by M. L. Brooks
Feeling a squeezing sensation in her stomach, Adair realized she had not eaten since breakfast. She walked by the tavern her mom worked at and thought about grabbing a bite there but decided she did not want to trouble her mom while she was working. She loved her mom but Miri was a tough woman and Adair did not want to impose on her if she did not have to. The guards mess hall was always an easy place to grab a bite. The food did not always taste the best but it would fill her belly.
A mile later and she was in front of the cafeteria. A few guards were chatting out front. They waved cheerfully at Adair as she walked in. She got along easily with most people. Adair gave them a wave back and headed towards the bar counter inside.
Behind the counter was the cafeteria attendant who scooped up a fillet of fish and slapped it onto a plate, and with the same spoon scooped up a serving of lightly boiled vegetables and slapped them down next to the fish. He passed the plate off to Adair without saying a word. Behind him was a large woman mixing ingredients and cooking over an open fire.
Nothing in the room drew Adair’s attention. She sat down at one of many long wooden benches and started eating her food. The fish had been cooked until it was hot but the meal was bland. All of the ingredients seemed to lose texture and flavor together. It was unusual for the guards to be provided with seasoning for the cooking. The cafeteria workers had little passion for it either. Often the meals were basic and made of whatever food was plentiful that season. Adair cleaned her plate of food, stood up and tossed her plate into a bin of dirty dishes at the end of the bar.
When she got back outside the sun had set and one of the guards was hustling by her, lighting lanterns along the street. Adair walked back to her mom’s tavern. The wooden sign hung out front of the tavern had the words “The Salted Mug” printed in bold over the outline of a tankard frothing with ale. Around the side of the building was a staircase that lead up the side of the tavern. Arriving at the top, Adair pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked a door on the side of the upper floor of the tavern.
Inside was a scrubbed and cleaned bedroom. In the corner, sitting atop several crates, was a simple mattress with a green woolen blanket folded neatly on top of it and a single pillow pushed against the corner. The room was dark without any lights on in it but this was home for Adair so she was able to navigate it with ease.
She stripped off her work clothes and put on a simple night dress. After the work clothes were off she folded them neatly and laid them over a chair that was by a small writing table. She braided her hair back and then crawled into bed. She pulled the blanket over her body and nestled into the corner where her pillow was wedged. In a few minutes Adair was fast asleep.
Morning came quickly and Adair was wide awake before the sun had fully cast its light across her room. She set about fastidiously putting away her pajamas neatly in a trunk at the foot of her bed and then putting on her uniform again. She untied her braid and shook out her hair into loose waves.
After letting her hair down Adair opened her door and walked outside. She headed to the North Industrial Quarter. She passed by factories and warehouses on her way to the guard’s headquarters. The headquarters were located in a keep that overlooked the entire quarter. It was made out of the same stone as the inconspicuous cafeteria she had eaten in the night before.
The guards waved her through the gate and she entered the keep. Immediately inside was a large courtyard where guards were sparring and people were walking through to conduct their daily business. She walked down the center of the courtyard and up the steps behind the courtyard leading to the central commanderie. She wanted to give her report, however uneventful it had been, to the knight commander and then begin her shift anew.
In front of the commanderie she saw a captain, fully dressed in his armor and cloak talking to a small girl. The girl looked up at him, peeking up from the wide brim of her bonnet, as he yelled at her. Adair recognized the girl’s blue robes and bonnet to be an indicator that she was part of the Mage’s Guild. Adair could not quite make out the details of what he was saying but she was not worried about it. She had seen quite a few people verbally reamed while working with the guards. Then the captain pushed the small girl against the wall, her body lifting like a rag doll and hitting the cold stone.
“Hey! What are you doing?” shouted Adair
“None of your business. Who are you anyway?” asked the man gruffly.
He turned to face Adair. His skin was tan from years of being out in the sun, his eyes almost hidden around his curly black mane of hair. He flipped his gray cape back, revealing shiny armor that looked like it had not seen the wear of the battle. He had the insignia of a blue diamond, the typical crest of Guardian society, on the clasp of his cloak. His eyes were dark brown and up close he had the faint of smell of wood mixed with something Adair couldn’t put her finger on. She recognized him as Knight Captain Nathaniel Grahtsword.
“Deputy Captain Adair Titanborn,” she stated with confidence.
His demeanor softened “I was just telling this waif that if she costs me another tournament she’s going to be thrown out on the streets. I asked for a wizard and they sent me this little witchling, hardly suitable for cannon fodder,” his tone was as if he was Adair’s buddy and had an air of “Can you believe this?” to it.
“Last time I checked we weren’t in charge of the Mage’s Guild. Just because she was assigned to your command doesn’t mean you get to push her around,” replied Adair.
“Oh… So, you think you know more than me? Put your sword where your mouth is, take the girl on your unit and fight me in the next tournament,” challenged the other Captain.
“Fine! I will!” proclaimed Adair.
Without saying a word, the young mage shuffled behind Adair.
“Haha! Good! I like a challenge!” he laughed as he turned to walk away.
“And Adair, I suggest you don’t back out of this one,” he finished, still chuckling.
From behind her, Adair heard the small girl exhale sharply. Adair turned around and faced her. The girl came up just past Adair’s chest, the brim of the girl’s bonnet bringing her almost to Adair’s chin. The girl looked up at Adair with big hazel eyes, almost equal parts brown and green. Adair sighed back and went inside to give her report.
When she came back out, the mage girl was standing there waiting. She scurried up to Adair eagerly. She clenched the edges of her robes, trying to contain her emotion.
“Thank you so much for standing up for me!” she cheered.
“Don’t thank me yet. I probably just made more trouble for us both. Why did you accept the contract with Captain Nathaniel in the first place if you weren’t ready to fight for him?” asked Adair.
“I didn’t really have a choice. Nathan had been petitioning the Triumvirate for weeks to get the budget for a mage to be added to his unit. The Archmage saw no purpose in sending a mage to play in the tournaments but Nathan kept pressuring. I’m at the bottom of my class so they sent me to teach him a lesson…” explained the girl, her voice trailing off at the end.
“Great. So, he got the runt in the litter just to shut him up and now I agreed to face him in the arena. What’s your name?” groaned Adair as she clenched her forehead.
“Shea Hille,” chirped the little mage.
“What kind of magic can you do?” asked Adair.
“I don’t know. I’m pretty good with nature but they don’t really do anything with that in my class. I’m thinking about switching to botany and alchemy,” started Shea as she trailed off into a rant about her favorite flowers and their medicinal properties. Adair didn’t pay attention to what she was saying as the two walked towards the front of the headquarters.
“Okay so what did Captain Nathaniel have you do in your last bout?”
“Uhh… Well he put me on the front line with his soldiers and kept shouting at me about fireballs or something and I don’t know to do those so I just tried to do what I could and… Well…” Shea muttered.
>
“Well what happened?” asked Adair, not quite sure she wanted to know how the rest of the story went.
“I turned the battlefield into mud and our team’s feet got stuck and the enemy team knocked us out… It was pretty bad. But I learned how to direct that spell. I’m sure I won’t do that to your team!” said Shea, trying to put a positive spin on things.
Adair groaned again.
“I didn’t ask for this. I come from a small town, and I didn’t fit in there either. I just thought if I went to school I could learn to do something worthwhile with the gifts I was given. I’m small and I’m not very powerful, but if you give me a chance I will work so hard not to let you down,” spoke Shea.
Looking at the young mage’s eyes twinkling as she spoke, Adair believed that Shea was telling her the truth. Not that it mattered. Adair was the one who was on the line with challenging Nathaniel. As she contemplated what Shea was saying and what their plan needed to be, Adair remained silent.
“What’s wrong? I promised you already. If you let me fight on your team I’ll work twice as hard to show that guy that we’re not the losers he thinks we are!” exclaimed Shea.
Adair resigned herself to whatever was going to come from her fool hardy challenge. She stopped, locked eyes with Shea and stated “I don’t have a team.”
CHAPTER 3
“What do you mean you don’t have a team?” asked Shea, her eyebrows skyrocketing up her forehead in surprise.
“I’ve always worked by myself, and I didn’t think it through. But you said you’re willing to work hard so you need to help me recruit. You and I make two, we only need three more to compete,” explained Adair.
“True. Where would we start though?”
Pausing by the front gate, Adair turned back to the guards training in the yard.
“I’m a Deputy Captain, I can requisition any guard not presently assigned to a duty for Captain Nathaniel or the Knight Commander,” said Adair. Her slouched posture and the idle tapping of her foot made it appear as if she was thinking out loud more than talking to Shea. The mage girl turned with Adair to face the guards training in the yard.
“Yeah! you grab them, and I have someone who I think will help us too!” said Shea as she took off out the gate.
I have no idea where she’s going, thought Adair.
“Alright men, who here is missing a beat?” shouted Adair.
Her voice was loud and carried an air of authority with it. She was new to her role but decided it was better to feign confidence than to admit that she lacked experience in leading teams. About six guards stopped sparring and turned to look at her. They did not speak up. They just stared blankly, awaiting input from Adair.
“You there! Who do you report to?” said Adair, pointing to the man closest to her.
“I uhh… Captain’s got me training for deployment. Raz here isn’t doing anything yet,” stumbled the man as he slapped one of his cohorts on the back.
Raz coughed at the slap on his back. He shifted anxiously. He had skin the color of dark brown teak wood and eyes that seemed only a shade more amber than his skin. With one hand, he ruffled his short black hair and smiled squeamishly at Adair.
“What ya need, mum?” he asked.
Adair couldn’t place his accent and she didn’t recognize him as one of the new recruits. She looked him up and down carefully. He had a training sword at his waist.
“How long have you been here?” she asked him
“Just a fortnight. I’m from New Valar. Times are hard outside of Guardia and I really just needed a job. So ‘ere I am!” he said.
“Well you’re being called to duty. Where’s the rest of the recruits?” she continued her questioning. The rest of the guards went back to their activities.
“I’m the only one left. I didn’t do too well on the final exam, so they sent me back to train for another week. Figured I’d do better with a little more training. The rest o’ the recruits are heading East for some operation the Commander is preparing for.”
“Ok. I want you back here tomorrow morning right after market opens,” ordered Adair.
“Yes, mum!” he said and turned back to his sparring partner.
Knowing that she was not going to find another recruit in the compound, Adair finally left the guard headquarters. She figured as a last resort she could always go to her mom’s tavern and see who she could rustle up there. Taverns were known for attracting a wide variety of characters and adventurers.
It was still too early for the tavern as many people were just starting their day so she decided to do a walkthrough of the market place.
In the center of Guardia was a bustling market circle. It was filled with stalls and traders selling a wide variety of wares from food and clothes to weapons and rare trinkets. Any quarter of the city could be accessed from the market and the East entrance lead straight out of the main gates of the entire city while the West led back to the housing district. To the South was the royal palace and the crystal tower.
Adair made her usual rounds through the market. Most of the stalls were already up and running for the day. She noticed one of the produce stalls had started selling new floral arrangements. The flowers of early Summer were in full bloom. She did not notice any criminal activity and no one stopped her to ask for help. A couple uneventful hours passed in the market. Adair decided it was a good time to head down to the West Quarter and make her patrol there.
On her way past The Salted Mug, Adair saw her mom pop out of the tavern. Miri was wearing a simple taupe dress with a brown apron wrapped around her waist. She had strawberry orange hair in roughly the same length and waves of Adair. She was of above average height and when she waved her arms to catch Adair’s attention her whole body jiggled up and down with each movement.
“Adair! Your mother needs your help,” she called out in a singsong voice.
Adair’s lips pursed when she heard her mom’s voice.
“What do you need mom?” Adair asked as she approached.
“There’s a man staying the in the inn who hasn’t paid and won’t get out.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
Miri held the door of the tavern open and the two walked inside together. It was an open space with a few wooden benches, tables, and chairs. A long wooden bar ran across the right side of the room. Kegs filled with ales, wines, and mead towered above the back of the bar. To the left was a staircase leading up to the rooms where guests would stay. The wall facing the street was lined with windows. Unlit lanterns hung around the room, but it was a few strategically placed mirrors reflecting light from the windows that kept the room bright during the day.
“Just up there! I tried lifting him but I’m just an old lady,” said Miri as she pointed upstairs.
Adair had to stifle her laughter at her mom’s comment about being an old lady. Miri had a few wrinkles, but Adair knew just how tough and vibrant her mother could be. When she had her back turned to Miri, she rolled her eyes. Adair was not sure if her mom just enjoyed playing the victim or if she had really started to believe that she was enfeebled.
“I’ll take care of it mom,” said Adair, already walking up the stairs.
The upstairs had three rooms on the left and two rooms on the right. Most of the rooms were vacant except for the one in front of the stairs. Adair rapped her knuckles against the wooden door. A groaning sound came from behind the door. Adair reached down for the knob and turned it. The door was not locked and she opened it up.
The room of the inn lacked any excess. It had a single window allowing light into the room. There was an end table with one drawer, and a candle that her mom had probably made out of fat and rush sitting on top of a rough metal dish. Next to the end table was a simple wooden bed with a person’s large body slumped under a woolly green cloak.
“It’s time for you to get up,” ordered Adair as she tried shaking the shoulder of the body.
A fist swung out and struck Adair in the center of her chest. Adair
gasped and stumbled back, readying a hand on her sword. The body rolled over and stood up. Adair realized she was standing in front of a woman. The woman had ruddy blonde curls that bounced down past her shoulders, alabaster skin, and from her height she easily looked down upon Adair.
“I told that other broad I’d pay her when I got up!” said the woman.
“You struck a guard!” announced Adair.
The woman let out a hearty laugh, her breasts heaving under her revealing leather attire that only vaguely resembled armor. “Well aren’t I just as pink as a pig? I’m sorry about that. I was up all through the night drinking and fighting, and I passed out before I could tell the innkeeper what’s what. I’m good for the money though if that’s what yer here for,” she replied.
The gears in Adair’s head started turning when she heard that this woman had been up fighting all night. “What’s your name?” asked Adair.
“Petra.”
“I have a proposition for y—”
“Sorry honey, I’m just not into you like that, maybe after a few drinks.”
“No! I meant how would you like it if I made the costs of your stay here disappear?” asked Adair.
“What did you have in mind?” asked Petra.
“I’m fighting in a tournament next week, and I need another fighter on my team. You look like you might know how to throw a hit,” said Adair.
“NAH I’LL PASS.” Petra laughed as she pushed past Adair and started heading down stairs.
Adair followed the rotund woman down the stairs and into the main hall of the tavern. Miri had her head poked around the corner of the stairs, trying to listen in on what was going on. When she saw Petra and Adair on their way down she jumped back and pretended to be busy wiping down a mug.
“Let me try this again. You’re going to fight for me or I’m going to throw you in jail for assaulting a guard,” threatened Adair, her demeanor hardening.
“Bahahaha. You think you could take me in?” heckled Petra. Her face turned red from her ugly belly laughing. “She thinks she could take me in,” guffawed Petra to Miri. Petra wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye. Miri scrunched up her face, thoroughly disgusted by Petra.
