Fable 2 1/2: Part 4

Fable 2 ½
Garth and the Three Stooges:
    To Garth readying and studying is important, very important, but waking up with it all over you face, tends to pull it down to the not so respected scale, not that six in the morning doesn't make that worse. And to add to the worse, Garth felt more cold than usual in the tower.  He knows that he kept it well insulated, and even made some add ups so he can come back to it from his trip home. In fact, he stayed at the tower a whole week to fix it and the courtyard up after the incident with Lucien’s thugs. And being looked up in the Spire for ten years, terrible horrible years, apart from Sparrow’s company and once in a while visits past his cell. It was still bad, but when she came to save him it wasn’t as bad as it could have gotten. Once in a while she would visit him to have a chat, and sneak expensive treats from the kitchen.  Sparrow wasn’t one to steal or do terrible things, but when she did those things, well, heh, seeing her face animated like that made his day. So did the food of course.  Thank you Lucien.

    “But enough of that.”  Garth thought, he needed to see why his home was so cold. After a few minutes he found that it came from the attic. Rarely did he come up there, except for the once in a while special experiment. So why it was so cold? No one should have been in there.  After another few minutes more, this time contemplating, he decided to check it out. There wasn’t much, just a tower circular room with windows every few feet. And the only thing in the room other than dust was an old simple bed. Most people wouldn’t think of it, but Garth new better. He knew that this bed was no normal bed, and he knew this since he found it. He thought about laying on it for a bit, but a chill wind shook off the idea, as tempted as it was. The wind came from a broken window, broken. Could Lucien have done this? No, he didn’t notice this last time he was here, surly not.

    Garth stood in front of the shattered window, nothing left of it, and just stared.  Who could have done this? He was somewhat disappointed, they could have fixed it or at least kept out the rain and snow and other bad weather.  Also the view looked familiar. Then it struck him, outside on another wall was a broken statue. The gargoyle, yes that is right. Albion had this thing about having gargoyles around, and not the normal ones, no these were the straight out talking ones; annoying, vulgar, pessimistic, and not to mention insulting ones. Garth didn’t mind the gargoyle, he ignored it, and it, after a few threats of real life torture, it came respected that. He can be so persuasive sometimes. He turned around to get something to cover the window. Stopping at the ladder that is the entrance to the attic, Garth had a tempted feeling and trying out the bed. After having it for so long, Garth still had things to discover about it, and just having around and not knowing what it can fully do, it made him a bit uneasy. Though the uneasiness disappeared and he went to work on the window. Garth being a scholar and all, did not have much of a past in fixing windows. But the people of Samarkand were very talented people with their hands. So not to long after he covered it up with weather proof material. He will finish it later, after he is done with what he came for. Theresa said to meet her at the Old Guild, located at Bower Lake.

    Garth still can’t put his finger on it, but something tells him that whatever it is, it can’t be good. In fact anything that Theresa behind it, wasn’t good either. That woman has a thing for trouble, good or for bad, he does not know. He then ate a simple breakfast which added cleaning his face from the ink and from there started packing for the tripe He didn’t bring much, a weeks worth of cloths, and seven important books. By the time he was done it was seven. Just before he left he saw the old book of The Elders, and took it off his bed, stuffing his notes into in and packing it into his bag. He will need it; electricity went up its spine when he picked it up. It did this once in a while, and he’s starting to think that it’s for the best.

    Garth than went out of the tower and view the land scape twice this morning. The sun was coming out making the water below red, yellow, and pink. The statues in the garden with colors other then grey, making them look like they had skin. And morning chicks calling for food from their mother. He likes this place, he didn’t think he would, but he did, it was like a second home to him, not sure why. This was not like him; lately his was confused, not like him at all. Walking out of the court yard he closed all entrances to his tower, probably how the window happened, and the destruction of Sparrow versus the Spire guards and Commandants. Commandant in-human things infect by the Spire, Garth despised those things, hated them. Another thing that was on his hate list, thanks to Lucien once more. Walking and taking in the view of the forest on his way to the farm to get the horses a sound disturbed him. People far off, bandits, not, a feeling of a shiver told him otherwise.  Filled with caution and curiosity, the accents of the people, were different from anything he herd, he went to check it out.

    “Cerberus for goodness sakes, it’s not rocket surgery!” Said a voice, husk, rich and a laughter characteristic were in it.

    “Cerberus, rocket science?” Garth never heard of these before.

    “Oh shut up for once Grim, if you think you can do better you should come up here? Growled another one it was younger than the first.

    “Grim?”

    “Oh trust me I can, hey Valulfur, help me up will yah?” Said the first.

    “Valulfur?”  Such strange names.

    “Grim I don’t think you should, Cerberus can do it on his own, and it isn’t that hard.” A third voice responded, more mature then the two, yet husky. By this time Garth saw what was going on.

    “Grim for goodness sakes, you’re going to break this tree!” The second voice, Cerberus if correct, came from a teenager with close cropped coal black hair. He wore a black shirt, and black baggy pants, and muddy adventure boots with metal on the end covered with mud. His skin was pale, like it was never touched by sun before. And his eyes were red like fire.

    “Oh please give a break will yah, I done stuff much worse, hey can we have you cane Valulfur.” The first voice, Grim was a middle age man. His hair dark brown and wild as if it never been cut or brushed. A scruffy beard covered his tan young face. He wore a vest partly button, and pants, both had a royal purple stripes, and a belt around that. The eyes were a bluish green, wild with mischief, and a flash of yellow, which disappeared, a smile match his eyes.

    “Okay, but don’t go over board or anything stupid like that. “ Said the third voice, Valulfur. He looked like he was in his middle age as well. He had dirty blond hair that cover parts of his somewhat pale face, also cover with scruff. He wore a creamy long sleeve shirt, brown simple pants and shoes, and creamy gloves. His one eye that can be seen was ice blue and cold, and a bit in-human, all of them were, Cerberus eyes had a hint of a slit to them.

    Garth then notices what was going on. Cerberus was up a tree, and Grim part way. Valulfur on the other hand was on the ground, picking up silver cane with a white top that lay on the side of the tree. Valulfur handed the cane to Grim who smiled in response, and changed his position in a stealthy way holding the cane steadily eye level. Garth looks even further to see the target of these men, and it was a, bee’s nest?

    “Really now, it that necessary?” Thought Garth.

    “Come on Valulfur, after so many years together, don’t you trust me?” whined Grim fondly.

    “Oh shut up you big baby.” Responded Cerberus as he got closer to the nest, he hates whining.

    “Hey just because your owner kicked you out, doesn’t mean you can be such a party pooper.” Said Grim coolly. Cerberus looked like he was about to strangle the man, and farther.

    “Okay that’s enough you two, get back to work so we can leave.” Calls out Valulfur peacefully, while rubbing his forehead.

    “I can’t believe any no one notice this,” Grim changes the subject. “I mean it’s a bees nest, honey, honey for goodness sakes!”

    “Yeah yeah,” was all Cerberus could say.

    “Shhh,” whispered Valulfur, “you’re going to startle them.”

    And they went back to work. Garth while they were talking, walked up to them. In response Cerberus sniffed the air.

    “Human,” He said.

    “No thats your stomach.” Said Grim, Cerberus glared at him.

    Valulfur on the other hand sniffed to, “Yes I smell it to.”

    Garth walked closer, and snaps a twig in the process. The two in the tree looked down at him while the other spines around.

    “Hello there.” Grim smiles.

    “Great a human what did I tell you,” snorted Cerberus, Garth looks at him confused, human?

    “Cerberus that’s enough of being mean, if you can’t be nice don’t say nothing at all, be notice to him, or else.”  Valulfur smiled at Garth, Cerberus shuts his mouth, unwillingly of course.  

    It seemed to Garth out of the three Valulfur were the most civilizing of the three, at least in maturity standing point. Grim was a bit of an easy going fun person. And Cerberus, anti-social, will kill anything that annoys him. Luckily Valulfur was around so that won’t happen.
“Excuse me,” Garth began, as well as on guard, “but what are you three doing?”

    “What does it look like were doing!” snaps Cerberus, Valulfur looked up at him, he goes quiet again.

    “We’re trying to get the honey out of this here nest,” Grim said proudly, “it would be a waste if no one eats it, and we’re the only ones, by the looks of it, who knows about it.

    “Don’t you think it is a bit unwise?” Asked Garth seriously, “They are very territorial, even with their honey.” Every smart person and even dumb knows this.

    “We know, and don’t worry were professionals at this. “ Smiled Grim even more. Garth wasn’t so sure, and Valulfur shakes his head. Garth has a bad feeling about this.

    A few minutes took place, but seemed like forever. Garth started talking about some things with Valulfur, while to two others was at work. Just the they got to their prize. Grim got out a hand full of honey and grins with pride.

    “We did it!” Grim says.

    Cerberus went to work even further, and Valulfur as well as Garth smiles. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. And when he thought this, he was wrong, dead wrong. A bee went out looked at the group that was working on its home and went back in. The four stares at each other, hoping what they think was about to begin wouldn’t. They were wrong, dead wrong. The nest shakes violently, and many angry bees went to war.

    “I thought you put the to sleep!” Yells Cerberus as he jumps down.

    “I did but,” started Valulfur as Grim jumps and hands him his cane in the process.

    “This is not the time,” Garth cuts in again, “Lets…”

    And Grim finished his sentence. “RRRRUUUUNNNN!” Garth ran as fast as he can, with many angry bees at his feet.

Part 5

Theresa: