Chapter 11.

  Back Alley Politics

  Theodren walked into town with a paired sense of exhaustion and trepidation. Word of Ellaina’s miraculous recovery would get around. He ran a hand up the back of his head to massage the headache that promised to bloom beneath his palm.

  The majority of his healings in the village had been bandages, salves and stitches accompanied by whatever his divine thread could accomplish. Explaining to the townsfolk why he had the power to wrench Reina from the jaws of death but not enough to cure the mayor’s gout seemed like a terrible way to spend his afternoon.

  Unfortunately for Theodren, the subject of those very thoughts came striding around the very corner he was approaching.

  “Fuck.”

  “Ah Bishop Stormwall!”

  A grimace appeared on his face as the self appointed Mayor Sebastian Silverworm and his trailing lackey Lester Hess strode with the grace of a peacock down the town road toward him.

  Crooked smiles and oily mustaches, Theodren had known these types from his time with his father at court and was less than eager to have his own relationship with them. Especially young Lester Hess, The hunched vagrant who was infamous for his rumored misdeeds among the younger women of the village.

  “Good Morning gentleman.” He managed, struggling to fabricate an urgent emergency that required his attention. Alas none came and a pudgy arm found its way across his shoulders.

  “I must congratulate you on Mrs. Fiero’s newborn. If the rumors are to be believed, one might say you enacted a miracle!” Theodren’s brow furrowed deeper as he extricated himself from the far too friendly contact of the mayor.

  “You are too kind Mr. Sylverworm, I merely conducted the duties of the church as I do for all of this towns people.” The too wide grin of Lester Hess appeared in Theodren’s peripheral.

  “Nonsense Mr. Stormwall, I’ve heard tell that your performance was a marked improvement on your previous ministrations. Do tell us, what changed?”

  Theodren’s head snapped to the skulking form determined to remain on the periphery. “The Mayor and I are speaking, do not insert yourself where you are not welcomed Lester.” The scrawny young man shrank from the sudden tongue lashing. Through a grimace of gritted teeth he hissed.

  “Apologies Priest. We were merely surprised given your previous… performance.” Theodren glared at the mayor’s toadie. Flecks of sickly greens and putrid yellows mixed with angry reds in the underlings vitae.

  A reminder of Lester’s own previous sins prepared itself on his tongue but was interrupted by the mayor. “Now now gentleman, I’m sure a day as fine as this calls for friendlier tones does it not?”

  He turned to his lackey. “Lester, wait for me at the market.” Lester appeared to form the beginnings of a protest but Sebastian had already turned away from his lackey signaling that no disagreement would be brooked. Lester turned his glare to Theodren before stomping off down the street.

  “Nasty business that childbirth. I understand young Mrs. Fiero was in dire straits before your timely intervention. How did you manage it?” Theodren’s attention returned to the pompous older man fiddling with his oiled mustache in an attempt to feign disinterest.

  Theodren considered his question. “Polly did most of the work, I simply finished the job she started.” Sebastian raised a grey eyebrow to the whisps of what remained of his hairline.

  “Indeed? From what rumor I’ve heard you seemed quite perturbed and left in a hurry after Eleina’s miraculous recovery. Theodren arched an eyebrow of his own.

  “I suppose small rumors have long legs in villages as small as this one.” He was no fool. He knew men like the mayor thrived on gossip. Even in towns as small as this one, secret knowledge was how the mayor maintained his position.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “My dear fellow, I simply mean to congratulate you! Perhaps even buy you a drink?” The local tavern was perhaps the most frequented building in the entire town. It was a place where stories of yore flowed as well as the ale it provided. It was cheap, and it was cramped but it was more than adequate for the small populace of the town. Moreover it was deliberately avoided by the mayor who preferred to drink his own spirits away from the rabble.

  Theodren eyed the older man for a silent moment. “I don’t do politics, mayor.” Silverworm deflated only slightly. “Whatever do you mean? Sharing a glass at the local pub is no sin is it?”

  Theodren sighed. “Even if The Farmer’s Bucket had a glass to share, I will not be seen to endorse either you or Polly in this… feud.”

  Some years ago, Sebastian Sylverworm arrived in the small town from parts unknown, claiming to be the new mayor. Whatever problems he had fled were similarly unknown, except that they had earned him a modest bag of gold and a finely made but slightly torn tunic.

  For the most part, the townsfolk couldn’t be bothered with him. It was no concern of theirs who resided in the solitary stone house only slightly bigger than the others. He was useful in his way.When the tax collectors came to the village, he argued for a fair rate for the townsfolk, accepting only a small fee from everyone.

  Only recently however had he attempted to gain more authority within the town, he had even appointed Eleina’s husband Evan as a town guard in hopes of acquiring some weight for his words. And while Evan was enthusiastic, he was certainly no lackey.

  That role went instead, to the loathsome Lester Hess. A fishmonger as well as a rumor monger, he was unsavory of sight and smell. This was matched only by the unsavory personality he also possessed.

  He both forged and wielded rumors throughout the town in order to gain his way. When one day his coercion had gone too far, he was hauled before the mayor to issue judgement at the demand of Polly, brimming with motherly rage.

  A slap on the wrist and a new assignment was all that Lester had received. In return, the mayor obtained a new lackey.

  “If you wish to keep your position from being taken by our herbalist, I suggest that you do away with your Mr. Hess. Why you choose to associate with the likes of him are beyond me.”

  The mayor eyed the priest for a moment. The facade of friendliness dropping from his face. “The boy knows things.” He sniffed.

  The back of Theodren’s ears pricked as he sensed more than saw a presence lurking just out of sight. Casting about with a tendril of his vitae he found a puddle of vitae dyed in sickley green, yellow and a deep reddish brown. He could think of only one person to whom such a soul might belong.

  “Then the boy should know better than to lurk in the shadows.” Theodren spun on his heel and strode to the unfortunate spy’s hiding spot around the corner. Grabbing the greasy man by the collar he hauled him into the light.

  Lester became a tangle of spindly arms and legs as he was tossed unceremoniously into the dirt. “I’m not! I wasn’t!… I didn’t!…” the mayor clicked his tongue and sighed.

  Theodren glowered down at the pockmarked face that stared back at him burning red with embarrassment and indignation. “My patience runs thin, mayor.” Sebastian’s eyes narrowed at the mocking tone.

  “I assure you the lad meant no harm. His curiosity must have gotten the better of him.” The mayor turned a stoney glare on his lackey. “It won’t happen again. Will it?”

  Lester began nodding quickly. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he sensed an escape from his troubles. “No sir! I swear on my name!”

  Theodren’s blood boiled at the display of cronyism playing out at his feet. He reached down and grabbed Lester by the collar of his blouse and hauled him to his feet and then into the air so that they were face to face.

  “I will not be spied upon by the likes of you Lester Hess.” Spindly legs flailed and kicked inches from the ground, searching for purchase and finding none. All Lester could do was stare wide eyed into the enraged face of Theodren.

  “Y-you’re a p-priest! Y-you’re not allowed to touch me!” Rage built behind Theodren’s eyes as Lester attempted to use his own religious oaths of non-interference against him. Oaths that he had since violated with the world shattering arrival of Yggdrazil in his life.

  “My oaths are MINE to keep.” Theodren squeezed tighter. “Or break.” Theodren’s rage at the slimey man in his grasp and at his own betrayal built into an inferno. Suddenly Lester froze staring into Theodren’s eyes. “Green?” He choked.

  Theodren’s rage left him almost instantly as he realized his vitae must be spilling over if Lester could see it in his eyes. He dropped the man unceremoniously in the dirt and stepped away.

  The mayor who had been observing the altercation in shocked silence returned to his senses and grabbed Lester by the shoulder and dragged him to his feet.

  “We will be taking our leave now.” The older man squeaked. Together they scurried down the quiet street. Casting furtive glances over their shoulders as they retreated to the mayor’s home.

  Fear and irritation coursed through Theodren causing his shoulders to tense higher and higher till they nearly reached his ears.

  “Fuck.”

  The worst person who could have discovered his change had now done so. after only a day. Who would he tell? What would they do about it? Another thought occurred to him.

  Would anyone believe or even understand it? Before the events of yesterday’s birth, he would be hard pressed to believe in a power besides divine thread and even that was shrouded in mystery by the Church of Holy Order.

  Theodren’s shoulders began to recede from their previous heights as he rationalized his way through his troubles. The townspeople were unlikely to listen to the two men much less believe them.

  Theodren released a large sigh. “A problem for later I suppose.”