What to do with a budding superpower? What to do? This was like watching the birth of a new dragon, in some ways. Marrin, Son of Castor, Middling with no training, holding one of Swords that was used to conquered the Realm of Fae from the darkness, wrestle control away from chaos. No training. No natural skills. Chosen by bloodrite and circumstances.
"Swords chose their Master." Daniel said. "In many cases, you have to interesting enough to catch it's gaze."
"Can I get a Sword?" Asked Esra.
Daniel tried to stop the shudder from over taking his body. The chaos and anarchy that would create. The destruction would be unimaginable.
"No." he said, the same time as Marrin.
So at least Marrin had a little common sense.
"Did you master the Red Sword?" Marrin asked him. "Did it chose you?"
"It did, though I suspect it did only to spite the Red Lord. But the Red Sword is the least...selective. The stories go that the Red Sword will chose almost any Heirlings from my Lordly Father's bloodline. Most Swords wait until they see whatever virtue they desire before awakening, like yours. It has probably been held by many members of your family, even though wars and battles, and remained inert."
"So...does your dad plan on retiring...ever?" interjected Esra again. "He's been But he has been the Master and Wielder of it for centuries? What's the point of a successor if you are basically immortal?"
Daniel thought of all the tombstones of his...siblings? Siblings was such a strange word when they had died decades and centuries before one was born. "The Red Lord must have an Heirling. That is his agreement with the Fairy King. His accord."
"Why did your dad agree to that?" Asked Esra, who was walking on the ceiling now that the tunnel had opened up. His head was about at head height, should he have been conventional and was walking on the floor like a sensible Fae.
"Because if not, the King would have destroyed the Red Sword Faction after the failed rebellion." It felt odd to say it aloud without fearing who was listening. The Game was blessedly away, and the ever present Law of Fae would tell no secrets. "And once that Heirling is old enough and wise enough, he will transfer over the Sword and become an advisor to the King."
He did not add that the Heirling was never deemed mature enough. Never powerful enough. Never worthy enough. Some of the forebearers of the Red Sword Heirlings had been figures of legend. The Heirling Alro had been a mighty Fae, an innovator of Magical Runes, even becoming a beloved Senator before he pass away of old age. Others former Heirlings had been lowly, power obsessed maniacs, more dangerous to the realm of Fae than a benefit. Some where forever Hunting Dogs of the Red Lord, loosed to create havoc and chaos across battlefields, continuing in that role until they were at last slain. And others had just died in their youth. They had held the Red Sword and it found them wanting. Daniel's closest sibling had suffered that fate, dead at 15. Little Elswith used to stare at paintings of that one, and compare their features. His death had been truly regrettable, because he had been everything Elswith had not been: naturally talented, highly intelligent, a gifted leader, a quick sword hand, naturally courageous.
Daniel clenched his jaw. "The Red Sword is the Red Sword. Worry about your own Sword."
"So...how do I master it?" Marrin said, having to twist sideways as the two sides of the tunnel drew closer.
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"Do you have your True Name?" Asked Daniel.
"No." Said Marrin. "My parents said they wanted to wait until I was older. Does it matter?"
Daniel very carefully thumbed his true name in his mind. One's True Name was the path to freedom. But it was also the only way to Master a Sword. Marrin had so many steps to go until that part mattered. "Not for now."
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They returned to the Citadel's streets from behind a little garden shed in a little field. There was a series of complicated doors and locks that seemed too new to be so forgotten. First the door to be closed before the door to the outside opened and revealed a moonlit field.
"This is...This is the field where the geese are kept!" Said Marrin.
"Yes, that is true." replied Daniel.
"Are you saying that...The O'Tells have a secret passage that leads to the Sky Court's goose field?"
"You could make that observation...But why would you want to?" Said Daniel. "The Citadel is old. Why are you surprised there are secrets?"
Marrin was left speechless.
"Maybe they used to trade beer for goose eggs or something?" Said Esra, unhelpfully.
The geese had long been put away, as it had been dark for such a long time. Daniel saw the spot where he had chased that gander that morning, and remembered it's pinching, bruising bite, and the slight swelling that accompanied it. One day, he would eat that goose. He vowed to never forget it. He also remembered the goose boy, and wished he could be present for the confusing narrative the boy would tell of 'page Branch'. It was bound to be an interesting thing, and probably one most people would not believe.
They left the quiet field, and entered the streets. Marrin kept close to Daniel, while Esra was like a hyperactive puppy and would zoom toward everything that caught his attention, only to dart back toward Daniel for praise. Daniel had said 'nice rock', 'lovely flower', and 'put that back where you found it', at least three times each.
Daniel pulled Marrin over to the side of the road, just in time as a group of Lordlings and attendants hurried by, heading toward the O'Tells House. He recognized one of Orville's cousins, a little younger than himself, leaving from some social gathering no doubt. No doubt the mess he had...slightly been involved with, was going to get sorted. It was a big enough deal that the Lordlings were being gathered.
After a moment, emptiness returned to the street.
Daniel stepped out and looked toward the O'Tells estate. He could just make out the glittery towers. He couldn't see the stainglass, of course, as the old servant's hall had been too low to the ground to stand above the skyline. Regret, and frustration, as the first attack had been a literally Golem. Where else was he supposed to go? How else was he supposed to deal with it. Daniel just hoped Jasper and Shelby would be okay. And that Jasper wouldn't get in trouble for releasing Esra from his timeout.
The trio started walking again.
"What do I need to do right now?" Asked Marrin. "You gave me a lot of tips and things to learn, and exercises, and math problems, for some reason...but what do I need to immediately?" He touched his hat, as if checking it was still on his head.
"We need to get you free from the Sky Court."
"We can't do that. I didn't want to work for them in the first place..."
"There are ways..." Daniel said, standing at an intersection. He knew where he wanted to go, but given the rambling nature of the Citadel, the best path sometimes changed. "How good is your ability to spin a yarn?"
"I can spin yarn really good, actually. That was my favorite part. Wool is good, but cotton is better for the summer..."
What kind of yokel was Marrin after all? When he said he came from a farm...he actually meant it.
"Just be ready." Daniel said. "I have a suspicion that we will have our opportunity will be arriving very soon."
Daniel kept walking. He went along paths he was expected to walk across. The Citadel was beautiful, fresh and lively. It had been a place that thrived in the day, but it came alive at night. Shimmering shinning flowers formed archways. The paving stones of one section became pale glowing mirrors, like living lit puddles. One avenue was rather plain, but the breeze carried different scent, the old paper scent of ancient books, the clean scent of new ink, while other breezes had the spicy scents of nature, sharp ocean breezes, soft honeycomb.
The Citadel could be equally dangerous and disturbing. But Elswith had been known for taking longer routes through these lovely regions, talking to no one, with no destination other than the journey itself, to spend time just existing there.
It took several minutes of long sections and blocks passing him by before the opportunity found them.
There was an explosion, a bright light, and Daniel used the crowbar to whack something away from himself...
When he could see again, he found himself at the pointy end of a sword held by Lord Fredar.