Neversfall

Taennen walked beside her, stealing glances back at the big formian. His face revealed neither anger nor fear. He was curious. Adeenya recalled his earlier outburst and wondered what really had happened to Taennen on the battlefield.

'Thank you for backing my play, Durir,' she said. 'I appreciate the information.'

'It seemed like the right thing to do, sir,' he said. 'Not that we learned anything.'

'You're trying. It's more than some would do.'

Taennen nodded. 'My father always said-' he started but stopped when shouts erupted from behind them.

Adeenya spun to see a goblin's arm hit the ground. The creature shrieked in pain as its life's fluid pumped from the stump at its shoulder to splash into the dirt.

'Stand down!' Taennen shouted to a Maquar soldier with a bloody falchion in his hand. The man stood at attention, and the entire squad of guards and prisoners came to a halt. One of the small formians showed a trickle of blood on its abdomen, and another of the Maquar guards had his sword drawn and bloodied.

'What in all the One happened?' Taennen yelled, looking to the guard nearest the oozing beast.

'Sir! This one,' he said, pointing to the bleeding formian, 'suddenly moved and pushed the goblin out of marching file.'

'And the goblin died for that?' Adeenya asked. When Taennen looked at her askance, she nodded and stepped back. These were his troops; this would go smoother if she did not interfere. Trying to command someone else's troops was like wearing a stranger's boots. The fit just wasn't there and never would be.

The Maquar with the sword answered, 'I thought it was trying to flee, sir. I didn't see that thing push it.'

Taennen sighed. 'Get the prisoners ready to move again and be sure to secure the bindings. Remember, stay with a comrade when dealing with them. Watch your partner closely, make sure they're acting like… themselves,' he said. He turned to the soldier wiping blood off his sword. 'Take someone with you and bury that body, anhal,' he added, pointing to the goblin's corpse. 'Be quick about it and catch up to the line.'

The man nodded and scooped the creature's remains into his arms.

'And someone get some attention for the wounded one,' Adeenya said, motioning to the small formian.

'Go!' Taennen said when the soldiers did not move. One of them ran for a cleric.

Adeenya began to turn away, but Guk caught her eye. The formians face was impossible to read, so new and strange were its features, but there was something in the way it turned blindly towards her that seemed full of intent. To do what, she could not guess, but it was there. Guk turned away, facing forward as the army began to march again. The guards unwound new rope and set about securing the creatures even more carefully.

Adeenya motioned for Taennen to walk with her. 'The large one…'

He nodded. 'I saw it, too, Orir.'

They continued walking beside the ranks. After a few moments she spoke again. 'You were saying something about your father, Durir?'

Taennen gave her a puzzled look and then nodded. 'Yes. My father always said a man's intentions don't make him good-acting on them does.'

Adeenya nodded, finding wisdom in the adage. 'Sounds like a wise man.'

Taennen sighed. 'A fool and a criminal, I'm afraid, but everyone is due their moments of wisdom, I suppose.'

'A criminal? Sounds like my father,' she said with a laugh which she cut short when she saw the look on her companions face. 'Really… a criminal?'

The man nodded, and she regretted her comment. 'My apologies,' she said.

'Mine's just a merchant like everyone else's.'

Taennen chuckled. 'Your family is one of the major chakas of Durpar. Everyone knows what they do.'

Adeenya nodded and shrugged. Everyone knew of her family, but few actually knew them. Those who did rarely showed the kind of admiration she could see on Taennen's face.

'How did you end up working as a mercenary with a family legacy like yours?' Taennen said. 'If I may ask, Orir.'

She smiled. 'I'm trading services instead of goods. What's the difference? At least this way I had to rely on myself and no one else to get where I am,' she said. 'I prefer it that way.'

Taennen looked at her and tilted his head to one side. 'Truly?'

'When your father is a famous-infamous, really- merchant, you don't see much of him. When you do, there's a lot…'

'To live up to?' Taennen asked.

She nodded and gave a half-smile. 'And to live down.'

'Still… I'd love that life,' he said.

'Maybe,' she said. They were approaching the front of the lines. Jhoqo would need to be informed of the goblin's death.

'I meant no offense, Orir. I've just always dreamed of having an honest man as my father. Someone who held the Adama close to his heart and lived his life with it every day,' Taennen said.

She nodded. 'I understand.'

Taennen smiled and said, 'My father always said that phrase meant only one of two things: either the person didn't understand, or they didn't want to talk about it anymore.'

'He was quotable, wasn't he?' Adeenya said with a smile. 'Yes, sir.'

'You speak of him as a wise man, yet condemn him as a criminal,' she said.

Taennen shrugged. 'Wisdom does not equal prudence. That's another of his.'

'I'm sorry, Durir. That was much too personal of me,' she said.

'No harm done, sir,' Taennen said. His pace slowed, and she matched him. She lifted her waterskin to her lips and took a long drink. She offered the skin to Taennen, who declined.

'He was a tinkerer, I guess you could say. He made magical items for folks, mostly things to make life a little easier,' Taennen said.

'Sounds like an honest living,' Adeenya said.

'Aye, sir. It is, so long as you don't use your talents to provide aid to criminals,' he said.

Adeenya waited a moment before leaning in toward him to prompt more details. She didn't need to.

'There was this woman from Var,' he continued. 'I remember she smelled of sage and lemons, and her clothing was spotless. Even her servant dressed better than I have in my entire life-silks and brocades and exotic fur trim. She came in to pick up her order-a pair of ruby earrings that my father had enchanted to help the wearer hear better. The woman tested the pieces and offered my father her praise and a bonus for the excellent work. I was always heartbright of him, but seeing this regal woman compliment him… I nearly swelled to bursting for him.'

'That must have been a wonderful feeling,' Adeenya said.

Taennen smiled wryly. 'Yes, it was. Father asked the woman if her elderly mother, for whom the earrings had been made, could come by his shop sometime as he would like to make sure they were working well for her,' Taennen said. 'I remember her laugh. It was like… like that twitching sound a hare makes when it eats, only louder. She said she would be sure to stop by her mother's grave and ask the woman to come to his store. When father asked what she meant, the woman laughed harder and asked if he had really believed that story. When he said he had, the woman called him stupid, and even her servant sneered. She said a fool had never helped her beat her rivals in trade negotiations before, and she hoped he was honored to be the first.'

'Eavesdropping? She wanted the earrings to help her eavesdrop on trade competitors?' Adeenya asked. 'What did he do?'

'He asked for them back, to reverse the sale, but she refused and left. He didn't even try to stop her. Didn't even go after her,' Taennen said.

'And the authorities?' Adeenya said.

'He never informed them,' Taennen said, shifting his gaze to the distant tree line.

'Why? They would have believed him. There are trade dispute panels convened for situations like this,' she said.

'I asked him to report her. Begged him, actually,' Taennen said. 'But he said we were too poor to lose the coin she had paid him. So he kept it. I knew it bothered him. It really showed. He aged several years in the few