Jump to content


All That Glitters...40


  • Please log in to reply
No replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 12 January 2004 - 04:37 AM

Chapter Forty

Jaheira was the only one to wake up at the usual time in the morning. She proceeded downstairs to find only Yoshimo waiting in the taproom. The taproom was deserted, as it usually was in the morning, with only a few people coming in to get breakfast.

"You had a pleasant rest, I trust?" Yoshimo asked.

"Passable. What of you...do you not sleep?"

"Oh, most certainly I pass some hours in restful slumber. Not many, it is true, but one only sleeps as long as one needs to."

Jaheira blinked the last of the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. "Where are Kal and Viconia?"

Yoshimo shrugged. "Sleeping, I presume. Although I have noticed that neither are particularly sound sleepers."

"What time is it?" Jaheira asked, looking out a window, trying to get a glimpse of the sun.

"Early morning," Yoshimo said.

"Then I did not oversleep, and I slept at the same time they did...this is strange." Jaheira went back up to the second floor and knocked on Kal's door. No response. She knocked again.

Jaheira heard Cel's voice from inside the room. "Hey, Kal, someone at the door for you!"

The door creaked open, revealing a very sleepy-looking Kal. "Oh...hi, Jaheira. Is it...morning already?"

"You do not look as if you had enough sleep last night."

"Probably didn't. I had a...bad dream."

"One of those rivers of blood, rains of entrails kinds of things that he was having before, remember?" Cel said.

"Yes...I remember," Jaheira said slowly.

"Just worse," Kal said. "The others didn't wake me up in the middle of the night. This one did."

"Then I will let you get more rest. It is not urgent that you wake up." Kal nodded and closed the door.

Jaheira then headed to Viconia's door. One knock got her attention. "Yes?" an equally sleepy-looking Viconia said. "What is so important?"

Jaheira's eyes narrowed as she registered Viconia's state. Whatever else she may have been, Jaheira was not stupid. "Nothing. I apologize for interrupting your sleep." Viconia shrugged, closed the door and returned to her bed.

Back to Kal's room she went, opening the door quietly. Kal, as she had suspected, was sound asleep. She took two strides into the room, swept up Cel in her hand, and left, closing the door behind her. "What happened?" she demanded, looking at Cel's ruby.

"He had a bad dream," Cel said. "I'm not lying."

"What else happened? Or did he leave you behind?"

"Oh, that's what you want to know. No, he went up on to the roof to get some air."

"And?"

"And they looked at the stars." A long pause. "No, I really mean that, no strange double meanings, Jaheira. They looked at the stars." Another pause. "It was romantic."

Jaheira's eyes narrowed even more. "Romantic?"

"Yes, romantic. Are you unfamiliar with the word?"

"How romantic?"

"Romantic romantic!" Cel answered, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Is there some numbered scale I'm supposed to know? Or do you expect me to show you?"

"Whatever happened to I'm on your side, Jaheira?" Jaheira asked accusingly.

"The same thing that happened to talk to me when you're ready, Jaheira! You didn't move so neither did I!" Cel shot back just as accusingly. "Besides, what did you think I should have done? Zapped them with a lightning bolt?"

"I...I don't know!"

"That's what you've been telling me all along, Jaheira, for everything. Anyway, I think Kal really is happy. And I'm not sure any more if I want to try and spoil that. If it comes down to you being happy, or Kal being happy, I pick Kal - I hope you understand."

Jaheira sighed. "Yes, I understand."

"All right. Now put me back in Kal's room. Both of them need another two or so hours of sleep."




An hour later, Keldorn arrived. Upon hearing that Kal and Viconia were still sleeping, he merely shrugged and sat down. "I can wait. If there is one thing age teaches you, it is patience, especially for times as short as an hour. Are they commonly late sleepers?"

"Not usually," Jaheira said. "But everyone sleeps late on occasion," she said, striving to keep the acid out of her voice.

"Ha! True enough. I know I sometimes take a goodly amount of time to drag myself out. Thankfully, the clatter of the Order's activity never fails to wake me up."

"You live at the High Hall?" Jaheira asked, somewhat surprised.

"Duties," Keldorn said. "I have an estate, but it is inconveniently located. To do my duties, it is easier for me to live at the High Hall."

They chatted for another half hour or so, and at the end of that Kal emerged from the stairs, fully alert, though as yet unarmoured. His armour wasn't a pleasant thing to wear, even though it was magical. Besides, he was hungry, and eating in armour was always an effort doomed to ignominious failure.

"Ah, Kal," Keldorn said. "I've been waiting. I've got something to discuss with you."

"How serious?" Kal asked.

"Not of major importance, if that is what you are asking."

"Then can we discuss it while I eat?"

Keldorn smiled. "Certainly."

Kal had a quick chat with Samuel Thunderburp, then headed back to the table where Keldorn, Yoshimo, and Jaheira were sitting.

"All right. So what did you want me to discuss?"

"Actually, it's about acquiring another travelling companion."

"I'm listening."

"There's a certain squire that we've been having trouble with."

"What kind of ‘trouble'?"

"Nothing like Wellington Zoar's. This one...well, the Prelate and I think he has a chance, though much of the Order does not. His name is Anomen Delryn." Keldorn paused to watch for a reaction, but Kal didn't seem to know the Delryn name. "He's the only son of Cor Delryn, the head of a minor merchant family."

Samuel stopped by, dropping off Kal's breakfast. Kal thanked him with a nod, and turned to Keldorn. "And why do you think he'll turn out better than Zoar?"

"He...well, perhaps it is best if I summarize his story from the beginning. About...," Keldorn squinted at the ceiling, "About a year and three months ago, Anomen presented himself at the gates of the High Hall, requesting admittance to the Order. Now, the standard procedure for noble sons - as he is nobility, merely minor nobility - is to arrive at the gates with an honour guard, or at least his immediate family, as well as with standard equipment - armour, helmet, weapon, shield - things such as these. The family is expected to furnish them, such that the Order can use its limited supplies to replace ones damaged in battle, or to donate to applicants who do not have noble backing."

Kal waved for Keldorn to go on.

"Anomen arrived with no one and virtually nothing. Additionally, he was much older - four years, at least - than the usual age at which sons applied to become squires. Now, before I can go on - what do you know of the Delryn family?"

Kal swallowed. "Nothing, actually. I'm rather new to Athkatla."

"Well, among the people of Athkatla, the Delryn family now carries a rather sordid reputation. Once, they were a profitable family: Cor ran the business well, though ruthlessly, and most merchant houses are run that way in Amn. However, soon after Moirala - Cor's wife - died, he took to drink. There was evidence that he became drunk on a regular basis beforehand, but after her death he began spending entire weeks in a stupor. Among the other merchants he lost credibility as he lost increasing amounts of money."

Jaheira sniffed. "Not entirely surprising when one's financial decisions come out of a bottle."

"And Cor grew frustrated, taking out his anger on nearly everyone. He beat everyone he could get his hands on when he was drunk and angry. At the last, he attempted to marry off his daughter, Moira, to some other family's son, but no one would touch her for fear of association with the Delryn name."

Viconia appeared at the top of the stairs and descended them gracefully but unobtrusively. She sat beside Kal, casually stealing some of his breakfast. Kal continued to listen.

Keldorn continued. "His only hope was Anomen - that his son would somehow turn around and save the family name. Of course, he had beaten Anomen, as well, so he had an...adversarial relationship with him. Nevertheless, Cor pinned all his hopes on Anomen, who had just finished weapons training in Murann."

"Weapons training?" Kal asked.

"Many merchant families prefer that their sons know how to defend themselves," Yoshimo explained. "Assassination is not uncommon, and it is infinitely preferable for their sons to be trained warriors, as opposed to pale-faced, thin fops."

"Not to say that there are few of the latter type, however," Jaheira observed.

"I think," Keldorn said, "That it was partly because he wanted to get away from his father, as well - and I don't blame the lad for that."

"Nor would I, if he's as bad as you say," Kal said.

Viconia decided that she was hungry enough to eat her own meal and not just parts of Kal's, and stood up to talk to Thalia, letting her fingers linger on Kal's hand for just a second.

Keldorn gulped uncomfortably and continued. "In...in any case, Anomen had just returned...and he told his father he wanted to join the Order."

Kal winced. "His father must have been furious."

"He was. Both drunk and furious. He threw Anomen out of his house, screaming in a tantrum half the Government District could hear. And so Anomen presented himself at the gates without a mother, with a father too angry and drunk to attend, and with nothing more than the clothes on his back, with one exception - his family shield, which Cor had evidently been too drunk to attempt to take back."

"Surely you helped him out," Kal said.

"We did. We accepted him and equipped him out of the Order's stores. But he has...not had the best of tenures as a squire. Many of the others are noble's sons, as well, and some, including Wellington Zoar, who are just like him, made Anomen's life...miserable. He was made outcast from the other squires - not a commoner, as his shield and his name make plain, but not a noble either, with no help from his family and associated with the name of Delryn. Additionally, unlike the other squires, he is neither paladin nor warrior nor priest, but a priest of Helm with warrior training. He does not fit in with anyone - a sad situation, especially for those who do not deserve it."

"It is, isn't it?" Viconia commented from behind Keldorn, whose shoulders jerked in surprise. She gave him a meaningful look and returned to her seat.

"Ah...well, this has driven him to try to become the ‘perfect knight'...in his own estimation. Unfortunately, in part, his idea of what a perfect knight is...is less than perfect. And he retains several characteristics - notably his pride - that would prove a great obstacle to his becoming a knight if they were to persist."

"And you want me to help with this."

"Yes. We want him to succeed. We hope - many would say beyond hope - that he will become a knight. He...you see, he has the desire to be a knight, the necessary devotion, and shows great potential...he only needs the proper teacher." Keldorn sighed. "Unfortunately, his pride will not let him learn from older, more experienced knights...or any knights at all, in fact."

Kal nodded. "All right. If you and the Prelate think this Anomen has a chance and that I can get through to him, I'll give it a try...though I warn you I'm far from perfect myself."

Keldorn beamed. "Excellent! We can find him at the Copper Coronet."

"The Coronet?" Jaheira asked in some surprise.

"What's so strange about the Copper Coronet?" Kal asked.

"It is a...dive. A decidedly low-class institution."

"But also a popular destination for adventuring parties," Keldorn said. "Anomen is at the point in his tenure just before his Trial, where many squires seek out adventuring parties to work with in order to gain some experience in the world."

"Where Ajantis was when I met him," Kal noted.

"Exactly. Anomen has been looking in the Coronet for several weeks, but has not found anyone to join up with - I fear his manner and presentation may have something to do with that."

"I see. Well, when we're done here, we'll go to the Coronet, and find something to do as well. If not the sewers, there's always something. I just need an opportunity to talk with him...then we'll see."

"It is all we can ask for," Keldorn said. Then he sighed. "It is a relief that someone has decided to-"

The main door of the Five Flagons exploded inward in a burst of flame. Five people entered the room, led by a woman openly displaying a silver pin. It was a familiar symbol - the sign of a harp, marked with stars.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

Skin Designed By Evanescence at IBSkin.com