Ch: 20.5 The Heart Of A Poet
Together the small band marched out the gate, a cheerful group of young people heading out on an adventure. Tony stood in the gateway for a while, watching them walk toward the River Road. It was going to be pretty quiet in town for a while.
“Our route is downriver to Port Fallon, then over the coast to Port Ellis, then home by the Uplands Road. That should only be ten days by rights, that leaves plenty of time for clearing up any trouble we find.”
Liam said as they walked. “I have a small fistful of notice board jobs for us, but expect surprises on the road.”
The biggest surprise on the road was that Gary had a whole plan for music lessons while marching. “We stay on the beat, we keep it with our feet!” The madman sang, creating nonsense songs about everything they passed.
Gary and Ivy took turns keeping the beat on a small drum that they passed back and forth whenever they needed a break.
Each one in turn had to take the lead with an instrument and improvise, while tangled up in the strange magic that followed Gary and Shai everywhere.
“I can’t make up silly songs, it just feels so wrong. Trying to make up a rhyme, while staying in time… it feels like torture, you uncultured swine!” Dannyl sang, while strumming out a fine bit of music hall jazz.
“Oh, very nice!” Becky cheered, warming up for her turn while the group murmured appreciatively. She took a few bars to clear the air before starting in, low and slow with a mournful dirge, halving the beat of their footsteps.
“There once was a woman named Shai, she fell in love with a troublesome guy.” Becky sang, grinning at the pair of them.
“He knows all the songs and plays all day long, we never know if he remembered them wrong… cause not all of his lyrics make sense.”
She pranced forward to receive praise from the group at large, scattering cheerful notes through the winter morning.
“When did this become the ‘sing mean things at Gary’ game?” He grumbled.
“Shortly after you proposed that we start making up songs… how did you not foresee this outcome? Shai… have you been being nice to him? We talked about that!”
Ivy went off to scold Shai, leaving him feeling like an idiot, some things just felt right.
Shai and Tawny had been hanging at the back of the pack, having some in depth conversation for a while. They kept shooting looks his way and seemed agitated, Gary wanted no part of whatever was going on over there.
“Thank ye Tawny, tis good tae deal wi such matters in plain talk, glad I am that I did nae shake thee about.” She said, hugging the small woman vigorously.
“The distinction is somewhat lost on me Shai, your hugs are violent enough already.” Tawny complained, when she was back on her own feet.
Ivy swept the two up and pulled them back into the group, exercising that innate sense of social timing some people are blessed with.
“We’re gonna stop for lunch, there’s a small nest of groundworms nearby. Tawny, Gary, Shai, you set up camp, we will get the groceries!” She trotted off with a happy bounce in her step.
Gary looked to the two women and shrugged. “That little rise looks nice, lunch with a view?” It was nice, just a little hillock rising above a gentle bend in the slow moving river. A few tumbled boulders graced the hilltop, looking down on the road and town far behind them.
Tawny sat on a boulder and watched as the pair danced their home into being. She sighed in wonder at the display. Despite watching closely and being no stranger to the effect, somehow she could never spot the moment when the house arrived.
Like the pair themselves, the home was as mysterious as it was welcoming and friendly. ‘Try for that foolish boy indeed! Only a woman in love up to her eyeballs could put up with that level of madness.’ She thought to herself, watching their antics.
Unbidden, thoughts of dancing with Liam on their last outing sprang to mind. With a wicked grin she checked on her secret weapon, secure on her belt. “Tonight will be different!” She whispered fiercely as her friends finished, and embraced on their doorstep.
The rest of the troupe returned shortly, carrying the remains of a dozen plump, delicious vermin.
Liam called out when they arrived. “Gary, come walk the perimeter with me.”
With a shrug, he kissed his woman and trotted off to patrol. Once in the woods Liam spoke softly. “I’m worried about Becky, things are happening fast for her and Dannyl both. He said. “She’s still little Becky in my mind, I haven’t come to grips with sergent Becky the Adventurer yet.”
He clasped his big, crazy comrade on the shoulder. “Help me keep an eye on her, ok?”
“Way ahead of you brother, Hannah finished some leather armor for her last night.” He grinned. “I thought we could give it to her tonight as a group. Shai would stake me out on an anthill if I let anything happen to her little sister.”
“Just so we’re clear, if anything happens to any of you, I will murder the survivors.” Liam said with a lopsided grin. “Let’s get back to camp”
Shortly after the band got underway, a slow, wet snow began. It dropped in big heavy flakes that melted into clinging slush on anything it touched. When the first fat droplets of rain began it was almost sunset.
They had the house put up, just as the rain started in earnest. The location, a pleasant roadside meadow, was not bad. There was a fire ring indicating that travelers camped there occasionally and most of the stones and brush had been cleared away… not that it mattered.
Damp and cold, they gleefully shed their wet things and slipped into dry clothes, postponing dinner until their toes were warm again.
“Winter travel sucks hard.” Gary announced, as though revealing some deep secret of the universe.
The sales floor was gone, leaving an open common room anchored by the fireplace and pianoforte. That left plenty of space to spread out. The only real surprise was Thirp’s chandelier, dangling in understated and natural elegance from the ceiling, here just as it was in the land of dreams.
“Ooo! That spider do be a fine fellow after all!” Shai exclaimed, spinning across the floor barefoot. The warm, pearly light and scent of flowers soothed her nerves like mulled wine.
By silent accord they left Shai’s new bedroom as it was, while providing separate normal bedrooms for the others. Though one did have a king sized bed suitable for their resident giant and his comparatively tiny lady.
Armor stands in each room magically warmed and dried their gear, providing unparalleled winter luxury.
Once comfortable, they were gathered together, cooking and chatting the evening away. No one was surprised when the music started, even less so when Shai began dancing soon after, bringing her chimes into the mix.
Tawny, in the sleeveless brown robes of her cult, stood and held her hand out for Liam, in an unambiguous invitation to dance. Her hands were sheathed in golden brown gloves of fine silk, all the way up to her shoulder.
“Jennah thought I might need gloves on this journey, I think she was correct.” She said with an easy smile that seemed very comfortable on her face.
Shai swooped in and whispered in Gary’s ear while he played. “Slow the music boy, that be a smile we nae see often. Ye do know what is needful.”
With a smile, Gary pulled the band into a slower pace, wrangling them with his gift. Pulling them through a sweet and tender rendition of ‘As Time Goes By’.
He let them float on the outro while the band improvised. Those two just kept drifting around the dance floor, separated by a thin layer of silk.
Nobody wanted to disrupt the moment, Liam and Tawny kept dancing even after a knock sounded at the door.
Not a loud knock, though it drew a surprisingly high pitched yelp from Tallum, who happened to be nearest the entrance.
Gary tried to chin waggle and eyeball bulge Tallum into getting the door, but the big doof was too shy. He just sat there, panic stricken.
Dannyl shot Gary a desperate look when he stopped playing and set his guitar down. “Just groove kid, follow Ivy, she’s got you.” He whispered, trying to preserve the vibe.
He shot back the peephole, revealing a man in the red armor of a mainline War cultist. “Yes?” Gary asked, opening the door fully. “What brings you to our door sir?”
“This is an inn, no? I need a room for the night and a meal, and a stall for my horse.” He tossed a copper bit to Becky, who had come to see what was happening. “Brush her down well, I don’t see the stables…”
“Now look here buddy-...” Shai’s firm hand clamped down on his shoulder like a vise. She steered him away from the door and into the arms of Tallum.
“Welcome sir knight, we shall see what accommodations we have available for the evening. Please, do try these slippers.”
She had the as yet unnamed man out of his boots before he fully realized what was going on. “Dannyl, stop playing wi yer toys an come show this goodly knight to the bath!”
Her transformation into an innkeeper was almost as surprising to Gary as the willingness of the others to just go with it.
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He slipped on his boots and coat and went out to find the horse in question… not that he had any idea what to do with it.
“Do we even have a stable?” Becky asked, following him outside.
“We do now, it’s just inside the garden gate.” Gary answered.
“We have a garden gate?” She asked with a grin.
“We do now, we can keep this up all night kiddo. It's cold, dark and I don’t know anything about horses, so I hope you do.”
The horse in question was placidly waiting, tied to a bush just outside the ring of lamplight at the door.
Gary balked at the size of the beast, Tallum could ride the damn thing.
It stood so high, Becky could not even reach the creature's mane. Undeterred, she whistled loudly to get it’s attention, then just strolled up and took the reins. The massive creature followed along as though it had known her all its life.
“Get the gate Gary, it's cold, and you don’t know anything about horses.”
“Look out horsie, the little one has a mouth on her.” He complained as the gate trundled open.
A small stable was nestled up against the house, snug and warm. Its walls were the same river stones and a trough of clear, running water sparkled in the lantern light. No doubt it came from and drained into whatever crazy magic Gary’s house possessed.
“I don’t have any hay… plenty of wood shavings and sawdust for bedding though!” Gary seemed inordinately proud of that.
“Yeah…” Becky sighed. “Help me with the saddlebags first, don’t unbuckle…”
She sighed again, as he helped her up from beneath the mound of tack that collapsed onto her a moment before. “Bring the baggage inside before you hit- err... Help me with anything else.” She ordered.
With saddlebags over his shoulder, Gary closed the gate and went inside. Shai already had their guest cracked out of his armor and in the bath. “I hae settled his lordship in the blue circle room, do place the baggage in there boy.”
“You run a fine inn mistress Shai, though some of your staff seem… inexperienced.” He said, lounging around in a conjured robe like some nobleman…
‘Riiiight…’ Gary thought, as the penny finally dropped.
“Oh, ye do mean poor Gary, he do be moon touched, tis a gentle madness though. He do be a fine carpenter and fair tailor.” She eyed his gear, laid out on the armor stand. “Aye, take your ease my lord, all shall be tended to.” She turned to her mate and gently scolded.
“Go, gather my lord’s armor and garments, there be work tae do!”
With an armload of funky leather and cloth, he headed to the workshop. “Are you gonna really make me do this guy’s laundry?” He asked, wide eyed.
“Aye, and ye shall mend his smallclothes an they need it. Tis a matter o hospitality.” She answered smoothly. “Tis my fault, I dinnae think o what might happen an a traveler happened by…” She looked embarrassed by that oversight. “No matter, tis a cold and wet night, I should hae taken him in regardless. He do be kin.”
Gary looked startled by that. “He’s an orphan? But you called him ‘milord’ and ‘lordship’ what gives?”
“He do be a common warrior, an a messenger on duty at that, tis a dishonor tae deny aid tae such, e’en were he nae kin. Which he is boy. Ye do hae problems wi some o War, but none here nor now. Mind ye?”
She waggled a finger in his face. “By tradition we do extend courtesies to any knight o War or Order whether they do be noble or not, tis a custom that does irk the nobility.”
“Orphan, check, no problem. He’s welcome, yes ma'am. Why the innkeeper act though?” He asked.
“Dae ye really want him going back wi stories o the orphan wi a gift like this?” She boxed his ears lovingly. “Ye would be chained tae some fat, lazy noble as little better than a butler. Fie on that, ye hae secrets tae keep boy, guard them well.” She started filling a laundry basin, smiling all the while. “Ye hae laundry tae do, as well boy.”
While she worked on the metal parts, Gary did the wash and tucked a few stitches through here and there. It was relaxing really, as long as he ignored certain facts. Like that it was some stranger’s codpiece he was reinforcing with waxed linen thread and bullhide.
Or that a strange man was currently upstairs in one of his bedrooms.
“What do we do in the morning when he realizes this is not an inn?” Gary asked.
“An how will he tumble that fact? Dae ye plan tae tell him? Fool! He will go on up tae Wheatford, an we shall continue on. Ne’er tae meet again I should think.”
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Gary was in the corner, quietly putting the newly cleaned and repaired armor onto the magical heated rack. Meanwhile his ‘guest’, knight Imran Khan, feasted on grilled groundworm and root vegetables at the table in the corner of his room.
Shai’s quick thinking had conjured a fireplace that consumed actual firewood, a table and chairs and an en suite privy to complete the simple inn facade. She had confidence it would pass as the best room in a good roadside inn.
Gary sketched an inexpert bow, as he tried to ease his way out of the room, but the man caught him with a raised hand. “Wake me at first bell, no later, have my horse ready to ride before second. Do not disturb me without need before then.”
“Very good milord” Gary said, trying to sound like anything other than annoyed.
Once the door was closed, he conjured a ‘do not disturb’ sign shaped like a big pink fluffy asshole and popped it onto the door where it adhered with sphincter power.
Becky grabbed him by the hand and led him into the kitchen.
“Ohh, do we finally get to eat and bathe? Cause that would be nice.” He grumbled, while piling into the food with his family all around.
“Deal wi it tonight, ye big bairn, we shall nae mistake that again. We shall stop off the road, an nae porch lights.” Shai said firmly.
“I like porch lights, makes it feel more homey…” Gary sulked while eating like a stray dog. “So if anybody knocks on the door we gotta pretend to be a motel until they go? What if they like it so much they wanna stay?”
“Stop sulking Gary, it's one night, trust me. You don’t want anyone to find out you have such useful gifts, until we are free of War. Lady Helene could have you assigned to her household with a word.” Tawny warned.
“If he comes out, we need not lie, simply play our roles. I am simply a traveling healer, Liam and Tallum are my guards, Becky is my maid. Ivy, and Dannyl you work here in the kitchen. He will believe that and ignore anything else.”
Gary grumbled and complained, but a high mahogany desk appeared near the foyer, a shining silvery bell prominently displayed. “I can’t believe I’m still wearing pants!” He said while making for the bath.
“Pants be in yer future fer a while yet, Becky does bunk wi us tonight, I could nae create another room wi the space we did have.”
Shai whispered very softly in his ear. “She hae never slept alone afore.”
He whispered back with a wink. “Shouldn't she bunk with Tawny, for the cover story?”
“Mayhap ye should sleep wi Liam? Though I did hear we hae a stable now…”
“Welcome aboard sergeant Becky! Good to have you!” He chimed, all smiles and welcoming gestures.
After a good long soak, they stumbled off to their quarters. Becky followed Gary and Shai, while Tawny sat up with Liam, chatting across the sofa from each other.
Upstairs in their room, armor stands held their gear. Gary and Shai pointed to the third rack, holding Becky’s familiar rapier and buckler, as well a suit of dark brown fitted leather armor like the rest of the non Gary bathers wore.
“Mine?” She squeaked. The pair nodded.
“Hannah finished it just before we left, the whole gang wanted to give it to you, but we have a guest.” Gary said sourly.
“I know I’m putting you out, but I never… and we’re…” Becky mumbled softly as she trailed off, looking just a little lost..
Gary swept her up and tucked her into bed beside Shai with a grin. “You’re always welcome kiddo, besides, you never need to sleep alone again. I think you can get to our dream house from anywhere, and we are always there in one way or another.” He flopped in on the other side of Shai and curled up close.
“Goodnight girls, see you soon.”
He trundled down stairs and found Thirp and Marduk sitting in the reading nook, enjoying some things from his big box of guilty pleasures.
“I admit I do not fully comprehend this legend, nor do I pretend to grasp the social nuance in this work… yet, it is compelling. Tell me more of this hero, ‘Pootie Tang’ please.” Marduk said, seeming deeply interested.
“I hid that box for a reason, that’s all the things I’m embarrassed to enjoy. If you want to analyze ‘Bikini Jeep Rally’, be my guest, but maybe start off with something more substantial.” He griped.
“Why don’t you try literature or scien-... no, scratch that. Never mind. Forget I said anything. ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show!’ that’s what you wanna see!”
“What was that thing you were going to say Gary? You know you cannot keep secrets from me…” He warned, seeming faintly ridiculous in his frail and childish form.
“I can and will. You are in my home, under my protection. A being of class and dignity would respect my privacy, and in matters of conscience, rely on me.” Gary prodded. “If you cannot trust my judgment, how can you trust my protection?”
The tiny godling crossed his arms smugly and smiled. “For a being at your level of development to have so much unfettered access to the underpinnings of reality and the workings of your own soul is truly remarkable. Hidden here, in the scattered wreckage of your mind is everything you have ever seen, heard, read or learned.”
He smiled sweetly “It’s all packaged up in a non linear, subconscious dream realm. You may not remember flipping through the encyclopedia when you were bored and stuck in a group home, but it is all in there.”
“If you try and bring things from my world into this one, I will bundle you up and cast you into the void here and now, godling.” Gary snarled with animal ferocity. “You are dipping into a poison well and I will not be party to ruining a world already fucked.”
He turned and smiled with charm and wit. “Hello ladies, we were just wondering when you would join us.”
Shai and Becky were on the stairs, frozen mid step by the aura in the room. Little Marduk looked even more pale and wan than last time and the women rushed over to check on him.
“He’s fine, we just disagreed on matters of personal autonomy and privacy.” He smiled and nodded at the small figure. “We settled that, right buddy?”
“We did indeed, though further discussion will be warranted later.” Marduk replied icily.
“Just so we are clear, no ‘he said she said’, no ‘I didn’t understand’ nonsense.” Gary said calmly.
“If bullshit from my world starts popping up, you are out. If Becky wants to take your ass in, that’s fine, but we will be done. I’ll pinch your Contract off like a hot turd.” He made a closing fist gesture to hammer the point home.
“You're a poet Gary, really classy. Why are you bullying the kid?” Becky demanded, interposing herself between them.
“He’s been pawing through my brain looking for goodies. He doesn’t know that they are all poison, no matter how shiny the package.” Gary growled. “If I can’t trust him with dangerous things, he can’t be a guest in my house.”
Shai pressed up into his face, swatting him firmly on the cheek a few times. “Boy, settle! Ye do get aggressive when pressed on these things, tis better ye let me deal wi them.”
He summoned a sofa and sprawled into it, casting irritated glares at the godling. Thirp was in the garden, studiously pretending ignorance of the whole affair.
Shai wheeled on Marduk, brandishing a mildly blasphemous finger under his divine nostrils. “Gary do clearly worry that trinkets frae his old world be unfit here, I say ye should wait. Betimes ye may see he be right, perhaps he may gain perspective. Fer now, dinnae vex him further. An he play fer ye a song called ‘Gimmie One Reason’, ye be in deep shite.”
She wheeled on him, glaring fiercely. “Dinnae be smug, I did scold yer deity for thee, but ye be as dumb as a sheep wi none o the sense.” Her long, scarred finger waved under his nose in reproach. “Fighting wi a god in yer own soul when troubles unknown do descend on the world! Fie! Settle this ere’ I cuff ye both about the ears.”
She scooped up the godling and marched off with Becky saying: “We hae a brother, Tallum. He do be a good fit for thee…”
“Don’t skulk, Thirp, its beneath your dignity.” Gary called out into the garden. “You are truly welcome in our home as long as you wish to stay.”
Thirp came hopping back inside, still obviously uncomfortable. “I had hoped that a bit of lighthearted nonsense would distract him, my apologies Gary.”
“I assume our little friend ignored any good advice you may have given him.” Gary said shaking his head wryly. “No, don’t answer, he needs to trust us. Let's start by trusting each other.”
Thirp rubbed his front pair of legs together, the soft rustling sound was his species’ natural laughter. “Gary my friend, it will truly be a shame when Miss Shai finally spins her egg sack around you.”
Gary left that hanging out there for a while, just to see where this might go. Finally, he could not take it anymore, mostly because Thirp was watching an episode of ‘The Golden Girls’ in rapt wonder.
“Did you have any questions for me about human culture or biology?” Gary asked.
“No, it all seems fairly straightforward.” He sang. “When the little humanlings erupt from your chest cavity, they will be ready to begin independent lives and grow into fine examples of your species. I am certain Shai will tell them all about you.” His harp gave a long and tranquil sigh of satisfaction.
“Family is the greatest blessing, is it not?”
“Thirp, you are deeply cool bro, but do not tell Shai that story. Let me set you straight on a few things…” Gary said, cuing up the video from his fourth grade health class.
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“Well that was distressing, it does explain your fixation on whose parents are still alive… I had been wondering.”
Thirp had a skill with his instrument that Gary could only marvel at, he made it mutter in bewildered tones of confusion and interest.
“That also sheds light on the magical structures at play in your Contract business.” He began lecturing in a few chord changes, sounding authoritative.
“Each distinct reality forms its own magical frameworks, based on the sentient races that develop there. Their collective dreams and ideas form the basic pattern, eventually creating a unique magical ecosystem. On your new world, Contracts seem to have become the norm now, though I suspect it was not always so.”
He hummed on his instrument, sounding thoughtful. “Marduk will become stronger in the coming days, though I doubt he will be capable of much without a proper cult.”
“Becky is already trying to sell him on another friend of ours. I guess he’s my brother in law?” Gary scratched his head in confusion. “It's all very complicated, you will be meeting Tallum soon I’m sure.”
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