Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

Nuntius the Messenger

"Excuse me."

I lifted my tray and collected my napkin. I abruptly left the table with Enervent murmuring behind my back about how rude I was. Bad, bad news. I couldn't believe the noble was dumb...how would it be if I could never hear her voice? I shook my head. No, a voice can't be everything. She could write down her words...she was probably literate. Still, I didn't know what to think. I was glad she was here, but I also felt sick. I didn't want to think about her anymore. It was an issue that I had no solution to yet.

Another thing that bothered me was Enervent. She was one of those incredibly moody and talkative girls who had a say about everything. I hardly ever saw Enervent, except at the Festival Days. She would pick on me every single chance she got. Some days she would hide a custard or a rug in my coffin hole so that the vender would discover me and attack me like an angry swarm of bees. Yes well, that was fun. Other times she did humiliating pranks such as the night when she took my sleep dress and flagged it as a banner over our shack. Understand that is why I hated Enervent and also why I feel sorry for Maccus getting framed.

I continued in the direction my room in hopes that Mum wouldn't enlist me to service so I could come up with an idea to free Maccus. I somehow felt that it was my fault...that I was liable. He was to be hauled down for trial after lunch. I had about four hours to get him free or whatever and that was being generous. I had to find a way to get him out of here, even if it meant drawing attention to myself. I didn't plan on staying anyways.

In that case, I twist on my heels in the direction of the library. How did I know where it was? I asked a guard plain and simple. I'm not a criminal yet. The first thing I needed to accomplish was finding a few important documents that gave crucial information about Uban. What would be ideal would be to stay long enough to really get to know him well, but whoever accused Maccus last night was unforgiving. Time was limited. I gathered my thoughts of what I knew about him and quietly tore the pages and scripts with pictures. The thing that I was mostly searching for was where he dwelled. I leaved through the books to find a map but there is none.

"Looking for something?" It was Nuntius tall and freckle cheeked. His nature seemed to collide with his rumored actions. I always knew that he was a genial fellow, which baffled me on why he would steal the Etchings. Oh, and did I mention that he was drenched head to toe?

I played dumb and casual despite the situation. The half truth here about what I was doing felt relatively safe. "Yea, it's just that I can't seem to find where Uban lives..." I hurriedly added on, "it's research for my job."

Nuntius crosses his arms and tips his head. "Ah-hum. You know that every single one of those books states that the map is on the back of the Etchings," my hair stood on end, and I stiffened as he leaned closer dripping on me and whispered, "They say his palace is in the sea..." I carefully closed the scripts that I had laying out. He had them. He had to have the Etchings. He had to know that I was supposed to be a killer. What could I do? It was either fight or flight. I didn't ever want to kill him and I definitely did not want to start now. Suddenly, he resumed speaking without a concern, startling me.

"Funny you are involved with the Etchings. In fact," he pulled me in the corner away from the guards whom he appeared to be uneasy around, "I'm looking for an interpreter...you know? Someone who can read all types of languages...especially ancient ones?" His eyes are big glaring into mine. Interesting. It doesn't occur to me right away. I'm so stunned he's not taking heed of me. But--

It didn't matter. I had an idea.

"Actually," I murmured, tracing my fingernail down a book's spine, "I do know someone. Ever heard of Serpo?"

Nuntius said that he he hadn't.

"He's multilingual. Nice guy, sometimes," I rubbed my chin, "But you may find him rather ghastly. The poor thing isn't exactly what I call human..." I was doing pretty good. Nuntius had this hungry look on his face. The kid was desperate, as if he'd do anything to get to him. I called it two birds with one stone out of my hair until I disappeared.

"Where is he?" the energetic messenger asked. Ah, what to trade what to trade...

"Well I'm not so sure," I explained, "but I know I'm like the living magnet for the guy. I can't keep him away. Perhaps I could lure him out for you...how long do you plan on keeping him?"

"I..." he bit his wet and freckled bottom lip, "I don't exactly..." Great! This couldn't be more perfect! I had a second idea.

"That's fine," I waved it off, "he's actually my own personal slave. You could have him as long as you like...for a price." To my astonishment, Nuntius nodded earnestly, partially spraying me, and begged that we make arrangements in secret. It was obvious he was wary of the guards. He takes me into the nearest ladies room and lifts up a round mat in the center. Under the carpet was a collection of loose bricks. Under the loose bricks were bottles cradles in some dank hay. Under the hay was a wooden slab. He lifted it up and pulled out two mouthpieces. He gave one to me.

"Put it like this over your mouth and nose. Yes. Next, here's some eyewear. Nice, okay. Take them off and hide them. Now we dive into the pool." The pool was nothing more than a luxurious pond in the shape of a rectangle. It was roughly fifty paces from the supplies. Nuntius almost got caught a couple times and as for the others, I couldn't help but notice the dirty faces that the guards were giving me. I decided to avoid eye contact and to turn my head away like Nuntius. It was a long walk.

When we reached the pool, Nuntius said in a hushed voice, "I knew you were the right one. An enemy of Mundus is a friend of mine for sure!"

Uh oh. What did he mean by enemy?

"Enemy?" I replied.

He glanced at me and said, "Yea. Trial for ALL of us today. He wants your head too, don't you know? Or should I say she. His wife is as evil as all get out."

I was not in the laughing mood. "What? Why!" I asked. Nuntius wiggles a finger in front of my nose and points to the pool, which was thankfully hardly ever used due to its filth. The thing was so huge that it was like a lake. The pool was powered by water flow from the nearest river. On the far right side there was an aquatic travel device known as a float seat that was tied to a creature thrashing against the currents of inflow. It was a get way. Seemed a little drastic to me, but soon I figured out why. I could hear guards thumping toward us yelling that they had wet tracks of Nuntius.

"Nice going," I said. Nuntius merely rolled his head and shrugged again. His next response was in the form of a graceful swan dive into the pool. I jumped in a second later in a not nearly as graceful ker-plunk. I wasn't as quick either. Nuntius's long body bent like a fish to allow the water to curve around him and slam into me. The guards began jumping in too.

"Nuntius wait. Hold on..." I gurgled against the splashing. I couldn't see him, but I could hear his grin.

"Sorry little boy!" he crooned, "I'm not much in favor of payment. Bye!" Then, with a deep splosh and a plunk, plunk, plunk of the diving harnessed sea creature he was gone. The men came up fast behind me. I urgently called and commanded him to come back. I pulled every card I knew of. I slammed he water with my fist and sweared. I tried to tell him that he was a traitor...but I rationed that he had already known that.

"Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house."