Ch: 37 Rude Awakenings

Bundled against the misty, cold morning, the Bathers did not stand out much, beyond Tallum and Annie being enormous together. Gary rode Otho’s cart, holding reins that went nowhere, while the rest rode in loose formation all around.

 

They traveled in quiet conversation, Khan and Luna mostly at the head of the troupe. “What should we expect from Port Ellis?”  Gary asked, excited and frisky as the town grew closer.

 

“Ellis is ruled by Craft and Order, in the way that Wheatford is, while Fallon is held by Order and War. There are some cultural differences to be aware of.” Tawny said. “Each district is controlled by a different noble family, rivalries between factions can sometimes rise to the surface. Steer clear of any of that.”

 

Khan coughed softly to interrupt. “Our more… industrious and crafty members may find things…” He struggled, seeming at a loss for the right words, until Luna burst in.

 

She was mounted on socks, a happy and impulsive fellow, now that Brennan Fallon was off his back. The pair slid up, riding side by side with Winslow and Tawny. 

 

“Crafters and artisans need to steer clear of any commissions for the nobility. Those idiots are constantly making trouble.” She looked the group over with her one blue eye. “Gary, you stay with me, Khan or Tawny at all times. You will be catnip to those clowns.”

 

She turned to the rear of the cart, where Shai rode gentle Peony, whose ladylike steps made things smoother for a novice rider. “Shai, you too, though gods know you should have more sense than this one.”

 

“Wait, commissions? What’s wrong with a little business?” Gary complained. 

 

“You are not a journeyman, not even a properly registered apprentice to trade under a master’s mark. Trading inside the Adventure compound is not the same as trading in another town in another domain” Tawny said, leaving no wiggle room. “As journeymen, Shai and Tallum are qualified to operate legitimately, you are not.”

 

Khan rained further sunshine onto the parade. “We are passing through, once Annie’s friends are snug in the stables, we move on to Wheatford and home.” Khan sighed softly in the early morning sunshine, sending a vast plume of steam skyward.

 

“Never had a home before, I don’t even have proper quarters yet… I’d been planning to stay in the stables while searching out a house…” He drifted off in his thoughts, lost to the world while Estrella plodded along as only a plowmare can.

 

“You guys can stay with us, I feel like I can spread out a little more now.” Gary confided to Luna. “Maybe even a detached cottage? We’ll see, I am a benevolent landlord.” He chuckled merrily. “I like the look of this town!”

 

Morning sunshine burned away the mist, and step by step the town became clearer.  A vast harbor, enclosed by a partially manmade breakwater was filled with ships and boats. Colorful flags and bunting decorated the armada bobbing and swaying gently, in neat and orderly rows. 

 

From the low, stony hills around the Shallow sea, a ridge of weathered rock ran out in a three quarter circle of tumbled and fractured boulders forming a protected bay, which in the Shallow Sea meant it was as smooth as glass. 

Sea walls of rough cut stone filled any notable gaps and a lighthouse stood on either side of the harbor entrance, one light burning blue, one yellow. 

 

Around the circular depression, sprawling up the low hills, the docklands spread so far as to almost form its own city. 

In the distance, a high stone wall enclosed the city proper just as in Wheaford, though the scale was vastly different.

 

They rode together down a shallow decline, as homes and businesses proliferated. It was a still, cold, week end morning, filled with the sensations of the town waking around them. Dogs barked, smoke and the scents of baking, and cooking wafted about, mingling sometimes unpleasantly.

 

Unlike Port Fallon, the fishery was no more aromatic than expected, smelling of tides and fish. Without the pestilent funk overriding everything, the dock ward was a pleasure to ride through. 

Taverns, chandlers, shipwrights and other nautical businesses gathered at the water’s edge, while the road slid farther into town. 

 

Low, single story homes and boatsheds slowly became taller, two and three story stone and timber homes with shopfronts below, facing the street. Much as in Wheatford, the quiet crafts like tailors and bakers were mixed in among residences.

 

Like Wheatford it was clean, not quite so obviously, but still night and day from the only other town in most of the young Bather’s experiences.

Becky, experienced traveler that she was, rode beside Gary and Shai. She excitedly pointed out things she had seen and shops they visited on her trip with Esperanza. She kept her chatter up as the people of Port Ellis started moving about around them. 

 

The baker had been open for a while and waved at the strange band passing by. “Fresh bread, rolls and sweets…” He sang out as they passed. 

 

A grocer’s lad was putting up an awning and took up his own call. “Butter, honey, eggs and meat, we have the good things, all you want to eat!”

 

Just across the street, a tailor’s apprentice was sweeping her stoop and following with her own addition to the chant. “The grocer and baker can fulfill all your wants, when you’re done only we can let out your pants!”

 

“I like this town!” Gary said, watching the apprentices catcall each other. 

 

“Yes, its very nice in the morning, wait till all the shops are open, the chanting and singing get really obnoxious.” Tawny said with a sigh. “Fortunately, things are less chaotic inside the walls.” They cantered along the mostly empty streets, up to the main gate.   

 

A wide band of grassy parkland separated the suburb from the city proper.  Built against the wall itself, stood a vast barn and stable compound with paddocks and pasture vanishing off into the distance with the Coast Road and seaside.  

 

The group halted outside the stables, three stories tall with troopers bunking above and mounts below. A stableman and his two apprentices, lads of about thirteen came trotting up with mounting stools and leads to collect the horses.

 

They bid a fond farewell to the small, makeshift herd. All save Winslow following the stablemen inside to meet friends old and new. “Annie says they keep a fine stable, and we might meet them on the road.” Becky said, cheering the group by pretending to be brave.

 

“Becky, I love you for it, but come on, we gotta get moving.” Liam said, holding up a string of wooden tokens the stableman handed over. “These have to be recorded in the office, then we can get back on the road.” 

 

Again, like Wheatford, the gate stood open with only a token force standing by with their staves leaned against the wall. They held only coffee mugs and pleasant smiles for the slow trickle of early morning traffic. 

 

As they passed the gate, one guard peeled off from his comrades, trotting along after them. “Khan? Master Khan? Wait!” The group paused at Khan’s upraised fist, signaling a halt.

The guard ran up and saluted Khan at the head of the little column. Khan peered at the man as he caught up, recognizing him after a moment. “Burnham, I thought you were going to take up merchant life, sail the seas, seek profit and see the world…” He said softly mocking the man, who dug a booted toe into the cobblestones like an embarrassed child.

 

“Stella said she waited five years for me, I can ‘scarper off to sea’ once our youngest is old enough to sail.” He moaned, gripping Khan’s hand before pulling him into a ferocious hug.

 

“How many children do you have, man? You only completed your indenture two years ago.” Khan asked, dragging Luna into the hug when she approached.

 

“Expecting our first in spring…” The tight knit trio exchanged another hug. “I gotta get back on duty, will you be in town tonight?”

 

“We are passing through, expect a visit before winter ends brother. Luna and I will be staying in Wheatford, Annie likes the water there.” Khan waved a dismissive hand over the group of rather ordinary looking youngsters. 

 

Dressed in common winter garb, they seemed uninteresting. “These are my current ducklings, new hatched and testing the water for the first time, introductions can wait.”

 

He eyed the companions critically, but without interest or comment. With another clasp and a wave the man vanished back down the increasingly noisy and crowded streets.

“Few of us can settle down long enough to become town guards. Forgive his rudeness, please he is… Gary, why are you laughing?” Khan frowned and wriggled his ‘stache in irritation.

 

“One of my gifts makes me really, really boring, almost invisible. I don’t use it much, cause it mostly just works on me.” 

He grinned widely. “I kinda felt like if I tried really hard, maybe I could make us all a little uninteresting. Here, let me cut you and Luna out…”

 

There was no sensation or obvious effect, just a slow and subtle washing out of colors and softening of outlines. “Since you know us and we are talking, it probably seems a little weird, but strangers just ignore us.”

 

It was true, the streets were getting busy now, people walking to and fro on their business passed within arm’s reach without reacting, beyond steering around the group. The crowd milled around the party and their wacky dog cart, with a profound lack of interest.

 

“That is useful, keep it up until we are out of town. We will return here again, don’t worry. For now it’s best we pass unremarked, you have a tax man to appease.” Luna announced, taking pleasure in Gary’s annoyed glare. “Yes, the ducal tax assessor is no doubt eager to get his hooks into you.”

 

“Dukes and lords can kiss my ass…” He grumbled. “I already drowned one of your gods, duke Dicknose and his pet tax fucker are gonna have less fun than they think with me.” He sounded almost feral as he snarled out his obscenity laden lese-majesty.

 

“What? Fuck that guy…” Gary grumbled, perplexed by Tawny’s sudden glare. “I don’t go around telling him not to… kick peasants or whatever the fuck rich assholes do.”

 

Shai patted him on the shoulder condescending. “Ye will come to grips wi his grace soon enough boy o mine, til then be civil.” She chuckled and swatted him again. “Ye will feel a greater fool fer loose talk, thrown about in ignorance.”

 

Khan and Luna led and they made their way through the busy streets, as the crowding increased. 

 

Afoot, except Gary, the group pressed on into the city’s bureaucratic quarter and found the Adventure Guild compound. It hustled and swarmed as much as its neighbor in Port Fallon, but was on a far larger scale. 

The vast gates of iron strapped beams rode on well maintained gears and chains, everything was orderly and calmly bustling, without hurry.

Liam tossed the strand of disks on a thong to Ivy, who grinned and darted for the administration building.

 

“We record that we surrendered six horses and left with only our two. So no one starts to ask questions we can’t answer.” Tawny said when Gary looked mildly confused.

 

Ivy reappeared shortly with a small scroll, which she handed to Liam. “All ready?” She asked when they were reassembled.

Becky took a long sniff, hugged a misty eyed Shai. “Yup, let’s go.” 

Without the whole herd it was simpler to move through town at least

 

Gary still rode in the mystery machine, pulled by Otho, while Khan, Luna and Annie walked side by side by enormous wide flank at the head of the group.

 

Heading out of town by the Uplands Road in mid morning on a week end was simplicity itself. Hardly anyone was out on the streets uptown and the gate guards never even looked their way.

 

Khan and Tawny prevailed upon Gary and Shai to ‘Hold off on chasing rainbows’ until they were out of sight of town. His easy agreement and obedience bode ill for their after noon.

 

Third bell shimmering in the distance, barely audible, the tallest tower was still in sight, but only if one knew where to look. Gary and Shai locked eyes and smiled together as though that were a signal. Her violin appeared, as did his guitar, they began playing immediately, Gary strumming and muting a simple percussive line. It chugged along steady and even as a water driven triphammer.

 

Ivy held out a hand and a drum slid into existence when no one was looking. She paid attention to not paying attention to how it appeared and got her best look ever at how his craziness worked. 

It seemed to squeeze itself into the world like a drop of thick liquid through a narrow gap. Like slow dripping honey from a damaged hive.

 

Shelving that for the moment, Ivy started thumping along with Gary's line. Dannyl took over the rhythm guitar part and Gary switched out for his mandolin, his pick flicking across the strings in manic leaps.

 

It's knowing that your door is always open

And your path is free to walk…

 

That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag

Rolled up and stashed behind your couch…

 

That flung them down the road with inexorable force, like a runaway freight wagon. When it wound down they picked up an even quicker pace.

 

The mandolin coaxed Shai’s violin into a swaying, airy cadence, filling a smooth, sawing rhythm role. 

 

Come fly with me, let’s fly away…

 

By the time sunset was growing close, the troupe was high in the foothills among the oaks and olives, much like the hills around Wheatford. Khan and Annie began roaming ahead of the group, looking for a spot to camp.

 

When their home was established on the chosen spot, all the friends gave Khan and Annie a firm round of praise.

 

On a high stone outcrop, chance and weather had left a broad expanse of bare, flat and stoney earth, leading right to a terrible edge, falling off into space. 

 

The view, though. Gary left the back wall off the garden so they could watch the sun go down over the Shallow Sea from the bath.

 

Port Ellis shone like a sack of gleaming jewels, lit in a hundred shades and colors against the dark shore and glimmering sea. Low clouds and rising fog slowly obscured the glow, muting it to a warm sunset that only faded as the city went to sleep below them.

 

Once the sunset show was over Gary made lanterns pop up in strategic locations and settled low in the pool. “So, the whole time we were near Port Ellis it felt like you guys were hiding something… what’s the deal?”

 

Shai let out an unladylike groan, handed Gary a pipe filled with something that smelled potent and shot a look at Tawny. “They do things differently there. In Wheatford, most civic matters are resolved by the council, made up of elected commoners and appointed nobles and clerics.”

 

Gary nodded. “Six nobles appointed by the council of lords, three clerics and the duke’s regent and six commoners elected by secret ballot.” He said, as the pipe came back around.

 

“Very good, how are the clerics selected?” Tawny quizzed at him.

 

“Uhh, eldest first, so Naiomi of Healer and Otho are two. Is ol’ Theo the third?” Gary coughed and scratched his head when Tawny handed him the pipe.

 

“Excellent!” Tawny Cheered.

 

“All right!” Gary said, feeling very pleased with himself. It took a few minutes to realize that the pipe; which had been circulating in the bath, had started orbiting him exclusively, as soon as he asked his question.

 

Bleary eyed and deeply puzzled, he tried again. “Soooo… What’s going on in Ellis…” 

 

What’s goin on…

 

Ayay ayy ayy yaya yaya…

 

He carried on like that, scatting for a while, crooning and drumming on his own chest. Thoroughly distracted by himself.

 

When he fell mostly asleep, Shai and Talllum conspired to drag him upstairs and tuck him in.

 

#

 

It was odd being in his dream house alone. Without Shai and Becky anyway, he felt Thirp and Ducky in the garden watching home movies on a big screen. 

 

  The setup had been arranged to face the garden gate, where a few figures lounged just out of view in the darkness. Thirp and Ducky were seated off to the side to give the outside audience an unobstructed view.

 

“Hey! That’s last night’s show!” He exclaimed when he joined them in the garden. His houseguests started and looked slightly guilty… Well Thirp did, with six of her eyes downcast in mild embarrassment and shame, she scampered side to side in short hops. A sure sign she was feeling unsure and agitated.

 

“We were examining the exact nature of your gifts and how they interact with the environment. Are you upset at the intrusion?” Thirp asked, skittering nervously in a circle.

 

“I’m on stage, not a private moment. Even if you do see it from my perspective.” Gary said, flopping down on a summoned stool and bringing his mandolin out. “Who are our guests?”

Ducky stood and adjusted his filmy white robes. “Gary,” He said, before addressing the assembled figures in the hazy shadows. 

 

Starting from left to right he began. “Craft is here, he wishes to know why you have been avoiding him.” Marduk found that amusing, his smile made the dim figure shift awkwardly. 

“Aclintherios you already know, next is Wind, they decline to state their purpose beyond an interest in you.” Ducky made a shallow nod to those worthys.

 

“The God of Beasts is here, and wishes to meet with you after this.” He made another courteous nod, this time to the figure who gave an impression of vast patience and sudden movement. “My brother is very pleased with your actions of late…” He seemed less enthusiastic.

 

“Lastly, my sweet sister Joy, who is also unwilling to make her concerns or desires known, so fickle.” He gave the most luminous and clear of the forms a wink, blew a kiss and made a flamboyant bow. 

 

He turned back to Gary with a sigh. “This is going to be awful, so let’s get your smug and self congratulatory nonsense out of the way.” He said, before bowing slightly to the musician and speaking in a loud, clear voice.

 

“You were right and I was wrong. Please accept my apology for my previous behavior.” He said, sounding humble, while trembling with fury.

 

Gary hung his instrument on a stand that appeared as he set it down. With serpentine quickness he scooped his godling up in a vast, smothering hug. 

 

Rocking the miniature deity like a child, he crooned. “Yeah, you were kind of a prick, but I was too.” He said. 

 

“I said you were being a little shit, and Shai accused me of being a bigger shit in return. I think she’s smarter than either of us.” Still grappling his god, who was now weakly trying to escape, he turned to the others. “So, how are we doing this?”

 

“Gary,” Thirp sang impatiently. “Lord Marduk is the only one who can hear them speak. Were any of them to approach, if so much divine energy were to crash over your house, you might be shunted into an entirely new reality… all alone.”

 

Marduk took a moment to rearrange himself and recover his dignity. “Yes, I appreciate the sentiment, if not the presentation.” He said, straightening his robes. 

“I am becoming more accustomed to your continued existence, Gary. Also were you destroyed, my lovely Becky and journeyman Shai would be inconvenienced.”

 

“Let’s deal with Craft first. You get nothing from me until I get what I want. Full stop.” He grinned disrespectfully at the deity in the shadows. “Until orphans can choose and negotiate apprenticeships for themselves nothing is gonna happen.” He said off handedly. 

 

“I’ve seen the way your people organize themselves, that's really smart. They use everyone's talents and gifts where they will be most successful. That makes me wonder why you are wasting us so shamefully.” 

 

He addressed the group of deities with casual discourtesy and offhand impertinence. “Frankly, I’m shocked. You goons thought making child slave soldiers was the answer?” He snorted at the stiffened and outraged form of Craft. 

 

“No bullshit either. You know who has the stuff and where it’s being wasted. We might still have to fight in your shity war, but we need something more. We need something for after you idiots are done with us.”

 

“Tell your buddies Order and War I have some serious shit with them too. Tell Theo to get off my back, unless you wanna take a dip in my bathtub? Now get lost.” Gary’s mandolin was tinkling out a melody in A minor that made Thirp twitch even more wildly than she already was.

 

“Gary, I recommend not attempting to use your gifts on deities… the results are bound to be unpredictable.” She sang, harmonizing nicely in spite of herself.

 

“If they don't wanna dance, they just gotta keep their backs against the wall. Right Crafty? You know what I want, until there is action there, we have no business. Scat.” 

 

In the distance and murk it was difficult to make out, but some gestures were made and some expressions crossed Marduk’s face. Slowly, Craft faded from view, receding into the nothing.

 

“He got pretty heated huh? Sorry buddy. Just wait til Order and War bring their sorry asses ‘round.” Gary said, ruffling Marduk’s hair with a palm, before resuming his idle picking.

 

“Windy, what blows your skirt… or whatever up today?” He asked the figure even less distinct than the rest.

 

“Wind wishes only to observe at this time Gary. Is that acceptable?” Marduk asked with a long suffering sigh.

 

“We're good Windy, I love your work. Aclintherios? How can I help you today? Or are you here to keep me from accidentally destroying myself?” Gary asked the largest and most spidery blob of murky nowhere.

 

Thirp sang out in reply. “My deity has no comment or request to make, they are simply observing.” Gary noticed how much more precise his translations of Thirp’s musical speech were becoming, now that the gender question had been resolved. Weird how the brain works. Gary resolved to work on that hangup with the spider therapist later. 

 

He turned to the luminous form, glowing like moonlight behind dense fog. He made a sweeping bow with a number of clumsy flourishes he invented on the spot. 

 

“I can’t Imagine what you want that I’m not doing…” Gary said, leaning back on his stool and strumming idly. 

 

“Lady Joy wonders why you have not taken your other friend to this place to Contract with me. I must confess to wondering the same. Becky says he is highly motivated.” Marduk said mildly. “I am in no hurry, yet you seem to have timelines and goals to meet.”

 

“Until I get action on my needs, you get nothing from me that does not suit my goals. Craft wants me to make some shit and share some info. He can fuck off.” Gary snapped at the remaining entities. “You want me to troop people through my soul for your own purposes, we're good Ducky, but not that good. I’m a slave. I give you nothing unless I’m free.”

 

“It’s not slavery…” Marduk began.

Thirp found a way to cough convincingly with a harp. Even more impressive considering she did not have a frame of reference beyond Gary's home movies. Spiders have no lungs. 

 

“Lord Marduk, lady Joy, you will not find this a productive line of argument.” Thirp sang. “If we might continue?”

 

“Very well, sister Joy asks that you bring your lovely journeyman Shai to her for Contract.” Ducky said, while Thirp groaned. She was really good on those emotes.

 

Gary stiffened, jerked and seethed in place. “I assure you, Shai will Contract when she is able and willing. I am not stopping her. I will not ‘bring’ her to you.” He said, spitting and hissing his way through in an appalling display.

 

To Maruk he grumbled. “Seriously, have we even met? Take a look around Ducky, read the room for fuck sake, since the room is my damn soul. How do you not figure this shit out? It’s like you don’t really understand us at all.”

 

When his shockingly disrespectful performance ended a soft sound of applause could be heard in the distance. Gary glared at the gods and hugged his spider friend. 

 

“So, have you big brains figured out what is going on since I've been away?” He grumbled, petting Thirp to soothe himself.

 

“I cannot be of much help, beyond assisting you and providing guidance. Your world’s gods are restrained by unknown forces, whatever is ‘going on’ is beyond divine knowledge.” Thirp softly crooned, trying to settle the waters.

“They do remain insistent that you know the answer somehow.” Marduk added.

 

“I have no Idea, all I get from you guys is nonsense and creepy demands for the souls of the innocent. Not really the helpful advice and guidance deities are supposed to provide.” He grumbled. “What is it you guys really want? It’s almost like you are all…” Gary stood, lost in thought for a timeless moment.

 

“Gary…” Thirp coaxed. 

“Shush, he’s thinking, let that roll for a while.” Marduk whispered.

“Be nice, he’s trying very hard here.” The spider sang softly.

“I am being nice, he’s almost onto something that has been tickling the back of my neck like a loose thread.” Marduk slipped the mandolin from the musician’s hands and backed away.

 

“This could take a little while…” Marduk said, settling into his home movie watching seat. 

Gary was still standing there when he faded from the garden, drifting back to the waking world.

 

#

 

“Nae, he hae gone stupid again, tis back in the cart fer me boy...” Shai was yelling, right beside his head.

 

“GnnnGGGnN!” Gary said through a terrible case of cottonmouth, dry-eye and possibly burst eardrums.

 

“Nae, he be awake, just faring poorly!” She continued, calling to someone downstairs.

 

“Shhhhh.” He tried to put a finger to his lips and failed hard, punching himself in the nose briskly enough to water his already bleary eyes.

 

“Now he be crying, Tawny come see whae has gone amiss…” Shai yelled, while he tried to crawl someplace quiet to die for a while.