Hard Day's Work

Rick, Tadd, Mutt and Jevon struggle to keep the Guild going while waiting for news of Muld and Syndi

2.

Hard Day’s Work

 

A cold, steady rain fell all morning and afternoon, bringing an unseasonable chill to the early autumn day in Westmark.    Rick fought the dampness by pulling the hood of his cloak down further as he trudged wearily through the nearly deserted streets in the downpour.   His thoughts were as gloomy as the day and he was so lost in them that he didn’t hear her calling to him until she ran out of the dryness of the building to grab his arm.

Rick jumped, blinking away his thoughts as he turned to find the amazingly pretty yellow eyes of Shel glancing at him in concern.

“Are you giving me the cold shoulder, Rick?”   She asked, taking his arm and pulling him back to the entrance of Flapjacks where she worked as a manager.

“Sorry, Shel, I was so wrapped up with worries that I didn’t even notice you until you touched me.”    She led him into the restaurant, which served only breakfast and lunch and was closed this late in the afternoon.     A few workers swept and mopped the floors while another one stacked chairs on the tables.   From the back, the sound of someone washing dishes could be heard.    

Shel led him over to one of the tables with the chairs still on the floor and gestured for him to have a seat.  

He sank down tiredly into a chair while Shel scrutinized him with concern.

“I’ll bet you’ve not eaten anything all day, have you?”

Rick sneezed and shook his head, “No, I haven’t had time - with Muld and Syndi missing, we have been swamped since we returned.   I’ve spent the past three days trying to catch up on the Guild’s orders.    The customers mostly understand, but a few of them are irate and we’ve had quite a few of the apprentice workers quit when they heard that Muld had vanished.”

Shel patted his slumping shoulders, “I was about to ask you about any news about them.”

“There is nothing new to report.     Four days and nobody knows anything.   The wizards and clerics haven’t found anything with their magic, either.   Well, that isn’t exactly true - yesterday, Reverend Mother Zeatt cast a spell that confirmed that both of them are still alive, but that is all that it showed.”

“What about Lady Sophia?”

“She contacted another former Watcher - Lady Deborah- and the two of them, along with Khord and Lady Alleania left this morning for King’s Reach to search the royal archives that are still there for any old record that might give them clues to where Muld and Syndi are.     The problem is, the archives are a terrible jumbled mess - when the city was attacked by Redburr during the civil war, it was ransacked, and so they have a long, hard task ahead of them.”

“Oh, how I hate to hear that!    It seems so hopeless.”

Rick nodded, “Yeah, I get that feeling as well.    King Eleazar was contacted by Queen Mathlyn - you may remember hearing about her; she’s King Aedric’s grandmother, though he and Queen Snoe rule Tarmard- anyway, she contacted King Eleazar and told him that she and her sisters, Valmiai and Elina might have some information to help in the search.    She said she would pick up her sisters and come to Westmark by airship.   They are supposed to arrive here tomorrow.”

“I wonder what they can do to help?”   Shel asked while she hurried off to the kitchen to get Rick something to eat.

“Well the three of them are extremely old - they are Inion Sidhe and have been alive since the Great Gathering.”

Shel’s head popped out of the kitchen with a stunned look, “Since the Great Gathering?   Are you serious?    Isn’t Valmiai the wife of Prince Gamel?”

“Yeah, it’s very crazy, but true.    Queen Mathlyn even knew Yesh when he came here to minister in person.”

“Wow, that is unbelievable!    Do they look really old?”

Rick laughed, “No, they are immortal - all three of them are beautiful and look as young as Syndi.    Well, except for something in their eyes - nothing physical, I guess, but there is wisdom about them that somehow tells you that they are much older than they look.”

“If they are that old, maybe they will know something,”   Shel returned carrying a tray of hotcakes and some bacon which she’d warmed up quickly in one of the restaurants’ arcane ovens.    She placed it in front of Rick who looked up at her questioningly.

“Eat hon; I can’t have you getting sick from overworking and starving yourself.”    She sat down next to him and Rick smiled at her while slowly shaking his head.

“Shel, you’re amazing, do you know that?    Every time I’m around you, no matter how worn out I am or how frustrating of a day I have had, you make me feel better.”  

Shel shrugged, returning his smile, “You need encouragement, hon, and I’m glad to help.”

“Well, I appreciate it, though I’m afraid I don’t return much for all of your kindness.”

“You give me someone to talk to.   I enjoy your friendship.”   She reached across and gently squeezed his hand, then let him return to eating.

“Well, I can tell you that you are a ray of sunshine on a really crappy day.   I’ve spent the whole day running across town trying to complete orders.    Jevon and Mutt were out all day as well.   Tadd had to man the store, so to speak, and honestly, I don’t envy him, because I’m sure he spent the whole day reassuring irritated customers.”

“I wish there was something I could do to help you and the guild.”

“Thanks, Shel, but I don’t know what you could-“

“Hey!   I know something I can do; it isn’t much, but it might help you some.    I can feed all of you - Jevon, Mutt, Tadd and you-- for free each day until Muld and Syndi are found.”

“Shel, that is extremely generous, but you can’t lose money feeding the four of us!”

“The restaurant is actually owned by Queen Aurei, you know, and I’m certain that she would give approval.   I’ll send a message asking her.”

Rick just stared at her in wonderment, “You are so kind, Shel, I feel so guilty taking so much of your generosity and not giving anything back.”

She smiled sweetly; a lovely grin that was especially amazing to see on the face of an Orc.   Of course she was an incredibly attractive Orc.

“Shel, I’d like to reward you for your generosity - would you let me take you to dinner?   Of course it will have to be at the Muddy Boot, but I thought you deserve an evening off, letting other people serve you.”

She blushed slightly, but her eyes sparkled, “Are you sure, hon?   A dinner date with an Orc might cause people to talk.”

“I’d be very proud to dine with you, Shel.”

“Well then I accept!”

“Excellent!   Are you free tonight?”

“It’ll be a terrible strain to make time, with my exhausting social schedule but…”  She joked.

“Let’s say about six O’clock… which is only about two hours from now!”

“If that’s not good for you-“

“No, it’s fine, trust me.    I just better get going; I’ll want to dry off and clean up before then.”

“Should I dress up?”  Shel asked, barely suppressing her eagerness.

“Yeah, let’s do that - we’ll wow them at the Muddy Boot.”  

“Okay,” She giggled prettily, “This is going to be fun!”

“Fun is something we’ve both been missing for some time.   I’ll see you at six - I’ll pick you up at your house, if that is alright.”

“Absolutely!   I just hope the rain quits by then.”

“Well, if it doesn’t, I’ll bring two of the Guild’s repel water cloaks to keep us dry.”

“If you have those, why aren’t you wearing one now, hon?”

Rick shrugged, “I guess I just didn’t feel like I should wear one for drudgery like work.    But a date with a beautiful girl - that is something else.”

His compliment made her beam and he realized that he had honestly meant what he had said - she was beautiful.   Not beautiful ‘for an Orc’, but genuinely beautiful.  

Lost in the thought, Shel just came up to him and kissed him quickly on the cheek which made him blush.

“You’d better get going; I don’t want to be kept waiting.”  She told him, ushering him out the door.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts of her that he was almost back to the guild building before he realized that he hadn’t paid for the meal.     I’ll settle with her tonight, he thought, grinning a somewhat silly smile as the rain poured down and soaked him to the core.

Strangely, it now seemed wonderful as he entered the guild building, humming to himself.

 

***

 

Across town at that moment, Jevon was trying to stay dry while completing an enchantment on an alarm placed upon a heavy wooden door of a wealthy cloth merchant.

Nearly hoarse from hours casting spells in the rain, he struggled not to glare at the rich man standing dry inside the building.    The man watched him with his arms folded and a somewhat stern expression on his face.  

“That should do it, sir,” He told the merchant from the porch overhang, for he wasn’t about to enter the dour man’s establishment while he was dripping wet.

The man nodded, scratching his chin as if considering something terribly important.    Jevon waited, more than a bit annoyed, but the man just pondered something for several long moments.    Finally he sighed in resignation and looked up at Jevon, gesturing for him to come into the building.

“Sir, I’m extremely wet, so maybe I shouldn’t-“

“Nonsense, come in here at once, young man, and close the door behind you.”

Jevon shrugged and did as he was ordered, wondering what the merchant was going to say to him.

As soon as the door latched behind them, another door across the room opened and into the cloth showroom came four figures dressed in short black robes trimmed in red, black pants and black boots.   Around each of their necks hung a silver pendent that looked like a tiny drinking flagon.  

Jevon looked at them in surprise, for he knew what their attire represented:   they were ‘The Four Corners’; the four heads of any larger chapter branch of the Bitter Dregs.    Every new Dreg appeared before ‘The Four Corners’ of his or her respective branch, to be questioned and examined before being accepted into the secret society.    He had gone through his initiation years ago, and now both of his parents were section heads of the Acropolis branch.

One of the four he immediately recognized by her statue-like features, ghost-white skin and hair, black lips and colorless eyes in dark sockets.    She was the Changeling, Antheeya, or ‘Ant’.    She looked at him blankly, as did the others as they came into the room.

Jevon bowed with his hand over his heart in the proper respectful greeting.  

“Welcome brother Dreg, Yesh’s peace upon you,”   The Dour man spoke for the other four, returning the hand signal greeting.   His words told Jevon that this was a Dreg guild house, for a Bitter Dreg would only give the limerick 'Life is Toilsome’ code phrase in all settings except a Guild building, when revealing oneself as a Bitter Dreg.

 “Thank you… I assume you are the Guild Master?”

The man nodded, “I am Master Tollig, brother Jevon.   I am sorry about the charade, however we did need security updates at this building, and more importantly we needed to see you closely and have time to consider you.”

“Consider me for what, sir?   I don’t see how watching me work for hours in the rain was necessary for anything.”

Master Tollig smiled slightly, “You can tell more about a man when he is frustrated and wet than when he is happy and dry, brother Jevon.”

“So why are you evaluating me, sir?”

“Why, isn’t it obvious?   We have heard what sister Antheeya has said about you and your training as a Bitter Dreg.   I wanted to see your capacity for patience under suffering.   You did quite well.    I will get to the point - I would like you to reactivate your role as a Bitter Dreg, working for the guild here.”

Jevon glanced at the Four Corners, especially Ant, who stood there stoically.

“Sir, I am honored, but I have a job that I greatly enjoy that keeps me quite busy.”

“That should be no problem, brother Jevon, for most of our members, as I’m sure you know, hold other jobs.”

 “I understand that, sir, but-“

“Brother Jevon,” Master Tollig interrupted, “There is a specific job for which we need you.”

“Go on,” Jevon responded.

Tollig turned to Ant and the Changeling stepped forward, “Jevon, we have learned that the wizard Gelden had the help of spies in the Losasidhe palace which informed him when their King was going to return to Losahome.   That is how he was able to attack the King’s airship and kidnap him and his queen.”

“Do you know who the spies are?”

“No, but the Dregs fear that King Eiolmoel and Queen Synthaeia are still in considerable danger.    They remain here in Westmark to meet with Queen Mathlyn and her sisters when they arrive, but will have to return to their kingdom, regardless of whether Muld and Syndi are found or not.”

“So what plan do you have?”

Ant leaned against the door and took a deep breath, “We know that the Practical Magicians’ Guild has had business with Losahome.    I’m certain that there is other work that the guild has been contracted to do by the royal family and that would give you an excuse to be in the palace.”

“Well, yes, we have other projects that the king requested, but they aren’t pressing, especially now after everything has happened.”

“I understand that, but you could assist us in identifying the spy or spies there.   No-one there knows of your association with the Dregs.    If you do have future business with the Losasidhe Kingdom, you could complete that as well while you are there.    Surely you want to see justice done and spies captured?”

“Of course I do, but our guild is in a tough situation right now - I don’t know if I can simply go away for a week or so.”

Master Tollig cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Brother Jevon, we don’t mean to pressure you to do something that you don’t want to do.   I am told that at one time you were a Bitter Dreg in good standing and that your parents are as well.    We thought you would be willing to help us.”

Jevon sighed, rubbing his eyes, “Alright, sir… I don’t know how I’ll swing it or what Rick, Tadd and Mutt will think, but I’ll arrange it if you really need my help.”

Master Tollig smiled slightly, “Thank you, Brother Jevon.”

“You’ll have to give me at least a day to make arrangements.”

“Certainly, Brother.   Sister Antheeya will see to everything and work out the other details.   Welcome to our guild, Brother Jevon.”

“Thanks,” Jevon replied uneasily as he received the welcome from the other Four Corners.