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Chapter 2
“See!”, Ezabel pointed. “I told you it’s true! He lives in Port Kaywin!”
She triumphed with cheeks ripe as apples; her face filled to the brim with excitement. The summer months in the village of Alm always saw her playing outside with the other children. It was a joyous time that was difficult to fault. Not even the heat found protest here, for it always brought with it a pristine, blue sky. But, to Bastion’s surprise, winter was Ezabel’s favorite time of the year.
“Okay, but what about the talking cats?”, Vance countered
“Huh?”
She tilted her tiny head, wholly puzzled by the question. It was a genuine query, however, delivered by the boy who leaned in to stare at the book between them. His mop of disheveled blonde hair pressed into her cheek. To which, Ezabel nudged back against with an annoyed grunt. She was happy to share her favorite stories with Vance, but he was going to have to pay attention unless he wanted to scrap.
And, scrap they did. Or at least, they nearly did. Fortunately, the bookstore’s front entrance chimed and left the two children grumbling at one another instead. Out from the crunching snow and into the warmth of the narrow shop, came Ezabel’s brother, Xavier. At a full ten years of age, and four years her elder, he was big enough to chop wood on his own. Which he certainly did for the last hour. His sable-black mane was even topped with a layer of white.
“Guys, help me bring the firewood in!”, he shouted.
“Coming!”, they answered in unison.
Although she butted heads quite often with Vance, Ezabel could never hide the fun she was having. On a clearer day, he and Xavier would be outside playing rough with the rest of the village boys. She could not be there with them, though not for her lack of trying. Toy sword fights often turned into real scuffles; Xavier would not let that come to pass when it came to his sister. So, she thanked the weather for keeping them inside with her.
As for Vance, while not blood, he was always considered to be their foster brother; raised alongside them by Bastion. And, since he was pretty tough, Xavier figured it would be less of a worry for him to play. - Still, he and Ezabel generally needed to work together to carry the heavier logs that their eldest brought home alone.
“Where’s Bastion?”, Xavier asked.
“He’s taking a nap upstairs, I think he has a headache again!”, Vance answered.
“He told us..”, Ezabel huffed. “..to tell you..”, and huffed. “..to make dinner!”
She had a nasty habit of lifting the larger logs, whether successful or not. All that mattered to her was that they moved them quickly. All so that she could once again escape into the many volumes of raggedy books in their shop. Her beloved selection lined one particular shelf and it was there that the three children had returned to once the door closed behind them. She never got tired of it, even after having read through every single one.
“What were you reading this time?”, Xavier peered.
“ 'The Road of Gatrie Adenen', I’m waiting for the part with the talking cats.”, Vance answered.
“Gatrie Addington.” Ezabel groaned. “And there are no talking cats! Bastion made that up!”
“Oh yeah? How do you know? - When I become an Attendant, I’ll find those cats and make you look stupid!”, Vance snickered.
“Because, I read every book! And, the Attendants will never pick someone like you!”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Yeah they will! Xavier will be first, then me!”
“W-what about me?”, Ezabel glared.
“You’re the youngest, so you’ll be last.”
“Neither of you are going to become Attendants if we don’t eat dinner first.”, Xavier interrupted.
He was right, as usual. Their little stomachs had gurgled a handful of times, but were forgotten as soon as they opened a book. Luckily, Xavier was always there to bring much needed discipline. - So, he locked up and urged them into the kitchen at the back of the store. There was no reason to expect a customer in snow this thick.
‘Only Xavier is allowed to touch the fire!’. At most, Bastion needed to say that once for Ezabel to listen. Twice.. Three times for Vance, much to his dismay. The little ones were always relegated to cleaning vegetables as a result. Though, they often found ways to distract themselves from the boredom. To have an onion thrown to and from was a common sight in this household. - From a small wooden box that sat on the highest shelf of the cupboard, Xavier retrieved a small marble-like sphere. Its glassy surface glistened with every motion, even in the dimness of the backroom.
For Bastion’s headache and for the brisk weather, Xavier aimed to make a piping hot stew. Naturally, a great fire was needed. One that their damp firewood could not provide. Such was the purpose of the sealstone in his hand. - He pressed it firmly against a rounded slot upon their rusty old stove. One moment and a subtle flash of light later, the stove ignited with a roaring flame. The hum of magic rose to fill the air. At once, the sealstone embedded within the stove maintained a burnished glow.
From a batch of eight, this sealstone was their last. It would not be for another month or so until the roads leading in and out of Alm were clear of snow. Only then would merchants from the busier reaches of Ardyn make their way to their rural village. But, that was a worry for Xavier and Bastion. Not the young ones.
“Xavier..”, Ezabel whispered. “..can we ask Bastion about him again? Maybe he remembers the whole story now.”
“You mean the ‘One-armed Knight’?”, Xavier smiled. “Sure, after dinner.”
°°
“P-pardon me!”, she looked intently. “Where can I find the ‘One-armed Knight’?”
The courtyard fell silent and the tune of the crowd shifted judgingly. Ezabel had only then realized her boldness; she nearly yelped from the embarrassment. Abundant attention was a well known weakness of hers, and now, she had it in spades. Not even nightfall could hide her away.
“Excuse me?”, the man tilted his head in confusion.
“I mean..!”, she took a step back. “W-welcome to the party? Hehe..”
The man before her stepped into the dwindling light. As she thought, the white and gold cloak that cascaded from his shoulders made apparent his standing as an official Attendant Knight. He was clad in their uniform, clean and pressed as one would expect from such a prestiges group. Light brown, nearly beige, was his full beard and combed hair. As far as she was concerned, he was as knightly as they came for a middle aged man.
“One-armed Knight? I don’t believe I’ve heard of such a person.”, he leaned in to answer. “But if you’ll excuse me, we’ll be coming through now, miss.”
Ezabel blinked, entirely taken aback by the sudden arrival of a host of steel and leather. A retinue of a dozen guardsmen had followed the Attendant from the capital. Their armor rang true like a symphony of metal. Two files made their way through the archway, and dispersed on either side. A formality of course, but one that heralded new gravity.
More notably, a pair of them had set off from the rest and made their way to the front steps of the town hall. Between them was a wooden chest; small and of a darker hue. But, the gazes it drew were soon taken away when the front door opened.
“And here I was thinking you were going to be late, Auguste.”, Leonora expressed.
She had made her way out into the yard, her stare fixed upon her fellow Attendant. To which, he shrugged. Then, answered with a reassuring nod - Her eyes closed. Her chest rose and fell. A brief moment of stillness for her own sanity before she addressed the crowd. Only when she was ready, did her voice call out. The entire courtyard stood in anticipation.
“Allow me to take this moment to thank everyone for your continued patience.”, she stated aloud. “But with your registration now done, it is time for the moment you all have been waiting for. Your assessment.”
Heeled boots carried her forth. She was composed, down to the way she rolled her cloak off one shoulder. And, when she reached for the chest below, her plated gloves opened it with a firm click. Before the lid had even lifted in its entirety, a genuine curiosity spilled forth from the assembly. Wide eyes and the muddled sounds of awe hung about their faces. Leonora however, continued without pause and retrieved from the chest, a gleaming orb. It rested within her palm, no bigger than a marble, but infinitely more paramount. - A knightstone.
“I’m sure you are all familiar with what I hold in my hand.”, Leonora brandished the orb. “You will each bear this knightstone for a moment at a time. Should it respond to your touch, an invitation to the capital shall be extended your way. And there, the selection trial will continue for those that remain. - For your safety, my colleague and fellow Attendant, Auguste Leywin, shall oversee your approach.”, she finished with a nod.
“Don’t take this lightly, this is not your everyday sealstone.”, Auguste added with a commanding voice. “A body that is not conditioned to take on the magic of a knightstone will suffer injury unlike any you have ever imagined. Steel your resolve, for your own sake. - But of course, I look forward to the tales soon to be written about the lot of you.”
He beamed a smile of welcome and encouragement, which was very much consistent with the gallant aura that so many had assumed of him. - And they were right, he was a shining example of the spirit they all hoped to champion. All were here with hopes of becoming another legend in the halls of the Order; another hero whose celebrity swept through the realm like a potent gale. This was an opportunity for all, but a dream only few could grasp.
Reinvigorated, the crowd pressed forward in a furor of excitement. There was eagerness in every face. Confidence in every stride. But, there was no order in any of it. With enthusiasm came pride; and with pride came impatience. - A shiver ran down Ezabel’s spine when she turned to see the approaching stampede. A clouded shamble of fervor. Her eyes twitched. Her lungs yelped. This was it. She was about to be trampled, flat as the books in her bag.
“You will make your approach by the order in which we call your name!”, Auguste shouted.
His voice, more commanding now than before, cut a clean swath through the frenzy. Everyone stopped on a dime, tempering their anticipation before dispersing once again throughout the courtyard. Though a few grumbles prevailed, Ezabel was relieved. She had never taken a deeper breath. - A path to the capital was now within sight. Finally, her chance had come.
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