The Quiet

  The group stayed in that cold cellar for what felt like an eternity. Nobody attempted to move things along, however, and they let Osric drain his emotions for as long as he needed. In the end, the boy seemingly used up all his tears as his body became unsteady and weak. His condition, coupled with the powerful emotional toll that this outing had inflicted upon him, left the child practically dead on his feet. Before the boy could collapse, Daegal moved to provide a steady yet gentle hand in support, and Osric accepted it, leaning on Daegal with clear dependance.

  It was clear that Osric couldn’t take much more of this in his current state, so Daegal slowly picked him up, checking his reaction just in case there were any objections. Osric said or did nothing in protest, and the boy even pressed his face against Daegal’s chest once he was off the ground. It felt odd to be a source of comfort of all things to Daegal. The opposite had been true for most of his life.

  “Are you alright, Osric?” Daegal asked. The boy sniffled and shook his head. “Do you want to leave?” Osric did not respond to this question, but his body tensed a little. “Right, I’m sorry, that was a foolish question. Do you feel like you have reached your limit for today?”

  This time, after a little hesitance, he nodded, to which Daegal responded with a nod of his own before turning to the rest of the group. “I think we’re done for now.”

  Mathew dipped his head in acknowledgement as he moved to cover Osric’s mom with the shroud once more. Osric watched unflinchingly as it happened, never taking his eyes off his mother’s face until it was finally hidden beneath the white cloth. After her face was obscured, the boy closed his eyes and turned back to press his face against Daegal. To Daegal, it felt like the kid was trying to shut out the whole world, at least for now.

  The mood was dour and depressing as the group shuffled out of the cellar. They gave no mind to the irritated priests who found Daegal’s presence to be offensive. Their complaints, mumbled or otherwise, fell on deaf ears and only earned hardened stares that silenced most of them. The group left quickly, and Daegal did feel immensely better now that he was in the light and away from the oppressive feeling that came from the church.

  It felt like nobody had the energy to do anything but walk, and that was exactly what they did as they returned to the relative peace of the castle. Soldiers and nobles alike were all acting under the king’s orders right now, running here and there carrying messages or orders, but none of that concerned them. Everyone silently agreed that they needed time to decompress in their own ways, so they separated at different junctions to seek rest. Daegal helped Osric return to the apothecary room where the boy was able to change into something a little more comfortable. There were still questions that needed to be asked to the boy, but that could all wait until later.

  Things remained quiet for a while after that. About two hours of everyone keeping to themselves, resting in beds, processing everything. Daegal thought about his vow and how he was going to see it through. The easiest way was to go along with Reynard’s plan; drawing them out into the open. Chasing after Envy the way he did with Greed was impractical and dangerous. He barely survived that last encounter, and there was no telling if Envy had any more of those creatures with them. Just one could tackle him to the ground; a horde would be overwhelming. He needed help, and they would likely need his in return. He knew from experience how difficult it was to kill someone like him.

  The time to reflect had officially ended when a soft knock came from his door. There was only one person he knew who would knock like that, and his hunch was confirmed when she called out.

  “Daegal, can I come in?”

  “Sure.”

  Fiora opened the door and offered a weak smile in greeting. “Hello Daegal. I was thinking about seeing how Osric was doing. Would you like to come with me?”

  “I think that is a good idea. We need to make sure he’s doing alright, and then we need to know what will happen with the kid. I hope he still has someone alive who can take care of him.”

  “Me too.”

  The pair didn’t like thinking about worst case scenarios, so they simply walked to the apothecary while trying to avoid talking about the subject. Osric was awake at least, and while he didn’t exactly look happy, he wasn’t drowning in misery anymore. It was progress, at least as much as they could hope for given the circumstances. Mathew simply gave the two of them a nod of acknowledgment as he returned to his work.

  Fiora and Daegal approached Osric. Fiora sat on the bed next to the boy while Daegal stood nearby.

  “Hello Osric. How are you feeling?” Fiora spoke in a gentle voice.

  Osric did not meet her gaze as he stared into empty space. “I miss my mom.”

  Her shoulders drooped. “I know. I have very few memories of my mother, and they are vague at best. Even with so little that I can recall, I still wish that I had more time with her. We’re still alive, though, so we have to keep going, to keep their memory with us.”

  The young boy didn’t truly understand what she was saying, but he recognized that she was attempting to make him feel better. He was still sad, but it helped to know there were people who cared. Unfortunately, there were still important, but painful, questions that needed to be asked.

  “Osric, do you by any chance have a father, or maybe grandparents?”

  Osric thought for a second to recall what he had heard from his mother. “Mom said that dad was a hero, and that he fought to keep us safe. I’ve never met him. I don’t know anything about grandparents either. Why?”

  “We... we were just thinking about who was going to look after you once you get better.”

  “Oh...” Osric could understand what that meant for him. He was an orphan now, and that meant his life would be even more difficult now.

  “Don’t worry,” Fiora was quick to try and assure. “We’ll think of something to help you, right Daegal?”

  Her pulling Daegal into the conversation caught him off guard. Daegal looked between the two for a second before hastily nodding and grunting, though he had no idea how he was going to help with something like that. It was most likely Fiora’s attempt at assuaging the dark cloud that was hovering over Osric, but even so, Daegal would do whatever he could to assist.

  Osric surprised the rest of them when the kid decided to change the subject. “When can I walk again?”

  The room turned to Mathew, who barely looked up from what he was doing to reply. “Young man, right now your body is recovering from severe starvation. We will eventually begin training your body to regain its strength, but first you must return to a state where you can stomach a normal meal. Trying to force the matter will likely bring more complications and pain than any benefit. Patience is a virtue, adhere to it.”

  It wasn’t the answer the kid was hoping to hear, but it was the one that he needed to as he frowned and grumbled. Daegal could understand the need for something to do to distract from pain and sadness. Those moments of quiet felt the worst when you were alone with your thoughts.

  Despite the disappointment of not being able to actively contribute to his own recovery, Osric still seemed to be looking forward to the opportunity to walk under his own power again. They stayed with the boy for a little while, talking, providing him with a distraction for his grief. The two of them had to leave around midday, mostly because everyone needed a meal. Bidding Osric and Mathew farewell, they promised to come back to visit soon.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Out in the hallway, Daegal let out a long sigh. The day had been immensely exhausting, and it was only halfway through at this point. Fiora suddenly let out a huff and clapped her hands together dramatically.

  “You know what? I think we could use some time away from all the craziness happening around the castle. What do you think about going down into the city for some food and something fun?”

  “Fun?” Daegal didn’t know what fun she was talking about. He didn’t even know what he would consider to be fun.

  “Yeah! I saw some interesting things while we were walking around, and I think I heard something about traveling performers in the city as well. Maybe we could stop by and see a show?”

  “I... Do you think they would even let me be there?”

  “Daegal, you’ve been recognized by the king and given his protection. I’m sure they will let you watch the show.”

  He had to admit to himself that he did find some of what was going on in the city to be interesting. Weighing the risks and rewards of braving the public space again, he decided to go along with Fiora’s plan and see where it went. She seemed like she needed a moment away from all of this, so he would go with her.

  “Alright, that sounds like an interesting idea.”

  Fiora brightened up at the prospect of a day out. “Great! I’ll get ready and tell my dad where we’re going.”

  She started moving with a slight spring in her step again. It felt slightly forced on her part, but the sadness of today was still fresh and needed time to fade, for everyone. The two of them returned to their rooms where Fiora informed her father of their plan. Emil cautioned her to be alert while in the city and asked Daegal to be extra vigilant of his daughter. Promises were made with casual surety, the standard fare for dealing with a concerned parent.

  With all the formalities taken care of, Fiora and Daegal proceeded to the gate where they received a new duo of guards to walk them around the city. Fiora thought it was unnecessary and put a damper on the pleasant mood she was trying to cultivate. Daegal saw the need for it though, and extra safety was never misplaced in his mind.

  Fiora looked around the city as they walked, taking in the sights and sounds that tickled at her memories from when she was little. Seeing these streets, experiencing the feeling of the crowd and the energy that was in the air, it was a nostalgic sensation. Of course there were some differences, namely in her company and the way that people stared in their direction. She paid them at little mind as she could. She was here to enjoy herself and forget about the worries of the world for a while.

  The first step in the plan was to find something tasty to eat. Fiora and Emil did take some money with them in case they needed it, and while their needs were being taken care of by the king, there was nothing preventing her from spending some personal funds. She and Daegal stopped at a stand selling smoked and salted meats, startling and baffling the owner who stared wide eyed and barely was able to process the request for a purchase. Eventually they did get their food, though Daegal had thrice the amount Fiora received, and it still counted as barely a snack to him.

  Now that they had some food to satisfy any cravings, it was time to look into the traveling performers that Fiora mentioned earlier. It wasn’t too difficult to find them as they were nearly guaranteed to be around the main street, and when they saw the colorful banners and flags, they knew they were in the right place. Daegal remembered seeing this when they first entered the city, but getting a wider view was a much different experience.

  The performers and entertainers were busy with their customers, doing tricks that dazzled and confounded the audience. It didn’t slip anyone’s notice when they saw Daegal and a few of them became so distracted that their ability to remain composed suffered. There were dropped juggling balls, flaming torches, and even a heavy weight at one point. The performers were quick to recover after their slip ups, but Daegal did still feel bad for causing such disruptions.

  Even though his presence made others nervous, he noticed that there weren’t as many shocked or disturbed stares from the performers. The reason why became clear soon after. There were oddities amongst the performers; humans with deformities or scaring injuries that served as points of morbid fascination for the crowds as they took part in stories or tricks. Daegal may have been unique, but he was one oddity amongst many in this environment, leading to a fast adaptation from those who called such a troupe home.

  There were a few instances where people thought he was part of an act and crowded around him expecting a trick. It took a lot of floundering explanations to explain that he was not part of this performing troupe and that this wasn’t a princess and the dragon story. After those awkward interactions, Fiora and Daegal found a small stage that was just about to start a new performance. Finding seats near the back, a bubble formed around the pair as everyone else gave them a lot of space.

  It began with a few unseen instruments being played to build the anticipation. With the music rising to a crescendo, a man stepped out onto the stage dressed in a brightly colored suit that caught the eye. With a wide sweep of his arms, he addressed the crowd.

  “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!” The man’s greeting was paused only for a second as Daegal made eye contact. A raised brow was the only visible reaction seen before the performer returned to his introduction.

  “We have for you today a thrilling show of tricks and magic to fool the eye and tantalize the mind. I hope you are all ready for the highlight of your day!”

  The crowd gave some applause to the flamboyant man. Daegal had never heard of magic before, but it sounded interesting. He sat a little straighter as he looked forward to what came next.

  As the show progressed through the opening acts, Daegal was exposed to many wonderful and interesting displays. Sword swallowers, fire spitters, contortionists, and even the announcer himself who was apparently a magician that made thing appear and disappear seemingly out of thin air. Daegal was mesmerized, wondering how he was able to do such things. The whole performance culminated in one last trick, which the announcer took the stage alone to do.

  “Now, for the final act of the night, I would like to call up a volunteer from the crowd to assist me.” He looked around the crowd with consideration for a moment. Daegal could not know for certain, but he had a feeling that his presence inevitably drew the attention of the performer to his seating area. “How about you, young lady?” He made a gesture that could only have been toward Fiora.

  Both Fiora and Daegal were surprised at her being singled out by the man. People were looking at them now, which made Daegal feel very self-conscious. Fiora thought about it for a second, but then she smiled and stood up, much to Daegal’s concern.

  “Fiora?”

  “It’s alright, Daegal. It looks like it might be fun.”

  “I... Well, if you think so. I’ll be watching, just in case.”

  “It’s just a show, I don’t think they're going to do anything bad.”

  Yes, he realized that this was for entertainment, but even so, he was worried that this magic would hurt Fiora in some way. She walked up to the stage, garnering a mixture of reactions as people murmured about the girl who accompanied the monster. The comments hurt a little, but Daegal was used to such things at this point.

  As Fiora stepped onto the stage, the performer took her hand and positioned her near the center. “Now, any old magician can make a few objects disappear, but it takes a true talent to make a whole person vanish into the wind!”

  Daegal’s anxiety spiked as his claws dug into the wood of the seat, creating grooves. He watched as a few assistants came out with a large sheet and a few poles. They stuck the poles into the stage and the sheet quickly obscured Fiora from sight. The magician walked around, making sure that there was nothing wrong with the setup before returning his attention to the crowd.

  “And now, the fair maiden will vanish before our very eyes!” Daegal felt his body tense, listening, smelling, vision focused. With a few dramatic flourishes, the man gripped the covering, and with a sharp yank pulled it away to reveal that there was nothing there anymore. The crowd reacted with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs,’ but Daegal felt a slight panic building up within him. Applause rings out as the show comes to an end and the performers all give their final farewells to the viewers while encouraging them to spend their money on further attractions. The moment everything concludes and people start leaving, Daegal moves to confront them about Fiora.

  He moves behind the stage, following the magician. The other performers don’t dare get in his way, despite many of them looking confused at his presence. He finds the man in question and quickly grabs hold of his shoulder, surprising the magician.

  “Where is she!?”

  The magician gently tried to calm him down with placating hand gestures. “Easy my large, and very intimidating, friend. Your companion is perfectly fine. She should be back here with us, out of sight of crowds, to uphold the sensation of magic. We have not harmed her in any way.”

  He let the man go after he explained and went searching for Fiora. It was true, her scent was still strong in this area, but it was being muddled by all the people and strange substances that hung in the air. He looked around, but he could not locate her amongst the various performers who cautiously moved around him. The longer he searched, the more he began to worry as she was nowhere in sight.

  As minutes passed with no sign of her, he started to devolve into a near panicked state. “Fiora! Fiora where are you!” His head whipped around to the pair of guards that were following him with a near snarl on his face. “Find her!” They glanced at each other before deciding not to question the currently upset giant and split up trying to locate the missing lady.

  She was not answering; he could not see her and following her scent for as long as he could, he emerged from the back street onto a main road where any trace of her all but disappeared. He started shaking, his body revolting as he felt his chest tighten into constricting knots. Daegal couldn’t believe this was happening, and so abruptly at that.

  Fiora was gone.