Chapter 208
Carts were easy to overlook. They were everywhere and people used them constantly in their every day lives in the city of K'tharkle, but as a rule people rarely gave them more than a passing glance.
There were unfinished carts made out of wood that hadn't been properly stained yet. Those were often driven by the less well off citizens of K'tharkle. Then there were the carts that had been lovingly stained and cared for, its springs well maintained, and its wheels properly tightened. They were still used to haul produce but were cleaned often and well maintained.
Not everyone took pride in their carts, and those that did tended to stand out. Most of the carts were somewhere in between those two extremes though, and it was those middling carts that Jay and his group spent a lot of their time in. This time however they had managed to get one of the good ones.
“Is that cedar I smell?” M'redith said after a moment spent sniffing the air around her.
Sha'li looked embarrassed for a moment before she remembered something. “Hey! It wasn't me!” she finally said with a grin which made the others laugh.
The driver turned halfway around without taking his eyes off of the street in front of him. “Cedar sticks – I keep a few attached to the sides of the cart when it's empty. Turns out passengers seem to appreciate a nice smelling cart.” The driver grinned before he turned back and faced forward once again.
“Well I think it smells nice!” M'redith called over to him.
“Thanks!” the driver said brightly but did not engage her further in conversation. The driver knew that passengers also tended to prefer being left alone by their driver.
The cart rolled along but its springs had clearly seen some loving attention over the years and the ride was fairly smooth compared to the cart with the watermelons they had used earlier. Any cart would ride a little rough when carrying a full load of melons though, Jay thought to himself.
Their ride was uneventful thankfully and the cart finally came to a stop in the Guild's main entrance's courtyard. Jay and his group hopped out of the cart and straightened out their clothing and armor while M'redith tipped the driver and thanked him.
The driver took the coin with a smile and waved to the others before he turned and gave his reins a flick. The cart pulled smoothly back in to city traffic. It had barely been in the courtyard for a full minute, not a bad turn around time.
“The courtyard is for loading and unloading of passengers! If you are not getting into or out of a vehicle you must leave the courtyard immediately! Move along! The courtyard is for loading and unloading of passengers!” A Guild guard without any rank insignia was walking around the courtyard and yelling at anyone who stood still for too long.
He wasn't being mean – it was necessary. Otherwise people tended to linger in the courtyard which tended to block and stop traffic – the exact opposite of what the courtyard was intended for.
M'redith led her group towards the small campus of buildings that sat adjacent to the main courtyard. The buildings housed a number of administrative offices and was located at the main courtyard so that those visiting to do business with the Guild did not have to wander through the Guild campus to do so. The admin building was right there as soon as you got out of your cart or carriage.
Jay noticed the building just as the group came to a stop outside of the main doors. The entire group except for Sha'li instinctively stepped to the sides so that they were not blocking the doorway. Sha'li looked momentarily confused before M'redith tugged her over beside her. Sha'li gave her a questioning look.
“Never stand in a doorway. Fatal funnel,” M'redith said but Sha'li still looked puzzled. “I'll explain later,” M'redith finally said with a smile as Jay suddenly realized where they were.
“Hey, you can register here for the Guild, right?” Jay asked after a moment's thought.
M'redith flashed Sha'li a look as if the two shared a secret and Sha'li flashed a closed lip smile.
“Among other things, yes,” M'redith answered passively.
“Like what other things?” Norri asked as the scent of grilled cheese surrounded her.
“What?!” Aiden said as he chewed a mouth full of steaming hot grilled cheese. “Muenster cheese isn't as good,” he quietly complained.
M'redith turned to Norri, flashed Aiden an amused smile, and shrugged, “This is where you'd go if you needed to reach someone staying at the Guild. You can apply to the Guild here. There's a bulletin board where you can post, take, and claim contracts. There's an orientation counter for visiting members looking to get their bearings in the city, an office for paying due Guild taxes. There's an office for dungeon research. All sorts of offices.”
Jay was nodding along as M'redith answered Norri's question but spoke up as soon as she had finished speaking.
“Can we go in? I want to check on something real quick,” Jay vaguely explained.
“Sure,” M'redith said with a wide smile. She winked at Sha'li when no one else was looking.
The group filed inside and a hush fell over the group as they passed over the threshold.
All buildings have a feeling to them – a mood. The mood in the administrative building's front lobby was hushed. The group switched from talking to whispering as they entered. There was a short line for the front desk and Aiden was stopped when he tried to get in line.
“No food, sir. If you're not here for service please wait for your party at one of the provided benches.” A Guild guard informed him before moving on to another group. The guard didn't linger. If his words weren't obeyed the next step was to remove the offending party. There were no second chances.
The group moved over to a unoccupied bench with the exception of Jay, who stayed in line. The process didn't take long, it seemed that this desk was just there to sort people in to the proper offices for the services they required. A moment later it was Jay's turn and he stepped forward.
“Name and affiliation please?” a young looking woman asked. She was seated and had dark and slightly curly hair that she wore down and covered her shoulders. Brown eyes and a pixie nose rounded out her look. She was attractive but would never be accused of looking mature.
“Jay,” he replied, “Guild man, Glimmerhide Group, Patron of Kagan's Dome.”
The woman nodded as if she spoke with twenty Patrons a day. “Business?”
“I'd like to ask about sponsoring someone for Guild training. How do I go about doing that?” Jay asked.
That was finally enough to surprise the woman but she quickly regained control over her appearance. “Down the hall, last door on your left. Room 12A. Next!”
Jay thanked her but she was already focused on the next person. Jay moved aside and waved at his friends and mouthed “I'll be back” silently. M'redith nodded and waved back at him. The others were all slumped in their chairs. Was the coffee wearing off already?
Jay turned and went down the hall. The doors were numbered but not in any particular order. Thankfully his door was the last one on the left – he didn't need the number. Once he arrived there however he did double check to make sure he was at the right office.
12A. Perfect.
Jay knocked on the door and waited. A moment later a rustling could be heard.
“Come.” a voice said and Jay opened the door to a cozy looking office.
There were two high backed leather chairs set up to the left and right of a small fireplace. A thick gray rug covered the polished stone floor a few feet from the fireplace. A rusted red leather couch was pushed up against the right hand wall. Soft and warm magical indirect lighting gave the room enough light to see by without being too bright.
Jay entered and shut the door behind him.
“Good afternoon, my name is Raphael,” said a well dressed gentleman who was already seated in one of the green leather high backed chairs that bordered the fireplace. A fire barely burned within it and ate away hungrily at a single charred log.
The man had a thin head of silver hair and a gray beard that was cut close. His outfit was a dark brown three piece suit and he wore quite a few rings, bracelets, and necklaces, all of various metals and with different gems.
“Good to meet you,” Jay said as he remembered his manners. “I'm Jay, Guild man, Glimmerhide Group, Patron of Kagan's Dome.”
Raphael nodded and frowned slightly. “Jay would have been sufficient but I appreciate your forthrightness. What can the Guild do for you today, Jay?”
Raphael was politely informing Jay that he was meeting not just with Raphael, but the Guild. This was not a polite chat but a formal discussion between Jay and a Guild representative.
Jay suddenly wondered if he should have brought M'redith with him. The answer was probably.
“I'd like to ask about sponsoring a new member.” Jay said confidently. It was the entire reason he had visited the admin building in the first place.
Raphael nodded and motioned towards the open chair across from him.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Jay nodded and smiled in thanks. He walked over and took a seat and immediately felt himself squish down in to the chair. It would take some doing to get out of the chair when the time came, Jay thought to himself.
Raphael cleared his throat as if he could detect Jay's mind wander off a bit. Jay returned his thoughts to the matter at hand and gave Raphael his full attention.
“Sponsorship is not something the Guild takes lightly. First of all, it is prohibitively expensive. Second, you would be responsible for your candidate's actions while in training – legally but also financially. Third, the sponsoring party must be in the good graces of the Guild.” Raphael took a deep breath and turned to stare in to the fire for a moment before he continued.
“Sponsorship comes with responsibilities beyond mere payment. Are you willing to place your name on the line for this person?” Raphael said slowly and precisely as if giving time to Jay to think over his words. Then he went quiet and waited for Jay's answer.
Jay thought about it and was suddenly reminded of something that Gaia had said to him in a dream. She had once told him that when he was faced with a tough choice he should pick friendship. Was that right? It had been something like that. Jay decided that Sha'li seemed like she would make a good friend not to mention group member. She would never make it as a group member without Guild training though.
“I'm willing to put my name on the line for her, yes.” Jay finally answered.
Raphael smiled, the first real smile Jay had seen. “I appreciate you giving that question the thought that it deserves,” he said before they were interrupted by a young woman who knocked, entered, and handed a folder of papers over to Raphael before she left as quietly as she had arrived.
“Your reputation,” Raphael said as he hefted the folder in his hands. “Shall we see what the Guild thinks of you?”
Jay blinked. He had a folder? Jay reconsidered. Of course he had a folder. He had been doing crazy things since the moment he had arrived at the Guild. He had a crazy class that everyone had at first thought was useless. He had a registered adventuring group even though he had yet to graduate. He was constantly getting swept up in political situations without meaning to.
He was on a first name basis with the King.
Of course he had a folder.
Raphael opened the folder and began to read its contents. At first Raphael had the same slightly condescending look that he had when Jay had started their conversation. The more he read, the more his expression changed.
Jay had ties to Redguard. He had ties to the Church. He had ties to the Guild's leadership. Not to mention his interactions with the K'tharkle Mayor, the K'tharkle City Guard, and the King Himself. It was quite a list and as Raphael read more and more he grew more confused.
“If I may?” Raphael finally asked as he shut the folder for a moment while using one finger to maintain his place.
Jay nodded, “Please.”
“Why...what are you trying...” Raphael asked before he stopped and reassessed how to phrase his question. “What is it you want from the Guild?”
Jay nodded as if he understood the question. He didn't. He answered, “I want to have the Guild train someone.”
Raphael frowned and shook his head as if frustrated at Jay's inability to follow the conversation. He tried a different approach. “Not your candidate, YOU. Why are you in the Guild? This folder makes you out to be some political mastermind who has managed to trigger the interest of every organization he has interacted with. Yet you sit here in my office... might I be blunt?”
Jay nodded silently. He wasn't sure where this was going.
“Right,” Raphael said and tucked his chin in a bit before he spoke. “You are not a political mastermind, that much is clear. You are, however, exceedingly lucky in your interactions with others. I think this folder might give others the wrong idea. This folder says the Guild is just one of the many connections you collect – but you aren't collecting anything, are you?” Raphael peered at Jay.
Jay felt like a bug under a microscope as Raphael didn't just look at him but inspected him. Then, he Inspected him as well just to be thorough.
“I'm in the Guild because I needed training, a group, and a way to support myself,” Jay pointed out with what he thought was a helpful observation.
“Ah, yes,” Raphael said as he leaned back in his high backed chair and rested his head against it. “You have now almost finished training, you have your group, and you no longer need to support yourself any further – Patron.”
Jay pursed his lips. “Er...” he managed as he considered the other man's words.
“So what do you want from the Guild?” Raphael asked as he leaned forward for emphasis.
Jay paused and finally shrugged, “Nothing, I think. I just want the Guild to be there in case I need them. I like the camaraderie too. I have no problem paying my Guild tax or any other tax for that matter. I think I'll be doing more for the Guild than the other way around for a while,” Jay finally said as he considered how much gold his group had already paid in Guild taxes.
Raphael laughed, “I can see you are doing the tax math now.”
Jay grinned and looked a little embarrassed.
“Don't be shy. You have already paid quite a lot to the Guild. It seems that you were a good fit for the Guild after all – we look forward to seeing what you will do after your graduation, should you graduate. Nothing is written in stone,” Raphael pointed out with a tight smile.
“So,” he continued as he waved in the air with one hand. He moved his hands a lot when he talked as if Jay wouldn't be capable of following along otherwise, “You are willing to put your name on the line, and you are in the Guild to help the Guild, do I have that right?”
“If you count making money for the Guild as helping then yes, I suppose that is correct,” Jay said with a smile.
Raphael nodded and let the smile slip off of his face. He opened the folder once again and wrote a few things down. Jay was suddenly reminded that Raphael wasn't being friendly – this was business.
The same young woman from earlier returned briefly and handed Raphael a single sheet of paper and then left as quietly as she had arrived.
“Your credit report,” Raphael stated as he examined the document. “Well. You're not in danger of being broke any time soon. Although you do appear to have a penchant for spending large sums of money. I see you have already established a sizable savings. I am impressed. Most people who come in to sudden wealth tend to blow through it as soon as the money hits their accounts.”
Raphael sighed and sat back in his chair. “You have sufficient funds, you are willing to put your name on the line for your candidate, and you are in good standing with the Guild.”
Jay nodded and spoke even though he shouldn't have. It wasn't his turn yet.
“Her name is,” he managed to say before Raphael clapped loudly and said “NO,” just as loudly with a disappointed frown.
“Please Patron, let's not sully our conversation with names,” Raphael said reproachfully before he passed Jay a writing implement, a single sheet form, and an envelope. “No one is to know of your sponsorship. You may tell your candidate should you choose to but they may not speak of it to another. Failure to follow this rule can result in your candidate's expulsion. There are no favorites or politics allowed in basic training – just Guild trainees.”
“Sorry?” Jay said apologetically. “I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just unfamiliar with the process,” he tried to explain.
Raphael nodded and was surprised to find that he believed Jay. It was often the case that applicants visiting his office would attempt to influence Raphael's opinion of their candidate. What they failed to understand was that Raphael had nothing to do with approving or denying their candidates – his job was to filter out mentor applicants, not their candidates.
Jay didn't come across like one of those people – he seemed genuinely lost and guileless.
Jay began to fill out the form he had been passed while Raphael stared in to the fire. Once Jay had turned his full attention to the form though Raphael's eyes flicked over to him and watched as he wrote.
Jay wrote Sha'li's name on to the paper. Base Class? His options were the standard four: mage, healer, fighter, thief. Jay crossed out all four and wrote NO next to the question. Class name, Jay wrote in Frostmaiden and wrote ELVEN in parenthesis next to it.
He filled in her level, her current occupation, his relation to her, known skills, height, weight – he estimated, and a slew of other questions. The form was double sided and Jay continued on the back and filled out a few essay questions the best he could. Then he looked up at Raphael expectantly.
Raphael had read it multiple times in Jay's file – he was a Traveler. He had been watching him to see if he exhibited any known Traveler behavior. Jay had been doing well so far but had finally reached the limits of his Eden knowledge.
Raphael waited a moment longer to give Jay a chance to do what was expected of him in this situation but Jay just sat and waited for Raphael in a silent stand off. Finally Raphael spoke in to the silence.
“It is required that you sign the form as well as the envelope. Are you prepared to do so? If not then we will have to set this discussion aside for another time. Are you familiar with Eden signatures?” Raphael asked.
Jay grinned as if something had just occurred to him and he reached in to his backpack and removed his brand new signature kit. “I just got it!” he said excitedly.
Raphael watched Jay with a bemused expression as Jay inexpertly attempted to sign the document. Jay got as far as creating the double sided seal which he had placed halfway down a ribbon colored in bands of red and blue. The seals each had a deep purple border. Jay looked back up at Raphael helplessly.
Raphael laughed and smiled kindly as he held out his hands to take the items from him. Jay handed them over and Raphael showed Jay an additional tray in his kit with needle and bobbins of thread.
Raphael slowly explained to Jay how to sew the ribbon to the paper properly without tearing the paper. Finally he folded the entire thing up, ribbon and all, and placed them in the envelope which Jay was holding. The flap was shut and Jay once again dribbled some wax and created a seal – this time a single sided one using red wax.
Once the wax had set Jay handed the final product to Raphael who smiled as if thanking Jay. “That will do. I will submit this right away and you should be notified of your requests status within one to two weeks.”
Jay's face fell. “That long?”
Raphael shrugged, “If joining the Guild were easy everyone would do it,” he said with a brief smile. “That is all. Unless you had other business that concludes our meeting for today.”
Jay shook his head, “That was all,” he said and stood up. He shook Raphael's hand and let himself out of the office. He closed the door behind him and walked back down the hallway to where his friends were waiting in the lobby.
“How long was I gone?” Jay asked Aiden as his group all stood up and stretched.
“FOREVER,” Aiden griped with a grin. “Come on, time for dinner then I want to hit up the library and visit Glenda. Always wondered how things turned out for her with the other Librarians. Were they happy with her? Upset?”
Norri grinned, “It'll just be nice to see Glenda again. You're going to love her Sha'li, she's so much fun!”
Jay held open the door as the group filed back outside. The sun was beginning to approach the horizon and would soon set. The group kept off of the main courtyard and headed to the dining hall to eat dinner.