The docks were absent of the crowds from the past two days. The few booths that were opened had a sloppy arrangement of food and furs. Men and women working their stations were silently going about their tasks. Desdin was putting on an exceptional display of juggling an ever-growing count of trinkets. In spite of that, he had failed to attract the attention of anyone outside of the hunters left to patrol the vicinity. Yulsif had returned from shopping with a few loaves of bread, smooth creamy butter seasoned in the local spices, and a large bundle of venison jerky. Yulsif was sitting withdrawn throughout the morning. He kept looking at Desdin while snacking and admiring his dexterity.
Desdin could feel Yulsif’s burning desire to talk. “What is on your mind, deputy?” Yulsif perked up before looking away sullen. Desdin chided him. “Spit it out.”
“I believed you didn’t care about the people here when you asked us to leave our friend’s body behind back in the woods. But when I saw you come back wounded fleeing the spider, I realized I was wrong. I need to find out what Ensi said or did before his death. Yulsif asked.
“Ensi was a good man. He stood back to back with me in fighting the Fallen. He had immense talent and showed bravery befitting any admirable man.” Desdin said with all sincerity. “He spoke fondly of Leoris and his disdain of duty. He spoke with clarity about the complexities of your town and he exuded respect for those that worked to earn it.”
“I know he didn’t come off as the type, but he took care of many people within Leoris. Me included. We were friends for a long time. I was always afraid of my own shadow. He helped make me comfortable with who I was. He hated being thanked. I think because of all the sympathy he received growing up because of his father dying,” Yulsif said before taking a long drink from an uncapped jug of water before passing it to Desdin.
Desdin set the jug down on the table and folded his arms in reflective repose. “When my father passed, it only served to fan the flames of my brothers and sisters in arms. We all walk our own paths in the world now, but I like to believe we all want to honor the way he lived. Even those of us that have made questionable decisions since that time. I believe Ensi honored not just his father with his actions, but everyone around him. Just in his own way. I heard it from everyone I met here that he could have been so many things. But he was himself. That authenticity is rare.”
Yulsif’s spirit lightened at Desdin’s words. “You are quite wise for a servant to the Union.” Desdin waved his hand up towards the sky before resuming his juggling act.
From the direction of the gate into Leoris, Ingrid walked towards the traveler’s van, holding her arms down in front of her. She evaded making eye contact with Desdin, who frowned when looking at her. She bowed her head before Desdin. “I’m sorry about the harsh words my master had for you yesterday. I knew she was going to be curt, but I didn’t expect her to be so brutal in her approach.”
Desdin rested his cheek on his hand. “She isn’t the first person from the Union to not have dainty words for me. She won’t be the last. At least she was honest about it. You, however, lied to me.”
Ingrid appeared more embarrassed by this but spoke defensively. “I did not know you, sir. I felt you were kind and listened to what you had to say. But that isn’t enough reason for me to bend rules or speak ill of my faith or my country. Destroying documents pertaining to Dragsil isn’t something I’ve done with my own hands. But when I take over as an archivist, I intend to fulfill my role and do so if necessary. You will be long gone from Leoris by that point.”
Desdin smirked. “You are correct. And you have said something honest. I can respect that. I figured you owed me an apology. But perhaps I should consider the delicate position I placed you in. You should place more faith in integrity and objectivity in your future endeavors still. Since all intelligent individuals should have the capacity for that. Is that all today miss future archivist?”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Ingrid shook her head. “I wanted to offer my condolences to Yulsif for Ensi. I held fond memories for him, and I will attend the funeral services tomorrow for him and the others. Lady Amise thought such affairs were beneath her. But I want to be better. Lady Amise has been terribly ill since yesterday and hasn’t allowed me into her chambers. I was hoping I could stay here with you guys throughout the day. The atmosphere within Leoris is grim.”
Yulsif grabbed an additional chair from another table, offering Ingrid a seat. The three of them sat there looking out over the empty port. Ingrid played with her display while Yulsif fumbled with the souvenirs. Desdin began mixing the loaves of bread into his juggling.
Demalyn’s room was simple. A bed, a table where she haphazardly displayed any acquired nicknacks, and a large cushion where she sat with her legs crossed underneath her. She unwrapped the vine bracelet from her wrist and then laid it on the floor. Then set the black orb atop it. She took her hat off, tossing it on the bed while pulling her long brunette hair back with a tie.
The vines grew through the room. They crept along the floor and obstructed the doorway. Demalyn observed calmly before saying, “Alright, I get you want to be alone with me with no interruption” The orb then rose with the vines to level with Demalyn’s face. The orb blinked with a haze, the blackness now appearing like a sclera with a long vertical violet cornea and a black pupil that danced up and down to assess her. “I’ve tried to talk to you a few times over the years, but this is the first time you’d been so forceful. We are of one body, one mind, one sight. However, I am aware that only I can speak and only you can remember. Show me something that will help us.”
Images flashed inside Demalyn’s head. The visions threatened to pull her in. She felt her body losing control. There was an old castle built into a mountainside with a bridge leading out to a tower that hung over a bottomless drop. Demalyn put her hand up to her eye, straining and focusing. “We aren’t talking there. You’ve shown me this before. I have no idea what you are trying to help me remember. This place feels so distant, so far away. We need to bridge the gaps in our memory before we go that far back, please. Don’t play this game.”
The image forced its way back into view, this time showing two shadowy figures, a man in a red scarf and her with a purple scarf. His hair flowed white and two crimson wings stretched out behind him. A burning crown appeared over his head and the shade howled silently as the wings were suddenly binding his body. The ground beneath him gave way, and he was falling into the depths. Demalyn stretched out her vines after him, trying desperately to catch him, as she was left staring into the emptiness below.
A tear rolled down Demalyn’s cheek, and she gritted her teeth. “Noooooo,” she said defiantly. The walls of the room were creaking with the growing pressure of the thickening vines against them. “Unless you want to tear our mind apart, then stop it.” She spoke firmly but not loudly enough to alert anyone outside. The pain subsided, and she rested her arm. “I want to know. Who are we? What are we? But this isn’t the way right now. We can’t rush it. I hope the answers come in time. Don’t wake up in a hurry to do it all.”
She softened her tone. “Let’s enjoy our journey with our friends for now. Their perception is from within the sands of the hourglass. All I want is to be with them. You can tell that, right?”
Demalyn sat, regaining her composure and then her focus. The vines also eased back down, and the eye’s glow dimmed. “I’ll have to let you out to play again before this act is over. We must try to work in tandem. Please help show me how we can. Start with how we lost control with Ouren. Let’s learn from there. Maybe I missed something then.”
The eye projected a glow that filled the room. A square glass cell appeared in Demalyn’s mind. “Yes, let’s reflect on our stay there. That room is where we slept for an unknown time. We split sometime during our slumber. The violent schism when we approached Ouren. I need to learn how to tame our rage.”
The eye pulsed once more and faded. The vines retreated to the bracelet. Demalyn pulled it back over her wrist and let her hair back down. She laid back on her cushion with fingers entwined behind her head. Demalyn closed her eyes in anticipation of the black sleep. She waited to dream of the past.