Gideon walked through the city, looking at all the familiar places. It’s not like I’m leaving the city. I’ll just be up there. His eyes followed the mountain up above Rime proper to the upper districts, home of the Academy and the noble houses of Rime. Gideon didn’t know much about the noble houses or even the Palace in the Clouds. Of course he had heard the name of the palace and he knew a few family houses, but he’d never had a hope that he would go there. It was so out of reach for someone like him it couldn't even be a dream. Staring up for so long, the sun glare had blinded him, He looked back down to the street to allow his eyes to adjust. When his vision cleared, Raya stood before him. The sun glistened off her hair and twinkled in her bright blue eyes. She looks healthy, much healthier than I have ever seen her before. The changes she has made have been good to her. Gideon couldn’t help but smile. Raya had been avoiding him and it was nice to finally see her here, nice to be reminded of the good things that the streets had to offer. Nice that she decided to come and say goodbye.
“Hi” she said.
“Hi” he responded back awkwardly.
That was enough. They stood like that looking into each others eyes in a familiar and comfortable silence. The moment past and Gideon decided he was going to be late, that he had to leave. He couldn’t spend anymore time with her, even if there was nothing he wanted to do more. “I should get...”
Raya cut him off, unable to keep silent any longer. “Thank you Gideon, thank you for everything. You always looked out for me, even when I didn’t know you were there. I should’ve trusted you earlier, let you in my life. I should’ve been a better friend, because life can get so lonely. But I always kept you at a distance.”
“You were always my friend Raya, we just didn’t talk much, we didn’t have to.” He said as he smiled at her. “Yes life does get lonely, but even in our silence we offered comfort. Sometimes that just has to be enough.” He slowly reached out and put his hand under her chin and rubbed her face with his thumb.
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “You’re too kind. I wanted to thank you for more than you know. I have hope now, hope that there is a path out there for me. Gideon I know the odds are low, but I could awaken! If I don’t though, I am okay with that, I made piece with the idea long ago. Madame Grenalda and Captain Daniels have been helping me, you know, with some personal things. Captain Daniels helps through her. I pretend I don’t know what the two of them are doing. The captain pretends he isn’t helping at all.” She smiled. “My life is better than it has ever been, all thanks to you.” She shyly stepped up and kissed him on the cheek for a second time. It wasn’t a light touch or a quick kiss like before. But a slow warm kiss. He swore he would remember it forever. “Thank you,” she whispered softly in his ear, so close he felt her breath. “Until next time,” she said just before she disappeared into the crowd of the market. Just like before, he stood there dumbfounded long after she was gone.
When Gideon collected himself he continued back toward Master Brom’s. There wasn’t a need to climb on to the roof and go to his shelter, he had everything that was important. I should’ve told Raya to move in there. She would be safe there and it is a better option than the sewers. I’ll tell the Captain next time I see him and he will let her know for me, he thought. As he walked past the Smithy, Master Brom was outside hammering his anvil, a glowing ingot in the talons. “Bah, the metal isn’t pure. I’ll need to work this all night.” He set it down when he noticed Gideon. “You there scamp! I got something for you. I know we tried a few blades and you couldn’t absorb them, but I thought maybe if I made one just for you. Well, that it might make a difference.” The smith pulled out a long sword which seemed a bit over-sized in Gideons opinion. “The metal spoke to me when I made this blade with you in mind. I know it may not seem just right for you yet, but this is what the metal wanted for my little scamp. Oh, sorry about that, I mean for you Gideon. Me and the Misses aren’t going to know what to do. When I don’t hear your footsteps on my roof anymore, how will I know it’s time to get up? Come back and see us, you here.” The smith held out the blade.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Gideon was flabbergasted. He took the blade from the smith. It was heavy and awkward. Considering all that, it felt just right in his hand. “Thank you Master Brom,” Gideon said as he bowed to the smith in great respect. “You and Mistress Sara will be in my thoughts. I will come see you every time I come to the favela.” Gideon bowed to the smith in thanked him again as he looked at the blade. “Tell miss Sara I hope to see her soon.”
“Enough of that now. The misses should be back from her mother’s village on your next visit home. You can talk to her then, but for now I’ll give her your love. Now get moving son, time waits for no one,” the smith said. He made a shooing motion as he walked back to his anvil. Gideon watched him go, wondering if he’d ever seen the heat get to the smith before. His eyes were red and puffy. It was hard for the smith to get the ingot back in the tongs.
He watched the man for a short time, taking it all in, his old life was coming to an end. He waved goodbye to the smith, closing the final chapter on who he had been, before he opened the next chapter that would symbolize the start of his new journey. He followed the road around the backside of the smithy and up toward the gates leading to Rime proper, or the walled city as those in the lower district called it. Looking down on the lower district, his world had always felt too large, he could never possibly see it all. Even though there were many parts of the lower district he’d yet to explore, Gideon had come to realize how small his world had been.
He was about to take his first step into a larger world. The view looking down on the district wasn’t the same awe inspiring view it had once been. He shook his head at that thought as he approached Poverty Gate. A small line of people were at the man door check point, the large gate on the road itself was closed. As Bean had told him, it was only opened when a wagon was sent to the dock to collect or ship a cargo. Main Street was the only road in the lower district designed to support wagons.
As he approached there appeared to be an argument going on at the check point. “Come on, just let me through! I’ve done this hundreds of times. Just because today is enrollment day doesn’t give you the right to hassle me.” A voice said at the front. The voice belong to a stern young woman. Her short bleach blond hair was unmistakable. That is Razor up there, I’d better avoid her if I can. I’ll just hang back and mind my own business. Gideon had forgotten that Razor lived in the lower districts. She must be of enrollment age as well. He thought about how awful it would be if he had to group with her. The small groups the Captain had spoken of during their training sessions seemed like an important thing at the academy. Captain Daniels spoke of his former group members like they were distant family.
After a little more arguing the guards finally let her through. They continued to work with each individual one after another. In time, Gideon made his way to the front. “Papers?” the Guard asked. He pulled out the enrollment and sponsorship papers. The guard read over them and handed them back. “So your the captain’s project that we heard so much about.” The guard looked over his shoulder into the small office. “Hey Reece, this is him. Captain Daniel’s boy.” Another young guard walked out of the office to the check point.
The young man had dark short hair. He appeared slim and fit. His uniform was very neat, similar to the captain. He looked Gideon up and down before he spoke. “You’re pulling my leg? He doesn’t look like much. No offense kid.” The man smiled at Gideon. “Sergeant Reece at your service young man. We’ve heard a lot about you. Unfortunately it seems I might have lost a few wagers on what you’d be like. Thought you be, you know, bigger.” The Sergeant told him before he continued on. “A little advice. Keep your head low and blend in. Get as much time at the academy that you can, stay as long as they’ll have you. The adventuring out here isn’t the same. The resources they have available can take you a lot further, maybe even keep you alive.”
Gideon saluted the sergeant in the way the captain had shown him. “Thank you Sergeant, I’ll keep that in mind.”
The Sergeant looked him up and down. “If you need any help, the guard is around every corner. Pass a message on, tell them it’s for Reece. It will make its way to me and I will help if I can.” Gideon nodded his thanks and after some more small talk the guards let him pass through. He took his first step into his new life before he realized a problem, beyond the gate he didn’t know where he was going or how to get there. He had never traveled to the walled portion of the city before. From below he had watched the train often, but had never dreamed he would ride one. He had no clue what a disembarking station was, or where to find it. He did the only thing he could think of, he walked into the unknown world with his head held high.