Myths of Power

Richard stops abruptly.

"Truth? What would a child know about the truth?"

Gailin looks at the sky. He raises his hand slightly to cover the morning sun. "The truth is..." He pauses, turns and grabs Richard by the shoulder. He looks around nervously and casually moves Richard to the edge of an empty alleyway. Richard slowly reaches inside his cloak and caresses the hilt of his blade.

"The truth is, William..." He looks around one more time and leans toward Richard. "...the physician is a fraud." Richard releases his blade. "I'm sorry, old man, but that's what he is. He's just some quirky, ancient, dust ball of a man, who has some knowledge of medicine, but nothing more than that"

Richard looks at him with worrisome confusion not sure of what this boy knows "Does he know what I am? Did Catherine say too much last night?"

"What are you saying Gailin? Do you think I'm.." Gailin places his hand on Richard's shoulder.

"No.. no, of course not. I'm just saying that I saw what the man was like. He would take every coin my father had if he could have. I just don't think you should get your hopes up, for Catherine's sake."

Richard sighs heavy, relived with what Gailin says. "Oh, my boy..." Richard grabs Gailin's arm and continues on. "I've tried all kinds of tonics, snake oils, concoctions and philters in my pitiful life. Having another fail me can't do any more harm. Catherine is strong and she will outlast me, in the days to come."

The two shuffle down the next few streets in silence.

"What became of her?"

"Not sure, to tell you the truth. I was in another room at the time. I heard father yelling a lot about him not being able to do anything and then nothing...for quite some time. When he came out, his face was wet."

"Wet?"

"At first I thought he had been fighting with the physician and was sweating. As her got closer, I could see his eyes. It was the first..and last...time I saw my father cry"

"But what of your sister?"

Gailin points down the road to a building that was in slightly better repair than most. It had 3 stories and most of the brickwork was still attached, although Richard could tell, it had degraded to a point to which it should have been condemned. "That's where you need to be, William."

"Thank you corporal." Richard pulls out a coin but Gailin holds up his hand in refusal. "You're a good man, Gailin and I'm sorry for your troubles."

Gailin gives Richard a small bow "I'm sorry myself for placing my troubles on your shoulders. I'll be off to my duties as I'm late as it is. Give Catherine my best." He turns and walks off at a soldiers pace.

Out of earshot Richard whispers "We'll meet again lad. I'm sure you'll come in very handy in the times ahead... for both Catherine and me." He turns around and sees a figure standing in a second story window starring back. "And now for the hard part."

As the two leave the Sickle & Scythe, Gailin looks around nervously for others who might see him with a leper. Seeing no one other than the normal rabble of the area, he steps out at a brisk pace, only to be pulled back by Richard. Gailin is forced to stop and looks back.

Richard shades the morning sun from his eyes with his hands. "Whoa there my boy. I'm not as spry as you are. I could have given you a match in my younger, healthier days but now..."

Gailin realizes who he is with and reluctantly resigns himself. " I'm sorry, I just.. just..."

Richard pats his hand again. "I know. Few people want to be seen aiding a man in my condition. I must say, you are being very brave by helping. You're risking any reputation you might have made."

"I'm not too concerned with reputation."

"Oh really? Your expression betrays you young man. Why are you helping? Does this have anything to do with...my daughter?"

They start down the street as face as Richard is willing to go.

Gailin lets out a sigh. "I suppose so. She's just so beautiful and yet so strange..." Suddenly aware of what he has just said, he pauses and looks down at Richard, embarrassed. "..I didn't mean... It's just that she..."

Richard laughs, a low grinding laugh that sends a slight chill down the spine of anyone in earshot. "Don't worry! It most likely comes from taking care of this old fool for so long." He smiles large enough for it to be seen through the bandages and thinks to himself; "What did that girl say to him last night?"

"So tell me sergeant.."

"Corporal..."

"... How is it you know the physician?"

Richard allows the pace quicken slightly. Gailin's face drops into sorrowful thought.

"My sister....When we were just kids, our family owned a small plot of land. We would sometimes wonder down to the river that ran though a small wood close by."

As they pass by a rather decrepit fruit stand, he grabs an apple, for too old to be placed for sale. The stand owner starts to object but then backs down when she sees Gailins insignias. With a deft and unseen manoeuvre, Richard grabs a coin and flips it backwards to be caught be the shopkeepers child. Richard turns his head and presses a finger to his mouth in a sign of silence.

"Did something happen?"

"We should have known better, I guess. But we were just kids." Gailin releases Richards hand and walks slightly ahead of him. He takes a bite of the apple on one the less rotten sides. "There had been a skirmish a few nights before. No one really knew what had caused it, or even who had been fighting, really. Our father had told us to stick close to home, just in case, but we want to do some swimming."

He finishes off the better parts of the apple and throws it to the ground. Children come racing out of the woodwork to scramble and fight over the rotten leftovers. Gailin turns around once again, ignoring the ruffians. Richard quickly grabs a few stale loaves of bread nearby and, again, exchanges them for payment in a few hardly seen moves. He breaks them up and quickly tosses the peices the the children.

Quickening his pace, he catches up to the corporal and grabs his hand once more. "Oh, sorry, William, I'll slow down."

"Please continue."

"While we were heading through the woods, we heard a strange noise and went to investigate. There were only small animals that lived there, so neither of us were scared. We should have been terrified."

Gailins grip tightens.

"Hidden behind a bush was a Wild. It attacked so fast, I didn't have time to react."

"Hmm.. Wilds attack on instinct alone. It must have wandered away from the battlefield afterword and wandered into the woods." Richard thinks
"It caught your sister?"

Richard can see a tear well up in Gailin's eye, although its clear that he was holding back his emotions. "Father heard our screams but it was too late. He dispatched the Wild but not before it did atrocious  damage to my sister."

"She survived the attack?"

"Only just. Father was afraid she was going to turn, so we came to Haladan to see the physician. There were, and still are, rumours that he can cure revenants. I know the truth..."

Morning: The Sickle & Scythe

"coltan...Coltan..."

"zzmmph.. oh yeah honey.. that's nice."

"Coltan..."

"Hmpphh ya, prance around some more, i like..."

Coltan is woken by a splash of cold water. "Phphaaaahh.. Wazz goin on..." He looks around frantically and falls back on the floor. "Ow!" He rubs that back of his head

"The boss didn't mind you sleeping it off at the table overnight. You've helped him out enough over the years and there wasn't anyone left..." It was the innkeeper's wife. "...but people are going to be coming in soon and your snoring could wake the dead."

Coltan does a double take with the last comment as he pushes himself up. "Did anyone...?"

"No. They were left alone, but I must say there were some strange noises coming out of there all night."

She hands him a damp towel to clean himself off with and returns to her work. Coltan looks up towards the door and mutters. "You haven't got a clue..."

He wipes his face down, keeps the towel close and walks to the room. He starts to unlock the door but pauses and listens for any activity inside. "Nothing. I wonder if..."

To his surprise the door opens quickly. Richard stands before him, half covered in his bandages.

"Coltan! Come in, I wasn't expecting you to return."

"Actually, I.."

"Catherine's going to be in bed for most of the day, recuperating. The exchange can be a trying process."

Coltan looks Richard over. "Something's changed...you look..older somehow."

"Well, you didn't think it would just be hard on her did you? That was most likely the last time I'll ever be able to do that. It takes a lot from me...literally."

Coltan gulps. "I don't want to hear it. I don't think my stomach could take it." He looks over at Catherine. She's covered in the bed, tossing and turning, but asleep.

Richard grabs Coltan's shoulder and moves him out of the room, locking the door behind them. "We should get going. The monk will be getting more visitors today, and I would like to keep my business with him as private as possible."

Coltan stops Richard from moving to the stairs, standing stock still. Richard looks at him questioningly.

"What's.."

Coltan puts his finger to his mouth, then his ear. "That guard is downstairs, Gailin."

Richard looks around the corner down to the bar. Gailin is speaking with the innkeeper who suddenly points up the stairs, forcing Richard back. "Damn. He did say he was coming back this morning."

Coltan looks nervous. " He can't see me with you." and he walks back to an open window. "I meet up with you later." and he jumps out. Richard runs to the window but sees nothing but an old horse and cart.

"Ah..William isn't it?"

Richard pulls up the hood on his cloak and turns to see Gailin at the top of the stairs. " Ah Corporal..." Richard rubs his head. "umm...oh sorry. My mind is not what it used to be."

Gailin steps up too him, offering an arm for support. "Gailin, sir. Corporal Gailin. And where is your loving daughter this morning, sir? I was hoping to speak with her."

"Oh I am sorry Captain.."

"Corporal."

"Corporal, but she has become quite ill overnight. She does spend so much energy doting of this frail old father of hers."

"Oh.. I hope she will be all right."

Richard looks up at him. "Hmm this boy seems to be genuinely concerned for her..."


"Oh she will be fine after a nice long nap, Gillum..."

"Gailin"

"That's what I said..Gailim... but you seem to know about the physician. Could a frail old body ask for an escort?"

Gailin looks shocked and nervous, obviously not really wanting to be seen in public with a leper. " Oh..Um.. Well I guess I could take you part of the way. He does live close to my rounds."

Richard grabs his hand i n an firm but elderly embrace and pats it hard. Leading him away from the room and towards the stairs, he takes a look back at the room door. "You're so kind. I'll be sure to tell my daughter all about you."

As they start to go down, a flash of darkness catches his attention. "Yes I'm sure she will enjoy that immensely."

Out of sight, the light coming from under the door fades as the shadows of few dark insects crawl underneath it and scatter in the light of day.