Sudden Realizations

He looked at the group of young people and wiped his nose on his sleeve with a mix of sympathy, sadness, anger, and frustration playing for control across his broad face. “Dreema will help you. Won’t you dear ? So will our small friends. Please be very gentle and slow with them they are delicate, as you... if you try to touch them or interact with them, please.” He turned to Gamleon and asked, “Do they speak common? Do they understand what I’m saying?”

Sebaziun’s gaze returned to Gamleon who was drinking deeply and nodding yes slowly, the unspoken understanding between them as clear as ever. The pain of his son’s potential fate, coupled with the urgent need to address the immediate crisis, weighed heavily on both of them now. Gamleon wanted to scream and smash things at the thought of having to tell him about the inevitable deluge that was coming. He couldn’t bear the thought of it wiping everything that he saw, away, forever.

Gamleon watched Sebaziun, understanding only a small part of the depths of his concern. He knew the immediate needs of the young people were critical, and the search for Baydrius and Flarf would have to wait until they were safe and fed.

As the fairies continued their work, fluttering around and lighting the evening with their delicate wings, the kids’ awe momentarily lifted everyone’s spirits with their genuine fascination and childlike sweet curiosity. Gamleon knew that in his own unspoken way, his own teacher and mentor was imploring him to come along. He would surely need his help and expertise. He could also read his body language after so many years, and he understood that there was something, something very important that he just wasn’t telling him.

Dreema glanced at the ragged state of the young people and realized she didn’t have enough blankets to cover them all. The rags they wore barely covered them, and many had pieces of ill-fitting armor that chafed and rubbed uncomfortably. The now sweaty dirty armor was from the Gorgons’ vast treasury a hodgepodge of oversized, mismatched gear that included elven and gnome pieces that almost fit their small, slender forms. . The young people wore what they could, including oversized helmets that many seemed reluctant to part with, and carried various coins, jewels, and other trinkets they had managed to grab from the treasure hoard.

Dreema’s heart ached at the sight. The rags were so filthy they could only be buried or burned, as their stench was unbearable. She instructed the fairies to help her find more blankets, but until then, many of the young people would have to make do with what little clothing they had. Dreema, her hands busy with cleaning the young people, stopped mid-motion as her gaze fell upon the tattered rags and mismatched armor they wore. As she began to gently remove the filthy outer layers, her eyes widened in disbelief. Beneath the grime and rags lay a stunning array of glittering jewelry, glimmering pearls, intricately crafted gold necklaces, and rings set with large precious stones. Beside them, pieces of armor, though worn and tarnished, showed signs of masterful craftsmanship , elaborate designs and ornate clasp bore royal engravings that spoke of a wealth far beyond what anyone could have imagined.

“Sebaziun, come here,” Dreema called out, her voice trembling slightly with excitement and disbelief. Sebaziun, his attention momentarily diverted from his drinking and worries, hesitantly get up off the bench and joined her. He knelt beside Anya as she shielded the young people, his eyes quickly scanning the treasures that were now partially revealed around her small neck. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of the high-quality armor and gleaming jewelry.

“Look at this,” Dreema said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s real hon. This isn’t just some trinkets or junk—they’ve got diamonds and rubies, pieces of genuine, valuable armor and jewels here. This is... this is all just a dream, I’m dreaming”. But the stench filling her nose and the blood on her fingertips told her otherwise.

Sebaziun’s eyes widened as he inspected the items more closely. The craftsmanship of the armor was thick and real, unmistakable; the intricate designs were characteristic of only renowned blacksmiths and artisans. The jewelry was not mere costume but genuine treasures. His heart pounded as he realized the true extent of the fortune.

“By the gods,” Sebaziun murmured, his voice filled with awe. “This is incredible. I never imagined such wealth, not even in dreams. How could be in the hands of slay... of children like these?”

As the reality of the situation sank in, Dreema and Sebaziun exchanged a stunned glance. Dreema’s initial concern for the children’s immediate comfort was now overshadowed by the revelation of their unexpected life altering fortune.

All eyes turned to Gamleon as he was drinking deeply the bottle raised straight up in the night as he helped himself without pause or guilt. His stomach roaring and growling .Dreema took more of the rags outside to burn, the acrid smoke rising as she threw them onto the growing greenish fire. As Sebaziun watched her direct some of the kids to help he made sure she was well away before speaking again.

What in the holy hell Gamleon?, Sebaziun bellowed almost laughing.

“You son of a bitch , I always knew you would do it with your constant poking around, always sticking your nose into something ,somewhere that it didn’t belong. You did it, didn’t you? You really did it! Why didn’t you tell me?

“I told them to set aside the weapons they couldn’t use. Gamleon said proudly showing his mentor that he had paid attention to his many lessons. They found a lot of treasure. I’ve been too preoccupied to mention it, but yes, they uncovered a vast hoard. The Gorgons must have amassed it over a few generations.” Gamleon’s voice was strained, revealing his exhaustion. “But down there, we were all just about to starve to death, so we didn’t have time to do it right. We’ve got to go back and get the rest. There’s so much, so much more I need to tell you. I’m just tired. Please understand. I’m sure all these kids wanna do is eat or fall down and sleep where they stand. They’ve got to be dead on their feet. Can you please give us anything that you have to eat? Obviously, we can pay you back…”

Dreema looked at the fairies, who were now chittering more and more eyeing the treasures with curiosity. She cleared her throat with a hard, determined sound that made her husband lock eyes with her, she followed up swiftly with a stern silent command not to look away. After she was sure he was starting to get it her gaze only lightly swept around the room, motioning subtly to the fairies who were wiping down the children, their hands brushing over expensive jewels, pearls, and necklaces that still clung to the ragged kids. An unspoken concern filled the air. How would they keep the fairies quiet? As soon as word of the fortune got out, it would spread like wildfire, bringing death or suffering far beyond what any treasure was worth. Dreema’s eyes welled with tears as she realized that their comfortable, simple lives would soon be over. The secret was no longer a secret, and she felt the beginning of what this discovery would surely cost them.

Gamleon looked back and forth between Dreema and Sebaziun, noticing the intense concern etched on their faces. He had not anticipated Dreema calling in the fairies for help, nor could he have foreseen the fallout. Exhausted his mind still muddled by the remnants of the poison, Gamleon sat down, rubbing his face hard and pulling on his goatee. He never intended to cause such harm; he was sure this fortune would bring more trouble than it was worth. His mind raced as he stood wobbling and approached Sebaziun, cupping his hand to his lips and trying to whisper his intentions. However, Sebaziun, in a reflex of shock or instinct, batted Gamleon’s hand aside loudly, suddenly drawing all eyes to the awkward motion. Uneasy tension began to settle sickening and far too heavy in the smallish room. The adults froze and the fact something was terribly terribly wrong was punctuated the now complete silence broken only now and then by the crackle of the fire or the rattle of the ill gotten armor.

Gamleon pulled Sebaziun aside, careful not to cause a scene by saying, hey, this bottles good, but it’s almost out. We need to get more. We’ve got celebrating to do. I want everyone to have a drink with us. I said, come on, you old rascal don’t be a cheap skate. Show me where the good stuff is. The delivery seemed smooth enough to himself as everyone went back to the task they were already occupied with. As Dreema continued managing the others She seemed to catch on “I’ve been saving a big, special piece of pork, and there is venison aplenty. I’ve got beef too. So we’re about to have us a feast. I’m sure no ones gonna want to miss it. If you want to eat, you gotta pitch in. As eyes ears and stomachs directed their attention to her. The perfect moment came to pull him into the hallway leading to their rooms. His voice was low, tense, and urgent. “Sebaziun, we’ve got a problems we can’t ignore. The fairies, the treasure… it’s all going to spiral out of control if we don’t act fast. Sebaziun retorted of course, of course I see it. I just didn’t wanna speed things up unnecessarily. I need a minute to think.

Sebaziun’s hands were clenched at his sides, the weight of the situation settling in on him. He had already removed his leather apron and washed the sweat and grime from his face, but the tension hadn’t even began to leave his body Before this new wave came washing over. . “Right, right. We gather what we need, make sure nothing’s left behind. We can use the tunnels you dug under your room. That’s what you were gonna say, right? Because it’s only me and you that know about those. Get out quietly, and— And then what live our lives on the run like fugitives? I can’t live like that. I can’t have my wife on my kid live like that. No, the only solution here is diplomacy. We gotta figure out a talking solution. ”

“No?,” Gamleon cut him off. “We can’t just kill all the witnesses, trap the fairies in here, or leave them behind. Damn, it, you’re right. Although that could work temporarily. It would create too many questions, and I’m sure they would find out eventually. They’ve been good to us, and if we start thinking like that, we’re making enemies we can’t afford. Besides, they talk. You kill one rumor and ten more spring up. Word’s already going to get out. And when it does… you know what’s going to happen.”

Sebaziun frowned, eyes flicking back to the other room ,to the fairies whispering among themselves.

Gamleon lowered his voice even more, his gaze steady. “We gather what we need. Quietly. Pack it up, move it into the cellar, through the tunnel. It buys us time. But we need to prepare for the worst.”

“And what’s that Gamleon, where or how do you see this playing out?” Sebaziun’s voice was edged with frustration, though he clearly knew the answer.

“ Soon enough the whole kingdom will be after us. Once they know what we’ve got, there’s no stopping them. The destitute will tear us apart for even one of the rings from that treasure. The fairies will spread it like wildfire, and once it’s out there… we’re done for.”

Sebaziun stood silently for a moment, deep in thought. Would you just be quiet for a minute and give me some time to think? She’s just blah, blah, blah, like back when I was trying to teach you how to read. His mind ran through the possibilities, the danger growing a tiny bit more with every second they hesitated. Then, after a long pause, he shook his head.

“No. We’re not running around like criminals in the night,” Sebaziun protested firmly. “We can’t outrun this. We need to go straight to the queen. She’s the only one with enough power to slow this from spreading as it would otherwise. We have to tell her everything, now, before it gets much worse.

Ohh good idea, he said, maybe we, if we pay her enough, she’ll agree to lock ’em all up.

Gamleon hesitated. “You think that’s smart? Once we tell her, she might not even help. You know what kind of position this puts us in.”

Sebaziun stepped closer, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s the only way. We don’t have any other option. We have to be honest with her. The fairies trust in her, and if anyone can slow the spread of this information, it’s the queen.”

Gamleon’s jaw tightened as Sebaziun’s words sank in. He hadn’t planned on getting the queen involved, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized Sebaziun was right. It was a dangerous gamble, but trying to hide or run wouldn’t fix the problem or make things go away and it more than likely would only make things worse.

“So damn unfair. Just when I thought I’d done something good and I could finally make everything right”.

“Make things right!? Make things right? You idiot! If I would have known that you were coming and bringing all these little...oh my God, Gamleon—I would have shot you down with a crossbow from across the way. You would have never even made it to my door!”

Sebaziun, overcome with too many emotions too fast, grabbed Gamleon in his vice-like, hardened hands. One hand wrapped around his goatee instead of going all the way for his throat, while the other grabbed his traveling tunic. He put his face into Gamleon’s whiskered muzzle and shook him hard and rough.

“You never really stop to think things through, do you”?

Instead of getting angry or attempting to break the hold or strike him back, he wilted. His heart was crushed.

Every since the day that he had decided to leave home. He believed that the lessons taught by his mentor were the most important things he had in his life. And the last thing he wanted to do was bring him sorrow or disappoint him. Now he had put all of their lives in danger. He had been warned time and time again that if he went out looking for treasure what he was really looking for was trouble and it would surely be more than he could handle the day he found it.

He blubbered quietly. I didn’t go out looking for treasure not this time, I promise you. But I was already right there and it was too. I was looking at the land like you taught me and I just knew for sure it would be there. So I had to stop in and check. Then the rest of it just all snowballed together before I could even have a chance to think or figure out what was going on. There’s so much I need to tell you.

There was something else hanging over them—something even more dangerous than the treasure.

“Alright,” Gamleon conceded as Sebaziun loosened his grip then ran his fingers through his thick hair.. “But when we meet her, I’m going to have to tell them all something else. Something bigger.”

Sebaziun raised an eyebrow. “Bigger than a treasure that could get us all killed?”

Gamleon’s voice lowered, barely above a whisper. “You can’t possibly understand how much I don’t want to tell you this. There’s no way that words can even begin to explain how much I don’t even want to know. I imagine if I had a chance to go through all this, it would all be so different. Not that I could fix anything or change anything, but you’re not ready for what I have to say. Trust me. Let me start by saying that the reasons why I stopped by to check and see if there was a cavern had nothing to do with greed, personal reasons, or a foolish treasure quest. It didn’t have anything to do with any of that. True, I went out trying to track down and collect on the bounty for the princess. Which, by the way, any word from Grace?”

Sebaziun rubbed his face hard and brushed his hair back again with sweaty hands. “You’re stalling. Get to the point. But to answer your question, no, I haven’t heard or seen anything from her.”

“ Gamleon sat down on the floor in the hall and patted the wooden planks next to him. Sebaziun ignored his attempt, which broke something loose inside. He gushed all at once uncontrollably. “There’s a huge flood coming. I’ve seen it with my own eyes...water taller than any wall or tower in any of the lands. Water, ready to drown everything. I don’t know if it’s natural or not, but it’s coming fast. And when it does, none of this is going to matter. I watched as rivers and streams became lakes, and lakes burst, dykes and levees… it’s beyond anything…”

Sebaziun froze, even stopping his breathing as his legs buckled. Gamleon rose then catching him under the armpits, the weight of the revelation hanging in the air between them as he pushed him back against the wall to stand on his own.

“You’re sure about this?”

“I don’t know how it all started, but I do know there won’t be any easy way to stop it,” Gamleon admitted. “I just know that it’s coming from up north, beyond the great deserts. It’s coming. The clouds and rain race out in front of it, almost smoke black. We have to prepare the cavern. We have to race back there, use the money to get what we need, and go back and plug up the holes.”

Sebaziun put his back against the familiar hall where he had grown up and slid down slowly until he sat, heaving. Gamleon couldn’t stand to see him like that, and they both began sobbing.

“So that’s it, huh? Why you checked the cavern, why you came straight here?”

“Pretty much, yeah. There’s a mysterious creature, a bear, a Gorgon priestess, and a huge sunken temple somewhere in there too. Oh, and I almost died more times than I can count.” He showed Sebaziun the horrid, rancid bandage on his forearm, then slowly added, “But yeah, that’s pretty much it. Sorry.”

“Oh, is that all?” Sebaziun tried to quip back playfully. “Sure you ain’t leaving anything else out?”

“Shit. It’s all kinda a blur, but it’s all true. Damn, I wish it wasn’t. Even the treasure. Ain’t that always the frickin’ way?”

“We don’t have time to run and hope no one finds out about the treasure too. We have to slow the spread of this information, or we’re all dead before the water even hits.”

Sebaziun’s breath hitched. His mind whirled, caught between the revelation of the treasure’s danger and this new, terrifying truth. You’re gonna have to show me on a map exactly where you were when you saw it in and what direction you think it was moving in”.

“It’s probably not natural,” Gamleon said. “Sure, the rain, the rivers swelling—they seem normal enough. But this is something else. Something bigger. And it’s coming faster than any of us are prepared for.”

Sebaziun sat there wiping at his nose and eyes, silent for a moment, processing the flood of information. His earlier paternal tunnel vision was now tempered with disquieting deeper understandings. “So, we still go to the queen,” he said finally, his voice quiet, resigned.

“Yeah. We have to,” Gamleon confirmed. “She’s our only chance to buy time. We tell her everything, and maybe—just maybe—she can keep her people quiet long enough for us to get out, to survive. But that meeting, when everyone’s gathered… that’s when I’ll have to tell them all about the flood. Because in the end, Sebaziun, none of this matters if we can’t outrun that wave.”

Sebaziun closed his eyes for a long moment, the weight of it all pressing down on him. “Alright. We go to the queen. But you’d better be ready to explain, Gamleon. Because once we start this, there’s no going back.”

Gamleon nodded, steeling himself. He knew the truth was going to shatter whatever fragile plans they had, but there was no avoiding it now. The flood was coming—whether anyone believed him or not.

“Consider this: what if she doesn’t believe me? What if she doesn’t believe us? What if they think it’s some clever ruse to get away with the treasure? I wish I had some kind of proof.”

Sebaziun nodded, the weight of Gamleon’s words settling heavily. “Not only that, but everyone’s getting ready for the games. She has some kind of special meeting set up—something about the plans and about discussing the arrow with the widower king. They were planning to make agreements about using the arrow, joining the conflict against the Cockatrice. It all seems so meaningless now.”

“I would like to use some of my enormous new wealth to commission a new medal. The medal is an award for having the most insane to-do list ever conceived and we are the winners… and the losers.” He tried laughing but failed, nerves frayed and raw, exhaustion overwhelming down deep to his core. He sat motionless as snot and drool ran down; he barely had the will left to move his lips or form coherent words. “I just want to keep saying that I’m sorry. But what would you have done if you were in my place? Of course I would come here. Of course I would come to the smartest person I’ve ever met or known in my life and in all my travels. If I didn’t save you guys, if I could’ve done something and didn’t try to do anything?”

“If I need some water as badly as I do, and I do. You and these poor kids… I imagine all you want to do is soak in a tub and just drink, drink water. When my uncle was dying, I came to his bedside and asked him how he was, how he was trying to deal with it yuh know. How did he manage his thoughts? And you know what he said?”

“What’s that? Your Uncle Ted, right? Wud did he say?”

He said, “You gotta take every single little thing one step at a time.” Seems kinda obvious, but also, I mean, what else can you really do?

“ I loved your uncle Ted. He was great. He would said “we better get up and stop feeling sorry for ourselves. Dreema is gonna come in here and find us like this. Kick both our asses” Gamleon said doing his best impression of the beloved old timer.

“Damn, thats a really good uncle Ted, you really were paying attention all that time weren’t you. I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll get up. Go get you some cold water. You stay right there”.

“Bread and wine too, please. If it’s not too much to ask”.

By the time Sebaziun returned from the kitchen, Gamleon was sprawled out across the hall, totally blocking it, face down, snoring loudly. Sebaziun felt awful about nudging him awake, but after several attempts and failures, he could hear Gamleon’s stomach roaring and grumbling as it ate itself. So, he shook him hard until he came around. Then, he put the warm buttered bread in Gamleon’s hand and drank from the cooled wine before passing it .

“Ugh... oh, God, how long was I out? Did you tell Dreema?”

“Not long, and no, not yet. The kids are making her smile. The fae are dancing and singing, drinking up my best, but who cares. You good?”

“Meh. Is the stew ready yet, or whatever we’re having? Smells like one of her classic stews—and a good one. Imma pass on the swine; I’m sure you’ll understand. But oh, those carrots in there are calling my name.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea. I’m gonna get some of the kids and head out to the garden right next to the kitchen window. Pull up some carrots and stuff real quick. That way they’ll at least have something.”

“Get the big goofy one—his name’s Kai. He loves diggin. Tell him, I told him to help you.”

“Can do, boss man. Anything else I can do to help you?” he asked, jokingly, despite everything.

Sebaziun gave a nod and headed out, leaving Gamleon to snack and rest. Despite the weight of their multifaceted and dire situation, they managed to hold onto a thread of normalcy. It was a small drop in the middle of a swirling sea of uncertainty. It was almost too much it seemed in every direction there was something waiting, something constantly threatening to drown them all, yet there it was—an unbreakable bond, an attempt at levity and understanding. Something that didn’t need to be picked apart or over examined. Something. Something kind and good that reminded them of their shared responsibilities and maturity.

“Yes, I hear you, Uncle Ted,” Gamleon said aloud, catching Dreema’s ear. As he began to doze back off, he could smell the sandalwood and sage that Ted liked to use. He drifted in an in-between state, trying to swallow the fresh buttered bread, overpowered by sheer and inevitable exhaustion. He slipped away and dreamed of flying immediately. He looked out to his side and there was a young, healthy Ted saying, “Yes, yes, you were paying attention the whole time, weren’t you.”

The kids and fairies, after consuming hearty meals of stew, venison, beef, pork, and carrots, sopped up in delicious warm bread quickly succumbed to exhaustion. Blankets, cut down and repurposed into makeshift ponchos, provided some clean clothing as they drifted off to sleep in the dimly lit room. The fairies, intoxicated by the potent expensive aged alcohol, slumbered heavily, oblivious to the faint stirrings of a storm beginning to brew in the distance outside.

Sebaziun waited as long as he could understanding that sleep is sacred. Eventually, though, he brought warm bowls to his student. They were disappeared in an instant. As Gamleon began to drop back even more heavily into slumber, Sebaziun pushed his shoulder into hairy ribs and headed him up onto his hooves leading them to the bedrooms down the hall.