Chapter 9: A Friend in Need...

In the space of about a quarter of a chime he was knocking on the front door of Nolan’s house. Originally owned by Nolan’s father (before he passed away), it was now home to Nolan’s mother and his two sisters: Ash and Mare.

Nolan answered the door promptly and greeted his friend with a wide grin and their customary shoulder punch.

“You’re just in time Jack, are you all set to go?” asked Nolan.

“Of course I am,” replied Jack.

He was a little surprised Nolan was ready so early on. After a moment Jack realized Nolan was dressed head to toe in his Squire’s attire, complete with his deadly looking axe in its baldric, draped in his Squire’s tunic and surcoat with the Lazarian emblem of a sword and a hammer crossed in front of a blue eagle.

“Don’t tell me that’s what you’re wearing into the Lower Quarter?” Jack criticized his friend. Nolan’s grin quickly faded into a look of disappointment.

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? People respect the King’s Knights, as they should.” defended Nolan.

“I agree that outfit would open doors in most Quarters, but in the Lower Quarter all it’ll do is get us tight lipped responses from anyone we ask about that Grubber we’re after, people in the Lower Quarter don’t feel the same way about the Knights as the rest of Lazaras.”

Nolan pondered that for a moment.

“Hmm, maybe you’re right, after all you see more of the Lower Quarter than I do, what with working for Rhodes and all,” conceded Nolan. “I suppose I should put on something older, and less *uniformy*?” asked Nolan.

“Yeah, something along the lines of what I’m wearing, the more inconspicuous the better,” Jack couldn’t resist adding, with a pained look: “And ‘uniformy’ isn’t a word mate.”

“You knew what I meant, and no one likes it when you do that,” grumbled Nolan. “Ok, well come on in then, I won’t take long to change, besides I’m anxious to start looking for that blighted Grubber!” added Nolan, stepping aside to let Jack in.

Upon entering Jack was reminded how Nolan’s house was similar to Jack’s own in construction, except that the main hall was tiled with flagstone rather than wood. The floors tended to get cold in the winter, but required less yearly maintenance.

Walking past the foyer into the main hall Jack saw that both of Nolan’s sisters were there, and he was greeted by Ash, Nolan’s older sister of two years. Like Nolan she was incredibly resourceful, and it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that she single-handedly ran their household.

A fair few inches shorter than Jack himself, Ash had an infectious smile that could light up a room. She had been like an older sister to Jack when he was growing up, and the two got along famously. Today she was wearing a light blue knee-length dress trimmed with white along the seams, complementing her braided blonde hair quite well.

“Jack!” she exclaimed upon seeing him. She rushed up from the table and the two hugged briefly.

“How are you Ash? You look lovely as ever,” said Jack.

“Oh you charmer you,” laughed Ash, giving Jack a quick slap on the shoulder with the small towel she had been drying dishes with.

“Ash, I’ve just got to change quickly, keep Jack company will you?” Nolan asked rhetorically while he trundled up the stairs at the back of the hall.

“I hear you and my brother are off to the Stalwart today, says you’re interested in learning a bit of swordplay?” asked Ash.

Jack was taken aback for a moment and was about to answer to the contrary when he saw Nolan, halfway up the stairs behind Ash frantically making the ‘cut’ signal by gesturing his hand across his throat.

“Umm yes that’s right, I’ve always wanted to learn a thing or two about how to defend myself, what better teacher than Nolan to instruct me,” he fibbed.

“Well I think that’s great, try not to hurt yourself, Nolan sometimes doesn’t know his own strength,” she added, after which a look of repressed sullenness flew briefly across her face. Perhaps she was remembering the day two years ago when she had lost her father. “Can I get you something to drink while you wait?”.

“Oh no, thanks Ash I’m fine.”

Instead of sitting down at the table Jack went over to the small chair and desk in the corner of the room where little Mare sat silently drawing pictures.

“Ho Mare,” Jack said gently, crouching down onto his haunches to meet her at eye level.

Mare was a small girl, even for her age of ten, she was wearing the same green dress she always wore, and didn’t answer Jack. Instead she just looked at him briefly with a forced half smile, and then went back to drawing her picture, almost oblivious to her surroundings.

“What’s that you’re drawing?” he asked softly, taking a quick look at the stack of charcoal drawn parchment piled messily on the table.

Most of what he saw were pictures of people, two girls and a boy (Nolan and his sisters, Jack guessed) and few were of a dark haired woman lying in bed, which would be their mother. A couple pictures, however, startled Jack. They were violent images of a man lying in a pool of blood next to some trees, with a little girl crying slumped by the road.

After a few more unsuccessful attempts to get her to speak Jack gave it up and went back over to Ash, who was drying the remainder of the dishes from the morning’s breakfast. Jack picked up a spare dish towel and made conversation while he helped Ash with the chore.

“How is she today?” he asked, obviously meaning Mare.

Ash smiled a brief smile, half-hearted though, thought Jack.

“Today’s one of her good days, thank Dalbor and Corian.”

She gestured her right hand in a circle over her forehead, the customary sign of devotion to the twin Gods Dalbor and Corian.

“I’m glad you came by today Jack, I’ve only seen her smile when you’re here.” Ash continued to dry the dishes more vigorously. “At least she’s eating regularly now,” .

“And how’s your Mum doing?” he asked.

“She’s the same. She’s been the same ever since…” Ash paused as the last of the dishes were finished. “Well you know” she finished sadly, looking down to her right at nothing in particular. “Mare was so young when it happened," Ash Continued. "I’m amazed she came out of it this well, but my mother… There’s a whole family here that needs her and all she does is lay in bed, she hardly eats… she’s wasting away, and with every day that passes it feels like there’s less and less that I can do…”

Tears were forming in her eyes now and she got up with her arms folded and turned around so Jack wouldn’t see her well up.

Conscious of Ash’s strong nature, Jack didn’t attempt a caring embrace, but rather placed his hand on her shoulder. In a moment she had recovered and faced Jack with a smile in spite of herself while she wiped away the last of her grief.

“But there’s work to be done,” she said as she went about putting the earthenware dishes back in their cupboards. Jack continued to help her and by the time they were done Nolan had come back down and was dressed like he absolutely belonged in the Lower Quarter.

“Well we’re off Ash, I’ll be back before dinner okay,” explained Nolan.

“Well don’t you two look destitute, are you sure they’ll let you in the Stalwart gates dressed like that?” asked Ash.

“Oh you know the guards know who I am Ash,” explained Nolan, “Jack and I just don’t want to ruin any of our good clothing while we’re warming up, you know how rough sparring can be,” he fibbed.

“Hmm, alright then, have a good time. But be careful Nol,” said Ash. “Dalbor knows what would happen to us without the money you bring in if you got hurt. Have a good time boys,” she gave them each a motherly kiss on the cheek and they were out the door.

They turned left down the street and meandered their way through the familiar side streets of the Mid Quarter, making their way towards Castle Lane and the Lower Quarter.