Noble Solutions

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  Babbitt sheathed his sword and took Dark Cutter. Looking at it, he frowned. “Adamantine, but it feels much lighter than it should.”

  “Shift to your true form, please?” Sean asked the blade.

  Babbitt started to say something, but his eyes went wide as Dark Cutter became an axe. His mouth dropped open and he just stared at it.

  “Dark Cutter?” Bloodheart asked from beside Sean. “Darragh’s axe?”

  “He left it to me,” Sean said sadly, “along with his knowledge of combat. I’d gladly give both up if he, Misa, and the others were still alive, but Truestrike’s minions had them killed. I think it was all for this weapon... The killer, Whelan, went on about how he was going to be given this weapon, but I think he was wrong. I think Truestrike wanted the axe, but I don’t know why.”

  “Because Darragh never lost a single fight with it,” Bloodheart said. “It cuts through armor like butter. A solid stab or deep cut killed everyone it struck, even if it wasn’t a critical wound.”

  Babbitt shook his head and presented Dark Cutter back to Sean. “This… if others knew…”

  “Secrets,” Sean said softly as he took it back, letting it become a sword and sheathing it. “I know how Dark Cutter works, so trust me when I say I’m sure that I can make your blade whole again.”

  “Very well, Sean,” Babbitt said.

  “If my father knew…” Bloodheart snorted. “Sean, the more I get to know you, the more I find that the world changes.”

  “Agreed,” Babbitt said softly.

  “He changes everything around him,” Helga said, “but for the better.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sean exhaled when he finished setting his best diamond into Babbitt’s sword and empowering it. “There you go. It should be just the way you know it to be, but better.”

  Babbitt took the sword and moved to the side. After a few seconds, he chuckled. “That was much easier to use.”

  “I had a question,” Sean said. “Bloodheart said it’s killed people before, but what about objects?”

  Babbitt pointed to a chunk of copper on Sean’s table. “Throw it at me.”

  Sean picked up the copper and tossed it at Babbitt. It hit an invisible wall five feet from Babbitt and puffed into dust, and Sean jerked his eyes wide. Grabbing a chunk of bronze, he repeated it, but with Mage Sight turned on. The barrier caught the bronze, surrounded it, and broke it apart into dust in a second.

  “Not death,” Sean said, “but entropy, the breaking of bonds and order. It’s the best protection if it can stop everything.”

  “There is a point where objects are merely slowed and degraded,” Babbitt said. “Some people die, others merely become ill for a while.”

  “Is it harmful to you?” Sean asked, his mind spinning.

  “If I touched it, yes. The barrier is static. I set it when I bring it into being.”

  “Shit...” Sean sighed.

  “It can’t be made into armor,” Babbitt nodded. “Many have tried over the years.”

  “Because it sets a boundary of entropy,” Sean nodded. “Hmm... I could create a panic room with it, though.”

  “A what?”

  “A shelter. A fallback spot, if things go very badly. If you set it inside a structure that’s set inside another one, you could even give people a warning without them being harmed. Like nested dolls.”

  Babbitt shook his head and sheathed his sword. “I don’t understand, but I think that’s common with you.”

  Sean snorted. “Yeah, probably.”

  “This has been very enlightening,” Bloodheart said. “I should be going. Sean, if Father and my sister agree, when would be good for you?”

  “An evening in the next few days would work. If you let me know, we can include everyone for dinner, too.”

  “I will,” Bloodheart said, shaking hands with both men before leaving.

  “I should get home myself,” Babbitt said. “My thanks, Sean, for my friends and I, but more importantly, for Marie.”

  “I was glad to help, Thomas.”

  Walking Babbitt out, Sean watched the former guard commander go.

  “Ven, see if Henry Darkfoam will see me, please.”

  “I’ll have someone ask, sir,” Ven said. “The cooks are coming out of the manor now.”

  “Hmm?” Sean said questioningly, looking up at the sun that was already past midday.

  “Sean,” Helga called to him, “are you going to join us for afternoon sparring?”

  “Sure. I thought I’d missed it.”

  “We delayed it for a while,” Myna said as she followed the cooks out of the house.

  “Thank you, Myna,” Sean said fondly, going over and giving her a kiss.

  “Always happy to help you, Master.”

  “Oh, Glorina, in the next few days, we’ll likely have some guests over for dinner. I’ll tell you as soon as I know which day.”

  “Yes, sir. Did you want a grand feast?”

  “Maybe a four-course meal?” Sean asked.

  “We’ll handle it as soon as you let us know when, sir.”

  “Thanks. Let’s get started.”

  ~*~*~

  Sean sat in the carriage with a bemused smile on his lips. “Do they normally do that, Helga?”

  “One of the twins, one of the maids, and either Rosa or Rumia join for the afternoon sparring. It helps vary who the cooks fight,” Helga replied.

  “Okay. I wasn’t sure if they’d only joined because I was there. I didn’t want to ask in front of them and make it awkward.”

  “It was perfectly normal, sir, though the fact it was Prita and Rumia was amusing.”

  “Yeah, a bit,” Sean chuckled. “The cooks look to be doing well.”

  “They are gifted with their blades, sir,” Helga said. “Their ability to close the distance quickly will make it hard for others to guess when they are safe. They shall be fierce protectors of the home. With Ryann’s ability on top of that, the kitchen will be a refuge if anything happens.”

  “Yeah.”

  “The entire manor will be a safe haven if the manor is attacked, between them and the maids. I have an easier time of it as I can see their souls, but others without that ability will be hard-pressed to know when their unseen knives will strike them.”

  “Good,” Sean exhaled slowly. “I worry if my children will be safe at times. That helps ease my fears.”

  “The cuons and Fairies only add to the layers of protection,” Helga said. “I have seen keeps less defended than your home, Sean.”

  “Good. They’re all special to me in their own ways.” He looked up when he felt a small ping of melancholy from Helga. “You, too, Helga.”

  Helga looked quickly away from him. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Knowing that you’ll be able to catch them if the worst happens makes everything easier for me,” Sean said. “I know emotions don’t care about logic, but try to remember that you alone ease my mind a great deal.”

  “Yes, sir,” Helga said, looking out the window. A faint pink touched her cheeks as a smile formed on her lips.

  The carriage slowed and Sean overheard Arliat speaking to a man. After a moment, the carriage moved forward again. The guardhouse by the gates rolled by, and two men in armor watched the carriage as it went past.

  “Looks like we’re here,” Sean said.

  “Yes, sir,” Helga said. The moment the carriage stopped, she was out the door. “It is clear, sir.”

  Sean got out and smiled as he looked at the large manor and the much larger building to the side of it. He nodded to the guards by the doors of both buildings as he waited.

  Henry came out of the manor, striding toward them. “Sean, I was surprised you asked to see me.”

  “I’m here to help,” Sean said. “Can we retire to your study to speak?”

  Henry hesitated, then nodded. “Of course. Please follow me.”

  They were crossing the entry room when a snide voice called to them from near the stai
rs, “What is this, brother? I thought you turned your back on the nobility.”

  Henry stopped and turned to the speaker, drawing himself up to his full height. “Morgan, my guests are not your concern.”

  “They are in the family home, so it is,” Morgan sneered. “Until you have proof you are the head of the family, my dispute lasts. Now, who are you?”

  Sean met Morgan’s gaze and instantly disliked the half-dwarven man. “It’s rude to ask for another’s name before giving your own.”

  “Morgan Darkfoam, the true heir of the Darkfoam family. And you are?”

  “Sean MacDougal and my guard, Helga Oathsworn.”

  Morgan’s nostrils flared and he took a step toward Sean. “You!” His head snapped to the side, his eyes locking on Henry’s. “You would dare bring him here? Are you planning on killing the entire family?”

  Sean blinked in surprise at the hatred and accusation.

  Henry snorted a laugh. “Fool. He didn’t kill our father. You’re just bitter because I lived.”

  Morgan’s hands clenched. Approaching his brother, Morgan hissed, “It’d have been better if you had died on the street.”

  “For you, yes,” Henry said coldly. “I survived and can fix what our father did. Now, excuse me. Until the chief magistrate rules, I am the acting head of the family.”

  Morgan’s teeth ground together and he stalked away from them. “You’ll be gone within the tenday!” He eyed Sean as he went past. “You’ll get yours, too.”

  Sean stepped sideways and out of Morgan’s way. “Yeah, Denmur thought the same thing.”

  Morgan’s eye twitched as he stomped past.

  Henry sighed. “Thank you for not killing him. He might be an ass, but he is my only sibling. He’s gotten worse since Father died. I think Carver put the idea in his head of taking the family from me.”

  “With that attitude, it seems likely,” Sean agreed.

  “Please, follow me,” Henry said, leading the way again.

  Taking a seat in the study, Sean looked over the room. Everything was dark woods and golden lanterns. It was richly appointed, but not overly done. “Nice place.”

  “My father had good taste in décor, at least,” Henry sighed. “Now, what can I do for you?”

  “I need an Agreement,” Sean said. “If you give it, I can deliver to you your father’s will.”

  Henry froze in place for a moment, then exhaled slowly. “How would you know where it is?”

  “That’s why I need the Agreement,” Sean said. “It’s balanced against your life, so consider it, but let me offer it to you while you think.”

  Sean offered the same Agreement he had to everyone else, and no sooner had he finished than Henry agreed. Feeling the weight settle over him, Sean stood up and went to the rightmost bookshelf. The third shelf had five books that displayed titles about the Hunter. Sean removed those books, then studied the panel behind it with Mage Sight. Nodding, he touched the spot that glowed. The panel clicked and slid to the side.

  Sean stepped back, revealing the safe to Henry. “Right where your father said it would be. I bet you have the key for it.”

  Henry stared at the safe. “Maybe… but how?”

  “This is why I needed the Agreement,” Sean said softly. “Ven, are we secure?”

  “Yes, sir,” Ven said, landing on the desk. “The Fairy of the house has respected our request and has withdrawn. Their Agreement with the family ends today and they will likely be seeking to join the clan.”

  Henry grimaced. “Can we convince them to stay?”

  “You might if you are sincere and show good faith,” Ven said. “They will negotiate with you, but considering what they can get for joining our clan, it will be a hard negotiation.”

  “I will do my best,” Henry sighed. “At least I never treated them badly.”

  “No, but you never treated them well, either,” Ven countered. “We have spoken to all the Messenger Fairies in the city. We know how all of them have been treated.”

  “This is taking us away from the original topic,” Henry sighed again. “How did you know about that safe, Sean?”

  “Your father told me last night,” Sean said, then launched into a quick explanation of the bog and his talk with Henry’s father.

  Henry just sat there, stunned, when Sean finished speaking. Minutes ticked by before he shook his head. “Will you let his soul go?”

  “I will.”

  “Thank you,” Henry said. “He might have had problems and done wrong, but he is still my father.”

  “I understand. Do you have a key to that safe?”

  “Yes. It’d be best if I waited to open it until tomorrow. My brother is already likely to cause trouble with you being here. A little distance might help.”

  “Okay,” Sean said, standing up. “Best of luck.”

  Henry stood up and shook his hand. “Sean, why?”

  “You were decent and needed help. Your father also thanked me for helping you. I hope you live better than he did, Henry.”

  Henry walked Sean out, thinking about what he’d been told and how generous Sean was being. When the carriage rolled out of the yard, he went back inside— he had a lot of thinking to do.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Arriving at the Forged Bonds workshop, Sean followed Helga out of the carriage. “Fredrick, she should be here soon, right?”

  “Yes. I told you a little earlier so you can check over the works in progress. We should present our best foot forward.”

  “Sure,” Sean replied. “I’ll check with Ryan and the lightbulbs first.”

  “Is that a compliment, or should I worry?” Ryan chuckled as Sean came closer to his group.

  “Honestly, it’s because there are less parts to look at,” Sean replied. “However, they’re fiddly and require concentration to execute properly.”

  “Now you’re buttering us up,” Ryan laughed, “but it’s fine. I don’t think we’ve allowed errors to creep in.”

  Sean nodded to the others working and did a quick look down the assembly line they had going. “It all looks good to me. How’s the glass coming in?”

  “We just got a shipment today,” Ryan said. “Want to check them?”

  “Sure,” Sean said. “Might as well QC it.”

  “‘QC’?” Ryan asked.

  “Sorry. It means ‘quality control.’”

  “Ah, to make sure everything is quality?”

  “Yeah. I want to see if they’re giving us substandard glass or not.”

  Ryan led him off to the side where a collection of supplies had been sorted into groups. A wooden container sat with bulbs in separated pockets, nestled with straw. Sean turned Mage Sight on and looked them over, then moved four of them. “Those four need work. The other sixteen are fine.”

  “We’ll work with them later after Archlet leaves, then,” Ryan said.

  “For the best,” Sean agreed. “How are things with Italice?”

  “Good,” Ryan smiled. “We’ve been talking about children. With everyone else looking to have them, we thought maybe we should be considering it, too.”

  “That’s great,” Sean said. “At least the kids will all have friends their own age to play with.”

  “That was one of the things we discussed,” Ryan grinned. “She’s thinking about it today. Her mother was in full support.”

  “Most mothers are. They all seem to love the idea of grandchildren,” Sean laughed. “Okay, I need to go check on the trucks.”

  Ryan waved him off, going back to his own work.

  “Sean, it’s good to see you,” Giralt chuckled. “I was thinking of coming by tomorrow morning for the carriages.”

  “As long as it’s early. I have to be at Charie’s at midday.”

  “Of course,” Giralt nodded.

  “I’m curious... what are you working on most of the time?”

  “Besides making the engines with help? Refining the runes and trying different ideas. Fredrick has given me a gen
erous research budget.”

  “Good. Research is always a good place to invest. I hope my request for mithril hasn’t hindered things.”

  Fredrick came over. “Not at all. The mithril I’ve been sending over was purchased with the money you gave the association. Your proceeds from the association haven’t been touched— I just took from what you tried to give us. I thought you might need your money in time.”