Enigmatic Fantasies #17 - A Stranger Part 7

First Part
Second Part
Third Part
Fourth Part
Fifth Part 

Sixth Part

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A Stranger

Part 7: A Mind Divided

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            "I apologize Lord Magistrate, but the Stranger has died. It was a situation outside of my control, unfortunately," Galatine finished his report to the council. The high ranked judges whispered among themselves for a moment. Finally, Hrunting turned back to address Galatine.

            "Could someone so powerful truly fall to a simple accident?" Hrunting asked his friend.

            "I could hardly believe it myself," the blonde man replied, "but I saw her slip from this world with my own eyes. I would have preferred to retrieve the body, but there wasn't enough left of her." The council convened again. They began in a hushed whisper, but their discussion devolved into a heated argument. It grew to a point even a passerby outside the chamber could hear them loud and clear, let alone Galatine.

            "This is ridiculous," the councilman with the avian-themed helmet exclaimed. "Am I to believe the same woman who has escaped our grasp for years has simply dropped dead without any proof? There is no body, no possessions not even a scrap of clothing that verifies her demise."

            "You doubt his abilities?" Hrunting argued, "Galatine is not one for failure, nor would he have any reason to lie about this outcome."

            "I did not question his abilities," the councilman countered. "I questioned the ease of which the Stranger was killed. Besides, need I remind you of Galatine's first failure against the Stranger?"

            "Reign it in," a councilwoman with a dragon-themed helmet snapped. "We're not here to question Galatine's character. Instead, we must determine whether the Stranger deceived him or not."

            "If that's the case then it was an elaborate illusion," the councilwoman with the bear-themed helmet commented. "I've never heard of a mage crafting such a theatrical fake death." The council continued to squabble amongst itself, seemingly unaware of how loud they had become. Galatine watched on from afar as a knot formed in his stomach. As the council began to forget he was even in the room, the blonde man's thoughts turned back to the moments after his battle with the Stranger.

~--~

            The conflict was over, but the meadow was scarred with the result of their attacks. Galatine stomped out the last of the first caused by his magic. He had enough control over his magic to prevent a wildfire. But, it was still important to perform such menial tasks to prevent further damage. The judge turned back towards the Stranger, the foreign woman had just finished the application of her own bandages. She had escaped permanent injury, but she would still need time to heal as the entire left side of her body suffered burns. Galatine stumbled over and sat down across from her, as his own injuries along his legs began to act up.

            "So, Stranger," the judge began, "it appears we are at an impasse. I have lost the duel, so I'll honor my end of the bargain. I'll leave you be, and accept the consequences of my actions from my superiors. However, I don't think either of us will make it very far on our own."

            "I couldn't agree more," the Stranger nursed her left arm. "I doubt either of us could even reach the nearest town before dark. If we wish to make it through the night safe and sound we'll need to help each other. At least until we return to civilization."

            "You catch on quick," the blonde man chuckled.

            "I'm used to alliances of convenience," the redhead admitted.

            "Well, I don't think either of us will be going anywhere for another couple of hours," Galatine commented. "So, I'd like to request you to humor me for a bit. Let me ask you a few questions, sate my curiosity, in exchange I'll let you ask me anything."

            "Desperate for conversation?" The Stranger asked, "or are you legitimately curious?"

            "A little of both," the judge laughed.

            "Very well," the foreign woman nodded, "I'll humor you."

            "So first off, what is your name?" Galatine asked.

            "I'm sorry your honor, but my name will sound utter nonsense to you," the Stranger apologized. "I have yet to find an equivalent name in your language."

            "Can I at least hear it?" The judge proposed.

            "If you insist," the redhead relented. Just as she warned, the name sounded like gibberish even to Galatine's trained ear. The combination of syllables seemed ridiculous to the judge.

            "Am-brea-shia Sean-greta?" Galatine struggled to replicate the name.

            "Not exactly," the Stranger shook her head.

            "Such an odd name," the blonde man commented, "I have never heard such a name before, where do you come from?"

            "A small town far away," the redhead replied.

            "Does the town have a name?" Galatine inquired, "Is it part of a kingdom."

            "I've long since forgotten its name," the foreign woman admitted. "But, it's not part of any kingdom, not in the traditional sense at least."

            'Every answer raises so many more questions,' the judge sighed. "Very well, why did you leave home then?"

            "Because there was nothing left for me, no reason to stay," the Stranger answered.

            "No family, no friends, no lovers?" Galatine pushed the question.

            "Not anymore," the redhead stated.

            "My apologies," the judge bowed his head, "I didn't mean to touch a sensitive topic."

            "It is fine your honor," the Stranger assured him, "I've moved on, for the most part."

            "Very well, now what would you like to ask me?" Galatine offered. The foreign woman pondered for a moment before she turned back to him. She raised her finger and asked.

            "Why did you become a judge, your honor?"

~--~

            "Let me be the first to say congratulations, my friend," Hrunting placed his hand on Galatine's shoulder. "I can only wonder what Jonathon's expression will be when he returns to see you on the council." The judge magistrate let out a mighty laugh.

            "I'm sure it'll be memorable," Galatine smiled.

            "The ceremony is planned for the end of the week," Hrunting continued. "Until then, take some time for yourself, you've earned it."

            "Thank you," the blonde man nodded as the two went their separate ways. It had taken some time, but the council had finally accepted his report. As far as they were concerned the Stranger was dead now. 'Maybe it's for the best she's forgotten,' Galatine considered as he returned to his quarters.

            As he entered the judge wasted no time as he retrieved all of his information on the Stranger. His journals, his documents and the numerous reports on her activities were all gathered in a heap and stored in a chest. Galatine locked the chest, heaved it over his shoulder and carried it out of the room.

            The blonde man traversed the building and did not stop until he descended several levels. As he arrived at the basement floors his eyes glanced across a sign that read, "archives." He nodded to himself and pushed on forward.

            'Tis a somber feeling,' Galatine lamented, 'I never considered what it would be like to close this chapter of my life. I'd like to say I hoped this would never end, but the truth is I was afraid it wouldn't.' The judge turned down several twisted hallways, as though he navigated a maze. 'But now it is over, I can take my promotion and spend the rest of my days giving out orders instead of following them. Not exactly my dream come true, but close enough.' As the blonde man considered the current course of his life, memories of his time with the Stranger surfaced once again.

~--~

            "Why did you become a judge, your honor?" The question ringed in Galatine's head as lead the Stranger forward through a set of plains. He still felt dissatisfied with his own answer. "I never considered any alternative. It was my goal since before I can remember." The blonde man wished he had given a more poetic response, but he couldn't find the words. The more he thought of his feelings on the matter, the more he wished he didn't.

            "Is it much further?" The Stranger asked, "I doubt we can last much longer out in the wilderness."

            "Do not fret," the judge assured, "we'll be there within the hour." The foreign woman accepted his statement, but still breathed a sigh of exhaustion. The pair had traveled for days, all on Galatine's word he knew a place that would be safe to rest in nearby. The blonde man had failed to factor in their injuries into his travel estimate. What should have taken two days at most had stretched into nearly a week. They had long since run out of food, and their water supply would be gone within the day.

            Much to Galatine's relief, their destination appeared over the horizon, a small forest. The duo entered into the tree line and stopped at a trio of oaks. The judge felt around the rightmost tree for a few moments, before he gripped his hand along a hidden ridge. He directed the Stranger's attention up and revealed his safe place to hide. Among the trees were an entire village, neatly woven into upper levels of the forest. Most of the houses were in various states of disrepair, but the one directly above them was much better kept.

            "Impressive secret," the Stranger complimented the blonde man. "A whole village to yourself?"

            "It wasn't always so," the judge admitted, "My master and I were aided by the people of this village when I was but a boy. However, the years were hard on its people and they were unable to maintain a stable living. It was a nasty plague that finally forced the vast majority to simply bury their dead and leave. However, that was over a decade ago now.

            "I'm sorry to hear that," the foreign woman stated.

            "I've checked on the place every once in a while since then," the blonde man continued. "I hoped someone would return or take the village for themselves, but no one ever did. As such we can stay here for a while and nobody will bother us."

            "And when all of your comrades burst out of the tree line to arrest me tomorrow?" The Stranger proposed.

            "I assure you if that was the plan it would have been done days ago," Galatine chuckled. The duo climbed up the tree and entered the buildings above. The room was dusty and filled with cobwebs, but it was certainly better than nothing. The pair seated themselves on the old furniture and took in their surroundings.

            "It is quite spacious," the foreign woman noted, "a family of four could comfortably live up here." The Stranger gestured to the ceiling a couple feet above their heads. As well as the two adjacent rooms situated on a duo of nearby trees.

            "I've done my best to keep it that way," the judge explained. "I've also secreted away some preserves and dried food up here, we'll have enough food for the time being."

            "That's certainly a relief," the Stranger nodded. The two relaxed in the comfort of the tree-bound home. They remained there for some time and enjoyed the solitude. The pair who fought to near the bloody end chatted aimlessly within the empty village. Even as the sun dipped into the horizon.

~--~

            It was the day of days, the moment all judges strived for since their initiation. The ceremony, the transition from one judge among many to a member of the esteemed council. Galatine took a knee at the center of a stone circle, inscribed with runes from an ancient tongue. The council members surrounded him, each of them had their weapon drawn. One by one the council tapped their armaments along Galatine's body and formed a circle of steel.

            "Shall you Galatine, uphold law and order above all else?" Hrunting questioned the blonde man.

            "I shall," Galatine replied.

            "Shall you Galatine, protect the lands and its people. Both noble and common from all that threaten them?" Hrunting continued.

            "I must," Galatine affirmed.

            "Shall you Galatine, stand amongst this council and provide guidance and authority to those who require it?"

            "I will," Galatine confirmed.

            "Then, by the powers invested in me by the Judge's Council. I, Judge Magistrate Hrunting, declare you Galatine, a Judge Magistrate and member of the council." Hrunting announced, "I welcome you to our ranks, Lord Magistrate Galatine." The council let out a group chant in honor of Galatine's promotion. Then to complete the ceremony, Hrunting removed Galatine's old helmet. Upon his head was placed a new one. It was styled after a lion, the edges resembled a lion's mane, while the face was modeled after a lion in mid-roar. The blonde man rose to stand eye to eye with his new peers. The council pulled their weapons back and placed their hands along his shoulders.

            "I look forward to working with you Galatine." "You wear that helmet with pride." "I always knew this day would come." The different members of the council chimed in with their own comment. Some spoke at length, others kept it shorts and a few merely nodded. Galatine felt a strange sensation well up inside him. He couldn't find the words to describe it, nor could he tell if it was a jubilant or sorrowful feeling. However, it swept through his whole body, and the blonde man was forced to hold back a flow of tears.

            The council lead their new members out of the room and before long they found themselves outside. A vast celebration had awaited them. Judges, commoners, and nobles from far and around had come to see Galatine. It was a long day for the blonde man. He made many speeches, shook hands with numerous nobles and royals and was heralded by several crowds of commoners. He maneuvered through the days with ease, almost robotically. While he may have been present in the moment, his mind had continued to drift elsewhere.

~--~

            Galatine and the Stranger spent nearly a month in the abandoned village as they recovered. They managed to build up a decent living space in the meantime. Before long found themselves comfortable in their new surroundings. Whatever they did in those few weeks remained a secret known only to themselves.

            It was one of the final nights they stayed together that Galatine revealed he had a stash of fine wines. Such beverages would be frowned upon under the watchful eye of the council. But, out in the wilderness, they were free to do as they please. The duo broke into their stores of alcohol immediately.

            "I'm not much for alcohol," the Stranger admitted. "However, I'll make an exception for this fine beverage. Besides, it helps numb pain."

            "Do your wounds still hurt even after all this time?" Galatine inquired.

            "Only mildly," the foreign woman replied, "but they aren't the only source of pain. I think all the injuries I've taken until now have finally caught up with me. Both physically and mentally. I've fought for so long, I guess it was only a matter of time."

            "You're too young to have such worries," the judge assured her.

            "I get that a lot," the red-haired woman rubbed her forehead. "However, my battles began when I was so very young, and they never truly ended. So many years, so many battles, so many lives lost, so very tired..." The Stranger trailed off and muttered a few phrases in her own language.

            "Why do you continue to fight then?" The blond man inquired.

            "Because, there's no alternative," the foreign woman exclaimed. "I'm not blessed with such choices. Not anymore."

            "But you are blessed," Galatine countered. "You even bless everyone around you, just look at the villages you have passed through. They've all grown successful and wealthy."

            "I am merely lucky," the Stranger retorted, "as for the villages I do not know what you speak of. If they are blessed it is mere coincidence." The judge opened his mouth to reply but stopped as he processed the woman's words. He had assumed she had blessed all these people, himself included. All this time Galatine believed that was the reason for the prosperity.

            'Was it all mere happenstance?' Galatine pondered.

            "The thing about luck is," the Stanger continued, "usually for one to succeed, another must fail. If you flip a coin and call it, only one person can be right. The only alternative is both being wrong, and if you both call the same side there is no point to the contest." The redhead leaned back into her chair and looked to the sky. "If one group prospers than another must shoulder the misfortune. When the humble village repels the hungry bandits, the village lives and bandits go hungry, and vice versa."

            "Is that truly what you believe?" The judge asked.

            "It is my truth at least," the foreign woman declared, "it is how I've lived, how I've fought and how I've won and lost. My successes were borne from other's failures." The Stranger held up her finger, which had one her projectiles spin atop it. "To continue to be lucky, someone else's luck must run out."

            "I don't think I fully believe that," the blonde man shook his head. "That may be true of a contest or battle, but is it truly impossible to find success independent of another's failure?"

            "That is how it has worked for me so far," the Stranger revealed, "I can't speak for anyone else."

            "I believe you do not have to be a slave to such a notion," Galatine affirmed. "When we are healed come with me, I can show you how your talents can help the world at large."

            "I apologize I have no interest in such things," the redhead shot him down. "But, thank you for the assurance, I needed that." Galatine moved from his seat, placed his hand on the woman's shoulder and nodded. The two continued to drink into the first hours of the morning. The rest of the night was a blur to Galatine, but he didn't regret any actions he made. Only a few days later though, he bid farewell to the Stranger, who remained behind at the village. It was his gift to her.

            When they parted the Stranger asked him why he granted her such a thing. His response was simple, "now we are even, besides isn't this what you wanted all along? A place to call home without distraction or interference. Why else would you wander for so long."

            The woman's response was straightforward, "I can understand your last point, but not the first. I have done nothing for you."

            Galatine shook his head, "you've done more for me than you know." With that, he marched off into the horizon alongside his final words. "Do not worry dear Stranger, you may now live the rest of your days in peace, I will make sure of it." The two parted ways for the time being, but deep down they knew, this wouldn't be the last time they met.

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We're almost done, only 2 parts remain. There's so much I want to say, but most of it would spoil the end of the story. Instead, I'll give a hint. Read this part carefully, I made some pretty blatant hints at what will happen next.

Also, any the Stranger's philosophy here doesn't necessarily reflect my own. Rather, it's an explanation of how her powers work. Let's just say it was important I set that in stone now.

As for Galatine's conclusion on what the Stranger desires, I'm sorry if that felt a little forced. The original version of that exchange was much shorter, but it also brushed over the subject in a manner of fact way (which I didn't like). I realized this a little too late, and there was no more wiggle room to change things. In the end, it was Galatien's conclusion, and the Stranger understood how he reached it, but I invite you to make your own conclusions.

Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.
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