User blog:Wiz Ardon, the Peculiar Enchanter/Scattered Ashes Chapter XXXIX

Chapter XXXIX

“What a faccia! What a chin! What a figure! Your majesty! I can see it right now! Imagine a statue that would capture you in all your brilliant glory! My hands itch to sculpt it!”

“wat iz dis?” thedude asked from on top of his throne.

“As they said, your majesty, they're sculptors. And apparently they want to make a statue of yours”, Lord Vladek replied with a resigned attitude, pointing to the man and his wife who were seeking attendance with thedude.

“No, no, no! Not just one statue. Wouldn't that be a waste? We think that the whole of Britay should be decorated with such a jewel as the handsomeness of our King. Then all citizens of Britay will know the perfection of features that blooms right in front of me”, the middle-aged man continued passionately, gesturing keenly with his hands as he did.

“end waht u wonts form mi?” thedude enquired.

“Why surely, your Majesty, I thought you would be most pleased were I to ask for your permission in such a matter as this that would affect a whole kingdom. But in addition there is the issue of funding. While truly I believe that your greatness deserves, no begs to be immortalised, I am afraid that my wife and I cannot venture to go through with this on our own. But were your Majesty to sanction this project, then your handsomeness could shine upon this world and bless us all”.

“y dont teh wymen speks?”

“She is shy, your Majesty. A very talented sculptor indeed and a beautiful woman without whom I could not imagine my life. But very shy before strangers and especially royalty. But you must not question her dedication. She is indeed most passionate about building your statues”.

“iz dat sho?” thedude muttered to himself. He didn't like the look in the woman's eyes; it seemed proud, even defiant. thedude then turned to Vladek, “Vladrik, wy du hi tok fani? his widr”.

“They're Adilians. A minority that lives in south-eastern Morcia. I've talked to you about them before”.

“teir difrant. mi dasn lik dafrent. mek sur ter rez texs in suthistarn morsha”, thedude then turned to the sculptors again. “y u edilan in brateh?”

“Oh but you see, your Majesty, my father was a merchant and very young still he travelled to Britay and it was there where lack would have it, he found love in the prettiest Adilian girl, who'd also moved to Britay when she was very young. And indeed I wouldn't rest till I was married to an Adilian woman myself and that's how I met my principessa, whose story is similar to mine”.

“hrm. fain. i fink baut it en disided me leiks id. do it”, but then he looked at the wife again and saw the still burning fire in her eyes, so he added: “bat ur gits teh maneh, nat de wamyn”.

“As you wish, your Majesty”.

Wiz Ardon, the Peculiar Enchanter (talk)***---***Wiz Ardon, the Peculiar Enchanter (talk)

Almost five years later and dozens of leagues away, a group of five Knights of the Olde Speech (one unconscious), an apprentice wizard, two defectors, a resistance fighter and an elite warrior (along with a few horses) were approaching a city. It had been agreed upon that before they headed to Orlan where they hoped to reunite with the other Knights, they should stop by Evereed to purchase supplies enough for their unexpectedly big company. However, once they left the mountains behind and came near the city, a question arose.

“We can't all enter the city. They'll notice us instantly”, Major pointed out.

“That's true. Then, who goes in?” Tain asked.

“Is there any of us who isn't an escaped prisoner?” Moira enquired.

There were a few glances shared between the members of the group and soon they realised they truly consisted mostly of people who'd escaped from some prison or another. Even Sharpie had been briefly at the hands of thedude's men. It was only Drumr and one of the Thingguys who raised their hand in response.

“Nathanael, it doesn't count if you've got the same face with an escapee”, Jonna told the Thingguy – it had been decided that for the sake of everyone preserving their sanity one Thingguy would be called Thaddeus and the other Nathanael.

“Great, so the only people here who haven't ever been captured are a permanently unconscious man and a wanted criminal. Not much to go on. We'll have to risk this anyway”, Major concluded.

“Peragrine is out of the question anyway”, Tain said revealing no emotions. “He'd certainly cause a commotion”.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, man!” Perry replied. “What do you think I'd do?”

“I don't know but it's sure to cause a ruckus”.

“He's got a point”, Drumr agreed.

“Well then any volunteers?” Sharpie asked. “My leg doesn't allow me to. I won't be able to run, if we need to”.

“I'd like to go”, Jonna said.

“You're quite recognisable though, as the former princess. Are you sure?” Thaddeus argued.

“I'm sure. It's been fifteen years since I was last a princess. The people are as likely to remember my face as much as any of you, I'd reckon”.

She would not be stopped now. She'd spent a long time away from action, once hiding then imprisoned. Now that the flames of war were to be lighted again, she wouldn't let herself be pushed aside again. She'd only need to muster her courage once more.

“Then in that case, I'm going too”, Thaddeus decided.

“And I as well”, Nathanael added.

“With the two of you looking identical, you'd be much more likely to draw attention to yourselves”, Major reasoned.

“As I have done in the past, I'll stand by Jonna's side”, Nathanael responded.

“And I'll certainly not leave her alone with the impostor”, Thaddeus continued.

“It would be much more sensible to send someone like Tain and Moira”, Major insisted.

“Actually, I'd rather not go”, Tain muttered quietly.

“I've told you before, Tain, you need to work on your agoraphobia. Being a runaway defector is not an excuse for being lazy, you know”, Moira told her friend.

“Fine then. If you're so decided to get caught, you can go. Don't expect reinforcements when you're thrown into the brig though”.

“Don't worry. We're perfectly capable of escaping on our own”, Nathanael assured Major.

“It won't be the first time”, Thaddeus agreed.

“As long as we don't have to watch Barney's show this time”, Jonna said with concern.

Everyone agreed, some from experience, that that was indeed a very bleak worst case scenario.

Entering Evereed was a strange experience for Jonna. For one thing, there was the nervousness from having to pass through the guards –thankfully their disguises which attempted to conceal their features as conspicuously as possible got them through. For another, seeing the city after years truly surprised her. It'd been transformed since the times of her father's reign.

First of all, the great Wall of Evereed that was the pride of all Evereedians had been reduced to rubble and even that had mostly been removed. Jonna remembered hearing how that wall had never fallen since the time it was built after the defeat of the Morgai. Now, it was gone.

The inside of the city was radically changed as well, though. She'd heard that the war and the famous fire of the sixth year of thedude had left Evereed once again in ruins and that to a great extent it'd been rebuilt as a brand new city, but she'd never expected that. All of the stone buildings which used to make up the majority of the city and which were very standard for Morcia, perhaps even beyond had disappeared. Replaced by some uniquely different wooden buildings. Often painted in shades of red, blue or yellow. With wooden posts supporting balconies or the shelters of porches. And most curiously, many of these buildings had flat roofs. There was a wide road in crossing through the middle of the city and all buildings were lined up at its two sides. Jonna had never before seen a city like that.

She didn't know if Thingguy had been there before during his journeys, but neither of the doubles showed any surprise as they walked on. Jonna followed suit. Walking down the main road, Jonna noticed people loitering outside doors or going around their business and realised they were as changed as the city was. Some items of clothing she saw a lot were their wide-brimmed hats, those trousers she thought were called jeans and a variety of coats she hadn't seen before. Some residents of Evereed also wore some kind of handkerchief around their neck. It might have been just Jonna's impression, but she thought that aside from their clothing the people of Evereed also looked rather rough, their faces quite stern. They certainly were staring intensely.

“Sir Sharp said there's a bar of sorts here whose owner is friendly to the KOTOS”, Nathanael said quietly so that he wouldn't be heard.

“We should be able to ask for supplies there”, Thaddeus finished the other Thingguy's sentence.

“Don't do that. I can speak for myself”.

“I was going to say that first, you know”.

“But you didn't”.

“Cut it out, you two”, Jonna interrupted. “They're already staring at us, we don't need to attract more attention than necessary”.

Under the gaze of the townspeople, they continued. Jonna suspected that was because of how much they stood out from what they were dressed in. She certainly felt this wasn't a very welcoming place.

Following Sharpie's directions they soon found the place. The word “SALOON” was written on its front with big words. They entered through some strange double doors that only came up to chest level and found themselves in the warm atmosphere of a busy bar, with the smell of alcohol and smoke in the air, chattering, laughing and the sounds of a piano filling their ears. Yet, as soon as they got in everyone stopped talking almost instantaneously as they turned to look at the newcomers. Only the piano continued, not letting the place go silent.

There was an awkward moment during which everyone's eyes were on them. Then, the Thingguys walked on and the spell was broken. Everyone started talking again, but Jonna wasn't sure they'd forgotten about them. They made it to the bar where the bartender was wiping a glass with a washcloth –as all bartenders must stereotypically do all the time.

“What can I do for you?” the man asked.

“I'll have a beer”, Thaddeus said.

“Me too”, Nathanael added.

“And we'd like to know if you can help us get supplies for a journey”, Jonna finished.

The bartender examined them with a stoic expression for a moment before he got a bottle and poored two glasses. He passed them to the two Thingguys and then spoke, “You understand that this isn't a safe town for strangers to walk so openly in?”

Sharp had said that the owner of the bar was friendly to the Knights. Was that the bartender or someone else? Was that advice or perhaps a threat? Had the man realised who they were? If he had, what about the rest?

“Sometimes one's got to defy any dangers to get what they want. I'm sure you would gladly help a stranger”, Thaddeus emphasised the word as if he meant something else.

“And if that's not enough we can always pay you for your trouble”, Nathanael spoke as he sipped some of his drink.

“If you tell me what you need, I'll see what I can do about it. And then there's something else you might be interested in”.

While the Thingguys discussed with the bartender what supplies would be needed, Jonna turned her gaze back at the customers of the... saloon, was it? Every once in a while, one of them would look their way. And their looks weren't pleasant. Jonna wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“If that'll be all, then let me call Tommy. Hey Tommy!” the bartender called –it would seem that the Thingguys had settled things with the bartender. “While Tommy gets the things you asked for, it'd be advisable that you lay low. Though... there's something else. You should talk to G, the pianist, about it”.

The pianist? What was this all about? Jonna's eyes switched to the piano and the man playing it. She had to stop herself from exclaiming in surprise. What was this? She could hardly believe this. First Sharpie and Seton, then this. That was some wicked luck. Looking at her companions, she could see in their faces they must be having similar thoughts. Nathanael thanked the bartender and then they all made for the piano.

He looked quite older, his black armour was gone and there was a pair of sunglasses rested on his face. But that was unmistakably him. Sir Grongringro-eth. What was he doing in that place playing the piano? Actually, scratch that. She'd been telling stories as her cover; that wasn't too much of a stretch.

“Gr... I mean G. Um hi!” Jonna greeted him, uncertain how to address him in the midst of a busy bar.

There was something strange in the way that Grongringro replied without looking at any of them. In fact, now she thought of it the way he was playing the piano with his eyes not turned at the keys but in a random direction as if he was disinterested in what he was doing was off as well.

“Excuse me, who is this?” and that was strange, too. There's no way he wouldn't recognise them.

And then Jonna noticed something else. The sunglasses worn indoors, especially at a place like this, seemed odd as well. And with a closer examination, she found that the sunglasses couldn't perfectly hide a patch of red skin on his face. A scar... It finally dawned on Jonna.

Grongringro was blind.

Wiz Ardon, the Peculiar Enchanter (talk)***---***Wiz Ardon, the Peculiar Enchanter (talk)