Paladin's Oath

by M. H. Johnson

  He grinned. "However, as you were rendered unconscious and, we were given to understand, at death's door, and your shieldbrother was busy being a creature out of darkest legend, Alex and Jera, your companions who had gotten caught in the realm of dreams by circumstances alone, declined to face us in a duel, and so did concede the contest for a purse matching the one you were promised."

  Morlekai gazed carefully at Jess, gauging her reaction. "Fear not. Even those two we assured a token of our appreciation. They each received a modest sum of gold as well, so your group made out better than had you won the contest and brought the artifact back to Highrock."

  Jess gazed numbly at the bag of gold. “I didn’t know. In the letters… why didn’t they tell me?”

  Geoffrey gazed thoughtfully at Morlekai. “They were helpless. You could have just taken that wand from them, to say nothing of Jess’s mithril accouterments, priceless artifacts that they are. But you didn’t.”

  Morlekai nodded. “That is correct, Lord Geoffrey. We offered fair martial contest for the artifact in play, with fair recompose, even should the match be lost. For such is deemed righteous and just, and such has always been adhered to for centuries, as part of the Delver’s code. Note as well, young Geoffrey, that only the wand was in play. Not Jessica's mithril hauberk, as rich a prize as that would be. For the most sacred of precepts holds that no Delver may claim another Delver’s gear fairly won from the realms of Shadow and Death.”

  Morlekai's gaze became fierce, his voice all but trembling with the intensity of his emotions, quiet as his words were. “No matter how much one adventurer eclipses another in power, no Delver would dare to rob or steal from his brethren, lest he face the most severe retribution from the Guild entire. To do otherwise would place our entire organization, the sacredness of our alliance, the trust brothers and sisters of the Guild have for one another at risk. Were it otherwise, we would place our entire Guild in jeopardy. Trust would be shattered, the strong preying upon the weak, leaving ourselves broken and vulnerable, the survivors prey for the whims and whiles of any lord seeking to pick clean our carcass.”

  He nodded once. “We have honor and integrity in the brotherhood that is the Guild. We are not fools. In all the world, we know the only ones we can truly trust is ourselves. And every day the precepts are followed, that trust is reaffirmed. To never steal or force claim upon another Delver’s possessions, that any artifact in play can only be claimed in a fair competition with the loser still getting fair recompense. And of course, to never threaten or imperil the life or family of a fellow Delver. And whenever danger threatens the Guild, all individual pursuits are put aside as we destroy the threat as a band of brothers without equal. As one deadly storm of wrath and vengeance from which our foes will be utterly annihilated!”

  His fierce intensity faded instantly into a warm smile once more. “And those, my dear Jess, are the precepts of the guild.”

  Geoffrey gazed at the bag of incredible wealth, glimmering hypnotically in the light of the setting sun. “But Jess is not of the Guild.”

  Morlekai chuckled softly. “The formality hardly matters. We choose to treat her with the same courtesy we would any guildmember, even though Guild precept does not compel us to. Truly, we feel any adventurer who survives his or her first Delving is one of us, whether they recognize it or no, and of course we hope Jess will see fit to join us, to find herself possessing many brothers and sisters who understand and appreciate her struggles and triumphs. We who would see her as family, and always have her back, would she have us.”

  The look he flashed at Jess was smoldering in its intensity, and she felt a heady breathlessness flutter through her. She blinked for composure, collecting herself.

  “You belong with the Guild, Jessica de Calenbry. You belong with us.”

  Jess forced herself to look away from his captivating eyes, to focus only her breathing. The comforting presence of her garden, giving her strength, a bastion to fight the raging storm of her passions, her desire to surrender to him. Of course, having her brother gazing at her as if she had just grown a second head did wonders for assuring she didn’t lose hers altogether.

  “Jess! You’re not actually swooning, are you?” Geoffrey asked in amused disbelief.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Jess scoffed. “I’m just… impressed. That’s all. I wasn’t expecting to end the day with a purse full of gold.” She forced herself lock gazes with the captivating Morlekai. “I agree to no covenant with the acceptance of this purse. I will take it as compensation for an artifact forfeited, and one I don’t even recall collecting, to be honest. But I refuse to be beholden to the Guild in doing so.”

  Morlekai’s smile was almost amused, Jess decided, as his hand oh so gently covered her own, closing the rather large purse full of gold tight. “And no covenant is made, dear Jessica de Calenbry. We are merely… honoring our commitment to you, a fellow explorer of the depths of the unknown.”

  He gently raised her hand to his mouth, kissing it slowly, sensually, even as he smiled. Jess was angry at herself to feel her knees start to quiver as she once again lost herself in his gaze.

  “I do hope, dear Jessica de Calenbry, that you will at least consider yourself a friend of the Guild? We would be honored to have one with such noble spirit as yourself as one of our… beloved friends.”

  Geoffrey inhaled sharply. “That is no small thing you offer, Del Morlekai. Do you truly represent the Guild in this offer?”

  Solemnly the Delver nodded. “None will contest my claim.”

  “What does it mean to be a friend of your guild?” Jess asked.

  Morlekai chuckled warmly. “Our Guild, Del Jess. For you, my dear, are a Delver through and through, whatever other titles you may earn in life through birth or deeds done. A friend to the Guild is a position sought by many, yet earned by very few. A friend to the Guild is one who may rest assured that he has a very powerful ally at his assistance in his time of need. One may find useful opportunities and compensations, working on behalf of the Guild as a friend. Opportunities that many a noble or merchant prince would otherwise never have access to. Further, one never has to worry about our organization working at cross purposes to one's own without offering some sort of… accommodation.”

  Morlekai's gaze became almost gentle as his fingers gently raised themselves, almost of their own accord, to stroke Jess's cheek. "But those are primarily political concerns, my dear Jess. What is important for you to know is that the Guild recognizes you and pays you respect. Your findings would never even be challenged if partaking of Guild Delves, and you would be offered countless opportunities to join us in our Delvings for lost lore, artifacts of power, and the simple pleasure of growing in potency as we behold sights of horror and wonder both, exploring the Dreamrealms in all their glory! It is for these reasons, Jessica, that we would be honored if you would accept our friendship."

  Jess blinked, finding herself utterly captivated by Morlekai's smile. In a face so wild, possessing such a fierce animal-like sensuality, his smile, when he willed it, could be as sweet and charming as any boy's. Jess felt her cheeks flushing just contemplating it, leaving her breathless. "But what commitments would that require of me? What strings would bind me?"

  “Exactly!” Geoffrey exclaimed, happy to get even a word in.

  Morlekai nodded approvingly. "A fair question, my dear Jess. In truth, the binds are very light indeed. Primarily you would honor our code: To never deliberately maim or kill a fellow Delver or his immediate family save in defense of oneself or one's own immediate family. That is the most sacred of tenements, my dear Jess." He grinned in silent response to her unspoken question. "Of course, there comes a time when disagreements occur, and this is settled by argument, contest, or duel. The duels are, of course, never lethal. More along the lines of a friendly, or perhaps not so friendly, contest. The loser is oathbound to concede his claim, and thus the dispute is resolved with no loss to our numbers and no weakening of our organization.”

>   Jess found herself nodding in approval despite herself. “Betrayal and murder have caused more than one powerful organization to destroy itself from within, when none could manage it from without. It is good to see your own organization has learned from that ancient folly.”

  Morlekai nodded. “You have studied well the pieces of history that matter, I see.”

  Jess grimaced. “Required reading. That treatise also had some useful tidbits regarding fortifications and siege warfare, so it was at least a tolerable read. Besides, Eloquin brooks no fools on the training grounds, whatever I think of lessons aside.”

  This earned her an amused grin from her captivating acquaintance. She just could not get over how entrancing his gold green eyes were, flashing like jewels caught in flame. She felt almost as if she could fall into them. A strong grip suddenly steadied her, and she realized with some chagrin that it was Morlekai, smiling down at her. Was she swooning? She had better not be swooning for him, she demanded of herself, even as the entrancing man before her had the grace to say nothing about her sudden disorientation, merely continuing with his lecture.

  “The second precept is this: claim not an artifact brought forth from the land of dreams by another, no matter how insignificant his power is compared to yours. A fair offer of recompense in gold or other treasures from the Shadowrealms would be the only just way to obtain such artifacts. Only an artifact in play that the Guild seeks or has accepted a commission for can you offer to challenge, and only if the other party are not themselves intending to hand it over to the Guild for generous recompense. Even should you win that challenge, the other party must still be fairly recompensed. To betray that trust is to betray the Guild."

  He shrugged. "Other than that, there are very few strictures in becoming a friend of the Guild. Of course, if you find yourself at odds with a Guild policy, then you would be granted the opportunity to discuss it with those who administer to such issues, or insist on a contest to assert your concern. A trial by combat, if you will, given your own unique situation, as sometimes occurs. I imagine it pretty much falls in line with your own code of honor, no?"

  Jess nodded thoughtfully at that. "I have no interest in claiming another man's treasure. Such would be extortion or thievery, plain and simple. And the thought of coldly slaying another with the courage to journey into the land of dreams sickens me. And if someone declares my prize ‘in play,' I like being able to formally defend my claim without guildmembers thinking it fair game to just try to steal it from me."

  Jess bounced the purse brimming with warm yellow gold in her hand. “Besides, even should I lose, I still win.” She smiled warmly at the handsome man before her and nodded. “Very well, Morlekai. Under the pretext of those boons and limitations, I see no harm in being declared a friend of the Guild.”

  “But Jess, this is the Guild! You haven’t even spoken with Father!” Geoffrey hissed.

  “Think it through, dear brother,” Jess said coolly in turn. “The Guild already knows my darkest secrets.” Geoffrey paled at that, Jess giving a solemn nod of her head. “And those precepts protect us as well. No Adventurer can waltz in here and claim my mithril armaments for his own, potentially killing you and everyone else while attempting to do so. And I’m not obliged or forced to do anything I don't want to. It protects us, and my artifacts, with the understanding I’m not off killing Guild members and stealing their stuff as well.” She turned to Morlekai. “Isn’t that the heart of it?”

  Morlekai nodded. "You are correct. No Guild member or associate would dare to strike at you or your family out of malice or attempted thievery. Any non-commissioned artifact you discover is yours to keep, but it is expected that you would give the Guild the right of first refusal, should you wish to sell it. Should they offer to buy, it will always be for a generous sum, and if another offers higher, you need but ask the Guild if they wish to match. And no, Del Jess. No member of the Guild can force an obligation on you. You are as free as you ever were."

  Jess nodded. “You see, Geoff? The bottom line, tactically, is that we have neutralized a potential threat and gained an ally with but a single stroke. And since I have no interest in politics or treachery anyway, it costs me nothing.”

  Her brother gazed at her and sighed. “Very well, Jess. I can’t argue with your logic. I just have reservations.”

  Morlekai’s gaze toward her brother was enigmatic, his smile fierce, yet friendly. “I see you have fallen prey to rumors initiated by our detractors. It’s a common enough occurrence, the weak attacking the powerful in the only way they can. I am, however, surprised that one as intelligent as yourself would be so quick to judge on so little without confirming the source." He shrugged. "But no matter. If ever you felt you had cause to fear the Guild, you certainly have no cause to fear us now."

  Morlekai turned once more toward Jess, his warm gaze causing her to shiver with a nameless hunger, for all that she scolded herself not to respond. “But in truth, Jessica de Calenbry, we would love it if you would join us in full. Companions at your side, friends you can count on, no matter the trials and hardships faced. Shieldbrothers and sisters who will have your back, always, even if the world entire in all its corruption turns against you.” He winked. “And of course, there are the free accommodations with music, mirth, understanding companionship, and the finest foods to be found at all the best inns within every city and town of Erovering, all of them Guild owned. The Royal Family alone can expect to be treated better than the Delvers who choose to visit, no matter how rich our other clientele.”

  “Jess! I know there will be obligations if you join the Guild outright!” Geoffrey hissed to her urgently, even as Jess slowly shook her head.

  “I am sorry, Morlekai. I am uncomfortable with aligning myself to any set of obligations save my family at this point.” She forced a wry grin. “Those commitments alone already represent more responsibility than I particularly wish to be burdened with, yet wear these obligations I must, for duty's sake.” She sighed, plucking at the sleeve of her dress.

  Her new admirer chuckled in sympathy. "You being sentenced off to a rather domineering finishing school so all may see you properly gelded, so that the Lords Council can be soothed by your obvious obeisance and convince themselves that you pose no threat to the powers that be, all in a bid to assure your family's safety.”

  Morlekai smiled at Geoffrey's double take. "You have to school your reactions better than that, Lord Geoffrey, if you plan to profit at Court. Were you one of us, you would know that the Guild has resources the envy of the Crown itself, and we have a vested interest in those we consider our own. I'll bet you don't even know yet all the players who had been working behind closed doors to assure your family's downfall before certain steps were taken, and a compromise reached. For you have potent allies as well, Duke diOnni being but one of them."

  Morlekai stroked Jess's cheek with a gentle possessiveness that filled her with the heady desire to kiss him, regardless of her brother's shocked gaze. But with deliberate, lingering care, his gently stroking fingers left her cheek, and he stepped back to bow formally at them both. "Lord Geoffrey, Del Jessica. A most interesting fete this has been already. And Jessica? I am glad to declare you a friend of the Guild."

  Jess found herself blushing at his sensual gaze. “Me too,” she smiled, gazing happily at the fluid play of muscles in his skintight silken leggings as he gracefully strode off. With a forlorn sigh, she began the tiresome business of cleaning herself up.

  “By the Angels above, Jess. The very nerve of that man! Why did you have to lead him on, so?” Her brother bent down to remove a thorn stuck in his pristine gray doublet. “And vines? Was that truly necessary, sister?”

  “I did not ‘lead him on,’” Jess asserted as she wiped the last of the dirt off her dress. “Sorry about the vines, brother. I wasn’t even aware I was doing that.”

  "I get the feeling a lot of things are happening that neither you nor I are fully aware of, dear Jess," her brother asserted dryl
y. "Come. Let us head back to the party. I'll try to make some excuse up to Mother, but please, be careful. He does not look like the safest of paramours."

  “I know. I’ve never seen a man look quite that savage, and still cut such a dashing figure in doublet and tights,” Jess gave an amused shake of her head as they made their way out the garden.

  "You don't have to sound quite so happy about it," Geoffrey grumbled, plucking out the last pieces of leaf and vine from golden locks with dexterous fingers as they entered the house proper. "All right. I'll tell Mother you were feeling indisposed. We'll call it a case of nerves, and perhaps you ate something a bit off, but you're feeling recovered now."

  His sympathetic gaze held her own even as his hand gently squeezed her shoulder. "Jess, are you sure you're all right? I thought, well, that you had been spared certain... recollections that might trouble you most sorely, involving matters long since put to rest."

  Jess felt herself flushing, shaking her sudden shame away. "The family is safe, that's all that matters. Let's just pretend certain memories are buried still, shall we?" She managed a brittle little laugh. "I remember all too well the treacherous guards lying in wait to capture and eventually kill Raphael and Josie, guards that Malek and I had slain to the last man. To say nothing of the camps of raiders and slavers the king himself denies exist, which is true, after the Squires are done hunting them down, laying them low with arrow, lance, saber and mace, just as we were taught to take down entire regiments, no matter how they scream and beg."

  She shook, not minding her brother's gentle squeeze. "No, I'm afraid I have plenty of burdens upon my soul beyond a handful of treacherous merchants and corrupt guards who had thought they could destroy our family with their vile plots. I regret this added weight, brother, but I will survive it. And I did what I had to, to protect the people I love. Eloquin himself would respect that, assuming he doesn't already know."

  Wordlessly, her brother gave her a hug. "I love you and am grateful to you, Jess. We all are. For all that we fear that Eloquin's training... hurt you, somehow. But Jess, I am no fool. Were you not the weapon the general had forged you to be, I fear, well," he grimaced and looked away. "We would already be dead. Long since buried and forgotten, our enemies having claimed Father's lands for themselves."