Melizar’s companions seemed consumed with quite different things as they picked their way through the mountains, heading toward the bridge at the Moorhead River. The river split upon leaving the mountains and filled the swamplands of Darkmoor.
Thatcher had asked Melizar if he thought Goldain’s offer of mentorship and friendship was genuine. The northerner did have an open directness about him. Would a northern prince really take a parentless street rat as his apprentice?
“I would say boy, given what I knew of the Qarahni prince, the offer was likely genuine. Keep in mind, though, Goldain’s general flightiness may make the realization of obligation rather unstructured.”
“So you are saying I shouldn’t be in a great hurry to complete any training, huh?”
“If speed is your goal, you might wish to seek a different mentor. I’m not certain the Qarahni has ever been in a hurry about anything.”
“I’m pretty accurate with a crossbow and know more than a trick or two with fighting daggers. This has been good enough to survive the streets of Aton-Ri, but to have a veteran warrior mentor and train me with the long blade could transform me into a genuine hero.”
“I can’t help you there, boy. I’m not sure I know what that word means.”
Further in the journey, Melizar found himself close to their captain. Gideon’s mind was consumed with the shields they had found.
“So, Melizar, you seem to always be thinking three moves ahead. What is your take on the shields? Are they in some way connected with the missing caravans, or something more dire?”
“I am not from here, captain. Not knowing more about the politics of your home country, I could not say. I have found, however, that when enough motivation is in play, people can be driven to do things quite outside the range of what they thought possible.”
“The reputation of Parynland is beyond reproach, but this is carefully maintained by the severe determination of the king to capture and punish any who would tarnish the perceptions of the kingdom. Parynlanders found guilty of things not in keeping with the strictures of the One Lord and the reputation of King Paryn are exiled, and their status as Parynland citizens revoked.”
“Yet you are concerned this may have proven an insufficient deterrent in this case?”
“The thought that there might be a traitor in the court is conceivable, but a deeply disturbing possibility.”
“I would say, captain, that this is only one of many possible explanations. I would not rush to judgment until more is known about the situation. Following false conclusions is a road to destruction.”
With time being long and the travel here relatively safe, Melizar decided to renew his experiments in finding the Durgak’s breaking point.
“So, master Durgak. Do you find this foray has been all you had hoped?”
“Hmph,” Duncan snorted. “Exactly what in this whole business is recountable in a valor quest examination?”
“Perhaps I don’t understand your culture well enough,” Melizar probed, “but aren’t you a priest and healer? I fail to see the purpose in expecting a priest to recount deeds as though he were a warrior. It would be like asking a rabbit to recount his thoughts on hunting.”
“Granted I am a priest of the One Lord,” Duncan responded, his voice a rising crescendo and his face reddening, “and as such smashing about like a warrior is not expected. I don’t expect a kashaph wielder to understand this, but Durgak as a race are known as mighty warriors and even we priests are trained in battle. It seems thus far I have proven to be little more than an advisor on Durgak architecture. This will make a poor witness as a tale of valor. My three year valor quest has just begun, but it is off to a less than auspicious start.”
“Well,” Melizar said with a wry grin hidden behind his darkened hood, “perhaps you will get lucky and an architect will be assigned as one of your examiners.
Thatcher had asked Melizar if he thought Goldain’s offer of mentorship and friendship was genuine. The northerner did have an open directness about him. Would a northern prince really take a parentless street rat as his apprentice?
“I would say boy, given what I knew of the Qarahni prince, the offer was likely genuine. Keep in mind, though, Goldain’s general flightiness may make the realization of obligation rather unstructured.”
“So you are saying I shouldn’t be in a great hurry to complete any training, huh?”
“If speed is your goal, you might wish to seek a different mentor. I’m not certain the Qarahni has ever been in a hurry about anything.”
“I’m pretty accurate with a crossbow and know more than a trick or two with fighting daggers. This has been good enough to survive the streets of Aton-Ri, but to have a veteran warrior mentor and train me with the long blade could transform me into a genuine hero.”
“I can’t help you there, boy. I’m not sure I know what that word means.”
Further in the journey, Melizar found himself close to their captain. Gideon’s mind was consumed with the shields they had found.
“So, Melizar, you seem to always be thinking three moves ahead. What is your take on the shields? Are they in some way connected with the missing caravans, or something more dire?”
“I am not from here, captain. Not knowing more about the politics of your home country, I could not say. I have found, however, that when enough motivation is in play, people can be driven to do things quite outside the range of what they thought possible.”
“The reputation of Parynland is beyond reproach, but this is carefully maintained by the severe determination of the king to capture and punish any who would tarnish the perceptions of the kingdom. Parynlanders found guilty of things not in keeping with the strictures of the One Lord and the reputation of King Paryn are exiled, and their status as Parynland citizens revoked.”
“Yet you are concerned this may have proven an insufficient deterrent in this case?”
“The thought that there might be a traitor in the court is conceivable, but a deeply disturbing possibility.”
“I would say, captain, that this is only one of many possible explanations. I would not rush to judgment until more is known about the situation. Following false conclusions is a road to destruction.”
With time being long and the travel here relatively safe, Melizar decided to renew his experiments in finding the Durgak’s breaking point.
“So, master Durgak. Do you find this foray has been all you had hoped?”
“Hmph,” Duncan snorted. “Exactly what in this whole business is recountable in a valor quest examination?”
“Perhaps I don’t understand your culture well enough,” Melizar probed, “but aren’t you a priest and healer? I fail to see the purpose in expecting a priest to recount deeds as though he were a warrior. It would be like asking a rabbit to recount his thoughts on hunting.”
“Granted I am a priest of the One Lord,” Duncan responded, his voice a rising crescendo and his face reddening, “and as such smashing about like a warrior is not expected. I don’t expect a kashaph wielder to understand this, but Durgak as a race are known as mighty warriors and even we priests are trained in battle. It seems thus far I have proven to be little more than an advisor on Durgak architecture. This will make a poor witness as a tale of valor. My three year valor quest has just begun, but it is off to a less than auspicious start.”
“Well,” Melizar said with a wry grin hidden behind his darkened hood, “perhaps you will get lucky and an architect will be assigned as one of your examiners.
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