Kenneth Shumaker, A.K.A: Rusty Knight
Morgus
Written and produced by Kenneth Shumaker
Episode 013, part one ‘Freesia Round Doll’
Written on, September 13, 2017
Part one published on Virily on March 8, 2018.
We continue now with Morgus episode E013, ‘Freesia Round Doll’ on:
Winter 14 Unicorn
Sitting on the bench, Morgus nurses the aches and pains from recent events, struggling to justify all the activities that he’s been part of in his life up to this point. He shakes himself as he smooths the neck hairs of his yellow dog, Square, sitting next to him. “We need to find and deal with the rest of the wights before they cause more issues.”
Square woofs twice and lays flat on the grounds with ears flat against her head.
Chuckling, Morgus nods. “Yeah, me too.”
Rising to his feet the magus says, “let’s get inside.” He has worked on studying the chamberlain tome for seven hours today and then looked at and inspected the thirteen blades made by Hez, approving four of them. Gathering for the mage, half of his parchment making knife set, so far.
Resting at his desk in his office with Square laying on her mat, Morgus takes his accounting tome and jots down the records of wage payments to Gendal of 0.16 coin and Elmar of 12.00 coin for their trip to the Teal Hexagon.
Wondering how much longer he’ll have to linger on his treasure horde’s remaining coin from the two-thousand he received for employment with Hessan before he needs to acquire serious income. Can it stretch out till the University testing?
Noting on the ledger that he has 1,110.00 coins left in his chest, Morgus determines he should be more conservative with his spending.
Already determined to develop a spell to blast the wights, Morgus has already spent five hours in researching a non-fire lance to blast them with.
Winter 16 Unicorn
In Morgus’ office, Ada presents him with Bargewright Toaren for an appointment.
Toaren is a few minutes late as he offers his 11.00 coins for the appointment petition.
Both men sit as Morgus pours two tumblers of ale for them, then handing Toaren one.
The bargewright blurts out, “I’ll cut to the jig, Master Morgus. I want Sesan off my work site. He’s too damn slow … the lad has no clue what he’s doing on the work site, and the old geezer I have for a construction carpenter is a midden of a teacher. I’d throw them both overboard if I could.”
Shaking his head, Morgus glares back at Toaren, pushing the 11.00 coins back across the desk, he says, “I’ll top up your booty chest 180.00 coins to keep them both working.”
Spitting, Toaren curses to Ibon, “Seven Hells, not on land, I’ll not employ both. I’ll top up my petition to 110.00 coins if you get that rag sail off my work site.”
Coughing, Morgus considers this. His straight lips dropping to a downturn smile as he tries to turn this around. Motioning to his coin chest, he says, “I’ll grant you two-hundred from my personal booty to keep him.”
Jumping to his feet, and in a milk curdling tone, Toaren spits in Morgus’ face, “take two-hundred from me, get the green oar off my site or I terminate both of them. I came here out of courtesy to you … bailiff Magus.”
Seeing he’s lost this battle, Morgus motions for Toaren to pass over the coins.
The old bargewright stiffens then straightens, “I’ll bring it tomorrow!”
Shaking his head, Morgus states, “NO! … I’ll come collect it in the morning, and I’LL take Sesan off the site myself.”
Extending his arm after spitting on his forearm, Toaren growls, “Deal!”
Clasping arms with his nemesis, Morgus watches the buffoon stomp out of his office. It’s just after noon now.
Wiping his face in the front tail of his tunic, Morgus walks down to the staff suites. Morgus finds Gendal stitching blankets for horses in the laundry room. Tapping him on the shoulder Morgus says, “Hitch up the carriage if Larap doesn’t need it today.”
Setting down the horse’s riding blanket, Gendal grins, “Right away, Master. Where too?”
Scratching his chin, Morgus replies, “Two stops. First, Renol, then 889, you okay with that?”
The husbandman nods as he turns to walk out. “As good as you are, Master Morgus.”
…..
The three of them arrived at Renol fief in just over three hours, as Gendal raced along Drescol Street, passing Toaren two hours ago.
With Morgus up on the driver’s seat as well, they drive carefully out to the logging camp.
Jumping down from the seat as Gendal sets the brakes, Morgus wanders the construction site quickly in search of Sesan.
Finding the young man struggling with his master to fit a beam in the platform of a mill deck for loading lumber wagons, Morgus halts the work.
Morgus takes Sesan aside. “Are you happy here?”
Giving Morgus a confused look, Sesan replies, “About as happy as I have been anywhere … why?”
Morgus chuckles, gesturing to the site. “You’re in for a career change. Have you found any of this difficult, or not to your liking?”
Nodding, Sesan replies, “yeah living on Renol and in the mud.”
Morgus asks deeper questions. “Would you like to return home? Maybe take up being a bladesmith?”
Scrunching his brows together while dropping his jaw, eyes squinting, Sesan asks, “how? I’m indentured here.”
Morgus walks briskly over to Sesan’s Master. “Keep the coins, but we’re terminating the apprenticeship contract by the request of your employer, Master Bargewright Toaren. If I don’t take Sesan now, Toaren insists on the removal of both of you. Consider this my saving you both … good day master.”
Immediately turning away and taking Sesan by the elbow, Morgus guides him to the carriage. “Do you have any belongings you want to retrieve? We’re leaving Renol now.”
Sesan stumbles beside Morgus, shaking his head at the speed of this. “No?”
…..
Stepping into Beraran’s smithy, Morgus calls out, “Master Beraran, you here?”
Almost in two-minutes a jubilant smith springs into the display shop wringing his hands together. “I’m not finished Master Morgus, you said I had thirty days to craft the set.”
Morgus offers his arm to clasp. “I have a deal for you … do you have any of the first sets still?”
Beraran motions to the displays, showing the two sets. “Both! … why?”
Morgus pulls his bulging coin pouch free as he walks to the counter. “I’ll take them both at twenty coins a set if you’ll take this man on as an apprentice for five years … plus I’ll guarantee purchase within the thirty days deadline of the third set, at the price of twenty-five Flairs. What do you say?” he starts counting out the small gold coins.
Motionless, Beraran doesn’t speak.
Sesan collects the two sets of knives from the displays and places them near Morgus’ growing pile of coins, as Morgus reaches forty-five and stops.
Watching the barely breathing Beraran, Morgus sees the tears in his eyes starting to slide down the man’s cheeks. Sharply, Morgus demands, “Well?”
Slowly raising his arm as a small smile ekes to the corners of his lips and he nods short bobs of his head, Beraran utters softly. “Yes?”
We now end the Morgus episode E013 part one, ‘Freesia Round Doll’ on:
Written by, Kenneth Shumaker.
May the words stay with you!
©2017 by Kenneth Shumaker with Inevitable Unicorn Press
www.inupress.ca inupress@inupress.ca
