Donner and Thalia: The Wizard's Curse (Episode 7)

Chapter Seven

7.

Donner marched northwest from Hillshade, just as Mclanian had said, road posts pointed his way. Darbany was said to be at the top of a mountain. Could he climb a mountain with his luck? Of course, he was Donner of Hillshade, Squire to Sir Theodore, winner of the Squire's tournament, slayer of the Rat God, even without his friends by his side, he could do this. It was a simple package delivery, as humble as it was, it was the work of a Knight, as he told Sir Theodore in what felt like a lifetime ago. If this is the work of a Knight, then it was work he would do.

He kept a hand on his sword, ready to draw. With his luck, he may come across a monster, maybe a Werewolf. Donner always wanted to fight a Werewolf. If his luck was as bad as this curse made it seem, it would make sense for him to be killed by one on this journey. Then he heard something, not the growls of a werewolf or some other monster, the hums of a singing girl and tender melodies of a lute. He saw her, sitting on a thick tree branch resting against the trunk, strumming her lute, "Killed the Rat God, without barely a sod, clod, damn it, can't find a rhyme," she said.

"What are you doing?" Donner asked as he approached the tree.

"She looked down, I'm trying to write a song about a story I heard," she said, grabbing the branch and jumping down in front of Donner, "I'm Lucy, I'm a bard," she smiled.

"Never seen a woman bard," Donner said.

"Well, now you have, deal with it. I just can't think of a song of my own, though. I can earn coin, a spare gold here or there playing the classics. Songs of the Gang of Eight, Sir Theodore and the Battle to the Last, and that damned Dance of the Manse, people always demand it, it's so tiring," she said, "I usually end up just playing the second lute to the leaders of any band that hires me," she said. She had shorter auburn hair, not boyish short, but short for a girl. She wore a pointed green hat with a bluebird's feather, pale britches with a yellow skirt around her waist.

"Those are great songs, great conquests of victory and heroism," Donner said.

"Yeah, I know, mighty Knight's winning victory. That's all anyone wants to hear songs about. I'm sure you, a young man who's been to court once or twice, or has the great once a year tradition of the harvest festival or whatever your town celebrates. I'm sure you love the comfort in your traditions, but for a Bard, going from town to town, playing the same songs, over and over again, it's so boring. Like I said, hearing them is once a year for you for, but literally every week for me," she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"You get coin for it, that must help," Donner said.

"It helps, I'm not one to look down on coin for playing the same song and doing the same thing every day, I just wish I could find something different, something to really wow people, something they would only hear from me," she gave Donner a once over, "Wait a tic, you're wearing the crest of Gearfried," she said.

"Yes, won a Dragon Season he did, I'm proud to wear his symbol," Donner said, standing tall.

"I heard about you, I was at the Court of Woodsford castle a few months ago. You're that young upstart who slew the Rat God, aren't you? That's the song I'm trying to write," she said.

"You're trying to write a song about me?" Donner asked. Maybe his luck was turning around. Here he was meeting a Bard who wanted to sing of his glories. The first step to building a great legacy as a Knight. He felt he should entertain conversation with this so-called Bard.

"Well, not about you, I'm trying to write a song about a dashing hero people will make their own minds about when they hear my song. I'd love to hear your side of the story. Still, I'll edit the boring parts of your version that can be lost to the sands of adaptation. I've pieced together most of the tale from hanging around bars and taverns in the area," she said as he pulled her lute back out, "I'm just not sure which cord to start with," she said, strumming her instrument a few times.