B
Black Dahlia
Guest
Re: A Fable Tale: This being an account of one James Hunter...
Here's part 1 of chapter 6...enjoy!
Chapter 6
Maze knocked firmly on the wizened door, sighing with impatience. The Guildmaster clearly wasn’t the quickest chap in the world. Finally, however, the old man opened his study door, peering out into the gloomy hallway.
“Oh, it’s you, Maze,” he exclaimed, “I thought for a moment you might have been another one of those annoying guards complaining about the apprentices again.”
“No, I finally cleared up that problem today…at any rate, that’s not why I’m here. We have two new students waiting in the map room for you. I thought it best if you saw them before we except them into the Guild.”
The Guildmaster raised his eyebrows, but said no more. He silently followed Maze down the broad hallway, until the map room was in view. The two young people standing in it, arms crossed, turn away from each other, were the picture of sadness. They bore looks of loss upon their faces, yet spoke not a word, nor even looked up when the two men entered. Only when Maze cleared his throat to speak did they acknowledge their presence.
“This is the Guildmaster,” Maze announced, motioning to the aged man standing beside him. “He will be your guide when I’m not around or unable to help you.” He spoke as though Briar and James were already being inducted into the Heroes Guild, yet all he was doing was giving the Guildmaster time to get a good look at the youths and decide if they were worthy or not.
Finally, the Guildmaster gave a surreptitious nod to Maze.
“They both look a little too thin, if you ask me, but I suppose they’ll do,” he sighed.
Briar’s face darkened at his words. She clearly did not like being called too skinny, yet she didn’t utter a word. James, on the other hand, looked completely unconcerned. He had known he was to scrawny all his life, yet it he did nothing to fix it. He had simply grown to except that fact.
“Maze, why don’t you get these two settled in the dormitories upstairs?” the Guildmaster suggested, “I believe we have two beds left.”
“Very well,” said Maze, dipping his tattooed head. He turned towards the two youths, “Follow me, and we’ll make you two comfortable.”
He made his way up a set of graceful, curving stairs, a flight on each side of the massive map. Without hesitating, Briar and James followed, trudging up the steps after him. James looked back just in time to see the Guildmaster disappear down a side hallway, back to his study.
Once at the top, Maze directed them into a side room, set apart from the other dormitories. Two beds were positioned beside the walls; one just inside the door, the other across the room, underneath a fine-looking stained glass window. Huge bookshelves, crammed with heavy volumes, occupied the rest of the empty wall space. Briar’s face seemed to lighten a bit at the sight of the books, but it didn’t entirely replace her sorrow.
“This is where you will be sleeping,” Maze explained, gesturing around the room, “I understand that right now, you two probably don’t want to be in close proximity with each other, but you’ll get over that.” He paused, and then spoke again. “Has either of you had anything to eat lately?”
They both shook their heads. Neither had even given any thought to food, James because of the raid and Briar because of her recent displacement from home.
“Very well, then. Follow me down to the dining hall, and we’ll get you something to eat.”
They followed Maze back down the stairs, past the topographical map and into the dining hall. Immediately, the smells of warm bread baking and fresh herbs floated up to greet them. Now it was James’ turn to feel somewhat better. The scents reminded him so much of home that it almost hurt. Maze strode up to the bar and spoke to a rotund man with a bald head and moustache.
“Alistair, it wouldn’t be too much trouble to get these two something to eat, would it?” Maze inquired. “They haven’t had anything all evening.”
“No, no problem at all!” Alistair beamed, setting down a tankard he had just been cleaning with a rag. “I’ll be glad to feed ‘em.”
“Excellent,” Maze sighed, looking grateful, “I have a few things to attend to, but I’ll come and check on them in a little while.” And with that, he paced away, leaving Briar and James with Alistair.
“So wha’ will you kids be wantin’ this evenin’?” Alistair asked cheerfully in a thick accent.
They both shrugged, and James spoke up.
“Anything will be fine sir,” he said, sounding somewhat weary.
“Could we possibly have something warm to drink?” Briar ventured, sounding equally tired herself.
Alistair nodded, motioning for them to sit down. “Just relax you two. I’ll have something ready in a bit.”
They each took seats as far away from each other as possible, silent as ever. After a while, James began rapping the ends of his fingers on the rough grained wood of the long table, but ceased when Briar shot him a venomous look. He sighed and contented himself with looking around, noting another odd statue, this one of a woman with both arms extended, as if ready to embrace someone. He came back to his thoughts when Alistair set a plate and mug in front of him.
“Eat up, lad,” he said, smiling gently, “You look like you really need it.”
James nodded and wordlessly began eating. It tasted delicious; again, just like home. He glanced over at Briar, who had just received her meal as well, yet she wasn’t touching it. James wrinkled his brow in worry. Why wasn’t she eating? Surely she’d be hungry enough to do so…Yet James shrugged away the thought, and continued with his meal until he was finished. He then picked up the mug and peered inside it. Hot spiced apple cider, which he knew was only made in Oakvale. He wrapped his hands around the mug and sipped some of the warm, spicy liquid, and let it run down his throat. Yet it somehow didn’t feel right. Every other time he had had this drink, it was with his father, laughing, having a good time. Now however, he wasn’t there…James was once again filled with an empty feeling.
Maze looked up from his journal and set his quill down, gazing out through the window at the dancing snow and the large, luminous moon. He sighed and decided to go check on Briar and James, hoping the two weren’t fighting. Maze got up from his desk, and stowed the journal safely away in one of its drawers. He strode to the door, pulled it open, and continued on towards the dining hall. He was about to step out into the open, but held back, wanting to observe Briar and James for a moment.
He watched the boy, who was clutching his mug in his hands, a grim expression on his face. He shivered as though cold, but Maze knew better than that. It wasn’t a physical cold, not even close. It was a spirit numbing cold, one that pierced the soul and was only brought on by the loss of a loved one. Maze had felt it himself, many times before. He wanted to comfort the boy, but couldn’t seem to find the words to do so. Maze sighed, turning away from the painful sight.
Instead, he turned to Briar Rose, who was sitting as far away from James as she possibly could. She simply sat there, ignoring her drink and food, staring down at her feet with a look of anger, agony and misery on her face. Briar had barely uttered a word since she had gotten there. Neither of them had, when Maze thought about it. He paused, knowing now was not the time to have any important discussions with them. Probably best just to send them to bed and talk with them when they felt better. He stepped out of the shadows, calling out theirs names to get their attention…
Here's part 1 of chapter 6...enjoy!
Chapter 6
Maze knocked firmly on the wizened door, sighing with impatience. The Guildmaster clearly wasn’t the quickest chap in the world. Finally, however, the old man opened his study door, peering out into the gloomy hallway.
“Oh, it’s you, Maze,” he exclaimed, “I thought for a moment you might have been another one of those annoying guards complaining about the apprentices again.”
“No, I finally cleared up that problem today…at any rate, that’s not why I’m here. We have two new students waiting in the map room for you. I thought it best if you saw them before we except them into the Guild.”
The Guildmaster raised his eyebrows, but said no more. He silently followed Maze down the broad hallway, until the map room was in view. The two young people standing in it, arms crossed, turn away from each other, were the picture of sadness. They bore looks of loss upon their faces, yet spoke not a word, nor even looked up when the two men entered. Only when Maze cleared his throat to speak did they acknowledge their presence.
“This is the Guildmaster,” Maze announced, motioning to the aged man standing beside him. “He will be your guide when I’m not around or unable to help you.” He spoke as though Briar and James were already being inducted into the Heroes Guild, yet all he was doing was giving the Guildmaster time to get a good look at the youths and decide if they were worthy or not.
Finally, the Guildmaster gave a surreptitious nod to Maze.
“They both look a little too thin, if you ask me, but I suppose they’ll do,” he sighed.
Briar’s face darkened at his words. She clearly did not like being called too skinny, yet she didn’t utter a word. James, on the other hand, looked completely unconcerned. He had known he was to scrawny all his life, yet it he did nothing to fix it. He had simply grown to except that fact.
“Maze, why don’t you get these two settled in the dormitories upstairs?” the Guildmaster suggested, “I believe we have two beds left.”
“Very well,” said Maze, dipping his tattooed head. He turned towards the two youths, “Follow me, and we’ll make you two comfortable.”
He made his way up a set of graceful, curving stairs, a flight on each side of the massive map. Without hesitating, Briar and James followed, trudging up the steps after him. James looked back just in time to see the Guildmaster disappear down a side hallway, back to his study.
Once at the top, Maze directed them into a side room, set apart from the other dormitories. Two beds were positioned beside the walls; one just inside the door, the other across the room, underneath a fine-looking stained glass window. Huge bookshelves, crammed with heavy volumes, occupied the rest of the empty wall space. Briar’s face seemed to lighten a bit at the sight of the books, but it didn’t entirely replace her sorrow.
“This is where you will be sleeping,” Maze explained, gesturing around the room, “I understand that right now, you two probably don’t want to be in close proximity with each other, but you’ll get over that.” He paused, and then spoke again. “Has either of you had anything to eat lately?”
They both shook their heads. Neither had even given any thought to food, James because of the raid and Briar because of her recent displacement from home.
“Very well, then. Follow me down to the dining hall, and we’ll get you something to eat.”
They followed Maze back down the stairs, past the topographical map and into the dining hall. Immediately, the smells of warm bread baking and fresh herbs floated up to greet them. Now it was James’ turn to feel somewhat better. The scents reminded him so much of home that it almost hurt. Maze strode up to the bar and spoke to a rotund man with a bald head and moustache.
“Alistair, it wouldn’t be too much trouble to get these two something to eat, would it?” Maze inquired. “They haven’t had anything all evening.”
“No, no problem at all!” Alistair beamed, setting down a tankard he had just been cleaning with a rag. “I’ll be glad to feed ‘em.”
“Excellent,” Maze sighed, looking grateful, “I have a few things to attend to, but I’ll come and check on them in a little while.” And with that, he paced away, leaving Briar and James with Alistair.
“So wha’ will you kids be wantin’ this evenin’?” Alistair asked cheerfully in a thick accent.
They both shrugged, and James spoke up.
“Anything will be fine sir,” he said, sounding somewhat weary.
“Could we possibly have something warm to drink?” Briar ventured, sounding equally tired herself.
Alistair nodded, motioning for them to sit down. “Just relax you two. I’ll have something ready in a bit.”
They each took seats as far away from each other as possible, silent as ever. After a while, James began rapping the ends of his fingers on the rough grained wood of the long table, but ceased when Briar shot him a venomous look. He sighed and contented himself with looking around, noting another odd statue, this one of a woman with both arms extended, as if ready to embrace someone. He came back to his thoughts when Alistair set a plate and mug in front of him.
“Eat up, lad,” he said, smiling gently, “You look like you really need it.”
James nodded and wordlessly began eating. It tasted delicious; again, just like home. He glanced over at Briar, who had just received her meal as well, yet she wasn’t touching it. James wrinkled his brow in worry. Why wasn’t she eating? Surely she’d be hungry enough to do so…Yet James shrugged away the thought, and continued with his meal until he was finished. He then picked up the mug and peered inside it. Hot spiced apple cider, which he knew was only made in Oakvale. He wrapped his hands around the mug and sipped some of the warm, spicy liquid, and let it run down his throat. Yet it somehow didn’t feel right. Every other time he had had this drink, it was with his father, laughing, having a good time. Now however, he wasn’t there…James was once again filled with an empty feeling.
* * *
He watched the boy, who was clutching his mug in his hands, a grim expression on his face. He shivered as though cold, but Maze knew better than that. It wasn’t a physical cold, not even close. It was a spirit numbing cold, one that pierced the soul and was only brought on by the loss of a loved one. Maze had felt it himself, many times before. He wanted to comfort the boy, but couldn’t seem to find the words to do so. Maze sighed, turning away from the painful sight.
Instead, he turned to Briar Rose, who was sitting as far away from James as she possibly could. She simply sat there, ignoring her drink and food, staring down at her feet with a look of anger, agony and misery on her face. Briar had barely uttered a word since she had gotten there. Neither of them had, when Maze thought about it. He paused, knowing now was not the time to have any important discussions with them. Probably best just to send them to bed and talk with them when they felt better. He stepped out of the shadows, calling out theirs names to get their attention…
