Luck in the Shadows - Chapter Six

[kalinara]

So this was SUPPOSED to go up yesterday! Sorry!

Last time, everyone went shopping! Also they snooped around the Mayor's House and apparently, in the process, managed to piss off a lot of people. Fortunately, they have help now!



I don't normally point out episode titles in anything but Mistwraith/Merior, and that only because if I didn't, the three chapter in one set up would be completely incomprehensible. But I find it worth noting that the chapter title here is "Alec Earns His Bow."

Not like THAT. He's sixteen! (I'm Watching You.)

Anyway, we rejoin our heroes as they escape from the inn - dropping thirty feet from the window into very cold water. I was going to knock the contrivance but then I remembered that Seregil specifically asked for this room. And it does seem reasonable that an experienced spy/thief would choose a room with a second exit.

Alec has a little trouble in the water but Micum gets him to a handhold. They get themselves to a mud bank where they huddle and wait. A few times they end up having to go deeper into the icy water to avoid searchers. It's about an hour before Micum says they can go.

I'm impressed that they were able to avoid hypothermia.

They get to the Temple of Astellus (next to the Fisherman Guildhall). Astellus is the other deity of the north and one of four in the southern kingdoms. It's a "plain, windowless structure" but with large double doors that are never locked. Astellus, as appropriate for a traveler deity, seems to have a lot of water symbols.

So they sneak through the temple into a storeroom, where there is a convenient trap door! Yay! Seregil and Micum exchange some banter, the gist of it being that Micum might not mind a good fight. Micum also shows off a cool toy: a "lightstone". (Seregil had one too, but lost it in a dice game.)

Micum tells Alec, and us, the backstory of the tunnel. There's one in the Temple of Dalna as well. Merchants created them in the hopes of being able to evacuate the town in a siege. Micum doesn't actually think that would work (it'd likely bring them out in front of the enemy), but it's perfect for a couple of nosy not-spies.

Their destination is "the cave" and the description is pretty cool:

The passage ran in a fairly straight line back from the river. It was hardly wide enough for two men to pass, and the roof was so low that Micum had to stoop in places. The damp earthen walls, shored up at intervals with timber, gave off an unpleasant chill. Blotches of lichen and pale fungi sprouted from the support beams. After some time, the tunnel branched.

They exit through a cave (not "the cave") into the woods.

Halfway up a hillside, they reached another cave. It was larger than the last and its opening lay in plain sight. High-roofed and shallow, it narrowed at the back to a tiny passage leading farther into the hillside. Alec and Seregil were slim enough to pass through sideways without much trouble, but Micum grunted and swore as he worked his way in.

and

The crevice twisted sharply several times, threatening to close altogether, but finally opened into a wider space.

Micum brought out his light again, and Alec saw that they were in another cave, this one quite large.

Wood lay arranged for a fire in a circle of stones. Hunkering down beside it, Seregil found a small jar among the logs and shook what appeared to be hot coals onto the tinder.

Now, I cut out a fair bit of banter to provide the description.

1. Micum telling Alec to keep an eye out, Alec trying awkwardly to draw his sword, and Seregil being all "ah, not yet. You wait behind us."

2. Micum mocking Seregil for being sensitive to the cold and bullying him into taking Micum's cloak.

3. Seregil commenting that Micum didn't have as much trouble getting into the cave a few years back.

So anyway, they've reached a pretty nice, hidden shelter. A well-supplied one too. Seregil gets to show Alec some more cool magic stuff: those coals mentioned in the last excerpt are "fire stones". They ignite when they touch anything flammable. (Hence being kept in a jar.) They're a bit too dangerous to travel with.

The cave is outfitted nicely: firewood, blankets, and pottery jars. And we get our first obvious, but second or third in retrospect, clue that Seregil is part of a larger group:

"Micum found it a while back," Seregil said, huddling over the flames as closely as he dared. "Only we and a few friends know about it. Who was here last?"

Micum inspected the stone shelf that held the jars and held up a black feather. "Erisa. She must have stopped here before going into town. Let's see what she's left in the larder."

Erisa was the drysian they met earlier, remember. I suspect the blind dude in the cottage is a part of this group as well.

The jars are marked: a bee for honey, a wheat stalk for hard biscuit, a cup for mead. There's also some dried venison and tobacco. Micum is happy about the last, and I'm suddenly really curious about the ecology of the Three Kingdoms. Do they have corn too?

I've gotten used to expecting pseudo-Europe in fantasy settings. I'm intrigued by a pseudo-America. (...do the Aurenfaie all have Southern accents?)

There are some first aid type herbs (yarrow and fever bane) too, but thankfully they don't need them. Everyone strips down. Alec gets to perv on other people for once:

Too cold to concern himself with modesty for once, Alec noticed that both of his companions had a number of scars, though Micum's were by far the more numerous and serious. The worst was a pale rope of tissue that began just beneath his right shoulder blade. It curved down around his back to end just short of his navel. Noticing the boy's interest, he turned to the light and ran a thumb proudly over the end of the welt.

This leads into story time! Micum tells us about the event: nine years ago, Seregil, Micum and some others were up around "the Fishless Sea" where they ran into a group of nomads that Micum describes as "great hairy giants". They had big flail type weapons with razor sharp chains attached. Other members of the group (Cyril and Berrit) lost an arm, and was blinded and died. They got the legs off Micum's horse. Seregil saved Micum, and fortunately, they had a drysian named Valerius with them who kept him alive.

I include the names here, one because I like the level of detail, but also as more indicators that Micum and Seregil are part of a bigger group. This is a nice contrast to certain other books I've reviewed here.

Seregil takes his turn, showing Alec "deep indentations in the lean muscle on either side of his left thigh."

I'm Watching You.

Anyway, Seregil had been exploring an abandoned keep. It had belonged to a dead wizard, but her magical defenses and traps were in place. Seregil had done a good job getting past them, but as he notes to Alec (apparently taking the mentor thing seriously for the moment: "But no matter how good you are, there's always a trap with your name on it somewhere.") He had ended up tripping something, and his foot went through the floor. The spike pinned him "like a speared fish". If it had been a half inch to the left, Seregil would have bled to death, instead he did a lot of yelling and fainting until Micum got him out.

Seregil and Alec share a moment:

Alec had stripped the oilskin cover from his bow to check for damage. Without looking up from his work, he ventured shyly, "Still, you were brave enough to do all that."

"You've got a short memory all of a sudden,"

Seregil scoffed, passing him the mead jar. "Aren't you the same half-starved lad who survived Asengai's dungeons and followed me out, not to mention what we did tonight? That's a lot to claim before you're even grown."

Alec shrugged, embarrassed. "That wasn't bravery. There just wasn't anything else to do."

Micum laughed grimly. "By Sakor, then you've learned the secret of being brave. All you need is some training."

Talk turns to what exactly happened. Micum, who'd been watching the house from outside, gave his version of events: it was quiet until well after the boys left. People went home. Then all hell broke loose: there was yelling, lights, and soldiers. And everyone who'd been at the feast was to be arrested and brought back immediately. That's when Micum went to find Seregil.

Seregil notes the plus side: if everyone is being arrested, then they probably hadn't actually seen him or Alec.

Micum, knowing Seregil very well, asks what they stole. Just the wooden disk. Seregil wanted to show someone named Nysander the pattern. Micum thinks that it looks like a gaming piece, and wonders if maybe someone else might have been "ghosting around".

I doubt it, dude. I can smell MacGuffin all over that thing.

Alec does note that they saw someone leave Boraneus's room with a box. But, as Seregil notes, they've certainly made themselves look guilty with the way they fled, so they're stuck with avoiding the Gold Road. They'll find some horses. ("Find?" Micum interjected wryly.)

Micum isn't sure if he's been identified himself, but he'll go part of the way with the others in case there's trouble.

Anyway, they sleep until afternoon, which sounds comfy and plan to wait until dark to move on. This gives them the opportunity to give Alec some lessons. Specifically, Micum gets to give him a few swordmanship lessons.

...I'm not sure how that works in a small cave, but okay.

Micum winked at Alec. "What he means is that my ways aren't as dainty as his, but I manage to make my way well enough."

"Come on now, old friend," Seregil demurred, "I'd be hard pressed if I had to face you in a fight."

"That's true-- but it would be the time I wasn't facing you that I'd worry about! Come on, Alec, I'll show you daylight methods."

I do enjoy their banter a lot. It's clear that Seregil and Micum have known each other for a very long time.

So Micum begins with basics: grip, balance, stances, some simple slash and parry. Seregil plays peanut gallery, plucking a tune (good thing that survived the water and mud!) and giving advice or arguing points of style.

Alec starts to appreciate that he's learning from "two masters of uncommon ability". And eventually, Micum and Seregil give a demonstration of that. Well, after a show of reluctance of course.

"I'm busy," replied Seregil, working on a tricky bit of fingering.

Moving to stand over him, Micum growled, "Put away that twopenny toy, you tit-sucking coistril, and show me the length of your blade!"

Seregil laid his harp aside with a sigh. "Dear me, that sounds rather like a challenge-" Lunging swiftly past Micum, he sprang to his feet and drew his sword, then swung a flat-bladed attack at Micum's sword arm.

Like Seregil has EVER resisted the chance to show off.

This seems like a really bad idea in a small cave, but it must be bigger than I originally thought.

Micum blocked and countered. Grinning fiercely and showering each other with blistering insults, they battled around the confines of the cave, leaping over the fire pit and threatening to trample Alec underfoot until he wisely retreated to the narrow crevice at the back. From there he watched with delighted admiration as the two of them moved over the uneven floor, graceful as acrobats or dancers.

At first it seemed to him that Seregil spent more time avoiding attacks then returning them-- his movements seemingly effortless as he sprang here and there, his sword flashing up to block a blow, then dodging away, making Micum change his stance to follow him.

But Micum was no clumsy bear, either. There was a powerful grace to his motions, a steady, implacable rhythm as he pressed his attacks. Soon Alec couldn't have said if Micum was driving or chasing, if Seregil was leading or being driven.

They end in a draw: Micum slapping Seregil's blade away and skewering a loose fold of tunic, while Seregil palms his poniard, and the tip pricks through Micum's jerkin just below his heart. They laugh.

"So arm in arm we tumble down to Bilairy's gate!" Micum said, sheathing his sword.

They cheerfully bitch at each other about wardrobe damage and Seregil's cheating. Seregil swearing by Illior and Micum by Sakor leads to a new lesson topic. Illior and Sakor are forgotten in the North, but Alec will need to know about them when they go to Skala. (Micum says Seregil's worse than a priest about such things.)

So, as expected, each deity rules a different part of life. But there's another note that I find pretty cool: "the sacred duality".

We get a few examples: Astellus, the one Alec knows about, is the god of Travelers, who helps with birth and guides the dead. Sakor guards the hearth and directs the sun, but also inflames the mind of enemies and brings storm and drought. Illior is god of dreams and magic, but sends madness and nightmares.

Interesting that Dalna isn't mentioned. I suppose that's because, as Alec's chosen goddess, he would already know her portfolio. But I don't know!

So anyway, the gods are both good and bad. Apparently some even speak of them as both male and female. And this all comes down to Seregil making the argument that cheating in a fight is a sacred act.

Because of course he would.

Alec asks about the other gods mentioned. Most of them are Northern spirits and legends, though Bilairy, who has been mentioned a few times, is the gatekeeper of souls, "making certain that none go in or out before the time appointed by the Maker".

There's one other god that might be able to challenge the Four though: a dark evil one named Seriamaius. (Seregil is too superstitious to say his name, stating that this aforementioned "Nysander" even said it was bad luck.)

Anyway, Seriamaius, or the Empty God, is a Plenimarian deity who is connected to necromancy. Lots of nasty ceremonies and he feeds off the living energy of the world. Something like that. Sadly, storytime has to end. It's time to go.

As an interesting note: Seregil replaces the feather that Micum had identified as Erisa's with a knotted cord. Micum adds a fir cone. They note that Alec will need a sign too. (Alec provides a bit of fletching.) It's part of the practice to let folks know if they've passed through.

So how big IS this group?

Alec's just thrilled to be trusted, but I have Questions.

--

Anyway, soon it becomes time for Alec to get a lesson in horse thievery. They find their way to a steading that Micum recognizes (rubbing his hands cheerfully) as belonging to Doblevain, who breeds the best horses in the area.

Seregil uses his animal trick on the guard dogs, which immediately adore him. Micum says something cryptic here:

Micum shook his head. "What I wouldn't give to be able to do that! He's got a drysian's own touch with animals. Must come from his--"

"Come on, we haven't got all night," Seregil interrupted impatiently, and Alec thought he saw him make some sign to Micum, though he couldn't make out what it was.

Mysteerious.

Micum ends up cracking his lightstone into two and handing half to Seregil, which is really interesting. I wonder how that works. Anyway, Seregil indeed steals three horses and they set off at a gallop. It's a good thing that Alec apparently knows how to ride!

-

They travel for a while. Alec is kind of lost in thought about how his life has changed a lot over the span of like a few days, when suddenly, his poor horse is shot by an arrow! They're under attack.

Alec gets separated from the others, and he realizes that he's going to have to use his bow to kill a person for the first time in his life. And, rather understandably, he chokes at first. But Micum's pinned down and two horses are dead. Alec's going to need to try again.

We get a point of view shift to Micum, who thinks that the poor kid can't do it. But he's a little too busy to worry about it. I like the way the battle is described from Micum's perspective:

It was his habit to look into his opponent's eyes as he fought; in this scarred, swarthy face he read no fear. Their swords rang out a steady, grim music as each, conscious of the uncertain footing beneath the snow, tried to draw the other into a clumsy misstep. Suddenly Micum saw the man's gaze flicker to the left.

Jumping aside, he faced the second swordsman before the man had time to swing at his back. Thinking Micum had off-balanced himself, the first man overextended a lunge and Micum's blade took him under the ribs.

There's a distinct difference between Micum's point of view narration, Seregil's and Alec's, which I like a lot. And I like the almost...not relaxed per se...but not stressed either tone of the fight scene. Micum is a very analytical fighter, and his experience comes across here.

He makes quick work of most his opponents, until an arrow gets him in the back. It sounds like it actually goes through him, as the arrowhead is protruding from his front beneath his right arm.

Eeek.

But before the final blow comes, the attacker falls down with a red-fletched arrow through the chest. Apparently, Alec's gotten past his block.

Ducking for cover again, Micum looked across the road. Alec knelt behind the dead horse, returning the archers' shots with a singing volley of his own. Two lay dead already, and another dropped as Micum watched.

Yep, definitely gotten past it.

So the point of view switches to Seregil. He'd slipped into the forest at the first slight of ambush, outflanking some attackers that were heading for Alec. He uses stealth and ambush to take out two, but the third is better:

The third guy is trickier.

Unfortunately, the third man-- a great, heavyset villain armed with a broadsword-- had ample time to face him. He caught Seregil's first blow at midblade, throwing it back in an attempt to wrench it free. Seregil maintained his grip, but the force of the blow sent an unpleasant shock up his arm.

He considered a timely retreat into the woods, but the snow was too deep for sprinting. Springing back a pace, he sized up his opponent.

Evidently the other man was doing the same; he gestured derisively at the slender blade Seregil carried, spat into the snow, then launched a mighty swing at his head. Hoping for the best, Seregil pulled a dagger and ducked under the blade, throwing himself at his adversary's knees. The unexpected move caught the man off guard just long enough for Seregil to bury the knife in his thigh. With a bellow of pain, the man tumbled backward, dragging Seregil with him, and immediately rolled to pin him.

It's interesting to me that Micum comes across as the more analytical fighter of the two of them. Seregil seems to be more of an instinct/intuitive fighter. Anyway, it starts to look dire:

Caught face down under the larger man's bulk, Seregil choked on the powdery snow. Try as he might, he couldn't break free. Then the weight shifted and cold, callused hands were around his throat, cutting off his wind and shaking him like a rat.

Summoning all his will, he managed to draw up his leg to reach his boot top. A sizzling haze of stars swam before his eyes, but practiced fingers found the grip of his poniard. With the last of his strength, he drove it back between his assailant's ribs.

I'm not quite sure how Seregil managed to reach his boot. Is he wearing thigh boots? I feel like this is something we should have heard before now. But then maybe everyone is dressed like the characters of Final Fantasy XIV and they're ALL wearing thigh boots.

Anyway, Seregil gets out from under the guy, while Alec's arrow whizzes past his head to shoot a dude behind him. Alec's got a leg wound (from the initial shot to his horse), while Micum's got a bloodstained wad of cloth against his side. I feel like he should be worse off than that, but maybe I misunderstood the injury.

Seregil notes that Alec has just repaid him for the bow. Micum is also pretty effusive with his praise, noting that "this child can shoot!". Alec is sent to retrieve his arrows, but when he gets to the first one, Micum stops him.

"That was your first man, wasn't it?" he asked.

"Micum, it's not his way," Seregil warned, knowing what his friend was up to.

"It's best to do these things proper," Micum replied quietly. "I did it for you, remember? It's you should be doing it for him."

"No, it's your ritual," Seregil sighed, slouching against a tree. "Go ahead, then. Get it over with."

I really like this a lot. Up until now, Micum and Seregil have, temperament and skill differences aside, come across as more alike than different. They clearly share at least some elements of culture and experience. But this is something specific to Micum.

"Come here, Alec. Stand facing me." Micum was uncommonly serious as he held up the arrow.

"There's a twofold purpose in this. The old ways, the soldier ways, say that if you drink the blood of your first man, none of the others you ever kill will be able to haunt you. Open your mouth."

Alec shot a questioning look to Seregil, who only shrugged and looked away. Under Micum's commanding gaze, Alec opened his mouth. Micum laid the arrowhead briefly against his tongue, then withdrew it.

Seregil saw the boy grimace, remembered the salt and copper taste that had flooded his own mouth years before when Micum had done the same with him. His stomach stirred uneasily.

When it was over, Micum patted Alec's shoulder.

"I know you didn't enjoy that much, any more than you enjoyed killing those fellows. Just remember that you did it to protect yourself and your friends, and that's a good thing, the only good reason to kill. But don't ever get so that you like it, any more than you liked the taste of the blood. You understand that?"

Alec looked down at the steaming crimson stains spreading out from the bodies in the snow and nodded.

The chapter ends here.