“Oh, come on, Aaron! It can’t be that bad!”
Two teenage boys walked down the old hallway, one of them a few paces ahead of the other. The one in front, with long unkempt black hair and a cocky smile, turned around and began walking backwards, looking to his friend behind him. Aaron, with short, clean cut blonde hair, seemed intent to walk as slowly as possible, while still making it look as if being responsible and not ‘dragging his feet’. The boy walking backwards rolled his eyes, the motion caused him to notice a small tear in the right sleeve of his black shirt, the hole just big enough for him to stick his pinky finger through. There was dirt caked on his pants, focused on his knees and the sides of his thighs. He brushed off the majority with a casual flick of the wrist, smirking when he saw a few set-in stains.
They walked down the hall in silence, their heavy boots made matching thudding sounds, which echoed off the grey, green, and white stones of the academy walls. He flicked his black hair out of his thin, almond shaped eyes, one of which was hazel and the other green. With a laugh he began to walk in a dramatic slow motion, his personal way of telling his friend that he was walking too slowly, “Hurry up.” This was Tace, an eighteen-year-old fire wielder. He was covered in a thin sheet of sweat and dirt, and the shadow of bruises and fatigue hinted in his body language.
Aaron’s icy blue eyes were glowering at Tace, “Oh yes it can too be that bad!” he said, looking for all intents and purposes like a guilty puppy. Aaron was a nineteen-year-old water waver, with a proud face that gave him an air of seriousness, which was probably the one word anyone would use to describe him. Aaron was a blunt, serious, tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy, and he didn’t always understand he was being rude or blunt when he was doing so. Right now, however, he had a fairly good reason to be certain things were bad. “We have been called to a classified meeting with all the high elders… right after starting a brawl.” He reflected, voicing unusual concern, “We will probably be thrown out of the academy for this one.”
Tace laughed, “For starting a little brawl? We’ve done worse, Aaron.” He continued walking backwards for a second, but he was quickly becoming bored with this and finally stamped a foot on the floor, placing a hand on his hip, “Man, you are slow! Pick up your feet!”
Aaron just stared at him, a skeptical look on his face. He too was covered in dust and markings from the brawl, though much less than Tace, “A little brawl?” he was actually insulted by the understatement, “Tace, the entire training field was fighting!”
Tace grinned wickedly, “Yeah, wasn’t it great? Too bad we couldn’t get the teachers to fight too.” There was a hungry gleam in his eyes, something begging to cause mischief. Aaron saw this and groaned.
“The entire field! That’s seven different classes, three testing groups, two teams just practicing, and the twelve children on lunch break!” Aaron groused, “What next? The entire school? Why do I let you talk me into these things?” He knew though, that this was not the first, nor would it be the last time that he and Tace had fallen into…well, let’s say a mischievous situation.
The two had been roommates since the time that Tace’s father had brought him to be trained at the academy. Aaron had been forced to give up what he had considered a pleasant solitude in his dormitory to give Tace a room and a roommate of equal skill. The two hadn’t exactly started off as the best of friends that they were now. More like mortal enemies. But that is a story for another time.
Tace stopped walking, waiting for Aaron to catch up, “Come on, you can’t deny that you had fun!” He grinned, his split lip cracking and bleeding a little. He had received that split lip from a rival fire wielder he had antagonized for the better part of his career at The Academy. It wasn’t Tace’s fault, mostly, that the rival had been such a lousy fighter. Nor was it his fault, mostly, that the teachers hadn’t known his skill level when he first came to the school and to the sparing classes. Having trained with his father most of his life, Tace was used to fully experienced military trained sparing partners. It wasn’t his fault--- mostly, when he broke this rival’s ankle two seconds into their first sparing match.
Aaron’s face turned into a serious frown, “I never denied anything.” He admitted. Relenting, Aaron picked up his pace and came to walk side by side with his friend. If there was one place Aaron felt confidence and (though he would never admit it) fun, it was on the sparing field. His natural gifts and unusually high confidence allowed him just a pinch of relaxation when it came to fighting his less skilled class mates. Usually Aaron was the more reserved, and while he had a more matured attitude than Tace he did still have his spontaneous outbursts. Even Tace had given him high praise for his work with the time-delayed water pipe eruptions throughout the training center, dormitories, and key elders offices.
Tace’s eyebrows went up as he acted surprised. “Aha! So the culprit confesses! You had fun!”
Aaron rolled his eyes and shoved Tace by his shoulder, “Get away from me, you’re a bad influence.” He joked, “Sometimes I think the Great Mist cursed me with you as a permanent irritant.”
Tace smirked, “Of course I am! If you’ll remember, that’s how we became friends.”
Aaron nodded, smiling, “That stupid dare contest, I remember.”
“Hey, that contest was your idea, remember?” Tace said in a defensive tone, pointing a finger at Aaron in blame.
“Yeah, and I won it too, so what?” Aaron asked. The dare contest was a memorable event at the academy, legendary to the students, infamous to the teachers and loathed by the elders. Both young men had been rather stubborn as children, and many parts of the academy still bore scars from the damage they had done in their childhood rivalry.
“So nothing,” Tace said, “You’re as bad an influence as I am.”
Aaron smiled a true and rare smile as they came to the main hall of their school building, The Academy. It was an ancient building, dating back to the beginning of the time of the Mist, a massive stone structure with ornate decorations that had long since faded and broken from age, despite attempts to maintain and preserve the work. It had what could be described as an organic look, pillars of stone that looked as if they had grown from the floor to the ceiling, as detailed as growing trees, with branch-like support beams weaving across the ceiling. The walls and main stairway curved ever so slightly, giving the impression that it was worn naturally by wind and water, but the ornate stonework made it obvious this was not natural. The grand staircase curved from the left side of the hall and wrapped gently to meet the second story on the opposite wall. A space parted naturally on the first floor where the stairway passed over, with grand doors that lead to the mess hall beyond. The stairs had broad flat stones that had been worn by the passage of time and thousands upon thousands of students using them daily, but that didn’t take away from their impressive size, and a railing that looked as if it had grown from the stonework much like the support columns. Aaron had often thought that if he unfocused his vision just right that the stairs looked like a gentle river flowing downhill.
Natural light flooded the main hall from large, dome shaped, stained glass windows, one on each end of the hall facing from east to west. The East window was decorated with red, yellow, and frosted clear glass, accented by silver workings that reflected the light further, while the west window was decorated with blues and greens, accented with gold and tan. Neither depicted an exact image, but it was said if you stared into the colored glass and went into a meditation you could get visions at times. Great braziers seemed to grow out of the walls both at ground level, and half way up the grand hall’s walls, just above the support beams that supported the open second floor space, allowing for extra light and heat on needed days. Not that the grand circular fire place in the middle of the hall didn’t provide enough heat. The fire pit was fifteen feet across, and raised out of the ground in just as organic a style as the rest of the building. There was a ledge wide enough for students to sit on or even lay on before a break, a ring of water two foot wide surrounded the inside of the fire pit before the stone in the pit dipped inwards slightly to create the fire basin. There was always at least a small fire burning at the center of the grand fire place, the fire was a symbolic reference to life, while the water surrounding it was to represent purity. The legend was that this building was one of the first great temples built to praise the Mist, but centuries later it was now an orphanage and a military training academy.
The duo walked across the hall, dodging the traffic of students, both those studying their academics and those practicing their element control. Fighting and training to fight in the main hall was forbidden, as a sign of respect to the ancient temple and the Great Mist, but basic element control was encouraged in all parts of The Academy. The duo slipped past a group of thirteen year olds as they approached the other side, Aaron smirking slightly as he heard one complain about the studies they had been given. He cast a knowing glance to Tace as they turned to the right and up a narrow stairway that lead three flights up. It emerged into the offices and sleeping quarters of the elders. There were many branches to the upper living quarters, but it was nothing compared to the housing that had to be set up for the students, taking up in total a third of the school and orphanage’s building space, not including the refugees who often came through the doors of The Academy seeking temporary shelter.
Aaron ran a hand over the smooth stonework in of the office hall, eyes distant and warm as they walked on. Finally he resumed the conversation. “I never said I wasn’t an influence,” he said, “I am just not a bad influence. Well, I try not to be. Unlike a certain pain in the ass I know.”
“Yeah, but you never own up to it either.” Tace replied. He began swinging his arms back and forth, trying to unkink a knotted muscle in between his shoulders. His rival fire wielder had tried his best in the brawl, but Tace had thrown some serious weight into that last punch, he thought he must have pulled a muscle in his back somewhere.
Aaron’s smile lessened, “I just know when to and when not to be serious.” His voice showed how staid his statement was.
Tace laughed, now used to, and immune to, Aaron’s serious mood. “You need to let go man! Live a little! Stop hiding in your damn books and in the training fields and just go!” He paused, a smug look that told Aaron a horrible thought had just come to his friends mind “Or am I overlooking these books?” He asked with a mocking grin.
Aaron blinked, he genuinely had no idea what his friend meant. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I know everyone needs some sort of release. So is that it? Something hot and kinky?” Tace asked.
Aaron choked on air as he scrambled to react, “What- I… No! Never!” He stumbled over the words, trying to make the gears in his mind come back together.
“Oh it all makes sense!” Tace badgered, “How could I have not seen it before!”
Aaron sighed and slowed his pace once again as Tace continued to walk down the hall, talking about how he was going to search Aaron’s half of the dormitory when they came back from the meeting. Shaking his head, Aaron lifted his hand to the water pouch slung across his shoulder. He unstopped the end and pulled his hand away, a stream of water following behind his hand out of the pouch. When Aaron threw his hand forward, aimed at Tace, the water wrapped around Tace’s face. Aaron slowly released his breath, as visible as if he were breathing outside on the coldest of nights. The water around Tace’s face froze into an ice muzzle, an effective and quick way Aaron had learned to silence him.
A smirk appeared on Aaron’s face as Tace gave a startled, yet muffled yelp. He walked up to his friend, as casual as ever, “Tace, I do not have pornography. I would never read that kind of material.”
Tace, while trying to pull the ice off of his face, shot Aaron a dirty look then gestured a rude signal with his finger. He held his hands out, a low flickering flame appeared in his palms. Watching the position and strength of these flames, he brought them in close to his face to melt the ice. When enough had broken off that he could work his mouth again Tace began to laugh. “Okay, alright, no need to be an ass about it. I retract the accusation, for now.” He took the broken fragments of the ice muzzle and tossed them against the stone wall, letting them shatter and be strewn about every which way, sliding along the smooth grey stone floors, “It’s just that I want to know what’s eating at you. When it comes to fighting and element controlling you are, and I hope you realize how much it pains me to admit this: the greatest fighter this school has ever, and probably will ever see.” Tace said point blank, Aaron was silent; Tace had never given him such an immense complement before. Tace continued “But, when it comes to having an actual life, you don’t live enough. You don’t even have a girlfriend!” This in Tace’s mind must have seemed some great insult. “You’re my best friend, I want to make sure you’re okay.” He said honestly. “’Cause when you get like this you’re about as annoying as a rash on my-“
“Tace!” Aaron groaned, “Please, for the sake of my sanity, not another story about a mysterious rash on your groin.”
Tace laughed, “Well that shows where your mind is, I was going to say ‘ass’, but yeah, that works too.” He rubbed the side of his cheek to warm it. “So come on, gonna tell me what it is? Is it a girl? Maybe a guy? Actually that brings up a valid point, what are you into, Aaron?” Tace asked in an energetic banter, “Nope, save that topic for another time. So what? Finally get a bad grade?”
Aaron was once again quiet. “I guess I have been focusing too much on my studies lately…” His face went back into its comfortable resting seriousness, his pace quickening, a clear sign he didn’t want to talk about this. And of course this meant Tace was going to hone in on this and only this until he got an answer.
The fire wielder chased after his friend, not willing to give up on this topic “Not just lately man, you have been doing this for months!” Tace stepped in front of Aaron and cut off his path. “Don’t make me drag it out of you.”
Aaron narrowed his eyes at first, the light blue turned dark with his annoyance, then, realizing that he wasn’t going to win this badgering argument, he looked down at the stone floor, the darkness gone, “I’m worried about him.” He admitted. “About Trevet.”
Tace was silent for a second, then he nodded, understanding, “I know he is like a little brother to you, but you couldn’t keep the academy from giving him a mission eventually.”
Aaron nodded, “I know,” he looked up at Tace, “But he is only thirteen!”
“So what?” Tace shrugged, “We both got our first missions when we were twelve.”
Aaron thought back to the missions Tace spoke of. Running messages to and from different military camps and assisting guides who were transferring low priority cargo and soldiers now all seemed too simple. They even got to ride horses and rest in cabins almost every night; in soft beds with thick blankets, rather spoiled compared to how the military really ran. “But we were only gone for a few days, he’s been gone for almost five months!”
Tace was quiet for a few seconds, his cocky grin gone now, replaced by a serious face, “Maybe that’s why the elders called for us.” he suggested. Truth be known he had been worried about their little buddy too.
Aaron shrugged, “The thought had crossed my mind,” he looked up at Tace, “However, I still think it has to do with a certain someone dragging me into trouble again!”
Tace in response continued walking down the hallway, “What can they throw at us in here that could possibly be more terrifying than what we have dealt with out there?” He looked over his shoulder, “Come on!”
Aaron shook his head and followed, “And by the way… I’m attracted to women. Just not the ones at the academy.” He muttered.
Tace shouted back, “About damn time we solved that mystery! Your ethics partner owes me three silver sha!”Aaron shook his head at this, somehow not surprised that Tace would place a bet on his sexual preferences.
The duo entered the conference room where they had been instructed to go by a haughty looking elder, Tace knew him as a botanist and potions teacher, but Aaron had never met the man before. They stood in a medium sized room, with a large oak table that filled the space almost to an uncomfortable degree, and old stained glass windows that were covered by heavy, dust leaden velvet curtains.
Tace walked around the room, “Huh, never been in here before,” he said as he dropped into the nearest chair. He looked to Aaron, “What is this room? The Elder’s Council?”
Aaron looked around, a puzzled look on his face, “I think I have been in here before.” He walked over to one of the windows and pulled back the heavy curtains to reveal the blue and green mosaic in the glass much like the one in the main hall, blue light hit Aaron in the eyes, warming the cool, pale skin on his face. He closed his eyes, trying to think back, “I was brought here when I came to The Academy.” He added the next part in almost a whisper. “Twelve years ago…”
“Yes, how long ago that was.” A voice said from behind.
Aaron and Tace both turned to the doorway to see several of the elders standing there. The one who had spoken stepped forward, his eyes locked on Aaron with a calculated gaze. The other six elders stepped around him and circled around the old table as he continued his conversation, “You were only seven at the time, no?”
Aaron grimaced slightly, but managed to hide it well enough to remain polite. He grit his teeth and displayed a chivalrous smile, “Hello, Elder Warren.” Behind him Tace moaned and mumbled curses low enough so that only Aaron could hear him. Aaron ignored him, focusing on the elders before him, putting on his serious face again, “Is there trouble?”
Warren ignored Aaron, exhaling sharply from his nostrils in a disgusted manner and moved past him towards the table to sit. Warren was the elder who looked over dispatching trained academy members out on military missions. He was a tall, lean man, with a sharp, thin face, and long grey hair. His overall look gave him a striking resemblance to an aggravated weasel. He always put Aaron and Tace on missions some might consider too dangerous for academy students. Whether it was because he thought them the best ones for the missions, or because he didn’t like them and was trying to kill them, Aaron and Tace had yet to decipher. It was certain that he wasn’t a big fan of the two young men, and he had no shame in openly telling others this.
Warren stepped right in front of Tace with a cold glare, “You’re in my seat, boy.”
Tace was about to make a wise remark when he caught Aaron’s eye, the look was a warning that he had seen many times before. Biting back his statement, he got out of the seat and walked over to stand next to Aaron, who was standing in an ‘at ease’ military stance at the empty end of the table. This didn’t stop Tace from whispering his quip quiet enough only Aaron could hear. “Yeah, it felt like it was built for a knob-assed toad.” Aaron had to take in a deep breath through his nose to keep himself from smirking.
Warren took his seat, still shrewdly glaring at Tace. The lead elder, Elder Malachi, stood at the opposite end of the table of Aaron and Tace, leaning forward with his hands on the table. Unlike Warren, Malachi was a short, warm, kind man, with a round chubby face, and a bald head. Aaron had many fond memories of this man. Elder Malachi was the one who had initially proposed he come to live at The Academy, and had done his best to personally see to Aaron’s education, seeing how difficult it was to teach a water waver with no others of his kind around. He was a good leader, and a wonderful teacher to all of the students, which had earned him not just Aaron’s respect, but that of every student and orphan under his supervision at the school. Elder Malachi was uncharacteristically donning a heavy frown, a scroll in his hands with a seal on it Aaron had never seen before.
As the elders filed in and took a seat Aaron counted. It was the full board, all seven elders and the lead elder were attending this meeting, something he knew was needed if there was going to be a disbanding of a student. His worry only grew. Elder Malachi looked up at Aaron and Tace, his frown deepening. Aaron tensed, he was sure that they were about to be thrown out of the academy. Then the elder spoke, “I’m sorry to have to do this to you boys.”
Here it comes Aaron thought.
Malachi took a long breath, “We have a special mission that is crucial to the survival of the balance of power in this world.”
Aaron’s heart missed a beat. They weren’t in trouble? They were being sent on a mission? Both he and Tace remained quiet, digesting this information, unsure what to make of it. Aaron recovered first, “Um… Excuse me?”
Elder Malachi cleared his throat, “We need you to go on a mission that will ensure the safety and peace of the world.”
“And?” Tace said, crossing his arms and leaning back casually. “Nearly all of the missions you set us on are dangerous and crucial for the war efforts.” Several of the elders began shifting uncomfortably and murmuring to one another under their breath. Tace’s behavior and attitude had never sat well with the elders. His tendency for a lack of respect was almost legendary.
Warren sneered, “Listen to what was said boy. He said for the world, not for the war. This is unknown by the military.”
Aaron took a deep breath, tensing more now. To send the two most promising Academy students out on a mission not sanctioned by the military, who funded the school and orphanage, and supervised everything with iron tight rules, was a great risk, one that could lead to banishment or in the most extreme cases the penalty of death.
“What is it we have to do?” Aaron asked, trying to bring the conversation back to topic before Tace went off again. He paused, waiting for someone to answer, but no one did. His eyes fell on Elder Malachi, who once again was frowning. He took a step forward, “Sir?”
Warren stood up and began to circle the room, “You are being sent on a recon mission.”
Tace smirked, “Recon, huh?” he leaned forward, “You wouldn’t be sending us on a recon mission unless it was someone important.”
Aaron squared his shoulders, “Who is the man? Where do we need to go?”
Malachi looked up, “You’ll be bringing back two, not one. The location is classified, as ordained by the Vespers, only you two will actually be given that information. It is too risky for anyone else, even us elders, to know.”
Warren stood up, impatient with how slow his leader was easing into this news. He cleared his throat and seamlessly took over, “You are being sent to retrieve two of the most important people either of you will ever know, the Fire Spirit, and the Guardian of the Spirit.”
Aaron and Tace’s expressions were, to say the least, not what they had intended to display. Tace stood there, his jaw slackened slightly, but a light shining behind his hazel and green eyes that showed eagerness and, though he would never admit it, hope.
Aaron on the other hand, made a noise that sounded somewhat like discomfort when he realized the ties their mission would have. His jaw had clenched, his eyes narrowed and turned back to their icy blue. Clearly he had reservations about this. Knowing there was no reason to hold back on his concern, he took a step forward, “Sir, without meaning to sound disrespectful, why are we being given this, well, negligible mission? If this is a mission to do with the Spirits, or anything to do with the Mist, I will admit I don’t think I am the best Spiritual choice for this mission.”
The elders at the table all fell silent now, the look of shock carved into their faces. Warren stood up, “Boy? You? Of all our students, you are a doubter of the Great Mist?”
Tace looked at Aaron, also surprised, “Aaron, seriously? You can’t really think like that…” He fell silent though as Aaron’s cold stare pieced into him.
Aaron looked at his friend, then at the group of elders, all looking at him, expecting some sort of explanation for his calumny remark. He swallowed. “Make no mistake, I do not doubt that the Spirit’s once lived.” He looked over the seven elders, returning their hot, piercing gazes with his own, cold one. “But it has been twenty one years. If the spirits were still alive they wouldn’t have allowed the Supplanters to have gone this far. The war…”
“Boy, you don’t know of what you speak.” Warren spat. He was clearly enraged at Aaron’s disregard of the mission, and he wasn’t the only elder upset by this. He was, however, the only one who looked ready to leap at the pair and attack them. This again brought up the question of his constant hostility towards the two of them in both Aaron and Tace’s minds.
“Warren.” Malachi said in a stern tone. Warren fell silent as Malachi sighed, “Aaron, your doubts are not unlike those of many younger wielders, but you must understand, their disappearances do not mean that they are gone.”
Aaron nodded, “I am sorry sir, I am doubtful of that. I believe that the supplanters were successful in their strategy back then. I think…” he paused when he felt Tace’s hand grab his shoulder and squeeze hard. He knew it was a warning, but he had come too far to not say his piece. Reluctantly he looked to Tace.
“Dude, don’t say it.” Tace warned.
Aaron didn’t heed the warning, “I believe that the Spirits are dead.” He kept his eyes locked with Tace’s as he spoke, and as he did he saw something in his friends face shatter.
His statement was greeted by dead silence, a silence that almost hurt to listen to… Then the elders all seemingly exploded at once.
“You are sending this blasphemer on this mission?”
“Aaron I told you not to say it.”
“The disrespect! The affront of his slander!”
“This boy has no right to speak in such a manner!”
Aaron listened quietly to the men as they continued to argue amongst themselves. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his headache slowly returning. He heard Malachi stand up and yell at the other elders, his voice echoing in his head. Then there was nothing.
“Aaron, Aaron! Run! Fast now! Run!” Someone screamed. “Aaron don’t look back! Don’t look back! Just run! Child go!” The voice pleaded. “Go… and remember what I’ve taught you. No! No! Run! Aaron--”
The voice faded, the memory ended in a sharp snap. Now he remembered the last time he was in this room, a heavy bandage wrapped around his head, thick gauze padded against his temple from his injury. He lifted his hand to the scar which hugged his temple, hidden under the edge of his hair. It was the source of his headache. He remembered hearing the elders speaking to each other, speaking as if he weren’t there. They were arguing over him…
“He is an orphan. One of the great unfortunate casualties. He would never have been able to afford to come here otherwise.”
“We cannot turn him away, you’ve seen how gifted he is.”
“So you want him to come, free of charge? The Academy cannot- even for one water waver.”
“He is a water waver though… you know how rare that is, Think of the potential he could have, help for the army.”
“You will not speak of this boy as if he were a gambling chip. He is a child.”
“You can’t keep taking in all the orphans of the world, we don’t have the room.”
“We have room for him, you know it.”
“Why? Because of his powers?”
“Because we are an orphanage.”
“Would you say the same if he was an earth quaker?”
“And what of him? Where are his parents? His family? Surely a young water waver like him isn’t alone! Not this far south. What happened to the family?”
“They said he was found half drowned, south of a place the werewolves had attacked a pilgrimage group coming from the north.”
“Werewolves? That far south? I thought they stuck to the ice fields.”
“Whatever the case may be it is evident he is alone. Alone and with no memory of who he is. Poor child.”
“So it’s settled. We’ll take him.”
The elders all looked over at little Aaron, who looked up at the crowd of people, heavy bandages on his head to compress his cracked skull and slow the bleeding. A sling wrapped around his shoulder, holding a sprained wrist in place, with thick padding on his chest where a terrible gash had torn the skin. The confused look in his eyes told everyone he had no idea what was happening. One came closer to him. It was the kind elder who had given him hot tea and honey bread when he had first been brought here in the rain, Elder Malachi, wearing a bristled moustache on his chubby face. He looked at Aaron now, trying to read him like one reads a book.
“Child… do you remember your name?”
Aaron pressed his lips tightly together, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. He looked at all the elders, realizing they expected something grand from him. This scared him. They had already had him show them how he could move the water, which they seemed to think was grand. What else did they want? Would his name be enough for them? He puffed his chest out speaking with a small voice, heavy in an accent from the far north, “Aawrren?”
“Aaron? And what is your last name?” The elder coaxed.
Aaron shook his head, pulling the blanket above his head like a hood, “Ai em nawt rrrememberring dat.” He quietly mumbled. “I em jus’ sleepy…” he closed his eyes.
“Yes, child, and we will take you to bed, but first we must get some answers.”
“Oh? Vhat vould I be ehble to do to help yoo?”
“Such manners, even for a child.” Malachi smiled, “Did your parents teach you this?”
Aaron shook his head, “I- my parrrents? Who?” He looked terribly confused.
“Surely you have some memory.” Malachi asked, looking at the small boy with concern. “Your parents? Mother, father? Any family? Tell me child, surely you remember a name? A face? No? Oh child…”
Aaron felt tears running down his cheeks, pain stabbing into his head as it had been since he could remember, which was only a few weeks back. “Vhy dohse it hrurt so mahch?” He cried, “Mek et stop!” Half a dozen elders stared blank faced at the small boy as he cried out in pain, gripping his head and pulling his hair.
“Pitiful boy.” One of the elders said, “Surely this injury is a handicap. Are we to raise a lame horse, elder?”
“Silence!” Elder Malachi snapped, “We have a healer, see to is she is the one to take care of him.”
“Makes no difference. We will see. Good sir Malachi, we will trust your choice to keep him.” The voice was almost mocking.
“Again, he is a boy, not a gambling chip, not a pet. He is equal to any child we would bring here.” Malachi stood up, “See to it he has a room, and bring the healer woman to him. He has seen much. Let him rest for now.”
Aaron stood, little legs shaking, body swaying. He cried out and stumbled, falling to his knees. “Mek et stoop please… Ai’m sorrry, ahim so- sorrry.” He sniffed, crying out with deep emotion.
“By the Mists, look at him! Is this your new fighter?” One sneered.
“He. Is. A. Boy.” Malachi said, placing his hands on young Aaron’s shoulders, “And he is hurt. Swallow your pride and have humanity.”
“Only when he proves his worth.” The mocking voice said again.
“Ai em sorrry… should I go?” Aaron sniffed, trying to stand despite being dizzy. “Ai doan want to be trohable.”
This alone seemed to be what warmed the hearts of most the elders. One by one they filed out, smiling at the boy now. Elder Malachi held a hand out to Aaron, he was smiling too, “Come now child, I am sure you would like to get some sleep. Then tomorrow we will talk about your starting up in our school. Would you like that?”
“Ai think I vould, sirrr. Sank you.”