Memories of Row
I assumed my gift to see what would come was set in stone and all I knew was absolute. Yet in time and the endless sea of visions that blended with memories, I feared I lost what was the truth in time due to being able to choose to influence which timelines settled as truth.
Still, some things did come to pass regardless of my desire, as they were carved in too deep a fate for even my voice or hands to shift fate—or I would not be here now as a seer to my lord. And Row, who found me alone in fear of a long-forgotten past, would not be part of those things that passed that led to here.
My only regret was I could not spare him of the events in fate's hand that led us here, for my sight was not as clear before I made it here.
—Personal diary of the seer Nora, reflecting on the fate of a man she loved
Row was used to the smell. It did not make it better or smell less, but he was used to it.
Today was the final talk before he left, and he wanted to see Ash before he set off. He was looking for her near the stream she tended to wash at and frowned. It seemed she wasn't here today. Guess she got lucky with better work—good for her. He sighed. But that means I can't say goodbye.
He kind of regretted the last time she held him, needing him, and he cared more about his secret mission and smelling better for when he checked in. But he couldn't tell her. It wasn't as free as she assumed. He was as bound as her.
Well, maybe not as much as her, but he still had chains and a collar.
If he had a choice, he would stay with her all the time. Maybe even clean shit? He shivered at that. He liked his job. It paid coin—not a lot, but it was something. He was getting closer to being able to surprise her, able to buy her a citizen card that would get her second-class status. Then they both could save some coin and maybe... have a life?
This next job alone should push him over the edge to affording it. They were paying more to keep it hush-hush and making it seem like it was normal hunting. He did not know the details. Today was supposed to be the day they finally talked to him. They'd kept working on the details without him.
He left for the part of the city where he was told to meet. It was near a temple of Light worshippers, and he got a lot of dirty looks—even a few sneers. He sniffed his clothes. Aha, dammit, they smell. I forgot to mask it or at least try to air it out more, but I rushed here excited.
An attendant was near and came up to him. He was about to explain he was meant to be here, but the attendant's hand went up long before he could. "I already know why you are here. Light's blessed has need of you, or we would not welcome your filth."
He frowned. He'd shown everyone he could respect—was it really that hard to receive the same? The attendant saw his look and sneered more. "You smell of shit and wish to walk among the Light. Do not act as if equal."
True. He did set himself up for this scorn.
He nodded and bowed, accepting the verbal lashing and thankful it stopped there as he was led deeper past people praying. Everything seemed sacred, and he started to feel justified they sneered. This was a holy place, not for his kind.
They went to a seemingly pointless wall? But it had priests standing on either side, and he felt unease. Was this a trap? No mission, just to get me alone? But why? And in a church?
The look in the standing priests' eyes did not help. He knew a killer's look, and this was not a man who had not shed blood. This was not a normal priestess.
Yet they made no move to stop him—not that there was anywhere he could go. They were literally guarding a wall.
A panel slid open to reveal a door, and his suspicion turned to shock, amazed at how smoothly it happened. Was that magic that allowed such a thing? And what were they trying to hide?
Or maybe it was just that sacred? Then why was he here?
They passed through. No yelling, no stabbing in the back, though it did not ease his tension. Even with no blade piercing his flesh, there were side rooms and he could almost see an area with... chains?
The door silently closed behind him. Was this to be his fate—forgotten and bound in the dark? Who did he piss off this bad they had an elaborate trap? They could just beat and drag me.
Then the illusion of second-class would be meaningless. This made more sense—hide your shame and let them think they can be free, even if a little.
The priestess was lovely, at least at a glance. Flowing long golden hair seemed to glow with her skin, and the brightness of the robes was almost blinding as he was stunned how to appear.
"Kneel, drow. You forget your place." The attendant sneered and reached out to lash him, but the priestess stilled his hand even as Row bowed anyway to show respect, even in this dark place.
"We have need of him. He should at least be given some grace. Even if beneath us, he already knows his place." The priestess said.
"Forgiveness, Serenya. He should know his place." The attendant said, cowed before her with her gentle grace.
She brushed Row's head, making him almost flinch, but he held back out of fear what the slight would bring.
"I had a pet that looked like you. I think you are worthy of being the same as her. Her name was..." Her hand removed and she hesitated. Why she was afraid to explain was lost to him—not that he cared—as she watched him with sad eyes. "Her name was special to me."
"Yet that's not why you're here." She walked to a corner of the hall, brushing the wall with her hand. While the hall was not narrow, it did not leave a lot of options, and he could still see the chains in the distance quite clearly. Yet she went on as if it meant nothing to fear. "We have a need to find a hidden threat—one believed to be darkness—but we must learn its intent lest it harm the Light."
Why hunt anything? The Light was absolute from what he'd heard, so she could handle it, no? Or was there something else at play they hid, and this was the intent?
"We would prefer a light elf, but it seems our own grew too lax for such a delicate test." She focused once more on him after that. The smile she held seemed to always hang just between genuine and a test of patience, forced to always show love even to those beneath them.
"I came as was asked, yet I cannot be gone long. I am forced to check in every few hours. So you will have to consider that."
She frowned, unsure what he meant, and looked to the attendant for answers, who merely humphed in response but relented when he saw she needed an answer.
"I spoke to his job provider at the scouts. There is some truth to his words, not that it's unwarranted..." Glaring at him, he went on. "He seems to be the only one willing to scout. All others prefer a more lax guard post or patrolling the city."
"Yet."
"That in itself is a red flag and proves he cannot be trusted, so they agreed he can scout only if he checks in every few hours."
Row knew even if the words stayed unspoken, he'd seen others lounging in town among his checking in, and they seemed quite relaxed, as if they had not moved in a while.
The exceptions to the layabouts—and the only reason the city still functioned—were the trade district and those of the Archery Guild. They seemed to have a desire to work and were worthy craftsmen. Even the drow gained respect, at least in secret, in the crafting district. He'd heard talks of their praise.
The archers were another story. It was light elves only. The mild exception tended to be those few drow who managed to gain status as a pet, and then it was a competition for whose drow was the best.
They loved the hunts, culling monsters. It was mostly a bi-weekly thing. He only knew as the only scout that could find a damn thing. But since the champion of Light came, they'd become more scarce, and it was shifting once more to closer to a monthly thing where they were throwing parties between contests of their shooting practices.
Yet none of that mattered to what was happening now. This priestess had a need of him and a test that seemed would require more effort than they cared to give in trust. Maybe this wouldn't be the easy coin to get Ash her citizenship, he thought, and wanted to decline even being a part of it.
But he knew he'd seen too much. Even this much could get him jailed. He thought it was odd—the overseer for him being a scout was more angry than normal, threatening his tongue if he talked.
"What if we said he was in training instead?" Serenya said, startling him back. They'd been talking this whole time? That was bad. He wasn't really listening, lost in thought.
The attendant looked more assured. "That could work, and I approve."
He did not need training? But he guessed if they said he was training to give him more time, it could work.
"Then see, the matter is settled as we discussed." She looked at him, glowing even in the dark as if she would always be light for us lost in the dark. Her words that followed were more mocking than comfort. "If you ever wish for a new master, I would welcome you in my home."
The tension still held even when he parted with her version of kind words. Yet it seemed they forgot he was a second-class citizen, not a pet, and that was supposed to give him more rights. But then they always shifted the rules depending on who was talking, so it was not a big surprise. Who was he going to complain to? A light elf?
Before he left, they gave him a letter explaining the details. He knew not what it said, but not that it mattered. Arriving at the overseer's office was met with the normal scorn. "You're late."
He presented the letter, which was jerked from his hand and read quickly, making the overseer frown even more. "You're more trouble than you're worth."
He wasn't sure what it said for him to say that, but he got no answer. "I need a day to get this together. Speak anything about this mission and you won't have a tongue to share it." He nodded—not that he needed the threat. He was always loyal.
"Early tomorrow, be ready. No games, or I'll hunt you myself and prove who really can track."
And with that, he was let go for the day. The coin today was less. They said he did no scouting and was lucky to be given anything, which made him worried they'd do the same with his training. Well, long as I don't have to pay... I can make it work. Just means Ash has to wait a bit longer than I thought. Good thing I kept it a surprise—would hate to see her disappointment.
He wanted to try her cave. Even getting better jobs, she would go there after to escape her life. But the overseer's words stung. Maybe he was being tracked and did not want to risk her losing her safe place till he could get her a little more security, so he settled for calling it a night to be ready for whatever they brought next.
He was there with the rising of the sun. They had ambitions for hunting night reports, but the overseer tended to come a little later. Yet with unknown training awaiting him and an uncertain mission, he wanted to be prepared.
When the overseer did arrive an hour later, looking like he did not sleep—which was odd. What could keep him restless? He did not even look over at me as I sat nearby waiting for orders.
Yet as the minutes passed and nothing was being said and I watched him drinking and staring at a report I figure I needed to speak.
"Orders, sir?"
The overseer jolted as if struck almost scattering the papers from his desk. "WHY YOU SITTING THERE?" he demanded as if Row had made some slight.
"I came early as asked. I've been here for an hour or so waiting, sir."
"Root rot my ass if you think I believe you got here before me. Just 'cause you sat down when I wasn't looking doesn't give you leave to test me, boy."
He knew nothing he could say would end in his favor, so he accepted it. "Sorry, sir. What is the mission for today?"
The glare never ended, even when he tried to appease him, and he finally relented enough, desiring to rant more than stare him down.
"You're as lazy as they come. Lucky for you your needed for this, or I would remove you as waste, for the roots in are blessed trees.” The overseer, glance around, annoyed at the mess he made, and started fixing the papers while he spoke.” I had to go around town yesterday all day and half the night trying to find the families who wanted in this shitshow, and for whatever reason, some eagerly agreed, which is beyond me."
He kept going on with his rant as Row tuned him out, the words mixed with repeated slander that seem to go know where was making him lose track of the overseer’s point.
Yet he focused on when he said, ‘Find the families'—why were others being involved? Aha, dammit. More oversight in my training, it seems, so more chance to be mocked. Well, whatever. Once that's done, maybe I can finally do the mission they asked of me.
"They should be here before noon. I told them earlier, but unlike you they get more choice in the matter and need time to prepare while I get the supplies."
Supplies? For scouting? Or training? How long or elaborate is this thing? He regretted his lack of focus the last couple days, but he was so used to hearing the same thing—and it usually with a healthy dose of mockery—he tended to filter out most of what they said. Yet now when he needed info the most, he was more blind.
"Don't look at me like you're daft, boy. I said go eat and be on standby after that." The overseer was glaring. He promptly nodded to him and left, not really hungry and wishing to save his coins, but knew if things went bad scouting or training he might not get another chance to eat anytime soon, so relented and got some food.
A surprise when he came back was one of the trainees already waiting for him. Yet she seemed awfully young to be training him as a scout, and while dressed for it, seemed to look, um... inexperienced?
"'Bout time you showed up. Your first trainee's been waiting. Introduce yourself, fool!"
Trainee? What?
He tried to keep the surprise from his face and the retort bitten back as the overseer sent him off with them, saying they could take till noon.
"My name is Row." He bowed, unsure what was happening.
"Meekie." A calm, quiet voice spoke. When he looked up, she had a placid look on her light skin. No malice, no... anything? Like a blank slate. Her hair was cropped short—an interesting style he'd seen before, but most tended to like it long to show off the color.
"Don't stare, runt, lest you want to get slapped." The overseer chided him, and he regretted that he was staring more out of trying to make sense than admiring her.
She sat nearby, never saying another word, and withdrew a book and started writing. He wanted to ask to find out what was happening but settled in his own chair as they both, um... waited.
An hour or so later, beyond the random talks in the background, a tall, slender light elf approached the overseer. "Reporting in, sir, for the training."
Hmm, seems everyone's getting trained today. Maybe they're making a big deal of it and he was just getting lucky being included on the side? That would explain why they were given time and needed to prepare. He focused, feeling the overseer glare at him. He wasn't sure why he was glaring at him.
"The trainer is there. We're waiting on one more before you can part."
He looked around, wondering how he'd missed the instructor. That would explain the glare—he did not show respect. Yet it was just him and Meekie? And when he tried to glance back, the new light elf was in his face, making him flinch back.
"You're the trainer? Who's your master? We had a hunter pet that was overseeing my training when I was little. He's still with us. Might retire soon. We got him a house out back to train new generations when we have more kids."
She kept going on, excited, talking to him, and he'd only partly heard what she said: "I have no master. I am a second-class citizen, not a pet."
She stopped talking, tilting her head. "Really? Then who's going to be doing the overseeing? Surely you're not the best there is?"
He wasn't sure of her point and how to address this new information as the overseer interrupted him long before he could find the words to speak.
"He's a runt and ain't worth root water, but sadly he is the best scout there is. It's why we're training you new recruits to replace and fix that shame on our name."
He said 'we,' but so far everyone kept talking like it was him training them? He tried looking at Meekie. She was just writing in her book again, and even as the new girl sat near, she kept talking and he missed the silence he'd had before.
"My name's Leinaa. My dad's pet name was Roof. He was always trying to teach us how to handle long shots and would have us train on roofs, so dad thought it'd be funny to name our pet Roof." On and on she went.
She tired herself out soon after, surprising him. He'd thought she'd never shut up, but once the excitement of meeting new people died down and she saw they did not share her enthusiasm, it simmered her a bit.
Yet it was about an hour past noon and he was worried where this was going. The overseer acted like there'd be another, and where were they?
A well-dressed man in pure white clothes came in, very much looking out of place, and spoke to the overseer. "Sorry I'm late. Slept in and needed to eat, then did some light training to prepare for the trip. So what's the plan? We tour the city, see some sites?"
The overseer, for once, looked uncomfortable, surprising him. He was indifferent with all the rest. What, was he a higher-rank light elf? Not that it mattered—they were all above him.
"Sorry, sir. Your father informed me, and I assumed he informed you this would be training as a scout."
The man nodded. "Yes, yes, and we will tour the city, correct?"
"Aha, no. This will be more hands-on training to... build character. Was your father's words to me when he said he would tell you."
The man seemed to stiffen at that. "So what will I be doing? Walking around among the trees? What's the point in that?"
It seemed he did not know what it really meant to be a scout versus just lounge in the city.
"Forgive me, but you'll be overseen and trained by him. It's orders above me, not a choice I would ever make for you or on your family.”
The man looked back, indifference plastered on his face till he saw the drow, and a sneer soon followed—which made Row grin. That was what he was more used to from them.
"They will also be joining. We were just waiting for you." The overseer finished.
the grin he felt left as quickly as it came as it finally dawn on him — the repeated pattern he ignored he was leading them…
And with that, it seemed he was a leader on a mission he only half knew of, overseeing grown kids that wanted nothing to do with him—nor he them.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBPuWBA8HZ
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