Jack Of All Trades ✓ | steampunk, dragons, trickery

Chapter 12.3: Crumbling Identity

Jack's knees were shaking by the time he arrived at the house at the top of the hill. He pounded the door over and over. In his mind he saw Jack Ogswold of this house, running around in the garden or picking apples in the grove. Was that boy still home?

The door yanked open, and he fell forward onto the floor. Hands rolled him over and he saw her.

"Margorie, shine a light," he whispered, but then she disappeared from his side.

"Close the door."

Jack heaved himself up from the floor. "Is that the way to talk to your brother?"

"It's the way to talk to a fraud," she said, lighting the lantern on the table. Jack closed the door and regarded her. She was wearing a shawl around her shoulders and had wrapped herself in a robe. Her small nose, pointed chin, and sunken eyes were unlike him. "Who are you, Jack?"

"I'm Jack Ogswold," he tried, but it tasted vile on his tongue. The spark he always felt saying his name and being great was gone.

"I don't believe you."

Before he could react, arms wrapped around his waist from behind. He couldn't see who it was, but he kicked where a crotch would be, and person released as they were pushed backwards. Jack recognized the royal uniform.

"What are they doing here?" Jack said, taking out his dagger.

"These are the royal grounds," Margorie said in a calm voice. "I'm the keeper of the royal apple grove. They pay me well. There's been sightings. Don't think you've been so sneaky, Knave Diamondo."

Jack didn't know if he should feel relieved neither Margorie, or the royal guards knew who he really was.

"Or should I say," Margorie added, "Jack Plantagenet?"

How did she know? The guards neared him. "You are under arrest for murder, Prince Jack."

"You killed my brother. I thought," She sniffled, "you cared about him."

Jack thought back to that boy. He didn't think there was any other way. When Jack Ogswold refused to return to the peasant life, Jack thought he had to kill him. That it was the only way he could keep a fraud off the throne.

Rain began to fall. Where he stood under the little awning, he didn't get wet, but the guards were soon drenched. "I thought," Jack began and stopped. What did he think? That killing the boy was okay? Margorie crying was okay? He didn't like seeing her hurt. He had to stop it.

"I loved you like my brother, but now, I don't know." Margorie scrapped back her chair and came to stand behind him. "I'm all alone now." She shoved him out the door and slammed it, locking it shut.

"Now!" a guard shouted. Jack sprang to his feet and tried to get out, get away, but the guards quickly had him surrounded. As the guards taunted him, lantern lights were coming on in windows, doors opened, rumors spread like wildfire.

"You're but a ghost, Jack Nobody!" someone said.

I have to run. I have to. Jack sprang into action, kicking whatever man came near and stabbing them. So, what if people saw him kill? They knew he was Knave Diamondo. What was there to hide?

"At king's orders—" The man didn't even finish his sentence when Jack stabbed his throat and kicked his carcass out of the way. His head reeled from the smell of blood and smoke.

Smoke? Jack stopped when he saw the apple grove alight with fire. A dragon silhouetted the reddening sky. It's throat glowed orange and released flames onto the grove. Tearing his gaze away from the dragon, Jack pushed through the last few guards and ran. People threw rocks at him, calling him a fraud and a murderer.

"We trusted you!" The woman's scream followed him down the hill. He stumbled and fell, scrapping the palms of his hands. Sirens wailed his way and he saw airships making their way towards the dragon, weapons at ready. A purple glow reflected on his dagger. His chest was glowing again meaning the Enchantress was coming.

And I had the chance to stop her? And now, He turned his head, it's too late.

Jack ran until his knees ached. He made it back to Amsgeld, but he kept on running farther, and soon into the heart of the city, just about to call it a night with the last straggler leaving for drier ground. He caught his reflection in a darkened shop window and only saw a black suit, white shirt, black shoes, and a floating dagger. He put the dagger away and touched his face, feeling his cold, rough skin, but no face or hands in the reflection.

Who am I?

The rain came in a steady pour as he slowly walked through the empty night streets. Water dripped from his hair.

I shouldn't have come back. I've hurt her. But she knew. And Simon. But that was an accident.

His foot kicked a tattered silk hat. It was once great like him, but now it was nothing. Just like him. He put it on. They were alike. He passed by couples, seeing them lovingly hold hands reminded him of Eli.

"I only know this Jack," she had said. With her, he had been some Jack. Not Jack anyone. Whoever he was, it was him, but now she was gone. No way to save her. But he had to figure something out, didn't he? But he had nowhere to go. No one wanted him.

Jack came upon an alley and kept on going until he came to a dead end. He heard a shriek of dragons above. People were dying because of him. They always did, but this was different. He was free of his curse, but for what?

"How did this all start? This mess?" he whispered to the sky, letting the rain fall on his face.

He recalled the day he met Norman and Jack Ogswold. They envied him and his lavish life while they lived in poverty. Norman was happy, but Jack Ogswold wasn't.

"Why don't you switch? No one will know." Norman was the one to bring it up.

"No, that's dangerous!" Jack Ogswold had objected.

"It'll work. We can do it." Prince Jack insisted. "And we won't do it that long, just until school starts again."

Jack Ogswold shuffled his feet. "But I don't know how to be a prince."

"I'll teach you. I got your back, don't worry. I'm your brother, aren't I?"

Jack, leaning against the wall remembered the words he said that day. He had put his arm around Jack Ogswold's uncertain shoulders. Together with his memory, he repeated the words now, "And as a brother, I care about you, so I'll do it."

Then he was taken advantage of. Jack Ogswold kept stretching the stay until when Prince Jack returned, he was suspected of acting strange, being bad at certain subjects he was supposed to excel at. Jack Ogswold was stealing his life. So, Prince Jack decided to steal his and stopped caring about those around him. They would take advantage of his kindness and he would lose his identity. But did Eli or Jett take advantage of him? Margorie?

They were there for him. It was he who wasn't. Now, it was too late.

"Maybe I should just die," he said out loud and took out his dagger. He could cut open his own neck. He'd done it to others. What was so different? He knelt on the ground and lifted the blade to his neck. But his hands trembled when the tip met his skin. He dropped the dagger with a clatter.

He couldn't do it. Jack gave a dry laugh. Even in the face of losing everything, he still valued his sorry life.

A shiver zipped across his shoulders. Something clenched his throat from the inside. Regret piled in his voice as he spluttered and cried. He punched the ground and wished that he could go back to that day and not kill Jack Ogswold because even in the face of his death, there was regret. Prince Jack still cared even though his kindness was betrayed.

I should just die, someone like me. But I can't! He sobbed and choked on his tears. I'm damned selfish! His body shook. Eli, who am I?

At that moment, a purple light glowed on his chest. Water splashed before him. When he lifted his head, there stood a gray-haired middle-aged man holding a glowing purple gemstone.