Interlude - Adam - Meathead - Lilly

Interlude – Paladin Adam

I called forth the power of Bi and swung my fist into his face, knocking the man back into his comrades. A spear squealed as it scratched across my armor, but I snatched it away with my other hand. Now I had a weapon. All around me Mirktallean spearman circled, jabbing at me with skittish strikes.

Another battle, the tenth in a fortnight as my Order charged it its way across northern Sena on our bulls. Yet, our enemy had grown wise to us. This battle, unlike the others, they had prepared a trap. A simple trench dug and hidden so that when we charged, our mighty steeds faltered. I was one of the lucky ones not to be crushed beneath my mount

Instead, I flew forwards in a heavy roll that left my leg feeling broken and my back clenching in pain. I wouldn’t let that stop me though. These men had done a disservice to themselves with their dishonorable tactics. To deliberately harm a bull? That was an afront to my god.

“For Bi!” I cried, letting any other [Paladins] know that I was still with them. I heard the sparse answering cheers from behind me and knew I wasn’t alone. Which was enough. I used the spear like a club, beating back the enemies until it broke. Then my fists, until I snatched an axe that had lodged in my shoulder plate.

Honestly, I thought this was the end. The cheers I heard from my troop had not been loud enough. I fought alone and encircled instead of standing side by side. The fight was one of ferocity and savagery, not the orderly charges and shieldwalls I preferred.  Yet, who stands before a raging bull? I could only charge and keep charging until either I or they fell.

Another two men dead at the cost of a speartip in my elbow. Four men at the cost of a blow that dented my helm. One man, a commander in shining ring mail and a blue cloak, beheaded but I took a sharp blade to the back of my knee. I tried to stand, but the leg wouldn’t support me.

The enemy surrounded me, intent on finishing me off. I could see their eyes beneath their iron helms, but that only made it worse. These men and women were slaves. Their red armor was poorly made leather. Their black boots cracked and torn. They didn’t want to fight. I took no pride in their deaths. There was no valor to be won here. I felt a certainty that this battle was my last.

The hesitant circle of foes around me grew from five to ten to twenty soldiers, all looking to see who would strike first. Knowing that I would deal death for injury and not wanting to be the first. That was when I heard the battlecry. Another charge, coming in from behind, and those enemies turned to look away.

From the rear, they were under attack. An ambush to their ambush. I don’t know why I thought that, but it made me chuckle. The chuckle became a laughter, and that laughter shook my foes. In panic, the dropped their weapons and fled, but my spirit and strength had been spent. It was all I could do to stay kneeling upright and hold my trophy axe in the air.  I closed my eyes and prayed, certain that one of the enemy would surely strike me down as they fled.

“Are you [Paladin] Adam?” the man’s voice shook me from my reverie.

I looked up, seeing a large man with a round nose, a thick beard of grey and black on his chin. Behind him, more than a hundred men rallied as they pilfered the dead. Their mismatched armor and dirty bodies made it clear they were bandits.

I looked him in his eyes, if he were here to kill me he’d have to remember my face, “I am.”

The man gave a great sigh, and placed his hands on his hips as he looked up, “Finally.”

A hired killer then? Did some other order place a bounty on my head? It would not be the first time. Yet, this time I was unprepared to defend myself. Even now, I felt my blood pooling down into my boots.

Before I could say any last words, though, the man reached down and offered a hand.

“It took me weeks to find you. A wizard named Nemon Fargus sent me. Name’s Michael,” his gruff voice was matched with a lopsided grin. “And I need you to do some truthseeing.”

Interlude – Meathead

The market was nice. Lots of things to look at. The people were nice too. They kept bowing and calling me ‘champion’. It was a good day. Mena and Leslie were gone, but that was okay. I would meet them soon in front of the adventurers’ guild.

Lots of people at the market, too. I hadn’t seen this many folks in a long time. It was easy to get lost. I was walking around when I heard the lady yell, “Cabbage rolls! Wizard approved!”

Cabbage rolls sounded good and I was hungry. I started going that way, but stopped to look at some toy horses. Wood horses that looked fun to play with. I bet Rolf would like one. It was too bad Mena only gave me five coppers. The man said they were one silver a piece. Even when I looked sad.

“The Grand Wizard loves these cabbage rolls, ask him yourself!” the woman shouted again.

I kept walking. If boss said they were good, I wanted to try one. When I got there, there was a long line of people waiting. The woman selling cabbage rolls took up three whole booths. Almost the whole side. On the other side there was a man selling chairs. A woman selling flowers. Another man who stood behind a fire with meat sticks.

He seemed sad, so I went over to ask what was wrong.

“What’s wrong?! I can’t sell any of my—hey, [Champion]! My apologies, I didn’t know it who I was talking too,” The man started to sound scared and say he was sorry a bunch of time.

“It’s okay,” I told him. I don’t like people being scared of me. Unless they’re bad people. Bi says I should scare bad people.

“Say, [Champion], do you wanna try a racoon stick?” he said and gave me a meat stick. I bit it because I was hungry and he was nice. It was juicy but it tasted okay.

“Really good, right?” He asked.

I could tell he wanted me to say yes, so I nodded, “Could I have some more?” One stick wouldn’t make me less hungry. Two would, though.

“Certainly, certainly! How many?”

I had to think about it. Two would fill me up, but then there wouldn’t be any left for Leslie and Mena. I needed three more to share. I held up three fingers and he gave me more food. What a nice man! He even shouted about me like the lady.

“Get your meat sticks here! Champion approved! Eat what like real [Champion]!”

I needed to get these meat sticks to Leslie and Mena while they were hot, so I left to go to the Adventurers’ guild. It wasn’t that long of a walk to get there. Lark was pretty small. I looked around out front of the building but didn’t see them.

Waiting was easy. I was good at waiting. I did it all the time at Boss’ gate. I even had a meat stick to eat while I waited. After my second meat stick, I decided to walk around. Maybe they meant inside the guild? They weren’t in there. Maybe they got lost? I should walk around back to see.

I found them!  It was dark and dirty behind the guild.  Mena and Leslie were hiding and talking to another wizard when I walked up. Was this a game I missed?

“Thirteen gold?! I don’t have that much. I have eight,” the wizard lied.

“You don’t have thirteen gold for a spellbook written by Nemon Fargus?” Leslie asked, tapping her foot. That was good she knew he was lying.

Mena talked too, “You don’t wanna know what happened to the last fella who tried to cheat us.”

She sounded mad. I bet she was hungry. So, I walked closer.

“Hello, you want your meat stick?” I held out the meat stick to Leslie and Mena. I would have brought one for their friend if I knew he was here. Oh well, if they’re mad at him maybe he shouldn’t have one.

Mena seemed to really like her meat stick! She bit into it right away. A big bite.

Leslie looked at her meat stick first, but took a bite as well.

The man looked scared of them. Was it supposed to be scary when women ate food? I wasn’t ever scared. What would boss do? I thought about it. Boss would place his hand on my shoulder and tell me something nice like ‘you can do this’. Maybe that’s what the guy needed to hear.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. He had tiny shoulders. Then I told him what boss would say, “You can do this.”

He nodded his head fast and lied, “Okay, okay! But thirteen gold is the highest I can go!”

I shook my head. Lying was bad, but Rolf gets embarrassed when I tell him he’s lying.  I leaned forward to whisper so he wouldn’t get embarrassed if Mena and Leslie heard. I told him, “Lying is bad.”

He started shaking, like he was scared again. I had to hold his shoulder harder so he didn’t fall over.

“Okay, okay, thirty gold is as high as I can go,” he lied again, with a squeaky voice.

I shook my head at him.

“Forty gold,” he said lied through clenched teeth.

I only looked at him confused, “Does lying that much hurt?”

He was shaking and sweating all over like he got the pox. I didn’t understand. If lying hurt so bad, then why do it?

“Fine! Fifty-two gold! That’s the best I can do!” he said very loudly and knocked my hand away.

That was rude. I was just trying to help.

“Deal,” Leslie said and held out a book. He gave her a purse of coins, and then ran away with the book. What a weird guy. No wonder they didn’t want to share their meat sticks.

Interlude – Lilly

I threw the book down in frustration. I had already learned more herb names at the tower than the entire book contained, and was just pretending to study in my room to make it appear that I was diligent. Studying wasn’t working. I was meeting with my brother today, and I knew, just knew, he was going to ask me how I was doing at the academy.

I just didn’t want to tell him the truth. My grades were fine. I wasn’t learning anything new, but all the school’s masters were impressed. ‘The next Leslie’ they called me. As if that bossy girl could compare to me. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was that the other students just didn’t like me.

I wasn’t accepted by any of the girls from nobility because they knew I was an orphan. Clarista went out of her way to remind me I was every single day. I wasn’t accepted by the common girls because they thought I was putting on airs. As if wanting to act politely was above my station. The boys didn’t like me. Sure, some ogled, but they were the ones who ogled every girl.

I was alone here. At the orphanage, I had friends. Even at the tower, I was accepted for who I was. Yet, I can’t even eat in the dining hall without students moving their seats away from me. They treated me like a disease! But who could I tell? If I told any of the masters or my brother about it, that would only make it worse.

If I told dad, who knew what he would do? I pictured him flying over the Arcanum and blasting it to bits with fire. I knew he wouldn’t go that far, but I hoped he would be just as upset about my rejection as I am. If only I could tell him. I didn’t want to let him down. They weren’t belittling me for anything he taught me, but for how I acted.

I reached to the scroll on my desk, an easy reach from the bed. My room was so small here compared to the tower that I felt cramped. The scroll, dad’s last message to me, made me smile. I could just picture him wagging his finger at me at the beginning.

Greetings, Lilly, Pupil and Student,

As I have instructed before, please do not refer to me as your father in our correspondence. That is not the correct form of address.  While I may consider you in some of the ways a father might, I would be remiss to not to continue your education however possible. Please address me as Preceptor Fargus in your missives until you graduate.

It pleases me greatly that you are advancing so well through the academy’s teachings. You are making me very proud by advancing your education, and I expect you to be a great mage in the near future. I hope you retain your enthusiasm for exploring magic in the world around you and endeavor to complete all assigned work even if the subject is something you have already built a foundation upon.

I apologize for the manner in which Master Edwards spoke to you on his behalf. The man is a twit, and always has been. That he doesn’t understand the fundamentals of air currents and pressures is just an example of his failings. His treatise on the use of bird feet to mitigate the mana expenditure of air spells was met with wide ridicule throughout the community, ridicule he accurately blames me for. This is why he was relegated to solely instruct on base spells to new students and precluded from research opportunities.

That he uses his position over you to strike back at me for a slight from twenty years ago only shows his pettiness and inaptitude. I would disregard his behavior, unless it hinders your education. Should it reach that point, please consult with one of the [Administrators] there to request a knowledge testing for advancement.

Chelsea, Rolf and the rest send their regards. You are missed here, and we all eagerly await your return in two years upon completion of your studies.

Cordially,

Preceptor Nemon Fargus

I smiled as I read it, before rolling it up and putting it in my satchel. I checked the mirror for a second look at my hair and the matching yellow dress that would make me stand out among the blue buildings of Sena City. It wasn’t as fancy as I was used to wearing, but it wouldn’t look like I was putting on airs either. I was combing my hair for the third time when Bonnie, the academy’s caretaker, came to let me know Walker had arrived.

I met him in the courtyard outside the dormitory, and he looked very sharp in his red warmage robes.  I ignored the other students that had gathered around to gossip to give my brother a hug. There were no classes today, and I was determined to enjoy myself for once this month.

“You look good, Walker! The robe suits you,” I said with a smile. He turned and offered his arm, which I skipped up to take.

“They call it a battlerobe,” he said with a grin.

His voice had gotten deeper, and his arms were more muscled than before. Could a few months do that to a person? “A battlerobe? I’ll remember that.”

We made small talk as we walked. I told him about the masters that were teaching me, and he told me how warmage training went.

“Why didn’t master come to your graduation? I thought they would have loved to see him!” I asked offhandedly. When Walker stopped walking, I turned away from watching the street to look back at him. His face told me everything.

“You didn’t tell him when you were graduating, did you?” I should have known. I bet he forgot.

Walker rubbed the back of his head and cringed, “Well…”

I huffed, “You did write him, didn’t you? Or did you forget that too?”

“No! No, I wrote him. I just may have forgotten to tell him when I was graduating. I’m sure he would have been too busy—”

“Nope!” I shook my head, and then pulled his arm to start walking again, “You know master Nemon would have come. He wouldn’t have wanted to miss it. I don’t know why you wouldn’t think to invite him.”

I opened my mouth to keep explaining why it was important, but something caught my eye, “Tyrel?” I asked, uncertainly. There, sitting at the entrance to an alley was a boy that had been in the orphanage with us. A young man now, but he looked so much smaller than before. Wearing dirty, disheveled clothes, and stinking of ale, Tyrel was nothing like the happy boy I remembered.

He looked up, his eyes going back and forth between me and Walker before recognition lit them up, He gave a short, bark of a laugh, full of mockery before his face twisted, “Well if it isn’t our very own princess, eh? Come to kick me, too? Some of us didn’t get adopted. Some of us got kicked out on our own. And guess what? I’m better for it!”

He pressed his hand against a wall and struggled to stand before falling back on his rear.

I was shocked that this was what he had become. I covered my mouth in surprise, but when he fell, I called out, “Tyrel! Are you—are you okay?”

Tyrel’s brown hair covered his face, so oily and dirty it looked wet, but he pushed it aside to spit at my feet, “Don’t you worry about me, eh, princess. Trash like me ain’t worth your time.”

“Ma’am, is this man bothering you?” A guard’s voice cut in.

“No, no he’s not,” I said and shook my head. I wasn’t sure where all the anger Tyrel had for me came from, but that didn’t mean I was angry back. I didn’t want to see anything happen to him. I didn’t even turn to look at the guard, my eyes were still watching as Tyrel’s face went to a more guarded expression.

“This one has been causing problems of late. We’ll take him in, just to be sure,” the guard spoke.

“I don’t think that’s needed,” Walker answered him.

It took a few seconds for the guard’s words to get through to me, but when they did, I turned and shouted, “No!”

Then when I saw both the guard’s and my brother’s surprised faced, I realized I had shouted. Softer, I kept going, “I mean no, this man, he’s—he’s our cousin. We thought he was lost as a child. His parents, his parents were in an accident you see.” I spoke quickly, but soon realized that the guard wasn’t alone, but with two others and none had expressions that said they believed me.

“Ma’am, unless you are of noble birth, then we’ll be taking him in,” the foremost guard said. He was a heavy-set man, shorter than my brother but nearly an inch taller than me. His face was round, but the chin and eyes were familiar.

I looked towards my brother, but he shook his head. I nervously looked around, as I came to a decision, “Well, we are of noble birth, but you see, we must keep it a secret. A family secret, if you understand.”

My brother rolled his eyes, but luckily it was from an angle that the guards couldn’t see. The guards didn’t seem to believe it either, and moved towards Tyrel, but I stood in their way.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Ma’am, unless you have some proof of your birthright, we’ll be doing our duty,” the guard said, as the other two moved to step around me.

“Wait! Wait, I have proof. Just hold on. Tell them to step back. I’ll show you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone what you see.

“Lilly,” Walker said with a note of caution in his voice.

I reached quickly into my pocket and pulled out Nemon’s scroll. It wasn’t much, and I didn’t know if dad was truly a noble or not, but it was my last hope for making sure Tyrel didn’t get into trouble.

The guard shook his head in disbelief and took the scroll, “You heard her, step back.” He unrolled the scroll with obvious nonchalance, and glanced at it before looking back at me. Then his eyes widened, and he looked back at the scroll intently for a few long quiet moments while we all waited before he rolled it up and handed it back to me.

With a small bow and an apology, he turned and led the other guards away, “Come on boys. Better get going before captain has our heads.”

After they had gone, Tyrel’s bitter voice came from behind us, “I hope you don’t expect thanks for solving a problem you created.”

“Now look here,” I started with my fists on my hips, but Walker just put a hand on my shoulder. Then he reached down to offer his other hand to Tyrel.

“We’re headed to the orphanage to visit. Would you like to join us?”

Tyrel blinked away tears, and then gestured at his clothes, “In this? Like this?”

Walker gave him a smile, “That’s up to you. I’ll pay for a visit to the bathhouse and some clothes, if it would convince you to join us.”

Tyrel mumbled something I didn’t quite hear, but Walker must have because he took the man’s hand and pulled him up.

A few hours later, we were standing behind the orphanage with children sitting around us. Some I recognized, but most I didn’t. Walker had gone first, talking about his life. How he wasn’t adopted but received the scholarship to the Arcanum. How he studied under dad and recently graduated into the army as a warmage.

I talked about how Walker had adopted me, and how dad accepted me. How lucky I felt to have a family. How sad I was to leave the others here. How hard I worked to study and how I felt so alone at the Arcanum. That I didn’t feel like I fit in with anyone but my brother.

Then, Tyrel spoke. His voice was jagged like breaking glass, and he didn’t hold back his anger.

“This morning, I was alone too. Sitting in an alley in a puddle of my own filth. I didn’t get a scholarship. I didn’t get adopted. When I was old enough, I was just told to leave. Three apprenticeships, I failed. The common folks out there—they used me up. I did every little chore they gave me without complaint and when they couldn’t think of another, they kicked me out too.

But there’s something you can learn from me, too. Don’t do what I did. It’s okay to be angry. To be sad and to cry. To feel. I shut out the world because of what happened to me. I should have listened more. Even this morning, I thought Lilly and her brother had come to laugh at my failures. I thought that because I thought they didn’t care. That no one cared. But they did. They do. There are people out there who do care about you, if you let them.

They aren’t the ones handing you a drink, or telling you what to do. They’re the ones pestering you to be better. No, none of us asked to be here. This pain, is ours. But we aren’t alone, even if it feels like that. When you need someone, find those who wanted you to become better and ask for their help.”

Then, surprisingly, he turned to me and Walker, with sad eyes he asked, “If there’s any way you can help me find work, I need it. I need something to do, anything. I’m tired of living like I have. Please.”

I wasn’t certain what to say. I didn’t know anyone that could give him work besides dad, and I didn’t know what would happen if I told him to go and dad said no.

Walker, though, put his hand on Tyrel’s shoulder just like dad would do. With a smile, he answered, “Sure, we’ll help. You said it right, we aren’t alone.”

All three of us were surprised to see the ten guards standing in formation in front of the orphanage when we finally left. Even more surprised, when they all knelt except their captain, who bowed. He looked like the brother of the guard we saw before.

“Lilly Fargus?” He asked after he completed his bow.

Unsure of how best to respond here, I curtseyed back, “How can I help you?”

“I am Knight Felix Shielding the third. A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Do you perchance have any orders from our savior?”

“Savior?” I repeated in confusion.

“Erm, the wizard Nemon Fargus, I mean,” he said words like he was uncomfortable using dad’s name, but neither his expression nor his tone said anything but confidence.

“Hmmm,” I answer with a tap on my fingers. I would have stroked a beard like dad does, if I had one. Then I snapped my fingers, “Yes! He did. We were actually on our way to see you currently. This man here, Tyrel, is looking for work and would make a fine addition to your guard if you would train him.”

This didn’t look like the answer the man wanted, but he didn’t say anything, so I kept going, “Surely such a thing is within your capabilities, Knight Shielding?”

“Well, yes, we Shielding are the best guards in the entire Kingdom, so training another guard would be an easy task for—”

“Excellent!” I cut him off, fully adopting my noblewoman’s guise. “I trust there will be no misunderstandings when you train him to be the best guard in the entire city, then. Now please, excuse us for a few moments so we can say our farewells.”

When the guards marched down the street far enough, both Walker and Tyrel turned toward me with questions in their eyes.  I scoffed like dad would, “I told you I was a princess, didn’t I?”

Well!  I hope you enjoyed the interlude's sorry I didn't put out a vote this time, but I will have a vote coming up in a few chapters for more interludes - I wanted to do these three now because I wouldn't be presenting them as options on the next one.  

As before, interludes may or may not make it into the final version of the book.