Marcus rummaged through his bag trying to find something suitable to wear up to the palace. Although he knew he would be welcomed, it didn’t hurt to look presentable. His head shot up. He felt his neck and looked beneath his shirt. He pulled out a necklace. Instead of the small piece of metal with his name and status carved onto it, hanging from the chain was a pebble that was warm to the touch. He recognised it immediately as Aldene’s secret identification object. “But where’s my tag?” 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XLzYEeatY 維尼
“What?” Gerald shouted from the kitchen.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQBYbF4Rja 維尼
Marcus upturned his medical bag on the table. “I’m looking for my tag.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbj3iZfQS8 維尼
Gerald scoffed. “Are you talking about your identity tag?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWRY9qGSPo 維尼
Marcus shifted his change of clothes aside and righted the bottles of potions Aldene gave him a while ago. They weighed down on a small pile of scrap paper. The small packets of herbs went next. His bound notebook thumped onto the floor and the length of wood he used to support broken bones followed it. Two sheathed daggers and a crossbow the size of his palm were pushed against his bundle of clothes. A pack of spare needles and rolls of clean bandages were left at the centre of the table. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDBsa3wNhF 維尼
There was no tag.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tUoNxfsb4 維尼
Gerald approached and pointed at the chain around Marcus’ neck. “If you have Aldene’s tag, she might have taken yours by mistake.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYg8QwGBGI 維尼
“But how? You don’t just put on a necklace without noticing that it’s not yours,” Marcus argued even as he was at that moment wearing Aldene’s.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMRlUIBEeQ 維尼
“Be glad you didn’t leave it behind for some stranger to pick up,” Gerald said.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH9RsXbRWJ 維尼
Marcus swore under his breath and repacked his bag. “I’m going to change. Probably take a bath, too.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡazrLkp7JVG 維尼
After his bath, Marcus dressed in a comfortable white shirt that had sleeves cut off at the shoulders and pants which were cut to just below the knees. The hem of both pant legs were tightened so they stayed snug to his legs. He made sure Aldene’s scroll was still tucked in the small pouch stitched onto his pants, which was made purposely for such scrolls or knives, and slung his bag across a shoulder.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡauBw97gTAK 維尼
The water on his body evaporated by the time he was ready to leave. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped out of the shadowed inn and into the hot summer air.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡckhOMP5jdx 維尼
In the six years that he was absent, the shop where old man Kip sold pies was gone. In its place was a fabric shop that shared space with a woman who was a hired writer. The street was wider and less cluttered—shop fronts were torn down and rebuilt a metre back to make room for the carriages that frequented the street more often. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡaf9DDbqQS8 維尼
It was becoming a hub of commerce for travelling merchants and visiting dignitaries. Marcus actually thought that he was on the wrong street when he automatically turned onto it. Instead of packed dirt, his horse’s hoofs clomped over a cobbled stone road. As one of the first streets of Enzla’s capital that visitors saw, it lived up to expectations.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oRdQvcMoV 維尼
People deftly avoided his horse as he rode down the streets. Some even recognised him and called out. He waved and rejected the offer of a drink and carried on, picking up the pace he cleared the neighbourhood. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡZai6OoQAeh 維尼
He used the familiar roads that would lead him to the palace with the least amount of time and slowed his horse to an easy walk. He squinted his eyes at the two guards standing on either end of the gate. The gates were wide enough for large entourages to go through, most likely because they were expecting one some time soon. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHFnSaG81L 維尼
Marcus didn’t think that he recognised the Guards. They were both tall, muscular, and wore the Guard’s summer uniform, which was a white short sleeved tunic and pants. On the sleeve was stitched a red arm band. Over the tunic was a plate of armour, most likely light enough to stop arrows. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSvCOhMrRr 維尼
Unlike the Guards who patrolled the streets, these Guards wore swords on their persons in addition to the baton on their belt. They also had shields leaning on the wall behind where they stood. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVfIPEpyKu 維尼
As he approached, he made out their facial features. The one to the left of the gate was taller than the one to the right. His face was more square and his nose was broken once before. His hair was cut short. Every strand of hair was braided. A bit excessive, Marcus thought. The man also had a scar on his chin that ran along his jaw line. He wore his sword on his back, angled toward the left. His right hand fell to his baton when Marcus was a minute away from the gates. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCaft1lpHY 維尼
The man to the right had a leaner figure but was no less muscular or alert. Although he didn’t make a move toward his weapons, the man looked ready to take them out at a moment’s notice. He was bald, which made the tattoo on his left temple more visible. “Is that Marcus?” The man shouted. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡszdtnUXDZq 維尼
Marcus gave the man a second look. Bald, tattooed, and cheerful.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSXQNdNokA 維尼
“Lanz?” Marcus said. “Is that you?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ1HkGgdMZ 維尼
Lanz grinned and said something to his partner. The taller man relaxed his grip and gave Marcus a friendly wave. Marcus dismounted to give Lanz a quick hug and gave the man another nod. He asked Lanz, “Why are you bald? I thought you said that you’d never lose a bet.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡarIREHS3s5 維尼
“Well, I lost one,” Lanz said with a laugh. Lanz was in Marcus and Aldene’s graduating class from the Margins and was also the one who made them laugh. He was their long time friend. He also loved to bet his hair on any game. The stakes was always him shaving his hair all off if he lost a bet. But Marcus never remembered him ever shaving his head. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWlq20zqfB 維尼
“What bet was it?” Marcus asked. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOy9kvfPkA 維尼
Lanz gave Marcus a reminiscing smile. “It was the bet Aldene made.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtHr0cmQM3 維尼
Marcus thought back to their time together with Lanz. “The bet…” Marcus began to smile as he remembered. Lanz, though fun as he was, swore never to marry because his parents had gone though a bad one and he didn’t think it would ever work out for him. And now Lanz was bald. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7lT4ux7hy 維尼
“But Aldene didn’t come to claim her win, so why did you shave your head?” Marcus asked. “You could have kept your hair.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5w0swxbuQ 維尼
“I’m a new man with my hair shaven off!” Lanz declared dramatically. And his smile dropped. “And I thought Aldene was never going to have the chance to claim her winnings, so I thought that I would…honour the bet.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQ8AY0CjWq 維尼
Marcus gave Lanz a grin. “We’re not that easy to kill. You should know that, Lanz.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuue6vD1bH 維尼
“But you were gone for six years,” Lanz said. “What’s a man to think? You were off in the south, where ‘sters knows how, Ician rogues invaded. How did they get there in the first place? They’re all the way up in the north!”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡchFDAppt4F 維尼
“I don’t know,” Marcus said. “They resisted torture and the truth spells.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTrL0lrf74 維尼
“They somehow went down south. Through Enzla.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJWUJiXTGj 維尼
“It’s possible that they came by the water,” Marcus pointed out. “We don’t have such a big security flaw that the Guards on the Northern Islands wouldn’t have noticed an army of Icians coming onto shore.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0kxlYVF5R 維尼
“That’s true. Even when Leal showed his traitorous side by giving the Icians information, he was quickly found out and stopped.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJI7GaB81x 維尼
Marcus’ jaw dropped. “Leal? The Duke’s son?” 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm8g2XWlCX 維尼
Lanz raised his eyebrows and nodded. He turned to his partner and said, “I’m right, aren’t I?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zViPigMi3 維尼
“It happened five years ago,” Lanz’s partner said. His voice was deep but loud and clear. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9dyVpil45 維尼
“Then I was already on the road,” Marcus said. “You two aren’t joking? Leal really is a traitor?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZDfHky21i 維尼
“It was a shock for all of us when the Intelligence Chief of the Northern Islands told Her Majesty.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9tNBAuJIZ 維尼
Marcus shook his head. “I should have known better than to trust him based on appearance.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKmxl6BYQ1 維尼
Lanz grimaced. “Don’t worry. Our agents have been clearing the house for the past few years. None of the other nobles at least are spies. If they know about their servants, we haven’t heard of it.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR4JkSJ81I 維尼
“There are bound to be one,” Marcus said, thinking of all the agents Enzla had disguised as servants.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzT7hHr7L8 維尼
“Enough of this,” Lanz said. “What’s your business in the palace, Marcus?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ79vJ5u9MG 維尼
“I need to speak to the Scouts Master,” Marcus said. “Perhaps I will move into my rooms in the palace with my daughter.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vE3Vm0Yhg 維尼
Lanz beamed at him. “That’s right! You have a daughter. How is she?” He saw Marcus’ wince and guessed. “Ah…wasn’t too keen about you leaving her, was she?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLDRu9rlta 維尼
“I’ll deal with it,” Marcus said. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7QHFtGmUZ 維尼
“Hah. Go on in, Healer Marcus,” Lanz said with a smile and a shake of his head. “You always deal with everything,” he said softly. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDqclL2Yuj 維尼
Marcus squeezed Lanz’s shoulder and pulled his horse with him into the palace grounds. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJSYFWjabC 維尼
The palace was more of…a group of many buildings. They were all built in different generations as Enzla grew into the powerful kingdom it now was. Newer buildings were created with more advanced technology and weaved into the building process was magic, which gave the buildings the excellent cooling system they enjoyed during the summer months. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVMQVw4VYm 維尼
The oldest buildings, including the original palace, were in the centre. It was made of great big stones that was enough on its own to provide a cool temperature but it was lacking during the winter month. The last time Marcus was here, the queen was planning to use original spells to help circulate the warmth coming from fire places and other heat sources in the building.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dx4IPv1eb 維尼
Their queen held her court in the original palace but that wasn’t his destination today. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNktGa2whg 維尼
Marcus followed the natural stream that ran through the palace grounds until he reached the stepping stones. There was also a bridge, but that was further down and farther from the Scout’s Quarters.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnH4LBr1GG 維尼
With a few quick leaps, he was over the water and on the other side. A few scouts were in the area and gave him a quick look before moving along. When scouts were focused on their work, they tended to put everything else in a safe corner of their mind. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoAiiULQE0 維尼
Marcus walked across the grass toward the small building that housed the Scout Master and on-site scouts. The guard by the door recognised Marcus immediately and her jaw dropped. She didn’t stop Marcus as he entered, though the force of her stare made him say, “It’s good to be back.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNfm1GWwpo 維尼
“Where’s Aldene?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVjvlaXBCR 維尼
“She’s fine.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUbRuE9od6 維尼
“Oh, ancestors help her,” the guard muttered. “I hope she’s safe.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡTICr1BBXo2 維尼
“Me, too.” Marcus nodded to her and carried on into the building’s interior. Scouts streamed in and out while he took the twists and turns to the fourth floor. He emerged from the staircase and was met with an open area where scouts milled around talking to each other in low voices. This floor was a commons for them, where they were able to share information and contacts. When you were looking for someone, there was always a good chance that they passed through the commons and someone could tell you where they went. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsZRWMzNrO 維尼
The Scouts Master was also on this floor, favouring the location because it was close to his scouts in case he needed to make any major announcements. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡoca5A2jvJS 維尼
Marcus nodded to a few familiar faces. As he walked toward the office, he heard the room slowly fall silent. The scouts had realised what his presence meant. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡwguGAIuAIh 維尼
Aldene’s extended six year mission was over. There were a few possibilities for why she wasn’t here to report in person and those possibilities raced through the room in glances to each other.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJF1jRTpkm 維尼
Marcus’ knock on the office door was loud in the hushed commons. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPAbgwcPZq 維尼
“Come in.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡWevHywpnw3 維尼
The door opened and a scout slipped out. The man’s eyes flickered to Marcus’ for a second before he continued on his way, most likely to start his mission.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEh7XVQoAT 維尼
Marcus closed the door behind him and the Scout Master looked at him. The Scout Master was in his early forties and was in great shape like the rest of his scouts. He was on the short side, but that must have helped him when he was an active scout. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dcSrbweDE 維尼
He was known to be a master of knives and stealth. His experience and knowledge was so valued that the previous Scouts Master pulled him from the last war to act as instructor for the scouts. He spent years training scouts and organising the current stealth programs. But that wasn’t the only reason for why they offered him the job of Scout Master. Behind his dark eyes was a quick thinking mind that knew where to deploy scouts and what to do with the information that they brought back. He knew every scout and every strength and weakness they had, enough that he knew the chances of a scout’s survival for any mission before it even commenced.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyJjzOxU7z 維尼
“You’re Healer Marcus, Aldene’s husband,” the Scout Master said. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3ouuanHpy 維尼
Marcus felt his heart settle into its place. “Yes, I am. This message is for you.” Marcus put the scroll on the table in front of the Scout Master.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CSXVXXCdo 維尼
“Sit, Marcus.” The Scout Master took the scroll and used his magic to confirm that the plain nondescript scroll was Aldene’s. “Where is she?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwKubV7puY 維尼
Marcus told him about the three men and their conversation in the stables. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXtK1HRYmN 維尼
“So her mission continues,” the Scout Master said with a frown. “The Ician rogues aren’t entirely defeated yet. They’re waiting for something else to happen.” He unrolled the scroll and read the last entry, which was what Aldene had written hastily behind the stables. “Whatever it is she finds, Aldene is smart enough to know that she cannot stay there forever. I’m sending another scout after her to retrieve the information she has collected.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NeMN3ySVh 維尼
The Scout Master nodded and tucked the scroll away for later reading. “Is there anything else you should tell me, Marcus?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV8RwHh7FX 維尼
“I don’t think so. I’ve told you everything about the men and Aldene was always thorough with her reports.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO73D7gjU8 維尼
The man nodded. “Thank you, Marcus.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyOh2Jp9TM 維尼
Marcus stood from his seat and had a hand to the door when the Scout Master stopped him. “The secret identification tag that my scouts wear,” he started to say. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10rZTznf0z 維尼
Marcus tried not to think about the warm pebble hidden beneath his shirt. The Scout Master might want it back if he knew Marcus had it. “I’ve seen it.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡVovUQmFJ1J 維尼
“As you know, scouts are prone to taking potions that stave off pain so that they could safely retreat. Obviously, this isn’t healthy because they wouldn’t know if they were breathing their last breath.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWqBo3XPNT 維尼
Marcus’s lips tightened. He knew this. And he tried not to worry about Aldene when she used those drugs but there was nothing he could do when he knew what was at stake.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡup4k07OiYt 維尼
“Experienced scouts always know how close to death they are even if they are heavily drugged so there is no reason to worry about them. It’s the younger ones who are in danger and benefit the most from their tag’s magic.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡnI1wvGj4Ft 維尼
Marcus’s hand dropped from the door handle. “What are you talking about?”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LNL5V8KJd 維尼
The Scout Master caught and held Marcus’ gaze. “A scout’s tag will tell her how close to death she is. The closer to death she is, the colder and more transparent the tag becomes. It works even when she does not wear it. In a way, it’s a bastardized communication object. Scouts often exchange tags so they know when each other is dead and shouldn’t be expected.8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVwMt13XoL 維尼
“Tags should be kept safe. Not lost.” The Scouts Master raised an eyebrow. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkgkQPKZCi 維尼
Marcus nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He hesitated for a beat. “Thank you.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiGUGaXyuE 維尼
“Go. I’m going to be very busy from now on.”8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlqVlMy7SR 維尼
Marcus stepped out of the office and scouts watched him as he left. If they wanted to know about Aldene, it was now up to the Scouts Master to share the information. 8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LXSxwbusT 維尼
After he crossed the stream again, he clutched the pebble. Even through his shirt, he felt it exerting a steady wave of heat.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSj6PaFWYp
8964 copyright protection481ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo9UZfUDkR 維尼
