The Happy Few

Notes: So it’s been awhile. Many things contribute to that, most prominent being hard at work, the second being no inspiration or drive. Even writing this was difficult. For this particular story, timing is very difficult and the reason for that being that this story is based on RPs. So it’s significantly harder to make things flow in prose than in the dialogues that my co-author and I write. Which is where some of the awkwardness comes from. I readily admit there have been some timing problems, but I thank the fans who are willing to overlook it and enjoy it for what it is. I’m hoping that by getting into a part I’m interested in within the next chapter, I may have more drive.

Chapter 9

Kir sat up and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He glanced around the room and found that Ari was gone. He shifted on the bed of straw, stretching out on his back, in no hurry to be up and about. He supposed that the elf was off talking to his superiors, discussing military strategies. It was possible Emery was with him, but he doubted that; ever since they had returned with the second artifact, the boy had been withdrawn. To his credit, Emery had pulled himself together long enough to complete their task, before shutting off. After their disastrous stay at Portica, getting the second artifact had seemed like a walk in the woods. One fall and trip down a waterslide later and it was in their possession.

Once they began on their way back to Trese, Emery had begun to distance himself. Kir had tried to coax the boy into talking with him. He had even resorted to blatantly insulting the soldier just to get a rise out of him, but it had been to no avail. Eventually, Ari had stopped him and told him not to bother the kid. Guilt still nagged at the thief and he watched Emery slide deeper into a depression, unable to do anything.

They were welcomed back in Trese by a hail of cheers from elves and humans alike. The artifacts were handed over immediately and a group of researchers began to examine them, set to the task of figuring out how they worked and the best way to utilize them on the battlefield. Kir had watched the soldiers flock, human and elf alike, and wondered what would happen to the three of them now. He had opened his mouth to ask Ari the same question, but when he turned to look at the man, he found that the elf had sidled off to speak with a group of his own race. Frowning, he turned to complain to Emery, but the boy had run off as well.

Despite having cooperated with the military and given them a good deal of help, Kir was furious to find himself taken back into custody. They gave him his own small room in an occupied house, but it was little more than an emptied closet with a small pile of hay to serve as bedding. He seethe at the confinement, having been shoved into the room by some elven guard who muttered unhappily to his fellows in their language. It was not until Ari reappeared later and sat down to stay the night that his temper started to cool.

“Did you see Emery?” He ventured to ask when the elf blew the candles out and made himself comfortable in a chair.

There was a moment of silence before the man answered. “He was with his uncle.”

“Do ya think he told?”

“I do not know.”

Kir closed his mouth, frowning in the dark. If Ari knew anything, he was keeping the information close to his sleeve or perhaps he was simply too tired to start what would be a lengthy conversation. The young man was tempted to start pestering the elf, but after returning to Trese, even he felt fatigued. As he settled into the bed of straw in the corner, he glanced at the man.

“What are YOU doing here?”

Ari let out a sigh. “I’m here to guard you. That is all.”

“I don’t need ta be guarded! I already helped you! Why won’t you let me go?!”

“I’m sure they’ll let you go soon. You’ve served your purpose.”

That news pleased the thief enough that he laid down and pulled the blankets up to his chin. Then a thought struck him. “What will happen to us then?”

“What do you mean?”

Kir frowned, trying to see the elf’s face in the darkness. “You an’ me. What’s gonna happen? Can I stay with you?”

There was a lengthy pause. The human waited, growing eager and frightened with each passing second. He hadn’t meant to get involved with anyone, not since his last affair had turned sour some years ago, but fate had tossed him into Ari’s lap and he found he did not wish to leave the man’s side now. After spending time with the elf, depending on him and fighting with him, not to mention sleeping with him, he had grown quite attached to Ari. He did not want to think about what his life would be like if he were forced to be without the man. He would move on, he knew from experience, but the thought was heavy and he no more wished to be away from Ari than he wished to spend his days laboring in a mine. But if doing so meant that he would be able to be with the elf…he might consider becoming a miner on the elf’s home island.

A puff of breath from the man caught his attention and Kir waited for an answer.

“I do not know what will happen. I have duties to perform here. If you decide to linger…” He paused again. “We shall see what happens.”

It was not a reassuring answer, but it was one Kir had to content himself with. He turned over on the hay, putting his back to the elf. Everything was uncertain at the moment. And he had known that Ari was a soldier; perhaps a low ranking one, but a soldier none the less and he would be needed in battle. Maybe he could learn to be useful in battle as well, though he doubted it. Tomorrow, he thought, Ari would know what his role would be and from there they could decide what to do.

That had been the previous night. Now he had to track down the elf and make plans.

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A boot nudged Emery awake from where he had fallen asleep, curled up by the fire. Lifting his head, he blinked bleary eyes and saw his uncle grinning down at him.

“Up, boy. We have business to be about.”

He nodded and sat up, grimacing at the stiffness of his back and rubbing his sore muscles. Getting to his feet was a challenge and his uncle eventually reached down and grabbed his arm to pull him up. The man frowned as he looked the boy over.

“Are you ill?” He asked.

“No, sir.”

“You’re moving slower than normal today.”

Emery tightened his mouth into a line. “I’m just tired from the long journey and sore from sleeping on the floor. I’ll be fine, sir. What is it we need to do today?”

His uncle eyed him for a moment before turning and striding to the door. “We’re meeting with the elves to strategize. Now that he have those artifacts, we need to prepare for battle. It’s high time you learned this business. You’ll need to know it one day.”

When he glanced over his shoulder, the old man winked and Emery felt a flutter of happiness in his chest. He smiled, pushing his unhappy musings away, and trotted after his uncle, listening as the man prattled on about what types of things they would need to plan and how they ought to prepare for battle.

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Three days of being cooped up in the room with only Ari’s occasional company drove Kir to madness. He was not used to being confined; he needed to be outside, able to walk down a street and enjoy the fresh air. Cabin fever had gripped him harshly and when Ari returned that night, the human immediately picked up a book and threw it at the elf in a mindless rage.

Ari ducked, alarmed at the sudden violence. “What has gotten into you?!” He demanded, looking back at the wall where the book had hit.

“Get me outta here!” The thief wailed.

“You’ll be released soon, calm down.” He tried to approach, hands open to show that he meant no harm.

Kir shook his head violently. “No, I need to get out of here now! I can’t stand it anymore! I’ve only seen these walls fer 3 days! I want out!”

“We’ll be out of here again in another few days. Just relax until then. Hang onto what little sanity you have until we leave.”

The human started to shake in fury. He wanted to scream and throw things and break down the walls to get out of that house. He needed his freedom. The need was so desperate that he ranted at the elf for several minutes before the man’s words got to his brain.

“What do you mean we’re leaving soon? Are we going back to yer island?” His mood improved drastically at the thought. Ari had said that THEY were going to be leaving. They would be together then. And the only rational place for them to go would be back to the elf island. Leaving Trese didn’t appeal to him, but maybe he could get used to living with the elves.

The thief had been so busy thinking over what it would be like to live amongst the elves that he was hardly listening to Ari. The man had to walk over and slap him upside the head to get his attention.

“Ow! What was the for?! I didn’t do nothing!”

“Exactly. You weren’t listening when I told you where we were going and what we were doing.”

“We’re gonna go back ta yer island. So what?”

Ari growled and the human took a step back. With his own irritation having been relieved, he now had the presence of mind to notice that Ari was deeply agitated about something.

“What’s goin’ on?”

“We’re not going to my home.” The man said, matter-of-factly.

“We’re not?”

“No.”

“Then where are we goin’?”

Ari raised a hand and brushed the hair from his forehead. He had been looking forward to resting after his journey. The thought that Sigael might send him home had even crossed his mind. It was not as if he played an important role in their military, so his absence wouldn’t be much noticed. He was just a lapdog, the lowest of the low. Perhaps that was why the commander suddenly found use for him again. No one would miss a low rank dog.

“We’re going on another journey.” Ari said. “Except this time we’re traveling across the sea to Omar.”

The thief’s interest piqued. “Omar? The next continent over? Why we goin’ there?”

“Hazard a guess.”

Kir thought. “To get recruits.”

A comment about the human’s intelligence hovered on his tongue, but Ari saved it for another time. “No, little fool, we’re going to get more artifacts. There were seven of them, if you recall.”

“Yeah but,” Kir rubbed his chin, “I thought Emi said that they were only sure about the location of two of the things.”

“They were apparently quite busy while we were away. We have more work.”

“More treasure huntin’?”

“If that is what you prefer to call it.”

They looked at each other for a moment. The weariness was evident on Ari’s face; he was not looking forward to being forced back into work. Kir sympathized, but if it meant he was able to stay by the elf’s side, he’d try to keep his complaints to a minimum. The thought awed him a little. He had never imagined that he would vaguely want to work. It would have contented him some time ago to simply say that he had performed his duties, as was described, and demand the promised rewards. Though, he supposed that said rewards would be denied him until he completed further assigned tasks.

He grinned at the elf. “So we’re gonna be traveling again, huh? Is Emi coming?”

“I believe his uncle mentioned such a thing.” The man frowned suddenly. “Make a conscious effort not to irritate him, understand?”

“What are ya scolding me for?” Kir huffed, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly. “He’s the one who always picks on me!”

“Regardless of who starts the fights, don’t perpetuate them.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t continue to argue with him! I don’t completely trust his current mental state and I’d rather you didn’t drive him to madness while we’re away from home. Do you understand?” He waited, but Kir only stared at him blankly. “Do you understand?!” he demanded again, voice rising in anger.

“Yeah, I understand. I just don’t get why Emi’s comin’ if ya think he’s sick or something.”

Ari’s shoulders slumped. “It isn’t up to me. His uncle wants him to accompany us, so he’s going. Just…try not to agitate him.”

The thief put his hands on his hips. “Yeah, yeah, no pickin’ on the little kid. I get it. So when are we leavin’?”

“Five days. Enough time to rest and restock before we leave Trese. So stop complaining about being locked up here all day. You’ll have so much freedom soon, you won’t know what to do with it.”

“I hate ta tell ya, Ari, but being outside isn’t bein’ free if I’m still forced ta go with you on yer journey. It just means I’m outside and a captive.”

The man blinked. That was one of the few times he had heard something intelligent leave the human’s mouth. He shook his head, feeling exhaustion in his bones, and sat down in his favored chair. Kir startled to babble about something else, but his attention was elsewhere.

He did not wish to go on this new journey. Traveling through Gal was one thing, but to search on another continent was quite another. And though he had no real ties to the continent, no family or friends who would miss him and he would miss in return, he was grounded in Gal, in his island home. Not for the first time he cursed the humans for their wars that his people always seemed to get tangled up in.

He glanced at the human currently under his supervision and frowned. Kir was busy talking to himself, having a one sided discussion about what types of goods he would find on the next continent. All thoughts of having a task had left his mind.

Ari shut his eyes, wondering how it was he had the misfortune to end up in such peculiar, and vastly unappreciated, situations.

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Luca placed a map in front of Emery and sat down next to his young pupil. The boy leaned in to examine it, noting the circled markers.

“Are these the places where you think they are?” He asked.

Luca nodded. “The elves have been a great help in my research. They are so old and their knowledge is ancient; their assistance has been a boon. It would have taken me a lifetime to have deciphered the text on my own, and even then I am unsure whether or not I would have managed.”

Emery tried to smile. A part of him resented the elves for assisting his mentor so. He did not want to undertake another journey, not so soon after the first one and not after the trauma that had come with that first journey. In his opinion, he was better suited for the field. But his uncle had disagreed.

“I need a man I can trust on this venture.” The man had said, placing his large hands on his nephew’s shoulders. “And I trust you more than anyone. You’ve traveled with those people before; it should be no great task acclimating yourself to them once more.”

He had tried to protest, but his uncle would not hear of it. Upon returning, he had given a concise, though abridged, report of their travels and how they came to get the artifacts. When he arrived at the portion of the story that took place in Portica, he was deliberately vague and omitted chunks of the tale. His uncle had not asked for more detail; the important fact was that they had retrieved the artifacts.

The man had ruffled the boy’s hair affectionately and complimented him on a job well done after he had given his report. It was an affectionate gesture that Emery felt to his core and a desperate probe urged him to reveal the sordid details of his capture and debasement in Portica. But his uncle moved to another subject and the urge died.

Days later, Luca had found him and informed him that soon he would be partaking in another journey, this one grander than the last. The scholar had sounded enthused, jealous almost that after all of his research it would be someone else finding the artifacts. The news did not sit well in Emery’s stomach. When he saw his uncle, he tried subtly to convey his reluctance, but the man did not catch his hints and when he outright asked to forgo the task, the man brooked no refusal. Being told that he was the only man his uncle trusted was humbling enough that Emery swallowed his protests and prepared for another trip.

Luca supplied him with maps and notes of all sorts and spent each evening tutoring the boy on what to look for, what to expect at the holy sites, and educating him on the legends surrounding the items. His attention was lax though. Never before had he balked in the face of a mission, but now the boy found his mind clouded with fears and worries he dared not dwell overly much on.

When the day of departure arrived, he met Ari and Kir close to the town port. A group of his fellow soldiers flanked him, wishing him luck and a safe journey. Ari looked him over when they were face to face, his eyes cool and assessing. The man frowned and Emery imaged what thoughts were passing through the elf’s mind. Kir, fortunately, was oblivious to their tense reunion. He grabbed the boy around the shoulder, declared that it was fate that brought them back together again, then hurried them down the dock to the ship that would take them to Omar.

They paused for a moment to admire the ship and Kir nudged the soldier in the ribs. “This is my first time on a boat, hows about you?”

Emery examined the tall mast of the ship as he replied, “This is my first time as well.”

Kir did not wait for the others before bounding up the gangplank, onto the ship’s deck. He made a quick circuit around the deck, then trotted below to view their sleeping compartments. Back on the pier, Ari sighed, preparing himself for another grueling trip with the thief. Emery reached out a hand to pat his shoulder sympathetically, smiling lopsidedly.

“At least if we get desperate we can toss him overboard.”

The elf snorted and picked up his bag. He motioned for the boy to move up the plank. The gathered crowd waved them off, saluting them and begging that they try their hardest at finding the artifacts. Ari and Emery stood on deck, returning the salutations and politely waiting for the port to disappear from view before wandering off on their own.

When he found the cabin that they would be staying in for the duration of the trip over sea, Ari found the thief stretched out on a cot, playing with some jewels. He grimaced, having hoped that the young man had lost his obsession with such trivial things, but he had wished in vain.

The elf closed the door and went to sit on the cot across from Kir. Silence hung in the air for several minutes before the human sat up.

“Where’s Emi?”

“Stretching his legs.”

“He knows where we’re going, right?”

The man nodded. Sigael had briefed him on where they were to go and what to do, but it was truly the small soldier that held all the information. Once the boy had exercised his restlessness, he would ask to see the documents Emery had brought.

Kir looked out the porthole in the room and sighed. “How long before we get there?”

“We just left dock.”

“Yeah, but how long?”

Ari felt a headache coming. “A week at sea.”

“A week!?”

A small sliver of pain shot through the elf’s head. The words of some juvenile tirade reached his ears, but the man quickly tuned Kir’s voice out. He had had years of experience ignoring the yells of prisoners when he had worked as guard on the island; he made use of that talent then.

It took a very long time before Kir realized he was being ignored and when he turned to look at Ari, he found the man fast asleep. He let out an indignant screech, but even that did not rouse the elf. Seething to himself, the young man left the room, purposely slamming the door, and made his way back to the deck. It was his first time at sea, so he supposed he ought to make the best of it and get a good look at the water.

Up top, he spotted Emery seated by a coil of rope, his head bowed and face taut.

“What’s up with you?” He asked, walking over to the boy.

Emery looked up at him with a baleful expression, mouth fixing into a scowl. “Go away.” He bit out.

“Sheesh, what is it with you guys?! Yer both acting like jerks!”

“I’m sick, now go away.”

“Sick from what? Ya eat something bad?”

“The motion of the boat is bothering me, now go away!”

Kir stood quietly for a moment, contemplating what to do. If he woke Ari, the man might know some way to help ease the boy’s sickness. A glance down at the soldier told him that Emery was in no mood to be coddled though. Sighing, the thief moved on and leaned against a railing, looking out at the sea.

He didn’t see what the big deal was. It was a lot of water. He was about to call over to Emery to get his opinion on the matter, but when the boy saw him looking over, he turned and gave Kir his back.

“God, you’re a snot!” He screamed, stomping off towards the bridge.

Kir glanced back once as he was mounting the steps and looked at Emery, truly looked at him and scrutinized him, for the first time. Whereas he would never say Emery had been happy before, he had never been unhappy. That moment, the boy was wearing a distinctly unhappy look, staring solemnly at his feet. The young man frowned to himself and thought that it was more than seasickness that had to do with his comrade’s mood. There was little he could do, though.

With a sigh, he turned back around and went to their room. Ari was still sound asleep and Kir took the cot opposite of the elf, not wanting to wake him and get Ari mad as well. He stared up at the cabin ceiling and hoped he would find some distraction on the trip to ease the crippling boredom. More than that though, he hoped the boy would find some distraction from or outlet for his melancholy. Otherwise, he might not be of much use on the journey.

END