The wicked instruments b.., p.39
The Wicked Instruments Books 1-4, page 39
Leanna walked over and beckoned him to lean down, then gave the big man a kiss on his cheek.
“It looks great. Why don’t you go take a break, hon?”
“Thanks, Princess,” Hunk blushed.
Jonathan had to dodge the enormous man as he walked into the room and knocked on the open door.
“Ugh,” Leanna sighed. “What’s the bad news now?”
“A little of this and that,” Jonathan replied.
Leanna opened up her wardrobe and examined it. She tried to remain happy with her new purchases.
“Alright, hit me,” she said.
“Well, you still haven’t been mentioned or implicated in any of the blowback from the Magic City incident, so that’s good news,” Jonathan said, taking a seat near the door at Leanna’s new wooden benches. “Per Trixi’s wishes, the statement condemning her actions appears to have cleared us of any wrongdoing.”
“Wonderful,” Leanna said, her face dour. “How did the High Father’s speech go at the church?”
“Well, since everyone came back, attendance has been down sharply the past two weeks. So, he gave an edict posthumously condemning Fawnspear, the Arrow as a heretic and an enemy of the Church,” Jonathan snickered.
“I picture her pointing and laughing through their whole speech, from wherever she is,” Leanna smiled as her eyes watered up.
Jonathan got up and put an arm around Leanna. “I know you miss her.”
“Well, yeah,” Leanna replied, letting a tear stream down her face. “I mean, I’m happy that she got her wish. She saw her mission through to the end, and now she’s happy where she is. Doesn’t mean I can’t miss her down here.”
Jonathan squeezed her close and held her in silence for a moment longer.
“Hey, no mushy stuff,” Heather’s tiny voice commanded. She fluttered into the room, wearing a new green dress that revealed even more bare skin than her old one.
“Oh, by the Gods, it’s time, isn’t it?” Leanna asked. “I’m not ready for this.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Heather said. “It’s not like you’re never going to see us again.”
Leanna stepped away from Jonathan, took a deep breath, and wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. She headed out to the red-carpeted hallway before her bravery could fail her. At the bottom of the steps stood Tear, waiting by the front door with his backpack at his feet. His hood was down, and his pointed ears peeked out from the fine, messy hair he had not cut since leaving Elfhim. Leanna lingered at the top of the landing and stared at him.
“C’mon down, Leanna,” he smiled with mock authority. “Staying up there doesn’t mean I’m not leaving.”
“You don’t have to, you know,” Leanna reminded as she began descending the stairs.
“Yes, he does,” Jonathan said beside her. “The man has a quest. He’s gotta see it through. I respect that.”
“Are you at least going to be back in time for the baby?” Leanna asked.
Tear shrugged. “That’s hard to say. Even if I can’t be, though, Sante is a Dragon-worshipper. I’m sure him and Josephine are going to keep breeding like rabbits.”
“This is terrible, though,” Leanna whined. “It feels like I’m losing all my friends.”
Tear walked the last few steps to Leanna and hugged her. “You’re not losing anything. I told you, we’re life friends. That’s never going to change. Any word about Cort?”
“I sent a man out last week,” Jonathan replied. “He told me the damn dwarf just swims in his lake, drinks all day and eats turkey legs, in between very public bouts with imaginary women.”
“He’ll tire of it eventually and come back,” Tear laughed. “Or not. I don’t get dwarves all that well.”
“So, what’s next?” Leanna asked.
Tear sighed. “There’s a Mage’s Guild in Nico. I’m going to start with them there.”
“No killing, though, right?”
“No,” Tear laughed. “Actually, it’s funny - trying to be inventive as to how I deal with them led me to a rather interesting solution. Needless to say, they’ll know my name.”
Leanna’s eyes began to fill up again. “You be careful, okay?”
Tear gave her another hug. Heather flew in close and kissed her on the cheek.
“We’ll miss you!” Heather said with a wave.
Jonathan offered a hand, and Tear shook it. The elf locked eyes and became serious.
“You keep her safe,” the elf commanded.
“You’ll never have to worry about that,” Jonathan promised.
Tear offered a mock smile. “Good. Then you won’t, either.”
Tear picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Geoffrey opened the door for the elf with a respectful nod.
“You look out for her, too, Geoffrey,” Tear said.
“Always, sir,” the butler replied.
Leanna watched Tear cross the lawn and disappear down the road from her house before she let Geoffrey shut the door.
“Anything else, mum?”
“No, Geoffrey, thank you,” Leanna replied.
Jonathan turned Leanna around and made her look him in the eyes.
“Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
“You just want to have that talk,” Leanna replied. “About us.”
Jonathan let his hands drop down from her shoulders to her fingertips. He took both her hands in his with a gentle touch.
“Is that so bad?”
Leanna stood on the tips of her toes and let her lips press against Jonathan’s, holding the embrace only for a moment. As she pulled back, his eyes were still closed.
“Wow,” he said.
“I suppose you earned that. Being the last one here and all,” Leanna replied.
Jonathan took a breath. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know,” Leanna snorted, trying to hold back a crying fit. “It’s just that Trixi, Tear, Cort, Sante...even you...you all have your identity and purpose. I have the one I made up for myself.”
“That happens to be the leader of the greatest city in the world and its most popular singer?”
“Yeah, but...I mean, I guess this all got me to thinking. I don’t even know my own name,” Leanna lamented. “It’s probably horrible, isn’t it?”
Jonathan put an arm around her and walked toward the ballroom. He took in a deep breath, giving a long enough pause for her to stop him.
“Your name is Julie, second and youngest daughter of Alan, House Talmut. So, Julie Talmut. The wine bottle I showed you in the basement? That’s your family’s vintage. He’s the richest and most powerful vintner in the south.”
Leanna mulled it over for a second.
“Really? Julie Talmut?”
“Yeah. Noble house, rich family...”
“Stupid name,” Leanna interjected.
“Well, I mean, it’s a beautiful name, and your family has a proud history.”
“Blah, blah, blah,” Leanna replied.
“Feel better, then?”
“Yeah. I’d much rather be Leanna Moonbody. Wine? Who cares? I’m the freakin’ Princess of Kingfield.”
THE END
About the Author
D.C. Fergerson is an author, husband, father of one, humorist, and storyteller currently residing in Charlotte, NC. From an early age, through the fog and confusion of adolescence and early adulthood, the only thing he wanted was to tell stories.
Follow him on Twitter @DCFergerson or stay up to date on his blog http://artofthearcane.com. If you loved this book, don’t forget to leave a review!
Thank you so much for reading this far. If you liked the book, please leave a review here!
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The Wicked Instruments
The Singer and The Charlatan
The Princess and the Holy Juggernaut
Goblins, Parents, and Other Monsters
Murder, Heresy, and Other Mishaps
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Facebook: http://facebook.com/dcfergerson
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Goblins, Parents, and Other Monsters
by
D.C. Fergerson
The Wicked Instruments
The Singer and the Charlatan
The Princess and the Holy Juggernaut
Goblins, Parents, and Other Monsters
Murder, Heresy, and Other Mishaps
All available in Ebook and Paperback!
© 2017 D.C. Fergerson
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:
To Cathie, Carlos, and Jessica for making these characters live and breathe.
To my daughter, I hope you always know that you’re my Leanna.
A Calm Before the Storm
Princess Leanna Moonbody focused on her creation, and the rest of the world became background noise. By turning her breakfast plate with one hand and keeping her knife steady in the other, she spread the final dollop of whip cream that made her pancakes disappear. This morning ritual was important work, but the voice of Jonathan Twilight kept yammering on. Here and there, she heard him use words like ‘responsibility’ and ‘your subjects’ like they wouldn’t still be there when she finished her food.
Her butler Geoffrey understood the value of silence as she completed her task. He stood beside the table, never bothering or interfering with her breakfast. Not Jonathan, though, he always had to keep talking about state business no matter the time of day or night. If she had known becoming the ruler of the largest city in the world would mean she couldn’t have one meal without putting out a fire somewhere, she’d have told them to stick it.
“Are you even listening?” Jonathan asked.
Leanna sat up and swept her red locks from her shoulders. She smiled at her breakfast accomplishment. “Yeah, sure.”
Jonathan sighed and adjusted the bell cuff of his fashionable white shirt. “Can you tell me anything I just said?”
Leanna turned to him and batted her baby-blues. “Something about...people?”
“C’mon, Leanna, I said it’s Audience Day!” Jonathan replied.
“No way!” Leanna moaned as she cut a grid into her pancakes. “Didn’t we just have Audience Day?”
“Yeah, we had it a week ago today. Like every week.”
Being Princess of Kingsfield was daunting, but Leanna was a people person. When she came to the city as a starving musician a year ago, she found out that she had a talent for large crowds. She loved connecting with her citizens and making them happy. However, Audience Day was a whole different beast. These were the cases and grievances too bizarre, where the law didn’t apply. Every week, a docket of these cases would be heard for Leanna to judge.
“I was having a good day,” Leanna mumbled to herself with a mouthful of cake and cream.
Jonathan produced a scroll from his vest and sat down beside her at a dining table meant for sixteen. “There is something else, though. We have urgent business to discuss.”
“Can it wait? I’m starving,” Leanna said, her mouth still full of food.
“It really can’t, Leanna,” Jonathan replied.
Leanna took a drink. Geoffrey stepped to her side as she set down her cup.
“More juice, mum?”
She smiled and gripped her glass as her butler began to pour from a glass carafe. “Yes, please!”
“Leanna,” Jonathan pressed.
“Not now, I wanna eat!” Leanna replied, not even taking her eyes off her breakfast.
“Your father is coming here.”
Silence gripped the room. Leanna took a long breath before turning her head to Jonathan.
“When?”
Jonathan held up the scroll. “Two days, according to this notice.”
“Tell him no,” Leanna replied.
“Leanna, you don’t understand. I have been dodging this for you for two months,” Jonathan pleaded.
“Two months? When were you going to let me know that?” Leanna shouted. Her porcelain skin flushed hot and red. Geoffrey had already taken his leave without her notice.
“You made your feelings quite clear about your past, Leanna. I tried to delay him. I told him how busy you were settling into your new position, the renovations...he just got tired of my excuses.”
“Oh, yeah? Did you tell him I have no memory of who I was? Who he is? That whoever his daughter Julie Talmut was, she died on the trip to Kingsfield? That even if I was standing in front of him, I wouldn’t recognize him? Or maybe the part where whenever I think about him, I get a cold chill?” Leanna shouted.
Jonathan raised up his hands in defense. Since their falling out several months ago, Leanna was rarely so vulnerable in front of him. He mulled over his words. “I didn’t say those things, no. It’s not my place. But...he is the largest vintner in the south, Leanna. He’s well-connected. It was only a matter of time before someone he knew recognized his daughter was now Princess of the largest city in the world.”
“So?”
“So I could only hold him off for so long,” Jonathan explained. He reached across the table and rested his hand on hers. She didn’t flinch. “I know how you feel.”
“No, you don’t know how-”
“I’ll be here,” Jonathan gripped her hand. “I’ll be right here. I won’t let him harm a hair on your head. Besides, this very demanding notice he sent says it won’t just be him. Your mother, sister, her husband, and their child will all be coming.”
Leanna gasped. “I have a sister? Jonathan, I don’t know these people!”
“Calm down. It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared,” Jonathan said. “Also, she’s your half-sister from a previous marriage. You two don’t even look alike.”
Leanna pulled her hand away and shook her head. She tried to pick up a bite of her food, but the effort wasn’t there. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be ready for this. You better be there.”
“I promise,” Jonathan replied.
A knock at the front door threatened to make Leanna jump from her skin. Jonathan put a hand on her shoulder.
“Relax, it’s a couple of days, yet,” Jonathan said, walking toward the door.
Geoffrey reentered the dining room and walked in long strides past the rogue and into the foyer. He answered the door, respectful in asserting his responsibilities. In his formal cadence, he nodded to the unseen guest and faced Leanna. She had turned around in her chair, using the back to hide and peek at Geoffrey.
“Princess, I present Captain Sante of the Knight’s Guard.”
Leanna’s shoulders dropped and she let out a sigh of relief. She came out of hiding and returned to her food. Jonathan waved in Sante before the sunlight bouncing off his silver armor burned a hole in the floor. At almost a foot taller than anyone Leanna knew, Sante should have been the most intimidating man she’d ever seen. With a heart as pure as his, he was only dangerous to those that threatened her.
He walked into the foyer and rubbed his high and tight military haircut as he scanned for Leanna. Once he faced the dining room, he rushed to take a knee at her side.
Leanna pushed against him to stop him from kneeling, but she may as well have tried to move a mountain.
“My Princess,” Sante said.
“I said you don’t need to do that,” Leanna reminded.
“Yeah, but you didn’t order him not to,” Jonathan said.
Sante stood up, his face grim and disgusted.
“Oh, great,” Leanna said. “More bad news. Well, c’mon. Out with it.”
Sante slipped a ratty piece of parchment from under his gauntlet and unfolded it. “I dirty my hands to bring this filth to you, but I felt you and Mister Twilight should see it.”
He handed the Princess a flyer printed on pulp paper for mass-production, emblazoned at the top with a stylized logo for a group called C.A.L.M.
“What’s C.A.L.M.?” Leanna asked, turning her head to Jonathan.
Jonathan scanned the document and raised an eyebrow. He read the subtext beneath the letters. “The Coalition Against Leanna Moonbody.”
“What?” Leanna shouted. “All I’ve been doing is having Sante clean up the streets and play concerts for the people and put up with Audience Day. What in the Hells could anyone have against me?”
“I’ve had my men pulling these flyers down all morning,” Sante said. “We have asked folk, but no one recalls seeing anyone posting these bulletins all over town. The scoundrels must have done it in the dead of night. Rest assured we are looking into it, but I wanted to make you aware.”
“The top five reasons Leanna Moonbody is not fit to run Kingsfield?” Leanna read from the flyer, her voice incredulous as she rose from her chair.
Sante tried to slip the paper out of her hands, but Leanna yanked her arm away and continued to read.
“...more suited to playing peasant music in seedy taverns than sitting on the high seat of our great city? What in the Hells?”
“Probably just some nobles that had City Council in their pocket before Tear dropped a wall of ice on them,” Jonathan tried to reassure her.
Leanna paced about the dining room, mouthing the words of the flyer to herself and huffing. Jonathan turned to Sante.
“What is this? Are they recruiting? Are you treating them as a credible threat?” Jonathan asked.
Sante crossed his arms. “Section Three of City Code Twenty-Seven is quite clear. This kind of seditious behavior is not tolerated. At a minimum, it is punishable by confiscation of all materials used to make these flyers and two days in the stocks.”
