Chapter 11: Bad Things Come In Threes
Owyn was right, eventually bigger news hit the paper and everyone quit talking about that interview. The first was that Claudius Arcadia's daughter was brutally murdered in the act of a rape right there in the Imperial City. She was a little younger than me. It was horrible to think of what she had to endure the last minutes of her life, and frightening to know someone was out harming girls like that.
Then Agronak's mother died. He came into our Bloodworks broken and made the announcement to the room. He looked over at me as he spoke, his expression helpless and clearly he was needing his friend instead of the roomful.
"This morning at a little after three my mother lost her fight with…" Agronak began, but was unable to finish.
We all gathered around him to give him words of comfort. She had been very ill for a long time, long before I met him. I had gone with him to visit her several times and knew her time was near. Even though this was the expected conclusion it was none the less devastating to Agronak.
Andronicus gave up her chair and we all helped Agronak to it. Owyn made him take a small sip of brandy, even though Agronak does not drink alcohol.
"Is there anything I can do to help you?" I asked him quietly. I really didn't know what to do.
"Yes, I really need your help if you can Maxical. I need to make arrangements for her funeral and the disbursement of her personal items. I guess I'll need to make a statement to the press. I really need your help to get through this, I don't even know where to begin." He was shattered.
I didn't know either. I looked over at Andronicus and she nodded. She knew what to do. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Andronicus was used to handling these things. Agronak gave her carte blanche with his bank account and she was a model of efficiency ordering the funeral arrangements and gathering the press. She wrote out a list of tasks that I could do for her to get everything done quickly. She spoke to the press on behalf of Agronak and fielded the questions the press threw at him afterward. He had to do very little speaking.
The funeral was arranged in record time and the Courier was given the details so they could print them on the Special Edition with the announcement of her passing. They were given a pass to sit up front with the fighters and family as quite a crowd was expected. Andronicus knows how to milk PR from any situation for her fighters.
Ocato himself could not have a bigger funeral than Andronicus set up for Agronak's mother. It rained, but that did not keep what seemed like all Tamriel from attending. People were squeezed together tightly all across the lawns and the streets were clogged. People hung out of the windows of nearby buildings and climbed up in the trees to see. Crowds spilled out into the other districts so the guards tied the city gates open for them. The Gray Prince was obviously the draw, for while she lay sick none of these had bothered to make her acquaintance.
Owyn looked surprisingly handsome in a very ornate armor I had never seen before. Haki the Bold was dressed to the nines and with a very somber expression. He and Owyn acted like a harsh word had never been spoken between them, clasping each other in grief. That is for the PR image, we strive to look like a close knit family.
Andronicus was wearing a new dress and she had me fix her hair and do her makeup for her. The fighters from both Bloodworks came in spotlessly clean battle raiment, all the metalwork polished to a high sheen and brand new skirting.
Hassiri, Urjabhi and Ra'jiradh from the Black Horse Courier all came dressed in suits and sat up front with the fighters. High Chancellor Ocato had been sent a special invitation to stand with the fighters, he is an Arena buff, surprisingly. He showed up in a fancy red uniform on a gorgeous black horse and gave a speech. I didn't see him because Andronicus had me fetch her some water from one of the houses. I caught her later dabbing it under her eyes to imitate tears. She is a master of staging for any event.
Agronak was resplendent in his Grand Champion raiment, but was very emotionally wrought by it all. He clung to my hand through the entire proceeding and wept openly. It was heartbreaking.
Agronak was very depressed, but driven. "I need to go through my mother's personal items and find her important papers. I will be selling a lot of her things, but…I can't face digging through her things by myself. Would you mind helping me with this?" He knew I would, the asking was just a formality.
Agronak had bought his mother a tiny house on the waterfront so she would be close to him. It was just a short walk from the Arena. He started off picking up a few items and putting them in the crate, but after a while I noticed he was sitting on the bed with a faraway and lost look on his face.
"Do you want to wait and do this another time?" I asked, gently touching his hand.
"No, It's not that. She was my last tie. I don't even know who my father was, only that he was a Lord. I have no one now…to claim my body when I die. I'll be damned if I'll be put in the pit like trash."
Agronak never cursed, so it said a lot for how strongly he felt about this. I understand the feeling of having lost all ties, and about the pit. I wouldn't want to be put in there either.
The pit is under a grate in the center of the Arena. Fighters without families to claim their body are stripped and rolled into the pit immediately after their fight, right in front of the crowds. When the Arena closes for the night they light the pit on fire and incinerate the bodies. It is the worst smell in the world when they light it, but I have seen people sitting in the stands watching. I always wonder if it is family or friends that couldn't afford the cost of a funeral.
Before stepping foot in that Arena every single time you fight you have to sign legal forms and releases. The Battlemaster and one neutral party have to witness your signature on the papers. Andronicus acts as witness for Owyn's fighters and he does the same for her's.
The first is the 'Designated Claim' form, who will claim your body in the event you die. If you have family coming for you your body is taken to a holding area and stripped of the Arena equipment.
Then you have to sign the 'Incineration at the Discretion of the Arena' form. If your designated claimer does not show in what the Arena deems a reasonable period they have the right to dispose of you in the pit before you stink up the place.
If you don't have a person as a designated claim, you have to sign a waiver for the waiting period so they can just dump you in the pit right away.
At the end of each day the Battlemaster has to send a report to the Chancellor with the list of everyone that was incinerated along with their signed waivers or agreements.
The fear of being disposed of in that pit was foremost on Agronak's mind. He was desperate to find something in his mother's personal papers that would give a clue to any family.
"Agronak, there is no one in Tamriel that can beat you, I doubt you need to worry. But I overheard Owyn telling that Gladiator about something called a 'Power of Attorney' where you can designate a person as a pseudo relative, someone who would act on your behalf as a relative would. You can be released from it later if you find a relative or marry. I am sure Andronicus would do it for you, or if you wanted me to I would do it for you."
"Would you? You have no idea what a relief that would be on my mind. I'll talk to Andronicus about it right away. That Gladiator…are you talking about Gils? The Dunmer?"
I nodded.
"Is he bothering you? You tell me if he is. He's been getting on my nerves sniffing around you like a dog with a steak dinner. I put a flea in his ear the other day about it."
"He doesn't bother me Agronak. It is just a conquest thing with him. Don't upset your friendship with him over this." I couldn't stand it if I was the cause of a rift between the two friends.
"As long as you are on that mat behind Andronicus I don't care, but if she ever moves you out from behind her…I wouldn't like the idea of you continuing to stay in the Bloodworks."
"I don't have much choice about that. Anyway, I doubt she will move me."
We filled two crates with clothing and bedding and Agronak handed me her jewelry box to carry. He found the deed to the house and brought it as we made our first trip to the Market District.
Jensine's bought the crated items, then Agronak had me wait outside the Red Diamond Jewelers while he took the deed to the Office of Imperial Commerce.
I saw Hassiri from the Black Horse Courier heading up the street toward me and was getting nervous that he would spot me. It was a huge relief when Agronak came around the corner and we were able to duck into the Red Diamond Jewelry together so he could sell the jewelry items.
Just before we stepped back out of the shop Agronak caught my arm and turned me around, slipping a rolled parchment into my hand.
"I want you to have my mother's house. It isn't much, just a shack…but it's somewhere you can go if Andronicus moves you. If that happens, I want you out of that Bloodworks. You know I will end up killing someone if one of those clowns touches you. Consider it your duty to take it so I don't go to prison."
"Agronak, I can't take that, it is yours!"
"No it's not, I had the deed put in your name. Maxical, you know me. I'll never live outside the Bloodworks, it's my home and always has been. You've been thinking about getting out of the Arena lately anyway."
"Agronak, this is too much! I can't take it!"
"It'd mean a lot to me to see you there, to know you had a place of your own. I have something else too, as long as you're already griping. I bought this ring for my mother with my winnings when I made Grand Champion. I couldn't bring myself to sell it. My mother asked me to pick something nice out of her jewelry when she was gone and give it to you, and I chose this. I want you to put a health enchantment on it to help you heal out there in the Arena. That is your main weakness."
"Agronak, what a dear you are, but I can't take that! Any old brass ring will do for the Arena, that is way too nice to fight in." We had stepped through the doorway as we were speaking, then stood outside the door.
"Let me know when your done griping so I can put it on your finger." He gave his lopsided grin. "You are the only one that ever came and visited with Mom. That meant a lot to her and me both. This is from both of us."
"How sweet you are Agronak." There is no arguing with an Orc that has his mind made up. I stuck my hand out and he slid it on, it was a beautiful ring.
"Thank you Agronak." I hugged him and then took his hand as we turned to leave.
"I see I should be wishing you happy. You didn't have to die of old age, did you?"
My head jerked around. Fathis was standing in the midway gawking at us, his face purple with rage.
"Fathis!" I let go of Agronak's hand.
Suddenly Hassiri was in my face, his pad in hand. "Let me be the first to officially congratulate you two. Would you mind giving a…"
"Fathis, please! Please, it's not what you think! Fathis!"
Fathis stormed away. Hassiri's eyes were lit with intrigue.
I looked up at Agronak. "I've got to go after him." I said, then left Agronak to talk to the press while I ran after Fathis.
