Ch: 55 The Tolling of the Bell

They strolled in through the wide open portal, the two boys cheerfully helped tawny out of her cloak and wrap. Once she passed over the threshold and into the warmth of their home she gasped in pleasure.

“I have been sleeping so poorly in my own quarters lately, I just realized that I simply feel more rested when I’m here.” She leaned against Liam’s shoulder and rested her cheek on his neck, savoring his scent and warmth.

“Do your parents know?” Liam asked in a tense whisper.

 

“Certainly, I made my position clear.” Tawny’s golden smile banished whatever lingering chill might have snuck in with the trio. 

“If Gary’s suit fails, my parents will lose another heir to the indenture system. If they cannot come to see the injustice of this trade I cannot help them.” She curled closer in with a contented sigh.

 

After a quiet breakfast, Gary had to ask. “So the whole town is a sheet of ice, do we stay inside or brave the weather?” 

 

“We stay in, we sold out of almost everything yesterday anyway.” Ivy announced. “I don’t want my kids slipping and sliding around on the streets chasing the last few stray bits in town.”

 

Gary looked pained and clutched at his heart in exaggerated distress. “Ivy, darling, you’ll never make enough money to shoot yourself to the moon on a ship shaped like a penis that way.” 

She ignored him of course, only a truly deranged, degenerate fool would entertain such a plan.

 

“That’s the kind of thing that makes me wonder, most of the people I’ve met since coming here are just nice, like canadian nice. Even the gossips and capitalists are good, kind people.” He scratched his unshaven chin thoughtfully. 

“Whatever happened to make your orphan indenture system pass the smell test was thorough, world spanning and subtle…” He stared off into space for a long 

 moment, lost in thought… until a bubble of drool inflated on his slack lips and popped with a soft wet sound.

 

Shai grabbed him by the ear and with a loving twist and bounced her man into the bathing room. “Fie, dinnae think yerself stupid ere the morning be over boy.”  

#

 

When he came out of the bath, clear headed again; a delegation from the local clergy was back. Theophus, and Anglin of War sat drinking tea, while a very uncomfortable Fargnahan of Order paced to and fro. Otho stood nearby, though distanced from the others and smiling pleasantly in anticipation.

“Oh, we have guests, let me change into my robes of office!” Gary enthused, before shouting into the home; “Becks, we have clergy, suit up!” He bustled away happily, back into the bathing room. He re-emerged seconds later in his terrycloth bigfoot bathrobe and slippers.

“Too bad Helene didn’t come along, she loves visiting me at home. Maybe I should pay her a visit at her house…” Gary rambled, stalling and distracting until Becky arrived.

 

She drifted in silently, her hood up and dressed in the colors and themes of a bitter late winter. Silvery icicles and brown leaves laced with intricate patterns, traced in gleaming frost clung to snow covered branches on her robes.

“Honored clergy, welcome to the temple of Knowledge. How may we assist you on this sacred festival day?” Becky asked sweetly from within her crawling shadows.

The squirming and tentacular wisps of darkness filling the hood seemed to reach out to Theo menacingly, almost as though the room dimmed when her regard fell on the Craft priest. 

“We have many demands on our time, please be direct in these sacred precincts.” She followed this pronouncement with a short mumbled prayer and benediction in the sacred language of the cult. 

I can’t believe this is working…

How much can I get away with?

 

She sang in english, while pop locking her way through a very short routine set to ‘Freakazoid’, accompanied on Gary’s mandolin and Tallum’s bass. 

 

Don’t stop till you get enough…

 

Gary droned in the style of a gregorian chant’

 

Otho bowed slightly, with tremendous gravitas and did a passable arm and body wave, with a few pops and ticks. When his surprisingly funky salutation finished, he spoke formally. 

“With the current state of this structure in mind, we came to formally request that you relocate to a suitable district, or relocate outside the town walls.” He nodded solemnly. 

“As you have acknowledged that this is the temple of a spirit or divine entity, now the law is clear. We must ask that you relocate.” 

 

The high priestess nodded her hood slowly, while Gary switched to his newest project, a contrabass recorder in iron bamboo. 

In tone it straddled the line between a european recorder and a bamboo flute, at once breathy and cleanly mellow, like entering a warm, welcoming home on a cold and windy day.

 

“This sanctuary will once again, be a simple craft hall at dawn tomorrow. How though, can I relocate, when by law all orphans must reside in the Adventure compound?” She asked in her sweet and compliant voice of childlike curiosity. 

Lord Fargnahan of Order coughed awkwardly. “It was our understanding that this young man is high priest of Secret. The pantheon has yet to rule on the status of the purported god Knowledge. Thus it is he who must move his activities out of town.”

 

Becky let that linger on the air for a while, giving it plenty of time to soak in.

“I am Becky, high priestess of The God Knowledge, Marduk.” She snapped. “Marduk, Sacred Scribe of the Heavens. Marduk, Keeper of the Wisdom of Man. Marduk, the Light in Darkness. Marduk the Moon, brother of Beast and true god of mankind’s minds, past, present and future.” 

As she spoke, the lights dimmed, leaving all in shadow save the young woman in the unsetting robes of a deadly winter frost.

“This one.” She jabbed a thumb, concealed in her sleeve at the boy in the bigfoot onesie. “He drowned his god in a fit of pique, the dead god has no clergy and shall have ever, only one cultist.” 

Most of the gathered clergy took that in stride, Theo took a subtle step forward, encroaching on Fargnahan’s space.

“No orphan has ever been elevated to the clergy before their indenture completed! nevermind a child of fifteen becoming the high priestess of anything!” He barked, emboldened by his companions. 

“You have yet to even receive a full suite of Contracts.” He sneered. “We may call an ecumenical council to determine your status once your indenture service is complete. Whatever entity has pulled this stunt will be dealt with harshly by the pantheon.” 

Theo’s smile of self satisfied accomplishment rustled Gary’s jimmies in some very obvious ways, he was unable to retrain a snort of disgust. 

“Your crimes remain to be discussed!” The burly smith barked, turning to face the smiling cryptid, still happily laying down some mood music with his huge flute.

He vanished the flute with a grin, shoving it up his sleeve.

 

Gary took a low and formal bow at Becky, doing some funky hand jive and freaking some rather well executed egyptians, he even nailed the hip pivots and neck moves needed to really sell the dance. 

“On that note, with the high priestess’ permission, perhaps we should all sit and deal with this openly. There are no secrets in this house save those I keep.” Gary intoned, as the lights came up.

“Tea time!” He chattered happily as his family appeared, scattering tea services and trays of snacks through the common room. “Shoes off, butts in seats, be my guest or begone.”

 

Theo seemed reluctant and Fargnahan clearly wanted to be anywhere but where he currently was. Otho and Anglin just nodded and sat down, using peer pressure to force the two into seats at the long table. 

Nearly two dozen young orphans, each with a red and gold autumn leaf patch sewn to their clothes, came trooping in. The young people scattered around the common room taking seats all around to listen and watch. 

 

Gary sat down, poured a big mug of tea and jumped right in. “I reject your demands for a few reasons; first I don't wanna. Second, under your law Becky and I are both required to live on the Adventure compound and can only travel when accompanied by a journeyman.” 

He sat back and sipped his tea. “Answer that one first, I can’t follow your demand because you guys write shitty laws.”

 

That sparked some giggles in the orphans, and grumbles among the clergy.

“You could simply remove this structure and live in the orphanage.” Otho offered.

 

“Could we?” Becky asked. Eyeing the clergy warily. Her gaze settled on Fargnahan. “How long till you start saying we have to live in the temple ward, or get fostered with some noble turd?” 

He bristled at that. “What are you suggesting, miss… priestess…” He flailed for a minute before giving up and settling on being superior and arrogant.

 

“Don’t know my name? Can’t figure out what box to put me in?” She asked sharply. “I’m Becky, orphan, Adventurer, and high priestess of Marduk, God of Knowledge. Listen this time, I won’t repeat it.” She dropped her hood, revealing a predatory smile. 

 “That’s Gary, first and only cultist of secret, remember him? The guy that ate your undead servant and drowned his own god... Don’t try him, he’s crazy.” 

 

Gary nodded to Shai. “I’m hers, the little ones are ours and you can’t have them. Becky is my sister, you can’t have her either… I really feel like we covered this.” 

 

They sat in silence and waited for one of the visitors to speak. 

Finally Gary blurted out. “You won’t break up my family that easily, I thought we had an understanding last time, Fargnie. If that’s how you want it, we can go that way.”

He turned on Theo. “You are really close to jumping off into dangerous waters, pal. I told your god to shove it up his ass until my demands were met.” He tried that really slow eye blink that Kai used on them so effectively. 

“Can I negotiate an apprenticeship for myself now?” He asked coldly, when he opened his eyes. “Can my brothers and sisters take apprenticeships in crafts?”

 

“That is prohibited by law boy, orphans do not make demands of citizens, of clergy and certainly not of the gods!” The burly smith fumed and spat with fury. He sat back down, red faced and gasping with indignation.

 

“What a dignified display.” Gary said in the brittle, glacial tone Shai hated. He had his eyes fixed on the small wad of spit on his gleaming floorboards. 

“I haven’t thrown anyone out of my house before. I wonder how that works…” Gary fixed the priest with a lazy dismissive sneer. “You are not welcome.” He said with that same frigid tenor. 

#

 

The fool said; ‘You are not welcome.’ as though an orphan’s word or opinion carried any weight. Theo spat on the floor again, in disdain. The thick gob of spittle hung up on his lip and splattered onto his own ceremonial apron. 

He grunted in disgust and reached for a cotton napkin on the tea service. With a curse, he spilled an entire pot of hot tea all over himself, somehow managing to absorb every drop into his raiment of office.

As he lurched in his chair, a subtle creak was all the warning he got. The chair disassembled itself, depositing him onto the cold hard floor with a bone rattling bump. 

 

He struggled to his feet, thumping his head firmly on the underside of a table, before falling back down when he stood a toe on his own apron.

Gamely, he stood again, one huge hand reaching out to hoist himself up by a convenient table top. Halfway to his feet, at a critical point of balance, that corner of the table vanished as if it never was. The square table became round, as he flopped back to the floor unceremoniously.

“I am under some kind of attack!” The smith cried as repeatedly tried to stand, only to be confounded and undone by seemingly random and unexplainable accidents. 

“Cease this assault you orphan filth!” He bellowed, making friends and influencing people along the way.

 

Gary and the Bathers watched in amusement as the middle aged, solidly built but slightly doughy man flailed and lurched around with ungainly movements. 

His tea soaked garments released not a single drop onto the floor, as he slid and tumbled ever nearer the entrance, in a series of slapstick pratfalls.

 

The tumbling, cursing man bounced, slid, stumbled and tripped right up to the door. He fell through, into the yard just as Harlan and Adelia slid open the door with a smile. 

“We've come for a visit…” Adaelia sang happily, as she watched Theophus step on an icicle that ‘just happened’ to fall from the eaves as he staggered by.

 

His wailing shriek of disorientation and fear lingered on the cold air, as he slid on his backside into the courtyard of the Adventure compound.

 

“Poor Theo forgot his shoes, Gary, be a dear and throw them out the door for me please.” Becky asked in a voice as sweet as treacle. 

 

The man in the bigfoot onesie made an elaborate bow with obscure flourishes that were clearly made up. “As you command, High Priestess Becky.” He said formally. 

Moments later a surprised and shrill; “Ow!” was followed by “Filthy orphan! I will have your indenture as my own for this indignant-... Ow!” Theo’s rant continued from the courtyard, but fell silent when the door slid closed behind Gary.

“He forgot he had two shoes when he started cussing me out... Always wait for the other shoe to drop.” Gary opined calmly before sitting down on Becky’s, left with Tallum on her right.

 

Becky nodded serenely to the remaining clergy. “Shall we continue our discussions? If master Harlan will agree to argue for Craft, in priest Theo’s stead…”

 

No objections seemed forthcoming so the orphans turned their eyes on Fargnahan, who was not forthcoming even then.

 

“We are still awaiting an answer, how can I obey this law without violating another? What Law states that an orphan under threat of indenture may not be a member of clergy?” Her eyebrows slashed viciously at the Order priest, mocking and demanding in turns. 

“What law allows for clergy to be placed under indenture without first being censured and defrocked by their cult? Will you form an ecumenical council to attempt to defy my god’s will?” Otho had a notebook out, cheerfully scribbling down her demands.

 “All these questions and many more must be answered before we will accept any judgment on these matters.” She sat back and nibbled a pear tart delicately. 

 

After a long and difficult silence, Harlan spoke up. “Craft do tell me tae be silent on all these matters… So I do wonder why suit were brought and what it is we do here? Sure’en I did come tae do a bit o haggling and see mine grandchildren.” He scanned the gathered representatives with a jaundiced eye. 

“I hae no case tae make here. Craft be nae involved in this in mine eyes. Let the one who brings suit speak.” 

 

Harlan grumbled under his breath after a long silence. “An there no objections this council is done.”

 

Becky stood and nodded to her guests. “We will continue to operate as we have unless and until you have answers to these challenges.” She scanned the assembled clergy and smiled. 

“We are not the enemy here.” Becky shook her head slowly and smiled once more. “Now, honored clergy, Master Harlan has business with me on behalf of the trade guilds and you have much to consider. Please excuse me, be our guests for tea and be welcome on your return.”

 

Becky gathered up Harlan and headed to the workshop door for a private negotiation, the sacks of copper and iron bits down there were impressively heavy for a single day. 

“Gary will loan you something to help carry these coins back, it’s slippery out there. Amy and Wilf need their whole grandpa.”

 

“Not Wilf!” Gary and Shai barked from the kitchen.

Amy and Wilford came rushing back in from the carriage house to be spoiled by Adelia. The proud new grandmother got swept away to the carriage house to meet the horsies… and the people that lived there too; Khan and Luna were an afterthought at best.

#

 

Becky thunked a pouch of bronze moons and marks on the counter with a sigh. “I have all this money now… what’s next? Do I build a temple? Somebody help me out here!” She slumped into the sofa by the fire with an exhausted gasp. “I have no clue what to do next.”

 

Gary grinned and began to laugh madly, cackling and rubbing his hands together in evil joy. “You build a library of course. One open to all, with classrooms and literacy programs for the kids…”

 

Becky and Tallum were excitedly taking notes, while Shai giggled with happiness. “Ye must hae a workshop fer the learning of crafts and arts! Tis nae only books that hold knowledge.” 

 

“Let’s all take a deep breath now.” Liam said calmly from the corner by the bar. “We have enough to work on, take some time and plan.” 

He clapped his hands and addressed the whole inn. “This afternoon there’s a party for the kids in the dining hall. They will be upset if we don’t show.” 

 

#

 

The orphans threw a fine halloween party for the younglings. They didn’t really understand, but costumes and candy almost always win individually, together it’s a certain victory. Cultivating a spooky holiday tradition takes time, or so he assumed. 

Most of the costumes on the younger orphans were beasts or animals, a little boy in a feathered cloak and owl mask ran by hooting, chased by a kitty cat and a wolf. Their shouts of candy fueled exuberance were lost in a chorus of similar shouts and laughter.  

A tiny boy in green robes, with his short hair dusted white with flour and long white feathers pasted over his eyebrows ran by shouting at everyone to behave in a decent Otho impression. Otho was holding forth with his joyous, in a costume depicting an aged rat man. His acolytes wore bright green turtle shells on their backs and colorful cloth masks as they played. Their music filled the room and kept everything lively.

 

Gary and Shai spent a few minutes chatting with a gregarious couple of older teens. Sarah had a tiny soprano ukulele, no doubt borrowed from a youngling for her costume, and was decked in brown and gray fool’s motley, including a tall three pointed cap that jingled with small bells perched on a shaggy brown wig.  

Todd, her companion, wore green skirts, a low cut bodice hanging emptily on his chest, a strand of bells at his hips and a short red wig.

  Shai bgan smiling and giggling right away, it took Gary a minute to realize why the young couple were so entertained by chatting with them and why other orphans kept looking over and laughing.

 

They danced a bit, ate too much and let the happy press of warm bodies carry them away. Amy and Wilford ran out of energy and passed out in Shai’s lap within an hour, after that a subtle departure by the Wards went unremarked. Gary may have used a little sneaky magic to ease their escape.

#

 

Gary finally mastered his nervous energy and wound down to sleep just before midnight, as exhaustion claimed him at last. He woke in the other world for only a few moments before a soft ringing sensation dragged him back… to the city alarm bell chiming in the night.

 

“Shai, bells at night…” He whispered groggily. “That’s an alarm right?” Becky came bursting in, dragging the little ones along at that moment.

 

It took just a few minutes to get everyone dressed and stagger downstairs.

“Becky, do wait wi the wee ones, we shall go and see. Tis likely the call tae arms.” Shai grumbled as she dragged Gary to the administration building.

 

A few of the younger and more able pensioners and most of the older teens were present already, as were Khan, Luna and Mikkel. 

After a few scant minutes, Tawny, Ivy and Tallum joined the growing crowd of adventurers, most bearing weapons, a  few fully kitted out and armored.

 

Mikkel stomped his peg leg for order and shouted. “Sorry folks, monsters don’t respect the holidays. We have a ground dragon headed for Flintspire town.” 

Groans of despair and angst rose from the people. “The foot troops from Port Fallon won’t make it in time, so we have to meet and support the cavalry and mages from Ellis.” Mikkel barked. “We have Luna and Khan to head our force, so I just need a few volunteers to round out the troop.” 

 

His fluffy white afro shimmied almost hypnotically after his head whipped around, to fixate on the small group of young Bathers standing in the corner. He smiled until the creases and wrinkles seemed to eat his dark face, leaving only the smile and fro. 

“Fortunately, we have a band of licensed and certified Adventurers to throw at the beast.” He cackled with happiness and danced a clumsy jig. “Let’s all thank them for their sacrifice.”

For some reason Shai was grinning at this news, as were the rest of his friends.

“Are they sending us to fight a dragon? In the middle of the night?” Gary demanded, his right eye twitching spastically.

 

“Aye, t’will be a fine battle… and ye shall see a mite of whae is out there.” Shai growled eagerly.