The Great Hero is a Schoolteacher

It took us a while longer to be able to stand and walk. By that time, Soaruna Kaal was awake and serving us tea. Her blend of plants tasted different from what I’d had at the castle. It was sweeter, with a hint of lemongrass. We were starving, so we devoured all the bread we could eat, and the witch only slightly frowned at our lack of proper manners.

“You have dedicated friends,” she told Catalin. “But I wouldn’t go around tinkering with human wizards’ grimoires if I were you.”

My fiancée nodded. “Lesson learned. I don’t want to live that again, let alone put my friends through such an ordeal.”

“This sounds like blooming wisdom to me. Keep working on it.”

I cleared my throat.

“I suppose it’s time to pay you for your service. I have some money left. You deserve all of it, and more.”

Soaruna Kaal chuckled. “Do you think I want a fortune from you, Alicia Lebel? Look around you, I make enough from my daily activity to meet my needs! What I lack right now is good sleep, which no amount of money can buy. So, give me a couple of trins like anyone else would, never come back with another curse to lift, and I say we’re even.”

For a second, all we could hear was the sound of cups on the table. Then Catalin repeated two words she’d heard.

“Alicia Lebel?”

“It’s my full name.”

“How come I never heard it before?”

I looked down at my half-empty cup.

“When I stepped into the Great Hero Al’s shoes, I thought my old name belonged in the past, and I never told it to anyone, until Soaruna Kaal made me say it.”

Catalin sipped more tea. “Do you want to use it now?”

I shook my head. “My name will always be Alicia, but you don’t have to call me that. Back in my native world, most people already called me Al or Ali.”

She nodded. “Thanks. I do prefer to call you Al, it sounds more familiar.”

Of course it does. You were practically born hearing the tale of a guy named Al who’d save the kingdom one day. Except Al was always meant to be short for something else. Perhaps you’d be better off if it was short for Alberto, but we’ll never know, now that you’re stuck with me.

Chess put down their empty cup and looked out of the window.

“What do we do now? With the grimoire destroyed, it feels like we lost six days for nothing.”

I shook my head. “We didn’t. Now I know what my power is and how to use it. I’m even getting quite fluent at reading magic. It wouldn’t be the case if I’d stayed in Carastra with the king and his army.”

“But we only have four days left before Kossi comes back!”

Catalin raised a hand.

"Perhaps Mistress Kaal could help us."

"How so?" asked the witch, her ears moving to the front.

"You know more about magic than all of us combined. I was only beginning to decipher the grimoire, and we had to destroy it before I found the spell, but maybe you know how a magic user could control a powerful creature."

"How powerful?"

Catalin looked at me. Before I could decide how to put things diplomatically, Chess dropped the bomb.

"A dragon. The one we’ve been trying to free, before whoever controls him makes him kill thousands."

In the awkward silence that followed, I could have heard a pin drop. Then Soaruna Kaal shook her head.

"I certainly have no knowledge of such a spell! I can do things to people’s heads, as you noticed, Alicia Lebel, but nothing strong enough to make them act against their will! And a dragon? That’s beyond my expertise."

It sounds like hypnosis. Influencing people, but not to the point of going against who they really are.

I asked for something to draw on, and ended with charcoal and a white napkin. I reproduced the symbol from Kossi’s neck, but Soaruna Kaal didn’t know it either.

Chess sadly shook their head. "Is it over, then?"

“ No. We still have one last option up our sleeve.”

All heads snapped to me.

“What option?” asked Catalin.

“I can read the spell directly on Kossi’s body.”

My companions gasped. Even Soaruna Kaal frowned and her rat ears flattened on her head.

“You want to go straight to the dragon who’s threatening to burn the kingdom to ashes?”

I nodded. “I know it’s a terribly dangerous decision, but I have no time to ponder. I promised Crown Princess Nigella I’d do anything to save both the people of Brealia and the Gold Dragon. Now I have to keep that promise, even if it puts my life at stake.”

I just need one last piece of information.

Using my daily miracle so early was a risk, but we couldn’t leave without knowing where to go. I closed my eyes.

“Cherub, tell me where Kossi is staying now, precise answer needed.”

“He’s in the keep, in Malo Castle, in Inabar. Third floor. I can’t get any more precise, so I hope you’re satisfied with the answer.”

I opened my eyes. “The dragon Kossi is in Inabar. How do we get there?”

Soaruna Kaal tilted her head. “On foot? You’ll have to walk across the mountains for days!”

“How many days exactly?”

“At least three, I’d say. I never went there myself. Who wants to go to Inabar, anyway? As far as I know, it’s a rugged and hostile land.”

“Rugged and hostile,” I repeated.

I can understand why Saegorg wants to rule Brealia instead, then. Old Esthar planted the seed for rebellion when he banished Maitura Ordonbadet to the mountains.

Catalin stood up. “We’ll take our chances.”

That’s my girl!

Soaruna Kaal explained what roads we should take to the mountain marches. The small city of Sanajec, the last real city before we reached the border, would be a good place to stay for the night, provided we got there on time, as it was fortified and the gates still closed every night. After that, the witch said, we’d need another guide. She didn’t know the way out of Brealia.

We thanked her, paid her two trins, which seemed a terribly cheap price for Catalin’s life, and went up the north road.

The weather was cloudy, with a few light showers. We walked through a couple of small towns, bought biscuits from the first bakery we found, and took as few breaks as we could. There was too much at stake. The road sloped up and we all knew we should have walked faster, but what else could we do? We were tired. The three of us were back from the edge of death. By the end of the day, our legs felt heavy and our feet burned. Only our stubbornness kept us moving.

In the end of the afternoon, Catalin’s ears moved and she waved at us. “Horses galloping! It doesn’t sound right, let’s hide!”

We jumped into a ditch and hid beneath a bush. It had thorns, and of course, I pricked my arms. I clenched my teeth. It was either this or swear very loud and get us spotted.

A group of horsemen went past us. They all wore light armors, slightly different from the ones sported by Mistress Jemos’s squad, but still menacing enough. Wherever they went, they wanted to get there fast. Were they after us? There was no way to know, but I assumed the word had spread throughout the kingdom that the Great Hero Al had deserted and should be found.

And then what? I still think King Esthar wants me in Carastra, somewhere on top of a fortification where the whole city can see me strike the dragon and get roasted heroically. However, perhaps a local power won’t have it that way. I might get executed on the spot for high treason.

In any case, the soldiers were probably heading to Sanajec, which meant the city might not be safe for us. So much for the ‘good place for the night’ Soaruna Kaal had told us about.

“Should we still try to spend the night in Sanajec?” I asked.

Chess looked at the road thoughtfully. “Where else can we stop, ma’am?”

Catalin nodded. “We tried camping, we know how it ended, and I don’t want to fight another dire bear.”

And I never want to lose you again.

We walked for a few more minutes before deciding we’d take our chances in the city. We deserved to sleep in a bed at least once before we got to the real climbing part of the journey.

We arrived near the gates right after sunset, and hid beneath trees to take a quick look.

The outer walls were made of stone, not extremely high, but thicker at the bottom, and sturdy enough to resist a few cannon balls. There were a couple of guards at the gates, but they didn’t look on edge. They only paid basic attention to the people getting in or out.

Either they’re not waiting for us, or they have no idea what we look like.

“All right,” I muttered. “What’s the best we can do to not look too much like ourselves?”

Chess sighed. “Whatever we do, we must be quick. They’ll close the gates soon.”

We braided Catalin’s hair, and she wore one of my white shirts over her traveling gear. Chess wore Catalin’s coat. I put my torn plaid over my shoulders and I let my hair down. The three of us added makeshift headscarves to our outfits.

As we crossed the gate, we did get a suspicious glance.

“Beggars?” asked a guard.

I shook my head. “Exhausted travelers.”

I opened my purse, took out a trin, and he sighed. His hand remained extended until I gave him the coin and bought our way in.

Inside the walls, we discovered a place that, to my alien eyes, looked about a century older than Carastra or Merumo. Only the main streets of Sanajec were paved. The rest of the city was made of narrow dirt alleys and timber-framed facades that never went higher than two or three stories. The roofs looked made of flat tiles and there were flowers on the wooden balconies. The whole place smelled, not bad, but slightly animal, probably because of the many horses and dogs that crowded the streets.

“Where should we stay?” I asked.

Chess pointed ahead.

“The central plaza will be crowded with soldiers. We want to keep away from it.”

Catalin nodded.

“Then we should get away from the main street right now, and find a nice inn. The ones in parallel streets will probably be comfortable enough.”

I looked inside my purse, counting my money.

“All right, I’ll let you two choose the inn.”

Chess narrowed their eyes. “Why us?”

“Because I’m a newcomer here. I don’t know this world well enough to know what assets I should be looking for, or what traps I should be avoiding.”

They decided to stay in the best place we could afford, arguing it’d be safer and more comfortable. It also meant we’d be out of money after that night, but when I questioned their choice, they just shrugged.

“We got cursed and we won’t recover until we have a good night’s sleep,” explained Catalin with a cute pout.

Come on, Alicia, the kids are probably right. It may be our last chance to sleep in a proper bed for a while.

So we entered an inn. Wood panels on the inside walls made it look a little like a chalet in the Alps, and the smell of food made my mouth water. A waitress at the counter pointed us to the owner, a human woman in her fifties. We asked for a private room, three dinners and a hot tub. The initial frown vanished at the sight of my money.

“Make yourselves comfortable, ladies! You can eat near the fireplace.”

Chess winced.

The owner sat us at a table and served us roasted meat and vegetables, the best meal I’d had since I left the palace. She smiled all along, welcoming other customers, bringing more food to whoever asked for it. The place was warm. The sauce tasted like there was honey in it. Patrons around us chatted in happy voices.

Can I finally allow myself to relax? My hair is so coarse, I need to detangle it.

After dinner, the owner led us to a room with two large beds, and a screen decorated with birds painted in red and green. Behind the screen was a hot tub, only big enough for one person. We’d need to take turns, and wash thoroughly before going into the water.

We removed our headscarves and extra clothing.

“All right, who gets the first bath?”

“Go first while it’s hot,” Catalin suggested.

I tried to protest, but she pushed me behind the screen. “You’re the oldest and our Great Hero! Go, Al! I won’t peek, I promise!”

I sighed. “Really? You could, you know. After everything we went through, I wouldn’t care at all.”

I pulled on the lacing of my teal bodice. Suddenly, Catalin’s smile vanished. She hushed me with a finger and she wrapped her tail around my leg. “Don’t speak, don’t move! Something’s wrong!”

Chess jumped to their feet. “We need to go.”

They opened the door. I hated the way they only gave a peek, leaving it slightly ajar. It instantly reminded me of the barn, two days earlier, and how we’d narrowly escaped capture. Back then, I’d used a miracle. This time, my daily call to Cherub was already spent.

We all came closer to the door, just in time to hear the owner’s voice.

“Yes, sergeant, I’m pretty sure they’re the ones you’re looking for. That’s why I had the boy fetch you. I’ll show you the room.”

My heart sank. I thought we’d gone unnoticed and I’d been terribly wrong.

She knows who we are and she’s turning us in! Did these men tell all innkeepers in Sanajec to look out for us?

I opened the window, hoping to fool the soldiers into believing we crawled out of it. Then we grabbed our bags and tiptoed into the corridor.

We decided to go out the back of the house, but was there even a back exit? I tried to tie my loose bodice again, but my fingers were shaking and the knot was a disaster.

I followed Catalin, who had better night vision, and Chess walked in my steps, their sword drawn, ready to fight.

The corridor was a dead end. We were trapped. No miracle. No cutting through the wood panel, let alone the probable stone wall behind it.

“What should we do?” asked Catalin as footsteps echoed in the corridor.

A door to our right swung open. “Get in!” said a man in a low voice.

Were we getting out of the frying pan and into the fire? It was too late to think. We stormed into a room that was bigger and more luxurious than ours. Oil lamps lighted a very large bed that could host at least four sleepers, a desk, beautiful chests, and a carpet made of some large animal’s hide. But what really shocked me, when he closed the door behind him, was our savior’s face. I stopped and stared at him.

“You?”