And You Thought They Were Fairy Tales

Chapter 2: Bluntness

As I paced down the side of the town road, almost immediately after I had left The Cellar, I happened to look off to the side and noticed that a rock the size of a fist had suddenly taken up a portion of my vision. I had no time to react as it smashed into the side of my head. The impact knocked me down onto my hands and knees. While the pain wasn't terrible, my vision was blurred and my head was spinning. I slowly stumbled back to my feet, putting one hand on the stone wall beside me to keep from losing balance and using the other to cradle that side of my face. As expected, I could feel the hot crimson liquid pouring down my face and arm, and the fact that my adrenaline was kicking in would only cause a bigger mess. I reached into my bag and pulled out a cloth and pressed it hard against my head to stop the bleeding, all the while trying to look for the source of the rock.

Sure enough, I could see Leon himself walking up to me with a group of four or five of his colleagues behind him. Leon looked a little bit like me, slim and blonde hair and all, but he had blue eyes and his face had more distinct features. He was the son of one of the members of the town council, all of whom despised magic. He had power, friends, and would be the first person to report me to the templars if I misbehaved. As far as his minions went, I never bothered to put a name to any of their faces.

My head had stopped bleeding by the time they were surrounding me against the wall, so I took a moment to humor them and look as presentable as I could.

Thomas: To what do I owe the pleasure, Sir Leonardo?

Even after bludgeoning me with a rock, he still had the nerve to smirk at me.

Leon: My father tells me you've almost never paid taxes for the entire time you've lived here. I figured this is the perfect time to knock some sense into you. I still wonder what little gets through every time you set foot in this place.

I bent down and picked up the rock before chucking it to the side.

Thomas: Did you really need to throw a rock to tell me that?

Leon: Sometimes you ignore us, so I figured it'd get your attention.

Thomas: That's a meager excuse, and I avoid you for a reason. Besides, I've never been a resident of Coinston, officially. And even if I was, why would I want to give money to a group of people to spread propaganda? I grow my own food and make my own clothes. Vandröska hasn't done much for me, why should I do anything for you or it?

Leon: Even so, that heap of wood that you reside in calls for you to pay both property and land taxes. And since I'm feeling generous, I think I'll actually help you pay it off.

Thomas: Sure you are. How's that going to take effect?

Leon: You may not have heard, but in some parts of the country, templars have been giving coin to people who turn in witches, dead or alive. I'm sure the reward would be more than enough to pay your dues.

I balled my fists. As he spoke, he inched closer and closer to me.

Thomas: What makes you think they'll give you that reward here? You said it yourself, it's in other parts of the country. Plus, the last time the templars came to Coinston, they seemed pretty lenient.

Leon: I'm sure they'd be glad to accept you as a warlock either way. They only let you live because killing you was too much trouble for them.

Thomas: And you think you'll fare any better? People who make me bleed often end up regretting it.

Leon: Knowing the consequences of you using magic again, I think it makes things very simple.

That made me stand up straight and give him a cold stare.