The Tale of Alar

1

“Alar, my lad! Come have a look at this!”

The bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young apprentice wiped his sooty paws on his blacksmith’s tabard and hurried over.

“What is it, father?” he asked.

“It appears the king is looking for fighters.” Ruskin the red squirrel gave his apprentice the poster and paused to let Alar read it. The youth followed along carefully with his paw, sounding out each syllable in his head as he slowly worked through the entire notice.

“What do you think of that?” asked Ruskin when he had finished.

“It sounds very exciting. I’d like nothing more than to prove my skill in such a worthy cause.”

“And so?”

“So what?”

“Are you going to?”

Alar’s vibrant blue eyes widened. “You mean it?”

“When did I ever say something I didn’t mean?”

“As I recall, just this morning...”

“All right, you young rascal, point taken.” Ruskin gave him a playful cuff over the ear. “But this time I really do.”

“Great! But will you be able to manage the forge without me?”

Ruskin chuckled. “I managed without you for most of my life, lad. I think I can do so again. Not to say you haven’t been a magnificent help to me these last sixteen years. But I think the time has come for you to move on to greater things.” He paused. “In fact, I think I’ll let you have the rest of the day off to practice and prepare for your journey to the capital, if you’d like. Starting this very moment.”

“Really? Oh, thank you!”

He embraced the burly old squirrel—the one who had taken in a poor orphaned kit, raised him as his own, and taught him a trade to boot. Then, with a spring in his step, Alar threw off his tabard and made for the door, buckling on his sword belt as he went.

“Where are you off to?” asked Ruskin.

“To tell Adam. Then get some practice before supper, like you said. See you later, dad!”

“See you later, Alar.”

Alar stepped out into the street, looking both ways as he did. It always paid to be cautious in this part of town, though no one much bothered him anymore, especially when he carried a sword like today. He was a solidly built squirrel, and as the scratches on his muzzle attested, he was no stranger to a fight. He had gotten into countless scraps throughout his youth. Some he had won; some he had lost. But with each fight he had grown savvier, and eventually won far more than he lost.

He kept his gaze sweeping from left to right as he walked, not only to keep alert for danger, but also to take in the comfortable familiarity of his neighborhood. Despite its rough exterior, there was a subtle charm embedded deeply within it that shone like a gem in need of burnishing to those who bothered to look. From the ragged little urchins playing around in the uneven cobblestone streets to the smiles of people he knew in their vendor stalls, the community here was incredibly strong. Deep down everyone knew that, whatever their quarrels with one another might be at times, if ever threatened from the outside, they would band together in a heartbeat to see their homes and families safe.

Yet, even as he passed the most disreputable alley in the city, the one marked by the constant presence of squirrel does in garish dresses and dozing drunkards, Alar sighed with contentment at this new spark of hope that spurred him onward. He had walked these streets since his infancy, and until this evening had thought he might just walk them until the end of his days. But now at last he would be able to go beyond. To see the wide world as he had always dreamed of doing. And what was more, he would be able to do so in service of his country! He could think of nothing nobler than that.

Alar turned a corner and proceeded down the next street toward an area where the houses began to look a bit nicer. He stopped just shy of this and turned down a narrow alley between two storefronts. At the end of the alley behind the tailor’s, he came to a little shack. He stepped up to the door, did his best to smooth down the tousled patches of his fur, then struck the solid wood four times in rapid succession: his signature knock. The answer was prompt, as another young buck, slightly shorter and of slighter build, opened the door.

“Alar!” he exclaimed, his formerly sullen expression lightening into a broad smile.

“Evening, Adam!” responded Alar. “I hoped you’d be in.”

“Just. Only finished at the shop a little while ago. Come in!”

Alar stepped inside and Adam closed the door. The two kissed lightly and Alar glanced around at the cramped but tidy one-room interior.

“The place is looking good. Have you been sprucing it up?”

“Oh, a bit,” Adam sighed.

“Something wrong, mate?” Alar asked, concern etched on his features.

“Nothing more than usual.” He paused. “Grant came by the store today.”

“He did? What for?” Alar’s tail went rigid at the mention of his old rival’s name.

“Oh, nothing too bad. Just boasted about going on some sort of quest. Said how he’d miss our fun times together and all that. As if I could ever miss that ass and his endless taunting. Good riddance, I say. I hope he was telling the truth, and that he never comes back.”

“Oh, I think he was telling the truth.”

Adam’s tail curled into a delicate question mark, as it always did before he asked one. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, because as it happens, I’m here for a very similar reason.”

And so, he explained the king’s call for volunteers to fight the dark wizard Magus and rescue his daughter, as well as the great reward to be had. Adam listened all the way through, the excitement slowly fading from his expression.

“That does sound a lot like what he was on about.” Adam frowned. “And you intend to go too, I take it?”

“Of course! It’s just the chance we’ve been waiting for. With the reward the king’s offering, we can finally afford to marry, buy a nice little farmhouse in the country, and be together forever like we’ve always dreamed of. We could finally break free of these dirty streets and start over somewhere better. Besides, I’m sure Grant and I wouldn’t be the only ones going. We’d have companions to help us along the way, and between us we should be able to bring back the king’s daughter in no time at all.”

“And kill a dark wizard?” spoke Adam doubtfully.

“I guess so, yeah.” He paused, sensing his friend’s agitation. “What’s wrong, mate?” He took Adam’s delicate, carefully manicured paws in his own rough, soot-stained paws and earnestly regarded his boyfriend.

“Well, it’s just...It sounds so dangerous.”

Alar shrugged. “Life can be dangerous. But things can get pretty boring without a little excitement now and again.”

“I know. And I know you’re a true master of the blade, Alar. But I don’t know if even you could face down a wizard the likes of Magus. Mages have powers that can render even the mightiest arm useless from what I’ve heard.”

Alar was at once surprised and just a little annoyed. He had expected Adam to be thrilled at the news, and yet here he was apparently trying to dissuade him from going.

“What would you have me do, then?” he asked curtly.

“Don’t go, Alar. Please.”

“All right, s’pose I don’t. What then? Sit around here twiddling my paws ‘til we’re old and gray?”

“I didn’t say...”

But Alar was on a tear, and would not be so easily silenced.

“Life’s been f*****g us over since day one, Adam. In more ways than one. Here’s our one chance to turn the tables, and you don’t want me to take it!”

“I...I don’t know,” said Adam, turning away to hide his forming tears. Alar immediately regretted his outburst and softened toward him.

“I’m sorry, Adam. I didn’t mean...”

“It’s not that,” said Adam. “It’s the thought that you might get hurt or...or worse. You’re all I have to keep me going in this life. And I just...I just...” Adam’s composure failed him, and he flung his arms around Alar. “I just couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

“Oh, Adam.” Alar embraced him tightly and swayed gently from side to side. “Don’t cry, mate.”

“But...You’re going. I know there’s nothing I can say to dissuade you. And...I may never see you again.”

He broke into full sobs and Alar sighed.

“It’s the only way we’ll ever be able to live how we want. We can finally leave this s**t hole of a city and never have to look back. Just you and me with no worries and nothing to hide from the world. And I promise I’ll return. By the will of Skiouros and the strength of my paws, I swear I’ll come back.” Seeing his words were no consolation to the sobbing Adam, he sighed again. “But if you really don’t want me to go, then I won’t. We’ll find another way to make our dream come true.”

Adam sniffed. “Really?”

Alar looked his companion in the eyes and wiped away a rogue tear sliding down his cheek. “Really.”

“Oh...but I wouldn’t want to hold you back from your dreams either.”

Alar shrugged. “It wouldn’t be holding me back. We’d just have to wait a little longer, that’s all. Your apprenticeship is nearly complete. So is mine. We could always strike up our own trades and earn the money that way.”

“We could. Assuming there’s still a kingdom left after Magus gets done with it.”

Alar sighed and shook his head. “There’s no guarantee my going would make a difference one way or the other there, like you said. But I’ll tell you what. You think on it. We’ll go for a swim tomorrow and decide where to go from there. All right?”

Adam nodded slowly. “All right.”

“Great!” They hugged again. Alar felt a brief pang of sadness that he could so easily feel his lover’s ribs beneath his fur. How underfed they had both been in their upbringing! He vowed to himself that if he did go on this quest and emerge victorious, neither he nor Adam would ever go hungry again. “S’pose I’d better be getting back now. I promised Rus I’d get some practice in before supper.” He paused. “Will you be all right now?”

Adam sniffed and wiped his eyes. “I’ll be fine, yeah.”

“Good.” They kissed once more. “I love you, you know.”

“So I’ve heard,” said Adam with an attempt at a smile. “And I love you too, Alar.”

Alar stepped out and closed the door, then sighed softly. His tail hanging slightly lower but his resolution still firm, he stalked off to fulfill his remaining duties for the day.