Welcome back!
There's a place in this chapter that feels like there should have been a fist bump...
For those of you reading The Runesmith Chronicles for the first time I recommend going back and starting at Chapter One. Mostly so you have a better understanding of how things like the magic system works and what's going on as I often reference earlier chapters.
I update my Bio with the latest Chapters and projects I'm working on each time I put up a new post.
As always votes and feedback are greatly appreciated!
Enjoy!
Blu
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Edited by: Old Fart
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The boys made short work of constructing Merantha's pyre. They even went so far as to have the harpies go and search the forest for wood that was pleasant and aromatic when burned. Perra thought it was a wonderful gesture considering only one of them, Tain, had ever met Kal's mother. That had only been for a couple of minutes on one of the rare occasions Merantha had been out in the main room and he'd had to ask Kal a question.
Perra had taken to calling them 'the boys' shortly after they came to work at the farm. The irony that she was actually the youngest of all of them was not lost on the hired hands or the harpies. Instead of being insulted, they wore the moniker proudly. Telling Kal at one point that there was a degree of status they'd never experienced before among the townsfolk for being one of Master Kal and Lady Perra's 'boys.'
Perra and Ikuno watched from the steps of the porch as off in the distance one of the harpies landed next to a young man with an axe hung through a loop on his belt. Standing on one leg she handed him a twig, after a quick inspection and a sniff at the end where she had broken it off, he nodded. The young man turned his back to her and held his arms out. The harpy then carefully hopped onto his shoulders and a moment later they were climbing into the air heading back the way she had come from.
"They make a good team," said Ikuno, thankful for something to take her mind off recent events.
"Uh-huh," Perra replied absently as she leaned against one of the large poles holding up the roof of the porch.
"Are you going to be okay, Perra?" Ikuno asked.
Perra gave her a weak smile, "I'll be fine. No offense intended towards Kal, but losing my own mother and father was much worse. It's strange how different it feels, when my mother and father died I was so hysterical that the apothecary had to give me something to calm me down. Now," Perra put a hand over her chest, "it's more of a dull ache, knowing I'll never see her again."
"You and Kal were probably lucky that you knew this was coming for some time, it wasn't sudden like with your parents."
Perra nodded, "That's true. Still, I can't help being worried about Kal. He was too young to remember his father and grandparents dying. In a way, this is his first time dealing with this kind of loss."
"Kal is far more resilient than I think you give him credit for. There may be some rough spots in the near future but I'm certain he will be fine in the end."
"I don't doubt you, however, I do wish that Master Jurien hadn't been so insistent on taking care of the legal part of all of this right now. I can feel Kal's anger bubbling just below the surface."
Ikuno glanced at the door behind her with a frown before nodding in agreement.
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Kal was sitting in the main room thinking the exact same thing as Perra while Jurien explained what was going to happen next. "The next time the council convenes you will be written in as the new owner of this property and a new writ of ownership will be drawn up to reflect your entire holdings. After that, it's just a matter of updating the maps. All that new paperwork will need your mark to make things official once it's been drafted.
"Though I hated to see Mera go, It was a good call to have me and Nina here. I know that there were a couple of your mother's suitors from years ago who had eyes on this property once they heard she fell ill. Now, if they raise a challenge to you taking possession it's not just your word against theirs but mine and Nina's as well."
"It was Perra's idea," Kal mumbled, staring down at his hands.
"You're a lucky one with that girl, she's got a good head on her shoul..."
"You said, someone might challenge my claim to this property?"
"Aye, not that they would have much to say with me and the wife being here to support you."
"I understand that part, but how could they expect to have any kind of claim?"
Jurien sighed, "I wish your mother had told you about this instead of leaving it up to me. Women aren't supposed to be landowners, Kal. When your mother sold her parents' farm she used most of that money to pay off some of the council members to have her installed officially as your steward. This allowed her to be a landowner until either she passed away or you asserted your claim to the land once you came of age. I'm surprised she never brought it up."
Kal's hands clenched, "Oh, she did, many times in fact. I was just too stupid to understand what she was saying and hated the idea of the farm not being hers. As usual, I was being a child about things and not listening. After a while she stopped bugging me about it, that was shortly before she started getting sick."
Jurien looked at the boy with concern, Kal had yet to look up from his hands. Clearing his throat, he continued, "The reason there might be challengers is that what she did wasn't exactly "legal" and a few people found out about it. Stewardship is supposed to be reserved for nobles and the such, not commoners like us. Also, stewards of male heirs are supposed to be men themselves. People could say that the property was never truly hers to pass on to you because she never should have been allowed to keep it without marrying again."
Kal watched as his knuckles turned white. "Fine, let them come," he said through gritted teeth, "if they want to dirty my mother's name after all she did for me then let anyone who challenges my right to this property know that, in turn, I challenge them to an old-fashioned duel." His voice dropped into a snarl, "Just to keep things interesting I won't use any magic either. They can't claim my land if they're dead."
Jurien leaned forward and covered Kal's hands with his own, "That's enough, Kal, you won't be killing anyone." It took everything in his power not to flinch away from the glowing blue eyes that looked up at him. The apothecary could see the anger in the boy's face and immediately regretted mentioning the possibility someone might try to interfere with his inheritance. The simple fact was that, regardless of his and Nina's word, the chances of someone speaking up against the young mage were slim to none. Even ignoring the excellent reputation Kal had built in town, most people were quite aware that pissing off a wizard was rarely conducive to a long and peaceful life.
"I know that look," said Jurien, "I wore it when my own father passed away. Angry at the world and willing to punch your way through a tree if it got in your way."
Kal slowly nodded, that was a fairly accurate description of how he felt right now.
Jurien leaned back in his chair, "Back then, I ran. Saddled up one of the horses and damn near rode it to death. Screamed my head off and bawled like a newborn babe till I couldn't scream or cry anymore."
Kal glared at him, "Is that what you suggest I do? Run away?"
"No," said the apothecary, shaking his head, "You'll need to be back by sundown to say your final goodbyes. I am suggesting that you burn off some of that anger you're keeping bottled up before you hurt someone you care about more than you already have."
Kal's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean I've been right here since mother passed."
"Think about your women. If what Lady Perra said is true about this 'bonding' thing, they can't be enjoying your mood." Master Jurien knew it was mildly unfair to use the women against the boy, however, from the look on Kal's face, it worked.
Kal closed his eyes for a moment, looking closely through the bond at each of the girls. They all told the same story, they wanted to console him and be supportive during this difficult time but kept quiet in fear of turning his anger towards them. Cursing himself for being blind to the feelings of the people he claimed to love he stood up and willed his cloak from the peg where it hung by the door to his hand.
Without even glancing back at Master Jurien he walked out the door, stopping next to Ikuno and Perra who were still sitting on the steps.
"Kal?" Perra quietly asked when he didn't say anything for a minute.
Hearing her voice, he looked over at Perra, then Ikuno, then off toward the northeast, roughly in the direction of Aradelle, Bea, Gerda, and Bas. "Forgive me, but I need to be alone. Truly alone. I'm sorry." Perra looked on with dismay as his thoughts faded from her mind. Ikuno, however, doubled over, a look of pain etched on her face.
"There I go again," said Kal bitterly, "hurting the ones I love." He put two fingers under her chin lifted her head up till she was looking into his eyes.
