--Legend of the Twin Swords--
By: Kratos the Judgment
Chapter 13: Complications
"Damn," I swore out loud as I tossed yet another book aside. I had found the prophecy, written by
the sage shortly before he died. The problem was that it was in an archaic language I couldn't
translate. Several interpretations were available, but no two matched exactly, and I was getting a
sneaking suspicion that none of them were very true to the actual words of the long deceased
sage after all. However, one theme was constant, though the wording often changed. It was said
that the destiny of these swords was to fight with each other. The final battle, it said, would come
when the true owner of each pitted their blades against each other, and that the end would bring
darkness.
One piece of information present in most renditions had me quite perplexed, however. The
shadow sword was never described as having a red aura. It was always called black.
"Why isn't it black?" My words, spoken a bit too loud, echoed off the books in the long corridor I
was in.
"Is something wrong?"
I turned to see who had addressed me, expecting a maid or librarian wanting to scold me for my
outbursts. Instead, I found Rayne.
"It's nothing really," I lied, "Just having some trouble finding something in these books. What
brings you in here?"
"I wanted to see you last night, but you weren't in your room, so I have been looking for you ever
since I woke up."
"I'm sorry if I worried you. I've spent a lot of time here, and this morning, I was with Hector." I
noticed the remnants of tears on her face. "Are you all right?"
"Now that I've found you, I'll be fine." She smiled to show me that all was well.
"That's good. You know what? It's getting kind of late. We should have dinner soon. The chefs
here can prepare some excellent meals." She followed me out of the building and we headed off
to the dining hall. On the way, though, we ran into a guard who stopped us in our tracks. Upon
seeing him, Rayne hid behind by back.
"Has this girl been bothering you?" He asked me. He reached around me and grabbed Rayne by
the collar.
"Bothering me? No, why do you ask?" I put my hand on his arm as he tried to pull Rayne out
from her hiding place.
"This peasant girl has been running throughout the palace being somewhat of a nuisance. I have
had to throw her out twice already."
"You are mistaken." I pulled his arm free of Rayne. "She is with me, and is a guest of the
Marquess himself!"
The guard was taken aback by my words. He went down on one knee. "I…I'm sorry," he
stammered. "I was unaware that she was with you. Forgive me."
We walked on and I looked at Rayne, considering the guards words. She did look like a peasant
since she was not wearing new clothes like I was. "Tell me," I asked her, "were you given any
new clothes to wear?"
"No," she replied. "There were some clothes in the room, but they only fit my brother and Ernst."
"Let's fix that then."
I asked the next guard I saw when the dinner was.
"Dinner begins in half-an-hour, and fresh food will be served for two hours after that," was the
reply I got. After receiving a few more directions, I headed out into the city, with Rayne following
behind. Soon thereafter, we had found the fine clothier that the guard's directions had described.
Upon entering, we were greeted by an attendant who asked me what I desired.
"My young friend here is a guest of the Marquess; however, she has no clothes appropriate for
wearing around the palace. Whatever the cost, I'm sure the Marquess will pay it, and I can make
a down payment if required." After a few brief measurements, which Rayne stood through rather
awkwardly, our attendant vanished and came back holding a few dresses and robes and pairs of
shoes, mostly of the same Ostian Blue as my shirt.
"These are all we currently have in the young lady's size. If you want, however, we provide
tailoring services as well."
I almost hesitated but asked the question anyway. "How much do those cost? We are short on
time."
I was right to be afraid of the answer. "All told, it comes to twelve thousand in gold."
"Here's two thousand." I gave him a fist full of gold coins. "I guarantee that the rest will arrive
from the Marquess tomorrow."
Apparently, my offer was acceptable, for I walked out a few minutes later with a stack of neatly
folded clothes for Rayne. As soon as we left the store Rayne expressed her worry over what I
had just done.
"What If Sir Hector will not grant your request?"
"He will."
"But it is so much money?"
"He will help me."
"But what if he doesn't?"
"It was his staff's fault that you didn't have clothes in the first place. If he doesn't help, I'll have to
give him a piece of my mind."
We returned to the palace only to find that the bath in her room required servants to fill, so I took
her to my room and let her wash and get dressed while I waited outside. It was getting late and I
knew dinner had already started, so I knocked on the door to check on her progress.
"Come in," was her response.
I entered to find her finishing lacing up a shoe that seemed to consist of only the lace, straps, and
a heeled platform. She stood up and I witnessed the full extent of her transformation.
The effect made it hard for me to control my jaw.
The blue of the dress she had chosen was a few shades darker than her eyes. It draped down to
her feet, but there was a slit that reached her knees. Her arms were left bare. To top it all off,
she now wore her braid over her shoulder where the light blond locks lay beautifully over the
complementary color of the dress. She had been transformed from a fifteen year old village girl
into a beautiful young lady.
A small part of me laughed when I thought of what that guard would say if he saw her now.
"Come," I said, after a river of compliments, "let's go to dinner."
I guessed that dinner had been going on for close to an hour when the two of us arrived.
Immediately upon entering, I was directed to Hector's table. When he saw us, the Marquess
stood up and addressed the crowd.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you our guest of honor." He gave the assembled
nobles my name. "Were it not for the aid of this man, the Dragon's Gate Crisis three years ago
would not have been just that, but would have instead been a full scale war between humans and
the dragons who were banished long ago in the Scouring. Guests, you owe this man your lives. I
present to you, our famous tactician!"
Needless to say I was more than a little embarrassed. Rayne tugged at my sleeve.
"May we sit down, my friend?" I asked Hector.
"Of course, of course." Hector appeared a little drunk.
"There is only one chair."
He saw Rayne standing next to me. "I didn't think you'd have an escort." Quickly, he motioned
for another chair to be brought to the table for her, and the two of us sat down. "Is she the same
girl you came here with? Where did you find such a dress for her, I didn't think we had any?"
"Actually, Hector, you don't, but that's a long story, speaking of which, could you spot me twelve
thousand in gold?"
Hector agreed and I told him of the little escapade with the guard and the clothier while we ate
dinner.
Eventually the people thinned out and left the meal. After a couple near to me left, Ernst and
Ralts came up the table. They had already finished, but wanted to see Rayne and compliment
her on her dress, and then they too left. Hector stayed and talked until Rayne and I finished, then
he showed us out, promising me another sparring match before we parted ways.
I led Rayne back to my room so we could collect her things. When we arrived, she sat down on
the foot of my bed and motioned for me to come over. I sat next to her while she just sat and
stared a hole in the floor. When she spoke, it was in a rather quiet voice.
"Thank you," she said.
"Well, I couldn't let the guards continue mistaking you for some lost peasant."
"No, I mean, it's more than that. You've always been so concerned, and you brought me here to
Ostia, and you even saved my life. Thank you for everything."
"Oh…" I didn't know how to respond.
She leaned in close to me and put her hand around the back of my head. Then she kissed me
lightly on the cheek and fell backwards onto the bed. I wasn't sure whether it had been the wine
from dinner or something else, but I was feeling really good right now. I looked down at Rayne
lying on my bed.
She wasn't moving
I looked at her face. It was flushed and felt very warm to the touch. I leaned down and sniffed
the breath from her lips and then realized what had just happened.
Rayne was drunk.
I didn't feel like carrying her anywhere, so I took off her shoes and pulled her up onto the bed.
Her dress was going to be wrinkled, but I couldn't do anything about that. I realized I didn't have
anything to sleep in either, so I took off my shoes and belt and lay down on the other side of the
bed, which was thankfully large enough to not make this too awkward. I was asleep before my
head hit the pillow.
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Kratos