YoTS: Lord January ~ 18!

CHAPTER 18

Grant burst through the open hole, startling the throng of guards and workers that had been trying to work up the motivation to investigate the noises and smoke. A range of weapons - lances, swords, even pitchforks - were pointed directly at the terror that appeared from the depths.

“Get these poison-covered clothes off me!” Grant howled as he stripped in front of the group without a hint of shame.

“Grant?” Jo’s mouth opened and closed repeatedly. For once he couldn't speak, and had no food in his mouth to blame! “You’re alive! I think… you’re not n undead, are you?”

The young man glared at the man that had forced him into that terrible position, practically spitting his next words. “No, Jo. I need a healer!”

“I don’t know how you did it, but you saved the Royal January Mill! The shaft spins once again!” Tears of joy streamed down Godfrey’s face. “Tell me your name again, so that I can sing its praises!”

“I… wouldn’t get too excited. There’s a Rabid Rodent Rat-a-Louie down there munching on the grain. You need a small army to come out here and deal with that. I’m never going back in there.”

“Really? He’s there now?” Godfrey’s nonchalant tone made Grant narrow his eyes in fury. “I thought he was still hibernating. That isn’t a problem. When he’s awake, he helps keep the vermin at bay. The noise of your fighting must have woken him up.”

Grant drew an inch of his blade and took a threatening step toward the man. “You didn’t tell me there were giant poisonous rats down there!”

“They weren’t poisoned until we left the special dosage down there. It should have killed them!” Godfrey stumbled backward as Grant advanced, though the guards closed ranks around him to stop the furious young man.

“It did nothing but turn them into a plague swarm!” Grant slammed his weapon back into the sheath, “Whoever sold that poison to you was a liar, a cheat, and tried to destroy this place.”

“How, exactly…” Joviality’s eyes glittered in excitement as he looked at the singed cultivator before him, “did you survive?”

“To tell you the truth, I've absolutely no idea. Godfrey, my reward please?” Grant was snarling in pain, and didn’t care one whit for how respectful he was supposed to be tohis employer. He thrust out his hand filled with rat tails, on the verge of passing out. He didn’t like all the attention he was getting, so tried to divert them. “A question for you. Why would this flour and ‘poison’ explode?”

“Yes. Of course. The reward… you deserve every last Minute!” The guards watched in wonder as Hour after Hour was poured into Grant’s cupped hands. “As to an explosion? Well, there’s a reason the torches down there are never lit if the mill is in operation. When flour is in the air, in a contained space, it will explode if exposed to an open flame. That couldn’t have been what happened down there, correct? Otherwise, this entire place would be in flames by now!”

Grant decided to keep that to himself, sweating over the fact that he could have destroyed the building that produced most of the flour for the capital city. He wasn't exactly sure why the place hadn’t been destroyed, or why the fires hadn't raged out of control, but he assumed that it had something to do with the strange phenomenon of all of the air vanishing from the millwheel room.

“I nearly forgot! Five Days for restarting the mill.” The crowd gasped upon hearing the number Godfrey quoted.

“I’ll take that and hold onto it for you.” Jo’s hand shot out and clasped the pile of Time, making it vanish into his pockets nearly instantly. “This kind of wealth must be stowed in the safe. You can’t just walk around with jingling pockets!”

Grant, in his delirium, went to draw steel on the multicolored Jo… before promptly passing out. Just before he did so, a quest complete notification popped up.

Quest Complete: A Bouquet Of Flours! (Rare).

Information: You killed the poisoned rats and collected their tails. By freeing the grinding mechanism, the Royal January Mill is once again fully operational. The Lords and Ladies shall eat cake once more!

Reward: Five Days and twenty-two Hours. (5 Days for freeing the mechanism. One Hour per rat tail collected.)

The first thing Grant noticed as he came back to himself was the intense smell of incense, followed by the acrid tang of medicinal herbs. It reminded him of Becky’s poultices, and he smiled at the thought. “It was all a dream. I’m with Becky now, tucked up safely in bed.”

“Granty! You’re awake! By Lord January, I was so worried.” Grant’s heart sank at the familiar high-pitched voice. No, he wasn’t back in New Dawn. He clenched his eyes shut, wishing Vivian away. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was pain; the unendurable pain of a million nerve cells screaming in agony.

“Oh, my little Grantykins.” Coolness spread across his brow as a damp cloth tenderly mopped his brow. “You poor thing! You must still be in so much pain… they had to cut your clothes off of you to tend to your wounds!”

“Vivian…” His eyes opened as narrow slits. “Where am I?”

“Call me Vivi, silly! We’re past dealing with formalities, you and I. After everything we've been through together?” Vivian brushed his forehead a little too vigorously for his liking.

“We… what are you talking about…? Vivi? Where are my clothes?” Grant was realizing that he was barely covered by a blanket, apparently whoever had undressed him hadn’t bothered to put new clothes on.

Vivian clasped his hand and squeezed it tightly. “I thought I was going to lose you! When I learned you collapsed after bravely fighting off the rodent horde, I ran to be by your side. I had you taken to my carriage where you would have my undivided attention.”

“Really? You… ran?” Of all the parts of the story, that was the most unbelievable for Grant.

“Oh, yes, Grantymoo. I’ve watched after you day and night. Day. And. Night! It was a rough few hours, but I hardly ever left your side.”

“Thanks… I guess. I’m fine now. Can you help me up, and hand me my clothes?” He went to move but found his wrists and ankles bound tightly to the bed posts. “Why am I tied down?”

“I didn’t want you to hurt yourself. You were flailing in your sleep. Mumbling incoherently about a cracker with tentacles eating you on a pier… I did this for your own good.”

“You can let me go now.” Grant swallowed back his anger when he realized that Vivian wasn’t making a move to help him.

“Do you have a preferred date?” She leaned heavily on the plush bed and rubbed her nose against the bound Grant’s. “I was thinking February fourteenth, Valentine’s Day.”

“Valentine’s Day-?”

“Oooh perfect! I’m so happy you agree. That’s what I was thinking. We’re one mind and one heart, joined as one! On Valentine’s Day we’ll get married! I've so many things to arrange. Flowers, bridesmaids, and most importantly… the feast! Wait till Daddy hears-!”

“Vivian, let me go.” When she did not move, still lost in her own fantasy, Grant let his voice get dark and serious. “I’m not marrying you!”

She pulled away as if he had slapped her, and her chest heaved as she tried to fathom what he was saying. Tears fell onto the sheets, “Wh-what are you saying, Grantymoo, my love?”

“Look. It’s not you, it’s me.” Grant knew that he needed to be careful with what he said. Her gigantic fists could pummel his face into dust, and right now he could do nothing to defend himself. “I’m not ready for such a commitment. I've a mission, and if I don’t succeed, I’ll be dead by the end of the year!”

Her eyes lit up at that, exactly the opposite that he had been gone for. “All the more reason to get married now! Declare our love to the world, and we will-”

“No! The only feelings I've for you’re ones of disgust!” Grant rocked back and forth to get her away from him. “Leave. Me. Alone!”

Each word struck like a hammer to the heart, and Vivian collapsed backward hard enough to make the entire wagon rattle. Grant watched her cry in silence for a long moment, then thought, ‘That wasn’t so bad… it could have gone much worse, actually.’

Lady Vivian slowly stood up, her puffy face a blank slate, her emotions unreadable. She heaved in a deep breath, and with the full force of her massive lungs, screamed:

“Daddy!”

“Precious! I’m coming!” The enormous bulk of a flustered Jo burst into the carriage, and a strange light was surrounding him as he prepared to do battle. “Vivi, is everything all right?”

Vivian thrust a meaty finger at Grant. “This beast was trying to attack me! I want him skinned alive and fed to the dogs!”

Jo looked down at the barely-covered, clearly tied to the bed, half-dead Grant. “Um… how did he get tied up? What’s going on here?”

“What? No!” Grant squirmed against the bindings, and thought of a plan as quickly as he could. “I just woke up and she is telling me that I need to give up my life and serve her! My family will not stand for this! I order you to release me, on the authority of House Monday!”

“Daddy! You believe me, don’t you?” Vivian’s fists were clenched, her face beet red as Grant struggled weakly for freedom.

Joviality’s eyes hardened as he looked at Grant, and the young man could easily see the choice that had been made. “Of course, my dearest. Please, calm down. Let me deal with this monster.”

“Well… alright then.” She visibly deflated, the pressure cooker of her temper momentarily extinguished.

“Go on now.” Jo hugged his child and stroked her hair. “You look famished. Go to the dining carriage and make yourself feel better. They have a tower of cupcakes with your name on them.”

“Well…” she huffed. “I do enjoy cupcakes. Are there any with frosting?”

“All your favorite toppings, and they literally spell out your name. If there’s anything else your heart desires, tell the chef, and he'll whip it right up!” Joviality promised her with a smile. “Run along now, princess.”

As she went to leave, she turned and blew a kiss at Grant, pleased that he would be punished for humiliating her. Finally alone in the carriage, Jo let out a sigh. “Just what am I meant to do with you, boy? This past week or so, you’ve done more work than a dozen guards combined, and I quite enjoyed having you around.”

“For starters, you can remove these bindings. I can go back to work, and we never speak of this again.” Jo sighed at Grant’s words and cut the bindings, letting the young man rub at his wrists. The bindings had dug in deeply, leaving angry red rings around his wrists.

Grant went to stand up, but Jo dropped a hand and firmly kept him on the bed. “I’m sorry, but you do have to be punished.”

The young man slapped at the hand that was on his chest, blinking in shock when the flesh didn’t even jiggle at the blow. “What? On what grounds? You know I didn’t do anything. You literally just cut me free! She was arranging our marriage and I said no. Now you’re telling me that I should be punished? I’ll get House Monday involved.”

“Oh… now I understand. No one ever says no to my little Vivi when her mind is set. It’s best to give her what she wants.” Jo nodded as he spoke, ignoring the rest of Grant’s words. “Listen, dog. You have nothing to threaten me with, so stop barking. Either you’re a runaway, or something equally disparaged. No member of House Monday would be caught wearing what you’re wearing when I found you. I know you don't have any political pull, and I do not fear your supposed ‘family’ for that very reason. You’re likely a bastard, completely unknown to the Noble House.”

“So, what? You’re going to put me down like a giant rat?” Grant fumbled around, looking for February Twenty Nine. He wasn’t willing to go down without a fight.

“Not quite, lad.” Jo held his hands up in an attempt to calm Grant down and diffuse the situation. “I’ll give you a choice. You can marry my daughter-”

“No.”

“-or you will be punished with a bounty on your head. I’ll release you, and put out an unspecified bounty for punishment, not a death warrant. Anyone with the Time to spend can put a bounty out for something like that, and whoever doles out thirty lashes to you with a cat-o-nine tails gets the reward. Take your time to think about it.”

“Punishment. I’d rather be caught and crippled by that many lashes than marry your disgusting daughter,” Grant snarled at the man who had only ever underpaid him and thrown him into terrible situations. He found February Twenty Nine next to the bed, and grabbed it right away. Luckily for Jo, it had been tied down with a peace knot by someone. It would take at least a few minutes to undo the knot, but at least he had his sword again.

“We’re close to Mid January. Here’s your second week's wage. Now, I know the week isn’t over yet… but you have worked hard.” Jo threw down a small pouch. Coins spilled out onto the bed.

Grant counted out fourteen Hours and shook his head in confusion. “What about the rest? I’m owed five Days and twenty-two Hours from completing the quest at the Royal January Mill.”

Joviality laughed in his face as he grabbed and tossed the young man out of the carriage. “Ha! Bounty hunters aren’t cheap, boy. Those funds will be the payment for the price on your head! I’ll be generous, leave now and you I’ll give you a day’s head start. After that… House Friday will begin their hunt!”

Still nude and unsure how to fix that, Grant slunk around the wagons until he found someone that he recognized. “Psst. Red.”

“Huh? Who goes there? Show yourself!” Red clinked his axes together menacingly.

“It’s Grant. Listen, I-”

Read interrupted him with a shout of joy, “Grant! You’re up and attem, boy? Excellent! What are you doing out there in the darkness? Join us in the dining car, the buffet will begin soon. They have delightful little cupcakes, Vivian’s favorite.”

“I can’t join you. I’ve been fired from the Grand January Caravan.” Grant told him darkly.

Grant’s words shocked Red to his core. “What? Why?”

“I refused Vivian, she wanted me to marry her.”

Unexpectedly, Red started to laugh at that. “You? Her? I never thought the joke would go that far! Sad to hear about your fate, but I'm not going to associate with someone not a part of the caravan. I’d lose dining privileges!”

“Stop thinking about your stomach for one minute! I don’t know why but Vivian thought that I liked her. I turned down her advances, and I’m now being punished.” Grant noticed that Red wouldn’t meet his eyes after he said these words, but he didn't know why.

“Oh… is, uh, that so?”

Grant nodded and came a little closer, his bare flesh shining in the twilight. “Yes. Can you help me?”

“What do you need?” Red finally gave in, knowing that he had a hand in this situation. He figured it would be easier to just help the boy instead of explaining his role in this problem.

“I need your help breaking into Jo’s safe in his private carriage.”

Red almost dropped his axes in surprise, and had to fight to keep his voice down, “And why in the twelve districts would you want to do that?”

Righteous indignation was filling Grant’s face, and he stepped fully into view, “He’s withholding my reward from saving the mill! He’s even going to use it to pay for my bounty. He is going to use my Time to get me flogged! Can you believe that?”

“I’m sorry Grant, I can’t help you.” Red backed away, shaking his head and holding up his hands. “Nope, nope, not doing it.”

“Why not? I thought we were friends?” Grant practically sagged into himself. This was the farm all over again.

“Yeah, but if we do this, House Tuesday, Friday, or… Saturday will be after us both. I've known you for like... ten days? Just take your beating! It’s far better to suffer a little, maybe get a few broken bones at House Friday’s hands, then suffer the wrath of Tuesday or Saturday.” Red turned away, refusing to look at Grant directly. “Just make sure to take the beating on your own, got it? Leave me out of this.”

“You… you at least believe me, right?”

“Sure, kid.” Red tried to get away, but Grant's next word made him stop and sigh heavily.

“I've no idea why Vivian thought I had a thing for her! The other day she was waiting near the caravan with a hamper, forced me on a picnic, and made me rub her feet till I vomited!”

Red pulled off his outer robe, and tossed it to Grant; still without looking at him. “It’s a… mystery. Maybe one of the other guards knows what is going on? Just… no, this is our fault, we can't let this happen to you. We’re only a day from Mid January… you know what…? I’ve had enough of Vivian. She’s a spoiled brat, and you're not the first guard to lose his job at her hands.”

“Thank you.” Grant’s hope was rekindled in an instant, and he tossed the cloak over his bare shoulders. It was far too big for him, but right now that was comforting instead of insulting.

“I’ll be right back. Stay there.” Red walked away, and Grant walked beside the caravan to hide in the darkness. The Grand January Caravan’s gaudy colors once promised excitement and adventure, but now all he wanted was to get as far away from it as he could. A rustle reached his ears, and Grant pulled on the hilt of February Twenty Nine, exposing a length of rusty blade. He had removed the peace knot before wandering around in the dark.

“Stand down, Grant. It’s Red.” Three guards came forward. Red, Fergus, and Skinny; all with packs on their backs.

“We could just hand him over to House Friday. Split the bounty! We all heard what Vivian is telling everyone she can see! Every time I hear her story, it is twice as bad as it was before. There’s no smoke without fire, I say! If we leave now, I’ll miss the buffet… and worse, breakfast!” Skinny appeared to be rather unhappy with whatever Red had told him the plan was.

“Skinny, Grant is innocent. Why should he be punished for Vivian’s lies, huh?” Red was staring at the ground as he said this, a strange air of guilt surrounding him.

“I guess…”

“I believe him.” Fergus spoke up quickly, cutting off anything else that Skinny might have said. “I wonder how Vivian got that crazy idea into her head that Grant wanted to get involved with her. Huh, Red?”

“Complete mystery…” Red mumbled unconvincingly.

Fergus spat to the side and started walking. “Okay, then. Let’s go. We can hide out at my home for a bit. The wife will be pleased to see me.”

The four men walked off into the darkness, following the beacon of bright lights on the horizon to Mid January.