The Weight of the World

by G M Archer

  “They branded a Guild Knight?” he shared the surprise and confusion of many present.

  “Ha! A knight marked like a bastard traitor!” one laughed, jerking his tunic down to reveal the aforementioned brand over his heart.

  Several others followed in his example, exposing their own brands as the volume of the voices rose, all making light of the condemning scar. Hirsh’s gaze caught my own near the back, a smirk on his face as he pushed his breastplate down.

  “Damned brothers and sisters!” the first man shouted, “All the same! All the revolution!”

  “Quiet down,” a deep voice rumbled through the masses as the bear of a man entered. The fire caught his maroon hair and beard, flashing licks of scarlet across them.

  Those gathered watched him in revered silence as he strode across the space and sit at the other side of the fire from me. I was turning red trying to keep myself from blubbering out the entire contents of my brain.

  “I am Maul” the giant man said, crossing log-like arms, “The one who fights the greater corruption and steals men from the hands of death.”

  “I am Atlas, the one who is pissed,” I pursed my lips.

  Maul’s lips twitched in a slight smile, several of the men chuckling.

  My eyes flashed around, and I shifted anxiously.

  “Tell me, Atlas, to start, what brings you so far from home?” Maul asked.

  “Well, I believe the straw that broke the camel’s back was when Varrick made me pick between giving orders to execute protesters and my betrothed. And then it was Joseph’s decision for us to run away. Don’t know how he talked Alexandra into going. It’s probably his sway on her, she’s been in love with him since he was a squire but she’s so strict on social order she’d never admit it,” I rambled, embarrassing myself but barely able to stop talking.

  Maul spoke again, “you say the straw that broke the camel’s back? What else prompted your leave? Was Varrick cruel to you like that always?”

  “Heavens, no. Well, I mean the man wouldn’t even look at me for the last year or so. An indirect sort of disassociation. But he wasn’t ever really mean like that incident. I wish he was still close to me, I really do. He’s always hated Donovan too for some reason-I really miss Donovan-, so that might be a contributing factor. I don’t get why Varrick has to act like I’m meaningless, I have the whole higher class disgusted with me. I’m shameful, you know, being an illegitimate heir and all. I don’t really miss the castle grounds that much, honestly, they got to the point where they didn’t feel like home,” I was able to shut up as Maul started speaking again.

  "If Varrick thinks you so meaningless, then why is he offering such a handsome reward for your return?" Maul waited for me to start babbling again, the men around him murmuring, "and why is Lafayette concerning himself with you as well? He's 'subtly' pouring resources into the efforts for your capture, or what can be spared with the war.

  "Lafayette, I have no idea. I've met with the man personally probably only a couple times, and one of those experiences was a painfully awkward dance at a ball held in the castle. He tripped several times and was overall just jittery around me. It was so queer. But Varrick, I don't know, honestly. That much gold, especially with the war, seems crazy. I don't know what he is thinking. It's kind of flattering that he would dish that out of the treasury, but I can't wrap my head around why he wants me back that bad when he never cared if I was there. Maybe Mary's ghost is haunting him or something," I stopped.

  Maul started conversing with the men around him, whispered hushes echoing around the space.

  Doc gave me a thoughtful but pitted expression.

  "What are they talking about?" I asked louder than I wanted to.

  "Whether they're taking you to the castle or not," Doc replied.

  "Seriously? They have to talk about that? I don't want to go back.. They don't have the right to decide what's good for me and where I'll go!" I looked around, angry at the smirks, "I'm seriously considering trying to outrun you guys," I slapped a hand onto my forehead as they laughed.

  "Atlas, what are your main reasons that you should not be taken back? Give me your case," Maul turned back to me.

  "The castle is not my home. I am useless and unwanted there. I do not want Varrick to force me into awful decisions like what he did ever again-"

  Maul cut me off, "Why, specifically, did he force you to make that decision?"

  I threw my hands in the air, "Something about me thinking I knew what was good for the people and what needed to be done. Which, I mean, obviously choices that don't involve death would be nice. Donovan also protested him by telling him to stop, that's why he got involved," I stopped, Maul speaking.

  He leaned onto his knees, "Any other reasons you should not go back?"

  "Joseph and Alexandra are in Voltaren! They are my family! I have a horn to deliver to Phoenix Peak for the Forsaken. How dare you take it from me. I have to escort a caravan with supplies to their camp as well, and defend it from your hooligans! They're starving because of people like you!" I pointed accusingly, simply letting my unrestrained bluntness take control

  He started talking to his council again, arguing, sighing, then finally looking back to me, "I am sure Alexandra and Joseph are adults that can take care of themselves. We will allow a shipment group to travel unimpeded to the Forsaken. My men will take you back to Foresythe. I apologize for the injustice you feel in being returned to the castle, but you are but one voice. The needs of the many must be considered. The gold we receive shall be put to use better feeding and equipping all that suffer as the war rages. I hope it gives you some security knowing that your sacrifice will bring such joy and hope to others."

  "I- I- Joseph, Alexandra," I stammered.

  "I will have men check on them often. I will do my best to make sure no harm befalls them," Maul assured, but it had little effect, I was starting to panic, overcome by a feeling of helplessness.

  Doc looked down sorrowfully, people starting to rise, Hirsh and another man walking towards me with rope in hand.

  "No!" I stood, pointing at Maul, the men beside me flinching, "Wait! I'm supposed to fight you!"

  The aimless talking of the crowd stopped as they exchanged skeptical glances.

  "Icarus said so!" I shouted. Now they were going to think I was mad. I wished I would have stopped there.

  Maul's eyebrows scrunched together slowly, "Who is Icarus?"

  "The prophetic angel in my dreams. He said something about challenging you," I started.

  The men all started talking at once, all eyes, including Maul's, widening.

  "You are challenging me for the authority?" Maul asked.

  "Yes, I guess that's what I'm supposed to do. He was all dramatic about it 'being the only way'," I really wished I could stop talking.

  Maul's confusion continued, but he regarded me with a slight smirk, "Give her a sword," he looked to the back and commanded Hirsh.

  Hirsh nodded, got up.

  "Actually, I prefer a kora, double wielding especially, do you have any?" I asked Maul.

  "Go check the armory," he nodded to Hirsh and the archer exited the area.

  The hushed chatter continued, Doc looking around fearfully, "Atlas, do you realize what you've gotten yourself into?"

  "No, not at all," at least I was honest.

  "Maul," Doc slid his glasses up his nose, "A challenge for authority is traditionally to the death,” he hissed through his teeth.

  "Or till surrender," Maul rumbled.

  "If it's between surrender and being taken back I'm not going to surrender," I said plainly.

  It didn't help Doc's anxiety.

  Maul said something to the man beside him and he exited, walking back in holding a massive bladed mace and handing it to Maul.

  I shuddered as he nonchalantly tested its weight, swinging the huge head of metal effortlessly.

  "Perhaps Icarus didn't know what he was talking about," I sighed, "I say a lot of things I'd much rather kee
p to myself."

  "Do you want to surrender now?" Maul smirked.

  "I think I'd rather die," I said.

  Hirsh returned, handing me a sheathe.

  "Blacksmith says they're unfinished," Hirsh said, "but just the decorative stuff and the details on the handle. They’re on of his play projects.

  The leather case held a pair of swords, both flat on one side so that they could lay aligned in the sheathe. Hirsh stepped back as I drew the curved weapons, hands on the cold tang, turning the swooping hand-guard over my knuckles. The blades themselves glinted a razor-like edge, covered in deep etched intricate patterns.

  “Beautiful weapons,” I mused, swishing one through the air, “Excellent balance.”

  “You can keep ‘em if you win,” Maul inputted.

  Doc cleared his throat, “Maul might I remind you that the reward is for her alive and unharmed?”

  “She has issued a challenge. Here she is under my law, and that outweighs that of the royal demand,” Maul said plainly.

  “Are you going to explain that to Varrick when you bring her back all bruised and broken?” Doc crossed his arms.

  “I’m not going to severely injure her,” Maul looked at me, “Only wounds that can mostly heal on the trip back to Foresythe. Besides,” he motioned in my direction, “She can explain to Varrick about how her dream angel tells her to do things.”

  “Ok, I would think Icarus was a figment of my imagination to if there wasn’t physical proof of his prophecy,” I said.

  Maul opened his mouth, sighed, and spoke, “I’m not even going to ask. Are you aware of what is gained if you beat me?”

  “Not in the slightest,” I said plainly.

  A man groaned beside Maul, “Stop humoring her, let’s just tie her up and haul her out.”

  “She has the right to see this through,” Maul said pointedly.

  “Ok so what do I get? A prize? Goodies? Fame?” I rambled.

  “You get the right to lead my tribe,” Maul said. The men looked at me with little expectance.

  “That’s ridiculous. Why would you keep a system like that? Where anyone could take away your people just because they’re stronger than you physically?” I said.

  “Actually, the ability to formerly challenge me is only known by my personal council,” he motioned around, “Only those I trust. I believed if I betrayed them enough to make them wish to fight me that they had the right to contest my leadership. I thought perhaps someone told you about our practice, but considering you can’t tell anything but the truth right now, I’m perplexed as to how your vision angel knew about it. In the name of the situation’s peculiar sort of honesty, I’ll give you your attempt at my rank.”

  “The only thing that happens if I lose is that you’ll return me?” I asked.

  He leaned on the long handle of his mace, “No, there has to be something besides that. You will be branded, and banished, just like any that fail, not that the second one would really affect you. I’ll also own whatever you had on you. If you want to surrender now, however, I will give that all back.”

  “I am no coward,” I swirled the swords on my fingers, “Though I do run headlong into a lot of things fairly blindly.”

  Doc let out a slow hissing breath through his teeth, “Maul, unharmed includes not being branded. Is she going to casually explain that one to Varrick as well?”

  “I won’t tell him till whoever takes me back is long gone. I actually think it would be amusing seeing his reaction. I’ll tell him that I match Joseph now,” I smirked, “Since he didn’t care to let it happen to him, what would I matter? Condemned and unrightful heir.”

  Maul rumbled out a laugh, starting to pace opposite of the fire to me, swinging the mace at his feet.

  “There, at least you make it look heavy now. You’ll be a bit slower, having to take more powerful swings. It will use energy fast,” I spoke, then groaned. Just when I thought I was getting some control back.

  Maul paused, “How does a princess know so much of battle-presence?”

  I smiled, “Joseph taught me. But I’ve always taken more interest in the fields of war than my marble towers.”

  Maul’s soldiers had fallen into an anticipatory silence. Doc shot Maul and I nervous glances.

  I flipped the swords backwards in my hands, bowing with them above me.

  Maul watched, then awkwardly imitated the motion, but left his mace on the ground.

  “Not part of your customs?” I straightened, balancing my weight as I rotated the swords to my front again, the heaviness of the heads offset by the handles. Combat was never easy, but at least with weapons like these it made it closer to so. Considering I hadn’t said that out loud, I was truly regaining my filters.

  “No, begin when you’re ready,” Maul watched me expectantly.

  “I think I’ll let the host take the first move,” I gave him a stoic stare.

  “I’ll patch you up as soon as you’re done,” Doc shook his head.

  “I’ll take your offer, Atlas,” Maul shifted, and suddenly lunged around the fire.

  So much for anticipating him to be slow. The mace crashed into the ground beside me, sending sod and rocks flying through the air. I reacted, moving to the side too late. He would have had plenty of time to hit me, but he choose not to, I realized, he hadn’t expected anything out of me.

  He swung the weapon again, earth flying, and as I jumped to dodge, he put a leg out, anticipating my direction. He succeeded in tripping me, but I slammed both my swords down into his greaves, the blades cleaving through the leather and drawing blood. He yelped as we both toppled to the ground. I slashed backwards at him, missing but getting him to draw away long enough for me to get up and run around the fire.

  The men startled out of their seat, moving around the benches with my proximity. Unflinching gazes reflected in the fire, glinting like Maul’s blood.

  He stood, supporting himself on the long-handled mace. I took deep breaths, trying not to let my adrenaline take hold of me. Maul rushed towards one side of the fire and I adjusted accordingly, keeping him on the opposite side of me.

  We did such a routine till Maul growled in frustration, “Come, Atlas, that’s childish.”

  “Truth is I’m trying to figure out what to do now,” I frowned, “Guess the Verum isn’t all the way spent.”

  Maul tried to take me off guard, flinching to one side quickly. I continued to avoid him. He was losing blood, I could at least hope that had some hindrance.

  But I was also growing weary, I wasn’t used to a real fight.

  I watched Maul through the flames, and in a split second of thought I plunged my swords into the fire and flung the flaming logs at him. Miraculously, one hit him square in the chest, igniting his beard, and singeing his flesh. He screamed, startled, and stumbled back, crashing into the empty bench behind him. I lunged forward over the weakened fire, ready to attack him, but his boot flashed out and struck me under the ribs.

  Winded, I crashed into the dirt, a sword falling from my hands, the other only staying in my fingers because the handguard twisted around my palm. Stars flashed in my vision as I gasped for breath, feet scrabbling uselessly.

  Maul’s figure rose above me, a condemning silhouette with the mace resting slightly on my chest. His beard smoking, he gave a crooked grin, “Do you su-”

  A gasp came from the men gathered, a woman screamed. Maul’s attention was drawn away, long enough for me to stab his arm. He dropped the mace, and I rolled away from it just in time. As he reached for it I slashed at his other leg, succeeding in cutting the flesh of his foot. He fell as I rose, my foot on his back and sword to his neck. His face pressed to the ground, he glared at me.

  “Do you surrender?” I said triumphantly, but heart sinking at his next words.

  “Would you kill me if I didn’t?” Maul asked plainly.

  There was silence, all attention directed back towards us. I dared not look where they had been focused, not wanting my distraction to be my
downfall.

  I looked at Maul, my hand shaking slightly that held my weapon, “No,” I planted my sword in the dirt.

  There was an audible conjoined sigh of relief. I glanced around.

  I stepped off him, putting my hand out, “But you are not taking me back to the castle.”

  Maul was silent for a moment, scaring me, but he burst out laughing, taking my hand in a bear-trap grip and standing, “I don’t know if I could get you there!”

  I followed his gaze to the trees, assuming I knew what he was looking for, but I asked anyway, “What did you see?”

  “Something that wasn’t supposed to exist,” he said quietly, and as I opened my mouth to ask something else, Hirsh cut me off.

  “How does it feel to go from captive to bandit leader, Atlas?” Hirsh laughed.

  Maul looked around, addressing them in a loud voice, “He’s right, Atlas has won the right to be in charge. You answer to her just as you would me.”

  Hirsh started clapping, the rest following suit, the crowd roaring with surprised applause.

  “Even though I spared you?” I asked Maul, the men quieting.

  “If you would have killed me they would have thrown you out, never accepted you. Killed you if you were one of our own. Part of the test is to see if you are merciful. If you would have struck down an unarmed man, you would have failed,” Maul explained.

  “That’s a wise concept, but a gamble as well, you could have lost your life,” I said.

  Maul shrugged, “You do not strike me as the killing type, Atlas. I was willing to take the risk. I do believe I could have beaten you if I wasn’t so afraid of injuring you,” Maul grinned.

  I rolled my eyes, “Sure, sure.”

  “I don’t know if I should tell you, but you still have the option to banish me,” Maul offered, “Though I would definitely prefer you didn’t.”

  “I have no such intentions,” I crossed my arms.