Adventure of Exiles

“This is the worst.” Felix complained as he nailed another board together.

“What? An honest day’s work?” Michael said as he sanded down some more boards.

“No. Free labor! How dreadful.”

Michael smacked Felix on the head, “It’s about time we give back to the community. Volunteering to build stalls for the Sea Bounty Day is good, honest work.”

“Is this a northerner thing I wouldn’t understand? Giving back to the community? What if I just don’t want to?”

“Oh, come now. Don’t you feel a tie to the place you live? What about your hometown?”

“Breslow? No. That place was a shithole. What are you even making anyway?”

“A new bench for the park, plenty of people will come by including older folks. Should have somewhere comfortable to sit.”

“You do realize you can just go into the pub or an inn. They have places to sit.”

“You can’t take an old lady into a tavern, Felix.”

“I see plenty of old people drinking their lives away at a pub.”

“That’s not the same.”

Michael then picked up another bundle of boards like the ox that he is.

“Don’t you have any sense of community? This is where you live. You should care about the people here. Especially when the future queen is helping build stalls and benches. You don’t see her complaining.”

Michael gestured to where Emily was painting some of the sanded off boards.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m more annoyed that you dragged her along with this.”

Michael gave a small smile. “She wanted to help, she’s a sweet girl. Unlike you.”

“Jeezs, thanks.”

Felix kept hammering in more nails and then looked over to Michael, “hey yesterday. Emily was able to heal my eyes. Have you taught her healing magic?”

Michael stopped working and looked around, “did she? I have not taught her anything. Chris might have taught her some of the basics. However, do you know about the Strass bloodline?”

“No. But, you northerners love talking about the past and the ancient kings and queens.”

“The Strass dynasty is a northern bloodline. King Jorah Strass united the northern petty kingdoms into his own and liberated the south what was formerly the Queendom of Neveria from the Vexillum Empire founding the Kingdom of Lyris. Jorah and his descendants were so successful because House Strass was blessed by the Goddess Herta herself. With this blessing the royal family has a natural affinity for healing magic. Emily healed you so easily because she is a Strass, and it comes as naturally as breathing. There are even legends of members of House Strass saving those from near death.”

“Huh, interesting.”

Michael clenched his fist,

“Yet, this bloodline has been ousted of its proper place by the traitorous King Augustus Jalios. Emily’s father, King Ogier and her brothers were killed by that miserable traitor. I pray the day she can avenge her family’s honor is close.”

Felix rubbed his head in frustration, “This complex dynastic dispute don’t make much sense to me. We mercenaries go wherever the money is. Turns out the loyalists paid the Order of the Raven better back during the civil war.”

“Tsk. What of honor? Duty?”

“Look as long as I’m getting paid, she will have my blade for her cause.”

Michael gave him a steady look, “you might like to act like it’s so simple that it’s all just a matter of the clinking of coins. Yet you are still here I believe that there is more to you than you like to claim.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Just think about it. I’m counting on you. Don’t let me down. Don’t let down Emily.”

“I got it, I got it.”

Felix walked over to check on one of the stalls. It was solidly built. Michael cut the wood himself and Felix helped with the hammering and assembling.

“It looks pretty good.” Lisa commented from behind.

“Good? It’s a masterpiece.” Felix replied. He wasn’t even surprised she was here. Like a cockroach.

“Whatever you say Felix.” She said.

“So, what are you even doing here?” Felix dared to ask as he turned around to look at her.

Lisa gave him a smug smile and drop a big bag, “I been hard at work today and now I’m here to set up my stall for the festival. I have so much great stuff from potions, trinkets, teas and more.”

Felix raised his eyebrow, “ah right. From all the junk we collected yesterday. You successfully turned in into even more junk.”

Emily waved and ran over to Lisa when she heard Lisa’s voice. She gave her a hug.

Emily then turned to look at Felix, “don’t be mean to Lisa.”

“Yeah, be nice to me.” Lisa chimed.

Felix put up his hands in surrender, “fine I get the message. Show me what you made at least.”

“Okay!”

Lisa pulled out some glass containers with green liquid. “I have some really fun stuff. For example, this is a potion to increase vitality, stamina, and mental focus. A blend of herbs, tea, and a bit of alchemy. I call it Vital Zest.”

She handed one to Felix and Emily, “go on try it.”

Felix held on to suspiciously. He opened it and gave it a sniff.

He recoiled, “what the hell? It smells awful.”

“Trust me it works!”

Emily also opened her vial and gave it a hesitant smell. She then closed it and went over to Michael. Tugging on his sleeve for a moment she then handed it to him.

Michael uncorked the vial and gave it a deep smell.

“Hngh. That’s not the best.” Michael said as he passed it back.

“Could you try it for me, please?” Emily asked.

Michael sighed and then ruffed Emily’s hair, “anything for you.”

He then proceeded to chug the whole vial.

“There.” Michael said as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Woah, you going to be, okay? Stay away from the light, Michael.” Felix commented.

“Yes, yes. I’m fine. I think. I don’t feel any different.”

“Just give it a few minutes, it takes a while to kick in.” Lisa commented.

“Hmm.” Michael said as he went back to work.

Lisa then looked at Felix expectedly.

“I feel like our relationship has been all take, no give.”

“What? I’m literally giving you this energy potion.”

“Yeah, the first one is always free. I’m from the streets I know how it is.”

“Come on just take a sip. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“What’s the worst? I could get poisoned and die, that’s the worst that could happen.”

“You aren’t going to get poisoned. Give it here.”

She grabbed the vial from his hand and put it to her lips and drank some.

“See? I’m fine. Now, you.”

Lisa smiled as she offered the vial again, “drink.”

“Ugh, fine, fine, fine!” Felix took a deep breath and then downed it in one go.

It tasted absolutely terrible. Tasted like grass mixed into a bitter tea.

Felix gagged a bit but managed to keep it down.

“See? I knew you could do it.” Lisa said as she gave Felix a pat on the shoulder.

“Well, you were right. It didn’t kill me...yet.”

“Oh, come on. What’s a little herbal remedy. I’m sure it will make you feel amazing.”

“Sure. If I keel over in a few hours, I left my will in the drawer in the study. Most of it is going to an orphanage back in Svarostadt.”

“Oh. You didn’t strike me as the charitable type.”

“Hey, I can be charitable. It just so happens the children get my scraps after I ate my fill.”

“Felix...”

“What? It’s all about money in the end. Everyone has value. It just so happens to mean a monetary value. Being part of the Order of the Raven, my life has never been cheaper with the peaceful years after the civil war.”

Lisa gave him a playful slap, “you can’t joke about that.”

“Sure. What else do you have?”

Lisa pulled from her bag a metal thingy? Felix wasn’t sure what it was as he held on to it to examine. With a copper body gears and stretched-fabric wings.

“It’s a thopter! Well not the real thing but it’s a toy model. These things used to be popular back in the day. When the Dwarven Dual Monarchy of Yamdorlim-Nalgraeck created these in collaboration with the Republic of Anzio.”

“I vaguely remember seeing one of these as a kid. I could never afford one. So how does it work?”

Lisa clasps her hands on his.

Her hands were soft and delicate.

Then her hands glowed in a pale light for a brief moment.

“Just give it a bit of mana. Like a tiny charge. Then let go.”

Felix concentrated and sent a small stream of magic into the toy as well.

He let it go. The little thopter lifted off his hands and started to fly.

“Woah. I can’t believe you actually made one of these.” Felix said as he watched it fly.

“I can’t either. I’m not very good at enchantments. But Noah helped me out and I did my research. These were fun to make.” She replied.

Felix marveled at the toy. To fly through the open sky. Such beautiful freedom.

Lisa then jabbed her elbow into his side. He looked over to see her with a mischievous smile on her face.

“You are smiling, Felix. It’s rare to see a genuine smile from you. How cute! You look just like a boy.”

Felix chuckled, “ok fine. I’ll admit. I like it. How much is it?”

Lisa motioned her hand and the thopter flew back to her hand and the wings stopped. She handed it to Felix, “it’s free. Seeing you smile like that is all the payment I needed. But I expect more smiles from you in the future.”

“I’m not a smiley person. But I’ll see what I can do.”

Felix then noticed his heart rate was rising, his soreness from work was fading, and he was feeling a bit more energetic.

“Hey, Lisa. Is this potion working? Because I’m feeling a little different. Not bad just different.”

“Yeah, it should be working.”

“So, I guess it wasn’t poison.”

“I told you. I’ll have you know that my skills are second to none.”

“Yeah, yeah. Still has an awful aftertaste.”

“Oh yeah?” She said as she popped something into Felix’s mouth.

“What is it this time?” As he felt it with his tongue.

Tasted like apple.

“That’s a fruit candy, an old recipe of mine. When I was still learning about alchemy. Taste it and tell me if it’s good.”

Felix chewed a few times.

“Yeah, it’s good. Tastes like an apple.”

“There you go. Wasn’t that hard. It’s pretty popular with the children.”

Felix put the toy into his coat pocket.

“Alright. I better finish up too. If I don’t get back to work that slave driver known as Michael wouldn’t let it go.” Felix said while stretching. Man, his limbs felt looser and more relaxed.

“I got to get this stuff ready too.”

As he turned to get back at it, he felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Forgetting something? Hmm...I do need to buy some onions?”

“No, silly! Remember you and I are going on a date during the festival.”

"Right. I did promise something like that. I think, probably.”

“You didn’t forget? Did you? Don’t make promises if you can’t keep them.”

“I remember. I remember. I just had a lot on my mind. What did you want to do?”

“Let’s go to the main plaza and just look at the shops and games. We can get some crab. I’ll be there when I close down my stall.”

“Alright then.”

“You better remember!”

Felix gave her a wave as he went back to work.

Lisa returned the wave as she gathered her supplies and carried her things.

Michael gave Felix a side eye as Felix started to saw some boards.

“What you want?” Felix asked.

“So, you’re going on a date?” Michael asked.

“What of it?”

“I thought you were a lone wolf. A mercenary. Never settled down. Always babbling on about freedom or something.”

“What can I say? She is persistent. And the festival is coming up.”

“Just be careful, you can’t always run from your feelings.”

“What would you know?”

“I been married, and I have sons, Felix.”

Felix continued sawing boards and hammering in nails, “first time I’m hearing about this.”

“Mhmm. Because it wasn’t related to our duties. But yes, I have sons, Daniel, Kaleb, and Casper. Both back up in Gdanskig with the others, in service of the Restorationists cause. My wife she passed away a few years back.”

“Oh, sorry about your wife.”

“It’s fine. I’ll always cherish the time we had together.” Michael then took a deep breath and looked out to the sea. “She would have loved it here. It’s not the cold and snowy winters like where we came from. It’s a nice town. People here are friendly. The sea is so beautiful.”

He turned to look back at Felix, “I’m speaking to you as your senior and as a friend. There is more to life than just following orders. Enjoy what life gives you.”

“I got it.”

Michael frowned and gave Felix a stern glare, “I don’t think you got it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so flippant about it. How much experience you had with women?”

“I mean a good chunk of my life fighting so there wasn’t much time for romance. I have errm enjoyed the company of some ladies of the night if you catch my drift.”

“So, no.”

“Hey! That’s still counts. It’s a nice time for both parties and they can move on.”

“It’s not real love.”

“Pfft.”

Michael rubbed his temples, “I see, so you have no idea what you’re doing.”

“I know, right?” Emily said as she came up from behind and bonked Felix on the head, “you know nothing about a maiden’s heart. You didn’t even notice when you had an indirect kiss!”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know when Lisa drank from the vial and put her lips on it and handed the vial back for to you to drink?”

Felix paused to think and review over what happened in his mind.

“Oh, you right.” As he finally remembered what Emily was talking about.

“You are the worst.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Felix shot back.

Emily folded her arms, “I just did, didn’t I?”

“I don’t know how to react to this. This shit is complicated.”

Emily sighed, “oh come on. Aren’t you at all interested in romance? What about when you were my age?”

“When I was your age? I only had one thing on my mind.”

“Which was? Girls?”

“Murder.”

Emily groaned and facepalmed, “of course you did. This is such a mess. You have a date and don’t even know what you are doing.”

“It will be fine. I’ll figure it out as I go.”

Emily rolled her eyes, “just don’t do anything stupid.”

“You don’t need to worry.”

Shaking her head, she got back to work.

Felix chuckled and went back to work too.

Emily and Michael...they felt like family.

Remember why you don’t get attached to anyone, Felix? They all leave you in the end.

The voices of his dying comrades from the Order of the Raven screaming in his ears.

He clenched his fist.

This was dangerous, getting attached to people again.

“Felix? You alright?” Michael asked.

“I’m fine. I’m fine. Let’s get back to work.” He said with a smirk.

Now isn’t the time for such thoughts.

A few hours later, Felix finished setting up the last stall and went back to the house.

He needed a bath and get some sleep.