Let's Talk

The night was quiet. Sleep did not come easy for her. Legarde was drifting away, but she still had questions.

Legarde would answer them all. He wanted her comfortable needed her trust.

“What city are you from Legarde?”

“City of Ages. I left a long time ago. I was a guard at the gates. Anything that wanted to attack had to come through us. An absolutely boring existence for the City of Ages. Nothing attacked us, nothing was brave enough to. Too remote, too cold, too protected.”

“Legarde that sounds like a dream. Why would you leave such a place? I have heard everyone is a mage there.”

“Not everyone but most of us. It has become a safe haven as things have become harsher for us. A place to learn and improve your skills. Just getting there now will make a Mage out of you. The path there is dangerous. The Mages Guard the city but no one guards the path.”

“Is it that impossible to get there.” Sacha had never really thought about it till now. It was just too far away to even dream about going to such a place.

“Yes as it is now you have to be invited and escorted.”

“And this is what you call safe.”

“It is a wonderful place to live, inside the walls. Prosperous, protected against natural disasters, intruders and other demons that try to intrude. It is safe. But, for a guy like me I was dying. I could not be kept inside. I needed to spread that to others. Give protection to others so that they too can be strong. Not risk their lives on the path to salvation. They didn’t need me there, the other cities did. That’s what I thought. So I traveled through the lands keeping everything in check. How young and naïve I was. A young man on a mission.”

“Did others do the same? Leave to protect the other cities?”

“Not frequently. No. There are a few that do, I meet them on my travels. There are also those that exploit and make it worse for us. Understand Sacha, the Mages that do leave either did not come back, or came back angry and bitter, wanting the world to burn.” He chuckled and pointed to the well. “Yes, but, I was going to change things. See how well this is working out for me?”

“Yea that sounds about right.”

“A cheap assassin, I needed to eat and for that you need money. I needed armor blades medicine. Money. There are not many kind strangers anymore. And so I appreciate you Sacha.”

She blushed.

“I really do Sacha. It is not an easy thing to do. Wander around this horrid land protecting the ones who have turned their minds and their hearts against you and blame you for the very things you are trying to fight, risking your life for. And half the time being cheated out the money you are owed. Not easy.”

“It seems reasonable.” She had never thought about it that way. She too was guilty of thinking all mages were now horrible. She had not been long enough to know any different. Only heard and read stories of the good days when Mages did the good deeds Legarde spoke of. She was starting to change her mind about him and hoped that she could trust his words.

“No one wants to be a Mage anymore. Am I right Sacha? And those who are, hide, or pray for their power to be taken away from them.”

“You sound like you are about to give up?” She touched his face gently.

“Lately I have toyed with the idea. To have a normal life find love, go back home, settle down have a family.”

“Is that why you heard me? Answered me that night?”

“I dared to think it was possible. I thought you silly for asking for such a thing. But the more I think about it. The more conflicted I get. And now to actually have you here with me, by my side not even leaving me in the face of death. I would give everything I have to keep you safe.” A sudden pain came to his chest, not from his wounds, But from his heart. He warned himself to stop.  Never had a woman affected him this much. It must be the poison, infecting his brain. He did not feel like himself.

“I have become a dog. Mage fetch! Let them do what they want. Let them destroy the balance, see the consequences. Then I will help clean up the rubble. You would not be proud of me.”

“No you cannot think like that. Not with a purpose that great.”

“It may be too great, unachievable. I want to get balance back to how it was. Mages need to be respected and back working with the guardians to protect us all. Not this! It is the Lord’s responsibility to give their mages direction, Mages guide the guardians to keep the peace, remove evil. But somewhere along the line the Lords have fallen. Misled with false impressions that they don’t need the guardians or the mages. And so they in turn mislead their people”

Legarde continued. “This contract was to kill Miranda. He sacrificed his own mage to do it.  Proof that they have gone mad. This lost city is proof too. And Miranda’s actions.  He is probably at the bottom of that well. And I suspect he had his own city’s mage artifact with him. He always wore it. And if that is so. I will have two angry and fearful guardians that cannot understand why the people they swore to protect even in death would turn on them.”

Sacha was thoughtful, “I see. But could she just have assumed wrong. Like she did with you? You were not here to kill her. Maybe the other mage wasn’t going to do it either. Maybe she just assumed that too.”

Legarde shook his head. “No. I believe her. She would not have been this angry with me if he had not tried.”

“Why did you run away Sacha? The real reason.”

“I see things I shouldn’t.”

“I think you see things you should.”

“Yes well that is one way of looking at it I suppose. No one has ever said that, or even made me feel that way. Not much good usually comes of it. Except. I still remember the first time I saw Asher. Guardian Asher. He was up a tree watching the children play. I was about 14. We were playing a game and I was out, I lost so I went to sit under that tree. He hit me on the head with and apple. It hit me on the head and fell into my lap. I had not eaten all day I couldn’t believe my luck. When I looked up I saw him. He was not even guardian-like, ghostlike and shining. He was just normal. But, not normal, so incredibly handsome. I couldn’t take my eyes off him and couldn’t even eat my apple. Barely managed the words to thank him for it.”

She continued. “He told me who he was. Just simply Asher. Mentioned nothing about being a Guardian. Or even Knight Asher. I didn’t think twice. Probably wouldn’t have believed him.  Half the mothers in town name their boys Asher. Probably wouldn’t have went with him either.

“Went with him? You will follow anyone around won’t you?”

“Are you kidding! A man like that I would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked me.”

“Give her food she will follow you like a horse… noted!” Legarde gasped as Sacha’s elbow dug into his side.

“He took me to Rose. I think she saw him too but I never asked her because when I turned around he was gone. In the time it took for him to say - she will take care of you - and for Rose to ask my name, he let go of my hand and he was gone. I looked for him all week like an idiot.”

“After that he spoke to me as a Guardian. I am not sure what it was about that day. He guided me, made me read history.  His, the Guardians, The Mages. It’s all in his library. The public Library.”

“Well he is the founder, so you are not wrong. He died young. So he kept his good looks even in death. Lucky Bastard.” Legarde Smiled.

“Yes, died protecting our city. And he still watches over us still. I am grateful to him.”

“I’d better get you back to your lover then, before he joins Miranda in my demise!”

“It doesn’t matter now. If I go back I’ll be given away. The Lord’s mage saw me talking with him.”

“A love triangle?...”  another elbow reached his side. “Given to who?”

“Lord Wright, on his way to collect a Mage. I was washed and dressed and to wait. And I just wished… you are right it was a silly thing to do. But in that moment, I just wanted to be normal and face what Lord Wright had in store for me.”

Legarde Nodded. “That man. I find it very hard to trust him.”

There was nothing left to do but wait. She understood him better now and finally felt she could let her guard down. Maybe just enough to sleep just a little. The day’s events left her quite drained. And if Miranda was to come there would be no sleeping through that.