Shade came walking back into the room smiling a few hours
after he had left. Closing the door herself she clapped her hands, “Made more
than enough for the weeklong dosage that’ll heal him back up.” He told Latiya, “Queen
Mother will make sure that he receives it.”
“Are you not staying any longer?” Latiya asked him, sounding
disappointed.
Shade smiled at her warmly, “You know I’m not wanted here by
anyone else. Plus, Walker had something he needed to go do. Coming all the way
home will dramatically increase the time until we can get to where we were
headed.”
Latiya looked back and forth between Shade and his friends.
Finally she spoke up, “Well, I’m glad you’ve at least found some people to call
home, I’m just sorry it’s not here.”
Shade shrugged, “Faris makes a fine and just King, probably
better than I would have. I hated those lessons.”
“He took it to heart because he wanted to make you proud.”
Latiya told him, “He never wanted it, he simply did it because he wanted to be
as good as he thought you would have been.”
Shade smiled, “Well, he sure has made me proud. I’d even go
as far to say he’s done a better job than father, but if we’re praising family
members, we certainly can’t forget about the rebellious Princess here.” He
chuckled and gestured to his sister.
She waved her hand dismissively, “Pff! Royal blood got me
nowhere.”
“But I’m sure you use it to tease your rangers.”
Latiya blushed slightly and chuckled, “I might.”
Shade smirked, “I wonder how it feels to have the Princess
leading them into battles.”
“Oh they’re scared shitless that I’ll get myself hurt. It’s
fantastic to watch.” She giggled.
“I bet it is.” Shade shook her head amused, “I’m sure Faris
appreciates it as well.”
“Ugggh!” She groaned, “Every single time I leave, even if
it’s just for hunting deer, he talks to me before hand and gives me the same
short little ‘Make sure you return safely. I’ve already lost one sibling.”
Blah, blah, blah speech.”
Shade laughed, “He’ll be scarred for life over it, give the
poor lad a break.”
Latiya sighed heavily, “He’s not young and stupid anymore. I
think there’s no reason he can’t know the truth about what happened to you.”
“That’s not for either of us to decide.” Shade reminded her.
“Why not?” She snapped at him, “Because mother says
otherwise? Forgive me for these treasonous words about to leave my mouth
but…she’s an oblivious bitch! Faris doesn’t talk to her for emotional support,
she doesn’t know him like I do. He keeps things from her simply because he
knows she’ll freak out for no reason. Mother doesn’t want Faris to know because
she still doesn’t want to accept it.”
Shade licked his lips slowly while the rest of their party
stared at the siblings in shocked silence. After a few long tense seconds,
Shade finally responded, “You’re probably right, but-“
“But what?” She cut him off, “He blames himself for your
‘death’! Does he not deserve to know the truth?”
Shade sighed heavily, “Not now, Latiya, we,” He looked over
at his friends, “Have something we need to go do. Think on it, heavily.
Understand just how it would affect this family, as a whole and individually.
Faris, while our brother, is also the King. As a brother, he should know, but
as a King, his stability is much more important.” He paused for a few seconds
and looked her in the eyes, “I trust your judgment, if after a few months you
still believe that telling him is for the greater good…then you know how to
contact me.”
She nodded at him, “That is a fair agreement. I’m sure
conversations about you will be popping up with him quite frequently, considering
his condition will bring back the memories.”
Shade nodded back and changed the subject, “What’s the
biggest city that the airships here will take us to?”
“Oh probably-“
“Hold up actually!” Walker cut in stepping forward, “I’ve
got a better idea.” Both Shade and Latiya looked down at him confused. “Latiya,
Captain of the Rangers, does that mean…ALL of the rangers. Is there no one
above you besides the King?”
“Well there’s the Commander of our-“
“Ranger-Captain doesn’t answer to the Commander of the elven
armies.” Walker again cut her off.
Latiya’s eyes narrowed, “How do you know that?”
Walker pumped his fist excitedly, “I’m suddenly very glad we
came here.” He paused for a fraction of a second, “The water breaks the wind,
but the wind breaks the tide.”
In the blink of an eye Latiya had a curved dagger at
Walker’s neck, he merely smiled as she hissed at him, “Who told you that?!”
“Ranger Garet Moonfaie, resident eyes stationed at Port
Phishk.” Walker said calmly, “We teamed up on multiple occasions; needless to
say I saved his ass more times than one. Also you have me to thank for quite a
bit of information that’s come through in the past.”
“I was never informed of a gnome.” She snapped at him.
“Well of course not!” Walker chuckled, “A good spy never
talks about his sources.”
“What’re you getting at?” She asked him.
“I’m no fool. I know you guys can open up a portal
into…probably a wall in his basement.” Walker shrugged, “Maybe just the floor,
or- no! No! I got it! It’s a secret tunnel from out of his basement, and about halfway
through it, in the wall is the portal, no?”
“He wouldn’t…” She growled.
“Oh no! No he didn’t tell me that, I’m just not stupid.”
Walker again said, “I just knew that slippery fucker well enoughto know where he would put something like that.”
“Who ARE you?” She questioned him.
“Oh I’m Walker…I’m THE Walker.” He paused for a moment,
“Think I was referred to as…’NeW’ in his reports. That one he told me!”
Latiya narrowed her eyes again for a second before flipped
her dagger away, “If you’re lying to me, I have to kill you all, if not…Garet
has a lot of fucking explaining to do.”
“Walker…?” Rede sounded genuinely concerned.
“Don’t worry about it Rede, I’m telling the truthiest truth
I’ve ever told.” Walker rolled his eyes at him, “Glad to know Garet’s still
alive, mildly surprising how often he almost got himself killed, but good.”
Latiya grabbed Walker by the arm violently, “You’re coming
with me. I’ll be telling my guards to make sure the rest of you stay in this
room, by any means necessary.”
“Don’t worry so much,” Shade told her, “I’ll make sure we
all stay put.”
Latiya shot him a short glare before storming out of the
room, dragging Walker with. “Calm down, sweetheart, I’ll follow willingly!”
Walker said as she still had a death grip on his arm.
She stopped and looked him in the eyes, “One misstep and
I’ll shoot an arrow through your skull, understood?”
Walker shrugged, “Fair enough, considering what I’m talking
about I’d be highly disappointed if you weren’t thinking about killing me.”
“Good.” She let him go and lead him down multiple hallways.
Before long he found himself in a underground room and surprisingly he couldn’t
recall the path back to the room where everyone else was.
“A hidden room that’s not so hidden…” Walker mused, “You
just led me here without blindfolding me or anything along those lines, yet I
find myself unable to recall the path we took. How?”
Latiya smiled at him, “You don’t honestly expect me to
answer that, right?”
Walker chuckled and relaxed, “No, but a man can dream. I
like it. Impressive indeed.”
“Thank you, I worked hard on upgrading this. It was a wreck
under that last Ranger-Captain.” Latiya walked over to one of the many control
panels and quickly got to work on it. As she worked, a large portal device
slowly started to fire up with power. Walker sat down silently watching as the
devise churned to life. After a while the oval ring in the center of it flashed
full with a thin, green, liquefied surface that seemed to be in constant
motion. Latiya left the control panel and beckoned for Walker to join her in
front of the portal. He walked up and waited casually while Latiya folded her
arms and put an accusing gaze on her face.
Minutes passed before finally a male elf stumbled though the
portal, “My lady, I apologize for I was not expe-“ He froze as he spotted
Walker standing next to her.
Latiya shook her head and sighed, “So, you do know this
gnome?”
Walker smiled and opened his arms up wide, “Garet!” He
called out happily, “Long time no see! How goes the good fight?”
Garet sighed heavily and shook his head, “This…this is not
what I had in mind for owing you a favor, Walker.”
“I must admit this is a bit much, consider any debts you
might have owed me paid then.”
“Paid?!” Garet looked at him in shock, “She’s going to beat
me to pulp for this!”
“Would you rather me have left you rotting in the cave
cells?” Walker asked him, “Or left you alone with those drake? Or not bailed
you out of-“
“OKAY, okay! Fine!” Garet shouted at him, “But I don’t owe
you shit after what you’ve just done to me.”
Walker smiled and looked back up at Latiya who had just been
shaking her head, “Hey, so can me and my buddies just take this portal. Were
trying to get to Port Phishk.”
Garet’s eyes opened wide, “You’re coming back?”
“An old friend left me a message telling me to.” Walker told
him, “Says they done me wrong. Was almost hoping it was going to be you if I’m
honest.”
“I ain’t ever done you wrong!”
Walker chuckled for a second before frowning, “There was
only two other people that had the balls to call me friend…”
Garet slowly nodded at Walker and looked at Latiya, “Let him
use the portal. If there’s one man who’s earned it, it’s this guy.”
“Garet…” She said in a warning tone.
“I know…I’ll tell you every-“
“Once he and his friend’s are through, you need to find a
new base of operations.” She told him.
Garet looked at her in shock, but noticed Walker wink at
him, “Yes, Ma’am! I’ll get right on it!”
“Good.” She paused for a second, “And no more of…this.”
“Understood, Ma’am!” He saluted her.
“Good.” She shook her head slightly, “You two stay put, I’ll
go grab your friends, Walker.”
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