Blood and Bone : Chapter I

Garret looked over the map in front of him. It wasn’t bad, really… that map had only been made this morning and already had a knife through it. He sighed and pulled the dagger out, studying it carefully. It was definitely Aragorn’s, which meant Ana has thrown another hissy fit over the war with Isiryth.1

Garret rolled his eyes and folded up the map. Ma’s relatives had rode in earlier that day, mostly to give advice on Charenon’s impending doom. Although, Garret thought, it probably wouldn’t surprise him if Ana didn’t give a mouthful to some of the new recruits. Ma’s cousin knew a lot of stuff that was worth listening too.2

There was a quick tap at the door and a still cloaked figure slipped in silently. It was Yvette Telkintar. She gave Garret a surprised look before dropping the forest green hood back to her shoulders.3

“Gary,” She murmured, using the name reserved for her purposes only. “I expected to see my lord Zander up this late, not your grace shuffling around her ladies study."4

She used the tongue of nobility, using titles that weren’t necessary. Zander hated being called a lord, and it was uncommon amongst the ranks anyway. Garret himself couldn’t get enough of the common-folks speech, and this showed whenever he and Yvette talked.5

“Nah, he and Ma wanted some time alone. They haven’t seen each other in months, so I figured I’d give ‘em the time. You wanted Pa?”6

She raised an eyebrow, brief amusement flickering across her face.7

“No, actually. I was hoping for the study to be empty. I just saw the light and expected it to be your ‘Pa’”8

She smirked. Garret smiled in reply.9

“But that raises the question of why you would be wanting Ma’s study to yerself.”10

She waved a dismissive hand, amusement now fighting through her beautiful features.11

“I wanted to… study.”12

A pause.13

“Where did you pick up such disgusting language, anyway? I would expect one of your noble rank to be above the common-folk tongue. Did your masters not teach you well enough? Both your parents are nobility.”14

Garret tilted his head. He really was waiting for the language debates to start. 15

“Actually, Pa is common-folk. He was Tavern born after all. He only gained the whole lordship thing after he married Ma. And she ain’t really officially a lady. I mean, yeah, she is of noble birth, but she only took up the title once the Council said she had control of the Academy.’16

Yvette wrapped her cloak around her shoulders and sniffed.17

“You’d never catch me degrading myself by marrying a tavern-born. Begging your graces pardon.”18

Garret bristled and folded his arms.19

“Don’t you go insultin’ my Pa now! I don’t take kindly to that stuff, and neither should you, it’s un-ladylike”20

Yvette gave a strange smile.21

“I ain’t never insulted nobody”22

“Ha! Commoner!”23

The noblewoman dropped her commoner accent and embraced her cousin.24

“So tell me, Gary, what bring you to her ladies study?”25

Garret returned the map to it’s rightful place and held out Aragorn’s knife. 26

“Cleanin’ up yer ma’s mess for one. Plotting for another.”27

“Plotting now, Gary? How unlike your bloodline”28

“It’s yer’s too.”29

“What are you plotting about now, cousin dearest? What does the son of an Arabia and a Syntaya have to plot about?”30

Garret sighed and leaned against his mother’s desk. He stared out the wall length windows, watching the comings and going of the night lessons in the courtyard below. If he squinted carefully, he could see the black silhouette of his Ma yelling orders at the recruits. Obviously her and Pa didn’t get as much time alone as they wanted.31

“As much as I love my home and my family, I need adventure. So I come here to look at Pa’s maps. He gets them made for Ma so she doesn’t forget where everyone is. I’d love to go to the Isiryth desert.”32

Yvette looked shocked.33

“But there’s a war! You know her ladyship would never let you. Nor would my lord Zander. I want to see things too, but I am not stupid!”34

Garret shrugged.35

“Ma need not know.”36

“What? You mean to tell me that you’re just going to walk out of this Academy and you expect your mother not to notice?”37

Yvette looked like she was about to fall over. Had Garret gone insane? His mother was one of the best assassins in existence and here he was thinking she wouldn’t notice his disappearance! Aunt Divana noticed everything!38

“Ma doesn’t care enough to notice. She’s too wrapped up in her work to even give a damn about me. And Pa’s never here. On the rare chance he is visiting, he’s too wrapped up in Ma to pay attention to me. Ma never even wanted children.”39

Garret mumbled and pulled on his sleeve. There was a thread hanging off it.40

“Gary, I was born from a curse! You don’t see me preaching about running off like a rabid dog.”41

He looked up suddenly and gripped Yvette’s shoulders.42

“Come with me. We can explore the deserts together and…”43

“Garret! I am not running off to nowhere with you. And certainly not without anyone knowing. What happens if we get lost?”44

Garret grinned.45

“So we tell someone. Easy.”46

“No, it’s not easy! Who do we tell, a guard? And do we expect him to keep it silent? I doubt he will.”47

“Nooo,“ He shook his head emphatically. “We tell the one person who has rule over Ma…”48