Ch: 5 A Hungry Ghost
Dawn on festival day was a bright and sunny affair and Gary felt good. He had a scheme on the boil to cook Liam’s goose, sauce Aisha’s gander and generally serve them up to the romance hungry populace of Wheatford.
‘Their sacrifice for the greater good will be remembered fondly’ He eulogized them in his mind, as he placed the tiny rocking chair and the other horses among the chairs of the pensioners before skulking away.
Liam did look sharp. Gary made sure to stand on his left as they walked to the fountain, where Gary was to meet up with Trelawney.
Gary spotted the two women ahead, dressed for the festival and waiting as planned. He was distracted briefly from his own tête-à-tête, by his schemes.
Aisha was radiant in watered silk spraying in a rainbow from her left side. Smugly Gary admired the craft and the effect.
When Liam stood by her it was breathtaking, neither one noticed for a long moment, caught up in shyly greeting each other. His dull jet black and gleaming prism showered rainbows across her dress in a breathtaking display.
Liam had no idea Aisha would be chaperoning Trelawney, the perfect trap. Now there was nowhere but beside Liam that she could stand without ruining the effect of her robes.
That long moment of self congratulation was costly, he felt a raw shiver in his soul as he remembered that he was also meeting someone.
He turned to Trelawny and his blood ran cold. Ringlets the color of good honey, golden cheeks, green eyes with a haunted look of quiet fury. It was the dark robed goonette from Otho’s welcoming party.
“Acolyte Trelawney.” Gary declaimed in the way Jennah had instructed. “And it please the spirits and the gods, may I have the pleasure of your company this day?” He finished with an inexpert, sweeping bow.
On his way back up from his bow, Gary took her in for the first time. Dainty feet in traditional sandals of olivewood and leather, dark green wide pants, not unlike his, they looked like windswept grass on a hillside.
Just like his… at the waist her robes transitioned to pale and then cobalt blue… on her left side, growing from the green of her waist was a bronze, copper and brass maple tree, windblown leaves like stars scattering off her shoulder and across… his. Doomed.
Just like Aisha and Liam, their outfits were distinctly fine and elegant, but once seen together they only made sense together. Side by side they were a windswept maple on a hillside, scattering its leaves across a dark sky. It was beautiful, poetic even, a work of art. A trap.
He’d played himself. Knowing the bitter taste of betrayal, he bowed again to Tawny and escorted her away from the conflagration he had started around Liam and Aisha. That at least, was going to plan.
Tawny’s soft voice rang from beside him, musical and sweet. “That was nice, what you did for Aisha.” She squeezed his hand softly. “What you did to Liam was cruel though.”
Gary cackled maniacally, giving her his best evil villain laugh. “Liam will curse the day he ate snacks while I was humiliated,” Gary’s upraised voice and fist were theatrical, drawing eyes in the morning bustle. Pitching his voice in a sinister whisper he carried on. “He may think my vengeance is complete, fool! Hahhahhahahha!”
Tawny whispered something inaudible and Gary felt a wash of cool rush over him. “Tawny, did you just try to cure madness on me or something?” Gary asked.
Looking up, she replied, “An acolyte of Blessed Healer never lies.” and smiled smugly. They laughed together and went off to enjoy the festival.
#
“...That’s why our robes match up, your sister took my scheme and played a double cross on everyone.” Gary was glad to get it out in the open.
Besides, Tawny was cute, funny and her dimples were lethal at close range. Her voice though, was a liquid, bell-like, shimmering jewel.
As afternoon shadows began to lengthen, they were in the orchards, on a bench by the river, enjoying the afternoon cool. Tawny asked in a soft tone; “Gary, that song you played, by the fountain… play it again for me. Please?”
Gary panicked, fumbling out his mandolin; in desperation he started Stairway To Heaven.
Her gentle, tiny hand stilled his with a quiet urgency. “No, the one about love, ‘Second Hand Emotions’, it was… I think I need to hear it again.”
So he played… Not Tina Turner’s bold, fierce battlecry, but a soft and desperate interpretation, sad, but still defiant. When he finished, she was leaning on his shoulder softly crying.
“Everyone knows what Jakob did, I feel like a fool, even worse… He was just a placeholder for the one I really want.” She whispered.
“That makes me as dishonest as he.” Gary didn’t say anything, just started playing a sad, haunting melody.
I feel so unsure, as I take your hand
and lead you to the dance floor…
‘Careless Whispers’, did its magic, leaving her a sobbing mess.
He hit all the great torch songs, ‘Wicked Game’ was the final straw. She ran out of tears and was getting the heavies; those terrible wracking, dry sobs that shake every part of you.
Now to bring this back around, he took a page from his mother’s book and sang softly, while playing a sweet lullaby melody;
I wanna rock
I wanna rock
I wanna rock
Turn it down you say,
But all I got to say to you is, time and time again I say No!
No, No Nono NO!...
Before long she had cried herself out, slept a little on his lap and woke hungry. She guided him among the stalls and vendors, unerringly finding the most delightful treats. They gorged themselves on fried dough, frozen fruits, skewered meats and confections with complicated backstories filled with detailed lore that was lost on him. Tasty though.
As darkness fell, Gary dropped an exhausted Tawny off at Jennah’s shop and staggered off to his own bed. It was only as he was climbing into the lumpy, slightly too short bunk, that he realized he was in the orphanage. Gary wanted to believe it was just him being tired, but he could still feel his house, off in the distance, empty.
This place was not empty, this was a home now, as much as his head wanted to deny it, his heart believed. He slept and dreamed of simple things.
#
A knock woke him, it was still full dark and Gary had no clue of the time. Outside his door was Liam. Still dressed in his robes and looking exhausted.
“I am going to kill you Gary… and then I will murder Jennah.” He mumbled without conviction.
Gary wiped a bright coral pink smudge from Liam’s cheek with his thumb and held it up for the man to see. “Hmm, It appears suspiciously like cosmetics, Dr. Watson!” Gary mumbled in a really shitty Sherlock Holmes impression.
“The very shade the victim, Miss Aisha, was wearing when last seen unkissed.” Gary peered theatrically at his friend and pointed. “You sir, are the guilty party. Case closed.”
Liam collapsed on Gary’s bed with a sigh. “What am I going to do?”
Gary gave a wicked grin, a broad wink and declared; “If you need my advice there, you are in deep trouble bro. You probably didn’t notice, since Aisha is too hot to ignore…”
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Gary's own pillow thumped into his face, cutting him off. “...but Jennah set the same trap for Trelawney and I. That girl is trouble, Liam.”
“Such a devilish scheme. Her grandmother probably dreamed it up, diabolical old witch.” Liam grumbled.
“Yeah, I bet that's where she got it…” A sweating Gary enthused.
“I should go to the Tailors guild and make a formal complaint!” A light Gary did not like was burning behind Liam’s eyes. “Weaponizing a sacred festival for their tawdry Marriage Games… perhaps a complaint at the temple…”
Desperately, Gary tried to slow this runaway train, he had no confidence that Jennah would conceal his part in the plan. “I thought you had a good time today?” A now profusely sweating Gary asked.
“Are you well Gary? You seem distraught, perhaps something weighs on your mind… a burden of GUILT!?”
The accusing finger Liam thrust forward jabbed uncomfortably in Gary’s chest. Shamefaced, he confessed, claiming he had stolen the idea from a play from his homeworld. Some concepts were too complex to discuss in the middle of the night.
#
“The Marriage Games have gotten out of hand over these last few years.” Liam complained while soaking in Gary’s hot spring. They were both too agitated and excited to sleep and Liam had been trying to get an angle on Gary’s bath since he had seen it on the ‘nickel tour’.
When Gary had mentioned taking a walk and bathing at his house, he had pounced. Shared bathing was not something Gary was comfortable with, but Liam was relentless.
They floated in companionable silence for a while after that, thinking their own thoughts. “Aisha sure is great though…” Gary murmured. “Smart, funny, looks super hot in silken robes… What else do you want?”
Liam returned fire; “Tawny though, she will become a full priestess of Healer in two years. That makes her the catch to catch at our age.”
Liam turned serious. “You cannot catch her though, any more than I can hold Aisha. We are orphans, Gary. Bound to the old law. Will she wait, can I ask her to?”
Gary sat up, focusing on Liam. “Bro, don't wait, don't ask her to wait. I am an expert on waiting, Liam. I did enough waiting and ‘just getting through today’ for a lifetime.” With a fierce smile Gary raised a clenched fist from the steaming pool.
“Grab life by the ballsack and twist, freindo… cause it won’t wait for you.”
“You really are a poet Gary, what happened to ‘gather ye, rosebuds’? Taken from another play?”
He grinned. “Poem actually. Wow, you really listen when people talk, Aisha picked a winner!”
#
Liam was dressed in some of Gary’s clothes, ridiculously large on him, as they wandered through the still surprisingly active streets.
The festival would take a more serious and religious turn the next day, and those directly involved with the cult of Healer would be busy in the temple quarter, leaving the rest of the town to get just a little rowdy.
Liam explained that each month had a festival for the god or spirit associated with that month. Day one was family oriented and good clean fun, day two was for the faithful to gather in the temple and worship.
Those faiths with fewer rules and restrictions spawned bigger events on day two, while larger and more popular cults resulted in more mellow, subdued happenings. Healer was second only to Joy in her popularity with the general public and almost as permissive when it came to Her celebrations.
The result was a two day, family friendly, easy going, town wide party. He had no plans for day two and was hoping he might bump into Tawny by chance.
He would be avoiding Tawny’s neighborhood, Jennah and the whole tailor’s guild like the plague until things got settled. Whatever that might turn out to be.
Orphans, it turned out, were considered members of all the city’s accepted cults, but were required to attend none of their worships. A good compromise to Gary’s mind. But then he had no existing religious affiliation, his family had been firmly agnostic.
Unconcerned with local religion, Gary walked to his shop and strolled past the confused locals with a friendly wave. He unlocked, sat on the porch under an awning striped in green and tan and began to play. He spent a little time noodling around in spanish guitar phrases, playing bits and snatches of songs from flamenco to bossanova.
Once he warmed up he went in and got to work finishing the ukuleles and drums. First bell gave way to second before he went upstairs, nobody had come in while he was working.
“Building a new business takes time I guess.” He snarked at himself, as he locked up and waved to the neighbors again.
Pockets! Stuffed with toys, he headed back up to the orphanage to make everyone’s life a little noisier.
Most of the residents of the Adventurer’s Guild compound were on the porch discussing the mysterious new additions when Gary strolled up. There had been little doubt as to where they had come from, most debate centered on whether Liam or Otho had put Gary up to it.
The sassy little rocking chair led most directly to the Otho theory.
Liam’s denials were ignored by his adherents, mostly Ivy. Gary suspected she had a little crush on Liam and was getting some kicks in while the getting was good.
When pressed, Gary looked significantly at Liam and then protested his ignorance of the whole matter.
The rocking horses were a hit with the kids and the geezers, while the flutes, drums and ukuleles disappeared too quickly to be certain who had them. His seeds of chaos planted, Gary wandered off looking for more trouble.
Trouble found him. He was dressed in one of the new outfits, they fit and moved so well it was a revelation, he was never going off the rack again. Engrossed in the clothes, the crowd and the food he did not realize he was being pursued until too late.
Cornered in a shop doorway, Jennah pressed in on him menacingly. “Trelawney cried all night, Gary.” She whispered.
“She was still crying this morning. She said you touched her… in ways she had never felt… Gary.” Her eyes were flinty and cold.
He tried to sputter out a protest, declare his innocence, but she relaxed and drew back on her own. “Trelawney is really vulnerable right now. When you showed up, new in town… I thought I could use you to pull her out of her despair, I'm sorry.”
She smiled sadly, “You did so much more than I'd hoped, that I feel a little guilty now.” Her eyes narrowed again. “If you hurt her, I will still destroy you boy.”
As quickly as she had appeared, Jennah was gone. “I Just want to make music…” He pleaded to an uncaring sky.
#
The festival was still exciting and everything was new, but alone it was just not quite as interesting. Gary found himself wandering down by the river docks, where shallow bottomed trade barges tied up every few days.
He sat down on a piling and started to play his flute over the empty river bank
Not long later, he felt a soft tread on the dock and Tawny settled in beside him, close but not touching. “I was upset with Jennah when she told me I was stuck showing you the festival.” She sighed.
“I was on duty when Irdall came in, slashed and beaten half dead. Then you were so mean to poor old Otho and your house was creepy.” She sagged against him. “When I heard you playing in the square I thought you were a fool.”
He kept playing softly, it felt right.
“When you sang about ‘second hand emotions’ I thought my heart was tearing in two… and yours.” She was trembling slightly. “What I want from you… is to be your friend Gary, I need that, and I think you need it too.”
Gary choked back a sob. “Oh, thank god!” He barely registered her snort of displeasure before he was floating down river, ribs aching from a well placed elbow.
“Jennah says she will help me make you fit for human company, I’m not sure it's possible though.” She called from the dock while he swam after his flute.
Soaked, confused and generally miserable, Gary took the short walk to his house to get bathed and change.
On the doorstep stood Liam, a basket of toiletries on his arm and a towel draped across his shoulders. “Bathtime?” He asked the muddy dripping mess.
Later, in the bath He complained to Liam. “...right into the river, flute and all!” Gary grumbled. “She was cutting me loose, right?”
Liam was sitting at the edge of the pool, his smirk hidden below the green tinted water. He rose just enough to speak. “Healer’s adherents are forbidden to draw blood, even in defense… lucky for you.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“He means” Otho said, bobbing to the surface like a forgotten corpse. “That expressing your relief at her dismissal was a slight many women would have drawn blood over.”
They both jumped halfway out of the pool in surprise. “Otho!” they shouted together “What the hell man?!” Gary blurted, while Liam’s “Gods above!” Was still echoing in the bath.
Otho just floated there, completely at ease. “Priest Otho,” Gary began carefully. “Why are you in my bath? Why are you naked?”
Otho smiled beatifically and sighed his answer softly. “Because it brings joy, Gary.”
He took a deep breath and tried again “Priest Otho, Beloved of Cowl, the Joyful One, finding you naked in my bath does not bring joy.”
Otho looked surprised. “Gary, being naked in your bath brings ME joy, do try to keep up with the important things.”
Liam Laughed at Gary, Otho laughed at them both and Gary decided he needed a more secure bath or better friends.
Otho, draped in one of Gary’s conjured robes, and the two freshly dressed young men were looking around Gary’s shopfront.
Otho took down the shamisen, tuned it up and played a few bars of something stormy and windswept, before hanging it back on its peg.
“Very nice,” He said, strumming the one Uke Gary had kept in the shop. “Will all your instruments be mundane Gary?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know enough right now. I plan to get into the college and learn a few tricks.” He laid a challenging look on Otho. “Whether or not that interferes with anyone else’s plans and schemes.”
Otho was unflappable tonight. “My schemes are many and varied Gary, I have a number of pots on the boil. Ready to plunge into one?” His eyebrows bounced with vigor.
Gary leaned back, lounging in an upholstered chair he conjured just for the effect. “I will play along for now, master Otho, sometimes walking into the trap is the only way through.”
Steepling his hands, Otho leaned closer. “And sometimes the way through is another trap…”
“Seeing the trap, knowing it is there can make all the difference…” Gary whispered dramatically.
“But is the trap you see truly real? Or an illusion?” Otho almost cooed.
Liam had enough. He seized the bell over the door and shook it wildly. “Gary, we are going home, Master Otho, please respect Gary’s personal space.”
Gary stared at Liam, the primary bathtime infiltrator and gaped. Seeing his friend's face Liam huffed. “You invited me, Gary, during the tour. You said ‘sure, come on over whenever’ when I mentioned how nice your bath was, remember?”
“Well from now on, I'm only saying that to cute girls!” Gary huffed.
“Good policy Gary!” Otho piped up from the living quarters, where he was searching for his clothing.
“We can’t have a bunch of sweaty old men lounging around in your bath… we should invite the two lovely ladies to…”
Liam and Gary walked back uptown to the orphanage while Gary’s house slowly dissolved around the distraught old priest.
“What happens to Otho if he can’t find his clothes before the house disappears?” Liam asked, faintly worried.
“No problem.” Gary replied, holding a bundle of fine green cloth out. “I took ‘em as soon as I got out of the bath.”
Liam was visibly concerned. “Relax, he has a power like mine, that's how he snuck in on us anyway.”
Gary grinned evilly. “He can sneak back home in the dead of night like a weirdo. He has to live with that now. And knowing that we know.”
“You are a very strange person, Gary.”
“Well, I’m a very strange person, who has to get up early and re-summon his magic workshop tomorrow. G-night Liam.”
#
The first morning of his first full week in a new world was anticlimactic. Up before dawn, conjuring his house, now with fifty percent more bathing facilities. He had no illusions about his friends respecting boundaries.
He stopped at a bakery for fresh bread and something that looked like coffee smelled and tasted like coffee, but did nothing to wake him up at all. Back to the orphanage for a second breakfast.
Gary had decided to get to work; he wanted to carve a place for himself, build a niche in this world to settle into. That would start today.
#