All Talents

Four miles south of Brodick Town, by the roadside between two neighboring villages, beside a fallen dead tree.

A rotten-toothed thug in his twenties led two fourteen- or fifteen-year-old youths as they gathered around Baldhead on horseback. All four anxiously watched the road to the south.

No mistake about it—he was Bald Neil, Roger's brother. From the gray skies when he left the Red Mill to the sun now scorching his backside, he had taken a full two hours to cover those four miles.

And his backside had not left that nag for a single moment.

"Baldhead, could you get off the horse first and tell the lads what was so urgent that you dragged us all here?" The thug had grown restless under the sun. At this hour, he should have been curled up in his own thatched shack, sleeping in, but Baldhead had sent someone to summon him.

"Yeah, my old man's gone off to war. They're waiting for me to get home and herd sheep and work."

"Me too. I'd barely collected half a basket of cow dung before you dragged me here. I'll get a scolding when I go home."

Baldhead sat in the saddle without even looking at the three below. "Look at you lot, good for nothing. Either slacking off while herding sheep or picking up cow dung—what great thing could any of you possibly accomplish?"

As Baldhead lectured the three, he shaded his eyes with one hand and watched the road to the southeast.

"They're here, they're here! Those two bastards have finally arrived." South of the dead tree, two figures came hopping and skipping closer. One look at the way they walked told everyone they were surely lazy thugs.

When the two drew near, several curses immediately rang out. "Green Toad, you bastard, you had someone drag me out of bed this early. If there's no money to be made today, I'll smash your toad eyes."

"Oh? You've even got yourself a horse."

"Hey, why've you changed clothes?"

"Green Toad, what happened to you?"

Baldhead did not answer the thug at all. Seeing that the lazy louts, thugs, and brats had all arrived, he finally jumped down from the horse.

He straightened his black woolen shirt, patted down his black woolen trousers, pulled the black-sheathed dagger that had swung behind his backside to the front, and planted his feet apart. "I gathered you lads today to lead you in doing something big."

Imitating Ponytail, Baldhead deliberately paused, making the pack of scum widen their eyes and prick up their ears.

Just as Baldhead was about to speak, a thug cut in. "Are we going to fight again? I heard Skinny Pole, the wool seller, say when he came back that Young Master Roger got into a fight in town yesterday."

"A fight? How come I heard that Young Master Roger fought a customer over a whore in the Red Mill, got beaten up, then flew into a rage and killed the customer?"

"No, that's wrong. I heard Young Master Roger ran into Village Chief Gary of Luo Ke Lanzha at the Red Mill, and the two started fighting."

"Have you forgotten? Last month, Young Master Roger nearly did Gary's daughter. Gary must have gone to take revenge."

"Pah! It was obviously that old bastard Gary who injured Young Master Roger last month. Young Master Roger went to the Red Mill yesterday to settle the score and took down that old bastard Gary."

"No, no. Old Gary challenged Young Master Roger to a duel in Brodick. Young Master Roger brought a few lads and flattened them."

"Those bastards in the north have always been savages. Young Master Roger should have taught them a lesson long ago, or they'd think us southerners are easy to bully. Last time, those savages knocked out my front tooth in Luo Ke Lanzha."

The five pieces of scum talked over one another, while Baldhead's slightly open mouth froze solid.

"Baldhead, tell us. Did Young Master Roger flatten those savages from Luo Ke Lanzha?" The scum stopped arguing and turned their eyes in unison toward the dumbstruck Baldhead.

Baldhead's shifty eyes rolled, and he slapped his thigh. "That's right. You guessed it."

"Yesterday, Young Master Roger invited Ponytail and me to have some fun at the Red Mill in Brodick, but we ran into that old bastard Gary in town."

"That old bastard held a grudge because Young Master Roger had dishonored his daughter, so he led two tenant farmers to beat up Young Master Roger."

"How could that old bastard possibly be a match for Young Master Roger? Young Master Roger flattened him in just a few moves."

"They threatened to go back and gather the village savages to seek revenge. They even called us southerners pig-dog vermin, saying they'd drive us off Allen Island..."

Baldhead was already spraying spit in every direction.

"...Today at noon is the time for the decisive battle. Young Master Roger sent me to gather the islanders from the southern villages to back him up.

"He said that anyone who went to Brodick to support him could first have a free lunch."

"And if there are any who don't want to be bullied by the northern savages, who are willing to take up weapons and fight the northern barbarians alongside Young Master Roger, each person will receive another silver penny."

As he spoke, Baldhead took a bulging cloth bag from his chest, grabbed a large handful of silver coins, and waved them before the group. "See this? This is the money Young Master Roger gave me to recruit warriors."

"Young Master Roger's family has plenty of silver."

After showing off, Baldhead put the handful of coins back into the bag, then fished out several silver pennies.

"I called you here today to make you rich." As Baldhead spoke, he tossed a silver penny to each of them. They caught them with delight on their faces.

"Once you take the money, you have to do the job. Do it well, and you can collect another reward when you come back." Baldhead forcefully patted the money bag against his chest, producing a clatter of coins.

"Set off at once. Tell everyone you meet that Young Master Roger is fighting the Luo Ke Lanzha people in Brodick, that he's calling everyone to support him, and that free lunch will be provided. Spread the news far and wide."

"Oh, and remember to tell the strong villagers, the bold ones who aren't afraid of trouble, that if they bring weapons to fight the northern savages, then once Young Master Roger picks them, they'll immediately receive another five silver pennies."

"Tell everyone that time is tight. If they can't reach Brodick before noon, they'll get nothing—no free lunch and no silver."

With that, he raised a hand and pointed at the lazy lout who had just been shouting about going back to sleep. "Lazy Donkey, you and the little shepherd head west. You're responsible for notifying the villages and settlements around Machrie and Pirnmill."

Then he pointed at Missing Tooth, who had arrived last, and the youth beside him. "Missing Tooth, you two go south. You're responsible for the villages along the road from Lamlash to Whiting Bay. Uh, no need to go to Milkhouse Manor. The strong men there have already rushed to Brodick."

Finally, he pointed at the half-grown boy still carrying a basket of cow dung. "Their groups are covering the villages along the coast. You go spread the news among the small settlements in the middle of the island. Tell them there'll be a spectacle to watch in Brodick today, and free food too."

"Throw away your dung basket and run."

"You two groups run faster too. Whoever brings in more people gets more reward silver."

At that moment, Baldhead looked every inch the gang leader of an age-defying genius, commanding his brothers to charge into battle.

The five big and small pieces of scum immediately scattered in all directions, sprinting flat out toward their assigned routes.

With several directions arranged, the southern half of Allen Island, where the villages were most concentrated, was basically fully covered.

Of course, now that "Lord Neil" had a mount, he naturally went in person to the far south, to Kildonan and Kilmory. There happened to be several ruthless fellows in those two villages whom he knew well.

High-spirited, Baldhead turned around, tugged at his black woolen coat, swung himself onto the horse's back, and pulled the reins over, instantly feeling grand and imposing.

"Giddyup!" Baldhead viciously kicked the horse in the belly.

The nag, unfit for riding, was suddenly startled. It reared violently, throwing Baldhead straight off, headfirst into the basket of cow dung.