"Do you think we should be worried that Falenas has been gone since yesterday?" Viera asked.
"Maybe," Alexander answered with a sigh. "What can we do about it? Korvosa is a big city. We wouldn't be able to search it in a timely manner."
Although Falenas had yet to return, Viera and Takota were able to recover on their own. After she woke up, Viera made use of her magic to heal herself and her friend to speed up the recovery process. Even though they were well enough, the group decided to wait until tomorrow to see if Falenas came back. They didn't have a clue as to where he went with Takota admitting that he was knocked out before the alchemist was. Alexander struggled to believe that Falenas could have defeated both Cow Hammer Boys after Takota went down but the scene he saw in the lobby lined up with that as the most likely outcome.
With Falenas nowhere in sight, the trio made the decision to head to the Vossler estate and see if Griffin had an idea on what to do. Alexander and Viera walked next to each other while Takota followed the two from behind. The path to Griffin's home was familiar to them, and thankfully, it appeared as though the streets of Korvosa were calming down. It was good to see that their hard work with the Korvosan Guard was making an impact on the city. When they arrived at the doors of the Vossler manor, a guard manning the entrance heard their explanation and told them to wait. The trio waited, although Alexander was curious. On previous visits, they were escorted inside, so he thought something had changed.
When the doors finally opened, it wasn't Griffin that greeted them, but Silana, who ran forward with a big smile.
"Dad!" Silana called out.
"Silana!" Alexander dropped down to a knee to hug his daughter. "I've missed you so much! I'm so sorry for being gone."
"It's okay," Silana said, hugging him back. "Tiran told me you were busy helping the city."
"Tiran?" Alexander blinked in surprise.
As soon as his name was said, Tiran stepped out of the manor with a smile. "You know, when my brother told me that the child of one of his adventurers was going to stay with us, I didn't think you were the father given how young you were. Still, this reunion does make me happy to be wrong."
Alexander let go of Silana and stood up while Viera smiled. "It's good to see you again, Tiran. Have you been up to anything recently?"
"Just doing what I can around here," Tiran answered. "My parents have joined the other nobles in swearing allegiance to the new queen, so I've been left to keep things together while they're away."
"Where's Griffin?" Takota asked in a blunt manner.
"I was told that's who you were going to see," Tiran said, reaching for the pouches on his belt. "The good news is that I have your payment right here. One hundred gold for each of you, although you're one short it seems."
"There's bad news?" Viera frowned.
"What's happened?" Alexander questioned with worry.
"I can assure you that it isn't a major problem," Tiran told them and handed over their respective pouches. "It's just that Griffin isn't feeling well. Between the pain in his muscles and his overall fatigue, he hasn't left his bed all day. I'm not a healer, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say he must have contracted filth fever. I'm not sure where he could have caught it."
Alexander tapped his chin in thought. "There was a man who grabbed onto him when he took us to see Queen Ileosa the other day. He didn't look well."
"He spoke of a great sickness," Takota added.
"I've reached out to the different temples for healing but I believe they are busy with other matters," Tiran sighed. "I was hoping that Falenas would be with you today. I was told that he was a healer and I thought that he could help my brother."
"I may not have his alchemy training, but I've been training in the Pantheon of Many," Viera bowed her head. "With my training and Iomedae's gift, I can help."
"Are you powerful enough to cure his disease completely?" Tiran asked.
"I'm afraid not," Viera shook her head with a sigh. "But what I can do is help treat your brother's symptoms so that he can fight off the fever himself. Griffin has been a good friend, so I would like to do my part to help."
Tiran looked over Viera, and after a moment of thought, smiled. "I think he would appreciate the help. The rest of you can stay here if you want, but aside from Viera, I would prefer that you didn't see my brother for your own health."
"That's fine," Alexander said and patted Silana on her head. "We have some catching up to do."
"Are you going to tell me what it's like being a hero?" Silana asked, although her eyes wandered off. "Where's he going?"
Alexander looked over his shoulder to see Takota, who he quickly called out to. "You're not staying with us?"
"No," Takota answered without stopping.
"Do you think it's a good idea to let him go by himself?" Viera asked, concerned for her friend.
Alexander didn't spend a lot of time thinking over Viera's question. He knew that he could trust Takota if he wanted to go off on his own, which would give him time to spend with Silana. Yet, this may be the perfect chance to try to befriend Takota, who's kept his distance from the group when it came to conversation. Falenas had made the most progress at becoming friends with the archer and he was gone. Perhaps Takota felt alone and didn't think the others were good enough friends to be around. Alexander didn't know his reasoning for leaving but he couldn't in good faith let him leave alone.
"Silana, I'm sorry, but I should go with him," Alexander said, reaching down to clasp her shoulder.
"Do you think he needs help?" Silana asked.
"Maybe," Alexander told her. "If he does, I have to be there. I promise I'll tell you all there is to being a Korvosan Guard when I see you again."
"Okay," Silana said, smiling. "I can't wait!"
"Thank you, Alexander," Viera said, looking apologetic. "I'd go myself if I could, but…"
"Griffin needs your help," Alexander nodded in understanding. "You'll do your part and I'll do mine."
"And I'll do mine," Tiran said with a chuckle. "I hope you don't mind but I've been keeping your daughter entertained with some of my favorite stories."
"Thank you," Alexander said. "I should get going. I'll be back soon, I hope."
Alexander gave a quick wave to the three and quickly dashed off from the estate grounds. Takota had a decent head start during the short conversation but hadn't left the street. Alexander was able to catch up to his companion, but despite his sudden appearance, the archer kept on walking. He held back a sigh, knowing that this was just how Takota was, and slowed down his pace to walk alongside him.
"I hope you don't mind if I join you," Alexander said, smiling at Takota. "I thought we could do something together, just the two of us."
Takota shrugged and didn't turn to look at Alexander. "If you want."
"So, where are we going?" Alexander asked.
"I don't know," Takota answered.
"You… you don't know where you're going?" Alexander blinked in confusion. "You're just walking away from the house that you were invited to with no other destination in mind?"
"There wasn't anything I wanted to do there," Takota explained in a simple manner.
"That's understandable, I suppose," Alexander nodded. "So, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know."
Alexander held back a sigh and decided against questioning Takota on his line of thinking. "We could try looking for Falenas."
"The trail's gone cold," Takota shook his head. "He'll have to come to us."
"So I guess that isn't an option," Alexander tapped his chin in thought. "Some businesses could be opening back up. We could try shopping."
"I have everything I need."
"How about food? Everyone needs to eat. We had breakfast back at the citadel but later in the day we could find a tavern."
"There's breakfast at the citadel?" Takota asked, confused.
"Yes," Alexander answered, looking at his companion in concern. "You were up before me so I thought you were ahead of schedule. There's a mess hall. Did no one tell you where it was?"
"No."
"You've been there for the last few days," Alexander pointed out. "What have you been eating?"
"Falenas has been giving me pieces of food every now and then," Takota told Alexander. "I wanted to cook the meat from the butchery but didn't think it was safe to eat."
Alexander didn't have it in him to tell Takota that Falenas was giving him the food he didn't like from his meals, and sighed. "We're going to a tavern. Follow me."
Takota slowed down his pace to let Alexander take the lead, serving as his acceptance of the offer. The warrior changed his mind about trusting the archer to be on his own. He could understand Takota having a different way of thinking given that he had to fend for himself but there was some work that needed to be done. Alexander hoped that he would be able to find a way to help his friend.
During her stay at the Pantheon of Many, Viera had devoted herself to training as a devout follower of Iomedae. Over the course of the past year, she picked up new skills and knowledge, honed her way with the sword, and was blessed with magical powers through her faith. Yet, dividing her priestess training across multiple areas meant she wasn't the best in any one area. There were scholarly priests who dedicated themselves to their faith and knew more about religious matters and other subjects than she. The few paladins that were stationed at the Pantheon of Many were better at combat than she was. There were clerics that have trained as long as she had and could call upon stronger miracles from their gods.
Viera never cared about being behind the others at the Pantheon of Many, but now, she wished she had the power to cure diseases immediately that some of the other healers possessed. She found herself in Griffin's bed chambers, where the noble groaned with each movement he made such as rolling in place or lifting his hand. Filth fever was not too dangerous of a disease but still ran the risk of killing someone infected with it in a week if left untreated. Her magic was capable of closing cuts or healing bruises but nothing that could remove filth fever or directly combat its fatigue.
Where divine magic wouldn't be enough, Viera had to turn to more traditional methods of healing. Rotating between heat and cold would help with the muscle aches, and given that the noble had kept himself covered with thick bed sheets for most of the morning, it was time for a colder treatment. Under Viera's instruction, the estate servants were able to prepare bags of ice in the kitchen which were wrapped across Griffin's limbs. He shivered in his spot in bed but didn't complain about what it took to properly recover. The best way to treat fatigue was through bedrest, even though Viera figured that her friend hated the idea of doing nothing.
"I can still move around my room if I really wanted to," Griffin told Viera, raising his head from his pillow. "You don't have to do what I can do."
"Just because you can doesn't mean that you should," Viera said, keeping her gaze focused on the bookshelf Griffin kept in his room. "Now, I'll ask again. Is there anything you would like to read?"
Griffin sighed. "Grab the copy of The Magistrates and Monarchs of Korvosa. I want to brush up on my history given what's happening today. Oh, and it's been years since I've read my volume of Legends of Varisia. I'll need to look into seeing if another volume was published but that will do for now."
"You must really enjoy history," Viera commented, grabbing the two books he requested.
"I've found it important to stay informed of Korvosa's past," Griffin said. "I want to say we're living through history right now, but really, Korvosa has had its fair share of turmoil when it comes to royalty. Ileosa's reign would have to be really different to stand out on its own."
"Does this have to do with your distrust of the queen?" Viera asked, walking forward with the two books in hand.
"If it had just been her husband dying, I wouldn't think twice about Ileosa given how old Eodred II was," Griffin defended himself. "The seneschal going missing raises questions."
"Forgive me for not knowing much about the city's politics but what does the seneschal have to do with the queen?" Viera questioned as she set the books down on the nightstand next to Griffin.
"There are steps involved with the process, but essentially, the seneschal can remove a monarch from power in a legal manner," Griffin explained. "It's strange that Neolandus has gone missing during this crucial time. Rumors say that he was swept away and killed by the initial violent mobs when he first announced Eodred II's death."
"But if that were the case, the queen wouldn't be involved in his death," Viera pointed out. "There's no foul play."
"Of course, but if the seneschal was killed by an angry mob, she would have to say the position is vacant," Griffin continued his explanation. "She hasn't. It could be more out of negligence than actual malice but I am deeply worried for the future of this city."
Viera wasn't completely sold on Queen Ileosa being terrible based on the one meeting they've had but she wasn't going to argue about it. Griffin was willing to let the subject drop there and slowly reached for the books. When he picked up his copy of Legends of Varisia, he accidentally dropped it onto the wooden ground and cursed under his breath. Viera bent down to pick it up but noticed that when the book fell, it opened and a piece of parchment fell out. She grabbed the parchment to see a child's drawing of a man in black clothing with a mask and hood covering his face.
"What's this?" Viera asked when she stood up, holding the parchment to Griffin.
Griffin blinked in recognition at the drawing. "Oh, that's nothing. Just a drawing I made when I was a young boy. I forgot I left it in that book. It just goes to show that it's been too long since I've read it."
"The drawing reminds me of you whenever you're out as Indigo," Viera told him with a smile. "Although you wear blue instead of black."
"I can tell you now that I wasn't drawing my future self," Griffin shook his head with a smile. "That's a drawing of what I imagined Blackjack to be."
"Blackjack?" Viera blinked in confusion.
"He was one of Korvosa's first folk heroes who fought for the common people of the city," Griffin explained, his tone showing his admiration for Blackjack. "He's been around for nearly two hundred years but no one has ever found out if he was a long-living race or an identity passed on. Blackjack's been inactive since well before I was born but I've always found his story to be inspirational."
"Inspirational enough that you've decided to follow in his example as Indigo?" Viera pointed out in a teasing manner.
Griffin chuckled. "I could never be Blackjack but there is no denying the impact his legacy has on me. I doubt that I'll be able to achieve his level of fame as Indigo but it feels good to do my part to help Korvosa even if I can never take credit for my actions. It'd bring too much scandal to the family."
"Would it be so big of a deal?" Viera asked thoughtfully. "I haven't met your parents but your brother seems to care about you a great deal."
"I don't think they would approve of vigilante justice," Griffin sighed. "We're working with the Korvosan Guard but I'll never be able to explain to Tiran that I had to join the fight against Gaedren to claim his ledger."
"You've been lucky to keep your secret so far," Viera said. "I'm just worried if you'll be able to keep it a secret forever. Someone's going to find out that a man in a blue mask has been aiding us and that's going to raise questions."
Before Griffin could respond, a knock on the door interrupted the conversation. "Come in!"
Tiran opened the door, although he didn't step in. "I'm just here to drop off someone else who could help, someone you've probably been waiting to see."
Viera gasped to see Falenas step into the room. Other than wearing several different pieces of colorful cloth and sheets over his chest, he appeared to be fine. She was relieved to see that their missing friend had finally returned. Falenas stepped into the room and looked down at the ground awkwardly, shuffling his feet. Tiran closed the door behind him, giving the group their privacy.
"It's good to see you again, Falenas," Viera said with a smile. "We were worried about you."
"I have to say that you might need to think again about your wardrobe," Griffin smirked. "The colors really clash against each other."
Falenas looked up and smirked back. "My clothing may stand out but at least my body isn't as terrible as yours."
Griffin laughed. "You wound me. Isn't that the opposite of what you're supposed to do as a healer?"
"Until I get the supplies I've requested from your brother, I cannot help," Falenas told him. "The bad news is that I haven't found a way to completely cure a disease but I can create a few remedies that can help you fight the disease yourself."
"Thank you, but you didn't come back because you heard I was sick," Griffin pointed out.
"Well, I needed to get paid," Falenas said, glancing to the side. "This seemed like the best place to get my share."
"What happened at the butchery?" Viera questioned, crossing her arms. "You disappeared. We were all very worried for you."
"I know," Falenas sighed. "Do you remember what I told you about my mutagen?"
"I do," Viera said with a nod. "You had to use it, didn't you?"
Falenas nodded, returning his gaze to his companions. "Takota went down and I was barely holding my own. So, I went with the last resort."
"And in doing so, you saved Takota's life," Viera reminded him. "You didn't have to run."
"I was embarrassed at the idea of you seeing me in that state," Falenas admitted. "Less the changes to my body and more of the diminishing of the mind to be exact. When the mutagen cleared, I thought about what to do, but hours passed and I thought that maybe I waited too long…"
Griffin raised a hand to silence Falenas politely. "You don't have to explain further. We trust you. Are you ready to get back to work?"
"I am," Falenas said with a quick nod. "Once I have the regents I need, I'll help you fight this fever. And is that a book on Korvosa's past monarchs?"
"It is," Viera answered. "Griffin thought it would be a good idea to brush up on previous rulers given that we're seeing a change in the monarchy."
"Why spend time in a book when you could ask someone who lived through their different reigns?" Falenas asked, stepping forward. "I'd be happy to tell you what each ruler was like from a citizen's perspective."
"Falenas, I'm curious, but how old are you?" Griffin questioned, tapping his chin in thought. "You're an elf but I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around your actual age. I need to hear a number."
"One hundred and fifty years," Falenas answered with a grin. "I've been alive longer than Korvosa has been a monarchy. I was in my mid sixties when Eodred I became the first king."
"If you're that old, you've been around for nearly half the time Korvosa existed!" Griffin exclaimed. "That's incredible!"
"Have you ever heard about Blackjack?" Viera asked and quickly winked at Griffin.
"The name sounds familiar," Falenas closed his eyes in thought. "I'll have to see if conversation can stir up any memories."
"Please, find a seat," Griffin offered. "We have much to talk about."
Viera smiled to see Falenas walk over to Griffin's desk to pull out the chair. It seemed right that the noble who studied history would want a chance to talk to the elf who lived through history about how times have changed. She was content to let the two talk about the past and anything else that came up while focusing on helping Griffin with his recovery. Viera hoped that Falenas would be able to help the noble recover physically and be able to recover from his mental troubles himself.
While it did take some time for the two to travel to the northern part of Korvosa, Alexander hoped it would be worthwhile. There were a fair share of taverns that they passed on the way but there was one in particular that he hoped to visit. The incident at All The World's Meats led him to believe that there may be a meat shortage in Korvosa, which severely limited what food they could find. There was one tavern in particular that he knew had a good menu without meat and figured that Takota would find something he liked there.
Alexander always appreciated how quiet the Three Rings Tavern was, which was one of many reasons he thought it to be a family-friendly establishment. They had an assortment of alcoholic beverages such as mead and wine but primarily focused on coffee and tea. Alexander always saw it as a good place to get breakfast with Silana and took her to the Three Rings Tavern every once in a while, where she enjoyed the different pastries that were offered.
The Three Rings Tavern was thankfully open for business so Alexander and Takota stepped inside. There were only a few tables occupied with a man in armor drinking his troubles away at the bar so the two were able to find an open table with ease. Alexander placed the order for himself and Takota for two cups of coffee and an assortment of different breads and pastries. He also made sure to pay ahead of time, not wanting to have the archer pay when he was the one who needed the food the most.
When the servers returned with their food and drinks, Takota eyed the bread in a suspicious manner. It was only when Alexander started to eat that he finally reached for one of the Varisian sweetbreads and took a bite out of it. His eyes went wide after tasting the flavor of the bread, no doubt better than the stale bread that Falenas hated and pawned off to him. Takota eagerly took bigger bites out of the sweetbread and started reaching for more pastries to eat from the different plates. Alexander smiled warmly at his companion and took a sip from his cup of coffee. He was thankful for the short break they were given and appreciated the time he had to rest, even if he had to change his plans.
"We won't be able to do this every day but it's good to see that you're enjoying yourself," Alexander told Takota. "Be sure to give the coffee a try too. It goes great with the sweetbread."
"Thank you," Takota said, reaching for his cup of coffee.
"It's no problem," Alexander said. "Although, I am curious as to how you never found out about the mess hall. The guard who escorted me to the barracks told me about where the Korvosan Guard had their meals as part of showing me around Citadel Volshyenek."
"The guard never told me," Takota commented, taking a sip from his cup.
"But why?" Alexander asked with a sigh. "It doesn't make sense to me."
Takota set his cup down on the table and looked Alexander in the eyes with a serious look. "It's because I'm Shoanti."
"Huh?" Alexander blinked in confusion. "I don't understand."
"Most of the people in this city think little of my people," Takota told Alexander. "My parents warned me of the way we would be treated when I was a child. The reality was much harsher."
"Do you really think that the guards didn't show you the mess hall because you're Shoanti?" Alexander questioned.
"I do," Takota answered bluntly. "When I had to live off of the streets, there were many times where I almost starved. Food would have been a kind offering but hardly anyone gave me something to eat. It wasn't until I grew older and wiser that I started to realize that those same people had no problem giving food or gold to urchins who were born in this city."
"Cressida won't stand for this mistreatment," Alexander stood up. "We can tell her now and maybe she could do something."
"I've already forgotten the name and face of the man who led him to the barracks," Takota shook his head, reaching for another sweetbread. "There are bigger issues to handle."
"I just can't stand by and do nothing," Alexander argued.
"You've already done enough," Takota said, motioning over the food. "I didn't bother to remember because he mattered very little to me. It's not people's hatred that keeps me going but their kindness and generosity. This meal you've provided has done more than talking to Cressida would have. Sit, eat, and enjoy."
Slowly, Alexander returned to his seat while Takota took another bite from his bread. "I'm sorry for wanting to act without waiting to hear if that's what you wanted. I was just worried that we weren't really friends and wanted to help."
"We're friends," Takota said with a shrug. "We've helped each other get our revenge and work together."
"It's just hard to tell what's on your mind," Alexander admitted. "It's mainly because you don't talk that much. I think that this is the most you've talked since we've met."
"Perhaps so," Takota nodded in agreement. "I found it better to be silent before since no one listened to me. You listen. So do the others."
"So you're finally opening up because we've proven that we're friends?" Alexander asked.
"That, and it would have been awkward if I just let you talk without saying anything," Takota said and started to drink from his cup of coffee again.
Alexander blinked, processing that Takota just made a joke, and let out a slow chuckle. The warrior had to admit that he was wrong about thinking his friend wasn't fit to be around by himself. The archer had to live by himself for years and came up with his own path of survival. Takota's struggles growing up alone in Korvosa didn't make him cruel or silent, but rather, the experience made him wiser. Alexander wished that his friend had been able to live a normal life, but still, he was glad for the chance to get to know the archer and fight alongside him.
The two continued to eat what was left of their meal. Before they could finish, the armored man from the bar walked up to the table in a clumsy manner. Alexander looked away from the man given the heavy stench of ale and sweat on him but turned to look at him again when he continued his approach. He had short brown hair and the lower half of his face was covered in stubble that likely needed to be shaved. Alexander recognized the armor belonging to the Korvosan Guard and wondered why he was drinking in it.. The armored man set his hand on the table and looked at Takota, although it was difficult for him to keep his eyes on the archer.
"Neffi!" the armored man slurred. "I thought I recognized you!"
"I'm not Neffi," Takota grunted.
"Don't you recognize me?" the man held his arms out. "It's me, Grau. I remember you back from Sandpoint. We were friends."
"I'm not your friend," Takota stated in a blunt manner.
"You picked a terrible time to visit Korvosa, Neffi," Grau hiccupped, then frowned. "The riots. They are so terrible. I couldn't stand them to see what has become of my new home. I'm not sure if I'm going to survive."
"Grau, I understand your pain, but the last thing you need to do is drink your problems away," Alexander told the man in a polite tone. "You're with the Korvosan Guard, aren't you?"
"I'm a watch sergeant of the guard!" Grau bragged, swaying in place. "That's all I had left after that duel…"
"Then you shouldn't throw your job away," Alexander said, standing up. "We'll take you back to Citadel Volshyenek. Isn't that right, Neffi?"
Takota blinked in confusion, then nodded in agreement. "That's right."
"You're the best friend I could ever ask for!" Grau bursted into a drunken fit of laughter.
Alexander glanced apologetically at Takota. "I'm sorry for cutting our meal short. I'll show you where the mess hall is when we get to Citadel Volshyenek."
Takota nodded silently and stood up, grabbing hold of Grau's arm. Alexander grabbed the drunk's other arm, and together with the archer, led and dragged him out of the Three Rings Tavern and toward Citadel Volshyenek. Alexander didn't have it in him to be mad at Grau for abandoning his duty to get drunk. It was tough seeing what Korvosa was going through and he knew that there were plenty of other people drinking their troubles away. If it wasn't for his friends, Alexander might have been one of those people. The best thing he could do now is set a good example by doing the right thing and helping anyone in need, including the drunk he helped now.
A/N: We've reached chapter ten, which mainly focused on character interaction and development, but again, those are my favorite kind of scenes to write.
This story is around 46000 words, and with less than 5000 words left to write for NaNoWriMo, I believe that I will be done by today. I'm going to keep this short so I can get back to writing. Expect another chapter later tonight because that's what I'm planning to get done.
Until next time.
