by Aaron Thomas
“Please call me Annie, it is what my closest friends call me. The city has been in a bit of a huff since the castle was sighted. The town guard has been in hiding, the docks in shambles, and the mayor has fled the country after being threatened because he wouldn’t send a welcoming party to the new king,” Mrs. Reanna said.
“The guard is in hiding?” Kilen asked, putting down his food.
“They have been since the castle was reported. They only come out to purchase food or supplies and when they do they don’t announce themselves as guards. Two of them were killed when they come out in uniform. I don’t think they will be any problem to you,” Annie said.
“Well, At least that is a small bit of good news. I am not sure how long I will be here, but can I stay here at night until I leave?” Kilen asked.
“Absolutely, your Majesty. It would be my pleasure to have you stay with us. We will keep the rooms open for you and anyone you have in your party to stay here as well. I will also have Erica be available to whatever you need,” Annie said.
Kilen nodded his head; the trip was starting out well. Having the guards out of the way would keep problems to a minimum and stop a potential battle from erupting. He knew the more innocent lives lost, the more problems would arise when trying to get help from other towns.
“Speaking of my friends, I am sure Wizard Parker will have more questions to ask when he arrives,” Kilen said as if they didn’t know him.
Annie laughed, “I’m sure he will. He rarely has a moment without questions.”
The meal continued with little other conversation of politics or wars. Annie asked questions about Leviathan, but the questions were soon answered by Erica. Leroy spoke of a few places in the castle that Erica didn’t have access to when she was growing up. The conversation continued a while after everyone had finished eating. Leroy offered to help Erica clean up the plates, and Mrs. Reanna followed them out, leaving Kilen to himself. He opened his book and made a few notes on requirements made on a weapon bearer wanting to become a king.
**********
Bowie was one of the first off the boat and to disappear into the city. His bow extended down his back and under his cloak where he could use it if he needed, although it would take a bit to unleash it and string it before he could use it. He also only carried three arrows tied to the small of the back. The rest were wrapped in his blanket roll on his pack and would take considerably longer to ready.
Auburn followed close behind him and watched everyone he interacted with. She hadn’t spoken to him since the bar where they picked up the boat captain. Bowie found the place he was wanting; an old fletcher shop with a new sign and archery lanes. He stopped at the corner to watch the people going in and out to see if it was safe to enter.
“What are we waiting for?” Auburn asked as Bowie stood at the street’s corner, leaning up against the building.
Bowie took ahold of her arm and pulled her in front of him, so they were facing each other. “I need you to stand here for a bit so I can watch a building,” Bowie said glancing between her and the shop.
“A distraction like the closet in the castle?” Auburn asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No, not like that at all,” Bowie replied with a bit of irritation in his voice. “I won’t be kissing you.”
“That’s a shame. You aren’t a bad kisser when you're under pressure,” Auburn said letting out a giggle.
Bowie locked eyes with her and tightened his jaw, “I’m trying to not get us killed. Can you focus for one minute and do what I need you to do?”
“Am I not doing what you wanted me to do? I’m standing here where you told me to stand. I’m not looking about and trying to draw attention, I am simply standing and trying to make it look as if we are talking. Would you rather me stand here like a statue and draw attention because I’m not moving?” Auburn said, raising her voice.
“Well, you’re drawing attention now!” Bowie accidentally shouted.
He quickly looked around, checking to see in anyone was watching. He waved her down the street to a place out of view. Auburn crossed her arms are refused to follow him as he departed until Bowie put his hands together as if praying and silently begged her to join him.
Finally, she gave in, stiffly walking to where he was standing.
“Why do you have to do that?” He asked.
Auburn shook her head, “I am not doing anything but trying to talk to you.”
“You know what you are doing, and it is really irritating,” Bowie said back, trying to remember not to raise his voice. They stared at each other for a good long time before Bowie spoke again.
Bowie finally gave in and explaining to her, “Every time we get in a tight spot you have to go and make advances. It distracts me, and I can’t keep my thoughts on the task.”
Auburn took a moment, and slowly the irritation faded from her face, and her arms dropped to her side, “For a while, I didn’t know if you would notice me making advances or not. It is nice to be acknowledged, and from now on I will do it at a more appropriate time. Shall we get back to watching the street?”
Before Bowie could answer, she was heading back down the street to where they had previously stood. He paced a bit, unsure of how to move forward with the girl. He hadn’t tried to make advances and really didn’t know if she was serious. Matter of a fact I still don’t know if she is serious, He thought.
He reached up to tighten his hat and remembered he wasn’t wearing one. He knew at least one thing; the red-headed girl really knew how to throw him off balance. He made his way to her and took up his stance, leaning against the building so he could see the fletchers.
Auburn didn’t wait one moment before starting in again, “Is this one of those moments where you have planned everything out?”
“It’s one of those moments when everything just falls into place,” He said as he watched the old fletcher go inside the shop. He stopped leaning on the wall and nervously took up Auburn’s arm as he escorted her to the front stoop.
Bowie whispered as they crossed the street up to the door, “I need you to keep a watch out and make sure you let me know if anyone is about to come inside. You need to also warn me if there are guards coming down the street.”
“Very well,” Auburn said without argument.
Because she didn’t argue or question he almost turned around and called off his plan. It made the hair on the back of his neck raise when she gave in so easily. He tried to ignore it as he opened the door to the small shop.
Arrows, bow staves, strings, and tools littered the unorganized shop. Behind the counter was the same old man that had arranged a bet for him the day after Springfest. Auburn did as she was told; acting like she was perusing the arrows while looking out the window.
Bowie did not pretend to look at anything. Instead, he placed his hands on the counter until the old man looked up from his business log. He barely noticed Bowie as he ran his finger down the notes.
“How can I help you?” He asked smugly.
Bowie did not offer a response, the man clearly had not recognized him. Bowie looked totally different than he had when he was last here. Using both hands, Bowie pulled back the hair draping in his face. He pulled it tight so that it would reveal his face as it would have been under the brim of his hat. The man glanced up again and squinted until he recognized Bowie. He promptly shut the book but didn’t speak.
Bowie stuck his chin out to the boy sweeping in the corner. The old man nodded and rounded the corner.
“Outside with ya, boy. I have some business to conduct, and I won’t have you mucking it up,” He said, shooing the boy out. He turned the open sign in the window too closed and produced a small key to lock the door after the boy was out.
“Master Crescent, how can I help you today?” The man asked.
“You aren’t going to kick me out and report me to the guards?” Bowie asked.
“What guards?” The man replied. “Besides, the last time you were here I made a year
’s income in one day. Did you bring some arrows for me to sell?”
“I have a few that I can spare for the moment and maybe a few more before I leave town. Before I get to that, I need to arrange a meeting with Guardsmen Ross. He is the one I challenged when I was here last,” Bowie said while taking the blanket off his pack.
“Well, you're in luck. He is one of the guards that’s still around. Mostly because he was one of the nicer ones and was here before you won the war,” He said.
“Before I won the war?” Bowie asked.
“Yes, rumors are all over talking about how you and your trained archers were outnumbered and still defeated the Fire Realm. You are a legend around here, even amongst the guards that are supposed to arrest you.”
Bowie scratched his head in confusion, still not grasping the situation. He had fought in a battle that had luckily gone in his favor. During the battle, he had defeated his fair share, but apparently, he had been made out to be some kind of hero.
“He may not show up until after dark, though, after the killings he and his men have been scarce to leave the guardhouse. I don’t know why, though, it’s been set on fire twice this week alone. If he knew you were in town I’m not sure he and his men would stick around to meet the pointy end of your arrow,” He said laughing as if it were a joke.
“I’m not sure the rumors are correct, but it just may help me out. I would like to meet with him all the same if you could arrange it. The sooner, the better if you would, sir. I can pay you.”
“No need to pay me, son. Just give me a good price on those arrows, and I’ll be sure to do what I can in arranging it,” The man said, eyeing the arrows Bowie had pulled out of his blanket roll.
“You can have the dozen if you can get him to meet with me. I’ll wait here to make sure the task is done, and I’m warning you: if any other guards show up you will be the first one to find one of these arrows sticking from your chest,” Bowie said, trying to sound intimidating.
The man nodded confidently and locked Bowie and Auburn inside the shop when he departed. Bowie pulled a stool over to the window which Auburn promptly sat down on before he could. He rolled his eyes and pulled over a second.
“Do you really think you are a legend?” She asked, dropping a couple arrows as if they were the worst craftsmanship she had ever seen.
“I’ve heard of crazier things. Besides, I did defeat an army,” Bowie said.
“It wasn’t just you, big head. You had a thousand archers at your back and wielders protecting your front. I mean you weren’t even in charge,” She said laughing.
“Yeah, well...” He trailed off, unsure what to say so they sat in silence until Bowie found some materials behind the counter for making arrows. He pulled out his tools and went to work fashioning a dozen more arrows before Auburn got from her seat and moved away from the window.
“He’s back. He has a cloaked man with him,” She said, standing near the corner of the store’s front room.
Bowie hadn’t noticed her pull the bow out from under her cloak or even seen her string it while he was working. She now stood in the corner with an arrow pointed at the door while the key slid into the lock. At that moment Bowie’s heart sunk; in the few moments the old man talked to him, he managed to forget that he was a wanted man.
Scrambling, he reached for the only weapon he had access to; his wind imbued dagger. While pulling it from its sheath, the door opened, and the two men stepped inside.
“I was told that I would be perfectly safe in this meeting,” Ross said, pulling back his hood.
The old man locked the door behind the guard and moved out of Auburn's sights.
Bowie swallowed the lump of worry and surprise from his throat, “You will be as long as you don’t intend to put a noose around my neck or turn me into Atmos.”
Ross laughed loudly and took a seat on the stool Bowie had abandoned near the window.
“I don’t think I would make it to the end of the street alive if I tried to arrest someone. To tell the truth, I didn’t think I would make it here alive,” Ross said, looking about the streets through the window.
“Why do you say that?” Bowie asked.
“The Earth Realm troops aren’t exactly welcome in Basham anymore. We use to collect our meals from local shops and got our equipment from the nobles and the mayor from taxes, but all that is gone now. Since Leviathan came out of the water, we are hunted in the same town we use to protect. For a couple of days we were protected by the mayor's men, but even they turned on us while trying to do our jobs. I tried to send a message out to King Atmos or Captain Lorusk, but the messenger died before he could get out of the gates. It’s not like they would send us help anyways, they haven’t paid our salaries for months,” Ross said with a tight jaw.
“If you weren’t getting paid then why did you stay?” Bowie asked.
“Someone had to. The town needs a guard. The town needs law and order, or it will be ruined by its own people. Besides, Chutne is my hometown,” Ross admitted. “Why did you need me here so badly it was worth risking my life?”
“I was hoping that you would be able to help me turn this city’s loyalty towards the new Water Realm’s king. He is in town and needs to take control in Basham,” Bowie said as he finally put his knife away.
Auburn followed his example and lowered the point of her arrow but only slightly released tension on the string. Bowie motioned for her to put it away and she reluctantly took the arrow out of the bow but held both to her side.
“Master Crescent, I am not sure anyone but the new king himself could turn the tide of this city. The guard has been all but banished from the streets. The mayor has abandoned his post and fled the city. Before long most of the merchants will take their business somewhere where they have protection,” Ross said, still looking out into the street.
The old man behind the counter cleared his throat, “I know I’m nothing more than an errand boy, but I think if the guard were to announce their loyalty to the Water Realm, the masses of the city would let them return to their duties. I know if Master Crescent could convince the new king to visit the city, most would be loyal to him.”
Ross let out a laugh, “Most of the city won’t be here by the time Master Crescent could return with him.”
“He is here already,” Bowie said.
Both men looked at Bowie as if to see if he was serious and when he gave them a nod, they stood in excitement.
“If he is truly here, we may be able to help each other, Archer. What is it you need me to do?” Ross asked, seemingly eager to get to work.
“I just need you and your men to announce your allegiance to his army. As I understand it, he will be visiting as many cities as he can and sending any new recruits he can to Basham. From there they will be transported to Leviathan to prepare to defend the castle against Atmos. He sent me here because of our bet after Springfest,” Bowie explained, hoping it wasn’t too much to ask.
The old man blurted out, “Announce his allegiance? All they need to do is replace the green in their uniforms with blue. I am sure if they can manage that, then they can walk the streets freely.”
Ross turned to the old man, “I will need some help finding blue cloaks for my men. If you two can arrange for my barracks to receive them, I will make sure every last one of the guard dons one or walks from the city. I won’t force them to change their loyalty, Master Crescent. If you can guarantee the safety of the ones that want to leave, I will do my best to convince them to stay.”
Bowie scratched his head, “Sounds fair. My companion and I will be needing one of those cloaks as well.”
The old man nodded, “If you have the money to pay for them I am sure I can get at least a dozen within the hour.”
Bowie nodded and fished out ten gold coins from his pouch. “If you don’t mind, we will stay here until you can bring them back. I want to see this gentleman here wearing it before he departs your store.”
“Keep makin’ them arrows, and I’ll b
e back with a handful before you know it,” The old man said as he closed the door behind him.
Ross watched the old man walk down the street, “You know there is a lot more to be done before this day is finished?”
“I was assigned to seek you out and acquire the guard. I have completed my task, the rest is up to Kilen,” Bowie said as he inspected a couple arrow shafts before tossing them to the side.
“Who is Kilen?” Ross asked, coming to watch Bowie’s craftsmanship.
“He is your new king,” Bowie said glancing up to meet Ross’ eyes.
Chapter 5 - The Crowned King
The small inn had been cleared of its patrons who gave Kilen the ability to roam free in the hallways and look out any window he wished. Extra toughs had been hired to stand guard at the doors, both front and back. Mrs. Reanna had even made sure to make them bathe and sober up before she would pay them for their services.
Kilen’s friends arrived slowly and sporadically. His sister had taken a route to the market and purchased some jewelry and leather wrist bindings. She said that she was getting tired of replacing the lace at the end of her dresses sleeves.
Brent came in and stomped around in a huff. He had not been able to meet with a single nobleman. The estates were mostly empty since the nobles fled to the countryside where they would feel safer. The ones that stayed wanted no part in the schemes of a wizard to be allied with the Earth Realm.
Brent was pacing in the back room talking with Mrs. Reanna about Basham and trying to find a way to fix the problems in the city. Brent feared it would take far too long to change the city before they could actually start recruiting from the rest of the realm. Over and over he stated that they need to leave soon or there would be no hope of building an army.
Kilen sat in the nearly empty dining room of the Inn listening to a minstrel Mrs. Reanna had hired to play in the empty inn. The music was tranquil and allowed the mind to drift as the lute was played. More often than not Kilen’s mind would find its way back to Twilix. He wondered what she was doing, but he realized he did not know her well enough to formulate a good answer.