The first meeting
On a beautiful spring day, a long-awaited son was born to the Head of the City's family.
Liam Glinier was beautiful and healthy, and the happy father could not hide his feelings.
For a whole week, the whole town ate and drank and partied at the expense of the Head. The fragile and delicate wife was still recovering from a difficult delivery, but the guest healers promised her a speedy recovery. The streets were strewn with cherry petals and the air was saturated with the scent of divine flowers.
Other immortals came time and again to see the heir to the Second Elder and brought innumerable gifts.
From the first moment, the Elders determined that the child had great spiritual power, but its exact contents became known much later.
The consort recovered, and the baby grew by leaps and bounds. Prosperity and order reigned in the city where the Second ruled. Hard-working people were provided with bread and wine.
Children were always taught to read and write, and there were doctors in the city that helped the people. Guards valiantly bore the guard, protecting the city from uninvited strangers. You say it does not happen and this cheesy picture is sickening? And you're absolutely right.
On the western outskirts of town, there is a beggar woman. She came to the gate and begged the guards to let her in so that she could work honestly and not die of hunger.
Taking pity on the poor woman, the servants let her through and even pointed out where there was an empty house.
The woman bowed a thousand bows to them and went in the direction indicated. On her way she smiled and suddenly licked her parched lips with her snake tongue. Her tiny black beady eyes scrutinized the city.
That night, as he tucked his baby boy in, the Second Elder could not have imagined that the countdown to the disaster had begun. And that this baby would be at the center of the tragedy.
That night, after kissing Liam and inhaling his pleasant milky scent, the Head went to bed with peace of mind. His wife told him her women's stories, and he smiled as he listened to her, and asked himself if there was anyone on earth happier than they were.
A few days later, the city was overrun with shouts» a man was found dead. The guards searched every nook and cranny and made a thorough investigation, but the killer was never caught.
All was quiet for a while, but then the murder happened again, ruining the city's spotless reputation. People began to whisper and there was talk of evil spirits attaching themselves to the town because the Head had such a beautiful child.
Frightened people would think of anything. Gradually, the cheerful atmosphere in town turned into an oppressive and tense one. Parents would not let their children play outside, and adults would not go out alone, but with regularity, once a month, someone in the town would die.
The Head stood before the people in the square with his Head down and no words to answer. The people, becoming bold, began insulting him and demanding to know who was responsible.
That night he contacted his friends Seventh and Twelfth. They arrived in the morning and explored the city under the guise of merchants. They later shared with the Second that they had noticed a strange spiritual trail to the west of the city.
Joining forces and summoning defenders, a special group advanced under the cover of night to the west. The beggar was on her way home as if nothing had happened when she sensed the danger and quickly curled up, hiding her nasty self completely.
But defenders who have been to distant lands cannot be so easily deceived. So they patrolled the city day and night, and at the supposed time of the new murder did not happen.
The culprit had lurked or fled, people in the city said. The beggar woman was rampaging, her powers rapidly disappearing. She came to this town because of her rich spiritual aura.
This peaceful town was home to empowered people, absorbing which she could prolong her life and become stronger, but now she was hungry and very angry.
While wandering without purpose, she happened to pass by the Head's house and heard a child's gushing laughter. She immediately shuddered, feeling the incredible power emanating from the child. She jumped on the second-story window and slipped like a shadow into the room, lurking behind the curtains.
The mother was gently leaning over the cradle and playing with the baby. He loved the way she imitated animals, and after every funny face or sound, the baby burst into laughter.
The beggar girl literally drooled. If she devoured this child, she might never eat again!
Suddenly two protectors entered the room:
"Mr. Glinier has ordered us to guard the child..., the city is still turbulent.
The mother frowned for a moment, but then nodded and continued to play with the child.
The beggar girl took a moment and ran off. «Of course, this baby is a tempting piece of pie, but it will be very hard to get close to it,» so thinking, she went and, for fun, killed little birds that sang too loudly in her opinion.
A little later the defenders discovered the dead birds and looked at each other meaningfully. Beggar Woman had made a few mistakes while she was consumed with thoughts of the child and led the guards right to her house.
But this did her no harm, for she was about to leave the city, so she simply fled during the raid, and the city regained its peace and prosperity for a time.
As the years passed, the little heir reached the age where children go to school. Unfortunately, the Second Elder had no more children, and the Head's lonely son made people around him feel sorry for him.
Always alone, he preferred not the company of noisy children but his wooden sword. Waving it around and knocking down fresh foliage, he finally deigned to attend his birthday party.
In honor of Liam's 7th birthday, Mr. Glinier threw a wonderful party, inviting all the children of the town. Because of this, there was an unimaginable commotion in the square, which had been decorated for the celebration.
The children crowded into the square thoroughly washed and dressed in their unfamiliar ceremonial attire. Suddenly voices were heard: «the son of the Head, here comes the son of the Head!»
A little boy with a wooden sword bravely strode through the crowd and stopped in front of a mountain of gifts. After poking at them with his sword, he sought out his mother in the crowd and demanded that the boxes be opened.
That night the Second Elder was whispering with his wife.
«I don't think Liam has any creative energy. Look at him, he never lets go of his sword.»
«Yes, he loves weapons, but his art teacher showed me his work and you should have seen it! Then you would have hesitated, as I did.»
The Head pondered for a while and then said:
«You don't think that we, besides all the other good things in this life, have had the good fortune to give birth to a True Source, do you?» the man immediately laughed at the suggestion. «No, it can't be...»
The wife only shook her Head. She, like her husband, did not believe that such simple people could have the honor of bearing such a precious and rare child.
No one had ever heard of a True Source being born even hundreds of years before. It was too beautiful to be true.
To change the subject, she spoke of politics.
«I have heard that our formidable neighbor is going to start a war.»
«It's only a rumor, but I'm more afraid of revolts. I have never understood wars and rebellions. Meaningless human sacrifice,» the Head replied grudgingly.
«Listen, I've just had an idea,» his wife interrupted him, «what if we were to find Liam a suitable friend for his age and character? What do you say? They could learn and play together and experience things... Don't you think our boy is lonely?»
«Don't you think he feels so comfortable? If he wanted the company of friends, he would have found them long ago. No child would deny our son's friendship. He is clever and handsome and noble.»
«All like you,» the woman snuggled up to her husband, «but still promise to think about it?»
Time went by very quickly. After Liam crossed the seventeen-year mark, it became apparent that he had a remarkable intelligence, a capacity for martial arts, and creativity.
And also that this child is still as naive and trusting as ever. He stubbornly saw only good in people, so he was often deceived by cunning fellow students or peddlers on the street.
That year a rebellion broke out in the southern towns of Normandy. Refugees and rebels poured into the city, disrupting the peaceful flow of life. Among the arrivals was a wealthy merchant.
To save his life, he sought shelter with the Glinier family. With him came a haggard boy. His once beautiful blond hair had a terrible look, but he seemed noble and handsome.
Mrs. Glinier took over the care of the wounded, and a veritable hospital was set up in the town. A blond boy attracted her particular attention. She often sat up all night long by his bedside, for he had long been suffering from fever.
The boy had been wounded in the leg during the rebellion and so could not move for some time. Using traditional remedies, the mistress sometimes resorted to her secret knowledge, healing the sick in her way.
Showing mercy to the boy, she used her spiritual energy to restore him and suddenly felt the power hidden in the child. She discovered his power by accident, for he still did not come to his senses.
Besides, his master was lying on a nearby bunk and was unceremoniously demanding her attention every hour.
Upon discovering the spirit-rich child, Mrs. Glinier immediately summoned her husband. He specialized in finding such people.
The Head was deeply impressed by the boy's abilities and, together with his wife, made every effort to heal him as quickly as possible.
In addition, the Head ordered that the wounded man be transferred to his castle. When the boy opened his eyes he saw a large room, brightly lit by the sun. Through the curtains of the bed, he could see the tall windows.
Trying to stand up, he felt a slight discomfort that seemed strange to him. He remembered for a fact that he had been badly wounded in the leg. Now he could move his fingers and thigh freely.
Suddenly when he heard footsteps, he fell back onto the bed and covered himself almost Head first. A beautiful young woman in her forties entered the room. She wore a modest but elegantly tailored dress.
She carried a tray of bubbles in her hands, the smell of which made the young man shudder. He looked cautiously at the woman, and she gasped in surprise.
«You are awake, how happy I'm!» She pressed her hands to her cheeks. «Do you remember what happened to you?»
«Was I hurt?» the young man asked.
«It's in the past,» the woman reassured him, «your wound is healing well... let me ask you, where are you from?»
All the time another man was invisibly in the room. He sneaked in ahead of time and hid behind the heavy drapes at the east window.
Liam was attached to his mother, and she to everyone living in the world. So to see her, he followed Mistress Glinier and watched her hard work from afar.
Several times he watched his mother sit with this stranger all night, and it made him feel jealous and perplexed.
Liam squeezed the curtain, and the man on the bed turned his Head sharply in his direction. There was a frightening silence for a few moments, but then Liam pulled himself together and came out of hiding, surprising Mistress Glinier with his appearance.
«Liam...»
«Mother...»
Aware that her son was hiding in this room, but, having done nothing wrong, Mrs. Glinier continued to question the boy on the bed. Liam moved closer to his mother and stopped a few feet from the sick man's bedside.
Still feeling resentful that Mrs. Gleaner cared so much for a stranger, her grown and forgotten son stood stony-faced, not making a sound.
«So how old are you?» the woman asked affectionately.
«Eighteen,» the young man answered.
«Liam turned seventeen this spring,» the woman said, pointing to her son, who looked away awkwardly.
Because of his intense embarrassment, he did not notice the strange look the young man threw at him. But it was such a barely perceptible impulse that young Mr. Glinier missed it.
«And what is your name?» she continued her inquiries.
«Cal.»
«And your last name? What are your parent's names?»
He hesitated. It was obvious that he had something to say, but he did not dare. So as not to make a problem of it, Mrs. Glinier stepped back and did not pry. She handed him the medicine and, after waiting for him to drink it, collected the vials and left.
From behind the door she called out to Liam, who continued to stand. Without waiting for his answer, she left. Liam regarded the incomprehensible young man.
Why was his hair as white as an old man's?
«Are you eighteen?» Liam asked.
«Yeah, about that, I don't know exactly.»
Liam snorted: «How can you not know your age, because every year comes your birthday, or...you've never celebrated it?»