by Montana Ash
Come they did, and not four hours later. Max was peering out the library window, eyeing the newcomers with equal parts curiosity and trepidation. Lark had insisted they meet in the library as it was the largest room in the house and opened directly onto a small, perfect garden off to the side of the house. She also thought Lark knew this room would relax her the most. She smiled as she looked to the bookshelf on her left; her graphic novels were sitting pride of place on the middle shelf right next to her favourite crime fiction author, TJ Spade. Max had been tickled pink when she learned the earth paladin was a true fan and owned all of her works.
“Nervous?”
Max swivelled as all seven paladins walked in. Cripes, they were a compelling bunch all lined up like that. “Should I be?”
Axel shrugged, “You were last time.”
“Yeah, well, kind of a lot has happened since then. Don’t cha reckon?”
Beyden smiled, “You’ll be fine.”
“So who’s coming again?” She asked. She should probably try and learn everyone’s name.
“There are six wardens that make up the LWC. Magda, Fire Warden, is the superior; Slate, Earth Warden; Lake, Water Warden; Fawn, Beast Warden; Hades, Death Warden; and Ray is also a Fire Warden.”
“No Life?”
“No. There are only a dozen left and they move from location to location on a rotational basis around the world, trying to maintain the balance as best they can.” Lark explained.
Max frowned, “Twelve is not many for seven billion people.”
“Well, there are thirteen now.” Axel bumped her shoulder.
“Hazah! The world is saved!” Max mocked herself. She was saved from another ‘you are uber important speech’ by the slamming of several car doors. Looking out the window again Max counted over twenty people descending like ants, spreading out in different directions, about half of them making their way to the front door. Her stupefied look must have said it all for Ryker grunted;
“They have to bring their paladins with them of course. Now do you see why I don’t want them in my home?” Apparently it was a rhetorical question for he spun and marched from the room before she could form an intelligent response.
“Don’t worry about him. He’ll get over it.” Diana assured her, “Just brace yourself. Most wardens are very … un-you.”
Un-me? Whatever that meant, Max thought just as twelve people walked in. Half of them were in the same plain cargos and tees she had seen the others wearing and the other half were dressed in formal suits or dresses. Max spared a glance at her faded jeans, shoeless feet and Cali’s tee shirt that she had tied at the waist. Perhaps she was a little underdressed.
“Thank you. We won’t be requiring your assistance.” The brown haired woman in front stated. It was clearly a dismissal and the woman was obviously used to being obeyed. Too bad for her the paladins in the room were not used to taking orders.
“She is entitled to a knight to serve her.” Ryker was using his ‘Captain’ voice and Max felt herself melt a little.
“She has no knights. That is why we are all here in the middle of nowhere, after all.” She bet this was Magda.
Squaring her shoulders, Max walked forward. “I’ll be fine, thanks guys.” She smiled and held out her right hand, “I’m Max.”
The woman practically cringed at the offered palm before offering a brittle smile and a weak shake. “Magda, Fire Warden of the Order Blaze. It is very exciting to meet you and most intriguing to learn of your mysterious appearance.”
She perched herself on the edge of a lounge chair daintily and gestured for the others to likewise sit. Max raised her eyebrows as the paladins were forced out of the library in their own home. No wonder Ryker was so unimpressed. Once the door was closed and the personal paladins arranged like sentries throughout the room, Magda spoke again, introducing the other wardens in turn. Max smiled politely and nodded.
“Have you recently lost weight?”
“I’m sorry?” As far as her first conversation with the famed wardens went, this one was unexpected.
“Your clothes, dear. They are far too big on you.” Magda extrapolated.
“She must have recently shrunk too, because they are also too long.” Slate, the earth warden, laughed at his own joke. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh.
“I didn’t have much with me when Darius and the boys found me.” She explained, “Cali has been kind enough to lend me some of hers.”
An older gentleman with hair greying at his temples leaned forward. “Yes. We heard about your tragic circumstances; no paladins, no wardens and no clue as to what you were. I’m sure your life has been horrendous.” His name was Lake, Max recalled, and thought that he sounded entirely too gleeful for the sympathetic words.
“I’ve managed.” She replied curtly. She wasn’t giving the old vulture any gory details.
“Never mind, that is easily fixed. So is your hair.” Magda waved away the water warden’s fake concern.
“What’s wrong with my hair?” Max fingered the dark red tresses. They were a little wild but Max kind of liked that about them.
Her laugh was condescending, “Oh, you are just too sweet. We’re going to have to do something about your name too.”
“My name? What do you mean?” Max was beginning to lose her composure. This woman was the queen of veiled insults and if she wasn’t so fascinated by the odd, entitled woman she would have bitch-slapped her by now.
“Well, although I’m sure Max has served its purpose in your old life, it simply won’t be acceptable now.”
“It’s my name. Not an old car. I can’t just get a new one.”
“Nonsense, my child. You must select a name more befitting of your station.” Lake chimed in once again.
“My station? What station?” She asked.
“You are a Warden my dear. A Warden of Life – as well as a female. An extremely rare combination. Max is a decidedly masculine name and certainly not in line with our ethos.”
Max glanced around the room to see four of the other wardens nodding enthusiastically. The only ones who seemed just as uncomfortable with the whole situation was the Beast Warden, the only other female in the room, Fawn, and the other Fire Warden, Ray. Although, not outspoken they were both glaring at Magda and rolling their eyes. Perhaps the room at large wasn’t a lost cause, Max thought, but so far these wardens were not a shining example of humanity. “Masculine or not, Max is my name and I am not changing it.” She responded firmly.
“Perhaps Angel? Or something similar. We want her to create the right impression.” Magda continued on as if Max hadn’t even spoken.
Perhaps sensing Max’s eminent detonation, Fawn spoke up; “Perhaps Max would like to learn a little about what it is we do.”
Max smiled in thanks at the pretty blonde. “I would love to hear it from a warden’s perspective. The paladins here have been wonderfully helpful but I have so many questions. I mean, what do you do every day?” At the various blank stares and furrowed brows, Max continued, “It’s not like you just sit around, looking pretty and patting yourselves on your backs for being wardens …” She finished with a snort. Her joke fell flat because obviously that is exactly what they probably did. Oh boy! Max was so going to love being an empty figure head!
Hades leaned forward, eyes intent. “I don’t think you really understand what it is we do. What our purpose is … you’re very misguided, understandably so of course. We will guide you to your true purpose.”
“Hades is correct. We must be circumspect. If we were to go around actively using our abilities extravagantly, people are going to notice.” Magda said. “You have to understand Max – that would be a very bad thing. People as a whole are prejudiced, dangerous beings. They fear what they don’t understand. And trust me, they wouldn’t understand us.”
“I get that a person is smart but people are dumb. I appreciate the need for secrecy. I just meant, what are our jobs?”
“Jobs?” Slate gasped in outrage, �
��We are Wardens. That is our jobs. Our very lives ensure that nature continues to exist! I know you aren’t implying that what we do is unimportant?”
“No, I’m not implying that. I acknowledge that everyone here is born with tremendous responsibility and it is a heavy task to perform. But that doesn’t mean it’s all you have to be. I mean, with your affinity for animals Fawn can you imagine how much good you could do with lost and abused animals? Or your affinity with the earth Slate, you could create such beauty to the damaged lands here. Or –”
“Stop! Just stop! You have no idea what you’re talking about! Working as a vet, a gardener?! We are not blue collar workers in need of ways to fill our days with mindless drivel! Now, you can be forgiven for your ignorance on this occasion given your obvious clueless background. But from this point forward, there will be no more talk of such nonsense. Wardens have a big enough burden to bear without adding in manual labour!”
Far from being cowed, Max was just getting started on her own soapbox, “I agree with you, it is a burden. But it is also a gift. A gift to share with the world. If you’re not out there actually experiencing life and seeing the people and the animals and the world that you help maintain, then what’s the point?”
“The wardens must be protected!” Lake yelled. “There are so few left and even fewer being born …”
“Probably because you’ve secluded yourselves away like hermits!” Max yelled right back.
“Who are you to judge us? What have you been doing to help the ‘people’, hmm?” Lake patronised her.
“I’ve been on the run, moving from place to place for over twenty years. It’s a little hard to set up shop somewhere when you’ve got chades breathing down your neck, trying to suck the life force out of you. But I help out when and where I can. I actually can’t seem to prevent it. Surely you all must feel it too? It’s like an itch or a burn just below the surface … it’s a compulsion. I could no more ignore the need to interact directly with my domain, than I could resist the urge to shit!”
There were lots of shocked gasps and rumblings and curses from the wardens and the surrounding paladins, but she was sure there was also a snicker or two as well. “Perhaps it is you who needs a re-education, hmm? Perhaps you have forgotten your purpose in your isolation.” Max whipped out her very own snotty tone.
“We have forgotten nothing! We are Wardens – born and raised! Unlike yourself … a stray warden bumbling in the dark! We took you in and offered our expertise and this is how you speak to us? With such disrespect? You are nothing but an insolent child!” Magda’s voice was contemptuous.
Max looked around the room, seeing similar looks of contempt on almost all of the faces. Some, however, were looking at Magda with frowns or looking intently at the floor and she felt herself have another lightbulb moment. “Ah, I see. You haven’t forgotten your purpose … you just don’t care.”
“Why you little –”
Throwing out her left hand in a classic ‘talk to the hand’ action, Max interrupted Miss Magda, “Save it! I really don’t think I can stomach any more of your self-righteous, entitled ramblings. Thank you all for your time this afternoon, but I wouldn’t join your band of merry misguided morons if you paid me.”
“Is there a problem?” Darius asked courteously from the doorway. Seems all the gasps of horror had alerted the occupants of the house.
“Yes, Sir Darius. There is a big problem. You have failed to teach your charge the proper etiquette required of her station. I am afraid we simply cannot be of assistance until her unruly behaviour is brought to heel.” Magda replied piously.
Darius gave a low bow in Magda’s direction. “She just doesn’t understand, My Lady, Sirs. She has been so unaware of our world and her own nature. She requires time and patience.”
“Excuse me. That is not true. And please don’t apologise on my behalf Darius! There was no misunderstanding. These people are total hypocrites!” She addressed Magda once again, “And I am not some pup to be brought to heel.”
“I knew it was a mistake to entrust such an important find with people such as yourselves.” She said scornfully, glaring at the paladins and ignoring Max entirely. “You have obviously not succeeded in aiding this woman at all, feeding her misinformation and ensuring she is ill-equipped to deal with her situation in life.”
Max couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was standing right there! And Magda was treating her people like third class citizens. Max hadn’t really understood the prejudice the paladins had been alluding to the past week. She got it now and sympathised with the resentment Axel always had in his voice when he spoke of them as grunts and foot soldiers. Max opened her mouth to speak – forcefully – but was interrupted by Magda’s prim voice.
“We will allow you these two past indiscretions given your newness to our society. But Max,” Magda paused and locked her cold shark eyes on her, “I suggest you enlist in a better attitude … and better companions.”
She breezed out of the room, followed by her paladins and the remaining five members of the Local Council.
“What the fuck is her damage?” Max blurted out the moment the door slammed shut behind the last bonded knight. She wasn’t expecting the heated silence and barely contained frustration in the room. Max felt her indignation wilt under the weight of the disappointed stares. Okay, Max thought, what the fuck was their damage?
TWENTY-FOUR
Ryker could feel the sizzle of change in the air. He knew things were going to explode and it was going to seal all of their fates. He only wished he knew how it was going to end. What’s more, he wished he knew how he wanted it to end. If he was being honest he knew what his heart wanted but it had been so long since he had listened to that particular muscle that he couldn’t bring himself to trust it. His mind still fought heroically for dominance so he once again found himself pissed off to the extreme with Max.
Her behaviour was just absolutely unacceptable. How was he supposed to get her to understand the full scale of the situation she was in? They had been trying for days and he felt like he was banging his head against the wall. She was the most stubborn person he had ever met. He glanced at her and found her oceanic eyes turbulent and – surprise – stubborn. He ignored the part of him that was turned on and led with the part that was angry.
“For once, couldn’t you just try to behave? Couldn’t you just try to act like a normal human being? Why do you feel the need to be so antagonistic all the time?” He demanded.
“I’m not antagonistic!” The little she-demon had the nerve to reply.
“Oh, please! How can you even say that with a straight face? In the two weeks that we’ve known you, you’ve managed to make an enemy of a powerful warden, embarrass yourself with the triplet spectacle, half bind us together for eternity, and now you’ve managed to insult some of the most important and powerful people in the world!”
“So I’m not perfect! Sue me!” She yelled back, actually looking quite stressed out to Ryker. Still, they needed to hash this out, so he rebutted;
“Not perfect? That’s the biggest understatement of the year.”
“I don’t care, Ryker! Okay? I just don’t care! I am so over this whole thing. I am over you and I am over the other paladins. I am definitely over the other wardens! They’re wrong! They … are … wrong! Our job is not supposed to be passive – It’s active!”
Max was getting less and less coherent and her voice was rising steadily. It was very unlike her, still, Ryker snorted and shook his head, “You really have a high opinion of yourself don’t you? How can you possibly know if they’re wrong or not? You didn’t even know what you were until last week! You need to get over yourself, sister!”
“That’s not true.” Max voiced softly. She felt inexplicably hurt by Ryker’s words. It was clear now he had a very low opinion of her and she hated it. She also hated that she hated it! What’s more, it was really starting to piss her off that everyone believed she was some stupid little girl with no
knowledge of the world. She was living in it wasn’t she? She’d been living in it on her own, with no help and no family and no one to rely on ever since she could remember. She was willing to bet she knew more about the world than all of these paladins combined! How dare he stand there and patronise her!
Ryker raised his eyebrows in the arrogant way that made Max want to punch the smirk right off his pretty face, “What do you mean, that’s not true? You had no clue what a warden was or a paladin or even a domain until you met us. And don’t pretend you did. I may have thought you were hiding something in the beginning but monumental ignorance like yours is hard to fake.”
Monumental ignorance? Now Max felt like crying. She never cried. She really didn’t know how much more she could take from this man. She had been the bigger person these past couple of days since the whole intercourse thing. She had taken responsibility like a good little girl and sucked up her hurt feelings in order to keep the peace. But now …
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“So enlighten us, oh sage one …”
“Ryker …” Darius’s growl was a clear warning for him to back off. Ryker knew he should. Max was beginning to look pale, jaw clenched so tight it looked painful and the look in her eyes resembled hurt more than it did anger. Yes, Ryker knew he should back down but he just couldn’t seem to stop himself. He had to make her understand the position they were all in and how dangerous her reckless actions were. She was a hazard to herself and all those around her at the moment with her ignorance and stubborn belief she was right all the time. She was going to get herself hurt … or get his knights killed and that was something he wouldn’t allow, not ever again. Not even for a vulnerable slip of a spitfire. So he pushed a little harder;
“Come on then. You know everything. Educate us.”
“Ryker!” The growl belonged to Cali this time but he was resolute. Max had to be brought down to size, no matter if her delicate feelings got hurt.
“Stand down Cali. If you don’t like how I lead then find someone else to follow.” It was harsh, but Cali was his responsibility and he wasn’t going to fail again. He searched the room only to find the rest of his fellow paladins in various states of unease and obvious objection. But none of them moved. Their loyalties were still clearly with him … for now.
