Wardens of Avalon Chp 12

Chapter 12

Linda Yeoman

Marshall and I sat in a place called “Eddy's Delicatessen and Sandwich Shop.”. It was run by a rather grumpy man with a funny mustache shaped like water buffalo horns and male pattern baldness. The Bald spot was framed by with thick dark, black hair.
Still, he made an amazing ham and cheese. Real cheese sliced in front of you off a block and quarter inch thick piece of real ham. Heaven.
Marshall and I sat at a tiny circular table. Lacking anything better to do, I watched how Marshall ate. He chewed more than I would think, taking long powerful chomps. He never put the sandwich down, instead resting it and his arms on his chest to keep it close to his mouth. It made him look like a little boy sitting on a park bench.
He rarely looked at me. Instead he looked straight ahead and out the window. When he took a bite he would switch briefly to the sandwich, then return to his thousand yard stair out the window. Sometimes Marshall smiled.
“What'cha you thinking about?” I asked before taking a bite and making a point to chew as much as he did.
“Huh?” He turned to me, snapping his gave like it broke a rubber band. “Oh, um.” He scrambled. “Dragons mostly.” He finally got out.
“Mostly?” I asked with a chuckled and a smirk.
“Uh, yeah.” he shrugged. “I kinda lost track. First, I was trying to size out a hundred and fifty six meters out in the street.” He pointed with his sandwich hand.
“That's a very specific length.” I remarked.
“Average size of an adult Southern Atlantis Green dragon.” He explained. “It's what I wrote my thesis on to get into the beast masters. There are only six known left and no possible breed pairs are in rage of each other.”
“Okay.” I nodded
“I was trying to visualize how big they are.” He said putting the last bite of the sandwich down. “Like, if the tip of Scalrad, the one seated in the Andes Mountains, was right at the front door, where would his chin be.”
“Under the flaming rubble?” I suggested. Marshall snorted.
“Probably.” He picked the last bit of his sandwich and chopped it in half with his teeth.
“So, why dragons?” I asked. He shrugged.
“Cool.” he said covering his mouth. He speed up chewing and then swallowed. “I think they are cool.”
“Well, of course.” I stated. “But so are Fae and Nether Spirits.”
“Dragons breathe fire.” He stated.
“Elementals are fire.” I countered.
“Dragons are huge.” he answered.
“So are Behemoths.” I stated. “I can go on all day.”
“Dragons are seen differently by each culture.” He said leaning back. I got the feeling he was going to lay down what he really felt. “Dragons are evil in Europe, mostly Benevolent in Asia and Holy forces of Nature in the Americas. They fly when the want to or crawl on the ground. Everyone seems to assign them some great form of intelligence and yet they keep getting out smarted. Are they inhumanly wise but completely foolish. Do they have minds to rival our own or are they little more than beasts. No one can decide.”
“They are conflicting.” I concluded. “That fascinates you.”
“And they are so divers.” he said. “Some are flying lizards and others are massive venomous chickens.”
“You have to be kidding me.” I shook my head.
“Look up how the Basilisk is described.” he smirked. I shrugged. He finished his sandwich and I took another bite from mine.
“Is Bigfoot real?”
“Oh crap.” he covered his face.
“What? Touchy subject?” I asked before realizing his eyes were locked on the door. I began to turned to look but be touched my face.
“Look down and try to suck your aura in.” He whispered
“What?” I asked with an upturned brow. “What does that even mean?”
The door opened and a couple pares of boots came in. They thumped on the floor liked death marches and soon two black shadows crossed the counter.
“Johann, you must try harder.” An older voice said with a germane tilt to it. “Look at all the York Boy has done. He captures more gifted then you and he doesn't even want to.”
“York's super human, Father.” A younger voice said with a small German tent to it added with slight South American bent. “Comparisons to him are unfair.”
“Fairness is not part of the Equation, Johann.” The older voice said coming our way. “He and the Sympothist gain support.” They paused next to us and one turned to the other. “And your displays are not making us look any better. You have German last name, adding cruel methods leads to connections we do not want.” They continued walking to the counter.
“Commandant Schneider.” Eddy said. “Glad for you to be here.
“Salted Pork and three cheese.” the older man said taking out a wallet. “Make it good and I will forget the low standard you have in your patrons.” the two men turned and briefly looked directly to me.
“I'm Sorry, Lord Schneider.” Eddy said looking at me much less briefly. “I thought they were going.”
“My money is just as good as his.” Marshall rolled his eyes. “And it's hot outside.”
“Have you no consideration for your fellow patrons?” Eddy said. The two men turned to look at who had spoken. I got a clear look at them now.
I felt like someone dumped ice water over my head. I knew the older man. It been almost two decades, but I knew him. The nightmares might never end. In them he was a monster but out here he was a mortal. Warden yes, but still mortal flesh and blood.
I remember his eyes. How they looked at me from across the playground. I was playing on the monkey bars and had finally been able to push the fire in the stove from my mind. I remember someone was talking to Mom when he grabbed me. I tried to fight but I was only a six year old versus a full grown man over six foot five. I remembered the pinch of two sharp prongs and then the hot spasms of electricity. Next I remembered waking up in a strange place that everyone called “Sanctuary”. A few years ago I looked up what Sanctuary means. I laughed.
I was not laughing now. I was not even breathing.
“I don't concern myself with the comfort of Bigots.” Marshall said standing up. “I will however respect your position, Commandant Schneider.” Marshall turned to me as he threw on his back pack. “Linda, I think we will be more comfortable somewhere else.” He whispered. “Our atmosphere has soured.”
I nodded and fully agreed. Going somewhere else was exactly what I wanted to do right then. I got my bag and started out as fast as my tiny legs would take me.
“Linda Yeoman.” the older one said. “I thought I recognized that name. I see it now.” I froze. “Little girl that caused the fire.” He Paused. “I remember regretting having to collect you so soon. You were losing control, however, so I did what was for the greater good.”
“I...” I tried to speak. “I...I...” I tried to face him. “I have gotten better. I've been good.”
“So I hear.” He said. I felt hands on me and jumped, only to trace them back to Marshall who was trying to nudge me out of there. “I've been keeping track of you, Linda. You've made yourself quite useful.” I started moving to Marshall’s pressure and went through the door. “See you keep I that way.” He shouted out before the door closed behind Marshall.
Was Avalon shaking, or was it me? I felt tremors in my whole being. I wasn't sure how we made it from the shop to the bench but I found myself there when the world came back. It might have rained. My face was wet as was my skirt, which I clutched with white knuckles. I was sobbing and panting at the same time. Marshall was coming back with something hot in a foam cup. When I didn't reach for it, he tried to put it in my hand. When I didn't take it, he put it next to me. Then he sat. Occasionally I think he looked at me, but for the most part we sat silent and motionless.
I think York came by. I don't know for sure. He left and someone else came by later. She had dark skin from the color of her hands. Martial whispered to her and then left. She stood for a while, muttering to herself in words I didn't understand but they made the air feel clean. Then she sat next to me until the sunset when I finally looked up.
“How are you?” She asked. Her hair was made of a million black springs of molasses.
“I think I'm okay now.” I said sniffing, “Who are you?”
“I'm Rachel.” she answered softly.
 

Rachel Katsaros

“I’m Rachel.” I said with as soft an expiration as I could “The boys didn't know what to do and got it in their heads that a female stranger might be better than male co-workers.” A guess that only time would be able to tell was true or not.
“Rachel.” Linda said in thought. “I think I heard Bailey say your name once.” Linda looked down to think. “You’re his girlfriend.”
“Fiancé now.” I corrected with glee. “He proposed this week.” I subtly flashed the ring, three circles each with seven stones and a modest center piece. I don’t know if I would have bought it myself, but I can’t say I didn’t absolutely love it.
“Um, Congratulations.” She said distantly.
“Thank you.” I said with a nod. “Do you want to talk about it?” Linda sniffed and whipped her face with the heel of her hand.
“I want to go home?” She groaned out.
“I can do that.” I said, thinking she meant her quarters in sanctuary “Where to?”
“I don't remember.” She answered. I was wrong. I paused for a moment.
“Oh.” I said. I looked out to the horizon not knowing what to say. Right now made me wish Bailey had another Female Friend, but then again, I think that would cause all sorts of different concerns. We sat in a park near the edge. Linda and I could see that the sun was setting on the surface. “I know some people who can look into it” I said calmly. She looked me in the eye for a split second, then shot her face to the ground. “Would you like me to do that? You clearly have control now. There is no laws or rules making you stay.”
“No.” she answered. “I... I'll look into it myself.” Linda stood up. She looked like a bit of her spirit was lagging behind. Like her body was moving but her soul stayed in place. “Walk me to my room, please.”
“Okay.” I got up. “Lead the way.”
Like most wardens, walking through the main building of Sanctuary was extremely unpleasant. It was one of the few times I was glad I did not share Bailey’s Sense.
I escorted Linda to her door. I heard the sound of chatting from through the old wood portal.
“This is my room.” Linda said with her head down. I wasn’t sure if it was because of habit or this ordeal had taken that much out her that she simply hadn’t the energy. She pulled a short red hair behind her ear and tried to smile. “Thank you. I know walking through the sanctuary can be uncomfortable for you.”
“Think nothing of it.” I tried to say softly, knowing my voice can carry.
“Do?” She stumbled. “Do you want to come in?”
“No.” I smiled. “No thank you. I really should go.” I said putting my hands in my pockets to hide how the Sense was causing my fingers to twitch. Whispers of power and will floated through the air, making it hard to concentrate on Linda and making sure she didn’t collapse. “I think you need rest and distance from Wardens for a night. Marshall gave me the impression you have been spending an awful lot more of your nights in the library then in bed.”
“I napped.” She answered, a small, miniscule smile sped across her down turned face.
“Get some rest.” She said. “I recommend, in the morning, talk to someone you trust about it.”
She nodded to the idea as she slowly opened the door and walked through. I heard prattling from a German accent. It stopped the moment the talking girl saw Linda.
I turned and made my way out. As I walked, I heard the door open again and turned to see two girls exit.
“She looks like she needs some alone time.” One said with an eastern European accent.
“Ja.” The other agreed.