Chapter 23: Underlying Tones

Finally the time had come to move ahead. Juri finished packing up her necessities the previous night before but now she had to kill time due to Evenson’s inability to keep things efficient. He decided to pack everything five minutes before she stated they were to leave today. He was a soldier for the majority of his life and being ready was one of the main points drilled into all cadets. It was a part of him, like breathing, and not something you forget no matter how long you tried.

Juri knew deep down he was doing this crap out of spite. By the gods, she hated him.

The Winlandian began thinking back to the conversations she had previously over the past few days with that pleasant older lady, Joy. For some reason the senior was one of the few people willing to share any information she knew about the blue seed and its protector.

“The one that you seek is not here anymore.” Joy offered simply as she took a sip from her drink looking deep within juri’s eyes. “They left some time ago. I believe the young lady mentioned about having family on the Isle of Tempest.” Joy continued to converse with Juri over the course of the days relaying whatever she could remember.

Juri instantly took a cautious liking to the woman for reasons unknown to her. Juri thought back to when she first spoke to the woman. She seemed friendly enough and eager to please when they had first spoken. Maybe it was the events that rocked the quant town that made the senior excited to assist the bounty hunters in anyway she could. Joy had mentioned to her that the blue beast had destroyed her precious inn during one of their “short meetings”.

“I would like to pay him back for the pain he caused me,” came the wizened lady’s response. “I’m too old to rebuild and have no family to live with. You are going to avenge this town, right? Make sure you avenge me as well. Go to Tempest and find the real cause of all of this pain and fear.”

“Real cause?” Juri’s keen detection had kicked in with that last little statement. “What do you mean?”

Joy gave her that all knowing looking again “You don’t think that a child could have planned all of this by itself could you? No, no dear, something truly greater than he must have wanted this to happen. I mean, a seed doesn’t fall that far from a tree, does it?”

Those last words sent a nasty shiver down Juri’s back. The thought never crossed her mind that something stronger than the thing she was sent to destroy existed out in the world. Joy was right. The seed had to come from somewhere…

Joy’s over eagerness made Juri question the information she had shared with her. She wondered if she could trust the “facts” given to her by an obviously chatty old lady. All the same, it was a lead, the only one she and Evenson had at the moment.

“That’s enough, my dear.” A well-built older gentleman interrupted, addressing Joy. “I’m sure this young lady has other business to attend to rather than listen to your angry rants.” Juri jumped within her seat, startled by the sudden appearance of the well dressed elder. He was so quiet that, she didn’t notice at all when he came up to the table.

“I thought you said you didn’t have any fam…” Juri began, turning back to speak with Joy, until noticed out of the corner of her eye, Evenson had finally emerged out of the bar with his provision sack. She excused herself from the table giving quick goodbyes and thanks to both citizens as she rose to leave.

Looking over at the café once again she gave a friendly wave, observing Joy was deep in conversation with the portly gentleman. Based on his coffee colored business suit, Juri placed him as either a banker or a shop owner. However, his mannerisms told a different story the longer she continued to watch him. As he sat in the sun she noted that although he wore spectacles he couldn’t read the newspaper in front of him. He kept shifting the articles closer to his face, occasionally glancing up in her direction. Before she could return to the table to question the gentleman; her partner sauntered over to her with a pouch full of coins.

“I won a few hands of Pica-Lek. This is the tab I owe you.” He threw the purse at her which she awkwardly caught. “Now, let’s get out of here.” came Evenson’s terse command as he mounted his steed and trotted off. Absentmindedly, her hand closed tightly over the pouch Evenson gave to her. Staring ahead, she forgot briefly what she witnessed at the table. She hurled herself upon her horse to catch up with the brash man in front of her to tell him of what new developments she discovered.

--At the café--

“You know why I am here, don’t you Fauna? Or would you rather I call you by that despicable Yago name “Joy?” The man voiced softy setting the newspaper down.

“Fauna is fine and of course I know why you are here, Tauranus.” She answered offhand. “What else could I have done? You know Dracon children are clumsy with such important things and with Gi’s protection wearing thin over the child, it was the best choice. I knew she would make a better protector than I so I gave his Chrysm shield to her. How was I to know she would have gotten hurt? It was best for them to leave here.”

Tauranus sighed heavily, picking up a china cup gently from the glass table. “Nice try Fauna, You know what we are charged to do. I know you love these children but none the less, we are not to interfere with the matters of this realm. The All-Father has chosen this boy and given him the option whether to salvage this realm or destroy it on his own. You can’t place him with people you think will guild his thinking. For you not to tell him of his birthright was unforgivable.”

Pausing, he pulled his glasses low over his nose. “Damnable things! I have perfect vision yet I’m burdened to wear them when I have to venture outside. I hate having to use these to shield me. I can’t see worth a damn with them on. Now where was I? Oh yes, you should have told him…”

Fauna turned her face away “He’s a child, Tauranus! How could I burden him with the knowledge of his true power? How I could I have told him what he truly is? It would have driven him mad to know everything now. Let him gradually understand his purpose and then make his choice. Gi would agree with me and the decision I made. It was best for them to go on without me.”

Tauranus grabbed her hand tenderly within his own “My beloved, I agree with you and love them all too but we still must uphold the rules of the All-Father. We cannot go against his plan or our natures. We are light dragons, after all. If we begin to disobey his rules and begin to take sides in this battle, then we are no better Cronous. You even allowed yourself to be revealed during a fight with a mortal. You never were this sloppy before.”

A smile broadened upon her face. “Tauranus, sweetheart, we are old farts in a relatively young world. We have been here watching this human play for many eons now. We are no longer spring chickens. I did what I thought was best for the balance. “

“Fauna, you shouldn’t have told those two about tempest. Things must happen naturally from now on. No more interference, understand?” he lightly touched her chin “The All-Father has heard your prayer and forgiven your disobedience. However, if the others hear about your actions they might not be so forgiving…”

“I won’t tell if you won’t, dear.” She added slyly placing her wrinkled hand gently upon his own.

Gently patting her cheek, the old man stood and placed a gentlemanly kiss upon it. “Behave yourself. I will be keeping my eye on you.”

“Have you ever stopped looking, dear boy?” she winked coyly at him.

He leaned in close, his warm breath caressing her cheek “No I never have and I never will, even when you bathe.” As he tipped his hat, walked into the crowed street and disappeared.

Fauna leaned her face upon her hand staring dreamily after him. Even in this advance stage of life, he still had the power to make her blush.