Ch: 13 A Radiant Bride
Down in the garden they strolled among the flowering vines and arching shade trees, waiting for Otho. Gary’s violin came out to play, bouncing half remembered gypsy folk tunes off the garden walls. The music sent Shai twirling in wild abandon, her bare feet hardly leaving a mark on the lawns and flowerbeds.
As she spun by, Gary held out a drum and tipper. Adding percussion to her dance put Shai firmly in charge, allowing her to set the pace.
Gary stashed the violin when Daniel joined with his harp, freeing him to keep up with Shai. They spun, leapt and whirled themselves until they were wrung out and limp.
As the exhausted trio sagged onto the lawn to catch their breath, Gary asked. “What was that? Some magic of Otho’s? I thought my heart was going to climb out my throat and run off to play in a meadow.”
“Joy prefers subtlety, but none may coerce her beloved in her temple without cost.” Otho pronounced from behind them.
“Priest Gomez will find little rest or comfort, even discipline will elude him, until Joy is satisfied with his repentance.”
“Mind you children, many of my orphans have found fulfilling and meaningful lives in service to War, but he can make his own sales pitch.” He settled onto a bench nearby.
“For you, a little exercise and a bit of fulfilling labor should suffice to dispel the effects.”
Otho gave them a few more moments to recover before asking; “What brings you today? More than a desire to rescue me from a tiresome encounter?”
“It has come to my attention that I am ‘too ignorant to live’, the library at the college is useless. I haven't even found a map.” Gary said, feeling the fool even more keenly than usual.
Otho began to bounce and clap on his bench like a toddler who spotted a toy. “I love this part of the plan. You may have noticed, none of we “geezers” have interrogated you about your former home…”
Gary nodded. “Lady Joy, myself, Amicus and Naomi of Healer have been discussing your condition, we have hatched a cunning plan.” He rose, gesturing to them to follow. “We should meet all together in your shop.”
Shai’s cruel and mocking laugh cut the aura like a cold blade. “Ye nae can meet there, for me great lump of a boy has filled the sales floor wi a giant musical coffin.”
Gary bristled, fit to make Liam proud. “Well a certain pair were looking at it pretty closely yesterday.” He said smugly. “I also caught them taking Tallum’s bass apart together.”
Otho was wistful as they strolled to the Adventurer’s compound. “I think Ivy’s drums and that bass have set things in motion that will amaze and delight.” He declared. “Yes, lady Joy assures me it is so.”
“Wow, just like that you get an answer?” Gary marveled, the old man just smiled.
“Your instruments have been the talk of the temple for some time now. Well, since it has been more than just me. The townsfolk may not have noticed, but the Joyous are as interested in the tools of our trade as any mundane craftsperson.”
Ivy and Tallum were down in the workshop, scheming something when the trio arrived, simplifying matters. “Gary, run off and fetch the others, we will prepare here.” He said, indicating Shai and the pair of early birds.
On the run to the college, Otho the dog bounded up and followed along, nipping at Gary’s heels to keep him at a full run the whole way there.
After notifying Amicus, Gary trotted off to find the others. Otho finally let him fall to a jog for the rest of the errand.
Tawny was heading in the right direction when he got to the temple district to collect her. He caught up a few blocks from the gate.
“So, it's a meeting of the whole band at the clubhouse.”
She nodded and took his elbow as they walked. “Healer told me.”
He shook his head in wonder. “That’s wild. Just getting messages like that.”
She halted briefly, catching his sleeve to stop him. “You said in your home… you had devices that did the same.” She tugged to emphasize her words. “You have a divine contract now, you can talk to him.”
He sighed. “The others said the same, but I don't know how.”
“What have you tried?” She asked.
He grinned. “I asked Shai.” Her flat and unimpressed look was deeply humiliating.
“If you did not know how to breathe would you ask a fish? Shai has no contracts, you poor dumb animal.”
He feigned hurt feelings and sulked. “You guys are mean, in my old home you would get flattened by the first bus to come down the line. See if I tell you not to stick a fork in the wall socket…”
“Gary, I have seen the ‘tools’ in your workshop, if that is how things are done in your home, I am amazed anyone survives with intact limbs. They seem better suited to surprise amputations than anything else.”
“That is the kind of attitude that has kept you guys from developing the internal combustion engine… nevermind that.” He said as the shop bell rang above Tawny. He headed off to collect Liam across the courtyard at the orphanage.
As he and Liam approached, they heard soft music through the open windows. Tawny was seated at the pianoforte, running a well practiced bit of late baroque sounding music.
Liam slid onto the bench beside her, as though he always sat there while she played. She didn’t seem to notice; after a while, he whispered; “I haven't heard this in so long.” startling them both.
She blushed a rich ruddy gold, while he scooted to the farthest edge of the bench. Liam obviously trying to create as much space between them as possible without actually getting up. She didn’t stop playing though.
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“I mayhap be forgiving ye the purchase o that noisy coffin, boy. Tis a pleasant sound under Tawny’s hands.” Shai was smiling benignly and swaying in place.
“I’m not a piano guy and that's not even a full piano…” He grumbled, pride stinging.
“Fer a maker of instruments ye do make many excuses.” She quipped.
“Ok, gang, I know we all agreed to pretend that Liam is the leader, but we might be carrying it a bit too far.” He complained. “You don't have to keep it up when we are at home.” They all shared a look that he could not interpret.
“Gary is making progress…” Liam said carefully from the piano bench.
“Liam makes a compelling argument…” Tallum agreed.
“We all agree that Liam is correct here obviously…” Ivy protested. “But let's not forget that Gary is barely functional outside this house.”
Tawny’s piano never stopped as she said; “Now Ivy, Liam is absolutely correct, but let’s not exaggerate, ‘barely functional’ is unfair. It's not like he can’t dress himself… he can dress himself, right Shai?”
Shai hugged him close. “We do batter at thee mercilessly, boy o mine. Tis the orphan’s way since time unknown. Mayhap this too, is a thing ye did not ken. ‘Twas the Lima Bean’s task tae educate thee, an he do be a great fool.” She squeezed him tighter.
“Tis Otho to blame truly, for in the land o great fools there be only one acknowledged king, an he did set one fool tae teaching a newborn fool.” Otho seemed stunned by this betrayal, as Liam and the rest looked to him with deep disappointment.
“And that do be how the game is played. Tis tradition tae end wi blaming the eldest member fer all o the troubles.” Shai said, breaking the vibe.
Once they were all soaking, the meeting began in earnest, Otho taking the floor. “As we all know, Gary is a valued member of the group, despite being a complete disaster in many key areas.”
Gary grunted. “Back to this?”
“After the presentation Shai and Tawny gave at our last meeting it was decided to bring Gary into the club as a full member…”
Muffled drowning noises came from Gary and Shai’s end of the pool. “Thank you Shai, please get him up to speed while we go over old business.”
Shai cornered him and raised his head above the water, letting him gasp in a breath. “Remember I did say there were things we nae could tell ye lest it make ye dumb as a post?” He nodded and dripped, looking sullen. “Attend ye then fer Otho and the others hae a plan.”
“Our plan to get him Contracted with the god of Secrets is done, now for phase four. Getting the god of Secrets to reveal what we need, by tricking him into thinking we already know…”
Gary sidelined the monologue with a raised hand. “I have no idea what that meant. Can we start from the beginning?”
Otho shook his head sadly. “No, we can’t, our research indicates that by the time we finished explaining phase two you would be little more than a floating vegetable for the rest of the day.”
He settled into the pool and approached, speaking more softly. “There is no spell or dark magic causing you to lose your mind, it is the condition of your mind itself. Complex or abstract thoughts along unfamiliar paths can stress the mind, like a muscle, it grows stronger with constant use.” He patted Gary consolingly. “Now listen closely, because this is the tricky part.” He stood to address the group as whole again.
“My consultations with Naiomi of Healer and Amicus… and on the advice of lady Joy, in concert with Healer, we have devised a plan. “
“Secret is, by his nature; subtle, indirect and complex. We know that he is in possession of a secret that is vital to Gary and perhaps much more broadly to all of us.”
“Both Joy and Healer have given assurances that we are in possession of the information, but it is occult, hidden from us by some veil.”
“Secret cannot reveal it here, the law and his very nature prevent him from either manifesting or communicating with the living world.”
“Living world?” Gary asked. “That seems an odd word choice for a person I met in a dream.”
Amicus slipped up. “Not a dream at all, any more than a door is a house or a window, the outside. That place is a piece of you that sticks out into the darkness. Into the realms between, through the veil, leaving you exposed to the etheric void itself. Fascinating. But also useful, Secret can be much more explicit there… and perhaps reveal truths hidden in plain sight.”
“Great, so how do I do that?” Gary asked, still waiting for an answer from any of the people he had asked that seemingly simple question.
Otho decided to orate a little more.
“That has been the focus of our research over the last three weeks, once we diagnosed your condition we started looking for that very answer.”
“When I wish to contact Joy; music, dance and my garden are my catechism and song is my prayer. To contact Healer, I am certain Tawny has a practice that draws the goddess to her.”
“Crafts is enticed through diligent practice and creation. War comes where violence is near, even in a sparring match. Meditation will bring Order, as will filing, record keeping and dealing with the law”
“The secret to contacting Secret, is in the keeping and sharing of secrets. Creating a plot or scheme draws his gaze. Sharing a secret with careful consideration pleases him, as does keeping a secret till death. That is how we all meet him in the end. Our final secrets are his, as he guides us into the void.”
“So Secret is the god of death?” Gary asked. “I just wanna know if I need to keep working on my dark temple game.”
Otho let that slide and nodded, “yes, Secret is the guide in the transition into our next great secret. Who else could it be?”
“So, does that mean I do, like funerals or something now? I don't know what death cults do in this world. On mine they usually start a violent standoff and then kill themselves”
That derailed even Shai for a moment. “Dae ye… no, I shall ask ye later.”
Otho took over again. “Joy has that sad duty, surely you know that Joy and sorrow walk hand in hand. Should you decide to become clergy for Secret, he will reveal his requirements... Or perhaps not.”
“So thats how that works, if I am reading you right, the more mysterious and unknowable my actions, the more rumor and speculation I cause, the more Secret likes it?” Gary was nodding in agreement with himself.
Otho was waving in the negative while shaking his head vigorously. He might have been saying something, probably agreeing with Gary’s assessment. “I almost painted the tour cart like Herbie the Love Bug, that would have been a swing and a miss!”
Gary was getting dressed, calling over his shoulder; “I have important work to do, see you this evening!”
Shai scrambled to dress and chase him at Otho’s urging, but he was gone. The whole group fanned out, covering his usual haunts without success.
Their searches and questions were not ignored by a populace with only one primary entertainment. The rumors circulated faster than the searching band of Adventurers.
“Shai’s weird man has disappeared with all her money, he’s as good as dead!”
“Otho’s pet ran off and is hiding because he doesn’t want to go to War”
And a dozen more fanciful variations, including that he had run off to marry young Muktar’s oldest granddaughter in the uplands district.
That one made Shai collapse with laughter, when it was tearfully related to her by Sergeant Becky. She had insisted on the title since Gary had given it to her.
“I heard it from his youngest granddaughter Shai, that sneaking worm is going to marry uptown and leave you in the lurch!” Shai went to one knee to hug the girl close, enveloping the small dark form.
“Becky, ye hae adopted Gary as fully as I hae, dinnae worry, he be mine tae keep, none shall steal him from thee or me.” Shai’s voice was smooth and warm, holding absolute confidence.
“But he's so weird and ignorant… and his first response to anything is to just go along, or sing about it. That is going to get him sold into slavery.” Becky complained while wiping her tears.
“Ye do know that Gary hae no dealings uptown, save that he be prenticing fer a week wi… the alchemist guild under… young Muktar… this afternoon, in Muktar’s home…”
Shai vanished with little more than a tinkle of bells and whispering footfalls, racing uptown.
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She felt his gift swirling as soon as she heard the music, the scent of sweet pungent spice and herbs floated on a breeze already perfumed by garlands of flowers draped from poles over the court in front of young Muktar’s home. Celebrants were dancing in wedding day finery around the radiant bride.
Her skin gleamed like polished rosewood, dark smooth and shining, her wide skirted dress of flowing saffron gold silk, scattered with sparkling stones accented her dusky limbs.
In a swirling dance, her voluminous sleeves scattered a spray of marigold petals over the clapping, stomping and hooting crowd.
Gary’s voice came floating out, as if amplified by his weird magic box. “This is my last number for the afternoon, Sophia, Khaled, you kids are gonna be great together! We call this one ‘My Girl’, by the Temptations, follow along boys!”
The music rang out sweet and clear, starting Shai dancing. His voice came husky and intimate despite his amplification magic, “This one goes out to the bride, on a very special afternoon.”
I got sunshine, on a cloudy day…
Gary was on a low stage leading a band of locals on simple instruments, mostly Muktar’s relatives by the look of them. He had a new guitar, strangely shaped, with a metal disk taking up the body like Tallum’s bass. It was loud, and a little metallic and chiming, almost like a harp, but with a ragged edge.
When it was over, he smoothly swept through the crowd, catching Shai up around the waist and holding her close. “Surprise wedding party, today was supposed to be my first afternoon with the alchemist apprentices.”
He pointed at the band, still thumping away under the lingering influence of Gary’s gift. “You know I can't help myself.”
She swatted him on the rump, dragging him off by his hand like an unruly toddler. “Ye do have Amicus and Otho in a tizzy, believing yer threats o causing mass confusion and lunacy.”
“No, that's happening, but I have other projects in the works as well. If my mind is the problem I just need to get my mind in shape.” He grinned foolishly. “I think the key might be in that righteous party palace in my soul. Care to meet me there tonight? I know the bouncer, he can get us in.”
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