by Isaac Crowe
He had arrived alone in the village a few years back. He had retired from the Protectors after a back injury prevented him from performing the rigorous usual duties of service. The villagers, having expected him to be like Max’s father, invited him to stay in the village. However, his gruff demeanor and lack of interest in Swiftwater’s affairs soon disappoited the villagers, but he did prove to be helpful in repairing houses, carts and the like. He also ventured to the woods a couple of days ride to the east to gather supplies.
Tyco’s arrival had thrilled Max. Until that time, he had no one to teach him proper fighting techniques. When Max had first asked, Mr. Penna forbade the training; however, after several months of Max’s begging, he finally allowed it. Tyco had jumped at the chance to mentor him.
Tyco started by first assessing Max’s natural abilities to best determine his fighting style. After a good bit of trial and error, Tyco discovered that Max fought best with only light leather armor while carrying two short blades. Max had speed, but not much strength. Tyco, on the other hand, had strength to spare. His weapon of choice was a two-handed long sword. Though slower to maneuver, the weapon’s length provided a good block to Max’s two swords and also allowed Tyco to deliver powerful blows.
Over the past two years, Max’s skill had improved greatly. He now at least presented a challenge to Tyco. Tyco; however, never ran out of new tricks. The increased volume and frequency of clashing swords broke Eve free of her thoughts and she focused on the fight. It appeared Max had held his ground so far. Eve knew that would change at any moment. She had studied Tyco enough during these sessions that she could predict his movements better than Max. She wished she could have a go at Tyco, but, for now she watched Max try his best.
Max swung at Tyco with his right sword; with his left held in defense. Tyco angled his blade to block Max’s. The two wooden blades made contact with a loud thunk. Tyco pushed forward with his sword which shoved Max’s back and also blocked his left sword. Max hesitated for a moment, his lack of experience leaving him unsure of how to get out of this situation. Tyco took the advantage and placed his right foot behind Max’s leg. With another further shove he tripped Max and sent him to the ground. Max blinked a couple of times from the jolt and found the tip of Tyco’s wooden sword at his throat.
“Well done, Max. You did better than I had hoped.”
Tyco tossed the wooden sword to the side and extended his hand to Max. Max grabbed Tyco’s hand and let Tyco pull him up.
“There’s still a little daylight left, teach me that move you just used.”
“Sorry, Max, I have to get ready to leave in the morning.”
“Oh, are you going to the forest for supplies?”
“No, to Protector Headquarters in Moenia.”
Eve joined the two. “The messenger, right?”
Tyco nodded. “He said training has grown lax and Lord Avram has requested my input to correct the problem.”
Eve’s ears twitched, the earlier conversation coming back to her. “Why, after three years, have they requested your help?”
“I’ve been sending them information on my training with Max. I guess they liked what I’ve accomplished. It’s a shame you can’t come along, Max, so I can show them how well it’s worked.”
Eve saw Max’s eyes light up at the thought of a chance to go to Protector Headquarters. She cut off his next question. “It’s too dangerous, Max. The dead lands take a week to cross and it’s filled with Bandits.”
Eve saw Tyco smile and knew he had set her up. She grabbed the end of her tail in nervousness as he closed the trap. “The dead lands are dangerous, unless you follow the northern route along the river. Up there the Protectors have several small, armed camps along the way making passage much safer.”
Eve could feel the excitement building in Max. She tried one other thing even though she had a feeling Tyco was ready for it. “Mr. Penna won’t let you go, Max.”
Max groaned. “You’re probably right, Eve.”
Tyco acted like he was thinking hard for a moment, but Eve could tell he had been ready for that objection too. “Mr. Penna could be a bit of a challenge, Max. I know his weakness though. If you really want to come with me, I think I can persuade him.”
“You’d do that, Tyco?”
Tyco clasped Max on his shoulder. “You would be helping me by going. Let’s go see what we can do.”
As the two headed back towards Mr. Penna’s house, Tyco shot Eve a crooked smile, the sight of which made her feel sick to her stomach. She followed after them, hoping to come up with another idea to stop Max from going. When they reached the house, they found Mr. Penna in his study.
“Nose buried in a book as usual, I see.”
Mr. Penna eyed Tyco over the top of his book. “Good evening, Tyco.” Mr. Penna smiled at Eve. “A very good evening to you, Miss Evangeline.”
Eve shifted her weight from one foot to the other, still trying to think of what she could do. “Good evening, Mr. Penna.”
Mr. Penna noted Eve’s discomfort, marked his place in the book, and set it down. “So what brings you three here?”
“I need to go to Protector Headquarters to oversee their training. Max would like to go with me. I would like that as well. It would allow me to show the results of certain training techniques first hand.”
Mr. Penna scratched at his short beard. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. It would take a few weeks, at least. I do not think Maxwell is ready, not to mention delaying his studies for that long of a time.”
“I can assure you, Mr. Penna, that the road along the river is quite safe. Besides, Max has come a long way in his training, which is the very reason I would like to take him. He’s not to be easily trifled with. As for his studies,” a wry smile formed on Tyco’s face, “as you well know, he’s not going to find a better library than the one in the capital. Maybe there’s something we could pick up for you?”
“Training and a real fight are two different animals.” Eve started to relax. “On the other hand, the library at Moenia has a lot of literature I would like to have here in the village, and I suppose the boy does need to at least see the city.”
Eve’s heart raced. She hadn’t thought he would even consider letting Max go. If I tell Mr. Penna of the messenger’s conversation with Tyco, surely Mr. Penna will stop Max. Eve twisted her tail in her hands, ignoring the pain. But I can’t let Tyco know I heard the conversation. Maybe…
“Tyco, did the stranger who delivered the message say how long you would be gone? He rode off into the dead lands before we could reach you.”
Eve saw Tyco’s eye twitch and knew she had thrown him off.
“No, Evangeline, he did not, but I don’t think we would be long.”
Mr. Penna studied Eve carefully. With his attention on her, she stared right at Mr. Penna and took a risk. “You said you told the Protectors about Max’s training already didn‘t you? Wouldn’t the messenger have asked for Max specifically if they wanted to see him?”
Mr. Penna stroked his beard. “Hmm, so you told them about Max. Well, I suppose they will be eager to see him. Perhaps he should indeed go.”
Eve barely kept herself from falling over. How did he miss my hint?
Mr. Penna smiled. “He may go, and so will I.”
Eve sighed knowing he had caught her hint after all.
She smirked at the lost expression forming on Tyco’s face due to this unforeseen complication. He tried his best to recover.
“Mr. Penna, that’s not really necessary.”
“Nonsense, Tyco, someone needs to keep the boy focused.”
“But, Mr. Penna, we will be riding pretty hard for most of the trip.”
“Oh, I’ll keep up fine.”
Eve tried not to laugh when Tyco, sighing, resigned to Mr. Penna’s decision. “Okay then, I’ll see you at the stables at first light. Good evening to you, Mr. Penna, Max.”
Eve watched in satisfaction as Tyco left. She would have liked it better for
Max not to go at all, but with Mr. Penna along, not much could happen. She looked back at Mr. Penna and found him studying her once again.
“Evangeline, my dear, I assume you will be joining us.”
Eve froze. Max turned to her. “Of course you are, right?”
Eve looked back and forth between the two, her ears quivering. I can’t go back to Moenia, not with Max. Besides, he’ll be safe with Mr. Penna. Won’t he? “I…I don’t want to go.”
“Ahh, come on, Eve. You are the one always wanting a new adventure, after all. Besides, it’d be a lot more fun with you.”
Eve shook her head and backed towards the study door. “No, no, I don’t think I want to. Mrs. Tassi wouldn’t let me anyway.”
“Are you sure, Eve?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Well…good night.” Eve turned and ran out of the house.
Max stared after Eve. “What got in to her?”
Mr. Penna stood and placed a hand on Max’s shoulder. “Moenia is a very different place from our little village, Maxwell. You will find that out for yourself soon enough. Well, we both better start packing. The sun’s already set and we have an early start tomorrow.”
Max ran to his room to begin packing. I finally get to see Protector Headquarters, but I wish Eve was coming with us. We’ve done everything together. Maybe she didn’t want to be around Tyco that long. He was rather mean to her today, more so than usual, but she usually ignores him. I guess I’ll have to tell her about it when I get back. I can’t pass this up, it’s another step closer to dad.
After finishing packing, Max lay late into the night with dreams of standing with other Protectors, ready to respond to anyone in need of help.
CHAPTER THREE
Mrs. Tassi bustled about the cafe setting up tables. “Sun will be comin’ up soon.”
“Yeah,” murmured Eve. She sat in a chair, arms wrapped around her legs, her knees pulled up to her chest.
Mrs. Tassi stopped for a moment. “I’m sure I can find someone to help out here for a few weeks.”
Eve’s mind wandered to some far off place. “I can’t help him out there.”
Mrs. Tassi turned to face Eve. “I seem to recall a little girl who didn’t want something to be found; her teeth bared, claws extended, ready to take on a whole horde of bandits.” A little smirk, the one Eve had unknowingly copied over the years, formed on Mrs. Tassi’s lips. “I don’t think the fact she might not be able to actually take them on ever entered her mind.”
Eve looked up at Mrs. Tassi. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”
“You knew you aimed to protect Max, no matter the cost.” Mrs. Tassi sat down in front of Eve. “And from what you said about that messenger, you may need to do it again.” Mrs. Tassi gently took one of Eve’s hands. “What’s stopping you?”
Eve started to whimper. She looked down at the floor. “Nobody cares about the laws against the lacarna out here, but in the city I’ll be watched wherever I go. To make it worse, Max is going to the Protector’s Headquarters. I can’t go there. I won’t be able to help him, and when Max finds out that I’m the enemy; that Protectors don’t associate with lacarna…” Eve shook her head. “If I go, I’ll only be sent away. It’s easier to stay here. Then I won’t have to see him when he finds out about the lacarna…about me.”
Eve brought her tail around, tightly grabbed hold of it with her free hand, and softly cried. Mrs. Tassi, still holding onto Eve’s right hand, leaned over and put her arm around Eve’s shoulders.
“Do you honestly think that boy would send you, his best friend, away?”
“He has to if he wants to become a Protector.”
“Eve, I thought you had figured out by now that people always do what they want to. If anyone says someone made them, it’s only because they were too weak to do anything else. Think about Max’s father. Did you ever see him back down, even in the end? Then there is Chiron, who has cared for Max all these years. He certainly broke rules when he helped us adopt you, a lacarna.
Eve’s ears perked up, she stifled a sob. “What does Mr. Penna have to do with me?”
“I don’t know much, but he worked for the Protectors when he helped us get you out of that awful market. The rest you need to ask him about.”
Eve slouched. “But, just because you guys broke the rules doesn’t mean Max will. It’s his dream to be like his father, to be a Protector.”
“Don’t you remember how well Max’s father treated you? Max got to see that, and Mr. Penna has done everything to teach that boy how to make up his own mind about things. Max has also had you, Eve. He’s seen someone first hand fight for what they believe in. He’s even had a lacarnian risk her own safety for him. A thing like that is not easily dismissed. Can I promise you what Max will ultimately do? No, but he deserves a chance; the same chance you want for yourself. Until then, if you care about him that much, fight for him like you did all those years ago, no matter the cost.”
Eve’s voice steadied. “But, how am I even supposed to get into Moenia? A lacarnian can only enter with their owner.”
“I’ll transfer ownership to Mr. Penna or Max.”
“No!” Eve bit her lip and looked down. “I mean, I’ve never belonged to anyone else.” Eve stamped her foot and stared back at Mrs. Tassi. “And I don’t want to either! You’re my mother.”
Mrs. Tassi let go of Eve’s hand and stood up, smiling. “There’s my girl. Eve, that piece of paper never legally made me your mother, only your owner, and you know it. Your father and I decided you’d be our daughter and not some slave. I tell you right now, as long as you’ll have me, I’ll be your mother whether I own you or not. Now, I’ll take care of the details with Mr. Penna. You hurry up and go pack. There isn’t much time.”
Eve got up from the chair to walk towards her room. The sound of her mother’s agitated voice stopped her. “Oh, and Eve, for goodness sakes, get rid of that mouse or take it with you. But whichever it is, don’t you dare leave it here.”
A smile formed once again on Eve’s face. The anger in her mother’s voice sounded a little too forced.
CHAPTER FOUR
The first light of dawn had appeared in the eastern sky when Max and Mr. Penna arrived at the stable. Tyco was waiting for them next to his horse, his things already packed.
“The stable master has Starlight saddled up for you, Max. I’ll help you get your gear fastened. As for you, Mr. Penna, he has a couple of horses for you to choose from. He’s in the back of the stable.”
Max walked up to Starlight. “I sure hope Starlight will be okay. I’ve never taken her on such a long ride before.”
Mr. Penna laughed. “She will be fine, Max. She has seen far more country than you can even imagine. After all, she was the one that brought your father here so many years ago.” Mr. Penna turned and started for the stable. “Now, I shall go and see what our fine stable master, Hektor, has for me.”
While Mr. Penna sought out Hektor, Max inspected Starlight. He never grew tired of looking at her. Her coat was pitch black. Here and there she had small white circular patches. From those circles, thin, short strips of white hair stretched out in various directions. These patches closely resembled the stars shining in the night; thus her name, Starlight. Her coat, well groomed over the years, still held a beautiful shine. Max had a feeling Hektor loved her as much as he did.
Tyco helped Max fasten his bedroll and traveling pack onto Starlight’s back. He brought the most basic of necessities. Max was tightening the last strap when Mr. Penna came out of the stables riding a rather plain looking brown mare.
Tyco furrowed his eyebrows. “I’ve never seen that horse before.”
Mr. Penna chuckled. “She belongs to a merchant in Moenia. The mare injured her leg when he was here a few months back. He left her with Hektor to mend. Hektor took good care of her and now she’s ready to be returned to the merchant. Seeing how we are going to Moenia, I volunteered to deliver her.”
Tyco grimaced. “In other words, you got a f
ree ride.”
Mr. Penna winked at Max. “Precisely.”
Tyco mounted his own horse, Teak, a large brown stallion with a white blaze of hair on his head. Max could only imagine the foals he and Starlight might have because the two would not have anything to do with one another.
Tyco gripped Teak’s reins. “Well, are we ready then?”
Max’s gaze wandered up the street. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Tyco, impatient, chided him. “Then you might want to try getting on the horse. We’ll move quicker that way.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Max mounted Starlight and moved her beside the other two. They faced out towards the open countryside. The morning dew sparkled in the sunlight, but Max sat unaware of its beauty.
“I thought she would at least come and say goodbye.”
Tyco nodded his head. “Good. It’s just as well that she didn’t.”
Max looked oddly at Tyco. “What do you mean by that?”
“You’ll see soon enough. Besides, it’s time we got moving.”
Tyco nudged Teak with his heels.
“But…”
Mr. Penna smiled. “Do not worry about it, Maxwell. Tyco likes things neat and orderly. We both know that is not exactly Evangeline’s style.”
Mr. Penna followed Tyco. Max didn’t feel that’s what Tyco meant, but he wasn’t going to contradict Mr. Penna. Instead he leaned forward in the saddle, preparing to follow the others, when he heard someone call his name from behind. Turning, he saw Eve running up the street towards them.
“Hey, Maxy! Wait up!”
Max turned Starlight around, a smile forming on his lips as he also saw Mrs. Tassi running a good distance behind Eve. Max laughed at the sight. He had yet to meet anyone who could keep up with Eve when she was in a hurry. Eve reached Max in no time, not even winded by the run.
“What’s the big idea, trying to leave before I could get here?”
Max felt a little ashamed that he had thought she wouldn’t come and say goodbye. “I thought you might have had more important things to do than to see me off.”
