The Lawkeeper of Samara (The Fourth Age of Shanakan Book 2) Read Free

obvious bulk he looked intelligent and confident, but Sam didn’t know what a factotum was. “Exactly what could you do for me?” he asked.
    Ulric spread his hands. “Everything,” he said. “Think of it this way – I have contacts all over the city. I know people. I know how to get things done. I know grooms, cooks, merchants, smiths, tailors. I know everyone. I can get the best things for the lowest prices. I hear you’ve got the Yarrow Street stables. Do you have a groom yet? I can get you one, a good man, and a man who knows horses. Who’s going to buy the food in for your men? I assume you’ll run a commissary here. Someone has to cook the food, someone had to clean the floors, look after the paperwork, make sure you don’t run out of things. That’s me. I don’t know anything about the law and I don’t know one end of a sword from the other, but I can make it work for you. If the lawkeeper of Samara is a man on a horse, I’ll provide the horse, the sword, the clothes. You worry about the man who sits on it.”
    Sam stared at him. He hadn’t thought of it like that. He was looking for swords and bows, but this was just as important.
    “And why would you want to do this for me?” he asked. “Doesn’t Bernalis pay you? You won’t get rich here.”
    Ulric leaned forward, an earnest expression on his face, and his triple chin went quadruple. “I understand,” he said. “What you’re doing is important – it’s important for merchants and grooms and innkeepers, for all of Samara, and more to the point it’s important that it’s done well, and honestly. I’ll keep the books straight, I’ll make sure that your people are honest and those you trade with are honest, because you’ll need that, and I can spot a cheat a mile away.”
    “And what’s to stop you from cheating me?” Sam asked.
    “Me?” Ulric laughed, and shook, and Sam feared for the chair he sat on. “But lawkeeper, I am the most honest man in Samara.”
    “Those are just words, Ulric, but you have the job for a month if you want it, and then we’ll see.”
    “Thank you. It is a decision you will not regret.” Sam expected him to move, to get up and leave, but Ulric stayed put.
    “What is it?”
    “Well, we have things to discuss.”
    “Such as?”
    “Names.” Ulric leaned forwards, putting his weight on the desk. “We have to talk about titles, names and such.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I noticed that your man on the door called you Sam…”
    “It’s my name.”
    “But it won’t do. You need a title, and Lawkeeper is somewhat ponderous. Besides, in a few weeks this place will be thronged with lawkeepers.”
    “I don’t need a title. Titles are for lords and kings.”
    “And men in public office. It doesn’t matter what you want. They’ll call you something – captain, chief, sir, boss. If you don’t choose something, they will.”
    “I’ve always been Sam, just Sam.” Besides, it was hardly Ulric’s place to be telling him these things.
    “Chief,” Ulric said. “You are the chief lawkeeper.”
    “I’m not going to tell people to call me chief ,” Sam said.
    “No. I will. And we need uniforms, badges. Lawkeepers will need to stand out on the street.”
    “You’ve given this a lot of thought, Ulric.”
    “Of course. I think red tabards should do – plain red – and a badge. Nobody else uses red and people will see it a mile off. You have to think of ranks, too. This is going to be somewhere where someone has to be in charge.”
    “Ranks?”
    “It depends how you’re going to organise patrols, how many men, and if you’ll have more than one law house. Perhaps there should be one over in Gulltown. Needed more over there than here in the old town.”
    “Ulric, stop.”
    “Chief?”
    “Write it down. Leave it for me to read and come back tomorrow. We’ll talk then.”
    Ulric smiled. “Anything you say, Chief.”
    Sam closed his eyes for a moment. What kind or trouble was he getting