by Aaron Thomas
Bowie woke to the sounds of children playing outside his window down on the street below. He was still in his clothes from fighting the two fire wielders. He looked out his window to see the people of Gulrich moving about their day with smiles on faces. He had helped them and he felt proud at what he had accomplished but still couldn’t get the look of the dead man’s eyes out of his head. He looked into a small mirror on the washstand and found a man in rumpled clothes looking back, he shaved and dressed back in his green jacket with the leather pants. He polished his boots and strapped the quiver on his back. He tied his red hair back out of his face and finally he plopped his black hat on his head and stood looking in the mirror. He was proud of the hero he was becoming. He knew now that he was not just another person on this journey, he could and would make a difference to his friends.
He opened his door and walked down the stairs. He saw Brent’s back as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Brent was sitting next to the stairs at what was the rear of the inn’s dining area. A minstrel was playing a slow happy song but switched the song to Brights in the Night, when he saw Bowie. The mayor and some other important looking people came up to thank and congratulate him on his victory. Bowie waved them off as he sat across from Brent putting his back to the group. Bowie took off his hat and set it in the chair next to him. Before he could speak Brent slid a plate full of eggs, sausage, and bread in front of him. “Eat first and I’ll tell you what I know about Kilen’s condition.”
“I don’t like the way you said ‘his condition’. I’ll eat and you tell me everything that’s going on here. No more secret’s about missions for the king.”
“I have told you all of the secrets you’re going to learn about me for now. The mission was what I said it was, I was to investigate any signs of the Fire Realm. I am not here to engage in any fights or stop them from attacking. I myself have little to no experience in that. I told you both why you had to fight them, and not me. It is a duty for wizards to protect non-wielders from rogue wizards, and those two men were as close as it comes to wizards.” Brent took a breath and made sure that Bowie knew that his tone had angered him by staring into his eyes. When he felt confident that there was an understanding, Brent continued, “now, about Kilen. He is well, and should wake anytime now. You did good tying his hand to his sword. That action alone saved his life. I don’t know how he did it, but he used more magic than his body could handle. He still has not learned the technique to pull power from the elements around him, and that is what almost killed him. It takes great determination to use your entire stock of magic like he did. He needs rest, and rest he shall have. Now then, these people think that you two are some sort of heroes. They wanted to throw you a celebration but I told them we would be leaving very soon. I told the mayor I would make you available to tell your story to their town’s elders so it could be recorded in the town’s history. Before you go to do that I would like to hear the details first.”
“I was hoping to get some ale and dance a couple dances before we left town. If Kilen is alright I’ll check on him and go to find a pretty lady or two. When he wakes up, he can tell them about the two fire wielders. I’m not the one the elders will want to talk to.”
Brent sat up straighter and smiled, “The elders did not request Kilen, they requested you. They wish to speak to the boy that faced down two wielders with only his bow. Besides, if Kilen went unconscious, how will he know the whole of the story? Now, tell me what did happen.” Bowie told Brent about the fight and how he had put the bracer and dagger in his pouch, and how he found Kilen. He told him of each detail of Kilen’s health, when he used the rings to lift him and how he rode with him the entire way back. When he finished the Wizard stared at him with arms tucked into the sleeves of his blue robes. “Do you have the bracer and dagger on you now?”
“I left them in the room where they could be safe.” Brent jumped up and moved around the table to where Bowie was now standing.
“Take me to them NOW!,” he practically yelled as they went up the stairs to the rooms. “Those items in the wrong hands, even a child curious about a lords things, could cause us great problems.” They burst into Bowie’s rooms and he saw the bag by the bed where he had left it. He opened the sack to find the two items still inside and he let out a sigh of relief. He handed the bag to Brent who looked inside and reluctantly took the bracer out of the bag. “This certainly is fire imbued, I’ll wear it and keep it safe until it can be passed to the proper user.” He picked up the blade and turned it over in his hands. “You said the other man was using this for his magic?”
“It’s the only thing metal I found near him. He was wearing robes, and was telling the other man to take the bracer off.”
Brent looked at Bowie and nodded, “You killed a fire wizard, boy, not an armor bearer. The king will want to hear about this in haste, we will have to redouble our efforts to get to Deuterium. If a fully trained and in control fire wizard is moving through the Earth Realm with weapon or armor bearer, our nations are very much in trouble. We should leave as soon as Kilen is able. You should go and see the elders now. Spare no detail.” Bowie left to find the mayor at the inn’s bar, and found Leroy coming out of the kitchens.
“Hey where have you been?”
Leroy opened a bag of spices in front of Bowie, “Collecting supplies for the road. I found so many spices here that we only get when a peddler comes through town. I had to collect as much as I could. My lord, I did find you two new outfits of the same quality as the others, a green and a purple. I will have them packed with your things.”
“Great, pack them with my things. Do you need any coin to pay for the things you bought?”
Leroy shook his head, “no my lord. After your heroic actions they require no money for the small requests. Is there anything else that my lord wishes me to acquire before we depart?”
“Stop calling me lord,” Bowie now felt awkward having a friend treat him as a lord. He took of his hat and handed it to Leroy, “Pack that with my things until we leave.” Bowie, in his lordly coat stalked towards the inn’s exit, Leroy followed quickly.
“My lord,” he said to stop Bowie from leaving. “The wizard wishes me to remain your manservant for the duration of the day. He says that I can gain information by listening in places that my lord cannot go. Shall I continue in calling you Lord?”
Bowie scratched at his head through his red hair, “Listen to the wizard.” He sighed and turned his head towards Leroy, “As soon as we are clear of town you will stop calling me lord. You are my friend and not my servant, Leroy. Now give me back my hat, if he wants me to play the part of a Lord I might as well look the part.” Leroy handed his hat back and ran off to complete the other errands that Bowie had made. Bowie fussed putting the hat back on his head and saw a serving girl watching him. He winked at her and she looked down and blushed. He smiled to himself and made his way out of the inn to find the mayor. He had to ask a couple of people in town where to find the mayor’s manor. Everyone in town was very helpful and thanked him for his heroics. Three young maids gave him flowers in thanks for saving them from more suffering. He kissed a hand of each and promised that if he had time he would dance with each if they could find him at the Traveling Soldier Inn later that night. He began to walk taller and try to walk as he thought a lord would walk. When he finally arrived at the mayor’s house there was a large front sitting room with mounted animal heads on the walls and a large bear fur rug on the floor. Six chairs were filled with old men that had lost most of their hair to be replaced by sunspots. Smoke filled the room as they puffed on long stem pipes, and drank on brandy. Bowie took off his hat and flourished a deep bow in front of the men.
“Come now my lord, none of that,” said the mayor showing Bowie to a seat. “We should be bowing down to you in thanks. I heard it was quite a battle. It took a lot of our men the better part of the night to put out the fires those two started. We were so glad to see you arrive unharmed. How fares the weapon bearer?”
Bowie handed a small girl his hat and picked up a pipe lying on a table with legs made of animal antlers. He loaded it with tobacco as he started his story, “Kilen is fine. I’ll tell you what I know happened. Some is for us to know and we shall keep our secrets.” He tried to sound mysterious and put on a good face pretending to have fought others like this before. “Kilen and I traveled out and found the wielders resting. When we found them we split up. Kilen was supposed to distract them and draw most of the flames so that I could take the shots. Kilen got close enough to open the ground underneath the first one and then crushed him with the weight of the land.” The group of men sat back and puffed on their pipes smiling widely, they were very impressed by the story so far. “When he did this, the other wielder began to throw fireballs in rage because of his friend’s death. Kilen’s shield was bombarded and he was pinned down, taking the brunt of the force. He created a fog, allowing me to see through it to the wizard, but obscuring the fire wizard’s vision of Kilen. He made me the target, but I had no fear. I never miss a shot in the heat of battle.” He left out the part that this was his first experience with any sort of battle. “I drew my bow and was able to take one shot, hitting him in the shoulder before he turned in my direction. Flames leapt up all around me but I stood my ground. Dodging more attacks from the wizard, I was able to land three more shots in him before he finally died.”
The men clapped in praise of his story and some even slapped him on the back, which made him choke on his pipe. They all laughed and one man sitting in a chair opposite of Bowie spoke through the talking, “And what of your friend, do you celebrate while he lays on his deathbed?”
The room got quiet and Bowie felt the tension between the others in the room. “He will be fine soon enough, he just needs rest. Wizard Brent told me that he exhausted himself using the extent of his magic in order to maintain the fog to protect us. He will wake soon and be right as rain.” The man smiled at that and stood to shake his hand.
“I will join the celebration then. I was told you were not staying for our feast tonight.”
Bowie stood, “I’m sorry, I would have liked to have had a bit of celebration, having missed Springfest to join this party I travel with. I have already lined up a few dances for this afternoon at the Traveling Soldier. If you want to have a bit of celebration please come and join the fun I’ll be having there. Perhaps I can learn a little bit more about this town.” The men all agreed to join Bowie. They gathered their jackets and Bowie placed his hat back on his head as they departed for the inn.
***
Kilen’s eyes fluttered and he struggled to keep them open. When he could, his vision revealed a low peaked ceiling with thick wood rafters. He moved his toes and arms and felt that his body was sore as if he had chopped wood for the entire day before. His sword hand hurt, but when he tried to move it he found it tied with cloth to his sword. Kilen sat up on the cushioned bed, pushing the sheets off his bare chest. Kara was sleeping on a pallet near his bed and was breathing deeply. Kilen’s head swayed with the movement of sitting up straight. He closed his eyes for a moment to gain his balance and felt as if someone was watching him. He opened them again and looked around the room to find no one there. He slowly rose and moved about the room in his small clothes, and his sword tied to his arm. He found a new pair of black leather pants and a green wool shirt that laced up the front. They seemed to be his size so he put them on and looked at himself in the mirror. Kilen heard someone scream, IT’S HIM, HE’S THE ONE WHO SENT ME HERE TO THIS PLACE! Kilen looked around the room and saw no one but felt someone watching still. He looked in the wardrobe and under the bed. He looked out the window and saw Bowie walking out of the inn, towards Gulrich’s town square. Did you see him? Joahna, did you see that murderer? Kilen heard the voice say as he continued to look from where the man was talking from. The voices seemed to come from all directions and yet none at all.
I saw him too, maybe we aren’t dead after all. Let us watch, and see if he will show us how to return to our bodies.
The voices were silent, but Kilen decided that if he could hear them, they could probably hear him. He spoke out to the empty room, “Hello? I can hear you talking. If you want to keep it private please be quiet.”
He can hear us, Joahna. Make him give us back our bodies!
The person called Joahna spoke angrily, MAX, hold your tongue. Do not speak to him you stupid oaf. You will learn enough if you be quiet and watch.
Kilen spoke out into the room again, “Hello? Why are you watching me?” He waited but no answer came. He moved around the room checking the walls seams and the ceiling. The cracks between the thick log walls were sealed with a tar to keep them from being drafty, they should have held out any voices as well as wind. Kilen peeked out into the hall and found no one outside the door, but heard music playing down stairs that would have drowned out anything he had said in his room. “Why are you watching me? Maybe if you told me what you want I could help you,” Kilen pleaded with the two men watching him. He remembered hearing the men call each other Joahna and Max. If they wouldn’t show themselves then he would listen for anyone in town to mention them. Kilen put on his sword belt with considerable difficulty using one hand and decided to test his strength. He put the sword on the belt and untied his hand, he lifted his hand from the hilt and a wave of fatigue hit him. He was still able to stand and move on his own, so he decided he would be ok without tying his hand back. Kilen packed his things and took another look into the mirror to straighten his hair. He checked Kara, she was in a subdued state. He left the room and locked the door behind him. He moved to the rooms on either side of his and listened at the door. A girl came up the stairs and curtsied to Kilen with a curious look on her face. She stood in the hallway saying nothing to him with her head of long brown hair looking at the floor. Kilen spoke first, “Excuse me milady, can you tell me who is staying in these rooms here.” He pointed to the rooms on either side of his own.
The girl looked nervous and unsure how to answer or even if she should. She curtsied again and spoke in a shaky voice, “My lord, only your friends are allowed on the third floor.” Kilen thanked her and she moved on down the hallway to a door. Kilen followed and saw her cleaning the rooms. Bowie’s bow rested against the wardrobe, it must be where Bowie was staying. Kilen carefully walked down the stairs, being careful not to fall in his weakened state. He was thinking about what the two men were talking about, getting their bodies back. He thought that it was impossible for people to be separated from their bodies and laughed at the thought of bodiless men haunting him. He looked over his shoulder anyway, checking for the eyes he still felt watching him. When he arrived at the bottom floor, Brent was sitting at the inn’s table tapping his foot to the minstrel playing, The Wind Worn Ridge. Kilen took the seat next to him, as it was the closest, and easiest to get to. His muscles were a little shaky pulling the chair from the table. He sat down with a plop and rested his hand again on his sword. Brent smiled and motioned a serving girl sitting on another man’s leg. She got up with haste and returned with a two pheasants, bread, cheese, wine, and fruit. Kilen started to eat ravenously. He hadn’t noticed how hungry he was until he started in on the plate. The eyes watched him still but he began to ignore them, besides there were other sets watching him now. Only the new sets of eyes had bodies to go with them.
Kilen finished his plate while Brent spoke quietly. “You did well boy. Even the best trained weapon bearer’s fear is taking on a fire wizard that’s in control. When you are fully trained you should be quite a show. I think that you have just proven your worth and gained your sister quite a few years in training under the king’s protection. I know the people of Gulrich will sleep better knowing their home won’t suddenly burst into flames. They are extremely grateful, the people here. They have brought all the supplies we will need to arrive at Deuterium safely. We will continue our ride without stopping in another city. When you are done eating the people here have gifts for you. After that
we will get on the road, if you are able. Are you able to continue?”
Kilen did feel a lot better after getting some food in his stomach. He felt the strength returning to his limbs. He stretched his legs and feet under the table. Kilen nodded, “I can ride if needed. I don’t know how much help I will be with sustaining the others, but I can ride.”
Brent stood and held out his arm to shake hands, “That is all I ask.”
Then Max’s voice screamed at the fire bracer sticking out of Brent’s sleeves, MY BRACER, the traitorous wizard is wearing my bracer!
You were never worthy of that bracer, you couldn’t control yourself. In the end you wore it and have got us condemned to this place, Joahna answered Max. The voices were quiet once again. Kilen had stood up at hearing Max scream, his heart was pounding as he looked around the bar. Brent still had his hand extended and was looking about the room and back at Kilen with his bushy eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The rest of the people hadn’t noticed Kilen and Brent, now standing awkward at the table. Kilen realized that no one had heard the voice’s except him. Kilen wanted to be alone to think, but he needed to get away from Brent in order to do that.
“I…need to buy another book to write in before we leave. If you will excuse me?” Kilen hurried past Brent, out the tavern door and out into the street. He didn’t get far before Bowie called out his name. Bowie was being followed by the mayor and a few aged men all smoking long stem pipes.
The mayor called out immediately to Kilen, “My lord weapon bearer, I am certainly glad to see you awake and around. Please accept my humble thanks for stopping those two Fire Realm heathens.” The mayor turned to children on the street, “Fetch the blacksmith. You get the tailor, and you go get the stable master. Tell them the weapon bearer has wakened.” Children ran off to see to the mayor’s wishes. Kilen was sometimes given orders like that from Mayor Bingham. The moment of watching the children run off, reminded him of home, and that made him smile.