Loved it, as always. Glad to see you're back on this!

I also accept paypal donations. :laugh:

Thankyou! That's also kind of why I skipped ahead a week, so I can get past his feeling of that in the story.

I'm on it now, rocking hard.


Chapter 9: Childhood's Remorse


Time is beautiful. It’s been a week, and the days are never long enough. The shock of that first day I could see was amazing, it’s no wonder the next didn’t live up to it. And still, I can’t find a reason to complain.

Actually there was a reason Evangeline was all dressed up. She was entering the contest to be the Harvest queen at the celebration coming up. Harvest queen holds a bouquet and walks at the front of the parade to the feast grounds. Nobody misses this; the Margrave sets us up with all the free food we can eat. I’m sure there’s something religious about it, but who would pay attention to that when there’s free food? The temple is full of stingy bastards anyway; they don’t give much to the poor down here.

The Margravine hands out money to the poor when she comes out of the Temple from her prayers, but its irregular enough that I can’t go waiting around there. She should be giving money at the festival too. Mostly she’s been picking the harvest queen.

Anyway, I didn’t want to go down there to wait around while half the chicks in town were standing around to file past some bs panel of judges. Yeah, some would look good, but I was sitting in a cat house with a beer in my hand. They don’t let you drink on the streets these days. Nudity has also become unappreciated there.

I didn’t need to go either. I knew my girl would win. Though I suppose at some point I should tell her she’s mine. She still has to work as a B-girl leading other men on so they’ll buy drinks, so I’ll have to be the super cool boyfriend who beats them up when they touch her ass the way I want to.

Somehow that doesn’t seem like a good idea. I have to tell her eventually though.

The guys were finally convinced, but I had to hold them back from starting a party. I wonder how many miracles they have where you aren’t supposed to let people know about it.

Geor is poking me repeatedly now while I try to pretend he isn’t there.

“Wake up! It’s race day!”
“The race isn’t till ten. Go back to sleep!”
“It’s seven in the morning! We have to get ready for the race.”

“Go away!”
“Get up!”

There’s no stopping him. If I lay here, he’ll poke right through my shoulder.

“Alright, Geor, you want to know what that feels like?”

I jump up and grab him by the back of the neck. With determination, I rapidly hammer my finger into his belly button.

“Poke! Poke! Poke! We could be asleep right now and you want to get poked!”

He’s laughing so much he didn’t have a reply.

“I’m up now, might as well stay up. Get out of here; I’ll meet you at the race later.”
“I’m avoiding chores, why can’t I stay with you?”
“Because it’s time for the morning routine.
“What?”
“I’ve gotta pee, dude.”

“Everybody does that! Just go over there.”
“You just can’t win against logic like that. Chores do svck, I suppose.”

I stood away while draining, and considered if it was a good idea to let him skip his chores. He might catch some hell later. It’s race day though, so his mother may be understanding. Was my mother ever understanding? I don’t recall.

Now that I’m feeling about a pint lighter, I shout, “Geor! Race you to Raddin’s!”

Like he gets fair warning. I took off like a deer.

Floyd’s house was just around the next corner, and I had to win in style. As I cleared their front fence, I remembered the hammock around back. With no time to lose, the hammock wrapped around me and I pretended to be sleeping.

Panting heavily, Geor runs up.

“Where have you been, Geor? I’ve been here all morning.”
“No fair!”
“Get Raddin, I’m going back to sleep”

He kicked the underside of the hammock before going inside. No knocking, he just walked in.

Not that I’m bored over the thought of the race, it’s just that I don’t have a part to play in it for another couple hours. What am I supposed to do until then? It’s no good to sit around waiting while the boys harness up their livestock. I can’t bother Evangeline; she’s got to have the beauty sleep. I bet Floyd knows what to do; his kid probably wakes him up all the time.

I’m too awake to go back to sleep. There’s no chance anyway. Raddin and Geor burst through the back door.

“Run!”
“Everybody run!”

No clue. Exciting though.

Floyd slowly follows them through the door with his arms out, and loudly growling.

“Rawr!”
“It’s a zombie!”

Floyd stiff leggedly chased the boys around the yard until he caught Raddin, and playfully pretended to bite into his side as he held him.

“Mmmm! Needs salt!”

Raddin is laughing hysterically, and Geor is doing laps around them. The neighbors outside look on with amusemant, but don’t stop working in their gardens.

I tell them,

“Keep running like that and you’ll be exhausted by race time.”
“We’re unstoppable!”

Floyd puts Raddin down and tells him,

“Gather up your sheep. We’ll head over that way soon.”

Geor runs to the fence and says,

“I’ll go kidnap my goats and chariot, meet you all over there!”

Not that I know why he’s so willing to go back now, he was only telling me a little while ago he was avoiding home. He must not have planned his escape too well if he left the chariot. Floyd and I look over at each other while the boys get to their business.

“What are you doing in my hammock?”
“I saw that Virene didn’t make you sleep outside, so I’ve been here all night.”
“All night? You’re going to make my hammock smell like homeless people.”
“Hey!”
“What, too deep?”

“No, it’s just that I don’t smell anymore. I scrub down twice as often.”
“I’m trying to have fun and you’re telling me your life story. Nobody wants to hear about your bathing habits.”
“It’s conversation, I don’t see you here with something to say.”
“I got something to say. Get out of my hammock!”

I laugh as I stand up, and we head off to the race.

There's less time till the race than I thought. Me and Floyd overturned a couple buckets to sit on, and leaned against the wall in the shade.

I tell him,

"Geor is has been running his goats in the morning. Has Raddin been training his sheep?"
"You know how he gets excited. Then he forgets. It's a little off schedule, he only ran them a couple days this week."
"That makes it more exciting. I don't know if a goat can outrun a sheep.
"Anyone else running a chariot?"
"None of them told me, but I've been busy this week."

Looking around for a sign of the boys, I see Grantham walking up.

"Hey guys. Whatcha doing?"

I tell him,

"Just riding my pail, man."
"With this race coming up, shouldn't you make a starting line?"
"You're standing up already, smart guy. Use your math and make a straight line."

Floyd says,

"I'm not so bad with straight lines. I did the zombie routine earlier today. You've got to put your hands up like this and drag your foot."

He stands to make the line, and Grantham immediately steals his seat.

"I expect that back when I'm done making a fool of myself."

As Floyd stutters his walk, I see Geor pulling up in his badly crafted sawed off wagon, being pulled by slightly distracted goats with small horns.

"First to the line! I assume you escaped your mother?"
"Yeah! I'm good."
"Yeah, you're slick. Pulling tricks on people and being unexpected. "

Grantham says "Bravo!" with a little clap for Geor, but Geor is watching Floyd and giggling.

"Go on and laugh, I'm doing this for your benefit! I could wipe you on the ground instead you know."

They heckle a little, but Raddin pulls up soon after. His cart is less rickety, but far from impressive. The animals are strapped together in a strange way. That can't be comfortable. On his arm he wears his lucky Argonian trinket of a warrior.

I ask him,

"Raddin! Where'd you get that Argonian thing?"
"Dad bought it for me at the market! I've never seen an Argonian, but they're so cool!"

Geor, who probably has just as many trinkets and his own short spear, tells Raddin,

"They're cool, but I wish Kynareth gave them souls."

Grantham says, "What now?"

"They say the magicians can't soultrap them like people. They're just smart animals, like Dryads."

Raddin is quick to add though,

"Well, they're not people, but they make good stuff. They must sit down there and make this stuff to sell everywhere."

I don't know why really, but none of us had anything to say. I've never seen an Argonian, I don't know if they're even real. There's probably an Imperial trading company making these trinkets and selling them at ports. Who the hell are we to decide who's a person or not? No reason to be bothered about it though, it's not like one's going to come through here someday.

Holy crap, Hindrin is rolling up with a fancier cart being pulled by; wait for it, baby cows. Mini oxen practically. They're a good bit larger than the other animals. I don't know if this is even fair. Other boys are standing around now who aren't racing, and they're all admiring the cows.

I elbow Grantham,

"Can we let him race those?"
"Have a little faith in the boys, they've all been training for this. They can take it."

You're never sure on things like this, but you need that leap of faith. Geor and Raddin didn't even look worried, they just welcomed Hindrin to the line.

We're in the area of one of the larger shrine parks, with a small building for the worship of Arkay in the center.

Standing up, I decided it was time to get them started.

"Alright, youths! This is an officially sanctioned race by the decree of the Imperial Commission for Youth Games, Races, Activities, and Blindness Prevention."

They put on a good face for the first part, but they couldn't figure out blindness prevention.

"In other words, don't touch yourself down there. You'll go blind. Take me for an example. Hands off!"

Floyd is trying to muffle the laughter, and I imagine he's coming up with a way to hide this from Virene because Raddin will surely ask her about what I mean someday.

"Make sure your respective vehicles are behind the line before we start. Keep this a clean match! We'll have no rabbit punches, spearing, eye gouging, or wet willies! Keep your wheels away from each other, and mind the traffic. There will be no hitting old people! Young people are left to your discretion."

I step into the middle of the street and gesture around the park.

"You are to make three laps around the park, with this as your start and finish line! I think we have everyone here who is coming. Are the contestants ready?"

They raised their fists and cheered.

"Is the crowd ready?"

The other boys cheered.

"And the old people?"

Grantham and Floyd gave cave troll yells. Wankers.

"On your mark. Get set! GO!"

They took off in a storm, with the crowd of boys chasing on foot.

As they tore down the street, I made my way to the shrine in the square. From the pedestal I could follow their actions without running all the way.

Geor pulled out in front before the first corner, and he slowed quite a bit to make the turn. Hindrin pulled his animals to a stop before hitting the back of Geor's chariot. Raddin drove to the outside and tore off down the road just ahead of Geor.

Despite getting jammed up, Hindrin kept gaining on them. His larger animals had a slower takeoff speed with their longer legs, but they really got moving. Raddin made his move around the third turn. He cut close to the corner and Geor was driven to the inside. Geor got his goats into sprint, staying in second after the first lap.

Floyd yells out, "Go Raddin! You're killing them, son!"

It's all well and good for him to cheer his son, but you can't count out my boy Geor. He's a fighter and a tough little guy. Misguided sometimes; he did try beating Hindrin last week with a stick. When he's got an intention though, he makes it happen.

Hindrin has his act together now. With a roaring "Ha!" like a mule driver, he makes his animals pick up speed.

Grantham whistles, "Hindrin's moving quick! Keep it up!"

Geor gains a little on every corner. Raddin isn't starting his turns from the outside, that's got to be slowing him down. Hindrin pulls up right behind them as they complete the second lap.

It's close as they round the first corner. Geor is on the outside, but neck and neck with Raddin now. Hindrin learned to take the corner from the outside. He lost the least speed going around.

Raddin is up against the inside curb during the stretch. Geor won't let him off, and their wheels are close to locking.

I yell out, "Drive it home Geor! Drive it in!"

Raddin needs space, so he pulls his sheep to the right. This bumps wheels with Geor, and sends his cart off a little to the right. That was just enough space for the now faster Hindrin to pull between them. They're flying past the buildings now.

There's one more turn before the final stretch, and all three are concentrating on the road in front of them. Here in the grass by the monument we're jumping up and down with anticipation.

The racers didn't see it, and I don't think the spectators saw it but me. Other than the normal traffic, there are a few darkened figures hiding in the shadows of an alleyway. Forcefully they shove deck post out lengthwise into the street.

It's all moving too fast to warn them. I run toward them as I see it didn't reach as far as Raddin, but it clipped the right wheel of Hindrin's chariot. His cart tipped left into Raddin's. Geor was a split second behind them. His animals jumped the beam, but his cart hit it solidly with both wheels. That launched him over the front onto the hard stone street.

Under that covered alleyway, I don't suppose anyone could identify them but me. It was the teenagers who hound me and the kids. This has gone too far.

Geor looks hurt worst. I rush to him while Floyd and Grantham tend to the others. The animals harnessed to broken carts now stand or lay bleating and crying. Geor isn't crying; he got the wind knocked out of him by flying through the air.

He's scraqed and bruised from sliding over the stones, while the other two landed more or less in the grass. Geor gasps out short breaths now, trying to fully breathe again. Blood slowly trickles from his knees through his ripped pants.

I tell him,

"It's us, Geor. It feels worse than it is. Keep breathing. Keep breathing."

I look over my shoulder, and the other boys are looking sore from their crashes. Floyd is having Raddin walk it off while he stays near to catch him just in case. Grantham is kneeling next to Hindrin, who is now sitting up.

The carts are wrecked around us. Wood shards are scattered in the street. The reigns are caught around the animals, and they didn't have the easiest time either. I look back toward Geor's cart now to see the bleating animal.

His goats have good reason to bleat, the tongue of his cart impaled the side of his smaller goat when it came out of the air at an angle. Blood is running down the street.

"Geor, I'm going to roll you over, buddy."

I gingerly take his arm and get him on his back so I can see how bad the scraqes are. He's dazed, and his face is worse for wear. Geor takes his arms against his stomach so he can sit up, but he rolls his head around while doing it. He must be hurting now.

Behind me I instruct, "Someone run for the doctor! We can't afford a healer."

When I bring Geor up to a sitting position to check his awareness, his eyes look around slowly. They soon look over at his cart.

With a cry, he tries to yell, "My goats!"

I don't know how to comfort him about it. His favorite pet is painfully dying in the street, and it isn't worth it to someone else to save it. The poor kid from the south side is alone in his pain, without someone to fix it.

There's got to be something to tell him. I can't replace it, his mother is going to find out.

He pulls at my shirt, saying,

"We can't afford the doctor either, my mom can help. We need her."
"You're right, I'll get you there."

I nod at the guys behind me, and take him down the road to his home. They'll get his cart cleaned up.

The guards won't help with small stuff like this. It was only a goat that was killed. The woeful look in Geor's eyes though, is heartbreaking. He was having a great day until it was all snatched from him. He'll bounce back, kids always do.

He lamented,

"What will I do, Pants? We don't even know who did it, and now my best goat is dead."
"Don't despair. I haven't told the other guys, but I saw who did it."
"You saw?"
"Yeah."
"You can see?"
"Yeah, it's new."

I'm a pro at keeping a lid on that, aren't I?

"I knew you ran too fast this morning. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Kynareth told me not to tell anyone."
"It was God that healed you?"
"It was, and you have to keep it quiet. You can know for sure that she exists though."

He smiles weakly before asking,

"So, you saw who did it?"
"It was the teenagers; they threw a deck post out in front of you."
"What do we do?"
"We get them. We get them good."

Damn right Pants gets them good! Poor goat

Pants will be leading the boys in getting revenge, but he's letting them each get their own. Pants will be leading more than kids soon, this will be a learning experience for him. All in good time though, he has a voice in his head.


I tried to get this part posted for Shades Day (April 15th) in honor of myself and those tax fiends, but the usual things happen. Here are four sketch-up images of the Pail Rider.

http://img8.imageshack.us/i/thepailrider.jpg/
http://img709.imageshack.us/i/thepailrider2.jpg/
http://img535.imageshack.us/i/thepailrider3.jpg/
http://img13.imageshack.us/i/thepailrider4.jpg/


Chapter 10: Heroes

His mother took good care of him. She was far more worried about her son’s safety than being mad at him, but she’ll get around to that soon enough.

I took my revenge on the Sacristan last week; I can surely show the boys a thing or two about taking on the teens. It makes me angrier still that they brought this trouble upon the people I’m watching out for, and I didn’t deliver an immediate response. I could have clobbered their little heads in. If they hit you, you have to hit back.

“Oh is that how it is?”

There’s no mistaking that voice, it’s the chick in my head.
“And yet you still looked around for me.”

Until a week ago, all the conversations seemed to be in my head. It’s the looking around that takes getting used to.

“Where are you headed?”
Back to the park to clean up the chariots and take the animals home.

“Can you walk and think at the same time?”
It’s not like I have to very often. Don’t make me do tricks!
“If a Vermai can do it, you certainly can.”

A what?
“That reminds me, Pants, baby. Not only have you been telling people what happened, but you’ve told them I was Kynareth?”

I haven’t told that many people. What now?
“That’s not fair to me. I put a lot of work into this look! The Gods just look that way because they will it. Not that I mind being mistaken for a Goddess, but I’ll have you know it takes effort.”

But there was lightning! And the story!
“Well lightning is just my thing, and the story? Yeah, the first paladin banged Kynareth, but she was starting a religion and he had a donkey dike. Huge. She had been doing it with Zenithar before that, and he’s no stud.

What the [censored] is this? You practically lied to me! Tricked me! Get the hell out of my head!

“Baby, I think the awesome lay was enough to let me in your head for awhile. For giving you your eyesight back, you definitely owe me. Don’t be ungrateful.”

Be straight with me. Tell me who you are.
“Don’t stop walking, head toward North South Street. I’m a Seductress. It’s how we work. Hit ‘em fast, bang ‘em hard. I can certify that you’re good. Better than most humans…

What is a Seductress?
“You don’t know? I suppose the temple wouldn’t be telling people about us, everyone would want to try one. Understandably so. Long story short, Pants; there are Gods, there are Demons. The rest of us are in between. We can be recruited to work with either side. I work for the Lady, and I have been sent here to help accomplish her goals. This divide in the temple must be stopped; the two sides must be united. That’s where you come in.”

That’s where I come in? I’m not in her temple. I don’t know her.
“That’s just it. This involves the whole town. Many people here don’t know her, and the ones that do are unsure about the Patriarch and the Paladin. They don’t know who to trust.”

There’s a Paladin here? Holy [censored]!
“He’s why you need to keep walking. You don’t want to miss him.”
He’s close?
“He’s arriving now, and riding down North South Street.”

All my life I’ve idolized the Paladins and wanted to be like one. They are fearless, and not only will never do wrong, they won’t stand for others doing wrong. They and their knights protect the temple and fight when her values are wronged.

The people who dedicate their lives to this are amazing to me. They draw the line in the sand and say “This shall not pass.” The rest of us just live average lives as we can, but they give all that up so they can really do something with their lives.

“That’s right.”
How close are the knights?
“Closer all the time. You’ll make it to see them. It’s practically a parade.”

Can I leave what I’m doing to see them?
“You can get back to the kids later. Let their hate burn a little.”
Floyd and Grantham?
“Have already cleaned up the accident and corralled the boys. They heard who was coming, and took the boys to see them.”

I want to see the knights, to be sure, but how does this involve you and me?
“There’s a pot cooking in Northpoint, and I want you to stir it.”
How?

“I’m going to send an army of rabbits to undermine your city. It will collapse!”

…Really?

“No, I’m going to send you to do it alone. Get a shovel.”

Stop [censored] with me.

“Oh, but you’re fun. Would you please keep walking, Pants? I’ll give you a little pleasure if you do.”

I feel a hand gently grab my inner thigh and slowly run it’s way upward till it seizes me.

Stop! Stop that! It’s hard to think or walk when you’re doing that! Now my pants are too tight, and I’ve got to waddle. It’s like I’m pointing where I’m going.

“You must be turning over a new leaf, refusing hamdjobs and all. You’d better not turn me down when I offer you a full evening of pleasure, you’ll never forgive yourself. I’ve been working hard on these abs, I look phenomenal.”

What do I call you?

“I let people choose what they want to call me. It lets me know more about them. I won’t tell you my real name, you haven’t told me yours.”

Well apparently I don’t know anything about you. You celestial sorts. Always sneaking up on blind studs and whatnot. I can’t call you my favorite name because there’s already a girl I know named Evangeline. You mentioned your abs before, can I call you Abbey?

“Perfect! And I’m working for the temple, so it’s also in a semi-religious sense. As far as using body parts of mine in the naming process, it happens more often than you’d think. Many guys pick the name Sweetcheeks, but one right away chose [censored]. After hearing him say ‘Hey [censored]!’ a hundred times, I let him fall down a well.”

I would have slept better at night not knowing that you let people die on the job.

“You certainly don’t have to worry about something now, you haven’t done anything for me yet. It’s not like I’m sending you into a fight, only to look around and tell people what you see.”

Really? If you keep me from dying, that doesn’t sound too bad.

“Take a look at that noble champion.”

I reached the edge of the building on the streetside of North South street. There’s a small commotion down the road a little ways, and people are peeking their heads out of their shops. Children are running down the street toward it, with their mothers calling them back to the porch. Around the corner I see a group of horseman dressed in white with shining armor reflecting the brilliance of the sun. At the head of the column was the most impressive knight I’d ever seen.

The Paladin.

Holy cow Shades! How did you get all this up and me not see it? I knew he would have to pay one day for that sight! I'm sorry I've missed commenting, the BGSF doesn't send emails on watched threads anymore - Really great write, you did such a good job on Pant's inner dialogue when the goat died. Oh, and your artist work on the Pail Rider - Awesome!!

Freaking brilliant Shades. That was a fantastic "in-head" conversation.