Quest for the Three Books

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Morning service flashed by under Steigan's growing excitement. He'd leave tomorrow to be Martias' Sacred Knight. He rode through town, circling around in the streets just to feel the sun on his face and enjoy the moment. He couldn't wait to see Arlyn and tell him the news, assuming Jonard hadn't already told him. But he had to go home first to finish his chores, especially since he hadn't been home since yesterday afternoon.

Cobblestone streets changed to dirt as he made his way toward the outer edge of Whalston. A merchant stood ready to unpack the load of goods coming in on Travelers' Road. Seeing Steigan, he called out and waved, “Thank you, Dominus!”

Steigan saluted with his hand over his heart. “All in good service,” he replied. “Anything good coming in? Something I should pass on to Lucinia?”

“Nothing new,” the merchant said with a shake of his head. “Only absolute essentials here in the hope they'd make it through. Thanks to you though, I'll be placing a big order today.”

The merchant's daughter, Jalana, stepped into the doorway and waved to Steigan.

“Good to hear.” Steigan nudged Tyana forward as he nodded to Jalana.

“Tell Sim to come on over. I've got a good flask of Multerric left and he deserves it for raising such a fine boy.”

“Come on back down with him,” Jalana called out.

“I'll let him know.”

As Steigan rode away, he felt heat rising in his cheeks. He couldn't imagine Sim sitting around with the other merchants in town gabbing about what a good lad Steigan had become. He wondered if Jalana's father would feel the same way if he knew Jalana had once kissed Steigan in the alley by the store; his first kiss. He waved to the wagon driver as they crossed paths on the road.

The sign for Sim's Inn and Tavern swung lightly in the breeze, making the short chain holding it to the pole creak. Steigan rode around to the left side of the building, urging Tyana to leap the small fence where Lucinia had tiny white, pink, and blue flowers planted around the posts. The unicorn trod across the grassy patch toward the main path leading to the stables.

He removed the tack from Tyana and let her loose. After putting her saddle on a board and hanging her bridle, Steigan picked up a pitchfork and started to clean the stables. Sim came in and grabbed the pitchfork.

“Go in and get some rest,” Sim ordered.

“But the stables need cleaned.”

“You've done a great service to this town in catching those bandits. The least I can do is finish your chores for you today.”

Steigan nodded. “Thank you.” He knew he could enter through the kitchen, but he chose to walk back out to the road. The inn sat only feet from Travelers' Road where it entered town from the forested road leading all the way to New Lilinar. He glanced down it, trying to see as far down the road as he could until the ground disappeared in the haze of rolling landscape and shadows. In the other direction, Whalston's business day had begun in earnest and the streets were filling with traffic.

Steigan walked into the inn through the front door. He knew he should feel tired, but sleep didn't seem like a priority right now, not when he felt alive with so much energy. He never thought he'd actually be chosen to be a Sacred Knight.

Compared to the sunshine outside, the inn seemed darker than usual but couldn't dampen Steigan's floaty emotions. He breathed deeply of home, where he felt so good, and the scent of old wood and breakfast cooked long ago filled his nose. Musty air of both cheap and expensive smokes blended with aged ale. A couple roomies, people who were currently renting lodgings at the inn, had wandered down to start their day. Soon the town regulars would straggle in.

“Good morn', Dominus Steigan,” a barmaid said, waddling toward him with a tray of empty steins. “Bright blessings to see you happy today.”

“And you are positively glowing, Matoline. It's not fair that you should have so much energy carrying around for two.”

Matoline shrugged. “I do what I must. Wouldn't be fit to have the baby in naught but straw.”

She had such an odd way of speaking and Steigan secretly loved to listen to her talk. The very words she used made him long for a time past.

She spoke like the woman in white from the forest last night!

Where did Matoline say she'd come from? Briarsville? Hallon? “Matoline, do you remember a woman from your town with long, red, curly hair? May have been a noble of some sort?”

“N-no, sorry, I don't.” She started around Steigan. “Maybe we didn't travel in the same circles.”

“No, maybe not.” He hurried up beside her, not ready for her to leave. He smiled, even though he'd suddenly realized how he'd miss her after he left to be Martias' Sacred Knight. “Take care of yourself and the Goddess shall shine upon you and the baby.”

Matoline stopped as her eyes widened, but she quickly blinked away the fear Steigan had spotted in them. “You sound like you're leaving.”

Steigan continued to force the smile though he suddenly hated the thought of leaving home. Maybe he felt more tired than he thought. “I am, but only for a little while. When I get back, you'll have that boy bouncing on your knee.”

“For shame, Dominus. You know it'll be a girl.”

Steigan couldn't fake the smile any longer. He started to walk away, but over his shoulder, he said, “Boy. Just you wait.”

Matoline snapped a rag after him and continued about her work.

Turning, Steigan stood in the doorway at the back of the tavern for a moment and watched her go about wiping down wooden tables. He didn't understand why one instant he could be deliriously happy and the next so homesick without even having left.

Had the woman in the forest rattled him into believing that unseen forces were moving him into place like a pawn? What if the vision of her had been a dream? Maybe he'd fallen asleep. Or a mirage. He'd heard tales of people who'd had visions and strange sights when they'd been hungry or thirsty. He'd left with provisions in his pack, but he couldn't remember eating or drinking after heading out. Had his head played tricks on him when he didn't treat his body with the respect it needed? He'd been so intent on tracking the bandits and capturing them he allowed the old forest trees to spin tales in his mind.

Steigan headed toward the stairs, but the scent of simmering vegetables wafted toward him from the kitchen and leashed him. His stomach growled and he again realized he hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon when he'd been called out. Lucinia would hate the thought of her “growing boy” missing out on a meal. Last night must have been really hard on her. He wondered if she'd skipped a meal too.

Steigan paused at the kitchen door to listen to the tap-tap-tap of her knife steadily chopping. Home. Had he really had that thought? He looked around the tavern from the wood beams by the bar, to the steins on the shelves waiting to be used, to where Matoline moved between empty tables. Soon the lunch crowd would come in, filling the place with Sim's laughter and teasing, Lucinia's protests, and patrons sharing talk. All these invisible sounds Steigan's memory recalled with clarity.

Goddess! He wouldn't be gone forever. Within a week, he'd fulfill his duty as Sacred Knight and Martias would either become Holy Sapere or not. If Martias did gain the office, then he'd stay with Martias until he took his position. After that he'd be free to return to Whalston or he could stay and train other domini as would be his right. Did he already know in his heart that Martias would ask him to stay and teach and that he'd accept?

Or were other events manifesting?

He pushed through the two-way swinging door. Lucinia barely looked up from her chopping. She lit up with a smile but obviously had been crying. “You're home.”

“I am, Ma. Until morning.”

That brought tears to her eyes. She put the knife down on the table and grabbed a rag to wipe her eyes. “Sim told me. I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. I know I should be happy...”

Steigan walked over and hugged her. “Ma, I'll be back here before you know it.” Hadn't he just tried to convince himself of that? He owed his life to the Temple. Plain and simple. He went where they wanted him to, whether to be a warrior or to be a Sacred Knight. A truthful fact he'd known all his life.

“I know. You've gone away before. It's never been easy. This time feels different.”

Goddess, she senses it too, he thought to himself. He wanted to press for more, but the moment vanished.

With a sniffle, she pulled away and dried her eyes again. “I have something for you.”

“Really?” He instantly hated the tone of his voice, like a little kid finding out he has presents on his birthday. A true dominus would remember to stay humble. Armor and a sword were all that were truly needed. “You don't have to give me anything.” Steigan turned away and sat down at the small table against the wall and pulled an orange from the bowl of fruit sitting as the centerpiece. He rolled the orange around on the wood.

“Hush now,” Lucinia said as she bustled away. “I made this for a special occasion and I can't think of any time more special than you going to be Martias' Sacred Knight.” She opened a low cupboard door and reached toward the far back.

He pressed the orange a little too hard and it shot out from beneath his hand and landed on the floor. Ah, Goddess, she'd hidden it away from him to keep him from accidentally seeing it. He bent to get the orange. She'd last hid away new embroidered robes she'd made for Sim when he elevated to a second rank Sapere.

She placed an oddly-shaped package bundled in blue cloth and tied with a gold cord on the table in front of him.

Even wrapped! “You really didn't have to,” Steigan said.

“You never ask for anything. You're my son and I feel like I'm hardly ever able to do anything for you. Now open it.”

Steigan untied the cord and carefully unfolded the material. A black cavalier hat with a long black plume feather and one side of the brim upturned had given the package it's odd shape. A band of gold curling ribbon trimmed the hat. He lifted the hat out, almost afraid to touch it. Beneath lay a padded doublet of black velvet and blue satin lined with gold trim. Lucinia took the hat from him so he could pick up the doublet. He scarcely wanted to touch it.

“It's beautiful,” he said looking up at her. “I can never wear it though.”

Lucinia looked momentarily crushed. “Why not?”

Steigan laughed as he stood up to give her another hug. “I'll get it all dirty. You know that.”

Lucinia swatted his arm. “Hopefully Holy Sapere Martias will keep you out of the mud.”

“Thank you. This is wonderful.”

Lucinia started to tear up again. “We should make sure it fits. You wouldn't want to get to the Induction Ceremony and find it's too short.”

Steigan began to gather up the package when he smelled something burning. Almost at the same moment, Lucinia caught a whiff of it too. They both glanced around the kitchen, starting at the fireplaces. Over Lucinia's shoulder, Steigan saw it through the window before she did. The air outside had grayed with smoke.

“Sim!” Steigan dropped the doublet on the table and rushed for the door. In a moment too short, his life went from being good and correct to feeling the terrible heat of the flames eating away at the old dry wood of the stables.