Chapter 22 Augnem

❄Snow❄

Snow and Lussuria left the Inn.

“You girls want a ride?” Crow asked as he was still seated on the bench of the carriage parked off to the side.

“I just managed to free myself from that torture, I will not be stepping foot in a carriage for at least three days. My sister and I will walk to the mage guild.”

Crow understood, Snow couldn’t argue either. They all needed a walk.

“There is a stable down the road, I’ll tell the innkeeper to stable them.” Crow said as he dismounted from the bench.

“Pansy of a driver AND lazy look at that. Come on Crow stretch those scrawny bird legs of yours!” Ares approached them from the other direction holding some sugar dough, taking a big bite nearly finishing it.

Crow grunted.

“You are no different than a child. Why are you running off for food when you are supposed to keep watch!”

“Why would I need to keep watch when we got you here my man.” Ares smiled while chewing his next bite. “Right, Arthur?”

Crow looked at Arthur, Arthur shrugged.

“He’s got a point.”

“Don’t enable him Arthur!” Crow yelled at Arthur as Ares laughed.

Lussuria was looking across the road at the monumental council hall building. While Crow was scolding Ares.

“It is quite convenient being across the street from the council building. Did you pick this place out Snow?” She asked.

“No, mom did, but remember, the council building is the last stop. First, we will head to the mage guild’s branch that’s here. It’s next to the marketplace, just south from here”

“I am curious about the Mountaineer mage guild, I hear they specialize in controlling animated constructs.”

“What, like golems?”

“Not just those lumbering brutes, but also things like life-sized animated dolls as well. Supposedly they’re popular with the nobility and can be made to appear very life-like.”

“That sounds sort of disturbing, but to each their own, I guess. Let’s go.”

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The Five headed south until they reached the marketplace, where countless rows of merchant stands were arranged side by side and people conversing everywhere. Snow, Lussuria and Arthur were taking point as Crow and Ares lingered a few feet behind.

“There are so many merchant stands here I can’t believe it!” Snow exclaimed, overwhelmed by the variety of things being sold.

“Care for some trinkets!” One of the stand owners yelled towards their group.

“Fresh produce!” Shouted another.

“Clothing by bulk!” Yelled a third.

They kept perusing through the market until they heard something that drew their interest.

“New cloaks made from the Great tailor Lazerous! Limited editions! Get them while you can!” Lussuria’s head snapped towards the source of the shout.

“I’ve got to check this out!” Lussuria shouted as she dragged Snow along, while Arthur Ares and Crow made sure to keep up.

“Are you here to browse wares from the Great Tailor Lazerous?” The man behind the stand had a collar on, marking him as a slave, and behind him was an assortment of cloaks.

Lussuria looked through most of what was offered, before she sighed in disappointment.

“These are definitely second hand… plus they are cloaks, so it would defeat the purpose by masking myself.”

“You never know if you would need a cloak, it might rain, it might snow! Find me again if you need a cloak!” The slave declared, before looking at Snow. “You there! Take a look at this fabric, I guarantee you’ll like it!!” He took out a different piece of cloth.

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Snow stepped forward and the man showed her the folded fabric before smoothly turning it over, revealing a note only to her.

“Isn’t the artistry exquisite?” He asked as he motioned for her to take the paper. Snow took the note and put it in her pocket.

“The Master gives his regards!” The man then turned away from them as if they didn’t exist and started his announcements again.

“New cloaks from the Great Tailor Lazerous, very rare! Get them while they are out now!”

Snow looked towards Lussuria, “Let’s go Lussuria.”

As they got farther from the market, they could see why this was the ‘commoner’ district. A man with a particularly bad stench to him and ragged clothing practically crawled out onto the path in front of them from where he had been sitting against a building.

“Spare a copper? Please. I just wish to buy some bread for today.” The beggar pleaded. Arthur quickly stepped in between.

“Good day sir, we do not. Please move aside.”

The man scurried back to where he had come from. The further they walked, the more on edge Arthur appeared. The number of homeless people here was very noticeable.

“I’m starting to think the slaves have it better than the common man here.” Lussuria noted.

After two more corners and streets of dodging beggars, they found the mage guild. It looked like the Regalia’s mage guild, but it was a whole lot bigger. The gothic building was made from dark stone which shined oddly in the light. Various flags flew from multiple poles around the structure. There were multiple canal channels in which water flowed around the guild and a long bridge leading to its entrance.

Lussuria looked surprised for a moment but then hid it behind a mask of neutrality.

“Hm, a little bigger than I anticipated.”

As they were crossing the bridge, Lussuria spoke again.

“You all will probably have to wait out here, the mage guild does not like to let in random visitors unless informed in advance. Even royalty isn’t an exception.”

“No issues there. We can wait out here.”

“I don’t know how long it will take. I’ll come back out if anything unexpected happens.”

___________________________________________________

There were benches on the bridge and that’s where Snow went to wait for her sister. She sat down at the end of a bench, and Arthur stood guard at her side. Ares and Crow were standing by the start of the bridge. Snow watched as the rushing water passed underneath them, only to have her quiet contemplation broken when some doves flew by. The doves quickly circled back and landed in front of her to Snow’s surprise.

“Seems they find safety in you.” Arthur stated as he took note of the interaction.

“Ever since I was little doves have always liked me. One time Gravis was sitting next to me and had a whole handful of seeds, while I didn’t have any. Yet the birds still flocked to me instead.”

“Sounds like you have a power of your own then.” Arthur suggested, a smile on his face.

“They calm me, I think I calm them too.” Snow smiled as well, while gently scratching the neck of one of the birds.

Arthur looked up at the sky

“You know, this reminds me of Crow. He used to play with crows when he was little, and he got bullied for it.”

“Crows? That sounds so cool though.”

“Yeah, but it’s not cool when you come from a town that believes in every superstition known to man. He had an amazing gift, and people feared him for it. It got to the point where the crows began to defend him against the other kids who bullied him. That is when his town banished him, even though he was only a child at the time.”

“That’s cruel.” Snow stated, saddened as the story brought her own feelings of being an outcast.

“Remember our conversation in the carriage? The question about fate? Well, Crow carved out his own fate. He went from being homeless and without family to one of the best magicians of the Lotus Guard. He worked his way through a lot of hardships to reach success.”

“That’s good for him.”

They both looked down the bridge at the two; Ares kept poking at Crow who was trying to keep watch. Crow responded by yelling at him again.

“Don’t you think Ares should stop bullying him, considering his past?”

“Crow and Ares are like brothers. It may seem like Ares is a bully, but it’s the opposite; When Crow joined the Lotus guard Ares was the first one to accept him with open arms. Don’t tell Crow I told you this but for some missions we can choose a partner, and Crow has chosen Ares every time he could. Crow may see himself as the intellectual one, but he still looks up to Ares as an older brother and Ares makes sure to let him know he’s not alone. They are a great team no matter how dysfunctional they look.”

“That’s sweet.” The story reminded Snow of Gravis and her.

They remained in silence after that, watching the moment between Ares and Crow. Ares gave his usual hearty laugh and wrapped his arm around Crow. Crow did not resist. Snow looked back to the water and a moment later Arthur stepped closer to her. In a lowered voice, without looking down he said,

“You were given a note in the market district weren’t you. The coast is clear, you may read it now.”

Snow looked back at Arthur and then brought her head down to her pocket, pulling out the note, unfolding it, it read;

- - - - -

If you find yourself in hell, seek out my thread made of spider’s web.

- L

- - - - -

A picture of a broken up spiderweb was on the back of the note.

“What does it say?” Arthur asked.

Snow told him, as she was unsure of its meaning. Arthur wasn’t sure either.

“Well, hopefully you won’t need to figure it out. After all, that’s what my colleagues and I are here for.”

After about an hour more of waiting, Lussuria emerged from the guild. She didn’t even stop at the bench Snow was sitting at. She just continued marching forward, anger evident in every line of her body. Snow got up and ran after her.

“Hey Lussuria! What happened? How did it go?”

It took a few moments as Lussuria cooled from “boiling mad” to “simmering mad”, before she responded.

“Damn old man. Inconceivable, the disrespect.” She snarled.

“What happened?” Snow asked, suddenly worried that maybe she should have tried to go in with her sister after all.

“After he pointlessly lectured me on how “glorious” the assets and the new building were, he just had to sprinkle it with a bit of ‘I told you so’ in regards to their prior invitation. He even went so far as to give me a demonstration of his Astute level students flaunting what I could have potentially learned if I said yes to joining them.”

“What did he say about the vote though?” Snow wanted her to get to the point, her sister was too far gone.

“Astute level spells which I COMPLETELY understood and copied with exactly three repetitions, and I was smugly giggled at by their students for not being fully optimal with my casting. Students with over a hundred hours of practice by the way. I copied their spells in the time it takes them to finish a meal, and they had the audacity to giggle at me. WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT! That’s not the kicker though, after I successfully casted one of their construct spells, they began to point out all the weaknesses and irregularities in my casting of it. Like, of course I know it’s not perfect!? That was the first time I fully casted it! Their spell wasn’t even that difficult. If only I was able to get that tome from the Regalian mage guild, but the librarian wouldn’t have of it. Goodness, I could have been so much better prepared for that encounter! I’m going to have a serious word with the Regalian Archmagi when we return.” Her rant finished, she finally stopped and took a breath.

“Did. You. Get. His. Vote?” Snow asked again, emphasizing each word in frustration.

“Of course, I got his vote but that’s not the point Snow!” Lussuria exclaimed, vividly remembering the injury to her ego.

“Yes!” Snow hugged her. “I knew you could get it! That means we just need two more!”

“Just wait till they see, they want to flaunt construct spells, do they? After we get home, I don’t care what I need to do, I’ll make a dragon of ice with Winter for breath and then we’ll see who laughs.” Lussuria laughed, the sound heavy with restrained malice.

Snow didn’t notice, too lost in her sister’s success, while Arthur simply shook his head in amusement.