But for a Slime

* * *

“Right! Let’s split. I’m sure you want to practice your bow.”

Both nodded although Zilnek seemed to hide something but Joe didn’t really notice and the two began heading back to the inn. Both boys remained remarkably silent throughout the trip and didn’t break it until they returned to the inn’s courtyard where Joe prepared to train them. When they arrived, both boys seemed confused and stared at Joe.

“What?”

Garnedell stifled a frown, “You must leave, yes? We can practice alone. I can teach Zilnek some things.”

“Leave? No, I don’t.”

Garnedell blinked in surprise, “You said we must split?”

Joe returned Garnedell’s frown with a healthy helping of confusion, “Split? I did… ooh! Ha ha ha! No! That is a saying amongst my people meaning ‘let’s leave.’ I was not saying we needed to separate.”

Zilnek’s smile bloomed while Garnedell chuckled in humor and Joe realized miscommunication had struck once again, “I’m sorry, Zilnek. I didn’t mean to disappoint you. I was going to help you practice with the bow and arrow. Let’s get to it!”

This time, Zilnek nodded eagerly, “Yes, Joe!”

Joe nodded back and began making a poor but soft target to strike with arrows, although he wasn’t too concerned as he wasn’t going to let either boy fire any of his good arrows that he’d gotten from the aliens. He still had a couple hundred of the arrows commissioned for the monster tide, and he felt it was more than enough to practice with.

“So. This will be our target. I’m making it like this because arrows will break if they strike hard surfaces. Gotta be careful with that, OK?”

Zilnek nodded attentively, “Yes, Joe.”

“Good. Now. We aren’t going to use my good arrows. We’ll use the ones from the monster tide, as they’re easily replaced. But, that also means they’re not very good. When you’ve practiced and we have a better target, I’ll let you start practicing with the good arrows, OK?”

Both guys smiled and Garnedell replied with happiness, “Thank you, Joe!”

“No problem, so. Let’s check for some good arrows. Need to make sure they’re straight.”

For the next several hours. Joe trained the two guys in the use of bow and arrows. He focused more on the basics with Zilnek and continued where he’d left off with Garnedell. He taught how to check both the arrows and bow, as well as the consequences of poorer or badly made arrows, bows, and strings. Then, they began shooting, and while Zilnek did his best, he needed regular rests every ten minutes or so to recuperate with Garnedell lasting only another shot or two longer. During the breaks, they all chatted and soon found themselves discussing the bow and every possible topic even remotely related to it while they rested. The afternoon flew by, the two guys excitedly enjoying the time while Joe felt quite happy to connect with Garnedell and finally with Zilnek.

When the evening came, Joe showed Zilnek how to properly unstring the bow and store it, although he did grimace when he realized he’d forgotten to bring an appropriate sheath for the unstrung bow. After promising to get it tomorrow, the two headed back in and up the stairs to put their things away before they all headed out to the bathing hall. They did not see the girls until they returned to the inn where they found them seated and waiting to eat with them, although it was obvious they’d already bathed.

“Hey! Good to see you! Long time no see!”

Gwenvair smiled at that, nodding, “You as well.”

Kilniara was freer and leapt up to wrap him in her arms, “I had such a fun day!”

“Glad you enjoyed yourselves. Ready for supper?”

All four nodded or shouted out enthusiastically and they all sat down at the table and Joe noticed that Gwenvair appeared relaxed but quite excited, so he turned to her.

“Everything worked out?”

Gwenvair’s eyes immediately flashed brighter, “I think, yes! We have worked everything out!”

Joe smiled, “Good! I’m glad. Anything to share?”

Gwenvair glanced over at the two boys while her cheeks flushed a bit red and Joe noticed that even the boys blushed a bit red and Joe drew back with some shock. Oooh… ok. Put my foot in it there… some kind of woman thing? Uh… yeah… must be… talk with mom and girlfriend… yup, I’m an idiot.

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me. Didn’t mean to bother you.”

Gwenvair flushed, “No. I … I do want to tell you, but… not… here.”

Joe found her request surprising but accepted it and nodded cautiously, “OK. Then… tonight?”

Gwenvair smiled at that, her teeth flashing white, “Yes, please!”

Joe nodded with a smile of his own, “Well, good. We can do that in privacy later, then.”

Kilniara turned to Gwenvair excitedly while grabbing her hand and Joe felt himself relax. If Kilniara knew and was excited about it, it wasn’t quite as personal as he feared since she was willing to share with him and Kilniara. However, it still made him a bit nervous as what the conversation would actually entail. In any case, he turned the topic to Zilnek, asking after his afternoon. The conversation turned to light small talk and soon they were enjoying their supper. The other four were talking animatedly with one another and Joe would offer his own comments a few times or answer any questions given him, but otherwise simply enjoyed the time while quietly listening in. It was a thoroughly pleasant evening.

Half way through their meal, Garnedell’s excited exclamation of his new bow stormed the table and soon had the conversation vibrantly exploring just about everything there is to know about bows. This included several others also excitedly asking for a bow, although Gwenvair, surprisingly, did not ask and Joe didn’t push the issue, although he was fairly certain that a bow would actually be an excellent weapon in conjunction with her wind magic skills.

When that topic died out a bit towards the end of their meal, Gwenvair turned to Kilniara and bumped her. The two shared a moment of meaning that Joe still couldn’t understand, but somehow was Gwenvair asking some kind of question, getting a positive answer from Kilniara, then another question followed by a firmer affirmation. Joe chuckled. How… I just… how?!

In any case, having seen the interaction, he knew something was coming and turned to Kilniara and Gwenvair to await them. Garnedell and Zilnek didn’t notice, the two still excitedly talking about Garnedell’s new bow. Joe noticed the two girls staring at him and he quirked an eyebrow.

“Yes?”

Gwenvair shared another look with Kilniara before continuing, much more serious, “My clan guards… they captured the breeder.”

“The breede… oh! The one that kidnapped Kilniara?”

Gwenvair nodded, “We believe so. We still must speak with him, but he returned to the home and was captured.”

“Good. Your clan will… punish him appropriately?”

Gwenvaire sat back, eyes wide with surprise, “You… will not punish him?”

Joe froze, thoughts whirling as he tried to figure out what was happening. He stared between Gwenvair and Kilniara carefully as his eyes narrowed but couldn’t figure out what… obviously… she expects me to mete some form of punishment… but… that’s… Joe grimaced.

“I do not know what is appropriate. Amongst my people, we have made a group of people who are to seek out criminals, another to seek out their guilt, still another to judge if that guilt is true and give a punishment fit for the crime, and finally those who will carry out the punishment for the crime committed. It is inappropriate… and not permitted, for any else to find or punish criminals.”

“Then… I… that seems quite complicated. How would you…,” Gwenvair abruptly shifted her tone from curious to shocked, “Then what about revenge?!”

Joe’s eyebrows twitched upwards a bit at that, “Revenge is not allowed amongst my people.”

It was Gwenvair’s turn to be shocked, eye’s widening, “That is not… appropriate!”

Joe huffed with his own shock, “What? That… why?”

Gwenvair sat stunned, unable to reply for a few moments, “What… why? That… because… he has wronged you!”

Joe sighed and nodded, “Yes. He has wronged me, but to return that wrong with another wrong, this is right?”

Gwenvair was taken aback, flustered, “That… how is… it’s not a wrong! Revenge is right!”

Joe smiled sadly, rubbing a hand through his hair, “First off, describe what actions have been taken in revenge.”

Gwenvair stared at Joe, confused.

Joe continued, “Has someone killed another for revenge?”

Gwenvair nodded, but made no reply.

So Joe asked more questions, rapidly going through a series, “Maimed? Burned? Destroyed homes? Vandalized? Killed? Raped? Pillaged? Killed families?”

Gwenvair nodded quickly to almost all of them, although she did pause for a couple to reconsider before nodding.

With each affirmation, Joe felt himself grow colder with fear and worry, but he maintained his thought on the conversation, “Where in this list do you find something right and good?”

That gave Gwenvair pause and she froze before breathing deeply, her anger doused with realization but she continued on, “The actions cannot be taken in isolation. If these are given as revenge in reaction, then it is right.”

“So if someone harmed me or mine, I can harm him in return.”

Gwenvair rapidly nodded, “Yes. Of course.”

“And if, after harming this person, their son sees what I have done and seeks me out to seek revenge upon me, this is right?”

Gwenvair paused at that but Joe didn’t give her time.

“Then my son sees this boy harming me, and seeks revenge upon him. Soon, generation after generation of sons die killing one another because they are only seeking revenge, and this is right.”

Gwenvair truly grew thoughtful at that and stared at him, searching his face. Joe saw her careful consideration and he nodded.

“You can see the problem, yes? I’m sure there are even ‘family feuds’ between clans where certain clans hate each other and members of these clans seek each other out for revenge because they remember their father being harmed by the enemy clan.”

Gwenvair breathed deeply, eye’s widening. So… generational conflict confirmed… seems like.

“And now, you have condemned your own sons and daughters to die meaninglessly for all time. Even if you wanted to argue that revenge is right, you will have condemned your family to endless war with another family as each generation seeks revenge for their fathers and grandfathers. And each generation, they likely grow ever crueler with one another. Now, you have taught your children… your entire lineage cruelty; to experience it and give it. The ultimate end will likely be the utter destruction of one family or the other. And you must utterly destroy the family. You cannot leave a single child free, even a baby for the baby may escape and grow to learn of what you and your family have done, burn with revenge, and grow to seek it out against you and your family. Welcome to a life without peace; a life spent in fear for your own life for all existence.”

Gwenvair’s eyes had grown ever larger as Joe spoke and soon she was breathing a bit heavily. Joe nodded when the realization came over her and he ended his monologue with a heavy sense of finality.