A/N- If you have not read chapter 9 since I replaced it I suggest you do or this will not make sense.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When Garth returned to the inn he felt a little giddy. The cold night pressed in around him along with the revelation of his findings. He had a feeling he had cracked the old man's riddle, if not a small part of it. According to some of the old records there was indeed a temple in the Araga desert but when it was built it was not amidst a desert. However, he had no clue what could be there that would help him figure out how to 'see' the map. 'A light to your blankness' Well his mind was certainly blank. He thought about all the possibilities that this could mean, but he would not know until he got there.
He passed into the bar that was gently illuminated by torches behind the bar and the fire place that blazed merrily. People mingled about the counter and meandered round the tables. Not too far from the fire three familiar figures sat at a table conversing. As he approached Lorna turned to her right and smiled brightly up at him. He smiled back and patted her head as he nodded to Corban and Sparrow. The only one missing was Reaver, but now they were in a more urban area this did not surprise him in the slightest. He sat with a heavy sigh between Corban and Sparrow whom looked to him with sympathetic smiles.
"So how did the library hunt go?" Corban asked sipping his wine.
Garth sighed again and grinned. "At first I wasn't getting any where, but then I received an odd visitation."
"Odd?" Sparrow's eyebrow perked curiously.
Garth then proceeded to tell them about the strange old man and the riddle given to him. After he explained about the Araga desert and how it sat at the base of the mountains in the east, spreading out a vast distance before touching the rainforests to the south and the dense woodlands to the north, he told of the temple that should be there according to this old man. Bemused, Sparrow poured the wizard out a glass of wine, which was taken appreciatively.
"That is where we have to go next?" Corban asked with a hint of distaste then sighed, "I hate deserts."
Garth chuckled. "I am not fond of them either but it is necessary."
"Yes I suppose, but it means dense, skin melting heat, blinding light and … Ginrul Fowl." Corban shuddered a little at the thought wiping a hand over his smooth chin.
"Um, what are Ginrul Fowl?" Sparrow asked, leaning forward with curious eyes. Lorna nodded also curious, but Garth chuckled mysteriously.
"You will just have to wait and see won't you," he said taking another sip grinning into his glass.
Sparrow shook her head dully as she could feel the fuzzy effects of the wine making her feel a little light headed. She chuckled despite herself and leaned on her hand.
"So which brothel is HE in then?" Garth asked setting his glass down with a light chink. Sparrow looked at him and shrugged her face remaining blank.
"He did not actual leave," she told the Mage, "After earlier his posse of girls left and we haven't seen him since."
"Your kidding me?" Garth said in astonishment and sat up, "What happened."
Sparrow sighed and looked at Lorna who looked down shamefully. "I don't blame you honey." Despite Sparrow's reassurances Lorna felt bad for the pirate. He only wanted to have a little fun and she did agree to help him collect women for his 'evening'. She smiled a little then yawned.
Garth snorted, seeing her yawn reminding him of how tired his own body felt. Reluctantly he stood again consuming the rest of the wine.
"Well I bid you good night," he said with a yawn.
"Ah could you take Lorna please Garth, I am going to stay up a little longer?" Sparrow asked of her friend who smiled and nodded. Obediently Lorna slid from her chair and followed Garth out leaving Corban with Sparrow. As they neared her room Lorna looked at Garth with a puzzled frown.
"Garth?" she said in a small voice, "Can I ask a question?"
Delighted Garth smiled at the little girl. "Of course little one."
"Well," she hesitated looking back at the corridor they had just walked down, "Can a person manipulate another with the sound of their voice?"
She looked at the older man with her large mauve eyes and Garth shrugged as he thought about it. The question was unusual, but something about the way she said it caused a small amount of alarm in Garth. He opened the door and Lorna pottered into the room.
"I am not sure," Garth relented, "Why do you ask?"
Lorna shook her head and smiled sweetly. "No reason. Was just wondering." She took her night dress and walked into the bathroom to change. Not soon after she trotted back in and climbed into the bed then under the cover. Garth approached and tucked her in patting her head.
"Sweet dreams little one."
He left the room while Lorna settled to sleep and passed down the corridor. He stopped outside Reaver's door looking at it speculatively. He then became aware of a male voice singing. He leant closer to Reaver's door and grinned when it he realised it was Reaver himself. He popped the door open and peered into the room. He stepped in to find Reaver singing to himself with a glass of wine in one hand as he conducted an imaginary orchestra with the other. Two empty bottles of wine lay beside him dripping residue onto the carpet and a half filled one stood on the other side nearest the bed where he had his legs propped upon. Amused Garth came up behind him and tapped a very drunk Reaver on the shoulder.
Reaver stopped his singing and looked round at Garth with large unfocused eyes. Recognising the Mage Reaver grinned.
"What ho Its Garth!" he exclaimed getting clumsily out of his chair and stumbled forward. Garth grabbed the man by the back of the tunic for fear he would fall on his face. Reaver merely laughed as he grabbed the Mage's arm to steady himself.
"What are you doing up at this hour?" Reaver asked putting an arm round Garth's shoulders in a friendly fashion.
"I have just come back from the library," Garth explained in a slow voice as he watched his companion closely. Reaver blinked at him and a comical grimace graced his lips.
"Library!" he exclaimed, "whatever for?"
"Don't concern yourself with it," Garth said with a chuckle patting the other on the back.
Reaver tilted his head and shrugged. "If you sssay so old bean. Wine?" He offered the glass to Garth sloshing a little of the liquid on himself. Garth pushed the glass away with a smile.
"No thank you Reaver," he declined politely and the pirate made a face.
"Suit bleedin' self, more for me," he crowed as he bent over to grab the half full bottle and he nearly head butted the chair as he grabbed it. He stood and stumbled over to the window that looked into the street. He bashed the window open letting a soft breeze filter through and he poured himself another glass. As he went to put it on the window sill he missed and it slipped smashing noisily at the base of the window. He looked down after it, blinking slightly in surprise.
"Oh dear, looks like I made a whoopsie," He laughed and looked at Garth as if expecting him to laugh at his joke. Garth laughed a little uncertain as to why but Reaver waved an indifferent hand in his direction . "Sod ya then."
He took a long draft from his glass smacking his lips appreciatively as Garth approached him. He leaned on the sill next to Reaver who swayed unsteadily on his feet staring out the window and hummed lowly to himself. His glass waved in front of his face as he attempted to take another sip bumping himself on the nose once, twice and a third time before it hit its mark.
"What's got into you Reaver?" Garth asked sensing things were not as they appeared to be.
"What's up with me!!" the pirate cried, "Its not wwwhats up with Me. Its Whhhats up with her." He poked Garth hard in the chest and the mage rubbed the spot thoughtfully.
"Her?" Reaver stared at him as if he had two heads, well, several heads from what he could count.
"Don't plaaay sstupid with me," Reaver said waving his glass so the liquid sloshed again, "She is going to be the death of me."
A pained look crossed his face as he leaned forward touching the sill with his forehead. Garth patted the man on the back as he pieced a few things together. He chuckled sadly.
"Your drunk."
"I'm not so think you drunk I am!" Reaver stated loudly to the floor not bothering to look up as the room span wildly about him.
"It must not be easy, being immortal," Garth then said and Reaver's head snapped up to glare at him dangerously.
"That has nu-uthing to do with it!" he stated loudly downing the rest of his drink. "she is just a pain the proverbial rectum." He stood clutching the sill as his body rocked back and forth like a tree in a sea breeze. He looked up at Garth who watched with a hint of fascination as the Mage had never seen any one quite this drunk before. Despite how amusing it seemed he could not help think of the prospect of how dangerous Reaver's position was.
"What?" Reaver demanded and Garth shook his head.
"Your not doing very well are you," Garth said with a chuckle.
Reaver shrugged indifferently. "I gave up caring what," he thought for a moment, "two hundred and sssomething years ago. And I will have you know that in that t... time I have met many women," he nodded proudly for this statement, "some were more stubborn than others b-ut they had come around eeeventually."
"What's your point?" Garth asked tilting his head. Reaver laughed running a hand through his hair with a wistful look.
"Wooing a women is a proffound art," Reaver stated waving his empty glass at the Mage, "each one will be different, but essentially they...'hic' like the same sorts of things in bed or hu-otherwise. However... I have never met a women who has hated me so intensss..ily... tensely...hmm.. anyway, Sparrow is frigid."
Garth guffawed and coughed while Reaver looked at him from the corner of his eye.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing," Garth cleared his throat slightly, "so you consider yourself an expert on the subject of women then?"
Reaver thought about it and nodded. "Of course, I can... I can woo and seduce a-ny women I want," Reaver declared proudly and went to take a sip from his glass only to find it empty and he grunted dejectedly.
"All right if that is so," Garth paused a moment a sly smile curling at his lips as he stroked his small beared, "would you consider Sparrow a challenge?"
Reaver's eyes widened and his head twitched a little as he thought about it, twirling the glass between his finger and thumb. "Ye-es... I guess you could say that, why?"
Garth smirked and the sight made Reaver jump a little. "Then I bet you a three thousand gold," Reaver's eyes went wider, "That you can't seduce Sparrow by the time we have solved this little mystery."
"WHAT!!??" Reaver demanded incredulously, "Are you insin..insinuating that I can't fornicate with that... women..." He leaned a little closer to Garth. "She is a women right?"
Garth nodded with a snigger. "Yes Reaver, she is."
The pirate nodded thoughtfully standing straight. "I guess the boobs are a dead give away," he said with a shrug, "Hmm boobies." The blank face that followed made Garth laugh and the sound made Reaver grin impishly.
"Ok, your on," Reaver said with smirk.
"Ok then," Garth pulled out a small, smooth oval shaped stone that was a dusty orange colour and cyan coloured veins ran its length like lightning against the sunset sky. Reaver peered at it curiously his eyes sparkling. "See this stone," Reaver nodded stumbling a little at the force, "This will make sure you fulfill this little bet of ours. You must keep this on you at all times and even if you don't remember what it is for tomorrow morning, you will remember eventually, but until that time you will be compelled to keep this with you and never let it go."
Reaver's eyebrow rose as his eyes slowly trailed up to the will lined face before him and made an indifferent sniff. He held out his hand silently and Garth shook hands with him before putting the stone into Reaver's palm. The stone vibrated against his skin making the flesh tingle. With a shrug he shoved it in his trouser pocket and leaned against his elbow on sill. With a satisfied smile he watched as Reaver waved his glass dangerously in front of him.
"Your going to lose you know," the pirate smirked and knocked the glass hard against the window. At the sound of smashing glass he looked at the remnants with a confused frown.
"Sure I am," Garth smiled mysteriously.
"Oh, bugger," Reaver murmured looking at it the stem of the glass somewhat forlornly. He then shrugged and, with a grin, he threw it out of the window.
"Good thing it wasn't full," he laughed going back to his chair. He slumped into it picking up a new glass from under his chair and pulled another bottle of wine from under his bed. He then pulled out a corkscrew and fiddled with it trying to pull the cork free. He huffed and puffed as he struggled back and forth with the bottle between his legs. Garth could not help but laugh at how absurd it looked. Reaver glared at him blurringly and gave up. He stood up and placed the bottle on the chest of drawers. He then sat back in his chair took out his pistol and tried to aim. His tongue was stuck out in concentration as the weapon waved all over the place in disjointed circles until finally it exploded. The neck of the bottle smashed sending wine and shards of glass cascading all over the chest of draws.
With smirk of satisfaction he grabbed the neck-less bottle and looked at Garth triumphantly.
"Not a problem." he then proceeded to expertly pour himself another glass while Garth gapped in awe. Reaver must have been pissed arse drunk and he was still able to shoot straight. Albeit after a while but it was still impressive.
"Seeing you like this... Its not like you?" Garth said with a sad frown.
Reaver shot the man a sharp stare. "You presu-ume to know me hmm?" Reaver asked his voice going up an octave or too as he swayed slamming the bottle on the chest of draws, "How dare you presume to know me." He growled and downed the glass in one as he took out his pistol and waved it at Garth. "No one know, knows me and never will! I have as much contempt for, you... you and her as I do for... for dog defication at the bottom of my … boot, humph!!"
He glared at Garth who stared back blankly. Reaver's eyes widened feigning innocence as he forgot instantly what he said. "What?"
"Okay, no more wine for you, you are going to bed," Garth said in a dangerous voice as he approached the panic stricken pirate who looked like had seen a ghost. He stumbled back hitting the piece of furniture and the bottle clattered to the floor with a soft thump.
"Don't you fucking dare!" he spat, "Noo, NOOO!! don't touch me! Don't you bloody well touch me! Fuck off!! Shit bullets you bastard!!"
Garth ignored him and knocked the pistol from Reaver's limp fingers. Grabbing him by the front of the tunic he threw the pirate on the bed. Reaver protested and swore at the top of his lungs as he struggled violently against Garth who tried to pin him to the bed. Finally he managed to get his palm on the pirates forehead while Reaver continued to try and bite his wrists snapping like an angry turtle, his teeth clicking sharpely together. A surge of energy flowed from Garth and into Reaver who suddenly relaxed reluctantly his eyes glazing and mouth going slack. His whole body suddenly slumped to the bed and his head rolled to the side as his eyes slid closed consumed by his forced sleep. Garth sighed wearily and pulled the cover over the pirate who twitched lightly in his sleep.
Garth looked down at the mess in the room and made a noise of disgust as the recently 'opened' bottle of wine spilled its contents all over the carpet enveloping it in a dark red stain. He picked the bottle up and made a mental note to apologise the inn owner as he left, closing the door with a snap behind him. As he stood in the corridor he became aware of a pair of intent eyes upon him and he looked down at Lorna who had been attracted by the commotion. She tilted her head curiously but Garth shook his.
"Just go to bed little one," he said in a kind voice. The small girl pouted, but did as she was told returning to the room. When she had closed the door Garth's shoulder sagged a little as if he had been carrying a great weight and idly returned to his own room. "Children," he muttered as he snapped the door behind him.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A/N- All right then, I hope you liked this chapter and the next one is in the works if I can get my Uni work done... if! I am treating it like a reward for doing my work so I hopefully I will breeze through it to continue this story.
I would also like to announce that this fanfiction is indeed the longest in terms of chapters and has the most reviews of all the stories I have submitted. Therefore I would to personally thank all the readers who reviewed or not, because it is impart thanks to your encouragement that this has managed to be as it is. I am also very proud of myself that I could keep this one going as well. SO cookies for everyone!! Also reviews, keep them coming as well as that is motivation too, to get my work done as fast as possible. X3 Love you all!! Your awesome!!! *feels like a rock star at a concert) O.o