Chapter 5: What the Future Holds

  Sevagoth slowly stirred from his long slumber. It took him a second to regain his bearings, but he eventually remembered. Ah, so it wasn’t just a dream. He sighed softly to himself. He was lying in a bed, an actual bed. I thought I was in a sleigh? As he sat up and started to get out of bed, he heard a door slowly creak open.

  Arthur tried to sneak into the room and quietly shut the door. He turned around and saw Sev sitting up, to which he smiled and said, “Welcome back, kid. Get some good sleep?”

  “I guess so. Still kind of tired. And sore.” Sev said while yawning and stretching out. His whole body was stiff and aching from having knelt in place for those 3 long days.

  “Well, you’ve been out for about a week. You woke up once a few days ago and ate, but then you passed right back out. You must have been exhausted.” Arthur said gently, sitting on the chair next to the bed.

  “Where are we now?” Sev asked as he grabbed a roll off the nightstand, beginning to eat. I’m so tired and hungry.

  Arthur pulled out a small map and pointed to a small village at the base of the Icelock Summits. “We are right here, in a little village called Rothmere. It’s the first place with an inn after you get off the mountain. We figured we might as well stay here until you woke up, which didn’t take as long as we thought, to be honest.”

  Sev finished his bread before asking, “So where are we going?”

  Arthur pointed at the map, “We are going to the capital, Morath. We still have about 2 weeks of travel to get there, but it’ll feel a lot faster since we don’t have to fight all of that snow or elevation.”

  “What’s in the capital?” Sev asked before grabbing more bread.

  “Long story short, that's where all of us are from. The 5 of us in armor are paladins of the crown, so we have to go back and report to the king. As for the ladies, the Madam and her handmaidens work at one of the temples, so they’ll be returning there.” Arthur replied.

  Sevagoth finished chewing his bite before asking the big question. “So what’ll happen to me?”

  “Well, you have a few options. You could go to the capital’s orphanage, and they would take care of you until they found a family to adopt you. However, if you don’t get adopted, it’ll be hard for you to do much once you reach adulthood, as the orphanage doesn’t have enough support to send you to any schools or get you tutors.” Arthur said, trying to gauge Sevagoth’s reaction.

  Sev thought for a moment before responding sharply. “I already have a family, I refuse to be forced into pretending to have a fake one.”

  Arthur merely nodded and continued, “You could probably convince the Oracle to take you into her care at the temple. There is a lot to do to keep the temple running. I’m sure they wouldn’t fight getting another hand to help out. Most of the attendants are women, so they might appreciate having a man to do the less desirable work.”

  Sevagoth laughed at the idea. “So I’d be the garbage boy, doing whatever they weren’t willing or wanting to do. Not my first choice.” He mused as he continued to eat his fill.

  Arthur nodded, “The last real option is for you to become my apprentice. Since I’m a paladin of the crown, I would be able to provide you with a home to live in and food to eat. For the first few years, I’d be able to send you to school to get a basic education. After you turn 10, we could start your training in earnest. You’d continue your education inside our order, and we would teach you swordsmanship and magic. Once you turned 16 and passed your coming of age test, you would be able to choose whether to stay with us or leave and find your own path.”

  Sevagoth gave the idea some thought for several minutes. So far, he seems like a decent person. Hasn’t done anything to raise alarms… “Garbage boy or apprentice? Those are my options? I’ll go with an apprenticeship then. Thank you for being willing to help me. I’m grateful.”

  The group stayed in Rothmere for 1 more night before continuing towards the capital. The journey was dull and uneventful, but Sevagoth was surprised by how different the climate was. Whitemane sat at an elevation of around 19,000 feet, while the areas closer to the capital were only around 500-1,000 feet. The temperature was much warmer, and the ground was mostly rolling plains rather than slopes and peaks. Arthur and the Oracle discussed at length what to do with the boy, but never found a solution they both agreed on. Arthur felt that Sevagoth should become his apprentice. This would allow him to attend school for the next few years, giving him priceless experiences and knowledge of the world outside the Icelock Summits. Once he turned 10, Arthur would personally handle his swordsmanship training to ensure he received the best tutelage.

  The Oracle felt differently. “He is already more mature and intelligent than all the kids his age, and most of the kids several years his senior. School will do little for him; we can teach him what he needs to know at the temple. We should keep a close eye on him, who knows how or when the trauma of what happened will manifest.”

  While Arthur agreed with Sevs maturity, he felt school was a necessary next step for the boy. “He was raised in a village surrounded by only adults. No other children or youth were living there, let alone close to his age. If we allow him to attend the academy, it would give him a chance to experience what life should be like for someone his age. It might help him make friends and focus on something other than the massacre he left behind. I truly feel like this will benefit him the most in the long run.”

  After their 2 weeks of travel, the group finally arrived in the capital city of Morath. Sevagoth was overwhelmed, having never imagined such a place existed. Buildings the size of the massive trees in the forest, towering 50 feet in the air. More people in the square than in his entire village. Shops and stores were scattered throughout the streets, bustling with customers and chaos. And the noise, so many voices, and they were all echoing off the stone road and walls. The stench of the city overwhelmed his senses; he yearned for nothing more than to return to the mountains and the peace they afforded him.

  “Overwhelmed, are we?” Arthur asked him.

  “I never knew such a place existed. This is awful. How do people stand living here? And what is that smell?” Sevagoth asked, struggling to process the new world around him.

  Arthur chuckled slightly to himself before saying, “Don’t worry, not everywhere is like this. This is just the market quarter, so it’s always teeming with people. Once we drop off the Oracle at the temple, things will calm down substantially. And as for the smell, it may be easier to list the things it isn’t. Don’t worry, we’ll be staying in the quiet part of town, so it might make it easier for you to adjust.”

  Sev plugged his nose and tried to ignore the shouting and banging that flooded the market.“I sure hope so.” He grumbled as they continued.

  The group reached the temple and offloaded the Oracle and her handmaidens. They said their goodbyes and entered the stone building looming over them. Arthur, Sevagoth, and the other paladins quickly made their way over to where Arthur's home was. It was a small, quiet part of the city underneath one of the main entry bridges. This area was known as one of the hidden quarters, specifically the Western hidden quarter, due to most people not even realizing there was anything beneath the bridges. A good-sized home was found surrounded by open space. For the first time since entering the city, Sevagoth was able to calm himself down and take in his surroundings. A small river ran behind the home, which itself was surrounded by fences. The lot around the house was quite large and offered plenty of room for the attached training grounds.

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  “This will be where you are staying for the foreseeable future. So get used to it, and make yourself comfortable. This is your home too now.” Arthur said, placing a hand on Sev’s shoulder. “It might not look like all that much, but it’ll keep us warm and dry. And it gets away from the bustle and noise of the city. A win-win, I’d say.” Arthur finished as he led the group over to the home and its grounds.

  As Sevagoth entered the relatively large home, he couldn’t help but notice how spartan and minimalistic everything was. From the furniture to the decorations, and even the layout of the rooms in the house. Everything was very practical, simple, and rather quaint. Arthur was right, this is very different from the market quarter. Arthur motioned for Sevagoth to follow him up to the second floor.

  “The living room, kitchen, bathroom, and study are all down here on the main floor. The bedrooms are all upstairs. Mine is directly at the top of the stairs to the right, but you can have your choice among the other 3. They aren’t huge, but they should have everything you need. Once you pick a room and get settled, we’ll run out and get you some changes of clothes. Those you have on are about at their limit, with the last few weeks and all.” The last few weeks. Sevagoth walked after Arthur and stepped into the first room on the left. It was a small, yet comfortable room. A full-sized bed lay against the far wall, and a modest desk sat against the other. A window filled the room with the mid-afternoon sun, shadows from the trees dancing around the room. “I’ll go ahead and give you a few minutes to get familiar. Remember, this is your home too now. I haven’t had a roommate for a while, but I’m sure we’ll make it work. Feel free to wander around the house for a bit, if you’d like. Just come find me when you are ready to leave.” Arthur said gently as he leaned Wolf’s Blood up against the wall and headed back downstairs, leaving Sevagoth truly alone for the first time in just over a month.

  Sevagoth sighed and set his bag of belongings on the desk, pulling out the contents. His mother's necklace, now bearing both her ring and amulet. Sevagoth held onto the cold metal and wood for a few moments before setting them gently to the side. He dragged Wolf’s Blood over and leaned it against the end of the desk. Sevagoth slumped into the small wooden chair and simply sat in silence, looking at the pitiful sight before him. So this is all that’s left of them now. How quickly things change. He rubbed his thumb over the amulet his mother had always worn, feeling the engraving on the face. The imposing visage of a dragon filled the surface of the amulet. She never took this off. She said it was a gift from her master. Somberly, he looked at the beautiful, dark-grained wood ring that adorned the chain along with the amulet. Father carved both his and mother’s rings from the same tree. It’s a shame he lost his. His eyes slowly fell upon his father’s blade. A large, blackened steel pommel and crossguard was decorated with silver filigree that formed the shape of a large tree. The sheath was made from the hide of a hellboar and was extremely dark and rigid. The sheath had bright steel adornments sharing a similar design to the pommel of the blade. Underneath the sheath was the large silvered blade that Murak had forged himself many years ago. The skeleton of the blade was actually Hell-vein, with the silver being layered over it to help with disposing of the undead.

  Sevagoth placed his hand on the grip, feeling the wear his fathers skill hands had left in the leather wrappings. Underneath the handles' wrappings were 2 runes, unbreakable and sundering. However, Sevagoth knew not of the metal nor the scribing that made up his father’s blade. He simply knew the name, Wolf’s Blood. One day, I’ll use it well, Father. I’ll use this blade to kill the monster that took you and mother from me. “I’ll kill him.”

  Sevagoth finished a short bath and put back on his rugged and beat-up clothes. He found Arthur in the study, sitting next to the window to soak in the sunlight. Arthur was a tall and broad-shouldered man. He wasn’t quite 30 years old, and yet streaks of grey had already taken over sections of his hair and trimmed beard. He was very muscular and had an imposing physicality. His presence commanded respect from others, and yet he was mellow and rather soft spoken. Sevagoth had rarely heard him raise his voice, yet he was able to captivate all who listened to him when he spoke. His voice was deep and carried far, especially on stone floors. He had changed out of his military traveling clothes and was now dressed in simple, comfortable clothing that you would often find farmers wearing. A loose-fitting tan cotton shirt and brown pants with leather reinforcements at the joints and seams. Nothing gaudy, and nothing that would alert you to the fact that he was the commander of the King’s paladin order.

  Arthur slowly lowered the book as he heard Sevagoth approach, “Ah, I see you found the bath. Good, are you ready to go then?”

  “I am.” Sev said with a soft nod.

  It took a few hours, but Sevagoth and Arthur had been able to avoid the market quarter by going to some of the older and smaller shops in the city's heart. At each store, Arthur was greeted warmly as if he were family. Sevagoth was greeted with warm smiles and genuine care, something he never expected from complete strangers. Many of the shops gave him the clothing or blankets for free, as a ‘housewarming’ gift. They visited with Arthur and Sev while tailoring the clothes to better fit Sev, and all of them invited them back whenever.

  “These people are so nice. It’s strange.” Sevagoth said to Arthur as they walked towards their home.

  Arthur laughed and asked, “And why is that weird? Being an ass wouldn’t bring more people to do business now, would it? But besides that, those are good people. Many of them helped raise me after my father died, so they are very much my family.” Sev nodded. That makes sense. I wondered why Arthur was so quick to take me in. I suppose I remind him of himself. Arthur stopped at a junction and asked, “How about we stop somewhere to eat? I don’t have much at home since I was traveling, but I could really go for a warm meal.”

  “Okay.” Sev said, not really knowing how to respond.

  Arthur led Sevagoth to a small section of the ‘Old Town’ area. There were many small shops like the ones they had visited earlier, as well as several small homes. Things were more spread out here, which helped to relieve Sev’s growing claustrophobia.

  “I used to come here every day after school when I was a kid. I was good friends with the chef, and she would always let me sample the pastries she made. I think you’ll like her.” Arthur said as he led Sevagoth into a small tavern tucked in the very corner of the road, simply named ‘The Hearth’. As Sev entered, he was immediately hit by the smell of homemade bread and stew. His mouth started to water instantly. It had been a while since he had had a ‘home-cooked meal’. Arthur laughed and said, “Dottie, it's wonderful to see you, dear!” as he walked up and hugged an older woman.

  “Well, if it isn’t Artie, already missed my food, have you?” She teased as she hugged Arthur warmly. “And who might this be?” she said as she walked calmly over to Sev.

  “I’m Sevagoth. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Sevagoth said quietly.

  Dottie reached her hand out and shook Sev’s. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, young man. You lot have perfect timing, I just pulled some fresh rolls out of the oven. Go take a seat, and I’ll bring you over a serving.” She said as she hurried back behind the bar and into the kitchen.

  The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with fewer than 10 other customers in the tavern and plenty of space. Sev and Arthur tucked themselves in the corner closest to the fireplace. Arthur resumed reading his book, which Sev could now see was titled ‘Paradoxes of Defence’. Sevagoth simply sat there, enjoying the warm and peaceful air in the tavern. A bard was playing gentle music from next to the bar, making sure not to disturb the tenants. After about 10 minutes, Dottie came back with their meal in tow: 2 large bowls of stew, 4 fresh rolls, some butter and honey, a flagon of ale for Athur, and a warm mug of cider for Sev. “If you guys need anything else, just let me know.” She said warmly as she went back to the bar.

  Arthur looked like a child in a sweets shop, with a wide smile that almost seemed to hurt. “Oh boy, it’s been too long.” He said in a sigh as he started to eat the rich and hearty beef stew. Sev started with the roll, and was surprised by how light and fluffy they were. The breads he made were good, but there was something special about this. A master’s touch, I suppose. He mused as he gratefully began to eat the meal. His appetite had mostly returned as he recovered, and he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. As he and Arthur enjoyed the warm meal together, a thought crossed Sev’s mind. I bet mom and dad would have loved this place. I’ll have to eat enough for the three of us. Sev smiled at the thought of his parents sitting and laughing with him and Arthur. He finished the large meal and was full and warm, two of his favorite things.

  Arthur and Sevagoth walked in relative silence as they returned home. Arthur seemed far calmer and more content the closer they got to the capital, and the same was true now. Since he had gotten home, the imposing commander of the paladins had relaxed and lightened up dramatically. He smiled more, and it seemed his steps were lighter. Sevagoth was mostly the same as he was the day that Arthur found him, yet he had gotten more comfortable with Arthur’s presence. He was grateful that Arthur didn’t force anything on him. Arthur had recognized his maturity and intellect and treated him in a manner befitting it.

  “Of anyone who could have found me that day, I’m grateful it was you, Arthur. Thank you.” Sevagoth said quietly.

  Arthur smiled and chuckled softly to himself as he put his hand on Sev’s head, ruffling his hair. “You’re welcome.”