Page 144 of The Orc Chief's Baker
“Chief Brovdir.” Gerald’s voice was tight. “I understand you’re distressed, but don’t choke him to death or you’ll ruin the peace.”
Trinia hurried forward and placed a hand on Brovdir’s arm, and he instantly released Ronhold, who collapsed to the floor gasping and sputtering.
“Ronhold, explain yourself,” Gerald demanded. “Why are you here attacking Trinia?”
Ronhold coughed as he grated. “I was notattackingher. I was trying to make her see reason!”
“Explain.” Gerald’s tone was low and unyielding.
Ronhold gritted his teeth, clearly unwilling to lay out all his dastardly plans to the headman.
“He made a deal with their father.”
They all looked to find Tobbis in the doorway. His head hung and his eyes darting to his father and away. “He made a deal. Drink in exchange for... the bakery.”
“I’ve heard about that from Chief Brovdir,” Headman Gerald said with a glower at Ronhold. “Meadin exchange for thebakery? A dastardly deal, even foryou.”
“It was a fair deal!” Ronhold rose to his full height but flinched as Brovdir growled low. Trinia gave Brovdir’s arm a tug, and he backed off. “I have the contracts to prove it!”
“Bring them to me. Now,” Gerald said firmly and Ronhold instantly dug in his inside jacket to produce the dreaded paper Trinia had been shown before. Gerald took it and examined it, his brow furrowed by the moment.
Trinia knew from his expression that the contract was grim.
Gerald looked between Trinia and Yerina. “Why did you not tell me of this contract before now?”
“I didn’t know,” Trinia said.
“Yerina?” Headman Gerald’s voice left no room for dismissal.
Yerina looked at the ground. “There... there was no way out of it. And Ronhold offered to let us keep control of the bakery until his son came of age, as long as we paid a stipend every moon. After Tobbis came of age, Trinia could marry him and still keep half of the bakery.”
Gerald glowered at Ronhold. “Is that true? Did you coerce her?”
“It was no coercion! It was a fair deal! I was very generous!”
“Generous, huh? Tell me, howmuchwas this stipend?”
“I let them stay in the bakery! Controlallthe trades!”
It dawned on Trinia then. She turned to her sister. “Is that why you kept selling things off? Why you kept taking pans and supplies? To pay for Ronhold’s stipend?”
“What else was I supposed to do?” Yerina sounded alarmingly close to tears.
“You could have come to me,” Headman Gerald said firmly and Yerina shrunk like a scolded child. The headman sighed heavily. “Yerina, I know we’ve been at odds before, but I can’t believe you wouldn’t trust me to help you with something so vital.”
“There’s nothing you can do!” Ronhold spat. “You may be headman, but you cannot override valid contracts.Youknow that.”
“I do.” Headman Gerald rose his head. “And that is true. I cannot override valid contracts, but this contract isn’t valid. The bakery wasn’t Jevin’s to give.”
“Of course it was!” Ronhold said. “Mirrani was dead! Jevin had full control of the bakery at that time.”
“No. He hadnocontrol,” Headman Gerald said. “Mirrani willed the bakery to Trinia.”
There was a pregnant pause where even the air felt still. All of Trinia’s breath left her.
And then Ronhold raged. “That’s absurd! Trinia wasn’t old enough to inherit anything! She was still a child!”
“Children can still inherit, Ronhold,” Headman Gerald muttered. “Just because you do not trust your son with your business does not mean others don’t trust their own.”
