The Homunculus Knight

Chapter 29: Illusion of Normalcy

“The Strix are one of the older breeds of Vampire. Tracing back to a particularly foul group of Witches who viewed Vampirism as a form of ascension. Some legends say an Alukah was involved in that Coven’s founding but I think that’s horseshit. Whenever those monsters pop up in the record you know for certain. But what I do know is the Strix are magically talented, crafty bastards. Which makes them even more dangerous than their more physically impressive cousins like the Strigoi. When dealing with them, your best bet is to burn them out of their lair and not even try to play their games”- Philip Hardspade, Archeologist and unofficial Rest-Bringer.

The day Cole left Glockmire proved to be one of the most stressful days in Natalie Striga’s life. Natalie held her breath from the moment the grizzled Paladin left the Silly Goat, waiting for calamity to come. Hours ticked by as early morning bled into mid-afternoon, yet nothing happened. The bones of Lorena the Vampire lay out in the street, surrounded by broken glass and drying blood. Undisturbed, but not unnoticed. No one came for breakfast that morning, and townsfolk avoided passing too close to the Silly Goat. The Inn had become isolated from the rest of Glockmire, fear, and uncertainty keeping people away.

Wilhelm didn’t say anything about the kiss Natalie and Cole had shared. He didn’t say much of anything throughout the morning, the stress getting to the usually gregarious man. Eventually, by eleven o’clock, exhaustion took its toll, and Wilhelm fell asleep in the back room of the Inn. Slumping over a table and snoring like a particularly weary Oxen. Natalie felt guilt and worry at seeing her father's worn state. She knew consciously it was not her fault, but that did little to halt the feelings. After putting a clean blanket over Wilhelm, Natalie left him to his sleep and tried to distract herself.

While she was feeling the beginnings of sleep deprivation, Natalie’s taught nerves prevented her from even considering sleep. Instead of resting, Natalie got to work. She finished cleaning up the tavern and got it presentable for customers. As she admired her handiwork, Natalie looked outside and saw the bones in the road. That sight brought an uncomfortable thought to her. Would the Silly Goat have customers again? Even if the Lord and his minions didn’t haul her and her father off, would the People of Glockmire return to the tavern? People worrying over what might happen could destroy her father and his business just as easily as something actually happening.

Pushing away this new source of anxiety, Natalie turned her attention elsewhere. It was getting cold inside the Inn, despite the logs Natalie put on the fire. A draft chilled the normally cozy building, and Natalie knew the source. Going upstairs, she found the room Cole had rented. Its window was utterly destroyed. Having a hundred or so kilos of Vampire and Vampire hunter go through it shattered its panes and ripped its frame. Surprisingly the ruined window was the only real evidence of the fight. Natalie had expected blood stains and more ruined furniture for some reason.

Looking around more closely, Natalie did notice an abnormality. Sitting on the dresser near the window was a small pile of coins. A handful of silver and bronze coins lay there. Natalie had to stop herself from laughing when she realized the source and purpose of the coinage. Cole left money to pay for the window. It was a silly little thing, but it made Natalie smile. The idea of waiting a year to see that strange, wonderful man suddenly seemed unbearable. Longing and a sense of loss filled Natalie. Grabbing the coins, she left the room and went to find some old sheets.

Forcing herself to move forward and not sulk or stew, Natalie deposited the coins in her room and grabbed a few worn sheets. The ragged cloth was destined to become rags soon, but until then, she could get another use out of them. Natalie returned to the broken window and started hanging up the sheets as a make-shift covering. Layering three of the bed sheets to block cold autumn wind coming through the window. As she worked, Natalie felt something crunch against her foot. Looking down, she expected to find a piece of glass that somehow managed to end up inside. As a waitress, she knew better than most how far shattered glass could spread, ending up in all manner of improbable places. Instead of powdered glass, she found bits of grey soot, patches of ash dotted the floor.

After a moment of confusion, Natalie understood what she was looking at. Confusion turned to shock and then revulsion as the realization filtered through her. The flesh and blood of a Vampire turns to ash when destroyed. These smears of soot were remnants of Lorena, bits of her blood that Cole spilled. Shivering at the idea, Natalie looked out the window through the hole she’d yet to cover and saw the bones still lying outside. The notion of grabbing a hammer and turning those blackened bones to powder and scattering them to the four winds suddenly seemed very appealing to Natalie.

Lorena had come into her home and entertained herself by tormenting Natalie. The Vampire had explicitly and implicitly threatened to kill Natalie and everyone she loved, keeping Natalie at the edge of panic for hours. It had been a form of torture, not the grandiose acts of mutilation whispered to happen in the Nobility's dungeons. But it still had been torture, a subtler and more elegant kind. Natalie once heard Lock, the local Priest of Uncle Trickster, say that fear of pain is worse than actual pain. How dark anticipation and anxiety could do more to hurt a person than almost any act of violence. After her experience with the Vampire and the subsequent night of waiting, Natalie could not agree more with Lock.

Returning to her work, Natalie finished covering the window and went to find a broom and dustbin. While she knew going out in the street and smashing up the waiting bones of Lorena would probably not result in anything good. Natalie still intended to get a little bit of catharsis. Carefully Natalie swept up every bit of ash and (as she expected) broken glass she could find in the room. It wasn’t much, but Natalie still took the time to take the dustbin out to the latrine and dump the Vampire's remains into the cesspit with all the other filth.

Back in the inn proper, Natalie had a little spring in her step. She knew what she’d done was juvenile beyond words, but it still had brought more than a little vindictive glee. With that done, Natalie realized she’d run out of chores. She and her father both kept busy throughout the night doing everything that needed to be done, so the few distractions she had left were finished quickly. Natalie briefly considered taking a nap like her father, but she was still too tightly wound for that. With her immediate responsibilities finished, Natalie decided to try and relax a little. Grabbing one of the pieces of wood she kept for such an occasion, Natalie sat down in the inn and started to carve.

Stockings, the Cat joined her nearby, enjoying the fireplace's heat on the cold fall day. The cat lounged with the haughty grace only a feline could manage, and Natalie was drawn to carving the sight. Hoping to catch the moment in wood, Natalie started to cut the piece of aspen. She stopped before she could really start as a thought made her innards twinge. Her actions were a near-perfect repeat of when Cole first came to town. Sitting by the fire, with only the cat for company, carving knife in hand. Letting out a slight moan, Natalie slumped back into her chair. She was facing the same problem over and over. Try how she might distract and comfort herself, but her traitorous mind kept looping back to topics she was trying to avoid.

After maybe half an hour of idly whittling by herself; Natalie was surprised when the Inn’s door slowly opened. Leaping from her chair and turning her carving knife at the newcomer, Barnabas entered the Silly Goat, casting furtive glances around. Worry lines were carved deep into the old man's face, and his jaw was set with the type of nervous strength only seen in someone pushing past their fears.

When he saw Natalie, standing there with her knife out and eyes wild, Barnabas visibly relaxed. Shutting the door behind him, the merchant moved to Natalie with surprising speed. Natalie lowered her knife, and the two embraced in momentary relief. Breaking the hug, Barnabas looked Natalie over, making sure she really was alive and in one piece.

Looking around the tavern again, Barnabas asked, “Your father is he…?”

Natalie actually smiled at that. “No, he is asleep in the back. It was a long night, and neither of us slept.”

More of the tension bled out of Barnabas at learning the last bit of family he had in the world was alive and well. “The town’s been in utter chaos all morning. Something happened up in the Castle, and it's got the Guards jumpy. It took me a bit to talk my way past then and get here.”

The audacity of the slightly hunched old man before her made Natalie’s smile bloom into a full grin. One Barnabas answered with his own smile, one that turned melancholic as he continued talking. “The guards said something happened here. So when I saw that bloody skeleton outside, I assumed the worst.”

Pausing for a moment, Barnabas gestured out the door he’d entered and asked, “If you and Wilhelm are safe, then who in the jagging Beyond is that outside?”

Those words pulled every little bit of good humor out of the room. Leaving Natalie with nothing but grim truth to relay. “Those bones belonged to a Vampire. It came to the tavern last night looking for Cole.”

Natalie hated how her words drained the color from Barnabas’s skin

“The Vampire threatened me and everyone in the tavern. Dad managed to empty the Goat before things got bad. I don’t know what exactly happened but Cole and the Vampire fought. He won.”

Slightly stunned, Barnabas asked for clarification. “Cole killed a Vampire? I… wouldn’t believe it if you weren’t telling me.”

Natalie nodded somberly. “I saw it with my own eyes. He tackled the damned thing out of the second story window and cut its head off.”

“Where is he now?” asked Barnabas, worry mixing with awe in his voice. While the people of Glockmire knew Vampires were not truly immortal. That knowledge was an abstract and alien thing. Just as the people of this mountain town knew of deserts and how their heat could burn a man to death; they knew a Vampire could die. Words just couldn’t do the idea justice; only experience would.

Natalie had felt a similar shock earlier, but her own experiences with Cole lessened the impact. “Cole stayed with us until dawn, then he left. He wanted to make sure nothing else happened last night but also didn’t want to stay and invite reprisals on us.”

Barnabas frowned and grunted. “I can’t forgive him for bringing this heaping pile of shit to your door, but I can respect him for trying to fix it. It takes courage to do that, even if it's the act of a dead man.”

“What?” sputtered Natalie, sudden confusion and shock hitting her.

Looking at his adopted Niece, Barnabas wore a serious look. “He killed one of the Nobles. They won’t take that well. The Castle is busy today, and I don’t think that is a coincidence. Come dusk; they will hunt him down. If he’s lucky, they will just kill him then, and if he’s not, they will capture him alive. You know what they do to mundane prisoners like poor Felix. Imagine what they will do to someone who actually killed one of their own?”

Images of Coles's scarred body flickered through Natalie’s mind. She could guess full well what Vampire did to those who angered them. Cole all but admitted to being tortured by Vampires on more than one occasion when she’d pushed him.

Internally, Natalie pieced together more of the puzzle around Cole. He’d loved a Vampire and been her “favorite.” until another Vampire killed her and probably captured Cole. Somehow he’d survived his imprisonment, escaped, and became a Paladin of Master Time. A series of events that raised countless questions; one’s Natalie hoped to ask him in Vindabon. But now, the prospect of their reunion seemed impossible. That idea sent a deep, ugly pang through Natalie. The idea of never seeing Cole again hurt; it hurt with an internal ache that she lacked words to describe.

It ached so much that Natalie asked Barnabas a question. “Barnabas, what does it feel like to be in love?”

The words spilled out of her before she was truly cognizant of what they were. Instantly embarrassment flushed Natalie’s face scarlet, and she looked away from Barnabas. The old man slumped against a nearby table and swore. Letting out a particularly foul Dwerick curse, that Natalie was fairly certain had to do with molesting mountain goats.

While he didn’t say anything, it was clear Barnabas understood the implied meaning of her words. After a moment, he grumbled, “With all the fine young lads and lasses in town. She goes and falls for a Jagging Rest-Bringer.” The complaint was for his own benefit, not hers, but it still brought a new twinge of embarrassment.

Ignoring Natalie’s awkward fidgeting, Barnabas sat down at the table and seemed to ponder his words for a moment before answering. “People always describe it differently. But for Niall and me, it was this feeling of completeness. We helped each other be better and brought each other joy. He… would push me past my cynicism, and I could be a rock for him to rely on. Or at least I always tried to be.”

Barnabas rarely talked about his husband, Niall. They’d met on the road and fallen in love decades ago. Running Glockmire’s largest trading post together until an accident on the road killed Niall about fifteen years ago. A tragedy that now Natalie realized was her first real exposure to death.

Looking at Natalie with a neutral expression, Barnabas elaborated on his description. “Love is also something that grows and changes. It starts as seeds of infatuation and interest but only can become something more through time and effort. Love needs to be cultivated and cared for. Young love is fragile, which can be a good or bad thing. It makes it easy to ruin, but it also makes it easy to fix. Even if fixing it is a process done with someone new.”

That got a wince from Natalie. She could always count on Barnabas to be equal parts wise and abrasive. The old merchant pressed forward, as steady and sure as one of his caravans. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t hurt. It's okay too, and it's what you are supposed to do. Grief is a real slattern, but it's also important. Just… just don’t let it destroy you. Like it almost did me.”

Sitting down opposite of Barnabas, Natalie mulled over his words and started to consider things. While Barnabas could very well be right, and that Cole was doomed. But he didn’t know Cole was a Paladin. A factor that might shift things outside of Barnabas’s prognostications. Natalie figured that if the Vampires captured Cole, they would ensure the townsfolk knew. The Rest-Bringer had become known around town, and the fact he killed a Vampire would not remain secret for long. They would make sure everyone knew he was dead. So as long as there was no news about Cole, it meant he was alive. Having that sort of worry over her head would not be fun, but it still brought Natalie some hope.

More discussion on the topic was cut short when Wilhelm entered the tavern proper. Bleary-eyed and still tired-looking, the innkeeper smiled at seeing Barnabas and shuffled over to the kitchen. Not quite awake and still drained from the night's terrors, Wilhelm started cooking. It was an attempt to return to normalcy but also a demonstration of the type of man Wilhelm was. If there was stress and worry, he’d do his best to make sure people had good food to lessen the burden.

Despite it being a little past noon, Wilhelm made a breakfast of champions for his daughter and friend. Natalie tried to get up and help on multiple occasions, but her Dad simply shooed her away each time. He wanted to make a meal for them all to enjoy and would brook no intrusions in his kitchen. The last night rattled Wilhelm, and he sought to regain control over his life again. Where a lesser man might give into anger or frustration at those feelings. The innkeeper found a more constructive outlet. Presiding over his kitchen and making sure no one under his roof went hungry.

When her father dropped his first finished product, a bowl of oatmeal, before her, Natalie dug into the food ravenously. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she tasted the mellow sweetness of the oat's honey. The plate of sausage, eggs, and toast that came next didn’t last long either. Terror and worry suppressed her hunger for too long, and now the simple needs of the body came back in a roaring rampage. Barnabas, for his part, was still finishing his oatmeal when Natalie had completed her entire meal. The old man watched her with bemusement and remarked: “I haven’t seen you eat like that in years. Not since you put on all that height. You are already taller than me, Natalie. How much bigger do you intend to get?”

Natalie rolled her eyes at the gentle ribbing and responded between her final mouthfuls. “I’m trying not to look like something the crows have picked over. You could learn from my example, Barnabas.”

That got a bark of laughter from the wiry old codger, and as easily as that, they returned to their old rhythm. Natalie and Barnabas sparred wits while Wilhelm laughed and occasionally chimed in. As the last bits of the morning turned into afternoon, Natalie put the stress and worry in their place. All was not right with the world, but little bits of it could come close. Like the little piece, she and her family made together.

Hours passed by, with the three of them enjoying each other's company. Until a surprising interruption came. The door to the inn opened, and Natalie spun in her chair to see the newcomer, expecting the worst. So she was pleasantly surprised when she saw Matko and his family at the door. The stout miner always reminded Natalie of some great slab of granite. Squat and broad-shouldered, the man looked somewhat out of place surrounded by his brood. Seven children of ages ranging from late teens to mid-childhood crowded around Matko and his wife, Maria. Tall and willowy, her appearance contrasted heavily with her husband. None of their kids inherited the full portion of each parent's appearance, and mixed thick frames with long limbs.

Matko looked at the trio of Wilhelm, Barnabas, and Natalie for a moment before asking ‘Uh, are you open for business?”

Wilhelm didn’t hesitate at all and waved them in. “Of course, let me whip something up for you all!”

The family found a table, with Maria herding her children to places around it. Wilhelm got to work cooking up a meal for his customers. Natalie got up from her place by Barnabas and started getting drinks for the Miner and his family. An awkward silence filled the tavern, and Natalie passed out cups of water, juice, and weak wine to the customers. Eventually, Barnabas broke the tension with his usual bluntness.

“So what are you lot doing here? I knew I was stupid enough to wander the streets but didn’t think anyone else would risk it.”

Matko shifted uncomfortably for a moment before answering. “They shut the mine; Daymen aren’t letting anyone work. So I figured instead of lounging about, I would take the family out for a treat. And the only place you can get any decent food outside of my Wife’s kitchen is the Silly Goat.”

Wilhelm beamed and answered jovially, “Well, happy to have the customers. Now, do you have anything special you’d like?.”

Natalie let her father and their customers get down to the brass tacks as she wandered over to the front door. Looking out the nearby windows, she felt her blood chill and a question form on her lips. The skeleton was gone; someone had moved it from its crude resting place. Natalie wanted to shout, demanding an explanation from Matko’s family, but she stopped herself. They would know nothing, and all she would do was frighten the children. Biting back that instinct and plastering a smile onto her face, Natalie went back to refill drinks and distract herself.

The next hour went by peacefully enough with the semi-organized chaos of feeding a large family filling the Silly Goat. Children laughed, joked, and argued. Barnabas and Matko found time to talk while Natalie made conversation with Maria. Stockings the Cat let herself be subjected to the attention and affection of seven different children. Displaying the aloof temperance only a worldly feline might have for energetic children.

Natalie worked to keep the missing skeleton from her mind and mostly succeeded. The afternoon turned into a bizarre mix of normal business hours and a family brunch. It ended soon enough, and Matko paid Wilhelm while his wife herded the kids out of the Inn. Just before following his family, Matko took Natalie aside and whispered to her.

“I don’t know what happened here last night, but I do know it’s got the Daymen wound-tight, and they’ve been taking it out on all of us. That isn’t right, and everyone knows it, but fear will make plenty of folks stupid. Ignoring and shunning you and your father.”

Natalie started to answer, but Matko continued. “I heard Master Cole left town this morning, and before that, he did something to cause a stir. While he might have left, and I can’t do anything to help him. You are still here, Natalie, and I’m happy to help you any way I can..”

Matko’s throat caught as he tried to finish his thoughts. “You two got justice for my little girl. That means more than I can put in words. So whatever happens, know this, there are people in this town who respect what you did, Natalie.”

The burly miner followed his family out into the street and left the Silly Goat. Natalie watched them go. As they turned onto another street, Natalie made a decision. She scurried from the Inn and into the street. Her father shouted after her, but Natalie ignored his protests. She went to the spot where Lorena had died. Hoping to get a modicum of understanding about what happened.

The bones had been moved, leaving only a small patch of ash on the cobblestones. It hadn’t rained, and the wind wasn’t bad enough to do more than smear the gray dust along the road. Nervously, Natalie looked up and down the street, ensuring no one was watching. Seeing no sign of being observed, she bent down to look at the ash. No footprints or wheel ruts were present in the powder. No sign that anyone had come by and taken the bones. Aside from their absence, of course.

Shivering slightly, Natalie got a strange sense she was being watched. Looking up and around, she saw nothing other than her father crossing over to join her. Standing up, Natalie turned back towards the Silly Goat.

Cutting off her father's worried words, Natalie spoke. “Sorry, Dad, I just wanted to check; let's go back inside.”

That placated Wilhelm and Natalie followed him back towards the Inn. Just before she entered, Natalie felt a shadow pass over her. It was just a momentary thing, but for a brief second, she swore that something large had blocked out the afternoon Sun. That sensation pushed Natalie to scurry inside the Inn. Before she shut it behind her, Natalie looked around once more. Seeing no sign of the shadow, she shut the door and prayed she was overthinking things.