The ride into the main city was quiet at first. Neither party seemed sure of what to say. The horses' hooves on the trail was the only noise against the usual sounds of the forest. Bart was too tired to attempt to initiate conversation. He was eager to reach the city, deliver his message and sleep.
"So," Sir Clark began, "What kind of message does someone send a child to deliver?"
Bart gave him a stone-cold look. "I am not a child. And I was personally entrusted with the mission from the king of the Twin Kingdoms himself."
Clark's concerned look dulled slightly, a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. "Forgive me. You look young, but you're obviously mature enough to be sent out alone, hundreds of miles from home."
If he only knew. "Now, I just feel like you're mocking me."
"Never. I am merely… curious." Clark replied lightly. Bart rolled his eyes. The air fell silent once more for several minutes before the older man spoke up again. "You never really answered my question."
Bart kept his gaze straight ahead, trying to decide just how much to trust Clark. The man gave off a sense of power and security. Upfront he seemed trustworthy. But, Bart learned the hard way seemed wasn't good enough. Until he met with the king and learned who he trusted, he wasn't going to reveal much. "His highness King Barry wishes to discuss an alliance with the king of Metropolis."
Clark faltered a moment, he turned to Bart, brows furrowed. "An alliance, with Luthor?"
"Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what the letter says, but I know that's the basic gist of it." Bart replied. He watched Clark's reaction out of the corner of his eye. The dark haired man bit his lip and his grip on his reins tightened.
"Why the sudden interest?" He asked slowly.
"I-" Bart's mouth twitched into a smile. "I'm not sure. I'm merely a messenger."
Clark smiled too. "Alright, I'll quit prying. But," he searched the red headed boy's face, then continued, "are you sure you're just a messenger? You look very similar to Barry. Are you his son?"
Bart's gaze shifted to the trail ahead. Sometimes he forgot he wasn't Barry's son. In this time and existence he practically was, back home he was a nephew. "No, I'm his… nephew. From his wife's side. He and my aunt took me in when my parents died."
"Sounds like something Barry would do." Bart's look of confusion prompted him to elaborate. "I knew your uncle way back in the day, before he became king. We trained together under the same instructor, though I haven't seen him in years. How is he?"
"He's doing well. Managing the kingdoms keeps him busy, but he takes it all in stride."
Clark nodded in agreement. "Sounds like Barry."
Bart chewed his lip, Clark seemed trustworthy, but just because he knew Barry didn't mean that Bart could just blab out the entire plan. Instead, they rode on in silence.
The ride into the city took longer because of Rooster's leg. But Sir Clark was patient and rode at whatever pace the injured animal could handle. After two more hours of riding, they merged off the forest trail onto a paved road. The longer they rode, the fewer trees and wild brush populated the terrain. Instead, healthy, thriving villages occupied the rolling hills.
The people looked nothing like the ones in William and Greta's village. No signs of starvation, sleep deprivation, there was a glint of hope in their eyes. From the fields, the workers' laughter could be heard. Bart could feel the tension in his shoulders loosening. Clark seemed to sense his relaxation, he nodded towards the approaching buildings,
"I know a man in this village who can help your horse. Then we can continue on to the main city." He scrutinized Bart, "both he and you need to rest. When was the last time you had a full meal and slept in a bed?"
"I," Bart paused, "I honestly don't know. Star Kingdom I think."
"Hold out for a few more minutes, we're almost there."
The town was beginning to slow down for the day, the sun was beginning to set. Merchants were closing down their stands and packing up their goods for the day. On the roads, field workers walked in with baskets and sickles. They wore tired lines on their faces, but there was still room for weary smiles. The younger men and women joked and chatted quietly while they walked. A quiet hum thrummed through the town, prompting Bart to relax further. The healthy, smiling people were a welcome sight compared to the last village he visited.
"We're going to turn down this side street, then go down a few buildings." Said Clark.
They did just that. Bart read the signs overhanging the small street, trying to get a sense of where they were going. Seamstress, Fresh Fruits, Blacksmith. Clark held up his hand signaling for a stop under the blacksmith sign.
"Here we are."
"How's a blacksmith going to help Rooster?" Bart inquired.
Clark smiled. "Besides being spectacular with metals, Vic is pretty good with animals. He's also friends with a traveling animal healer that stays with him time to time. If Gar's also here, Rooster will have two personal attendants."
They dismounted. Bart and Rooster followed Clark around the side of the shop. There was an open market stall with straw flooring. Various metal works such as horseshoes, helmets, and sword handles hung off the walls. Barrels of water were arranged around a large anvil in the center. Over the anvil leant a tall, muscled man. He looked up from his work, Bart peered through the dim stall. The smith's eyes were unlike any Bart had ever seen. His right eye was a soft, deep brown. But the left was a glowing red, surrounded by a patch of metal the size of Bart's palm. Once those eyes made contact with Clark, the man smiled.
"Clark! It's been awhile man. Where've you been?" The guy had really white teeth.
"Hi Vic, his royal highness has been keeping me busy," Clark replied with a snort. "Between his orders and my own responsibilities, I barely have time to sleep."
'Vic' laid down his hammer and scooped up a rag. He began to wipe the soot off his hands, "His latest order is going to have me burning the midnight oil for weeks." The rag was tossed off to the side, "Who's your little buddy?"
"This is Bart."
Bart stepped forward and extended his hand, "Nice to meet you."
Vic stepped forward and grasped Bart's much smaller hand. "I'm Victor Stone. What are you doing in this region?"
"I'm a messenger from the Twin Kingdoms, I need to deliver a message to King Luthor."
Victor frowned, "What does that kingdom want with a slime ball like Luthor?"
"Sorry, it's confidential, I'm just the messenger, even I don't know. I was traveling to the main city, but Rooster started limping."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "You're traveling, with a rooster?"
"No!" Bart pointed to his horse, "That is Rooster." Rooster snorted.
"Still kid, that's weird."
"We were hoping you could take a look at him. I couldn't find anything on the surface." Clark said.
"Admit it, you want Gar to look at him." Vic replied with a smirk. "I know a fair share, but Gar's got a connection." He lumbered over to Rooster and held out his hand, allowing it to be sniffed. Then he ran it down the equine's neck and began to scratch his withers. "Which leg is giving him trouble?"
"Uh, the back right."
Victor petted his way back and around. Rooster visibly tensed when he felt where the man was going. He lifted his leg to try and evade touch but Victor patiently tried to grip it until the animal relaxed. Gently, he prodded and inspected the leg and hoof. Several times Rooster tried to pull away. But the large man remained calm and persisted until Rooster stilled. After a few more moments of observing, Victor set the hoof down and stood up.
"Walk him down the street halfway, then turn around and trot him back to me." He instructed Bart.
Bart did so. Rooster's limp wasn't as bad at the walk as it was when he trotted. Victor watched with a mystified look. When the boy and horse halted at their starting point, Victor let out a sigh. "Honestly, I don't know why he's limping. His feet are in decent condition, no problems with his legs." He patted the horse's neck. "But when Gar gets back, he'll be more of a help."
Bart leaned on Rooster's shoulder, despite his reservations at first, the animal was becoming a friend. In a way he felt responsible for the mysterious injury. Did he push him too hard? Did he neglect a need in some way while focusing on his mission? "When do you think he'll be back?"
"Sometime this evening. He had to make a few farm calls." Victor gestured to his shop stall. "Let me close up, Rooster can rest in the side area and we can go inside and wait for Gar."
Clark gave a tired smile. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble Vic that would be great. After Gar takes a look, I do need to get back to the barracks."
Bart forgot that Clark had duties of his own to perform. "I can handle it from here Sir Clark. I appreciate everything you've done, sorry I've kept you from your duties."
Clark shrugged. "I'm just glad I could help. If you're sure you'll be fine, I probably should get back. No telling what the recruits have done in my absence. My assistant tries hard, but they walk all over him." The knight mounted his horse and gave Victor a wave. "Thank you Vic. Goodbye Bart, good luck with his majesty." He kicked his horse into an easy canter and they disappeared down the street in the fading light.
Vic turned to Bart, "Shall we go inside?"
Bart was exhausted, both mentally and figuratively. Being inside a real building sounded nice. Too tired to answer, he just nodded.
They got Rooster settled in the side of Victor's shop. The horse rested his injured leg and downed a bucket of water. Victor brought him an armful of hay, then they went inside the small attached cottage. Bart followed the blacksmith in. Warm air seeped into his skin after he walked in the doorway. It only added to the present feeling of sleepiness.
The immediate area was a single room with an open fireplace, a table with two crude chairs, and a few crates of various metal works. There was a door on the far wall, two windows let in the only light besides the fire.
"It's not much," said Victor, "but's it's home. Have a seat and I'll rustle up some food."
Bart, too tired to argue, sat in one of the chairs. The warmth of the fire felt nice. He watched the blacksmith move about the room, pulling food items out of crates near the fire. Victor set a bowl with some bread and vegetables in front of the boy. "Eat up. Then you can sleep until Gar gets back."
Bart eagerly took the bowl and began eating. Victor got himself some food before sitting down. He watched the boy scarf the food down. "So, what kind of king sends a kid out alone to deliver messages?" Bart shot him a tired glare. "I mean, you've got smarts, but still, you're a kid."
Bart swallowed. "I'm in training to be a knight. Delivering requests for alliances is simply part of my training."
"Still, you're awfully young to be traveling far by yourself."
"I'm not alone, got Rooster." Bart mumbled.
The corner of Victor's mouth twitched up. "Horses don't count kid." Bart didn't reply, his face was propped up on his hand, his eyelids drooping. Victor sighed. He pushed the food away so the boy wouldn't lay in it.
Bart tried to focus, but his head felt too heavy and his eyes slipped shut.
"… Which then led to a full herd stampede. I am never going to the O'Leary farm again!"
"Heh heh, that's rough."
Bart willed himself out of the darkness. He forced his eyes to open. He wasn't in the main room anymore. Instead, he was laying on a straw pallet in the other small room. Voices were drifting in from the main room. Bart rubbed his eyes and pulled himself to his feet. Everything was still shifting into focus, but there were two definite shapes in the chairs by the fire.
"Hey there sleeping beauty!" The smaller shape called. Bart blinked, the blur shifted into an outline of a lanky, short man. He had pointed ears and forest green hair. A smile took up the lower half of his face. "You were out! Didn't even stir when Vic moved you."
"Gar, calm down. The kid just woke up, not all of us are instant risers."
Bart blinked harder, trying to awaken his brain. "M' not a kid."
Victor chuckled, "Whatever you say."
"You'll be 'kid' until you're like fifty. He calls me that too!" Gar chimed. "But it applies to me, I think I'm younger than you, but it's going to get annoying when I'm like an adult."
"Gar, shush."
"Sorry!"
Bart's brain finally caught up. There was a green haired elf boy sitting in the living area with Vic. His entire being beamed energy. Bart liked him immediately. "Okay, everything is alive and in focus. I'm Bart," he extended his hand towards the green boy.
He shook it enthusiastically, "Garfield is my given name, but only my mother used it. Please call me Gar."
"Victor said you could possibly look at my-"
"Horse, Rooster right? Hope you don't mind but we already got acquainted. But I wasn't going to exam him until you were awake. How did he get named Rooster?"
"Thanks, I appreciate it, have you not heard him whinny? It sounds like a rooster's crow, annoying, loud, and unnecessary!"
Gar pushed himself up chuckling, "Well, let's go take a look."
The two boys exited the cottage and entered Vic's shop. Rooster stood on the far side, munching on hay. He rested his rear right leg. Bart pointed to it, "The one he's resting, it's been giving him trouble."
Gar walked over. A pale hand rested on Rooster's nose for a moment before shifting down his body. Rooster tensed, he knew the human was going to poke at his leg. Gar tried to lift it, but Rooster kept trying to jerk it out of his reach. After several seconds the young man stood and walked back to the horse's head. Bart watched the green haired boy rest his head against Rooster's. His hand gently stroked the grey mane. Rooster visibly calmed. Again, Gar went and tried to pick up the leg. This time, Rooster complied.
"He's got something special." Bart jumped when Vic spoke from behind him. "Animals have always trusted him. His parents were farmers, his mom had a gift with animals. Everyone around here brought her their animals. Anything from cows, sheep, to dogs and cats." They watched Gar examine the leg. "Gar says animals were his best friends growing up, they think he's one of them."
"Bart, Vic, come take a look at this." Gar called softly.
The pair came over. Vic grabbed the overhanging lantern and held it closer to Gar. "What is it?" Bart asked.
"Look here," Gar pointed just below the knee, "it's barely noticeable but there's a small puncture in the muscle here."
Bart leaned in. Sure enough, under the parted hair, was a tiny hole. "What's it from? How did that cause him to limp so badly?"
"It looks like a dart injection. My mom once worked on some sheep for a farmer that lived near us. The sheep were limping, then they would grow sicker and die. Turns out, a rival farmer was sticking them with poisoned darts. Took mom forever to find the cause because the punctures were near invisible."
Bart rubbed his forehead, "Who would have poisoned him? Rooster never left my sight unless we were in a kingdom." He looked up, realization dawning. "Except… one night, after we left Star. I fell asleep without securing him and he wandered off. It was right after that night he started hurting." He clenched his fists in frustration. "I knew someone was in the woods that night. Aagh, I should have been paying attention!"
Victor put a large hand on his shoulder. "It's no use beating yourself up." He nodded to Garfield, "Can you do anything?"
Gar wiped his hands on his trousers. "Not tonight. Tomorrow morning I'll run to the marketplace and get some more supplies. Afraid that herd of heifers wiped through my stuff."
"Well, since there isn't anything more we can do tonight, let's go and sleep." Said Victor, stifling a yawn.
The three went inside and soon the property fell silent, save for Rooster's occasional snort.
The next morning Gar left to get supplies and came back with them, plus a new friend. Victor and Bart were in the shop. Bart was petting Rooster when he heard footsteps and hoof beats. Gar came into sight with a box and a horse.
"Gar, when I agreed to let you stay with me part of our agreement was no pets!" Vic said, crossing his arms.
Garfield rolled his eyes and dropped his box near the anvil. "She isn't mine! She's on loan from a friend. Rooster needs a few days off, Bart's going to need transport so Sphere here is going to take of him."
Bart's face scrunched in confusion, "Sphere?"
"Long story short, Connor is ridiculous with names. Sphere here was almost perfectly round when Connor got here. We thought she was with foal, but she was just fat."
Sphere snorted and stomped a hoof in offense. Gar pat her neck in apology.
"Okay… thanks Gar. I appreciate it. I don't know how I'm going to repay you two." Bart gestured back to Victor who simply smiled.
"Don't worry about it kid. Just like to help when we can. Take Sphere, deliver your message in the main city, then come on back. Rooster can rest here."
"Yeah, with my super-secret smelly poultice, he'll be up and running in no time!" Gar chimed in.
Bart walked over to Rooster and rubbed his nose, "You behave, alright?" Rooster snorted green snot all over the boy. Victor and Garfield laughed while Bart wiped his face.
A while later, Sphere's saddle bags were packed and Bart was ready to head on. He gave Rooster a final nose rub, then mounted Sphere.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of him!" Gar said. Bart smiled, he turned Sphere and walked her out onto the main street. As it was late morning, it was bustling with people, carts, and animals.
It took a bit to weave through the crowd, eventually he managed to exit the village. The main city was only a few hours ride away.
Tall, glittering columns peaking from hills signaled the arrival to Metropolis. As the pair neared, the columns were tall, windowed towers, but independent from any larger building. A large stone wall surrounded the city with a tall golden wrought iron gate. Towers were positioned evenly along the wall. Sphere halted at the gate. Bart showed his Twin Kingdom crest and the guard at the gate hailed him through. Once inside, the boy's jaw dropped. The stories told of the glories of Metropolis did the city no justice.
The entire city seemed to glow. The streets were almost reflective, light bouncing off them and onto the buildings. Bart had never seen such tall structures, they weren't wide either, and instead they were narrow. Hooked onto the buildings were metallic tubes which connected to water wheels on the ground. Green trees lined the streets. The people walking were all well dressed and healthy. Nothing like the people in Hayes' village.
Once he finished gawking, Bart and Sphere began to ride to the castle. The cobblestone streets were in pristine condition. They looked practically brand new. As they passed market stalls, the vendors waved and smiled. The city felt like a paradise.
At the entrance to the palace, Bart once again showed the crest and his letter. He was quickly let in and ushered into the castle to meet with the king. A guard motioned for the boy to follow him.
The city's glory dimmed in comparison to the castle itself. Glistening marble floors reflected the giant pillars supporting the high ceiling. Stained glass decorated the walls, along with massive paintings. The guard stopped outside a large carved door. He slipped inside, leaving Bart alone in the hall for several moments before returning.
"His majesty will see you now." Then he pushed the door open.
Bart stepped into the throne room, whose model resembled that of the hall. At the end of the room was an ornately carved golden throne. Sat on it was a bald man in rich robes with piercing blue eyes. They didn't have the same light as Clark's, Bart couldn't identify it but it made him uneasy.
"When I was told there was a messenger, I didn't expect one so young!" The man on the throne chuckled. "Please come forward, my curiosity has been peaked."
Bart walked forward and kneeled before the throne. "Your majesty, I bring a message from King Barry of the Twin Kingdoms." He stood, "Is there someplace we could talk in private?"
King Luthor's eyebrow lifted in amusement, "Yes, if you believe that's necessary." He rose and then he and Bart went down the hall into a library. "Alright, now, what is it?"
"Do you have a region map?" Luthor gestured to a map on the wall. Bart began to point, "In recent time, several villages in my kingdom have been attacked in mysterious ways. A village's own guards attacked it, mighty beasts attacked another, and foreign soldiers have attacked our borders. King Barry has reason to believe that these attacks will spread to neighboring regions. So he's inviting you to attend a summit to discuss what is to be done." Bart pulled the letter out of his satchel, "This contains more detailed information."
Luthor tucked the letter in a pocket in his robe. His eerie smile widened. "Now, while your summary of your king's concerns is rather interesting, I'm not sure I'm convinced. These attacks on your homeland are tragic yes, but I don't see why they concern me."
"There is information containing possible attacks on other kingdoms as well," Bart began,
"Possible," Luthor repeated slowly. "Possible is not definite. Besides, where did this information come from? Did you collect it?"
"Well no, bu-"
"Then how do you know your king isn't trying to save his own skin?"
Bart's blood began to roar, "His majesty is only concerned for the safety of his people and the safety of your kingdom."
Luthor snorted. His piercing eyes scanned the boy. Bart's stomach turned uncomfortably. The sly look molded back onto the king's face. "You look an awful lot like King Barry himself, are you the 'mysterious grandson from another era' that just appeared?" he waved his hands in a grand gesture. "How do we all know that you are trustworthy?"
"I." Bart didn't have an answer for that.
Luthor stood taller with a triumphant air. "Exactly what I thought. You may stay the night if you wish." He stated, crossing the room. He stopped at the door, then turned to face Bart. "Though, I would prefer you to be gone in the morning." The king slipped back out into the hall. Bart was left in the library.
He was not going to stay in this place another minute. King Luthor was infuriating. So arrogant and sly. The boy now understood how a man could allow a majority of his kingdom starve. Just as he was about to exit, another man came into the library. It was Sir Clark. He smirked.
"You have the 'Luthor Experience' look on your face." Bart was about to speak but Clark held up a large hand. "Don't worry, no one really likes him. I bet you can't guess why."
Bart shook his head. "He wouldn't take me seriously! I mean, no one really does, but he just wouldn't listen. I doubt he's even going to look at the letter!"
Clark's facial features were tight. "I listened in. I don't trust Luthor's decisions, so I do my best to make his business my business."
"If the threat is as big as Barry thinks, we could use an ally like Metropolis." Bart muttered in frustration. "But I blew it."
Clark sighed. "No, no you didn't. That's just Lex. Difficult, arrogant, and thick headed." He laid a hand on Bart's shoulder. "But know, there are those who are willing to work behind Luthor's back. And we will stand with whatever kingdoms need us."
Bart stared into the older knight's eyes. They were calming and soft. Bart bit lip, "Thank you."
Clark released his shoulder. "So, are you going to stay?"
Bart shook his head, "No, I still have daylight. I'll take Sphere and ride to Gotham as it's not terribly far. Then I'll swing back through here and get Rooster back. Vic and Gar are caring for him."
"Sphere?" Clark questioned.
"She's a horse that belongs to a friend of Gar's."
"Huh. Okay." Clark gestured towards the door. "I'll escort you out then."
Bart and Sphere were on the road to Gotham. Personally, he wasn't looking forward to it. Barry purposely avoided the kingdom at all costs. It was home to several insane criminals whose crimes were so awful, they spread about the land. Its king, Bruce, was well known for not allowing 'outsiders' into his kingdom. He was reclusive and cold. Not much else was known.
"Well Sphere, my Metropolis experience was shattered. I have absolutely no hopes for Gotham. Let's just try to get out alive and well." Sphere simply whinnied in reply.
It's so dry, how much time has passed?
It's finally quiet. The jeers, screams, and squeals had stopped.
A rusted tin plate holding that suspicious slop is near the entrance.
There's no way out, don't bother.
Boots… they're coming, hide, hide, HIDE!
Too late, too late, too late, they're here, no place to hide, no place!
PAIN, sorry, sorry….
Laughing, stay quiet sta-
PAIN PAIN PAIN!
Time's slipped by again…
They're gone.
AN: Yay, it's finally up! There may be grammar mistakes but I will swing through and fix those later, I really wanted to post this. I'm going to try and make chapters longer so there will be gaps of no posting because college is barely giving me time to breathe! But I'm hoping to have another chapter up in two weeks. I'm embarrassed at how long it takes me to write, then how few words there are in the end. But es lo qué es!
