Those words. 'Lark the invalid.' Those words spoken with feigned joy to confuse my once feeble mind.
"It's ok, the sentence was too complex an order for everyone's favorite smiling idiot. Tell me Lark, and have there been any tasty windows you have licked today?" The first of three began to laugh. I remembered their names. Maximilian, or 'Max' was the leader and his two toadies were Artis and Wral. They were accomplished fighters and had done well since their induction into the protectorate, and for a while had greatly outranked Lark. At least, until I was given the commission of an officer and bumped to Captain rank due to the responsibilities of a Racial Liaison for the Skygge.
"Yeah Lark, any toilets need guarding? Who knows? Maybe they might promote you if you can make it a month without having one of your 'accidents'!" This time it was Artis.
But their words had meaning, and before when they couldn't cut the weak mind of my past now stood, slicing. It hurt.
It was a pain I was not used to. My memories of them were always jovial and although kind, were now poisoned as the context of their words overshadowed the feigned bright nature. It was as one would talk to a child. They considered me a child. And this is how they would treat a child.
It was worse than that. I am their brother in arms, a bond my people hold closer than familial relations. And yet to stab with their words for no reason other than their own amusement…
I regretted being able to understand.
[Stay calm, my darling Lark. These are just the poisonous words of those who believe intellect grants superiority. Don't Listen to them. Instead, listen to my words. Lark, you are loved. You have always had a place. Even before you were granted greater understanding and a second chance at living, you were loved by those around you. You are the great 'terror of Dragonkind'! You have always protected those that you love, and you have always loved everyone unconditionally.]
Sophia's words brought a bit of peace, but it also left confusion. How could both be true?
"But Sophia, why are they being so mean?" I whispered. Sophia's words were being overshadowed by the pain he felt from their jibes, which had continued through Sophia's words to me. Tears fell unbidden down my face. The world started to get greyer as I started to feel my control slipping. But unlike the rage that came when Sophia wandered too far, this was instead a feeling to to attack, but to cower. It hurt, and the only thing I wanted to do was to make the pain stop.
"I would ask that you not bother my patrons. Your comments were not appropriate the first time you spoke them, and they are not appropriate now. You have made Lark upset and he is a valued customer. Regardless of your quarrel, I ask that you leave him to your breakfast and take a seat yourselves." I snapped awake from the slow descent into depression. It was Riel, the Lybringer bartender who spoke up for me.
The younger soldiers looked at Riel. "Hey old man, this idiot doesn't understand which shoe to put on which foot. What makes you think he feels upset by anything that we've said?"
Riel looked away from the youths and looked directly into my eyes as he spoke. "I say this because there are tears on his face and pain in Lark's eyes. I will have to ask you to apologize to Lark AND Sophia or leave my establishment."
I realized then, that their jabs at my intellect was an insult not only to me but also to all the hard work Sophia had done cultivating my mind. The tears slowed as I felt as my anger was beginning to burn away my sadness.
[Lark, just stay calm. I am with you. And I will always be with you. Don't worry about the ramblings of the ignorant passerby of our lives.]
I couldn't take it any more. "But Sophia, why are they so mean?!" this time I had yelled. The restaurant fell silent under my words. What was previously a few people disturbed by the exchange between Max, his toadies, Riel the bartender, and myself, now included the entire café.
Max and the others were stunned by my statement and the revelation that I was cognizant of the meaning of their words. They then saw Sophia's name under mine on my uniform. That and the statement by Riel and it must have clicked as Max then spoke, "So one does the thinking and the other does the fighting. That's rich. I have heard that they were hard up for volunteers but to take in Lark… That's really scraping the bottom of the barrel."
***
That's it. I couldn't take anymore, and I felt the [repose] of Lark being affected by their words. He had suffered enough, and it was time I had stepped in.
[Lark I will handle this.] and I stepped out of his body with a [shadow clone]. It was well formed. It took a seat opposite Lark. Without missing a beat, Amanda the server helped where she could to make a point, and slid a fresh cup of tea in front of me. I couldn't drink it. Not in this form. But it was a flavor I preferred and distinctly different from Lark's milk and sugar tea. It was dark and bitter. Much like the atmosphere.
As my host, my darling Lark, was a Skygge, their people were experts of shadow, and as his passenger, I inherited this. And I needed to make a point. I was my own person, but I was also one with Lark, and damages against one was against both. So as much as I did not like to speak, I did so. I threw my voice.
My [shadow clone] was not advanced enough to make its own voice. So instead I had to borrow Lark's vocal cords, tighten them, and do my best to mimic the voice I had chosen in his mind. A bit of magic and it came out as expected. So as I moved my lips, Lark's voice became my own.
"I would ask that you cease throwing insults at my Darling Lark. His is a pure soul, and means more to me than you would ever know. Should your insults continue, we will make you regret your folly."
This was not an empty threat. I was aware of what laws governed Haven. I could not use any of them, because these people had not inflicted violence or cruelty upon Lark. Only insults. Insults weren't illegal. But I had read every cultural book on not only the Skygge, but also on every single race. Additionally, I was aware that I also held the same rank in the protectorate as Lark due to my connection to him. There were still avenues for taking advantage of this situation. Max had only thought through the first part. And this was definitively shown by his next words.
"So the true master shows itself. What plan do you have for us? Mind you, you are bound by the same laws we are. Violence from you would lead to your death, since the other option isn't really possible. Can't invade the invader." Max as confident in his words. And he was legally right, at least as far as Haven was concerned. But he had forgotten about the old ways. And I had memorized them, digested them, and knew their meaning.
"As you wish. Lark and I challenge the three of you to a trial by combat within the Training Dungeon. This will be a Skygge Battle of Honor, as you have insulted Lark for more than one year unabated, and now insult me, his Kriger Ledsager. We claim the right to challenge by Erstatning. I will be Lark's second, as is allowed by tradition. I assume your parent's were not negligent and taught you the Old Ways?"
The trap had sprung. Honor and Duty were two traditions held strong by both the Lybringer and Skygge people. Before the nations that divided them, they still shared the same laws, which were known as the Old Ways. Even over hundreds of years of fighting and cultural divergence, and then the migration to a new world, these ways stood intact by both sides.
By definition I was Lark's Kriger Ledsager, his "Warrior Companion". In olden days, and even in the ships of this modern time, the Kriger Ledsager was a partner of equal rank. Fighting in this way meant a higher survivability, and in modern times separated the command authority over mission planning and leading soldiers. One plans, the other leads, both succeed or fail together. In olden days, the pairing was usually an Archer or Mage and a swordsman. One attacks while one defends.
As for Erstatning, it roughly translated to 'reparations'. As there was witness to Max's transgressions, and as Lark's Ledsager, I was able to claim this right. What these reparations would be? I did not know.
It seemed that my words hit home. Max and his cronies blanched at my words. Just like everyone else in Haven, traditions were sacred, and I had just used theirs against them. Then Max smiled. I did not like the smile. It was the smile of a manipulator.
"We will decline. We have nothing we can demand of you should we win, therefore we are not required to fight you for your Eststaning." He was right. I knew it when he said it. It was a cowards retreat, often used when aggressor knights of the past used the Old Ways to make one sided demands of others. What I had not expected is Riel then answered his statement. And it seemed he was simply the first to speak up as the crowd had heard the challenge. "Although I am a Lybringer I know that you are wrong on two counts, and the Skygge surrounding can bear witness. You can win the right to the forgiveness of those you have wronged should you win. And you are either given the option to accept the challenge, or by Old Ways be rejected and never call yourselves or your line Skygge."
"Like some Lybringer can interject on things not within his people's ways…" Max had started but was then cut off.
I smiled as I heard the voice who was speaking. It was Representative Sutemos, or Princess Sute to the Skygge people. She was standing at her table where she must have previously been enjoying an early cup of tea with Flick, her previous governess, and a well regarded and feared Soldier of the old Kingdom.
"Silence! I am appalled that this is how you would interact with my ward, no, my 'friend' Lark who is one of our own, or with Sophia, the beautiful soul who helped fix his broken mind. She is recognized by myself and Flick as Kriger Ledsager, Skygge or no, and is allowed to make such a demand. You will accept this challenge, or by the divines here and now I will personally have you branded as Fremmed."
Fremmed. 'Stranger'. It was a fate worse than death for the Skygge. Others would not talk to you. Would not look at you. It was reserved for those whose crimes had to be remembered. Exiled from every city and town, and branded. Horns cut.
In Haven, they would still be granted a life. But being cast aside by one's own people would greatly limit future advancement, and reason for living.
Max then narrowed his eyes at Sute, shocked at his brazen display of disregard for so much. 'Pride cometh before the fall'. A Demis belief. One that Max could learn from. "So Be it. We accept the challenge. It should be no issue beating an invalid and his crutch."
Sute narrowed her eyes at Max, while speaking to Lark and I. "Captains Lark and Sophia, we will set a place and time. I have a few 'guests' that would wish to attend the match. Max, you and yours should prepare yourselves. Even if you win this, I will be having a discussion with General Edel about the disrespect you have shown a duly elected Representative of Haven, let alone a higher ranking member of the protectorate, and the only surviving member of the Skygge royal family."
As I slid back into Lark and gave him his voice, he said with a tear, "Sophia…"
[It's ok Lark. You always protect me. It's about time I protected you.]
***