[Mkguild] Life II: Dreams and Desires - C

[Jack Moore]

Life II: Dreams and Desires - C

Their is a profound silence before the Keep awakens which turns my mind to
the divine. The Keep is so loud normally, with thousands of voices from
hundreds of species talking all at once. When it’s quiet it makes me
thoughtful.
“I have a name.” I said to myself, “And the name of the contractor who
hired him, and the building he was working on. I wonder if I will need to
speak to Misha Brightleaf…”
If you don’t know who Misha Brightleaf is, then I can’t imagine you know
much about Metamor. Imagine a muscular, masculine fox with firm muscles and
scars you could just run your tongue over and a tail that-
...I apologise, I got off topic. Anyway, I’d never met Misha except
incidentally. I was however excited for the chance. You know I’m sure I
could find a reason to speak to Misha if I look hard enough?
'Yes I suppose I could.' Just the thought made me smile. I had to carry my
tail strung over my shoulder to keep it from dragging on the ice cold
cobblestones. All of my years now as a glorified iguana and I had never
once found a way to better transport the bloody thing.
My thoughts on my walk swirled about, and eventually turned back to my
earlier conversation. 'Did I make it clear enough this was not a romantic
encounter? I need her to know that it isn’t. I mean I could use some…'
It had been a long time since I had a lover. I frowned. 'How do I come off
to her? As a weirdo? I don’t...who cares, I have more important things to
worry about than what others think about me. No, not true. I care what the
bull thinks.'
The last night I was with Sotto before those two...creatures killed him,
was the last time I was with anyone with my abilities. And that was just
shy of eight years ago. Now though I had found someone like me, in my own
city! I had walked by them and been literally inches away.
'I’m so close. I’m so close to not being alone. How do I convince him?'
That stopped me in my tracks. 'Shit.'
I was nine years old when I first began to notice something...odd about me.
If I focused, I could hear people speaking without their lips moving. And
then when I was ten I could feel people touching me who weren’t there, even
if I didn’t concentrate.
When I was eleven the spirits started to get violent.
At the age of fourteen, just after my birthday, my adopted parents sent me
to live with Mr. Sotto. I was already convinced by then, because I had
discovered my powers on my own. By the time Mr. Sotto found me I was a
talented amature. I was able to be trained in five years, something that
impressed my mentor.
'For all I know he’s trained himself somewhat already. I resumed walking.
But he hasn’t had a Mr. Sotto. I’m going to be Mr. Sotto. Eli Maker of All
protect him.' By now I was shivering. It didn’t make me any warmer, but it
made me feel better.
The lantern was one of the only lights still burning when I arrived. I
expected that. What I didn’t expect was to see was Remmie under the lamp,
shaking like a leaf. Unlike me she had a cloak, which she had pulled
scale-tight. Not that that would help her much…
“Warden.” I gave her a nod. “What brings you out early this morning? And
not in the Watch House?” Remmie forced a smile. Her tail creeped over the
edge of her cloak.
“Just stuff, and hells is it always this cold? It’s April!” I smiled.
“You’re a reptile, cold hurts you, and wet cold is brutal. April is
especially bad, like knives under the skin. You will-” I paused, “Actually,
no. It will be terrible from now on.”
“Thanks for the cheering up.” She pulled the hood over her head. “Anything
else you want to tell me to make being a lizard better?” I laughed.
“You never seemed to mind the scales when it was warm, or when it was dry
cold.” My eyes narrowed. “Remmie, why are you waiting for me out here?”
“We got an issue.” Remmie said. “The bull you wanted me to look at?”
“Alvaro Velasco.” I said. “You weren’t supposed to continue looking into
him.” Remmie twisted in place, trying to look away. “What did you discover
that you are trying to conceal from me Remmie?”
“Well...I got what’s his face’s residence from...an arrest report.” Remmie
said. “Leather head was arrested for stealing lumber. Different Watch House
picked him up.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few folded
sheets. “This is what ya need to know. But it ain’t pretty Janie.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” I mumbled, opening the package. Public
drunkenness, assault, theft, theft, assault and another theft. 'And we’re
not imprisoned because?'
“Apparently he was a work release thing. As for the theft, well horn-head
argued he got the directions he was supposed to take it mixed up. No proof
he was stealing, so they let him go. But yeah, fired for that one.”
Remmie’s eyes focused on me. “I don’t mind having crooks around. Hell, we
let crooks run most countries. You ain’t like that though Janie.”
“I have a...reason.” I said. 'My pupil is a criminal. My pupil should
probably have been exiled already. Why on Earth is he like this Eli?'
“Yeah well I don’t know why ya want him.” Remmie said. “If you can, find
someone else. Cuz this guy? Looks like a shit.” I folded the papers back up
and stuck them in my pants pocket.
“Yes he rather does.” I said. “But I have to speak to him and him alone,
it’s urgent.” Remmie frowned.
“Why? What are ya hiding from me Janie?” My face revealed nothing. But
inside, as always, I wondered. I can tell her right now. And it would
feel...she’d not trust me. The feeling died.
“It’s irrelevant.” I said to Remmie. “We are needed inside. Come along
Warden.” Remmie mumbled something else but followed quickly behind me.
That was my first surprise for the day. My second came as I reached Srgt.
Tibble’s desk. The Srgt. was engaged in something besides guarding the
door. He conversed with a tan-furred Rusa (Think a deer with longer back
legs).
The Rusa was tall with broad shoulders. His ears were nicked and small
scars cut through the fur on his face. His arms were clenched behind his
back and legs held tightly together. No shoes, the hoof feet made up for
that.
He wore a red tabard, with the Duke’s emblem on it. Under it I could hear
chainmail clinking. He was significantly better armed than I was, I could
see a real sword strapped to his side. A knight of the Red Stallion.
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