Construction - Marto and Keros
Oct 6, 2024 22:23:30 GMT
Velania Kalugina and Marto Copperkettle like this
Post by Tom M on Oct 6, 2024 22:23:30 GMT
Co-written with and compiled by Marto Copperkettle
Set a few weeks after The Legacy of Kyra Stuurm
Keros makes his way through the streets of New Hillborrow, following the rythmic sound of chopping that echoes across the fields.
Behind homes and through a lush copse of trees on the south side of the village he strides, gradually getting closer and closer to the sound. There’s a rustling sound from the branches overhead as Keros ducks underneath and a red squirrel appears on his shoulder, her little tail twitching in a wave of greeting.
“Oh hi there little one.” Keros smiles at his passenger before pausing to think for a moment and talking very slowly, “Can you understand me?”
There’s a chitter and a nod, followed by the squirrel’s two front paws brushing back her whiskers.
He ponders the paths his life have taken to reach the point where this has become relatively normal to him as he continues, “Any chance you could take me to Marto?”
The little squirrel gives a squeak then dashes down Keros’ arm before leaping into the air. In a burst of sparkles, the squirrel becomes a brightly feathered sun conure, does a lap around Keros once, before flitting ahead through the trees.
“Yeah running between trees is a bad idea for me because…” Keros sighs and turns his head sideways as he crashes through the foliage chasing after Gwen.
She goes as slow as she can, which is still fairly quick. At least it is easy to see her because of her bright plumage. The leaves here haven’t quite begun to fully turn yet. Her singing trills help when he loses sight once or twice and then, he is suddenly through the trees.
The chopping sound is louder now that he is on this side of the trees. Then, as Keros is about to say a greeting, he gets barrelled into by a solid wooden construct of a dog.
“Bork!”
He takes a step back, caught off guard, but quickly drops down on one knee and tries to ruffle the dog’s whittled fur as best he can, “Well hello again, do you remember me? I bet you give everyone a welcome like this.”
Fionn gives a lick to Keros’ hand, the smoothed polished wood that makes his tongue feeling as normal as any magical dog’s tongue could feel. When the scratches start he leans in, giving a low grunt in happiness.
“He’s always a friendly pup, especially to those he’s fought beside before who are good of heart.”
Looking up, Keros sees Marto, his glowing battle axe head down on the ground, being used as a leaning post as the halfling grins at him.
“It’s good to see ya Keros,” Marto says, holding out a hand in greeting.
Keros pushes himself up on the rim of his shield, “Good to see you too Marto.” He walks over and grasps his forearm, “You know I still keep the model of his brother near my bunk?”
“Do you! That’s wonderful,” he says, delighted. “Been thinking of Mr. Ruffadin and Mey a bit. Funny the things one’s mind wanders to when your hands are busy with such work.”
Marto gestures towards the partially finished frame of a home. It is hard to tell the shape of it just yet but by the pile of cleanly cut wood on one side and the tools of some other workers who are not there right now, progress will continue quite quickly Keros imagines.
“What brings you out this way?” The question is asked lightly, but the look in the halfling eyes is knowing.
Keros maintains a pretence, but he’s not good at it, “Oh, you know, just happened to be in the area and wanted to see how the house was coming along.” He eyes the structure up and down. “Looks good.”
The sun conure comes flying over and lands with a ting on the butt of Marto’s axe, giving him a look which makes the halfling’s lips twitch up a little into a smile.
“Just happened, huh? Well…” He makes a show of looking over at the structure, “did you want to help me for a bit?”
“Oh sure, happy to, but I break walls more than I build them. Well, not for a long time anyway. Used to help fix fences around the farm when I was a kid.” Keros looks about with a nostalgic smile, “This place looks… familiar sometimes.”
“Well I’m not too worried about building a fence. But ya know what I could get your help with? Constructing a wall or two.” Marto steps back, his expression changing from one who was relaxing to a professional carpenter and builder. “Yeah, cause you’re about the same size as Fog. I wanna make sure I get my measurements right. If you’re okay with that, of course.”
“Yeah I can do that. Same principle right? Stuff stays in?” Keros drops his pack. “What do you need?”
“Basically, same principle, yeah.” Marto hefts his axe and Gwen takes off at the same time, going to a pile of log-beams. “If you could take one of those thicker beams,” he gestures to the pile Gwen is perched on, “and place it here,” he points to a spot he’s walked to, “I’ll know if it’s tall enough or if we’ll need to use another pile.”
Keros makes his way over to the pile and selects a log, giving Gwen ample time to hop out of the way and nodding his thanks as he heaves it onto his shoulder, carrying it to where Marto is standing, and levering it to stand on its end, “Like this?”
“Yeah, perfect. Now just stand there…” Marto stands back and tilts his head to the side a little.
“Too short. Hmm…” He looks at the other neat piles of wood. “Would you be able to put that beam back and take one from the pile over there?” Marto points to where Gwen has landed on another neat pile.
Keros dutifully follows Marto's instructions. As he hefts the new beam up he looks to him, "Any better?"
Marto frowns. “I swore those ones were… Ah well. Let me get some measurements and I’ll see if something around here would work.”
He’s quick about it, having Gwen’s help make notches on some string and making notes in a little notebook Marto keeps in his pocket. It takes less than a few minutes before he’s done.
“Well, I’m due for a break. Care to share some lunch with me and you can tell me the honest reason you’ve come on by?” He gives the large minotaur a wink. “Not that I’m not grateful for your help Keros.”
Keros smiles in response to the wink and tosses the beam back onto the pile with a grunt, “Well it was a long walk to end up here so I would not say no to some food.” He scratches the back of his neck nervously as they walk. “Okay I hate playing games like this. How are they doing?”
“So you are here to ask about Rae,” Marto says, a low chuckle colouring his voice.
He leads them both over to a lean-to amongst the trees, Fionn dancing around them, excited at the prospect of food. Clouds dash across the sky, partially blocking the sun, making the light dim rather suddenly. A chilly wind follows in their footsteps.
On a simple table rests a handwoven wicker basket. Marto begins to pull out a pot full of a hearty chilli — “Veggie, not beef,” Marto assures Keros — two large rolls of bread, a fist sized wedge of cheese, and a bottle of cool water. But before he begins to serve it out he stops, placing both hands on the table, and sighs.
“Before I say anything, Keros, I gotta ask…” He turns his face up to him. “Why are you asking?”
Keros smiles at the dietary consideration as he sits down on the floor, but gets defensive at the question, “That is not the only reason I am here Marto. We have been through a lot together. Gods you dragged me through the Underdark for days. I did come to see you. I value my friends dearly. I just want to know how another one of them is doing.”
The halfling holds up his hands in a placating gesture, keeping his tone calm. “It may not be the only reason why you’re here — and believe me, I like that you’re here, I like spending time with you Keros… But can you honestly say you came here *only* to see and speak to me?”
Marto holds his friend’s gaze with his own as he responds, “They’re doing alright. It will take time though, Keros. Healing from what they have been through won’t happen in a fortnight. I hope you understand that.” He says the last part gently as he begins to serve out the food.
“I do understand that. I just… it just sucks not knowing okay? That is all I needed to hear. I will not pester you, I promise.” He relaxes slightly, “And how are you doing?”
A thought occurs to Marto and he is about to say it, but decides to hold onto it for the moment. “I’m doing great, actually, yeah. It’s nice to be working on our house. Keeps me rooted in the community I love. Here,” he holds out a deep blow with a roll and a chunk of cheese balanced on the rim to Keros. “Made it this morning. Hopefully it’s not too spicy for ya.”
He picks up his own bowl and a handful of uncut carrots which draws Fionn suddenly to his side. Marto gestures over to two chairs where they can sit and eat, taking the one closest to the table before feeding one of the carrots to Fionn.
“It’s hard, isn’t it? Giving space to someone you love… Especially when you’re the type that likes doing to fix things.”
Keros notes Marto was going to say something else and raises an eyebrow, acknowledging it, but in the spirit of giving people their space he otherwise ignores it and sighs, “Yeah, you get it. Seeing that fucking diary turn into a big monster I could throw spears at felt pretty good actually. I can deal with that kind of problem.” He nods graciously as he takes the bowl of chilli and tries a spoonful, his eyes lighting up immediately, “Oh this is really nice, thank you.”
The smile to Keros’ reaction to the chilli is small but warm. “I’m glad you like it.” Then his expression shifts, becoming serene, though the words he speaks next are intoned with a low pressure like tectonic plates moving at an aeons pace.
“It can be hard for us- to see someone we love going through something we cannot fix. It hurts in a way getting stabbed, slashed or burned never could. It’s frustrating because we’re built to fix, we are meant to help, but it’s confusing because this isn’t something we can help fix. Did we let the person we love down? Have we betrayed them somehow without realising it?”
The minotaur sits quietly as he eats his chilli, “You seem very sure that I am still in love with them. We broke up nearly half a year ago.”
“So you’re no longer in love with Rae?” Marto asks, giving the minotaur a look.
There’s another pause before Keros replies with an eyeroll, “Okay: yes. I feel like things would be easier if I was not, and I want them to be happy more than I want them to be with me, and I even went through a phase of trying to move on — Hells, I went on two dates with a guy before Pipper shot him in the head, but yes. Is that the answer you wanted?”
The halfling’s brows are furrowed in thought as he tries to remember something. Then, “Ah yes. The vampire masquerading as a fey, or some such.” Marto shakes his head at the chilli, taking a generous bite of it. “Pipper told me about what happened. She’s-” He finishes chewing, swallows, and seems to decide on something. “Let me put it this way: That whole fiasco left its own mark on her.”
The way Marto says it is simple and plain, not in a way to hurt Keros, but more to make him aware. He stirs his chilli for a moment before stopping to toss another carrot to Fionn, who leaps up to catch it gleefully.
“I’m not here to judge you, Keros. Yondalla knows I have no leg to stand on in that regard. I just wanna make sure my friend — which you are, Keros, just as much as Rae — is aware that the decisions he is trying to make are honest and… are what he truly needs.”
Keros cringes and puts his face in his hands, looking at Marto through the gaps in his fingers, “There is no version you could have heard of that story where I come off well. I do not need to be told about the harm I caused every person involved. Pipper and Ilthuryn with their memories as I am sure you know. Rae seemed to be getting better until I ruined it. Even Carrell I am not convinced was to blame for their actions that day.”
He shakes his head and takes a drink, “I thought I was doing the right thing. Well, I told myself I was doing the right thing.”
“Does that happen often?” Marto asks, taking another bite of food. “Where you’re telling yourself it’s the right thing and then…?”
“Yes,” Keros says bluntly as he goes back to the food.
“Hmm, okay. And what does that tell you?”
Keros speaks with a mouthful of chilli, “It tells me that when I make decisions on my own they are often bad decisions and that I should ask for help when I need it rather than desperately trying to be the guy to fix the problem himself.” He swallows, “Why do you think I stopped along the way to the Feythorn that day?”
“And here I thought you just wanted to see my handsome face that day,” Marto teases, before growing serious again. “I’m glad you see the value in asking for advice and seeking help. But can I ask what you meant earlier when you said ‘Rae seemed to be getting better until I ruined it.’ What did you mean by that?”
“Hey, some things are just perks.” He says, winking and simultaneously knocking his drink over. “Shit. Sorry. Anyway, I know I am never ‘the smart one’, but after all this I have got to learn something. Oh and I meant they really seemed to be doing better with the diary, but after that day… well it was the last time I saw them before.” He gestures at the exact bearing of Rae’s Folly from New Hillborrow.
“Ah, gotcha,” Marto says, filling up Keros’ cup with fresh water. “I’m glad though. Glad to see you understand the importance of not facing things alone. It’s a hard lesson to learn sometimes, but learn it in the end we do.” He clinks his own glass against Keros’ before taking a sip.
Keros smiles as he toasts, “Come on, you said something about not being able to judge. When you say that to someone who had a really fucking awful and ice cold kiss with a vampire that… is a bold statement.”
A shadow, brief but unmistakable, passes over the knight’s face, like the clouds that passed over the sun earlier. Fionn comes over, sniffing at the bowl still in his hand, before he sets it aside.
“It’s an honest statement nonetheless,” he says, running a hand through his hair.
Absentmindedly, Marto tosses the last carrot to Fionn who is a little less enthusiastic in his leaping to get it than before, having clearly sensed a shift in Marto’s mood. His right hand goes to a spot on his left side and his eyes focus on something in the middle distance.
“A little over two years ago, a group of us fought to stop the Heralds of Blades and Ash, a group of devils from Phlegethos, who were determined to see Shar’s will be done. During the course of things, I got involved with one of the devils, Adhyël.” His light blue eyes suddenly snap up to Keros’ face. In them, he sees an echo of the hollow depths that had manifested on Marto’s face during the fight in the woods. “Intimately involved.”
“Oh. OH.” Keros takes a second to fully grasp what Marto is telling him. “I cannot imagine that ended well.”
There’s a humourless chuckle lodged deep in his chest that bubbles up. “It nearly didn’t. I was convinced that if I did not offer the devil my soul, the others would not make it. It did not matter what happened to me for my ‘noble sacrifice’ would save them.” Marto’s smile is rueful, even a tad self loathing, for the brief moment Keros sees it before his head dips forward to study his hands. “If it wasn’t for them who were with me, the very same people I was willing to sacrifice my soul to save, I would have made the biggest mistake of my life.
“So… I get it,” Marto says, lifting his gaze up to the sky, letting the wind blow away the shadows from his face, the dark and hollow memories as the sun comes out from behind the clouds, shining down on the two of them.
Keros sits quietly for a moment, “A lot of people say ‘I get it’ and they think they do, but you… you actually do get it. I do not know how much you know about the Thousand Words, but they told me that I could either hand myself over to have my personality and memories removed to become one of them or I would be risking them coming for everyone I love. I thought it was my job to go with them because that… that is what we do right? We take the hit that someone else cannot.
“Raine said to me ‘And if you do it this time then who takes the next hit?’ and I try to remember that every day. The day I quietly go with them is the day I stop being able to help anyone else again. And how many people have you saved since you kept that soul? It is so hard, and Rae has not made it easier by telling me that all this nonsense with the book was because of it, but we… we have to keep believing it right?”
Marto is nodding. “Especially when others are believing in us, relying on us, telling us it is okay, that we will always have a place to come home to…” He sits up straight, looking over at Keros, a small smile brightening his eyes that shine with emotion. “Or something to that effect.” He shrugs, gesturing at everything and nothing in particular. “It just takes time for us to let that sink in.”
“A place to come home to though.” Keros says, returning the smile, and looking out over the construction site, “That is… just a few more of the right size beams away, right?”
“And a roof, and a few other parts,” Marto says, grinning. “But basically, yeah.”
“Well once you finish it, I hope I get to see it.” Keros replies.
“I’m hoping you’ll come back when it’s finished.” Marto smiles as he turns to look at the half completed house. “Might even plan a late autumn/early winter bonfire ’n potluck as a housewarming party. I’ll ask Fog if they like that idea.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
Set a few weeks after The Legacy of Kyra Stuurm
Keros makes his way through the streets of New Hillborrow, following the rythmic sound of chopping that echoes across the fields.
Behind homes and through a lush copse of trees on the south side of the village he strides, gradually getting closer and closer to the sound. There’s a rustling sound from the branches overhead as Keros ducks underneath and a red squirrel appears on his shoulder, her little tail twitching in a wave of greeting.
“Oh hi there little one.” Keros smiles at his passenger before pausing to think for a moment and talking very slowly, “Can you understand me?”
There’s a chitter and a nod, followed by the squirrel’s two front paws brushing back her whiskers.
He ponders the paths his life have taken to reach the point where this has become relatively normal to him as he continues, “Any chance you could take me to Marto?”
The little squirrel gives a squeak then dashes down Keros’ arm before leaping into the air. In a burst of sparkles, the squirrel becomes a brightly feathered sun conure, does a lap around Keros once, before flitting ahead through the trees.
“Yeah running between trees is a bad idea for me because…” Keros sighs and turns his head sideways as he crashes through the foliage chasing after Gwen.
She goes as slow as she can, which is still fairly quick. At least it is easy to see her because of her bright plumage. The leaves here haven’t quite begun to fully turn yet. Her singing trills help when he loses sight once or twice and then, he is suddenly through the trees.
The chopping sound is louder now that he is on this side of the trees. Then, as Keros is about to say a greeting, he gets barrelled into by a solid wooden construct of a dog.
“Bork!”
He takes a step back, caught off guard, but quickly drops down on one knee and tries to ruffle the dog’s whittled fur as best he can, “Well hello again, do you remember me? I bet you give everyone a welcome like this.”
Fionn gives a lick to Keros’ hand, the smoothed polished wood that makes his tongue feeling as normal as any magical dog’s tongue could feel. When the scratches start he leans in, giving a low grunt in happiness.
“He’s always a friendly pup, especially to those he’s fought beside before who are good of heart.”
Looking up, Keros sees Marto, his glowing battle axe head down on the ground, being used as a leaning post as the halfling grins at him.
“It’s good to see ya Keros,” Marto says, holding out a hand in greeting.
Keros pushes himself up on the rim of his shield, “Good to see you too Marto.” He walks over and grasps his forearm, “You know I still keep the model of his brother near my bunk?”
“Do you! That’s wonderful,” he says, delighted. “Been thinking of Mr. Ruffadin and Mey a bit. Funny the things one’s mind wanders to when your hands are busy with such work.”
Marto gestures towards the partially finished frame of a home. It is hard to tell the shape of it just yet but by the pile of cleanly cut wood on one side and the tools of some other workers who are not there right now, progress will continue quite quickly Keros imagines.
“What brings you out this way?” The question is asked lightly, but the look in the halfling eyes is knowing.
Keros maintains a pretence, but he’s not good at it, “Oh, you know, just happened to be in the area and wanted to see how the house was coming along.” He eyes the structure up and down. “Looks good.”
The sun conure comes flying over and lands with a ting on the butt of Marto’s axe, giving him a look which makes the halfling’s lips twitch up a little into a smile.
“Just happened, huh? Well…” He makes a show of looking over at the structure, “did you want to help me for a bit?”
“Oh sure, happy to, but I break walls more than I build them. Well, not for a long time anyway. Used to help fix fences around the farm when I was a kid.” Keros looks about with a nostalgic smile, “This place looks… familiar sometimes.”
“Well I’m not too worried about building a fence. But ya know what I could get your help with? Constructing a wall or two.” Marto steps back, his expression changing from one who was relaxing to a professional carpenter and builder. “Yeah, cause you’re about the same size as Fog. I wanna make sure I get my measurements right. If you’re okay with that, of course.”
“Yeah I can do that. Same principle right? Stuff stays in?” Keros drops his pack. “What do you need?”
“Basically, same principle, yeah.” Marto hefts his axe and Gwen takes off at the same time, going to a pile of log-beams. “If you could take one of those thicker beams,” he gestures to the pile Gwen is perched on, “and place it here,” he points to a spot he’s walked to, “I’ll know if it’s tall enough or if we’ll need to use another pile.”
Keros makes his way over to the pile and selects a log, giving Gwen ample time to hop out of the way and nodding his thanks as he heaves it onto his shoulder, carrying it to where Marto is standing, and levering it to stand on its end, “Like this?”
“Yeah, perfect. Now just stand there…” Marto stands back and tilts his head to the side a little.
“Too short. Hmm…” He looks at the other neat piles of wood. “Would you be able to put that beam back and take one from the pile over there?” Marto points to where Gwen has landed on another neat pile.
Keros dutifully follows Marto's instructions. As he hefts the new beam up he looks to him, "Any better?"
Marto frowns. “I swore those ones were… Ah well. Let me get some measurements and I’ll see if something around here would work.”
He’s quick about it, having Gwen’s help make notches on some string and making notes in a little notebook Marto keeps in his pocket. It takes less than a few minutes before he’s done.
“Well, I’m due for a break. Care to share some lunch with me and you can tell me the honest reason you’ve come on by?” He gives the large minotaur a wink. “Not that I’m not grateful for your help Keros.”
Keros smiles in response to the wink and tosses the beam back onto the pile with a grunt, “Well it was a long walk to end up here so I would not say no to some food.” He scratches the back of his neck nervously as they walk. “Okay I hate playing games like this. How are they doing?”
“So you are here to ask about Rae,” Marto says, a low chuckle colouring his voice.
He leads them both over to a lean-to amongst the trees, Fionn dancing around them, excited at the prospect of food. Clouds dash across the sky, partially blocking the sun, making the light dim rather suddenly. A chilly wind follows in their footsteps.
On a simple table rests a handwoven wicker basket. Marto begins to pull out a pot full of a hearty chilli — “Veggie, not beef,” Marto assures Keros — two large rolls of bread, a fist sized wedge of cheese, and a bottle of cool water. But before he begins to serve it out he stops, placing both hands on the table, and sighs.
“Before I say anything, Keros, I gotta ask…” He turns his face up to him. “Why are you asking?”
Keros smiles at the dietary consideration as he sits down on the floor, but gets defensive at the question, “That is not the only reason I am here Marto. We have been through a lot together. Gods you dragged me through the Underdark for days. I did come to see you. I value my friends dearly. I just want to know how another one of them is doing.”
The halfling holds up his hands in a placating gesture, keeping his tone calm. “It may not be the only reason why you’re here — and believe me, I like that you’re here, I like spending time with you Keros… But can you honestly say you came here *only* to see and speak to me?”
Marto holds his friend’s gaze with his own as he responds, “They’re doing alright. It will take time though, Keros. Healing from what they have been through won’t happen in a fortnight. I hope you understand that.” He says the last part gently as he begins to serve out the food.
“I do understand that. I just… it just sucks not knowing okay? That is all I needed to hear. I will not pester you, I promise.” He relaxes slightly, “And how are you doing?”
A thought occurs to Marto and he is about to say it, but decides to hold onto it for the moment. “I’m doing great, actually, yeah. It’s nice to be working on our house. Keeps me rooted in the community I love. Here,” he holds out a deep blow with a roll and a chunk of cheese balanced on the rim to Keros. “Made it this morning. Hopefully it’s not too spicy for ya.”
He picks up his own bowl and a handful of uncut carrots which draws Fionn suddenly to his side. Marto gestures over to two chairs where they can sit and eat, taking the one closest to the table before feeding one of the carrots to Fionn.
“It’s hard, isn’t it? Giving space to someone you love… Especially when you’re the type that likes doing to fix things.”
Keros notes Marto was going to say something else and raises an eyebrow, acknowledging it, but in the spirit of giving people their space he otherwise ignores it and sighs, “Yeah, you get it. Seeing that fucking diary turn into a big monster I could throw spears at felt pretty good actually. I can deal with that kind of problem.” He nods graciously as he takes the bowl of chilli and tries a spoonful, his eyes lighting up immediately, “Oh this is really nice, thank you.”
The smile to Keros’ reaction to the chilli is small but warm. “I’m glad you like it.” Then his expression shifts, becoming serene, though the words he speaks next are intoned with a low pressure like tectonic plates moving at an aeons pace.
“It can be hard for us- to see someone we love going through something we cannot fix. It hurts in a way getting stabbed, slashed or burned never could. It’s frustrating because we’re built to fix, we are meant to help, but it’s confusing because this isn’t something we can help fix. Did we let the person we love down? Have we betrayed them somehow without realising it?”
The minotaur sits quietly as he eats his chilli, “You seem very sure that I am still in love with them. We broke up nearly half a year ago.”
“So you’re no longer in love with Rae?” Marto asks, giving the minotaur a look.
There’s another pause before Keros replies with an eyeroll, “Okay: yes. I feel like things would be easier if I was not, and I want them to be happy more than I want them to be with me, and I even went through a phase of trying to move on — Hells, I went on two dates with a guy before Pipper shot him in the head, but yes. Is that the answer you wanted?”
The halfling’s brows are furrowed in thought as he tries to remember something. Then, “Ah yes. The vampire masquerading as a fey, or some such.” Marto shakes his head at the chilli, taking a generous bite of it. “Pipper told me about what happened. She’s-” He finishes chewing, swallows, and seems to decide on something. “Let me put it this way: That whole fiasco left its own mark on her.”
The way Marto says it is simple and plain, not in a way to hurt Keros, but more to make him aware. He stirs his chilli for a moment before stopping to toss another carrot to Fionn, who leaps up to catch it gleefully.
“I’m not here to judge you, Keros. Yondalla knows I have no leg to stand on in that regard. I just wanna make sure my friend — which you are, Keros, just as much as Rae — is aware that the decisions he is trying to make are honest and… are what he truly needs.”
Keros cringes and puts his face in his hands, looking at Marto through the gaps in his fingers, “There is no version you could have heard of that story where I come off well. I do not need to be told about the harm I caused every person involved. Pipper and Ilthuryn with their memories as I am sure you know. Rae seemed to be getting better until I ruined it. Even Carrell I am not convinced was to blame for their actions that day.”
He shakes his head and takes a drink, “I thought I was doing the right thing. Well, I told myself I was doing the right thing.”
“Does that happen often?” Marto asks, taking another bite of food. “Where you’re telling yourself it’s the right thing and then…?”
“Yes,” Keros says bluntly as he goes back to the food.
“Hmm, okay. And what does that tell you?”
Keros speaks with a mouthful of chilli, “It tells me that when I make decisions on my own they are often bad decisions and that I should ask for help when I need it rather than desperately trying to be the guy to fix the problem himself.” He swallows, “Why do you think I stopped along the way to the Feythorn that day?”
“And here I thought you just wanted to see my handsome face that day,” Marto teases, before growing serious again. “I’m glad you see the value in asking for advice and seeking help. But can I ask what you meant earlier when you said ‘Rae seemed to be getting better until I ruined it.’ What did you mean by that?”
“Hey, some things are just perks.” He says, winking and simultaneously knocking his drink over. “Shit. Sorry. Anyway, I know I am never ‘the smart one’, but after all this I have got to learn something. Oh and I meant they really seemed to be doing better with the diary, but after that day… well it was the last time I saw them before.” He gestures at the exact bearing of Rae’s Folly from New Hillborrow.
“Ah, gotcha,” Marto says, filling up Keros’ cup with fresh water. “I’m glad though. Glad to see you understand the importance of not facing things alone. It’s a hard lesson to learn sometimes, but learn it in the end we do.” He clinks his own glass against Keros’ before taking a sip.
Keros smiles as he toasts, “Come on, you said something about not being able to judge. When you say that to someone who had a really fucking awful and ice cold kiss with a vampire that… is a bold statement.”
A shadow, brief but unmistakable, passes over the knight’s face, like the clouds that passed over the sun earlier. Fionn comes over, sniffing at the bowl still in his hand, before he sets it aside.
“It’s an honest statement nonetheless,” he says, running a hand through his hair.
Absentmindedly, Marto tosses the last carrot to Fionn who is a little less enthusiastic in his leaping to get it than before, having clearly sensed a shift in Marto’s mood. His right hand goes to a spot on his left side and his eyes focus on something in the middle distance.
“A little over two years ago, a group of us fought to stop the Heralds of Blades and Ash, a group of devils from Phlegethos, who were determined to see Shar’s will be done. During the course of things, I got involved with one of the devils, Adhyël.” His light blue eyes suddenly snap up to Keros’ face. In them, he sees an echo of the hollow depths that had manifested on Marto’s face during the fight in the woods. “Intimately involved.”
“Oh. OH.” Keros takes a second to fully grasp what Marto is telling him. “I cannot imagine that ended well.”
There’s a humourless chuckle lodged deep in his chest that bubbles up. “It nearly didn’t. I was convinced that if I did not offer the devil my soul, the others would not make it. It did not matter what happened to me for my ‘noble sacrifice’ would save them.” Marto’s smile is rueful, even a tad self loathing, for the brief moment Keros sees it before his head dips forward to study his hands. “If it wasn’t for them who were with me, the very same people I was willing to sacrifice my soul to save, I would have made the biggest mistake of my life.
“So… I get it,” Marto says, lifting his gaze up to the sky, letting the wind blow away the shadows from his face, the dark and hollow memories as the sun comes out from behind the clouds, shining down on the two of them.
Keros sits quietly for a moment, “A lot of people say ‘I get it’ and they think they do, but you… you actually do get it. I do not know how much you know about the Thousand Words, but they told me that I could either hand myself over to have my personality and memories removed to become one of them or I would be risking them coming for everyone I love. I thought it was my job to go with them because that… that is what we do right? We take the hit that someone else cannot.
“Raine said to me ‘And if you do it this time then who takes the next hit?’ and I try to remember that every day. The day I quietly go with them is the day I stop being able to help anyone else again. And how many people have you saved since you kept that soul? It is so hard, and Rae has not made it easier by telling me that all this nonsense with the book was because of it, but we… we have to keep believing it right?”
Marto is nodding. “Especially when others are believing in us, relying on us, telling us it is okay, that we will always have a place to come home to…” He sits up straight, looking over at Keros, a small smile brightening his eyes that shine with emotion. “Or something to that effect.” He shrugs, gesturing at everything and nothing in particular. “It just takes time for us to let that sink in.”
“A place to come home to though.” Keros says, returning the smile, and looking out over the construction site, “That is… just a few more of the right size beams away, right?”
“And a roof, and a few other parts,” Marto says, grinning. “But basically, yeah.”
“Well once you finish it, I hope I get to see it.” Keros replies.
“I’m hoping you’ll come back when it’s finished.” Marto smiles as he turns to look at the half completed house. “Might even plan a late autumn/early winter bonfire ’n potluck as a housewarming party. I’ll ask Fog if they like that idea.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”