The not-immortal Blacksmith

Celestial Realm, The Great Library of Wisdom

36th of Anael, the first month of snow.

Maxwell sat in Wisdom’s office in the Library, sipping at a cup of tea that had gone cold. Across the desk, Wisdom was using an embroidered handkerchief to mop up the tea she had just spat out.

“Maxwell, dearest, would you be willing to share what you have found with my research staff?”

“Will I get proper credit and recognition for my contributions and effort?” Max asked, old college habits coming to the front.

Wisdom cocked an eyebrow, “…I didn’t think you had any aspirations towards such recognition.”

“Not usually, but it took just one college paper for me to understand the world of academics.”

“How about third name?” Wisdom asked. “You found the site and started the process, but you lack the…proper training to do much more.”

“I could argue for first, with the threat of destroying my research and the site.” Max smiled a toothy smile, “But this thing that was contained, I think, is killing people and needs to be stopped.”

“Second name?” Wisdom asked.

Max nodded, “Second is fine. As long as Shamus gets third name. He has helped a lot.”

A little taken aback, Wisdom raised both eyebrows, then nodded. “Done, and done.”

They shook on it, then headed out into the library proper.

-

City of Dragon, Snows Provence, Kingdom of Garthia

Through the use of several smaller ropes tied together by Grendel, a pair of liberated pry bars, and a “borrowed” plow horse, the children began to slowly move the capstone boulder the hundred or so yards back to the well. The going was slow, mere inches at a time. Except for one time that they were lucky enough to hit a short slope that propelled the rock almost three feet!

Then the adults showed up. At least a dozen of them just appeared from nowhere (at least as far as the kids were concerned). The adults wore a mix of scholarly robes and workmen’s clothing; the robed ones carried thin boards of wood with papers somehow attached and clutched writing tools, whereas the workmen carried delicate looking tools and implements. They fussed about the top of the well before dropping a new chain ladder, that looked like it had come off of a ship, down the well. Two went down the ladder and began yelling incomprehensible things up to the others. Things like “The anticipated effects in the Alluvium…”, “…Complete survey…Cultural Resources…”, and others.

Through it all, the children kept moving the rock. Until the adults noticed them.

“Children, get away from here! This is no place for you to be playing your silly games!” One of the robed adults said as he stalked over.

“You and what army gonna send us off?” The youngest child yelled back.

“Why you little!” The man said and raised his fist.

Grendel stepped forward and pulled a dagger from his belt and held it at the low ready position, “Maybe you should step back, old man, and think it through for a minute?”

The robed man blanched and took a step back, then he began to yell, “GUARDS! GUARDS!”

Less than a minute later several of the watch arrived and surrounded the children. For his part, Grendel had enough sense to return his dagger to his belt.

The apparent head of the group of watchmen, a Corporal Chance, spoke first, “What are you children up to?”

Before the children could speak, the robed man who had yelled for the watch spoke up, “I am lead researcher Kobitz, of the Library of Wisdom. These children are intruding on important research, and that little bugger,” he pointed to Grendel, “drew a knife on me!”

“I was asking the childre—” Corporal Chance began, and was cut off.

“I want the whole lot of them arrested! And I want that brat executed!” Kobitz screamed as he again gestured to Grendel.

Grendel’s face soured. “Listen here you jumped up crab procreator, I have just as much right to be here as you do. And to Defend myself and others from creepy old men like you.”

Corporal Chance, a look of disgust briefly crossing his face, raised his voice to “yelling at recruits” level, “Both of you! Sit down and shut up!”

Grendel and Kobitz both dropped to the ground before realizing they had done it. Looking around, Grendel realized that everyone but the other watchmen had as well. His left eye twitched for a moment, then stilled.

“Now what in the goddesses pretty pink bloomers is going on here.” Corporal Chance said, more than asked. “First, I get told that I needed to secure an old busted up well due to a scientific inquiry by the goddess of Wisdom. Then I hear the bloody Heretic is in on the action.” He paused for a moment to wipe his face. “Then I get close and hear a shout for guards.” He proceeded to glare at the researcher and the boy. “What. Is. Going. On. HERE?”

Grendel swallowed hard, but was beaten to speech by Kobitz. “I was chasing off the riffraff here,” he gestured at Grendel and the other children, “and that one pulled a knife on me. For no reason.”

Corporal Chance nodded, then looked to Grendel, “Is that right?”

“Up until the knife bit. He threatened to punch the little one when he asked “him and what army”.”

“Did you pull the knife after that?”

“My Da…guardian says I shouldn’t talk to cops.”

“You’ve been talking just fine so far.” Chance stated, voice turned flat.

“He said “self-incrimination is something to avoid”.”

“And who is your guardian, go give such instructions?” Kobitz interjected.

Grendel smiled, “Max, I mean, Maxwell Smithson. Married to Lady Brianna Smithson.”

Kobitz chuckled low and deep, “Well, you know your gossip. But everyone knows about them be—”

Just then a breeze played across the area, a breeze that left frost on the ground. “And just why is the boy in my care being questioned by the watch?” A feminine voice called out from near the well. “My husband will be most displeased if something untoward were to happen to him.”

Grendel jumped to his feet and tried to keep his voice from shaking, “Mo…Lady Bri! Don’t blame them,” he gestured to Chance and Kobitz, “There was just a bit of a misunderstanding.”

Lady Brianna Smithson stood to the side of the well, holding a very large picknick basket in each hand. “Then come over here and help your guardian with doling out the food. There is plenty for all.”

Kobitz, Grendel, and Corporal Chance looked at each other, gulped, and walked to Lady Bri to help hand out the food she had packed.