Scales and Swords ✓

5: First Option

When Philip asked me the next day at breakfast how I slept I wanted to say like a baby. But I didn't feel like warming up to him. I didn't quite trust him yet. And didn't plan to.

We had breakfast outside under the trees, next to a stream, sitting on padded chairs, at a sturdy table. The food was even better looking than the set up though, I was a slobbering dog. Though I was starving and poor, I had my dignity and so I refused to eat.

"Go on," Philip urged. "Aren't you going to have a bite?"

I folded my hands over my rumbling stomach and shook my head. "I'm good."

"Alright." He shrugged. "More for me then."

"So who put you up to this?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

He tore off a whole chicken leg and bit a large piece right off its bones. "Old man Jara, my old mentor."

"And you are a...?"

He took another bite. Chewed, swallowed, drank a whole goblet of wine then said, "a knight."

"A what?"

"A knight. And not just any knight, one of the king's guards, but don't tell anyone it's a secret." He winked at the end. 

"Haha, you're funny," I voiced dully. "Now tell me what you really are?"

"You tell me what you are?" He countered.

"Ok, ok fine whatever, you're a knight. And you're Mr. Jara's friend. What did you hear from him?"

"Your parents and siblings are stuck in that crystal and you want to ask the honorable lady Higgins to turn them back."

"Exactly, so if you can't help me there then you're useless to me."

"Hold up, I never said I couldn't. But firstly you need to tell me how the Kuebiko got involved with your family business." He pointed at me with the chicken bone than swung it about carelessly.

"The scarecrow?"

"Yes, the scarecrow."

"I don't know, alright. One minute we're singing by the campfire the next my parents and siblings are gone."

"Your parents, did they ever take part in the war?"

"Yeah I guess. Dad was a reserve. But that was a long time ago. He's a farmer."

He dropped the chicken bone as his eyes went wide. "Oh man, that explains a lot."

"I'm not following."

"The Kuebiko is an enemy mage. One of Edward's cronies. I don't know what sort of scuffle they got into but the mage was probably back for revenge. She's powerful, you know. Really powerful and smart. She's the one who cursed our land."

"So can you help me get Lady Higgins to turn them back?" I was filled with so much hope, but as always that was brief.

He laughed, disheartening me further. "Of course not, that woman is a monster. Does not take kindly to requests, much more speaking or breathing in her presence."

"But you know her, don't you?" I asked, struggling to hold on to my crumbling hope.

"'Course I do, I work with her. We work together to protect the king."

"Then how do you plan on helping me?" I groaned.

"We have three options: one, we check out a ginormous snail. And two, we go to another land to find another great and powerful mage." He held up two slender fingers as he spoke. Both options sounded unpleasant.