By request of ShadowMoonDancer:
Gareth the Younger
Gary had always looked remarkably like his father, with the same chestnut hair, warm brown eyes, large nose and powerful build. Even when he was a baby, people were in the habit of exclaiming "Oh! Why Duke Gareth, he looks just like you!" When he was older, it annoyed him, but short of cutting off his nose there wasn't much he could do about it.
Afterwards, he thought to himself, I'll get Alan or Jon to use their Gift to change how I look! Then this will never, ever happen again. Gods help me if they won't, I think I will cut off my nose! But that was afterwards, and by then it was too late . . .
-
Gary was walking across a small inner courtyard of the Palace. It was a clear morning, and promised to be a fine day. Summer was almost here, but the air still smelled of spring, of small, pale flowers lifting their heads after the long winter and ice melting. There was a bench off to the side, against a wall, and upon the bench sat a shriveled little old man. His skin reminded Gary of a a peeled apple left out in the sun for days.
"Can I help you?" he asked politely. It was, after all, a very small courtyard, and the old man was staring at him so!
"Oh, yes!" the man cried, pulling himself to his feet hastily. He leaned upon a stick as he approached Gary. "I wasn't sure before, but now I've heard your voice, I am quite certain it is you. Forgive me, Duke Gareth, but I'm a rather short sighted these days. It's wonderful to see you again, and looking so well. I could have sworn you were ten years younger."
Make that twenty-nine, Gary thought to himself. He opened his mouth to disabuse the man of the notion that he was his father the Duke, then hesitated (my stupid mouth! he thought later.) The Duke was a very busy man, and surely Gary was seventeen, old enough to take care of a small matter with an old man like this!
"You look well yourself," he said.
"A lie, I'm afraid, Your Grace. But a kindly one."
"Not at all. What did you wish to talk about?"
"Oh, only to tell you, old friend, that my family and I will be uprooting ourselves at last to come to court. My son has things well in hand back home. I'm sure you remember my wife?"
"Why of course," Gary said, rather wishing that he hadn't begun this whole mess. "Who could forget her? I look forward to seeing her again."
"Whats that? So eager? Your Grace, you are still far too young a man to have thoughts of such things."
"What do you mean?"
The old man went on as if he hadn't heard. "After all, she died not long after your own dear wife, though She was blessed with many more years."
Snap, Gary thought. Dead! What do I say now?
As matters turned out, he didn't have the chance even to begin to think of something to say.
Raoul came bounding into the courtyard. When he caught sight of the bent old man, he let out a glad cry. "Grandfather! I'd heard that you were here! What brings you all the way from Goldenlake?" He embraced him, then caught sight of Gary. "I see you've met our youngest Naxen. Have you introduced yourself, Gary?" Not waiting, he continued. "Grandfather, this is Gareth the Younger of Naxen."
"The Younger?" the old man asked in kindly confusion. "Why, then you must be no older then my grandson here! Isn't that a bit young to be made a Duke?"
Snap, snap, snap, Gary thought.
Few and far between were the times when Duke Gareth shouted, but when he was told the news, his bellow could be heard all over the palace, from the top of Balor's Needle to deepest depths of the catacombs beneath the ground.
"GARETH! COME HERE THIS INSTANT AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"
-
My stupid, stupid mouth, he thought as he scrubbed pots down in the kitchen. A bell tolled. One hour down, four hundred and ninty-nine to go.
He plunged a carving knife into the soapy dishwater, then looked at it appraisingly. No, he wouldn't cut off his nose. After all, he might still have the chance to grow into it one day, if he didn't pull any many more stupid stunts like this one.
Next time: Beka and Rosto, by request of Lioness's Heart. (I'm going in the order they're put down in reviews, by the way.) -- Lizzy
