<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Needed a break from my current Lois story, so I took some time off to go see what Gerard got up to during the plague. I hope you enjoy! -LurkingWolf --- <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> March 11, 708 CR<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard stood within the door of his home, leaning against one of the walls watching quietly as his wife sat at the table, reading by the light of a small lamp that sat at its center. It was still early afternoon, but every window in the house had been shuttered and every door locked against the silent menace that was the plague.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Since first word of the plague had reached their ears, the deer and his youthful wife had taken every precaution against it, seeking aid both physical and spiritual to counter the looming threat. So far it had worked; their small family, although exhausted by long hours spent within the house, remained untouched by the infirmity.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard had spent most of the first day following the announcement within the Cathedral of Metamor, praying fervently that his family would be saved from this calamity. He had forgotten much of what he had said during those terrified hours of petition, but he remembered asking for whatever part of the plague that might have been reserved to his family to fall on him rather than on his wife or children. So far Eli’s grace had done far better.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The chaos of the past week had at least helped him learn the workings of his new leg to a far greater extent. He felt nearly ready to try fighting on it. The pain had not gone away, but it was much like many other pains that he had faced in his life. If he busied himself with other things he found that the pain faded to the back of his mind, where it could be simply ignored if not forgotten. He had been forced to alter his stride to adjust for the way the false limb affected his balance, but it was far better than the strange hobble he often saw in men who were forced to use wooden legs. It was not perfect, but it was far better than any alternative he could consider.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The eerie silence of his house was finally disturbed by a sharp knock on the door. Gerard glanced at his wife, but she was already collecting her book and heading back towards the bedrooms where the boys were quietly playing to occupy their time. He would answer the door, but he did not want to risk someone harming his family. Even good men could make rash decisions in such a desperate time.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Once he was certain that the rest of his family was safely hidden in the house’s deeper rooms, Gerard turned and cracked the door slightly. Although he expected to find someone seeking help for an afflicted loved one, he was surprised to see instead a familiar face.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “George! What brings you hear at a time like this? I’ve never even seen you outside of your office before!”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The jackal stood a few paces back from the door, wearing a simple, laced linen shirt and a pair of trousers of a design especially meant for a canine Keeper’s physique. The only part of his wardrobe that could be considered decorative was the cutlass he wore at his belt. This lack of luxury was a departure for the Keep’s chief of scouts, who seemed to have acquired a taste for the finer things in life since coming into money lately. Although he did not mention it, this was also the first time that Gerard had seen the patrolmaster visibly armed.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Gerard! It has been some time since we last spoke,” the jackal replied, mostly ignoring Gerard’s questions. He glanced at the stag’s lost leg and winced. “My condolences for the loss of your leg.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard nodded. “It is difficult to live with, but the provision of the false leg has proved immensely helpful,” he answered. “What brings you to my doorstep today?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Actually, my visit is related to your leg. I have been told that you intend to continue on in the patrols, and I wished to assess your combat readiness once you had been given some time to adjust to your new limb. The original intention was to send someone else to perform this task, but as it happens the Keep’s patrol network is in the hands of other parties while this quarantine is in effect, and I have time to personally see to this task.” He drummed his claws along the hilt of his cutlass. “Would now be a good time for you?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard was caught off guard. If seeing George at his doorstep was a shock, having him ask to assess his combat readiness so suddenly nearly floored the buck. “I haven’t tested my skills since I lost my leg,” he managed to reply before his surprise was too obvious. “I am willing, of course, but I may show some rust, sir” he added hastily.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George gave a knowing chuckle. “Eager to prove that you are still capable?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Yes, sir.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Stop it with the formalities!” the jackal chided. “I may organize the bloody patrols, but we’ve known each other far long enough to be beyond titles by now.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard chuckled nervously. “Of course. Let me speak to my wife quickly and I will be right out.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The stag waited for George to nod in affirmation before gently closing the door against unwanted entrants and heading back into his home. He found his wife playing quietly with his sons. Because of the way the Curse had touched her, she fit in very well in their little group. She glanced up as her husband entered the room and excused herself to speak with him.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard quietly explained what was happening. Amber looked skeptical at first, but she finally admitted that it was important to demonstrate his readiness to rejoin the patrols, even if she wished he did not have to return to the field after his injury. She realized that, as dangerous as it was, it was vital for men like her husband to see to the Keep’s defense.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Taking his coat from the hook by the door, Gerard stepped out of his house and set the latch behind him. George waited in indifferent silence as Gerard silently prayed for his family by the door, and then the two of them set off together, George leading the way as they sought out the training fields.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> It was unclear if George had any intention of discretion, but it was difficult for Gerard not to notice the way the jackal stole constant glances at the contraption that Gerard now wore in place of his missing leg. The stag tried to impress the patrolmaster with the smoothness of his gait, but he also tried not to be obvious about his efforts. He was relieved when the jackal finally broke the silence after a few minutes of walking.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I see you brought no sword. I suppose we should stop by the armory on our way?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard nodded. “I have never owned anything more than a short sword for my own use. The swords from the armory are usually quite sufficient.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Your surname seems to imply some noble heritage,” George noted. “It surprises me that you would not have inherited some weapon through a noble bloodline.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard gave a nod of affirmation. “I believe some distant ancestors of mine may have been landed nobles in some dark corner of the Midlands, but never since coming to Metamor, and that reaches back three generations at least. Whatever inheritance may have belonged to us at one time has long since been forgotten. I like the simplicity of this life, but I will admit that more financial stability would be appreciated.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George gave a knowing smile and a shake of his head. “You don’t need to be a noble to find some money. In the past it might have been so, but any man may become rich in today’s world – with the right set of skills. Perhaps you will find your fortune yet.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard knew that the man spoke from experience, but he still gave a skeptical frown. “If I do, I hope Eli gives me the wisdom to not abuse that privilege.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George gave an amused, barking chuckle. “You are far too straight-laced to find any sort of real trouble.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The stag smiled. He hoped that the old jackal knew what he was talking about, but he always feared the darkness that the winding paths of life could reveal in him.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The rest of the journey was occupied by simple small talk, and a few more questions from George regarding his background. The jackal had a strange manner to him that made it difficult to discern if he was sincerely interested in the answers that the stag gave, or if he simply did not wish to pass the trip in silence. Whatever the case, the journey was short and uneventful. Those who could afford to were doing much as Gerard and his family had been until George’s arrival, remaining indoors, hoping and praying that the plague would be stopped by their walls. The rest were not wasting any time reaching their destinations. No one wanted to tempt the evil malady that had sewn fear in the hearts of the Keep’s entire population.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The armory was nearly empty when the two men arrived, occupied mostly by those whose work it was to keep the assorted weapons in order. Gerard spoke with one of these, and quickly received permission to borrow one of the blades for the purposes of training. George’s presence was likely a large reason for his success, he supposed. Whatever the case, he made certain to choose the best quality of blade he could find. George nodded his approval at the choice. The deer was uncertain of whether the man knew anything about two-handed blades, but he trusted that George’s experience was sufficient to give him an eclectic taste for weaponry.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The man charged with the training fields met them as they exited the armory, and magically dulled their weapons so that neither of them would be badly injured by their opponent’s attacks. Gerard thanked the man and went to join George on the fields.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George gave his cutlass a few testing swings as they approached one of the practice rings. He clearly already knew the balance of the blade, so Gerard supposed that he was likely loosening his shoulder. Gerard took this as a reminder and began to stretch himself as well as he could. The false leg made it awkward at times, but he was able to satisfactorily loosen himself in a relatively brief time. George finished quickly as well, and was waiting in the circle for the buck when he finally arrived, cutlass already held at ready.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard held his longsword between his thick hands, adopting a defensive posture in response to George’s open, attacking stance. His superior gave him a short nod, and they began their exercise with no delay.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The jackal began to slowly weave his chosen sword in intricate arcs in front of his body. Once the blade began to move, it did not stop. He took a few probing strikes at Gerard’s defenses, and the stag sharply batted them away. Even then his blade continued its hypnotic spirals, drawing the eye while always staying close enough for George to meet any attack from Gerard.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> For his part, the deer did well to keep his blade in position. Although George tested him often, the patrolmaster was neither able to create a hole in his defenses, nor to gain a step that Gerard could not immediately take back with a few well-placed strikes of his own. The scout commander smiled as the fight continued on, and Gerard could see him beginning to pick up his pace. The stag steeled himself; the true test was just beginning.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George now began to force the issue, combining simple strikes with masterful series of blows aimed at forcing his opponent off balance. Gerard grunted as the strikes came more and more quickly, until he had finally had enough. Despite George’s experience, his defense was not perfect. Amid that masterful weave of attacks was a weakness, but exploiting it would require him to be ready to take a risk.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Finally, Gerard took his chance. On the second blow of one of George’s maneuvers, he spun left, letting the blade slip by. George was far too experienced to be put off balance by the momentum of his own attack so easily, but he still was forced to commit to the unenviable task of regaining the initiative against a larger, stronger opponent. Gerard began to impose his physical advantage. He drove forward, mixing broad strokes with testing prods and even threatening with an unguarded elbow once or twice. George met such threats with a matching threat to remove the deer’s arm, but the buck knew better than to commit to such a risky strategy. He instead used it as a feint, but always remained prepared to follow through with it if the jackal ever tried to call his bluff.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The result was steady progress. The jackal was forced to give ground as he struggled to generate any attack chances against this new, aggressive combat. He masterfully circled about the ring to keep from stepping out, but it was clear that he was wearying of the defensive. Gerard quietly warned himself against allowing tactical gaps in his attacks. He carefully tried to strike a balance between aggression and safety, and managed to hold his ground for several minutes of swordplay.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George’s eventual response was expected, but still showed the mark of an experienced warrior in its execution. With a few swift, defensive strokes of his blade, he managed to generate some space between himself and the stag’s aggression. He stopped his blade for the first time in the fight, and that simple lull made the ensuing attack seem that much faster.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard’s mental preparation proved vital as the more experienced fighter attempted to drive through his defenses with an arcing strike. Rather than depending on finesse – a facet of combat he expected George would easily best him in – the stag met George’s blade with a powerful attacking strike. The jackal grimaced at this, but neither seemed surprised nor caught off guard, despite the strength of his opponent. Expertly, he took a single sliding step to the side, efficiently turning his attack into a defense without moving it much at all. This reaction gave him the decisive initiative.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Unlike many opponents, George did not fall into the trap of trying to end the fight immediately. Instead, he focused his efforts on pressing the advantage he had already gained until he could not fail to turn it into a victory. He attacked Gerard’s blade, twisting body and blade in an intricate motion that allowed him to pry his opponent’s sword away from his body. Gerard did his best to recover, but the scout master trapped his weapon as he went. Left with no other option, the buck released the sword and stumbled away, doing his best to return to a fighting position as he did.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George stood over the fallen sword, the point of his cutlass leveled at his defeated opponent. Even if there had been hope for Gerard to recover his weapon, the deer was standing several paces outside of the fighting ring’s border.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The scout master gave a smile. “Well fought, my friend.” He leaned over and retrieved the two-handed sword from where it had fallen, offering it to Gerard with a flourish.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I hope it wasn’t too disappointing,” Gerard replied with trepidation. The deer was sincerely concerned that he had disappointed his commander. He was worried about what might happen if he was deemed unready for combat. George needed able bodied fighters for the patrols; if Gerard didn’t meet those expectations, he worried that he would be replaced.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> George shook his head, however. “I noticed a slight limp in your step, but you compensated for it well. If anything, it made your movements less predictable.” He motioned for Gerard to follow him as he left the fighting circle so that another pair of fighters could use it.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The jackal sat down on a stone bench provided to one side for the use of fighters while they were waiting for their next bout. He waved for Gerard to do the same, and the deer accepted the offer, settling with a small grimace as the pain in his leg increased. “Your concept of trying to overpower my attack at the end of our fight was not a bad idea, but you should consider the caliber of your opponent before trying it again. It is true that I am a smaller man compared to you, but it is also true that I did not reach my current post by being good at bureaucracy.” He gave a toothy grin, the sort Gerard had long been used to from the Keep’s many predators. It was still intimidating despite the passage of years since the Curse, and especially felt so since he was worried about the outcome of this meeting.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “So, did I meet your expectations?” he asked hesitantly.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “You did quite well,” George replied. “I would wager that you would have bested most opponents to be found here within the Keep, and I have no doubt that lutins would have been scrambling for the hills to escape your attack. I suppose in short, yes. You did as well as I expected, and perhaps better.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard gave a relieved smile, and nodded in thanks. “Thank you, George. I cannot tell you how much I’ve worried about this…”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “I do have something else to discuss with you,” the jackal interrupted. The deer thought he felt his heart stop. "Recent events have forced me into a difficult decision regarding your future." He gave a resigned smile that may have been intended as reassuring. "If I am honest with myself, I should have made this decision some time ago, but I have been putting it off because of personal reluctance.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "I did not want to lose your partnership with Alex," he explained. "It is rare to find such chemistry between men in a patrol. Even though I try to organize groups so that they will work well together, your... accidental partnership has proved more successful than many I have painstakingly arranged. Unfortunately, your patrol in particular has grown out of hand in recent weeks. The addition of Lois strained the size of it already, and then your mage managed to bind her life to that of a man and now they cannot be more than a few rooms apart. His arrival only compounds what I already knew was necessary."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard's heart sank as George leveled a serious glance at him. "Lucy's new companion, Julian, almost perfectly fills your role in the patrol," he explained. "That means either you must be forced out, or I have to find a patrol that can fit two additional members."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The stag swallowed to try to wet his dry throat. "I understand," he said, voice trembling.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The scout master gave him an odd look. "I'm not entirely certain that you do, based on your reaction." He sounded amused, a fact that confused Gerard no small amount. "I have no intention of asking you to step down from the patrols, especially not after you proved that you remain combat ready."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard blinked in confusion. "What do you intend, then?"<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "What I intend is to finally clear your request for a promotion, my friend." George chuckled as he watched the buck's face light up, his ears perking up at an instant. "There is a significant number of able-bodied men and women who have been trapped here by the plague. Once the plague is gone and the quarantine lifted, I will need new patrol captains that I can use to train the less experienced among them. I cannot help but think that you are ideally suited at this point in time."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The deer leapt to his hooves, his muzzle stretched by a jubilant smile. "You're promoting me?" he asked, incredulous.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "I wouldn't lie about something like this," George insisted with a strong smile. "I know how important a promotion will be to your family and while I am sad to lose your partnership with Alex, I am also pleased to be able to finally offer you this long-overdue reward."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard stammered in confusion for several moments before his tongue remembered how to speak words. "Thank you, sir! After I lost my leg – I feared that my time in the patrols had ended! I feared that I would never work again, and now this... sir, this will mean the world to my family!"<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "Gerard! Please, save the titles for the horse!" George gave a raucous laugh, slapping his leg. His past actions had made it clear that he respected Thomas, but his background as a mercenary made it easy for him to make light of authority. He sobered after a moment, ending his laughter with a brief shake of his head before focusing his eyes on Gerard once more. “I must say that, despite having legitimate professional reasons for this promotion, I am personally happy to see you succeed. I look forward to seeing what some inexperienced fighters can learn from a man like you.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Thank you!” Gerard staggered almost drunkenly for a few moments before steadying himself. “May I go tell my wife?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Of course! I will see to your blade; you go see to your family.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gerard did not need any further encouragement. He left the fields at a brisk jog, only a minor limp visible in his step despite his lost limb. George watched him for a few moments before returning to the barracks to turn in the equipment that had been borrowed for the stag’s use. He knew Gerard was in for a difficult challenge in the following months, but he felt confident that he was the right man to trust with the task.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The deer hurried off without a thought for his limp. The pain from his leg was present, but it was nothing compared to the combination of joy and relief that he felt at this unexpected change of events. That morning he had worried that his military career might have been over. Now he was not only proven wrong, but also assured that he would be able to provide for his family even better than before!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> He half worried that he would find one of his family stricken by the plague as penance for the joy he now felt in his heart, but they were all gathered, playing quietly but happily, all as healthy as he had left them. They were all confused at his hasty return, but Gerard’s happy face easily assuaged their concerns. Amber jumped into a hug from her husband as soon as she heard what had happened, and even though his children did not completely understand what it would mean, they all gathered around to share the joy as well.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Gerard laughed as his family pressed close all around him. It was true, he reasoned. 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