Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  "Interesting." Was Lomarks standard answer whenever Zender started preaching to him. I just shook my head and went to grab Kristos before he fell over the side of the ship. I was attempting to drag him below deck when the ship hit something or something hit the ship I should say. There came a call from the back of the ship, screaming about a giant turtle trying to climb up the back of the ship. Zender told me to get the others, I dropped Kristos where we were and I ran off to do just that. Lomark said something about a Dragon Turtle to me but I could not hear him over the pounding of my heart. As I ducked below the decks I could hear Zender screaming at the captain to get his men below.

  A second blow rocked the ship, we could feel the deck lifting under out feet. I called out to Zackary and William to take up arms just as the first roar sounded. I watched as Lomark grabbed a few items from his pack, we were headed back up when the first lightning bolt struck. I still cannot believe what I was seeing when we all got back up top side. Kristos was making his way towards the beast, sword in hand. The Dragon Turtle was having his way with the crew members that stayed behind to fight. Zender how ever had tied himself to the main mast of the ship. In one hand he was holding the symbol of our god. His other hand was pointed towards the sky. A second lightning bolt was called down, striking the great turtle in its head. Lomark ran across the tilted deck, stopping on the other side of the mast from Zender. The three of us, Zackary, William and I moved into attack. Kristos had somehow or another found his way onto the back of the turtle. I knew it wasn't going to end well. I watched in horror as he slipped on its moss covered shell. Falling to the deck below, just under the head of the turtle.

  Just as we were about to attack the beast, Lomark unleashed a spell of his own. Nothing we did mattered. The dragon turtle turned its head down and looked towards Kristos. It lifted one great paw and stepped down on to his legs. William with his great sword held over head charged towards the turtle with a great battle cry. Zackary and I were not far behind. Nothing we did could draw its attention away. The beast opened up his jaws and bit into Kristos. I could hear the young man’s armor crunching as he was ripped in half. William struck a mighty blow into the leg of the creature that was holding the rest of Kristos down. The beast was in a rage, it lifted its head up high to swallow down the half of Kristos that was in his mouth. I watched in horror as it started to swallow, I could see its neck expanding to take him down.

  It was then that the third and final bolt of lightning came crashing down on the dragon turtles head. The creature’s eye exploded in a rain of gore on the deck. Zackary then ran under the beast head and cut deep into its neck. For a moment I imagined seeing Kristos falling out, chewed up and crushed on the deck of the boat. We just kept attacking at it even though the bolt Zender had called down, finished the job. It took the entire crew to get the corpse of the beast off the ship. Lomark took a blanket and wrapped up what was left of Kristos as Zender said a prayer for him. The two of them carried his legs to the side of the ship and left him at sea. The captain of the ship was not happy, he blamed us for the attack. Well, he lamed Lomark to be precise. It was all we could to do keep them from tossing the wizard over the side and into Darknight Bay. Zender convinced the captain that the wizard could and would destroy the entire ship before he let anyone lay a hand on him. Two very long days later we were set ashore without a single word of thanks. Of all of us, William seemed to be affected the most. Kristos had him convinced that he was part demon. William had only wanted to see his horns. We all tried to tell him it wasn't true.

  I spent the next day or two trying to get Hans to admit that the story he told wasn't true. At last he just looked at me and said "You can ask Zender when we get there, he will tell you every word is true." Weeks later, when I was with him alone I asked him just that.

  28. Brother

  We rolled into town just as the sun was coming up. While I had a few things to do before I could rest, I was looking forward to a real bed. Two weeks on the road had taken its toll on me. All of us were a bit on edge, except for Hans. With the festival coming up finding an inn wasn't easy but anything was better than sleeping in that wagon another night. Pare was one small bundle of raw nerves, he thought for sure as soon as he stepped out of the wagon the town someone would slap him in irons and haul him away. I tried to calm him down, told him he had nothing to worry about. "You just don't understand Darmot, I can't get locked up again. You don't understand what it is like having to hide from every guard, not to mention that crazy bounty hunter who lives here."

  I just looked down at his face for a moment, I could feel the fear coming off him in waves. I could not believe it, this was the same Pare who not all that long before was jumping onto the back of a young red dragon. Stabbing it, over and over again yet he was near white as a ghost. When I asked him what bounty hunter, in a very small hushed voice he said "Windfall". I just about died from laughing right there on the spot. Once I could breathe again I sat him down and asked him just what he knew of Windfall. "Half-elf, crazy strong and just spooky. One minute, you are alone and then there he is, just appears out of nowhere. He moves like a ghost and once he gets on your trail it is over." It was all I could do to keep from laughing again. Truth be told, it was only the look in Jasmin's eyes that kept me from doing so. So I took a deep breath and told Pare not to worry but to stay in the inn until I returned.

  Once I was able to wash the road dust off, I put on the finest clothes I had. Dark leather breaches, black boots with a blue silken shirt. I then belted on my sword and my dragon skin cloak. I retrieved the papers from King Roderick from my pack and went to find Hans. I wanted him to go with me, I figured since he knew King Darius it would be a good idea. I found him with Hetaron of all people, who was asking Hans about where to find things in town. I placed a single hand on my friends shoulder and just nodded. He held up a single finger asking me to wait, I told him I would wait for him outside. I stood out in the street in front of the inn and had an odd feeling over take me. I was home yet I felt out of place. I had changed since I was last on those streets, changed for the better. I looked around at the buildings, while it all seemed the same. Everything had changed in my eyes. It was as if I was seeing things for the first time. It was all different, I was different, I was better. That was when I first saw her.

  Shoulder length hair, black as the night with blue eyes that were hard and cold. If her clothing was any more form fitting, she might as well have been standing there in nothing but her skin. I could feel her eyes on me, watching me, trying to size me up from the other side of the street. I felt a small chill creep into my bones as I rested my hand on the pommel of my sword. My mind raced back to the Red Dragon Inn and the street beggar. I knew she was the same woman. She gave me a slight smile and nodded her head as if she was reading my thoughts. She then turned and walked away. I had half a mind to follow her when Hans came out of the inn. He had changed into his formal robes leaving behind his armor and weapons. With his symbol of Solarth resting on his chest though, he had his most powerful weapon.

  "Do you really think they are going to let you see the king with that thing on your hip?" he asked me with a slight grin. I told him that I was an Arcadian lord traveling with a priest, they would just think it was for show. Hans just shook his head at me and pointed down the road. As I expected, no one took a second look at my weapon. Then again they were all far too busy fawning over Hans the hero. Before long we were escorted into chambers with the king. He was different than Roderick. I got a sense of something when looking into his eyes. I could not put my finger on it. I just handed the papers off to an aid to give him the papers, the request for Pare's pardon was on top of the bunch. I just stood back and watched him go over the papers while he was speaking with Hans. With a word or two from Hans, the request for pardon was granted. He said, "Provided the little bastard stays out of trouble."

  With that bit of business out of the way I turned my mind towards rest and going to see my parents. Hans walked out with me but a
fter that he told me he was headed to the temple. He was going to try to catch up with his mentor. That and he had no desire to share a room with Hetaron and Pare. I took my time walking back to the inn. I could not shake the feeling I had earlier that day while standing in front of the inn. Perhaps it was just my paranoia getting the best of me. The feeling of being out of place, a stranger in a strange land. The feeling that I was being watched. I looked around for that same woman, if she was watching me she was well hidden. Still, I could not shake the feeling that she was there somewhere. Waiting for the right time to strike. Soon it was more than I could take. I quickened my step and made my way back to the inn. I knew I had to get a hold of myself or I was bound to make a mistake. I did not feel safe until I closed the door to my room back at the inn. I looked at my wife sitting there on our bed, brushing out her hair. I did not get any rest until an hour later.

  Later that day, well towards evening I kept my word and took my wife to meet my parents. I remember seeing my old home again for the first time, wanting to run away. If I did not have Jasmin at my side, I would have turned around and left again. Instead I took her hand into mine and walked towards the front door. I knocked on the door twice, I could hear someone on the other side walking towards the door. A large man that I did not know answered the door, he looked at me with one good eye, the other was covered with a patch. He reminded me of the old mercenaries my father used to hire to protect his goods. I told him my name and asked to see my parents. He asked me to follow him. My father, thank the gods, was not at home at the time.

  The first time I had seen my mother in over two years and she looked just the same. She held me tight for what seemed to be the longest time. It was only when she saw Jasmin that she let me go. My mother, Lucinda fell in love with her right away. The two of them, took to each other like a duck in the water. When I asked where he was, the mood in the room changed. I thought for a small moment she was going to tell me that he was dead. I could have only been so lucky.

  "He will be home soon I imagine. I do have something to tell you, it is important that you do know. About a year ago a young man showed up at our door. Half-elf, little wild eyed but he had a look about him that I knew right away. It would seem that your father has another son. I do not know the entire story of how or when but he is a little more than a year younger than you. He came here to kill your father. It was the most horrible thing I had ever seen. He came in the middle of the night, fought his way in past two of Keller’s guards and found us in the dining room. He had a sword in each hand, Keller tried to make his escape while I just sat there at the table in shock. He knocked your father to the floor and drove one of his blades into Keller's legs. I could not move I was so frightened."

  "When he looked at me, I saw it right away. He had that same look that you would get in your eyes when you were upset with your father. He told me that his name was Raell, that he was my husband’s son. He intended to kill your father for something he had done. Something he had done to his mother. When the other guards came in I thought the entire world was coming to an end. One of them knocked him in the head with a club. I don’t know what came over me but I stopped them from killing him. I told your father that if he died, I would leave him. He was angry with me but I didn’t care. He had his men cart him away, he tells me that he is still alive. Your father still has a limp from the wound he took. It was such a horrible ordeal. None of that matters anyway, you are home now but I thought you should know."

  I was in a state of disbelief at first. Just to know that I had a brother out there somewhere. It was just another thing I hated my father for. Then it dawned on me, he had another son who he could not control. It must have irritated him to no end. He lost me and he lost my brother. No matter how much he attained, he would never have the one thing he wanted most, a son that would take his place in his imagined empire. When he died, it would die with him. All he had now was his money. While he still has my mother, he does not own her. I have often thought about going back to Eystlund and bringing her home with me. Yet she wouldn't come, she fears what he would become if he was left alone. Yet being alone is all he deserves.

  A few years later, my mother told me he showed up in town again. He thanked her for sparing his life. He gave her a broach that belonged to his own mother. He told her that he woke up in a cell somewhere, with no memory of anything other than his name. A cleric was able to help him, able to heal his mind. He left town after thanking my mother and never returned. I would like to meet him one day. I would like to shake his hand for trying to do the one thing I have always wanted to do. To kill my father for all the evil he has done.

  29. Father

  When my father returned home I stood there waiting for him to enter the room. I would not go to him. So I waited there with my mother and Jasmin with my guard up. He entered the room with one of his men. He saw me and his face hardened. "So, given up on your adventure and come home a failure. I expected as much." He had not seen Jasmin and if he did he was ignoring her. I just looked him in the eye and shook my head. I could see the limp that mother told me about. It was slight but still there. I told him that I had brought my wife back here to meet my mother and to visit for a while, since the festival was coming.

  He took one look at Jasmin then looked back at me. I could see him thinking, in my mind I was daring him to say something about her. I took one hand and placed it on the pommel of my sword as I had done earlier that day. "Let's go back to my office so we can speak." I could only nod my head, wondering what it was that he had to say. As we walked into his office I noticed something new. Magical runes were marking the door frame. I wished Hetaron was with me to tell me what they were. As the door closed behind us, his man stood by the door on the inside. "So tell me Darmot, what is it that you are really doing here? Did you knock that girl up and come here for a hand out?" It was all I could do to keep from laughing. At the time I had more money than I knew what to do with, today it is about double what I had then. Yet I did not want him to know that. So I told him the truth that we just came down so Jasmin could meet my parents.

  "So perhaps you have come here to tell me of all your success? I know about some of the things you have done. Did you really think I didn't know my son had been named an Arcadian lord? I don't know how you did that, just confirms my belief that Roderick is a fool." I just told him again why we were there. Yet I could feel him probing me, trying to get a reaction out of me. He wanted something that much I know but he never did come out and say it. So I did the only thing I knew would anger him and ignored it. When he asked me how long I was going to be in town, I told him at least two or three weeks. That I planned on entering the tournament. Never let it be said that no matter how much I avoided him, that he did not know me.

  "So, what do we do with the little bitch when you die?" The look on his face was smug and my anger was white hot. I took one single step towards my father’s desk where he was sitting. I heard his man draw the blade, I just turned my head towards him. I was not going to shed blood in my mother’s home unless I was pushed towards it. I told him, I do not know you sir but I swear to all the gods that if you do not put that away, I will make you eat it. He stopped dead in his tracks and locked eyes with me. He was a two bit thug, I was his better and he knew it. He put his weapon away and moved back towards the door. I then turned back towards my father and said these words to him.

  "If you ever call my wife an unkind name again, you will regret it. So unless you want a limp in both your legs, do not speak of her again."

  I regretted my words as soon as I said them. He was testing me, testing to see how far I would go. He was testing to see if he could still push my buttons. I am not sure if he got the reaction he was expecting. I kept waiting for him to say something else, yet the words never came. That was when I turned and left. I returned to the room where my mother and Jasmin were sitting. I told my mother where we were staying should she need or want to find us. I then extended my hand to my wife to lead her out. "Don
't you want to stay for dinner dear?" My mother asked me. I just smiled and told her that it wasn't a good idea. I pulled Jasmin to her feet and kissed my mother good bye. As we were leaving I saw my father coming out of his office. "See you on the arena floor son." I just ignored him and kept moving. As the outside door closed on us, I could feel my anger starting to expire.

  We walked in silence for a good half hour before Jasmin said anything. When she did speak, all she could say to me was "I'm sorry." I told her she had nothing to be sorry about. It was not her fault that my father was just a rotten soul but I was glad to see my mother. She gave me a faint smile and told me she was sorry again, sorry that I had to grow up with such a horrible man and that she was glad I did not turn out like him. I often question myself and wonder if I am that different from him. While I do my best to do good work, there is blood on my hands that will never wash off. I make no illusions of my purity, my soul is spotted from some of the deeds I have done. I try to tell myself that the ends justify the means, yet I know that isn't true.

  When we returned to the inn I found Hetaron waiting for me. "Come to my room Kromwell, I have something to show you." I just nodded at him and walked Jasmin back to our room. As she was walking in I grabbed her arm and turned her towards me. I told her I was glad she asked to come. I hoped that by her meeting my mother and seeing my father she might understand me a bit more. Understand why I do the things I do. She just smiled at me and told me to go see what Hetaron wanted but to hurry back. She said this with a grin as she started to let down her hair. As I closed the door I let out a single sigh. Even all these years later, the woman can still excite me in ways no other woman did. I moved down the hall towards Hetarons room, he told me to open the door even before I knocked.