The Autobiography of Gayle Hunter

Rules and Promises

The hum and buzz of muffled chatter from the tavern provided a pleasant backdrop to my lullaby as I played.  The sounds of conversation rose as someone opened the door, heavy footsteps entering the courtyard, and I glanced over to see Morn pause, looking back at us oddly.  There was a stiffness to the way he held himself, and he finally approached as though against his better judgment.

I tilted my head, my lullaby slowing as I considered him warily.  He had a tremor in his ungloved hand.  "Are you...quite all right?" I asked.

Morn took a deep breath.  "I've been better."  He took another step, standing before Anna now, silent, watching.

"...This is Anna, Kari's sister," I said.  "Anna, Morn."

Anna stood and bowed.

"Indeed.  I...wished to thank you for your help the other week."

Anna smiled, and nodded graciously.

A moment, and Morn held out his hand.  "It's a pleasure to meet you properly."  He attempted a smile, but I can't say it was convincing.

Anna shook his hand as best she could, her fingers phasing slightly through his palm.

"We keep putting you awkward situations, I'm afraid," I said after a moment.  "My apologies."

Morn released Anna's hand, stepping back, a sort of wariness to him as he stood just a little too far away.  Then he sighed, and shook his head.  "No.  I should apologize to you—you most of all, Anna.  Even...if this had even been a week ago, it would've gone so much better.

"I...something's happened.  The last mission, the vampires in Freeport, it...got hectic."  A beat.  "Shiv was dying."

I glanced to Kari and Anna—Val was nowhere to be seen—but they seemed to have as little idea as I did where this might be going.  My lullaby wasn't as smooth as it had begun, and I eased the tension from my fingers, from the melody, though I made no attempt to regain the previous tempo.

"I made a deal," Morn said.  "I...  He's my best friend.  I promised him I'd stand by him, I'd protect him—even from his own stupid decisions—!"  He sighed sharply and looked down at himself, at his gloved hand...  "I don't regret it.  I don't regret saving him.  But the entity I made a deal with...they're defined by their principles, by unshakable rules, and it's...it's warped my mind; I can feel it.  Binding me to rules, to those I...to those I claimed to live by."

My lute...Lacuna's lute...  I could feel the depth of its history beneath my fingers.  Its past was woven into my soul.  It would more than serve as an arcane conduit.  I continued playing, letting each note sink into the Weave, drawing it that much closer about me, preparing myself.

"You're all good people, trying simply to live," Morn said through gritted teeth.  "But that's not...  It refuses to fit."  He glanced to me.  "I'll be honest, Gaul.  The only reason I can stand here now and..."  He winced, his gaze darting away again.  "...not try to hurt you, is my promise that I won't kill you 'in some zealous fury.'

"Everything...everything is wrong.  You're my friend, you bear a token of my faith, of good will and trust, and yet..."  Morn looked at me, his gaze pained.  "I'm scared I'm going to hurt you, hurt Anna, hurt my friends...  I nearly—!"  He shook his head, and no further words came.

"Why would you hurt us?" I asked softly.  "What tenet, or belief, or promise would compel you?"

He licked his lips, gaze dancing away over the ground, then finally settled on Kari.  "The Raven Queen, she...  Undead are an abomination.  A corruption of life.  Especially sentient undead.  Souls that knowingly cling to the world when they belong in the Matron's embrace.  I thought I was doing good by her.  That while I made exceptions, they were for good, they kept people safe, they stayed upon a righteous path—and even for them, death will come eventually."  He almost said more, then just stared at Kari, lost.  Anna had drifted back a little, leaving Kari between her and Morn.