Mark of the Fool
Chapter 686: A Mixed Taste

“Well, we won,” Theresa smiled, taking Alex by the hand.

“I guess…so,” he said, squeezing her hand in his. “I guess we actually won.”

The huntress and wizard stood together, looking through a window in the ruling council’s dining hall.

The twelve wizards had already departed, after finishing their extended lunch, they’d returned to their duties.

They’d left the Roth family and Professor Jules behind.

“Unfortunately, we’re short on time, but feel free to stay and enjoy some dessert,” the elven Councillor Eleniel had said. “It might not be quite as fine as the fair you serve, Mr. Roth, but our chef is offering a gelato sweet cream with freshly baked tiramisu today. I think you’ll all enjoy it. I’ll be sending you a messenger construct in the next few weeks; you ought to have tea at my vacation home, north of the Rhinean Empire. This time of year, the snows have already come, and the landscape is as fresh and lovely as you'll find anywhere.”

And so the council had left Alex with the run of their dining hall…and both a growing sense of relief and a deep bitterness brewing in his chest.

“You know, Kartika told me they’d made their decision days ago. That they’d pretty much only held this meeting as a formality…and I guess so that I’d kinda be in their debt?”

“I could believe that,” Theresa said. “I’ve never had so many invitations to so many fancy places in my life.”

“I know,” Alex said. “And I just keep thinking about…what if I was still just Alex from Alric?”

“You were never ‘just’ Alex to me,” Theresa said.

“I know,” he smiled at her. “But to most people, that’s who I was.”

“So, what’re you saying?” she asked.

“Well, you saw that guy that got dragged away before our meeting started, right?” He frowned. “The guard captain was saying how uncompromising the ruling council is. I think if I’d still been ‘just Alex’, right now I’d be in some jail cell somewhere being prepared to be sent back to Thameland on the first ship heading there. Unless they sprang for someone to teleport me there, I guess.”

He looked over the crashing sea. “I know this doesn’t sound…like it makes any sense, but the fact that the only reason I wasn’t sent home was because they thought I was more valuable than our entire country…just doesn’t feel great. Like that’s a big compliment, but am I really worth so much? Is our realm worth so little?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Theresa said quietly. “It doesn’t sound real great, does it?”

“No, but this is what I wanted, isn’t it?” he looked at her, his eyes haunted. “I mean, I’ve spent so much time and effort trying to make myself as important as possible in Generasi; to make myself so important, that they couldn’t get rid of me very easily. And I accomplished what I’d set out to do. I’m important enough that they’re giving us all citizenship—if we want it—”

“I definitely want it,” Theresa said quickly. “Even if I want to travel the world…having this as my home? Bringing my family—our family—here? That’d be such a dream.”

“Yeah, I agree,” he said. “I want that too. I mean, our lives are so much better than they were back home, but if I wasn’t so useful to them, they wouldn’t give two shits about any of us. They wouldn’t care that you and I have a life here, they wouldn’t care that I am working hard with my professors, they wouldn’t care that you’re a beautiful, awesome hunter who’s going to be my wife—”

“One of the councillors actually offered us their villa as a wedding venue,” Theresa said, looking shocked.

“Really?” Alex sputtered. “Holy hells, they’re trying hard, but that’s just it! They wouldn’t care about any of us if I wasn’t ‘Alex Roth’—businessman, golem crafter, wizard, researcher.”

“Don’t forget Hero,” Theresa threw in. “A lot of those councillors were telling me and Claygon that we were Heroes to Generasi. They even talked about us speaking to some of their soldiers…”

“Wow.” He shook his head. “That’s something. But yeah, that’s it, that’s the only reason why they’re trying so hard for us. It’s the reason they’ll defy our king…but at the same time, if Thameland was worth more to them, then I’d be on the first ship back home.”

“Yeah…” Theresa agreed. “And you’re sore about that?”

“I shouldn’t be,” Alex admitted. “But something about that doesn’t feel real good.”

“It’s the nature of things, Mr. Roth,” Professor Jules’ voice came from behind them, her mouth sounded full.

The alchemist and Claygon were leaving the dessert table. Naturally, Claygon had nothing in his hand, but Jules seemed to be eating enough for both of them; she’d piled enough gelato and tiramisu on a plate to feed a family of four.

And she was shovelling the dessert down with a vengeance. “We’ve talked about this before, Mr. Roth. Keep in mind that it’s the nature of the world: often those who have no means, but great need, receive no help. But those who have means, talent, resources or power—whether they have need or not—are the ones who have an abundance of aid rained down on them like…well, rain.”

“Does…it…really…work that way?” Claygon asked.

“It does,” Professor Jules replied. “I’ve told Mr. Roth in the past that even I am guilty of such behaviour. In the end, I have only limited time and resources to go around. Who should I spend my time helping? Someone who is barely putting in an effort and has only the barest spark of talent? Or someone who is already excelling, but could go much further if their full potential was fed?”

She sighed. “In the former case, I would get an average student. In the latter, I might get someone like Mr. Roth—a major credit to my department and an incredible resource to the entirety of the study of alchemy.”

“I…think…the first…student you talked about…would be grateful…even if they didn’t go far in life…” Claygon said.

“Very true, perhaps.” Professor Jules shrugged. “Or they might only be taken to the level of ‘average’ and hold the belief that I wasn’t trying hard enough to access their ‘true talents’...but, in reality, they’ve already exhausted the limit of their natural gifts for alchemy. Help is not guaranteed to be rewarded with gratitude.”

She glanced at the dining hall behind them. “Then we have the ruling council of Generasi. Here are the most politically savvy wizards in the entire realm, who had to be sharp—and at times ruthless—to gain their positions. Do you think they would pour their resources into causes of the heart, unless such causes were of personal interest to them? Mr. Roth shines brightly among the new generation of wizards at the university, as does his entire cabal. The council is doing what’s logical.”

Professor Jules looked at Alex, Theresa and Claygon. “In a decade, I think your family will be well-known in Generasi. In two, you might be one of the most powerful economic and magical forces in the city. By the time Selina is old enough to be a grandmother, I suspect you will wield the sort of power and authority that would directly influence the council’s decisions. They know this, and are building relationships and ties with you now that you’re young. As I said, Mr. Roth, it’s the way of things.”

“But…that way kind of sucks, doesn’t it?” Alex asked. “Like, I get it, I totally do, and this is what I wanted but…now that I’m here, it feels almost…”

“Oily? Slimy?” Jules asked.

“Yes,” Alex said.

“To that, all I can say is that we did not make the world or the way power works, Mr. Roth. We were simply born into it. Perhaps Baelin is old enough to have shaped the very rules of civilization and even certain aspects of natural law, but you and I are not. We simply suffer or benefit from what is reality. You have suffered a lot in your earlier life, Mr. Roth. But, now you are benefiting, and—in my book—you deserve it. If you disagree, then use any influence you gain from these old councillors to help those you love and people you believe in. I’m no sage, but I see no other way.”

Alex looked at her, then at Theresa and Claygon.

The huntress looked back with empathy.

He could feel his golem’s relief and determination emanating through their link.

To them, today was a victory.

Even if he felt conflicted, he should embrace that.

Taking a breath, he let go of his ambivalence.

In the end, he wasn’t ‘just Alex from Alric’. He hadn’t been for a long time, if he was truly honest. Now, the choices he’d made, the work he’d put in, the people who cared about him, and his own dumb luck were coming together to help him and his family.

Perhaps, he should recognise and appreciate that.

“Alright,” he said. “I don’t know what the future holds but…I’m going to have to get better at reading people if I’m going to have dealings with those councillors. They’re next level. But, that’s a later problem.”

He looked at Professor Jules. “I guess I’m about to be a subject of Generasi…does that mean this whole thing ends? The king can’t demand a citizen of another country be brought to him ri—Well, actually.”

Alex gave that some thought. “I’m still a subject of Thameland, I guess, even if I’m also a citizen of Generasi. And in the king’s mind, I’ve ‘committed the crime of desertion’, so he could still ask for me. But, I think he’s got less of a leg to stand on than before.”

“Indeed, Mr. Roth,” Professor Jules said. “And—if he were to order his soldiers to attack you, he would be attacking one of his subjects…but also someone who is a citizen of Generasi. He would be wise to think twice before harming you.”

“I don’t think that’s going to stop the hidden church, though,” Theresa said. “They’re only answering to Uldar.”

“Maybe…it will…slow them down?” Claygon asked.

“Only one way to find out.” Alex smiled for the first time in hours. “I guess it’s time to prepare for our meeting with the king.”

“That it is, Mr. Roth,” Professor Jules said. “This will be your final battle for freedom from your god’s disgusting destiny for you.”

“Yeah,” Alex said. “And I can’t wait to fight it. It’s time to be done with this. It’s time to be free.”

###

When King Athelstan Merciex rode out from his capital, he did so equipped for war.

His glittering plate armour—covered in enchantments—sheathed his form as he sat astride a charger, the pride of the royal stables. The shield of the ruling house—passed down for generations since the days Uldar walked the land—was strapped to his saddle, while the royal sword hung in a scabbard at his waist.

The king’s honour guard surrounded him, their polished armour gleaming, reflecting the morning sun. Lances were held high, their shields at the ready. Banners—both their own and those of the House of Merciex—fluttered on the tips of their lances, as did crimson plumes flowing from their helmets.

Ringing the circle of knights were priests and soldiers sworn to the church of Uldar, with the white hand of their god emblazoned on their tabards.

Beyond them a smaller army of knights, soldiers and rangers rode. The latter scouted ahead and behind, ensuring the countryside was free of Ravener-spawn.

The safety of their charges mattered above all else, for beside the king, rode the Court Wizard Errol, the High Priest Tobias Jay, and his holy council.

The very crown jewel of ruling power within the boundaries of Thameland was riding out that morning, and should they meet with ambush and massacre, it would mean the devastation of the realm.

But, their purpose was divine and in the service of Uldar, so none could stay behind.

For it was on this morning that they rode out to unite the five Heroes of their god.

Today, they would meet with a delegation from Generasi.

Today, they would bring the Fool home.

So intent were they on that purpose, that they did not notice two members of their council—Mother Charity and Father Lee—communicating with subtle hand gestures as they gripped the reins of their horses.

Nor did they notice the sly glances the two council members threw toward ruins and distant trees dotting the fields around the road.

Nor did they notice the other members of the hidden church, who had long infiltrated the army’s ranks.

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