Adventure of Exiles

Felix made his way through Kurkenburg till he made it to the Whispering Oak Inn.

It was more crowded than usual. Of course, it’s because of the number of people from out of town. He weaved his way up to the bar.

“Oh, Felix. How are you, fledging?” Eileen asked as he sat down.

“Not too bad, Eileen. You had a good date night with the cranky old bird you call a husband?”

Eileen smiled, “that’s cute. After the festival we had a quiet evening in. Split a bottle of wine. Looked out into the night sky and sea like we did when we were young. It was nice. You want your usual?”

Felix shook his head, “now is not the time for beer.”

She started laughing, “I never think I would hear that from you ever. What are you here for then?”

“Did you see a lizard here with green scales and a violin? A bard from out of town.”

“Oh, Reotriz? Yeah, he’s seated out back.”

“Thanks, I owe you one.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal, hon. Now you get going. Take care of yourself.”

Felix left the inn and made his way through the inn and out into the backyard.

Reotriz as a bard had to been around a lot of people. Felix remembered Noah talking about a piece of the staff being at Wittenden at some point. It was worth a shot.

He spotted Reotriz who was seated with another man.

“Ah, Felix. Have a seat.”

Felix sat down at the table, “look. I’ll be frank with you. I’m not here to talk about the good old days with you or something. I’m looking into some information.”

Reotriz nodded, “fair enough. It’s the least I can do for you.”

“You said you been living in Wittenden for years now, right?”

“About a decade or so yes.”

“Have you heard about the Staff of Eternal Night?”

“Of course. Everyone in Lyris has heard the story. The great and terrible Witch Queen Natasha was the terror spreading chaos and discord. I have sung songs about it before.”

“Did you hear there was a piece of the staff in the city?”

Reotriz turned to look at the man besides him.

“I do know. More than you know. My husband, can speak about it.”

“Your husband?”

“Yes, this is my husband, Alvar.”

The man named Alvar, nodded, “nice to meet you, Felix.” He sighed and took a drink from his beer, “terrible tragedy that staff has been. My brother Erick was a scholar. He was sold the piece of the staff from a group of adventurers. While he was studying the staff piece he started to act erratically. He was gaunt and paranoid. Babbling on about a knight. Then one day he disappeared.”

“What do you mean disappear?”

“That’s the thing, we had no idea where he went. It was not till later when his daughter, Lena found him in an abandoned temple to Halja on the outskirts. She said he was mumbling to himself. Soon after taking him home...Lena got possessed by something. She ripped her own father into pieces. It took an intervention by the military to deal with her. Both dead and the mother is missing presumed too dead. The whole thing was so awful.”

Felix leaned forward, “and where is that staff piece now?”

“Who knows. It was never found. The house was sealed up and abandoned by orders of the Grand Military Council.”

“What’s the address?”

Alvar looked at Felix, “you aren’t thinking of investigating into this after all that I told you? This is not some story. This is real.”

Felix waved his hand, “I understand but it’s not the first dangerous situation I found myself in. I’m from the Order of the Raven.”

Alvar shook his head and sighed, “alright. I will tell you. If you do find by sister-in-law by chance...her name was Ingrid. Please. Please, let us know so we can bury her properly. Call it a commission, I’ll submit the paperwork to post to your guildhall back in the Wittenden since Reotriz and I will still be on the road for a bit.”

After writing down the given address Felix nodded, “I will. I promise if I find out something I will tell you everything. That’s all I needed, thank you.”

What a stroke of luck.

Felix stood up and offered Reotriz his hand, “When get a chance to see you again in the future at the Green Dragon Inn. I hope to see you perform again. You are excellent with the violin.”

Reotriz clasped Felix’s hand. “Thanks, Felix. Good luck with your search.”

Reotriz gave Felix a look and a warm smile, "don't worry Felix. My brother wasn't one to hold grudges. If he could forgive me for ruining his favorite blanket I'm certain he would easily forgive you. It's just you need to forgive yourself. Take care, Felix. Until we meet again."

Felix nodded and went off on his way.

There was a lot to think about with what was said. He should gather everyone together to talk about what to do next.

But that’s not how he does things. Taking on another cursed relic of a bygone era was dangerous. Already Noah was injured by the last one and this one in Wittenden, a family was killed. Felix didn’t want to involve the others if they didn’t have to.

The best course of action is to head to Wittenden and get the piece of the staff and deal with it before anything happens. Also, he still had some gemstones from his last job back at Svarostadt, it’s a good opportunity to fence off the goods. It was too dangerous to peddle them off back in the Svarostadt given the chaos after Duke Rudolf’s murder.

First thing, first. Felix returned home.

Michael was still working at the dining table. He looked up, “back already?”

“Yeah. Not for long. Sorry, I’ll be missing lunch. Going to Wittenden on some mercenary business. I’ll be back in a couple of days at most.”

Michael went back to writing, “fair enough. Leaving for Wittenden to sell us out to the Military Grand Council?”

“What? No! Why would I even do that now when I had all this time to do so? Also, what makes you think I would tell you I would be tattling on you to the military?”

“Your sense of honor.”

“Oh, fuck off.” Felix said as he went back into his room and grabbed the gemstones he hid within his stuff. He checked the pouch, the gemstones glimmered with a pleasing green and blue.

Felix left his room, “I’ll be back soon enough, Michael.”

Michael grunted, “it will be nice to not to have you around to messy up the house.”

“Jeezs, thanks.”

“I think it might be a good opportunity to rent out your room for some extra coin.”

“Please, don’t.”

“Or maybe have Emily do some redecorating of your room.”

“Don’t do that either.”

“I’ll give your request some thought.”

“Ugh. Anyways, bye. Tell the princess goodbye for me.” Felix replied as he made his way out of the house.

He had his sword strapped to his side, travel papers and his money pouch full.

He worked his way towards the edge of town to the farmstead of Evans.

Felix found him in out in field.

“Ah, Felix. How can I help you?”

“I need to rent out a horse.”

Evans looked back up from his work and wiped his brow. “Ah. No problem at all. You and Klaus did me a real solid delivering that alfalfa last week, I can give you a discount. Come along to the stable. Let’s pick one out.”

Felix followed Evans to the stable.

“Do you have a particular one in mind?”

“No, whatever you recommend.”

“Let’s see here.” Evans murmured as he looked over his horses.

“Here we are. This one is called Nero. He’s a good boy. Strong and loyal. A bit stubborn, but once he gets used to you, he will listen.”

“Sounds good to me. I should only need the horse for a short trip to Wittenden.”

“I would need to rent out a horse as well.” Felix heard from behind him.

Felix turned around to see Lisa standing behind him.

“Lisa? What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I should be asking the same thing to you. I saw you walking around town, and you didn’t even notice me! I was curious that you were so focused on that I had to follow you.”

This woman. She will be the death of me.

Felix groaned and scratched his head, “look. It’s nothing. I have some mercenary business.

“So...you wouldn’t have a problem with having me come along then?” Lisa asked, she was leaning closer to Felix.

Felix sighed, “Lisa, what I’m dealing with could be dangerous.”

“It’s fine. I’m tougher than I look.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Well, I’m coming with you whether you like it or not.”

Evans nodded, “well there is Bess. She’s gentle mare, easy to ride. You don’t have that much experience with horseback riding do you lass?”

Lisa went to pay but then patted herself down.

“What now?” Felix asked.

“I forgot my purse.”

Felix shook his head and paid for the both, “Here let me pay, stay close to me on this trip.”

They mounted and were on their way.

“It’s a day’s ride to Wittenden. If something dangerous does come up, leave. I mean it. Just leave and I’ll handle it.” Felix said.

“You don’t have to protect me, Felix.”

“Oh yes I do.”

“Whatever. What are you even doing at Wittenden anyways?”

“I need to speak to the branch of Order of the Raven in Wittenden about a conducting a sale. And then deal with another trivial matter.”

Lisa sighed, “really? A money thing? So trivial.”

“Are you literally downplaying the value of money while you struggled to pay to rent a horse?”

“Well, I just forgot my…you know what!”

“Money is how the world turns, Lisa.”

“Money doesn’t bring you happiness.”

“Oh, it does trust me. Name one thing people do to be happy.”

“Good food?”

“Need money to pay for that.”

“A nice cozy home?”

“Need money for buying a house too.”

“Friends!”

“You can buy friends.”

“Oh, that’s so not true!”

“Sure, it is. Buy enough stuff for others and you are bound to make friends somehow.”

“Oh yeah what’s our relationship worth then?”

“It’s priceless.”

Lisa laughed, “smooth.”

“I know.”

They rode along the road in the afternoon sun.