Tales & Treasure Chapter 34

Vatis - A Lost Story

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Vatis exhaled slowly, watching his audience digest the ending of the story. Vidmar and Kamet seemed content. Perhaps they had heard a version of this tale before. Mia twirled her finger in her hair, smiling as she contemplated. Ev furrowed his brow like he was putting a puzzle together. Taldor clapped, looked around, then counted on his fingers as if trying to decide which question to ask. Hobb's white mustache twitched, but otherwise, his expression remained unchanged. 

"Vatis, you said you only tell true stories. There's no such thing as magic," Taldor said timidly.

Vatis ran his tongue over his gums as he thought. He looked at the boy with keen, penetrating eyes. "No, not anymore, but there used to be."

Hobb huffed but didn't voice his opinion. Ev added to Taldor's concerns before the boy could respond. "You mean to tell me that this Dinardo could fly or something."

Taldor scratched the back of his head. "I don't believe it."

Vatis smiled. Farm boys are too stubborn to challenge their beliefs, and these two need to see more of the world. "I'm not here to debate. I tell the facts and stories as I know them and let the audience make their conclusions," Vatis said, trying his best to appease the boys.

"I thought it was amazing," Mia said, interrupting a stuttering Taldor. "But I don't understand why Dinardo didn't become king himself?" 

"Good question," Vatis said, itching his chin. Nobody knew the answer; everything Vatis had heard was speculation. 

"He never wanted power," Hobb said. Crickets ceased chirping. The fire stopped crackling; for a second, Hobb's raspy breathing was the only noise in the house. The table was stunned, including Vatis. Yes, he had planned to coax a response from Hobb, but those four words were completely unexpected. Who are you? Vatis thought, staring at the farmer. He looked haggard, like that secret had been a partly decayed mask, revealing half of his true face. The old man didn't react to the revelation; he watched the others as his hazy gray eyes bounced from person to person. Vatis's mind went blank; he couldn't think of anything. Those four simple words had burnt all his flowering thoughts like wildfire through a prairie. The smoke clouding his mind thickened until Ev stood up and stomped his foot, breaking the spell. 

"You knew of Dinardo?" Ev asked, biting his lip, eyes glaring fiercely.

"Yes," Hobb said.

"You're a fucking liar," Ev yelled.

"Ev," Taldor pleaded. 

"What? I told you he kept secrets from us."

"It's just a story," Taldor said, seeming to struggle to pick a side. 

"Maybe we should go," Vidmar said.

Hobb tugged at his ear. "Don't. Yes, I have secrets; most men do when they get to my age. I have taken vows. I was not always a farmer, but as Vatis said, that is a story for another night. I only wanted to protect you, to keep you safe."

Ev spun and kicked his stool. It shot against the wall, cracking one of the legs when it hit. "I don't need your protection." Ev grabbed Hobb's mug of ale, threw the door open, and disappeared into the darkness. Taldor tried to call after him, but his childish whimpers died in the cornfields.

"Why, Pa?" Taldor said with tears welling up in the corner of his eye. 

"We really should go," Vidmar said, tapping Mia on the shoulder. She nodded and stood. Kamet was already out the door. 

Vatis stood to follow, but Hobbs's rough, vice-like hand grabbed his forearm. "Vatis, stay. Taldor, find your brother. Make sure he doesn't do anything reckless." Taldor sniffed, nodded, grabbed a lantern, and ran into the dark fields. 

Once Taldor left, Hobb turned to Vidmar. "I can help you, but not tonight. Meet me at the tower tomorrow morning." At the mention of the tower, Vatis began to hear whispers of his name in that windy, haunting voice. Vatis, Vatis, Vatis. He rubbed his temples, trying to focus on anything except the bone-chilling voice. 

Hobb's gruff speech interrupted the whisper. "In exchange, grant me this favor: see that the boys come home tonight. I fear I have pushed Evanor too far. Vatis, I'd like a word with you about that story - alone." 

Vidmar narrowed his eyes at Vatis. What? Vatis had never felt more dissected by a look in his life. He almost said something. He wanted to say something; however, Vidmar left before he had the chance. That left Hobb and Vatis alone in the shrinking, darkening room. The old man stood, put a log on the fire, and poured himself a new mug of ale. Vatis put aside his thoughts of the tower but didn't know what to say. What do you want, Hobb? He searched his mind for stories with the name Hobb, but the dusty shelves in the back of his memories revealed no answers. 

After a long drink, Hobb raised his eyes to meet Vatis's. "Why were you in the tower?" The tower's voice returned louder and more persistent. Vatis. Vatis. Come Vatis. He didn't know how to answer. He didn't know which voice to answer. "Why were you in my tower?" Hobb repeated sternly.

If Hobb was going to help Vidmar, if Vatis was going to get his story, he needed to be honest. The question was how honest did he need to be. "It called to me," he said finally.  

Hobb's bushy eyebrows furrowed into a frightening yet intriguing look. "What do you mean it called to you?" 

"I was exploring your farm when I heard my name. I followed that voice into the tower, up the staircase until I lost my footing, then you know the rest," Vatis said, stretching his injured arm.

"It called to you," Hobb said, his tongue poking out of the side of his mouth.

"Yes. It said Vatis, Vatis, Vatis, over and over again. I was travel-weary, so my mind could have been playing tricks on me, but that is why I was in the tower." It wasn't a trick of the mind. There's something strange about that tower, something connected to the Kokor Forest. What are you hiding, Hobb? I need to ask him.

Hobb stroked his mustache and refilled his ale. "Travel-weary?" he said, tapping his cane on the table. He slurped his drink but never took his eyes off Vatis. "I know what you are," he said at last. 

Vatis felt his heart pound in his chest; his stomach sank to his knees. The edges of his vision darkened as the enclosing room blurred. "Excuse me," he said, biting his lip to stop it from quivering. 

"I know what you are."

Just five words, five terrifying words that Vatis had dreaded for over a decade. Hobb's delivery was almost more frightening than the words themself. His stoic demeanor portrayed a man who was three moves ahead. Vatis wasn't even playing the game. 

Through the haze, Vatis's tavern response escaped habitually. "I'm a simple traveling bard, looking for new stories and interesting people."

"More like a wandering bard looking for lives to destroy." Again, the farmer's demeanor horrified Vatis. It was so calm, so measured. If I escape here with my life, I might have to incorporate that into a new character. He won't kill me, though. Will he? Vatis thought, diverting his gaze from Hobb's inquisitor's glare. 

Sweat dripped down the sides of his face. His cheeks were magma as he wiped the sweat away. "What do you mean?"

"You're one of the cursed." 

A momentary sense of relief washed over him, followed by stomach-vacuuming dread. Hobb was the first person who'd discovered him, at least the first to accuse him. I didn't stick around to find out, but Kytia knows; I'm sure of it. I'm getting too reckless. Hobb didn't seem like the type of man to spread it around the world. Do I kill him? Vatis had never killed anyone before, not intentionally. There had been some unlucky individuals when he had lingered somewhere too long, but he had never murdered anyone. For the moment, he decided to play dumb. "One of the what?"

"Don't pretend with me, Vatis. It won't end well. You are one of the cursed," Hobb said, almost yelling.

"Why do you think I am cursed?"

"You have The Wandering Curse, Montalvo's curse." 

Vatis's jaw tightened. "How could I have a curse that died hundreds of years ago?"

"We both know it didn't die, and I won't debate history. You need to leave and never come back," Hobb said.

"I'm not leaving. My companions won't follow me until you give them answers about your relationship with The Pact. You're a member or, at the very least, a descendant of a member," Vatis said, matching Hobb's ferocity. 

"I will share no secrets with you. You're a deceitful liar, and you've put my family in danger for the last time. Leave now," Hobb commanded, using his cane to stand. 

"What evidence do you have? What makes you think I'm cursed?" Vatis had played out his discovery in his mind a hundred times. Kings had confronted him in palaces; his guild accused him at the college, and even Vidmar berated him in their travels. All these reveries seemed possible. Vatis practiced his responses for each situation and more, but he never expected a secret member of The Pact to find out and interrogate him in his dining room. His mind scrambled to make up for its unpreparedness.

"My cherries returning to health, the wolf attack, and my cow getting better. These could all be a coincidence, but you confirmed my suspicions when you said the tower spoke to you. It wasn't the tower. It was the invading vines from the Kokor Forest." 

Vatis stiffened at the mention of the forest. He remembered the shadow offering him rest - he needed rest. This oaf has ruined everything. What do I say?  

"Stop scheming," Hobb said, straightening his arched back. He seemed to double in size, giving a glimpse of what was once an imposing figure. "There is no more debate. Leave now." The top of his cane suddenly glowed a bright iridescent yellow. 

Vatis stood too quickly. Stars danced around the room, gently shooting toward his head as if attempting to knock him over. "What are you? Who are you?" 

"Someone who can see the damage you will do to this world, the damage you have done to this world. Leave now. This is my final warning." The cane glowed brighter, illuminating the room.

Vatis wanted to call his bluff. He wanted to see what sort of jester's trick Hobb was using to light his cane. "You won't kill me."

"I don't have to kill you," he said. The light now pulsed as if it were alive. "There are other ways to make you leave. I could wipe your memory, erase all those stories you have worked so hard to cultivate."

"You're bluffing," Vatis said. His arms shook, his knees wobbled, he wanted to collapse, but something held him in place. His head felt even lighter than before; then his feet left the floor, and he was paralyzed in the air. He felt a pain in his mind like a rodent burrowing deeper and deeper, carving holes in his cherished memories. "I'll leave. I promise. Don't take my stories." Tears ran down his cheeks. His stories were all he had left. If he didn't have them, what was the point of living? He felt a familiar hard surface beneath his feet. The floor, oh, thank the gods—the floor. The pain in his head dissipated. 

Hobb slunk back into his seat. The wrinkles in his face deepened like a creek after a brutal storm; he seemed ancient. Maybe he is a member of The Pact? Vatis thought. "Go," Hobb said powerfully as if his magic were lightning and his voice was thunder.

Vatis quickly grabbed his pack and jogged out the door with his boots untied. He heard heavy footsteps follow him onto the porch. You've ruined everything, he thought, bending down in the dirt to tie his laces. He looked over his shoulder. Hobb hovered like a storm cloud; his eyes seemed to flash in the darkness. Vatis mustered what little courage he had left. "Please help Vidmar. His story deserves a proper ending." 

Hobb's mustache twitched after a long sigh escaped like a ray of sunlight through a cloudy sky. He nodded once, then pointed to the road. "Leave."

Vatis hoped that nod meant yes. "Goodbye, Hobbill," he said with a stiff bow and wandered into the cold night.