Unpleasantries in a Desert : Chapter eight

Still writing like a maniac?
Yep.
You admit you are crazy?
No! Just that I write fast.
Oh, I always thought you were crazy myself.


Chapter 8

Jarro ducked out the door, and skid to a stop, Edward stood a meter away, surveying the street scape. Jarro tried to breath quietly, across from him the doorman gave him a suspicious glare. Jarro smile maniacally at him, while watching the reflection in the glass doors, Edward started down the steps and turned right. Jarro tailed him down the street walking much like a man stepping on eggs, sliding behind walls, jumping into shops, and basically acting like a lunatic.

Edward walked slowly drinking in the surroundings, smiling contentedly. However, despite the lack of speed, his rambling steps all headed in the same direction. Jarro having got his initial enthusiasm out of his system followed him more carefully. That Edward was familiar with the city he was now certain.

Edward halted abruptly, and Jarro dove behind a handy dustbin, landing knees first into a puddle. Cursing under his breath, he peered around the the edge, Edward was staring back toward him, Jarro pulled him head back abruptly, and waited a few moments before looking again. A leg was just disappearing into the side alley. He scrabbled up, and tripped over the gutter. An old Grycite woman sniffed, and folded her leathery wing primly, two little girls giggled. Jarro nodded an apology toward the lady, and scuttled after into the alley after Edward.

Next thing he knew his face was slammed against a wall and one of arms being twisted in a most unpleasant manner. A low voice growled in his ear,”Make a noise or try to move and I will brake your wrist.”

He tried to moan quietly,”Ow, ok, I'm not going to. Just please stop dislocating my shoulder.”

The presser eased,”So it was you, I thought as much.” Jarro turned his head as much as he could.

“Yes, you often accost people in alleys?”

The mage freed him and gave a bitter laugh, “Of all the times you could have chosen to play at spying.”

He hated it when people refused to get angry, he could deal with shouting, but Edward wasn't acting angry, just...worried. “Um, what are you going to do?”

The mage smiled sourly,”Try and keep you alive despite your best efforts otherwise. I really can't trust you to go back on your own, and I certainly can't leave you here.” He shook his head, “Guess this means I'm bringing you along, first to make you blend in a little, take off that jacket of your and I'll do the rest.”

“B-but-” Jarro stuttered.

“Now!” Edward barked, Jarro bit back farther protests and did as he was told, shrugging off the coat and folding it over his arm. Edward was starting to glow.”Now shut your eyes.”

Darkness filled his vision, fingers dug into his arms and a tingling started around them, and swiftly spread like pins and needles all over his body. He shifted his feet, “Don't move, You will disrupt the spell. I'll try and explain what I am doing. I am here to gain some rather important information from the Minor here, and no, I am not about to tell you what. You will pose as a servant and if we are lucky we might get though this without any blood shed. Oh and try not to freak out when you see your body, it is only an illusion.”

Moments later he was released, Edward collapsed, back to the wall, panting. Jarro moved to see if he was ok, but his legs felt wobbly. He yelped and reached out his hands to catch himself, the skin was rather darker then it was a minute earlier. He stared, then held them both up to his face. As he tensed he felt something scrape the wall behind him, he craned his head around to find that he now had a pair of wings.

“You did you do to me?” To his shame it was almost a shriek.

“I only changed your appearance, in appearance at least you are now Grycite, I can undo it at any time.” Edward straightened his robes.

Jarro still was near panic,”B-but, why?”

“Did you not listen to a word I said? This way is the easiest way. Now stop whining, keep your mouth shut at all times, and follow me closely, I am already late.”

“But-”

The mage held up a finger, ”I'll tell you all the details later, for now come with me,”

Jarro held up his coat wordlessly.

“Just throw it in a corner,when we come back this way, we will get it then.” Edward push himself up and started to walk off, leaving Jarro to stumbling along after him.

They finally stopped outside a door two Grycites every muscle in their body said bodyguard. Jarro, still trembling slightly, watched a complicated set of hand movements between the two parties. At last satisfied, one the guards opened the door and said something in Grycition to Edward . One of the guards entered and the other moved to stand in the door.

Edward whispered, lips barely moving, “Sit near the wall no matter what they say avoid eye contact , and on no account speak. Sure you look like a servant but if you at any point open your mouth and say something best you can hope for is that they kill you quickly.” Jarro nodded his ascent. “In that case good luck.” after flashing him a reassuring smile, Edward followed the other guard into the house.

The third Minister shuffled over to a wall and let himself fall onto it, something, better let unnamed, squished as he sat on it. The only man left sniggered something at him as he scraped it off.

Jarro growled, the sniggering stopped, a shadow stepped between him and the sun, the man snarled out a few words. Jarro crouched, uncertain and lowered his eyes trying to remember what Edward had told him to do. The guard repented himself, Jarro glanced up, the bodyguard was drawing back a fist like a couple of bricks. Jarro threw himself sideways, ducking away. The guard merely smiled cracked his knuckles, a couple of people leaned over the edge of flat topped roof.

Jarro wondered vaguely whether paper work was better than getting shot at in an alley. He sighed, maybe if he made enough noise he could get Edward back out here, he would know how to fix this...

Edward was sitting cross-legged deep in conversation with the district Minor when the commotion outside filtered though to him, even then it was a few seconds before the significance of it dawned on him.

Excusing himself he dashed outside where he was in time to see Jarro get knocked unconscious by a wood club to the back of his head, as he fell the spell faded. Jarro, once again human, lay awkwardly, the crowed around him stood stunned for the moment.

Edward cussed venomously aloud, hurrying toward him, a few heads turned toward him. He had little if any medical knowledge but there more blood then he liked. from behind him the Minor Hepin clicked his tongue.

“Who is that man?”

“He...he is...” Edward was momentarily lost for an explanation.

“His appearance was your doing?.”

“Yes...I was, a little concerned so I, uhh, cast an illusion so he would blend in.”

“He isn't blending in now, so kindly stop dodging the question and tell me who he is.”

“He's the Third Minister from Brilsion.”

“Really? You do move in high circles, what's he doing here?”

“I-I-” I need to get Jarro out of here now, Edward decided, before anything worse happened. As a rule he disliked lying but he couldn't see any other way, “I recruited him.”

“Excellent, you are efficient, getting information as it happens, eh?.”

“Thank you, now would you mind if I left while he is still in one piece?”

“Certainly not, I hope to see you again, bid a fond hello to the Major when you see him in the capital.”

The mage nodded in accent, and hoisted the limp Jarro over his shoulder. The people around him parted, with many a hostile glare. Edward firmly ignored them all and started his way back to what he thought of as safe ground.

When Jarro woke the first thing he noticed was pain, throbbing though his head like someone opened his head and was sandpapering his brain. The next was the movement, for a brief moment the image of a ship flash though his mind, but this was quickly discarded. He was being carried awkwardly over someone's shoulder he decided.

The person was growling under his breath,”Sit still and be unobtrusive I told him, don't annoy anyone, and what does the idiot do? He starts a fight. Typical!” Through his pounding head Jarro identified the irritated voice as that of Edward. He cracked his eyes open and the sight of ground moving past giddily greeted them, his hands, he was glad to see, were once again there normal colour.

He moaned and shut his eyes again. The mage stopped, and slid him off his shoulders until Jarro was sitting, back was against the wall. Edward shook him, and pried a reluctant eye lid open. Someone must have turned the sun up, the light jabbing into his brain couldn't be the same as the one which shone earlier in the day. Content that he was concious Edward let him close it again.

“Are you alright? That was quite some bang to the side of your head, thankfully it seems to have stopped bleeding. Do you think you can walk at all? I don't think I can carry you any farther.”

Jarro ran his tongue around his mouth, trying to wet it enough to talk.

Edward continued, ”You were knocked out by the guards, not sure what you did but what ever it was kept you alive.” He chuckled and Jarro felt him sitting next to him.”You certainly gained a reputation from that.”

Jarro coughed and in a horse voice asked,”I'm human again?”

Edward shifted,”The spell failed soon as you were knocked out.”

“Ho-how did you explain that?”Silence answered him.”What did you do?”

At last the mage replied uneasy,“Um, well, it was a bit tricky but nothing you need to worry about.”

“What you say to them?”he pried his eye open again.

“Don't concern yourself with it.” Edward avoided eye contact.

“...If you say so.” The mage gave his a surprised glance, but Jarro felt in no condition to argue the point, he was too busy trying not to vomit everywhere, ”Lets just get back to the embassy.”

“You think you can walk?”

“No, but I don't want to stay here any longer then needed.” he finally worked out where they were, the orange jacket was defiant clue,”Can you pass me my coat please?”

The trip back seem ten times longer, Jarro's arm hung over the mage's shoulder, while the other supported his waist. Still nauseous and now dizzy too he was ready to drop long before they got back.

The doorman gave them an odd look, as he let them in.

“Where you taking me?”Jarro asked blearily.

“Your secretary, she can clean your head up.”

“Retin?” Oh no..he forget about her after seeing Edward sneaking out, “She will kill me!”

“Good, that means you won't do such a daft thing again.”Edward said unfeelingly.

“What did you do to him?”Retin appeared like a ghost stepping though a wall.

“Nothing it's all his own fault, which he will now spend spend some time trying to dissuade you of.” Edward told her.

She hauled Jarro off the mage and started to walk him toward the lift. The many protests from the minister were ignored completely. Edward nodded, satisfied, the young idiot was in good hands now, and was unlikely to escape them any time soon.

He walked toward the bar, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Just make contact with his friend in the Reformers, easy. But that stupid boy had made what should have been easy the exact opposite.

Edward entered the dinning area, and headed over to the bar. He glanced over the menu before ordering a lemonade. Technically he was over the drinking age but few bartenders saw it his way. It was by far easier just to accept it, and to stick to lemonade.

Lucuse was playing the piano over the other side of the room, Senic perched on a high stool, legs crossed, sipping something out of a glass.

Edward watched a woman prowled over and slide down beside the changer. She was young, her skin tanned from sun, long golden hair flowed down her back, a pale green dress set off her forest green eyes. Her fingers joining his increasing the complexity of the song. A sly smile challenged him to match her. He ascent with a grin.

Edwards looked back at his drink, sugar was hard to get here and drink was sour for lack of it, he had asked more out of habit then any real desire to drink it. It was an hour or so later that the clicking of shoes came to his ears, and Jarro came into his vision and spotting him dropped on to the other chair. He leaned back and closed him eyes for a moment. A bandage was tied around his head, hair sticking though and around it.

“I finally got away from the harpy, what are you drinking?”without waiting for an answer he picked up the glass, sniffed it, sipped it gingerly, and made a face, it was more then a little warm by this time.”Needs more sugar.”

“I know.” The mage said distantly, he watched with surprise the antics of Jarro, most people treated him with disdain, respect, or a with a touch of fear. But not, apparently, Jarro, he was sitting there, stealing his drink for goodness sake. He had been certain that as soon as the shock wore off he would finally listen to what his secretary kept telling him and say away.

Jarro still looked pale, and Edward doubted whether he would be able to get back to his room alone, though Miss. Berlia would be happy to drag him back when she found him.

Jarro took another mouth full,”It grows on you though,” he held up the glass before his eyes and swirled the liquid in it.”Like mould round a drain.” The whole man was a puzzle,”Mm, it was ok I guess.” His eyes moved from the glass and focussed on Edward, “Those people who you were seeing, they were part of the Reformers yes?”

Edward winced, “You guessed huh?”

“Hard not no really.”

“I guess.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“Just here helping, the King told me to use my connection to help in the negotiations.”

Well that was part of it, but by no means all, Jarro was certain of it. However right now the mage was tight lipped and his head was still throbbing. He tipped back his head and downed the last of the drink. “Could you get something more interesting next time?”

“Oh yes, I shall certainly take your views on drink into consideration next time I buy one.” Edward resorted to sarcasm, it work just how he expected.

“Thanks!”it was completely ignored.

Unpleasantries in a Desert : Chapter seven

Ha, you're getting a little faster.
Sure am!

Chapter 7

July, 24, 1949, Merka customs and immigration office, border town of the Ignatumlands

“If I ever see another boat I will scream.” Lunarious announced primly as they waited for their credentials to be inspected by immigration, she had spent the majority of the voyage below deck seasick.

“You'll have to if you want to get home.” Lucuse dropped his and Lady Kayle's bags and lounged on them. The Lady herself was over arguing with the customs man about their diplomatic immunity.

“Do not remind me.” Retin pulled her bonnet over her eyes and leaned back in the rickety chair she had found in some dusty corner.

“I found the trip was most restful.” Edward was clearly in the minority with this opinion. The stares the woman gave him would have burnt toast. The man in charge of the import and export of magical goods had given Edward rather a lot of trouble over a ring, it fit to no known standards for such object, and Edward had refused to state its purpose.

“Good day, I'm Arther Spode, the ambassador sent to down to welcome you. Hope the delay in landing didn't course any problems?” The speaker was middle aged, with glasses, smart white shirt and pants with a tie and striped knit vest. “And this is our interpretor Senic. I can only speak a enough of their language to get everyone confused.” Senic nodded in greeting, five foot, dark skinned, black horns peeking out of his fluffy chocolate hair, and the bat wings that were the hallmark of his race.

“You're Grycite aren't you?”Lucuse propped himself up look with interest at the newcomers.

“Oh my, whatever gave me away?” The interpretor retorted sarcastically, he didn't take well to people pointing out the blooming obvious.

Spode snapped at Senic, “I didn't bring you here to pick a fight, go help the madam over there with the inspector.”

The Grycite made his way through the crowded room, followed by Spode. Lady Kayle didn't seem to take the offer of help kindly. Much waving of arms later Kayle took a reluctant step back allowing the power of paperwork to triumph over shouting.

Jarro turned back to hear Lucuse asking, “Can they actually use those tiny wings to fly?”

Edward replied, “No, they use them as a frame, and magic power is channelled into them. Please don't ask how, it is, from a science and magical point of view, impossible, however that doesn't stop them from doing it.” Edward looked annoyed, Jarro suspected that he had been one of the people who had failed to discover it.

Spode returned, rubbing a damp hand threw his hair,”All sorted, come on we'll get you set up in the embassy for tonight, tomorrow we'll start on our way to the capital. The taxies are outside” he turned and waved at the other end of the building where Beladine was standing with the honour guard, she half marched, half strutted over,

“Where will we be staying?” She demanded roughly.

“You and your troupes will be staying in the military barracks on the other side of town, my assistant will take you there.” A skittish girl with a clipboard bobbed her head in ascent.

“If you'll follow me Miss,”

“I am Captain Roise, I am not, nor will ever be, 'miss',” ice formed on her words.

“Sorry, Captain Roise.” her eyes fixed themselves to the ground, and her voice trembled. Beladine thawed slightly, “Oh don't be so upset by it, I'm just a little cranky from having to deal with so many idiots today,” she shot a nasty glace at the customs men.”Come on now, what is your name?”

“Linda baker.”

“Well Miss. Baker let us travel to the oases of calm, e.g. the barracks of your.”

“Oh it's not mine, it's the governments.” This was stated with absolute sincerity.

Lucuse snorted, Captain Roise ignored him. “In that case take me to the Governments barracks.” Linda gave Lucuse a puzzled glace, and started outside, Beladine behind her.

A few minutes later Jarro, Retin, Lucuse, Senic and Edward sat slowly cooking in the taxi. Lucuse and Senic glaring daggers at each other, they quickly tired of this however, and started to trade insults instead. Retin sat as far from them as she could, staring out the window. Jarro turned to Edward, carefully ignoring his secretary, and the rowdy pair opposite him.

“How many active mages are there at the moment?”

Edward raised an eyebrow, “In the whole world?”

“Yes.”

The mage leaned back the let his breath hiss between his teeth, “I honestly have no idea, most university these day teach magic these days, and a number never get any sort of formal training. I'd guess.... over the whole world...hundred thousand? Maybe more.”

“Oh..”

“Why do you ask?”

Might as well ask anyway he decided, maybe Edward would have heard of her anyway, “Met a mage in Perll, she was rather... odd, I just wondered if you had ever heard of her before but guess it is pretty unlikely, called herself Therry.”

“Therry?” this was clearly unexpected.

Jarro's head shot up, surprise fleeting across his face,”You know you she is?”

“She is my grandniece, one of the few in my family who can do magic. Never had any self restraint, parents spoiled her rotten, she fell in with the wrong people. But I thought she was still back in Brilsion.”

“Well she is not.”

“Oh dear. I shall have to see what the child is up to.” The mage rubbed his eyes.

“Child? How old is she?”

“Seventy four I believe.”

“That is what you call a kid?”

“When you are over two centenary old almost everyone seems young.”

“Oi, get out of the car, I don't earn any money staying still.” The driver more or less pushed them out of the car. A stone staircase rose to the front doors of the embassy where a porter stood smoking, where they entered.

Lucuse beelined for the bar room, Senic on his heels. Retin announced she was going to relax on a bed that didn't move.

Jarro was toying with the idea of going to the library when Edward returned down the stairs, he made for the door but once outside paused, glancing up and down the road. Jarro wavered uncertain as to what to do, he really wanted to see where Edward was going, but people tend to get cross when they find out you followed them.

What the heck, he decided, he would do his very best not to get caught, that's all.

Unpleasantries in a Desert : Chapter six

Oh good another chapter.
Yep!

Chapter 6

June, 6, 1949, the harbor in Perll Yenall

Jarro gasped as he walked into the wind, it streamed around him as if fleeing some unseen foe. He shoved his gloved hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders. Lucuse beside him yelped and turned to go back into the warmth of the ship.

Jarro grabbed his shoulder and yelled above the wind,“Come on, it isn't far then we will be back inside and you can warm up again.” Seeing his quarry hesitating he continued,”Please! It will be boring on my own and Retin refuses to walk up there.”

The snake changer hissed something under his breath about no one sane going outside when it was this cold, but relented and followed Jarro, who was bouncing down the ramp to the shore.

The dock was deserted and the two men headed toward the heavily inclined road that lead along it. It was like walking halfway up a cliff, drop on one side, rock wall on other. Jarro stood on the edge, red eyes streaming, breathing deeply, peering out to sea. Lucuse trudged up beside him, leaned over the side, grunted, and resumed walking the partially sheltered road.

“I asssume the path up, and in particular the drop, iss what put your girlfriend off coming with you.”

“Yeah, Retin really hates heights.”He paused for a moment before adding, “And she is not my girlfriend!”

“Really? Heh, what ever you ssay.”

“Retin would only marry me over my dead body, she told me so herself.”

“Ohh, nasty, and you believed her?”

“Well yes, an attempted assassination make people eager to tell the truth.”

Lucuse paused, brow creasing,”How doess Retin trying to kill you make her willing to talk?”

“It was her that almost got killed not me,”Jarro stated this as if it was obvious. ”This was after she gave herself up, her employers were scared she would reveal who they were, and sent one of her associates after her. Shortly after that she admitted that she originally meant to kill me but changed her mind, and made that statement about love having nothing to do with her reason.”

“So why did sshe let you live then..”

“That is something I still do not know.” Forehead crinkled, Jarro stared straight ahead.”And it worries me a bit. I have done my best not to overly annoy her, and I know she can't leave my protection with risking her own life, but still...” He shrugged, “I just don't know how far I can trust her, that's all.”

Lucuse snorted,”You have a ssecretary who you do not trust, and one that, at leasst at one time, tried to murderer you? Ha, you are either very sstupid or very brave, and I do not favour the latter.”

The massive stone pillars supporting the overhang to the gates were coming slowly into view. All was glazed in ice, giving a blue tinge to the door which carved out shells reminded him of blood running into water. Swells and ripples caressed the rock and danced before the eye. Looking up as the pair walked under them the ceiling dived into sections, each showing some scene from the mythology of the local changers.

Jarro's eyes widened and he grinned, voice going from neutral to full speed in a second. Lucuse stayed quiet. It puzzled him how Jarro would go from unnervingly perceptive to playful within seconds and without any discernible reason.

“-I wonder how they carved the gates?” Jarro mused.

Lucuse, who's teeth could have been heard chattering twenty meters away, growled,”I don't know and right now I don't care, letss just get out of this wind.”He strode ahead of Jarro, disapearing throught the gates.

“Hmm, well they might have used magic to- hay! Wait for me!” Feet skidding on the icy ground, Jarro slid though the door after him, and straight into Lucuse as he stood waiting. Both went into a crashing heap - momentum and ice is a recipe for disaster. He finally stopped sliding after his head hit something hard. He stared blearily up into the face of one the guards. Somewhere near by Lucuse was swearing venomously, Jarro tried to grin up at the guard,”Having a nice day?”

A few minutes later they were sitting next to one of the open fires placed at intervels along the underground street, shops and homes lined the walls, with a number of elevators to the lower levels in between them. This level stretched for a hundred or so meters, and he heard from the guard that this was the smallest of them. Lucuse was almost sitting in the fire; after toasting his hands for a few minutes Jarro's attention wondered away from the warmth and with it his eyes, curious in he started toward a small shop who's window was filled with hundreds of little statues.

The Minister paced slowly up and down, a small glass cat pouncing on a bird, a aqua whale diving into the air, seals surfing on an iceberg.

“Are you just going to pace there all day or will you come in?” Jarro halted mid step, he looked about himself but no one was close enough to have spoken that clearly to him, “Just come in to the shop will you?” the voice echoed oddly, he opened the door carefully, the shop glowed from a million different surfaces, down the back of the shop a woman perched on a little stool. Her hands glowed, a block of ice sat on the table between them and she was running her fingers over it, streams of water coming away with them. She was somewhere between thirty and forty with white blond hair reaching the middle of her back, skin pale as death, fingers nail-less.

“Sit.” Her lips never moved but the words still rang in his head. Glancing about nervelessly Jarro lowed himself onto the other chair.

Eyes still darting, hands griping the sides of the stool, Jarro spoke,”Are all these made from ice?”

“Yes.” The words bypassed his ear, turning up in his brain all on their own. The glow around her hands hands dimmed a little as the water ran off into a dish.

“So why don't they melt? I mean here it is cold but when someone buys one... ” \

Her hand now normal, she let out a breath and opened her silver eyes. “This is not normal ice, it is an ancient technique that renders the water solid and unable to melt, at least by any conventional means. I heat it though magic thereby getting it to melt where I want it to.” Standing, she glided past him and moved a kettle onto a heating plate.

Jarro shifted to watch her,”What's your name?”

“Thereidona, but most call me Therry. I'm an ice artist, as should be abundantly obvious, nothing as grand as the entrance you would have seen out there, but the same basic technique.”

“You are a mage?”

“It would seem that way.”

“How did you, um,” He pointed at his ear uncertain.

“The talking into your mind? When a mage is channelling magic thoughts are easy to manipulate. I can see peoples thoughts, and send my own into their head.”

“You can hear what I think?” Jarro shot up, he may not have any secrets to hide, but still it was his head. “That's not very nice!”

Thereidona gave a amused smile,”Don't worry it's only the words you are thinking right now. It really is interesting though,” A dreamy look passed across her face, “People so rarely say what they think. It is so funny to catch some high and mighty duchess growling internally while keeping a sweet smile on her face the whole time. Everyone lies to some extent, motives may vary however, manners, fear, personal gain-”

Ok, she is creepy, Jarro watched the sickly woman prattle on, trying to sneak toward the door unseen, but grey eyes fixed upon him again.

“And you my dear boy are one of the worse cases I have ever seen. You adapt your reactions to suit your audience, rarely, if ever, does the real you say anything.”

“Huh?” What was the crazy woman blathering about now? He said what he though far too much, that was why he kept getting into trouble.

For a moment her eyes flashed with fire, “I am not crazy!” her closed her eye momentary, trying to regain her calm, “Be careful what you think, I can still hear you.”

Now he was a little scared, mind reading was not something he had any idea of how to deal with, how should he react to someone who could see his thoughts?

“Try sticking to the truth.” her smile was cold, and her eyes bright.

“Um, why am I here?” He voiced that thought at the front of his mind.

“You walked through the door, what you meant to ask was, why did you ask me ask me to come through the door.”

“Yes?”

“Simple, I was curious.”

“Right, you don't mind if I leave now?” his back was flat against the door, his hand pressed on the handle.

“No, no, I won't stop you.”

“This feels too easy.” Jarro bit his lip, uncertain.

A silver laugh came from the white woman, “If this was up to me it wouldn't be, however my goal here was, how did he put it...Oh yes, to merely make an 'impression' upon you”

“Who is he?”

“Tut tut, now that would be too easy, good bye, Third Minister Jarro.”

Moments later he was on the other side of the door, breathing hard, he clenched his fists tight trying to stop the shaking. He glanced behind him at the shop he had just been sitting in, the window which before had been proudly showing its wares was now cloaked by curtains. The door too was obscured by red velvet. A flash in one corner might have been a pair of grey eyes, or just his imagination.

Jarro turned on his heels and marched off, determined to put as much distance between himself and the shop as possible. He forced all fear away as he came up to Lucuse who was most reluctant to leave the flames.

“Come on! Let head down to the level below.”

The snake groaned, but followed him anyway, “It had better be warmer down there.” he warned.

“I'm sure it will be.” Jarro grinned cheerily, and lead the way. Just before he stepped into the lift he glanced back one last time, a cloud pasted over his face momentary before vanished from sight. He didn't much like that woman, but with luck he would never have to see her again.

From inside the shop someone started giggle.

002

...James bond with blue hair?
No! It's Lucuse, from my story dressed as James Bond.
Whatever.

Sleep and roses

What's up with the roses?
Um...meaning what?
Why aren't they on a bush or something?
They are a special breed.
You forgot didn't you.
Yeah.

Unpleasantries in a Desert : Chapter five

This is the elusive chapter five?
Yes!
...Which has taken you three months to write?
Yes.
And you will most likely rewrite?
Yes...
Okay.

Chapter 5

May, 25, 1949, the west Keldor ocean

Jarro leaned on the side railing of the steam ship H.M.S Penguin, once again board out of his mind. If this was a sample of what he would spend the journey feeling like he might as well have stayed in office doing paperwork, he thought gloomily.

Retin wasn't talking to him, every time he tried to speak to her she would glare at the wall above his head till he gave up. Lucuse was busy with various unnamed tasks. Lady Kayle never did directly punish him as far as Jarro could tell but the young Sekiller's duties kept him constantly busy. He hadn't seen the mage Edward again since coming aboard either. The ship was a week out from port, and not due in the cape town of Perll for a another two.

His main company was the captain of the guard. He was different then Jarro had imagined him. For a start he was a she, with long vivid orange hair and temper of a slighted barbarian. She also wore plate armour, tempered and adapted to stop even bullets, a gift from a great grandfather, and a sword along with the pistols on her belt. Captain Beladine Roise claimed the sword was magical and with the way it could go from sheath to his throat in a second made him disinclined to argue with her.

It was in Beladine's nature to be enthusiastic, and with her enthusiasm came noise. He could locate her three decks away just by the sound of her voice. Given only slight provocation she could go from normal to furious. But a few minutes later she would be chatting cheerily to the waiter, anger non-existent. Nevertheless the Captain was fascinating to talk to, as there was nothing she didn't have a view on, and so long as he avoided annoying her too much they got along fine.

Beladine was drilling her few troupes with vigour and after a suggestion he join them Jarro decided to find her when she was finished for the day. He had nothing against exercise in moderation or for a reason, but mindless, and pointless exercise was just not his thing.

He stood leaning, head resting on hands, glazed eye staring at the rich blue mass below him. A crisp new hat covered his eyes, random notes flickered about him as he hummed. A tune might have hid among the noise but it was unlikely. A Something heavy and wet landed on his head, knocking him over and drenching his clothes.

Jarro spluttered, and pushed his soggy hair out of his eyes, clinging to the now floppy hat in the other. What the heck had just hit him, freak wave maybe? Sitting next to him a girl observed him. She looked about nine years, with a wide grin plastered across her face, and a mess seaweed like hair.

A crew member yelled from somewhere on the ship,”Changers incoming! Lower the ropes!”

She motioned toward the sea, “Take a look, it really is neat from up here.”

Jarro, raised an eyebrow, and righted himself, pushing the limp hat onto his head, and glanced down into the water below. He gasped, the once empty sea now teemed with life. Fish in a rainbow of colours, dolphins grey sides gleaming, whales half the size of the ship, and porpoises riding the bow wave. He realised this must be one of the many changer clans who chose to live alone. The sea changers built entire cities under water, many lived their whole lives at sea never seeing land.

A killer whale, rose out of the water in a breach, water flooding off his dark back and white belly, then in mid-flight changed to a human, landing in a rolling dive and ending on his feet. He gave a bow to a round of clapping and laughter. A dolphin who had just pulled herself on to the deck yelled,”Show-off!” to more laughter.

The crew produced clothes from lockers on the deck, few of the ocean dwellers had any on. Even so none showed any embarrassment. Underwater, clothes were not really practicable, so few wore them. One amused sailor handed Jarro a towel, and the girl accepted a simple dress, and gave it a doubtful look before pulling it over her head.

“Hi! I'm Kefy, what's your name?” The girl did not wait for an answer but plunged straight on, “Sorry for getting you all wet but I was in a hurry to get up on this ship. This is the first time I was aloud to come to come. Mum says that I am too hyperactive, I am not sure what that means but it sounds like fun. I'm a parrot fish, what are you?”

Jarro waited a moment, amazed she had not passed out from lack of air, “Just a boring human I am afraid, I'm Jarro, pleased to meet you Miss Parrot fish.”

She giggle at the name, “A human? Really? I heard about them from my teacher! Is it true you can't breath under water?”

“Yep.”

“Huh.” Kefy blinked, “I thought my sister was being silly again, how do you get home if you can't hold your breath?”

“My house in on land, I do not need to hold my breath to get there.”

“You live on an island?”

“Um, no I live in a country called Brilsion.”

“I saw a map once, with all the cities on it, and there were all these brown bits with cities too, is that were you live? How can you live on land! What would there be to eat?”

Jarro felt like he was being slowly buried under questions, “Well, we eat what we grow and-”

Kefy shook her green head gravely, “You need water to grow plants, and on land there is no water.”

“Yes there is but just not as much.”

“You need lots of water for plants to grow, there is not enough. All the water is in sea.”

“The plants on land do not need as much water as yours.”

“But-”

“Kefy! Come here now! You are not aloud on the ship.” A plump woman called up from the water.

The parrot fish stuck her head though the railing, “But mum!”

“But me no buts! Now young missy!”

She pouted, turning back to Jarro, “I have to go now,” she wave at the water, “Maybe I'll see you again when you're going home?” she looked up though her fringe, big eyes sad.

Jarro grinned at her, “Not the puppy dog eyes!”

Kefy scrunched up her nose in puzzlement, “But I'm a fish, not a dog.”

Jarro paused, then rephrased it, “In that case, don't give me those cute fish eyes. I am sure I'll see you again.”

Her mother called out again, and Kefy let out a wistful sigh, glace at Jarro a wicket glint came into her eye, darting forward she grabbed his hat and dived over the side, sliding into the water like glass.

“Hay!”

Kefy surfaced, and pocked her tongue out, “Now you have to come back!” she giggled, sticking in among her curls, in fell forward blinding her. Jarro laughed with her, as she paddled off to show off her land clothes.

Well they would be coming back this way, and who knows, he might even get his hat back. On his own again Jarro surveyed the deck, Edward had come out of what ever corner he had been hiding in. Retin also was socialising, Jarro sidling over hoping catch a word or two, picking a nearby spot he sat cross legged on a chair, back toward them, focusing all his attention behind him.

“-But I thought we would still have months.” Retin muttered, Jarro pricked up his ears.

“That's just wistful thinking now, there is mage who has tamped with the minds of our agents, the Reformers know what we are doing.” A squeaky female voice replied.

“Any idea who the mage is?”

“None, but they almost certainly powerful.”

“Could it be him?”

“You mean Edward? I don't know, I mean maybe? I can't be sure yet.” Jarro almost fell forward, Edward again? He must have done something to have anyone suspecting him. He tilted his head trying to hear more clearly.

Someone grabbed his ear, hauling him around. “Has no one ever told you that it is rude to eavesdrop?” Retin asked, voice low and deadly.

“Oww!” Jarro whined, meeting her eyes, an irate mother tiger couldn't have looked more dangerous, he tried to look innocent.

“This time you live, but if you ever ever try something like this again...” Jarro's mind handed him a stack of options of what an angry assassin could do to him. He attempted a smile. “Good, now go annoy someone else.” Retin stomped off, leaving Jarro rubbing his throbbing ear.

Well, that could have gone better, Jarro thought.

Space, More Colorful then Advertised

...So why is the sky is ridiculously colorful?
It's a nebular.
Which one?
No idea, but it has lots of purple in it.