“It hurts…” The injured man’s eyes were wide with pain, yet he obviously couldn’t see clearly. Pain and loss of blood seemed to have robbed him of his senses. “Momma, I couldn’t find the fish… I’m sorry.” Finally Marc noticed the scattered food on the ground. Apparently the victim had been returning from the market.
Something about the pure ordinariness of it struck a chord within Marc. Groceries seemed like a silly thing to die for, yet this man had been stabbed for nothing more than that and whatever change had been in his pocket. He had probably been an honest man; he wore the silver star of Millicenth, the goddess of the Evening Star. Without thinking Marc reached out to touch the star, “Please Goddess… if there is a way to save this poor man, show me.”
Marc had never been one to pray before, outside of weekly services. He knew little of the proper ways to beseech his goddess, but he knew nothing else to do. His emotions built and he felt hot tears forming in his eyes. Still he clutched the silver star, “Please Lady, if this man meant anything… help him. I know I’m not worthy, but this man needs you.” It might have been his imagination but he felt a warm glow form around him, and then he saw her.
She was wrapped in a luminescent dress, like starlight made into cloth. Silver hair and bright eyes accented a face so beautiful that he felt like crying at the sight of her. “Long have I waited for this day, Marcus Lancaster. We have much to do,” she said with a voice that reminded him of music.
“I don’t know what you mean Lady; I just need to save this man. He has wronged no one and does not deserve to die.” Despite the beauty of the goddess in front of him he could still feel the man’s life fading under his hand.
“If you would save him you must give over your worldly life. Devote yourself to me. I will show you the path of the righteous and through you I will shine my light into the empty hearts of men.” She drew closer as she said this, till it seemed her face was mere inches from his own.
Marc could feel her beauty like a physical thing and was filled with a sense of the divine, a holy radiance such as he had never known. It flowed into the cracks in his heart, the empty places. The eternal solitude that every human knows from birth… was gone. For the first time in his life he felt complete in her presence. “I will my Lady,” he answered, “If you will let me I will serve you all the days of my life, forsaking all else.”
“Open your heart to me child,” she said, but he had already done so and he felt her pouring into him, like liquid light into a dark vessel. The world vanished into a sensation of such joy and power that he was overwhelmed. Opening his eyes again he became aware of the world in a new way. Light filled everything, and below him he could see the light fading from the man on the ground.
Marc opened his hand and placed it over the wound. He could feel her power flowing through him and as he watched the blood stopped and the flesh closed up again without even a scar left behind. The man on the ground was watching him now, eyes wide, as though he were staring at an angel. “You healed me,” he said simply, touching his unblemished stomach.
Marc spoke, “You were healed by the grace of the Evening Star. Her mercy saved your life. Remember that and live with her in your thoughts and actions.” Then he stood up and looked around, a crowd had gathered. People were murmuring in amazement. “The Goddess has blessed this man, and she will bless us all, if we but let her,” he said. Unable to bear their continued stares he worked his way through the crowd and headed for his father’s city home.
First you must go to my temple, to present yourself before the priests there. They must hear my words and prepare to give you a place among them. The goddess spoke within his mind. “Yes my Lady,” he answered and then he turned to head for the temple of Millicenth. He had no more doubts about the future.
I woke early the next morning. I had slept more soundly than I had in weeks and for a change I felt fresh and rested. Penny lay beside me, snoring softly… for once. I watched her for a few minutes, marveling at her beauty. I still didn’t understand what she saw in me, but I hoped her eyesight never improved. Remembering her promise from the night before, I decided to see if it was still on the table for discussion.
I eased closer to her and began kissing her neck softly, while my hands… well let’s just say they roamed a lot. The general idea was to get her into such a state that she would be unlikely to refuse me when she finally awoke. It seemed to be working. When her eyes opened I covered her mouth with my own, hoping a kiss would seal the bargain. For a moment it worked, I could feel her excitement, but then she pushed me back.
“Oh you play dirty!” she exclaimed as she untangled herself from the bed sheets.
“You can’t blame a guy for trying.” I was in a good mood despite her strength of will. Was she panting? It might have been my imagination.
“You keep that up and we’ll be in separate beds till the wedding day,” she retorted. I was pretty sure she was bluffing.
“You did trick me last night. That was hardly fair,” I smiled at her.
“What isn’t fair… is you working yourself to death in front of me.”
She might have a point there, but it reminded me of my plans. “Oh that’s right! Where’s your chain shirt? I’ll do it first, and then I can go see how Dad is doing with the molds.”
“Molds?”
I hadn’t had a chance to tell her about our plans yet so I filled her in. She liked the idea and agreed to come along to the smithy with me so that Dad could use her pendant for the molds. Her only condition was that I eat breakfast before I got started. She seemed to think I would starve myself to death if I didn’t eat in front of her.
Dorian came in while we were eating. He looked tired. “Got any more of that?” He motioned toward my food.
“Sure,” Penny said and she got up to make him a plate.
“You look like shit,” I opined.
“This is what you looked like last night, so don’t get too cocky,” he responded. “I spent the entire night looking for your monsters.”
“Well I’m glad you did, I slept better than I have in days,” I tried to sound grateful. He ate with us and then I got busy working on Penny’s chain shirt. Penny went ahead and took her pendant over to my father before she went to see the architect.
“What are you going to tell people?” Dorian asked. I had just finished with her chainmail byrnie and was preparing to head over to the smithy.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what’s worse, panic or fear of the unknown.”
“I spoke to some of the townspeople this morning; right after the sun came up. They’re worried,” Dorian added. “If they don’t hear something soon they may panic anyway. They haven’t failed to notice me, especially now that my armor sparkles like this. People know you called me for a reason.”
Dorian could be awfully smart sometimes. It was easy to take him for granted but he was a careful thinker. “What do I tell them? That some sort of undead monsters are prowling around?”
“You’re their lord, they need your leadership. Explain things to them and maybe they’ll surprise you,” he commented.
“No one else here is capable of fighting those things…” I started.
Dorian cut me off, “You are mistaken if you think that’s how this works. Where do you think the Duke of Lancaster gets his power?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Answer me,” Dorian said stubbornly.
“The King of course,” it seemed obvious to me.
“Wrong. His power comes from those that serve him. A duke, or a count…,” he looked at me pointedly, “… receives his power from those who do his bidding. Without them he is just another man.”
“I’m a wizard, and they still can’t deal with those things,” I countered.
Dorian stood up and walked over to a small tree that stood by the house, drawing his sword he swung at it. His newly enchanted blade cut through the sapling as if it were made of paper. It toppled slowly over, narrowly missing my outdoor table. Dorian looked a bit surprised; at a guess I would say he hadn’t tested the sword since my efforts to enchant it the day before. He paused, then remembered his train of thought, “Who cut that tree down?” he asked.
