I figured five years apart hadn't really made us any closer.

"Oh yeah about that, look I need your assistance with something, and my helping you out was kind of predicated on you helping me out." With Morley there is always a catch.

"So you helping me, something I was entirely unaware of, now indebts me to helping you, even though you just told me that you helped me to even a score in which you had previously had me locked up for five years?"

"Yes thats the long and short of it." I hate him so much, this isn't even the last time he's scewed me over, its a pattern really.  I only have myself to blame never ever have I gotten the upperhand with Morley. We rode out of town and north (before we left I left a note at the tanner I'd found to make my snake belt, it was simply I'm sorry, I paid the man to make sure she got the belt).  I didn't know what Morley wanted, or where we were going (thats the way he does business, "I need you, but you won't know the full extent of why until I tell you once you can't back out"), and like usual with Morley I wished I'd remained where I was.