Chapter 8: 8 – X

A cold bucket of water splashed his head waking him up.

“Again!? Can’t you sorry lot wake me up like normal... beings? Jeez.”

Before him stood High Mountain and Lumis.

“We are here to bathe you. Our Lord is coming to talk to you.”

“I can do it myself you kno-”

Lumis threw another bucket of cold water at him. He stood still watching how they enjoyed themselves.

“Take off those rags. Here’s soap and clean clothes.”

“Oh... clean clothes. Not bad.”

He undressed while Lumis watched every detail. She blushed under her fur.

“Prrrren’t you ashamed of miaaoww seeing you?”

“Ashamed of a pet?” he said while laughing. “No.”

He scored another cold bucket of water.

“Grrrmpfff! Meooww job here is miaawone,” she stormed out blushing.

“Wait! Lumis,”said High Mountain.

But she was already gone.

“Have to walk on eggshells here. Everyone’s on their period or what the-”

Another cold bucket of water splashed his body.

After washing up he dressed in the clean clothes High Mountain had left behind. Not long after Lord Derreick made his appearance.

“We meet again... Sire,” the elf spoke.

Lord Derreick stood quiet, looking at the elf before him. With an ill complexion, light skin and a slim body-type the weak creature sat on the floor. A mesh of clothe hid away the horrid half of his face, the other half looked good enough to be considered graceful. Deep red hair with golden strands messily adorned his head, but beneath it all, a crooked mind resided.

“I gather Head Slave-Butler Gnome explained what was decided while you laid unconscious in the auction house.”

He remembered High Mountain speaking to him while tending to his wounds.

“Sure... he said something about it.”

“Just to be clear, the duel is in six days. Couldn’t be sooner, it’s a busy season for adventurers.”

“Must suck to be them...”

“It must.”

“Can’t compete with easy housing and food... My back’s better by the way.”

“You finished?”

“I’m moved.”

“I’m sure you are,” Lord Derreick said. “Your death is coming soon, but until then you’ll fulfill your slave duties.”

“So it shall be, Lord... ship.”

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

The elf thought about it for a second and answered with a smile “Fate is all deciding.”

“It is. I see you already have your stamina back... You will proceed with your duties right away and don’t get any funny ideas, all eyes will be on you, not that I think you can accomplish much in your state,” said a serious Lord. He expected more, the day before the elf had spoken from a place of confidence. Lord Derreick realized he had read to much into it. The Lord sighted and decided to leave the elf alone and go back to his duties. As he walked out of the dungeon he heard a voice.

“What’s a dead Mitchell worth to you?”

Lord Derreick stopped.

“Think before you answer Sire. Then we talk again.”

Outside, at the garden entrance Lord Derrieck sat on a bench near its central fountain lost in thought while our elf laid in his dungeon cell’s floor, scheming how to press on with his plan. Soon after Head Slave-Butler Gnome came for him.

“Hey, High Mountain! Where’s everyone?”

“It’s Head Slave-Butler Gnome for you, and as always, everyone’s working unlike... others. The Lord told me you’ll continue with your duties.”

“Seems like it.”

“In any case today you’ll do room cleaning. Family’s out, except for the young Lord. Don’t get any ideas, there are eyes always watching, specially humans’. Rooms are on the second floor, left hall and center one. Service room is on the first floor. When you are finished come look for me,” Head Slave-Butler Gnome said while opening his cell.

He nodded towards the gnome and went on with his duties. Or so he pretended to, but he needed information, as much as he could gather, and he knew who would help him. He knocked all doors on the second floor until inside one of those rooms a voice spoke.

“Who is it?” a young voice said.

“House cleaning.”

“Come in.”

A spacious and elegant room greeted him. Yesterday, when our elf first met the young Lord, he noticed his tired eyes, uneven posture and pale skin, not unlike himself. The young boy’s chamber proved his observations. It reeked of medicine, several medical apparatus lied forgotten on a corner among many other contraptions he could not make out their use. Bottles with assorted liquids and organic matter inside, broken planks written all over, sharp metals, rocks and several books laid unorganized over a table, sun’s rays coming through a large window illuminated it. Many of those objects glowed, varying in color and intensity.

“Oh... you’re yesterday’s elf.”

“I am, young Lord...?”

“Leandro.”

“Good, strong name.”

“Heh... are you mocking me?”

“It depends. Are you weak?”

“Can you not see?”

“I see a frail body. Do you have a frail spirit too?”

Young Lord Leandro was caught off-guard. “Why are you here?”

“House cleaning.”

“No, I mean...”

“Destiny, luck... or lack of it. It doesn’t really matter.”

“You are different from other slaves. Odd... and... ”

The elf looked around Leandro’s chamber. Then replied.

“It’s a beautiful day. Shouldn’t you be out there?”

“Aah... I wish I could.”

“And?”

“Doctor’s orders. I can’t do strenuous activities, among several other prohibitions.”

“Mhmm... gonna need a copy of those.”

The boy smiled.

“Say... help me and I’ll help you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Seeing you here all alone in a beautiful day like this doesn't sit right with me. Let’s talk, like kindred spirits. Help me forget about my condition... at least for a while.”

“You want to talk?”

“I’m new. I don’t know anyone here and after what happened at the auction house the other slaves... I’m not on speaking terms with them.”

“I can see that happening, but it was your fault.”

“A matter of perspective. So... What do you say?”

“Sure, I don’t mind,” said Leandro smiling.

“I thought you wouldn’t. To be blunt, since yesterday when I saw you act in good faith towards me, a slave, I’ve been dumbfounded. I can’t wrap my head around your words.”

“I think... you slaves are as unlucky as I am. I was born into wealth and power... but with my frail body... it doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s... unfair.”

“Is it sickness?”

“A congenital disease from my mother’s side of the family. Bad luck. I was born under the wrong stars... the Gods are laughing at me.”

“I don’t trust them either and I don’t think they are really gods... Demons in disguise, that’s what they are.”

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“Heh. I agree. And I mean it. I’m fifteen years old, I should already be enrolled at an academy but here I am... My older sister attends one. She’s learning to be a high Duchess or something equally repugnant. She lives at the academy and is currently on vacation... and I hate it when she’s here. She only speaks to me to show off her life back there, friends, parties, and everything I cannot... and she’s not even a good student, right now she’s having supplementary lessons.”

“It seems going to school is a forgone conclusion for you.”

“It is. I try not to think about it but...” He shrugged.

“Then let’s not dwell much longer on these... ominous themes.” The elf paused their conversation several seconds to glare at the boy’s state, then proceeded. “I’ve thought about how I ended here... but I don’t remember much... What’s this city’s name?”

“Oh!” Leandro chuckled. “Let me welcome you to Saint Jaulea, one of the Human United Front’s fastest growing cities. Be it commerce, slaves or entertainment, you’ll find it here. We have established trade routes, an advantageous geographical position and- Hey don’t look at me like that, it’s what my books say I must tell guests. Though, those don’t speak about the constant skirmishes, bloodshed... nor slave treatment, and being a border city doesn’t help.”

“You’re doing your city proud, not that I can invest in it. Eh.... I’ve noticed this is a human town... about the other... creatures...”

“Races?”

“Yes, it seems to me you’re not in good terms...”

Leandro looked bewildered for a couple seconds. “The races used to be allied but treason in the midst of succession made peace impossible. It is said you elves killed one of our greatest kings and everything unraveled since then. Non-human races, the kinn’hayas, allied between themselves while we humans stand alone.”

“Sounds like humans pack some serious power if we- you can stand against all other races.”

“I don’t know much about military affairs, to my father’s chagrin, but our biggest threat comes from you, elves. Your northern kingdom, which we border, it’s the kinn’hayas’ alliance heart. My history books speak of many great battles before I was born, but now... there are only sporadic skirmishes. At least around Saint Jaulea.”

“No wonder you have slaves and hate them too. I arrived at the worst possible time... all planned beforehand I should add.”

“Oh, but not all is lost. My father told me talks of a peace accord are stronger than ever and one clause is to free slaves. Many are against it, specially in cities like this one where their work is paramount. He also told me some nobles and army officials dare talk of secession from the HUF if such a treaty is signed. Though it’s treason to speak of secession. Isn’t that good news? You might soon be free!”

“Of course, depends on what soon means to you though.”

“Several months... years?”

“Not soon enough for me.”

Leandro chuckled nervously. “You’re right. You’ll have to put up with us for a while longer, and then there’s the duel... and...” He went silent.

Other slaves could’ve rejoiced at those news but none of our elf’s schemes included waiting and time worked against him. Their talked veered into technical matters. The elf slave asked him about magik.

Leandro told him not every human could do magik, roughly one in every four could while, in sharp contrast, every elf was born capable of it. For the other non-human races magik potential varied in potency and recurrence. Humans fared low on any magik list but came second on combat arts.

“Rituals of power are magik’s foundations, enchantments to bring forth the elements, to conspire with the dense aether permeating everything with the principles of life and ultimately magik.” Leandro read from one of his books.

It was all gibberish to our elf. “Interesting words... Might make sense... to some people.”

“I’m sure you elves have a much better comprehension of magik. I felt ashamed reading it to you.”

“Don’t be.” The elf gazed into his eyes. “A question has been bugging me for a while. Why you bought an elf that can’t do magik?”

“You really can’t?”

“It seems so. A shame, I’d love to play with it.”

“It’s a... disgrace for an elf to be incapable of magik, and for us, a curiosity.”

“Is that why your family bought me?”

“No... it was more a thing of my mother and sister. Who knows what goes through their heads.”

“Hmm... I’m fated to a non-magikal slave life. And a short lived one.”

“If it makes it any better I’m the only one in this family with an affinity for magik but I can’t develop it thanks to this... damned disease. Fate is a strange thing.” Leandro sulked, his thoughts burying him alive. “I use magikal enchantments of all sort to slowdown my disease. Slowdown fate. Though I cannot be cured by anything.”

“Demon-god’s playthings aren’t supposed to change fate. If you think it unjust... who cares, not them, and you shouldn’t either. I don’t anymore.” He hid his devilish smile. ”Are all those things in your desk magikal... items?

“Not all. For non-magikal beings or lazy ones there are enchanting services; you can enchant weapons, armor and whatnot. Scrolls, engraved tools, portends and such magik affixed items can also be bought. Magik for those lacking the faintest talent for it. It’s a big business. I mainly buy healing items.”

Throughout their conversation Leandro had been enthusiastic. His family didn’t spend time speaking with him and though the elf’s questions had been of a basic knowledge level, he enjoyed himself answering them. Almost an hour flew by.

“Do you think I miss much by not going to the academy?” Leandro asked.

“Nah... unwanted pregnancies and broken teeth... who’d want any of that?”

Leandro laughed.

“Even that would be...”

“You lost something. Accept that. Now gain something else.”

“What do you mean?”

Our elf’s mind worked overtime.

“Is all magik really impossible for you?”

“Only the most straining schools of magik, which are almost all of them. The doctor did say I could engrave magikal items... and perform such other farcical kinds of magik.”

“Then?”

“Banal and classless... not for a Lord’s son like myself.”

“Doesn’t even sound like your own words. Try it sometime... if something you have is time.”

“Gain something else. Huh?”

“Or not. Keep rotting away, this is also a choice.”

“You are indeed strange.”

A knock on the door interrupter their brief chat.

“Young Master...”

“Come in Head Slave-Butler.”

High Mountain entered, an angry semblance colored his face.

“I finally found whom I was looking for! Excuse my tone young Lord but this elf... Not a single room has been cleaned! Not even this one!”

“I-”

“I asked him to keep me company Head Slave-Butler Gnome. It’s my fault.”

“Oh no, I... It’s not your fault young Lord. Not at all. We’ll clean... do our duties. Come on... you...,” High Mountain fumed at our elf. “Come, let’s go clean the rooms and leave Lord Leandro to his studies.”

“Have a nice day Leandro.”

“Watch your manners you insol-”

The youngster raised his right hand interrupting the gnome.

“It’s ok... What’s your name elf?”

He stopped to think about it. What’s a name? On another earth, another life, another possibility. Nothing but a brand. A mark for those that must remember, to remember.

“X”

“Ekk’s?”

“I’m X the elf.”

“Well met Ekk’s.”

X smiled back.

“Now I’ll go work. You’ll have to give me your doctor’s reference someday.”

Leandro laughed. “I will.”

As both slaves exited his room the boy asked X a question.

“We’ll talk again?”

“Of course, whenever I’m free of work... if ever... but... sure, someday maybe. I’d like to talk with you again. Though the dead don’t talk much.”

“Oh...” The young Lord remembered his circumstances. “I’ll talk to my father.”

“As I said. You have a good, strong name.”

Leandro smiled and nodded. X grinned as he left the young Lord’s chamber.

[Back to the old ways I see.]

I’m merely being myself. Always had, always will be.

[If you'd chosen different, you'd be a swell guy.]

But I didn't. Life didn’t.

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