The Foxling appeared not to notice him. He walked without haste and whistled all the while.
On seeing Grend he stopped suddenly. His mouth began to open and close.
“Are you….you are….are you Lord Grend? Lord Grend of the Tower? Is it you?”
Grend looked down at the foxling. He was much smaller than him, and skinny too. Grend doubted that the foxling could even lift the axe strapped across his back, never mind be a danger to someone like him.
He shook his head thinking about the Bulling’s warning, how could one so small ever hurt him?
“You aren’t?” Foxling looked terribly disappointed, “Forgive me I was looking for the new Lord of the Tower, he is supposed to be as fierce and strong looking as you. But I guess I was mistaken?”
“What? Oh no, no, no I was shaking my head at something else before. Nevermind that. I am Grend. I mean Lord Grend. It is I.”
The foxling clicked his fingers, “I knew it.”
Dropping low he knelt on the ground in front of him. Grend stood awkwardly, no one had ever bowed to him before. He liked it, even if he wasn’t sure what to do.
Thankfully foxling did.
“My Lord, may I rise?”
“Ah yes, you may. Rise…. Rise foxling.”
“It’s Gene. Gene Vulpus. There is no need for formalities here my friend. My Lord.”
“You have a name?”
Grend was surprised. He and Frend had given each other names and after coming to power they made sure everyone knew it. But none of the other Beastlings did, just wolfling 1, pigling 3, squirreling 2, and on and on.
Even Bulling didn’t have a name. Or at least not one he knew of.
“Yes, I have a name. One I choose for myself.”
For a brief moment, Grend thought he saw a flash of anger come across Gene’s face, but when he looked again he saw only the friendly smile.
“After I finally managed to escape the cruel clutches of our dear Creator I was forced into hiding. He sent three of his best Wolflings after me, them and a tigerling.”
Grend gulped. Even now after being in power for 678 days neither he nor Frend ever dared approach the holding cell of the tigerling. Some beastlings were better off left alone. Even the Creator had been wary around the Tigerling.
“You survived?” Grend asked, his brows knitted in concentration.
Gene laughed, but seeing that Grend was being nothing but serious he coughed lightly before nodding his head.
“Yes, I survived. Though it has taken me 16 years to get back here. To right my wrongs you might say. My mistakes. Only to learn that you, Lord Grend, and your Brother-”
“Frend.”
“Ah yes Frend, Lord Frend. As I was saying, I returned here only to learn that you two had already outsmarted and ruined the Creator. A mighty feat. Might I ask how you accomplished such an arduous task?”
“Well, it wasn’t easy. But I planned it for many years. Ever since I was created in truth.”
The lie came easy to Grend, it was one he had uttered many times before.
“I see,” Gene said slowly, “Your plan, what did it involve? Have you some knowledge of alchemy?”
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“No.”
“Hmmm, some knowledge of magic? Of spells?”
“No.”
“Right,” Gene scratched at his chin, “How exactly did you manage to kill him then?”
“Kill?” Grend shook his head laughing, “We didn’t kill him. Creator is not an easy one to kill. As I’m sure you must know.”
“He isn’t dead?” Gene whispered, his eyes shone with a yellow almost golden glow. They were nice eyes, pretty, but Grend found he could not hold their gaze long.
“No, not the Creator, we keep him safe and secure. We keep him in…..” Grend shrugged catching himself, “Well we keep him safe and secure.”
“Yessss,” Gene purred, “Safe and secure, that is most wise. Well, I am afraid I have many pressing matters to attend to, all far from here, unfortunately. I must be off, now that I know you and your Brother are Lords of the Tower I have little other reason to remain here. However, for your kindness and force of character, I feel duty-bound to give you some token of my esteem, my gratitude. May I?”
The foxling made to reach around to a large sack tied across his back.
“You may,” Grend waved him forward, exactly how he imagined a Lord would wave one forward.
Bowing low Gene carefully began to untie the sack and slowly drew out a slender package from within.
“May I open-”
“Yes, yes go on.” Grend waited eagerly trying to see what gift awaited him.
With a great deal of dramatic pause Gene finally pulled back the silk wrappings to reveal a mirror.
Grend could not help but marvel at its beauty. He didn’t really like mirrors, didn’t feel the need for one, but this. This was different. This he did want, this he did need.
“A mirror,” Grend stated, “A nice mirror too.”
“Yes, very nice.” Gene agreed heartily.
“I was going to use this mirror as a means of convincing the Creator I was done with our ….. our petty dispute. But, well now that he’s already out of the picture I believe none are more deserving of this gift than you, Lord Grend. If you would be so kind as to accept this meager offering then-”
“Yes, I accept. I accept. The mirror is a fine gift. I accept.” Grend smiled, if the gift was worthy of the Creator then it was certainly worthy of him, seeing as he was the new Lord of the Tower.
Grend reached out his hands to delicately take the prize off Gene.
“Ah,” Gene wagged a finger, “Out of curiosity Lord Grend. Can a mirror eat someone?”
“What?”
“A mirror, can it eat someone?”
“A mirror? A mirror can’t eat people.”
“Aha, not quite. Are you only thinking literally?”
“How else should I be thinking?”
“Metaphorically.”
“Metaphorically?” Grend tugged on his tusk, “A mirror can eat people metaphorically?”
“Yes, because if you get lost focusing on every little thing then day by day the mirror will eat you from the inside out.”
“Ahhhh mirrors can eat people.”
“Exactly, remember that Lord Grend. Remember that.”
The foxling smiled and Grend smiled back, though he wasn’t exactly sure why, it wasn’t that funny. But he felt like smiling, after all he had just been gifted a beautiful-looking mirror, why shouldn’t he smile?
Once he had the mirror safely stowed away Grend readied himself once more, he was eager to get back to the Tower, back to Frend to show him his new mirror and tell him all about the foxling.
“Well then Gene Vulpes, I’m heading back.” He raised a brow, “Where are you going by the way?”
“Me?” Gene shrugged, “Oh here and there, but I’m sure we’ll meet again. Farewell Lord Grend. Farewell.”
The foxling didn’t wait for any further response or questions. Instead, he bowed low once more before sliding past Grend and back out onto the road leading to the village.
Grend watched him go, something about the foxling's smile unnerved him. He wanted to make sure he didn’t try and follow him back to the Tower. He knew once he was back there he was safe. If the foxling ever changed his mind about the mirror he would not be getting it back. It was Grend’s now. And he meant to keep it.
It would have been better he hadn’t.