...
Sven sat on a bench. The bench was located inside a small cell. The cell had a stone floor, stone walls, and a door with an iron lock.
Sven needed to understand how the twenty Frankish soldiers had found him at the marina.
"The innkeeper..." Sven whispered to himself in the dark cell.
Three days ago, Emperor Louis had raised the tax on salt by 50% to fund the new blacksmith forges.
A real salt merchant would have complained loudly to the innkeeper about the 50% tax increase. Sven had ignored the innkeeper and walked out the door in silence.
The innkeeper must have realized Sven was a fake. The Emperor was likely offering a reward of ten silver coins to any citizen who reported a suspicious foreigner.
The innkeeper traded Sven's life for ten silver coins...
The lock on the door clicked loudly.
Two Frankish guards walked into the cell. They grabbed Sven by his arms and pulled him off the bench.
One guard opened the door and pushed Sven inside.
