Chapter 5: Day Two - An Arrogant Puppy, a Lesson, a Deal for a Ghost and the Farm

The next morning was overcast as I stretched by one of the practice rings. Sam and Cat had decided to try and sleep in. I thought about some of the things I had done before coming here. One of the things I missed was the weekend trips to the gun range. My dad had started me on them when I was ten.

I shot everything from pistols to hunting rifles. I had even designed modified rifles and pistols last year chambered for caseless ammo I had also designed. I had even competed in a long range rifle match and won.

As I picked two short practice swords I saw Samil talking to an elf I remembered from my first employment with Garth. I could see that Samil was angry and saw Teral step out of the crowd that always seemed to gather for any practice that I did. Samil seemed to hold himself very still.

When Teral stepped up to them the arrogant one said something that he found funny. He waved Samil aside and the arrogant elf turned and walked to me, “I told you I would teach you how your betters fight.”

I only shook my head, “I still do not teach arrogant puppies.”

Turning I started away, the attack came when my back was turned, not that it made any difference. I stepped out of line of attack and then with a spin my right hand sword struck the head of the elf. As the he staggered I walked in, striking left and right in a blur. It only lasted a moment and then the elf was falling.

Both arms broken at the forearms, several broken ribs and a light concussion. I turned away as three elves rushed to the fallen ones side. I stopped in front of Samil and Teral. Teral shook his head, “you know he will try to send someone after you.”

I looked back at the scene in the ring, “if he does I will give him a final lesson, there is always a challenge.”

Teral looked at me and then murmured, “I will speak to his father.”

Samil shook himself, “do you still want to practice?”

I nodded and Teral cleared his throat, “would you consent to a bout with me?”

I nodded and we moved to another ring. The fight was a reminder of my first fight with Samil, it lasted over forty minutes and ended just as quickly as it began. When Teral struck at a feint and then only blocked partially he got caught by a second blow he did not see coming. I had stopped the strike before it hit his neck. There was a pause and then I stepped away and bowed.

When I returned home I was met with a sight. Legate Abrams sat at a small kitchen table that had been moved outside the kitchen door. There was a mug on the table and he was telling a story to what looked like every child in the neighborhood. The guard that stood nearby looked a little red in the face.

As I listened to the end of the story I found out why the guard was red in the face. It was a story about him and a slippery girl. She had apparently beaten him at everything they did and he had ended up marrying her. As the crowd broke up I clapped and the Legate bowed. As Sam and Cat approached I smiled, “were you able to sleep in?”

The only answer was a mutter about children and their unnatural sleep habits. This earned a laugh from all. I laughed, “did anyone show up from the healers to escort Jen?”

Sam shook her head, “no but a message arrived saying Samuel would be here at noon to speak to you.”

I nodded and gestured for the Legate to accompany me, “I have rounds to make.”

I noticed that someone had fenced part of the corral off and built a fence to the Keep’s passageway. As I entered the passageway Jeremy greeted me, “four elves came in a short time ago and are in with your patient, the elf.”

He gave a brief description of the patients waiting to see me and where they were. When I entered Elvan’s room I was greeted with silence. Cheerfully I gave Elvan a greeting, “good morning.”

He looked at me and quietly asked, “is it true? You assaulted an elf noble?”

I stepped to the bed and started checking him as I answered, “no. An elf attacked me from behind after I had refused to practice with him.”

One of the well-dressed elves snorted, “James is a noble. It would have been an honor for anyone to practice with him.”

I looked at him, “I am not anyone.”

The elf replied, “even here you do not show the proper respect.”

Looking down at Elvan, “would excuse me for a moment?”

Walking around the bed I felt more elves at the door but I continued to walk up to the elf, “respect? Why should I respect you? What have you done to deserve my respect? Should I respect you because you are an elf and live forever? I have looked and asked, where are the great learning centers for your people to teach others music or art? Where are the schools of medicine or science?”

I shook my head, “why should I respect you for living if you waste it? Should I respect you because you are a noble? That is an accident of birth. A true noble does not let himself come before his people but instead puts his people before himself. His rule should be one to promote the health and prosperity of his people.”

I glanced back before looking at him, “should I respect you out of fear? Elves once practiced great and terrible magics and had vast armies. That is what the one that once ruled these halls did is it not? That is what your cousins the drow do is it not?”

He exclaimed, “but I am an elf!”

I snorted, “like they are not? Respect is something one earns. I have a simple rule, I treat everyone with common courtesy until they prove that they do not deserve it. You act polite to me and I will be polite to you. You act arrogant to me, I will be arrogant to you.”

Turning I walked back to Elvan who had been watching and finished examining him. Without turning I asked Tom, (who had been sitting by the wardrobe next to a standing Legate) “would you hand me the small scissors, gauze and the shallow bowl of water?”

I had asked to have these ready for this morning. As Tom handed the supplies to me a new voice spoke from the door, “what about those that attack another unprovoked?”

Without looking up from cutting and removing the stitches in Elvan I answered, “you would be the father. Well, attacking someone from behind that has refused to practice with you would be provocation.”

The elf responded, “that is not the story my son tells.”

I continued removing stitches, “as to his story I would not be able to help you. As for what happened, there were more than a hundred witness, including Teral standing beside you. Obviously you do not believe him so you would not believe them. That is why you brought the four armored guards in the hall, to teach me a lesson.”

The elf was a little flustered and I continued, “if you will give me a few moments to finish I will be right out.”

I half felt the wave that sent the guards back down the passage. When I finished with Elvan he whispered a warning, “be careful.”

I smiled down at him, “I usually am. Now I do not want you doing too much for the next day, after that you can start exercising more. You will tire quickly at first so go slowly.”

Handing everything back to Tom, “see that everything is burned or sterilized.”

With a wave to the elf lord to proceed me we went down the hallway and out the doorway. The four elves were waiting for me in the corral. As I stepped into the corral I asked the elf lord, “how far do you want to take this?”

His answer was that they would take this as far as it needed to go. Reaching out with all my senses I walked to the center of the four. As they attacked I drew the two short swords that I had across my back. The handles had been by my waist and as they swept up blocking I kicked the one in front of me.

Spinning, I let myself go. It was not a minute later that I yelled for them to stop. There I stood, one of the swords at the throat of an elf. The others hesitated and I stepped back lowering my sword, “I am sorry, you have skill but you should not be facing me. You are not that good.”

All the elves looked at me but the one that had been at my swords point spoke up, “why? What am I doing wrong?”

I looked at him and then turned my head, “would you grant me a moment?”

When they nodded and stepped back and I faced the other, “you fight with skill but you only use your eyes and you let the others distract you. You must learn to use all your senses, hearing, smell, touch as well as sight and move with the flow around you.”

When the elf looked at me uncertain I made a decision. In a smooth motion I replaced the two swords in their sheaths, “Teral, would you assist me?”

To the elf, “would you lend me the black kerchief in your breast pocket?”

I rolled the kerchief up and wrapped it around my eyes. Holding my hand out to the elf, “may I borrow your sword.”

With the sword in hand I spun it around my hand weighting it. Turning to face Teral I reached out with all my senses, “when you are ready.”

Teral’s attack seemed to hold nothing back, the fight lasted only a minute before I stood with my borrowed sword at his chest. Stepping back I removed the kerchief and bowed to Teral, “you were too much in a hurry this time.”

He bowed back and stepped out of the corral. Returning the sword to the elf, “learn to use your other senses and learning to understand what you see will help with the distraction when fighting with others.”

He sheathed his sword and bowed with his head lowered and his arms crossed, “thank you Master.”

As he left the corral I turned to face the three elves, “gentlemen you have my apology, if you are ready to continue?”

The three looked at one another and then bowed to me. The one in the center stepped forward, “Master we yield to your skill and compassion.”

Saying this they put their swords away and left the corral, walking out the gate without looking at the elf lord. I climbed out of the corral and walked up to the noble and waited. It was a minute before he sighed, “you show compassion and honor. The skill you demonstrate is not common. I do not know what to do.”

I sighed too, “teach him. Not just how to fight but how to treat people. Teach him honor and compassion.”

The noble bent his head in thought, “who? Who would teach him?”

I gestured, “Teral could or Samil, both have skill.”

The noble looked up, “what about you?”

I thought about this for a minute, “the problem I see with that is that he does not respect me.”

I thought about it and what I came up with was not something he would like doing. I looked him in the eye, “give him to Samil in bond.”

The noble looked at me, “I can not put him in bond against his will.”

With a clearing of his throat the Legate spoke up, “actually you can. As his liege you can put him in bond.”

The noble looked at the Legate and then back at me, “will Samil accept him?”

I shrugged, “ask Samil for his help. If he agrees I will try to teach him as well.”

As he was leaving two Mages came in the gate. It was the older one and the skinny one. With their arrival the Legate seemed to relax a little. As they walked up to me I greeted them, “good morning gentlemen. To what do I owe the honor of your presence this fine morning?”

The older mage looked at me and then glanced at the Legate, “we would like to look into the necromancer’s workrooms.”

I looked from them to the Legate and back, “you gentlemen seem to have me at a disadvantage. I gave you my name yesterday but I am afraid I did not get your names?”

The older looking mage turned a little pink, “my apologies. I was a little preoccupied yesterday. My name is Artimus and this is Nathen.”

I smiled, “and your other friend?”

Artimus looked at me and then turned to look around before finally looking down at the grey spotted cat that sat at his feet, “Simon, what are you doing here? I asked you to remain at home.”

The cat only stared back at him with unflinching eyes, “no I do not need you to watch my back. Yes I know I get distracted, but ... what?”

Turning back to me he frowned, “sorry. Simon has reminded me of my manners. This is my familiar Simon.”

I had a little trouble hiding my smile but with an effort I managed. With a slight bow I acknowledged the cat, “now. How can I help you?”

Artimus again looked at the Legate and then repeated that they would like to look at the necromancer’s workrooms. I looked at Legate Abrams, “I take it you are not here by accident to tell stories to the children.”

Legate Abrams smiled, “no. Late last night a drow interrupted the mages quorum. Pendar escaped and two mages were killed, another three were injured. The council representatives asked me to see if I could persuade you to let the mages look through the workrooms. They remembered the last time someone tried to enter a mages domain without his permission.”

I thought for a minute, there were things that bothered me. Turning back to Artimus, “perhaps, if you could do something for me.”

Artimus raised his eyebrow, “such as?”

I thought about it and replied, “I want to speak to my great grandfather. The problem is he died four years ago and on another world.”

Nathen seemed to take an interest, “it might be possible to summon the spirit. I do not know if his dying on another world will make a difference. You only want to speak to him?”

I nodded and Nathen and Artimus put their heads together for several minutes. When they broke up Nathen directed me to a clear area in the corral. After drawing two symbols on the ground he gestured, “stand in one and think of your grandfather.”

He sat outside of the other and when everything was ready began a chant. I could feel the web of magic that slowly reached out to me and then seemed to fade into thin air. I could see that Nathen was straining, as if he were struggling with something. I saw a wavy white form start to appear inside the other symbol but it looked like Nathen was still having trouble.

I called out, “grandfather I need your help!”

Nathen was suddenly rocking back. It was as if he had been pulling against a resistance and suddenly the resistance was gone. Inside the other symbol a form appeared of an Indian in his early twenties with long black hair, “Grandson why have you done this? There is little help I can provide from here.”

I took a breath, “grandfather I need advice. I am on this strange world and am not sure what to do. Should I try to find my way back home or stay and make my way here?”

Nathen sat forward as if he were ready to react to a threat. I was the only one that heard the voice of my grandfather, “grandson the way one travels must be their own choice. You have said you wanted to be a doctor to help people. In which place would you be the most help?”

I bent my head acknowledging what my grandfather had said, “thank you grandfather.”

As the form of my grandfather faded his voice sounded again, “White Hawk, your answers are in your heart, you will be a great warrior. Good hunting and do not do this again.”

That time everyone heard his last words. When he was gone and the magic had faded Nathen stood, “that must have been an amazing person when he was alive.”

I nodded agreement as I helped erase the symbols. I walked the two mages and the Legate into the passageways. I stopped at the door going into what I thought of as the necromancer’s torture room, “one thing. If there are spells that will affect the whole complex please let me know before you do anything. When you are finished have someone find me and I will take you up to his crafting room.”

With that I opened the door. The mages slowly stepped into the room. I could see their fists held tightly at their sides. Simon seemed to be trying to walk as close to Artimus as possible. The Legate looked in and his face turned a little grey. He stepped back, “I do not think they will need me anymore. We will be trying to enter Pendar’s manor tomorrow morning. If you are available to help with any injured I would consider it a favor.”

I nodded, “I will be there.”

I escorted the Legate out and then returned to my sick and injured. I spent the rest of the morning after my sick call in helping John place beams in two of the rooms and in helping to remove rubble from the top landing. I had just sat down outside of the kitchen when a man and woman, (both looked to be in their twenties) came through the gate.