Fluid - 45

After getting a few kilometres beyond Cendëróme’s northernmost scouts, I shift directly back to Sanctuary’s foyer. Within the hall, Sarah has stretched out on the dance floor in a restrained version of her Dragon form, giving Ellother and an elderly Human male a chance to examine her scales. As I walk forward quietly, taking in the man’s melody, Sarah lifts her head to peer over them. The motion prompts the pair to look my way, and Sarah takes on a Human form with a diaphanous red dress that comes down to her ankles, enfolding her.

The melody of the greying man is aged and more drawn out than I’d expected based on what Sarah had told me. A jagged scar runs down from beside his right eyebrow and hooks under his cheekbone, tightening his lower eyelid. There is a lingering Infernal cold within the wound where it gouged into bone, despite multiple blessings. Though broad-shouldered, the notes of his muscles are tight and hardened with age, even as the strength from his classes still reinforces them.

A weird, uncomfortable silence shrouds them while they wait for me to come close. Though both Sarah and Ellother go to introduce me, I get in first.

“Master Gaius?” I ask and extend my hand. “My name’s Gailneth.”

He nods and doesn’t hesitate to clasp my forearm firmly, though he glances awkwardly at Sarah mid-introduction. “Sidero, I mean Sarah, says this place is yours.”

“A gift to supposedly make hosting easier, but my aunt overdid things,” I explain. “Will you be staying with us for a time? I know Aunt Sarah would love you to stay.”

My reference to Sarah causes him to blink, but his tone remains calm. “I’ve not decided yet, though I’m between work now.”

“Sarah speaks highly of you. It would be my pleasure to have you as a guest for however long you’d like,” I say and, as he releases my hand, I gesture at the tables. “As you can see, we’ve plenty of room. There also isn’t a rush to decide, as you’re welcome to return anytime.”

“That’s very kind of you,” allows Gaius.

“It seems I interrupted you two admiring Sarah’s body,” I quip.

Ellother sputters, but Gaius gives a rough bark of a laugh. “This isn’t where I ever thought to see her again, nor the situation I imagined.”

My stomach quietly complains, and the wards tell me Litthor and Mallach are both in their glades.

“Life can be quite surprising around my family,” I admit and leave it at that, unsure if Sarah’s conveyed my offer to reverse his ageing. “I know it’s not yet your dinnertime, but would you care to join us for something light to eat? I’d be interested to hear about your work as an Artificer.”

“My creations are nothing compared to what I’ve seen here,”

“I’m sure you have a wealth of experience about what objects make things easier in Human society,” I counter. “I’ll admit I likely shock people, so I could use some advice about presenting offers of help.”

“Advice? Wouldn’t the Adventurers’ Guild here be the place to seek that?”

“They have their perspective, and I have mine, but I think additional viewpoints can’t hurt. When I make offers, I can feel their defensiveness or confusion and wonder if I’m presenting it wrong. I’d offer you an opportunity to advise and craft if interested.”

Gaius doesn’t look at Sarah as he replies. “I’d have to think carefully about such an offer. You create works on a considerable scale. I’ve met blacksmiths who got shaken by forges that didn’t need fuel.”

Motioning towards the table, I try to relax him with a smile. “Would you tell me more?”

With decades as an Artificer and crafter, he has more than a few insights to share about requests both big and small. Under his polite demeanour, it’s clear Litthor doesn’t know what to make of Gaius when he joins us for the meal. Meanwhile, I can tell Mallach sees it as an opportunity for information gathering, both on what interests me and what Gaius is sharing. Perhaps Mallach’s looking to score their alliance some sales or source goods?

I don’t know how to offer Gaius the gift of restoring his youth, so I leave it for now. When he and Sarah head outside, I look between Litthor and Mallach.

“The other day, I bent your ears about being so rigid. While that, I’ll admit, is my biased perspective, I’d ask for your insight. Would you tell me what you believe to be the benefits of the Andúnë social structure?”

“Stability,” offers Litthor immediately.

Mallach smiles at my question but is slower to respond.

“Certainly, I can appreciate a stable society. Though you seem to have issues with the chain of command that stability has currently put in place.”

“It was a time of instability that caused the current chain of command ‌to come about,” argues Litthor. “Indeed, factions acted in haste and delivered new lines of seniority is part of the upset. They have their agendas and care nothing for precedent or what has served us well in places outside their experience.”

“Would you care to share times in the past when stability has worked well and the outcomes it provided?” I ask. I motion to include Ellother in my invitation when she seems ready to excuse herself.

That their granular guild structure makes it clear who has authority over what isn’t a point I had considered. Nor that it prevents individuals from grabbing influence. Though I’ve already made my viewpoints about its downside clear, I persist in using my ears, not my mouth. I only prod the three of them with occasional questions during their explanation.

The conversation passes without Litthor mentioning his meeting with the High Crafter until the end.

“If I could impose upon you for a Gate to Duskstone again tomorrow?” asks Litthor, and he continues before I can ask. “The High Crafter had limited time today and invited me to return.”

I manage not to squeal in glee or even smile too broadly. “That’s fine; I’ll ensure you get to the outer gates safely and leave you to it.”

“You’re not seeking to aid a mining crew tomorrow?” asks Mallach, and I catch a hint of disappointment in his posture.

“Not tomorrow, but if you want to earn their regard, I can make time on other days. I’ll see if Irene or others want to accompany us as well,” I say and receive a pleased nod from Mallach.

After my reverie, I catch up on harp practice: hours of scales and nearly six hours of experimenting with every string of the floor harp. I don’t know how the harp I’m after will feel in comparison, and I can only hope my practice will let me quickly transfer between them.

Having prepared new gear for Nanoĸ and Irene, I’m just getting ready for the day when I hear Sarah approach. It’s not her idly wandering about since her mind touches my own.

“Auntie?”

“I’d like to talk,” announces Sarah.

“Come through,” I reply as I stomp to settle my feet in my boots.

There is something twitchy about Sarah’s movements, and when the barrier closes behind her, she paces about.

“Have you extended my offer to Gaius yet?” I ask to prod her thoughts loose.

Shaking her head, Sarah sighs. “I didn’t want to presume without you meeting him. You could have withdrawn the offer if you didn’t like how he sounded.”

“He sounds very conflicted, intellectually and emotionally. Besides a lingering Infernal residue in the scar, his melodies aren’t particularly alarming.”

That news got a heartfelt groan from Sarah. “I would have thought living in a temple complex would have eliminated that.”

“Maybe it couldn’t because his heart clung to you,” I squee.

“Is there anything you can do about that?” asks Sarah, ignoring my gleeful statement.

“It was likely not cleansed because his subconscious longed for someone he believed evil. You know, pain-loving Kyton and all that. I take it you explained more of your nature to him now?” I ask.

“Unlike Amdirlain, I don’t lay out my life story for others to understand. If they don’t want to trust me, fuck them.”

“Well, he trusted you and fucked you,” I quip. “Seems it works regardless.”

When she huffs, I give her a grin and continue. “I’ll ask Aunt Am if she can compose a tune to shift the energy. Another option is brute force—cutting the bone out and regrowing it.”

“Let’s ask Amdirlain first,” agrees Sarah. “You said ‘aren’t particularly alarming’, any other issues?”

“I mean, it’s quite scandalous that your Human form looks young enough to be his granddaughter yet he still has a flame burning for you,” I tease.

I reflexively offer an innocent smile at Sarah’s flat look. “Right. He wanted to speak to you privately. Maybe I should dissuade him.”

Sniffing, I give her a chin quiver. “Don’t you love me anymore, Auntie Sarah?”

“I know you have a resurrection mechanism; don’t make me strangle you,” grumbles Sarah.

“I’ll behave, I promise,” I laugh.

Sarah huffs. “Badly?”

“Nah, I’ll leave that up to you two,” I retort.

“You’re in a mood this morning,” observes Sarah.

“I’m impatient to explore the peninsula, but I know the training time will help Nikias and Myrto,” I say and listen for Gaius. “Has he gone outside?”

“He has,” confirmed Sarah. “He wanted to savour the pre-dawn sea air. He spent the last decade living far inland after being from Nova Roma originally.”

“Do you find it weird that they call their capital and Kingdom the same thing?” I enquire.

My insightful question only gets an eye-roll from Sarah. “That’s your big concern?”

Poking out my tongue, I Teleport to the entryway and step through the Portal to the tower’s top level. While Gaius isn’t there, he’s easily found, examining one of the condensation towers rising from the bluff. Listening to the Infernal mark, I dispatch the details to Aunt Am and hope she can help. He’s got severe themes going on within him, so I'm sure giggles would be unwelcome. Taking a few minutes to calm myself, I shift my location to appear on the edge of his peripheral vision. Given how sea air can carry noises, I wrap a sound barrier around us.

“Good morning, Gaius,” I offer when he looks my way. “Did you have a good evening catching up with Sarah?”

“It was refreshing to speak to someone without being regarded with scorn,” admits Gaius.

“Tales of the expedition continue to haunt you?”

Gaius smiles tightly. “How is Sarah related to you?”

“She’s not a blood relative if that has you confused. She’s the Oath sister to another who adopted my mother as her big sister.”

“What?”

Not the strongest reaction I’ve gotten from others to my strangeness.

“My list of blood relatives is tiny. I’ll take all the adopted relationships I can get,” I reply. “Sarah’s odd but very loyal to those she cares about.”

He absently traces the scar from his temple to his cheek, and I don’t think he even notices. “Why are interested enough in my perspective to offer employment to an old man?”

Glad he’s not choosing to ignore the offer from last night, I beam with delight.

“Sarah knows you, and neither of us has a good perspective on what is normal among local artificers. A few of us nudged her to contact you, but that’s not something I’m sticking my nose into further,” I reply. “Regarding my job offer, I can offer excellent benefits, pay, and materials. I’d love it if you took on to teach a local as an apprentice.”

“I’m a little old to be taking on apprentices; I’d hate to leave someone half-trained,” replies Gaius.

“If you were young, would you consider it?”

Gaius snorts. “Age only goes one way, young Gail. I’m not an Elf and will be seventy soon enough.”

Given his past, I don’t want to risk bringing any price into the picture. “Time can’t be reversed, but someone’s physical condition can. I restore your physical youth and you teach one apprentice, everything else is optional and subject to pay. Consider it like a High Priest’s healing keeps their body young and an obligation-free bonus for considering my offer.”

“Are you serious?” Gaius eagerly gasps.

With only a wink to warn him, the music’s energy enfolds him and slips into his form. I’d learnt a lot from listening to Androkles’s rejuvenated song. His gaze widens as his breathing eases, and deposits within his joints and spine melt away. By the time I’m done, he appears barely in his mid-twenties; hopefully, he doesn’t have trouble being taken seriously.

Waving at the tower’s entrance, I offer a smile. “I’m going to serve breakfast now; I hope you are feeling hungry.”

Gaius gives me a stunned look and shifts in place, stretching and twisting his upper body; his muscles and joints' tight and hardened notes have disappeared. “How is this possible?”

“It’s a scarce type of elven magic.”

“Why did you do this?”

“Consider it a long overdue thank you for your work on Winter’s Heart; your sword helped kill Apollo. Heck, I wanted to turn you into a Dragon, but Sarah told me not to be silly,” I admit.

“Dragon,” chokes Gaius.

Taking his arm, I usher him inside as he protests the gift. “Again, with no obligation, but let me know if the idea later appeals. Sarah uses shed scales for crafting projects, so keep that in mind. Anyway, I’ll shift forms at the drop of a hat; most people seem attached to their original shapes and species. Come on, breakfast time, and I’m hungry.”

Litthor turns up to breakfast already prepared for his day in Duskstone and doesn’t so much as blink at Gaius’ change in appearance. Aside from Sarah, the others are more shocked than surprised at his restored youth. Still, breakfast is relaxed, and I catch Sarah’s gaze gleaming when Gaius gently squeezes her hand when she passes him a plate of food.

After breakfast, and ensuring Litthor makes it into Duskstone safely, I head down to the village. I’d pushed people into eating breakfast earlier than I had thought since I arrived when the service in Hestia’s Temple was only just drawing to a close. The ground underfoot is soggy from recent rain, damp enough it must have rained overnight, the clouds overhead are thinning out.

Athena notices my arrival at the edge of the Temple’s grounds and appears beside me as Irene starts the service’s closing prayer.

“Good morning, Thea. How has your stay been?”

“Interesting with all the fuss you’re stirring up,” replied Thea. “You might not share your Mother’s viewpoint, but you know how to put the fox in a henhouse. There have been lots of folks squawking and carrying on.”

“That’s not an accurate analogy. I don’t expect any dead chickens from what I’ve done or proposed,” I reply with a fake huff.

Thea’s laughter brightens the air. “Oh girl, you’ve scared the crud out of Selene and Georgius. They both expect you to put them out of business in short order. A little birdie told me that Georgius was yelling at her about you putting the thumbscrews to him. Then you made him an offer he liked but has concerns about taking because she ripped you off.”

“I just pointed out I knew about their close kinship and the stunt she’d pulled. That’s why the business offer I made him would require ongoing financial review.”

“Are you going to wait for permission before you set up your transport gates?” asks Thea.

“Yes. I’ve got other things I can use the materials for, so if they don’t want them, they won’t get them. The main things I’d like to implement are roads and a sewer. I’m sure that enough rain will turn the village’s roads and alleyways into quagmires.”

That statement has Thea issuing a curious hum. “Why didn’t you start with those?”

“If they have the transport gates, the kids don’t have to trek as far in the heat or rain to get to lessons.”

“Why are the lessons so important to you?”

“Aunt Am says the more you know, the easier it is to learn, and ignorance isn’t protection.”

“Is she alright?”

Sighing, I shake my head. “No, she’s hurting because of some things that happened. Presently, she’s mostly lying low, but it’s far from safe where she is.”

“Anything I can do to help her, let me know,” offers Thea.

A few ladies leaving the service say farewell to ‘Thea’ but nervously continue without coming close.

When I glance after them, Thea speaks up. “Even the thought of speaking to a noble intimidates most villagers. You’ll get exceptions, and they will speak to you if you insist, yet to most of them, you’re one of the nobility and powerful, no matter what you say otherwise..”

“Peeking into brains isn’t nice,” I note.

“Lots of mental yelling,” counters Thea. “What do I say if she speaks to me? Please ignore me, and so on.”

The jumpy notes within some themes had given me that impression, but I’d hoped I might be wrong. “I’ve spoken to some villagers who were fine, despite the elves.”

“Can’t expect everyone to be the same, but you might be the victim of a whisper campaign,” advises Thea.

“Next time I start in a Human town, I’ll wear frequently repaired leather armour and patched cotton clothing.”

Thea’s glows brighten with amusement, further spreading her filigree shell's shadow. “Then they’ll look down on you for not matching their expectations of an Elf.”

A memory of Nanoĸ’s original criticism that gets me snorting with laughter. “Then I’ll come up with a different disguise. Though if I won’t come out ahead, I might as well wear comfortable clothing,”

As the last of the attendees leave, Myrto and Irene join us.

“Morning, Gail,” said Myrto with a smile. “Are you going to come to the Guildhall and join in some training today?”

“I intend to join you this morning, but I wanted to discuss some matters with Irene,” I reply, and Myrto’s smile broadens.

With my promise given, Myrto doesn’t linger, heading on her way with boots squelching on the rain-soaked ground.

“Have you come to discuss your transport portals further or something else?” enquired Irene.

“Thea suggested normal roads if you believe they’re too much,” I reply. “She also said I frightened Georgius and Selene, but that’s not a matter I’d planned to discuss.”

“Come inside,” instructs Irene. “I know you eat early, but I don’t normally break my morning fast until after services.”

“That’s okay, I’ll be out of your hair quickly. I just have some stuff to give you, and then I’ll add some more books to the library while you eat,” I reply and receive a look of surprise from Irene.

“Nanoĸ’s shield took a worse battering than mine,” objects Irene.

“Yeah, I’ve got a shield, plus armour and weapons for him,” I say, motioning to the refectory. “Shall we go inside?"

When Irene turns back from putting a pot of water on to heat, I’ve got her chainmail hauberk, short sword, spear, and shield laid out along with a ring of storing. “I’m not sure when we’ll get our reward from the mining expedition, but as soon as I pick it up, I’ll bring it by.”

Looking between the gleaming mithril and me, Irene staggers and sits at the table. “What is all this?”

Her fingers tracing over the delicate-looking armour, Irene’s mouth works like a landed fish.

Thea suppresses her laughter and takes Irene's question seriously. “From what I can tell, it’s mithril armour, weapons, and a dimensional storage ring‌.”

“I don’t need this,” protests Irene.

“You might not feel you need it. However, if you want to get stronger, I’ll take you on more trips to challenge yourself,” I explain. “Regardless, the equipment belongs to you now. I like to protect my team members to the best of my ability.”

“I would indeed want to go along. I think your generosity is part of what makes you intimidating, Gail,” observes Irene. “You have capabilities others can’t match and exercise them so casually. Those that don’t like the changes you’ve made fear what you might do if crossed.”

“The worst I’d do is scold them and take back my gifts,” I huff. “You’re not the only one who has suggested I disable the evaporation facilities I created for Selene. When is the next council meeting?”

Irene sighs. “We will hold it the day after tomorrow. I wanted one earlier, but Selene whinged.”

“Where are they normally held?”

“They cycle between locations; the next one is at the Guildhall,” advises Irene

“Can I just show up, or do I need an invitation? And would it be best to talk about fixing the village roads then?”

Irene gives an edged smile. “Since you have paid your land tithe for the bluff, you are technically a village member. That entitles you to attend as many or few as you’d like. If you want to come along, you can present all your ideas together, shock them into submission.”

“Alright, I’ll be there. Now, I’ll leave you to have breakfast and store your equipment. I’ve got a library to fill,” I say, laughing at Irene’s exasperated expression.

“Thank you. You are far too generous, Gail and I would advise you to leave things for others to contribute,” Irene remarks. “Some people don’t properly respect things they get for free.”

“Most people don’t, but expect the library to attract people eventually and be a source of income for the Temple. Make sure you charge scholars to access it,” I say before I bid her farewell and head for the library, already considering what shelves to fill next.

I don’t intend to do everything, but setting up the infrastructure so the village can grow more easily makes sense.

By the time I’ve filled the library, shifting to the street down from the Guildhall proves overkill; the morning rush had likely finished an hour ago. Within the premises, I hear Alfarr and Yngvarr upstairs in the Guild Master’s office with some of the Guild’s staff. Seven youthful melodies are present besides the four I’d expected to meet in the training hall.

Heading inside, I find a female receptionist at the counter that I’ve not met before, shifting through job markers. She pretends to be engrossed in checking each one against a ledger before her, so she can not notice me quietly slipping past. I’m such a rule-breaker!

Down the corridor beyond her, I hear Ipy correcting an issue with Myrto’s sword technique, giving me a window of opportunity to enter the hall. The link between us means that Nikias immediately spots me entering the training hall. His rest from training comes from the other youngsters keeping Nanoĸ and Ipy busy. I’ve not met any of them. They’re a mix of boys and girls, ranging in build from a whip-lean girl to a barrel-chested boy.

“I’m well-practised with a variety of short blades if you need another instructor,” I offer.

Ipy glances at the suddenly wide-eyed teenagers. “If you and Nanoĸ pair off against Nikias and Myrto, I’ll keep them working on drills.”

Hopefully, they’re able to overcome their reaction in time.